WorldWideScience

Sample records for short duration laser

  1. Laser-driven short-duration heating angioplasty: dilatation performance in cadaver atherosclerotic femoral arteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimazaki, Natsumi; Naruse, Sho; Arai, Tsunenori; Imanishi, Nobuaki; Aiso, Sadakazu

    2013-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the artery dilatation performance of the short-duration heating balloon catheter in cadaver stenotic arteries. We designed a prototype short-duration heating balloon catheter that can heat artery media to around 60 °C in 15-25 s by a combination of laser-driven heat generation and continuous fluid irrigation in the balloon. We performed ex vivo short-duration heating dilatation in the cadaver atherosclerotic femoral arteries (initial percent diameter stenosis was 36-98%), with the maximum balloon temperature of 65+/-5 °C, laser irradiation duration of 25 s, and balloon dilatation pressure of 3.5 atm. The artery lumen configurations before and after the dilatations were assessed with a commercial IVUS system. After the short-duration heating dilatations, the percent diameter stenosis was reduced below 30% without any artery tears or dissections. We estimated that the artery media temperature was raised to around 60 °C in which plaque thickness was below 0.8 mm by a thermal conduction calculation. The estimated maximum temperature in artery adventitia and surrounding tissue was up to 45 °C. We found that the short-duration heating balloon could sufficiently dilate the cadaver stenotic arteries, without thermal injury in artery adventitia and surroundings.

  2. Impact of pulse duration on Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy: fragmentation and dusting performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bader, Markus J; Pongratz, Thomas; Khoder, Wael; Stief, Christian G; Herrmann, Thomas; Nagele, Udo; Sroka, Ronald

    2015-04-01

    In vitro investigations of Ho:YAG laser-induced stone fragmentation were performed to identify potential impacts of different pulse durations on stone fragmentation characteristics. A Ho:YAG laser system (Swiss LaserClast, EMS S.A., Nyon, Switzerland) with selectable long or short pulse mode was tested with regard to its fragmentation and laser hardware compatibility properties. The pulse duration is depending on the specific laser parameters. Fragmentation tests (hand-held, hands-free, single-pulse-induced crater) on artificial BEGO stones were performed under reproducible experimental conditions (fibre sizes: 365 and 200 µm; laser settings: 10 W through combinations of 0.5, 1, 2 J/pulse and 20, 10, 5 Hz, respectively). Differences in fragmentation rates between the two pulse duration regimes were detected with statistical significance for defined settings. Hand-held and motivated Ho:YAG laser-assisted fragmentation of BEGO stones showed no significant difference between short pulse mode and long pulse mode, neither in fragmentation rates nor in number of fragments and fragment sizes. Similarly, the results of the hands-free fragmentation tests (with and without anti-repulsion device) showed no statistical differences between long pulse and short pulse modes. The study showed that fragmentation rates for long and short pulse durations at identical power settings remain at a comparable level. Longer holmium laser pulse duration reduces stone pushback. Therefore, longer laser pulses may result in better clinical outcome of laser lithotripsy and more convenient handling during clinical use without compromising fragmentation effectiveness.

  3. Ultra-short laser pulses. Petawatt and femtosecond

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lemoine, P.

    1999-01-01

    This book deals with a series of new results obtained thanks to the use of ultra-short laser pulses. This branch of physics has made incredible progresses during the last 25 years. Ultra-short laser pulses offer the opportunity to explore the domain of ultra-high energies and of ultra-short duration events. Applications are various, from controlled nuclear fusion to eye surgery and to more familiar industrial applications such as electronics. (J.S.)

  4. Q-switched all-fiber laser with short pulse duration based on tungsten diselenide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wenyi; OuYang, Yuyi; Ma, Guoli; Liu, Mengli; Liu, Wenjun

    2018-05-01

    Fiber lasers are widely used in industrial processing, sensing, medical and communications applications due to their simple structure, good stability and low cost. With the rapid development of fiber lasers and the sustained improvement of industrial laser quality requirements, researchers in ultrafast optics focus on how to get laser pulses with high output power and narrow pulse duration. Q-switched technology is one of the most effective techniques to generate ultrashort pulses. In this paper, a tungsten diselenide saturable absorber with 16.82% modulation depth is prepared by chemical vapor deposition. Experimental results show that when the pump power changes from 115.7 mW to 630 mW, the all-fiber laser can achieve a stable Q-switched pulse output. The repetition rate of the output pulse varies from 80.32 kHz to 204.2 kHz, the pulse duration is 581 ns, the maximum output power is 17.1 mW and the maximum pulse energy is 83.7 nJ. Results in this paper show that tungsten diselenide can be applied to ultrafast optics, which is a kind of saturable absorption material with excellent properties.

  5. Pain score of patients undergoing single spot, short pulse laser versus conventional laser for diabetic retinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirshahi, Ahmad; Lashay, Alireza; Roozbahani, Mehdi; Fard, Masoud Aghsaei; Molaie, Saber; Mireshghi, Meysam; Zaferani, Mohamad Mehdi

    2013-04-01

    To compare pain score of single spot short duration time (20 milliseconds) panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) with conventional (100 milliseconds) PRP in diabetic retinopathy. Sixty-six eyes from 33 patients with symmetrical severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (non-PDR) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) were enrolled in this prospective randomized controlled trial. One eye of each patient was randomized to undergo conventional and the other eye to undergo short time PRP. Spot size of 200 μm was used in both laser types, and energy was adjusted to achieve moderate burn on the retina. Patients were asked to mark the level of pain felt during the PRP session for each eye on the visual analog scale (VAS) and were examined at 1 week, and at 1, 2, 4 and 6 months. Sixteen women and 17 men with mean age 58.9 ± 7.8 years were evaluated. The conventional method required a mean power of 273 ± 107 mW, whereas the short duration method needed 721 ± 406 mW (P = 0.001). An average of 1,218 ± 441 spots were delivered with the conventional method and an average of 2,125 ± 503 spots were required with the short duration method (P = 0.001). Average pain score was 7.5 ± 1.14 in conventional group and 1.75 ± 0.87 in the short duration group (P = 0.001). At 1 week, 1 month, and 4 months following PRP, the mean changes of central macular thickness (CMT) from baseline in the conventional group remained 29.2 μm (P = 0.008), 40.0 μm (P = 0.001), and 40.2 μm (P = 0.007) greater than the changes in CMT for short time group. Patient acceptance of short time single spot PRP was high, and well-tolerated in a single session by all patients. Moreover, this method is significantly less painful than but just as effective as conventional laser during 6 months of follow-up. The CMT change was more following conventional laser than short time laser.

  6. Influence of the laser pulse duration on laser-produced plasma properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drogoff, B Le; Margot, J; Vidal, F; Laville, S; Chaker, M; Sabsabi, M; Johnston, T W; Barthelemy, O

    2004-01-01

    In the framework of laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS) applications, time-resolved characteristics of laser-produced aluminium plasmas in air at atmospheric pressure are investigated for laser pulse durations ranging from 100 fs to 270 ps. Measurements show that for delays after the laser pulse longer than ∼100 ns, the plasma temperature increases slightly with the laser pulse duration, while the electron density is independent of it. In addition, as the pulse duration increases, the plasma radiation emission lasts longer and the spectral lines arise later from the continuum emission. The time dependence of the continuum emission appears to be similar whatever the duration of the laser pulse is, while the temporal evolution of the line emission seems to be affected mainly by the plasma temperature. Finally, as far as spectrochemical applications (such as LIPS) of laser-produced plasmas are concerned, this study highlights the importance of the choice of appropriate temporal gating parameters for each laser pulse duration

  7. Interaction of ultra-short ultra-intense laser pulses with under-dense plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solodov, A.

    2000-12-01

    Different aspects of interaction of ultra-short ultra-intense laser pulses with underdense plasmas are studied analytically and numerically. These studies can be interesting for laser-driven electron acceleration in plasma, X-ray lasers, high-order harmonic generation, initial confinement fusion with fast ignition. For numerical simulations a fully-relativistic particle code WAKE was used, developed earlier at Ecole Polytechnique. It was modified during the work on the thesis in the part of simulation of ion motion, test electron motion, diagnostics for the field and plasma. The studies in the thesis cover the problems of photon acceleration in the plasma wake of a short intense laser pulse, phase velocity of the plasma wave in the Self-Modulated Laser Wake-Field Accelerator (SM LWFA), relativistic channeling of laser pulses with duration of the order of a plasma period, ion dynamics in the wake of a short intense laser pulse, plasma wave breaking. Simulation of three experiments on the laser pulse propagation in plasma and electron acceleration were performed. Among the main results of the thesis, it was found that reduction of the plasma wave phase velocity in the SM LWFA is crucial for electron acceleration, only if a plasma channel is used for the laser pulse guiding. Self-similar structures describing relativistic guiding of short laser pulses in plasmas were found and relativistic channeling of initially Gaussian laser pulses of a few plasma periods in duration was demonstrated. It was shown that ponderomotive force of a plasma wake excited by a short laser pulse forms a channel in plasma and plasma wave breaking in the channel was analyzed in detail. Effectiveness of electron acceleration by the laser field and plasma wave was compared and frequency shift of probe laser pulses by the plasma waves was found in conditions relevant to the current experiments. (author)

  8. One-dimensional "atom" with zero-range potential perturbed by finite sequence of zero-duration laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gusev, A. A.; Chuluunbaatar, O.; Popov, Yu. V.; Vinitsky, S. I.; Derbov, V. L.; Lovetskiy, K. P.

    2018-04-01

    The exactly soluble model of a train of zero-duration electromagnetic pulses interacting with a 1D atom with short-range interaction potential modelled by a δ-function is considered. The model is related to the up-to-date laser techniques providing the duration of pulses as short as a few attoseconds and the intensities higher than 1014 W/cm2.

  9. DURATION LIMIT OF LASER PULSES EMITTED FROM A Ce-DOPED CRYSTAL SHORT CAVITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Le Hoang Hai

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Based on the rate equation set for broadband cavities, the dependence of pulse duration on cavity and pumping parameters is analyzed. The cavity uses a Ce-doped crystal as a gain medium. Computation results show the variation of the pulse width with the change of cavity length, mirror reflectivity, pumping energy and pumping pulse duration. A significant influence of multiple-pulse operation in limiting pulse duration is realized and a pulse-width of the order 200 ps is found to be the limit for the direct generation of ultraviolet single picosecond pulses from a Ce:LLF short cavity.

  10. KrF laser ablation of a polyethersulfone film: Effect of pulse duration on structure formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pazokian, Hedieh; Selimis, Alexandros; Stratakis, Emmanuel; Mollabashi, Mahmoud; Barzin, Jalal; Jelvani, Saeid

    2011-01-01

    Polyethersulfone (PES) films were processed with KrF laser irradiation of different pulse durations (τ). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy were employed for the examination of the morphology and chemical composition of the irradiated surfaces, respectively. During ablation with 500 fs and 5 ps pulses, localized deformations (beads), micro-ripple and conical structures were observed on the surface depending on the irradiation fluence (F) and the number of pulses (N). In addition, the number density of the structures is affected by the irradiation parameters (τ, F, N). Furthermore, at longer pulse durations (τ = 30 ns), conical structures appear at lower laser fluence values, which are converted into columnar structures upon irradiation at higher fluences. The Raman spectra collected from the top of the structures following irradiation at different pulse durations revealed graphitization of the ns laser treated areas, in contrast to those processed with ultra-short laser pulses.

  11. Optical and electrical properties of SnO2 thin films after ultra-short pulsed laser annealing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scorticati, D.; Illiberi, A.; Römer, G.R.B.E.; Bor, T.; Ogieglo, W.; Klein Gunnewiek, M.; Lenferink, A.; Otto, C.; Skolski, J.Z.P.; Grob, F.; Lange, D.F. de; Huis in 't Veld, A.J.

    2013-01-01

    Ultra-short pulsed laser sources, with pulse durations in the ps and fs regime, are commonly exploited for cold ablation. However, operating ultra-short pulsed laser sources at fluence levels well below the ablation threshold allows for fast and selective thermal processing. The latter is especially

  12. Tungsten diselenide for mode-locked erbium-doped fiber lasers with short pulse duration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wenjun; Liu, Mengli; OuYang, Yuyi; Hou, Huanran; Ma, Guoli; Lei, Ming; Wei, Zhiyi

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, a WSe2 film prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is transferred onto a tapered fiber, and a WSe2 saturable absorber (SA) is fabricated. In order to measure the third-order optical nonlinearity of the WSe2, the Z-scan technique is applied. The modulation depth of the WSe2 SA is measured as being 21.89%. Taking advantage of the remarkable nonlinear absorption characteristic of the WSe2 SA, a mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser is demonstrated at 1557.4 nm with a bandwidth of 25.8 nm and signal to noise ratio of 96 dB. To the best of our knowledge, the pulse duration of 163.5 fs is confirmed to be the shortest compared with previous mode-locked fiber lasers based on transition-metal dichalcogenides SAs. These results indicate that WSe2 is a powerful competitor in the application of ultrashort pulse lasers.

  13. Laser-induced microjet: wavelength and pulse duration effects on bubble and jet generation for drug injection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Hun-jae; Park, Mi-ae; Sirotkin, Fedir V.; Yoh, Jack J.

    2013-12-01

    The expansion of the laser-induced bubble is the main mechanism in the developed microjet injector. In this study, Nd:YAG and Er:YAG lasers are used as triggers of the bubble formation. The impact of the laser parameters on the bubble dynamics is studied and the performance of the injector is evaluated. We found that the main cause of the differences in the bubble behavior comes from the pulse duration and wavelength. For Nd:YAG laser, the pulse duration is very short relative to the bubble lifetime making the behavior of the bubble close to that of the cavitation bubble, while in Er:YAG case, the high absorption in the water and long pulse duration change the initial behavior of the bubble making it close to a vapor bubble. The contraction and subsequent rebound are typical for cavitation bubbles in both cases. The results show that the laser-induced microjet injector generates velocity which is sufficient for the drug delivery for both laser beams of different pulse duration. We estimate the typical velocity within 30-80 m/s range and the breakup length to be larger than 1 mm suitable for trans-dermal drug injection.

  14. Towards shorter wavelength x-ray lasers using a high power, short pulse pump laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tighe, W.; Krushelnick, K.; Valeo, E.; Suckewer, S.

    1991-05-01

    A near-terawatt, KrF* laser system, focussable to power densities >10 18 W/cm 2 has been constructed for use as a pump laser in various schemes aimed at the development of x-ray lasing below 5nm. The laser system along with output characteristics such as the pulse duration, the focal spot size, and the percentage of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) emitted along with the laser pulse will be presented. Schemes intended to lead to shorter wavelength x-ray emission will be described. The resultant requirements on the pump laser characteristics and the target design will be outlined. Results from recent solid target experiments and two-laser experiments, showing the interaction of a high-power, short pulse laser with a preformed plasma, will be presented. 13 refs., 5 figs

  15. Control of giant pulse duration in neodymium mini lasers with controllable cavity length and pulsed pumping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berenberg, Vladimir A.; Cervantes, Miguel A.; Terpugov, Vladimir S.

    2006-01-01

    In a solid-state laser incident on aLiNdP4O12 crystal, pumped by a short light pulse, giant pulse oscillation without the use of resonator Q switching is realized. Tuning of the oscillation pulse duration from 2 up to 20 ns is achieved by changing the cavity length from 24 to 3 mm, respectively. Our analysis of this mode of laser radiation is made on the basis of the rate equations. The factors influencing oscillation pulse duration a reinvestigated. It is shown that in a limiting case the minimal value of the pulse duration is limited by only the rate of excitation transfer from the pumping band to the metastable level

  16. On pulse duration of self-terminating lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bokhan, P A

    2011-01-01

    The problem of the maximum pulse duration τ max of self-terminating lasers is considered. It is shown that the duration depends on the transition probability in the laser channel, on the decay rate of the resonant state in all other channels, and on the excitation rate of the metastable state. As a result, τ max is found to be significantly shorter than previously estimated. The criteria for converting the 'self-terminating' lasing to quasi-cw lasing are determined. It is shown that in the case of nonselective depopulation of the metastable state, for example in capillary lasers or in a fast flow of the active medium gas, it is impossible to obtain continuous lasing. Some concrete examples are considered. It is established that in several studies of barium vapour lasers (λ = 1.5 μm) and nitrogen lasers (λ = 337 nm), collisional lasing is obtained by increasing the relaxation rate of the metastable state in collisions with working particles (barium atoms and nitrogen molecules). (lasers)

  17. Optical and electrical properties of SnO2 thin films after ultra-short pulsed laser annealing

    OpenAIRE

    Scorticati, D.; Illiberi, A.; Römer, G.R.B.E.; Bor, T.; Ogieglo, W.; Klein Gunnewiek, M.; Lenferink, A.; Otto, C.; Skolski, J.Z.P.; Grob, F.; Lange, D.F. de; Huis in 't Veld, A.J.

    2013-01-01

    Ultra-short pulsed laser sources, with pulse durations in the ps and fs regime, are commonly exploited for cold ablation. However, operating ultra-short pulsed laser sources at fluence levels well below the ablation threshold allows for fast and selective thermal processing. The latter is especially advantageous for the processing of thin films. A precise control of the heat affected zone, as small as tens of nanometers, depending on the material and laser conditions, can be achieved. It enab...

  18. Strong-field QED processes in short laser pulses. One- and two-photon Compton scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seipt, Daniel

    2012-12-20

    The purpose of this thesis is to advance the understanding of strong-field QED processes in short laser pulses. The processes of non-linear one-photon and two-photon Compton scattering are studied, that is the scattering of photons in the interaction of relativistic electrons with ultra-short high-intensity laser pulses. These investigations are done in view of the present and next generation of ultra-high intensity optical lasers which are supposed to achieve unprecedented intensities of the order of 10{sup 24} W/cm{sup 2} and beyond, with pulse lengths in the order of some femtoseconds. The ultra-high laser intensity requires a non-perturbative description of the interaction of charged particles with the laser field to allow for multi-photon interactions, which is beyond the usual perturbative expansion of QED organized in powers of the fine structure constant. This is achieved in strong-field QED by employing the Furry picture and non-perturbative solutions of the Dirac equation in the presence of a background laser field as initial and final state wave functions, as well as the laser dressed Dirac-Volkov propagator. The primary objective is a realistic description of scattering processes with regard to the finite laser pulse duration beyond the common approximation of infinite plane waves, which is made necessary by the ultra-short pulse length of modern high-intensity lasers. Non-linear finite size effects are identified, which are a result of the interplay between the ultra-high intensity and the ultra-short pulse length. In particular, the frequency spectra and azimuthal photon emission spectra are studied emphasizing the differences between pulsed and infinite laser fields. The proper description of the finite temporal duration of the laser pulse leads to a regularization of unphysical infinities (due to the infinite plane-wave description) of the laser-dressed Dirac-Volkov propagator and in the second-order strong-field process of two-photon Compton

  19. Selective laser melting of hypereutectic Al-Si40-powder using ultra-short laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ullsperger, T.; Matthäus, G.; Kaden, L.; Engelhardt, H.; Rettenmayr, M.; Risse, S.; Tünnermann, A.; Nolte, S.

    2017-12-01

    We investigate the use of ultra-short laser pulses for the selective melting of Al-Si40-powder to fabricate complex light-weight structures with wall sizes below 100 μ {m} combined with higher tensile strength and lower thermal expansion coefficient in comparison to standard Al-Si alloys. During the cooling process using conventional techniques, large primary silicon particles are formed which impairs the mechanical and thermal properties. We demonstrate that these limitations can be overcome using ultra-short laser pulses enabling the rapid heating and cooling in a non-thermal equilibrium process. We analyze the morphology characteristics and micro-structures of single tracks and thin-walled structures depending on pulse energy, repetition rate and scanning velocity utilizing pulses with a duration of 500 {fs} at a wavelength of 1030 {nm}. The possibility to specifically change and optimize the microstructure is shown.

  20. Interaction of ultra-short ultra-intense laser pulses with under-dense plasmas; Interaction d'impulsions laser ultra-courtes et ultra-intenses avec des plasmas sous denses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Solodov, A

    2000-12-15

    Different aspects of interaction of ultra-short ultra-intense laser pulses with underdense plasmas are studied analytically and numerically. These studies can be interesting for laser-driven electron acceleration in plasma, X-ray lasers, high-order harmonic generation, initial confinement fusion with fast ignition. For numerical simulations a fully-relativistic particle code WAKE was used, developed earlier at Ecole Polytechnique. It was modified during the work on the thesis in the part of simulation of ion motion, test electron motion, diagnostics for the field and plasma. The studies in the thesis cover the problems of photon acceleration in the plasma wake of a short intense laser pulse, phase velocity of the plasma wave in the Self-Modulated Laser Wake-Field Accelerator (SM LWFA), relativistic channeling of laser pulses with duration of the order of a plasma period, ion dynamics in the wake of a short intense laser pulse, plasma wave breaking. Simulation of three experiments on the laser pulse propagation in plasma and electron acceleration were performed. Among the main results of the thesis, it was found that reduction of the plasma wave phase velocity in the SM LWFA is crucial for electron acceleration, only if a plasma channel is used for the laser pulse guiding. Self-similar structures describing relativistic guiding of short laser pulses in plasmas were found and relativistic channeling of initially Gaussian laser pulses of a few plasma periods in duration was demonstrated. It was shown that ponderomotive force of a plasma wake excited by a short laser pulse forms a channel in plasma and plasma wave breaking in the channel was analyzed in detail. Effectiveness of electron acceleration by the laser field and plasma wave was compared and frequency shift of probe laser pulses by the plasma waves was found in conditions relevant to the current experiments. (author)

  1. Heat wave propagation in a thin film irradiated by ultra-short laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, Jae Gwon; Kim, Cheol Jung; Lim, C. H.

    2004-01-01

    A thermal wave solution of a hyperbolic heat conduction equation in a thin film is developed on the basis of the Green's function formalism. Numerical computations are carried out to investigate the temperature response and the propagation of the thermal wave inside a thin film due to a heat pulse generated by ultra-short laser pulses with various laser pulse durations and thickness of the film

  2. Short pulse laser-induced optical damage and fracto-emission of amorphous, diamond-like carbon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    SOKOLOWSKI-TINTEN,K.; VON DER LINDE,D.; SIEGAL,MICHAEL P.; OVERMYER,DONALD L.

    2000-02-07

    Short pulse laser damage and ablation of amorphous, diamond-like carbon films is investigated. Material removal is due to fracture of the film and ejection of large fragments, which exhibit a broadband emission of microsecond duration.

  3. Long-duration nano-second single pulse lasers for observation of spectra from bulk liquids at high hydrostatic pressures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thornton, Blair; Sakka, Tetsuo; Masamura, Tatsuya; Tamura, Ayaka; Takahashi, Tomoko; Matsumoto, Ayumu

    2014-01-01

    The influence of laser pulse duration on the spectral emissions observed from bulk ionic solutions has been investigated for hydrostatic pressures between 0.1 and 30 MPa. Transient pressure, shadowgraph imaging and spectroscopic measurements were performed for single pulses of duration 20 and 150 ns. The transient pressure measurements show that for hydrostatic pressures up to 30 MPa, propagation of the high-pressure shockwave generated by the focused laser causes the local pressure to reduce below ambient levels during the time frame that spectroscopic measurements can be made. The pressure impulse and subsequent reduction in pressure are larger, with the latter lasting longer for the 150 ns pulse compared to a 20 ns pulse of the same energy. The 150 ns pulse generates larger cavities with significant enhancement of the spectral emissions observed compared to the 20 ns duration pulse for pressures up to 30 MPa. The results demonstrate that laser-induced breakdown using a long ns duration pulse offers an advantage over conventional, short ns duration pulses for the analysis of bulk ionic solutions at hydrostatic pressures between 0.1 and 30 MPa. - Highlights: • Long-ns-duration laser pulses enhance the spectra observed from bulk solutions. • Laser-induced shockwaves momentarily reduce pressures to below ambient levels. • 150 ns pulses generate larger cavities than 20 ns pulses of the same energy. • Hydrostatic pressures < 30 MPa have no significant effect on the observed spectra

  4. Short-pulse-laser-induced optical damage and fracto-emission of amorphous, diamond-like carbon films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokolowski-Tinten, Klaus; Ziegler, Wolfgang; von der Linde, Dietrich; Siegal, Michael P.; Overmyer, D. L.

    2005-03-01

    Short-pulse-laser-induced damage and ablation of thin films of amorphous, diamond-like carbon have been investigated. Material removal and damage are caused by fracture of the film and ejection of large fragments. The fragments exhibit a delayed, intense and broadband emission of microsecond duration. Both fracture and emission are attributed to the laser-initiated relaxation of the high internal stresses of the pulse laser deposition-grown films.

  5. Chromium carbide thin films deposited by ultra-short pulse laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teghil, R.; Santagata, A.; De Bonis, A.; Galasso, A.; Villani, P.

    2009-01-01

    Pulsed laser deposition performed by a laser with a pulse duration of 250 fs has been used to deposit films from a Cr 3 C 2 target. Due to the different processes involved in the laser ablation when it is performed by an ultra-short pulse source instead of a conventional short pulse one, it has been possible to obtain in vacuum films containing only one type of carbide, Cr 3 C 2 , as shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. On the other hand, Cr 3 C 2 is not the only component of the films, since a large amount of amorphous carbon is also present. The films, deposited at room temperature, are amorphous and seem to be formed by the coalescence of a large number of particles with nanometric size. The film composition can be explained in terms of thermal evaporation from particles ejected from the target.

  6. Study and development of 22 kW peak power fiber coupled short pulse Nd:YAG laser for cleaning applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choubey, Ambar; Vishwakarma, S. C.; Vachhani, D. M.; Singh, Ravindra; Misra, Pushkar; Jain, R. K.; Arya, R.; Upadhyaya, B. N.; Oak, S. M.

    2014-11-01

    Free running short pulse Nd:YAG laser of microsecond pulse duration and high peak power has a unique capability to ablate material from the surface without heat propagation into the bulk. Applications of short pulse Nd:YAG lasers include cleaning and restoration of marble, stones, and a variety of metals for conservation. A study on the development of high peak power short pulses from Nd:YAG laser along with its cleaning and conservation applications has been performed. A pulse energy of 1.25 J with 55 μs pulse duration and a maximum peak power of 22 kW has been achieved. Laser beam has an M2 value of ~28 and a pulse-to-pulse stability of ±2.5%. A lower value of M2 means a better beam quality of the laser in multimode operation. A top hat spatial profile of the laser beam was achieved at the exit end of 200 μm core diameter optical fiber, which is desirable for uniform cleaning. This laser system has been evaluated for efficient cleaning of surface contaminations on marble, zircaloy, and inconel materials for conservation with cleaning efficiency as high as 98%. Laser's cleaning quality and efficiency have been analysed by using a microscope, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) measurements.

  7. Insomnia with short sleep duration and mortality: the Penn State cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vgontzas, Alexandros N; Liao, Duanping; Pejovic, Slobodanka; Calhoun, Susan; Karataraki, Maria; Basta, Maria; Fernández-Mendoza, Julio; Bixler, Edward O

    2010-09-01

    Because insomnia with objective short sleep duration is associated with increased morbidity, we examined the effects of this insomnia subtype on all-cause mortality. Longitudinal. Sleep laboratory. 1,741 men and women randomly selected from Central Pennsylvania. Participants were studied in the sleep laboratory and were followed-up for 14 years (men) and 10 years (women). "Insomnia" was defined by a complaint of insomnia with duration > or = 1 year. "Normal sleeping" was defined as absence of insomnia. Polysomnographic sleep duration was classified into two categories: the "normal sleep duration group" subjects who slept > or = 6 h and the "short sleep duration group" subjects who slept insomnia" group, (OR = 4.00, CI 1.14-13.99) after adjusting for diabetes, hypertension, and other confounders. Furthermore, there was a marginally significant trend (P = 0.15) towards higher mortality risk from insomnia and short sleep in patients with diabetes or hypertension (OR = 7.17, 95% CI 1.41-36.62) than in those without these comorbid conditions (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 0.13-16.14). In women, mortality was not associated with insomnia and short sleep duration. Insomnia with objective short sleep duration in men is associated with increased mortality, a risk that has been underestimated.

  8. Optimum pulse duration and radiant exposure for vascular laser therapy of dark port-wine skin: a theoretical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tunnell, James W.; Anvari, Bahman; Wang, Lihong V.

    2003-01-01

    Laser therapy for cutaneous hypervascular malformations such as port-wine stain birthmarks is currently not feasible for dark-skinned individuals. We study the effects of pulse duration, radiant exposure, and cryogen spray cooling (CSC) on the thermal response of skin, using a Monte Carlo based optical-thermal model. Thermal injury to the epidermis decreases with increasing pulse duration during irradiation at a constant radiant exposure; however, maintaining vascular injury requires that the radiant exposure also increase. At short pulse durations, only a minimal increase in radiant exposure is necessary for a therapeutic effect to be achieved because thermal diffusion from the vessels is minimal. However, at longer pulse durations the radiant exposure must be greatly increased. There exists an optimum pulse duration at which minimal damage to the epidermis and significant injury within the targeted vasculature occur. For example, the model predicts optimum pulse durations of approximately 1.5, 6, and 20 ms for vessel diameters of 40, 80, and 120 μm, respectively. Optimization of laser pulse duration and radiant exposure in combination with CSC may offer a means to treat cutaneous lesions in dark-skinned individuals

  9. Marked exacerbation of orthostatic intolerance after long- vs. short-duration spaceflight in veteran astronauts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meck, J. V.; Reyes, C. J.; Perez, S. A.; Goldberger, A. L.; Ziegler, M. G.

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The incidence of postflight orthostatic intolerance after short-duration spaceflight is about 20%. However, the incidence after long-duration spaceflight was unknown. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that orthostatic intolerance is more severe after long-duration than after short-duration flight. METHODS: We performed tilt tests on six astronauts before and after long-duration (129-190 days) spaceflights and compared these data with data obtained during stand tests before and after previous short-duration missions. RESULTS: Five of the six astronauts studied became presyncopal during tilt testing after long-duration flights. Only one had become presyncopal during stand testing after short-duration flights. We also compared the long-duration flight tilt test data to tilt test data from 20 different astronauts who flew on the short-duration Shuttle missions that delivered and recovered the astronauts to and from the Mir Space Station. Five of these 20 astronauts became presyncopal on landing day. Heart rate responses to tilt were no different between astronauts on long-duration flights and astronauts on short-duration flights, but long-duration subjects had lower stroke volumes and cardiac outputs than short-duration presyncopal subjects, suggesting a possible decrease in cardiac contractile function. One subject had subnormal norepinephrine release with upright posture after the long flight but not after the short flight. Plasma volume losses were not greater after long flights. CONCLUSION: Long-duration spaceflight markedly increases orthostatic intolerance, probably with multiple contributing factors.

  10. Unveiling the Progenitors of Short-duration Gamma-ray Bursts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fong, Wen-Fai

    2016-03-01

    Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are relativistic explosions which originate at cosmological distances, and are among the most luminous transients in the universe. Following the prompt gamma-ray emission, a fading synchrotron ``afterglow'' is detectable at lower energies. While long-duration GRBs (duration >2 sec) are linked to the deaths of massive stars, the progenitors of short-duration GRBs (duration black hole. Such merging systems are also important to understand because they are premier candidates for gravitational wave detections with current facilities and are likely sites of heavy element nucleosynthesis. The launch of NASA's Swift satellite in 2004, with its rapid multi-wavelength monitoring and localization capabilities, led to the first discoveries of short GRB afterglows and therefore robust associations to host galaxies. At a detection rate of roughly 10 events per year, the growing number of well-localized short GRBs has enabled comprehensive population studies of their afterglows and environments for the first time. In this talk, I describe my multi-wavelength observational campaign to address testable predictions for the progenitors of short GRBs. My work comprises several lines of independent evidence to demonstrate that short GRBs originate from the mergers of two compact objects, and also provides the first constraints on the explosion properties for a large sample of events. With the direct detection of gravitational waves from compact object mergers on the horizon, these studies provide necessary inputs to inform the next decade of joint electromagnetic-gravitational wave search strategies.

  11. Temporal and spatial temperature distribution in the glabrous skin of rats induced by short-pulse CO2 laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Pen-Li; Hsu, Shu-Shen; Tsai, Meng-Li; Jaw, Fu-Shan; Wang, An-Bang; Yen, Chen-Tung

    2012-11-01

    Pain is a natural alarm that aids the body in avoiding potential danger and can also present as an important indicator in clinics. Infrared laser-evoked potentials can be used as an objective index to evaluate nociception. In animal studies, a short-pulse laser is crucial because it completes the stimulation before escape behavior. The objective of the present study was to obtain the temporal and spatial temperature distributions in the skin caused by the irradiation of a short-pulse laser. A fast speed infrared camera was used to measure the surface temperature caused by a CO2 laser of different durations (25 and 35 ms) and power. The measured results were subsequently implemented with a three-layer finite element model to predict the subsurface temperature. We found that stratum corneum was crucial in the modeling of fast temperature response, and escape behaviors correlated with predictions of temperature at subsurface. Results indicated that the onset latency and duration of activated nociceptors must be carefully considered when interpreting physiological responses evoked by infrared irradiation.

  12. Technical advantages of disk laser technology in short and ultrashort pulse processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, P.; Stollhof, J.; Weiler, S.; Massa, S.; Faisst, B.; Denney, P.; Gounaris, E.

    2011-03-01

    This paper demonstrates that disk-laser technology introduces advantages that increase efficiency and allows for high productivity in micro-processing in both the nanosecond (ns) and picosecond (ps) regimes. Some technical advantages of disk technology include not requiring good pump beam quality or special wavelengths for pumping of the disk, high optical efficiencies, no thermal lensing effects and a possible scaling of output power without an increase of pump beam quality. With cavity-dumping, the pulse duration of the disk laser can be specified between 30 and hundreds of nanoseconds, but is independent of frequency, thus maintaining process stability. TRUMPF uses this technology in the 750 watts average power laser TruMicro 7050. High intensity, along with fluency, is important for high ablation rates in thinfilm removal. Thus, these ns lasers show high removal rates, above 60 cm2/s, in thin-film solar cell production. In addition, recent results in paint-stripping of aerospace material prove the green credentials and high processing rates inherent with this technology as it can potentially replace toxic chemical processes. The ps disk technology meanwhile is used in, for example, scribing of solar cells, wafer dicing and drilling injector nozzles, as the pulse duration is short enough to minimize heat input in the laser-matter interaction. In the TruMicro Series 5000, the multi-pass regenerative amplifier stage combines high optical-optical efficiencies together with excellent output beam quality for pulse durations of only 6 ps and high pulse energies of up to 0.25 mJ.

  13. Short pulse laser systems for biomedical applications

    CERN Document Server

    Mitra, Kunal

    2017-01-01

    This book presents practical information on the clinical applications of short pulse laser systems and the techniques for optimizing these applications in a manner that will be relevant to a broad audience, including engineering and medical students as well as researchers, clinicians, and technicians. Short pulse laser systems are useful for both subsurface tissue imaging and laser induced thermal therapy (LITT), which hold great promise in cancer diagnostics and treatment. Such laser systems may be used alone or in combination with optically active nanoparticles specifically administered to the tissues of interest for enhanced contrast in imaging and precise heating during LITT. Mathematical and computational models of short pulse laser-tissue interactions that consider the transient radiative transport equation coupled with a bio-heat equation considering the initial transients of laser heating were developed to analyze the laser-tissue interaction during imaging and therapy. Experiments were first performe...

  14. Impact of laser pulse duration on the reduction of intraocular pressure during selective laser trabeculoplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stunf Pukl, Spela; Drnovšek-Olup, Brigita

    2018-02-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), normal tension glaucoma (NTG) or ocular hypertension (OHT), when performed with laser pulse duration of 1 ns compared with standard 3-5 ns. Bilateral SLT with a 532 nm Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser was conducted in 30 patients (60 eyes) with POAG (n = 5), NTG (n = 2) or OHT (n = 23). Pulse duration was 1 ns in the right eye (30 eyes; cases) and 3-5 ns in all left eyes (controls). Main outcome measures were IOP at 1 h, 1 day, 8 weeks and 6 months, and the rate of adverse ocular tissue reactions in all eyes. Mean 1 ns and 3-5 ns SLT IOPs were 24.1 and 24.3 mmHg, respectively, at baseline. No statistically significant difference in mean 1 ns and 3-5 ns SLT IOP was observed at 1 h (P = 0.761), 1 day (P = 0.758), 8 weeks (P = 0.352) and 6 months postoperatively (P = 0.879). No significant difference in postoperative anterior chamber inflammation was observed between the eyes (P = 0.529). Treatment with both laser pulse durations resulted in minor ultrastructural changes in the drainage angle. SLT performed with a 1 ns laser pulse duration does not appear to be inferior to SLT performed with the standard 3-5 ns duration at lowering IOP in treatment-naïve patients with POAG, NTG or OHT.

  15. Speaker-Sex Discrimination for Voiced and Whispered Vowels at Short Durations

    OpenAIRE

    Smith, David R. R.

    2016-01-01

    Whispered vowels, produced with no vocal fold vibration, lack the periodic temporal fine structure which in voiced vowels underlies the perceptual attribute of pitch (a salient auditory cue to speaker sex). Voiced vowels possess no temporal fine structure at very short durations (below two glottal cycles). The prediction was that speaker-sex discrimination performance for whispered and voiced vowels would be similar for very short durations but, as stimulus duration increases, voiced vowel pe...

  16. Atomistic simulations of ultra-short pulse laser ablation of aluminum: validity of the Lambert-Beer law

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisfeld, Eugen; Roth, Johannes

    2018-05-01

    Based on hybrid molecular dynamics/two-temperature simulations, we study the validity of the application of Lambert-Beer's law, which is conveniently used in various modeling approaches of ultra-short pulse laser ablation of metals. The method is compared to a more rigorous treatment, which involves solving the Helmholtz wave equation for different pulse durations ranging from 100 fs to 5 ps and a wavelength of 800 nm. Our simulations show a growing agreement with increasing pulse durations, and we provide appropriate optical parameters for all investigated pulse durations.

  17. Characterization of Stone Cleaning by Nd:YAG Lasers with Different Pulse Duration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartoli, L.; Siano, S.; Salimbeni, R.; Pouli, P.; Fotakis, C.

    2006-01-01

    The present work is a comparative study on the laser cleaning of stonework using Nd:YAG lasers at different pulse durations. The ablation rate, the degree of cleaning, and the appearance of the treated surface were studied irradiating a simulated sample and a real stone artefact using three different Nd:YAG laser systems with pulse duration of 90 microseconds, 15 nanoseconds, and 150 picoseconds. To our knowledge, the picosecond laser is here used for the first time in stone conservation. Differences in efficiency and in cleaning result are shown and discussed.

  18. Widely-duration-tunable nanosecond pulse Nd:YVO4 laser based on double Pockels cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Li-Jiao; Liu, Ke; Bo, Yong; Wang, Xiao-Jun; Yang, Jing; Liu, Zhao; Zong, Qing-Shuang; Peng, Qin-Jun; Cui, Da-Fu; Xu, Zu-Yan

    2018-05-01

    The development of duration-tunable pulse lasers with constant output power is important for scientific research and materials processing. We present a widely-duration-tunable nanosecond (ns) pulse Nd:YVO4 laser based on double Pockels cells (PCs), i.e. inserting an extra PC into a conventional electro-optic Q-switched cavity dumped laser resonator. Under the absorbed pump power of 24.9 W, the pulse duration is adjustable from 31.9 ns to 5.9 ns by changing the amplitude of the high voltage on the inserted PC from 1100 V to 4400 V at the pulse repetition rate of 10 kHz. The corresponding average output power is almost entirely maintained in the range of 3.5–4.1 W. This represents more than three times increase in pulse duration tunable regime and average power compared to previously reported results for duration-tunable ns lasers. The laser beam quality factor was measured to be M 2  <  1.18.

  19. Racial disparities in short sleep duration by occupation and industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Chandra L; Redline, Susan; Kawachi, Ichiro; Williams, Michelle A; Hu, Frank B

    2013-11-01

    Short sleep duration, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, has been shown to vary by occupation and industry, but few studies have investigated differences between black and white populations. By using data from a nationally representative sample of US adult short sleepers (n = 41,088) in the National Health Interview Survey in 2004-2011, we estimated prevalence ratios for short sleep duration in blacks compared with whites for each of 8 industry categories by using adjusted Poisson regression models with robust variance. Participants' mean age was 47 years; 50% were women and 13% were black. Blacks were more likely to report short sleep duration than whites (37% vs. 28%), and the black-white disparity was widest among those who held professional occupations. Adjusted short sleep duration was more prevalent in blacks than whites in the following industry categories: finance/information/real estate (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30, 1.59); professional/administrative/management (PR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.18, 1.44); educational services (PR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.54); public administration/arts/other services (PR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.41); health care/social assistance (PR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.32); and manufacturing/construction (PR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.20). Short sleep generally increased with increasing professional responsibility within a given industry among blacks but decreased with increasing professional roles among whites. Our results suggest the need for further investigation of racial/ethnic differences in the work-sleep relationship.

  20. SHORT-DURATION GAMMA-RAY BURSTS FROM OFF-AXIS COLLAPSARS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lazzati, Davide; Morsony, Brian J.; Begelman, Mitchell C.

    2010-01-01

    We present two-dimensional (2D) high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations of the relativistic outflows of long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) progenitors. We analyze the properties of the outflows at wide off-axis angles, produced by the expansion of the hot cocoon that surrounds the jet inside the progenitor star. We find that the cocoon emission at wide angles may have properties similar to those of the subclass of short-duration GRBs with persistent X-ray emission. We compute the predicted duration distribution, redshift distribution, and afterglow brightness, and we find that they are all in agreement with the observed properties of short GRBs with persistent emission. We suggest that a supernova component, the properties of the host galaxies, and late afterglow observations can be used as a crucial test to verify this model.

  1. Review of short wavelength lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagelstein, P.L.

    1985-01-01

    There has recently been a substantial amount of research devoted to the development of short wavelength amplifiers and lasers. A number of experimental results have been published wherein the observation of significant gain has been claimed on transitions in the EUV and soft x-ray regimes. The present review is intended to discuss the main approaches to the creation of population inversions and laser media in the short wavelength regime, and hopefully aid workers in the field by helping to provide access to a growing literature. The approaches to pumping EUV and soft x-ray lasers are discussed according to inversion mechanism. The approaches may be divided into roughly seven categories, including collisional excitation pumping, recombination pumping, direct photoionization and photoexcitation pumping, metastable state storage plus optical pumping, charge exchange pumping, and finally, the extension of free electron laser techniques into the EUV and soft x-ray regimes. 250 references

  2. Review of short wavelength lasers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hagelstein, P.L.

    1985-03-18

    There has recently been a substantial amount of research devoted to the development of short wavelength amplifiers and lasers. A number of experimental results have been published wherein the observation of significant gain has been claimed on transitions in the EUV and soft x-ray regimes. The present review is intended to discuss the main approaches to the creation of population inversions and laser media in the short wavelength regime, and hopefully aid workers in the field by helping to provide access to a growing literature. The approaches to pumping EUV and soft x-ray lasers are discussed according to inversion mechanism. The approaches may be divided into roughly seven categories, including collisional excitation pumping, recombination pumping, direct photoionization and photoexcitation pumping, metastable state storage plus optical pumping, charge exchange pumping, and finally, the extension of free electron laser techniques into the EUV and soft x-ray regimes. 250 references.

  3. Aurora: A short-pulse multikilojoule KrF inertial fusion laser system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosocha, L.A.

    1985-01-01

    Aurora is a laser system that serves as an operating technology demonstration prototype for large-scale high-energy KrF laser systems of interest for inertial fusion applications. This system will incorporate the following elements to achieve an end-to-end 248-nm laser fusion concept demonstration: an injection-locked oscillator-amplifier front end; an optical angular multiplexer to produce 96 encoded optical channels each of 5-nsec duration; a chain of four electron-beam-driven KrF laser amplifiers; automated alignment systems for beam alignment; a decoder to provide for pulse compression of some fraction of the total beam train to be delivered to target, and a target chamber to house and diagnose fusion targets. The front end configuration uses a stable resonator master oscillator to drive an injection-locked unstable resonator slave oscillator. An extension of existing technology has been used to develop an electrooptic switchout at 248 nm that produces a 5-nsec pulse from the longer slave oscillator pulse. This short pulse is amplified by a postamplifier. Using these discharge lasers, the front end then delivers at least 250 mJ of KrF laser light output to the optical encoder

  4. Extremely short relativistic-electron-bunch generation in the laser wakefield via novel bunch injection scheme

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. G. Khachatryan

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Recently a new electron-bunch injection scheme for the laser wakefield accelerator has been proposed [JETP Lett. 74, 371 (2001JTPLA20021-364010.1134/1.1427124; Phys. Rev. E 65, 046504 (2002PLEEE81063-651X10.1103/PhysRevE.65.046504]. In this scheme, a low energy electron bunch, sent in a plasma channel just before a high-intensity laser pulse, is trapped in the laser wakefield, considerably compressed and accelerated to an ultrarelativistic energy. In this paper we show the possibility of the generation of an extremely short (on the order of 1   μm long or a few femtoseconds in duration relativistic-electron-bunch by this mechanism. The initial electron bunch, which can be generated, for example, by a laser-driven photocathode rf gun, should have an energy of a few hundred keVs to a few MeVs, a duration in the picosecond range or less and a relatively low concentration. The trapping conditions and parameters of an accelerated bunch are investigated. The laser pulse dynamics as well as a possible experimental setup for the demonstration of the injection scheme are also considered.

  5. The influence of laser pulse waveform on laser-TIG hybrid welding of AZ31B magnesium alloy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Gang; Luo, Zhimin

    2011-01-01

    By dividing laser pulse duration into two parts, three kinds of laser waveforms are designed, including a high power density pulse (HPDP) laser in a short duration set at the beginning of the laser waveform. This paper aims to find out the laser pulse waveform and idiographic critical values of HPDP, which can affect the magnesium penetration in laser-tungsten inert gas (TIG) hybrid welding. Results show that when the laser pulse duration of HPDP is not more than 0.4 ms, the welding penetration values of lasers with HPDP are larger than otherwise. Also, the welding penetration values of laser with HPDP have increased by up to 26.1%. It has been found that with HPDP, the laser can form the keyhole more easily because the interaction between laser and the plate is changed, when the TIG arc preheats the plate. Besides, the laser with high power density and short duration strikes on the plates so heavily that the corresponding background power can penetrate into the bottom of the keyhole and maintain the keyhole open, which facilitates the final welding penetration.

  6. Short sleep duration and dietary intake: epidemiological evidence, mechanisms, and health implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Links between short sleep duration and obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease may be mechanistically mediated through changes in dietary intake. This review aims to provide an overview of recent epidemiologic studies on the relationships between habitual short sleep durat...

  7. Insomnia with objective short sleep duration is associated with longer duration of insomnia in the Freiburg Insomnia Cohort compared to insomnia with normal sleep duration, but not with hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johann, Anna F; Hertenstein, Elisabeth; Kyle, Simon D; Baglioni, Chiara; Feige, Bernd; Nissen, Christoph; McGinness, Alastair J; Riemann, Dieter; Spiegelhalder, Kai

    2017-01-01

    To replicate the association between insomnia with objective short sleep duration and hypertension, type 2 diabetes and duration of insomnia. Retrospective case-control study. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg. 328 patients with primary insomnia classified according to DSM-IV criteria (125 males, 203 females, 44.3 ± 12.2 years). N/A. All participants were investigated using polysomnography, blood pressure measurements, and fasting routine laboratory. Insomnia patients with short sleep duration (insomnia compared to those with normal sleep duration (≥ 6 hours) in the first night of laboratory sleep. Insomnia patients who were categorised as short sleepers in either night were not more likely to suffer from hypertension (systolic blood pressure of ≥ 140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure of ≥ 90 mm Hg, or a previously established diagnosis). Data analysis showed that insomnia patients with objective short sleep duration were not more likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes (fasting plasma glucose level of ≥ 126 mg/dl, or a previously established diagnosis). However, the diabetes analysis was only based on a very small number of diabetes cases. As a new finding, insomnia patients who were categorised as short sleepers in either night presented with increases in liver enzyme levels. The finding on insomnia duration supports the concept of two distinct sub-groups of insomnia, namely insomnia with, and without, objectively determined short sleep duration. However, our data challenges previous findings that insomnia patients with short sleep duration are more likely to suffer from hypertension.

  8. Short sleep duration and dietary intake: epidemiologic evidence, mechanisms, and health implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Links between short sleep duration and obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease may be mediated through changes in dietary intake. This review provides an overview of recent epidemiologic studies on the relations between habitual short sleep duration and dietary intake in a...

  9. Investigation into increasing short-duration rainfall intensities in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2015-04-03

    Apr 3, 2015 ... This study explores this expectation by using historical short-duration ... weather station 5-min rainfall data were combined to extend the effective ... evidence was found of trends or indications of changes in rainfall intensities.

  10. Laser-fired contact formation on metallized and passivated silicon wafers under short pulse durations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raghavan, Ashwin S.

    The objective of this work is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the physical processes governing laser-fired contact (LFC) formation under microsecond pulse durations. Primary emphasis is placed on understanding how processing parameters influence contact morphology, passivation layer quality, alloying of Al and Si, and contact resistance. In addition, the research seeks to develop a quantitative method to accurately predict the contact geometry, thermal cycles, heat and mass transfer phenomena, and the influence of contact pitch distance on substrate temperatures in order to improve the physical understanding of the underlying processes. Finally, the work seeks to predict how geometry for LFCs produced with microsecond pulses will influence fabrication and performance factors, such as the rear side contacting scheme, rear surface series resistance and effective rear surface recombination rates. The characterization of LFC cross-sections reveals that the use of microsecond pulse durations results in the formation of three-dimensional hemispherical or half-ellipsoidal contact geometries. The LFC is heavily alloyed with Al and Si and is composed of a two-phase Al-Si microstructure that grows from the Si wafer during resolidification. As a result of forming a large three-dimensional contact geometry, the total contact resistance is governed by the interfacial contact area between the LFC and the wafer rather than the planar contact area at the original Al-Si interface within an opening in the passivation layer. By forming three-dimensional LFCs, the total contact resistance is significantly reduced in comparison to that predicted for planar contacts. In addition, despite the high energy densities associated with microsecond pulse durations, the passivation layer is well preserved outside of the immediate contact region. Therefore, the use of microsecond pulse durations can be used to improve device performance by leading to lower total contact resistances

  11. Enhancing caries resistance with a short-pulsed CO2 9.3-μm laser: a laboratory study (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rechmann, Peter; Rechmann, Beate M.; Groves, William H.; Le, Charles; Rapozo-Hilo, Marcia L.; Featherstone, John D. B.

    2016-02-01

    The objective of this laboratory study was to test whether irradiation with a new 9.3µm microsecond short-pulsed CO2-laser enhances enamel caries resistance with and without additional fluoride applications. 101 human enamel samples were divided into 7 groups. Each group was treated with different laser parameters (Carbon-dioxide laser, wavelength 9.3µm, 43Hz pulse-repetition rate, pulse duration between 3μs to 7μs (1.5mJ/pulse to 2.9mJ/pulse). Using a pH-cycling model and cross-sectional microhardness testing determined the mean relative mineral loss delta Z (∆Z) for each group. The pH-cycling was performed with or without additional fluoride. The CO2 9.3μm short-pulsed laser energy rendered enamel caries resistant with and without additional fluoride use.

  12. Earth orientation determinations by short duration VLBI observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nothnagel, Axel; Zhihan, Qian; Nicolson, George D.; Tomasi, Paolo

    1994-03-01

    In May 1989 and April 1990 the radio telescopes of the Wettzell Geodetic Fundamental Station in Germany and of the Shanghai Observatory near Seshan in China observed two series of daily VLBI experiments of short duration for precise determination of UT1. In 1990 a few experiments were complemented by the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory in South Africa and the Medicina telescope of the Bologna Istituto di Radioastronomia in Italy. Employing the South African station together with the east-west baseline formed by the observatories of Seshan and Medicina permitted simultaneous determinations of UT1 and polar motion. Here we report on the results of these observations. Comparing the UT1 results with those of the IRIS Intensive series gives a clear indication of the absolute accuracy of such short duration VLBI measurements which is estimated to be of the order of ±60 µs.

  13. Dynamical resonance shift and unification of resonances in short-pulse laser-cluster interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahalik, S. S.; Kundu, M.

    2018-06-01

    Pronounced maximum absorption of laser light irradiating a rare-gas or metal cluster is widely expected during the linear resonance (LR) when Mie-plasma wavelength λM of electrons equals the laser wavelength λ . On the contrary, by performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of an argon cluster irradiated by short 5-fs (FWHM) laser pulses it is revealed that, for a given laser pulse energy and a cluster, at each peak intensity there exists a λ —shifted from the expected λM—that corresponds to a unified dynamical LR at which evolution of the cluster happens through very efficient unification of possible resonances in various stages, including (i) the LR in the initial time of plasma creation, (ii) the LR in the Coulomb expanding phase in the later time, and (iii) anharmonic resonance in the marginally overdense regime for a relatively longer pulse duration, leading to maximum laser absorption accompanied by maximum removal of electrons from cluster and also maximum allowed average charge states for the argon cluster. Increasing the laser intensity, the absorption maxima is found to shift to a higher wavelength in the band of λ ≈(1 -1.5 ) λM than permanently staying at the expected λM. A naive rigid sphere model also corroborates the wavelength shift of the absorption peak as found in MD and unequivocally proves that maximum laser absorption in a cluster happens at a shifted λ in the marginally overdense regime of λ ≈(1 -1.5 ) λM instead of λM of LR. The present study is important for guiding an optimal condition laser-cluster interaction experiment in the short-pulse regime.

  14. Insomnia in patients on hemodialysis for a short versus long duration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomita T

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Tetsu Tomita,1 Norio Yasui-Furukori,1 Masaki Oka,1 Takaaki Shimizu,2 Aya Nagashima,2 Kento Mitsuhashi,2 Hisao Saito,3 Kazuhiko Nakamura1 1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, 2School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, 3Department of Urology, Oyokyo Kidney Research Institute, Hirosaki, Japan Background: Many studies have investigated insomnia and the factors associated with this condition in hemodialysis (HD patients, although the influence of HD duration has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, we investigated the factors, especially the duration of HD, associated with insomnia in HD patients.Patients and methods: A total of 138 patients undergoing HD were recruited, and the Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI was used to assess the quality of sleep. Subjects with a total PSQI score up to 4 and those with a score of at least 5 were identified as normal subjects and subjects with insomnia, respectively. Additionally, we assessed restless legs syndrome, depression using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and health-related quality of life (QOL using the Short Form 8 Health Survey. We divided the subjects into two groups according to the median HD duration.Results: The prevalence rate of insomnia was 54.3% among all the subjects. Twenty-one subjects (15.2% had depression, 26 (18.8% had restless legs syndrome, and 75 (54.3% had insomnia. The median HD duration was 4 years. The scores of components 1 and 4 of the PSQI, subjective sleep quality and habitual sleep efficiency, did not show a significant difference between the normal and insomnia groups. The score of component 7, daytime dysfunction, showed a significant difference between the short and long HD duration groups. In multiple regression analysis, the score of the Short Form 8 Health Survey showed a significant association with the PSQI score in the long HD duration group, but no variable showed a

  15. Short-pulse laser interactions with disordered materials and liquids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Phinney, L.M.; Goldman, C.H.; Longtin, J.P.; Tien, C.L. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

    1995-12-31

    High-power, short-pulse lasers in the picosecond and subpicosecond range are utilized in an increasing number of technologies, including materials processing and diagnostics, micro-electronics and devices, and medicine. In these applications, the short-pulse radiation interacts with a wide range of media encompassing disordered materials and liquids. Examples of disordered materials include porous media, polymers, organic tissues, and amorphous forms of silicon, silicon nitride, and silicon dioxide. In order to accurately model, efficiently control, and optimize short-pulse, laser-material interactions, a thorough understanding of the energy transport mechanisms is necessary. Thus, fractals and percolation theory are used to analyze the anomalous diffusion regime in random media. In liquids, the thermal aspects of saturable and multiphoton absorption are examined. Finally, a novel application of short-pulse laser radiation to reduce surface adhesion forces in microstructures through short-pulse laser-induced water desorption is presented.

  16. Effects of Short- and Long-Duration Space Flight on Neuromuscular Function

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buxton, Roxanne E.; Spiering, Barry A.; Ryder, Jeffrey W.; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori L.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.

    2010-01-01

    The Functional Task Tests (FTT) is an interdisciplinary study designed to correlate the changes in functional tasks (such as emergency egress, ladder climbing, and hatch opening) with changes in neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and sensorimotor function. One aspect of the FTT, the neuromuscular function test, is used to investigate the neuromuscular component underlying changes in the ability of astronauts to perform functional tasks (representative of critical mission tasks) safely and quickly after flight. PURPOSE: To describe neuromuscular function after short- and long-duration space flight. METHODS: To date, 5 crewmembers on short-duration (10- to 15-day) missions and 3 on long-duration missions have participated. Crewmembers were assessed 30 days before flight, on landing day (short-duration subjects only) and 1, 6, and 30 days after landing. The interpolated twitch technique, which utilizes a combination of maximal voluntary contractions and electrically evoked contractions, was used to assess the maximal voluntary isometric force (MIF) and central activation capacity of the knee extensors. Leg-press and bench-press devices were used to assess MIF and maximal dynamic power of the lower and upper body respectively. Specifically, power was measured during concentric-only ballistic throws of the leg-press sled and bench-press bar loaded to 40% and 30% of MIF respectively. RESULTS: Data are currently being collected from both Shuttle and ISS crewmembers. Emerging data indicate that measures of knee extensor muscle function are decreased with long-duration flight. DISCUSSION: The relationships between flight duration, neural drive, and muscle performance are of particular interest. Ongoing research will add to the current sample size and will focus on defining changes in muscle performance measures after long-duration space flight.

  17. High-energy, short-pulse, carbon-dioxide lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fenstermacher, C.A.

    1979-01-01

    Lasers for fusion application represent a special class of short-pulse generators; not only must they generate extremely short temporal pulses of high quality, but they must do this at ultra-high powers and satisfy other stringent requirements by this application. This paper presents the status of the research and development of carbon-dioxide laser systems at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, vis-a-vis the fusion requirements

  18. Copper bromide vapour laser with an output pulse duration of up to 320 ns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gubarev, F A; Fedorov, K V; Evtushenko, G S; Fedorov, V F; Shiyanov, D V

    2016-01-01

    We report the development of a copper bromide vapour laser with an output pulse duration of up to 320 ns. To lengthen the pulse, the discharge current was limited using a compound switch comprising a pulsed hydrogen thyratron and a tacitron. This technique permits limiting the excitation of the working levels at the initial stage of the discharge development to lengthen the inversion lifetime. The longest duration of a laser pulse was reached in tubes 25 and 50 mm in diameter for a pulse repetition rate of 2 – 4 kHz. (lasers and laser beams)

  19. PHASE NOISE COMPARISON OF SHORT PULSE LASER SYSTEMS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shukui Zhang; Stephen Benson; John Hansknecht; David Hardy; George Neil; Michelle D. Shinn

    2006-08-27

    This paper describes phase noise measurements of several different laser systems that have completely different gain media and configurations including a multi-kW free-electron laser. We will focus on state-of-the-art short pulse lasers, especially drive lasers for photocathode injectors. Phase noise comparison of the FEL drive laser, electron beam and FEL laser output also will be presented.

  20. Influence of laser parameters on the relativistic short electron bunches dynamics in linear accelerators based on RF-guns and development of associated diagnostics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vinatier, T.

    2015-01-01

    My thesis investigates dynamics and diagnostics related to short electron bunches, namely whose rms duration is not directly measurable by an electronic method locating the border at a few tens of picoseconds. The short nature of the bunch and the necessity of a high peak current for the applications imply strong space-charge forces leading to a degradation of beam properties, as its transverse emittance and duration. The main difficulty is to characterize, model and take into account these effects. The chapter 2 consists in the measurements of several properties of these bunches: charge, transverse emittance, energy and duration. The originality of my work is that I use simple methods, both on the theoretical (analytical at maximum) and technological (using only common elements of electron accelerators) point of view. I have developed a method of charge measurement from the measurement of the light intensity emitted by a scintillating screen following the interaction with an electron beam. I have also developed a method to measure the bunch mean energy with a steering magnet and a scintillating screen, via the displacement of the bunch centroid as a function of the field of the steering magnet. I have also adapted multi-parametric methods to measure the transverse emittance and duration of electron bunches. These indirect methods allow the determination of these properties from the measurement of other more accessible properties: the transverse dimensions for the transverse emittance and the energy spread for the duration. The chapter 3 consists in the comparison of the properties of short electron beams, single or longitudinally modulated, generated by 3 different methods: Injection of a short or longitudinally modulated laser pulse in an RF-gun; Magnetic compression in a chicane; and RF-compression in an accelerating structure (Velocity Bunching). I have shown that, at equal conditions of charge, the generation of short bunches thanks to a short laser pulse

  1. Speaker-Sex Discrimination for Voiced and Whispered Vowels at Short Durations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, David R R

    2016-01-01

    Whispered vowels, produced with no vocal fold vibration, lack the periodic temporal fine structure which in voiced vowels underlies the perceptual attribute of pitch (a salient auditory cue to speaker sex). Voiced vowels possess no temporal fine structure at very short durations (below two glottal cycles). The prediction was that speaker-sex discrimination performance for whispered and voiced vowels would be similar for very short durations but, as stimulus duration increases, voiced vowel performance would improve relative to whispered vowel performance as pitch information becomes available. This pattern of results was shown for women's but not for men's voices. A whispered vowel needs to have a duration three times longer than a voiced vowel before listeners can reliably tell whether it's spoken by a man or woman (∼30 ms vs. ∼10 ms). Listeners were half as sensitive to information about speaker-sex when it is carried by whispered compared with voiced vowels.

  2. Short-term memory for auditory and visual durations: evidence for selective interference effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rattat, Anne-Claire; Picard, Delphine

    2012-01-01

    The present study sought to determine the format in which visual, auditory and auditory-visual durations ranging from 400 to 600 ms are encoded and maintained in short-term memory, using suppression conditions. Participants compared two stimulus durations separated by an interval of 8 s. During this time, they performed either an articulatory suppression task, a visuospatial tracking task or no specific task at all (control condition). The results showed that the articulatory suppression task decreased recognition performance for auditory durations but not for visual or bimodal ones, whereas the visuospatial task decreased recognition performance for visual durations but not for auditory or bimodal ones. These findings support the modality-specific account of short-term memory for durations.

  3. Substance use associated with short sleep duration in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Vivian K; Pato, Michele T; Sobell, Janet L; Hammond, Terese C; Valdez, Mark M; Lane, Christianne J; Pato, Carlos N

    2016-06-01

    To examine the association between substance use and short sleep duration in individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, depressive type (SADD). Cross-sectional, retrospective study. Urban, suburban, and rural centers across the United States. 2,462 consented, adult individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, depressive type (SADD). Participants included inpatients in acute or chronic care settings as well as outpatients and residents in community dwellings. Substance use was assessed with 10 questions adopted from well-validated measures (e.g., CAGE questionnaire) for alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drugs. Short sleep duration was defined as <6 hr of self-reported sleep per night. Close to 100% of our sample used nicotine while 83% used substances other than nicotine. More importantly, there was a significant association between substance use and short sleep duration. Interestingly, this association was strongest among African-Americans with schizophrenia or SADD. Because psychiatric medications often target chemical receptors involved with both sleep and substance use, understanding the association between short sleep duration and substance use in individuals with schizophrenia and SADD is important. Given that the majority of premature deaths in individuals with psychotic illness are due to medical conditions associated with modifiable risk factors, prospective studies designed to examine the effect of short sleep duration on behaviors like substance use should be undertaken. Finally, analyzing genetic and environmental data in a future study might help illuminate the strong association found between short sleep duration and substance use in African-Americans with schizophrenia and SADD. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. The multidimensional correlates associated with short nocturnal sleep duration and subjective insomnia among Taiwanese adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Cheng-Fang; Ko, Chih-Hung; Yen, Ju-Yu; Cheng, Chung-Ping

    2008-11-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the correlates associated with short nocturnal sleep duration and subjective insomnia, including individual factors, family factors, peer factors, school factors, and the problematic use of high-tech devices among a large-scale representative population of Taiwanese adolescents. Cross-sectional study. A total of 23 junior high and 29 senior high/vocational schools were randomly selected across southern Taiwan. Eight thousand four adolescent students. N/A. The multidimensional correlates associated with short nocturnal sleep duration and subjective insomnia were examined using chi2 automatic interaction detection analysis and logistic regression analysis models. The results indicated that an older age, self-reported depression, being in the third year of school, drinking coffee at night, and problematic Internet use were significantly associated with short nocturnal sleep duration in adolescents. Furthermore, self-reported depression, low school affinity, high family conflict, low connectedness to their peer group, and problematic Internet use were associated with subjective insomnia in adolescents. The results of this study indicate that a variety of individual, family, peer, and school factors were associated with short nocturnal sleep duration and subjective insomnia in adolescents. Furthermore, the correlates of short sleep duration were not identical to those of subjective insomnia. Parents and health professionals should be wary of sleep patterns among adolescents who have the identified correlates of short nocturnal sleep duration and subjective insomnia.

  5. Status and trends of short pulse generation using mode-locked lasers based on advanced quantum-dot active media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, L W; Chen, Y H; Xu, B; Wang, Z C; Jiao, Y H; Wang, Z G

    2007-01-01

    In this review, the potential of mode-locked lasers based on advanced quantum-dot (QD) active media to generate short optical pulses is analysed. A comprehensive review of experimental and theoretical work on related aspects is provided, including monolithic-cavity mode-locked QD lasers and external-cavity mode-locked QD lasers, as well as mode-locked solid-state and fibre lasers based on QD semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors. Performance comparisons are made for state-of-the-art experiments. Various methods for improving important characteristics of mode-locked pulses such as pulse duration, repetition rate, pulse power, and timing jitter through optimization of device design parameters or mode-locking methods are addressed. In addition, gain switching and self-pulsation of QD lasers are also briefly reviewed, concluding with the summary and prospects. (topical review)

  6. Persistent insomnia: the role of objective short sleep duration and mental health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vgontzas, Alexandros N; Fernandez-Mendoza, Julio; Bixler, Edward O; Singareddy, Ravi; Shaffer, Michele L; Calhoun, Susan L; Liao, Duanping; Basta, Maria; Chrousos, George P

    2012-01-01

    Few population-based, longitudinal studies have examined risk factors for persistent insomnia, and the results are inconsistent. Furthermore, none of these studies have examined the role of polysomnographic (PSG) variables such as sleep duration or sleep apnea on the persistence of insomnia. Representative longitudinal study. Sleep laboratory. From a random, general population sample of 1741 individuals of the adult Penn State Cohort, 1395 were followed-up after 7.5 years. Individuals underwent one-night PSG and full medical evaluation at baseline and a telephone interview at follow-up. PSG sleep duration was analyzed as a continuous variable and as a categorical variable: insomnia persistence, partial remission, and full remission were 44.0%, 30.0%, and 26.0%, respectively. Objective short sleep duration significantly increased the odds of persistent insomnia as compared to normal sleep (OR = 3.19) and to fully remitted insomnia (OR = 4.92). Mental health problems at baseline were strongly associated with persistent insomnia as compared to normal sleep (OR = 9.67) and to a lesser degree compared to fully remitted insomnia (OR = 3.68). Smoking, caffeine, and alcohol consumption and sleep apnea did not predict persistent insomnia. Objective short sleep duration and mental health problems are the strongest predictors of persistent insomnia. These data further support the validity and clinical utility of objective short sleep duration as a novel marker of the biological severity of insomnia.

  7. Short Sleep Duration Among Middle School and High School Students - United States, 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheaton, Anne G; Jones, Sherry Everett; Cooper, Adina C; Croft, Janet B

    2018-01-26

    Insufficient sleep among children and adolescents is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes, injuries, poor mental health, attention and behavior problems, and poor academic performance (1-4). The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has recommended that, for optimal health, children aged 6-12 years should regularly sleep 9-12 hours per 24 hours and teens aged 13-18 years should sleep 8-10 hours per 24 hours (1). CDC analyzed data from the 2015 national, state, and large urban school district Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBSs) to determine the prevalence of short sleep duration (school nights among middle school and high school students in the United States. In nine states that conducted the middle school YRBS and included a question about sleep duration in their questionnaire, the prevalence of short sleep duration among middle school students was 57.8%, with state-level estimates ranging from 50.2% (New Mexico) to 64.7% (Kentucky). The prevalence of short sleep duration among high school students in the national YRBS was 72.7%. State-level estimates of short sleep duration for the 30 states that conducted the high school YRBS and included a question about sleep duration in their questionnaire ranged from 61.8% (South Dakota) to 82.5% (West Virginia). The large percentage of middle school and high school students who do not get enough sleep on school nights suggests a need for promoting sleep health in schools and at home and delaying school start times to permit students adequate time for sleep.

  8. Phase Noise Comparision of Short Pulse Laser Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    S. Zhang; S. V. Benson; J. Hansknecht; D. Hardy; G. Neil; Michelle D. Shinn

    2006-12-01

    This paper describes the phase noise measurement on several different mode-locked laser systems that have completely different gain media and configurations including a multi-kW free-electron laser. We will focus on the state of the art short pulse lasers, especially the drive lasers for photocathode injectors. A comparison between the phase noise of the drive laser pulses, electron bunches and FEL pulses will also be presented.

  9. High intensive short laser pulse interaction with submicron clusters media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faenov, A. Ya

    2008-01-01

    The interaction of short intense laser pulses with structured targets, such as clusters, exhibits unique features, stemming from the enhanced absorption of the incident laser light compared to solid targets. Due to the increased absorption, these targets are heated significantly, leading to enhanced emission of x rays in the keV range and generation of electrons and multiple charged ions with kinetic energies from tens of keV to tens of MeV. Possible applications of these targets can be an electron/ion source for a table top accelerator, a neutron source for a material damage study, or an x ray source for microscopy or lithography. The overview of recent results, obtained by the high intensive short laser pulse interaction with different submicron clusters media will be presented. High resolution K and L shell spectra of plasma generated by superintense laser irradiation of micron sized Ar, Kr and Xe clusters have been measured with intensity 10"17"-10"19"W/cm"2"and a pulse duration of 30-1000fs. It is found that hot electrons produced by high contrast laser pulses allow the isochoric heating of clusters and shift the ion balance toward the higher charge states, which enhances both the X ray line yield and the ion kinetic energy. Irradiation of clusters, produced from such gas mixture, by a fs Ti:Sa laser pulses allows to enhance the soft X ray radiation of Heβ(665.7eV)and Lyα(653.7eV)of Oxygen in 2-8 times compare with the case of using as targets pure CO"2"or N"2"O clusters and reach values 2.8x10"10"(∼3μJ)and 2.7x10"10"(∼2.9μJ)ph/(sr·pulse), respectively. Nanostructure conventional soft X ray images of 100nm thick Mo and Zr foils in a wide field of view (cm"2"scale)with high spatial resolution (700nm)are obtained using the LiF crystals as soft X ray imaging detectors. When the target used for the ion acceleration studies consists of solid density clusters embedded into the background gas, its irradiation by high intensity laser light makes the target

  10. Wavelength and pulse duration tunable ultrafast fiber laser mode-locked with carbon nanotubes

    OpenAIRE

    Li, Diao; Jussila, Henri; Wang, Yadong; Hu, Guohua; Albrow-Owen, Tom; C. T. Howe, Richard; Ren, Zhaoyu; Bai, Jintao; Hasan, Tawfique; Sun, Zhipei

    2018-01-01

    Ultrafast lasers with tunable parameters in wavelength and time domains are the choice of light source for various applications such as spectroscopy and communication. Here, we report a wavelength and pulse-duration tunable mode-locked Erbium doped fiber laser with single wall carbon nanotube-based saturable absorber. An intra-cavity tunable filter is employed to continuously tune the output wavelength for 34 nm (from 1525 nm to 1559 nm) and pulse duration from 545 fs to 6.1 ps, respectively....

  11. Development of short pulse laser pumped x-ray lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dunn, J; Osterheld, A L; Hunter, J R; Shlyaptsev, V N

    2000-01-01

    X-ray lasers have been extensively studied around the world since the first laboratory demonstration on the Novette laser at LLNL in 1984 [l]. The characteristic properties of short wavelength, high monochromaticity, collimation and coherence make x-ray lasers useful for various applications. These include demonstrations of biological imaging within the water window, interferometry of laser plasmas and radiography of laser-heated surfaces. One of the critical issues has been the high power pump required to produce the inversion. The power scaling as a function of x-ray laser wavelength follows a -k4 to law. The shortest x-ray laser wavelength of ∼ 35 (angstrom) demonstrated for Ni-like All was at the limit of Nova laser capabilities. By requiring large, high power lasers such as Nova, the shot rate and total number of shots available have limited the rapid development of x-ray lasers and applications. In fact over the last fifteen years the main thrust has been to develop more efficient, higher repetition rate x-ray lasers that can be readily scaled to shorter wavelengths. The recent state of progress in the field can be found in references. The objective of the project was to develop a soft x-ray laser (XRL) pumped by a short pulse laser of a few joules. In effect to demonstrate a robust, worlung tabletop x-ray laser at LLNL for the first time. The transient collisional scheme as proposed by Shlyaptsev et al [8, 9] was the candidate x-ray laser for study. The successful endeavour of any scientific investigation is often based upon prudent early decisions and the choice of this scheme was both sound and fruitful. It had been demonstrated very recently for Ne-like Ti at 326 A using a small tabletop laser [10] but had not yet reached its full potential. We chose this scheme for several reasons: (a) it was a collisional-type x-ray laser which has been historically the most robust; (b) it had the promise of high efficiency and low energy threshold for lasing; (c) the

  12. A high-order corrected description of ultra-short and tightly focused laser pulses, and their electron acceleration in vacuum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, J.T.; Wang, P.X.; Kong, Q.; Chen, Z.; Ho, Y.K.

    2007-01-01

    Field expressions are derived for ultra-short, tightly focused laser pulses up to the second-order temporal correction and seventh-order spatial correction. To evaluate the importance of these corrections, we simulate these fields and investigate the final energy of the accelerated electrons. We vary the order of the corrected expressions, the pulse duration, and the beam waist. We find that electron capture is still an important and generic phenomenon in ultra-short, tightly focused laser pulses. While small differences in the electron acceleration are obtained for various orders of the corrected field equations relative to the paraxial field equations, there is no qualitative difference in the behavior of the electron. Furthermore, the temporal and spatial corrections are found to be correlated

  13. Ocular Counter Rolling in Astronauts After Short- and Long-Duration Spaceflight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reschke, Millard F; Wood, Scott J; Clément, Gilles

    2018-05-17

    Ocular counter-rolling (OCR) is a reflex generated by the activation of the gravity sensors in the inner ear that stabilizes gaze and posture during head tilt. We compared the OCR measures that were obtained in 6 astronauts before, during, and after a spaceflight lasting 4-6 days with the OCR measures obtained from 6 astronauts before and after a spaceflight lasting 4-9 months. OCR in the short-duration fliers was measured using the afterimage method during head tilt at 15°, 30°, and 45°. OCR in the long-duration fliers was measured using video-oculography during whole body tilt at 25°. A control group of 7 subjects was used to compare OCR measures during head tilt and whole body tilt. No OCR occurred during head tilt in microgravity, and the response returned to normal within 2 hours of return from short-duration spaceflight. However, the amplitude of OCR was reduced for several days after return from long-duration spaceflight. This decrease in amplitude was not accompanied by changes in the asymmetry of OCR between right and left head tilt. These results indicate that the adaptation  of otolith-driven reflexes to microgravity is a long-duration process.

  14. Insomnia with Objective Short Sleep Duration: the Most Biologically Severe Phenotype of the Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vgontzas, Alexandros N.; Fernandez-Mendoza, Julio; Liao, Duanping; Bixler, Edward O.

    2013-01-01

    Summary Until recently, the association of chronic insomnia with significant medical morbidity was not established and its diagnosis was based solely on subjective complaints. We present evidence that insomnia with objective short sleep duration is the most biologically severe phenotype of the disorder, as it is associated with cognitive-emotional and cortical arousal, activation of both limbs of the stress system, and a higher risk for hypertension, impaired heart rate variability, diabetes, neurocognitive impairment, and mortality. Also, it appears that objective short sleep duration is a biological marker of genetic predisposition to chronic insomnia. In contrast, insomnia with objective normal sleep duration is associated with cognitive-emotional and cortical arousal and sleep misperception but not with signs of activation of both limbs of the stress system or medical complications. Furthermore, the first phenotype is associated with unremitting course, whereas the latter is more likely to remit. We propose that short sleep duration in insomnia is a reliable marker of the biological severity and medical impact of the disorder. Objective measures of sleep obtained in the home environment of the patient would become part of the routine assessment of insomnia patients in a clinician’s office setting. We speculate that insomnia with objective short sleep duration has primarily biological roots and may respond better to biological treatments, whereas insomnia with objective normal sleep duration has primarily psychological roots and may respond better to psychological interventions alone. PMID:23419741

  15. Insomnia with objective short sleep duration: the most biologically severe phenotype of the disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vgontzas, Alexandros N; Fernandez-Mendoza, Julio; Liao, Duanping; Bixler, Edward O

    2013-08-01

    Until recently, the association of chronic insomnia with significant medical morbidity was not established and its diagnosis was based solely on subjective complaints. We present evidence that insomnia with objective short sleep duration is the most biologically severe phenotype of the disorder, as it is associated with cognitive-emotional and cortical arousal, activation of both limbs of the stress system, and a higher risk for hypertension, impaired heart rate variability, diabetes, neurocognitive impairment, and mortality. Also, it appears that objective short sleep duration is a biological marker of genetic predisposition to chronic insomnia. In contrast, insomnia with objective normal sleep duration is associated with cognitive-emotional and cortical arousal and sleep misperception but not with signs of activation of both limbs of the stress system or medical complications. Furthermore, the first phenotype is associated with unremitting course, whereas the latter is more likely to remit. We propose that short sleep duration in insomnia is a reliable marker of the biological severity and medical impact of the disorder. Objective measures of sleep obtained in the home environment of the patient would become part of the routine assessment of insomnia patients in a clinician's office setting. We speculate that insomnia with objective short sleep duration has primarily biological roots and may respond better to biological treatments, whereas insomnia with objective normal sleep duration has primarily psychological roots and may respond better to psychological interventions alone. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Modelling the dispersion of radionuclides following short duration releases to rivers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, J.T.; Bowes, M.; Denison, F.H.

    2003-01-01

    This project develops a model for assessing short duration liquid discharges of radionuclides to rivers. The assessment of doses arising from discharges to rivers is normally carried out by considering annual average discharge rates. Actual authorised discharges, however, may occur unevenly during the year or relatively high short-term discharges could occur in the unlikely event of an incident. Short term radionuclide releases could potentially result in temporary increases in radionuclide activity concentrations in water and fish which are greater than those resulting from a continuous discharge. The purpose of this project is to develop a model to assess short term releases from these sites, and where possible develop generic methods of assessing short term releases. An advection-dispersion model was developed to predict the concentrations of radionuclides in the river environment, ie in river water, river bed sediment and in predatory fish. Uptake of radionuclides to fish was modelled by estimating rates of uptake of radionuclides via the aquatic food chain or across the gill, as appropriate. The model was used to predict the concentrations of the radionuclides in the river Thames and its tributaries as a result of short duration discharges into stretches of the Thames and River Colne. Model output is given as a series of graphs of activity concentration and time integrated activity concentration resulting from a 1 MBq discharge for the following release durations: 5 minutes, 1 h, 3 h, 12 h and 24 h. The five locations for which predictions are given were 100m, 300m, 1000m, 3000m and 10000m downstream. The river volumetric flow rate was shown to be the most important environmental variable determining activity concentrations in water, fish and sediments following a release. In general, the maximum and integrated activity concentrations in water and fish will be in inverse proportion to the river volumetric flow rate, for a given amount and duration of release

  17. Objective but Not Subjective Short Sleep Duration Associated with Increased Risk for Hypertension in Individuals with Insomnia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bathgate, Christina J; Edinger, Jack D; Wyatt, James K; Krystal, Andrew D

    2016-05-01

    To examine the relationship between hypertension prevalence in individuals with insomnia who have short total sleep duration insomnia disorder (MAge = 46.2 y, SDAge = 13.7 y) participated in this study at two large university medical centers. Two nights of polysomnography, 2 w of sleep diaries, questionnaires focused on sleep, medical, psychological, and health history, including presence/absence of hypertension were collected. Logistic regressions assessed the odds ratios of hypertension among persons with insomnia with short sleep duration insomnia with a sleep duration ≥ 6 h, measured both objectively and subjectively. Consistent with previous studies using objective total sleep duration, individuals with insomnia and short sleep duration insomnia with sleep duration ≥ 6 h. Increased risk for hypertension was independent of major confounding factors frequently associated with insomnia or hypertension. No significant risk was observed using subjectively determined total sleep time groups. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis found that the best balance of sensitivity and specificity using subjective total sleep time was at a 6-h cutoff, but the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve showed low accuracy and did not have good discriminant value. Objectively measured short sleep duration increased the odds of reporting hypertension more than threefold after adjusting for potential confounders; this relationship was not significant for subjectively measured sleep duration. This research supports emerging evidence that insomnia with objective short sleep duration is associated with an increased risk of comorbid hypertension. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

  18. Instant recording of the duration of a single mode-locked Nd:YAG laser pulse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lompre, L.A.; Mainfray, G.; Thebault, J.

    1975-01-01

    An electro-optic streak camera incorporating a storage memory video system has been developed and used to instantly visualize and record the shape of a 1.06-μ-wavelength pulse generated by a mode-locked Nd:YAG laser. The duration of a single laser pulse (approximately 30 psec) has been directly measured with and without laser amplification. (U.S.)

  19. Search for Transient Gravitational Waves in Coincidence with Short-Duration Radio Transients During 2007-2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbott, B. P.; Hughey, Brennan; Zanolin, Michele; Szczepanczyk, Marek; Gill, Kiranjyot; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M. R.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; hide

    2016-01-01

    We present an archival search for transient gravitational-wave bursts in coincidence with 27 single-pulse triggers from Green Bank Telescope pulsar surveys, using the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory), Virgo (Variability of Solar Irradiance and Gravity Oscillations) and GEO (German-UK Interferometric Detector) interferometer network. We also discuss a check for gravitational-wave signals in coincidence with Parkes fast radio bursts using similar methods. Data analyzed in these searches were collected between 2007 and 2013. Possible sources of emission of both short-duration radio signals and transient gravitational-wave emission include star quakes on neutron stars, binary coalescence of neutron stars, and cosmic string cusps. While no evidence for gravitational-wave emission in coincidence with these radio transients was found, the current analysis serves as a prototype for similar future searches using more sensitive second-generation interferometers.

  20. Short-Duration X-ray Transients Observed with WATCH on Granat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Castro-Tirado, Alberto J.; Brandt, Søren; Lund, Niels

    1995-01-01

    During 1990–92, the WATCH all-sky X-ray monitor on GRANAT has discovered 6 short-duration X-ray transients. We discuss their possible relationship to peculiar stars. Only one source, GRS 1100-77 seems to be related to a T Tauri star....

  1. Generation and amplification of nanaosecond duration multiline hf laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Getzinger, R.L.; Ware, K.D.; Carpenter, J.P.

    1976-01-01

    High-power, fast-rising pulses of hydrogen fluoride laser energy suitable for laser-fusion target interaction experiments can in principle be generated by directing an electro-optically shuttered oscillator pulse through one or more electron-beam driven amplifiers. A three-stage HF master oscillator-power amplifier (MOPA) configuration was constructed and tested using SF 6 -C 2 H 6 in which an E-O generated 4-ns-FWHM pulse was amplified in an electron-beam-excited third stage and subsequently isolated with a Brewster angle splitter. Independent experiments in which a 100-ns-FWHM pilot pulse interacted with the power amplifier demonstrated for the first time complete extraction of the available laser energy. These two results provide strong evidence that with upgrading to H 2 -F 2 , it should be possible to obtain nanosecond duration pulses with power levels sufficient for meaningful laser fusion target coupling experiments

  2. Dietary nutrients associated with short and long sleep duration. Data from a nationally representative sample☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grandner, Michael A.; Jackson, Nicholas; Gerstner, Jason R.; Knutson, Kristen L.

    2013-01-01

    Short sleep duration is associated with weight gain and obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, psychiatric illness, and performance deficits. Likewise, long sleep duration is also associated with poor physical and mental health. The role of a healthy diet in habitual sleep duration represents a largely unexplored pathway linking sleep and health. This study evaluated associations between habitual sleep parameters and dietary/nutritional variables obtained via the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007–2008. We hypothesized that habitual very short (theobromine (long sleep RR = 0.910, p < 0.05), vitamin C (short sleep RR = 0.890, p < 0.05), tap water (short sleep RR = 0.952, p < 0.001; very short (<5 h) sleep RR = 0.941, p < 0.05), lutein + zeaxanthin (short sleep RR = 1.123, p < 0.05), dodecanoic acid (long sleep RR = 0.812, p < 0.05), choline (long sleep RR = 0.450, p = 0.001), lycopene (very short (<5 h) sleep RR = 0.950, p <0.05), total carbohydrate (very short (<5 h) sleep RR = 0.494, p <0.05; long sleep RR = 0.509, p <0.05), selenium (short sleep RR = 0.670, p <0.01) and alcohol (long sleep RR = 1.172, p < 0.01). Overall, many nutrient variables were associated with short and/or long sleep duration, which may be explained by differences in food variety. Future studies should assess whether these associations are due to appetite dysregulation, due to short/long sleep and/or whether these nutrients have physiologic effects on sleep regulation. In addition, these data may help us better understand the complex relationship between diet and sleep and the potential role of diet in the relationship between sleep and obesity and other cardiometabolic risks. PMID:23339991

  3. On the physics of laser-induced selective photothermolysis of hair follicles: Influence of wavelength, pulse duration, and epidermal cooling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svaasand, Lars O; Nelson, J Stuart

    2004-01-01

    The physical basis for optimization of wavelength, pulse duration, and cooling for laser-induced selective photothermolysis of hair follicles in human skin is discussed. The results indicate that the most important optimization parameter is the cooling efficiency of the technique utilized for epidermal protection. The optical penetration is approximately the same for lasers at 694, 755, and 800 nm. The penetration of radiation from Nd:yttrium-aluminum-garnet lasers at 1064 nm is, however, somewhat larger. Photothermal damage to the follicle is shown to be almost independent of laser pulse duration up to 100 ms. The results reveal that epidermal cooling by a 30-80-ms-long cryogen spurt immediately before laser exposure is the only efficient technique for laser pulse durations less than 10 ms. For longer pulse durations in the 30-100 ms range, protection can be done efficiently by skin cooling during laser exposure. For laser pulses of 100 ms, an extended precooling period, e.g., by bringing a cold object into good thermal contact with the skin for about 1 s, can be of value. Thermal quenching of laser induced epidermal temperature rise after pulsed exposure can most efficiently be done with a 20 ms cryogen spurt applied immediately after irradiation. (c) 2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

  4. Dynamics of laser-induced channel formation in water and influence of pulse duration on the ablation of biotissue under water with pulsed erbium-laser radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ith, M.; Pratisto, H.; Altermatt, H. J.; Frenz, M.; Weber, H. P.

    1994-12-01

    The ability to use fiber-delivered erbium-laser radiation for non-contact arthroscopic meniscectomy in a liquid environment was studied. The laser radiation is transmitted through a water-vapor channel created by the leading part of the laser pulse. The dynamics of the channel formation around a submerged fiber tip was investigated with time-resolved flash photography. Strong pressure transients with amplitudes up to a few hundreds of bars measured with a needle hydrophone were found to accompany the channel formation process. Additional pressure transients in the range of kbars were observed after the laser pulse associated with the collapse of the vapor channel. Transmission measurements revealed that the duration the laser-induced channel stays open, and therefore the energy transmittable through it, is substantially determined by the laser pulse duration. The optimum pulse duration was found to be in the range between 250 and 350 µS. This was confirmed by histological evaluations of the laser incisions in meniscus: Increasing the pulse duration from 300 to 800 µs leads to a decrease in the crater depth from 1600 to 300 µm. A comparison of the histological examination after laser treatment through air and through water gave information on the influence of the vapor channel on the ablation efficiency, the cutting quality and the induced thermal damage in the adjacent tissue. The study shows that the erbium laser combined with an adequate fiber delivery system represents an effective surgical instrument liable to become increasingly accepted in orthopedic surgery.

  5. The relationship between insomnia with short sleep duration is associated with hypercholesterolemia: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chia-Ling; Tsai, Yu-Hsia; Yeh, Mei Chang

    2016-02-01

    To examine the association between insomnia with short sleep duration and hypercholesterolemia in Taiwanese adults. Previous studies mostly focused on the association between sleep duration and hyperlipidemia, but the results were not consistent. Besides, very few studies extensively examined the association between insomnia and hypercholesterolemia. This study hypothesized that insomnia with short sleep duration is associated with hypercholesterolemia. Secondary data analysis. This study analysed the latest database of the cross-sectional Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan which was released on 2011 (data collected between 2005-2008) and collected data using stratified three-staged probability sampling design. This study analysed 1533 participants aged between 19-64 (733 males and 800 females) and used logistic regression model to calculate the odds ratio and the 95% confidence interval of insomnia with short sleep duration to hypercholesterolemia. Controlled confounders included age, gender, sample weight, body mass index, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, hypertension and diabetes. Insomnia with 5-6 hours of sleep duration was significantly associated with hypercholesterolemia. The odds ratio of mild insomnia or moderate/severe insomnia with 5-6 hours of sleep duration to hypercholesterolemia was higher, compared with the reference group (without insomnia and >6 hours of sleep duration). Insomnia with short sleep duration was associated with increased odds of hypercholesterolemia. Caregivers in clinical practice should watch out for the effect brought by this novel factor. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. The Risk of Being Obese According to Short Sleep Duration Is Modulated after Menopause in Korean Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doo, Miae; Kim, Yangha

    2017-02-27

    We previously reported that women with short sleep duration consumed more dietary carbohydrate and showed an increased risk for obesity compared to those who slept adequately, but not for men. Using a cross-sectional study of 17,841 Korean women, we investigated the influence of sleep duration on obesity-related variables and consumption of dietary carbohydrate-rich foods in relation to menopausal status. Premenopausal women with short sleep duration had significantly greater body weight ( p = 0.007), body mass index ( p = 0.003), systolic and diastolic blood pressures ( p = 0.028 and p = 0.024, respectively), prevalence of obesity ( p foods such as staple foods ( p = 0.026) and simple sugar-rich foods ( p = 0.044) than those with adequate sleep duration after adjustment for covariates. Premenopausal women with short sleep duration were more obese by 1.171 times compared to subjects adequate sleep duration (95% confidence interval = 1.030-1.330). However, obesity-related variables, dietary consumption, and odds of being obese did not differ according to sleep duration for postmenopausal women. The findings suggest that the increased risk for obesity and consumption of dietary carbohydrate-rich foods with short sleep duration appeared to disappear after menopause in Korean women.

  7. The Risk of Being Obese According to Short Sleep Duration Is Modulated after Menopause in Korean Women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miae Doo

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available We previously reported that women with short sleep duration consumed more dietary carbohydrate and showed an increased risk for obesity compared to those who slept adequately, but not for men. Using a cross-sectional study of 17,841 Korean women, we investigated the influence of sleep duration on obesity-related variables and consumption of dietary carbohydrate-rich foods in relation to menopausal status. Premenopausal women with short sleep duration had significantly greater body weight (p = 0.007, body mass index (p = 0.003, systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p = 0.028 and p = 0.024, respectively, prevalence of obesity (p < 0.016, and consumption of more carbohydrate-rich foods such as staple foods (p = 0.026 and simple sugar-rich foods (p = 0.044 than those with adequate sleep duration after adjustment for covariates. Premenopausal women with short sleep duration were more obese by 1.171 times compared to subjects adequate sleep duration (95% confidence interval = 1.030–1.330. However, obesity-related variables, dietary consumption, and odds of being obese did not differ according to sleep duration for postmenopausal women. The findings suggest that the increased risk for obesity and consumption of dietary carbohydrate-rich foods with short sleep duration appeared to disappear after menopause in Korean women.

  8. Investigation of concept of efficient short wavelength laser. Final technical report, April 1, 1977-July 31, 1979

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piper, L.G.; Krech, R.H.; Pugh, E.; Taylor, R.L.

    1979-01-01

    The feasibility of producing an efficient, short wavelength, storage laser for ICF driven applications by making use of certain state-specific reactions of exoergic azide compounds has been investigated. The ultraviolet (approx. 300 nm) photolysis of gaseous ClN 3 produced prompt emission in the red, which was attributed to the efficient formation of ClN(b 1 Σ + ) with subsequent ClN(X reverse arrow b) fluorescence. Based on these results, a small-scale laser demonstration experiment was constructed using short duration Xe flash lamps as the photolytic source. The results of this latter experiment were negative. The most plausible explanation was that the flash lamps provided sufficient far-uv radiation to dissociate and/or ionize the ClN(b) produced in the primary photolytic step. In parallel, limited experiments were performed on the rapid pyrolysis of a solid, ionic azide, NaN 3 , to produce gaseous N 3 radicals and subsequent production of triplet N 2 molecules

  9. Insomnia Patients With Objective Short Sleep Duration Have a Blunted Response to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bathgate, Christina J; Edinger, Jack D; Krystal, Andrew D

    2017-01-01

    This study examined whether individuals with insomnia and objective short sleep duration insomnia (CBT-I) when compared to individuals with insomnia and normal sleep duration ≥6 h. Secondary analyses of a randomized, clinical trial with 60 adult participants (n = 31 women) from a single academic medical center. Outpatient treatment lasted 8 weeks, with a final follow-up conducted at 6 months. Mixed-effects models controlling for age, sex, CBT-I treatment group assignment, and treatment provider examined sleep parameters gathered via actigraphy, sleep diaries, and an Insomnia Symptom Questionnaire (ISQ) across the treatment and follow-up period. Six months post-CBT-I treatment, individuals with insomnia and normal sleep duration ≥6 h fared significantly better on clinical improvement milestones than did those with insomnia and short sleep duration insomnia and normal sleep duration had significantly higher insomnia remission (ISQ 80%; χ2[1, N = 60] = 21, p 50% decline in MWASO (χ2[1, N = 60] = 60, p insomnia and short sleep duration. Additionally, those with insomnia and normal sleep duration had more success decreasing their total wake time (TWT) at the 6-month follow-up compared to those with insomnia and short sleep duration (χ2[2, N = 60] = 44.1, p insomnia remission, with the area under the curve = 0.986. Findings suggest that individuals with insomnia and objective short sleep duration insomnia and normal sleep duration ≥6 h. Using an actigraphy TST cutoff of 6 hours to classify sleep duration groups was highly accurate and provided good discriminant value for determining insomnia remission. © Sleep Research Society 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Short sleep duration and childhood obesity: cross-sectional analysis in Peru and patterns in four developing countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrillo-Larco, Rodrigo M; Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio; Miranda, J Jaime

    2014-01-01

    We aimed to describe the patterns of nutritional status and sleep duration in children from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam; to assess the association between short sleep duration and overweight and obesity, and if this was similar among boys and girls in Peru. Analysis of the Young Lives Study, younger cohort, third round. In Ethiopia there were 1,999 observations, 2,011, 2,052 and 2,000 in India, Peru and Vietnam, respectively. Analyses included participants with complete data for sleep duration, BMI, sex and age; missing data: 5.9% (Ethiopia), 4.1% (India), 6.0% (Peru) and 4.5% (Vietnam). Exposure was sleep duration per day: short (overweight and obesity. Multivariable analyses were conducted using a hierarchical approach to assess the effect of variables at different levels. Overweight/obesity prevalence was 0.5%/0.2% (Ethiopia), 1.3%/0.3% (India), 6.1%/2.8% (Vietnam), and 15.8%/5.4% (Peru). Only Peruvian data was considered to explore the association between short sleep duration and overweight and obesity, with 1,929 children, aged 7.9±0.3 years, 50.3% boys. Short and regular sleep duration was 41.6% and 55.6%, respectively. Multivariable models showed that obesity was 64% more prevalent among children with short sleep duration, an estimate that lost significance after controlling for individual- and family-related variables (PR: 1.15; 95%CI: 0.81-1.64). Gender was an effect modifier of the association between short sleep duration and overweight (p = 0.030) but not obesity (p = 0.533): the prevalence ratio was greater than one across all the models for boys, yet it was less than one for girls. Childhood overweight and obesity have different profiles across developing settings. In a sample of children living in resource-limited settings in Peru there is no association between short sleep duration and obesity; the crude association was slightly attenuated by children-related variables but strongly diminished by family-related variables.

  11. Sub-nanosecond lasers for cosmetics and dermatology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarasov, Aleksandr A.; Chu, Hong

    2018-02-01

    We report about the development of two new subnanosecond solid-state laser models for application in dermatology and cosmetics. One model uses subnanosecond Nd: YAG microchip laser as a master oscillator and includes Nd: YAG double- and single-pass amplifiers. At 10 Hz this laser produces more than 600 mJ pulse energy with duration 500 +/- 5 ps. Another model (under development) is gain-switched Ti: Sapphire laser with short cavity. This laser produces 200 mJ, 560 ps pulses at 790 nm and uses standard Q-Switched Nd: YAG laser with nanosecond pulse duration as a pumping sourse.

  12. Cognitive Abilities Explaining Age-Related Changes in Time Perception of Short and Long Durations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zelanti, Pierre S.; Droit-Volet, Sylvie

    2011-01-01

    The current study investigated how the development of cognitive abilities explains the age-related changes in temporal judgment over short and long duration ranges from 0.5 to 30 s. Children (5- and 9-year-olds) as well as adults were given a temporal bisection task with four different duration ranges: a duration range shorter than 1 s, two…

  13. Fabrication of porous biopolymer substrates for cell growth by UV laser: The role of pulse duration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castillejo, Marta; Rebollar, Esther; Oujja, Mohamed; Sanz, Mikel; Selimis, Alexandros; Sigletou, Maria; Psycharakis, Stelios; Ranella, Anthi; Fotakis, Costas

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► UV laser-induced superficial foaming in biopolymer films with fs, ps and ns pulses. ► Reduction of photochemical and structural modifications by ultrashort fs irradiation. ► Successful cell culture on laser-induced foam structure generated in chitosan. - Abstract: Ultraviolet laser irradiation using pulses with duration from the nanosecond to the femtosecond range was investigated aiming at the generation of a foam layer on films of the biopolymers chitosan, starch and their blend. We report on the morphological characteristics of the foams obtained upon irradiation and on the accompanying laser induced photochemistry, assessed by on line monitoring of the laser induced fluorescence. We identify the laser conditions (pulse duration) at which foaming is produced and discuss the obtained results in reference to the material properties, particularly extinction coefficient and thermal parameters. This article also reports on successful cell culture on the laser induced foam structure generated in chitosan, as an illustrative example of the possibility of broader use of laser induced biopolymer foaming structures in biology.

  14. Emission Characteristics of Laser-Induced Plasma Using Collinear Long and Short Dual-Pulse Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhenzhen; Deguchi, Yoshihiro; Liu, Renwei; Ikutomo, Akihiro; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Chong, Daotong; Yan, Junjie; Liu, Jiping; Shiou, Fang-Jung

    2017-09-01

    Collinear long and short dual-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (DP-LIBS) was employed to clarify the emission characteristics from laser-induced plasma. The plasma was sustained and became stable by the long pulse-width laser with the pulse width of 60 μs under free running (FR) conditions as an external energy source. Comparing the measurement results of stainless steel in air using single-pulse LIBS (SP-LIBS) and DP-LIBS, the emission intensity was markedly enhanced using DP-LIBS. The temperature of plasma induced by DP-LIBS was maintained at a higher temperature under different gate delay time and short pulse-width laser power conditions compared with those measured using short SP-LIBS. Moreover, the variation rates of plasma temperatures measured using DP-LIBS were also lower. The superior detection ability was verified by the measurement of aluminum sample in water. The spectra were clearly detected using DP-LIBS, whereas it cannot be identified using SP-LIBS of short and long pulse widths. The effects of gate delay time and short pulse-width laser power were also discussed. These results demonstrate the feasibility and enhanced detection ability of the proposed collinear long and short DP-LIBS method.

  15. Stimulated brillouin backscatter of a short-pulse laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hinkel, D.E.; Williams, E.A.; Berger, R.L.

    1994-01-01

    Stimulated Brillouin backscattering (SBBS) from a short-pulse laser, where the pulse length is short compared to the plasma length, is found to be qualitatively different than in the long pulse regime, where the pulse length is long compared to the plasma length. We find that after an initial transient of order the laser pulse length transit time, the instability reaches a steady state in the variables x' = x - V g t, t' = t, where V g is the pulse group velocity. In contrast, SBBS in a long pulse can be absolutely unstable and grows indefinitely, or until nonlinearities intervene. We find that the motion of the laser pulse induces Doppler related effects that substantially modify the backscattered spectrum at higher intensities, where the instability is strongly coupled (i.e. , has a growth rate large compared to the ion acoustic frequency)

  16. Restoring normoglycaemia by use of a very low calorie diet in long- and short-duration Type 2 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven, S; Taylor, R

    2015-09-01

    To establish whether an 8-week very-low-calorie diet could improve glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetes of long duration. A total of 29 people with Type 2 diabetes [short-duration group (diabetes duration diabetes duration > 8 years), n = 14] completed an 8-week very-low-calorie diet, with assessments of fasting anthropometry, blood tests and blood pressure at baseline and weeks 1, 4 and 8 of the diet. Similar weight loss was achieved in the short- and long-duration groups (14.8 ± 0.8% and 14.4 ± 0.7% respectively; P = 0.662). The glucose response to acute calorie restriction was heterogeneous in the long-duration group with some responding similarly to those in the short-duration group, some responding, but only slowly, and others not responding at all. Overall, HbA1c concentration in the short- vs. long-duration groups fell to 44 ± 2 vs. 64 ± 6 mmol/l (6.2 ± 0.2 vs. 8.0 ± 0.5%; P = 0.002). Fasting plasma glucose levels decreased to 5.8 ± 0.2 vs. 8.4 ± 1.1 mmol/l (P = 0.024) respectively. A total of 87% of the short-duration group and 50% of the long-duration group achieved non-diabetic fasting plasma glucose levels at week 8. Clinically significant improvements in blood pressure and lipid profile were seen regardless of diabetes duration. In people with Type 2 diabetes of > 8 years' duration, a therapeutic trial of a very-low-calorie diet may be undertaken with a 50% chance of achieving non-diabetic fasting glucose levels off all antidiabetic therapies. © 2015 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2015 Diabetes UK.

  17. Short sleep duration and childhood obesity: cross-sectional analysis in Peru and patterns in four developing countries.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo M Carrillo-Larco

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: We aimed to describe the patterns of nutritional status and sleep duration in children from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam; to assess the association between short sleep duration and overweight and obesity, and if this was similar among boys and girls in Peru. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Analysis of the Young Lives Study, younger cohort, third round. In Ethiopia there were 1,999 observations, 2,011, 2,052 and 2,000 in India, Peru and Vietnam, respectively. Analyses included participants with complete data for sleep duration, BMI, sex and age; missing data: 5.9% (Ethiopia, 4.1% (India, 6.0% (Peru and 4.5% (Vietnam. Exposure was sleep duration per day: short (<10 hours versus regular (10-11 hours. Outcome was overweight and obesity. Multivariable analyses were conducted using a hierarchical approach to assess the effect of variables at different levels. Overweight/obesity prevalence was 0.5%/0.2% (Ethiopia, 1.3%/0.3% (India, 6.1%/2.8% (Vietnam, and 15.8%/5.4% (Peru. Only Peruvian data was considered to explore the association between short sleep duration and overweight and obesity, with 1,929 children, aged 7.9±0.3 years, 50.3% boys. Short and regular sleep duration was 41.6% and 55.6%, respectively. Multivariable models showed that obesity was 64% more prevalent among children with short sleep duration, an estimate that lost significance after controlling for individual- and family-related variables (PR: 1.15; 95%CI: 0.81-1.64. Gender was an effect modifier of the association between short sleep duration and overweight (p = 0.030 but not obesity (p = 0.533: the prevalence ratio was greater than one across all the models for boys, yet it was less than one for girls. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood overweight and obesity have different profiles across developing settings. In a sample of children living in resource-limited settings in Peru there is no association between short sleep duration and obesity; the crude association was slightly

  18. Applications of ultra-short pulsed laser ablation: thin films deposition and fs/ns dual-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teghil, R; De Bonis, A; Galasso, A; Santagata, A; Albano, G; Villani, P; Spera, D; Parisi, G P

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, we report a survey of two of the large number of possible practical applications of the laser ablation performed by an ultra-short pulse laser, namely pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and fs/ns dual-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (DP-LIBS). These applications differ from those using just longer pulsed lasers as a consequence of the distinctive characteristics of the plasma produced by ultra-short laser beams. The most important feature of this plasma is the large presence of particles with nanometric size which plays a fundamental role in both applications.

  19. Short-pulse-width micromachining of hard materials using DPSS Nd:YAG lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heglin, Michael; Govorkov, Sergei V.; Scaggs, Michael J.; Theoharidis, Haris; Schoelzel, T.

    2002-06-01

    The material processing of an industrial, short-pulse duration DPPS YAG laser producing peak powers greater than 0.2MW is discussed in this paper. This peak power provides sufficient materials processing capability to meet the micro machining needs in the automotive, semiconductor, micro- electronic, medical and telecommunication industries. All hard and soft materials including: plastics, metals, ceramics, diamond and other crystalline materials are suitable candidates for the processing capability of this laser. Micro level features can be machined in these materials to a depth in excess of 1mm with high quality results. In most applications feature sizes can be achieved that are not possible or economical with existing technologies. The optical beam delivery system requirements, and overall micro-machining set-up are also described. The drilling and cutting versatility down to feature sizes of less than 7 micrometers , as well as, complex shapes are shown. The wavelength, pulse length, and peakpower are described and relate to their effect on recast, micro-cracking and material removal rates. Material removal effects related to progressive penetration into the material will be reviewed. The requirements of this DPSS laser technology to meet the operational requirements for high duty cycle operation in industrial environments is covered along with processing flexibility and lower operating cost.

  20. Generation of ultra-short relativistic-electron-bunch by a laser wakefield

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Khachatryan, A.G.; Boller, Klaus J.; van Goor, F.A.

    2003-01-01

    The possibility of the generation of an ultra-short (about one micron long) relativistic (up to a few GeVs) electron-bunch in a moderately nonlinear laser wakefield excited in an underdense plasma by an intense laser pulse is investigated. The ultra-short bunch is formed by trapping, effective

  1. Lethality of Bacillus Anthracis Spores Due to Short Duration Heating Measured Using Infrared Spectroscopy

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Goetz, Kristina M

    2005-01-01

    In this research, Bacillus anthracis spores were subjected to bursts of heat lasting on the order of one second in duration using a laser system to simulate the explosive environment from an agent defeat weapon...

  2. Ultra-Short Laser Absorption In Solid Targets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harfouche, A.; Bendib, A.

    2008-01-01

    With the rapid development and continuously improving technology of subpicosecond laser pulse generation, new interesting physical problems are now investigated. Among them the laser light absorption in solid targets. During the interaction with solid targets, high intensity laser pulses are absorbed by electrons in optical skin depths, leading to rapid ionization before that significant ablation of solid material takes place. The ultra-short laser is absorbed in the overdense plasma through the electron-ion collisions (normal skin effect) or collisionless mechanisms (anomalous skin effect or sheath inverse bremsstrahlung). These two regimes depend on the laser intensity, the plasma temperature and the ionization state Z. In this work we solve numerically the Fokker-Planck equation to compute the electron distribution function in the skin layer. In the second step we compute the surface impedance and we deduce the absorption coefficient.

  3. Short sleep duration and obesity among Australian children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gill Tiffany K

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is limited information on sleep duration and obesity among Australian children. The objective of the study is to cross-sectionally examine the relationship between sleep duration and obesity in Australian children aged 5 to 15 years. Methods Data were collected using the South Australian Monitoring and Surveillance System between January 2004 and December 2008. Each month a representative random sample of South Australians are selected from the Electronic White Pages with interviews conducted using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI. Within each household, the person who was last to have a birthday was selected for interview. Parents reported the number of hours their children slept each day. Obesity was defined according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF definition based on BMI calculated from reported body weight and height. Results Overall, parents of 3495 children aged 5-15 years (mean 10.7 years, 50.3% boys were interviewed. The prevalence of obesity was 7.7% (8.9% in boys, 6.6% in girls. In multivariate analysis after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, intake of fruit and vegetables, physical activity and inactivity, the odds ratio (OR for obesity comparing sleeping Conclusion Short sleep duration is associated with increased obesity in children especially among younger age groups and boys.

  4. Femtosecond timing-jitter between photo-cathode laser and ultra-short electron bunches by means of hybrid compression

    CERN Document Server

    Pompili, Riccardo; Bellaveglia, M; Biagioni, A; Castorina, G; Chiadroni, E; Cianchi, A; Croia, M; Di Giovenale, D; Ferrario, M; Filippi, F; Gallo, A; Gatti, G; Giorgianni, F; Giribono, A; Li, W; Lupi, S; Mostacci, A; Petrarca, M; Piersanti, L; Di Pirro, G; Romeo, S; Scifo, J; Shpakov, V; Vaccarezza, C; Villa, F

    2017-01-01

    The generation of ultra-short electron bunches with ultra-low timing-jitter relative to the photo-cathode (PC) laser has been experimentally proved for the first time at the SPARC_LAB test-facility (INFN-LNF, Frascati) exploiting a two-stage hybrid compression scheme. The first stage employs RF-based compression (velocity-bunching), which shortens the bunch and imprints an energy chirp on it. The second stage is performed in a non-isochronous dogleg line, where the compression is completed resulting in a final bunch duration below 90 fs (rms). At the same time, the beam arrival timing-jitter with respect to the PC laser has been measured to be lower than 20 fs (rms). The reported results have been validated with numerical simulations.

  5. Femtosecond timing-jitter between photo-cathode laser and ultra-short electron bunches by means of hybrid compression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pompili, R; Anania, M P; Bellaveglia, M; Biagioni, A; Castorina, G; Chiadroni, E; Croia, M; Giovenale, D Di; Ferrario, M; Gallo, A; Gatti, G; Cianchi, A; Filippi, F; Giorgianni, F; Giribono, A; Lupi, S; Mostacci, A; Petrarca, M; Piersanti, L; Li, W

    2016-01-01

    The generation of ultra-short electron bunches with ultra-low timing-jitter relative to the photo-cathode (PC) laser has been experimentally proved for the first time at the SPARC-LAB test-facility (INFN-LNF, Frascati) exploiting a two-stage hybrid compression scheme. The first stage employs RF-based compression (velocity-bunching), which shortens the bunch and imprints an energy chirp on it. The second stage is performed in a non-isochronous dogleg line, where the compression is completed resulting in a final bunch duration below 90 fs (rms). At the same time, the beam arrival timing-jitter with respect to the PC laser has been measured to be lower than 20 fs (rms). The reported results have been validated with numerical simulations. (paper)

  6. Research with high-power short-wavelength lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holzrichter, J.F.; Campbell, E.M.; Lindl, J.D.; Storm, E.

    1985-01-01

    Three important high-temperature, high-density experiments were conducted recently using the 10-TW, short-wavelength Novette laser system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. These experiments demonstrated successful solutions to problems that arose during previous experiments with long wavelength lasers (lambda greater than or equal to 1μm) in which inertial confinement fusion (ICF), x-ray laser, and other high-temperature physics concepts were being tested. The demonstrations were: (1) large-scale plasmas (typical dimensions of up to 1000 laser wavelengths) were produced in which potentially deleterious laser-plasma instabilities were collisionally damped. (2) Deuterium-tritium fuel was imploded to a density of 20 g/cm 3 and a pressure of 10 10 atm. (3) A 700-fold amplification of soft x rays by stimulated emission at 206 and 209 A (62 eV) from Se +24 ions was observed in a laser-generated plasma. Isoelectronic scaling to 155 A (87 eV) in Y +29 was also demonstrated

  7. Characterization and modeling of soft x-ray lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wan, A.S.; Cauble, R.; Celliers, P.; DaSilva, L.B.; Libby, S.B.; London, R.A.; Nilsen, J.; Moreno, J.C.; Weber, F.

    1995-01-01

    This paper describes our theoretical, numerical, and experimental development of short-pulse-duration, high brightness, and enhanced coherence x-ray lasers (XRLs) as sources suitable for applications as imaging diagnostics for laser plasmas

  8. Prevalence and impact of short sleep duration in redeployed OIF soldiers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luxton, David D; Greenburg, David; Ryan, Jenny; Niven, Alexander; Wheeler, Gary; Mysliwiec, Vincent

    2011-09-01

    Short sleep duration (SSD) is common among deployed soldiers. The prevalence of SSD during redeployment, however, is unknown. Cross-sectional study of a brigade combat team (n = 3152 US Army soldiers) surveyed 90-180 days after completing a 6-15 month deployment to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Survey items targeted sleep habits and comorbid medical conditions. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate adjusted odds ratios of medical comorbidities associated with SSD. US Army Infantry Post. All soldiers from a redeploying brigade combat team participated in a health assessment between 90 and 180 days upon return to Ft. Lewis from Iraq. None. A total of 2738 (86.9%) soldiers answered questions regarding self-perceived sleep and were included in the analysis. Mean sleep duration was 5.8 ± 1.2 hours. Nineteen hundred fifty-nine (72%) slept ≤ 6 h, but only 16% reported a daytime nap or felt their job performance was affected due to lack of sleep. Short sleep was more common among soldiers who reported combat exposure. After controlling for combat exposure, short sleep duration (SSD) was associated with symptoms of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, panic syndrome, and with high-risk health behaviors such as abuse of tobacco and alcohol products, and suicide attempts. SSD is common among redeployed soldiers. Soldiers who experienced combat are at increased risk for persistent SSD and comorbidities associated with SSD. Efforts to reestablish good sleep habits and aggressive evaluation of soldiers with persistent SSD following deployment may aid in the prevention and management of associated medical conditions.

  9. The insomnia with short sleep duration phenotype: an update on it's importance for health and prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez-Mendoza, Julio

    2017-01-01

    It was first proposed in the late 1990s that objective markers of sleep disturbance could serve as an index of the biological severity of insomnia. In 2013, a heuristic model of two insomnia phenotypes based on objective sleep duration was proposed. Herein, we review the studies conducted in the past 3 years on the insomnia with short sleep duration phenotype and its implications for a clinical research agenda. Studies have shown that insomnia with objective short sleep duration is associated with physiologic hyperarousal and cardiometabolic and neurocognitive morbidity, whereas insomnia with normal sleep duration is not. Both insomnia phenotypes are associated with psychiatric morbidity albeit through different psychobiological mechanisms. Novel recent studies have included occupational outcomes, developmental approaches, at-home objective sleep testing, diagnostic accuracy measures, and response to cognitive-behavioral treatment. Accumulating evidence in the past years has continued to support that insomnia with short sleep duration is a more severe phenotype of the disorder associated with physiologic changes, significant morbidity and mortality and, potentially, a differential response to treatment.

  10. Laser spectroscopy of the products of photoevaporation with a short-wavelength (λ = 193 nm) excimer laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gochelashvili, K S; Zemskov, M E; Evdokimova, O N; Mikhkel'soo, V T; Prokhorov, A M

    1999-01-01

    An excimer laser spectrometer was designed and constructed. It consists of a high-vacuum interaction chamber, a short-wavelength (λ = 193 nm) excimer ArF laser used for evaporation, a probe dye laser pumped by an XeCl excimer laser, and a system for recording a laser-induced fluorescence signal. This spectrometer was used to investigate nonthermal mechanisms of photoevaporation of a number of wide-gap dielectrics. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

  11. Theory and simulation of ultra-short pulse laser interactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    More, R; Walling, R; Price, D; Guethlein, G; Stewart, R; Libby, S; Graziani, F; Levatin, J [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Livermore, CA (United States)

    1998-03-01

    This paper describes recent Livermore work aimed at building computational tools to describe ultra-short pulse laser plasmas. We discuss calculations of laser absorption, atomic data for high-charge ions, and a new idea for linear-response treatment of non-equilibrium phenomena near LTE. (author)

  12. Role of Laser Power, Wavelength, and Pulse Duration in Laser Assisted Tin-Induced Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. B. Neimash

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This work describes tin-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon studied with Raman spectroscopy in thin-film structures Si-Sn-Si irradiated with pulsed laser light. We have found and analyzed dependencies of the nanocrystals’ size and concentration on the laser pulse intensity for 10 ns and 150 μm duration laser pulses at the wavelengths of 535 nm and 1070 nm. Efficient transformation of the amorphous silicon into a crystalline phase during the 10 ns time interval of the acting laser pulse in the 200 nm thickness films of the amorphous silicon was demonstrated. The results were analyzed theoretically by modeling the spatial and temporal distribution of temperature in the amorphous silicon sample within the laser spot location. Simulations confirmed importance of light absorption depth (irradiation wavelength in formation and evolution of the temperature profile that affects the crystallization processes in irradiated structures.

  13. Short-term memory for event duration: modality specificity and goal dependency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Kohske; Watanabe, Katsumi

    2012-11-01

    Time perception is involved in various cognitive functions. This study investigated the characteristics of short-term memory for event duration by examining how the length of the retention period affects inter- and intramodal duration judgment. On each trial, a sample stimulus was followed by a comparison stimulus, after a variable delay period (0.5-5 s). The sample and comparison stimuli were presented in the visual or auditory modality. The participants determined whether the comparison stimulus was longer or shorter than the sample stimulus. The distortion pattern of subjective duration during the delay period depended on the sensory modality of the comparison stimulus but was not affected by that of the sample stimulus. When the comparison stimulus was visually presented, the retained duration of the sample stimulus was shortened as the delay period increased. Contrarily, when the comparison stimulus was presented in the auditory modality, the delay period had little to no effect on the retained duration. Furthermore, whenever the participants did not know the sensory modality of the comparison stimulus beforehand, the effect of the delay period disappeared. These results suggest that the memory process for event duration is specific to sensory modality and that its performance is determined depending on the sensory modality in which the retained duration will be used subsequently.

  14. Analyses of Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Cerebrospinal Fluid Dynamics Pre and Post Short and Long-Duration Space Flights

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alperin, Noam; Barr, Yael; Lee, Sang H.; Mason,Sara; Bagci, Ahmet M.

    2015-01-01

    Preliminary results are based on analyses of data from 17 crewmembers. The initial analysis compares pre to post-flight changes in total cerebral blood flow (CBF) and craniospinal CSF flow volume. Total CBF is obtained by summation of the mean flow rates through the 4 blood vessels supplying the brain (right and left internal carotid and vertebral arteries). Volumetric flow rates were obtained using an automated lumen segmentation technique shown to have 3-4-fold improved reproducibility and accuracy over manual lumen segmentation (6). Two cohorts, 5 short-duration and 8 long-duration crewmembers, who were scanned within 3 to 8 days post landing were included (4 short-duration crewmembers with MRI scans occurring beyond 10 days post flight were excluded). The VIIP Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) classification is being used initially as a measure for VIIP syndrome severity. Median CPG scores of the short and long-duration cohorts were similar, 2. Mean preflight total CBF for the short and long-duration cohorts were similar, 863+/-144 and 747+/-119 mL/min, respectively. Percentage CBF changes for all short duration crewmembers were 11% or lower, within the range of normal physiological fluctuations in healthy individuals. In contrast, in 4 of the 8 long-duration crewmembers, the change in CBF exceeded the range of normal physiological fluctuation. In 3 of the 4 subjects an increase in CBF was measured. Large pre to post-flight changes in the craniospinal CSF flow volume were found in 6 of the 8 long-duration crewmembers. Box-Whisker plots of the CPG and the percent CBF and CSF flow changes for the two cohorts are shown in Figure 4. Examples of CSF flow waveforms for a short and two long-duration (CPG 0 and 3) are shown in Figure 5. Changes in CBF and CSF flow dynamics larger than normal physiological fluctuations were observed in the long-duration crewmembers. Changes in CSF flow were more pronounced than changes in CBF. Decreased CSF flow dynamics were observed

  15. Gas temperature measurements in short duration turbomachinery test facilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cattafesta, L. N.; Epstein, A. H.

    1988-07-01

    Thermocouple rakes for use in short-duration turbomachinery test facilities have been developed using very fine thermocouples. Geometry variations were parametrically tested and showed that bare quartz junction supports (76 microns in diameter) yielded superior performance, and were rugged enough to survive considerable impact damage. Using very low cost signal conditioning electronics, temperature accuracies of 0.3 percent were realized yielding turbine efficiency measurements at the 1-percent level. Ongoing work to improve this accuracy is described.

  16. Research on imploded plasma heating by short pulse laser for fast ignition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodama, R.; Kitagawa, Y.; Mima, K.

    2001-01-01

    Since the peta watt module (PWM) laser was constructed in 1995, investigated are heating processes of imploded plasmas by intense short pulse lasers. In order to heat the dense plasma locally, a heating laser pulse should be guided into compressed plasmas as deeply as possible. Since the last IAEA Fusion Conference, the feasibility of fast ignition has been investigated by using the short pulse GEKKO MII glass laser and the PWM laser with GEKKO XII laser. We found that relativistic electrons are generated efficiently in a preformed plasma to heat dense plasmas. The coupling efficiency of short pulse laser energy to a solid density plasma is 40% when no plasmas are pre-formed, and 20% when a large scale plasma is formed by a long pulse laser pre-irradiation. The experimental results are confirmed by numerical simulations using the simulation code 'MONET' which stands for the Monte-Carlo Electron Transport code developed at Osaka. In the GEKKO XII and PWM laser experiments, intense heating pulses are injected into imploded plasmas. As a result of the injection of heating pulse, it is found that high energy electrons and ions could penetrate into imploded core plasmas to enhance neutron yield by factor 3∼5. (author)

  17. Short distance line of sight laser communication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mudassar, A.A.; Hussain, H.; Jamil-ur-Rehman

    1998-01-01

    Communication methods based on lasers as carrier are well known. In our work we have made a two way laser based communication system for short range (<2 Km) line of sight communication. A small piece of plane mirror (100% reflector) was mounted on the centre of a speaker cone. The speaker was positioned close to the opening of laser such that He-Ne laser beam (10 mW) after reflection from the mirror is directed towards the receiver. There is a pre-amplifier and an amplifier between a microphone and the speaker. When the diagram of the speaker vibrates, it positionally modulates the laser beam. On the receiving end, there is a photo diode, a pre-amplifier, an amplifier and a head phone. So the man on the receiving end can decode the sound signal. On each stage there is a transmitter and a receiver assembled close to each other. So the two way communication is possible in the range 20 to 20 Khz. (author)

  18. Short wavelength laser-plasma interaction experiments in a spherical geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keck, R.L.

    1984-01-01

    Short wavelength (250 to 500 nm) lasers should provide reduced fast electron preheat and increased laser-pellet coupling efficiency when used as laser fusion drivers. As part of an ongoing effort to study short wavelength laser plasm interaction, six beams of the 24 beam OMEGA Nd-glass laser system have been converted to operation at the third harmonic. This system is capable of providing in excess of 250 Joules of 351 nm light on spherical targets at intensities up to 2 x 10/sup 15/ W/cm/sup 2/. To date, experiments have been performed to study the uniformity of irradiation, laser absorption, fast electron production and preheat, energy transport within the target and underdense plasma instabilities. Both x-ray continuum measurements and Kα line measurements indicate that the absorption is dominated by inverse bremsstrahlung. Electron energy transport has been studied using x-ray burn-through and charge collector measurements. The results show that with 351 nm irradiation ablation pressures of order 100 Mbars are generated at intensities of 10/sup 15/ W/cm/sup 2/

  19. A simple analytical infiltration model for short-duration rainfall

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kaiwen; Yang, Xiaohua; Liu, Xiaomang; Liu, Changming

    2017-12-01

    Many infiltration models have been proposed to simulate infiltration process. Different initial soil conditions and non-uniform initial water content can lead to infiltration simulation errors, especially for short-duration rainfall (SHR). Few infiltration models are specifically derived to eliminate the errors caused by the complex initial soil conditions. We present a simple analytical infiltration model for SHR infiltration simulation, i.e., Short-duration Infiltration Process model (SHIP model). The infiltration simulated by 5 models (i.e., SHIP (high) model, SHIP (middle) model, SHIP (low) model, Philip model and Parlange model) were compared based on numerical experiments and soil column experiments. In numerical experiments, SHIP (middle) and Parlange models had robust solutions for SHR infiltration simulation of 12 typical soils under different initial soil conditions. The absolute values of percent bias were less than 12% and the values of Nash and Sutcliffe efficiency were greater than 0.83. Additionally, in soil column experiments, infiltration rate fluctuated in a range because of non-uniform initial water content. SHIP (high) and SHIP (low) models can simulate an infiltration range, which successfully covered the fluctuation range of the observed infiltration rate. According to the robustness of solutions and the coverage of fluctuation range of infiltration rate, SHIP model can be integrated into hydrologic models to simulate SHR infiltration process and benefit the flood forecast.

  20. Laser spectroscopy on atoms and ions using short-wavelength radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larsson, Joergen.

    1994-05-01

    Radiative properties and energy structures in atoms and ions have been investigated using UV/VUV radiation. In order to obtain radiation at short wavelengths, frequency mixing of pulsed laser radiation in crystals and gases has been performed using recently developed frequency-mixing schemes. To allow the study of radiative lifetimes shorter than the pulses from standard Q-switched lasers, different techniques have been used to obtain sufficiently short pulses. The Hanle effect has been employed following pulsed laser excitation for the same purpose. High-resolution spectroscopic techniques have been adapted for use with the broad-band, pulsed laser sources which are readily available in the UV/VUV spectral region. In order to investigate sources of radiation in the XUV and soft X-ray spectral regions, harmonic generation in rare gases has been studied. The generation of coherent radiation by the interaction between laser radiation and relativistic electrons in a synchrotron storage ring has also been investigated. 60 refs

  1. Short sleep duration as a possible cause of obesity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, L S; Danielsen, Karen; Sørensen, T I A

    2011-01-01

    with particular emphasis on prospective studies. The studies showed that short sleep duration is consistently associated with development of obesity in children and young adults, but not consistently so in older adults. We have identified critical aspects of the evidence, and assessed the possibility...... for interpretation of the evidence in terms of causality. We have discussed the requirement of temporal sequence between putative exposure and outcome and the implications of the time lag between them, the problems in adequate measurements of exposure and effects, the possible bidirectional causal effects......Systematic literature search for epidemiological evidence for an association of short sleep with weight gain and eventual development of obesity provided 71 original studies and seven reviews of various subsets of these studies. We have summarized the evidence for such an association...

  2. Experimental tests of induced spatial incoherence using short laser wavelength

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Obenschain, S.P.; Grun, J.; Herbst, M.J.

    1986-01-01

    The authors have developed a laser beam smoothing technique called induced spatial incoherence (ISI), which can produce the highly uniform focal profiles required for direct-drive laser fusion. Uniform well-controlled focal profiles are required to obtain the highly symmetric pellet implosions needed for high-energy gain. In recent experiments, the authors' tested the effects of ISI on high-power laser-target interaction. With short laser wavelength, the coupling physics dramatically improved over that obtained with an ordinary laser beam

  3. Dependence of core heating properties on heating pulse duration and intensity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johzaki, Tomoyuki; Nagatomo, Hideo; Sunahara, Atsushi; Cai, Hongbo; Sakagami, Hitoshi; Mima, Kunioki

    2009-11-01

    In the cone-guiding fast ignition, an imploded core is heated by the energy transport of fast electrons generated by the ultra-intense short-pulse laser at the cone inner surface. The fast core heating (˜800eV) has been demonstrated at integrated experiments with GEKKO-XII+ PW laser systems. As the next step, experiments using more powerful heating laser, FIREX, have been started at ILE, Osaka university. In FIREX-I (phase-I of FIREX), our goal is the demonstration of efficient core heating (Ti ˜ 5keV) using a newly developed 10kJ LFEX laser. In the first integrated experiments, the LFEX laser is operated with low energy mode (˜0.5kJ/4ps) to validate the previous GEKKO+PW experiments. Between the two experiments, though the laser energy is similar (˜0.5kJ), the duration is different; ˜0.5ps in the PW laser and ˜ 4ps in the LFEX laser. In this paper, we evaluate the dependence of core heating properties on the heating pulse duration on the basis of integrated simulations with FI^3 (Fast Ignition Integrated Interconnecting) code system.

  4. Effect of active warm-up duration on morning short-term maximal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To examine the effect of active warm-up duration on short-term maximal performance assessed during Ramadan in the morning. Methods: Twelve healthy active men performed four Wingate tests for measurement of peak power and mean power before and during Ramadan at 09:00 a.m. The tests were performed ...

  5. Evaluation of cytogenetic effects of very short laser pulsed radiations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guedeney, G.; Courant, D.; Malarbet, J.-L.; Dolloy, M.-T.; Court, L.

    1992-01-01

    The aim of this study is to evaluate the capacity of a laser, delivering very short pulses in the near infrared spectrum with a high pulse ratio frequency, to induce genetic modification on biological tissues. Chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations studies are used to test potential effect on human lymphocytes. The laser irradiation induces a significant increase of acentric fragments but the absence of dicentric suggests that a repetitive very short pulses irradiation has a relatively low capacity to induce genetic abnormalities. (author)

  6. Extending ultra-short pulse laser texturing over large area

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mincuzzi, G., E-mail: girolamo.mincuzzi@alphanov.com; Gemini, L.; Faucon, M.; Kling, R.

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • We carried out metal surface texturing (Ripples, micro grooves, Spikes) using a high power, high repetition rate, industrial, Ultra-short pulses laser. • Extremely Fast processing is shown (Laser Scan speed as high as 90 m/s) with a polygon scanner head. • Stainless steel surface blackening with Ultra-short pulses laser has been obtained with unprecedented scanspeed. • Full SEM surface characterization was carried out for all the different structures obtained. • Reflectance measurements were carried out to characterize surface reflectance. - Abstract: Surface texturing by Ultra-Short Pulses Laser (UPL) for industrial applications passes through the use of both fast beam scanning systems and high repetition rate, high average power P, UPL. Nevertheless unwanted thermal effects are expected when P exceeds some tens of W. An interesting strategy for a reliable heat management would consists in texturing with a low fluence values (slightly higher than the ablation threshold) and utilising a Polygon Scanner Heads delivering laser pulses with unrepeated speed. Here we show for the first time that with relatively low fluence it is possible over stainless steel, to obtain surface texturing by utilising a 2 MHz femtosecond laser jointly with a polygonal scanner head in a relatively low fluence regime (0.11 J cm{sup −2}). Different surface textures (Ripples, micro grooves and spikes) can be obtained varying the scan speed from 90 m s{sup −1} to 25 m s{sup −1}. In particular, spikes formation process has been shown and optimised at 25 m s{sup −1} and a full morphology characterization by SEM has been carried out. Reflectance measurements with integrating sphere are presented to compare reference surface with high scan rate textures. In the best case we show a black surface with reflectance value < 5%.

  7. High beam quality and high energy short-pulse laser with MOPA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Quanwei; Pang, Yu; Jiang, JianFeng; Tan, Liang; Cui, Lingling; Wei, Bin; Sun, Yinhong; Tang, Chun

    2018-03-01

    A high energy, high beam quality short-pulse diode-pumped Nd:YAG master oscillator power-amplifier (MOPA) laser with two amplifier stages is demonstrated. The two-rod birefringence compensation was used as beam quality controlling methods, which presents a short-pulse energy of 40 mJ with a beam quality value of M2 = 1.2 at a repetition rate of 400Hz. The MOPA system delivers a short-pulse energy of 712.5 mJ with a pulse width of 12.4 ns.The method of spherical aberration compensation is improved the beam quality, a M2 factor of 2.3 and an optical-to-optical efficiency of 27.7% is obtained at the maximum laser out power.The laser obtained 1.4J out energy with polarization integration.

  8. Short Duration Heat Acclimation in Australian Football Players

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica Kelly, Paul B. Gastin, Daniel B Dwyer, Simon Sostaric, Rodney J. Snow

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This study examined if five sessions of short duration (27 min, high intensity, interval training (HIIT in the heat over a nine day period would induce heat acclimation in Australian football (AF players. Fourteen professional AF players were matched for VO2peak (mL·kg-1·min-1 and randomly allocated into either a heat acclimation (Acc (n = 7 or Control (Con group (n = 7. The Acc completed five cycle ergometer HIIT sessions within a nine day period on a cycle ergometer in the heat (38.7 ± 0.5 °C; 34.4 ± 1.3 % RH, whereas Con trained in thermo-neutral conditions (22.3 ± 0.2 °C; 35.8 ± 0. % RH. Four days prior and two days post HIIT participants undertook a 30 min constant load cycling test at 60% VO2peak in the heat (37.9 ± 0.1 °C; 28.5 ± 0.7 % RH during which VO2, blood lactate concentration ([Lac-], heart rate (HR, rating of perceived exertion (RPE, thermal comfort, core and skin temperatures were measured. Heat acclimation resulted in reduced RPE, thermal comfort and [Lac-] (all p < 0.05 during the submaximal exercise test in the heat. Heart rate was lower (p = 0.007 after HIIT, in both groups. Heat acclimation did not influence any other measured variables. In conclusion, five short duration HIIT sessions in hot dry conditions induced limited heat acclimation responses in AF players during the in-season competition phase. In practice, the heat acclimation protocol can be implemented in a professional team environment; however the physiological adaptations resulting from such a protocol were limited.

  9. Higher coherent x-ray laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hasegawa, Noboru; Nagashima, Keisuke; Kawachi, Tetsuya

    2001-01-01

    X-ray lasers generated by an ultra short pulse laser have advantages such as monochromatic, short pulse duration, small beam divergence, high intensity, and coherence. Spatial coherence is most important for applications, we have investigated the transient collisional excitation (TCE) scheme x-ray laser lasing from Ne-like titanium (31.6 nm), Ne-like silver (13.9 nm) and tin (11.9 nm). However, the spatial coherence was not so good with this scheme. We have been studying to improve the spatial coherence of the x-ray laser and have proposed to use coherent seed light tuned to the x-ray laser wavelength generated from higher harmonics generation (HHG), which is introduced to the x-ray laser medium (Ne-like titanium, Ni-like silver plasmas). We present about the theoretical study of the coupling efficiency HHG light with x-ray laser medium. (author)

  10. Short Pulse Laser Applications Design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Town, R.J.; Clark, D.S.; Kemp, A.J.; Lasinski, B.F.; Tabak, M.

    2008-01-01

    We are applying our recently developed, LDRD-funded computational simulation tool to optimize and develop applications of Fast Ignition (FI) for stockpile stewardship. This report summarizes the work performed during a one-year exploratory research LDRD to develop FI point designs for the National Ignition Facility (NIF). These results were sufficiently encouraging to propose successfully a strategic initiative LDRD to design and perform the definitive FI experiment on the NIF. Ignition experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) will begin in 2010 using the central hot spot (CHS) approach, which relies on the simultaneous compression and ignition of a spherical fuel capsule. Unlike this approach, the fast ignition (FI) method separates fuel compression from the ignition phase. In the compression phase, a laser such as NIF is used to implode a shell either directly, or by x rays generated from the hohlraum wall, to form a compact dense (∼300 g/cm 3 ) fuel mass with an areal density of ∼3.0 g/cm 2 . To ignite such a fuel assembly requires depositing ∼20kJ into a ∼35 (micro)m spot delivered in a short time compared to the fuel disassembly time (∼20ps). This energy is delivered during the ignition phase by relativistic electrons generated by the interaction of an ultra-short high-intensity laser. The main advantages of FI over the CHS approach are higher gain, a lower ignition threshold, and a relaxation of the stringent symmetry requirements required by the CHS approach. There is worldwide interest in FI and its associated science. Major experimental facilities are being constructed which will enable 'proof of principle' tests of FI in integrated subignition experiments, most notably the OMEGA-EP facility at the University of Rochester's Laboratory of Laser Energetics and the FIREX facility at Osaka University in Japan. Also, scientists in the European Union have recently proposed the construction of a new FI facility, called HiPER, designed to

  11. Short-duration Lensing Events: Wide-orbit Planets? Free-floating Dwarfs? Or Hypervelocity Stellar Remnants?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Stefano, Rosanne; Patel, B.; Kallivayalil, N.; Primini, F. A.

    2009-01-01

    Ongoing microlensing observations by OGLE and MOA regularly detect and conduct high-cadence sampling of lensing events with Einstein diameter crossing times shorter than a few days. We show that many short-duration events are likely to have been caused by planet-mass or brown-dwarf lenses. Many of these low-mass lenses are located within a kpc. Information about some individual systems can be derived through a combination of lensing, radial velocity, and transit studies. The present discovery rate is high enough that the study of short-duration events could soon become the primary channel for planet detection via microlensing. We develop a protocol for observing and modeling these events, and apply it to archived data. A small number of short events may be caused by hypervelocity (v 10^3 km/s) masses located within a kpc.

  12. Continuous analysis of parotid saliva during resting and short-duration simulated chewing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Neyraud, E.; Bult, J.H.F.; Dransfield, E.

    2009-01-01

    Objective: Parotid saliva flow is increased by mastication and its composition is also modified. The aim of this work was to clarify the relationships between flow rate, pH and protein concentration, during resting and short-duration simulated chewing, using continuous and fractional saliva

  13. Generation of short optical pulses for laser fusion. M.L. report No. 2451

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuizenga, D.J.

    1975-06-01

    This report considers some of the problems involved in generating the required short pulses for the laser-fusion program. Short pulses are required to produce the laser fusion, and pulses produced synchronously with this primary pulse are required for plasma diagnostics. The requirements of these pulses are first described. Several methods are considered in order to generate pulses at 1.064 μ to drive the Nd:Glass amplifiers to produce laser fusion. Conditions for optimum energy extraction per short pulse for Nd:YAG and Nd:Glass lasers are given. Four methods are then considered to produce these pulses: (1) using a fast switch to chop the required pulse out of a much longer Q-switched pulse; (2) active mode locking; (3) passive mode locking; and (4) a combination of active and passive mode locking. The use of cavity dumping is also considered to increase the energy per short pulse

  14. High power, short pulses ultraviolet laser for the development of a new x-ray laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meixler, L.; Nam, C.H.; Robinson, J.; Tighe, W.; Krushelnick, K.; Suckewer, S.; Goldhar, J.; Seely, J.; Feldman, U.

    1989-04-01

    A high power, short pulse ultraviolet laser system (Powerful Picosecond-Laser) has been developed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) as part of experiments designed to generate shorter wavelength x-ray lasers. With the addition of pulse compression and a final KrF amplifier the laser output is expected to have reached 1/3-1/2 TW (10 12 watts) levels. The laser system, particularly the final amplifier, is described along with some initial soft x-ray spectra from laser-target experiments. The front end of the PP-Laser provides an output of 20--30 GW (10 9 watts) and can be focussed to intensities of /approximately/10 16 W/cm 2 . Experiments using this output to examine the effects of a prepulse on laser-target interaction are described. 19 refs., 14 figs

  15. The Central Engines of Short-Duration Gamma-Ray Bursts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metzger, Brian; Arcones, A.; Quataert, E.; Martinez-Pinedo, G.

    2010-01-01

    One of the most important discoveries made with Swift is that long and short-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) originate from distinct stellar progenitors. While long GRBs track ongoing star formation and result from the deaths of massive stars, short GRBs have been localized to both early and late-type galaxies, suggesting a more evolved progenitor population. Although the origin of short GRBs remains a mystery, the most popular and well-studied model is accretion following the merger of neutron star binaries. This model is qualitatively consistent with both the demographics of short GRBs and the lack of a bright associated supernova in some cases. Despite these successes, this picture has grown complex with the discovery that short GRBs are often followed by a "tail" of emission (usually soft X-rays) lasting 100 seconds after the burst. Such energetic, late-time emission from the central engine is difficult to explain in standard merger pictures. One proposed explanation is late-time "fall-back" onto the black hole of material that was ejected during the merger into highly eccentric, marginally-bound orbits. As this matter decompresses from nuclear densities, however, it undergoes rapid-neutron capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis, which can release energy comparable to the orbital binding energy. This implies that the r-process (normally thought unimportant dynamically in astrophysical contexts) has important implications for the quantity and time-dependence of fall-back and, ultimately, the source of flaring and identity of the central engine.

  16. A Suborbital Spaceship for Short Duration Space and Microsat Launch

    OpenAIRE

    Bahn, Pat

    2005-01-01

    The TGV Rockets corporation is working on a small Vertical Takeoff Vertical Landing Suborbital Rocketship capable of carrying 1000 kg to 100 km for low cost. This provides unique and interesting capabilities for payload test and qualification, development and short duration experimentation. Theoretical possibilities include micro-sat launch. TGV Rockets was founded in 1997 on a desire to commercialize the Delta Clipper-Experimental (DC-X)1,5,8. Subsequently TGV has been working towards th...

  17. Short-Pulse-Width Repetitively Q-Switched ~2.7-μm Er:Y2O3 Ceramic Laser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaojing Ren

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available A short-pulse-width repetitively Q-switched 2.7-μm Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser is demonstrated using a specially designed mechanical switch, a metal plate carved with slits of both slit-width and duty-cycle optimized. With a 20% transmission output coupler, stable pulse trains with durations (full-width at half-maximum, FWHM of 27–38 ns were generated with a repetition rate within the range of 0.26–4 kHz. The peak power at a 0.26 kHz repetition rate was ~3 kW.

  18. Short-pulse generation in a diode-end-pumped solid-state laser

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Ngcobo, S

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available , Development of High Average Power Picosecond Laser Systems, Opto- Electronic Devices, (2002). INTRODUCTION A Nd:YVO4 modelocked laser has been constructed using a resonator designed according to the theoretical parameters. The laser produced pulses... theoretical PQSML,th of 2.08W. Short-Pulse Generation in a Diode-End-Pumped Solid-State Laser S. Ngcobo1,2, C. Bollig1 and H. Von Bergmann2 1CSIR National Laser Centre, PO Box 395, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa 2Laser Research Center, University...

  19. Laser short-pulse heating of an aluminum thin film: Energy transfer in electron and lattice sub-systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bin Mansoor, Saad; Sami Yilbas, Bekir, E-mail: bsyilbas@kfupm.edu.sa

    2015-08-15

    Laser short-pulse heating of an aluminum thin film is considered and energy transfer in the film is formulated using the Boltzmann equation. Since the heating duration is short and the film thickness is considerably small, thermal separation of electron and lattice sub-systems is incorporated in the analysis. The electron–phonon coupling is used to formulate thermal communication of both sub-systems during the heating period. Equivalent equilibrium temperature is introduced to account for the average energy of all phonons around a local point when they redistribute adiabatically to an equilibrium state. Temperature predictions of the Boltzmann equation are compared with those obtained from the two-equation model. It is found that temperature predictions from the Boltzmann equation differ slightly from the two-equation model results. Temporal variation of equivalent equilibrium temperature does not follow the laser pulse intensity in the electron sub-system. The time occurrence of the peak equivalent equilibrium temperature differs for electron and lattice sub-systems, which is attributed to phonon scattering in the irradiated field in the lattice sub-system. In this case, time shift is observed for occurrence of the peak temperature in the lattice sub-system.

  20. Laser short-pulse heating of an aluminum thin film: Energy transfer in electron and lattice sub-systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bin Mansoor, Saad; Sami Yilbas, Bekir

    2015-01-01

    Laser short-pulse heating of an aluminum thin film is considered and energy transfer in the film is formulated using the Boltzmann equation. Since the heating duration is short and the film thickness is considerably small, thermal separation of electron and lattice sub-systems is incorporated in the analysis. The electron–phonon coupling is used to formulate thermal communication of both sub-systems during the heating period. Equivalent equilibrium temperature is introduced to account for the average energy of all phonons around a local point when they redistribute adiabatically to an equilibrium state. Temperature predictions of the Boltzmann equation are compared with those obtained from the two-equation model. It is found that temperature predictions from the Boltzmann equation differ slightly from the two-equation model results. Temporal variation of equivalent equilibrium temperature does not follow the laser pulse intensity in the electron sub-system. The time occurrence of the peak equivalent equilibrium temperature differs for electron and lattice sub-systems, which is attributed to phonon scattering in the irradiated field in the lattice sub-system. In this case, time shift is observed for occurrence of the peak temperature in the lattice sub-system

  1. Short Duration Heat Acclimation in Australian Football Players.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Monica; Gastin, Paul B; Dwyer, Daniel B; Sostaric, Simon; Snow, Rodney J

    2016-03-01

    This study examined if five sessions of short duration (27 min), high intensity, interval training (HIIT) in the heat over a nine day period would induce heat acclimation in Australian football (AF) players. Fourteen professional AF players were matched for VO2peak (mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) and randomly allocated into either a heat acclimation (Acc) (n = 7) or Control (Con) group (n = 7). The Acc completed five cycle ergometer HIIT sessions within a nine day period on a cycle ergometer in the heat (38.7 ± 0.5 °C; 34.4 ± 1.3 % RH), whereas Con trained in thermo-neutral conditions (22.3 ± 0.2 °C; 35.8 ± 0. % RH). Four days prior and two days post HIIT participants undertook a 30 min constant load cycling test at 60% V̇O2peak in the heat (37.9 ± 0.1 °C; 28.5 ± 0.7 % RH) during which VO2, blood lactate concentration ([Lac(-)]), heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), thermal comfort, core and skin temperatures were measured. Heat acclimation resulted in reduced RPE, thermal comfort and [Lac(-)] (all p competition phase. In practice, the heat acclimation protocol can be implemented in a professional team environment; however the physiological adaptations resulting from such a protocol were limited. Key pointsSome minor heat acclimation adaptations can be induced in professional AF players with five 27 min non-consecutive, short duration HIIT sessions in the heat.The heat acclimation protocol employed in this study was able to be implemented in a professional team sport environment during an actual competitive season.Elevating and maintaining a high core temperature sufficient for heat acclimation likely requires a longer heat training session or some pre-heating prior to exercise.

  2. Quasi-CW diode-pumped self-starting adaptive laser with self-Q-switched output.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, G; Damzen, M J

    2007-05-14

    An investigation is made into a quasi-CW (QCW) diode-pumped holographic adaptive laser utilising an ultra high gain (approximately 10(4)) Nd:YVO(4) bounce amplifier. The laser produces pulses at 1064 nm with energy approximately 0.6 mJ, duration laser configuration, the output was amplified to obtain pulses of approximately 5.6 mJ energy, approximately 7 ns duration and approximately 1 MW peak power. The output spatial quality is also M(2)diode-pumped self-adaptive holographic lasers can provide a useful source of high peak power, short duration pulses with excellent spatial quality and narrow linewidth spectrum.

  3. Short sleep duration and large variability in sleep duration are independently associated with dietary risk factors for obesity in Danish school children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjeldsen, J S; Hjorth, M F; Andersen, Rikke

    2014-01-01

    Background:Lack of sleep and increased consumption of energy-dense foods and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) have all been suggested as factors contributing to the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity.Objective:To evaluate whether objectively measured sleep duration (average and day......-to-day variability) as well as parent-reported sleep problems are independently associated with proposed dietary risk factors for overweight and obesity in 8-11 year old children.Design:In this cross-sectional study data on sleep duration and day-to-day variability in sleep duration were measured in 676 Danish...... and ethnicity).Conclusion:Our study suggests that short sleep duration, high sleep duration variability, and experiencing sleep problems are all associated with a poor, obesity-promoting diet in children.International Journal of Obesity accepted article preview online, 8 August 2013. doi:10.1038/ijo.2013.147....

  4. Growth behavior of laser-induced damage on fused silica optics under UV, ns laser irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negres, Raluca A; Norton, Mary A; Cross, David A; Carr, Christopher W

    2010-09-13

    The growth behavior of laser-induced damage sites is affected by a large number of laser parameters as well as site morphology. Here we investigate the effects of pulse duration on the growth rate of damage sites located on the exit surface of fused silica optics. Results demonstrate a significant dependence of the growth parameters on laser pulse duration at 351 nm from 1 ns to 15 ns, including the observation of a dominant exponential versus linear, multiple-shot growth behavior for long and short pulses, respectively. These salient behaviors are tied to the damage morphology and suggest a shift in the fundamental growth mechanisms for pulses in the 1-5 ns range.

  5. Thin film surface processing by UltraShort Laser Pulses (USLP)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scorticati, D.; Skolski, J.Z.P.; Römer, G.R.B.E.; Huis in 't Veld, A.J.; Workum, M.; Theelen, M.J.; Zeman, M.

    2012-01-01

    In this work, we studied the feasibility of surface texturing of thin molybdenum layers on a borosilicate glass substrate with Ultra-Short Laser Pulses (USLP). Large areas of regular diffraction gratings were produced consisting of Laserinduced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). A short pulsed

  6. Studying the mechanism of micromachining by short pulsed laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gadag, Shiva

    The semiconductor materials like Si and the transparent dielectric materials like glass and quartz are extensively used in optoelectronics, microelectronics, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) industries. The combination of these materials often go hand in hand for applications in MEMS such as in chips for pressure sensors, charge coupled devices (CCD), and photovoltaic (PV) cells for solar energy generation. The transparent negative terminal of the solar cell is made of glass on one surface of the PV cell. The positive terminal (cathode) on the other surface of the solar cell is made of silicon with a glass negative terminal (anode). The digital watches and cell phones, LEDs, micro-lens, optical components, and laser optics are other examples for the application of silicon and or glass. The Si and quartz are materials extensively used in CCD and LED for digital cameras and CD players respectively. Hence, three materials: (1) a semiconductor silicon and transparent dielectrics,- (2) glass, and (3) quartz are chosen for laser micromachining as they have wide spread applications in microelectronics industry. The Q-switched, nanosecond pulsed lasers are most extensively used for micro-machining. The nanosecond type of short pulsed laser is less expensive for the end users than the second type, pico or femto, ultra-short pulsed lasers. The majority of the research work done on these materials (Si, SiO 2, and glass) is based on the ultra-short pulsed lasers. This is because of the cut quality, pin point precision of the drilled holes, formation of the nanometer size microstructures and fine features, and minimally invasive heat affected zone. However, there are many applications such as large surface area dicing, cutting, surface cleaning of Si wafers by ablation, and drilling of relatively large-sized holes where some associated heat affected zone due to melting can be tolerated. In such applications the nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of materials is very

  7. Optical properties of tin oxide nanoparticles prepared by laser ablation in water: Influence of laser ablation time duration and laser fluence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desarkar, Himadri Sankar; Kumbhakar, P.; Mitra, A.K.

    2012-01-01

    Colloidal tin oxide nanoparticles are prepared by laser (having a wavelength of 1064 nm) ablation of tin metallic target immersed in pure deionized water. The influences of laser ablation time and laser fluence on the size and optical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles are studied. Prepared tin oxide nanoparticles are characterized by transmission electron microscope, selected area electron diffraction and UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy. The morphology of prepared tin oxide nanoparticles is found to be mostly spherical and with sizes in the nanometric range (mean radius of 3.2 to 7.3 nm). The measured UV–Visible absorption spectra show the presence of absorption peaks in the ultraviolet region. The band gap energy of samples prepared with different laser ablation time duration is calculated and is found to be increased with decrease in size (radius) of the prepared nanoparticles. Photoluminescence emission measurements at room temperature show that all the samples exhibit photoluminescence in the visible region. The peak photoluminescence emission intensity in the sample prepared with 50 min of laser ablation time is 3.5 times larger than that obtained in the sample prepared with 10 min of laser ablation time. - Highlights: ► SnO 2 nanoparticles (6.4–14.6 nm) are prepared by laser ablation in liquid technique. ► The influences of laser ablation time and laser fluence are studied. ► Samples are characterized by TEM and UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy. ► UV–Visible absorption spectra exhibit quantum confinement effect. ► Samples exhibit enhanced photoluminescence emissions in the visible region.

  8. Analysis of erythema after Er:YAG laser skin resurfacing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Na Young; Ahn, Hyo-Hyun; Kim, Soo-Nam; Kye, Young-Chul

    2007-11-01

    Postoperative erythema can be expected to occur in every patient after laser resurfacing, and pigmentary disturbances may be related to the intensity and the duration of erythema. This study was undertaken to assess the clinical features of erythema, the factors that influence its duration, and the relation between the duration of erythema and the incidence of hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation in skin of Asian persons after Er:YAG laser resurfacing. A total of 218 patients (skin phototypes III to V) were recruited and treated with a short-pulsed Er:YAG laser, a variable-pulsed Er:YAG laser, or a dual-mode Er:YAG laser for skin resurfacing. Clinical assessments were performed retrospectively using medical charts and serial photographs. Postoperative erythema was observed in all patients after Er:YAG laser resurfacing with a mean duration of 4.72 months. In 98.2% of patients, erythema faded completely within 12 months. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation was observed in 38.1% of patients after Er:YAG laser resurfacing. Skin phototype, level of ablation, and depth of thermal damage caused by a long-pulsed laser appear to be important factors that affect the duration of erythema. Moreover, prolonged erythema was related to the risk of postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.

  9. The physics of megajoule, large-scale, and ultrafast short-scale laser plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, E.M.

    1992-01-01

    Recent advances in laser science and technology have opened new possibilities for the study of high energy density plasma physics. The advances include techniques to control the laser spatial and temporal coherence, and the development of laser architectures and optical materials that have led to the demonstration of compact, short pulse (τ≤10 -12 sec) high brightness lasers, capable of irradiating plasmas with intensities ≥10 18 W/cm 2 . Experiments with reduced laser coherence have shown a substantial decrease in laser-driven parametric instabilities and have extended the parameter range where inverse bremsstrahlung absorption is the dominant coupling process. Beam smoothing with short wavelength lasers should result in inverse bremsstrahlung dominated coupling in the irradiance parameter regimes of the millimeter scale-length plasmas envisioned for the megajoule class lasers for ignition and gain in inertial fusion. In addition new regimes of laser--plasma coupling will become experimentally accessible when plasmas are irradiated with I≥10 18 W/cm 2 . Relativistic effects, extreme profile modification, and electrons heated to energies exceeding 1 MeV are several of the phenomena that are expected. Numerous applications in basic and applied plasma physics will result from these new capabilities

  10. Enhancement and stabilization of plasma using collinear long-short double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Minchao; Deguchi, Yoshihiro; Wang, Zhenzhen; Fujita, Yuki; Liu, Renwei; Shiou, Fang-Jung; Zhao, Shengdun

    2018-04-01

    A collinear long-short dual-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (DP-LIBS) method was employed to enhance and stabilize the laser-induced plasma from steel sample. The long-pulse-width laser beam with the pulse width of 60 μs was generated by a Nd: YAG laser which was operated at FR (free running) mode. The comparative experiments were carried out between single pulse LIBS (SP-LIBS) and long-short DP-LIBS. The recorded results showed that the emission intensities and the temperature of plasma were enhanced by long-short DP-LIBS. The plasma images showed that the plasma was bigger and had a longer lifetime in long-short DP-LIBS situation. Through the calculation of time-resolved plasma temperature and intensity ratio, it can be concluded that the plasma was stabilized by the long-pulse-width laser beam. The long-short DP-LIBS method also generated the stable plasma condition from the samples with different initial temperatures, which overcame the difficulties of LIBS in the online measurement for steel production line.

  11. Applications of soft x-ray lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skinner, C.H.

    1993-01-01

    The high brightness and short pulse duration of soft x-ray lasers provide unique advantages for novel applications. Imaging of biological specimens using x-ray lasers has been demonstrated by several groups. Other applications to fields such as chemistry, material science, plasma diagnostics, and lithography are beginning to emerge. We review the current status of soft x-ray lasers from the perspective of applications, and present an overview of the applications currently being developed

  12. Globally coherent short duration magnetic field transients and their effect on ground based gravitational-wave detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kowalska-Leszczynska, Izabela; Bulik, Tomasz; Bizouard, Marie-Anne; Robinet, Florent; Christensen, Nelson; Rohde, Maximilian; Coughlin, Michael; Gołkowski, Mark; Kubisz, Jerzy; Kulak, Andrzej; Mlynarczyk, Janusz

    2017-01-01

    It has been recognized that the magnetic fields from the Schumann resonances could affect the search for a stochastic gravitational-wave background by LIGO and Virgo. Presented here are the observations of short duration magnetic field transients that are coincident in the magnetometers at the LIGO and Virgo sites. Data from low-noise magnetometers in Poland and Colorado, USA, are also used and show short duration magnetic transients of global extent. We measure at least 2.3 coincident (between Poland and Colorado) magnetic transient events per day where one of the pulses exceeds 200 pT. Given the recently measured values of the magnetic coupling to differential arm motion for Advanced LIGO, there would be a few events per day that would appear simultaneously at the gravitational-wave detector sites and could move the test masses of order 10 −18 m. We confirm that in the advanced detector era short duration transient gravitational-wave searches must account for correlated magnetic field noise in the global detector network. (paper)

  13. OMEGA: a short-wavelength laser for fusion experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soures, J.M.; Hutchison, R.J.; Jacobs, S.D.; Lund, L.D.; McCrory, R.L.; Richardson, M.C.

    1983-01-01

    The OMEGA, Nd:glass laser facility was constructed for the purpose of investigating the feasibility of direct-drive laser fusion. With 24 beams producing a total energy of 4 kJ or a peak power of 12 TW, OMEGA is capable of nearly uniform illumination of spherical targets. Six of the OMEGA beams have recently been converted to short-wavelength operation (351 nm). In this paper, we discuss details of the system design and performance, with particular emphasis on the frequency-conversion system and multi-wavelength diagnostic system

  14. Erosion resistant anti-ice surfaces generated by ultra short laser pulses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Del Cerro, D.A.; Römer, G.R.B.E.; Huis in't Veld, A.J.

    2010-01-01

    Wetting properties of a wide range of materials can be modified by accurate laser micromachining with ultra short laser pulses. Controlling the surface topography in a micro and sub-micrometer scale allows the generation of water-repellent surfaces, which remain dry and prevent ice accumulation

  15. Simulation of intense short-pulse laser-plasma interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamagiwa, Mitsuru

    2000-01-01

    We have completed the massive parallelization of a 2-dimensional giga-particle code and have achieved a 530-fold acceleration rate with 512 processing elements (PE's). Using this we have implemented a simulation of the interaction of a solid thin film and a high intensity laser and have discovered a phenomenon in which high quality short pulses from the far ultraviolet to soft X-rays are generated at the back surface of the thin layer. We have also introduced the atomic process database code (Hullac) and have the possibility for high precision simulations of X-ray laser radiation. With respect to laser acceleration we have the possibility to quantitatively evaluate relativistic self-focusing assumed to occur in higher intensity fields. Ion acceleration from a solid target and an underdense plasma irradiated by an intense and an ultra intense laser, respectively, has also been studied by particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. (author)

  16. Steady-state pattern electroretinogram and short-duration transient visual evoked potentials in glaucomatous and healthy eyes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amarasekera, Dilru C; Resende, Arthur F; Waisbourd, Michael; Puri, Sanjeev; Moster, Marlene R; Hark, Lisa A; Katz, L Jay; Fudemberg, Scott J; Mantravadi, Anand V

    2018-01-01

    This study evaluates two rapid electrophysiological glaucoma diagnostic tests that may add a functional perspective to glaucoma diagnosis. This study aimed to determine the ability of two office-based electrophysiological diagnostic tests, steady-state pattern electroretinogram and short-duration transient visual evoked potentials, to discern between glaucomatous and healthy eyes. This is a cross-sectional study in a hospital setting. Forty-one patients with glaucoma and 41 healthy volunteers participated in the study. Steady-state pattern electroretinogram and short-duration transient visual evoked potential testing was conducted in glaucomatous and healthy eyes. A 64-bar-size stimulus with both a low-contrast and high-contrast setting was used to compare steady-state pattern electroretinogram parameters in both groups. A low-contrast and high-contrast checkerboard stimulus was used to measure short-duration transient visual evoked potential parameters in both groups. Steady-state pattern electroretinogram parameters compared were MagnitudeD, MagnitudeD/Magnitude ratio, and the signal-to-noise ratio. Short-duration transient visual evoked potential parameters compared were amplitude and latency. MagnitudeD was significantly lower in glaucoma patients when using a low-contrast (P = 0.001) and high-contrast (P state pattern electroretinogram stimulus. MagnitudeD/Magnitude ratio and SNR were significantly lower in the glaucoma group when using a high-contrast 64-bar-size stimulus (P state pattern electroretinogram was effectively able to discern between glaucomatous and healthy eyes. Steady-state pattern electroretinogram may thus have a role as a clinically useful electrophysiological diagnostic tool. © 2017 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

  17. Study of helium and beryllium atoms with strong and short laser field; Etude des atomes d'helium et de beryllium en champ laser intense et bref

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laulan, St

    2004-09-01

    We present a theoretical study of the interaction between a two-active electron atom and an intense (10{sup 14} to 10{sup 15} W/cm{sup 2}) and ultrashort (from a few 10{sup -15} to a few 10{sup -18} s) laser field. In the first part, we describe the current experimental techniques able to produce a coherent radiation of high power in the UV-XUV regime and with femtosecond time duration. A theoretical model of a laser pulse is defined with such characteristics. Then, we develop a numerical approach based on B-spline functions to describe the atomic structure of the two-active electron system. A spectral non perturbative method is proposed to solve the time dependent Schroedinger equation. We focalize our attention on the description of the atomic double continuum states. Finally, we expose results on the double ionization of helium and beryllium atoms with intense and short laser field. In particular, we present total cross section calculations and ejected electron energy distributions in the double continuum after one- and two-photon absorption. (author)

  18. Synchronisation of a femtosecond laser and a Q-switched laser to within 50 ps

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katin, E V; Lozhkarev, V V; Palashov, O V; Khazanov, E A

    2003-01-01

    A Nd:YLF laser emitting 2-ns pulses synchronised with a femtosecond Cr:forsterite laser is built. The pulse duration and synchronisation are ensured by two Pockels cells, in which voltage pulses are synchronised with the femtosecond laser by fast emitter-coupled logic elements. One of the Pockels cells ensures Q-switching, while the other cuts a short pulse from a 15-ns Q-switched pulse. The experimental results show that the two-step scheme proposed for synchronisation of a Q-switched laser and a passively mode-locked laser provides quite simple and reliable synchronisation of these lasers with a jitter of a few tens of picoseconds. (control of laser radiation parameters)

  19. Short Duration Small Sided Football and to a Lesser Extent Whole Body Vibration Exercise Induce Acute Changes in Markers of Bone Turnover

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bowtell, J. L.; Jackman, S. R.; Scott, S.

    2016-01-01

    We aimed to study whether short-duration vibration exercise or football sessions of two different durations acutely changed plasma markers of bone turnover and muscle strain. Inactive premenopausal women (n = 56) were randomized to complete a single bout of short (FG15) or long duration (FG60) sm...

  20. Short-term memory for spatial, sequential and duration information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manohar, Sanjay G; Pertzov, Yoni; Husain, Masud

    2017-10-01

    Space and time appear to play key roles in the way that information is organized in short-term memory (STM). Some argue that they are crucial contexts within which other stored features are embedded, allowing binding of information that belongs together within STM. Here we review recent behavioral, neurophysiological and imaging studies that have sought to investigate the nature of spatial, sequential and duration representations in STM, and how these might break down in disease. Findings from these studies point to an important role of the hippocampus and other medial temporal lobe structures in aspects of STM, challenging conventional accounts of involvement of these regions in only long-term memory.

  1. Active mode-locking of mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers with short gain recovery time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yongrui; Belyanin, Alexey

    2015-02-23

    We investigate the dynamics of actively modulated mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) using space- and time-domain simulations of coupled density matrix and Maxwell equations with resonant tunneling current taken into account. We show that it is possible to achieve active mode locking and stable generation of picosecond pulses in high performance QCLs with a vertical laser transition and a short gain recovery time by bias modulation of a short section of a monolithic Fabry-Perot cavity. In fact, active mode locking in QCLs with a short gain recovery time turns out to be more robust to the variation of parameters as compared to previously studied lasers with a long gain recovery time. We investigate the effects of spatial hole burning and phase locking on the laser output.

  2. Porcine skin visible lesion thresholds for near-infrared lasers including modeling at two pulse durations and spot sizes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cain, C P; Polhamus, G D; Roach, W P; Stolarski, D J; Schuster, K J; Stockton, K L; Rockwell, B A; Chen, Bo; Welch, A J

    2006-01-01

    With the advent of such systems as the airborne laser and advanced tactical laser, high-energy lasers that use 1315-nm wavelengths in the near-infrared band will soon present a new laser safety challenge to armed forces and civilian populations. Experiments in nonhuman primates using this wavelength have demonstrated a range of ocular injuries, including corneal, lenticular, and retinal lesions as a function of pulse duration. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) laser safety standards have traditionally been based on experimental data, and there is scant data for this wavelength. We are reporting minimum visible lesion (MVL) threshold measurements using a porcine skin model for two different pulse durations and spot sizes for this wavelength. We also compare our measurements to results from our model based on the heat transfer equation and rate process equation, together with actual temperature measurements on the skin surface using a high-speed infrared camera. Our MVL-ED50 thresholds for long pulses (350 micros) at 24-h postexposure are measured to be 99 and 83 J cm(-2) for spot sizes of 0.7 and 1.3 mm diam, respectively. Q-switched laser pulses of 50 ns have a lower threshold of 11 J cm(-2) for a 5-mm-diam top-hat laser pulse.

  3. 3d particle simulations on ultra short laser interaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nishihara, Katsunobu; Okamoto, Takashi; Yasui, Hidekazu [Osaka Univ., Suita (Japan). Inst. of Laser Engineering

    1998-03-01

    Two topics related to ultra short laser interaction with matter, linear and nonlinear high frequency conductivity of a solid density hydrogen plasma and anisotropic self-focusing of an intense laser in an overdense plasma, have been investigated with the use of 3-d particle codes. Frequency dependence of linear conductivity in a dense plasma is obtained, which shows anomalous conductivity near plasma frequency. Since nonlinear conductivity decreases with v{sub o}{sup -3}, where v{sub o} is a quivering velocity, an optimum amplitude exists leading to a maximum electron heating. Anisotropic self-focusing of a linear polarized intense laser is observed in an overdense plasma. (author)

  4. Histological examination of the oral mucosa after fractional diode laser irradiation with different power and pulse duration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belikov, Andrey V.; Ermolaeva, Ludmila A.; Korzhevsky, Dmitriy E.; Sergeeva, Elena S.; Semyashkina, Yulia V.; Antropova, Maria M.; Fedotov, Denis Y.; Zaitseva, Maria A.; Kashina, Tatiana V.

    2018-04-01

    Optical and histological methods were used to examination of influence the power and pulse duration of 980-nm diode laser to the dimensions and morphology of tissue around fractional micro injuries created by the radiation of that laser in the oral mucosa of rats in vivo. The power of laser radiation (P) varied in the range of 1÷21 W, and its pulse duration (tp) - in the range 50÷500 ms. Histological examination showed that in the mucosa of the oral cavity after the laser fractional irradiation, there following effects are found: a tissue defect, a transudate in the lumen of ablative micro injury, stretching and compacting effect of the nuclei of the basal epithelium, the disappearance of granules of the keratohialin, destroying the structure of the connective tissue, erythrocyte stasis in the vessels, the disappearance of transverse striation in the muscle fibers in muscle layer. It has been found that ablative micro injury begins to form up at P = 5 W, tp = 100 ms and affects only the epithelial layer of the mucosa. At P = 7 W, tp = 120 ms, the ratio of width to depth of ablative micro injury is 1 : 1, and at P = 10 W, tp = 100 ms, an ablative micro column with ratio of 1 : 1.5 is formed in the epithelial and submucosal layers of the mucosa. The laser effect with P = 15 W, tp = 200 ms leads to lengthening of the ablation micro-column to 1 : 2, with the bottom of the ablative micro column reaching the muscular layer. With a further growth of laser power or pulse duration, the width of the micro injury increases, and the growth of the micro injury depth is slowed down so that the micro column buildup is ceased.

  5. On the pressure response in the brain due to short duration blunt impacts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher W Pearce

    Full Text Available When the head is subject to non-penetrating (blunt impact, contusion-type injuries are commonly identified beneath the impact site (the coup and, in some instances, at the opposite pole (the contre-coup. This pattern of injury has long eluded satisfactory explanation and blunt head injury mechanisms in general remain poorly understood. There are only a small number of studies in the open literature investigating the head's response to short duration impacts, which can occur in collisions with light projectiles. As such, the head impact literature to date has focussed almost exclusively on impact scenarios which lead to a quasi-static pressure response in the brain. In order to investigate the response of the head to a wide range of impact durations, parametric numerical studies were performed on a highly bio-fidelic finite element model of the human head created from in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan data with non-linear tissue material properties. We demonstrate that short duration head impacts can lead to potentially deleterious transients of positive and negative intra-cranial pressure over an order of magnitude larger than those observed in the quasi-static regime despite reduced impact force and energy. The onset of this phenomenon is shown to be effectively predicted by the ratio of impact duration to the period of oscillation of the first ovalling mode of the system. These findings point to dramatically different pressure distributions in the brain and hence different patterns of injury depending on projectile mass, and provide a potential explanation for dual coup/contre-coup injuries observed clinically.

  6. Short sleep duration is associated with eating more carbohydrates and less dietary fat in Mexican American Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Short sleep duration is a risk factor for childhood obesity. Mechanisms are unclear, but may involve selection of high carbohydrate foods. This study examined the association between estimated sleep duration and macronutrient intake as percentages of total energy among Mexican American (MA) 9-11 yea...

  7. Ultra-short laser processing of transparent material at the interface to liquid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boehme, R; Pissadakis, S; Ehrhardt, M; Ruthe, D; Zimmer, K

    2006-01-01

    Similarly to laser-induced backside wet etching (LIBWE) with nanosecond ultraviolet (ns UV) laser pulses, the irradiation of the solid/liquid interface of fused silica with sub-picosecond (sub-ps) UV and femtosecond near infrared (fs NIR) laser pulses results in etching of the fused silica surface and deposition of decomposition products from liquid. Furthermore, the etch threshold is reduced compared with both direct ablation with an fs laser in air and backside etching with UV ns pulses. Using 0.5 M pyrene/toluene as absorbing liquid, the thresholds were determined to be 70 mJ cm -2 (sub-ps UV) and 330 mJ cm -2 (fs NIR). Furthermore, an almost linear increase in the etch rate with increasing laser fluence was found. The roughness of surfaces backside etched with ultra-short pulses is higher in comparison with ns pulses but lower than that obtained using direct fs laser ablation. Hence a combination of processes involved in fs laser ablation and ns backside etching can be expected. The processes at the ultra-short pulse laser irradiated solid/liquid interface are discussed, considering the effects of ultra-fast heating, multi-photon absorption processes, as well as defect generation in the materials

  8. Applying short-duration pulses as a mean to enhance volatile organic compounds removal by air sparging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Neriah, Asaf; Paster, Amir

    2017-10-01

    Application of short-duration pulses of high air pressure, to an air sparging system for groundwater remediation, was tested in a two-dimensional laboratory setup. It was hypothesized that this injection mode, termed boxcar, can enhance the remediation efficiency due to the larger ZOI and enhanced mixing which results from the pressure pulses. To test this hypothesis, flow and transport experiments were performed. Results confirm that cyclically applying short-duration pressure pulses may enhance contaminant cleanup. Comparing the boxcar to conventional continuous air-injection shows up to a three-fold increase in the single well radius of influence, dependent on the intensity of the short-duration pressure-pulses. The cleanup efficiency of Toluene from the water was 95% higher than that achieved under continuous injection with the same average conditions. This improvement was attributed to the larger zone of influence and higher average air permeability achieved in the boxcar mode, relative to continuous sparging. Mixing enhancement resultant from recurring pressure pulses was suggested as one of the mechanisms which enhance the contaminant cleanup. The application of a boxcar mode in an existing, multiwell, air sparging setup can be relatively straightforward: it requires the installation of an on-off valve in each of the injection-wells and a central control system. Then, turning off some of the wells, for a short-duration, result in a stepwise increase in injection pressure in the rest of the wells. It is hoped that this work will stimulate the additional required research and ultimately a field scale application of this new injection mode. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Channels of energy redistribution in short-pulse laser interactions with metal targets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhigilei, Leonid V.; Ivanov, Dmitriy S.

    2005-01-01

    The kinetics and channels of laser energy redistribution in a target irradiated by a short, 1 ps, laser pulse is investigated in computer simulations performed with a model that combines molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a continuum description of the laser excitation and relaxation of the conduction band electrons, based on the two-temperature model (TTM). The energy transferred from the excited electrons to the lattice splits into several parts, namely the energy of the thermal motion of the atoms, the energy of collective atomic motions associated with the relaxation of laser-induced stresses, the energy carried away from the surface region of the target by a stress wave, the energy of quasi-static anisotropic stresses, and, at laser fluences above the melting threshold, the energy transferred to the latent heat of melting and then released upon recrystallization. The presence of the non-thermal channels of energy redistribution (stress wave and quasi-static stresses), not accounted for in the conventional TTM model, can have important implications for interpretation of experimental results on the kinetics of thermal and mechanical relaxation of a target irradiated by a short laser pulse as well as on the characteristics of laser-induced phase transformations. The fraction of the non-thermal energy in the total laser energy partitioning increases with increasing laser fluence

  10. XPS studies of short pulse laser interaction with copper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stefanov, P.; Minkovski, N.; Balchev, I.; Avramova, I.; Sabotinov, N.; Marinova, Ts.

    2006-01-01

    The effect of laser ablation on copper foil irradiated by a short 30 ns laser pulse was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The laser fluence was varied from 8 to 16.5 J/cm 2 and the velocity of the laser beam from 10 to 100 mm/s. This range of laser fluence is characterized by a different intensity of laser ablation. The experiments were done in two kinds of ambient atmosphere: air and argon jet gas. The chemical state and composition of the irradiated copper surface were determined using the modified Auger parameter (α') and O/Cu intensity ratio. The ablation atmosphere was found to influence the size and chemical state of the copper particles deposited from the vapor plume. During irradiation in air atmosphere the copper nanoparticles react with oxygen and water vapor from the air and are deposited in the form of a CuO and Cu(OH) 2 thin film. In argon atmosphere the processed copper surface is oxidized after exposure to air

  11. Ultra short pulse laser generated surface textures for anti-ice applications in aviation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Römer, G.W.; Del Cerro, D.A.; Sipkema, R.C.J.; Groenendijk, M.N.W.; Huis in 't Veld, A.J.

    2009-01-01

    By laser ablation with ultra short laser pulses in the pico- and femto-second range, well controlled dual scaled micro- and nano-scaled surface textures can be obtained. The micro-scale of the texture is mainly determined by the dimensions of the laser spot, whereas the superimposed nano-structure

  12. Diode-pumped solid state laser. (Part V). ; Short pulse laser oscillation. Handotai laser reiki kotai laser. 5. ; Tan pulse hasshin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuwabara, M.; Bando, N. (Asahi Glass Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan))

    1991-12-25

    A semiconductor laser (LD) excited solid state laser using an LD as an excited light source is under discussion for its practical applications to measurements, processing, communications, office automation, and medical areas. This paper describes the discussions given on the short pulse transmission using AOQ switching elements in the LD excited solid state laser with a long wave length band (1.3{mu}m), which is expected of its application in the communications and measurements area. Based on a possibility of raising a measurements resolution by making the pluses in the LD excited solid state laser, and experiments were performed using Nd:YLF as a laser host. as a results, it was found that the smaller the effective mode volume V {sub eff},the smaller the pulse width, and that the ratio of number of initial inversion distribution (N{sub i}/N{sub t}), an important parameter to determine pulse widths, can be obtained from the ratio of the LD exciting light to the input power (P{sub in}/P{sub t}). 7 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.

  13. An exceptionally bright flare from SGR 1806-20 and the origins of short-duration gamma-ray bursts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurley, K; Boggs, S E; Smith, D M; Duncan, R C; Lin, R; Zoglauer, A; Krucker, S; Hurford, G; Hudson, H; Wigger, C; Hajdas, W; Thompson, C; Mitrofanov, I; Sanin, A; Boynton, W; Fellows, C; von Kienlin, A; Lichti, G; Rau, A; Cline, T

    2005-04-28

    Soft-gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) are galactic X-ray stars that emit numerous short-duration (about 0.1 s) bursts of hard X-rays during sporadic active periods. They are thought to be magnetars: strongly magnetized neutron stars with emissions powered by the dissipation of magnetic energy. Here we report the detection of a long (380 s) giant flare from SGR 1806-20, which was much more luminous than any previous transient event observed in our Galaxy. (In the first 0.2 s, the flare released as much energy as the Sun radiates in a quarter of a million years.) Its power can be explained by a catastrophic instability involving global crust failure and magnetic reconnection on a magnetar, with possible large-scale untwisting of magnetic field lines outside the star. From a great distance this event would appear to be a short-duration, hard-spectrum cosmic gamma-ray burst. At least a significant fraction of the mysterious short-duration gamma-ray bursts may therefore come from extragalactic magnetars.

  14. Short-pulse lasers for weather control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, J. P.

    2018-02-01

    Filamentation of ultra-short TW-class lasers recently opened new perspectives in atmospheric research. Laser filaments are self-sustained light structures of 0.1–1 mm in diameter, spanning over hundreds of meters in length, and producing a low density plasma (1015–1017 cm‑3) along their path. They stem from the dynamic balance between Kerr self-focusing and defocusing by the self-generated plasma and/or non-linear polarization saturation. While non-linearly propagating in air, these filamentary structures produce a coherent supercontinuum (from 230 nm to 4 µm, for a 800 nm laser wavelength) by self-phase modulation (SPM), which can be used for remote 3D-monitoring of atmospheric components by Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging). However, due to their high intensity (1013–1014 W cm‑2), they also modify the chemical composition of the air via photo-ionization and photo-dissociation of the molecules and aerosols present in the laser path. These unique properties were recently exploited for investigating the capability of modulating some key atmospheric processes, like lightning from thunderclouds, water vapor condensation, fog formation and dissipation, and light scattering (albedo) from high altitude clouds for radiative forcing management. Here we review recent spectacular advances in this context, achieved both in the laboratory and in the field, reveal their underlying mechanisms, and discuss the applicability of using these new non-linear photonic catalysts for real scale weather control.

  15. UV saturable absorber for short-pulse KrF laser systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nishioka, H.; Kuranishi, H.; Ueda, K.; Takuma, H.

    1989-07-01

    A derivative of the linear tricyclic compound, acridine, is shown to beuseful as a saturable absorber for short-pulse KrF lasers. The saturationcharacteristics and absorption recovery of a methanol solution of acridine for a20-psec KrF laser pulse are reported. We obtain a saturation fluence of 1.2mJ/cm/sup 2/ and a ratio of the primary to the excited absorption cross sectionof 6.25:1.

  16. A 'kilonova' associated with the short-duration γ-ray burst GRB 130603B

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tanvir, N. R.; Levan, A. J.; Fruchter, A. S.

    2013-01-01

    Short-duration γ-ray bursts are intense flashes of cosmic γ-rays, lasting less than about two seconds, whose origin is unclear. The favoured hypothesis is that they are produced by a relativistic jet created by the merger of two compact stellar objects (specifically two neutron stars or a neutron...... detection of gravitational waves....

  17. Nonlinear dynamics in integrated coupled DFB lasers with ultra-short delay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Dong; Sun, Changzheng; Xiong, Bing; Luo, Yi

    2014-03-10

    We report rich nonlinear dynamics in integrated coupled lasers with ultra-short coupling delay. Mutually stable locking, period-1 oscillation, frequency locking, quasi-periodicity and chaos are observed experimentally. The dynamic behaviors are reproduced numerically by solving coupled delay differential equations that take the variation of both frequency detuning and coupling phase into account. Moreover, it is pointed out that the round-trip frequency is not involved in the above nonlinear dynamical behaviors. Instead, the relationship between the frequency detuning Δν and the relaxation oscillation frequency νr under mutual injection are found to be critical for the various observed dynamics in mutually coupled lasers with very short delay.

  18. Proof on principle experiments of laser wakefield acceleration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakajima, K.; Kawakubo, T.; Nakanishi, H.

    1994-01-01

    The principle of laser wakefield particle acceleration has been tested by the Nd:glass laser system providing a short pulse with a power of 10 TW and a duration of 1 ps. Electrons accelerated up to 18 MeV/c have been observed by injecting 1 MeV/c electrons emitted from a solid target by an intense laser impact. The accelerating field gradient of 30 GeV/m is inferred. (author)

  19. Annealing of SnO2 thin films by ultra-short laser pulses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scorticati, D.; Illiberi, A.; Bor, T.; Eijt, S.W.H.; Schut, H.; Römer, G.R.B.E.; Lange, D.F. de; Huis In't Veld, A.J.

    2014-01-01

    Post-deposition annealing by ultra-short laser pulses can modify the optical properties of SnO2 thin films by means of thermal processing. Industrial grade SnO2 films exhibited improved optical properties after picosecond laser irradiation, at the expense of a slightly increased sheet resistance

  20. Laser-accelerated particle beams for stress testing of materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barberio, M; Scisciò, M; Vallières, S; Cardelli, F; Chen, S N; Famulari, G; Gangolf, T; Revet, G; Schiavi, A; Senzacqua, M; Antici, P

    2018-01-25

    Laser-driven particle acceleration, obtained by irradiation of a solid target using an ultra-intense (I > 10 18  W/cm 2 ) short-pulse (duration testing materials and are particularly suited for identifying materials to be used in harsh conditions. We show that these laser-generated protons can produce, in a very short time scale, a strong mechanical and thermal damage, that, given the short irradiation time, does not allow for recovery of the material. We confirm this by analyzing changes in the mechanical, optical, electrical, and morphological properties of five materials of interest to be used in harsh conditions.

  1. Electron emission from insulator surfaces by ultra-short laser pulses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Acuna, M; Gravielle, M S, E-mail: mario@iafe.uba.a, E-mail: msilvia@iafe.uba.a [Institutes de AstronomIa y Fisica del Espacio, Casilla de Correo 67, Sucursal 28, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    2009-11-01

    Photoelectron emission from insulator surfaces induced by ultra-short laser pulses is studied within a time-dependent distorted wave method. The proposed approach combines the Volkov phase, which takes into account the laser interaction, with a simple representation of the unperturbed surface states, given by the Tight-binding method. The model is applied to evaluate the photoelectron emission from a LiF(001) surface, finding effects of interference produced by the crystal lattice.

  2. UV saturable absorber for short-pulse KrF laser systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishioka, H; Kuranishi, H; Ueda, K; Takuma, H

    1989-07-01

    A derivative of the linear tricyclic compound, acridine, is shown to be useful as a saturable absorber for short-pulse KrF lasers. The saturation characteristics and absorption recovery of a methanol solution of acridine for a 20-psec KrF laser pulse are reported. We obtain a saturation fluence of 1.2 mJ/cm(2) and a ratio of the primary to the excited absorption cross section of 6.25:1.

  3. Femoral Head Bone Loss Following Short and Long-Duration Spaceflight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaber, Elizabeth A.; Cheng-Campbell, Margareth A.; Almeida, Eduardo A. C.

    2016-01-01

    Exposure to mechanical unloading during spaceflight is known to have significant effects on the musculoskeletal system. Our ongoing studies with the mouse bone model have identified the failure of normal stem cell-based tissue regeneration, in addition to tissue degeneration, as a significant concern for long-duration spaceflight, especially in the mesenchymal and hematopoietic tissue lineages. The 30-day BionM1 and the 37-day Rodent Research 1 (RR1) missions enabled the possibility of studying these effects in long-duration microgravity experiments. We hypothesized that the inhibition of stem cell-based tissue regeneration in short-duration spaceflight would continue during long-duration spaceflight and furthermore would result in significant tissue alterations. MicroCT analysis of BionM1 femurs revealed 31 decrease in bone volume ratio, a 14 decrease in trabecular thickness, and a 20 decrease in trabecular number in the femoral head of space-flown mice. Furthermore, high-resolution MicroCT and immunohistochemical analysis of spaceflight tissues revealed a severe disruption of the epiphyseal boundary, resulting in endochondral ossification of the femoral head and perforation of articular cartilage by bone. This suggests that spaceflight in microgravity may cause rapid induction of an aging-like phenotype with signs of osteoarthritic disease in the hip joint. However, mice from RR1 exhibited significant bone loss in the femoral head but did not exhibit the severe aging and disease-like phenotype observed during BionM1. This may be due to increased physical activity in the RH hardware. Immunohistochemical analysis of the epiphyseal plate and investigation of cellular proliferation and differentiation pathways within the marrow compartment and whole bone tissue is currently being conducted to determine alterations in stem cell-based tissue regeneration between these experiments. Our results show that the observed inhibition of stem cell-based tissue regeneration

  4. Framework for human health risk assessment of non-cancer effects resulting from short-duration and intermittent exposures to chemicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haber, Lynne T; Sandhu, Reena; Li-Muller, Angela; Mohapatra, Asish; Petrovic, Sanya; Meek, M E Bette

    2016-09-01

    Durations of exposure to chemicals, whether for single, repeated or intermittent periods, may vary from those upon which most guidance values are normally based. Because it is presently not feasible to conduct toxicity studies or develop toxicity reference values (TRVs) specific to each scenario of interest, methods are needed to address these various durations, drawing as much as possible on existing TRVs. A working framework was developed to address the potential for non-cancer effects resulting from continuous short-duration and intermittent exposures to chemicals. The framework presents an integrated, tiered approach that assists the user in identifying when existing TRVs can be applied directly, and the adaptations needed to assess the acceptability of short-duration or intermittent exposure scenarios. Descriptions of when and how toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic aspects need to be taken into consideration are also presented. The framework incorporates the use of TRVs based on exposure periods as similar as possible to the "actual" exposure periods and application of dose averaging under limited, specified conditions. This framework has been developed to aid in improving the scientific basis for the evaluation of short-duration and intermittent exposures in a variety of settings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Some applications on laser material processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oros, C.

    2005-01-01

    An overview of the state-of-the-art in laser material processing for a large types of lasers from IR (CO 2 laser, NdYAG laser) to UV (excimer laser) and different kinds of materials (metals, dielectrics) is given. Laser radiation has found a wide range of applications as machining tool for various kinds of materials processing. The machining geometry, the work piece geometry, the material properties and economic productivity claim for customized systems with special design for beam guiding, shaping and delivery in order to fully utilize the laser radiation for surface processing with optimum efficiency, maximum processing speed and high processing quality. The laser-material interaction involves complex processes of heating, melting, vaporization, ejection of atoms, ions, and molecules, shock waves, plasma initiation and plasma expansion. The interaction is dependent on the laser beam parameters (pulse duration, energy and wavelength), the solid target properties and the surrounding environments condition. Experimental results for laser surface melting and laser ablation are given. Also, assuming the applicability of a one dimensional model for short pulses used, and restricting condition to single-pulse exposure, the temperature rise on the target was calculated taking account of the finite optical absorption depth and pulse duration of the laser

  6. Allowable propagation of short pulse laser beam in a plasma channel and electromagnetic solitary waves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Shan; Hong, Xue-Ren; Wang, Hong-Yu; Xie, Bai-Song

    2011-01-01

    Nonparaxial and nonlinear propagation of a short intense laser beam in a parabolic plasma channel is analyzed by means of the variational method and nonlinear dynamics. The beam propagation properties are classified by five kinds of behaviors. In particularly, the electromagnetic solitary wave for finite pulse laser is found beside the other four propagation cases including beam periodically oscillating with defocussing and focusing amplitude, constant spot size, beam catastrophic focusing. It is also found that the laser pulse can be allowed to propagate in the plasma channel only when a certain relation for laser parameters and plasma channel parameters is satisfied. For the solitary wave, it may provide an effective way to obtain ultra-short laser pulse.

  7. Effects of the finite duration of quantum tunneling in laser-assisted scanning tunneling microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagmann, M.J.

    1994-01-01

    Previous measurements of tunnel conductance in heterostructures and experiments with Josephson junctions suggest quantum tunneling has a definite duration. The authors use semiclassical methods to determine the effects of this delay on the tunneling current in a laser-assisted STM. A planar-planar STM model is used with the exact multiple image potential, and the energy distribution for a free-electron metal. It is necessary to average over the phase at barrier entry, and iteration with back propagated solutions is required to obtain the transmission coefficients for evenly spaced phases and specified energies at barrier entry. The simulations suggest that the dependence of the tunneling current on the wavelength of illumination can serve as a basis for determining the duration of barrier traversal. A power flux density of 10 11 W/m 2 would be required at several wavelengths from 1 to 10 μm. It is possible that thermal effects could be separated from the modeled phenomena by determining the time dependence of the tunneling current with a pulsed laser

  8. An imaging proton spectrometer for short-pulse laser plasma experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Hui; Hazi, A. U.; Maren, R. van; Chen, S. N.; Le Pape, S.; Rygg, J. R.; Shepherd, R.; Fuchs, J.; Gauthier, M.

    2010-01-01

    The ultraintense short pulse laser pulses incident on solid targets can generate energetic protons. In addition to their potentially important applications such as in cancer treatments and proton fast ignition, these protons are essential to understand the complex physics of intense laser plasma interaction. To better characterize these laser-produced protons, we designed and constructed a novel spectrometer that will not only measure proton energy distribution with high resolution but also provide its angular characteristics. The information obtained from this spectrometer compliments those from commonly used diagnostics including radiochromic film packs, CR39 nuclear track detectors, and nonimaging magnetic spectrometers. The basic characterizations and sample data from this instrument are presented.

  9. An imaging proton spectrometer for short-pulse laser plasma experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen Hui; Hazi, A. U.; Maren, R. van; Chen, S. N.; Le Pape, S.; Rygg, J. R.; Shepherd, R. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livemore, California 94551 (United States); Fuchs, J.; Gauthier, M. [LULI Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex (France)

    2010-10-15

    The ultraintense short pulse laser pulses incident on solid targets can generate energetic protons. In addition to their potentially important applications such as in cancer treatments and proton fast ignition, these protons are essential to understand the complex physics of intense laser plasma interaction. To better characterize these laser-produced protons, we designed and constructed a novel spectrometer that will not only measure proton energy distribution with high resolution but also provide its angular characteristics. The information obtained from this spectrometer compliments those from commonly used diagnostics including radiochromic film packs, CR39 nuclear track detectors, and nonimaging magnetic spectrometers. The basic characterizations and sample data from this instrument are presented.

  10. Aurora multikilojoule KrF laser system prototype for inertial confinement fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosocha, L.A.; Hanlon, J.A.; Mc Leod, J.; Kang, M.; Kortegaard, B.L.; Burrows, M.D.; Bowling, P.S.

    1987-01-01

    Aurora is the Los Alamos National Laboratory short-pulse, high-power, KrF laser system. It serves as an end-to-end technology demonstration for large-scale ultraviolet laser systems of interest for short wavelength, inertial confinement fusion (ICF) investigations. The systems is a prototype for using optical angular multiplexing and serial amplification by large electron-beam-driven KrF laser amplifiers to deliver stacked, 248-nm, 5-ns duration multikilojoule laser pulses to ICF targets using an --1-km-long optical beam path. The entire Aurora KrF laser system is described and the design features of the following major system components are summarized: front-end lasers, amplifier train, multiplexer, optical relay train, demultiplexer, target irradiation apparatus, and alignment and controls systems

  11. Industrial applications of high-average power high-peak power nanosecond pulse duration Nd:YAG lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrison, Paul M.; Ellwi, Samir

    2009-02-01

    Within the vast range of laser materials processing applications, every type of successful commercial laser has been driven by a major industrial process. For high average power, high peak power, nanosecond pulse duration Nd:YAG DPSS lasers, the enabling process is high speed surface engineering. This includes applications such as thin film patterning and selective coating removal in markets such as the flat panel displays (FPD), solar and automotive industries. Applications such as these tend to require working spots that have uniform intensity distribution using specific shapes and dimensions, so a range of innovative beam delivery systems have been developed that convert the gaussian beam shape produced by the laser into a range of rectangular and/or shaped spots, as required by demands of each project. In this paper the authors will discuss the key parameters of this type of laser and examine why they are important for high speed surface engineering projects, and how they affect the underlying laser-material interaction and the removal mechanism. Several case studies will be considered in the FPD and solar markets, exploring the close link between the application, the key laser characteristics and the beam delivery system that link these together.

  12. New method to extract radial acceleration of target from short-duration signal at low SNR

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2008-01-01

    In order to extract target radial acceleration from radar echo signal at low SNR (signal-to-noise), this paper employed FRFT (fractional Fourier transformation) to analyze short-duration radar echo and studied the relations between signal convergence peaks in matched transformation domain and signal duration and modu- lated frequency of signal. When signal duration is specified, the method of multi- plying sampled signal by the known frequency modulated signal to alter modulated frequency was presented, which generated the new signal with larger convergence peaks than the initial signal in matched transformation domain. Thus, it could successfully estimate the radial acceleration of radar target at low SNR. Simulations were conducted to show the feasibility and effectiveness of the method.

