Physics Commons^™

Developing And Testing An Anguilliform Robot Swimming With Theoretically High Hydrodynamic Efficiency, John B. Potts Iii

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

An anguilliform swimming robot replicating an idealized motion is a complex marine vehicle necessitating both a theoretical and experimental analysis to completely understand its propulsion characteristics. The ideal anguilliform motion within is theorized to produce ``wakeless'' swimming (Vorus, 2011), a reactive swimming technique that produces thrust by accelerations of the added mass in the vicinity of the body. The net circulation for the unsteady motion is theorized to be eliminated.

The robot was designed to replicate the desired, theoretical motion by applying control theory methods. Independent joint control was used due to hardware limitations. The fluid velocity vectors in the …

Vanadium Oxide Thin-Film Variable Resistor-Based Rf Switches, Kuanchang Pan, Weisong Wang, Eunsung Shin, Kelvin Freeman, Guru Subramanyam

Guru Subramanyam

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) is a unique phase change material (PCM) that possesses a metal-to-insulator transition property. Pristine VO2 has a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, and it undergoes an insulator-to-metal phase change at a transition temperature of 68°C. Such a property makes the VO2 thin-film-based variable resistor (varistor) a good candidate in reconfigurable electronics to be integrated with different RF devices such as inductors, varactors, and antennas. Series single-pole single-throw (SPST) switches with integrated VO2 thin films were designed, fabricated, and tested. The overall size of the device is 380 μm × 600 μm. The SPST switches were fabricated on …

A High Performance Ceramic-Polymer Separator For Lithium Batteries, Jitendra Kumar, Padmakar Kichambare, Amarendra K. Rai, Rabi Bhattacharya, Stanley J. Rodrigues, Guru Subramanyam

Guru Subramanyam

A three-layered (ceramic-polymer-ceramic) hybrid separator was prepared by coating ceramic electrolyte [lithium aluminum germanium phosphate (LAGP)] over both sides of polyethylene (PE) polymer membrane using electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) technique. Ionic conductivities of membranes were evaluated after soaking PE and LAGP/PE/LAGP membranes in a 1 Molar (1M) lithium hexafluroarsenate (LiAsF6) electrolyte in ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and ethylmethyl carbonate (EMC) in volume ratio (1:1:1). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were employed to evaluate morphology and structure of the separators before and after cycling performance tests to better understand structure-property correlation. As compared …

Industry-University Collaboration: A University Of Dayton Model, Guru Subramanyam

Guru Subramanyam

This paper introduces industry-university collaboration activities currently in place at the University of Dayton's School of Engineering. These collaborations are important to prepare industry-ready graduates who excel in technical, entrepreneurial, and leadership skills. One of the key curricular components is the industry-sponsored multidisciplinary projects. Industry involvement in advisory committee, strategic research partnerships, and other forms are discussed.

An Organic Mixed Ion-Electron Conductor For Power Electronics, Abdellah Malti, Jesper Edberg, Hjalmar Granberg, Zia Ullah Khan, Jens W. Andreasen, Xianjie Liu, Dan Zhao, Hao Zhang, Yulong Yao, Joseph W. Brill, Isak Engquist, Mats Fahlman, Lars Wågberg, Xavier Crispin, Magnus Berggren

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

A mixed ionic–electronic conductor based on nanofibrillated cellulose composited with poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythio­phene):­poly(styrene-sulfonate) along with high boiling point solvents is demonstrated in bulky electrochemical devices. The high electronic and ionic conductivities of the resulting nanopaper are exploited in devices which exhibit record values for the charge storage capacitance (1F) in supercapacitors and transconductance (1S) in electrochemical transistors.

