Volume 16, Issue 3

The anti-Stokes luminescence is a mechanism of the optical refrigeration in semiconductor light sources. The heavily doped semiconductors are considered as a material for the laser cooling. The limitation of this mechanism appears to be connected with a transition from the non-degenerate to degenerate occupation. This transition occurs at higher pumping rate (along with the transition to the optical gain and lasing) and at lower temperature. Thus, the limit for the laser cooling can be indicated. The minimal obtainable temperature is about 60–120 K depending on the doping level. The laser cooling of a semiconductor is impeded by the difficulty of extracting the spontaneous emission from a radiating body that is characterized by large angle of the total internal reflection.

This review discusses the properties of structural defects in quantum dots of IIB–VI semiconductors. A great part of this knowledge has been developed in the last years and combined with the improvement in passivation technologies has contributed significantly to the nanotechnology. In this review we introduced the main characterization methods which are used for the study of defects in the nanoform of semiconductors, presented a short description of how native defects can influence the emission spectra, underlined the restrictions which the Auger and deep-level defect recombination imposes on the excitonic emission. We also highlighted the importance of the defect passivation associated with efficiency and photostability of devices.

This review paper is devoted to the discussion and comparison of the lumped element equivalent circuit models of the different types of metamaterial transmission lines that have been proposed so far, namely the CL-loaded lines, and those lines based on the resonant type approach. The latter category comprises both artificial lines loaded with split ring resonators (SRRs), or related topologies, and metamaterial transmission lines based on complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs). It will be the main aim of this paper to clearly justify the circuit elements of the models (and link such elements to the line physics and topology), to compare the different lines to the light of these models, and to point out the advantages and drawbacks of the different metamaterial transmission lines. As long as metamaterial transmission lines are exhaustively used for the design of compact microwave and millimeter wave components with improved performance and/or based on new functionalities, and their synthesis is based on the lumped element equivalent circuits, this paper is of actual interest for RF/microwave engineers and in general to those readers involved in metamaterial research and applications.

Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films formed of some discotic liquid crystals, namely 3,4,9,10-tetra-(n-alkoxy-carbonyl)-perylenes, mixed with arachid acid have been studied. The absorption and fluorescence spectra were recorded. The results obtained have led to conclusions about formation of self-aggregates of dye molecules both in ground and excited states at the air-solid substrate interface. It was found that some fraction of J-aggregates can be created in the ground state. In the excited state, mostly excimers appear and the number of this kind of aggregates depends on the length of the alkyl chains substituted to the perylene core, as well as on the dye concentration and the number of layers in LB films.

The long-range orientational order of three members of 4-n-pentylphenylthio-4′-n-alkoxybenzoate $$ (\bar nS5) $$ series doped with a dichroic dye was studied by means of electronic absorption and fluorescence measurements. The order parameters <P2> and <P4> as well as the orientational distribution function were determined on the basis of absorption and emission spectra of linearly polarized light recorded as a function of temperature in the nematic, smectic A, and smectic C phases. An influence of the dye molecular structure on the orientational order of the dye/liquid crystal mixture was observed. Moreover, the dependence of the order parameter values on the length of the alkoxy chain in liquid crystal molecules was found. It was shown that the order parameter <P4>, obtained from fluorescence measurements, can be helpful in recognizing the second-order or weakly first-order transitions between various liquid crystalline phases.

Novel chiral esters with partially fluorinated alkoxyalkoxy terminal chains are described. Their phase transition temperatures, enthalpies, and electrooptical properties are reported. A helical pitch in pure compounds and their mixtures based on selective reflection of light is also characterized.

Mixture of two liquid crystalline components exhibits the antiferroelectric phase in a broad temperature range at room temperatures, though the two components separately do not show an antiferroelectric phase in a temperature range applied. The dielectric spectroscopy technique combined with measurements of the selective light reflection was used for identification and characterization of the phases and subphases existing in the mixture. In the SmC*A phase, the low frequency mode characteristic of antiferroelectric phase has been detected. In the broad temperature range between SmC*A and SmA* phases, no relaxation mode has been detected. The soft mode registered near the phase transition to SmA* phase follows the Curie-Weiss law.

