Thermal and structural analysis and crystallization behavior of new poly(ether-alkyl) oxadiazoles

A new series of poly(ether-alkyl)oxadiazoles of general formula: with m = 3, 4, and 5 has been obtained from the corresponding polyhydrazides through thermal cyclization reaction. The polymers were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, wide-angle x-ray analysis, and optical microscopy. The polymers were crystalline, with a crystalline texture and structural parameters strongly dependent on the value of m. The T_m's and T_g's value decreased with increasing number of CH₂. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Experimental check of non linear effects in Al thin films close to Tc.

We report an experimental verification for a theoretical predicted non linear electric field dependence of the extraconductivity in Al thin films very close to T_c.     

High density polyethylene/hydrogenated oligo(cyclopentadiene) blends: Tensile stress-strain behavior

The influence of hydrogenated olio(cyclopentadiene) (HOCP) on tensile mechanical properties of its blends with high density polyethylene (HDPE) has been studied at 20, 80, and 100°C. The nominal stress-strain curves performed at 20°C indicate an increase of the modulus and a conspicuous decrease of the ultimate properties increasing the HOCP content in the blend. Blends with HOCP content > 20%-wt are found to be very fragile at 20°C. These behaviors have been related to the presence of the HOCP-rich phase that has the glass transition at about 55°C. At 20°C the HOCP oligomers act as a hardener for the HDPE. The nominal stress-strain curves performed at 80 and 100°C show a strong decrease of the modulus (compared to the value at 20°C), plastic deformation for all the blends tested, and rupture of HDPE and blend samples at the beginning of the cold-drawing. Moreover, the modulus and the ultimate parameters are found to decrease with the composition. The behaviors at 80 and 100°C have been related to several factors: the higher mobility of HDPE molecules at these temperatures compared to that at 20°C; the HOCP-rich phase that is at temperatures higher than its glass transition, and so it acts as a plasticizer for the HDPE; and the decreases of crystallinity and number of entanglements when the HOCP is added to the HDPE component. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A compact,sealed, single mode TEA CO2 laser

A compact, sealed, TEA-CO₂ laser utilizing a double-discharge technique has been constructed and operated under single-mode conditions. Sealed operational lifetimes exceeding 10⁶ pulses have been obtained by the addition of small quantities of hydrogen and CO to the initial gas mixtures. It has also been found that operation without helium is possible giving single-mode output energies of about 20 mJ/pulse at peak powers of about 150 kW. The pulse repetition frequency was 0.5 s^-1. The use of an 18 cm long laser cavity allowed the oscillation of only one longitudinal mode when the frequency of the cavity was tuned closely to the CO₂ line centre frequency. An iris was used to restrict transverse modes to the TEM₀₀. Beat frequency measurements using a stable, CW CO₂ laser indicate a “chirp” of about 5–6 MHz/μs in the tail of the pulse.     

Design and calibration of a piezoelectric actuator for interferometric applications

The present work reports a possible solution for a low-cost piezoelectric actuator available for interferometric applications. In the paper the design, the assembly and the calibration of the actuator are described in detail.

The solution adopted consists of a machined stainless steel case deformed by three low-voltage multilayer plumbum zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic blocks. In the proposed arrangement a three degree of freedom device is obtained, by which a translation and two rotations can be performed.

The PZTs are driven by a supply voltage provided by a 16 bit D/A converter directly connected to the parallel port of a personal computer which guarantees a very accurate output. This voltage is applied on each ceramic by means of a variable resistor, by which it is possible to adjust the maximum driving voltage for the single block. This electrical solution allows to match up the strokes of the ceramics in order to obtain a straight expansion of the whole actuator.

After the mechanical and electrical set-up of the actuator, a static calibration was carried out by inserting it along one arm of a Michelson speckle interferometer. The calibration procedure had emphasized the hysteresis loop and the non-linearity of the electromechanical behaviour of the actuator.     

Countable Exchange and Full Exchange Rings

We show that a Dedekind-finite, semi-π-regular ring with a “nice” topology is an ?₀-exchange ring, and the same holds true for a strongly clean ring with a “nice” topology. We generalize the argument to show that a Dedekind-finite, semi-regular ring with a “nice” topology is a full exchange ring. Putting these results in the language of modules, we show that a cohopfian module with finite exchange has countable exchange, and all modules with Dedekind-finite, semi-regular endomorphism rings are full exchange modules. These results are generalized further.     

Direct measurement of the double emittance minimum in the beam dynamics of the sparc high-brightness photoinjector

In this Letter we report the first experimental observation of the double emittance minimum effect in the beam dynamics of high-brightness electron beam generation by photoinjectors; this effect, as predicted by the theory, is crucial in achieving minimum emittance in photoinjectors aiming at producing electron beams for short wavelength single-pass free electron lasers. The experiment described in this Letter was performed at the SPARC photoinjector site, during the first stage of commissioning of the SPARC project. The experiment was made possible by a newly conceived device, called an emittance meter, which allows a detailed and unprecedented study of the emittance compensation process as the beam propagates along the beam pipe.