Frequency specificity of the human auditory brainstem and middle latency responses using notched noise masking

This study investigated the frequency specificity of the auditory brainstem and middle latency responses to 80 and 90 dB ppe SPL 500-Hz and 90 dB ppe SPL 2000-Hz tonebursts. The stimuli were brief (2-1-2 cycle) linear-gated tonebursts. ABR/MLRs were recorded using two electrode montages: (1) Cz-nape of neck and (2) Cz-ipsilateral earlobe. Cochlear contributions to ABR wave V-Na and MLR waves Na-Pa and Pa-Nb were assessed by plotting notched noise tuning curves which showed amplitudes and latencies as a function of center frequency of the noise masker [Abdala and Folsom, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 97, 2394 (1995); ibid. 98, 921 (1995)]. Maxima in the response amplitude profiles for the ABR and MLR to 80 dB ppe SPL tonebursts occurred within one-half octave of the nominal stimulus frequency, with minimal contributions to the responses from frequencies greater than one octave away. At 90 dB ppe SPL, contributions came from a slightly broader frequency region for both stimulus frequencies. Thus, the ABR/MLR to 80 dB ppe SPL tonebursts shows good frequency specificity which decreases at 90 dB ppe SPL. No significant differences exist in frequency specificity of: (1) ABR wave V-Na versus MLR waves Na-Pa and Pa-Nb at either stimulus frequency or intensity; and (2) ABR/MLRs recorded using the two electrode montages.     

The Structural Characterization of Tin- and Titanium-Dopedα-Fe2O3Prepared by Hydrothermal Synthesis

The structural characteristics of tin- and titanium-dopedα-Fe₂O₃prepared by hydrothermal methods have been investigated by Rietveld structure refinement of the X-ray powder diffraction data. The analysis reveals that the dopant ions adopt two distinct sites: in addition to partially substituting at the octahedral Fe sites, they also occupy the interstitial octahedral sites which are vacant in theα-Fe₂O₃structure. The structural model deduced involves clusters of three substituted cations and is rational in that it represents microstructural regions of the rutile structure within a matrix ofα-Fe₂O₃.     

Thermodynamic properties of ternary alloys from Monte Carlo simulations

Methods are presented for obtaining both the integral and partial molar energies, entropies and free energies of the components in rigid ternary substitutional alloy systems from the one Monte Carlo simulation. Tests of the methods for some model systems are presented and discussed.     

Observation of the atomic Ramsauer—townsend effect in 4He4He scattering

Measurement of the total scattering cross section for ⁴He⁴He at very low energies are presented. The measurements have resolved the atomic Ramsauer—Townsend effect.     

Optical lattice induced light shifts in an yb atomic clock

We present an experimental study of the lattice-induced light shifts on the (1)S(0) --> (3)P(0) optical clock transition (nu(clock) approximately 518 THz) in neutral ytterbium. The "magic" frequency nu(magic) for the 174Yb isotope was determined to be 394 799 475(35) MHz, which leads to a first order light shift uncertainty of 0.38 Hz. We also investigated the hyperpolarizability shifts due to the nearby 6s6p(3)P(0) --> 6s8p(3)P(0), 6s8p(3)P(2), and 6s5f(3)F(2) two-photon resonances at 759.708, 754.23, and 764.95 nm, respectively. By measuring the corresponding clock transition shifts near these two-photon resonances, the hyperpolarizability shift was estimated to be 170(33) mHz for a linear polarized, 50 microK deep, lattice at the magic wavelength. These results indicate that the differential polarizability and hyperpolarizability frequency shift uncertainties in a Yb lattice clock could be held to well below 10(-17).     

Electric probe measurements of high-voltage sheath collapse in cathodic arc plasmas due to surface charging of insulators

High-voltage sheath dynamics near a negatively biased substrate in cathodic arc plasmas are investigated using a biased electrical probe. Since the sheath is devoid of electrons, the sheath boundary can be inferred from the position where a positively biased probe draws no electron current. The extent of the sheath is primarily dependent on the plasma density, the ion velocity and the applied voltage. Using insulating substrates, the sheath boundary eventually retracts due to a dynamic reduction in the applied voltage. This reduction is caused by positive charge accumulation on the insulator surface. The collapse time of the sheath is dependent on the plasma density and the substrate characteristics. We believe this to be the first direct observation of the reduction in the width of the high-voltage sheath when implanting an electrical insulator using plasma-based ion implantation (PBII). This information is important when determining the optimal parameters for plasma-based ion implantation of insulators. Our measurements are compared with theoretical predictions based on the Child-Langmuir equations for high-voltage sheaths. By choosing appropriate values for the secondary electron coefficient the theory could be made to fit the experimental data. A discussion of the validity of the choice of secondary electron coefficients is presented.     

Molecular beam maser measurements of relaxation cross sections in NH3

Direct measurements of scattering cross sections for NH₃ in well-defined quantum states are made using a molecular beam maser spectrometer. Cross sections are compared for a pure inversion state with those for a coherent superposition state for scattering gases He, Ar, N₂, N₂O, NH₃, CH₃H and CH₃CN. The cross sections are significantly larger for scattering of the pure inversion state by NH₃, CF₃H and CH₃CN than for scattering of the superposition state. The scattering is the same for both states on non-polar gases. These cross sections are related to relaxation parameters describing transitions between rotation and inversion states.