On-chip multiphoton Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger state based on integrated frequency combs

One of the most important multipartite entangled states, Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger state (GHZ), serves as a fundamental resource for quantum foundation test, quantum communication and quantum computation. To increase the number of entangled particles, significant experimental efforts should been invested due to the complexity of optical setup and the difficulty in maintaining the coherence condition for high-fidelity GHZ state. Here, we propose an ultra-integrated scalable on-chip GHZ state generation scheme based on frequency combs. By designing several microrings pumped by different lasers, multiple partially overlapped quantum frequency combs are generated to supply as the basis for on-chip polarization-encoded GHZ state with each qubit occupying a certain spectral mode. Both even and odd numbers of GHZ states can be engineered with constant small number of integrated components and easily scaled up on the same chip by only adjusting one of the pump wavelengths. In addition, we give the on-chip design of projection measurement for characterizing GHZ states and show the reconfigurability of the state. Our proposal is rather simple and feasible within the existing fabrication technologies and we believe it will boost the development of multiphoton technologies.     

Finite-difference calculation of donor energy levels in a spherical quantum dot subject to a magnetic field

The ground and excited states of a donor impurity at the center of a spherical quantum dot subject to a magnetic field are calculated within the effective-mass approximation. The barriers are infinitely high and the differential equation is solved by combining the finite-difference method with the Richardson extrapolation. The binding and transition energies are more accurate than the available variational values, and excellent agreement is found with the hydrogen atom. The transition energies for a medium-size quantum dot are given.     

Carbon Dots (C‐dots) from Cow Manure with Impressive Subcellular Selectivity Tuned by Simple Chemical Modification

Improved cellular selectivity for nucleoli staining was achieved by simple chemical modification of carbon dots (C‐dots) synthesized from waste carbon sources such as cow manure (or from glucose). The C‐dots were characterized and functionalized (amine‐passivated) with ethylenediamine, affording amide bonds that resulted in bright green fluorescence. The new modified C‐dots were successfully applied as selective live‐cell fluorescence imaging probes with impressive subcellular selectivity and the ability to selectively stain nucleoli in breast cancer cell lineages (MCF‐7). The C‐dots were also tested in four other cellular models and showed the same cellular selection in live‐cell imaging experiments.     

丹酚酸A 对H2O2 所致大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞氧化损伤保护的实验研究

目的 观察丹酚酸A 对H2O2所致大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞（RCMECs）氧化损伤的保护作用，并探讨其可能的作用机 制。方法 分离并培养大鼠脑微血管内皮细胞，用H2 O2 损伤的方法建立氧自由基损伤模型。采用丹酚酸A 进行干预后，分别测定细胞培养液中乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）活性、血栓素B2（TXB2）水平、6- 酮基前列腺素1α（6-keto-PGF1α）的含量，以及细胞内和培养液中脂质过氧化产物丙二醛（MDA）含量和超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）的活性。结果 H2O2致RCMECs 氧化损伤后，细胞LDH 释放水平、TXB2和MDA 的含量均明显增加，同时6-keto-PGF1α 含量和SOD 活性显著下降；而丹酚酸A 预处理后能呈浓度依赖性的降低RCMECs 氧化损伤后LDH 水平、TXB2含量和细胞内外的MDA 含量，提高受损细胞6-keto-PGF1α 的表达和细胞内外SOD 活性。结论 丹酚酸A 对H2O2所致RCMECs 氧化损伤具有保护作用，其机制可能与其抗氧化作用有关。     

Effect of branched alkyl side chains on the performance of thin‐film transistors and photovoltaic cells fabricated with isoindigo‐based conjugated polymers

New isoindigo and di(thienyl)ethylene‐containing π‐extended conjugated polymers with different branched side chains were synthesized to investigate their physical properties and device performance in thin‐film transistors and photovoltaic cells. 11‐Butyltricosane (S3) and 11‐heptyltricosane (S6) groups were used as side‐chain moieties tethered to isoindigo units. The linking groups between the polymer backbone and bifurcation point in the branched side chain differ in the two polymers (i.e., PIDTE‐S3 and PIDTE‐S6 ). The polymers bearing S6 side chains showed much better charge transport behavior than those with S3 side chains. Thermally annealed PIDTE‐S6 film exhibited an outstanding hole mobility of 4.07 cm² V^?1 s^?1 under ambient conditions. Furthermore, bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells made from a blend film of PIDTE‐S3 and (6,6)‐phenyl C61‐butyric acid methyl ester demonstrated promising device performance with a power conversion efficiency in the range of 4.9–5.0%. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 2015 , 53, 1226–1234     

Highly Luminescent Red Phosphorescent OLED with Interfacial Layers for Hole Transport and Electron Injection

