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In this work, four waste paper composites were studied in terms of several photon interaction parameters over the energy region from 0.015 to 15.0 MeV. The waste paper and natural rubber (WP/NR) composites of different densities ranging from ρ = 0.894 to 1.16 gm∙cm−3 were used for shielding radioactive rubble at different time period stages. Some additives were also used including high-abrasion furnace black, paraffin wax, B4C, as well as magnetite. The deduced parameters of photon interaction: equivalent atomic number Zeq, exposure buildup factor and energy absorption buildup factor have been studied as a function of incident photon energy, WP/NR elemental composition, and for penetration depths, up to 40 mean free path. The Zeq numbers have shown slight variation over the selected incident energy range and buildup factors were found to be modest at low and high photon energy meanwhile their values increase widely over the intermediate energy region. In addition, kerma relative to air for photon energies from 1 to 20 MeV were computed and show dependence upon equivalent atomic numbers. In this work, it was clear that filled samples offer better shielding capabilities than unfilled ones. The obtained data could be useful for radiation physicists and scientists in estimating the y-irradiation received after applying such shields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide semiconductors have huge potential on X‐ray detection, due to their high atomic number, adjustable photoluminescence wavelength, superior stability, and simple fabrication process. Here, cesium lead halide nanocrystals (CsPbX3 NCs) are fabricated on paper substrate as scintillator screen for the first time. By means of all‐solution processed spray‐coating method with optimization of polymethyl methacrylate, large‐area (>600 cm2) and low‐cost (0.0975 dollar cm−2) flexible scintillator screens are obtained with high resolution (≈5 lp mm−1), low detection limit (2.97 μGy s−1), high light yield (≈30000 photons/MeV), and fast response speed (<15 ms). The screen can achieve high‐resolution X‐ray non‐distortion imaging for non‐planar objects and realize battery check and safety monitoring at a broad range of photon energy (10–160 keV). In addition, real‐time dose rates can be easily estimated through counting the luminous arcs of the designed visible indicator. More important, the screen shows remarkable tolerance to high‐dose X‐ray radiation (tolerance over 60 Gyair continuous radiation with only 3% performance degradation), water soaking (2000 h), and conventional storage (over 300 days without apparent deterioration under ambient conditions). Hence, this work may provide huge potential in the field of medical diagnosis, non‐planar detection, and safety monitoring in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent papers, Becke et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 158, 151103 (2023)] and then Becke [J. Chem. Phys. 159, 241101 (2023)] have developed a novel double hybrid density functional, "DH23," whose terms are based on good local physics. Its 12 coefficients are trained on the GMTKN55 (general main-group thermochemistry, kinetics, and noncovalent interactions) chemical database of Goerigk et al. [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 19, 32184 (2017)]. The lowest GMTKN55 "WTMAD2" error to date for any hybrid or double hybrid density functional was obtained (1.73 kcal/mol for the revDH23 variant). Here, we simplify DH23 by introducing a dispersion damping scheme involving atomic numbers only and one global parameter. The resulting new functional, "DH24," performs as well as its predecessors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of photon counting detectors (PCDs), spectral CT achieves higher performance than in the past, thus has better application prospects. In this paper, an adaptive dual effect decomposition (ADED) algorithm is proposed to perform the quantitative estimation of effective atomic number and electron density. The algorithm is an empirical material identification algorithm that achieves calibration by combining polynomials on the projection data and constraining in the image domain. In addition, we also propose an innovative effective atomic number estimation model with an accurate physical model that adaptively adjusts the parameters according to the x‐ray energy and material type. The performance of the algorithm was verified by experiment and simulation in this paper. Compared to the conventional basis material decomposition algorithm, the proposed ADED algorithm reduces the relative error in the quantification of the effective atomic number from 4.5%–12.0% to 0.3%–4.5%. Overall, the results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm significantly improves the accuracy of quantifying the effective atomic number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focused Very-High Energy Electron (VHEE, 50–300 MeV) and Ultra-High Energy Electron (UHEE, > 300 MeV) beams can accurately target both large and deeply seated human tumors with high sparing properties, while avoiding the spatial requirements and cost of proton and heavy ion facilities. Advanced testing phases are underway at the CLEAR facilities at CERN (Switzerland), NLCTA at Stanford (USA), and SPARC at INFN (Italy), aiming to accelerate the transition to clinical application. Currently, Monte Carlo (MC) transport is the sole paradigm supporting preclinical trials and imminent clinical deployment. In this paper, we propose an alternative: the first extension of the nuclear-reactor deterministic chain Njoy-Dragon for VHEE and UHEE applications. We have extended the Boltzmann-Fokker-Planck (BFP) multigroup formalism and validated it using standard radio-oncology benchmarks, complex assemblies with a wide range of atomic numbers, and comprehensive irradiation of the entire periodic table. We report that 99 % of water voxels exhibit a BFP-MC deviation below 2 % for electron energies under 1.5 GeV . Additionally, we demonstrate that at least 97 % of voxels of bone, lung, adipose tissue, muscle, soft tissue, tumor, steel, and aluminum meet the same criterion between 50 MeV and 1.5 GeV . For water, the thorax, and the breast intra-operative benchmark, typical average BFP-MC deviations of 0.3 % and 0.4 % were observed at 300 MeV and 1 GeV , respectively. By irradiating the entire periodic table, we observed similar performance between lithium ( Z = 3 ) and cerium ( Z = 58 ). Deficiencies observed between praseodymium ( Z = 59 ) and einsteinium ( Z = 99 ) have been reported, analyzed, and quantified, offering critical insights for the ongoing development of the Evaluated Nuclear Data File mode in Njoy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In proton acceleration from laser-irradiated thin foil targets, adding foams on the front surface or connecting a helical coil on the rear surface of the foil has proven to be an effective scheme to enhance proton energy. In this paper, we make the first attempt to incorporate the above two enhancement schemes for laser-proton acceleration by simultaneously adding foams and connecting a helical coil to a thin foil target. By utilizing such integrated targets in the experiment, focused beams were generated. The maximum proton energy and the number of energetic protons are apparently enhanced. Moreover, quasi-monoenergetic peaks were formed at the high-energy end of the spectra. Particle-in-cell plasma simulations and electromagnetic beam dynamics simulations show that the double-layer target not only enhances the energy of protons but also leads to a multiple-fold increase in the number of escaped electrons, which results in an enhanced post-acceleration in helical coil subsequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel low-cost phosphate glass preparation by using the melt quenching technique. It was investigated for use in diagnostic protective applications. The