Optical technology applications

Thin-film XRD is important in many technological applications, because of its abilities to accurately determine strains and to uniquely identify the presence and composition of phases. In semiconduaor and optical materials applications, XRD is used to measure the strain state, orientation, and defects in epitaxial thin films, which affect the film s electronic and optical properties. For magnetic thin films, it is used to identify phases and to determine preferred orientations, since these can determine magnetic properties. In metallurgical applications, it is used to determine strains in surfiice layers and thin films, which influence their mechanical properties. For packaging materials, XRD can be used to investigate diffusion and phase formation at interfaces... 

Many technological applications of liquid crystals, as in electro-optic display devices, are based on multicomponent mixtures. Such systems offer a route to the desired material properties which cannot be achieved simultaneously for single component systems. Mixtures also tend to exhibit a richer phase behaviour than pure systems with features such as re-entrant nematic phases [3] and nematic-nematic transitions possible. In this section, we describe simulations which have been used to study mixtures of thermotropic calamitic mesogens. 

In the previous sections, we have seen how computer simulations have contributed to our understanding of the microscopic structure of liquid crystals. By applying periodic boundary conditions preferably at constant pressure, a bulk fluid can be simulated free from any surface interactions. However, the surface properties of liquid crystals are significant in technological applications such as electro-optic displays. Liquid crystals also show a number of interesting features at surfaces which are not seen in the bulk phase and are of fundamental interest. In this final section, we describe recent simulations designed to study the interfacial properties of liquid crystals at various types of interface. First, however, it is appropriate to introduce some necessary terminology. 

The synthesis of nanoparticles has been intensively pursued not only for their fundamental scientific interest, but also for many technological applications [1]. For many of these applications, the synthesis of monodisperse nanoparticles (standard deviations a < 5%) with controlled particle sizes is of key importance, because the electrical, optical, and... 

Hornal LA (1992) Polymers in lightwave and integrated optics, technology and applications. Marcel Dekker, New York... 

Mommsen, H., H. Dittmann, A. Hein, and A. Rosenberg (1997b), X-ray fluorescence analysis induced by synchrotron radiation (S.Y.X.R.E) and first archaeometric applications, in Dirksen, D. and G. von Bally (eds.), Optical Technologies in the Humanities, Springer, Berlin, pp. 119-121. 

In addition, the integration of modem optical technology and electrochemical techniques for sensing applications appears to be a powerful new approach. A new type of optoelectrochemical sensor for chlorine, based on an electrochromic thin-film sensing layer placed on top of a planar waveguide, has demonstrated the applicability of this combined approach. 

Mitsuhashi Y., Matsuda A., Matsuno Y. Sol-gel technology for optical disk application, SPIE Proc. 1758, 105-112, (1992). 

Polymers for Lightwave and Integrated Optics Technology and Applications, edited by Lawrence A. Hornak... 

The connection between the optical properties and technological applications of macromolecules has been a subject of intense research and development for many years [1-5]. There is presently an emphasis on using materials and molecular architectures based on a very small size scale of less than 100s of nanometers [6-10], Revolutionary ideas and concepts have emerged which may lead to the creation of superior miniature size materials for a variety of applications. Some of these concepts are directed at synthetic schemes to recreate... 

In principle, all of the elements of the periodic table can be used to iucorporate foreign ions in crystals. Actually, only a number of elements have been used for optically active centres in crystals in other words, only a number of elements can be incorporated in ionic form and give rise to energy levels within the gap separated by optical energies. The most relevant centers for technological applications (although not the unique ones) are based on ions formed from the transition metal and rare earth series of the periodic table, so we will focus our attention on these centers. 

The use of ICG to measure hepatic blood flow and function by spectrophotmet-ric analysis of serial blood samples collected invasively was recognized more than 50 years ago [141], and the concept of non-invasive optical monitoring of physiologic function with ICG is not new [ 142 -146]. However, advances in optical technology and the availability of miniature lasers for biomedical applications have resulted in the development of faster, simpler, and reliable optical methods for monitoring physiologic functions in real-time. While most of these methods rely on the absorption properties of ICG for continuous hepatic func-... 

The growing interest in supramolecular chirality stems not only from the intrinsic relevance of such studies for the origin of chirality in life processes, but also from the potential technological applications, such as the separation of optical isomers for the pharmaceutical or food industries. 

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