Dielectric measurements were performed for two smectogens, being structurally analogous with the opposite space orientation of the-COO ester group in the molecular core, using a HP4192A impedance analyser. Gold coated electrode cells of different thicknesses were used. Temperature dependences of the relaxation frequency fR and the inverse of the dielectric strength Δε′┴ −1 obtained by fitting experimental values of perpendicular components, i.e., the real ε′┴ and the imaginary ε″┴ parts of the complex dielectric permittivity to the Cole-Cole equation as well as the investigation of modification of relaxation processes under bias were determined for the SmC*, SmA*, and N* phases of studied compounds. One can conclude, on the basis of the above results, that dielectric relaxation processes observed by us in the studied compounds are similar to those of the soft and Goldstone mode typically observed by others in the SmC*, SmA*, and N* phases. It is concluded from acomparison of their properties with other related compounds that the link between the biphenyl moiety and-COO ester group is closely related to the stability of smectic phases.

The paper presents description and analysis of the results obtained in the investigation performed on a disc-ball tribotester T-11. Samples of 100Cr6 steel were tested, while as lubricant the mixtures of paraffin oil, with addition of 0.5%, 1%, and 2% of liquid crystalline compounds, from two homologous series defined with nOBCAB and nCBB symbols, were used. The friction force and wear of a sample and a counter-sample were measured. The improvement in tribological and anti-wear properties was found for all mixtures in relation to paraffin oil. The best tribological properties and the best wearability were obtained for mixtures with a compound 8CBB. This compound differs from the others in formation of different liquid crystalline phases.

The dielectric spectroscopy measurements were performed for antiferroelectric liquid crystalline mixture. For this purpose, the cells with ITO electrodes were prepared. It was found that it is not possible to detect some important relaxation modes in Sm A*, Sm C*, and Sm CA* phases. The own cell mode (related to cell properties, i.e., capacity and resistivity) covers the dielectric response of liquid crystalline medium. Dielectric measurements in cells with gold electrodes were done to show all possible relaxations in antiferroelectric liquid crystals (LCs).

Three new pure antiferroelectric materials, synthesized at the Military University of Technology (MUT), were investigated by dielectric means. Clear relaxation modes were detected, i.e., Soft, Goldstone, low frequency in-phase (PL) as well high frequency anti-phase (PH) modes for paraelectric Sm A*phase, ferroelectric Sm C* phase and antiferroelectric Sm CA* phase, respectively. Additionally, a high relaxation mode in Sm CA* was found. The relaxation frequencies fR of the observed modes were calculated from Cole-Cole diagrams.

An analysis of consistency of dielectric and optical response methods is carried out for surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals (SSFLC) with chevron geometry. The consistency is found both theoretically and experimentally for weak external electric fields of intermediate frequencies, for which the response of SSFLC is dominated by collective relaxation processes due to azimuthal reorientation of molecules arranging chevron layers. The methods are experimentally shown to lack consistency within very low, relatively low, and high field-frequency ranges. The disagreement appearing at relatively low frequencies is argued to be a consequence of different recording by dielectric and optical techniques the dynamics of zig-zag walls, forming defects in chevron structure.

The main aim of our work is to present a theory of light propagation through a liquid crystal display worked out in our University. This theory takes into account real conditions of a display operation such as temporal coherence of light source, interference phenomena, spectral characteristics of refractive coefficients of individual layers and their complex forms, real directions of ordinary and extraordinary wavevectors into each layer, real directions of light polarization into anisotropic or dichroic layers etc. Therefore, our theory can be used to determine optical parameters of a liquid crystal display operating under real or at least quasi-real conditions. Contrary to other theories (e.g., Beremann or geometric optics approximation), this model is characterized by a small number of simplifications. Thus, it can be used to analyse a display operating in special conditions, such as military or out-door applications. In these cases, very high optical parameters (luminance and contrast ratio) aare needed. Application of even small simplifications conducts to significant changes of calculated parameters.

The cerebral blood flow (CBF) is an important vital parameter in neurointensive care. Currently, there is no non-invasive method for its measurement that can easily be applied at the bedside. A new tool to determine CBF is based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) applied together with indocyanine green (ICG) dye dilution. From a bilateral measurement on selected regions on the head of infrared (IR) absorption at various wavelengths during the dilution maneuver, the vascular perfusion characteristics of the two brain hemispheres can be determined in terms of mean transit time (mtt) of ICG, cerebral blood volume (CBV) and CBF. So far, on nine healthy volunteers, NIRS ICG dye dilution bihemispheric measurements were performed, which yielded to mtt given as median (range) of 9.3 s (5.1–16.3 s), CBV of 3.5 ml/100 g (1.7–4.1 ml/100 g), and CBF of 18.2 ml/(100 g×min) [11.1–48.6 ml/(100 g×min)]. Additionally, the blood flow index (BFI) was calculated with BFI= 13.8 mg/(100 g×s) [6.6–15.2 mg/(100 g×s)]. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between CBF and BFI was RS = 0.76. However, as the Bland & Altman plot between CBFNIRS and the CBFBFI documents, the limits of agreement are rather wide (21.9±6.7). Under physiological conditions in healthy volunteers, no differences could be detected between the hemispheres.

A new and versatile method for tissue viability imaging based on polarization spectroscopy of blood in superficial tissue structures such as the skin is presented in this paper. Linearly polarized light in the visible wavelength region is partly reflected directly by the skin surface and partly diffusely backscattered from the dermal tissue matrix. Most of the directly reflected light preserves its polarization state while the light returning from the deeper tissue layers is depolarized. By the use of a polarization filter positioned in front of a sensitive CCD-array, the light directly reflected from the tissue surface is blocked, while the depolarized light returning from the deeper tissue layers reaches the detector array. By separating the colour planes of the detected image, spectroscopic information about the amount of red blood cells (RBCs) in the microvascular network of the tissue under investigation can be derived. A theory that utilizes the differences in light absorption of RBCs and bloodless tissue in the red and green wavelength region forms the basis of an algorithm for displaying a colour coded map of the RBC distribution in a tissue. Using a fluid model, a linear relationship (cc. = 0.99) between RBC concentration and the output signal was demonstrated within the physiological range 0–4%. In-vivo evaluation using transepidermal application of acetylcholine by the way of iontophoresis displayed the heterogeneity pattern of the vasodilatation produced by the vasoactive agent. Applications of this novel technology are likely to be found in drug and skin care product development as well as in the assessment of skin irritation and tissue repair processes and even ultimately in a clinic case situation.

Application of a fibre-optic Sagnac interferometer as a rotational seismometer is presented in this paper. It is a new device which parameters (sensitivity equal to 4.3×10−8 rad/s for 2σ) are comparable with the parameters of typical mechanical rotational seismometers. However, a direct measurement of rotation without influence of linear motions for fibre-optic rotational seismometer designed it for a direct measurement of a ground rotation component. Experimental data obtained during simultaneous application of the above two types of sensors are also presented. Research of near-field seismic events, the amplitude of which has been identified in the range of 1.5×10−6 rad/s to 2×10−7 rad/s, shows directly that, so-called, seismic rotational waves exist independently of typical seismic waves generated during earthquakes.

The performance of dual waveband HgCdTe photodiodes fabricated using metaloorganic chemical vapour deposition operated at high temperatures is presented. The effect of additional separating layer on the quantum efficiency and cross-talk of the photodiodes is analyzed. The photodiodes with cutoff wavelengths up to 6 μm, good R0A product, and high quantum efficiency at 200 K have been demonstrated. The temperature dependence of the differential resistance is discussed. It is shown that the multilayer heterojunction P-n-N-n-P structure operating in a simultaneous mode has better performance than a structure operating in a sequential mode.

The paper presents construction and principle of operation of passive IR detectors (PIR detectors) of a large detection range. Important virtue of these detectors is highly efficient detection of slowly moving or crawling people. The described here PIR detector detects crawling people at the distance of 140 m. To ensure high probability of detection of slowly moving objects, new method of signals analysis was applied. On the basis of the carried out real-time measurements, both probability of detection and false alarms were determined.