Tuesday - March 28, 2006

SLAC's Takashi Maruyama holds one of his cathodes. Image courtesy of Peter Ginter.

ILC Innovation: Improving the Photocathode

by Erik Vance

When built, the International Linear Collider (ILC) will generate one of the world's highest energy electron beams. And it will all start with an electron source called a cathode. This source releases the electrons when hit by laser and is the size of a nickel.

SLAC physicist Takashi Maruyama has spent twenty years studying photocathodes and is now working on one for the ILC. Using an innovative design for these crucial wafers, he has greatly increased their efficiency.

The ILC will require a high energy beam that is polarized, meaning that the electrons must all spin in the same direction.

Photocathodes are made of gallium arsenide, a semiconductor grown as a crystal. By itself, gallium arsenide polarizes a beam at about 50 percent. In 1991, Maruyama and his collaborators increased the polarization to 80%. For certain measurements, the improved polarization even allowed SLAC detectors to outperform CERN's LEP, which had 30 times more events. For the ILC, Maruyama is challenged to reach even higher polarization.  Read more...

SLAC Employee and Medical Personnel
Save A Life

By Kelen Tuttle

Last week, the staff at SLAC's medical department and a quick-thinking coworker saved a person's life. After falling sick at work, a SLAC employee decided to bike home to get some rest. However, a coworker stepped in before he could leave and insisted that they visit SLAC's medical office.

"The employee had a life threatening condition," said SLAC's Dr. Maria Gherman. "His coworker saved his life by bringing him to medical."

SLAC's medical personnel transported the employee to Stanford ER, said Gherman. He remains at Stanford Hospital, where his condition is now stable.

"Other coworkers should be engaged in doing something similar," said Gherman. "Many thanks to this person who showed such compassion and alertness."

ES&H Medical Department
Main Phone: x2281
Open: Monday - Friday,
          8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Building 41, Room 135

Visit the SLAC medical department website...

symmetry: The Beauty of Super-K

by Melissa Alexander

The reconstruction of the Super-Kamiokande detector in Kamioka, Japan, nearing completion. Photo courtesy of Melissa Alexander

Recently I discovered that one of the most beautiful expressions of Japanese craftsmanship is neither a vase in a Tokyo museum nor a carving in a Kyoto temple. Instead, it rests deep inside a mountain in the Japanese Alps. Its beauty is a side effect of its design as its purpose is not intentionally aesthetic, although its intended targets are themselves arguably rather lovely. This giant, liquid extension of human vision, a Cherenkov detector in search of ubiquitous, elusive neutrinos, is like many finely made things the result of thousands of hours of human labor.  Read more in symmetry...

Terry Anderson Publishes Article in the Liberty County Times

Farmyard showing a barn built by Terry Anderson's grandfather in the early 1930's. Photo courtesy of Terry Anderson.

Graphic Designer Terry Anderson has published an article in the Liberty County Times, a local paper near his hometown. The article describes his family history and the people of the region.

Events (see all | submit)

• Mar 28: (12:00 p.m.) WIS Seminar "The Intelligent Design Debate..."
• Mar 28: (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: The Ultimate Neutrino Detector (Adam Para) Oscillation Experiment
• Mar 29: (1:30 p.m.) SLAC RP & ESH Seminar Series: "Demagnetization of Permanent Magnets and High Level Dosimetry"
• Mar 29: (1:30 p.m.) Theory Seminar - Graham Kribs, U. of Oregon

Announcements
(see all | submit)

 Lab Announcements

• Flexible Spending Account filing deadline - April 30th
• Alpine Gate to Temporarily Close
• Construction Safety

Community Bulletin Board

• Invest for Your Retirement
• Al Ashley Fellowship Proposal Workshop
• New Classes: STAP and Tuition Reimbursement eligible
• Faculty Staff Help Center: Anger Management Group

News (see all | submit)

• The Collider Calamity  Scientific American
• Weeks After Killing It, NASA Resurrects Mission to Visit Asteroids  NY Times
• Plastics break the speed barrier  Science
• Optical rotation sheds light on vacuum  PhysicsWeb
• Mars Orbiter beams back first images  The Register

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What's Cookin' at the Linear Cafe (see weekly menu)

Tuesday
Breakfast Boosters	Made to Order Waffle with Mixed Berries, Whipped Cream and Bacon	$4.73
Hot	Chicken Noodle or White Bean and Swiss Chard	$2.35/$2.95
Taste	Roasted Turkey Breast or Black Pepper Crusted Cross Rib Beef with Anna Potatoes	$5.65
Good Food For You	Cashew Tofu or Cashew Chicken served with Vegetable Chow Mien and Steamed Rice	$5.55
Tossed	Chinese Chicken Salad	$5.45
Panini	Sliced Salami, Ricotta and Roasted Peppers	$5.35
Sandwich Favorite	Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich	$4.99