Invited Review Article: Laser vaporization cluster sources

Michael A. Duncan

For decades, the laser vaporization cluster source has been used in numerous experiments in which gas phase atomic clusters and ion-molecule complexes are wanted. The author examines aspects of the design such as vaporization laser and nozzle which influence the operation of laser sources and provide a framework for future designs.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 041101 (2012)

Miniature active damping stage for scanning probe applications in ultra high vacuum

Maximilian Assig, Andreas Koch, Wolfgang Stiepany, Carola Straßer, Alexandra Ast, Klaus Kern, and Christian R. Ast

When a damping stage based on a Gough-Stewart platform is positioned in ultra-high vacuum as close to a scanning probe microscope as possible, vibrations originating from the experimental setup are reduced. As a result, the apparatus improves the stability and quality of scanning tunneling microscopy topographic images of a Si(111) 7 × 7 surface.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 033701 (2012)

Stark spectroscopy of a probe lithium beam excited with two dye lasers as a technique to study a high-power ion-beam diode

B. A. Knyazev, W. An, and H. Bluhm

A non-invasive diagnostic technique which measures of the electric field distribution in the KALIF ion diode by crossing lithium atom beam and two laser beams is described. The magnitude of the local electric field is determined using the Stark-shifted components of the lithium fluorescence spectrum.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 033101 (2012)

A capillary absorption spectrometer for stable carbon isotope ratio (¹³C/¹²C) analysis in very small samples

J. F. Kelly, R. L. Sams, T. A. Blake, M. Newburn, J. Moran, M. L. Alexander, and H. Kreuzer

Using tunable laser absorption spectroscopy for high throughput stable isotope probing is now a recognized technique to accurately and quickly analyze the isotopic composition of small-molecule gaseous samples. The authors detail a capillary absorption spectrometer (CAS) suitable for IR laser isotope analysis of small CO₂ samples.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 023101 (2012)

Perspective: Time scales and clocks: “Invited Review Article: The statistical modeling of atomic clocks and the design of time scales” [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 021101 (2012)] and “Invited Review Article: The uncertainty in the realization and dissemination of the SI second from a systems point of view” [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 021102 (2012)]

Elisa Felicitas Arias

Measuring time requires not only a unit but a time scale. Caesium fountains can be used to very accurately define a second but cannot provide a time scale. This paper discusses the development of a time scale.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 020901 (2012)

Invited Article: A materials investigation of a phase-change micro-valve for greenhouse gas collection and other potential applications

Ronald P. Manginell, Matthew W. Moorman, Jerome A. Rejent, Paul T. Vianco, Mark J. Grazier, Brian D. Wroblewski, Curtis D. Mowry, and Komandoor E. Achyuthan

The authors study phase change materials that can be incorporated in microvalve (PCμV) technology. This technology can be used for greenhouse gas sampling and is small in size, low cost, and low power.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 031301 (2012)

Balloon-borne disposable radiometer for cloud detection

K. A. Nicoll and R. G. Harrison

Detection of incoming solar radiation is difficult in cloud layers because of attenuation and scattering. The authors describe a low cost, disposable instrument that can be used during meteorological balloon flights and can measure solar radiation through cloud layers.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 025111 (2012) | Read the Press Release

Using high-intensity laser-generated energetic protons to radiograph directly driven implosions

A. B. Zylstra, C. K. Li, H. G. Rinderknecht, F. H. Séguin, R. D. Petrasso, C. Stoeckl, D. D. Meyerhofer, P. Nilson, T. C. Sangster, S. Le Pape, A. Mackinnon, and P. Patel

The authors discuss the experimental design technique to mitigate potential problems in using the target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) proton backlighter to study full-energy implosions. They suggest that the proposed solutions will allow future joint OMEGA and OMEGA EP experiments to use TNSA backlighting to study ICF and HEDP physics. In contrast to previous TNSA implosion radiography, the authors observe strong filamentary EM field structures around the implosion that result from higher implosion drive intensity and illustrate the need for the capability to backlight full-energy implosions.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 013511 (2012)

Invited Review Article: The statistical modeling of atomic clocks and the design of time scales

Judah Levine

The author presents the design considerations that define the time scale algorithms that are currently used to realize the national and international standards of time and frequency, and discusses the AT1 algorithm (used at NIST) and the Kalman algorithm in some detail. The author argues that both of the algorithms have strengths and weaknesses, and neither is obviously superior for every application.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83 , 021101 (2012)
Read the press releases: EurekAlert | RedOrbit | R&D Magazine - Online

One-shot spectrometer for several elements using an integrated conical crystal analyzer

Kohei Morishita, Kouichi Hayashi, and Kazuo Nakajima

This paper reports a novel crystal-diffraction-based geometry for x-ray spectrometry that consists of several cones made by pressing a crystal wafer into a multi-conical form. The result is an integrated analyzer that covers a larger energy range than a single cone geometry.

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 013112 (2012)