Synthesis of polycalciumphenylsiloxane and composites based on the skeleton of a sea urchin with the resulting polymer

In this work, we obtained polycalciumphenylsiloxane (PCPS) by the interaction of calcium bis (acetylacetonate) with polyphenylsiloxane. The first method consisted in boiling the starting reagents in toluene for several hours; the second was as follows: the mixture of the starting reagents was preliminarily treated mechanically in a ball mill, followed by boiling in toluene for several hours. Two fractions, soluble and insoluble, were isolated in both syntheses. They were investigated using IR, NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and gel permeation chromatography. It was shown that the insoluble fraction is a mixture of calcium acetylacetonate and polyphenylsiloxane with a small calcium ion content. The soluble fraction is polycalciumphenylsiloxane. The yield of the soluble fraction is higher in the second synthesis method. The polymers obtained in the first and second synthesis methods are similar in composition and structure, which was confirmed by physicochemical methods. Next, the skeleton of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius was treated with a soluble fraction in toluene. In this case, a composite was obtained, which was treated with 2–3% hydrochloric acid and then calcined at a temperature of 600 °C. At each stage, the composition of the composites was investigated using elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy. The morphology was investigated using scanning electron microscopy

Ising model – an analysis, from opinions to neuronal states

Here we have developed a mathematical model of a random neuron network with two types of neurons: inhibitory and excitatory. Every neuron was modelled as a functional cell with three states, parallel to hyperpolarised, neutral and depolarised states in vivo. These either induce a signal or not into their postsynaptic partners. First a system including just one network was simulated numerically using the software developed in Python. Our simulations show that under physiological initial conditions, the neurons in the network all switch off, irrespective of the initial distribution of states. However, with increased inhibitory connections beyond 85%, spontaneous oscillations arise in the system. This raises the question whether there exist pathologies where the increased amount of inhibitory connections leads to uncontrolled neural activity. There has been preliminary evidence elsewhere that this may be the case in autism and down syndrome [1-4]. At the next stage we numerically studied two mutually coupled networks through mean field interactions. We find that via a small range of coupling constants between the networks, pulses of activity in one network are transferred to the other. However, for high enough coupling there appears a very sudden change in behaviour. This leads to both networks oscillating independent of the pulses applied. These uncontrolled oscillations may also be applied to neural pathologies, where unconnected neuronal systems in the brain may interact via their electromagnetic fields. Any mutations or diseases that increase how brain regions interact can induce this pathological activity resonance. Our simulations provided some interesting insight into neuronal behaviour, in particular factors that lead to emergent phenomena in dynamics of neural networks. This can be tied to pathologies, such as autism, Down's syndrome, the synchronisation seen in parkinson's and the desynchronisation seen in epilepsy. The model is very general and also can be applied to describe social network and social pathologies

On-chip phonon-magnon reservoir for neuromorphic computing

Reservoir computing is a concept involving mapping signals onto a high-dimensional phase space of a dynamical system called “reservoir” for subsequent recognition by an artificial neural network. We implement this concept in a nanodevice consisting of a sandwich of a semiconductor phonon waveguide and a patterned ferromagnetic layer. A pulsed write-laser encodes input signals into propagating phonon wavepackets, interacting with ferromagnetic magnons. The second laser reads the output signal reflecting a phase-sensitive mix of phonon and magnon modes, whose content is highly sensitive to the write- and read-laser positions. The reservoir efficiently separates the visual shapes drawn by the write-laser beam on the nanodevice surface in an area with a size comparable to a single pixel of a modern digital camera. Our finding suggests the phonon-magnon interaction as a promising hardware basis for realizing on-chip reservoir computing in future neuromorphic architectures

Nondestructive Picosecond Ultrasonic Probing of Intralayer and van der Waals Interlayer Bonding in α- and β-In2Se3

