A Stable 22-W Low-Noise Continuous-Wave Single-Frequency Nd:YVO_(4) Laser at 1.06 μm Directly Pumped by a Laser Diode

We report a low-noise continous-wave single-frequency Nd:YVO4 laser at 1.06μm directly pumped by an 880-nm laser diode.A maximum output power of 22 W is achieved with an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 46.3%.The stability of the output is better than ±0.7% in the given four hours.The output beam is almost diffraction-Iimited with a measured beam quality of M^(2)_(x) =1.05 and M^(2)_(y) =1.02.The intensity noise and the phase noise of the laser reach the shot-noise limit at an analysis frequency of 5 MHz.

Intense low-noise terahertz generation by relativistic laser irradiating near-critical-density plasma

Low-noise terahertz(THz)radiation over 100 MV/cm generation by a linearly-polarized relativistic laser pulse interacting with a near-critical-density(NCD)plasma slab is studied by theory and particle-in-cell(PIC)simulations.A theoretical model is established to examine the dipole-like radiation emission.The THz radiation is attributed to the singlecycle low-frequency surface current,which is longitudinally constrained by the quasi-equilibrium established by the laser ponderomotive force and the ponderomotively induced electrostatic force.Through theoretical analysis,the spatiotemporal characteristics,polarization property of the THz radiation,and the relation between the radiation strength with the initial parameters of driving laser and plasma are obtained,which are in good consistence with the PIC simulation results.Furthermore,it is found by PIC simulations that the generation of thermal electrons can be suppressed within the appropriate parameter regime,resulting in a clear THz radiation waveform.The appropriate parameter region is given for generating a low-noise intense THz radiation with peak strength reaching 100 MV/cm,which could find potential applications in nonlinear THz physics.

A low-noise, high-SNR balanced homodyne detector for the bright squeezed state measurement in 1–100 kHz range

We report a low-noise, high-signal-to-noise-ratio(SNR) balanced homodyne detector based on the standard transimpedance amplifier circuit and the inductance and capacitance combination for the measurement of the bright squeezed state in the range from 1 kHz to 100 kHz. A capacitance is mounted at the input end of the AC branch to prevent the DC photocurrent from entering the AC branch and avoid AC branch saturation. By adding a switch at the DC branch,the DC branch can be flexibly turned on and off on different occasions. When the switch is on, the DC output provides a monitor signal for laser beam alignment. When the switch is off, the electronic noise of the AC branch is greatly reduced at audio-frequency band due to immunity to the impedance of the DC branch, hence the SNR of the AC branch is significantly improved. As a result, the electronic noise of the AC branch is close to -125 dBm, and the maximum SNR of the AC branch is 48 dB with the incident power of 8 mW in the range from 1 kHz to 100 kHz. The developed photodetector paves a path for measuring the bright squeezed state at audio-frequency band.

LOW-FREQUENCY LOW-NOISE CIRCUITS DESIGN USING AN E_n-I_n MODEL

In view of the limitations of a Rn-Gn model in the low frequency range and the defects of an En-In model in common use now, this paper builds a complete En-In model according to the theory of random harmonic. The parameters for the low-noise design such as the equivalent input noisy voltage Ens, the optimum source impedance Zsopt and the minimum noise figure Fmin can be calculated accurately by using this En-In model because it considers the coherence between the noise sources fully. Moreover, this paper points out that it will cause the maximum 30% miscalculation when neglecting the effects of the correlation coefficient 7. Using the series-series circuits as an example, this paper discusses the methods for the En-In noise analysis of electronic circuits preliminarily and demonstrates its correctness through the comparison between the simulated and measured results of the minimum noise figure Fmin of a single current series negative feedback circuit.

Design of a Low-Noise Front-End Readout CSP-Shaper System for CZT Detectors

This paper describes a low-noise front-end readout circuit for CZT detectors based on TSMC 0.35 um mixed-single CMOS technology;mainly analyzes the noise model of the detector-preamplifier and presents the low-noise circuit schematic of charge sensitive preamplifier and shaper. Considering the parasitical influences, the circuit and layout-design are optimized to reduce noise. The preliminary simulation results show that, the equivalent noise charge (ENC) is 74 e﹣ (rms), noise slope is 9 e﹣/pF, power consumption is 2 mW, and non-linearity

Underwater four-quadrant dual-beam circumferential scanning laser fuze using nonlinear adaptive backscatter filter based on pauseable SAF-LMS algorithm

