Manipulation and control of droplets on surfaces in a homogeneous electric field

A method to manipulate and control droplets on a surface is presented. The method is based on inducing electric dipoles inside the droplets using a homogeneous external electric field. It is shown that the repulsive dipole force efficiently suppresses the coalescence of droplets moving on a liquid-infused surface (LIS). Using a combination of experiments, numerical computations and semi-analytical models, the dependence of the repulsion force on the droplet volumes, the distance between the droplets and the electric field strength is revealed. The method allows to suppress coalescence in complex multi-droplet flows and is real-time adaptive. When the electric field strength exceeds a critical value, tip streaming from the droplets sets in. Based on that, it becomes possible to withdraw minute samples from an array of droplets in a parallel process.

Do we need a non-perturbative theory of Bose-Einstein condensation?

We recall the experimental data of one-dimensional axial propagation of sound near the center of the Bose-Einstein condensate cloud, which used the optical dipole force method of a focused laser beam and rapid sequencing of nondestructive phase-contrast images. We reanalyze these data within the general quantum fluid framework but without model-specific theoretical assumptions; using the standard best fit techniques. We demonstrate that some of their features cannot be explained by means of the perturbative two-body approximation and Gross-Pitaevskii model, and conjecture possible solutions.

Topological structures, spontaneous symmetry breaking and energy spectra in dipole hexagonal lattices

The interplay between the special triangular/hexagonal two dimensional lattice and the long range dipole–dipole interaction gives rise to topological defects, specifically the vortex, formed by a particular arrangement of the interacting classic dipoles. The nature of such vortices has been traditionally explained on the basis of numerical evidence. Here we propose the emerging formation of vortices as the natural minimum energy configuration of interacting (in-plane) two-dimensional dipoles based on the mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking. As opposed to the quantal case, where spin textures such as skyrmions or bimerons occur due to non-linearities in their Hamiltonian, it is still possible to witness classic topological structures due only to the nature of the dipole–dipole force. We shall present other (new) topological structures for the in-plane honeycomb lattice, as well as for two-dimensional out-of-plane dipoles. These structures will prove to be essential in the minimum energy configurations for three-dimensional simple hexagonal and hexagonal-closed-packed structures, whose energies in the bulk are obtained for the first time.

Кулоновские плазмон-экситоны в планарных наноструктурах металл-полупроводник

A theory of Coulomb (non-radiative) plasmons-excitons in a semiconductor with adjacent quantum well and ultrathin metal film is presented. The equations of motion are formulated for the polarization waves of surface plasmons and quasi-two-dimensional excitons with taking account of Coulomb interaction between them. Within a model of coupled harmonic oscillators, solved are the problems of Coulomb plasmon, exciton and plasmon-exciton excitations in the presence of an external dipole force. The coupling contant is calculated for plasmon-excitons, their optical spectra are investigated, and the relative contributions of plasmons and excitons to the normal modes are found. It is concluded that near the resonance between plasmon and exciton the spectrum of plasmon-exciton excitations consists of two peaks whose behavior in passing through the resonance shows the signs of anti-crossing effect (repulsion of frequencies).

Compatibilization Effect of Ionic Liquid-Based Surfactants on Physicochemical Properties of PBS/Rice Starch Blends: An Initial Study

Polybutylene succinate (PBS)/rice starch (RS) blends were prepared via the hot-melt extrusion technique through the usage of a twin-screw extruder without and containing ionic liquid-based surfactants (ILbS). Two types of ILbS were used, specifically, 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate, [C12mim][OTf] and 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [C12mim][NTf2] were mixed into the PBS/RS blends at the different contents (0–8 wt.%). The tensile and flexural results showed that the blends containing ILbS have a high tensile extension and tensile energy compared to the blend without ILbS. The blends containing ILbS also have a high flexural extension compared with the blend without ILbS. The blends containing [C12mim][NTf2] have a significant improvement in the tensile energy (up to 239%) and flexural extension (up to 17%) in comparison with the blends containing [C12mim][OTf]. The FTIR spectra demonstrated that the presence of ILbS in the blends generated the intermolecular interactions (ion-dipole force and hydrophobic-hydrophobic interaction) between PBS and RS. The DSC results exhibited that the melting points of the prepared blends are decreased with the addition of ILbS. However, the TGA results showed that the thermal decomposition of the blends containing ILbS are higher than the blend without ILbS. The values of decomposition temperature were 387.4 °C, 381.8 °C, and 378.6 °C of PBS/RS-[C12mim][NTf2], PBS/RS-[C12mim][OTf], and PBS/RS, respectively. In conclusion, the ILbS could significantly improve the physicochemical properties of the PBS/RS blends by acting as a compatibilizer.

Experimental Verification of Anomalous Forces on Shielded Symmetrical Capacitors

In this work, we measured the magnitude of forces raised from the operation of symmetrical capacitor devices working in high electric potentials. Our experimental measurements were realized with basis on an improved setup which aimed significant reduction of ionic wind by means of an efficient shield. We observed small variations of the device inertia within an accurate range and we confirmed with good accuracy that the experimental results can be explained by a generalized quantum entanglement hypothesis which provides us a theoretical model for a macroscopic dipole force raised by the myriad of microscopic dipoles constituting the capacitor. The new results corroborated the positive results of previous experiments and also indicate the validity of our theoretical forecast.

Deposition of Cr Atoms Using Switching-Detuning Light Mask for Direct Atom Lithography

Background: As progress on the nanofabrication has made semiconductor developed rapidly, there is an increasing need in precise pitch standards to calibrate the structure of devices at nanoscale. Nano-gratings fabricated by atom lithography are unique and suitable to act as precise pitch standard because its pitch distance is directly traceable to a natural constant. As the scaling down of nano-devices, it is very challenging to double the spatial frequency of nano-grating while keeping the self-traceability in atom lithography. Methods: In this study, the switching-detuning light mask is utilized for Cr atom lithography. During a single deposition process, the standing wave frequency is switching from positive detuning to negative detuning alternatively. Results: Nano-gratings fabricated using switching-detuning light mask is successfully replicated with double spatial frequency and self-traceability. Non-uniformity between neighboring Cr lines shows up with a corrected pitch of 107.15 Conclusion: Non-uniformity is mainly caused by the dipole force discrepancy between positive and negative detuning light mask. Therefore, to increase the high uniformity of nano-gratings, the deposition time of negative detuning should be at least twice as the positive detuning. On the other hand, to reduce the pitch uncertainty, it is necessary to reduce the distance between the atom beam and reflection mirror as close as possible. These two significant optimization designs are promising to increase the spatial frequency doubling performance with high uniformity and accuracy.

Velocity-dependent optical forces and Maxwell’s demon

An atom placed in a focused laser beam will experience a dipole force due to the gradient in the interaction energy, which is analogous to the well-known optical tweezers effect. This force will be dependent on the velocity of the atom due to the Doppler effect, which could potentially be used to implement a Maxwell’s demon. Photon scattering and other forms of dissipation can be negligibly small, which would seem to contradict quantum information proofs that a Maxwell’s demon must dissipate a minimum amount of energy. We show that the velocity dependence of the dipole force is cancelled out by another force that is related to the gradient in the phase of the laser beam. As a result, a Maxwell’s demon cannot be implemented in this way.