Electrically switchable structural patterns and diffractions in a dual frequency nematic liquid crystal

Electrically driven structural patterns in liquid crystals(LCs)have attracted considerable attention due to their electrooptical applications.Here,we disclose various appealing reconfigurable LC microstructures in a dual frequency nematic LC(DFNLC)owing to the electroconvection-induced distortion of the LC director,including one-dimensional rolls,chevron pattern,two-dimensional grids,and unstable chaos.These patterns can be switched among each other,and the lattice constants are modulated by tuning the amplitude and frequency of the applied electric field.The electrically switchable self-assembled microstructures and their beam steering capabilities thus provide a feasible way to tune the functions of DFNLC-based optical devices.

Pluggable multitask diffractive neural networks based on cascaded metasurfaces

Optical neural networks have significant advantages in terms of power consumption,parallelism,and high computing speed,which has intrigued extensive attention in both academic and engineering communities.It has been considered as one of the powerful tools in promoting the fields of imaging processing and object recognition.However,the existing optical system architecture cannot be reconstructed to the realization of multi-functional artificial intelligence systems simultaneously.To push the development of this issue,we propose the pluggable diffractive neural networks(P-DNN),a general paradigm resorting to the cascaded metasurfaces,which can be applied to recognize various tasks by switching internal plug-ins.As the proof-of-principle,the recognition functions of six types of handwritten digits and six types of fashions are numerical simulated and experimental demonstrated at near-infrared regimes.Encouragingly,the proposed paradigm not only improves the flexibility of the optical neural networks but paves the new route for achieving high-speed,low-power and versatile artificial intelligence systems.

Microstructures and micromechanical behaviors of high -entropy alloys investigated by synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction techniques: A review

High-entropy alloys(HEAs)possess outstanding features such as corrosion resistance,irradiation resistance,and good mechan-ical properties.A few HEAs have found applications in the fields of aerospace and defense.Extensive studies on the deformation mech-anisms of HEAs can guide microstructure control and toughness design,which is vital for understanding and studying state-of-the-art structural materials.Synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction are necessary techniques for materials science research,especially for in situ coupling of physical/chemical fields and for resolving macro/microcrystallographic information on materials.Recently,several re-searchers have applied synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction methods to study the deformation mechanisms,phase transformations,stress behaviors,and in situ processes of HEAs,such as variable-temperature,high-pressure,and hydrogenation processes.In this review,the principles and development of synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction are presented,and their applications in the deformation mechanisms of HEAs are discussed.The factors that influence the deformation mechanisms of HEAs are also outlined.This review fo-cuses on the microstructures and micromechanical behaviors during tension/compression or creep/fatigue deformation and the application of synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction methods to the characterization of dislocations,stacking faults,twins,phases,and intergrain/interphase stress changes.Perspectives on future developments of synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction and on research directions on the deformation mechanisms of novel metals are discussed.

Intensity correlation properties of x-ray beams split with Laue diffraction

Beam splitting is one of the main approaches to achieving x-ray ghost imaging, and the intensity correlation between diffraction beam and transmission beam will directly affect the imaging quality. In this paper, we investigate the intensity correlation between the split x-ray beams by Laue diffraction of stress-free crystal. The analysis based on the dynamical theory of x-ray diffraction indicates that the spatial resolution of diffraction image and transmission image are reduced due to the position shift of the exit beam. In the experimental setup, a stress-free crystal with a thickness of hundredmicrometers-level is used for beam splitting. The crystal is in a non-dispersive configuration equipped with a double-crystal monochromator to ensure that the dimension of the diffraction beam and transmission beam are consistent. A correlation coefficient of 0.92 is achieved experimentally and the high signal-to-noise ratio of the x-ray ghost imaging is anticipated.Results of this paper demonstrate that the developed beam splitter of Laue crystal has the potential in the efficient data acquisition of x-ray ghost imaging.

