666 research outputs found
Detection of a single cobalt microparticle with a microfabricated atomic magnetometer
We present magnetic detection of a single, 2 {\mu}m diameter cobalt
microparticle using an atomic magnetometer based on a microfabricated vapor
cell. These results represent an improvement by a factor of 105 in terms of the
detected magnetic moment over previous work using atomic magnetometers to
detect magnetic microparticles. The improved sensitivity is due largely to the
use of small vapor cells. In an optimized setup, we predict detection limits of
0.17 {\mu}m^3.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure
Topoisomer Differentiation of Molecular Knots by FTICR MS: Lessons from Class II Lasso Peptides
Lasso peptides constitute a class of bioactive peptides sharing a knotted
structure where the C-terminal tail of the peptide is threaded through and
trapped within an N-terminalmacrolactamring. The structural characterization of
lasso structures and differentiation from their unthreaded topoisomers is not
trivial and generally requires the use of complementary biochemical and
spectroscopic methods. Here we investigated two antimicrobial peptides
belonging to the class II lasso peptide family and their corresponding
unthreaded topoisomers: microcin J25 (MccJ25), which is known to yield
two-peptide product ions specific of the lasso structure under collisioninduced
dissociation (CID), and capistruin, for which CID does not permit to
unambiguously assign the lasso structure. The two pairs of topoisomers were
analyzed by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance
mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR MS) upon CID, infrared multiple photon
dissociation (IRMPD), and electron capture dissociation (ECD). CID and
ECDspectra clearly permitted to differentiate MccJ25 from its non-lasso
topoisomer MccJ25-Icm, while for capistruin, only ECD was informative and
showed different extent of hydrogen migration (formation of c\bullet/z from
c/z\bullet) for the threaded and unthreaded topoisomers. The ECD spectra of the
triply-charged MccJ25 and MccJ25-lcm showed a series of radical b-type product
ions {\eth}b0In{\TH}. We proposed that these ions are specific of
cyclic-branched peptides and result from a dual c/z\bullet and y/b
dissociation, in the ring and in the tail, respectively. This work shows the
potentiality of ECD for structural characterization of peptide topoisomers, as
well as the effect of conformation on hydrogen migration subsequent to electron
capture
Investigation and compensation of the nonlinear response in photomultiplier tubes for quantitative single-shot measurements.
A concept for time-sensitive optical detectors is described that shows how to confirm whether the detection device is operating in the linear response regime. By evaluating the recorded time decay of a thermographic phosphor, even weak saturation effects far from obvious situations can be identified and further related to either optical or electrical saturation. The concept has been validated by running a PMT detector close to saturation and exposing it to the optical signal decay of two different thermographic phosphors, La(2)O(2)S:Eu and CdWO(4). It was confirmed that short but intense light exposures at the beginning of an individual time decay influence the detector response for the rest of the decaying signal including temporal areas, where the anode current has dropped well below the manufacturer specified current limit. Such situations are common when applying, e.g., phosphor thermometry where it is necessary to retrieve the full decay curve from a single-shot event, i.e., standard techniques based on single-photon counting are omitted. Finally, means of compensation are introduced in order to facilitate the retrieval of useful information from the measurement data when operation in the non-linear response regime is inevitable
Small-sized dichroic atomic vapor laser lock
Two, lightweight diode laser frequency stabilization systems designed for
experiments in the field are described. A significant reduction in size and
weight in both models supports the further miniaturization of measurement
devices in the field. Similar to a previous design, magnetic-field lines are
contained within a magnetic shield enclosing permanent magnets and a Rb cell,
so that these DAVLL systems may be used for magnetically sensitive instruments.
The Mini-DAVLL system (49 mm long) uses a vapor cell (20 mm long), and does not
require cell heaters. An even smaller Micro-DAVLL system (9mm long) uses a
micro-fabricated cell (3 mm square), and requires heaters. These new systems
show no degradation in performance with regard to previous designs, while
considerably reducing dimensions.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, published versio
An integrated atom-photon junction
Photonic chips that integrate guides, switches, gratings and other
components, process vast amounts of information rapidly on a single device. A
new branch of this technology becomes possible if the light is coupled to cold
atoms in a junction of small enough cross section, so that small numbers of
photons interact appreciably with the atoms. Cold atoms are among the most
sensitive of metrological tools and their quantum nature also provides a basis
for new information processing methods. Here we demonstrate a photonic chip
which provides multiple microscopic junctions between atoms and photons. We use
the absorption of light at a junction to reveal the presence of one atom on
average. Conversely, we use the atoms to probe the intensity and polarisation
of the light. Our device paves the way for a new type of chip with
interconnected circuits of atoms and photons.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure. Submitted to Nature Photonic
Study animal models with altered lipid storage to identify mechanisms of lipid droplet regulation
International audienc
A surface-patterned chip as a strong source of ultracold atoms for quantum technologies
Laser-cooled atoms are central to modern precision measurements. They are also increasingly important as an enabling technology for experimental cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum information processing and matter–wave interferometry. Although significant progress has been made in miniaturizing atomic metrological devices, these are limited in accuracy by their use of hot atomic ensembles and buffer gases. Advances have also been made in producing portable apparatus that benefits from the advantages of atoms in the microkelvin regime. However, simplifying atomic cooling and loading using microfabrication technology has proved difficult. In this Letter we address this problem, realizing an atom chip that enables the integration of laser cooling and trapping into a compact apparatus. Our source delivers ten thousand times more atoms than previous magneto-optical traps with microfabricated optics and, for the first time, can reach sub-Doppler temperatures. Moreover, the same chip design offers a simple way to form stable optical lattices. These features, combined with simplicity of fabrication and ease of operation, make these new traps a key advance in the development of cold-atom technology for high-accuracy, portable measurement devices
An Improved Neutron Electric Dipole Moment Experiment
A new measurement of the neutron EDM, using Ramsey's method of separated
oscillatory fields, is in preparation at the new high intensity source of
ultra-cold neutrons (UCN) at the Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland
(PSI). The existence of a non-zero nEDM would violate both parity and time
reversal symmetry and, given the CPT theorem, might lead to a discovery of new
CP violating mechanisms. Already the current upper limit for the nEDM
(|d_n|<2.9E-26 e.cm) constrains some extensions of the Standard Model.
The new experiment aims at a two orders of magnitude reduction of the
experimental uncertainty, to be achieved mainly by (1) the higher UCN flux
provided by the new PSI source, (2) better magnetic field control with improved
magnetometry and (3) a double chamber configuration with opposite electric
field directions.
The first stage of the experiment will use an upgrade of the RAL/Sussex/ILL
group's apparatus (which has produced the current best result) moved from
Institut Laue-Langevin to PSI. The final accuracy will be achieved in a further
step with a new spectrometer, presently in the design phase.Comment: Flavor Physics & CP Violation Conference, Taipei, 200
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