Dynamic spin-orbit interaction of heavy ions in semiclassical calculations of elastic scattering

Experimental results of the 1st rank analyzing power for elastic scattering of⁶Li and⁷Li could be only understood when including coupling to inelastic channels in the calculations. This finding — established for some time — yet presents some open questions regarding the energy dependence of the spin and polarization effects. Semiclassical calculations presented here might clarify the relevant physical background of the earlier quantummechanically exact results.     

Explicit generalized zolotarev polynomials with complex coefficients

We give explicitly a class of polynomials with complex coefficients of degreen which deviate least from zero on [−1, 1] with respect to the max-norm among all polynomials which have the same,m + 1, 2m ≤n, first leading coefficients. Form=1, we obtain the polynomials discovered by Freund and Ruschewyh. Furthermore, corresponding results are obtained with respect to weight functions of the type 1/√ρl, whereρl is a polynomial positive on [−1, 1].     

Some new domains with complete Kähler metrics of negative curvature

We add to the known examples of complete Kähler manifolds with negative sectional curvature by showing that the following three classes of domains in euclidean spaces also belong: perturbations of ellipsoidal domains in ?ⁿ, intersections of complex-ellipsoidal domains in ?², and intersections of fractional linear transforms of the unit ball in ?². In the process, we prove the following theorem in differential geometry: in the intersection of two complex-ellipsoidal domains in ?², the sum of the Bergman metrics is a Kähler metric with negative curvature operator.     

Discrete rearranging disordered patterns, part II: 2D plasticity, elasticity and flow of a foam

The plastic flow of a foam results from bubble rearrangements. We study their occurrence in experiments where a foam is forced to flow in 2D: around an obstacle; through a narrow hole; or sheared between rotating disks. We describe their orientation and frequency using a topological matrix defined in the companion paper (F. Graner, B. Dollet, C. Raufaste, and P. Marmottant, this issue, 25 (2008) DOI 10.1140/epje/i2007-10298-8), which links them with continuous plasticity at large scale. We then suggest a phenomenological equation to predict the plastic strain rate: its orientation is determined from the foam's local elastic strain; and its rate is determined from the foam's local elongation rate. We obtain a good agreement with statistical measurements. This enables us to describe the foam as a continuous medium with fluid, elastic and plastic properties. We derive its constitutive equation, then test several of its terms and predictions.     

Poisson-Vlasov: stochastic representation and numerical codes

In this paper, we examine the effects of the gravitational field on the dynamical evolution of the cavity-field entropy and the creation of the Schr?dinger-cat state in the Jaynes-Cummings model. We consider a moving two-level atom interacting with a single mode quantized cavity-field in the presence of a classical homogeneous gravitational field. Based on an su(2) algebra, as the dynamical symmetry group of the model, we derive the reduced density operator of the cavity-field which includes the effects of the atomic motion and the gravitational field. Also, we obtain the exact solution and the approximate solution for the system-state vector, and examine the atomic dynamics. By considering the temporal evolution of the cavity-field entropy as well as the dynamics of the Q-function of the cavity-field we study the effects of the gravitational field on the generation of the Schr?dinger-cat states of the cavity-field by using the Q-function, field entropy and approximate solution for the system-state vector. The results show that the gravitational field destroys the generation of the Schr?dinger-cat state of the cavity-field.     

Mass and kinetic energy distribution of the species generated by laser ablation of La<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The mass distributions of the species generated by laser ablation from a La_0.6Ca_0.4MnO₃ target using laser irradiation wavelengths of 193 nm, 266 nm and 308 nm have been investigated with and without a synchronized gas pulse of N₂O. The kinetic energies of the species are measured using an electrostatic deflection energy analyzer, while the mass distributions of the species were analyzed with a quadrupole mass filter. In vacuum (pressure 10⁻⁷ mbar), the ablation plume consists of metal atoms and ions such as La, Ca, Mn, O, LaO, as well as multiatomic species, e.g. LaMnO⁺. The LaO⁺ diatomic species are by far the most intense diatomic species in the plume, while CaO and MnO are only detected in small amounts. The interaction of a reactive N₂O gas pulse with the ablation plume leads to an increase in plume reactivity, which is desired when thin manganite films are grown, in order to incorporate the necessary amount of oxygen into the film. The N₂O gas pulse appears to have a significant influence on the oxidation of the Mn species in the plume, and on the creation of negative ions, such as LaO⁻,O⁻ and O₂⁻.     