  13. Selection for long and short sleep duration in Drosophila melanogaster reveals the complex genetic network underlying natural variation in sleep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harbison, Susan T; Serrano Negron, Yazmin L; Hansen, Nancy F; Lobell, Amanda S

    2017-12-01

    Why do some individuals need more sleep than others? Forward mutagenesis screens in flies using engineered mutations have established a clear genetic component to sleep duration, revealing mutants that convey very long or short sleep. Whether such extreme long or short sleep could exist in natural populations was unknown. We applied artificial selection for high and low night sleep duration to an outbred population of Drosophila melanogaster for 13 generations. At the end of the selection procedure, night sleep duration diverged by 9.97 hours in the long and short sleeper populations, and 24-hour sleep was reduced to 3.3 hours in the short sleepers. Neither long nor short sleeper lifespan differed appreciably from controls, suggesting little physiological consequences to being an extreme long or short sleeper. Whole genome sequence data from seven generations of selection revealed several hundred thousand changes in allele frequencies at polymorphic loci across the genome. Combining the data from long and short sleeper populations across generations in a logistic regression implicated 126 polymorphisms in 80 candidate genes, and we confirmed three of these genes and a larger genomic region with mutant and chromosomal deficiency tests, respectively. Many of these genes could be connected in a single network based on previously known physical and genetic interactions. Candidate genes have known roles in several classic, highly conserved developmental and signaling pathways-EGFR, Wnt, Hippo, and MAPK. The involvement of highly pleiotropic pathway genes suggests that sleep duration in natural populations can be influenced by a wide variety of biological processes, which may be why the purpose of sleep has been so elusive.

  14. Selection for long and short sleep duration in Drosophila melanogaster reveals the complex genetic network underlying natural variation in sleep.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan T Harbison

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Why do some individuals need more sleep than others? Forward mutagenesis screens in flies using engineered mutations have established a clear genetic component to sleep duration, revealing mutants that convey very long or short sleep. Whether such extreme long or short sleep could exist in natural populations was unknown. We applied artificial selection for high and low night sleep duration to an outbred population of Drosophila melanogaster for 13 generations. At the end of the selection procedure, night sleep duration diverged by 9.97 hours in the long and short sleeper populations, and 24-hour sleep was reduced to 3.3 hours in the short sleepers. Neither long nor short sleeper lifespan differed appreciably from controls, suggesting little physiological consequences to being an extreme long or short sleeper. Whole genome sequence data from seven generations of selection revealed several hundred thousand changes in allele frequencies at polymorphic loci across the genome. Combining the data from long and short sleeper populations across generations in a logistic regression implicated 126 polymorphisms in 80 candidate genes, and we confirmed three of these genes and a larger genomic region with mutant and chromosomal deficiency tests, respectively. Many of these genes could be connected in a single network based on previously known physical and genetic interactions. Candidate genes have known roles in several classic, highly conserved developmental and signaling pathways-EGFR, Wnt, Hippo, and MAPK. The involvement of highly pleiotropic pathway genes suggests that sleep duration in natural populations can be influenced by a wide variety of biological processes, which may be why the purpose of sleep has been so elusive.

  15. Short Sleep Duration Increases Metabolic Impact in Healthy Adults: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Han-Bing; Tam, Tony; Zee, Benny Chung-Ying; Chung, Roger Yat-Nork; Su, Xuefen; Jin, Lei; Chan, Ta-Chien; Chang, Ly-Yun; Yeoh, Eng-Kiong; Lao, Xiang Qian

    2017-10-01

    The metabolic impact of inadequate sleep has not been determined in healthy individuals outside laboratories. This study aims to investigate the impact of sleep duration on five metabolic syndrome components in a healthy adult cohort. A total of 162121 adults aged 20-80 years (men 47.4%) of the MJ Health Database, who were not obese and free from major diseases, were recruited and followed up from 1996 to 2014. Sleep duration and insomnia symptoms were assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Incident cases of five metabolic syndrome components were identified by follow-up medical examinations. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for three sleep duration categories " 8 hours/day (long)" with adjustment for potential confounding factors. Analyses were stratified by insomnia symptoms to assess whether insomnia symptoms modified the association between sleep duration and metabolic syndrome. Compared to regular sleep duration, short sleep significantly (p sleep decreased the risk of hypertriglyceridemia (adjusted HR 0.89 [0.84-0.94]) and metabolic syndrome (adjusted HR 0.93 [0.88-0.99]). Insomnia symptoms did not modify the effects of sleep duration. Sleep duration may be a significant determinant of metabolic health. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Short Sleep Duration Is Associated With Eating More Carbohydrates and Less Dietary Fat in Mexican American Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez, Suzanna M; Tschann, Jeanne M; Butte, Nancy F; Gregorich, Steve E; Penilla, Carlos; Flores, Elena; Greenspan, Louise C; Pasch, Lauri A; Deardorff, Julianna

    2017-02-01

    Short sleep duration is a risk factor for childhood obesity. Mechanisms are unclear, but may involve selection of high carbohydrate foods. This study examined the association between estimated sleep duration and macronutrient intake as percentages of total energy among Mexican American (MA) 9-11 year olds. This cross-sectional study measured diet using two 24-hour recalls and estimated sleep duration using hip-worn accelerometry in MA children (n = 247) who were part of a cohort study. Child and maternal anthropometry were obtained; mothers reported on demographic information. Using linear regression, we examined the relationship of sleep duration with energy intake, sugar intake, and the percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Children were 47% male; mean age was 10 (SD = 0.9) years. Mean sleep duration was 9.6 (SD = 0.8) hours; 53% were overweight/obese, with a mean energy intake of 1759 (SD = 514) calories. Longer sleep duration was independently associated with a lower percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates (β = -0.22, p fat (β = 0.19, p children who slept longer consumed diets with a lower percentage of calories from carbohydrates and a higher percentage from fat, especially from PUFA. Short sleep duration may be a risk factor for food cravings that are high in carbohydrate content and may displace heart-healthy dietary fat, and thereby increase obesity risk among children. © Sleep Research Society 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Study of Short-Pulsed Laser Retinal Injury Mechanisms By Time-Resolved Imaging of Photomechanical Transients in RPE

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Lin, Charles

    2000-01-01

    We studied RPE cell damage mechanism for laser duration from 100 femtosec to 5 microsec, and we have investigated the dependence of threshold fluence for cell damage on the laser spot size on the RPE...

  18. Ultrafast terawatt laser sources for high-field particle acceleration and short wavelength generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Downer, M.C.

    1996-01-01

    The Laser Sources working group concerned itself with recent advances in and future requirements for the development of laser sources relevant to high-energy physics (HEP) colliders, small scale accelerators, and the generation of short wave-length radiation. We heavily emphasized pulsed terawatt peak power laser sources for several reasons. First, their development over the past five years has been rapid and multi-faceted, and has made relativistic light intensity available to the advanced accelerator community, as well as the wider physics community, for the first time. Secondly, they have strongly impacted plasma-based accelerator research over the past two years, producing the first experimental demonstrations of the laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA) in both its resonantly-driven and self-modulated forms. Thirdly, their average power and wall-plug efficiency currently fall well short of projected requirements for future accelerators and other high average power applications, but show considerable promise for improving substantially over the next few years. A review of this rapidly emerging laser technology in the context of advanced accelerator research is therefore timely

  19. Photodissociation of H2+ by intense chirped pulses - beyond the effect of pulse duration and peak power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lev, U; Prabhudesai, V; Natan, A; Bruner, B; Diner, A; Heber, O; Strasser, D; Schwalm, D; Silberberg, Y; Zajfman, D; Ben-Itzhak, I; Hua, J J; Esry, B D

    2009-01-01

    H 2 + photodissociation, induced by intense short laser pulses, was measured by a full 3D imaging system. We have conducted a series of experiments, in which we systematically changed the linear chirp, using a pulse shaper, and observed the kinetic energy release spectra(KER). Distinct differences in the KER spectra are observed both in peak positions and angular distribution for laser pulses with similar duration and intensity but opposite chirp sign.

  20. Experimental approach to interaction physics challenges of the shock ignition scheme using short pulse lasers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goyon, C; Depierreux, S; Yahia, V; Loisel, G; Baccou, C; Courvoisier, C; Borisenko, N G; Orekhov, A; Rosmej, O; Labaune, C

    2013-12-06

    An experimental program was designed to study the most important issues of laser-plasma interaction physics in the context of the shock ignition scheme. In the new experiments presented in this Letter, a combination of kilojoule and short laser pulses was used to study the laser-plasma coupling at high laser intensities for a large range of electron densities and plasma profiles. We find that the backscatter is dominated by stimulated Brillouin scattering with stimulated Raman scattering staying at a limited level. This is in agreement with past experiments using long pulses but laser intensities limited to 2×10(15)  W/cm2, or short pulses with intensities up to 5×10(16)  W/cm2 as well as with 2D particle-in-cell simulations.

  1. Laser system using ultra-short laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dantus, Marcos [Okemos, MI; Lozovoy, Vadim V [Okemos, MI; Comstock, Matthew [Milford, MI

    2009-10-27

    A laser system using ultrashort laser pulses is provided. In another aspect of the present invention, the system includes a laser, pulse shaper and detection device. A further aspect of the present invention employs a femtosecond laser and binary pulse shaping (BPS). Still another aspect of the present invention uses a laser beam pulse, a pulse shaper and a SHG crystal.

  2. A randomized side-by-side study comparing alexandrite laser at different pulse durations for port wine stains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carlsen, Berit C; Wenande, Emily; Erlendsson, Andres M

    2017-01-01

    hypertrophic (n = 7) PWS were included. Four side-by-side test areas were marked within each lesion. Three test areas were randomized to Alex laser at pulse durations of 3, 5, or 10 ms (8 mm spot, DCD 60/40), while the fourth was untreated. The lowest effective fluence to create purpura within the entire test...... spot was titrated and applied to intervention areas. Standardized clinical photographs were taken prior to, immediately after laser exposure and at 6-8 weeks follow up. Clinical PWS clearance and laser-related side effects were assessed using clinical photos. RESULTS: Alex laser at 3, 5, and 10 ms......BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pulsed dye laser (PDL) represents the gold-standard treatment for port wine stains (PWS). However, approximately 20% of patients are poor responders and yield unsatisfactory end-results. The Alexandrite (Alex) laser may be a therapeutic alternative for selected PWS...

  3. Pondermotive absorption of a short intense laser pulse in a non-uniform plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andreev, A A; Platonov, K Yu [Inst. for Laser Physics, SC ` Vavilov State Optical Inst.` 12, Birzhevaya line, St Petersburg (Russian Federation); Tanaka, K A

    1998-03-01

    An analytical description of the pondermotive absorption mechanism at a short high intense laser pulse interaction with a strong inhomogeneous plasma is presented. The optimal conditions for the maximum of resonance absorption of laser pulse interaction with non-uniform plasma at normal incidence are founded. (author)

  4. Aurora laser optical system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanlon, J.A.; McLeod, J.

    1987-01-01

    Aurora is the Los Alamos short-pulse high-power krypton fluoride laser system. It is primarily an end-to-end technology demonstration prototype for large-scale UV laser systems of interest for short-wavelength inertial confinement fusion (ICF) investigations. The system is designed to employ optical angular multiplexing and aerial amplification by electron-beam-driven KrF laser amplifiers to deliver to ICF targets a stack of pulses with a duration of 5 ns containing several kilojoules at a wavelength of 248 nm. A program of high-energy density plasma physics investigations is now planned, and a sophisticated target chamber was constructed. The authors describe the design of the optical system for Aurora and report its status. This optical system was designed and is being constructed in two phases. The first phase carries only through the amplifier train and does not include a target chamber or any demultiplexing. Installation should be complete, and some performance results should be available. The second phase provides demultiplexing and carries the laser light to target. The complete design is reported

  5. Effect of surface-breakdown plasma on metal drilling by pulsed CO2-laser radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arutiunian, P. V.; Baranov, V. Iu.; Bobkov, I. V.; Bol'Shakov, L. A.; Dolgov, V. A.

    1988-03-01

    The effect of low-threshold surface breakdown produced by short (5-microsec) CO2-laser pulses on the metal drilling process is investigated. Data on the interaction of metals with laser pulses having the same duration but different shape are shown to be different. The effect of the ambient atmospheric pressure on the laser drilling process is investigated.

  6. Modification of Motion Perception and Manual Control Following Short-Durations Spaceflight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, S. J.; Vanya, R. D.; Esteves, J. T.; Rupert, A. H.; Clement, G.

    2011-01-01

    Adaptive changes during space flight in how the brain integrates vestibular cues with other sensory information can lead to impaired movement coordination and spatial disorientation following G-transitions. This ESA-NASA study was designed to examine both the physiological basis and operational implications for disorientation and tilt-translation disturbances following short-duration spaceflights. The goals of this study were to (1) examine the effects of stimulus frequency on adaptive changes in motion perception during passive tilt and translation motion, (2) quantify decrements in manual control of tilt motion, and (3) evaluate vibrotactile feedback as a sensorimotor countermeasure.

  7. Alignment of symmetric top molecules by short laser pulses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hamilton, Edward; Seideman, Tamar; Ejdrup, Tine

    2005-01-01

    -resolved photofragment imaging. Using methyliodide and tert-butyliodide as examples, we calculate and measure the alignment dynamics, focusing on the temporal structure and intensity of the revival patterns, including their dependence on the pulse duration, and their behavior at long times, where centrifugal distortion......Nonadiabatic alignment of symmetric top molecules induced by a linearly polarized, moderately intense picosecond laser pulse is studied theoretically and experimentally. Our studies are based on the combination of a nonperturbative solution of the Schrodinger equation with femtosecond time...

  8. Short sleep duration and longer daytime napping are associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Kui; Lin, Lin; Wang, Zhengyi; Ding, Lin; Huang, Ya; Wang, Po; Xu, Yu; Lu, Jieli; Xu, Min; Bi, Yufang; Wang, Weiqing; Chen, Yuhong; Ning, Guang

    2017-09-01

    Epidemiologic studies have reported conflicting results on the relationship between short sleep duration and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). There are no previous studies investigating the effect of daytime napping on NAFLD. In the present study we examined the associations between NAFLD and both nightly sleep duration and daytime napping in a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population. This cross-sectional community-based population study was performed on 8559 individuals aged ≥40 years. Sleep duration and the duration of daytime napping were self-reported using a standardized questionnaire; NAFLD was diagnosed by ultrasonography. In this study sample, the overall prevalence of NAFLD was 30.4%. There was an inverse association between sleep duration and the risk of prevalent NAFLD. In multivariate analysis, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of prevalent NAFLD for decreasing sleep duration categories (≥9, 8.1-9, 7.1-8, 6.1-7, and ≤6.1 h) were 1.00 (reference), 1.38 (1.13-1.70), 1.32 (1.08-1.61), 1.29 (1.04-1.60), and 1.66 (1.28-2.15), respectively (P trend  = 0.0073). Compared with participants without a daytime napping habit, nap takers with a longer nap duration (>0.5 h) had an increased risk of prevalent NAFLD (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.06-1.41). The associations of sleep duration and daytime napping duration with NAFLD were generally consistent across different categories of age and obesity, metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance status. Short sleep duration and longer daytime napping were associated with an increased risk of prevalent NAFLD in a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population. © 2016 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  9. Modelling of Ne-like copper X-ray laser driven by 1.2 ps short pulse and 280 ps background pulse configuration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demir, A.; Kenar, N.; Goktas, H.; Tallents, G.J.

    2004-01-01

    Detailed simulations of Ne-like Cu x-ray laser are undertaken using the EHYBRID code. The atomic physics data are obtained using the Cowan code. The optimization calculations are performed in terms of the intensity of background and the time separation between the background and the short pulse. The optimum value is obtained for the conditions of a Nd:glass laser with 1.2 ps pulse at 4.4 x 10 15 W cm -2 irradiance pumping a plasma pre-formed by a 280 ps duration pulse at 5.4 x 10 12 W cm -2 with peak-to-peak pulse separation set at 300 ps. X-ray resonance lines between 6 A and 15 A emitted from copper plasmas have been simulated. Free-free and free-bound emission from the Si-, Al-, Mg-, Na-, Ne- and F-like ions is calculated in the simulation. (author)

  10. Operational characteristics of the OMEGA short-wavelength laser fusion facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soures, J.M.; Hutchison, R.; Jacobs, S.; McCrory, R.L.; Peck, R.; Seka, W.

    1984-01-01

    Twelve beams of the OMEGA, 24 beam direct-drive laser facility have been converted to 351-nm wavelength operation. The performance characteristics of this short-wavelength facility will be discussed. Beam-to-beam energy balance of +-2.3% and on-target energy, at 351-nm, in excess of 70 J per beam have been demonstrated. Long-term performance (>600 shots) of the system has been optimized by appropriate choice of index matching liquid, optical materials and coatings. The application of this system in direct-drive laser fusion experiments will be discussed

  11. An overview of Aurora: a multi-kilojoule KrF laser system for inertial confinement fusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosocha, L.A.; Bowling, P.S.; Burrows, M.D.; Kang, M.; Hanlon, J.; McLeod, J.; York, G.W.

    1986-01-01

    Aurora is a short-pulse high-power krypton-fluoride laser system that serves as an end-to-end technology demonstration prototype for large-scale ultraviolet laser systems of interest for short wavelength inertial confinement fusion (ICF) studies. The system is designed to employ optical angular multiplexing and serial amplification by electron-beam-driven KrF laser amplifiers to deliver 248 nm, 5-ns duration multi-kilojoule laser pulses to ICF targets using a beam train of approximately 1 km in length. The goals for the system are discussed and the design features of the major system components: front-end lasers, amplifier train, and the alignment and controls systems are summarised. (author)

  12. Coherent combs in ionization by intense and short laser pulses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krajewska, K., E-mail: Katarzyna.Krajewska@fuw.edu.pl [Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warszawa (Poland); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0299 (United States); Kamiński, J.Z., E-mail: Jerzy.Kaminski@fuw.edu.pl [Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warszawa (Poland)

    2016-03-22

    Photoionization of positive ions by a train of intense, short laser pulses is investigated within the relativistic strong field approximation, using the velocity gauge. The formation of broad peak structures in the high-energy domain of photoelectrons is observed and interpreted. The emergence of coherent photoelectron energy combs within these structures is demonstrated, and it is interpreted as the consequence of the Fraunhofer-type interference/diffraction of probability amplitudes of ionization from individual pulses comprising the train. Extensions to the coherent angular combs are also studied, and effects related to the radiation pressure are presented. - Highlights: • We develop relativistic Strong-Field Approximation for ionization by intense and short laser pulses of arbitrary spectral compositions. • We show that the consistent interpretation of results is provided by the Keldysh-type saddle point analysis of probability amplitudes. • We derive a general Fraunhofer-type interference/diffraction formula for finite train of pulses. • We study the coherent combs in photoelectron probability distributions.

  13. Short Durations of Static Stretching when Combined with Dynamic Stretching do not Impair Repeated Sprints and Agility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Del P; Chaouachi, Anis; Lau, Patrick W C; Behm, David G

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to compare the effect of different static stretching durations followed by dynamic stretching on repeated sprint ability (RSA) and change of direction (COD). Twenty-five participants performed the RSA and COD tests in a randomized order. After a 5 min aerobic warm up, participants performed one of the three static stretching protocols of 30 s, 60 s or 90 s total duration (3 stretches x 10 s, 20 s or 30 s). Three dynamic stretching exercises of 30 s duration were then performed (90 s total). Sit-and-reach flexibility tests were conducted before the aerobic warm up, after the combined static and dynamic stretching, and post- RSA/COD test. The duration of static stretching had a positive effect on flexibility with 36.3% and 85.6% greater sit-and-reach scores with the 60 s and 90 s static stretching conditions respectively than with the 30 s condition (p ≤ 0.001). However there were no significant differences in RSA and COD performance between the 3 stretching conditions. The lack of change in RSA and COD might be attributed to a counterbalancing of static and dynamic stretching effects. Furthermore, the short duration (≤ 90 s) static stretching may not have provided sufficient stimulus to elicit performance impairments. Key pointsThe duration of combined static and dynamic stretching had a positive effect on flexibility with 36.3% and 85.6% greater sit and reach scores with the 60 s and 90 s static stretching conditions respectively than with the 30 s condition (p ≤ 0.001).No significant differences in RSA and COD between the 3 stretching conditions.The lack of change in RSA and COD might be attributed to a counterbalancing of static and dynamic stretching effects.The short duration (≤ 90 s) static stretching may not have provided sufficient stimulus to elicit performance impairments.

  14. Short Durations of Static Stretching when Combined with Dynamic Stretching do not Impair Repeated Sprints and Agility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Del P.; Chaouachi, Anis; Lau, Patrick W.C.; Behm, David G.

    2011-01-01

    This study aimed to compare the effect of different static stretching durations followed by dynamic stretching on repeated sprint ability (RSA) and change of direction (COD). Twenty-five participants performed the RSA and COD tests in a randomized order. After a 5 min aerobic warm up, participants performed one of the three static stretching protocols of 30 s, 60 s or 90 s total duration (3 stretches x 10 s, 20 s or 30 s). Three dynamic stretching exercises of 30 s duration were then performed (90 s total). Sit-and-reach flexibility tests were conducted before the aerobic warm up, after the combined static and dynamic stretching, and post- RSA/COD test. The duration of static stretching had a positive effect on flexibility with 36.3% and 85.6% greater sit-and-reach scores with the 60 s and 90 s static stretching conditions respectively than with the 30 s condition (p ≤ 0.001). However there were no significant differences in RSA and COD performance between the 3 stretching conditions. The lack of change in RSA and COD might be attributed to a counterbalancing of static and dynamic stretching effects. Furthermore, the short duration (≤ 90 s) static stretching may not have provided sufficient stimulus to elicit performance impairments. Key points The duration of combined static and dynamic stretching had a positive effect on flexibility with 36.3% and 85.6% greater sit and reach scores with the 60 s and 90 s static stretching conditions respectively than with the 30 s condition (p ≤ 0.001). No significant differences in RSA and COD between the 3 stretching conditions. The lack of change in RSA and COD might be attributed to a counterbalancing of static and dynamic stretching effects. The short duration (≤ 90 s) static stretching may not have provided sufficient stimulus to elicit performance impairments. PMID:24149890

  15. Recent advances in laser-driven neutron sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alejo, A.; Ahmed, H.; Green, A.; Mirfayzi, S. R.; Borghesi, M.; Kar, S.

    2016-11-01

    Due to the limited number and high cost of large-scale neutron facilities, there has been a growing interest in compact accelerator-driven sources. In this context, several potential schemes of laser-driven neutron sources are being intensively studied employing laser-accelerated electron and ion beams. In addition to the potential of delivering neutron beams with high brilliance, directionality and ultra-short burst duration, a laser-driven neutron source would offer further advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness, compactness and radiation confinement by closed-coupled experiments. Some of the recent advances in this field are discussed, showing improvements in the directionality and flux of the laser-driven neutron beams.

  16. Development of transient collisional excitation x-ray laser with ultra short-pulse laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kado, Masataka; Kawachi, Tetsuya; Hasegawa, Noboru; Tanaka, Momoko; Sukegawa, Kouta; Nagashima, Keisuke; Kato, Yoshiaki

    2001-01-01

    We have observed lasing on Ne-like 3s-3p line from titanium (32.4 nm), Ni-like 4p-4d line from silver (13.9 nm) and tin (11.9 nm) with the transient collisional excitation (TCE) scheme that uses combination of a long pre-pulse (∼ns) and a short main pulse (∼ps). A gain coefficient of 23 cm -1 was measured for plasma length up to 4 mm with silver slab targets. We have also observed lasing on Ne-like and Ni-like lines with new TCE scheme that used pico-seconds laser pulse to generate plasma and observed strong improvement of x-ray laser gain coefficient. A gain coefficient of 14 cm -1 was measured for plasma length up to 6 mm with tin targets. (author)

  17. Effects of laser-polarization and wiggler magnetic fields on electron acceleration in laser-cluster interaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh Ghotra, Harjit; Kant, Niti

    2018-06-01

    We examine the electron dynamics during laser-cluster interaction. In addition to the electrostatic field of an individual cluster and laser field, we consider an external transverse wiggler magnetic field, which plays a pivotal role in enhancing the electron acceleration. Single-particle simulation has been presented with a short pulse linearly polarized as well as circularly polarized laser pulses for electron acceleration in a cluster. The persisting Coulomb field allows the electron to absorb energy from the laser field. The stochastically heated electron finds a weak electric field at the edge of the cluster from where it is ejected. The wiggler magnetic field connects the regions of the stochastically heated, ejected electron from the cluster and high energy gain by the electron from the laser field outside the cluster. This increases the field strength and hence supports the electron to meet the phase of the laser field for enhanced acceleration. A long duration resonance appears with an optimized magnetic wiggler field of about 3.4 kG. Hence, the relativistic energy gain by the electron is enhanced up to a few 100 MeV with an intense short pulse laser with an intensity of about 1019 W cm‑2 in the presence of a wiggler magnetic field.

  18. Dynamics of intense laser channel formation in an underdense plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, J.; Petrov, G.M.; Velikovich, A.L.

    2005-01-01

    Efficient guiding and propagation of multi-keV x-rays in plasmas can be achieved by dynamically modifying the media through plasma channel formation. The dynamics of plasma channel formation is studied in preformed underdense plasma irradiated by a high intensity laser. This is done by a two-dimensional model coupling laser propagation to a relativistic particle-in-cell model. For laser intensity of 10 20 W/cm 2 and a laser beam width of 5 μm the channel formation proceeds on a time scale of 60-70 fs in uniform plasma with density 10 18 cm -3 . The channel closes shortly after the rear of the laser pulse has passed due to Coulomb attraction from the ion core. Electron cavitation occurs only if the laser intensity is above a certain threshold intensity and the laser pulse duration exceeds 100 fs. X-ray generation and propagation is feasible for ultrarelativistic laser pulses with small beam width, less than ∼20 μm, and duration of more than 100 fs

  19. Photodissociation of H{sub 2}{sup +} by intense chirped pulses - beyond the effect of pulse duration and peak power

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lev, U; Prabhudesai, V; Natan, A; Bruner, B; Diner, A; Heber, O; Strasser, D; Schwalm, D; Silberberg, Y; Zajfman, D [Faculty of Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 (Israel); Ben-Itzhak, I; Hua, J J; Esry, B D, E-mail: uri.lev@Weizmann.ac.i [Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 (United States)

    2009-11-01

    H{sub 2}{sup +} photodissociation, induced by intense short laser pulses, was measured by a full 3D imaging system. We have conducted a series of experiments, in which we systematically changed the linear chirp, using a pulse shaper, and observed the kinetic energy release spectra(KER). Distinct differences in the KER spectra are observed both in peak positions and angular distribution for laser pulses with similar duration and intensity but opposite chirp sign.

  20. High Average Power, High Energy Short Pulse Fiber Laser System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Messerly, M J

    2007-11-13

    Recently continuous wave fiber laser systems with output powers in excess of 500W with good beam quality have been demonstrated [1]. High energy, ultrafast, chirped pulsed fiber laser systems have achieved record output energies of 1mJ [2]. However, these high-energy systems have not been scaled beyond a few watts of average output power. Fiber laser systems are attractive for many applications because they offer the promise of high efficiency, compact, robust systems that are turn key. Applications such as cutting, drilling and materials processing, front end systems for high energy pulsed lasers (such as petawatts) and laser based sources of high spatial coherence, high flux x-rays all require high energy short pulses and two of the three of these applications also require high average power. The challenge in creating a high energy chirped pulse fiber laser system is to find a way to scale the output energy while avoiding nonlinear effects and maintaining good beam quality in the amplifier fiber. To this end, our 3-year LDRD program sought to demonstrate a high energy, high average power fiber laser system. This work included exploring designs of large mode area optical fiber amplifiers for high energy systems as well as understanding the issues associated chirped pulse amplification in optical fiber amplifier systems.

  1. Projected changes to short- and long-duration precipitation extremes over the Canadian Prairie Provinces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masud, M. B.; Khaliq, M. N.; Wheater, H. S.

    2017-09-01

    The effects of climate change on April-October short- and long-duration precipitation extremes over the Canadian Prairie Provinces were evaluated using a multi-Regional Climate Model (RCM) ensemble available through the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program. Simulations considered include those performed with six RCMs driven by the National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis II product for the 1981-2000 period and those driven by four Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models (AOGCMs) for the current 1971-2000 and future 2041-2070 periods (i.e. a total of 11 current-to-future period simulation pairs). A regional frequency analysis approach was used to develop 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, and 50-year return values of precipitation extremes from NCEP and AOGCM-driven current and future period simulations that respectively were used to study the performance of RCMs and projected changes for selected return values at regional, grid-cell and local scales. Performance errors due to internal dynamics and physics of RCMs studied for the 1981-2000 period reveal considerable variation in the performance of the RCMs. However, the performance errors were found to be much smaller for RCM ensemble averages than for individual RCMs. Projected changes in future climate to selected regional return values of short-duration (e.g. 15- and 30-min) precipitation extremes and for longer return periods (e.g. 50-year) were found to be mostly larger than those to the longer duration (e.g. 24- and 48-h) extremes and short return periods (e.g. 2-year). Overall, projected changes in precipitation extremes were larger for southeastern regions followed by southern and northern regions and smaller for southwestern and western regions of the study area. The changes to return values were also found to be statistically significant for the majority of the RCM-AOGCM simulation pairs. These projections might be useful as a key input for the future planning of urban

  2. A UV pre-ionized dual-wavelength short-pulse high-power CO{sub 2} laser facility for laser particle acceleration research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ebrahim, N A; Mouris, J F; Davis, R W

    1994-12-01

    In this report we describe the Chalk River dual-wavelength, short-pulse, single-mode, high-power CO{sub 2} laser facility for research in laser particle acceleration and CANDU materials modifications. The facility is designed and built around UV-preionized transversely-excited atmospheric-pressure (TEA) Lumonics CO{sub 2} laser discharge modules. Peak focussed power densities of up to 2 x 10{sup 14} W/cm{sup 2} in 500 ps pulses have been obtained. (author). 10 refs., 9 figs.

  3. FEM modeling and histological analyses on thermal damage induced in facial skin resurfacing procedure with different CO2 laser pulse duration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossi, Francesca; Zingoni, Tiziano; Di Cicco, Emiliano; Manetti, Leonardo; Pini, Roberto; Fortuna, Damiano

    2011-07-01

    Laser light is nowadays routinely used in the aesthetic treatments of facial skin, such as in laser rejuvenation, scar removal etc. The induced thermal damage may be varied by setting different laser parameters, in order to obtain a particular aesthetic result. In this work, it is proposed a theoretical study on the induced thermal damage in the deep tissue, by considering different laser pulse duration. The study is based on the Finite Element Method (FEM): a bidimensional model of the facial skin is depicted in axial symmetry, considering the different skin structures and their different optical and thermal parameters; the conversion of laser light into thermal energy is modeled by the bio-heat equation. The light source is a CO2 laser, with different pulse durations. The model enabled to study the thermal damage induced into the skin, by calculating the Arrhenius integral. The post-processing results enabled to study in space and time the temperature dynamics induced in the facial skin, to study the eventual cumulative effects of subsequent laser pulses and to optimize the procedure for applications in dermatological surgery. The calculated data where then validated in an experimental measurement session, performed in a sheep animal model. Histological analyses were performed on the treated tissues, evidencing the spatial distribution and the entity of the thermal damage in the collageneous tissue. Modeling and experimental results were in good agreement, and they were used to design a new optimized laser based skin resurfacing procedure.

  4. Duration of Parana magmatism and implications for the evolution and source regions of continental flood basalts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mantovani, M.S.M.; Stewart, K.; Turner, S.; Hawkesworth, C.J.

    1995-01-01

    Duration of Continental Floods Basalts magmatism has generally been considered to be extremely short. Ar-Ar data for different magma type, over a broad region within Parana, demonstrate a duration of 10 Ma, an order of magnitude greater than the usually accepted duration of magmatism. The dating method included rigorous geochemical selection tests, to discard altered samples, combined with the analysis of laser spot technique using the isochron approach. This methodology allows discrimination between rocks which yield precise ages and those which are too altered or heterogeneous. The agreement between the determined age and the relative stratigraphic position of samples supports the above statement. 4 figs

  5. Duration of Parana magmatism and implications for the evolution and source regions of continental flood basalts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mantovani, M.S.M. [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Inst. Astronomico e Geofisico; Stewart, K.; Turner, S.; Hawkesworth, C.J. [Open Univ., Milton Keynes (United Kingdom). Dept. of Earth Sciences

    1995-12-31

    Duration of Continental Floods Basalts magmatism has generally been considered to be extremely short. Ar-Ar data for different magma type, over a broad region within Parana, demonstrate a duration of 10 Ma, an order of magnitude greater than the usually accepted duration of magmatism. The dating method included rigorous geochemical selection tests, to discard altered samples, combined with the analysis of laser spot technique using the isochron approach. This methodology allows discrimination between rocks which yield precise ages and those which are too altered or heterogeneous. The agreement between the determined age and the relative stratigraphic position of samples supports the above statement. 4 figs.

  6. INTERACTION OF LASER RADIATION WITH MATTER: Influence of surface breakdown on the process of drilling metals with pulsed CO2 laser radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arutyunyan, R. V.; Baranov, V. Yu; Bobkov, I. V.; Bol'shov, Leonid A.; Dolgov, V. A.; Kanevskiĭ, M. F.; Malyuta, D. D.; Mezhevov, V. S.

    1988-03-01

    A report is given of the influence of low-threshold surface optical breakdown, occurring under the action of short (~ 5-μs) radiation pulses from a CO2 laser, on the process of the laser drilling of metals. Data are given on the difference between the interaction of radiation pulses having the same duration but differing in shape. A study was made of the influence of the pressure of the atmosphere surrounding a target on the results of laser drilling of metals. A theoretical explanation is given of the experimental results.

  7. Temperature field analysis of single layer TiO2 film components induced by long-pulse and short-pulse lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Bin; Zhang Hongchao; Qin Yuan; Wang Xi; Ni Xiaowu; Shen Zhonghua; Lu Jian

    2011-01-01

    To study the differences between the damaging of thin film components induced by long-pulse and short-pulse lasers, a model of single layer TiO 2 film components with platinum high-absorptance inclusions was established. The temperature rises of TiO 2 films with inclusions of different sizes and different depths induced by a 1 ms long-pulse and a 10 ns short-pulse lasers were analyzed based on temperature field theory. The results show that there is a radius range of inclusions that corresponds to high temperature rises. Short-pulse lasers are more sensitive to high-absorptance inclusions and long-pulse lasers are more easily damage the substrate. The first-damage decision method is drawn from calculations.

  8. Direct laser initiation of open secondary explosives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Assovskiy, I G; Melik-Gaikazov, G V; Kuznetsov, G P

    2015-01-01

    The goal of this paper is experimental study of the mechanism of initiation of secondary explosives (SE) by short laser pulse. Laser initiation of SE is much more difficult in comparison with initiation of primary explosives. Using of some special methods is typically requested to realize laser initiation of SE: using of porous SE, putting it in a closed envelope, and using some optically dense additives. In this paper we consider interaction of laser pulse with open surface of non-porous, optically uniform SE. Only pure chemical methods were used to control the light sensitivity of SE. Implementation of the method of laser initiation is reduced to the optimization of composition and molecular structure of the explosives, along with the optimization of the laser pulse (its duration, energy density and wavelength). (paper)

  9. A pilot study of short-duration sputum pretreatment procedures for optimizing smear microscopy for tuberculosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Daley

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Direct sputum smear microscopy for tuberculosis (TB lacks sensitivity for the detection of acid fast bacilli. Sputum pretreatment procedures may enhance sensitivity. We did a pilot study to compare the diagnostic accuracy and incremental yield of two short-duration (<1 hour sputum pretreatment procedures to optimize direct smears among patients with suspected TB at a referral hospital in India.Blinded laboratory comparison of bleach and universal sediment processing (USP pretreated centrifuged auramine smears to direct Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN and direct auramine smears and to solid (Loweinstein-Jensen (LJ and liquid (BACTEC 460 culture. 178 pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB suspects were prospectively recruited during a one year period. Thirty six (20.2% were positive by either solid or liquid culture. Direct ZN smear detected 22 of 36 cases and direct auramine smears detected 26 of 36 cases. Bleach and USP centrifugation detected 24 cases each, providing no incremental yield beyond direct smears. When compared to combined culture, pretreated smears were not more sensitive than direct smears (66.6% vs 61.1 (ZN or 72.2 (auramine, and were not more specific (92.3% vs 93.0 (ZN or 97.2 (auramine.Short duration sputum pretreatment with bleach and USP centrifugation did not increase yield as compared to direct sputum smears. Further work is needed to confirm this in a larger study and also determine if longer duration pre-treatment might be effective in optimizing smear microscopy for TB.

  10. Collisionless energy absorption in the short-pulse intense laser-cluster interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kundu, M.; Bauer, D.

    2006-01-01

    In a previous paper [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 123401 (2006)] we have shown by means of three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and a simple rigid-sphere model that nonlinear resonance absorption is the dominant collisionless absorption mechanism in the intense, short-pulse laser cluster interaction. In this paper we present a more detailed account of the matter. In particular we show that the absorption efficiency is almost independent of the laser polarization. In the rigid-sphere model, the absorbed energy increases by many orders of magnitude at a certain threshold laser intensity. The particle-in-cell results display maximum fractional absorption around the same intensity. We calculate the threshold intensity and show that it is underestimated by the common overbarrier ionization estimate

  11. [Hyperfine structure and isotope shift measurements of short lived elements by laser spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schuessler, H.A.

    1986-01-01

    The aim of this research is to determine nuclear moments and charge distributions of short-lived isotopes produced both on-line and off-line to a nuclear facility. These measurements give detailed information on the nuclear force and are used to test current nuclear models. The small amounts of nuclei which can be produced off stability constitute the challenge in these experiments. Presently mainly neutron-rich isotopes are being studied by three ultrasensitive high-resolution laser techniques. These are collinear fast ion-beam laser spectroscopy, stored-ion laser spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. 5 figs

  12. Effect of active warm-up duration on morning short-term maximal performance during Ramadan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baklouti, Hana; Chtourou, Hamdi; Aloui, Asma; Chaouachi, Anis; Souissi, Nizar

    2015-01-01

    To examine the effect of active warm-up duration on short-term maximal performance assessed during Ramadan in the morning. Twelve healthy active men performed four Wingate tests for measurement of peak power and mean power before and during Ramadan at 09:00 a.m. The tests were performed on separate days, after either a 5-min or a 15-min warm-up. The warm-up consisted in pedaling at 50% of the power output obtained at the last stage of a submaximal multistage cycling test. Oral temperature was measured at rest and after warming-up. Furthermore, ratings of perceived exertion were obtained immediately after the Wingate test. Oral temperature was higher after the 15-min warm-up than the 5-min warm-up throughout the study. Moreover, peak power and mean power were higher after the 15-min warm-up than the 5-min warm-up before Ramadan. However, during Ramadan, there was no significant difference between the two warm-up durations. In addition, ratings of perceived exertion were higher after the 15-min warm-up than the 5-min warm-up only during Ramadan. There is no need to prolong the warm-up period before short-term maximal exercise performed during Ramadan in the morning.

  13. Short-wavelength free-electron laser sources and science: a review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seddon, E. A.; Clarke, J. A.; Dunning, D. J.; Masciovecchio, C.; Milne, C. J.; Parmigiani, F.; Rugg, D.; Spence, J. C. H.; Thompson, N. R.; Ueda, K.; Vinko, S. M.; Wark, J. S.; Wurth, W.

    2017-11-01

    This review is focused on free-electron lasers (FELs) in the hard to soft x-ray regime. The aim is to provide newcomers to the area with insights into: the basic physics of FELs, the qualities of the radiation they produce, the challenges of transmitting that radiation to end users and the diversity of current scientific applications. Initial consideration is given to FEL theory in order to provide the foundation for discussion of FEL output properties and the technical challenges of short-wavelength FELs. This is followed by an overview of existing x-ray FEL facilities, future facilities and FEL frontiers. To provide a context for information in the above sections, a detailed comparison of the photon pulse characteristics of FEL sources with those of other sources of high brightness x-rays is made. A brief summary of FEL beamline design and photon diagnostics then precedes an overview of FEL scientific applications. Recent highlights are covered in sections on structural biology, atomic and molecular physics, photochemistry, non-linear spectroscopy, shock physics, solid density plasmas. A short industrial perspective is also included to emphasise potential in this area. Dedicated to John M J Madey (1943-2016) and Rodolfo Bonifacio (1940-2016) whose perception, drive and perseverance paved the way for the realisation and development of short-wavelength free-electron lasers.

  14. Non-dipole effects in multiphoton ionization of hydrogen atom in short superintense laser fields

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jobunga, Eric O. [AG Moderne Optik, Institut fuer Physik, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, D-12489 Berlin (Germany); Department of Mathematics and Physics, Technical University of Mombasa, P. O. Box 90420-80100, Mombasa (Kenya); Saenz, Alejandro [AG Moderne Optik, Institut fuer Physik, Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, D-12489 Berlin (Germany)

    2014-07-01

    The development of novel light sources has enabled the realization of high-precision experiments investigating various non-linear processes in the dynamics of atomic, molecular, and ionic systems interacting with high intense laser pulses. At high intensities or short wavelengths, the analysis of these experiments would definitely require a reliable non-perturbative solution of the time-dependent Schroedinger or Dirac equation. These solutions should consider both the temporal and the spatial intensity variations of the laser pulse.We have solved the non-relativistic time dependent Schroedinger equation for a ground state hydrogen atom interacting with short intense spatially and temporally resolved laser fields corresponding to the multiphoton ATI regime for a monochromatic source with λ= 800 nm. We shall analyse the effects of the A{sup 2} term and the corresponding orders of the multipolar expansion of the transition matrix.

  15. Iodine laser for fusion research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dance, B.

    1988-01-01

    The most powerful iodine laser in the world, known as Asterix IV, is being prepared for operation at The Max Plank-Institut fuer Quantenoptik at Garching, near Munich, in West Germany. It is expected to produce 2kJ pulses of 1ns duration. Shorter pulses of about 200 ps duration should be obtainable at power levels of over 5 TW. Pulses of maximum power will be available every 20 minutes; this frequency is expected to be adequate for fusion experiments, although the short rate could be raised if necessary by greater gas circulation and cooling. (Author)

  16. Temperature field analysis of single layer TiO2 film components induced by long-pulse and short-pulse lasers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Bin; Zhang, Hongchao; Qin, Yuan; Wang, Xi; Ni, Xiaowu; Shen, Zhonghua; Lu, Jian

    2011-07-10

    To study the differences between the damaging of thin film components induced by long-pulse and short-pulse lasers, a model of single layer TiO(2) film components with platinum high-absorptance inclusions was established. The temperature rises of TiO(2) films with inclusions of different sizes and different depths induced by a 1 ms long-pulse and a 10 ns short-pulse lasers were analyzed based on temperature field theory. The results show that there is a radius range of inclusions that corresponds to high temperature rises. Short-pulse lasers are more sensitive to high-absorptance inclusions and long-pulse lasers are more easily damage the substrate. The first-damage decision method is drawn from calculations. © 2011 Optical Society of America

  17. Transparent media characterization using sub-pico second dye laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamy, F.; Fontaine, J.J.

    1982-01-01

    A new passively mode locked laser source developed at the Center for Laser Studies yielded pulses shorter than 0.14 ps, at a rate of 250 MHz or 0.3 ps pulses at a rate of 500 MHz. The laser and its modes of operation are described. With this source and a second order cross correlation technique similar to the autocorrelation used to determine the pulse duration, time domain reflectometry measurements can be made with a resolution of 40 μm. Three dimensional images can be made by time resolving the backscattered radiation of a beam scanned through a medium. The depth resolution of 0.1 μm can be carried over to the other two dimensions by computer reconstruction. The new technique should have important applications in medicine and biology. Because of the short duration of the laser pulses, high peak intensities can be used without damage to the tissues. Therefore, light measurements can be conducted through a larger depth than with continuous radiation. (orig.)

  18. Ultra-short laser pulses: review of the 3. physics talks, September 17-18, 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lemoine, P.

    1999-01-01

    This book deals with the operation of lasers with ultra-short pulses and with the laser beam-matter interaction. The applications in concern are: the acceleration of particles, the production of X-ray or photon sources, the micro-machining, the fast ignition in thermonuclear fusion, the production of thin films and the surgery of cornea. (J.S.)

  19. High-order harmonic generation with short-pulse lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schafer, K.J.; Krause, J.L.; Kulander, K.C.

    1992-12-01

    Recent progress in the understanding of high-order harmonic conversion from atoms and ions exposed to high-intensity, short-pulse optical lasers is reviewed. We find that ions can produce harmonics comparable in strength to those obtained from neutral atoms, and that the emission extends to much higher order. Simple scaling laws for the strength of the harmonic emission and the maximium observable harmonic are suggested. These results imply that the photoemission observed in recent experiments in helium and neon contains contributions from ions as well as neutrals

  20. Direct measurement of the pulse duration and frequency chirp of seeded XUV free electron laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azima, Armin; Bödewadt, Jörn; Becker, Oliver; Düsterer, Stefan; Ekanayake, Nagitha; Ivanov, Rosen; Kazemi, Mehdi M.; Lamberto Lazzarino, Leslie; Lechner, Christoph; Maltezopoulos, Theophilos; Manschwetus, Bastian; Miltchev, Velizar; Müller, Jost; Plath, Tim; Przystawik, Andreas; Wieland, Marek; Assmann, Ralph; Hartl, Ingmar; Laarmann, Tim; Rossbach, Jörg; Wurth, Wilfried; Drescher, Markus

    2018-01-01

    We report on a direct time-domain measurement of the temporal properties of a seeded free-electron laser pulse in the extreme ultraviolet spectral range. Utilizing the oscillating electromagnetic field of terahertz radiation, a single-shot THz streak-camera was applied for measuring the duration as well as spectral phase of the generated intense XUV pulses. The experiment was conducted at FLASH, the free electron laser user facility at DESY in Hamburg, Germany. In contrast to indirect methods, this approach directly resolves and visualizes the frequency chirp of a seeded free-electron laser (FEL) pulse. The reported diagnostic capability is a prerequisite to tailor amplitude, phase and frequency distributions of FEL beams on demand. In particular, it opens up a new window of opportunities for advanced coherent spectroscopic studies making use of the high degree of temporal coherence expected from a seeded FEL pulse.

  1. Immune System Dysregulation, Viral Reactivation and Stress During Short-Duration Space Flight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crucian, Brian; Mehta, Satish; Stowe, Raymond; Uchakin, Peter; Quiriarte, Heather; Pierson, Duane; Sams, Clarence

    2010-01-01

    This slide presentation reviews a study that was conducted to ascertain if the immune system dysregulation, viral reactivation and stress from short duration space flight were a result of the stress of landing and readjustment to gravity. The objectives of the study were to replace several recent immune studies with one comprehensive study that will include in-flight sampling; address lack of in-flight data: (i.e., determine the in-flight status of immunity, physiological stress, viral immunity/reactivation); determine the clinical risk related to immune dysregulation for exploration class spaceflight; and determine the appropriate monitoring strategy for spaceflight-associated immune dysfunction, that could be used for the evaluation of countermeasures.

  2. Communication with diode laser: short distance line of sight communication using fiber optics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirza, A.H.

    1999-01-01

    The objective of this project is to carry audio signal from transmitting station to a short distance receiving station along line of sight and also communication through fiber optics is performed, using diode laser light as carrier. In this project optical communication system, modulation techniques, basics of laser and causes of using diode laser are discussed briefly. Transmitter circuit and receiver circuit are fully described. Communication was performed using pulse width modulation technique. Optical fiber communication have many advantages over other type of conventional communication techniques. This report contains the description of optical fiber communication and compared with other communication systems. (author)

  3. Compact laser-diode-based femtosecond sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, C T A; Cataluna, M A; Lagatsky, A A; Rafailov, E U; Agate, M B; Leburn, C G; Sibbett, W

    2004-01-01

    This paper describes the development of compact femtosecond laser systems that are capable of being directly pumped by laser diodes or are based directly on laser diodes. The paper demonstrates the latest results in a highly efficient vibronic based gain medium and a diode-pumped Yb:KYW laser is reported that has a wall plug efficiency >14%. A Cr 4+ :YAG oscillator is described that generates transform-limited pulses of 81 fs duration at a pulse repetition frequency of >4 GHz. The development of Cr 3+ :LiSAF lasers that can be operated using power supplies based on batteries is briefly discussed. We also present a summary of work being carried out on the generation of fs-pulses from laser diodes and discuss the important issues in this area. Finally, we outline results obtained on the generation of pulses as short as 550 fs directly from a two-section quantum dot laser without any external pulse compression

  4. Resonant third-harmonic generation of a short-pulse laser from electron-hole plasmas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kant, Niti [Department of Physics, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144 402 (India); Nandan Gupta, Devki [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007 (India); Suk, Hyyong [Advanced Photonics Research Institute (APRI) and Graduate Program of Photonics and Applied Physics, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500 712 (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-01-15

    In semiconductors, free carriers are created in pairs in inter-band transitions and consist of an electron and its corresponding hole. At very high carrier densities, carrier-carrier collisions dominate over carrier-lattice collisions and carriers begin to behave collectively to form plasma. Here, we apply a short-pulse laser to generate third-harmonic radiation from a semiconductor plasma (electron-hole plasma) in the presence of a transverse wiggler magnetic-field. The process of third-harmonic generation of an intense short-pulse laser is resonantly enhanced by the magnetic wiggler, i.e., wiggler magnetic field provides the necessary momentum to third-harmonic photons. In addition, a high-power laser radiation, propagating through a semiconductor imparts an oscillatory velocity to the electrons and exerts a ponderomotive force on electrons at the third-harmonic frequency of the laser. This oscillatory velocity produces a third-harmonic longitudinal current. And due to the beating of the longitudinal electron velocity and the wiggler magnetic field, a transverse third-harmonic current is produced that drives third-harmonic electromagnetic radiation. It is finally observed that for a specific wiggler wave number value, the phase-matching conditions for the process are satisfied, leading to resonant enhancement in the energy conversion efficiency.

  5. Resonant third-harmonic generation of a short-pulse laser from electron-hole plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kant, Niti; Nandan Gupta, Devki; Suk, Hyyong

    2012-01-01

    In semiconductors, free carriers are created in pairs in inter-band transitions and consist of an electron and its corresponding hole. At very high carrier densities, carrier-carrier collisions dominate over carrier-lattice collisions and carriers begin to behave collectively to form plasma. Here, we apply a short-pulse laser to generate third-harmonic radiation from a semiconductor plasma (electron-hole plasma) in the presence of a transverse wiggler magnetic-field. The process of third-harmonic generation of an intense short-pulse laser is resonantly enhanced by the magnetic wiggler, i.e., wiggler magnetic field provides the necessary momentum to third-harmonic photons. In addition, a high-power laser radiation, propagating through a semiconductor imparts an oscillatory velocity to the electrons and exerts a ponderomotive force on electrons at the third-harmonic frequency of the laser. This oscillatory velocity produces a third-harmonic longitudinal current. And due to the beating of the longitudinal electron velocity and the wiggler magnetic field, a transverse third-harmonic current is produced that drives third-harmonic electromagnetic radiation. It is finally observed that for a specific wiggler wave number value, the phase-matching conditions for the process are satisfied, leading to resonant enhancement in the energy conversion efficiency.

  6. Numerical Simulation of the Micro-explosion during Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao Yucheng; Huang Chuyun; Xu Guowang; Yan Xudong; Wang Yanlin

    2011-01-01

    The micro-explosion during Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy may cause calculus fragmentation and migration. It plays an important role to the surgery. A numerical simulation of the micro-explosion during Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy has been developed. The explosion problem in water environment was solved by the Euler algorithm and the piecewise parabolic method (PPM) was selected in the calculation. This simulation investigated the explosion dynamics evolution in the lithotripsy area. The pressure and intensity of the calculus surface were calculated for different laser pulse energy and different distance between calculus and fiber tip. The calculation results indicate that the micro-explosion's properties are determined by the pulse energy, pulse duration and the water distance. Though Short pulse duration and large pulse energy cause high ablation efficiency, it mains more calculus retropulsion at the same time. The ideal surgery results need property laser parameters.

  7. Self-focusing and guiding of short laser pulses in ionizing gases and plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esarey, E.; Sprangle, P.; Krall, J.; Ting, A.

    1997-01-01

    The propagation of intense laser pulses in gases and plasmas is relevant to a wide range of applications, including laser-driven accelerators, laser-plasma channeling, harmonic generation, supercontinuum generation, X-ray lasers, and laser-fusion schemes. Here, several features of intense, short-pulse (≤1 ps) laser propagation in gases undergoing ionization and in plasmas are reviewed, discussed, and analyzed. The wave equations for laser pulse propagation in a gas undergoing ionization and in a plasma are derived. The source-dependent expansion method is discussed, which is a general method for solving the paraxial wave equation with nonlinear source terms. In gases, the propagation of high-power (near the critical power) laser pulses is considered including the effects of diffraction, nonlinear self-focusing, ionization, and plasma generation. Self-guided solutions and the stability of these solutions are discussed. In plasmas, optical guiding by relativistic effects, ponderomotive effects, and preformed density channels is considered. The self-consistent plasma response is discussed, including plasma wave effects and instabilities such as self-modulation. Recent experiments on the guiding of laser pulses in gases and in plasmas are briefly summarized

  8. Forward voltage short-pulse technique for measuring high power laser array junction temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meadows, Byron L. (Inventor); Amzajerdian, Frazin (Inventor); Barnes, Bruce W. (Inventor); Baker, Nathaniel R. (Inventor)

    2012-01-01

    The present invention relates to a method of measuring the temperature of the P-N junction within the light-emitting region of a quasi-continuous-wave or pulsed semiconductor laser diode device. A series of relatively short and low current monitor pulses are applied to the laser diode in the period between the main drive current pulses necessary to cause the semiconductor to lase. At the sufficiently low current level of the monitor pulses, the laser diode device does not lase and behaves similar to an electronic diode. The voltage across the laser diode resulting from each of these low current monitor pulses is measured with a high degree of precision. The junction temperature is then determined from the measured junction voltage using their known linear relationship.

  9. Blood Monocyte Subsets and Selected Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Rheumatoid Arthritis of Short Duration in relation to Disease Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewa Klimek

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. To evaluate blood monocyte subsets and functional monocyte properties in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA of short duration in the context of cardiovascular (CV risk and disease activity. Methods. We studied conventional markers of CV risk, intima media thickness (IMT, and blood monocyte subsets in 27 patients aged 41 ± 10 years with RA of short duration (median 12 months and 22 healthy controls. The RA subjects were divided into low (DAS28: 2.6–5.1 and high (DAS28 > 5.1 disease activity. Results. RA patients exhibited increased levels of intermediate (CD14++CD16+ monocytes with decreased CD45RA expression compared to controls, increased counts of classical (CD14++CD16− monocytes, and decreased percentages of nonclassical (CD14+CD16++ monocytes. Patients with high disease activity had lower HLA DR expression on classical monocytes compared to low disease activity patients. There were no differences in monocyte subsets between subjects with DAS > 5.1 and DAS ≤ 5.1. There were no significant intergroup differences in IMT and the majority of classical CV risk factors. Conclusions. Patients with RA of short duration show alteration in peripheral blood monocyte subsets despite the fact that there is no evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis. Disease activity assessed with DAS28 was associated with impaired functional properties but not with a shift in monocyte subpopulations.

  10. NASA 14 Day Undersea Missions: A Short-Duration Spaceflight Analog for Immune System Dysregulation?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crucian, B. E.; Stowe, R. P.; Mehta, S. K.; Chouker, A.; Feuerecker, M.; Quiriarte, H.; Pierson, D. L.; Sams, C. F.

    2011-01-01

    This poster paper reviews the use of 14 day undersea missions as a possible analog for short duration spaceflight for the study of immune system dysregulation. Sixteen subjects from the the NASA Extreme Enviro nment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 12, 13 and 14 missions were studied for immune system dysregulation. The assays that are presented in this poster are the Virleukocyte subsets, the T Cell functions, and the intracellular/secreted cytokine profiles. Other assays were performed, but are not included in this presntation.

  11. An ultrashort pulse ultra-violet radiation undulator source driven by a laser plasma wakefield accelerator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anania, M. P. [SUPA, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG (United Kingdom); INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, I-00044 Frascati (Italy); Brunetti, E.; Wiggins, S. M.; Grant, D. W.; Welsh, G. H.; Issac, R. C.; Cipiccia, S.; Shanks, R. P.; Manahan, G. G.; Aniculaesei, C.; Jaroszynski, D. A., E-mail: d.a.jaroszynski@strath.ac.uk [SUPA, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG (United Kingdom); Geer, S. B. van der; Loos, M. J. de [Pulsar Physics, Burghstraat 47, 5614 BC Eindhoven (Netherlands); Poole, M. W.; Shepherd, B. J. A.; Clarke, J. A. [ASTeC, STFC, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington WA4 4AD (United Kingdom); Gillespie, W. A. [SUPA, School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN (United Kingdom); MacLeod, A. M. [School of Computing and Creative Technologies, University of Abertay Dundee, Dundee DD1 1HG (United Kingdom)

    2014-06-30

    Narrow band undulator radiation tuneable over the wavelength range of 150–260 nm has been produced by short electron bunches from a 2 mm long laser plasma wakefield accelerator based on a 20 TW femtosecond laser system. The number of photons measured is up to 9 × 10{sup 6} per shot for a 100 period undulator, with a mean peak brilliance of 1 × 10{sup 18} photons/s/mrad{sup 2}/mm{sup 2}/0.1% bandwidth. Simulations estimate that the driving electron bunch r.m.s. duration is as short as 3 fs when the electron beam has energy of 120–130 MeV with the radiation pulse duration in the range of 50–100 fs.

  12. Properties of a Small-scale Short-duration Solar Eruption with a Driven Shock

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ying, Beili; Feng, Li; Lu, Lei; Zhang, Jie; Magdalenic, Jasmina; Su, Yingna; Su, Yang; Gan, Weiqun

    2018-03-01

    Large-scale solar eruptions have been extensively explored over many years. However, the properties of small-scale events with associated shocks have rarely been investigated. We present analyses of a small-scale, short-duration event originating from a small region. The impulsive phase of the M1.9-class flare lasted only four minutes. The kinematic evolution of the CME hot channel reveals some exceptional characteristics, including a very short duration of the main acceleration phase (fast and impulsive kinematics subsequently results in a piston-driven shock related to a metric type II radio burst with a high starting frequency of ∼320 MHz of the fundamental band. The type II source is formed at a low height of below 1.1 R ⊙ less than ∼2 minutes after the onset of the main acceleration phase. Through the band-split of the type II burst, the shock compression ratio decreases from 2.2 to 1.3, and the magnetic field strength of the shock upstream region decreases from 13 to 0.5 Gauss at heights of 1.1–2.3 R ⊙. We find that the CME (∼4 × 1030 erg) and flare (∼1.6 × 1030 erg) consume similar amounts of magnetic energy. The same conclusion for large-scale eruptions implies that small- and large-scale events possibly share a similar relationship between CMEs and flares. The kinematic particularities of this event are possibly related to the small footpoint-separation distance of the associated magnetic flux rope, as predicted by the Erupting Flux Rope model.

  13. Control of ion beam generation in intense short pulse laser target interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagashima, T.; Izumiyama, T.; Barada, D.; Kawata, S.; Gu, Y.J.; Wang, W.M.; Ma, Y.Y.; Kong, Q.

    2013-01-01

    In intense laser plasma interaction, several issues still remain to be solved for future laser particle acceleration. In this paper we focus on a control of generation of high-energy ions. In this study, near-critical density plasmas are employed and are illuminated by high intensity short laser pulses; we have successfully generated high-energy ions, and also controlled ion energy and the ion energy spectrum by multiple-stages acceleration. We performed particle-in-cell simulations in this paper. The first near-critical plasma target is illuminated by a laser pulse, and the ions accelerated are transferred to the next target. The next identical target is also illuminated by another identical large pulse, and the ion beam introduced is further accelerated and controlled. In this study four stages are employed, and finally a few hundreds of MeV of protons are realized. A quasi-monoenergetic energy spectrum is also obtained. (author)

  14. Theory of suppressing avalanche process of carrier in short pulse laser irradiated dielectrics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deng, H. X., E-mail: hxdeng@uestc.edu.cn, E-mail: xtzu@uestc.edu.cn, E-mail: kaisun@umich.edu; Zu, X. T., E-mail: hxdeng@uestc.edu.cn, E-mail: xtzu@uestc.edu.cn, E-mail: kaisun@umich.edu; Xiang, X. [School of Physical Electronics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Zheng, W. G.; Yuan, X. D. [Research Center of Laser Fusion, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Sun, K., E-mail: hxdeng@uestc.edu.cn, E-mail: xtzu@uestc.edu.cn, E-mail: kaisun@umich.edu [Department of Materials Engineering and Sciences, University of Michigan, 413B Space Research Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2143 (United States); Gao, F. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P. O. Box 999, Richland, Washington 99352 (United States)

    2014-05-28

    A theory for controlling avalanche process of carrier during short pulse laser irradiation is proposed. We show that avalanche process of conduction band electrons (CBEs) is determined by the occupation number of phonons in dielectrics. The theory provides a way to suppress avalanche process and a direct judgment for the contribution of avalanche process and photon ionization process to the generation of CBEs. The obtained temperature dependent rate equation shows that the laser induced damage threshold of dielectrics, e.g., fused silica, increase nonlinearly with the decreases of temperature. Present theory predicts a new approach to improve the laser induced damage threshold of dielectrics.

  15. Short Rayleigh Length Free Electron Lasers

    CERN Document Server

    Crooker, P P; Armstead, R L; Blau, J

    2004-01-01

    Conventional free electron laser (FEL) oscillators minimize the optical mode volume around the electron beam in the undulator by making the resonator Rayleigh length about one third of the undulator length. This maximizes gain and beam-mode coupling. In compact configurations of high-power infrared FELs or moderate power UV FELs, the resulting optical intensity can damage the resonator mirrors. To increase the spot size and thereby reduce the optical intensity at the mirrors below the damage threshold, a shorter Rayleigh length can be used, but the FEL interaction is significantly altered. A new FEL interaction is described and analyzed with a Rayleigh length that is only one tenth the undulator length, or less. The effect of mirror vibration and positioning are more critical in the short Rayleigh length design, but we find that they are still within normal design tolerances.

  16. Inhibition of Escherichia coli respiratory enzymes by short visible femtosecond laser irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Chieh-Han; Hsu, Yung-Yuan; Lin, Kung-Hsuan; Tsen, Kong-Thon; Kuan, Yung-Shu

    2014-01-01

    A visible femtosecond laser is shown to be capable of selectively inactivating a wide spectrum of microorganisms in a wavelength and pulse width dependent manner. However, the mechanism of how a visible femtosecond laser affects the viability of different microorganisms is still elusive. In this paper, the cellular surface properties, membrane integrity and metabolic rate of Escherichia coli (E. coli) irradiated by a visible femtosecond laser (λ = 415 nm, pulse width = 100 fs) with different exposure times were investigated. Our results showed that femtosecond laser treatment for 60 min led to cytoplasmic leakage, protein aggregation and alternation of the physical properties of the E. coli cell membrane. In comparison, a 10 min exposure of bacteria to femtosecond laser irradiation induced an immediate reduction of 75% in the glucose-dependent respiratory rate, while the cytoplasmic leakage was not detected. Results from enzymatic assays showed that oxidases and dehydrogenases involved in the E. coli respiratory chain exhibited divergent susceptibility after laser irradiation. This early commencement of respiratory inhibition after a short irradiation is presumed to have a dominant effect on the early stage of bacteria inactivation. (paper)

  17. Impact of steep-front short-duration impulse on electric power system insulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burrage, L M; Veverka, E F; Shaw, J H [Cooper Industries, Inc., Franksville, WI (USA). Cooper Power Systems; McConnell, B W [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)

    1991-04-01

    This research effort required the performance evaluation of three specific insulation systems in common usage by electric power transmission and distribution utilities under stresses imposed by: three characteristic impulse waveforms (two waves representative of steep-front short duration (SFSD) impulses and one representative of lightning), the cumulative effect of multiple shots'' of each pulse, 60 Hz voltage, and, where appropriate, and mechanical load. The insulation systems evaluated are the cellulose-paper/oil combination typical of power transformer and condenser bushing usage, the cellulose-paper/enamel/oil combination used in distribution transformer construction, and the porcelain/air combination representing transmission and distribution line structural insulation. 4 refs., 94 figs., 11 tabs.

