Monolithically integrated bacteriorhodopsin-GaAs field-effect transistor photoreceiver

We have applied the large photovoltage developed across a layer of selectively deposited bacteriorhodopsin to the gate terminal of a monolithically integrated GaAs-based modulation-doped field-effect transistor, which delivers an amplified photoinduced current signal. The integrated biophotoreceiver device exhibits a responsivity of 3.8 A/W. The optoelectronic integrated circuit is achieved by molecular-beam epitaxy of the field-effect transistor's heterostructure, photolithography, and selective-area bacteriorhodopsin electrodeposition.     

Optimization of spin-triplet supercurrent in ferromagnetic Josephson junctions

We have observed long-range spin-triplet supercurrents in Josephson junctions containing ferromagnetic (F) materials, which are generated by noncollinear magnetizations between a central Co/Ru/Co synthetic antiferromagnet and two outer thin F layers. Here we show that the spin-triplet supercurrent is enhanced up to 20 times after our samples are subject to a large in-plane field. This occurs because the synthetic antiferromagnet undergoes a "spin-flop" transition, whereby the two Co layer magnetizations end up nearly perpendicular to the magnetizations of the two thin F layers. We report direct experimental evidence for the spin-flop transition from scanning electron microscopy with polarization analysis and from spin-polarized neutron reflectometry. These results represent a first step toward experimental control of spin-triplet supercurrents.     

Origin of the bathochromically shifted optical spectra of meso-tetrathien-2'- and 3'-ylporphyrins as compared to meso-tetraphenylporphyrin

The UV-Vis and fluorescence spectra of free base and diprotonated meso-tetrathien-2'-ylporphyrins are, when compared to the spectra of meso-tetra-phenyl- or even -thien-3'-ylporphyrins, characterized by surprisingly large red-shifts. A comparison of the optical spectra and the computed rotational barriers for these meso-aryl-substituted porphyrins and a detailed conformational analysis of the single crystal X-ray structure of a diprotonated meso-tetrathien-2'-ylporphyrin suggest that the origin of the altered electronic properties of meso-tetrathien-2'-ylporphyrins are mainly due to the contribution of conformations in which the thienyl groups adopt idealized co-planar arrangements with the porphyrin ring. These conformations allow an efficient extension of the porphyrinic pi-system through conjugation. We synthesized a meso-tetrathien-2'-ylporphyrin with methyl groups in the o-position, thus preventing the formation of conformers with co-planar thienyl groups and a corresponding thien-2'-ylporphyrin with methyl substituents in a distal position that possesses the same steric requirements for thienyl group rotation as the parent compound, to conclusively deduce the influence of the conformers on the electronic structure. A MNDO-PSDCI computation of their optical spectra further supports our key hypothesis. DFT computations of the total energies of the hypothetical diprotonated thien-2'-ylporphyrin conformer with perpendicular thienyl groups and the conformer containing near-co-planar thienyl groups quantify the resonance stabilization energy. Our results support and complement recent photophysical and theoretical studies by Gupta and Ravikanth and Friedlein et al. on thien-2'-yl-substituted core-modified porphyrins and [meso-tetra(5'-bromothien-2'-yl)porphyrinato]Zn(ii), respectively.     

A General Approach to Convergence Properties of Some Methods for Nonsmooth Convex Optimization

Based on the notion of the ε -subgradient, we present a unified technique to establish convergence properties of several methods for nonsmooth convex minimization problems. Starting from the technical results, we obtain the global convergence of: (i) the variable metric proximal methods presented by Bonnans, Gilbert, Lemaréchal, and Sagastizábal, (ii) some algorithms proposed by Correa and Lemaréchal, and (iii) the proximal point algorithm given by Rockafellar. In particular, we prove that the Rockafellar—Todd phenomenon does not occur for each of the above mentioned methods. Moreover, we explore the convergence rate of {||x _k || } and {f(x _k ) } when {x _k } is unbounded and {f(x _k ) } is bounded for the non\-smooth minimization methods (i), (ii), and (iii). Accepted 15 October 1996     

Classifying representations by way of Grassmannians

Let be a finite-dimensional algebra over an algebraically closed field. Criteria are given which characterize existence of a fine or coarse moduli space classifying, up to isomorphism, the representations of with fixed dimension and fixed squarefree top . Next to providing a complete theoretical picture, some of these equivalent conditions are readily checkable from quiver and relations of . In the case of existence of a moduli space--unexpectedly frequent in light of the stringency of fine classification--this space is always projective and, in fact, arises as a closed subvariety of a classical Grassmannian. Even when the full moduli problem fails to be solvable, the variety is seen to have distinctive properties recommending it as a substitute for a moduli space. As an application, a characterization of the algebras having only finitely many representations with fixed simple top is obtained; in this case of `finite local representation type at a given simple ', the radical layering is shown to be a classifying invariant for the modules with top . This relies on the following general fact obtained as a byproduct: proper degenerations of a local module never have the same radical layering as .

