Momentum-Resolved Electronic Structures and Strong Electronic Correlations in Graphene-like Nitride Superconductors.

Although transition-metal nitrides have been widely applied for several decades, experimental investigations of their high-resolution electronic band structures are rare due to the lack of high-quality single-crystalline samples. Here, we report on the first momentum-resolved electronic band structures of titanium nitride (TiN) films, which are remarkable nitride superconductors. The measurements of the crystal structures and electrical transport properties confirmed the high quality of these films. More importantly, from a combination of high-resolution angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, the extracted Coulomb interaction strength of TiN films can be as large as 8.5 eV, whereas resonant photoemission spectroscopy yields a value of 6.26 eV. These large values of Coulomb interaction strength indicate that superconducting TiN is a strongly correlated system. Our results uncover the unexpected electronic correlations in transition-metal nitrides, potentially providing a perspective not only to understand their emergent quantum states but also to develop their applications in quantum devices.

Analysis of chloroplast genome characteristics and codon usage bias in 14 species of Annonaceae.

For the study of species evolution, chloroplast gene expression, and transformation, the chloroplast genome is an invaluable resource. Codon usage bias (CUB) analysis is a tool that is utilized to improve gene expression and investigate evolutionary connections in genetic transformation. In this study, we analysed chloroplast genome differences, codon usage patterns and the sources of variation on CUB in 14 Annonaceae species using bioinformatics tools. The study showed that there was a significant variation in both gene sizes and numbers between the 14 species, but conservation was still maintained. It's worth noting that there were noticeable differences in the IR/SC sector boundary and the types of SSRs among the 14 species. The mono-nucleotide repeat type was the most common, with A/T repeats being more prevalent than G/C repeats. Among the different types of repeats, forward and palindromic repeats were the most abundant, followed by reverse repeats, and complement repeats were relatively rare. Codon composition analysis revealed that all 14 species had a frequency of GC lower than 50%. Additionally, it was observed that the proteins in-coding sequences of chloroplast genes tend to end with A/T at the third codon position. Among these species, 21 codons exhibited bias (RSCU > 1), and there were 8 high-frequency (HF) codons and 5 optimal codons that were identical across the species. According to the ENC-plot and Neutrality plot analysis, natural selection had less impact on the CUB of A. muricate and A. reticulata. Based on the PR2-plot, it was evident that base G had a higher frequency than C, and T had a higher frequency A. The correspondence analysis (COA) revealed that codon usage patterns different in Annonaceae.

Design and first-round commissioning result of the SASE beamline at the Shanghai Soft X-ray FEL facility.

The Shanghai Soft X-ray Free-Electron Laser (SXFEL) is the first X-ray free-electron laser facility in China. The SASE beamline, which consists of a pink-beam branch and a mono-beam branch, is one of the two beamlines in the Phase-I construction. The pink-beam branch opened for users in 2023 after successful first-round beamline commissioning. In this paper, the design of the beamline is presented and the performance of the pink-beam branch is reported. The measured energy-resolving power of the online spectrometer is over 6000 @ 400 eV. The focusing spot size of the pink beam is less than 3 µm in both the horizontal and vertical at the endstation.

IRF1 regulation of ZBP1 links mitochondrial DNA and chondrocyte damage in osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Z-DNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1) is a nucleic acid sensor that is involved in multiple inflammatory diseases, but whether and how it contributes to osteoarthritis (OA) are unclear. METHODS: Cartilage tissues were harvested from patients with OA and a murine model of OA to evaluate ZBP1 expression. Subsequently, the functional role and mechanism of ZBP1 were examined in primary chondrocytes, and the role of ZBP1 in OA was explored in mouse models. RESULTS: We showed the upregulation of ZBP1 in articular cartilage originating from OA patients and mice with OA after destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery. Specifically, knockdown of ZBP1 alleviated chondrocyte damage and protected mice from DMM-induced OA. Mechanistically, tumor necrosis factor alpha induced ZBP1 overexpression in an interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1)-dependent manner and elicited the activation of ZBP1 via mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release and ZBP1 binding. The upregulated and activated ZBP1 could interact with receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 and activate the transforming growth factor-beta-activated kinase 1-NF-κB signaling pathway, which led to chondrocyte inflammation and extracellular matrix degradation. Moreover, inhibition of the mtDNA-IRF1-ZBP1 axis with Cyclosporine A, a blocker of mtDNA release, could delay the progression of DMM-induced OA. CONCLUSIONS: Our data revealed the pathological role of the mtDNA-IRF1-ZBP1 axis in OA chondrocytes, suggesting that inhibition of this axis could be a viable therapeutic approach for OA.

Highly efficient nonlinear vortex beam generation by using a compact nonlinear fork grating.

