Self-focusing of electromagnetic waves in a magnetoplasma

The steady state self-focusing of a Gaussian electromagnetic beam in a magneto-plasma has been studied. On a short time scale, a non-linearity in the dielectric constant of a plasma appears due to the ponderomotive force. This force in the case of the extraordinary mode has opposite signs forω>ω _c andω<ω _c, whereω _c is the electron cyclotron frequency. The self-focusing due to this effect is predicted at frequencies except forω _c /2<ω<ω _c . The focusing of the ordinary mode is adversely affected by the magnetic field. On a larger time scale, the non-uniform heating of electrons by the beam and the resulting redistribution of the electron density is a source of non-linearity. This non-local non-linearity is several orders of magnitude higher than the ponderomotive non-linearity. We predict self-focusing of the extraordinary mode only above the gyroresonance (ω>ω _c ), while the ordinary mode can be focused at all frequencies.     

Cross focusing of two coaxial spatial modes of a single frequency of a laser beam in a nonlinear dielectric

The cross-focusing of two co-axial transverse modes of a laser beam viz. TEM₀₀ and TEM₀₁ modes of the same frequency in a non-linear dielectric has been studied. When the TEM₀₀ mode is stronger than the TEM₀₁ mode, both modes focus on the axis. In the opposite case, defocusing occurs at the axis and energy concentrates in a ring.     

A. C. Electroluminescence of CdS : Sm and CdS : Cu,Sm EL phosphors

Electroluminescent CdS : Sm and CdS : Cu, Sm phosphors have been prepared and their EL characteristics are investigated. The brightness waves of these phosphors were measured at a sinusoidal alternating voltages with a frequency of 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz and 5 kHz. One primary and one secondary peak have been observed in each half period of the applied sinusoidal field. Time averaged EL brightness has been found to follow the Alfrey-Taylor relationB= =B ₀ exp (–b/V ^1/2) over a wide range of frequencies. Variation of the constants of this relation with frequency of the applied field have been studied. Variation of current across the EL cell with the applied voltage has also been investigated. The EL emission spectra show peaks at 600 and 650 nm in CdS : Sm phosphor whereas in the case of CdS : Cu, Sm phosphor the emission peak occurs at 600 nm. The observed results have been interpreted in terms of acceleration collision theory of the electroluminescence.One of the authors (RKT) expresses his gratitude to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for a fellowship and the Principal, S. D. J. Post Graduate College, Chandesar Azamgarh, for study leave.     

Thermal conductivity of a granular metal

Using the Kubo formula approach, we study the effect of electron interaction on thermal transport in the vicinity of a metal-insulator transition, with a granular metal as our model. For small values of dimensionless intergrain tunneling conductance, g<1, we find that the thermal conductivity surprisingly shows a phononlike algebraic decrease, kappa(T) approximately g2T3/E2c even though the electrical conductivity obeys an Arrhenius law, sigma(T) approximately ge-Ec/T ; therefore the Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law is seriously violated. We explicitly show that this violation arises from nonmagnetic bosonic excitations of low energy that transport heat but not charge. At large values of intergrain tunneling, we find it plausible that the WF law weakly deviates from the free-electron theory due to potential fluctuations. Implications for experiment are discussed.     

Scaling relation for determining the critical threshold for continuum percolation of overlapping discs of two sizes

We study continuum percolation of overlapping circular discs of two sizes. We propose a phenomenological scaling equation for the increase in the effective size of the larger discs due to the presence of the smaller discs. The critical percolation threshold as a function of the ratio of sizes of discs, for different values of the relative areal densities of two discs, can be described in terms of a scaling function of only one variable. The recent accurate Monte Carlo estimates of critical threshold by Quintanilla and Ziff [Phys. Rev. E76, 051115 (2007)] are in very good agreement with the proposed scaling relation.     

Effects of thermal annealing on structural and magnetic properties of thin Pt/Cr/Co multilayers

Thermal stability of thin Pt/Cr/Co multilayers and the subsequent changes in their structural, magnetic, and magneto-optical properties are reported. We observe CoCrPt ternary alloy phase formation due to annealing at temperatures about 773 K, which is accompanied by enhancement in the coercivity value. In addition, 360° domain wall superimposed on a monodomain like background has been observed in the pristine multilayer, which changes into a multidomain upon annealing at 873 K.     

Bio-energetic impairment in human calf muscle in thyroid disorders: a P MRS study

Mitochondrial metabolism particularly oxidative phosphorylation is greatly influenced by thyroid hormones. Earlier studies have described neuromuscular symptoms as well as impaired muscle metabolism in hypothyroid and hyperthyroid patients. In this study, we intend to look in to the muscle bioenergetics including phosphocreatine recovery kinetics based oxidative metabolism in thyroid dysfunction using in vivo ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). ³¹P MRS was carried out at resting state on 32 hypothyroid, 10 hyperthyroid patients and 25 control subjects. Nine out of 32 hypothyroid patients and 17 out of 25 control subjects under went exercise protocol for oxidative metabolism study and performed plantar flexion exercise while lying supine in 1.5 T magnetic resonance scanner using custom built exercise device. MRS measurements of inorganic phosphate (Pi), phosphocreatine (PCr), phosphodiesters (PDE) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) of the calf muscle were acquired during rest, exercise and recovery phase. PCr recovery rate constant (k_PCr) and oxidative capacity were calculated by monoexponential fit of PCr versus time (t) at the beginning of recovery. During resting condition in hypothyroid patients, PCr/Pi ratio was reduced whereas PDE/ATP and Pi/ATP were increased. However, in case of hyperthyroidism, an increased PCr/Pi ratio and reduced PDE/ATP and Pi/ATP were observed. The results confirmed differential energy status of the muscle due to increased or decreased levels of thyroid hormone. Our results also demonstrate reduced oxidative metabolism in hypothyroid patients based on PCr recovery kinetics. PCr recovery kinetics study after exercise revealed decreased PCr recovery rate constant (k_PCr) in hypothyroid patients compared to controls that resulted in decrease in oxidative capacity of muscle by 50% in hypothyroids. These findings are consistent with a defect of high energy phosphate mitochondrial metabolism in thyroid dysfunction.     

Rh-B doped polymeric optical waveguide for integrated optics

A systematic study of fabrication and characterization of rhodamine-blue (Rh-B) doped polystyrene waveguide is presented. Optical absorption and mode effective refractive index measurement was performed on the waveguides fabricated on glass substrate prepared by dip coating technique. It is observed that doping of dye increase the index of refraction of waveguides. The losses, however, decrease initially for dye concentration upto 0.1% and thereafter increase rapidly.     

Peristaltic flow of viscoelastic fluid with fractional Maxwell model through a channel

The paper presents the transportation of viscoelastic fluid with fractional Maxwell model by peristalsis through a channel under long wavelength and low Reynolds number approximations. The propagation of wall of channel is taken as sinusoidal wave propagation (contraction and relaxation). Homotopy perturbation method (HPM) and Adomian decomposition method (ADM) are used to obtain the analytical approximate solutions of the problem. The expressions of axial velocity, volume flow rate and pressure gradient are obtained. The effects of fractional parameters (α), relaxation time (λ₁) and amplitude (?) on the pressure difference and friction force across one wavelength are calculated numerically for different particular cases and depicted through graphs.