Design and construction of charged-particle telescope array for study of exotic nuclear clustering structure

The exploration of exotic shapes and properties of atomic nuclei,e.g.,αcluster and toroidal shape,is a fascinating field in nuclear physics.To study the decay of these nuclei,a novel detector aimed at detecting multipleα-particle events was designed and constructed.The detector comprises two layers of double-sided silicon strip detectors(DSSD)and a cesium iodide scintillator array coupled with silicon photomultipliers array as light sensors,which has the advantages of their small size,fast response,and large dynamic range.DSSDs coupled with cesium iodide crystal arrays are used to distinguish multipleαhits.The detector array has a compact and integrated design that can be adapted to different experimental conditions.The detector array was simulated using Geant4,and the excitation energy spectra of someα-clustering nuclei were reconstructed to demonstrate the performance.The simulation results show that the detector array has excellent angular and energy resolutions,enabling effective reconstruction of the nuclear excited state by multipleαparticle events.This detector offers a new and powerful tool for nuclear physics experiments and has the potential to discover interesting physical phenomena related to exotic nuclear structures and their decay mechanisms.

Design,preparation,application of advanced array structured materials and their action mechanism analyses for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur battery(LSB)has brought much attention and concern because of high theoretical specific capacity and energy density as one of main competitors for next-generation energy storage systems.The widely commercial application and development of LSB is mainly hindered by serious“shuttle effect”of lithium polysulfides(Li PSs),slow reaction kinetics,notorious lithium dendrites,etc.In various structures of LSB materials,array structured materials,possessing the composition of ordered micro units with the same or similar characteristics of each unit,present excellent application potential for various secondary cells due to some merits such as immobilization of active substances,high specific surface area,appropriate pore sizes,easy modification of functional material surface,accommodated huge volume change,enough facilitated transportation for electrons/lithium ions,and special functional groups strongly adsorbing Li PSs.Thus many novel array structured materials are applied to battery for tackling thorny problems mentioned above.In this review,recent progresses and developments on array structured materials applied in LSBs including preparation ways,collaborative structural designs based on array structures,and action mechanism analyses in improving electrochemical performance and safety are summarized.Meanwhile,we also have detailed discussion for array structured materials in LSBs and constructed the structure-function relationships between array structured materials and battery performances.Lastly,some directions and prospects about preparation ways,functional modifications,and practical applications of array structured materials in LSBs are generalized.We hope the review can attract more researchers'attention and bring more studying on array structured materials for other secondary batteries including LSB.

Superior de/hydrogenation performances of MgH2 catalyzed by 3D flower-like TiO2@C nanostructures

Magnesium hydride has been seen as a potential material for solid state hydrogen storage,but the kinetics and thermodynamics obstacles have hindered its development and application.Three-dimensional flower-like TiO2@C and TiO2 were synthesized as the catalyst for MgH2 system and great catalytic activities are acquired in the hydrogen sorption properties.Experiments also show that the flower-like TiO2@C is superior to flower-like TiO2 in improving the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2.The hydrogen desorption onset and peak temperatures of flower-like TiO2 doped MgH2 is reduced to 199.2℃and 245.4℃,while the primitive MgH2 starts to release hydrogen at 294.6℃and the rapid dehydrogenation temperature is even as high as 362.6℃.The onset and peak temperatures of flower-like TiO2@C doped MgH2 are further reduced to 180.3℃and 233.0℃.The flower-like TiO2@C doped MgH2 composite can release6.0 wt%hydrogen at 250℃within 7 min,and 4.86 wt%hydrogen at 225℃within 60 min,while flowerlike TiO2 doped MgH2 can release 6.0 wt%hydrogen at 250℃within 8 min,and 3.89 wt%hydrogen at225℃within 60 min.Hydrogen absorption kinetics is also improved dramatically.Moreover,compared with primitive MgH2 and the flower-like TiO2 doped MgH2,the activation energy of flower-like TiO2@C doped MgH2 is significantly decreased to 67.10 kJ/mol.All the improvement of hydrogen sorption properties can be ascribed to the flower-like structure and the two-phase coexistence of TiO2 and amorphous carbon.Such phase composition and unique structure are proved to be the critical factor to improve the hydrogen sorption properties of MgH2,which can be considered as the new prospect for improving the kinetics of light-metal hydrogen storage materials.

