Temporal characteristics of picosecond stimulated Raman scattering in oxide crystals

The temporal characteristics of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) under 22-ps laser excitation were studied in eight oxide crystals with a T ₂ optical-phonon dephasing time variable by up to two orders of magnitude. The measured SRS pulse width was shortened from 13.8 ps for Ba(NO₃)₂ (T ₂ = 26.5 ps) to 4 ps for the LiNbO₃ (T ₂ = 0.38 ps) crystal. The dependence of SRS pulse width on the dephasing time was analyzed in the framework of the known SRS theory.     

Characteristic features of carbazole phosphorescence quenching by benzophenone molecules in toluene at 77 K

We have studied the characteristic features of carbazole phosphorescence quenching by benzophenone in toluene at 77 K. We have shown that the decrease in the relative phosphorescence intensity for carbazole (energy donor) by a greater factor than we see for the relative change in its decay time is due to the fact that a change in the phosphorescence decay time occurs only for carbazole molecules participating in triplet-triplet energy transfer, while the substantial decrease in the phosphorescence intensity for carbazole with no change in the phosphorescence decay time is connected with quenching of its singlet states. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 4, pp. 554–556, July–August, 2006.     

Linear optical bullets

We describe a class of spatio-temporal optical pulses that spread neither spatially nor temporarily in linear dispersive media over long propagation distances. These new spatio-temporal pulses, referred to as linear optical bullets, can have any spatio-temporal profile and temporal width, and they carry a finite amount of energy. We also discuss in detail a technique for the experimental realization of linear optical bullets.     

Weak infinitesimal Hilbert’s 16th problem

The following weak infinitestimal Hilbert’s 16th problem is solved. Given a real polynomial H in two variables, denote by M(H, m) the maximal number possessing the following property: for any generic set {γ _i } of at most M(H,m) compact connected components of the level lines H = c _i of the polynomial H, there exists a form θ = P dx + Q dy with polynomials P and Q of degrees no greater than m such that the integral ∫ _H=c θ has nonmultiple zeros on the connected components {γ _i }. An upper bound for the number M(H,m) in terms of the degree n of the polynomial H is found; this estimate is sharp for almost every polynomial H of degree n. A multidimensional version of this result is proved. The relation between the weak infinitesimal Hilbert’s 16th problem and the following question is discussed: How many limit cycles can a polynomial vector field of degree n have if it is close to a Hamiltonian vector field?     

Cusp catastrophe in slowly varying equilibriums

Solutions of the equations v _x+v ³?tv+x=0 and v _xx=v ³? tv+x, which describe the nucleation of domain walls occurring in the neighborhood of cusps of slowly varying equilibriums, are analyzed. Examples related to the diffusion in smoothly inhomogeneous media are considered.     

Characterization of phospho-olivines as materials for Li-ion cell cathodes

Solid State Reaction was employed to prepare phospho-olivines LiMPO₄ (where M=Fe, Co) as pure phase and LiNiPO₄ in presence of foreign phases, as cathodic materials for lithiumions batteries. The relationship between structural, morphological and electrochemical properties were investigated in the case of LiFePO₄. Structural investigation has been carried out by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Rietveld refinement. The influence on the morphology of annealing temperature, different flowing gas mixture and addition of ascorbic acid during the synthesis, has been analysed via scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical cycling performances on LiFePO₄ showed to be positively affected by the modifications of the experimental conditions. Cyclic voltammetry showed a good reversibility during insertion-extraction mechanism, in particular in presence of additives. LiCoPO₄ and LiNiPO₄ are interesting as high voltage cathode materials for Li-ion batteries and have been taken into account, but their electrochemical operating conditions are still to be optimised. In the case of LiNiPO₄ it is very difficult to obtain, by solid state synthesis, suitable purity powders, having a grain size small enough to exploit it usefully as cathodic material for Li-ion cells. Paper presented at the 8th EuroConference on Ionics, Carvoeiro, Algarve, Portugal, Sept. 16 – 22, 2000.     

Interaction of charged dust particles in clouds of thermodynamically equilibrium charges

The solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for a cloud of charges surrounding two charged dust particles treated as Debye atoms forming a Debye molecule is investigated numerically using Cassini coordinates. The electric force exerted on a dust particle by the other dust particle was determined by integrating the electrostatic pressure on the surface of the dust particle. It is shown that attractive forces appear when the following two conditions are satisfied. First, the Debye radius (corresponding to the electron density at half the mean distance between the dust particles) must be approximately equal to half the mean distance between the dust particles. Attraction between the dust particles emerges at a distance equal approximately to half the mean distance between the dust particles. Second, attraction takes place when like charges are concentrated predominantly on the dust particles. If the particles carry a small fraction of charge of the same polarity, repulsion between the particles takes place at all distances.