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Yin K, Hsiang EL, Zou J, Li Y, Yang Z, Yang Q, Lai PC, Lin CL, Wu ST. Advanced liquid crystal devices for augmented reality and virtual reality displays: principles and applications. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2022; 11:161. [PMID: 35637183 PMCID: PMC9151772 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-022-00851-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and photonic devices play a pivotal role to augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). The recently emerging high-dynamic-range (HDR) mini-LED backlit LCDs significantly boost the image quality and brightness and reduce the power consumption for VR displays. Such a light engine is particularly attractive for compensating the optical loss of pancake structure to achieve compact and lightweight VR headsets. On the other hand, high-resolution-density, and high-brightness liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) is a promising image source for the see-through AR displays, especially under high ambient lighting conditions. Meanwhile, the high-speed LCoS spatial light modulators open a new door for holographic displays and focal surface displays. Finally, the ultrathin planar diffractive LC optical elements, such as geometric phase LC grating and lens, have found useful applications in AR and VR for enhancing resolution, widening field-of-view, suppressing chromatic aberrations, creating multiplanes to overcome the vergence-accommodation conflict, and dynamic pupil steering to achieve gaze-matched Maxwellian displays, just to name a few. The operation principles, potential applications, and future challenges of these advanced LC devices will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Yin
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - En-Lin Hsiang
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Junyu Zou
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Yannanqi Li
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Zhiyong Yang
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Qian Yang
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Po-Cheng Lai
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Chih-Lung Lin
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Shin-Tson Wu
- College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA.
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Chang LM, Feng TM, Lin KW, Tseng HY, Li CC, Guo DY, Jau HC, Wang CT, Lin TH. Electrotunable 180° achromatic linear polarization rotator based on a dual-frequency liquid crystal. OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 30:4886-4894. [PMID: 35209461 DOI: 10.1364/oe.447256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Linear polarization rotators have been widely used in optical systems. Commonly used polarization rotators are still beset by strong dispersion and thus restricted spectral bandwidth of operation. This leads to the development of achromatic or broadband alternatives, but most of them incorporate multiple waveplates for retardation compensation, which comes at the cost of increased complexity and reduced flexibility in operation and system design. Here, we demonstrate a single-element achromatic polarization rotator based on a thin film of dual-frequency chiral liquid crystal. The angle of polarization rotation is electrically tunable from 0° to 180° with low dispersion (±3°) in the entire visible spectrum, and a high degree of linear polarization (>95%) at the output.
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Chen Q, Peng Z, Li Y, Liu S, Zhou P, Gu J, Lu J, Yao L, Wang M, Su Y. Multi-plane augmented reality display based on cholesteric liquid crystal reflective films. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:12039-12047. [PMID: 31052749 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.012039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
To address the accommodation-convergence conflict problem in conventional augmented reality (AR) head-mounted displays, we propose a compact multi-plane display design based on cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) reflective films and a polarization switch. Because of the polarization selectivity of CLC films, circularly-polarized light with different handedness is reflected by different CLC films, resulting in different optical path lengths and different image depths by the lens. A flicker-free dual-plane prototype with correct focus cues and relatively low operating voltage has been implemented. Moreover, a multi-plane AR display scheme with more than 2 depth planes is proposed by stacking multiple CLC films and polarization switches together.
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Hsieh CF, Yang CS, Shih FC, Pan RP, Pan CL. Liquid-crystal-based magnetically tunable terahertz achromatic quarter-wave plate. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:9933-9940. [PMID: 31045140 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.009933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Development of the wideband and tunable quasi-optic terahertz (THz) components is in high demand. In this work, we demonstrate a tunable achromatic quarter-wave plate (AQWP) for the THz frequency range. The phase retardation of this device can be set at 90° ± 9° from 0.20 to 0.50 THz. The operation range from 0.20 to 0.50 THz can be tuned to from 0.30 to 0.70 THz by introducing three nematic liquid crystals phase retarders, of which the birefringence can be magnetically tuned. The frequency-dependent phase retardation is in good agreement with theoretical predictions.
