M-theory: Strings,duality and branes

String theory is an attempt to combine all of the known physical forces into a single unified framework. A powerful new type of duality symmetry has recently been discovered in string theory which has led to important breakthroughs. What were previously considered to be five distinct string theories are now known to be different aspects of an underlying structure called M-theory. In addition to strings, extended objects of higher dimension or 'branes', play a key role. We review these developments and discuss the impact that they are having on quantum field theory and the quantum properties of black holes.     

Self-focusing of femtosecond diffraction-resistant vortex beams in water

We report experiments on self-focusing of femtosecond diffraction-resistant vortex beams in water. These beams are higher-order Bessel beams with weak azimuthal modulation of the transverse intensity patterns. The modulation overrides the self-focusing dynamics and results in the formation of regular bottlelike filament distributions. The peak-power thresholds for filamentation, at a particular distance, are relatively accurately estimated by the adaptation of the Marburger formula derived earlier for Gaussian beams. The nonlinear conversion of the incident conical waves into the localized spatial wave packets propagating near the beam axis is observed.     

Growth, optical and thermal studies on organic nonlinear optical crystal: 2-Furoic acid

2-Furoic acid (2FA), an organic third order nonlinear optical single crystal, has been synthesized and grown successfully by slow solvent evaporation technique. The space group and lattice parameters of the grown crystals were obtained by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The presence of the functional groups was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Optical absorption studies reveal low absorption in the UV and visible regions and the UV cut-off wavelength is found to be at 240 nm. The thermal stability of the material examined by TGA analysis, reveals that the material is thermally stable up to 130 °C. The third order nonlinear optical parameters (nonlinear refractive index, nonlinear absorption coefficient and real and imaginary parts of the third order nonlinear optical susceptibility) were derived by Z-scan technique. This reveals that the crystal has a negative refractive index, which indicates the defocusing nature of the material.     

Growth, optical, mechanical and dielectric studies on NLO active pure and metal ion doped single crystals of bis-thiourea zinc chloride

Good quality single crystals of pure and metal ion (Ni²⁺) doped bis-thiourea zinc chloride (BTZC) possessing excellent nonlinear optical properties have been grown from aqueous solution by the slow solvent evaporation technique. The lattice parameters of the grown crystals are determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. The well defined sharp peaks in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern reveals the crystalline perfection and the EDAX spectrum confirms the presence of dopant in the lattice of the parent crystal. The DRS UV-visible spectral study reveals improved transparency for the doped crystal, ascertaining the inclusion of metal ion in the lattice. The optical band gap of the pure and doped crystals was calculated to be 4.8 and 5.2 eV respectively from the UV transmission spectrum. The vickers hardness test brings forth higher hardness value for Ni²⁺doped BTZC as compared to pure BTZC crystal. The dielectric measurement exhibits very low dielectric constant and dielectric loss at higher frequencies for both the pure and Ni²⁺doped BTZC. The existence of second harmonic generation signals in the crystal also has been confirmed by performing the Kurtz powder test.     

Self-healing femtosecond light filaments

A recent experiment [Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 213 (2003)] indicated that filaments created in femtosecond high-power pulses propagating in air are surprisingly robust when interacting with microscopic water droplets. We present numerical modeling of the dynamics of the filament-droplet interaction. Our simulation results provide further insight into the interplay between the filament's core and the wide transverse pedestal of the pulse. It is shown that the robustness of the filament comes from the transverse low-intensity pedestal that controls the formation of the central hot spot. Implications for penetration of wide, high-power beams through obscurants are discussed.     

Non-Newtonian behavior in simple fluids

Using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, we study the non-Newtonian rheology of a microscopic sample of simple fluid. The calculations were performed using a configurational thermostat which unlike previous nonequilibrium molecular dynamics or nonequilibrium Brownian dynamics methods does not exert any additional constraint on the flow profile. Our findings are in agreement with experimental results on concentrated "hard sphere"-like colloidal suspensions. We observe: (i) a shear thickening regime under steady shear; (ii) a strain thickening regime under oscillatory shear at low frequencies; and (iii) shear-induced ordering under oscillatory shear at higher frequencies. These results significantly differ from previous simulation results which showed systematically a strong ordering for all frequencies. They also indicate that shear thickening can occur even in the absence of a solvent.     

