Signatures of vacuum birefringence in low-power flying focus pulses

Vacuum birefringence produces a differential phase between orthogonally polarized components of a weak electromagnetic probe in the presence of a strong electromagnetic field. Despite representing a hallmark prediction of quantum electrodynamics, vacuum birefringence remains untested in pure light configurations due to the extremely large electromagnetic fields required for a detectable phase difference. Here, we exploit the programmable focal velocity and extended focal range of a flying focus laser pulse to substantially lower the laser power required for detection of vacuum birefringence. In the proposed scheme, a linearly polarized x-ray probe pulse counter-propagates with respect to a flying focus pulse, whose focus moves at the speed of light in the same direction as the x-ray probe. The peak intensity of the flying focus pulse overlaps the probe over millimeter-scale distances and induces a polarization ellipticity on the order of $10^{-10}$, which lies within the detection sensitivity of existing x-ray polarimeters.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

Sub-wavelength surface IR imaging of soft-condensed matter

Outlined here is a technique for sub-wavelength infrared surface imaging performed using a phase matched optical parametric oscillator laser and an atomic force microscope as the detection mechanism. The technique uses a novel surface excitation illumination approach to perform simultaneously chemical mapping and AFM topography imaging with an image resolution of 200 nm. This method was demonstrated by imaging polystyrene micro-structures

The Ideal Intersection Property for Groupoid Graded Rings

We show that if a groupoid graded ring has a certain nonzero ideal property, then the commutant of the center of the principal component of the ring has the ideal intersection property, that is it intersects nontrivially every nonzero ideal of the ring. Furthermore, we show that for skew groupoid algebras with commutative principal component, the principal component is maximal commutative if and only if it has the ideal intersection property

Nonlinear Thomson scattering with ponderomotive control

In nonlinear Thomson scattering, a relativistic electron reflects and re-radiates the photons of a laser pulse, converting optical light to x rays or beyond. While this extreme frequency conversion offers a promising source for probing high-energy-density materials and driving uncharted regimes of nonlinear quantum electrodynamics, conventional nonlinear Thomson scattering has inherent tradeoffs in its scaling with laser intensity. Here we discover that the ponderomotive control afforded by spatiotemporal pulse shaping enables novel regimes of nonlinear Thomson scattering that substantially enhance the scaling of the radiated power, emission angle, and frequency with laser intensity. By appropriately setting the velocity of the intensity peak, a spatiotemporally shaped pulse can increase the power radiated by orders of magnitude. The enhanced scaling with laser intensity allows for operation at significantly lower electron energies and can eliminate the need for a high-energy electron accelerator

Exact solutions for the electromagnetic fields of a flying focus

The intensity peak of a "flying focus" travels at a programmable velocity over many Rayleigh ranges while maintaining a near-constant profile. Assessing the extent to which these features can enhance laser-based applications requires an accurate description of the electromagnetic fields. Here we present exact analytical solutions to Maxwell's equations for the electromagnetic fields of a constant-velocity flying focus, generalized for arbitrary polarization and orbital angular momentum. The approach combines the complex source-point method, which transforms multipole solutions into beam-like solutions, with the Lorentz invariance of Maxwell's equations. Propagating the fields backward in space reveals the space-time profile that an optical assembly must produce to realize these fields in the laboratory. Comparisons with simpler paraxial solutions provide conditions for their reliable use when modeling a flying focus

Defects in high temperature and high pressure processed Si:N revealed by deuterium plasma treatment

Deuterium is accumulated by defects in nitrogen-implanted silicon (Si:N). This effect is investigated for Si:N processed at HT ≤ 1400 K, also under enhanced hydrostatic pressure, HP ≤ 1.1 GPa. Si:N was prepared from Czochralski grown silicon by N₂⁺ implantation at E = 140 keV with nitrogen doses, DN = 1–1.8•10¹⁸ cm⁻². Si:N was subsequently processed in RF deuterium plasma to prepare Si:N,D. Si:N and Si:N,D were investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray and Secondary Ion Mass Spec- trometry (SIMS) methods, also after additional annealing at 723 K. In heavily implanted Si:N (DN = 1.8•1010¹⁸ cm⁻²), plasma treatment leads to deuterium pile up to сD1 = 2•10²¹ cm⁻³ at a depth, d = 50 nm, while, at d = 80–250 nm, deuterium concentration is practically constant with сD2 = 1•10²¹ cm⁻³. This suggests dominating accumulation of deuterium within the bubble-containing areas. Determination of deuterium depth profiles in Si:N,D can reveal implantation- and processing-induced defects.В работе рассмотрены эффекты влияния обработки температурным отжигом (до 1400 K) и гидростатическим давлением (до 1.1 GPa) на дефектный состав SOI-структур (silicon-on-insulator) на основе образцов Si:N – материала, широко используемого в полупроводниковых технологиях. Были получены новые данные, свидетельствующие об образовании скрытых дефектосодержащих слоев в образцах кремния, имплантированного азотом, и подвергнутых обработке высокими температурами и давлениями. Такие структуры становятся центрами абсорбции дейтерия из плазмы – его накопление и распределение внутри образца зависят от микроструктуры материала. Таким образом, показано, что обработка в дейтериевой плазме с дальнейшим определением концентрационных профилей по глубине образца может быть полезной для оценки микроструктурыУ роботі розглянуто ефекти впливу обробки температурним відпалом (до 1400 K) і гідростатичним тиском (до 1.1 GPa) на дефектний склад SOI-структур (silicon-oninsulator) на основі зразків Si:N – матеріалу, широко використовуваного в напівпровідникових технологіях. Було отримано нові дані, що свідчать про утворення прихованих дефектовміщуючих шарів в зразках кремнію, імплантованого азотом, підданих обробці високими температурами та тиском. Такі структури стають центрами абсорбції дейтерію з плазми – його накопичення і розподіл усередині зразка залежать від мікроструктури матеріалу. Таким чином, показано, що обробка в дейтерієвій плазмі з подальшим визначенням концентраційних профілів по глибині зразка може бути корисною для оцінки мікроструктури Si:N-зразка, особливо зважаючи на потенційну застосовність в SOI-технологіях

Open Problems on Central Simple Algebras

We provide a survey of past research and a list of open problems regarding central simple algebras and the Brauer group over a field, intended both for experts and for beginners.Comment: v2 has some small revisions to the text. Some items are re-numbered, compared to v

The moisture response of soil heterotrophic respiration: Interaction with soil properties

Soil moisture is of primary importance for predicting the evolution of soil carbon stocks and fluxes, both because it strongly controls organic matter decomposition and because it is predicted to change at global scales in the following decades. However, the soil functions used to model the heterotrophic respiration response to moisture have limited empirical support and introduce an uncertainty of at least 4% in global soil carbon stock predictions by 2100. The necessity of improving the representation of this relationship in models has been highlighted in recent studies. Here we present a data-driven analysis of soil moisture-respiration relations based on 90 soils. With the use of linear models we show how the relationship between soil heterotrophic respiration and different measures of soil moisture is consistently affected by soil properties. The empirical models derived include main effects and moisture interaction effects of soil texture, organic carbon content and bulk density. When compared to other functions currently used in different soil biogeochemical models, we observe that our results can correct biases and reconcile differences within and between such functions. Ultimately, accurate predictions of the response of soil carbon to future climate scenarios will require the integration of soil-dependent moisture-respiration functions coupled with realistic representations of soil water dynamic