Vortex beams with an orbital angular momentum (OAM) are extremely important in optical trapping, optical micromachining, high-capacity optical communications, and quantum optics. Nonlinear generation of such a vortex beam enables vortex beams to be obtained at new wavelengths, which opens up new possibilities for all-optical switching and manipulation of vortex beams. However, previous nonlinear vortex beam generation suffers from either low efficiency or low-level integration. Here, we use the technique of ultraviolet photolithography-assisted inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching to realize a compact nonlinear fork grating for high-efficiency nonlinear vortex beam generation. In our experiment, the depth of such a compact nonlinear fork-grating structure can be precisely controlled by etching time. The vortex beams with a topological charge of l = ±1, ± 2, ± 3 can be generated in the far field, and the normalized nonlinear conversion efficiency of such nonlinear vortex beam is 189% W-1cm-2. Our method not only provides an efficient and compact method for nonlinear vortex beam manipulation but also suits for timesaving and large-area nonlinear functional device fabrication.

Near-infrared speckle wavemeter based on nonlinear frequency conversion.

The wavemeter is an important instrument for spectrum analysis, widely used in spectral calibration, remote sensing, atomic physics, and high-precision metrology. However, near-infrared (NIR) wavemeters require infrared-sensitive detectors that are expensive and less sensitive compared to silicon-based visible light detectors. To circumvent these limitations, we propose an NIR speckle wavemeter based on nonlinear frequency conversion. We combine a scattering medium and the deep learning technique to invert the nonlinear mapping of the NIR wavelength and speckles in the visible wave band. With the outstanding performance of deep learning, a high-precision wavelength resolution of 1 pm is achievable in our experiment. We further demonstrate the robustness of our system and show that the recognition of power parameters and multi-spectral lines is also feasible. The proposed method offers a convenient and flexible way to measure NIR light, and it offers the possibility of cost reduction in miniaturized wavemeter systems.

High-speed optical pulse shaping based on programmable lithium niobate spatial light modulators.

Pulse shaping plays a key role in various applications of ultrafast lasers, such as optical communications, laser micromachining, microscopy, and quantum coherent control. Conventional pulse shaping devices based on liquid crystal spatial light modulators (LCSLMs) or digital micromirror devices (DMDs) only have the shaping speed of several hertz to kilohertz, which is not suitable for applications requiring a high-speed response. Here, we demonstrate a high-speed programmable lithium niobate spatial light modulator (LNSLM) with 128 individual modulation channels and a modulation speed that can reach 1 MHz. Then we establish a high-speed LNSLM-based Fourier-transform (FT) pulse shaper to realize high-speed pulse shaping, and the update rate can reach 350 kHz, only limited by the electric circuit. The proposed high-speed pulse shaper scheme opens new avenues for future applications of ultrafast science, such as microscopic imaging, interaction between light and matter, and spectroscopy.

Initial probe function construction in ptychography based on zone-plate optics.

X-ray ptychography is a popular variant of coherent diffraction imaging that offers ultrahigh resolution for extended samples. In x-ray ptychography instruments, the Fresnel zone-plate (FZP) is the most commonly used optical probe system for both soft x-ray and hard x-ray. In FZP-based ptychography with a highly curved defocus probe wavefront, the reconstructed image quality can be significantly impacted by the initial probe function form, necessitating the construction of a suitable initial probe for successful reconstruction. To investigate the effects of initial probe forms on FZP-based ptychography reconstruction, we constructed four single-mode initial probe models (IPMs) and three multi-mode IPMs in this study, and systematically compared their corresponding simulated and experimental reconstructions. The results show that the Fresnel IPM, spherical IPM, and Fresnel-based multi-mode IPMs can result in successful reconstructions for both near-focus and defocus cases, while random IPMs and constant IPMs work only for near-focus cases. Consequently, for FZP-based ptychography, the elaborately constructed IPMs that closely resemble real probes in wavefront phase form are more advantageous than natural IPMs such as the random or constant model. Furthermore, these IPMs with high phase similarity to the high-curvature large-sized probe adopted in experiments can help greatly improve ptychography experiment efficiency and decrease radiation damage to samples.

Highly efficient detection of near-infrared optical vortex modes with frequency upconversion.

Vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) have been widely applied in optical manipulations, optical micromachining, and high-capacity optical communications. Vortex mode detection is very important in various applications. However, the detection of near-infrared vortex modes is still difficult because of the wavelength limitations of the detection device. Here, we present a study on measuring optical near-infrared vortex modes with frequency upconversion, which can convert a near-infrared beam into a visible beam. In our experiment, the optical near-infrared vortex modes can be measured by the number and orientation of the fringes of the second harmonic intensity patterns. The proposed method is a convenient and flexible way to measure the different OAM of vortex beams, which may have potential applications in all kinds of circumstances that vortex modes involve.

