• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.831-838
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• 2018

Trophic interactions of introduced biocontrol fungi with soil animals can be a key determinant in the fungal proliferation and activity. This study investigated the trophic interaction of an introduced biocontrol fungus with soil nematodes. The biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum ThzID1-M3 and the fungivorous nematode Aphelenchoides sp. (10 per gram of soil) were added to nonsterile soil, and microbial populations were monitored for 40 days. Similar results were obtained when the experiment was duplicated. ThzID1-M3 stimulated the population growth of indigenous nematodes (p < 0.05), regardless of whether Aphelenchoides sp. was added. Without ThzID1-M3, indigenous nematodes did not increase in number and the added Aphelenchoides sp. nematodes almost disappeared by day 10. With ThzID1-M3, population growth of nematodes was rapid between 5 and 10 days after treatment. ThzID1-M3 biomass peaked on day 5, dropped at day 10, and then almost disappeared at day 20, which was not influenced by the addition of nematodes. In contrast, a large quantity of ThzID1-M3 hyphae were present in a heat-treated soil in which nematodes were eliminated. Total fungal biomass in all treatments peaked on day 5 and subsequently decreased. Addition of nematodes increased the total fungal biomass (p < 0.05), but ThzID1-M3 addition did not affect the fungal biomass. Hyphae of total fungi when homogenously distributed did not support the nematode population growth; however, hyphae of the introduced fungus did when densely localized. The results suggest that soil fungivorous nematodes are an important constraint on the hyphal proliferation of fungal agents introduced into natural soils.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.261-268
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• 2018

Stimulated polariton scattering (SPS) from the $A_1$ transverse optical (TO) modes of $BaTiO_3$ bulk crystal generating a terahertz (THz) wave with the noncollinear phase-matching (NPM) condition is theoretically investigated. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on THz wave generation from $BaTiO_3$ bulk crystal via SPS. Phase-matching (PM) characteristics in the NPM configuration are analyzed. Effective parametric gain lengths for the Stokes and THz waves in the NPM configuration are calculated. The effective parametric gain coefficient and absorption coefficient of the THz wave in $BaTiO_3$ are theoretically simulated. The THz phonon flux densities generated via SPS in $BaTiO_3$ are theoretically calculated by solving the coupled wave equations under the NPM condition. The PM characteristics and THz-wave parametric gain characteristics in $BaTiO_3$ are compared to those in $MgO:LiNbO_3$. The results of the analysis indicate that $BaTiO_3$ is an attractive optical crystal for efficient THz wave generation via SPS.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 2017

Metamaterials composed of split cut wire (SCW) on grounded polyimide film substrate have been investigated for the aim of electromagnetic wave absorbers operated in THz frequency band. Reflection loss and current density distributions are numerically simulated with variations of the SCW geometries using the commercial software. The minimum reflection loss lower than -20 dB has been identified at 5.5~6.5 THz. The simulated resonance frequency and reflection loss can be explained on the basis of the circuit theory of an inductance-capacitance (L-C) resonator. Dual-band absorption can be obtained by arrangement of two SCWs of different length on the top layer of the grounded substrate, which is due to multiple magnetic resonances by scaling of SCWs. With increasing the side spacing between SCWs, a more enhanced absorption peak is observed at the first resonance frequency that is shifted to a lower frequency.

• Journal of Communications and Networks
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.559-568
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• 2013

We report on the first error-free terahertz (THz) wireless communication at 0.310 THz for data rates up to 8.2 Gbps using a 18-GHz-bandwidth GaAs/AlGaAs field-effect transistor as a detector. This result demonstrates that low-cost commercially-available plasma-wave transistors whose cut-off frequency is far below THz frequencies can be employed in THz communication. Wireless communication over 50 cm is presented at 1.4 Gbps using a uni-travelling-carrier photodiode as a source. Transistor integration is detailed, as it is essential to avoid any deleterious signals that would prevent successful communication. We observed an improvement of the bit error rate with increasing input THz power, followed by a degradation at high input power. Such a degradation appears at lower powers if the photodiode bias is smaller. Higher-data-rate communication is demonstrated using a frequency-multiplied source thanks to higher output power. Bit-error-rate measurements at data rates up to 10 Gbps are performed for different input THz powers. As expected, bit error rates degrade as data rate increases. However, degraded communication is observed at some specific data rates. This effect is probably due to deleterious cavity effects and/or impedance mismatches. Using such a system, realtime uncompressed high-definition video signal is successfully and robustly transmitted.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.815-822
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• 2021

Indigenous fungus-feeding nematodes may adversely affect the growth and activity of introduced biocontrol fungi. Alginate pellets of the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum ThzID1-M3 and sclerotia of the fungal plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were added to nonsterile soil at a soil water potential of -50 or -1,000 kPa. The biomass of ThzID1-M3, nematode populations, and extent of colonization of sclerotia by ThzID1-M3 were monitored over time. The presence of ThzID1-M3 increased the nematode population under both moisture regimes (p < 0.05), and fungivores comprised 69-75% of the nematode population. By day 5, the biomass of ThzID1-M3b and its colonization of sclerotia increased and were strongly correlated (R² = 0.98), followed by a rapid reduction, under both regimes. At -50 kPa (the wetter of the two environments), fungal biomass and colonization by ThzID1-M3 were less, in the period from 5 to 20 days, while fungivores were more abundant. These results indicate that ThzID1-M3 stimulated the population growth of fungivorous nematodes, which in turn, reduced the biocontrol ability of the fungus to mycoparasitize sclerotia. However, colonization incidence reached 100% by day 5 and remained so for the experimental period under both regimes, although hyphal fragments disappeared by day 20. Our results suggest that indigenous fungivores are an important constraint for the biocontrol activity of introduced fungi, and sclerotia can provide spatial refuge for biocontrol fungi from the feeding activity of fungivorous nematodes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.205-205
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• 2013

테라헤르쯔(terahertz: THz)파는 0.1~10 THz 의 범위로 적외선과 방송파 사이에 광대역 주파수 스펙트럼을 차지하고 있으며 직진성, 투과성, 그리고 낮은 에너지 (meV)를 가지고 있어 비 파괴적이고 무해한 장점을 지니고 있다. Ti:sapphire laser와 같은 femto-pulse source 등이 많은 발전이 되어 현재 많은 연구와 발전이 이루어지고 있다. femto-pulse source를 이용한 THz 응용에서는 높은 저항, 큰 전자 이동도, 그리고 아주 짧은 전하수명의 기판을 요구하는데 저온에서 성장한 (low-temperature grown : LT) GaAs는 격자 내에 Gallium 자리에 Arsenic이 치환 하면서 AsGa antisite가 발생하여 전하수명을 짧아지는 것을 응용하여 가장 많이 이용되고 있다. 현재 THz 응용분야에서 보다 작고 가격경쟁력이 있는 광통신을 이용한 THz photomixer등이 활발히 연구 하고 있다. 광섬유 내에서 손실과 분산이 최소값을 가지는 부분이 1.55 ${\mu}m$ 부근이고 In0.53Ga0.47As 기판을 이용하였을 때 여기에 완벽하게 만족하게 된다. 하지만 LT-InGaAs 의 경우 AsGa antisite로 인하여 carrier lifetime은 짧아지지만 높은 n-type 전하밀도를 가지게 된다. 이때 Be을 doping하여 전하밀도를 보상하여 높은 저항을 유지해야 하는데 Be의 활성화를 위해서는 열처리를 필요로 한다. 하지만 열처리를 하면 carrier lifetime이 길어지기 때문에 carrier lifetime과 저항을 적절히 조율해야 한다. 이는 물질자체의 특성이기 때문에 InGaAs는 GaAs보다 낮은 amplitude와 짧은 cut-off frequency를 가진다. 본 연구에서는 보다 높은 저항을 얻기 위하여 molecular beam epitaxy를 이용하여 semi-insulating InP:Fe 기판위에 격자 정합된 InGaAs:Be/InAlAs multi quantum well (MQW)를 온도별 ($250{\sim}400^{\circ}C$), 주기별 (50~150)로 성장을 하였고 이때 InGaAs layer의 Be doping level은 $2{\times}1018\;cm^{-3}$, Ex-situ annealing은 $550^{\circ}C$에서 10분으로 고정 하였다. THz 발생 실험에서는 InGaAs/InAlAs MQW은 4000 pA로 1,000 pA를 가지는 InGaAs epilayer보다 4배 높은 전류 신호를 얻을 수 있었고 모든 샘플이 2 THz에서 cut-off frequency를 가지고 있었다. THz 검출 실험에서는 LT-InGaAs:Be epilayer LT-InGaAs:Be/InAlAs, HT-InGaAs/InAlAs 샘플이 각각 180, 9000, 12000 pA의 전류신호를 가지고 있었고 모든 샘플이 2 THz에서 cut-off frequency를 가지고 있었다. HT-InGaAs/InAlAs MQW를 이용한 검출실험에서는 InGaAs layer가 defect free이지만 LT-InGaAs:Be/ InAlAs MQW 보다 높은 전류 신호를 얻을 수 있었다. 이는 InAlAs layer가 저항만 높이는 것뿐만 아니라 carrier trapping layer로써의 역할도 하는 것으로 사료된다.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.30-35
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• 2002

The hyphal growth and biocontrol efficacy of Trichodemo harzianum in soil may depend on its interactions with biotic components of the soil environment. The effect of soil microbial biomass on growth and biocontrol efficacy of T. hanianum isolate ThzIDl-M3 (green fluorescent protein transformant) was investigated using artificially prepared different levels of soil microbial biomass (153,328, or 517ug biomass carbon per g of dry soil; BC). The hyphal growth of T. harzanum was significantly inhibited in the soil with 328 or 517 $\mu$g BC compared with 153 ug BC. When ThzIDl-M3 was added to the soils as an alginate pellet formulation, the recoverable population of ThzIDl-M3 varied, but the highest population occurred in 517ug BC. Addition of alginate pellets of ThzIDl-M3 to the soils (10 per 50 g) resulted in increased indigenous microbial populations (total fungi, bacterial fluorescent Pseudomonas app., and actinomycetes). Furthermore, colonizing ability of ThzIDl-M3 on sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was significantly reduced in the soil with high revel of BC. These results suggest that increased soil microbial biomass contributes to increased interactions between introduced T. harzianum and soil microorganisms, consequently reducing the biocontrol efficacy of 1T. harzianum.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.297-302
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• 2015

Terahertz (THz) wave generation from bulk and periodically poled $LiTaO_3$ (PPLT) with a Cherenkov phase matching scheme is numerically investigated. It is shown that by using the crystal birefringence of bulk $LiTaO_3$ and a grating vector of PPLT, THz waves can be efficiently generated by difference frequency generation (DFG) with a Cherenkov phase matching scheme. The frequency tuning characteristics of the THz wave via varying wavelength of difference frequency waves, phase matching angle, poling period of PPLT and working temperature are theoretically analyzed. The parametric gain coefficient in the low-loss limit and the absorption coefficient of the THz wave during the DFG process in the vicinity of polariton resonances are numerically analyzed. A THz wave can be efficiently generated by utilizing the giant second order nonlinearities of $LiTaO_3$ in the vicinity of polariton resonances.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.368-372
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• 2020

We report the terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) of transdermal drug delivery in human skin. The time evolution of transdermal nicotine delivery in nicotine patches was assessed by detecting the transmission coefficient of sub-picosecond THz pulses and using a semi-analytic model based on the single-layer effective medium approximation. Using commercial nicotine patches (Nicoderm CQ^®, 7 mg/24 h), THz transmission coefficients were measured to quantitatively analyze the cumulative amounts of nicotine released from the patches in the absence of their detailed specifications, including multilayer structures and optical properties at THz frequencies. The results agreed well with measurements by conventional in vitro and in vivo methods, using a diffusion cell with high-performance liquid chromatography and blood sampling respectively. Our study revealed the ability of the THz-TDS method to be an effective alternative to existing methods for noninvasive and label-free assessments of transdermal drug delivery, showing its high promise for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.373-379
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• 2020

In this study, we investigate terahertz (THz) generation by a photoconductive antenna with electrodes in the shape of split-ring resonators. According to our theoretical investigation based on a lumped-circuit model, the inductance of this electrode structure leads to resonant behavior of the photo-induced current. Hence, near the resonance frequency the spectral components generated by a resonant photoconductive antenna can be greater than those produced by a non-resonant one. For experimental verification, a resonant photoconductive antenna, which possesses a resonance mode at 0.6 THz, and a non-resonant photoconductive antenna with stripe-shaped electrodes were fabricated on a semi-insulating GaAs substrate. The THz generation by both of the photoconductive antennas demonstrated a good agreement with the theoretically expected results. The observed relationship between the resonant electrodes of the photoconductive antenna and the generated THz spectrum can be further employed to design a narrow-band THz source with an on-demand frequency.