On the possibility of a radical decrease in the strength of many-body interactions in the organic metal α-(BETS)<Subscript>2</Subscript> KHg(SCN)<Subscript>4</Subscript>

Behavior of the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) oscillations depending on the angle between the magnetic field direction and the perpendicular to conducting layers in the quasi-two-dimensional organic metal α-(BETS)₂ KHg(SCN)₄ was studied in detail. The angular dependence of the dHvA oscillation amplitude exhibits a series of minima (at ±43.2°, ±64.6°, and ±72.0°) related to the “zero spin” effect, through which it is possible to estimate the splitting factor. An analysis of this value suggests that many-body interactions in the compound studied are either absent or at least radically weakened.     

Gold-reflector-based semiconductor saturable absorber mirror for femtosecond mode-locked Cr4+:YAG lasers

We developed a gold reflector based semiconductor saturable absorber mirror that has a sufficiently high reflectivity and a broad bandwidth and has been used to initiate the mode locking in a Cr⁴⁺:YAG laser. The laser achieved a similar efficiency to the lasers with Bragg-reflector-based semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors, but delivered a much broader spectrum and a shorter pulse.     

Superconductivity in entirely end-bonded multiwalled carbon nanotubes

We report that entirely end-bonded multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) can exhibit superconductivity with a transition temperature (T(c)) as high as 12 K, which is approximately 30 times greater than T(c) reported for ropes of single-walled nanotubes. We find that the emergence of this superconductivity is highly sensitive to the junction structures of the Au electrode/MWNTs. This reveals that only MWNTs with optimal numbers of electrically activated shells, which are realized by end bonding, can allow superconductivity due to intershell effects.     

The N = 16 Spherical Shell Closure in 24O

The unbound excited states of the most neutron-rich dripline oxygen isotope, ²⁴O, have been investigated by using the ²⁴O(p,p′)²⁴O^* reaction at the beam energy of 62 MeV/nucleon in inverse kinematics. The first and second unbound excited states of ²⁴O have been observed at ${E_{\rm x}= 4.63_{-0.14}^{+0.30}}$  MeV and ${E_{\rm x}= 5.13_{-0.24}^{+0.19}}$  MeV (preliminary) along with the evidence for another higher lying state at around 7.3 MeV. The quadrupole deformation parameter ${\beta_{2^+}}$ was deduced to be ${0.15_{-0.03}^{+0.08}}$ (preliminary) for the first time. The systematics of the ${\beta_{2^+}}$ and the ${E_{\rm x}(2_1^+)}$ in the Z = 8 isotopes shows the N = 16 spherical shell closure in ²⁴O.     

Reconstruction of the Point-Spread Function of the Human Eye Using a New Phase-Retrieval Algorithm

The double-pass method is thought to obtain the point spread function (PSF) in human eyes based on two techniques: the symmetric double-pass method using the same pupil size and the asymmetric double-pass method using a different pupil size. The symmetric double-pass method provides autocorrelation of the retinal PSF and, thus, the modulation transfer function. The asymmetric double-pass method provides low-frequency partial-phase information and the partial phase-retrieval algorithm is applied to obtain the complete-phase information, and to estimate the PSF. The partial phase-retrieval algorithm is based on the iteration method proposed by Fineup and Kowalczyk and requires a lengthy computation. In this study, we propose a new high-speed phase-retrieval algorithm based on the property that the real and imaginary parts of optical transfer functions (OTFs) continuously change in value.     

Differential calculus on the quantum superspace and deformation of phase space

We investigate non-commutative differential calculus on the supersymmetric version of quantum space in which quantum supergroups are realized. Multiparametric quantum deformation of the general linear super-group,GL _q(m|n), is studied and the explicit form for the \(\hat R - matrix\) is presented. We apply these results to the quantum phase-space construction ofOSp _q(2n|2m) and calculate their \(\hat R - matrices\) .     

In situ observations of compressive behaviour of aluminium foams by local tomography using high-resolution X-rays

We have investigated the compressive behaviour of closed-cell aluminium foams using a high-resolution X-ray CT. The microstructures of cell walls or Plateau borders in the foams were visualized in 3D using the local tomography technique which is a high-resolution CT method to reconstruct a region of interest within a large sample. The shapes and the 3D distribution of micropores, particles, and regions of solute segregation in the foams are evaluated, comparing the cell walls with the Plateau borders. Under compressive loads, the damage behaviour of such microstructures has been observed using an in situ test rig. It is found that the microcracks were mainly initiated from the cell walls and the micropores with large diameters were also damaged. The crack initiation sites are classified from the results. In addition, a method for non-destructive characterization of elastic and plastic deformation in the foams, which is called a 3D microstructure gauge (MG) method, is presented. Thousands of micropores as markers on each load were automatically matched by the information of those volumes and surface areas. The local strain mapping by the MG indicates that the edges of the micropores with large diameters have large strain under compression and this is consistent with the crack analyses.     

Neutron irradiation effects on magnetic minor hysteresis loops in nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels

Magnetic minor hysteresis loops have been measured on A533B-type nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels with various combinations of Cu and Ni contents after neutron irradiation to a fluence up to 3.32 × 10¹⁹ n cm^?2. A strong compositional dependence of minor-loop properties, which are indicators of internal stress, was found. The properties of high-Cu and high-Ni steel show a large increase in the low fluence regime below 0.4 × 10¹⁹ n cm^?2, followed by a slow decrease, while those for low-Cu or low-Ni steel show a sudden decrease. The changes are roughly in linear proportion to the yield strength changes. The results were explained from the viewpoint of the formation and growth of Cu-rich precipitates and/or fine scale defects in the matrix and along pre-existing dislocations.     

Superconductivity and magnetic fluctuations in Cd(2))Re(2)O(7) via Cd nuclear magnetic resonance and re nuclear quadrupole resonance

We report Cd nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Re nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) studies on Cd(2)Re(2)O(7), the first superconductor among pyrochlore oxides (T(c) approximately 1 K). The Re NQR spectrum at zero magnetic field below 100 K rules out any magnetic or charge order. The spin-lattice relaxation rate below T(c) exhibits a pronounced coherence peak and follows the weak-coupling BCS theory with nearly isotropic energy gap. The results of Cd NMR point to a moderate ferromagnetic enhancement at high temperatures followed by a rapid decrease of the density of states below the structural transition temperature of 200 K.     

Decomposition mechanism of triethylindium (TEI) on a GaP(0 0 1)-(2×1) surface studied by LEED, AES, TPD and HREELS

Adsorption and decomposition of triethylindium (TEI: (C₂H₅)₃In) on a GaP(0 0 1)-(2×1) surface have been studied by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). It is found from the TPD result that ethyl radical and ethylene are evolved at about 300–400 and 450–550 K, respectively, as decomposition products of TEI on the surface. This result is quite different from that on the GaP(0 0 1)-(2×4) surface. The activation energy of desorption of ethyl radical is estimated to be about 93 kJ/mol. It is suggested that TEI is adsorbed molecularly on the surface at 100 K and that some of TEI molecules are dissociated into C₂H₅ to form P–C₂H₅ bonds at 300 K. The vibration modes related to ethyl group are decreased in intensity at about 300–400 and 450–550 K, which is consistent with the TPD result. The TEI molecules (including mono- and di-ethylindium) are not evolved from the surface. Based on the TPD and HREELS results, the decomposition mechanism of TEI on the GaP(0 0 1)-(2×1) surface is discussed and compared with that on the (2×4) surface.