May 11, 2004Hua-Kuang Liu (c)1 English Manuscript Preparation for Technical Journal Publication* 劉華光 (Hua-Kuang Liu) Graduate Institute of Electro-Optical

May 11, 2004 Hua-Kuang Liu (c) 1

English Manuscript Preparation for Technical Journal Publication*

劉華光 (Hua-Kuang Liu)

Graduate Institute of Electro-Optical EngineeringDepartment of Electrical Engineering

National Taiwan University

____________________________________* An invited talk presented to the IEEE Student Chapter at the National Taiwan University, May 11, 2004


Importance of Technical Writing

For scientists and engineers-Career success

For technical institutions-Gateway to world reputation

R&D Contributions – Quantity Quality Quantity with quality Leaders or followers


Technical Writing

Origin: Research Results Thoughts

Words-Sentences-Paragraphs-Article


Word Usage

‘principle’ versus ‘principal’


Example

The Principal Investigator of the

research project has discovered the

principle of a new quantum

Computer.


Word Usage

Other easily mixed word-pairs:

affect/effect; continual/continuous

its/it’s; like/as; etc.

Exercise: Make sentences using these words.


Idiomatic English

Things compared must be comparable.

‘Resonance in pipes were unlike those in rods.’


Spelling and PronunciationLead

‘The conductor used a lead rod to lead the rock band.’

Live

‘Live fishes live in the river’

Logical? No.


Document Preparation

I. Constraints and Style

II. Structure: Beginning, Middle, and Endings, Transitions,Details, Depth, and Emphasis

III. Language: Precision, Clarity, Etc.

IV. Illustration: Right Choices & Best Designs


Constraints and Style

ConstraintsAudienceFormatMechanicsPolitics

Stylistic ToolsStructureLanguageIllustration


AudienceAudience is always first!

Audience determines words to define,illustrations to use, and depth to get into.


Efficiency of WritingPurpose is to inform: To communicatethe most amount of information in the least amount of reading time.

Purpose is to persuade: To presents logicalarguments in the most convincing manner.


Beginning of DocumentsIncludes the title, summary, and introduction.

Prepares readers for understanding the document’s middle.

Determines whether the audience will continue reading the document.


Title

The single most important phrase of a document.


Summaries

The summary should let the audience decide whether they want to read the document.


Writing Summaries

Descriptive; tells what kind of information in the document

Informative; presents actual results of work


Writing Introductions

What exactly is the work?

Why is the work important?

What is needed to understand the work?

How will the work be presented?


Writing Middles of Document

What happenedHow it happenedOrigin of the workResults of the workThe meaning of the results


Endings of Documents

1. Analysis of the key results from the middle (Do not include new results)

2. A future perspective of the work


Conclusion: Four Cs of Communication

Color: Precision, coherenceClarity: Purity, transparenceCarat: Substance, importanceCut: Organization, structure,

style


An ExampleA Preprint Accepted for Publication in Applied Optics

Holographic Creation of Photonic Crystals

Tzu-Min Yan(1) and Hua-Kuang Liu(2)The Graduate Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering

Department of Electrical Engineering National Taiwan University

No. 1 Sec. 4 Roosevelt Rd. Taipei, Taiwan, 106(1) [email protected] (2) [email protected]


Abstract

In this paper, we describe the means of creation of general photonic crystals via holography with experimental demonstration. The recordings of periodic variations of amplitude and phase via the interference of coherent laser beams in a hologram offer a natural means for the creation of one- two- or three-dimensional photonic crystals1,2.


Abstract (Continued)

Based on the principle of the creation of lattice structure via the interference of four non-coplanar beams3, we present a comparative analysis of two different approaches of creating photonic crystals and use five numerical simulated lattice structures to illustrate the differences between these two approaches. We then used a specific symmetrical optical architecture and selected the relatively easier approach to realize the holographic photonic crystals.

OCIS code: 220.4000, 220.4610, 090.2880, 090.7330


Body of the Manuscript1. Introduction2. Theoretical Analysis3. Approach A: Derive primitive lattice constants

of a photonic crystal from physically realizable predetermined laser wave vectors wavelength

4. Approach B: Determine the four wavevectors and laser wavelength from primitive lattice constants of a specific photonic crystal

5. Comparison 6. Experiment 7. Discussion and Conclusion8. AcknowledgementFigure Captions, List of Tables, and References


Discussion and Conclusion We have described an interesting approach with

experiments of using holography to create general photonic crystals which are not specifically targeted at certain crystal structures. We have presented a comparative analysis of two different holographic approaches of creating photonic crystals. Approach A is to derive primitive lattice constants of a photonic crystal from physically realizable predetermined wavevectors and laser wavelength. Approach B is to determine the four wavevectors and laser wavelength from known primitive lattice constants of a specific photonic crystal. In the analysis, four non-coplanar beams are assumed for the formation of interference pattern of the photonic crystals.


