Low insertion loss silicon-based spatial light modulator with high reflective materials outside Fabry–Perot cavity

The extinction ratio and insertion loss of spatial light modulator are subject to the material problem, thus limiting its applications. One reflection-type silicon-based spatial light modulator with high reflective materials outside the Fabry-Perot cavity is demonstrated in this paper. The reflectivity values of the outside-cavity materials with different film layer numbers are simulated. The reflectivity values of 6-pair Ta2O5/SiO2 films at 1550 nm are experimentally verified to be as high as 99.9%. The surfaces of 6-pair Ta2O5/SiO2 films are smooth: their root-mean-square roughness values are as small as 0.53 nm. The insertion loss of the device at 1550 nm is only 1.2 dB. The high extinction ratio of the device at 1550 nm and 11 V is achieved to be 29.7 dB. The spatial light modulator has a high extinction ratio and low insertion loss for applications.

Preparation of Near IR Reflective Materials via Hollow Ballotini Enwrapped by TiO_2

Near IR reflective functional material was made via hollow ballotini enwrapped by TiO2 according to IR reflective principles. Metatitanic acid covers on the surface of hollow ballotini through electrostatic attraction as pH is less than 2.5. The results of SEM and XRD spectrum show that TiO2 enwraps hollow ballotini well and the crystal form is anatase. When TiO2 covering thickness is below 0.5 μm, reflectance swells along with the increase of thickness, whereas above 0.5 μm it keeps stable. Coatings made from mixing enwrapped I-IB with styrene-acrylic latex were coated on aluminum foil, and reflectances were mensurated. It is found that reflectance keeps stable when the coating can wrap the base and reflectances of the coating in visible range and in near IR range are 86% and 81%, resoectively.

Influence of Silica Fume on the Reflectivity and Transmission Efficiency of Cement-Based Materials

As a kind of mineral admixture, silica fume has low permittivity, which will affect the electromagnetic properties of cement-based materials. To study the effect of silica fume on the properties of cement-based materials, the reflectivity, transmission efficiency and pore structure were analyzed by using the vector network analyzer and mercury injection apparatus. Results show that silica fume can make the mortar more compact and the porosity of sample with 9% silica fume is only 17.8%, which is far lower than the control sample;With the increase of the silica fume content, the peak of reflectivity curve increases from -23.2 dB to -16.0 dB, and then decreases from -16.04 dB to -28.7 dB in the frequency range of 6 – 18 GHz. Reflectivity of sample with 3% content of silica fume is lower than other samples within 26.5 - 40 GHz;Transmission efficiency of samples shows the trend of increase with silica fume content increases from 0% to 6% within 8.2 - 12.4 GHz, 12 - 18 GHz and 26.5 - 40 GHz, but when the content increases from 6% to 9%, the transmission efficiency of samples reduces.

Model of bidirectional reflectance distribution function for metallic materials

Based on the three-component assumption that the reflection is divided into specular reflection,directional diffuse reflection,and ideal diffuse reflection,a bidirectional reflectance distribution function（BRDF） model of metallic materials is presented.Compared with the two-component assumption that the reflection is composed of specular reflection and diffuse reflection,the three-component assumption divides the diffuse reflection into directional diffuse and ideal diffuse reflection.This model effectively resolves the problem that constant diffuse reflection leads to considerable error for metallic materials.Simulation and measurement results validate that this three-component BRDF model can improve the modeling accuracy significantly and describe the reflection properties in the hemisphere space precisely for the metallic materials.

Research progress of cholesteric liquid crystals with broadband reflection characteristics in application of intelligent optical modulation materials

Cholesteric liquid crystals（CLCs） have recently sparked an enormous amount of interest in the development of soft matter materials due to their unique ability to self-organize into a helical supra-molecular architecture and their excellent selective reflection of light based on the Bragg relationship.Nowadays,by the virtue of building the self-organized nanostructures with pitch gradient or non-uniform pitch distribution,extensive work has already been performed to obtain CLC films with a broad reflection band.Based on authors＇ many years＇ research experience,this critical review systematically summarizes the physical and optical background of the CLCs with broadband reflection characteristics,methods to obtain broadband reflection of CLCs,as well as the application in the field of intelligent optical modulation materials.Combined with the research status and the advantages in the field,the important basic and applied scientific problems in the research direction are also introduced.