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Achromatic linear polarization rotators by tandem twisted nematic liquid crystal cells. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13691. [PMID: 30209304 PMCID: PMC6135760 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32168-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
An achromatic linear polarization rotator based on a tandem-2ϕ-twisted nematic liquid crystal cell (tandem-2ϕ-TNLC cell, where 2ϕ represents the total twisted angle) is theoretically analyzed and experimentally demonstrated. The tandem-2ϕ-TNLC cell comprises two conventional ϕ-TNLC cells with the required arrangement that the LC director close to the last layer of the first ϕ-TNLC cell should be perpendicular to that close to the first layer of the second ϕ-TNLC cell. With such a simple combination, the TNLC performances are considerably improved. According to the experimental results and theoretical analyses by Jones Calculus, the tandem-2ϕ-TNLC polarization rotator with suitable parameters is achromatic and insensitive to the polarization plane of incident light. Such properties provide these polarization rotators with potential for practical applications.
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Wang Y, Wang F, Zhang Y, Huang X, Hu D, Zheng W, Zhu R, Deng X. Polarization smoothing for single beam by a nematic liquid crystal scrambler. APPLIED OPTICS 2017; 56:8087-8091. [PMID: 29047670 DOI: 10.1364/ao.56.008087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Polarization smoothing (PS) is a key approach to suppress laser plasma instabilities (LPI) in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. Here, we propose a liquid crystal (LC) PS element to realize single beam smoothing and demonstrate its smoothing effect, in principle, with a 2×2 LC polarization checkerboard, which reduces the laser intensity variation in the focal spot to 78.4%. LC PS elements, which have potential applications in high-power ICF laser drivers, have many advantages because they are easy to fabricate, cost effective, flexible, and large.
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Shi L, Srivastava AK, Wai Tam AM, Chigrinov VG, Kwok HS. 2D-3D switchable display based on a passive polymeric lenticular lens array and electrically suppressed ferroelectric liquid crystal. OPTICS LETTERS 2017; 42:3435-3438. [PMID: 28957056 DOI: 10.1364/ol.42.003435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We reveal a 2D-3D switchable lens unit that is based on a polarization-sensitive microlens array and a polarization selector unit made of an electrically suppressed helix ferroelectric liquid crystal (ESHFLC) cell. The ESHFLCs offer a high contrast ratio (∼10k∶1) between the crossed polarizers at a low applied electric field (∼1.7 V/μm) with a small switching time (<50 μs). A special driving scheme, to switch between a 2D and 3D mode, has been developed to avoid unwanted issues related to DC accumulation in the ferroelectric liquid crystal without affecting its optical quality. The proposed lens unit is characterized by low power consumption, ultrafast response, and 3D crosstalk <5%, and can therefore find application in TVs, cell phones, etc.
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De Sio L, Roberts DE, Liao Z, Nersisyan S, Uskova O, Wickboldt L, Tabiryan N, Steeves DM, Kimball BR. Digital polarization holography advancing geometrical phase optics. OPTICS EXPRESS 2016; 24:18297-18306. [PMID: 27505793 DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.018297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Geometrical phase or the fourth generation (4G) optics enables realization of optical components (lenses, prisms, gratings, spiral phase plates, etc.) by patterning the optical axis orientation in the plane of thin anisotropic films. Such components exhibit near 100% diffraction efficiency over a broadband of wavelengths. The films are obtained by coating liquid crystalline (LC) materials over substrates with patterned alignment conditions. Photo-anisotropic materials are used for producing desired alignment conditions at the substrate surface. We present and discuss here an opportunity of producing the widest variety of "free-form" 4G optical components with arbitrary spatial patterns of the optical anisotropy axis orientation with the aid of a digital spatial light polarization converter (DSLPC). The DSLPC is based on a reflective, high resolution spatial light modulator (SLM) combined with an "ad hoc" optical setup. The most attractive feature of the use of a DSLPC for photoalignment of nanometer thin photo-anisotropic coatings is that the orientation of the alignment layer, and therefore of the fabricated LC or LC polymer (LCP) components can be specified on a pixel-by-pixel basis with high spatial resolution. By varying the optical magnification or de-magnification the spatial resolution of the photoaligned layer can be adjusted to an optimum for each application. With a simple "click" it is possible to record different optical components as well as arbitrary patterns ranging from lenses to invisible labels and other transparent labels that reveal different images depending on the side from which they are viewed.
