Interactions between CdSe/CdS quantum dots and DNA through spectroscopic and electrochemical methods

The interaction of CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) with Herring sperm-DNA (hs-DNA) has been studied by UV-vis spectroscopy and electrochemical method. Cu(phen)₂^2+/1+ (phen = 1, 10-phenanthroline) was used as an indicator for electroactive dsDNA or ssDNA. The apparent association constant has been deduced (4.94 × 10³ M⁻¹ and 2.39 × 10² M⁻¹) from the absorption spectral changes of the dsDNA-QDs and ssDNA-QDs. The results of dissociation method suggest that Cu(phen)₂^2+/1+ is more easily dissociated from dsDNA or ssDNA modified gold electrode (dsDNA/Au or dsDNA/Au) in presence of QDs. The dissociation rate constant (k) of Cu(phen)₂^2+/1+ on dsDNA/Au is 4.48 times higher than that in absence of QDs, while k is 2.34 times higher than that in absence of QDs on ssDNA/Au in Tris buffer with low ionic strength (pH 7.0, 0.5 mM NaCl). The results illuminate that hs-DNA has high affinity for QDs due to electrostatic force, hydrogen bonds, and van der Waals interactions, and the binding force of QDs with dsDNA is stronger than ssDNA.     

Control the revisit time of the electron wave packet

Ionization of molecules by strong laser fields launches an electron wave packet. This electron wave packet, which can be driven back by the field to recollide with the parent ion, has been widely explored to probe the ultrafast nuclear dynamics. We numerically demonstrate the precise control of the temporal characteristic of the recolliding electron wave packet (REWP) by orthogonally polarized two-color fields. Through changing the relative phase of the two fields, the revisit time of REWP can be manipulated with a resolution of less than 200 attos, thus significantly improving the resolution of the well known molecular clock. This provides an efficient method for real-time observation of the ultrafast molecular dynamics with attosecond resolution.     

Femtosecond laser microfabricated fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer for sensing applications

We demonstrate a femtosecond laser microfabricated fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer and reveal the dependences of the sensitivities of different environmental parameters on the specifications of the interferometer. A 30-mm-long fiber interferometer at a wavelength of 1593 nm exhibits a temperature sensitivity of 0.103 nm/°C, axial strain sensitivity of -1.35 pm/με, and refractive index sensitivity of -15.294 nm/RIU, respectively. In addition to dependence on interferometer length, the sensitivities are also strongly dependent on the operation wavelength of the selected interference order. When the operation wavelength is selected at 1525 nm, the sensitivities are 0.085 nm/°C, -0.09 pm/με, and -13.824 nm/RIU, respectively.     

Heavy ion irradiation-induced phase transformation in polycrystalline Dy2O3

Radiation damage effects in polycrystalline pellets of the rare earth sesquioxide Dy₂O₃ irradiated with 300?keV Kr²⁺ ions were studied by combining grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Radiation damage was introduced using 300?keV Kr²⁺ ions to fluences up to 1?×?10²⁰?Kr?m^?2 at cryogenic temperature. GIXRD and cross-sectional TEM observations revealed that the crystal structure of the irradiated Dy₂O₃ transformed from a cubic, so-called C-type rare earth sesquioxide structure to a monoclinic, B-type rare earth sesquioxide structure upon ion irradiation. In addition, TEM and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) indicated that the transformed surface Dy₂O₃ layer adopts an epitaxial orientation relationship with the substrate Dy₂O₃.     

Study of local environment of Cu atoms in Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy with different annealing temperature

The local environment of Cu atoms in Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy was investigated by extended X-ray absorption fine structure(EXAFS).Cu clusters began to order when the annealing temperature was around 733 K from the results of the Fourier transform curves.The fitting results showed that the first shell of the near fcc(face-centered cubic)Cu clusters only contained Cu atoms.The coordination number increased with the annealing temperature.Subsequently,the occupancy rate increased from 33.3%(annealed at 733 K)to 100% (annealed at 853 K).This local structural change of Cu atoms could probably affect the distribution of the bcc(body-centered cubic)α-Fe in Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy.     

Photoassociation of sodium in a Bose-Einstein condensate

We form ultracold Na2 molecules by single-photon photoassociation of a Bose-Einstein condensate, measuring the photoassociation rate, linewidth, and light shift of the J = 1, v = 135 vibrational level of the A1 Sigma (+)(u) molecular state. The photoassociation rate constant increases linearly with intensity, even where it is predicted that many-body effects might limit the rate. Our observations are in good agreement with a two-body theory having no free parameters.