A Review on Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Porous Carbon-Based Novel Microwave Absorption Materials

The development of microwave absorption materials(MAMs) is a considerable important topic because our living space is crowed with electromagnetic wave which threatens human’s health.And MAMs are also used in radar stealth for protecting the weapons from being detected.Many nanomaterials were studied as MAMs,but not all of them have the satisfactory performance.Recently,metal-organic frameworks(MOFs) have attracted tremendous attention owing to their tunable chemical structures,diverse properties,large specific surface area and uniform pore distribution.MOF can transform to porous carbon(PC) which is decorated with metal species at appropriate pyrolysis temperature.However,the loss mechanism of pure MOF-derived PC is often relatively simple.In order to further improve the MA performance,the MOFs coupled with other loss materials are a widely studied method.In this review,we summarize the theories of MA,the progress of different MOF-derived PC-based MAMs,tunable chemical structures incorporated with dielectric loss or magnetic loss materials.The different MA performance and mechanisms are discussed in detail.Finally,the shortcomings,challenges and perspectives of MOF-derived PC-based MAMs are also presented.We hope this review could provide a new insight to design and fabricate MOF-derived PC-based MAMs with better fundamental understanding and practical application.

Microwave Absorption Properties of the Carbonyl Iron/EPDM Radar Absorbing Materials

Employing carbonyl iron powder and Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer （EPDM） as the absorbent and matrix, rubber radar absorbing materials （RAM） were prepared. Effects of the carbonyl iron volume fraction and the thickness of the RAM on the microwave absorption properties in the frequency range of 2.6-18GHz were studied, and a mathematical analysis was made using the electromagnetic theory. The experimental results indicate that the minimum reflectivity of the radar absorbing materials continuously decreases with the increase of the carbonyl iron volume fraction, and the absorption peak also moves towards the low frequency for the same thickness of the RAM. The minimum reflectivity of the 3.0 mm RAM is -21.7dB at 3.5 GHz when the volume fraction of carbonyl iron is 45%. The reflectivity of the RAM is not in direct proportional to the thickness of the RAM, when the RAM has the same volume fraction of the carbonyl iron. The reflectivity of the RAM presents a regular trend at a given carbonyl iron volume fraction in the frequency range of 2.6-18 GHz. With the increase of the thickness, the maximum absorption peak moves towards low frequency band, the minimum reflectivity firstly decreases and then increases, and the absorption bandwidth for reflectivity〈-10 dB firstly increases and then decreases. The microwave absorption properties of the RAM are determined by the thickness and the composition of the radar absorbing materials. Theoretical analysis indicates that the reflectivity of the RAM is determined by the matching degree of the air＇s characteristic impedance and the input impedance.

Degree of polarization based on the three-component pBRDF model for metallic materials

An expression of degree of polarization（DOP） for metallic material is presented based on the three-component polarized bidirectional reflectance distribution function（p BRDF） model with considering specular reflection, directional diffuse reflection and ideal diffuse reflection. The three-component p BRDF model with a detailed reflection assumption is validated by comparing simulations with measurements. The DOP expression presented in this paper is related to surface roughness, which makes it more reasonable in physics. Test results for two metallic samples show that the DOP based on the three-component p BRDF model accords well with the measurement and the error of existing DOP expression is significantly reduced by introducing the diffuse reflection. It indicates that our DOP expression describes the polarized reflection properties of metallic surfaces more accurately.

Calculation of thermal neutron albedo for mono-material and bi-material reflectors

Thermal neutron albedo has been investigated for different thicknesses of mono-material and bi-material reflectors. An equation has been obtained for a bi-material reflector by considering the neutron diffusion equation. The bi-material reflector consists of binary combinations of water, graphite, lead, and polyethylene. An experimental measurement of thermal neutron albedo has also been conducted for mono-material and bi-material reflectors by using a^(241) Am–Be(5.2 Ci) neutron source and a BF3 detector. The maximum value of thermal neutron albedo was obtained for a polyethylene–water combination(0.95 ± 0.02).

COF-based electrochromic materials and devices

The transparency,reflectivity and color for electro-chromic(EC)materials can be changed reversibly under low bias[1].EC materials find wide application in many fields like microelectronics,energy-saving buildings,automobiles,na-tional defense and aerospace industry[2].Compared with inor-ganic EC materials,organic EC materials have advantages like easy modification of molecular structures,rich color changes and fast-switching speed[3].

Analysis of Spectral Signatures of Silicone-Based Sealant Materials Used in Residential and Commercial Buildings

In the construction industry, silicone is primarily used as sealant material to fill gaps and cracks providing water and air-tightness to vertical construction projects reducing energy usage bills and enhancing the integrity of construction materials. This paper reports the results of spectral analysis of commonly used building sealant materials used in residential and commercial buildings. A dozen commercially available silicone-based sealant materials composed of different ingredients representing three manufacturer brands are characterized using Raman and UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopic techniques. The characteristic vibrational fingerprints of the selected sealant materials are summarized, and the Raman and reflectance spectra of the samples are also presented. It is observed that most of the samples appear to have similar vibrational band assignments and reflectance spectra. However, analysis of the Raman spectral positions and the reflectance spectra reveals that there are distinct differences among the sealant materials.

