Electron correlation in the second Landau level: a competition between many nearly degenerate quantum phases

At a very low-temperature of 9 mK, electrons in the second Landau level of an extremely high-mobility two-dimensional electron system exhibit a very complex electronic behavior. With a varying filling factor, quantum liquids of different origins compete with several insulating phases leading to an irregular pattern in the transport parameters. We observe a fully developed nu=2+2/5 state separated from the even-denominator nu=2+1/2 state by an insulating phase and a nu=2+2/7 and nu=2+1/5 state surrounded by such phases. A developing plateau at nu=2+3/8 points to the existence of other even-denominator states.     

One nanosecond photon correlation spectroscopy on smectic liquid crystal films

We have extended photon correlation spectroscopy down to a one-nanosecond time scale, and applied it to a study of layer undulations in freestanding smectic-A films of two cyanobiphenyl liquid crystals. Temporal correlations in the intensity of scattered light reveal an interesting combination of under- and overdamped modes. The underdamped mode is accurately described by a recently calculated correlation function of the smectic layer displacement, although its frequency and damping rate exhibit stronger dispersion at large optical wave vectors than expected from current dynamical models for smectic films.     

Strongly anisotropic electronic transport in higher Landau levels

Low-temperature, electronic transport in higher Landau levels (N>1) in a two-dimensional electron system is strongly anisotropic. At half-filling of either spin level of such Landau levels ( etc.) the magnetoresistance either collapses to form a deep minimum or is peaked in a sharp maximum, depending on the in-plane current direction. The anisotropic axis can be reoriented by applying an in-plane magnetic field of 1–2 T strength. The magnetoresistance at and (N=1) is initially isotropic but an in-plane field induces a strong anisotropy. Our observations are strong evidence for a new many-electron phase in higher Landau levels, which forms spontaneously or can be induced by an in-plane field.     

Julia sets and periodic kneading sequences

We construct abstract Julia sets homeomorphic to Julia sets for complex polynomials of the form f _c (z) = z ² + c, having an associated periodic kneading sequence of the form [`(a*)]{\overline{\alpha\ast}} which is not a period n-tupling. We show that there is a single simply-defined space of “itineraries” which contains homeomorphic copies of all such Julia sets in a natural combinatorial way, with dynamical properties which are derivable directly from the combinatorics. This also leads to a natural definition of abstract Julia sets even for those kneading sequences which are not realized by any polynomial f _c , with similar dynamical properties.     

Synthesis of polymer-bound hemoglobin samples

Dextran and hydroxyethyl starch have been chemically modified to give aldehyde-substituted polymers. These modified polymers were synthesised either by periodate oxidation of the starting polymer or by attachment of gluteraldehyde to amino-substituted side chains on the polymer. When such modified starches were allowed to react with hemoglobin soluble polymer-bound hemoglobins were formed. These were shown to be capable of binding oxygen but the observed oxygen-binding curves were shifted to the left relative to unbound hemoglobin. Heart perfusion experiments indicate that these polymer-bound hemoglobins are not suitable for use as blood substitutes     

Synthesis of marine sponge alkaloid hachijodine B and a comment on the structure of ikimine B and on the absolute configuration of niphatesine D

The syntheses of the proposed structures of hachijodine B 1, ikimine B 2 and niphatesine D 3 from S-citronellol are described. Our results suggest that the gross structures of hachijodine B and niphatesine D are correct, but that ikimine B was incorrectly assigned. We have also established that the previous absolute stereochemical assignment for niphatesine D is unreliable.