Dual-band negative-index metamaterial designs in the near-infrared frequency range are presented and their performance is analyzed using a full-wave numerical electromagnetic scattering method. Negative effective permittivity is provided by a thin layer of metallic film. Negative effective permeabilities are supplied in two distinct frequency bands by magnetic resonators of different dimensions...

At the charge neutral point, graphene exhibits a very unusual high-resistance metallic state and a transition to a complete insulating phase in a strong magnetic field. We propose that the current carriers in this state are the charged vortices of the XY valley-pseudospin order parameter, a situation which is dual to a conventional thin superconducting film. We study energetics and the stabilit...

A reversible plating/stripping of a dendrite-free metallic-sodium anode with a reduced anode/ceramic interfacial resistance is created by a thin interfacial interlayer formed in situ or by the introduction of a dry polymer film. Wetting of the sodium on the interfacial interlayer suppresses dendrite formation and growth at different discharge/charge C-rates. All-solid-state batteries were obtai...

Ultra-low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is an elusive property, and narrow temperature ranges of operation and poor mechanical properties limit the use of conventional materials with low CTE. We structured a periodic micro-array of bi-metallic cells to demonstrate ultra-low effective CTE with a wide temperature range. These engineered tunable CTE thin film can be applied to minimize th...

A new concept of micromachines has been developed for measuring the mechanical properties of thin metallic films. The actuator is a beam undergoing large internal stresses built up during the deposition process. Al thin films are deposited partly on the actuator beam and on the substrate. By etching the structure, the actuator contracts and pulls the Al film. Full stress strain curves can be ge...

We report on extensive femtosecond laser damage threshold measurements of optical materials in both bulk and thin-film form. This study, which is based on published and new data, involved simple oxide and fluoride films, composite films made from a mixture of two dielectric materials, metallic films, and the surfaces of various bulk materials: oxides, fluorides, semiconductors, and ionic crysta...

We demonstrate that a single sub-wavelength nanoaperture in a metallic thin film can be used to achieve dynamic optical trapping and control of a single dielectric nanowire. A nanoaperture can trap a nanowire, control its orientation when illuminated by a linearly polarized incident field, and rotate the nanowire when illuminated by a circularly polarized incident field. Compared to other desig...

We study single-electron transport in quench-condensed bismuth films. By lateral confinement, we select a specific cluster of about 10(3) atoms and use tunneling barriers that appear naturally during thin-film formation. A remarkable reversible increase of the sample conductance up to 5 times was found as the temperature was lowered from 11 to 4 K. We attribute this effect to a spontaneous dist...

over the past decade, many applications were intended for filtration by membrane technology especially the thin film composite (tfc) membranes. in advanced developments of thin film membranes, an attempt was made to spread a new generation of membranes called thin film nano composite (tfn) membranes. however, in the last generation of tfns, an ultrathin selective film of nanoparticles is coated...