# Physics Commons™

Articles 1 - 30 of 1285

## Full-Text Articles in Physics

Correlations Between Short- And Long-Time Relaxation In Colloidal Supercooled Liquids And Glasses, Chandan K. Mishra, Xiaoguang Ma, Piotr Habdas, Kevin B. Aptowicz, A. G. Yodh Aug 2019

#### Correlations Between Short- And Long-Time Relaxation In Colloidal Supercooled Liquids And Glasses, Chandan K. Mishra, Xiaoguang Ma, Piotr Habdas, Kevin B. Aptowicz, A. G. Yodh

##### Physics

Spatiotemporal dynamics of short- and long-time structural relaxation are measured experimentally as a function of packing fraction, φ, in quasi-two-dimensional colloidal supercooled liquids and glasses. The relaxation times associated with long-time dynamic heterogeneity and short-time intracage motion are found to be strongly correlated and to grow by orders of magnitude with increasing φ toward dynamic arrest. We find that clusters of fast particles on the two timescales often overlap, and, interestingly, the distribution of minimum-spatial-separation between closest nonoverlapping clusters across the two timescales is revealed to be exponential with a decay length that increases with φ. In total, the experimental ...

Picosecond Time-Resolved Dynamics Of Energy Transfer Between Gan And The Various Excited States Of Eu3+ Ions, Ruoqiao Wei, Brandon Mitchell, Dolf Timmerman, Tom Gregorkiewicz, Wanxin Zhu, Jun Tatebayashi, Shuhei Ichikawa, Yasufumi Fujiwara, Volkmar Dierolf Aug 2019

#### Picosecond Time-Resolved Dynamics Of Energy Transfer Between Gan And The Various Excited States Of Eu3+ Ions, Ruoqiao Wei, Brandon Mitchell, Dolf Timmerman, Tom Gregorkiewicz, Wanxin Zhu, Jun Tatebayashi, Shuhei Ichikawa, Yasufumi Fujiwara, Volkmar Dierolf

##### Physics

To elucidate the energy transfer and reexcitation processes in Eu-doped GaN layers that are used in recently developed, highly efficient red light-emitting diodes, a systematic series of photoluminescence and time-resolved photoluminescence (TR-PL) measurements was performed. Critical insights on how “slow” Eu processes (∼µs) can compete against fast semiconductor processes (∼ps) are revealed using TR-PL with a high temporal resolution, as it is found that the initial energy transfer from GaN to the Eu3+ ions takes place rapidly, on a timescale of <100 ps. Below band-gap resonant excitation was used to identify the states into which the energy transfer occurs. For the most efficient Eu defect complexes, this transfer dominantly occurs directly into the 5 D0 state of Eu3+. Less efficient complexes also exhibit transfer into the 5 D2 state, the emission of which can be detected using photoluminescence at low temperature, indicating the importance of the excitation pathway on device efficiency. Under high excitation intensity, reexcitation can also occur, leading to a redistribution of population into the 5 D2, 5 D1, or 5 D0 states.

Lasers, Noah B. Caro Jun 2019

#### Lasers, Noah B. Caro

##### Physics

No abstract provided.

Development Of The T0+ Detector For Alice, Austin E. Guard Jun 2019

#### Development Of The T0+ Detector For Alice, Austin E. Guard

##### Physics

The ALICE experiment at CERN is undergoing several major upgrades, one of which is a replacement of the trigger system, which will be composed of a suite of detectors known as the “Fast Interaction Trigger” or FIT. One part of the FIT collaboration team’s objective is the upgrade of the T0 detector, which provides the time stamp for events and acts as a trigger for the rest of the ALICE detectors. The T0+ will detect Cherenkov radiation from charged particles emitted in p-p and Pb-Pb collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The photodetectors are micro-channel plate photomultiplier tubes ...

#### Proof Of Concept And Experimental Design For Remote Laser Evaporative Molecular Absorption Spectroscopy Sensor System (R-Lema), Amber Jessica Sucich

##### Physics

As the Earth’s resources are diminishing, it has become clear that the human race needs to find alternative resources and replenish the Earth’s natural reservoir. One way to do this is to consider interstellar objects. Interstellar objects, such as asteroids, offer mineral and other resources with great potential for mining. Before considering mining a rocky body, it is imperative to first know the complete composition of an object. Using the method of traveling to the objects, drilling into them, and bringing back samples is impractical, inefficient, and expensive. This method is also limiting, as only certain target areas ...

