Liquid crystal-integrated metasurfaces for an active photonic platform

Metasurfaces have opened the door to next-generation optical devices due to their ability to dramatically modulate electromagnetic waves at will using periodically arranged nanostructures.However,metasurfaces typically have static optical responses with fixed geometries of nanostructures,which poses challenges for implementing transition to technology by replacing conventional optical components.To solve this problem,liquid crystals(LCs)have been actively employed for designing tunable metasurfaces using their adjustable birefringent in real time.Here,we review recent studies on LCpowered tunable metasurfaces,which are categorized as wavefront tuning and spectral tuning.Compared to numerous reviews on tunable metasurfaces,this review intensively explores recent development of LC-integrated metasurfaces.At the end of this review,we briefly introduce the latest research trends on LC-powered metasurfaces and suggest further directions for improving LCs.We hope that this review will accelerate the development of new and innovative LC-powered devices.

Multi-dimensional multiplexing optical secret sharing framework with cascaded liquid crystal holograms

Secret sharing is a promising technology for information encryption by splitting the secret information into different shares.However,the traditional scheme suffers from information leakage in decryption process since the amount of available information channels is limited.Herein,we propose and demonstrate an optical secret sharing framework based on the multi-dimensional multiplexing liquid crystal(LC)holograms.The LC holograms are used as spatially separated shares to carry secret images.The polarization of the incident light and the distance between different shares are served as secret keys,which can significantly improve the information security and capacity.Besides,the decryption condition is also restricted by the applied external voltage due to the variant diffraction efficiency,which further increases the information security.In implementation,an artificial neural network(ANN)model is developed to carefully design the phase distribution of each LC hologram.With the advantage of high security,high capacity and simple configuration,our optical secret sharing framework has great potentials in optical encryption and dynamic holographic display.

Tunable dispersion relations manipulated by strain in skyrmion-based magnonic crystals

We theoretically investigate the propagation characteristics of spin waves in skyrmion-based magnonic crystals. It is found that the dispersion relation can be manipulated by strains through magneto-elastic coupling. Especially, the allowed bands and forbidden bands in dispersion relations shift to higher frequency with strain changing from compressive to tensile,while shifting to lower frequency with strain changing from tensile to compressive. We also confirm that the spin wave with specific frequency can pass the magnonic crystal or be blocked by tuning the strains. The result provides an advanced platform for studying the tunable skyrmion-based spin wave devices.

Volume-averaged modeling of multiphase solidification with equiaxed crystal sedimentation in a steel ingot

Macrosegregation is a critical factor that limits the mechanical properties of materials.The impact of equiaxed crystal sedimentation on macrosegregation has been extensively studied,as it plays a significant role in determining the distribution of alloying elements and impurities within a material.To improve macrosegregation in steel connecting shafts,a multiphase solidification model that couples melt flow,heat transfer,microstructure evolution,and solute transport was established based on the volume-averaged Eulerian-Eulerian approach.In this model,the effects of liquid phase,equiaxed crystals,columnar dendrites,and columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET)during solidification and evolution of microstructure can be considered simultaneously.The sedimentation of equiaxed crystals contributes to negative macrosegregation,where regions between columnar dendrites and equiaxed crystals undergo significant A-type positive macrosegregation due to the CET.Additionally,noticeable positive macrosegregation occurs in the area of final solidification in the ingot.The improvement in macrosegregation is beneficial for enhancing the mechanical properties of connecting shafts.To mitigate the thermal convection of molten steel resulting from excessive superheating,reducing the superheating during casting without employing external fields or altering the design of the ingot mold is indeed an effective approach to control macrosegregation.

Crystal structure,phase transitions,and thermodynamic properties of magnesium metavanadate(MgV_(2)O_(6))

As a promising anode material for magnesium ion rechargeable batteries,magnesium metavanadate(MgV_(2)O_(6))has attracted considerable research interest in recent years.A MgV_(2)O_(6)sample was synthesized via a facile solid-state reaction by multistep-firing stoichiometric mixtures of MgO and V2O5 powder under an air atmosphere.The solid-state phase transition fromα-MgV_(2)O_(6)toβ-MgV_(2)O_(6)occurred at 841 K and the enthalpy change was 4.37±0.04 kJ/mol.The endothermic effect at 1014 K and the enthalpy change was 26.54±0.26 kJ/mol,which is related to the incongruent melting ofβ-MgV_(2)O_(6).In situ XRD was performed to investigate phase transition of the as-prepared MgV_(2)O_(6)at high temperatures.The cell parameters obtained by Rietveld refinement indicated that it crystallizes in a monoclinic system with the C2/m space group,and the lattice parameters of a=9.280 A°,b=3.501 A°,c=6.731 A°,β=111.76°.The solid-state phase transition fromα-MgV_(2)O_(6)toβ-MgV_(2)O_(6)was further studied by thermal kinetics,indicating that this process is controlled first by a fibril-like mechanism and then by a spherulitic-type mechanism with an increasing heating rate.Additionally,the enthalpy change of MgV_(2)O_(6)at high temperatures was measured utilizing the drop calorimetry,heat capacity was calculated and given as:Cp=208.3+0.03583T-4809000T^(−2)(298-923 K)(J mol^(−1)K^(−1)),the high-temperature heat capacity can be used to calculate Gibbs free energy of MgV_(2)O_(6)at high temperatures.

Accelerated Sequential Deposition Reaction via Crystal Orientation Engineering for Low-Temperature,High-Efficiency Carbon-Electrode CsPbBr_(3) Solar Cells

Low-temperature,ambient processing of high-quality CsPbBr_(3)films is demanded for scalable production of efficient,low-cost carbon-electrode perovskite solar cells(PSCs).Herein,we demonstrate a crystal orientation engineering strategy of PbBr_(2)precursor film to accelerate its reaction with CsBr precursor during two-step sequential deposition of CsPbBr_(3)films.Such a novel strategy is proceeded by adding CsBr species into PbBr_(2)precursor,which can tailor the preferred crystal orientation of PbBr_(2)film from[020]into[031],with CsBr additive staying in the film as CsPb_(2)Br_(5)phase.Theoretical calculations show that the reaction energy barrier of(031)planes of PbBr_(2)with CsBr is lower about 2.28 eV than that of(O2O)planes.Therefore,CsPbBr_(3)films with full coverage,high purity,high crystallinity,micro-sized grains can be obtained at a low temperature of 150℃.Carbon-electrode PSCs with these desired CsPbBr_(3)films yield the record-high efficiency of 10.27%coupled with excellent operation stability.Meanwhile,the 1 cm^(2)area one with the superior efficiency of 8.00%as well as the flexible one with the champion efficiency of 8.27%and excellent mechanical bending characteristics are also achieved.

Crystal growth,structure and crystal field splitting and fitting of Yb:GdScO_(3)

A good quality(5 at.%Yb:GdScO_(3))single crystal of F30 mm37 mm was grown successfully by the Czochralski method.Its structure is studied by the x-ray diffraction(XRD),and its atomic coordinates are obtained by Rietveld refinement.The crystal field energy level splitting of Yb^(3+)in GdScO_(3) is determined by employing the absorption and photoluminescence spectra at 8 K.Only ^(2)F_(7/2)(4)is far from the ground state ^(2)F_(7/2)(1)by 710 cm-1 among the crystal field energy levels split from ^(2)F_(7/2),so it is more easier to realize the laser operation of ^(2)F5/2(1)^(2)F_(7/2)(4)with wavelength 1060 nm.The spin–orbit coupling parameters and intrinsic crystal field parameters(CFPs).The intrinsic crystal field parameters¯B k(k=2,4,6)of the crystal were fitted by the superposition model.The CFPs evaluated with¯Bk and coordination factor are taken as the initial parameters to fit the crystal field energy levels of the crystal,and the crystal field parameters Bk q are obtained finally with the root-mean-square deviation 9 cm-1.It is suggested that the ligand point charge,covalency and overlap interaction are slightly weaker than charge interpenetration and coulomb exchange interaction for Yb^(3+)in GdScO_(3).The obtained Hamiltonian parameters can be used to calculate crystal field energy levels and wave functions of Yb:GdScO_(3) to analyze the mechanism of the luminescence or laser.

Role of Crystal Seed in Aluminum Hydroxide Crystallization from Ammonia System with Added NH_(4)Al(SO_(4))_(2)·12H_(2)O

A method to promote aluminum hydroxide crystal growth through pickling Al(OH)_(3)as seed in the ammonia system was proposed to overcome these defects.The experimental results show that,under the conditions of pickling time of 15 min,the acid concentration of 10%,the addition of 70 g/L pickling-Al(OH)_(3)seed,and the coarse granular Al(OH)_(3)products(d0.5=85.667)can be obtained.The characterization results show that the phase of the product is gibbsite,consistent with the seed.Moreover,the steps and ledges can be formed on pickling Al(OH)_(3)seed surface under the ammonia system,effectively promoting crystal growth.During crystal growth,the roughness of the crystal surface was first increased and then decreased,and the lamellar structure was deposited on the crystal seed surface.The final particles are approximately round,the surface is compact and dense.The growth of the product is surface reaction controlled.In addition,the content of the AlO_(6)unit is increased and contributed to Al(OH)_(3)crystal growth.

