Planar Components Research Articles

The Nab2 RNA-binding protein patterns dendritic and axonal projections through a planar cell polarity-sensitive mechanism.

RNA-binding proteins support neurodevelopment by modulating numerous steps in post-transcriptional regulation, including splicing, export, translation, and turnover of mRNAs that can traffic into axons and dendrites. One such RNA-binding protein is ZC3H14, which is lost in an inherited intellectual disability. The Drosophila melanogaster ZC3H14 ortholog, Nab2, localizes to neuronal nuclei and cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein granules and is required for olfactory memory and proper axon projection into brain mushroom bodies. Nab2 can act as a translational repressor in conjunction with the Fragile-X mental retardation protein homolog Fmr1 and shares target RNAs with the Fmr1-interacting RNA-binding protein Ataxin-2. However, neuronal signaling pathways regulated by Nab2 and their potential roles outside of mushroom body axons remain undefined. Here, we present an analysis of a brain proteomic dataset that indicates that multiple planar cell polarity proteins are affected by Nab2 loss, and couple this with genetic data that demonstrate that Nab2 has a previously unappreciated role in restricting the growth and branching of dendrites that elaborate from larval body-wall sensory neurons. Further analysis confirms that Nab2 loss sensitizes sensory dendrites to the genetic dose of planar cell polarity components and that Nab2-planar cell polarity genetic interactions are also observed during Nab2-dependent control of axon projection in the central nervous system mushroom bodies. Collectively, these data identify the conserved Nab2 RNA-binding protein as a likely component of post-transcriptional mechanisms that limit dendrite growth and branching in Drosophila sensory neurons and genetically link this role to the planar cell polarity pathway. Given that mammalian ZC3H14 localizes to dendritic spines and controls spine density in hippocampal neurons, these Nab2-planar cell polarity genetic data may highlight a conserved path through which Nab2/ZC3H14 loss affects morphogenesis of both axons and dendrites in diverse species.

Hydrothermally synthesized hierarchical Ce1-xSmxO2-δ oxides for additive manufacturing of planar solid electrolytes

This paper studies the hydrothermal synthesis of Ce1-xSmxO2-δ (x = 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30) oxides in the form of hierarchically structured nanopowders (the crystallite size was 9–11 nm). The thermal behaviour of cerium and samarium hydroxocarbonates, formed as intermediate products, was studied using synchronous TGA/DSC/DTA analysis; and with the help of an X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and infrared spectroscopy, their transformation process, which resulted in the formation of target oxides, was evaluated. It was shown that an increase in the samarium concentration leads to a change in the type of microstructure from nanorods to microspheres partially or fully covered by nanosheets. The influence of the particle size and shape of the nanopowders obtained on the microstructure of the coatings (porosity, degree of roughness, and height difference), formed using microextrusion printing, were investigated by atomic force (AFM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopy. The electrophysical properties of the oxide coating surface were evaluated using specialized semi-contact AFM techniques. The use of impedance spectroscopy made it possible to evaluate the effect of dopant concentration on the electrical conductivity of hierarchically organized solid electrolytes, and to show that microextrusion printing can be effectively used in the additive creation of planar components for alternative energy devices.

USP39 is essential for mammalian epithelial morphogenesis through upregulation of planar cell polarity components

Previously, we have shown that the translocation of Grainyhead-like 3 (GRHL3) transcription factor from the nucleus to the cytoplasm triggers the switch from canonical Wnt signaling for epidermal differentiation to non-canonical Wnt signaling for epithelial morphogenesis. However, the molecular mechanism that underlies the cytoplasmic localization of GRHL3 protein and that activates non-canonical Wnt signaling is not known. Here, we show that ubiquitin-specific protease 39 (USP39), a deubiquitinating enzyme, is involved in the subcellular localization of GRHL3 as a potential GRHL3-interacting protein and is necessary for epithelial morphogenesis to up-regulate expression of planar cell polarity (PCP) components. Notably, mouse Usp39-deficient embryos display early embryonic lethality due to a failure in primitive streak formation and apico-basal polarity in epiblast cells, resembling those of mutant embryos of the Prickle1 gene, a crucial PCP component. Current findings provide unique insights into how differentiation and morphogenesis are coordinated to construct three-dimensional complex structures via USP39.

Planar polishing process method based on real-time dressing of a polishing pad surface.

Planar polishing is an important manufacturing process for high-precision planar components. In this study, a real-time dresser and a planar polishing process based on real-time dressing for large-aperture optical plane components were developed. Efficient dressing of a polishing pad surface can be achieved with the real-time dresser. Compared with the conventional method, real-time correction for the surface shape of the polishing pad was realized via the temperature parameter t in the real-time dresser, and this parameter can be optimized through optimization experiments. Finally, a series of experiments was carried out to verify the effectiveness of the real-time dresser on surface dressing. Through the real-time dressing of the polishing pad surface, the flatness peak-valley deviation and the root-mean-square deviation of the flat optical element surface (430×430mm) can reach 3λ and 0.9λ, which is improved by 25% and 33%, respectively.

A Review on SIW and Its Applications to Microwave Components

Substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) is a modern day (21st century) transmission line that has recently been developed. This technology has introduced new possibilities to the design of efficient circuits and components operating in the radio frequency (RF) and microwave frequency spectrum. Microstrip components are very good for low frequency applications but are ineffective at extreme frequencies, and involve rigorous fabrication concessions in the implementation of RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave components. This is due to wavelengths being short at higher frequencies. Waveguide devices, on the other hand, are ideal for higher frequency systems, but are very costly, hard to fabricate, and challenging to integrate with planar components in the neighborhood. SIW connects the gap that existed between conventional air-filled rectangular waveguide and planar transmission line technologies including the microstrip. This study explores the current advancements and new opportunities in SIW implementation of RF and microwave devices including filters, multiplexers (diplexers and triplexers), power dividers/combiners, antennas, and sensors for modern communication systems.

Efficient coupling between single mode fibers and glass chip waveguides via graded refractive index fiber tips.

Coupling characteristics between a single mode fiber (SMF) and a waveguide embedded in a glass chip via a graded index fiber (GIF) tip are investigated at a wavelength of 976 nm. The GIF tips comprise a coreless fiber section and a GIF section. A depressed cladding waveguide in a ZBLAN glass chip with a core diameter of 35 μm is coupled with GIF tips that have a range of coreless fiber and GIF lengths. An experimental coupling efficiency as high as 88% is obtained while a numerical simulation predicts 92.9% for the same GIF tip configuration. Since it is measured in the presence of Fresnel reflection, it can be further improved by anti-reflection coating. Additionally, it is demonstrated that a gap can be introduced between the chip waveguide and the GIF tip while maintaining the high coupling efficiency, thus allowing a thin planar optical component to be inserted. The results presented here will enable miniaturization and simplification of photonic chips with integrated waveguides by replacing bulk coupling lenses with integrated optical fibers.

Effects of microstructure and inherent stress on residual stress induced during powder bed fusion with roller burnishing

A hybrid metal-additive manufacturing (AM) process that combines laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) with interlayer burnishing is investigated using a comprehensive modeling framework to provide new insights into how the inhomogeneous microstructure and residual stress from the laser powder bed fusion process affect the induced residual stress field that evolves during interlayer burnishing. Researchers have recently studied changes in microstructure resulting from similar hybrid metal-additive processes, however, it was only hypothesized that the resulting microstructure has some influence on the induced residual stress. In addition, researchers have numerically investigated the influence of burnishing/rolling process parameters on induced stress but neglected the effects of microstructure, thereby making homogeneous, isotropic assumptions. Such practice inhibits the prediction of microstructure-driven anisotropy that can exist in the inhomogeneous fused layer. This paper parametrically examines the influence of microstructure modeling, inherent residual stress mapping, and environment temperature on the induced residual stress during the hybrid metal-additive process. The demonstrated modeling framework incorporates inherent residual stresses that emerge from the laser powder bed fusion process, as well as the predicted microstructure, in a subsequent burnishing simulation to elucidate their individual and combined influences on the burnishing-induced residual stress. Findings reveal that modeling an inhomogeneous PBF-LB microstructure introduces an anisotropic distribution of plastic strain and residual stress along the burnished surface; a periodicity in planar stress components along the treated surface coincides with the PBF-LB scan lines. Effects of inherent residual stress on the burnishing-induced residual stress is less significant, but nonetheless observable. Elevated temperatures not only reduce the magnitude of compressive residual stress induced but also result in less variation of residual stress component magnitudes predicted along scan lines and hatch spaces. The presented framework offers new insights into the decoupled influences of microstructure and PBF-LB residual stress on burnishing-induced stresses that are not distinguishable via experimental techniques. However, trends in averaged residual stress through the depth of the specimen, as well as surface hardness magnitudes after burnishing show good agreements, respectively, with X-ray diffraction and microindentation measurements documented in the literature.

