Deep brain implantable microelectrode arrays for detection and functional localization of the subthalamic nucleus in rats with Parkinson’s disease

The subthalamic nucleus(STN)is considered the best target for deep brain stimulation treatments of Parkinson’s disease(PD).It is difficult to localize the STN due to its small size and deep location.Multichannel microelectrode arrays(MEAs)can rapidly and precisely locate the STN,which is important for precise stimulation.In this paper,16-channel MEAs modified with multiwalled carbon nanotube/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)(MWCNT/PEDOT:PSS)nanocomposites were designed and fabricated,and the accurate and rapid identification of the STN in PD rats was performed using detection sites distributed at different brain depths.These results showed that nuclei in 6-hydroxydopamine hydrobromide(6-OHDA)-lesioned brains discharged more intensely than those in unlesioned brains.In addition,the MEA simultaneously acquired neural signals from both the STN and the upper or lower boundary nuclei of the STN.Moreover,higher values of spike firing rate,spike amplitude,local field potential(LFP)power,and beta oscillations were detected in the STN of the 6-OHDA-lesioned brain,and may therefore be biomarkers of STN localization.Compared with the STNs of unlesioned brains,the power spectral density of spikes and LFPs synchronously decreased in the delta band and increased in the beta band of 6-OHDA-lesioned brains.This may be a cause of sleep and motor disorders associated with PD.Overall,this work describes a new cellular-level localization and detection method and provides a tool for future studies of deep brain nuclei.

Synergy of ZnO Nanowire Arrays and Electrospun Membrane Gradient Wrinkles in Piezoresistive Materials for Wide‑Sensing Range and High‑Sensitivity Flexible Pressure Sensor

Flexible pressure sensors have come under the spotlight because of their widespread adoption in human motion detection and human‒machine interactions.However,manufacturing pressure sensors with broad sensing ranges and large sensitivities continues to be a daunting task.Herein,a pressure sensor based on a gradient wrinkled electrospun polyurethane membrane with MXene-embedded ZnO nanowire arrays(ZAGW)was proposed.Under tiny pressure,dramatic increases in the contact area caused by interlocks of MXene-embedded ZnO nanowire arrays contributed to realizing a high sensitivity(236.5 kPa^(−1)).Additionally,the wide-sensing range(0–260 kPa)came from the fact that a wrinkled membrane with a gradient contact height ensured a continuous contact area change by gradually activating contact wrinkles.Meanwhile,the contact states of the gradient wrinkled membrane at varying pressures were investigated to expound the sensing mechanism of the ZAGW sensor.These exceptional performances enabled the ZAGW sensor to have vast application potential in human motion monitoring and tactile sensing.Furthermore,the ZAGW sensor can be integrated into the sensor array to monitor the pressure distribution.Considering the outstanding performance,the combination of ZnO nanowire arrays and electrospun membrane gradient wrinkles provides an innovative avenue for future sensing research.

A novel self-alignment method for high precision silicon diffraction microlens arrays preparation and its integration with infrared focal plane arrays

Silicon(Si)diffraction microlens arrays are usually used to integrating with infrared focal plane arrays(IRFPAs)to improve their performance.The errors of lithography are unavoidable in the process of the Si diffrac-tion microlens arrays preparation in the conventional engraving method.It has a serious impact on its performance and subsequent applications.In response to the problem of errors of Si diffraction microlens arrays in the conven-tional method,a novel self-alignment method for high precision Si diffraction microlens arrays preparation is pro-posed.The accuracy of the Si diffractive microlens arrays preparation is determined by the accuracy of the first li-thography mask in the novel self-alignment method.In the subsequent etching,the etched area will be protected by the mask layer and the sacrifice layer or the protective layer.The unprotection area is carved to effectively block the non-etching areas,accurately etch the etching area required,and solve the problem of errors.The high precision Si diffraction microlens arrays are obtained by the novel self-alignment method and the diffraction effi-ciency could reach 92.6%.After integrating with IRFPAs,the average blackbody responsity increased by 8.3%,and the average blackbody detectivity increased by 10.3%.It indicates that the Si diffraction microlens arrays can improve the filling factor and reduce crosstalk of IRFPAs through convergence,thereby improving the perfor-mance of the IRFPAs.The results are of great reference significance for improving their performance through opti-mizing the preparation level of micro nano devices.

