High resolution Thomson scattering diagnostic for measurements of radial profiles of electron temperature and density in the gas dynamic trap.

The incoherent Thomson scattering diagnostic with multiple lines of sight is installed at the gas dynamic trap (GDT) for measurements of radial profiles of the plasma electron temperature and density. The diagnostic is built on the Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm. The laser input beamline is provided with an automatic system for alignment status monitoring and correction. The collecting lens uses ∼90° scattering geometry having 11 lines of sight in total. Presently, six of them (covering the full plasma radius from the axis to the limiter) are equipped with high etendue (f/2.4) interference filter spectrometers. The design of the spectrometer's data acquisition system based on the "time stretch" principle allowed for the 12 bits vertical resolution with a sampling rate of 5 GSample/s and a maximum sustainable measurement repetition frequency of 40 kHz. The repetition frequency is the crucial parameter for the study of plasma dynamics with a new pulse burst laser to be started in early 2023. Results of the diagnostic operation in several GDT campaigns show that radial profiles are routinely delivered with the typical observation error of 2%-3% for Te ⩾ 20 eV in a single pulse. After Raman scattering calibration, the diagnostic is capable to measure the electron density profile with the resolution ne (min)≃4⋅1018m-3 and error bars of 5%.

Nonstoichiometric Phases of Two-Dimensional Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides: From Chalcogen Vacancies to Pure Metal Membranes.

Two-dimensional (2D) membranes consisting of a single layer of Mo atoms were recently manufactured [ Adv. Mater. 2018 , 30 , 1707281 ] from MoSe2 sheets by sputtering Se atoms using an electron beam in a transmission electron microscope. This is an unexpected result as formation of Mo clusters should energetically be more favorable. To get microscopic insights into the energetics of realistic Mo membranes and nonstoichiometric phases of transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) MaXb, where M = Mo and W and X = S, Se, and Te, we carry out first-principles calculations and demonstrate that the membranes, which can be referred to as metallic quantum dots embedded into a semiconducting matrix, can be stabilized by charge transfer. We also show that an ideal neutral 2D Mo or W sheet is not flat but a corrugated structure, with a square lattice being the lowest-energy configuration. We further demonstrate that several intermediate nonstoichiometric phases of TMDs are possible as they have lower formation energies than pure metal membranes. Among them, the orthorhombic metallic 2D M4X4 phase is particularly stable. Finally, we study the properties of this phase in detail and discuss how it can be manufactured by the top-down approaches.

The possible formation of a magnetic FeS2 phase in the two-dimensional MoS2 matrix.

The possibility of a FeS2 phase formation in the 2D MoS2 structure was investigated by an ab initio DFT approach. Various concentrations of FeS2 in MoS2 have been analyzed, and it is shown that the energy favorable structures of the Mo1-xFexS2 composition are in-plane hybrid phases, FeS2 and MoS2 domains. After increasing the Fe/Mo concentration ratio up to 0.68, a complete transformation of the whole structure is predicted. We have found that the introduction of only a small amount of Fe atoms leads to a change in the electronic and magnetic properties of the film. An increase of the FeS2 nucleus size leads to the nearly monotonous increase of the magnetic moment governed by the exponential law.

Time Dependence of the Electron and Positron Components of the Cosmic Radiation Measured by the PAMELA Experiment between July 2006 and December 2015.

Cosmic-ray electrons and positrons are a unique probe of the propagation of cosmic rays as well as of the nature and distribution of particle sources in our Galaxy. Recent measurements of these particles are challenging our basic understanding of the mechanisms of production, acceleration, and propagation of cosmic rays. Particularly striking are the differences between the low energy results collected by the space-borne PAMELA and AMS-02 experiments and older measurements pointing to sign-charge dependence of the solar modulation of cosmic-ray spectra. The PAMELA experiment has been measuring the time variation of the positron and electron intensity at Earth from July 2006 to December 2015 covering the period for the minimum of solar cycle 23 (2006-2009) until the middle of the maximum of solar cycle 24, through the polarity reversal of the heliospheric magnetic field which took place between 2013 and 2014. The positron to electron ratio measured in this time period clearly shows a sign-charge dependence of the solar modulation introduced by particle drifts. These results provide the first clear and continuous observation of how drift effects on solar modulation have unfolded with time from solar minimum to solar maximum and their dependence on the particle rigidity and the cyclic polarity of the solar magnetic field.

