Distribution of Ir and Pt isotopes produced as fragments of 1 A GeV Au projectiles: a thermometer for peripheral nuclear collisions

Cross sections of iridium and platinum isotopes have been measured, which were produced as fragments from ¹⁹⁷Au projectiles interacting with aluminum target nuclei at 1 A GeV. The fragments were identified by a kinematic analysis (ΔE−Bρ-time-of-flight) and by an ion-optical separation at the projectile-fragment separator FRS at GSI. Indications are found for high excitation energies and weak proton-neutron correlations in the peripheral nuclear-collision process.     

Synthesis and characterization of aromatic polyesters with dicyanovinyl substituents

The synthesis, characterization, and structure—property relations of aromatic polyesters with dicyanovinyl substituents is presented. Two comparable series of polyesters based on 3,4-dihydroxybenzylidenemalononitrile and 3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidenemalononitrile were prepared. As aromatic diacid components, terephthalic acid, phenylterephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and 2-phenylisophthalic acid were used. The polyesters were prepared by solution polycondensation. GPC investigations revealed the existence of substantial amounts of defined cyclic products. These cycles could be isolated by preparative GPC. The polyesters are soluble in common low boiling organic solvents, particularly the phenyl-substituted ones. The polyesters are amorphous and have glass transition temperatures between 140 and 170°C. The absorption maxima are in the 306–322 nm range. The cut-off wavelength is between 400 and 428 nm. The polyesters with methoxy substitutent have generally the absorptions at longer wavelength. The refractive index of thin films of these polyesters were between 1.61 and 1.63 at 632.8 nm. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Growth of three-dimensional quantum dot crystals on patterned GaAs (0 0 1) substrates

The growth of a three-dimensional (3D) InAs quantum dot (QD) crystal on a patterned GaAs (0 0 1) substrate is demonstrated. The morphology of QDs grown on a surface patterned with shallow holes is studied as a function of the amount of deposited InAs. We observe that the QDs form in the patterned holes close to each other forming lateral QD bimolecules for InAs coverages below the commonly observed critical thickness of 1.6 monolayers. When the coverage increases, the QD bimolecules coalesce to form larger single QDs. The QDs in the holes are then capped with a Ga(Al)As spacer. The buried QD array serves as a strain template for controlling the formation site of the QDs in the second layer. By tuning the growth conditions for the second and subsequent layers, we achieve a 3D InAs QD crystal with a high degree of perfection. A detail investigation of the growth on hole patterns with different periodicities is presented.     

Deintercalation of a chemically switchable polymer from a layered silicate nanocomposite

The phenomenon of intercalation is widely known as a key process in the area of polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites. In the formation of such nanocomposites, a polymer chain is intercalated between the layers of a layered (silicate) host, typically giving a well-ordered multilayered stack with a repeat distance of only a few nanometers. Intercalated systems are excellent models for studies of confined geometries, and they often display enhanced material properties as well. In this study, we examined a series of polymers in which it was possible to reverse the intercalation process (i.e., to achieve deintercalation). Homopolymers and copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(tetrahydropyranyl methacrylate) (PTHPMA) were intercalated into an organically modified synthetic fluoromica. Thermally induced deprotection of the tetrahydropyranyl group resulted in the transformation of PTHPMA into poly(methacrylic acid), which was then observed to deintercalate from the silicate host. X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis were used to study the deintercalation process. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 3151–3159, 2003     

Global Connectivity And Expansion: Long Cycles and Factors In f-Connected Graphs

Given a function f : ℕ→ℝ, call an n-vertex graph f-connected if separating off k vertices requires the deletion of at least f(k) vertices whenever k≤(n−f(k))/2. This is a common generalization of vertex connectivity (when f is constant) and expansion (when f is linear). We show that an f-connected graph contains a cycle of length linear in n if f is any linear function, contains a 1-factor and a 2-factor if f(k)≥2k+1, and contains a Hamilton cycle if f(k)≥2(k+1)². We conjecture that linear growth of f suffices to imply hamiltonicity.     

Do we need complete-simple distributive lattices?

Presented by R. Freese.     

Photoreactive Langmuir–Blodgett–Kuhn multilayer assemblies from functionalized liquid-crystalline side chain polymers,I. Homopolymers containing azobenzene chromophores

Stable monomolecular layers of a liquid-crystalline homopolymer bearing azobenzene chromophores in the mesogenic side groups could be prepared at the water–air interface by slow compression at room temperature. From the area per monomer unit of A₀≈0.25 nm² a structural model with tightly packed azobenzene groups oriented nearly parallel to the surface normal was deduced. After transfer to a solid support in a Y-type mode the obtained Langmuir–Blodgett–Kuhn (LBK) multilayer assemblies of varying thicknesses (from a double layer to a thick film of d = 238 nm, capable of guiding optical modes) were prepared and analyzed by X-ray reflection and optical evanescent wave techniques. A monolayer thickness of d₀ = 2.52 nm, as well as the anisotropic index of refraction of these layers, could thus be evaluated. Photo-isomerization by UV-irradiation (at λ = (360±30)nm) was examined by UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. X-ray reflectivity data of samples illuminated for 30 min showed a complete loss of the layered structure of the LBK samples. As a result strongly light-scattering films were obtained. Surface plasmon microscopy was used to demonstrate the usefulness of this photo-induced order–disorder transition for optical information storage.