Edge-Terminated AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN Multi-Quantum Well Impact Avalanche Transit Time Sources for Terahertz Wave Generation.

In our pursuit of high-power terahertz (THz) wave generation, we propose innovative edge-terminated single-drift region (SDR) multi-quantum well (MQW) impact avalanche transit time (IMPATT) structures based on the AlxGa1-xN/GaN/AlxGa1-xN material system, with a fixed aluminum mole fraction of x = 0.3. Two distinct MQW diode configurations, namely p+-n junction-based and Schottky barrier diode structures, were investigated for their THz potential. To enhance reverse breakdown characteristics, we propose employing mesa etching and nitrogen ion implantation for edge termination, mitigating issues related to premature and soft breakdown. The THz performance is comprehensively evaluated through steady-state and high-frequency characterizations using a self-consistent quantum drift-diffusion (SCQDD) model. Our proposed Al0.3Ga0.7N/GaN/Al0.3Ga0.7N MQW diodes, as well as GaN-based single-drift region (SDR) and 3C-SiC/Si/3C-SiC MQW-based double-drift region (DDR) IMPATT diodes, are simulated. The Schottky barrier in the proposed diodes significantly reduces device series resistance, enhancing peak continuous wave power output to approximately 300 mW and DC to THz conversion efficiency to nearly 13% at 1.0 THz. Noise performance analysis reveals that MQW structures within the avalanche zone mitigate noise and improve overall performance. Benchmarking against state-of-the-art THz sources establishes the superiority of our proposed THz sources, highlighting their potential for advancing THz technology and its applications.

Synthesis Methods and Optical Sensing Applications of Plasmonic Metal Nanoparticles Made from Rhodium, Platinum, Gold, or Silver.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth review of plasmonic metal nanoparticles made from rhodium, platinum, gold, or silver. We describe fundamental concepts, synthesis methods, and optical sensing applications of these nanoparticles. Plasmonic metal nanoparticles have received a lot of interest due to various applications, such as optical sensors, single-molecule detection, single-cell detection, pathogen detection, environmental contaminant monitoring, cancer diagnostics, biomedicine, and food and health safety monitoring. They provide a promising platform for highly sensitive detection of various analytes. Due to strongly localized optical fields in the hot-spot region near metal nanoparticles, they have the potential for plasmon-enhanced optical sensing applications, including metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF), surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), and biomedical imaging. We explain the plasmonic enhancement through electromagnetic theory and confirm it with finite-difference time-domain numerical simulations. Moreover, we examine how the localized surface plasmon resonance effects of gold and silver nanoparticles have been utilized for the detection and biosensing of various analytes. Specifically, we discuss the syntheses and applications of rhodium and platinum nanoparticles for the UV plasmonics such as UV-MEF and UV-SERS. Finally, we provide an overview of chemical, physical, and green methods for synthesizing these nanoparticles. We hope that this paper will promote further interest in the optical sensing applications of plasmonic metal nanoparticles in the UV and visible ranges.

Advances in the simulation of light-tissue interactions in biomedical engineering.

Monte Carlo (MC) simulation for light propagation in scattering and absorbing media is the gold standard for studying the interaction of light with biological tissue and has been used for years in a wide variety of cases. The interaction of photons with the medium is simulated based on its optical properties and the original approximation of the scattering phase function. Over the past decade, with the new measurement geometries and recording techniques invented also the corresponding sophisticated methods for the description of the underlying light-tissue interaction taking into account realistic parameters and settings were developed. Applications, such as multiple scattering, optogenetics, optical coherence tomography, Raman spectroscopy, polarimetry and Mueller matrix measurement have emerged and are still constantly improved. Here, we review the advances and recent applications of MC simulation for the active field of the life sciences and the medicine pointing out the new insights enabled by the theoretical concepts.

Monte Carlo simulation of the influence of internal optical absorption on the external Raman signal for biological samples.

Proper understanding of Raman spectroscopic signals from biological samples requires the quantification of internal signal absorption and its effect on the Raman spectra detected outside the samples under study. In this paper, we describe an efficient Monte Carlo method to simulate Raman scattering in biological tissues and solutions and compare the findings with experimental results obtained in samples with different absorber concentrations and optical properties. As an illustrative example, we focus on solutions of beta-carotene (bCar) in ethanol with different concentrations of absorber (ink) added. We find good agreement between simulation and experiment, thus indicating a way to quantify the influence of internal signal absorption in Raman measurements.

