Quasi-monocrystalline silicon for low-noise end mirrors in cryogenic gravitational-wave detectors

Mirrors made of silicon have been proposed for use in future cryogenic gravitational-wave detectors, which will be significantly more sensitive than current room-temperature detectors. These mirrors are planned to have diameters of ≈50 cm and a mass of ≈200 kg. While single-crystalline float-zone silicon meets the requirements of low optical absorption and low mechanical loss, the production of this type of material is restricted to sizes much smaller than required. Here we present studies of silicon produced by directional solidification. This material can be grown as quasi-monocrystalline ingots in sizes larger than currently required. We present measurements of a low room-temperature and cryogenic mechanical loss comparable with float-zone silicon. While the optical absorption of our test sample is significantly higher than required, the low mechanical loss motivates research into further absorption reduction in the future. While it is unclear if material pure enough for the transmissive detector input mirrors can be achieved, an absorption level suitable for the highly reflective coated end mirrors seems realistic. Together with the potential to produce samples much larger than ≈50 cm, this material may be of great benefit for realizing silicon-based gravitational-wave detectors

Between but not within species variation in the distribution of fitness effects

New mutations provide the raw material for evolution and adaptation. The distribution of fitness effects (DFE) describes the spectrum of effects of new mutations that can occur along a genome, and is therefore of vital interest in evolutionary biology. Recent work has uncovered striking similarities in the DFE between closely related species, prompting us to ask whether there is variation in the DFE among populations of the same species, or among species with different degrees of divergence, i.e., whether there is variation in the DFE at different levels of evolution. Using exome capture data from six tree species sampled across Europe we characterised the DFE for multiple species, and for each species, multiple populations, and investigated the factors potentially influencing the DFE, such as demography, population divergence and genetic background. We find statistical support for there being variation in the DFE at the species level, even among relatively closely related species. However, we find very little difference at the population level, suggesting that differences in the DFE are primarily driven by deep features of species biology, and that evolutionarily recent events, such as demographic changes and local adaptation, have little impact

The GenTree Platform: growth traits and tree-level environmental data in 12 European forest tree species

Background: Progress in the field of evolutionary forest ecology has been hampered by the huge challenge of phenotyping trees across their ranges in their natural environments, and the limitation in high-resolution environmental information. Findings: The GenTree Platform contains phenotypic and environmental data from 4,959 trees from 12 ecologically and economically important European forest tree species: Abies alba Mill. (silver fir), Betula pendula Roth. (silver birch), Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech), Picea abies (L.) H. Karst (Norway spruce), Pinus cembra L. (Swiss stone pine), Pinus halepensis Mill. (Aleppo pine), Pinus nigra Arnold (European black pine), Pinus pinaster Aiton (maritime pine), Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine), Populus nigra L. (European black poplar), Taxus baccata L. (English yew), and Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. (sessile oak). Phenotypic (height, diameter at breast height, crown size, bark thickness, biomass, straightness, forking, branch angle, fructification), regeneration, environmental in situ measurements (soil depth, vegetation cover, competition indices), and environmental modeling data extracted by using bilinear interpolation accounting for surrounding conditions of each tree (precipitation, temperature, insolation, drought indices) were obtained from trees in 194 sites covering the species’ geographic ranges and reflecting local environmental gradients. Conclusion: The GenTree Platform is a new resource for investigating ecological and evolutionary processes in forest trees. The coherent phenotyping and environmental characterization across 12 species in their European ranges allow for a wide range of analyses from forest ecologists, conservationists, and macro-ecologists. Also, the data here presented can be linked to the GenTree Dendroecological collection, the GenTree Leaf Trait collection, and the GenTree Genomic collection presented elsewhere, which together build the largest evolutionary forest ecology data collection available

Growth and characterization of phosphorus-doped silicon for photovoltaic application directionally solidified under the influence of different process conditions

