Dynamic pulsed-beam shaping using a TAG lens in the near UV

The ability to dynamically shape the spatial intensity profile of an incident laser beam enables new ways to modify and structure surfaces through pulsed laser processing. Here we describe a method to generate doughnut-shaped beams from an input Gaussian source using a tunable acoustic gradient index (TAG) lens. The TAG lens is capable of modulating between focused beams and annular rings of variable size, using sinusoidal driving frequencies. Laser micromachining is accomplished by synchronizing the TAG lens to a 355 nm pulsed nanosecond laser. Results in polyimide demonstrate the ability to generate adjacent surface features with different shapes and sizes.     

Influence of the substrate,metal overlayer and lattice neighbors on the focusing properties of colloidal microspheres

Calculations of the field distribution in colloidal SiO₂ microspheres are presented. Two cases are considered: small particles on a Si substrate irradiated by the 266 nm light, and larger ones, covered with a gold film and irradiated at 800 nm. Substrate, neighboring spheres and sputtered metal overlayer all significantly modify the field pattern and magnitude. Reflected light is focused inside the spheres, which may lead to their damage. The results can be useful in the analysis of microspheres-assisted nano-patterning.     

Regularization of Ill-Posed Problems by Envelope Guided Conjugate Gradients

Abstract

We propose a new way to iteratively solve large scale ill-posed problems by exploiting the relation between Tikhonov regularization and multiobjective optimization to obtain, iteratively, approximations to the Tikhonov L-curve and its corner. Monitoring the change of the approximate L-curves allows us to adjust the regularization parameter adaptively during a preconditioned conjugate gradient iteration, so that the desired solution can be reconstructed with a low number of iterations. We apply the technique to an idealized image reconstruction problem in positron emission tomography.     

Distinct r-tuples in integer partitions

The Ramanujan Journal - Let $$p>3$$ be a prime and let a be a positive integer. We show that if or $$a>1$$ , then with $$(-)$$ the Jacobi symbol, which confirms a conjecture of Z.-W....     

Green's functions for continuously supported plates

The Green's functions for an infinite elastic plate, attached respectively to a Pasternak or a Kerr base model, and subjected to a concentrated force, are obtained in terms of Bessel functions. It is shown, that for each base model, depending on the plate and base parameters, the solutions may be of different form. The method of images is then utilized to generate closed form solutions for the semi-infinite and quarter plates with simply supported boundaries. Paper also presents a generalization of Bessel functions of the Kelvin type and a discussion of their properties. They were needed for the solution of some of the equations under consideration.Research supported by National Science Foundation Grant MSM-8308919.     

Inverse polynomial expansions of Laurent series

An algorithm is introduced, and shown to lead to various unique series expansions of formal Laurent series, as the sums of reciprocals of polynomials. The degrees of approximation by the rational functions which are the partial sums of these series are investigated. The types of series corresponding to rational functions themselves are also characterized.     

The γ-borel conjecture

In this paper we prove that it is consistent that every -set is countable while not every strong measure zero set is countable. We also show that it is consistent that every strong -set is countable while not every -set is countable. On the other hand we show that every strong measure zero set is countable iff every set with the Rothberger property is countable.Thanks to Boise State University for support during the time this paper was written and to Alan Dow for some helpful discussions and to Boaz Tsaban for some suggestions to improve an earlier version.     

Efficient Implementations of the Generalized Lasso Dual Path Algorithm

We consider efficient implementations of the generalized lasso dual path algorithm given by Tibshirani and Taylor in 2011 Tibshirani, R.J., Taylor, J. (2011), The Solution Path of the Generalized Lasso, Annals of Statistics, 39, 1335–1371.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]. We first describe a generic approach that covers any penalty matrix D and any (full column rank) matrix X of predictor variables. We then describe fast implementations for the special cases of trend filtering problems, fused lasso problems, and sparse fused lasso problems, both with X = I and a general matrix X. These specialized implementations offer a considerable improvement over the generic implementation, both in terms of numerical stability and efficiency of the solution path computation. These algorithms are all available for use in the genlasso R package, which can be found in the CRAN repository.     

Interval Analysis on Directed Acyclic Graphs for Global Optimization

A directed acyclic graph (DAG) representation of optimization problems represents each variable, each operation, and each constraint in the problem formulation by a node of the DAG, with edges representing the flow of the computation. Using bounds on ranges of intermediate results, represented as weights on the nodes and a suitable mix of forward and backward evaluation, it is possible to give efficient implementations of interval evaluation and automatic differentiation. It is shown how to combine this with constraint propagation techniques to produce narrower interval derivatives and slopes than those provided by using only interval automatic differentiation preceded by constraint propagation. The implementation is based on earlier work by L.V. Kolev, (1997), Reliable Comput., 3, 83–93 on optimal slopes and by C. Bliek, (1992), Computer Methods for Design Automation, PhD Thesis, Department of Ocean Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology on backward slope evaluation. Care is taken to ensure that rounding errors are treated correctly. Interval techniques are presented for computing from the DAG useful redundant constraints, in particular linear underestimators for the objective function, a constraint, or a Lagrangian. The linear underestimators can be found either by slope computations, or by recursive backward underestimation. For sufficiently sparse problems the work is proportional to the number of operations in the calculation of the objective function (resp. the Lagrangian). Mathematics Subject Classification (2000). primary 65G40, secondary 90C26