Plasmonic Zener tunneling in metal-dielectric waveguide arrays

We elucidate in this Letter plasmonic Zener tunneling (PZT) in metal-dielectric waveguide arrays (MDWAs) by using numerical simulations and theoretical analyses. PZT in MDWAs occurs at the waveguide entrance and wherever the beam completes Bloch oscillations, because the bandgap between the first and second bands is minimal at the center of the first Brillouin zone. This feature significantly differs from that of optical Zener tunneling in dielectric waveguide arrays. The dependence of the simulated tunneling rate on the gradient of the relative permittivity of the dielectric layers correlates with the tunneling theory, thus confirming the occurrence of PZT in MDWAs.     

Sound absorption and compressive property of PU foam‐filled composite sandwiches: Effects of needle‐punched fabric structure,porous structure,and fabric‐foam interface

The flexible polyurethane (PU) foam‐filled composite sandwiches are constructed using three types of needle‐punched fabrics (upper layer), PU foam (core layer), and nylon (bottom layer). Different contents of deionized water were used to adjust the pore size and bulk density of PU foam by free‐foaming. Effects of needle‐punched fabric components, cell structure, and fabric‐foam interface on sound absorption and compressive property of the composite sandwiches were investigated. Fabric‐foam interface contributes to improve high‐frequency sound absorption efficiency. When containing 0.5 wt% water in the core and nylon‐glass grid needle‐punched composite fabric (NPUN‐G) in the upper face, the composite sandwiches exhibited optimal sound absorption of 0.78 at low frequency of 450 Hz, and optimal compressive strength of 14.4 kPa. Combination of needle‐punched composite fabric improved the sound absorption coefficient and compressive strength, as high as 223% and 121%, respectively, compared with pure PU foam. This study provided an important basis for the preparation of high‐strength composite sandwiches with low‐frequency sound absorption.     

Algebraic signatures of convex and non-convex codes

A convex code is a binary code generated by the pattern of intersections of a collection of open convex sets in some Euclidean space. Convex codes are relevant to neuroscience as they arise from the activity of neurons that have convex receptive fields. In this paper, we develop algebraic methods to determine if a code is convex. Specifically, we use the neural ideal of a code, which is a generalization of the Stanley–Reisner ideal. Using the neural ideal together with its standard generating set, the canonical form, we provide algebraic signatures of certain families of codes that are non-convex. We connect these signatures to the precise conditions on the arrangement of sets that prevent the codes from being convex. Finally, we also provide algebraic signatures for some families of codes that are convex, including the class of intersection-complete codes. These results allow us to detect convexity and non-convexity in a variety of situations, and point to some interesting open questions.     

A transient absorption study of allophycocyanin

Transient dynamics of allophycocyanin trimers and monomers are observed by using the pump-probe, transient absorption technique. The origin of spectral components of the transient absorption spectra is discussed in terms of both kinetics and spectroscopy. We find that the energy gap between the ground and excited states of the unexcited subunit of allophycocyanin monomer decreases via an interaction with another excited subunit. For allophycocyanin trimer, we find that the fast dynamics results from the fast internal conversion and the first excited state is the only one electronic state which can trap the final population.     

Synthesis,structures, and properties of iridium(III) bis-cyclometallated complexes containing three-atom chelates

Heating of [Ir(η²-ppy)₂(MeCN)₂]NO₃ (1, ppy = 2-phenylpyridine) in MeCN under reflux afforded [Ir(η²-ppy)₂(η²-NO₃)] (2). Treatment of 1 with 2-mercaptopyridine (Hmp), 6-methyl-2-hydroxypyridine (Hmhp), 6-chloro-2-hydroxypyridine (Hchp), trimethylacetic acid (Htma), benzoic acid (Hbz), 2-methylacrylic acid (Hma), and acetic acid (Hac) in the presence of excess Et₃N produced [Ir(η²-ppy)₂(η²-XZY)] (XZY^? = mp^? (3), mhp^? (4), chp^? (5), ac^? (6), bz^? (7), ma^? (8), tma^? (9)). Crystal structures of 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9 have been characterized by X-ray diffraction. The inherent strain contained in the four-member rings, {Ir(η²-XZY)}, is apparently reflected in the long Ir–X and Ir–Y distances. The absorption and emission properties of nearly all the new complexes except 2 show small variations.     

