Experimental and theoretical studies on a distributed temperaturesensor based on Brillouin scattering

Results are reported from recent research on the use of the Brillouin gain/loss mechanism for distributed sensing. A theoretical model of the interaction of the pulsed and CW beams is described and compared with experiments. Results from a system with a 51 km sensing length are presented. We finally investigate issues related to the variation within the sensing fiber of the polarizations of the two beams     

In-situ comprehensive calibration of a tri-port nano-electro-mechanical device

We report on experiments performed in vacuum and at cryogenic temperatures on a tri-port nano-electro-mechanical (NEMS) device. One port is a very nonlinear capacitive actuation, while the two others implement the magnetomotive scheme with a linear input force port and a (quasi-linear) output velocity port. We present an experimental method enabling a full characterization of the nanomechanical device harmonic response: the nonlinear capacitance function C(x) is derived, and the normal parameters k and m (spring constant and mass) of the mode under study are measured through a careful definition of the motion (in meters) and of the applied forces (in Newtons). These results are obtained with a series of purely electric measurements performed without disconnecting/reconnecting the device, and rely only on known dc properties of the circuit, making use of a thermometric property of the oscillator itself: we use the Young modulus of the coating metal as a thermometer, and the resistivity for Joule heating. The setup requires only three connecting lines without any particular matching, enabling the preservation of a high impedance NEMS environment even at MHz frequencies. The experimental data are fit to a detailed electrical and thermal model of the NEMS device, demonstrating a complete understanding of its dynamics. These methods are quite general and can be adapted (as a whole, or in parts) to a large variety of electromechanical devices.     

Palladium-catalysed amination of bromofluorans and an investigation of their thermochromic behaviour

The palladium-catalysed amination of readily accessible bromofluorans and bromobenzo[a]fluorans has been accomplished with a series of anilines and morpholine. The resulting aminofluorans generated intense black shades upon formulation in methyl stearate containing bisphenol A. The route provides an alternative approach to various amino substituted fluorans without the need of a series of individual diphenylamine intermediates.     

Kinetics of Pressure Cycling Extraction of Solute from Leaves of Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) Dispersed in Water

A set of seven extraction experiments was performed to investigate the influence of pressure cycles on the kinetics of solute removal from leaves of mate dispersed in water. The mass ratio of liquid to dry solid (40), the temperature (32°C), and time of extraction (3600?s) were not varied. Five extraction runs were under cyclic pressurization (1?cycle?=?300?s at 91.4?kPa?+?300?s at 182.8?kPa) and stirring speeds (S) of 0, 150, 500, 1500, and 2000?rpm, while the two other ones were at constant pressure (182.8?kPa) and S close to 1500 and 2000?rpm. Based on seven pairs of parameters of a reliable second-order kinetic model (R²?≥?0.967), cyclic pressurization had no effect on equilibrium and kinetics of extraction (p?>?0.05) when the role of convection on solute transfer was negligible (S?≥?500?rpm). In the stirring speed range from 500 to 2000?rpm, the operation was controlled by diffusion (Bi >?1.7?×?10³), so a transient two-dimensional diffusion model was able to describe correctly the changes of solute concentration with time. Below 500?rpm, solute transfer was governed by a combination of diffusion and convection with the external resistance to mass transfer as a function of S (16?≤?Bi?≤?28).     

A dry process for production of microfluidic devices based on the lamination of laser-printed polyester films

A new microfabrication process based on a xerographic process is described. A laser printer is used to selectively deposit toner on a polyester film, which is subsequently laminated against another polyester film. The toner layer binds the two polyester films and allows the blank regions to become channels for microfluidics. These software-outlined channels are approximately 6 microm deep. Approximately twice this depth is obtained by laminating two printed films. The resulting devices were not significantly damaged after 24 h of exposure to aqueous solutions of H3PO4, NaOH, methanol, acetonitrile, or sodium dodecyl sulfate. Electric tests with an impedance analyzer and microchannels filled with KCl solution demonstrated that (1) wide channels suffer from deformation of the top and bottom walls due to the lamination of the polyester films and (2) the toner walls are somewhat porous. Although these drawbacks limit the maximum width of a channel and the minimum distance between two channels, the process is an attractive option to other expensive, laborious, and time-consuming methods for microchannels fabrication. The process has been used to implement devices for electrospray tip and capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection.     

Measuring Deep Metastability and Its Effect on Synchronizer Performance

Present measurement techniques do not allow synchronizer reliability to be measured in the region of most interest, that is, beyond the first half cycle of the synchronizer clock. We describe methods of extending the measurement range, in which the number of metastable events generated is increased by four orders of magnitude and events with long metastable times are selected from the large number of more normal events. The relationship found between input times and the resulting output times is dependent on accurate measurement of input time distributions with deviations of less than 10 ps. We show how the distribution of to clock times at the input can be characterized in the presence of noise and how predictions of failure rates for long synchronizer times can be made. Anomalies such as the increased failure rates in a master-slave synchronizer produced by the back edge of the clock are explained and demonstrated.     

Prediction and Measurement of Electron Density and Collision Frequency in a Weakly Ionised Pine Fire

Pine litter flame is a weakly ionised medium. Electron-neutral collisions are a dominant form of particle interaction in the flame. Assuming flame electrons to be in thermal equilibrium with neutrals and average electron-neutral collision frequency to be much higher than the plasma frequency, the propagation of microwaves through the flame is predicted to suffer signal intensity loss. A controlled fire burner was constructed where various natural vegetation species could be used as fuel. The burner was equipped with thermocouples and used as a cavity for microwaves with a laboratory quality network analyzer to measure wave attenuation. Electron density and collision frequency were then calculated from the measured attenuation. The parameters are important for numerical prediction of electromagnetic wave propagation in wildfire environments. A controlled pine litter fire with a maximum flame temperature of 1080 K was set in the burner and microwaves (8–10.5 GHz) were caused to propagate through the flame. A microwave signal loss of 1.6–5.8 dB was measured within the frequency range. Based on the measured attenuation, electron density and electron-neutral collision frequency in pine fire were calculated to range from 0.51–1.35?×?10¹⁶ m^?3 and 3.43–5.97?×?10¹⁰ s^?1 respectively.     

RIDE Replacement — A Hybrid PSTN/VoIP Application Solution

This paper, co-authored by BT and Telspec, describes the architecture, development and deployment of the recorded information distribution equipment (RIDE) replacement platform. The platform delivers large volumes of announcements into the PSTN yet has an internal architecture built on a multicast QoS-enabled VoIP network and provides a ready-made evolution path to terminate calls originated from IP networks. It is therefore seen as one of the first platforms to be deployed by BT to deliver consistent functionality into both the legacy PSTN and the evolving IP world.