The phenomenon of a target echo peak overlapping with the backscattered echo peak significantly undermines the detection range and precision of underwater laser fuzes.To overcome this issue,we propose a four-quadrant dual-beam circumferential scanning laser fuze to distinguish various interference signals and provide more real-time data for the backscatter filtering algorithm.This enhances the algorithm loading capability of the fuze.In order to address the problem of insufficient filtering capacity in existing linear backscatter filtering algorithms,we develop a nonlinear backscattering adaptive filter based on the spline adaptive filter least mean square(SAF-LMS)algorithm.We also designed an algorithm pause module to retain the original trend of the target echo peak,improving the time discrimination accuracy and anti-interference capability of the fuze.Finally,experiments are conducted with varying signal-to-noise ratios of the original underwater target echo signals.The experimental results show that the average signal-to-noise ratio before and after filtering can be improved by more than31 d B,with an increase of up to 76%in extreme detection distance.

A Low-Noise Readout Circuit for Gyroscopes

In order to suppress the noise of gyroscopes,the method based on lock-in amplifier and capacitor matching of the low-noise readout circuit is proposed. Firstly,the principle to suppress the noise by lock-in amplifier is analyzed,and the noise model of front end is proposed. Secondly,the noise optimization for the charge amplifier is presented according to the noise model of front end. Finally,a readout circuit is constructed by this approach. The measurement results show that the parasitic capacitance of front end is 18 p F,and the noise at resonant frequency( 4 k Hz) is 133 n V / Hz1 / 2,and the overall bias stability is 30° /h,and the noise level is 0. 003° /( s·Hz1 / 2). The noise of the gyroscope with the low-noise readout by this method is suppressed effectively.

Alloy design for laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing:a critical review

Metal additive manufacturing(AM)has been extensively studied in recent decades.Despite the significant progress achieved in manufacturing complex shapes and structures,challenges such as severe cracking when using existing alloys for laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)AM have persisted.These challenges arise because commercial alloys are primarily designed for conventional casting or forging processes,overlooking the fast cooling rates,steep temperature gradients and multiple thermal cycles of L-PBF.To address this,there is an urgent need to develop novel alloys specifically tailored for L-PBF technologies.This review provides a comprehensive summary of the strategies employed in alloy design for L-PBF.It aims to guide future research on designing novel alloys dedicated to L-PBF instead of adapting existing alloys.The review begins by discussing the features of the L-PBF processes,focusing on rapid solidification and intrinsic heat treatment.Next,the printability of the four main existing alloys(Fe-,Ni-,Al-and Ti-based alloys)is critically assessed,with a comparison of their conventional weldability.It was found that the weldability criteria are not always applicable in estimating printability.Furthermore,the review presents recent advances in alloy development and associated strategies,categorizing them into crack mitigation-oriented,microstructure manipulation-oriented and machine learning-assisted approaches.Lastly,an outlook and suggestions are given to highlight the issues that need to be addressed in future work.

Laser‑Induced and MOF‑Derived Metal Oxide/Carbon Composite for Synergistically Improved Ethanol Sensing at Room temperature

Advancements in sensor technology have significantly enhanced atmospheric monitoring.Notably,metal oxide and carbon(MO_(x)/C)hybrids have gained attention for their exceptional sensitivity and room-temperature sensing performance.However,previous methods of synthesizing MO_(x)/C composites suffer from problems,including inhomogeneity,aggregation,and challenges in micropatterning.Herein,we introduce a refined method that employs a metal–organic framework(MOF)as a precursor combined with direct laser writing.The inherent structure of MOFs ensures a uniform distribution of metal ions and organic linkers,yielding homogeneous MO_(x)/C structures.The laser processing facilitates precise micropatterning(<2μm,comparable to typical photolithography)of the MO_(x)/C crystals.The optimized MOF-derived MO_(x)/C sensor rapidly detected ethanol gas even at room temperature(105 and 18 s for response and recovery,respectively),with a broad range of sensing performance from 170 to 3,400 ppm and a high response value of up to 3,500%.Additionally,this sensor exhibited enhanced stability and thermal resilience compared to previous MOF-based counterparts.This research opens up promising avenues for practical applications in MOF-derived sensing devices.

Backward scattering of laser plasma interactions from hundreds-of-joules broadband laser on thick target

The use of broadband laser technology is a novel approach for inhibiting processes related to laser plasma interactions(LPIs).In this study,several preliminary experiments into broadband-laser-driven LPIs are carried out using a newly established hundreds-of-joules broadband second-harmonic-generation laser facility.Through direct comparison with LPI results for a traditional narrowband laser,the actual LPI-suppression effect of the broadband laser is shown.The broadband laser had a clear suppressive effect on both back-stimulated Raman scattering and back-stimulated Brillouin scattering at laser intensities below 1×10^(15) W cm^(−2).An abnormal hot-electron phenomenon is also investigated,using targets of different thicknesses.