Manipulating d-d orbital hybridization induced by Mo-doped Co_(9)S_(8) nanorod arrays for high-efficiency water electrolysis

Precisely refining the electronic structure of electrocatalysts represents a powerful approach to further optimize the electrocatalytic performance.Herein,we demonstrate an ingenious d-d orbital hybridization concept to construct Mo-doped Co_(9)S_(8) nanorod arrays aligned on carbon cloth(CC)substrate(abbreviated as Mo-Co_(9)S_(8)@CC hereafter)as a high-efficiency bifunctional electrocatalyst toward water electrolysis.It has experimentally and theoretically validated that the 4d-3d orbital coupling between Mo dopant and Co site can effectively optimize the H_(2)O activation energy and lower H^(*)adsorption energy barrier,thereby leading to enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER)activities.Thanks to the unique electronic and geometrical advantages,the optimized Mo-Co_(9)S_(8)@CC with appropriate Mo content exhibits outstanding bifunctional performance in alkaline solution,with the overpotentials of 75 and 234 mV for the delivery of a current density of 10 mA cm^(-2),small Tafel slopes of 53.8 and 39.9 mV dec~(-1)and long-term stabilities for at least 32 and 30 h for HER and OER,respectively.More impressively,a water splitting electrolylzer assembled by the self-supported Mo-Co_(9)S_(8)@CC electrode requires a low cell voltage of 1.53 V at 10 mA cm^(-2)and shows excellent stability and splendid reversibility,demonstrating a huge potential for affordable and scalable electrochemical H_(2) production.The innovational orbital hybridization strategy for electronic regulation herein provides an inspirable avenue for developing progressive electrocatalysts toward new energy systems.

Effect of KOH treatment on structural and photovoltaic properties of ZnO nanorod arrays

ZnO nanorod arrays （NRs） were synthesized on the fluorine-doped SnO2 transparent conductive glass （FTO） by a simple chemical bath deposition （CBD） method combined with alkali-etched method in potassium hydroxide （KOH） solution. X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and current-voltage （I-V） curve were used to characterize the structure, morphologies and optoelectronic properties. The results demonstrated that ZnO NRs had wurtzite structures, the morphologies and photovoltaic properties of ZnO NRs were closely related to the concentration of KOH and etching time, well-aligned and uniformly distributed ZnO NRs were obtained after etching with 0.1 mol/L KOH for 1 h. ZnO NRs treated by KOH had been proved to have superior photovoltaic properties compared with high density ZnO NRs. When using ZnO NRs etched with 0.1 mol/L KOH for 1 h as the anode of solar cell, the conversion efficiency, short circuit current and open circuit voltage, compared with the unetched ZnO NRs, increased by 0.71%, 2.79 mA and 0.03 V, respectively.

Design and Characteristics of InGaAs/GaAs MQW SEED Arrays Structure

The influence of DBR in resonant cavity on the characteristics of the reflectivity of InGaAs/GaAs MQW SEED arrays has been discussed. InGaAs/GaAs acting as the active region of MQW SEED to gain 980nm work wavelergth has been introduced. A new resonant cavity structure of the InGaAs/GaAs MQW SEED arrays has been designed and analyzed. The MQW materials grown by MOCVD system have also been measured and analyzed with micro optical spot reflection spectra, PL measurement and X ray measurement. The results of measurement prove the good quality of the wafer and the accuracy of our design and analysis of the structure of the device.

A Review of the Four Dimension Antenna Arrays

The four dimensional （4D） antenna arrays introduce a fourth dimension, time, into conventional antenna arrays to offer greater flexibility in the design of high performance antenna arrays. This paper presents the tutorial on the study of 4D antenna arrays and the review of the recent research findings on 4D antenna arrays. Issues considered include the theory of 4D antenna arrays, different time modulation schemes, numerical simulation results, and some experimental results on their applications to low sidelobe designs. Throughout the discussion, some challenging issues on the study of 4D antenna arrays arc highlighted.

Octahedral Cu_2O-modified TiO_2 nanotube arrays for efficient photocatalytic reduction of CO_2

A photocatalyst composed of TiO 2 nanotube arrays（TNTs） and octahedral Cu2 O nanoparticles was fabricated,and its performance in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 under visible and simulated solar irradiation was studied. The average nanotube diameter and length was 100 nm and 5 μm,respectively. The different amount of octahedral Cu2 O modified TNTs were obtained by varying electrochemical deposition time. TNTs modified with an optimized amount of Cu2 O nanoparticles exhibited high efficiency in the photocatalysis,and the predominant hydrocarbon product was methane. The methane yield increased with increasing Cu2 O content of the catalyst up to a certain deposition time,and decreased with further increase in Cu2 O deposition time. Insufficient deposition time（5 min） resulted in a small amount of Cu2 O nanoparticles on the TNTs,leading to the disadvantage of harvesting light. However,excess deposition time（45 min） gave rise to entire TNT surface being most covered with Cu2 O nanoparticles with large sizes,inconvenient for the transport of photo-generated carriers. The highest methane yield under simulated solar and visible light irradiation was observed for the catalysts prepared at a Cu2 O deposition time of 15 and 30 min respectively. The morphology,crystallization,photoresponse and electrochemical properties of the catalyst were characterized to understand the mechanism of its high photocatalytic activity. The TNT structure provided abundant active sites for the adsorption of reactants,and promoted the transport of photogenerated carriers that improved charge separation. Modifying the TNTs with octahedral Cu2 O nanoparticles promoted light absorption,and prevented the hydrocarbon product from oxidation. These factors provided the Cu2O-modified TNT photocatalyst with high efficiency in the reduction of CO2,without requiring co-catalysts or sacrificial agents.

New Model for Synthesis of Symmetrical Thinned Linear Arrays

In symmetrical thinned linear arrays design, the positions of thinned array elements are very important for optimal performance in terms of its minimum peak side lobe level （Msli）. For the synthesis of thinned arrays with a given thinning rate, it would have almost the same Msll solution between taking only segmental aperture nearby both ends of the aperture into account and taking all the aperture into account. In this paper, the element distribution characteristic over the aperture of many optimum thinned arrays is studied, then the aperture release model is founded by the least square method to synthesize the thinned arrays. This model is vital for the computing burden alleviation and the efficiency optimization, and would hardly bring any degradation of the obtained array performance.

Blind Joint DOA and Polarization Estimation for Polarization Sensitive Coprime Planar Arrays via a Fast-Convergence Quadrilinear Decomposition Approach

The problem of joint direction of arrival(DOA)and polarization estimation for polarization sensitive coprime planar arrays(PS-CPAs)is investigated,and a fast-convergence quadrilinear decomposition approach is proposed.Specifically,we first decompose the PS-CPA into two sparse polarization sensitive uniform planar subarrays and employ propagator method(PM)to construct the initial steering matrices separately.Then we arrange the received signals into two quadrilinear models so that the potential DOA and polarization estimates can be attained via quadrilinear alternating least square(QALS).Subsequently,we distinguish the true DOA estimates from the approximate intersecting estimations of the two subarrays in view of the coprime feature.Finally,the polarization estimates paired with DOA can be obtained.In contrast to the conventional QALS algorithm,the proposed approach can remarkably reduce the computational complexity without degrading the estimation performance.Simulations demonstrate the superiority of the proposed fast-convergence approach for PS-CPAs.

Nonequidistant two-dimensional antenna arrays based on magic squares

New methods of synthetizing nonequidistant sparse antenna arrays based on the properties of magic squares are studied.The methods of construction and algorithms of synthesis of two-dimensional antennas based on them providing a high degreeof dilution and sufficiently small side radiation are proposed.The methods for construction of such antennas and their maincharacteristics are considered.

Metaheuristic post-optimization of the NIST repository of covering arrays

Construction of Covering Arrays （CA） with minimum possible number of rows is challenging. Often the available CA have redundant combinatorial interaction that could be removed to reduce the number of rows. This paper addresses the problem of removing redundancy of CA using a metaheuristic post- optimization （MPO） approach. Our approach consists of three main components： a redundancy detector （RD）; a row reducer （RR）; and a missing-combinations reducer （MCR）. The MCR is a metaheuristic component implemented using a simulated annealing algorithm. MPO was instantiated with 21,964 CA taken from the National Institute of Standards and Technology （NIST） repository. It is a remarkable result that this instantiation of MPO has delivered 349 new upper bounds for these CA.