3D S-wave velocity structure of the Ningdu basin in Jiangxi province inferred from ambient noise tomography with dense array

The Ningdu basin,located in southern Jiangxi province of southwest China,is one of the Mesozoic basin groups which has exploration prospects for geothermal energy.A study on the detailed velocity structure of the Ningdu basin can provide important information for geothermal resource exploration.In this study,we deployed a dense seismic array in the Ningdu basin to investigate the 3D velocity structure and discuss implications for geothermal exploration and geological evolution.Based on the dense seismic array including 35 short-period(5 s-100 Hz)seismometers with an average interstation distance of~5 km,Rayleigh surface wave dispersion curves were extracted from the continuous ambient noise data for surface wave tomographic inversion.Group velocity tomography was conducted and the 3D S-wave velocity structure was inverted by the neighborhood algorithm.The results revealed obvious low-velocity anomalies in the center of the basin,consistent with the low-velocity Cretaceous sedimentary rocks.The basement and basin-controlling fault can also be depicted by the S-wave velocity anomalies.The obvious seismic interface is about 2 km depth in the basin center and decreases to 700 m depth near the basin boundary,suggesting spatial thickness variations of the Cretaceous sediment.The fault features of the S-wave velocity profile coincide with the geological cognition of the western boundary basincontrolling fault,which may provide possible upwelling channels for geothermal fluid.This study suggests that seismic tomography with a dense array is an effective method and can play an important role in the detailed investigations of sedimentary basins.

A Single-Board Integrated Millimeter-Wave Asymmetric Full-Digital Beamforming Array for B5G/6G Applications

In this article,a single-board integrated millimeter-wave(mm-Wave)asymmetric full-digital beamforming(AFDBF)array is developed for beyond-fifth-generation(B5G)and sixth-generation(6G)communications.The proposed integrated array effectively addresses the challenge of arranging a large number of ports in a full-digital array by designing vertical connections in a three-dimensional space and successfully integrating full-digital transmitting(Tx)and receiving(Rx)arrays independently in a single board.Unlike the traditional symmetric array,the proposed asymmetric array is composed of an 8×8 Tx array arranged in a square shape and an 8+8 Rx array arranged in an L shape.The center-to-center distance between two adjacent elements is 0.54k0 for both the Tx and Rx arrays,where k0 is the free-space wavelength at 27 GHz.The proposed AFDBF array possesses a more compact structure and lower system hardware cost and power consumption compared with conventional brick-type full-digital arrays.In addition,the energy efficiency of the proposed AFDBF array outperforms that of a hybrid beamforming array.The measurement results indicate that the operating frequency band of the proposed array is 24.25–29.50 GHz.An eight-element linear array within the Tx array can achieve a scanning angle ranging from-47°to+47°in both the azimuth and the elevation planes,and the measured scanning range of each eight-element Rx array is–45°to+45°.The measured maximum effective isotropic radiated power(EIRP)of the eight-element Tx array is 43.2 dBm at 28.0 GHz(considering the saturation point).Furthermore,the measured error vector magnitude(EVM)is less than 3%when 64-quadrature amplitude modulation(QAM)waveforms are used.

A New Technology to Measure the Thermoelectric Performance of Nanowire Array Structure

Recently, the study on one-dimensional thermoelectric materials is getting more and more attention. For those one-dimensional thermoelectric materials with nanowire array structure fabricated with alumina film as template, its thickness is often in the range of 10 to several tens micrometers, and the conventional measurement cannot be used. The key difficulties of the thermoelectric performance measurement for nanowire array materials include two aspects: 1) How to heat the two sides of the specimen uniformly and keep the temperature difference constantly at the same time; 2) How to measure the temperature of the two sides of the specimen with the thickness of 10 to several tens micrometers. A new type heating and temperature measuring technology has been used, and it can be simply described as liquid heating and separate temperature measurement. According to this principle, a thermoelectric performance measurement system has been established.