Simulation of Raman scattering including detector parameters and sampling volume.

Raman spectroscopy can be employed to measure the chemical composition of a sample, which can in turn be used to extract biological information. The aim of this paper is to introduce an efficient simulation technique for Raman spectroscopy in turbid (scattering) media taking into account relevant detector parameters and the sampling volume. We simulate the process of photon motion in turbid media by means of the Monte Carlo (MC) method. The numerical simulation of Raman scattering consists of two stages: calculation of the photon fluence at each point of the medium and subsequent generation of the corresponding amount of Raman photons at each point. The developed model allows simulation of both confocal and optical fiber probe Raman setups. In more detail, the model efficiently simulates Raman signals for different single and multi-layer phantoms and geometries, including focused and collimated (i.e., the fiber-based case) excitation laser beams as well as different values for the numerical aperture and the excitation beam radius. In the future, our results offer the potential to improve the design of Raman systems for in vivo applications in biomedical research.

Two efficient approaches for modeling of Raman scattering in homogeneous turbid media.

The quantitative analysis of Raman spectroscopic signals in biological tissue is generally difficult. Typical samples contain a multitude of molecular species and, in addition, measurements are altered by attenuation of the Raman signal. Realistic numerical modeling of the Raman process can help to facilitate the quantitative analysis of the Raman spectra, but approaches so far are scarce and often time-consuming. In this work, we report on two different and very efficient approaches for modeling of Raman scattering in turbid media irradiated by laser light. Both approaches utilize the Monte Carlo method to simulate the Raman scattering process. We compare the efficiency of both approaches and discuss possible future extensions and experimental validation.

Optical and structural properties of nanobiomaterials.

In this review, the optical and structural properties of biomaterials are discussed. First, we demonstrate the optical and structural properties of natural and plasma-treated DNA, using UV-visible absorption, circular dichroism (CD), and Raman spectroscopy. Fluorescence and lasing action in the dye-doped DNA-surfactant complex are also explained. Additionally, nanomaterial-based DNA detection and DNA-templated nanomaterial growth are described. Next, we discuss protein folding studies utilizing fluorescence, CD, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. From the CD spectra of alpha-chymotrypsin (CT), we estimate the composition of a-helices and the beta-sheets, and random coils in the CT. 1H NMR spectroscopy is used to investigate the thermal effect on the refolding of CT in the presence of an ionic liquid. Finally, we explain the numerical simulation method used for studying the optical properties of biomaterials. Applications of the Monte-Carlo method in photodynamic therapy, skin tissue optics, and bioimaging are described.

Dynamic model of thermal reaction of biological tissues to laser-induced fluorescence and photodynamic therapy.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the temperature fields and the dynamics of heat conduction into the skin tissue under several laser irradiation conditions with both a pulsed ultraviolet (UV) laser (λ=337 nm) and a continuous-wave (cw) visible laser beam (λ=632.8 nm) using Monte Carlo modeling. Finite-element methodology was used for heat transfer simulation. The analysis of the results showed that heat is not localized on the surface, but is collected inside the tissue in lower skin layers. The simulation was made with the pulsed UV laser beam (used as excitation source in laser-induced fluorescence) and the cw visible laser (used in photodynamic therapy treatments), in order to study the possible thermal effects.

Thermal processes in red blood cells exposed to infrared laser tweezers (λ = 1064 nm).

Continuous-wave laser micro-beams are generally used as diagnostic tools in laser scanning microscopes or in the case of near-infrared (NIR) micro-beams, as optical traps for cell manipulation and force characterization. Because single beam traps are created with objectives of high numerical aperture, typical trapping intensities and photon flux densities are in the order of 10(6) W/cm(2) and 10(3) cm(-2) s(-1), respectively. The main idea of our theoretical study was to investigate the thermal reaction of RBCs irradiated by laser micro-beam. The study is supported by the fact that many experiments have been carried out with RBCs in laser NIR tweezers. In the present work it has been identified that the laser affects a RBC with a density of absorbed energy at approximately 10(7) J/cm(3), which causes a temperature rise in the cell of about 7-12 °C.