Molecular Trade-Offs between Lattice Oxygen and Oxygen Vacancy Drive Organic Pollutant Degradation in Fungal Biomineralized Exoskeletons.

Fungal-mineral interactions can effectively alleviate cellular stress from organic pollutants, the production of which are expected to rapidly increase owing to the Earth moving into an unprecedented geological epoch, the Anthropocene. The underlying mechanisms that may enable fungi to combat organic pollution during fungal-mineral interactions remain unclear. Inspired by the natural fungal sporulation process, we demonstrate for the first time that fungal biomineralization triggers the formation of an ultrathin (hundreds of nanometers thick) exoskeleton, enriched in nanosized iron (oxyhydr)oxides and biomolecules, on the hyphae. Mapped biochemical composition of this coating at a subcellular scale via high spatial resolution (down to 50 nm) synchrotron radiation-based techniques confirmed aromatic C, C-N bonds, amide carbonyl, and iron (oxyhydr)oxides as the major components of the coatings. This nanobiohybrid system appeared to impart a strong (×2) biofunctionality for fungal degradation of bisphenol A through altering molecular-level trade-offs between lattice oxygen and oxygen vacancy. Together, fungal coatings could act as "artificial spores", which enable fungi to combat physical and chemical stresses in natural environments, providing crucial insights into fungal biomineralization and coevolution of the Earth's lithosphere and biosphere.

Dynamic manipulation of nonlinear Talbot effect with structured light.

The nonlinear Talbot effect has sparked considerable interest of researchers since it was proposed in recent years because it has many advantages compared with the Talbot effect in linear optics. In previous researches, such a nonlinear Talbot effect is only observed in nonlinear photonic crystals, which cannot dynamically manipulate in real time. Here, we report and experimentally demonstrate the high efficiency and dynamic manipulation of such a nonlinear Talbot effect with structured light. Different from the previous scheme, the nonlinear self-imaging effect observed in our experiment originates from the spatial phase structure of the incident fundamental frequency light. In our experiments, integer and fractional second-harmonic Talbot self-imaging is observed. Our results not only extend a novel technique for dynamic manipulation of the nonlinear Talbot effects, but also may have potential applications in parallel optical lithography, optical imaging, and optical computing.

Non-line-of-sight optical communication based on orbital angular momentum.

Optical non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communication can exploit the indirect light path to provide free-space communications around obstacles that occlude the field of view. Here we propose and demonstrate an orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based NLOS communication scheme that can greatly improve its channel dimensionality. To verify the feasibility for extending the amount of multiplexed OAM channel dimensionality, the effects of bit accuracy versus the number of channels in measuring OAM modes are quantified. Moreover, to show the ability for broadcast NLOS tasks, we report a multi-receiver experiment where the transmitted information from scattered light can be robustly decoded by multiple neuron-network-based OAM decoders. Our results present a faithful verification of OAM-based NLOS communication for real-time applications in dynamic NLOS environments, regardless of the limit of wavelength, light intensity, or turbulence.

High-speed programmable lithium niobate thin film spatial light modulator.

High-speed spatial modulation of light is the key technology in various applications, such as optical communications, imaging through scattering media, video projection, pulse shaping, and beam steering, in which spatial light modulators (SLMs) are the underpinning devices. Conventional SLMs, such as liquid crystal (LC), digital micromirror device (DMD), and micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) ones, operate at a typical speed on the order of several kilohertz as limited by the slow response of the pixels. Achieving high-speed spatial modulation is still challenging and highly desired. Here, we demonstrate a one-dimensional (1D) high-speed programmable spatial light modulator based on the electro-optic effect in lithium niobate thin film, which achieves a low driving voltage of 10 V and an overall high-speed modulation speed of 5 MHz. Furthermore, we transfer an image by using parallel data transmission based on the proposed lithium niobate SLM as a proof-of-principle demonstration. Our device exhibits improved performance over traditional SLMs and opens new avenues for future high-speed and real-time applications, such as light detection and ranging (LiDAR), pulse shaping, and beam steering.

Second-harmonic and sum-frequency generation based on birefringence phase matching of BaMgF4 crystal.

BaMgF4 is a ferroelectric nonlinear crystal with a very wide transparency window ranging from 125 nm to 13µm of the wavelength. Therefore, it is a candidate material to generate ultraviolet or deep ultraviolet laser, which is very important in lithography, semiconductor manufacturing, and advanced instrument development. Here, the second-order birefringence phase-matching processes of the BaMgF4 crystal were studied, including second-harmonic generation (SHG) and sum-frequency generation (SFG). In the experiments, we measured the phase-matching angle, nonlinear frequency conversion efficiency, and angle bandwidth of SHG and SFG processes of BaMgF4 crystal, which are in well agreement with the theoretical calculations. This study may promote the research of nonlinear optical process of BaMgF4 crystal and also the further development of all-solid-state vacuum ultraviolet lasers.

