Fringe field quantification in an LDV probe volume by use of a magnified image

The magnified cross-section of the LDV probe volume fringe field created on a far screen (image plane) with an imaging lens is examined both analytically and experimentally. It is shown that measurements of the image plane fringe field can be used to quantitatively determine the fringe field existing within the probe volume. Because the fringe spacing in the magnified image is more accessible experimentally, both longitudinal- and lateral-coordinate variations in fringe spacing can be determined, permitting a complete mapping of the fringe field. The detailed knowledge of the fringe field thus obtained allows beam quality, alignment, and fringe uniformity to be evaluated with greater precision than is possible with other techniques.The authors would like to acknowledge C. F. Edwards and R. L. Schmitt for the loan of the beam profiler and for many helpful discussions. This work was performed at the Combustion Research Facility, Sandia National Laboratories, and was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Industrial Technologies, Advanced Industrial Concepts Division.     

Intercomparison between ozone-broadening parameters retrieved from millimetre-wave measurements by using different techniques

For atmospheric purposes, the N₂- and O₂-, or Air-broadenings of selected transitions of ozone have been investigated in the 195-300 K temperature range. More precisely, the following 13 transitions in the 280-345 GHz frequency range have been studied: the 2_2,0 ← 2_1,1 (279.5 GHz), 24_2,22 ← 24_1,23 (286.2 GHz), 3_2,2 ← 3_1,3 (286.3 GHz), 5_2,4 ← 5_1,5 (293.2 GHz), 13_4,10 ← 14_3,11 (300.7 GHz), 14_0,14 ← 13_1,13 (301.8 GHz), 7_2,6 ← 7_1,7 (303.2 GHz), 26_2,24 ← 26_1,25 (315.9 GHz), 5_3,3 ← 6_2,4 (317.2 GHz), 20_1,19 ← 20_0,20 (320.0 GHz), 26_6,20 ← 27_5,23 (343.2 GHz), 26_2,24 ← 25_3,23 (343.2 GHz), and 4_3,1 ← 5_2,4 (343.5 GHz) lines. Systematic errors are known to be the principal error source and recent intercomparisons of line-broadening coefficients showed differences up to 20%, thus a large effort in minimizing systematic error sources has been taken and cross check measurements with different techniques have been carried out. The conclusion of the intercomparison performed indicates an excellent agreement of the results and that an uncertainty less than 3%, which also takes into account the systematic errors, can be claimed for the line-broadening parameters.     

Synthesis, thermal treatment and characterization of cobalt ferrite-based nanocomposites

We have used time-differential perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy with ¹⁸¹Ta-probes to study the electric field gradient at Zr-sites in synthetic zircon and hafnon between room temperature and 1,200°C. PAC spectra are similar to those obtained from naturally occurring zircons. In particular, a change in slope of the quadrupole coupling vs. temperature is observed in the synthetic zircon at the same temperature as seen in natural zircons from the Mud Tank carbonatite (Australia). The synthetic hafnon data also shows this feature but at somewhat higher temperature. Low-temperature PAC spectra of both synthetic zircon and hafnon have a clearly reduced anisotropy. We believe that the cause for this is a electronic defect, possibly created during the β-decay of the probe parent nucleus.     

Aqueous solution and solid state interactions of lanthanide ions with a methacrylic ester polymer bearing pendant 15‐crown‐5 moieties

The interaction between trivalent lanthanide ions and poly(1,4,7,10,13‐pentaoxacyclopentadecan‐2‐yl‐methyl methacrylate), PCR5, in aqueous solution and in the solid state have been studied. In aqueous solution, evidence of a weak interaction between the lanthanides and PCR5 comes from the small red shift of the Ce(III) emission spectra and the slight broadening of the Gd(III) EPR spectra. From the Tb(III) lifetimes in the presence of H₂O and D₂O the loss of one or two water coordinated molecules is confirmed when Tb(III) is bound to PCR5. An association constant of the order of 200 M^?1 was obtained for a 1:1 (lanthanide:15‐crown‐5) complex from the shift of the polymer NMR signals induced by Tb(III). A similar association constant is obtained from the differences of the molar conductivity of Ce(III) solution at various concentrations in presence and absence of PCR5. When Tb(III) is adsorbed on PCR5 membranes, lifetime experiments in H₂O and D₂O confirm the loss of 5 or 6 water coordinated molecules indicating that in solid state the lanthanide(III)‐PCR5 interaction is stronger than in solution. The adsorption of Ce(III) in PCR5 membranes shows a Langmuir type isotherm, from which an equilibrium constant of 39 M^?1 has been calculated. SEM shows that the membrane morphology is not much affected by lanthanide adsorption. Support for lanthanide ion–crown interactions comes from ab initio calculations on 15‐crown‐5/La(III) complex. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1788–1799, 2007     

Conditions d'optimalité du second ordre nécessaires ou suffisantes pour les problèmes de commande optimale avec une contrainte sur l'état et une commande scalaires

This Note deals with optimal control problems with only one control variable and one state constraint, of arbitrary order. We consider the case of finitely many boundary arcs and touch times. We obtain a no-gap theory of second-order conditions, allowing us to characterize second-order quadratic growth. To cite this article: J.F. Bonnans, A. Hermant, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 343 (2006).     

Generation of 0.2-TW 5.5-fs optical pulses at 1 kHz using a differentially pumped hollow-fiber chirped-mirror compressor

Optical pulses with 1.1-mJ energy and 5.5-fs duration have been generated at 1-kHz repetition rate from a chirped pulse amplification Ti:Sapphire laser incorporating a differentially pumped hollow-fiber chirped-mirror compressor. The effects of self-focusing and multi-photon ionization during the beam propagation were minimized by differentially pumping the hollow fiber filled with neon. The spectral broadening at the hollow-fiber compressor was optimized by adjusting gas pressure, laser intensity, and laser chirp, covering from 540 nm to 950 nm. PACS 42.65.Jx; 42.65.Re     

Nano-electrochemical detection of hydrogen or protons using palladium nanoparticles: distinguishing surface and bulk hydrogen.

The benefits of using nanoparticle-modified electrodes are exemplified through the electrochemical detection of protons and/or hydrogen. It is shown that a palladium-nanoparticle-modified boron-doped diamond allows voltammetric information relating to the relative roles played by the surface and the bulk metal to be obtained for the proton-hydrogen system at palladium surfaces which is not accessible using palladium macroelectrodes or microelectrodes.     

The effect of gamma irradiation and shelf aging in air on the oxidation of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

This study has investigated the effect of shelf aging, for up to one year in air, on the properties of gamma-irradiated ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). A variety of techniques were used to characterize the properties of treated samples. Differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) was used to characterize the morphology. The extent of cross-linking in a polymer network was detected by swelling measurements. The durometer hardness test was used to measure the relative hardness of this material, and changes in density were also measured. Results from all these measurements were combined to explain the changes in the microstructure of the aged, irradiated UHMWPE. This study shows that crystallinity is increased with radiation dose and with aging due to chain scission, which leads to a reduction in the molecular weight of the material. This allows the chains to rearrange to form crystalline regions. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy confirms these conclusions. Fractional free volumes have been deduced from lifetime parameters, which correlate with the data obtained by the other techniques.