An x-ray detector using PIN photodiodes for the axion helioscope

An x-ray detector for a solar axion search was developed. The detector is operated at 60K in a cryostat of a superconducting magnet. Special care was paid to microphonic noise immunity and mechanical structure against thermal contraction. The detector consists of an array of PIN photodiodes and tailor made preamplifiers. The size of each PIN photodiode is $11\times 11\times 0.5\ {\rm mm^3}$ and 16 pieces are used for the detector. The detector consists of two parts, the front-end part being operated at a temperature of 60K and the main part in room temperature. Under these circumstances, the detector achieved 1.0 keV resolution in FWHM, 2.5 keV threshold and 6\times 10^{-5} counts sec^{-1} keV^{-1} cm^{-2} background level.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Nucl. Instr. Meth.

Visualization of Predicted Ground Vibration Induced by Blasting in Urban Quarry Site Utilizing Web-GIS

Blasting is routinely carried out at various quarries. When blasting is done in an urban area, the ground vibration induced by the operation may affect nearby residents physically and mentally. In this study, a visualization system of ground vibration induced by blasting is constructed for the purpose of reducing these adverse effects. The system consists of two phases. The first is the ground vibration prediction by using artificial intelligence, specifically an ANN (Artificial Neural Network). The second is the visualization of the predicted vibration through Web-GIS. Four prediction factors, namely MIC (Maximum Instantaneous Charge), distance, elevation difference, and direction were used and PPV (Peak Particle Velocity) was used as an index of ground vibration strength. Colored contours representing vibration intensity were generated using GIS tools based on predicted PPV. Furthermore, the contour is converted into a KMZ file and overlaid on a web-based map (Google Maps) that also displays other pertinent information about the quarry vicinity. This means that the system can be used by anyone who has an internet connection and access to a browser. The data would be available to residents, local government officers, and anyone else who wishes to use it. In addition, the ground vibration prediction data and contour maps could also be used to optimize blasting designs in advance. Through the use of this system, optimal blasting can be done, maximizing the productivity of the quarry as well as minimizing the impact on the local residences

Measurement of the thickness of an insensitive surface layer of a PIN photodiode

We measured the thickness of an insensitive surface layer of a PIN photodiode, Hamamatsu S3590-06, used in the Tokyo Axion Helioscope. We made alpha-particles impinge on the PIN photodiode in various incidence angles and measured the pulse height to estimate the thickness of the insensitive surface layer. This measurement showed its thickness was $0.31 \pm 0.02 \mu m$ on the assumption that the insensitive layer consisted of Si. We calculated the peak detection efficiency for low energy x-rays in consideration of the insensitive layer and escape of x-rays and Auger electrons. This result showed the efficiency for 4-10keV x-rays was more than 95%.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Four-electron shell structures and an interacting two-electron system in carbon nanotube quantum dots

Low-temperature transport measurements have been carried out on single-wall carbon nanotube quantum dots in a weakly coupled regime in magnetic fields up to 8 Tesla. Four-electron shell filling was observed, and the magnetic field evolution of each Coulomb peak was investigated, in which magnetic field induced spin flip and resulting spin polarization were observed. Excitation spectroscopy measurements have revealed Zeeman splitting of single particle states for one electron in the shell, and demonstrated singlet and triplet states with direct observation of the exchange splitting at zero-magnetic field for two electrons in the shell, the simplest example of the Hund's rule. The latter indicates the direct analogy to an artificial He atom.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letter

Field-induced Confined States in Graphene

We report an approach to confine the carriers in single-layer graphene, which leads to quantum devices with field-induced quantum confinement. We demonstrated that the Coulomb-blockade effect evolves under a uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the graphene device. Our experimental results show that field-induced quantum dots are realized in graphene, and a quantum confinement-deconfinement transition is switched by the magnetic field

Nonstructural Carbohydrate Reserves of Temperate Perennial Grasses in Autumn Early Growth

The objective of this study was to determine levels of nonstructural carbohydrate reserves of four temperate perennial grasses: Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), Timothy (Phleum pratense L.), Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) in their early growth stages during the cool autumn temperatures in northern Japan. At the time of sampling, all grasses were in their vegetative stage, and Reed canarygrass was not forming rhizomes. Fructosan concentration in reed canarygrass roots (8.04%) was 22 times that of the leaf blade (0.36%) and twice that of the stem (3.40%); the concentration in reed canarygrass root was the highest of the four grasses. Timothy stored fructosan in the root at a significantly higher concentration (1.65%) than did the orchardgrass (0.58%) and perennial ryegrass (0.83%). The concentration of fructosan in the timothy was the highest in the stem, the lowest in the leaf blade and intermediate in the root. On the other hand, orchardgrass and perennial ryegrass stored the highest amount of fructosan in the stem, the lowest amount in the root, and an intermediate amount in the leaf blade. In addition, the root dry weight and the ratio of the root dry weight to the total dry weight were significantly higher in reed canarygrass than in the other three grasses. Timothy was in second place surpassing orchardgrass and perennial ryegrass. We considered that winter survival is the highest in reed canarygrass and second highest in timothy over orchard grass and perennial ryegrass

InP solid state detector and the observation of low energy solar neutrinos

A large volume radiation detectors using a semi-insulating Indium Phosphide (InP) wafer have been developed for Indium Project on Neutrino Observation for Solar interior (IPNOS) experiment. The volume has achieved to 20mm3 , and this is world largest size among the detector observed gammas at hundred keV region. Although the depletion layer, most of charge are generated by an induction, and the charge collection efficiency achieves 50 to 60%, which is determined by the detector thickness and the carrier drift length (Ld = 120μm). The energy resolution is obtained by 25%. We measured actual backgrounds from 115 In beta decay, and also the effect of radiative Bremsstrahlung from those betas. No significant event was found in the measurement and the radiation such as Bremsstrahlung from InP detector could be negligible

The Tokyo Axion Helioscope Experiment

A preliminary result of the solar axion search experiment at the University of Tokyo is presented. We searched for axions which could be produced in the solar core by exploiting the axion helioscope. The helioscope consists of a superconducting magnet with field strength of 4 Tesla over 2.3 meters. From the absence of the axion signal we set a 95 % confidence level upper limit on the axion coupling to two photons $g_{a\gamma\gamma} < 6.0 \times 10^{-10} GeV^{-1}$ for the axion mass $m_a < 0.03$ eV. This is the first solar axion search experiment whose sensitivity to $g_{a\gamma\gamma}$ exceeds the limit inferred from the solar age consideration.Comment: 5 pages, 5 eps files included, uses espcrc2.sty, to be published in Proc. AXION WORKSHOP, Gainesville, Florida, 13-15 March 1998, ed. by P.Sikivi