A novel femtosecond-laser formation of CdS nanocrystallites in zirconia matrices

A novel method for direct laser writing of two-dimensional cadmium sulfide (CdS) semiconductor nanoparticle microstructures is reported. A two photon or a higher-order multiphoton absorption process, originating from femtosecond laser pulses, was used to decompose CdS precursors dispersed in a zirconia thin film previously dip-coated on a glass substrate. The kinetics of nanoparticle formation as a function of laser power were monitored in situ by photoluminescence spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy was also performed to characterize the structural changes of the zirconia matrix under irradiation and to verify the formation of CdS nanoparticles. Results show that CdS nanoparticles were formed by two-photon absorption (TPA) with or without the help of an additional carbazole photoinitiator.     

Tensor Products of Quantum Structures and Their Applications in Quantum Measurements

Tensor products of quantum logics and effect algebras with some known problems are reviewed. It is noticed that although tensor products of effect algebras having at least one state exist, in the category of complex Hilbert space effect algebras similar problems as with tensor products of projection lattices occur. Nevertheless, if one of the two coupled physical systems is classical, tensor product exists and can be considered as a Boolean power. Some applications of tensor products (in the form of Boolean powers) to quantum measurements are reviewed.     

Feasibility of an experiment to determine the branching ratio for the emission of a heavy neutrino after muon capture in3He

The triton energy of the muon capture reaction ³He t+v, where ³ He is the ground state of muonic³He, has been measured in order to investigate a possible heavy v admixture into the flavour with high sensitivity. ³ He has been formed via the pd fusion reaction by stopping ^– in an ionization chamber (IC) filled with an H/D gas mixture of 3% D concentration at a pressure of 161 bar. In a first short experiment 650 triton events were observed yielding an upper limit for the -heavy v mixing strength of 2.3×10^–3 atE _0v=60 MeV.     

Systematic analysis of the PSI experiment to directly measure the sticking probabilityω s in dt fusion

Starting in 1989 an experiment was run at PSI to directly measure the final sticking probability in muon catalyzed dt fusion. This experiment was based on an active-target ionization chamber (IC) built at Gatchina, Russia, and an array of plastic neutron counters. In three runs approximately 5×10⁶ isolated alpha signals were recorded with around one half of these occurring in the inner chamber region where we have more complete understanding of the systematic errors. Particularly from a long run in 1992 we were able to obtain a very clean sticking peak of some 5000 events. However, to reach an accurate value of sticking, all systematic effects and several major backgrounds had to be understood in detail. To this end a Monte Carlo code was written to simulate the full electrostatic environment of the IC and to recreate completely each signal type including the actual tritium decay noise from the live experiment. A slightly model dependent value of approx. 0.56±0.04% is obtained for final sticking.     

A paradigm shift in rate determining step from single electron transfer between phenylsulfinylacetic acids and iron(III) polypyridyl complexes to nucleophilic attack of water to the produced sulfoxide radical cation: a non‐linear Hammett

Mechanism of oxidative decarboxylation of phenylsulfinylacetic acids (PSAAs) by iron(III) polypyridyl complexes in aqueous acetonitrile medium has been investigated spectrophotometrically. An initial intermediate formation between PSAA and [Fe(NN)₃]³⁺ is confirmed from the observed Michaelis–Menten kinetics and fractional order dependence on PSAA. Significant rate retardation with concentration of [Fe(NN)₃]³⁺ is rationalized on the basis of coordination of a water molecule at the carbon atom adjacent to the ring nitrogen of the metal polypyridyl complexes by nucleophilic attack at higher concentrations. Electron‐withdrawing and electron‐releasing substituents in PSAA facilitate the reaction and Hammett correlation gives an upward ‘V’ shaped curve. The apparent upward curvature is rationalized based on the change in the rate determining step from electron transfer to nucleophilic attack, by changing the substituents from electron‐releasing to electron‐withdrawing groups. Electron‐releasing substituents in PSAA accelerate the electron transfer from PSAA to the complex and also stabilize the intermediate through resonance interaction leading to negative reaction constants (ρ). Conversely, electron‐withdrawing groups, while retarding the electron transfer exert an accelerating effect on the nucleophilic attack of H₂O which leading to low magnitude of ρ⁺ compared to high ρ^? values of electron‐releasing groups. Marcus theory is applied, and a fair agreement is seen with the experimental values. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A scale value for the balance inside a historical opera house

In the framework of opera house acoustics, the term "balance" refers to the acoustical competition between the singer on the stage and the orchestra in the pit. The mechanism allowing the operatic singers to be heard over the orchestra has to do with their skill in enhancing the vocal emission by a peculiar use of the formant frequencies. This vital factor is sensed by the listeners and, apart from the obvious sound power ratio of the stage and the pit sources, is the main cue that helps to formulate a subjective impression of the balance. To achieve its objective qualification, two calibrated sound sources can be placed on the stage and in the pit, respectively, and their sound level difference is measured at the listeners' seats. The scope of this work is to investigate the relationship between the subjective impression and the objective indicator of the balance and to develop a scale value for the parameter in the case of a historical opera house. For this scope a set of acoustical data from the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara will be used to create synthetic sound fields with controlled conditions of the balance between the stage and the pit. This methodology employs an anechoic piece for soprano (with piano accompaniment) and is implemented in a dead room equipped with an acoustical rendering system. The sound fields are used to investigate the appropriate balance values by means of listening tests. The results of the scaling exercise show that a suitable range of values can be extracted and that the sound from the stage and the pit is perceived as balanced when the loudness difference between the two is comprised within -2.0 dBA and +2.3 dBA.     

Low-Energy Kaon�CNucleon/Nuclei Interaction Studies at DA��NE (SIDDHARTA and AMADEUS Experiments)

The DA??NE electron?Cpositron collider at the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati of INFN has made available a unique quality low-energy negative kaons ??beam??. The SIDDHARTA experiment used this beam to perform unprecedented precision measurements on kaonic atoms, while the AMADEUS experiment plans to perform in the coming years precision measurements on kaon?Cnuclei interactions at low-energies, in particular to study the kaonic nuclei. The two experiments are briefly presented in this paper.