Thesis (MSc (Physics))--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis aims to comprehensively discuss ultrafast electron di raction and its role in temporally resolving ultrafast dynamics on the molecular level. Theory on electron pulses and electron pulse propagation will be covered, but the main focus will be on the method, equipment and experimental setup required to generate sub-picosecond electron pulses, which are needed to perform time resolved experiments. The design and construction of an electron gun needed to produce the electron pulses will be shown in detail, while preliminary pulse characterization experiments will also be illustrated. An introduction into the theory of electron diffraction patterns and how to interpret these diffraction patterns will conclude the thesis. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis het ten doel om ultravinnige elektrondi raksie deeglik te bespreek asook die rol wat dit speel om ultravinnige tyd-dinamika op 'n molekulêre vlak op te los. Die teorie van elektonpulse en die voortplanting van elektronpulse sal gedek word, maar die fokus sal op die metode, gereedskap en eksperimentele opstelling wees wat benodig is om sub-pikosekonde elektronpulse te genereer. Die ontwerp en konstruksie van 'n elektrongeweer, wat benodig word om elektronpulse te produseer, sal in detail bespreek word, terwyl aanvanklike pulskarakterisasie eksperimente ook illustreer sal word. 'n Inleiding tot die teorie van elektrondi raksie patrone en hoe om hulle te interpreteer sal die tesis afsluit.

Thesis (MSc (Physics. Institute for Laser Research))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / This thesis consists of two parts: a discussion on diode-pumped solid-state lasers and a detailed description of the development of a diode-end-pumped Nd:YLF laser. A background motivation, which places this research area in perspective, is also given. Part One introduces solid-state lasers and their physics. The focus is on the Nd3+ active ion and describes its energy level structure as a typical four-level solid-state laser. An overview of optical pump sources for solid-state lasers is given, focussing on the construction, operation and advantages of diode lasers. It is motivated that diode-end-pumping solid-state lasers produce laser systems with the highest efficiency and diffraction limited beam quality. It is, however, emphasised that power scaling of diode-end-pumped solid-state lasers is problematic due to localised heat generation in the solid-state laser medium. The adverse effect of heat generation on the laser performance is also described. In the design of diode-endpumped solid-state lasers, the management of thermal effects is suggested as the approach to scale the output power of these lasers. Part Two of the thesis describes the design and the results of a novel high-power diode-end-pumped solid-state laser developed at the Laser Research Institute. The description of the design is split into three components: the laser material, the pump source and the laser resonator. The choice of laser material is motivated in detail, focussing on Nd:YLF’s advantage of having a very weak thermal lens when operated on the σ-polarization at 1053 nm. Its disadvantage of having a low fracture limit is also highlighted, but the approach to power scale it to the multi-10-watt level, with the use of low doping concentration, a low absorption pump wavelength, and a large pump beam, is described. It is further shown that this approach led to the development of a novel laser resonator, which allows a large fundamental mode in the laser material to match the large pump beam, and it can compensate for the astigmatic thermal lens in Nd:YLF. The experimental results of the high-power diode-end-pumped Nd:YLF laser are presented, showing the influence of doping concentration, output coupling efficiency and resonator adjustments on the continuous wave and Q-switched laser performance. It is shown that the optimum laser parameters were determined, resulting in the Nd:YLF laser producing more than 26 W of continuous wave output power with a close to diffraction limited beam quality (M2 < 1.4), and more than 3 mJ of energy per pulse at a repetition rate of 6 kHz when Q-switched. It is concluded that the powerscaling concept proved to be efficient and that further power scaling would be possible with this scheme.

