Observation of second sound in graphite over 200 K

Second sound refers to the phenomenon of heat propagation as temperature waves in the phonon hydrodynamic transport regime. We directly observe second sound in graphite at temperatures of over 200 K using a sub-picosecond transient grating technique. The experimentally determined dispersion relation of the thermal-wave velocity increases with decreasing grating period, consistent with first-principles-based solution of the Peierls-Boltzmann transport equation. Through simulation, we reveal this increase as a result of thermal zero sound—the thermal waves due to ballistic phonons. Our experimental findings are well explained with the interplay among three groups of phonons: ballistic, diffusive, and hydrodynamic phonons. Our ab initio calculations further predict a large isotope effect on the properties of thermal waves and the existence of second sound at room temperature in isotopically pure graphite.

Wide Bandwidth Silicon Nitride Strip-Loaded Grating Coupler on Lithium Niobate Thin Film

In this research, a vertical silicon nitride strip-loaded grating coupler on lithium niobate thin film was proposed, designed, and simulated. In order to improve the coupling efficiency and bandwidth, the parameters such as the SiO2 cladding layer thickness, grating period, duty cycle, fiber position, and fiber angle were optimized and analyzed. The alignment tolerances of the grating coupler parameters were also calculated. The maximum coupling efficiency and the −3 dB bandwidth were optimized to 33.5% and 113 nm, respectively. In addition, the grating coupler exhibited a high alignment tolerance.

SOI Waveguide Bragg Grating Photonic Sensor for Human Body Temperature Measurement Based on Photonic Integrated Interrogator

A waveguide Bragg grating (WBG) provides a flexible way for measurement, and it could even be used to measure body temperature like e-skin. We designed and compared three structures of WBG with the grating period, etching depth, and duty cycle. The two-sided WBG was fabricated. An experimental platform based on photonic integrated interrogator was set up and the experiment on the two-sided WBG was performed. Results show that the two-sided WBG can be used to measure temperature changes over the range of 35–42 °C, with a temperature measurement error of 0.1 °C. This approach has the potential to facilitate application of such a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) WBG photonic sensor to wearable technology and realize the measurement of human temperature.

Electrically tunable guided mode resonance grating for switchable photoluminescence

<p>We present a guided mode resonance grating based on the incorporation of an electro-optic material with monolayer WS₂. The grating is designed to exhibit highly selective directional photo-luminescent emission. We study the effect of doubling the grating period via the introduction of an alternating index perturbation. Using numerical simulations, we show that period doubling leads to formation of a photonic band gap and spectral splitting in the absorptivity (or emissivity) spectrum. We anticipate that this effect can either be used to switch on and off the emissivity at a fixed wavelength, or toggle between single- and double-wavelength emission.</p>

Electrically tunable guided mode resonance grating for switchable photoluminescence

<p>We present a guided mode resonance grating based on the incorporation of an electro-optic material with monolayer WS₂. The grating is designed to exhibit highly selective directional photo-luminescent emission. We study the effect of doubling the grating period via the introduction of an alternating index perturbation. Using numerical simulations, we show that period doubling leads to formation of a photonic band gap and spectral splitting in the absorptivity (or emissivity) spectrum. We anticipate that this effect can either be used to switch on and off the emissivity at a fixed wavelength, or toggle between single- and double-wavelength emission.</p>

MODIFIED METHOD OF SEPARATION OF VARIABLES FOR SOLVING DIFFRACTION PROBLEMS ON MULTILAYER DIELECTRIC GRATINGS

A modified method of separation of variables is proposed for solving the direct problem of diffraction of electromagnetic wave by multilayer dielectric gratings (MDG). To apply this method, it is necessary to solve a one-dimensional eigenvalue problem for a 2nd- order differential equation on a segment with piecewise constant coefficients. The accuracy of the method is verified by comparison with the results obtained by the commercially available RCWA method. It is demonstrated that the method can be applied not only to commonly used MDG elements with one line in a grating period but also to potentially promising MDG elements with several different lines in a grating period.

Long period fibre gratings inscribed by sinusoidal intensity modulated femtosecond laser

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to propose and verify a novel and simple direct inscription method for long-period fibre gratings (LPFGs) with an arbitrary grating period using a sinusoidal intensity modulated femtosecond laser. This method induces a sine refractive index (RI) modulation, which makes the LPFGs have no higher-order harmonic resonance that exists in the normal square-wave modulation method. This is beneficial for reducing the insertion loss of the LPFGs and optimising the transmission spectrum. Using this method, we also conveniently realise the inscription of superimposed, apodised, and chirped LPFGs. This work presents a simple but effective inscription scheme for various types of LPFGs using a femtosecond laser.

High-Performance Laterally Oriented Nanowire Solar Cells with Ag Gratings

A laterally oriented GaAs p-i-n nanowire solar cell with Ag gratings is proposed and studied via coupled three-dimensional optoelectronic simulations. The results show that the gratings significantly enhance the absorption of nanowire for both TM and TE polarized light due to the combined effect of grating diffraction, excitation of plasmon polaritons, and suppression of carrier recombination. At an optimal grating period, the absorption at 650–800 nm, which is an absorption trough for pure nanowire, is substantially enhanced, raising the conversion efficiency from 8.7% to 14.7%. Moreover, the gratings enhance the weak absorption at long wavelengths and extend the absorption cutoff wavelength for ultrathin nanowires, yielding a remarkable efficiency of 13.3% for the NW with a small diameter of 90 nm, 2.6 times that without gratings. This work may pave the way toward the development of ultrathin high-efficiency nanoscale solar cells.

Spectral Characteristics Simulation of Topological Micro-Nano Structures Based on Finite Difference Time Domain Method

Natural structural colors inspire people to obtain the technology of spectral characteristics by designing and preparing micro-nano structures on the material’s surface. In this paper, the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is used to simulate the spectral selectivity of micro-nano grating on an Au surface, and the spectral response characteristics of different physical parameters to the incident light are obtained. The results show that, when the grating depth is shallow, the absorption peaks of TM polarized incident light on the material surface take on redshifts with the increase in the grating period. Meanwhile, when the depth-width ratio of the grating structure is high, the absorption peak appears in the reflection spectrum and presents a linear red shift with the increase in the grating period after the linearly polarized light TE wave incident on the surface of the micro-nano structure. At the same time, the wavelength of the absorption peak of the reflection spectrum and the grating period take on one-to-one correspondence relations, and when the TM polarized light is incident, the reflection spectrum exhibits obvious selective absorption characteristic peaks at certain grating periods (for example, when the period is 0.4 μm, there are three absorption peaks at the wavelengths of 0.7, 0.95, and 1.55 μm). These simulation results can provide a good theoretical basis for the preparation of micro-nano structures with spectral regulation function in the practical application.

Simple and Efficient Realization of Transverse Linear Dark Beams by Azimuthal Phase-Shifted Square Zone Plate

Herein, we are about to introduce a novel, reliable and straightforward method to create controllable dark lines employing an azimuthal square zone plate. As a matter of fact, this diffractive element is a square zone plate whose zones are phase-shifted azimuthally. As we illustrate, one way to construct it is combining a square zone plate and radial grating having period m. Considering its focusing behavior, we came to the result that a dark line surrounded by linear bright zones is generated for odd m, as well as a cross-like dark zone is produced when m is even. Furthermore, we illustrate that the length of the dark lines depends on the grating period. Finally, the simulation predictions are verified by experimental results.