Single crystal growth and characterization of 166-type magnetic kagome metals

Kagome magnets were predicted to be a good platform to investigate correlated topology band structure,Chern quantum phase,and geometrical frustration due to their unique lattice geometry.Here we reported single crystal growth of 166-type kagome magnetic materials,including HfMn_(6)Sn_(6),ZrMn_(6)Sn_(6),GdMn_(6)Sn_(6)and GdV_(6)Sn_(6),by using the flux method with Sn as the flux.Among them,HfMn_(6)Sn_(6)and ZrMn_(6)Sn_(6)single crystals were grown for the first time.X-ray diffraction measurements reveal that all four samples crystallize in HfFe6Ge6-type hexagonal structure with space group P6/mmm.All samples show metallic behavior from temperature dependence of resistivity measurements,and the dominant carrier is hole,except for GdV6Sn6 which is electron dominated.All samples have magnetic order with different transition temperatures,HfMn_(6)Sn_(6),ZrMn_(6)Sn_(6)and GdV_(6)Sn_(6)are antiferromagnetic with TN of 541 K,466 K and 4 K respectively,while GdMn_(6)Sn_(6)is ferrimagnetic with the critical temperature of about 470 K.This study will enrich the research platform of magnetic kagome materials and help explore the novel quantum phenomena in these interesting materials.The dataset of specific crystal structure parameters for HfMn_(6)Sn_(6)are available in Science Data Bank,with the link.

Exploring the effect of cooling rate on non-isothermal crystallization of copolymer polypropylene by fast scanning calorimetry

Polypropylene is commonly used as a binder for ceramic injection molding,and rapid cooling is often encountered during processing.However,the crystallization behavior of polypropylene shows a strong dependence on cooling rate due to its semi-crystalline characteristics.Therefore,the influence of cooling rate on the quality of final product cannot be ignored.In this study,the fast differential scanning calorimetry(FSC)test was performed to study the influence of cooling rate on the non-isothermal crystallization behavior and non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of a copolymer polypropylene(PP BC03B).The results show that the crystallization temperatures and crystallinity decrease as the cooling rate increases.In addition,two exothermic peaks occur when cooling rate ranges from 30 to 300 K·s^(-1),indicating the formation of another crystal phase.Avrami,Ozawa and Mo equations were used to explore the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics,and it can be concluded that the Mo method is suitable for this study.

Purification of Produced Water from a Sour Oilfield in South Kuwait. 2. Oil-Water Separation and Crystallization of Calcium Carbonate

Oil-water separation for produced water (PW) originating from an oil extraction site in South Kuwait was carried out using bleached, esterified cellulosic material from used coffee grounds. Thereafter, earth-alkaline metal ions, specifically calcium ions, of the de-oiled PW were removed by precipitation with sodium carbonate to give access to pure sodium chloride as industrial salt from the remaining PW. While the purity of the precipitated calcium carbonate (CaCO3) depends on the precipitation conditions, CaCO3 of up to 95.48% purity can be obtained, which makes it a salable product. The precipitation of CaCO3 decreases the amount of calcium ions in PW from 11,300 ppm to 84 ppm.

Preparation, Crystallization and Mechanical Properties of Potassium Aluminosilicate Glass-ceramics

