Highly efficient conversion from classical guided waves to topological chiral edge states

Electromagnetic topological chiral edge states mimicking the quantum Hall effect have attracted a great deal of attention due to their unique features of free backscattering and immunity against sharp bends and defects.However,the matching techniques between classical waveguides and the topological one-way waveguide deserve more attention for real-world applications.In this paper,a highly efficient conversion structure between a classical rectangular waveguide and a topological one-way waveguide is proposed and demonstrated at the microwave frequency,which efficiently converts classical guided waves to topological one-way edge states.A tapered transition is designed to match both the momentum and impedance of the classical guided waves and the topological one-way edge states.With the conversion structure,the waves generated by a point excitation source can be coupled to the topological one-way waveguide with very high coupling efficiency,which can ensure high transmission of the whole system(i.e.,from the source and the receiver).Simulation and measurement results demonstrate the proposed method.This investigation is beneficial to the applications of topological one-way waveguides and opens up a new avenue for advanced topological and classical integrated functional devices and systems.

Efficient conversion of acoustic vortex using extremely anisotropic metasurface

Vortex wave and plane wave,as two most fundamental forms of wave propagation,are widely applied in various research fields.However,there is currently a lack of basic mechanism to enable arbitrary conversion between them.In this paper,we propose a new paradigm of extremely anisotropic acoustic metasurface(AM)to achieve the efficient conversion from 2D vortex waves with arbitrary orbital angular momentum(OAM)to plane waves.The underlying physics of this conversion process is ensured by the symmetry shift of AM medium parameters and the directional compensation of phase.Moreover,this novel phenomenon is further verified by analytical calculations,numerical demonstrations,and acoustic experiments,and the deflection angle and direction of the converted plane waves are qualitatively and quantitatively confirmed by a simple formula.Our work provides new possibilities for arbitrary manipulation of acoustic vortex,and holds potential applications in acoustic communication and OAM-based devices.

Optimizing the power conversion processes in diluted donor/acceptor heterojunctions towards 19.4%efficiency all-polymer solar cells

All polymer solar cells(all-PSCs)promise mechanically-flexible and morphologically-stable organic photovoltaics and have aroused increased interests very recently.However,due to their disorderly conformation structures within the photoactive film,inefficient charge generation and carrier transport are observed which lead to inferior photovoltaic performance compared to smaller molecular acceptor-based photovoltaics.Here,by diluting PM6 with a cutting-edge polymeric acceptor PY-IT and diluting PY-IT with PM6 or D18,donor-dominating or acceptor-dominating heterojunctions were prepared.Synchrotron X-ray and multiple spectrometer techniques reveal that the diluted heterojunctions receive increased structural order,translating to enhanced carrier mobility,improved exciton diffusion length,and suppressed non-radiative recombination loss during the power conversion.As the results,the corresponding PM6+1%PY-IT/PY-IT+1%D18 and PM6+1%PY-IT/PY-IT+1%PM6 devices fabricated by layer-by-layer deposition received superior power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 19.4%and 18.8%respectively,along with enhanced operational lifetimes in air,outperforming the PCE of 17.5%in the PM6/PY-IT reference device.

Enhancing I^(0)/I^(-)Conversion Efficiency by Starch Confinement in Zinc-lodine Battery

The redox couple of I^(0)/I^(-)in aqueous rechargeable iodine–zinc(I^(2)-Zn)batteries is a promising energy storage resource since it is safe and cost-effective,and provides steady output voltage.However,the cycle life and efficiency of these batteries remain unsatisfactory due to the uncontrolled shuttling of polyiodide(I_(3)^(-)and I_(5)^(-))and side reactions on the Zn anode.Starch is a very low-cost and widely sourced food used daily around the world.“Starch turns blue when it encounters iodine”is a classic chemical reaction,which results from the unique structure of the helix starch molecule–iodine complex.Inspired by this,we employ starch to confine the shuttling of polyiodide,and thus,the I^(0)/I^(-)conversion efficiency of an I^(2)-Zn battery is clearly enhanced.According to the detailed characterizations and theoretical DFT calculation results,the enhancement of I^(0)/I^(-)conversion efficiency is mainly originated from the strong bonding between the charged products of I_(3)^(-)and I_(5)^(-)and the rich hydroxyl groups in starch.This work provides inspiration for the rational design of high-performance and low-cost I^(2)-Zn in AZIBs.

