Cu chemistry of YBa2Cu3O6+x investigated by nuclear quadrupole resonance

The nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) technique has been utilized to characterize the local oxygen coordination of inequivalent Cu sites in YBa₂Cu₃O_6+x(0 ≤ x ≤ 0.91). Essentially, four distinct NQR lines which correspond to 2, 3,4 oxygen coordinated Cu sites in the Cu-O chains and 5 oxygen coordinated Cu sites in the Cu-O planes have been observed. The zero-field NQR frequencies of these are centered at about 30.1, 24.0, 22.0 and 31.5 MHz for ⁶³Cu, respectively. For the antiferromagnetic ordered state (x ≤ 0.3), antiferromagnetic nuclear resonance (AFNR) has been observed at 90 MHz with quadrupole splittings associated with the moment-bearing Cu sites in the Cu-O planes. The relative intensities of these resonance lines depend on the oxygen content, and this gives us a microscopic understanding of the Cu chemistry of this system.     

Recent developments of optical fiber sensors for automotive use

Optical fiber sensing technologies are expected to apply for many future electronic control systems in automobiles, because of their inherent outstanding features, such as high noise immunity, high heat resistance, and flexible light propagation paths which can be applied to measure the movements and directions of the mobiles. In this paper, two typical applications of fiber sensing technologies in automobiles are described in detail. The combustion flame detector is one of the typical applications of a fiber spectroscopic technology which utilizes the feature of high noise and heat resistibility and remote sensibility. Measurement of engine combustion conditions, such as the detonation, the combustion initiation, and the air-fuel ratio, have been demonstrated in an experimental fiber sensing method. Fiber interferometers, such as a fiber gyroscope, have great possibilities in future mobile applications because they are applicable to many kinds of measurements for movements and physical variables. An optical fiber gyroscope utilizing the single polarized optical fiber and other optical devices has been developed. Quite an accurate measurement of vehicle position was displayed on a prototype navigation system which installed the fiber gyroscope as a rotational speed sensor.     

Effects of pressure and temperature on the solubility of monosodium L-glutamate monohydrate in water

Abstract

The solubility of monosodium L-glutamate monohydrate (MSG.H₂O) in water was measured at pressures in the range of 0.10-300MPa and 298.15K. The density of MSG solution at high concentrations and heat of solution at saturated concentration were also measured at atmospheric pressure. The solubility, m_s, increased with increasing pressure and the pressure coefficient, Θ_p, [?(? In m_s,? p)_T] at 0.10 MPa was (2.0 ± 0.1) × 10-¹⁰Pa-1. It agrees well with (2.1 ±0.2)× 10-¹⁰ Pa-¹ thermodynamically estimated using the partial molar volume, the activity coefficient of the solute in solution, and the molar volume of the crystal. The excellent agreement at 0.10MPa gives us confidence in the solubility data at higher pressures. The heat of solution data and other pertinent values were used to calculate the temperature coefficient of solubility, Θ_T [? (? In m_s/?(1/T))_p], by a thermodynamic equality. The resulting Θ_T compares well with the data directly measured by Ogawa.     

Magnesium K‐edge XANES spectroscopy of geological standards

Magnesium K‐edge X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES) spectra have been investigated to develop a systematic understanding of a suite of Mg‐bearing geological materials such as silicate and carbonate minerals, sediments, rocks and chemical reagents. For the model compounds the Mg XANES was found to vary widely between compounds and to provide a fingerprint for the form of Mg involved in geologic materials. The energy positions and resonance features obtained from these spectra can be used to specify the dominant molecular host site of Mg, thus shedding light on Mg partitioning and isotope fractionation in geologic materials and providing a valuable complement to existing knowledge of Mg geochemistry.     

Holographic window for solar power generation

A new photovoltaic generation unit based on the application of holographic technologies called a Holo-Window is proposed in this work. The basic principle and the optical configuration used for the basic experimental unit are described. Suitable fabrication technology for a hologram with the broadband spectrum required to provide the appropriate sunlight capture capability is then discussed. Finally, a laboratory-prototype Holo-Window unit was developed and its performance was evaluated.     

Optimum Temporal Pulse Shape of Launched Light for Optical Time Domain Reflectometry Type Sensors Using Brillouin Backscattering

We investigated numerically the relationship between the temporal shape of an optical pulse launched into an optical fiber and the power spectrum of the Brillouin backscattered light it produces. We analyzed the measurement error of the peak-power frequency of the Brillouin backscattered light power spectra obtained from the launched light with various pulse shapes. In this investigation and analysis, we characterized the pulse shape by the width, leading-trailing time, and steepness. Regardless of the launched pulse shape, the peak-power frequency-measurement error increases as the pulse width shortens. For identical launched pulse widths, a triangular pulse generates the Brillouin backscattered-light power spectrum with both the narrowest profile and the largest peak power, and consequently provides the minimum error when we measure the peak-power frequency. This shows that a temporally triangular pulse is the best for the launched light.     

A nanoscale understanding of the adhesion of polybutylene terephthalate on aluminum

The adhesion strength of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) on aluminum was investigated using density functional theory-based total energy calculations. Aluminum atom was connected to a PBT monomer at different orientations and total energies were calculated in order to determine the most stable orientation. The energy differences showed that the Al oriented at 180° with the ester group of the monomer bonded strongly. Using this orientation, the PBT monomer-adhesion on aluminum surface and the aluminum atom adhesion on PBT bulk were also investigated.     

Holographic vibration measurements of rough surfaces using a LCSLM

This paper describes measurements of a vibrating object with rough surface by the time-averaged method of holography using a newly designed optically addressed liquid crystal spatial light modulator with a resolution of 102 lp/mm and a diffraction efficiency of 16%. An object vibrating faster than several tens of Hz could be visualized. The pattern obtained by the method provides the locus of vibrating nodes. The advantage of this method is that a high contrast pattern of a vibrating object can be imaged in near-real-time, although the sensitivity of vibration is decreased.     

Development of highly potent chiral discrimination methods that solve the problems of the diastereomer method

The development of highly potent chiral discrimination methods that solve the problems of the diastereomer method, in which it is impossible to discriminate the diastereomers having chiral centers separated by more than four bonds, is described. On the basis of the results obtained, a new hypothesis, Induced Chiral Fields that the achiral reversed phase can provide chiral fields depending on the structures of the eluents, is proposed to explain the significant results of separation of the diastereomers derived from newly developed chiral and fluorescent labeling reagents and optical isomers by reversed-phase HPLC, which was hitherto impossible.