19,629 research outputs found
Estimation of gloss from rough surface parameters
Gloss is a quantity used in the optical industry to quantify and categorize
materials according to how well they scatter light specularly. With the aid of
phase perturbation theory, we derive an approximate expression for this
quantity for a one-dimensional randomly rough surface. It is demonstrated that
gloss depends in an exponential way on two dimensionless quantities that are
associated with the surface randomness: the root-mean-square roughness times
the perpendicular momentum transfer for the specular direction, and a
correlation function dependent factor times a lateral momentum variable
associated with the collection angle. Rigorous Monte Carlo simulations are used
to access the quality of this approximation, and good agreement is observed
over large regions of parameter space.Comment: 5 page
Geometric phases in electric dipole searches with trapped spin-1/2 particles in general fields and measurement cells of arbitrary shape with smooth or rough walls
The important role of geometric phases in searches for a permanent electric
dipole moment of the neutron, using Ramsey separated oscillatory field nuclear
magnetic resonance, was first noted by Commins and investigated in detail by
Pendlebury et al. Their analysis was based on the Bloch equations. In
subsequent work using the spin density matrix Lamoreaux and Golub showed the
relation between the frequency shifts and the correlation functions of the
fields seen by trapped particles in general fields (Redfield theory). More
recently we presented a solution of the Schr\"odinger equation for spin-
particles in circular cylindrical traps with smooth walls and exposed to
arbitrary fields [Steyerl et al.] Here we extend this work to show how the
Redfield theory follows directly from the Schr\"odinger equation solution. This
serves to highlight the conditions of validity of the Redfield theory, a
subject of considerable discussion in the literature [e.g., Nicholas et al.]
Our results can be applied where the Redfield result no longer holds, such as
observation times on the order of or shorter than the correlation time and
non-stochastic systems and thus we can illustrate the transient spin dynamics,
i.e. the gradual development of the shift with increasing time subsequent to
the start of the free precession. We consider systems with rough, diffuse
reflecting walls, cylindrical trap geometry with arbitrary cross section, and
field perturbations that do not, in the frame of the moving particles, average
to zero in time. We show by direct, detailed, calculation the agreement of the
results from the Schr\"odinger equation with the Redfield theory for the cases
of a rectangular cell with specular walls and of a circular cell with diffuse
reflecting walls.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figure
Detecting Targets above the Earth's Surface Using GNSS-R Delay Doppler Maps: Results from TDS-1
: Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reflected signals can be used to remotely sense
the Earth’s surface, known as GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R). The GNSS-R technique has been applied
to numerous areas, such as the retrieval of wind speed, and the detection of Earth surface objects.
This work proposes a new application of GNSS-R, namely to detect objects above the Earth’s surface,
such as low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. To discuss its feasibility, 14 delay Doppler maps (DDMs) are
first presented which contain unusually bright reflected signals as delays shorter than the specular
reflection point over the Earth’s surface. Then, seven possible causes of these anomalies are analysed,
reaching the conclusion that the anomalies are likely due to the signals being reflected from objects
above the Earth’s surface. Next, the positions of the objects are calculated using the delay and
Doppler information, and an appropriate geometry assumption. After that, suspect satellite objects
are searched in the satellite database from Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Finally, three objects
have been found to match the delay and Doppler conditions. In the absence of other reasons for these
anomalies, GNSS-R could potentially be used to detect some objects above the Earth’s surface.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version
Analytic height correlation function of rough surfaces derived from light scattering
We derive an analytic expression for the height correlation function of a
rough surface based on the inverse wave scattering method of Kirchhoff theory.
The expression directly relates the height correlation function to diffuse
scattered intensity along a linear path at fixed polar angle. We test the
solution by measuring the angular distribution of light scattered from rough
silicon surfaces, and comparing extracted height correlation functions to those
derived from atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results agree closely with AFM
over a wider range of roughness parameters than previous formulations of the
inverse scattering problem, while relying less on large-angle scatter data. Our
expression thus provides an accurate analytical equation for the height
correlation function of a wide range of surfaces based on measurements using a
simple, fast experimental procedure.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl
Casimir energy and geometry : beyond the Proximity Force Approximation
We review the relation between Casimir effect and geometry, emphasizing
deviations from the commonly used Proximity Force Approximation (PFA). We use
to this aim the scattering formalism which is nowadays the best tool available
for accurate and reliable theory-experiment comparisons. We first recall the
main lines of this formalism when the mirrors can be considered to obey
specular reflection. We then discuss the more general case where non planar
mirrors give rise to non-specular reflection with wavevectors and field
polarisations mixed. The general formalism has already been fruitfully used for
evaluating the effect of roughness on the Casimir force as well as the lateral
Casimir force or Casimir torque appearing between corrugated surfaces. In this
short review, we focus our attention on the case of the lateral force which
should make possible in the future an experimental demonstration of the
nontrivial (i.e. beyond PFA) interplay of geometry and Casimir effect.Comment: corrected typos, added references, QFEXT'07 special issue in J. Phys.
Slow‐Wave Structures Utilizing Superconducting Thin‐Film Transmission Lines
Slow‐wave propagation of electromagnetic waves in transmission lines formed of thin‐film superconductors has been studied theoretically and experimentally. Previous theoretical analyses have been extended to include nonlocal theories. Strong dependence of phase velocity is found on film thickness and interfilm spacing when these become less than a few penetration depths. Velocity is also modified by coherence length, mean free path, nature of reflection of electrons at the film surfaces, and by temperature and magnetic field. Experimental measurements were made to verify the dependence on thickness, spacing, and temperature by means of a resonance technique. Agreement with theory was excellent in the case of temperature. Data taken for varying thickness and spacing verified the general trend of theoretical predictions. They indicate a nonlocal behavior with some specular reflection, but scatter of the data taken for different films prevents precise comparison of theory and experiment. Estimates of bulk penetration depths were made for indium, λ_In = 648±130 Å. For tantalum a rough estimate could be made of λTa = 580 Å. Data were consistent with the estimate of coherence length for indium of ξ_0 ≈ 3000 Å. Velocity was found to be independent of frequency in the range 50–500 MHz, while losses increased as the square. Pulse measurements indicated that delays of several microseconds and storage of several thousand pulses on a single line are feasible
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