Ultrafast all‐optical switching using pulse trapping by ultrashort soliton pulse in birefringent optical fiber

Ultrafast all‐optical switching by use of pulse trapping in birefringent optical fiber is demonstrated both experimentally and numerically. The wavelengths of the control soliton pulse and the trapped soliton pulse are shifted to satisfy the condition of group velocity matching. Furthermore, the energy of the trapped pulse is increased through Raman gain of the control pulse. Only a signal pulse in the pulse train with temporal separation of about 1.2 ps is successfully picked off. The repetition frequency corresponds to 0.83 THz. The spectrogram of the optical switching is directly observed using the X‐FROG technique. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 158(3): 38–44, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20470     

Frequency-Tunable Terahertz-Wave Generation from GaP Using Cr:Forsterite Lasers

We have constructed THz spectrometers using the widely frequency-tunable THz-wave generated from GaP crystal pumped at 1.2 µm region using two Cr:forsterite lasers and compared with that pumped at 1 µm region using a YAG laser and an optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The systems have sufficient resolution for observation of solids and liquids at room temperature. We have measured Terahertz absorption spectra of all 20 kinds of amino acids which form proteins.     

High-resolution GaP Terahertz Spectrometer and Its Application to Detect Defects in Gamma-irradiated Glucose Crystal

We developed high-resolution GaP THz signal generator using Cr:Forsterite lasers with gratings as both a pump and a signal beam for difference-frequency generation. A line width of less than 500 MHz and a wide tunable frequency range (0.6–6.2 THz) provide sufficient resolution for measuring materials with sharp absorption bands using the generator as the light source for a THz spectrometer. This is suitable for materials such as gases or solid samples at low temperatures. We demonstrated the detection of defects in organic materials, as they appear as slight deviations in the absorption frequency in the THz region.     

Diabetes mellitus increases the severity of anemia in non-dialyzed patients with renal failure

Therapeutic means for patients with disseminated painful bone metastases in breast cancer are strongly limited. There is a big need of an effective and well tolerated therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of rhenium-186 HEDP for pain palliation in patients with bone metastases in breast cancer. 17 patients with painful bone metastases taking analgesics received one or more injections of 1295 MB9 rhenium-186 HEDP. In 59% of the patients the therapy resulted in a significant reduction of pain. The duration of pain relief partially hold on up to nine weeks. The main side effects of therapy were a short decrease of platelets and leucocytes and an increase of pain for 1-2 days. As conclusion we found out that therapy with rhenium-186 HEDP can be used complementarily to analgesic therapy and radiation in patients with painful disseminated bone metastases in breast cancer.     

240-325-GHz GaAs CW fundamental-mode TUNNETT diodes fabricated with molecular layer epitaxy

Gallium arsenide (GaAs) transit-time diodes with tunnel injection of electrons (TUNNETT) with transit-time layer thickness of 100 and 150 nm were fabricated with molecular layer epitaxy (MLE). Continuous-wave fundamental-mode oscillation in the frequency range of 240 to 325 GHz in metal rectangular resonant 0.86 /spl times/ 0.43 mm size (WR-3) cavities was obtained. Output power of -13 dBm was generated at 322 GHz. The fundamental mode operation, as well as experiments on different impedance matching configurations, suggest that it is possible to develop fundamental mode TUNNETT generators for the frequency range of 350 GHz to 1 THz. Operation of the TUNNETTs confirms device quality of the MLE.     

Recovering iron,manganese, copper,cobalt, and high-purity nickel from sea nodules

Many studies have investigated methods of recovering valuable metals from sea nodules. Recently, a research group in Japan developed a smelting and chlorine process after investigating a variety of existing processes and comparing their respective efficiencies with the same nodules. The best results were obtained by combining pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical treatments, which enabled the efficient recovery of manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt. High-purity nickel can be also produced through further solvent extraction.     