  18. Phase conjugation of speckle-inhomogeneous radiation in a holographic Nd:YAG laser with a short thermal hologram

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yarovoi, V V; Kirsanov, A V

    2002-01-01

    A model of the so-called short hologram, which does not exhibit in-depth diffraction deformation of the fine speckle pattern of the recording fields, is studied. The investigation is performed by the example of a thermal hologram recorded by two speckle waves, which is the output mirror of a ring laser produced as a result of this recording. It is shown that the ability of this short hologram to select a wave conjugated to a speckle signal in the mode of the holographic laser depends both on the degree of mutual mixing of the speckles of recording beams in the hologram volume and on the effects of its saturation by the beams. The maximum accuracy of phase conjugation of speckle radiation in the holographic Nd:YAG laser achieved upon the best selection of the conjugate wave by the short thermal hologram was 93%. (nonlinear optical phenomena)

  19. Preliminary design of experiment high power density laser beam interaction with plasmas and development of a cold cathode electron beam laser amplifier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mosavi, R.K.; Kohanzadeh, Y.; Taherzadeh, M.; Vaziri, A.

    1976-01-01

    This experiment is designed to produce plasma by carbon dioxide pulsed laser, to measure plasma parameters and to study the interaction of the produced plasma with intense laser beams. The objectives of this experiment are the following: 1. To set up a TEA CO 2 laser oscillator and a cold cathode electron beam laser amplifier together as a system, to produce high energy optical pulses of short duration. 2. To achieve laser intensities of 10 11 watt/cm 2 or more at solid targets of polyethylene (C 2 H 4 )n, lithium hydride (LiH), and lithium deuteride in order to produce high temperature plasmas. 3. To design and develop diagnostic methods for studies of laser-induced plasmas. 4. To develop a high power CO 2 laser amplifier for the purpose of upgrading the optical energy delivered to the targets

  20. Numerical analysis of short-pulse laser interactions with thin metal film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Majchrzak

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Thin metal film subjected to a short-pulse laser heating is considered. The hyperbolic two-temperature model describing the temporal andspatial evolution of the lattice and electrons temperatures is discussed. At the stage of numerical computations the finite difference method is used. In the final part of the paper the examples of computations are shown.

  1. Asian-White disparities in short sleep duration by industry of employment and occupation in the US: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Chandra L; Kawachi, Ichiro; Redline, Susan; Juon, Hee-Soon; Hu, Frank B

    2014-06-03

    Although short sleep is associated with an increased risk of morbidity as well as mortality and has been shown to vary by industry of employment and occupation, little is known about the relationship between work and sleep among Asian Americans. Using a nationally representative sample of US adults (n = 125,610) in the National Health Interview Survey from 2004-2011, we estimated prevalence ratios for self-reported short sleep duration (hours) in Asians compared to Whites by industry of employment and occupation using adjusted Poisson regression models with robust variance. Asians were more likely to report short sleep duration than Whites (33 vs. 28%, p Asian-White disparity was widest in finance/information and healthcare industries. Compared to Whites after adjustments, short sleep was also more prevalent among Asians employed in Public administration (PR = 1.35 [95% CI: 1.17,1.56]), Education (PR = 1.29 [95% CI: 1.08,1.53]), and Professional/Management (PR = 1.18 [95% CI: 1.03,1.36]). Short sleep, however, was lower among Asians in Accommodation/Food (PR = 0.81 [95% CI: 0.66, 0.99]) with no difference in Retail. In professional and support-service occupations, short sleep was higher among Asians, but was not different among laborers. U.S. Asian-White disparities in short sleep varied by industries, suggesting a need to consider both race and occupational characteristics to identify high-risk individuals.

  2. Influence of condensation on heat flux and pressure measurements in a detonation-based short-duration facility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haase, S.; Olivier, H.

    2017-10-01

    Detonation-based short-duration facilities provide hot gas with very high stagnation pressures and temperatures. Due to the short testing time, complex and expensive cooling techniques of the facility walls are not needed. Therefore, they are attractive for economical experimental investigations of high-enthalpy flows such as the flow in a rocket engine. However, cold walls can provoke condensation of the hot combustion gas at the walls. This has already been observed in detonation tubes close behind the detonation wave, resulting in a loss of tube performance. A potential influence of condensation at the wall on the experimental results, like wall heat fluxes and static pressures, has not been considered so far. Therefore, in this study the occurrence of condensation and its influence on local heat flux and pressure measurements has been investigated in the nozzle test section of a short-duration rocket-engine simulation facility. This facility provides hot water vapor with stagnation pressures up to 150 bar and stagnation temperatures up to 3800 K. A simple method has been developed to detect liquid water at the wall without direct optical access to the flow. It is shown experimentally and theoretically that condensation has a remarkable influence on local measurement values. The experimental results indicate that for the elimination of these influences the nozzle wall has to be heated to a certain temperature level, which exclusively depends on the local static pressure.

  3. Laser-driven ultrafast antiproton beam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shun; Pei, Zhikun; Shen, Baifei; Xu, Jiancai; Zhang, Lingang; Zhang, Xiaomei; Xu, Tongjun; Yu, Yong; Bu, Zhigang

    2018-02-01

    Antiproton beam generation is investigated based on the ultra-intense femtosecond laser pulse by using two-dimensional particle-in-cell and Geant4 simulations. A high-flux proton beam with an energy of tens of GeV is generated in sequential radiation pressure and bubble regime and then shoots into a high-Z target for producing antiprotons. Both yield and energy of the antiproton beam increase almost linearly with the laser intensity. The generated antiproton beam has a short pulse duration of about 5 ps and its flux reaches 2 × 10 20 s - 1 at the laser intensity of 2.14 × 10 23 W / cm 2 . Compared to conventional methods, this new method based on the ultra-intense laser pulse is able to provide a compact, tunable, and ultrafast antiproton source, which is potentially useful for quark-gluon plasma study, all-optical antihydrogen generation, and so on.

  4. Epidermal protection with cryogen spray cooling during high fluence pulsed dye laser irradiation: an ex vivo study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tunnell, J W; Nelson, J S; Torres, J H; Anvari, B

    2000-01-01

    Higher laser fluences than currently used in therapy (5-10 J/cm(2)) are expected to result in more effective treatment of port wine stain (PWS) birthmarks. However, higher incident fluences increase the risk of epidermal damage caused by absorption of light by melanin. Cryogen spray cooling offers an effective method to reduce epidermal injury during laser irradiation. The objective of this study was to determine whether high laser incident fluences (15-30 J/cm(2)) could be used while still protecting the epidermis in ex vivo human skin samples. Non-PWS skin from a human cadaver was irradiated with a Candela ScleroPlus Laser (lambda = 585 nm; pulse duration = 1.5 msec) by using various incident fluences (8-30 J/cm(2)) without and with cryogen spray cooling (refrigerant R-134a; spurt durations: 40-250 msec). Assessment of epidermal damage was based on histologic analysis. Relatively short spurt durations (40-100 msec) protected the epidermis for laser incident fluences comparable to current therapeutic levels (8-10 J/cm(2)). However, longer spurt durations (100-250 msec) increased the fluence threshold for epidermal damage by a factor of three (up to 30 J/cm(2)) in these ex vivo samples. Results of this ex vivo study show that epidermal protection from high laser incident fluences can be achieved by increasing the cryogen spurt duration immediately before pulsed laser exposure. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  5. Progress in compact soft x-ray lasers and their applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suckewer, S.; Skinner, C.H.

    1995-01-01

    The ultra-high brightness and short pulse duration of soft x-ray lasers provide unique advantages for novel applications. A crucial factor in the availability of these devices is their scale and cost. Recent breakthroughs in this field has brought closer the advent of table-top devices, suitable for applications to fields such as x-ray microscopy, chemistry, material science, plasma diagnostics, and lithography. In this article we review recent progress in the development of compact (table-top) soft x-ray lasers

  6. Ultra-short laser pulse ablation using shear-force feedback: Femtosecond laser induced breakdown spectroscopy feasibility study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samek, Ota; Kurowski, Andre; Kittel, Silke; Kukhlevsky, Sergei; Hergenroeder, Roland

    2005-01-01

    This work reports on a feasibility study of proximity ablation using femtosecond pulses. Ultra-short pulses were launched to a bare tapered optical fiber and delivered to the sample. The tip-sample distance was controlled by means of shear-force feedback. Consequently, ablation craters with submicrometer dimensions were obtained. Potential analytical applications for Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique, such as e.g. inclusions in steel or bio cells, are suggested

  7. The use of laser beams for plasma diagnostics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gex, J.P.; Jolas, A.; Launspach, J.; Schirmann, D.

    1975-01-01

    The optical properties of lasers allow them to be a promising source for plasma diagnosis. The Q-switched lasers provide the opportunity to make observations in a very short time interval down to a few picoseconds. The laser space and time coherence properties allow interferometric measurements of plasma electron densities. Thus in the experiments of laser-matter interactions, the radiation obtained by frequency conversion of the Nd: glass laser emission is used for density measurements (up to 10 20 cm -3 ) in small scale plasmas (approximately equal to 1mm). Owing to the monochromaticity and high intensity of the Q-switched laser radiation, density fluctuations and microscopic instabilities of the plasma can be studied by Thompson scattering measurements. Finally, some statistically isotropic media become birefringent under the action of the strong electrical field of the laser beam radiation. This effect can be used for laser pulse duration measurements in a range not exceeding a few picoseconds [fr

  8. Two-dimensional angular energy spectrum of electrons accelerated by the ultra-short relativistic laser pulse

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borovskiy, A. V. [Department of Computer Science and Cybernetics, Baikal State University of Economics and Law, 11 Lenin Street, Irkutsk 664003 (Russian Federation); Galkin, A. L. [Coherent and Nonlinear Optics Department, A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the RAS, 38 Vavilov Street, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Department of Physics of MBF, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1 Ostrovitianov Street, Moscow 117997 (Russian Federation); Kalashnikov, M. P., E-mail: galkin@kapella.gpi.ru [Max-Born-Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short-Time Spectroscopy, 2a Max-Born-Strasse, Berlin 12489 (Germany)

    2015-04-15

    The new method of calculating energy spectra of accelerated electrons, based on the parameterization by their initial coordinates, is proposed. The energy spectra of electrons accelerated by Gaussian ultra-short relativistic laser pulse at a selected angle to the axis of the optical system focusing the laser pulse in a low density gas are theoretically calculated. The two-peak structure of the electron energy spectrum is obtained. Discussed are the reasons for its appearance as well as an applicability of other models of the laser field.

  9. The influence of pulse duration on the stress levels in ablation of ceramics: A finite element study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verde, A. Vila; Ramos, Marta M.D.

    2006-01-01

    We present a finite element model to investigate the dynamic thermal and mechanical response of ceramic materials to pulsed infrared radiation. The model was applied to the specific problem of determining the influence of the pulse duration on the stress levels reached in human dental enamel irradiated by a CO 2 laser at 10.6 μm with pulse durations between 0.1 and 100 μs and sub-ablative fluence. Our results indicate that short pulses with durations much larger than the characteristic acoustic relaxation time of the material can still cause high stress transients at the irradiated site, and indicate that pulse durations of the order of 10 μs may be more adequate both for enamel surface modification and for ablation than pulse durations up to 1 μs. The model presented here can easily be modified to investigate the dynamic response of ceramic materials to mid-infrared radiation and help determine optimal pulse durations for specific procedures

  10. Gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms and dietary behaviors are significant correlates of short sleep duration in the general population: the Nagahama Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murase, Kimihiko; Tabara, Yasuharu; Takahashi, Yoshimitsu; Muro, Shigeo; Yamada, Ryo; Setoh, Kazuya; Kawaguchi, Takahisa; Kadotani, Hiroshi; Kosugi, Shinji; Sekine, Akihiro; Nakayama, Takeo; Mishima, Michiaki; Chiba, Tsutomu; Chin, Kazuo; Matsuda, Fumihiko

    2014-11-01

    To examine relationships among gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms, dietary behaviors, and sleep duration in the general population. Cross-sectional. Community-based. There were 9,643 participants selected from the general population (54 ± 13 y). None. Sleep duration, sleep habits, and unfavorable dietary behaviors of each participant were assessed with a structured questionnaire. Participants were categorized into five groups according to their sleep duration: less than 5 h, 5 to less than 6 h, 6 to less than 7 h, 7 to less than 8 h, and 8 or more h per day. GERD was evaluated using the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD (FSSG) and participants having an FSSG score of 8 or more or those under treatment of GERD were defined as having GERD. Trend analysis showed that both the FSSG score and the number of unfavorable dietary habits increased with decreasing sleep duration. Further, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that both the presence of GERD (odds ratio = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-1.32) and the number of unfavorable dietary behaviors (odds ratio = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.13-1.26) were independent and potent factors to identify participants with short sleep duration even after controlling for other confounding factors. The current study showed that both GERD symptoms and unfavorable dietary behaviors were significant correlates of short sleep duration independently of each other in a large sample from the general population.

  11. Novel short-pulse laser diode source for high-resolution 3D flash lidar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canal, Celine; Laugustin, Arnaud; Kohl, Andreas; Rabot, Olivier

    2017-06-01

    Imaging based on laser illumination is present in various fields of applications such as medicine, security, defense, civil engineering and in the automotive sector. In this last domain, research and development to bring autonomous vehicles on the roads has been intensified the recent years. Among the various technologies currently studied, automotive lidars are a fast-growing one due to their accuracy to detect a wide range of objects at distances up to a few hundreds of meters in various weather conditions. First commercialized devices for ADAS were laser scanners. Since then, new architectures have recently appeared such as solid-state lidar and flash lidar that offer a higher compactness, robustness and a cost reduction. Flash lidars are based on time-of-flight measurements, with the particularity that they do not require beam scanners because only one short laser pulse with a large divergence is used to enlighten the whole scene. Depth of encountered objects can then be recovered from measurement of echoed light at once, hence enabling real-time 3D mapping of the environment. This paper will bring into the picture a cutting edge laser diode source that can deliver millijoule pulses as short as 12 ns, which makes them highly suitable for integration in flash lidars. They provide a 100-kW peak power highly divergent beam in a footprint of 4x5 cm2 (including both the laser diode and driver) and with a 30-% electrical-to-optical efficiency, making them suitable for integration in environments in which compactness and power consumption are a priority. Their emission in the range of 800-1000 nm is considered to be eye safe when taking into account the high divergence of the output beam. An overview of architecture of these state-of-the-art pulsed laser diode sources will be given together with some solutions for their integration in 3D mapping systems. Future work leads will be discussed for miniaturization of the laser diode and drastic cost reduction.

  12. Hot-electron surface retention in intense short-pulse laser-matter interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, R J; Dodd, E S; Albright, B J

    2005-07-01

    Implicit hybrid plasma simulations predict that a significant fraction of the energy deposited into hot electrons can be retained near the surface of targets with steep density gradients illuminated by intense short-pulse lasers. This retention derives from the lateral transport of heated electrons randomly emitted in the presence of spontaneous magnetic fields arising near the laser spot, from geometric effects associated with a small hot-electron source, and from E fields arising in reaction to the ponderomotive force. Below the laser spot hot electrons are axially focused into a target by the B fields, and can filament in moderate Z targets by resistive Weibel-like instability, if the effective background electron temperature remains sufficiently low. Carefully engineered use of such retention in conjunction with ponderomotive density profile steepening could result in a reduced hot-electron range that aids fast ignition. Alternatively, such retention may disturb a deeper deposition needed for efficient radiography and backside fast ion generation.

  13. Saturated output tabletop x-ray lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dunn, J.; Osterheld, A.L.; Nilsen, J.; Hunter, J.R.; Li, Y.; Faenov, A.Ya.; Pikuz, T.A.; Shlyaptsev, N.

    2000-01-01

    The high efficiency method of transient collisional excitation has been successfully demonstrated for Ne-like and Ni-like ion x-ray laser schemes with small 5-10 J laser facilities. Our recent studies using the tabletop COMET (Compact Multipulse Terawatt) laser system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have produced several x-ray lasers operating in the saturation regime. Output energy of 10-15 (micro)J corresponding to a gL product of 18 has been achieved on the Ni-like Pd 4d → 4p transition at 147 (angstrom) with a total energy of 5-7 J in a 600 ps pulse followed by a 1.2 ps pulse. Analysis of the laser beam angular profile indicates that refraction plays an important role in the amplification and propagation process in the plasma column. We report further improvement in the extraction efficiency by varying a number of laser driver parameters. In particular, the duration of the second short pulse producing the inversion has an observed effect on the x-ray laser output

  14. Saturated output tabletop X-ray lasers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dunn, J.; Osterheld, A.L.; Nilsen, J.; Hunter, J.R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); Yuelin Li [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); ILSA, Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Livermore, CA (United States); Faenov, A.Ya.; Pikuz, T.A. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); MISDC of VNIIFTRI, Mendeleevo (Russian Federation); Shlyaptsev, V.N. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); DAS, Univ. of California Davis-Livermore, Livermore, CA (United States)

    2001-07-01

    The high efficiency method of transient collisional excitation has been successfully demonstrated for Ne-like and Ni-like ion X-ray laser schemes with small 5-10 J laser facilities. Our recent studies using the tabletop COMET (compact multipulse terawatt) laser system at the Lawrence livermore national laboratory (LLNL) have produced several X-ray lasers operating in the saturation regime. Output energy of 10-15 {mu}J corresponding to a gL product of 18 has been achieved on the Ni-like Pd 4d{yields}4p transition at 147 A with a total energy of 5-7 J in a 600 ps pulse followed by a 1.2 ps pulse. Analysis of the laser beam angular profile indicates that refraction plays an important role in the amplification and propagation process in the plasma column. We report further improvement in the extraction efficiency by varying a number of laser driver parameters. In particular, the duration of the second short pulse producing the inversion has an observed effect on the X-ray laser output. (orig.)

  15. Short-pulse optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification for the generation of high-power few-cycle pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Major, Zs.; Osterhoff, J.; Hoerlein, R.; Karsch, S.; Fuoloep, J.A.; Krausz, F.; Ludwig-Maximilians Universitaet, Muenchen

    2006-01-01

    Complete test of publication follows. In the quest for a way to generate ultrashort, high-power, few-cycle laser pulses the discovery of optical parametric amplification (OPA) has opened up to the path towards a completely new regime, well beyond that of conventional laser amplification technology. The main advantage of this parametric amplification process is that it allows for an extremely broad amplification bandwidth compared to any known laser amplifier medium. When combined with the chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) principle (i.e. OPCPA), on one hand pulses of just 10 fs duration and 8 mJ pulse energy have been demonstrated. On the other hand, pulse energies of up to 30 J were also achieved on a different OPCPA system; the pulse duration in this case, however, was 100 fs. In order to combine ultrashort pulse durations (i.e. pulses in the few-cycle regime) with high pulse energies (i.e. in the Joule range) we propose tu pump on OPCPA chain with TW-scale short pulses (100 fs - 1 ps instead of > 100 ps of previous OPCPA systems) delivered by a conventional CPA system. This approach inherently improves the conditions for generating high-power ultrashort pulses using OPCPA in the following ways. Firstly, the short pump pulse duration reduces the necessary stretching factor for the seed pulse, thereby increasing stretching and compression fidelity. Secondly, also due to the shortened pump pulse duration, a much higher contrast is achieved. Finally, the significantly increased pump power makes the use of thinner OPCPA crystals possible, which implies an even broader amplification bandwidth, thereby allowing for even shorter pulses. We carried out theoretical investigations to show the feasibility of such a set-up. Alongside these studies we will also present preliminary experimental results of an OPCPA system pumped by the output of our Ti:Sapphire ATLAS laser, currently delivering 350 mJ in 43 fs. An insight into the planned scaling of this technique to petawatt

  16. Locking Lasers to RF in an Ultrafast FEL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilcox, R.; Huang, G.; Doolittle, L.; White, W.; Frisch, J.; Coffee, R.

    2010-01-01

    Using a novel, phase-stabilized RF-over-fiber scheme, they transmit 3GHz over 300m with 27fs RMS error in 250kHz bandwidth over 12 hours, and phase lock a laser to enable ultrafast pump-probe experiments. Free-electron lasers (FELs) are capable of producing short-duration (< 10fs), high-energy X-ray pulses for a range of scientific applications. The recently activated Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) FEL facility at SLAC will support experiments which require synchronized light pulses for pump-probe schemes. They developed and operated a fiber optic RF transmission system to synchronize lasers to the emitted X-ray pulses, which was used to enable the first pump-probe experiments at the LCLS.

  17. SHORT DURATIONS OF STATIC STRETCHING WHEN COMBINED WITH DYNAMIC STRETCHING DO NOT IMPAIR REPEATED SPRINTS AND AGILITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Del P. Wong

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to compare the effect of different static stretching durations followed by dynamic stretching on repeated sprint ability (RSA and change of direction (COD. Twenty-five participants performed the RSA and COD tests in a randomized order. After a 5 min aerobic warm up, participants performed one of the three static stretching protocols of 30 s, 60 s or 90 s total duration (3 stretches x 10 s, 20 s or 30 s. Three dynamic stretching exercises of 30 s duration were then performed (90 s total. Sit-and-reach flexibility tests were conducted before the aerobic warm up, after the combined static and dynamic stretching, and post- RSA/COD test. The duration of static stretching had a positive effect on flexibility with 36.3% and 85.6% greater sit-and-reach scores with the 60 s and 90 s static stretching conditions respectively than with the 30 s condition (p < 0.001. However there were no significant differences in RSA and COD performance between the 3 stretching conditions. The lack of change in RSA and COD might be attributed to a counterbalancing of static and dynamic stretching effects. Furthermore, the short duration (< 90 s static stretching may not have provided sufficient stimulus to elicit performance impairments

  18. Standard measurement procedures for the characterization of fs-laser optical components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starke, Kai; Ristau, Detlev; Welling, Herbert

    2003-05-01

    Ultra-short pulse laser systems are considered as promising tools in the fields of precise micro-machining and medicine applications. In the course of the development of reliable table top laser systems, a rapid growth of ultra-short pulse applications could be observed during the recent years. The key for improving the performance of high power laser systems is the quality of the optical components concerning spectral characteristics, optical losses and the power handling capability. In the field of ultra-short pulses, standard measurement procedures in quality management have to be validated in respect to effects induced by the extremely high peak power densities. The present work, which is embedded in the EUREKA-project CHOCLAB II, is predominantly concentrated on measuring the multiple-pulse LIDT (ISO 11254-2) in the fs-regime. A measurement facility based on a Ti:Sapphire-CPA system was developed to investigate the damage behavior of optical components. The set-up was supplied with an improved pulse energy detector discriminating the influence of pulse-to-pulse energy fluctuations on the incidence of damage. Aditionally, a laser-calorimetric measurement facility determining the absorption (ISO 11551) utilizing a fs-Ti:Sapphire laser was accomplished. The investigation for different pulse durations between 130 fs and 1 ps revealed a drastic increase of absorption in titania coatings for ultra-short pulses.

  19. Laser Processing of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics - Release of Carbon Fiber Segments During Short-pulsed Laser Processing of CFRP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, Juergen; Brodesser, Alexander; Hustedt, Michael; Bluemel, Sven; Jaeschke, Peter; Kaierle, Stefan

    Cutting and ablation using short-pulsed laser radiation are promising technologies to produce or repair CFRP components with outstanding mechanical properties e.g. for automotive and aircraft industry. Using sophisticated laser processing strategies and avoiding excessive heating of the workpiece, a high processing quality can be achieved. However, the interaction of laser radiation and composite material causes a notable release of hazardous substances from the process zone, amongst others carbon fiber segments or fibrous particles. In this work, amounts and geometries of the released fiber segments are analyzed and discussed in terms of their hazardous potential. Moreover, it is investigated to what extent gaseous organic process emissions are adsorbed at the fiber segments, similar to an adsorption of volatile organic compounds at activated carbon, which is typically used as filter material.

  20. Picosecond transient backward stimulated Raman scattering and pumping of femtosecond dye lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrivo, Steven M.; Spears, Kenneth G.; Sipior, Jeffrey

    1995-02-01

    We report studies of transient, backward stimulated, Raman scattering (TBSRS) in solvents with a 10 Hz, 27 ps, 532 nm pump laser. The TBSRS effect was used to create pulses at 545 nm and 630 nm with durations of 2-3 ps and 5-10 μJ of energy. The duration, energy and fluctuations of the Raman pulse were studied as a function of pump energy and focal parameters. A 5 μJ Raman pulse was amplified in either a Raman amplifier or two stage dye amplifier to 1 mJ levels. A 545 nm pulse of 3 ps duration was generated in CCl 4 and was then used to pump a short cavity dye laser (SCDL). The SCDL oscillator and a 5 stage dye amplifier provided a pulse of 700 fs and 400 μJ that was tunable near 590 nm.

  1. Propagation of ultrashort laser pulses in water: linear absorption and onset of nonlinear spectral transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokolov, Alexei V; Naveira, Lucas M; Poudel, Milan P; Strohaber, James; Trendafilova, Cynthia S; Buck, William C; Wang, Jieyu; Strycker, Benjamin D; Wang, Chao; Schuessler, Hans; Kolomenskii, Alexandre; Kattawar, George W

    2010-01-20

    We study propagation of short laser pulses through water and use a spectral hole filling technique to essentially perform a sensitive balanced comparison of absorption coefficients for pulses of different duration. This study is motivated by an alleged violation of the Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law at low light intensities, where the pulse propagation is expected to be linear, and by a possible observation of femtosecond optical precursors in water. We find that at low intensities, absorption of laser light is determined solely by its spectrum and does not directly depend on the pulse duration, in agreement with our earlier work and in contradiction to some work of others. However, as the laser fluence is increased, interaction of light with water becomes nonlinear, causing energy exchange among the pulse's spectral components and resulting in peak-intensity dependent (and therefore pulse-duration dependent) transmission. For 30 fs pulses at 800 nm center wavelength, we determine the onset of nonlinear propagation effects to occur at a peak value of about 0.12 mJ/cm(2) of input laser energy fluence.

  2. Coaxial short pulsed laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, M.A.; Davies, T.J.

    1975-08-01

    This invention relates to a laser system of rugged design suitable for use in a field environment. The laser itself is of coaxial design with a solid potting material filling the space between components. A reservoir is employed to provide a gas lasing medium between an electrode pair, each of which is connected to one of the coaxial conductors. (auth)

  3. Ultrashort pulse laser machining of metals and alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Michael D.; Stuart, Brent C.

    2003-09-16

    The invention consists of a method for high precision machining (cutting, drilling, sculpting) of metals and alloys. By using pulses of a duration in the range of 10 femtoseconds to 100 picoseconds, extremely precise machining can be achieved with essentially no heat or shock affected zone. Because the pulses are so short, there is negligible thermal conduction beyond the region removed resulting in negligible thermal stress or shock to the material beyond approximately 0.1-1 micron (dependent upon the particular material) from the laser machined surface. Due to the short duration, the high intensity (>10.sup.12 W/cm.sup.2) associated with the interaction converts the material directly from the solid-state into an ionized plasma. Hydrodynamic expansion of the plasma eliminates the need for any ancillary techniques to remove material and produces extremely high quality machined surfaces with negligible redeposition either within the kerf or on the surface. Since there is negligible heating beyond the depth of material removed, the composition of the remaining material is unaffected by the laser machining process. This enables high precision machining of alloys and even pure metals with no change in grain structure.

  4. Femtosecond laser ablation of dentin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alves, S; Vilar, R; Oliveira, V

    2012-01-01

    The surface morphology, structure and composition of human dentin treated with a femtosecond infrared laser (pulse duration 500 fs, wavelength 1030 nm, fluences ranging from 1 to 3 J cm -2 ) was studied by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The average dentin ablation threshold under these conditions was 0.6 ± 0.2 J cm -2 and the ablation rate achieved in the range 1 to 2 µm/pulse for an average fluence of 3 J cm -2 . The ablation surfaces present an irregular and rugged appearance, with no significant traces of melting, deformation, cracking or carbonization. The smear layer was entirely removed by the laser treatment. For fluences only slightly higher than the ablation threshold the morphology of the laser-treated surfaces was very similar to the dentin fracture surfaces and the dentinal tubules remained open. For higher fluences, the surface was more porous and the dentin structure was partially concealed by ablation debris and a few resolidified droplets. Independently on the laser processing parameters and laser processing method used no sub-superficial cracking was observed. The dentin constitution and chemical composition was not significantly modified by the laser treatment in the processing parameter range used. In particular, the organic matter is not preferentially removed from the surface and no traces of high temperature phosphates, such as the β-tricalcium phosphate, were observed. The achieved results are compatible with an electrostatic ablation mechanism. In conclusion, the high beam quality and short pulse duration of the ultrafast laser used should allow the accurate preparation of cavities, with negligible damage of the underlying material. (paper)

  5. Laser induced non-monotonic degradation in short-circuit current of triple-junction solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dou, Peng-Cheng; Feng, Guo-Bin; Zhang, Jian-Min; Song, Ming-Ying; Zhang, Zhen; Li, Yun-Peng; Shi, Yu-Bin

    2018-06-01

    In order to study the continuous wave (CW) laser radiation effects and mechanism of GaInP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells (TJSCs), 1-on-1 mode irradiation experiments were carried out. It was found that the post-irradiation short circuit current (ISC) of the TJSCs initially decreased and then increased with increasing of irradiation laser power intensity. To explain this phenomenon, a theoretical model had been established and then verified by post-damage tests and equivalent circuit simulations. Conclusion was drawn that laser induced alterations in the surface reflection and shunt resistance were the main causes for the observed non-monotonic decrease in the ISC of the TJSCs.

  6. Laser generation of proton beams for the production of short-lived positron emitting radioisotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spencer, I.; Ledingham, K.W.D.; Singhal, R.P.; McCanny, T.; McKenna, P.; Clark, E.L.; Krushelnick, K.; Zepf, M.; Beg, F.N.; Tatarakis, M.; Dangor, A.E.; Norreys, P.A.; Clarke, R.J.; Allott, R.M.; Ross, I.N.

    2001-01-01

    Protons of energies up to 37 MeV have been generated when ultra-intense lasers (up to 10 20 W cm -2 ) interact with hydrogen containing solid targets. These protons can be used to induce nuclear reactions in secondary targets to produce β + -emitting nuclei of relevance to the nuclear medicine community, namely 11 C and 13 N via (p, n) and (p,α) reactions. Activities of the order of 200 kBq have been measured from a single laser pulse interacting with a thin solid target. The possibility of using ultra-intense lasers to produce commercial amounts of short-lived positron emitting sources for positron emission tomography (PET) is discussed

  7. Ultra-short laser interactions with nanoparticles in different media: from electromagnetic to thermal and electrostatic effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itina, Tatiana E.

    2017-02-01

    Key issues of the controlled synthesis of nanoparticles and nanostructures, as well as laser-particle interactions are considered in the context of the latest applications appearing in many fields such as photonics, medicine, 3D printing, etc. The results of a multi-physics numerical study of laser interaction with nanoparticles will be presented in the presence of several environments. In particular, attention will be paid to the numerical study of laser interactions with heterogeneous materials (eg. colloidal liquids and/or nanoparticles in a dielectric medium) and the aggregation/sintering/fragmentation processes induced by ultra-short laser pulses.

  8. Short sleep duration as a contributor to racial disparities in breast cancer tumor grade

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin Allan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Although African Americans (AAs are less likely to get breast cancer than European Americans (EAs, they get more aggressive forms. We previously showed that short sleep is associated with higher tumor grade. It is well documented that AAs get less sleep, on average, than EAs. We studied the contribution of short sleep to racial disparities in breast cancer aggressiveness among 809 invasive breast cancer patients who responded to a survey on their lifestyle. Multivariable regressions and mediation analyses were performed to assess the effect of sleep duration on the association of race with tumor grade. AAs reported shorter average sleep (mean [standard deviation] 6.57 [1.47] h than EAs (mean [standard deviation] 7.11 [1.16] h; P<0.0001 and were almost twice as likely to report less than 6 h of sleep per night (48.0% vs. 25.3%, P<0.0001. AA patients were more likely to have high-grade tumors (52.6% vs. 28.7% in EAs, P=0.0002. In multivariate analysis, race was associated with tumor grade (P<0.0001. On adjustment for sleep duration, the effect of race was reduced by 7.1%, but remained statistically significant (P=0.0006. However, the Sobel test did not indicate statistical significance (z=1.69, P=0.091. In other models accounting for these and additional confounders, we found similar results. Because of the conservative nature of the mediation analysis and smaller sample size, replication of our results in larger studies with more AA patients is warranted.

  9. 0.4 mJ quasi-continuously pumped picosecond Nd:GdVO4 laser with selectable pulse duration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubeček, V; Jelínek, M; Čech, M; Hiršl, P; Diels, J-C

    2010-01-01

    A quasi-continuously pumped picosecond oscillator-amplifier Nd:GdVO 4 laser system based on two identical slabs in a single bounce geometry is reported. Pulse duration is from 160 to 55 ps resulting from the pulse shortening along the extended mode locked train from passively mode locked oscillator, which was measured directly from a single laser shot. The shortest 55 ps long cavity dumped single pulses from the oscillator with the energy of 15±1 μJ and the contrast better than 10 -3 were amplified to the energy of 150 μJ with the contrast better than 10 -3 after the single-pass amplification and to the energy of 400 μJ after the double-pass amplification

  10. The influence of PTSD, sleep fears, and neighborhood stress on insomnia and short sleep duration in urban, young adult, African Americans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall Brown, Tyish; Mellman, Thomas A

    2014-01-01

    African Americans residing in stressful urban environments have high rates of insomnia and short sleep duration, both of which are associated with adverse health outcomes. However, limited data exist that explore factors influencing inadequate sleep in this high-risk population. This study sought to evaluate the contributions of demographics, trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, sleep fears, and neighborhood stress to both insomnia and short sleep in urban African American young adults. Data were analyzed from self-report measures completed by 378 participants 18-35 years of age. PTSD symptom severity and sleep fears were independently associated with insomnia severity, and sleep fears was associated with sleep duration. Results have implications for preventative health intervention strategies for urban African American young adults.

  11. Photonic crystal fibre enables short-wavelength two-photon laser scanning fluorescence microscopy with fura-2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McConnell, Gail; Riis, Erling

    2004-01-01

    We report on a novel and compact reliable laser source capable of short-wavelength two-photon laser scanning fluorescence microscopy based on soliton self-frequency shift effects in photonic crystal fibre. We demonstrate the function of the system by performing two-photon microscopy of smooth muscle cells and cardiac myocytes from the rat pulmonary vein and Chinese hamster ovary cells loaded with the fluorescent calcium indicator fura-2/AM

  12. The development of novel Ytterbium fiber lasers and their applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Bai

    The aim of my Ph.D. research is to push the fundamental limits holding back the development of novel Yb fiber lasers with high pulse energy and short pulse duration. The purpose of developing these lasers is to use them for important applications such as multiphoton microscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. My first project was to develop a short-pulse high-energy ultrafast fiber laser for multiphoton microscopy. To achieve high multiphoton efficiency and depth resolved tissue imaging, ultrashort pulse duration and high pulse energy are required. In order to achieve this, an all-normal dispersion cavity design was adopted. Output performances of the built lasers were investigated by varying several cavity parameters, such as pump laser power, fiber length and intra-cavity spectral filter bandwidth. It was found that the length of the fiber preceding the gain fiber is critical to the laser performance. Generally, the shorter the fiber is, the broader the output spectrum is. The more interesting parameter is the intra-cavity spectral filter bandwidth. Counter intuitively, laser cavities using narrower bandwidth spectral filters generated much broader spectra. It was also found that fiber lasers with very narrow spectral filters produced laser pulses with parabolic profile, which are referred to as self-similar pulses or similaritons. This type of pulse can avoid wave-breaking and is an optimal approach to generate pulses with high pulse energy and ultrashort pulse duration. With a 3nm intra-cavity spectral filter, output pulses with about 20 nJ pulse energy were produced and compressed to about 41 fs full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) pulse duration. Due to the loss in the compression device, the peak power of the compressed pulses is about 250 kW. It was the highest peak power generated from a fiber oscillator when this work was published. This laser was used for multiphoton microscopy on living tissues like Drosophila larva and fruit fly wings. Several

  13. Commercial mode-locked vertical external cavity surface emitting lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Head, C. Robin; Paboeuf, David; Ortega, Tiago; Lubeigt, Walter; Bialkowski, Bartlomiej; Lin, Jipeng; Hempler, Nils; Maker, Gareth T.; Malcolm, Graeme P. A.

    2018-02-01

    This paper presents the latest efforts in the development of commercial optically-pumped semiconductor disk lasers (SDLs) at M Squared Lasers. Two types of SDLs are currently being developed: an ultrafast system and a continuous wave single frequency system under the names of Dragonfly and Infinite, respectively. Both offer a compact, low-cost, easy-to-use and maintenance-free tool for a range of growing markets including nonlinear microscopy and quantum technology. To facilitate consumer uptake of the SDL technology, the performance specifications aim to closely match the currently employed systems. An extended Dragonfly system is being developed targeting the nonlinear microscopy market, which typically requires 1-W average power pulse trains with pulse durations below 200 fs. The pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of the commonly used laser systems, typically Titanium-sapphire lasers, is 80 MHz. This property is particularly challenging for mode-locked SDLs which tend to operate at GHz repetition rates, due to their short upper state carrier lifetime. Dragonfly has found a compromise at 200 MHz to balance mode-locking instabilities with a low PRF. In the ongoing development of Dragonfly, additional pulse compression and nonlinear spectral broadening stages are used to obtain pulse durations as short as 130 fs with an average power of 0.85 W, approaching the required performance. A variant of the Infinite system was adapted to provide a laser source suitable for the first stage of Sr atom cooling at 461 nm. Such a source requires average powers of approximately 1 W with a sub-MHz linewidth. As direct emission in the blue is not a viable approach at this stage, an SDL emitting at 922 nm followed by an M Squared Lasers SolTiS ECD-X doubler is currently under development. The SDL oscillator delivered >1 W of single frequency (RMS frequency noise <150kHz) light at 922 nm.

  14. CO2 laser pulse shortening by laser ablation of a metal target

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donnelly, T.; Mazoyer, M.; Lynch, A.; O'Sullivan, G.; O'Reilly, F.; Dunne, P.; Cummins, T.

    2012-01-01

    A repeatable and flexible technique for pulse shortening of laser pulses has been applied to transversely excited atmospheric (TEA) CO 2 laser pulses. The technique involves focusing the laser output onto a highly reflective metal target so that plasma is formed, which then operates as a shutter due to strong laser absorption and scattering. Precise control of the focused laser intensity allows for timing of the shutter so that different temporal portions of the pulse can be reflected from the target surface before plasma formation occurs. This type of shutter enables one to reduce the pulse duration down to ∼2 ns and to remove the low power, long duration tails that are present in TEA CO 2 pulses. The transmitted energy is reduced as the pulse duration is decreased but the reflected power is ∼10 MW for all pulse durations. A simple laser heating model verifies that the pulse shortening depends directly on the plasma formation time, which in turn is dependent on the applied laser intensity. It is envisaged that this plasma shutter will be used as a tool for pulse shaping in the search for laser pulse conditions to optimize conversion efficiency from laser energy to useable extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation for EUV source development.

  15. Control of the spin polarization of photoelectrons/photoions using short laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakajima, Takashi

    2004-01-01

    We present a generic pump-probe scheme to control spin polarization of photoelectrons/photoions by short laser pulses. By coherently exciting fine structure manifolds of a multi-valence-electron system by the pump laser, a superposition of fine structure states is created. Since each fine structure state can be further decomposed into a superposition of various spin states of valence electrons, each spin component evolves differently in time. This means that varying the time delay between the pump and probe lasers leads to the control of spin states. Specific theoretical results are presented for two-valence-electron atoms, in particular for Mg, which demonstrate that not only the degree of spin polarization but also its sign can be manipulated through time delay. Since the underline physics is rather general and transparent, the presented idea may be potentially applied to nanostructures such as quantum wells and quantum dots

  16. Factors associated with sleep duration in Brazilian high school students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gomes Felden, Érico Pereira; Barbosa, Diego Grasel; Junior, Geraldo Jose Ferrari; Santos, Manoella De Oliveira; Pelegrini, Andreia; Silva, Diego Augusto Santos

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with short sleep duration on southern Brazilian high school students. Our study was comprised of 1,132 adolescents aged 14 to 19 years, enrolled in public high schools in São José, Brazil. The students answered a questionnaire about working (work and workload), health perception, smoking, school schedule, sleep (duration and daytime sleepiness), and socio-demographics data. The results showed that more than two thirds of adolescent workers had short sleep duration (76.7%), and those with a higher workload (more than 20 hours) had a shorter sleep duration (7.07 hours) compared to non-workers (7.83 hours). In the analysis of factors associated with short sleep duration, adolescents who worked (OR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.95) were more likely to have short sleep duration compared to those who did not work. In addition, older adolescents (17-19 years) and students with poor sleep quality were 40% and 55% more likely to have short sleep duration compared to younger adolescents (14-16 years) and students with good sleep quality, respectively. Adolescents with daytime sleepiness were more likely to have short sleep duration (OR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.07) compared to those without excessive daytime sleepiness. In addition students of the morning shift (OR = 6.02, 95% CI 4.23 to 8.57) and evening shift (OR = 2.16, 95% CI 1.45 to 3.22) were more likely to have short sleep duration compared to adolescents of the afternoon shift. Thereby adolescents who are workers, older, attended morning and evening classes and have excessive daytime sleepiness showed risk factors for short sleep duration. In this sense, it is pointed out the importance of raising awareness of these risk factors for short sleep duration of students from public schools from São José, located in southern Brazil.

  17. Current Status of Fractional Laser Resurfacing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carniol, Paul J; Hamilton, Mark M; Carniol, Eric T

    2015-01-01

    Fractional lasers were first developed based on observations of lasers designed for hair transplantation. In 2007, ablative fractional laser resurfacing was introduced. The fractionation allowed deeper tissue penetration, leading to greater tissue contraction, collagen production and tissue remodeling. Since then, fractional erbium:YAG resurfacing lasers have also been introduced. These lasers have yielded excellent results in treating photoaging, acne scarring, and dyschromia. With the adjustment of microspot density, pulse duration, number of passes, and fluence, the surgeon can adjust the treatment effects. These lasers have allowed surgeons to treat patients with higher Fitzpatrick skin types (types IV to VI) and greater individualize treatments to various facial subunits. Immunohistochemical analysis has demonstrated remodeling effects of the tissues for several months, producing longer lasting results. Adjuvant treatments are also under investigation, including concomitant face-lift, product deposition, and platelet-rich plasma. Finally, there is a short recovery time from treatment with these lasers, allowing patients to resume regular activities more quickly. Although there is a relatively high safety profile for ablative fractionated lasers, surgeons should be aware of the limitations of specific treatments and the associated risks and complications.

  18. Diagnosing high density, fast-evolving plasmas using x-ray lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cauble, R.; Da Silva, L.B.; Barbee, T.W. Jr.

    1994-09-01

    As x-ray laser (XRL) research has matured, it has become possible to reliably utilize XRLs for applications in the laboratory. Laser coherence, high brightness and short pulse duration all make the XRL a unique tool for the diagnosis of laboratory plasmas. The high brightness of XRLs makes them well-suited for imaging and for interferometry when used in conjunction with multilayer mirrors and beamsplitters. We have utilized a soft x-ray laser in such an imaging system to examine laser-produced plasmas using radiography, moire deflectometry, and interferometry. Radiography experiments yield 100-200 ps snapshots of laser driven foils at a resolution of 1-2 μm. Moire deflectometry with an XRL has been used to probe plasmas at higher density than by optical means. Interferograms, which allow direct measurement of electron density in laser plasmas, have been obtained with this system

  19. Computational modeling of ultra-short-pulse ablation of enamel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    London, R.A.; Bailey, D.S.; Young, D.A. [and others

    1996-02-29

    A computational model for the ablation of tooth enamel by ultra-short laser pulses is presented. The role of simulations using this model in designing and understanding laser drilling systems is discussed. Pulses of duration 300 sec and intensity greater than 10{sup 12} W/cm{sup 2} are considered. Laser absorption proceeds via multi-photon initiated plasma mechanism. The hydrodynamic response is calculated with a finite difference method, using an equation of state constructed from thermodynamic functions including electronic, ion motion, and chemical binding terms. Results for the ablation efficiency are presented. An analytic model describing the ablation threshold and ablation depth is presented. Thermal coupling to the remaining tissue and long-time thermal conduction are calculated. Simulation results are compared to experimental measurements of the ablation efficiency. Desired improvements in the model are presented.

  20. Photodetachment of H- by a short laser pulse in crossed static electric and magnetic fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng Liangyou; Wang Qiaoling; Starace, Anthony F.

    2006-01-01

    We present a detailed quantum mechanical treatment of the photodetachment of H - by a short laser pulse in the presence of crossed static electric and magnetic fields. An exact analytic formula is presented for the final state electron wave function (describing an electron in both static electric and magnetic fields and a short laser pulse of arbitrary intensity). In the limit of a weak laser pulse, final state electron wave packet motion is examined and related to the closed classical electron orbits in crossed static fields predicted by Peters and Delos [Phys. Rev. A 47, 3020 (1993)]. Owing to these closed orbit trajectories, we show that the detachment probability can be modulated, depending on the time delay between two laser pulses and their relative phase, thereby providing a means to partially control the photodetachment process. In the limit of a long, weak pulse (i.e., a monochromatic radiation field) our results reduce to those of others; however, for this case we analyze the photodetachment cross section numerically over a much larger range of electron kinetic energy (i.e., up to 500 cm -1 ) than in previous studies and relate the detailed structures both analytically and numerically to the above-mentioned, closed classical periodic orbits

  1. Design of a femtosecond laser assisted tomographic atom probe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gault, B.; Vurpillot, F.; Vella, A.; Gilbert, M.; Menand, A.; Blavette, D.; Deconihout, B.

    2006-01-01

    A tomographic atom probe (TAP) in which the atoms are field evaporated by means of femtosecond laser pulses has been designed. It is shown that the field evaporation is assisted by the laser field enhanced by the subwavelength dimensions of the specimen without any significant heating of the specimen. In addition, as compared with the conventional TAP, due to the very short duration of laser pulses, no spread in the energy of emitted ions is observed, leading to a very high mass resolution in a straight TAP in a wide angle configuration. At last, laser pulses can be used to bring the intense electric field required for the field evaporation on poor conductive materials such as intrinsic Si at low temperature. In this article, the performance of the laser TAP is described and illustrated through the investigation of metals, oxides, and silicon materials

  2. Comparing and contrasting therapeutic effects of cognitive-behavior therapy for older adults suffering from insomnia with short and long objective sleep duration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lovato, Nicole; Lack, Leon; Kennaway, David J

    2016-06-01

    This study evaluated the efficacy of a brief group-based program of cognitive-behavior therapy for insomnia (CBTi) for older adults suffering from chronic insomnia with short objective sleep relative to those with long sleep duration. Ninety-one adults (male = 43, mean age = 63.34, standard deviation (SD) = 6.41) with sleep maintenance insomnia were selected from a community-based sample. The participants were classified as short sleepers (SS; treatment program of CBTi (N = 30 SS; N = 33 LS) or to a wait-list control condition (N = 9 SS, N = 19 LS). One-week sleep diaries, actigraphy, and a comprehensive battery of questionnaires were used to evaluate the efficacy of CBTi for those with short objective sleep relative to those with long sleep duration. Outcome measures were taken at pretreatment, posttreatment, and a 3-month follow-up. CBTi produced robust and durable improvements in quality of sleep, including reduced wake after sleep onset and improved sleep efficiency. Participants reported a reduction of scores on the Insomnia Severity Index, Flinders Fatigue Scale, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Daytime Feeling and Functioning Scale, Sleep Anticipatory Anxiety Questionnaire, the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep Scale, and gains on the Sleep Self-Efficacy Scale. All improvements were significant relative to their respective SS or LS wait-list group. The benefits of CBTi were comparable with those who had short and long objective sleep before the treatment. Older adults suffering from chronic insomnia with short objective sleep received comparable therapeutic benefits following CBTi relative to those with long objective sleep duration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Laser-induced short- and long-range orderings of Co nanoparticles on SiO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Favazza, C.; Trice, J.; Krishna, H.; Kalyanaraman, R.; Sureshkumar, R.

    2006-01-01

    Laser irradiation of ultrathin Co films leads to pattern formation by dewetting with short-range order (SRO) as well as long-range order (LRO). When a 1.5 nm thick Co film is irradiated by a single laser beam, a monomodal size distribution of particles with average diameter of 31±10 nm and nearest-neighbor spacing of 75 nm is observed. Moreover, melting by two-beam interference irradiation produces LRO as well as SRO giving a quasi-two-dimensional arrangement of nanoparticles. The SRO is attributed to spinodal dewetting while the LRO is conjectured to be induced by in-plane interfacial tension gradients. Laser-induced dewetting of metals could be a simple technique to fabricate ordered metal nanoarrays

  4. Physics of short-wavelength-laser design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hagelstein, P.L.

    1981-01-01

    The physics and design of vuv and soft x-ray lasers pumped by ICF class high intensity infrared laser drivers are described (for example, the SHIVA laser facility at LLNL). Laser design and physics issues are discussed in the case of a photoionization pumping scheme involving Ne II and line pumping schemes involving H-like and He-like neon.

  5. Investigation on repetition rate and pulse duration influences on ablation efficiency of metals using a high average power Yb-doped ultrafast laser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lopez J.

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Ultrafast lasers provide an outstanding processing quality but their main drawback is the low removal rate per pulse compared to longer pulses. This limitation could be overcome by increasing both average power and repetition rate. In this paper, we report on the influence of high repetition rate and pulse duration on both ablation efficiency and processing quality on metals. All trials have been performed with a single tunable ultrafast laser (350 fs to 10ps.

  6. An ultra short pulse reconstruction software applied to the GEMINI high power laser system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Galletti, Mario, E-mail: mario.gall22@gmail.com [INFN – LNF, Via Enrico Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Galimberti, Marco [Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot (United Kingdom); Hooker, Chris [Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot (United Kingdom); University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Chekhlov, Oleg; Tang, Yunxin [Central Laser Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot (United Kingdom); Bisesto, Fabrizio Giuseppe [INFN – LNF, Via Enrico Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Curcio, Alessandro [INFN – LNF, Via Enrico Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Sapienza – University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro, 2, 00185 Rome (Italy); Anania, Maria Pia [INFN – LNF, Via Enrico Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati (Italy); Giulietti, Danilo [Physics Department of the University and INFN, Pisa (Italy)

    2016-09-01

    The GRENOUILLE traces of Gemini pulses (15 J, 30 fs, PW, shot per 20 s) were acquired in the Gemini Target Area PetaWatt at the Central Laser Facility (CLF), Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL). A comparison between the characterizations of the laser pulse parameters made using two different types of algorithms: Video Frog and GRenouille/FrOG (GROG), was made. The temporal and spectral parameters came out to be in great agreement for the two kinds of algorithms. In this experimental campaign it has been showed how GROG, the developed algorithm, works as well as VideoFrog algorithm with the PetaWatt pulse class. - Highlights: • Integration of the diagnostic tool on high power laser. • Validation of the GROG algorithm in comparison to a well-known commercial available software. • Complete characterization of the GEMINI ultra-short high power laser pulse.

  7. A multi-step pathway connecting short sleep duration to daytime somnolence, reduced attention, and poor academic performance: an exploratory cross-sectional study in teenagers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perez-Lloret, Santiago; Videla, Alejandro J; Richaudeau, Alba; Vigo, Daniel; Rossi, Malco; Cardinali, Daniel P; Perez-Chada, Daniel

    2013-05-15

    A multi-step causality pathway connecting short sleep duration to daytime somnolence and sleepiness leading to reduced attention and poor academic performance as the final result can be envisaged. However this hypothesis has never been explored. To explore consecutive correlations between sleep duration, daytime somnolence, attention levels, and academic performance in a sample of school-aged teenagers. We carried out a survey assessing sleep duration and daytime somnolence using the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS). Sleep duration variables included week-days' total sleep time, usual bedtimes, and absolute weekday to-weekend sleep time difference. Attention was assessed by d2 test and by the coding subtest from the WISC-IV scale. Academic performance was obtained from literature and math grades. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the independent relationships between these variables, while controlling for confounding effects of other variables, in one single model. Standardized regression weights (SWR) for relationships between these variables are reported. Study sample included 1,194 teenagers (mean age: 15 years; range: 13-17 y). Sleep duration was inversely associated with daytime somnolence (SWR = -0.36, p academic results (SWR = 0.18, p academic achievements (SWR = -0.16, p sleep duration influenced attention through daytime somnolence (p academic achievements through reduced attention (p academic achievements correlated with reduced attention, which in turn was related to daytime somnolence. Somnolence correlated with short sleep duration.

  8. Generation of ultra short pulses by auto injection in the Nd: YAG laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faria, I.C. de.

    1986-01-01

    Yhe work presented here, was concerned to the construction of a coherent light source in the near infrared region with pulses of 10 -10 seconds. The auto-injection technique was employed for generating these short pulses with posterior extraction of the pulse applied to a Nd=YAG-pulsed laser. (author) [pt

  9. Magnus expansion for laser-matter interaction: Application to generic few-cycle laser pulses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Klaiber, Michael; Dimitrovski, Darko; Briggs, John S.

    2009-01-01

    We treat the interaction of an atom with a short intense few-cycle laser pulse by the use of the Magnus expansion of the time-evolution operator. Terms of the Magnus expansion up to the third order in the pulse duration are evaluated explicitly, and expressions for the transition probability...... of the Magnus approximation are in excellent agreement with time-dependent transition probabilities obtained from accurate ab initio numerical calculations. However, the limitation of the Magnus expansion for pulses having both vanishing momentum and position shifts is demonstrated also....

  10. Interaction of ultra high intensity laser pulse with structured target and fast particle generation in a stable mode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andreev, A.A. [Max-Born Institute, Berlin (Germany); Platonov, K.Yu. [Vavilov State Optical Institute, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

    2013-02-15

    It is shown that the relief structure with optimum parameters can significantly increase the short-pulse laser absorption, which is connected with the enhancement of moving electrons between relief ledges. Analytical modeling and numerical simulations confirm this argumentation. In the considered cases, degradation of a structure by a laser pre-pulse is the most important factor and for this scheme to work, one needs a very high-contrast laser-pulse and a nanosecond laser pre-pulse duration. The limitation on laser pulse duration is not so strong because after destruction of a first relief a secondary dynamic structure of ion density appears. Thus, high absorption connected with a relief existence continues during a long time that gives a possibility for structure targets to be more efficient compared to a plane one. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  11. The influence of laser pulse duration and energy on ICP-MS signal intensity, elemental fractionation, and particle size distribution in NIR fs-LA-ICP-MS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diwakar, Prasoon K.; Harilal, Sivanandan S.; LaHaye, Nicole L.; Hassanein, Ahmed; Kulkarni, Pramod

    2015-01-01

    Laser parameters, typically wavelength, pulse width, irradiance, repetition rate, and pulse energy, are critical parameters which influence the laser ablation process and thereby influence the LA-ICP-MS signal. In recent times, femtosecond laser ablation has gained popularity owing to the reduction in fractionation related issues and improved analytical performance which can provide matrix-independent sampling. The advantage offered by fs-LA is due to shorter pulse duration of the laser as compared to the phonon relaxation time and heat diffusion time. Hence the thermal effects are minimized in fs-LA. Recently, fs-LA-ICP-MS demonstrated improved analytical performance as compared to ns-LA-ICP-MS, but detailed mechanisms and processes are still not clearly understood. Improvement of fs-LA-ICP-MS over ns-LA-ICP-MS elucidates the importance of laser pulse duration and related effects on the ablation process. In this study, we have investigated the influence of laser pulse width (40 fs to 0.3 ns) and energy on LA-ICP-MS signal intensity and repeatability using a brass sample. Experiments were performed in single spot ablation mode as well as rastering ablation mode to monitor the Cu/Zn ratio. The recorded ICP-MS signal was correlated with total particle counts generated during laser ablation as well as particle size distribution. Our results show the importance of pulse width effects in the fs regime that becomes more pronounced when moving from femtosecond to picosecond and nanosecond regimes. PMID:26664120

  12. Strong field laser physics

    CERN Document Server

    2008-01-01

    Since the invention of the laser in the 1960s, people have strived to reach higher intensities and shorter pulse durations. High intensities and ultrashort pulse durations are intimately related. Recent developments have shown that high intensity lasers also open the way to realize pulses with the shortest durations to date, giving birth to the field of attosecond science (1 asec = 10-18s). This book is about high-intensity lasers and their applications. The goal is to give an up to date introduction to the technology behind these laser systems and to the broad range of intense laser applications. These applications include AMO (atomic molecular and optical) physics, x-ray science, attosecond science, plasma physics and particle acceleration, condensed matter science and laser micromachining, and finally even high-energy physics.

  13. Laser assisted removal of synthetic painting-conservation materials using UV radiation of ns and fs pulse duration: Morphological studies on model samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pouli, P.; Nevin, A.; Andreotti, A.; Colombini, P.; Georgiou, S.; Fotakis, C.

    2009-01-01

    In an effort to establish the optimal parameters for the cleaning of complex layers of polymers (mainly based on acrylics, vinyls, epoxys known as Elvacite, Laropal, Paraloid B72, among others) applied during past conservation treatments on the surface of wall paintings, laser cleaning tests were performed with particular emphasis on the plausible morphological modifications induced in the remaining polymeric material. Pulse duration effects were studied using laser systems of different pulse durations (ns and fs) at 248 nm. Prior to tests on real fragments from the Monumental Cemetery in Pisa (Italy) which were coated with different polymers, attention was focused on the study of model samples consisting of analogous polymer films cast on quartz disks. Ultraviolet irradiation is strongly absorbed by the studied materials both in ns and fs irradiation regimes. However, it is demonstrated that ultrashort laser pulses result in reduced morphological alterations in comparison to ns irradiation. In addition, the dependence of the observed alterations on the chemical composition of the consolidation materials in both regimes was examined. Most importantly, it was shown that in this specific conservation problem, an optimum cleaning process may rely not only on the minimization of laser-induced morphological changes but also on the exploitation of the conditions that favour the disruption of the adhesion between the synthetic material and the painting.

  14. Prevalence of short sleep duration and its association with obesity among adolescents 15- to 19-year olds: A cross-sectional study from three major cities in Saudi Arabia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hazzaa M Al-Hazzaa

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Adequate sleep has been considered important for the adolescent′s health and well being. On the other hand, self-imposed sleep curtailment is now recognized as a potentially important and novel risk factor for obesity. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of short sleep duration and its association with obesity among Saudi adolescents. Methods: This is a school-based cross-sectional study with self-reported sleep questionnaires. It was conducted during the years 2009/2010 in three cities in Saudi Arabia; Al-Khobar, Jeddah, and Riyadh. Participants were 2868 secondary-school males (1379 and females (1389 aged 15 to 19 years, randomly selected using a multistage stratified sampling technique. Measurements included weight, height, waist circumference, BMI, and sleeping duration. Logistic regression analysis while adjusted for age, gender, and location was used to examine the associations between sleep duration and obesity measures. Results: The mean (SD of sleep duration was 7.2 (1.6 hours/day with no significant differences between males and females. About 31% of the participants obtain less than 7 hours of sleep per day, while approximately 50% of the sample gets less than 8 hours of daily sleep. Two-way ANCOVA results while controlling for the effect of age revealed a significant gender by school-type interaction (P<0.001. In addition, adequate sleep duration increased the odds of having normal weight (adjusted odds ratios = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.08-1.50, P = 0.003. Conclusion: The present study observed a high prevalence of short sleep duration among Saudi adolescents 15- to 19-year olds and that short sleep duration was significantly associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity. Future interventions should investigate whether adopting a healthy lifestyle by adolescents with short sleep duration would improve their sleeping habits or not.

  15. Temporal analysis of reflected optical signals for short pulse laser interaction with nonhomogeneous tissue phantoms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trivedi, Ashish; Basu, Soumyadipta; Mitra, Kunal

    2005-01-01

    The use of short pulse laser for minimally invasive detection scheme has become an indispensable tool in the technological arsenal of modern medicine and biomedical engineering. In this work, a time-resolved technique has been used to detect tumors/inhomogeneities in tissues by measuring transmitted and reflected scattered temporal optical signals when a short pulse laser source is incident on tissue phantoms. A parametric study involving different scattering and absorption coefficients of tissue phantoms and inhomogeneities, size of inhomogeneity as well as the detector position is performed. The experimental measurements are validated with a numerical solution of the transient radiative transport equation obtained by using discrete ordinates method. Thus, both simultaneous experimental and numerical studies are critical for predicting the optical properties of tissues and inhomogeneities from temporal scattered optical signal measurements

  16. Generation of attosecond electron beams in relativistic ionization by short laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cajiao Vélez, F.; Kamiński, J. Z.; Krajewska, K.

    2018-03-01

    Ionization by relativistically intense short laser pulses is studied in the framework of strong-field quantum electrodynamics. Distinctive patterns are found in the energy probability distributions of photoelectrons, which are sensitive to the properties of a driving laser field. It is demonstrated that these electrons are generated in the form of solitary attosecond wave packets. This is particularly important in light of various applications of attosecond electron beams such as in ultrafast electron diffraction and crystallography, or in time-resolved electron microscopy of physical, chemical, and biological processes. We also show that, for intense laser pulses, high-energy ionization takes place in narrow regions surrounding the momentum spiral, the exact form of which is determined by the shape of a driving pulse. The self-intersections of the spiral define the momenta for which the interference patterns in the energy distributions of photoelectrons are observed. Furthermore, these interference regions lead to the synthesis of single-electron wave packets characterized by coherent double-hump structures.

  17. Short sleep duration, complaints of vital exhaustion and perceived stress are prevalent among pregnant women with mood and anxiety disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiu Chunfang

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Psychiatric disorders have been associated with sleep disorders in men and non-pregnant women, but little is known about sleep complaints and disorders among pregnant women with psychiatric disorders. Methods A cohort of 1,332 women was interviewed during early pregnancy. We ascertained psychiatric diagnosis status and collect information about sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, vital exhaustion and perceived stress. Logistic regression procedures were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs. Results Approximately 5.1% of the cohort (n=68 reported having a physician-diagnosis of mood or anxiety disorder before interview. Compared with women without a psychiatric diagnosis, the multivariable-adjusted OR (95% CI for short sleep duration in early pregnancy (≤6 hours were 1.95 (1.03-3.69. The corresponding OR (95%CI for long sleep duration (≥9 hours during early pregnancy was 1.13 (0.63-2.03. Women with psychiatric disorders had an increased risk of vital exhaustion (OR=2.41; 95%CI 1.46-4.00 and elevated perceived stress (OR=3.33; 95%CI 1.89-5.88. Observed associations were more pronounced among overweight/obese women. Conclusions Women with a psychiatric disorder were more likely to report short sleep durations, vital exhaustion and elevated perceived stress. Prospective studies are needed to more thoroughly explore factors that mediate the apparent mood/anxiety-sleep comorbidity among pregnant women.

  18. The free recovery of a short duration, high current discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piejak, R.

    1984-01-01

    The hold-off voltage between stainless steel electrodes has been measured as a function of time after an initial discharge. The hold-off voltage is the highest voltage that the gap will withstand without appreciable current flow. A high current (600-1200 amp), short duration (170 nsec) discharge was initiated between Rogowski profile electrodes. After a pre-determined time delay, a second pulse was applied to the discharge gap. The hold-off voltage as a function to time was determined up to the Paschen breakdown voltage. Background gas pressure between 30 and 100 torr and electrode separation of 2mm and 4mm were employed. UV preionization was introduced in some tests to create various discharge modes (glow/arc). The findings indicate significantly higher recovery rates in air than in N 2 , presumably due to attachment processes. In addition, the presence of pre-breakdown UV was found to influence the discharge mode, thus affecting the recovery rate of the gap. Hold-off voltage curves for the previously mentioned gases, background pressures and electrode spacing will be presented along with open shutter photographs of the various discharge modes

  19. Detection of calculus by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) using an ultra-short pulse laser system (USPL)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schelle, F.; Brede, O.; Krueger, S.; Oehme, B.; Dehn, C.; Frentzen, M.; Braun, A.

