Illuminated gapped-gold-nanorod dimers hold surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) that can be engineered, by an appropriate choice of geometrical parameters, to enhance the electromagnetic field at the gap, allowing applications in molecular detectionviasurface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Envisioning hybrid devices in which the SERS spectroscopy of molecules in the gap is complemented by electrical measurements, it arises the question of designing efficient geometries to contact the nanorods without decreasing the enhancement factor (EF) of the nanoantenna,i.e., the figure of merit for SERS spectroscopy. Within this framework we theoretically study the feasibility to fabricate designs based on covering with gold the far-from-the-gap areas of the dimer. We show that by tuning the geometrical parameters of the designs these systems can reach enhancement factors larger than the best ach...

The mechanical behavior of advanced composites can be modeled mathematically through unknown variables and Shear Strain Thickness Functions (SSTFs). Such SSTFs can be of polynomial or non-polynomial nature and some parameters of non-polynomial SSTFs can be optimized to get optimal results. In this paper, these parameters are called “r” and “s” and they are the argument of the trigonometric SSTFs introduced within the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). The Equivalent Single Layer (ESL) governing equations are obtained by employing the Principle of Virtual Displacement (PVD) and are solved using Navier method solution. Furthermore, trigonometric expansion with Murakami theory was implemented in order to reproduce the Zig-Zag effects which are important for multilayer structures. Several combinations of optimization parameters are evaluated and selected by different criteria of aver...

The mechanical behavior of advanced composites can be modeled mathematically through unknown variables and Shear Strain Thickness Functions (SSTFs). Such SSTFs can be of polynomial or non-polynomial nature and some parameters of non-polynomial SSTFs can be optimized to get optimal results. In this paper, these parameters are called “r” and “s” and they are the argument of the trigonometric SSTFs introduced within the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). The Equivalent Single Layer (ESL) governing equations are obtained by employing the Principle of Virtual Displacement (PVD) and are solved using Navier method solution. Furthermore, trigonometric expansion with Murakami theory was implemented in order to reproduce the Zig-Zag effects which are important for multilayer structures. Several combinations of optimization parameters are evaluated and selected by different criteria of aver...

Tropical high-mountain permafrost has a unique thermal regime due to its exposure to strong solar radiation and to rough surface snow morphology, which reduce ground heat transfer from the surface. Latent heat transfer and higher albedo that occur during the snow-covered season contribute to positive feedback that supports the presence of permafrost. This preliminary study reports on the thermal state characteristics of tropical mountain permafrost in Peru. This work also evaluates the potential combined impact of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in the mountain permafrost of the Coropuna and Chachani volcanic complexes, both located at the western edge of the southern Peruvian Altiplano. Temperature monitoring boreholes were established at 5,217 m at Coropuna and 5,331 m at Chachani, and electrical resistivity was surveyed in both sites. This 7-year discontinuous record of per...