Experimental and numerical study on protective effect of RC blast wall against air shock wave

Prototype experiments were carried out on the explosion-proof performance of the RC blast wall.The mass of TNT detonated in the experiments is 5 kg and 20 kg respectively.The shock wave overpressure was tested in different regions.The above experiments were numerically simulated,and the simulated shock wave overpressure waveforms were compared with that tested and given by CONWEP program.The results show that the numerically simulated waveform is slightly different from the test waveform,but similar to CONWEP waveform.Through dimensional analysis and numerical simulation under different working conditions,the equation for the attenuation rate of the diffraction overpressure behind the blast wall was obtained.According to the corresponding standards,the degree of casualties and the damage degree of the brick concrete building at a certain distance behind the wall can be determined when parameters are set.The above results can provide a reference for the design and construction of the reinforced concrete blast wall.

DSAS:A new macromolecular substructure solution program based on the modified phase-retrieval algorithm

Considering the pivotal role of single-wavelength anomalous diffraction(SAD) in macromolecular crystallography,our objective was to introduce DSAS,a novel program designed for efficient anomalous scattering substructure determination.DSAS stands out with its core components:a modified phase-retrieval algorithm and automated parameter tuning.The software boasts an intuitive graphical user interface(GUI),facilitating seamless input of essential data and real-time monitoring.Extensive testing on DSAS has involved diverse datasets,encompassing proteins,nucleic acids,and various anomalous scatters such as sulfur(S),selenium(Se),metals,and halogens.The results confirm DSAS’s exceptional performance in accurately determining heavy atom positions,making it a highly effective tool in the field.

In situ observation of the phase transformation kinetics of bismuth during shock release

A time-resolved x-ray diffraction technique is employed to monitor the structural transformation of laser-shocked bismuth.Results reveal a retarded transformation from the shock-induced Bi-Ⅴphase to a metastable Bi-Ⅳphase during the shock release,instead of the thermodynamically stable Bi-Ⅲphase.The emergence of the metastable Bi-Ⅳphase is understood by the competitive interplay between two transformation pathways towards the Bi-Ⅳand Bi-Ⅲ,respectively.The former is more rapid than the latter because the Bi-Ⅴto B-Ⅳtransformation is driven by interaction between the closest atoms while the Bi-Ⅴto B-Ⅲtransformation requires interaction between the second-closest atoms.The nucleation time for the Bi-Ⅴto Bi-Ⅳtransformation is determined to be 5.1±0.9 ns according to a classical nucleation model.This observation demonstrates the importance of the formation of the transient metastable phases,which can change the phase transformation pathway in a dynamic process.

Anomalous bond lengthening in compressed magnetic doped semiconductor Ba(Zn_(0.95)Mn_(0.05))_(2)As_(2)

Applying pressure has been evidenced as an effective method to control the properties of semiconductors,owing to its capability to modify the band configuration around Fermi energy.Correspondingly,structural evolutions under external pres-sures are required to analyze the mechanisms.Herein high-pressure structure of a magnetic doped semiconductor Ba(Zn_(0.95)Mn_(0.05))_(2)As_(2)is studied with combination of in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffractions and diamond anvil cells.The materials become ferromagnetic with Curie temperature of 105 K after further 20%K doping.The title material undergoes an isostruc-tural phase transition at around 19 GPa.Below the transition pressure,it is remarkable to find lengthening of Zn/Mn-As bond within Zn/MnAs layers,since chemical bonds are generally shortened with applying pressures.Accompanied with the bond stretch,interlayer As-As distances become shorter and the As-As dimers form after the phase transition.With further compres-sion,Zn/Mn-As bond becomes shortened due to the recovery of isotropic compression on the Zn/MnAs layers.

Origin of nucleation and growth of extension twins in grains unsuitably oriented for twinning during deformation of Mg-1%Al

A large number of anomalous extension twins,with low or even negative twinning Schmid factors,were found to nucleate and grow in a strongly textured Mg-1Al alloy during tensile deformation along the extruded direction.The deformation mechanisms responsible for this behaviour were investigated through in-situ electron back-scattered diffraction,grain reference orientation deviation,and slip trace-modified lattice rotation.It was found that anomalous extension twins nucleated mainly at the onset of plastic deformation at or near grain boundary triple junctions.They were associated with the severe strain incompatibility between neighbour grains as a result from the differentbasal slip-induced lattice rotations.Moreover,the anomalous twins were able to grow with the applied strain due to the continuous activation ofbasal slip in different neighbour grains,which enhanced the strain incompatibility.These results reveal the complexity of the deformation mechanisms in Mg alloys at the local level when deformed along hard orientations.

Diffraction deep neural network-based classification for vector vortex beams

The vector vortex beam(VVB)has attracted significant attention due to its intrinsic diversity of information and has found great applications in both classical and quantum communications.However,a VVB is unavoidably affected by atmospheric turbulence(AT)when it propagates through the free-space optical communication environment,which results in detection errors at the receiver.In this paper,we propose a VVB classification scheme to detect VVBs with continuously changing polarization states under AT,where a diffractive deep neural network(DDNN)is designed and trained to classify the intensity distribution of the input distorted VVBs,and the horizontal direction of polarization of the input distorted beam is adopted as the feature for the classification through the DDNN.The numerical simulations and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme has high accuracy in classification tasks.The energy distribution percentage remains above 95%from weak to medium AT,and the classification accuracy can remain above 95%for various strengths of turbulence.It has a faster convergence and better accuracy than that based on a convolutional neural network.

Novel high-voltage cathode for aqueous zinc ion batteries:Porous K_(0.5)VOPO_(4)·1.5H_(2)O with reversible solid-solution intercalation and conversion storage mechanism

Cathode materials that possess high output voltage,as well as those that can be mass-produced using facile techniques,are crucial for the advancement of aqueous zinc-ion battery(ZIBs)applications,Herein,we present for the first time a new porous K_(0.5)VOPO_(4)·1.5H_(2)O polyanionic cathode(P-KIVP)with high output voltage(above 1.2 V)that can be manufactured at room temperature using straightforward coprecipitation and etching techniques.The P-KVP cathode experiences anisotropic crystal plane expansion via a sequential solid-solution intercalation and phase co nversion pathway throughout the Zn^(2+)storage process,as confirmed by in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.Similar to other layered vanadium-based polyanionic materials,the P-KVP cathode experiences a progressive decline in voltage during the cycle,which is demonstrated to be caused by the irreversible conversion into amorphous VO_(x).By introducing a new electrolyte containing Zn(OTF)_(2) to a mixed triethyl phosphate and water solution,it is possible to impede this irreversible conversion and obtain a high output voltage and longer cycle life by forming a P-rich cathode electrolyte interface layer.As a proof-of-concept,the flexible fiber-shaped ZIBs based on modified electrolyte woven into a fabric watch band can power an electronic watch,highlighting the application potential of P-KVP cathode.

预测规则波浪中船舶运动和载荷的频域三维计算机程序

The development of an in-house computer program for determining the motions and loads of advancing ships through sea waves in the frequency domain,is described in this paper.The code is based on the potential flow formulation and originates from a double-body code enhanced with the regular part of the velocity potential computed using the pulsing source Green function.The code is fully developed in C++language with extensive use of the object-oriented paradigm.The code is capable of estimating the excitation and inertial radiation loads or arbitrary incoming wave frequencies and incidence angles.The hydrodynamic responses such as hydrodynamic coefficients,ship motions,the vertical shear force and the vertical bending moment are estimated.A benchmark container ship and an LNG carrier are selected for testing and validating the computer code.The obtained results are compared with the available experimental data which demonstrate the acceptable compliance for the zero speed whereas there are some discrepancies over the range of frequencies for the advancing ship in different heading angles.

Tailoring electron vortex beams with customizable intensity patterns by electron diffraction holography

An electron vortex beam(EVB) carrying orbital angular momentum(OAM) plays a key role in a series of fundamental scientific researches, such as chiral energy-loss spectroscopy and magnetic dichroism spectroscopy. So far, almost all the experimentally created EVBs manifest isotropic doughnut intensity patterns. Here, based on the correlation between local divergence angle of electron beam and phase gradient along azimuthal direction, we show that free electrons can be tailored to EVBs with customizable intensity patterns independent of the carried OAM. As proof-of-concept, by using computer generated hologram and designing phase masks to shape the incident free electrons in the transmission electron microscope, three structured EVBs carrying identical OAM are tailored to exhibit completely different intensity patterns. Furthermore, through the modal decomposition, we quantitatively investigate their OAM spectral distributions and reveal that structured EVBs present a superposition of a series of different eigenstates induced by the locally varied geometries. These results not only generalize the concept of EVB, but also demonstrate an extra highly controllable degree of freedom for electron beam manipulation in addition to OAM.

