Simplified characterization of uniaxial and biaxial nonlinearoptical crystals: a plea for standardization of nomenclature andconventions

Standards which eliminate ambiguity in reporting nonlinear phenomena, especially in the increasingly complex realm of biaxial crystals, are proposed. In order to restore uniformity to the designation of crystallographic axes and crystal tensor properties, adoption of IEEE/ANSI Std. 176, with a small but much needed modification for crystal class mm2, is recommended. For the reporting of nonlinear interaction characteristics, other frames are proposed which result in simpler rules than heretofore given for categorizing phase-matching loci, and for characterizing eigenmode polarizations, double refraction, effective nonlinear coupling, and first- and second-order acceptance bandwidths (angular, spectral, thermal) along these loci. Similarities as well as differences between biaxial and uniaxial crystals are emphasized     

Buck converter small-signal models and dynamics: comparison ofquasi-resonant and pulsewidth modulated switches

The generalized canonical model obtained from extended state-space averaging is used as a design tool for the evaluation of the buck converter dynamics in different switching schemes. Designs are given at a specified constant conversion ratio and load for the pulse width modulated, zero current, zero voltage, and nonlinear resonant switch full- and half-wave converters. The small signal equivalent circuit model is discussed, and the feedback effects introduced by resonant switching on line and control transfer functions are evaluated. The small signal transfer functions of half-wave converters are heavily load-current dependent, and exhibit significant damping at light loads, which can result in two real poles in the converter response instead of a complex conjugate pair. This damping effect is evaluated over the entire normalized load current range for the linear and nonlinear zero-current switching converters. Simple approximate expressions are given for the real poles. Experimental verification of the half-wave analysis is presented, and the effects of converter efficiency on model accuracy are discussed     

Physical and chemical characterization of thermosoftened bases for molten filled hard gelatin capsule formulations

Dynafill, Dynasan-114, Lutrol-F68, PEG-10000 and PEG-20000 have been examined as potential bases for the preparation of fusion formed solid dispersions for molten filling into hard gelatin capsules. Investigations included, an examination of thermal effects on crystal structure by DSC and XRD, a theological study to evaluate capsule filling characteristics, dissolution studies on drug/base formulations, chemical analysis for free fatty acid impurities in Dynafill and Dynasan-114, and detailed studies on selected drug/base formulations. PEG-20000 and Dynasan-114 were not examined in detail, after preliminary investigations had shown high viscosity and poor filling characteristics for PEG-20000 and poor dissolution characteristics for Dynasan-114. Dynafill provided good release profiles when formulated with a variety of model drugs (Acetohexamide, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Quinidine sulphate and Theophylline). Results from hot stage photomicrography supported by DSC and XRD were used to construct a phase diagram of the Ibuprofen/Lutrol-F68 system. The evidence from the phase diagram indicated the formulation of a simple eutectic system with no solid solubility and a eutectic composition at approximately 35% w/w Ibuprofen.     

Effects of internal scattering on X-ray microtomography imagereconstruction

A computer simulation is used to study the problem of internal scattering for targets that are imaged using X-ray microtomography. A strategy is outlined for selecting X-ray energy and image resolution based on properties of the material being imaged. The X-ray scanning process is simulated by applying a Monte Carlo technique to a modeled target that emulates the material properties of a microelectronic device. The X-ray photons are subject to photoelectric absorption, Rayleigh scattering, and Compton scattering. The simulation applies a method of high-resolution image reconstruction based on discrete Fourier transforms. Examples of reconstructed images that have 0.5-μm spatial resolution are shown for images of simulated lead and aluminum targets     

Duality transformations for general bi-isotropic (nonreciprocalchiral) media

The transformation is defined to leave a given bi-isotropic medium invariant, whence it is self-dual in this transformation. It is shown that duality transformations always exist in pairs, labeled as left-hand and right-hand transformations. Self-dual fields are seen to be generalizations of the wave fields E± applied in the analysis of reciprocal chiral media. It is demonstrated that plane wave propagation and reflection problems in bi-isotropic media can be solved easily in terms of self-dual field decompositions. Nonreciprocity is seen to give rise to effects like polarization rotation in reflection, which cannot be interpreted in terms of reciprocal chiral media     

Exactly integrable nonlinear Schrodinger equation models withvarying dispersion, nonlinearity and gain: application for solitondispersion

We show that the methodology based on the generalized inverse scattering transform (IST) concept provides a systematic way to discover the novel exactly integrable nonlinear Schrodinger equation models with varying dispersion, nonlinearity and gain or absorption. The fundamental innovation of the present approach is to notice that it is possible both to allow for a variable spectral parameter with new dependent variables and to apply of the famous "moving in time focuses" concept of the self-focusing theory to the IST formalism. We show that for nonlinear optics this algorithm is a useful tool to design novel dispersion managed fiber transmission lines and soliton lasers. Fundamental soliton management regimes are predicted     

Gain recovery of bulk semiconductor optical amplifiers

The gain recovery time of 1.55-μm bulk semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA's) with lengths from 500 to 1500 μm has been measured with a continuous-wave (CW) probe in the time domain. It is shown to decrease with increasing length down to 60 ps for the longest SOA. This behavior is theoretically explained. A lower limit for the recovery time is observed and explained     

The combined use of ultrasound and densitometry in the prediction of vertebral fracture

Measurement of ultrasonographic parameters provides information concerning not only bone density but also bone architecture. We investigated the usefulness of ultrasonographic parameters and bone mineral density for evaluating the probability of vertebral fracture. 397 postmenopausal women (59.1 +/- 6.0 years) with (n = 178) or without (n = 219) atraumatic vertebral fractures were studied. In all women, bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine was evaluated by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and speed of sound (SOS); broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and Stiffness in the calcaneus were evaluated by an Achilles unit (Lunar Corporation). Ultrasonographic parameters and BMD were compared by examining the magnitude of the odds ratios, to determine which produces the highest estimate of the probability of odds of fracture, and by examining widths of the respective confidence intervals (CI) to show which estimate of odd ratio is the most precise. The relative risk of vertebral fracture, after adjusting for potential confounders, was 3.5 (CI 2.6-4.8) for BUA; 4.5 (CI 3.2-6.2) for SOS; 5.8 (CI 4.0-8.4) for Stiffness and 7.5 (CI 4.8-11.5) for BMD. Ultrasound (US) parameters were still significant independent predictors of vertebral fracture, even after adjusting for BMD. The relative risk of fracture for a simultaneous decrease by 1 SD of BMD and by 1 SD of each ultrasound parameter was 17.3 (CI 9.4-39.6) for BMD and SOS; 18.3 (CI 8.4-30.6) for BMD and BUA and 22.1 (CI 8.9-52.7) for BMD and Stiffness. Our data suggest that US and BMD provide complementary information which can be combined to improve estimates of vertebral fracture risk.