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We present results on underwater electrical explosions of thin aluminum and copper foils using a generator delivering ∼200 kA current amplitude, ∼0.9 μs rise time pulses. Time-resolved shadow imaging displays the generation of a strong planar shock wave in water in the vicinity of the exploding foil. Using time-resolved spectroscopy, aluminum oxide (AlO) absorption bands were observed in a Planckian-like spectrum, indicating that aluminum combustion starts when aluminum vaporizes. It is also shown that the strongest shock wave is obtained for the largest linear energy deposition rate to the foil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the features produced in flat metal foils as a result of nanosecond explosions and phase transitions at current densities of (0.1-2) ⋅ 109 A/cm². Thin foils made of aluminum, copper, nickel, and titanium, with thicknesses of 1-15 µm, were tested. The exploded foil structure was studied using X-pinch radiography and laser shadow imaging. Al, Ti, and Cu (5 and 7 µm thick) foils had an initial two-dimensional structure. At the same time, no apparent structure was registered in 1 µm Cu and 5 µm Ni foils. Experiments on generators with different output parameters have shown that the dominant structures that developed in the explosion are either cracks or bubbles and may depend on the orientation of the initial structure in the thin foil with respect to the current direction. In addition, the energy deposited in the foil differs by a factor of about 1.5 for the orthogonal vs parallel current and initial foil structure directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexoelectric effect is simply defined as the coupling between the strain gradient and polarization in solid dielectrics. It may be seen as an alternative transduction mechanism to the piezoelectric effect to directly sense the curvature of bent flexible thin structures. In the case of large curvatures, flexible and compliant sensors are required and soft polar elastomers may be suitable for curvature sensing. In this study, we report the flexoelectric characterization of soft semi-crystalline polyurethane (PU) films with thicknesses ranging from 1.7 μm to 350μm. Dynamic bending experiments have been performed on PU films deposited onto rigid steel substrates in the vicinity of the mechanical resonance frequency of the cantilever beams. Quasi-static flexoelectric coefficients of PU films could be obtained by using a classical oscillating model. A global large increase of μ'12 with the decreasing film thickness was found, especially for thicknesses lower than 25 μm. The variation of μ'12 is explained by the presence of a Young’s Modulus gradient through the thickness of PU films. Besides, a concomitant uncommon dramatic decrease in the dielectric constant is observed. The combination of these two effects contributes to enhancing the flexocoupling “F” constant with the decreasing thickness. At last, the potential use of a 6.6 μm-thick soft PU film as a large curvature sensor has been experimentally demonstrated by subjecting a flexible Aluminum foil/Polyethylene terephthalate bilayered cantilever to large deflections. A curvature of about 80m-1 (radius of curvature of ~1.2 cm) could be sensed under low frequency (3 Hz) bending motion. These results may pave the way for the development of low cost and easy to implement soft flexoelectric elastomer-based large curvature sensors on highly flexible metallic structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an acoustic receiver, transducer plays a vital role in signal acquisition and image reconstruction for magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI). In order to optimize signal acquisition, the expressions of acoustic pressure detection and waveform collection are theoretically studied based on the radiation theory of acoustic dipole and the reception pattern of transducer. Pressure distributions are simulated for a cylindrical phantom model using a planar piston transducer with different radii and bandwidths. The proposed theory is also verified by the experimental measurements of acoustic waveform detection for an aluminum foil cylinder. It is proved that acoustic pressure with sharp and clear boundary peaks can be detected by the large-radius transducer with wide bandwidth, reflecting the differential of the induced Lorentz force accurately, which is helpful for precise conductivity reconstruction. To detect acoustic pressure with acceptable pressure amplitude, peak pressure ratio, amplitude ratio, and improved signal to noise ratio, the scanning radius of 5–10 times the radius of the object should be selected to improve the accuracy of image reconstruction. This study provides a theoretical and experimental basis for transducer selection and application in MAT-MI to obtain reconstructed images with improved resolution and definition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoscale layers of nickel and aluminum can mix rapidly to produce runaway reactions. While self-propagating high temperature synthesis reactions have been observed for decades, the solid-state ignition of these reactions has been challenging to study. Particularly elusive is characterization of the low-temperature chemical mixing that occurs just prior to the ignition of the runaway reaction. Characterization can be challenging due to inhomogeneous microstructures, uncontrollable heat losses, and the nonuniform distribution of heat throughout the material prior to ignition. To reduce the impact of these variables, we heat multilayered Ni/Al foils in a highly uniform manner and report ignition temperatures as low as 245 °C for heating rates ranging from 2000 °C/s to 50 000 °C/s. Igniting in this way reveals that there are four stages before the reaction is complete: heating to an ignition temperature, low temperature solid-state mixing, a separate high temperature solid-state mixing, and liquid-state mixing. Multiple bilayer spacings, heating rates, and heating times are compared to show that the ignition temperature is a function of the bilayer spacing. A symmetric numerical diffusion model is used to show that there is very little chemical mixing in the first 10 ms of heating but significant mixing after 50 ms. These predictions suggest that ignition temperatures should increase for the slowest heating rates but this trend could not be identified clearly. The modeling was also used to examine the kinetic parameters governing the early stages of solid-state diffusion and suggest that grain boundary diffusion is dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The profiles of positrons implanted from the radioactive source 22Na into a stack of foils and plates are the subject of our