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Sol-Gel Material-Enabled Electro-Optic Polymer Modulators. SENSORS 2015; 15:18239-55. [PMID: 26225971 PMCID: PMC4570318 DOI: 10.3390/s150818239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sol-gels are an important material class, as they provide easy modification of material properties, good processability and are easy to synthesize. In general, an electro-optic (EO) modulator transforms an electrical signal into an optical signal. The incoming electrical signal is most commonly information encoded in a voltage change. This voltage change is then transformed into either a phase change or an intensity change in the light signal. The less voltage needed to drive the modulator and the lower the optical loss, the higher the link gain and, therefore, the better the performance of the modulator. In this review, we will show how sol-gels can be used to enhance the performance of electro-optic modulators by allowing for designs with low optical loss, increased poling efficiency and manipulation of the electric field used for driving the modulator. The optical loss is influenced by the propagation loss in the device, as well as the losses occurring during fiber coupling in and out of the device. In both cases, the use of sol-gel materials can be beneficial due to the wide range of available refractive indices and low optical attenuation. The influence of material properties and synthesis conditions on the device performance will be discussed.
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Dimova ES, Ivanov SS, Popkirov GS, Vitanov NV. Highly efficient broadband polarization retarders and tunable polarization filters made of composite stacks of ordinary wave plates. JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA. A, OPTICS, IMAGE SCIENCE, AND VISION 2014; 31:952-956. [PMID: 24979626 DOI: 10.1364/josaa.31.000952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
By using the formal analogy between the evolution of the state vector in quantum mechanics and the Jones vector in polarization optics, we construct and demonstrate experimentally efficient broadband half-wave polarization retarders and tunable narrowband polarization filters. Both the broadband retarders and the filters are constructed by the same set of stacked standard multiorder optical wave plates (WPs) rotated at different angles with respect to their fast polarization axes: for a certain set of angles this device behaves as a broadband polarization retarder, while for another set of angles it turns into a narrowband polarization filter. We demonstrate that the transmission profile of our filter can be centered around any desired wavelength in a certain vicinity of the design wavelength of the WPs solely by selecting appropriate rotation angles.
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Oh SW, Yoon TH. Elimination of light leakage over the entire viewing cone in a homogeneously-aligned liquid crystal cell. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:5808-5817. [PMID: 24663918 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.005808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We propose an optical compensation scheme that uses uniaxial films for perfect elimination of light leakage over the entire viewing cone in a homogeneously-aligned liquid crystal cell. Uniaxial films with different dispersion characteristics are used so that they can compensate one another to achieve achromatic optical compensation. Owing to the rotational symmetry of the polarization change on the S(2)-S(3) plane of the Poincaré sphere, we can eliminate the light leakage at all azimuth angles. The contrast ratio of the proposed configuration for white light is higher than 3000:1 at a polar angle of ± 85°, irrespective of the azimuth angle.
