Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

About: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a other organization based out in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Microstructure. The organization has 5817 authors who have published 9157 publications receiving 292559 citations. The organization is also known as: Wright-Patterson AFB & FFO.

Optical Tuning of the Reflection of Cholesterics Doped with Azobenzene Liquid Crystals

Abstract: Mixtures of cholesteric liquid crystals doped with high clearing temperature azobenzene nematic liquid crystals are shown to possess large, fast, and reversible dynamic photosensitive features. Selective wavelength shifts approaching 400 nm are reported, and depending on the host cholesteric liquid crystal, both red-shifted and blue-shifted wavelength changes can be induced. The photoinduced states of these material systems are shown to be stable for long periods of time upon removal of the radiation source, completely reversible, and dynamically fast. These phototunable features are demonstrated using both continuous wave (CW) and nanosecond laser beams. The latter is used to change the selective reflection wavelength from blue to green with a single nanosecond pulse and the ability to write information into these films using these processes are demonstrated.

Unsteady vortex structure over a delta wing

Abstract: The structure of the shear layer which emanates from the leading edge of a 76-deg sweep delta wing and forms the primary vortex is investigated numerically. The flow conditions are Mv_ = 0.2, Re = 50,000 and angle of attack of 20.5 deg. Computational results are obtained using a Beam-Warming-t ype algorithm. The existence of a Kelvin-Helmholtz-type instability of the shear layer which emanates from the leading edge of the delta wing is demonstrated. A description is provided of the three-dimensional, unsteady behavior of the smallscale vortices associated with this instability. The numerical results are compared qualitatively with experimental flow visualizations exhibiting a similar behavior.

Game theory approach for the integrated design of structures and controls

Abstract: The problem of design of actively controlled structures subject to constraints on the damping parameters of the closed-loop system is formulated as a multiobjeetive optimization problem. The structural weight and the controlled system energy are considered as objective functions for minimization with cross-sectional areas of members as design variables. A computational procedure is developed for solving the multiobjeetive optimization problem using cooperative game theory. The feasibility of the procedure is demonstrated through the design of two truss structures.

Polymeric Nanolayers as Actuators for Ultrasensitive Thermal Bimorphs

Abstract: Polymeric nanolayers are introduced here as active, thermal-stress mediating structures facilitating extremely sensitive thermal detection based upon the thermomechanical response of a bimaterial polymer-silicon microcantilever. To maximize the bimaterial bending effect, the microcantilever bimorph is composed of stiff polysilicon, with a strongly adhered polymer deposited via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The polymer layers with thickness ranging from 20 to 200 nm possess a rapid and pronounced response to temperature fluctuations due to intrinsic sensitive thermal behavior. We show that by taking advantage of the thermal stresses generated by the huge mismatch of material properties in the polymer-silicon bimorph, unprecedented thermal sensitivities can be achieved. In fact, the temperature resolution of our bimaterial microcantilevers approaches 0.2 mK with thermal sensitivity reaching 2 nm/mK; both parameters are more than an order of magnitude better than the current metal-ceramic design. This new hybrid platform overcomes the inherently limited sensitivity of current sensor designs and provides the basis to develop the ultimate uncooled IR microsensor with unsurpassable sensitivity.