[en] The first application of a thinned back-illuminated ion-implanted and laser annealed CCD as a detector for extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy is described. The observed stigmatic spectra are in the 40-70 nm region and are produced by the excitation of some noble gases in open hollow cathode source installed in a normal incidence toroidal grating spectrograph. The results are compared with spectra obtained by other detector systems applied to the same instrumentation, showing that the CCD offers a much greater detection capability than a system using a converting scintillator and a comparable one with respect to a photon counting detector. (author)

[en] Observations of the emission from laser-produced plasmas of carbon, aluminum and tungsten have been performed by means of a vacuum normal-incidence stigmatic spectrograph. The detector used is a Peltier-cooled CCD, particularly treated so to be sensitive in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral range. The presented results include the spectrum emitted, in the range from 380 to 800 A, with spectral and spatial profiles along the expanding plasmas and absolute measurements of the plasma brightness. The measurements show an outstanding capability of this type of detector, in terms of sensitivity, resolution and dynamic range, with respect to traditional devices, for UV detection, as photographic film, intensified linear arrays and scintillator coated CCDs

[en] In this paper, we present a novel analysis of the feasibility of quantum key distribution between a LEO satellite and a ground station. First of all, we study signal propagation through a turbulent atmosphere for uplinks and downlinks, discussing the contribution of beam spreading and beam wandering. Then we introduce a model for the background noise of the channel during night-time and day-time, calculating the signal-to-noise ratio for different configurations. We also discuss the expected error-rate due to imperfect polarization compensation in the channel. Finally, we calculate the expected key generation rate of a secure key for different configurations (uplink, downlink) and for different protocols (BB84 with and without decoy states, entanglement-based Ekert91 protocol).

[en] The BEAR (Bending Magnet for Emission Absorption and Reflectivity) beamline is installed at the right exit of the 8.1 bending magnet at ELETTRA. The beamline - in operation since January 2003 - delivers linear and circularly polarized radiation in the 5 - 1600 eV energy range. The experimental station is composed of a UHV chamber for reflectivity, absorption, fluorescence and angle resolved photoemission measurements and a UHV chamber for in-situ sample preparation

[en] GINGER (Gyroscopes IN GEneral Relativity) is a proposal for measuring in a ground-based laboratory the Lense-Thirring effect, known also as inertial frame dragging, that is predicted by General Relativity, and is induced by the rotation of a massive source. GINGER will consist in an array of at least three square ring lasers, mutually orthogonal, with about 6-10 m side, and located in a deep underground site, possibly the INFN - National Laboratories of Gran Sasso. The tri-axial design will provide a complete estimation of the laboratory frame angular velocity, to be compared with the Earths rotation estimate provided by IERS with respect the fixed stars frame. Large-size ring lasers have already reached a very high sensitivity, allowing for relevant geodetic measurements. The accuracy required for Lense-Thirring effect measurement is higher than 10^-14 rad/s and therefore Earth angular velocity must be measured within one part in 10^-9. A 3.6 m side, square ring laser, called GINGERino, has been recently installed inside the Gran Sasso underground laboratories in order to qualify the site for a future installation of GINGER. We discuss the current status of the experimental work, and in particular of the GINGERino prototype. (paper)