Optical Analysis and Fabrication of Micro and Nanoscale Plasmonically Enhanced Devices

Plasmonic nanostructures have been shown to act as optical antennas that enhance optical devices due to their ability to focus light below the diffraction limit of light and enhance the intensity of the incident light. This study focuses on computational electromagnetic (CEM) analysis of two devices: 1) GaAs photodetectors with Au interdigital electrodes and 2) Au thin-film microstructures. Experiments showed that the photoresponse of the interdigital photodetectors depend greatly on the electrode gap and the polarization of the incident light. Smaller electrode gap and transverse polarization give rise to a larger photoresponse. It was also shown that the response from the introduction of the Au thin-film microstructure in the electrode structure was greater. The experimental device enhancement found for the introduction of the thin-film microstructures is most likely attributed to hot electron excitation. This computational study will simulate the optical properties of these two devices in order to determine what plasmonic properties and optical enhancement these devices may have. The modeling software used to validate the experimental results solved Maxwell’s equations with a finite element method (FEM) mathematical algorithm provided by COMSOL Multiphysics. For the interdigital photodetectors device, it was determined that the device response as a function of electrode gap and incident light polarization angle were similar to the experimental results. The enhancement provided by the introduction of the Au thin-film microstructures cannot be completely explained by plasmonic activity occurring with the microstructures, but there is plasmonic activity occurring with the devices

Optical Analysis and Fabrication of Micro and Nanoscale Plasmonically Enhanced Devices

Plasmonic nanostructures have been shown to act as optical antennas that enhance optical devices due to their ability to focus light below the diffraction limit of light and enhance the intensity of the incident light. This study focuses on computational electromagnetic (CEM) analysis of two devices: 1) GaAs photodetectors with Au interdigital electrodes and 2) Au thin-film microstructures. Experiments showed that the photoresponse of the interdigital photodetectors depend greatly on the electrode gap and the polarization of the incident light. Smaller electrode gap and transverse polarization give rise to a larger photoresponse. It was also shown that the response from the introduction of the Au thin-film microstructure in the electrode structure was greater. The experimental device enhancement found for the introduction of the thin-film microstructures is most likely attributed to hot electron excitation. This computational study will simulate the optical properties of these two devices in order to determine what plasmonic properties and optical enhancement these devices may have. The modeling software used to validate the experimental results solved Maxwell’s equations with a finite element method (FEM) mathematical algorithm provided by COMSOL Multiphysics. For the interdigital photodetectors device, it was determined that the device response as a function of electrode gap and incident light polarization angle were similar to the experimental results. The enhancement provided by the introduction of the Au thin-film microstructures cannot be completely explained by plasmonic activity occurring with the microstructures, but there is plasmonic activity occurring with the devices

Modelling and optimisation of the operation of a radiant warmer

This paper presents numerical calculations of the temperature field obtained for the case of a neonate placed under a radiant warmer. The results of the simulations show a very non-uniform temperature distribution on the skin of the neonate, which may cause increased evaporation leading to severe dehydration. For this reason, we propose some modifications on the geometry and operation of the radiant warmer, in order to make the temperature distribution more uniform and prevent the high temperature gradients observed on the surface of the neonate. It is concluded that placing a high conductivity blanket over the neonate and introducing additional screens along the side of the mattress, thus recovering the radiation heat escaping through the side boundaries, helped providing more uniform temperature fields.The European Union for the Marie Curie Fellowship grant awarded to the Centre for CFD, University of Leeds

Vascular Health in American Football Players: Cardiovascular Risk Increased in Division III Players

Studies report that football players have high blood pressure (BP) and increased cardiovascular risk. There are over 70,000 NCAA football players and 450 Division III schools sponsor football programs, yet limited research exists on vascular health of athletes. This study aimed to compare vascular and cardiovascular health measures between football players and nonathlete controls. Twenty-three athletes and 19 nonathletes participated. Vascular health measures included flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT). Cardiovascular measures included clinic and 24 hr BP levels, body composition, VO2 max, and fasting glucose/cholesterol levels. Compared to controls, football players had a worse vascular and cardiovascular profile. Football players had thicker carotid artery IMT (0.49 ± 0.06 mm versus 0.46 ± 0.07 mm) and larger brachial artery diameter during FMD (4.3 ± 0.5 mm versus 3.7 ± 0.6 mm), but no difference in percent FMD. Systolic BP was significantly higher in football players at all measurements: resting (128.2 ± 6.4 mmHg versus 122.4 ± 6.8 mmHg), submaximal exercise (150.4 ± 18.8 mmHg versus 137.3 ± 9.5 mmHg), maximal exercise (211.3 ± 25.9 mmHg versus 191.4 ± 19.2 mmHg), and 24-hour BP (124.9 ± 6.3 mmHg versus 109.8 ± 3.7 mmHg). Football players also had higher fasting glucose (91.6 ± 6.5 mg/dL versus 86.6 ± 5.8 mg/dL), lower HDL (36.5±11.2 mg/dL versus 47.1±14.8 mg/dL), and higher body fat percentage (29.2±7.9% versus 23.2±7.0%). Division III collegiate football players remain an understudied population and may be at increased cardiovascular risk

