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Full-Text Articles in Physics

High-Temperature Calcium Vapor Cell For Spectroscopy On The 4s2 1s0-4s4p 3p1 Intercombination Line, Christopher J. Erickson, Brian Neyenhuis, Dallin S. Durfee Dec 2005

High-Temperature Calcium Vapor Cell For Spectroscopy On The 4s2 1s0-4s4p 3p1 Intercombination Line, Christopher J. Erickson, Brian Neyenhuis, Dallin S. Durfee

Faculty Publications

We have demonstrated a high-temperature vapor cell for absorption spectroscopy on the Ca intercombination line. The cell uses a dual-chamber design to achieve the high temperatures necessary for an optically dense vapor while avoiding the necessity of high-temperature vacuum valves and glass-to-metal seals. We have observed over 50% absorption in a single pass through the cell. Although pressure broadening in the cell prevented us from performing saturated-absorption spectroscopy, the broadening resulted in higher signal-to-noise ratios by allowing us to probe the atoms with intensities much greater than the 0.2µW/cm2 saturation intensity of the unbroadened transition. The techniques presented in this …


Nonmetal Ordering In Tic1-Xnx: Ground-State Structure And The Effects Of Finite Temperature, Gus L. W. Hart, Brian Kolb Dec 2005

Nonmetal Ordering In Tic1-Xnx: Ground-State Structure And The Effects Of Finite Temperature, Gus L. W. Hart, Brian Kolb

Faculty Publications

The TiC1-xNx system has long been prized in industry because of its desirable thermodynamic and hardness characteristics. Previous studies have not produced comprehensive results describing the ordering tendencies of TiC1-xNx at any temperature. We apply the mixed-basis cluster expansion and Monte Carlo methods to the problem and find a fascinating array of ground-state structures occurring at precise nitrogen-concentration intervals of ∆x=1/16 and related to each other by simple (201) quasisuperlattice motifs. Thermodynamic Monte Carlo results indicate that the critical ordering temperatures at all concentrations are well below room temperature. short-range ordering develops at T ≈ 800 K and exhibits the …


Electromagnetism In Gravitational Collapse, Craig Ernest Skinfill Dec 2005

Electromagnetism In Gravitational Collapse, Craig Ernest Skinfill

Theses and Dissertations

A numerical approach to including electromagnetism with general relativity is developed using GRAXI as a starting point. We develop a mathematical model describing electromagnetism coupled to a scalar field in an evolving axisymmetric spacetime. As there are numerous formulations of electromagnetism, we evalute different formulations in a limited flat space case. The full curved space system is then developed, using the flat case as a guide to implementing electromagnetism. This model is then implemented using GRAXI as a code base.


Ultracold Neutral Plasma Expansion In Two Dimensions, E. A. Cummings, J. E. Daily, Dallin S. Durfee, Scott D. Bergeson Dec 2005

Ultracold Neutral Plasma Expansion In Two Dimensions, E. A. Cummings, J. E. Daily, Dallin S. Durfee, Scott D. Bergeson

Faculty Publications

An isothermal model of ultracold neutral plasma expansion is extended to systems without spherical symmetry. It is used to interpret new fluorescence measurements on ultracold neutral calcium plasmas. For a self-similar expansion, the fluid equations are solved both analytically and numerically. The density and velocity solutions are used to predict fluorescence signals induced by a laser beam weakly focused into the plasma. Despite the simplicity of the model, predicted fluorescence signals reproduce major features of the experimental data


Fluorescence Measurements Of Expanding Strongly Coupled Neutral Plasmas, E. A. Cummings, J. E. Daily, Dallin S. Durfee, Scott D. Bergeson Nov 2005

Fluorescence Measurements Of Expanding Strongly Coupled Neutral Plasmas, E. A. Cummings, J. E. Daily, Dallin S. Durfee, Scott D. Bergeson

Faculty Publications

We report new detailed density profile measurements in expanding strongly coupled neutral calcium plasmas. Using laser-induced fluorescence techniques, we determine plasma densities in the range of 10^5 to 10^9 cm^-3 with a time resolution limit as small as 7 ns. Strong coupling in the plasma ions is inferred directly from the fluorescence signals. Evidence for strong coupling at late times is presented, confirming a recent theoretical result.