Highly Efficient Power Conversion from Salinity Gradients with Ion-Selective Polymeric Nanopores

A polymeric nanopore membrane with selective ionic transport has been proposed as a potential device to convert the chemical potential energy in salinity gradients to electrical power. However, its energy conversion efficiency and power density are often limited due to the challenge in reliably controlling the size of the nanopores with the conventional chemical etching method. Here we report that without chemical etching, polyimide （PI） membranes irradiated with GeV heavy ions have negatively charged nanopores, showing nearly perfect selectivity for cations over anions, and they can generate electrical power from salinity gradients. We further demonstrate that the power generation efficiency of the PI membrane approaches the theoretical limit, and the maximum power density reaches 130m W/m2 with a modified etching method, outperforming the previous energy conversion device that was made of polymeric nanopore membranes.

Narrowband optical parametric amplifier for efficient conversion of high-energy pulse with high beam quality

In a two-stage optical parametric amplifier based on KTiOAO4 crystals, we apply beam-overlapping technique to nanosecond signal pulse amplification, which results in high conversion efficiency and good beam quality. A signal pulse energy of 66 mJ at 1.572 μm wavelength is generated with 220 mJ of pump pulse input. A maximum gain of 66 and a maximum pump depletion of as high as 44% are determined. The spectral linewidth of the amplified signal pulse is around 50 MHz, and the beam quality factor of M2 is less than 2.3.

Experimental Study on Conversion Characteristics of Dual-Mode OWC Models Appropriate for Voyaging

Freely movable wave energy converters(WECs) will greatly improve their adaptability to the marine environment.In this paper, a dual-mode oscillating water column(OWC) WEC with potential sailing capability is proposed. By opening and closing a gate on the side facing the waves, the WEC converts wave energy in the vertical duct(called VD mode) with low sailing resistance or in the backward bend duct(called BBD mode) with high sailing resistance.A small model and a medium model were designed and manufactured. The capture width ratio(CWR) of the small model in the two modes was experimentally studied. The CWR under bidirectional airflow and conversion characteristics under unidirectional airflow of the medium model in the BBD mode were obtained. Tests of the small model show that the peak CWR is 145.2% under regular waves and 90.1% under random waves in BBD mode, and in VD mode the peak CWR is about 60% of that in the BBD mode. Tests of the medium model show that the peak CWR is 228.96% under regular waves, the maximum wave-to-battery efficiency is 63.36% under regular waves and 30.17%under random waves, respectively.

Enhancing the crystallinity and stability of perovskite solar cells with 4-tert-butylpyridine induction for efficiency exceeding 24%

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have emerged as a promising photovoltaic technology because of their high light absorption coefficient,long carrier diffusion distance,and tunable bandgap.However,PSCs face challenges such as hysteresis effects and stability issues.In this study,we introduced a novel approach to improve film crystallization by leveraging 4-tert-butylpyridine(TBP)molecules,thereby enhancing the performance and stability of PSCs.Our findings demonstrate the effective removal of PbI_(2)from the perovskite surface through strong coordination with TBP molecules.Additionally,by carefully adjusting the concentration of the TBP solution,we achieved enhanced film crystallinity without disrupting the perovskite structure.The TBP-treated perovskite films exhibit a low defect density,improved crystallinity,and improved carrier lifetime.As a result,the PSCs manufactured with TBP treatment achieve power conversion efficiency(PCE)exceeding 24%.Moreover,we obtained the PCE of 21.39%for the 12.25 cm^(2)module.

