Fabrication of electron beam generated, chirped, phase mask (1070 . 11 – 1070 . 66 nm) for fiber Bragg grating dispersion compensator

We report on the fabrication of a chirped, phase mask that was used to create a fiber Bragg grating(FBG)device for the compensation of chromatic dispersion in longhaul optical transmission networks.Electron beamlithography was used to expose the grating onto a resist-coated quartz plate. After etching, this phase mask was used to holographically expose an index grating into the fiber core [K. O. Hill, F. Bilodeau, D. C. Johnson, and J. Albert, Appl. Phys. Lett.62, 1035 (1993)]. The linear increase in the grating period, “chirp,” is only 0.55 nm over the 10 cm grating. This is too small to be defined by computer aided design and a digital deflection system. Instead, the chirp was incorporated by repeatedly rescaling the analog electronics used for field size calibration. Special attention must be paid to minimize any field stitching and exposure artifacts. This was done by using overlapping fields in a “voting” method. As a result, each grating line is exposed by the accumulation of three overlapping exposures at 1/3 dose. This translates any abrupt stitching error into a small but uniform change in the line-to-space ratio of the grating. The phase mask was used with the double-exposure photoprinting technique [K. O. Hill, F. Bilodeau, B. Malo, T. Kitagawa, S. Thériault, D. C. Johnson, J. Albert, and K. Takiguchi, Opt. Lett. 19, 1314 (1994)]: a KrF excimer laser holograp

A velocity map imaging spectrometer for electron?ion and ion?ion coincidence experiments with synchrotron radiation

We have built a velocity imaging (VMI) spectrometer optimized for angle-resolved photoionization experiments with synchrotron radiation (SR) in the VUV and soft X-tay range. The spectrometer is equiped with four electrostatic lenses that focus the charged photoionization products onto a position-sensitive multi-hit delay-line anode. The use of two additional electrostatic lens elements as compared to the standard design of Eppink and Parker [T.J.B. Eppink and D.H. Parker, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 68 (1997) 3477]provides better focusing of an extended interaction region, which is crucial for most SR applications. Furthermore, the apparatus is equipped with a second micro-channel plate detector opposite to the VMI spectrometer, enabling electron-ion coincidence experiments and thereby mass-resolved ion spectroscopy independent of the time structure of the synchrotron radiation. First results for the photofragmentation of CO2 molecules are presented

Size Effects in Angle-Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Free Rare-Gas Clusters

The photoionization of free Xe clusters is investigated by angle-resolved time-of-flight photoelectron spectroscopy. The measurements probe the evolution of the photoelectron angular distribution parameter as a function of photon energy and cluster size. While the overall photon-energy-dependent behavior of the photoelectrons from the clusters is very similar to that of the free atoms, distinct differences in the angular distribution point at cluster-size-dependent effects. Multiple scattering calculations trace their origin to elastic photoelectron scattering

Positron and positronium interactions with Cu

The configuration-interaction (CI) method is used to investigate the interactions of positrons and positronium with copper at low energies. The calculations were performed within the framework of the fixed-core approximation with semiempirical polarization potentials used to model dynamical interactions between the active particles and the (1s-3d) core. Initially, calculations upon the e(+)Li system were used to refine the numerical procedures and highlighted the extreme difficulties of using an orthodox CI calculation to describe the e(+)Li system. The positron binding energy of e(+) Cu derived from a CI calculation which included electron and positron orbitals with l less than or equal to 18 was. 0.005 12 hartree while the spin-averaged annihilation rate was 0.507 x 10(9) s(-1). The configuration basis used for the bound-state calculation was also used as a part of the trial wave function for a Kohn variational calculation of positron-copper scattering. The positron-copper system has a scattering length of about 13.1a(0) and the annihilation parameter Z(eff) at threshold was 72.9. The dipole polarizability of the neutral copper ground state was computed and found to be 41.6a(0)(3). The structure of CuPs was also studied with the CI method and it was found to have a binding energy of 0.0143 hartree and an annihilation rate of similar to2 x 10(9) s(-1)

