A microfocus X‐ray fluorescence beamline at Indus‐2 synchrotron radiation facility

A microfocus X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy beamline (BL‐16) at the Indian synchrotron radiation facility Indus‐2 has been constructed with an experimental emphasis on environmental, archaeological, biomedical and material science applications involving heavy metal speciation and their localization. The beamline offers a combination of different analytical probes, e.g. X‐ray fluorescence mapping, X‐ray microspectroscopy and total‐external‐reflection fluorescence characterization. The beamline is installed on a bending‐magnet source with a working X‐ray energy range of 4–20 keV, enabling it to excite K‐edges of all elements from S to Nb and L‐edges from Ag to U. The optics of the beamline comprises of a double‐crystal monochromator with Si(111) symmetric and asymmetric crystals and a pair of Kirkpatrick–Baez focusing mirrors. This paper describes the performance of the beamline and its capabilities with examples of measured results.     

Synthesis of ultra‐low‐molecular‐weight polyethylene wax using a bulky Ti(IV) aryloxide–alkyl aluminum catalytic system

Complexes of titanium(IV) with bulky phenolic ligands such as 2‐tert‐butyl‐4 methylphenol, 2, 4‐di‐tert‐butyl phenol and 3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl phenol were prepared and characterized. These catalyst precursors, formulated as [Ti(OPh*)_n(OPrⁱ)_4?n] (OPh* = substituted phenol), were found to be active in polymerization of ethylene at higher temperatures in combination with ethylaluminum sesquichloride (Et₃Al₂Cl₃) as co‐catalyst. It was observed that the reaction temperature and ethylene pressure had a pronounced effect on polymerization and the molecular weight of polyethylene obtained. In addition, this catalytic system predominantly produced linear, crystalline ultra‐low‐molecular‐weight polyethylenes narrow dispersities. The polyethylene waxes obtained with this catalytic system exhibit unique properties that have potential applications in surface coating and adhesive formulations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Empirical process approach to some two-sample problems based on ranked set samples

We study the asymptotic properties of both the horizontal and vertical shift functions based on independent ranked set samples drawn from continuous distributions. Several tests derived from these shift processes are developed. We show that by using balanced ranked set samples with bigger set sizes, one can decrease the width of the confidence band and hence increase the power of these tests. These theoretical findings are validated through small-scale simulation studies. An application of the proposed techniques to a cancer mortality data set is also provided. Part of the research was conducted while Kaushik Ghosh was visiting Statistical Research and Applications Branch of the National Cancer Institute on an Intergovernmental Personnel Assignment.     

Luminescence and ESR Studies of CaS：Dy Phosphor

CaS phosphor activated with Dy ions is prepared by the solid-state diffusion method. The phosphor is characterized by x-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and photoiuminescence. Defect centres formed in CaS：Dy are studied using the technique of electron spin resonance. The thermoluminescence glow curve shows peaks at around 117℃ and 345℃. Irradiated CaS：Dy exhibits ESR lines due to defect centres. The thermal annealing behaviour of one of the defect centres appears to correlate with the TL peaks at 117℃ and 345℃. This centre is characterized by an isotropic g-value of 2.0035 and is assigned to an F^＋ centre.     

Collineations of the curvature tensor in general relativity

Curvature collineations for the curvature tensor, constructed from a fundamental Bianchi Type-V metric, are studied. We are concerned with a symmetry property of space-time which is called curvature collineation, and we briefly discuss the physical and kinematical properties of the models.     

Green function theory of anisotropic Heisenberg Ferromagnet with biquadratic exchange

The effects of biquadratic exchange interaction and the uniaxial anisotropy on the curie temperature of the Heisenberg Ferromagnet with spin-one has been studied. Green function technique with random phase approximation has been used. The variation of curie temperature with biquadratic and anisotropic parameters for different lattices has been discussed.     

A unique method for reducing losses of bends in dielectric optical wave guide

The dielectric optical wave guide is finding growing attention at millimeter wave frequencies. However the dielectric optical waveguide radiates at bends and thus transmission loss increases. These radiations are in the outword direction of bends. This output radiation at output bends arises due to change in phase velocities of the propagating wave at the centre of the dielectric guide and the phase velocity at the outer surface of the dielectric guide. A unique methiod is suggested to avoid these radiation losses.Experimental results are also shown at microwave frequencies.