Landscape transformations produce favorable roosting conditions for turkey vultures and black vultures

Recent increases in turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) and black vulture (Coragyps atratus) populations in North America have been attributed in part to their success adapting to human-modified landscapes. However, the capacity for such landscapes to generate favorable roosting conditions for these species has not been thoroughly investigated. We assessed the role of anthropogenic and natural landscape elements on roosting habitat selection of 11 black and 7 turkey vultures in coastal South Carolina, USA using a GPS satellite transmitter dataset derived from previous research. Our dataset spanned 2006–2012 and contained data from 7916 nights of roosting. Landscape fragmentation, as measured by land cover richness, influenced roosting probability for both species in all seasons, showing either a positive relationship or peaking at intermediate values. Roosting probability of turkey vultures was maximized at intermediate road densities in three of four seasons, and black vultures showed a positive relationship with roads in fall, but no relationship throughout the rest of the year. Roosting probability of both species declined with increasing high density urban cover throughout most of the year. We suggest that landscape transformations lead to favorable roosting conditions for turkey vultures and black vultures, which has likely contributed to their recent proliferations across much of the Western Hemisphere

Testing the Standard Model in B→K(∗)ℓ+ℓ−B\to K^{(*)} \ell^+\ell^-

We study the potential of $B\to K^{(*)} \ell^+\ell^-$ decays as tests of the standard model. After discussing the reliability of theoretical predictions for the hadronic matrix elements involved, we examine the impact of different new physics scenarios on various observables. We show that the angular information in \bks together with the dilepton mass distribution can highly constrain new physics. This is particularly true in the large dilepton mass region, where reliable predictions for the hadronic matrix elements can be made with presently available data. We compare the Standard Model predictions with those of a Two-Higgs doublet model as well as TopColor models, all of which give distinct signals in this region.Comment: 22 pages, RevTeX, 8 uuencoded figure

Analytical and numerical analyses of the micromechanics of soft fibrous connective tissues

State of the art research and treatment of biological tissues require accurate and efficient methods for describing their mechanical properties. Indeed, micromechanics motivated approaches provide a systematic method for elevating relevant data from the microscopic level to the macroscopic one. In this work the mechanical responses of hyperelastic tissues with one and two families of collagen fibers are analyzed by application of a new variational estimate accounting for their histology and the behaviors of their constituents. The resulting, close form expressions, are used to determine the overall response of the wall of a healthy human coronary artery. To demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed method these predictions are compared with corresponding 3-D finite element simulations of a periodic unit cell of the tissue with two families of fibers. Throughout, the analytical predictions for the highly nonlinear and anisotropic tissue are in agreement with the numerical simulations

Observation of New States Decaying into Λc+π−π+\Lambda_{c}^{+}\pi^{-}\pi^{+}

Using 13.7 fb^{-1} of data recorded by the CLEO detector at CESR, we investigate the spectrum of charmed baryons which decay into Lambda_c^+ pi^- pi^+ and are more massive than the Lambda_{c1} baryons. We find evidence for two new states: one is broad and has an invariant mass roughly 480 MeV above that of the Lambda_c^+; the other is narrow with an invariant mass of 596 +- 1 +- 2 MeV above the Lambda_c^+ mass. These results are preliminary.Comment: 11 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

First Observation of the Σc∗+\Sigma_{c}^{*+} Baryon and a New Measurement of the Σc+\Sigma_{c}^{+} Mass

Using data recorded with the CLEO II and CLEO II.V detector configurations at the Cornell Electron Storage Rings, we report the first observation and mass measurement of the $\Sigma_c^{*+}$ charmed baryon, and an updated measurement of the mass of the $\Sigma_c^+$ baryon. We find $M(\Sigma_c^{*+})-M(\Lambda_c^+)$= 231.0 +- 1.1 +- 2.0 MeV, and $M(\Sigma_c^{+})-M(\Lambda_c^+)$= 166.4 +- 0.2 +- 0.3 MeV, where the errors are statistical and systematic respectively.Comment: 8 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN