Local magnetization study of the first-order superconducting transition in CeCoIn5

We report local magnetization measurements on the heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn₅ using a micro-Hall probe. Below a critical point T₀ (), the local magnetization shows a clear jump at the superconducting transition temperatures for both H∥a and H∥c, indicating that the phase transition at the upper critical field H_c2 becomes a first-order phase transition. In addition, we observed an undershoot behavior of magnetization jump above (H∥c), which suggests a rapid change of textured superconducting structure with vortices and the nodal planes expected in the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state.     

Near EF electronic structure of heavily boron-doped superconducting diamond

We have performed soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (SXARPES) of a heavily boron-doped superconducting diamond film (T_c=7.2 K) in order to study the electronic structure near the Fermi level (E_F). Careful determination of measured momentum space that across Γ point in the Brillouin zone (BZ) and increase of an energy resolution provide further spectroscopic evidence that E_F is located at the highly dispersive diamond-like bands, indicating that holes at the top of the diamond-like valence band play an essential role for the conducting properties of the heavily boron-doped superconducting diamond for this boron-doping region (effective carrier concentration of 1.6%). The SXARPES intensities at E_F were also mapped out over BZ to obtain experimental Fermi surface sheets and compared with calculations.     

Effects of annealing on the electrical properties of HgTe crystals

The carrier mobility of HgTe crystals at 15°C increased to as much as $\text{33,000}\text{cm}{}^2\text{V sec}$, and the transverse magnetoresistance decreased, when the crystals were annealed long enough in mercury vapor. The results are compared with our calculations of the galvanomagnetic effects for mixed scattering by phonons and charged centers, which was made for a parabolic band. It is concluded that the density of charged centers decreases with annealing, and that acoustic phonons may be the dominant scattering sources near room temperature.     

Synthesis of macrocyclic compounds containing the cycloheptatriene and tropylium ion unit

Crown compounds containing the cycloheptatriene and tropylium ion unit were synthesized from 1,6-dithiocyanatocycloheptatriene.     

Amphiphile-induced erythrocyte shape change and simultaneous tetraethylammonium ion uptake.

Amphiphile-induced tetraethylammonium ion (TEA+) uptake into human erythrocytes was examined along with cell shape change. A TEA(+)-sensitive electrode was used to determine the amount of uptake. TEA+ was preferentially incorporated into erythrocytes when amphiphiles changed cell shape to an invaginated form. This was contrasted with the release of acetylcholinesterase outside cells which occurred markedly with the amphiphiles, causing the crenated form. It was suggested that the invagination of erythrocyte membrane stimulated the formation of vacuoles, in which TEA+ existing in an external medium was entrapped.     

Probing the intermediates of halogen addition to alkynes: bridged halonium versus open halovinyl cation; a theoretical study

[Reaction: see text]. Intermediates formed in halogen addition (X = Br, Cl, F) to alkynes (ethyne, propyne, 2-butyne, trifluoromethylethyne, trimethylsilylethyne, and 1-trimethylsilylpropyne) were studied computationally by MP2 at the MP2/6-311++G(3df,3pd) level and/or by DFT at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d) level. Structure optimization and frequency calculations were performed to identify the minima and to obtain their relative energies. PCM calculations (with H2O, CH2Cl2, and CCl4 as model solvents) were employed to examine solvation effects on the relative stabilities in the resulting bridged halonium, -halovinyl, or -halovinyl cations. GIAO-MP2 and GIAO-DFT calculations were employed to compute NMR chemical shifts (13C, 19F, and 29Si as appropriate). In selected cases, PCM-GIAO calculations were also performed to investigate the extent of solvent effects on the computed NMR shifts. The NPA-derived charges and the GIAO shifts were examined in comparative cases to shed light on structural features. In several cases, structure optimization starting with the -halovinyl cations resulted in -halovinyl cations (via formal hydride shift or trimethylsilyl shift). With the CF3 derivative (when X = F), a formal F shift results in polyfluoroallyl cation generation from fluorovinyl cation as starting geometry.     

Kinetic isotope effects in the reaction H + C2H4 → C2H5

The high-pressure limiting rate constants of the reactions between H or D atoms and three isotopic ethylenes have been measured in the temperature range 206–461 K. Practically no isotope effects due to the differences between the ethylenes could be observed. This result does not agree with the prediction recently made by the activated complex theory.     

Ion/molecule reactions in the orifice-skimmer region of an atmospheric pressure Penning ionization mass spectrometer

Atmospheric pressure Penning ionization mass spectra of methanol were measured as functions of Ar or He gas pressure in the first vacuum chamber, the position of the skimmer, and the voltage applied between the orifice and the skimmer. When the orifice and the skimmer were coaxial with a distance of 4 mm, the distribution of CH3OH2+(CH3OH)n clusters was only weakly dependent on both Ar pressure (in the range of 19-220 Pa) and orifice-skimmer voltage (in the range of 1-45 V). The ion/molecule reaction CH3OH2+ + CH3OH --> CH3+(CH3OH) + H2O was observed in the free jet expansion, especially at high orifice-skimmer voltage values. When the orifice and the skimmer were off-centered and the distance between them was increased to 18 mm, the formation of large CH3OH2+(CH3OH)n clusters, as well as their dissociation, were seen. The endothermic proton transfer reaction, CH3+(CH3OH) + CH3OH --> CH3OH2+ + CH3OCH3, occurred at high orifice-skimmer voltage. The collision-induced dissociation of cluster ions by He gas in the first vacuum chamber was much more efficient than by Ar. These results demonstrated that the mass spectra are highly dependent on skimmer position and on orifice-skimmer voltage and that ions observed by mass spectrometry do not necessarily reflect the abundance of ions produced in the atmospheric pressure ion source.