Solitonic dynamics of ultrashort pulses in a highly nonlinear photonic-crystal fiber visualized by spectral interferometry

A linear technique of phase measurement based on spectral interferometry is employed to visualize the fine details in the spectral phase of a soliton produced in a highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a resolution better than 0.1 nm. Gigahertz features have been resolved in the spectral phase of the soliton PCF output, allowing the accuracy of time-domain soliton envelope reconstruction to be improved on the timescale of a few femtoseconds.     

Right handed or left handed? Forbidden x-ray diffraction reveals chirality

Enantiomers, or stereoisomers, have crystal structures that are mirror images of each other and are thus handed, like our right and left hands. The physical properties of enantiomers are identical except for optical activity, which rotates linearly polarized light by equal amounts but in opposite directions. While conventional x-ray Bragg diffraction can determine crystal structures, it does not distinguish between right- and left-handed crystals. We show resonant Bragg diffraction using circularly polarized x rays reveals the handedness of crystals by coupling x-ray helicity to a crystal screw axis. The intensity of resonantly allowed reflection of alpha-quartz is well described by an admixture of a parity-even and a parity-odd process. Our results are of general importance and demonstrate a new method to directly study chiral motifs in structures that include biomaterials, liquid crystals, magnets, multiferroics, etc.     

465 nm laser sources by intracavity frequency doubling using a 49-edge-emitters laser bar

A compact blue laser was generated by intracavity frequency doubling based on quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation (SHG) in a MgO-doped periodically poled lithium niobate bulk crystal. A 49 single-transverse-mode edge-emitters laser bar with antireflective coating was used as a pump source. An optical output power of 1.2?W SHG of blue lights at 465?nm is generated at 45?A injection current, equivalent to an overall wall-plug efficiency of 1.33%.     

Limit computable integer parts

Let R be a real closed field. An integer part I for R is a discretely ordered subring such that for every ${r \in R}$ , there exists an ${i \in I}$ so that i ?? r < i?+?1. Mourgues and Ressayre (J Symb Logic 58:641?C647, 1993) showed that every real closed field has an integer part. The procedure of Mourgues and Ressayre appears to be quite complicated. We would like to know whether there is a simple procedure, yielding an integer part that is ${\Delta^0_2(R)}$ ??limit computable relative to R. We show that there is a maximal Z-ring ${I \subseteq R}$ which is ${\Delta^0_2(R)}$ . However, this I may not be an integer part for R. By a result of Wilkie (Logic Colloquium ??77), any Z-ring can be extended to an integer part for some real closed field. Using Wilkie??s ideas, we produce a real closed field R with a Z-ring ${I \subseteq R}$ such that I does not extend to an integer part for R. For a computable real closed field, we do not know whether there must be an integer part in the class ${\Delta^0_2}$ . We know that certain subclasses of ${\Delta^0_2}$ are not sufficient. We show that for each ${n \in \omega}$ , there is a computable real closed field with no n-c.e. integer part. In fact, there is a computable real closed field with no n-c.e. integer part for any n.     

Applying efficient implicit nongeometric constraints in alchemical free energy simulations

Several strategies have been developed for satisfying bond lengths, angle, and other geometric constraints in molecular dynamics simulations. Advanced variations of alchemical free energy perturbation simulations, however, also require nongeometric constraints. In our recently developed multisite λ-dynamics simulation method, the conventional λ parameters that are associated with the progress variables in alchemical transformations are treated as dynamic variables and are constrained such that: 0 ≤ λ(i) ≤ 1 and Σ(i = 1)(N) λ(i) = 1. Here, we present four functional forms of λ that implicitly satisfy these nongeometric constraints, whose values and forces are facile to compute and that yield stable simulations using a 2 fs integration timestep. Using model systems, we present the sampling characteristics of these functional forms and demonstrate the enhanced sampling profiles and improved convergence rates that are achieved by the functional form: λ(i) = e(c sinθ(i))/Σ(j = 1)(N) e(c sinθ(j)) that oscillates between λ(i) = 0 and λ(i) = 1 and has relatively steep transitions between these endpoints.     

A total synthesis of (±)-α-cyclopiazonic acid using a cationic cascade as a key step

The indole alkaloid α-cyclopiazonic acid 1 has been synthesised by a route, which features at its core an acid-catalysed cationic cascade cyclisation terminated by a sulfonamide group.     

Naphthalene and related systems peri-substituted by Group 15 and 16 elements

Synthetic and bonding aspects of heavier Group 15 (P, As, Sb, Bi) and 16 (S, Se, Te) peri-substituted naphthalenes, are discussed in this review. An important and unifying feature of the chemistry of these systems is the lively discussion about the nature of the interaction between peri-atoms. Are atoms bonded when they are closer than the sum of their van der Waals radii? Is there any (weak) bonding, or just a strained repulsive interaction? Positioning atoms of Group 15 and 16 at the naphthalene 1,8-positions provides leading systems with which to study these bonding issues.