Extreme Light Concentration and High Absorption of the Double Cylindrical Microcavities

We numerically study the enhancement factor of energy density and absorption efficiency inside the double cylindrical microcavities based on a triple-band metamaterial absorber. The compact single unit cell consists of concentric gold rings with a gold disk in the center and a metallic ground plane separated by a dielectric layer. We demonstrate that the multilayer structure with subwavelength electromagnetic confinement allows 104-105-fold enhancement of the electromagnetic energy density inside the double cavities and contains the most energy of the incoming light. Particularly, the enhancement factor of energy density G shows strong ability of localizing light and some regularity as the change of the thickness of the dielectric slab and dielectric constant. At the normal incidence of electromagnetic radiation, the obtained reflection spectra show that the resonance frequencies of the double microcavities operate in the range of 10-30μm. We also calculate the absorption efficiency C, which can reach 95%, 97% and 95% at corresponding frequency by optimizing the structure＇s geometry parameters. Moreover, the proposed structure will be insensitive to the polarization of the incident wave due to the symmetry of the double cylindrical microcavities. The proposed optical metamaterial is a promising candidate as absorbing elements in scientific and technical applications due to its extreme confinement, multiband absorption and polarization insensitivity.

Behaviors of harmonic signals in wavelength-modulated spectroscopy under high absorption strength

Behaviors of harmonic signals in wavelength modulation spectroscopy （WMS） for gas detection with Lorentzian line under high absorption strength are investigated. Approximate analytic expressions of the second, fourth, and sixth harmonics on the strength ave presented in concise forms. Simulations show that the expressions ave in agreement with the Fourier expansion by numerical integration. It is expected theoretically and experimentally in a WMS system for methane detection that there ave not only a maximum, but also a null point in the harmonics versus strength relations, which should be of practical importance in methane sensing applications.

A Simple Mix Proportion Design Method Based on Frost Durability for Recycled High Performance Concrete Using Fully Coarse Recycled Aggregate

Durability design of recycled high performance concrete（RHPC） is fundamental for improving the use rate and level of concrete waste as coarse recycled aggregate（CRA）. We discussed a frostdurability-based mix proportion design method for RHPC using 100 % CRA and natural sand. Five groups of RHPC mixes with five strength grades（40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 MPa） were produced using CRA with four quality classes, and their workability, 28 d compressive strengths and frost resistances（measured by the compressive strength loss ratio and the relative dynamic modulus of elasticity） were tested. Relationships between the 28 d compressive strength, the frost resistance and the CRA quality characteristic parameter, water absorption, were then developed. The criterion of a CRA maximum water absorption limit value for RHPC was suggested, independent of its source and quality class. The results show that all RHPC mixes achieve the expected target workability, strength, and frost durability. The research results demonstrate that the application of the proposed method does not require trial testing prior to use.

High index of refraction via quantum interference in a three-level system of Er^3＋-doped yttrium aluminium garnet crystal

A simple three-level system is proposed to produce high index of refraction with zero absorption in an Er^3＋-doped yttrium aluminium garnet （YAG） crystal, which is achieved for a probe field between the excited state 4I13/2 and ground state 4I15/2 by adjusting a strong coherent driving field between the upper excited state 4I11/2 and 4I15/2. It is found that the changes of the frequency of the coherent driving field and the concentration of Er^3＋ ions in the YAG crystal can maximize the index of refraction accompanied by vanishing absorption. This result could be useful for the dispersion compensation in fibre communication, laser particle acceleration, high precision magnetometry and so on.

Effects of a flexible net barrier on the dynamic behaviours and interception of debris flows in mountainous areas

Flexible net barriers are a new type of effective mitigation measure against debris flows in valleys and can affect the kinematic energy and mass of debris flows. Here, ten flume tests were performed to study the dynamic behaviours of debris flows with differences in volumes, concentrations(solid volume fraction), and travel distances after interception by a uniform flexible net barrier. A high-speed camera was used to monitor the whole test process, and their dynamic behaviours were recorded. A preliminary computational framework on energy conversion is proposed according to the deposition mechanisms and outflow of debris flow under the effects of the flexible net barrier. The experimental results show that the dynamic interaction process between a debris flow and the flexible net barrier can be divided into two stages:(a) the two-phase impact of the leading edge of the debris flow with the net and(b) collision and friction between the body of the debris flow and intercepted debris material. The approach velocity of a debris flow decreases sharply(a maximum of 63%) after the interception by the net barrier, and the mass ratio of the debris material being intercepted and the kinetic energy ratio of the debris material being absorbed by the net barrier are close due to the limited interception efficiency of the flexible net barrier, which is believed to be related to the flexibility. The energy ratio of outflow is relative small despite the large permeability of the flexible net barrier.

Acoustic skin meta-muffler

The effective elimination of sound energy traveling in open ducts is critical in acoustics,with considerable potential in diverse applications ranging from duct noise control to exhaust system design.However,previous absorber mechanisms are bulky or have limited ventilation or unsatisfactory absorption capability.We propose and experimentally demonstrate the concept of meta-mufflers capable of quasi-perfectly absorbing airborne sound propagating in an open duct while minimizing the influence on airflow because of its vanishing thickness.The mechanism uses coupling among asymmetric metasurfaces to achieve impedance match and subsequent high absorption in a subwavelength scale,which is explained analytically and validated experimentally.The proposed meta-muffler features an uncomplicated design,high attenuation efficiency,and a thickness of nearly two orders of magnitude of wavelength,ensuring the free pass of other entities.Furthermore,our design offers the flexibility of tuning and extending working bandwidth by hybridization of weak resonances.The performance of the proposed muffler is verified via experiments,which correlate excellently with theoretical predictions.The realization of meta-mufflers opens a route to novel acoustic absorbers and could have far-reaching implications in a plethora of important scenarios calling for both perfect sound absorption and open acoustic paths.