Showing papers in "Chinese Physics B in 2015"

Nature of the band gap of halide perovskites ABX 3 (A = CH 3 NH 3 , Cs; B = Sn, Pb; X = Cl, Br, I): First-principles calculations

Abstract: The electronic structures of cubic structure of ABX3(A=CH3NH3, Cs; B=Sn, Pb; X=Cl, Br, I) are analyzed by density functional theory using the Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof exchange–correlation functional and using the Heyd–Scuseria–Ernzerhof hybrid functional. The valence band maximum (VBM) is found to be made up by an antibonding hybridization of B s and X p states, whereas bands made up by the π antibonding of B p and X p states dominates the conduction band minimum (CBM). The changes of VBM, CBM, and band gap with ion B and X are then systematically summarized. The natural band offsets of ABX3 are partly given. We also found for all the ABX3 perovskite materials in this study, the bandgap increases with an increasing lattice parameter. This phenomenon has good consistency with the experimental results.

Characterization of ZnS nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation method

Abstract: ZnS nanoparticles are prepared by homogeneous chemical co-precipitation method using EDTA as a stabilizer and capping agent. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of as-synthesized nanoparticles are investigated using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The x-ray diffraction pattern exhibits a zinc-blended crystal structure at room temperature. The average particle size of the nanoparticles from the scanning electron microscopy image is about 50 nm. The ultraviolet absorption spectrum shows the blue shift in the band gap due to the quantum confinement effect. The photoluminescence spectrum of ZnS nanoparticles shows a blue visible spectrum.

Electronic structures and elastic properties of monolayer and bilayer transition metal dichalcogenides MX 2 (M = Mo, W; X = O, S, Se, Te): A comparative first-principles study

Abstract: First-principle calculations with different exchange-correlation functionals, including LDA, PBE, and vdW-DF functional in the form of optB88-vdW, have been performed to investigate the electronic and elastic properties of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with the formula of MX2(M = Mo, W; X = O, S, Se, Te) in both monolayer and bilayer structures. The calculated band structures show a direct band gap for monolayer TMDCs at the K point except for MoO2 and WO2. When the monolayers are stacked into a bilayer, the reduced indirect band gaps are found except for bilayer WTe2, in which the direct gap is still present at the K point. The calculated in-plane Young moduli are comparable to that of graphene, which promises possible application of TMDCs in future flexible and stretchable electronic devices. We also evaluated the performance of different functionals including LDA, PBE, and optB88-vdW in describing elastic moduli of TMDCs and found that LDA seems to be the most qualified method. Moreover, our calculations suggest that the Young moduli for bilayers are insensitive to stacking orders and the mechanical coupling between monolayers seems to be negligible.

What makes the T c of FeSe/SrTiO 3 so high?

Abstract: This paper reviews some of the recent progresses in the study of high temperature superconductivity in the interface between a single unit cell FeSe and SrTiO3. It offers the author's personal view of why Tc is high and how to further increase it.

Broadband perfect polarization conversion metasurfaces

Abstract: We propose a broadband perfect polarization conversion metasurface composed of copper sheet-backed asymmetric double spilt ring resonator (DSRR). The broadband perfect polarization convertibility results from metallic ground and multiple plasmon resonances of the DSRR. Physics of plasmon resonances are governed by the electric and magnetic resonances. Both the simulation and measured results show that the polarization conversion ratio (PCR) is higher than 99% for both x- and y-polarized normally incident EM waves and the fractional bandwidth is about 34.5%. The metasurface possesses the merits of high PCR and broad bandwidth, and thus has great application values in novel polarization-control devices.

