Obtaining quantitative information on surface excitations from reflection electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (REELS)

A new analysis of reflection electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra is presented. Assuming inelastic scattering in the bulk to be quantitatively understood, this method provides the distribution of energy losses in a single surface excitation in absolute units without the use of any fitting parameters. For this purpose, REELS spectra are decomposed into contributions corresponding to surface and volume excitations in two steps: first the contribution of multiple volume excitations is eliminated from the spectra and subsequently the distribution of energy losses in a single surface scattering event is retrieved. This decomposition is possible if surface and bulk excitations are uncorrelated, a condition that is fulfilled for medium‐energy electrons because the thickness of the surface scattering layer is small compared with the electron elastic mean free path. The developed method is successfully applied to REELS spectra of several materials. The resulting distributions of energy losses in an individual surface excitation are in good agreement with theory. In particular, the so‐called begrenzungs effect, i.e. the reduction of the intensity of bulk losses due to coupling with surface excitations near the boundary of a solid‐state plasma, becomes clearly observable in this way. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of Fe-Si layered structures by reflected electron energy loss spectroscopy and inelastic scattering cross-section

This paper reports on our study of the formation of an interface of layered structures in the Fe-Si system by reflected electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS). Quantitative element analysis was performed using the product of the mean length of the inelastic free path by the inelastic scattering cross-section of electrons. It is shown that the Fe-Si interface is quite uniform.     

Quantum chemical calculations of tryptophan → heme electron and excitation energy transfer rates in myoglobin

The development of optical multidimensional spectroscopic techniques has opened up new possibilities for the study of biological processes. Recently, ultrafast two‐dimensional ultraviolet spectroscopy experiments have determined the rates of tryptophan → heme electron transfer and excitation energy transfer for the two tryptophan residues in myoglobin (Consani et al., Science, 2013, 339, 1586). Here, we show that accurate prediction of these rates can be achieved using Marcus theory in conjunction with time‐dependent density functional theory. Key intermediate residues between the donor and acceptor are identified, and in particular the residues Val68 and Ile75 play a critical role in calculations of the electron coupling matrix elements. Our calculations demonstrate how small changes in structure can have a large effect on the rates, and show that the different rates of electron transfer are dictated by the distance between the heme and tryptophan residues, while for excitation energy transfer the orientation of the tryptophan residues relative to the heme is important. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Computational Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Optical constants of organic insulators in the UV range extracted from reflection electron energy loss spectra

Reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra were measured for seven insulating organic compounds (DNA, Irganox 1010, Kapton, polyethylene [PE], poly(methyl methacrylate) [PMMA], polystyrene [PS] and polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]). Optical constants and energy band gaps were extracted from the measured REELS spectra after elimination of multiple electron scattering via a deconvolution and fitting the normalised single scattering energy loss spectra to Drude and Drude–Lindhard model dielectric functions, constrained by the Kramers–Kronig sum and f-sum rules. Satisfactory agreement is found for those optical constants for which literature data exists. For PTFE, the observed features in the optical data correspond to its electronic structure.     

Solvent effects on competitive intramolecular electron transfer and energy transfer in a covalently linked porphyrin-phthalocyanine heterodimer

Photophysical properties of a porphyrin-phthalocyanine heterodimer covalently linked with a dipentoxy chain have been studied.Absorption spectra show that there is weak exciton coupling between the two chromophores in the ground state.Fluorescence spectra show that intramolecular energy transfer from porphyrin to phthalocyanine moiety occurs in competition with electron transfer.The efficiency of these two processes depends upon the mutual orientation of the two chromophores.The effect of solvent polarity on the intramolecular processes is also discussed.     

