Strangeness saturation: Dependence on system-size, centrality and energy

The dependence of the strangeness saturation factor on the system size, centrality and energy is studied in relativistic heavy-ion collisions.     

Real-time color holographic interferometry devoted to 2D unsteady wake flows

A new optical technique based on real time holographic interferometry in true colors has been implemented around the transonic wind tunnel of the ONERA-Lille center to analyze 2D unsteady wake flows. Tests realized in color interferometry, real time and double exposure, use simultaneously three wavelengths of a continuous waves laser (argon and krypton mixed) and holograms are recorded on silver-halide single-layer panchromatic Slavich PFG03c plates. The very principle of real-time true color holographic interferometry uses three primary wavelengths (red, green and blue) to record, under no-flow conditions, the interference among the three measurement beams and the three reference beams simultaneously on a single reference hologram. After the holographic plate is developed, it is placed on the test setup again in the position it occupied during exposure and the hologram is illuminated again by the three reference beams and three measurement beams. A flat, uniform color can then be observed behind the hologram. So a horizontal, vertical, or even circular fringe pattern can be formed and the achromatic central fringe can be made out very clearly. The single color is used to determine the path difference zero on the interferograms. The flow studied was the unsteady flow downstream of a cylinder placed crosswise in the test section. A sequence of hundred interferograms was recorded on the flow around the cylinder at Mach 0.37. The vortex formation and dissipation phases can be seen very clearly, along with the fringe beat to either side of the cylinder.     

Radiation effect on the 400-nm-thermoluminescence emission of a potassium-rich feldspar

The UV-blue thermoluminescence (TL) emission of exsolved and twinned potassium feldspars is potentially valid to be employed in the field of dating and retrospective dosimetry. This paper reports about the following results: (i) The dose dependence of the 400 nm TL intensity of a K-rich feldspar exhibits an excellent linearity in the range of 50 mGy–8 Gy. (ii) The stability of the TL signal after 6 months of storage, shows an initial rapid decay (ca. 45%) maintaining the stability from 40 days onwards which indicates that the electron population decreases asymptotically by the X-axis and the involved electrons are located in deeper traps at room temperature. The fading process can be fitted to a first-order decay equation of the sort y=y₀+A exp(−x/t). (iii) The tests of thermal stability at different temperatures confirm a continuous trap distribution with progressive changes in the glow curve shape, intensity and temperature position of the maximum peak. According to this behaviour some physical parameters are defined.     

The glow curve structure for the LiF:Mg,Cu,Na,Si TL detector with dopants concentrations and sintering temperatures

The glow curve structures for LiF:Mg,Cu,Na,Si TL detectors with various dopant concentrations and sintering temperatures were investigated for the improvement of the glow curve structure and sensitivity of the TL detector. The dopant concentrations were varied over the following ranges: Mg (0–0.25 mol%), Cu (0–0.07 mol%), Na and Si (0–1.5 mol%). With increasing Cu concentration, the intensity of the main peak was intensified and reached a maximum at a concentration of 0.05 mol%. The high-temperature peak was reduced. The dependency of the main peak intensity on the Mg concentration exhibits a sharp maximum at 0.2 mol%. The intensity of the high-temperature peak tends to rise slightly with increasing Mg concentration. It was found that the optimum concentrations of the dopants in the LiF:Mg,Cu,Na,Si TL material are Mg: 0.2 mol%, Cu: 0.05 mol%, Na and Si: 0.9 mol%. The dependency of the main peak intensity on sintering temperature exhibits a very sharp maximum at 830°C. The high-temperature peak was rapidly reduced after 825°C.     

Negative luminescence from mid-wave infrared HgCdTe diode arrays

A self-referencing, optical modulation technique was used to measure the negative luminescence efficiencies of an array of mid-wave infrared HgCdTe photodiodes with cutoff wavelength 4.6 μm as a function of sample temperature. The internal efficiency at a wavelength of 4 μm was 93% at 295 K, and nearly independent of temperature in the 240–300 K range. This corresponds to an apparent temperature reduction >50 K at room temperature and >30 K at 240 K. Moreover, the reverse-bias saturation current density was only 0.13 A/cm². The measured transmission and emission spectra were simulated using empirical HgCdTe absorption formulas from the literature.     

Microstructure and mechanical characteristics of nanodiamond-SiC compacts

Superhard nanodiamond-SiC ceramics are prepared by infiltrating liquid Si into porous nanodiamond compacts under pressure. Synthesized samples are 2.2 mm thick and 3–4 mm in diameter. The effect of particle size of dynamically synthesized nanodiamond powders on silicon infiltration and SiC phase formation is studied. It is established that silicon does not penetrate into the pores of nanodiamond powders if the original particle size is smaller than 0.5–1.0 μm. The critical pore size for infiltration is 100–200 nm. A study of the microstructure of the samples showed the presence of the nanometer-and submicron-scale SiC phase. The ultrasound velocities are measured in the prepared compacts, and the elastic moduli are calculated. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 46, No. 4, 2004, pp. 734–736. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2004 by Ekimov, Gromnitskaya, Mazalov, Pal’, Pichugin, Gierlotka, Palosz, Kozubowski.     

Plasmon-induced terahertz absorption and photoconductivity in a grid-gated double-quantum-well structure

The terahertz absorption spectra of plasmon modes in a grid-gated double-quantum-well field-effect transistor structure is analyzed theoretically and numerically using the scattering matrix approach and is shown to faithfully reproduce strong resonant features of recent experimental observations of terahertz photo-conductivity in such a structure.     

Functionalization of polyethylene/silane copolymers in posttreatment reactions

7‐Octenyldimethylphenylsilane was copolymerized with ethylene via Et(Ind)₂ZrCl₂ methylaluminoxane catalyst system without loss of catalyst activity or decrease in molar mass. The comonomer contents in the polymer samples were at a level of 0.15–1.0 mol % and the reactive phenylsilane groups were posttreated to different alcoxy‐ and halosilane groups, for example, Si? F, Si? Cl, Si? OCH₃, and Si? OCH₂CH₃. The posttreatment reactions had no major effect on the molar masses or on the thermal properties (measured with differential scanning calorimetry) of the copolymers. The reaction pathways were nearly independent of the comonomer contents and the reactions reached 70–100% conversions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1461–1467, 2004     

Tetrafunctional initiators for cationic polymerization of olefins

3,3′,5,5′‐Tetrakis(2‐chloro‐2‐propyl)biphenyl (biphenyl tetracumyl chloride, BPTCC) and 1,3‐bis[3,5‐bis(2‐chloro‐2‐propyl)phenoxy]propane (diphenoxypropane tetracumyl chloride, DPPTCC) were synthesized as initiators for quasiliving cationic polymerization of isobutylene (IB). In the synthesis of BPTCC, tetrafunctionality was achieved via the coupling of dimethyl 5‐bromoisophthalate (DMBI) using nickel dibromide bis(triphenylphosphine) and zinc in the presence of a base; in the synthesis of DPPTCC, two equivalents of dimethyl 5‐hydroxyisophthalate were linked via reaction with 1,3‐dibromopropane in the presence of potassium carbonate. Both initiators were used to initiate the polymerization of IB under quasiliving cationic polymerization conditions. PIB initiated from BPTCC revealed a chain end/molecule value (as determined by ¹H‐NMR) of 3.85, verifying the nearly exclusive production of 4‐arm polyisobutylene (PIB). GPC analysis revealed a narrow peak representing the target four‐arm PIB, with a slight shoulder at high elution volumes (low molecular weights). GPC analysis of the PIB initiated by DPPTCC revealed multimodal distributions, suggesting the formation of two‐, three‐, and four‐arm star polymers during the polymerization. This behavior was attributed to Friedel–Crafts alkylation of the initiator core after the addition of one IB unit, which was activated by the electron‐donating oxytrimethyleneoxy linking moiety. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5942–5953, 2004     

Completely biodegradable composites of poly(propylene carbonate) and short,lignocellulose fiber Hildegardia populifolia

The composites of biodegradable poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) reinforced with short Hildegardia populifolia natural fiber were prepared by melt mixing followed by compression molding. The mechanical properties, thermal properties, and morphologies of the composites were studied via static and dynamic mechanical measurements, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, respectively. Static tensile tests showed that the stiffness and tensile strength of the composites increased with an increasing fiber content. However, the elongation at break and the energy to break decreased dramatically with the addition of short fiber. The relationship between the experimental results and the compatibility or interaction between the PPC matrix and fiber was correlated. SEM observations indicated good interfacial contact between the short fiber and PPC matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the introduction of short Hildegardia populifolia fiber led to a slightly improved thermooxidative stability of PPC. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 666–675, 2004