Anomalous electric dipole internal conversion

Electric dipole internal conversion has been experimentally studied for several nuclei in the rare earth region. Anomalies in the conversion process have been interpreted in terms of nuclear structure effects. It was found that all the experimental results could be interpreted in terms of the j ∙ r type of penetration matrix element; the j ∙ ∇ type of penetration matrix element was not important. The ratio λ of the El j ∙ r penetration matrix element to the El gamma-ray matrix element was determined from the experiments to be:

Lu¹⁷⁵,396 keV, λ = - 1000 ± 100;

282 keV, λ = 500 ± 100;

144 keV, λ = 500 ± 250;

Hf¹⁷⁷, 321 keV λ = - 1400 ± 200;

208 keV λ = - 90 ± 40;

72 keV |λ| ≤ 650;

Gd¹⁵⁵, 86 keV λ = - 150 ± 100;

Tm¹⁶⁹, 63 keV λ = - 100 ± 100;

W¹⁸², 152 keV, λ = - 160 ±80;

67 keV, λ = - 100 ± 100.

Predictions for λ are made using the unified nuclear model.

SteelConverter and Caltech VirtualShaker: Rapid Nonlinear Cloud-Based Structural Model Conversion and Analysis

STEEL, the Caltech created nonlinear large displacement analysis software, is currently used by a large number of researchers at Caltech. However, due to its complexity, lack of visualization tools (such as pre- and post-processing capabilities) rapid creation and analysis of models using this software was difficult. SteelConverter was created as a means to facilitate model creation through the use of the industry standard finite element solver ETABS. This software allows users to create models in ETABS and intelligently convert model information such as geometry, loading, releases, fixity, etc., into a format that STEEL understands. Models that would take several days to create and verify now take several hours or less. The productivity of the researcher as well as the level of confidence in the model being analyzed is greatly increased.

It has always been a major goal of Caltech to spread the knowledge created here to other universities. However, due to the complexity of STEEL it was difficult for researchers or engineers from other universities to conduct analyses. While SteelConverter did help researchers at Caltech improve their research, sending SteelConverter and its documentation to other universities was less than ideal. Issues of version control, individual computer requirements, and the difficulty of releasing updates made a more centralized solution preferred. This is where the idea for Caltech VirtualShaker was born. Through the creation of a centralized website where users could log in, submit, analyze, and process models in the cloud, all of the major concerns associated with the utilization of SteelConverter were eliminated. Caltech VirtualShaker allows users to create profiles where defaults associated with their most commonly run models are saved, and allows them to submit multiple jobs to an online virtual server to be analyzed and post-processed. The creation of this website not only allowed for more rapid distribution of this tool, but also created a means for engineers and researchers with no access to powerful computer clusters to run computationally intensive analyses without the excessive cost of building and maintaining a computer cluster.

In order to increase confidence in the use of STEEL as an analysis system, as well as verify the conversion tools, a series of comparisons were done between STEEL and ETABS. Six models of increasing complexity, ranging from a cantilever column to a twenty-story moment frame, were analyzed to determine the ability of STEEL to accurately calculate basic model properties such as elastic stiffness and damping through a free vibration analysis as well as more complex structural properties such as overall structural capacity through a pushover analysis. These analyses showed a very strong agreement between the two softwares on every aspect of each analysis. However, these analyses also showed the ability of the STEEL analysis algorithm to converge at significantly larger drifts than ETABS when using the more computationally expensive and structurally realistic fiber hinges. Following the ETABS analysis, it was decided to repeat the comparisons in a software more capable of conducting highly nonlinear analysis, called Perform. These analyses again showed a very strong agreement between the two softwares in every aspect of each analysis through instability. However, due to some limitations in Perform, free vibration analyses for the three story one bay chevron brace frame, two bay chevron brace frame, and twenty story moment frame could not be conducted. With the current trend towards ultimate capacity analysis, the ability to use fiber based models allows engineers to gain a better understanding of a building’s behavior under these extreme load scenarios.