range of UV-VIS wavelength is used to estimate the optical energy gap. The MAC denotes the mass attenuation coefficients of the present glass were computed at low photon energies between 15 and 200 KeV using the MIKE program. The manufactured glasses parameters viz; the mean free path, half value layer, tenth value layer, effective atomic number, effective electron density, and linear attenuation coefficient denotes as follows; MFP, HVL, TVL, Zeff, Neff and LAC were determined. Furthermore, the molar volume, oxygen molar volume, and optical packing density of fabricated glass were assessed. The third-order susceptibility (χ(3) and non-linear refractive index of the present glass were determined. From previous results, it can be concluded that the glass has unique attenuation characteristics, therefore, can be used for radiation protection at low energy 15 to 200 KeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report a study of the low-lying states of deformed 21Ne within the framework of the quantum-number projected generator coordinate method (PGCM), starting from a chiral two-nucleon-plus-three-nucleon ( N N + 3 N ) interaction. The wave functions of states are constructed as a linear combination of a set of axially deformed Hartree–Fock–Bogliubov (HFB) wave functions with different quadrupole deformations. These HFB wave functions are projected onto different angular momenta and the correct neutron and proton numbers for 21Ne. The results of the calculations based on the effective Hamiltonians derived by normal-ordering the 3 N interaction with respect to three different reference states, including the quantum-number projected HFB wave functions for 20Ne, 22Ne, and an ensemble of them with equal weights, are compared. This study serves as a key step towards ab initio calculations of odd-mass deformed nuclei with the in-medium GCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray detection has widespread applications in medical diagnosis, non-destructive industrial radiography and safety inspection, and especially, medical diagnosis realized by medical X-ray detectors is presenting an increasing demand. Perovskite materials are excellent candidates for high-energy radiation detection based on their promising material properties such as excellent carrier transport capability and high effective atomic number. In this review paper, we introduce X-ray detectors using all kinds of halide perovskite materials along with various crystal structures and discuss their device performance in detail. Single-crystal perovskite was first fabricated as an active material for X-ray detectors, having excellent performance under X-ray illumination due to its superior photoelectric properties of X-ray attenuation with μm thickness. The X-ray detector based on inorganic perovskite shows good environmental stability and high X-ray sensitivity. Owing to anisotropic carrier transport capability, two-dimensional layered perovskites with a preferred orientation parallel to the substrate can effectively suppress the dark current of the device despite poor light response to X-rays, resulting in lower sensitivity for the device. Double perovskite applied for X-ray detectors shows better attenuation of X-rays due to the introduction of high-atomic-numbered elements. Additionally, its stable crystal structure can effectively lower the dark current of X-ray detectors. Environmentally friendly lead-free perovskite exhibits potential application in X-ray detectors by virtue of its high attenuation of X-rays. In the last section, we specifically introduce the up-scaling process technology for fabricating large-area and thick perovskite films for X-ray detectors, which is critical for the commercialization and mass production of perovskite-based X-ray detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator colliding beams of protons and lead ions at energies up to 7 Z TeV, where Z is the atomic number. ALICE is one of the experiments optimised for heavy-ion collisions. A fixed-target experiment in ALICE is being considered to collide a portion of the beam halo, split using a bent crystal inserted in the transverse hierarchy of the LHC collimation system, with an internal target placed a few metres upstream of the existing detector. This study is carried out as a part of the Physics Beyond Collider effort at CERN. Fixed-target collisions offer many physics opportunities related to hadronic matter and the quark-gluon plasma to extend the research potential of the CERN accelerator complex. Production of physics events depends on the particle flux on the target. The machine layout for the fixed-target experiment is developed to provide a flux of particles on the target high enough to exploit the full capabilities of the ALICE detector acquisition system. This paper summarises the fixed-target layout consisting of the crystal assembly, the target and the downstream absorbers. We discuss the conceptual integration of these elements within the LHC ring, the impact on ring losses, and expected performance in terms of particle flux on target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we obtain the shock velocities in mid-Z elements, namely, Al, Ti, and Cu by performing radiation hydrodynamic simulations using constant radiation drives consisting of equilibrium Planckian distribution along with high-energy Gaussian profiles. The drive temperatures have been varied from 80 to 270 eV, and the fraction of total energy density due to Gaussian distribution (α) changes from 0 to 0.4. Though the shock velocity in all the three elements rise with the strength of the drive temperature, its variation with α is quite complicated. Using simulations, we have shown that rear surface expansion is not responsible for the observed variation in shock velocity with the fraction of hard x rays at various temperatures and explained it in terms of distribution of total extinction coefficient over the spectral form of incident drive source leading to change in albedos. The percentage variations in shock velocities are found to be commensurate with those in albedos as expected for x-ray driven ablation process. Accurate scaling laws relating the drive temperatures with the shock velocities and α have also been obtained. In Al, subsonic to transonic transition temperature is found to increase with α, whereas in Ti it is found to decrease. We have explained the variation in transition temperature in terms of Mach number. As this transition temperature in Cu is anticipated to be high due to its higher atomic number and density, we did not observe any transition up to the temperature (500 eV) considered in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many studies in Odd–Even staggering (OES) of nuclear masses, but the research on nuclear masses by using the systematicness of OES is indeed very few. In this work, we analyze the relationship among the four neighboring nuclei based on the OES of nuclide chain with the same number of neutrons in atomic mass evaluation database (AME2016 database). Our purpose in this paper is to describe an empirical formula with one constant for OES of nuclear masses that can be useful in describing and predicting nuclear masses with mass number A ≥ 1 0 0. With the empirical formula and AME2016 database, the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of the nuclei that we have successfully obtained 172 keV for A ≥ 1 0 0 (the RMSD is 140 keV for A ≥ 1 5 8). This paper also uses Levenberg–Marquart (L-M) neural network approach to study the OES of nuclear masses (A ≥ 1 0 0 , RMSD ≃ 1 4 3 keV; A ≥ 1 5 8 , RMSD ≃ 1 1 9 keV). The results show that the RMSD of nuclear masses for A ≥ 1 0 0 based on neural network approach 30 keV decreases than that based on empirical formula (the accuracy is increased by about 17%). In addition, the predicted values based on the empirical formula and L-M neural network approach are consistent with the values in AME2020 database, and the difference between our predicted values based on AME2016 database and experimental values measured in recent years is small. These results show that the new relation for nuclear masses has good simplicity, accuracy and reliability. Accurate nuclear mass is helpful to the research of nuclear physics, nuclear technology and astrophysics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, α -decay half-life of axially symmetric deformed even–even isotopes with atomic numbers 8 8 ≤ Z ≤ 1 0 4 had been studied for the transition between the ground states of the parent and daughter nuclei. Quadrupole deformation of daughter nuclei (if any) is considered in calculations. The interaction between the α -particle and daughter nucleus includes the nuclear double-folding, the Coulomb and rotational terms. Wang's formula is used for coulomb interaction between spherical α -particle and deformed daughter nucleus. The Q-value of α -decay is calculated and used to obtain its half-life, based on the WKB approximation for the penetration probability of α -particle through the potential barrier. A Q-value-related formula is used to estimate the α -particle preformation factor. The calculated α -decay half-lives are compared with the available experimental data. The standard deviation between computed results and experimental data is obtained equal to 0.288. Comparison of our obtained standard deviation indicates well the validity of our chosen theoretical model. Furthermore, the characteristic of α -decay energy and half-lives confirms the shell effects at N = 1 2 6 magic number. Also, the obtained results predict similar closed shells behavior at N = 1 5 2 and N = 1 6 2 neutron numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a pioneering study of the electronic and optical properties of QPHT-graphene after adsorbing three types of alkali metal atoms (Li/Na/K) was conducted using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. The electronic properties study covers TDOS, PDOS, and Bader charge analyses, in addition to charge density difference. The optical properties study considers the complex dielectric function, complex refractive function, absorption coefficient, reflection coefficient and energy loss function under three types of polarization. The results show that all configurations exhibit a good optical response within a wide energy range of 0–25 eV and are anisotropic under all three polarization types. Under E x and E y polarizations, the adsorption of alkali metal atoms significantly enhances the absorptivity, reflectivity, and refractivity of the pristine QPHT-graphene. As the atomic number increases, it shows a regular oscillatory behavior. Under E z polarization, the QPHT-graphene optical response is concentrated in the high-frequency ultraviolet region, i.e., higher than 10 eV, and alkali metal atom adsorption has little effect on its optical properties. These results show that alkali metal atom adsorption can effectively modulate the optical properties of QPHT-graphene. This research can help to further understand the electronic and optical properties of QPHT-graphene and is instructive in promoting the application of new two-dimensional nanocarbon materials in the field of optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of nickel(II) with halogenazomercaptophenols (HAMPs) {1-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-2-hydroxy-4-mercaptophenol and 1-(5-iodo-2-pyridylazo)-2-hydroxy-4-mercaptophenol} in the presence of aminophenols (APs) 2,6-bis(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)-4-methylphenol and 2,6-bis(N,N-dimethylaminomethyl)-4-ethylphenol was studied by the extraction-photometric method. The charge of the resultant complexes was determined by the methods of ion electromigration and electrophoresis on paper. Colored complexes proved to be anions. Upon introduction of the aminophenols into the system the anionic complexes passed into the organic phase in the form of mixed-ligand complexes (MLCs). A single extraction with chloroform provided a 97.1–98.9% yield of nickel(II) in the form of an MLC. The optimal range of acidity of the medium, corresponding to a maximal and constant absorbance, was pHopt 2.4–6.5 (рHform 0.7–8.4). The maximum absorbance was reached within 8–12 min. The optimal condition for the formation and extraction of these compounds were identified as HAMP concentration of (1.12–2.34)×10–3 M and the AP concentration of (6.3–8.4)×10–4 M. A 20-fold increase in the volume ratio of the aqueous to organic phase did not affect the completeness of the extraction. Light absorption was at a maximum at 605–648 nm. In the composition of the MLCs, there was one mole of HAMP and AP each per mole of nickel. Using the Nazarenko method, it was found that Ni2+ is the complexing form of nickel. The number of protons it displaced from one H2L molecule turned out to be equal to 2. The performed calculations showed that the MLCs do not polymerize in the organic phase and occur in the monomeric form (γ = 0.94–1.07). The results of studies on the formation and extraction of MLCs of Ni(II) with HAMP and AP and the physicochemical and analytical characteristics of these compounds served as a basis for the development of new techniques for the extraction-photometric determination of Ni(II) in wastewater, bottom sediments, crude oil, and petroleum products of Baku. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smuggling of special nuclear materials (SNMs) through international borders could enable nuclear terrorism and constitutes a significant threat to global security. This paper presents the experimental demonstration of a novel radiographic technique for quantitatively reconstructing the density and type of material present in commercial cargo containers, as a means of detecting such threats. Unlike traditional techniques which use sources of bremsstrahlung photons with a continuous distribution of energies, multiple monoenergetic gamma radiography utilizes monoenergetic photons from nuclear reactions, specifically the 4.4 and 15.1 MeV photons from the 11B(d,nγ)12C reaction. By exploiting the Z-dependence of the photon interaction cross sections at these two specific energies, it is possible to simultaneously determine the areal density and the effective atomic number as a function of location for a 2D projection of a scanned object. The additional information gleaned from using and detecting photons of specific energies for radiography substantially increases the resolving power between different materials. This paper presents results from the imaging of mock cargo materials ranging from Z ≈ 5 − 92 , demonstrating accurate reconstruction of the effective atomic number and areal density of the materials over the full range. In particular, the system is capable of distinguishing pure materials with Z ≳ 70 , such as lead and uranium—a critical requirement of a system designed to detect SNM. This methodology could be used to screen commercial cargoes with high material specificity, to distinguish most benign materials from SNM, such as uranium and plutonium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (EDXRF) is a physical rapid detection method to analyze the types of elements through the energy characteristics of fluorescent X‐ray particles. When applied to the detection of food element content, it not only needs simple sample pretreatment but also the element measurement time generally does not exceed 10 min to have the accuracy of μg/g, which can greatly reduce the time and cost of detection. Due to the limitations of the EDXRF instrument and measurement mechanism, it has low sensitivity to light elements in food, and the detection sensitivity varies with elements in food element analysis. For example, the detection sensitivity of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu and other elements concerned by people is not high when the content is low, and the measurement accuracy is extremely dependent on the detector