Conceptual design and infrastructure for the installation of the first AGATA sub-array at LNL

The first implementation of the AGATA spectrometer consisting of five triple germanium detector clusters has been installed at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, INFN. This setup has two major goals, the first one is to validate the γ-tracking concept and the second is to perform an experimental physics program using the stable beams delivered by the Tandem-PIAVE-ALPI accelerator complex. A large variety of physics topics will be addressed during this campaign, aiming to investigate both neutron and proton-rich nuclei. The setup has been designed to be coupled with the large-acceptance magnetic-spectrometer PRISMA. Therefore, the in-beam prompt γ rays detected with AGATA will be measured in coincidence with the products of multinucleon-transfer and deep-inelastic reactions measured by PRISMA. Moreover, the setup is versatile enough to host ancillary detectors, including the heavy-ion detector DANTE, the γ-ray detector array HELENA, the Cologne plunger for lifetime measurements and the Si-pad telescope TRACE. In this paper the design, characteristics and performance figures of the setup will be described.     

On the benefit of the negative-spherical-aberration imaging technique for quantitative HRTEM

Employing an aberration corrector in a high-resolution transmission electron microscope, the spherical aberration C_S can be tuned to negative values, resulting in a novel imaging technique, which is called the negative C_S imaging (NCSI) technique. The image contrast obtained with the NCSI technique is compared quantitatively with the image contrast formed with the traditional positive C_S imaging (PCSI) technique. For the case of thin objects negative C_S images are superior to positive C_S images concerning the magnitude of the obtained contrast, which is due to constructive rather than destructive superposition of fundamental contrast contributions. As a consequence, the image signal obtained with a negative spherical aberration is significantly more robust against noise caused by amorphous surface layers, resulting in a measurement precision of atomic positions which is by a factor of 2–3 better at an identical noise level. The quantitative comparison of the two alternative C_S-corrected imaging modes shows that the NCSI mode yields significantly more precise results in quantitative high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of thin objects than the traditional PCSI mode.     

In situ study on dendrite growth of metallic alloy by a synchrotron radiation imaging technology

This study was trying to observe the real-time dendrite growth of Sn-Bi and Sn-Pb binary alloys by a synchrotron radiation imaging technology.The imaging system includes an intense and high brightness synchrotron radiation source,a high-resolution and fast-readout charge coupled device camera,an alloy sample and a Bridgman solidification system.The imaging experiments were done at Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility with an updated synchrotron radiation imaging technique,diffraction-enhanced imaging,whic...     

Effectiveness of sweet ovine whey powder in increasing the shelf life of Amaretti cookies

The effect of sweet ovine whey powder on physical-chemical and textural changes during storage of Amaretti cookies is reported. The aim of the study was to study the impact of the ovine whey powder on the shelf life of cookies. Two batches of Amaretti cookies were prepared, with and without whey powder. Freshly baked Amaretti cookies were individually packaged with a high water vapour barrier film and stored for 120 days under controlled temperature/humidity conditions. Physico-chemical, textural and sensory changes were inspected at regular intervals during storage.The water-binding properties of ovine whey powder, as revealed by sorption isotherms and magnetic resonance imaging, resulted in delayed firming and increased shelf life of cookies with whey powder with respect to control cookies and did not influence the sensory properties. MRI allows visualizing differences in internal structure and proton distribution of the two batches of Amaretti cookies, pointing out the more homogeneous internal structure of the cookies where whey powder is added.     

九十年代的成像体系和照相有机物的新发展

本文概述了９０年代以来影像技术领域中的新成就和数字化成像体系的特点，指出了传统照相有机物概念的局限性，提出了一个照相有机物的新概念，介绍了几种新成像材料和所涉及的照相有机物。     

Space-multiplexed multifocal nonlinear microscopy

Standard forms of nonlinear microscopy rely on single beam scanning, but the usually weaker signal and the need to image in real-time call for parallelization of the image formation. Since the nonlinear susceptibilities necessitate a comparatively large illumination power, with current laser systems the brightness or field of view of any parallelized nonlinear microscope is limited by the brightness of the laser. For example, by producing an array of high aperture foci, multifocal multiphoton microscopy (MMM) provides real-time, light-efficient three-dimensional fluorescence imaging at high-resolution. The available power limits the degree of parallelization and hence codetermines the field of view. As the utilization of all the laser power is imperative, the focal intensity can be adjusted only through altering the number of foci. This compromises to some extent the flexibility to adjust the focal intensity to benign and effective levels. Here we introduce space-multiplexing (SMX) as a novel option in parallelized nonlinear microscopy, which enables an improved exploitation of the total laser power and facilitates changing the intensity levels in selected regions, without attenuating the total laser power. The basic idea of SMX is to overlap arrays of slightly offset coherent focal fields whose interference modulates the intensity across the sample. For a given degree of parallelization and power, SMX increases the two- and three-photon excited signal of parallelized nonlinear microscopy by a factor of up to 1.5 and 2.5, respectively. To some extent, sensitive regions may be spared out, whereas in regions with weaker nonlinear susceptibilities the intensity is increased. SMX is relevant to all modes of nonlinear microscopy, including parallelized second- and third-harmonic imaging, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering, and widefield multiphoton excitation.     

Real-time confocal imaging, during active air abrasion – substrate cutting

Air abrasion cutting, using particulates accelerated in a controlled compressed gas stream, is currently being re-evaluated as a precision tissue removal technique for dental cavity preparation. The minimal vibrations and heat generated during cutting commend the technique for use in the shaping of fragile or brittle materials that are vulnerable to vibrations and thermal stresses.
Traditional air abrasion studies have relied solely upon post-procedure imaging, and cutting process details have been inferred from the nature of the residual surface. In this paper, however, a real-time confocal microscopic imaging method is described, which for the first time has allowed prior target structure characterization with subsequent imaging of cutting interactions and substrate failure patterns. Using internally focusing long working distance Hill objective lenses, focusing deep to a protective microscope slide and adhesive interfaces, unhindered remote image sampling within the bulk of specimens such as tooth tissue, acrylic and brittle ceramics was possible.
Moreover, areas of active cutting and inactive regions were identified within air abraded cavities during their creation. The characteristics of the finished cut surfaces were demonstrated and confirmed the findings of previous SEM studies. The method allowed direct control over all the known variables influencing cutting with particulate streams.     

关于成象可视化技术

可社化技术是近几年发展起来的新兴学科之一，也是实现成象测井的重要手段，它通过表面造型的方法将三维数据影射到二维象平面上，断层图象可经过插值处理提高三维数据的显示效果。