Thesis (MSc (Physics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The goal of this thesis is the development and implementation of a non-perturbative solution method for Wegner’s flow equations. We show that a parameterization of the flowing Hamiltonian in terms of a scalar function allows the flow equation to be rewritten as a nonlinear partial differential equation. The implementation is non-perturbative in that the derivation of the PDE is based on an expansion controlled by the size of the system rather than the coupling constant. We apply this method to the Lipkin model and obtain very accurate results for the spectrum, expectation values and eigenstates for all values of the coupling and in the thermodynamic limit. New aspects of the phase structure, made apparent by this non-perturbative treatment, are also investigated. The Dicke model is treated using a two-step diagonalization procedure which illustrates how an effective Hamiltonian may be constructed and subsequently solved within this framework.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis, generalized Dyson boson-fermion mappings are considered. These are techniques used in the analysis of the quantum many-body problem, and are instances of so-called boson expansion methods. A generalized Dyson boson-fermion mapping, or a Dyson mapping for short, is a one-to-one linear but non-unitary operator that can be applied to vectors representing the states of a many-fermion system. A vector representing a fermion system maps onto a vector that is most naturally interpreted as representing a state of a many-body system that contains both bosons and fermions. The motivation for doing such a mapping is the hope that the mapping will reveal some property of the system that simplifies its analysis and that was hidden in the original form. The aims of this thesis are 1. to review the theory of generalized Dyson boson-fermion mappings, 2. by considering a tutorial example, to demonstrate that it is feasible to implement the theory and 3. to find a useful application for a generalized Dyson boson-fermion mapping, by considering a non-trivial model, namely the Richardson model for superconductivity. The realization of the first two aims mainly involve the collecting together of ideas that have already appeared in the literature, into one coherent text. Some subtle points that were treated only briefly due to space restrictions in the journal publications where the theory was first expounded, are elaborated on in the present work. On the other hand, the analysis of the Richardson Hamiltonian that uses a Dyson mapping, goes beyond what has already appeared in the literature. It is the first time that a boson expansion technique is implemented for a system where the roles of both collective and non-collective fermion pairs are important. (The Dyson mapping associates bosons with Cooper pairs, while the fermions not bound in Cooper pairs result in fermions being present in the mapped system as well.) What is found is that the Dyson mapping uncovers non-trivial properties of the system. These properties aid the construction of time-independent perturbation expansions for the stationary states of the system, as well as time-dependent expansions for transition amplitudes between states. The time-independent expansions agree with results that other authors obtained through methods other than boson expansions. The time-dependent expansions, that one would be hard-pressed to develop without a Dyson mapping, might in future prove useful in understanding aspects of the dynamics of ultracold fermi gases, when time-dependent magnetic fields are used to vary the atom-atom interaction strenght. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word veralgemeende Dyson boson-fermion-afbeeldings ondersoek. Hierdie afbeeldings word gebruik in die analise van die kwantum veeldeeltjie probleem, en is voorbeelde van sogenaamde boson-uitbreidingstegnieke. 'n Veralgemeende Dyson bosonfermion- afbeelding, of kortweg 'n Dyson afbeelding, is 'n een-tot-een, lineêre maar nie-unitêre operator wat inwerk op vektore wat toestande verteenwoordig van 'n veel-fermion sisteem. 