Jun 2019

#### Finding And Analyzing U235 And U238 Ternary Fission Events In The Niffte Fissiontpc, Gabriel A. Oman

##### Physics

In this analysis, the differences between ternary and binary fission were explored using data from the NIFFTE Collaboration’s fission time projection chamber (TPC). The ratio of binary-to-ternary events for U-235 and U-238 as a function of neutron kinetic energy in the range of 1-30 MeV is presented. The typical value of the ratio is approximately 105 binary fissions per ternary fission, in agreement with previously published measurements. Future work will involve distinguishing the fissions of the two isotopes to provide more insight into this rare process.

Jun 2019

#### An Investigation Of The Anomalous Thrust Capabilities Of The Electromagnetic Drive, Hannah J. Simons

##### Physics

The Electromagnetic Drive (EMDrive) is a propellant-less engine concept hypothesized by aero- space engineer Roger Shawyer. Shawyer’s proposed thruster technology is grounded on the theory of electromagnetic resonant behavior exhibited by a radiofrequency cavity, though the source of any generated thrust is undetermined by current physical laws. NASA Eagleworks Laboratories at John- son Space Center conducted a vacuum test campaign to investigate previously reported anomalous thrust capabilities of such a closed radiofrequency cavity, using a low-thrust torsion pendulum. The team published positive, although small-scaled thrust results in 2017. Following NASA Eagleworks breakthrough result and operating under the assumption that ...

Apr 2019

#### Daily And Seasonal Variability Of Offshore Wind Power On The Central California Coast And Statewide Demand, Matthew Douglas Kehrli

##### Physics

No abstract provided.

#### Investigating The Talbot Effect In Arrays Of Optical Dipole Traps For Neutral Atom Quantum Computing, Sergio Aguayo

##### Physics

Quantum computers are devices that are able to perform calculations not achievable for classical computers. Although there are many methods for creating a quantum computer, using neutral atoms offers the advantage of being stable when compared to other methods. The purpose of this investigation is to explore possible optical dipole trap configurations that would be useful for implementing a quantum computer with neutral atoms. Specifically, we computationally investigate arrays of pinholes, the diffraction pattern generated by them, and the onset of the Talbot effect in these traps. We manipulate the radius of the pinholes, the number of pinholes in the ...

Mar 2019

#### Optimization Of An Injection Locked Laser System For Cold Neutral Atom Traps, Elliot M. Lehman

##### Physics

Many types of quantum systems are being explored for use in quantum computers. One type of quantum system that shows promise for quantum computing is trapped neutral atoms. They have long coherence times, since they have multiple stable ground states and have minimal coupling with other atoms and their environment, and they can be trapped in arrays, making them individu- ally addressable. Once trapped, they can be initialized and operated on using laser pulses. This experiment utilizes a pinhole diffraction pattern, which can trap atoms in both bright and dark areas. To maximize trap strength, an injection-locked laser amplification system ...

Detrital Zircon Geochronology And Evolution Of The Nacimiento Block Late Mesozoic Forearc Basin, Central California Coast, Scott Johnston, Andrew R.C. Kylander-Clark, Alan D. Chapman Dec 2018

#### Detrital Zircon Geochronology And Evolution Of The Nacimiento Block Late Mesozoic Forearc Basin, Central California Coast, Scott Johnston, Andrew R.C. Kylander-Clark, Alan D. Chapman

##### Physics

Forearc basins are first-order products of convergent-margin tectonics, and their sedimentary deposits offer unique perspectives on coeval evolution of adjacent arcs and subduction complexes. New detrital zircon U-Pb geochronologic data from 23 sandstones and 11 individual conglomerate clasts sampled from forearc basin strata of the Nacimiento block, an enigmatic stretch of the Cordilleran forearc exposed along the central California coast, place constraints on models for forearc deformation during evolution of the archetypical Cordilleran Mesozoic margin. Deposition and provenance of the Nacimiento forearc developed in three stages: (1) Late Jurassic– Valanginian deposition of lower Nacimiento forearc strata with zircon derived from ...