Following this, a final study was done on Hall’s U20 structure [1] where the structure was analyzed in all three softwares and their results compared. The pushover curves from each software were compared and the differences caused by variations in software implementation explained. From this, conclusions can be drawn on the effectiveness of each analysis tool when attempting to analyze structures through the point of geometric instability. The analyses show that while ETABS was capable of accurately determining the elastic stiffness of the model, following the onset of inelastic behavior the analysis tool failed to converge. However, for the small number of time steps the ETABS analysis was converging, its results exactly matched those of STEEL, leading to the conclusion that ETABS is not an appropriate analysis package for analyzing a structure through the point of collapse when using fiber elements throughout the model. The analyses also showed that while Perform was capable of calculating the response of the structure accurately, restrictions in the material model resulted in a pushover curve that did not match that of STEEL exactly, particularly post collapse. However, such problems could be alleviated by choosing a more simplistic material model.

Nuclear structure effects in internal conversion

Experimental studies of nuclear effects in internal conversion in Ta¹⁸¹ and Lu¹⁷⁵ have been performed. Nuclear structure effects (“penetration” effects), in internal conversion are described in general. Calculation of theoretical conversion coefficients are outlined. Comparisons with the theoretical conversion coefficient tables of Rose and Sliv and Band are made. Discrepancies between our results and those of Rose and Sliv are noted. The theoretical conversion coefficients of Sliv and Band are in substantially better agreement with our results than are those of Rose. The ratio of the M1 penetration matrix element to the M1 gamma-ray matrix element, called λ, is equal to + 175 ± 25 for the 482 keV transition in Ta¹⁸¹ . The results for the 343 keV transition in Lu¹⁷⁵ indicate that λ may be as large as – 8 ± 5. These transitions are discussed in terms of the unified collective model. Precision L subshell measurements in Tm¹⁶⁹ (130keV), W¹⁸² (100 keV), and Ta¹⁸¹ (133 keV) show definite systematic deviations from the theoretical conversion coefficients. The possibility of explaining these deviations by penetration effects is investigated and is shown to be excluded. Other explanations of these anomalies are discussed.

Deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission gratings with high efficiency at a wavelength of 1550 nm

We describe the design, fabrication, and excellent performance of an optimized deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission grating for use in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) systems. The fabricated optimized transmission grating exhibits an efficiency of 87.1% at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Inductively coupled plasma-etching technology was used to fabricate the grating. The deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission grating is suitable for use in a DWDM system because of its high efficiency, low polarization-dependent loss, parallel demultiplexing, and stable optical performance. The fabricated deep-etched high-density fused-silica transmission gratings should play an important role in DWDM systems. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

Spectral density of first order Piecewise linear systems excited by white noise

The Fokker-Planck (FP) equation is used to develop a general method for finding the spectral density for a class of randomly excited first order systems. This class consists of systems satisfying stochastic differential equations of form ẋ + f(x) = m/Ʃ/j = 1 h_j(x)n_j(t) where f and the h_j are piecewise linear functions (not necessarily continuous), and the n_j are stationary Gaussian white noise. For such systems, it is shown how the Laplace-transformed FP equation can be solved for the transformed transition probability density. By manipulation of the FP equation and its adjoint, a formula is derived for the transformed autocorrelation function in terms of the transformed transition density. From this, the spectral density is readily obtained. The method generalizes that of Caughey and Dienes, J. Appl. Phys., 32.11.

This method is applied to 4 subclasses: (1) m = 1, h₁ = const. (forcing function excitation); (2) m = 1, h₁ = f (parametric excitation); (3) m = 2, h₁ = const., h₂ = f, n₁ and n₂ correlated; (4) the same, uncorrelated. Many special cases, especially in subclass (1), are worked through to obtain explicit formulas for the spectral density, most of which have not been obtained before. Some results are graphed.

