Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is a method for detecting a class of target species containing quadrupolar nuclei in a specimen by nuclear quadrupole resonance, comprising: (a) generating a random or pseudo-random train of rf pulses; (b) irradiating the specimen with the train of rf pulses; (c) detecting an NQR signal in response to irradiating the specimen; (d) cross-correlating the NQR signal with the random or pseudo-random train of rf pulses, thereby generating a free induction decay signal; and (e) converting the free induction decay signal into a frequency domain signal. Another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention is a controllable surface based upon a 1:3 piezoeleic composite (sometimes referred to as a 1-3 composite or a 1/3 composite). The 1:3 piezoelectric composite has a first planar electrode plate, a first plurality of piezoelectric rods fixed to and extending normally from the first planar electrode plate, a second plurality of piezoelectric rods fixed to and extending normally from the first planar electrode plate, and a second planar electrode plate, coupled to the first plurality of piezoelectric rods and decoupled from the second plurality of piezoelectric rods, essentially parallel to and opposing the first planar electrode plate. The first plurality of piezoelectric rods act as actuators, and urge the first planar electrode plate in a direction normal to said plate in response to an actuator signal (applied as a bias between the two planar electrode plates).