A compact shock-assisted free-piston driver for impulse facilities

A free-piston driver that employs entropy-raising shock processes with diaphragm rupture has been constructed, which promises significant theoretical advantages over isentropic compression. Results from a range of conditions with helium and argon driver gases are reported. Significant performance gains were achieved in some test cases. Heat losses are shown to have a strong effect on driver processes. Measurements compare well with predictions from a quasi-one-dimensional numerical code. Received 7 September 1996 / Accepted 5 October 1996     

On the invariant measure for the quasi‐linear Lasota equation

The problem of the existence of the invariant measure is important considering its connections with chaotic behaviour. In the papers (Zesz. Nauk. Uniw. Jagiellońskiego, Pr. Mat. 1982; 23 :117–123; Ann. Pol. Math. 1983; XLI :129–137; J. Differential Equations 2004; 196 :448–465) the existence of invariant and ergodic measures according to the dynamical system generated by the Lasota equation was proved, i.e. the equation describing the dynamics and becoming different of the population of cells. In this paper, the existence of such measure for the quasi‐linear Lasota equation is proved. This measure is the carriage of the measure described by Dawidowicz (Zesz. Nauk. Uniw. Jagiellońskiego, Pr. Mat. 1982; 23 :117–123). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relevance of Reflection in Static and Dynamic Light Scattering Experiments

Using a monodisperse PMMA dispersion, it was shown that light reflection at the sample cuvette walls may greatly influence the results of both static (SLS) and dynamic (DLS) light scattering experiments. Considering SLS, this reflection phenomenon mostly causes an overestimation of the scattered intensity at high scattering angles, which may give rise to the emergence of an additional, artificial peak in the lower region of the particle size distribution. On the other hand, the influcence of reflection on DLS measurements was shown to be particularly important in the upper region of the particle size distribution. The experimentally observed phenomena were explained from the basic principles of both particle sizing methods. Finally, it was shown that the disturbing effect of reflection could be avoided by modifying either the hardware or the software of the static and dynamic light scattering technique.     

Paramagnetic defects in BaTiO3 and their role in light-induced charge transport — Optical studies

On the basis of a previous identification of paramagnetic defects in nominally undoped as grown BaTiO₃ single crystals, we have investigated the changes of the concentrations of these centers and their optical absorptions under illumination with light of varying wavelengths. The most pronounced charge transfers occur by hole ionization of Fe⁴⁺ and — to a lesser extent — of Cr⁵⁺ and Cr⁴⁺. At low temperatures the created holes are trapped in the form of O^–-ions next to Al³⁺ or unknown acceptor defects. Corresponding Fe⁴⁺ and O^– absorptions have been identified.     

351 nm, 0.7 ns laser damage thresholds of monomeric liquid-crystalline systems

The 351 nm laser-damage thresholds (at 0.7 nm pulse length) of monomeric liquid crystals are reported and results from aromatic-core samples are compared with those from fully saturated systems. The role of π-electron conjugation is examined and identified as the key cause for laser damage. For UV laser compatibility of devices, the damage behaviour of an alignment-layer polymer (nylon 6/6) was also investigated.     

Characterization of heat-assisted magnetic probe recording on CoNi/Pt multilayers

A method of heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) potentially suitable for probe-based storage systems is characterized. In this work, field emission current from a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip is used as the heating source. Pulse voltages of 2–7 V were applied to a CoNi/Pt multilayered film fabricated on either bare silicon or oxidized silicon substrates. Different types of Ir/Pt and W STM tips were used in the experiment. The results show that thermally recorded magnetic marks are formed with a nearly uniform mark size of 170 nm on the film fabricated on bare silicon substrate when the pulse voltage is above a threshold voltage. The mark size becomes 260 nm when they are written on the identical film fabricated on an oxidized silicon substrate. The threshold voltage depends on the material work function of the tip, with W having a threshold voltage about 1 V lower than Pt. A synthesized model, which contains the calculation of the emission current, the simulation of heat transfer during heating, and the study of magnetic domain formation, was introduced to explain experimental results. The simulation agrees well with the experiments.     

Diffraction undulations in the differential cross sections of H2-Kr calculated for an anisotropic potential

To investigate the influence of the anisotropic part of the potential, exact quantum mechanical calculations have been performed of the differential co