A study of the thermal and light induced spin transition in [FeL2](BF4)2 and [FeL2](ClO4)2 L=2,6-di(3-methylpyrazol-1-yl)pyrazine

The spin crossover compounds [FeL2](BF4)2, L=2,6-di(3-methylpyrazol-1-yl)pyrazine and [FeL2](ClO4)2 have very unusual two stage spin transitions which are initially steep and then become more gradual. A detailed variable temperature single crystal X-ray diffraction study has shown that the course of the spin transition is controlled by an order-disorder transition in the counter anions. The high and low spin states both crystallise in the tetragonal space group I4, the structures of the high and low spin states are presented at 290 and 30 K, respectively. The title compounds are shown to undergo LIESST (Light Induced Excited Spin State Trapping) under irradiation with either red or green laser light with wavelengths of 632.8 and 532.06 nm, respectively, at 30 K. The cell parameters for the tetragonal photo-induced metastable high spin state at this temperature are a= 9.169(6), c= 17.77(1) A for [FeL2](ClO4)2 with an increase in unit cell volume of 21 A3, and a= 9.11(1), c= 17.75(2) A and an increase in volume of 42.8 A3 for [FeL2](BF4)2.     

Enantiopure fluorous bis(oxazolines): synthesis and applications in catalytic asymmetric reactions

Various enantiopure fluorous bis(oxazolines) with fluorine content between 52.7 and 58.7% have been synthesized by a simple reaction sequence that involved the introduction of two fluorinated ponytails by alkylation of the corresponding nonfluorous bis(oxazolines). These new ligands have been used in palladium-catalyzed alkylation of rac-(E)-1,3-diphenylpropenyl acetate with carbon nucleophiles and in copper-catalyzed oxidation of cycloalkenes; these ligands exhibited enantioselectivities up to 98 and 77%, respectively, quite close to the values obtained using the analogous nonfluorous bis(oxazolines). These ligands could be easily recovered by liquid-liquid extraction or solid-liquid separation and reused with the same enantioselectivities.     

Cytochrome-c detection

Following a myocardial infarction (MI) cells die or are damaged and their contents leak into the blood circulation, resulting in elevated serum levels of various enzymes, proteins, and organic molecules. Over the past few decades, it has become standard practice to employ the detection of these elevated substances as markers for the confirmation of MIs and to monitor MI patients’ response to treatment. Although it has previously been shown that cytochrome-c, a small respiratory protein, is among those elevated, the lack of a suitable detection system has prevented its routine use in the diagnosis of MIs. We present a preliminary study in which chemiluminescence was employed to detect elevated levels of cytochrome-c in the serum of MI patients. The technique, which is specific for c-type proteins, is approx 30 times more sensitive than the traditional Coomassie blue stain and can detect as little as 0.03 μg of protein. It also has potential for diagnostic use in other diseases that are characterized by mitochondrial damage.     

The OH-anion acting as an acid

In the crystalline state, the OH- anion is shown to be capable of acting as a base or as an acid with respect to waters of crystallization to which it is linked by hydrogen bonds. We examined the OH- anion in three crystalline samples and studied its behavior using quantum mechanics. Four quantum mechanical approximations were employed (HF, B3LYP, SVWN, and MP2) to obtain the relative stability of isomers of the H3O2- molecule in the three crystals considered. In one crystal state (LICQIX), the H3O2- anion corresponds to a geometry in which OH- acts as an acid, but not so as a free molecule. The free anion H3O2- has two qualitatively different structures. In one structure, the hydrogen bond is long, while in the other structure, the hydrogen bond is shorter and the hydrogen atom lies at an equal distance between donor and acceptor oxygen atoms.