Interferometers for displacement-noise-free gravitational-wave detection

We propose a class of displacement- and laser-noise-free gravitational-wave-interferometer configurations, which does not sense nongeodesic mirror motion and laser noise, but provides a nonvanishing gravitational-wave signal. Our interferometers consist of four mirrors and two beam splitters, which form four Mach-Zehnder interferometers. By contrast to previous works, no composite mirrors with multiple reflective surfaces are required. Each mirror in our configuration is sensed redundantly, by at least two pairs of incident and reflected beams. Displacement- and laser-noise-free detection is achieved when output signals from these four interferometers are combined appropriately. Our 3-dimensional interferometer configuration has a low-frequency response proportional to f2, which is better than the f3 achievable by previous 2-dimensional configurations.     

Polymer electrolytes plasticized with hyperbranched polymer for lithium polymer batteries

Hyperbranched polymers (HBPs) with different terminal groups and different ethylene oxide (EO) chain lengths were prepared, and the influence of the HBP structures including molecular weights and molecular weight distribution on the ionic conductivity and the mechanical property of the composite polymer electrolytes composed of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO), HBP, BaTiO₃ as a ceramic filler, and LiN(CF₃SO₂)₂ as a lithium salt were investigated. It was found that the molecular weights of the HBP do not affect significantly the ionic conductivity, but the molecular weight distribution might affect it, and also further branching at the terminals of the HBP led to a decrease in the ionic conductivity. The HBP with longer EO chain length was effective for enhancement of the ionic conductivity in comparison with the HBP with shorter one. The increase in cross-linkable groups (acryloyl group) at the terminals of the HBP improved the tensile strength, but caused the ionic conductivity to decrease. Loosely cross-linked composite polymer electrolyte showed higher ionic conductivity and higher tensile strength than no cross-linked one. Paper presented at the Patras Conference on Solid State Ionics — Transport Properties, Patras, Greece, Sept. 14 – 18, 2004.     

Two-dimensional structures of pyrimido[5,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives at solid/liquid interface

Two-dimensional structures of pyrimido[5,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives (PD) were studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at solid/liquid interface. In order to tune the intervals of functional unit (hydrogen bonding site) in the molecule, the PD with different numbers and length of alkyl chain were designed and synthesized. STM observation at highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG)/1-phenyloctane interface revealed that the PD with four alkyl chains formed a columnar structure, and the alkyl chains were not interdigitated. By contrast, the PD with two alkyl chains formed similar columnar structure, whereas the alkyl chains were interdigitated. These structural features of the PD indicates that the intervals of the functional unit, i.e., hydrogen bonding sites in the PD can be controlled by changing not only the length but also the number of alkyl chains.     

盘型激光焊金属蒸汽特征色调-色饱和度-亮度分析法研究

对于大功率盘型激光焊,金属焊件表面在激光束辐射下强烈汽化并形成等离子体状的金属蒸汽羽状物. 该金属蒸汽羽状物可逆向激光束传输,对激光有明显的屏蔽作用, 降低激光辐射至焊件的能量密度,影响焊接效率和质量. 因此研究金属蒸汽特征变化规律及其与焊接质量之间的关联 ,可实现由金属蒸汽特征实时监测激光焊接状态. 以10 kW大功率盘型连续激光焊接304不锈钢钢板为试验对象, 应用高速摄像机摄取金属蒸汽动态图像,将其转换至色调-色饱和度-亮度空间, 提取金属蒸汽面积、激光束受影响路径长度等相关特征量, 以焊缝熔宽的变化作为衡量焊接状态稳定性的参数. 通过金属蒸汽特征值的均值统计和方差分析,试验证明根据金属蒸汽面积和激光束受影响路径长度等金属蒸汽特征可有效地反映熔宽质量, 从而对焊接状况做出动态评估.     

Fermi surface and antiferromagnetism in the Kondo lattice: an asymptotically exact solution in d>1 dimensions

Interest in the heavy fermion metals has motivated us to examine the quantum phases and their Fermi surfaces within the Kondo lattice model. We demonstrate that the model is soluble asymptotically exactly in any dimension d>1, when the Kondo coupling is small compared with the RKKY interaction and in the presence of antiferromagnetic ordering. We show that the Kondo coupling is exactly marginal in the renormalization group sense, establishing the stability of an ordered phase with a small Fermi surface AFS. Our results have implications for the global phase diagram of the heavy fermion metals, suggesting a Lifshitz transition inside the antiferromagnetic region and providing a new perspective for a Kondo-destroying antiferromagnetic quantum critical point.     

Reduction of thermal fluctuations in a cryogenic laser interferometric gravitational wave detector

The thermal fluctuation of mirror surfaces is the fundamental limitation for interferometric gravitational wave (GW) detectors. Here, we experimentally demonstrate for the first time a reduction in a mirror's thermal fluctuation in a GW detector with sapphire mirrors from the Cryogenic Laser Interferometer Observatory at 17 and 18 K. The detector sensitivity, which was limited by the mirror's thermal fluctuation at room temperature, was improved in the frequency range of 90 to 240 Hz by cooling the mirrors. The improved sensitivity reached a maximum of 2.2×10(-19) m/√Hz at 165 Hz.     

Stable 10 W Er:ZBLAN fiber laser operating at 2.71-2.88 μm

We have developed a diode-pumped tunable 3 μm fiber laser with a cw output power of the order of 10 W with the use of an erbium-doped ZBLAN fiber. A tunability range of 110 nm (2770 to 2880 nm) with an output power between 8 and 11 W was demonstrated. As the pump power was increased, the center of the wavelength range was shifted toward longer wavelengths, but the width of the wavelength range was largely unaffected. The total tunability range for various pump power levels was 170 nm (2710 to 2880 nm). To our knowledge, this is the highest performance (output power and tunability) obtained from a tunable 3 μm fiber laser.     

Reduced expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">TAC1</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">PENK</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">SOCS2</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hcrtr-2</Emphasis> mutated narcoleptic dog brain

Background  

Narcolepsy causes dramatic behavioral alterations in both humans and dogs, with excessive sleepiness and cataplexy triggered by emotional stimuli. Deficiencies in the hypocretin system are well established as the origin of the condition; both from studies in humans who lack the hypocretin ligand (HCRT) and in dogs with a mutation in hypocretin receptor 2 (HCRTR2). However, little is known about molecular alterations downstream of the hypocretin signals.