Fine-structure energy levels, oscillator strengths and lifetimes in Co XV

Excitation energies from ground state for 97 fine-structure levels as well as oscillator strengths and radiative decay rates for all electric-dipole-allowed and intercombination transitions among the fine-structure levels of the terms belonging to the (1s ²2s ²2p ⁶)3s ²3p, 3s ³ p ², 3s ²3d, 3p ³, 3s3p3d, 3p ²3d, 3s3d ², 3s ²4s, 3s ²4p, 3s ²4d, 3s ²4f, and 3s3p4s configurations of Co XV are calculated, using extensive configuration-interaction (CI) wave functions, obtained with the CIV3 computer code of Hibbert. The important relativistic effects in intermediate coupling are included through the Breit-Pauli approximation via spin-orbit, spin-other-orbit, spin-spin, Darwin and mass correction terms. Small adjustments to the diagonal elements of the Hamiltonian matrices have been made. Our calculated excitation energies, including their ordering, are in excellent agreement with the experimental results and the experimentally compiled energy values of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) wherever available. The mixing among several fine-structure levels is found to be very strong, with most of the strongly mixed levels belonging to the (1s ²2s ²2p ⁶)3p ²3d and 3s3d ² configurations. The strong mixing among several fine-structure levels makes it very difficult to identify them uniquely. Perhaps, that may be the reason for the lack of both experimental and theoretical results for these levels. We believe that our extensive calculated values can guide experimentalists in identifying the fine-structure levels in their future work. From our radiative decay rates we have also calculated radiative lifetimes of some fine-structure levels. In this calculation we also predict new data for several fine-structure levels where no other theoretical and/or experimental results are available.     

Effect of electron inertia on large amplitude solitary waves in presence of kinematic viscosity in dusty plasma

Nonlinear dust acoustic solitary waves in a dusty plasma are studied for nonzero kinematic viscosity. Sagdeev’s potential can be obtain upto any order in ϕ. The existence of soliton solution is determined by pseudopotential approach. It is seen that the electron inertia has a significant effect on the existence of solitary waves in presence of kinematic viscosity.     

Optimization of F-doped SnO2 electrodes for organic photovoltaic devices

Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) thin films have been investigated as an alternative to indium tin oxide anodes in organic photovoltaic devices. The structural, electrical, and optical properties of the FTO films grown by pulsed laser deposition were studied as a function of oxygen deposition pressure. For 400 nm thick FTO films deposited at 300°C and 6.7 Pa of oxygen, an electrical resistivity of 5×10⁻⁴ Ω-cm, sheet resistance of 12.5 Ω/□, average transmittance of 87% in the visible range, and optical band gap of 4.25 eV were obtained. Organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene)/[6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester bulk heterojunctions were prepared on FTO/glass electrodes and the device performance was investigated as a function of FTO film thickness. OPV cells fabricated on the optimum FTO anodes (∼300–600 nm thick) exhibited power conversion efficiencies of ∼3%, which is comparable to the same device made on commercial ITO/glass electrodes (3.4%).     

Nanofoaming dynamics in biopolymers by femtosecond laser irradiation

We have recently shown that irradiation of self-standing films of the biopolymers collagen and gelatine with single femtosecond laser pulses produces a nanofoaming layer with regular bubble size which can be controlled by wavelength selection. Following these initial studies, here we report on the temporal evolution of the foaming effect by measurements in situ and in real time of the change in the transmittance of a cw probe HeNe laser through the irradiated films. Self standing films of the biopolymers were irradiated with 90 fs laser pulses at 800, 400, and 266 nm. For fluences below and above the modification threshold a permanent attenuation of the transmission occurs (increasing with fluence). The initial decay of the transmission is fast (around few tens of ns), and is followed by dynamics in the longer timescale (micro and milliseconds). The temporal evolution of the transmission measured upon fs laser irradiation is similar with that determined in the irradiation of the biopolymer films at 248 nm with 25 ns laser pulses. The method allows separating in time the different processes occurring after irradiation that lead to a permanent nanofoaming structure, while the results allow us to understand the mechanisms of femtosecond laser processing of the biopolymers and their interest in biomedical applications.