Soft x-ray polarizer for optical productions of any orthogonal state of the linear and circular polarization modes

An efficient soft x-ray polarizer that is able to optically convert a linear polarization state to any orthogonal state of not only linear but also circular polarization modes is found by means of numerical calculations of the intensities of individual orthogonal polarization components in reflected waves. Calculation results, using the known linear-polarization-mode based Kerr matrix as well as a newly derived circular-polarization-mode based Kerr matrix, indicate that a +45?? or -45?? linearly polarized incident wave can be readily converted to any orthogonal states of both circular and linear polarization modes, i.e., left- and right-handed circular and s - and p -linear polarizations through reflection, at certain grazing angles of incidence near the critical angle from a simple ferromagnetic thin film of Co (9.0 nm) Si substrate. The intensities of almost pure circularly or linearly polarized reflected waves are about 10% or less in a certain spectral soft x-ray range just below the absorption edges of constituent magnetic elements. The counterpart orthogonal states of the linear as well as circular modes can be rapidly switched simply by reversing oppositely the orientation of longitudinal magnetizations. These results suggest that the orthogonal polarization states of the circular- and linear-polarization modes converted from such a polarizing optical element through reflection can be practically used in probing the vector quantities of element specific magnetizations in multicomponent magnetic materials.open2

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Infrared-Excess Stellar Objects in the Young Supernova Remnant G54.1+0.3

We present the results of broadband near-infrared spectroscopic observations of the recently discovered mysterious stellar objects in the young supernova remnant G54.1+0.3. These objects, which show significant mid-infrared-excess emission, are embedded in a diffuse loop structure of ~1' in radius. Their near-infrared spectra reveal characteristics of late O- or early B-type stars with numerous H and He I absorption lines, and we classify their spectral types to be between O9 and B2 based on an empirical relation derived here between the equivalent widths of the H lines and stellar photospheric temperatures. The spectral types, combined with the results of spectral energy distribution fits, constrain the distance to the objects to be 6.0 ± 0.4 kpc. The photometric spectral types of the objects are consistent with those from the spectroscopic analyses, and the extinction distributions indicate a local enhancement of matter in the western part of the loop. If these objects originate via triggered formation by the progenitor star of G54.1+0.3, then their formations likely began during the later evolutionary stages of the progenitor, although a rather earlier formation may still be possible. If the objects and the progenitor belong to the same cluster of stars, then our results constrain the progenitor mass of G54.1+0.3 to be between 18 and ~35 M_☉ and suggest that G54.1+0.3 was either a Type IIP supernova or, with a relatively lower possibility, Type Ib/c from a binary system

Soft X-ray Circular Reflectivity from Ferromagnetic Transition-Metal Films Near the Brewster's Angle: Theoretical and Numerical X-ray Resonant Magnetic Scattering Study

We first report a novel phenomenon that manifests itself in a colossal difference in soft x-ray reflectivity from ferromagnetic transition-metal films between the left- and right-handed circular polarization (LCP and RCP) modes at a resonance near normal Brewster's angle. Theoretical and numerical studies of sft x-ray resonant magnetic scattering using the circular-polarization-mode basis reveal that this effect arises from a totally destructive interference of photons scattered individually from chargem orbital, and spin degrees of freedom in magnetized thin films that selectively occurs only for one helicity of the opposite circular modes when the required criteria are fulfilled. Across the normal Brewster's angle. the polarization state of scattered soft x-ray is continuously variable from the RCP to the LCP mode (or vice versa) through the linear s polarization mode by changing the incidence angle of linear p-polarized x rays at the resonance.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl