Chun-Xiao Liu

Super-elastic graphene/carbon nanotube aerogels and their application as a strain-gauge sensor

A synergistic assembly strategy was developed to fabricate super-elastic all-carbon aerogels by integrating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into three-dimensional graphene. The CNTs in the aerogels prevented the sliding between the graphene sheets and enhanced the stiffness of cell walls, which provided the aerogels with super-elasticity. Mechanical tests showed that the graphene/CNT aerogels could fully recover without fracture even after 90% compression. The potential application of the sensing compressive strain for the aerogels was also demonstrated. The electrical resistance response of the aerogels was highly constant to the multiple cycles of compression. The strain-gauge sensitivity of graphene/CNT aerogels could be tuned to considerably different values by controlling the aerogel density. Upon applying a strain of 30% and 60% to the graphene/CNT aerogel with a density of 37.8 mg cm−3, its strain-gauge sensitivities (gauge factor) reached 230% and 125%, respectively, which were superior to most of carbon-based compressible conductors.

Fabrication and characterization of carbon/oxygen-implanted waveguides in Nd3+-doped phosphate glasses

Abstract. Optical planar waveguides in Nd3+-doped phosphate glasses are fabricated by a 6.0-MeV carbon ion implantation with a dose of 6.0×1014 ions/cm2 and a 6.0-MeV oxygen ion implantation at a fluence of 6.0×1014 ions/cm2, respectively. The guided modes and the corresponding effective refractive indices were measured by a modal 2010 prism coupler. The refractive index profiles of the waveguides were analyzed based on the stopping and range of ions in matter and the RCM reflectivity calculation method. The near-field light intensity distributions were measured and simulated by an end-face coupling method and a finite-difference beam propagation method, respectively. The comparison of optical properties between the carbon-implanted waveguide and the oxygen-implanted waveguide was carried out. The microluminescence and Raman spectroscopy investigations reveal that fluorescent properties of Nd3+ ions and glass microstructure are well preserved in the waveguide region, which suggests that the carbon/oxygen-implanted waveguide is a good candidate for integrated photonic devices.

Spin-flip reflection at the normal metal-spin superconductor interface

We study spin transport through a normal metal-spin superconductor junction. A spin-flip reflection is demonstrated at the interface, where a spin-up electron incident from the normal metal can be reflected as a spin-down electron and the spin

Optical waveguides fabricated by nitrogen ion implantation in fused silica

2\times \hbar/2

Planar waveguides in neodymium-doped calcium niobium gallium garnet crystals produced by proton implantation

will be injected into the spin superconductor. When the (spin) voltage is smaller than the gap of the spin superconductor, the spin-flip reflection determines the transport properties of the junction. We consider both graphene-based (linear-dispersion-relation) and quadratic-dispersion-relation normal metal-spin superconductor junctions in detail. For the two-dimensional graphene-based junction, the spin-flip reflected electron can be along the specular direction (retro-direction) when the incident and reflected electron locates in the same band (different bands). A perfect spin-flip reflection can occur when the incident electron is normal to the interface, and the reflection coefficient is slightly suppressed for the oblique incident case. As a comparison, for the one-dimensional quadratic-dispersion-relation junction, the spin-flip reflection coefficient can reach 1 at certain incident energies. In addition, both the charge current and the spin current under a charge (spin) voltage are studied. The spin conductance is proportional to the spin-flip reflection coefficient when the spin voltage is less than the gap of the spin superconductor. These results will help us get a better understanding of spin transport through the normal metal-spin superconductor junction.

Optical waveguides in Er3+/Yb3+-codoped silicate glasses fabricated by proton implantation

Abstract. We report on the fabrication of waveguides in fused silica using 4.5-MeV nitrogen ion implantation with a fluence of 5.0×1014  ions/cm2. The prism-coupling method was employed to measure the effective refractive indices of guiding modes at the wavelengths of 632.8 and 1539 nm. The effective refractive indices of the first few modes were higher than that of the substrate. The refractive index profiles at 632.8 and 1539 nm were reconstructed by the reflectivity calculation method. Positive index changes were induced in the waveguide layers. The end-face coupling method was used to measure the near-field light intensity distributions at the wavelength of 632.8 nm and the finite-difference beam propagation method was applied to simulate the guided mode profile at the wavelength of 1539 nm. The waveguide structures emerge as candidates for integrated photonic devices.

Carbon-implanted monomode waveguides in magneto-optical glasses for waveguide isolators

In this work, the fabrication and optical properties of a planar waveguide in a neodymium-doped calcium niobium gallium garnet (Nd:CNGG) crystal are reported. The waveguide is produced by proton (H+) implantation at 480 keV and a fluence of 1.0 x 10(17) ions/cm(2). The prism-coupling measurement is performed to obtain the dark mode of the waveguide at a wavelength of 632.8 nm. The reflectivity calculation method (RCM) is used to reconstruct the refractive index profile. The finite- difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM) is employed to calculate the guided mode profile of the waveguide. The stopping and range of ions in matter 2010 (SRIM 2010) code is used to simulate the damage profile induced by the ion implantation. The experimental and theoretical results indicate that the waveguide can confine the light propagation.

Proton-implanted optical waveguides fabricated in Er3+-doped phosphate glasses

In this work, a planar waveguide was fabricated by proton implantation in Er3+/Yb3+-codoped silicate glasses with energies of (500 + 550) keV and fluences of (1 + 2) x 10(16) ions/cm(2). The end-face coupling method was employed to determine whether the light could be confined in the waveguide or not. The prism coupling technique was applied to measure the guided mode spectrum and the intensity calculation method was used to construct the refractive index profile. With the profile, a near-field intensity distribution was calculated by the finite difference beam propagation method. The obtained results may be helpful in developing integrated optical devices