Shannon information entropies for position-dependent mass Schrödinger problem with a hyperbolic well

Abstract: The Shannon information entropy for the Schrodinger equation with a nonuniform solitonic mass is evaluated for a hyperbolic-type potential. The number of nodes of the wave functions in the transformed space z are broken when recovered to original space x. The position Sx and momentum Sp information entropies for six low-lying states are calculated. We notice that the Sx decreases with the increasing mass barrier width a and becomes negative beyond a particular width a, while the Sp first increases with a and then decreases with it. The negative Sx exists for the probability densities that are highly localized. We find that the probability density ρ(x) for n = 1, 3, 5 are greater than 1 at position x = 0. Some interesting features of the information entropy densities ρs(x) and ρs(p) are demonstrated. The Bialynicki–Birula–Mycielski (BBM) inequality is also tested for these states and found to hold.

Understanding many-body physics in one dimension from the Lieb-Liniger model

Abstract: This article presents an elementary introduction on various aspects of the prototypical integrable model the Lieb-Liniger Bose gas ranging from the cooperative to the collective features of many-body phenomena. In 1963, Lieb and Liniger first solved this quantum field theory many-body problem using Bethe's hypothesis, i.e., a particular form of wave-function introduced by Bethe in solving the one-dimensional Heisenberg model in 1931. Despite the Lieb-Liniger model is arguably the simplest exactly solvable model, it exhibits rich quantum many-body physics in terms of the aspects of mathematical integrability and physical universality. Moreover, the Yang-Yang grand canonical ensemble description for the model provides us with a deep understanding of quantum statistics, thermodynamics, and quantum critical phenomena at the many-body physical level. Recently, such fundamental physics of this exactly solved model has been attracting growing interest in experiments. Since 2004, there have been more than 20 experimental papers that reported novel observations of different physical aspects of the Lieb-Liniger model in the laboratory. So far the observed results are in excellent agreement with results obtained using the analysis of this simplest exactly solved model. Those experimental observations reveal the unique beauty of integrability.

Formation of two-dimensional electron gas at AlGaN/GaN heterostructure and the derivation of its sheet density expression

Abstract: Models for calculating the sheet densities of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) induced by spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization in AlGaN/GaN, AlGaN/AlN/GaN, and GaN/AlGaN/GaN heterostructures are provided. The detailed derivation process of the expression of 2DEG sheet density is given. A longstanding confusion in a very widely cited formula is pointed out and its correct expression is analyzed in detail.

Energy dependence on the electric activities of a neuron

Abstract: A nonlinear circuit can be designed by using inductor, resistor, capacitor and other electric devices, and the electromagnetic field energy can be released from the circuit in the oscillating state. The generation of spikes or bursting states in neurons could be energetically a costly process. Based on the Helmholtz's theorem, a Hamilton energy function is defined to detect the energy shift induced by transition of electric modes in a Hindmarsh–Rose neuron. It is found that the energy storage is dependent on the external forcing, and energy release is associated with the electric mode. As a result, the bursting state and chaotic state could be helpful to release the energy in the neuron quickly.

Fractional-order systems without equilibria: The first example of hyperchaos and its application to synchronization

Abstract: A challenging topic in nonlinear dynamics concerns the study of fractional-order systems without equilibrium points. In particular, no paper has been published to date regarding the presence of hyperchaos in these systems. This paper aims to bridge the gap by introducing a new example of fractional-order hyperchaotic system without equilibrium points. The conducted analysis shows that hyperchaos exists in the proposed system when its order is as low as 3.84. Moreover, an interesting application of hyperchaotic synchronization to the considered fractional-order system is provided.

Onsager principle as a tool for approximation

Abstract: Onsager principle is the variational principle proposed by Onsager in his celebrated paper on the reciprocal relation. The principle has been shown to be useful in deriving many evolution equations in soft matter physics. Here the principle is shown to be useful in solving such equations approximately. Two examples are discussed: the diffusion dynamics and gel dynamics. Both examples show that the present method is novel and gives new results which capture the essential dynamics in the system.

