Triarylboron‐Based Fluorescent Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes with External Quantum Efficiencies Exceeding 20 %

Triarylboron compounds have attracted much attention, and found wide use as functional materials because of their electron‐accepting properties arising from the vacant p orbitals on the boron atoms. In this study, we design and synthesize new donor–acceptor triarylboron emitters that show thermally activated delayed fluorescence. These emitters display sky‐blue to green emission and high photoluminescence quantum yields of 87–100 % in host matrices. Organic light‐emitting diodes using these emitting molecules as dopants exhibit high external quantum efficiencies of 14.0–22.8 %, which originate from efficient up‐conversion from triplet to singlet states and subsequent efficient radiative decay from singlet to ground states.     

My Research History on the Chemical Standpoint—From Molecular Structure to Surface Science

The structure of molecules using gas electron diffraction (GED) was my graduate study. However, I was making a new apparatus for precise measurements by GED and formulated a scheme for the least‐squares analysis for a smooth continuous curve of scattering intensity. My research was completely shifted to the solid surface after moving to Gakushuin University, where I briefly studied the liquid structure of CCl₄ molecules, and I then moved to the Institute for Solid State Physics, the University of Tokyo. My studies of surface science were focused on the electronic properties and related phenomena, and various experimental methods were developed. The plasmon dispersions elucidated the initial oxidation of aluminum and one‐dimensional metal on Si(001)2 × 1–K. Irreversible phase transition was discovered on MgO(001) using the LEED Kikuchi pattern. The electronic structure of the dislocation was observed on MgO(001) by the electron time‐of‐flight method. The phase transition on Si(001) and the rotational epitaxy in a K monoatomic layer on Cu(001) were found. Next, I changed to studies of the dynamical phenomena on the surface, where very low energy reactive ion scattering on metal surfaces and laser‐induced desorption caused by electronic transition of NO and CO molecules from metal surfaces were observed, and the hydrogen atom location at the surface and interface was measured with a high depth resolution using a resonance nuclear reaction of ¹H + ¹⁵N²⁺ at 6.385 MeV. Finally, I moved to the University of Electro‐Communications and studied thin single‐crystal oxide layers on transition metals, in which the band‐gap narrowing was found, and then a Pt monoatomic layer was prepared on the α‐Al₂O₃ film.     

Bioactive Structure of Membrane Lipids and Natural Products Elucidated by a Chemistry‐Based Approach

Determining the bioactive structure of membrane lipids is a new concept, which aims to examine the functions of lipids with respect to their three‐dimensional structures. As lipids are dynamic by nature, their “structure” does not refer solely to a static picture but also to the local and global motions of the lipid molecules. We consider that interactions with lipids, which are completely defined by their structures, are controlled by the chemical, functional, and conformational matching between lipids and between lipid and protein. In this review, we describe recent advances in understanding the bioactive structures of membrane lipids bound to proteins and related molecules, including some of our recent results. By examining recent works on lipid‐raft‐related molecules, lipid–protein interactions, and membrane‐active natural products, we discuss current perspectives on membrane structural biology.     

LOW REYNOLDS NUMBER FORCED CONVECTION IN MICRO WIRE SCREENS AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURES

Very low Reynolds number forced-convection heat transfer of air flow through microscale wire screens with equivalent channel diameters of 34.34 and 93.75 mum (surface area density 67,400 and 32,300 m² / m³) was measured using resistance thermometry, in which the surface temperature was detected through the measurement of electric resistance of the screens. The dependency of the Nusselt number on the Reynolds number, screen porosity, and Knudsen number was investigated at Reynolds numbers ranging from 0.03 to 5.7. The results show that the screen porosity has great influence on the heat convection and the Nusselt number is higher in the case of higher porosity. When the Reynolds number increases from 0.03 to 3, the Nusselt number increases by two orders of magnitude, and the growth rate gradually slows down. In the very low Reynolds number region, the j factor has a maximum value. In the test region, the influence of the Knudsen number on heat convection is small.     