resolution. However, with the improvement of detector performance and algorithm optimization of EDXRF, the detection limit of this technology can reach 0.1 μg/g, the detection of trace elements has also been improved, which has made a new breakthrough in the field of food element detection. Therefore, this paper reviews that in recent 20 years, in order to overcome the various difficulties of EDXRF in food detection, the hardware optimization of EDXRF (For example, the development of an analyzer without sample preparation can greatly reduce the time required for the detection of food elements, and a series of instruments combined with EDXRF and cluster capillary technology can greatly improve the excitation efficiency of lighter elements in food. The spectrometer with a high‐resolution detector can improve the detection accuracy of target elements with low content in food) and in order to solve the problem of spectrum resolution in food detection, (For example, the wavelet transform method which has good performance in spectrum smoothing, identifying weak peaks and maintaining peak shape is applied to EDXRF spectrum resolution, which can better solve the problem that the X‐ray characteristic peaks of elements with a low atomic number in food are submerged) the reform and innovation of spectrum resolution methods are introduced. This paper summarizes and analyzes the representative application examples of EDXRF in food safety detection, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of EDXRF compared with other rapid detection or food detection methods in different situations, concludes its application conditions, and discusses the application prospect of EDXRF technology in the field of food detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) is a widely used method for in vivo elemental analysis. Particularly for bone, it is a non‐invasive technique that provides information on composition without significant risk to the patient. XRF contributes a capability for measuring elements beneficial to human health, such as strontium. This is a proposed supplement that has been shown in clinical trials to reduce fracture risk in people diagnosed with osteoporosis. Although XRF is a viable method for quantifying bone strontium, there are still factors that constrain its effectiveness. X‐ray attenuation through overlying soft tissue decreases the signal, consequently requiring correction before estimating the true concentration of strontium in bone. A correction factor can be applied to account for the reduced signal, but an accurate measurement of overlying soft tissue thickness is required. It has been shown that using the correlation between Compton peak count rate and overlying thickness can be used as an estimation of overlying tissue. Lucite is commonly used as a soft tissue substitute; however, its mean atomic number is appreciably lower than soft tissue, somewhat limiting its applicability. This study tests the feasibility of using cellulose filter papers as a substitute for overlying soft tissue to perform XRF analysis of strontium‐doped hydroxyapatite bone phantoms. Mass attenuation coefficients are shown to be closer to those of soft tissue (International Commission on Radiation Units' four‐component) than Lucite, and the Compton correlation is used to estimate thickness as a correction factor to quantify true strontium concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we investigate the impact of the higher-twist effects, resummed by the non-linear approaches for the QCD dynamics, on the inclusive observables that will be measured in future electron-ion colliders. We assume a phenomenological model for the dipole-nucleus scattering amplitude which takes into account the non-linear corrections and estimate the contribution of the different twists for F 2 A (x , Q 2) , F L A (x , Q 2) and ∂ F 2 A / ∂ l n Q 2 considering different values of the Bjorken-x variable, photon virtuality Q 2 and atomic number A. A comparison with the full predictions is performed and the impact of the distinct twists is estimated. Our results indicate that a future analysis of the logarithmic Q 2 slope and longitudinal structure function will allow us to probe the presence of the non-linear effects on the QCD dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Isotopic yield and half-lives of cold spontaneous fission for 2 7 9 D s and 2 8 1 D s superheavy isotopes are studied. The interacting potential between fragments includes mean field proximity and Coulomb potentials. Fission Q -value, driving potential, (V (r) − Q) and partial penetration probability of each possible individual fragmentation are calculated using W K B approximation. According to the tunneling effect, the most favored pair of fragments is produced for the highest Q -value or the lowest driving potential. A few fragmentation with higher Q -value are selected for each atomic number Z. It is found that for 2 7 9 D s isotope, the highest relative yield belongs to the 1 3 4 Te + 1 4 5 Ce fragmentation while for 2 8 1 D s , the combination 1 3 4 Te + 1 3 7 Ce has lowest driving potential and highest yield due to presence of fragments with magic or near magic proton and neutron numbers (Z = 5 0 and N = 8 2). By calculating yield of each fragmentation, its partial fission decay constant and then by summing over all decay constants for possible fragmentation, the fission decay constant for each superheavy isotope is obtained. Furthermore, half-life of each superheavy isotope is also estimated. Finally, the calculated half-lives using this method are compared with the experimental data. Good agreement achieved between our calculated half-lives and the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents experimental results from the SMOLA device on the testing of the helical mirror confinement hypothesis. Helical mirror confinement is the technique of an active control of axial plasma losses from a confinement zone by multiple magnetic mirrors that move along the axis in the reference frame of the plasma that experiences $\boldsymbol{E} \times \boldsymbol{B}$ rotation due to an applied radial electric field. Theory predicts that a helical mirror will provide an axial force that modifies the plasma flow and, simultaneously, density pinching to the axis. The force direction depends on the plasma rotation direction. Experimental data on the axial plasma losses at different direction of the magnetic mirror movement are presented. If the trapped ions move in the direction opposite to the direction of the axial losses, then the particle flux reduces in the broad range of the plasma density. The confinement improves with the increase of the fraction of the trapped particles (effective mirror ratio was up to $R_{{\rm eff}}=5.8\pm 1.4$). If the trapped ions move in the same direction as the axial losses, then the flux depends on density. At intermediate densities, the integral flux through the transport section rises compared to the plasma flowing through the straight magnetic field. The effective mirror ratio is lower and does not significantly depend on the fraction of the trapped particles (effective mirror ratio at intermediate density was $R_{{\rm eff}}=3.3\pm 0.8$). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Several new formalisms of Effective Atomic Number (Zeff) have emerged recently, deviating from the widely accepted Mayneord's definition. This comparative study aims to reexamine their theories, reveal their connections, and apply them to material differentiation on dual‐energy computed tomography (DECT). Methods: The first part of this paper is an in‐depth review of several highly cited Zeff formalisms. This part includes (1) refuting the claim in Taylor's study that the classic Mayneord's formalism was inaccurate, (2) showing that Mayneord's, Rutherford's, and Bourque's formalisms were equivalent, and (3) explaining the fundamental difference between Taylor's and Bourque's formalisms. The second part of this paper explains how we translated the theories into software implementation and added an open‐source Zeff calculation engine to our free research software 3D Quantitative Imaging (3DQI). The work includes developing an interpolation method based on radial basis function to make Taylor's formalism applicable to DECT, and devising a table lookup method to generate Zeff map with high efficiency for all appropriate formalisms. Results: Comparing Bourque's and Taylor's formalisms for six common materials over 40 ∼ 100 keV energy range, it was found that Bourque's Zeff values had a weak energy dependence by 0.18% ∼ 3.10%, but for Taylor's results this variation increased by a factor of 10. Further comparison showed that at 61 keV, different formalisms fall into two categories—Bourque, Mayneord, Van Abbema (a derivative of Rutherford) for the first category, and Taylor and Manohara for the second. Formalisms within each category produced similar Zeff values. For a material consisting of two elements, the two categories of formalisms tended to show a greater discrepancy if the constituent elements had larger difference in Z. The developed Zeff calculation engine was successfully applied to kidney stone classification and colon electronic cleansing. Conclusions: We renewed the understanding of several popular Zeff formalisms: Contrary to the conclusion of Taylor's study, Mayneord's power‐law formula is well grounded in theory; Bourque's formalism (based on the average electron microscopic cross‐section) is considered numerically equivalent to Rutherford's, but with the advantage of being mathematically rigorous and physically meaningful; Taylor's formalism (based on the average atomic microscopic cross‐section) is theoretically not suitable for DECT but a workaround still exists; Manohara's formalism should be used with caution due to a problem in its definition of electron cross‐sections. The developed Zeff engine in the 3DQI software facilitated accurate and efficient Zeff estimate for various DECT applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-energy computed tomography and the Alvarez and Macovski [Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733 (1976)] transmitted intensity (AMTI) model were used in this study to estimate the maps of density (ρ) and atomic number (Z) of mineralogical samples. In this method, the attenuation coefficients are represented [Alvarez and Macovski, Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733 (1976)] in the form of the two most important interactions of X-rays with atoms that is, photoelectric absorption (PE) and Compton scattering (CS). This enables material discrimination as PE and CS are, respectively, dependent on the atomic number (Z) and density (ρ) of materials [Alvarez and Macovski, Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733 (1976)]. Dual-energy imaging is able to identify sample materials even if the materials have similar attenuation coefficients at single-energy spectrum. We use the full model rather than applying one of several applied simplified forms [Alvarez and Macovski, Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733 (1976); Siddiqui et al., SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (Society of Petroleum Engineers, 2004); Derzhi, U.S. patent application 13/527,660 (2012); Heismann et al., J. Appl. Phys. 94, 2073-2079 (2003); Park and Kim, J. Korean Phys. Soc. 59, 2709 (2011); Abudurexiti et al., Radiol. Phys. Technol. 3, 127-135 (2010); and Kaewkhao et al., J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer 109, 1260-1265 (2008)]. This paper describes the tomographic reconstruction of ρ and Z maps of mineralogical samples using the AMTI model. The full model requires precise knowledge of the X-ray energy spectra and calibration of PE and CS constants and exponents of atomic number and energy that were estimated based on fits to simulations and calibration measurements. The estimated ρ and Z images of the samples used in this paper yield average relative errors of 2.62% and 1.19% and maximum relative errors of 2.64% and 7.85%, respectively. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the method accounts for the beam hardening effect in density (ρ) and atomic number (Z) reconstructions to a significant extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation induces deterioration to life, the environment and electronic gadgets. Also, the escalating quests in use of radioactive entities has induced increased radioactive hazards resulting in the need to fabricate advanced materials for efficient protection against the deteriorating effects of radiation. Inclusive of differing techniques to achieve radiation attenuation, the use of compounds exhibiting elevated atomic number (Z), including lead, has been attained. On the other hand, lead exhibit toxicity. Therefore, varying researches have investigated the use of minimally-toxic post-transitionally metallic-oriented compounds, such as bismuth. However, polymeric materials offer great prospects attributable to their inherent electrical, mechanical, thermal, as well as multi-functional dispositions. However, composites fabricated from polymers with elevated atomic number reinforcements facilitate attainment of materials exhibiting minimal weight, good flexibility, and exceptional processability. Therefore, this paper elucidates emerging advancements in synthesization of polymeric materials and nanoarchitectures for radiation protection, focusing on application of polymeric nanoarchitectures for attenuation of varying forms of radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a multi-scale numerical method to study the electrolyte material BaZrO3 (BZO) and gives numerical implementations and results. At the microscopic level, molecular dynamics (MD) is used to model the atomic structure of BZO. At the macroscopic level, the finite element method is used for loading and numerical solution. To bridge the microscopic and macroscopic scales, the concept of coarse-grained and coupled algorithms was used to establish a relationship between the atomic mass and the number of nodes in a continuous medium by means of a weighted residual method. This approach takes into account the anisotropy of the atomic structure of BZO and determines an intrinsic nature law through detailed modelling of the microstructure. We first describe the principle of the Atom-to-Continuum (AtC) multiscale approach and verify the accuracy of the multiscale calculation method by comparing the stress–strain curves of BZO with a central crack under the AtC method and MD simulations. The mechanical response of the crack under macroscopic and microscopic calculations is then observed and discussed by combining it with finite element software. Under the finite element simulations, the crack extends forward in a cleavage manner, while in the MD simulations the results show a clear directional dependence: the (100) surface fracture involves in-plane slip, with the crack propagating forward perpendicular to the plane between Zr and O; in the (110) surface the crack is unstable as it extends, resulting in a zigzag crack extension path, with the final crack remaining in the same direction as the initial direction remains the same. Our study not only reveals the fracture mechanism of perovskite oxide BZO but also presents a multi-scale approach that allows for large-scale calculations, providing a new way of studying the material design and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computed tomography (CT) is a technology for the simultaneous inspection of internal and external features of workpieces. However, beam hardening and scattered radiation artefacts caused by the different material densities and atomic numbers commonly confound CT measurements of multi-material workpieces. Multispectral CT (MSP CT) measurements reduce artefacts by combining multiple CT volumes performed with different x-ray spectra. However, all known simulation-based CT parameter