This chapter provides an overview of some recent research activities on the study of optical and dynamic properties of semiconductor nanomaterials. The emphasis is on unique aspects of these properties in nanostructures as compared to bulk materials. Linear, including absorption and luminescence, and nonlinear optical as well as dynamic properties of semiconductor nanoparticles are discussed with focus on their dependence on particle size, shape, and surface characteristics. Both doped and undoped semiconductor nanomaterials are highlighted and contrasted to illustrate the use of doping to effectively alter and probe nanomaterial properties. Some emerging applications of optical nanomaterials are discussed towards the end of the chapter, including solar energy conversion, optical sensing of chemicals and biochemicals, solid state lighting, photocatalysis, and photoelectrochemistry.

For the National Ignition Facility, at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, nanoporous structures play a crucial role in the development of targets for high energy density experiments. Here we present a new bottom-up synthesis technique termed filter-casting for the creation of bimodal macro/nanoporous Cu structures. Homogeneous nanoporous monoliths can be synthesized using Cu nanoparticles and bimodal porosities can be achieved using sacrificial polystyrene spheres as a template. Control over the structure and composition is critical for target manufacturing. The measured densities of the Cu foam range between 1070-3390 mg/cm{sup 3}. Filter-casting is a powerful new method for directly synthesizing large nanoporous monoliths with predetermined composition, pore size, and pore structure.

Recent observations by atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes such as H.E.S.S. and MAGIC have revealed a large number of new sources of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-rays above 100 GeV, mostly concentrated along the Galactic plane. At lower energies (100 MeV - 10 GeV) the satellite-based instrument EGRET revealed a population of sources clustering along the Galactic Plane. Given their adjacent energy bands a systematic correlation study between the two source classes seems appropriate. While only a few of the sources connect, both in terms of positional coincidence and spectral consistency, most of the detections occur only in one or the other energy domain. In these cases, for the first time consistent upper limits in the other energy band have been derived. Here, the populations of Galactic sources in both energy domains are characterized on observational as well as on theoretical grounds, followed by an interpretation on their similarities and differences. The observational data at this stage suggest rather different major source populations at GeV and TeV energies. With regards to preparations for the upcoming GLAST mission that will cover the energy range bridging GeV and TeV instruments this paper investigates the connection between the population of sources in these bands and concludes with …

We use the GEANT4 Monte Carlo framework to calculate the {gamma}-ray albedo of the Moon due to interactions of cosmic ray (CR) nuclei with moon rock. Our calculation of the albedo spectrum agrees with the EGRET data. We show that the spectrum of {gamma}-rays from the Moon is very steep with an effective cutoff around 3-4 GeV (600 MeV for the inner part of the Moon disk) and exhibits a narrow pion-decay line at 67.5 MeV, perhaps unique in astrophysics. Apart from other astrophysical sources, the albedo spectrum of the Moon is well understood, including its absolute normalization; this makes it a useful 'standard candle' for {gamma}-ray telescopes. The steep albedo spectrum also provides a unique opportunity for energy calibration of {gamma}-ray telescopes, such as the forthcoming Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST). Since the albedo flux depends on the incident CR spectrum which changes over the solar cycle, it is possible to monitor the CR spectrum using the albedo {gamma}-ray flux. Simultaneous measurements of CR proton and helium spectra by the Payload for Antimatter-Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA), and observations of the albedo {gamma}-rays by the GLAST Large Area Telescope (LAT), can be used to test the …

The interface between hafnium oxide grown by atomic layer deposition and (100) GaAs treated with HCl cleaning and (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S passivation has been characterized. Synchrotron radiation photoemission core level spectra indicated successful removal of the native oxides and formation of passivating sulfides on the GaAs surface. Layer-by-layer removal of the hafnia film revealed a small amount of As{sub 2}O{sub 3} formed at the interface during the dielectric deposition. Traces of arsenic and sulfur out-diffusion into the hafnia film were observed after a 450 C post-deposition anneal, and may be the origins for the electrically active defects. Transmission electron microscopy cross section images showed thicker HfO{sub 2} films for a given precursor exposure on S-treated GaAs versus the non-treated sample. In addition, the valence-band and the conduction-band offsets at the HfO{sub 2}/GaAs interface were deduced to be 3.18 eV and a range of 0.87-0.97 eV, respectively. It appears that HCl+(NH{sub 4})2{sub S} treatments provide a superior chemical passivation for GaAs and initial surface for ALD deposition.

We present measurements of the inclusive semileptonic branching fractions of charged and neutral B mesons using 20.6 fb-1 of data measured at the Upsilon(4S) with the BABAR detector. Events are tagged with a fully reconstructed hadronic decay of a B meson. The correlation between the flavor of the tag B meson and the electron charge allows the separation of prompt semileptonic B decays and cascade semileptonic charm decays. We obtain the preliminary inclusive semileptonic branching fraction of charged B mesons b+ = 0.103+/-0.006+/-0.005, neutral B mesons b0 = 0.104+/-0.008+/-0.005, their average b = 0.104+/-0.005+/-0.004, and their ratio b+/b0 = 0.99+/-0.10+/-0.03.

Using BABAR measurements of the inclusive electron spectrum in B {yields} X{sub u}e{nu} decays and the inclusive photon spectrum in B {yields} X{sub s}{gamma} decays, we extract the magnitude of the CKM matrix element V{sub ub}. The extraction is based on theoretical calculations designed to reduce the theoretical uncertainties by exploiting the assumption that the leading shape functions are the same for all b {yields} q transitions (q is a light quark). The results agree well with the previous analysis, have indeed smaller theoretical errors, but are presently limited by the knowledge of the photon spectrum and the experimental errors on the lepton spectrum.

