Surface state charge dynamics of a high-mobility three-dimensional topological insulator

We present a magneto-optical study of the three-dimensional topological insulator, strained HgTe, using a technique which capitalizes on advantages of time-domain spectroscopy to amplify the signal from the surface states. This measurement delivers valuable and precise information regarding the surface-state dispersion within <1 meV of the Fermi level. The technique is highly suitable for the pursuit of the topological magnetoelectric effect and axion electrodynamics.     

Synthesis of tailored WO3 and WOx (2.9 < x < 3) nanoparticles by adjusting the combustion conditions in a H2/O2/Ar premixed flame reactor

Flame synthesis of WO₃ and WO_x (2.9 < x < 3) nanoparticles is carried out by adding a dilute concentration of WF₆ as precursor in a low-pressure H₂/O₂/Ar premixed flame reactor. The reactor is equipped with molecular-beam sampling and particle mass spectroscopy (PMS) to determine particle composition and sizes as a function of height above burner. Varying the H₂/O₂ ratio allowed us to tune the stoichiometry of the product. With a H₂/O₂ ratio of 0.67 white colored stoichiometric WO₃ is formed, whereas the H₂/O₂ ratio >0.8 yields blue colored non-stoichiometric WO_x (2.9 < x < 3) nanoparticles. The size of nanoparticles can be controlled by varying the residence time in the high-temperature zone of the reactor as observed by molecular-beam sampling with subsequent analysis using PMS. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of as-synthesized nanoparticles show that particles are non-agglomerated and have an almost spherical morphology. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the as-synthesized material indicates that the powders exhibit poor crystallinity, however, subsequent thermal annealing of the sample in air changes its structure from amorphous to crystalline phase. It is observed that particles with sub-stoichiometric composition (WO_x) show higher conductivity compared to the stoichiometric WO₃ sample.     

Adhesion experiments using an AFM—Parameters of influence

Adhesion measurements were performed by AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy). It was shown that many parameters need to be controlled in order to provide reproducible and quantitative results. Adhesion forces were shown to depend on combination of materials characteristics and testing geometry as well as experimental protocol (contact time, contact force and contact area). This contact area was modified by means of FIB (Focused Ion Beam) milling and deliberate abrasion. As a result, a drastic change in adhesion could be observed. Still, those are problems connected to adjustment of interacting surfaces.     

On Penicillin‐Binding Protein 1b Affinity‐Labeling Reagents

The synthesis of some 3‐aryl‐3‐(trifluoromethyl)3H‐diazirine and benzophenone‐based photoaffinity labels is reported. The photolabile group is bound to a scaffold that also accommodates functional groups to which an indicator unit (biotin) and the bioactive ligand can be attached orthogonally. To three of the labels, moenomycin was conjugated with the aim to provide tools for the identification of the moenomycin binding site within the transglycosylase domain of the enzyme PBP 1b. Some preliminary photoaffinity‐labeling experiments were carried out.     

A stannaethene with a planar environment of the tricoordinated tin and carbon atoms

Addition of the diarylstannylene R″₂Sn (R″ = 2−^tBu−4,5,6-Me₃C₆H) to the cryptodiborylcarbene (Me₃Si)₂C(B^tBu)₂C furnishes the stannaethene (Me₃Si)₂C(B^tBu)₂C=SnR″₂ (10). The X-ray structure analysis of 10 reveals a strictly planar environment of the tricoordinated tin and carbon atoms and a slight twisting of the Sn=C double bond.     

Plancherel Inversion as Unified Approach to Wavelet Transforms and Wigner Functions

We demonstrate that the Plancherel transform for Type-I groups provides one with a natural, unified perspective for the generalized continuous wavelet transform, on the one hand, and for a class of Wigner functions, on the other. We first prove that a Plancherel inversion formula, well known for Bruhat functions on the group, holds for a much larger class of functions. This result allows us to view the wavelet transform as essentially the inverse Plancherel transform. The wavelet transform of a signal is an L²-function on an appropriately chosen group while the Wigner function is defined on a coadjoint orbit of the group and serves as an alternative characterization of the signal, which is often used in practical applications. The Plancherel transform maps L²-functions on a group unitarily to fields of Hilbert-Schmidt operators, indexed by unitary irreducible representations of the group. The wavelet transform can essentially be looked upon as a restricted inverse Plancherel transform, while Wigner functions are modified Fourier transforms of inverse Plancherel transforms, usually restricted to a subset of the unitary dual of the group. Some known results on both Wigner functions and wavelet transforms, appearing in the literature from very different perspectives, are naturally unified within our approach. Explicit computations on a number of groups illustrate the theory. Communicated by Gian Michele Graf submitted 05/06/01, accepted: 19/09/02     

Systematic investigations of the photocatalytic alkyne-nitrile heterotrimerisation to pyridine

The photocatalytic heterocyclotrimerisation of ethyne and nitrile initiated by cobalt(I) complexes was studied. General mechanistic features as proposed for the ‘dark’ reaction were found to apply as well under photolytic conditions albeit with modifications. The results suggest that the irradiated light accelerates that stage of reaction, leading to the organometallic species which is believed to be the common intermediate for the formation of pyridine and benzene. The rate of pyridine production is linear dependent from nitrile concentration. Benzene formation may be minimised by keeping the ethyne concentration low. An alternative mechanism, based on the initial coordination of nitrile at cobalt is not confirmed. A novel gas buret system was used, which allowed automatic feed of ethyne under isobaric conditions and to monitor all reactants simultaneously on-line.