Physics Commons^™

Measurement Of The Casimir-Polder Force, C. I. Sukenik, M. G. Boshier, S. Cho, V. Sandoghdar, E. A. Hinds

Physics Faculty Publications

The authors have studied the deflection of ground-state sodium atoms passing through a micron-sized parallel-plate cavity by measuring the intensity of a sodium atomic beam transmitted through the cavity as a function of cavity plate separation. This experiment provides clear evidence for the existence of the Casimir-Polder force, which is due to modification of the ground-state Lamb shift in the confined space of a cavity. The results confirm the magnitude of the force and the distance dependence predicted by quantum electrodynamics.

Temporal Development Of Electric Field Structures In Photoconductive Gaas Switches, K. H. Schoenbach, J. S. Kenney, F.E. Peterkin, R. J. Allen

Bioelectrics Publications

The temporal development of the electric field distribution in semi‐insulating GaAs photoconductive switches operated in the linear and lock‐on mode has been studied. The field structure was obtained by recording a change in the absorption pattern of the switch due to the Franz–Keldysh effect at a wavelength near the band edge of GaAs. In the linear mode, a high field layer develops at the cathode contact after laser activation. With increasing applied voltage, domainlike structures become visible in the anode region and the switch transits into the lock‐on state, a permanent filamentary electrical discharge. Calibration measurements show the field intensity …

Glow-Discharge Enhanced Permeation Of Oxygen Through Silver, D. Wu, R. A. Outlaw, Robert L. Ash

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The permeation of oxygen through Ag0.05Zr over the temperature range of 300-650°C under glow-discharge conditions has been studied and compared to the permeation of thermally dissociated molecular oxygen. A low-energy dc glow-discharge in O₂ has been employed which produced approximately 10% atoms. The permeation rate during the glow discharge was found to be much higher (a factor of ∼10) than without the glow discharge. The small fraction of oxygen atoms generated appears to dominate the permeation because of much higher solution probabilities. Below 500°C, the activation energy for the permeation with glow discharge was found to be 15.5 kcal/mol …

A Magnetic Suspension System With A Large Angular Range, Colin P. Britcher, Mehran Ghofrani

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In order to explore and develop technology required for the magnetic suspension of objects over large ranges of orientation, a small-scale laboratory system, the large-angle magnetic suspension test fixture (LAMSTF) has been constructed at NASA Langley Research Center. This apparatus falls into the category of large-gap, actively stabilized magnetic levitation systems. The hardware comprises five conventional electromagnets in a circular arrangement, each driven from a separate bipolar power amplifier. Electromagnet currents are commanded by a digital control system, implemented on a microcomputer, which in turn derives the position and attitude of the suspended element from an infrared optical system. The …

Direct Measurements Of The Transport Of Nonequilibrium Electrons In Gold Films With Different Crystal Structures, T. Juhasz, H. E. Elsayed-Ali, G. O. Smith, C. Suárez, W. E. Bron

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The transport of femtosecond-laser-excited nonequilibrium electrons across polycrystalline and single-crystalline gold films has been investigated through time-of-flight measurements. The thicknesses of the films range from 25 to 400 nm. Ballistic electrons as well as electrons interacting with other electrons and/or with the lattice have been observed. The ballistic component dominates the transport in the thinner films, whereas the interactive transport mechanism is dominant at the upper end of the thickness range. A slower effective velocity of the interactive component is observed in the polycrystalline samples, and is assumed to arise from the presence of grain boundaries. The reflection coefficient of …

Absolute-Convective Instabilities And Their Associated Wave Packets In A Compressible Reacting Mixing Layer, F. Q. Hu, T. L. Jackson, D. G. Lasseigne, C. E. Grosch

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

In this paper the transition from convective to absolute instability in a reacting compressible mixing layer with finite rate chemistry is examined. The reaction is assumed to be one step, irreversible, and of Arrhenius type. It is shown that absolute instability can exist for moderate heat release without backflow. The effects of the temperature ratio, heat release parameter, Zeldovich number, equivalence ratio, direction of propagation of the disturbances, and the Mach number on the transition value of the velocity ratio are given. The present results are compared to those obtained from the flame sheet model for the temperature using the …

Erratum: "Temperature And Suction Effects On The Instability Of An Infinite Swept Attachment Line" [Physics Of Fluids A 4, 2008 (1992)], D. G. Lasseigne, T. L. Jackson, F. Q. Hu

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Erratum to:

Lasseigne, D. G., Jackson, T. L., & Hu, F. Q. (1992). Temperature and suction effects on the instability of an infinite swept attachment line. Physics of Fluids A: Fluid Dynamics, 4(9), 2008-2012. doi:10.1063/1.858370

Determination Of The Neutron Spin Structure Function, P. L. Anthony, R. G. Arnold, H. R. Band, H. Borel, P.E. Bosted, V. Breton, G. D. Cates, T. E. Chupp, F. S. Dietrich, J. Dunne, R. Erbacher, J. Fellbaum, H. Fonvielle, R. Gearhart, R. Holmes, E. W. Hughes, J. R. Johnson, D. Kawall, C. Keppel, S. E. Kuhn, R. M. Lombard-Nelsen, J. Marroncle, T. Maruyama, W. Meyer, Z. E. Meziani, H. Middleton, J. Morgenstern, N. R. Newbury, G. G. Petratos, R. Pitthan, R. Prepost, Y. Roblin, S. E. Rock, S. H. Rokni, G. Shapiro, T. Smith, P. A. Souder, M. Spengos, F. Staley, L. M. Stuart, Z. M. Szalata, Y. Terrien, A. K. Thompson, J. L. White, M. Woods, J. Xu, C. C. Young, G. Zapalac, E142 Collaboration

Physics Faculty Publications

The spin structure function of the neutron g₁ⁿ has been determined over the range 0.03 < x < 0.6 at an average Q² of 2 (GeV/c)² by measuring the asymmetry in deep inelastic scattering of polarized electrons from a polarized ³He target at energies between 19 and 26 GeV. The integral of the neutron spin structure function is found to be f-¹₀ gⁿ₁(x)dx = -0.022 ± 0.011. Earlier reported proton results together with the Bjorken sum rule predict f-¹₀ gⁿ₁(x)dx = -0.059 ± 0.019.

Paschen's Law For A Hollow Cathode Discharge, H. Eichhorn, K. H. Schoenbach, T. Tessnow

Bioelectrics Publications

An expression for the breakdown voltage of a one‐dimensional hollow cathode discharge has been derived. The breakdown condition which corresponds to Paschen’s law contains, in addition to the first Townsend coefficient, and the secondary electron emission coefficient two parameters which characterize the reflecting action of the electric field and the lifetime of the electrons in the discharge. The breakdown voltage for a hollow cathode discharge in helium was calculated and compared to that of a glow discharge operating under similar conditions.

²H (D,Γ) ⁴He Polarization Observables At 20, 30, And 50 Mev, R. M. Whitton, H. R. Weller, E. Hayward, W. R. Dodge, S. E. Kuhn

Physics Faculty Publications

Tensor and vector analyzing powers for the ²H (d,γ) ⁴He reaction have been obtained as a function of angle at E_d(lab) = 20, 30, and 50 MeV. Differential cross sections were extracted at 30 and 50 MeV. Data for A_yy(θ) and A_y(θ) were obtained at all three energies, while T₂₀(θ) was also measured at E_d(lab) = 50 MeV. A direct capture calculation was performed and compared to the data. This calculation assumes point deuterons and that the reaction proceeds primarily via E2 radiation in this energy region. A value of …

Induced Mach Wave-Flame Interactions In Laminar Supersonic Fuel Jets, F. Q. Hu, T. L. Jackson, D. G. Lasseigne, C. E. Grosch

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

A model problem is proposed to investigate the steady response of a reacting, compressible laminar jet to Mach waves generated by wavy walls in a channel of finite width. The model consists of a two-dimensional jet of fuel emerging into a stream of oxidizer which are allowed to mix and react in the presence of the Mach waves. The governing equations are taken to be the steady parabolized Navier-Stokes equations which are solved numerically. The kinetics is assumed to be a one-step, irreversible reaction of the Arrhenius type. Two important questions on the Mach wave-flame interactions are discussed: (i) how …

A Numerical Study Of Wave Propagation In A Confined Mixing Layer By Eigenfunction Expansions, Fang Q. Hu

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

It is well known that the growth rate of instability waves of a two-dimensional free shear layer is reduced greatly at supersonic convective Mach numbers. In previous works, it has been shown that new wave modes exist when the shear layers are bounded by a channel due to the coupling effect between the acoustic wave modes and the motion of the mixing layer. The present work studies the simultaneous propagation of multiple stability waves using numerical simulation. It is shown here that the coexistence of two wave modes in the flow field can lead to an oscillatory growth of disturbance …