MODELING AND OPTIMIZATION OF AN INTEGRATED PLANAR INDUCTOR WITH TWO LAYERS OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL

The objective of the work carried out in this document is to develop an electrical model of an inductor with two layers of magnetic material. Simulation and optimization have allowed us to develop a model and in order to validate it, we have realized in the laboratory integrated planar components with two layers of magnetic materials.The different technological steps from copper deposition to the realization of the top layer (in the case of two-layer inductors), through exposure, etching, gilding, lapping, sawing, polishing and bonding have been described (Table 1). These steps required the use of the technological means of the laboratory.From the elements extracted by the optimization program, the admittance parameters Y11 and Y12 were recalculated and compared with those obtained by simulation. We noted a good agreement between the measurement and the simulation.

Compact Substrate Integrated Waveguide Filtering Antennas: A Review

In recent years, with the rapid development of integrated circuits, the filtering antenna (FA) circuit of the substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) has attracted widespread attention in wireless communications. Numerous structures have been proposed to improve the performance of SIW FA. Hence, this paper presents the development and miniaturization trend of the SIW FA, and briefly introduces the structure and historical development of the SIW FA. In terms of the mode, multi-mode cavities and incomplete mode cavities are constructed. Multi-layer structures, special structures and the slow-wave technology are constructed in physical structure. Several methods and design examples of the SIW FA miniaturization are introduced from these two aspects. Based on the combination of the filter and antenna, the FA remains the advantages of the SIW structure, mainly including small size, low insertion loss, high quality-factors, and easy integration in planar radio frequency components. Therefore, it can further reduce the circuit, allowing SIW FAs to be applied in many aspects such as the 5G (5th generation mobile communication technology) and wireless local area network communications.

Can simple estimates from neat polymers provide safe fatigue fracture design limits for fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites?

There have been extensive efforts aiming at standardization of a test method for characterizing fatigue fracture propagation in FRP composites under tensile opening Mode I loads. These efforts, however, have not yielded a validated standard procedure yet. The effects of experimental scatter, fiber bridging, and the two-dimensional delamination propagation in planar or shell-like structural components versus that in beam-like test specimens are still debated. Selected literature data seem to indicate that quasi-static or fatigue fracture tests on neat polymers might yield rough estimates for fatigue fracture design limits for the respective FRP composites. The feasibility and the limitations of this approach will be discussed in detail. The development of a fatigue fracture test method for neat, particle or short fiber-reinforced polymers seems to be fairly straight-forward. Such a procedure may also be useful for generating fatigue pre-cracks for quasi-static fracture mechanics testing of polymers. Whether data from such tests yield safe design limits for FRP composites may depend on the specific toughening mechanisms of the matrix polymer, since these are not always fully transferred from the polymer to the FRP composite. Fatigue fracture data for toughened polymers may hence overestimate the resulting toughness or delamination resistance of the FRP composites. Therefore, further investigations are recommended to explore the limits of applicability of such data.

Study of Copper Thin Films Resistivity by Using Van der Pauw Method at Low Frequencies

The objective of this work research is the use of four-point measurements and so-called Van Der Pauw methods in measuring the resistivity of copper thin films widely used in the manufacture of planar components such as inductor and others. Aligned configuration and square configuration are commonly used to measure thin films resistivity before use. But differences in values between the two configurations according to frequency and thickness were observed according to the authors. Measurements with both configurations on the same thin films must make it possible to know measurements evolution as a function of frequency and thickness. The observation of measuring frequency ranges of each configuration and the minimum thicknesses to have solid copper resistivity are the main contributions of the paper. This electrical characterization is carried out on copper thin films deposited on alumina substrates (50 mm × 20 mm × 635 μm) using RF sputtering technique. Copper thin films with various thicknesses (3.3 μm, 3.6 μm and 5.2 μm) were characterized. Low-frequency electrical characterization of these thin films was performed by four-point measurement method and using an HP 4284A type LCRmeter over the frequency range of 20 Hz to 1 MHz. Van der Pauw’s method was used to calculate resistivity. These studies allowed us to know influence of measurement configurations and influence of parameters such as frequency and thickness of the copper thin films on resistivity.

An Ultra-Thin Near-Perfect Absorber via Block Copolymer Engineered Metasurfaces

Producing ultrathin light absorber layers is attractive towards the integration of lightweight planar components in electronic, photonic, and sensor devices. In this work, we report the experimental demonstration of a thin gold (Au) metallic metasurface with near-perfect visible absorption (∼95 %). Au nanoresonators possessing heights from 5 − 15 nm with sub-50 nm diameters were engineered by block copolymer (BCP) templating. The Au nanoresonators were fabricated on an alumina (Al2O3) spacer layer and a reflecting Au mirror, in a film-coupled nanoparticle design. The BCP nanopatterning strategy to produce desired heights of Au nanoresonators was tailored to achieve near-perfect absorption at ≈ 600 nm. The experimental insight described in this work is a step forward towards realizing large area flat optics applications derived from subwavelength-thin metasurfaces.

Coding Metasurfaces with Reconfiguration Capabilities Based on Optical Activation of Phase‐Change Materials for Terahertz Beam Manipulations

AbstractUltrafast reconfigurable devices with high‐speed responses, high‐resolution capabilities, and ultracompact sizes will be essential for future real‐time terahertz imaging, chemical detection, nondestructive biosensing, and communication systems. Multifunctional terahertz metasurfaces with active, programmable controls have enabled conspicuous functionalities of subwavelength planar devices and components for manipulating electromagnetic (EM) waves such as beam focusing, polarization modification, generation of exotic EM modes, or multibeam scanning applications. However, active metasurface technologies for EM beam manipulation, capable of dynamical topology change, or induced‐phase reconfiguration are usually requiring various semiconductor‐based controlling elements (e.g., PN diodes and transistors), which are difficult to implement in the high‐frequency spectrum of terahertz waves. In this work, a coding metasurface is introduced integrating patterned GeTe phase‐change materials as command elements, which allows the optical control of terahertz wave propagation. The suggested metasurface design brings plentiful of remarkable functionalities through different coding patterns and is highly effective to control beam tilting, directivity, and splitting of terahertz beams. The proposed concepts of coding metasurfaces integrating optically active phase‐change materials are successfully confirmed by experimental demonstration and can be extended to more complex terahertz systems for imaging, tomography, sensing, and 6G communication applications.

Broadband achromatic metalens for linearly polarized light from 450 to 800 nm.

Metalens is a planar optical component that uses nanostructures with a thickness on the order of the wavelength to manipulate the wavefront of the incident light. A key problem, especially in color imaging and display applications, is the correction of chromatic aberration, which is an inherent effect caused by the dispersion of periodic lattices and resonance modes. However, the current achromatic metalenses either use the PB phase method that is only valid for circularly polarized light or nanostructures with complex cross sections that are difficult to manufacture. Here, we designed a broadband achromatic metalens for linearly polarized light from 450 to 800 nm. Rectangular titanium dioxide nanofins of various lengths and widths were applied to modulate the phase and dispersion of the incident light. The metalens can fulfill three target phases simultaneously by using an optimization method. The designed metalens has a stable focus from 450 to 800 nm with an average focusing efficiency of 64%. It can be potentially applied in microscopes, lithography machines, sensors, and displays.

An adaptive laser focus auto-positioning method for non-datum complex components based on 3D vision

For the advantages of high single-pulse energy and non-contact processing, laser is used to process easily deformable, high-hardness, and high-brittle materials. For some rough, easily deformed, and no-datum workpieces, it is difficult to locate the laser focus on the machining datum, resulting in processing deviation. This paper aims to solve the problem of automatic positioning of the laser focus on complex workpieces without positioning datum in three-dimensional laser processing. A calibration method of 3D scanner and five-axis laser machine tool is proposed, which combines the laser-processed circular hole, calibration ball and the virtual geometric features formed by the high-precision movement of the machine tool as the calibration objects. Based on the calibration results and the principle of homogeneous coordinate transformation, the kinematic model of five-axis laser machine tool is established dynamically. Then, according to the geometric information of the key points obtained by visual measurement, the automatic positioning of the laser focus on non-datum complex components is realized. Finally, the method proposed in this paper is verified by using planar ceramic components and non-datum complex ceramic components as positioning objects respectively. The results show that the method provided in this paper can effectively realize the automatic positioning of laser focus for non-datum complex components. And the positioning error is less than 45µm. The method proposed in this paper has been applied in the actual ceramic core trimming.

Enhanced Electro-Optic Modulation in Resonant Metasurfaces of Lithium Niobate

In display technologies or data processing, planar and subwavelength free-space components suited for flat photonic devices are needed. Metasurfaces, which shape the optical wavefront within hundreds of nanometers, can provide a solution for thin and portable photonic devices, e.g. as CMOS-compatible modules. While conventional electro-optic modulators are inconvenient to operate in free space configurations, its principle can largely be applied to the development of active metasurfaces with the prospect of modulation speeds up to the GHz region. Here, we use this concept to realize fast and continuous modulation of light at low voltage and MHz speed with a lithium niobate metasurface tuned by the linear electro-optic effect. Furthermore, we exploit the resonance in the visible to enhance the modulation of the transmitted light by two orders of magnitude, namely by a factor of 80, compared to the unstructured substrate. This proof-of-concept work is a first important step towards the use of lithium niobate metasurfaces for free space modulation.

