A crossed optical cavities apparatus for a precision test of the isotropy of light propagation

A novel apparatus for a sensitive test of the independence of the speed of optical waves from the propagation direction has been developed. It employs a monolithic ULE glass structure containing two orthogonal, crossing Fabry-Perot cavities which enable common mode rejection of certain disturbances. Highly accurate locking and cavity frequency read-out are achieved using laser frequency modulation at audio frequencies. Several systematic effects were characterized. Without rotation the root Allan variance (RAV) of the beat frequency reaches a minimum of 0.5 Hz (2 × 10⁻¹⁵) close to the thermal noise floor of the cavities. The performance of the apparatus under rotation is demonstrated by determining with improved accuracy one parameter of the standard model extension test theory,  = (−1.0 ± 2.3) × 10⁻¹⁵, under simplifying assumptions.     

Preparation of periodic mesoporous silica-included divacant Keggin units for the catalytic oxidation of styrene to synthesize styrene oxide

Periodic mesoporous composite catalysts, [(n-C₄H₉)₄N]₄[γ-SiW₁₀O₃₄(H₂O)₂]/SBA-15 (TBA-1*/SBA-15, where TBA-1* = [(n-C₄H₉)₄N]₄[γ-SiW₁₀O₃₄(H₂O)₂]), with TBA-1* loadings of 4.3-14.8% were prepared by simultaneous hydrolysis and co-condensation of the tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in the presence of divacant Keggin-type polyoxometalate and triblock copolymer surfactant (P123) followed by hydrothermal treatment process. Structure integrity of the Keggin unit in as-prepared composites was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman scattering spectra, and ²⁹Si magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR. Periodic mesoporous structure of the composites was evaluated by low-angle X-ray powder diffraction (LXRD) patterns, nitrogen porosimetry, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements. As-prepared TBA-1*/SBA-15 was used as an heterogeneous oxidation catalyst for the styrene epoxidation reaction to synthesize styrene oxide in the presence of dilute H₂O₂ (30%), and influences of solvent, molar ratio of styrene to H₂O_2, TBA-1* loading on the styrene conversion, styrene oxide yield and selectivity were considered.     

Wavelet Cross-Spectrum Analysis of Multi-Scale Disturbance Instability and Transition on Sharp Cone Hypersonic Boundary Layer

Experimental measurement of hypersonic boundary layer stability and transition on a sharp cone with a half angle of 5° is carried out at free-coming stream Mach number 6 in a hypersonic wind tunnel. Mean andfluctuation surface-thermal-flux characteristics of the hypersonic boundary layer flow are measured by Pt-thin-film thermocouple temperature sensors installed at 28 stations on the cone surface along longitudinal direction. At hypersonic speeds, the dominant flow instabilities demonstrate that the growth rate of the second mode tends to exceed that of the low-frequency mode. Wavelet-based cross-spectrum technique is introduced to obtain the multi-scale cross-spectral characteristics of the fluctuating signals in thefrequency range of the second mode. Nonlinear interactions both of the second mode disturbance and the first mode disturbance are demonstrated to be dominant instabilities in the initial stage of laminar-turbulence transition for hypersonic shear flow.     

Optical frequency counter based on two mode-locked fiber laser combs

This work demonstrates a semi-automatic optical frequency counter based on two mode-locked fiber laser combs. The mode number of the comb line involved in the optical frequency measurement is determined by operating the two laser combs at three different repetition rates, with two of them similar enough to have the same mode number of the beating comb lines. The determination of the mode number is independent of the frequency fluctuation of the laser under measurement. The whole measurement process was automated, except for the frequency stabilization of the laser combs and the optimization of the beat signal–to–noise ratio.     

Magnetically trapped atoms for compact atomic clocks

We investigate the hyperfine transition of magnetically trapped non-condensed atoms. The two principal frequency shifts, the second order Zeeman effect and the mean field interaction are considered. Analytic models of the mean frequency and its trap induced spread are developed. Comparisons with existing experiments evaluate the role of the atoms’ oscillatory motion. The analytic model proves to be equivalent to existing Monte Carlo simulations. The formulae provide a simple tool for optimising the design of a new experiment. Applied to the two-photon transition |F=1,m _F =−1〉→|F=2,m _F =1〉 in ⁸⁷Rb and the conditions of a typical atom chip experiment, a line spread as small as 11 mHz is predicted giving a quality factor of 10¹². The system is promising for application in precision instruments such as compact atomic clocks.     

Omnidirectional reflection and flat-top transmissionin Thue-Morse quasicrystal with single-negative materials

By means of transfer matrix method, we investigate the transmittance and reflectance of Thue-Morse (T-M) structure composed of negative-permittivity and negative-permeability materials. It is shown that the width and location of an omnidirectional reflectance band remain invariant with the change of generation order, and that the omnidirectional reflectance band is determined by both TE and TM polarization, which different completely from that in dielectric T-M structure. Moreover, a flat-top total transmission band occurs around the same frequency in which the general zero average permittivity and permeability are both satisfied in T-M structure. The basis for these phenomena are presented and discussed.     

Multimode Coupling Theory for Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability in Incompressible Fluid

A weakly nonlinear model is proposed for multimode Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The second-order mode coupling formula for Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in two-dimensional incompressible fluid is presented by expanding the perturbation velocity potential to second order. It is found that there is an important resonance in the course of the sum frequency mode coupling but the difference frequency mode coupling does not have. This resonance makes the sum frequency mode coupling process relatively complex. The sum frequency mode coupling is strongly dependent on time especially when the density of the two fluids is adjacent and the difference frequency mode coupling is not.     

Super-High Resolution Time Interval Measurement Method Based on Time-Space Relationships

Based on the principle of quantized delay-time, a super-high resolution time interval measurement method is proposed based on time-space relationships. Using the delay-time stability that time and frequency signal travel in a specific medium, the measured time interval can be quantized. Combined with the phase coincidence detection technique, the measurement of time can be changed into the measurement of space length. The resolution and the stability of the measurement system are easily improved. Experimental results show that the measurement resolution of the measured time interval depends on the length difference of the double delay-time unit. When the length difference is set up on millimeter level or sub-millimeter level, super-high measurement resolution from hundreds of picosecond to tens of picosecond can be obtained.     

Second-order doppler-free spectroscopy

The observation of second-order Doppler-free optical resonances with a width of 50 Hz are reported for the first time. It was achieved due to the use of optical selection of cold particles from an absorbing gas. The experiments have been carried out by using a new laser spectrometer, supposed to obtain the saturated absorption resonances with a relative width 10^–13–10^–14. The results of experimental and theoretical studies of second-order Doppler-free effect influence on the shape of nonlinear optical resonances in transit-time conditions are considered.