Crystal structure and mixed-valence state in 1′,1‴-dibutylbiferrocenium triiodide

In 1′, 1‴-dibutylbiferrocenium triiodide crystals A show temperature-independent trapped-valence state, while crystals B show a valence-delocalization of the mixed-valence state. The mixed-valence states of both crystals are discussed in relation to their crystal structures. Address after October 1991: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 724, Japan     

Single-mode fiber laser based on core-cladding mode conversion

A single-mode fiber laser based on an intracavity core-cladding mode conversion is demonstrated. The fiber laser consists of an Er-doped active fiber and two fiber Bragg gratings. One Bragg grating is a core-cladding mode converter, and the other Bragg grating is a narrowband high reflector that selects the lasing wavelength. Coupling a single core mode and a single cladding mode by the grating mode converter, the laser operates as a hybrid single-mode laser. This approach for designing a laser cavity provides a much larger mode area than conventional large-mode-area step-index fibers.     

Fabrication and observation of nanowire-assemblages of Si-Ge

A few of the interesting structures made by the assemblage of Si-Ge nanowires fabricated by the floating-zone melting-vapor method have been observed. They reveal shapes that are similar to coral, jellyfish and sea anemones. The pre-sintered substrate bar has some large crystalline particles (1–15 μm), which produce sites that are energetically predisposed to nucleation. The peculiar structures created by the assemblage of Si-Ge nanowires form on favored nucleation sites that consist of numerous bundles of nanowires with diameters of 20–50 nm. The periodic variation in the diameter of the bundles of nanowires is a common feature of these structures. In addition, a growth mechanism assisted by the coexistence of Ge and Si-Ge oxides is suggested. The growth process of these assemblages opens up new possibilities for the study of the growth mechanism of Si-Ge nanowires. Received: 25 July 2002 / Accepted: 9 September 2002 / Published online: 17 December 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: 81-298/59-2736, E-mail: HU.Quanli@nims.go.jp     

Observation of the transient rotator phase of n-hexadecane in emulsified droplets with time-resolved two-dimensional small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering

Crystallization of n-hexadecane in emulsion droplets was studied using time-resolved two-dimensional small- and wide-angle x-ray scattering with differential scanning calorimetry (2D-SAXS-WAXS-in situ DSC) which provides information about both nano- and subnanoscale structural change. n-hexadecane in droplets reproducibly crystallized into the stable triclinic phase via a transient-rotator phase. This is in contrast with previous results that the rotator phase of n-hexadecane was observed only occasionally for bulk samples. Thus we confirmed the existence of rotator phase in n-hexadecane, which is important for the study of crystallization of soft materials. We suggest that the rotator phase at the interface of oil and water plays a precursor role for bulk crystallization. This study demonstrates that 2D-SAXS-WAXS-in situ DSC is a powerful tool for the study of a transient phase.     

Low Power Penalty Operation of a Wide Input Dynamic Range Cross-Phase Modulation Wavelength Converter

We successfully demonstrated low power penalty operation of a cross-phase modulated (XPM) wavelength converter using a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) power equalizer. We also clarified the SOA equalizing level for more adaptive wavelength conversion and achieved a power penalty of less than 1 dB over the wide input dynamic range of 15 dB.