Television pictures of Phobos: first results

In February-March 1989, 37 television images of the Martian satellite Phobos were obtained by the Phobos 2 spacecraft from distances of 200-1100 km. These images provide an important supplement to the TV data from the American Mariner 9 and Viking spacecraft in coverage of t4e surface of Phobos and in resolution in certain regions, in spectral range, and in range of phase angles. They make it possible to refine the figure and topographic and geological maps of the surface of Phobos, its spectral and angular reflective characteristics, the surface composition and texture, and characteristics of the orbital and librational motion

Laser assisted modification and chemical metallization of electron-beam deposited ceria thin films

Excimer laser processing is applied for tailoring the surface morphology and phase composition of CeO2 ceramic thin films. E-beam evaporation technique is used to deposit samples on stainless steel and silicate glass substrates. The films are then irradiated with ArF* excimer laser pulses under different exposure conditions. Scanning electron microscopy, optical spectrophotometry, X-ray diffractometry and EDS microanalysis are used to characterize the non-irradiated and laser-processed films. Upon UV laser exposure there is large increase of the surface roughness that is accompanied by photo-darkening and ceria reduction. It is shown that the laser induced changes in the CeO2 films facilitate the deposition of metal nano-aggregates in a commercial copper electroless plating bath. The significance of laser modification as a novel approach for the production of CeO2 based thin film catalysts is discussed. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This work has been performed in the frame of the Bulgarian-Spanish Scientific Cooperation Agreement, supported by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council of Spain (CSIC).Peer Reviewe