Cover Picture: Ann. Phys. 3'2013

Biological modulation using a femtosecond‐pulsed laser: When a femtosecond‐pulsed laser (yellow beam) is used to irradiate the cytosol of the cell (upper left), it generates free electrons (blue particles) in the focused area. Laser‐induced free electrons subsequently produce reactive oxygen species (ROS, red particles), which are amplified by inter‐mitochondrial networks. Amplified ROS signals can stimulate endoplasmic reticulum to release calcium ions (green particles). Femtosecond‐pulsed laser stimulation can modify blood vessel permeability (lower right). After short‐term laser irradiation, small chemicals (e.g., drugs) and proteins to which the intact blood vessel is impermeable can now flow out while red blood cells stay within the lumen. The cascade mechanism, which consists of low‐density plasma, ROS and calcium, is responsible for femtosecond‐pulsed laser‐induced biological modulation in both excitable and non‐excitable cells. J. Yoon et al., pp. 205‐214 in this issue     

Cover Picture: Ann. Phys. 5'2013

General relativity may be formulated in terms of tetrad fields and of the torsion tensor, i.e. in an alternative geometrical formulation as shown in the review by J.W. Maluf (pp. 339–357). This teleparallel equivalent of general relativity has been expressed on the front page in an artistic vision by G. Schulz (Fussgoenheim, Germany).     

Cover Picture: Ann. Phys. 4'2013

The vibrational and electronic properties of a new class of organometallic sandwich molecules have been studied using first principles density functional techniques (DFT). Spectral properties as well as the HOMO‐LUMO gap energy in molecules containing up to eight C₆ layers have been calculated. S. L. Kuzmin and W. W. Duley show that infinite chains should have excellent metallic properties. These molecules are promising for nanoelectronic applications, due to their predicted high stability, conductivity, and magnetic properties (pp. 297–308).     

Cover Picture: Ann. Phys. 6'2013

ESTEM imaging of single atoms in catalyst reaction studies. Picture: E.D. Boyes et al., pp. 423–429 in this issue.     

Cover Picture: Ann. Phys. 12'2013

Through numerical solution of the quasi‐three‐dimensional time‐dependent Schrödinger equation, the harmonic spectra and attosecond‐pulse generation have been theoretically investigated when a model He atom is exposed to the modified three‐color chirped field (see L.‐Q. Feng, Y.‐B. Duan, and T.‐S. Chu, pp. 915–920, in this issue).