Infrared diode laser spectroscopy of the ν = 2 band of AlF

A vibrational–rotational spectrum of the ν = 2 transitions of a high-temperature molecule AlF was observed between 1490 and 1586 cm⁻¹ with a diode laser spectrometer. Measurements were made on the ν = 3–1, 4–2, 5–3 and 8–6 bands at a temperature of 900 °C. Measured spectral lines were fitted to effective band constants ν₀, B_ν and D_ν for each band. Present measurements were made with only one Pb-salt laser diode. Physical significance of the effective band constants is discussed.     

Lifetime of the 4D 3/2 and 4D 5/2 metastable states in Sr II

Sr⁺ ions were confined in a r.f. quadrupole trap for times of the order of 30 min. The metastable 4D states were populated via laser excitation of the 5P states. The weak quadrupole transition rate into the 5S _1/2 ground state at 674 and 687 nm was deduced from observation of the exponential decay. At background pressures above 10^?7 mbar the radiative decay is dominated by collisional quenching. Extrapolation of the observed decay rate to zero background pressure yields the radiative lifetimes. At pressures around 10^?6 mbar fine structure mixing collisions between the 4D states have been observed, which lead to corrections of the extrapolated lifetimes. As the final result we obtain 395±38 ms for 4D _3/2 and 345±33 ms for 4D _5/2. These results are somewhat higher than theoretical predictions.     

Experimental lifetime of the metastable 5D 3/2 state in Ba+

A discrepancy exists between theoretical and experimental lifetimes of the metastable 5D _3/2 state in Ba⁺. In order to redertermine that lifetime, we probe the population of the metastable 5D _3/2 state of a Ba⁺ ion cloud stored in a Paul ion trap in the presence of He buffer gas as the function of time delay after pulsed laser excitation of this state. The measured decay rates at different buffer gas pressures are extrapolated to zero pressure and we obtain a radiative decay time of 48.0±5.9 s. This is not in agreement with theoretical predictions of about 80 s, but reduces the discrepancy from a previously reportet experimental value of 17.5 s. If the possibility of finestructure mixing to an adjacent 5D _5/2 level by collisions is considered our value represents a lower limit of the radiative lifetime for the 5D _3/2 state.     

Laser and radiofrequency spectroscopy of the 5d 4 6s 6 D multiplet in Ta I

The hyperfine structure (hfs) of¹⁸¹Ta has been investigated using laser radio-frequency double resonance and high resolution laser spectroscopy on collimated atomic beams. The magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole hyperfine structure coupling constants of the 5d ^{4 6} s 6D _{3/2, 5/2, 7/2, 9/2} metastable states have been determined using radio-frequency spectroscopy. In the 5d ⁴ 6s ⁶ D _1/2 metastable state and the excited 5d ³ 6s 6p ⁴ D _3/2,⁶ D _{5/2, 9/2} as well as the unidentified 28 182.6 cm^–1 and 30 021.2 cm^–1 states, hfs constants have been obtained from high resolution laser spectroscopy. A radio-frequency converter has been developed in order to reach the frequency region 2.7–10 GHz.     

Doppler free “dark resonances” for hyperfine measurements and isotope shifts in Ca+ isotopes in a Paul trap

We have observed dark resonances in theA-type level structure, formed by the 4S_1/2 ground state, the 4P_1/2 excited state and the low lying metastable 3D_3/2 state in the Calcium ion, confined in a Paul radio-frequency trap. These Doppler-free and potentially very narrow resonances were used to determine the magnetic dipole hyperfine interaction constant A for the 4P_1/2 and 3D_3/2 state of⁴³Ca⁺, giving –142(8) MHz and –48.3(1.6) MHz, respectively. From measurements of the P-D (E1) and S-D (E2) transition wavelength in a mixture of⁴³Ca⁺ and⁴⁰Ca⁺ we determined the isotope shifts of these lines.     

Precision measurement of the energy of the 4d 9 5s 2 2 D 5/2 metastable level in Ag I

The energy of the 4d ⁹ 5s ^{2 2} D _5/2 metastable level in Ag I, which is the upper level of the very narrow 5s ² S _1/2 – 4d ⁹ 5s ^{2 2} D _5/2 two-photon transition at 661.2 nm, has been determined from precision measurements of the wavelengths of the 206.1 nm (5s ² S _1/2 – 6p ² P ₃ ^2/0 ) and 547.5 nm (4d ⁹ 5s ^{2 2} D _5/2 – 6p ² P ₃ ^2/0 ) lines emitted from a hollow-cathode discharge. The measured energy of the 4d ⁹ 5s ^{2 2} D _5/2 level, 30 242.286(7) cm^–1, is combined with the known hyperfine splittings and the estimated¹⁰⁷Ag-¹⁰⁹Ag isotope shift to obtain accurate absolute frequencies for the hyperfine components of the 661.2 nm transition. These results should help in the detection of the narrow 661.2 nm two-photon transition, which has been proposed as a new optical frequency standard.     

Electron bombardment induced fragmentation of size selected neutral (D2O) n clusters

The fragmentation behaviour of size selected neutral (D₂O) _n clusters withn4 after ionization with 70 eV electrons is subject of this work. Size selection by scattering the cluster beam from a He target beam in combination with a quadrupole mass filter and time resolved measurements at specific laboratory angles enables us to determine the neutral precursor masses of the detected ions. The measured fragment pattern is dominated by deuterated ions of the form (D₂O) _n–x D⁺ withx1. The dimer fragmentation which leads with a probability of 62.5% to the D₃O⁺ ion and with 37.5% to D₂O⁺ can be explained by fast intracluster ion-molecule reactions of charged monomer fragments reacting with the partner molecule. For larger clusters the fragmentation process can be rationalised by the creation of an initially highly excited D₃O⁺ (D₂O) _x complex which is stabilized by evaporating additional monomer units with the main fragment channel (D₂O)D⁺ forn=3 and (D₂O)₂D⁺ forn=4. With increasing cluster size an increasing tendency of evaporation of more than one water monomer unit has been observed.     

Kinetics and mechanism in the decomposition of NH3 in a radio-frequency pulse discharge

Studies of time-resolved absorption spectra of transient species in the decomposition of NH₃ by an r.f. pulse discharge together with product analysis showed that the major radical formed was NH at concentrations of the order of 10^–6 mol dm^–3 (10⁵ molec. cm^–3). Possible mechanisms for the formation of the radical during the discharge and its decay following pulse cut-off were tested by computer simulation of the kinetic data. Following zero-order formation with rate coefficient 0.19±0.03 mol dm^–3 s^–1, the decay was second order in NH with rate coefficient 2.1±0.5×10⁹ mol^–1 dm³ s^–1 both for pure NH₃ and where NH₃/rare gas mixtures were investigated. The kinetic data are consistent with NH removal in a nonassociative radical-radical reaction proceeding via a short-lived collision complex, probably 2NH N₂H₂ N₂ + H₂.     

Lifetime and collisional depopulation of the metastable 5D 3/2-state of Yb+

The lifetime and collisional depopulation rates of the metastable 5D _3/2 state of Yb⁺ have been determined in a radiofrequency ion trap by observation of the fluorescence count rate after ion excitation by a short laser pulse. From measurements using He, N₂ and H₂ as buffer gases between 10^?8 and 10^?6 mbar pressure and linear extrapolation to zero pressure we obtain a lifetime of τ=52.15±1.00 ms and rate constants ofR(H₂)=(1.02±0.10)×10^?9 cm³/s andR(N₂)=(1.78±0.19)×10^?10 cm³/s. The lifetime is in fair agreement with a calculated value of 74 ms.     

Study on dynamic interfacial tension of 3-dodecyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium bromide at liquid/liquid interface

Dynamic interfacial tension between aqueous solutions of 3-dodecyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (R₁₂HTAB) and n-hexane were measured using the spinning drop method. The effects of the R₁₂HTAB concentration (the concentration below the CMC) and temperature on the dynamic interfacial tension have been investigated; the reason of the change of dynamic interfacial tension with time has been discussed. The effective diffusion coefficient, D_a, and the adsorption barrier, _a, have been obtained from the experimental data using the extended Word–Tordai equation. The results show that the dynamic interfacial tension becomes smaller while _a becomes higher with increasing R₁₂HTAB concentration in the bulk aqueous phase. D_a decreases from 5.56 × 10⁻¹² m⁻² s⁻¹ to 0.87 × 10⁻¹² m⁻² s⁻¹ while _a increases from 5.41 kJ mol⁻¹ to 7.74 kJ mol⁻¹ with the increase of concentration in the bulk solution of R₁₂HTAB from 0.5 × 10⁻³ mol dm⁻³ to 4 × 10⁻³ mol dm⁻³. Change of temperature affects the adsorption rate through altering D_a and _a. The value of D_a increases from 5.56 × 10⁻¹² m⁻² s⁻¹ to 13.98 × 10⁻¹² m⁻² s⁻¹ while that of _a decreases from 5.41 kJ mol⁻¹ to 5.07 kJ mol⁻¹ with temperature ascending from 303 K to 323 K. The adsorption of surfactant from the bulk phase into the interface follows a mixed diffusion–activation mechanism, which has been discussed in the light of interaction between surfactant molecules, diffusion and thermo-motion of molecules.     

