Sharif Digital Repository

The cavity quantum electrodynamics of various complex systems is here analyzed using a general versatile code developed in this research. Such quantum multi-partite systems normally consist of an arbitrary number of quantum dots in interaction with an arbitrary number of cavity modes. As an example, a nine-partition system is simulated under different coupling regimes, consisting of eight emitters interacting with one cavity mode. Two-level emitters (e.g. quantum dots) are assumed to have an arrangement in the form of a linear chain, defining the mutual dipole-dipole interactions. It was observed that plotting the system trajectory in the phase space reveals a chaotic behavior in the... 

Cavity quantum electrodynamics of multipartite systems are studied in depth, which consists of an arbitrary number of emitters in interaction with an arbitrary number of cavity modes. The governing model is obtained by taking the full field-dipole and dipole-dipole interactions into account, and is solved in the Schrödinger picture with assumption of vanishing field and dipole interactions at high energies. An extensive code is developed that is able to solve the system and track its evolution in time, while maintaining sufficient degrees of arbitrariness in setting up the initial conditions and interacting partitions. Using this code, we have been able to numerically evaluate various... 

The development of noble-metal-free electrocatalysts with enhanced active sites is of great significance for the production of renewable energy on large scale. Ultrathin transition metal compounds (e.g., phosphides and sulfides) have unique structural features but their stability and electroactivity must still be improved for practical applications. We propose a new strategy to synthesis ultrathin sheets of Ni-Cu-Co transition metals on porous nickel and self-assemble them into yarn-shaped microspheres. Enhance catalytic activity and stability are then attained by thermochemical phosphorization without morphological modifications. We employed various analytical techniques including XRD, SEM,... 

Up to now, attempts for developing coarse-grained SnO2-based varistors which exhibit high nonlinearity property at lower voltage have become a challenge without any prominent result because of its unknown grain growth mechanism. In this study, the effect of CuO addition to SnO2-based varistors as a grain growth enhancer additive on microstructural development, grain growth kinetics, and electrical properties was investigated. The characterization of grain growth kinetics showed that CuO addition encouraged grain growth and enhanced the grains size as it could be seen in the activation energy which decreased from 594 kJ/mol to 364 kJ/mol. In the samples with a low amount of CuO, the solute... 

This research focused on making novel low-voltage SnO2 varistors by CuO addition on conventional high-voltage SnO2 varistors. Moreover, the withstand surge capability of samples was studied. The results showed that CuO addition enhances grain growth of SnO2 and coarse-grained SnO2 varistors with simple microstructures were acquired in 1 mol% CuO-doped sample. This coarse-grained SnO2 varistor presented a high nonlinear coefficient (23) and low leakage current density (23 µA/cm2) with low breakdown field value of 0.6 kV/cm. Despite the large grain size, the low residual voltage ratio (2.3) was obtained for this sample compared to the CuO-free sample. The decrease in grain electric resistivity... 

Up to 8wt. % of Nano-iron oxide was added to CaO refractory matrix. The crystalline phases and microstructure characteristics of specimens sintered at 1650°C for 5h in an electric furnace were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The physical properties are reported in terms of bulk density, apparent porosity and hydration resistance. The mechanical behavior was studied by a cold crushing strength (CCS) and flexural strength at 1200°C test. As a result, it was found that the presence of Nano-iron oxide in the CaO refractory matrix induced 2CaO.Fe2O3 (C2F), CaO.Fe2O3 (CF) and 3CaO.Al2O3 (C3A) phase's formation, which improved the sintering... 

In this research, fine-grained SnO2-based varistors with a simple microstructure and the mean grain size of 0.8 µm were obtained by the microwave sintering method. The breakdown electric field measured for these varistors was 12 kV/cm that is 3 times higher than the conventional-sintered varistors. The high nonlinear coefficient (60) and low leakage current density (9 µA/cm2) were achieved in fine-grained SnO2 varistors. The fine-grained SnO2 varistors appropriately clamped pulse current surges and the calculated value of the clamping voltage ratio of these varistors was 2. The excellent electrical properties and protective effect of fine-grained SnO2 varistors showed that these varistors... 

Due to unique advantages, the development of high-performance supercapacitors has stimulated a great deal of scientific research over the past decade. The electrochemical performance of a supercapacitor is strongly affected by the surface and structural properties of its electrode materials. Herein, we report a facile synthesis of high-performance supercapacitor electrode material based on CuS nano-hollow spheres with nanoporous structures, large specific surface area (97 m2 g−1) and nanoscale shell thickness (<20 nm). This interesting electrode structure plays a key role in providing more active sites for electrochemical reactions, short ion and electron diffusion pathways and facilitated... 

In recent years, development of high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials has stimulated a great deal of scientific research. The electrochemical performance of a supercapacitor strongly depends on its material structures. Herein, we report a simple strategy for high-performance supercapacitors by building pseudocapacitive CuS nanospheres with nanoporous structures, nanosized walls (<10 nm) and relatively large specific surface area of 65 m2/g. This electrode demonstrates excellent electrochemical performance including a maximum specific capacitance of 814 F/g at 1 A/g, significant rate capability of 42% capacitance retention at an ultrafast rate of 50 A/g, and outstanding... 

In this study, SnO 2-based varistors were prepared from mechanically activated nanocrystalline powders. Nanocrystalline powders were derived by subjecting the initial powders to intensive high-energy activation with different times and ball to powder ratio. The effect of activation parameters on the powder properties and sintering temperature, as well as microstructural, micro-electrical and macro-electrical properties of the final specimens was evaluated. Varistors derived from high-energy mechanical activation exhibit a higher density (98.3% relative density) and more refined microstructure upon sintering at 1,300 °C in comparison varistors prepared from conventional powders. Breakdown... 

We present a primal-dual predictor-corrector interior-point method for symmetric cone optimization. The proposed algorithm is based on the Nesterov-Todd search directions and a wide neighborhood, which is an even wider neighborhood than a given negative infinity neighborhood. At each iteration, the method computes two corrector directions in addition to the Ai and Zhang directions (SIAM J. Optim. 16, 400–417, 2005), in order to improve performance. Moreover, we derive the complexity bound of the wide neighborhood predictor-corrector interior-point method for symmetric cone optimization that coincides with the currently best known theoretical complexity bounds for the short step algorithm.... 

We present a primal-dual predictor-corrector interior-point method for symmetric cone optimization. The proposed algorithm is based on the Nesterov-Todd search directions and a wide neighborhood, which is an even wider neighborhood than a given negative infinity neighborhood. At each iteration, the method computes two corrector directions in addition to the Ai and Zhang directions (SIAM J. Optim. 16, 400–417, 2005), in order to improve performance. Moreover, we derive the complexity bound of the wide neighborhood predictor-corrector interior-point method for symmetric cone optimization that coincides with the currently best known theoretical complexity bounds for the short step algorithm.... 

In this research, the microstructure, dielectric, and non-Ohmic properties of (Cr, Nb) co-doped SnO2 ceramics, (Cr0.5, Nb0.5)xSn1-xO2 with x% = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0, as a colossal dielectric material and a prospective alternative to co-doped TiO2 ceramics were studied. The X-ray diffraction results indicated that in all compositions, the cassiterite phase was achieved without any secondary phases. Moreover, field-emission secondary electron microscopy showed that the microstructure of samples has different morphologies including typical grains, enlarged grains and prism-like grains microstructure for various sintered samples. The maximum dielectric constant (2737) accompanied by... 

In this work the effect of nano- and microZrO2 addition on the densification and hydration resistance of MgO–CaO refractories was investigated. 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 wt% ZrO2 was added to MgO–CaO refractories that contain 35 wt% CaO. The crystalline phases and microstructure characteristics of specimens sintered at 1650 °C for 5 h in an electric furnace were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The physical properties are reported in terms of bulk density, apparent porosity and hydration resistance. Results show that with addition of ZrO2 the bulk density and hydration resistance of the samples increased while apparent porosity decreased. Also... 

In this research, for the first time, SnO2-based varistors were fabricated via spark plasma sintering technique (SPS) and the microstructure and electrical properties of these varistors were investigated. Furthermore, the effect of post-annealing temperature in oxygen atmosphere on electrical properties of the SPSed samples was studied. The SPS process was performed at the sintering temperatures of 600, 650, and 700 ᵒC for 15 min with a maximum pressure of 90 MPa under vacuum condition. The SPSed sample which was sintered at 650 ᵒC possessed maximum density of 98% and the ultra-fine-grained microstructure with the mean grain size of 380 nm. Surprisingly, all SPSed samples exhibited Ohmic... 

This paper describes a solution-based technique for fabrication of varistor grade composite nanopowders. The method consists of coating major varistor dopants on the surface of the ZnO nanoparticles. As a result, a homogenous mixture of dopants and ZnO nanoparticles will be achieved. TEM results indicated that a composite layer of dopants with the average particle size of 9 nm on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles has been successfully prepared. Sintering of the coated powders was performed in temperatures as low as 850 °C and final specimens with average particle size of 900 nm and density of 98.5% were achieved. In comparison to conventional mixing, varistors prepared from coated nanopowders... 

In this research, full density, single phase microstructure (in the XRD and SEM detection limits), and fine-grained SnO2 varistors with an average grain size of 0.65 μm was acquired at low temperature by the two-step sintering technique. The sintering temperature was successfully decreased from 1300 °C in the normal sintering to 1150 °C and 1100 °C of respectively the first and the second stage in the two-step sintering. The mechanism of grain growth suppression of the two-step sintered samples was discussed and it was suggested that in addition to triple point junction, solute drag and/or nano-secondary phases contribute to cease the grain growth. These SnO2 varistors exhibited ultra-high...