C-doping Anisotropy Effects on Borophene Electronic Transport

The electronic transport anisotropy for different C-doped borophene polymorphs (β12 and χ3) was investigated theoretically combining density functional theory (DFT) and non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF). The energetic stability analysis reveals that B atoms replaced by C is more energetically favorable for χ3 phase. We also verify a directional character of the electronic band structure on C-doped borophene for both phases. Simulated Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and also total density of charge confirm the directional character of the bonds. The zero bias transmission for β12 phase at E − EF = 0 shows that C-doping induces a local current confinement along the lines of doped sites. The I − V curves show that C-doping leads to an anisotropy amplification in the β12 than in the χ3. The possibility of confining the electronic current at an specific region of the C-doped systems, along with the different adsorption features of the doped sites, poses them as promising candidates to highly sensitive and selective gas sensors.

On-site corrosion monitoring experience in concrete structures: potential improvements on the current-controlled polarization resistance method

The need for proactive maintenance of reinforced concrete structures with non-destructive testing (NDT) is less disputable today than ever. One of the most promising strategies in this regard is the in-situ measurement of the reinforcement corrosion rate. This study explored the reliability of modulated current confinement method (hereafter MCC) based on a review of in-situ measurements made with that technique in real-life structures over a 13-year period. The most prominent problems detected included defective confinement of the polarization current in low-resistivity environments and over-polarization of passive reinforcement. The findings, which showed enhancement of MCC reliability to depend on improving the electrochemical current regulation and control methodologies presently in place, are being applied to improve the design of the next generation of corrosion meters.

Lockdown, Emotional Intelligence, Academic Engagement and Burnout in Pharmacy Students during the Quarantine

The recent appearance and rapid spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus meant taking unprecedented measures to control the pandemic, which in Spain forced a state of alarm and a very strict confinement, leading the university system to become virtual online teaching. Taking into account the emotional deficiencies originated during the pandemic, among the most powerful tools to achieve engagement along with the identification, control and management of emotions is emotional intelligence (EI). The present study aims to establish the effect of the current confinement on the teaching-learning process and academic performance and the impact of the application of EI on university students. In total, 47 volunteers of the second course of the Degree in Pharmacy of the University of Granada (Spain) took part in this experience. Two temporary periods were established: at the beginning of the confinement period and after teaching several concepts of emotional intelligence online for two months. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey Inventory (MBI-SS) and the Spanish version of Utrech Work Engagement Scale-Students (UWES-S) were used to evaluate the intervention. In total, 63.5% of the students presented academic burnout during the confinement before the intervention. After the EI workshops and seminars, only 31.1% presented academic burnout. Before the intervention with the emotional intelligence workshops, 44.6% experienced exhaustion, 41.7% cynicism and 60.3% felt it was ineffective in their academic performance. After the emotional intelligence workshops and seminars, 29.1% experienced exhaustion, 30.1% cynicism and 28.8% felt it was ineffective. The scores achieved after the study of EI in physiology classes led to better levels in all the variables studied. Students managed their adaptive processes more adequately and regulated their emotions better, as they felt less academic burnout and more engaged in their academic activities at the end of the study of EI through physiology.

Logged in While Locked Down: Exploring the Influence of Digital Technologies in the Time of Corona

Based on a collaborative endeavor, we present an autoethnographic textual collage of three fictionalized narrative accounts produced as a result of an amalgam of personal experiences encountered during the corona pandemic. The narrative accounts serve as illustrating examples of and critical reflections on how the pandemic and the increased use of digital technologies during the pandemic have affected the experience of reality and (trans)formed thinking and social relations alike. The crisis invites us to reflect on how the current confinement saturated with the ubiquitous presence and influence of digital technologies can be used as an occasion for large-scale reflections.

Эффект насыщающегося поглотителя в длинноволновых вертикально-излучающих лазерах, реализованных по технологии спекания

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers emitting at the spectral range of 1.55 µm based on heterostructures with a buried tunnel junction (BTJ) with a height step of 15 nm are studied. The devices are realized using wafer fusion technique of heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy and demonstrate a single-mode lasing regime at the 8 μm BTJ-diameter. With a decrease in the BTJ-diameter, a sharp increase in the threshold current, accompanied by an abrupt increase in the output optical power and resonance frequency at the lasing threshold are observed. Stable single-mode lasing is due to the smoothing of the boundary of the overgrown surface relief, which leads to a smooth change in the profile of the effective refractive index in the lateral direction, while maintaining effective current confinement, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the transverse optical confinement factor for high-order modes even at large BTJ-diameter. However, at small BTJ-diameter, it also leads to the formation of a saturable absorber in the non-pumped parts of the active region.

A simple and precise method for the threshold current determination in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

In this paper, we present experimental results of spontaneous emission clamping in the threshold for vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with oxide current confinement. We show that the spontaneous emission not wholly clamps in the threshold. We propose a new method for determining the threshold current value using the study of the clamping phenomena. This method has an advantage over the commonly used methods in the accuracy because the current of the spontaneous emission clamping is betted defined than the current of the slope change of the stimulated emission light-current curve. The estimated uncertainty of the method is no more than 20 µA.

Controlled current confinement in interfaced 2D nanosensor for electrical identification of DNA

We theoretically investigated the electronic transport properties of an in-plane hybrid graphene/h-BN device, containing a graphene nanopore, to assess its feasibility to act as a molecular sensor for the purpose of DNA sequencing.