Nanostructured ultrathin catalyst layer with ordered platinum nanotube arrays for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Fabrication of novel electrode architectures with nanostructured ultrathin catalyst layers is an effective strategy to improve catalyst utilization and enhance mass transport for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).Herein,we report the design and construction of a nanostructured ultrathin catalyst layer with ordered Pt nanotube arrays,which were obtained by a hard-template strategy based on ZnO,via hydrothermal synthesis and magnetron sputtering for PEMFC application.Because of the crystallographically preferential growth of Pt (111) facets,which was attributed to the structural effects of ZnO nanoarrays on the Pt nanotubes,the catalyst layers exhibit obviously higher electrochemical activity with remarkable enhancement of specific activity and mass transport compared with the state-of-the-art randomly distributed Pt/C catalyst layer.The PEMFC fabricated with the as-prepared catalyst layer composed of optimized Pt nanotubes with an average diameter of 90(±10) nm shows excellent performance with a peak power density of 6.0W/mgPt at 1 A/cm^2,which is 11.6%greater than that of the conventional Pt/C electrode.

THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SHOCK WAVES AND SOLID SPHERES ARRAYS IN A SHOCK TUBE

When a shock wave interacts with a group of solid spheres,non-linear aerodynamic behaviors come into effect.The complicated wave reflections such as the Mach reflection occur in the wave propagation process.The wave interactions with vortices behind each sphere's wake cause fluctuation in the pressure profiles of shock waves.This paper reports an experimental study for the aerodynamic processes involved in the interaction between shock waves and solid spheres.A schlieren photography was applied to visualize the various shock waves passing through solid spheres.Pressure measurements were performed along different downstream positions.The experiments were conducted in both rectangular and circular shock tubes.The data with respect to the effect of the sphere array, size,interval distance,incident Mach number,etc.,on the shock wave attenuation were obtained.

Quasi-Solid-State Ion-Conducting Arrays Composite Electrolytes with Fast Ion Transport Vertical-Aligned Interfaces for All-Weather Practical Lithium-Metal Batteries

The rapid improvement in the gel polymer electrolytes(GPEs)with high ionic conductivity brought it closer to practical applications in solid-state Li-metal batteries.The combination of solvent and polymer enables quasi-liquid fast ion transport in the GPEs.However,different ion transport capacity between solvent and polymer will cause local nonuniform Li+distribution,leading to severe dendrite growth.In addition,the poor thermal stability of the solvent also limits the operating-temperature window of the electrolytes.Optimizing the ion transport environment and enhancing the thermal stability are two major challenges that hinder the application of GPEs.Here,a strategy by introducing ion-conducting arrays(ICA)is created by vertical-aligned montmorillonite into GPE.Rapid ion transport on the ICA was demonstrated by 6Li solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and synchrotron X-ray diffraction,combined with computer simulations to visualize the transport process.Compared with conventional randomly dispersed fillers,ICA provides continuous interfaces to regulate the ion transport environment and enhances the tolerance of GPEs to extreme temperatures.Therefore,GPE/ICA exhibits high room-temperature ionic conductivity(1.08 mS cm^(−1))and long-term stable Li deposition/stripping cycles(>1000 h).As a final proof,Li||GPE/ICA||LiFePO_(4) cells exhibit excellent cycle performance at wide temperature range(from 0 to 60°C),which shows a promising path toward all-weather practical solid-state batteries.

Ferromagnetic Resonance Study on the Permalloy Submicron Rectangular Arrays Prepared by Electron Beam Lithography

In this paper, we report a ferromagnetic resonance study on the permalloy film of submicron sized rectangular arrays prepared by electron beam lithography and the theoretical simulation to the non uniform demagnetizing effect and ferromagnetic resonance data. By theoretical simulation, the magnetization, gyromagnetic ratio and g value of the sample are determined. The theoretical curves of the dependence of the resonance field on the field orientation φ H fit well with the experimental data. When the steady magnetic field is applied near the film normal, a series of additional regular peaks (up to eight ) appeared in the FMR spectrum on the low field side of the main FMR peak. The resonance field of these side peaks decreases linearly with the peak number. The possible physical mechanism of these multiple peaks was discussed.

