Rippled area formed by surface plasmon polaritons upon femtosecond laser double-pulse irradiation of silicon: the role of carrier generation and relaxation processes

The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) upon irradiation of silicon with multiple irradiation sequences consisting of femtosecond laser pulse pairs (pulse duration 150 fs, central wavelength 800 nm) is studied numerically using a rate equation system along with a two-temperature model accounting for one- and two-photon absorption and subsequent carrier diffusion and Auger recombination processes. The temporal delay between the individual equal-energy fs-laser pulses was varied between $0$ and $\sim 4$ ps for quantification of the transient carrier densities in the conduction band of the laser-excited silicon. The results of the numerical analysis reveal the importance of carrier generation and relaxation processes in fs-LIPSS formation on silicon and quantitatively explain the two time constants of the delay dependent decrease of the Low-Spatial-Frequency LIPSS (LSFL) area observed experimentally. The role of carrier generation, diffusion and recombination are quantified individually.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, Conference On Laser Ablation (COLA) 2013. The final publication is available at http://link.springer.com. Accepted for publication in Applied Physics

Possible surface plasmon polariton excitation under femtosecond laser irradiation of silicon

The mechanisms of ripple formation on silicon surface by femtosecond laser pulses are investigated. We demonstrate the transient evolution of the density of the excited free-carriers. As a result, the experimental conditions required for the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons are revealed. The periods of the resulting structures are then investigated as a function of laser parameters, such as the angle of incidence, laser fluence, and polarization. The obtained dependencies provide a way of better control over the properties of the periodic structures induced by femtosecond laser on the surface of a semiconductor material.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Applied Physic

A new tool based on faecal stanols can distinguish specific mammalian species in modern and past environments

Publisher PD

Inhibition of endothelial cell migration by thrombospondin-1 type-1 repeats is mediated by β1 integrins

The anti-angiogenic effect of thrombospondin-1 has been shown to be mediated through binding of the type-1 repeat (TSR) domain to the CD36 transmembrane receptor. We now report that the TSR domain can inhibit VEGF-induced migration in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), cells that lack CD36. Moreover, we identified β1 integrins as a critical receptor in TSR-mediated inhibition of migration in HUVEC. Using pharmacological inhibitors of downstream VEGF receptor effectors, we found that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3k) was essential for TSR-mediated inhibition of HUVEC migration, but that neither PLCγ nor Akt was necessary for this response. Furthermore, β1 integrins were critical for TSR-mediated inhibition of microvascular endothelial cells, cells that express CD36. Together, our results indicate that β1 integrins mediate the anti-migratory effects of TSR through a PI3k-dependent mechanism

Assessment of Fission Product Cross-Section Data for Burnup Credit Applications

Past efforts by the Department of Energy (DOE), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and others have provided sufficient technical information to enable the NRC to issue regulatory guidance for implementation of pressurized-water reactor (PWR) burnup credit; however, consideration of only the reactivity change due to the major actinides is recommended in the guidance. Moreover, DOE, NRC, and EPRI have noted the need for additional scientific and technical data to justify expanding PWR burnup credit to include fission product (FP) nuclides and enable burnup credit implementation for boiling-water reactor (BWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF). The criticality safety assessment needed for burnup credit applications will utilize computational analyses of packages containing SNF with FP nuclides. Over the years, significant efforts have been devoted to the nuclear data evaluation of major isotopes pertinent to reactor applications (i.e., uranium, plutonium, etc.); however, efforts to evaluate FP cross-section data in the resonance region have been less thorough relative to actinide data. In particular, resonance region cross-section measurements with corresponding R-matrix resonance analyses have not been performed for FP nuclides. Therefore, the objective of this work is to assess the status and performance of existing FP cross-section and cross-section uncertainty data in the resonance region for use in burnup credit analyses. Recommendations for new cross-section measurements and/or evaluations are made based on the data assessment. The assessment focuses on seven primary FP isotopes (103Rh, 133Cs, 143Nd, 149Sm, 151Sm, 152Sm, and 155Gd) that impact reactivity analyses of transportation packages and two FP isotopes (153Eu and 155Eu) that impact prediction of 155Gd concentrations. Much of the assessment work was completed in 2005, and the assessment focused on the latest FP cross-section evaluations available in the international nuclear data community as of March 2005. The accuracy of the cross-section data was investigated by comparing existing cross-section evaluations against available measured cross-section data. When possible, benchmark calculations were also used to assess the performance of the latest FP cross-section data. Since March 2005, the U.S. and European data projects have released newer versions of their respective data files. Although there have been updates to the international data files and to some degree FP data, much of the updates have included nuclear cross-section modeling improvements at energies above the resonance region. The one exception is improved ENDF/B-VII cross-section uncertainty data or covariance data for gadolinium isotopes. In particular, ENDF/B-VII includes improved 155Gd resonance parameter covariance data, but they are based on previously measured resonance data. Although the new covariance data are available for 155Gd, the conclusions of the FP cross-section data assessment of this report still hold in lieu of the newer international cross-section data files. Based on the FP data assessment, there is judged to be a need for new total and capture cross-section measurements and corresponding cross-section evaluations, in a prioritized manner, for the nine FPs to provide the improved information and technical rigor needed for criticality safety analyses

In-situ experimental and numerical studies of the damage evolution and fracture in a Fe-TiB2 composite

A joint experimental and modelling study of plastic strain and ensuing damage in a novel metal matrix composite (Fe-TiB2) is presented. Damage is observed and quantified using SEM images processing and Acoustic Emission (AE) analysis. The use of AE confirms that the surface damage observed is strongly correlated to damage in the bulk of the material. The primary mode of damage is particle fracture. Very little particle decohesion is observed, indicating an exceptionally good cohesion of the steel/particle interface. Damage is initiated soon after the composite yield point is reached and increases significantly with strain. Macroscopic failure of the tensile specimen occurs when about 25% of the particles are fractured. This corresponds to about 21% engineering strain. Using in-situ SEM tensile tests with quantitative digital image correlation (DIC), full-field strain measurements are obtained and particle fracture quantified. The results of fields measurements are compared to results of a FFT based homogenization method with boundary conditions retrieved from the experiment. A good agreement is found between the DIC-measured and FFT-predicted results. Estimated values of the particle fracture stress are obtained

Multi-domain comparison of safety standards

International audienceThis paper presents an analysis of safety standards and their implementation in certification strategies from different domains such as aeronautics, automation, automotive, nuclear, railway and space. This work, performed in the context of the CG2E ("Club des Grandes Entreprises de l'Embarqué"), aims at identifying the main similarities and dissimilarities, for potential cross-domain harmonization. We strive to find the most comprehensive 'trans-sectorial' approach, within a large number of industrial domains. Exhibiting the 'true goals' of their numerous applicable standards, related to the safety of system and software, is a first important step towards harmonization, sharing common approaches, methods and tools whenever possible