Impedance spectroscopy of iron-doped lithium niobate crystals

The dc conductivity of as-grown and oxidized iron-doped lithium niobate crystals is measured by impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 30–700 °C. Electron and ion conduction at lower and higher temperatures are clearly distinguished, providing relevant information for understanding and optimizing the recently developed thermo-electric oxidization that makes crystals robust against optical damage. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi: ) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. PACS 77.84.Dy; 72.20.Fr     

White matter hyperintensities and dynamics of postural control

Background

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on MRI have been associated with age, cardiovascular risk factors and falls in the elderly. This study evaluated the relationship between WMHs and dynamics of postural control in older adults without history of falls.

Methods

We studied 76 community-living subjects without history of falls (age 64.5±7.3 years). Brain and WMH volume calculations and clinical rating were done on fluid-attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) and MP-RAGE MR images on 3 T. Balance was assessed from the center of pressure displacement using the force platform during 3 min of quiet standing using traditional and dynamic measures (using stabilogram-diffusion analysis). Gait speed was measured from 12-min walk.

Results

Age-adjusted periventricular and focal WMHs were associated with changes in certain dynamic balance measures, including reduced range of postural sway in anteroposterior direction (fronto-temporal WMHs, P=.045; parieto-occipital WMHs, P=.009) and more irregular long-term mediolateral fluctuations (P=.046). Normal walking speed was not affected by WMHs.

Conclusions

Periventricular and focal WMHs affect long-term dynamics of postural control, which requires engagement of feedback mechanisms, and may contribute to mobility decline in the elderly.     

Characterization of second and third order optical nonlinearities of ZnO sputtered films

We measured the second and third order optical nonlinearity of zinc oxide, grown on glass substrates by the ion beam sputtering technique. Second and third harmonic generation measurements were performed by means of the rotational Maker fringes technique for different polarization configurations, thus allowing the determination of all non-zero components of the second order susceptibility at three different fundamental beam wavelengths, i.e., 1064 nm, 1542 nm and 1907 nm. The dispersion of the nonlinear optical coefficients has been evaluated, while the nonlinear optical coefficients were found to range between 0.9 pm/V and 0.16 pm/V for d₃₃, 0.53 pm/V and 0.08 pm/V for |d₁₅|, 0.31 and 0.08 pm/V for |d₃₁|, with increasing wavelength. Finally, one third order susceptibility, χ_ijkl ⁽³⁾, has been determined by third harmonic generation measurements at a fundamental wavelength λ=1907 nm and a value for χ₃₃₃₃ ⁽³⁾ of 185×10^-20 m²/V² has been found. PACS 42.65.An; 42.65.Ky; 42.70.Nq     

Unusual spiral structures formed by glycated β-casein in the presence of thioflavin T: amyloid transformation?

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Continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators: recent developments and prospects

We review the progress in the development of continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators over the last decade. A recently developed theoretical analysis shows that their stability strongly depends on the group velocity dispersion of the nonlinear material used. Now, these devices generate not only near- and mid-infrared radiation, but also visible and terahertz light. Active locking to external references like atom transitions, resonators, or frequency combs enables mode-hop-free operation up to days. Furthermore, whispering-gallery-resonator-based devices enable the realization of millimeter-sized monolithic resonators with microwatt oscillation thresholds.     

Charge transport properties of undoped congruent lithium niobate crystals

Time-resolved light-induced birefringence measurements based on a phase compensation technique are used to determine the charge transport properties of congruent, nominally-undoped lithium niobate crystals (LiNbO₃). Some of the crystals are conventionally oxidized. The steady-state space-charge field E _pv, the bulk photovoltaic coefficient β, and the photoconductivity σ _ph are determined in the intensity range (30–30 000) W/cm². The photovoltaic coefficient β increases by one order of magnitude over this intensity range, the space-charge field E _pv even by two orders of magnitude. We discuss the results in the context of the known one- and two-center charge transport models for LiNbO₃. The experimental findings presented here are of relevance for the long-standing problem of optical damage in such crystals, which inhibits their use in high-intensity applications like nonlinear optics.     

Determination of the absorption constant in the interband region by photocurrent measurements

We determined high absorption constants of crystals from photocurrent measurements within the interband absorption region (10–10⁴ cm^-1). The method has been demonstrated in the interband absorption regime near 530 nm in Sn₂P₂S₆, a novel infrared sensitive photorefractive material, and in the interband absorption regime near 257 nm of near stoichiometric LiTaO₃. Besides the verification of older measurements with our new technique, precise absorption data for Sn₂P₂S₆ in the wavelength range 488–514 nm are presented. PACS 42.70.Nq; 72.41.+w; 78.20.Ci     

Photorefraction in LiNbO<Subscript>3</Subscript>:Fe crystals with femtosecond pulses at 532 nm

Photorefractive index gratings are written into iron-doped lithium niobate crystals using femtosecond laser pulses and cw light, both having a wavelength of 532 nm. The saturation value of the refractive index changes in as-grown samples is found to decrease with increasing peak pulse intensity. Furthermore, in oxidized crystals, writing with femtosecond pulses is much faster than with cw light and retains about the same writing speed than in as-grown crystals. We propose a charge transport model that addresses the special case of recording with high intensity femtosecond pulses.     

Two‐fold Bioorthogonal Derivatization by Different Formylglycine‐Generating Enzymes

Formylglycine‐generating enzymes are of increasing interest in the field of bioconjugation chemistry. They catalyze the site‐specific oxidation of a cysteine residue to the aldehyde‐containing amino acid C^α‐formylglycine (FGly). This non‐canonical residue can be generated within any desired target protein and can subsequently be used for bioorthogonal conjugation reactions. The prototypic formylglycine‐generating enzyme (FGE) and the iron‐sulfur protein AtsB display slight variations in their recognition sequences. We designed specific tags in peptides and proteins that were selectively converted by the different enzymes. Combination of the different tag motifs within a single peptide or recombinant protein enabled the independent and consecutive introduction of two formylglycine residues and the generation of heterobifunctionalized protein conjugates.