Toward characterization of the aerosol optical properties over Loess Plateau of Northwestern China

Aerosol optical properties were obtained from a CIMEL sunphotometer of the Aerosol Robotic Network at the Semi-Arid Climate and Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University (SACOL). SACOL is located over the Loess Plateau of the Northwestern China. The observed data are analyzed for the period of August 2006-October 2008. We find that aerosol optical depths (AODs) have a pronounced annual cycle, with a maximum dust aerosol loading during the spring. The 2-year average values of AOD, Ångström exponent (α), and water vapor path (WVP) along with their standard deviation (in parenthesis) are 0.35 (0.21), 0.93 (0.34), and 0.77 cm (0.52 cm), respectively. The probability distributions of these quantities all have one modal value, which are 0.3, 1.1, and 0.5 cm, respectively. There is a notable feature in the relationship between daily averaged AOD and Ångström exponent: a wide range of α corresponding to moderate to low aerosol optical depths (<0.8). There is no significant correlation between daily averaged WVP and AOD. However the daily averaged Ångström exponent and WVP show a significant positive correlation, indicating that the smaller aerosol particles present when the WVP is large. Variations of the retrieved aerosol volume size distributions are mainly associated with the changes in the concentration of the coarse aerosol fraction. The geometric mean radii for the fine and coarse aerosols are 0.18 μm (±0.03 μm), and 2.53 μm (±0.25 μm), respectively. The spectral dependences of the single scattering albedos are different between the dusty and non-dusty conditions. In the presence of dust, the SSAs increase slightly with wavelength. When dust is not a major component, the corresponding values decrease with wavelength.     

Influence of the spectral power distribution of a LED on the illuminance responsivity of a photometer

The measurement accuracy in the photometric quantities measured through photometer head is determined by the value of the spectral mismatch correction factor (c(S_t,S_s)), which is defined as a function of spectral power distribution of light sources, besides illuminance responsivity of the photometer head used. This factor is more important when photometric quantities of the light-emitting diode (LED) style optical sources, which radiate within relatively narrow spectral bands as compared with that of other optical sources, are being measured. Variations of the illuminance responsivities of various V(λ)-adopted photometer heads are discussed. High-power-colored LEDs, manufactured by Lumileds Lighting Co., were used as light sources and their relative spectral power distributions (RSPDs) were measured using a spectrometer-based optical setup. Dependences of the c(S_t,S_s) factors of three types of photometer heads (f₁′=1.4%, f₁′=0.8% and f₁′=0.5%) with wavelength and influences of the factors on the illuminance responsivities of photometer heads are presented.     

A photometer to measure light scattering in optical glass

A photometer is described for the measurement of light-scattering in high-quality, optical bulk glass. The photometer operates continuously over the wavelength range 0.5 to 1m and can measure scattering coefficients down to a level of 5×10^–7 cm^–1. A photon counting technique is used for light measurement and calibration is by reflection of the incident beam from an ideal diffusing screen. Measurements with high-purity benzene are in good agreement with computed and previous experimental values. Results of scattering from two samples of optical glass are given.     

Measurement of the spectral dispersion curves of low birefringence polymer fibres

A method is suggested to overcome the difficulties of measuring the spectral dispersion of low birefringence fibres, that produce small optical path difference, δ<3λ, where δ is the optical path difference and λ is the wavelength of light used. This method depends on variable wavelength interferometry (VAWI). The suggested method is used to measure the spectral dispersion of birefringence of polypropylene fibre with a draw ratio 4 (low birefringence fibre). This method is also used to measure the spectral dispersion of birefringence of a polyester staple from ICI (high birefringence fibre). Also, the conventional VAWI method is used to measure the spectral dispersion of this fibre to confirm the results obtained by the suggested method. Microinterferograms are given for illustration.     

Detection of electric quadrupole transitions in the oxygen A band at 7600 Å

Observations of the sun at low altitude have been used to detect the ^TS (electric quadrupole) branch of the “A” band of atmospheric oxygen at 7600 Å. Line strengths, line-widths, and wavenumbers are tabulated for the eight observable lines, N″ = 5 to 19. These quadrupole transitions are found to be weaker than the main magnetic dipole transitions by a factor of 3 × 10⁻⁶.     

Isotope and Hyperfine Structure in the "Orange" System of FeO: Evidence for Two Δi Excited States

The orange system of FeO has been reinvestigated using low-temperature molecular beam laser-induced fluorescence spectra, obtained by supersonic jet cooling. Two new weak bands have been found, and analyses of some of the previously known bands extended. Measurements of the ⁵⁴Fe-⁵⁶Fe isotope shifts have been made for most of the bands, and the hyperfine structure of the low-J lines has been recorded for two of the strongest bands of ⁵⁷FeO. The isotope shifts are consistent with the presence of two ⁵Δ_i-⁵Δ_i transitions lying within 1000 cm⁻¹; the origins of the Ω = 4 spin components lie at 5583 and 6110 Å, respectively. The hyperfine patterns and the spin-orbit structure indicate that the upper state electron configurations are (3dδ)³ (3dπ)² (3dσ)¹, (D⁵Δ_i, 5583 Å) and O(2pπ)³ (4sσ)¹ (3dδ)³(3dπ)³, (D′⁵Δ_i, 6110 Å). The bond length in the D′ state (r₀ = 1.654 Å) has been obtained from a deperturbation of the 6110 Å band; it is only 0.035 Å longer than in the ground state, which indicates that electron promotion between the two π orbitals, nominally O(2pπ) and Fe(3dπ), has only a small effect on the strength of the bonding. The new isotope data still do not clarify the vibrational assignments of the higher levels, which are disorganized by extensive electronic perturbations.     

Design, analysis and optimization of silicon-on-insulator photonic crystal dual band wavelength demultiplexer

A highly efficient photonic crystal dual band wavelength demultiplexer (DBWD) using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates is proposed for demultiplexing two optical communication wavelengths, 1.31 μm and 1.55 μm. Demultiplexing of two wavelength channels is obtained by modifying the propagation properties of guided modes in two arms of Y type photonic crystal structure. Propagation characteristics of proposed DBWD are analyzed utilizing 3D finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. Enhancement in spectral response is further obtained by optimizing the Y junction of demultiplexer giving rise to high transmission and extinction ratio for the wavelengths, 1.31 μm and 1.55 μm. Hence it validates the efficiency of proposed optimized DBWD design for separating two optical communication wavelengths, 1.31 μm and 1.55 μm. Tolerance analysis was also performed to check the effect of variation of air hole radius, etch depth and refractive index on the transmission characteristics of the proposed design of SOI based photonic crystal DBWD.     

Microwave spectrum and structure of ethylene ozonide: Effects of large axes rotations in structure calculations

Rotational spectra for 14 isotopic species of ethylene ozonide have now been assigned. The consistency of the Kraitchman substitution structure was checked by calculating the O_p---O_p bond distance six ways; the values ranged from 1.458 to 1.502 Å. This variation was attributed to an amplification of residual vibrational effects by large axes rotations upon isotopic substitution. Estimates of errors produced from this effect were made and a procedure was developed for choosing r_s parameters in which the effect is minimized. This gave the following ring parameters: d(CO_e) = 1.416 Å, d(CO_p) = 1.412 Å, d(OO) = 1.461 Å, <CO_eC = 104.8°, <O_eCO_p = 105.5°, <CO_pO_p = 99.3°.     

Optimization of InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices for high performance of photodetectors

The optimum growth conditions and strain balancing processes have been studied using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown 51 Å InAs/40 Å GaSb type-II superlattices (SLs) designed to have cut-off wavelength of 10 μm. The most dominant factor in reducing the defect level in the SL structure was buffer growth temperature evidenced by transmission electron microscopy. In the study of the strain balancing process, the SLs could be lattice matched to the GaSb substrate by increasing the thickness of the InSb interfaces (IFs) from a nominal value of 1.0 to 1.4 ML, however, the structural quality degraded dramatically when the thickness of IFs reached beyond 1.0 ML. By optimizing the growth condition and MBE shutter sequences, micron thick InAs/GaSb SLs with a reduced lattice mismatch were routinely obtained with the full-width half-maximum of 18 arcsec, and the root mean square values of surface roughness of 2 Å in 5 μm area scan of atomic force microscopy demonstrating high quality. Correlation between material quality and photoresponse signal strength in photoconductivity measurements was made on SL samples with cut-off wavelength on the order of 10 μm.     

