Highly efficient non-degenerate four-wave mixing under dual-mode injection in InP/InAs quantum-dash and quantum-dot lasers at 1.55 μm

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and AIP Publishing. This article appeared in Appl. Phys. Lett. 107, 191111 (2015) and may be found at https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4935796.This work reports on non-degenerate four-wave mixing under dual-mode injection in metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy grown InP/InAs quantum-dash and quantum dot Fabry-Perot laser operating at 1550 nm. High values of normalized conversion efficiency of −18.6 dB, optical signal-to-noise ratio of 37 dB, and third order optical susceptibility normalized to material gain χ(3)/g0 of ∼4 × 10−19 m3/V3 are measured for 1490 μm long quantum-dash lasers. These values are similar to those obtained with distributed-feedback lasers and semiconductor optical amplifiers, which are much more complicated to fabricate. On the other hand, due to the faster gain saturation and enhanced modulation of carrier populations, quantum-dot lasers demonstrate 12 dB lower conversion efficiency and 4 times lower χ(3)/g0 compared to quantum dash lasers.DFG, 43659573, SFB 787: Halbleiter - Nanophotonik: Materialien, Modelle, BauelementeEC/FP7/EU/264687/Postgraduate Research on Photonics as an Enabling Technology/PROPHE

Aquifères karstiques et caractéristiques physico-chimiques des eaux à l'étiage : exemple de la zone tropicale de l'hémisphère sud (Madagascar)

Deux karsts de la zone tropicale actuelle de l'hémisphère sud (Madagascar), sont tout d'abord analysés sur le plan géomorphologique. Les facteurs lithologiques, structuraux et climatiques confèrent à ces karsts des évolutions et des fonctionnements actuels nettement différenciés entre eux. Dans un deuxième temps, les caractéristiques hydrochimiques des eaux à l'étiage sont examinées et comparées à celles d'un karst de la zone tempérée (bordure méditerranéenne). De cette comparaison, il ressort que les eaux karstiques présentent des caractéristiques physico-chimiques à l'étiage très voisines quelle que soit la latitude. Par exemple, toutes les eaux sont sous-saturées en carbonates, sauf si la nappe est captive. Enfin, il est mis l'accent en conclusion sur le fait que les conditions climatiques propices à la karstification et à un haut degré d'évolution ne s'expriment pleinement que si des évènements tectoniques interviennent au cours des phénomènes de dissolution. Les morphologies karstiques hautement évoluées, comme celles de Madagascar, résultent ainsi d'une étroite complémentarité entre facteurs lithologiques, structuraux et climatiques. (Résumé d'auteur

rf linewidth reduction in a quantum dot passively mode-locked laser subject to external optical feedback

International audienceThe effect of external optical feedback on an InAs/GaAs quantum dot passively mode-locked laser is investigated. The rf linewidth narrows from 8 KHz in the free-running situation to a value as low as 350 Hz under relatively low feedback. The rf linewidth characterization under resonant feedback at a multiple of the laser cavity length validates the prediction of a previous numerical simulation. It is also confirmed that the integrated rms timing jitter varies as the square root of the rf linewidth. The results are promising for the development of compact, monolithic semiconductor mode-locked lasers as low noise optoelectronic oscillators

Optical feedback instabilities in a monolithic InAs/GaAs quantum dot passively mode-locked laser

International audienceThe impact of optical feedback on the direct performance of a monolithic InAs/GaAs quantum dot passively mode-locked laser intended for applications such as multigigahertz interchip/intrachip clock distribution is experimentally investigated. Evaluation of the feedback resistance is an important feature, as the laser is to be monolithically integrated on chip with other devices, in which case optical isolation is difficult. This work shows that a feedback level on the order of −24 dB is detrimental for mode-locking operation, enhancing noise in the rf electrical signal, strongly narrowing the useful mode-locking region as well as causing central frequency shift, and severe instabilities

Performance of the Now Malaria rapid diagnostic test with returned travellers: a 2-year retrospective study in a French teaching hospital

ABSTRACTMalaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum remains the major life-threatening parasitic infection in the world. The number of cases in non-endemic countries continues to increase, and it is important that misdiagnosis of malaria should not occur, especially in non-immune travellers, because of the high risk of a fatal outcome. In a retrospective study of 399 sera, the Now Malaria rapid test was compared with the quantitative buffy coat (QBC) test and microbiological examination of thin blood films. Compared with the QBC test and thin blood films, the Now Malaria test had sensitivity and specificity values of 96.4% and 97%, respectively, for the detection of pure P. falciparum infection. A negative predictive value of 99.4% allows this test to be included in diagnostic strategies for patients presenting with clinical suspicion of malaria. Two false-negative results were associated with low levels of parasitaemia in the specimens. Thus, use of the Now Malaria test alone to detect P. falciparum infection in non-endemic countries could lead to misdiagnosis of malaria. This rapid diagnostic test should therefore be performed in association with another prompt traditional method such as examination of thin blood films

Analysis of double laser emission occuring in 1.55 μm InAs-InP (113)B quantum dot laser

In this paper, a theoretical model based on rate equations is used to investigate static and dynamic behaviors of InAs–InP (113)B quantum-dot (QD) lasers emitting at 1.55 m. More particularly, it is shown that two modelling approaches are required to explain the origin of the double laser emission occurring in QD lasers grown on both, GaAs and InP substrates. Numerical results are compared to experimental ones by using either a cascade or a direct relaxation channel model. The comparison demonstrates that when a direct relaxation channel is taken into account, the numerical results match very well the experimental ones and lead to a qualitative understanding of InAs–InP (113)B QD lasers. Numerical calculations for the turn-on delay are also presented. A relaxation oscillation frequency as high as 10 GHz is predicted which is very promising for the realization of directly modulated QD lasers for high-speed transmissions

Challenging assumptions of the enlargement literature : the impact of the EU on human and minority rights in Macedonia

This article argues that from the very start of the transition process in Macedonia, a fusion of concerns about security and democratisation locked local nationalist elites and international organisations intoa political dynamic that prioritised security over democratisation. This dynamic resulted in little progress in the implementation of human and minority rights until 2009, despite heavy EU involvement in Macedonia after the internal warfare of 2001. The effects of this informally institutionalised relationship have been overlooked by scholarship on EU enlargement towards Eastern Europe, which has made generalisations based on assumptions relevant to the democratisation of countries in Eastern Europe, but not the Western Balkans

The Effect of Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Membrane Protein 2 Expression on the Kinetics of Early B Cell Infection

Infection of human B cells with wild-type Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in vitro leads to activation and proliferation that result in efficient production of lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Latent Membrane Protein 2 (LMP2) is expressed early after infection and previous research has suggested a possible role in this process. Therefore, we generated recombinant EBV with knockouts of either or both protein isoforms, LMP2A and LMP2B (Δ2A, Δ2B, Δ2A/Δ2B) to study the effect of LMP2 in early B cell infection. Infection of B cells with Δ2A and Δ2A/Δ2B viruses led to a marked decrease in activation and proliferation relative to wild-type (wt) viruses, and resulted in higher percentages of apoptotic B cells. Δ2B virus infection showed activation levels comparable to wt, but fewer numbers of proliferating B cells. Early B cell infection with wt, Δ2A and Δ2B viruses did not result in changes in latent gene expression, with the exception of elevated LMP2B transcript in Δ2A virus infection. Infection with Δ2A and Δ2B viruses did not affect viral latency, determined by changes in LMP1/Zebra expression following BCR stimulation. However, BCR stimulation of Δ2A/Δ2B cells resulted in decreased LMP1 expression, which suggests loss of stability in viral latency. Long-term outgrowth assays revealed that LMP2A, but not LMP2B, is critical for efficient long-term growth of B cells in vitro. The lowest levels of activation, proliferation, and LCL formation were observed when both isoforms were deleted. These results suggest that LMP2A appears to be critical for efficient activation, proliferation and survival of EBV-infected B cells at early times after infection, which impacts the efficient long-term growth of B cells in culture. In contrast, LMP2B did not appear to play a significant role in these processes, and long-term growth of infected B cells was not affected by the absence of this protein. © 2013 Wasil et al

The influence of the accessory genome on bacterial pathogen evolution

Bacterial pathogens exhibit significant variation in their genomic content of virulence factors. This reflects the abundance of strategies pathogens evolved to infect host organisms by suppressing host immunity. Molecular arms-races have been a strong driving force for the evolution of pathogenicity, with pathogens often encoding overlapping or redundant functions, such as type III protein secretion effectors and hosts encoding ever more sophisticated immune systems. The pathogens’ frequent exposure to other microbes, either in their host or in the environment, provides opportunities for the acquisition or interchange of mobile genetic elements. These DNA elements accessorise the core genome and can play major roles in shaping genome structure and altering the complement of virulence factors. Here, we review the different mobile genetic elements focusing on the more recent discoveries and highlighting their role in shaping bacterial pathogen evolution