High-power, repetitive-stacked Blumlein pulsers commutated by asingle switching element

The stacked Blumlein pulse generators developed at the University of Texas at Dallas consist of several triaxial Blumleins stacked in series at one end. The lines are charged in parallel and synchronously commutated with a single switching element at the other end, In this may, relatively low charging voltages are multiplied to give a higher desired voltage across an arbitrary load. Extensive characterization of the stacked Blumlein pulsers indicates that these devices are capable of producing high-power pulses with rise times and repetition rates in the range of 0.3-50 ns and 1-300 Hz, respectively, using a conventional thyratron, spark gap, or photoconductive switch. This paper presents the progress in the development and use of these novel pulsers. Recent adaptation of the design has enabled the stacked Blumlein to produce 50-70 MW nanosecond pulses with risetimes on the order of 200-300 ps into nominally matched loads. The device has a compact line geometry and is commutated by a single photoconductive switch triggered by a low power laser diode     

Initial Search for Triggered Gamma Emission from 178Hfm2 Using the YSU Miniball Array

Experiments with the long-lived, high-K isomer ¹⁷⁸Hf^m2 have been recognized as intriguing tests of multi-quasiparticle state structures and their interactions with external radiation. A triggered release of the energy stored by this isomer, 2.5 MeV per nucleus or 1.2 GJ/gram, in the form of a gamma-ray burst might prove valuable for numerous applications. The observation of “accelerated” decay of ¹⁷⁸Hf^m2 during irradiation by 90-keV bremsstrahlung has already been reported, but with poor statistical accuracy due to the experimental approach. That approach employed single Ge detectors to seek increases in the areas of peaks at energies corresponding to transitions in the spontaneous decay of the isomer. The need for better quality data to confirm those results has motivated the development of improved detection concepts. One such concept was utilized here to perform an initial search for low-energy (<20 keV) triggered gamma emission from ¹⁷⁸Hf^m2 using the YSU miniball detector array. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evolution of pulse shortening research in narrow band, high powermicrowave sources

The achievements resulting from the application of advanced pulsed power to the generation of high power microwaves (HPM) have included the generation of multi-gigawatt pulses of RF energy. The power achievable is orders of magnitude greater than conventional microwave sources can generate. However, the introduction of the HPM technology into logical applications has been limited to date due to the phenomenon of pulse shortening in which the RF pulse terminates before the pulse power source used to produce it. Conventional microwave tubes can generate a few to 10 MW of power with pulsewidths of many microseconds when required. High power microwave sources can produce gigawatts of power, but only for relatively short pulsewidths, typically tens to hundreds of nanoseconds. An international effort during the past few years has generated important new discoveries toward the elimination of pulse shortening. Some of the new techniques have the potential for helping the conventional tube industry as well as being practical for high power microwave sources. This paper reviews the pulse shortening problem, its causes, and the worldwide scope and direction of research conducted to date to resolve it. The paper also discusses the potential remedies for the problem and recommends a course of research to further progress on the issue     

Interference rejection using the time-dependent constant modulusalgorithm (CMA) and the hybrid CMA/spectral correlation discriminator

Two new blind adaptive filtering algorithms for interference rejection using time-dependent filtering structures are presented. The time-dependent structure allows the adaptive filter to outperform the conventional adaptive filter implemented with a time-independent structure for filtering of cyclostationary communication signals. At the same time, the blind adaption algorithms allow the filters to operate without the use of an external training signal. The first algorithm applies the CMA to an unconstrained time-dependent filtering structure. The second algorithm applies the CMA to a spectral correlation discriminator, which is constrained to select signals with unique spectral correlation characteristics. Using computer simulations, it is shown that the blind time-dependent filtering algorithms can provide mean-square errors (MSEs) and bit error rates (BERs) that are significantly lower than the MSEs and BERs provided using conventional time-independent adaptive filters. It is also shown that these processors can outperform the nonblind training-sequence directed time-independent adaptive filter     

