We theoretically investigate the dependence of the enhancement of optical near-fields at nanometric tips on the shape, size, and material of the tip. We confirm a strong dependence of the field enhancement factor on the radius of curvature. In addition, we find a surprisingly strong increase of field enhancement with increasing opening angle of the nanotips. For gold and tungsten nanotips in the experimentally relevant parameter range (radius of curvature $\geq 5\,$nm at $800\,$nm laser wavelength), we obtain field enhancement factors of up to ${\sim}35$ for Au and ${\sim}12$ for W for large opening angles. We confirm this strong dependence on the opening angle for many other materials featuring a wide variety in their dielectric response. For dielectrics, the opening angle dependence is traced back to the electrostatic force of the induced surface charge at the tip shank. For metals, the plasmonic response strongly increases the field enhancement and shifts the maximum field enhancement to smaller opening angles.

The photofission cross-section of 238U was measured at sub-barrier energies as a function of the gamma-ray energy using, for the first time, a monochromatic, high-brilliance, Compton-backscattered gamma-ray beam. The experiment was performed at the High Intensity gamma-ray Source (HIgS) facility at beam energies between E=4.7 MeV and 6.0 MeV and with ~3% energy resolution. Indications of transmission resonances have been observed at gamma-ray beam energies of E=5.1 MeV and 5.6 MeV with moderate amplitudes. The triple-humped fission barrier parameters of 238U have been determined by fitting EMPIRE-3.1 nuclear reaction code calculations to the experimental photofission cross section.

The coronene molecules have been bombarded by protons of energy by 75 to 300 keV. The time of flight mass spectrum has been recorded using a two stage Wiley McLaren type spectrometer. A large enhancement in the doubly and triply ionized recoil ion is observed compared to the singly ionized one. The single, double and triple ionization yields have also been calculated using the continuum distorted wave eikonal initial state (CDW EIS) theoretical model and are compared with the experimental results. Experimental double to single ionization yield ratios and triple to single ionization yield ratios have been compared with the theoretical ratios which are found to be much higher w.r. t. the gas atoms. Evaporation peaks due to the loss of several neutral C2H2 and C3H3 are observed corresponding to their parent singly, doubly and triply charge coronene ions. Small fragmentation peaks CnHx+ (n = 3 to 7) are present in the spectra due to higher energy transfer by the projectile to the molecule. The hydrogen losses are observed in the cation, di-cation and tri-cation coronene peak structures. A maximum of the 7 H losses are detected which depends on the beam energy.