Electroweak tests with τ leptons at LEP

We report on two sensitive tests of lepton universality carried out by the 4 LEP experiments at the Z⁰ pole. From measurements of the τ polarization in e⁺ e^?→τ ⁺ τ ^?, the ratios of the vector and axial vector coupling constants of the electron and the tau lepton to the weak neutral current are obtained to beg _{v e} /g _{a e} =0.066±0.015 andg _{V τ} /g _{A τ} =0.070±0.009 respectively. From measurement of the τ lifetime and the τ leptonic branching ratios, the ratio of the coupling constants describing weak leptonic decays of the τ and the μ is measured to beG _τ /G _μ =0.996±0.008.     

Experimental determination of third-order elastic constants of diamond

To determine the nonlinear elastic response of diamond, single crystals were shock compressed along the [100], [110], and [111] orientations to 120 GPa peak elastic stresses. Particle velocity histories and elastic wave velocities were measured by using laser interferometry. The measured elastic wave profiles were used, in combination with published acoustic measurements, to determine the complete set of third-order elastic constants. These constants represent the first experimental determination, and several differ significantly from those calculated by using theoretical models.     

Influence of post-deposition annealing on the structural,optical and electrical properties of Li and Mg co-doped ZnO thin films deposited by sol–gel technique

Lithium (Li) and magnesium (Mg) co-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited by sol–gel method using spin coating technique. The films were deposited on glass substrates and annealed at different temperatures. The effects of annealing temperature on the structural, optical and electrical properties of the deposited films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Ultraviolet–Visible absorption spectra (UV–VIS), photoluminescence spectra (PL), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) and Hall measurements. XRD patterns indicated that the deposited films had a polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure with preferred (0 0 0 2) orientation. All films were found to exhibit a good transparency in the visible range. Analysis of the absorption edge revealed that the optical band gap energies of the films annealed at different temperatures varies between 3.49 eV and 3.69 eV. Room temperature PL spectra of the deposited films annealed at various temperatures consist of a near band edge emission and visible emission due to the electronic defects, which are related to deep level emissions, such as oxide antisite (O_Zn), interstitial zinc (Zn_i), interstitial oxygen (O_i) and zinc vacancy (V_Zn) which are generated during annealing process. The influence of annealing temperature on the chemical state of the dopants in the film was analysed by XPS spectra. Ion beam analysis (Rutherford back scattering) experiments were performed to evaluate the content of Li and Mg in the films. Hall measurements confirmed the p-type nature of the deposited films.     

Modify SRS-induced crosstalk with variety of fiber in SCM–WDM transmission links

In this paper, the SRS-induced crosstalk has been evaluated in a SCM–WDM communication links at different modulation frequencies and transmission lengths for variety of fiber. Results show that SRS-induced crosstalk dominates at low frequency. As the dispersion and effective area of fiber (A_eff) decreases, initially the crosstalk remains high and then it decreases with increase in modulation frequency. The present work shows that out of five different types of fiber, standard single mode fiber (SMF) has minimum crosstalk (−78 to −38) dB, (−55 to −33) dB and (−46 to −34) dB at modulation frequencies, transmission lengths and optical powers. Dispersion compensation fiber (DCF) has maximum crosstalk (−60 to −12) dB, (−37 to −12) dB and (−27 to −12) dB at modulation frequencies and transmission lengths.     

Enhancement in electrochemical properties of ionic liquid-based nanocomposite polymer electrolytes by 100 MeV Si9+ swift heavy ion irradiation

Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation has been used as a tool to enhance the electrochemical properties of ionic liquid-based nanocomposite polymer electrolytes dispersed with dedoped polyaniline (PAni) nanorods; 100 MeV Si⁹⁺ ions with four different fluences of 5?×?10¹⁰, 1?×?10¹¹, 5?×?10¹¹, and 1?×?10¹² ions cm^?2 have been used as SHI. XRD results depict that with increasing ion fluence, crystallinity decreases due to chain scission up to fluence of 5?×?10¹¹ ions cm^?2, and at higher fluence, crystallinity increases due to cross-linking of polymer chains. Ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability, and dielectric properties are enhanced with increasing ion fluence attaining maximum value at the fluence of 5?×?10¹¹ ions cm^?2 and subsequently decrease. Optimum ionic conductivity of 1.5?×?10^?2 S cm^?1 and electrochemical stability up to 6.3 V have been obtained at the fluence of 5?×?10¹¹ ions cm^?2. Ac conductivity studies show that ion conduction takes place through hopping of ions from one coordination site to the other. On SHI irradiation, amorphicity of the polymer matrix increases resulting in increased segmental motion which facilitates ion hopping leading to an increase in ionic conductivity. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements show that SHI-irradiated nanocomposite polymer electrolytes are thermally stable up to 240–260 °C.     

Spectroscopy of50V with (p,nγ) reaction

Information on the low-lying levels up to ～1.9 MeV excitation of the doubly odd nucleus⁵⁰V has been obtained through the Ge (Li)-Ge (Li) coincidence study with the⁵⁰Ti(p, nγ)⁵⁰V reaction. Branching ratios have been measured and tentative spin-parity assignments have been made. A detailed comparison with other measurements reported recently has also been made. Using the lowest seniority wave functions with (f_7/2) _p ³ (f _7/2) _n ^?1 configuration, energy levels and electromagnetic properties have been calculated. These have been compared with the present and earlier experimental data.     

FRW-Cosmological Model for Conharmonically Flat Space Time

This paper deals with FRW-Cosmological model of the universe for conharmonically flat space time. Einstein field equations with variable cosmological term are solved by using a law of variation for Hubble’s parameter, which is related to average scale factor. A new class of exact solution of the field equation has been obtained in which cosmological-term decreases with cosmic time. A detailed study of physical and kinematical properties of the model is also carried out.     

Synchrotron X‐ray footprinting on tour

Synchrotron footprinting is a valuable technique in structural biology for understanding macromolecular solution‐state structure and dynamics of proteins and nucleic acids. Although an extremely powerful tool, there is currently only a single facility in the USA, the X28C beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), dedicated to providing infrastructure, technology development and support for these studies. The high flux density of the focused white beam and variety of specialized exposure environments available at X28C enables footprinting of highly complex biological systems; however, it is likely that a significant fraction of interesting experiments could be performed at unspecialized facilities. In an effort to investigate the viability of a beamline‐flexible footprinting program, a standard sample was taken on tour around the nation to be exposed at several US synchrotrons. This work describes how a relatively simple and transportable apparatus can allow beamlines at the NSLS, CHESS, APS and ALS to be used for synchrotron footprinting in a general user mode that can provide useful results.     

Collective bounce-off phenomenon in139La+Ag(Br) reaction at 1.1 A GeV energy

Out of a total statistics of 896¹³⁹La+Ag(Br) interactions, 128 interactions having multiplicity of target fragments (Z⩾1)⩾8 and projectile fragments (Z⩾2)⩾4 have been selected. They correspond to quasi-peripheral interactions. Azimuthal angle correlation between sources of target fragments (TFs) and projectile fragments (PFs) shows the existence of bounce-off effect. Using data of La+Ag(Br) and⁸⁴Kr+Ag(Br) reactions it is shown that individual helium [Z=2, PFs] and heavier fragment [Z⩾3, PFs] show different emission characteristics. Further, a two prong correlation functionT(Φ _ij ) plotted for heavier fragments and helium fragments separately, indicates the possibility of existence of different physical conditions. This observation is supported by the different momentum widths of helium fragments and heavier fragments. From the momentum width data of Kr+Ag(Br) reactions normalized density comes out to be ≈4.7. Using quasi-elastic kinematics for the bounce-off nuclei, the excitation energy has been computed from the experimental data of flow angles. The strength of bounce-off seems to decrease with the increase of excitation energy or temperature.     

Optical-Oscillator strengths for Ca X,Sc XI,Ti XII,Cu XIX,Zn XX,Br XXV and Kr XXVI

Summary We have applied the Tiwary approach to calculate the opticaloscillator strengths, of both the length and velocity forms, for the inner-shell excitation1s ² 2s ² 2p ⁶ 3s ² S ^e →1s ² 2s ² 2p ⁵ 3s ^{2 2} P ⁰ transition in Ca X, Sc XI, Ti XII, Cu XIX, Zn XX, Br XXV and Kr XXVI ions of the sodium isoelectronic sequence employing Hartree-Fock (HF) and configuration interaction (CI) wave functions of both the initial and final states involved in the transition. Our present calculated results demonstrate that the Tiwary approach is capable of yielding encouraging results. A part of this work was done while the author was Research Director and Professor, CNRS Laboratory, University of Paris-Sud and Observatoire de Paris, Meudon, Paris, France.