Short-wave infrared InGaAs photodetectors and focal plane arrays

In this article, unique spectral features of short-wave infrared band of 1 μm–3 μm, and various applications related to the photodetectors and focal plane arrays in this band, are introduced briefly. In addition, the different material systems for the devices in this band are outlined. Based on the background, the development of lattice-matched and wavelengthextended InGaAs photodetectors and focal plane arrays, including our continuous efforts in this field, are reviewed. These devices are concentrated on the applications in spectral sensing and imaging, exclusive of optical fiber communication.

Highly Enhanced Visible-Light-Driven Photoelectrochemical Performance of ZnO-Modified In_2S_3 Nanosheet Arrays by Atomic Layer Deposition

Photoanodes based on In_2S_3/ZnO heterojunction nanosheet arrays(NSAs) have been fabricated by atomic layer deposition of ZnO over In_2S_3 NSAs, which were in situ grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide glasses via a facile solvothermal process. The as-prepared photoanodes show dramatically enhanced performance for photoelectrochemical(PEC) water splitting, compared to single semiconductor counterparts. The optical and PEC properties of In_2S_3/ZnO NSAs have been optimized by modulating the thickness of the Zn O overlayer. After pairing with ZnO, the NSAs exhibit a broadened absorption range and an increased light absorptance over a wide wavelength region of 250–850 nm. The optimized sample of In_2S_3/ZnO-50 NSAs shows a photocurrent density of 1.642 m A cm^(-2)(1.5 V vs. RHE) and an incident photonto-current efficiency of 27.64% at 380 nm(1.23 V vs.RHE), which are 70 and 116 times higher than those of the pristine In_2S_3 NSAs, respectively. A detailed energy band edge analysis reveals the type-II band alignment of the In_2S_3/ZnO heterojunction, which enables efficient separation and collection of photogenerated carriers,especially with the assistance of positive bias potential, and then results in the significantly increased PEC activity.

Characterization of integrons and novel cassette arrays in bacteria from clinical isloates in China,2000-2014

Rapid dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes among bacterial isolates is an increasing problem in China. Integron, a conserved DNA sequence, which is carried on episomal genetic structures, plays a very important role in development of antibiotic resistance. This systematic analysis was based on MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. We summarized the distribution and proportion of different types of gene cassette arrays ofintegrons （including class 1, 2, 3 and atypical class 1 integron） from clinical bacteria isolates in China. Fifty-six literatures were included in this study. Most of the strains were Gram-negative bacteria （94.1%, 7,364/7,822） while only 5.9% strains were Gram- positive bacteria. Class 1 integrons were detected in 54.2% （3956/7295） Gram-negative strains, aadA2 was the most popular gene cassette array detected from 60 Gram-positive bacteria while dfrA 17-aadA5 were detected in 426 Gram- negative bacteria. This study identified 12 novel gene cassette arrays which have not been previously found in any species. All the novel gene cassette arrays were detected from Gram-negative bacteria. A regional characteristic of distribution of integrons was presented in this study. The results highlight a need for continuous surveillance of integrons and provide a guide for future research on integron-mediated bacteria resistance.

Two-dimensional MOF/MOF derivative arrays on nickel foam as efficient bifunctional coupled oxygen electrodes

Oxygen electrocatalysis,exemplified by the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER),is central to energy storage and conversion technologies such as fuel cells,metal-air batteries,and water electrolysis.However,highly effective and inexpensive earth-abundant materials are sought after to replace the noble metal-based electrocatalysts currently in use.Recently,metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)and carbon-based MOF derivatives have attracted considerable attention as efficient catalysts due to their exceedingly tunable morphologies,structures,compositions,and functionalization.Here,we report two-dimensional(2D)MOF/MOF derivative coupled arrays on nickel foam as binder-free bifunctional ORR/OER catalysts with enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability.Their remarkable electrochemical properties are primarily attributed to fully exposed active sites and facilitated charge-transfer kinetics.The coupled and hierarchical nanosheet arrays produced via our growth-pyrolysis-regrowth strategy offer promise in the development of highly active electrodes for energy-related electrochemical devices.