Superconductivity of the Sr2Ca12Cu24O41 spin-ladder system: are the superconducting pairing and the spin-gap formation of the same origin?

Pressure-induced superconductivity in a spin-ladder cuprate Sr2Ca12Cu24O41 has not been studied on a microscopic level thus far although the superconductivity was already discovered in 1996. We have improved the high-pressure technique using a large high-quality crystal, and succeeded in studying the superconductivity using 63Cu nuclear magnetic resonance. We found that the anomalous metallic state reflecting the spin-ladder structure is realized and the superconductivity possesses an s-wave-like character in the meaning that a finite gap exists in the quasiparticle excitation: At a pressure of 3.5 GPa, we observed two excitation modes in the normal state from the relaxation rate T-11. One gives rise to an activation-type component in T-11, and the other T-linear component linking directly with the superconductivity. This gapless mode likely arises from free motion of holon-spinon bound states appearing by hole doping, and the pairing of them likely causes the superconductivity.     

Spatially localized states with size-dependent optical bistability

Experimental results of a new type of localized state generated in an optical system consisting of a liquid-crystal spatial light modulator with optical feedback are demonstrated. The localized state is triggered at a position that depends on the size of a control beam because its formation depends on the fraction of high-spatial-frequency components in the feedback light that passes through a low-cut spatial-frequency filter. This novel size-dependent switching property is useful for erasing individual target localized states.     

Securing information display by use of visual cryptography

We propose a secure display technique based on visual cryptography. The proposed technique ensures the security of visual information. The display employs a decoding mask based on visual cryptography. Without the decoding mask, the displayed information cannot be viewed. The viewing zone is limited by the decoding mask so that only one person can view the information. We have developed a set of encryption codes to maintain the designed viewing zone and have demonstrated a display that provides a limited viewing zone.     

Geometric interpretation of tight closure and test ideals

We study tight closure and test ideals in rings of characteristic using resolution of singularities. The notions of -rational and -regular rings are defined via tight closure, and they are known to correspond with rational and log terminal singularities, respectively. In this paper, we reformulate this correspondence by means of the notion of the test ideal, and generalize it to wider classes of singularities. The test ideal is the annihilator of the tight closure relations and plays a crucial role in the tight closure theory. It is proved that, in a normal -Gorenstein ring of characteristic , the test ideal is equal to so-called the multiplier ideal, which is an important ideal in algebraic geometry. This is proved in more general form, and to do this we study the behavior of the test ideal and the tight closure of the zero submodule in certain local cohomology modules under cyclic covering. We reinterpret the results also for graded rings.

     

Optical Characteristics of the Retroreflector in Space on the ADEOS Satellite in Orbit

Optical characteristics of the retroreflector in space (RIS) on the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) in orbit were tested using a second harmonics Nd:YAG laser. The intensity of reflection from the RIS was analyzed with an intensified charge coupled device camera by comparing the image with those of stars. It was confirmed that the RIS in orbit is working properly as a retroreflector.     

Development of optical pickup for mini disc drives

In order to miniaturize optical disc drives, it is important to miniaturize and thin the optical pickup. We have developed two new optical parts: the hologram laser and the actuator. By optimizing the hologram pattern of the hologram laser, optical path length is shortened. The frequency characteristics of the actuator have been stabilized by improving the damping characteristics. Thus, we have developed a compact optical pickup for Mini Disc drives, and the pickup shows high performance when it reads out an optical disc.     

X-ray analysis of supercooled water

X-ray diffraction patterns of supercooled water were obtained at -5 and -10°C. Pretreated X-ray film was used for the measurements. X-ray intensity was measured by counting the density of developed Ag grains under a microscope. The radial distribution functions were derived from the intensity curves.     

Estimating function with asymptotic bias and its estimator

We introduce the estimating function with asymptotic bias and investigate the asymptotic behavior of the estimator based on it by using their relationship. The estimator based on the estimating function with asymptotic bias has the asymptotic normality with asymptotic bias. We show that this theory has several interesting applications in practical statistics.