Multiple directional acoustooptic diffractions

A set of coupled wave equations of acoustooptic diffraction with multiple acoustic waves along different directions is put forward and its solutions are derived. The characteristics of the diffraction efficiency, com -pression, cross modulation, and intermodulation intensities are analyzed theoretically. The theoretical results are supported by experimental measurements through our new multiple directional acoustooptic devices.

The Crystal Structure Study of CaSrFe0.75Co0.75Mn0.5O6−δ by Neutron Diffraction

The crystal structure of CaSrFe0.75Co0.75Mn0.5O6−δ is investigated through neutron diffraction techniques in this study. The material is synthesized using a solid-state synthesis method at a temperature of 1200˚C. Neutron diffraction data is subjected to Rietveld refinement, and a comparative analysis with X-ray diffraction (XRD) data is performed to unravel the structural details of the material. The findings reveal that the synthesized material exhibits a cubic crystal structure with a Pm-3m phase. The neutron diffraction results offer valuable insights into the arrangement of atoms within the lattice, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the material’s structural properties. This research enhances our knowledge of CaSrFe0.75Co0.75Mn0.5O6−δ, with potential implications for its applications in various technological and scientific domains.

钢渣粉/聚酯纤维沥青混合料水稳定性研究

为了实现钢渣粉在沥青路面中的可持续利用,同时结合河南省冬季冰雪天气下路面的除冰情况,研究了掺有聚酯纤维与钢渣粉沥青混合料的水稳定性。制备4种聚酯纤维掺量(0、0.3%、0.4%、0.5%)AC-13沥青混合料开展复盐(掺量配比为NaCl∶CaCl2∶CH2COONa=1∶1∶2)冻融循环劈裂试验,结果表明聚酯纤维掺量为0.4%时,沥青混合料水稳定最好;在最佳纤维掺量下制备5种替代率(0、25%、50%、75%、100%)钢渣粉沥青混合料,采用冻融劈裂抗拉强度比(freeze-thaw splitting tensile strength ratio,TSR)确定最佳钢渣粉替代率为75%,混合料水稳定性最佳;通过冻融腐蚀因子K评价沥青混合料的抗侵蚀性能,结果表明:聚酯纤维/钢渣粉沥青混合料的抗侵蚀性能最强,聚酯纤维沥青混合料次之,普通石灰岩沥青混合料最弱。通过电镜扫描(scanning electron microscope,SEM)、X射线衍射(X-ray diffraction,XRD)技术探索钢渣粉/聚酯纤维沥青混合料界面黏附作用的改性机理。微观分析表明:掺量为0.4%的聚酯纤维形成的纤维网状结构以及沥青、钢渣粉(75%的替代率)和矿粉三者存在界面能量作用可以很好地改善沥青混合料的水稳定性。

Ultrafast quasi-three-dimensional imaging

Understanding laser induced ultrafast processes with complex three-dimensional(3D)geometries and extreme property evolution offers a unique opportunity to explore novel physical phenomena and to overcome the manufacturing limitations.Ultrafast imaging offers exceptional spatiotemporal resolution and thus has been considered an effective tool.However,in conventional single-view imaging techniques,3D information is projected on a two-dimensional plane,which leads to significant information loss that is detrimental to understanding the full ultrafast process.Here,we propose a quasi-3D imaging method to describe the ultrafast process and further analyze spatial asymmetries of laser induced plasma.Orthogonally polarized laser pulses are adopted to illuminate reflection-transmission views,and binarization techniques are employed to extract contours,forming the corresponding two-dimensional matrix.By rotating and multiplying the two-dimensional contour matrices obtained from the dual views,a quasi-3D image can be reconstructed.This successfully reveals dual-phase transition mechanisms and elucidates the diffraction phenomena occurring outside the plasma.Furthermore,the quasi-3D image confirms the spatial asymmetries of the picosecond plasma,which is difficult to achieve with two-dimensional images.Our findings demonstrate that quasi-3D imaging not only offers a more comprehensive understanding of plasma dynamics than previous imaging methods,but also has wide potential in revealing various complex ultrafast phenomena in related fields including strong-field physics,fluid dynamics,and cutting-edge manufacturing.

