A multipurpose and ultra-compact nanoplasmonic wavelength filter based on stub structure in a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide is suggested and numerically investigated. A novel approach of connecting two stepped-like apertures to both input and output ports is applied to form Fabry-Perot (FP) cavities, which enabled the structure to act as a dual band-pass filter at wavelengths 1310 nm and 1550 nm. It is shown that the variation in cavities’ length allows to realize a long-wavelength cutoff filter, and cutoff wavelength can be easily tuned by adjusting the length of the cavities. Furthermore, it is revealed that increasing the gap between the stepped-like apertures and the cavities provides a triple band-pass at telecom wavelengths, e.g. 1267.5nm, 1414.19 nm, and 1644.7 nm. The tunable broadband high-pass wavelength filter is then achieved while the lengths of stepped-like apertures and stub resonators are set to be identical. Finally, a tunable nearly perfect absorber can be obtained by varying the width of stub resonators. Therefore, because of functionality, size, as well as efficiency the proposed plasmonic filter may greatly contribute to miniaturization of next generation of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and find applications in on-chip integration and wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) in optical communication systems.

This paper reports the design and numerical results of three new extremely compact and efficient flat-top band-pass plasmonic filters operating in the near-infrared region. The proposed structures are realized in metal–insulator-metal plasmonic waveguides based on stub, tilted T-junction and right-angle trapezoid configurations. A built-in parameterized genetic algorithm is applied to maximize the transmission efficiency, while at the same time contributing to shrinking down the size of the device structures. It is shown that the tunability of the optical filters can be realized by modulating their structural parameters to gain control over the band-pass filtering wavelengths. Numerical calculations are conducted based on the finite element method of CST Microwave Studio and demonstrate that the suggested ultra-compact plasmonic waveguide filters offer wide bandwidths of more than 270 nm, 424 nm, and 289 nm, with transmission efficiencies of higher than 80%, 74.2%, and 74.3%, respectively. The sizes of the proposed wavelength filters are 490 nm × 575 nm, 350 nm × 180 nm, and 420 nm × 150 nm, respectively, which make them attractive candidates for applications in high density photonic integrated circuits (PICs). As a result, because of the promising characteristics of the proposed topologies such as their high efficiency, compact size, tunability, and simple structure they may find applications in on-chip integration, laser technology, and multi-photon fluorescence.

Considerable research has been devoted to the development of cathode materials for Al-ion batteries, but challenges remain regarding the behavior of aluminum anodes. Inert oxide (Al₂O₃) film on Al surfaces presents a barrier to electrochemical activity. The structure of the oxide film needs to be weakened to facilitate ion transfer during electrochemical activity. This study addresses oxide film challenges by studying Al alloy anodes with different iron content. The results reveal that using an anode of 99% Al 1% Fe in a cell increases the cycling lifetime by 48%, compared to a 99.99% Al anode. The improvement observed with the 99% Al 1% Fe anode is attributed to its fractional surface area corrosion being about 12% larger than that of a 99.99% Al anode. This is coupled to precipitation of a higher number of Al₃Fe particles, which are evenly scattered in the Al matrix of 99% Al 1% Fe. These Al₃Fe particles constitute weak spots in the oxide film for the electrolyte to attack, and access to fresh Al. The addition of iron to an Al anode thus offers a cheap and easy route for targeting the oxide passivating film challenge in Al-ion batteries.

Recently, much research has investigated nanocomposites and their properties for the development of energy storage systems. Supercapacitor performance is usually enhanced by the use of porous electrode structures, which produce a larger surface area for reaction. In this work, a biocompatible polymer of starch medium was used to create the porous nanostructure. Two powders, i.e., Nickel molybdate/reduced graphene oxide (NiMoO₄-rGO) and Nickel molybdate/nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (NiMoO₄-NrGO), were synthesized using the deposition method in a medium containing starch, nickel nitrate salts, sodium molybdate, and graphene oxide powder. In terms of electrochemical performance, the NiMoO₄-NrGO electrode displayed a higher specific capacitance, i.e., 932 Fg⁻¹ (466 Cg⁻¹), than the NiMoO₄-rGO electrode, i.e., 884 Fg⁻¹ (442 Cg⁻¹), at a current density of 1 Ag⁻¹. In fact, graphene oxide sheets could lose more oxygen groups in the presence of ammonia, resulting in increased electrical conductivity. For the asymmetric supercapacitor of NiMoO₄-NrGO//AC, the specific capacitance at 1 Ag⁻¹, energy density, and power density were 101.2 Fg⁻¹ (111.32 Cg⁻¹), 17 Wh kg⁻¹, and 174.4 kW kg⁻¹, respectively. In addition, this supercapacitor material displayed a good cycling stability of over 82%.

Silicon materials are currently being explored for usage in lithium-ion battery anodes due to their high lithium storage capacity. We have developed a novel method, using a simple thermal treatment of low-cost silicon powder and nanographite, resulting in a composite where silicon nanoparticles are grown on the graphene surfaces. Electrodes fabricated from these Si-NG composites delivered a stable capacity of 489 mAh/g during 25 cycles, i.e. higher than conventional graphite anodes (theoretical capacity: 372 mAh/g). The method uses low-cost materials and avoids complex setups, thereby suggesting industrial scalability.