Stability of Travelling Waves for Reaction-Diffusion Equations with Multiplicative Noise

We consider reaction-diffusion equations that are stochastically forced by a small multiplicative noise term. We show that spectrally stable travelling wave solutions to the deterministic system retain their orbital stability if the amplitude of the noise is sufficiently small. By applying a stochastic phase-shift together with a time-transform, we obtain a semilinear sPDE that describes the fluctuations from the primary wave. We subsequently develop a semigroup approach to handle the nonlinear stability question in a fashion that is closely related to modern deterministic methods

A 1-MHz low noise preamlifier based on Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUIDs

A low noise and wideband preamplifier based on Double Relaxation Oscillation Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (DROSs) has been realized. A major advantage of a DROS is that it can be operated in a simple flux modulation. So far, biomagnetic measurements performed in our group required only a limited bandwidth smaller than 100 kHz. Other applications, like for instance readout of radiation and particle detectors, demand a larger bandwidth. In this paper, we will discuss our efforts aimed at increasing the operational bandwidth of a DROS in flux locked loop. Presently, a flux locked loop scheme with a -3 dB bandwidth of 1.45 MHz has been built. With this system a white flux noise of 8 ¿¿0/¿Hz was measured with a 1/f-corner frequency of 10 Hz. The slew rate was 2.5·105 ¿0/s. With the mutual input inductance of 6.7 nH, an input current noise of the preamplifier of 2.5 pA/¿Hz was found and a current slew rate of 80 mA/s. We will discuss the suitability of our DROS-based preamplifier for readout of cryogenic particle detectors based on superconducting tunnel junction

X-rays from Microstructured Targets Heated by Femtosecond Lasers

We have demonstrated efficient conversion of ultrashort-pulse laser energy to x rays with energies above 1 keV, using laser-produced plasmas generated on a variety of microstructured surfaces. Lithographically produced grating targets generated 0.1 mJ of kilo-electron-volt x rays, and porous gold and aluminum targets emitted 1 mJ. This represents an improvement of a factor of 100 over flat targets. The K-shell emission spectrum of porous aluminum was composed primarily of heliumlike spectral lines

Determination of the Carrier-Envelope Phase of Few-Cycle Laser Pulses with Terahertz-Emission Spectroscopy

The availability of few-cycle optical pulses opens a window to physical phenomena occurring on the attosecond time scale. In order to take full advantage of such pulses, it is crucial to measure and stabilise their carrier-envelope (CE) phase, i.e., the phase difference between the carrier wave and the envelope function. We introduce a novel approach to determine the CE phase by down-conversion of the laser light to the terahertz (THz) frequency range via plasma generation in ambient air, an isotropic medium where optical rectification (down-conversion) in the forward direction is only possible if the inversion symmetry is broken by electrical or optical means. We show that few-cycle pulses directly produce a spatial charge asymmetry in the plasma. The asymmetry, associated with THz emission, depends on the CE phase, which allows for a determination of the phase by measurement of the amplitude and polarity of the THz pulse