Influence of substrate effect on near-field radiative modulator based on biaxial hyperbolic materials

Relative rotation between the emitter and receiver could effectively modulate the near-field radiative heat transfer(NFRHT)in anisotropic media.Due to the strong in-plane anisotropy,natural hyperbolic materials can be used to construct near-field radiative modulators with excellent modulation effects.However,in practical applications,natural hyperbolic materials need to be deposited on the substrate,and the influence of substrate on modulation effect has not been studied yet.In this work,we investigate the influence of substrate effect on near-field radiative modulator based onα-MoO_(3).The results show that compared to the situation without a substrate,the presence of both lossless and lossy substrate will reduce the modulation contrast(MC)for different film thicknesses.When the real or imaginary component of the substrate permittivity increases,the mismatch of hyperbolic phonon polaritons(HPPs)weakens,resulting in a reduction in MC.By reducing the real and imaginary components of substrate permittivity,the MC can be significantly improved,reaching 4.64 forε_(s)=3 at t=10 nm.This work indicates that choosing a substrate with a smaller permittivity helps to achieve a better modulation effect,and provides guidance for the application of natural hyperbolic materials in the near-field radiative modulator.

Near-field radiative heat transfer between nanoporous GaN films

Photon tunneling effects give rise to surface waves,amplifying radiative heat transfer in the near-field regime.Recent research has highlighted that the introduction of nanopores into materials creates additional pathways for heat transfer,leading to a substantial enhancement of near-field radiative heat transfer(NFRHT).Being a direct bandgap semiconductor,GaN has high thermal conductivity and stable resistance at high temperatures,and holds significant potential for applications in optoelectronic devices.Indeed,study of NFRHT between nanoporous GaN films is currently lacking,hence the physical mechanism for adding nanopores to GaN films remains to be discussed in the field of NFRHT.In this work,we delve into the NFRHT of GaN nanoporous films in terms of gap distance,GaN film thickness and the vacuum filling ratio.The results demonstrate a 27.2%increase in heat flux for a 10 nm gap when the nanoporous filling ratio is 0.5.Moreover,the spectral heat flux exhibits redshift with increase in the vacuum filling ratio.To be more precise,the peak of spectral heat flux moves fromω=1.31×10^(14)rad·s^(-1)toω=1.23×10^(14)rad·s^(-1)when the vacuum filling ratio changes from f=0.1 to f=0.5;this can be attributed to the excitation of surface phonon polaritons.The introduction of graphene into these configurations can highly enhance the NFRHT,and the spectral heat flux exhibits a blueshift with increase in the vacuum filling ratio,which can be explained by the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons.These findings offer theoretical insights that can guide the extensive utilization of porous structures in thermal control,management and thermal modulation.

Actively tuning anisotropic light-matter interaction in biaxial hyperbolic materialα-MoO_(3) using phase change material VO_(2) and graphene

Anisotropic hyperbolic phonon polaritons(PhPs)in natural biaxial hyperbolic materialα-MoO_(3) has opened up new avenues for mid-infrared nanophotonics,while active tunability ofα-MoO_(3) PhPs is still an urgent problem necessarily to be solved.In this study,we present a theoretical demonstration of actively tuningα-MoO_(3) PhPs using phase change material VO_(2) and graphene.It is observed thatα-MoO_(3) PhPs are greatly dependent on the propagation plane angle of PhPs.The insulator-to-metal phase transition of VO_(2) has a significant effect on the hybridization PhPs of theα-MoO_(3)/VO_(2) structure and allows to obtain actively tunableα-MoO_(3) PhPs,which is especially obvious when the propagation plane angle of PhPs is 900.Moreover,when graphene surface plasmon sources are placed at the top or bottom ofα-MoO_(3) inα-MoO_(3)/VO_(2)structure,tunable coupled hyperbolic plasmon-phonon polaritons inside its Reststrahlen bands(RB s)and surface plasmonphonon polaritons outside its RBs can be achieved.In addition,the above-mentionedα-MoO_(3)-based structures also lead to actively tunable anisotropic spontaneous emission(SE)enhancement.This study may be beneficial for realization of active tunability of both PhPs and SE ofα-MoO_(3),and facilitate a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of anisotropic light-matter interaction inα-MoO_(3) using functional materials.

MXene Sediment-Based Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Sodium Alginate Aerogel Evaporator with Vertically Aligned Channels for Highly Efficient Solar Steam Generation

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation from seawater is considered an effective way to alleviate the emerging freshwater crisis because of its green and environmentally friendly characteristics.However,developing an evaporator with high efficiency,stability,and salt resistance remains a key challenge.MXene,with an internal photothermal conversion efficiency of 100%,has received tremendous research interest as a photothermal material.However,the process to prepare the MXene with monolayer is inefficient and generates a large amount of“waste”MXene sediments(MS).Here,MXene sediments is selected as the photothermal material,and a three-dimensional MXene sediments/poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium alginate aerogel evaporator with vertically aligned pores by directional freezing method is innovatively designed.The vertical porous structure enables the evaporator to improve water transport,light capture,and high evaporation rate.Cotton swabs and polypropylene are used as the water channel and support,respectively,thus fabricating a self-floating evaporator.The evaporator exhibits an evaporation rate of 3.6 kg m^(-2)h^(-1)under one-sun illumination,and 18.37 kg m^(-2)of freshwater is collected in the condensation collection device after 7 h of outdoor sun irradiation.The evaporator also displays excellent oil and salt resistance.This research fully utilizes“waste”MS,enabling a self-floating evaporation device for freshwater collection.

Retraction of lumbar disc herniation achieved by noninvasive techniques: A case report

BACKGROUND Lumbar disc herniation(LDH)has emerged as one of the most common causes of low back pain.The routine treatment approach involves chemonucleolysis therapy,discectomy by percutaneous endoscopy,and percutaneous laser disc decompression.Unfortunately,all of these methods carry inherent risk of causing harm to the patient and,as such,there is an unmet but urgent need for an effective and safe noninvasive treatment for LDH.The purpose of this report is to describe a non-invasive method for re-absorption of LDH.CASE SUMMARY A 34-year-old woman was admitted with a complaint of waist pain that she reported as having become acutely aggravated over the past 3 d and accompanied by discomfort in the right lower limb.Her self-reported medical history included persistent postpartum low back pain from 7 years prior.Physical exam showed positivity for neck flexion test(Lindner sign)and supine abdomen test;the straight leg-raising test showed right 60(+)and left 80(-).Findings from standard imaging(magnetic resonance)and collective physical examinations indicated a L5/S1 herniated lumbar disc.Treatment consisted of three-dimensional(balanced regulating)spinal manipulation and acupuncture,upon which the LDH resolved by retraction.CONCLUSION Following L5/S1 herniated lumbar disc diagnosis,three-dimensional(balanced regulating)spinal manipulation combined with acupuncture therapy is an effective treatment.

A Brief Review of Interplanetary Physics Research Progress in China' Mainland during 2020-2022

Through independent research by the Chinese scientists or their international collaborations,great achievements have been made in interplanetary physics research in China' Mainland during the past two years(2020-2022).More than 150 papers have been published in academic journals in this field during this period.These achievements can be grouped into the following areas,at least:(i)solar corona;(ii)solar and interplanetary transient phenomena;(iii)radio bursts;(iv)Magnetohydrodynamic(MHD)numerical modeling;(v)solar energetic particles and cosmic rays.These advances have greatly enriched our understanding of interplanetary physics,i.e.our knowledge of solar activities and solar eruptions,their propagation in the interplanetary space,and the corresponding geoeffects on the Earth.In the sense of application,they have also improved the forecasting of space weather.In this paper we will give a very short review about these advances.

Near-Field Thermal Splitter Based on Magneto-Optical Nanoparticles

Based on the many-body radiative heat transfer theory,we investigate a thermal splitter based on three magneto-optical In Sb nanoparticles.The system comprises a source with adjustable parameters and two drains with fixed parameters.By leveraging the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the permittivity of In Sb,the direction of heat flux in the system can be controlled by adjusting the magnetic field or temperature at the source.Under magnetic field control,the coupling between the separated modes,and the suppression of the zero-field mode induced by the magnetic field,are utilized to achieve a thermal splitting ratio within the modulation range of 0.15–0.58.Furthermore,temperature control results in a thermal splitting ratio ranging from 0.15 to 0.99,as a result of the suppression of the zero-field mode by the magnetic field and the blue shift effect of the zero-field mode frequency increasing with temperature.Notably,the gap distance between nanoparticles does not significantly affect the splitting ratio.These findings provide valuable theoretical guidance for utilizing magneto-optical nanoparticles as thermal splitters and lay the groundwork for implementing complex heat flux networks using In Sb for energy collection and heat transfer control.