A review of anomalous refractive and reflective metasurfaces

Abnormal refraction and reflection refers to the phenomenon in which light does not follow its traditional laws of propagation and instead is subject to refraction and reflection at abnormal angles that satisfy a generalization of Snell’s law.Metasurfaces can realize this phenomenon through appropriate selection of materials and structural design,and they have a wide range of potential applications in the military,communications,scientific,and biomedical fields.This paper summarizes the current state of research on abnormal refractive and reflective metasurfaces and their application scenarios.It discusses types of abnormal refractive and reflective metasurfaces based on their tuning modes(active and passive),their applications in different wavelength bands,and their future development.The technical obstacles that arise with existing metasurface technology are summarized,and prospects for future development and applications of abnormal refractive and reflective metasurfaces are discussed.

Preparation and Properties of TiO2-Coated Hollow Glass Microspheres as Thermal Insulation Materials for Energy-Saving Buildings

A hollow glass microsphere(HGM)/TiO2 composite hollow sphere was successfully prepared via a simple precipitation method.The TiO2 coating layers grew on the surface of the HGMs that range from 20 to 50μm in diameter as nanoparticles with the formation of the SiO Ti bonds.The growth mechanism accounting for the formation of the TiO2 nanolayers was proposed.The morphology,composition,thermal insulation properties,and visible-near infrared(VIS-NIR)refl ectance of the HGMs/TiO2 composite hollow spheres were characterized.The VIS-NIR reflectance of the HGMs/TiO2 composite hollow spheres increased by more than 30%compared to raw HGMs.The thermal conductivity of the particles is 0.058 W/(m K).The result indicates that the VIS-NIR reflectance of the composite hollow spheres is strongly influenced by the coating of TiO2.The composite hollow spheres were used as the main functional filler to prepare the organic-inorganic composite coatings.The glass substrates coated by the organic-inorganic coatings had lower thermal conductivity and higher near infrared reflectivity.Therefore,the HGMs/TiO2 composite hollow spheres can reflect most of the solar energy and effectively keep out the heat as a thermal insulation coating for energy-saving constructions.

Human Lives Are More Valuable Than Material Possessions——My Reflections on "Face to Face with Hurricane Camille"

“Face to face With Hurricane Camilleisa Piece of narration writ-ten by Joseph P.Blank.It has been adopted by text-book compilers of various countries ever since its first publication in The Readers Digest,March1970.A Searlyas1973,Nat-aliC.

Why Sustainable Porous Carbon Should be Further Explored as Radar-Absorbing Material? A Comparative Study with Different Nanostructured Carbons

Radar Absorbing Materials(RAM)are a class of composites that can attenuate incident electromagnetic waves to avoid radar detection.Most carbon allotropes that have the potential to be used as RAM are either carbon nano-tubes(CNTs),graphene,carbon black(CB)and ultimately,sustainable porous carbon(SPC).Here,black wattle bark waste(following tannin extraction)was used as a sustainable source to produce SPC made from biomass waste.It was characterized and used as afiller for a silicone rubber matrix to produce aflexible RAM.The elec-tromagnetic performance of this composite was compared with composites made with commercial CB and CNT through reflection loss(RL),where-10 dB is equivalent to 90%of attenuation.These composites were evaluated in single-layer,double-layer,and as radar absorbing structures(RAS)with the aim of improving their effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)performances and a reduction in costs.The CNT composite presented a RL of-26.85 dB at 10.89 GHz and an EAB of 2.6 GHz with a 1.9 mm thickness,while the double-layer structures using CNT and SPC provided a RL of-19.74 dB at 10.75 GHz and an EAB of 2.51 GHz.Furthermore,the double-layer structures are~42%cheaper than the composite using only CNT since less material is used.Finally,the largest EAB was achieved with a RAS using SPC,reaching~2.8 GHz and a RL of-49.09 dB at 10.4 GHz.Summarizing,SPC made of black wattle bark waste can be a competitive,alternative material for use as RAM and RAS since it is cheaper,sustainable,and suitable for daily life uses such as absorbers for anechoic chambers,sensors,and elec-tromagnetic interference shields for electronics,wallets,vehicles,and others.