     

Ultrafast dynamics and excited state spectra of open-chain carotenoids at room and low temperatures

Many of the spectroscopic features and photophysical properties of carotenoids are explained using a three-state model in which the strong visible absorption of the molecules is associated with an S0 (1(1)Ag-) --> S2 (1(1)Bu+) transition, and the lowest lying singlet state, S1 (2(1)Ag-), is a state into which absorption from the ground state is forbidden by symmetry. However, semiempirical and ab initio quantum calculations have suggested additional excited singlet states may lie either between or in the vicinity of S1 (2(1)Ag-) and S2 (1(1)Bu+), and some ultrafast spectroscopic studies have reported evidence for these states. One such state, denoted S*, has been implicated as an intermediate in the depopulation of S2 (1(1)Bu+) and as a pathway for the formation of carotenoid triplet states in light-harvesting complexes. In this work, we present the results of an ultrafast, time-resolved spectroscopic investigation of a series of open-chain carotenoids derived from photosynthetic bacteria and systematically increasing in their number of pi-electron carbon-carbon double bonds (n). The molecules are neurosporene (n = 9), spheroidene (n = 10), rhodopin glucoside (n = 11), rhodovibrin (n = 12), and spirilloxanthin (n = 13). The molecules were studied in acetone and CS2 solvents at room temperature. These experiments explore the effect of solvent polarity and polarizability on the spectroscopic and kinetic behavior of the molecules. The molecules were also studied in ether/isopentane/ethanol (EPA) glasses at 77 K, in which the spectral resolution is greatly enhanced. Analysis of the data using global fitting techniques has revealed the ultrafast dynamics of the excited states and spectral changes associated with their decay, including spectroscopic features not previously reported. The data are consistent with S* being identified with a twisted conformational structure, the yield of which is increased in molecules having longer pi-electron conjugations. In particular, for the longest molecule in the series, spirilloxanthin, the experiments and a detailed quantum computational analysis reveal the presence of two S* states associated with relaxed S1 (2(1)Ag-) conformations involving nearly planar 6-s-cis and 6-s-trans geometries. We propose that in polar solvents, the ground state of spirilloxanthin takes on a corkscrew conformation that generates a net solute dipole moment while decreasing the cavity formation energy. Upon excitation and relaxation into the S1 (2(1)Ag-) state, the polyene unravels and flattens into a more planar geometry with comparable populations of 6-s-trans and 6-s-cis conformations.     

Studies of lexicography in the generalized network simplex method

This paper introduces an analytical approach for studying lexicography in generalized network problems. The equations obtained can help us to understand and to extend the existing theory. First, it is verified that all nonzero elements have the same sign in each row vector of a basis inverse for a generalized network (GN) problem with positive multipliers. However, this property does not necessarily hold when there exist negative multipliers. Second, we developed a strategy to select the dropping arc in the GN simplex algorithm when addressing GN problems with positive andnegative multipliers. This strategy is also based on lexicography and requires performing some comparisons. However, the values to be compared are already known since they can be obtained as a by-product of the calculations necessary to compute the basis representation of the entering arc. Consequently, the computational effort per pivot step isO(n) in the worst case. This worst case effort is the same as that required by the strongly convergent rules for selecting the dropping arc in the method of strong convergence.     

Single–machine scheduling with random machine breakdowns and randomly compressible processing times

This work presents a model of single–machine scheduling problem. The machine is failure–prone and subject to random breakdowns. The processing time is a deterministic sequence that is randomly compressible, which may be from the introduction of new technology or addition of new equipment. Taking into account the cost for the random breakdowns and the random compressible processing time, our objective is to find the optimal scheduling policy to minimize an objective function. Under simple conditions, it is shown that the optimal sequence possesses a V-shape property     

Current-driven magnetic excitations in permalloy-based multilayer nanopillars

We study current-driven magnetization switching in nanofabricated Ni(84)Fe(16)/Cu/Ni(84)Fe16 trilayers at 295 and 4.2 K. The shape of the hysteretic switching diagram at low magnetic field changes with temperature. The reversible behavior at higher fields involves two phenomena, a threshold current for magnetic excitations closely correlated with the switching current, and a peak in differential resistance characterized by telegraph noise, with an average period that decreases exponentially with current and shifts with temperature. We interpret both static and dynamic results at 295 and 4.2 K in terms of thermal activation over a potential barrier, with a current-dependent effective magnetic temperature.     

Electrodynamic dip in the local density of states of a metallic wire

We have measured the differential conductance of a tunnel junction between a thin metallic wire and a thick ground plane, as a function of the applied voltage. We find that near zero voltage, the differential conductance exhibits a dip, which scales as 1/square root of [V] down to voltages V approximately 10k(B)T/e. The precise voltage and temperature dependence of the differential conductance is accounted for by the effect on the tunneling density of states of the macroscopic electrodynamics contribution to electron-electron interaction, and not by the short-ranged screened-Coulomb repulsion at microscopic scales.