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Patil O, Mohanty S. Why folates self-assemble: a simulation-based study. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2013.854890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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De Sio L, Tabiryan N. Self-aligning liquid crystals in polymer composite systems. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/polb.23400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luciano De Sio
- Beam Engineering for Advanced Measurements Company; Winter Park Florida 32789
- Department of Physics and Centre of Excellence for the Study of Innovative Functional Materials; University of Calabria; 87036 Arcavacata di Rende Italy
| | - Nelson Tabiryan
- Beam Engineering for Advanced Measurements Company; Winter Park Florida 32789
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Komanduri RK, Lawler KF, Escuti MJ. Multi-twist retarders: broadband retardation control using self-aligning reactive liquid crystal layers. OPTICS EXPRESS 2013; 21:404-420. [PMID: 23388933 DOI: 10.1364/oe.21.000404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We report on a family of complex birefringent elements, called Multi-Twist Retarders (MTRs), which offer remarkably effective control of broadband polarization transformation. MTRs consist of two or more twisted liquid crystal (LC) layers on a single substrate and with a single alignment layer. Importantly, subsequent LC layers are aligned directly by prior layers, allowing simple fabrication, achieving automatic layer registration, and resulting in a monolithic film with a continuously varying optic axis. In this work, we employ a numerical design method and focus on achromatic quarter- and half-wave MTRs. In just two or three layers, these have bandwidths and general behavior that matches or exceeds all traditional approaches using multiple homogenous retarders. We validate the concept by fabricating several quarter-wave retarders using a commercial polymerizeable LC, and show excellent achromaticity across bandwidths of 450-650 nm and 400-800 nm. Due to their simple fabrication and many degrees of freedom, MTRs are especially well suited for patterned achromatic retarders, and can easily achieve large bandwidth and/or low-variation of retardation within visible through infrared wavelengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi K Komanduri
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Peters T, Ivanov SS, Englisch D, Rangelov AA, Vitanov NV, Halfmann T. Variable ultrabroadband and narrowband composite polarization retarders. APPLIED OPTICS 2012; 51:7466-7474. [PMID: 23128692 DOI: 10.1364/ao.51.007466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Accepted: 09/17/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We propose and experimentally demonstrate novel types of composite sequences of half-wave and quarter-wave polarization retarders, permitting operation at either ultrabroad spectral bandwidth or narrow bandwidth. The retarders are composed of stacked standard half-wave retarders and quarter-wave retarders of equal thickness. To our knowledge, these home-built devices outperform all commercially available compound retarders, made of several birefringent materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorsten Peters
- Institut für Angewandte Physik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany. ‐darmstadt.de
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Durán V, Clemente P, Lancis J. Use of principal states of polarization of a liquid crystal device to achieve a dynamical modulation of broadband beams. OPTICS LETTERS 2009; 34:2423-2425. [PMID: 19684803 DOI: 10.1364/ol.34.002423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A spatially resolved polarization switcher operating over a bandwidth of 200 nm is demonstrated. The system is based on liquid crystal technology and no specific-purpose birefringent element is required. The procedure is founded on the polarization mode dispersion theory of optical fibers, which provides a convenient framework for the design of broadband polarization systems. Our device benefits from the high resolution of off-the-shelf twisted nematic liquid crystal displays and is well suited for spatial modulation of the intensity of broadband beams, such as those coming from few-cycle femtosecond lasers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Durán
- Departament de Física, GROC-UJI, E12071 Castelló, Spain.
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Safrani A, Abdulhalim I. Liquid-crystal polarization rotator and a tunable polarizer. OPTICS LETTERS 2009; 34:1801-1803. [PMID: 19529708 DOI: 10.1364/ol.34.001801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
A liquid-crystal (LC) voltage-controlled linear polarizer is demonstrated using two LC retarders stacked with two quarter-wave plates and an intermediate linear absorptive polarizer. The device was examined experimentally using unpolarized light and was found to be in accordance with the theoretical prediction. Under certain conditions the device acts as a polarization rotator with possibility for simultaneous amplitude modulation. Hence it has a potential application in high-dynamic-range polarimetric imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avner Safrani
- Department of Electro-Optic Engineering, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
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De Sio L, Tabiryan N, Caputo R, Veltri A, Umeton C. POLICRYPS structures as switchable optical phase modulators. OPTICS EXPRESS 2008; 16:7619-7624. [PMID: 18545468 DOI: 10.1364/oe.16.007619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
We report on the electrically controlled optical phase modulator behavior of light sculptured periodic structures made of polymer slices alternated to films of well aligned Liquid Crystals (POLICRYPS). Arbitrarily polarized light normally incident on the structure experiences a birefringence that depends on the anisotropy of the composite liquid crystalline material and on the geometrical cell parameters. The sample behaves as a retardation plate in good agreement with the Jones matrices formalism. Birefringence tuning is obtained by applying a suitable voltage, while a negligible birefringence variation is detected by increasing the incidence power. This makes POLICRYPS structures suitable as switchable phase retarders for high power laser beams.
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Affiliation(s)
- L De Sio
- LICRYL (Liquid Crystals Laboratory), National Institute for the Physics of Matter (INFM-CNR), Center of Excellence CEMIF.CAL, Department of Physics, University of Calabria, Italy.
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