The authors present the results of the search for the decays B{sup 0/{+-}} {yields} {rho}{sup 0/{+-}}{gamma} (previously observed) and B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma} (for which currently only an upper limit exists). Together with B {yields} K*{gamma} decays, B {yields} ({rho}/{omega}){gamma} allow us to measure the ratio of CKM-matrix elements |V{sub td}/V{sub ts}|. The analysis is based on the full BABAR dataset of 424.35 fb{sup -1} corresponding to 465 million B{bar B} pairs, and makes heavy use of multivariate classification techniques based on decision trees. They find {Beta}(B{sup {+-}} {yields} {rho}{sup {+-}}{gamma}) = (1.20{sub -0.38}{sup +0.42} {+-} 0.20) x 10{sup -6}, {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}{sup 0}{gamma}) = (0.95{sub -0.21}{sup +0.23} {+-} 0.06) x 10{sup -6}, {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma}) = (0.51{sub -0.24}{sup +0.27} {+-} 0.10) x 10{sup -6}, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. They do not observe a statistically significant signal in the latter channel and set an upper limit at {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma}) < 0.9 x 10{sup -6} (90% C.L.). They also measure the isospin and SU(3){sub F} violating quantities {Lambda}(B{sup +} {yields} {rho}{sup +}{gamma})/2{Lambda}(B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}{sup 0}{gamma})-1 = -0.43{sub -0.22}{sup +0.25} {+-} 0.10 and {Lambda}(B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma})/{Lambda}(B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}{sup …

The mechanisms by which transparent dielectrics damage when exposed to high power laser radiation has been of scientific and technological interest since the invention of the laser. In this work, a set of three experiments are presented which provide insight into the damage initiation mechanisms and the processes involved in laser-induced damage. Using an OPO (optical parametric oscillator) laser, we have measured the damage thresholds of deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (DKDP) from the near ultraviolet into the visible. Distinct steps, whose width is of order K{sub b}T, are observed in the damage threshold at photon energies associated with the number of photons (3{yields}2 or 4{yields}3) needed to promote a ground state electron across the energy gap. The wavelength dependence of the damage threshold suggests that a primary mechanism for damage initiation in DKDP is a multi-photon process in which the order is reduced through excited defect state absorption. In-situ fluorescence microscopy, in conjunction with theoretical calculations by Liu et al., has been used to establish that hydrogen displacement defects are potentially responsible for the reduction in the multi-photon cross-section. During the damage process, the material absorbs energy from the laser pulse and produces an ionized region that gives rise to …