A Significant Detection of X-ray Polarization in Sco X-1 with PolarLight and Constraints on the Corona Geometry

We report the detection of X-ray polarization in the neutron-star low-mass X-ray binary Scorpius (Sco) X-1 with PolarLight. The result is energy-dependent, with a nondetection in 3–4 keV but a 4σ detection in 4–8 keV; it is also flux-dependent in the 4–8 keV band, with a nondetection when the source displays low fluxes but a 5σ detection during high fluxes, in which case we obtain a polarization fraction of 0.043 ± 0.008 and a polarization angle of 52.°6 ± 5.°4. This confirms a previous marginal detection with OSO-8 in the 1970s and marks Sco X-1 as the second astrophysical source with a significant polarization measurement in the keV band. The measured polarization angle is in line with the jet orientation of the source on the sky plane (54°), which is supposedly the symmetry axis of the system. Combining previous spectral analysis, our measurements suggest that an optically thin corona is located in the transition layer under the highest accretion rates, and disfavor the extended accretion disk corona model.

Radiation and Polarization Signatures from Magnetic Reconnection in Relativistic Jets. II. Connection with γ-Rays

It is commonly believed that blazar jets are relativistic magnetized plasma outflows from supermassive black holes. One key question is how the jets dissipate magnetic energy to accelerate particles and drive powerful multiwavelength flares. Relativistic magnetic reconnection has been proposed as the primary plasma physical process in the blazar emission region. Recent numerical simulations have shown strong acceleration of nonthermal particles that may lead to multiwavelength flares. Nevertheless, previous works have not directly evaluated γ-ray signatures from first-principles simulations. In this paper, we employ combined particle-in-cell and polarized radiation transfer simulations to study multiwavelength radiation and optical polarization signatures under the leptonic scenario from relativistic magnetic reconnection. We find harder-when-brighter trends in optical and Fermi-LAT γ-ray bands as well as closely correlated optical and γ-ray flares. The swings in optical polarization angle are also accompanied by γ-ray flares with trivial time delays. Intriguingly, we find highly variable synchrotron self-Compton signatures due to inhomogeneous particle distributions during plasmoid mergers. This feature may result in fast γ-ray flares or orphan γ-ray flares under the leptonic scenario, complementary to the frequently considered minijet scenario. It may also imply neutrino emission with low secondary synchrotron flux under the hadronic scenario, if plasmoid mergers can accelerate protons to very high energy.

Polarization Angle Dependence of Optical Gain in a Hybrid Structure of Alexa-Flour 488/M13 Bacteriophage

We measured optical modal gain of a dye–virus hybrid structure using a variable stripe length method, where Alexa-fluor-488 dye was coated on a virus assembly of M13 bacteriophage. Inspired by the structural periodicity of the wrinkle-like virus assembly, the edge emission of amplified spontaneous emission was measured for increasing excited optical stripe length, which was aligned to be either parallel or perpendicular to the wrinkle alignment. We found that the edge emission showed a strong optical anisotropy, and a spectral etalon also appeared in the gain spectrum. These results can be attributed to the corrugated structure, which causes a similar effect to a DFB laser, and we also estimated effective cavity lengths.

Dynamically tunable plasmon-induced transparency effect based on graphene metasurfaces

Plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) is theoretically explored with a graphene metamaterial using finite-difference time-domain numerical simulations and coupled-mode-theory theoretical analysis. In this work, the proposed structure is consisted of one rectangular cavity and three strips to generate the PIT phenomenon. The PIT window can be regulated dynamically by adjusting the Fermi level of the graphene. Importantly, the modulation depth of the amplitude can reach 90.4%. The refractive index sensitivity of the PIT window is also investigated, and the simulation result shows that a sensitivity of 1.335 THz/RIU is achieved. Additionally, when the polarization angle of the incident light is changed gradually from 0˚ to 90˚, the performances of the structure are greatly affected. Finally, the proposed structure is particularly enlightening for the design of dynamically tuned terahertz devices.

Polarization Study of Gamma-ray Binary Systems

The polarization of X-ray emission is a unique tool used to investigate the magnetic field structure around astrophysical objects. In this paper, we study the linear polarization of X-ray emissions from gamma-ray binary systems based on pulsar scenarios. We discuss synchrotron emission from pulsar wind particles accelerated by a standing shock. We explore three kinds of axisymmetric magnetic field structures: (i) toroidal magnetic fields, (ii) poloidal magnetic fields, and (iii) tangled magnetic fields. Because of the axisymmetric structure, the polarization angle of integrated emission is oriented along or perpendicular to the shock-cone axis projected on the sky and swings around 360° in one orbit. For the toroidal case, the polarization angle is always directed along the shock-cone axis and smoothly changes along the orbital phase. For the poloidal/tangled magnetic field, the direction of the polarization angle depends on the system parameters and orbital phase. In one orbit, the polarization degree for the toroidal case can reach the maximum value of the synchrotron radiation (∼70%), while the maximum polarization degree for poloidal/tangled field cases is several 10%. We apply our model to bright gamma-ray binary LS 5039 and make predictions for future observations. With the expected sensitivity of the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, linear polarization can be detected by an observation of several days if the magnetic field is dominated by the toroidal magnetic field. If the magnetic field is dominated by the poloidal/tangled field, significant detection is expected with an observation longer than 10 days.

Multi-Band Polarization Insensitive Ultra-Thin THz Metamaterial Absorber for Imaging and EMI Shielding Applications

this article, a multi-band polarization-insensitive metamaterial absorber is designed for THz imaging and EMI shielding. A unique oval-shaped structure with three circular ring-shaped resonators is proposed with a unit cell dimension of36×36×19.6μm3. The absorbance of the proposed multiband MMA is 98.57%, 90%and 99.85% at 5.58, 7.98-8.84, 11.45THz frequency respectively. Return loss is nearly the same for the changing incident and polarization angle. Therefore, this metamaterial absorber with a wide range of polarization insensitivity is found and it is also suitable for quantum RADAR Imaging, energy harvesting, and optoelectronic devices.

Actively Tunable and Polarization-independent Toroidal Resonance in Hybrid Metal-Vanadium Dioxide Metamaterial

Actively tunable and polarization-independent toroidal resonance in hybrid metal-vanadium dioxide metamaterial is proposed and demonstrated numerically in terahertz regime. Simulation results illustrate that a toroidal dipolar resonance is excited by hybrid metal and vanadium dioxide resonator and insensitive with polarization angle of incident plane wave, calculated scattered powers verify the toroidal resonance is strengthened. A novel modulation of resonance strength in proposed toroidal metamaterial is obtained as the phase transition process of vanadium dioxide and contrary to former hybrid metal-vanadium dioxide toroidal metamaterials. The theoretical fitting results reveal that physical mechanism of active modulation in resonance strength can be attributed to the variation of overall damping rate caused by tuning conductivity of vanadium dioxide.

Optimal Detection of Fusion Pore Dynamics Using Polarized Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

The fusion pore is the initial narrow connection that forms between fusing membranes. During vesicular release of hormones or neurotransmitters, the nanometer-sized fusion pore may open-close repeatedly (flicker) before resealing or dilating irreversibly, leading to kiss-and-run or full-fusion events, respectively. Pore dynamics govern vesicle cargo release and the mode of vesicle recycling, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. This is partly due to a lack of reconstituted assays that combine single-pore sensitivity and high time resolution. Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy offers unique advantages for characterizing single membrane fusion events, but signals depend on effects that are difficult to disentangle, including the polarization of the excitation electric field, vesicle size, photobleaching, orientation of the excitation dipoles of the fluorophores with respect to the membrane, and the evanescent field depth. Commercial TIRF microscopes do not allow control of excitation polarization, further complicating analysis. To overcome these challenges, we built a polarization-controlled total internal reflection fluorescence (pTIRF) microscope and monitored fusion of proteoliposomes with planar lipid bilayers with single molecule sensitivity and ∼15 ms temporal resolution. Using pTIRF microscopy, we detected docking and fusion of fluorescently labeled small unilamellar vesicles, reconstituted with exocytotic/neuronal v-SNARE proteins (vSUVs), with a supported bilayer containing the cognate t-SNAREs (tSBL). By varying the excitation polarization angle, we were able to identify a dye-dependent optimal polarization at which the fluorescence increase upon fusion was maximal, facilitating event detection and analysis of lipid transfer kinetics. An improved algorithm allowed us to estimate the size of the fusing vSUV and the fusion pore openness (the fraction of time the pore is open) for every event. For most events, lipid transfer was much slower than expected for diffusion through an open pore, suggesting that fusion pore flickering limits lipid release. We find a weak correlation between fusion pore openness and vesicle area. The approach can be used to study mechanisms governing fusion pore dynamics in a wide range of membrane fusion processes.

Ultra-broadband perfect solar energy absorber based on tungsten ring arrays

Metamaterials play a crucial role in the research of broadband absorbers. In order to achieve broadband and efficient absorption of solar energy, a novel solar energy absorber based on tungsten ring array is proposed in this paper. The results of numerical analysis show that the absorption efficiency of the absorber is over 90%, the average absorption efficiency is 96.2%, and the absorption peak is 99.9% at 300 ~ 2000 nm. Broadband absorption can be attributed to the excitation of plasmon and Fabry-Perot resonance effect on the surface of metal-insulator-metal. In addition, thanks to the high symmetry of the structure, it is relatively independent of incident angle and polarization angle. In the future, the absorbent will have a promising application prospect in the fields of solar energy utilization, photothermal conversion and infrared detection.