Brillouin scattering in planar waveguides. II. Experiments

Silica-titania planar waveguides of different thicknesses and compositions have been produced by radio-frequency sputtering and dip coating on silica substrates. Waveguides were also produced by silver exchange on a soda-lime silicate glass substrate. Brillouin scattering of the samples has been studied by coupling the exciting laser beam with a prism to different transverse-electric (TE) modes of the waveguides, and collecting the scattered light from the front surface. In multimode waveguides, the spectra depend on the m mode of excitation. For waveguides with a step index profile, two main peaks due to longitudinal phonons are present, apart from the case of the TE0 excitation, where a single peak is observed. The energy separation between the two peaks increases with the mode index. In graded-index waveguides, m-1 peaks of comparable intensities are observed. The spectra are reproduced very well by a model which considers the space distribution of the exciting field in the mode, a simple space dependence of the elasto-optic coefficients, through the value of the refraction index, and neglects the refraction of phonons. A single-fit parameter, i.e., the longitudinal sound velocity, is used to calculate as many spectra as is the number of modes in the waveguide. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.

Magnetic field release of trapped charges in poly(fluorenylenevinylene)s

We have measured the effect of an applied magnetic field on the current through thin films of two different organic conjugated polymers that have previously shown to exhibit magnetoresistance, poly(9,9-dioctyl-1,4-fluorenylenevinylene) and poly(9,9-dioctyl-2,7-fluorenylenevinylene). The results show that the magnetic field releases trapped charges from inside the material and enhances the current. We have also performed optical absorption experiments on these polymer films under applied voltage and magnetic field. The results show that the magnetic field produces a change in the optical absorption in the low-energy range associated with deep traps and only under conditions when these traps are likely charged. These two results provide a strong case for the release of trapped charges caused by the magnetic field as being the cause of the magneto resistance in these polymers and possibly in other organic materials where magnetoresistance was recently observed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of the polarization reversal process in a non-constant applied electric field and the generalized superposition principle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The use of pulsed electric acoustic technique for measuring electric field profiles in ferroelectric ceramic

The pulsed electric acoustic technique, PEA, have been usually applied to probe space charge profiles in polymers. In this work we show preliminary results obtained with lead zirconate-titanate and niobium, PZTN, ferroelectric ceramic samples. Experiments showed that induced charge densities on sample electrodes are mainly due to the ferroelectric polarization of the sample. We present results of the typical PEA response and the procedure to deconvolute the signal in order to obtain the charge densities and the electric field profiles. The PEA setup allows us to show a non-uniform polarization during ferroelectric switching.

Mean-field model of interaction between bright vortex solitons in Bose-Einstein condensates

Using the explicit numerical solution of the axially symmetric Gross-Pitaevskii equation we study the dynamics of interaction among vortex solitons in a rotating matter-wave bright soliton train in a radially trapped and axially free Bose-Einstein condensate to understand certain features of the experiment by Strecker et al (2002 Nature 417 150). In a soliton train, solitons of opposite phase (phase δ = π) repel and stay apart without changing shape; solitons with δ = 0 attract, interact and coalesce, but eventually come out; solitons with a general δ usually repel but interact inelastically by exchanging matter. We study this and suggest future experiments with vortex solitons.

Mean-field model of jet formation in a collapsing Bose-Einstein condensate

We perform a systematic numerical study, based on the time-dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equation, of jet formation in collapsing and exploding Bose-Einstein condensates as in the experiment by Donley et al (2001 Nature 412 295). In the actual experiment, via a Feshbach resonance, the scattering length of atomic interaction was suddenly changed from positive to negative on a pre-formed condensate. Consequently, the condensate collapsed and ejected atoms via explosion. On disruption of the collapse by suddenly changing the scattering length to zero, a radial jet of atoms was formed in the experiment. We present a satisfactory account of jet formation under the experimental conditions and also make predictions beyond experimental conditions which can be verified in future experiments.

A Markov random field model for combining optimum-path forest classifiers using decision graphs and game strategy approach

The research on multiple classifiers systems includes the creation of an ensemble of classifiers and the proper combination of the decisions. In order to combine the decisions given by classifiers, methods related to fixed rules and decision templates are often used. Therefore, the influence and relationship between classifier decisions are often not considered in the combination schemes. In this paper we propose a framework to combine classifiers using a decision graph under a random field model and a game strategy approach to obtain the final decision. The results of combining Optimum-Path Forest (OPF) classifiers using the proposed model are reported, obtaining good performance in experiments using simulated and real data sets. The results encourage the combination of OPF ensembles and the framework to design multiple classifier systems. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Two-wavelength whole-field interferometry setup for thermal lens study

In this paper we present a new approach for thermal lens analysis using a two-wavelength DSPI (Digital Speckle Pattern Interferometry) setup for wavefront sensing. The employed geometry enables the sensor to detect wavefronts with small phase differences and inherent aberrations found in induced lenses. The wavefronts was reconstructed by four-stepping fringe evaluation and branch-cut unwrapping from fringes formed onto a diffusive glass. Real-time single-exposure contour interferograms could be obtained in order to get discernible and low-spacial frequency contour fringes and obtain low-noise measurements. In our experiments we studied the thermal lens effect in a 4% Er-doped CaO-Al2O3 glass sample. The diode lasers were tuned to have a contour interval of around 120 μm. The incident pump power was longitudinally and collinearly oriented with the probe beams. Each interferogram described a spherical-like wavefront. Using the ABCD matrix formalism we obtained the induced lens dioptric power from the thermal effect for different values of absorbed pump power. © 2012 Copyright SPIE.

Effects of fluazuron (2.5 mg/kg) and a combination of fluazuron (3.0 mg/kg) + abamectin (0.5 mg/kg) on the reproductive parameters of a field population of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus on experimentally infested cattle

The current study assessed the deleterious effects of two formulations of fluazuron (2.5 mg/kg fluazuron and a combination of 3.0 mg/kg fluazuron + 0.5 mg/kg abamectin) on the reproductive parameters of engorged Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) micro plus females that naturally detached from experimentally infested cattle in two experiments. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that fluazuron (2.5 mg/ kg) showed deleterious effects only on the hatchability percentage in the period of 2-7 post-treatment days of this ectoparasite's engorged females. On the other hand, the fluazuron (3.0 mg/kg) + abamectin (0.5 mg/kg) combination presented harmful effects over reproductive parameters of this tick species. Further studies should be performed with a known tick population (reference susceptible strain) to determine the effect of these formulations on the reproductive parameters and to elucidate if this field population is fluazuron resistant. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurement of pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles in proton-proton collisions at root s=8 TeV by the CMS and TOTEM experiments

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Experimental and field record of preferred temperature in the neotropical amphisbaenid Amphisbaena mertensi stauch (reptilia, amphisbaenidae)

1. 1. Temperature preference in experimental thermal gradient in the laboratory was determined and field preferred temperature was recorded, for Amphisbaena mertensi. 2. 2. Mean preferred temperature in 52 experiments averaged 21.4°C which was close to those recorded in 16 specimens measured in the field (21.1°C). 3. 3. Selected temperature varied from 12 to 27°C in the laboratory, and data taken in the field ranged from 18 to 26°C. © 1984.