374 research outputs found
Solid immersion lens applications for nanophotonic devices
Solid immersion lens (SIL) microscopy combines the advantages of conventional microscopy with those of near-field techniques, and is being increasingly adopted across a diverse range of technologies and applications. A comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in this rapidly expanding subject is therefore increasingly relevant. Important benefits are enabled by SIL-focusing, including an improved lateral and axial spatial profiling resolution when a SIL is used in laser-scanning microscopy or excitation, and an improved collection efficiency when a SIL is used in a light-collection mode, for example in fluorescence micro-spectroscopy. These advantages arise from the increase in numerical aperture (NA) that is provided by a SIL. Other SIL-enhanced improvements, for example spherical-aberration-free sub-surface imaging, are a fundamental consequence of the aplanatic imaging condition that results from the spherical geometry of the SIL. Beginning with an introduction to the theory of SIL imaging, the unique properties of SILs are exposed to provide advantages in applications involving the interrogation of photonic and electronic nanostructures. Such applications range from the sub-surface examination of the complex three-dimensional microstructures fabricated in silicon integrated circuits, to quantum photoluminescence and transmission measurements in semiconductor quantum dot nanostructures
Genetic stock structure of white steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus (Cuvier, 1829), an overexploited fishery species in South African waters
White steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus (Teleostei: Sparidae) is an overexploited marine fish species endemic to South Africa. Overexploitation in recreational, subsistence and commercial fisheries has resulted in stock collapse and the need for improved management of the species. Adults are thought to undertake large-scale annual spawning migrations, yet studies of their movement indicate low levels of connectivity among coastal regions. To address this, mitochondrial DNA sequencing and genotyping of microsatellite loci in the nuclear genome were conducted to determine the genetic stock structure and level of gene flow in this species. Genetic diversity was high throughout the species’ core distribution, with no evidence of isolation by way of distance or localised spawning. Low, non-significant pairwise fixation indices (FST, RST and Jost’s Dest) indicated low genetic differentiation and high levels of gene flow. The observed results, and agreement between mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA, confirm that white steenbras exists as a single genetic stock with high levels of gene flow throughout its distribution.The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), a
grant from Marine and Coastal Management, and the University
of Pretoria.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tams202019-01-30hj2017Genetic
Neutrinos in Non-linear Structure Formation - The Effect on Halo Properties
We use N-body simulations to find the effect of neutrino masses on halo
properties, and investigate how the density profiles of both the neutrino and
the dark matter components change as a function of the neutrino mass. We
compare our neutrino density profiles with results from the N-one-body method
and find good agreement. We also show and explain why the Tremaine-Gunn bound
for the neutrinos is not saturated. Finally we study how the halo mass function
changes as a function of the neutrino mass and compare our results with the
Sheth-Tormen semi-analytic formulae. Our results are important for surveys
which aim at probing cosmological parameters using clusters, as well as future
experiments aiming at measuring the cosmic neutrino background directly.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figure
Weak force detection with superposed coherent states
We investigate the utility of non classical states of simple harmonic
oscillators, particularly a superposition of coherent states, for sensitive
force detection. We find that like squeezed states a superposition of coherent
states allows displacement measurements at the Heisenberg limit. Entangling
many superpositions of coherent states offers a significant advantage over a
single mode superposition states with the same mean photon number.Comment: 6 pages, no figures: New section added on entangled resources.
Changes to discussions and conclusio
Quantum correlated twin atomic beams via photo-dissociation of a molecular Bose-Einstein condensate
We study the process of photo-dissociation of a molecular Bose-Einstein
condensate as a potential source of strongly correlated twin atomic beams. We
show that the two beams can possess nearly perfect quantum squeezing in their
relative numbers.Comment: Corrected LaTeX file layou
The Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function at the Dawn of Gaia
The [O III] 5007 Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function (PNLF) is an excellent
extragalactic standard candle. In theory, the PNLF method should not work at
all, since the luminosities of the brightest planetary nebulae (PNe) should be
highly sensitive to the age of their host stellar population. Yet the method
appears robust, as it consistently produces < 10% distances to galaxies of all
Hubble types, from the earliest ellipticals to the latest-type spirals and
irregulars. It is therefore uniquely suited for cross-checking the results of
other techniques and finding small offsets between the Population I and
Population II distance ladders. We review the calibration of the method and
show that the zero points provided by Cepheids and the Tip of the Red Giant
Branch are in excellent agreement. We then compare the results of the PNLF with
those from Surface Brightness Fluctuation measurements, and show that, although
both techniques agree in a relative sense, the latter method yields distances
that are ~15% larger than those from the PNLF. We trace this discrepancy back
to the calibration galaxies and argue that, due to a small systematic error
associated with internal reddening, the true distance scale likely falls
between the extremes of the two methods. We also demonstrate how PNLF
measurements in the early-type galaxies that have hosted Type Ia supernovae can
help calibrate the SN Ia maximum magnitude-rate of decline relation. Finally,
we discuss how the results from space missions such as Kepler and Gaia can help
our understanding of the PNLF phenomenon and improve our knowledge of the
physics of local planetary nebulae.Comment: 12 pages, invited review at the conference "The Fundamental Cosmic
Distance Scale: State of the Art and Gaia Perspective", to appear in
Astrophysics and Space Scienc
Estimating the parameters of the Sgr A* black hole
The measurement of relativistic effects around the galactic center may allow
in the near future to strongly constrain the parameters of the supermassive
black hole likely present at the galactic center (Sgr A*). As a by-product of
these measurements it would be possible to severely constrain, in addition,
also the parameters of the mass-density distributions of both the innermost
star cluster and the dark matter clump around the galactic center.Comment: Accepted for publication on General Relativity and Gravitation, 2010.
11 Pages, 1 Figur
(Sub)mm Interferometry Applications in Star Formation Research
This contribution gives an overview about various applications of (sub)mm
interferometry in star formation research. The topics covered are molecular
outflows, accretion disks, fragmentation and chemical properties of low- and
high-mass star-forming regions. A short outlook on the capabilities of ALMA is
given as well.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures, in proceedings to "2nd European School on Jets
from Young Star: High Angular Resolution Observations". A high-resolution
version of the paper can be found at
http://www.mpia.de/homes/beuther/papers.htm
- …