One-neutron stripping reactions of <Superscript>11</Superscript>Be and <Superscript>19</Superscript>C on light target

We have calculated the one-neutron absorption cross-section and the longitudinal momentum distribution of the core fragment coming out from the breakup of ¹¹Be and ¹⁹C on ⁹Be target at 63 MeV/A and 88 MeV/A beam energies respectively. The reaction mechanism is treated within the framework of the eikonal approximation. The effective range of the nuclear interaction between the core and the valence neutron within the projectile has been determined by comparing the predicted stripping cross-section with the recently measured one. The effective range for ¹⁹C has been found to be smaller than that for ¹¹Be. It qualitatively indicates that ¹⁹C is slightly more halo than ¹¹Be. The smaller width, predicted as well as measured, of the LMD of ¹⁸C than ¹⁰Be also strengthens this fact. The experimental data concerning the LMD of core fragments have been well represented.      

Design,construction and characterization of the compact ultrafast terahertz free-electron laser undulator

A compact ultrafast terahertz (CUTE) free-electron laser (FEL) is being developed at the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore. The undulator required for the CUTE-FEL has recently been developed. We have designed, built and characterized a variable gap, 5 cm period, 2.5 m long pure permanent magnet undulator in two identical segments. The tolerable error in the magnetic field was 1% in rms, and we have measured it to be 0.7%. The obtained rms phase shake is around 2°. To ensure that the trajectories do not have an exit error in position or angle, corrector coils have been designed. Shimming coils have been applied for both the undulator segments to reduce the amplitude of the betatron oscillations in the vertical trajectory. Details of novel corrector coils and soft iron shims are given and their performance is discussed.      

Einstein<Emphasis Type="Italic">A</Emphasis>-coefficients for rotational transitions in the ring-chain isomer of C<Subscript>5</Subscript>H<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Laboratory formation of four isomers of C⁵H² molecule is reported and detection of the ring-chain isomer (isomer 1) of C₅H₂ in cosmic objects has been suggested. For identification of a molecule in cosmic objects, one of the required input data is EinsteinA-coefficients (radiative transition probabilities) for the molecule. Here, we report EinsteinA-coefficients for electric dipole transitions in the ring-chain isomer of C₅H₂ among the rotational levels of the ground electronic and ground vibrational states up to 21 cm⁻¹.     

Role of Yb and Tm ions in upconversion emission of Tb under 798 and 980 nm laser excitations in Tb-Tm-Yb doped tellurite glass

Upconversion emission and energy transfer processes in singly, doubly and triply doped tellurite glasses have been studied under 798 and 980 nm laser excitations. Emissions have been observed at 482, 544, 584, 655 nm and at 477, 655, 698, 800 nm corresponding to Tb³⁺: ⁵D₄ → ⁷F₆, ⁷F₅, ⁷F₄, ⁷F_J (J = 0, 1, 2, 3) and Tm³⁺: ¹G₄ → ³H₆, ¹G₄ → ³F₄, ³F₃ → ³H₆, ³H₄ → ³H₆ transitions, respectively. Among Tm³⁺, Yb³⁺and Tb³⁺ ions only Tm³⁺ has a ground state absorption at 798 nm excitation due to ³H₄ ← ³H₆ transition. For 980 nm excitation only Yb³⁺ can absorb the incident radiation. However, for both types of excitations, emission from all the three ions Tb, Yb and Tm has been observed. Possible mechanisms are proposed as follows: under 798 nm excitation Tm³⁺ ions are excited which excite Yb³⁺ ions through energy transfer. Finally “cooperative energy transfer” from a pair of Yb³⁺ ions to Tm³⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions takes place. Under 980 nm excitation Yb³⁺ ions absorb the incident energy and excite Tm³⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions via cooperative energy transfer. Variation of emission intensity with the ion concentrations of Yb³⁺, Tm³⁺ and Tb³⁺ has been studied. The lifetime of the ¹G₄ level has also been measured.     

Biological activity of aldose reductase and lipophilicity of pyrrolyl-acetic acid derivatives

Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship modeling is a powerful approach for correlating an organic compound to its lipophilicity. In this paper QSAR models are established for estimation of correlation of the lipophilicity of a series of pyrrolyl-acetic acid derivatives, inhibitors of the aldose reductase enzyme, in the n-octanol-water system with biological activity of aldose reductase. Lipophilicity, expressed by the logarithm of n-octnol-water partition coefficient log P and biological activity of aldose reductase inhibitory activity by log it. Result obtained by QSAR modeling of compound series reveal a definite trend in biological activity and a further improvement in quantitative relationships are established if, beside log P, Hammett electronic constant σ and connectivity index chi-3 (³ χ) term included in the regression equation.     

