Experimental evidence of spontaneous symmetry breaking in intracavity type II second-harmonic generation with triple resonance

We describe a spontaneous symmetry-breaking phenomenon between the intensities of the ordinary and extraordinary components of the fundamental field in intracavity type II harmonic generation. It is based on a triply resonant cavity containing a type II chi(2) crystal pumped at fundamental frequency omega0. The pump beam generates a second-harmonic mode at frequency 2omega0 that acts as a pump for frequency-degenerate type II parametric downconversion. Under operating conditions symmetric with respect to the ordinary and extraordinary components of the fundamental wave, we show a breaking of the symmetry of the intensities of these two waves.     

Parameter fitting for piano sound synthesis by physical modeling

A difficult issue in the synthesis of piano tones by physical models is to choose the values of the parameters governing the hammer-string model. In fact, these parameters are hard to estimate from static measurements, causing the synthesis sounds to be unrealistic. An original approach that estimates the parameters of a piano model, from the measurement of the string vibration, by minimizing a perceptual criterion is proposed. The minimization process that was used is a combination of a gradient method and a simulated annealing algorithm, in order to avoid convergence problems in case of multiple local minima. The criterion, based on the tristimulus concept, takes into account the spectral energy density in three bands, each allowing particular parameters to be estimated. The optimization process has been run on signals measured on an experimental setup. The parameters thus estimated provided a better sound quality than the one obtained using a global energetic criterion. Both the sound's attack and its brightness were better preserved. This quality gain was obtained for parameter values very close to the initial ones, showing that only slight deviations are necessary to make synthetic sounds closer to the real ones.     

Nonmagnetic insulator state in Na1CoO2 and phase separation of na vacancies

Crystallographic, magnetic, and NMR properties of a Na1CoO2 single crystal with x approximately = 1 are presented. We identify the stoichiometric Na1CoO2 phase, which is shown to be a nonmagnetic insulator, as expected for homogeneous planes of Co3+ ions with S = 0. In addition, we present evidence that, because of slight average Na deficiency, chemical and electronic phase separation leads to a segregation of Na vacancies into the well-defined, magnetic, Na0.8CoO2 phase. The importance of phase separation is discussed in the context of magnetic order for x approximately = 0.8 and the occurrence of a metal-insulator transition for x --> 1.     

Rationalité des séries de poincaré et des fonctions zêta motiviques

Soient k un corps de caractéristique 0 et X une k[[t]]-variété (éventuellement singulière) plate, purement de dimension relative d. Nous prouvons la rationalité des séries de Poincaré motiviques et de fonctions Zêta dIgusa motiviques, associées à X, à laide de lintégration motivique, du théorème de désingularisation plongée dHironaka, de la théorie des modèles de Néron faibles pour les schémas formels et dun théorème délimination des quantificateurs en théorie des modèles.Revised version: 17 March 2004     

Fundamental Domains for Finite Subgroups in <Emphasis Type="Italic">U</Emphasis>(2) and Configurations of Lagrangians

We show that every finite subgroup of U(2) is contained with index two in a group generated by involutions fixing Lagrangian planes. We describe fundamental domains for their action on related to the configuration of these Lagrangian planes.     

Quantitative determination of the 3D dipole orientation of single molecules

Recently, different approaches have been implemented to detect single molecules with an optical dipole out of the sample plane. Principles to solve this problem of general interest have been laid but no detailed analysis has been performed to date. This paper is devoted to a quantitative analysis of the dipole orientation of out of plane molecules that we have detected by amplitude and phase masking of the input beam. The accuracy of the orientation is discussed.Received: 22 July 2003, Published online: 2 December 2003PACS: 32.50. + d Fluorescence, phosphorescence (including quenching)     

The parameterization and validation of generalized born models using the pairwise descreening approximation

Generalized Born Surface Area (GBSA) models for water using the Pairwise Descreening Approximation (PDA) have been parameterized by two different methods. The first method, similar to that used in previously reported parameterizations, optimizes all parameters against the experimental free energies of hydration of organic molecules. The second method optimizes the PDA parameters to compensate only for systematic errors of the PDA. The best models are compared to Poisson-Boltzmann calculations and applied to the computation of potentials of mean force (PMFs) for the association of various molecules. PMFs present a more rigorous test of the ability of a solvation model to correctly reproduce the screening of intermolecular interactions by the solvent, than its accuracy at predicting free energies of hydration of small molecules. Models derived with the first method are sometimes shown to fail to compute accurate potentials of mean force because of large errors in the computation of Born radii, while no such difficulties are observed with the second method. Furthermore, accurate computation of the Born radii appears to be more important than good agreement with experimental free energies of solvation. We discuss the source of errors in the potentials of mean force and suggest means to reduce them. Our findings suggest that Generalized Born models that use the Pairwise Descreening Approximation and that are derived solely by unconstrained optimization of parameters against free energies of hydration should be applied to the modeling of intermolecular interactions with caution.     

Design and synthesis of a novel family of semi-rigid ligands: versatile compounds for the preparation of 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals

Synthetic pathways to a range of novel semi-rigid tetradentate ligands, with sulfur, amido or amino donor groups, designed to coordinate technetium 99m have been developed. The technetium-99m complexes have been prepared and their stabilities in serum and by metathesis reaction via cysteine exchange reactions were compared. HPLC comparison of two (99m)Tc-complexes and their rhenium analogues led to the first proof of the nature of our radioactive complexes.     

Free Wreath Product by the Quantum Permutation Group

Let A be a compact quantum group, let nN ^* and let A _aut(X _n ) be the quantum permutation group on n letters. A free wreath product construction A*_w A _aut(X _n ) is introduced. This construction provides new examples of quantum groups, and is useful to describe the quantum automorphism group of the n-times disjoint union of a finite connected graph.