Single-atomic tungsten-doped Co_(3)O_(4) nanosheets for enhanced electrochemical kinetics in lithium–sulfur batteries

The practical application of lithium–sulfur batteries(LSBs)is severely hindered by the undesirable shuttling of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)and sluggish redox kinetics of sulfur species.Herein,a series of ultrathin singleatomic tungsten-doped Co_(3)O_(4)(Wx-Co_(3)O_(4))nanosheets as catalytic additives in the sulfur cathode for LSBs are rationally designed and synthesized.Benefiting from the enhanced catalytic activity and optimized electronic structure by W doping,the Wx-Co_(3)O_(4) not only reduces the shuttling of LiPSs but also decreases the energy barrier of sulfur redox reactions of sulfur species,leading to accelerated electrode kinetic.As a result,LSB cathodes with the use of 5.0 wt%W0.02-Co_(3)O_(4) as the electrocatalyst show the high reversible capacities of 1217.0 and 558.6 mAh g^(-1) at 0.2 and 5.0 C,respectively,and maintain a high reversible capacity of 644.6 mAh g^(-1) at 1.0 C(1.0 C=1675 mA g^(-1))after 500 cycles.With a high sulfur loading of 5.5 mg cm^(-2) and electrolyte–electrode ratio of 8μL_(electrolyte) mg_(sulfur)^(-1),the 5.0 wt%W_(0.02)-Co_(3)O_(4)-based sulfur cathode also retains a high reversible areal capacity of 3.86 mAh cm^(-2) at 0.1 C after 50 cycles with an initial capacity retention of 84.7%.

Active tuning of anisotropic phonon polaritons in natural van der Waals crystals with negative permittivity substrates and its application in energy transport

Phonon polaritons(PhPs)exhibit directional in-plane propagation and ultralow losses in van der Waals(vdW)crystals,offering new possibilities for controlling the flow of light at the nanoscale.However,these PhPs,including their directional propagation,are inherently determined by the anisotropic crystal structure of the host materials.Although in-plane anisotropic PhPs can be manipulated by twisting engineering,such as twisting individual vdW slabs,dynamically adjusting their propagation presents a significant challenge.The limited application of the twisted bilayer structure in bare films further restricts its usage.In this study,we present a technique in which anisotropic PhPs supported by bare biaxial vdW slabs can be actively tuned by modifying their local dielectric environment.Excitingly,we predict that the iso-frequency contour of PhPs can be reoriented to enable propagation along forbidden directions when the crystal is placed on a substrate with a moderate negative permittivity.Besides,we systematically investigate the impact of polaritonic coupling on near-field radiative heat transfer(NFRHT)between heterostructures integrated with different substrates that have negative permittivity.Our main findings reveal that through the analysis of dispersion contour and photon transmission coefficient,the excitation and reorientation of the fundamental mode facilitate increased photon tunneling,thereby enhancing heat transfer between heterostructures.Conversely,the annihilation of the fundamental mode hinders heat transfer.Furthermore,we find the enhancement or suppression of radiative energy transport depends on the relative magnitude of the slab thickness and the vacuum gap width.Finally,the effect of negative permittivity substrates on NFRHT along the[001]crystalline direction ofα-MoO3 is considered.The spectral band where the excited fundamental mode resulting from the negative permittivity substrates is shifted to the first Reststrahlen Band(RB 1)ofα-MoO_(3) and is widened,resulting in more significant enhancement of heat flux from RB 1.We anticipate our results will motivate new direction for dynamical tunability of the PhPs in photonic devices.

Near-field radiative heat transfer in hyperbolic materials

In the post-Moore era, as the energy consumption of micro-nano electronic devices rapidly increases, near-field radiative heat transfer(NFRHT) with super-Planckian phenomena has gradually shown great potential for applications in efficient and ultrafast thermal modulation and energy conversion. Recently, hyperbolic materials, an important class of anisotropic materials with hyperbolic isofrequency contours, have been intensively investigated. As an exotic optical platform, hyperbolic materials bring tremendous new opportunities for NFRHT from theoretical advances to experimental designs. To date, there have been considerable achievements in NFRHT for hyperbolic materials, which range from the establishment of different unprecedented heat transport phenomena to various potential applications. This review concisely introduces the basic physics of NFRHT for hyperbolic materials, lays out the theoretical methods to address NFRHT for hyperbolic materials, and highlights unique behaviors as realized in different hyperbolic materials and the resulting applications. Finally, key challenges and opportunities of the NFRHT for hyperbolic materials in terms of fundamental physics, experimental validations, and potential applications are outlined and discussed.

Strong chirality in twisted bilayerα-MoO_(3)

Chiral structures are promising in many applications,such as biological sensing and analytical chemistry,and have been extensively explored.In this paper,we theoretically investigate the chiral response of twisted bilayerα-MoO_(3).Firstly,the analytical formula for the transmissivity is derived when the structure is illuminated with circularly polarized plane waves.Furthermore,the results demonstrate that the twisted bilayerα-MoO_(3)can excite the strong chirality with the maximum circular dichroism(CD)of 0.89.In this case,the chirality is due to the simultaneous breaking the rotational symmetry and mirror symmetry,which originates from the relative rotation of twoα-MoO_(3)layers.To better understand the physical mechanism,the polarization conversion between the left-hand circular polarization(LCP)and right-hand circular polarization(RCP)waves is discussed as well.Moreover,it is found that the structure can maintain the strong chirality(CD>0.8)when the twisted angle varies from 69°to 80°,which effectively reduces the strictness in the requirement for rotation angle.In addition,the CD can be larger than 0.85 when the incidence angle of circularly polarized plane wave is less than 40°,implying that the chirality is robust against the angle of incidence.Our work not only provides an insight into chirality induced by the twisted bilayerα-MoO_(3),but also looks forward to applications in biolo gical sensing.

Arranging cation mixing and charge compensation of TiNb_(2)O_(7) with W^(6+) doping for high lithium storage performance

TiNb_(2)O_(7) is an advanced anode material for high-energy density lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) due to its considerable specific capacity and satisfactory safety.However,its rate capability is limited by its poor ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity.To solve this problem,TiNb_(2)O_(7) with W^(6+) doping was synthesized by a convenient solid-state method.The doping of W^(6+) will lead to arranging cation mixing and charge compensation.The cation rearrangement creates a new Li-conductive environment for lithiation,resulting in a low-energy barrier and the fast Li^(+)storage/diffusion.The results show that the Li^(+)diffusion coefficient of W_(0.06)Ti_(0.91)Nb_(2)O_(7) is increased by 9.96 times greater than that of TiNb_(2)O_(7).Besides,as the calculation proves,due to the partial reduction of the Nb^(5+)and Ti^(4+) caused by charge compensation,W^(6+)doping results in low charge transfer resistance and excellent electronic conductivity.Moreover,W^(6+) doping accounts for a high pseudocapacitive contribution.At the scan rate of 1 mV·s^(-1),the pseudocapacitive contribution for TiNb_(2)O_(7) is 78%,while that for W_(0.06)Ti_(0.91)Nb_(2)O_(7) increases to 83%.The reversible specific capacity of W_(0.06)Ti_(0.91)Nb_(2)O_(7) after 600 cycles is maintained at 148.90mAh·g^(-1) with a loss of only 16.37% at 10.0C.Also,it delivers a commendable capacity of 161.99 mAh·g^(-1) at20.0C.Even at 30.0C,it still retains a satisfactory capacity of 147.22 mAh·g^(-1),much higher than TiNb_(2)O_(7)(97.49mAh·g^(-1)).Our present study provides ideas for the development of electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

Multifunctional catalytic activity of Cu 3 N(001)surface:A first-principles study

Multifunctional catalysts that exhibit high catalytic performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),oxygen evolution reaction(OER),and oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)in a single material hold great promise for broad-spectrum applications,including overall water splitting,fuel cells,and metal-air batteries.In this first-principles study,Cu_(3) N is computationally demonstrated as a multifunctional electrocatalyst for the HER,OER,and ORR owing to the unique coordination of N and Cu atoms on the(001)surface.Cu_(3) N exhibits better HER catalytic activity than noble Pt-based catalysts.Furthermore,its OER and ORR catalytic activity is comparable to that of commercialized unifunctional catalysts,and its 4e-pathway selectivity is high during the ORR.The catalytic performance of the ORR is significantly improved by the introduction of vacancy defects.The integration of highly efficient HER,OER,and ORR catalytic performance in earth-abundant Cu_(3) N not only opens an avenue for developing cost-efficient omnipotent catalysts but also facilitates advances in clean and renewable energy.

Lithography-free polarization-dependent absorber based on α-MoO_(3)

As a natural biaxial hyperbolic material, α-phase molybdenum trioxide(α-MoO_(3)) exhibits dielectric and metallic properties in the plane, rendering it an exceptional candidate for polarization-dependent devices. In this work, we design a lithography-free polarization-dependent absorber consisting of an α-MoO_(3)film, a germanium layer, and a silver substrate. The results show that a narrowband absorption of up to 0.99 is achieved at a wavelength of 12.2 μm for transverse magnetic polarization. In contrast, the absorption is only 0.06 at this wavelength for transverse electric polarization. This remarkable polarization-dependent absorption performance is attributed to the coupling of epsilon-near-zero modes and Fabry-Perot resonances, which is confirmed by the electric field and power dissipation density distributions. Furthermore, strong polarization-dependent performance could also be achieved when the crystal axis of α-MoO_(3)is rotated in the out-of-plane. This work demonstrates that in-plane anisotropic α-MoO_(3)has the potential for designing high polarization-dependent devices.

Single optical microfiber enabled tactile sensor for simultaneous temperature and pressure measurement

The ability to sense heat and touch is essential for healthcare,robotics,and human–machine interfaces.By taking advantage of the engineerable waveguiding properties,we design and fabricate a flexible optical microfiber sensor for simultaneous temperature and pressure measurement based on theoretical calculation.The sensor exhibits a high temperature sensitivity of 1.2 nm/℃ by measuring the shift of a high-order mode cutoff wavelength in the short-wavelength range.In the case of pressure sensing,the sensor shows a sensitivity of 4.5%per kilopascal with a fast temporal frequency response of 1000 Hz owing to the strong evanescent wave guided outside the microfiber.The cross talk is negligible because the temperature and pressure signals are measured at different wavelengths based on different mechanisms.The properties of fast temporal response,high temperature,and pressure sensitivity enable the sensor for real-time skin temperature and wrist pulse measurements,which is critical to the accurate analysis of pulse waveforms.We believe the sensor will have great potential in wearable optical devices ranging from healthcare to humanoid robots.

Constraining self-interacting dark matter with the full dataset of PandaX-II

Self-interacting dark matter(SIDM)is a leading candidate proposed to solve discrepancies between predictions of the prevailing cold dark matter theory and observations of galaxies.Many SIDM models predict the existence of a light force carrier that mediates strong dark matter self-interactions.If the mediator couples to the standard model particles,it could produce characteristic signals in dark matter direct detection experiments.We report searches for signals of SIDM models with a light mediator using the full dataset of the PandaX-II experiment,basing on a total exposure of 132 tonne-days.No significant excess over background is found,and our likelihood analysis leads to a strong upper limit on the dark matter-nucleon coupling strength.We further combine the PandaX-II constraints and those from observations of the light element abundances in the early universe,and show that direct detection and cosmological probes can provide complementary constraints on dark matter models with a light mediator.

Temperature Responses to External Heat Fluxes of the Power Distribution System on Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

High-temperature warnings frequently occurred at the Power Distribution System(PDS)of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer(AMS).To investigate the fundamental reasons,a theoretical model for the AMS PDS was established under the International Space Station(ISS)normal and special operating conditions.With the model,the study investigated the external heat fluxes and the temperature responses of the PDS.The effects of ISS special operations on the PDS’s thermal environment were also investigated.Results reveal that the total external heat flux at the PDS reaches its maximum value when the angleβis around–25°,where high-temperature warning frequently occurs.Under the ISS normal operating condition,the temperature response hysteresis at the PDS varies from 116 s to 230 s.When the ISS performed special operations,locking the ISS solar arrays had the greatest influence on the PDS’s external heat fluxes,and the average temperature at the PDS fell by 1.7°C.When the ISS performed multiple special operations,simultaneously locking the ISS solar arrays and adjusting the ISS flight attitude were the most frequent operations,of which the influences on the PDS temperature were the largest,i.e.,the changes in peak temperature reached up to+2.5°C.

Thermal conductivity of micro/nano-porous polymers: Prediction models and applications

Micro/nano-porous polymeric material is considered a unique industrial material due to its extremelylow thermal conductivity, low density, and high surface area. Therefore, it is necessary to establishan accurate thermal conductivity prediction model suiting their applicable conditions and provide atheoretical basis for expanding their applications. In this work, the development of the calculationmodel of equivalent thermal conductivity of micro/nano-porous polymeric materials in recent yearsis summarized. Firstly, it reviews the process of establishing the overall equivalent thermal conductivity calculation model for micro/nanoporous polymers. Then, the predicted calculation models ofthermal conductivity are introduced separately according to the conductive and radiative thermalconductivity models. In addition, the thermal conduction part is divided into the gaseous thermalconductivity model, solid thermal conductivity model and gas-solid coupling model. Finally, it isconcluded that, compared with other porous materials, there are few studies on heat transfer of micro/nanoporous polymers, especially on the particular heat transfer mechanisms such as scale effectsat the micro/nanoscale. In particular, the following aspects of porous polymers still need to be furtherstudied: micro scaled thermal radiation, heat transfer characteristics of particular morphologies at thenanoscales, heat transfer mechanism and impact factors of micro/nanoporous polymers. Such studieswould provide a more accurate prediction of thermal conductivity and a broader application in energyconversion and storage systems.

Radiation protection designs of the linac for the HEPS

Purpose The high-energy photon source(HEPS)is the first fourth-generation light source under construction in China.It is designed to operate at an average current of 200 mA stored beam current with a top-up model at 6 GeV energy.Considering the linac radiation shielding design,a suitable beam loss scenario,optimized thickness for the bulk shielding and detailed structure design for dumps should be proposed.In this paper,the beam loss scenarios were determined and categorized as normal;the dose limits were presented;using these scenarios and the dose limits,the thickness of the linac tunnel was calculated and detailed designs of the main beam dumps were established.The material selection and size setting of the low-power electron beam dump were discussed.Method The Monte Carlo code is a good choice to simulate the radiation analysis.And the iSHIELD11 was used to verify the simulation calculations.Result and conclusion The designs of the linac bulk shield and dumps satisfied the requirements of radiation protection.

Pulse-potential electrochemistry to boost real-life application of pseudocapacitive dual-doped polypyrrole

Polypyrrole(PPy)is a very promising pseudocapacitive electrode material for supercapacitors.However,the poor electrochemical performances and cycling stability caused by volumetric change and counterion drain severely limited its practical application and commercialization.Herein,we present a pulsepotential polymerization strategy for uniformly depositing a dual-doped PPy with ordered and shorter molecular structure by balancing the concentration polarization.Such a strategy ensures more homogeneous stress distribution of PPy during ultralong cycling tests and improves the cycle stability.Moreover,the pulse-potential polymerized PPy with dual anion doping behavior induces enhanced protonation level and improved electrical conductivity,which boosting the charge transfer kinetics.Therefore,the as-synthesized PPy exhibits a remarkable capacitance performance(7250 mF/cm^(2)@3 mA/cm^(2)),outstanding rate capability(3073 mF/cm^(2)@200 mA/cm^(2))and a long cycle life.The assembled symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitors(ASC)exhibit good energy densities(0.8 mWh/cm^(2) for ASC and 0.5 mWh/cm^(2) for symmetric supercapacitor),and excellent durability with zero capacitive loss after 35,000 cycles.In addition,we have fabricated small pouch devices,which can effectively operate a variety of electronic products(including the high-voltage 5 V smartphone,and tablet)and well withstand the external extreme tests during operation,demonstrating the quantitative investigation of the real-life application of aqueous supercapacitors.