Nuclear spin relaxation induced by a mechanical resonator

We report on measurements of the spin lifetime of nuclear spins strongly coupled to a micromechanical cantilever as used in magnetic resonance force microscopy. We find that the rotating-frame correlation time of the statistical nuclear polarization is set by the magnetomechanical noise originating from the thermal motion of the cantilever. Evidence is based on the effect of three parameters: (1) the magnetic field gradient (the coupling strength), (2) the Rabi frequency of the spins (the transition energy), and (3) the temperature of the low-frequency mechanical modes. Experimental results are compared to relaxation rates calculated from the spectral density of the magnetomechanical noise.     

Electron spin resonance detection and identification of nitrogen centers in nanodiamonds

Individual nitrogen centers N⁰ and nitrogen pairs N ₂ ⁺ have been detected and identified in natural diamond nanocrystals by means of the high-frequency electron spin resonance method. The N⁰ nitrogen centers have been observed in synthetic diamond nanocrystallites with a size of less than 10 nm produced by high-temperature high-pressure sintering of detonation nanodiamonds. Thus, the possibility of the stable state of impurity nitrogen atoms in diamond nanoparticles has been demonstrated.     

Feedback cooling of a cantilever's fundamental mode below 5 mK

We cool the fundamental mechanical mode of an ultrasoft silicon cantilever from a base temperature of 2.2 K down to 2.9+/-0.3 mK using active optomechanical feedback. The lowest observed mode temperature is consistent with limits determined by the properties of the cantilever and by the measurement noise. For high feedback gain, the driven cantilever motion is found to suppress or "squash" the optical interferometer intensity noise below the shot noise level.     

4-(1-Alkylbenzimidazol-2-ylazo)-2-pyrazolin-5-ones: specific features of prototropic tautomerism

Quantum chemical calculations, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, and X-ray studies showed that, in contrast to 4-arylazo-2-pyrazolin-5-ones, 4-(1-alkylbenzimidazol-2-ylazo)-2-pyrazoline-5-ones mainly exist in the condensed phase as unusual ketoazine tautomers of high polarity, while the ketohydrazone tautomer stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bond apparently predominates in the gas phase. According to calculations, various types of tautomerism are possible for 4-(benzimidazol-2-ylazo)-2-pyrazolin-5-ones, including mono- and bimolecular 1,3-, 1,5-, and 1,7-prototropic migrations proceeding by the single- and double-proton transfer mechanism with low activation energies (ΔE ^≠ ≈ 2–14 kcal mol⁻¹). Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1467–1478, July, 2008.     

Negative Photoconductivity of the Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3/LaMnO3 Heterostructure

JETP Letters - We consider particle collisions in the background of nonextremal spherically symmetric static black holes. It is shown that debris of collision can have indefinitely large energy at...     

Two-dimensional electron gas at the interface of Ba<Subscript>0.8</Subscript>Sr<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>TiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> ferroelectric and LaMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript> antiferomagnet

The temperature dependence of the electrical resistance has been studied for heterostructures formed by antiferromagnetic LaMnO₃ single crystals of different orientations with epitaxial films of ferroelectric Ba_0.8Sr_0.2TiO₃ deposited onto them. The measured electrical resistance is compared to that exhibited by LaMnO₃ single crystals without the films. It is found that, in the samples with the film, for which the axis of polarization in the ferroelectric is directed along the perpendicular to the surface of the single crystal, the electrical resistance decreases significantly with temperature, exhibiting metallic behavior below 160 K. The numerical simulations of the structural and electronic characteristics of the BaTiO₃/LaMnO₃ ferroelectric?antiferromagnet heterostructure has been performed. The transition to the state with two-dimensional electron gas at the interface is demonstrated.     

Calculation of the effect of double bond strain in 1-chloroethylene and 1,1-dichloroethylene on the rate and mechanism of their reactions with ozone

Using the 6-31+G** and aug-cc-pvDz basis sets, the ab initio (MP2, CASSCF, MRMP2) and DFT (B3LYP) calculation of the reactivity of the strained C=C bond in 1,1-dichloroethylene and 1-chloroethylene towards ozone was carried out. The concerted and unconcerted mechanisms were investigated. The strain (?) was introduced into the problem by varying the C=C bond length and specifying it as the unoptimized coordinate. The data were analyzed using the previously developed approach that allows one to derive, from calculated data, an analytical relationship between the activation energy E _a and the force acting on the reaction site and to relate the strain-induced change in E _a to the length and rigidity of the initial and transition states.     

Conformational Transformations of ε-Caprolactam as an Advantage in the Production of Molecular Complexes Used in Adhesive Technology

The conformations of the ε-caprolactam molecule were calculated using a software package, and three of its conformers were established. It is shown that the conformational change of molecules creates the prerequisites for organizing the nearest contact and strong hydrogen bonds of ε-caprolactam with molecules of other substances. The molecule of ε-caprolactam can be “adapted to a neighbor” to a greater degree, since it can take a different, more advantageous conformation to provide the necessary contact. With the use of ε-caprolactam, molecular complexes have been obtained that have found application in the production of adhesives for rubber–cord systems.