RESUMEN

With the wide application of intense lasers, the protection of human eyes and detectors from laser damage is becoming more and more strict. In this paper, we study the nonlinear optical limiting (OL) properties of porous carbon with a super large specific surface area (2.9 × 103 m2/g) using the nanosecond Z-scan technique. Compared to the traditional OL material C60, the porous carbon material shows an excellent broadband limiting effect, and the limiting thresholds correspond to 0.11 J/cm2 for 532 nm and 0.25 J/cm2 for 1064 nm pulses, respectively. The nonlinear scattering experiments showed that the OL behavior was mainly attributed to the nonlinear scattering effect, which is caused by the rapid growth and expansion of bubbles in the dispersion induced by laser irradiation, and the scattered light distribution is consistent with the results of Mie's scattering. These results suggest that porous carbon materials are expected to be applied to the field of laser protection in the future to further protect the human eye and precision optical instruments.

RESUMEN

In recent years, boron nitride nanomaterials have attracted increasing attention due to their unique properties such as high temperature stability and high thermal conductivity. They are structurally analogous to carbon nanomaterials and can also be generated as zero-dimensional nanoparticles and fullerenes, one-dimensional nanotubes and nanoribbons, and two-dimensional nanosheets or platelets. In contrast to carbon-based nanomaterials, which have been extensively studied during recent years, the optical limiting properties of boron nitride nanomaterials have hardly been analysed so far. This work summarises a comprehensive study on the nonlinear optical response of dispersed boron nitride nanotubes, boron nitride nanoplatelets, and boron nitride nanoparticles using nanosecond laser pulses at 532 nm. Their optical limiting behaviour is characterised by means of nonlinear transmittance and scattered energy measurements and a beam profiling camera is used to analyse the beam characteristics of the transmitted laser radiation. Our results show that nonlinear scattering dominates the OL performance of all measured boron nitride nanomaterials. Boron nitride nanotubes show a large optical limiting effect, much stronger than the benchmark material, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, which makes them promising for laser protection applications.

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: An antibubble is an encapsulated gas bubble with an incompressible inclusion inside the gas phase. Current-generation ultrasound contrast agents are bubble-based: they contain encapsulated gas bubbles with no inclusions. The objective of this work is to determine the linear and nonlinear responses of an antibubble contrast agent in comparison to two bubble-based ultrasound contrast agents, that is, reference bubbles and SonoVue TM . METHODS: Side scatter and attenuation of the three contrast agents were measured, using single-element ultrasound transducers, operating at 1.0, 2.25, and 3.5 MHz. The scatter measurements were performed at acoustic pressures of 200 and 300 kPa for 1.0 MHz, 300 kPa, and 450 kPa for 2.25 MHz, and 370 and 560 kPa for 3.5 MHz. Attenuation measurements were conducted at pressures of 13, 55, and 50 kPa for 1.0, 2.25, and 3.5 MHz, respectively. In addition, a dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound measurement was performed, imaging the contrast agent flow through a vascular phantom with a commercial diagnostic linear array probe. RESULTS: Antibubbles generated equivalent or stronger harmonic signal, compared to bubble-based ultrasound contrast agents. The second harmonic side-scatter amplitude of the antibubble agent was up to 3 dB greater than that of reference bubble agent and up to 4 dB greater than that of SonoVue TM at the estimated concentration of 8 × 10 4 bubbles/mL. For ultrasound with a center transmit frequency of 1.0 MHz, the attenuation coefficient of the antibubble agent was 8.7 dB/cm, whereas the attenuation coefficient of the reference agent was 7.7 and 0.3 dB/cm for SonoVue TM . At 2.25 MHz, the attenuation coefficients were 9.7, 3.0, and 0.6 dB/cm, respectively. For 3.5 MHz, they were 4.4, 1.8, and 1.0 dB/cm, respectively. A dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound recording showed the nonlinear signal of the antibubble agent to be 31% greater than for reference bubbles and 23% lower than SonoVue TM at a high concentration of 2 × 10 6 bubbles/mL. CONCLUSION: Endoskeletal antibubbles generate comparable or greater higher harmonics than reference bubbles and SonoVue TM . As a result, antibubbles with liquid therapeutic agents inside the gas phase have high potential to become a traceable therapeutic agent.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Emerging contrast imaging studies have highlighted the potential of nanobubbles for both intravascular and extravascular applications. Reports to date on nanobubbles have generally utilized low frequencies (<12 MHz), high concentrations (>109 mL-1), and B-mode or contrast-mode on preclinical and clinical systems. However, none of these studies directly examined nanobubble acoustic signatures systematically to implement nonlinear imaging schemes in a methodical manner based on nanobubble behaviour. Here, nanobubble nonlinear behaviour is investigated at high frequencies (12.5, 25, 30 MHz) and low concentration (106 mL-1) in a channel phantom, with different pulse types in single- and multi-pulse sequences to examine behaviour under conditions relevant to high frequency imaging. Porphyrin nanobubbles are demonstrated to initiate nonlinear scattering at high frequencies in a pressure-threshold dependent manner, as previously observed at low frequencies. This threshold behaviour was then utilized to demonstrate enhanced nanobubble imaging with pulse inversion, amplitude modulation, and a combination of the two, progressing towards the improved sensitivity and expanded utility of these ultrasound contrast agents.