Structured mirror array for two-dimensional collimation of a chromium beam in atom lithography

Direct-write atom lithography,one of the potential nanofabrication techniques,is restricted by some difficulties in producing optical masks for the deposition of complex structures.In order to make further progress,a structured mirror array is developed to transversely collimate the chromium atomic beam in two dimensions.The best collimation is obtained when the laser red detunes by natural line-width of transition 7S3 → 7P40 of the chromium atom.The collimation ratio is 0.45 vertically（in x axis）,and it is 0.55 horizontally（in y axis）.The theoretical model is also simulated,and success of our structured mirror array is achieved.

Shallow velocity structure of the Luoyang basin derived from dense array observations of urban ambient noise

Determining the shallow structure of a sediment basin is important when evaluating potential seismic hazards given that such basins can significantly amplify seismic energy. The Luoyang basin is located in the western He’nan uplift and is a Meso-Cenozoic depression basin. To characterize the shallow structure of the basin, we develop a model of the shallow high-resolution three-dimensional(3D)shear-wave velocity structure of the basin by applying ambient noise tomography to a dense array of 107 portable digital seismometers deployed over the basin. More than 1,400 Rayleigh-wave dispersion curves for periods in the range 0.5–5 s are extracted. The 3D variations of shear-wave velocity in the shallow crust are inverted using a direct surface-wave tomographic method with period-dependent ray tracing, with all the surface-wave group-velocity dispersion data being inverted simultaneously. The results show that in the shallow crust of the study area, the velocity distribution corresponds to surface geology and geological features. The Luoyang basin exhibits a low shear-wave velocity feature that is consistent with the distribution of sediment in the region,while the Xiongershan and Songshan uplifts exhibit higher shear-wave velocity structures. The results provide a shallow high-resolution 3D velocity model that can be used as a basis for simulation of strong ground motion and evaluation of potential seismic hazards.

A NEW ARRAY STRUCTURE FOR ESTIMATING 2-D DIRECTION-OF-ARRIVAL:Y-SHAPED ARRAY

This paper presents a new array structure for estimating two-dimensional (2-D) direction-of-arrivals (DOAs). The structure is called Y-shaped array, which has 10% better accuracy potential than the newly-developed L-shaped array. A great merit is its ability to estimate 2-D DOAs whichever directions the arriving signals come from, compared with L-shaped array whose performance depends on DOAs. Simulation results are given to demonstrate the performance of the new array.

Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Flower-Like Mg–Al Layered Double Hydroxides with Excellent Adsorption Performance for Organic Anionic Dyes

In this work,a facile and effective strategy to prepare three-dimensional(3D)hierarchical flower-like Mg–Al layered double hydroxides(3D-LDH)was developed via a one-step double-drop coprecipitation method usingγ-Al 2O 3particles as a template.The characterization and experimental results showed that the calcined product,3D-LDO,features a large specific surface area of 204.2 m^(2)/g,abundant active sites,and excellent adsorption performance for Congo red(CR),methyl orange(MO),and methyl blue(MB).The maximum adsorption capacities of 3D-LDO for CR,MO,and MB were 1428.6,476.2,and 1666.7 mg/g,respectively;such performance is superior to that of most reported adsorbents.The adsorption mechanism of organic anionic dyes by 3D-LDO was extensively investigated and attributed to surface adsorption,the memory effect of 3D-LDO,and the unique 3D hierarchical flower-like structure of the adsorbent.Recycling performance tests revealed that3D-LDO has satisfactory reusability for the three organic anionic dyes.

Synthesis of Micron-sized Hexagonal and Flowerlike Nanostructures of Lead Oxide (PbO_2) by Anodic Oxidation of Lead

Micron sized hexagon- and flower-like nanostructures of lead oxide（α-PbO2） have been synthesized by very simple and cost effective route of anodic oxidation of lead sheet. These structures were easily obtained by the simple variation of applied voltage from 2-6 V between the electrodes. Lead sheet was used as an anode and platinum sheet served as a cathode. Anodic oxidation at 2 V resulted in the variable edge sized（1-2 μm） hexagon-like structures in the electrolyte. When the applied potential was increased to 4 V a structure of distorted hexagons consisting of some flower-like structures were obtained. Further increment of potential up to 6 V resulted in flower like structures of α-PbO2 having six petals. The diameter of the flower-like structures was 200-500 nm and the size of a petal was 100-200 nm.

Transmission properties of frequency selective structures with air gaps

The transmission properties of compound frequency selective structures with dielectric slab and air gaps were investigated by computation and experimentation. Mechanism analyses were also carried out. Results show that the air gaps have a distinct influence on the transmission properties. Resonant frequency of the structure would increase rapidly when the air gap appears. After the gap gets larger to a specific value, generally 1/5 wavelength corresponding to the resonant frequency, the transmission properties would change periodically with the gap thickness. The change of transmission properties in one period has a close relationship with the dielectric thickness. These results provide a new method for designing a bandpass radome of large incidence angle and low loss with the concept of stealth shield radome.

Design and Implementation of Memory Access Fast Switching Structure in Cluster-Based Reconfigurable Array Processor

Memory access fast switching structures in cluster are studied,and three kinds of fast switching structures（ FS,LR2 SS,and LAPS） are proposed. A mixed simulation test bench is constructed and used for statistic of data access delay among these three structures in various cases. Finally these structures are realized on Xilinx FPGA development board and DCT,FFT,SAD,IME,FME,and de-blocking filtering algorithms are mapped onto the structures. Compared with available architectures,our proposed structures have lower data access delay and lower area.

Plasmon resonance coupling in strongly coupled gold nanotube arrays with structural defects

We theoretically investigate the transmission spectra and the field distributions with different defects in the gold nanotube arrays by using the finite-difference time-domain method. It is found that the optical properties of the nanotube arrays are strongly influenced by different defects. When there are no defects in the central nanotube, the values of peaks located at both sides of the photonic band gap have their maxima. Based on the distributions of electric field component Ex and the total energy distribution of the electric and the magnetic field, we show that mainly a dipole field distribution is exhibited for the plasmon mode at the long-wavelength edge of the band gap but higher order modes of the composite are excited at the short-wavelength edge of the band gap. The plasmon resonant modes can also be controlled by introducing defects.

Propagation of liquid surface waves over finite graphene structured arrays of cylinders

Based on the multiple scattering method,this paper investigates a benchmark problem of the propagation of liquid surface waves over finite graphene (or honeycomb) structured arrays of cylinders.Comparing the graphene structured array with the square structured and with triangle structured arrays,it finds that the finite graphene structure can produce more complete band gaps than the other finite structures,and the finite graphene structure has less localized ability than the other finite structures.

Neural Network Signal Processing Approach for Damage Assessment in Fiberoptic Smart Material Systems and Structures

An approach by using neural network signal processing in associate with embedded fiberoptic sensing array for the newly developed “smart material systems and structures” is discussed in this paper.The principle,structure of this approach and suitable neural network algorithms are described.The results of simulation experiments are also given.

Enhancing electrolyte ion diffusion via direct ink writing pillar array structure of graphene electrodes for high-performance microsupercapacitors

The graphene-based microsupercapacitors(MSCs)suffer from graphene aggregation issue in electrodes.It reduces the electrolyte ions transportation in the electrodes to degrade the charge storage ability of MSCs,hampering their practical application.Increasing the electrolyte ions transportation in the electrodes can boost the charge storage ability of MSCs.Herein,we design and experimentally realize pillar array structure of graphene electrodes for MSCs by direct ink writing technology.The graphene electrodes with pillar array structure increase the contact area with electrolyte and short the electrolyte ions transport path,facilitating electrolyte ions transport in electrodes.The MSCs exhibit high areal capacitance of 25.67 mF·cm^(−2),high areal energy density of 20.54μWh·cm^(−2),and high power density of 1.45 mW·cm^(−2).One single MSCs can power timer for 10 min and pressure sensor more than 160 min,showing high practical application possibility.This work provides a new avenue for developing high performance MSCs.

High-throughput study of X-ray-induced synthesis of flower-like Cu_(x)O

Cu_(x)O with flower-like hierarchical structures has attracted significant research interest due to its intriguing morphologies and unique properties.The conventional methods for synthesizing such complex structures are costly and require rigorous experimental conditions.Recently,the X-ray irradiation has emerged as a promising method for the rapid fabrication of precisely controlled Cu_(x)O shapes in large areas under environmentally friendly conditions.Nevertheless,the morphological regulation of the X-ray-induced synthesis of the Cu_(x)O is a multi-parameter optimization task.Therefore,it is essential to quantitatively reveal the interplay between these parameters and the resulting morphology.In this work,we employed a high-throughput experimental data-driven approach to investigate the kinetics of X-ray-induced reactions and the impact of key factors,including sputtering power,film thickness,and annealing of precursor Cu thin films on the morphologies of Cu_(x)O.For the first time,the flower-like Cu_(x)O nanostructures were synthesized using X-ray radiation at ambient condition.This research proposes an eco-friendly and cost-effective strategy for producing Cu_(x)O with customizable morphologies.Furthermore,it enhances comprehension of the underlying mechanisms of X-rayinduced morphological modification,which is essential for optimizing the synthesis process and expanding the potential applications of flower-like structures.

Effects of hierarchical structure on the performance of tin oxide-supported platinum catalyst for room-temperature formaldehyde oxidation

Flower-like tin oxide-supported platinum（Pt/SnOx） with a hierarchical structure was synthesized by a hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD,SEM,TEM,high resolution TEM,XPS and nitrogen adsorption.The flower-like Pt/SnOx microspheres of 1 μm in diameter were composed of staggered petal-like nanosheets with a thickness of 20 nm.Pt nanoparticles（NPs） of 2-3 nm were well dispersed on the SnOx nanosheets.The catalyst was tested in the catalytic oxidation of gaseous formaldehyde（HCHO） at room temperature,and exhibited enhanced activity compared to Pt NPs supported on commercial SnO and ground SnOx.HCHO removal of 87%was achieved over the hierarchical Pt/SnOx after 1 h of reaction,which was 1.5 times that over the ground SnOx-supported Pt（Pt/g-SnOx）,and the high activity was maintained after six recycles,showing the high stability of this catalyst.HCHO decomposition kinetics was modeled as a second order reaction.The reaction rate constant for Pt/SnOx was 5.6 times higher than Pt/g-SnOx.The hierarchical pore structure was beneficial for the diffusion and adsorption of HCHO molecules,and the highly dispersed Pt NPs on the SnOx nanosheets were the active sites for the oxidative decomposition of HCHO into CO2 and H2O.This study provided a promising approach for designing efficient catalysts for indoor HCHO removal at ambient temperature.

High-resolution crustal velocity imaging using ambient noise recordings from a high-density seismic array:An example from the Shangrao section of the Xinjiang basin,China

A profile of shallow crustal velocity structure(1–2 km) may greatly enhance interpretation of the sedimentary environment and shallow tectonic deformation.Recent advances in surface wave tomography, using ambient noise data recorded with high-density seismic arrays, have improved the understanding of regional crustal structure. As the interest in detailed shallow crustal structure imaging has increased, dense seismic array methods have become increasingly efficient. This study used a high-density seismic array deployed in the Xinjiang basin in southeastern China, to record seismic data, which was then processed with the ambient noise tomography method. The high-density seismic array contained 203 short-period seismometers, spaced at short intervals(～ 400 m). The array collected continuous records of ambient noise for 32 days. Data preprocessing,cross correlation calculation, and Rayleigh surface wave phase-velocity dispersion curve extraction, yielded more than 16,000 Rayleigh surface wave phase-velocity dispersion curves, which were then analyzed using the direct-inversion method. Checkerboard tests indicate that the shear wave velocity is recovered in the study area, at depths of 0–1.4 km,with a lateral image resolution of ～ 400 m. Model test results show that the seismic array effectively images a 50 m thick slab at a depth of 0–300 m, a 150 m thick anomalous body at a depth of 300–600 m, and a 400 m thick anomalous body at a depth of 0.6–1.4 km. The shear wave velocity profile reveals features very similar to those detected by a deep seismic reflection profile across the study area. This demonstrates that analysis of shallow crustal velocity structure provides high-resolution imaging of crustal features.Thus, ambient noise tomography with a high-density seismic array may play an important role in imaging shallow crustal structure.