In this study,transparent K_(2)O-Al_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)(KAS)glass-ceramics with leucite as the main crystalline phase were prepared by melting-quench method and two-step heat treatment.The effects of SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3) ratio and heat treatment on crystallization and mechanical properties were studied.The crystallization kinetics and X-Ray Diffraction(XRD)results showed that SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3) ratio and heat treatment system had a direct impact on the crystallization behavior of potassium aluminosilicate glass-ceramics.When heat-treated at 680℃/2 h and 780℃/1 h,cracks generated on the surface of the sample with the addition of SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3)=4.8(in mol)due to the huge difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between glass matrix and surface.When the addition of SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3)(in mol)was 4,the sample with leucite as the main crystalline phase showed an excellent fracture toughness(1.46 MPa·m^(0.5))after the heat treatment of 680℃/2 h and 780℃/5 h.And there was a phase transformation from kaliophilite to leucite.The crystalline phases of the sample heat-treated at 680℃/8 h and 780℃/1 h were leucite and kaliophilite,which resulted in the visible light transmittance of 63%and the fracture toughness of 0.91 MPa·m^(0.5).Furthermore,after the heat treatment of 680℃/2 h and 780℃/5 h,the main crystalline phase of the sample with SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3)=3.2(in mol)was still kaliophilite.Because leucite only grows on the surface of the sample and is hard to grow inward,it is hard to achieve the bulk crystallization of leucite in the sample with SiO_(2)/Al_(2)O_(3)=3.2(in mol).

CDBS:基于CRYSTALS-Dilithium算法的盲签名方案

为了应对传统盲签名方案在用户端、签名方和验证者交互过程中无法抵御量子计算攻击的这一难题,以NIST选定的后量子数字签名算法CRYSTALS-Dilithium为基础框架,设计了一种新型抗量子计算攻击的盲签名方案CDBS。整体方案采用Fiat-Shamir签名结构,包括密钥生成、盲化、签名、去盲和验证5个阶段,方案内部结合拒绝采样技术防止密钥泄露,使用NTT算法优化多项式计算以提高签名和验证效率。分析表明,所提方案安全性依赖于模误差学习(MLWE)问题和小整数解(SIS)问题,同时满足正确性、盲性和不可伪造性。与其他基于格的盲签名方案相比,所提方案具有较高的安全性,且签名生成过程更高效,占用开销更小。在相同样本参数设置下,所提方案整体开销仅为MBS方案的67.1%。经软件测试验证,实现一次完整的盲签名和验证过程平均仅需657.65μs。所提方案为CRYSTALS-Dilithium数字签名算法的拓展应用提供了参考。

Effect of Fluoride on the Ion-association of Calcium Phosphate and Crystallization of Hydroxyapatite

Using a titration setup to accurately control the reaction conditions and in situ monitor the reaction,we showed that fluoride exhibited negligible effects on the ion association process of calcium and phosphate and the formation of ACP nanospheres in a buffer solution with constant ionic strength.However,the stability of ACP increased with increasing fluoride concentration,which was ascribed to the inhibitory effect of fluoride on the aggregation of ACP nanospheres and the nucleation of nanocrystals on the surface of ACP nanospheres.Furthermore,fluoride could inhibit the lateral growth of HAP nanosheets and promote the formation of rod-like crystals.These results further improve our understanding of the crystallization pathway of HAP crystals and the regulatory effects of fluoride.

Ultrasonic scalpel based on fusiform phononic crystal structure

In response to the ultrasonic scalpels with the vibrational modal coupling which leads to a decrease in efficiency,an ultrasonic scalpel based on fusiform phononic crystals(PnCs)is proposed.An accurate theoretical model is constructed,which is mainly composed of electromechanical equivalent circuit models to analyze the frequency response function and the frequency response curves of the admittance.Bragg band gaps exist in the fusiform PnCs owing to the periodic constraint,which can suppress the corresponding vibrational modes.The vibration characteristics(vibration mode,frequency,and displacement distribution)of the ultrasonic scalpel are analyzed,and the validity of the electromechanical equivalent circuit method is verified.The results indicate that other vibration modes near the working frequency can be isolated.In addition,blades based on fusiform PnCs have a function akin to that of the horn,which enables displacement amplification.

Simultaneous guidance of electromagnetic and elastic waves via glide symmetry phoxonic crystal waveguides

A phoxonic crystal waveguide with the glide symmetry is designed,in which both electromagnetic and elastic waves can propagate along the glide plane at the same time.Due to the glide symmetry,the bands of the phoxonic crystal super-cell degenerate in pairs at the boundary of the Brillouin zone.This is the so-called band-sticking effect and it causes the appearance of gapless guided-modes.By adjusting the magnitude of the glide dislocation the edge bandgaps,the bandgap of the guided-modes at the boundary of the Brillouin zone,can be further adjusted.The photonic and phononic guided-modes can then possess only one mode for a certain frequency with relatively low group velocities,achieving single-mode guided-bands with relatively flat dispersion relationship.In addition,there exists acousto-optic interaction in the cavity constructed by the glide plane.The proposed waveguide has potential applications in the design of novel optomechanical devices.

