240-fs pulses with 22-W average power from a mode-locked thin-disk Yb:KY(WO(4))(2) laser

We demonstrate what is to our knowledge the first passively mode-locked thin-disk Yb:KY(WO(4))(2) laser. The laser produces pulses of 240-fs duration with an average power of 22 W at a center wavelength of 1028 nm. At a pulse repetition rate of 25 MHz, the pulse energy is 0.9microJ , and the peak power is as high as 3.3 MW. The beam quality is very close to the diffraction limit, with M(2)=1.1 .     

Unitary Correlations and the Fejér Kernel

Let M be a unitary matrix with eigenvalues t _j , and let f be a function on the unit circle. Define X _f (M)=f(t _j ). We derive exact and asymptotic formulae for the covariance of X _f and X _g with respect to the measures |(M)|²dM where dM is Haar measure and an irreducible character. The asymptotic results include an analysis of the Fejér kernel which may be of independent interest.     

Diode-pumped passively mode-locked Nd:YAG laser with 10-W average power in a diffraction-limited beam

We present a passively mode-locked Nd:YAG laser with 10.7-W average output power in a diffraction-limited beam. Stable self-starting mode locking with a pulse duration of 16 ps and a pulse energy of 120 nJ is obtained with a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror. The laser is directly side pumped with two 20-W diode bars. Single-pass frequency doubling in an external 5-mm-thick KTP crystal yields 3.2-W average power at 532 nm.     

Directly diode-pumped millijoule subpicosecond Yb:glass regenerative amplifier

An Yb:glass regenerative amplifier directly side pumped by four 20-W diodes is demonstrated. By use of a novel pumping scheme and introduction of cylindrical optics into the cavity, a free-running average output power as great as 4 W with a TEM(00) -like mode was achieved from the bare cavity, with a 0.56 pump duty cycle. When the regenerative amplifier injected, 1-mJ 200-fs FWHM pulses were obtained following compression by use of 2-ms pump pulses and up to a 150-Hz repetition rate.     

On the Normal Subgroups of

We give a characterization theorem for the -normalized subgroups of , where is any commutative ring. This is the last of the simple Chevalley-Demazure group-schemes for which such a theorem is lacking.

     

A pair of stream functions for three-dimensional vortex flows

Introducing a vector potential, that is based on a pair of stream functions, and a velocity potential, antisymmetric equations for the stream functions are derived with the help of a variational principle. It is found that the equations are in a suitable form to investigate flows with helical symmetry, and, for example, to connect upstream axisymmetric flows with downstream helical flows. The special case of a transition from an upstream solid-body vortex to a downstream helical flow is investigated in detail. Furthermore, the stream-function equations are particularly useful to investigate general small-amplitude inertia waves on vortex flows. Time-dependent helical flows that are time-independent in a suitably rotating frame of reference can also be discussed with the proposed method.     

Solvent effect on intensities of hypersensitive bands of lanthanide perchlorates

The measurements of oscillator strengths of hypersensitive bands for Ln(ClO₄)₃ (Ln  Nd, Ho, Er) in different solvents are reported. The sesults are discussed within the framework of the polarizability mechanism.     

Photoconductivity in trans (CH)x: A proof for the existence of solitons?

The optical absorption spectrum has been measured on trans (CH)_x upon simultaneous illumination of the sample with a second light source. No additional mid-gap absorption has been observed nor have the characteristic i.r. peaks been found which are known to show up at 0.11 and 0.17 eV upon doping. On the other hand photoconductivity has been detected, and, from its size, one would expect that the i.r. features should appear provided that the electron-hole pairs preferentially decay into soliton-antisoliton pairs, as predicted by theory. The negative results thus suggests that photo-generated carriers do not relax into solitonic states.