Characterization, preparation, and reuse of metallic powders for laser powder bed fusion: a review

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF) has attracted significant attention in both the industry and academic fields since its inception, providing unprecedented advantages to fabricate complex-shaped metallic components. The printing quality and performance of L-PBF alloys are infuenced by numerous variables consisting of feedstock powders, manufacturing process,and post-treatment. As the starting materials, metallic powders play a critical role in infuencing the fabrication cost, printing consistency, and properties. Given their deterministic roles, the present review aims to retrospect the recent progress on metallic powders for L-PBF including characterization, preparation, and reuse. The powder characterization mainly serves for printing consistency while powder preparation and reuse are introduced to reduce the fabrication costs.Various powder characterization and preparation methods are presented in the beginning by analyzing the measurement principles, advantages, and limitations. Subsequently, the effect of powder reuse on the powder characteristics and mechanical performance of L-PBF parts is analyzed, focusing on steels, nickel-based superalloys, titanium and titanium alloys, and aluminum alloys. The evolution trends of powders and L-PBF parts vary depending on specific alloy systems, which makes the proposal of a unified reuse protocol infeasible. Finally,perspectives are presented to cater to the increased applications of L-PBF technologies for future investigations. The present state-of-the-art work can pave the way for the broad industrial applications of L-PBF by enhancing printing consistency and reducing the total costs from the perspective of powders.

Triboelectric‘electrostatic tweezers'for manipulating droplets on lubricated slippery surfaces prepared by femtosecond laser processing

The use of‘Electrostatic tweezers'is a promising tool for droplet manipulation,but it faces many limitations in manipulating droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces.Here,we achieve noncontact and multifunctional droplet manipulation on Nepenthes-inspired lubricated slippery surfaces via triboelectric electrostatic tweezers(TETs).The TET manipulation of droplets on a slippery surface has many advantages over electrostatic droplet manipulation on a superhydrophobic surface.The electrostatic field induces the redistribution of the charges inside the neutral droplet,which causes the triboelectric charged rod to drive the droplet to move forward under the electrostatic force.Positively or negatively charged droplets can also be driven by TET based on electrostatic attraction and repulsion.TET enables us to manipulate droplets under diverse conditions,including anti-gravity climb,suspended droplets,corrosive liquids,low-surface-tension liquids(e.g.ethanol with a surface tension of 22.3 mN·m^(-1)),different droplet volumes(from 100 nl to 0.5 ml),passing through narrow slits,sliding over damaged areas,on various solid substrates,and even droplets in an enclosed system.Various droplet-related applications,such as motion guidance,motion switching,droplet-based microreactions,surface cleaning,surface defogging,liquid sorting,and cell labeling,can be easily achieved with TETs.

Laser spectroscopy imaging technique coupled withnanomaterials for cancer diagnosis: A review

Laser spectroscopic imaging techniques have received tremendous attention in the-eld of cancer diagnosis due to their high sensitivity,high temporal resolution,and short acquisition time.However,the limited tissue penetration of the laser is still a challenge for the in vivo diagnosis of deep-seated lesions.Nanomaterials have been universally integrated with spectroscopic imaging techniques for deeper cancer diagnosis in vivo.The components,morphology,and sizes of nanomaterials are delicately designed,which could realize cancer diagnosis in vivo or in situ.Considering the enhanced signal emitting from the nanomaterials,we emphasized their combination with spectroscopic imaging techniques for cancer diagnosis,like the surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS),photoacoustic,fluorescence,and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS).Applications ofthe above spectroscopic techniques offer new prospectsfor cancer diagnosis.

High-performance liquid metal electromagnetic actuator fabricated by femtosecond laser

Small-scale electromagnetic soft actuators are characterized by a fast response and simplecontrol,holding prospects in the field of soft and miniaturized robotics.The use of liquid metal(LM)to replace a rigid conductor inside soft actuators can reduce the rigidity and enhance the actuation performance and robustness.Despite research efforts,challenges persist in the flexible fabrication of LM soft actuators and in the improvement of actuation performance.To address these challenges,we developed a fast and robust electromagnetic soft microplate actuator based on a laser-induced selective adhesion transfer method.Equipped with unprecedentedly thin LM circuit and customized low Young’s modulus silicone rubber(1.03 kPa),our actuator exhibits an excellent deformation angle(265.25?)and actuation bending angular velocity(284.66 rad·s^(-1)).Furthermore,multiple actuators have been combined to build an artificial gripper with a wide range of functionalities.Our actuator presents new possibilities for designing small-scaleartificial machines and supports advancements in ultrafast soft and miniaturized robotics.

Influence of layer thickness on formation quality,microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of WE43 magnesium alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)of Mg alloys has provided tremendous opportunities for customized production of aeronautical and medical parts.Layer thickness(LT)is of great significance to the L-PBF process but has not been studied for Mg alloys.In this study,WE43 Mg alloy bulk cubes,porous scaffolds,and thin walls with layer thicknesses of 10,20,30,and 40μm were fabricated.The required laser energy input increased with increasing layer thickness and was different for the bulk cubes and porous scaffolds.Porosity tended to occur at the connection joints in porous scaffolds for LT40 and could be eliminated by reducing the laser energy input.For thin wall parts,a large overhang angle or a small wall thickness resulted in porosity when a large layer thicknesses was used,and the porosity disappeared by reducing the layer thickness or laser energy input.A deeper keyhole penetration was found in all occasions with porosity,explaining the influence of layer thickness,geometrical structure,and laser energy input on the porosity.All the samples achieved a high fusion quality with a relative density of over 99.5%using the optimized laser energy input.The increased layer thickness resulted to more precipitation phases,finer grain sizes and decreased grain texture.With the similar high fusion quality,the tensile strength and elongation of bulk samples were significantly improved from 257 MPa and 1.41%with the 10μm layer to 287 MPa and 15.12%with the 40μm layer,in accordance with the microstructural change.The effect of layer thickness on the compressive properties of porous scaffolds was limited.However,the corrosion rate of bulk samples accelerated with increasing the layer thickness,mainly attributed to the increased number of precipitation phases.

Diagnosis of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the stomach by confocal laser endomicroscopy:A case report

BACKGROUND In recent years,confocal laser endomicroscopy(CLE)has become a new endoscopic imaging technology at the microscopic level,which is extensively performed for real-time in vivo histological examination.CLE can be performed to distinguish benign from malignant lesions.In this study,we diagnosed using CLE an asymptomatic patient with poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma.CASE SUMMARY A 63-year-old woman was diagnosed with gastric mucosal lesions,which may be gastric cancer,in the small curvature of the stomach by gastroscopy.She consented to undergo CLE for morphological observation of the gastric mucosa.Through the combination of CLE diagnosis and postoperative pathology,the intraoperative CLE diagnosis was considered to be reliable.According to our experience,CLE can be performed as the first choice for the diagnosis of gastric cancer.CONCLUSION CLE has several advantages over pathological diagnosis.We believe that CLE has great potential in the diagnosis of benign and malignant gastric lesions.

Mechanical and damping performances of TPMS lattice metamaterials fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Lattice metamaterials based on three-period minimum surface(TPMS)are an effective means to achieve lightweight and high-strength materials which are widely used in various fields such as aerospace and ships.However,its vibration and noise reduction,and damping properties have not been fully studied.Therefore,in this study,the TPMS structures with parameterization were designed by the method of surface migration,and the TPMS structures with high forming quality was manufactured by laser powder bed fusion(LPBF).The mechanical properties and energy absorption characteristics of the beam and TPMS structures were studied and compared by quasi-static compression.The modal shapes of the beam lattice structures and TPMS structures were obtained by the free modal analysis,and the damping properties of two structures were obtained by modal tests.For the two structures after heat treatment with the same porosity of 70%,the yield strength of the beam lattice structure reaches 40.76 MPa,elastic modulus is 20.38 GPa,the energy absorption value is 32.23 MJ·m^(-3),the damping ratio is 0.52%.The yield strength,elastic modulus,energy absorption value,and damping ratio of the TPMS structure are 50.74 MPa,25.37 GPa,47.34 MJ·m^(-3),and 0.99%,respectively.The results show that TPMS structures exhibit more excellent mechanical properties and energy absorption,better damping performance,and obvious advantages in structural load and vibration and noise reduction compared with the beam lattice structures under the same porosity.

