Metal micro drilling combining high power femtosecond laser and trepanning head

Trepanning heads are well known to be efficient in high aspect drilling and to provide a precise control of the hole geometry. Secondly, femtosecond lasers enable to minimize the heat effects and the recast layer on sidewalls but are typically used on thin sheet. The combination of both present a high potential for industrial applications such as injector or cooling holes where the bore sidewall topology has a major influence on the dynamics of the gas flow. In this paper we present results using this combination. The effect of pulse energy, repetition rate and revolution speed of the head on both geometry and roughness are discussed. The quality of the sidewall is checked by roughness measurement and by metallographic analysis (SEM; chemical etching, micro hardness)

Single-dose administration and the influence of the timing of the booster dose on immunogenicity and efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine: a pooled analysis of four randomised trials.

BACKGROUND: The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine has been approved for emergency use by the UK regulatory authority, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, with a regimen of two standard doses given with an interval of 4-12 weeks. The planned roll-out in the UK will involve vaccinating people in high-risk categories with their first dose immediately, and delivering the second dose 12 weeks later. Here, we provide both a further prespecified pooled analysis of trials of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and exploratory analyses of the impact on immunogenicity and efficacy of extending the interval between priming and booster doses. In addition, we show the immunogenicity and protection afforded by the first dose, before a booster dose has been offered. METHODS: We present data from three single-blind randomised controlled trials-one phase 1/2 study in the UK (COV001), one phase 2/3 study in the UK (COV002), and a phase 3 study in Brazil (COV003)-and one double-blind phase 1/2 study in South Africa (COV005). As previously described, individuals 18 years and older were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive two standard doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (5 × 1010 viral particles) or a control vaccine or saline placebo. In the UK trial, a subset of participants received a lower dose (2·2 × 1010 viral particles) of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 for the first dose. The primary outcome was virologically confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 disease, defined as a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)-positive swab combined with at least one qualifying symptom (fever ≥37·8°C, cough, shortness of breath, or anosmia or ageusia) more than 14 days after the second dose. Secondary efficacy analyses included cases occuring at least 22 days after the first dose. Antibody responses measured by immunoassay and by pseudovirus neutralisation were exploratory outcomes. All cases of COVID-19 with a NAAT-positive swab were adjudicated for inclusion in the analysis by a masked independent endpoint review committee. The primary analysis included all participants who were SARS-CoV-2 N protein seronegative at baseline, had had at least 14 days of follow-up after the second dose, and had no evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection from NAAT swabs. Safety was assessed in all participants who received at least one dose. The four trials are registered at ISRCTN89951424 (COV003) and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606 (COV001), NCT04400838 (COV002), and NCT04444674 (COV005). FINDINGS: Between April 23 and Dec 6, 2020, 24 422 participants were recruited and vaccinated across the four studies, of whom 17 178 were included in the primary analysis (8597 receiving ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and 8581 receiving control vaccine). The data cutoff for these analyses was Dec 7, 2020. 332 NAAT-positive infections met the primary endpoint of symptomatic infection more than 14 days after the second dose. Overall vaccine efficacy more than 14 days after the second dose was 66·7% (95% CI 57·4-74·0), with 84 (1·0%) cases in the 8597 participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 248 (2·9%) in the 8581 participants in the control group. There were no hospital admissions for COVID-19 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group after the initial 21-day exclusion period, and 15 in the control group. 108 (0·9%) of 12 282 participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 127 (1·1%) of 11 962 participants in the control group had serious adverse events. There were seven deaths considered unrelated to vaccination (two in the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 group and five in the control group), including one COVID-19-related death in one participant in the control group. Exploratory analyses showed that vaccine efficacy after a single standard dose of vaccine from day 22 to day 90 after vaccination was 76·0% (59·3-85·9). Our modelling analysis indicated that protection did not wane during this initial 3-month period. Similarly, antibody levels were maintained during this period with minimal waning by day 90 (geometric mean ratio [GMR] 0·66 [95% CI 0·59-0·74]). In the participants who received two standard doses, after the second dose, efficacy was higher in those with a longer prime-boost interval (vaccine efficacy 81·3% [95% CI 60·3-91·2] at ≥12 weeks) than in those with a short interval (vaccine efficacy 55·1% [33·0-69·9] at <6 weeks). These observations are supported by immunogenicity data that showed binding antibody responses more than two-fold higher after an interval of 12 or more weeks compared with an interval of less than 6 weeks in those who were aged 18-55 years (GMR 2·32 [2·01-2·68]). INTERPRETATION: The results of this primary analysis of two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 were consistent with those seen in the interim analysis of the trials and confirm that the vaccine is efficacious, with results varying by dose interval in exploratory analyses. A 3-month dose interval might have advantages over a programme with a short dose interval for roll-out of a pandemic vaccine to protect the largest number of individuals in the population as early as possible when supplies are scarce, while also improving protection after receiving a second dose. FUNDING: UK Research and Innovation, National Institutes of Health Research (NIHR), The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Lemann Foundation, Rede D'Or, the Brava and Telles Foundation, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Thames Valley and South Midland's NIHR Clinical Research Network, and AstraZeneca