High Efficiency Formamidinium-Cesium Perovskite-Based Radio-Photovoltaic Cells

Radio-photovoltaic cell is a micro nuclear battery for devices operating in extreme environments,which converts the decay energy of a radioisotope into electric energy by using a phosphor and a photovoltaic converter.Many phosphors with high light yield and good environmental stability have been developed,but the performance of radio-photovoltaic cells remains far behind expectations in terms of power density and power conversion efficiency,because of the poor photoelectric conversion efficiency of traditional photovoltaic converters under low-light conditions.This paper reports an radio-photovoltaic cell based on an intrinsically stable formamidinium-cesium perovskite photovoltaic converter exhibiting a wide light wavelength response from 300 to 800 nm,high open-circuit voltage(V_(oc)),and remarkable efficiency at low-light intensity.When a He ions accelerator is adopted as a mimickedαradioisotope source with an equivalent activity of 0.83 mCi cm^(-2),the formamidinium-cesium perovskite radio-photovoltaic cell achieves a V_(oc)of 0.498 V,a short-circuit current(J_(sc))of 423.94 nA cm^(-2),and a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 0.886%,which is 6.6 times that of the Si reference radio-photovoltaic cell,as well as the highest among all radio-photovoltaic cells reported so far.This work provides a theoretical basis for enhancing the performance of radio-photovoltaic cells.

Improved efficiency and stability of inverse perovskite solar cells via passivation cleaning

Amidst the global energy and environmental crisis,the quest for efficient solar energy utilization intensifies.Perovskite solar cells,with efficiencies over 26%and cost-effective production,are at the forefront of research.Yet,their stability remains a barrier to industrial application.This study introduces innovative strategies to enhance the stability of inverted perovskite solar cells.By bulk and surface passivation,defect density is reduced,followed by a"passivation cleaning"using Apacl amino acid salt and isopropyl alcohol to refine film surface quality.Employing X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscope(SEM),and atomic force microscopy(AFM),we confirmed that this process effectively neutralizes surface defects and curbs non-radiative recombination,achieving 22.6%efficiency for perovskite solar cells with the composition Cs_(0.15)FA_(0.85)PbI_(3).Crucially,the stability of treated cells in long-term tests has been markedly enhanced,laying groundwork for industrial viability.

Symmetric Brownian motor subjected to Lévy noise

In the past few years,attention has mainly been focused on the symmetric Brownian motor(BM)with Gaussian noises,whose current and energy conversion efficiency are very low.Here,we investigate the operating performance of the symmetric BM subjected to Lévy noise.Through numerical simulations,it is found that the operating performance of the motor can be greatly improved in asymmetric Lévy noise.Without any load,the Lévy noises with smaller stable indexes can let the motor give rise to a much greater current.With a load,the energy conversion efficiency of the motor can be enhanced by adjusting the stable indexes of the Lévy noises with symmetry breaking.The results of this research are of great significance for opening up BM’s intrinsic physical mechanism and promoting the development of nanotechnology.

Maximum initial primary wave model for low-Froude-number reservoir landslides based on wave theory