Crystal plasticity finite element simulations on extruded Mg-10Gd rod with texture gradient

The mechanical properties of an extruded Mg-10Gd sample, specifically designed for vascular stents, are crucial for predicting its behavior under service conditions. Achieving homogeneous stresses in the hoop direction, essential for characterizing vascular stents, poses challenges in experimental testing based on standard specimens featuring a reduced cross section. This study utilizes an elasto-visco-plastic self-consistent polycrystal model(ΔEVPSC) with the predominant twinning reorientation(PTR) scheme as a numerical tool, offering an alternative to mechanical testing. For verification, various mechanical experiments, such as uniaxial tension, compression, notched-bar tension, three-point bending, and C-ring compression tests, were conducted. The resulting force vs. displacement curves and textures were then compared with those based on the ΔEVPSC model. The computational model's significance is highlighted by simulation results demonstrating that the differential hardening along with a weak strength differential effect observed in the Mg-10Gd sample is a result of the interplay between micromechanical deformation mechanisms and deformation-induced texture evolution. Furthermore, the study highlights that incorporating the axisymmetric texture from the as-received material incorporating the measured texture gradient significantly improves predictive accuracy on the strength in the hoop direction. Ultimately, the findings suggest that the ΔEVPSC model can effectively predict the mechanical behavior resulting from loading scenarios that are impossible to realize experimentally, emphasizing its valuable contribution as a digital twin.

Thiourea crystal growth kinetics,mechanism and process optimization during cooling crystallization

In the cooling crystallization process of thiourea,a significant issue is the excessively wide crystal size distribution(CSD)and the abundance of fine crystals.This investigation delves into the growth kinetics and mechanisms governing thiourea crystals during the cooling crystallization process.The fitting results indicate that the crystal growth rate coefficient,falls within the range of 10^(-7)to 10^(-8)m·s^(-1).Moreover,with decreasing crystallization temperature,the growth process undergoes a transition from diffusion-controlled to surface reaction-controlled,with temperature primarily influencing the surface reaction process and having a limited impact on the diffusion process.Comparing the crystal growth rate,and the diffusion-limited growth rate,at different temperatures,it is observed that the crystal growth process can be broadly divided into two stages.At temperatures above 25℃,1/qd(qd is diffusion control index)approaches 1,indicating the predominance of diffusion control.Conversely,at temperatures below 25℃,1/qd increases rapidly,signifying the dominance of surface reaction control.To address these findings,process optimization was conducted.During the high-temperature phase(35-25℃),agitation was increased to reduce the limitations posed by bulk-phase diffusion in the crystallization process.In the low-temperature phase(25-15℃),agitation was reduced to minimize crystal breakage.The optimized process resulted in a thiourea crystal product with a particle size distribution predominantly ranging from 0.7 to 0.9 mm,accounting for 84%of the total.This study provides valuable insights into resolving the issue of excessive fine crystals in the thiourea crystallization process.

Dielectric anisotropy in liquid crystal mixtures with nematic and smectic phases

The modulation of dielectric anisotropy(△ε)is pivotal for elucidating molecular interactions and directing the alignment of liquid crystals.In this study,we combine liquid crystals with opposing dielectric anisotropies to explore the impact of varying concentrations on their properties.We report the sign-reversal of△εin both the nematic and smectic A phases of these mixed liquid crystals,alongside a dual-frequency behaviour across a broad temperature spectrum.Our research further quantifies the influence of mixture ratios under various temperatures and electric field frequencies.This exploration may pave the way for the discovery of new physical phenomena.

High-efficiency ultra-fast all-optical photonic crystal diode based on the lateral-coupled nonlinear elliptical defect

An all-optical Fano-like diode featuring a nonlinear lateral elliptical micro-cavity and a reflecting column in the photonic crystal waveguide is proposed.The asymmetric micro-cavity is constructed by removing one rod and changing the shape of the lateral rod from a circle to an ellipse.A reflecting pillar is also introduced into the waveguide to construct an F-P cavity with the elliptical defect and enhance the asymmetric transmission for the incident light wave transmitting rightwards and leftwards,respectively.By designing the size of the ellipse and optimizing a reflecting rod at a suitable position,a maximum forward light transmittance of-1.14 dB and a minimum backward transmittance of-57.66 dB are achieved at the working wavelength of 1550.47 nm.The corresponding response time is about 10 ps when the intensity of the pump light beam resonant at 637 nm is 3.97 W/μm2.