Technology challenges for monolithically integrated waveguide demultiplexers

A short overview of integrated waveguide demultiplexers for different applications in future highly integrated optical communication systems is presented. Some fabricated devices based on amorphous silicon nanowire technology are described.     

The millimeter wave rotational spectrum of lactic acid

The results of a comprehensive investigation of the rotational spectrum of lactic acid over the frequency region 171-318 GHz are reported. Some supersonic expansion measurements at 8-16 GHz have also been made. A complete set of octic level constants in the asymmetric rotor Hamiltonian has been determined for the ground vibrational state from a fit to over 1000 measured transition frequencies. Spectroscopic constants have also been determined for the first five excited states of the low frequency, 60 cm⁻¹, torsional vibrational mode, and for four other vibrationally excited states. Vibrational states become rather crowded above 200 cm⁻¹, with seven different states only in the next 100 cm⁻¹, and almost all of the measured states in this energy region show evidence of perturbations. The analysis was carried out with the newly developed AABS software package for Assignment and Analysis of Broadband Spectra.     

Loudness perception and frequency discrimination in subjects with steeply sloping hearing loss: possible correlates of neural plasticity.

Loudness functions and frequency difference limens (DLFs) were measured in five subjects with steeply sloping high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. The stimuli were pulsed pure tones encompassing a range of frequencies. Loudness data were obtained using a 2AFC matching procedure with a 500-Hz reference presented at a number of levels. DLFs were measured using a 3AFC procedure with intensities randomized within 6 dB around an equal-loudness level. Results showed significantly shallower loudness functions near the cutoff frequency of the loss than at a lower frequency, where hearing thresholds were near normal. DLFs were elevated, on average, relative to DLFs measured using the same procedure in five normally hearing subjects, but showed a local reduction near the cutoff frequency in most subjects with high-frequency loss. The loudness data are generally consistent with recent models that describe loudness perception in terms of peripheral excitation patterns that are presumably restricted by a steeply sloping hearing loss. However, the DLF data are interpreted with reference to animal experiments that have shown reorganization in the auditory cortex following the introduction of restricted cochlear lesions. Such reorganization results in an increase in the spatial representation of lesion-edge frequencies, and is comparable with the functional reorganization observed in animals following frequency-discrimination training. It is suggested that similar effects may occur in humans with steeply sloping high-frequency hearing loss, and therefore, the local reduction in DLFs in our data may reflect neural plasticity.     

On Lorentz spaces Γ p,w

Israel Journal of Mathematics - We study Lorentz spaces Γ p,w , where 0&;lt;∞, andw is a nonnegative measurable weight function. We first present some results concerning new formulas...     

Effective laser-induced removal of co-deposited layers from plasma-facing components in a tokamak

An experimental set-up and spectroscopy diagnostic method for laser-induced fuel removal and decomposition of co-deposited layers on plasma-facing components from tokamaks are described. For irradiation of a graphite limiter tile from the TEXTOR tokamak Nd:YAG 3.5-ns pulse laser with a repetition rate of 10 Hz and single pulse energy of up to 0,8 J at 1,06 µm has been used. The spectroscopy system allowed recording of spectra in the visible wavelength range including CII and Dα spectral lines. The evolution of CII and Dα spectral lines was observed pulse-by-pulse during the co-deposit removal. The efficient ablation of the 45 µm thick co-deposit occured after approximately 50 laser pulses.     

Insights into the Tautomerism in meso‐Substituted Corroles: A Variable‐Temperature 1H, 13C, 15N,and 19F NMR Spectroscopy Study

Tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole and its ¹⁵N‐enriched isotopomer were studied in [D₈]toluene solution by 1D and 2D variable‐temperature NMR techniques to establish the mechanisms of tautomerization of the NH protons inside the interior of the corrole macrocycle. Three such rate processes could be identified of which two modulate the spectral line shapes at temperatures above 205 K and the third is NMR‐inaccessible as it is very fast. The latter involves the proton engaged in an unsymmetrical proton sponge unit formed by two pyrrole nitrogen atoms. Temperature and concentration dependences of the two remaining processes were determined. One of them is purely intramolecular and the other is intermolecular at low temperatures, with growing contribution of an intramolecular mechanism at elevated temperatures. The proposed microscopic mechanisms of all these processes are semi‐quantitatively confirmed by quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory.     

Ion and X-ray techniques used for study of laser-produced plasmas

This review article describes apparatus for ion and X-ray diagnostics, which were used in experimental studies of laser-produced plasmas performed by the IPPLM's team in collaboration with other researchers at IPPLM and PALS Research Centre in Prague (the Czech Republic). The investigations of expanding laser-produced plasma properties in dependence on laser beam parameters were done by means of ion diagnostics devices: ion collectors (ICs), cylindrical ion energy analyzer (IEA) and the mass spectrograph of the Thomson type. At IPPLM, different types of detectors have been developed for measurement of X-ray emission. Properties of laser-produced beams of ions and X-ray radiation were analysed in the cooperative experiments performed with the use of a high-energy iodine laser PALS at the PALS Research Centre ASCR in the Czech Republic and the low-energy repetitive laser at IPPLM.     

Invited Lecture. Order-parameter theories of phase diagrams for antiferroelectric smectic-A phases

Using exact relations between Landau and molecular approaches, the symmetryinduced topologies of phase diagrams are studied for antiferroelectric smectic-A phases. In particular, the tricritical points are found for a large class of orderparameter theories of nematic-smectic A (-A₁, -A_d) and -A₂ (NA) phase transitions. These include generalizations to antiferroelectric smectic-A phases of McMillan and Meyer-Lubensky mean-field theories and the Ramakrishnan-Youssouff(RY) density-functional approach. The use of these different approaches allows study of influence of various couplings between nematic (orientational) and smectic (translational) degrees of freedom and polarization field, P₁ (cos θ), on various NA and AA phase transitions. From the results, it is of interest that the coupling between orientational degrees of freedom (P₄(cos θ) and density waves can destabilize the smectic-A phase at low temperatures-pointing to the existence of a nematic-smectic-A-reentrant-nematic phase transition. A possible relation of this result to A_d, C₂, C_d and [ctilde] phases is discussed. Some relations between Fourier components of correlation functions and order parameters at tricritical points are derived from the RY density-functional theory. Despite some limitations, the theory presented here seems to provide the simplest approach to study topologies of phase diagrams in molecular theories.     

Kinetics of the reaction between 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran and nitrogen dioxide studied by steady-state fluorescence

1,3-Diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) is a fluorescent molecule which is believed to react highly specifically toward reactive oxygen species such as singlet oxygen (¹O₂), hydroxy (HO^·), alkyloxy (RO^·), and alkylperoxy (ROO^·) radicals. In all cases the reaction product is 1,2-dibenzoylbenzene. In order to prove that DPBF gives the same product in contact with reactive nitrogen species, its reaction with nitrogen dioxide radical has been studied in 2,2,4-trimethylpentane using the steady-state fluorescence method and mass spectrometry. The progress of the studied reaction was measured by observation of changes in fluorescence intensity of DPBF after addition of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). The rate constants of DPBF fluorescence decay affected by NO₂ have been determined. Experiments were conducted over the temperature range of 13–37 °C and for NO₂ concentrations from 0.02 to 0.14 mmol dm^?3. It has been found that the reaction between 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran and nitrogen dioxide proceeds in two steps. The first step is a very rapid reaction whose rate could not be measured under established experimental conditions. The second step is slower. The reaction product was identified by registration of mass spectra. The probable reaction mechanism is proposed.     

Optimal design for a flat-top AWG demultiplexer by using a fast calculation method based on a Gaussian beam approximation

Passband broadening of an AWG (array waveguide grating) demultiplexer with an MMI (multimode interference) coupler connected at the end of a tapered input waveguide is considered. An explicit formula based on the field propagation of an approximate Hermit-Gaussian beam is used to calculate quickly and reliably the spectral response of the AWG demultiplexer. The widths of the input waveguide, the output waveguides and the MMI coupler are optimized. The optimal design is verified with the experimental measurement.