Probing noise in flux qubits via macroscopic resonant tunneling

Macroscopic resonant tunneling between the two lowest lying states of a bistable rf SQUID is used to characterize noise in a flux qubit. Measurements of the incoherent decay rate as a function of flux bias revealed a Gaussian-shaped profile that is not peaked at the resonance point but is shifted to a bias at which the initial well is higher than the target well. The rms amplitude of the noise, which is proportional to the dephasing rate 1/tauphi, was observed to be weakly dependent on temperature below 70 mK. Analysis of these results indicates that the dominant source of low energy flux noise in this device is a quantum mechanical environment in thermal equilibrium.     

Upgrade of beamline BL08B at Taiwan Light Source from a photon‐BPM to a double‐grating SGM beamline

During the last 20 years, beamline BL08B has been upgraded step by step from a photon beam‐position monitor (BPM) to a testing beamline and a single‐grating beamline that enables experiments to record X‐ray photo‐emission spectra (XPS) and X‐ray absorption spectra (XAS) for research in solar physics, organic semiconductor materials and spinel oxides, with soft X‐ray photon energies in the range 300–1000 eV. Demands for photon energy to extend to the extreme ultraviolet region for applications in nano‐fabrication and topological thin films are increasing. The basic spherical‐grating monochromator beamline was again upgraded by adding a second grating that delivers photons of energy from 80 to 420 eV. Four end‐stations were designed for experiments with XPS, XAS, interstellar photoprocess systems (IPS) and extreme‐ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) in the scheduled beam time. The data from these experiments show a large count rate in core levels probed and excellent statistics on background normalization in the L‐edge adsorption spectrum.     

Doppler-broadening measurements of microvoids at the Au/GaAs interface

Recent positron lifetime studies made on the Au/GaAs interface with an applied electric field returning a significant fraction of bulk implanted positrons to the interface have revealed the presence of microvoids( 1 nm diameter) at the interface. In this work an attempt has been made to study these microvoids by observing the Doppler broadening on the annihilation radiation coming from them. This is done both by observing theS-parameter as a function of applied bias and by applying the generalized least-squares method to the deconvolution of the annihilation radiation lineshape. The general conclusion is that the Doppler-broadened data are consistent with the majority of positrons trapping into microvoids, probably associated with grain boundaries. The data suggest that these open volume defects are more associated with the Au film rather than the Au-Ga alloyed interfacial region.Paper presented at the 132nd WE-Heraeus-Seminar on Positron Studies of Semiconductor Defects, Halle, Germany, 29 August to 2 September 1994     

Design and construction of a compact end-station at NSRRC for circular-dichroism spectra in the vacuum-ultraviolet region

A synchrotron‐radiation‐based circular‐dichroism end‐station has been implemented at beamline BL04B at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) in Taiwan for biological research. The design and performance of this compact end‐station for measuring circular‐dichroism spectra in the vacuum‐ultraviolet region are described. The linearly polarized light from the beamline is converted to modulated circularly polarized light with a LiF photoelastic modulator to provide a usable wavelength region of 130–330 nm. The light spot at the sample position is 5 mm × 5 mm at a slit width of 300 µm and provides a flux greater than 1 × 10¹¹ photons s^?1 (0.1% bandwidth)^?1. A vacuum‐compatible cell made of two CaF₂ windows has a variable path length from 1.3 µm to 1 mm and a temperature range of 253–363 K. Measured CD spectra of (1S)‐(+)‐10‐camphorsulfonic acid and proteins demonstrated the ability of this system to extend the wavelength down to 172 nm in aqueous solution and 153 nm in hexafluoro‐2‐propanol.     

A Comparative ESR Study on Blood and Tissue Nitric Oxide Concentration during Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin trapping technology is a sensitive and unambiguous method for detection of nitric oxide (NO). Due to the short lifetime, NO must be trapped before EPR measurement. There are two EPR spin trapping techniques used currently, including the detections of EPR signals of diethyldithiocarbamate-iron-nitric oxide (DETC₂-Fe²⁺-NO) and nitrosyl hemoglobin (HbNO). In this study, we firstly investigated the kinetics of the EPR signal of DETC₂-Fe²⁺-NO in normal and ischemia-reperfused kidneys. In normal rat kidneys, the signal of DETC₂-Fe²⁺-NO was found at 5 min after the spin trappers Fe²⁺/DETC were administrated, the peak concentration was at 15 min and the period with relatively stable signal intensity was at the time range from 15 to 70 min. In the ischemia-reperfused rat kidneys, the signal of DETC₂-Fe²⁺-NO was increased at 30 min of ischemia and decreased at 60 min of ischemia after the occlusion of renal artery (corresponding to the time course of 60 and 90 min after Fe²⁺/DETC injection respectively). We then investigated the EPR signal of HbNO in blood. No characteristic HbNO signal was found in the rats of the sham control and 30 min of ischemia. An HbNO signal occurred in the rats exposed to 60 min of ischemia and it became pronounced with increased duration of reperfusion. The signal intensity reached a plateau at 150 min of reperfusion. The results suggest that the DETC₂-Fe²⁺-NO signal can be only suitable for the NO measurement in the short-term ischemia-reperfusion model, whereas the HbNO signal can be applied to represent NO in the relatively long-term ischemia-reperfusion model. In addition, N^G-nitro-L-arginine (L-NAME) and allopurinol were used to identify the source of NO. By detecting the HbNO signal, we demonstrated that the activation of xanthine oxidase is an important source of NO formation at the long-term period of ischemia and reperfusion. Authors' address: Jiangang Shen, School of Chinese Medicine, University of Hong Kong, 10 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong SAR, China     

Measurement of the muonic branching fractions of the narrow upsilon resonances

The decay branching fractions of the three narrow Upsilon resonances to mu(+)mu(-) have been measured by analyzing about 4.3 fb(-1) e(+)e(-) data collected with the CLEO III detector. The branching fraction B(Upsilon(1S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.49+/-0.02+/-0.07)% is consistent with the current world average, but B(Upsilon(2S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.03+/-0.03+/-0.08)% and B(Upsilon(3S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.39+/-0.07+/-0.10)% are significantly larger than prior results. These new muonic branching fractions imply a narrower total decay width for the Upsilon(2S) and Upsilon(3S) resonances and lower other branching fractions that rely on these decays in their determination.     

An improved broadband decoupling sequence for liquid crystals and solids

Recently we developed an efficient broadband decoupling sequence called SPARC-16 for liquid crystals ?J. Magn. Reson. 130, 317 (1998). The sequence is based upon a 16-step phase cycling of the 2-step TPPM decoupling method for solids ?J. Chem. Phys. 103, 6951 (1995). Since then, we have found that a stepwise variation of the phase angle in the TPPM sequence offers even better results. The application of this new method to a liquid crystalline compound, 4-n-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl, and a solid, L-tyrosine hydrochloride, is reported. The reason for the improvement is explained by an analysis of the problem in the rotating frame.     

GaN-nanowire-based dye-sensitized solar cells

GaN nanowires typically exhibit high electron mobility and excellent chemical stability. However, stability of GaN is detrimental for successful attachment of dye molecules and its application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Here we demonstrate DSSCs based on GaN/gallium oxide and GaN/TiO _x core–shell structures, and we show that coating of GaN nanowires with a TiO _x shell significantly increases dye adsorption and consequently photovoltaic performance. The best cells exhibited short circuit current density of 1.83 mA/cm² and power conversion efficiency of 0.44% under AM 1.5 simulated solar illumination.     

Unsteady fluid dynamic forces on a simply-supported circular cylinder of finite length conveying a flow,with applications to stability analysis

An exact analytic expression for the unsteady fluid pressure acting on the internal walls of a simply-supported circular cylindrical tube of finite length, carrying flow, is presented. The generalized force coefficients corresponding to specific modes of deformation are given explicitly. The results are applied to two problems: (1) the interaction of flow and buckling of thin-walled cylindrical shells subjected to lateral pressure and/or end thrust; (2) the aeroelastic stability of the shells. The second problem is aimed at resolving some controversy about post-divergence flutter oscillation of cylindrical shells or plates exposed to a subsonic flow. The shell equation, of the Morley type, is solved by Galerkin's method and an analytic approach is used to examine the stability of the system. It is important that damping be taken into account in the analysis. The undeformed configuration is always unstable when the flow speed exceeds the minimum divergence boundary.