The specific heat of two cubic laves compounds: TiBe2 and ThMg2

The low temperature specific heats of two isomorphous Laves compounds, TiBe₂ and ThMg₂, have been measured. The shape of the transition for the itinerant antiferromagnet TiBe₂ is characteristic of magnetic ordering; the entropy of this transition is quite small, approximately 107 mJ/mole-K, a further indication of itinerancy. The γ, proportional to the density of states, is 42 mJ/mole-K² for TiBe₂, and the Debye temperature, θ_D, is 650 K. These numbers are compared to those for the itinerant ferromagnet, ZrZn₂. The results for ThMg₂ are γ=9.2 mJ/ mole-K² and θ_D = 217 K. Results for both compounds are discussed in regards to the theory of Enz and Matthias.     

The total cross section for π+ electroproduction on hydrogen near threshold

The total cross section for the reaction ep → enπ⁺ at momentum transfers |k²| between 0.08 and 0.32 ($\text{GeV}\text{c}$)² and for centre of mass energies between threshold, at W = 1.078 GeV, and W = 1.106 GeV has been measured by detecting the electron and neutron in coincidence. Comparisons are made with both current algebra and dispersion relation theoretical models.     

Polarization in π+p → K+Σ+ backward scattering at 3.5 GeV/c

In a counter and wire spark chamber experiment with a polarized target, backward kaons were detected, and the Σ⁺'s identified by a missing-mass technique. An average polarization of ?0.08 ± 0.05 was found for ?0.2 < u < 0.1 GeV².     

Pump polarization effect in a superradiant NH3 and CH3F FIR Raman laser

The pump polarization has an evident effect on a superradiant FIR Raman laser both in NH₃ and CH₃F gases when the pump detuning from the resonant line is larger than the Raby frequency. In particular for R resonant lines the circular polarization shows a spontaneous gain about 1.5 times greater than the linear polarization as expected from the theory.     

High-Q factor single mode circular photonic crystal nano-resonator

In this work, the analysis, fabrication and optical characterization of a two-dimensional circular photonic crystal (2D-CPC) nano-resonator based on an air/GaAs/air slab waveguide are presented. Four InAs/InGaAs quantum dots (QDs) stacked layers emitting around 1300 nm at room temperature were embedded in a GaAs waveguide layer grown on an Al_0.7Ga_0.3As layer and GaAs substrate. The patterning of the structure and the membrane release were achieved by using electron beam lithography, ICP plasma etching and selective wet etching of the AlGaAs sacrificial layer. The micro-luminescence spectrum recorded from the fabricated nano-cavity shows a narrow optical transition at the resonance wavelength of about 1282 nm with a FWHM and Q-factor of 6.2 Å and more than 2000, respectively.     

Multidimensional custom-made non-linear microscope: from ex-vivo to in-vivo imaging

We have built a custom-made multidimensional non-linear microscope equipped with a combination of several non-linear laser imaging techniques involving fluorescence lifetime, multispectral two-photon and second-harmonic generation imaging. The optical system was mounted on a vertical honeycomb breadboard in an upright configuration, using two galvo-mirrors relayed by two spherical mirrors as scanners. A double detection system working in non-descanning mode has allowed both photon counting and a proportional regime. This experimental setup offering high spatial (micrometric) and temporal (sub-nanosecond) resolution has been used to image both ex-vivo and in-vivo biological samples, including cells, tissues, and living animals. Multidimensional imaging was used to spectroscopically characterize human skin lesions, as malignant melanoma and naevi. Moreover, two-color detection of two photon excited fluorescence was applied to in-vivo imaging of living mice intact neocortex, as well as to induce neuronal microlesions by femtosecond laser burning. The presented applications demonstrate the capability of the instrument to be used in a wide range of biological and biomedical studies. PACS  87.64.mn; 78.47.Cd; 87.19.lw     

Crystal structure of 5-(p-methoxyphenylamino)indane and AM1 calculations on N-arylamines derivatives, precursors of phenothiazine drugs

The structural determination by X-ray crystallography of the titled N-arylamine 4a, as well as AM₁ calculations on a series of derivatives (4b–c, 5a–c), are reported. The compound 4a is monoclinic P2₁/c with a = 7.656(3), b = 23.655(5), c = 7.686(9) Å, = 112.59(6)°, V = 1285.2(2) ų and Z = 4. This structure has been used as a template for the building of some others derivatives used for AM₁ calculations. The results show that the cyclization position on the aromatic rings, which can lead to two regioisomers, depends on the nature of the benzylic substituants.     

Bounds and monotonicity for the generalized Robin problem

We consider the principal eigenvalue λ ₁^Ω(α) corresponding to Δu = λ (α) u in on ∂Ω, with α a fixed real, and a C ^0,1 bounded domain. If α > 0 and small, we derive bounds for λ ₁^Ω(α) in terms of a Stekloff-type eigenvalue; while for α > 0 large we study the behavior of its growth in terms of maximum curvature. We analyze how domain monotonicity of the principal eigenvalue depends on the geometry of the domain, and prove that domains which exhibit domain monotonicity for every α are calibrable. We conjecture that a domain has the domain monotonicity property for some α if and only if it is calibrable. Robert Smits: This author was partially supported by a grant of the National Security Agency, grant #H98230-05-1-0060.     

Polyfunctional recognition of pyridinedicarboxylate anions with macrocyclic polyamine receptors containing heteroaromatic groups

The interaction of the biologically relevant anions deriving from the six pyridinedicarboxylic acids (H2PDC) with two macrocyclic receptors containing a pentamine chain and a bipyridine (1) or a phenanthroline (2) moiety, as well as with the aliphatic analogue [21]aneN7 (3), was studied by means of spectroscopic methods (UV-vis, NMR) and potentiometric titrations affording the stability constants of the adducts formed. All three receptors form stable complexes with the substrates thanks to the formation of several salt bridges and hydrogen bond contacts, as observed in the crystal structure of the H8[3(2,6-PDC)4] x H2O x 0.5 EtOH solid compound. Additional pi-stacking interactions between the aromatic moieties of substrates and receptors enhance the stability of complexes with 1 and 2. Compounds 1 and 2 show a marked selectivity toward 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate anions. In particular, 1 is able to perform a very efficient recognition of these species in the presence of 2 and 3. Molecular modeling calculations suggested that such recognition ability of 1 can be ascribed to a superior structural and electrostatic complementarity with the substrate compared to 2 and 3.