Macroscopic and microscopic parameters of laser dye solvents: m-xylene and dioxane

For the laser designer and other users the optical, electrical and refractive parameters have been obtained for pure nonpolar laser dye solvents m-xylene and dioxane. The refractive index (n) and its thermo-optic constant (dn/dT) at argon laser wavelength 514.5 nm and He–Ne laser wavelength 632.8 nm, are measured. The values of n and dn/dT are used to calculate the optical permittivity ε=n² and its variation with temperature dε/dT. Applying Cauchy's equation the optical and dielectric dispersion (dn/dλ and dε/dλ) are determined. The variation of −dn/dT, −dε/dT, molar refractivity and thermal volume expansion coefficient as a function of wavelength are calculated and represented. Furthermore Cauchy's constants A and B as a function of temperature are plotted. The specific and molar refractivities, specific and molar dispersivity total polarizability, distortion polarizability, ratio of atomic to electronic polarizability, molecular radius, relaxation time, electric susceptibility characteristic impedance, and other physical parameters were calculated. Additionally, density, thermal linear expansion coefficient and molar polarization as a function of temperature were calculated at the laser wavelengths 514.5 nm.     

Beat structure in spectrally resolved four-wave mixing under crosslinear polarization in GaAs quantum wells

The polarization dependence of beat structure in spectrally resolved four-wave mixing was investigated on 50 Å GaAs multiple quantum wells. Under crosslinear polarization we observed a beating structure at higher energy region of the main spectral peak due to biexciton–exciton transition. The beat has a period of 0.95 ps and is constructive at delay time T=0 ps, which suggests the corresponding double Feynman diagrams to be of the same type. By shortening the central wavelength of the sub-ps laser, we observed the distinctive peak corresponding to the beat period. Even in GaAs system, which is generally believed to have a small biexcitonic effect, there are two effective 2-exciton states with well-defined energies which are required to describe the third-order optical nonlinearly.     

The microwave spectrum and rotational structure of the Δ and Σ electronic states of sulfur monoxide

The spectrum of ¹Δ and ³Σ SO has been studied in the millimeter and submillimeter region of the microwave spectrum. This expanded spectral coverage has made possible the measurement of twenty-two previously unobserved transitions, several of which are necessary for an accurate calculation of the energy levels. As a result, it is now possible to calculate the rotational transitions between energy levels for which J ≤ 10 in both the ground ³Σ electronic state and the excited ¹Δ electronic state to an accuracy comparable to that of the microwave measurements themselves ( 1 MHz). Among the molecular constants calculated are; for the ¹Δ state: B₀ = 21 295.405 MHz, D₀ = 0.0350 MHz, ω_e = 1108 cm⁻¹, and r₀ = 1.4920 Å; and for the ³Σ state: B₀ = 21 523.561 MHz, D₀ = 0.03399 MHz, λ₀ = 158 254.387 MHz, γ₀ = −168.342 MHz, ₀ = 0.305 MHz, r₀ = 1.4840 Å, B_e = 21 609.552 MHz, λ_e = 157 779.2 MHz, and r_e = 1.4811 Å.     

Study of the structure and refractive parameters of diethylamine and triethylamine

The refractive index (n) and thermal coefficient of the refractive index (dn/dt) are measured at four wavelengths for the diethylamine and triethylamine. The measurements are carried out using the Bellingham+Stanley model 60/ED high-accuracy Abbe refractometer. The optical permittivity (ε) and its variation with temperature are calculated. Applying the Cauchy equation, the following refractive properties are obtained: the optical dispersion dn/dλ, the dielectric dispersion dε/dλ, the variation of -dn/dT, dε/dT, as a function of wavelength (λ), and Cauchy's constants against temperature. Additionally, molar refractivity versus temperature and wavelength are determined.     

Laser-induced fluorescence of Na2 at the Na(3s → 5s) two-photon transition (6022.3 Å)

Na₂ excited from the X¹Σ_g⁺ state to the A¹Σ_u⁺ state by a narrow band (3 MHz) Rhodamine-6G dye laser at 6022.3 Å, the same wavelength at which Na undergoes the 3s–5s two-photon transition, gives four fluorescence series from A¹Σ_u⁺ levels (v′ = 21, J′ = 26), (18, 33), (33, 19), and (34, 50). The last two series are much weaker in intensity, and at long wavelengths many doublets are lost in the background noise. The same (34, 50) fluorescence series was found by other workers in the lab using a Kr⁺ (5682 Å) laser as excitation source. Their analysis agrees very well with the findings in the work.     

Structural and optical studies of thermally evaporated CoPc thin films

The structure of the thermally evaporated cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) thin film in the β-form is investigated, and shows a single strong peak indicating preferential orientation in the (1 0 0) direction. Some structural parameters such as crystallite grain size, dislocation density and the number of crystallites per unit surface area are determined.The spectral parameters are determined by applying the electronic orbital transitions.But the optical parameters are deduced using band-model consideration for thin films of Pc.The spectral and optical parameters have also been investigated by using the spectrophotometric measurements of transmittance and reflectance in the wavelength range 200–2500 nm.The absorption spectra recorded in the UV–VIS region show two absorption bands of phthalocyanine (Pc) molecule, namely the Soret band (B) and the Q-band. The Q-band shows its characteristic splitting (Davydov splitting) with ΔQ=0.23 eV.Some of the important spectral parameters, namely optical absorption coefficient (α), molar extinction coefficient (_molar), oscillator strength (f), electric dipole strength (q²) and absorption half bandwidth (Δλ) of the principle optical transitions have been evaluated.The fundamental and the onset indirect energy gaps could be estimated as 2.90 + or − 0.05 and 1.51 eV, respectively.The refractive index showed an anomalous dispersion in the absorption region as well as normal dispersion in the transparent region. From analysis of dispersion curves, the dielectric constants, the dispersion parameters and the molar polarizability were obtained.All the above parameters were obtained for films as deposited and as annealed. No remarkable annealing effect on many parameters was observed.     

Transmission grating spectrograph with on-line recording of XUV soft X-ray spectra from laser produced plasmas

The setting up and on-line operation of a transmission grating spectrograph in the XUV soft X-ray region is described. The detector was a microchannel plate–image intensifier combination, and the output of the image intensifier was coupled to a CCD camera–frame grabber system through an imaging lens. The spectrograph could be operated in the 5–20 Å range with 0.6 Å spectral resolution and in the 5–50 Å range with 1 Å resolution, respectively. The high sensitivity of the detector enables single shot operation, which is useful for several laser plasma interaction studies.     

激光点阵扫描法绝对定标太阳辐射计直射通道研究

利用可调谐激光器作为光源,以溯源于低温绝对辐射计的标准传递探测器作为激光束功率测量探测器,采用激光点阵扫描方法在太阳辐射计有效孔径光阑面形成均匀照度场,精确测量太阳辐射计870 nm无偏直射通道中心波长处绝对辐照度响应度。利用灯-单色仪系统扫描获得该通道相对光谱辐照度响应度,最终在实验室条件下获得该通道绝对光谱辐照度响应度,联合大气层外太阳照度谱数据通道内积分得到该通道大气层外响应常数V₀值,与NASA的GSFC中心的2009年定标结果差异仅为3.75%,定标不确定度达到2.06%,验证了这一新技术的原理可行性。     

Angular distribution of intensity of reflected radiation investigations of the influence of CO2 laser treatment on optical properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Thin films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) were annealed using CO₂ laser radiation (λ=10.6 μm). Changes of optical properties of the treated a-Si:H were investigated using optical transmittance spectroscopy and the angular distribution of intensity of reflected radiation (ADIRR). The CO₂ laser annealing influences the spectral characteristics of the real part of refractive index n and absorption coefficient α of light in a-Si:H. This treatment increases the n and α values as well as the Urbach energy of a-Si:H. Simultaneously it decreases the optical energy gap of this material. The changes of optical parameters at the interfaces of a-Si:H–glass substrate and a-Si:H–air were established.     

Optical and electrical properties of black gold layers in the far infrared

Black gold layers, prepared by an evaporation process in an inert atmosphere, are an efficient absorber in the far infrared spectral region. Experimental results are presented for their reflectance in the wavelength range between λ=15 μm and 1000 μm, corresponding to a wave number k=1/λ between 10 cm⁻¹ and 650 cm⁻¹. The black gold layers may electrically be either metallic or semiconducting, the metallic ones exhibiting higher absorbance. The layers have a percolated structure whose dielectric properties are described by the Bergman formalism for an effective medium. On the basis of this model, the deviation of the optical properties of the layers from bulk gold are accounted for solely by the topology of the percolated structure. The values derived for the electron collision time in the gold particles and for the percolation factor agree with those derived from the electrical conductivity of the layers and its temperature dependence.     

Evidence of phase transition in the break up of Kr-projectile nuclei at 0.95A GeV

Projectile fragmentation mechanism and the possible liquid gas phase transition have been studied by extracting the critical exponents using cluster approximation technique. A ‘toy model’, schematically accounting for pre-equilibrium, has been developed and various moments as well as conditional moments have been evaluated with the data obtained from the toy model to see the effect of mass conservation constraint. An exponent δ, related to third order moment, has been evaluated to obtain a set of values of γ, β and τ that follow the corresponding scaling relation. The values of γ, β and τ so obtained are found to be 1.34±0.19, 0.54±0.15 and 2.31±0.06 respectively.