Optical filaments and optical bullets in dispersive nonlinear media

We have investigated the evolution of picosecond and femtosecond optical pulses governed by the amplitude vector equation in the optical and UV domains. We have written this equation in different coordinate frames, namely, in the laboratory frame, the Galilean frame, and the moving-in-time frame and have normalized it for the cases of different and equal transverse and longitudinal sizes of optical pulses or modulated optical waves. For optical pulses with a small transverse size and a large longitudinal size (optical filaments), we obtain the well-known paraxial approximation in all the coordinate frames, while for optical pulses with relatively equal transverse and longitudinal sizes (so-called light bullets), we obtain new non-paraxial nonlinear amplitude equations. In the case of optical fields with low intensity, we have reduced the nonlinear amplitude vector equations governing the light-bullet evolution to the linear amplitude equations. We have solved the linear equations using the method of Fourier transform. An unexpected new result is the relative stability of light bullets and the significant decrease in the diffraction enlargement of light bullets with respect to the case of long pulses in the linear propagation regime.     

Re-hardening of hadron transverse mass spectra in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We analyze the spectra of pions and protons in heavy-ion collisions at relativistic energies from 2 A GeV to 65+65 A GeV by using a jet-implemented hadron-string cascade model. In this energy region, hadron transverse mass spectra first show softening until SPS energies, and re-hardening may emerge at RHIC energies. Since hadronic matter is expected to show only softening at higher energy densities, this re-hardening of spectra can be interpreted as a good signature of the quark-gluon plasma formation     

Laser-sintered mesoporous TiO2 electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Low-temperature laser sintering has been successfully demonstrated to improve the overall conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells. Mesoporous TiO₂ electrodes were prepared from a colloidal solution of TiO₂ nanopowders by a laser direct-write technique and then sintered by a quasi-continuous-wave UV laser (λ=355 nm) for the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells. The overall conversion efficiency of the cells based on the laser-sintered TiO₂ electrodes was double that of the devices with non-laser-treated TiO₂ electrodes. This enhancement is attributed to both the removal of organic additives and the improved inter-nanoparticle electrical contacts induced by the laser-sintering process, which led to an increase in porosity and dye-absorption sites in the TiO₂ electrodes. PACS 61.80.Ba; 61.46.+w; 73.22.-f; 84.60.Jt     

Analysis of atomic arrangement in magnetic Fe–Pt nanoparticles

The order parameter S of Fe–Pt nanoparticles is estimated from X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. The total intensity of a diffraction peak is obtained by Rietveld analysis as well as simply integrating the intensity. The Rietveld analysis is found to provide a plausible value of S even for a sample showing an XRD pattern with broad and overlapped peaks. Another order parameter Q, which is obtained from Mössbauer spectra, is introduced, and it is confirmed that Q is equivalent to the probability of Fe atoms being in the L1₀-type atomic arrangement. The coercivity of Fe–Pt nanoparticles is directly proportional to Q, while it vanishes at S=0.4, indicating that the magnetic property of Fe–Pt nanoparticles has a closer relationship to Q than S.     

Thermomagnetic hysteresis and electrical transport in amorphous films

We report resistivity and magnetization measurements on an amorphous Ni₇₄Mn₂₄Pt₂ thin film in the temperature range of 3–300 K. Two significant features are apparent in both the magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity. A low-temperature (low-T) anomaly is observed at about 40 K, where a cusp appears in the resistivity, while a concomitant step-like increase in zero-field-cooled (ZFC) magnetization (M) appears with increasing temperature. The low-T anomaly is attributed to a crossover from a pure re-entrant spin-glass within individual domains to a mixed ferro-spin-glass regime at lower temperatures. By contrast, the high-temperature (high-T) anomaly, signaled by the appearance of hysteresis below 250 K, corresponds to the freezing of transverse spins in individual domains acting independently. Between the low-T and high-T anomalies a small but discernable magnetic hysteresis is observed for warming vs. cooling in the field-cooled (FC) case. This behavior clearly indicates the presence of domain structure in the sample, while the disappearance of this hysteresis at lower temperatures indicates the complete freezing of the spin orientation of these domains. According to these results, we have divided the magnetic state of this sample into three regions: at temperatures above 250 K, the sample behaves like a soft ferromagnet, exhibiting M vs. H loops with very small hysteresis (less than 5 Oe). As the temperature is lowered into the intermediate region (the range 40–250 K), spins become frozen randomly and progressively within the individual domains. These domains behave independently, rather than as a cooperative behavior of the sample. Weak irreversibility sets in, indicating the onset of transverse spin freezing within the domains. At temperatures below 40 K, the M vs. H loops exhibit larger hysteresis, for both the ZFC and FC cases, as in a pure spin-glass. We have also demonstrated giant noise in the resistivity at temperatures just below 250 K. Such noise can originate from fluctuations of the domains near the film surface because of competing effective bulk and surface anisotropy fields. The large observed amplitude may be explained by means of a large ferromagnetic anisotropy in the resistivity due to the large spin–orbit effect seen in NiMn systems. Finally, the low-T peak in the resistivity has been analyzed using Fisher and Langer's expression based on the Friedel Model proposed for critical transitions in transition metals (s–d systems). The fitted results are in satisfactory agreement with the predictions of this model.     

