Fabrication of high aluminium containing rare-earth doped fiber without core-clad interface defects

The unwanted core-clad interface defect generation and related scattering loss in rare-earth doped optical fibers containing Al-oxide is up to now an unsolved problem as it cannot be avoided without modifying fiber design or composition. Here a simple technique is proposed to eliminate the problem without affecting fiber parameters. The method comprises addition of fumed silica in appropriate amount under dispersed condition to the soaking solution containing Al and rare-earth salts during the solution impregnation stage. This facilitates the networking between Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ during sintering. The method leads to an improvement in optical properties of the fibers and enables doping of high concentration of Al-oxide even in presence of GeO₂ in the core.     

How happy is your web browsing? A model to quantify satisfaction of an Internet user searching for desired information

We feel happy when web browsing operations provide us with necessary information; otherwise, we feel bitter. How to measure this happiness (or bitterness)? How does the profile of happiness grow and decay during the course of web browsing? We propose a probabilistic framework that models the evolution of user satisfaction, on top of his/her continuous frustration at not finding the required information. It is found that the cumulative satisfaction profile of a web-searching individual can be modeled effectively as the sum of a random number of random terms, where each term is a mutually independent random variable, originating from ‘memoryless’ Poisson flow. Evolution of satisfaction over the entire time interval of a user’s browsing was modeled using auto-correlation analysis. A utilitarian marker, a magnitude of greater than unity of which describes happy web-searching operations, and an empirical limit that connects user’s satisfaction with his frustration level—are proposed too. The presence of pertinent information in the very first page of a website and magnitude of the decay parameter of user satisfaction (frustration, irritation etc.) are found to be two key aspects that dominate the web user’s psychology. The proposed model employed different combinations of decay parameter, searching time and number of helpful websites. The obtained results are found to match the results from three real-life case studies.     

Germanium microsphere high-Q resonator

In this Letter, the fabrication and characterization of a microsphere resonator from the semiconductor germanium is demonstrated. Whispering gallery modes are excited in a 46 μm diameter germanium microsphere resonator using evanescent coupling from a tapered silica optical fiber with a waist diameter of 2 μm. Resonances with Q factors as high as 3.8×10(4) at wavelengths near 2 μm are observed. Because of their ultrahigh optical nonlinearities and extremely broad transparency window, germanium microsphere resonators offer the potential for optical processing devices, in particular at long wavelengths, such as around 2 μm.     

Brownian motion in a classical ideal gas: A microscopic approach to Langevin’s equation

We present an insightful ‘derivation’ of the Langevin equation and the fluctuation dissipation theorem in the specific context of a heavier particle moving through an ideal gas of much lighter particles. The Newton’s law of motion (mx = F) for the heavy particle reduces to a Langevin equation (valid on a coarser time-scale) with the assumption that the lighter gas particles follow a Boltzmann velocity distribution. Starting from the kinematics of the random collisions we show that (1) the average force 〈F〉 ∞ −x and (2) the correlation function of the fluctuating forceη = F — 〈F〉 is related to the strength of the average force. Deceased     

Spectral signatures of the diffusional anomaly in water

Power spectra for various tagged particle quantities in bulk extended simple point charge model water [H. J. C. Berendsen, J. R. Grigera, and T. P. Straatsma, J. Phys. Chem. 91, 6269 (1987)] are shown to have a regime with 1f(alpha) dependence on frequency f with alpha lying between 1 and 1.5 if the dynamical changes in the particular observable are sensitive to the multiple time-scale behavior of the hydrogen-bond network. The variations in mobility associated with the diffusional anomaly are mirrored in the scaling exponent alpha associated with this multiple time-scale behavior, suggesting that monitoring of 1f(alpha) behavior is a simple and direct method for linking phenomena on three distinctive length and time scales: the local molecular environment, hydrogen-bond network reorganizations, and the diffusivity. Our results indicate that experimental studies of supercooled water to probe the density dependence of 1f(alpha) spectral features, or equivalent stretched exponential behavior in time-correlation functions, will be of interest.     

A coupled VOF–IBM–enthalpy approach for modeling motion and growth of equiaxed dendrites in a solidifying melt

A coupled methodology for simulating the simultaneous growth and motion of equiaxed dendrites in solidifying melts is presented. The model uses the volume-averaging principles and combines the features of the enthalpy method for modeling growth, immersed boundary method for handling the rigid solid–liquid interfaces, and the volume of fluid method for tracking the advection of the dendrite. The algorithm also performs explicit–implicit coupling between the techniques used. A two-dimensional framework with incompressible and Newtonian fluid is considered. Validation with available literature is performed and dendrite growth in the presence of rotational and buoyancy driven flow fields is studied. It is seen that the flow fields significantly alter the position and morphology of the dendrites.     

Synthesis of CuS thin films by microwave assisted chemical bath deposition

In this study, oriented CuS nanoplates standing perpendicularly on F: SnO₂ (FTO) coated glass substrates have been prepared through a mild microwave assisted chemical bath deposition process in which copper acetate reacted with ethylenediamine tetraacetate acid disodium and thioacetamide in aqueous solution within 40 min. The effects of reaction time and microwave radiation on the treatment process were investigated. The morphology, structure, and composition of the yielded nanostructures have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Also, the correlation between the reflectance, transmittance coefficient in the UV and the thickness of films was established. Furthermore, a two-point probe was used for resistivity measurements. We believe this simple chemical conversion technique can be further extended to the synthesis of other semiconductors with various morphologies.     

Working group report: Collider and flavour physics

The activities of the working group took place under two broad subgroups: Collider Physics subgroup and Flavour Physics subgroup. Reports on some of the projects undertaken are included. Also, some of the leading discussions organized by the working group are summarized.      

Memory-switching phenomenon in acceptor-rich organic molecules: impedance spectroscopic studies

We have studied memory-switching phenomena in terms of impedance spectroscopy in a series of xanthene-class fluorescein molecules. Frequency response studies have revealed that the electronic conduction mechanism was largely tuned by increasing the number of acceptor groups attached to the molecular backbone. In molecules with weak intermolecular interactions, the transition between a low- and a high-conducting state has been associated with a change in bulk resistance and dielectric properties. The devices in the two states remained a parallel combination of a resistor and a capacitor (C(P)-R(P)) network. In devices based on Rose Bengal, which exhibits a strong dipole-dipole interaction due to its acceptor groups, the switching between the states has been modeled as a transition between a C(P)-R(P) network in the off-state and a distributed resistor-capacitor (R-C) line network in the on-state. Instead of isolated clusters, a highly coupled network of reduced Rose Bengal molecules with strong dipole-dipole interaction yielded the high-conducting state. Under a "write-read-erase-read" sequence, the device switched between the two networks reversibly for many cycles.