Field test around Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant site using improved Ce:Gd3(Al,Ga)5O12 scintillator Compton camera mounted on an unmanned helicopter

An improved light-weight Compton camera exhibiting low power consumption was developed to be mountable on an unmanned helicopter to detect cesium radiation hot spots and confirm the decontamination effect of cesium-affected areas. An increase in the Ce:Gd₃(Al,Ga)₅O₁₂ scintillator array from 4 × 4 to 8 × 8 and expansion of the interlayer distance enhanced the detection efficiency and angular resolution, respectively. Measurements were performed over the Ukedo riverbed in Namie, Fukushima Prefecture (Japan). The helicopter's flight path and speed were pre-programmed to lines interspaced by 5 and 10 m intervals and 1 m/s, respectively, facilitating measurements over areas of 65 × 60 m² and 65 × 180 m² at a height of 10 m for approximately 20 and 30 min, respectively. Results provided accurate ambient dose equivalent rate maps at a height of 1 m with an angular resolution corresponding to a position resolution of approximately 10 m from a height of 10 m. Hovering flights were executed over hot-spot areas for 10–20 min at a height of 5–20 m. Gamma-ray images of these hot spots were obtained using a reconstruction software. Comparison between position-shifted measurement results showed that the angular resolution coincided with that evaluated in the laboratory (approximately 10°).     

Characteristics of aerosol optical properties in pollution and Asian dust episodes over Beijing, China

Aerosol optical properties were continuously measured with the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) compact Raman lidar over Beijing, China, from 15 to 31 December 2007. The results indicated that in a moderate pollution episode, the averaged aerosol extinction below 1 km height was 0.39+/-0.15 km(-1) and the lidar ratio was 60.8+/-13.5 sr; in heavy pollution episode, they were 1.97+/-0.91 km(-1) and 43.7+/-8.3 sr; in an Asian dust episode, they were 0.33+/-0.11 km(-1) and 38.3+/-9.8 sr. The total depolarization ratio was mostly below 10% in the pollution episode, whereas it was larger than 20% in the Asian dust episode. The distinct characteristics of aerosol optical properties in moderate and heavy pollution episodes were attributed to the difference in air mass trajectory and the ambient atmospheric conditions such as relative humidity.     

NUCLEAR SIZE AND SHAPE EFFECT IN CHEMICAL ISOTOPE EFFECT OF GADOLINIUM USING DICYCLOHEXANO-18-CROWN-6

ABSTRACT

Gadolinium isotopes were fractionated in a liquid-liquid extraction system using dicyclohexano-18-crown-6. The isotope enrichment factors showed breakdowns of the conventional Bigeleisen-Mayer approximation for every condition of the initial phases; the concentrations of gadolinium and hydrochloric acid and the type of organic solvents. The nuclear mass effect and the field shift effect were estimated by use of the isotope pairs ¹⁵²Gd-¹⁶⁰Gd and ¹⁵⁴Gd-¹⁶⁰Gd. Since both isotopes, ¹⁵²Gd and ¹⁵⁴Gd, have the unique characteristics of the nuclear charge radii, <r²>'s, the unusual isotope effects due to the field shifts took place, while the mass effects of the other isotopes canceled the field shift effects. The maximum isotope effect was observed to be ε_160,152 =0·0252 ± 0·0024 whose initial aqueous phase was 0·023 M GdCl₃ in 12 M HC1, and its organic phase was 0·2 M DC18C6 in chloroform: this was 0·00315 ± 0·00030 in terms of the enrichment factor for unit mass.     

Characterization of Poly-Amorphous Indomethacin by Terahertz Spectroscopy

Since the stability of amorphous solids of pharmaceuticals differs depending on the method of preparation, there are several solid-state chemical structures in amorphous solids, which like poly-amorphous solids might have different characteristics the same as in crystalline solids. However, it is not easy to identify the differences in solid-state characteristics between amorphous solids using conventional analytical methods, such as powder X-ray diffraction analysis, since all of the poly-amorphous solids had similar halo X-ray diffraction patterns. However, terahertz spectroscopy can distinguish the amorphous solids of indomethacin with different physicochemical properties, and is expected to provide a rapid and non-destructive qualitative analysis for the solid materials, it would be useful for the qualitative evaluation of amorphous solids in the pharmaceutical industry.