Estimation of intrinsic processes affected by additive fractal noise

Fractal Gaussian models have been widely used to represent the singular behavior of phenomena arising in different applied fields; for example, fractional Brownian motion and fractional Gaussian noise are considered as monofractal models in subsurface hydrology and geophysical studies Mandelbrot [The Fractal Geometry of Nature, Freeman Press, San Francisco, 1982 [13]]. In this paper, we address the problem of least-squares linear estimation of an intrinsic fractal input random field from the observation of an output random field affected by fractal noise (see Angulo et al. [Estimation and filtering of fractional generalised random fields, J. Austral. Math. Soc. A 69 (2000) 1-26 [2]], Ruiz-Medina et al. [Fractional generalized random fields on bounded domains, Stochastic Anal. Appl. 21 (2003a) 465-492], Ruiz-Medina et al. [Fractional-order regularization and wavelet approximation to the inverse estimation problem for random fields, J. Multivariate Anal. 85 (2003b) 192-216]. Conditions on the fractality order of the additive noise are studied to obtain a bounded inversion of the associated Wiener-Hopf equation. A stable solution is then obtained in terms of orthogonal bases of the reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces associated with the random fields involved. Such bases are constructed from orthonormal wavelet bases (see Angulo and Ruiz-Medina [Multiresolution approximation to the stochastic inverse problem, Adv. in Appl. Probab. 31 (1999) 1039-1057], Angulo et al. [Wavelet-based orthogonal expansions of fractional generalized random fields on bounded domains, Theoret. Probab. Math. Stat. (2004), in press]). A simulation study is carried out to illustrate the influence of the fractality orders of the output random field and the fractal additive noise on the stability of the solution derived.     

Preparation and mechanical properties of layers made of recombinant spider silk proteins and silk from silk worm

Layers of recombinant spider silks and native silks from silk worms were prepared by spin-coating and casting of various solutions. FT-IR spectra were recorded to investigate the influence of the different mechanical stress occurring during the preparation of the silk layers. The solubility of the recombinant spider silk proteins SO1-ELP, C16, AQ24NR3, and of the silk fibroin from Bombyx mori were investigated in hexafluorisopropanol, ionic liquids and concentrated salt solutions. The morphology and thickness of the layers were determined by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) or with a profilometer. The mechanical behaviour was investigated by acoustic impedance analysis by using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCMB) as well as by microindentation. The density of silk layers (d<300 nm) was determined based on AFM and QCMB measurements. At silk layers thicker than 300 nm significant changes of the half-band-half width can be correlated with increasing energy dissipation. Microhardness measurements demonstrate that recombinant spider silk and sericine-free Bombyx mori silk layers achieve higher elastic penetration modules E_EP and Martens hardness values H_M than those of polyethylenterephthalate (PET) and polyetherimide (PEI) foils.     

Ionic relaxation in nematic liquid crystal cells

We investigate the dependence of the relaxation time of the current flowing in a nematic cell submitted to an external dc voltage on the physical properties of the substrate. We show that previously presented analyses of the same problem are not very useful for practical applications. We compare our theoretical predictions with experimental data, and show that the agreement is rather good. The influence of the adsorption-desorption phenomenon on the relaxation time is also discussed.     

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.     

Studying high-spin ferric heme proteins by pulsed EPR spectroscopy: Analysis of the ferric form of the E7Q mutant of human neuroglobin

In this work, the high-spin ferric form of the E7Q mutant of human neuroglobin (E7Q-NGB) is studied by X-band continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW EPR) and hyperfine sublevel correlation (HYSCORE) spectroscopy. It is shown that the use of matched pulses in the HYSCORE experiment is essential to observe the nitrogen spectral contributions. The validity of approximating the high-spin Fe(III) system (S=5/2) as an effectiveS=1/2 system is tested and the consequences for the HYSCORE simulations are highlighted. Comparative HYSCORE experiments combined with deuterium exchange experiments for aquometmyoglobin and ferric E7Q-NGB clearly show that the heme iron of the latter protein is pentacoordinated, lacking the distal water. Furthermore, CW EPR experiments show that, at high pH, the E10K residue is coordinating to the heme iron in this globin. These observations are corroborated by resonance Raman experiments and could also be reproduced for other E7 mutants of human and mouse neuroglobin. Finally, the proton and nitrogen hyperfine and nuclear quadrupole parameters obtained for ferric E7Q-NGB are discussed in detail.     

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     

Effect of accumulation on the formation of multiply charged ions in solids under grazing incidence of multiple laser radiation

The effect of accumulation on the formation of multiply charged ions in optically opaque solids as a function of the number and the angle of incidence of laser pulses is investigated by mass spectrometry. It is revealed that the accumulation effect manifests itself at prethreshold power densities q = 10⁸–10⁹ W/cm² irrespective of the angle of incidence of laser radiation α = 18°–85° and at subthreshold power densities q > 10¹⁰ W/cm² in the case of grazing incidence of laser radiation at an angle α = 85°. The accumulation effect brings about an increase in the maximum charge multiplicity Z _max of tungsten ions and a decrease in the number of impurity ions and in their intensity. No accumulation effect is observed at subthreshold power densities when laser radiation is incident at an angle α = 18°.     

Influence of the defect structure on the electrical conductivity of Pb5Ge3O11 single crystals at high temperatures

The impedance spectra of Pb₅Ge₃O₁₁ single crystals are measured in the frequency range from 5 Hz to 13 MHz at temperatures of 600 to 800 K in dry air and in a dry or wet nitrogen gas. It is found that the temperature and the gas composition significantly affect the electrical properties of the compound. The data obtained are used to discuss the origin of crystal lattice defects and their influence on charge transfer. It is concluded that the conduction is mixed in character (p-type electronic and ionic due to oxygen ions). The proton conduction is shown experimentally to be feasible. The possible mechanisms of proton transport in Pb₅Ge₃O₁₁ are discussed.