Thermal characterisation of micro-hotplates used in sensor structures

Micro-hotplates operated at elevated temperature form the basic element in several sensor devices, such as integrated calorimetric or Taguchi-type gas sensors and flow-rate sensors. In all of these applications thermal properties of the sensing elements play a determining role in functional operation, therefore, their accurate characterisation is essential. The micro-hotplates investigated were developed by one side porous silicon micro-machining technology, forming Pt micro-filaments embedded in non-stoichiometric silicon nitride, and suspended across a cavity. This work is dealing with the accurate temperature detection in the micro-scale by different measurement methods for the deduction of steady state and transient thermal properties from the results. Transient properties of the structure were investigated by application of a simplified thermal equivalent circuit model.     

Quantum correlations in dual quantum measurements

 We analyze the quantum measurement properties of dual non-degenerate parametric amplifers in the twin-beam configuration, in the cascaded back-action-evasion configuration, and in Kerr-type photon-number quantum non-demolition measurements. It is found that Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen correlations can be obtained between the quadrature components of an idler mode and the sum of the readout of two signal modes. Furthermore, we discuss dual-mode quantum non-demolition measurements on the combination of two light modes, and the generation of number-state entanglement. Received: 12 April 1996/Revised version: 2 July 1996     

Polar angle dependence of the longitudinal polarization of quarks produced in e+e−-annihilation

We calculate one-loop radiative QCD corrections to the three polarized and unpolarized structure functions that determine the beam-quark polar angle dependence of the longitudinal polarization of light and heavy quarks produced in e⁺e^?-annihilations. We present analytical and numerical results for the longitudinal polarization and its polar angle dependence. We discuss in some detail the zero-mass limit of our results and the role of the anomalous spin-flip contributions to the polarization observables in the zero-mass limit. Our discussion includes transverse and longitudinal beam polarization effects.     

Rotational bands in 181Ta

High-spin states in ¹⁸¹Ta have been studied via the ¹⁷⁶Yb(¹¹B,α2n) reaction at 52 MeV using the PEX array and at 57 MeV using the NORDBALL array, with α-particle detection. The previously known, K^π=(7/2)⁺ ground state band and K^π=(9/2)⁻ band have been extended to spins (29/2)⁺ and (31/2)⁻, respectively. Two new one-quasiparticle bands, the K^π=(5/2)⁺ band built on the known (5/2)⁺ isomer and a K^π=((1/2)⁻) band have been observed. Two other rotational bands with three-quasiparticle structure, K^π=(15/2)⁻ and ((19/2)⁺ with π(7/2)[404]ν²(1/2)[510](9/2)[624] and π(9/2)[514]ν²(1/2)[510](9/2)[624] configurations, respectively, have been newly observed. The half-life of the K^π=((19/2)⁺) bandhead which decays to the head of the (15/2)⁻ band has been measured to be 140(36) ns. However, transitions from the ((19/2)⁺) state to the (15/2)⁻ band have not been observed. Received: 26 August 1998     

High-energy gamma-rays accompanying the spontaneous fission of 252Cf

The γ-ray spectrum of ²⁵²Cf(sf) was measured in the Darmstadt-Heidelberg Crystal Ball spectrometer, with a double ionization chamber mounted inside to detect the fission fragments. The measurement was aimed at a better understanding of an unusual component found in the high-energy region between 3 and 8 MeV, with fragment mass splits near symmetry. This component was proved to be predominantly emitted by the heavier fragment, to reach its highest intensity at a fragment mass split of 132:120, and to have an almost isotropic angular distribution. Calculations with the statistical code CASCADE could reproduce the main features.     

An interactive approach for multiobjective decision making

We develop an interactive approach for multiobjective decision-making problems, where the solution space is defined by a set of constraints. We first reduce the solution space by eliminating some undesirable regions. We generate solutions (partition ideals) that dominate portions of the efficient frontier and the decision maker (DM) compares these with feasible solutions. Whenever the decision maker prefers a feasible solution, we eliminate the region dominated by the partition ideal. We then employ an interactive search method on the reduced solution space to help the DM further converge toward a highly preferred solution. We demonstrate our approach and discuss some variations.     

First measurement of the ϱ spectral function in nuclear collisions

The NA60 experiment at the CERN SPS has studied low-mass muon pairs in 158 A GeV In–In collisions. A strong excess of pairs is observed above the yield expected from neutral meson decays. The unprecedented sample size close to 400000 events and the good mass resolution of about 2% made it possible to isolate the excess by subtraction of the decay sources. The shape of the resulting mass spectrum shows some non-trivial centrality dependence, but is largely consistent with a dominant contribution from π⁺π^-→ϱ→μ⁺μ^- annihilation. The associated ϱ spectral function exhibits considerable broadening, but essentially no shift in mass. The p_T-differential mass spectra show the excess to be much stronger at low p_T than at high p_T. The results are compared to theoretical model predictions; they tend to rule out models linking hadron masses directly to the chiral condensate. PACS 25.75.-q; 12.38.Mh; 13.85.Qk