High-entropy rare earth stannate ceramics:Acid corrosion resistant radiative cooling materials with high atmospheric transparency window emissivity and high near-infrared solar reflectivity

In response to the development of the concepts of“carbon neutrality”and“carbon peak”,it is critical to developing materials with high near-infrared(NIR)solar reflectivity and high emissivity in the atmospheric transparency window(ATW;8–13μm)to advance zero energy consumption radiative cooling technology.To regulate emission and reflection properties,a series of high-entropy rare earth stannate ceramics(HE-RE_(2)Sn_(2)O_(7):(Y_(0.2)La_(0.2)Nd_(0.2)Eu_(0.2)Gd_(0.2))_(2)Sn_(2)O_(7),(Y_(0.2)La_(0.2)Sm_(0.2)Eu_(0.2)Lu_(0.2))_(2)Sn_(2)O_(7),and(Y_(0.2)La_(0.2)Gd_(0.2)Yb_(0.2)Lu_(0.2))_(2)Sn_(2)O_(7))with severe lattice distortion were prepared using a solid phase reaction followed by a pressureless sintering method for the first time.Lattice distortion is accomplished by introducing rare earth elements with different cation radii and mass.The as-synthesized HE-RE_(2)Sn_(2)O_(7)ceramics possess high ATW emissivity(91.38%–95.41%),high NIR solar reflectivity(92.74%–97.62%),low thermal conductivity(1.080–1.619 W·m^(−1)·K^(−1)),and excellent chemical stability.On the one hand,the lattice distortion intensifies the asymmetry of the structural unit to cause a notable alteration in the electric dipole moment,ultimately enlarging the ATW emissivity.On the other hand,by selecting difficult excitation elements,HE-RE_(2)Sn_(2)O_(7),which has a wide band gap(Eg),exhibits high NIR solar reflectivity.Hence,the multi-component design can effectively enhance radiative cooling ability of HE-RE_(2)Sn_(2)O_(7)and provide a novel strategy for developing radiative cooling materials.

Evaluation of TiAl and 40Cr diffusion bonding quality using ultrasonic reflection spectrum

Combined with ultrasonic pulse-echo technique, reflection spectrum analysis was introduced to evaluate TiAl and 40Cr diffusion bonding quality. Frequency dependence of reflection coefficient was used to distinguish perfect bonding from imperfect bonding. It is found that the reflection coefficient from perfect bonding interface does not vary with frequency. When the size of imperfections is much smaller than the wavelength of ultrasound, the reflection coeffwient depends on frequency. When the size of imperfections is the same order of or even larger than the wavelength of ultrasound, the reflection coeffwient does not exhibit frequency dependence. However the amplitude of imperfect interface is higher than the amplitude of perfect bonding interface. A combination of reflection spectrum analysis and ultrasonic pulse-echo technique provides more accurate information about the bonding quality of dissimilar materials.

Millimeter-Wave Absorption Properties of Thin Wave Absorber in Free Space with New Porous Carbon Material

In this paper, we focus on PHYTOPOROUS, a porous carbon material made entirely from plant-based ingredients, as a new broadband-wave absorber material that acts in the millimeter wave band. We created prototypes of thin rubber-sheet wave absorbers that contain porous carbon (PHYTOPOROUS) made from rice chaff and soybean hulls, which are both agricultural residue products that are generated in large quantities. We investigated the permittivity and reflectance characteristics of this material using the free-space time-domain method. The thin rubber-sheet wave absorber that contained PHYTOPOROUS made from soybean hulls exhibited a frequency band that was approximately 18 GHz wide and centered at 90 GHz. The return loss for this material was greater than −20 dB. This demonstrates that the material provides nearly constant reflection absorption over a wide frequency band.

Multi－diffused Reflection Spectroscopy of Rare Earths Doped LaOCl Powder Samples and the Calculation of Quantum Efficiency

The excitation and emission spectra, the relaxation time of principal spectral lines and multi-diffused reflection spectra in LaOCl: Er, LaOCl: Ho powder samples were measured. The diffused absorption spectrum was derived from the multi-diffused reflection spectrum. According to Judd-Ofelt theory,the intensity parameters, radiative transition probabilities and quantum efficiencies of luminescence emission were calculated. Then comparison with erbium and holmium doped floride glass and other matrices were made.

Effect of negative permittivity and permeability on the transmission of electromagnetic waves through a structure containing left-handed material

We investigate the characteristics of electromagnetic wave reflection and transmission by multilayered structures consisting of a pair of left-handed material (LHM) and dielectric slabs inserted between two semi-infinite dielectric media. The theoretical aspect is based on Maxwell's equations and matching the boundary conditions for the electric and magnetic fields of the incident waves at each layer interface. We calculate the reflected and transmitted powers of the multilayered structure taking into account the widths of the slabs and the frequency dependence of permittivity and permeability of the LHM. The obtained results satisfy the law of conservation of energy. We show that if the semi-infinite dielectric media have the same refractive index and the slabs have the same width, then the reflected (and transmitted) powers can be minimized (and maximized) and the powers-frequency curves show no ripple. On the other hand if the semi-infinite dielectric media have different values of refractive indices and the slabs have different widths, then under certain conditions the situation of minimum and maximum values of the mentioned powers will be reversed.