Yue Wang

Low-threshold organic laser based on an oligofluorene truxene with low optical losses

A blue-emitting distributed feedback laser based on a star-shaped oligofluorene truxene molecule is presented. The gain, loss, refractive index, and (lack of) anisotropy are measured by amplified spontaneous emission and variable-angle ellipsometry. The waveguide losses are very low for an organic semiconductor gain medium, particularly for a neat film. The results suggest that truxenes are promising for reducing loss, a key parameter in the operation of organic semiconductor lasers. Distributed feedback lasers fabricated from solution by spin-coating show a low lasing threshold of 270u2002W/cm2 and broad tunability across 25 nm in the blue part of the spectrum.

Nanoimprinted Organic Semiconductor Laser Pumped by a Light‐Emitting Diode

An organic semiconductor laser, simply fabricated by UV-nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL), that is pumped with a pulsed InGaN LED is demonstrated. Molecular weight optimization of the polymer gain medium on a nanoimprinted polymer distributed feedback resonator enables the lowest reported UV-NIL laser threshold density of 770 W cm(-2) , establishing the potential for scalable organic laser fabrication compatible with mass-produced LEDs.

Laser chemosensor with rapid responsivity and inherent memory based on a polymer of intrinsic microporosity

This work explores the use of a polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) as the active layer within a laser sensor to detect nitroaromatic-based explosive vapors. We show successful detection of dinitrobenzene (DNB) by monitoring the real-time photoluminescence. We also show that PIM-1 has an inherent memory, so that it accumulates the analyte during exposure. In addition, the optical gain and refractive index of the polymer were studied by amplified spontaneous emission and variable-angle ellipsometry, respectively. A second-order distributed feedback PIM-1 laser sensor was fabricated and found to show an increase in laser threshold of 2.5 times and a reduction of the laser slope efficiency by 4.4 times after a 5-min exposure to the DNB vapor. For pumping at 2 times threshold, the lasing action was stopped within 30 s indicating that PIM-1 has a very fast responsivity and as such has a potential sensing ability for ultra-low-concentration explosives.

LED pumped polymer laser sensor for explosives

A very compact explosive vapor sensor is demonstrated based on a distributed feedback polymer laser pumped by a commercial InGaN light-emitting diode. The laser shows a two-stage turn on of the laser emission, for pulsed drive currents above 15.7 A. The ‘double-threshold’ phenomenon is attributed to the slow rise of the ∼30 ns duration LED pump pulses. The laser emits a 533 nm pulsed output beam of ∼10 ns duration perpendicular to the polymer film. When exposed to nitroaromatic model explosive vapors at ∼8 ppb concentration, the laser shows a 46% change in the surface-emitted output under optimized LED excitation.

Nanoimprinted polymer lasers with threshold below 100 W/cm2 using mixed-order distributed feedback resonators

Organic semiconductor lasers were fabricated by UV-nanoimprint lithography with thresholds as low as 57 W/cm(2) under 4 ns pulsed operation. The nanoimprinted lasers employed mixed-order distributed feedback resonators, with second-order gratings surrounded by first-order gratings, combined with a light-emitting conjugated polymer. They were pumped by InGaN LEDs to produce green-emitting lasers, with thresholds of 208 W/cm(2) (102 nJ/pulse). These hybrid lasers incorporate a scalable UV-nanoimprint lithography process, compatible with high-performance LEDs, therefore we have demonstrated a coherent, compact, low-cost light source.

Ultra-portable explosives sensor based on a CMOS fluorescence lifetime analysis micro-system

This work explores the use of a green-light-emitting copolymer as a chemosensor to detect nitroaromatic-based explosive vapors by recording photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL decay. We show successful detection of 10 ppb 1,4-dinitrobenzene (DNB) vapor. Both a conventional time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) device and CMOS time-resolved fluorescence lifetime micro-system are used in the DNB detection. An ultra-portable on-site explosive sensor based on the micro-system has also been demonstrated. This gives rise to the potential for real-time, reliable, inexpensive organic/inorganic hybrid explosives detection.

Investigation of the potential for electric vehicles to support the domestic peak load

Electric vehicles (EVs) have been widely deployed in recent years due to their environmental benefits. With maturing battery technology, EVs could act as mobile power sources and hence improve power quality through controlled bidirectional interaction with the power system. This paper explores the possibility of using privately owned EVs to support the grid during the time of weekday domestic peak load based on a proposed charging and discharging rule. In particular, the impact of workplace charging on the potential of grid support capability is investigated for different EVs penetration levels. A time-inhomogeneous Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) model is employed here to simulate the driving patterns based on the UK 2000 Time Use Survey (TUS) data, where four EV states are considered including `driving, `parking at home, `parking at workplace and `parking at other places. According to the proposed rule, the charging and discharging profiles that are generated from the MCMC model are then fed to a single-feeder low voltage (LV) UK distribution network model with 42 households to investigate the impact of the grid supporting function of EVs on key system performance measures.

Explosive Sensing Using Polymer Lasers

Conjugated polymers are attractive materials that have been used to make a wide range of optoelectronic devices. Recently they have been used as explosive sensors as there is currently an urgent need for high sensitivity explosive detection due to the increased security issues across the world. This review outlines the attractive properties of organic polymers as gain media in lasers, and then focuses on the use of such lasers for explosive sensing applications. The combined advantages of fluorescent polymers and lasing promise explosive sensors with strongly enhanced sensitivity.

Conjugated polymer sensors for explosive vapor detection

Explosive sensing is a promising, emerging application for conjugated polymers. One exciting potential area of application is to clear landmines left after military actions. In this work, we demonstrate three ways to detect 10 partsper- billion of the model explosive, 1,4-dinitrobenzene (DNB): by monitoring fluorescence intensity, by measuring fluorescence lifetime, and by distributed-feedback (DFB) laser emission. A quenching of the fluorescence is observed upon DNB exposure. The reversibility of the quenching process has been demonstrated by purging with nitrogen.

Smart charging for electric vehicles to minimize charging cost

This paper assumes a smart grid framework where the driving patterns for electric vehicles are known, time variations in electricity prices are communicated to householders, and data on voltage variation throughout the distribution system are available. Based on this information, an aggregator with access to this data can be employed to minimise electric vehicles charging costs to the owner whilst maintaining acceptable distribution system voltages. In this study, electric vehicle charging is assumed to take place only in the home. A single-phase Low Voltage (LV) distribution network is investigated where the local electric vehicles penetration level is assumed to be 100%. Electric vehicle use patterns have been extracted from the UK Time of Use Survey data with a 10-min resolution and the domestic base load is generated from an existing public domain model. Apart from the so-called real time price signal, which is derived from the electricity system wholesale price, the cost of battery degradation is also considered in the optimal scheduling of electric vehicles charging. A simple and effective heuristic method is proposed to minimise the electric vehicles’ charging cost whilst satisfying the requirement of state of charge for the electric vehicles’ battery. A simulation in OpenDSS over a period of 24u2009h has been implemented, taking care of the network constraints for voltage level at the customer connection points. The optimisation results are compared with those obtained using dynamic optimal power flow.