Use of 73Ge NMR spectroscopy for the study of electronic interactions

The lack of understanding of the structural and electronic factors that affect the often difficult to observe germanium resonance has been a major deterrent to studies of bonding interactions at germanium. We utilized the symmetrical system GeR 4 to determine what structural factors inherent in the R group affect the shape and position of the (73)Ge resonance. The (73)Ge resonances of symmetrical tetrakis germanium compounds of the type GeR 4 (R = alkyl, aryl), GeX 4 (X = F, Cl, Br, I), Ge(OR) 4 (R = alkyl, methoxyalkyl, dimethylaminoalkyl), Ge(NR 2) 4 (R = alkyl), and Ge(SR) 4 (R = alkyl, dimethylaminoalkyl) were examined for evidence of intramolecular coordination. Although many of these compounds have sharp resonances due to idealized tetrahedral symmetry with relatively long relaxation times, others have broad or no observable resonances due to fast quadrupolar relaxation. We hypothesize that the perturbation of symmetry by even weak Lewis interactions or conformational changes causes broadening of the resonance before the interaction can become sufficiently strong to cause the significant low-frequency shift generally associated with hypercoordination in most nuclei. Intermolecular coordination to GeCl 4 is believed to be responsible for the low-frequency shifts in (73)Ge resonances and the associated changes in peak widths in mixtures with bases such as tributylphosphine oxide (TBPO) and triethylphosphine oxide (TEPO). Adduct formation with these bases is confirmed by broad (31)P resonances that are resolved into five peaks at -40 degrees C. The exchange-broadened resonances due to the 1:1 and 1:2 TEPO adducts are also observed at -40 degrees C in the (73)Ge spectrum. Thus, relatively strong bonding to the germanium in GeCl 4 results in both low-frequency shifts and broadening of the resonance. The broad (73)Ge resonances that occur in some compounds may be in part due to exchange as well as quadrupolar relaxation.     

Radiation machines for gamma-ray laser research

In the basic research efforts to define the optimum isomers for making a gamma-ray laser, a variety of radiation sources have been used to find the nuclear gateways that make the idea possible. The radiation sources have several roles to play in the gamma-ray laser process, including pumping isomers to excited states with long lifetimes and in subsequently pumping these to short-lived states that quickly decay. This paper reviews the technology of the radiation sources and the desirable characteristics relative to pumping and triggering in gamma-ray laser research. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The resistive sensor: a device for high-power microwave pulsedmeasurements

In this paper we review a novel microwave power sensor, the operation of which is based on the electron-heating effect in semiconductors. The sensor has been specifically developed for the measurement of high-power microwave pulses. The sensor's principle of operation and its related circuitry are described. The influence of lattice heating on the sensor's performance is considered. The actual design and implementation of a waveguide-type sensor is presented, including details regarding its calibration. The application of the sensor for the measurement of microwave pulses at medium and high power levels is also presented     

Review of Induced Gamma Emission and Gamma-Ray Laser Research

Induced gamma emission with the potential for substantial energy gain is an exciting area of research. This paper reviews related work done internationally, including some that has potential for a gamma-ray laser. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Wolff–Kishner reduction reactions using a solar irradiation heat source and a green solvent system

Due to the recognition of the irreversible damage done to the environment through man-made materials, scientists have attempted to transform synthetic procedures into environmentally favorable procedures. Since fossil fuels are used for electrical energy in the USA, the amount of electricity required to complete an experiment has become an environmental concern. Solar parabolic reflectors have been proposed as a means for minimizing the amount of electricity needed to perform chemical reactions. The ability to use the solar reflector as the sole heat source for synthetic reactions is being considered. Another area of environmental concern is the chemical solvent systems involved in synthetic reactions that are not friendly to the environment. The ability to exchange solvent systems for greener solvents is being considered. A comparative study was conducted using an electrical and solar heat source on a series of Wolff–Kishner reduction reactions performed in a green solvent system. The following generalized chemical reaction is representative: where R is a hydrocarbon chain and R′ is a hydrocarbon chain or hydrogen.