Optical Communication Using Hybrid Micro Electro Mechanical Structures (Mems) And Commercial Corner Cube Retroreflector (Ccr), Sunny Kedia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a free-space, long-range, passive optical communication system that uses electrostatically modulated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structures coupled with a glass total internal reflection (TIR)-type corner cube retroreflector (CCR) as a non-emitting data transmitter. A CCR consists of three mirrors orthogonal to each other, so that the incident beam is reflected back to the incident beam, source. The operational concept is to have a MEMS modulator fusion with TIR CCR, such that the modulators are working periodically to disrupt the evanescent waves at the air interface of one of the three back glass faces of a TIR CCR. The …

Investigation Of Real-Time Optical Scanning Holography, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

Real-time holographic recording using an optical heterodyne scanning technique was proposed by Poon in 1985. The first part of this dissertation provides a detailed theoretical treatment of the technique, based on a Gaussian beam analysis. Topics to be addressed include the derivations of the optical transfer function (OTF) and impulse response of the scanning holographic recording system, reconstructed image resolution and magnification, methods of carrier frequency hologram generation and experimental verification of the recording technique based on careful measurements of a hologram corresponding to a simple transmissive slit. Furthermore, computer simulations are presented pertaining to the incoherent nature of the …

Review: 'Optical Fiber Communications' (2nd Edition), By Gerd Keiser, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

If first impressions are worth anything (and they usually are), I would have to admit that my first impression of the second edition of Gerd Keiser's now popular text Optical Fiber Communications was quite good. My compliments are hereby extended to the publisher for choosing a rather handsome cover and dust jacket. It stands in strong contrast to the text's first edition, which still ranks as probably the ugliest book I own, with color choices ranging from dull cream and "baby" blue to pale pink! I am now happy to say that this older version has been discretely·retired to the …

Review: 'Theory Of Dielectric Optical Waveguides,' 2nd Edition, By Dietrich Marcuse, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

I suppose I ought to say up front that while preparing this review I often found myself feeling very much like a student evaluating his teacher. After all, it was, in part, the first edition of Dietrich Marcuse's Theory of Dielectric Optical Waveguides (among a handful of other similar texts) from which I first studied the principles of optical waveguide theory under the demanding, yet patient and graceful guidance of Dr. Ahmad Safaai-Jazi. Thus with the utmost respect for a teacher whom I have never met, I shall try to faithfully share my thoughts and feelings regarding the second edition …

Modal Interference Techniques For Strain Detection In Few-Mode Optical Fibers, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

Interference between the modes of an optical fiber results in specific intensity patterns which can be modulated as a function of disturbances in the optical fiber system. These modulation effects are a direct result of the difference in propagation constants of the constituent modes. In this presentation it is shown how the modulated intensity patterns created by the interference of specific mode groups in few-mode optical fibers (V < 5.0) can be used to detect strain. A detailed discussion of the modal phenomena responsible for the observed strain induced pattern modulation is given and it is shown that strain detection sensitivities …

Review: 'Integrated Optics: Design And Modeling,' By Reinhard Marz, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

My overall impression is that Integrated Optics: Design and Modeling will make a fine addition to almost anyone's collection of books on integrated optics. It will, however, serve its readers better as a reference book than as a text from which to first learn the basic concepts of integrated optics. I say this because the book is written at a fairly sophisticated technical level, though the author often moves rather quickly to the "bottom line" without providing material much beyond what is first necessary to introduce a problem or concept, and then a statement of the results and/or implications. It …

Index-Matched Boundary Techniques For The Elimination Of Acoustical Resonances, Jack H. Parker, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

We extend the principle of optical index of refraction to apply the concept of acoustical index for transverse acoustical wave propagation in strings. The relationship between acoustical index and mass density of the acoustic material is developed. With this theoretical link established, classic index-matching techniques are explored at acoustical boundaries. Proper selection of boundary interface segments leads to the elimination of resonant vibrationalmodes that occur in rigidly supported strings, while maintaining the nonresonant vibration response.

Heterodyne Ladar System Efficiency Enhancement Using Single-Mode Optical Fiber Mixers, Donald K. Jacob, Martin B. Mark, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

A theoretical performance analysis of a heterodyne ladar system incorporating a single-mode fiber receiver has been performed. For our purposes, the performance parameters of interest are the coupling and mixing efficiency of the ladar receiver, as they relate to the overall system carrier-to-noise ratio. For a receiver incorporating a single-mode fiber mixer, the received and local-oscillator fields are matched both spatially and temporally at the detector, yielding 100% mixing efficiency. We have therefore focused our efforts on determining an expression for the efficiency with which a diffuse return from a purely speckle target can be coupled into the receiving leg …

Wide Angle Achromatic Prism Beam Steering For Infrared Countermeasures Applications, Bradley D. Duncan, Philip J. Bos, Vassili Sergan

Bradley D. Duncan

The design and analysis of achromatic doublet prisms for use in laser beam steering is presented. The geometric relationships describing the maximum steering angle are given, as are discussions of first- and second-order dispersion reduction. Infrared (IR) material alternatives and optimum IR material characteristics for wide-angle achromatic prism beam steering are also investigated. Sixteen materials in 120 different combinations have been examined to date. For midwave IR applications it is shown that the minimum dispersion currently achievable across the full 2 to 5 μm spectrum is 1.7816 mrad at an average maximum steering angle of 45 deg. This is accomplished …

Sensitivity Improvement Of A 1-Μm Ladar System Incorporating An Active Optical Fiber Preamplifier, Michael S. Salisbury, Paul F. Mcmanamon, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

In an effort to increase the SNR of a continuous wave, 1-μm all solid state ladar system, a rare-earth-doped optical fiber amplifier is investigated as a preamplifier for ladar return signals. The experimental system is detailed and a theoretical analysis of the fiber amplifier's effect on both heterodyne and direct detection schemes is provided. Beginning with the optical powers incident on the detector, the signal and noises are analyzed, through the detector electronics, to predict the SNR. The SNR is then plotted as a function of the return signal power, and a SNR threshold is defined to determine a minimum …

Wide Angle Decentered Lens Beam Steering For Infrared Countermeasures Applications, Jennifer L. Gibson, Bradley D. Duncan, Edward A. Watson, John S. Loomis

Bradley D. Duncan

A beam-steering system consisting of three cemented achromatic doublets is presented. Intended for use in IR countermeasure applications, our system is designed to operate over the 2- to 5-μm spectrum with minimum angular dispersion. We show that dispersion can be minimized by using doublet lenses fashioned from AMTIR-1 and germanium. Our system is designed to be compact and lightweight, with no internal foci, while allowing steering to ±22.5 deg. We also maintain a minimum 2-in. clear aperture for all steering angles, and a nominal divergence of 1 mrad. Plane wave and Gaussian beam analyses of our system are presented.

Interferometric And Holographic Imaging Of Surface-Breaking Cracks, James Lawrence Blackshire, Bradley D. Duncan

Bradley D. Duncan

Two advanced nondestructive evaluation systems are developed for imaging surface-breaking cracks in aerospace materials. The systems use scanning heterodyne interferometry and frequency-translated holography principles to image ultrasonic displacement fields on material surfaces with high resolution and sensitivity. Surface-breaking cracks are detected and characterized by visualizing near-field ultrasonic scattering processes, which in turn results in local intensification of ultrasonic displacement fields in the immediate vicinity of a crack. The local intensification permits cracks to be easily distinguished from background levels, and creates unique displacement field images that follow the contours and morphology of the cracks with microscopic precision. The interferometric and …

Adaptive Beam Director For A Tiled Fiber Array, Mikhail Vorontsov, Jim F. Riker, Ernst Polnau, Svetlana Lachinova, Venkata S. Rao Gudimetla

Mikhail Vorontsov

We present the concept development of a novel atmospheric compensation system based on adaptive tiled fiber array architecture operating with target-in-the-loop scenarios for directed beam applications. The adaptive tiled fiber array system is integrated with adaptive beam director (ABD). Wavefront control and sensing functions are performed directly on the beam director telescope primary mirror. The beam control of the adaptive tiled fiber array aims to compensate atmospheric turbulence-induced dynamic phase aberrations and results in a corresponding brightness increase on the illuminated extended object. The system is specifically designed for tiled fiber system architectures operating in strong intensity scintillation and speckle-modulation …

Characterization Of Atmospheric Turbulence Effects Over 149 Km Propagation Path Using Multi-Wavelength Laser Beacons, Mikhail Vorontsov, Gary W. Carhart, Venkata S. Rao Gudimetla, Thomas Weyrauch, Eric Stevenson, Svetlana Lachinova, Leonid A. Beresnev, Jony Jiang Liu, Karl Rehder, Jim F. Riker

Mikhail Vorontsov

We describe preliminary results of a set of laser beam propagation experiments performed over a long (149 km) near-horizontal propagation path between Mauna Loa (Hawaii Island) and Haleakala (Island of Maui) mountains in February 2010. The distinctive feature of the experimental campaign referred to here as the Coherent Multi-Beam Atmospheric Transceiver (COMBAT) experiments is that the measurements of the atmospheric-turbulence induced laser beam intensity scintillations at the receiver telescope aperture were obtained simultaneously using three laser sources (laser beacons) with different wavelengths (λ1 = 0.53 μm, λ2 = 1.06 μm, and λ3 = 1.55 μm). The presented experimental results on …

Comparison Of Turbulence-Induced Scintillations For Multi-Wavelength Laser Beacons Over Tactical (7 Km) And Long (149 Km) Atmospheric Propagation Paths, Mikhail Vorontsov, Venkata S. Rao Gudimetla, Gary W. Carhart, Thomas Weyrauch, Svetlana Lachinova, Ernst Polnau, Joseph Rierson, Leonid A. Beresnev, Jony Jiang Liu, Jim F. Riker

Mikhail Vorontsov

We report results of the experimental analysis of atmospheric effects on laser beam propagation over two distinctive propagation paths: a long-range (149 km) propagation path between Mauna Loa (Island of Hawaii) and Haleakala (Island of Maui) mountains, and a tactical-range (7 km) propagation path between the roof of the Dayton Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) and the Intelligent Optics Laboratory (IOL/UD) located on the 5th floor of the University of Dayton College Park Center building. Both testbeds include three laser beacons operating at wavelengths 532 nm, 1064 nm, and 1550 nm and a set of identical optical receiver systems with …

Atmospheric Turbulence Compensation Of Point Source Images Using Asynchronous Stochastic Parallel Gradient Descent Technique On Amos 3.6 M Telescope, Mikhail Vorontsov, Jim F. Riker, Gary W. Carhart, Venkata S. Rao Gudimetla, Leonid A. Beresnev, Thomas Weyrauch

Mikhail Vorontsov

The Stochastic Parallel Gradient Descent Technique-based Adaptive Optics (SPGD-AO) system described in this presentation does not use a conventional wavefront sensor. It uses a metric signal collected by a single pixel detector placed behind a pinhole in the image plane to drive three deformable mirrors (DMs). The system is designed to compensate the image for turbulence effects. The theory behind this method is described in detail in [1]. However this technique, while widely simulated and tested in the laboratory, was not yet verified in astronomical field site experiments. During the month of May 2007, a series of experiments with SPGD-AO …

Pocket Deformable Mirror For Adaptive Optics Applications, Leonid A. Beresnev, Mikhail Vorontsov, Peter Wangsness

Mikhail Vorontsov

Adaptive/active optical elements are designed to improve optical system performance in the presence of phase aberrations. For atmospheric optics and astronomical applications, an ideal deformable mirror should have sufficient frequency bandwidth for compensation of fast changing wave front aberrations induced by either atmospheric turbulences or by turbulent air flows surrounding a flying object (air optical effects). In many applications, such as atmospheric target tracking, remote sensing from flying aircraft, boundary layer imaging, laser communication and laser beam projection over near horizontal propagation paths the phase aberration frequency bandwidth can exceed several kHz. These fast-changing aberrations are currently compensated using relatively …

Adaptive Optics Performance Over Long Horizontal Paths: Aperture Effects In Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optical Systems, Miao Yu, Mikhail Vorontsov, Svetlana Lachinova, Jim F. Riker, Venkata S. Rao Gudimetla

Mikhail Vorontsov

We analyze various scenarios of the aperture effects in adaptive optical receiver-type systems when inhomogeneities of the wave propagation medium are distributed over long horizontal propagation path, or localized in a few thin layers remotely located from the receiver telescope pupil. Phase aberration compensation is performed using closed-loop control architectures based on phase conjugation and decoupled stochastic parallel gradient descent (DSPGD) control algorithms. Both receiver system aperture diffraction effects and the impact of wave-front corrector position on phase aberration compensation efficiency are analyzed for adaptive systems with single or multiple wave-front correctors.

Tungsten Disulphide Based All Fiber Q-Switching Cylindrical-Vector Beam Generation, J. Lin, K. Yan, Yong Zhou, L. X. Xu, C. Gu, Qiwen Zhan

Electro-Optics and Photonics Faculty Publications

We proposed and demonstrated an all fiber passively Q-switching laser to generate cylindrical-vectorbeam, a two dimensional material,tungsten disulphide (WS2), was adopted as a saturable absorber inside the laser cavity, while a few-mode fiber Bragg grating was used as a transverse mode-selective output coupler. The repetition rate of the Q-switching output pulses can be varied from 80 kHz to 120 kHz with a shortest duration of 958 ns. Attributed to the high damage threshold and polarization insensitivity of the WS2 based saturable absorber, the radially polarized beam and azimuthally polarized beam can be easily generated in the Q-switchingfiber laser.

Industry-University Collaboration: A University Of Dayton Model, Guru Subramanyam

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper introduces industry-university collaboration activities currently in place at the University of Dayton's School of Engineering. These collaborations are important to prepare industry-ready graduates who excel in technical, entrepreneurial, and leadership skills. One of the key curricular components is the industry-sponsored multidisciplinary projects. Industry involvement in advisory committee, strategic research partnerships, and other forms are discussed.

Negative Index In A Lossy Chiral Metamaterial Under First-Order Material Dispersion Using A Drude Model, Tarig A. Algadey, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Using the Drude model for complex conductivity,phase and group velocities, and indices are calculated under first-order dispersion in chiral metamaterials. Conditions are derived for negative index, and the results compared with parametric analyses.

Spectral And Performance Analysis For The Propagation And Retrieval Of Signals From Modulated Chaos Waves Transmitted Through Modified Von Karman Turbulence, Fathi H.A. Mohamed, Monish Ranjan Chatterjee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A transfer function formalism is applied to track propagation of modulated chaos waves through modified von Karman phase turbulence; the demodulated signal is examined vis-à-vis performance relative to turbulence strength in comparison with non-chaotic propagation.

Translation Of Rabindranath Tagore's 'Ode To Africa', Monish Ranjan Chatterjee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

During his illustrious lifetime, Rabindranath Tagore travelled extensively around the world, spreading inspiration and gaining veneration in most destinations as the emissary of the East and of a deeply futuristic Universalist philosophy. An assessment of the intellectuals and cultural icons of the world whom Tagore encountered, interacted with, and influenced, is both astonishing and indeed still waiting to be adequately evaluated. His exchanges with Einstein, Wells, Rolland, Gide, Freud, Durant, Yeats, Rothenstein, Andrews, Noguchi, Gandhi, Radhakrishnan, Nehru, Bose and numerous others are well-documented. Tagore's literary works and public life centered on rejoicing in and celebrating everything unique and artistic in …

Creation Of Identical Multiple Focal Spots With Prescribed Axial Distribution, Yanzhong Yu, Qiwen Zhan

Electro-Optics and Photonics Faculty Publications

We present a scheme for the construction of coaxially equidistant multiple focal spots with identical intensity profiles for each individual focus and a predetermined number and spacing. To achieve this, the radiation field from an antenna is reversed and then gathered by high numerical aperture objective lenses. Radiation patterns from three types of line sources, i.e., the electric current, magnetic current and electromagnetic current distributions, with cosine-squared taper are respectively employed to generate predominately longitudinally polarized bright spots, azimuthally polarized doughnuts, and focal spots with a perfect spherically symmetric intensity distribution. The required illuminations at the pupil plane of a …

Numerical Studies And Optimization Of Magnetron With Diffraction Output (Mdo) Using Particle-In-Cell Simulations, Alireza Majzoobi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The first magnetron as a vacuum-tube device, capable of generating microwaves, was invented in 1913. This thesis research focuses on numerical simulation-based analysis of magnetron performance. The particle-in-cell (PIC) based MAGIC software tool has been utilized to study the A6 and the Rising-Sun magnetron structures, and to obtain the optimized geometry for optimizing the device performance. The A6 magnetron is the more traditional structure and has been studied more often. The Rising-Sun geometry, consists of two alternating groups of short and long vanes in angular orientation, and was created to achieve mode stability.

The effect of endcaps, changes in lengths …