The interplay between the strong intralayer covalent-ionic bonds and the weak interlayer van der Waals (vdW) forces between the neighboring layers of vdW crystals gives rise to unique physical and chemical properties. Here, the intralayer and interlayer bondings in α and β polytypes of In2Se3 are studied, a vdW material with potential applications in advanced electronic and optical devices. Picosecond ultrasonic experiments are conducted to probe the sound velocity in the direction perpendicular to the vdW layers. The measured sound velocities are different in α- and β-In2Se3, suggesting a significant difference in their elastic properties. Density functional theory and an effective spring model are used to calculate the elastic stiffness of the layer and vdW gap in α- and β-In2Se3. The calculated elastic moduli show good agreement with experimental values and reveal the dominant contribution of interlayer atomic bonding to the different elastic properties of the two polytypes. The findings show the power of picosecond ultrasonics for probing the fundamental elastic properties of vdW materials. The data and analysis also provide a reliable description of the intra- and interlayer forces in complex crystal structures, such as the polytype phases of In2Se3

Fock-Darwin-like quantum dot states formed by charged Mn interstitial ions

We report a method of creating electrostatically induced quantum dots by thermal diffusion of interstitial Mn ions out of a p-type (GaMn)As layer into the vicinity of a GaAs quantum well. This approach creates deep, approximately circular, and strongly confined dotlike potential minima in a large (200  μm) mesa diode structure without need for advanced lithography or electrostatic gating. Magnetotunneling spectroscopy of an individual dot reveals the symmetry of its electronic eigenfunctions and a rich energy level spectrum of Fock-Darwin-like states with an orbital angular momentum component |lz| from 0 to 11

On-chip phonon-magnon reservoir for neuromorphic computing

Reservoir computing is a concept involving mapping signals onto a high-dimensional phase space of a dynamical system called "reservoir" for subsequent recognition by an artificial neural network. We implement this concept in a nanodevice consisting of a sandwich of a semiconductor phonon waveguide and a patterned ferromagnetic layer. A pulsed write-laser encodes input signals into propagating phonon wavepackets, interacting with ferro-magnetic magnons. The second laser reads the output signal reflecting a phase-sensitive mix of phonon and magnon modes, whose content is highly sensitive to the write-and read-laser positions. The reservoir efficiently separates the visual shapes drawn by the write-laser beam on the nanodevice surface in an area with a size comparable to a single pixel of a modern digital camera. Our finding suggests the phonon-magnon interaction as a promising hardware basis for realizing on-chip reservoir computing in future neuro-morphic architectures

Inter-Flake Quantum Transport of Electrons and Holes in Inkjet-Printed Graphene Devices

© 2020 The Authors. Advanced Functional Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH 2D materials have unique structural and electronic properties with potential for transformative device applications. However, such devices are usually bespoke structures made by sequential deposition of exfoliated 2D layers. There is a need for scalable manufacturing techniques capable of producing high-quality large-area devices comprising multiple 2D materials. Additive manufacturing with inks containing 2D material flakes is a promising solution. Inkjet-printed devices incorporating 2D materials have been demonstrated, however there is a need for greater understanding of quantum transport phenomena as well as their structural properties. Experimental and theoretical studies of inkjet-printed graphene structures are presented. Detailed electrical and structural characterization is reported and explained by comparison with transport modeling that include inter-flake quantum tunneling transport and percolation dynamics. The results reveal that the electrical properties are strongly influenced by the flakes packing fraction and by complex meandering electron trajectories, which traverse several printed layers. Controlling these trajectories is essential for printing high-quality devices that exploit the properties of 2D materials. Inkjet-printed graphene is used to make a field effect transistor and Ohmic contacts on an InSe phototransistor. This is the first time that inkjet-printed graphene has successfully replaced single layer graphene as a contact material for 2D metal chalcogenides

High-frequency generation in two coupled semiconductor superlattices

We theoretically show that two semiconductor superlattices arranged on the same substrate and coupled with the same resistive load can be used for a generation of high-frequency periodic and quasiperiodic signals. Each superlattice involved is capable to generate current oscillations associated with drift of domains of high charge concentration. However, the coupling with the common load can eventually lead to synchronization of the current oscillations in the interacting superlattices. We reveal how synchronization depends on detuning between devices and the resistance of the common load, and discuss the effects of coupling and detuning on the high-frequency power output from the system

Spatial distribution of electric field in a quantum superlattice with an injecting contact: exact solution

[English abstract unavailable.