    2011-03-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the detection of calculus by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). The study was performed with an Nd:YVO4 laser, emitting pulses with a duration of 8 ps at a wavelength of 1064 nm. A repetition rate of 500 kHz at an average power of 5 W was used. Employing a focusing lense, intensities of the order of 1011 W/cm2 were reached on the tooth surface. These high intensities led to the generation of a plasma. The light emitted by the plasma was collimated into a fibre and then analyzed by an echelle spectroscope in the wavelength region from 220 nm - 900 nm. A total number of 15 freshly extracted teeth was used for this study. For each tooth the spectra of calculus and cementum were assessed separately. Comprising all single measurements median values were calculated for the whole spectrum, leading to two specific spectra, one for calculus and one for cementum. For further statistical analysis 28 areas of interest were defined as wavelength regions, in which the signal strength differed regarding the material. In 7 areas the intensity of the calculus spectrum differed statistically significant from the intensity of the cementum spectrum (p calculus. Further studies are necessary to verify that LIBS is a minimally invasive method allowing a safe application in laser-guided dentistry.

  20. Laser stimulation can activate autophagy in HeLa cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Yisen; Hu, Minglie; Wang, Chingyue; Lan, Bei; Cao, Youjia; He, Hao

    2014-01-01

    For decades, lasers have been a daily tool in most biological research for fluorescent excitation by confocal or multiphoton microscopy. More than 20 years ago, cell photodamage caused by intense laser stimulation was noticed by generating reactive oxygen species, which was then thought as the main damage effect by photons. In this study, we show that laser stimulation can induce autophagy, an important cell lysosomal pathway responding to immune stimulation and starvation, without any biochemical treatment. Two different types of laser stimulations are found to be capable of activating autophagy: continuous scanning by continuous-wave visible lasers and a short-time flash of femtosecond laser irradiation. The autophagy generation is independent from wavelength, power, and scanning duration of the visible lasers. In contrast, the power of femtosecond laser is very critical to autophagy because the multiphoton excited Ca 2+ dominates autophagy signaling. In general, we show here the different mechanisms of autophagy generation by such laser stimulation, which correspond to confocal microscopy and cell surgery, respectively. Those results can help further understanding of photodamage and autophagy signaling.

  1. Laser stimulation can activate autophagy in HeLa cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Yisen; Hu, Minglie; Wang, Chingyue [Ultrafast Laser Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information Technology (Ministry of Education), College of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin (China); Lan, Bei; Cao, Youjia [Key Laboratory of Microbial Functional Genomics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin (China); He, Hao, E-mail: haohe@tju.edu.cn [Ultrafast Laser Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information Technology (Ministry of Education), College of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin (China); Med-X Research Institute, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai (China)

    2014-10-27

    For decades, lasers have been a daily tool in most biological research for fluorescent excitation by confocal or multiphoton microscopy. More than 20 years ago, cell photodamage caused by intense laser stimulation was noticed by generating reactive oxygen species, which was then thought as the main damage effect by photons. In this study, we show that laser stimulation can induce autophagy, an important cell lysosomal pathway responding to immune stimulation and starvation, without any biochemical treatment. Two different types of laser stimulations are found to be capable of activating autophagy: continuous scanning by continuous-wave visible lasers and a short-time flash of femtosecond laser irradiation. The autophagy generation is independent from wavelength, power, and scanning duration of the visible lasers. In contrast, the power of femtosecond laser is very critical to autophagy because the multiphoton excited Ca{sup 2+} dominates autophagy signaling. In general, we show here the different mechanisms of autophagy generation by such laser stimulation, which correspond to confocal microscopy and cell surgery, respectively. Those results can help further understanding of photodamage and autophagy signaling.

  2. Multi-GeV electron-positron beam generation from laser-electron scattering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vranic, Marija; Klimo, Ondrej; Korn, Georg; Weber, Stefan

    2018-03-16

    The new generation of laser facilities is expected to deliver short (10 fs-100 fs) laser pulses with 10-100 PW of peak power. This opens an opportunity to study matter at extreme intensities in the laboratory and provides access to new physics. Here we propose to scatter GeV-class electron beams from laser-plasma accelerators with a multi-PW laser at normal incidence. In this configuration, one can both create and accelerate electron-positron pairs. The new particles are generated in the laser focus and gain relativistic momentum in the direction of laser propagation. Short focal length is an advantage, as it allows the particles to be ejected from the focal region with a net energy gain in vacuum. Electron-positron beams obtained in this setup have a low divergence, are quasi-neutral and spatially separated from the initial electron beam. The pairs attain multi-GeV energies which are not limited by the maximum energy of the initial electron beam. We present an analytical model for the expected energy cutoff, supported by 2D and 3D particle-in-cell simulations. The experimental implications, such as the sensitivity to temporal synchronisation and laser duration is assessed to provide guidance for the future experiments.

  3. Influence of laser parameters on laser ultrasonic efficiency

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Forbes, A

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available , TEA CO2 lasers, laser chemistry, short pulses 1. INTRODUCTION Polymer-matrix composites are increasingly used in the aerospace industry, particularly in the manufacture of modern fighter planes1-3. The number and complexity of such composites... efficiency can be improved by utilising short pulses in the 3–4 µm and 10 µm spectral regions1. Short pulse 10 µm radiation can be produced by transversely excited, atmospheric CO2 (TEA CO2) lasers. Due to the technological maturity of these lasers...

  4. Beam emittance and output waveforms of high-flux laser ion source

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakajima, M.; Asahina, M.; Horioka, K. [Tokyo Inst. of Technology, Dept. of Energy Sciences, Yokohama, Kanagawa (Japan); Yoshida, M.; Hasegawa, J.; Ogawa, M. [Tokyo Inst. of Technology, Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, Tokyo (Japan)

    2002-06-01

    A laser ion source with short drift distance has been developed for a driver of heavy ion fusion (HIF). It supplies a copper ion beam of 200 mA (255 mA/cm{sup 2}) with duration of 400 ns and beam emittance is about 0.8{pi} mm{center_dot}mrad. Moreover it has fast rising (30 ns), flat-top current waveform and a potential to deliver pure charge states between 1{sup +} - 3{sup +}. Experimental results indicate that the laser ion source is a good candidate for the HIF driver. (author)

  5. Influence of wavelength and pulse duration on peripheral thermal and mechanical damage to dentin and alveolar bone during IR laser ablation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, C.; Ragadio, Jerome N.; Fried, Daniel

    2000-03-01

    The objective of this study was to measure the peripheral thermal damage produced during the laser ablation of alveolar bone and dentin for clinically relevant IR laser systems. Previous studies have demonstrated that a char layer produced around the laser incision site can inhibit the wound healing process. Moreover, in the case of dentin, a char layer is unsightly and is difficult to bond to with restorative materials. Thermal damage was assessed using polarized light microscopy for laser pulse widths from 500 ns to 300 microseconds at 2.94 micrometer and 9.6 micrometer. Water- cooling was not employed to alleviate thermal damage during the laser irradiation. At 9.6 micrometer, minimal thermal damage was observed for pulse widths on the order of the thermal relaxation time of the deposited laser energy in the tissue, 3 - 4 microseconds, and peripheral thermal damage increased with increasing pulse duration. At 2.94 micrometer, thermal damage was minimal for the Q-switched (500 ns) laser system. This study shows that 9.6 micrometer CO2 laser pulses with pulse widths of 5 - 10 microseconds are well suited for the efficient ablation of dentin and bone with minimal peripheral damage. This work was supported by NIH/NIDCR R29DE12091.

  6. On the surface topography of ultrashort laser pulse treated steel surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vincenc Obona, J.; Ocelík, V.; Skolski, J.Z.P.; Mitko, V.S.; Römer, G.R.B.E.; Huis in’t Veld, A.J.; De Hosson, J.Th.M.

    2011-01-01

    This paper concentrates on observations of the surface topography by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on alloyed and stainless steels samples treated by ultrashort laser pulses with duration of 210 fs and 6.7 ps. Globular-like and jet-like objects were found depending on the various levels of the fluence applied. It is shown that these features appear due to solid-liquid and liquid-gas transitions within surface layer irradiated by intense laser light. The observations are confronted to the theory of short-pulsed laser light-matter interactions, including interference, excitation of electrons, electron-phonon coupling as well as subsequent ablation. It is shown that the orientation of small ripples does not always depend on the direction of the polarization of laser light.

  7. Local short-duration precipitation extremes in Sweden: observations, forecasts and projections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olsson, Jonas; Berg, Peter; Simonsson, Lennart

    2015-04-01

    Local short-duration precipitation extremes (LSPEs) are a key driver of hydrological hazards, notably in steep catchments with thin soils and in urban environments. The triggered floodings, landslides, etc., have large consequences for society in terms of both economy and health. Accurate estimations of LSPEs on both climatological time-scales (past, present, future) and in real-time is thus of great importance for improved hydrological predictions as well as design of constructions and infrastructure affected by hydrological fluxes. Analysis of LSPEs is, however, associated with various limitations and uncertainties. These are to a large degree associated with the small-scale nature of the meteorological processes behind LSPEs and the associated requirements on observation sensors as well as model descriptions. Some examples of causes for the limitations involved are given in the following. - Observations: High-resolution data sets available for LSPE analyses are often limited to either relatively long series from one or a few stations or relatively short series from larger station networks. Radar data have excellent resolutions in both time and space but the estimated local precipitation intensity is still highly uncertain. New and promising techniques (e.g. microwave links) are still in their infancy. - Weather forecasts (short-range): Although forecasts with the required spatial resolution for potential generation of LSPEs (around 2-4 km) are becoming operationally available, the actual forecast precision of LSPEs is largely unknown. Forecasted LSPEs may be displaced in time or, more critically, in space which strongly affects the possibility to assess hydrological risk. - Climate projections: The spatial resolution of the current RCM generation (around 25 km) is not sufficient for proper description of LSPEs. Statistical post-processing (i.e. downscaling) is required which adds substantial uncertainty to the final result. Ensemble generation of sufficiently

  8. Latest advances in high brightness disk lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhn, Vincent; Gottwald, Tina; Stolzenburg, Christian; Schad, Sven-Silvius; Killi, Alexander; Ryba, Tracey

    2015-02-01

    In the last decade diode pumped solid state lasers have become an important tool for many industrial materials processing applications. They combine ease of operation with efficiency, robustness and low cost. This paper will give insight in latest progress in disk laser technology ranging from kW-class CW-Lasers over frequency converted lasers to ultra-short pulsed lasers. The disk laser enables high beam quality at high average power and at high peak power at the same time. The power from a single disk was scaled from 1 kW around the year 2000 up to more than 10 kW nowadays. Recently was demonstrated more than 4 kW of average power from a single disk close to fundamental mode beam quality (M²=1.38). Coupling of multiple disks in a common resonator results in even higher power. As an example we show 20 kW extracted from two disks of a common resonator. The disk also reduces optical nonlinearities making it ideally suited for short and ultrashort pulsed lasers. In a joint project between TRUMPF and IFSW Stuttgart more than 1.3 kW of average power at ps pulse duration and exceptionally good beam quality was recently demonstrated. The extremely low saturated gain makes the disk laser ideal for internal frequency conversion. We show >1 kW average power and >6 kW peak power in multi ms pulsed regime from an internally frequency doubled disk laser emitting at 515 nm (green). Also external frequency conversion can be done efficiently with ns pulses. >500 W of average UV power was demonstrated.

  9. LASER APPLICATIONS AND OTHER TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS: Dynamics of splashing of molten metals during irradiation with single CO2 laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arutyunyan, R. V.; Baranov, V. Yu; Bol'shov, Leonid A.; Dolgov, V. A.; Malyuta, D. D.; Mezhevov, V. S.; Semak, V. V.

    1988-03-01

    An experimental investigation was made of the dynamics of the loss of the melt as a result of interaction with single-mode CO2 laser radiation pulses of 5-35 μs duration. The dynamics of splashing of the melt during irradiation with short pulses characterized by a Gaussian intensity distribution differed from that predicted by models in which the distribution of the vapor pressure was assumed to be radially homogeneous.

  10. Laser fusion and future energy sources - some recent results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hora, H.

    1979-01-01

    While the laser fusion is at present producing more genuine fusion neutrons than the tokamak with magnetic confinement, if use of short laser pulses is preferred, the then appearing nonlinear effect causes considerable complications. Nonlinear processes for the preferred geometry of perpendicular incidence can avoid the problems of resonance absorption, while parametric instabilities have no quantitative influence on the energy balance. The early stages of interaction show the generation of thick 'cold' compressing plasma blocks which can be used for a nonlinear force fast pusher compression of high efficiency (low entropy production). A short time interaction results in a fast thermalization of the plasma corona by soliton decay and this provides the necessary condition for Nuckolls' gasdynamic ablation compression. For longer duration of high intensity irradiation, a pulsation of reflectivity and thermalization will complicate the interaction

  11. Erosion of CFC, pyrolytic and boronated graphite under short pulsed laser irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kraaij, G.J.; Bakker, J.; Stad, R.C.L. van der

    1992-07-01

    The effect of short pulsed laser irradiation of '0/3' ms and up to 10 MJ/m 2 on different types of carbon base materials is described. These materials are investigated as candidate protection materials for the Plasma Facing Components of NET/ITER. These materials are: carbon fibre composite graphite, pyrolytic graphite and boronated graphite. The volume of the laser induced craters was measured with an optical topographic scanner, and these data are evaluated with a simple model for the erosion. As a results, the enthalpy of ablation is estimated as 30±3 MJ/kg. A comparison is made with finite element numerical calculations, and the effect of lateral heat transfer is estimated using an analytical model. (author). 8 refs., 23 figs., 4 tabs

  12. Short Duration Small Sided Football and to a Lesser Extent Whole Body Vibration Exercise Induce Acute Changes in Markers of Bone Turnover

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. L. Bowtell

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available We aimed to study whether short-duration vibration exercise or football sessions of two different durations acutely changed plasma markers of bone turnover and muscle strain. Inactive premenopausal women (n=56 were randomized to complete a single bout of short (FG15 or long duration (FG60 small sided football or low magnitude whole body vibration training (VIB. Procollagen type 1 amino-terminal propeptide (P1NP was increased during exercise for FG15 (51.6±23.0 to 56.5±22.5 μg·L−1, mean ± SD, P0.05. An increase in osteocalcin was observed 48 h after exercise (P<0.05, which did not differ between exercise groups. C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen was not affected by exercise. Blood lactate concentration increased during exercise for FG15 (0.6±0.2 to 3.4±1.2 mM and FG60 (0.6±0.2 to 3.3±2.0 mM, but not for VIB (0.6±0.2 to 0.8±0.4 mM (P<0.05. Plasma creatine kinase increased by 55±63% and 137±119% 48 h after FG15 and FG60 (P<0.05, but not after VIB (26±54%, NS. In contrast to the minor elevation in osteocalcin in response to a single session of vibration exercise, both short and longer durations of small sided football acutely increased plasma P1NP, osteocalcin, and creatine kinase. This may contribute to favorable effects of chronic training on musculoskeletal health.

  13. The obtaining of giant laser pulses by optical pumping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Briquet, Georges

    1970-12-01

    From coherent pumping studies a laser of short pulse duration was developed. Further study of laser effects in organic substances was envisaged. The first part of the work yielded awaited results, and led to the development of a single mode emitter (due to the small dimensions of the cavity). The principles of laser action were enumerated and the relative parameters defined. Various methods of obtaining pulses were discussed; the reasons behind the particular choice mode were given. A theoretical study was then made leading to the establishment of the fundamental equations defining the pulse formation process. An important part of the test deals with technical implications and the experimental results, which have arisen. The conclusion reviews possible applications. (author) [fr

  14. Thermal interaction of short-pulsed laser focused beams with skin tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiao Jian; Guo Zhixiong

    2009-01-01

    Time-dependent thermal interaction is developed in a skin tissue cylinder subjected to the irradiation of a train of short laser pulses. The skin embedded with a small tumor is stratified as three layers: epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat with different optical, thermal and physiological properties. The laser beam is focused to the tumor site by an objective lens for thermal therapy. The ultrafast radiation heat transfer of the focused beam is simulated by the transient discrete ordinates method. The transient Pennes bio-heat equation is solved numerically by the finite volume method with alternating direction implicit scheme. Emphasis is placed on the characterization of the focused beam propagation and absorption and the temperature rise in the focal spot. The effects of the focal spot size and location, the laser power, and the bio-heat equation are investigated. Comparisons with collimated irradiation are conducted. The focused beam can penetrate a greater depth and produce higher temperature rise at the target area, and thus reduce the possibility of thermal damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. It is ideal for killing cancerous cells and small tumors.

  15. Thermal interaction of short-pulsed laser focused beams with skin tissues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiao Jian; Guo Zhixiong [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (United States)], E-mail: guo@jove.rutgers.edu

    2009-07-07

    Time-dependent thermal interaction is developed in a skin tissue cylinder subjected to the irradiation of a train of short laser pulses. The skin embedded with a small tumor is stratified as three layers: epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat with different optical, thermal and physiological properties. The laser beam is focused to the tumor site by an objective lens for thermal therapy. The ultrafast radiation heat transfer of the focused beam is simulated by the transient discrete ordinates method. The transient Pennes bio-heat equation is solved numerically by the finite volume method with alternating direction implicit scheme. Emphasis is placed on the characterization of the focused beam propagation and absorption and the temperature rise in the focal spot. The effects of the focal spot size and location, the laser power, and the bio-heat equation are investigated. Comparisons with collimated irradiation are conducted. The focused beam can penetrate a greater depth and produce higher temperature rise at the target area, and thus reduce the possibility of thermal damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. It is ideal for killing cancerous cells and small tumors.

  16. Muscle Adaptations Following Short-Duration Bed Rest with Integrated Resistance, Interval, and Aerobic Exercise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hackney, Kyle J.; Scott, Jessica M.; Buxton, Roxanne; Redd-Goetchius, Elizabeth; Crowell, J. Brent; Everett, Meghan E.; Wickwire, Jason; Ryder, Jeffrey W.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori L.

    2011-01-01

    Unloading of the musculoskeletal system during space flight results in deconditioning that may impair mission-related task performance in astronauts. Exercise countermeasures have been frequently tested during bed rest (BR) and limb suspension; however, high-intensity, short-duration exercise prescriptions have not been fully explored. PURPOSE: To determine if a high intensity resistance, interval, and aerobic exercise program could protect against muscle atrophy and dysfunction when performed during short duration BR. METHODS: Nine subjects (1 female, 8 male) performed a combination of supine exercises during 2 weeks of horizontal BR. Resistance exercise (3 d / wk) consisted of squat, leg press, hamstring curl, and heel raise exercises (3 sets, 12 repetitions). Aerobic (6 d / wk) sessions alternated continuous (75% VO2 peak) and interval exercise (30 s, 2 min, and 4 min) and were completed on a supine cycle ergometer and vertical treadmill, respectively. Muscle volumes of the upper leg were calculated pre, mid, and post-BR using magnetic resonance imaging. Maximal isometric force (MIF), rate of force development (RFD), and peak power of the lower body extensors were measured twice before BR (averaged to represent pre) and once post BR. ANOVA with repeated measures and a priori planned contrasts were used to test for differences. RESULTS: There were no changes to quadriceps, hamstring, and adductor muscle volumes at mid and post BR time points compared to pre BR (Table 1). Peak power increased significantly from 1614 +/- 372 W to 1739 +/- 359 W post BR (+7.7%, p = 0.035). Neither MIF (pre: 1676 +/- 320 N vs. post: 1711 +/- 250 N, +2.1%, p = 0.333) nor RFD (pre: 7534 +/- 1265 N/ms vs. post: 6951 +/- 1241 N/ms, -7.7%, p = 0.136) were significantly impaired post BR.

  17. NANOSCALE STRUCTURES GENERATION WITHIN THE SURFACE LAYER OF METALS WITH SHORT UV LASER PULSES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dmitry S. Ivanov

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We have completed modeling of a laser pulse influence on a gold target. We have applied a hybrid atomistic-continuum model to analyze the physical mechanisms responsible for the process of nanostructuring. The model combines the advantages of Molecular Dynamics and Two Temperature Model. We have carried out a direct comparison of the modeling results and experimental data on nano-modification due to a single ps laser pulse at the energy densities significantly exceeding the melting threshold. The experimental data is obtained due to a laser pulse irradiation at the wavelength of 248 nm and duration of 1.6 ps. The mask projection (diffraction grating creates the sinusoidal intensity distribution on a gold surface with periods of 270 nm, 350 nm, and 500 nm. The experimental data and modeling results have demonstrated a good match subject to complex interrelations between a fast material response to the laser excitation, generation of crystal defects, phase transitions and hydrodynamic motion of matter under condition of strong laser-induced non-equilibrium. The performed work confirms the proposed approach as a powerful tool for revealing the physical mechanisms underlying the process of nanostructuring of metal surfaces. Detailed understanding of the dynamics of these processes gives the possibility for designing the topology of functional surfaces on nano- and micro-scales.

  18. Phonon transport in a curved aluminum thin film due to laser short pulse irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansoor, Saad Bin; Yilbas, Bekir Sami

    2018-05-01

    Laser short-pulse heating of a curved aluminum thin film is investigated. The Boltzmann transport equation is incorporated to formulate the heating situation. A Gaussian laser intensity distribution is considered along the film arc and time exponentially decaying of pulse intensity is incorporated in the analysis. The governing equations of energy transport in the electron and lattice sub-systems are coupled through the electron-phonon coupling parameter. To quantify the phonon intensity distribution in the thin film, equivalent equilibrium temperature is introduced, which is associated with the average energy of all phonons around a local point when the phonon energies are redistributed adiabatically to an equilibrium state. It is found the numerical simulations that electron temperature follows similar trend to the spatial distribution of the laser pulse intensity at the film edge. Temporal variation of electron temperature does not follow the laser pulse intensity distribution. The rise of temperature in the electron sub-system is fast while it remains slow in the lattice sub-system.

  19. Duration Adaptation Occurs Across the Sub- and Supra-Second Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shima, Shuhei; Murai, Yuki; Hashimoto, Yuki; Yotsumoto, Yuko

    2016-01-01

    After repetitive exposure to a stimulus of relatively short duration, a subsequent stimulus of long duration is perceived as being even longer, and after repetitive exposure to a stimulus of relatively long duration, a subsequent stimulus of short duration is perceived as being even shorter. This phenomenon is called duration adaptation, and has been reported only for sub-second durations. We examined whether duration adaptation also occurs for supra-second durations (Experiment 1) and whether duration adaptation occurs across sub- and supra-second durations (Experiment 2). Duration adaptation occurred not only for sub-second durations, but also for supra-second durations and across sub- and supra-second durations. These results suggest that duration adaptation involves an interval-independent system or two functionally related systems that are associated with both the sub- and supra-second durations.

  20. Plasma processes in water under effect of short duration pulse discharges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurbanov, Elchin

    2013-09-01

    It is very important to get a clear water without any impurities and bacteria by methods, that don't change the physical and chemical indicators of water now. In this article the plasma processes during the water treatment by strong electric fields and short duration pulse discharges are considered. The crown discharge around an electrode with a small radius of curvature consists of plasma leader channels with a high conductivity, where the thermo ionization processes and UV-radiation are taken place. Simultaneously the partial discharges around potential electrode lead to formation of atomic oxygen and ozone. The spark discharge arises, when plasma leader channels cross the all interelectrode gap, where the temperature and pressure are strongly grown. As a result the shock waves and dispersing liquid streams in all discharge gap are formed. The plasma channels extend, pressure inside it becomes less than hydrostatic one and the collapse and UV-radiation processes are started. The considered physical processes can be successfully used as a basis for development of pilot-industrial installations for conditioning of drinking water and to disinfecting of sewage.

  1. The afterglow of the short/intermediate-duration gamma-ray burst GRB 000301C: A jet at z=2.04

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, B.L.; Fynbo, J.U.; Gorosabel, J.

    2001-01-01

    We present Ulysses and NEAR data from the detection of the short or intermediate duration (2 s) gamma-ray burst GRB 000301C (2000 March 1.41 UT). The gamma-ray burst (GRB) was localised by the Inter Planetary Network (IPN) and RXTE to an area of similar to 50 arcmin(2). A fading optical counterpa...

  2. ISTC projects devoted to improving laser beam quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malakhov, Yu. I.

    2007-05-01

    Short overview is done about the activity of ISTC in a direction concerned with improving powerful laser beam quality by means of nonlinear and linear adaptive optics methods. Completed projects #0591 and #1929 resulted in the development of a stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) phase conjugation mirror of superhigh fidelity employing the kinoform optical elements (rasters of small lenses) of new generation designed for pulsed or pulse-periodic lasers with nanosecond scale pulse duration. Project #2631 is devoted to development of an adaptive optical system for phase registration and correction of laser beams with wave front vortices. The principles of operation of conventional adaptive systems are based on the assumption that the phase is a smooth continuous function in space. Therefore the solution of the Project tasks will assume a new step in adaptive optics.

  3. Resonant-enhanced above-threshold ionization of atoms by XUV short laser pulses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez, V.D. [Departamento de Fisica, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina)], E-mail: vladimir@df.uba.ar; Macri, P.A. [Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicas de Mar del Plata (IFIMAR), Departamento de Fisica, FCEyN, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, CONICET, Funes 3350, 7600 Mar del Plata (Argentina); Arbo, D.G. [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, UBA-CONICET, CC 67 Suc 28 Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    2009-01-15

    Above-threshold ionization of atoms by XUV short laser pulses is investigated close to the resonant 1s-2p transitions. Both ab initio TDSE and a theoretical Coulomb-Volkov like theory are used to study the enhancement in the ionization probabilities. Our modified Coulomb-Volkov theory, fully accounting for the important 1s-2p transition is able to explain the spectrum as well as the total ionization cross sections.

  4. Inverse free-electron laser accelerator development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, A.; Gallardo, J.; Steenbergen, A. van; Sandweiss, J.; Fang, J.M.

    1994-06-01

    The study of the Inverse Free-Electron Laser, as a potential mode of electron acceleration, has been pursued at Brookhaven National Laboratory for a number of years. More recent studies focused on the development of a low energy (few GeV), high gradient, multistage linear accelerator. The authors are presently designing a short accelerator module which will make use of the 50 MeV linac beam and high power (2 x 10 11 W) CO 2 laser beam of the Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) at the Center for Accelerator Physics (CAP), Brookhaven National Laboratory. These elements will be used in conjunction with a fast excitation (300 μsec pulse duration) variable period wiggler, to carry out an accelerator demonstration stage experiment

  5. Cold cathode electron guns in the LASL high power short-pulse CO2 laser program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singer, S.; Ladish, J.S.; Nutter, M.J.

    1975-01-01

    The Electron Beam Controlled Discharge CO 2 Laser is now firmly established as the only high power short pulse laser amplifier that has been demonstrated to have scaling capabilities to large apertures and energies much greater than 100 J. These devices require a beam of energetic electrons to control the gas discharge that produces the required population inversion. Until recently, the electron source was usually a thermionic emitter, even for rather large lasers, whose heater requirements dwarfed the pulsed energies associated with the transient operation of the laser. With the advent of reliable cold-cathode electron guns, the operation of these lasers has been greatly simplified. At LASL, there are four electron beam controlled laser systems which are in operation, under construction, or in design: the 1 kJ system, now operational; the 2.5 kJ system; the 10 kJ system; and the 100 kJ system. Only the first uses thermionic-emitter electron guns; the remainder use or will use cold cathode sources. The operation of the 200 x 35 cm 2 two sided cold cathode electron gun used in the 2.5 kJ laser system and to be used in the 10 kJ laser is described

  6. Time-resolved x-ray spectra from laser-generated high-density plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andiel, U.; Eidmann, Klaus; Witte, Klaus-Juergen

    2001-04-01

    We focused frequency doubled ultra short laser pulses on solid C, F, Na and Al targets, K-shell emission was systematically investigated by time resolved spectroscopy using a sub-ps streak camera. A large number of laser shots can be accumulated when triggering the camera with an Auston switch system at very high temporal precision. The system provides an outstanding time resolution of 1.7ps accumulating thousands of laser shots. The time duration of the He-(alpha) K-shell resonance lines was observed in the range of (2-4)ps and shows a decrease with the atomic number. The experimental results are well reproduced by hydro code simulations post processed with an atomic kinetics code.

  7. Propagation of a femtosecond laser pulse with duration of several optical oscillation periods in a medium with a quadratic nonlinearity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akopyan, A A; Oganesyan, D L

    1998-01-01

    It is shown that the wave equation can be solved by the method of unidirectional waves for a pulse with a duration of several oscillation periods in a medium with a quadratic nonlinearity, such as a group-3m crystal. The wave equation reduces to a system of two equations for waves with different polarisations. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

  8. Elimination of Lubricants from Aluminum Cold Rolled Products Using Short Laser Pulses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lima M.S.F.

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available This work presents a new technique to remove the surface impurities from the aluminum cold-worked sheets. The method consists to concentrate a short-time high-power pulsed laser on the materials surface and scan it in order to cover a desired area. Incrustations ablation is obtained as long as the fluency and the peak power are high enough to produce vaporization of the contaminated layer without affecting the material surface properties. The present problem consists in eliminating a desiccated soap of about 1 g/m² from the surface of a 6016-class aluminum alloy sheet. The soap is originated from the rolling process. The present laser method is intended to replace water washing when the piece cannot be soaked, when drying is difficult due to the geometry, or when environmental restrictions apply. Best results were obtained when the pulse length was 100 ns and the average laser power was 95 W. In these conditions, the surface was completely cleaned and the aluminum alloy did not suffer any structural modification.

  9. Features of the mechanoluminescence of thin metal films, excited by short and long laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banishev, A.F.; Panchenko, V.Ya.; Shishkov, A.V.

    2004-01-01

    The results of the study on the deformation-induced luminescence of the fine grain metal films, originating by the impact of the short (submicrosecond) and long (millisecond) laser pulses, are presented. The supposition os made relative to the luminescence excitation mechanism [ru

  10. Time-resolved plasma spectroscopy of thin foils heated by a relativistic-intensity short-pulse laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Audebert, P.; Gauthier, J.-C.; Shepherd, R.; Fournier, K.B.; Price, D.; Lee, R.W.; Springer, P.; Peyrusse, O.; Klein, L.

    2002-01-01

    Time-resolved K-shell x-ray spectra are recorded from sub-100 nm aluminum foils irradiated by 150-fs laser pulses at relativistic intensities of Iλ 2 =2x10 18 W μm 2 /cm 2 . The thermal penetration depth is greater than the foil thickness in these targets so that uniform heating takes place at constant density before hydrodynamic motion occurs. The high-contrast, high-intensity laser pulse, broad spectral band, and short time resolution utilized in this experiment permit a simplified interpretation of the dynamical evolution of the radiating matter. The observed spectrum displays two distinct phases. At early time, ≤500 fs after detecting target emission, a broad quasicontinuous spectral feature with strong satellite emission from multiply excited levels is seen. At a later time, the He-like resonance line emission is dominant. The time-integrated data is in accord with previous studies with time resolution greater than 1 ps. The early time satellite emission is shown to be a signature of an initial large area, high density, low-temperature plasma created in the foil by fast electrons accelerated by the intense radiation field in the laser spot. We conclude that, because of this early time phenomenon and contrary to previous predictions, a short, high-intensity laser pulse incident on a thin foil does not create a uniform hot and dense plasma. The heating mechanism has been studied as a function of foil thickness, laser pulse length, and intensity. In addition, the spectra are found to be in broad agreement with a hydrodynamic expansion code postprocessed by a collisional-radiative model based on superconfiguration average rates and on the unresolved transition array formalism

  11. Hydrodynamic model for ultra-short pulse ablation of hard dental tissue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    London, R.A.; Bailey, D.S.; Young, D.A.; Alley, W.E.; Feit, M.D.; Rubenchik, A.M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States); Neev, J. [Beckman Laser Inst., Irvine, CA (United States)

    1996-02-29

    A computational model for the ablation of tooth enamel by ultra-short laser pulses is presented. The role of simulations using this model in designing and understanding laser drilling systems is discussed. Pulses of duration 300 fsec and intensity greater than 10{sup 12} W/cm{sup 2} are considered. Laser absorption proceeds via multi-photon initiated plasma mechanism. The hydrodynamic response is calculated with a finite difference method, using an equation of state constructed from thermodynamic functions including electronic, ion motion, and chemical binding terms. Results for the ablation efficiency are presented. An analytic model describing the ablation threshold and ablation depth is presented. Thermal coupling to the remaining tissue and long-time thermal conduction are calculated. Simulation results are compared to experimental measurements of the ablation efficiency. Desired improvements in the model are presented.

  12. Compressing and focusing a short laser pulse by a thin plasma lens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren, C.; Duda, B. J.; Hemker, R. G.; Mori, W. B.; Katsouleas, T.; Antonsen, T. M.; Mora, P.

    2001-01-01

    We consider the possibility of using a thin plasma slab as an optical element to both focus and compress an intense laser pulse. By thin we mean that the focal length is larger than the lens thickness. We derive analytic formulas for the spot size and pulse length evolution of a short laser pulse propagating through a thin uniform plasma lens. The formulas are compared to simulation results from two types of particle-in-cell code. The simulations give a greater final spot size and a shorter focal length than the analytic formulas. The difference arises from spherical aberrations in the lens which lead to the generation of higher-order vacuum Gaussian modes. The simulations also show that Raman side scattering can develop. A thin lens experiment could provide unequivocal evidence of relativistic self-focusing

  13. Simulations of drastically reduced SBS with laser pulses composed of a Spike Train of Uneven Duration and Delay (STUD pulses)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hueller, S.; Afeyan, B.

    2013-01-01

    By comparing the impact of established laser smoothing techniques like Random Phase Plates (RPP) and Smoothing by Spectral Dispersion (SSD) to the concept of 'Spike Trains of Uneven Duration and Delay' (STUD pulses) on the amplification of parametric instabilities in laser-produced plasmas, we show with the help of numerical simulations, that STUD pulses can drastically reduce instability growth by orders of magnitude. The simulation results, obtained with the code Harmony in a nonuniformly flowing mm-size plasma for the Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) instability, show that the efficiency of the STUD pulse technique is due to the fact that successive re-amplification in space and time of parametrically excited plasma waves inside laser hot spots is minimized. An overall mean fluctuation level of ion acoustic waves at low amplitude is established because of the frequent change of the speckle pattern in successive spikes. This level stays orders of magnitude below the levels of ion acoustic waves excited in hot spots of RPP and SSD laser beams. (authors)

  14. Short duration of skin-to-skin contact: effects on growth and breastfeeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boo, Nem-Yun; Jamli, Faizah Mohamed

    2007-12-01

    To compare weight gain and head growth in very-low-birthweight (VLBW, skin-to-skin contact (STSC) during their stay in a neonatal intensive care unit. Stable VLBW infants were randomised into either STSC or control group. Parents of the STSC group were encouraged to provide STSC for at least 1 h daily. One hundred and forty-six infants were randomised, but only 126 were enrolled (STSC group: n = 64; n = 62). Infants in the STSC group had better mean weekly increase in head circumference (1.0 cm (SD = 0.3) vs. 0.7 cm (SD = 0.3); P milk at enrollment (adjusted OR: 4.1; 95% CI: 1.4, 11.7; P = 0.009) and receiving expressed breast milk during intervention period (adjusted OR: 8.3; 95% CI: 2.8, 24.4; P < 0.0001); exposure to STSC and maternal education were not significant predictors. Exposure to short duration of STSC may promote head growth in VLBW infants.

  15. DEMOGRAPHY OF ALPINE SHORT-LIVED PLANTS, LONGEVITY AND ONTOGENY STAGE DURATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. S. Kazantseva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim - to evaluate lifespan (full cycle and ontogeny stage durations of nine alpine short-lived North- West Caucasus plants.Methods. For calculation we used a new method which was developed and suggested earlier by us. This method is based on a discrete ontogeny description and on the probability theory and random processes. The data on the monitoring of the marked individuals were collected during six years.Results. We found out that the lifespan of Anthyllis vulneraria is 2.6±0.3 years (hereinafter “±” is Standard error, Draba hispida – 4.5±0.3, Murbeckiella huetii – 4.6±1.1, Carum meifolium – 7.8±1.4, Eritrichium caucasicum – 9.1±1.4, Trifolium badium – 10.3±2.6, Sedum tenellum – 11±2.05, Androsace albana – 12.1±2.5, Minuartia recurva – 22.9±4.5. Also we demonstrated the matrix population models for studied plants, which show the probability of transition of individuals from one ontogeny stage to another in time interval (in our experiment – 1 year.Conclusion. Mortality of seedlings and juvenile plants, except Murbeckiella huetii, is around and more than 50%. Two years is the minimal amount of time that is necessary for full cycle of short-lived alpine plants, as it was shown for Anthyllis vulneraria, Murbeckiella huetii и Trifolium badium. A 3-12 years lifespan was calculated for other studied species. Persistence of Eritrichium caucasicum and Androsace albana populations provided by resistance of adult vegetative plants.

  16. Investigation of concept of efficient short wavelength laser. Quarterly progress report, 1 August 1978--31 October 1978

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piper, L.G.; Krech, R.H.; Pugh, E.R.; Taylor, R.L.

    1978-01-01

    A concept for the development of an efficient short wavelength laser based on a class of endoergic molecules-azides is being studied. One of these two laser-device experiments involves generating high concentrations of azide radicals in the thermal pyrolysis of solid, ionic azides, with the subsequent excitation of the N 2 (B 3 pi/sub g/) state from azide-radical recombination. Laser action would then take place upon the N 2 (B 3 pi/sub g/ - A 3 Sigma + /sub u/), first-postive transition. The second laser-demonstration experiment involves creating a high density of NCl(b 1 Sigma + ) state by uv photolysis of ClN 3 . In this case laser emission is expected on the NCl(b 1 Sigma + → X 3 Sigma - ) transition at 665 nm

  17. Unresolved spectral structures emitted from heavy atom plasmas produced by short pulse laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fraenkel, M.; Zigler, A.

    1999-01-01

    Spectra of rare earth elements emitted from ultra short pulse laser produced plasma were recorded using simultaneously high and low resolution, spectrometers. A study of the broad band emission of the Δn = 1 transitions in highly ionized Ba and Sm plasma showed that this band is completely unresolved. The spectra were analyzed using the LTE based on super-transition array (STA) model. The theory reconstructs the entire Ba spectrum using a single temperature and density, whereas for Sm the discrepancies between the theory and experiment are not reconcilable. The agreement in the Ba case is attributed to the fact that BaF 2 target is transparent to the laser's prepulse effects, producing a homogeneous dense plasma, whereas for Sm the dilute plasma created by the prepulse is far from LTE. The obtained results posses a significant implication to the applicability of the STA model, in particular for calculations of opacities and conversion of laser light to X-rays. (orig.)

  18. Unresolved spectral structures emitted from heavy atom plasmas produced by short pulse laser

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fraenkel, M.; Zigler, A. [Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem (Israel). Racah Inst. of Physics; Bar-Shalom, A.; Oreg, J. [Israel Atomic Energy Commission, Beersheba (Israel). Nuclear Research Center-Negev; Faenov, A.Ya.; Pikuz, T.A. [Multicharged Ions Spectra Data Center of VNIIFTRI, Russian Committee of Standards Moscow region (Russian Federation)

    1999-09-01

    Spectra of rare earth elements emitted from ultra short pulse laser produced plasma were recorded using simultaneously high and low resolution, spectrometers. A study of the broad band emission of the {delta}n = 1 transitions in highly ionized Ba and Sm plasma showed that this band is completely unresolved. The spectra were analyzed using the LTE based on super-transition array (STA) model. The theory reconstructs the entire Ba spectrum using a single temperature and density, whereas for Sm the discrepancies between the theory and experiment are not reconcilable. The agreement in the Ba case is attributed to the fact that BaF{sub 2} target is transparent to the laser's prepulse effects, producing a homogeneous dense plasma, whereas for Sm the dilute plasma created by the prepulse is far from LTE. The obtained results posses a significant implication to the applicability of the STA model, in particular for calculations of opacities and conversion of laser light to X-rays. (orig.)

  19. ProSeal laryngeal mask airway: An alternative to endotracheal intubation in paediatric patients for short duration surgical procedures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaya Lalwani

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The laryngeal mask airway (LMA is a supraglottic airway management device. The LMA is preferred for airway management in paediatric patients for short duration surgical procedures. The recently introduced ProSeal (PLMA, a modification of Classic LMA, has a gastric drainage tube placed lateral to main airway tube which allows the regurgitated gastric contents to bypass the glottis and prevents the pulmonary aspiration. This study was done to compare the efficacy of ProSeal LMA with an endotracheal tube in paediatric patients with respect to number of attempts for placement of devices, haemodynamic responses and perioperative respiratory complications. Sixty children, ASA I and II, weighing 10-20 kg between 2 and 8 years of age group of either sex undergoing elective ophthalmological and lower abdominal surgeries of 30-60 min duration, randomly divided into two groups of 30 patients each were studied. The number of attempts for endotracheal intubation was less than the placement of PLMA. Haemodynamic responses were significantly higher (P<0.05 after endotracheal intubation as compared to the placement of PLMA. There were no significant differences in mean SpO 2 (% and EtCO 2 levels recorded at different time intervals between the two groups. The incidence of post-operative respiratory complications cough and bronchospasm was higher after extubation than after removal of PLMA. The incidence of soft tissue trauma was noted to be higher for PLMA after its removal. There were no incidences of aspiration and hoarseness/sore throat in either group. It is concluded that ProSeal LMA can be safely considered as a suitable and effective alternative to endotracheal intubation in paediatric patients for short duration surgical procedures.

  20. Design and optimization of a compact laser-driven proton beamline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scisciò, M; Migliorati, M; Palumbo, L; Antici, P

    2018-04-19

    Laser-accelerated protons, generated by irradiating a solid target with a short, energetic laser pulse at high intensity (I > 10 18  W·cm -2 ), represent a complementary if not outperforming source compared to conventional accelerators, due  to their intrinsic features, such as high beam charge and short bunch duration. However, the broadband energy spectrum of these proton sources is a bottleneck that precludes their use in applications requiring a more reduced energy spread. Consequently, in recent times strong effort has been put to overcome these limits and to develop laser-driven proton beamlines with low energy spread. In this paper, we report on beam dynamics simulations aiming at optimizing a laser-driven beamline - i.e. a laser-based proton source coupled to conventional magnetic beam manipulation devices - producing protons with a reduced energy spread, usable for applications. The energy range of investigation goes from 2 to 20 MeV, i.e. the typical proton energies that can be routinely obtained using commercial TW-power class laser systems. Our beamline design is capable of reducing the energy spread below 20%, still keeping the overall transmission efficiency around 1% and producing a proton spot-size in the range of 10 mm 2 . We briefly discuss the results in the context of applications in the domain of Cultural Heritage.

  1. Transient thermal and nonthermal electron and phonon relaxation after short-pulsed laser heating of metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giri, Ashutosh; Hopkins, Patrick E.

    2015-01-01

    Several dynamic thermal and nonthermal scattering processes affect ultrafast heat transfer in metals after short-pulsed laser heating. Even with decades of measurements of electron-phonon relaxation, the role of thermal vs. nonthermal electron and phonon scattering on overall electron energy transfer to the phonons remains unclear. In this work, we derive an analytical expression for the electron-phonon coupling factor in a metal that includes contributions from equilibrium and nonequilibrium distributions of electrons. While the contribution from the nonthermal electrons to electron-phonon coupling is non-negligible, the increase in the electron relaxation rates with increasing laser fluence measured by thermoreflectance techniques cannot be accounted for by only considering electron-phonon relaxations. We conclude that electron-electron scattering along with electron-phonon scattering have to be considered simultaneously to correctly predict the transient nature of electron relaxation during and after short-pulsed heating of metals at elevated electron temperatures. Furthermore, for high electron temperature perturbations achieved at high absorbed laser fluences, we show good agreement between our model, which accounts for d-band excitations, and previous experimental data. Our model can be extended to other free electron metals with the knowledge of the density of states of electrons in the metals and considering electronic excitations from non-Fermi surface states

  2. Streak camera measurements of laser pulse temporal dispersion in short graded-index optical fibers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lerche, R.A.; Phillips, G.E.

    1981-01-01

    Streak camera measurements were used to determine temporal dispersion in short (5 to 30 meter) graded-index optical fibers. Results show that 50-ps, 1.06-μm and 0.53-μm laser pulses can be propagated without significant dispersion when care is taken to prevent propagation of energy in fiber cladding modes

  3. The interaction of super-intense ultra-short laser pulse and micro-clusters with large atomic clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miao Jingwei; Yang Chaowen; An Zhu; Yuan Xuedong; Sun Weiguo; Luo Xiaobing; Wang Hu; Bai Lixing; Shi Miangong; Miao Lei; Zhen Zhijian; Gu Yuqin; Liu Hongjie; Zhu Zhouseng; Sun Liwei; Liao Xuehua

    2007-01-01

    The fusion mechanism of large deuterium clusters (100-1000 Atoms/per cluster) in super-intense ultra-short laser pulse field, Coulomb explosions of micro-cluster in solids, gases and Large-size clusters have been studied using the interaction of a high-intensity femtosecond laser pulses with large deuterium clusters, collision of high-quality beam of micro-cluster from 2.5 MV van de Graaff accelerator with solids, gases and large clusters. The experimental advance of the project is reported. (authors)

  4. 11th International Conference on X-Ray Lasers

    CERN Document Server

    Lewis, Ciaran L. S; X-Ray Lasers 2008

    2009-01-01

    This book provides a thorough account of the current status of achievements made in the area of soft X-ray laser source development and of the increasingly diverse applications being demonstrated using such radiation sources. There is significant effort worldwide to develop very bright, short duration radiation sources in the X-ray spectral region – driven by the multitude of potential applications in all branches of science. This book contains updates on several different approaches for comparative purposes but concentrates on developments in the area of laser-produced plasmas, whereby transient population inversion and gain between ion states is pumped by optical lasers interacting with pre-formed plasmas. The most significant development here is the demonstrated increasing feasibility to produce useful soft X-ray laser beams with high repetition rates in a typical, small, university-class laboratory – as opposed to the requirement of access to a national facility some 20 years ago. Experimental progres...

  5. Production of neutrons up to 18 MeV in high-intensity, short-pulse laser matter interactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Higginson, D. P. [Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94440 (United States); McNaney, J. M.; Swift, D. C.; Mackinnon, A. J.; Patel, P. K. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94440 (United States); Petrov, G. M.; Davis, J. [Naval Research Laboratory, Plasma Physics Division, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Frenje, J. A. [Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Jarrott, L. C.; Tynan, G.; Beg, F. N. [Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093 (United States); Kodama, R.; Nakamura, H. [Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-5 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 454-0871 (Japan); Lancaster, K. L. [STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Oxon OX11OQX (United Kingdom)

    2011-10-15

    The generation of high-energy neutrons using laser-accelerated ions is demonstrated experimentally using the Titan laser with 360 J of laser energy in a 9 ps pulse. In this technique, a short-pulse, high-energy laser accelerates deuterons from a CD{sub 2} foil. These are incident on a LiF foil and subsequently create high energy neutrons through the {sup 7}Li(d,xn) nuclear reaction (Q = 15 MeV). Radiochromic film and a Thomson parabola ion-spectrometer were used to diagnose the laser accelerated deuterons and protons. Conversion efficiency into protons was 0.5%, an order of magnitude greater than into deuterons. Maximum neutron energy was shown to be angularly dependent with up to 18 MeV neutrons observed in the forward direction using neutron time-of-flight spectrometry. Absolutely calibrated CR-39 detected spectrally integrated neutron fluence of up to 8 x 10{sup 8} n sr{sup -1} in the forward direction.

  6. Parenteral nutrition in short bowel syndrome patients, regardless of its duration, increases serum proinflammatory cytokines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bizari, Letícia; da Silva Santos, Andressa Feijó; Foss, Norma Tiraboschi; Marchini, Júlio Sérgio; Suen, Vivian Marques Miguel

    2016-07-01

    Short bowel syndrome is a severe malabsorption disorder, and prolonged parenteral nutrition is essential for survival in some cases. Among the undesirable effects of long-term parenteral nutrition is an increase in proinflammatory cytokines. The aim of the present study was to measure the serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and transforming growth factor beta, in patients with short bowel syndrome on cyclic parenteral nutrition and patients who had previously received but no longer require parenteral nutrition. The study was cross-sectional and observational. Three groups were studied as follows: Parenteral nutrition group, 9 patients with short bowel syndrome that receive cyclic parenteral nutrition; Oral nutrition group, 10 patients with the same syndrome who had been weaned off parenteral nutrition for at least 1 year prior to the study; Control group, 13 healthy adults, matched for age and sex to parenteral and oral groups. The following data were collected: age, tobacco use, drug therapies, dietary intake, body weight, height, blood collection. All interleukins were significantly higher in the parenteral group compared with the control group as follows: interleukin-6: 22 ± 19 vs 1.5 ± 1.4 pg/mL, P= .0002; transforming growth factor β: 854 ± 204 vs 607 ± 280 pg/mL, P= .04; interleukin-10: 8 ± 37 vs 0.6 ± 4, P= .03; tumor necrosis factor α: 20 ± 8 vs 8 ± 4 pg/mL, Pparenteral nutrition in short bowel syndrome patients, regardless of its duration, increases serum proinflammatory cytokines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Laser-driven ion acceleration: methods, challenges and prospects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badziak, J.

    2018-01-01

    The recent development of laser technology has resulted in the construction of short-pulse lasers capable of generating fs light pulses with PW powers and intensities exceeding 1021 W/cm2, and has laid the basis for the multi-PW lasers, just being built in Europe, that will produce fs pulses of ultra-relativistic intensities ~ 1023 - 1024 W/cm2. The interaction of such an intense laser pulse with a dense target can result in the generation of collimated beams of ions of multi-MeV to GeV energies of sub-ps time durations and of extremely high beam intensities and ion fluencies, barely attainable with conventional RF-driven accelerators. Ion beams with such unique features have the potential for application in various fields of scientific research as well as in medical and technological developments. This paper provides a brief review of state-of-the art in laser-driven ion acceleration, with a focus on basic ion acceleration mechanisms and the production of ultra-intense ion beams. The challenges facing laser-driven ion acceleration studies, in particular those connected with potential applications of laser-accelerated ion beams, are also discussed.

  8. Investigation of concept of efficient short wavelength laser. Quarterly progress report, 1 August 1978--31 October 1978

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Piper, L.G.; Krech, R.H.; Pugh, E.R.; Taylor, R.L.

    1978-12-01

    A concept for the development of an efficient short wavelength laser based on a class of endoergic molecules-azides is being studied. One of these two laser-device experiments involves generating high concentrations of azide radicals in the thermal pyrolysis of solid, ionic azides, with the subsequent excitation of the N/sub 2/(B/sup 3/pi/sub g/) state from azide-radical recombination. Laser action would then take place upon the N/sub 2/(B/sup 3/pi/sub g/ - A/sup 3/Sigma/sup +//sub u/), first-postive transition. The second laser-demonstration experiment involves creating a high density of NCl(b/sup 1/Sigma/sup +/) state by uv photolysis of ClN/sub 3/. In this case laser emission is expected on the NCl(b/sup 1/Sigma/sup +/ ..-->.. X/sup 3/Sigma/sup -/) transition at 665 nm.

  9. Investigation of concept of efficient short wavelength laser. Quarterly progress report, 1 November 1978-31 January 1979

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krech, R.H.; Piper, L.G.; Pugh, E.R.; Taylor, R.L.

    1979-03-01

    A concept for the development of an efficient short wavelength laser based on a class of endoergic molecules-azides is being investigated. The first of two laser-device experiments involves generating high concentrations of azide radicals in the thermal pyrolysis of solid, ionic azides, with the subsequent excitation of the N/sub 2/(B/sup 3/..pi../sub g/) state from azide-radical recombination. Laser action would then take place upon the N/sub 2/(B/sup 3/..pi../sub g/-A/sup 3/..sigma../sup +//sub u/), first-positive transition. The second laser-demonstration experiment involves creating a high density of NCl(b/sup 1/..sigma../sup +/) state by uv photolysis of ClN/sub 3/. In this case laser emission is expected on the NCl(b/sup 1/..sigma../sup +/..-->..X/sup 3/..sigma../sup -/) transition at 665 nm.

  10. Short-pulse CO2-laser damage studies of NaCl and KCl windows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Newnam, B.E.; Nowak, A.V.; Gill, D.H.

    1979-01-01

    The damage resistance of bare surfaces and the bulk interior of NaCl and KCl windows was measured with a short-pulse CO 2 laser at 10.6 μm. Parametric studies with 1.7-ns pulses indicated that adsorbed water was probably the limiting agent on surface thresholds in agreement with previous studies at long pulsewidths. Rear-surface thresholds up to 7 J/cm 2 were measured for polished NaCl windows, whereas KCl surfaces damaged at approximately 60% of this level. The breakdown electric-field thresholds of exit surfaces were only 50% of the value of the bulk materials. The pulsewidth dependence of surface damage from 1 to 65 ns, in terms of incident laser fluence, increased as t/sup 1/3/

  11. Determinants of long-duration commuting and long-duration commuters' perceptions and attitudes toward commuting time: Evidence from Kunming, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingwei He

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the commuting patterns of long-duration commuters and the possible changes in these patterns can help policymakers adopt the more reasonable land use and transportation policies. With Kunming in China as a case study, the determinants of long-duration commuting trips were identified based on logistic regression model. The results indicated that age, education level, number of workers, presence of retirees, and residential location have a significant impact on the occurrence of long-duration commuting trips. The ideal commuting times and tolerance thresholds of commuting time of long-duration commuters were also investigated. The statistical results revealed the distributions of ideal commuting times and tolerance thresholds of commuting time of both short- and long-duration commuters. The average tolerance threshold of commuting time and the average ideal commuting time of long-duration commuters were greater than those of short-duration commuters. For 97.2% of the long-duration commuters, their actual commuting time was longer than the ideal commuting time; this finding indicates that most long-duration commuters are dissatisfied with their commuting time. The actual commuting time of 40.1% long-duration commuters exceeded their tolerance thresholds; these commuters are eager to reduce their commuting time.

  12. Laser Controlled Molecular Orientation Dynamics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atabek, O.

    2004-01-01

    Molecular orientation is a challenging control issue covering a wide range of applications from reactive collisions, high order harmonic generation, surface processing and catalysis, to nanotechnologies. The laser control scenario rests on the following three steps: (i) depict some basic mechanisms producing dynamical orientation; (ii) use them both as computational and interpretative tools in optimal control schemes involving genetic algorithms; (iii) apply what is learnt from optimal control to improve the basic mechanisms. The existence of a target molecular rotational state combining the advantages of efficient and post-pulse long duration orientation is shown. A strategy is developed for reaching such a target in terms of a train of successive short laser pulses applied at predicted time intervals. Each individual pulse imparts a kick to the molecule which orients. Transposition of such strategies to generic systems is now under investigation

  13. Analytical model for electromagnetic radiation from a wakefield excited by intense short laser pulses in an unmagnetized plasma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen Ziyu; Chen Shi; Dan Jiakun; Li Jianfeng; Peng Qixian, E-mail: ziyuch@gmail.com [Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China)

    2011-10-15

    A simple one-dimensional analytical model for electromagnetic emission from an unmagnetized wakefield excited by an intense short-pulse laser in the nonlinear regime has been developed in this paper. The expressions for the spectral and angular distributions of the radiation have been derived. The model suggests that the origin of the radiation can be attributed to the violent sudden acceleration of plasma electrons experiencing the accelerating potential of the laser wakefield. The radiation process could help to provide a qualitative interpretation of existing experimental results, and offers useful information for future laser wakefield experiments.

  14. Analytical model for electromagnetic radiation from a wakefield excited by intense short laser pulses in an unmagnetized plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Ziyu; Chen Shi; Dan Jiakun; Li Jianfeng; Peng Qixian

    2011-01-01

    A simple one-dimensional analytical model for electromagnetic emission from an unmagnetized wakefield excited by an intense short-pulse laser in the nonlinear regime has been developed in this paper. The expressions for the spectral and angular distributions of the radiation have been derived. The model suggests that the origin of the radiation can be attributed to the violent sudden acceleration of plasma electrons experiencing the accelerating potential of the laser wakefield. The radiation process could help to provide a qualitative interpretation of existing experimental results, and offers useful information for future laser wakefield experiments.

  15. Research on applications of rectangular beam in micro laser propulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiao, L.; Cai, J.; Ma, H.H.; Li, G.X.; Li, L.; Shen, Z.W.; Tang, Z.P.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Diode laser bar of 808 nm is introduced into the micro laser propulsion field. • Double base propellant (DBP) coating with BOPP substrate was obtained. • The combination of laser power and energy decides the propulsion performance. • The new rectangular beam prefers to produce higher impulse. - Abstract: Micro laser propulsion is a new technology with brilliant future. In order to reduce the thruster mass and volume further, laser bar is introduced into the micro laser propulsion field. A new kind of 220 × 20 μm rectangular beam of 808 nm was obtained by oval lens compressing the light of diode at fast axes and slow axes. The effect of laser power, energy and coating thickness of double base propellant on propulsion performance was studied. Propulsion performance of double base propellant under static and dynamic mode shows some different characters. Compared to round beam, the new beam prefers to produce higher impulse. Ablation efficiency of DBP shows better performance in short laser duration. The combination of power density and energy density decides the laser propulsion performance. The new rectangular beam is appropriate for millisecond micro-laser propulsion

  16. MeV electron acceleration at 1kHz with <10 mJ laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salehi, Fatholah; Goers, Andy; Hine, George; Feder, Linus; Kuk, Donghoon; Kim, Ki-Yong; Milchberg, Howard

    2016-10-01

    We demonstrate laser driven acceleration of electrons at 1 kHz repetition rate with pC charge above 1MeV per shot using required for relativistic self-focusing low enough for mJ scale laser pulses to self- focus and drive strong wakefields. Experiments and particle-in-cell simulations show that optimal drive pulse duration and chirp for maximum electron bunch charge and energy depends on the target gas species. High repetition rate, high charge, and short duration electron bunches driven by very modest pulse energies constitutes an ideal portable electron source for applications such as ultrafast electron diffraction experiments and high rep. rate γ-ray production. This work is supported by the US Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

  17. High-resolution multi-MeV x-ray radiography using relativistic laser-solid interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Courtois, C.; Compant La Fontaine, A.; Barbotin, M.; Bazzoli, S.; Brebion, D.; Bourgade, J. L.; Gazave, J.; Lagrange, J. M.; Landoas, O.; Le Dain, L.; Lefebvre, E.; Pichoff, N.; Edwards, R.; Aedy, C.; Biddle, L.; Drew, D.; Gardner, M.; Ramsay, M.; Simons, A.; Sircombe, N.

    2011-01-01

    When high intensity (≥10 19 W cm -2 ) laser light interacts with matter, multi-MeV electrons are produced. These electrons can be utilized to generate a MeV bremsstrahlung x-ray emission spectrum as they propagate into a high-Z solid target positioned behind the interaction area. The short duration ( 2 ) object is then performed with few hundred microns spatial resolution.

  18. Laser shocks: A tool for experimental simulation of damage into materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boustie, M.; Cuq Lelandais, J. P.; Berthe, L.; Ecault, R. [Institut PPRIME, Departement Physique et Mecanique des Materiaux, CNRS-ENSMA-Universite de Poitiers, 1 av Clement Ader, 86961 FUTUROSCOPE Cedex (France); CEA-DAM Valduc, 21120 Is-sur-Tille (France); Laboratoire Procedes et Ingenierie en Mecanique et Materiaux (CNRS), Arts et Metiers ParisTech, 151 bd de l' Hopital, 75013 PARIS (France); Institut PPRIME, Departement Physique et Mecanique des Materiaux, CNRS-ENSMA-Universite de Poitiers, 1 av Clement Ader, 86961 FUTUROSCOPE Cedex (France)

    2012-07-30

    High power laser irradiation of solids results in a strong shock wave propagation, driving very high amplitude pressure loadings with very short durations. These particular characteristics offer the possibility to study the behaviour of matter under extreme dynamic conditions in continuity with what is possible with the conventional generators of shock (launchers of projectiles, explosives). An advantage of laser shocks is a possible recovery of the shocked samples presenting the metallurgical effects of the shock in most cases. We introduce the principle of the laser shock generation, the characterization of these shocks, the principal mechanisms and effects associated with their propagation in the solids. We show how laser shocks can be a laboratory tool for simulating shock effects at ultra high strain rate, providing a high in information experimental layout for validation of damage modelling on an extended strain rate range compared to conventional shock generators. New data have been obtained with ultra short femtosecond range irradiation. Experimental data gathered through post mortem observation, time resolved velocity measurement are shown along with numerical associated simulations, showing the possibility to predict the damage behaviour of metallic targets under extreme strain rate up to 10{sup 8} s{sup -1}.

  19. A multi-frequency approach to free electron lasers driven by short electron bunches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piovella, Nicola

    1997-01-01

    A multi-frequency model for free electron lasers (FELs), based on the Fourier decomposition of the radiation field coupled with the beam electrons, is discussed. We show that the multi-frequency approach allows for an accurate description of the evolution of the radiation spectrum, also when the FEL is driven by short electron bunches, of arbitrary longitudinal profile. We derive from the multi-frequency model, by averaging over one radiation period, the usual FEL equations modelling the slippage between radiation and particles and describing the super-radiant regime in high-gain FELs. As an example of application of the multi-frequency model, we discuss the coherent spontaneous emission (CSE) from short electron bunches

  20. Reducing the duration of untreated first-episode psychosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Melle, Ingrid; Larsen, Tor K; Haahr, Ulrik

    2004-01-01

    Most studies on first-episode psychosis show an association between a long duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and poorer short-term outcome, but the mechanisms of this relationship are poorly understood.......Most studies on first-episode psychosis show an association between a long duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and poorer short-term outcome, but the mechanisms of this relationship are poorly understood....

  1. Nonlinear-optical generation of short-wavelength radiation controlled by laser-induced interference structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popov, A K; Kimberg, V V

    1998-01-01

    A study is reported of the combined influence of laser-induced resonances in the energy continuum, of splitting of discrete resonances in the field of several strong radiations, and of absorption of the initial and generated radiations on totally resonant parametric conversion to the short-wavelength range. It is shown that the radiation power can be increased considerably by interference processes involving quantum transitions. (nonlinear optical phenomena and devices)

  2. Economic impact of antidepressant treatment duration in naturalistic conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tournier, M; Crott, R; Gaudron, Y; Verdoux, H

    2013-05-01

    To assess the economic impact of the duration of antidepressant drug treatment in a real-life setting. A historical fixed cohort study included 27 917 patients aged 18 and over with a new antidepressant treatment registered in the national insurance database. The economic impact concerned healthcare expenditure in the first 3 months after treatment discontinuation. Generalized linear models were used to compare two groups of treatment duration: adjustment for care costs before and during treatment episode, gender, age, chronic diseases, welfare and prescriber specialty, total healthcare costs (in log) [-0.06 (-0.14;0.01) P = 0.11] and psychiatric care costs (in square root) [-0.08 (-0.41;0.25) P = 0.6] were similar in both groups. Non-psychiatric care costs were significantly lower in the 'long treatment duration' group compared with the 'short treatment duration' group [-11.4 (-15.8; -7.0) P costs over the antidepressant treatment episode were larger in the 'long treatment duration' group compared with the 'short treatment duration' group. With regard to healthcare costs and global health, antidepressant drug treatments of short duration appear less effective than treatment of recommended duration. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. Stability of a short Rayleigh length laser resonator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. P. Crooker

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Motivated by the prospect of constructing a short Rayleigh length free-electron laser in a high-vibration environment, we demonstrate the use of a collection of rays to study the effect of mirror vibration and distortion on the behavior of the fundamental optical mode of a cold-cavity resonator. We find that the ray collection accurately describes both on-axis and off-axis optical beams. We show that a tilt or transverse shift of a mirror causes the optical mode to rock about the original resonator axis, while a longitudinal mirror shift or a change in the mirror’s radius of curvature causes the beam diameter at a mirror to successively dilate and contract on the mirror. Results are in excellent agreement with analytic calculations and wave front propagation simulations as long as the mirrors remain large with respect to the beam diameter.