experimental and theoretical studies. The measurements were performed using the depth scanning of positron implantation profile method, and the theoretical calculations using the phenomenological multi-scattering model (MSM). Several stacks consisting of silver, gold and aluminum foils, and titanium and germanium plates were investigated. We notice that the MSM describes well the experimental profiles; however when the stack consisting of silver and gold foils, the backscattering and linear absorption coefficients differ significantly from those reported in the literature. We suggest the energy dependency of the backscattering coefficient for silver and gold. In the stacks which comprise titanium and germanium plates, there were observed the features, which indicate the presence of the 'accumulation effect' in the experimental implantation profile. This effect was previously detected in implantation profiles in Monte Carlo simulations using the GEANT4 tool kit, and it consists in higher localization of positrons close the interface. We suppose that this effect can be essential for positron annihilation in any heterogeneous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time-resolved light emission imaging was used to observe the plasma formation within the cavity of the double-gap vircator powered by a sub-microsecond generator (∼500 kV, ∼10 kA, ∼500 ns). The vircator generated well reproducible S-band microwave pulses of ∼200 MW peak power and up to 200 ns full duration. The plasma light emission was observed ∼30 ns prior to the ending of the generated microwave pulses at the surface of the aluminum foil separating the vircator cavity gaps, in the gap where the virtual cathode is formed. Estimations showed that the energy deposition into the foil by the high-current electron beam is sufficient for the surface plasma formation. The plasma ions accelerated toward the virtual cathode neutralize its electron space charge. The latter was confirmed by the increase in the electron current transmitted through the vircator cavity. In addition, the time of the plasma appearance was determined by comparing the measured transmitted current with that following from the one-dimensional model of a stationary un-neutralized two-stream electron flow. This time agrees with the maximum of the microwave power observed in the experiments, thus showing that the plasma ions cause the termination of the microwave generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated high-frequency ultrasound generated by single laser pulses in thin (50 μm) aluminum foils as a function of the laser fluence. Laser-pulse durations of 80 fs and 270 ps were used to compare the ultrasound generated in two very different regimes: thermoelastic and ablation. The measured rear-surface displacement induced by the ultrasound pulse is similar after 50-μm propagation through the foils for the two laser-pulse durations in the fluence range of 0.1–0.7 J/cm2. For fluences greater than the ablation threshold (0.25 and 0.63 J/cm2 for the 80-fs and 270-ps pulses, respectively), the ultrasound amplitude generated by the 270-ps laser pulse is increased significantly due to absorption of laser energy by the ablating plasma. This is not observed for the 80-fs laser pulse since ablation is produced well after the laser-pulse irradiation of the target. The measured surface displacement as a function of laser fluence is compared to the calculations of a one-dimensional fluid code for both laser-pulse durations. The model calculations agree in many ways with the experimental results, but some discrepancies are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An inductive-based power supply (240 μH, 50 kA) was used for the investigation of the foil explosion process in the time range of 0.05 ms

We show the feasibility of simultaneous measurement of shock velocity and released particle velocity after shock at Mbar pressure. The shock wave is driven by a laser pulse of 1.2 ps duration full width at half maximum), with the intensity of ∼10[SUP14]W/cm[SUP2] at 785 nm, irradiating a 500-nm-thick aluminum foil. A chirped laser pulse split from the main pulse is applied to detect the shock breakout process at the rear surface of the target based on frequency domain interferometry. The mean shock velocity determination benefits from the precise synchronization <100 fs resolution) of the shock pump and probe laser pulse, which is calculated from the time the shock takes to travel the 500-nm-thick aluminum. The released particle velocity determination takes advantage of the chirped pulse frequency domain interferometry. The two measured parameters are self-consistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the photoluminescence (PL) from anodic alumina membranes with an ordered nanopore array formed on bulk Al foils. Most of the membranes fabricated by anodization in oxalic acid showed a strong PL peak in the blue. Due to an obvious asymmetry, the PL peak can be Gaussian divided into two bands around 405 and 455 nm, having a slight shift with the sample formed in different acid concentrations. The PL excitation (PLE) spectral examinations and analyses revealed that the two blue PL bands originate from optical transitions in two kinds of different oxygen-deficient defect centers, F (oxygen vacancy with two electrons) and F[sup +] (oxygen vacancy with only one electron) centers. Their distributions were discussed on the basis of the observed PL and PLE behaviors. Our experimental results improve the understanding of the blue-emitting property of anodic alumina membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the spall in metals at ultra high strain rate using short pulsed laser-induced shock waves in copper and aluminum foils. Definition of spall; Details on the experimental method; Discussion on the experimental results.

Ultrashort laser pulses having 50 fs duration were used to cause planer fracture, i.e., spallation, in pure aluminum foils at intensities of (0.07-1)x10[sup 15] W/cm[sup 2]. A linear relationship was obtained between spall depth and foil thickness, approximately corresponding to the proportions that were obtained in other relations for 300 ps and longer laser pulse irradiation. Spall thicknesses less than 5 μm were obtained in foils thinner than 50 μm, and revealed small-scale spallation at a strain rate exceeding 10[sup 8] s[sup -1]. This ultrashort laser pulse evidently produced a shock wave followed by a steep unloading stress profile. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that measured the transmission extended electron energy-loss fine-structure of aluminum foil. Determination of the edge spectra; Correlation between the temperature and electron energy-loss; Analysis of the Fourier transforms of aluminum.