The ILC Beam Delivery System (BDS) uses a variety of superconducting magnets to maximize luminosity and minimize background. Compact final focus quadrupoles with multifunction correction coils focus incoming beams to few nanometer spot sizes while focusing outgoing disrupted beams into a separate extraction beam line. Anti-solenoids mitigate effects from overlapping focusing and the detector solenoid field. Far from the interaction point (IP) strong octupoles help minimize IP backgrounds. A low-field but very large aperture dipole is integrated with the detector solenoid to reduce backgrounds from beamstrahlung pairs generated at the IP. Physics requirements and magnetic design solutions for the BDS superconducting magnets are reviewed in this paper.

We present preliminary results of 2-D simulations of the effects of turbulence in the mixing of Pair Instability Supenovae. We make use of the FLASH code to evolve initial 1-D models of post-bounce PISNe and seed turbulence in form of velocity perturbations. We identify the energetic and spatial scale for the turbulence to have mixing effects on the metal shells inside the star. Under the conditions we examine, we observe some mixing but the onion structure of the metal distribution is not disrupted.

Opacity effects in relativistic sources of high-energy gamma-rays, such as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) or Blazars, can probe the Lorentz factor of the outflow as well as the distance of the emission site from the source, and thus help constrain the composition of the outflow (protons, pairs, magnetic field) and the emission mechanism. Most previous works consider the opacity in steady state. Here we study the effects of the time dependence of the opacity to pair production ({gamma}{gamma} {yields} e{sup +}e{sup -}) in an impulsive relativistic source, which may be relevant for the prompt gamma-ray emission in GRBs or flares in Blazars. We present a simple, yet rich, semi-analytic model for the time and energy dependence of the optical depth, {tau}{gamma}{gamma}, in which a thin spherical shell expands ultra-relativistically and emits isotropically in its own rest frame over a finite range of radii, R{sub 0} {le} R {le} R{sub 0}+{Delta}R. This is particularly relevant for GRB internal shocks. We find that in an impulsive source ({Delta}R {approx}< R{sub 0}), while the instantaneous spectrum (which is typically hard to measure due to poor photon statistics) has an exponential cutoff above the photon energy {var_epsilon}1(T) where t{gamma}{gamma}({var_epsilon}1) = 1, the time integrated spectrum …

We present a stringy realization of the ISS metastable SUSY breaking model with moduli stabilization. The mass moduli of the ISS model is stabilized by gauging of a U(1) symmetry and its D-term potential. The SUSY is broken both by F-terms and D-terms. It is possible to obtain de Sitter vacua with a vanishingly small cosmological constant by an appropriate fine-tuning of flux parameters.

We present the results from a multiwavelength campaign conducted in August 2006 of the powerful {gamma}-ray quasar PKS 1510--089 (z = 0.361). This campaign commenced with a deep Suzaku observation lasting three days for a total exposure time of 120 ks, and continued with Swift monitoring over 18 days. Besides Swift observations, which sampled the optical/UV flux in all 6 UVOT filters as well as the X-ray spectrum in the 0.3--10 keV energy range, the campaign included ground-based optical and radio data, and yielded a quasi-simultaneous broad-band spectral energy distribution from 109 Hz to 1019 Hz. Thanks to its low instrumental background, the Suzaku observation provided a high S/N X-ray spectrum, which is well represented by an extremely hard power-law with photon index {Gamma}{approx_equal}1.2, augmented by a soft component apparent below 1 keV, which is well described by a black-body model with temperature kT {approx_equal}0.2 keV. Monitoring by Suzaku revealed temporal variability which is different between the low and high energy bands, again suggesting the presence of a second, variable component in addition to the primary power-law emission. We model the broadband spectrum of PKS 1510--089 assuming that the high energy spectral component results from Comptonization of infrared radiation produced …

We observe unidirectional charge density wave ordering on the cleaved surface of TbTe{sub 3} with a Scanning Tunneling Microscope at {approx}6 K. The modulation wave-vector q{sub CDW} as determined by Fourier analysis is 0.71 {+-} 0.02 x2{pi}/c. (Where c is one edge of the in-plane 3D unit cell.) Images at different tip-sample voltages show the unit cell doubling effects of dimerization and the layer below. Our results agree with bulk X-ray measurements, with the addition of (1/3) x2{pi}/a ordering perpendicular to the CDW. Our analysis indicates that the CDW is incommensurate.

We report the discovery of a new gravitationally lensed quasar, SDSS J131339.98+515128.3, at a redshift of 1:875 with an image separation of 1: 0024. The lensing galaxy is clearly detected in visible-light follow-up observations. We also identify three absorption-line doublets in the spectra of the lensed quasar images, from which we measure the lens redshift to be 0:194. Like several other known lenses, the lensed quasar images have different continuum slopes. This difference is probably the result of reddening and microlensing in the lensing galaxy. The lensed quasar was selected by correlating Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectroscopic quasars with Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) sources and choosing quasars that show near-infrared (IR) excess. The near-IR excess can originate, for example, from the contribution of the lensing galaxy at near-IR wavelengths. We show that the near-IR excess technique is indeed an efficient method to identify lensed systems from a large sample of quasars.