Time-domain radiation from large two-dimensional apertures via narrow-waisted Gaussian beams

This paper deals with the short-pulse radiation of three-dimensional (3-D) vector electromagnetic fields from arbitrarily polarized large two-dimensional (2-D) truncated aperture distributions, which are parameterized in terms of narrow-waisted ray-like pulsed Gaussian basis beams centered on a discretized Gabor lattice in a four-dimensional (4-D) configuration-spectrum phase space. The study extends our previous Gabor-based investigation of time-domain (TD) short-pulse radiation of 2-D fields from 1-D large truncated apertures with nonphased, linearly phased (delayed) and nonlinearly phased focusing aperture field profiles . We begin with, and summarize, a Gabor-based frequency domain (FD) formulation of the 2-D aperture problem which has been presented and tested elsewhere, but we include additional numerical examples for validation and quality assessment. As done by Galdi, Felsen and Castanon (see ibid., vol 49, p. 1322-32, Sept. 2001) we access the time domain by Fourier inversion from the FD, starting from the initial 3-D space-time Kirchhoff formulation (whose numerical integration furnishes reference solutions), and then passing on to Gabor-parameterized field representations in terms of pulsed beam (PB) wavepackets which are launched by linearly and nonlinearly phase-delayed focusing aperture distributions. Example calculations and comparisons with numerically generated reference data serve to calibrate the Gabor-PB algorithms and assess their domains of validity.     

Experimental technique for reducing contact and background noise in voltage spectral density measurements

Electric noise measurements can give useful information on the conduction mechanisms and the dynamic behaviors of the charge carriers in new materials. However, it is well known that not all the electronic fluctuations are originated from the material itself, but some noise sources depend on the experimental procedures used for the measurements. In this article, an experimental technique to reduce "external" noise components, not associated with the bulk system, is presented. The proposed method is based on measurements of the voltage spectral density, using in sequence a four- and a two-probe technique. From the measurements it is possible to evaluate the contact and the background noise contributions and to recover the real spectral trace of the sample. The proposed procedure is demonstrated to be valid in spectral density measurements performed on La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO(3) thin films.     

Short-pulse three-dimensional scattering from moderately rough surfaces: a comparison between narrow-waisted Gaussian beam algorithms and FDTD

In this paper, with reference to short-pulse three-dimensional scattering from moderately rough surfaces, we present a comparison between Gabor-based narrow-waisted Gaussian beam (NW-GB) and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithms. NW-GB algorithms have recently emerged as an attractive alternative to traditional (ray-optical) high-frequency/short-pulse approximate methods, whereas FDTD algorithms are well-established full-wave tools for electromagnetic wave propagation and scattering. After presentation of relevant background material, results are presented and discussed for realistic parameter configurations, involving dispersive soils and moderately rough surface profiles, of interest in pulsed ground penetrating radar applications. Results indicate a generally satisfying agreement between the two methods, which tends to improve for slightly dispersive soils. Computational aspects are also compared.     

A model-based parameter estimation approach for numerical analysisof single-mode optical fibers

An efficient numerical method is proposed and implemented for the analysis of propagation characteristics of single-mode optical fibers with arbitrary refractive index profile. The method follows the concept of the so-called model-based parameter estimation, and the Pade algorithm is used to construct a low-order rational approximant of the spectral domain Green's function, obtained by solving a hierarchy of static problems. The sought eigenfrequency and field distribution are then estimated by computing, respectively, the dominant pole and the related residual of the rational approximant. A number of profiles are analyzed and experiments show that very accurate results can be cheaply obtained through this technique     

Multifrequency reconstruction of moderately rough interfaces viaquasi-ray Gaussian beams

In this paper, we present a new technique for determining the surface profile of a moderately rough interface between air and a homogeneous dielectric half-space. Based on sparsely sampled step-frequency ground penetrating radar measurements, the proposed inversion scheme uses a quasi-ray Gaussian beam fast forward model, coupled with a low-order parameterization of the surface profile in terms of B-splines. The profile estimation problem is posed as a parameter optimization problem, which is solved using a multiresolution continuation method via frequency hopping. Numerical experiments establish that the algorithm is efficient and yields accurate reconstructions throughout most of the illuminated region even in noisy environments, losing accuracy only in regions with very weak illumination     

A procedure for measuring the coherence length of the sea texture

In this paper, we deal with the analysis of the temporal coherence properties of the signal backscattered from the sea surface, in the hypothesis that it can be modeled as a compound-Gaussian process. Precisely, we address the problem of measuring to what extent a compound-Gaussian process, namely the product of a nonnegative, slowly-varying modulating signal times a rapidly varying Gaussian component, can be approximated by a Gaussian process with random variance. The problem is restated in terms of a binary hypothesis test, wherein the null hypothesis of constant modulating sequence is contrasted to any alternative. The test is calibrated resorting to pseudorandom sequences and, finally, the procedure is applied to measuring the coherence length of sea data collected by scatterometers mounted on the “Forschungsplatform Nordsee” during the SAXON experiment in November 1990     

Sulfolobus solfataricus protein disulphide oxidoreductase: insight into the roles of its redox sites

Sulfolobus solfataricus protein disulphide oxidoreductase (SsPDO)contains three disulphide bridges linking residues C⁴¹XXC⁴⁴,C¹⁵⁵XXC¹⁵⁸, C¹⁷³XXXXC¹⁷⁸. To get information on the role playedby these cross-links in determining the structural and functionalproperties of the protein, we performed site-directed mutagenesison Cys residues and investigated the changes in folding, stabilityand functional features of the mutants and analysed the resultswith computational analysis. The reductase activity of SsPDOand its mutants was evaluated by insulin and thioredoxin reductaseassays also coupled with peroxiredoxin Bcp1 of S. solfataricus.The three-dimensional model of SsPDO was constructed and correlatedwith circular dichroism data and functional results. Biochemicalanalysis indicated a key function for the redox site constitutedby Cys155 and Cys158. To discriminate between the role of thetwo cysteine residues, each cysteine was mutagenised and thebehaviour of the single mutants was investigated elucidatingthe basis of the electron-shuffling mechanism for SsPDO. Finally,cysteine pK values were calculated and the accessible surfacefor the cysteine side chains in the reduced form was measured,showing higher reactivity and solvent exposure for Cys155.     

Nanostructured Metallo‐Dielectric Quasi‐Crystals: Towards Photonic‐Plasmonic Resonance Engineering

The first evidence of out‐of‐plane resonances in hybrid metallo‐dielectric quasi‐crystal (QC) nanostructures composed of metal‐backed aperiodically patterned low‐contrast dielectric layers is reported. Via experimental measurements and full‐wave numerical simulations, these resonant phenomena are characterized with specific reference to the Ammann‐Beenker (quasi‐ periodic, octagonal) tiling lattice geometry and the underlying physics is investigated. In particular, it is shown that, by comparison with standard periodic structures, a moderately richer spectrum of resonant modes may be excited, due to the easier achievement of phase‐matching conditions endowed by its denser Bragg spectrum. Such modes are characterized by a distinctive plasmonic or photonic behavior, discriminated by their field distribution and dependence on the metal film thickness. Moreover, the response is accurately predicted via computationally affordable periodic‐approximant‐based numerical modeling. The enhanced capability of QCs to control number, spectral position, and mode distribution of hybrid resonances may be exploited in a variety of possible applications. To assess this aspect, label‐free biosensing is studied via characterization of the surface sensitivity of the proposed structures with respect to local refractive index changes. Moreover, it is also shown that the resonance‐engineering capabilities of QC nanostructures may be effectively exploited in order to enhance the absorption efficiency of thin‐film solar cells.     

Signal detection in compound-Gaussian noise: Neyman-Pearson andCFAR detectors

This paper handles the problem of detecting signals with known signature and unknown or random amplitude and phase in the presence of compound-Gaussian disturbance with known spectral density. Two alternative approaches are investigated: the Neyman-Pearson criterion and the generalized likelihood ratio strategy. The first approach leads to a hardly implementable detector but provides an upper bound for the performance of any other detector. The generalized likelihood ratio strategy, instead, leads to a canonical detector, whose structure is independent of the disturbance amplitude probability density function. Based on this result, the threshold setting, which is itself independent on both the noise distribution and the signal parameters, ensures a constant false alarm rate. Unluckily, this receiver requires the averaging of infinitely many components of the received waveform. This is not really a drawback since a close approximation can be found for a practical implementation of the receiver. The performance analysis shows that the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) detector suffers a quite small loss with respect to the optimum Neyman-Pearson receiver (less than 1 dB in the case of random amplitude) and largely outperforms the conventional square-law detector