Mechanisms of anion formation in O2, O2/Ar and O2/Ne clusters; the role of inelastic electron scattering

Measurements are reported on the formation of negative ions in O₂, O₂/Ar and O₂/Ne clusters aimed at establishing the mechanisms of anion formation and the role of inelastic electron scattering by the cluster constituents on negative ion formation in clusters. In the case of pure O₂ clusters the main anions we detected are of two types: O^–(O₂) _n0 and (O₂) _n ^1– . The yields of O^–(O₂) _n showed maxima at 6.3, 8.0 and 14.0 eV and the data suggest O^– as their precursor; the maxima at 8 and 14 eV are due to the production of O^– via symmetry forbidden dissociative attachment processes in O₂ at these energies which become allowed in clusters. The yields of (O₂) _n ^– showed a strong maximum at near-zero energy (0.5 eV) and also at 6.3, 8 and 14 eV. With the exception of the near-zero energy resonance, the (O₂) _n ^– anions at 6.3, 8 and 14 eV are attributed to nondissociative attachment of near-zero energy secondary electrons to O₂ clusters. The slow secondary electrons result predominantly from scattering via the O ₂ ^– negative ion states of incident electrons with energies in their respective regions. Similar results were obtained for the mixed O₂/rare gas clusters except that now a feeble and distinctly structured contribution in the yields of O^–(O₂) _n , (O₂) _n ^– (and Ar(O₂) _n ^– ) was observed at energies >10 eV. These anions are believed to have the lowest negative ion states of Ar*^– (Ne*^–) as their precursors.     

Natural radiative lifetimes in the2 S 1/2 and2 D 3/2, 5/2 sequences of neutral copper

Natural radiative lifetimes have been measured of the 3d ¹⁰ ns ² S _1/2 (n=6?10) and of the 3d ¹⁰ nd ² D _{3/2, 5/2} (n=5?9) sequences by using two step excitation of copper atoms in an atomic beam. The states investigated were populated by the light from two pulsed dye lasers pumped by the same Nd:YAG laser. The lifetimes of the² D sequence increase regularly with increasing principal quantum number. This is not the case for the² S series, because of configuration interaction in the² P series. In addition the lifetime of the 3d ¹⁰5p ² P _3/2 state has been measured together with its branching ratio.     

Determination of Vitamins E and D3 in Some Preparations by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Indirect Spectrophotometric Detection

The behavior of vitamins E and D₃ was studied under the conditions of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with the use of unmodified and modified mobile phases. Acetonitrile modified with chlorophyll (a + b) (Chl) and tetraphenylporfyrin (H₂TPP) was selected for the indirect spectrophotometric detection of vitamins. It was demonstrated that detection limits are 2.3 g (8.33 × 10^–6 M H₂TPP, = 404 nm) and 3.5 ng (8.6 × 10^–6 M Chl, = 430 nm) for vitamin E and 0.12 g (3.0 × 10^–7 M H₂TPP, = 420 nm) for vitamin D₃. Pharmaceutical preparations containing vitamins E and D₃ were analyzed.     

Neutral molecule/crown ether interactions 5. Comparison of the C−H acidic interactions of nitromethane and acetonitrile with 18-crown-6 and dibenzo-18-crown-6. Crystal structures of dibenzo-18-crown-6·2 CH3NO2 and dibenzo-18-crown-6·2 CH3CN

Complete structural characterization of dibenzo-18-crown-6·2 CH₃NO₂ and dibenzo-18-crown-6·2 CH₃CN have been carried out, including location and refinement of the methyl hydrogen atoms. Dibenzo-18-crown-6·2 CH₃NO₂ is monoclinic,P2₁/c, with (at –150°C)a=9.573(2),b=14.636(2),c=33.471(7) Å, =93.77(2)°, andD _calc=1.37 g cm^–3 forZ=8. Interactions between the solvent methyl groups and the crown ethers and other solvent nitro groups associate the 1 : 2 complexes into polymeric chains alongb. The acetonitrile adduct exists as discreet 1 : 2 complexes in the solid state with C–H...O interactions exlusively to the ether. This complex is triclinic,P 1, with (at –150°C)a=9.458(6),b=9.570(5),c=14.404(5) Å, =73.18(4), =79.85(5), =66.82(6)°, andD _calc=1.28 g cm^–3 forZ=2. Supplementary Data relating to this article are deposited with the British Library as Supplementary Publication No. SUP 82070 (22 pages).For part 4, see reference [1].     