Four kinds of red phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices were fabricated and compared to investigate the effect of interfacial layers for hole transport and electron injection. 1 nm-thick LiF in the device A and C and 1 nm-thick Cs₂CO₃ in the device B and D were deposited as an electron injection layer between the anode and the electron transport layer, and 5 nm-thick layer of dipyrazion[2,3-f:2′,2′-h]quinoxaline-2,3,6,7,10,11-hexacarbonitrile[HATCN] was inserted as a hole transport interfacial layer between the hole injection layer and the hole transport layer only in the device C and D. Under a luminance of 1000 cd/m², the power efficiencies were 7.6 lm/W and 8.5 lm/W in the device A and B, and 8.6 lm/W and 13.4 lm/W in the device C and D. The quantum efficiency of the device D was 15.8% under 1000 cd/m² which was somewhat lower than those of the device A and C, but a little higher than that of the device B. The luminance of the device D was much higher than those of the other devices at a given votage. The luminance of the device D at 7 V was 23,710 cd/m², which was 13.0, 3.4, and 4.0 times higher than those of the device A, B, and C at the same voltage, respectively.     

Cu (II) and Co (II/III) complexes of N,O‐chelated Schiff base ligands: DNA interaction,protein binding,cytotoxicity, cell death mechanism and reactive oxygen species generation studies

A series of copper (II) ( 1 and 3 ) and cobalt (II/III) ( 2 , 4 and 5 ) complexes comprising different imino‐phenolate ligands DCH , DTH and DBH ₂ (where DCH = 2,4‐dichloro‐6‐((mesitylimino)methyl)phenol, DTH = 2,4‐di‐tert‐butyl‐6‐((mesitylimino)methyl) phenol and DBH ₂ = 2,4‐dibromo‐6‐((mesitylimino)methyl)phenol) have been prepared with excellent yield and high purity. By utilizing different spectroscopic tools such as UV–visible, electrospray ionization (ESI)‐mass, Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and elemental analysis, the prepared complexes ( 1 – 5 ) were thoroughly characterized. The molecular structure of the synthesized complexes was ascertained by using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies (SCXRDs). The experiment reveals that Complexes 1 – 5 bind to calf thymus DNA (CT‐DNA) through non‐intercalative way with good interacting abilities. However, 1 – 5 are excellent quenchers of the fluorescence intensity of bovine serum albumin (BSA) following the static pathway. Additionally, they had shown remarkable cytotoxic potential against MCF‐7 (mammary gland adenocarcinoma) and A549 (lung adenocarcinoma) cell lines. The IC₅₀ values associated with these complexes were much lower than the conventional drug cisplatin. Apoptosis‐induced cell death was confirmed from the DNA fragmentation studies and Hoechst 33342 staining. The 2′,7′‐dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) assay indicates that the complex mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation is accountable for governing the apoptosis mechanism via oxidative cell distress. Apart from these studies, by carrying out density functional theory (DFT) method, highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO–LUMO) energy gap calculations and optimized structures of the synthesized complexes were accomplished.     

Optimal method for preparing sulfonated polyaryletherketones with high ion exchange capacity by acid-catalyzed crosslinking for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Sulfonated polyaryletherketones (SPAEK) bearing four sulfonic acid groups on the phenyl side groups were synthesized. The benzophenone moiety of polymer backbone was further reduced to benzydrol group with sodium borohydride. The membranes were crosslinked by acid-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts reaction without sacrifice of sulfonic acid groups and ion exchange capacity (IEC) values. Crosslinked membranes with the same IEC value but different water uptake could be prepared. The optimal crosslinking condition was investigated to achieve lower water uptake, better chemical stability (Fenton's test), and higher proton conductivity. In addition, the hydrophilic ionic channels from originally course and disordered could be modified to be narrow and continuous by this crosslinking method. The crosslinked membranes, CS4PH-40-PEKOH (IEC = 2.4 meq./g), reduced water uptake from 200 to 88% and the weight loss was reduced from 11 to 5% during the Fenton test compared to uncrosslinked one (S4PH-40-PEK). The membrane showed comparable proton conductivity (0.01–0.19 S/cm) to Nafion 212 at 80°C from low to high relative humidity (RH). Single H₂/O₂ fuel cell based on the crosslinked SPAEK with catalyst loading of 0.25 mg/cm² (Pd/C) exhibited a peak power density of 220.3 mW/cm², which was close to that of Nafion 212 (214.0 mW/cm²) at 80°C under 53% RH. These membranes provide a good option as proton exchange membrane with high ion exchange capacity for fuel cells.     

Dynamic Variation of Excitonic Coupling in Excited Bilayer Graphene Quantum Dots?

The intermolecular interaction determines the photophysical properties of the organic aggregates, which are critical to the performance of organic photovoltaics. Here, excitonic coupling, an important intermolecular interaction in organic aggregates, between the π-stacking graphene quantum dots is studied by using transient absorption spectroscopy. We find that the spectral evolution of the ground state bleach arises from the dynamic variation of the excitonic coupling in the excited π-stacks. According to the spectral simulations, we demonstrate that the kinetics of the vibronic peak can be exploited as a probe to measure the dynamics of excitonic coupling in the excited π-stacks.