Geologic Map And Structural Development Of The Noerthernmost Sur-Nacimiento Fault Zone, Central California Coast, Scott M. Johnston, John S. Singleton, Alan D. Chapman, Gabriella Murray Dec 2018

#### Geologic Map And Structural Development Of The Noerthernmost Sur-Nacimiento Fault Zone, Central California Coast, Scott M. Johnston, John S. Singleton, Alan D. Chapman, Gabriella Murray

##### Physics

The Sur-Nacimiento fault exposed along the central California coast (United States) juxtaposes the Salinian block arc against the Nacimiento block accretionary complex, cuts out the majority of the forearc basin and western arc, and requires a minimum of 150 km of orogen-normal crustal excision within the Mesozoic California convergent margin. Despite this significant strain, the kinematic evolution of the Sur-Nacimiento fault remains poorly understood, with diverse hypotheses suggesting sinistral, dextral, thrust, or normal displacement along the fault. This Late Cretaceous–Paleogene strain history is complicated by the location of the fault within a belt of subparallel faults that have accommodated ...

Mountaintop Neutrino Detection: A Nu(Tau) Concept, Caroline E. Paciaroni Nov 2018

#### Mountaintop Neutrino Detection: A Nu(Tau) Concept, Caroline E. Paciaroni

##### Physics

High-energy neutrinos traveling from the distant universe produce detectable signals at radio frequencies after interacting with the earth or its atmosphere. This is the principle behind a new experiment, the BEamforming Elevated Array for COsmogenic Neutrinos, or BEACON. BEACON will be a high altitude array of antennas that is sensitive to up-going tau neutrinos ($\nu_{\tau}$). These elementary particles serve as sources of information about the extraordinarily high energy events in the universe that create them, and also the laws of particle physics that govern their behavior. This report details the construction of a transient detector used to characterize site ...

Using Coherent Phonons For Ultrafast Control Of The Dirac Node Of Srmnsb2, Christopher P. Weber, Madison G. Masten, Thomas C. Ogloza, Bryan S. Berggren, Michael K. L. Man, Keshav M. Dani, Jinyu Liu, Zhiqiang Mao, Dennis D. Klug, Adebayo A. Adeleke, Yansun Yao Oct 2018

#### Using Coherent Phonons For Ultrafast Control Of The Dirac Node Of Srmnsb2, Christopher P. Weber, Madison G. Masten, Thomas C. Ogloza, Bryan S. Berggren, Michael K. L. Man, Keshav M. Dani, Jinyu Liu, Zhiqiang Mao, Dennis D. Klug, Adebayo A. Adeleke, Yansun Yao

##### Physics

SrMnSb2 is a candidate Dirac semimetal whose electrons near the Y point have the linear dispersion and low mass of a Dirac cone. Here we demonstrate that ultrafast, 800-nm optical pulses can launch coherent phonon oscillations in Sr0.94Mn0.92Sb2, particularly an Ag mode at 4.4 THz. Through first-principles calculations of the electronic and phononic structure of SrMnSb2, we show that high-amplitude oscillations of this mode would displace the atoms in a way that transiently opens and closes a gap at the node of the Dirac cone. The ability to control ...

Excess Electron Screening Of Remote Donors And Mobility In Modern Gaas/Algaas Heterostructures, M. Sammon, Tianran Chen, B. I. Shklovskii Oct 2018

#### Excess Electron Screening Of Remote Donors And Mobility In Modern Gaas/Algaas Heterostructures, M. Sammon, Tianran Chen, B. I. Shklovskii

##### Physics

In modern GaAs/AlxGa1−xAs heterostructures with record high mobilities, a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a quantum well is provided by two remote donor δ-layers placed on both sides of the well. Each δ-layer is located within a narrow GaAs layer, flanked by narrow AlAs layers which capture excess electrons from donors but leave each of them localized in a compact dipole atom with a donor. Still excess electrons can hop between host donors to minimize their Coulomb energy. As a result they screen the random potential of donors dramatically. We numerically model the pseudoground state of excess electrons ...

Measuring The Practical Particle-In-A-Box: Orthorhombic Perovskite Nanocrystals, Brandon Mitchell, Eric Herrmann, Junhao Lin, Leyre Gomez, Chris De Weerd, Yasufumi Fujiwara, Kazutomo Suenaga, Tom Gregorkiewicz Sep 2018

#### Measuring The Practical Particle-In-A-Box: Orthorhombic Perovskite Nanocrystals, Brandon Mitchell, Eric Herrmann, Junhao Lin, Leyre Gomez, Chris De Weerd, Yasufumi Fujiwara, Kazutomo Suenaga, Tom Gregorkiewicz

##### Physics

A connection between condensed matter physics and basic quantum mechanics is demonstrated as we use the fundamental 3D particle-in-a-box model to explain the optical properties of semiconductor nanocrystals, which are substantially modified due to quantum confinement. We also discuss recent advances in the imaging and measurement capabilities of transmission electron microscopy, which have made it possible to directly image single nanocrystals while simultaneously measuring their characteristic absorption energies. We introduce the basic theory of nanocrystals and derive a simplified expression to approximate the optical bandgap energy of an orthorhombic nanocrystal. CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals are used to demonstrate this model due ...

E. Coli Elongation Factor Tu Bound To A Gtp Analogue Displays An Open Conformation Equivalent To The Gdp-Bound Form, Jesper S. Johansen, Darius Kavaliauskas, Shawn H. Pfeill, Mickael Blaise, Barry C. Cooperman, Yale E. Goldman, Søren S. Thirup, Charlotte R. Knudsen Aug 2018

#### E. Coli Elongation Factor Tu Bound To A Gtp Analogue Displays An Open Conformation Equivalent To The Gdp-Bound Form, Jesper S. Johansen, Darius Kavaliauskas, Shawn H. Pfeill, Mickael Blaise, Barry C. Cooperman, Yale E. Goldman, Søren S. Thirup, Charlotte R. Knudsen

##### Physics

According to the traditional view, GTPases act as molecular switches, which cycle between distinct ‘on’ and ‘off’ conformations bound to GTP and GDP, respectively. Translation elongation factor EF-Tu is a GTPase essential for prokaryotic protein synthesis. In its GTP-bound form, EF-Tu delivers aminoacylated tRNAs to the ribosome as a ternary complex. GTP hydrolysis is thought to cause the release of EF-Tu from aminoacyl-tRNA and the ribosome due to a dramatic conformational change following Pi release. Here, the crystal structure of Escherichia coli EF-Tu in complex with a non-hydrolysable GTP analogue (GDPNP) has been determined. Remarkably, the overall conformation of EF-Tu ...

Jun 2018

#### Cuoricino Thermal Pulse Classification By Machine Learning Algorithms, Joshua Mann

##### Physics

Many of the various properties of neutrinos are still a mystery. One unknown is whether neutrinos are Majorana fermions or Dirac fermions. Cuoricino and CUORE are experiments that aim to solve this mystery. Noise reduction in these experiments hinges on the ability to discern among alpha, beta and gamma particle detections using the thermal pulses they create. In this paper, we look at Cuoricino data and attempt to classify pulses, not as alpha, beta or gamma particles, but rather as signal, noise or calibration data. We will use this preliminary testing ground to examine various machine learning algorithms' abilities in ...

Jun 2018

#### Assembling And Characterizing The Efficiency Of An Injection Locked Laser System For Cold Neutral Atom Optical Traps, Alexandra Papa Crawford

##### Physics

Creating a quantum computer requires a system of particles that can be well-controlled to achieve quantum operations. We need a large array of these particles – called qubits – with long coherence times, which can be initialized, operated on by single and two qubit gates, and read out. For neutral atoms, the qubit states are stable ground states that interact minimally with the environment, leading to long coherence times. Experimentally, the qubits are manipulated using carefully timed laser beam pulses with controlled frequency and intensity, but the outstanding issue for optically trapping cold atoms is finding a light pattern that can hold ...