optimisation approaches for industrial applications consider only the single-spectrum case. This paper investigates the CT radon space, focusing on sinogram interpretability. Multispectral CT x-ray spectra can be determined by defining and analysing sinogram areas corresponding to equivalent volume slice artefacts. Validation indicates that the two MSP CT spectra recommended via a proposed CT simulation considering critical sinogram areas cause an artefact reduction. Results are quantified by a standard deviation reduction of measured geometrical features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing paper describes the neutron–gamma photon efficiency of two vinyl ester composites utilizing MCNPX Monte Carlo Simulation Code (MCSC), analytical calculations, and newly developed Phy-X: PSD software. The colemanite and barite vinyl ester composites were irradiated by 252Cf radio isotopic source. In this study, new methods, namely Watt Fission Distribution (WFD) and Doppler Effect (DE), are used to extract the neutron–gamma photon spectra for vinyl ester series. Fast Neutron Removal Cross Section (FNRCS) and other related neutron attenuation features are derived by analytical calculations. The analytical results reveal that the increasing rate of barite in vinyl ester series rises the fast neutron shielding capacity of the sample from 4.722 to 7.117 cm−1, while a descending trend of 9.905 cm−1 to 9.572 cm−1 is found for the colemanite vinyl ester series. Moreover, the gamma photon Linear Attenuation Coefficient (LAC) is extracted via MCNPX simulation. Accordingly, increasing order of (LAC)V-C0% < (LAC)V-C20% < (LAC)V-C50% < (LAC)V-B0% < (LAC)V-B20% < (LAC)V-B50% is reported for the colemanite and barite vinyl ester series. The effective atomic number (Zeff) experiences a sharp peak for barite vinyl ester composites which may be due to the K-edge absorption of high Z element resources. From the obtained results, it can be deduced that V-C0% has the best neutron shielding performance, while V-B50% possesses the highest shielding capacity against gamma photon among the rest of the colemanite- and barite-containing resources. These results could be highly beneficial for further investigation in different fields of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most evaluated elemental fission product yield distributions are not experimentally measured. Instead, the majority of evaluated distributions are based on analytic expressions of the Zp -model for relevant cumulative yields. Here we report independent elemental fission product yield distributions of a 235U target for incident neutron energies ranging from 0.11 MeV through 92.4 MeV. Atomic numbers are calculated by an approach that combines a 2 E analysis with a stopping force analysis method, developed within this paper. These analyses are applied to more than 6.1 × 106 fission fragment ionization tracks captured within the NIFFTE (Neutron Induced Fission Fragment Tracking Experiment) collaboration fission time projection chamber (fissionTPC). A 3-Z resolution was obtained with the fissionTPC spatial and energy resolutions. Tabulated results are presented for the atomic yield and experimentally derived Zp values as a function of pre-neutron-emission fragment masses for the complete range of incident neutron energies. The stopping-force-derived Zp values tend to support the unchanged charge distribution theory within uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) is an indispensable technique in modern diagnostic medicine because it not only allows non-destructive, three-dimensional observation of the inside of the body but also provides images that highlight lesions. Recent developments in photon-counting (PC) CT systems have enabled contrast-enhanced CT scanning and quantitative evaluations, such as material discrimination and concentration estimation of contrast agents, using X-ray energy information. We established a PC-CT system that combines fast scintillators and multipixel photon counters (MPPCs) and demonstrated its performance. In this paper, we report the imaging performance of a PC-CT system using a mixture of contrast agents containing gadolinium and iodine. We performed CT imaging of a static phantom containing a mixture of the two contrast agents. The concentration of each contrast agent from the CT images in multiple energy bands were estimated. We succeeded in obtaining the concentration distributions for each contrast agent and verified the possibility of discriminating between two substances with different atomic numbers. In addition, the same procedures and analytical methods used for the static phantom were applied to the in vivo imaging of a mouse, in which gadolinium- and iodine-containing contrast agents were injected at different time intervals. We also succeeded in discriminating between the two contrast agents in vivo, making it possible to provide new imaging diagnostics such as the determination of necrotic tissues and normal blood vessels. Furthermore, we succeeded in creating three-dimensional concentration maps of gadolinium and iodine in a mouse, demonstrating the great potential of MPPC-based PC-CT for future clinical applications. • A silicon photomultiplier-based photon-counting CT system was established. • The concentration of iodine and gadolinium mixed contrast agents can be estimated. • Correction by Monte Carlo simulation improves the accuracy of the estimation. • The transition of the two contrast agents flowing in vivo is visualized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apatite-wollastonite (AW) is an important biomaterial useful in clinical practice for tissue engineering and other applications. In this research paper, AW and B 2 O 3 -doped AW glass ceramics (GCs) were reported and investigated deeply by means of their ability to attenuate gamma-photons. The studied samples denoted by AW, AW-10B, and AW-20B as the B 2 O 3 content from 0 to 20 mol% with the step of 10. Using FLUKA and other theoretical approaches, photon interaction parameters for narrow and broad beam transmission through the AW GCs were estimated for the 15 keV–15 MeV energy range. Also, the density of the GCs increased as the B 2 O 3 content increased. The mass attenuation coefficients were found to be within the ranges 0.0231–13.5659 cm2/g, 0.0225–12.3561 cm2/g, and 0.0220–11.1079 cm2/g for AW, AW-10B, and AW-20B, respectively. The effective atomic number of the GCs fell within the range 11.04–17.26, 10.88–17.01, and 10.21–16.72, respectively. As the doping concentration of B 2 O 3 increased, the gamma energy that the AW GCs were able to absorb decreased. The addition of B 2 O 3 compromised the photon shielding competence of AW in both narrow beam and broad beam scenarios. The GCs had better photon-absorbing competence than some existing gamma-photon shields. The GCs may thus be used as photon absorbers in clinical practice or in other nuclear applications. • Gamma attenuation of AW ceramic system is reported. • Experimental work is carried out. • Monte Carlo simulations are employed. • Dose rate and buildup factors are evaluated. • GCs had better photon-absorbing competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the influence of ZnCl 2 on the gamma attenuation and radiation shielding properties of tellurite glasses incorporating Bi 2 O 3 and B 2 O 3. Employing Geant4 simulation and XCOM program, the study explores the impact of varying ZnCl 2 content on different gamma attenuation parameters such as linear attenuation coefficient (μ), radiation protection efficiency (RPE), effective atomic number (Z eff), and HVL. Moreover, the relation between these factors and the density of the studied glass system is discussed in details. It is found that the incremental addition of Bi 2 O 3 significantly enhanced the photon attenuation properties of the tellurite glasses involved. The maximum Zeff values are observed at the low energy region between 0.015 and 0.1 MeV with the values of 53.016, 