On-chip optical pulse shaper for arbitrary waveform generation

We propose and demonstrate a silicon-on-insulator(SOI) on-chip optical pulse shaper based on four-tap finite impulse response. Due to different width designs in phase region of each tap, the phase differences for all taps are controlled by an external thermal source, resulting in an optical pulse shaper. We further demonstrate optical arbitrary waveform generation based on the optical pulse shaper assisted by an optical frequency comb injection. Four different optical waveforms are generated when setting the central wavelengths at 1533.78 nm and 1547.1 nm and setting the thermal source temperatures at 23℃ and 33℃, respectively. Our scheme has distinct advantages of compactness, capability for integrating with electronics since the integrated silicon waveguide is employed.     

The effect of impermeable boundaries of arbitrary geometry on the apparent diffusion coefficient

The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) obtained from NMR measurements is modelled for diffusion in a compartment restricted by an impermeable boundary. For a given pulse sequence, the ADC can be determined from the connected velocity autocorrelation function (the second-order velocity cumulant), which we show can be expressed as a double surface integral over the boundary, involving the probability for molecules to diffuse from one boundary point to another. There is no restriction on the geometry of the boundary. This result allows a fast calculation of the ADC for an arbitrary time course of the diffusion-sensitizing gradient. Explicit examples are given for diffusion within three basic geometries for different pulse sequences. The ADCs measured with the Stejskal-Tanner pulse sequence and a more realistic pulse sequence with slice selection gradient and eddy current compensation are found to yield almost identical results. The application of the results are discussed in relation to determination of the microscopic structure of brain white matter.     

Design strategies for improved velocity-selective pulse sequences

Over the years, a variety of MRI methods have been developed for visualizing or measuring blood flow without the use of contrast agents. One particular class of methods uses flow-encoding gradients associated with an RF pulse sequence to distinguish spins in flowing blood from stationary spins. While a strength of these particular methods is that, in general, they can be tailored to capture a desired range of blood flow, such sequences either do not provide a sharp transition from stationary spins to flowing spins, or else are long, generating relaxation losses and undesirable SAR, and have limited immunity to resonance offsets and to RF inhomogeneity. This article provides design methods for improving these longer RF pulse sequences, especially to provide improved immunity to RF inhomogeneity, and also to improve immunity to resonance offsets, as well as to minimize RF sequence length. These design methods retain the flexibility to capture a desired range of blood flow, with sharp transitions between stationary spins and flowing blood. These improvement strategies are demonstrated through Bloch equations simulations of examples of these new sequences in the presence of blood flow. Examples of improved sequences that should prove suitable for use at 3.0 Tesla are presented.     

SAR reduced pulse sequences

Three techniques were considered for reducing the RF (radiofrequency) power deposition in the body while maintaining scan time efficiency: reducing the RF peak amplitude while increasing the pulse width, substituting gradient echoes for spin echoes, and reducing the flip angle of the phase reversal pulse. The use of gradient echoes was found to be the most efficient means to reduce the power delivered to the patient and to obtain rapid data acquisition. The effect upon SAR (specific absorption rate) and SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) was demonstrated on a phantom when the phase reversal pulse was reduced from the standard 180 degrees to 90 degrees. Data in the body indicated a fairly constant SNR down to a refocusing flip angle between 110 degrees and 135 degrees. An initial clinical evaluation was performed at three institutions using the method of reducing the flip angle of the phase reversal pulse. The scan with theta = 120 degrees was rated by readers in a blinded study as having acceptable diagnostic image quality while the 135 degrees scan had comparable image quality to a conventional 90 degrees - 180 degrees pulse sequence. The use of reduced phase reversal pulses was seen as an efficient protocol to obtain T1-weighted images at rapid data rates while reducing the power delivered to the body by about 40%.     

Linking NMR pulse sequences: derivative relation between the responses of two pulse sequences

Examples are shown of how the derivative of the response of an NMR pulse sequence with respect to a variable in that pulse sequence can be obtained by another pulse sequence. This approach holds the potential of being a tool for discovery of new pulse sequences or a means of understanding how some pulse sequences are related to each other.     

Calculation of the rate constants of spin exchange between paramagnetic particles with arbitrary spins for their diffusion motion in nonviscous liquids

The rate constant of spin exchange between two paramagnetic particles with arbitrary spins is calculated within a model of diffusion passage through a region of exchange interaction that exponentially depends on the interparticle distance.     

Phantom materials for single point imaging pulse sequences

The popularity of pure phase encode MRI techniques, including single point imaging (SPI), is steadily increasing, particularly in instances where the samples of interest are solid-like, or for other reasons possess short effective transverse relaxation times, T2*. As the interest in these techniques grows, so too does the need for a phantom material which is representative of this class of samples. The characteristics of such a phantom should include chemical and physical stability, straightforward preparation, high signal to noise ratio and relaxation times which are both easily manipulated and representative. To this end, we have developed a gelatin/sucrose-based gel which addresses the above criteria and behaves as a very flexible short T2* phantom. An order of magnitude variation in T1 and T2 can be achieved over a reasonable range of sucrose concentration. Even larger changes can be achieved with the addition of further doping agents.     

Experimental research on an arbitrary pulse generation system for imaging VISAR

Imaging VISAR is an important diagnostic tool for a variety of shock-related phenomena in laser-driven experiments. To adapt to various types of shaped driven pulse, the imaging VISAR needs an illuminating light with good shaping capability. Here, a flexible laser probe system was experimentally studied. Being generated from a 1064-nm DFB laser, the continuous wave was modulated by a waveguide amplitude modulator driven by 10 GS/s arbitrary waveform generator. After being amplified by fiber amplifiers and Nd:YAG rod amplifiers, the signal pulse was frequency-converted to 532-nm green light by a thermally controlled LBO crystal with a final output energy larger than 10 mJ. Finally, the green light was coupled into a 1-mm core diameter, multimode fused silica optical fiber and propagated to the imaging VISAR. The probe laser could realize accurate pulse shaping with time resolution below 100 ps. Uniformity in intensity and capability of arbitrary pulse shaping provides great convenience for the analysis of experimental data.     

Evidence for an oxygen diffusion model for the electric pulse induced resistance change effect in transition-metal oxides

Electric-pulse induced resistance hysteresis switching loops for Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 perovskite oxide films were found to exhibit an additional sharp "shuttle tail" peak around the negative pulse maximum for films deposited in an oxygen-deficient ambient. The resistance relaxation in time of this "shuttle tail" peak as well as resistance relaxation in the transition regions of the resistance hysteresis loop show evidence of oxygen diffusion under electric pulsing, and support a proposed oxygen diffusion model with oxygen vacancy pileup at the metal electrode interface region as the active process for the nonvolatile resistance switching effect in transition-metal oxides.     

Implications of the dilatancy-fluid diffusion theory for aftershock sequences

Summery The dilatancy-fluid diffusion (DFD) theory of the seismic mechanism, derived from studies of rock mechanics, describes the geophysical conditions for faulting in terms of two fundamental parameters: deviatoric stress and pore pressure. The latter allowed the time variable to be included, through a diffusive equation, in the theory of the seismic mechanism. The stress field in proximity of a slipped fault surface is here considered in some detail and its influence on dilatancy and fluid pressure is exploited in order to test the capability of the DFD theory of explaining the evolution in time and space of aftershock phenomena.

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Riassunto La teoria della dilatanza-diffusione fluida (DFD) del meccanismo sismico, ottenuta da studi di meccanica delle rocce, descrive le condizioni geofisiche per la creazione di una faglia attiva in termini di due parametri fondamentali: lo sforzo deviatorico e la pressione nei pori dovuta al fluido. Quest'ultima ha permesso di inserire, attraverso l'equazione di diffusione, il tempo come variabile nella teoria del meccanismo sismico. Si considera qui in dettaglio il campo di sforzo in prossimità della faglia dopo che si è verificato lo scivolamento, e la sua influenza sulla dilatanza e sulla pressione del fluido è analizzata per verificare la capacità della teoria DFD di spiegare l'evoluzione spazio-temporale degli aftershock.

     

Discrimination of uniform spectrum pulse sequences.

Random polarity-modulated sequences were produced with a uniform short-term spectrum over defined sampling intervals by a method described by Pierce, Lipes, and Cheetham [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 61, 1609-1621 (1977)]. These are identified as PLC sequences. By contrast, unconstrained random polarity-modulated pulse trains with a constant interpulse interval may depart from a short-term uniform spectrum. It is shown that listeners can clearly discriminate between PLC sequences and unconstrained random sequences, and can discriminate among different PLC sequences. This discrimination is more nearly related to the statistical redundancy of the PLC sequences. This discrimination is more nearly related to the statistical redundancy of the PLC sequences than to their run-length distribution. Such discrimination is relatively resistant to moderate degrees of temporal jitter and is obtained with other forms of information coding. Discrimination of PLC sequences is presumably based upon phase information.     

Calculation of radon diffusion coefficient and diffusion length for different building construction materials

The diffusion of radon in dwellings is a process determined by the radon concentration gradient across the building material structure between the radon source and the surrounding air, and can be a significant contributor to indoor radon inflow. Radon can originate from the deeply buried deposit beneath homes and can migrate to the surface of earth. Radon emanates to the surfaces mainly by diffusion processes from the point of origin following α-decay of ²²⁶Ra in underground soil and building materials used, in the construction of floors, walls, and ceilings. In the present study radon diffusion through some building materials viz. coarse sand and stone dust of different grain size has been carried out using LR-115 type II solid-state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). The radon diffusion coefficients and diffusion lengths through these building construction materials have been calculated. The effect of grain size on radon diffusion through these building materials shows the decrease in radon diffusion with decrease in grain size.     

Emission of a linear current pulse of an arbitrary shape

A general formula is obtained, which makes it possible in some cases to easily calculate the electromagnetic field of a linear current in the wave band. The emission of a linear current pulse of triangular form is considered as an application of the formula.Polytechnical University, Tomsk. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 6, pp. 14–18, June, 1992.     

Improving pulse sequences for 3D DOSY: convection compensation

Signal overlap in the NMR dimension significantly complicates the construction and analysis of 2D diffusion-ordered (DOSY) spectra. Such problems can often be reduced or even eliminated by extending the NMR domain of a DOSY experiment into two dimensions, giving a 3D-DOSY spectrum. To date such experiments have generally sacrificed some signal-to-noise ratio and have required extensive and time-consuming phase cycling. A new family of pulse sequences with internal diffusion encoding (IDOSY) has been introduced which avoids both of these problems. It is often straightforward to incorporate convection compensation in such sequences at no cost in signal-to-noise ratio. Here, some of the problems caused by convection in DOSY are described and illustrated, and the efficacy of convection compensation in the 2DJ-IDOSY and COSY-IDOSY experiments is demonstrated.     

Calculation of the heat transfer between coaxial cylinders for arbitrary knudsen numbers

The problem of calculating the heat flux between coaxial cylinders is considered. A procedure that is analogous to the method of half-spatial moments is applied to solving the kinetic equation. The calculation results for the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook model (BGK) of the collision integral for the case of purely diffuse reflection are presented.     

An optimized pulse sequence for isotropically weighted diffusion imaging.

Single-shot echo-planar imaging is becoming the most widely used technique for magnetic resonance diffusion imaging, since it enables measurement of diffusion coefficients in human brain without motion artifacts. However, its reliability is limited by geometrical distortions due to eddy currents. In this report, an isotropically weighted echo-planar pulse sequence, optimized to give the maximum signal-to-noise ratio in the computed trace image and designed to produce inherently low distortions, is presented. It is also shown how the residual translational distortion can be easily characterized and removed by postprocessing. A full characterization of the distortion artifact involves a few measurements on a phantom, in order to estimate the distortion as a function of slice orientation, which can then be used to correct any slice orientation. Results of applying the image translation correction to data collected from a patient are presented.     

Determination of the stimulated raman scattering threshold for a pump pulse of arbitrary width

The spectral luminescent, photophysical, photochemical, lasing, nonlinear optical, and sensor characteristics of a series of new synthesized complexes of zinc and difluoroborate with dipyrrines of different structure have been studied. It is found that many of these compounds exhibit stimulated emission in different solvents when excited by the second (532 nm) and third (355 nm) harmonics of a Nd:YAG laser in the range of 548–692 nm. It is shown that not only efficient fluorophores belonging to dipyrrine difluoroborates (with a quantum fluorescence yield close to 1), but also compounds with a fluorescence yield equal to 0.3, generate laser radiation with a high resource; phosphorescence is also observed along with fluorescence. Transmission of UV radiation (355 nm) is shown to decrease with an increase in the pulsed excitation power density; this is a manifestation of nonlinear optical properties. The change of phosphorescence signal in dependence of the composition of the gas mixture around a solid-state sample colored by dipyrrinate complexes indicates that a number of the compounds under consideration exhibit sensor abilities.     

The Casimir effect for fields with arbitrary spin

The Casimir force arises when a quantum field is confined between objects that apply boundary conditions to it. In a recent paper we used the two-spinor calculus to derive boundary conditions applicable to fields with arbitrary spin in the presence of perfectly reflecting surfaces. Here we use these general boundary conditions to investigate the Casimir force between two parallel perfectly reflecting plates for fields up to spin-2. We use the two-spinor calculus formalism to present a unified calculation of well-known results for spin-1/2 (Dirac) and spin-1 (Maxwell) fields. We then use our unified framework to derive new results for the spin-3/2 and spin-2 fields, which turn out to be the same as those for spin-1/2 and spin-1. This is part of a broader conclusion that there are only two different Casimir forces for perfectly reflecting plates—one associated with fermions and the other with bosons.     

Correcting slice selectivity in hard pulse sequences

Many MRI sequences use non-selective hard pulse excitation in the presence of imaging gradients. In this work, we investigate to which extent the sinc-shaped frequency excitation profiles of the pulse can be used for imaging without the generation of artefacts. A correction algorithm is proposed that eliminates the influence of the excitation profile. Phantom as well as in vivo measurements prove that enhanced image quality can be obtained as long as the first minimum of the excitation profile lies outside the imaged object.     

Calculation of mass diffusion in HeII

On the basis of a hydrodynamical calculation, It is predicted that the diffusion coefficient for ³He in HeII should be strongly suppressed as T→Tλ from below, as a result of the long relaxation time associated with the Landau-Khalatnikov order parameter, and the divergence of the inverse velocity of second sound.