We demonstrate correction of laser wave-front distortions by use of an adaptive-optical technique based on a light valve. The setup consists of an achromatic and adjustable-sensitivity wave-front sensor and a wave-front corrector relying on an optically addressed liquid-crystal spatial light modulator. Experimental results with strongly aberrated beams focused close to the diffraction limit are...

A new process and mechanism are presented for controlling the shape memory response spatially within monolithic NiTi thin film structures. This technique is shown to effectively control the martensitic phase transformation temperature and exhibits control over aspects of the mechanical and shape memory responses as well. Specifically, the martensitic phase transformation temperature decreases w...

A simple technique for reducing the loss that is due to depolarization resulting from thermally induced stress birefringence in solid-state lasers is reported. The technique uses a single intracavity quarter-wave plate with its fast or slow axis aligned parallel to the preferred plane of polarization, defined by an intracavity polarizer. This technique has been applied to a diode-bar-pumped Nd:...

We use a simple, forward-geometry degenerate four-wave mixing setup to monitor weak absorptions of various gas-phase molecules with a tunable excimer laser. With this technique, state-selective detection of H(2), CO, H(2)O, and O(2) is demonstrated. The dependence of the forward-geometry degenerate four-wave mixing signals on various experimental parameters (e.g., pressure, laser power) is dete...

A low diffraction beam is obtained by altering the existing resonator of a CO2 laser using a special phase plate. The phase plate is designed based on the boundary diffraction principle and is implemented on the resonator rear mirror. It is found that the low diffraction beam has a smaller M 2 value than that of a Gaussian beam. The effects of the improved beam quality on a laser ablation proce...

Recent progress in laser wakefield acceleration has led to the emergence of a new generation of electron and X-ray sources that may have enormous benefits for ultrafast science. These novel sources promise to become indispensable tools for the investigation of structural dynamics on the femtosecond time scale, with spatial resolution on the atomic scale. Here, we demonstrate the use of laser-wa...

Introduction: From the late 1960s until now, lunar soil particle size distributions have typically been determined by sieving—sometimes dry, and at other times with fluids such as water or Freon [1-15]. Laser diffraction instruments allow rapid assessment of particle size distribution, and eventually may replace sieve measurements. However, when measuring lunar soils with laser diffraction inst...

 Abstract— The ability of red blood cells (RBC) to deform under vascular conditions is essential for circulation. RBC deformability, measured at different shear rates and osmolalities, provides a useful way to evaluate RBC function and is used to diagnose several hereditary blood disorders. In clinical practice, ektacytometry has been used as a routine automated technique for measuring RBC def...

An organic nonlinear optical (NLO) single crystal has been synthesized by slow solvent evaporation technique from aqueous solutions of L-serine and sodium fluoride (NaF) at ambient temperature. The grown crystal was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The powder X-ray diffraction of the grown crystal was recorded and indexed. The functional groups of the grown crystals were ...