Mechanoluminescent devices and articles, such as wearable articles, that include mechanoluminescent devices. The mechanoluminescent devices may have a lateral type architecture or a vertical type architecture. The mechanoluminescent devices may be sensors, including pressure sensors.

A method for observing a surface includes a) and b). At the a), a material including at least one or more solid luminescent dye molecules is accumulated in a region having an abnormal shape in a substrate or in a structure on the substrate. At the b), the region having the abnormal shape in the substrate or in the structure on the substrate is irradiated with illumination light to acquire the fluorescent image of the solid luminescent dye molecules.

A sensor that can be used for real time monitoring of load and structural health in engineering structures is provided. The sensor may include a patch with a portion of an optical fiber embedded therein. There may also be triboluminescent materials dispersed within the patch, on and/or near the portions of the optical fiber embedded in the patch. There may be micro-excitors located in proximity to the triboluminescent materials and on the surface of the optical fiber. Loading events and/or damage to the monitored structure may result in a triboluminescent emission from the triboluminescent material that can be guided via the optical fiber. Analysis of the triboluminescent emission may provide information on the magnitude of the applied load as well as the occurrence, severity and location of damage in the structure.

A sensor that can be used for real time monitoring of load and structural health in engineering structures is provided. The sensor may include a patch with a portion of an optical fiber embedded therein. There may also be triboluminescent materials dispersed within the patch, on and/or near the portions of the optical fiber embedded in the patch. There may be micro-excitors located in proximity to the triboluminescent materials and on the surface of the optical fiber. Loading events and/or damage to the monitored structure may result in a triboluminescent emission from the triboluminescent material that can be guided via the optical fiber. Analysis of the triboluminescent emission may provide information on the magnitude of the applied load as well as the occurrence, severity and location of damage in the structure.

The present invention relates to a microdisk laser having characteristics of unidirectional emission and an ultra-high quality factor and also a microdisk laser composed of four circular arcs and configured to emit light in one direction in a resonance mode having the form of a whispering gallery mode formed by total reflection.

The present invention relates to a microdisk laser having characteristics of unidirectional emission and an ultra-high quality factor and also a microdisk laser composed of four circular arcs and configured to emit light in one direction in a resonance mode having the form of a whispering gallery mode formed by total reflection.

A strain amount calculation system includes an imaging unit, and a strain amount calculation device that acquires an image taken by the imaging unit, measures luminescent brightness from the acquired image, calculates an amount of strain on the object caused by a load on the object, based on a temporal change in the measured luminescent brightness, and outputs information on the calculated strain amount.

A dye-sensitized solar cell is provided. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes a working electrode which includes a plurality of twisted carbon nanotube yarns. The dye-sensitized solar cell also includes a hybrid sensitizer. The hybrid sensitizer includes a nanoporous titanium oxide layer coated on the plurality of twisted carbon nanotube yarns, a microporous titanium oxide layer coated onto the nanoporous titanium oxide layer, and dye particles and quantum dots disposed in the pores of the microporous titanium oxide layer. In addition, the dye-sensitized solar cell includes a conducting electrode which includes at least one carbon nanotube yarn disposed about the hybrid sensitizer. The dye-sensitized solar cell also includes a solid state electrolyte disposed about the hybrid sensitizer.

A dye-sensitized solar cell is provided. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes a working electrode which includes a plurality of twisted carbon nanotube yarns. The dye-sensitized solar cell also includes a hybrid sensitizer. The hybrid sensitizer includes a nanoporous titanium oxide layer coated on the plurality of twisted carbon nanotube yarns, a microporous titanium oxide layer coated onto the nanoporous titanium oxide layer, and dye particles and quantum dots disposed in the pores of the microporous titanium oxide layer. In addition, the dye-sensitized solar cell includes a conducting electrode which includes at least one carbon nanotube yarn disposed about the hybrid sensitizer. The dye-sensitized solar cell also includes a solid state electrolyte disposed about the hybrid sensitizer.

An impact-driven apparatus and method to achieve triboluminescence of homochiral API crystals as a measurement tool for rapidly assessing the presence of trace crystallinity within nominally amorphous pharmaceutical powders. The apparatus may include a kinetic energy director and two plates which hold a sample for testing. The triboluminescence may also be achieve by an acoustic transducer.