Spectroscopic ellipsometric characterization of TiAlN/TiAlON/Si3N4 tandem absorber for solar selective applications

Sputter deposited TiAlN/TiAlON/Si₃N₄ tandem absorber has been characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the wavelength range of 450-1200 nm. Each layer of the tandem absorber viz., TiAlN, TiAlON and Si₃N₄ has been deposited separately on copper substrate (Cu) and ellipsometric measurements have been carried out on each of these layers. The measured ellipsometric spectra were fitted with theoretically simulated spectra and the sample structure and wavelength dispersion of optical constants of each layers have been determined. The ellipsometric measurements have also been carried out on the three-layer tandem absorber deposited on Cu substrate. By analyzing the ellipsometric data, depth profiling of the tandem absorber has been carried out using the derived optical constants of the individual layers.     

Is there an antimatter-universe or antigalaxy?

Summary The very recent measurements on the ratio of cosmic antiproton to proton have contradicted seriously the previous measurements of the same for low-energy antiprotons. The controversial situation has been described and its implication for the validity of the postulate about the existence of antigalaxy has been examined. Although a very decisive conclusion cannot yet be made, a two-component behaviour of the ratio cannot, however, be excluded. Moreover, this two-component proposition seems to have better prospectsvis-a-vis the high-energy measurements of the ratio.     

On the problematic rising ratio of cosmic-ray positrons at ultra-high energies

Summary The rising ratio of cosmic-ray positrons at ultra-high energies of interactions seems to have puzzled the theorists to a great extent. We have made here a somewhat successful attempt to interpret the behaviour of this ratio,R=e⁺/(e⁺+e⁻), by putting into use the main physical ideas from our two previous works. The importance and the implications of this observation have also been highlighted and emphasized in the proper background.

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Riassunto Il crescente rapporto dei positroni dei raggi cosmici ad energie ultra-alte di interazioni sembra aver non poco confuso i teorici. Qui si tenta con un certo successo di interpretare il comportamento di questo rapportoR=e⁺/(e⁺+e⁻) usando i principali concetti fisici dei nostri due precedenti lavori. L'importanza e le implicazioni di questa osservazione sono state sottolineate ed enfatizzate nell'appropriato contesto.

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Резюме Увеличивающиеся отношение позитронов космических лучей при ультравыс оких энергиях, по-видимому, представляет загадку для теоретиков. В этой статье мы предпринимает отчасти успешную попытку интерпретировать поведение этого отношенияR=e⁺/(e⁺+e⁻), используя основные физические идеи из наших двух предыдущих публикаций. Отмчаются важностя и приложения полученных результатов.

     

Measurement of storage time, estimation of ion number and study of absorption line profile in a Paul trap

Europium (Eu⁺) ions were confined in a Paul trap and detected by non-destructive method. Storage time of Eu⁺ ions achieved in vacuum was improved by orders of magnitude employing buffer gas cooling. The experimentally detected signal was fitted to the ion response signal and the total number of ions trapped was estimated. It is found that the peak signal amplitude as well as the product of FWHM and the peak signal amplitude is proportional to the total number of trapped ions. The trapped ion secular frequency was swept at different rates and its effect on the absorption line profile was studied both experimentally and theoretically.     

Derivation of muon spectrum at high energies from the recent JACEE primary cosmic-ray spectrum using Fermilab data on meson production

Summary The energy spectrum of sea level muons in the range (10²÷10⁴) GeV has been calculated from the latest directly measured JACEE primary spectrum using Fermilab results on pp→π^± X and pp→K^± X inclusive reactions. The conventional pion atmospheric diffusion equation after Bugaevet al. has been used in this analysis to account the flux of muons emerged from the multiple generation of mesons in air. The derived muon spectrum has been compared with the earlier magnetic spectrograph data of Durham and Kiel groups. The latest BAKSAN scintillator telescope data is well in agreement with the calculated integral spectrum originated from the meson decays in the range (1÷10⁴) GeV.     

Are the proposed cosmic H particles psionlike in Nature?

Summary The hints to explain the unusual type of cosmic cluster events (called generally the ?exotic? events) in ultrahigh-energy nuclear collisions in terms of proposed H particles have, to date, been neither substantiated nor concretised. We assort here some crucial aspects and assemble a few supportive evidences to favour our idea that the proposed H particles might be viewed as cosmic psionlike particles.     

Heat transfer in boundary layer stagnation-point flow towards a shrinking sheet with non-uniform heat flux

In this paper, the effect of non-uniform heat flux on heat transfer in boundary layer stagnation-point flow over a shrinking sheet is studied. The variable boundary heat fluxes are considered of two types: direct power-law variation with the distance along the sheet and inverse power-law variation with the distance. The governing partial differential equations (PDEs) are transformed into non linear self-similar ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by similarity transformations, and then those are solved using very efficient shooting method. The direct variation and inverse variation of heat flux along the sheet have completely different effects on the temperature distribution. Moreover, the heat transfer characteristics in the presence of non-uniform heat flux for several values of physical parameters are also found to be interesting.     

Modeling and optimization on Nd:YAG laser turned micro-grooving of cylindrical ceramic material

Nd:YAG laser turning is a new technique for manufacturing micro-grooves on cylindrical surface of ceramic materials needed for the present day precision industries. The importance of laser turning has directed the researchers to search how accurately micro-grooves can be obtained in cylindrical parts. In this paper, laser turning process parameters have been determined for producing square micro-grooves on cylindrical surface. The experiments have been performed based on the statistical five level central composite design techniques. The effects of laser turning process parameters i.e. lamp current, pulse frequency, pulse width, cutting speed (revolution per minute, rpm) and assist gas pressure on the quality of the laser turned micro-grooves have been studied. A predictive model for laser turning process parameters is created using a feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN) technique utilized the experimental observation data based on response surface methodology (RSM). The optimization problem has been constructed based on RSM and solved using multi-objective genetic algorithm (GA). The neural network coupled with genetic algorithm can be effectively utilized to find the optimum parameter value for a specific laser micro-turning condition in ceramic materials. The optimal process parameter settings are found as lamp current of 19 A, pulse frequency of 3.2 kHz, pulse width of 6% duty cycle, cutting speed as 22 rpm and assist air pressure of 0.13 N/mm² for achieving the predicted minimum deviation of upper width of ?0.0101 mm, lower width 0.0098 mm and depth ?0.0069 mm of laser turned micro-grooves.     

Creation or destruction of sourceless abelian gauge strings in a Robertson-Walker universe

Following Morris’s [5] consideration of a sourceless abelian gauge string in a Robertson-Walker universe with flat space sections we have generalized the treatment to the case of arbitrary spatial curvature. We find that creation or destruction of the gauge string is not possible if the spatial curvature is nonzero.