Recent developments in selective laser processes for wearable devices

Recently,the increasing interest in wearable technology for personal healthcare and smart virtual/augmented reality applications has led to the development of facile fabrication methods.Lasers have long been used to develop original solutions to such challenging technological problems due to their remote,sterile,rapid,and site-selective processing of materials.In this review,recent developments in relevant laser processes are summarized under two separate categories.First,transformative approaches,such as for laser-induced graphene,are introduced.In addition to design optimization and the alteration of a native substrate,the latest advances under a transformative approach now enable more complex material compositions and multilayer device configurations through the simultaneous transformation of heterogeneous precursors,or the sequential addition of functional layers coupled with other electronic elements.In addition,the more conventional laser techniques,such as ablation,sintering,and synthesis,can still be used to enhance the functionality of an entire system through the expansion of applicable materials and the adoption of new mechanisms.Later,various wearable device components developed through the corresponding laser processes are discussed,with an emphasis on chemical/physical sensors and energy devices.In addition,special attention is given to applications that use multiple laser sources or processes,which lay the foundation for the all-laser fabrication of wearable devices.

Role of heterogenous microstructure and deformation behavior in achieving superior strength-ductility synergy in zinc fabricated via laser powder bed fusion

Zinc(Zn)is considered a promising biodegradable metal for implant applications due to its appropriate degradability and favorable osteogenesis properties.In this work,laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)additive manufacturing was employed to fabricate pure Zn with a heterogeneous microstructure and exceptional strength-ductility synergy.An optimized processing window of LPBF was established for printing Zn samples with relative densities greater than 99%using a laser power range of 80∼90 W and a scanning speed of 900 mm s−1.The Zn sample printed with a power of 80 W at a speed of 900 mm s−1 exhibited a hierarchical heterogeneous microstructure consisting of millimeter-scale molten pool boundaries,micrometer-scale bimodal grains,and nanometer-scale pre-existing dislocations,due to rapid cooling rates and significant thermal gradients formed in the molten pools.The printed sample exhibited the highest ductility of∼12.1%among all reported LPBF-printed pure Zn to date with appreciable ultimate tensile strength(∼128.7 MPa).Such superior strength-ductility synergy can be attributed to the presence of multiple deformation mechanisms that are primarily governed by heterogeneous deformation-induced hardening resulting from the alternative arrangement of bimodal Zn grains with pre-existing dislocations.Additionally,continuous strain hardening was facilitated through the interactions between deformation twins,grains and dislocations as strain accumulated,further contributing to the superior strength-ductility synergy.These findings provide valuable insights into the deformation behavior and mechanisms underlying exceptional mechanical properties of LPBF-printed Zn and its alloys for implant applications.

Toward understanding the microstructure characteristics,phase selection and magnetic properties of laser additive manufactured Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets

Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets play a crucial role in energy conversion and electronic devices.The essential magnetic properties of Nd-Fe-B magnets,particularly coercivity and remanent magnetization,are significantly infuenced by the phase characteristics and microstructure.In this work,Nd-Fe-B magnets were manufactured using vacuum induction melting(VIM),laser directed energy deposition(LDED)and laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)technologies.Themicrostructure evolution and phase selection of Nd-Fe-B magnets were then clarified in detail.The results indicated that the solidification velocity(V)and cooling rate(R)are key factors in the phase selection.In terms of the VIM-casting Nd-Fe-B magnet,a large volume fraction of theα-Fe soft magnetic phase(39.7 vol.%)and Nd2Fe17Bxmetastable phase(34.7 vol.%)areformed due to the low R(2.3×10-1?C s-1),whereas only a minor fraction of the Nd2Fe14B hard magnetic phase(5.15 vol.%)is presented.For the LDED-processed Nd-Fe-B deposit,although the Nd2Fe14B hard magnetic phase also had a low value(3.4 vol.%)as the values of V(<10-2m s-1)and R(5.06×103?C s-1)increased,part of theα-Fe soft magnetic phase(31.7vol.%)is suppressed,and a higher volume of Nd2Fe17Bxmetastable phases(47.5 vol.%)areformed.As a result,both the VIM-casting and LDED-processed Nd-Fe-B deposits exhibited poor magnetic properties.In contrast,employing the high values of V(>10-2m s-1)and R(1.45×106?C s-1)in the LPBF process resulted in the substantial formation of the Nd2Fe14B hard magnetic phase(55.8 vol.%)directly from the liquid,while theα-Fe soft magnetic phase and Nd2Fe17Bxmetastable phase precipitation are suppressed in the LPBF-processed Nd-Fe-B magnet.Additionally,crystallographic texture analysis reveals that the LPBF-processedNd-Fe-B magnets exhibit isotropic magnetic characteristics.Consequently,the LPBF-processed Nd-Fe-B deposit,exhibiting a coercivity of 656 k A m-1,remanence of 0.79 T and maximum energy product of 71.5 k J m-3,achieved an acceptable magnetic performance,comparable to other additive manufacturing processed Nd-Fe-B magnets from MQP(Nd-lean)Nd-Fe-Bpowder.