Physics Commons^™

Optically-Pumped Spin-Exchange Polarized Electron Source, Munir Pirbhai

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Polarized electron beams are an indispensable probe of spin-dependent phenomena in fields of atomic and molecular physics, magnetism and biophysics. While their uses have become widespread, the standard source based on negative electron affinity gallium arsenide (GaAs) remains technically complicated. This has hindered progress on many experiments involving spin-polarized electrons, especially those using target gas loads, which tend to adversely affect the performance of GaAs sources. A robust system based on an alternative way to make polarized electron beams has been devised in this study, which builds on previous work done in our lab. It involves spin-exchange collisions between free, …

The Upscattering Of Ultracold Neutrons From The Polymer (C6h12)N, Eduard I. Sharapov, Christopher L. Morris, Mark Makela, Andy Saunders, Evan R. Adamek, Leah J. Broussard, Chris B. Cude-Woods, Deion E. Fellers, Peter Geltenbort, Monika Hartl, Siraj I. Hasan, Kevin P. Hickerson, Gary E. Hogan, Anthony T. Holley, C. M. Lavelle, Chen-Yu Liu, Michael P. Mendenhall, Jose Ortiz, Robert W. Pattie, David G. Phillips, John Ramsey, Daniel J. Salvat, Susan J. Seestrom, Erik Shaw, Sky Sjue, Walter E. Sondheim, Brittany Vorndick, Zhehui Wang, Tanner L. Womack, Andrew R. Young, B. A. Zeck

Robert W. Pattie Jr.

Electron-Impact Vibrational Excitation Of Vibrationally Excited H2 Molecules Involving The Resonant 2(Sigma)G+ Rydberg-Excited Electronic State, R Celiberto, R. K. Janev, V Laporta, J Tennyson, J. M. Wadehra

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Research Publications

Electron-impact theoretical cross sections and rate coefficients for vibrational excitation of vibrationally excited H2 molecules, occurring through the H−2 resonant species in the 2Σ+g Rydberg-excited electronic state, are presented. The cross sections are calculated as functions of the incident electron energy by adopting the local-complex-potential model for resonant collisions and by using ab initio calculated molecular potentials and resonance widths. The calculations have been extended to all possible vibrational transitions linking all 15 vibrational levels of the electronic ground state of the H2 molecule. The corresponding rate coefficients are also obtained as a function of the electron temperature by assuming …

Tracking Real-Time Nanoparticle Positions And Measuring Three-Dimensional Solution Flow With A Four-Focus Confocal Microscope, James Andrew Germann

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents the development of instrumentation for measuring the position of a single emitter within the sample volume of a confocal fluorescence microscope with sub-diffraction limited precision in three dimensions together with applications for determining solution flow and for tracking a fluorescent nanoparticle as it undergoes Brownian diffusion. The localization method is based on comparing photon counts from alternating excitation of the emitter by four laser beams, which are focused at slightly offset positions in a tetrahedral pattern within the confocal volume. Two experimental set-ups are constructed. In the first, the four beams are from a femtosecond laser, which …

Extracting The Structure And Conformations Of Biological Entities From Large Datasets, Ali Dashti

Theses and Dissertations

In biology, structure determines function, which often proceeds via changes in conformation. Efficient means for determining structure exist, but mapping conformations continue to present a serious challenge. Single-particles approaches, such as cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and emerging "diffract & destroy" X-ray techniques are, in principle, ideally positioned to overcome these challenges. But the algorithmic ability to extract information from large heterogeneous datasets consisting of "unsorted" snapshots - each emanating from an unknown orientation of an object in an unknown conformation - remains elusive.

It is the objective of this thesis to describe and validate a powerful suite of manifold-based algorithms …

Gravitational And Electromagnetic Waves On The Null Cone, Maria Babiuc-Hamilton

Physics Faculty Research

Gravitational radiation is properly defined only at future null infinity, but mathematically it is estimated at a finite radius, and then extrapolated. Our group developed a characteristic waveform extraction tool, implemented in an open source code, which computes the gravitational waves infinitely far from their source, in terms of compactified null cones, by numerically solving Einstein equation. We add electromagnetic waves to the null cone, by deriving a formulation of the Einstein-Maxwell equations suitable to be numerically implemented into a characteristic code, that will evolve and calculate both the gravitational waves and their electromagnetic counterparts all the way to infinity.

