Surface plasmon-polaritons and their uses

Surface plasmon-polaritons have been experimentally and theoretically studied for many years but in recent years interest has grown substantially due to their possible use in novel device applications. The aim of this review is to introduce the concept of surface plasmon-polaritons so that the reader will be able to appreciate the physics they can probe, and the device applications in which they may be utilized.     

The Hochschild class of the Chern character for semifinite spectral triples

We provide a proof of Connes’ formula for a representative of the Hochschild class of the Chern character for (p,∞)-summable spectral triples. Our proof is valid for all semifinite von Neumann algebras, and all integral p?1. We employ the minimum possible hypotheses on the spectral triples.     

Chalcogenide Glasses Based on Germanium Disulfide for Second Harmonic Generation

High second‐order susceptibilities are created by thermal poling in bulk germanium disulfide based chalcogenide glasses. Experimental conditions of the poling treatment (temperature, voltage, time) were optimized for each glass composition. The second‐order nonlinear signals were recorded by using the Maker fringes experiment and a second‐order coefficient χ⁽²⁾ up to 8 pm V^–1 was measured in the Ge₂₅Sb₁₀S₆₅ glass. This value is obtained using a simulation based on accurate knowledge of the thickness of the nonlinear layer. Two mechanisms are proposed to explain the creation of a nonlinear layer under the anode: the formation and the migration of charged defects towards the anode may mainly occur in Ge₂₀Ga₅Sb₁₀S₆₅ and Ge₂₅Ga₅S₇₀ glasses, whereas the migration of Na⁺ ions towards the cathode may be responsible for the accumulation of negative charges under the anode in Ge₃₃S₆₇ and Ge₂₅Sb₁₀S₆₅ glasses. Different electronic conductivity behaviors seem to be at the origin of the phenomenon. In parallel, the potential effect of the poling treatment on the structural and electronic properties is studied using Raman spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements.     

Virtual reality is for real

Some current applications work in the computer-rendered environments known as virtual reality (VR) are examined. Caterpillar Inc., a manufacturer of earth-moving and construction equipment is using VR to assess interior visibility on new prototypes. The Big Three among US automobile makers are joining with a US Army vehicle center, United Technologies' automotive division, the University of Michigan, and a dozen other smaller companies to form a consortium for industrial VR. Boeings' new airliner, the 777, to be rolled out next year, is its first to be designed without the use of a full-scale physical mockup; VR was used instead. Military, medical, and entertainment applications of VR are growing     

Some refinements of Dade's projective conjecture

In this paper a further refinement of Dade's projective conjecture, due to Boltje, is presented. This new statement includes ideas first published by Isaacs and Navarro as well as the recent contractibility version of Alperin's conjecture introduced by Boltje. Leaning heavily on the work of Robinson, weaker forms of the conjecture are proved in the case of p-solvable groups.     

Molybdenum-catalyzed episulfidation of (E)-cycloalkenes with elemental sulfur

Episulfidation of (E)-cyclooctene and (E)-cyclononene was achieved with elemental sulfur by using a catalytic amount of a molybdenum oxo complex.