Ionic Graphitization of Ultrathin Films of Ionic Compounds.

On the basis of ab initio density functional calculations, we performed a comprehensive investigation of the general graphitization tendency in rocksalt-type structures. In this paper, we determine the critical slab thickness for a range of ionic cubic crystal systems, below which a spontaneous conversion from a cubic to a layered graphitic-like structure occurs. This conversion is driven by surface energy reduction. Using only fundamental parameters of the compounds such as the Allen electronegativity and ionic radius of the metal atom, we also develop an analytical relation to estimate the critical number of layers.

Transport investigation of branched graphene nanoflakes.

We present a theoretical study of current-voltage characteristics of different junctions of graphene nanoribbons. We considered isolated Y- and T-junctions of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with various geometry parameters and a graphene Y-junction in the graphane sheet. Our ab initio calculations based on the nonequilibrium Green's functions formalism displayed the influence of the geometry parameters of different ribbons on the I-V curves e.g. the shifting of zero voltage regions. We showed that not only the shape of the structure, but also the arrangement of electrodes attached to the structure will lead to changes in the transport properties.

New upper limit on strange quark matter abundance in cosmic rays with the PAMELA space experiment.

In this work we present results of a direct search for strange quark matter (SQM) in cosmic rays with the PAMELA space spectrometer. If this state of matter exists it may be present in cosmic rays as particles, called strangelets, having a high density and an anomalously high mass-to-charge (A/Z) ratio. A direct search in space is complementary to those from ground-based spectrometers. Furthermore, it has the advantage of being potentially capable of directly identifying these particles, without any assumption on their interaction model with Earth's atmosphere and the long-term stability in terrestrial and lunar rocks. In the rigidity range from 1.0 to ∼1.0×10^{3} GV, no such particles were found in the data collected by PAMELA between 2006 and 2009. An upper limit on the strangelet flux in cosmic rays was therefore set for particles with charge 1≤Z≤8 and mass 4≤A≤1.2×10^{5}. This limit as a function of mass and as a function of magnetic rigidity allows us to constrain models of SQM production and propagation in the Galaxy.

Toward the Ultra-incompressible Carbon Materials. Computational Simulation and Experimental Observation.

The common opinion that diamond is the stiffest material is disproved by a number of experimental studies where the fabrication of carbon materials based on polymerized fullerenes with outstanding mechanical stiffness was reported. Here we investigated the nature of this unusual effect. We present a model constituted of compressed polymerized fullerite clusters implemented in a diamond matrix with bulk modulus B0 much higher than that of diamond. The calculated B0 value depends on the sizes of both fullerite grain and diamond environment and shows close correspondence with measured data. Additionally, we provide results of experimental study of atomic structure and mechanical properties of ultrahard carbon material supported the presented model.

[Optimization of pharmacological therapy for weakness syndrome in incurable patients].

In this work there is considered the possibility of correction of therapy for weakness syndrome in incurable patients with the use of drugs affecting dopamine and serotonin exchanges. It is showed that the use of 100 mg of ladasten, 16 mg of ondansetron orally per day and 50 mg of agomelatine per night is more effective in therapy for fatigue/weakness syndrome in incurable cancer patients compared to standard therapy.

Note: Spectrometer with multichannel photon-counting detector for beam emission spectroscopy in magnetic fusion devices.

A spectrometer based on a linear array photomultiplier tube (PMT) has been developed and calibrated. A 0.635 m focal length Czerny-Turner monochromator combined with a coupling optics provides an image of a narrow 0.5 nm spectral range with a resolution of 0.015 nm/channel on a 32-anode PMT. The system aims at spectroscopy of D(α) or H(α) lines emitted by a diagnostic atomic beam in a plasma (primarily a motional Stark effect diagnostics). To record a low photon flux of ∼10(6) s(-1) per channel with the time resolution of 100 µs, a pulse counting approach has been used. Wideband amplifiers scale single-electron pulses and transmit them to a digital data processing core hardwired in a programmable logic matrix. Calibrations have shown that the aberration-limited instrument function fits to a single detector channel of 1 mm width. Pilot results of passive measurements of D(α) light emission from the plasma confined in a magnetic trap are presented.

Cosmic-ray positron energy spectrum measured by PAMELA.

Precision measurements of the positron component in the cosmic radiation provide important information about the propagation of cosmic rays and the nature of particle sources in our Galaxy. The satellite-borne experiment PAMELA has been used to make a new measurement of the cosmic-ray positron flux and fraction that extends previously published measurements up to 300 GeV in kinetic energy. The combined measurements of the cosmic-ray positron energy spectrum and fraction provide a unique tool to constrain interpretation models. During the recent solar minimum activity period from July 2006 to December 2009, approximately 24,500 positrons were observed. The results cannot be easily reconciled with purely secondary production, and additional sources of either astrophysical or exotic origin may be required.

Cosmic-ray electron flux measured by the PAMELA experiment between 1 and 625 GeV.

Precision measurements of the electron component in the cosmic radiation provide important information about the origin and propagation of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. Here we present new results regarding negatively charged electrons between 1 and 625 GeV performed by the satellite-borne experiment PAMELA. This is the first time that cosmic-ray e⁻ have been identified above 50 GeV. The electron spectrum can be described with a single power-law energy dependence with spectral index -3.18 ± 0.05 above the energy region influenced by the solar wind (> 30 GeV). No significant spectral features are observed and the data can be interpreted in terms of conventional diffusive propagation models. However, the data are also consistent with models including new cosmic-ray sources that could explain the rise in the positron fraction.

PAMELA measurements of cosmic-ray proton and helium spectra.

Protons and helium nuclei are the most abundant components of the cosmic radiation. Precise measurements of their fluxes are needed to understand the acceleration and subsequent propagation of cosmic rays in our Galaxy. We report precision measurements of the proton and helium spectra in the rigidity range 1 gigavolt to 1.2 teravolts performed by the satellite-borne experiment PAMELA (payload for antimatter matter exploration and light-nuclei astrophysics). We find that the spectral shapes of these two species are different and cannot be described well by a single power law. These data challenge the current paradigm of cosmic-ray acceleration in supernova remnants followed by diffusive propagation in the Galaxy. More complex processes of acceleration and propagation of cosmic rays are required to explain the spectral structures observed in our data.

PAMELA results on the cosmic-ray antiproton flux from 60 MeV to 180 GeV in kinetic energy.

The satellite-borne experiment PAMELA has been used to make a new measurement of the cosmic-ray antiproton flux and the antiproton-to-proton flux ratio which extends previously published measurements down to 60 MeV and up to 180 GeV in kinetic energy. During 850 days of data acquisition approximately 1500 antiprotons were observed. The measurements are consistent with purely secondary production of antiprotons in the Galaxy. More precise secondary production models are required for a complete interpretation of the results.

An anomalous positron abundance in cosmic rays with energies 1.5-100 GeV.

Antiparticles account for a small fraction of cosmic rays and are known to be produced in interactions between cosmic-ray nuclei and atoms in the interstellar medium, which is referred to as a 'secondary source'. Positrons might also originate in objects such as pulsars and microquasars or through dark matter annihilation, which would be 'primary sources'. Previous statistically limited measurements of the ratio of positron and electron fluxes have been interpreted as evidence for a primary source for the positrons, as has an increase in the total electron+positron flux at energies between 300 and 600 GeV (ref. 8). Here we report a measurement of the positron fraction in the energy range 1.5-100 GeV. We find that the positron fraction increases sharply over much of that range, in a way that appears to be completely inconsistent with secondary sources. We therefore conclude that a primary source, be it an astrophysical object or dark matter annihilation, is necessary.

New measurement of the antiproton-to-proton flux ratio up to 100 GeV in the cosmic radiation.

A new measurement of the cosmic-ray antiproton-to-proton flux ratio between 1 and 100 GeV is presented. The results were obtained with the PAMELA experiment, which was launched into low-Earth orbit on-board the Resurs-DK1 satellite on June 15th 2006. During 500 days of data collection a total of about 1000 antiprotons have been identified, including 100 above an energy of 20 GeV. The high-energy results are a tenfold improvement in statistics with respect to all previously published data. The data follow the trend expected from secondary production calculations and significantly constrain contributions from exotic sources, e.g., dark matter particle annihilations.

Direct current H(-) source for boron neutron capture therapy tandem accelerator.

One year experience of dc H(-) source operation at 2 MeV tandem accelerator is described. The source delivers H(-) ion beams with controlled current in the range of 1-8 mA and energy up to 25 keV. Normalized 1 rms emittance for 8 mA beam is less than 0.2 pi mm mrad. Negative ions are produced on the cesiated anode of the Penning discharge, driven by plasma injection from the hollow cathode inserts.