Photoinduced reactivity of titanium dioxide

http://nathan.instras.com/documentDB/paper-69.pdf

Porous silicon: a quantum sponge structure for silicon based optoelectronics

Nature routinely produces nanostructured surfaces with useful properties, such as the self-cleaning lotus leaf, the colour of the butterfly wing, the photoreceptor in brittlestar and the anti-reflection observed in the moth eye. Scientists and engineers have been able to mimic some of these natural structures in the laboratory and in real-world applications. Here, we report a simple aperiodic array of silicon nanotips on a 6-inch wafer with a sub-wavelength structure that can suppress the reflection of light at a range of wavelengths from the ultraviolet, through the visible part of the spectrum, to the terahertz region. Reflection is suppressed for a wide range of angles of incidence and for both s- and p-polarized light. The antireflection properties of the silicon result from changes in the refractive index caused by variations in the height of the silicon nanotips, and can be simulated with models that have been used to explain the low reflection from moth eyes. The improved anti-reflection properties of the surfaces could have applications in renewable energy and electro-optical devices for the military.

/pdf/improved-broadband-and-quasi-omnidirectional-anti-reflection-28262vbtzi.pdf

Improved broadband and quasi-omnidirectional anti-reflection properties with biomimetic silicon nanostructures

Selective laser melting (SLM) is widely gaining popularity as an alternative manufacturing technique for complex and customized parts. SLM is a near net shape process with minimal post processing machining required dependent upon final application. The fact that SLM produces little waste and enables more optimal designs also raises opportunities for environmental advantages. The use of aluminium (Al) alloys in SLM is still quite limited due to difficulties in processing that result in parts with high degrees of porosity. However, Al alloys are favoured in many high-end applications for their exceptional strength and stiffness to weight ratio meaning that they are extensively used in the automotive and aerospace industries. This study investigates the windows of parameters required to produce high density parts from AlSi10Mg alloy using selective laser melting. A compromise between the different parameters and scan strategies was achieved and used to produce parts achieving a density of 99.8%.

https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/preview/734538/1-s2.0-S2214860414000062-main.pdf

Reducing porosity in AlSi10Mg parts processed by selective laser melting

Single-photon detectors based on superconducting nanowires (SSPDs or SNSPDs) have rapidly emerged as a highly promising photon-counting technology for infrared wavelengths. These devices offer high efficiency, low dark counts and excellent timing resolution. In this review, we consider the basic SNSPD operating principle and models of device behaviour. We give an overview of the evolution of SNSPD device design and the improvements in performance which have been achieved. We also evaluate device limitations and noise mechanisms. We survey practical refrigeration technologies and optical coupling schemes for SNSPDs. Finally we summarize promising application areas, ranging from quantum cryptography to remote sensing. Our goal is to capture a detailed snapshot of an emerging superconducting detector technology on the threshold of maturity.

/pdf/superconducting-nanowire-single-photon-detectors-physics-and-28x2mxmz0p.pdf

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors: physics and applications

Introduction. Basic theory. Antireflection coating. Neutral mirrors and beam splitters. Multilayer high-reflectance coatings. Edge filters. Band-pass filters. Tilted coatings. Production methods and thin-film materials. Factors affecting layer and coating properties. Layer uniformity and thickness monitoring. Specification of filters and environmental effects. System considerations: applications of filters and coatings. Other topics. Characteristics of thin-film dielectric materials.

/pdf/thin-film-optical-filters-ve7d54nwb2.pdf

H. A. Macleod

Papers

Thin-film optical filters

Thin-film optical filters