The Design of Single Mode Large Cross-section Glass-based Waveguides for Photonic Integrated Circuits

This paper presents our recent simulation results and novel designs of single mode large cross-section glass-based waveguides for photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Simulations were performed using an in-house Finite Difference (FD) based mode solver and the FD Beam propagation Method (FD-BPM). Our simulation results show that this innovative technology could provide a simplified means to couple optical energy efficiently between optical components in a single chip. This would provide the base for the future large-scale integration of optical components in PICs. The novel idea of using single mode large cross-section glass-based waveguides as an optical integration platform is an evolutionary innovative solution for the monolithic integration of optical components, in which the glass-based structures act both as waveguides and as an optical bench for integration. This allows easy and efficient optical coupling between optical components and optical fibres, removing costly and tedious alignment problems and considerably reducing optical coupling losses in PICs. We expect that the glass-based waveguide PICs technology will enable the emergence of a new generation of compact, reliable, high speed, and multifunctional devices.     

Properties of Josephson junctions in the inhomogeneous magnetic field of a system of ferromagnetic particles

The effect of an array of ferromagnetic nanoparticles on the field-dependent critical current of the short overlap Josephson junction is experimentally studied. Large reversible variations of the maximum critical current are observed depending on the magnetic state of the particles. The pronounced commensurability effects are detected which are proved by the additional peaks of magnetic field induced diffraction pattern.     

Inferring mixed-culture growth from total biomass data in a wavelet approach

It is shown that the presence of mixed-culture growth in batch fermentation processes can be very accurately inferred from total biomass data by means of the wavelet analysis for singularity detection. This is accomplished by considering simple phenomenological models for the mixed growth and the more complicated case of mixed growth on a mixture of substrates. The main quantity provided by the wavelet analysis is the Hölder exponent of the singularity that we determine for our illustrative examples. The numerical results point to the possibility that Hölder exponents can be used to characterize the nature of the mixed-culture growth in batch fermentation processes with potential industrial applications. Moreover, the analysis of the same data affected by the common additive Gaussian noise still lead to the wavelet detection of the singularities although the Hölder exponent is no longer a useful parameter.     

Applications of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB MS) to organometallic and coordination chemistry

This article describes the technique of fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB MS) and its applications to the analysis of organometallic and coordination complexes. Sections on ion generation and matrices are followed by a Periodic Group-based review of FAB MS results obtained from Transition Metal and Main Group compounds, organometallic cluster carbonyls and their derivatives, and salts of poly-oxo-anions. The literature has been surveyed from 1981 to approximately mid-1986.     

The Riesz decomposition of finely superharmonic functions

This paper answers a question of Fuglede about minimal positive harmonic functions associated with irregular boundary points. As a consequence, an old and central problem of fine potential theory, concerning the Riesz decomposition, is resolved. Namely, it is shown that, on certain fine domains, there exist positive finely superharmonic functions which do not admit any positive finely harmonic minorant and yet are not fine potentials.     

Strong temperature effect on X-ray photo-etching of polytetrafluoroethylene using a 10 Hz laser-plasma radiation source based on a gas puff target

The first results of experiments on direct photo-etching of heated PTFE using a 10 Hz X-ray source based on a laser-irradiated gas puff target are presented. X-ray radiation in the wavelength range from 6 to 20 nm was produced as a result of irradiation of a double-stream gas puff target with Nd:YAG laser pulses of energy 0.8 J and time duration 3 ns. The resulting X-ray pulses with energy of about 100–200 mJ were used to irradiate samples of PTFE to create microstructures by direct photo-etching. Strong enhancement of the photo-etching process was observed for samples heated up to 300 °C. PACS 52.38.Ph; 81.65.Cf; 61.82.Pv     

Locality Hypothesis and the Speed of Light

The locality hypothesis is generally considered necessary for the study of the kinematics of non-inertial systems in special relativity. In this paper we discuss this hypothesis, showing the necessity of an improvement, in order to get a more clear understanding of the various concepts involved, like coordinate velocity and standard velocity of light. Concrete examples are shown, where these concepts are discussed.     

Tests for Varying G

In this note we consider a variable G cosmology which is consistent with observation and which had successfully predicted an ever expanding accelerating universe with a small cosmological constant amongst other things. Three further tests are proposed in this note: First, the inexplicable anomalous accelerations of the Pioneer spacecrafts can be explained. It is then shown that the observed shortening of the orbital periods of binary pulsars is in good agreement with this model. Finally, more general changes in orbital parameters are deduced, which may be observed in the future.