Bending loss measurement using a fiber cavity ringdown scheme

A novel sensitive technique for the determination of losses in fiber cavities is presented. The method is based on the cavity ringdown scheme implemented in silica-based single-mode fibers. Bending losses of fiber cavities of different lengths have been measured showing all an oscillating behavior with respect to the curvature radius of the fiber as predicted by a theoretical model. The best minimum detectable absorbance per cavity pass achieved by this new method is 1.72×10⁻³ dB within a 10 m-long cavity. This limit suffices well for an accurate determination of optical bending losses even in bend-insensitive fibers. Furthermore, the comparison of the measured bending losses with a theoretical model allows the extraction of different fiber parameters. Good agreement has been found between the experimentally derived parameters and literature data.     

Orbital-selective Mott-insulator transition in Ca 2 - x Sr x RuO 4

The electronic structures of the metallic and insulating phases of the alloy series Ca_2-xSr_xRuO₄ ( 0 ? x ? 2) are calculated using LDA, LDA+U and Dynamical Mean-Field Approximation methods. In the end members the groundstate respectively is an orbitally non-degenerate antiferromagnetic insulator (x = 0) and a good metal (x = 2). For x > 0.5 the observed Curie-Weiss paramagnetic metallic state which possesses a local moment with the unexpected spin S = 1/2, is explained by the coexistence of localized and itinerant Ru-4d-orbitals. For 0.2 < x < 0.5 we propose a state with partial orbital and spin ordering. An effective model for the localized orbital and spin degrees of freedom is discussed. The metal-insulator transition at x = 0.2 is attributed to a switch in the orbital occupation associated with a structural change of the crystal. Received 27 July 2001     

Electrokinetic characterization of poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchannels

This paper characterizes the basic electrokinetic phenomena occurring within native poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microchannels. Using simple buffers and current measurements, current density and electroosmosis data were determined in trapezoidal, reversibly sealed PDMS/PDMS and hybrid PDMS/glass channels with a cross-sectional area of 1035.5 microm(2) and about 6 cm length. This data was then compared to that obtained in an air-thermostated 50 microm inner diameter (1963.5 microm(2) cross-sectional area) fused-silica (FS) capillary of 70 cm length. Having a pH 7.8 buffer with an ionic strength (I) of 90 mM, Ohms's law was observed in the microchannels with electric field strengths of up to about 420 V/cm, which is about twice as high as for the FS capillary. The electroosmotic mobility (micro(EO)) in PDMS and FS is shown to exhibit the same general dependences on I and pH. For all configurations tested, the experimentally determined micro(EO) values were found to correlate well with the relationship micro(EO) = a + b log(I), where a and b are coefficients that are determined via nonlinear regression analysis. Electroosmotic fluid pumping in native PDMS also follows a pH dependence that can be estimated with a model based upon the ionization of silanol. Compared to FS, however, the magnitude of the electroosmotic flow in native PDMS is 50-70% smaller over the entire pH range and is difficult to maintain at acidic pH values. Thus, the origin of the negative charge at the inner wall of PDMS, glass, and FS appears to be similar but the density is lower for PDMS than for glass and FS.     

Kurze Totalsynthesen von (±)-Sativen und (±)-cis-Sativendiol

Short Total Syntheses of (±)-Sativene and (±)-cis-Sativenediol Our approach to (±)-sativene (7) and (±)-cis-sdtivenediol (9) involves: (a) reaction of 3-methylbutanoyl chloride with Et₃N/cyclopentadiene to give the endo-isopropyl-ketone 1 (here improved to 71%), (b) NBS bromination of 1 to a 5:1 mixture (87%) of the bromo-ketones 2 and 3 , (c) NFD-reaction sequence initiated by the attack of 1,2-butadienyl titanate (complex of 15 , obtained from 2-butine) on 2/3 to afford 52% of the brexenone derivative 4 (along with 8% of its epimer 16 ), (d) addition of dibromomethane to 4 forming 63% of the diene-alcohol 5 (along with 13% of the diene-carbaldehyde 38 ), and (e) carbenoid ring-expansion with MeLi applied to 5 resulting in 41% the diene-ketone 6 (along with 15% of a 1:3 mixture of the diene-ketones 32 and 33 ). Wolff-Kishner reduction of 6 led to 81% of (±)-sativene (7), when enough O₂ was present, but to 97% of the diene 8 in the strict absence of O₂. (±)-cis-Sativenediol (9) was obrained (86%) by OsO₄ hydroxylation of 8 . The brexenone derivatives 4 and 16 (6:1, 50%) were also produced when the NFD-reaction sequence was applied to the isomeric bromo-ketone mixture 13/13 (1:3). The latter was obtained by NBS bromination of 10 , which in turn was available by base epimerization of 1 , followed by destructive removal of unreacted 1 by repeated gas-flow thermolysis. An analogous (less convenient) route to (±)-sativene (7) passed through a series of dihydro compounds (the ene series) it started with the methylidene-ketone 36 , which was the product (97%) of a partial hydrogenation of 4 . Addition of dibromomethane to 36 led t 62% of the methylidene-alcohol 39 (along with a little tetracyclic ether 40 ). Carbenoid ring expansion of 39 with MeLi afforded ca. 42% of the methylidene-ketone 41 (along with 7% of the methylidene-ketone 43 or, under slightly different condition, along with 9% of the methylidene-ketone 42 and 10% of the methylidene-carabaldehyde 44 ). The methylidene-alcohol 39 and the methylidene-ketone 43 were also obtained by partial hydrogenation of 5 and 33 , respectively. Wolff-Kisher reduction converted 41 into (±)-sativene ( 7 99%); the same conditons applied to 42 afforded only ca. 8% 7 (along with three other hydrocarbons, one of them (ca. 21%) probably being (±)-copacamphene (45)). In the diene series, the two succeeding reactions ( 4→5 and 5→6 ) competed with the same side reaction, a rearrangement leading to the brendene-aldehyde 38. In the ene series, the corresponding dihydro-by-product 44 was found in the reacton 39→41 , but not during 36→39. These side reactons could largely be suppressed by keeping the reaction temperature low. An explanation is proposed.