PURPOSE To evaluate a new pulsed-electron avalanche knife design for creating a continuous curvilinear capsulotomy (CCC) and compare the CCC with a mechanical capsulorhexis. SETTING Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA. METHODS In this study, CCCs were created in freshly enucleated bovine eyes and in rabbit eyes in vivo. The cutting velocity was adjust...

A three-dimensional Monte Carlo model of the uniform relativistic runaway electron breakdown in air in the presence of static electric and magnetic fields is used to calculate electron distribution functions, avalanche rates, and the direction and velocity of avalanche propagation. We also derive the conditions required for an electron with a given momentum to start an avalanche in the absence ...

In this paper a detailed description of how to simulate charge transfer processes in a gaseous device is presented, taking the Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) as an example. A 3-dimensional simulation of the electric field and avalanche is performed. Results on charge transport are compared to experiment and agree within experimental errors; avalanche mechanism and positive ion feedback are studi...

PURPOSE To evaluate the advantages, disadvantages, safety, and surgical applicability of the pulsed electron avalanche knife (PEAK-fc), a new electrosurgical knife for "cold" and tractionless cutting, in vitreoretinal surgery. PEAK-fc is equipped with an integrated fiberoptic that makes bimanual procedures in intraocular surgery possible. METHODS A prospective consecutive trial of 18 eyes in ...

The characterisation of photodiodes used as photosensors requires a determination of the number of electron–hole pairs produced by scintillation light. One method involves comparing signals produced by X-ray absorptions occurring directly in the avalanche photodiode with the light signals. When the light is derived from light-emitting diodes in the 400–600 nm range, significant non-linear behav...

[1] Analytical and numerical models of the radio frequency emissions produced by relativistic runaway electron avalanches initiated by cosmic ray extensive air showers are presented. It is found that single-point measurements of the distant electromagnetic fields allow the remote determination of the electrostatic field in the runaway electron avalanche region. For instance, it is possible to u...

Investigation of the wavelength dependence (725 – 1025 nm) of the threshold for nanosecond optical breakdown in water revealed steps consistent with breakdown initiation by multiphoton ionization, with an initiation energy of about 6.6 eV. This value is considerably smaller than the autoionization threshold of about 9.5 eV, which can be regarded as band gap relevant for avalanche ionization. Br...