Dealing with parametrically excited first order systems leads to two complications. There is some controversy concerning the form of the FP equation involved (see Gray and Caughey, J. Math. Phys., 44.3); and the conditions which apply at irregular points, where the second order coefficient of the FP equation vanishes, are not obvious but require use of the mathematical theory of diffusion processes developed by Feller and others. These points are discussed in the first chapter, relevant results from various sources being summarized and applied. Also discussed is the steady-state density (the limit of the transition density as t → ∞).

Heteroepitaxy of Group IV and Group III-V semiconductor alloys for photovoltaic applications

Photovoltaic energy conversion represents a economically viable technology for realizing collection of the largest energy resource known to the Earth -- the sun. Energy conversion efficiency is the most leveraging factor in the price of energy derived from this process. This thesis focuses on two routes for high efficiency, low cost devices: first, to use Group IV semiconductor alloy wire array bottom cells and epitaxially grown Group III-V compound semiconductor alloy top cells in a tandem configuration, and second, GaP growth on planar Si for heterojunction and tandem cell applications.

Metal catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid grown microwire arrays are an intriguing alternative for wafer-free Si and SiGe materials which can be removed as flexible membranes. Selected area Cu-catalyzed vapor-liquid solid growth of SiGe microwires is achieved using chlorosilane and chlorogermane precursors. The composition can be tuned up to 12% Ge with a simultaneous decrease in the growth rate from 7 to 1 μm/min^-1. Significant changes to the morphology were observed, including tapering and faceting on the sidewalls and along the lengths of the wires. Characterization of axial and radial cross sections with transmission electron microscopy revealed no evidence of defects at facet corners and edges, and the tapering is shown to be due to in-situ removal of catalyst material during growth. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy reveal a Ge-rich crystal at the tip of the wires, strongly suggesting that the Ge incorporation is limited by the crystallization rate.

Tandem Ga_1-xIn_xP/Si microwire array solar cells are a route towards a high efficiency, low cost, flexible, wafer-free solar technology. Realizing tandem Group III-V compound semiconductor/Si wire array devices requires optimization of materials growth and device performance. GaP and Ga_1-xIn_xP layers were grown heteroepitaxially with metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on Si microwire array substrates. The layer morphology and crystalline quality have been studied with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and they provide a baseline for the growth and characterization of a full device stack. Ultimately, the complexity of the substrates and the prevalence of defects resulted in material without detectable photoluminescence, unsuitable for optoelectronic applications.

Coupled full-field optical and device physics simulations of a Ga_0.51In_0.49P/Si wire array tandem are used to predict device performance. A 500 nm thick, highly doped "buffer" layer between the bottom cell and tunnel junction is assumed to harbor a high density of lattice mismatch and heteroepitaxial defects. Under simulated AM1.5G illumination, the device structure explored in this work has a simulated efficiency of 23.84% with realistic top cell SRH lifetimes and surface recombination velocities. The relative insensitivity to surface recombination is likely due to optical generation further away from the free surfaces and interfaces of the device structure.

Finally, GaP has been grown free of antiphase domains on Si (112) oriented substrates using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Low temperature pulsed nucleation is followed by high temperature continuous growth, yielding smooth, specular thin films. Atomic force microscopy topography mapping showed very smooth surfaces (4-6 Å RMS roughness) with small depressions in the surface. Thin films (~ 50 nm) were pseudomorphic, as confirmed by high resolution x-ray diffraction reciprocal space mapping, and 200 nm thick films showed full relaxation. Transmission electron microscopy showed no evidence of antiphase domain formation, but there is a population of microtwin and stacking fault defects.

FDTD analysis of Talbot effect of a high density grating

Talbot effect of a grating with different flaws is analyzed with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The FDTD method can show the exact near-field distribution of different flaws in a high-density grating, which is impossible to obtain with the conventional Fourier transform method. The numerical results indicate that if a grating is perfect, its Talbot imaging should also be perfect; if the grating is distorted, its Talbot imaging would also be distorted. Furthermore, we can evaluate high density gratings by detecting the near-field distribution.

Double-line-density gratings structure for compression and generation of double femtosecond laser pulses

Grating pairs are widely used for pulse compression and stretching. Normally, the two gratings are identical. We propose a very simple structure with double-line-density reflective gratings for pulse compression and generation of double pulses, which has the advantages of no material dispersion, compact in volume, simple in structure, etc. The use of reflective Dammann gratings fully demonstrated the principle of this structure. The output pulses are well verified by a standard frequency-resolved optical gating apparatus. This structure will be highly interesting in ultrashort pulse compression and other more practical applications of femtosecond laser pulses. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.

Fetntosecond pulse shaping with space-to-time conversion based on planar optics

We propose a novel structure of planar optical configuration for implementation of the space-to-time conversion for femtosecond pulse shaping. The previous apparatuses of femtosecond pulse shaping are 4f Fourier-transforming type system that is usually large, expensive, difficult to align. The planar integration of free-space optical systems on solid substrates is an optical module with the attractive advantages of compact, reliable and robust. This apparatus is analyzed in details and the design of the particular lens for femtosecond pulse shaping based on planar optics is presented. (c) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Strong visible up-conversion emission in Tb3+, Tm3+ and Tb3+-Tm3+ co-doped tellurite glasses sensitized by Yb3+

Up-conversion luminescence characteristics under 975 nm excitation have been investigated with Tb3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ triply doped tellurite glasses. Here, green (547 nm: D-5(4) --> F-7(4)) and red (660 nm: D-5(4) --> F-7(2)) up-conversion (UC) luminescence originating from Tb3+ is observed strongly, because of the quadratic dependences of emission intensities on the excitation power. Especially, the UC luminescence was intensified violently with the energy transfer from the Tm3+ ions involves in the Tb3+ excitation. To the Tb3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ triply doped glass system, a novel up-conversion mechanism is proposed as follows: the energy of (3)G(4) level (Tm3+) was transferred to D-5(4) (Tb3+) and the 477-nm UC luminescence of Tm3+ was nearly quenched. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phase interpretation for polarization-dependent near-field images of high-density gratings

It has been described that the near-field images of a high-density grating at the half self-imaging distance could be different for TE and TM polarization states. We propose that the phases of the diffraction orders play an important role in such polarization dependence. The view is verified through the coincidence of the numerical result of finite-difference time-domain method and the reconstructed results from the rigorous coupled-wave analysis. Field distributions of TE and TM polarizations are given numerically for a grating with period d = 2.3 lambda, which are verified through experiments with the scanning near-field optical microscopy technique. The concept of phase interpretation not only explains the polarization dependence at the half self-imaging distance of gratings with a physical view, but also, it could be widely used to describe the near-field diffraction of a variety of periodic diffractive optical elements whose feature size comparable to the wavelength. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

I. The structure and properties of closed circular duplex DNA. II. Chemically interacting systems at equilibrium in a buoyant density gradient

I. The binding of the intercalating dye ethidium bromide to closed circular SV 40 DNA causes an unwinding of the duplex structure and a simultaneous and quantitatively equivalent unwinding of the superhelices. The buoyant densities and sedimentation velocities of both intact (I) and singly nicked (II) SV 40 DNAs were measured as a function of free dye concentration. The buoyant density data were used to determine the binding isotherms over a dye concentration range extending from 0 to 600 µg/m1 in 5.8 M CsCl. At high dye concentrations all of the binding sites in II, but not in I, are saturated. At free dye concentrations less than 5.4 µg/ml, I has a greater affinity for dye than II. At a critical amount of dye bound I and II have equal affinities, and at higher dye concentration I has a lower affinity than II. The number of superhelical turns, τ, present in I is calculated at each dye concentration using Fuller and Waring's (1964) estimate of the angle of duplex unwinding per intercalation. The results reveal that SV 40 DNA I contains about -13 superhelical turns in concentrated salt solutions.

The free energy of superhelix formation is calculated as a function of τ from a consideration of the effect of the superhelical turns upon the binding isotherm of ethidium bromide to SV 40 DNA I. The value of the free energy is about 100 kcal/mole DNA in the native molecule. The free energy estimates are used to calculate the pitch and radius of the superhelix as a function of the number of superhelical turns. The pitch and radius of the native I superhelix are 430 Å and 135 Å, respectively.

A buoyant density method for the isolation and detection of closed circular DNA is described. The method is based upon the reduced binding of the intercalating dye, ethidium bromide, by closed circular DNA. In an application of this method it is found that HeLa cells contain in addition to closed circular mitochondrial DNA of mean length 4.81 microns, a heterogeneous group of smaller DNA molecules which vary in size from 0.2 to 3.5 microns and a paucidisperse group of multiples of the mitochondrial length.

II. The general theory is presented for the sedimentation equilibrium of a macromolecule in a concentrated binary solvent in the presence of an additional reacting small molecule. Equations are derived for the calculation of the buoyant density of the complex and for the determination of the binding isotherm of the reagent to the macrospecies. The standard buoyant density, a thermodynamic function, is defined and the density gradients which characterize the four component system are derived. The theory is applied to the specific cases of the binding of ethidium bromide to SV 40 DNA and of the binding of mercury and silver to DNA.

Talbot effect of a high-density grating under femtosecond laser illumination

The Talbot effect of a high-density grating under femtosecond laser illumination is analyzed with rigorous electromagnetic theory which is based on the Fourier decomposition and the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA). Numerical simulations show that the contrast of the Talbot images steadily decreases as the transmitted femtosecond laser pulses propagate forward and with wider spectrum width of the femtosecond laser pulses. The Talbot images of high-density gratings have much higher sensitivity of the spectrum widths of the incident laser pulses than those of the traditional low-density gratings. In experiments, the spectrums and the pulse widths of the incident pulses are measured with a frequency-resolved optical grating (FROG) apparatus. The Talbot images are detected by using a Talbot scanning near-field optical microscopy (Talbot-SNOM) technique, which are in coincidence with the numerical simulations. This effect should be useful for developing new femtosecond laser techniques and devices. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Classical and Quantum Effects in Plasmonic Metals

The field of plasmonics exploits the unique optical properties of metallic nanostructures to concentrate and manipulate light at subwavelength length scales. Metallic nanostructures get their unique properties from their ability to support surface plasmons– coherent wave-like oscillations of the free electrons at the interface between a conductive and dielectric medium. Recent advancements in the ability to fabricate metallic nanostructures with subwavelength length scales have created new possibilities in technology and research in a broad range of applications.

In the first part of this thesis, we present two investigations of the relationship between the charge state and optical state of plasmonic metal nanoparticles. Using experimental bias-dependent extinction measurements, we derive a potential- dependent dielectric function for Au nanoparticles that accounts for changes in the physical properties due to an applied bias that contribute to the optical extinction. We also present theory and experiment for the reverse effect– the manipulation of the carrier density of Au nanoparticles via controlled optical excitation. This plasmoelectric effect takes advantage of the strong resonant properties of plasmonic materials and the relationship between charge state and optical properties to eluci- date a new avenue for conversion of optical power to electrical potential.

The second topic of this thesis is the non-radiative decay of plasmons to a hot-carrier distribution, and the distribution’s subsequent relaxation. We present first-principles calculations that capture all of the significant microscopic mechanisms underlying surface plasmon decay and predict the initial excited carrier distributions so generated. We also preform ab initio calculations of the electron-temperature dependent heat capacities and electron-phonon coupling coefficients of plasmonic metals. We extend these first-principle methods to calculate the electron-temperature dependent dielectric response of hot electrons in plasmonic metals, including direct interband and phonon-assisted intraband transitions. Finally, we combine these first-principles calculations of carrier dynamics and optical response to produce a complete theoretical description of ultrafast pump-probe measurements, free of any fitting parameters that are typical in previous analyses.