Photonic Crystal Cavities and Waveguides

Recently, it has also become possible to microfabricate high reflectivity mirrors by creating two- and three-dimensional periodic structures. These periodic "photonic crystals" can be designed to open up frequency bands within which the propagation of electromagnetic waves is forbidden irrespective of the propagation direction in space and define photonic bandgaps. When combined with high index contrast slabs in which light can be efficiently guided, microfabricated two-dimensional photonic bandgap mirrors provide us with the geometries needed to confine and concentrate light into extremely small volumes and to obtain very high field intensities. Here we show the use of these "artificially" microfabricated crystals in functional nonlinear optical devices, such as lasers, modulators, and waveguides

Planar photonic crystal

We present results of guiding light in a single-line-defect planar photonic crystal (PPC) waveguide with 90° and 60° bends. The wave guiding is obtained by total internal reflection perpendicular to the plane of propagation and by the photonic band gap for the 2D photonic crystal in the plane. The results for photonic waveguiding are shown and demonstrated at 1.5 µm wavelength

Ultra narrow AuPd and Al wires

In this letter we discuss a novel and versatile template technique aimed to the fabrication of sub-10 nm wide wires. Using this technique, we have successfully measured AuPd wires, 12 nm wide and as long as 20 $\mu$m. Even materials that form a strong superficial oxide, and thus not suited to be used in combination with other techniques, can be successfully employed. In particular we have measured Al wires, with lateral width smaller or comparable to 10 nm, and length exceeding 10 $\mu$m.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Pubblished in APL 86, 172501 (2005). Added erratum and revised Fig.

THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ICE HOCKEY SLAP SHOT: THE EFFECTS TO STICK CONSTRUCTION AND PLAYER SKILL

The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction of players’ skill level, body strength, and sticks of various construction and stiffness on the performance of the slap shot in ice hockey. Twenty male players were tested: ten skilled, and ten unskilled. Each subject performed three slap shots with three sticks of different construction and shaft stiffness. Ground contact forces were measured while simultaneously video recording at 480 frames/second the stick movement and bending. The results indicated that 1) puck velocity was influenced by skill level and body strength but not stick type and that 2) variability in performance measures across subjects was greater than the variability across the stick stiffness. Further studies are needed to address the specific influence body strength and skill on the slap shot

Charge and spin distributions in GaMnAs/GaAs Ferromagnetic Multilayers

A self-consistent electronic structure calculation based on the Luttinger-Kohn model is performed on GaMnAs/GaAs multilayers. The Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor layers are assumed to be metallic and ferromagnetic. The high Mn concentration (considered as 5% in our calculation) makes it possible to assume the density of magnetic moments as a continuous distribution, when treating the magnetic interaction between holes and the localized moment on the Mn(++) sites. Our calculation shows the distribution of heavy holes and light holes in the structure. A strong spin-polarization is observed, and the charge is concentrated mostly on the GaMnAs layers, due to heavy and light holes with their total angular momentum aligned anti-parallel to the average magnetization. The charge and spin distributions are analyzed in terms of their dependence on the number of multilayers, the widths of the GaMnAs and GaAs layers, and the width of lateral GaAs layers at the borders of the structure.Comment: 12 pages,7 figure

Transmission of pillar-based photonic crystal waveguides in InP technology

Waveguides based on line defects in pillar photonic crystals have been fabricated in InP/InGaAsP/InP technology. Transmission measurements of different line defects are reported. The results can be explained by comparison with two-dimensional band diagram simulations. The losses increase substantially at mode crossings and in the slow light regime. The agreement with the band diagrams implies a good control on the dimensions of the fabricated features, which is an important step in the actual application of these devices in photonic integrated circuit

A convenient band-gap interpolation technique and an improved band line-up model for InGaAlAs on InP

The band-gap energy and the band line-up of InGaAlAs quaternary compound material on InP are essential information for the theoretical study of physical properties and the design of optoelectronics devices operating in the long-wavelength communication window. The band-gap interpolation of In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As on InP is known to be a challenging task due to the observed discrepancy of experimental results arising from the bowing effect. Besides, the band line-up results of In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As on InP based on previously reported models have limited success by far. In this work, we propose an interpolation solution using the single-variable surface bowing estimation interpolation method for the fitting of experimentally measured In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As band-gap data with various degree of bowing using the same set of input parameters. The suggested solution provides an easier and more physically interpretable way to determine not only lattice matched, but also strained band-gap energy of In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As on InP based on the experimental results. Interpolated results from this convenient method show a more favourable match to multiple independent experiment data sets measured under different temperature conditions as compared to those obtained from the commonly used weighted-sum approach. On top of that, extended framework of the model-solid theory for the band line-up of In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As/InP heterostructure is proposed. Our model-solid theory band line-up result using the proposed extended framework has shown an improved accuracy over those without the extension. In contrast to some previously reported works, it is worth noting that the band line-up result based on our proposed extended model-solid theory has also shown to be more accurate than those given by Harrison's mode

New scholarly pathways on green gentrification: What does the urban 'green turn' mean and where is it going?

Digital object identifier for the 'European Research Council' (http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000781) ; Digital object identifier for 'Horizon 2020' (http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100007601)Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Scholars in urban political ecology, urban geography, and planning have suggested that urban greening interventions can create elite enclaves of environmental privilege and green gentrification, and exclude lower-income and minority residents from their benefits. Yet, much remains to be understood in regard to the magnitude, scope, and manifestations of green gentrification and the forms of contestation and resistance articulated against it. In this paper, we propose new questions, theoretical approaches, and research design approaches to examine the socio-spatial dynamics and ramifications of green gentrification and parse out why, how, where, and when green gentrification takes place

Quantum Information Processing with Ferroelectrically Coupled Quantum Dots

I describe a proposal to construct a quantum information processor using ferroelectrically coupled Ge/Si quantum dots. The spin of single electrons form the fundamental qubits. Small (<10 nm diameter) Ge quantum dots are optically excited to create spin polarized electrons in Si. The static polarization of an epitaxial ferroelectric thin film confines electrons laterally in the semiconductor; spin interactions between nearest neighbor electrons are mediated by the nonlinear process of optical rectification. Single qubit operations are achieved through "g-factor engineering" in the Ge/Si structures; spin-spin interactions occur through Heisenberg exchange, controlled by ferroelectric gates. A method for reading out the final state, while required for quantum computing, is not described; electronic approaches involving single electron transistors may prove fruitful in satisfying this requirement.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure