352 research outputs found
Refractive index of a transparent liquid measured with a concave mirror
This paper describes the spherical concave mirror method for measuring the
index of refraction of transparent liquids. We derived the refractive index
equation using Snell's law and the small-angle approximation. We also verified
the validity of this method using the traditional spherical mirror and
thin-lens Gaussian equations.Comment: IOPart, 8 pages, 4 figure
Conicoid Mirrors
The first order equation relating object and image location for a mirror of
arbitrary conic-sectional shape is derived. It is also shown that the parabolic
reflecting surface is the only one free of aberration and only in the limiting
case of distant sources.Comment: 9 page
A photonic bandgap resonator to facilitate GHz frequency conductivity experiments in pulsed magnetic fields
We describe instrumentation designed to perform millimeter-wave conductivity
measurements in pulsed high magnetic fields at low temperatures. The main
component of this system is an entirely non-metallic microwave resonator. The
resonator utilizes periodic dielectric arrays (photonic bandgap structures) to
confine the radiation, such that the resonant modes have a high Q-factor, and
the system possesses sufficient sensitivity to measure small samples within the
duration of a magnet pulse. As well as measuring the sample conductivity to
probe orbital physics in metallic systems, this technique can detect the sample
permittivity and permeability allowing measurement of spin physics in
insulating systems. We demonstrate the system performance in pulsed magnetic
fields with both electron paramagnetic resonance experiments and conductivity
measurements of correlated electron systems.Comment: Submitted to the Review of Scientific instrument
Suspension of the fiber mode-cleaner launcher and measurement of the high extinction-ratio (10^{-9}) ellipsometer for the Q & A experiment
The Q & A experiment, first proposed and started in 1994, provides a feasible
way of exploring the quantum vacuum through the detection of vacuum
birefringence effect generated by QED loop diagram and the detection of the
polarization rotation effect generated by photon-interacting (pseudo-)scalar
particles. Three main parts of the experiment are: (1) Optics System (including
associated Electronic System) based on a suspended 3.5-m high finesse
Fabry-Perot cavity, (2) Ellipsometer using ultra-high extinction-ratio
polarizer and analyzer, and (3) Magnetic Field Modulation System for generating
the birefringence and the polarization rotation effect. In 2002, the Q & A
experiment achieved the Phase I sensitivity goal. During Phase II, we set (i)
to improve the control system of the cavity mirrors for suppressing the
relative motion noise, (ii) to enhance the birefringence signal by setting-up a
60-cm long 2.3 T transverse permanent magnet rotatable to 10 rev/s, (iii) to
reduce geometrical noise by inserting a polarization-maintaining optical fiber
(PM fiber) as a mode cleaner, and (iv) to use ultra-high extinction-ratio
(10^{-9}) polarizer and analyzer for ellipsometry. Here we report on (iii) &
(iv); specifically, we present the properties of the PM-fiber mode-cleaner, the
transfer function of its suspension system, and the result of our measurement
of high extinction-ratio polarizer and analyzer.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, presented in the 6th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on
Gravitational Waves, Okinawa, Japan, June 2005, and accepted by "Journal of
Physics: Conference Series". Modifications from version 2 were made based on
the referees' comments on figures. Ref. [31] were update
Constructing Fresnel reflection coefficients by ruler and compass
A simple and intuitive geometical method to analyze Fresnel formulas is
presented. It applies to transparent media and is valid for perpendicular and
parallel polarizations. The approach gives a graphical characterization
particularly simple of the critical and Brewster angles. It also provides an
interpretation of the relation between the reflection coefficients for both
basic polarizations as a symmetry in the plane
Fresnel coefficients as hyperbolic rotations
We describe the action of a plane interface between two semi-infinite media
in terms of a transfer matrix. We find a remarkably simple factorization of
this matrix, which enables us to express the Fresnel coefficients as a
hyperbolic rotation.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy of 1D metal-dielectric photonic crystals
We study the all-optical switching behavior of one-dimensional
metal-dielectric photonic crystals due to the nonlinearity of the free metal
electrons. A polychromatic pump-probe setup is used to determine the wavelength
and pump intensity dependence of the ultrafast transmission suppression as well
as the dynamics of the process on a subpicosecond timescale. We find ultrafast
(sub-picosecond) as well as a slow (millisecond) behavior. We present a model
of the ultrafast dynamics and nonlinear response which can fit the measured
data well and allows us to separate the thermal and the electronic response of
the system.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Transversality of Electromagnetic Waves in the Calculus-Based Introductory Physics Course
Introductory calculus-based physics textbooks state that electromagnetic
waves are transverse and list many of their properties, but most such textbooks
do not bring forth arguments why this is so. Both physical and theoretical
arguments are at a level appropriate for students of courses based on such
books, and could be readily used by instructors of such courses. Here, we
discuss two physical arguments (based on polarization experiments and on lack
of monopole electromagnetic radiation), and the full argument for the
transversality of (plane) electromagnetic waves based on the integral Maxwell
equations. We also show, at a level appropriate for the introductory course,
why the electric and magnetic fields in a wave are in phase and the relation of
their magnitudes.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure
Characterization of porous low-k films using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry
doi:10.1063/1.2189018Variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE™) is used as a tool to characterize properties such as optical constant, thickness, refractive index depth profile, and pore volume fraction of single and bilayer porous low-k films. The porous films were prepared using sacrificial pore generator (porogen) approach. Two sets of porous films with open- and closed-pore geometries were measured. Three models were used for data analysis: Cauchy, Bruggeman effective medium approximation (BEMA), and graded layer. Cauchy, a well-known model for transparent films, was used to obtain thickness and optical constant, whereas BEMA was utilized to calculate the pore volume fraction from the ellipsometric data. The Cauchy or BEMA models were then modified as graded layers, resulting in a better fit and a better understanding of the porous film. The depth profile of the porous film implied a more porous layer at the substrate-film interface. We found 3%-4% more porosity at the interface compared with the bulk for both films. This work shows that VASE™, a nondestructive measurement tool, can be used to characterize single- and multigraded layer porous films quickly and effectively.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC)
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