Tailoring the Optical Properties of Silica Irradiated with Swift Heavy Ions

Irradiation with swift heavy ions (SHI), roughly defined as those having atomic masses larger than 15 and energies exceeding 1 MeV/amu, may lead to significant modification of the irradiated material in a nanometric region around the (straight) ion trajectory (i.e., latent tracks). In the case of amorphous silica it has been reported that SHI irradiation originates nano-tracks of either higher density than the virgin material (for low electronic stopping powers, Se < 7 keV/nm) [1] or having a low-density core and a dense shell (Se > 12 keV/nm) [2]. The intermediate region has not been studied in detail but we will show in this work that essentially no changes in density occur in this zone. An interesting effect of the compaction is that the refractive index is increased with respect to that of the surroundings. In the first Se region it is clear that track overlapping leads to continuous amorphous layers that present a significant contrast with respect to the pristine substrate and this has been used to produce optical waveguides. The optical effects of intermediate and high stopping powers, on the other hand, are largely unknown so far. In this work we have studied theoretically (molecular dynamics and optical simulations) and experimentally (irradiation with SHI and optical characterization) the dependence of the macroscopic optical properties (i.e., the refractive index of the effective medium, n_EMA) on the electronic stopping power of the incoming ions. Our results show that the refractive index of the irradiated silica is not increased in the intermediate region, as expected; however, the core-shell tracks of the high-Se region produce a quite effective enhancement of n_EMA that could prove attractive for the fabrication of optical waveguides at ultralow fluences (as low as 1E11 cm^-2). 1. J. Manzano, J. Olivares, F. Agulló-López, M. L. Crespillo, A. Moroño, and E. Hodgson, "Optical waveguides obtained by swift-ion irradiation on silica (a-SiO2)," Nucl. Instrum. Meth. B 268, 3147-3150 (2010). 2. P. Kluth, C. S. Schnohr, O. H. Pakarinen, F. Djurabekova, D. J. Sprouster, R. Giulian, M. C. Ridgway, A. P. Byrne, C. Trautmann, D. J. Cookson, K. Nordlund, and M. Toulemonde, "Fine structure in swift heavy ion tracks in amorphous SiO2," Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 175503 (2008).

Measurement of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in p-Pb collisions at $\\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV using TPC and EMCal detectors with ALICE at LHC

Heavy-ion collisions are a powerful tool to study hot and dense QCD matter, the so-called Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). Since heavy quarks (charm and beauty) are dominantly produced in the early stages of the collision, they experience the complete evolution of the system. Measurements of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decay is one possible way to study the interaction of these particles with the QGP. With ALICE at LHC, electrons can be identified with high efficiency and purity. A strong suppression of heavy-flavour decay electrons has been observed at high $p_{m T}$ in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV. Measurements in p-Pb collisions are crucial to understand cold nuclear matter effects on heavy-flavour production in heavy-ion collisions. The spectrum of electrons from the decays of hadrons containing charm and beauty was measured in p-Pb collisions at $\\sqrt = 5.02$ TeV. The heavy flavour decay electrons were measured by using the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) and the Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMCal) detectors from ALICE in the transverse-momentum range $2 < p_ < 20$ GeV/c. The measurements were done in two different data set: minimum bias collisions and data using the EMCal trigger. The non-heavy flavour electron background was removed using an invariant mass method. The results are compatible with one ($R_ \\approx$ 1) and the cold nuclear matter effects in p-Pb collisions are small for the electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays.

Quality of ALICE SSD modules revealed by electrical tests

ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is an experiment at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), where a heavy-ion detector is dedicated to exploit the unique physics potential of nucleus-nucleus interactions at LHC (Large Hadron Collider) energies. In a part of that project, 716 so-called type V4 modules were assembles in Detector Laboratory of Helsinki Institute of Physics during the years 2004 - 2006. Altogether over a million detector strips has made this project the most massive particle detector project in the science history of Finland. One ALICE SSD module consists of a double-sided silicon sensor, two hybrids containing 12 HAL25 front end readout chips and some passive components, such has resistors and capacitors. The components are connected together by TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) microcables. The components of the modules were tested in every assembly phase with comparable electrical tests to ensure the reliable functioning of the detectors and to plot the possible problems. The components were accepted or rejected by the limits confirmed by ALICE collaboration. This study is concentrating on the test results of framed chips, hybrids and modules. The total yield of the framed chips is 90.8%, hybrids 96.1% and modules 86.2%. The individual test results have been investigated in the light of the known error sources that appeared during the project. After solving the problems appearing during the learning-curve of the project, the material problems, such as defected chip cables and sensors, seemed to induce the most of the assembly rejections. The problems were typically seen in tests as too many individual channel failures. Instead, the bonding failures rarely caused the rejections of any component. One sensor type among three different sensor manufacturers has proven to have lower quality than the others. The sensors of this manufacturer are very noisy and their depletion voltage are usually outside of the specification given to the manufacturers. Reaching 95% assembling yield during the module production demonstrates that the assembly process has been highly successful.

Stabilizing hadron resonance gas models

We examine the stability of hadron resonance gas models by extending them to include undiscovered resonances through the Hagedorn formula. We find that the influence of unknown resonances on thermodynamics is large but bounded. We model the decays of resonances and investigate the ratios of particle yields in heavy-ion collisions. We find that observables such as hydrodynamics and hadron yield ratios change little upon extending the model. As a result, heavy-ion collisions at the RHIC and LHC are insensitive to a possible exponential rise in the hadronic density of states, thus increasing the stability of the predictions of hadron resonance gas models in this context. Hadron resonance gases are internally consistent up to a temperature higher than the crossover temperature in QCD, but by examining quark number susceptibilities we find that their region of applicability ends below the QCD crossover.

Potentiometric determination of activities in the two-phase fields of the system Na2O---(α)Al2O3

Three compounds have been found to be stable in the pseudobinary system Na2O---(α)Al2O3 between 825 and 1400 K; two nonstoichiometric phases, β-alumina and β″-alumina, and NaAlO2. The homogeneity of β-alumina ranges from 9.5 to 11 mol% Na2O, while that of β″-alumina from 13.3 to 15.9 mol% Na2O at 1173 K. The activity of Na2O in the two-phase fields has been determined by a solid-state potentiometric technique. Since both β- and β″-alumina are fast sodium ion conductors, biphasic solid electrolyte tubes were used in these electrochemical measurements. The open circuit emf of the following cells were measured from 790 to 980 K: [GRAPHICS] The partial molar Gibbs' energy of Na2O relative to gamma-Na2O in the two-phase regions can be represented as: DELTA-GBAR(Na2O)(alpha- + beta-alumina) = -270,900 + 24.03 T, DELTA-GBAR(Na2O)(beta- + beta"-alumina) = -232,700 + 56.19 T, and DELTA-GBAR(Na2O)(beta"-alumina + NaAlO2) = -13,100 - 4.51 T J mol-1. Similar galvanic cells using a Au-Na alloy and a mixture of Co + CoAl(2+2x)O4+3x + (alpha)Al2O3 as electrodes were used at 1400 K. Thermodynamic data obtained in these studies are used to evaluate phase relations and partial pressure of sodium in the Na2O-(alpha) Al2O3 system as a function of oxygen partial pressure, composition and temperature.

Radiation induced modifications on microstructure and related properties of high temperature superconductor YBCO

Role of swift heavy ion irradiation on the modification of transport and structural properties of high temperature superconductors is studied. Good quality YBCO thin films prepared by high pressure oxygen sputtering and laser ablation were used in this investigation. Resistivity and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were mainly used to probe superconducting and microstructural modifications resulted from the irradiation of high energy and heavy ions like 100 MeV oxygen and 200 MeV silver. Radiation induced sputtering or erosion is likely to be a major disastrous component of such high energy irradiation that could be powerful in masking phase coherence effects, atleast in grain boundaries. The extent of damage/nature of defects other than columnar defects produced by swift heavy ions is discussed in the light of AFM measurements. The effect of high energy oxygen ion irradiation is anomalous. A clear annealing effect at higher doses is seen. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Strange freezeout

We argue that known systematics of hadron cross sections may cause different particles to freeze out of the fireball produced in heavy-ion collisions at different times. We find that a simple model with two freezeout points is a better description of data than that with a single freezeout, while still remaining predictive. The resulting fits seem to present constraints on the late stage evolution of the fireball, including the tantalizing possibility that the QCD chiral transition influences the yields at root S = 2700 GeV and the QCD critical point those at root S = 17.3 GeV. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quark and gluon distribution functions in a viscous quark-gluon plasma medium and dilepton production via q(q)over-bar annihilation

Viscous modifications to the thermal distributions of quark-antiquarks and gluons have been studied in a quasiparticle description of the quark-gluon-plasma medium created in relativistic heavy-ion collision experiments. The model is described in terms of quasipartons that encode the hot QCD medium effects in their respective effective fugacities. Both shear and bulk viscosities have been taken in to account in the analysis, and the modifications to thermal distributions have been obtained by modifying the energy-momentum tensor in view of the nontrivial dispersion relations for the gluons and quarks. The interactions encoded in the equation of state induce significant modifications to the thermal distributions. As an implication, the dilepton production rate in the q (q) over bar annihilation process has been investigated. The equation of state is found to have a significant impact on the dilepton production rate along with the viscosities.