Ionization gauge sensitivities of N2, O2, N2O, NO, NO2, NH3, CClF3 and CH3OH

A Bayard-Alpert (BA) gauge was used to determine apparent relative sensitivites S_rel,X for O₂, N₂O, NO, NO₂, NH₃, CClF₃ and CH₃OH from gauge calibration measurements in the range 1.3×10^–1 Pap1.3·10^–3Pa. Nitrogen was used as a calibration standard.     

Pressure effects on aminonaphthalene dye fluorescence in H2O and D2O

The pressure dependence of excited-state proton transfer equilibria has been examined for aqueous solutions of several substituted napthalene dyes, in particular 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonic acid (DANS). The pressure-induced shift in equilibrium is characterized by volume changes spanning the range V ^*=–18 cm³ mole^–1 to V ^*=+4 cm³-mole^–1. A deuterium oxide solvent isotope effect is evident in the pressure response of DANS, leading to a 35% smaller V_* in D₂O relative to H₂O.     

Theoretical study of the stereodynamics of the reactions O(D) + H2, D2 and HD

Calculations of the dynamics of the reactions O(¹D) + H₂ → OH + H, O(¹D) + HD → OH + D, O(¹D) + HD → OD + H and O(¹D) + D₂ → OD + D have been performed using the quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) method with symplectic integration. The theoretical calculations were carried out on the ground state 1A′ potential energy surfaces (PES) by Dobbyn and Knowles. The distributions of the dihedral angle P(_r), the angle between k and j′, P(θ_r), and the product vibrational state are presented. The results show that the intermediate geometrical structures and lifetimes of the reactive collisions play a vital role in these reactions.     

Separation of cerium and europium by extraction with tributyl phosphate and di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid in n-alkane from nitrate solutions

The following extraction systems have been studied: (Ce³⁺+Eu³⁺) (NO₃)-(EDTA, DCTA, DTPA)/TBP in n-alkane and (Ce³⁺+Eu³⁺)(NO₃)/DEHPA in n-alkane at concentration ratios as follows: [Ce³⁺]=trace –1 mol·dm^–3, [Eu³⁺]=trace –0.1 mol·dm^–3. [TBP]=(0.183–1.83) mol·dm^–3, [DEHPA]=(5·10^–3–0.1) mol·dm^–3, [(H, Na)NO₃]=(0.1–6) mol·dm^–3, [Eu³⁺]: [EDTA, DCTA, DTPA]=11–110. The initial concentration of Eu³⁺ in aqueous phase in the extraction system containing a mixture of Ce³⁺ and Eu³⁺ was trace, 1% and 10% compared with the Ce³⁺ concentration. The distribution of the elements between the phases was observed radiometrically using¹⁴¹Ce,¹⁵²Eu and¹⁵⁴Eu. The results are documented by the distribution ratios D_Ce, D_Eu and separation factor =D_Eu/D_Ce as functions of variable parameters of the systems.     

The measurements ofn 2D levels and fine structure intervals of cesium

The transitions ofn ² D6² S,F=4, of the cesium atom are studied by Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy combined with a thermionic diode detector. Progress in overcoming the influence of single-photon background of the molecular Cs₂, the levels and fine structure intervals ofn ² D withn=54–70 are obtained.This work was supported by the NSFC (No. 1880757)     

Electrochemical characteristics of H2O2 microarray electrodes as base elements of biosensors

Summary The electrochemical characteristics were examined of band- and square-type MAEs (microarray electrodes) with 10, 20 and 30 m band width and side length prepared by using standard planar processing in K₃Fe(CN)₆ solution. Among them, S1–5 square-type MAE with 10 m side length and 9.0×10^–3 mm² in the total area exhibits the largest current density and the shortest response time. The H₂O₂ calibration curve obtained at the S1–5 shows linearity from 0.1 to 5.0 mmol/l, a mean slope of 550 nA/mmol/l with a CV (variation coefficient) of 16.1%. A glucose sensor based on the S1–5 was prepared and its sensitivity was 21 nA/mmol/l, ten-fold greater than that of a single ME (microelectrode) reported lately.