Three-body decays of light nuclei: 6Be, 8Li, 9Be, 12O, 16Ne, and 17Ne

The theoretical approach to the two-proton radioactivity and three-body decays developed in (L.V. Grigorenko, R.C. Johnson, I.G. Mukha, I.J. Thompson, M.V. Zhukov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 22 (2000) and to be published in Phys. Rev. C) is applied to the range of light nuclear systems. We study nuclear structures, widths, and momentum correlations for the decay fragments. Strong contradictions with experiment, as well as effects of special interest, are found in ¹²O and ¹⁶Ne nuclei. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: l.grigorenko@surrey.ac.uk     

Reduced space-charge fields in near-stoichiometric LiTaO3 for blue, violet, and near-ultraviolet light beams

The wavelength dependence of the space-charge field as induced in near-stoichiometric LiTaO₃ crystals is investigated by measuring the bulk photogalvanic effect and the photoconductivity. LiTaO₃ crystals of composition nearer to stoichiometry exhibit a pronounced reduction of the saturated space-charge field, which results from a larger increase in the photoconductivity relative to the photogalvanic effect. Especially, at near-UV wavelengths, the saturated space-charge field of the order of 0.1 kV/cm reaches a minimum that is two orders of magnitude lower than typical values observed in undoped near-stoichiometric LiNbO₃. Received: 11 July 2002 / Revised version: 2 September 2002 / Published online: 20 December 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +41-1/633-1056, E-mail: mojca@fiz.uni-lj.si     

Comparative quadrupole moments of triaxial superdeformed states in 163, 164, 165Lu

Average transition quadrupole moments in the yrast triaxial superdeformed bands of ¹⁶³Lu, ¹⁶⁴Lu and ¹⁶⁵Lu were determined in a Doppler-shift attenuation-method experiment. Fractional Doppler shifts were determined in γ-ray coincidence spectra measured with the Gammasphere array. The transition quadrupole moments derived from these data show a decrease from ¹⁶³Lu to ¹⁶⁵Lu which is not predicted by total-energy surface calculations. Received: 12 August 2002 / Accepted: 23 October 2002 / Published online: 10 December 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: schoenwa@iskp.uni-bonn.de Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Ratchets, power strokes, and molecular motors

We present a method for determining the effective driving potential for a molecular motor from measurements of its stochastic position versus time. In developing the method we can make precise the previously vague notions of ‘Brownian ratchet’ and ‘power stroke’, and suggest means to experimentally distinguish between the two. In particular, we distinguish between two kinds of ratchets: ratchets that rectify large fluctuations and ratchets that bias small fluctuations. Received: 24 October 2001 / Accepted: 11 February 2002 / Published online: 22 April 2002     

100-W average-power, high-energy nanosecond fiber amplifier

We report on the fiber-based amplification of a Q-switched Nd:YAG thin-disk laser. At repetition rates between 3 and 50 kHz output powers up to 100 W are generated. Pulse energies up to 4 mJ, with diffraction-limited beam quality, are generated in a 30-μm Yb-doped large-mode-area fiber, furthermore pulse energies up to 8 mJ are achieved from a multimode fiber amplifier. Received: 8 May 2002 / Revised version: 10 July 2002 / Published online: 25 October 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +49-3641/65-7680, E-mail: Jens.Limpert@uni-jena.de     

Isomeric states in proton-unbound 187, 189Bi isotopes

Prompt and delayed gamma-ray spectroscopy of very neutron-deficient bismuth isotopes ^{187, 189}Bi has been performed using the Recoil Decay Tagging (RTD) method. The isomeric i _13/2 states have been identified and their lifetimes have been measured. The systematics of these long-lived M2 isomers has been extended to the proton-unbound isotopes. The general behaviour of single-proton states is discussed within the systematics and interpreted within the shell-model framework. Received: 2 May 2002 / Accepted: 3 June 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: wkorten@cea.fr RID="b" ID="b"Present address: GANIL, Caen, France. RID="c" ID="c"Present address: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, P.O. Box 14, FIN-00881 Helsinki. Communicated by D. Schwalm     

Growth and morphologies of large-scale SnO2 nanowires, nanobelts and nanodendrites

Single-crystalline SnO₂ nanowires, nanobelts and nanodendrites were synthesized by a simple gas-reaction route on a large scale at 900 °C. They were characterized by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED). FE-SEM images showed that the products consisted of nanowires, nanobelts and nanodendrites that represent a novel morphology reported for the first time. XRD, SAED and EDS indicated that they were single-crystalline tetragonal SnO₂. The influence of experimental conditions on the morphologies of the products is discussed. Received: 3 June 2002 / Accepted: 10 June 2002 / Published online: 10 September 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: 86-10/82649531, E-mail: xlchen@aphy.iphy.ac.cn     

Microscopic structure of superdeformed states in Th, U, Pu and Cm isotopes with Gogny force

The structure properties of the even-even nuclei ^{226, 228, 230, 232, 234}Th, ^{230, 232, 234, 236, 238, 240}U, ^{240, 242, 244, 246}Pu, and ^{242, 244, 246, 248}Cm have been investigated at normal and superdeformed shapes in microscopic mean-field calculations based on Gogny force. Collective levels are predicted from constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov and configuration mixing calculations. Two quasiparticle states are also predicted from blocking calculations for neutron and proton configurations. Predictions are shown and compared with experimental data at superdeformed shapes. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: michel-g.girod@cla.tr     

Haloes and clustering in light, neutron-rich nuclei

Clustering is a relatively widespread phenomenom which takes on many guises across the nuclear landscape. Selected topics concerning the study of halo systems and clustering in light, neutron-rich nuclei are discussed here through illustrative examples taken from the Be isotopic chain. The production and detection of multineutron clusters is also briefly presented. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: orr@caelav.in2p3.fr     

In-beam spectroscopy of 253, 254No

In-beam conversion electron spectroscopy experiments have been performed on the transfermium nuclei ^{253, 254}No using the conversion electron spectrometer SACRED in nearly collinear geometry in conjunction with the gas-filled separator RITU at the University of Jyv?skyl?. The experimental setup is discussed and the spectra are compared to Monte Carlo simulations. The implications for the ground-state configuration of ²⁵³No are discussed. Received: 21 March 2002 / Accepted: 16 May 2002 / Published online: 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: rdh@ns.ph.liv.ac.uk RID="b" ID="b"Present address: GANIL, F-14021 Caen, France. RID="c" ID="c"Permanent address: IReS Strasbourg, IN2P3-CNRS, F-67037-Strasbourg, France. RID="d" ID="d"Present address: CEA/DIF DCRE/SDE/LDN F-91680 Bruyeres-le-Chatel. RID="e" ID="e"Present address: Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury WA4 4AD, UK. RID="f" ID="f"Permanent address: IPN Lyon, IN2P3-CNRS, F-69037 Lyon, France.     

Synthesis, morphologies and Raman-scattering spectra of crystalline stannic oxide nanowires

SnO₂ nanowires were synthesized using a direct gas reaction route and were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Raman-scattering spectroscopy. XRD, SEM, SAED and HRTEM indicated that the products were tetragonal SnO₂ nanowires with diameters of 10–50 nm. The nanowires were single crystal and solid inside. Dendritic nanowires were observed for the first time. Three vibrational modes were observed in the Raman spectra of the samples. Received: 7 January 2002 / Accepted: 11 April 2002 / Published online: 19 July 2002     

Nanoscale domain switching mechanism in Pb(Zr,Ti)O<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin film

Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) ferroelectric thin film was prepared by the sol-gel technique and crystallized with a (111) preferred orientation. The domain structure and polarization reversal behavior were investigated by using scanning force microscopy (SFM) piezoresponse mode at the nanometer scale. A step structure of approximately 30 nm in width was directly observed, which was formed during the polarization reversal process. The presence of the step structure reveals that the forward domain-growth mechanism is the dominant domain-switching process in our PZT thin films. Received: 6 August 2002 / Accepted: 9 August 2002 / Published online: 28 October 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +86-21/5241-3122, E-mail: huarongzeng@163.net     

Deposition of large-area, high-quality cubic boron nitride films by ECR-enhanced microwave-plasma CVD

Large-area, 1-μm-thick cubic boron nitride (cBN) films were deposited on (001) silicon substrates by electron-cyclotron-resonance-enhanced microwave-plasma chemical vapor deposition (ECR-MP CVD) in a mixture of He-Ar-N₂-BF₃-H₂ gases. With the assistance of fluorine chemistry in the gas phase and substrate reactions, the phase purity of the sp³-configuration was improved to over 85% at a reduced substrate bias voltage of -40 V. The grown films show clear Raman transversal optical (TO) and longitudinal optical (LO) phonon vibration modes, characteristic of cBN. Such Raman spectral characteristics are the first ever observed in cBN films prepared under ECR-MP CVD conditions. Received: 3 May 2002 / Accepted: 7 May 2002 / Published online: 22 November 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +852-2788/7830, E-mail: apwjzh@cityu.edu.hk     