Tracking the phase transformation and microstructural evolution of Sn anode using operando synchrotron X-ray energy-dispersive diffraction and X-ray tomography

Tin(Sn)holds great promise as an anode material for next-generation lithium(Li)ion batteries but suffers from massive volume change and poor cycling performance.To clarify the dynamic chemical and microstructural evolution of Sn anode during lithiation and delithiation,synchrotron X-ray energydispersive diffraction and X-ray tomography are simultaneously employed during Li/Sn cell operation.The intermediate Li-Sn alloy phases during de/lithiation are identified,and their dynamic phase transformation is unraveled which is further correlated with the volume variation of the Sn at particle-and electrode-level.Moreover,we find that the Sn particle expansion/shrinkage induced particle displacement is anisotropic:the displacement perpendicular to the electrode surface(z-axis)is more pronounced compared to the directions(x-and y-axis)along the electrode surface.This anisotropic particle displacement leads to an anisotropic volume variation at the electrode level and eventually generates a net electrode expansion towards the separator after cycling,which could be one of the root causes of mechanical detachment and delamination of electrodes during long-term operation.The unraveled chemical evolution of Li-Sn and deep insights into the microstructural evolution of Sn anode provided here could guide future design and engineering of Sn and other alloy anodes for high energy density Li-and Na-ion batteries.

Residual stress measurement and analysis of siliceous slate-containing quartz veins

Engineering geological disasters such as rockburst have always been a critical factor affecting the safety of coal mine production.Thus,residual stress is considered a feasible method to explain these geomechanical phenomena.In this study,electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD)and optical microscopy were used to characterize the rock microcosm.A measuring area that met the requirements of X-ray diffraction(XRD)residual stress measurement was determined to account for the mechanism of rock residual stress.Then,the residual stress of a siliceous slate-containing quartz vein was measured and calculated using the sin^(2) ϕ method equipped with an X-ray diffractometer.Analysis of microscopic test results showed homogeneous areas with small particles within the millimeter range,meeting the requirements of XRD stress measurement statistics.Quartz was determined as the calibration mineral for slate samples containing quartz veins.The diffraction patterns of the(324)crystal plane were obtained under different ϕ and φ.The deviation direction of the diffraction peaks was consistent,indicating that the sample tested had residual stress.In addition,the principal residual stress within the quartz vein measured by XRD was compressive,ranging from 10 to 33 MPa.The maximum principal stress was parallel to the vein trend,whereas the minimum principal stress was perpendicular to the vein trend.Furthermore,the content of the low-angle boundary and twin boundary in the quartz veins was relatively high,which enhances the resistance of the rock mass to deformation and promotes the easy formation of strain concentrations,thereby resulting in residual stress.The proposed method for measuring residual stress can serve as a reference for subsequent observation and related research on residual stress in different types of rocks.

Establishment and study of a polarized X-ray radiation facility

With the advancement in X-ray astronomical detection technology,various celestial polarization detection projects have been initiated.To meet the calibration requirements of polarimeters on the ground,a polarized X-ray radiation facility was designed for this study.The design was based on the principle that X-rays incident at 45°on a crystal produce polarized X-rays,and a second crystal was used to measure the polarization of the X-rays produced by the facility after rotation.The effects of different diaphragm sizes on the degree of polarization were compared,and the facility produced X-rays with polarization degrees of up to 99.55±0.96%using LiF200 and LiF220 crystals.This result revealed that the polarization of incident X-rays is one of the factors affecting the diffraction efficiency of crystals.The replacement of different crystals can satisfy the calibration requirements of polarized X-ray detectors with more energy points in the energy range(4-10)keV.In the future,the facility should be placed in a vacuum environment to meet the calibration requirements at lower energies.