A convolutional neural network approach to calibrating the rotation axis for X‐ray computed tomography

This paper presents an algorithm to calibrate the center‐of‐rotation for X‐ray tomography by using a machine learning approach, the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). The algorithm shows excellent accuracy from the evaluation of synthetic data with various noise ratios. It is further validated with experimental data of four different shale samples measured at the Advanced Photon Source and at the Swiss Light Source. The results are as good as those determined by visual inspection and show better robustness than conventional methods. CNN has also great potential for reducing or removing other artifacts caused by instrument instability, detector non‐linearity, etc. An open‐source toolbox, which integrates the CNN methods described in this paper, is freely available through GitHub at tomography/xlearn and can be easily integrated into existing computational pipelines available at various synchrotron facilities. Source code, documentation and information on how to contribute are also provided.     

Far infrared Faraday rotation effect in one-dimensional microcavity type magnetic photonic crystals

The far infrared transmittances and Faraday rotation effect in one-dimensional photonic crystals that contain magnetic microcavities are calculated with the transfer matrix method. The different stacking sequences of dielectric layers in the magnetic photonic crystal are considered in this paper, and the linewidths of transmission peaks and localised light of the photonic crystals are discussed. The enhancement of Faraday rotation is presented in the magnetic photonic crystals, and the largest rotation angle at the frequency of the transmission peak is 29 °mm⁻¹, which is larger than previous results.     

全内反射式衍射光栅近场光学特性

 利用傅里叶模式理论分析了具有高衍射效率的全内反射式衍射光栅在TE 和TM偏振态下的近场光分布特点,讨论了光栅结构参数以及入射角度对光栅内电场增强的影响。结果表明：全内反射光栅内部电场分布对偏振态较敏感,光栅槽深和占宽比对电场增强影响较小,光栅内的峰值电场随光栅周期增大而增大,并且峰值电场随着入射角度的增大而减小。在应用于高功率激光时,降低光栅内部的电场增强可以有效降低损伤风险。     

Slow turning reveals enormous quadrupolar interactions (STREAQI)

We introduce a new solid-state NMR method, which uses very slow sample rotation to visualize NMR spectra whose width exceeds feasible spectrometer bandwidths. It is based on the idea that if we reorient a tensor by a known angle about a known axis, the shifts in the NMR frequencies observed across the spectral width allow us to reconstruct the entire tensor. Called STREAQI (Slow Turning Reveals Enormous Anisotropic Quadrupolar Interactions), this method allows us to probe NMR nuclei that are intractable to current methods. To prove the concept and demonstrate its promise we have implemented the method for several 79Br containing samples with quadrupolar coupling constants in the range of 10-50 MHz.     

The first-principles study of ferroelectric behaviours of PbTiO3/SrTiO3 and BaTiOn/SrTiO3 superlattices

We have performed the first-principles calculation to investigate the origins of ferroelectricities and different po- larization behaviours of superlattices BaTiO3/SrTiO3 and PbTiO3/SrTiO3. The density of state （DOS） and electronic charge profiles show that there are strong hybridizations between atoms Ti and O and between atoms Pb and O which play very important roles in producing the ferroelectricities of superlattices BaTiO3/SrTiO3 and PbTiO3/SrTiO3. Ow- ing to the decline of internal electric field in SrTiO3 （ST） layer, the tetragonality and polarizations of superlattices decrease with increasing the fraction of SrTiO3 in the superlattices. We find that the polarization of PbTiO3/SrTiO3 is largerthan that of BaTiO3/SrTiO3 at the same ratio of components, because the polarization mismatch between PbTiO3 and SrTiO3 is larger than that between BaTiO3 and SrTiO3. The polarization and tetragonality are en- hanced with respect to those of bulk tetragonal BaTiO3 in the superlattices BaTiO3/SrTiO3, while the polarization and tetragonality are reduced with respect to those of bulk tetragonal PbTiO3 in superlattices PbTiO3/SrTiO3.     

Thomas rotation and the parametrization of the Lorentz transformation group

Two successive pure Lorentz transformations are equivalent to a pure Lorentz transformation preceded by a 3×3 space rotation, called a Thomas rotation. When applied to the gyration of the rotation axis of a spinning mass, Thomas rotation gives rise to the well-knownThomas precession. A 3×3 parametric, unimodular, orthogonal matrix that represents the Thomas rotation is presented and studied. This matrix representation enables the Lorentz transformation group to be parametrized by two physical observables: the (3-dimensional) relative velocity and orientation between inertial frames. The resulting parametrization of the Lorentz group, in turn, enables the composition of successive Lorentz transformations to be given by parameter composition. This composition is continuously deformed into a corresponding, well-known Galilean transformation composition by letting the speed of light approach infinity. Finally, as an application the Lorentz transformation with given orientation parameter is uniquely expressed in terms of an initial and a final time-like 4-vector.     

Muon Spin Rotation and Relaxation Experiments on Thin Films

The recent development at the Paul Scherrer Institute of a beam of low energy muons allows depth dependent muon spin rotation and relaxation investigations in thin samples, multilayers and near surface regions (low energy SR, LE-SR). After a brief overview of the LE-SR method, some representative experiments performed with this technique will be presented. The first direct determination of the field profile just below the surface of a high-temperature superconductor in the Meissner phase illustrates the power and sensitivity of low energy muons as near-surface probe and is an example of general application to depth profiling of magnetic fields. The evolution of the flux line lattice distribution across the surface of a YBa₂Cu₃O₇ film in the vortex phase has been investigated by implanting muons on both sides of a normal-superconducting boundary. A determination of the relaxation time and energy barrier to thermal activation in iron nanoclusters, embedded in a silver thin film matrix (500nm), demonstrates the use of slow muons to measure the properties of samples that cannot be made thick enough for the use of conventional SR. Other experiments investigated the magnetic properties of thin Cr(001) layers at thicknesses above and below the collapse of the spin density wave.     

Magnetic rotation and chiral symmetry breaking

The deformed mean field of nuclei exhibits various geometrical and dynamical symmetries which manifest themselves as various types of rotational and decay patterns. Most of the symmetry operations considered so far have been defined for a situation wherein the angular momentum coincides with one of the principal axes and the principal axis cranking may be invoked. New possibilities arise with the observation of rotational features in weakly deformed nuclei and now interpreted as magnetic rotational bands. More than 120 MR bands have now been identified by filtering the existing data. We present a brief overview of these bands. The total angular momentum vector in such bands is tilted away from the principal axes. Such a situation gives rise to several new possibilities including breaking of chiral symmetry as discussed recently by Frauendorf. We present the outcome of such symmetries and their possible experimental verification. Some possible examples of chiral bands are presented.     

Study of phonon polaritons in GaAs/GaPAs superlattices using methods of IR reflection spectroscopy

We studied phonon-polariton modes in long-period GaAs/GaPAs semiconductor superlattices using the methods of frustrated total internal reflection and IR spectroscopy in the region of residual rays. The excitation of waveguide, real, and virtual surface and volume phonon polariton modes was observed experimentally. Their dispersion relations were calculated and compared with experimental data, and the excitation nature was identified with the aid of the spectra of permittivity and a normal component of the wave vector in heterostructure layers. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 460–466, July–August, 1999.     

Spectral Criteria for Design of an Optical Modulator Based on Frustrated Total Internal Reflection

The spectral study of an optical modulator based on the frustrated total internal reflection is presented under static and dynamic conditions. An optical modulator based on macroscopic moving parts makes spectrometers voluminous and has low compactness. The use of static or quasi-static optical modulators, such as the one proposed in this paper, avoids these problems. The study under static conditions reveals that the modulator equalises the spectral emittance of a black body. The modulation efficiency is defined by comparing the modulator with an ideal square chopper. Study under dynamic conditions reveals spectral criteria that must be met in the design of the mechanical system of the modulator to shift the maximum value of the modulation efficiency to the desired wavelength.