A Study Of The Optical And Negative Ion Properties Of Selected Chiral Molecules, Jason Michael Lambert

Doctoral Dissertations

Chirality is subtle geometric property where objects lack reflection plane symmetry. In this thesis I study three chiral molecules using a combination of experimental and theoretical methods to elucidate the relationships between conformation freedom, solvent choice, and temperature. The importance of nuclear motion when predicting the optical rotation is explored. For carvone, corrections with each nuclear mode coordinate is important. Predictions of the ORD have the incorrect sign without the inclusion of vibrational corrections. For the case of two newly synthesized amino acid derivatives the vibrational corrections did not correct the sign of the calculated ORD to bring it into …

Electron Tunneling Characteristics Of A Cubic Quantum Dot, (Pbs)32, Sanjeev K. Gupta, Haiying He, Douglas Banyai, Anil K. Kandalam, Ravindra Pandey

Physics & Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Molecular Dynamics Model Of Carbon Nanotubes In Epon 862/Detda Polymer, Guttormur Arnar Ingvason

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The aerospace industry is interested in increasing the strength while reducing the weight of carbon fiber composite materials. Adding single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) to a polymer matrix can achieve that goal by improving delamination properties of the composite. Due to the complexity of polymer molecules and the curing process, few 3-D Molecular Dynamics simulations of a polymer-SWCNT composite have been run. Our model runs on the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS), with a COMPASS (Condensed phase Optimized Molecular Potential for Atomistic Simulations Studies) potential to represent the interactions between the atoms of the polymer and the SWCNT. This …

Infrared Skin Damage Thresholds From 1319-Nm Continous-Wave Laser Exposures, Jeffrey W. Oliver, Revecca Vincelette, Gary Noojin, Clifton D. Clark, Corey Harbert, Kurt J. Schuster, Aurora D. Schingledecker, Semih S. Kumru, Justin Maughan, Naomi Kitzis, Gavin D. Buffington, David J. Stolarski, Robert J. Thomas

Physics Faculty Publications

A series of experiments were conducted in vivo using Yucatan miniature pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) to determine thermal damage thresholds to the skin from 1319-nm continuous-wave Nd:YAG laser irradiation. Experiments employed exposure durations of 0.25, 1.0, 2.5, and 10 s and beam diameters of ∼0.6 and 1 cm. Thermal imagery data provided a time-dependent surface temperature response from the laser. A damage endpoint of fifty percent probability of a minimally visible effect was used to determine threshold for damage at 1 and 24 h postexposure. Predicted thermal response and damage thresholds are compared with a numerical model of opticalthermal interaction. …

Near-Infrared Surface-Enhanced Fluorescence Using Silver Nanoparticles In Solution, Michael D. Furtaw

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Fluorescence spectroscopy is a widely used detection technology in many research and clinical assays. Further improvement to assay sensitivity may enable earlier diagnosis of disease, novel biomarker discovery, and ultimately, improved outcomes of clinical care along with reduction in costs. Near-infrared, surface-enhanced fluorescence (NIR-SEF) is a promising approach to improve assay sensitivity via simultaneous increase in signal with a reduction in background. This dissertation describes research conducted with the overall goal to determine the extent to which fluorescence in solution may be enhanced by altering specific variables involved in the formation of plasmonactive nanostructures of dye-labeled protein and silver nanoparticles …

Double Resonance Spectroscopy Of The D1Πu+ And B''B-Bar 1Σu+ States Near The Third Dissociation Threshold Of H2, R. C. Ekey, A. E. Cordova, W. Duan, Alexander M. Chartrand, Elizabeth Mccormack

Physics Faculty Research and Scholarship

Double-resonance laser spectroscopy via the E, F ¹Σ_g⁺, v' = 6, J' state was used to probe the energy region below the third dissociation limit of molecular hydrogen. Resonantly enhanced multi-photon ionization spectra were recorded by detecting ion production as a function of energy using a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Energies and line widths for the v = 14–17 levels of the D¹Π_u⁺ state of H₂ are reported and compared to experimental data obtained by using VUV synchrotron light excitation (Dickenson et al. 2010 J. Chem. Phys. 133 144317) and fully ab …

Above-Threshold Ionization As Temporal Multi-Slit Interference, William B. Laing Iii

Faculty Works

When atoms are subjected to a laser pulse of sufficiently high intensity, electrons are ionized by absorbing multiple photons in excess of the ionization potential. The resulting sequence of peaks in the photoelectron spectrum separated by the energy of one photon is called “above-threshold ionization” (ATI). This time-independent description of ATI invokes the language of photons, even though calculations are performed using the time-dependent Schrodinger equation with a classical electric field. We demonstrate that the energy-periodic structure of ATI can be understood from the interference of ionized electron wavepackets produced periodically each half-cycle of the laser field. Using this simple …

Above-Threshold Ionization As Temporal Multi-Slit Interference, William B. Laing Iii, B.D. Esry

Faculty Works

When atoms are subjected to a laser pulse of sufficiently high intensity, electrons are ionized by absorbing multiple photons in excess of the ionization potential. The resulting sequence of peaks in the photoelectron spectrum separated by the energy of one photon is called ``above-threshold ionization'' (ATI). This time-independent description of ATI invokes the language of photons, even though calculations are performed using the time-dependent Schrodinger equation with a classical electric field. We demonstrate that the energy-periodic structure of ATI can be understood from the interference of ionized electron wavepackets produced periodically each half-cycle of the laser field. Using this simple …

Resonant Enhancement Of The Harmonic-Generation Spectrum Of Beryllium, Jean Marcel Ngoko Djiokap, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

The high-order harmonic-generation (HHG) spectrum of Be is investigated in the multiphoton regime by solving the full-dimensional, two-active-electron, time-dependent Schr¨odinger equation in an intense (≈10¹³ W/cm²), 30-cycle laser field. As the laser frequency ω_L varies from 1.7 to 1.8 eV (which is in the tunable range of a Ti:sapphire laser), the seventh harmonic becomes resonant sequentially with the transition between the ground state and two doubly excited autoionizing states, 2p4s(¹P) (at ω_L = 1.734 eV) and 2p5s …

Carrier-Envelope-Phase-Induced Asymmetries In Double Ionization Of Helium By An Intense Few-Cycle Xuv Pulse, Jean Marcel Ngoko Djiokap, N. L. Manakov, A. V. Meremianin, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

The carrier-envelope-phase (CEP) dependence of electron angular distributions in double ionization of He by an arbitrarily polarized, few-cycle, intense XUV pulse is formulated using perturbation theory (PT) in the pulse amplitude. Owing to the broad pulse bandwidth, interference of first- and second-order PT amplitudes produces asymmetric angular distributions sensitive to the CEP. The PT parametrization is shown to be valid by comparing with results of solutions of the full-dimensional, two-electron time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the case of linear polarization.

Harmonic Generation Spectroscopy With A Two-Colour Laser Field Having Orthogonal Linear Polarizations, T. S. Sarantseva, M. V. Frolov, N. L. Manakov, M. Yu. Ivanov, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

The interpretation of many high-order harmonic generation (HHG) experiments is based on the assumption that the HHG yield of an atom can be factorized into (i) a laser-dependent ‘electron wave packet’ with rather simple properties, including a nearly universal shape, and (ii) an atomic photorecombination cross section. We show that this factorization is restricted to linearly polarized laser fields and fails in two-colour laser fields with orthogonal polarizations. At the same time, we show how two-colour HHG spectroscopy using orthogonally polarized intense fundamental and relatively weak second harmonic fields makes a complete experiment possible that enables the retrieval of the …

Imaging Molecular Structures With Atomic Force Microscopy, Unurbat Erdenemunkh, Tyler Flanagan

Student Works

As part of the LEEP project we repaired the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and wrote a user manual on using AFM. Then we scanned Self Assembly of Copolymer Films collaboration with Prof. Sergio Granados –Focil and Copper Oxide Nanocubes with Professor Prof.Luis Smith.

Dynamics Underlying The Gaussian Distribution Of The Classical Harmonic Oscillator In Zero-Point Radiation, Wayne Cheng-Wei Huang, Herman Batelaan

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Stochastic electrodynamics (SED) predicts a Gaussian probability distribution for a classical harmonic oscillator in the vacuum field. This probability distribution is identical to that of the ground state quantum harmonic oscillator. Thus, the Heisenberg minimum uncertainty relation is recovered in SED. To understand the dynamics that give rise to the uncertainty relation and the Gaussian probability distribution, we perform a numerical simulation and follow the motion of the oscillator. The dynamical information obtained through the simulation provides insight to the connection between the classic double-peak probability distribution and the Gaussian probability distribution. A main objective for SED research is to …

Measurement Of A Weak Transition Moment Using Coherent Control, Dionysios Antypas

Open Access Dissertations

We have developed a two-pathway Coherent Control technique for measurements of weak optical transition moments. We demonstrate this technique through a measurement of the transition moment of the highly-forbidden magnetic dipole transition between the 6s²S_1/21/2 and 7s²S_1/21/2 states in atomic Cesium. The experimental principle is based on a two-pathway excitation, using two phase-coherent laser fields, a fundamental field at 1079 nm and its second harmonic at 539.5 nm. The IR field induces a strong two-photon transition, while the 539.5 nm field drives a pair of weak one-photon transitions: a Stark-induced transition of …

Experimental Studies Of Lirb: Spectroscopy And Ultracold Molecule Formation By Photoassociation, Sourav Dutta

Open Access Dissertations

Heteronuclear polar molecules have recently attracted enormous attention owing to their ground state having a large electric dipole moment. The long range anisotropic dipole-dipole interaction in such systems is the basis for a variety of applications including quantum computing, precision measurements, ultracold chemistry and quantum simulations. Heteronuclear bi-alkali molecules, only a small subset of polar molecules, have received special attention mainly because the constituent alkali atoms are easy to laser cool and can be relatively easily associated to form molecules at ultracold temperatures. Our choice, the LiRb molecule, is motivated by the relatively high dipole moment (4.1 Debye) of the …

Applicability Of Continuum Fracture Mechanics In Atomistic Systems, Shao-Huan Cheng

Open Access Dissertations

By quantitating the amplitude of the unbounded stress, the continuum fracture mechanics defines the stress intensity factor K to characterize the stress and displacement fields in the vicinity of the crack tip, thereby developing the relation between the stress singularity and surface energy (energy release rate G). This G-K relation, assigning physical meaning to the stress intensity factor, makes these two fracture parameters widely used in predicting the onset of crack propagation. However, due to the discrete nature of the atomistic structures without stress singularity, there might be discrepancy between the failure prediction and the reality of nanostructured materials. Defining …

On The Origin Of Mode- And Bond-Selectivity In Vibrationally Mediated Reactions On Surfaces, Daniel Killelea, Arthur L. Utz

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

The experimental observations of vibrational mode- and bond-selective chemistry at the gas–surface interface indicate that energy redistribution within the reaction complex is not statistical on the timescale of reaction. Such behavior is a key prerequisite for efforts to use selective vibrational excitation to control chemistry at the technologically important gas–surface interface. This paper outlines a framework for understanding the origin of non-statistical reactivity on surfaces. The model focuses on the kinetic competition between intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (IVR) within the reaction complex, which in the long-time limit leads to statistical behavior, and quenching, scattering, or desorption processes that restrict the …

Fabricating Cost-Effective Nanostructures For Biomedical Applications, Erden Ertorer

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this thesis we described inexpensive alternatives to fabricate nanostructures on planar substrates and provided example applications to discuss the efficiency of fabricated nanostructures.

The first method we described is forming large area systematically changing multi-shape nanoscale structures on a chip by laser interference lithography. We analyzed the fabricated structures at different substrate positions with respect to exposure time, exposure angle and associated light intensity profile. We presented experimental details related to the fabrication of symmetric and biaxial periodic nanostructures on photoresist, silicon surfaces, and ion-milled glass substrates. Behavior of osteoblasts and osteoclasts on the nanostructures was investigated. These results …

All-Optical Control Of Electron Trapping In Plasma Channels, Serguei Y. Kalmykov, Bradley A. Shadwick, Xavier Davoine

Serge Youri Kalmykov

The accelerating bucket of a laser-plasma accelerator (a cavity of electron density maintained by the laser pulse radiation pressure) evolves slowly, in lock-step with the optical driver, and readily traps background electrons. The trapping process can thus be controlled by purely optical means. Sharp gradients in the nonlinear refractive index produce a large frequency red-shift, localized at the leading edge of the pulse. Negative group velocity dispersion associated with the plasma response compresses the laser pulse into a relativistic optical shock (ROS), slowing the pulse (and the bucket), reducing the electron dephasing length, and limiting energy gain. Even more importantly, …

Wave Function For Time-Dependent Harmonically Confined Electrons In A Time-Dependent Electric Field, Yu-Qi Li, Xiao-Yin Pan, Viraht Sahni

Publications and Research

The many-body wave function of a system of interacting particles confined by a time-dependent harmonic potential and perturbed by a time-dependent spatially homogeneous electric field is derived via the Feynman path-integral method. The wave function is comprised of a phase factor times the solution to the unperturbed time-dependent Schrödinger equation with the latter being translated by a time-dependent value that satisfies the classical driven equation of motion. The wave function reduces to that of the Harmonic Potential Theorem wave function for the case of the time-independent harmonic confining potential.

Measurements Of Ultracold Neutron Upscattering And Absorption In Polyethylene And Vanadium, Eduard I. Sharapov, Charles L. Morris, Mark Makela, Andy Saunders, Evan R. Adamek, Yelena Bagdasarova, Leah J. Broussard, Chris Cude-Woods, Deon E. Fellers, Peter Geltenbort, Siraj I. Hasan, Kevin P. Hickerson, Gary Hogan, Anthony T. Holley, Chen-Yu Liu, Michael P. Mendenhall, Jose Ortiz, Robert W. Pattie Jr., David G. Phillips, John Ramsey, D. J. Salvat, Susan J. Seestrom, E. Shaw, Sky Sjue, Walter E. Sondheim, Brittany Vorndick, Zhehui Wang, Tanner L. Womack, Andrew R. Young, B. A. Zeck

Robert W. Pattie Jr.

Ground State Of The Singly Ionized Oxygen Vacancy In Rutile Tio2, A. T. Brant, Nancy C. Giles, Shan Yang (杨山), M. A. R. Sarker, S. Watauchi, M. Nagao, I. Tanaka, D. A. Tryk, A. Manivannan, Larry E. Halliburton

Faculty Publications

Results from electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) experiments are used to establish the model for the ground state of the singly ionized oxygen vacancy in the interior of bulk rutile TiO₂ crystals. Hyperfine from ⁴⁷Ti and ⁴⁹Ti nuclei show that the unpaired electron in this S = 1/2 defect is localized on one titanium ion adjacent to the oxygen vacancy (i.e., the spin is not shared by two titanium ions). These defects are formed at low temperature (∼35 K) in as-grown oxidized crystals when sub-band-gap 442 nm laser light converts doubly ionized nonparamagnetic …

Near-Unity Nuclear Polarization With An Open-Source 129xe Hyperpolarizer For Nmr And Mri, Panayiotis Nikolaou, Aaron M. Coffey, Laura L. Walkup, Brogan M. Gust, Nicholas Whiting, Hayley Newton, Scott Barcus, Iga Muradyan, Mikayel Dabaghyan, Gregory D. Moroz, Matthew S. Rosen, Samuel Patz, Michael J. Barlow, Eduard Y. Chekmenev, Boyd M. Goodson

Nicholas Whiting

The Study Of Nanophotonic Switching Mechanisms In Photonic And Metallic Heterostructures, Joel Cox

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this thesis, nanophotonic switching mechanisms and light-matter interactions are explored in photonic and metallic heterostructures and nanocomposites. These heterostructures are made using various combinations of photonic crystals (PCs), quantum dots (QDs), and graphene or metal nanoparticles (MNPs).

PC heterostructures are formed by combining different PCs so that photons in a specific energy range can propagate in certain regions along one direction and cannot propagate in others. This band structure engineering is used to form photonic quantum wells (PQWs) that have discrete energy states along one dimension. By simulating the photon transmission along the direction of confinement, resonant photon tunnelling …