High-gain amplification in Yb:CaF2 crystals pumped by a high-brightness Yb-doped 976 nm fiber laser

We report on high single-pass gain in Yb:CaF₂ crystal longitudinally pumped with a 40 W high-brightness fiber laser source based on an ytterbium-doped ultra-large core photonic crystal rod-type fiber operating at 976 nm. A single-pass small-signal gain of 3.2 has been achieved in a 6 % Yb-doped 10-mm-long CaF₂ crystal at room temperature, outperforming any CW-diode-pumped scheme and paving the way towards very promising innovative lasers and amplifiers schemes merging the Yb-doped solid-state and fiber technologies.     

Influence of ion bombardment on growth and properties of PLD created DLC films

A hybrid PLD system with ion bombardment of films was developed. Growing DLC films were modified during the laser deposition (10 J?cm^?2) by argon ions with energy in the range from 40 eV to 210 eV and cathode current of 0.15 A and 0.5 A. The content of sp² “graphitic” and sp³ “diamond” bonds was measured using XPS. Sp³ bonds changed from 60 % to 81 %. We found the highest sp³ content for energy of 40 eV. Hardness (and reduced Young’s modulus) were determined by nanoindentation and reached 49 GPa (277 GPa). Film adhesion was studied using the scratch test and was up to 14 N for titanium substrates. Relations among deposition conditions and measured properties are presented.     

Self-organization of lamellae and permeability of microporous oriented polypropylene films

The effect of the annealing temperature T _ann of extruded polypropylene films on the structure of membranes prepared by the uniaxial extension of annealed films with the subsequent thermal fixation has been investigated using small-angle X-ray scattering and scanning electron microscopy. It has been shown that an increase in the permeability of membranes with increasing temperature T _ann is due to the self-organization of elements of the lamellar structure of the polymer as a result of the ordering and aggregation of particles.     

The “Average” Work Function and Emission Area in the Fowler-Nordheim Equation

Derivation of the elementary Fowler-Nordheim equation is based on several strong physical assumptions (e.g. smooth flat surface and uniform work function across emitting surface, constant emission area and a uniform distribution of the applied field over it). A real emitter, however, definitely does not fulfill these assumptions. In spite of it the total emission current follows the FN equation and is frequently used for an estimation of the "average" work-function. The physical basis of this procedure and of the terms "average" work function and "emission area" are analyzed from the experimentalist's point of view. Thus some of the older - more or less intuitive - conclusions are substantiated.     

Time Evolution of Vibration-Induced Excited State Decay

A simple model consisting of two electronic levels and one vibrational mode (phonon) was theoretically studied. The electronic-vibrational interaction was linear in the vibrational displacement. The vibrational mode was taken in the harmonic approximation and was attached to the thermal bath formed by the ambient environment. The kinetic constants of the vibrational dissipation were of the second order in the vibrational-bath coupling and were taken in the Markovian limit. Although, depending on the parameters of the model, different curves of the non-radiative vibration-induced excited state decay were obtained, in general, three time intervals, corresponding to different physical behaviour, were found. In the short-time interval, small oscillations superimposed on the excited state decay were observed. They were determined by the vibrational frequency and influenced by electronic-vibrational coupling. In the middle-time interval, almost quasi-exponential decay was detected; its rate constant increased with stronger electronic-vibrational interaction and speed of vibrational relaxation. In the long-time interval, the decay was very slow and, under special conditions, even an asymptotic non-zero excited state population was observed. Its value increased with the strength of the off-diagonal electron-vibrational coupling. Links of the parameters of the model with quantum chemical terms were estimated.     

Magnetization and Specific Heat of UCo0.95T0.05Al (T = Fe, Ni) Single Crystals

We present the first single-crystal study of Fe and Ni doped U(Co_1-x T _x )Al compounds in comparison to the parent compound, the itinerant 5f-electron metamagnet UCoAl. Magnetization and specific-heat data measured in the temperature range of (1.8-300) K and in fields up to 10 T are analyzed and discussed. Both compounds exhibit a strong uniaxial anisotropy with the dominating magnetic response along the c-axis of the hexagonal ZrNiAl-type structure. Ni substitution yields an increase of the critical field for metamagnetism; UCo_0.95Fe_0.05Al is ferromagnetic below 30 K. Temperature evolution of the entropy change between 0 and 10 T points to involvement of magnetic correlations or spin fluctuations in the paramagnetic compounds UCoAl and UCo_0.95Ni_0.05Al.     

Neutron Scattering on Magnetic Materials Under Extreme Conditions

Many materials exhibit various magnetic phenomena as a function of magnetic field, temperature and/or pressure. Usually, bulk magnetic measurements provide first information on the magnetic state of the material by measuring their response on the applied magnetic field. However, it is necessary to investigate materials also on a microscopic scale. This is often done by means of neutron scattering. In this contribution we discuss basic ideas of this method and we report on few experimental results obtained with a split-pair coil 14.5 T superconducting magnet which can be combined with dilution stick offering temperatures as low as 30 mK and/or with a small clamped-type pressure cell which offers pressure up to 1.0 GPa.     

Dynamic responses of orthotropic plates under moving masses

Summary The problem considered is that of heavy masses moving on lightweight rectangular plates of orthotropic materials, slated for use in space structures. The dynamic equation of motion for orthotropic plates which contains singularities in both space and time variables is first presented. The response is expressed as a summation of double series of eigenfunctions. The equation of motion is transformed into an integro-differential equation for modal amplitudes using the Green's function. The Green's function is chosen to satisfy the initial conditions, the boundary conditions, and the transient conditions due to the moving masses. The solution series exhibits a good convergence. The effect of orthotropicity on natural frequencies and dynamic responses is demonstrated.

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Dynamische Antwort orthotroper Platten auf bewegte Massenpunkte

übersicht Behandelt wird die Bewegung von Massenpunkten auf rechteckigen Leichtbau-Platten aus orthotropem Werkstoff, die für Raumfahrtkonstruktionen vorgesehen sind. ZunÄchst wird die Bewegungsgleichung orthotroper Platten mit singulÄren Ausdrücken in den Raum- und Zeitkoordinaten angegeben. Die Antwort wird als Doppelsumme einer zweifachen Reihenentwicklung dargestellt und die Bewegungsgleichung mit Hilfe der Greenschen Funktion in eine Integro-Differentialgleichung für die Modalamplituden transformiert. Die Greensche Funktion ist so gewÄhlt, da\ sie die Anfangs- und Randbedingungen sowie die übergangsbedingungen unter der bewegten Masse erfüllt. Die Lösung durch Reihenentwicklung zeigt gute Konvergenz. Der Einflu\ der Orthotropie auf die Eigenfrequenzen und die dynamischen Antworten wird veranschaulicht.

     

Mean fluorescence lifetime and its error

Mean excited-state lifetime is one of the fundamental fluorescence characteristics and enters as an important parameter into numerous calculations characterizing molecular interactions, such as e.g. FRET or fluorescence quenching. Our experiments demonstrated that the intensity-weighted mean fluorescence lifetime is very robust characteristic, in contrast to the amplitude-weighted one, which value is dependent on the data quality and particularly on the used fitting model. For the first time, we also report the procedure for the error estimation for both the intensity- and amplitude-weighted mean fluorescence lifetimes. Furthermore, we present a method for estimation of the mean fluorescence lifetime directly from the fluorescence-decay curve recorded by TCSPC (Time-Correlated Single-Photon Counting) method. For its simplicity and low computational demands, it could be a useful tool in the high-throughput applications, such as FACS, FLIM-FRET or HPLC detectors.     

Discrete and selective absorption in crystalline molecular nanofilms

Recent research in nano-optical engineering and in nanomedicine as well, seeks for methods of construction of various types of nano-markers, nano-carriers, and ways to deliver drugs to the exactly determined regions of body. In this process it is important to find methods of recognition of certain types of molecules. It is obvious that optical recognition would be the easiest and the most effective way to do it. Our research presents a model of a molecular ultrathin crystalline film and generated exciton system inside it and corresponding methodology of analysis of their optical characteristics. Properties of these spatially very restricted structures are very sensitive to their surrounding surfaces. Using the two-time Green’s functions adapted for crystalline structures with symmetry breaking, and graphical-numerical software, we have calculated the energy spectra and possible exciton states. We have shown that the appearance and the presence of localized states on the surfaces and in the boundary layers of the film depend on the thickness of the film and the film surroundings, presented through the perturbation of parameters on surfaces. Optical properties in these structures demonstrate discrete and very selective resonant absorption spectra, depending on the perturbation on their surfaces.