RESUMEN

Nonlinear nanoplasmonics is a largely unexplored research area that paves the way for many exciting applications, such as nanolasers, nanoantennas, and nanomodulators. In the field of nonlinear nanoplasmonics, it is highly desirable to characterize the nonlinearity of the optical absorption and scattering of single nanostructures. Currently, the common method to quantify optical nonlinearity is the z-scan technique, which yields real and imaginary parts of the permittivity by moving a thin sample with a laser beam. However, z-scan typically works with thin films, and thus acquires nonlinear responses from ensembles of nanostructures, not from single ones. In this work, we present an x-scan technique that is based on a confocal laser scanning microscope equipped with forward and backward detectors. The two-channel detection offers the simultaneous quantification for the nonlinear behavior of scattering, absorption and total attenuation by a single nanostructure. At low excitation intensities, both scattering and absorption responses are linear, thus confirming the linearity of the detection system. At high excitation intensities, we found that the nonlinear response can be derived directly from the point spread function of the x-scan images. Exceptionally large nonlinearities of both scattering and absorption are unraveled simultaneously for the first time. The present study not only provides a novel method for characterizing nonlinearity of a single nanostructure, but also reports surprisingly large plasmonic nonlinearities.

RESUMEN

Multicolor photoluminescence over the full visible color spectrum is critical in many modern science and techniques, such as full-color lighting, displays, biological and chemical monitoring, multiband communication, etc., but the ultimate white lasing especially on the nanoscale is still a challenge due to its exacting requirements in the balance of the gain and optical feedback at different wavelengths. Recently, 2D transition metal carbides (MXenes) have emerged, with some superior chemical, physical, and environmental properties distinguishing them from traditional 2D materials. Here, a white laser with V2 C MXene quantum dots (MQDs) is originally demonstrated by constructing a broadband nonlinear random scattering system with enhanced gain. The excitation-dependent photoluminescence of V2 C MQDs is enhanced by passivation and characterized, and their localized nonlinear random scattering is realized by the generation of excitation-power-dependent solvent bubbles. With the optimized excitation, the blue, green, yellow, and red light is amplified and simultaneously lased. This work not only provides a kind of promising material for white lasers, but also a design strategy of novel photonics for further applications.

RESUMEN

While past works have suggested that the Lorentz magnetic contribution to second harmonic generation from metal nanostructures is negligible as compared to other terms, here we demonstrate a dominant Lorentz contribution from T-shaped apertures in a gold film. The apertures are designed to have overlapping magnetic and electric near-field intensities at the plasmonic resonance. This gives 65% greater nonlinear generation from the Lorentz term than the sum of the other two terms. We demonstrate this effect experimentally by milling of nanoapertures of different size and orientation in a metal film and measuring their second harmonic generation. Good agreement is seen between the experiments and comprehensive calculations. In the development of highly efficient nonlinear metasurfaces, careful optimization of the Lorentz contribution should be considered in addition to all other contributions. Following the approach of this work, the Lorentz contribution may also be optimized for THz generation.

