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We study optical gain in a gas of cold 39K atoms. The gain is observed during operation of a conventional magneto-optical trap without the need for additional fields. Measurements of transmission spectra from a weak probe show that the gain…
Defects introduced to the surface of Bi(111) break the translational symmetry and modify the surface states locally. We present a theoretical and experimental study of the 2D defects on the surface of Bi(111) and the states that they…
Cassini/UVIS FUV observations of stellar occultations at Titan are well suited for probing its atmospheric composition and structure. However, due to instrument pointing motion, only five out of tens of observations have been analyzed. We…
Raman spectroscopy is one of the widely used methods in the analysis of various samples including carbon-based materials. This study aimed to identify the number of layers and defects in graphene using micro-Raman spectroscopy. More…
This work presents a procedure that can quickly identify and isolate methane emission sources leading to expedient remediation. Minimizing the time required to identify a leak and the subsequent time to dispatch repair crews can…
We exploit the near field enhancement of nano-antennas to investigate the Raman spectra of otherwise not optically detectable carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We demonstrate that a top-down fabrication approach is particularly promising when…
The study of temperate sub-Neptunes is the new frontier in exoplanetary science. A major development in the past year has been the first detection of carbon-bearing molecules in the atmosphere of a temperate sub-Neptune, K2-18 b, a possible…
Saturn's moon Iapetus, which is in synchronous rotation, is covered by an optically dark material mainly on its leading side, while its trailing side is significantly brighter. Because longer wavelengths probe deeper into the subsurface,…
Harvesting condensed atmospheric vapour as dew water can be an alternative or complementary potable water resource in specific arid or insular areas. Such radiation-cooled condensing devices use already existing flat surfaces (roofs) or…
The optical transmission of resonant guided-mode gratings patterned on suspended silicon nitride thin films and illuminated at normal incidence with a Gaussian beam are investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Effects due to the…
Future direct-imaging exoplanet missions such as WFIRST/AFTA, Exo-C, and Exo-S will measure the reflectivity of exoplanets at visible wavelengths. The exoplanets to be observed will be located further away from their parent stars than is…
Titan's atmosphere is a natural laboratory for exploring the photochemical synthesis of organic molecules. Significant recent advances in the study of the atmosphere of Titan include: (a) detection of C$_3$ molecules: C$_3$H$_6$,…
We investigate theoretically the light reflectance of a graphene layer prepared on the top of one-dimensional Si/SiO2 photonic crystal (1DPC). It is shown that the visibility of the graphene layers is enhanced greatly when 1DPC is added,…
The method of the optical parameter estimations of the nonisothermal giant planet atmospheres by using intensity data of Raman scattering features was used. We applied this method to the observational data of Uranus' geometric albedo…
We present results from mid-infrared imaging of Uranus at wavelengths of 13.0 micron and 18.7 micron, sensing emission from the stratosphere and upper troposphere, acquired using the VISIR instrument at the Very Large Telescope (VLT),…
On Titan, methane (CH4) and ethane (C2H6) are the dominant species found in the lakes and seas. In this study, we have combined laboratory work and modeling to refine the methane-ethane binary phase diagram at low temperatures and probe how…
Metastable silicon phases have attracted extensive attention these years, due to their fundamentally distinct photoelectric properties compared to the conventional diamond cubic (I) counterpart. Certain metastable phases, prepared via…
Impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed in high quality Vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films. This technique allows us investigate the resistive and capacitive contribution to the dielectric response near the metal-insulator…
We investigated the adsorption of iodine on silver (111) in ultra-high vacuum. Using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (LT-STM) measurements we catalog the complex surface structures on the local scale. We identified three…
Water vapour is delivered to Saturn's stratosphere by Enceladus' plumes and subsequent diffusion in the planet system. It is expected to condense into a haze in the middle stratosphere. The hot stratospheric vortex (the `beacon') that…