Many-body effect in the N23-VV Auger-photoelectron coincidence spectroscopy (APECS) spectra of Ag metal

The coincidence N23-VV Auger-electron spectroscopy (AES) spectra and N23 photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) spectra of Ag metal are analyzed. Here NX is the notation for atomic shell Nx (X = 2, 3). The band-like feature in the coincidence N23-VV AES spectra is much more intense than that in the coincidence M45-VV ones because the potential in the delocalized two-hole state is less attractive than that in the localized one. The partial N23-VV super Coster–Kronig (sCK) transition rate depends critically on both the final-state potential and the sCK-electron kinetic energy (KE) because the KE is low, whereas the partial M45-VV Auger-transition rate is fairly independent of them because the KE is very high. As a result, the partial sCK-transition rate to the band-like state is enhanced compared to that to the atomic-like localized state. The low KE tail in the coincidence N23-VV AES spectra which is likely due to the sCK transition involving more than two electrons, is more enhanced than that in the coincidence M45-VV ones. This is due to the enhancement of the partial sCK-transition rate by the presence of extra holes in the final state. The sharp peaks of small intensity on the lower KE side of the main line in the coincidence N2 PES spectrum are tentatively attributed to the shakeup satellites.     

Quantitative analysis of chloride in brackish water: an application to the hyperchromic effect of copper(II) ion with chloride ion.

A new modified method was applied to the determination of chloride anion in brackish water by using a common copper(II) sulfate solution and a spectrophotometer. The result of the quantitative analysis demonstrated that chloride concentrations were 1.61% w/v and 1.74% w/v at ebb tide and flood tide, respectively, of the Muya River. On the other hand, chloride concentrations were 1.17% w/v at ebb tide and 1.65% w/v at flood tide of the Yoshino River. The new method proved that chloride concentration corresponded well with results from Mohr and conductive methods. Therefore, the newly developed method can be exploited as common means to measure chloride concentration in aqueous solutions. Moreover, it is also valuable for application to other types of environmental samples.     

Compositional dependence of ultraviolet fluorescence intensity of Ce in silicate, borate, and phosphate glasses

Fluorescence spectra of Ce³⁺ ions in silicate, borate, and phosphate glasses melted in Ar were measured. The relative fluorescence intensity of Ce³⁺ in the ultraviolet region increased in the order of R = Ba, Ca, Sr, and Mg in the 20Li₂O-20RO-60SiO₂ glass samples and with decreasing BaO content in the BaO-B₂O₃ glass samples, respectively. In contrast, the relative fluorescence intensity of Ce³⁺ did not change with varying the glass composition in phosphate glass samples. The compositional dependence of the relative fluorescence intensity of Ce³⁺ is discussed in terms of redox reaction of Ce³⁺-Ce⁴⁺ in oxide glasses.     

Many-electron effect in the angle resolved L3-M23M23 Auger-photoelectron coincidence spectroscopy (APECS) spectrum of metallic Zn

The many-body effect in the L₃-M₂₃M₂₃ Auger-electron spectroscopy (AES) spectrum of metallic Zn is discussed. The lifetime width and residual relaxation energy shift of the two M₂₃-hole state are governed by the (super) Coster-Kronig (sCK) transitions of two M₂₃-hole state. The residual relaxation energy shift and decay width of the two M₂₃-hole state are calculated in an average configuration by an ab initio atomic many-body theory. The agreement with experiment is good. To elucidate the many-body effect in the two-hole states, it is necessary to be able to discriminate individual components of the multiplet-split AES spectrum. We discuss how to discriminate individual components of the multiplet-split L₃-M₂₃M₂₃ AES spectrum of metallic Zn by angle-resolved Auger-photoelectron coincidence spectroscopy (AR-APECS) in order to determine accurately their line shapes, multiplet splitting energies, and spin states (singlet etc.).     

Direct Fabrication of Surface Relief Holographic Diffusers in Azobenzene Polymer Films

We propose a direct fabrication of light diffusers using azobenzene polymer films. Holographic recordings of surface relief diffusers are formed on the polymer film by exposure to an Nd:YAG laser (532 nm) through source diffusion materials. No post-treatment is needed, and it can be erased by heating or irradiating uniform laser beam. Diffusion pattern can be controlled by the polarization of the laser. Transmittance of over 88% is obtained at the wavelength of 633 nm.