In dieser Arbeit werden Möglichkeiten zur Homogenisierung von Widerstandsprofilen entlang von phosphordotierten, gerichtet erstarrten, multikristallinen Silizium (mc-Si) Blöcken für PV-Anwendungen untersucht. Die im Rahmen der Dissertation durchgeführte analytische Untersuchung konzentriert sich auf den Phosphortransport in der Siliziumschmelze, an der Grenzfläche zwischen Kristall und Schmelze, an der Schmelzenoberfläche und in der Gasphase oberhalb der Schmelze. Es wurden drei Prozessparameter identifiziert, die den stärksten Einfluss auf die Phosphorverteilung in multikristallinen Blöcken haben: die Durchmischung der Schmelze, der Gesamtgasdruck in der Anlage und der Gasfluss über der Schmelze. Variationen in der Stärke der TMF sind sinnvoll, um die Phosphorverteilung entlang der Barrenhöhe zu beeinflussen. Ein schwaches TMF bewirkt eine gleichmäßigere Dotierstoffverteilung und führt zu einem verringerten spezifischen Widerstand des Blocks in den Anfangsstadien der Kristallisation, während ein starkes TMF einen signifikanten Effekt auf die Phosphorverdampfung hat und zu einem Anstieg des spezifischen Widerstandes zum Ende des Blocks hin führt. Die Ergebnisse der Experimente zeigten, dass die Verringerung des Gasdrucks zu einer deutlich verstärkten Phosphorverdampfung von der freien Schmelzenoberfläche führt und damit den spezifischen Widerstand des erstarrten Blocks erhöht, vor allem gegen dessen Ende hin. Die während der Studie gewonnenen Erkenntnisse wurden für die Optimierung der typischen G1-Wachstumsrezeptur verwendet. Die mit diesem Rezept gezüchteten G1 mc-Si Blöcke zeigen eine gleichmäßigere Widerstandsverteilung als solche, die mit einem typischen Rezept gezüchtet wurden. Die Widerstandsvariation wurde auf 55 % verringert und erfüllte den von der Marktspezifikation vorgegebenen Zielbereich von 3,0 - 1,0 Ω·cm. Die entwickelte Rezeptur wurde erfolgreich für die gerichtete Erstarrung mit Keimvorgabe übertragen.The research described in this thesis is focused on homogenization of resistivity profiles along phosphorus-doped directionally solidified multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) ingots for PV application. The analytical study conducted within the framework of the thesis is focused on phosphorus transport in the silicon melt, at the crystal-melt interface, at the melt surface and in the gaseous phase above the melt. Three process parameters were identified to have the most dominant influence on phosphorus distribution in multicrystalline ingots: melt mixing, furnace ambient gas pressure and gas flow above the melt. It was found that variations in strength of TMF could be used to control the phosphorus distribution along the ingot’s length. Weak TMF provokes more uniform dopant distribution and results in decreased ingot resistivity at the initial stages of crystallization, while strong TMF has more prominent effect on phosphorus evaporation that leads to the increase of resistivity towards the ingot’s end. The results of experiments demonstrated that reduction of ambient gas pressure leads to significantly intensified phosphorus evaporation from the free melt surface and increases the resistivity of the solidified ingot, especially towards its end. The findings obtained during the study were used for the adjustment of the typical G1 growth recipe. Conventional G1 mc-Si ingots grown using this recipe show more uniform resistivity distribution than those grown using a typical one. Resistivity variation was reduced to 55% and met the target range of 3.0 – 1.0 Ω·cm set by market specification. The developed recipe was successfully replicated for directional solidification seeded growth

Paprastosios pušies (Pinus sylvestris L.) DNR polimorfizmo geografinio pasiskirstymo dėsningumai rūšies išplitimo areale

In Lithuania, it is a first genetic study that analyses the DNA polymorphism of Scots pine at the level of cell’s nucleus and organelle’s genomes. In Europe, it is one of the first studies of DNR-based population structure covering in detail the eastern range of Scots pine, where the populations originate from Scotland in the west up to the Amur river estuary in the east. Our material represents a great magnitude of adaptive environments including the core populations at the central part of the species range as well as the marginal populations. The analysis was performed using high resolution and repeatability microsatellite DNA markers.Tai yra pirmas genetinis mokslinis darbas Lietuvoje, nagrinėjantis paprastosios pušies DNR polimorfizmą ląstelės branduolio ir organoidų genomų lygmenyse. Europoje tai vienas iš pirmųjų mokslinių darbų, detaliai analizuojantis DNR polimorfizmą rytinėje paprastosios pušies rūšies arealo dalyje. Darbe lyginamos populiacijos, pradedant Škotija vakaruose, baigiant Amūro upės žiotimis tolimuose rytuose. Taip reprezentuojamas visas adaptacinių aplinkų gradientas: Europa–Uralas–Tolimieji Rytai. Tyrimui naudoti aukštos genetinės rezoliucijos ir patikimo pakartojamumo mikrosatelitinės DNR žymenys.Žemės ūkio akademijaVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Review of research on genetic strucure of Scots pine populations

Straipsnyje yra apžvelgiama paprastosios pušies genetinių ir morfologinių požymių geografinio pasiskirstymo dėsningumai įvairiose rūšies išplitimo arealo dalyse bei metodai genetinei įvairovei įvertinti. Ypatingą vietą užima molekulinių žymenų (DNR) metodai. Molekuliniai žymenys gana sparčiai vystomi, kadangi, palyginus su morfologi¬niais požymiais, jie tiesiogiai gali atskleisti genetinius skirtumus DNR lygmenyje ir yra informatyvūs bet kurioje augalo raidos stadijoje. Vakarinėje pušies arealo dalyje pagal DNR žymenis buvo nustatyta populiacijų genetinė struktūra ir pagal tai parengtos genetinių išteklių išsaugojimo programos ir sėklinis rajonavimas. Straipsnyje pateikiama pušynų genetinės struktūros tyrimų nauda rytiniame pušies areale ir LietuvojeThe article presents an overview of geographical distribution of genetic and morphological traits in various parts of the species range, as well as overview on the methods of assessing the genetic diversity. Particular importance is given to the molecular marker (DNA) techniques. Molecular markers developed quite rapidly, because in comparison with morphological traits, DNA markers may directly reveal the genetic differences at the DNA level and are informative at any stage of the plant development. The DNA marker based studies in the western part of the species range revealed the genetic population structure and the gene conservation programs were prepared as well as breeding zones were delineated. This article presents the planned research with Scots pine DNA markers in the eastern part of the species range and in LithuaniaLietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro Miškų institutasVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Paprastosios pušies (Pinus sylvestris L.) rytinės arealo dalies ir Lietuvos populiacijų DNR polimorfizmo palyginimas

Lietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro Miškų institutasVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Genetiniai tyrimai atskleidžia vilkų migracijų kelius

Miškų ir ekologijos fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Kur slepiasi reliktinių 11000 metų senumo rytinės Baltijos jūros pakrantės paprastosios pušies populiacijų palikuonys?

Straipsnio tęsinys, pradžia Nr. 9Klaipėdos universitetasMiškų ir ekologijos fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Geographical Structuring of Quercus robur (L.) Chloroplast DNA Haplotypes in Lithuania: Recolonization, Adaptation, or Overexploitation Effects?

We studied the maternally inherited chloroplast DNA polymorphism at three microsatellite loci of 157 Quercus robur trees from 38 native populations in Lithuania. We found high diversity of eight haplotypes from the Balkan lineage A (frequency 0.75) and the “German” subbranch of the Balkan lineage A (freq. 0.12), western and eastern Italian lineages C (freq. 0.05 and 0.06, respectively), and Iberian lineage B (freq. 0.03). The haplotypes were geographically well structured (among population differentiation index PhiPT = 0.30, the p-value < 0.001) that is unexpected for such a small territory as Lithuania. We raised a hypothesis on historical overexploitation of oaks by eliminating certain haplotypes in Lithuania, following a drastic felling of oak forests over the last few centuries