Thermal Design, Optimization, and Packaging of Planar Magnetic Components

This article is focused on the thermal design and three-dimensional (3-D) package optimization of planar magnetic components (PMCs), including transformers and inductors for application in an electric vehicle composite boost dc-dc converter. Each PMC comprises electrical windings in printed circuit board (PCB) form in combination with a ferrite core. Multiple features of each PMC package are thermally optimized for the proposed device configurations with given core size, core loss distribution, number of turns in the PCB winding, winding copper thickness, and winding loss distribution. These heuristically optimized features include a lower level cold plate structure with a conformal base for enhanced convective heat transfer, an upper level PMC cap structure for doubled-sided cooling through conductive heat flow to the cold plate, the implementation of functionally distributed copper thermal and electrothermal vias in the PCB winding for improved cross-plane thermal conductance, and judicious implementation of select materials at various locations and interfaces within the package. Detailed numerical modeling reveals the combined effect of this 3-D packaging strategy with a 79.3 °C and 48.5 °C maximum temperature reduction in the core and PCB winding, respectively, relative to a baseline device configuration. Select PMC experimental validation confirms the expected thermal performance of an optimized PCB design. The thermal design approach is relevant for a range of high-power-density electronics PMC packaging applications.

Planar cell polarity signaling components are a direct target of β-amyloid–associated degeneration of glutamatergic synapses

The signaling pathway directly controlling the maintenance of adult glutamatergic synapses has not been well understood. Planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling components were recently shown to play essential roles in the formation of glutamatergic synapses. Here, we show that they are localized in the adult synapses and are essential for their maintenance. Synapse loss at early stages of Alzheimer's disease is thought to be induced by β-amyloid (Aβ) pathology. We found that oligomeric Aβ binds to Celsr3 and assists Vangl2 in disassembling synapses. Moreover, a Wnt receptor and regulator of PCP signaling, Ryk, is also required for Aβ-induced synapse loss. In the 5XFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, Ryk conditional knockout or a function-blocking monoclonal Ryk antibody protected synapses and preserved cognitive function. We propose that tipping of the fine balance of Wnt/PCP signaling components in glutamatergic synapses may cause synapse degeneration in neurodegenerative disorders with Aβ pathology.

Design of planar waveguide directional couplers with arbitrary modal electric field

The purpose of this work is to present a method for designing planar waveguide couplers of arbitrary modal electric field distributions. The idea here is to create couplers with unusual electric fields, which confine in one planar waveguide. This is possible if a planar waveguide profile supporting two pre-selected mode fields is designed. Their interference will have to transfer the optical power from one region (bottom layer) to another region (top layer) completely. The inverse transmission-line technique and the desired electric field are applied, based on which the refractive index profile of the couplers exhibiting excellent crosstalk is reconstructed. By choosing this technique, it is feasible to design planar components in sensing applications, such as high power, temperature or pressure sensors and numerous other possibilities, using unusual electric field distributions.

Ultracompact Quarter-Mode Substrate Integrated Waveguide Self-Diplexing Antenna

A highly compact substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) self-diplexing antenna, operating at wireless local area network bands (3.6 and 5.4 GHz), is proposed in this letter. The proposed antenna consists of two closely placed (0.022λ <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">g</sub> , where λ <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">g</sub> is the guided wavelength at 3.6 GHz) quarter-mode SIW resonators, exited by two coaxial probes. Two rectangular slots are added to the closed-ends of each resonator to generate additional capacitances. Therefore, both resonators operate below their fundamental frequencies, and hence, miniaturization is achieved. Moreover, a reliable circuit model is developed to validate the design process. The proposed antenna has ultracompact dimensions of 0.08λ <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">g</sub> <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> with simulated gains of 4.9 and 5.34 dBi at 3.6 and 5.4 GHz, respectively. In addition, the simulated isolation levels are 32.5 and 36.6 dB at the lower and higher resonant bands, respectively. Furthermore, both resonant frequencies can be independently controlled by changing the length of the capacitive slots. Due to its compactness, independent resonance control and high isolation, the proposed antenna is suitable for compact and planar radio frequency components.