  4. Enhanced conflict monitoring via a short-duration, video-assisted deep breathing in healthy young adults: an event-related potential approach through the Go/NoGo paradigm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kok Suen Cheng

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Objectives Practitioners of mindfulness are reported to have greater cognitive control especially in conflict monitoring, response inhibition and sustained attention. However, due to the various existing methods in each mindfulness practices and also, the high commitment factor, a barrier still exists for an individual to pick up the practices. Therefore, the effect of short duration deep breathing on the cognitive control is investigated here. Methods Short duration guided deep breathing videos consisting of 5, 7 and 9 min respectively were created and used on subjects training. The effect on cognitive control was assessed using a Go/NoGo task along with event-related potential (ERP measurements at Fz, Cz, and Pz. Results From the study, the significant outcome showed at the follow-up session in which participants engaged for 5 min deep breathing group showed a profound NoGo N2 amplitude increment as compared to the control group, indicating an enhanced conflict monitoring ability. An inverse relationship between the NoGo N2 amplitude and the breathing duration is observed as well at the follow-up session. Conclusion These results indicated the possibility of performing short duration deep breathing guided by a video to achieve an enhanced conflict monitoring as an alternative to other mindfulness practices and 5 min is found to be the optimum practice duration. Significant This study is the first to establish a relationship between deep breathing and conflict monitoring through ERP. The study population of young adults taken from the same environment reduces the variance in ERP results due to age and environment. Limitation A larger sample size would provide a greater statistical power. A longer duration of deep breathing should be investigated to further clarify the relationship between the practice duration and the NoGo N2 amplitude. The result can be split by gender and analyzed separately due to the different brain structure of males

  5. Short-Term Audiological Results of Diode Laser in Comparison with Manual Perforation in Stapes Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamerschmidt, Rogerio; Saab, Stephanie Sbizera; Carvalho, Bettina; Carmo, Carolina do

    2018-04-01

    Introduction  Diode laser is a new alternative in stapes surgery for otosclerosis. The present study is the first to compare the short-term results of the surgery performed using diode laser to those obtained through the conventional fenestration technique. Objective  To use audiometry to establish a comparative analysis between the functional results obtained through surgery for otosclerosis using diode laser and the conventional technique. Method  Audiometric evaluation of 12 patients submitted to stapes surgery for otosclerosis, using diode laser or conventional fenestration by needle and drills, between 2014 and 2015. Each group was composed of 6 patients. Pre and post-operative measures were compared for three months in both groups. The speech recognition threshold, the air and bone conduction threshold, as well as the gap between them at 500 Hz, 1 KHz, 2 KHz and 4 KHz were measured. Results  Significant difference in bone conduction and SRT was observed when compared post- and preoperative results in the diode group. However diode and conventional technique groups presented significant differences in air conduction and air-bone gap, suggesting that both can provide functional improvement. Conclusion  Laser stapedotomy is a safe technique with good results. Both laser surgery and the conventional technique have improved the hearing of patients with a discreet advantage for the diode laser. Further prospective and randomized clinical trials are required to disclose all possible benefits of the stapes surgery using diode laser.

  6. Nike Experiment to Observe Strong Areal Mass Oscillations in a Rippled Target Hit by a Short Laser Pulse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aglitskiy, Y.; Karasik, M.; Velikovich, A. L.; Serlin, V.; Weaver, J. L.; Kessler, T. J.; Schmitt, A. J.; Obenschain, S. P.; Metzler, N.; Oh, J.

    2010-11-01

    When a short (sub-ns) laser pulse deposits finite energy in a target, the shock wave launched into it is immediately followed by a rarefaction wave. If the irradiated surface is rippled, theory and simulations predict strong oscillations of the areal mass perturbation amplitude in the target [A. L. Velikovich et al., Phys. Plasmas 10, 3270 (2003).] The first experiment designed to observe this effect has become possible by adding short-driving-pulse capability to the Nike laser, and has been scheduled for the fall of 2010. Simulations show that while the driving pulse of 0.3 ns is on, the areal mass perturbation amplitude grows by a factor ˜2 due to ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. It then decreases, reverses phase, and reaches another maximum, also about twice its initial value, shortly after the shock breakout at the rear target surface. This signature behavior is observable with the monochromatic x-ray imaging diagnostics fielded on Nike.

  7. Sleep Duration and Breast Cancer Phenotype

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khawaja, A.; Rao, S.

    2013-01-01

    Emerging evidence suggests that short sleep is associated with an increased risk of cancer; however, little has been done to study the role of sleep on tumor characteristics. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between sleep duration and tumor phenotype in 972 breast cancer patients. Sleep duration was inversely associated with tumor grade (univariate P= 0.032), particularly in postmenopausal women (univariate P= 0.018). This association did not reach statistical significance after adjustments for age, race, body mass index, hormone replacement therapy use, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical activity in the entire study sample (P= 0.052), but it remained statistically significant (P= 0.049) among post-menopausal patients. We did not observe a statistically significant association between sleep duration and stage at diagnosis, ER, or HER2 receptor status. These results present a modest association between short duration of sleep and higher grade breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Further work needs to be done to validate these findings.

  8. Does selection for short sleep duration explain human vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nesse, Randolph M; Finch, Caleb E; Nunn, Charles L

    2017-01-16

    Compared with other primates, humans sleep less and have a much higher prevalence of Alzheimer 's disease (AD) pathology. This article reviews evidence relevant to the hypothesis that natural selection for shorter sleep time in humans has compromised the efficacy of physiological mechanisms that protect against AD during sleep. In particular, the glymphatic system drains interstitial fluid from the brain, removing extra-cellular amyloid beta (eAβ) twice as fast during sleep. In addition, melatonin - a peptide hormone that increases markedly during sleep - is an effective antioxidant that inhibits the polymerization of soluble eAβ into insoluble amyloid fibrils that are associated with AD. Sleep deprivation increases plaque formation and AD, which itself disrupts sleep, potentially creating a positive feedback cycle. These and other physiological benefits of sleep may be compromised by short sleep durations. Our hypothesis highlights possible long-term side effects of medications that reduce sleep, and may lead to potential new strategies for preventing and treating AD. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Foundation for Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health.

  9. Intense isolated attosecond pulse generation from relativistic laser plasmas using few-cycle laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Guangjin; Dallari, William; Borot, Antonin; Tsakiris, George D.; Veisz, Laszlo; Krausz, Ferenc; Yu, Wei

    2015-01-01

    We have performed a systematic study through particle-in-cell simulations to investigate the generation of attosecond pulse from relativistic laser plasmas when laser pulse duration approaches the few-cycle regime. A significant enhancement of attosecond pulse energy has been found to depend on laser pulse duration, carrier envelope phase, and plasma scale length. Based on the results obtained in this work, the potential of attaining isolated attosecond pulses with ∼100 μJ energy for photons >16 eV using state-of-the-art laser technology appears to be within reach

  10. Laser-induced generation of pure tensile stresses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niemz, M.H.; Lin, C.P.; Pitsillides, C.; Cui, J.; Doukas, A.G.; Deutsch, T.F.

    1997-01-01

    While short compressive stresses can readily be produced by laser ablation, the generation of pure tensile stresses is more difficult. We demonstrate that a 90 degree prism made of polyethylene can serve to produce short and pure tensile stresses. A compressive wave is generated by ablating a thin layer of strongly absorbing ink on one surface of the prism with a Q-switched frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser. The compressive wave driven into the prism is reflected as a tensile wave by the polyethylene-air interface at its long surface. The low acoustic impedance of polyethylene makes it ideal for coupling tensile stresses into liquids. In water, tensile stresses up to -200bars with a rise time of the order of 20 ns and a duration of 100 ns are achieved. The tensile strength of water is determined for pure tensile stresses lasting for 100 ns only. The technique has potential application in studying the initiation of cavitation in liquids and in comparing the effect of compressive and tensile stress transients on biological media. copyright 1997 American Institute of Physics

  11. COTS low-cost 622-Mb/s free-space laser communications link for short-distance commercial applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Kenneth A.

    2000-05-01

    The results from a low cost 622 Mb/s, free-space laser communication link operating at 850 nm for short distance commercial applications is presented. The test results demonstrate the use of a free-space laser communications transceiver for building to building applications such as LAN, WAN and ATM operations, etc. This illustrates the potential for wide-use commercial computer network applications. The transceiver is constructed of commercial off-the-shelf materials for the development of a low-cost laser communications data link. The test system configuration utilizes standard Personal Computers with network cards and signal conversion cards for the copper to optical medical conversion. These tests precede the development of an increased data rate device operating at 2.5 Gb/s.

  12. Liquid detection with InGaAsP semiconductor lasers having multiple short external cavities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, X; Cassidy, D T

    1996-08-20

    A liquid detection system consisting of a diode laser with multiple short external cavities (MSXC's) is reported. The MSXC diode laser operates single mode on one of 18 distinct modes that span a range of 72 nm. We selected the modes by setting the length of one of the external cavities using a piezoelectric positioner. One can measure the transmission through cells by modulating the injection current at audio frequencies and using phase-sensitive detection to reject the ambient light and reduce 1/f noise. A method to determine regions of single-mode operation by the rms of the output of the laser is described. The transmission data were processed by multivariate calibration techniques, i.e., partial least squares and principal component regression. Water concentration in acetone was used to demonstrate the performance of the system. A correlation coefficient of R(2) = 0.997 and 0.29% root-mean-square error of prediction are found for water concentration over the range of 2-19%.

  13. Compact sub-nanosecond pulse seed source with diode laser driven by a high-speed circuit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoqian; Wang, Bo; Wang, Junhua; Cheng, Wenyong

    2018-06-01

    A compact sub-nanosecond pulse seed source with 1550 nm diode laser (DL) was obtained by employing a high-speed circuit. The circuit mainly consisted of a short pulse generator and a short pulse driver. The short pulse generator, making up of a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a level translator, two programmable delay chips and an AND gate chip, output a triggering signal to control metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) switch of the short pulse driver. The MOSFET switch with fast rising time and falling time both shorter than 1 ns drove the DL to emit short optical pulses. Performances of the pulse seed source were tested. The results showed that continuously adjustable repetition frequency ranging from 500 kHz to 100 MHz and pulse duration in the range of 538 ps to 10 ns were obtained, respectively. 537 μW output was obtained at the highest repetition frequency of 100 MHz with the shortest pulse duration of 538 ps. These seed pulses were injected into an fiber amplifier, and no optical pulse distortions were found.

  14. Relationship Between Short Sleep Duration and Preseason Concussion Testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silverberg, Noah D; Berkner, Paul D; Atkins, Joseph E; Zafonte, Ross; Iverson, Grant L

    2016-05-01

    Baseline, preseason assessment of cognition, symptoms, and balance has been recommended as part of a comprehensive sport concussion management program. We examined the relationship between sleep and baseline test results. We hypothesized that adolescents who slept fewer hours the night before would report more symptoms and perform more poorly on cognitive testing than students who had a full night sleep. Cross-sectional observation study. Preseason concussion testing for high school athletes. A large sample (n = 2928) of student athletes from Maine, USA, between the ages of 13 and 18 years completed preseason testing. Participants with developmental problems, a history of treatment for neurological or psychiatric problems, recent concussion, or 3 or more prior concussions were excluded. Athletes were divided into 4 groups based on their sleep duration the night before testing. Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT; ImPACT Applications, Inc, Pittsburgh, PA) cognitive composite scores and the embedded Post-Concussion Symptom Scale. Sleep was not related to any ImPACT cognitive composite score, after covarying for age and controlling for multiple comparisons. In contrast, there were sleep duration, sex, and sleep duration by sex effects on the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale. The effect of sleep duration on symptom reporting was more pronounced in girls. Supplementary analyses suggested that sleep insufficiency was associated with a diverse array of postconcussion-like symptoms. Poor sleep the night before baseline or postinjury testing may be an important confound when assessing postconcussion symptoms. Girls may be more vulnerable to experiencing and reporting symptoms following insufficient sleep. Clinicians should routinely ask how the athlete slept the night before preseason baseline testing and consider deferring the symptom assessment or later retesting athletes who slept poorly.

  15. Does selection for short sleep duration explain human vulnerability to Alzheimer’s disease?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nesse, Randolph M; Finch, Caleb E; Nunn, Charles L

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Compared with other primates, humans sleep less and have a much higher prevalence of Alzheimer ’s disease (AD) pathology. This article reviews evidence relevant to the hypothesis that natural selection for shorter sleep time in humans has compromised the efficacy of physiological mechanisms that protect against AD during sleep. In particular, the glymphatic system drains interstitial fluid from the brain, removing extra-cellular amyloid beta (eAβ) twice as fast during sleep. In addition, melatonin—a peptide hormone that increases markedly during sleep—is an effective antioxidant that inhibits the polymerization of soluble eAβ into insoluble amyloid fibrils that are associated with AD. Sleep deprivation increases plaque formation and AD, which itself disrupts sleep, potentially creating a positive feedback cycle. These and other physiological benefits of sleep may be compromised by short sleep durations. Our hypothesis highlights possible long-term side effects of medications that reduce sleep, and may lead to potential new strategies for preventing and treating AD. PMID:28096295

  16. High Brightness, Laser-Driven X-ray Source for Nanoscale Metrology and Femtosecond Dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Siders, C W; Crane, J K; Semenov, V; Betts, S; Kozioziemski, B; Wharton, K; Wilks, S; Barbee, T; Stuart, B; Kim, D E; An, J; Barty, C

    2007-02-26

    This project developed and demonstrated a new, bright, ultrafast x-ray source based upon laser-driven K-alpha generation, which can produce an x-ray flux 10 to 100 times greater than current microfocus x-ray tubes. The short-pulse (sub-picosecond) duration of this x-ray source also makes it ideal for observing time-resolved dynamics of atomic motion in solids and thin films.

  17. High-intensity laser synchrotron x-ray source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pogorelsky, I.V.

    1995-10-01

    A laser interacting with a relativistic electron beam behaves like a virtual wiggler of an extremely short period equal to half of the laser wavelength. This approach opens a route to relatively compact, high-brightness x-ray sources alternative or complementary to conventional synchrotron light sources. Although not new, the Laser Synchrotron Light Source (LSLS) concept is still waiting for a convincing demonstration. Available at the BNL's Accelerator Test Facility (ATF), a high-brightness electron beam and the high-power C0 2 laser may be used as prototype LSLS brick stones. In a feasible demonstration experiment, 10-GW, 100-ps C0 2 laser beam will be brought to a head-on collision with a 10-ps, 0.5-nC, 70 MeV electron bunch. Flashes of well-collimated, up to 9.36-keV (∼ Angstrom) x-rays of 10-ps pulse duration, with a flux of ∼10 19 photons/sec will be produced via linear Compton backscattering. The x-ray spectrum is tunable proportionally to a variable e-beam energy. A natural short-term extension of the proposed experiment would be further enhancement of the x-ray flux to a 10 21 -10 22 photons/sec level, after the ongoing ATF CO 2 laser upgrade to 1 TW peak power and electron bunch shortening to 3 ps. The ATF LSLS x-ray beamline, exceeding by orders of magnitude the peak fluxes attained at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) x-ray storage ring, may become attractive for certain users, e.g., for biological x-ray microscopy. In addition, a terawatt CO 2 laser will enable harmonic multiplication of the x-ray spectrum via nonlinear Compton scattering

  18. Using a short-pulse diffraction-limited laser beam to probe filamentation of a random phase plate smoothed beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kline, J. L.; Montgomery, D. S.; Flippo, K. A.; Johnson, R. P.; Rose, H. A.; Shimada, T.; Williams, E. A.

    2008-01-01

    A short pulse (few picoseconds) laser probe provides high temporal resolution measurements to elucidate details of fast dynamic phenomena not observable with typical longer laser pulse probes and gated diagnostics. Such a short pulse laser probe (SPLP) has been used to measure filamentation of a random phase plate (RPP) smoothed laser beam in a gas-jet plasma. The plasma index of refraction due to driven density and temperature fluctuations by the RPP beam perturbs the phase front of a SPLP propagating at a 90 deg. angle with respect to the RPP interaction beam. The density and temperature fluctuations are quasistatic on the time scale of the SPLP (∼2 ps). The transmitted near-field intensity distribution from the SPLP provides a measure of the phase front perturbation. At low plasma densities, the transmitted intensity pattern is asymmetric with striations across the entire probe beam in the direction of the RPP smoothed beam. As the plasma density increases, the striations break up into smaller sizes along the direction of the RPP beam propagation. The breakup of the intensity pattern is consistent with self-focusing of the RPP smoothed interaction beam. Simulations of the experiment using the wave propagation code, PF3D, are in qualitative agreement demonstrating that the asymmetric striations can be attributed to the RPP driven density fluctuations. Quantification of the beam breakup measured by the transmitted SPLP could lead to a new method for measuring self-focusing of lasers in underdense plasmas.

  19. Using a short-pulse diffraction-limited laser beam to probe filamentation of a random phase plate smoothed beam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kline, J L; Montgomery, D S; Flippo, K A; Johnson, R P; Rose, H A; Shimada, T; Williams, E A

    2008-10-01

    A short pulse (few picoseconds) laser probe provides high temporal resolution measurements to elucidate details of fast dynamic phenomena not observable with typical longer laser pulse probes and gated diagnostics. Such a short pulse laser probe (SPLP) has been used to measure filamentation of a random phase plate (RPP) smoothed laser beam in a gas-jet plasma. The plasma index of refraction due to driven density and temperature fluctuations by the RPP beam perturbs the phase front of a SPLP propagating at a 90 degree angle with respect to the RPP interaction beam. The density and temperature fluctuations are quasistatic on the time scale of the SPLP (approximately 2 ps). The transmitted near-field intensity distribution from the SPLP provides a measure of the phase front perturbation. At low plasma densities, the transmitted intensity pattern is asymmetric with striations across the entire probe beam in the direction of the RPP smoothed beam. As the plasma density increases, the striations break up into smaller sizes along the direction of the RPP beam propagation. The breakup of the intensity pattern is consistent with self-focusing of the RPP smoothed interaction beam. Simulations of the experiment using the wave propagation code, PF3D, are in qualitative agreement demonstrating that the asymmetric striations can be attributed to the RPP driven density fluctuations. Quantification of the beam breakup measured by the transmitted SPLP could lead to a new method for measuring self-focusing of lasers in underdense plasmas.

  20. RFI flagging implications for short-duration transients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cendes, Y.; Prasad, P.; Rowlinson, A.; Wijers, R. A. M. J.; Swinbank, J. D.; Law, C. J.; van der Horst, A. J.; Carbone, D.; Broderick, J. W.; Staley, T. D.; Stewart, A. J.; Huizinga, F.; Molenaar, G.; Alexov, A.; Bell, M. E.; Coenen, T.; Corbel, S.; Eislöffel, J.; Fender, R.; Grießmeier, J.-M.; Jonker, P.; Kramer, M.; Kuniyoshi, M.; Pietka, M.; Stappers, B.; Wise, M.; Zarka, P.

    2018-04-01

    With their wide fields of view and often relatively long coverage of any position in the sky in imaging survey mode, modern radio telescopes provide a data stream that is naturally suited to searching for rare transients. However, Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) can show up in the data stream in similar ways to such transients, and thus the normal pre-treatment of filtering RFI (flagging) may also remove astrophysical transients from the data stream before imaging. In this paper we investigate how standard flagging affects the detectability of such transients by examining the case of transient detection in an observing mode used for Low Frequency Array (LOFAR; van Haarlem et al., 2013) surveys. We quantify the fluence range of transients that would be detected, and the reduction of their SNR due to partial flagging. We find that transients with a duration close to the integration sampling time, as well as bright transients with durations on the order of tens of seconds, are completely flagged. For longer transients on the order of several tens of seconds to minutes, the flagging effects are not as severe, although part of the signal is lost. For these transients, we present a modified flagging strategy which mitigates the effect of flagging on transient signals. We also present a script which uses the differences between the two strategies, and known differences between transient RFI and astrophysical transients, to notify the observer when a potential transient is in the data stream.

  1. Holmium laser vs. conventional (cold knife) direct visual internal urethrotomy for short-segment bulbar urethral stricture: Outcome analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jhanwar, Ankur; Kumar, Manoj; Sankhwar, Satya Narayan; Prakash, Gaurav

    2016-01-01

    Our goal was to analyze the outcome between holmium laser and cold knife direct visual internal urethrotomy (DVIU) for short-segment bulbar urethral stricture. We conducted a prospective study comprised of 112 male patients seen from June 2013 to December 2014. Inclusion criterion was short-segment bulbar urethral stricture (≤1.5cm). Exclusion criteria were prior intervention/urethroplasty, pan-anterior urethral strictures, posterior stenosis, urinary tract infection, and those who lost to followup. Patients were divided into two groups; Group A (n=58) included cold knife DVIU and group B (n=54) included holmium laser endourethrotomy patients. Patient followup included uroflowmetry at postoperative Day 3, as well as at three months and six months. Baseline demographics were comparable in both groups. A total of 107 patients met the inclusion criteria and five patients were excluded due to inadequate followup. Mean stricture length was 1.31 ± 0.252 cm (p=0.53) and 1.34 ± 0.251 cm in Groups A and B, respectively. Mean operating time in Group A was 16.3 ± 1.78 min and in Group B was 20.96 ± 2.23 min (p=0.0001). Five patients in Group A had bleeding after the procedure that was managed conservatively by applying perineal compression. Three patients in Group B had fluid extravasation postoperatively. Qmax (ml/s) was found to be statistically insignificant between the two groups at all followups. Both holmium laser and cold knife urethrotomy are safe and equally effective in treating short-segment bulbar urethral strictures in terms of outcome and complication rate. However, holmium laser requires more expertise and is a costly alternative.

  2. Sleep duration in elderly obese patients correlated negatively with intake fatty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santana Aline

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Study objectives The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between sleep duration and dietary habits in elderly obese patients treated at an institute of cardiology. Methods The fifty-eight volunteers were elderly patients with obesity (classified as obese according to BMI of both genders, between 60 and 80 years of age. All participants were subjected to assessments of food intake, anthropometry, level of physical activity, and duration of sleep. Results The men had significantly greater weight, height, and waist circumference than women. Sleep durations were correlated with dietary nutrient compositions only in men. We found a negative association between short sleep and protein intake (r = -0.43; p = 0.02, short sleep and monounsaturated fatty acids intake (r = -0.40; p = 0.03, and short sleep and cholesterol dietary intake (r = -0.50; p = 0.01. Conclusions We conclude that mainly in men, volunteers that had short sleep duration showed a preference for high energy-density as fatty food, at least in part, may explain the relationship between short sleep duration and the development of metabolic abnormalities.

  3. Sizes and shapes of short-lived nuclei via laser spectroscopy. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lewis, D.A.

    1985-10-01

    This project, a collaboration involving Iowa State University, Argonne National Lab., and the University of Minnesota, was aimed at the determination of properties of short-lived nuclei through their atomic hyperfine structure and optical isotope shifts. The basic approach was to use a cryogenic He-jet system to thermalize, neutralize, and transport radioactive nuclei produced online into a region suitable for laser spectroscopy. The photon burst method was then used for high sensitivity with the resulting continuous atomic beam. The experiment was located on beamline of the ANL superconducting heavy-ion accelerator. The He-jet system developed would reliably transport approx.10 2 nuclei into phase space useful for high resolution laser spectroscopy. The laser system developed could accurately and reproducibly sweep small frequency ranges for periods greater than or equal to1 day and sensitivity limits less than or equal to1 atom/s were achieved. However the nuclei were not transported as free atoms precluding nuclear determinations. Attempts to obtain free atoms by eliminating turbulence and contamination were not successful. Some of the high sensitivity spectroscopy techniques developed in this work are now being applied in a search for nuclear relics of the Big Bang and in studies of the photon statistics of light scattered by a single atom. 3 refs., 4 figs

  4. Effect of Heat Accumulation on Femtosecond Laser Reductive Sintering of Mixed CuO/NiO Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mizue Mizoshiri

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Direct laser-writing techniques have attracted attention for their use in two- and three-dimensional printing technologies. In this article, we report on a micropatterning process that uses femtosecond laser reductive sintering of mixed CuO/NiO nanoparticles. The writing speed, laser fluence, and incident total energy were varied to investigate the influence of heat accumulation on the micropatterns formed by these materials. Heat accumulation and the thermal history of the laser irradiation process significantly affected the material composition and the thermoelectric properties of the fabricated micropatterns. Short laser irradiation durations and high laser fluences decrease the amount of metal oxide in the micropatterns. Selective fabrication of p-type and n-type thermoelectric micropatterns was demonstrated to be possible with control of the reduction and reoxidization reactions through the control of writing speed and total irradiation energy.

  5. Short-pulsed laser for the treatment of tattoos, pigmented lesions, scars and rejuvenation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanghetti, Emil A; Hoffmann, Kristina Andrea; Hoffmann, Klaus

    2017-12-01

    This review describes the use of picosecond lasers for the treatment of tattoos, pigmented lesions, scars, and their use in rejuvenation. These devices have delivered enhanced efficacy for the treatment of tattoos and pigmented lesions when compared to the older 40-50 nanosecond devices. The fractional delivery with the picosecond devices have opened up a new method of rejuvenation for photodamaged skin and the treatment of scars. The delivery of these high-energy short pulses have created zones of injury in the skin referred to as areas of laser-induced optical breakdown. These areas of damage appear to produce cytokines and chemokines which result in epidermal and dermal repair and remodeling. The dual use of these devices with the flat and the fractional optics have made these devices useful in many ways that have been unanticipated. ©2017 Frontline Medical Communications.

  6. Experimental demonstration of a compact epithermal neutron source based on a high power laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirfayzi, S. R.; Alejo, A.; Ahmed, H.; Raspino, D.; Ansell, S.; Wilson, L. A.; Armstrong, C.; Butler, N. M. H.; Clarke, R. J.; Higginson, A.; Kelleher, J.; Murphy, C. D.; Notley, M.; Rusby, D. R.; Schooneveld, E.; Borghesi, M.; McKenna, P.; Rhodes, N. J.; Neely, D.; Brenner, C. M.; Kar, S.

    2017-07-01

    Epithermal neutrons from pulsed-spallation sources have revolutionised neutron science allowing scientists to acquire new insight into the structure and properties of matter. Here, we demonstrate that laser driven fast (˜MeV) neutrons can be efficiently moderated to epithermal energies with intrinsically short burst durations. In a proof-of-principle experiment using a 100 TW laser, a significant epithermal neutron flux of the order of 105 n/sr/pulse in the energy range of 0.5-300 eV was measured, produced by a compact moderator deployed downstream of the laser-driven fast neutron source. The moderator used in the campaign was specifically designed, by the help of MCNPX simulations, for an efficient and directional moderation of the fast neutron spectrum produced by a laser driven source.

  7. Laser System for Photoelectron and X-Ray Production in the PLEIADES Compton Light Source

    CERN Document Server

    Gibson, David J; Betts, S; Crane, John; Jovanovic, Igor

    2005-01-01

    The PLEIADES (Picosecond Laser-Electron Interaction for the Dynamic Evaluation of Structures) facility provides tunable short x-ray pulses with energies of 30-140 keV and pulse durations of 0.3 - 5 ps by scattering an intense, ultrashort laser pulse off a 35-75 MeV electron beam. Synchronization of the laser and electron beam is obtained by using a photoinjector gun, and using the same laser system to generate the electrons and the scattering laser. The Ti:Sapphire, chirped pulse amplification based 500 mJ, 50 fs, 810 nm scattering laser and the similar 300 μJ, 5 ps, 266 nm photoinjector laser systems are detailed. Additionally, an optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) system is studied as a replacement for part of the scattering laser front end. Such a change would significantly simplify the set-up the laser system by removing the need for active switching optics, as well as increase the pre-pulse contrast ratio which will be important when part of the scattering laser is used as a...

  8. Above scaling short-pulse ion acceleration from flat foil and ``Pizza-top Cone'' targets at the Trident laser facility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flippo, Kirk; Hegelich, B. Manuel; Cort Gautier, D.; Johnson, J. Randy; Kline, John L.; Shimada, Tsutomu; Fernández, Juan C.; Gaillard, Sandrine; Rassuchine, Jennifer; Le Galloudec, Nathalie; Cowan, Thomas E.; Malekos, Steve; Korgan, Grant

    2006-10-01

    Ion-driven Fast Ignition (IFI) has certain advantages over electron-driven FI due to a possible large reduction in the amount of energy required. Recent experiments at the Los Alamos National Laboratory's Trident facility have yielded ion energies and efficiencies many times in excess of recent published scaling laws, leading to even more potential advantages of IFI. Proton energies in excess of 35 MeV have been observed from targets produced by the University of Nevada, Reno - dubbed ``Pizza-top Cone'' targets - at intensities of only 1x10^19 W/cm^2 with 20 joules in 600 fs. Energies in excess of 24 MeV were observed from simple flat foil targets as well. The observed energies, above any published scaling laws, are attributed to target production, preparation, and shot to shot monitoring of many laser parameters, especially the laser ASE prepulse level and laser pulse duration. The laser parameters are monitored in real-time to keep the laser in optimal condition throughout the run providing high quality, reproducible shots.

  9. Precision laser processing for micro electronics and fiber optic manufacturing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webb, Andrew; Osborne, Mike; Foster-Turner, Gideon; Dinkel, Duane W.

    2008-02-01

    The application of laser based materials processing for precision micro scale manufacturing in the electronics and fiber optic industry is becoming increasingly widespread and accepted. This presentation will review latest laser technologies available and discuss the issues to be considered in choosing the most appropriate laser and processing parameters. High repetition rate, short duration pulsed lasers have improved rapidly in recent years in terms of both performance and reliability enabling flexible, cost effective processing of many material types including metal, silicon, plastic, ceramic and glass. Demonstrating the relevance of laser micromachining, application examples where laser processing is in use for production will be presented, including miniaturization of surface mount capacitors by applying a laser technique for demetalization of tracks in the capacitor manufacturing process and high quality laser machining of fiber optics including stripping, cleaving and lensing, resulting in optical quality finishes without the need for traditional polishing. Applications include telecoms, biomedical and sensing. OpTek Systems was formed in 2000 and provide fully integrated systems and sub contract services for laser processes. They are headquartered in the UK and are establishing a presence in North America through a laser processing facility in South Carolina and sales office in the North East.

  10. The influence of the Q-switched and free-running Er:YAG laser beam characteristics on the ablation of root canal dentine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Papagiakoumou, Eirini; Papadopoulos, Dimitrios N.; Khabbaz, Marouan G.; Makropoulou, Mersini I.; Serafetinides, Alexander A.

    2004-01-01

    Laser based dental treatment is attractive to many researchers. Lasers in the 3 μm region, as the Er:YAG, are suitable especially for endodontic applications. In this study a pulsed free-running and Q-switched laser was used for the ablation experiments of root canal dentine. The laser beam was either directly focused on the dental tissue or delivered to it through an infrared fiber. For different spatial beam distributions, energies, number of pulses and both laser operations the quality characteristics (crater's shape formation, ablation efficiency and surface characteristics modification) were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The craters produced, generally, reflect the relevant beam profile. Inhomogeneous spatial beam profiles and short pulse duration result in cracks formation and lower tissue removal efficiency, while longer pulse durations cause hard dentine fusion. Any beam profile modification, due to laser characteristics variations and the specific delivering system properties, is directly reflected in the ablation crater shape and the tissue removal efficiency. Therefore, the laser parameters, as fluence, pulse repetition rate and number of pulses, have to be carefully adjusted in relation to the desirable result

  11. Plasma wave amplitude measurement created by guided laser wakefield

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wojda, Franck

    2010-01-01

    The interaction of an intense laser pulse of short duration with a plasma produces a plasma wave with large amplitude in its wake, which is associated with a longitudinal electric field. It can be used to accelerate relativistic electrons injected into the wave to energies in the GeV range over distances of the order of a few centimeters, short compared to acceleration lengths in conventional accelerators. The control of the electron beam characteristics during the acceleration process is fundamental for achieving a usable laser-plasma acceleration stage. The main result of this thesis is the creation and characterization of a plasma wave in a weakly nonlinear regime over a length of several centimeters. Capillary tubes are used to guide the laser beam over these distances, while maintaining a large enough intensity (∼ 10 17 W/cm 2 ). The guided laser beam ionizes the gas in the tube and creates the plasma wave. A diagnostic based on the modification of the laser pulse spectrum was used to determine the amplitude of the plasma wave along the tube. The amplitude of the plasma wave was studied as a function of gas filling pressure, length of the capillary and laser energy. Experimental results are compared; they are in excellent agreement with analytical results and modeling. They show that the electric field associated with the plasma wave is between 1 and 10 GV/m over a length of up to 8 cm. This work has demonstrated the ability to create a controlled plasma wave in a weakly nonlinear regime. (author)

  12. Time-dependent H-like and He-like Al lines produced by ultra-short pulse laser

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kato, Takako; Kato, Masatoshi [National Inst. for Fusion Science, Nagoya (Japan); Shepherd, R; Young, B; More, R; Osterheld, Al

    1998-03-01

    We have performed numerical modeling of time-resolved x-ray spectra from thin foil targets heated by the LLNL Ultra-short pulse (USP) laser. The targets were aluminum foils of thickness ranging from 250 A to 1250 A, heated with 120 fsec pulses of 400 nm light from the USP laser. The laser energy was approximately 0.2 Joules, focused to a 3 micron spot size for a peak intensity near 2 x 10{sup 19} W/cm{sup 2}. Ly{alpha} and He{alpha} lines were recorded using a 900 fsec x-ray streak camera. We calculate the effective ionization, recombination and emission rate coefficients including density effects for H-like and He-like aluminum ions using a collisional radiative model. We calculate time-dependent ion abundances using these effective ionization and recombination rate coefficients. The time-dependent electron temperature and density used in the calculation are based on an analytical model for the hydrodynamic expansion of the target foils. During the laser pulse the target is ionized. After the laser heating stops, the plasma begins to recombine. Using the calculated time dependent ion abundances and the effective emission rate coefficients, we calculate the time dependent Ly{alpha} and He{alpha} lines. The calculations reproduce the main qualitative features of the experimental spectra. (author)

  13. Prospects for compact high-intensity laser synchrotron x-ray and gamma sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pogorelsky, I.V.

    1996-11-01

    A laser interacting with a relativistic electron beam behaves like a virtual wiggler of an extremely short period equal to half of the laser wavelength. This approach opens a route to relatively compact, high-brightness x-ray sources alternative or complementary to conventional synchrotron light sources. Although not new, the laser synchrotron source (LSS) concept is still waiting for a convincing demonstration. Available at the BNL Accelerator Test Facility (ATF), a high-brightness electron beam and the high-power CO 2 laser may be used as prototype LSS brick stones. In a feasible demonstration experiment, 10-GW, 100-ps CO 2 laser beam will be brought to a head-on collision with a 10-ps, 0.5-nC, 50 MeV electron bunch. Flashes of collimated 4.7 keV (2.6 angstrom) x-rays of 10-ps pulse duration, with a flux of ∼ 10 19 photons/sec, will be produced via linear Compton backscattering. The x-ray spectrum is tunable proportionally to the e-beam energy. A rational short-term extension of the proposed experiment would be further enhancement of the x-ray flux to the 10 22 photons/sec level, after the ongoing ATF CO 2 laser upgrade to 5 TW peak power and electron bunch shortening to 3 ps is realized. In the future, exploiting the promising approach of a high-gradient laser wake field accelerator, a compact ''table-top'' LSS of monochromatic gamma radiation may become feasible

  14. Prospects for compact high-intensity laser synchrotron x-ray and gamma sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pogorelsky, I.V.

    1997-01-01

    A laser interacting with a relativistic electron beam behaves like a virtual wiggler of an extremely short period equal to half of the laser wavelength. This approach opens a route to relatively compact, high- brightness x-ray sources alternative or complementary to conventional synchrotron light sources. Although not new, the laser synchrotron source (LSS) concept is still waiting for a convincing demonstration. Available at the BNL Accelerator Test Facility (ATF), a high- brightness electron beam and the high-power C0 2 laser may be used as prototype LSS brick stones. In a feasible demonstration experiment, 10 GW, 100 ps C0 2 laser beam will be brought to a head-on collision with a 10 ps, 0.5 nC, 50 MeV electron bunch. Flashes of collimated 4.7 keV (2.6 A) x-rays of 10-ps pulse duration, with a flux of ∼10 19 photons/sec, will be produced via linear Compton backscattering. The x-ray spectra is tunable proportionally to the e- beam energy. A rational short-term extension of the proposed experiment would be further enhancement of the x-ray flux to the 10 22 photon/sec level, after the ongoing ATF C0 2 laser upgrade to 5 TW peak power and electron bunch shortening to 3 ps is realized. In the future, exploiting the promising approach of a high-gradient laser wake field accelerator, a compact ''table- top'' LSS of monochromatic gamma radiation may become feasible

  15. Thermotolerance and responses to short duration heat stress in tropical and temperate species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marias, D.; Meinzer, F. C.; Still, C. J.

    2017-12-01

    phenotypically plastic and representative of the environment in which plants were grown, whereas iWUE appeared to reflect ecotypic differentiation and the climate of origin. Considering leaf age, heat stress duration, methodology, functional type, and climate of origin improves our understanding of physiological responses to short term heat stress.

  16. Validity of reciprocity rule on mouse skin thermal damage due to CO2 laser irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parvin, P.; Dehghanpour, H. R.; Moghadam, M. S.; Daneshafrooz, V.

    2013-07-01

    CO2 laser (10.6 μm) is a well-known infrared coherent light source as a tool in surgery. At this wavelength there is a high absorbance coefficient (860 cm-1), because of vibration mode resonance of H2O molecules. Therefore, the majority of the irradiation energy is absorbed in the tissue and the temperature of the tissue rises as a function of power density and laser exposure duration. In this work, the tissue damage caused by CO2 laser (1-10 W, ˜40-400 W cm-2, 0.1-6 s) was measured using 30 mouse skin samples. Skin damage assessment was based on measurements of the depth of cut, mean diameter of the crater and the carbonized layer. The results show that tissue damage as assessed above parameters increased with laser fluence and saturated at 1000 J cm-2. Moreover, the damage effect due to high power density at short duration was not equivalent to that with low power density at longer irradiation time even though the energy delivered was identical. These results indicate the lack of validity of reciprocity (Bunsen-Roscoe) rule for the thermal damage.

  17. Study on the exposure of spherical microtargets to a (1-3) TW iodine laser pulse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaretskij, A.I.; Kirillov, G.A.; Kormer, S.B.; Kochemasov, G.G.; Murugov, V.M.; Sukharev, S.A.

    1983-01-01

    Investigations carried out at the photo dissociation iodine laser ''Iskra-4'' (PIL) with the aim of improving laser parameters and studying the interaction of laser radiation with microtargets filled with TD gas, are reviewed. PIL ''Iskra-4'' has the radiation energy maximum in the world of approximately 1.8 kJ in one beam with the light aperture approximately 60 cm, pulse duration approximately 0.8 ns, beam divergence theta approximately 0.3-0.4 mrad and the contrast more than 10 6 . A good direction of laser radiation is achieved due to . the optimization of the composition of working medium, pressure of its components, and other factors that permits to minimize the gradient of refraction index without considerable reduction of the stored energy. The problem of selecting the regime of affecting of the ''exploding shell'' type and obtaining of short duration pulses is generally considered. The assigning generator and results of experiments into irradiation of spherical microtargets filled with DT gas are described. The neutron yield of up to 10 6 neutrons in the case of 50 time volumetric compression is obtained for the first time with the aid of PIL

  18. [Sleep, work, and study: sleep duration in working and non-working students].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Erico Felden; Bernardo, Maria Perpeto Socorro Leite; D'Almeida, Vânia; Louzada, Fernando Mazzilli

    2011-05-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the duration of sleep and associated factors in working and non-working students. Data were analyzed on the sleep-wake cycle in 863 teenage students in São Paulo, Brazil. Adjusted analyses were performed to compare sleep duration in working and non-working students. 18.4% of the group worked, and 52% of the working students slept eight hours or less per night. Prevalence of short sleep duration was higher in working students of both sexes (males, p = 0.017; females, p Working students showed short sleep duration in the analysis adjusted for socioeconomic status, but short sleep was more frequent in older adolescents (p = 0.004) and in lower (p = 0.001) and middle (p = 0.011) socioeconomic classes. Although more working students were in night school, in the model adjusted for gender and socioeconomic status, working students in afternoon courses showed higher prevalence of short sleep duration (PR = 2.53; 95%CI: 1.68-4.12).

  19. Recent progress on the Los Alamos Aurora ICF [inertial confinement fusion] laser system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosocha, L.A.; Blair, L.S.

    1987-01-01

    Aurora is the Los Alamos short-pulse, high-power, krypton-fluoride laser system. It serves as an end-to-end technology demonstration prototype for large-scale ultraviolet laser systems for short wavelength inertial confinement fusion (ICF) investigations. The system is designed to employ optical angular multiplexing and serial amplification by electron-beam-driven KrF laser amplifiers to deliver stacked, 248-nm, 5-ns duration multikilojoule laser pulses to ICF-relevant targets. This paper presents a summary of the Aurora system and a discussion of the progress achieved in the construction and integration of the laser system. We concentrate on the main features of the following major system components: front-end lasers, amplifier train, multiplexer, optical relay train, demultiplexer, and the associated optical alignment system. During the past year, two major construction and integration tasks have been accomplished. The first task is the demonstration of 96-beam multiplexing and amplified energy extraction, as evidenced by the integrated operation of the front end, the multiplexer (12-fold and 8-fold encoders), the optical relay train, and three electron-beam-driven amplifiers. The second task is the assembly and installation of the demultiplexer optical hardware, which consists of over 300 optical components ranging in size from several centimeters square to over a meter square. 13 refs., 13 figs

  20. Influence of laser-supported detonation waves on metal drilling with pulsed CO2 lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stuermer, E.; von Allmen, M.

    1978-01-01

    Drilling of highly reflective metals in an ambient atmosphere with single TEA-CO 2 -laser pulses of fluences between 300 and 6000 J/cm 2 is reported. The drilling process was investigated by measuring the time-resolved laser power reflected specularly from the targets during the interaction and by analyzing the craters produced. Experiments were performed in ambient air, argon, and helium. Target damage was found to be strongly influenced by a laser-supported detonation (LSD) wave in the ambient gas. If the laser fluence exceeded a material-dependent damage threshold (copper: 300 J/cm 2 ), drilling occurred, but the efficiency was inversely related to the duration of the LSD wave. Efficient material removal is possible if the LSD wave can be dissipated within a small fraction of the laser pulse duration. This was achieved by small-F-number focusing of TEM 00 laser pulses of 5-μs duration. Replacing the ambient air at the target by a gas of lower density results in a further significant reduction of LSD-wave lifetime, and a correlated increase of the drilling yield. On copper targets a maximum drilling yield of 10 -5 cm 3 /J was observed in ambient helium at a laser fluence of 1 kJ/cm 2

  1. Short Sleep Duration is Associated with Obesity in Hispanic Manufacturing Workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benham, Grant; Ghaddar, Suad F; Talavera-Garza, Liza

    2017-01-01

    The present study examined the relationship between obesity and sleep duration among Hispanic manufacturing workers. Two hundred and twenty eight Hispanic workers from eight manufacturing plants completed an in-person interview that included measures of demographics, health literacy, and sleep duration. Height and weight were directly assessed. A logistic regression, controlling for gender, education, age, income, physical activity levels, self-reported health status, and health literacy, indicated that workers who slept six hours or less were significantly more likely to be obese than those sleeping seven to nine hours (OR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.04-3.47). Our results extend previous research on the association between sleep duration and obesity to an understudied population of Hispanic workers.

  2. Use of social media is associated with short sleep duration in a dose-response manner in students aged 11 to 20 years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampasa-Kanyinga, Hugues; Hamilton, Hayley A; Chaput, Jean-Philippe

    2018-04-01

    This study examined the association between social media and sleep duration among Canadian students aged 11-20. Data from 5242 students were obtained from the 2015 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a province-wide, school-based survey that has been conducted every two years since 1977. We measured the respondents' sleep duration against the recommended ranges of 9-11 h per night at 11-13 years of age, 8-10 h at 14-17 and 7-9 h per night for those aged 18 years or more. Overall, 36.4% of students met or exceeded the recommended sleep duration and 63.6% slept less than recommended, with 73.4% of students reporting that they used social media for at least one hour per day. After adjusting for various covariates, the use of social media was associated with greater odds of short sleep duration in a dose-response manner (p for linear trend fashion among Canadian students aged 11-20. ©2018 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Free-electron laser experiments in the microwave tokamak experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allen, S.L.; Brown, M.D.; Byers, J.A.; Casper, T.A.; Cohen, B.I.; Cohen, R.H.; Cummings, J.C.; Fenstermacher, M.E.; Foote, J.H.; Hooper, E.B.; Jong, R.A.; Langdon, A.B.; Lasinski, B.F.; Lasnier, C.J.; Matsuda, Y.; Meyer, W.H.; Moller, J.M.; Nexsen, W.E.; Rice, B.W.; Rognlien, T.D.; Smith, G.R.; Stallard, B.W.; Thomassen, K.I.; Throop, A.L.; Turner, W.C.; Wood, R.D.; Cook, D.R.; Makowski, M.A.; Oasa, K.; Ogawa, T.

    1990-08-01

    Microwave pulses have been injected from a free electron-laser (FEL) into the Microwave Tokamak Experiment (MTX) at up to 0.2 GW at 140 GHz in short pulses (10-ns duration) with O-mode polarization. The power transmitted through the plasma was measured in a first experimental study of high power pulse propagation in the plasma; no nonlinear effects were found at this power level. Calculations indicate that nonlinear effects may be found at the higher power densities expected in future experiments. 9 refs., 2 figs

  4. Quench Propagation Ignition using Single-Mode Diode Laser

    CERN Document Server

    Trillaud, F; Devred, Arnaud; Fratini, M; Leboeuf, D; Tixador, P

    2005-01-01

    The stability of NbTi-based multifilamentary composite wires subjected to local heat disturbances of short durations is studied in pool boiling helium conditions. A new type of heater is being developed to characterize the superconducting to normal state transition. It relies on a single-mode Diode Laser with an optical fiber illuminating the wire surface. This first paper focuses mainly on the feasibility of this new heater technology and eventually discusses the difficulties related to it. A small overview of Diode Lasers and optical fibers revolving around our application is given. Then, we describe the experimental setup, and present some recorded voltage traces of transition and recovery processes. In addition, we present also some energy and Normal Zone Propagation Velocity data and we outline ameliorations that will be done to the system.

  5. Development of laser plasma x-ray microscope for living hydrated biological specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kado, Masataka; Daido, Hiroyuki

    2005-01-01

    Investigating the structure and the function of life object performing advanced life activity becomes important. In order to investigate the life object, it is necessary to observe living specimens with high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. Since laser plasma x-ray source has high brightness and short pulse duration, x-ray microscope with the laser plasma x-ray source makes possible to observe living specimens. Such as chromosomes, macrophages, bacterium, and so on have been observed by contact x-ray microscopy. The x-ray images obtained by indirect measurements such as the contact x-ray microscopy have difficulty to avoid artificial effect such as irregular due to developing process. Development of an x-ray microscope with laser plasma x-ray source is necessary to avoid such defects. (author)

  6. Application of Elovich equation on uptake kinetics of 137Cs by living freshwater macrophytes - a short duration laboratory study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaison, T.J.; Patra, A.K.; Ravi, P.M.; Tripathi, R.M.

    2014-01-01

    Application of Elovich equation on uptake kinetics of 137 Cs by two living macrophytes during controlled experiments on short duration exposure is studied. Compliance to 2 nd order kinetics indicates the mechanism could be chemi-sorption, involving polar functional groups present on the extracelluar surface of the macrophytes. Data analysis suggests that Myriophyllum s. exhibits faster adsorption rate than Hydrilla v. As Myriophyllum s. exhibits better kinetics than Hydrilla v., former could be a better natural adsorbing media for 137 Cs. (author)

  7. Characteristics of III-nitride based laser diode employed for short range underwater wireless optical communications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Bin; Liu, Zhe; Yang, Jie; Feng, Liangsen; Zhang, Ning; Wang, Junxi; Li, Jinmin

    2018-03-01

    An off-the-shelf green laser diode (LD) was measured to investigate its temperature dependent characteristics. Performance of the device was severely restricted by rising temperature in terms of increasing threshold current and decreasing modulation bandwidth. The observation reveals that dynamic characteristics of the LD is sensitive to temperature. Influence of light attenuation on the modulation bandwidth of the green LD was also studied. The impact of light attenuation on the modulation bandwidth of the LD in short and low turbid water channel was not obvious while slight difference in modulation bandwidth under same injection level was observed between water channel and free space even at short range.

  8. Mechanisms of impaired exercise capacity in short duration experimental hyperthyroidism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, W H; Spina, R J; Korte, E; Yarasheski, K E; Angelopoulos, T J; Nemeth, P M; Saffitz, J E

    1991-01-01

    To investigate the mechanism of reduced exercise tolerance in hyperthyroidism, we characterized cardiovascular function and determinants of skeletal muscle metabolism in 18 healthy subjects aged 26 +/- 1 yr (mean +/- SE) before and after 2 wk of daily ingestion of 100 micrograms of triiodothyronine (T3). Resting oxygen uptake, heart rate, and cardiac output increased and heart rate and cardiac output at the same submaximal exercise intensity were higher in the hyperthyroid state (P less than 0.05). However, maximal oxygen uptake decreased after T3 administration (3.08 +/- 0.17 vs. 2.94 +/- 0.19 l/min; P less than 0.001) despite increased heart rate and cardiac output at maximal exercise (P less than 0.05). Plasma lactic acid concentration at an equivalent submaximal exercise intensity was elevated 25% (P less than 0.01) and the arteriovenous oxygen difference at maximal effort was reduced (P less than 0.05) in the hyperthyroid state. These effects were associated with a 21-37% decline in activities of oxidative (P less than 0.001) and glycolytic (P less than 0.05) enzymes in skeletal muscle and a 15% decrease in type IIA muscle fiber cross-sectional area (P less than 0.05). Lean body mass was reduced (P less than 0.001) and the rates of whole body leucine oxidation and protein breakdown were enhanced (P less than 0.05). Thus, exercise tolerance is impaired in short duration hyperthyroidism because of decreased skeletal muscle mass and oxidative capacity related to accelerated protein catabolism but cardiac pump function is not reduced. PMID:1752962

  9. Photoemission using femtosecond laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srinivasan-Rao, T.; Tsang, T.; Fischer, J.

    1991-10-01

    Successful operation of short wavelength FEL requires an electron bunch of current >100 A and normalized emittance < 1 mm-mrad. Recent experiments show that RF guns with photocathodes as the electron source may be the ideal candidate for achieving these parameters. To reduce the emittance growth due to space charge and RF dynamics effects, the gun may have to operate at high field gradient (hence at high RF frequency) and a spot size small compared to the aperture. This may necessitate the laser pulse duration to be in the subpicosecond regime to reduce the energy spread. We will present the behavior of metal photocathodes upon irradiation with femtosecond laser beams, comparison of linear and nonlinear photoemission, and scalability to high currents. Theoretical estimate of the intrinsic emittance at the photocathode in the presence of the anomalous heating of the electrons, and the tolerance on the surface roughness of the cathode material will be discussed

  10. Enhanced brightness x-ray lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wan, A.S.; Cauble, R.C.; Da Silva, L.B.; Moreno, J.C.; Nilsen, J.

    1994-09-01

    We are developing short-pulsed, enhanced-brightness, and coherent x-ray lasers (XRLs) for applications in areas such as plasma imaging. In a traveling wave pump setup the optical laser creating the XRL plasma sweeps along the lasant axis at the same speed as the x-rays. This technique becomes increasingly important as the target length increases and the gain duration shortens. An order of magnitude increase in output energy was measured with vs without traveling wave pump. Using multiple pulse techniques and multilayer mirrors to inject the output of one pulse back into the plasma formed by a later pulse we have begun to develop the x-ray analog of a multi-pass amplifler. The use of multiple pulses separated by as much as 1.6 ns reduces multilayer mirror damage. This injection technique is demonstrated by imaging the near-field emission profiles of the XRL. The addition of multilayer beamsplitter will allow us to effectively produce a soft XRL cavity

  11. New developments in short-pulse eye safe lasers pay the way for future LADARs and 3D mapping performances

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasmanik, Guerman; Latone, Kevin; Shilov, Alex; Shklovsky, Eugeni; Spiro, Alex; Tiour, Larissa

    2005-06-01

    We have demonstrated that direct excitation of 3rd Stokes Raman emission in crystal can produce short (few nanosecond) eye-safe pulses. Produced beam has very high quality and the pulse energy can be as high as tens of millijoules. For pulsed diode pumped solid state lasers the demonstrated repetition rate was 250 Hz but higher repetition rates are certainly achievable. It is important that tested schemes do not have strict requirements on laser pump parameters, namely beam divergence and frequency bandwidth. The obtained results are very relevant to the development of eye-safe lasers, such as the new generation of rangefinders, target designators, and laser tracking and pin-pointing devices, as well as remote 2D and 3D imaging systems.

  12. Production of ultrahigh ion current densities at skin-layer subrelativistic laser-plasma interaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Badziak, J [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Glowacz, S [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Jablonski, S [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Parys, P [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Wolowski, J [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw (Poland); Hora, H [Department of Theoretical Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney (Australia); Krasa, J [Institute of Physics, ASCR, Prague (Czech Republic); Laska, L [Institute of Physics, ASCR, Prague (Czech Republic); Rohlena, K [Institute of Physics, ASCR, Prague (Czech Republic)

    2004-12-01

    Some applications of fast ions driven by a short ({<=}1 ps) laser pulse (e.g. fast ignition of ICF targets, x-ray laser pumping, laboratory astrophysics research or some nuclear physics experiments) require ion beams of picosecond (or shorter) time durations and of very high ion current densities ({approx}10{sup 10} A cm{sup -2} or higher). A possible way of producing ion beams with such extreme parameters is ballistic focusing of fast ions generated by a target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) mechanism at relativistic laser intensities. In this paper we discuss another method, where the production of short-pulse ion beams of ultrahigh current densities is possible in a planar geometry at subrelativistic laser intensities and at a low energy ({<=}1 J) of the laser pulse. This method-referred to as skin-layer ponderomotive acceleration (S-LPA)-uses strong ponderomotive forces induced at the skin-layer interaction of a short laser pulse with a proper preplasma layer in front of a solid target. The basic features of the high-current ion generation by S-LPA were investigated using a simplified theory, numerical hydrodynamic simulations and measurements. The experiments were performed with subjoule 1 ps laser pulses interacting with massive or thin foil targets at intensities of up to 2 x 10{sup 17} W cm{sup -2}. It was found that both in the backward and forward directions highly collimated high-density ion beams (plasma blocks) with current densities at the ion source (close to the target) approaching 10{sup 10} A cm{sup -2} are produced, in accordance with the theory and numerical calculations. These ion current densities were found to be comparable to (or even higher than) those estimated from recent short-pulse TNSA experiments with relativistic laser intensities. Apart from the simpler physics of the laser-plasma interaction, the advantage of the considered method is the low energy of the driving laser pulses allowing the production of ultrahigh

  13. Simulation of intense laser-dense matter interactions. X-ray production and laser absorption

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ueshima, Yutaka; Kishimoto, Yasuaki; Sasaki, Akira [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Neyagawa, Osaka (Japan). Kansai Research Establishment; Sentoku, Yasuhiko; Tajima, Toshiki

    1998-03-01

    The development of short-pulse ultra high intensity lasers will enable us to generate short-pulse intense soft and hard X-rays. Acceleration of an electron in laser field generates intense illuminated located radiation, Larmor radiation, around KeV at 10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2} with 100 TW and 1 {mu}m wave length laser. The Coulomb interaction between rest ions and relativistic electron generates broad energy radiation, bremsstrahlung emission, over MeV at 10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2} with the same condition. These intense radiations come in short pulses of the same order as that of the irradiated laser. The generated intense X-rays, Larmor and bremsstrahlung radiation, can be applied to sources of short pulse X-ray, excitation source of inner-shell X-ray laser, position production and nuclear excitation, etc. (author)

  14. Experimental study of laser-plasma interaction physics with short laser wavelength

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Labaune, C.; Amiranoff, F.; Fabre, E.; Matthieussent, G.; Rousseaux, C.; Baton, S.

    1989-01-01

    Many non-linear processes can affect laser-plasma coupling in fusion experiments. The interaction processes of interest involve three or more waves, including the incident electromagnetic wave and various selections of electromagnetic, electrostatic and accoustic waves. Whenever plasma waves are involved (stimulated Raman scattering, two-plasmon decay instability, parametric decay instability and others), energetic electrons are created through the various damping processes of these waves: these energetic electrons in turn deleteriously affect the compression phase in laser fusion experiments through pre-heating of the fuel core. Some parametric processes lead primarily to loss of incident laser energy (stimulated Brillouin scattering) while others, such as filamentation, lead to strongly enhanced local laser intensities through the focusing of part (or all) of the laser beam into filaments of very small dimensions with a concomitant expulsion of the plasma out of these regions. So filamentation destroys the uniformity of energy deposition in the plasma and prevents high compression efficiency of the target. These interaction effects are typically of parametric nature, with their thresholds and growth rates depending critically on plasma scale lengths. Since these scale lengths increase with available laser energy and since millimeter sized plasmas are expected from reactor targets which will be used in direct drive implosion experiments, a good understanding of these processes and their saturation mechanisms becomes imperative. We report here the results on absolute energy measurements and time-resolved spectra of SRS and SBS obtained in various types of plasmas where the major changes were the inhomogeneity scale lengths. (author) 7 refs., 7 figs

  15. Effect of pulse slippage on resonant second harmonic generation of a short pulse laser in a plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nitikant; Sharma, A K

    2004-01-01

    The process of second harmonic generation of an intense short pulse laser in a plasma is resonantly enhanced by the application of a magnetic wiggler. The wiggler of suitable wave number k-vector 0 provides necessary momentum to second harmonic photons to make harmonic generation a resonant process. The laser imparts an oscillatory velocity to electrons and exerts a longitudinal ponderomotive force on them at (2ω 1 ,2k-vector 1 ), where ω 1 and k-vector 1 are the frequency and the wave number of the laser, respectively. As the electrons acquire oscillatory velocity at the second harmonic, the wiggler magnetic field beats with it to produce a transverse second harmonic current at (2ω 1 ,2k-vector 1 +k-vector 0 ), driving the second harmonic electromagnetic radiation. However, the group velocity of the second harmonic wave is greater than that of the fundamental wave, hence, the generated pulse slips out of the main laser pulse and its amplitude saturates

  16. Excessive daytime sleepiness, nocturnal sleep duration and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background and objectives. Short nocturnal sleep duration resulting in sleep debt may be a cause of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Severity of depression (psychopathology) has been found to be directly related to EDS. There is an association between sleep duration and mental health, so there may therefore be an ...

  17. The relationship of lightning activity and short-duration rainfall events during warm seasons over the Beijing metropolitan region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Fan; Cui, Xiaopeng; Zhang, Da-Lin; Qiao, Lin

    2017-10-01

    The relationship between lightning activity and rainfall associated with 2925 short-duration rainfall (SDR) events over the Beijing metropolitan region (BMR) is examined during the warm seasons of 2006-2007, using the cloud-to-ground (CG) and intracloud (IC) lightning data from Surveillance et Alerte Foudre par Interférometrie Radioélectrique (SAFIR)-3000 and 5-min rainfall data from automatic weather stations (AWSs). An optimal radius of 10 km around selected AWSs is used to determine the lightning-rainfall relationship. The lightning-rainfall correlations vary significantly, depending upon the intensity of SDR events. That is, correlation coefficient (R 0.7) for the short-duration heavy rainfall (SDHR, i.e., ≥ 20 mm h- 1) events is found higher than that (R 0.4) for the weak SDR (i.e., 5-10 mm h- 1) events, and lower percentage of the SDHR events (< 10%) than the weak SDR events (40-50%) are observed with few flashes. Significant time-lagged correlations between lightning and rainfall are also found. About 80% of the SDR events could reach their highest correlation coefficients when the associated lightning flashes shift at time lags of < 25 min before and after rainfall begins. Those events with lightning preceding rainfall account for 50-60% of the total SDR events. Better lightning-rainfall correlations can be attained when time lags are incorporated, with the use of total (CG and IC) lightning data. These results appear to have important implications for improving the nowcast of SDHR events.

  18. BLEPHAROPLASTY AND PERIOCULAR SKIN RESURFACING WITH NEW GENERATION ER:YAG LASER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brigita Drnovšek-Olup

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. In this study, a new type of Er:YAG laser, emitting irradiation with variable pulse duration, has been used for blepharoplasty and skin resurfacing in periocular region.More than 40 patients have been treated with second generation Er:YAG laser (Fotona Fidelis for blepharoplasty and skin resurfacing. A focused laser beam (diameter 0.4 mm with very short pulse width (100 µs, that is significantly below the thermal relaxation time of skin, leads to a precise cut with no observable thermal effect on surrounding tissue. The depth of the cut is approximately 1–2 mm, precision comparable to a surgical scalpel. The high repetition rate of consecutive laser pulses (50 Hz at 120 mJ energy accounts for accumulation of thermal load in tissue, and thus leads to complete hemostasis of the cut tissue. Due to improved cutting abilities of the Er:YAG laser, excision of orbital fat is also performed with one pass of the laser beam. By changing the laser parameters to short pulses (300 µs, energy 500 mJ, spot diameter 5 mm and repetition rate 12–15 Hz, skin resurfacing was performed. No special pretreatment therapy was used. Anesthesia: 2% Xylocain inj. subcutaneously. Non adhesive dressing for 24 hours was applied after surgery.Epithelisation was complete after ten days. Redness persists up to 5 weeks. Discomfort of patients was mild. Cosmetic results are satisfying.Conclusions. New generation of Er:YAG laser offers a possibility to cut and coagulate the tissue simultaneously, and by changing the parameters to ablate the tissue with heating influence on skin collagen.

  19. Analysis of neon soft x-ray spectra from short-pulse laser-produced plasmas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abare, A.C.; Keane, C.J.; Crane, J.K.; DaSilva, L.B.; Lee, R.W.; Perry, M.D.; Falcone, R.W.

    1993-04-01

    We report preliminary results from the analysis of streaked soft x-ray neon spectra a gas jet target. In obtained from the interaction of a picosecond Nd:glass laser with these experiments streaked spectra show prompt harmonic emission followed by longer time duration soft x-ray line emission. The majority of the line emission observed was found to originate from Li- and Be-like Ne and the major transitions in the observed spectra have been identified. Li-like emission lines were observed to decay faster in time than Be-like transitions, suggesting that recombination is taking place. Line ratios of n=4-2 and n=3-2 transitions supported the view that these lines were optically thin and thick, respectively. The time history of Li-like Ne 2p-4d and 2p-3d lines is in good agreement with a simple adiabatic expansion model coupled to a time dependent collisional-radiative code. Further x-ray spectroscopic analysis is underway which is aimed at diagnosing plasma conditions and assessing the potential of this recombining neon plasma as a quasi-steady-state recombination x-ray laser medium

  20. Comparison of two Q-switched lasers and a short-pulse erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser for treatment of cosmetic tattoos containing titanium and iron in an animal model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chia-Chen; Huang, Chuen-Lin; Yang, An-Hang; Chen, Chih-Kang; Lee, Shao-Chen; Leu, Fur-Jiang

    2010-11-01

    Cosmetic tattoos contain titanium and ferric oxide and darken through reduction after Q-switched laser irradiation. The optimal treatment for removing these pigments remains unknown. To compare the effects of two Q-switched lasers and a short-pulse erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (SP Er:YAG) laser to remove cosmetic tattoos in an animal model. Rats were tattooed using white, flesh-colored, and brown inks (4 bands of each color) on their backs. For each color, one band was left untreated, and one each was treated with a Q-switched neodymium-doped YAG laser, a Q-switched alexandrite laser, and a SP Er:YAG laser every 3 weeks until the pigments were clear. The two Q-switched lasers were equally effective; all three pigments darkened initially and then resolved gradually. Up to 20, 18, and 10 sessions were required to remove white, flesh-colored, and brown tattoos, respectively. Only six sessions were required with the SP Er:YAG laser. Minimal scarring was observed with all lasers. Skin biopsies confirmed pigment granule fragmentation after Q-switched laser treatment and a decrease in the amount of pigment after SP Er:YAG laser treatment. The SP Er:YAG laser was superior to the Q-switched lasers for removing cosmetic tattoos. © 2010 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc.

