Temperature-Dependent Refractive Index Measurements of Caf2, Suprasil 3001, and S-FTM16 for the Euclid Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer

Using the Cryogenic High Accuracy Refraction Measuring System (CHARMS) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, we measured absolute refractive indices at temperatures from 100 to 310 K at wavelengths from 0.42 to 3.6 microns for CaF2, Suprasil 3001 fused silica, and S-FTM16 glass in support of lens designs for the Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP) for ESA's Euclid dark energy mission. We report absolute refractive index, dispersion (dn/d), and thermo-optic coefficient (dn/dT) for these materials. In this study, materials from different melts were procured to understand index variability in each material. We provide temperature-dependent Sellmeier coefficients based on our data to allow accurate interpolation of index to other wavelengths and temperatures. For calcium fluoride (CaF2) and S-FTM16, we compare our current measurements with CHARMS measurements of these materials made in the recent past for other programs. We also compare Suprasil 3001's indices to those of other forms of fused silica we have measured in CHARMS

Collective Feshbach scattering of a superfluid droplet from a mesoscopic two-component Bose-Einstein condensate

We examine the collective scattering of a superfluid droplet impinging on a mesoscopic Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) as a target. The BEC consists of an atomic gas with two internal electronic states, each of which is trapped by a finite-depth external potential. An off-resonant optical laser field provides a localized coupling between the BEC components in the trapping region. This mesoscopic scenario matches the microscopic setup for Feshbach scattering of two particles, when a bound state of one sub-manifold is embedded in the scattering continuum of the other sub-manifold. Within the mean-field picture, we obtain resonant scattering phase shifts from a linear response theory in agreement with an exact numerical solution of the real time scattering process and simple analytical approximations thereof. We find an energy-dependent transmission coefficient that is controllable via the optical field between 0 and 100%.Comment: 4 Latex pages, including 4 figure

Systematic NLTE study of the -2.6 < [Fe/H] < 0.2 F and G dwarfs in the solar neighbourhood. I. Stellar atmosphere parameters

We present atmospheric parameters for 51 nearby FG dwarfs uniformly distributed over the -2.60 < [Fe/H] < +0.20 metallicity range that is suitable for the Galactic chemical evolution research. Lines of iron, Fe I and Fe II, were used to derive a homogeneous set of effective temperatures, surface gravities, iron abundances, and microturbulence velocities. We used high-resolution (R>60000) Shane/Hamilton and CFHT/ESPaDOnS observed spectra and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) line formation for Fe I and Fe II in the classical 1D model atmospheres. The spectroscopic method was tested with the 20 benchmark stars, for which there are multiple measurements of the infrared flux method (IRFM) Teff and their Hipparcos parallax error is < 10%. We found NLTE abundances from lines of Fe I and Fe II to be consistent within 0.06 dex for every benchmark star, when applying a scaling factor of S_H = 0.5 to the Drawinian rates of inelastic Fe+H collisions. The obtained atmospheric parameters were checked for each program star by comparing its position in the log g-Teff plane with the theoretical evolutionary track in the Yi et al. (2004) grid. Our final effective temperatures lie in between the T_IRFM scales of Alonso et al. (1996) and Casagrande et al. (2011), with a mean difference of +46 K and -51 K, respectively. NLTE leads to higher surface gravity compared with that for LTE. The shift in log g is smaller than 0.1 dex for stars with either [Fe/H] > -0.75, or Teff 4.20. NLTE analysis is crucial for the VMP turn-off and subgiant stars, for which the shift in log g between NLTE and LTE can be up to 0.5 dex. The obtained atmospheric parameters will be used in the forthcoming papers to determine NLTE abundances of important astrophysical elements from lithium to europium and to improve observational constraints on the chemo-dynamical models of the Galaxy evolution.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Theory of extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength hole arrays

We present a fully three-dimensional theoretical study of the extraordinary transmission of light through subwavelength hole arrays in optically thick metal films. Good agreement is obtained with experimental data. An analytical minimal model is also developed, which conclusively shows that the enhancement of transmission is due to tunneling through surface plasmons formed on each metal-dielectric interfaces. Different regimes of tunneling (resonant through a ''surface plasmon molecule", or sequential through two isolated surface plasmons) are found depending on the geometrical parameters defining the system.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Histopathological Analysis of PEEK Wear Particle Effects on the Synovial Tissue of Patients

Introduction. Increasing interest developed in the use of carbon-fiber-reinforced-poly-ether-ether-ketones (CFR-PEEK) as an alternative bearing material in knee arthroplasty. The effects of CFR-PEEK wear in in vitro and animal studies are controversially discussed, as there are no data available concerning human tissue. The aim of this study was to analyze human tissue containing CFR-PEEK as well as UHMWPE wear debris. The authors hypothesized no difference between the used biomaterials. Methods and Materials. In 10 patients during knee revision surgery of a rotating-hinge-knee-implant-design, synovial tissue samples were achieved (tibial inserts: UHMWPE;bushings and flanges: CFR-PEEK). One additional patient received revision surgery without any PEEK components as a control. The tissue was paraffin-embedded, sliced into 2 mu m thick sections, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin in a standard process. A modified panoptical staining was also done. Results. A "wear-type" reaction was seen in the testing and the control group. In all samples, the UHMWPE particles were scattered in the tissue or incorporated in giant cells. CFR-PEEK particles were seen as conglomerates and only could be found next to vessels. CFR-PEEK particles showed no giant-cell reactions. In conclusion, the hypothesis has to be rejected. UHMWPE and PEEK showed a different scatter-behavior in human synovial tissue

Taking Teaching and Learning Seriously: Approaching Wicked Consciousness through Collaboration and Partnership

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has demanded large-scale collaboration within all organizations, including higher education, and taking teaching and learning seriously, in this moment, means leveraging partnerships to address the wicked (large, complex) problems cited by Bass (2020). These problems are not ours alone to solve; rather, we make the case for a “wicked consciousness,” an amalgam of perspectives, in educational development. Guided by intellectual humility, our success as educational developers ought to be measured by the quality of our collaborations as well as our ability to learn with others, form equitable partnerships, and lead others by our example