Influence of semicon shields on the dielectric loss of XLPE cables

Dielectric response measurement techniques in both time and frequency domains are studied in order to measure the dielectric loss of XLPE cables, which have very low losses. A high sensitivity transformer ratio bridge system, which can measure loss tangents as low as 10-5, has been developed with the ability to measure these cables. A tuned amplifier was designed to help to extend the frequency range from 200Hz to 20kHz. Different model cables from Borealis AB with different semiconducting materials have been measured in the temperature range 15⁰C to 120⁰C. It is found that the semiconducting layers dominate the dielectric loss in the insulation system of the XLPE cables, when the outer semicon is treated as measuring electrode. In this case, steadily increasing dielectric loss has been measured at higher frequencies. The resistivity of the semiconducting materials was measured, which confirmed that the increasing slope is due to the semiconducting layers. After using conductive tapes to wrap the cable samples, monotonically decreasing losses were measured, corresponding to the actual dielectric frequency response of the XLPE cables. It is concluded that the axial resistance of semiconducting shields have a substantial influence on the dielectric loss of XLPE cables, especially for dielectric response in high frequency range. A device on measuring the loss of such cables is presented

Charge distribution and screening in layered graphene systems

The charge distribution induced by external fields in finite stacks of graphene planes, or in semiinfinite graphite is considered. The interlayer electronic hybridization is described by a nearest neighbor hopping term, and the charge induced by the self consistent electrostatic potential is calculated within linear response (RPA). The screening properties are determined by contributions from inter- and intraband electronic transitions. In neutral systems, only interband transitions contribute to the charge polarizability, leading to insulating-like screening properties, and to oscillations in the induced charge, with a period equal to the interlayer spacing. In doped systems, we find a screening length equivalent to 2-3 graphene layers, superimposed to significant charge oscillations.Comment: 8 page

Properties of optically selected BL Lac candidates from the SDSS

\textbf{Context.} Deep optical surveys open the avenue for find large numbers of BL Lac objects that are hard to identify because they lack the unique properties classifying them as such. While radio or X-ray surveys typically reveal dozens of sources, recent compilations based on optical criteria alone have increased the number of BL Lac candidates considerably. However, these compilations are subject to biases and may contain a substantial number of contaminating sources. \textbf{Aims.} In this paper we extend our analysis of 182 optically selected BL Lac object candidates from the SDSS with respect to an earlier study. The main goal is to determine the number of bona fide BL Lac objects in this sample. \textbf{Methods.} We examine their variability characteristics, determine their broad-band radio-UV SEDs, and search for the presence of a host galaxy. In addition we present new optical spectra for 27 targets with improved S/N with respect to the SDSS spectra. \textbf{Results.} At least 59% of our targets have shown variability between SDSS DR2 and our observations by more than 0.1-0.27 mag de- pending on the telescope used. A host galaxy was detected in 36% of our targets. The host galaxy type and luminosities are consistent with earlier studies of BL Lac host galaxies. Simple fits to broad-band SEDS for 104 targets of our sample derived synchrotron peak frequencies between $13.5 \leq \mathrm{log}_{10}(\nu_{\mathrm{peak}}) \leq 16$ with a peak at $\mathrm{log}_{10} \sim 14.5$. Our new optical spectra do not reveal any new redshift for any of our objects. Thus the sample contains a large number of bona fide BL Lac objects and seems to contain a substantial fraction of intermediate-frequency peaked BL Lacs.Comment: Accepted for publication in A\&

Timelike self-similar spherically symmetric perfect-fluid models

Einstein's field equations for timelike self-similar spherically symmetric perfect-fluid models are investigated. The field equations are rewritten as a first-order system of autonomous differential equations. Dimensionless variables are chosen in such a way that the number of equations in the coupled system is reduced as far as possible and so that the reduced phase space becomes compact and regular. The system is subsequently analysed qualitatively using the theory of dynamical systems.Comment: 23 pages, 6 eps-figure

Comment on ``Two Time Scales and Violation of the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem in a Finite Dimensional Model for Structural Glasses''

In cond-mat/0002074 Ricci-Tersenghi et al. find two linear regimes in the fluctuation-dissipation relation between density-density correlations and associated responses of the Frustrated Ising Lattice Gas. Here we show that this result does not seem to correspond to the equilibrium quantities of the model, by measuring the overlap distribution P(q) of the density and comparing the FDR expected on the ground of the P(q) with the one measured in the off-equilibrium experiments.Comment: RevTeX, 1 page, 2 eps figures, Comment on F. Ricci-Tersenghi et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4473 (2000

The measurement of very low conductivity and dielectric loss in XLPE cables: A possible method to detect degradation due to thermal aging

The dielectric response of crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated, miniature power cables, extruded with inner and outer semicons, was measured over the frequency range 10-4 to 104 Hz at temperatures from 20 to 100 °C. A dielectric spectrometer was used for the frequency range 10-4 to 10-2 Hz. A bespoke noise-free power supply was constructed and used to measure the dc conductivity and, using a Fourier transform technique, it was also used to measure the very low dielectric tanδ losses encountered at frequencies of 1 to 100 Hz. Tanδ measurements of <;10-5 were found in this frequency range and attributed to a β-mode dielectric relaxation lying above 100 Hz due to motion of chain segments in the amorphous region and an β-mode relaxation lying below 1 Hz window due to twists of chains in the crystal lamellae. The dc conductivity measurements were consistent with those of the dielectric spectrometer and indicate lower dc conductivities in vacuum degassed cables than have been previously reported for XLPE (less than 10-17 S.m-1). The conduction process is thermally activated with an activation energy of approximately 1.1 eV. Higher conductivities were found for non-degassed cables. A transformer ratio bridge was used for measurements in the range 1 to 10 kHz; loss in this region was shown to be due to the series resistance of the semicon layers. Thermal ageing of the cables at 135 °C for 60 days caused significant increases in the conductivity and tanδ and it is considered that such measurements may be a sensitive way of measuring electrical degradation due to thermal aging

Depressed clad hollow optical fiber with fundamental LP01 mode cut-off

We propose a depressed clad hollow optical fiber with fundamental (LP01) mode cut-off suitable for high power short-wavelength, especially three-level, fiber laser operation by introducing highly wavelength dependent losses at longer wavelengths. The cut-off characteristic of such fiber structure was investigated. A Yb-doped depressed clad hollow optical fiber laser generating 59.1W of output power at 1046nm with 86% of slope efficiency with respect to the absorbed pump power was realised by placing the LP01 mode cut-off at ~1100nm

Levitated droplet dye laser

We present the first observation, to our knowledge, of lasing from a levitated, dye droplet. The levitated droplets are created by computer controlled pico-liter dispensing into one of the nodes of a standing ultrasonic wave (100 kHz), where the droplet is trapped. The free hanging droplet forms a high quality optical resonator. Our 750 nL lasing droplets consist of Rhodamine 6G dissolved in ethylene glycol, at a concentration of 0.02 M. The droplets are optically pumped at 532 nm light from a pulsed, frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser, and the dye laser emission is analyzed by a fixed grating spectrometer. With this setup we have achieved reproducible lasing spectra in the visible wavelength range from 610 nm to 650 nm. The levitated droplet technique has previously successfully been applied for a variety of bio-analytical applications at single cell level. In combination with the lasing droplets, the capability of this high precision setup has potential applications within highly sensitive intra-cavity absorbance detection.Comment: 6 pages including 3 figure