'n Vektor wat 'n fermionsisteem verteenwoordig word so afgebeeld op 'n vektor waarvoor die mees natuurlike interpretasie is dat dit 'n toestand verteenwoordig van 'n sisteem waarin beide bosone en fermione aanwesig is. So 'n afbeelding word gewoonlik gemaak in die hoop dat eienskappe van die sisteem, wat versteek was in die oorspronklike weergawe, voor-die-hand-liggend is na die afbeelding. Hierdie tesis het ten doel 1. om die teorie van veralgemeende Dyson boson-fermion-afbeeldings te hersien, 2. om 'n eenvoudige voorbeeld deur te werk, en so te demonstreer dat die teorie sonder moeite geïmplimenteer kan word en 3. om 'n nuttige toepassing te vind vir 'n veralgemeende Dyson boson-fermion-afbeelding deur 'n nie-triviale model, naamlik die Richardson model vir supergeleiding, te ondersoek. Die eerste twee van hierdie doelwitte behels hoofsaaklik dat idees wat reeds in die literatuur verskyn het, saamgevat word in een koherente teks. Sommige subtiele punte wat, vanwee beperkte ruimte, slegs kortliks bespreek is in die joernaalartikels waarin die teorie oorspronklik verskyn het, word in hierdie tesis meer breedvoering bespreek. Daarteenoor verteenwoordig die analise van die Richardson model met behulp van 'n Dyson afbeelding 'n nuwe bydra. Dit is naamlik die eerste keer dat 'n bosonuitbreiding ingespan word vir 'n sisteem waar sowel kollektiewe as nie-kollektiewe fermionpare 'n belangrike rol speel. (Die Dyson afbeelding assosieer bosone met die oorspronklike sisteem se Cooper pare, terwyl die fermione wat in die oorspronklike sisteem nie tot Cooper pare gebind is nie, sorg dat daar ook fermione teenwoordig is in die afgebeelde sisteem.) Ons vind dat die Dyson afbeelding nie-triviale eienskappe van die sisteem aan die lig bring. Hierdie eienskappe is nuttig vir die konstruksie van beide tyd-onafhanklike steuringsreekse vir die stasionêre toestande van die sisteem en vir tyd-afhanklike steuringsreekse vir oorgangsamplitudes tussen toestande. Die tyd-onafhanklike uitbreidings stem ooreen met resultate wat ander outeurs afgelei het sonder die gebruik van 'n Dyson afbeelding. Die tyd-afhanklike uitbreidings, wat kwalik afgelei kan word sonder 'n Dyson afbeelding, mag vorentoe nuttig wees om aspekte van die dinamika van baie koue Fermi gasse te verstaan, wanneer tydafhanklike magneetvelde gebruik word om die inter-atoomwisselwerking te manipuleer.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The radionuclide 75Se (T1/2= 119.8 days) decays to the stable isotope 75As by 100 % electron capture. Applications of this radioisotope include its use as a radiotracer in agricultural investigations and as a potential irradiation source in high-activity brachytherapy. The application of this isotope as a radiotracer in clinical studies has been limited due to a lack of availability of carrier-free 75Se. In this study the excitation functions for the production of carrier-free 75Se, other selenium radioisotopes and radiocontaminants produced via natBr(p,x) nuclear reactions were measured by the use of the stacked foil technique. Three separate stacks were assembled from aluminium and copper monitor foils and potassium bromide tablets. The latter were prepared by pressing KBr salt into tablets with a thickness of 200 mg/cm2 and a diameter of 20 mm, which are sandwiched between thin Al foils. The monitor foils, with a diameter of 19 mm, were punched from foil sheets. The stacks were irradiated at proton beam energies of 100.9 MeV, 66.8 MeV and 40.4 MeV respectively at the National Accelerator Centre cyclotron facility. After bombardment the KBr tablets were sealed in plastic bags to prevent the loss of any krypton isotopes produced. The gamma-ray spectra of the induced radioactivity in each of the target foils were recorded by means of a Ge-detector coupled with a SILENA 16-k multichannel analyser. The measured excitation functions for the above-mentioned isotopes are presented. Where applicable the cross-section values are compared with previously published values, while the others are presented as new data. Theoretical calculations by means of the computer code ALICE (IPPE) were also done for comparison. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die radionuklied 75Se (T1/2= 119.8 dae) verval deur 100 % elektronvangs na die stabiele isotoop 75As. Toepassings vir hierdie radioisotoop sluit in sy gebruik as 'n radiospoormiddel in landbou-ondersoeke en as 'n potensiële stralingsbron in hoë aktiwiteit bragiterapie. Die aanwending van hierdie isotoop as 'n radiospoorder in kliniese studies word egter beperk deur die gebrek aan beskikbaarheid van draer-vry 75Se. In hierdie studie is die opwekkingskrommes vir die produksie van draer-vry 75Se, ander selenium radioistope en radiokontaminante bepaal deur die natBr(p,x) kernreaksies te meet met behulp van die foelie-stapel metode. Drie verskillende stapels, bestaande uit aluminium- en koper-monitor foelies en kalium-bromied tablette, is saamgestel. Laasgenoemde is voorberei deur KBr sout saam te pers tot tablette met 'n dikte van 200 mg/cm2 en 'n deursnit van 20 mm en wat omsluit is met dun Al-foelies. Die monitor-foelies, met 'n deursnit van 19 mm, is gepons uit foelieplate. Die stapels is bestraal met protonbundels met energieë van onderskeidelik 100.9 MeV, 66.8 MeV en 40.4 MeV by die Nasionale Versneller Sentrum, Faure, se siklotron-fasiliteit. Na bombardering is die KBr tablette verseël in plastieksakkies om verliese van enige vervaardigde kripton isotope te verhoed. Die gamma-straal spektra van die geinduseeerde radioaktiwiteit in elke teiken is opgeneem met behulp van 'n Ge-detektor wat gekoppel was aan 'n SILENA 16-k multikanaal-analiseerder. Bogenoemde isotope se gemete opwekkingskrommes word aangebied. Waar van toepassing word die kansvlakwaardes vergelyk met vorige gepubliseerde waardes terwyl ander aangebied word as die eerste data bekend. 'n Vergelyking met die teoreties berekende kansvlakwaardes van die rekenaar kode ALICE (IPPE) word ook gedoen.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2000 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: What are the information processing capabilities of physical systems? As recently as the first half of the 20th century this question did not even have a definite meaning. What is information, and how would one process it? It took the development of theories of computing (in the 1930s) and information (late in the 1940s) for us to formulate mathematically what it means to compute or communicate. Yet these theories were abstract, based on axiomatic mathematics: what did physical systems have to do with these axioms? Rolf Landauer had the essential insight - "Information is physical" - that information is always encoded in the state of a physical system, whose dynamics on a microscopic level are well-described by quantum physics. This means that we cannot discuss information without discussing how it is represented, and how nature dictates it should behave. Wigner considered the situation from another perspective when he wrote about "the unreasonable effectiveness of mathematics in the natural sciences". Why are the computational techniques of mathematics so astonishingly useful in describing the physical world [1]? One might begin to suspect foul play in the universe's operating principles. Interesting insights into the physics of information accumulated through the 1970s and 1980s - most sensationally in the proposal for a "quantum computer". If we were to mark a particular year in which an explosion of interest took place in information physics, that year would have to be 1994, when Shor showed that a problem of practical interest (factorisation of integers) could be solved easily on a quantum computer. But the applications of information in physics - and vice versa - have been far more widespread than this popular discovery. These applications range from improved experimental technology, more sophisticated measurement techniques, methods for characterising the quantum/classical boundary, tools for quantum chaos, and deeper insight into quantum theory and nature. In this thesis I present a short review of ideas in quantum information theory. The first chapter contains introductory material, sketching the central ideas of probability and information theory. Quantum mechanics is presented at the level of advanced undergraduate knowledge, together with some useful tools for quantum mechanics of open systems. In the second chapter I outline how classical information is represented in quantum systems and what this means for agents trying to extract information from these systems. The final chapter presents a new resource: quantum information. This resource has some bewildering applications which have been discovered in the last ten years, and continually presents us with unexpected insights into quantum theory and the universe. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tot watter mate kan fisiese sisteme informasie verwerk? So onlangs soos die begin van die 20ste eeu was dié vraag nog betekenisloos. Wat is informasie, en wat bedoel ons as ons dit wil verwerk? Dit was eers met die ontwikkeling van die teorieë van berekening (in die 1930's) en informasie (in die laat 1940's) dat die tegnologie beskikbaar geword het wat ons toelaat om wiskundig te formuleer wat dit beteken om te bereken of te kommunikeer. Hierdie teorieë was egter abstrak en op aksiomatiese wiskunde gegrond - mens sou wel kon wonder wat fisiese sisteme met hierdie aksiomas te make het. Dit was Rolf Landauer wat uiteindelik die nodige insig verskaf het - "Informasie is fisies" - informasie word juis altyd in 'n fisiese toestand gekodeer, en so 'n fisiese toestand word op die mikroskopiese vlak akkuraat deur kwantumfisika beskryf. Dit beteken dat ons nie informasie kan bespreek sonder om ook na die fisiese voorstelling te verwys nie, of sonder om in ag te neem nie dat die natuur die gedrag van informasie voorskryf. Hierdie situasie is vanaf 'n ander perspektief ook deur Wigner beskou toe hy geskryf het oor "die onredelike doeltreffendheid van wiskunde in die natuurwetenskappe". Waarom slaag wiskundige strukture en tegnieke van wiskunde so uitstekend daarin om die fisiese wêreld te beskryf [1]? Dit laat 'n mens wonder of die beginsels waarvolgens die heelal inmekaar steek spesiaal so saamgeflans is om ons 'n rat voor die oë te draai. Die fisika van informasie het in die 1970's en 1980's heelwat interessante insigte opgelewer, waarvan die mees opspraakwekkende sekerlik die gedagte van 'n kwantumrekenaar is. As ons één jaar wil uitsonder as die begin van informasiefisika, is dit die jaar 1994 toe Shor ontdek het dat 'n belangrike probleem van algemene belang (die faktorisering van groot heelgetalle) moontlik gemaak word deur 'n kwantumrekenaar. Die toepassings van informasie in fisika, en andersom, strek egter veel wyer as hierdie sleutel toepassing. Ander toepassings strek van verbeterde eksperimentele metodes, deur gesofistikeerde meetmetodes, metodes vir die ondersoek en beskrywing van kwantumchaos tot by dieper insig in die samehang van kwantumteorie en die natuur. In hierdie tesis bied ek 'n kort oorsig oor die belangrikste idees van kwantuminformasie teorie. Die eerste hoofstuk bestaan uit inleidende materiaal oor die belangrikste idees van waarskynlikheidsteorie en klassieke informasie teorie. Kwantummeganika word op 'n gevorderde voorgraadse vlak ingevoer, saam met die nodige gereedskap van kwantummeganika vir oop stelsels. In die tweede hoofstuk spreek ek die voorstelling van klassieke informasie en kwantumstelsels aan, en die gepaardgaande moontlikhede vir 'n agent wat informasie uit sulke stelsels wil kry. Die laaste hoofstuk ontgin 'n nuwe hulpbron: kwantuminformasie. Gedurende die afgelope tien jaar het hierdie nuwe hulpbron tot verbysterende nuwe toepassings gelei en ons keer op keer tot onverwagte nuwe insigte oor kwantumteorie en die heelal gelei.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis presents an overview of the flow equations recently introduced by Wegner. The little known mathematical framework is established in the initial chapter and used as a background for the entire presentation. The application of flow equations to the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation and to the elimination of the electron-phonon coupling in a solid is reviewed. Recent flow equations approaches to the Lipkin model are examined thoroughly, paying special attention to their utility near the phase change boundary. We present more robust schemes by requiring that expectation values be flow dependent; either through a variational or self-consistent calculation. The similarity renormalization group equations recently developed by Glazek and Wilson are also reviewed. Their relationship to Wegner's flow equations is investigated through the aid of an instructive model. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis bied 'n oorsig van die vloeivergelykings soos dit onlangs deur Wegner voorgestel is. Die betreklik onbekende wiskundige raamwerk word in die eerste hoofstuk geskets en deurgans as agtergrond gebruik. 'n Oorsig word gegee van die aanwending van die vloeivergelyking vir die Foldy-Wouthuysen transformasie en die eliminering van die elektron-fonon wisselwerking in 'n vastestof. Onlangse benaderings tot die Lipkin model, deur middel van vloeivergelykings, word ook deeglik ondersoek. Besondere aandag word gegee aan hul aanwending naby fasegrense. 'n Meer stewige skema word voorgestel deur te vereis dat verwagtingswaardes vloei-afhanklik is; óf deur gevarieerde óf self-konsistente berekenings. 'n Inleiding tot die gelyksoortigheids renormerings groep vergelykings, soos onlangs ontwikkel deur Glazek en Wilson, word ook aangebied. Hulle verwantskap met die Wegner vloeivergelykings word bespreek aan die hand van 'n instruktiewe voorbeeld.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis the formation and properties of a polymer gel on and at a surface are investigated. The gel under investigation is defined as a three-dimensional network of macromolecules that form permanent links with one another and also with confining planar surfaces. The precise location of the crosslinks on the wall or on another macromolecule is not known prior to linking, and will differ from sample to sample. However, once the crosslinks are formed, they are assumed to be permanent. This random linking is the source of the disorder in the system, over which a quenched average has to be taken. An existing model [9] of network formation, with polymer-polymer crosslinks, is extended to incorporate a surface and polymersurface crosslinks. Within the framework of replica theory, statistical averages and physical properties of the system are calculated by means of a variational approach. Macroscopic information, in terms of the free energy of deformation, is obtained by using two different potentials to simulate the erosslinks mathematically. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word die vorming en eienskappe van 'n polimeergel, wat teen 'n oppervlak gevorm word, ondersoek. Die gel word gedefinieer as 'n drie-dimensionele netwerk van makromolekules wat permanente bindings met mekaar, maar ook met twee inperkende, platvlakke, vorm. Die presiese ligging van die bindings op die muur en op ander makromolekules is nie vooraf bekend nie, en sal verskil van een gel-monster tot die volgende. Sodra die konneksies egter gevorm is, word aanvaar dat hulle permanent is. Die lukrake bindingsproses is die oorsprong van wanorde in die sisteem, waaroor 'n wanorde-gemiddelde bereken moet word. 'n Bestaande model [9]van netwerkvorming, met polimeer-polimeer bindings, word uitgebrei om 'n oppervlakte en polimeer-oppervlak bindings in te sluit. Statistiese fisika gemiddeldes en fisiese eienskappe van die sisteem word binne die raamwerk van replika-teorie en 'n variasie benadering bereken. Makroskopiese inligting, in terme van die vrye energie van vervorming, word verkry deur twee verskillende potensiale te gebruik om die konneksies wiskundig voor te stel.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The following work focuses on the development and characterization of efficient, high-power, Thulium doped fibre lasers. Lasers emitting light around ~2 μm have generated a large amount of interest owing to the range of applications requiring and utilizing light centred on this wavelength. Laser light in this emission band is considered “eye-safe” which makes it ideal for applications where eye-safety is paramount. The aim of this work is to develop expertise in Thulium doped fibre lasers. Background information relevant to the functioning of Thulium doped fibre lasers is presented. An existing diode pumped, CW Thulium doped fibre laser is characterized. The wavelength output as well as the efficiency of the fibre laser was characterized for different fibre temperatures, indicating shorter wavelength output for lower fibre temperatures. Additionally, initial results indicate that without any wavelength control (fibre Bragg gratings, volume Bragg grating), the spectrum and laser output is temporally unstable. The design, development and characterization of a diode pumped, CW and Q-switched Thulium doped fibre laser is discussed. The design process and considerations are discussed in detail. Different feedback elements, including a volume Bragg Grating, are utilized to constitute the laser