Jack Superpolynomials,Superpartition Ordering and Determinantal Formulas

 We call superpartitions the indices of the eigenfunctions of the supersymmetric extension of the trigonometric Calogero-Moser-Sutherland model. We obtain an ordering on superpartitions from the explicit action of the model's Hamiltonian on monomial superfunctions. This allows to define Jack superpolynomials as the unique eigenfunctions of the model that decompose triangularly, with respect to this ordering, on the basis of monomial superfunctions. This further leads to a simple and explicit determinantal expression for the Jack superpolynomials. Received: 11 May 2001 / Accepted: 16 August 2002 Published online: 7 November 2002 Communicated by R. H. Dijkgraaf     

Loss-tolerant, narrow-band reflector in the UV using a grating-waveguide structure

We theoretically demonstrate the feasibility of using a grating-waveguide structure (GWS) as a loss-tolerant, narrow-band reflector in the UV. We simulate device operation using a Green-function technique. Our numerical simulations indicate that a GWS with a 25-nm grating can be used as a 95% reflector for 157-nm light, even in the presence of intensity absorptions of 50 cm^-1. Received: 23 July 2002 / Published online: 22 November 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +49-551/5035-99, E-mail: mbader@llg.gwdg.de     

Transfer reactions and sub-barrier fusion in 40Ca + 90, 96Zr

The two systems ⁴⁰Ca + ^90,96Zr have been studied by measuring nucleon transfer reactions at two energies near the Coulomb barrier, thus complementing the available sub-barrier fusion cross-sections. Angular distributions for various transfer channels have been determined. Significantly larger neutron transfer cross-sections are found for the target ⁹⁶Zr that exhibits the larger enhancement in the sub-barrier fusion cross-sections. All data have been analyzed with a new model for heavy-ion collisions that calculates simultaneously transfer cross-sections, fusion excitation functions and barrier distributions. The model gives a good account of both transfer and fusion data. Received: 2 May 2002 / Accepted: 4 June 2002 / Published online: 26 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: montagnoli@pd.infn.it, Fax +39049 8277102, Tel. +39049 8277117. RID="b" ID="b"On leave from the China Institute for Atomic Energy, 102413 Beijing, China. Communicated by C. Signorini     

Poisson brackets,strings and membranes

We construct Poisson brackets at the boundaries of open strings and membranes with constant background fields which are compatible with their boundary conditions. The boundary conditions are treated as primary constraints which give infinitely many secondary constraints. We show explicitly that we need only two (the primary one and one of the secondary ones) constraints to determine the Poisson brackets of strings. We apply this to membranes by using canonical transformations. Received: 2 May 2002 / Revised version: 29 May 2002 / Published online: 16 August 2002 RID="a" ID="a" e-mail: tezuka@physics.s.chiba-u.ac.jp     

Laser-induced nanopatterning of PET using a-SiO2 microspheres

A regular lattice of SiO₂ microspheres on a quartz support is used as a microlens array for laser-induced nanopatterning of polyethylene terephthalate foils. Received: 2 January 2002 / Accepted: 6 January 2002 / Published online: 27 March 2002     

An all-optical, high-sensitivity magnetic gradiometer

Optical magnetometers have reached sensitivities that make them interesting candidates for the measurement of weak magnetic fields also outside physics laboratories. In order to overcome problems with stray magnetic fields a common solution with existing magnetometers is to operate a pair of them in a gradiometer configuration: one sensor measures the signal plus the stray fields, while the other one is mounted such that it is only influenced by the stray fields. In the difference signal the stray fields cancel. We have constructed such a gradiometer consisting of two sensors based on coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances in a thermal cesium vapor. Using a magnetic bias field the intrinsically scalar CPT magnetometer can be turned into a true vector magnetometer that is insensitive to magnetic fields perpendicular to a chosen measurement direction. We describe how to align and calibrate the gradiometer. Stray field suppression by more than two orders of magnitude has been achieved, limited by the sensitivity of the magnetometer. This makes possible the detection of picotesla flux density changes in a weakly shielded or even unshielded environment. Received: 3 April 2002 / Published online: 15 November 2002 RID="*" ID="*"New address: Département de Physique, Université de Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 3, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland RID="**" ID="**"Corresponding author. Fax: +41-26/300-9631, E-mail: robert.wynands@unifr.ch