Discussion and Conclusion (Cont’d) We have used five numerical examples to illustrate the

creation of crystal. We have shown that approach A is practical in realizing an infinite number of photonic crystals with no specific names; approach B may be used to make specific photonic crystals but is more difficult to realize due to experimental limitations. From this comparison, we conclude that approach A may be adopted to create the photonic crystals in general if a convenient optical architecture can be found to realize the process. We have found such architecture and presented experimental results of 2D and 3D photonic crystals created in the optical system.


Discussion and Conclusion (Cont’d)From the experiments, we have found that the optical system usedhas several advantages and constraints. The advantages include single-step process and flexibility in theselection of lasers and recording media for various photonic crystals.Since the optical system is symmetrical, the beams are approximately of the same path length, there is no stringent requirement on the coherence length of the laser source. This implies that we can essentially use almost any laser source to create the photonic crystals. And this further means that we can make photonic crystals using long or short wavelength lasers and create photonic crystals on different materials for different refractive index contrast. The laser diode that we used has a very long coherent length of over 2 meters. But this is not really necessary. A pulsed laser with a coherent length of a few centimeters may also be used.


Discussion and Conclusion (Cont’d) There are several constraints. Though it seems that we

can make an infinite number of photonic crystals, yet we can not make all kinds of photonic crystals due to the restriction of the geometrical configuration of the architecture. The beams are slightly expanded and then focused down to a spot of limited size. The total area and uniformity of the photonic crystals are limited accordingly. The assumption of plane wave input of the beams is not totally valid in the experiment. Also, the assumption of zero phase angle difference between the beams may also be affected by the optical components that the beams traveled through.


Discussion and Conclusion (Cont’d)

Other factors in the experiment include the polarization and uniformity of the array generator. The polarization of all the beams is nearly preserved in this system if we started with vertically polarized beam and it is not affected by the optical components in the path of propagation. The slight non-uniformly of a few percents across the aperture array will only affect the contrast of the cells of the photonic crystals. The quality of the components in the system may also cause distortions and non-uniformity. Finally, since the 3D photonic crystals are produced by oppositely traveling beams, the substrate of the film must be transparent to the beam. As a result, the beam that first goes through the substrate will have the influence of diffraction which has not been considered in the theoretical discussions.


Discussion and Conclusion (Cont’d) Some of the constraints, especially the basic

assumption in the analysis of uniform plane wave and the zero phase angle difference among the laser beams may be used to explain the errors between theoretical and experimental data on the primitive lattice constants. Nevertheless, based on the comparison of the experimental results with the theoretical calculations, we have shown that the constraints considered above do not affect the fact that the type of the specific symmetric system presented is effective in creating general photonic crystals.


A Few Useful Tips (or Tricks)

Choose an appropriate journal.Comply with format.Write cover letter.Interact with editor.Revise and respond to reviewers.


Categories of Documents

Memos, Letters, E-mails

Concept Papers, Proposals Reports, Journal Articles Job Search Documents


Document Preparation

I. Constraints and Style

II. Structure: Beginning, Middle, and Endings, Transitions,Details, Depth, and Emphasis

III. Language: Precision, Clarity, Etc.

IV. Illustration: Right Choices & Best Designs


Feedback from a Former Student

“Dear Prof. Liu:The Class I took last semester from you actually helped me a lot to improve presentation skills and taught me the correct attitude to live a rewarding research life. Thank you so much!

An appreciate EE Graduate student,Ming-Long Wu”


“We are all apprentices of a craft where no one ever becomes a master”

-Ernest HemingwayNobel Laureate


References

The Craft of Scientific Writing, 3rd Editionby Michael Alley

Publisher: Springer-Verlag ; http://www.springer.ny.com

Communication in Science, 2nd Editionby Vernon Booth

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The MIT Guide to Science and Engineering Communicationby James G. Paradis, Muriel L. Zimmerman

Publisher: MIT Press; ISBN: 0262161427; (March 1, 1997)

Effective Technical Presentations by Mark TewSilicon Valley Productions 1513 Brookvale Drive, #1 San Jose, CA