resonator as well as two lengths of doped fibre. The CW fibre laser is characterized with regard to its slope efficiency, spectral output, temporal behaviour, beam profile and polarization. A maximum slope efficiency of 37 % was obtained for 6.5 metres of active fibre, only limited by the onset of thermal damage of the fibre ends. Pulsed mode of the fibre laser was facilitated with the aid of an Acousto Optic Modulator (AOM). At a pulse repetition rate of 10 kHz and average power of 2 W, a maximum pulse energy of 200 μJ is obtained with pulse durations of 77 ns. This corresponds to a maximum peak power of 2.6 kW / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis fokus op die ontwikkeling en karakterisering van doeltreffende, hoëdrywing vesellasers met Tulium as aktiewe ioon. Lasers met uitset golflengte rondom ~ 2 μm verwek groot akademise belangstelling gegewe die verskeidenheid praktiese toepassings wat lig by ~ 2 μm vereis en benut. Laserlig in hierdie golflengtegebied word beskou as "oogveilig", wat dit ideaal maak vir toepassings waar oogveiligheid uiters belangrik is. Die doel van hierdie werk is om kundigheid in vesellasers, met Tulium as aktiewe ioon, te ontwikkel. Agtergrondinligting met betrekking tot die funksionering van Tulium vesellasers word eerstens bespreek. Daarna word 'n bestaande diode-gepompde Tulium vesellaser bespreek in terme van die karakteriseering van die uitset laser spektrum, asook die doeltreffendheid van die vesel laser vir verskillende temperature, wat dui op korter golflengtes vir laer temperature. Daarbenewens het die aanvanklike resultate daarop gedui dat sonder enige golflengte beheer (vesel Bragg roosters, volume Bragg rooster), die spektrum en uitsetdrywing tydelik onstabiel is. Die ontwerp, ontwikkeling en karakterisering van 'n diode-gepompde kontinuedrywing en Q-geskakelde Tulium vesellaser word bespreek. Die ontwerp-proses en oorwegings word in detail bespreek. Verskillende hoë-reflekterende elemente, insluitend 'n volume Bragg rooster, word gebruik om die laserresonator te vorm. Twee lengtes van die aktiewe vesel word ook eksperimenteel ondersoek. Die kontinuedrywing vesel laser word gekarakteriseer met betrekking tot die helling van die doeltreffendheidskurwe, spektrale uitset, tydsgedrag, straalprofiel en polarisasie. 'n Maksimum hellingsdoeltreffendheid van 37% was behaal vir 6,5 meter van 'n aktiewe vesel maar was beperk deur die aanvang van skade aan die vesel endpunt as gevolg van hitteoorlading. Pulsering van die vesellaser is bewerkstelling met 'n Akoesties Optiese Modulator (AOM). Teen 'n pulstempo van 10 kHz en met ‘n gemiddelde uitsetdrywing van 2 W, was die maksimum pulsenergie van 200 μJ verkry met pulslengte van 77 ns. Dit stem ooreen met 'n maksimum piekdrwywing van 2,6 kW.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: We present a theoretical approach that allows for the description of trapped Bose-Fermi mixtures with a tunable interspecies interaction in the vicinity of a Feshbach resonance magnetic field.The many-body physics of the system is treated at equilibrium using the well-established mean-field and local density approximations. This reduces the physics locally to that of a homogeneous system. We observe a rich local phase structure exhibiting both first and second order phase transitions between the normal and BEC phases. We also consider the global properties of the mixture at a fixed number of particles and investigate how the density profiles and the populations of the various particle species depend on the detuning and trap profile. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ons beskou ’n teoretiese beskrywing van gevangde Bose-Fermi mengsels met ’n verstelbare interspesie wisselwerking in die teenwoordigheid van ’n magneties-geïnduseerde Feshbach resonansie. Die veeldeeltjiefisika van die sisteem word by ekwilibrium binne die welbekende gemiddelde-veld en lokale-digtheid benaderings hanteer. Sodoende word die fisika lokaal tot die van ’n homogene sisteem gereduseer. Ons neem ’n ryk fase-struktuur waar met beide eerste- en tweede-orde fase-oorgange tussen die normale en BEK fases. Ons beskou ook die globale eienskappe van die mengsel by ’n vaste totale aantal deeltjies en ondersoek hoe die digtheidsprofiele en deeltjiegetalle van die afstemming en die profiel van die val afhang.