Structures and catalytic performances of Me/SAPO-34 (Me = Mn, Ni, Co) catalysts for low-tem perature SCR of NOx by ammonia.

Me/SAPO-34 (Me = Mn, Ni, Co) series of catalysts were prepared by a wetness impregnation method and investigated for the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides with ammonia (NH3-SCR). Among them, Mn/SAPO-34 catalyst was found as the most promising candidate based on its superior low-temperature activity. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy images (TEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature programmed reduction and desorption (TPR and TPD), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transformed spectroscopy (DRIFTS) of NH3/NOx adsorption. Mn/SAPO-34 is obviously different from Ni/SAPO-34 and Co/SAPO-34 in the active species state and distribution. Surface MnOx species which play an essential role in NO oxidation and NO2 adsorption, act as better active sites than nickel and cobalt mostly in the form of the aluminates and silicates.

Second-harmonic computer-generated holographic imaging through monolithic lithium niobate crystal by femtosecond laser micromachining.

The computer-generated holography technique is a powerful tool for three-dimensional display, beam shaping, optical tweezers, ultrashort pulse laser parallel processing, and optical encryption. We have realized nonlinear holography in ferroelectric crystals by utilizing spatial light modulators in our previous works. Here, we demonstrate an improved method to realize second-harmonic (SH) holographic imaging through a monolithic lithium niobate crystal based on binary computer-generated holograms (CGHs). The CGH patterns were encoded with the detour phase method and fabricated by femtosecond laser micromachining. By the use of the birefringence phase-matching process in the longitudinal direction, bright nonlinear holograms can be obtained in the far-field. The realization of SH holography through monolithic crystal opens wide possibilities in the field of high power laser nonlinear holographic imaging.

Superhigh-Resolution Recognition of Optical Vortex Modes Assisted by a Deep-Learning Method.

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) has demonstrated great success in the optical communication field, which theoretically allows an infinite increase of the transmitted capacity. The resolution of a receiver to precisely recognize OAM modes is crucial to expand the communication capacity. Here, we propose a deep learning (DL) method to precisely recognize OAM modes with fractional topological charges. The minimum interval recognized between adjacent modes decreases to 0.01, which as far as we know is the first time this superhigh resolution has been realized. To exhibit its efficiency in the optical communication process, we transfer an Einstein portrait by a superhigh-resolution OAM multiplexing system. As the convolutional neuron networks can be trained by data up to an infinitely large volume in theory, this work exhibits a huge potential of generalized suitability for next generation DL based ultrafine OAM optical communication, which might even be applied to microwave, millimeter wave, and terahertz OAM communication systems.

Nonlinear generation of Airy vortex beam.

Recently, hybrid beams have sparked considerable interest because of their properties coming from different kinds of beams at the same time. Here, we experimentally demonstrate Airy vortex beam generation in the nonlinear frequency conversion process when the fundamental wave with its phase modulated by a spatial light modulator is incident into a homogeneous nonlinear medium. In our experiments, second harmonic Airy circle vortex beams and Airy ellipse vortex beams were generated and the topological charge was also measured. The parabolic trajectory of those Airy vortex beams can be easily adjusted by altering the fundamental wave phase. This study provides a simple way to generate second harmonic Airy vortex beams, which may broaden its future use in optical manipulation and light-sheet microscopy.

Second harmonic generation with full Poincaré beams.

We report a concise yet efficient experiment to extend the study of full Poincaré beams to incorporate the nonlinear optical effect. The main feature of our scheme is the employment of Type-II phase-matching KTP crystal to implement the second harmonic generation with structured vector light from invisible to visible region. Of particular interest is the revelation and visualization of the hidden topological structures transferred from the input polarization state to the output observable intensity patterns. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical simulations. Our present work provides us with the insight into the interaction of full Poincaré beams with media in the nonlinear regime.

Nonlinear frequency conversion and manipulation of vector beams.

Vector beams have been extensively investigated in recent years because of their fascinating vector character across the beam transverse section, which is demonstrated to be useful for optical micro-manipulation, optical micro-fabrication, optical communication, single molecule imaging, and so on. To date, it is still a challenge to realize nonlinear frequency conversion and manipulation of such vector beams because of the polarization sensitivity in most nonlinear processes. Here, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we generate second-harmonic vector beams by using three-wave mixing processes in our experiment, which occur in two orthogonally placed nonlinear crystals, and the vector property is recognized by using a Glan-Taylor polarizer. This nonlinear frequency conversion process enables vector beams to be obtained at new wavelengths, and opens up new possibilities for all-optical switching and manipulation of vector beams.