139 research outputs found
VUV and X-ray coherent light with tunable polarization from single-pass free-electron lasers
Tunable polarization over a wide spectral range is a required feature of
light sources employed to investigate the properties of local symmetry in both
condensed and low-density matter. Among new-generation sources, free-electron
lasers possess a unique combination of very attractive features, as they allow
to generate powerful and coherent ultra-short optical pulses in the VUV and
X-ray spectral range. However, the question remains open about the possibility
to freely vary the light polarization of a free-electron laser, when the latter
is operated in the so-called nonlinear harmonic-generation regime. In such
configuration, one collects the harmonics of the free-electron laser
fundamental emission, gaining access to the shortest possible wavelengths the
device can generate. In this letter we provide the first experimental
characterization of the polarization of the harmonic light produced by a
free-electron laser and we demonstrate a method to obtain tunable polarization
in the VUV and X-ray spectral range. Experimental results are successfully
compared to those obtained using a theoretical model based on the paraxial
solution of Maxwell's equations. Our findings can be expected to have a deep
impact on the design and realization of experiments requiring full control of
light polarization to explore the symmetry properties of matter samples
Delayed Self-Synchronization in Homoclinic Chaos
The chaotic spike train of a homoclinic dynamical system is self-synchronized
by re-inserting a small fraction of the delayed output. Due to the sensitive
nature of the homoclinic chaos to external perturbations, stabilization of very
long periodic orbits is possible. On these orbits, the dynamics appears chaotic
over a finite time, but then it repeats with a recurrence time that is slightly
longer than the delay time. The effect, called delayed self-synchronization
(DSS), displays analogies with neurodynamic events which occur in the build-up
of long term memories.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., 13 pages, 7 figure
Two-colour generation in a chirped seeded Free-Electron Laser
We present the experimental demonstration of a method for generating two
spectrally and temporally separated pulses by an externally seeded, single-pass
free-electron laser operating in the extreme-ultraviolet spectral range. Our
results, collected on the FERMI@Elettra facility and confirmed by numerical
simulations, demonstrate the possibility of controlling both the spectral and
temporal features of the generated pulses. A free-electron laser operated in
this mode becomes a suitable light source for jitter-free, two-colour
pump-probe experiments
Single-shot transverse coherence in seeded and unseeded free-electron lasers: A comparison
The advent of x-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) drastically enhanced the capabilities of several analytical techniques, for which the degree of transverse (spatial) coherence of the source is essential. FELs can be operated in self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) or seeded configurations, which rely on a qualitatively different initialization of the amplification process leading to light emission. The degree of transverse coherence of SASE and seeded FELs has been characterized in the past, both experimentally and theoretically. However, a direct experimental comparison between the two regimes in similar operating conditions is missing, as well as an accurate study of the sensitivity of transverse coherence to key working parameters. In this paper, we carry out such a comparison, focusing in particular on the evolution of coherence during the light amplification process
Synchronization of chaotic oscillator time scales
This paper deals with the chaotic oscillator synchronization. A new approach
to detect the synchronized behaviour of chaotic oscillators has been proposed.
This approach is based on the analysis of different time scales in the time
series generated by the coupled chaotic oscillators. It has been shown that
complete synchronization, phase synchronization, lag synchronization and
generalized synchronization are the particular cases of the synchronized
behavior called as "time--scale synchronization". The quantitative measure of
chaotic oscillator synchronous behavior has been proposed. This approach has
been applied for the coupled Rossler systems.Comment: 29 pages, 11 figures, published in JETP. 100, 4 (2005) 784-79
Tunability experiments at the FERMI@Elettra free-electron laser
FERMI@Elettra is a free electron-laser (FEL)-based user facility that, after two years of commissioning, started preliminary users' dedicated runs in 2011. At variance with other FEL user facilities, FERMI@Elettra has been designed to deliver improved spectral stability and longitudinal coherence. The adopted scheme, which uses an external laser to initiate the FEL process, has been demonstrated to be capable of generating FEL pulses close to the Fourier transform limit. We report on the first instance of FEL wavelength tuning, both in a narrow and in a large spectral range (fine- and coarse-tuning). We also report on two different experiments that have been performed exploiting such FEL tuning. We used fine-tuning to scan across the 1s–4p resonance in He atoms, at ≈23.74 eV (52.2 nm), detecting both UV–visible fluorescence (4p–2s, 400 nm) and EUV fluorescence (4p–1s, 52.2 nm). We used coarse-tuning to scan the M4,5 absorption edge of Ge (∼29.5 eV) in the wavelength region 30–60 nm, measured in transmission geometry with a thermopile positioned on the rear side of a Ge thin foil
Dynamics of epileptiform activity in mouse hippocampal slices
Increase of the extracellular K +  concentration mediates seizure-like synchronized activities in vitro and was proposed to be one of the main factors underlying epileptogenesis in some types of seizures in vivo. While underlying biophysical mechanisms clearly involve cell depolarization and overall increase in excitability, it remains unknown what qualitative changes of the spatio-temporal network dynamics occur after extracellular K +  increase. In this study, we used multi-electrode recordings from mouse hippocampal slices to explore changes of the network activity during progressive increase of the extracellular K +  concentration. Our analysis revealed complex spatio-temporal evolution of epileptiform activity and demonstrated a sequence of state transitions from relatively simple network bursts into complex bursting, with multiple synchronized events within each burst. We describe these transitions as qualitative changes of the state attractors, constructed from experimental data, mediated by elevation of extracellular K +  concentration
The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide, raising serious concerns. A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between 11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 115 samples tested positive for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The first occurrence was detected on 7 December, in Veneto, North Italy. Later on, the variant spread extremely fast in three weeks, with prevalence of positive wastewater samples rising from 1.0% (1/104 samples) in the week 5–11 December, to 17.5% (25/143 samples) in the week 12–18, to 65.9% (89/135 samples) in the week 19–25, in line with the increase in cases of infection with the Omicron variant observed during December in Italy. Similarly, the number of Regions/Autonomous Provinces in which the variant was detected increased from one in the first week, to 11 in the second, and to 17 in the last one. The presence of the Omicron variant was confirmed by the JRC real-time RT-PCR in 79.1% (91/115) of the positive samples, and by Sanger sequencing in 66% (64/97) of PCR amplicons. In conclusion, we designed an RT-qPCR assay capable to detect the Omicron variant, which can be successfully used for the purpose of wastewater-based epidemiology. We also described the history of the introduction and diffusion of the Omicron variant in the Italian population and territory, confirming the effectiveness of sewage monitoring as a powerful surveillance tool
- …