Ultrafast amplified fiber laser for laser-wire measurements in particle accelerators

We report on the generation of sub-500fs pulses of 3.5μJ energy at 6.49 MHz repetition rate and 1037 nm based on the amplification of an Ytterbium femtosecond oscillator, frequency locked to an external source in a double stage fiber chirped pulse amplification system. The system is operated in a burst mode where bunches of pulses of 900μs duration are amplified at 5Hz repetition rate. Such a system is dedicated to the measurement the spatial distribution of electron beam in future large scale ultra-high brightness particle collider

Compact, high performance femtosecond laser ablation system for trace element analysis

cited By 0International audienceWe present a compact, industrial laser ablation system for trace element analysis. The system uses a high repetition rate femtosecond laser for material ablation and an inductively coupled mass spectrometer for analysis. © 2007 Optical Society of America

High repetition rate and low energy femtosecond laser ablation coupled to ICPMS detection: A new analytical approach for trace element determination in solid samples

cited By 14International audienceA low energy and high repetition rate infrared femtosecond laser system was developed for direct trace elements analysis by laser ablation/ICPMS. This system provides improved analytical performances in terms of limits of detection, repeatability, elemental fractionation and depth profile analysis in comparison to conventional nanosecond UV laser ablation used so far in analytical chemistry. Preliminary results show that limits of detection are improved by more than one order of magnitude and the elemental fractionation reduced to negligible values. In addition, depth profile resolution better than 20 nm are easily achievable on a Cr-Ni multilayer material which opens new fields of application in surface analysis. © 2007 IOP Publishing Ltd

Polarized multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering using a picosecond laser and a fiber supercontinuum

International audienceWe perform multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) micro-spectroscopy with a picosecond pulsed laser and a broadband supercontinuum (SC) generated in photonic crystal fiber. CARS signal stability is achieved using an active fiber coupler that avoids thermal and mechanical drifts. We obtain multiplex CARS spectra for test liquids in the 600–2000 cm−1 spectral range. In addition we investigate the polarization dependence of the CARS spectra when rotating the pump beam linear polarization state relative to the linearly polarized broad stokes SC. From these polarization measurements we deduce the Raman depolarization ratio, the resonant versus nonresonant contribution, the Raman resonance frequency, and the linewidth

Metal micro drilling combining high power femtosecond laser and trepanning head

Trepanning heads are well known to be efficient in high aspect drilling and to provide a precise control of the hole geometry. Secondly, femtosecond lasers enable to minimize the heat effects and the recast layer on sidewalls but are typically used on thin sheet. The combination of both present a high potential for industrial applications such as injector or cooling holes where the bore sidewall topology has a major influence on the dynamics of the gas flow. In this paper we present results using this combination. The effect of pulse energy, repetition rate and revolution speed of the head on both geometry and roughness are discussed. The quality of the sidewall is checked by roughness measurement and by metallographic analysis (SEM; chemical etching, micro hardness)