Analysis of reflectance and modulation spectroscopic lineshapes in optoelectronic device structures

We discuss the spectral lineshapes of reflectance and modulated reflectance (MR) measurements on optoelectronic device structures such as epi-layers, quantum wells (QWs), vertical-cavity surface emitting-lasers (VCSELs) and resonant-cavity light-emitting diodes (RCLEDs). We consider the various methods for the extraction of built-in electric fields and band-gap energies from Franz-Keldysh oscillations (FKO), using the example of a tensilely strained InGaAs QW system, whose InGaAsP barriers yield strong FKO. We describe how critical point transition energies can be easily obtained by eye from Kramers-Kronig (KK) transforms of low field or QW modulation spectra, using the example of the modulated transmittance spectra of dilute-nitrogen InGaAsN p-i-n structures. We also discuss how the ordinary reflectivity spectrum, usually acquired at the same time as the MR signal, may also be exploited to extract layer thicknesses and compositions, and information about the active QW absorption spectrum in VCSEL and RCLED structures.     

Self-strengthening and high temperature sintering in binder-free silicon nitride

A thermal strengthening process, which occurs during low-temperature heating of binder-free silicon nitride, has been investigated using simultaneous thermal analysis, dilatometry and FTIR and shown to occur in separate stages over clearly identifiable temperatures. Reactions which give the strengthening are the loss of physically and chemically combined water and the decomposition of ammonium carbonate and various hydrosilicates. Compacts have bend strengths of 8–10 MPa after strengthening at 500°C and 30–34 MPa after strengthening at 900°C. High-temperature dilatometry shows several stages of sintering. The maximum rate occurs at 1800°C with shrinkage commencing at 1450°C. Densities of 98.3% theoretical are obtained on heating to 1900°C.     

The decomposition of edta-gel precursors in the production of BSCCO superconductors

The decomposition of EDTA gel precursors for BSCCO superconductor manufacture has been studied using STA (TG/DTA) and dilatometry in conjunction with FTIR. The thermoanalytical data are discussed in relation to the sequence of phase formation necessary for the production of the 2223 BSCCO superconducting phase. The effects of substitution of Pb for Bi on the temperatures of formation of the superconducting phases is also discussed. STA has also been carried out under varying oxygen partial pressures to determine the effects of oxygen pressure on the formation and decomposition of the phases involved in the production of the 2223 compound.     

Thermoanalytical studies of the processing of bulk and thin film BSCCO highT c superconductors by the Edita-Gel route

The decomposition of EDTA gel precursors for BSCCO superconductor manufacture has been studied using STA (TG/DTA) and dilatometry in conjunction with FTIR. Ther thermoanalytical data are discussed in relation to the sequence of phase formation necessary for the production of the 2223 BSCCO superconducting phase. Thin film preparation of Bi-based highT _c superconductors have been carried out on MgO (100). Grain orientation of oxide thin films has been investigated. Well orientated 2212 grains have been achieved, with the (001) planes parallel to the substrate. The EDTA-gel method has been modified by the addition of glycerol to achieve the appropriate viscosity for spin coating. STA has been used to study the decomposition of these modified gels for the formation of thin films.     

Heat capacities of the tungsten oxides WO3, W20O58, W18O49 and WO2

The heat capacities of the tungsten oxides WO₃, W₂₀O₅₈, W₁₈O₄₉ and WO₂ have been measured over the temperature range 340–999 K using differential scanning calorimetry. The lower oxides were prepared by controlled reduction of WO₃ in H₂/H₂O gas atmospheres. Previous calorimetric work on WO₃ is confirmed in the temperature range 340–800 K, however, significant increases in heat capacity were observed in the range 800–999 K prior to the orthorhombic—tetragonal phase transition. W₂₀O₅₈ is shown to behave similarly to WO₃. A high temperture phase change is evident, however, this appears to be complete by 970–990 K. The measured values of heat capacity for W₁₈O₄₉ are in close agreement with estimated data for W₁₈O₄₉. There is no evidence of any phase transitions for this oxide in the temperature range studied. The heat capacity data for WO₂ confirm previous drop calorimetry measurements and give no evidence of any phase changes for WO₂ in the temperature range 340–990 K.     

A deterministic algorithm for constrained enumeration of transmembrane protein folds

A deterministic algorithm for enumeration of transmembrane protein folds is presented. Using a set of sparse pairwise atomic distance constraints (such as those obtained from chemical cross-linking, FRET, or dipolar EPR experiments), the algorithm performs an exhaustive search of secondary structure element packing conformations distributed throughout the entire conformational space. The end result is a set of distinct protein conformations, which can be scored and refined as part of a process designed for computational elucidation of transmembrane protein structures.     

Synthesis,Characterisation and Reactivity of Copper(I) Amide Complexes and Studies on Their Role in the Modified Ullmann Amination Reaction

A series of copper(I) alkylamide complexes have been synthesised; copper(I) dicyclohexylamide ( 1 ), copper(I) 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidide ( 2 ), copper(I) pyrrolidide ( 3 ), copper(I) piperidide ( 4 ), and copper(I) benzylamide ( 5 ). Their solid‐state structures and structures in [D₆]benzene solution are characterised, with the aggregation state in solution determined by a combination of DOSY NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Complexes 1 , 2 and 4 are shown to exist as tetramers in the solid state by X‐ray crystallography. In [D₆]benzene solution, complexes 1 , 2 and 5 were found by using ¹H DOSY NMR to exist in rapid equilibrium between aggregates with average aggregation numbers of 2.5, 2.4 and 3.3, respectively, at 0.05 M concentration. Conversely, distinct trimeric, tetrameric and pentameric forms of 3 and 4 were distinguishable by one‐dimensional ¹H and ¹H DOSY NMR spectroscopy. Complexes 3 – 5 are found to react stoichiometrically with iodobenzene, in the presence or absence of 1,10‐phenanthroline as an ancillary ligand, to give arylamine products indicative of their role as potential intermediates in the modified Ullmann reaction. The role of phenanthroline has also been explored both in the stoichiometric reaction and in the catalytic Ullmann protocol.     

Explicit treatment of spin labels in modeling of distance constraints from dipolar EPR and DEER

Current SDSL-EPR methods allow measurement of dipolar distances in the 8-70 A range; however, the use of extrinsic probes complicates the interpretation of these distances in modeling macromolecular structure and conformational changes. The data presented here show that interprobe distances correlate only weakly with Cbeta-Cbeta distances, especially for distances that are on the order of the spin label tether lengths. Explicitly incorporating the spin label into the modeling process increases the experiment/model correlation 4-fold and reduces the distance error from 6 A to 3 A.     

Calculating slow-motional electron paramagnetic resonance spectra from molecular dynamics using a diffusion operator approach

A number of groups have utilized molecular dynamics (MD) to calculate slow-motional electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of spin labels attached to biomolecules. Nearly all such calculations have been based on some variant of the trajectory method introduced by Robinson, Slutsky and Auteri (J. Chem. Phys. 1992,96, 2609-2616). Here we present an alternative approach that is specifically adapted to the diffusion operator-based stochastic Liouville equation (SLE) formalism that is also widely used to calculate slow-motional EPR line shapes. Specifically, the method utilizes MD trajectories to derive diffusion parameters such as the rotational diffusion tensor, diffusion tilt angles, and expansion coefficients of the orienting potential, which are then used as direct inputs to the SLE line shape program. This approach leads to a considerable improvement in computational efficiency over trajectory-based methods, particularly for high frequency, high field EPR. It also provides a basis for deconvoluting the effects of local spin label motion and overall motion of the labeled molecule or domain: once the local motion has been characterized by this approach, the label diffusion parameters may be used in conjunction with line shape analysis at lower EPR frequencies to characterize global motions. The method is validated by comparison of the MD predicted line shapes to experimental high frequency (250 GHz) EPR spectra.