2-D R-matrix propagation: A large scale electron scattering simulation dominated by the multiplication of dynamically changing matrices

We examine the computational aspects of propagating a global R-matrix, R, across sub-regions in a 2-D plane. This problem originates in the large scale simulation of electron collisions with atoms and ions at intermediate energies. The propagation is dominated by matrix multiplications which are complicated because of the dynamic nature of R, which changes the designations of its rows and columns and grows in size as the propagation proceeds. The use of PBLAS to solve this problem on distributed memory HPC machines is the main focus of the paper.

Liquid structure of the ionic liquid, 1-methyl-4-cyanopyridinium bis{(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl}imide determined from neutron scattering and molecular dynamics simulations

The liquid structure of 1-methyl-4-cyanopyridinium bis {(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl}imide, a prototypical ionic liquid containing an electron-withdrawing group on the cation, has been investigated at 368 K. Experimental neutron scattering combined with empirical potential structure refinement analysis of the data and classical molecular dynamics simulations have been used to probe the liquid structure in detail. Both techniques generated highly consistent results that provide valuable validation of the force fields and refinement approaches. A significant degree of apparent charge ordering is found in the liquid structure, although the nonspherical shape of the ions results in interpenetration of cations into the first shell of adjacent cations, with much shorter closest contact distances than the averaged center-of-mass cation-cation and cation-anion separations.

Rapid, quantitative analysis of ppm/ppb nicotine using surface-enhanced Raman scattering from polymer-encapsulated Ag nanoparticles (gel-colls)

Rapid, quantitative SERS analysis of nicotine at ppm/ppb levels has been carried out using stable and inexpensive polymer-encapsulated Ag nanoparticles (gel-colls). The strongest nicotine band (1030 cm(-1)) was measured against d(5)-pyridine internal standard (974 cm(-1)) which was introduced during preparation of the stock gel-colls. Calibration plots of I-nic/I-pyr against the concentration of nicotine were non-linear but plotting I-nic/I-pyr against [nicotine](x) (x = 0.6-0.75, depending on the exact experimental conditions) gave linear calibrations over the range (0.1-10 ppm) with R-2 typically ca. 0.998. The RMS prediction error was found to be 0.10 ppm when the gel-colls were used for quantitative determination of unknown nicotine samples in 1-5 ppm level. The main advantages of the method are that the gel-colls constitute a highly stable and reproducible SERS medium that allows high throughput (50 sample h(-1)) measurements.

Analysis procedure for calculation of electron energy distribution functions from incoherent Thomson scattering spectra

Incoherent Thomson scattering (ITS) provides a nonintrusive diagnostic for the determination of one-dimensional (1D) electron velocity distribution in plasmas. When the ITS spectrum is Gaussian its interpretation as a three-dimensional (3D) Maxwellian velocity distribution is straightforward. For more complex ITS line shapes derivation of the corresponding 3D velocity distribution and electron energy probability distribution function is more difficult. This article reviews current techniques and proposes an approach to making the transformation between a 1D velocity distribution and the corresponding 3D energy distribution. Previous approaches have either transformed the ITS spectra directly from a 1D distribution to a 3D or fitted two Gaussians assuming a Maxwellian or bi-Maxwellian distribution. Here, the measured ITS spectrum transformed into a 1D velocity distribution and the probability of finding a particle with speed within 0 and given value v is calculated. The differentiation of this probability function is shown to be the normalized electron velocity distribution function. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

Probing warm dense lithium by inelastic X-ray scattering

One of the grand challenges of contemporary physics is understanding strongly interacting quantum systems comprising such diverse examples as ultracold atoms in traps, electrons in high-temperature superconductors and nuclear matter. Warm dense matter, defined by temperatures of a few electron volts and densities comparable with solids, is a complex state of such interacting matter. Moreover, the study of warm dense matter states has practical applications for controlled thermonuclear fusion, where it is encountered during the implosion phase, and it also represents laboratory analogues of astrophysical environments found in the core of planets and the crusts of old stars, Here we demonstrate how warm dense matter states can be diagnosed and structural properties can be obtained by inelastic X-ray scattering measurements on a compressed lithium sample. Combining experiments and ab initio simulations enables us to determine its microscopic state and to evaluate more approximate theoretical models for the ionic structure.

Measurement of Short-Range Correlations in Shock-Compressed Plastic by Short-Pulse X-Ray Scattering

We have performed short-pulse x-ray scattering measurements on laser-driven shock-compressed plastic samples in the warm dense matter regime, providing instantaneous snapshots of the system evolution. Time-resolved and angularly resolved scattered spectra sensitive to the correlation effects in the plasma show the appearance of short-range order within a few interionic separations. Comparison with radiation-hydrodynamic simulations indicates that the shocked plastic is compressed with a temperature of a few electron volts. These results are important for the understanding of the thermodynamic behavior of strongly correlated matter for conditions relevant to both laboratory astrophysics and inertial confinement fusion research.

Small-angle scattering from long-chain alkylimidazolium-based ionic liquids

This paper compares the structure of 1-alkyl-3-methylim ridazolium salts using SAXS and X-ray reflectivity. A range of anions have been investigated namely chloride, bromide, trifluoromethanesulfonate (OTf), bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFI) and tetrachloropalladate(II) with cation alkyl chains ranging from n = 12-20. In general, the salts show liquid crystalline behaviour whose structure is still observed on melting into an isotropic liquid.

Raman satellites in optical scattering from a laser-ablated Mg plume

Raman satellites have been observed in the scattering of a Nd:YAG laser (532 nm) from a laser-ablated Mg plasma plume. We identify them as originating from transitions between the fine-structure components of the metastable 3s3p P-3(0,1,2) level of Mg. We have calculated the cross sections for Raman and Rayleigh scattering from the metastable state. Comparison of the expected ratio of the satellites to the Rayleigh peak indicates the changing population fraction of the metastable states in the plume.

Thomson scattering system at the Tokyo electron beam ion trap

A Thomson scattering system has been installed at the Tokyo electron beam ion trap for probing characteristics of the electron beam. A YVO4 green laser beam was injected antiparallel to the electron beam. The image of the Thomson scattering light from the electron beam has been observed using a charged-coupled device camera. By using a combination of interference filters, the spectral distribution of the Thomson scattering light has been measured. The Doppler shift observed for the scattered light is consistent with the beam energy. The beam radius dependence was investigated as a function of the beam energy, the beam current, and the magnetic field at the trap region. The variation of the measured beam radius against the beam current and the magnetic field were similar to those in Herrmann's prediction. The beam radius as a function of the beam energy was also similar to Herrmann's prediction but seemed to become larger at low energy. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.