Projecting picosecond lattice dynamics through x-ray topography

A method for time-resolved x-ray diffraction studies has been demonstrated. As a test case, coherent acoustic phonon propagation into crystalline InSb is observed using a laser plasma x-ray source. An extended x-ray topogram of the semiconductor's surface was projected onto a high spatial resolution x-ray detector and acoustic phonons were excited by rapidly heating the crystal's surface with a femtosecond laser pulse. A correlation between the spatial position on the x-ray detector and the time of arrival of the laser pulse was encoded into the experimental geometry by tilting the incident laser pulse with an optical grating. This approach enabled a temporal window of 200 ps to be sampled in a single topogram, thereby negating the disadvantages of pulse-to-pulse fluctuations in the intensity and spectrum of the laser-plasma source. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics

Particulate matter exposure during pregnancy is associated with birth weight, but not gestational age, 1962-1992: a cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to air pollutants is suggested to adversely affect fetal growth, but the evidence remains inconsistent in relation to specific outcomes and exposure windows.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using birth records from the two major maternity hospitals in Newcastle upon Tyne in northern England between 1961 and 1992, we constructed a database of all births to mothers resident within the city. Weekly black smoke exposure levels from routine data recorded at 20 air pollution monitoring stations were obtained and individual exposures were estimated via a two-stage modeling strategy, incorporating temporally and spatially varying covariates. Regression analyses, including 88,679 births, assessed potential associations between exposure to black smoke and birth weight, gestational age and birth weight standardized for gestational age and sex.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significant associations were seen between black smoke and both standardized and unstandardized birth weight, but not for gestational age when adjusted for potential confounders. Not all associations were linear. For an increase in whole pregnancy black smoke exposure, from the 1^st(7.4 μg/m³) to the 25^th(17.2 μg/m³), 50^th(33.8 μg/m³), 75^th(108.3 μg/m³), and 90^th(180.8 μg/m³) percentiles, the adjusted estimated decreases in birth weight were 33 g (SE 1.05), 62 g (1.63), 98 g (2.26) and 109 g (2.44) respectively. A significant interaction was observed between socio-economic deprivation and black smoke on both standardized and unstandardized birth weight with increasing effects of black smoke in reducing birth weight seen with increasing socio-economic disadvantage.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The findings of this study progress the hypothesis that the association between black smoke and birth weight may be mediated through intrauterine growth restriction. The associations between black smoke and birth weight were of the same order of magnitude as those reported for passive smoking. These findings add to the growing evidence of the harmful effects of air pollution on birth outcomes.</p

Genome-Wide Association Study in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers Identifies Novel Loci Associated with Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk

BRCA1-associated breast and ovarian cancer risks can be modified by common genetic variants. To identify further cancer risk-modifying loci, we performed a multi-stage GWAS of 11,705 BRCA1 carriers (of whom 5,920 were diagnosed with breast and 1,839 were diagnosed with ovarian cancer), with a further replication in an additional sample of 2,646 BRCA1 carriers. We identified a novel breast cancer risk modifier locus at 1q32 for BRCA1 carriers (rs2290854, P = 2.7×10-8, HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.09-1.20). In addition, we identified two novel ovarian cancer risk modifier loci: 17q21.31 (rs17631303, P = 1.4×10-8, HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.17-1.38) and 4q32.3 (rs4691139, P = 3.4×10-8, HR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.17-1.38). The 4q32.3 locus was not associated with ovarian cancer risk in the general population or BRCA2 carriers, suggesting a BRCA1-specific associat

Generation and Applications of Short-Pulse X-ray Radiation

This thesis summarizes work using hard X-ray radiation on nanosecond and picosecond timescales. The focus is on the experimental part including detailed descriptions of setups for laser pumped - X-ray probe experiments. X-ray diffraction is sensitive to structural properties on the length scale of chemical bonds. The greatest success of X-ray diffraction lies in the determination of crystal structures, but many other application of X-ray diffraction exist. In this work, this structural probe was used to detect changes in the crystal structure in the form of lattice perturbations and phase transitions. The field of time-resolved X-ray diffraction employs subpicosecond temporal resolution to study ultra-fast processes such as non-thermal melting and coherent optical phonons. This requires rather specialized equipment and setups. An introduction to this and to the time-resolved X-ray diffraction method is provided together with a description of the synchrotron radiation facility beam-line D611 at MAX-lab in Lund, which is dedicated to such experiments. This thesis also describes studies on laser produced plasma at the Lund High-Power Laser Facility. Work with this source started at the High-Power Laser Facility already in 1992. The source was developed as a potential X-ray source for medical applications. This thesis focuses on the laser produced plasma source as a femtosecond source and its characterization. The thesis also contains theory on the phenomena encountered. The theoretical description are intended to provide a basic understanding and guidelines for further reading if the reader is interested in expanding his or her knowledge on the subject

High-repetition-rate, hard x-ray radiation from a laser-produced plasma: Photon yield and application considerations

We present an experimental study of hard x rays produced in laser-produced plasmas. The laser used is a 1 kHz system, delivering 0.7 mJ for 25 fs onto a solid target. The x-ray spectrum was measured with calibrated germanium detectors, allowing a very good estimate of the absolute number of photons emitted from the plasma over a wide energy range; from 7 keV to 0.5 MeV. Assuming a bi-Maxwellian electron distribution with temperatures of 4.5 and 63 keV, theoretical calculations support the experimental findings. The imaging characteristics of the x-ray source were investigated experimentally employing image plates and theoretically based on the electron distribution. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics

Picosecond x-ray studies of coherent folded acoustic phonons in a periodic semiconductor heterostructure

Zone folded coherent acoustic phonons were generated in a multilayered GaSb/InAs epitaxial heterostructure via rapid heating by femtosecond laser pulses. These phonons were probed by means of ultrafast x-ray diffraction. Phonons both from the fundamental acoustic branch and the first back-folded branch were detected. This represents the first clear evidence for phonon branch folding based directly on the atomic motion to which x-ray diffraction is sensitive. From a comparison of the measured phonon-modulated x-ray reflectivity with simulations, evidence was found for a reduction of the laser penetration depth. This reduction can be explained by the self-modulation of the absorption index due to photogenerated free carriers

Time-resolved X-ray diffraction study of the ferroelectric phase-transition in DKDP

We have performed experiments where DKDP has been irradiated by short (100 fs), laser pulses. Subsequently X-ray pulses with a duration of 100 ps were used as a probe. Time-resolved X-ray diffraction enables monitoring of the transitions between the paraelectric and ferroelectric phases. By recording the intensity of a peak only present in the paraelectric phase, we observe indications of a phase-transition following laser-irradiation of DKDP in the ferroelectric phase. We have estimated the laser heating effect, by measuring the strain (peak shifts) in the diffraction patterns. Furthermore, the orientation of the ferroelectric domains has been observed. In spite of the fact that the temperature did not rise above the Curie temperature, following interaction with this radiation, the polarization of ferroelectric domains was modified. This indicates a mechanism where short pulses impulsively excite phonons. which enable either reversal of entire domains, the shift of domain walls and/or the broadening of the domain wall widths. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Studies of resolidification of non-thermally molten InSb using time-resolved X-ray diffraction

We have used time-resolved X-ray diffraction to monitor the resolidification process of molten InSb. Melting was induced by an ultra-short laser pulse and the measurement conducted in a high-repetition-rate multishot experiment. The method gives direct information about the nature of the transient regrowth and permanently damaged layers. It does not rely on models based on surface reflectivity or second harmonic generation (SHG). The measured resolidification process has been modeled with a 1-D thermodynamic heat-conduction model. Important parameters like sample temperature, melting depth and amorphous surface layer thickness come directly out of the data, while mosaicity of the sample and free carrier density can be quantified by comparing with models. Melt depths up to 80 nm have been observed and regrowth velocities in the range 2-8 m/s have been measured

A broadband laser plasma X-ray source for application in ultrafast chemical structure dynamics

A plasma source free from characteristic emission lines is described, based on laser irradiation of a water jet in a helium atmosphere. Various key aspects of the laser interaction are presented along with practical characterization of the observed isotropic ~4–10 keV x-ray emissions, measurements of which indicate subpicosecond duration. Observations are consistent with a vacuum heating plasma mechanism at the helium-water interface and indicate strong potential for in-house ultrafast chemical structure dynamics application when coupled to contemporary detector developments