Interactions of Nile Blue with Micelles, Reverse Micelles and a Genomic DNA

In this contribution we report studies on the nature of binding of a small ligand/drug Nile blue (NB) with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles, bis-(2-ethylehexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/isooctane reverse micelles (RM) and a genomic DNA extracted from Salmon sperm. With detailed steady state and picosecond resolved optical spectroscopic techniques, we examined the fluorescence quenching of the ligand upon complexation with the SDS monomers and DNA. Polarization analyzed picosecond-resolved fluorescence measurements reveal geometrical restriction on the probe in SDS micelles, AOT-RM and DNA. Steady state and time resolved studies on the probe in nanocages of AOT RM with various degrees of hydration (w₀) reveal the existence of NB as two distinct species namely, neutral and cationic. This study confirms that the emission of NB in aqueous micelles and DNA solution is due to the cationic form of the drug. Our experiments clearly identified non-specific electrostatic and intercalative modes of interaction of the probe with the DNA at lower and higher DNA concentrations respectively. The nature of binding of NB in presence of the DNA and SDS micelles reveals that the binding affinity of the probe is higher with the micelles than with the DNA. The complex rigidity of NB with DNA and its fluorescence quenching with DNA elucidate a strong recognition mechanism between NB and DNA.     

Loss of collectivity in 79Rb

High-spin states in ⁷⁹Rb were populated in the reaction at E(beam) = 60 MeV. The lifetimes of the excited states of the positive-parity yrast band and of the negative-parity band in ⁷⁹Rb were measured by the Doppler Shift Attenuation Method. The deduced transition quadrupole moments Q_t are found to have a decreasing trend with rotational frequency for both the bands, consistent with those found experimentally in neighbouring nuclei. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Optical and fluorescence spectroscopy of Eu2O3-doped P2O5-K2O-KF-MO-Al2O3 (M = Mg, Sr and Ba) glasses

Fluorophosphate glasses of composition, P₂O₅ + K₂O + KF + MO + Al₂O₃ + xEu₂O₃ (M = Mg, Sr and Ba; x = 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 mol%) were prepared and characterized their optical properties. Crystal-field (CF) analysis revealed a relatively weak CF strength around Eu³⁺ ions in the Ba based fluorophosphate glasses. The Judd-Ofelt parameters have been estimated from the oscillator strengths of ⁷F₀ → ⁵D₂, ⁷F₀ → ⁵D₄ and ⁷F₀ → ⁵L₆ absorption transitions of Eu³⁺ ions and were used to evaluate the radiative properties of the ⁵D₀ → ⁷F_J (J = 0-4) transitions. Considerable variation has been observed in the relative intensity ratio of ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₂ to ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₁ transitions of Eu³⁺ ions due to change in the alkaline earth metal ions. The decay of the ⁵D₀ level shows single exponential and less sensitive to Eu³⁺ ions concentration as well as MgO/SrO/BaO modifiers.     

Intense Upconversion Luminescence of Yb<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript> in Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>O Content Tungsten-tellurite Glasses

The Er³⁺ -Yb³⁺ codoped in Li₂O content tungsten -tellurite (TWL) transparent glasses are synthesized and measured the absorption, Raman and upconversion luminescence (UPL) spectra. At room temperature intense green emission peak at 560 nm ( ⁴S_3/2→⁴I_15/2) and red emission peak at 670 nm ( ⁴F_9/2→⁴I_15/2) of Er³⁺ observed even at minimum 86 mW pumping power of infrared 980 nm excitation. For structure of the TWL glass, Raman spectrum result revealed that an important role of WO₃ in the formation of glass network linkage with Li₂O. Under this influence estimated lifetime of the ⁴I_11/2 of Er³⁺ was 1.89 μs and due to lower phonon energy of the glass produce strong upconversion signal. The effect of Er₂O₃ concentration on emission intensity result indicated that green emission intensity initially increase in compare to red emission. Under the 980 nm pump power variation measured the relatively increases the red emission to the green emission intensity and analyze the possible upconversion mechanism and process.     

CO2 laser assisted removal of UO2 and ThO2 particulates from metal surface

Pulsed laser assisted removal of uranium dioxide and thorium dioxide particulates from stainless steel surface have been studied using a TEA CO₂ laser. Decontamination efficiency is measured as a function of laser fluence and number of pulses. Threshold fluence for the removal of UO₂ particulates has been found to be lower than that required for the removal ThO₂ particulates. Usage of a ZnSe substrate, that is transparent to the laser wavelength used here, enabled us to decouple the cleaning effect arising out of absorption in the particulates from that in the substrate and has contributed towards understanding the mechanism responsible for cleaning. The experimental observations are also corroborated by simple theoretical calculations.