RESUMEN

Despite great efforts having been devoted to the design of multimodal imaging probe, almost all design principles of nanotheranostic agents subordinate to simple assemblies of building blocks, resulting in complex preparation process and discounted ability, that is, 1 + 1 < 2. In this report, a novel design strategy, marriage of structure design and composition design that can maximize imaging ability of each building block, ultimately achieving 1 + 1 ≥ 2, has been established. Moreover, a high-efficient ultrasound (US) & MR & CT trimodal contrast agent acts as model to instantiate this design strategy, wherein nanoparticles-induced nonlinear scattering and rattle-type structure-induced double scattering enhancing US imaging, and uniform distribution of Mn(2+) paramagentic centers and "core-satellite" structure of Au atoms favoring enhanced MR imaging and CT imaging, respectively have been validated, achieving optimization of structure design. Importantly, the selected components, silica, Au and MnO are endowed with excellent biocompatibility, displaying the marriage strategy of composition design with aforementioned structure optimization. In in vivo evaluations, such a biocompatible trimodal probe is demonstrated of excellent performance in intensifying CT, MR and US imaging in vivo, especially after positively charged modification by PEI promoting more probes retained in tumor. More importantly, as a universal design strategy, the involved principles in constructing such a US&MR&CT trimodal imaging probe promise great potentials in guiding designs of other materials-based multimodal imaging probe.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

In an HCl medium (pH 1.5), ligustrazine (2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, TMP) reacted with 12-tungstophosphoric acid (TP) to form a 3 : 1 ion-association complex. As a result, the intensities of resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS), second-order scattering (SOS) and frequency doubling scattering (FDS) were greatly enhanced and new scattering spectra appeared. The maximum RRS, SOS and FDS wavelengths of the ion-association complexes were located at 379, 738 and 395 nm, respectively. The scattering intensity increments (ΔIRRS , ΔISOS and ΔIFDS ) were directly proportional to the concentration of ligustrazine within certain ranges. The detection limits (3σ) of RRS, SOS and FDS were 1.6, 3.2 and 2.8 ng/mL. Optimal conditions for the RRS method and factors influencing the method were discussed, and the structure of the ion-association complex and the reaction mechanism were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to characterize the structures of the ion-association complex. Based on the ion-association reaction and its spectral response, a rapid, simple and sensitive RRS method for the determination of TMP was developed. It was applied to the determination of TMP in tablet and urine samples with satisfactory results.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

At pH 1.3-1.6, tungstate WO4(2-) , can be converted to hexatungstate W6 O19(2-) , which can react with positively charged polymyxin B sulfate (PMB) to result in enhancement of resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) and resonance non-linear scattering, including second order scattering and frequency doubling scattering. Linear relationships can be established between enhanced scattering intensity and PMB concentration. The detection limits (3σ) were 5.5 ng/mL (RRS), 10.1 ng/mL (second order scattering) and 34.6 ng/mL (frequency doubling scattering). The optimum reaction conditions, influencing factors and related analytical properties were tested. The interaction mechanism was investigated via absorption spectrum, circular dichroism spectra and atomic force microscopy imaging. The basis of scattering enhancement is discussed. PMB in eardrops, human serum and urine, were quantified satisfactorily by RRS.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: To develop a pencil beam dose calculation algorithm for scanned proton beams that improves modeling of scatter events. METHODS: Our pencil beam algorithm (PBA) was developed for calculating dose from monoenergetic, parallel proton beams in homogeneous media. Fermi-Eyges theory was implemented for pencil beam transport. Elastic and nonelastic scatter effects were each modeled as a Gaussian distribution, with root mean square (RMS) widths determined from theoretical calculations and a nonlinear fit to a Monte Carlo (MC) simulated 1mm × 1mm proton beam, respectively. The PBA was commissioned using MC simulations in a flat water phantom. Resulting PBA calculations were compared with results of other models reported in the literature on the basis of differences between PBA and MC calculations of 80-20% penumbral widths. Our model was further tested by comparing PBA and MC results for oblique beams (45 degree incidence) and surface irregularities (step heights of 1 and 4 cm) for energies of 50-250 MeV and field sizes of 4cm × 4cm and 10cm × 10cm. Agreement between PBA and MC distributions was quantified by computing the percentage of points within 2% dose difference or 1mm distance to agreement. RESULTS: Our PBA improved agreement between calculated and simulated penumbral widths by an order of magnitude compared with previously reported values. For comparisons of oblique beams and surface irregularities, agreement between PBA and MC distributions was better than 99%. CONCLUSIONS: Our algorithm showed improved accuracy over other models reported in the literature in predicting the overall shape of the lateral profile through the Bragg peak. This improvement was achieved by incorporating nonelastic scatter events into our PBA. The increased modeling accuracy of our PBA, incorporated into a treatment planning system, may improve the reliability of treatment planning calculations for patient treatments. This research was supported by contract W81XWH-10-1-0005 awarded by The U.S. Army Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick, MD 21702-5014. This report does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Government, and no official endorsement should be inferred.