60.133, 65.950, 70.370, and 73.791 for the glass samples namely TBBZC1, TBBZC2, TBBZC3, TBBZC4, and TBBZC5, respectively. Furthermore, the HVL values fall between 0.0016 cm and 4.3546 cm indicates that the current glass system can be utilizes for gamma shielding applications. The results provide insights into the potential enhancement of radiation shielding efficiency in tellurite glasses, contributing valuable knowledge for the development of advanced materials in nuclear safety applications. • Radiation protection of TeO 2 –ZnCl 2 –B 2 O 3 –Bi 2 O glass system. • Significant influence of ZnCl 2 on the radiation shielding. • Monte Carlo simulations are employed. • A good agreement between the theory and the simulation. • TBBZC5 system has a potential use in nuclear and medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper presented the theoretical model of backscattered electron emission BEE, and the universal formulas for some parameters such as η (h , E po , Z), f (x , E po , Z and S (E po , Z) mean at E po = 20–100 keV were deduced, respectively. • The special formulas for some parameters such as η (h , E po , Z), f (x , E po , Z) and S (E po , Z) mean at E po = 20–100 keV of Au, Ag, Al, Cu, Bi and Pb were obtained and proved correct, respectively. • The special formulas for some parameters such as η (h , E po , Z), f (x , E po , Z) and S (E po , Z) mean of W and Mo were also obtained and proved correct, respectively. This paper presented the theoretical model of backscattered electron emission BEE, and the universal formulas for some parameters such as η (h , E po , Z) and f (x , E po , Z) at E po = 20–100 keV were deduced, respectively; where E po is the incident energy of primary electron, f (x , E po , Z) is maximum penetration depth distribution of emitted backscattered electron BE from atomic number Z bulk metals penetrated by primary electrons at E po , x is the distance from incident surface to the position where primary electrons are reflected back, η (h , E po , Z) is the backscattering coefficient at E po of Z metal films with film thickness h. From the deduced universal formula for η (h , E po , Z) and the relationships among the parameters of BEE from Au, W, Ag and Mo, the special formulas for some parameters such as η (h , E po , Z) and f (x , E po , Z) of W and Mo were also obtained and proved correct, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of a potential model to the analysis of differences between the Auger parameters of InSb and the elemental materials yields a value 1.82 ± 0.07 Å for the core hole screening distance in InSb. It also yields a value of 0.22 ± 0.49 e for the charge transfer in InSb. Shifts in the Auger parameters of elements between their metallic states and in a compound semiconductor are interpreted using a novel method based on quantifying atomic core potential, as a quantum mechanical observable, in terms of its dependence on the valence charge and the number of atomic core holes. The core hole screening distance is ∼ 30 % larger than half the interatomic distance between the nearest neighbors and, by the equivalent cores model, is expected to be the screening radius of Sn and Te impurities in InSb. • The main achievement of this paper is to determine the core hole screening distance in InSb. • The paper shows this has a value of 1.82 ± 0.07 Å. • The paper also establishes a method of determining charge transfer in semiconductors though the accuracy of this determination is rather poor: 0.22 ± 0.49 e. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have used the TOPAS Geant4-based package to create a parametric simulation of a new TOF-PET scanner design based on a low atomic number scintillator. TOPAS was extended to provide complete information on individual particle position, energy, and identity, allowing access to all particle interactions in the simulation. The data were then used as the 'truth' information of particle kinematics for the simulation of the TOF-PET scanner, as described in a separate paper. The Derenzo and XCAT phantoms were added to the simulation with in-patient scattering, positron emission placement, and positron diffusion. Running Geant4 simulations through TOPAS requires substantially smaller amounts of user training than would be needed in raw Geant4. This paper describes the methods used to simulate the low-Z whole-body scanner at reduced dose. Specifically, this paper covers the simulation of the FDG decay energy spectrum; the simulation of tissue densities, atomic compositions, and radiotracer doses within imaging phantoms with doses; the custom TOPAS extension used to record particle interaction data; computational performance; and required Geant4 libraries used in TOPAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis is presented that shows that the paper by Ruskov et al. [Phys. Plasmas 28, 112701 (2021)] gives incorrect physical interpretations to liner-on-plasma computational results and has mathematical deficiencies in the computational approach. The analysis also confirms a previous result: Mach2 calculations of the so-called staged z-pinch artificially inject energy that leads to the incorrect conclusion that the calculations should reach fusion temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new capabilities of the short focal length, high intensity beamline, named iP2, at the BELLA Center will extend the reach of research in high energy density science, including accessing new regimes of high gradient ion acceleration and their applications. This 1 Hz system will provide an on-target peak intensity beyond 10 21 W / cm 2 with a temporal contrast ratio of < 10 − 14 that will be enabled by the addition of an on-demand double plasma mirror setup. An overview of the beamline design and the main available diagnostics are presented in this paper as well as a selection of accessible research areas. As a demonstration of the iP2 beamline's capabilities, we present 3D particle-in-cell simulations of ion acceleration in the magnetic vortex acceleration regime. The simulations were performed with pure hydrogen targets and multi-species targets. Proton beams with energy up to 125 MeV and an approximately 12° full angle emission are observed as preplasma scale length and target tilt are varied. The number of accelerated protons is on the order of 109/MeV/sr for energies above 60 MeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Fermi-Löwdin orbital method for implementing self-interaction corrections (FLO-SIC) in density functional theory (DFT), the local orbitals used to make the corrections are generated in a unitary-invariant scheme via the choice of the Fermi orbital descriptors (FODs). These areMpositions in 3-d space (for an M-electron system) that can be loosely thought of as classical electron positions. The orbitals that minimize the DFT energy including the SIC are obtained by finding optimal positions for the FODs. In this paper, we present optimized FODs for the atoms from Li-Kr obtained using an unbiased search method and self-consistent FLO-SIC calculations. The FOD arrangements display a clear shell structure that reflects the principal quantum numbers of the orbitals. We describe trends in the FOD arrangements as a function of atomic number. FLO-SIC total energies for the atoms are presented and are shown to be in close agreement with the results of previous SIC calculations that imposed explicit constraints to determine the optimal local orbitals, suggesting that FLO-SIC yields the same solutions for atoms as these computationally demanding earlier methods, without invoking the constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates how secondary electron energy spectroscopy (SEES) performed inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM) can be used to map sample atomic number and acquire bulk valence band density of states (DOS) information at low primary beam voltages. The technique uses an electron energy analyser attachment to detect