Sputtering by multiply-charged ions, and preferential sputtering of isotopic mixtures

Collector-type experiments have been conducted to investigate two different aspects of sputtering induced by keV ions. The first study looked for possible ejection mechanisms related to the primary charge state of the projectile. Targets of CsI and LiNbO_3 were bombarded with 48 keV Ar^(q+), and a Au target was bombarded with 60 keV Ar^(q+), for q = 4, 8, and 11. The collectors were analyzed using heavy-ion Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy to determine the differential angular sputtering yields; these and the corresponding total yields were examined for variations as a function of projectile charge state. For the Au target, no significant changes were seen, but for the insulating targets slight (~10%) enhancements were observed in the total yields as the projectile charge state was increased from 4+ to 11+.

In the second investigation, artificial ^(92)Mo/^(100)Mo targets were bombarded with 5 and 10 keV beams of Ar^+ and Xe^+ to study the isotopic fractionation of sputtered neutrals as a function of emission angle and projectile fluence. Using secondary ion mass spectroscopy to measure the isotope ratio on the collectors, material ejected into normal directions at low bombarding fluences (~ 10^(15) ions cm^(-2)) was found to be enriched in the light isotope by as much as ~70‰ compared to steady state. Similar results were found for secondary Mo ions sputtered by 14.5 keV O^-. For low-fluence 5 keV Xe^+ bombardment, the light-isotope enrichment at oblique angles was ~20‰ less than the corresponding enrichment in the normal direction. No angular dependence could be resolved for 5 keV Ar^+ projectiles at the lowest fluence. The above fractionation decreased to steady-state values after bombarding fluences of a few times 10^(16) ions cm^(-2) , with the angular dependence becoming more pronounced. The fractionation and total sputtering yield were found to be strongly correlated, indicating that the above effects may have been related to the presence of a modified target surface layer. The observed effects are consistent with other secondary ion measurements and multiple-interaction computer simulations, and are considerably larger than predicted by existing analytic theory.

Investigating carbon materials for use as the electron emission source in a parallel electron-beam lithography system

A microelectronic parallel electron-beam lithography system using an array of field emitting microguns is currently being developed. This paper investigates the suitability of various carbon based materials for the electron source in this device, namely tetrahedrally bonded amorphous carbon (ta-C), nanoclustered carbon and carbon nanotubes. Ta-C was most easily integrated into a gated field emitter structure and various methods, such as plasma and heavy ion irradiation, were used to induce emission sites in the ta-C. However, the creation of such emission sites at desired locations appeared to be difficult/random in nature and thus the material was unsuitable for this application. In contrast, nanoclustered carbon material readily field emits with a high site density but the by-products from the deposition process create integration issues when using the material in a microelectronic gated structure. Carbon nanotubes are currently the most promising candidate for use as the emission source. We have developed a high yield and clean (amorphous carbon by-product free) PECVD process to deposit single free standing nanotubes at desired locations with exceptional uniformity in terms of nanotube height and diameter. Field emission from an array of nanotubes was also obtained. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.

云母模板中Cu纳米线的制备及其光学性质研究

Nanopores with diameters between 30 nm and 180 nm have been fabricated by inducing latent track with fast heavy ions and etching process in 25 μm thick,single-crystal muscovite mica.For short etching time,the nanopores are columns with circular cross section.For long etching time the cross section of nanopores becomes rhombic.Thus the shape of nanopores depends on the etching time.Cu nanowires have been fabricated with controlled dimensions by electrodeposition into the nanopores.The ultraviolet-visible lig...中文文摘：利用快重离子辐照的单晶白云母片产生潜径迹,蚀刻得到直径在30—180nm纳米孔道.孔道形状依赖于蚀刻时间,蚀刻时间短得到圆柱形孔道,蚀刻时间长得到菱柱形孔道.从而在云母模板孔道中电化学沉积得到不同直径和形状的Cu纳米线.通过紫外可见光谱分析,发现铜纳米线的尺寸和形状影响其光学性质.直径小于60nm的近似为圆柱状Cu纳米线有一个明显的表面等离子体共振峰和一个微弱的次峰.随着直径增加,菱柱状的Cu纳米线主峰有明显的红移,次峰逐渐增强.同时利用扫描电子显微镜、X射线衍射对Cu纳米线的形貌和晶体结构特征进行了表征.

快重离子辐照引起Ni/SiO2界面原子混合及相变研究

Ni/SiO2 interface were irradiated at room temperature with 308 MeV Xe ions to 1×1012,5×1012 Xe/cm2 and 853 MeV Pb ions to 5×1011 Pb/cm2,respectively.These samples were analyzed using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry(RBS) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy(XRD),from which the intermixing and phase change were investigated.The obtained results show that both Xe-and Pb-ions could induce diffusion of Ni atoms to SiO2 substrates and result in intermixing of Ni with SiO2.Furthermore,1.0×1012 Xe/cm2 irradiat...中文摘要：在室温下用308 MeV的Xe离子和853 MeV的Pb离子辐照Ni/SiO2样品,用卢瑟福背散射和X射线衍射技术对样品进行了分析。通过分析Ni/SiO2样品中元素成分分布和结构随离子辐照剂量和电子能损的变化,探索了离子辐照在Ni/SiO2样品中引起的界面原子混合与结构相变现象。实验结果显示,Xe和Pb离子辐照均能引起明显的Ni原子向SiO2基体的扩散并导致界面附近Ni,Si和O原子的混合。实验观测到低剂量Xe离子辐照可产生NiSi2相,而高剂量Xe离子辐照则导致了Ni3Si和NiO相的形成。根据热峰模型,Ni原子的扩散和新相的形成可能由沿离子入射路径强电子激发引起的瞬间热峰过程驱动。

一种低活化铁素体/ 马氏体钢的高能重离子辐照效应研究

Low-activation Ferritic/Martensitic steels are a kind of important structural materials candidate to the application in advanced nuclear energy systems.Possible degradation of properties and even failure in the condition of high-temperature and high helium production due to energetic neutron irradiation in a fusion reactor is a major concern with the application of this kind of materials.In the present work microstructural evolution in a 9Cr Ferritic/Martensitic steel(T92B) irradiated with 122 MeV 20Ne ions...中文摘要：低活化的铁素体/马氏体钢是先进核能装置(如聚变堆)的重要候选结构材料。在聚变堆实际工作环境下,由于高温和高氦产生率引起的材料失效是这类材料面临的一个重要问题。本项研究以兰州重离子加速器(HIRFL)提供的中能惰性气体离子束(20Ne,122 MeV)作为模拟辐照条件,借助透射电子显微镜,研究了一种低活化的9Cr铁素体/马氏体钢(T92B)组织结构的变化和辐照肿胀。实验结果表明,高温下当材料中晶格原子的撞出损伤和惰性气体原子沉积浓度超过一定限值时,材料内部形成高浓度的空洞,并且空洞肿胀率显著依赖于辐照温度和剂量;在马氏体板条界面及其它晶界处空洞趋于优先形成,并且在晶界交汇处呈加速生长。基于氦泡的形核生长与空洞肿胀的经典模型探讨了在不同辐照条件(He离子、Ne离子、Fe/He离子双束、快中子、Ni离子)下铁素体/马氏体钢中肿胀率数据的关联。

兰州重离子加速器深层治癌扫描电源研究与设计

This paper describes the technique targets and operation principle of the scanning power supply for the deep tumor therapy facility with heavy ions in Cooler-Storage-Ring of the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou(HIRFL-CSR).To ensure the specified accuracy of the current,the hysteresis loop control strategy was adopted,and tracking error was constrained in the specified tolerance.One prototype was designed and installed.And the simulation results and test results were listed in the paper.The results sho...中文摘要：阐述了用于兰州重离子深层治癌装置的扫描电源的技术指标和工作原理,为保证该电源输出电流的精度,采用滞环控制策略,将跟踪误差限制在设计要求的误差范围内。研制了1台扫描电源样机,并给出了电路仿真和测试结果。测试结果显示各项指标均达到了设计要求,表明所选电路结构和滞环控制方案是切实可行的。

High-efficiency transfer and expression of AdCMV-p53 in human cervix adenocarcinoma cells induced by subclinical-dose carbon beam radiation

Purpose The aim of this study is to evaluate the eVect of carbon-beam irradiation on adenovirus-mediated p53 transfer in human cervix adenocarcinoma.Materials and methods The HeLa cells pre-exposed to carbon-beam or -ray, were infected with replication-deficient adenovirus recombinant vectors, containing human wild-type p53 (AdCMV-p53) and green Xuorescent protein (GFP) (AdCMV–GFP), respectively. The GFP transfer and p53 expression were detected by Xow cytometric analysis.Results The GFP transfer frequency in C-beam with AdCMV-GFP groups was 38–50% more than that inγ-ray with AdCMV–GFP groups. The percentage of p53 positive cells in the C-beam with AdCMV–p53 groups was 34–55.6% more than that in γ-ray with AdCMV-p53 groups (p < 0.05), suggesting that subclinical-dose C-beam irradiation could signiWcantly promote exogenous p53 transfer and p53 expression, and extend the duration of p53 expression in the HeLa cells. The expression of p21 increased with p53 expression in HeLa cells. The survival fractions for the 0.5–1.0 Gy C-beam with AdCMV-p53 groups were 38–43% less than those for the isodose γ-ray with AdCMV-p53 groups, and 31–40% less than those for the C-beam only groups (p <0.05).Conclusions The subclinical-dose C-beam irradiation could signiWcantly promote the transfer and expression of exogenous p53, extend the duration of p53 expression, and enhance the suppression of p53 on cervix adenocarcinoma cells.