A perturbation method to the tent map based on Lyapunov exponent and its application

Abstract: Perturbation imposed on a chaos system is an effective way to maintain its chaotic features. A novel parameter perturbation method for the tent map based on the Lyapunov exponent is proposed in this paper. The pseudo-random sequence generated by the tent map is sent to another chaos function — the Chebyshev map for the post processing. If the output value of the Chebyshev map falls into a certain range, it will be sent back to replace the parameter of the tent map. As a result, the parameter of the tent map keeps changing dynamically. The statistical analysis and experimental results prove that the disturbed tent map has a highly random distribution and achieves good cryptographic properties of a pseudo-random sequence. As a result, it weakens the phenomenon of strong correlation caused by the finite precision and effectively compensates for the digital chaos system dynamics degradation.

Dielectric and magnetic properties of (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles

Abstract: Polycrystalline samples of (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO2 nanoparticles were prepared using a co-precipitation method. The influence of (Zn, Co) co-doping on electrical, dielectric, and magnetic properties was studied. All of the (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO2 powder samples have the same tetragonal structure of SnO2. A decrease in the dielectric constant was observed with the increase of Co doping concentration. It was found that the dielectric constant and dielectric loss values decrease, while AC electrical conductivity increases with doping concentration and frequency. Magnetization measurements revealed that the Co doping SnO2 samples exhibits room temperature ferromagnetism. Our results illustrate that (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO2 nanoparticles have an excellent dielectric, magnetic properties, and high electrical conductivity than those reported previously, indicating that these (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO2 materials can be used in the field of the ultrahigh dielectric material, high frequency device, and spintronics.

Low field induced giant anisotropic magnetocaloric effect in DyFeO3 single crystal

Abstract: We have investigated the anisotropic magnetocaloric effect and the rotating field magnetic entropy in DyFeO3 single crystal. A giant rotating field entropy change of was achieved from b axis to c axis in bc plane at 5 K for a low field change of 20 kOe. The large anisotropic magnetic entropy change is mainly accounted for the 4f electron of rare-earth Dy3 + ion. The large value of rotating field entropy change, together with large refrigeration capacity and negligible hysteresis, suggests that the multiferroic ferrite DyFeO3 singlecrystal could be a potential material for anisotropic magnetic refrigeration at low field, which can be realized in the practical application around liquid helium temperature region.

Time fractional dual-phase-lag heat conduction equation

Abstract: We build a fractional dual-phase-lag model and the corresponding bioheat transfer equation, which we use to interpret the experiment results for processed meat that have been explained by applying the hyperbolic conduction. Analytical solutions expressed by H-functions are obtained by using the Laplace and Fourier transforms method. The inverse fractional dual-phase-lag heat conduction problem for the simultaneous estimation of two relaxation times and orders of fractionality is solved by applying the nonlinear least-square method. The estimated model parameters are given. Finally, the measured and the calculated temperatures versus time are compared and discussed. Some numerical examples are also given and discussed.

Recursion-transform approach to compute the resistance of a resistor network with an arbitrary boundary

Abstract: We consider a profound problem of two-point resistance in the resistor network with a null resistor edge and an arbitrary boundary, which has not been solved before because the Green's function technique and the Laplacian matrix approach are invalid in this case. Looking for the exact solutions of resistance is important but difficult in the case of the arbitrary boundary since the boundary is a wall or trap which affects the behavior of a finite network. In this paper, we give a general resistance formula that is composed of a single summation by using the recursion-transform method. Meanwhile, several interesting results are derived by the general formula. Further, the current distribution is given explicitly as a byproduct of the method.

Silicene spintronics — A concise review

Abstract: Spintronics involves the study of active control and manipulation of spin degrees of freedom in solid-state systems. The fascinating spin-resolved properties of graphene motivate numerous researchers to study spintronics in graphene and other two-dimensional (2D) materials. Silicene, the silicon analog of graphene, is considered to be a promising material for spintronics. Here, we present a review of theoretical advances with regard to spin-dependent properties, including the electric field- and exchange field-tunable topological properties of silicene and the corresponding spintronic device simulations.

