Coherent storage of photoexcited triplet states using 29Si nuclear spins in silicon

Pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the photoexcited, metastable triplet state of the oxygen-vacancy center in silicon reveals that the lifetime of the m(s)=±1 sublevels differs significantly from that of the m(s)=0 state. We exploit this significant difference in decay rates to the ground singlet state to achieve nearly ~100% electron-spin polarization within the triplet. We further demonstrate the transfer of a coherent state of the triplet electron spin to, and from, a hyperfine-coupled, nearest-neighbor (29)Si nuclear spin. We measure the coherence time of the (29)Si nuclear spin employed in this operation and find it to be unaffected by the presence of the triplet electron spin and equal to the bulk value measured by nuclear magnetic resonance.     

Laser cutting of Kevlar laminates and thermal stress formed at cutting sections

Laser cutting of Kevlar laminates is carried out and thermal stress field developed in the cutting region is predicted using the finite element code. Temperature predictions are validated through the thermocouple data. The morphological changes in the cutting section are examined by incorporating optical and scanning electron microscopes. It is found that temperature predictions agree well with the thermocouple data. High values of von Mises stress are observed at the cutting edges and at the mid-thickness of the Kevlar laminate due to thermal compression formed in this region. The laser cut edges are free from whiskers; however, striation formation and some small sideways burning is observed at the kerf edges.     

Development of a novel label-free amperometric immunosensor for the detection of okadaic acid

Okadaic acid (OA), a lipophilic phycotoxin is mainly produced by toxigenic dinoflagellates. The need to develop high performing methods for OA analysis able to improve the traditional ones is evident. In this work, a novel experimental methodology for label-free detection of OA was developed. Protein G magnetic beads (protein-G-MBs) modified gold electrode was used to immobilize anti-OA monoclonal antibody (anti-OA-MAb). Preliminary, colorimetric tests were performed in order to validate protein-G-MBs and anti-OA-MAb reaction. Electrochemical detection was carried out by differential pulse voltammetry in ferri/ferrocyanide solution. The limit of detection value obtained (0.5 μg L⁻¹) validated the developed electrochemical immunosensor as a promising tool for routine use. The matrix effect and the recovery rate were also assessed with real samples, showing a good percentage of recovery.     

Design and development of an optical beam splitter assembly and high precision colinearity measurements of laser beams

Laser beams with extremely high colinearity are often required where precision position monitoring is important. In order to achieve the said objective, a special type of Laser Beam Splitter Assembly (BSA) has been designed and fabricated in a very small volume due to space constraints. The main features and details of such a system are described here. This type of beam splitter assembly coupled with a diode laser through fibers can be remotely used for alignment or position monitoring of different medium to large size structures with a reconstruction accuracy of 10 μm. In this way, BSA generates two counter propagating laser beams from a single diode laser coupled to an optical fiber. In the present work, the colinearity between two beams within 1 mrad with the variation of 50 μrad has been achieved. The laser's power in the two arms may be controlled precisely, which is an important feature of this BSA. The BSA has been tested to work over a temperature range between ?20 °C to +40 °C. It has also been exposed to 1.0 MeV neutrons at a flux of ～5.0×10¹⁰ n/cm²/s and found compatible.     

Vibration characteristics of FGM circular cylindrical shells filled with fluid using wave propagation approach

The vibration characteristics of a functionally graded material circular cylindrical shell filled with fluid are examined with a wave propagation approach. The shell is filled with an incompressible non-viscous fluid. Axial modal dependence is approximated by exponential functions. A theoretical study of shell vibration frequencies is analyzed for simply supported-simply supported, clamped-simply supported, and clamped-clamped boundary conditions with the fluid effect. The validity and the accuracy of the present method are confirmed by comparing the present results with those available in the literature. Good agreement is observed between the two sets of results.     

Vibrations of FGM thin cylindrical shells with exponential volume fraction law

In this paper, the influence of an exponential volume fraction law on the vibration frequencies of thin functionally graded cylindrical shells is studied. Material properties in the shell thickness direction are graded in accordance with the exponential law. Expressions for the strain-displacement and curvature-displacement relationships are taken from Love＇s thin shell theory. The Rayleigh-Ritz approach is used to derive the shell eigenfrequency equation. Axial modal dependence is assumed in the characteristic beam functions. Natural frequencies of the shells are observed to be dependent on the constituent volume fractions. The results are compared with those available in the literature for the validity of the present methodology.     

Cyclic multiaxial and shear finite deformation responses of OFHC Cu. Part II: An extension to the KHL model and simulations

In this part, the Khan–Huang–Liang (KHL) constitutive model was extended to account for kinematic hardening characteristic behavior of materials. The extended model is then generalized and used to simulate experimental response of oxygen free high conductivity (OFHC) copper under cyclic shear straining and biaxial tension–torsion (multiaxial ratchetting) experiments presented in Part I (Khan et al., 2007). In addition, a new modification for the non-linear kinematic hardening rule of Karim–Ohno (Abdel-Karim and Ohno, 2000) is proposed to simulate multiaxial ratchetting behaviors. Although, the kinematic hardening contributes the most to the response, it is shown that, the loading rate effect, and a coupled isotropic and kinematic hardening effect should also be considered while simulating the multiaxial ratchetting behavior of OFHC copper. Furthermore, the newly modified kinematic hardening rules is able to fairly well simulate the multiaxial ratchetting experiments under different loading conditions, irrespective of the value of applied axial tensile stress, shear strain amplitude, pre-cyclic hardening and/or loading sequence.     

Thermal Decomposition of Trialkyl/Arylphosphine Gold(I) Cyanide Complexes

Combined TG/DTA techniques have been used to study the thermal decomposition of R₃PAuCN (where Ris ethyl, cyclohexyl, o-tolyl, m-tolyl, p-tolyl, allyl, cyanoethyl,1-naphthyl and phenyl) complexes. It was observed that all of these complexes underwant decomposition cum redox reactions in the range of 200–600oC with evolution of both transligands, which are phosphine and cyanide, leaving metallic gold as a residue. The thermal decomposition of o-Tol₃PAuCN has revealed that this is a stepwise process. In the first step decomposition takes place with evolution of phosphine and generation of AuCN, which in second step undergoes a redox reaction to produce metallic gold. The DTA curves have also confirmed these results. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Behaviors of three BCC metals during non-proportional multi-axial loadings: experiments and modeling

Non-proportional torsion–tension and biaxial-compressive experimental results are presented on tantalum, tantalum alloy with 2.5% tungsten, and AerMet 100 steel. These test results form a comprehensive set of data to show the material behaviors at finite strain and wide strain-rate range. Using the parameter set determined from uniaxial constant strain-rate compressive and tensile tests, the capability of a new constitutive model (Khan, A.S., Liang, R., 1999. Behaviors of three BCC metal over a wide range of strain rates and temperatures: experiments and modeling. International Journal of Plasticity 15, 1089–1109) is shown to accurately predict complex loading paths of current experimental results. Using von Mises equivalent strain, stress, and strain rate, the constitutive model gives excellent predictions of these non-proportional experimental results.     

Approximate partial Noether operators and first integrals for coupled nonlinear oscillators

Nonlinear Dynamics - We study the construction of approximate first integrals of approximate partial Euler–Lagrange equations via approximate partial Noether operators corresponding to a...