The impulse waves induced by large-reservoir landslides can be characterized by a low Froude number.However,systematic research on predictive models specifically targeting the initial primary wave is lacking.Taking the Shuipingzi 1#landslide that occurred in the Baihetan Reservoir area of the Jinsha River in China as an engineering example,this study established a large-scale physical model(with dimensions of 30 m×29 m×3.5 m at a scale of 1:150)and conducted scaled experiments on 3D landslide-induced impulse waves.During the process in which a sliding mass displaced and compressed a body of water to generate waves,the maximum initial wave amplitude was found to be positively correlated with the sliding velocity and the volume of the landslide.With the increase in the water depth,the wave amplitude initially increased and then decreased.The duration of pressure exertion by the sliding mass at its maximum velocity directly correlated with an elevated wave amplitude.Based on the theories of low-amplitude waves and energy conservation,while considering the energy conversion efficiency,a predictive model for the initial wave amplitude was derived.This model could fit and validate the functions of wavelength and wave velocity.The accuracy of the initial wave amplitude was verified using physical experiment data,with a prediction accuracy for the maximum initial wave amplitude reaching 90%.The conversion efficiency(η)directly determined the accuracy of the estimation formula.Under clear conditions for landslide-induced impulse wave generation,estimating the value ofηthrough analogy cases was feasible.This study has derived the landslide-induced impulse waves amplitude prediction formula from the standpoints of wave theory and energy conservation,with greater consideration given to the intrinsic characteristics in the formation process of landslide-induced impulse waves,thereby enhancing the applicability and extensibility of the formula.This can facilitate the development of empirical estimation methods for landslide-induced impulse waves toward universality.

Growth and Diet Utilization Efficiencies of Overwinter Juvenile Mud Crabs Fed with Different Diets

[Objectives]To study the utilization efficiency of different diets for juvenile Scylla paramamosain.[Methods]Low-value fish,shrimp,clam and clamworm were fed to overwintering young mud crabs,and the performance of the feed was evaluated by growth,feed utilization and energy allocation.[Results]Shrimp-fed mud crabs showed the best growth performance,while fish-fed mud crabs showed the worst growth performance and converted the least protein and energy for growth.Shrimp-fed mud crabs molted more frequently,and the dry matter mass and energy of Exuviation were significantly higher than those of fish-fed mud crabs.The shrimp-fed crabs also had significantly higher food intake than those fish-fed crabs.The order of feed conversion efficiency(FCE)of fish-fed mud crabs was Polychaete>clam>shrimp>fish,while the order of FCE calculated with FCE-P and FCE-E was Polychaete>clam>shrimp>fish.Fish-fed mud crabs had the least energy intake and the least energy for growth,molting,excretion,metabolism,and feces.Among the four treatments,the mud crabs fed on Polychaete had the largest proportion of energy used for growth,while the mud crabs fed on fish had the largest proportion of energy used for molting.The proportion of energy consumed by mud crabs fed on Polychaete was the smallest,which may be the main reason for the higher FCE-P and FCE-E of mud crabs fed on Polychaete.[Conclusions]The results of this experiment showed that the utilization of low-value fish by mud crabs was the worst,suggesting that fish should not be used as control or reference food when studying the formula feed of mud crabs.

Experimental Study of a Quadratic Boost: The Cascaded Connected Single Switch

The quadratic boost is studied under its real model. The equations, of the continuous conduction mode, descriptive of this model are established. From these equations, the expressions of the voltage gain and the efficiency are extracted. These two quantities are plotted as a function of the duty cycle in order to appreciate them in different operating points of the transistor. The values of the different components have also been extracted for the fabrication of a prototype of the converter. Thanks to a set of experimental measurements at the input as well as at the output of the prototype converter, the voltage gain and the efficiency could also be observed. These were also plotted for different loads to observe converter behavior. The theoretical curves were compared with the experimental curves which allowed to validate the proposed mathematical models on a large range of duty cycles.

Research on Energy Conversion System of Floating Wave Energy Converter

A wave power device includes an energy harvesting system and a power take-off system. The power take-off system of a floating wave energy device is the key that converts wave energy into other forms. A set of hydraulic power take-off system, which suits for the floating wave energy devices, includes hydraulic system and power generation system. The hydraulic control system uses a special“self-hydraulic control system”to control hydraulic system to release or save energy under the maximum and the minimum pressures. The maximum pressure is enhanced to 23 MPa, the minimum to 9 MPa. Quite a few experiments show that the recent hydraulic system is evidently improved in efficiency and reliability than our previous one, that is expected to be great significant in the research and development of our prototype about wave energy conversion.

Blade-coating Perovskite Films with Diverse Compositions for Efficient Photovoltaics

In this research highlight,recent significant advances with hot-assisted blade-coating or air knife-assisted blade-coating of different perovskite compositions with bandgaps ranging from 1.3 eV to 1.9 eV(i.e.widebandgap or small-bandgap perovskites with mixed cations and anions,2D/3D perovskites,Pb/Sn binary perovskites,and all-inorganic perovskites)for single-junction or tandem PSCs are discussed,with an emphasis on elucidating the distinct ink formulation engineering strategies,crystal growth mechanisms,crystallization kinetics,and optoelectronic properties of the different perovskite compositions.

0.35%THz pulse conversion efficiency achieved by Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser filamentation in argon at 1 kHz repetition rate

In this study,an optical setup for generating terahertz(THz)pulses through a two-color femtosecond laser filament was carefully designed to achieve a precise overlap of two-color laser pulses in space and time.β-barium borate(BBO),α-BBO,and a dual-wavelength plate were used to compensate the phase delay of the two-color lasers.Tilting ofα-BBO could further realize the precise spatial overlap of the two beams by counteracting the walk-off effect.The maximum out-put THz pulse energy reached 21μJ in argon gas when using a commercial Ti:sapphire laser with a pulse energy of 6 mJ at a 1 kHz repetition rate.The corresponding conversion efficiency exceeded 0.35%.

Dynamic Properties and Energy Conversion Efficiency of A Floating Multi-Body Wave Energy Converter

The present study proposed a floating multi-body wave energy converter composed of a floating central platform,multiple oscillating bodies and multiple actuating arms. The relative motions between the oscillating bodies and the floating central platform capture multi-point wave energy simultaneously. The converter was simplified as a forced vibration system with three degrees of freedom, namely two heave motions and one rotational motion. The expressions of the amplitude-frequency response and the wave energy capture width were deduced from the motion equations of the converter. Based on the built mathematical model, the effects of the PTO damping coefficient, the PTO elastic coefficient, the connection length between the oscillating body and central platform, and the total number of oscillating bodies on the performance of the wave energy converter were investigated. Numerical results indicate that the dynamical properties and the energy conversion efficiency are related not only to the incident wave circle frequency but also to the converter’s physical parameters and interior PTO coefficients. By adjusting the connection length, higher wave energy absorption efficiencies can be obtained. More oscillating bodies installed result in more stable floating central platform and higher wave energy conversion efficiency.

Heteroatom substitution-induced asymmetric A–D–A type non-fullerene acceptor for efficient organic solar cells

Research on asymmetric A–D–A structured non-fullerene acceptors has lagged far behind the development of symmetric counterpart.In this contribution,by simply replacing one sulfur atom in indacenodithiophene unit with a selenium atom,an asymmetric building block Se PT and a corresponding asymmetric non-fullerene acceptor Se PT-IN have been developed.Asymmetric Se PT-IN achieved a high efficiency of 10.20% in organic solar cells when blended with PBT1-C,much higher than that of symmetric TPT-IN counterpart(8.91%).Our results demonstrated an effective heteroatom substitution strategy to develop asymmetric A–D–A structured non-fullerene acceptors.

A new D–D–π–A dye for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells

New metal-free organic dye sensitizers containing mono-triphenylamine or bis-triphenylamine as the electron donor, a thiophene as the π-conjugated system, and a cyanoacrylic acid moiety as the electron acceptor were synthesized. The optical and electrochemical properties of the dyes were investigated,and their performance as sensitizers in solar cells was evaluated. Dye-sensitized solar cells based on dye containing bis-triphenylamine as the electron donor produced a photon-to-current conversion efficiency of 6.06%（Jsc = 14.21 m A/cm;, Voc = 0.62 V, ff = 0.69） under 100 m W/cm;simulated AM 1.5 G solar irradiation（100 m W/cm;）.