Epstein-Barr virus: clinical and epidemiological revisits and genetic basis of oncogenesis

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is classified as a member in the order herpesvirales, family herpesviridae, subfamily gammaherpesvirinae and the genus lymphocytovirus. The virus is an exclusively human pathogen and thus also termed as human herpesvirus 4 (HHV4). It was the first oncogenic virus recognized and has been incriminated in the causation of tumors of both lymphatic and epithelial nature. It was reported in some previous studies that 95% of the population worldwide are serologically positive to the virus. Clinically, EBV primary infection is almost silent, persisting as a life-long asymptomatic latent infection in B cells although it may be responsible for a transient clinical syndrome called infectious mononucleosis. Following reactivation of the virus from latency due to immunocompromised status, EBV was found to be associated with several tumors. EBV linked to oncogenesis as detected in lymphoid tumors such as Burkitt's lymphoma (BL), Hodgkin's disease (HD), post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) and T-cell lymphomas (e.g. Peripheral T-cell lymphomas; PTCL and Anaplastic large cell lymphomas; ALCL). It is also linked to epithelial tumors such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), gastric carcinomas and oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL). In vitro, EBV many studies have demonstrated its ability to transform B cells into lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Despite these malignancies showing different clinical and epidemiological patterns when studied, genetic studies have suggested that these EBV- associated transformations were characterized generally by low level of virus gene expression with only the latent virus proteins (LVPs) upregulated in both tumors and LCLs. In this review, we summarize some clinical and epidemiological features of EBV- associated tumors. We also discuss how EBV latent genes may lead to oncogenesis in the different clinical malignancie

Shape and Feshbach resonances in inner-shell photodetachment of negative ions

nner-shell photodetachment of negative ions has been investigated using the photon-ion merged beam technique for atomic and small cluster systems. The case of atomic systems is illustrated by reporting on the first measurements of the absolute cross-sections for the formation of Pt(+), pt(2+), and Pt(3+) following 4f and 5p inner-shell photoexcitation and detachment of Pt(-) 4f(14)5d(9)6s(2) (2)D. The Pt(3+) production channel is dominated by 4f detachment and allows for the first observation of a d-wave Wigner threshold law following single-photon absorption. Our measurements show that promoting a 5p electron into the 5d orbital produces a shape resonance, while promoting a 4f electron produces Feshbach resonances, demonstrating the importance of core-valence interactions. The photodetachment of small cluster systems is illustrated with the measurement and the calculation of K-shell photodetachment of size-selected B(2)(-) and B(3)(-) clusters. The experimental absolute photodetachment cross-sections exhibit bound resonances below threshold and two shape resonances above the K-shell threshold. Similar results were obtained for all of the cationic products observed, B(+) and B(2)(+). from B(2)(-), as well as B(+), B(2)(+) and B(3)(+) from B(3)(-). The overall agreement between measured and calculated photodetachment cross-sections is very good. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Hydration Characteristics of Cement Paste Containing Supplementary Cementitious Materials

An experimental investigation was carried out to evaluate the hydration characteristics and compressive strength development of cement paste containing various supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), viz. pulverised fuel ash (PFA), ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) and microsilica (MS). Cement pastes were prepared in two series (A and B). Mixes of series A were manufactured with a fixed water–binder ratio of 0.30 and a superplasticiser, whereas the water–binder ratios of mixes in series B were equivalent to those needed for standard consistencies. The XRD and TG data showed that the addition of PFA, GGBS and MS reduced the intensity of Ca(OH)2 peaks at test ages of 3, 7, 28 and 91 days. The incorporation of PFA and GGBS in the cement paste mixes produced a lower strength value at early age. However, at later ages, the strength was either greater or comparable to the control specimen. Although the compressive strength of cement paste containing 15% MS was greater than that of the PFA and GGBS pastes at all ages, from a cost point of view, it can be suggested that combinations of 40% PFA and 7.5% MS or 50% GGBS and 7.5% MS may be best to improve the hydration properties and compressive strength of cement paste