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GENERAL

Measurement of low-frequency electric field waveform by Rydberg atom-based sensor
Zhang Xue-Chao, Qiao Jia-Hui, Liu Yao, Su Nan, Liu Zhi-Hui, Cai Ting, He Jun, Zhao Yan-Ting, Wang Jun-Min
2024, 73 (7): 070201. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20231778
Abstract +
The high polarizability of Rydberg atoms enables the multi-parameters measurement of electromagnetic fields. In this paper, we report on an atomic antenna based on Rydberg atoms in a room temperature vapor cell. The EIT is a destructive interference spectroscopy with a narrow linewidth and can be used to detect small electric fields through Autler-Townes splitting or Stark shifts. In our experiments, we employ cascade-type two-photon excitation electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) spectroscopy to measure the shift of the Rydberg energy level. We introduce a low-frequency electric field (~kHz frequency) using a built-in electrode technique in the cesium cell. The interaction between the Rydberg atom and electric field induces the Stark shifts, where the amplitude of the electric field is converted into corresponding two-photon detuning by the EIT effect. Furthermore, the amplitude of the low-frequency electric field is converted into an intensity signal of EIT probe beam. Under weak field conditions, it is an approximate linear relationship between EIT transmission signal and input electric field amplitude, enabling measurement of waveform, amplitude, and frequency. We have demonstrated optical measurements of low-frequency electric field using Rydberg atoms. By increasing the power of probe beam and coupling beam, the EIT can increase the response bandwidth from ~MHz to hundreds of MHz. This provides a scalable approach for measuring high-frequency electric fields.

The 90th Anniversary of Acta Physica Sinica

Topological order and fractionalized excitations in quantum many-body systems
Gu Zhao-Long, Li Jian-Xin
2024, 73 (7): 070301. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20240222
Abstract +
The Landau Fermi liquid theory and the Ginzburg-Landau phase transition theory stand as two pivotal cornerstones in traditional condensed matter physics, achieving significant success in addressing crucial physical phenomena such as BCS superconductors and liquid helium superfluids. However, marked by the discoveries of the quantum Hall effect and high-temperature superconductivity in the 1980s, it gradually became evident that for a broad class of novel quantum states, such as fractional quantum Hall states and quantum spin liquids, their properties transcend the Landau Fermi liquid theory and Ginzburg-Landau phase transition theory. Topological order and its related concepts of long-range many-body quantum entanglement and fractionalized excitation have become the key concepts to understand these exotic quantum states. Designing and identifying topologically ordered states of matter in quantum materials and quantum simulation systems, and probing and manipulating their fractionalized excitations, are important research directions in modern condensed matter physics. In recent years, great progress has been made in the quantum simulation and manipulation of topological order on highly controllable quantum simulation platforms, such as Rydberg atomic systems, superconducting quantum processors, and two-dimensional moiré superlattices. This article provides a brief overview of recent research advances and challenges in the study of topological order in traditional condensed matter systems and quantum simulation experimental platforms. It also provides prospects for the future developments of this field.

SPECIAL TOPIC—Heat conduction and its related interdisciplinary areas

Stress-thermal aging properties of silicone rubber used for cable accessories and electric-thermal-stress multiple fields coupling simulation
Li Guo-Chang, Guo Kong-Ying, Zhang Jia-Hao, Sun Wei-Xin, Zhu Yuan-Wei, Li Sheng-Tao, Wei Yan-Hui
2024, 73 (7): 070701. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20231869
Abstract +
During the long-term operation of a cable, the electrical field, high temperature, and interface stress may age or deteriorate the silicon rubber (SIR) insulation of the cable accessories, affecting the combined electrical-thermal-force performance of the accessories, and easily causing discharge faults. In this work, the electrical-thermal-force properties of silicone rubber for cable accessories under thermal aging and combined force-thermal aging are studied experimentally and numerically. The changes and mechanisms of physical and chemical properties, electrical properties, thermal properties and mechanical properties of silicone rubber are tested and compared before and after aging. The changes of electric, thermal and force field of cable accessories, caused by the change of SIR material parameters under different aging time and aging form, are further simulated. The experimental results show that the crosslinking degree and molecular motion system of SIR will change with the deepening of the aging degree, which will change the electrical-thermal-force properties of the material to different degree. After aging, large agglomeration protrudes and small cavities appear in SIR section, and the damage is more serious under force-thermal aging. The relative dielectric constant first decreases and then increases with the aging time increasing. The volume resistivity, breakdown strength and flashover voltage all first increase and then decrease. The thermal conductivity first increases and then decreases with aging time increasing. In addition, with the increase of aging time, the tensile strength and elongation at break decrease gradually. Considering the change of properties after aging, the destruction of SIR material by force-thermal aging is more serious. The simulation results show that under the two aging modes, the maximum electric field strength at the stress cone root of the cable accessories first increases and then decreases with the increase of time. The electric field strength at the stress cone root of the cable accessories, caused by the force-thermal aging, changes little, maintaining about 2.2 kV/mm. The difference in temperature between the inside and the outside of the insulation layer is obvious under different aging degree, and the temperature difference shows a first decreasing and then increasing trend under both aging modes, and the maximum temperature gradient is 9.15 ℃. The interface stress at the stress cone root decreases from 0.263 to 0.230 MPa, which is about 12.5% lower. This work has guiding significance in evaluating the insulation performance and analyzing the fault of distribution cable accessories.

SPECIAL TOPIC—Heat conduction and its related interdisciplinary areas

Dielectric materials for high-performance triboelectric nanogenerators
Deng Hao-Cheng, Li Yi, Tian Shuang-Shuang, Zhang Xiao-Xing, Xiao Song
2024, 73 (7): 070702. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20240150
Abstract +
Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), as a micro-nano power source or self-powered sensor, has shown great prospects in various industries in recent years. The TENG output performance is closely related to the contact electrification characteristics of the triboelectric dielectric material. Herein, we first introduce the relevant fundamental theory and models of TENG and tribo-dielectrics. Then, we introduce the material selection, modification method (including surface modification and bulk modification) and structural design strategy of TENG dielectric material. Surface and bulk modification mainly involve surface roughness control, surface functional group regulation, and optimization of dielectric parameters. In terms of dielectric structural design, the principle of charge transport, trapping, and blocking layers as well as typical techniques to improve the dielectric properties of TENGs through multi-layer structures are highlighted. Finally, challenges and directions for future research are discussed, which is conducive to the fabricating of high-performance TENG dielectric materials.

GENERAL

Low-loss weak-coupling 6-mode hollow-core negative curvature fiber based on symmetric double-ring nested tube
Hui Zhan-Qiang, Liu Rui-Hua, Gao Li-Ming, Han Dong-Dong, Li Tian-Tian, Gong Jia-Min
2024, 73 (7): 070703. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20231785
Abstract +
Few-mode optical fibers have played an increasingly important role in breaking through the transmission capacity limitations of single-mode optical fiber and alleviating the bandwidth crisis in optic fiber communication systems in recent years. Nevertheless, traditional solid core few-mode optical fibers usually suffer optical fiber nonlinearity and mode coupling, leading to mode crosstalk between channels. Hollow core negative curvature fibers (HC-NCF) have attracted widespread attention due to their advantages, such as low latency, low nonlinearity, low dispersion, low transmission loss, and large operating bandwidth. In this work, a novel low-loss few-mode HC-NCF with symmetrically double ring nested tube structure is designed, which supports six core modes including LP01, LP11, LP21, LP02, LP31a, and LP31b. The designed optical fiber is based on silica dioxide substrate and adopts a unique symmetrical double ring nested cladding structure, which can effectively suppress the coupling between the core mode and the cladding mode. The finite element method (FDE) is used to numerically analyze the properties of the proposed few-mode HC-NCF and optimize the structural parameters of the few-mode HC-NCF. Moreover, the confinement loss and bending loss of all core modes are investigated. The simulation results show that the proposed few-mode HC-NCF can support the independent transmission of six weakly coupled core modes (with the effective refractive index difference greater than 1×10–4 between the adjacent core modes, which greatly avoids the coupling between the adjacent modes in the fiber core). In the 400 nm bandwidth (1.23–1.63 μm, covering the O, E, S, C, and L bands), all six modes in the fiber core maintain low loss transmission. Moreover, in the range of 1.3–1.63 μm, the confinement loss (CL) of LP01, LP11 and LP21 mode are all less than 1×10–3 dB/m, and the CL of LP02 and LP31b mode are both less than 3×10–3 dB/m. The CL of each mode reaches the lowest value at 1.4 μm, and the LP01 mode has the lowest CL of 4.3×10–7 dB/m. In addition, for a bending radius of 7 cm, each mode maintains the low bending loss characteristic in a certain operating wavelength range. In the range of 1.23–1.61 μm, the BL of LP01 is less than 4.5×10–4 dB/m, and the BL of LP11 is less than 1.3×10–3 dB/m. The tolerance analysis shows that even with the deviation of structural parameters of ±1%, the few-mode HC-NCF can still maintain the characteristic of low-loss and weak coupling. The designed few-mode HC-NCF has ultra-low CL and bending-insensitive characteristics while supporting independent transmission of six modes, which will find huge potential applications in future high performance mode division multiplexing systems.

NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Neutron capture reaction cross-section data processing and resonance parameter analysis of 197Au based on white light neutron source
Luo Hao-Tian, Zhang Qi-Wei, Luan Guang-Yuan, Wang Xiao-Yu, Zou Chong, Ren Jie, Ruan Xi-Chao, He Guo-Zhu, Bao Jie, Sun Qi, Huang Han-Xiong, Wang Zhao-Hui, Wu Hong-Yi, Gu Min-Hao, Yu Tao, Xie Li-Kun, Chen Yong-Hao, An Qi, Bai Huai-Yong, Bao Yu, Cao Ping, Chen Hao-Lei, Chen Qi-Ping, Chen Yu-Kai, Chen Zhen, Cui Zeng-Qi, Fan Rui-Rui, Feng Chang-Qing, Gao Ke-Qing, Han Chang-Cai, Han Zi-Jie, He Yong-Cheng, Hong Yang, Huang Wei-Ling, Huang Xi-Ru, Ji Xiao-Lu, Ji Xu-Yang, Jiang Wei, Jiang Hao-Yu, Jiang Zhi-Jie, Jing Han-Tao, Kang Ling, Kang Ming-Tao, Li Bo, Li Chao, Li Jia-Wen, Li Lun, Li Qiang, Li Xiao, Li Yang, Liu Rong, Liu Shu-Bin, Liu Xing-Yan, Mu Qi-Li, Ning Chang-Jun, Qi Bin-Bin, Ren Zhi-Zhou, Song Ying-Peng, Song Zhao-Hui, Sun Hong, Sun Kang, Sun Xiao-Yang, Sun Zhi-Jia, Tan Zhi-Xin, Tang Hong-Qing, Tang Jing-Yu, Tang Xin-Yi, Tian Bin-Bin, Wang Li-Jiao, Wang Peng-Cheng, Wang Qi, Wang Tao-Feng, Wen Jie, Wen Zhong-Wei, Wu Qing-Biao, Wu Xiao-Guang, Wu Xuan, Yang Yi-Wei, Yi Han, Yu Li, Yu Yong-Ji, Zhang Guo-Hui, Zha
2024, 73 (7): 072801. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20231957
Abstract +
Neutron capture reaction is one of the neutron reactions and plays an important role in using reactor control rods and shell materials, designing nuclear device structures, and studying nuclear astrophysics S processes and element origins. The 4π BaF2 detection device has advantages such as high time resolution, low neutron sensitivity, and high detection efficiency, thus making it suitable for measuring neutron radiation capture reaction cross-section data. In order to fill the gap in our neutron capture reaction data in the keV energy range and improve their accuracy, the Key Laboratory of Nuclear Data at the Chinese Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) has established a Gamma Total Absorption Facility (GTAF), which consists of 28 hexagonal BaF2 crystals and 12 pentagonal BaF2 crystals to form a spherical shell with an external diameter of 25 cm and an internal diameter of 10 cm, covering 95.2% of the solid angles. The Back-n beam line of the Chinese Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is a back-streaming white beam line that covers neutron energy ranging from a few eV to several hundred MeV, making it suitable for measuring neutron capture cross-sections. The reaction cross-section data of 197Au is measured by using GTAF on the Back-n beam line. The measurement data are preliminarily background deducted through energy screening, PSD method, and crystal multiplicity screening. Subsequently, the background is analyzed and deducted based on the measurement data of natC and empty samples, and the yield of 197Au capture reaction is obtained. Resonance parameters are a set of parameters extracted from experimental data to describe the resonance curve, which can eliminate the influence of experimental conditions on resonance data and are more important than the cross-section obtained from experiments. The resonance energy, neutron resonance width, and gamma resonance width parameters of 197Au at 1–100 eV are fitted by using the SAMMY program. From the comparison between the resonance curves obtained from experimental measurements and the resonance parameters obtained from fitting with the ENDF/B-VIII.0 database, it can follow that the experimental measurement results are in good agreement with the database, nevertheless, there exist some differences in the resonance parameter, which may be due to the GTAF energy resolution, Back-n neutron spectrum measurement accuracy, and the experimental background deduction method. Our next work is to identify the sources of difference.

NUCLEAR PHYSICS

An efficient calculation method for particle transport problems based on neural network
Ma Rui-Yao, Wang Xin, Li Shu, Yong Heng, Shangguan Dan-Hua
2024, 73 (7): 072802. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20231661
Abstract +
Monte Carlo (MC) method is a powerful tool for solving particle transport problems. However, it is extremely time-consuming to obtain results that meet the specified statistical error requirements, especially for large-scale refined models. This paper focuses on improving the computational efficiency of neutron transport simulations. Specifically, this study presents a novel method of efficiently calculating neutron fixed source problems, which has many applications. This type of particle transport problem aims at obtaining a fixed target tally corresponding to different source distributions for fixed geometry and material. First, an efficient simulation is achieved by treating the source distribution as the input to a neural network, with the estimated target tally as the output. This neural network is trained with data from MC simulations of diverse source distributions, ensuring its reusability. Second, since the data acquisition is time consuming, the importance principle of MC method is utilized to efficiently generate training data. This method has been tested on several benchmark models. The relative errors resulting from neural networks are less than 5% and the times needed to obtain these results are negligible compared with those for original Monte Carlo simulations. In conclusion, in this work we propose a method to train neural networks, with MC simulation results containing importance data and we also use this network to accelerate the computation of neutron fixed source problems.

NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Spectral analysis techniques in measuring neutron-induced gamma production cross-section
Xiao Shi-Liang, Wang Zhao-Hui, Wu Hong-Yi, Chen Xiong-Jun, Sun Qi, Tan Bo-Yu, Wang Hao, Qi Fu-Gang
2024, 73 (7): 072901. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20231980
Abstract +
In neutron reaction cross-section measurements, the prompt gamma ray method is a method of obtaining cross-section data by measuring the characteristic gamma rays emitted by a nuclear reaction, thereby avoiding the interference generated by competing reaction channels. However, the prompt gamma ray method is an on-line experiment with abundant background sources, high background counts of the obtained experimental spectra, and numerous interferences such as weak peaks, overlapping peaks, Compton scattering peaks, and neutron effect peaks of Ge in HPGe, which cause the difficulty in analysing the on-line experimental spectra and the high uncertainty in the results. In this work, we study and summarise the spectrum analysis techniques of the prompt gamma ray method that can be used for measuring the neutron cross-section, and comprehensively consider the physical processes of the formation of different characteristic peaks of the prompt gamma ray method, so as to reduce the uncertainty of calculating the net area of the effect peaks in the process of on-line experimental spectrum processing. The Compton edge, weak peaks, overlapping peaks, and the neutron response peaks of the HPGe detector on-line experiment are discussed and analysed, and the net area of the effect peaks is accurately extracted by combining several reasonable functions to fit the total energy peak, the background, and the interferences. For the net area of weak peaks, this method can reduce the peak area selection caused fluctuation from 30% to less than 1%, and the difference between the fitted value of the net area and the theoretical value is comparable to the statistical uncertainty; for the overlapping peaks’ decomposition, the difference between the results obtained by this method and the theoretical value is significantly lower than 1%. The reliability of the spectral analysis method is simultaneously verified by efficiency curve analysis and goodness-of-fit calculation.

ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS

First-principles study on adsorption of gas molecules by metal Sc modified Ti2CO2
Wu Yu-Yang, Li Wei, Ren Qing-Ying, Li Jin-Ze, Xu Wei, Xu Jie
2024, 73 (7): 073101. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20231432
Abstract +
MXene materials have received increasing attention due to their unique properties and potential applications. Ti2CO2, as a typical MXene material that has been prepared, has been widely studied. The adsorption characteristics of two-dimensional materials for gas molecules can be significantly improved through transition metal modification. However, there are few studies on the use of transition metals to modify Ti2CO2. In this work, the adsorption processes of different harmful gases (CO, NH3, NO, SO2, CH4, H2S) on the surfaces of these two materials, i.e. Ti2CO2 and metal Sc modified Ti2CO2, are studied and analyzed based on first-principles density functional theory and generalized gradient method. The geometric optimization calculation of the metal-modified adsorption harmful gas structure is carried out, and the kinetic energy cutoff energy of the plane wave basis set is taken as 450 eV. The calculation results show that the structure in which Sc atoms are located above the C atoms in the hollow position has a large binding energy, but it is smaller than the experimental value of the cohesive energy of solid Sc (3.90 eV). Sc atoms can effectively avoid clustering. Surface Sc metal provides active sites for gas adsorption. By analyzing the optimal adsorption points, adsorption energy and other parameters of different gases, the adsorption effects of metal Sc-modified Ti2CO2 on these gases are analyzed. Among them, the adsorption effect of SO2 is better, the adsorption energy is increased from –0.314 eV to –2.043 eV, and the adsorption effects of other gases are improved. Due to the introduction of new atoms on the surface of Ti2CO2, the carrier density and carrier mobility of the material are increased, thereby improving the charge transfer on the surface of the material, which is beneficial to its sensitivity to gas molecules. The results of density of states and work function further verify that the carrier density and carrier mobility of Sc-Ti2CO2 are increased, which is beneficial to gas adsorption. It is expected that the metal Sc-modified Ti2CO2 becomes an excellent gas-sensing material for the detection of CO, NH3, NO, SO2, CH4 and H2S, and the present work can provide a reference for theoretically studying the gas-sensing performance of metal Sc-modified Ti2CO2 materials.

ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS

Diagnosis of bound electron density by measuring energy loss of proton beam in partially ionized plasma target
Chen Yan-Hong, Wang Zhao, Zhou Ze-Xian, Tao Ke-Wei, Jin Xue-Jian, Shi Lu-Lin, Wang Guo-Dong, Yu Pei, Lei Yu, Wu Xiao-Xia, Cheng Rui, Yang Jie
2024, 73 (7): 073401. doi: 10.7498/aps.73.20231736
Abstract +
Partially ionized plasma contains the bound electrons, which have an effect on the instability of the plasma. The evolution process of bound electron density cannot be obtained by using the existing optical method used for diagnosing the free electron density. In this work, we carry out a high-precision experiment: the energy loss of a 100 keV proton beam penetrating through the partially ionized hydrogen plasma target is measured on the platform of ion beam-plasma interaction at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The bound electron density is obtained according to the energy loss model of Bethe theory. The free electron density is measured by laser interferometry and the electron tempercture is obtained from the measured spectrum (Te = 0.68 eV; nfe = 2.41×1017 cm–2). It is found that the bound electron density decreases during plasma lifetime. The diagnosis of bound electron density by measuring energy loss of ion beam has the advantages of on-line, in-situ and high resolution, thus providing a new way to solve the problem about measuring the bound electron density in partially ionized plasma. A COMSOL simulation reveals that the high-temperature free electrons will be ejected quickly out of the plasma area through a mechanical diaphragm, thus reducing the total number of free electrons. In order to maintain a relatively high degree of ionization in this plasma, in principle, more and more bound electrons are ionized into free electrons, the density of bound electrons decreases correspondingly. The simulation result accords well with our experimental data. Based on this finding, more detailed plasma target parameter is obtained, which is helpful in deepening the understanding of the interaction process between ion beam and plasma. In future, more researches of low low-energy highly-charged ions-plasma interaction will be conducted.
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