Pulsed laser surface treatment of magnesium alloy: Correlation between thermal model and experimental observations

The effect of deposition of Al +Al2O3 on MRI 153 M Mg alloy processed using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser is presented in this study. A composite coating with metallurgical joint to the substrate was formed. The microstructure and phase constituents were characterized and correlated with the thermal predictions. The laser scan speed had an effect on the average melt depth and the amount of retained and/or reconstituted alumina in the final coating. The coating consisted of alumina particles and highly refined dendrites formed due to the extremely high cooling rates (of the order of 10(8) K/s). The microhardness of the coating was higher and several fold improvement of wear resistance compared to the substrate was observed for the coatings. These microstructural features and physical properties were correlated with the effects predicted by a thermal model.

Quantum behaved Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO) for multi-objective design optimization of composite structures

We present a new, generic method/model for multi-objective design optimization of laminated composite components using a novel multi-objective optimization algorithm developed on the basis of the Quantum behaved Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO) paradigm. QPSO is a co-variant of the popular Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and has been developed and implemented successfully for the multi-objective design optimization of composites. The problem is formulated with multiple objectives of minimizing weight and the total cost of the composite component to achieve a specified strength. The primary optimization variables are - the number of layers, its stacking sequence (the orientation of the layers) and thickness of each layer. The classical lamination theory is utilized to determine the stresses in the component and the design is evaluated based on three failure criteria; Failure Mechanism based Failure criteria, Maximum stress failure criteria and the Tsai-Wu Failure criteria. The optimization method is validated for a number of different loading configurations - uniaxial, biaxial and bending loads. The design optimization has been carried for both variable stacking sequences as well as fixed standard stacking schemes and a comparative study of the different design configurations evolved has been presented. Also, the performance of QPSO is compared with the conventional PSO.

Theoretical study of the optimum performance of a two-phase flow CO2 gasdynamic laser

Theoretical optimization studies of the performance of a combustion driven premixed two-phase flow gasdynamic laser are presented. The steady inviscid nonreacting quasi-one-dimensional two-phase flow model including appropriate finite rate vibrational kinetic rates has been used in the analysis. The analysis shows that the effect of the particles on the optimum performance of the two-phase laser is very small. The results are presented in graphical form. Applied Physics Letters is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

Influence of validation schemes in a laser Doppler anemometer period timing device for frequency measurement

The short duration of the Doppler signal and noise content in it necessitate a validation scheme to be incorporated in the electronic processor used for frequency measurement, There are several different validation schemes that can be employed in period timing devices. A detailed study of the influence of these validation schemes on the measured frequency has been reported here. These studies were carried out by using a combination of a fast A/D converter and computer. Doppler bursts obtained from an air flow were digitised and stored on magnetic discs. Suitable computer programs were then used to simulate the performance of period timing devices with different validation schemes and the frequency of the stored bursts were evaluated. It is found that best results are obtained when the validation scheme enables frequency measurement to be made over a large number of cycles within the burst.

A study of the effect of N2 reservoir temperature on a 16 μm CO2-N2 downstream-mixing gasdynamic laser

A study of the effect of N2 reservoir temperature on the small-signal gain in a downstream-mixing 16 μm CO2-N2 GDL is presented. It is shown that the small-signal gain decreases with the increase of N2 reservoir temperature. The conditions for reversing this trend are discussed and the results are presented in the form of graphs.

A numerical study of thermocapillary flow in a rectangular cavity during laser melting

The surface tension gradient driven flow that occurs during laser melting has been studied. The vorticity-streamfunction form of the Navier-Stokes equations and the energy equation has been solved by the ‘Alternative Direction Implicit’ method. It has been shown that the inertia forces in the melt strongly influence the flow pattern in the melt. The convection in the melt modifies the isotherms in the melt at high surface tension Reynolds number and high Prandtl number. The buoyancy driven flow has been shown to be negligible compared to the surface tension gradient driven flow in laser melting.

Quantum supersymmetric generalisation of Bogomolnyi bounds

We review here classical Bogomolnyi bounds, and their generalisation to supersymmetric quantum field theories by Witten and Olive. We also summarise some recent work by several people on whether such bounds are saturated in the quantised theory.

Laser flash photolysis study of triplets of cyclobutanethiones

Five cyclobutanethiones with different chromophores at the 3-position were examined for triplet state behaviour in benzene using laser excitation into their low lying nπ*1 band systems. A weak transient absorption attributable to the triplet state is observed in all these cases. Results concerning triplet lifetimes, intersystem crossing yields (S1 → T1), self-quenching kinetics and kinetics of energy transfer to all-trans-1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene and oxygen and quenching by di-t-butyl nitroxide (DTBN) are presented. Intersystem crossing yields estimated with reference to p,p′-dimethoxythiobenzophenone are roughly unity in all five cases. Self-quenching rates are found to be less than diffusion limited and this is attributed to steric crowding at the α positions (dimethyl group). The rates of oxygen and DTBN quenching compare well with those reported for several other thiones in the literature. No transients other than the triplet were detected in the above cyclobutane-thiones.

Transient pulse evolution of active-mode locking in an intra-cavity frequency-doubled laser

The theory of transient mode locking for an active modulator in an intracavity frequency-doubled laser is presented. The theory is applied to mode-locked and intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser and the mode-locked pulse width is plotted as a function of number of round trips inside the cavity. It is found that the pulse compression is faster and the system takes a very short time to approach the steady state in the presence of a second harmonic generating crystal inside the laser cavity. The effect of modulation depth and the second harmonic conversion efficiency on the temporal behavior of the pulse width is discussed.

Simple period timing device for laser Doppler signals

A period timing device suitable for processing laser Doppler anemometer signals has been described here. The important features of this instrument are: it is inexpensive, simple to operate, and easy to fabricate. When the concentration of scattering particles is low the Doppler signal is in the form of a burst and the Doppler frequency is measured by timing the zero crossings of the signal. But the presence of noise calls for the use of validation criterion, and a 5–8 cycles comparison has been used in this instrument. Validation criterion requires the differential count between the 5 and 8 cycles to be multiplied by predetermined numbers that prescribe the accuracy of measurement. By choosing these numbers to be binary numbers, much simplification in circuit design has been accomplished since this permits the use of shift registers for multiplication. Validation accuracies of 1.6%, 3.2%, 6.3%, and 12.5% are possible with this device. The design presented here is for a 16-bit processor and uses TTL components. By substituting Schottky barrier TTLs the clock frequency can be increased from about 10 to 30 MHz resulting in an extension in the range of the instrument. Review of Scientific Instruments is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.

Proton NMR studies of dihalogenated phenyl benzamides: two-dimensional higher quantum methodologies

The scalar coupled proton NMR spectra of many organic molecules possessing more than one phenyl ring are generally complex due to degeneracy of transitions arising from the closely resonating protons, in addition to several short- and long- range couplings experienced by each proton. Analogous situations are generally encountered in derivatives of halogenated benzanilides. Extraction of information from such spectra is challenging and demands the differentiation of spectrum pertaining to each phenyl ring and the simplification of their spectral complexity. The present study employs the blend of independent spin system filtering and the spin-state selective detection of single quantum (SO) transitions by the two-dimensional multiple quantum (MQ) methodology in achieving this goal. The precise values of the scalar couplings of very small magnitudes have been derived by double quantum resolved experiments. The experiments also provide the relative signs of heteronuclear couplings. Studies on four isomers of dilhalogenated benzanilides are reported in this work.

Laser Raman spectra of semicarbazide hydrobromide

Semicarbazide hydrobromide which is isomorphous with SEM.HCl, was expected to belong to a new family of ferroelectrics. Dielectric, thermal and other studies on these crystals have yielded results which show many peculiarities but not confirmed ferroelectricity in the low temperature phase. As such a Laser Raman spectrosocopic study of oriented singe crystals of SEM.HBr was made at 298°K and at 253°K. The results have been correlated with structural features and compared with SEM.HCl.

Visualization of enantiomers using natural abundant 13C-filtered single and double quantum selective refocusing experiments: Application to small chiral molecules

The routine use of proton NMR for the visualization of enantiomers, aligned in the chiral liquid crystal solvent poly-γ-benzyl-l-glutamate (PBLG), is restricted due to severe loss of resolution arising from large number of pair wise interaction of nuclear spins. In the present study, we have designed two experimental techniques for their visualization utilizing the natural abundance 13C edited selective refocusing of single quantum (CH-SERF) and double quantum (CH-DQSERF) coherences. The methods achieve chiral discrimination and aid in the simultaneous determination of homonuclear couplings between active and passive spins and heteronuclear couplings between the excited protons and the participating 13C spin. The CH-SERF also overcomes the problem of overlap of central transitions of the methyl selective refocusing (SERF) experiment resulting in better chiral discrimination. Theoretical description of the evolution of magnetization in both the sequences has been discussed using polarization operator formalism.

Quality Assessment of a Forest Inventory Based on Airborne Laser Scanning

In this study, a quality assessment method based on sampling of primary laser inventory units (microsegments) was analysed. The accuracy of a laser inventory carried out in Kuhmo was analysed as a case study. Field sample plots were measured on the sampled microsegments in the Kuhmo inventory area. Two main questions were considered. Did the ALS based inventory meet the accuracy requirements set for the provider and how should a reliable, cost-efficient and independent quality assessment be undertaken. The agreement between control measurement and ALS based inventory was analysed in four ways: 1) The root mean squared errors (RMSEs) and bias were calculated. 2) Scatter plots with 95% confidence intervals were plotted and the placing of identity lines was checked. 3) Bland-Altman plots were drawn so that the mean difference of attributes between the control method and ALS-method was calculated and plotted against average value of attributes. 4) The tolerance limits were defined and combined with Bland-Altman plots. The RMSE values were compared to a reference study from which the accuracy requirements had been set to the service provider. The accuracy requirements in Kuhmo were achieved, however comparison of RMSE values proved to be difficult. Field control measurements are costly and time-consuming, but they are considered to be robust. However, control measurements might include errors, which are difficult to take into account. Using the Bland-Altman plots none of the compared methods are considered to be completely exact, so this offers a fair way to interpret results of assessment. The tolerance limits to be set on order combined with Bland-Altman plots were suggested to be taken in practise. In addition, bias should be calculated for total area. Some other approaches for quality control were briefly examined. No method was found to fulfil all the required demands of statistical reliability, cost-efficiency, time efficiency, simplicity and speed of implementation. Some benefits and shortcomings of the studied methods were discussed.

Theoretical study of a 16-µm CO2 downstream-mixing gasdynamic laser: A two-dimensional approach

A 16-µm CO2-N2 downstream-mixing gasdynamic laser, where a cold CO2 stream is mixed with a vibrationally excited N2 stream at the exit of the nozzle, is studied theoretically. The flow field is analyzed using a two-dimensional, unsteady, laminar and viscous flow model including appropriate finite-rate vibrational kinetic equations. The analysis showed that local small-signal gain up to 21.75 m−1 can be obtained for a N2 reservoir temperature of 2000 K and a velocity ratio of 1:1 between the CO2 and N2 mixing streams. Applied Physics Letters is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics.