The measurement of pressure using laser-induced thermal grating spectroscopy, LITGS, with improved accuracy and precision is reported. Pressure values are derived from the record of the time-profile of LITGS signals by fitting of modelled signals to experimental data. The procedure is described for accurate modelling of the LIGS signals involving a sequence of calculation steps with appropriate weighting and calibration to determine the best-fit value of pressure-dependent parameters for averaged and single-shot measurements. Results are reported showing application of this model-fitting method to measurements of pressure in static cells using LITGS generated from NO in mixtures containing N 2 at pressures in the range 0.5-5.0 bar with accuracy of 1-3% and single-shot precision of 4-7%. Time-resolved measurements of pressure, using LITGS signals generated in toluene-seeded fuel vapour, during the compression and expansion strokes of a motored optically accessible engine are reported with pressure-dependent accuracy ranging from better than 10 to around 20% over the cycle and single-shot precision in the range 5-15% over the same range. Measurements in the engine under firing conditions were obtained over a limited range and slightly increased uncertainties associated with varying composition resulting from exhaust gas residuals. The method was found to be of limited utility for measurements in high temperature flames at around ambient pressures. List of symbols LITGS Laser-induced thermal grating scattering MFM Model-fitting method P Pressure T Temperature Λ Inter-fringe spacing of laser-induced grating c s Local speed of sound in the gas f osc Oscillation frequency of LIGS signal γ Ratio of specific heats of gas at constant pressure and volume m Mean molecular mass of gas molecules k B Boltzmann's constant µ Viscosity of the gas τ o Time delay offset on LIGS signal relative to zero of time reference τ g The inter-fringe transit time given by Λ/c s Re Reynolds number Q 1 The 'fast' quenching rate Q 2 The 'slow' quenching rate r The branching ratio between the 'slow' and 'fast' quenching channels. BBO Beta barium borate TDC Top dead centre CAD Crank angle degree NIST National institute for standards and technology (USA)

A systematic study of laser-induced thermal-grating scattering (LITGS) using nitric oxide as an absorbing species is presented as a means of thermometry in air-fed combustion. The relative contributions to the scattered signal from degenerate four-wave mixing, DFWM, and from laser-induced thermal-grating scattering, LITGS, are studied in the time domain for NO in N 2 buffer gas up to 4 bar, using a pulsed laser system to excite the (0,0) γ-bands of NO at 226.21 nm. LITGS signals from combustion-generated NO in a laminar, pre-mixed CH 4 /O 2 /N 2 flame on an in-house constructed slot burner were used to derive temperature values as a function of O 2 concentration and position in the flame at 1 and 2.5 bar total pressure. Temperature values consistent with the calculated adiabatic flame temperature were derived from averaged LITGS signals over 50-100 single shots at 10 Hz repetition rate in the range 1600-2400 K with a pressure-dependent uncertainty of ± 1.8% at 1 bar to ± 1.4% at 2.5 bar. Based on observed signal-to-noise ratios, the minimum detectable concentration of NO in the flame is estimated to be 80 ppm for a 5 s measurement time at 10 Hz repetition rate.

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Induction, tuning, or amplification of chirality in various classes of materials and probing their chiral response are subjects of growing research. Herein, a large chiral signal that is rapidly imprinted in achiral amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) thin films measured using synchrotron circular dichroism spectroscopy is reported. The chirality is induced by illuminating the films with pulsed circularly polarized (chiral) laser light for less than 2 μs in total. The effects of laser fluence and film thickness on the chiral response are described. The correlation of the optical results with structural studies by electron diffraction and model simulations suggests that alignment of reamorphized fragments in the crystallized film along the electric field vector of the light forms the centers that are responsible for the observed chirality. These results suggest opportunities for practical applications of this phenomenon and provide avenues for further studies of chirality induction in materials with impact in a wide range of disciplines.