Quasi-monocyclic near-infrared pulses with a stabilized carrier-envelope phase characterized by noncollinear cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating.

Precise characterization of noncollinear optical parametric amplifier idler pulses that have bandwidths of more than an octave with a center wavelength at 990 nm was demonstrated. The method employed was cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating with broadband sum-frequency mixing to take advantage of the idler's angular dispersion. Compression to near the transform limit was achieved to produce quasi-monocyclic near-infrared pulses by use of a deformable membrane mirror.     

Frequency encoded all optical single bit memory unit using difference frequency generation alone

A method of all optical frequency encoded single bit memory unit is proposed and described using difference frequency generation only in non linear materials. The unit can store a single bit in frequency encoded format and thus maintains the same state when input is withdrawn. To change the state of the information of the memory unit the input should be changed. The proposed memory unit employs difference frequency generation for its operation and is very fast, the speed of operation is limited by the difference frequency generation process.     

Green luminescence from triphenylphosphine functionalized single-wall carbon nanotubes

In a simple wet chemical process, purified single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are treated with triphenylphosphine (Ph₃P) at room temperature. The functionalized material is characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. HRTEM micrograph clearly reveals that triphenylphosphine nanocrystals of nearly uniform size are attached to the surfaces of SWCNTs. The hybrid structure shows remarkable green luminescence with peak emission at around 500 nm, under UV excitation. The photoluminescence may be attributed to charge transfer from the electron-donating phosphorous atoms to the carbon nanotubes.     

Effect of sphere to rod transition on the probe microenvironment in sodium dodecyl sulphate micelles: A time resolved fluorescence anisotropy study

The effect of different hydrotropic salts on the microenvironment at the anionic head group region of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micelle has been studied through time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements of a solubilized probe, coumarin-153 (C153). The organic cations of the hydrotropic salts used in this study, i.e. aniline hydrochloride (AHC) and o-, m- and p-toluidine hydrochlorides (OTHC, MTHC and PTHC, respectively), differ in their charge to size ratio and hydrophobicity. Present study utilizes the sensitivity of the fluorescence technique to understand the changes in the micropolarity and microviscosity experienced by the fluorescent probe, C153, solubilized in the micellar Stern layer, on addition of different hydrotropic salts. Significant changes are observed in the rotational relaxation dynamics of the probe with increasing concentration of the salts. The changes in the rotational relaxation dynamics clearly reflect the sphere to rod transition in the SDS micelles and correspond nicely with the reported results from dynamic light scattering measurements. The growth behavior of SDS micelles is found to be sensitive to the hydrophobicity of the organic cations. The charge to size ratio of the organic cations also indicated to play a role in inducing the sphere to rod transition in the SDS micelles. The interesting observation made from this study is that the sphere to rod transition of SDS micelles is largely facilitated by the presence of the hydrotropic salts and such a transition is successfully indicated by the simple fluorescence anisotropy measurements of a probe in the micelle carried out in the presence of different hydrotropic salts.     

Observation of enhanced two-photon absorption in ZnS quantum dots at an ultraviolet wavelength

Two-photon absorption(2PA) in zinc sulphide(ZnS) and Mn2+-doped ZnS quantum dots is reported by the z-scan technique,with nanosecond pulsed laser radiation at 355 nm.The observed values of the 2PA cross section of all the samples are 105 times larger than that of bulk ZnS.     

A nano-confined charged layer defies the principle of electrostatic interaction

The reactivity between two charged molecules and the activity of charged biomolecules are mainly governed by the principle of electrostatic interaction, i.e., like charges repel and opposite charges attract. In the present study it is shown that the principle of electrostatic interaction is violated in the nano-confined biomimetic environment. Thus a positively charged molecule shows more preference to a positively charged surface compared to a negatively charged surface.     

Supramolecular Synthons in Designing Low Molecular Mass Gelling Agents: L‐Amino Acid Methyl Ester Cinnamate Salts and their Anti‐Solvent‐Induced Instant Gelation

Easy access to a class of chiral gelators has been achieved by exploiting primary ammonium monocarboxylate ( PAM ), a supramolecular synthon. A combinatorial library comprising of 16 salts, derived from 5 l ‐amino acid methyl esters and 4 cinnamic acid derivatives, has been prepared and scanned for gelation. Remarkably, 14 out of 16 salts prepared (87.5 % of the salts) show moderate to good gelation abilities with various solvents, including commercial fuels, such as petrol. Anti‐solvent induced instant gelation at room temperature has been achieved in all the gelator salts, indicating that the gelation process is indeed an aborted crystallization phenomenon. Rheology, optical and scanning electron microscopy, small angle neutron scattering, and X‐ray powder diffraction have been used to characterize the gels. A structure‐property correlation has been attempted, based on these data, in addition to the single‐crystal structures of 5 gelator salts. Analysis of the FT‐IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy data reveals that some of these salts can be used as supramolecular containers for the slow release of certain pest sex pheromones. The present study clearly demonstrates the merit of crystal engineering and the supramolecular synthon approach in designing new materials with multiple properties.     

Studies directed toward the synthesis of chiral tungsten and molybdenum carbonyl complexes

A major challenge that must be met for an asymmetric intermolecular Pauson-Khand reaction is to be able to limit the possible positions on the metal complex for the organic partners. Toward this end, the synthesis of monometallic systems derived from M(CO)₆ and two bidentate ligands, in which the number of possible coordination sites is reduced to two, has been investigated.     

Effect of electrostatic interaction on the location of molecular probe in polymer-surfactant supramolecular assembly: a solvent relaxation study

Effect of electrostatic interaction on the location of a solubilized molecular probe with ionic character in a supramolecular assembly composed of a triblock copolymer, P123 ((ethylene oxide) 20-(propylene oxide) 70-(ethylene oxide) 20) and a cosurfactant cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) in aqueous medium has been studied using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. Coumarin-343 dye in its anionic form has been used as the molecular probe. In the absence of the surfactant, CTAC, the probe C343 prefers to reside at the surface region of the P123 micelle, showing a relatively less dynamic Stokes' shift, as a large part of the Stokes' shift is missed in the present measurements due to faster solvent relaxation at micellar surface region. As the concentration of CTAC is increased in the solution, the percentage of the total dynamic Stokes' shift observed from time-resolved measurements gradually increases until it reaches a saturation value. Observed results have been rationalized on the basis of the mixed micellar structure of the supramolecular assembly, where the hydrocarbon chain of the CTAC surfactant dissolves into the nonpolar poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) core of the P123 micelle and the positively charged headgroup of CTAC resides at the interfacial region between the central PPO core and the surrounding hydrated poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) shell or the corona region. The electrostatic attraction between the anionic probe molecule and the positively charged surface of the PPO core developed by the presence of CTAC results in a gradual shift of the probe in the deeper region of the micellar corona region with an increase in the CTAC concentration, as clearly manifested from the solvation dynamics results.