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With their dipole‐forbidden 4f transitions, lanthanides doped in nanoparticles promise high excited state lifetimes and quantum yields that are required for applications such as composite lasers or nanoscale quantum memories. Quenching at the nanoparticle surface, however, severely reduces the lifetime and quantum yield and requires resource‐consuming experimental optimization that could not be replaced by simulations due to the limitations of existing approaches until now. Here, a versatile approach is presented that fully accounts for spatiotemporal dynamics and reliably predicts the lifetimes and quantum yields of lanthanide nanoparticles. LiYF4:Pr3+nanoparticles are synthesized as a model system, and the lifetimes of a concentration series (≈10 nm, 0.7−1.47 at%) are used to match the model parameters to the experimental conditions. Employing these parameters, the lifetimes and quantum yields of a size series (≈5 at%, 12−21 nm) are predicted with a maximum uncertainty of 12.6%. To demonstrate the potential of the model, a neutral shell is added around the core particles in the model which extends the lifetime by up to 44%. Furthermore, spatiotemporal analysis of single nanoparticles points toward a new type of energy trapping in lanthanide nanoparticles. Consequently, the numerical optimization brings applications such as efficient nanoparticle lasers or quantum memories within reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present numerical simulations of optoacoustic (OA) signals, complementing laboratory experiments on melanin doped polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel (PVA-H) tissue phantoms. We review the computational approach to model the underlying mechanisms, i.e. optical absorption of laser energy and acoustic propagation of mechanical stress, geared toward experiments that involve absorbing media with homogeneous acoustic properties. We apply the numerical procedure to predict signals observed in the acoustic near- and farfield in both, forward and backward detection mode, in PVA-H tissue phantoms (i.e. an elastic solid). Further, we report on verification tests of our research code based on OA experiments on dye solution (i.e. a liquid) detailed in the literature and benchmark our 3D procedure via limiting cases described in terms of effectively 1D theoretical approaches. Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate both analytically and numerically the ensemble of minimum-weight loops in the negative-weight percolation model on random graphs with fixed connectivity and bimodal weight distribution. This allows us to study the mean-field behavior of this model. The analytical study is based on a conjectured equivalence with the problem of self-avoiding walks in a random medium. The numerical study is based on a mapping to a standard minimum-weight matching problem for which fast algorithms exist. Both approaches yield results that are in agreement on the location of the phase transition, on the value of critical exponents, and on the absence of any sizable indications of a glass phase. By these results, the previously conjectured upper critical dimension of du = 6 is confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a peculiar mechanism for the formation of bound states of light pulses of substantially different optical frequencies, in which pulses are strongly bound across a vast frequency gap. This is enabled by a propagation constant with two separate regions of anomalous dispersion. The resulting soliton compound exhibits moleculelike binding energy, vibration, and radiation and can be understood as a mutual trapping providing a striking analogy to quantum mechanics. The phenomenon constitutes an intriguing case of two light waves mutually affecting and controlling each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin glasses are prototypical random systems modelling magnetic alloys. One important way to investigate spin glass models is to study domain walls. For two dimensions, this can be algorithmically understood as the calculation of a shortest path, which allows for negative distances or weights. This led to the creation of the negative weight percolation (NWP) model, which is presented here along with all necessary basics from spin glasses, graph theory and corresponding algorithms. The algorithmic approach involves a mapping to the classical matching problem for graphs. In addition, a summary of results is given, which were obtained during the past decade. This includes the study of percolation transitions in dimension from d = 2 up to and beyond the upper critical dimension d u = 6 , also for random graphs. It is shown that NWP is in a different universality class than standard percolation. Furthermore, the question of whether NWP exhibits properties of Stochastic–Loewner Evolution is addressed and recent results for directed NWP are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the impact of collisions with two-frequency photonic molecules aiming to observe internal dynamic behavior and challenge their strong robustness. Versatile interaction scenarios show intriguing state changes expressed through modifications of the resulting state such as temporal compression and unknown collision-induced spectral tunneling. These processes show potential for efficient coherent supercontinuum generation and all-optical manipulation.

We reveal the crucial role played by the frequency dependence of the nonlinear parameter on the evolution of femtosecond solitons inside photonic crystal fibers (PCFs). We show that the conventional approach based on the self-steepening effect is not appropriate when such fibers have two zero-dispersion wavelengths, and several higher-order nonlinear terms must be included for realistic modeling of the nonlinear phenomena in PCFs. These terms affect not only the Raman-induced wavelength shift of a soliton but also impact its shedding of dispersive radiation.

The realization of optical interconnects between multimode (MM) optical fibers and waveguides based on a self-writing process in photopolymer media represents an efficient approach for fast and easy-to-implement connection of light-guiding elements. When light propagates through photopolymer media, it modulates the material properties of the media and confines the spreading of the light beam to create a waveguide along the beam propagation direction. This self-writing process can be realized with a single photopolymer medium and is also suited to connect optical fibers or waveguides with active elements such as light sources and detectors. Numerical simulations of the underlying light-induced polymerization process is carried out by using a diffusion based material model which takes account both monomer diffusion and its conversion to polymer chains in regions exposed to light fields. In this work experimental results obtained from a one-polymer approach are validated with theoretical predictions from the diffusion model. The study involved the demonstration of temporal dynamics and transmittance from self-written waveguide (SWW) couplers during the self-writing process. The measured attenuation coefficient from experiment α experiment  = (8.43 ± 0.3) × 10 -5 dB/µm showed good agreement with the theoretically predicted attenuation coefficient α simulation  = 7.93 × 10 -5 dB/µm, thus demonstrating a successful application of the diffusion model to epoxy based acrylate SWWs. For comparison, attenuation measurements between optical fibers with SWWs as interconnects and one without SWW, i.e. with an air gap in between, were performed. The obtained results reveal that the theoretical approach correctly describes the waveguide formation process so that in the next step the studies can be extended towards including further relevant parameters such as temperature.