Sign of the 41K electric quadrupole moment determined by ENDOR of F centres in KCl

ENDOR measurements of F centres in KCl with a highly sensitive spectrometer allowed the measurement of the quadrupole line positions of the nearest ⁴¹K and ³⁹K neighbours to ± 0.5 kHz. The sign of the quadrupole interaction constant was determined for ⁴¹K and ³⁹K. It turned out to be positive for both nuclei. Hence the sign of the ⁴¹K quadrupole moment is positive in agreement with the only other determination so far by Bonczyk and Hughes with the molecular beam electric resonance method.     

Microcomputer control and data analysis for a far infrared Fourier spectrometer

A commercial general-purpose microcomputer is used to provide real-time experimental control, data acquisition and data analysis for a far infrared Fourier spectrometer. The interfacing and programming procedures are described. The microcomputer gives excellent performance at a low cost.     

Evidence for the quantum birth of our universe

We present evidence for a nonsingular origin of the Universe with intial conditions determined by quantum physics and relativistic gravity. In particular, we establish that the present temperature of the microwave background and the present density of the Universe agree well with our predictions from these intial conditions, after evolution to the present age using the Einstein-Friedmann equation. Remarkably, the quantum origin for the Universe naturally allows its evolution at exactly the critical density. We also discuss the consequences of these results to some fundamental aspects of quantum physics in the early Universe.     

Electron-nuclear-double-resonance of the VAl center in MgO

An ENDOR study of a hole center in MgO with g_|=2.0032±0.0001 and g_⊥=2.0385±0.0001 reveals that the hole interacts with an axial aluminum ion with A_⊥=±0.178±0.008 MHz, A_⊥=±0.074±0.008 MHz, and P= ±0.366±0.002 MHz. The structure of the center is consistent with the label, V_Al. It is suggested that the V_Al center may have been mistaken in the past for the V^- center because of the similarity of their g-values, method of production, and thermal properties.