Statistical mechanics of energy transfer in gas–surface scattering: A dynamical Lie algebraic approach

The dynamical Lie algebraic (DLA) method is used to describe statistical mechanics of energy transfer in rotationally inelastic molecule–surface scattering. Statistical average values of an observable for the scattering system are calculated in terms of density operator formalism in statistical mechanics. Employing a cubic expansion procedure of molecule–surface interaction potential leads to generation of a dynamical Lie algebra. Thus these statistical average values as a function of the group parameters can be obtained analytically in this formulation. The group parameters can be found from solving a set of coupled nonlinear differential equations. The DLA method, which has no need for determination of transition probabilities in advance as made routinely in the calculation, offers an efficient alternative to the method for computing the statistical average values. This method is much less computationally intensive because most of calculations can be analytically carried out. The average final rotational energies and their dependence on the main dynamic variables and the average interaction potential are presented for the rotationally inelastic scattering of NO molecules from a flat, static Ag(111) surface. Direct comparison is made between the predictions of this model calculation and experiment. The model reproduces well the degree of rotational excitation and correlation between the average final translational and the average rotational energies. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2001     

肽链体系中的长程电子转移: 酪氨酸与色氨酸间电子转移的理论研究

用电子转移的半经典模型和量子化学半经验方法对色氨酸-酪氨酸二肽体系进行电子转移动力学参数计算.用AM1方法分别优化给体、受体和桥体几何构型,用线性反应坐标的构造了给体和受体分子间电子转移的双势阱,得到两透热势能面交叉处的反应坐标为R=(约等于)0.10,并确定了反应的内重组能及反应热.对色氨酰酪氨酸和酪氨酰色氨酸体系进行闭壳层HF自洽场计算,按Koopmans定理计算体系分子轨道分裂能值A(三角形),在R约为0处发现了A(三角形)的极小值,从而获得色氨酰酪氨酸及酪氨酰色氨酸体系分子内电子转移的电子转移矩阵元V~D~A分别为0.96kJ.mol^-^1和0.87kJ.mol^-^1.采用Marcus双球模型估算反应的溶剂重组能为64.60kJ.mol^-^1。     

Morphology,surface roughness,electron inelastic and quasielastic scattering in elastic peak electron spectroscopy of polymers

In elastic peak electron spectroscopy (EPES), the nearest vicinity of elastic peak in the low kinetic energy region reflects electron inelastic and quasielastic processes. Incident electrons produce surface excitations, inducing surface plasmons, with the corresponding loss peaks separated by 1–20 eV energy from the elastic peak. In this work, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and helium pycnometry are applied for determining surface atomic composition and bulk density, whereas atomic force microscopy (AFM) is applied for determining surface morphology and roughness. The component due to electron recoil on hydrogen atoms can be observed in EPES spectra for selected primary electron energies. Simulations of EPES predict a larger contribution of the hydrogen component than observed experimentally, where hydrogen deficiency is observed. Elastic peak intensity is influenced more strongly by surface morphology (roughness and porosity) than by surface excitations and quasielastic scattering of electrons by hydrogen atoms. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of energy‐loss functions from REELS spectra with surface and bulk energy loss functions for Ag

Effective energy‐loss functions were derived from the reflection electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra of Ag by an extended Landau approach. The effective energy‐loss functions obtained are close to the surface energy‐loss function in the low‐energy‐loss region, but tend to be closer to the bulk energy‐loss function in the higher energy‐loss region for higher primary energy. The REELS spectra incorporating the effective energy‐loss function are also reproduced in a Monte‐Carlo simulation model and confirm that the simulation reproduces the experimental REELS spectra with considerable success. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer and triplet energy transfer in a steroid-linked norbornadiene-carbazole dyad

Bichromophoric compound 3 beta-((2-(methoxycarbonyl)bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene-3-yl)carboxy)androst-5-en-17 beta-yl-[2-(N-carbazolyl)acetate] (NBD-S-CZ) was synthesized and its photochemistry was examined by fluorescence quenching, flash photolysis, and chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization (CIDNP) methods. Fluorescence quenching measurements show that intramolecular electron transfer from the singlet excited state of the carbazole to the norbornadiene group in NBD-S-CZ occurs with an efficiency (Phi SET) of about 14 % and rate constant (kSET) of about 1.6 x 10(7) s-1. Phosphorescence and flash photolysis studies reveal that intramolecular triplet energy transfer and electron transfer from the triplet carbazole to the norbornadiene group proceed with an efficiency (TET + TT) of about 52 % and rate constant (kTET + kTT) of about 3.3 x 10(5) s-1. Upon selective excitation of the carbazole chromophore, nuclear polarization is detected for protons of the norbornadiene group (emission) and its quadricyclane isomer (enhanced absorption); this suggests that the isomerization of the norbornadiene group to the quadricyclane proceeds by a radical-ion pair recombination mechanism in addition to intramolecular triplet sensitization. The long-distance intramolecular triplet energy transfer and electron transfers starting both from the singlet and triplet excited states are proposed to proceed by a through-bond mechanism.     

Dendronized perylenetetracarboxdiimides with peripheral triphenylamines for intramolecular energy and electron transfer

Novel perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxdiimides (PDI) dyes functionalized with polyphenylene dendrimers attached at the bay region are reported. Derivatives of PDI bearing polyphenylene dendrimers up to the second generation, substituted with an increasing number of triphenylamine (TPA) moieties at the periphery, as well as a related nondendronized model compound were prepared. Intramolecular energy transfer was demonstrated by the observation of PDI emission on excitation of the triphenylamines, and electron transfer was detected by comparing photoluminescence quenching in solvents of different polarity.     

Inelastic scattering and energy loss of swift electron beams in biologically relevant materials

The inelastic mean free path and the stopping power of swift electrons in relevant biomaterials, such as liquid water, DNA, protein, lipid, carotene, sugar, and ice are calculated in the framework of the dielectric formalism. The Mermin Energy Loss Function – Generalized Oscillator Strength model is used to determine the energy loss function of these materials for arbitrary energy and momentum transfer using electron energy‐loss spectroscopy data as input. To ensure the consistency of the model, efforts are made so that both the Kramers–Kronig and f‐sum rules are fulfilled to better than 2%. Our findings indicate sizeable differences in the inelastic mean free path and stopping power among these biomaterials for low‐energy electrons. For example, at 100‐eV electron energy, the inelastic mean free path in protein is 25% smaller than for water and around 10% smaller than for the other biomaterials. The stopping power values of protein, DNA, and sugar are rather similar but 20% larger than for water. Taking into account these results, we conclude that electron interactions with living tissues at the nanometric scale cannot be reliably described using only liquid water as the surrogate of the biological target. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intrachain electron and energy transfer in conjugated organometallic oligomers and polymers

The synthesis of polymers of the type (-Cz-C[triple chemical bond]C-PtL(2)-C[triple chemical bond]C-Cz-X-)(n) along with the corresponding model compounds (Ph-PtL'(2)-C[triple chemical bond]C-Cz)(2)-X-, where Cz=3,3'-carbazole, X=nothing, Cz, or F (2,2'-fluorene), L=PBu(3), and L'=PEt(3) are reported. The electronic spectra (absorption, excitation, emission, and ns-transient spectra) and the photophysics of these species in 2-methyltetrahyrofuran (2MeTHF) at 298 and 77 K are presented. Evidence for singlet electron and triplet energy transfer from the Cz chromophore to the F moiety are provided and discussed in detail. The rate for electron transfer is very fast (>4 x 10(11) s(-1)), whereas that for triplet-triplet energy transfer is much slower (approximately 10(3) s(-1)). This work represents a very rare example of studies that address electronic communication in the backbone of a conjugated organometallic polymer.     

Memory effect on the inelastic interaction of electrons moving parallel to a solid surface

It is generally assumed that two successive inelastic interactions between an electron and a solid are independent of each other. In other words, the electron has no memory of its previous interaction. However, the previous interaction of the electron generates a potential that should influence its succeeding inelastic interaction. The aim of this work is to establish a model to account for the memory effect of an electron between two successive inelastic interactions. On the basis of the dielectric response theory, formulae for differential inverse inelastic mean free paths (DIIMFPs) and inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) considering the memory effect were derived for electrons moving parallel to a solid surface by solving the Poisson equation and applying suitable boundary conditions. These mean free paths were then calculated with the extended Drude dielectric function for a Cu surface. It was found that the DIIMFP and the IMFP with the memory effect for electron energy E lay between the corresponding values without the memory effect for electron energy E and previous energy E₀. The memory effect increased with increasing electron energy loss, E₀ ? E, in the previous inelastic interaction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Local and surface analysis within an analytical electron microscope

Analytical transmission electron microscopes have the ability to display at very high spatial resolution both the structural information of solid specimens prepared as thin films and the spectroscopic information related either to electronic properties or to the elemental composition. An example of study, by electron energy loss spectroscopy, of small spherical silicon particles is given as an illustration of the performances of the technique.     