small changes in the shape of the scattered secondary electron (SE) spectrum and extract out fine structure features from it. Close agreement between experimental and theoretical bulk valance band DOS distributions was obtained for six different test samples, where the normalised root mean square deviation ranged from 2.7 to 6.7%. High accuracy levels of this kind do not appear to have been reported before. The results presented in this paper point towards SEES becoming a quantitative material analysis companion tool for low voltage scanning electron microscopy (LVSEM) and providing new applications for Scanning Auger Microscopy (SAM) instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicone-based polymer composites containing high atomic number additives are prioritized for the development of new materials for radiation shielding, due to their mechanical, thermal, electrical, and multifunctional properties. The X-ray attenuation properties, as well as mechanical properties, of the newly developed-lead-free multi-layered structures for radiation shielding, based on silicone composite layers containing tin, cerium oxide, tungsten oxide, and bismuth additives, are analyzed and discussed in this paper. It is shown that, by varying the additive concentrations in silicone composites, lead-free and flexible layered structures, exhibiting lead-equivalent X-ray shielding, can be fabricated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image plates (IPs) are a popular detector in the field of laser driven ion acceleration, owing to their high dynamic range and reusability. An absolute calibration of these detectors to laser-driven protons in the routinely produced tens of MeV energy range is, therefore, essential. In this paper, the response of Fujifilm BAS-TR IPs to 1–40 MeV protons is calibrated by employing the detectors in high resolution Thomson parabola spectrometers in conjunction with a CR-39 nuclear track detector to determine absolute proton numbers. While CR-39 was placed in front of the image plate for lower energy protons, it was placed behind the image plate for energies above 10 MeV using suitable metal filters sandwiched between the image plate and CR-39 to select specific energies. The measured response agrees well with previously reported calibrations as well as standard models of IP response, providing, for the first time, an absolute calibration over a large range of proton energies of relevance to current experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We re-examine the history of the element "nipponium" discovered by a Japanese chemist Masataka Ogawa in 1908. Since 1996 H.K. Yoshihara has made extensive research into Ogawa's work and revealed evidence that nipponium proposed for the place of the atomic number of 43 was actually rhenium (75). In this paper, we provide critical re-interpretations of the existing information and confirmed that Ogawa left indisputable evidence that nipponium was in fact rhenium. We further discuss the reasons for the existing doubts and criticism against Ogawa's discovery and Yoshihara's interpretation, and attempt to resolve them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the validity of the shell-evolution picture is investigated on the basis of shell-model calculations for the atomic mass number 25 ≲ A ≲ 55 neutron-rich nuclei. For this purpose, the so-called SDPF-MU interaction is used. Its central, two-body spin–orbit, and tensor forces are taken from a simple Gaussian force, the M3Y (Michigan 3-range Yukawa) interaction, and a π + ρ meson exchange force, respectively. Carrying out almost a complete survey of the predicted effective single-particle energies, it is confirmed here that the present scheme is quite effective for describing shell evolution in exotic nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel layered metal iodides, with a van der Waals stacking structure and large average atomic numbers, suitable energy band-gap, strong magnetoelectric coupling effect, are regarded as a new type of photoelectric detection material, including high-energy ray detectors. Some magnetic 2D metal iodides can be used in magneto-electronic devices. Due to the strong potential for applications in opto-electro-magneto devices, they become a hot research topic in low-dimensional materials. Moreover, in terms of material preparation, the generally low melting points, mild and simple preparation conditions make layered metal iodides a good candidate to explore the growth mechanisms of two-dimensional layered materials. The structure and properties of 2D metal iodides are introduced in this paper, and then focus on the preparation of two-dimensional layered metal iodides. Finally, their applications in opto-electro-magneto devices are discussed. Hopefully, the readers will gain a better understanding of two-dimensional layered metal iodides and largely promote their future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monte Carlo methods have become ubiquitous in our society. Although statistical estimation methods date to earlier times, Monte Carlo (MC) methods were born in 1949 with publication of the paper by Metropolis and Ulam (1949). We address some of the many ways that MC methods have evolved over the years. Specifically, we consider electron transport calculations by MC, improvements in sampling efficiency afforded by the discrete alias sampling method, and solution of inverse problems by the Symbolic Monte Carlo (SMC) method. As a graduate student, one of us (WLD) used MC to estimate the improvement of cylindrical Geiger-Müller tube efficiency at low energies due to use of a thin coating of high atomic number material on the inside tube surface. Our methods were approximate but the results were reasonably good. We will discuss how discrete alias sampling—introduced in 1974—can improve the sampling efficiency significantly over simple table look-up. Finally, we consider an inverse problem in which the form of the governing probability density function is unknown but desired. We also briefly address matters of perspective on use of MC methods. N. Metropolis, S. Ulam, The Monte Carlo Method, 1949, J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 44 , 335–341. • Comparison of simplified electron transport model with MCNP model. • Brief review of discrete alias sampling. • Example symbolic Monte Carlo problem. • Discussion of direct and inverse Monte Carlo formalisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a comprehensive dataset of X-ray emission intensity ratios has been compiled, including I L β / I L α , I L γ / I L α , I Ll / I L α , I L γ / I L β , I Ll / I L γ , I Ll / I L β , I L γ 5 / I L α , I L γ 44 ′ / I L α , I L η / I L α , and I L γ 1 / I L α , extracted from literature spanning the years 1971 to 2023, and encompassing 83 research papers. Over this timeframe, a total of 2600 values were collected, comprising some 678 values for I L β / I L α , 696 values for I L γ / I L α , 617 values for I Ll / I L α , along with 132, 132, 89, 60, 70, 71, and 55 data points for I L γ / I L β , I Ll / I L γ , I Ll / I L β , I L γ 5 / I L α , I L γ 44 ′ / I L α , I L η / I L α , and I L γ 1 / I L α , respectively. The reported values are presented with precision up to three to four decimal places, accompanied by their associated uncertainties. Additionally, the tables include calculated weighted averages (I L i / I L j ) W , uncertainty values (ε I S D , ε E S D), combined standard deviations (z I S D , z E S D), and average z-scores ( z ¯ I S D , z ¯ E S D ) for these intensity ratios. The data encompasses elements ranging from 39 Y to 94 Pu when excited by photon bombardment. The assessment of how these experimental data values are distributed according to atomic number indicates extensive coverage across most elements. However, a few isolated instances were identified where either no data or fewer than two data values were available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]