  1. Exploration of Habitability Factors Influencing Short Duration Spaceflight: Structured Postflight Interviews of Shuttle Crewmembers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Locke, James; Leveton, Lauren; Keeton, Kathryn; Whitmire, Alexandra

    2009-01-01

    Astronauts report significant difficulties with sleep during Space missions. Psychological, physiological, and habitability factors are all thought to play a role in spaceflight insomnia. Crewmembers gain experience with the spaceflight sleep environment as their missions progress, but this knowledge is not formally collected and communicated to subsequent crews. This lack of information transfer prevents crews from optimizing their capability to sleep during mission, which leads to fatigue and its potentially deleterious effects. The goal of this project is astronauts with recent spaceflight experience to gather their knowledge of and insights into sleep in Space. Structured interviews consisting of standardized closed and open-ended questionnaires are administered to astronauts who have flown on the Space Shuttle since the Columbia disaster. It is hoped that review and analysis of the pooled responses to the interview questions will lead to greater understanding of the sleep environment during short duration spaceflight, with attention placed on problem aspects and their potential solutions.

  2. Laser wakefield electron acceleration. A novel approach employing supersonic microjets and few-cycle laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmid, Karl

    2011-01-01

    This thesis covers the few-cycle laser-driven acceleration of electrons in a laser-generated plasma. This process, known as laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA), relies on strongly driven plasma waves for the generation of accelerating gradients in the vicinity of several 100 GV/m, a value four orders of magnitude larger than that attainable by conventional accelerators. This thesis demonstrates that laser pulses with an ultrashort duration of 8 fs and a peak power of 6 TW allow the production of electron energies up to 50 MeV via LWFA. The special properties of laser accelerated electron pulses, namely the ultrashort pulse duration, the high brilliance, and the high charge density, open up new possibilities in many applications of these electron beams. (orig.)

  3. Development of high damage threshold optics for petawatt-class short-pulse lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stuart, B.C.; Perry, M.D.; Boyd, R.D.

    1995-01-01

    The authors report laser-induced damage threshold measurements on pure and multilayer dielectrics and gold-coated optics at 1053 and 526 nm for pulse durations, τ, ranging from 140 fs to 1 ns. Damage thresholds of gold coatings are limited to 500 mJ/cm 2 in the subpicosecond range for 1053-nm pulses. In dielectrics, qualitative differences in the morphology of damage and a departure from the diffusion-dominated τ1/2 scaling indicate that damage results from plasma formation and ablation for τ≤10 ps and from conventional melting and boiling for τ>50 ps. A theoretical model based on electron production via multiphoton ionization, Joule heating, and collisional (avalanche) ionization is in quantitative agreement with both the pulsewidth and wavelength scaling of experimental results

  4. Ion acceleration with ultra intense and ultra short laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Floquet, V.

    2012-01-01

    Accelerating ions/protons can be done using short laser pulse (few femto-seconds) focused on few micrometers area on solid target (carbon, aluminum, plastic...). The electromagnetic field intensity reached on target (≥10 18 W.cm -2 ) allows us to turn the solid into a hot dense plasma. The dynamic motion of the electrons is responsible for the creation of intense static electric field at the plasma boundaries. These electric fields accelerate organic pollutants (including protons) located at the boundaries. This acceleration mechanism known as the Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) has been the topic of the research presented in this thesis.The goal of this work has been to study the acceleration mechanism and to increase the maximal ion energy achievable. Indeed, societal application such as proton therapy requires proton energy up to few hundreds of MeV. To proceed, we have studied different target configurations allowing us to increase the laser plasma coupling and to transfer as much energy as possible to ions (target with microspheres deposit, foam target, grating). Different experiments have also dealt with generating a pre-plasma on the target surface thanks to a pre-pulse. On the application side, fluorescent material such as CdWO 4 has been studied under high flux rate of protons. These high flux rates have been, up to now, beyond the conventional accelerators capabilities. (author) [fr

  5. Shortened duration of untreated first episode of psychosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Tor Ketil; McGlashan, T H; Johannessen, Jan Olav

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether duration of untreated psychosis can be shortened in patients with first episodes of DSM-IV schizophrenia spectrum disorders and whether shorted duration alters patient appearance at treatment. METHOD: Two study groups were ascertained in the same Norwegian h...

  6. CSI 2264: Characterizing Young Stars In NGC 2264 With Short-Duration Periodic Flux Dips in Their Light Curves

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-04-01

    excess presumably due to circumstellar Table 1 Basic Information for YSOs with Short Duration Flux Dips Mon IDa 2MASS ID CoRoTb CoRoTc SpTd Hα EWd FR4.5e...reported in Venuti et al. (2014); the JHKs data are from the on line 2MASS all-sky point source catalog; the IRAC data are from Sung et al. (2009), or...little additional reddening as inferred from their mean 2MASS photometry. One exception is Mon-6975, whose IR colors of H − Ks = 0.42, J −H = 0.90

  7. Effects of attention bias modification with short and long stimulus-duration: A randomized experiment with individuals with subclinical social anxiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Chi-Wen; Hsu, Wen-Yau

    2016-06-30

    This study investigated the differential effects of two attention bias modification (ABM) with different stimulus durations. Seventy-two undergraduates with subclinical social anxiety were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: an ABM condition with either a 100-ms or a 500-ms stimulus duration (ABM-100/ ABM-500) or an attention placebo (AP) condition with either a 100-ms or a 500-ms stimulus duration (AP-100/ AP-500). Participants completed the pre-assessments, eight attentional training sessions, and post-assessments. A modified Posner paradigm was used to assess changes in attentional processing. After completion of attentional training, the ABM-100 group significantly speeded up their responses to 100-ms invalid trials, regardless of the word type. The ABM-100 group also exhibited significant reduced latencies to 500-ms invalid social threat trials and a marginally significant reduced latencies to 500-ms invalid neutral trials. The ABM-500 group showed significant reduced latencies to 500-ms invalid social threat trials. Both ABMs significantly reduced participants' fear of negative evaluations and interactional anxiousness relative to their comparative AP. The effects on social anxiety did not differ between the two ABMs. This study suggests that although both ABMs using short and long stimulus durations reduce some aspects of social anxiety, they influence participants' attentional disengagement in different ways. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Computational Design of Short Pulse Laser Driven Iron Opacity Measurements at Stellar-Relevant Conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martin, Madison E. [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

    2017-05-20

    Opacity is a critical parameter in the simulation of radiation transport in systems such as inertial con nement fusion capsules and stars. The resolution of current disagreements between solar models and helioseismological observations would bene t from experimental validation of theoretical opacity models. Overall, short pulse laser heated iron experiments reaching stellar-relevant conditions have been designed with consideration of minimizing tamper emission and optical depth effects while meeting plasma condition and x-ray emission goals.

  9. Diagnostics for the laser fusion program: plasma physics on the scale of microns and picoseconds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Attwood, D.T.

    1978-01-01

    Laser induced fusion is the forerunner of a class of inertial confinement schemes in which hydrogen isotopes are heated to thermonuclear conditions in a very short period. The process is characterized by such short time scales that fuel confinement is achieved through its' own finite mass and expansion velocity, approaching 1 μm/psec for ignition temperatures of order 10 keV (10 8 0 K). With current laser powers limited to several terrawatts one readily estimates, on the basis of energy conservation, target mass, and expansion velocity, that target size and laser pulse duration are on the order of 100 μm and 100 psec, respectively. Within these constraints, targets have been heated and confined to the point where thermonuclear conditions have been achieved. This paper describes a sampling of diagnostic techniques with requisite resolution (microns and picoseconds) to accurately describe the dynamics of a laser driven compression. As discussed in each case cited, these in turn provide insight to and quantitative measure of, the physical processes dominating the implosion. The success of the inertial confinement fusion program is strongly dependent on the continued development of such diagnostics and the understanding they provide

  10. Structural and morphological transformations of TiO2 nanotube arrays induced by excimer laser treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, Ming-Yi; Thang, Nguyen Van; Wang Chih; Leu Jihperng

    2012-01-01

    The structural and morphological transformations of TiO 2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) treated by excimer laser annealing (ELA) were investigated as a function of the laser fluence using parallel and tilted modes. Results showed that the crystallinity of the ELA-treated TNAs reached only about 50% relative to that of TNAs treated by furnace anneal at 400 °C for 1 h. The phase transformation starts from the top surface of the TNAs with surface damage resulting from short penetration depth and limited one-dimensional heat transport from the surface to the bottom under extremely short pulse duration (25 ns) of the excimer laser. When a tilted mode was used, the crystallinity of TNAs treated by ELA at 85° was increased to 90% relative to that by the furnace anneal. This can be attributed to the increased area of the laser energy interaction zone and better heat conduction to both ends of the TNAs. - Highlights: ► We examined the morphology and microstructure of TNAs treated by ELA. ► Crystallinity of parallel ELA-treated TNAs reached ∼50% of furnace anneal. ► Tilted ELA at 85o enhanced the degree of crystallization in TNAs to 90%.

  11. New light for science: European X-ray Free Electron Laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sobierajski, R.; Lawniczak-Jablonska, K.

    2006-01-01

    The execution of the X-Ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) project begins January 2007. The unique combination of the radiation wavelength, pulse duration and peak brightness provided by XFEL will enable to study processes which occur in both atomic scales - time and space. It will create new scientific opportunities in physics, chemistry, biology and material sciences. In the paper the principles of the XFEL radiation generation, technical design and main radiation parameters are described. They are followed by short description of the project organization. (author) [pl

  12. Duration in Production Contracts

    OpenAIRE

    MacDonald, James M.; Korb, Penelope J.

    2006-01-01

    We use 2003 and 2004 ARMS data to analyze variations in contract duration among growers of broilers who hold production contracts. Most contracts cover just a single flock, but many extend for 1-2 years, and a significant minority of broiler contracts specify lengths of 5, 10, and even 15 years. We find that grower debt and production volume are inversely related to the choice of a short term (a year or less) contract, while lengthy prior experience with the contractor promotes short term con...

  13. Application of laser-accelerated protons to the demonstration of DNA double-strand breaks in human cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yogo, A.; Sato, K.; Nishikino, M.; Mori, M.; Teshima, T.; Numasaki, H.; Murakami, M.; Demizu, Y.; Akagi, S.; Nagayama, S.; Ogura, K.; Sagisaka, A.; Orimo, S.; Nishiuchi, M.; Pirozhkov, A. S.; Ikegami, M.; Tampo, M.; Sakaki, H.; Suzuki, M.; Daito, I.; Oishi, Y.; Sugiyama, H.; Kiriyama, H.; Okada, H.; Kanazawa, S.; Kondo, S.; Shimomura, T.; Nakai, Y.; Tanoue, M.; Sasao, H.; Wakai, D.; Bolton, P. R.; Daido, H.

    2009-05-01

    We report the demonstrated irradiation effect of laser-accelerated protons on human cancer cells. In vitro (living) A549 cells are irradiated with quasimonoenergetic proton bunches of 0.8-2.4 MeV with a single bunch duration of 15 ns. Irradiation with the proton dose of 20 Gy results in a distinct formation of γ-H2AX foci as an indicator of DNA double-strand breaks generated in the cancer cells. This is a pioneering result that points to future investigations of the radiobiological effects of laser-driven ion beams. Unique high-current and short-bunch features make laser-driven proton bunches an excitation source for time-resolved determination of radical yields.

  14. Generation of a microelectron beam by an intense short pulse laser in the TEM(1, 0) + TEM(0, 1) mode in vacuum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyazaki, Shuji; Kawata, Shigeo; Kong, Qing; Miyauchi, Koichi; Sakai, Kei; Hasumi, Shotaro; Sonobe, Ryo; Kikuchi, Takashi

    2005-01-01

    The generation of a high energy microelectron bunch in vacuum by an intense short pulse laser in the TEM(1, 0) + TEM(0, 1) mode is investigated in this paper numerically and analytically. A focused short pulse laser in the TEM(1, 0) + TEM(0, 1) mode has a confinement effect on electrons in the transverse direction due to the transverse ponderomotive force, and at the same time the electrons are accelerated and compressed longitudinally by a longitudinal electric field. In our three-dimensional particle simulations, the maximum kinetic energy of electrons reaches 455 MeV, the maximum density is 3.87 x 10 10 cm -3 , and the normalized transverse and longitudinal rms emittances of accelerated electrons are of the order of 10 -6 m rad at the following parameter values: a 0 = eE 0 /(m e ω c) = 10 (where a 0 is the dimensionless parameter of the laser amplitude, e and m e are the electron charge and rest mass, respectively, E 0 is the laser amplitude, ω the angular frequency of the laser and c the speed of light in vacuum), a laser wavelength λ = 0.8 μm, laser spot size 20λ, laser pulse length 5λ and initial electron velocity 0.99c. Moreover, the transverse and longitudinal sizes of the compressed electron bunch are about 600λ and 10λ, respectively. In this paper, we also present a scaling law of the maximum electron energy. The estimated results of the maximum electron energy coincide well with the simulation results

  15. Modeling of UV laser-induced patterning of ultrathin Co films on bulk SiO2: verification of short- and long-range ordering mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trice, Justin; Favazza, Christopher; Kalyanaraman, Ramki; Sureshkumar, R.

    2006-03-01

    Irradiating ultrathin Co films (1 to 10 nm) by a short-pulsed UV laser leads to pattern formation with both short- and long-range order (SRO, LRO). Single beam irradiation produces SRO, while two-beam interference irradiation produces a quasi-2D arrangement of nanoparticles with LRO and SRO. The pattern formation primarily occurs in the molten phase. An estimate of the thermal behavior of the film/substrate composite following a laser pulse is presented. The thermal behavior includes the lifetime of the liquid phase and the thermal gradient during interference heating. Based on this evidence, the SRO is attributed to spinodal dewetting of the film while surface tension gradients induced by the laser interference pattern appear to influence LRO [1]. [1] C.Favazza, J.Trice, H.Krishna, R.Sureshkumar, and R.Kalyanaraman, unpublished.

  16. Reactions of N2(A3SIGMA/sub u/+) and candidates for short wavelength lasers, March 1, 1984-February 28, 1985

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Setser, D.W.

    1987-01-01

    There are several potential schemes for efficiently generating high concentrations of the first electronically excited state of nitrogen, N 2 (A 3 Σ/sub u/ + , 6.2 eV) by either chemical or electrical pumping. The goal of this proposal is to study ways of utilizing the energy of the N 2 (A) molecules for developing efficient, short wavelength gas lasers. Such lasers are of potential interest for laser fusion. The authors report both excitation-transfer and dissociative excitation-transfer reactions of N 2 (A) that yield electronically-excited diatomic molecules as products. 25 refs

  17. Ultra-short pulse delivery at high average power with low-loss hollow core fibers coupled to TRUMPF's TruMicro laser platforms for industrial applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumbach, S.; Pricking, S.; Overbuschmann, J.; Nutsch, S.; Kleinbauer, J.; Gebs, R.; Tan, C.; Scelle, R.; Kahmann, M.; Budnicki, A.; Sutter, D. H.; Killi, A.

    2017-02-01

    Multi-megawatt ultrafast laser systems at micrometer wavelength are commonly used for material processing applications, including ablation, cutting and drilling of various materials or cleaving of display glass with excellent quality. There is a need for flexible and efficient beam guidance, avoiding free space propagation of light between the laser head and the processing unit. Solid core step index fibers are only feasible for delivering laser pulses with peak powers in the kW-regime due to the optical damage threshold in bulk silica. In contrast, hollow core fibers are capable of guiding ultra-short laser pulses with orders of magnitude higher peak powers. This is possible since a micro-structured cladding confines the light within the hollow core and therefore minimizes the spatial overlap between silica and the electro-magnetic field. We report on recent results of single-mode ultra-short pulse delivery over several meters in a lowloss hollow core fiber packaged with industrial connectors. TRUMPF's ultrafast TruMicro laser platforms equipped with advanced temperature control and precisely engineered opto-mechanical components provide excellent position and pointing stability. They are thus perfectly suited for passive coupling of ultra-short laser pulses into hollow core fibers. Neither active beam launching components nor beam trackers are necessary for a reliable beam delivery in a space and cost saving packaging. Long term tests with weeks of stable operation, excellent beam quality and an overall transmission efficiency of above 85 percent even at high average power confirm the reliability for industrial applications.

  18. Laser drilling of metals with a XeCl excimer laser

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schoonderbeek, A.

    2005-01-01

    This thesis is about laser drilling with a unique excimer laser with a nearly diffraction-limited beam and relatively long optical pulse duration of 175 ns. The combination of high processing speed and high processing quality suitable for industrial applications can be obtained because the excellent

  19. Method and system for communicating with a laser power driver

    Science.gov (United States)

    Telford, Steven

    2017-07-18

    A system for controlling a plurality of laser diodes includes an optical transmitter coupled to the laser diode driver for each laser diode. An optical signal including bi-phase encoded data is provided to each laser diode driver. The optical signal includes current level and pulse duration information at which each of the diodes is to be driven. Upon receiving a trigger signal, the laser diode drivers operate the laser diodes using the current level and pulse duration information to output a laser beam.

  20. Review on Recent Developments in Laser Driven Inertial Fusion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Ghoranneviss

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Discovery of the laser in 1960 hopes were based on using its very high energy concentration within very short pulses of time and very small volumes for energy generation from nuclear fusion as “Inertial Fusion Energy” (IFE, parallel to the efforts to produce energy from “Magnetic Confinement Fusion” (MCF, by burning deuterium-tritium (DT in high temperature plasmas to helium. Over the years the fusion gain was increased by a number of magnitudes and has reached nearly break-even after numerous difficulties in physics and technology had been solved. After briefly summarizing laser driven IFE, we report how the recently developed lasers with pulses of petawatt power and picosecond duration may open new alternatives for IFE with the goal to possibly ignite solid or low compressed DT fuel thereby creating a simplified reactor scheme. Ultrahigh acceleration of plasma blocks after irradiation of picosecond (PS laser pulses of around terawatt (TW power in the range of 1020 cm/s2 was discovered by Sauerbrey (1996 as measured by Doppler effect where the laser intensity was up to about 1018 W/cm2. This is several orders of magnitude higher than acceleration by irradiation based on thermal interaction of lasers has produced.

  1. Cutting and drilling of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) by 70W short pulse nanosecond laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaeschke, Peter; Stolberg, Klaus; Bastick, Stefan; Ziolkowski, Ewa; Roehner, Markus; Suttmann, Oliver; Overmeyer, Ludger

    2014-02-01

    Continuous carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are recognized as having a significant lightweight construction potential for a wide variety of industrial applications. However, a today`s barrier for a comprehensive dissemination of CFRP structures is the lack of economic, quick and reliable manufacture processes, e.g. the cutting and drilling steps. In this paper, the capability of using pulsed disk lasers in CFRP machining is discussed. In CFRP processing with NIR lasers, carbon fibers show excellent optical absorption and heat dissipation, contrary to the plastics matrix. Therefore heat dissipation away from the laser focus into the material is driven by heat conduction of the fibres. The matrix is heated indirectly by heat transfer from the fibres. To cut CFRP, it is required to reach the melting temperature for thermoplastic matrix materials or the disintegration temperature for thermoset systems as well as the sublimation temperature of the reinforcing fibers simultaneously. One solution for this problem is to use short pulse nanosecond lasers. We have investigated CFRP cutting and drilling with such a laser (max. 7 mJ @ 10 kHz, 30 ns). This laser offers the opportunity of wide range parameter tuning for systematic process optimization. By applying drilling and cutting operations based on galvanometer scanning techniques in multi-cycle mode, excellent surface and edge characteristics in terms of delamination-free and intact fiber-matrix interface were achieved. The results indicate that nanosecond disk laser machining could consequently be a suitable tool for the automotive and aircraft industry for cutting and drilling steps.

  2. Porous nanoparticles of Al and Ti generated by laser ablation in liquids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuzmin, P.G. [Wave Research Center of A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38, Vavilov Street, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Shafeev, G.A., E-mail: shafeev@kapella.gpi.ru [Wave Research Center of A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38, Vavilov Street, 119991, Moscow (Russian Federation); Viau, G. [Universite de Toulouse, INSA, LPCNO, 135 avenue de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 (France); Warot-Fonrose, B. [CEMES, UPR CNRS 8011, 29, rue Jeanne Marvig, BP 94347, 31055 Toulouse Cedex4 (France); Barberoglou, M.; Stratakis, E.; Fotakis, C. [Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (IESL-FORTH), P.O. Box 1527, Heraklion 711 10 (Greece)

    2012-09-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanoparticles of either Al or Ti are generated by laser ablation in hydrogen-saturated liquids. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanoparticles contain cavities. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The morphology of generated particles depends on the laser pulse duration. - Abstract: Experimental results are presented on the generation of porous nanoparticles of either Al or Ti by laser ablation of solid targets in ethanol, water, and n-propanol saturated with hydrogen. The nanoparticles are characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR TEM) and optical absorption spectroscopy. Saturation of the liquid with gaseous hydrogen leads to the formation of internal cavities in nanoparticles. In the case of short laser pulses (180 fs, Ti:sapphire laser at 800 nm wavelength), the nanoparticles are mostly spherical with the size of 30-50 nm at concentration about 10{sup 15} cm{sup -3}. The cavity occupies from 20 to 50% of the particle volume. Longer laser pulses (70 ns, Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm wavelength) generate facetted nanoparticles with facetted cavities inside. The mechanism of formation of cavities is discussed on the basis of temperature-dependent solubility of hydrogen in metals.

  3. A new method for detection of the electron temperature in laser-plasma short wave cut off of stimulated Raman scattering spectrum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jiatai

    1994-01-01

    From the theory of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) three wave interaction, a new method of detecting the electron temperature in laser-plasma is obtained. SRS spectrum obtained from Shenguang No. 12 Nd-laser experiments are analysed. Using the wave length of short wave cut off of SRS, the electron temperature in corona plasma region is calculated consistently. These results agree reasonable with X-ray spectrum experiments

  4. A mathematical model of diffusion from a steady source of short duration in a finite mixing layer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianconi, Roberto; Tamponi, Matteo

    This paper presents an analytical unsteady-state solution to the atmospheric dispersion equation for substances subject to chemical-physical decay in a finite mixing layer for releases of short duration. This solution is suitable for describing critical events relative to accidental release of toxic, flammable or explosive substances. To implement the solution, the Modello per Rilasci a Breve Termine (MRBT) code has been developed, for some characteristics parameters of which the results of the sensitivity analysis are presented. Moreover some examples of application to the calculation of exposure to toxic substances and to the determination of the ignition field of flammable substances are described. Finally, the mathematical model described can be used to interpret the phenomenon of pollutant accumulation.

  5. Laser treatment of infantile hemangiomas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michelle Si Ying Ng

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Infantile hemangiomas (IHs are the most common benign soft tissue tumor of infancy and childhood. Many patients seek early treatment to halt progression of tumor growth and accelerate regression to achieve quick resolution with good cosmetic outcomes. We reviewed literature through PubMed search on the treatment strategies for IH and share our experience in the field of laser treatment of IH. Treatment strategies for IH include both pharmacological, laser, and surgical interventions depending on the stage and severity of the lesion. Various laser beams have been attempted with varying effects and effectiveness. The 595-nm pulsed dye laser therapy has been most widely utilized owing to its great efficacy but minimal adverse effects. It works by targeting oxyhemoglobin chromophore in blood vessels located within the dermis, causing photothermal damage of these target vessels stimulating quick involution without damaging surrounding healthy skin. It is especially useful in treating ulcerated superficial facial hemangiomas that necessitate rapid healing to avoid unsightly scarring. It has a good safety profile but small risk of epidermal burn, blistering, postinflammatory pigment changes, and scarring remains in those with darker skin types treated with higher fluences and short-pulsed duration. Combination treatment with 1064 nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser, oral propranolol, and even corticosteroids remains an option, especially in treatment of deep, large, and functionally threatening IH. Careful consideration in consultation with the child's parents given the complexities and potential complications surrounding treatment should always be considered. Laser treatment remains an appropriate treatment for rapidly growing IH in exposed locations at early presentation.

  6. Advanced Laser-Based Techniques for Gas-Phase Diagnostics in Combustion and Aerospace Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehn, Andreas; Zhu, Jiajian; Li, Xuesong; Kiefer, Johannes

    2017-03-01

    Gaining information of species, temperature, and velocity distributions in turbulent combustion and high-speed reactive flows is challenging, particularly for conducting measurements without influencing the experimental object itself. The use of optical and spectroscopic techniques, and in particular laser-based diagnostics, has shown outstanding abilities for performing non-intrusive in situ diagnostics. The development of instrumentation, such as robust lasers with high pulse energy, ultra-short pulse duration, and high repetition rate along with digitized cameras exhibiting high sensitivity, large dynamic range, and frame rates on the order of MHz, has opened up for temporally and spatially resolved volumetric measurements of extreme dynamics and complexities. The aim of this article is to present selected important laser-based techniques for gas-phase diagnostics focusing on their applications in combustion and aerospace engineering. Applicable laser-based techniques for investigations of turbulent flows and combustion such as planar laser-induced fluorescence, Raman and Rayleigh scattering, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering, laser-induced grating scattering, particle image velocimetry, laser Doppler anemometry, and tomographic imaging are reviewed and described with some background physics. In addition, demands on instrumentation are further discussed to give insight in the possibilities that are offered by laser flow diagnostics.

  7. Reactions of N2(A3Σ/sub u/+) and candidates for short wavelength lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Setser, D.W.

    1987-01-01

    This proposal is a request for a one year renewal of a contract with the Univ. of California (Lawrence Livermore Laboratory). The proposed experiments are directed towards investigation of possible short-wavelength laser candidate molecules that can be pumped via excitation-transfer reactions with N 2 (A 3 Σ/sub u/ + ) molecules. We will continue our flowing-afterglow experiments to characterize the excitation-transfer collisions between N 2 (A) and promising acceptor diatomic molecules (radicals). We also will extend the studies to include excitation-transfer to Cd and to S atoms. For some chemical systems, a pulsed N 2 (A) source would be very convenient for kinetic measurements and we propose to develop a pulsed N 2 (A) source. During the first year, we have shown that the excitation-transfer reaction between N 2 (A) and SO(X) provides a possible laser candidate. Therefore, we propose to start a program to study the quenching and relaxation kinetics of the SO(A 3 PI) molecule, using pulsed laser excitation techniques to generate specific levels of SO(A 3 PI)

  8. Determination of ultra-short laser induced damage threshold of KH2PO4 crystal: Numerical calculation and experimental verification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Cheng

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Rapid growth and ultra-precision machining of large-size KDP (KH2PO4 crystals with high laser damage resistance are tough challenges in the development of large laser systems. It is of high interest and practical significance to have theoretical models for scientists and manufacturers to determine the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT of actually prepared KDP optics. Here, we numerically and experimentally investigate the laser-induced damage on KDP crystals in ultra-short pulse laser regime. On basis of the rate equation for free electron generation, a model dedicated to predicting the LIDT is developed by considering the synergistic effect of photoionization, impact ionization and decay of electrons. Laser damage tests are performed to measure the single-pulse LIDT with several testing protocols. The testing results combined with previously reported experimental data agree well with those calculated by the model. By taking the light intensification into consideration, the model is successfully applied to quantitatively evaluate the effect of surface flaws inevitably introduced in the preparation processes on the laser damage resistance of KDP crystals. This work can not only contribute to further understanding of the laser damage mechanisms of optical materials, but also provide available models for evaluating the laser damage resistance of exquisitely prepared optical components used in high power laser systems.

  9. Characterization of a high repetition-rate laser-driven short-pulsed neutron source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hah, J.; Nees, J. A.; Hammig, M. D.; Krushelnick, K.; Thomas, A. G. R.

    2018-05-01

    We demonstrate a repetitive, high flux, short-pulsed laser-driven neutron source using a heavy-water jet target. We measure neutron generation at 1/2 kHz repetition rate using several-mJ pulse energies, yielding a time-averaged neutron flux of 2 × 105 neutrons s‑1 (into 4π steradians). Deuteron spectra are also measured in order to understand source characteristics. Analyses of time-of-flight neutron spectra indicate that two separate populations of neutrons, ‘prompt’ and ‘delayed’, are generated at different locations. Gamma-ray emission from neutron capture 1H(n,γ) is also measured to confirm the neutron flux.

  10. Selective weighting of cutaneous receptor feedback and associated balance impairments following short duration space flight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strzalkowski, Nicholas D J; Lowrey, Catherine R; Perry, Stephen D; Williams, David R; Wood, Scott J; Bent, Leah R

    2015-04-10

    The present study investigated the perception of low frequency (3 Hz) vibration on the foot sole and its relationship to standing balance following short duration space flight in nine astronauts. Both 3 Hz vibration perception threshold (VPT) and standing balance measures increased on landing day compared to pre-flight. Contrary to our hypothesis, a positive linear relationship between these measures was not observed; however astronauts with the most sensitive skin (lowest 3 Hz VPT) were found to have the largest sway on landing day. While the change in foot sole sensitivity does not appear to directly relate to standing balance control, an exploratory strategy may be employed by astronauts whose threshold to pressure information is lower. Understanding sensory adaptations and balance control has implications to improve balance control strategies following space flight and in sensory impaired populations on earth. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Investigations of ultrafast charge dynamics in laser-irradiated targets by a self probing technique employing laser driven protons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmed, H. [School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Kar, S., E-mail: s.kar@qub.ac.uk [School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Cantono, G. [School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Department of Physics “E. Fermi”, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa (Italy); Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, Research Unit Adriano Gozzini, via G. Moruzzi 1, Pisa 56124 (Italy); Nersisyan, G. [School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Brauckmann, S. [Institut für Laser-und Plasmaphysik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf (Germany); Doria, D.; Gwynne, D. [School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Macchi, A. [Department of Physics “E. Fermi”, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa (Italy); Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, Research Unit Adriano Gozzini, via G. Moruzzi 1, Pisa 56124 (Italy); Naughton, K. [School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Willi, O. [Institut für Laser-und Plasmaphysik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf (Germany); Lewis, C.L.S.; Borghesi, M. [School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)

    2016-09-01

    The divergent and broadband proton beams produced by the target normal sheath acceleration mechanism provide the unique opportunity to probe, in a point-projection imaging scheme, the dynamics of the transient electric and magnetic fields produced during laser-plasma interactions. Commonly such experimental setup entails two intense laser beams, where the interaction produced by one beam is probed with the protons produced by the second. We present here experimental studies of the ultra-fast charge dynamics along a wire connected to laser irradiated target carried out by employing a ‘self’ proton probing arrangement – i.e. by connecting the wire to the target generating the probe protons. The experimental data shows that an electromagnetic pulse carrying a significant amount of charge is launched along the wire, which travels as a unified pulse of 10s of ps duration with a velocity close to speed of light. The experimental capabilities and the analysis procedure of this specific type of proton probing technique are discussed. - Highlights: • Prompt charging of laser irradiated target generates ultra-short EM pulses. • Its ultrafast propagation along a wire was studied by self-proton probing technique. • Self-proton probing technique is the proton probing with one laser pulse. • Pulse temporal profile and speed along the wire were measured with high resolution.

  12. Femtosecond laser-matter interaction theory, experiments and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Gamaly, Eugene G

    2011-01-01

    Basics of Ultra-Short Laser-Solid InteractionsSubtle Atomic Motion Preceding a Phase Transition: Birth, Life and Death of PhononsUltra-Fast Disordering by fs-Lasers: Superheating Prior to Entropy CatastropheAblation of SolidsUltra-Short Laser-Matter Interaction Confined Inside a Bulk of Transparent SolidApplications of Ultra-Short Laser-Matter InteractionsConclusion Remarks.

  13. Association of insomnia and short sleep duration with atherosclerosis risk in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakazaki, Chie; Noda, Akiko; Koike, Yasuo; Yamada, Sumio; Murohara, Toyoaki; Ozaki, Norio

    2012-11-01

    Short sleep duration is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, although a relationship with atherosclerosis in the elderly remains unclear. Eighty-six volunteers aged ≥65 years (mean, 73.6 ± 4.9 years) were evaluated for insomnia. Total sleep time (TST) and sleep efficiency were measured by actigraphy. Subjective symptoms were assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Atherosclerosis was evaluated using ultrasonographic measurements of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). IMT was significantly greater and sleep efficiency was significantly lower in subjects with TST ≤5 h than those with TST >7 h (1.3 ± 0.5 vs. 0.9 ± 0.3 mm; P = 0.009; 91.0 ± 6.0 vs. 81.6 ± 11.3%, P = 0.03, respectively). IMT was also significantly greater in the insomnia group than the noninsomnia group (1.3 ± 0.5 vs. 1.1 ± 0.4 mm; P = 0.03). IMT was significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and TST (SBP: r = 0.49, P insomnia were associated with atherosclerosis risk leading to cardiovascular disease in the elderly.

  14. Ultrashort pulse laser technology laser sources and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Schrempel, Frank; Dausinger, Friedrich

    2016-01-01

    Ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the femtosecond range up to a few picoseconds provide a unique method for precise materials processing or medical applications. Paired with the recent developments in ultrashort pulse lasers, this technology is finding its way into various application fields. The book gives a comprehensive overview of the principles and applications of ultrashort pulse lasers, especially applied to medicine and production technology. Recent advances in laser technology are discussed in detail. This covers the development of reliable and cheap low power laser sources as well as high average power ultrashort pulse lasers for large scale manufacturing. The fundamentals of laser-matter-interaction as well as processing strategies and the required system technology are discussed for these laser sources with respect to precise materials processing. Finally, different applications within medicine, measurement technology or materials processing are highlighted.

  15. NATO Advanced Study Institute on Laser Control & Monitoring in New Materials, Biomedicine, Environment, Security & Defense

    CERN Document Server

    Hall, Trevor J; Paredes, Sofia A; Extreme Photonics & Applications

    2010-01-01

    "Extreme Photonics & Applications" arises from the 2008 NATO Advanced Study Institute in Laser Control & Monitoring in New Materials, Biomedicine, Environment, Security and Defense. Leading experts in the manipulation of light offered by recent advances in laser physics and nanoscience were invited to give lectures in their fields of expertise and participate in discussions on current research, applications and new directions. The sum of their contributions to this book is a primer for the state of scientific knowledge and the issues within the subject of photonics taken to the extreme frontiers: molding light at the ultra-finest scales, which represents the beginning of the end to limitations in optical science for the benefit of 21st Century technological societies. Laser light is an exquisite tool for physical and chemical research. Physicists have recently developed pulsed lasers with such short durations that one laser shot takes the time of one molecular vibration or one electron rotation in an ...

  16. On the properties of synchrotron-like X-ray emission from laser wakefield accelerated electron beams

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGuffey, C.; Schumaker, W.; Matsuoka, T.; Chvykov, V.; Dollar, F.; Kalintchenko, G.; Kneip, S.; Najmudin, Z.; Mangles, S. P. D.; Vargas, M.; Yanovsky, V.; Maksimchuk, A.; Thomas, A. G. R.; Krushelnick, K.

    2018-04-01

    The electric and magnetic fields responsible for electron acceleration in a Laser Wakefield Accelerator (LWFA) also cause electrons to radiate x-ray photons. Such x-ray pulses have several desirable properties including short duration and being well collimated with tunable high energy. We measure the scaling of this x-ray source experimentally up to laser powers greater than 100 TW. An increase in laser power allows electron trapping at a lower density as well as with an increased trapped charge. These effects resulted in an x-ray fluence that was measured to increase non-linearly with laser power. The fluence of x-rays was also compared with that produced from K-α emission resulting from a solid target interaction for the same energy laser pulse. The flux was shown to be comparable, but the LWFA x-rays had a significantly smaller source size. This indicates that such a source may be useful as a backlighter for probing high energy density plasmas with ultrafast temporal resolution.

  17. [Alternatives to femtosecond laser technology: subnanosecond UV pulse and ring foci for creation of LASIK flaps].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogel, A; Freidank, S; Linz, N

    2014-06-01

    In refractive corneal surgery femtosecond (fs) lasers are used for creating LASIK flaps, dissecting lenticules and for astigmatism correction by limbal incisions. Femtosecond laser systems are complex and expensive and cutting precision is compromised by the large focal length associated with the commonly used infrared (IR) wavelengths. Based on investigations of the cutting dynamics, novel approaches for corneal dissection using ultraviolet A (UVA) picosecond (ps) pulses and ring foci from vortex beams are presented. Laser-induced bubble formation in corneal stroma was investigated by high-speed photography at 1-50 million frames/s. Using Gaussian and vortex beams of UVA pulses with durations between 200 and 850 ps the laser energy needed for easy removal of flaps created in porcine corneas was determined and the quality of the cuts by scanning electron microscopy was documented. Cutting parameters for 850 ps are reported also for rabbit eyes. The UV-induced and mechanical stress were evaluated for Gaussian and vortex beams. The results show that UVA picosecond lasers provide better cutting precision than IR femtosecond lasers, with similar processing times. Cutting energy decreases by >50 % when the laser pulse duration is reduced to 200 ps. Vortex beams produce a short, donut-shaped focus allowing efficient and precise dissection along the corneal lamellae which results in a dramatic reduction of the absorbed energy needed for cutting and of mechanical side effects as well as in less bubble formation in the cutting plane. A combination of novel approaches for corneal dissection provides the option to replace femtosecond lasers by compact UVA microchip laser technology. Ring foci are also of interest for femtosecond laser surgery, especially for improved lenticule excision.

  18. Evidence for short duration of antibiotic treatment for non-severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP in children - are we there yet? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shalom Ben-Shimol

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Context: The ideal duration of antibiotic treatment for childhood community acquired pneumonia (CAP has not yet been established. Objective: A literature search was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of shorter than 7 days duration of oral antibiotic treatment for childhood non-severe CAP. Data sources: A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed database. The search was limited to randomised controlled trials (RCTs conducted between January 1996 and May 2013 in children up to 18 years old. Search terms included pneumonia, treatment, duration, child, children, days, short, respiratory infection and non-severe (nonsevere. Study selection: Only RCTs of oral antibiotic treatment for non-severe CAP in children were included. Data extraction: Independent extraction of articles was done by 3 authors using a preformed questionnaire. Data synthesis: Eight articles meeting the selection criteria were identified: 7 from 2 developing countries (India and Pakistan, and 1 from a developed country (The Netherlands. Studies from developing countries used the World Health Organization clinical criteria for diagnosing CAP, which includes mainly tachypnoea. None of those studies included fever, chest radiography or any laboratory test in their case definition. The Dutch study case definition used laboratory tests and chest radiographies (x-rays in addition to clinical criteria. Five articles concluded that 3 days of treatment are sufficient for non-severe childhood CAP, 2 articles found 5 days treatment to be sufficient, and one article found no difference between 3 days of amoxicillin treatment and placebo. Conclusions: The efficacy of short duration oral antibiotic treatment for non-severe CAP in children has not been established in developed countries. Current RCTs from developing countries used clinical criteria that may have failed to appropriately identify children with true bacterial pneumonia necessitating antibiotic treatment. More RCTs

  19. Study of the oncogenic expression in human fibroblast cells after exposure to very short pulsed laser radiations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dormont, D.; Freville, Th.; Raoul, H.; Courant, D.; Court, L.

    1992-01-01

    The aim of this study is to evaluate the capacity of a laser, delivering very short pulses in the near infrared spectrum with a high pulse ratio frequency, to induce genetic modification on biological tissues. The absence of dicentric among chromosomal aberrations on human lymphocytes suggests that a repetitive very short pulses irradiation has a relatively low capacity to induce genetic abnormalities. The studies of the radiation effects on the cellular growth and the oncogenic expression show that the modifications, induced at the cellular level, do not seem the origin of a cellular transformation and a possible mechanism of carcinogenesis. (author)

  20. Fiber laser master oscillators for optical synchronization systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winter, A.

    2008-04-01

    New X-ray free electron lasers (e.g. the European XFEL) require a new generation of synchronization system to achieve a stability of the FEL pulse, such that pump-probe experiments can fully utilize the ultra-short pulse duration (50 fs). An optical synchronization system has been developed based on the distribution of sub-ps optical pulses in length-stabilized fiber links. The synchronization information is contained in the precise repetition frequency of the optical pulses. In this thesis, the design and characterization of the laser serving as laser master oscillator is presented. An erbium-doped mode-locked fiber laser was chosen. Amplitude and phase noise were measured and record-low values of 0.03 % and 10 fs for the frequency range of 1 kHz to the Nyquist frequency were obtained. Furthermore, an initial proof-of-principle experiment for the optical synchronization system was performed in an accelerator environment. In this experiment, the fiber laser wase phase-locked to a microwave reference oscillator and a 500 meter long fiber link was stabilized to 12 fs rms over a range of 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz. RF signals were obtained from a photodetector without significant degradation at the end of the link. Furthermore, the laser master oscillator for FLASH was designed and is presently in fabrication and the initial infrastructure for the optical synchronization system was setup. (orig.)

  1. Fiber laser master oscillators for optical synchronization systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Winter, A.

    2008-04-15

    New X-ray free electron lasers (e.g. the European XFEL) require a new generation of synchronization system to achieve a stability of the FEL pulse, such that pump-probe experiments can fully utilize the ultra-short pulse duration (50 fs). An optical synchronization system has been developed based on the distribution of sub-ps optical pulses in length-stabilized fiber links. The synchronization information is contained in the precise repetition frequency of the optical pulses. In this thesis, the design and characterization of the laser serving as laser master oscillator is presented. An erbium-doped mode-locked fiber laser was chosen. Amplitude and phase noise were measured and record-low values of 0.03 % and 10 fs for the frequency range of 1 kHz to the Nyquist frequency were obtained. Furthermore, an initial proof-of-principle experiment for the optical synchronization system was performed in an accelerator environment. In this experiment, the fiber laser wase phase-locked to a microwave reference oscillator and a 500 meter long fiber link was stabilized to 12 fs rms over a range of 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz. RF signals were obtained from a photodetector without significant degradation at the end of the link. Furthermore, the laser master oscillator for FLASH was designed and is presently in fabrication and the initial infrastructure for the optical synchronization system was setup. (orig.)

  2. Toward compact and ultra-intense laser-based soft x-ray lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebban, S.; Depresseux, A.; Oliva, E.; Gautier, J.; Tissandier, F.; Nejdl, J.; Kozlova, M.; Maynard, G.; Goddet, J. P.; Tafzi, A.; Lifschitz, A.; Kim, H. T.; Jacquemot, S.; Rousseau, P.; Zeitoun, P.; Rousse, A.

    2018-01-01

    We report here recent work on an optical field ionized (OFI), high-order harmonic-seeded EUV laser. The amplifying medium is a plasma of nickel-like krypton obtained by OFI when focusing a 1 J, 30 fs, circularly-polarized, infrared pulse into a krypton-filled gas cell or krypton gas jet. The lasing transition is the 3d94d (J = 0) → 3d94p (J = 1) transition of Ni-like krypton ions at 32.8 nm and is pumped by collisions with hot electrons. The gain dynamics was probed by seeding the amplifier with a high-order harmonic pulse at different delays. The gain duration monotonically decreased from 7 ps to an unprecedented shortness of 450 fs full width at half-maximum as the amplification peak rose from 150 to 1200 with an increase of the plasma density from 3 × 1018 to 1.2 × 1020 cm-3. The integrated energy of the EUV laser pulse was also measured, and found to be around 2 μJ. It is to be noted that in the ASE mode, longer amplifiers were achieved (up to 2 cm), yielding EUV outputs up to 14 μJ.

  3. Association between sleep duration and overweight: the importance of parenting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Jong, E; Stocks, T; Visscher, T L S; HiraSing, R A; Seidell, J C; Renders, C M

    2012-10-01

    Sleep duration has been related to overweight in children, but determinants of sleep duration are unclear. The aims were to investigate the association between sleep duration and childhood overweight adjusted for family characteristics and unhealthy behaviours, to explore determinants of sleep duration and to determine with sleep competing activities. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2006 among 4072 children aged 4-13 years in the city of Zwolle, The Netherlands. In these children, data were available on measured height, weight and waist circumference, and from a parental questionnaire, on socio-demographic characteristics, child's sleep duration, nutrition, physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Associations were studied in 2011 using logistic and linear regression analyses, adjusted for potential confounders. Short sleep duration was associated with overweight for 4-8-year-old boys (odds ratio (OR):3.10; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.15-8.40), 9-13-year-old boys (OR:4.96; 95% CI:1.35-18.16) and 9-13-year-old girls (OR:4.86; 95% CI:1.59-14.88). Among 4-8-year-old girls no statistically significant association was found. Determinants for short sleep duration were viewing television during a meal, permission to have candy without asking, not being active with their caregiver and a late bedtime. For all children, short sleep duration was strongly associated with more television viewing and computer use. Association between sleep duration and overweight is not explained by socio-demographic variables, drinking sugared drinks and eating snacks. Parents have a key role in stimulating optimal sleep duration. Improving parenting skills and knowledge to offer children more structure, and possibly with that, increase sleeping hours, may be promising in prevention of overweight.

  4. Fullerene-reduced graphene oxide composites obtained by ultrashort laser ablation of fullerite in water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    De Bonis, A., E-mail: angela.debonis@unibas.it [Dipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10-85100, Potenza (Italy); Curcio, M. [Dipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10-85100, Potenza (Italy); Santagata, A. [CNR-ISM, U.O.S. Tito Scalo, Zona Industriale, 85050, Tito Scalo (PZ) (Italy); Rau, J.V. [CNR-ISM, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere, 100-00133, Rome (Italy); Galasso, A.; Teghil, R. [Dipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano, 10-85100, Potenza (Italy)

    2015-05-01

    Highlights: • Laser ablation of a fullerite target in water performed by an ultra-short laser source has been reported. • The formation of reduced graphene oxide has been described considering the laser ablation in liquid mechanism. • Fullerene-reduced graphene oxide composite, in the form of self assembled microtubes, has been described. - Abstract: The laser ablation in liquid of carbon-based solid targets is of particular interest thanks to the possibility of obtaining different carbon allotropes by varying the experimental parameters employed. The ablation of a fullerite target in water using a frequency-doubled Nd:glass laser source with a pulse duration of 250 fs and a frequency repetition rate of 10 Hz is presented. The obtained products have been characterized by transmission electron and atomic force microscopies and by X-ray photoelectron and micro-Raman spectroscopies. During the femtosecond laser ablation, the collapse of fullerene cages has been considered with the consequent formation of graphene oxide (GO) and its successive hydrogenation. The process of self-assembling in microtube structures of the formed reduced graphene oxide-fullerene composites has then been reported.

  5. Determination of nuclear spins of short-lived isotopes by laser induced fluorescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buchinger, F.; Dabkiewicz, P.; Kremmling, H.; Kuehl, T.; Mueller, A.C.; Schuessler, H.A.

    1980-01-01

    The spins of several nuclear ground and isomeric states have been measured for a number of mercury isotopes. The fluorescent light from the 6s6p 3 P 1 state is observed at 2537 Angstroem after excitation with the frequency doubled output of a pulsed dye laser. Four different laser induced fluorescence techniques were tested for their applicability: double resonance, Hanle effect, time delayed integral Hanle beats, and time resolved quantum beats. The sensitivity and selectivity of these models are compared with emphasis on the determination of spins of nuclei far from beta-stability, where short half lives and low production yields restrict the number of available atoms. The experiments were carried out on-line with the ISOLDE isotope separator at CERN at densities as low as 10 6 atoms/cm 3 . Results for the very neutron deficient high spin mercury isomers with half lives of several seconds, but also for the ground states of the abundant low spin stable mercury isotopes, are given as examples. The test measurements determined the nuclear spins of the odd sup(185m-191m)Hg isomers to be I = 13/2. (orig.)

  6. Ultra-short X-ray sources generated through laser-matter interaction and their applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rousse, A.

    2004-04-01

    This work is dedicated to the sources of ultra-short X-rays. The K α source, the non-linear Thomson source, the betatron source and the X-γ source are presented. We show that a pump-probe experiment where the pump is a laser excitation and the probe is the X-K α ultra-short radiation, can be used to study the dynamics of material structure with a time resolution of 100 femtosecond. We describe 2 applications that have been achieved in the field of solid physics by using the diffraction technique with a time resolution in the range of the femtosecond. The first application has permitted the observation and characterization of the ultra-quick solid-phase transition that occurs on the surface of a semiconductor crystal. The second experiment deals with the role of optical phonons in the antecedent processes that lead to such ultra-quick solid-phase transitions. (A.C.)

  7. Short Operative Duration and Surgical Site Infection Risk in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dicks, Kristen V; Baker, Arthur W; Durkin, Michael J; Anderson, Deverick J; Moehring, Rebekah W; Chen, Luke F; Sexton, Daniel J; Weber, David J; Lewis, Sarah S

    2015-12-01

    To determine the association (1) between shorter operative duration and surgical site infection (SSI) and (2) between surgeon median operative duration and SSI risk among first-time hip and knee arthroplasties. Retrospective cohort study A total of 43 community hospitals located in the southeastern United States. Adults who developed SSIs according to National Healthcare Safety Network criteria within 365 days of first-time knee or hip arthroplasties performed between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012. Log-binomial regression models estimated the association (1) between operative duration and SSI outcome and (2) between surgeon median operative duration and SSI outcome. Hip and knee arthroplasties were evaluated in separate models. Each model was adjusted for American Society of Anesthesiology score and patient age. A total of 25,531 hip arthroplasties and 42,187 knee arthroplasties were included in the study. The risk of SSI in knee arthroplasties with an operative duration shorter than the 25th percentile was 0.40 times the risk of SSI in knee arthroplasties with an operative duration between the 25th and 75th percentile (risk ratio [RR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.56; Poperative duration did not demonstrate significant association with SSI for hip arthroplasties (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.79-1.37; P=.36). Knee arthroplasty surgeons with shorter median operative durations had a lower risk of SSI than surgeons with typical median operative durations (RR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.43-0.64; Poperative durations were not associated with a higher SSI risk for knee or hip arthroplasty procedures in our analysis.

  8. A tangential CO{sub 2} laser collective scattering system for measuring short-scale turbulent fluctuations in the EAST superconducting tokamak

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cao, G.M., E-mail: gmcao@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 1126, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China); Li, Y.D. [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 1126, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China); Li, Q. [School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Zhang, X.D.; Sun, P.J.; Wu, G.J.; Hu, L.Q. [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 1126, Hefei, Anhui 230031 (China)

    2014-12-15

    Highlights: • A tangential CO{sub 2} laser collective scattering system was first installed on EAST. • It can measure the short-scale fluctuations in different regions simultaneously. • It can study the broadband fluctuations, QC fluctuations, MHD phenomenon, etc. - Abstract: A tangential CO{sub 2} laser collective scattering system has been first installed on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) to measure short-scale turbulent fluctuations in EAST plasmas. The system can measure fluctuations with up to four distinct wavenumbers simultaneously ranging from 10 cm{sup −1} to 26 cm{sup −1}, and correspondingly k{sub ⊥}ρ{sub s}∼1.5−4.3. The system is designed based on the oblique propagation of the probe beam with respect to the magnetic field, and thus the enhanced spatial localization can be achieved by taking full advantage of turbulence anisotropy and magnetic field inhomogeneity. The simultaneous measurements of turbulent fluctuations in different regions can be taken by special optical setup. Initial measurements indicate rich short-scale turbulent dynamics in both core and outer regions of EAST plasmas. The system will be a powerful tool for investigating the features of short-scale turbulent fluctuations in EAST plasmas.

  9. First electrons from the new 220 TW Frascati Laser for Acceleration and Multidisciplinary Experiments (FLAME) at Frascati National Laboratories (LNF)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levato, T.; Calvetti, M.; Anelli, F.; Batani, D.; Benocci, R.; Cacciotti, L.; Cecchetti, C.A.; Cerafogli, O.; Chimenti, P.; Clozza, A.; Drenska, N.; Esposito, A.; Faccini, R.; Fioravanti, S.; Gamucci, A.; Gatti, C.; Giulietti, A.; Giulietti, D.; Labate, L.; Lollo, V.

    2013-01-01

    A new era of laser based plasma accelerators is emerging following the commissioning of many high power laser facilities around the world. Extremely short (tens of fs) laser pulses with energy of multi-joules level are available at these newly built facilities. Here we describe the new 220 TW FLAME facility. In particular we discuss the laser system general layout, the main measurements on the laser pulse parameters, the underground target area. Finally we give an overview of the first results of the Self-Injection Test Experiment (SITE), obtained at a low laser energy. This initial low laser energy experimental campaign was necessary for the validation of the radio-protection shielding (Esposito, 2011 [1]) we discuss here. With respect to our preliminary configuration, with a pulse duration of 30 fs and a focusing optic of F/15, we discuss here the minimum laser energy requirements for electron acceleration and the forward transmitted optical radiation

  10. Experimental investigation of steep-front short duration (SFSD) surge effects on power systems components

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miller, D.B. (Mississippi State Univ., MS (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering)

    1992-05-01

    Results are reported from experiments in which steep-front, short- duration (SFSD) voltage impulses were imposed on various electrical distribution components. These pulses were generated by switching a section of charged, high voltage coaxial cable across the component under study. Components included underground distribution cable, terminators, insulators and arresters. SFSD voltage needed to flashover 15 kV polyethylene cable with a single pulse is approximately 625 kV peak. Strength of polyethylene cable decreases with increasing number of SFSD pulses, indicating cumulative degradation of the polymer. For 15 kV and 25 kV cable terminators, the SFSD CFO was over twice the rated standard lightning BIL for the same units. Similarly, porcelain suspension insulators required more than a doubling of voltage to decrease time to flashover from 1 microsecond to .1 microsecond. Arresters were found to respond rapidly to steep-front current pulses, but the arrester material itself was found to result in a higher discharge voltage for SFSD pulses. Arresters also showed a delay in turn-on of current following the arrival of a steep-front voltage surge.

  11. Search for gravitational waves on short duration in TAMA300 data: stellar core collapse and black hole

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honda, R; Kanda, N; Akutsu, T; Ando, M; Tsunesada, Y

    2008-01-01

    We present in the results of TAMA300 data analysis for short duration gravitational waves. The excess power filter, alternative linear filter (ALF) and TF(time-frequency) clustering methods have been employed for burst gravitational waves from stellar-core collapse, and matched filtering method used for the ringdown gravitational waves from black hole quasi-normal oscillations. The observational range of TAMA for the burst gravitational waves is roughly ∼ 1 kpc, and the range for black hole ringdown covers most of our galaxy. We have been developed new method 'time-frequency (TF) clustering' to find the burst waves. This is a TF clustering method on spectrogram (sonogram). Using this method, we can efficiently identify some predicted gravitational wave forms and can exclude typical unstable spike like noises

  12. Short and longer duration effects of protective gloves on hand performance capabilities and subjective assessments in a screw-driving task.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dianat, Iman; Haslegrave, Christine M; Stedmon, Alex W

    2010-12-01

    The study investigated short and longer duration effects of gloves on hand performance capabilities (muscle activity, dexterity, touch sensitivity, finger pinch and forearm torque strength) and subjective assessments of discomfort and ease of manipulation when performing a light assembly task. The independent variables were hand condition with four levels (wearing cotton, nylon or nitrile gloves as well as barehanded) and point of time within the 2 h duration of the task (with measurements taken at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min). Participants worked with a screwdriver to fit two components together using screws. Wearing gloves significantly increased the muscle activity, pinch strength and discomfort but reduced the dexterity and touch sensitivity. There was also a significant effect of task time on the muscle activity, dexterity, forearm torque strength and touch sensitivity, which indicates that the duration of the task should be an important consideration in glove evaluation studies and in the selection of work gloves. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: It is important to evaluate the effects of gloves on hand performance capabilities in a working context so that job demands can be taken into account and the most appropriate type of glove be chosen for each task. This study gives recommendations regarding the evaluation and use of gloves for screw-driving tasks.

  13. Los Alamos KrF laser program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jensen, R.J.; Cartwright, D.C.

    1985-01-01

    Los Alamos is currently developing the krypton fluoride (KrF) laser - a highly efficient laser able to emit very intense bursts of short-wavelength photons - as a research tool for the general study of high-density matter, as well as for use in laser fusion. The KrF laser operates at 1/4 μm, close to the short-wavelength limit for conventional optical material, but still in the region where standard optical techniques can be used. The excited-state lifetime of the KrF lasing medium is short - as a result of both spontaneous emission and deactivation from collisions - making it impossible to store energy within the lasing medium for times significant to electrical pumping. However, an optical multiplexing scheme is being developed that will generate short, intense pulses of 1/4-μm light by overcoming the short storage time of the laser and taking advantage of the high gain of the KrF medium

  14. The association between mental health, chronic disease and sleep duration in Koreans: a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Min-Su; Shin, Joon-Shik; Lee, Jinho; Lee, Yoon Jae; Kim, Me-riong; Park, Ki Byung; Shin, Dongjin; Cho, Jae-Heung; Ha, In-Hyuk

    2015-12-01

    Sleep duration holds considerable importance as an indicator of mental/physical health. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between sleep duration, mental health, and chronic disease prevalence in Koreans. Of 31,596 subjects eligible for the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (2010-2012), 17,638 participants who answered items on sleep duration (aged ≥ 19 yrs) were analyzed in a cross-sectional study. Association between sleep duration, mental health, and chronic disease prevalence was assessed using logistic regression, and adjusted for various socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics. Short or long sleep duration showed correlations with mental health, and items of significance showed gender-specific patterns. Women displayed significant associations with stress and depressive symptoms, and men with stress, thoughts of suicide, and psychiatric counseling. While stress was related with short sleep duration in both genders, depressive symptoms showed a relationship with long duration in men, and short duration in women. Prevalence of any chronic disease was associated with ≤ 6 h sleep when adjusted for factors including mental health, and among chronic diseases, cancer and osteoarthritis showed associations with short sleep duration, while diabetes and dyslipidemia were associated with normal sleep duration. Mental health problems were associated with sleep duration with gender-specific patterns. Associations with osteoarthritis, cancer, diabetes, dyslipidemia and abnormal sleep duration persisted after adjustment for mental health.

  15. Influence of chirp on laser-pulse amplification in Brillouin backscattering schemes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, Goetz; Schluck, Friedrich; Spatschek, Karl-Heinz

    2015-11-01

    Plasma-based amplification of laser pulses is currently discussed as a key component for the next generation of high-intensity laser systems, possibly enabling the generation of ultra-short pulses in the exawatt-zetawatt regime. In these scenarios the energy of a long pump pulse (several ps to ns of duration) is transferred to a short seed pulse via a plasma oscillation. Weakly- and strongly-coupled (sc) Brillouin backscattering have been identified as potential candidates for robust amplification scenarios. With the help of three-wave interaction models, we investigate the influence of a chirp of the pump beam on the seed amplification. We show that chirp can mitigate deleterious spontaneous Raman backscattering of the pump off noise and that at the same time the amplification dynamics due to Brillouin scattering is still intact. For the experimentally very interesting case of sc-Brillouin we find a dependence of the efficiency on the sign of the chirp. Funding provided by project B10 of SFB TR18 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).

  16. Self-reported sleep duration and weight-control strategies among U.S. high school students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheaton, Anne G; Perry, Geraldine S; Chapman, Daniel P; Croft, Janet B

    2013-08-01

    To determine if self-reported sleep duration was associated with weight-control behaviors among US high school students. National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. United States, 2007. US high school students (N = 12,087). Students were asked if they had engaged in several weight-control behaviors during the 30 days before the survey to lose or maintain weight. Self-reported sleep duration categories included very short (≤ 5 h), short (6 or 7 h), referent moderate (8 or 9 h), and long (≥ 10 h). Sex-specific logistic regression analyses with race/ethnicity, grade, and body mass index category as covariates were conducted using SUDAAN to account for complex study design. Approximately half the students reported short sleep duration (51.8% of males and 54.3% of females), whereas very short sleep durations were reported by another 14.8% of males and 16.9% of females. Among males, very short sleepers were significantly (P sleep duration was associated with dieting and three unhealthy weight-control behaviors in this population. If our findings are confirmed, intervention studies should be conducted to examine the effect of educational interventions.

  17. Microjet Penetrator - medical use of laser induced shock waves and bubbles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoh, Jack

    2013-06-01

    The laser-driven microjet penetrator system accelerates liquids drug and delivers them without a needle, which is shown to overcome the weaknesses of existing piston-driven jet injectors. The system consists of two back-to-back chambers separated by a rubber membrane, one containing ``driving'' water behind another of the liquid drug to be delivered. The laser pulse is sent once, and a bubble forms in the water chamber, which puts elastic strain on the membrane, causing the drug to be forcefully ejected from a miniature nozzle in a narrow jet of 150 micron in diameter. The impacting jet pressure is higher than the skin tensile strength and thus causes the jet to penetrate into the targeted depth underneath the skin. Multiple pulses of the laser increase the desired dosage. The experiments are performed with commercially available Nd:YAG and Er:YAG lasers for clinical applications in laser dermatology and dentistry. The difference in bubble behavior within the water chamber comes from pulse duration and wavelength. For Nd:YAG laser, the pulse duration is very short relative to the bubble lifetime making the bubble behavior close to that of a cavitation bubble (inertial), while in Er:YAG case the high absorption in water and the longer pulse duration change the initial behavior of the bubble making it close to a vapor bubble (thermal). The contraction and subsequent rebound for both cases were seen typical of cavitation bubble. The laser-induced microjet penetrators generate velocities which are sufficient for delivery of drug into a guinea-pig skin for both laser beams of different pulse duration and wavelength. We estimate the typical velocity within 30-80 m/s range and the breakup length to be larger than 1 mm, thus making it a contamination-free medical procedure. Hydrodynamic theory confirms the nozzle exit jet velocity obtained by the microjet system. A significant increase in the delivered dose of drugs is achieved with multiple pulses of a 2.9 μm Er

  18. Improved attenuation correction for respiratory gated PET/CT with extended-duration cine CT: a simulation study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ruoqiao; Alessio, Adam M.; Pierce, Larry A.; Byrd, Darrin W.; Lee, Tzu-Cheng; De Man, Bruno; Kinahan, Paul E.

    2017-03-01

    Due to the wide variability of intra-patient respiratory motion patterns, traditional short-duration cine CT used in respiratory gated PET/CT may be insufficient to match the PET scan data, resulting in suboptimal attenuation correction that eventually compromises the PET quantitative accuracy. Thus, extending the duration of cine CT can be beneficial to address this data mismatch issue. In this work, we propose to use a long-duration cine CT for respiratory gated PET/CT, whose cine acquisition time is ten times longer than a traditional short-duration cine CT. We compare the proposed long-duration cine CT with the traditional short-duration cine CT through numerous phantom simulations with 11 respiratory traces measured during patient PET/CT scans. Experimental results show that, the long-duration cine CT reduces the motion mismatch between PET and CT by 41% and improves the overall reconstruction accuracy by 42% on average, as compared to the traditional short-duration cine CT. The long-duration cine CT also reduces artifacts in PET images caused by misalignment and mismatch between adjacent slices in phase-gated CT images. The improvement in motion matching between PET and CT by extending the cine duration depends on the patient, with potentially greater benefits for patients with irregular breathing patterns or larger diaphragm movements.

  19. Does the Laser-Microtextured Short Implant Collar Design Reduce Marginal Bone Loss in Comparison with a Machined Collar?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Alper Gultekin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To compare marginal bone loss between subgingivally placed short-collar implants with machined collars and those with machined and laser-microtextured collars. Materials and Methods. The investigators used a retrospective study design and included patients who needed missing posterior teeth replaced with implants. Short-collar implants with identical geometries were divided into two groups: an M group, machined collar; and an L group, machined and laser-microtextured collar. Implants were evaluated according to marginal bone loss, implant success, and probing depth (PD at 3 years of follow-up. Results. Sixty-two patients received 103 implants (56 in the M group and 47 in the L group. The cumulative survival rate was 100%. All implants showed clinically acceptable marginal bone loss, although bone resorption was lower in the L group (0.49 mm than in the M group (1.38 mm at 3 years (p<0.01. A significantly shallower PD was found for the implants in the L group during follow-up (p<0.01. Conclusions. Our results suggest predictable outcomes with regard to bone loss for both groups; however, bone resorption was less in the L group than in the M group before and after loading. The laser-microtextured collar implant may provide a shallower PD than the machined collar implant.

  20. Femtosecond versus picosecond laser pulses for film-free laser bioprinting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petit, Stephane; Kérourédan, Olivia; Devillard, Raphael; Cormier, Eric

    2017-11-01

    We investigate the properties of microjets in the context of film-free laser induced forward transfer in the femtosecond and picosecond regimes. The influence of the pulse duration (ranging from 0.4 to 12 ps) and the energy (ranging from 6 to 12 μJ) is systematically studied on the height, diameter, speed, volume, and shape of the jets. The 400 fs pulses generate thin and stable jets compatible with bioprinting, while 14 ps pulses generate more unstable jets. A pulse duration around 8 ps seems, therefore, to be an interesting trade-off to cover many bio-applications of microjets generated by lasers.