Magnetocaloric effects in RTX intermetallic compounds (R=Gd-Tm, T=Fe-Cu and Pd, X=Al and Si)

Abstract: The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) of RTSi and RT Al systems with R = Gd–Tm, T = Fe–Cu and Pd, which have been widely investigated in recent years, is reviewed. It is found that these RTX compounds exhibit various crystal structures and magnetic properties, which then result in different MCE. Large MCE has been observed not only in the typical ferromagnetic materials but also in the antiferromagnetic materials. The magnetic properties have been studied in detail to discuss the physical mechanism of large MCE in RTX compounds. Particularly, some RTX compounds such as ErFeSi, HoCuSi, HoCuAl exhibit large reversible MCE under low magnetic field change, which suggests that these compounds could be promising materials for magnetic refrigeration in a low temperature range.

Progress in bulk GaN growth

Abstract: Three main technologies for bulk GaN growth, i.e., hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), Na-flux method, and ammonothermal method, are discussed. We report our recent work in HVPE growth of GaN substrate, including dislocation reduction, strain control, separation, and doping of GaN film. The growth mechanisms of GaN by Na-flux and ammonothermal methods are compared with those of HVPE. The mechanical behaviors of dislocation in bulk GaN are investigated through nano-indentation and high-space resolution surface photo-voltage spectroscopy. In the last part, the progress in growing some devices on GaN substrate by homo-epitaxy is introduced.

Exponential B-spline collocation method for numerical solution of the generalized regularized long wave equation

Abstract: The aim of the present paper is to present a numerical algorithm for the time-dependent generalized regularized long wave equation with boundary conditions. We semi-discretize the continuous problem by means of the Crank-Nicolson finite difference method in the temporal direction and exponential B-spline collocation method in the spatial direction. The method is shown to be unconditionally stable. It is shown that the method is convergent with an order of O(k 2 +h 2 ). Our scheme leads to a tri-diagonal nonlinear system. This new method has lower computational cost in comparison to the Sinc-collocation method. Finally, numerical examples demonstrate the stability and accuracy of this method. Nonlinear partial differential equations are useful in describing various phenomena in applied mathematics and physics. Analytical solutions of these equations are usually not available, especially when the nonlinear terms are in- volved. Since only limited classes of the equations are solved by analytical means, numerical solutions of these nonlinear partial differential equations are of practical importance (see Refs. (1)-(5)). Solitary waves are wave packets or pulses, which propagate in nonlinear dispersive media. Due to the dy- namical balance between the nonlinearity and the dispersive effects, these waves retain a stable waveform. A soliton is a very special type of a solitary wave, which propagates without any change of its shape and velocity properties after collisions with other solitons. The present work is concerned with the numerical solution of the regularized long wave (RLW) equa- tion, which was first derived by Peregrine to define undular bore development. (6) Since then, this equation has been used to model a large number of problems arising in various ar- eas of applied science. The RLW equation is an alternative description of nonlinear dispersive waves to the more usual Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation. It has been found to have solitary wave solutions and govern a large number of impor- tant physical phenomena such as nonlinear transverse waves in a shallow water, ion-acoustic, magneto-hydrodynamic waves in plasma and phonon packets in nonlinear crystals, anhar- monic lattices, longitudinal dispersive waves in elastic rods, pressure waves in liquid-gas bubble mixtures, rotating flow down a tube, the lossless propagation of shallow water waves, and thermally exited phonon packets in low-temperature and nonlinear crystals. (7-9) Indeed, the RLW equation is a special case of the generalized regularized long wave (GRLW) equa- tion, which is given by

New layered metal oxides as positive electrode materials for room-temperature sodium-ion batteries*

Abstract: In order to achieve better Na storage performance, most layered oxide positive electrode materials contain toxic and expensive transition metals Ni and/or Co, which are also widely used for lithium-ion batteries. Here we report a new quaternary layered oxide consisting of Cu, Fe, Mn, and Ti transition metals with O3-type oxygen stacking as a positive electrode for room-temperature sodium-ion batteries. The material can be simply prepared by a high-temperature solid-state reaction route and delivers a reversible capacity of 94 mAh/g with an average storage voltage of 3.2 V. This paves the way for cheaper and non-toxic batteries with high Na storage performance.

Singular and non-topological soliton solutions for nonlinear fractional differential equations

Abstract: In this article, the fractional derivatives are described in the modified Riemann–Liouville sense. We propose a new approach, namely an ansatz method, for solving fractional differential equations (FDEs) based on a fractional complex transform and apply it to solve nonlinear space–time fractional equations. As a result, the non-topological as well as the singular soliton solutions are obtained. This method can be suitable and more powerful for solving other kinds of nonlinear fractional FDEs arising in mathematical physics.

Status of GaN-based green light-emitting diodes

Abstract: GaN-based blue light emitting diodes (LEDs) have undergone great development in recent years, but the improvement of green LEDs is still in progress. Currently, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of GaN-based green LEDs is typically 30%, which is much lower than that of top-level blue LEDs. The current challenge with regard to GaN-based green LEDs is to grow a high quality InGaN quantum well (QW) with low strain. Many techniques of improving efficiency are discussed, such as inserting AlGaN between the QW and the barrier, employing prestrained layers beneath the QW and growing semipolar QW. The recent progress of GaN-based green LEDs on Si substrate is also reported: high efficiency, high power green LEDs on Si substrate with 45.2% IQE at 35 A/cm2, and the relevant techniques are detailed.

Surface modification of magnetic nanoparticles in biomedicine

Abstract: Progress in surface modification of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) is summarized with regard to organic molecules, macromolecules and inorganic materials. Many researchers are now devoted to synthesizing new types of multi-functional MNPs, which show great application potential in both diagnosis and treatment of disease. By employing an ever-greater variety of surface modification techniques, MNPs can satisfy more and more of the demands of medical practice in areas like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluorescent marking, cell targeting, and drug delivery.

Experimental verification of effect of horizontal inhomogeneity of evaporation duct on electromagnetic wave propagation

Abstract: The evaporation duct which forms above the ocean surface has a significant influence on electromagnetic wave propagation above 2 GHz over the ocean. The effects of horizontal inhomogeneity of evaporation duct on electromagnetic wave propagation are investigated, both in numerical simulation and experimental observation methods, in this paper. Firstly, the features of the horizontal inhomogeneity of the evaporation duct are discussed. Then, two typical inhomogeneous cases are simulated and compared with the homogeneous case. The result shows that path loss is significantly higher than that in the homogeneous case when the evaporation duct height (EDH) at the receiver is lower than that at the transmitter. It is also concluded that the horizontal inhomogeneity of the evaporation duct has a significant influence when the EDH is low or when the electromagnetic wave frequency is lower than 13 GHz. Finally, experimental data collected on a 149-km long propagation path in the South China Sea in 2013 are used to verify the conclusion. The experimental results are consistent with the simulation results. The horizontal inhomogeneity of evaporation duct should be considered when modeling electromagnetic wave propagation over the ocean.

Structural, elastic, and electronic properties of recently discovered ternary silicide superconductor Li 2 IrSi 3 : An ab-initio study

Abstract: The structural, elastic, and electronic properties of the very recently discovered ternary silicide superconductor, Li2IrSi3, are calculated using an ab-initio technique. We adopt the plane-wave pseudopotential approach within the framework of the first-principles density functional theory (DFT) implemented by the CASTEP code. The calculated structural parameters show reasonable agreement with the experimental results. The elastic moduli of this interesting material are calculated for the first time. The electronic band structure and electronic energy density of states indicate the strong covalent Ir–Si and Si–Si bonding, which leads to the formation of the rigid structure of Li2IrSi3. Strong covalency gives rise to a high Debye temperature in this system. We discuss the theoretical results in detail in this paper.