氨基化修饰介孔Fe3O4@SiO2@mSiO2磁性核壳复合微球的可控制备及吸附性能

以水热法制备的高磁饱和强度Fe_3O_4纳米颗粒为核,正硅酸乙酯(TEOS)为前驱体,采用改进的St觟ber法,制备介孔SiO_2包覆Fe_3O_4磁性核壳复合微球。利用XRD、SEM、TEM、N2吸附-脱附、FTIR和VSM对制备样品的物相结构、形貌和磁性能进行了测试表征。研究结果表明,制备的复合材料呈球形,粒径分布均一,材料的比表面积和磁饱和强度分别为413 m2·g-1和68.93emu·g-1。研究了TEOS的添加量对复合微球形貌的影响,随着TEOS添加量的增加,SiO_2壳层增厚,复合粒子形貌均匀,饱和磁化强度有所下降,仍具有良好的超顺磁性。在此基础上,通过接枝法在复合微球的表面接枝-NH2,制备了一种新型磁性纳米吸附剂(Fe_3O_4@SiO_2@m SiO_2-NH2),进而研究了其对水中重金属离子Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附性能。通过动力学拟合,Fe_3O_4@SiO_2@m SiO_2-NH2对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附过程是准二级动力学模型占主导地位,探究了该材料对Cr(Ⅵ)的吸附过程和吸附机理。结果表明,其吸附机理及吸附容量与Cr(Ⅵ)的离子形态及-NH2有关,并通过吸附剂与吸附质之间的电子共用或静电吸附实现。     

Monolithic integration of well-ordered nanoporous structures in the microfluidic channels for bioseparation

Gel electrophoresis and capillary gel electrophoresis are widely used for the separation of biomolecules. With increasing demand in the miniaturized devices such as lab-on-a-chip, it is necessary to integrate such a separation component into a chip format. Here, we describe a simple approach to fabricate robust three-dimensional periodic porous nanostructures inside the microchannels for the separation of DNA molecules. In our approach, the colloidal crystals were first grown inside the microchannel using evaporation assisted self-assembly process. Then the void spaces among the colloidal crystals were filled with epoxy-based negative tone photoresist (SU-8). UV radiation was used to cure the photoresist at the desired area inside the microchannel. After subsequent development and nanoparticle removal, the well-ordered nanoporous structures inside the microchannel were obtained. Our results indicated that it was possible to construct periodic porous nanostructures inside the microchannels with cavity size around 300 nm and interconnecting pores around 30 nm. The mobility of large DNA molecules with different sizes was measured as a function of the applied electric field in the nanoporous materials. It was also demonstrated that 1 kilo-base pair (kbp) DNA ladders could be separated in such an integrated system within 10 min under moderate electric field.     

Theory of time-resolved sum-frequency generation and its applications to vibrational dynamics of water

A molecular theory of time-resolved sum-frequency generation (SFG) has been developed. The theoretical framework is constructed using the coupled-oscillator model in the adiabatic approximation. This theory can treat not only the vibrational spectroscopy but also vibrational dynamics. An application of this theory is also provided for estimation of the time constants of the intermolecular vibrational energy transfer between water molecules. This approach can be used for molecular analysis of the experimental results of Shen at al. on the SFG studies of vibrational dynamics of water.     

A Sulfide (Selenide)-Centered Nonanuclear Silver Cluster: A Distorted and Flexible Tricapped Trigonal Prismatic Ag<Subscript>9</Subscript> Framework

Two luminescent, monoanionic chalcogenide-centered nonanuclear silver clusters stabilized by dichalcogenophosphates were synthesized and fully characterized by various spectroscopies including multinuclear NMR and ESI-mass. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies on both cluster anions, [Ag₉(S){S₂P(OEt)₂}₈]^?, 1, and [Ag₉(Se){Se₂P(OEt)₂}₈]^?, 2, reveal that the nine silver atoms form an extremely distorted tricapped trigonal prism, which has an encapsulating chalcogenide. The coordination geometry of the central chalcogenide appears to be monocapped trigonal prismatic, which was analyzed by DFT calculations. The origin of the yellow emission is assigned by TDDFT calculations to originate from a chalcogen (ligand + encapsulated) → silver charge transfer.