Acoustics Of The Salt Lake Tabernacle: Characterization And Study Of Spatial Variation, Sarah Rollins Nov 2005

Acoustics Of The Salt Lake Tabernacle: Characterization And Study Of Spatial Variation, Sarah Rollins

Theses and Dissertations

In order to preserve the acoustics of the Salt Lake Tabernacle after the seismic renovation of 2005-2006, it was necessary to characterize these acoustics immediately preceding the renovation. This thesis discusses the characterization process that began with the measurement of hundreds of impulse responses for five different source positions and several receiver locations throughout the hall seating areas. The acoustics were further characterized by deriving various parameters from these responses that correlate with subjective preferences for music and speech. Impulse responses were also generated by a CATT-Acoustic™ computer model of the Tabernacle for the same purpose. The parameter values were …


Using Genetic Algorithms To Map First-Principles Results To Model Hamiltonians: Application To The Generalized Ising Model For Alloys, Gus L. W. Hart, Volker Blum, Michael J. Walorski, Alex Zunger Oct 2005

Using Genetic Algorithms To Map First-Principles Results To Model Hamiltonians: Application To The Generalized Ising Model For Alloys, Gus L. W. Hart, Volker Blum, Michael J. Walorski, Alex Zunger

Faculty Publications

The cluster expansion method provides a standard framework to map first-principles generated energies for a few selected configurations of a binary alloy onto a finite set of pair and many-body interactions between the alloyed elements. These interactions describe the energetics of all possible configurations of the same alloy, which can hence be readily used to identify ground state structures and, through statistical mechanics solutions, find finite-temperature properties. In practice, the biggest challenge is to identify the types of interactions which are most important for a given alloy out of the many possibilities. We describe a genetic algorithm which automates this …


Direct Enumeration Of Alloy Configurations For Electronic Structural Properties, Gus L. W. Hart, Peter A. Graf, Kwiseon Kim, Wesley B. Jones Oct 2005

Direct Enumeration Of Alloy Configurations For Electronic Structural Properties, Gus L. W. Hart, Peter A. Graf, Kwiseon Kim, Wesley B. Jones

Faculty Publications

We present and apply an approach to directly enumerate the band gaps and effective masses of all possible zinc blende-based alloy configurations whose unit cell contains up to a specified number of atoms. This method allows us to map the space of band gaps and effective masses versus alloy composition and atomic configuration. We demonstrate that a large number of band gaps and effective masses are available. We also discuss convergence of the method with respect to unit cell size and the combined optimization of band gap and effective mass for AlGaAs and GaInP semiconductor alloys.


An Acoustical Analysis Of Domes Coupled To Rooms, With Special Application To The Darussholah Mosque, In East Java, Indonesia, Sentagi Sesotya Utami Aug 2005

An Acoustical Analysis Of Domes Coupled To Rooms, With Special Application To The Darussholah Mosque, In East Java, Indonesia, Sentagi Sesotya Utami

Theses and Dissertations

Concave surfaces are often considered to be detrimental or precarious in room acoustics, especially because of the impact they have on the distribution of sound energy. However, it is often difficult to avoid such surfaces in buildings with specific architectural functions. A primary example of this involves mosques, which are sacred places of worship for Muslims. In keeping with the Islamic architectural style, most mosques incorporate a symbolic centralized domed ceiling as part of their room structures. These domes are open on the bottom and coupled to the acoustic spaces below. In many cases, the lower spaces may be idealized …


An Improved Flexible Neutron Detector For Powder Diffraction Experiments, Thomas Kevin Mcknight Jul 2005

An Improved Flexible Neutron Detector For Powder Diffraction Experiments, Thomas Kevin Mcknight

Theses and Dissertations

Large amounts of money are being applied to the construction of the next generation of spallation sources for neutron scattering. Neutron powder diffraction instruments will be an important element of these facilities and the incorporation of detectors into these instruments with a high neutron capture efficiency is desirable. A new detector design named the Flexible Embedded Fiber Detector (FEFD) has been developed and tested for this thesis. This detector is based on wavelength shifting fibers embedded in a zinc-sulfide lithium-fluoride based scintillator. The virtue of this design is that the detecting surface can be curved around the Debye-Scherrer rings. This …


Black Spaghetti: A Numerical Model Of Gravitational Collapse In 4 + 1 Spacetime, Michael P. Christenson Jul 2005

Black Spaghetti: A Numerical Model Of Gravitational Collapse In 4 + 1 Spacetime, Michael P. Christenson

Theses and Dissertations

We investigate spherically-symmetric gravitational collapse in the presence of a single "large" extra dimension through the use of analytical and numerical techniques. This has bearing on higher-dimensional ideas concerning hypothetical objects called "black strings," or black holes extending into an extra circular dimension, which dimension we hereinafter label zeta. These putative objects were first seriously considered as elements of string theory but have relevance in simpler, higher-dimensional generalization of Einstein's general relativity. We assume a universe topologically consisting of a two-dimensional Lorentzian manifold crossed with the sphere, crossed again with the circle. We model the formation of a uniform black …


Representations For Understanding The Stern-Gerlach Effect, Jared R. Stenson Jul 2005

Representations For Understanding The Stern-Gerlach Effect, Jared R. Stenson

Theses and Dissertations

The traditional explanation of the Stern-Gerlach effect carries with it several very subtle assumptions and approximations. We point out the degree to which this fact has affected the way we practice and interpret modern physics. In order to gain a more complete understanding of the Stern-Gerlach effect beyond the standard approximations and assumptions it typically carries, we introduce the inhomogeneous Stern-Gerlach effect in which the strong uniform field component is removed. This change allows us to easily identify precession as a critical concept. It also provides us with a means by which to study precession and analyze it critically. By …


Novel Neutron Detector For N-N Scattering Length Measurement, Eva Wilcox Jul 2005

Novel Neutron Detector For N-N Scattering Length Measurement, Eva Wilcox

Theses and Dissertations

The neutron-neutron (n-n) scattering length is a fundamental parameter in nuclear physics; however, measurements are plagued with large uncertainties caused by neutron detector cross talk. Many experimentalists also rely upon computer code to calibrate their neutron detectors. Experiments give one of two different numbers but there is still no adequate explanation for this discrepancy. We have developed a new neutron detector expressly for the purpose of improving the n-n scattering length measurement. It offers two important advantages: 1) minimal cross talk and 2) high counting efficiency. We calibrated the detector from 1 MeV to 6 MeV at 1 MeV increments. …


Phase-Matching Optimization Of Laser High-Order Harmonics Generated In A Gas Cell, Julia Robin Miller Sutherland Jul 2005

Phase-Matching Optimization Of Laser High-Order Harmonics Generated In A Gas Cell, Julia Robin Miller Sutherland

Theses and Dissertations

Ten-millijoule, thirty-five femtosecond, 800 nm (~40 nm bandwidth) laser pulses are used to study high-order harmonic generation in helium- and neon-filled gas cells of various lengths. Harmonic orders in the range of 50 to 100 are investigated. A semi-infinite cell geometry produces brighter harmonics than cells of sub-centimeter length. In the semi-infinite geometry, the gas occupies the region from the focusing lens to a thin exit foil near the laser focus. Counter-propagating light is used to directly probe where the high harmonics are generated within the laser focus and to investigate phase matching. The phase matching under optimized harmonic generation …


Commutation Relations For Functions Of Operators, Mark K. Transtrum, Jean-Francois S. Van Huele Jun 2005

Commutation Relations For Functions Of Operators, Mark K. Transtrum, Jean-Francois S. Van Huele

Faculty Publications

We derive an expression for the commutator of functions of operators with constant commutations relations in terms of the partial derivatives of these functions. This result extends the well-known commutation relation between one operator and a function of another operator. We discuss the range of applicability of the formula with examples in quantum mechanics


Erratum: Computing The M = 1 Diocotron Frequency Via An Equilibrium Calculation In Non-Neutral Plasmas, Ross L. Spencer May 2005

Erratum: Computing The M = 1 Diocotron Frequency Via An Equilibrium Calculation In Non-Neutral Plasmas, Ross L. Spencer

Faculty Publications

Equation 14 in this paper contains errors.