Molecular energy and electron transfer assemblies made of self-organized lipid-porphyrin bilayer vesicles

Novel molecular energy and electron transfer assemblies in vesicular form, which are made of self-organized amphiphilic porphyrins bearing phospholipid-like substituents (lipid-porphyrins), have been photochemically characterized. Tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) derivatives with four dialkylphosphocholine groups [free-base (1 a), Zn(2+) complex (1 b), and Fe(3+) complex (1 c)] are spontaneously associated in water to form spherical unilamellar vesicles with a diameter of 100-150 nm. Exciton calculations based on the bilayered sheet model of 1 b, which has a porphyrin packing similar to that seen in the triclinic unit cell of the Zn(2+)TPP crystals, reproduced the Soret band bathochromic shift appearing in the aqueous solution of 1 b well. The UV/Vis absorption spectrum of the 1 a/1 b hybrid vesicles (molar ratio: 1/1) showed no electronic interaction between the two porphyrin chromophores in the ground state, but efficient intermolecular singlet-singlet energy transfer took place from the excited 1 b donors to the 1 a acceptor within the vesicle. Near-field scanning optical microspectroscopy of the 1 a/1 b vesicles on a graphite surface also showed only free-base porphyrin fluorescence. The efficiency of the energy transfer was 0.81 and the rate constant was 3.1 x 10(9) s(-1). On the other hand, protoporphyrin IX bearing two alkylphosphocholine propionates (2) was incorporated into the 1 a or 1 c bilayer vesicles (ca. 100 nm phi, molar ratio: 1 a/2 or 1 c/2=10). The UV/Vis absorption spectrum showed that 2 was successfully anchored into the fluid alkylene region of the membrane without stacking. Photoirradiation (lambda(ex): 390 nm) of the 1 c/2 vesicles in the presence of triethanolamine led a vectorial electron transfer from the outer aqueous phase to the membrane center, which allowed reduction of the ferric ion of the Fe(3+)TPP platform.     

Internal reorganization energy in return electron transfer within geminate radical ion pairs

The internal reorganization energies λ_v for return electron transfer (ET) reactions within geminate radical ion pairs were studied using the extended Nelsen method. In the ET systems studied, the common acceptor was 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (DCA). The donors were methyl-substituted compounds of benzene, biphenyl, naphthalene and phenanthrene. The calculated results indicated that the λ_v values were associated mainly with the carbon atoms of the aromatic rings and the atoms linked directly to the aromatic rings. Systems with similar substituted conditions are expected to have similar internal reorganization energies. For systems in which the two aromatic rings of the donor can rotate relative to each other, the calculated λ_v values include a contribution from the change in torsional angle in the ET process. Compared with the system in which the donor is a fluorene molecule, the contributions of the torsional angles (low-frequency vibration) to λ_v were estimated.     

Structural characterization of modern and fossilized charcoal produced in natural fires as determined by using electron energy loss spectroscopy

Charcoal produced in natural fires is widespread, but surprisingly little is known about its structure and stability. TEM and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) were used to characterize the organized graphite-like microcrystallites and amorphous nonorganized phases of modern charcoal that had been produced in natural fires. In addition, a semiordered structure was identified in two modern charcoal samples. Fossilized charcoal contains fewer graphite-like microcrystallites than modern samples. EELS spectra confirmed that the dominant structure in fossilized charcoal is amorphous carbon. EELS measurements also revealed that only the nonorganized phase contains oxygen, which indicates that the degradation of the fossilized charcoal structure occurs mainly through oxidation processes. The few graphite-like microcrystallites found in fossilized charcoal were composed of onion-like structures that are probably less prone to oxidation owing to their rounded structures.     

Effect of electron-electron correlations on the activation free energy of adiabatic electrochemical reactions of dissociative electron transfer

Adiabatic free energy surfaces for adiabatic electrochemical reactions of dissociative electron transfer are calculated with exact allowance for the effects of electron-electron correlations in a model of an electrode with an infinitely broad conduction band. The role of correlation effects in these reactions is discussed. It is shown that, as in common adiabatic electrochemical reactions of electron transfer, correlation effects play a substantial role and lead to a considerable decrease in the activation free energies.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 4, 2005, pp. 412–418.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Kuznetsov, Medvedev, Sokolov.