Heavy Flavour In Jets And Azimuthal Correlations, Patrick J. Steffanic Jun 2018

#### Heavy Flavour In Jets And Azimuthal Correlations, Patrick J. Steffanic

##### Physics

We studied heavy-flavor azimuthal correlations using the semi-leptonic decay channel of hard-scattered bottom quarks in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 TeV. We used a mixed-event method to produce a corrected correlation that hinted at back-to-back pair production. We further studied the jets resulting from these heavy-flavor hard scatterings, and jets resulting from light-flavor and gluon scattering. We compared several kinematic variables from each of the jet populations, concluding that novel kinematic variables must be developed in order to effectively separate the jet populations.

Rental Property Energy Efficiency In San Luis Obispo, Zachary Earl Shockley Mar 2018

#### Rental Property Energy Efficiency In San Luis Obispo, Zachary Earl Shockley

##### Physics

In the modern era, many people choose to rent homes instead of purchasing a home. College towns have an even more disproportionate number of renters when compared to other cities. The majority of rental properties are much less energy efficient than their owner-occupied counterparts. This project analyzes the energy efficiency issues of rental properties in San Luis Obispo and examines potential ways to remedy these issues. In order to analyze these issues, the guiding principles of building science are first discussed, followed by case studies of rental properties in San Luis Obispo. These case studies examine multiple rental properties and ...

A Fan-Tastic Quantitative Exploration Of Ohm's Law, Brandon Mitchell, Robert Ekey, Roy Mccullough, William Reitz Feb 2018

#### A Fan-Tastic Quantitative Exploration Of Ohm's Law, Brandon Mitchell, Robert Ekey, Roy Mccullough, William Reitz

##### Physics

No abstract provided.

Similar Ultrafast Dynamics Of Several Dissimilar Dirac And Weyl Semimetals, Christopher P. Weber, Bryan S. Berggren, Madison G. Masten, Thomas C. Ogloza, Skylar Deckoff-Jones, Julien Madéo, Michael K. L. Man, Keshav M. Dani, Lingxiao Zhao, Genfu Chen, Jinyu Liu, Zhiqiang Mao, Leslie M. Schoop, Bettina V. Lotsch, Stuart S. P. Parkin, Mazhar Ali Dec 2017

#### Similar Ultrafast Dynamics Of Several Dissimilar Dirac And Weyl Semimetals, Christopher P. Weber, Bryan S. Berggren, Madison G. Masten, Thomas C. Ogloza, Skylar Deckoff-Jones, Julien Madéo, Michael K. L. Man, Keshav M. Dani, Lingxiao Zhao, Genfu Chen, Jinyu Liu, Zhiqiang Mao, Leslie M. Schoop, Bettina V. Lotsch, Stuart S. P. Parkin, Mazhar Ali

##### Physics

Recent years have seen the rapid discovery of solids whose low-energy electrons have a massless, linear dispersion, such as Weyl, line-node, and Dirac semimetals. The remarkable optical properties predicted in these materials show their versatile potential for optoelectronic uses. However, little is known of their response in the picoseconds after absorbing a photon. Here, we measure the ultrafast dynamics of four materials that share non-trivial band structure topology but that differ chemically, structurally, and in their low-energy band structures: ZrSiS, which hosts a Dirac line node and Dirac points; TaAs and NbP, which are Weyl semimetals; and Sr1–y ...

Investigation Of Ternary Fission, Alex C. Kemnitz Nov 2017

#### Investigation Of Ternary Fission, Alex C. Kemnitz

##### Physics

Ternary fission is a rare occurrence in which three particles are produced from a single fission event. This analysis uses tracked fission event data recorded by NIFFTE’s time projection chamber with a series of refined cuts to isolate all possible ternary events. The experiment used two targets, each consisting of two isotopes; one target was Pu-239 and U-235, and the other was U-238 and U-235. The data was used to measure the ternary/binary fission ratios for each isotope. The ratios for the Pu-239 and U-235 target that were found are shown to be too high due to alpha ...

Faraday-Talbot Effect From A Circular Array Of Pillars, Jessica J. Pilgram Nov 2017

#### Faraday-Talbot Effect From A Circular Array Of Pillars, Jessica J. Pilgram

##### Physics

When an oil bath is vertically oscillating with an acceleration above some critical value, known as the Faraday threshold, the bath surface becomes unstable and nonlinear standing wave patterns emerge. One phenomenon that has been observed above the Faraday threshold is the formation of Faraday-Talbot carpets, resulting from near-field diffraction. The optical Talbot effect occurs when a monochromatic wave passes through a diffraction grating. In the near-field, the formation of self- images is observed at integer multiples of what is known as the Talbot length. These two-dimensional patterns have various applications including X-ray imaging and atom and particle trapping. Two- ...

