Highly accurate calculation of radial spheroidal functions

A new method for calculating the radial spheroidal functions of the first kind is proposed for the arguments that are greater than unity in modulus. A well-known representation of these functions is refined and used for this purpose. The constructs and the software implementation proposed in the paper provide an efficient tool for the calculation of the functions with a desired accuracy in a wide range of parameters.     

High-order accurate equations describing vibrations of thin bars

A method for deriving one-dimensional wave propagation equations in thin inhomogeneous anisotropic bars based on the mathematical homogenization theory for periodic media is used to obtain equations governing the longitudinal and transverse vibrations of a homogeneous circular bar. The equations are derived up to O(ε⁸) terms and take into account variable body forces and surface loads. Here, ε is the ratio of the bar’s typical thickness to the typical wavelength.     

Observation of the neutron radiative decay

The aim of this work is the experimental observation of and research into a rare neutron mode, the radiative beta decay, where a new particle, the radiative gamma quantum, is formed along with the expected decay products: a beta electron, a recoil proton, and an antineutrino. The discovery of this rare neutron decay mode was conducted through identification of triple-coincidence events: simultaneous registration of a beta electron, a proton, and a radiative gamma quantum. The ordinary neutron decay was registered by double coincidences of a beta electron and a recoil proton. The statistics collected allow one to deduce the branching ratio (BR) BR = (3.2 ± 1.6) × 10⁻³ (90% C.L.) in the gamma energy region greater than 35 keV. This value of BR is consistent with standard electroweak theory. The text was submitted by the authors in English. An erratum to this article is available at .     

INFLUENCE OF A LEVELNESS DEFECT IN A THRUST BEARING ON THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR OF AN ELASTIC SHAFT

This paper examines the non-linear dynamic behaviour of a flexible shaft. The shaft is mounted on two journal bearings and the axial load is supported by a defective hydrodynamic thrust bearing at one end. The defect is a levelness defect of the rotor. The thrust bearing behaviour must be considered to be non-linear because of the effects of the defect. The shaft is modelled with typical beam finite elements including effects such as the gyroscopic effects. A modal technique is used to reduce the number of degrees of freedom. Results show that the thrust bearing defects introduce supplementary critical speeds. The linear approach is unable to show the supplementary critical speeds which are obtained only by using non-linear analysis.     

Effect of hydrogen on the photoelectronic properties of GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well heterostructures with an island palladium layer on the surface

The effect of hydrogen on the photoluminescence and planar conductivity of GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well heterostructures with an island Pd layer at the anodically oxidized surface was studied. Unlike continuous deposited Pd layers, island layers do not cause the formation of defects in the GaAs surface region and yet the Pd layer maintains high catalytic activity with respect to hydrogen. It is found that the thermal treatment of such a structure in a hydrogen atmosphere causes atomic-hydrogen passivation of the defects in quantum wells. Studies of the characteristics of planar photoresistors with an island Pd layer acting as hydrogen sensors show that their hydrogen detectivity is approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that of diode structures with continuous Pd layers.     

Timing and detuning studies of a synchronously pumped mode-locked dye laser

The timing relationship between a synchronously pumped mode-locked dye laser and its pump laser is explored experimentally and theoretically. The experimental data is in quantitative agreement with numerical solutions of a semiclassical model that includes no free parameters. The data also agrees qualitatively with an approximate, analytic distillation of this model which is presented here for the first time. Our study has a direct bearing on the jitter and the long term stability of these important ultrashort pulse lasers.     

Study of formation mechanism of 1,3-benzodioxanes from tertiary phenoloalcohols and carbonyl compounds using labeled atoms

It was shown that the reaction of o-hyroxyphenyldiphenylmethanol with benzaldehyde labeled with ¹⁷O and ¹⁸O isotopes proceeds in such a way that oxygen atoms of the starting phenoloalcohol are retained.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 5, pp. 632–633, May, 1991.     

High-throughput screening of fuel cell electrocatalysts

The drawbacks of our earlier report of preparing fuel cell catalyst arrays by borohydride reduction of inkjet prepared arrays of metal salts are discussed along with the need for inclusion of state-of-the-art metrics in all array screening. An alternative method for screening of hydrogen/air cathode catalysts, direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) anode catalysts, and catalyst loading studies is provided. State-of-the-art Johnson Matthey catalysts were used in control experiments to demonstrate the utility of the array fuel cell for high throughput screening of fuel cell catalysts in the 3-4 mg/cm² range. This report lays out hard learned rules for high throughput screening and demonstrates that the array fuel cell can be used for very precise screening of libraries of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) components without the pitfalls discussed in the introduction.     

Novel route to 5-position vinyl derivatives of thiolactomycin: Olefination vs. deformylation

Vinyl and diene derivatives of thiolactomycin have been prepared via Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination from protected 5-formyl-3,5-dimethylthiotetronic acid. Several 4-position protecting groups and a variety of phosphonates were evaluated, with MOM protection and β-ketophosphonates yielding the highest ratio of the desired product to deformylated product.     

Distributed feedback multipeak laser emission in Rhodamine 6G doped organic-inorganic hybrids

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials were prepared from an ureasil precursor (ureapropyltriethoxysilane designated as UPTES) and acrylic acid modified zirconium (IV) n-propoxide. Thin films containing rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) were prepared by spin-coating on glass substrates with different Zr:Si molar ratios (Zr:Si = 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75). Refractive index, thickness, number of propagating modes and attenuation coefficient were measured at 543.5, 632.8 and 1550 nm wavelengths by the prism coupling technique. Distributed feedback (DFB) laser effect was observed and studied as a function of films thickness and refractive index.