Comparison of the solutions from a novel variational method with numerical results for the study of beam propagation in a Kerr medium with nonlinear absorption

We present results from a novel variational method for the study of beam propagation in a Kerr medium with nonlinear absorption. This new method combines the variational method and a nonlinear absorption equation and gives a concise expression for the combination. The results obtained with this method show good quantitative agreement with numerical solutions obtained with the finite-difference method. It is shown that the variational method takes much less time than a numerical simulation with the finite-difference method for analysis of beam propagation in a thick medium with nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction. The new method makes detailed analysis of beam propagation in a Kerr medium with nonlinear absorption very simple and fast.     

Coherent scattering with pulsed matter beams

We present a quantum theory for the interaction of a quantum target with a time dependent matter beam. When several pulses in the incident beam arrive with a period tau, transitions between levels with an energy difference h/tau can be enhanced. Unlike all previous studies, we find that transitions in passive targets can distinguish between an incoherent beam and a beam with a coherent wave packet structure. As an example, we calculate the transition probability of Rb Rydberg atoms interacting with a pulsed electron beam.     

Heavy flags undergo spontaneous oscillations in flowing water

By immersing a compliant yet self-supporting sheet into flowing water, we study a heavy, streamlined, and elastic body interacting with a fluid. We find that above a critical flow velocity a sheet aligned with the flow begins to flap with a Strouhal frequency consistent with animal locomotion. This transition is subcritical. Our results agree qualitatively with a simple fluid dynamical model that predicts linear instability at a critical flow speed. Both experiment and theory emphasize the importance of body inertia in overcoming the stabilizing effects of finite rigidity and fluid drag.     

A geometrical interpretation of parity violation in gravity with torsion

In a space-time with torsion, the action for the gravitational field can be extended with a parity-violating piece. We show how to obtain such a piece from geometry itself, by suitably modifying the affine connection so as to include a pseudo-tensorial part. The merit of such an approach is that it provides one with a consistent method for incorporating parity-violation in the Lagrangians for matter fields with arbitrary spin in a space-time background with torsion.     

Memory effects in the problem of light propagation in a Universe with inhomogeneities

The Jacobi equation on a geodesic of a Riemannian manifold with random curvature describes the propagation of light in a Universe with inhomogeneities. A formula for the effective space curvature is derived within the framework of a model with a gradual loss of memory. This curvature is shown to be negative for any correlation radius. The results are compared with the well-known results obtained within the framework of models with piecewise constant random curvature and a small correlation radius of curvature.     

A note on the Percus-Yevick and hypernetted chain theories of adsorption: The second and third virial coefficients for a hard-sphere gas in contact with a wall with a soft surface layer

The first three virial coefficients of a new type in the density expansion of the adsorption isotherm for hard spheres in contact with a wall with a soft surface layer are calculated. The results are compared with those for hard spheres in contact with a hard wall.     

High-energy quasi-phase-matched optical parametric oscillation in a periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3 device with a 5 mm x 5 mm aperture

Fabrication of a 5 mm thick periodically poled MgO-doped LiNbO3 device with a 32.1 microm period for mid-infrared generation was demonstrated. The periodic structure was evaluated by measurement of second-harmonic generation with the d31 coefficient. Optical parametric oscillation using this device with an uncoated 5 mm x 5 mm aperture and a 36 mm effective length realized a high-energy output of 77 mJ for both signal (wavelength 1.83 microm) and idler (2.54 microm) waves with a 72% slope efficiency at 110 mJ pumping of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a 12 ns pulse duration.     

Hybrid diffractive-refractive 40° head-mounted display

The design of a head-mounted display with a field of view of 40 degrees and suitable for use with a micro display of 17.5 mm diagonal is presented. It is a combination of a diffractive-refractive eyepiece with an appropriate reflective relay system. The eyepiece design is based on a Kellner eyepiece. By replacing the cemented-doublet of the traditional eyepiece with a diffractive-refractive element (a plano-convex lens with the plane surface as the diffractive surface) an improved eyepiece is obtained. The proposed eyepiece shows a considerable reduction in physical size (which is particularly important for binocular systems) and weight, and exhibits superior performance compared to the traditional refractive type. It is emphasized that the proposed design has a performance that is well matched to a micro display with SXGA resolution.     

Bump formation on a glass surface with a transparent coating using femtosecond laser processing

The morphology of a glass surface having a transparent coating processed with focused femtosecond laser pulses is investigated. The transparent coating is formed of poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA). When the glass was coated with a PMMA film with a thickness of 2.8 μm, bumps were formed over a wide range of axial focus positions. The same laser pulse energy produced cavities when processing bare glass with no coating. The bumps were formed as a result of suppressing material emission from the glass surface by a shielding effect of plasma generated by ablation of the PMMA film and by physical blocking of the PMMA film. A thinner film with a thickness of 0.7 μm produced a reduced shielding effect, forming an exploded bump with a small pit at its center and debris around the periphery. PACS 44.10.+i; 61.80.Ba; 79.20.Ds     

Geometry in transition: a model of emergent geometry

We study a three matrix model with global SO(3) symmetry containing at most quartic powers of the matrices. We find an exotic line of discontinuous transitions with a jump in the entropy, characteristic of a 1st order transition, yet with divergent critical fluctuations and a divergent specific heat with critical exponent alpha=1/2. The low temperature phase is a geometrical one with gauge fields fluctuating on a round sphere. As the temperature increased the sphere evaporates in a transition to a pure matrix phase with no background geometrical structure. Both the geometry and gauge fields are determined dynamically. It is not difficult to invent higher dimensional models with essentially similar phenomenology. The model presents an appealing picture of a geometrical phase emerging as the system cools and suggests a scenario for the emergence of geometry in the early Universe.     

Algorithm for Scheduling Variable-Length Messages in WDM Networks

In this paper, we develop and analyze a simple algorithm for scheduling variable length messages in WDM networks with a passive star coupler. We base our schemes on a star topology with centralized control and use a scheduling algorithm similar to the process management in UNIX system. Every node and message have a scheduling priority associated with them. By comparing our algorithm with random select algorithm, we find that significant improvement in performance can be achieved with very little extra cost.     

Optical and electrical characteristics of InGaP/AlGaAs/GaAs composite emitter heterojunction bipolar/phototransistors (CEHBTs/CEHPTs)

We report on new InGaP/AlGaAs/GaAs composite emitter heterojunction bipolar and phototransistors (CEHBTs/CEHPTs) with a low turn-on voltage. The composite emitter comprised of the digital graded superlattice emitter and the InGaP sub-emitter is used to smooth out potential spike associated with the emitter–base heterojunction and to obtain a low emitter–base turn-on voltage. A fabricated CEHBT exhibits a small offset voltage of 55 mV and a low turn-on voltage of 0.83 V with a dc current gain as high as 150. In case of a CEHPT’s collector–emitter characteristics with base floating, optical gains increase with increasing input optical power. Furthermore, the collector current saturation voltage is small due to a low turn-on voltage. We obtain an optical gain larger than 6.83 with a collector current saturation voltage smaller than 0.5 V. On the other hand, performance results of a CEHPT with two- and three-terminal configuration were investigated and compared.     

High-resolution gamma-ray radiography produced by a laser-plasma driven electron source

An electron beam from a laser-plasma accelerator is converted into a gamma-ray source using bremsstrahlung radiation in a dense material. The gamma-ray beam has a pointlike source size because it is generated by a high quality electron beam with a small source size and a low divergence. Using this gamma-ray source, the radiography of complex and dense objects with submillimeter resolution is performed. It is the first evidence of a gamma-ray source size of a few hundreds micrometers produced with laser-driven accelerators. This size is consistent with results from Monte Carlo simulations.     

CW Cr2+:CdSe laser pumped by semiconductor disk laser

An output power of 0.85 W with a differential efficiency with respect to absorbed pump power of 55.4% is achieved for a Cr²⁺:CdSe laser with a wavelength of 2.6 ??m under optical pumping with a semiconductor disk laser with a wavelength of 1.98 ??m.     

基于长周期光纤光栅滤波器的掺铒光纤放大器理论和实验研究

从理论和实验上研究了带有高频二氧化碳激光写入的低成本长周期光纤光栅（LPFG）掺铒光纤放大器（EDFA）.结果表明,单波长和多波长EDFA的性能都可以通过在掺铒光纤（EDF）中插入长周期光纤光栅用作自发辐射噪声（ASE）滤波器或增益平坦器来提高性能.优化设计了带LPFG噪声滤波器的线放EDFA,与没有LPFG噪声滤波器相比,线放的噪声和小信号增益分别被减小和提高了约0.5 dB和7 dB。通过在多波长EDFA的EDF中插入一个LPFG增益平坦滤波器的方法,获得了1.5 dB的增益平坦度,与没有LPFG平坦器相比,EDFA的噪声被减小了0.1 dB,增益被提高了1 dB.     

Molecular-dynamics simulations with explicit hydrodynamics II: On the collision of polymers with molecular obstacles

We present a study of the dynamics of single polymers colliding with molecular obstacles using Molecular-dynamics simulations. In concert with these simulations we present a generalized polymer-obstacle collision model which is applicable to a number of collision scenarios. The work focusses on three specific problems: i) a polymer driven by an external force colliding with a fixed microscopic post; ii) a polymer driven by a (plug-like) fluid flow colliding with a fixed microscopic post; and iii) a polymer driven by an external force colliding with a free polymer. In all three cases, we present a study of the length-dependent dynamics of the polymers involved. The simulation results are compared with calculations based on our generalized collision model. The generalized model yields analytical results in the first two instances (cases i) and ii)), while in the polymer-polymer collision example (case iii)) we obtain a series solution for the system dynamics. For the case of a polymer-polymer collision we find that a distinct V-shaped state exists as seen in experimental systems, though normally associated with collisions with multiple polymers. We suggest that this V-shaped state occurs due to an effective hydrodynamic counter flow generated by a net translational motion of the two-chain system.     

Single-mode excitation of multimode fibers with ultrashort pulses

Single-mode excitation of step-index multimode fibers with light sources with short temporal coherence lengths is demonstrated. Multimode fiber designs with reduced microbending-induced mode coupling are described that allow the propagation of the fundamental mode over long lengths with negligible mode coupling even in the presence of tight fiber bends. At a wavelength of 1.56microm a fiber with a core diameter of 45microm can preserve the fundamental mode for a propagation length of ~20m . Such fibers allow coiling with a coil diameter as small as 7cm.     

Effects of confinement on static and dynamical properties of water

Molecular-dynamics results on water confined in a silica pore are reviewed and discussed in connection with experiments performed on water in Vycor and with studies of water in contact with proteins. The properties of confined water are studied as a function of both temperature and hydration level. The interaction of water in the film close to the substrate with the silica atoms induces a strong distortion of the hydrogen bond network. At high hydration levels a double dynamical regime is observed. At low hydration an anomalous diffusion is found upon supercooling with a transition from a Brownian to a non-Brownian regime on approaching the substrate in agreement with results found in studies of water in contact with globular proteins.Received: 1 January 2003, Published online: 14 October 2003PACS: 61.20.-p Structure of liquids - 61.20.Ja Computer simulation of liquid structure     

A Study of the Optical Properties of a Multimode Silica Optical Fiber with a Reflective Shell from a Fluorinated Thermoplastic Polymer

Optics and Spectroscopy - The optical properties of a silica–polymer optical fiber with a light-guide core with a diameter of 430 μm and a reflecting shell with a thickness of 70 μm...     

Strong field localization in subwavelength metal-dielectric optical waveguides

Detailed calculations of eigenmodes of waveguiding structures made of silver and glass and containing coaxial cables with a nanoscale cross section of different configurations are conducted. In particular, the study focuses on optical coaxial waveguides with the core made in the form of a thin metallic cylinder filled with a dielectric. We show that these waveguides support relatively low-loss propagation of radiation that is strongly localized in the central region, has phase velocity approaching the speed of light and predominant electric-field orientation (dipole type). Optical characteristics of such waveguides are compared with those of coaxial-type waveguides containing a continuous central filament made of metal and with a multilayer structure. Using numeric modeling, we established that the proposed type of the waveguide enables the transmission of an optical image with relatively low losses with a submicron resolution over a distance considerably longer than its cross section. A typical propagation length in the waveguides based on silver and glass with the refractive index of about 1.5 at a wavelength of 500 nm is about 1700 nm.