Scanning tunnelling microscopic images of the surface ordering of the liquid crystal 4-n-octyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl

Images of the surface ordering of 4-n-octyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl, a room temperature smectic liquid crystal deposited upon graphite, have been obtained by scanning tunnelling microscopy. The microscope was operated in air using the constant-current mode. Under certain tunnelling conditions it has been possible to resolve both the aliphatic and aromatic parts of the molecule, and to observe individual benzene rings. Two previously unreported conformations have been observed: an overlapping bilayer structure with spacing 3.7 nm, and a monolayer structure with spacing 2.4 nm. The latter structure may represent the first visual evidence for a surface polar ordered structure.     

Isotopic study of the mechanism of ozone formation

The mechanism of ozone formation has been studied using ¹⁶O and ¹⁸O₂. High-resolution microwave spectroscopy was used to measure the amounts of the isotopomeric ozone species formed. The study is hampered by the very rapid exchange process between the reactants, that tends to scramble the isotopes and hence give a 2:1 statistical ratio between the two possible isotopomers. We have found a strategy to come around this difficulty and conclude that the mechanism is a simple end-on-addition.     

μSR studies of heavy fermion systems

We have performed both zero field and high transverse field measurements at dilution refrigerator temperatures on a number of heavy electron systems, examining the superconducting and magnetic properties of these interesting materials. Among the materials studied to date are UBe₁₃, URu₂Si₂ and U₆Fe. The magnetic field penetration depth in the superconducting state of UBe₁₃ is greater than 10000 Å, as no increase in the transverse field relaxation rate is observed belowT _c . A sharp increase in the precession frequency is seen, starting atT _c . This frequency shift shows little temperature dependence at low temperature; we found no clear evidence for unconventional superconductivity in this material. Zero field measurements in URu₂Si₂ show the weak antiferromagnetic transition at 17.5 K. Finally, we we found no clear evidence for unconventional superconductivity in this material. Zero field measurements in URu₂Si₂ show the weak antiferromagnetic transition at 17.5 K. Finally, we have observed relaxation in high transverse field due to the formation of a flux lattice in U₆Fe, a material where the electron effective mass is rather lighter than in other heavy fermion systems. The relaxation exhibits a sharp onset atT _c=3.9 K, and is flat at low temperatures as expected for a conventional superconductor.     

Temperature dependence of the rate constants for reactions of the carbonate radical with organic and inorganic reductants

Rate constants have been measured by pulse radiolysis for the reactions of the carbonate radical, CO₃^·?, with a number of organic and inorganic reactants as a function of temperature, generally over the range 5 to 80°C. The reactants include the substitution-inert cyano complexes of Fe^II, Mo^IV, and W^IV, the simple inorganic anions SO₃^2?, ClO₂^?, NO₂^?, I^?, and SCN^?, several phenolates, ascorbate, tryptophan, cysteine, cystine, methionine, triethylamine, and allyl alcohol. The measured rate constants ranged from less than 10⁵ to 3 × 10⁹ M^?1 s^?1, the activation energies ranged from ?11.4 to 18.8 kJ mol^?1, and the pre-exponential factors ranged from log A = 6.4 to 10.7. The activation energies for the metal complexes and inorganic anions generally decrease with increasing driving force for the reaction, as expected for an outer sphere electron transfer. For highly exothermic reactions, however, the activation energy appears to increase, probably reflecting the temperature dependence of diffusion. For many of the organic reactants, the activation energies were low and independent of driving force, suggesting that the oxidation is via an inner sphere mechanism.     

Mössbauer gamma echo

By applying stepwise phase modulation of recoilless gamma radiation in a coincidence experiment, constructive interference is produced in transmission geometry between the source and the absorber fields. The resulting regenerated decay signal is called a gamma echo. Here it is demonstrated that during the decay of the 14.4 keV state of⁵⁷Fe multiple echo signals can be generated.     

Single-molecule single crystals

Various approaches to the preparation and verification of single-molecule single crystals are discussed for polyethylene and poly (oxyethylene). Analytic tools are electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. The main difficulty in producing a single-molecule single crystal is to keep crystals from joining during growth.     

Early experiments with slow positrons in atomic physics

The major steps in the evolution of techniques for producing positron beams of well defined energies over the last 25 years are reviewed. Developments in the methods of using these beams for experiments in atomic physics are then traced historically