Ambipolar Spin Diffusion In P-Type Gaas: A Case Where Spin Diffuses More Than Charge, F. Cadiz, V. Notot, J. Filipovic, Christopher P. Weber, L. Martinelli, A.C. H. Rowe, S. Arscott Sep 2017

#### Ambipolar Spin Diffusion In P-Type Gaas: A Case Where Spin Diffuses More Than Charge, F. Cadiz, V. Notot, J. Filipovic, Christopher P. Weber, L. Martinelli, A.C. H. Rowe, S. Arscott

##### Physics

We investigate the diffusion of charge and spin at 15 K in p-type GaAs, combining transient-grating and energy-resolved microluminescence measurements to cover a broad range of photoelectron density. At very low optical power, in a unipolar nondegenerate regime, charge and spin diffuse at the same rate, implying that the spin-drag effects are negligible. Upon increasing the photoelectron concentration up to about 1016 cm–3, the charge diffusion constant decreases because of ambipolar electrostatic interactions with the slower-diffusing holes while the spin diffusion constant is reduced only weakly by the ambipolar interaction. A further increase in the excitation power causes increases ...

Solar Powered Single-Axis Heliostat Active Solar Tracking Device, Mason Kyle Roberts Sep 2017

#### Solar Powered Single-Axis Heliostat Active Solar Tracking Device, Mason Kyle Roberts

##### Physics

As a means of cooking food, the burning of biomass accounts for over 4 million premature deaths in third world countries (“Household Air Pollution and Health”). The focus of this project was to explore an alternative that could utilize focused sunlight to cook food. A solar tracker was designed to be affixed to a parabolic, reflective, tilted single axis heliostat to follow the sun throughout the day and focus the reflected light to the bottom of a cooking surface. This surface became hot enough to for the preparation of food or boiling/sterilization of water.

A goal for each project ...

Charge State Of Vacancy Defects In Eu-Doped Gan, Brandon Mitchell, N. Hernandez, D. Lee, A. Koizumi, Y. Fujiwara, V. Dierolf Aug 2017

#### Charge State Of Vacancy Defects In Eu-Doped Gan, Brandon Mitchell, N. Hernandez, D. Lee, A. Koizumi, Y. Fujiwara, V. Dierolf

##### Physics

Eu ions have been doped into GaN in order to achieve red luminescence under current injection, where coupling between the Eu ions and intrinsic defects such as vacancies are known to play an important role. However, the charge state of the vacancies and the impact it would have on the optical and magnetic properties of the Eu ions have not been explored. Through a combination of first-principle calculations and experimental results, the influence of the charge state of the defect environment surrounding the Eu ions has been investigated. We have identified two Eu centers that are related through the charge ...

#### My Contributions To The Cryogenic Underground Observatory For Rare Events Experiment And The Utilization Of Geant4 In Their Analysis, Kevin Armenta

##### Physics

First, a brief introduction and background of the basics of particle physics and the Standard Model is discussed in order to give context to nature of the neutrinoless double beta decay ($2\nu\beta\beta$) and why it is so interesting to particle physicists. Next, the Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) experiment is discussed in detail, explaining the rational behind the experimental setup and detection process. Finally, I conclude by discussing Geant4, an important software toolkit used in particle physics, and how it is utilized in the CUORE experiment.

Optical Physics Of Rifle Scopes, Ryan Perry Jun 2017

#### Optical Physics Of Rifle Scopes, Ryan Perry

##### Physics

Optical systems are typically consist of multiple lenses and mirrors and are used in a wide variety of fields. While there exist a variety of setups, there are a few key concepts that are at the core of all of them. These could be used from the most advanced scientific research to a simple magnifying glass. They are also used in industry and consumer products such as glasses and cameras. We are going to go over these key concepts and show how they apply to telescopes, or more specifically rifle scopes. First, we will go over Snell's Law of ...