On the depolarization of ultracold neutrons in traps

The method of pulse duration control is proposed for intense molecular beams. The method is based on the shortening of a primary molecular-beam pulse through the formation of a pressure shock ahead of a solid surface through which the beam is passed. The method was used to obtain intense SF₆, H₂, He, SF₆/H₂ (1/10), and SF₆/He (1/10) molecular beams with a pulse duration of ≤10?15 μs and a spatial length of ≤1?2 cm.     

The formation of an intense secondary pulsed molecular beam and obtaining accelerated molecules and radicals in it

A method for obtaining an intense secondary pulsed molecular beam is described. The kinetic energy of molecules in the beam can be controlled by vibrational excitation of the molecules in the source under high-power IR laser radiation. A compression shock (shock wave) is used as a source of secondary beams. The shock wave is formed in interaction between an intense pulsed supersonic molecular beam (or flow) and a solid surface. The characteristics of the secondary beam were studied. Its intensity and the degree of gas cooling in it were comparable with the corresponding characteristics of the unperturbed primary beam. Vibrational excitation of molecules in the shock wave and subsequent vibrational-translational relaxation, which occurs when a gas is expanded in a vacuum, allow the kinetic energy of molecules in the secondary beam to be substantially increased. Intense [≥10²⁰ molecules/(sr s)] beams of SF₆ and CF₃I molecules with kinetic energies approximately equal to 1.5 and 1.2 eV, respectively, were generated in the absence of carrier gases, and SF₆ molecular beams with kinetic energies approximately equal to 2.5 and 2.7 eV with He (SF₆/He=1/10) and H₂ (SF₆/H₂=1/10) as carrier gases, respectively, were obtained. The spectral and energy characteristics of acceleration of SF₆ molecules in the secondary beams were studied. The optimal conditions were found for obtaining high-energy molecules. The possibility of accelerating radicals in secondary molecular beams was demonstrated.     

Generation of intense pulsed low-kinetic-energy molecular beams

A method for the generation of intense pulsed low-kinetic-energy molecular beams is described. The method is based on the formation of a cold (≈77 K) pressure shock as a result of interaction between an intense pulsed gas-dynamically cooled molecular beam with a solid surface. The pressure shock is used as a source of a secondary beam for generating low-energy molecules. The suggested method was used to obtain intense molecular beams of H₂, He, CH₄, N₂, and Kr with kinetic energies lower than or equal to 10 meV and H₂/Kr and He/Kr molecular beams with kinetic energies of H₂ and He molecules lower than 1 meV. The energy (velocity) of molecules in low-energy beams can be controlled by varying the intensity of the initial beam or temperature in the pressure shock.     

Generation of high-energy secondary pulsed molecular beams

A method is suggested for generating high-intensity secondary pulsed molecular beams in which the kinetic energy of molecules can be controlled by an intense laser IR radiation through the vibrational excitation of molecules in the source. High-intensity [≥10²⁰ molecule/(sr s)] SF₆ molecular beams with a kinetic energy of ?1.0 eV without carrier gas and of ?1.9 and ?2.4 eV with carrier He (SF₆/He=1/10) and H₂ (SF₆/H₂=1/10) gases, respectively, were obtained.     

Generating intense beams of low-energy molecules

A method for obtaining intense pulsed beams of molecules possessing low kinetic energies is proposed. The method is based on the formation of a cold pressure shock (shock wave) in an intense pulsed molecular beam interacting with a solid surface, which serves as a source of the secondary beam of low-energy molecules. The proposed method was successfully used to obtain intense beams of H₂, He, CH₄, and Kr molecules with kinetic energies not exceeding 10 meV, and H₂/Kr and He/Kr beams with kinetic energies of H₂ and He molecules below 1 meV.     

Energy scaling of quasi-monoenergetic electron beams from laser wakefields driven by 40-TW ultra-short pulses

By focusing 40-TW, 30-fs laser pulses to the peak intensity of 10¹⁹ W/cm² onto a supersonic He gas jet, we generate quasi-monoenergetic electron beams for plasma density in the specific range 1.5×10¹⁹ cm^-3≤n_e≤3.5×10¹⁹ cm^-3. We show that the energy, charge, divergence and pointing stability of the beam can be controlled by changing n_e, and that higher electron energies and more stable beams are produced for lower densities. The observed variations are explained physically by the interplay among pump depletion and dephasing between accelerated electrons and plasma wave. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations support the explanation by showing the evolution of the laser pulse in plasma and the specifics of electron injection and acceleration. An optimized quasi-monoenergetic beam of over 300 MeV and 10 mrad angular divergence is demonstrated at a plasma density of n_e≃1.5×10¹⁹ cm^-3. PACS 52.35.-g; 52.38.Hb; 52.38.Kd; 52.65.-y     

Temperature determination of (CF<Subscript>3</Subscript>I)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis></Subscript> clusters in a beam by time-of-flight measurements of IR-laser excited SF<Subscript>6</Subscript> molecules sublimating from the surface of clusters

The method is described and the experimental results are presented on the temperature determination of the (CF₃I) _N clusters in a beam (N ⩽ 10² is a number of monomers in a cluster) using SF₆ molecules from intersecting molecular beam as probe thermometers. The SF₆ molecules are captured by clusters in the crossed cluster and molecular beams and, after a certain time, sublimate from the surface of clusters carrying information on the velocity and temperature (internal energy) of clusters. Using time-of-flight (TOF) method the kinetic energy (velocity) of sublimated SF₆ molecules was measured and the temperature of clusters was determined to be T _cl = (88 ± 15) K.     

Selective multiphoton IR dissociation of SF6 molecules under nonequilibrium conditions of a pulsed gasodynamically cooled molecular flow interacting with a solid surface

The process of the isotope-selective multiphoton IR dissociation of SF₆ molecules under the non-equilibrium conditions of a pulsed gasodynamically cooled molecular flow interacting with a solid surface was experimentally studied. The SF₆ molecules dissociate as a result of excitation in a shock wave generated in the flow, in the flow incident onto the sold surface, and in an unperturbed flow (in the absence of the solid). The experiment was based on detecting the luminescence from HF^* molecules (λ ≈ 2.5) μm) accompanying the SF₆ dissociation in the presence of H₂ or CH₄, the emission intensity being a measure of the SF₆ dissociation yield. The molecular beam parameters were studied. The time-of-flight spectra of SF₆ in the flow interacting with the surface were measured under various experimental conditions. The spectral and energy characteristics of the SF₆ dissociation process were determined in the flow interacting with the solid surface and in the unperturbed flow. The dissociation product (SF₄) yield was measured and the coefficient of its enrichment with the ³⁴S isotope was determined. It is demonstrated that, using the shock wave formation, it is possible to increase the efficiency of the isotope-selective dissociation of SF₆ molecules. An explanation of the observed results is proposed. The gas density and temperature in the incident flow and in the shock wave were estimated. The results are analyzed and compared to the other published data on the SF₆ dissociation in a molecular beam.     

CO2 laser CVD of a-Si:H: in situ gas analysis and model calculations

4 and disilane Si₂H₆ induced by continuous wave CO₂ laser irradiation has been investigated under the conditions of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of amorphous hydrogenated silicon a-Si:H. At the very position of depositing the thin film the stationary chemical composition of the processing gas is probed in situ by an effusive molecular beam which passes through a differential pumping stage into a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS). With SiH₄ as educt and SF₆ as a sensitizer, SiH₄ and Si₂H₆ are found in the processing gas while Si₃H₈ or higher silanes are lacking. Si₂H₆ and SF₆ lead to SiH₄, Si₂H₆, and Si₃H₈, but higher silanes are missing. The experimentally determined composition of the processing gas is semi-quantitatively reproduced by model calculations based on the assumption of stationary local equilibrium conditions and applying thermodynamic and spectroscopic data (molecular statistics). The mass balance of the processing gas entering and leaving the CVD chamber states an atomic ratio Si:H of 1:2 for the gas phase species forming the solid deposit on the reactor walls. This finding together with theoretical considerations indicates the intermediate Si₂H₄ to be the dominating gas phase species forming the a-Si:H thin films. Received: 17 July 1998/Accepted: 20 July 1998     

Multiwave excimer lamps using XeF/XeCl/KrF/KrCl molecules

Results are presented of an investigation of the spectral and temporal characteristics of an electricdischarge excimer lamp emitting simultaneously on the 351 nm XeF, 308 nm XeCl, 249 nm KrF, and 222 nm KrCl transitions. The He/Kr/Xe/SF₆/HCl working mixtures were excited in a transverse discharge with ultraviolet spark preionization at a total pressure of 25–100 kPa. In order to obtain the same brightness the concentration ratio [Kr]/[Xe] for the excimer molecular transitions was 8/0.8 kPa, and that for the halogen-containing molecules was [SF₆]/[HCl][=[0.06–0.12]/[0.08–0.16] kPa. The duration of the radiation pulses for the excimer molecular transitions at atmospheric pressure was 100–200 ns and when the total mixture pressure was reduced to 250 kPa, this was doubled or trebled. The service life of the spontaneous radiation for B-X transitions in excimer molecules was 10⁵ pulses. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 64–67 (December 1998)     

Universal probe method for measuring the temperature of large clusters (nanoparticles) in a cluster beam

A universal probe method for measuring the temperature of large clusters (nanoparticles) in a cluster beam has been proposed and experimentally implemented. The temperature of large van der Waals clusters (nanoparticles) (CO₂) _N (where N ⩾ 10² is the number of monomers in a cluster) in the cluster beam is measured using this method with SF₆ molecules as miniature probe thermometers. The SF₆ molecules are captured by the (CO₂) _N clusters in intersecting cluster and molecular beams and sublimate from the surface of the clusters, carrying information on the velocity and temperature (internal energy) of the clusters. The velocity (kinetic energy) of SF₆ molecules sublimating from the surface of the clusters has been measured by the time-of-flight method and the temperature of the clusters has been determined as T _cl = (105 ± 15) K.     

高能电子与超强激光束作用产生的阿秒脉冲列

利用非线性汤姆孙散射的理论，从理论和数值模拟上研究了单电子在横向穿越高斯激光束束 腰时所辐射的x射线阿秒脉冲列的性质. 主要分析了电子以初始能量γ₀=1M eV—100M eV横向穿越激光振幅参数为a₀=1—10的高斯光束束腰获得的阿秒辐射脉冲的 时间 和空间性质. 计算表明，辐射呈现脉冲列的形式. 脉冲列的包络宽度取决于激光强度、束腰 的宽度以及入射电子能量. 电子的初始能量比激光强度对电子辐射脉冲的影响更大. 辐射脉 宽、脉冲间隔和脉冲包络宽度都正比于1/γ²₀，辐射功率正比于 γ⁶₀，辐射能 量正比于γ⁴₀. 当改变激光振幅a₀时，辐射功率正比 于a²₀、辐射包络中单 个脉冲脉宽正比于1/a₀、脉冲之间的间隔正比于a₀. 当保持激光强 度不变，而改变光束 束腰半径w₀时，辐射的脉冲数量、包络和辐射能量正比于w₀. 当 激光功率保 持不变时而改变激光强度和束腰半径时，脉冲包络宽度和最大辐射能量都基本不变. 当激光 振幅参数a₀=1，电子初始能量为10MeV时，激光束腰为两个激光波长时，电子 辐 射脉冲包络宽度只有14×10^-3τ₀（τ₀为入 射激光周期），达到几个阿秒的量级. 关键词： 阿秒脉冲 非线性汤姆孙散射 高斯激光光束     

High-efficiency,high-energy performance of a pulsed HF laser pumped by phototriggered discharge

A comparison of the performance of pulsed infrared HF lasers pumped by phototriggered discharges using either Ne/SF₆/H₂ or Ne/SF₆/C₂H₆ mixtures are presented. For an active volume of 50 cm³, a specific output energy as high as 11 J/ has been achieved with an efficiency higher than 3% when C₂H₆ is used as H atom fuel. The replacement of ethane by molecular hydrogen reduces the laser performance by 40%. The investigation of the temporal evolution of the laser intensity shows that this dramatic decrease results from a shortening of the laser pulse duration rather than from a decrease of the peak power. Indications are given that this behavior is correlated to a very different temporal evolution of the discharge parameters, especially at low reduced electric field E/N.     

Detection of SF<Subscript>6</Subscript> molecules sublimating from the surface of (CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>)<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis></Subscript> nanoparticles in a cluster beam by the infrared multiphoton excitation method

It has been found that SF₆ molecules captured by large van der Waals clusters (CO₂) _N (where N ≥ 10² is the number of monomers in a cluster) in intersecting molecular and cluster beams sublimate from the surface of clusters after a certain time and carry information on the velocity and temperature (internal energy) of clusters. Experiments have been carried out for detecting these molecules by means of a pyroelectric detector and the infrared multiphoton excitation method. The multiphoton absorption spectra of molecules sublimating from the surface of clusters have been obtained. The temperature of the (CO₂) _N nanoparticles in the cluster beam has been estimated using these spectra and comparing them with the infrared multiphoton absorption spectra of SF₆ in the initial molecular beam.     

Molecular beam diagnostics by means of fast superconducting bolometer and pulsed infrared laser

The laser-bolometric infrared spectroscopy is an efficient method for measuring the internal energy distributions of molecular beams. Additional informations about the kinetic energy distribution of molecules in a selected internal state can be obtained from time resolved experiments. A fast superconducting bolometer and a pulsed infrared CO₂ laser have been used for testing the use of this technique as a universal tool for molecular beam diagnostics. Experimental results are presented and analyzed for pure SF₆ and helium seeded with 5% SF₆ beams. The efficiency of fast superconducting bolometers, used for molecular beam time-of-flight measurements, is discussed. A comparison is made between time resolved laser-bolometric technique and alternative molecular beam diagnostic methods.     

Diagnostics of pulsed molecular beams and free jets with pyroelectric detectors and TEA CO2 lasers

A pyroelectric detector with a time resolution of 3–5 s and a TEA CO₂ laser have been used in diagnostics of a pulsed molecular beam (a free jet). The kinetic energy distribution of molecules was determined by using time-of-flight measurements both with a laser and without it. A combination of the laser with the pyroelectric detector makes it possible to determine the kinetic energy distribution of molecules in a selected internal state and to measure the energy absorted by the molecules of the beam from a laser pulse. The results obtained for pure SF₆ and the SF₆ seeded in He have been presented and analyzed. The advantages and the disadvantages of the method are being discussed in comparison with other available methods of diagnostics of molecular beams and free jets.     

Molekularstrahlmessungen von Stoßquerschnitten für Übergänge zwischen definierten Rotationszuständen zwei-atomiger Moleküle

Inelastic collision cross sections for transitions between specified rotational states designated by (J, M) have been measured in a molecular beam apparatus. With an electrostatic four pole field molecules in a specified rotational state are separated out of a molecular beam and focussed into a gas filled scattering chamber. Molecules which have been scattered by less than 1/2° are then collected in a second four pole field, located directly behind the scattering chamber, and are analyzed for their rotational state. From a comparison of the measured pressure dependence with calculated curves a determination of inelastic collision cross sections for specified quantum jumps is possible. Measured inelastic scattering cross sections for the transitions (2,0→3,0) are reported for the gases He, Ne, Ar, Kr, CH₄, SF₆, H₂, O₂, Air, N₂O, H₂O, CF₂Cl₂. The values range between about 5 and 100 Ų in the order indicated. The scattering gases NH₃ und ND₃ yielded larger cross sections of about 600 Ų and, in addition, the transitions (3,0)→(2,0),(1,0)→(2,0), (2,0)→(1,0) and (3,0)→(1,0) were observed. Total cross sections for the same gases were also measured with the apparatus.     

Importance of pre-ionisation for the non-chain discharge-pumped HF laser

The importance of pre-ionisation for the non-chain discharge-pumped HF laser is studied through experiments on an X-ray photo-triggered laser using mixtures of Ne, SF₆, and ethane. The discharge dynamic in Ne/SF₆ mixtures or pure SF₆, as well as the stabilisation effect induced by C₂H₆ and consequences for the laser performance, are investigated for pre-ionisation electron density values, n_eo, ranging from 10⁶ cm^-3 up to 10⁹ cm^-3, as well as for the so-called discharge self-breakdown mode. Without ethane, the minimum n_eo value which is needed to complete 100% homogeneous charge deposition in the plasma is a very sharply increasing function of the SF₆ pressure. This hinders performance optimisation when the molecule used to react with F-atoms, for instance H₂, has no effect on the discharge dynamic. The minimum ethane partial pressure that is needed to stabilise the discharge depends on n_eo, the pumping pulse duration, the deposited electric charge, and the SF₆ pressure. Discharges in Ne/SF₆ can be much more efficiently stabilised by addition of a small amount of ethane than by an increase of n_eo. A pre-ionisation density as low as 10⁶ cm^-3 is sufficient to achieve the maximum laser energy value, but total suppression of the pre-ionisation has a detrimental effect on the active medium homogeneity. Received: 30 May 2000 / Revised version: 9 October 2000 / Published online: 9 February 2001     

Photon echo and stimulated photon echo study of various collisional-relaxation channels

Collisional relaxation in SF₆ gas and its mixtures with He and Xe is studied by photon echo and stimulated photon echo methods from the standpoint of the possibility of identifying the contributions of different types of collisions. The nonexponential nature of the kinetic curve of the photon echo is clearly observed for pure SF₆, it is weaker in the mixture SF₆+Xe, and it is virtually completely absent for high degrees of dilution of SF₆ with helium. These features can be explained on the basis of estimates, made from experimental data, of the critical delay between the exciting pulses (for which the nonexponential behavior should be most strongly manifested). In pure SF₆ it is possible to distinguish the contribution of the inelastic channel (rotational relaxation) and the contribution of weak collisions. To distinguish successfully the relaxation channels in mixtures with buffer gases a heavier buffer gas and a much better time resolution must be used. It is shown that data obtained on the orientation and alignment relaxation rates by the stimulated photon echo method can serve as an upper limit for the rates of inelastic processes which cannot be measured by the photon echo method. The combined use of photon echo and stimulated photon echo methods made it possible to obtain data on the cross sections for elastic and inelastic scattering of the collisional pairs SF₆–SF₆, SF₆–Xe, and SF₆–He. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 116, 47–56 (July 1999)     

The viscosity and diffusion coefficients of eighteen binary gaseous systems

The paper reports accurate measurements of the viscosity of the eighteen binary gaseous systems: CF₄ with He, Ne, Ar, N₂, CO₂, CH₄; SF₆ with He, Ne, Ar, N₂, CO₂, CH₄, CF₄ and O₂ with He, Ne, CO₂, CF₄, SF₆. The measurements were performed in a high-precision oscillating-disk viscometer at atmospheric pressure and in the temperature range 25–200°C for the systems containing CH₄ or SF₆ and in the temperature range 25–400°C for the remainder. The reported viscosities are believed to be accurate to within ±0.1% at room temperature and to within ±0.2% at 400°C.It is shown that the data conform to the extended law of corresponding states developed by Kestin, Ro and Wakeham despite the complexity of some of the component gases. The standard deviation between the experimental values and those calculated from the law of corresponding states is only 0.3% which is commensurate with the uncertainty in the experimental results.Binary diffusion coefficients derived from the mixture viscosity data are also presented; they have an estimated uncertainty of ±2%.