Direct measurement of the magnetocaloric effect in La0.67Ca0.33MnO3

Polycrystalline perovskite La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ was synthesized by a sol–gel method. Its adiabatic temperature change ΔT_ad induced by a magnetic field change was measured directly. At 268 K, near its Curie temperature T_C, ΔT_ad of La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ induced by a magnetic field change of 2.02 T reaches 2.4 K. The latent heat Q and magnetic entropy change −ΔS_M induced by a magnetic field change were calculated from the temperature dependence of ΔT_ad and zero-field heat capacity C_p. The maximum values of Q and −ΔS_M in La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO₃ induced by a magnetic field change of 2.02 T are 1.85 J g⁻¹ and 6.9 J kg⁻¹ K⁻¹, respectively. The former is larger than the phase transition latent heat of heating or cooling, which is about 1.70 J g⁻¹.     

RAS: An efficient probe to characterize Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 1) surfaces

A complete inspection of the capabilities of reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) in studying the adsorption of molecules or atoms on the Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 1) surface is presented. First, a direct comparison between RA spectra recorded on the clean Si(0 0 1)-(2 × 1) and the corresponding topography of the surface obtained using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) allows us to quantify the mixing of the two domains that are present on the surface. Characteristic RA spectra recorded for oxygen, hydrogen, water, ethylene, benzene are compared to try to elucidate the origin of the optical structures. Quantitative and qualitative information can be obtained with RAS on the kinetics of adsorption, by monitoring the RA signal at a given energy versus the dose of adsorbate; two examples are presented: H₂/Si(0 0 1) and C₆H₆/Si(0 0 1). Very different behaviours in the adsorption processes are observed, making of this technique a versatile tool for further investigations of kinetics.     

Sensitivity of depolarized lidar signals to cloud and aerosol particle properties

Measurements from depolarized lidars provide a promising method to retrieve both cloud and aerosol properties and a versatile complement to passive satellite-based sensors. For lidar observations of clouds and aerosols, multiple scattering plays an important role in the scattering process. Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to investigate the sensitivity of lidar backscattering depolarization to cloud and aerosol properties. Lidar parameters are chosen to be similar to those of the upcoming space-based CALIPSO lidar. Cases are considered that consist of a single cloud or aerosol layer, as well as a case in which cirrus clouds overlay different types of aerosols. It is demonstrated that besides thermodynamic cloud phase, the depolarized lidar signal may provide additional information on ice or aerosol particle shapes. However, our results show little sensitivity to ice or aerosol particle sizes. Additionally, for the case of multiple but overlapping layers involving both clouds and aerosols, the depolarized lidar contains information that can help identify the particle properties of each layer.     

Evaluating shielding effectiveness for reducing space radiation cancer risks

We discuss calculations of probability distribution functions (PDF) representing uncertainties in projecting fatal cancer risk from galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar particle events (SPE). The PDFs are used in significance tests for evaluating the effectiveness of potential radiation shielding approaches. Uncertainties in risk coefficients determined from epidemiology data, dose and dose–rate reduction factors, quality factors, and physics models of radiation environments are considered in models of cancer risk PDFs. Competing mortality risks and functional correlations in radiation quality factor uncertainties are included in the calculations. We show that the cancer risk uncertainty, defined as the ratio of the upper value of 95% confidence interval (CI) to the point estimate is about 4-fold for lunar and Mars mission risk projections. For short-stay lunar missions (), SPEs present the most significant risk, however one that is mitigated effectively by shielding, especially for carbon composites structures with high hydrogen content. In contrast, for long duration lunar () or Mars missions, GCR risks may exceed radiation risk limits that are based on acceptable levels of risk. For example, the upper 95% CI exceeding 10% fatal risk for males and females on a Mars mission. For reducing GCR cancer risks, shielding materials are marginally effective because of the penetrating nature of GCR and secondary radiation produced in tissue by relativistic particles. At the present time, polyethylene or carbon composite shielding cannot be shown to significantly reduce risk compared to aluminum shielding based on a significance test that accounts for radiobiology uncertainties in GCR risk projection.     

Electro-optic mapping systems of electric-field using CW laser diodes

Two novel systems are proposed to perform the electro-optic (EO) mapping of the electric-field strength close to electrode structure using CW laser diodes. By these systems, mappings of both static (DC) and high-frequency electric-field can be obtained. For the static field, the field is chopped to increase the sensitivity performance. For the high-frequency field, an intensity modulation laser, instead of a pulse laser, is used to perform the mapping measurement in frequency domain, instead of in time domain. This approach greatly simplifies the system. An experiment set-up using a vertical cavity surface emitted laser diode (VCSEL) of a wavelength 850 nm and its mapping results for a coplanar waveguide (CPW) with the signal frequency around 1 GHz are reported.