Ultrasonic transducer with Gaussian radial pressure distribution

An ultrasonic transducer that produces an output that is a symmetrical function comprises a piezoelectric crystal with several concentric ring electrodes on one side of the crystal. A resistor network applies different amplitudes of an ac source to each of the several electrodes. A plot of the different amplitudes from the outermost electrode to the innermost electrode is the first half of a Gaussian function. Consequently, the output of the crystal from the side opposite the electrodes has a Gaussian profile

Transformation, partitioning and flow–deposit interactions during the run-out of megaflows

Funded by BG Brasil E&P LtdaPeer reviewedPostprin

Superconductivity and Cobalt Oxidation State in Metastable Na(x)CoO(2-delta)*yH2O (x ~ 1/3; y ~ 4x)

We report the synthesis and superconducting properties of a metastable form of the known superconductor NaxCoO2*yH2O (x ~ 1/3, y ~ 4x). Instead of using the conventional bromine-acetonitrile mixture for sodium deintercalation, we use an aqueous bromine solution. Using this method, we oxidize the sample to a point that the sodium cobaltate becomes unstable, leading to formation of other products if not controlled. This compound has the same structure as the reported superconductor, yet it exhibits a systematic variation of the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) as a function of time. Immediately after synthesis, this compound is not a superconductor, even though it contains appropriate amounts of sodium and water. The samples become superconducting with low Tc values after ~ 90 h. Tc continually increases until it reaches a maximum value (4.5 K) after about 260 h. Then Tc drops drastically, becoming non-superconducting approximately 100 h later. Corresponding time-dependent neutron powder diffraction data shows that the changes in superconductivity exhibited by the metastable cobaltate correspond to slow formation of oxygen vacancies in the CoO2 layers. In effect, the formation of these defects continually reduces the cobalt oxidation state causing the sample to evolve through its superconducting life cycle. Thus, the dome-shaped superconducting phase diagram is mapped as a function of cobalt oxidation state using a single sample. The width of this dome based on the formal oxidation state of cobalt is very narrow - approximately 0.1 valence units wide. Interestingly, the maximum Tc in NaxCoO2*yH2O occurs when the cobalt oxidation state is near 3.5. Thus, we speculate that the maximum Tc occurs near the charge ordered insulating state that correlates with the average cobalt oxidation state of 3.5.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, 1 tabl

Erbium-doped fiber amplifier elements for structural analysis sensors

The use of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA's) in optical fiber sensor systems for structural analysis is described. EDFA's were developed for primary applications as periodic regenerator amplifiers in long-distance fiber-based communication systems. Their in-line amplification performance also makes them attractive for optical fiber sensor systems which require long effective lengths or the synthesis of special length-dependent signal processing functions. Sensor geometries incorporating EDFA's in recirculating and multiple loop sensors are discussed. Noise and polarization birefringence are also considered, and the experimental development of system components is discussed

Black Holes, Branes and Superconformal Symmetry

The main focus of this lecture is on extended objects in adS*S bosonic backgrounds with unbroken supersymmetry. The backgrounds are argued to be exact, special consideration are given to the non-maximal supersymmetry case. The near horizon superspace construction is explained. The superconformal symmetry appears in the worldvolume actions as the superisometry of the near horizon superspace, like the superPoincare symmetry of GS superstring and BST supermembrane in the flat superspace. The issues in gauge fixing of local kappa-symmetry are reviewed. We describe the features of the gauge-fixed IIB superstring in adS(5)*S(5) background with RR 5-form. From a truncated boundary version of it we derive an analytic N=2 off shell harmonic superspace of Yang-Mills theory. The reality condition of the analytic subspace, which includes the antipodal map on the sphere, has a simple meaning of the symmetry of the string action in the curved space. The relevant issues of black holes and superconformal mechanics are addressed.Comment: 34 pages, Latex. To be published in the Proceedings of a conference held in Corfu, Greece in September 1998. Improvement in Sec. 3.

Ultrafast dynamics of a magnetic antivortex - Micromagnetic simulations

The antivortex is a fundamental magnetization structure which is the topological counterpart of the well-known magnetic vortex. We study here the ultrafast dynamic behavior of an isolated antivortex in a patterned Permalloy thin-film element. Using micromagnetic simulations we predict that the antivortex response to an ultrashort external field pulse is characterized by the production of a new antivortex as well as of a temporary vortex, followed by an annihilation process. These processes are complementary to the recently reported response of a vortex and, like for the vortex, lead to the reversal of the orientation of the antivortex core region. In addition to its fundamental interest, this dynamic magnetization process could be used for the generation and propagation of spin waves for novel logical circuits.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Physical Review B (R

Conformal Symmetry of Supergravities in AdS spaces

We show that the background field method applied to supergravity in adS space-time provides the path integral for the theory in the bulk with conformal symmetry associated with the isometry of the adS space. This in turn allows to establish the rigid conformal invariance of the generating functional for the supergravity correlators on the boundary.Comment: 14 pages, Late

An increase in TcT_c under hydrostatic pressure in the superconducting doped topological insulator Nb0.25_{0.25}Bi2_2Se3_3

We report an unexpected positive hydrostatic pressure derivative of the superconducting transition temperature in the doped topological insulator \NBS via $dc$ SQUID magnetometry in pressures up to 0.6 GPa. This result is contrary to reports on the homologues \CBS and \SBS where smooth suppression of $T_c$ is observed. Our results are consistent with recent Ginzburg-Landau theory predictions of a pressure-induced enhancement of $T_c$ in the nematic multicomponent $E_u$ state proposed to explain observations of rotational symmetry breaking in doped Bi$_2$Se$_3$ superconductors.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure