Determination of symmetry and molecular arrangements of free-standing liquid crystal films using null-transmission ellipsometry

A high resolution null-transmission ellipsometry system has been developed for measurement of the optical properties of liquid crystal free-standing films. The ellipsometric parameters are measured to within a resolution of 0.002° from samples held in a sealed, temperature-controlled environment. By measuring the ellipsometric parameters as a function of applied electric field orientation, the optical symmetry and molecular orientations of free-standing liquid crystal films can be determined in some cases. Three carefully selected applications of this technique are presented.     

Convergence properties of ART and SOR algorithms

Summary ART algorithms with relaxation parameters are studied for general (consistent or inconsistent) linear algebraic systemsRx=f, and a general convergence theorem is formulated. The advantage of severe underrelaxation is reexamined and clarified. The relationship to solutions obtained by applying SOR methods to the equationRR ^T y=f is investigated.The work of this autor was supported by a research grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada     

Die Molekularanordnung von Xylan-Diazetat und azetylierten d-Xylose-?lig sacchariden an der Grenzfl?che Luft-Wasser

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

On pseudospectra of matrix polynomials and their boundaries

In the first part of this paper (Sections 2-4), the main concern is with the boundary of the pseudospectrum of a matrix polynomial and, particularly, with smoothness properties of the boundary. In the second part (Sections 5-6), results are obtained concerning the number of connected components of pseudospectra, as well as results concerning matrix polynomials with multiple eigenvalues, or the proximity to such polynomials.

     

Studies of a Large Odd‐Numbered Odd‐Electron Metal Ring: Inelastic Neutron Scattering and Muon Spin Relaxation Spectroscopy of Cr8Mn

The spin dynamics of Cr₈Mn, a nine‐membered antiferromagnetic (AF) molecular nanomagnet, are investigated. Cr₈Mn is a rare example of a large odd‐membered AF ring, and has an odd‐number of 3d‐electrons present. Odd‐membered AF rings are unusual and of interest due to the presence of competing exchange interactions that result in frustrated‐spin ground states. The chemical synthesis and structures of two Cr₈Mn variants that differ only in their crystal packing are reported. Evidence of spin frustration is investigated by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and muon spin relaxation spectroscopy (μSR). From INS studies we accurately determine an appropriate microscopic spin Hamiltonian and we show that μSR is sensitive to the ground‐spin‐state crossing from S=1/2 to S=3/2 in Cr₈Mn. The estimated width of the muon asymmetry resonance is consistent with the presence of an avoided crossing. The investigation of the internal spin structure of the ground state, through the analysis of spin‐pair correlations and scalar‐spin chirality, shows a non‐collinear spin structure that fluctuates between non‐planar states of opposite chiralities.     

Determining the orientation of uniaxially rotating membrane proteins using unoriented samples: a 2H, 13C, AND 15N solid-state NMR investigation of the dynamics and orientation of a transmembrane helical bundle

Membrane protein orientation has traditionally been determined by NMR using mechanically or magnetically aligned samples. Here we show a new NMR approach that abolishes the need for preparing macroscopically aligned membranes. When the protein undergoes fast uniaxial rotation around the bilayer normal, the 0 degrees -frequency of the motionally averaged powder spectrum is identical to the frequency of the aligned protein whose alignment axis is along the magnetic field. Thus, one can use unoriented membranes to determine the orientation of the protein relative to the bilayer normal. We demonstrate this approach on the M2 transmembrane peptide (M2TMP) of influenza A virus, which is known to assemble into a proton-conducting tetrameric helical bundle. The fast uniaxial rotational diffusion of the M2TMP helical bundle around the membrane normal is characterized via 2H quadrupolar couplings, C-H and N-H dipolar couplings, 13C chemical shift anisotropies, and 1H T1rho relaxation times. We then show that 15N chemical shift anisotropy and N-H dipolar coupling measured on these powder samples can be analyzed to yield precise tilt angles and rotation angles of the helices. The data show that the tilt angle of the M2TMP helices depends on the membrane thickness to reduce the hydrophobic mismatch. Moreover, the orientation of a longer M2 peptide containing both the transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic residues is similar to the orientation of the transmembrane domain alone, suggesting that the transmembrane domain regulates the orientation of this protein and that structural information obtained from M2TMP may be extrapolated to the longer peptide. This powder-NMR approach for orientation determination is generally applicable and can be extended to larger membrane proteins.     

Characterization of the crystal and magnetic structures of the mixed-anion coordination polymer Cu(HCO2)(NO3)(pyz) {pyz = Pyrazine} by X-ray diffraction, ac magnetic susceptibility, dc magnetization, muon-spin relaxation, and spin dimer analysis

The mixed-anion coordination polymer Cu(HCO2)(NO3)(pyz) was synthesized, its crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction, and its magnetic structure was characterized by ac susceptibility, dc magnetization, muon-spin relaxation, and spin dimer analysis. The crystal structure consists of five-coordinate Cu2+ ions that are connected through syn-anti bridging mu-HCO2- and mu-pyz ligands to form a highly corrugated two-dimensional layered network. Bulk magnetic measurements show a broad maximum in chi(T) at 6.6 K. The HCO2- and pyz ligands mediate ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin exchange interactions between adjacent Cu2+ ions with the spin exchange parameters J/kB = 8.17 and -5.4 K, respectively (H = -JSigmaSi x Sj). The muon-spin relaxation data show a transition to a long-range magnetic ordering below TN = 3.66(3) K. For T < TN, the M(H) and chi'ac measurements provide evidence for a field-induced spin-flop transition at 15.2 kOe. That Cu(HCO2)(NO3)(pyz) undergoes a long-range magnetic ordering is an unexpected result because the one-dimensional Cu(NO3)2(pyz) and three-dimensional Cu(HCO2)2(pyz) compounds display linear chain antiferromagnetism with no long-range magnetic ordering down to 2 K.     

Accelerated solvent extraction of fluometuron from selected soils

Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) is a recently developed extraction technique that is more rapid and produces less waste than do conventional liquid/liquid extraction methods. Optimal conditions were determined for ASE of fluometuron from 2 Weswood clay loam soils. Two solvents (acetonitrile and methanol), 2 temperatures (50 and 100 degrees C), and the number of static cycles (1, 2, and 3) were evaluated. The most efficient and reproducible extractions were obtained when methanol was combined with a 50 degrees C extraction temperature and the static cycle was repeated 3 times. These experiments indicated that existing extraction methods for fluometuron can easily be adapted for ASE.     

Effect of laser-focusing conditions on propagation and monoenergetic electron production in laser-wakefield accelerators

The effect of laser-focusing conditions on the evolution of relativistic plasma waves in laser-wakefield accelerators is studied both experimentally and with particle-in-cell simulations. For short focal-length (w_{0}lambda_{p}), a single optical filament can capture the majority of the laser energy and self-guide over distances comparable to the dephasing length, even for these short pulses (ctau approximately lambda_{p}). This allows the wakefield to evolve to the correct shape for the production of the monoenergetic electron bunches, as measured in the experiment.