Synthesis of gold nanoparticles by laser ablation in toluene: quenching and recovery of the surface plasmon absorption

Gold nanoparticles are synthesized by laser ablation of a gold plate in toluene. The nanoparticles do not show their characteristic surface plasmon absorption (SPA) and are found to be included in a graphitic matrix. The absence of this absorption is found to derive from the presence of the matrix which prevents the growth of large nanoparticles and covers them, suppressing the SPA according to the Mie model for core@shell particles. It is possible to recover the nanoparticle SPA by oxidizing the carbon matrix, obtaining, therefore, some control on the activity of this absorption.     

Three-dimensional image fusion by use of multiwavelength digital holography

We present three-dimensional (3D) image fusion by use of digital holography. We demonstrate experimentally that, through the image fusion technique with multiresolution wavelet decomposition, it is possible to increase the details and contrast of 3D reconstructed images obtained by multiwavelength digital holography. Although there is substantial activity in the fields of image fusion and holography, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of 3D image fusion by use of digital holography.     

A simple geometrical model for emulsifier free polymer colloid formation

In this paper we propose a simple model for the formation of monodisperse polymer colloids, which provides a convenient set of synthetic parameters for given bead diameters. We provide experimental data in support of this model.     

On-line production of neutron rich isotopes from uranium carbide targets

Experiments done using on-line mass separation of neutron-rich nuclei produced by 1 GeV proton beam on natural U by spallation reactions are performed to study the characteristics of different UCx targets. Special attention is devoted to reliably extract isotopic yields in case of complex decay schemes and to the valuation of release efficiency of some isotopic chains. New gamma-branching measuremet for ⁹²Rb are obtained. In addition, a formalism is developed to disantangle the contribution of β-decay in the target from direct production by fission and to provide more consistent data for the interpretation of release curves. Some results are shown for the Cs and Rb isotopic chains.     

Scattering of a Light Particle by a System of Harmonic Oscillators

We discuss the asymptotic wave function of a quantum system in ?³ composed by heavy and light particles, in the case where the light particles are in scattering states and no interaction is assumed among particles of the same kind. We first review a recent result concerning the case of K heavy and N light particles, where the one-particle potential acting on each heavy particle decays at infinity. Then we consider the case of one light particle interacting with a system of harmonic oscillators and prove the same kind of result following, with some modification, the proof of the previous case. A possible application to the analysis of the scattering of a light particle from condensed matter is also outlined.     

Mixed needlets

The construction of needlet-type wavelets on sections of the spin line bundles over the sphere has been recently addressed in Geller and Marinucci (2008) [14], and Geller et al. (2008, 2009) [12] and [13]. Here we focus on an alternative proposal for needlets on this spin line bundle, in which needlet coefficients arise from the usual, rather than the spin, spherical harmonics, as in the previous constructions. We label this system mixed needlets and investigate in full their properties, including localization, the exact tight frame characterization, reconstruction formula, decomposition of functional spaces, and asymptotic uncorrelation in the stochastic case. We outline astrophysical applications.     

Studies on decarboxylation reactions. Part 5 . Micellar catalysis and mixed solvents effects on the decarboxylation of some N-alkyl- or N-aryl-substituted 5-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-carboxylic acids

The effect of micelles and mixed solvents on the decarboxylation of some N-alkyl- or N-aryl-substituted 5-amino-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-carboxylic acids has been studied. The data support the unimolecular decarboxylation mechanism proposed by us. Moreover, they show that mixed solvents and micelles have different effects on reactivity of the amino acids under study.