Temporal coherent control induced by wave packet interferences in one and two photon atomic transitions

The interaction of a sequence of two identical ultrashort laser pulses with an atomic system results in quantum interferences as in Ramsey fringes experiments. These interferences allow achievement of temporal coherent control of the excitation probability. We present the results of a temporal coherent control experiment on two different atomic systems: one-photon absorption in K (4s-4p) and two-photon absorption in Cs (6s-7d). In K, the quantum interferences between the two excitation paths associated with the laser pulses are revealed through rapid oscillations of the excitation probability as a function of the time delay between the two pulses. These oscillations take place at the transition frequency (period T = 2.56 fs). The interferences are modulated by beats (at about 580 fs) resulting from the doublet structure of the excited state (4p (² P _1/2 , ² P _3/2 )). Three complementary interpretations of this experiment are presented: in terms of beats of quantum interferences, of variation in the spectrum intensity, and of wave packet interferences. Whenever the two laser pulses are temporally overlapped, optical interferences are superimposed on to the quantum interferences. The distinction between these two types of interference is clearly revealed in the two-photon excitation scheme performed on Cs (6s-7d (² D _3/2 , ² D _5/2 )) because quantum interferences occur at twice the frequency of the optical interferences. Received: 30 December 1997 / Revised: 28 February 1998 / Accepted: 4 March 1998     

Composition of vanadium carbides formed by solidification in ternary Fe-V-C alloys

The solidification behaviour of Fe-V-C alloys, was studied by differential thermal analysis. The composition and the nature of the phases were analysed by quantitative electron probe microanalysis and X-ray diffraction. Accurate microanalysis of carbon in vanadium carbides (VC_x and V₂C) were performed. A liquidus projection of the system Fe-V-C in the Fe-V rich region was proposed.     

Biomimetic oxidation of catechol employing complexes formed in situ with heterocyclic ligands and different copper(II) salts

In the present work, catecholase activity is presented. The complexes were prepared by condensation of the organic ligand pyrazolyl L ₁ –L ₄ and copper(II) ion in situ. The pyrazolyl compounds L ₁ –L ₄ used in this study are: L ₁ is (3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-(4-methyl-pyridin-2-yl)-pyrazol-1-ylmethyl-amine; L ₂ is 1-{4-[(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-pyrazol-1-ylmethyl-amino]-phenyl}-ethanone; L ₃ is 1-{4-[(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-[1,2,4]triazol-1-ylmethyl-amino]-phenyl}-ethanone, and L ₄ is 2-[(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-[1,2,4]triazol-1-ylmethyl-amino]-6-methyl-pyrimidin-4-ol, and copper ions salts Cu(II) are (Cu(CH₃COO)₂, CuCl₂, Cu(NO₃)₂ and CuSO₄). In order to determine factors influencing the catecholase activity of these complexes, the effect of ligand nature, ligand concentration, nature of solvent and nature of counter anion has been studied. The best activity of catechol oxidation is given by the combination formed by one equivalent of ligand L ₂ and one equivalent of Cu(CH₃COO)₂ in methanol solvent which is equal to 9.09 µmol L^?1 min^?1. The Michaelis–Menten model is applied for the best combination, to obtain the kinetic parameters, and we proposed the mechanism for oxidation reaction of catecholase.     

Experimental demonstration of phase control of dispersion effects for an ultrashort pulse train propagating in a resonant medium

We present an experiment in which an ultrashort pulse train propagates resonantly through anoptically dense vapor of atomic rubidium. The sequence obtained from a Fabry-Perot interferometer comprises nearly 10 regularly time-delayed and mode-locked pulses. We show that a sequence with phase shift phi = 0[2pi] between two successive pulses propagates with important temporal distortion, whereas a sequence with phi = pi[2pi] experiences few propagation effects, thus leading for the first time to our knowledge to the possibility of phase control of dispersion effects for an ultrashort pulse train.     

A simple hydrated salt with a complex hydrogen‐bonding network: tetrakis(5‐amino‐3‐carboxy‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ium) hexachloridocadmate(II) tetrahydrate

In the title cadmium chloride salt, (C₃H₅N₄O₂)₄[CdCl₆]·4H₂O, the asymmetric unit comprises two N‐protonated 5‐amino‐3‐carboxy‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ium cations, half a [CdCl₆]⁴⁻ anion and two molecules of water. The Cd²⁺ cation is located on a centre of inversion and is coordinated by six chloride anions, forming a distorted octahedron. In the crystal structure, alternating layers of cations and anions are arranged along the [101] direction, forming a three‐dimensional supramolecular network via a combination of hydrogen‐bonding and aromatic stacking interactions.     

Regiospecific synthesis of 1,2-aminoalcohol by ring-opening of racemic styrene oxide in presence of Lewis acids

The 1,2-aminoalcohol moiety is widely present in compounds possessing pharmaceutically and biologically interesting properties During this work, we targeted the ring opening of the racemic styrene oxide by a chiral amine. In aqueous medium, a mixture of diastereoismers consisting largely of 2-N [1-phenylethyl] amino-1-phenylethanol 1 was obtained. The use of silica in the reaction permits the formation of mixture of diastereoisomers, but, contrary to aqueous solution, the diastereoisomer 2-N [1-phenylethyl] amino-2- phenylethanol 2 was majority. On the other hand, the reaction of ring opening under acidic conditions led to a regiospecific compound, particularly in the presence of Lewis acids, which only leads to the diastereoisomer 2.     

Syntheses,supramolecular networks and Hirshfeld surface and thermal analyses of two new cadmium chloride coordination polymers with an N,O‐chelating ligand

Two new coordination polymers, namely poly[[(3‐aminopyrazin‐4‐ium‐2‐carboxylate‐κ²N¹,O)di‐μ‐chlorido‐cadmium(II)] monohydrate], {[CdCl₂(C₅H₅N₃O₂)]·H₂O}_n, (1), and poly[2‐amino‐3‐carboxypyrazin‐1‐ium [(3‐aminopyrazine‐2‐carboxylato‐κ²N¹,O)di‐μ‐chlorido‐cadmium(II)] monohydrate], {(C₅H₆N₃O₂)[Cd(C₅H₄N₃O₂)Cl₂]·H₂O}_n, (2), have been synthesized from the reaction of cadmium(II) chloride and 3‐aminopyrazine‐2‐carboxylic acid (Hapca) under mild conditions in acidic media. The two coordination polymers have been characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and show chloride‐bridged zigzag chains with octahedrally coordinated metal ions, where Hapca acts as a bidentate ligand via the π‐conjugated N atom and a carboxylate O atom. The chains are further interconnected via noncovalent interactions into three‐dimensional supramolecular networks. The dominant H…O and H…Cl interactions for both compounds were quantified using Hirshfeld surface analysis. The thermal stability and topological analysis of the two‐dimensional networks of (1) and (2) are also discussed.     

Interferences of ultrashort free electron wave packets

Interferences of free electron wave packets generated by a pair of identical, time-delayed, femtosecond laser pulses which ionize excited atomic potassium have been observed. Two different schemes are investigated: threshold electrons produced by one-photon ionization with parallel laser polarization and above threshold ionization electrons produced by a two-photon transition with crossed laser polarization. Our results show that the temporal coherence of light pulses is transferred to free electron wave packets, thus opening the door to a whole variety of exciting experiments.