Measurements of luminescence decay kinetics using an “Agat” streak-camera in a boxcar mode

Conclusion The specialized measuring setup described in the paper makes it possible to measure correctly and with reasonably high accuracy the luminescence decay kinetics of dyes within the time range from 40 psec to 5 nsec upon excitation in the visible range and at 1.064 μm. The system is highly flexible, having at the same time reasonably large data storage memory, and is completely automated. Such a system, undoubtedly, will be helpful for researchers working in the field of physics of laser media and dyes—passive modulators for femtosecond laser systems. The authors are grateful to M. V. Bondar for fruitful discussions and for help with the experiments. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 62, No. 1, pp. 128–134, January–February, 1995.     

Irregular frequency chirp in radiation of an injection laser in high-velocity code modulation

The effect of the shape of the excitation pulses on the magnitude of the frequency chirp in an injection laser is investigated. It is established that as the degree of rectangularity of the pulses becomes higher, the frequency chirp increases. Simultaneous consideration of the effect of residual charge in the active region of the laser, the delay of stimulated radiation, and the frequency chirp indicates that in the case of high-velocity code modulation of an injection laser, in the latter an irregular frequency chirp appears that can exert a noticeable influence on the distortion of code trains of pulses having a super-Gaussian shape, when they propagate in media with a dispersion of 100 p.s./nm/km and above. Belarusian State University, 4, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220050, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 45–49, January–February, 1997.     

Effect of sweeping the “instantaneous” lasing frequency on the amplitude-detuning characteristic of a CO2 laser with loss modulation

The influence of changes in the refractive indices of the active medium and the loss modulator on the amplitude-detuning characteristic of a CO₂ laser was theoretically investigated. It is shown that at a comparatively great magnitude of sweeping the “instantaneous” lasing frequency, the magnitude of the laser response increases not only in negative detunings, but also over a wide range of positive detunings. The use of the procedure of changing the magnitude and sign of detuning as well as the range of sweeping and the frequency of modulation makes it possible to realize various periodic and chaotic regimes of lasing, i.e., to exercise control over the time and energy parameters of pulses over a very wide range. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 318–324, May–June, 1997.     

Effect of the mode composition of laser radiation on the intracavity formation of periodic surface structures

We investigated the effect of the mode composition (longitudinal and transverse modes) of laser radiation on the basic parameters of the stroke pattern formed on a treated surface placed inside a laser cavity. We found that the contrast of the stroke pattern formed by a laser beam with a complex set of longitudinal modes depends, in the first place, on the width of the laser radiation spectrum and the laser cavity length and is virtually independent of the angle of rotation of the beam. In the region of small rotation angles the broadening of strokes caused by the effect of transverse modes becomes predominant. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikaladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 50–54, January–February, 1997.     

Spectral-luminescence characteristics of alkali-free silicate glasses with a high concentration of terbium and tin

We discovered and investigated sensitization of the luminescence of Tb³⁺ ions by Sn(II) oxocomplexes in highly activated alkali-free silicate glass. We show that the quantum yield of the luminescence sensitization in this glass can be increased by UV irradiation. The possibility for the use of such glasses as luminescing light filters for YAG-Nd laser quantrons is noted. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 83–86, January–February, 1998.     

Control of the shape and duration of a laser pulse in the case of nonlinear total internal reflection

A nonlinear device based on nonlinear total internal reflection is suggested which provides a more than ten-fold shortening of the laser pulse and smooth variation of the pulse duration due to double reflection from the interface between transparent and absorbing media. Results are presented for the shape and duration of the pulse components that have been reflected and transmitted by the interface. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., 220072, Minsk, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 325–328, May–June, 1997.     

Dynamics of a waveguide pulsed-periodic CO2 laser with loss modulation

The nonlinear dynamics of a waveguide CO₂ laser with combined periodic loss and pumping modulation is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The possibilities of controlling time and energy parameters of the output radiation using the corresponding selection of the detuning of the cavity's longitudinal mode from the center of the amplification line, the amplitude, and the frequency of loss modulation are demonstrated. The observed asymmetric dependence of the lasing-radiation density on the detuning of the cavity frequency is explained by the attendant modulation of the refractive index of the loss modulator. To whom correspondence should be addressed. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 68, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 471–478, July–August, 1999.     

The effects of pulsed laser injection seeding and triggering on the temporal behavior and magnitude of laser-induced incandescence from soot

The effect of sub-nanosecond fluence fluctuations and triggering on time-resolved laser-induced incandescence (LII) from soot has been studied using an injection-seeded pulsed Nd:YAG laser that produces a smooth laser temporal profile. Without injection seeding, this multi-mode laser generates pulses with large intensity fluctuations with sub-nanosecond rise times. The experimental results described here demonstrate that at fluences below 0.6 J/cm² LII signals are insensitive to fluence fluctuations on nanosecond time scales. At fluences above 0.6 J/cm² fluctuations in the laser profile cause the rising edge of the LII profile to move around in time relative to the center of the laser pulse causing a broader average profile that shifts to earlier times. Such fluctuations also lead to a decrease in the average LII temporal profile by up to 12% at a fluence of 3.5 J/cm². A timing jitter on the trigger of the data acquisition, such as that produced by triggering on the laser Q-switch synchronization pulse, has a negligible effect on the shape and temporal maximum of the LII signal. Additional jitter, however, considerably reduces the peak of the LII temporal profiles at fluences as low as 0.15 J/cm². Neither fast fluence fluctuations nor trigger jitter have a significant effect on gated LII signals, such as those used to infer soot volume fraction.     

Nuclear charge radii and electromagnetic moments of scandium isotopes and isomers in the f7/2 shell

Collinear laser spectroscopy experiments on the ScII transition 3d4s ³D₂→3d4p ³F₃ at λ ≈ 363.1 nm were performed on the ^42–46Sc isotopic chain using an ion guide isotope separator with a cooler–buncher. Isotope and isomer shifts and hyperfine structures of five ground states and two isomers were measured. Preliminary results on the nuclear moments and charge radii changes deduced from these measurements are reported.     

Are LCAO-MO Models Useful Estimators for Electric Field Gradients in Simple Molecules?

In this tutorial paper we compare the ab-initio calculations of electronic charge densities and related electric field gradients in simple molecules like H₂ as well as the triangular H₃ with variable bond distance and bond angle using the Amsterdam Density Functional (ADF) code with calculations based on a simple linear combination of hydrogen 1s-orbitals. In order to gain more insight into ADF – or other ab-initio – calculations it is rather useful to vary structural parameters. In addition to geometry optimisations we propose to vary bond distances and bond angles over extended ranges in order to arrive at a better interpretation of the results.     

A resonance-reman-scattering multifrequency spectrometer for investigating excited states of molecules and photoinduced high-rate processes

A resonance-Raman-scattering multifrequency laser spectrometer operating in a wide spectral range (355–750 nm) and making possible the recording of both stationary Raman spectra and spectra with a time resolution of up to 100 psec in the time interval of 0–50 nsec has been developed. The spectrometer has been used with advantage for the study of the excited states of molecules of metalloporphyrins in solutions and processes of interaction of model metalloporphyrins with DNA and DNA-modeling polynucleotides. To whom correspondence should be addressed. B. I. Stepanov Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus 68, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 210072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 5, pp. 726–733, September–October, 1999.     

Photoinduced electron transfer in solutions of A Pd-porphyrin-quinone complex

Photoinduced electron transfer (PET) in a Pd-porphyrin-quinone complex (Pd-P-Q) was investigated using the flash photolysis method in microsecond and picosecond range and by luminescence. The investigations were performed for toluene solutions. Intramolecular PETs in the lower excited singlet state (k_CT=1.7·10¹⁰ sec⁻¹) and in the triplet state (k_CT=2.5·10⁸sec⁻¹) were observed. For a quantum yield of the triplet state that is close to 1 in Pd-porphyrin (Pd-P) this yield is equal to 0.4 in Pd-P-Q. This decrease is the result of PET in the excited state and, possibly, in an unrelaxed triplet state. Triplet Pd-P-Q molecules were efficiently quenched by unexcited molecules, and this process is related to intermolecular charge transfer. This electron transfer is likely to occur from the Pd-P protion of an excited molecule to the quinone protion of an unexcited molecule in the collisional complex (Pd-P-Q)₂. Charged radicals, formed once the collisional complex is transferred and separated, have a wide absorption band with a maximum of about 960 nm. The average lifetime of the radicals was about 2 msec. Institute of Molecular and Atomic Physics, Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 70, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No 1 pp. 61–70, January–February, 1997.     

Phase- and helicity-dependent effects in three-color ionization

We study the two-photon ionization of the hydrogen atom from its ground state by a three-color electromagnetic field consisting of a superposition of an IR laser and two of its consecutive odd harmonics of order 2p−1 and 2p+1, withp a positive integer and constant relative phase difference. The ionization process due to the net absorption of the energy 2pħω (ω being the IR laser frequency) is considered. The influence of phase difference and helicity on the azimuthal angular distribution of the ejected photoelectrons is illustrated in the case in which the two harmonics have identical polarizations. Phase effect on the alignment of the differential ionization rate is also investigated.     

Resistance-switching properties of La<Subscript>0.67</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> thin films with Ag–Al alloy top electrodes

A novel Ag–Al alloy electrode has been prepared on the La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ (LCMO) film grown by pulsed laser deposition, with the aim to improve its resistance-switching properties. Nonlinear, asymmetric, and hysteretic current–voltage characteristics and reversible polarity-dependent switching properties are achieved in the Ag–Al alloy/LCMO/Pt structure. Detailed current–voltage characteristics analysis indicates that the resistance-switching behavior can be well explained by the mechanism of trap-controlled space charge limited conduction at the Ag–Al alloy/LCMO interface. The LCMO film with an Ag–Al alloy top electrode exhibits much better resistance-switching properties than that with an Al top electrode, including the shorter switching time and more stable switching process, demonstrating that the Ag–Al alloy electrode is a promising electrode materials of manganite films for resistance random access memory applications.     

Effect ofγ-radiation on the spectral luminescence characteristics of impure cadmium tungstate crystals

Results of a study of the effect of γ-radiation on the spectral luminescence properties of cadmium tungstate crystals doped with silver, bismuth, and molybdenum cations are presented. Spectral characteristics of the nondnnnoped crystals are briefly described. Absorption and photo and X-ray luminescence spectra of the crystals taken before and after exposure to γ-radiation (5.5·10⁴ Gy) are compared. It is found that the spectral characteristics of the crystals doped with silver, bismuth, and molybdenum cations do not change markedly after the exposure. The relation between the type of impurity-induced defects, individual characteristics of the impurity cations, and the character of the effect of γ-radiation on the spectral luminescence properties of impure crystals is analyzed (preliminarily). Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 55–60, January–February, 1997.     

Interchromophore interactions and energy transfer in covalently bound porphyrin-chlorine heterodimer

Energetis of interchromophore interactions in a covalently bound prophyrin-chlorine heterodimer (Por-O-Chl) is investigated at temperatures from 77 to 293 K in solvents with differing polarity (toluene, tetrahydrofurane, and diethyl ether: petroleum ester: isopropanole=5∶5∶2 mixture). We substantiate the conclusion that the strong quenching of fluoresence and phosphorescence of the porphyrin fragments in both stable isomers of the Por-O-Chl heterodimer is induced not by the photoinduced charge transfer but rather by efficient processes of singlet-singlet (probability F^SS=1.3·10¹¹ to 6.8°10¹⁰ sec⁻¹) and triplet-triplet (probability F^TT≥10⁸ sec⁻¹) radiationless electronic excitation transfer. It is shown that the S−S transfer takes place without quantum losses from the thermodynamically equilibrated S₁ state of the donor, and its dynamics and main regularities at temperatures from 77 to 293 K are described by the inductive resonance theory without any additional asssumptions. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 65, No. 1, pp. 75–82, January–February, 1998.     

Scaling of cross-sections for asymmetric (e, 3e) process on helium-like ions by fast electrons

An approximate simple scaling law is obtained for asymmetric (e, 3e) process on helium-like ions for double ionization by fast electrons. It is based on the equation (Z ^′3π) exp[-Z(r₁ + r₂)],Z′ = Z – (5/16) for ground state wave function of helium-like ions and Z^′2 scaling of energies. The scaling law is found to work very well if the lower energy electron is ejected along the momentum transfer direction and the other one is ejected in the opposite direction. It also works quite well if this electron is ejected within about 90° of the momentum transfer direction with the other electron going in the opposite direction. The scaling law becomes increasingly accurate as the target nuclear charge and the energy increase.     

Growth of a laser ripple in a magnetoplasma and its effect on plasma wave excitation

Summary This paper presents an investigation of the growth of a radially symmetrical ripple, superimposed on a Gaussian laser beam in a collisionless magnetoplasma. The effect of the magnetic field and the intensity of the laser on the growth of the ripple is presented in some detail. The effect of the presence of the ripple on the excitation of an electron plasma wave is also investigated. Coupling of a weak plasma wave with the main laser beam is through the modified background density. The combined effect of increased intensity of the laser beam and magnetic field is observed to suppress the growth of the ripple as well as the excitation of the plasma wave. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Reduction of the pulse repetition period jitter of a diode-pumped passively Q-switched solid-state laser

We obtain an analytical expression for the pulse repetition period jitter of a diode-pumped solidstate laser with passive Q-switching of the resonator. The possibilities of reducing the jitter of the pulse repetition period of generation are studied. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 337–342, April 2009.