Cooperative adaptive bidirectional control of a train platoon for efficient utility and string stability

Abstract: This paper proposes cooperative adaptive control schemes for a train platoon to improve efficient utility and guarantee string stability. The control schemes are developed based on a bidirectional strategy, i.e., the information of proximal (preceding and following) trains is used in the controller design. Based on available proximal information (prox-info) of location, speed, and acceleration, a direct adaptive control is designed to maintain the tracking interval at the minimum safe distance. Based on available prox-info of location, an observer-based adaptive control is designed to achieve the same target, which alleviates the requirements of equipped sensors to measure prox-info of speed and acceleration. The developed schemes are capable of on-line estimating of the unknown system parameters and stabilizing the closed-loop system, the string stability of train platoon is guaranteed on the basis of Lyapunov stability theorem. Numerical simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control laws.

Prescribed performance synchronization for fractional-order chaotic systems*

Abstract: In this paper the synchronization for two different fractional-order chaotic systems, capable of guaranteeing synchronization error with prescribed performance, is investigated by means of the fractional-order control method. By prescribed performance synchronization we mean that the synchronization error converges to zero asymptotically, with convergence rate being no less than a certain prescribed function. A fractional-order synchronization controller and an adaptive fractional-order synchronization controller, which can guarantee the prescribed performance of the synchronization error, are proposed for fractional-order chaotic systems with and without disturbances, respectively. Finally, our simulation studies verify and clarify the proposed method.

Transient thermal analysis as measurement method for IC package structural integrity

Abstract: Practices of IC package reliability testing are reviewed briefly, and the application of transient thermal analysis is examined in great depth. For the design of light sources based on light emitting diode (LED) efficient and accurate reliability testing is required to realize the potential lifetimes of 105 h. Transient thermal analysis is a standard method to determine the transient thermal impedance of semiconductor devices, e.g. power electronics and LEDs. The temperature of the semiconductor junctions is assessed by time-resolved measurement of their forward voltage (Vf). The thermal path in the IC package is resolved by the transient technique in the time domain. This enables analyzing the structural integrity of the semiconductor package. However, to evaluate thermal resistance, one must also measure the dissipated energy of the device (i.e., the thermal load) and the k-factor. This is time consuming, and measurement errors reduce the accuracy. To overcome these limitations, an innovative approach, the relative thermal resistance method, was developed to reduce the measurement effort, increase accuracy and enable automatic data evaluation. This new way of evaluating data simplifies the thermal transient analysis by eliminating measurement of the k-factor and thermal load, i.e. measurement of the lumen flux for LEDs, by normalizing the transient Vf data. This is especially advantageous for reliability testing where changes in the thermal path, like cracks and delaminations, can be determined without measuring the k-factor and thermal load. Different failure modes can be separated in the time domain. The sensitivity of the method is demonstrated by its application to high-power white InGaN LEDs. For detailed analysis and identification of the failure mode of the LED packages, the transient signals are simulated by time-resolved finite element (FE) simulations. Using the new approach, the transient thermal analysis is enhanced to a powerful tool for reliability investigation of semiconductor packages in accelerated lifetime tests and for inline inspection. This enables automatic data analysis of the transient thermal data required for processing a large amount of data in production and reliability testing. Based on the method, the integrity of LED packages can be tested by inline, outgoing inspection and the lifetime prediction of the products is improved.

Effects of in-plane stiffness and charge transfer on thermal expansion of monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide*

Abstract: The temperature dependence of lattice constants is studied by using first-principles calculations to determine the effects of in-plane stiffness and charge transfer on the thermal expansions of monolayer semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides. Unlike the corresponding bulk material, our simulations show that monolayer MX2 (M = Mo and W; X = S, Se, and Te) exhibits a negative thermal expansion at low temperatures, induced by the bending modes. The transition from contraction to expansion at higher temperatures is observed. Interestingly, the thermal expansion can be tailored regularly by alteration of the M or X atom. Detailed analysis shows that the positive thermal expansion coefficient is determined mainly by the in-plane stiffness, which can be expressed by a simple relationship. Essentially the regularity of this change can be attributed to the difference in charge transfer between the different elements. These findings should be applicable to other two-dimensional systems.