Molecular structure of Hf(BH4)4 investigated by quantum mechanical calculations and gas-phase electron diffraction

The structure of the gaseous hafnium tetrakis(tetrahydroborate) molecule, Hf(BH4)4, has been investigated by detailed quantum mechanical calculations and by analysis of its gas electron-diffraction (GED) pattern. The ground-state geometry possesses T symmetry with all of the triply-bridged BH4 groups twisted equally about the Hf...B-H axes. Salient structural parameters (ra distances, r angles) deduced from the GED pattern by the SARACEN method were: r(Hf...B) 231.4(2), r(Hf-Hb) 221.5(7), r(B-Hb) 127.6(5), r(B-Ht) 121(1) pm, Hf...B-Hb 69.4(3), Hb-B-Hb 108.4(4), Hb-B-Ht 110.6(3), B...Hf...B-Hb 166(1) degrees. A notable feature is the large magnitude of the Hf...B and Hf-Hb anharmonicity parameters, attributed to the fluxional hydrogen atom exchange process. The properties are compared with those of related tetrahydroborates..     

Growth of aligned carbon nanofibres over large areas using colloidal catalysts at low temperatures

Highly purified cobalt colloids have been employed as a catalyst to grow aligned carbon nanofibres at temperatures as low as 300 degree C by dc plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition over large areas.     

Hysteretic spin-density-wave ordering in confined geometries

We have measured the antiferromagnetic spin-density-wave (SDW) order in Cr/Cr(97.5)Mn2.5(001) superlattices. The Mn doping creates a high Néel temperature layer that confines the incommensurate SDW order within the Cr layers. With temperature cycling we observe a transition from commensurate to incommensurate SDW order and discrete changes in the SDW period. We find that these transitions show significant hysteresis (up to 75 K) when the number of SDW nodes within the Cr layer changes by an odd number, while there is no hysteresis for changes of an even number of nodes. This results from the competition between maintaining the spin structure at the interfaces and introducing a spin slip at the nodes of the Cr SDW.     

Dynamic roughening of tetrahedral amorphous carbon

The roughness of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) films grown at room temperature is measured as a function of film thickness by atomic force microscopy, to extract roughness and growth exponents of alpha approximately 0.39 and beta approximately 0-0.1, respectively. This extremely small growth exponent shows that some form of surface diffusion and relaxation operates at a homologous temperature of 0.07, much lower than in any other material. This is accounted for by a Monte Carlo simulation, which assumes a smoothening during a thermal spike, following energetic ion deposition. The low roughness allows ta-C to be used as an ultrathin protective coating on magnetic disk storage systems with approximately 1 Tbit/in.(2) storage density.     

Generation of azines by the reaction of a nucleophilic carbene with diazoalkanes: a synthetic and crystallographic study

Reactions of the nucleophilic carbene 1,3-dimesityl-imidazol-2-ylidene (1) with diazofluorene, diphenyldiazomethane, and azidotrimethylsilane were examined. Specifically, carbene 1 reacts with diazofluorene and diphenyldiazomethane to give addition products (azines: 3 and 4, respectively). Compounds 3 and 4 were further characterized in the solid-state by single-crystal X-ray crystallographic studies. [3 (a = 9.7936(6) A, b = 10.0529(7) A, c = 16.251(1) A, alpha = 75.765(1) degrees, beta = 79.711(1) degrees, gamma = 64.321(1) degrees, Z = 2, space group P1); 4 (a = 11.681(3) A, b = 11.861(4) A, c = 21.186(3) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 97.05(2) degrees, gamma = 90 degrees, Z = 4, space group P2(1)/n)]. The structural parameters of 3 and 4 are discussed with reference to previously characterized symmetrical and unsymmetrical azines. Structural data suggest that charge separation is possible in 3.     

Observation of negative group delays within a coaxial photonic crystal using an impulse response method

An impulse response experiment is described which independently verifies the recently observed result of negative group delayed propagation within a coaxial photonic crystal. This result was unexpected when it was reported and has been the subject of enduring controversy because theoretical models predict that negative group delays should not be possible in passive linear media. The impulse response method allows for the determination of both the transmission amplitude and the group delay for narrow-band wave packets over a wide frequency range in one simple experiment. The impulse response results presented here confirm our earlier finding of negative group delays within the band gap region and are in excellent agreement with the more traditional approach of measuring transit times for wave packets. However, negative group delays are observed only over very narrow frequency ranges within the wider band gap suggesting that another interference mechanism is involved.     

The role of precursor gases on the surface restructuring of catalyst films during carbon nanotube growth

Catalyst films undergo considerable surface morphology restructuring prior to carbon nanotube nucleation, deeply influencing the nanostructures obtained. Here we study the influence of different gaseous atmospheres on the structure of thin Fe films. The morphology is influenced by process temperature and substrate interactions and varying the gas type and pressure can control the average catalyst island height.     

Untersuchung von Handschriften und Nachweis von Schriftfälschungen

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry -