Ultrafast broadband optical modulation in indium tin oxide/titanium dioxide 1D photonic crystal

Photonic crystals can integrate plasmonic materials such as Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) in their structure. Exploiting ITO plasmonic properties, it is possible to tune the photonic band gap of the photonic crystal upon the application of an external stimuli. In this work, we have fabricated a one-dimensional multilayer photonic crystal alternating ITO and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) via radio frequency sputtering and we have triggered its optical response with ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy. Upon photoexcitation, we observe a change in the refractive index of ITO. Such an effect has been used to create a photonic crystal that changes its photonic bandgap in an ultrafast time scale. All optical modulation in the visible region, that can be tuned by designing the photonic crystal, has been demonstrated

One-dimensional disordered photonic structures with two or more materials

Here we would like to discuss the light transmission modulation by periodic and disordered one dimensional (1D) photonic structures. In particular, we will present some theoretical and experimental findings highlighting the peculiar optical properties of: i) 1D periodic and disordered photonic structures made with two or more materials; ii) 1D photonic structures in which the homogeneity or the aggregation of the high refractive index layers is controlled. We will focus also on the fabrication aspects of these structures.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Effective medium optical modelling of indium tin oxide nanocrystal films

: Doped semiconductor nanocrystal-based thin films are widely used for many applications, such as screens, electrochromic windows, light emitting diodes, and solar cells. Herein, we have employed spectroscopic ellipsometry to measure and model the complex dielectric response of indium tin oxide films fabricated by nanocrystal deposition and sintering. The films could be modelled as Bruggemann effective media, allowing estimation of the nanoscale interstitial porosity of the structure. The effective dielectric constants show the possibility of tuning the plasma frequency and the epsilon-near zero condition of the film

High quality factor 1-D Er 3+ -activated dielectric microcavity fabricated by RF-sputtering

Rare earth-activated 1-D photonic crystals were fabricated by RF-sputtering technique. The cavity is constituted by an Er3+-doped SiO2 active layer inserted between two Bragg reflectors consisting of ten pairs of SiO2/TiO2 layers. Scanning electron microscopy is employed to put in evidence the quality of the sample, the homogeneities of the layers thickness and the good adhesion among them. Near infrared transmittance and variable angle reflectance spectra confirm the presence of a stop band from 1500 nm to 2000 nm with a cavity resonance centered at 1749 nm at 0° and a quality factor of 890. The influence of the cavity on the 4I13/2 -> 4I15/2 emission band of Er3+ ion is also demonstrated

Glass-based 1-D dielectric microcavities

We have developed a reliable RF sputtering techniques allowing to fabricate glass-based one dimensional microcavities, with high quality factor. This property is strongly related to the modification of the density of states due to the confinement of the gain medium in a photonic band gap structure. In this short review we present some of the more recent results obtained by our team exploiting these 1D microcavities. In particular we present: (1) Er3+ luminescence enhancement of the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition; (2) broad band filters based on disordered 1-D photonic structures; (3) threshold defect-mode lasing action in a hybrid structure

Ruta geomonumental: materiales de construcción utilizados en el Monasterio de Santa María de Pelayos de la Presa y antiguas canteras explotadas para la extracción de la piedra granítica (Madrid).

9 págs, 8 figuras.-- Itinerario incluido entre las actividades de divulgación y comunicación social de la Semana de la Ciencia y la Tecnología en el CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Nov 2010): http://www.madrimasd.org/semanaciencia/2010/.-- Texto correspondiente a la memoria entregada a los participantes que asistieron a la ruta geomonumentalLas Rutas Geomonumentales suponen una metodología diferente para la difusión cultural y científica del patrimonio arquitectónico, atendiendo a los materiales pétreos, naturales y artificiales, que lo configuran. El prefijo “Geo” indica el fuerte condicionante geológico que tradicionalmente ha influido en los asentamientos urbanos y en su desarrollo, así como la relación existente entre la arquitectura y la geología, en tanto que gran parte de los materiales de construcción se extraen de la tierra. Además, el comportamiento y deterioro de los materiales pétreos está en gran parte condicionado por el entorno que rodea a los inmuebles que constituyen. El Monasterio de Pelayos de la Presa resulta un inmueble ideal para realizar una Ruta Geomonumental como la que se propone. Por un lado, para la construcción del monasterio se utilizaron muy diversos materiales pétreos de construcción (naturales y artificiales) y su emplazamiento en gran parte estuvo condicionado por la existencia de canteras de granito en la zona. Por otro, el estado de conservación que presenta el inmueble, posibilita atender a interesantes aspectos constructivos y a formas de deterioro sufridas por los materiales, así como a las causas que las generan.Peer reviewe

Coherent emission from fully Er 3+ doped monolithic 1-D dielectric microcavity fabricated by rf-sputtering

All Er3+ doped dielectric 1-D microcavity was fabricated by rf sputtering technique. The microcavity was constituted by half wave Er3+ doped SiO2 active layer inserted between two Bragg reflectors consists of ten pairs of SiO2/TiO2 layers also doped with Er3+ ions. The scanning electron microscopy was used to check the morphology of the structure. Transmission measurements confirm the third and first order cavity resonance at 530 nm and 1560 nm, respectively. The photoluminescence measurements were obtained by optically exciting at the third order cavity resonance using 514.5 nm Ar+ laser with an excitation angle of 30°. The Full Width at Half Maximum of the emission peak at 1560 nm decrease with the pump power until the spectral resolution of the detection system of ∼1.0 nm. Moreover, the emission intensity presents a non-linear behavior with the pump power and a threshold at about 24 mW was observed with saturation of the signal at above 185 mW of pump power

Applications of Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies to Diagnostic Virology

Novel DNA sequencing techniques, referred to as “next-generation” sequencing (NGS), provide high speed and throughput that can produce an enormous volume of sequences with many possible applications in research and diagnostic settings. In this article, we provide an overview of the many applications of NGS in diagnostic virology. NGS techniques have been used for high-throughput whole viral genome sequencing, such as sequencing of new influenza viruses, for detection of viral genome variability and evolution within the host, such as investigation of human immunodeficiency virus and human hepatitis C virus quasispecies, and monitoring of low-abundance antiviral drug-resistance mutations. NGS techniques have been applied to metagenomics-based strategies for the detection of unexpected disease-associated viruses and for the discovery of novel human viruses, including cancer-related viruses. Finally, the human virome in healthy and disease conditions has been described by NGS-based metagenomics

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly