Reconfigurable WDM add/drop multiplexer based on optical switches and fibre Bragg gratings

A reconfigurable wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) add/drop multiplexer (WADM) is constructed using optical switches (OSWS) and fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs). Selected one or two channel(s) can be added/dropped at the same multiplexer by properly controlling the optical switch pair and fibre Bragg grating arrangement. Afour-channel system is experimentally demonstrated for a data rate of 2.5 Gb s–1 and a single-mode fibre (SMF) distance of 100km. A negligible maximum power penalty of only 0.3dB is observed when compared with back-to-back transmission.     

Wide-field-angle behavior of blazed-binary gratings in the resonance domain

Blazed-binary gratings for which a blazed effect with binary etches is achieved under normal incidence offer first-order diffraction efficiencies larger than those of blazed-échelette gratings in the resonance domain [Opt. Lett. 23 1081 (1998)]. We provide further insight into the behavior of blazed-binary gratings and show that they operate efficiently under symmetrical mounting and over a wide field-angle interval. These properties are illustrated with theoretical and experimental results obtained for an approximately 1000-line/mm grating at 633 nm.     

Dynamic instability of strongly confined thin polymer films in spinodal dewetting

We present a general criterion for determining the dynamic instability of a thin polymer film that is strongly confined to a substrate. When such a polymer film is heated above its glass transition temperature, it dewets from the substrate by a spinodal dewetting scenario, in which the onset of the instability is governed by dispersion force and residual thermal stress. It turns out that the thermal stress plays an important role when there is a special interaction between a polymer and a substrate.     

Relativistic corrections to the electric polarizability of compound systems

The widely used relation alpha; = alpha(0)+Deltaalpha for the electric polarizability, where Deltaalpha is proportional to the r.m.s. charge radius of the system, is revisited within a simple model of two spinless particles bound electromagnetically. A complete set of the relativistic corrections to alpha(0) following from the Breit Hamiltonian is obtained. It is shown that these corrections modify the result for alpha; in comparison to that obtained with alpha(0) taken in the nonrelativistic approximation. We propose that the same situation can take place in the more complicated case of hadrons. Special attention is devoted to the correct definition of the center-of-mass coordinates which are found to be very important.     

Thermal changes in the optical properties of SnSxSe2−x crystals

Optical measurements on crystals in the series SnS_xSe_2?x for 0 ? x ? 2, have yielded information on the changes in the ordinary refractive index $\text{Δn}\text{ΔT}$ and the energy gap $\text{ΔEg}\text{ΔT}$ in the temperature range 125–425 K. The coefficient $\text{Δn}\text{ΔT}$ has values +40 to +160 × 10^?6K^?1 and this confirms that covalent bonding predominantly exists in these materials. The coefficient $\text{ΔEg}\text{ΔT}$ remains fairly consistent for all values of x with an average value of -8.0×10^-4eV K^-1.     

Turbulence measurements in a resonance tube

Experimental investigations of acoustically induced turbulence in a resonance tube have been performed. Frequency (f) and sound pressure level (I_p) effects have been studied. Measurements were made at various spatial locations on loops and nodes. Sampled data were processed to estimate the characteristics of turbulence. It is found that the acoustically induced turbulence appears when I_p exceeds 160 dB under the experimental conditions of f = 680–2740 Hz and I_p = 160–166 dB. The turbulent spectrum (F) and the wave number (κ) are found to satisfy a power law F ∝ K^s with $\text{s ? ?1·6}\text{to}\text{? 2·1}$. The r.m.s. turbulent velocity ($\text{u}\text{?}$) is experimentally found to have an $\text{I}{}_{\mathrm{p}}{}^{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}$ dependence, yet is relatively insensitive to the variation of f. Throughout the whole measuring range of f and I_p, the rate of energy dissipation per unit mass (ε) is estimated to be in the order of 10⁶–10⁷cm²/s³.     

Shifted identical bands: A new phenomenon

The levels in ¹⁶²Gd were identified in spontaneous fission studies. Its transition energies are remarkably similar to those in ¹⁶⁰Gd. From that work, an analysis of yrast bands in even-even proton to neutron-rich Ba to Pb nuclei led to the discovery of a new phenomenon, shifted identical bands (SIB). SIBs are yrast bands in neighboring nuclei (a, b) with moments of inertia which are identical when shifted by a constant amount κ, so J _1a (1+κ)=J _1b , from 2⁺ to 8⁺ and higher to 16⁺. Out of over 700 comparisons, 55 SIBs were found from stable to the most neutron-rich Ce-W nuclei with $\left| {\bar k} \right|$ between 1.5% and 13%, where the spread in κ is less than ±1%, and only four identical bands ( $\bar k \cong 0$ ). As examples, we found for ¹⁵⁸Sm-¹⁶⁰Gd, $\bar k = \left( { - 3.2_{ - 0.2}^{ + 0.1} } \right)\%$ (where the ± is the total spread in κ from ?3.1 to ?3.4); ¹⁵⁶Nd-¹⁶⁰Gd, (?10.6 _?0.2 ^+0.4 )%; ¹⁵⁸Sm-¹⁶⁰Sm, (3.4 _?0.3 ^+0.5 )%. The J ₁ values were fitted to a variable moment of inertia model with parameters J ₀ and C whose values correlate with the SIB J ₁ values. The SIBs are not correlated either with deformation or with the N _p N _n product of the IBA model.     

Effects of individual line shapes on composite profiles and line series

We consider (i) the use of approximate ion microfield distributions as inputs into spectral line shapes and (ii) the effects of individual lines on unresolved transition array (UTA) profiles observed in highly ionized plasmas. Spectral line shapes and line wings have significant effects on mean opacity calculations.