5,738 research outputs found
An earth pole-sitter using hybrid propulsion
In this paper we investigate optimal pole-sitter orbits using hybrid solar sail and solar electric propulsion (SEP). A pole-sitter is a spacecraft that is constantly above one of the Earth's poles, by means of a continuous thrust. Optimal orbits, that minimize propellant mass consumption, are found both through a shape-based approach, and solving an optimal control problem, using a direct method based on pseudo-spectral techniques. Both the pure SEP case and the hybrid case are investigated and compared. It is found that the hybrid spacecraft allows consistent savings on propellant mass fraction. Finally, is it shown that for sufficiently long missions (more than 8 years), a hybrid spacecraft, based on mid-term technology, enables a consistent reduction in the launch mass for a given payload, with respect to a pure SEP spacecraft
Optical bistability in a GaAs based polariton diode
We report on a new type of optical nonlinearity in a polariton p-i-n
microcavity. Abrupt switching between the strong and weak coupling regime is
induced by controlling the electric field within the cavity. As a consequence
bistable cycles are observed for low optical powers (2-3 orders of magnitude
less than for Kerr induced bistability). Signatures of switching fronts
propagating through the whole 300 microns x 300 microns mesa surface are
evidenced.Comment: 5 pages 3 figure
Superconducting properties of nanocrystalline MgB thin films made by an in situ annealing process
We have studied the structural and superconducting properties of MgB thin
films made by pulsed laser deposition followed by in situ annealing. The
cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy reveals a nanocrystalline
mixture of textured MgO and MgB with very small grain sizes. A
zero-resistance transition temperature () of 34 K and a zero-field
critical current density () of A/cm were obtained.
The irreversibility field was 8 T at low temperatures, although severe
pinning instability was observed. These bulk-like superconducting properties
show that the in situ deposition process can be a viable candidate for MgB
Josephson junction technologies
Interaction of quasilocal harmonic modes and boson peak in glasses
The direct proportionality relation between the boson peak maximum in
glasses, , and the Ioffe-Regel crossover frequency for phonons,
, is established. For several investigated materials . At the frequency the mean free path of the
phonons becomes equal to their wavelength because of strong resonant
scattering on quasilocal harmonic oscillators. Above this frequency phonons
cease to exist. We prove that the established correlation between
and holds in the general case and is a direct consequence of
bilinear coupling of quasilocal oscillators with the strain field.Comment: RevTex, 4 pages, 1 figur
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