Long-time-storage mechanism for Tm:YAG in a magnetic field

We obtained a long-time-storage mechanism for spectral features in thulium ions doped into YAG by applying a magnetic field that splits the electronic ground state. We show experimentally that the storage time can be more than 30 s, which is 3 orders of magnitude longer than that of the metastable state that normally is used for information storage in this material. Level splitting and storage lifetimes for various magnetic field strengths of as much as 5 T were investigated. This storage mechanism will be relevant in the many coherent transient-based signal-processing schemes in which Tm:YAG is being used, and we demonstrate long-time storage in a basic data storage application.     

Low-dimensional models for vertically falling viscous films

Long wave evolution on free falling viscous films is described using a new evolution equation. The scaling proposed here brings in the viscous and pressure correction terms that are missing in the existing long-wave equations. Small amplitude expansion of the equation gives a dissipative form of the Kuromoto-Sivashinsky equation. Improved accuracy of the new equation over existing equations is demonstrated by comparison of neutral curves with Orr-Sommerfeld equations and experimental data.     

Determination of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde in roots of Decalepis hamiltonii (Wight & Arn.) and Hemidesmus indicus R.Br

The roots of Decalepis hamiltonii and Hemidesmus indicus are aromatic and possess the crystalline compound 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde as the major compound (> 90%) in their volatile oils. A gas chromatographic procedure was developed for the assay of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde in both fresh and dried roots of different origin. Benzyl butyrate was used as the internal standard. Among the methods tried, steam hydrodistillation was suitable for extraction of the volatile oils. The quantity of this aromatic compound varied from 0.03 to 0.54%.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of L-CCG-I

Introduction of natural menthol as the chiral auxiliary in a gamma-Br-alpha,beta-unsaturated ester leads to enantioselective generation of three chiral centers in a single step on reaction with a glycine anion equivalent to provide L-CCG-I in 94% ee.     

Interferometric key readable security holograms with secrete-codes

A new method is described to create secrete-codes in the security holograms for enhancing their anti-counterfeiting characteristics. To imitate these codes is difficult as pure phase objects having complex phase distribution function are used to modulate the object beam that is recorded in conjunction with an encoded interferometric reference beam derived from a key hologram. Lloyd’s folding mirror interferometer is used to convert phase variations of the reconstructed wave-front into an intensity pattern for hologram authenticity verification. Creating the secrete-codes through an interferometric reference beam from the key hologram facilitates a multi-stage authenticity verification as well as easy repositioning of the security hologram through a specific Moiré pattern generated during the verification process.      

Calcium and oxygen doping in Y Ba2Cu3Oy

Both oxygen and calcium play important roles in inducing superconductivity in Y Ba₂Cu₃O_y (YBCO), which is an antiferromagnetic insulator at low O and Ca content. O induces superconductivity in Ca-free YBCO, while Ca does similarly in oxygen-deficient YBCO. For doping oxygen HgO was used as it decomposes at 476 ^°C into Hg, which escapes from the matrix leaving the crystal unaltered, and O, which provide a way to dope O in YBCO. Considering these facts, polycrystalline samples of Y _1−xCa_xBa₂Cu₃O_y with x=0, 0.1 and 0.2 with and without HgO addition were prepared through a solid-state reaction method. The samples were sintered at 950 ^°C in open atmosphere. These synthesized samples were characterized through using the X-ray diffraction technique (XRD) for phase evaluation, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for grain morphology, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) for compositional analysis and the four-contact measurement technique for determining the superconducting transition temperature.     

Estimation of C2−C5 hydrocarbons in air by pre-concentration on silica gel at dry ice temperature

Summary A short stainless steel column packed with silica gel is cooled to –78°C and atmospheric hydrocarbons are preconcentrated from 3 I of air on it. Desorption to the analytical column is by heating for 10 min to 200°C. Analysis is by GC on OPN-Poracil C at 27°C. The sorption efficiencies were nearly 100% for most of the light hydrocarbons.     

Effect of substrate bias voltage on the structure, electric and dielectric properties of TiO2 thin films by DC magnetron sputtering

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) films have been deposited on glass and p-silicon (1 0 0) substrates by DC magnetron sputtering technique to investigate their structural, electrical and optical properties. The surface composition of the TiO₂ films has been analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The TiO₂ films formed on unbiased substrates were amorphous. Application of negative bias voltage to the substrate transformed the amorphous TiO₂ into polycrystalline as confirmed by Raman spectroscopic studies. Thin film capacitors with configuration of Al/TiO₂/p-Si have been fabricated. The leakage current density of unbiased films was 1 × 10⁻⁶ A/cm² at a gate bias voltage of 1.5 V and it was decreased to 1.41 × 10⁻⁷ A/cm² with the increase of substrate bias voltage to −150 V owing to the increase in thickness of interfacial layer of SiO₂. Dielectric properties and AC electrical conductivity of the films were studied at various frequencies for unbiased and biased at −150 V. The capacitance at 1 MHz for unbiased films was 2.42 × 10⁻¹⁰ F and it increased to 5.8 × 10⁻¹⁰ F in the films formed at substrate bias voltage of −150 V. Dielectric constant of TiO₂ films were calculated from capacitance–voltage measurements at 1 MHz frequency. The dielectric constant of unbiased films was 6.2 while those formed at −150 V it increased to 19. The optical band gap of the films decreased from 3.50 to 3.42 eV with the increase of substrate bias voltage from 0 to −150 V.     

Graft copolymerization of acrylamide onto casein: A kinetic study

Polyacrylamide has been grafted onto casein in phosphate buffer medium using potassium peroxodisulfate as initiator. The influence of synthetic variables on percent grafting, grafting efficiency, rates of conversion of monomer, and the rates of graft copolymerization have been discussed. A possible kinetic scheme based on experimental results has been derived.     

Direct amplitude detection of Zernike modes by computer-generated holographic wavefront sensor: Modeling and simulation

A fast holographic wavefront sensor is proposed using a computer-generated hologram (CGH). This CGH is a multiplexed hologram of different Zernike mode–amplitude combinations, and is designed in such a manner as to get the corresponding spots on the detector according to the presence and strength of a particular aberration. Interference between the aberrated wavefront (with a single mode–amplitude combination) and the Fourier transform of an image with single bright pixel (defined as dot image) is numerically calculated for one hologram. Different mode–amplitude combination and corresponding different positions of bright pixels (dots) are taken to compute various holograms and then all the holograms are multiplexed to get the final hologram. When the aberrated wavefront with a particular mode–amplitude combination is incident onto the multiplexed hologram, the corresponding dot is generated in the Fourier plane. A lens performs the Fourier transform in optical domain and provides the instant detection of amplitude of the respective Zernike mode. The main advantage of the scheme is to avoid the need of any computations, which makes it really fast. The simulation results are presented with the cross-talk analysis for few Zernike terms.