Atomic-vapor-laser isotope separation

This paper gives a brief history of the scientific considerations leading to the development of laser isotope separation (LIS) processes. The close relationship of LIS to the broader field of laser-induced chemical processes is evaluated in terms of physical criteria to achieve an efficient production process. Atomic-vapor LIS processes under development at Livermore are reviwed. 8 figures

Atomic vapor laser isotope separation at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: a status report

The field of laser induced chemistry began in earnest early in the 1970's with the initiation of major efforts in laser isotope separation (LIS) of uranium. Though many specialized, small-scale photochemical and diagnostic applications have been identified and evaluated experimentally, and continue to show promise, currently the only high payoff, large-scale applications remain LIS of special elements. Aspects of the physical scaling, technology status and economic basis of uranium LIS are examined with special emphasis on the effort at LLNL

Bistability and macroscopic quantum coherence in a BEC of ^7Li

We consider a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of $^7Li$ in a situation where the density undergoes a symmetry breaking in real space. This occurs for a suitable number of condensed atoms in a double well potential, obtained by adding a standing wave light field to the trap potential. Evidence of bistability results from the solution of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. By second quantization, we show that the classical bistable situation is in fact a Schr\"odinger cat (SC) and evaluate the tunneling rate between the two SC states. The oscillation between the two states is called MQC (macroscopic quantum coherence); we study the effects of losses on MQC.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures. e-mail: [email protected]

Weak force detection using a double Bose-Einstein condensate

A Bose-Einstein condensate may be used to make precise measurements of weak forces, utilizing the macroscopic occupation of a single quantum state. We present a scheme which uses a condensate in a double well potential to do this. The required initial state of the condensate is discussed, and the limitations on the sensitivity due to atom collisions and external coupling are analyzed.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, Eq.(41) has been correcte

Interference between the halves of a double-well trap containing a Bose-Einstein condensate

Interference between the halves of a double-well trap containing a Bose-Einstein condensate is studied. It is found that when the atoms in the two wells are initially in the coherent state, the intensity exhibits collapses and revivals, but it does not for the initial Fock states. Whether the initial states are in the coherent states or in a Fock states, the fidelity time has nothing to do with collision. We point out that interference and its fidelity can be adjusted experimentally by properly preparing the number and initial states of the system.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Phy. rev.

An Atom Laser Based on Raman Transitions

In this paper we present an atom laser scheme using a Raman transition for the output coupling of atoms. A beam of thermal atoms (bosons) in a metastable atomic state $|1 >$ are pumped into a multimode atomic cavity. This cavity is coupled through spontaneous emission to a single mode of another cavity for the ground atomic state, $|2 >$. Above a certain threshold pumping rate a large number of atoms, $N_2$, builds up in this single quantum state and transitions to the ground state of the cavity become enhanced by a factor $(N_2 + 1)$. Atoms in this state are then coupled to the outside of the cavity with a Raman transition. This changes the internal state of the atom and imparts a momentum kick, allowing the atoms to leave the system.Comment: 8 pages, 4 postscript figures, uses RevTex, home page at http://online.anu.edu.au/Physics/Welcome.html (Some aspects of the exact physical model have changed from original version. Other general improvements included

Macroscopic Quantum Fluctuations in the Josephson Dynamics of Two Weakly Linked Bose-Einstein Condensates

We study the quantum corrections to the Gross-Pitaevskii equation for two weakly linked Bose-Einstein condensates. The goals are: 1) to investigate dynamical regimes at the borderline between the classical and quantum behaviour of the bosonic field; 2) to search for new macroscopic quantum coherence phenomena not observable with other superfluid/superconducting systems. Quantum fluctuations renormalize the classical Josephson oscillation frequencies. Large amplitude phase oscillations are modulated, exhibiting collapses and revivals. We describe a new inter-well oscillation mode, with a vanishing (ensemble averaged) mean value of the observables, but with oscillating mean square fluctuations. Increasing the number of condensate atoms, we recover the classical Gross-Pitaevskii (Josephson) dynamics, without invoking the symmetry-breaking of the Gauge invariance.Comment: Submitte

Grain coarsening behaviour of solution annealed Alloy 625 between 600–800°C

As with all alloys, the grain structure of the nickel-base superalloy 625 has a significant impact on its mechanical properties. Predictability of the grain structure evolution in this material is particularly pertinent because it is prone to inter-metallic precipitate formation both during manufacture and long term or high temperature service. To this end, analysis has been performed on the grain structure of Alloy 625 aged isothermally at temperatures between 600 and 800 °C for times up to 3000 h. Fits made according to the classical Arrhenius equation describing normal grain growth yield an average value for the activation energy of a somewhat inhomogeneous grain structure above 700 °C of 108.3±6.6 kJ mol−1 and 46.6±12.2 kJ mol−1 below 650 °C. Linear extrapolation between 650 and 700 °C produces a significantly higher value of 527.7±23.1 kJ mol−1. This result is ultimately a consequence of a high driving force, solute-impeded grain boundary migration process operating within the alloy. Comparison of the high and low temperature values with the activation energy for volume self-diffusion and grain boundary diffusion identifies the latter as the principle governing mechanism for grain growth in both instances. A decrease in the value of the time exponent (n) at higher temperatures despite a reduction in solute drag is attributable to the Zener pinning imposed by grain boundary M6C and M23C6 particles identified from Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDXS) analysis. Vickers hardness results show the dominance of intermetallic intragranular precipitates in the governance of the mechanical properties of the material with grain coarsening being accompanied by a significant increase in hardness. Furthermore, the lack of any correlation with grain growth behaviour indicates these phases have no significant effect on the grain evolution of the material

Neutral top-pion and lepton flavor violating processes

In the context of topcolor-assisted techicolor(TC2) models, we study the contributions of the neutral top-pion $\pi^{0}_{t}$ to the lepton flavor violating(LFV) processes $l_{i}\to l_{j}\gamma$ and $l_{i}\to l_{j}l_{k}l_{l}$. We find that the present experimental bound on $\mu\to e\gamma$ gives severe constraints on the free parameters of $TC2$ models. Taking into account these constraints, we consider the processes $l_{i}\to l_{j}l_{k}l_{l}$ generated by top-pion exchange at the tree-level and the one loop level, and obtain $Br(\mu\to 3e)\simeq 2.87\times 10^{-14}$, $1.1\times 10^{-15}\leq Br(\tau\to 3e)\simeq Br(\tau\to 2e\mu)\leq 4.4 \times 10^{-15}$, $3.1\times 10^{-15} \leq Br(\tau\to 2\mu e)\simeq Br(\tau\to 3\mu)\leq 1.5 \times 10^{-14}$ in most of the parameter space.Comment: latex files,16 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Cosmological Creation of D-branes and anti-D-branes

We argue that the early universe may be described by an initial state of space-filling branes and anti-branes. At high temperature this system is stable. At low temperature tachyons appear and lead to a phase transition, dynamics, and the creation of D-branes. These branes are cosmologically produced in a generic fashion by the Kibble mechanism. From an entropic point of view, the formation of lower dimensional branes is preferred and $D3$ brane-worlds are exponentially more likely to form than higher dimensional branes. Virtually any brane configuration can be created from such phase transitions by adjusting the tachyon profile. A lower bound on the number defects produced is: one D-brane per Hubble volume.Comment: 30 pages, 5 eps figures; v2 more references added; v3 section 4 slightly improve