The Effect Of Inharmonic Partials On Pitch Of Piano Tones, Brian E. Anderson, William J. Strong Apr 2005

The Effect Of Inharmonic Partials On Pitch Of Piano Tones, Brian E. Anderson, William J. Strong

Faculty Publications

Piano tones have partials whose frequencies are sharp relative to harmonic values. A listening test was conducted to determine the effect of inharmonicity on pitch for piano tones in the lowest three octaves of a piano. Nine real tones from the lowest three octaves of a piano were analyzed to obtain frequencies, relative amplitudes, and decay rates of their partials. Synthetic inharmonic tones were produced from these results. Synthetic harmonic tones, each with a twelfth of a semitone increase in the fundamental, were also produced. A jury of 21 listeners matched the pitch of each synthetic inharmonic tone to one …


Two-Photon Photoionization Of The Ca 4s3d^1d2 Level In An Optical Dipole Trap, E. A. Cummings, J. E. Daily, Dallin S. Durfee, Scott D. Bergeson, R. Gommers Apr 2005

Two-Photon Photoionization Of The Ca 4s3d^1d2 Level In An Optical Dipole Trap, E. A. Cummings, J. E. Daily, Dallin S. Durfee, Scott D. Bergeson, R. Gommers

Faculty Publications

We report an optical dipole trap for calcium. The trap is created by focusing a 488-nm argon-ion laser beam into a calcium magneto-optical trap. The argon-ion laser photoionizes atoms in the trap because of a near-resonance with the 4s4f 1^F3 level. By measuring the dipole-trap decay rate as a function of argon-ion laser intensity, we determine the 1^F3 photoionization cross section at our wavelength to be approximately 230 Mb.


Sound-Quality Analysis Of Sewing Machines (A), James Chatterley, Andrew Boone, Jonathan T. Blotter, Scott D. Sommerfeldt Apr 2005

Sound-Quality Analysis Of Sewing Machines (A), James Chatterley, Andrew Boone, Jonathan T. Blotter, Scott D. Sommerfeldt

Faculty Publications

Sound quality analysis procedure and results for six sewing machines ranging from entry level to professional grade will be presented. The procedure consisted of jury-based listening tests and quantification of sound quality using standard metrics. The procedures and analysis of the jury testing will be presented and discussed. The correlation between the quantitative metrics and the qualitative jury results will be presented. Sound localization scans, using near field acoustic holography techniques with accompanying results, performed in order to determine machine sound hot spots and possible sources for undesired sounds, will also be presented. Proposed modifications to machine structure in order …


Two-Photon Ionization Of The Calcium 4s3d 1d2 Level In An Optical Dipole Trap, Jared Estus Daily Mar 2005

Two-Photon Ionization Of The Calcium 4s3d 1d2 Level In An Optical Dipole Trap, Jared Estus Daily

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis reports an optical dipole trap for atomic calcium. The dipole trap is loaded from a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of calcium atoms cooled near the Doppler limit (~1 mK). The dipole trap is formed by a large-frame argon ion laser focused to 20 microns into the center of the MOT. This laser runs single-line at 488 nm with a maximum power of 10.6 watts. These parameters result in a trap of 125 mK for calcium atoms in the 4s3d 1D2 state. The 488 nm light also photo-ionizes the trapped atoms due to a near-resonant transition to the 4s4f 1F3 …


Optical Detection Of Ultracold Neutral Calcium Plasmas, Elizabeth Ann Cummings Feb 2005

Optical Detection Of Ultracold Neutral Calcium Plasmas, Elizabeth Ann Cummings

Theses and Dissertations

We demonstrate an optical method to detect calcium ions in an ultracold plasma. We probe the plasma with a 397 nm laser beam tuned to a calcium ion transition. The probe laser beam is focused to a 160 µm waist allowing fine spatial resolution. Ions are detected by measuring fluorescence using a Photo-Multiplier Tube (PMT). The signal, an average of 4000 acquisitions, has a temporal resolution of 120 ns. We present the details of this method, potential improvements, and prospects of imaging the expanding plasma ions. We also present preliminary work on spatially resolved absorption measurements, as well as additional …


Thorium-Based Thin Films As Highly Reflective Mirrors In The Euv, David D. Allred, William R. Evans, Jed E. Johnson, Richard L. Sandberg, R. Steven Turley Jan 2005

Thorium-Based Thin Films As Highly Reflective Mirrors In The Euv, David D. Allred, William R. Evans, Jed E. Johnson, Richard L. Sandberg, R. Steven Turley

Faculty Publications

As applications for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation have been identified, the demand for better optics has also increased. Thorium and thorium oxide thin films (19 to 61 nm thick) were RF-sputtered and characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM), spectroscopic ellipsometry, low-angle x-ray diffraction (LAXRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) in order to assess their capability as EUV reflectors. Their reflectance and absorption at different energies were also measured and analyzed at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley. The reflectance of oxidized thorium is reported between 2 and 32 nm at 5, 10, and 15 …