Reduction of speckle noise in digital holography by using digital image processing

A fundamental problem in optical and digital holography is the presence of speckle noise in the reconstruction process. Many approaches have been carried out in order to overcome such a problem ranging from modifying the spatial coherence of the illumination (optical techniques) to image processing techniques (digital techniques). This work shows the merged use of digital image processing techniques in order to reduce the speckle noise in digital reconstruction of optically recorded Fresnel's holograms. The proposed filtering techniques are illustrated with experimental results.     

Cohomologie des fibrés en droites sur la compactification magnifique d'un groupe semi-simple adjointCohomology of line bundles on the wonderful compactification of an adjoint semi-simple group

Let G be an adjoint semi-simple group, X its wonderful compactification and $\text{G}$ its universal covering. One determines the cohomology groups $\text{H}{}^{\mathrm{i}}\text{(X,}\text{L}\text{)}$ of any invertible sheaf $\text{L}$ on X, as $\text{G}\text{×}\text{G}$-modules. To cite this article: A. Tchoudjem, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 334 (2002) 441–444.     

Electrochemical deposition of poly[ethylene-dioxythiophene] (PEDOT) films on ITO electrodes for organic photovoltaic cells: control of morphology,thickness, and electronic properties

In this article, controlled changes on morphology, thickness, and band gap of poly[ethylenedioxythiophene] (PEDOT) polymer films fabricated by electrochemical polymerization (potentiostatically) are analyzed. Electropolymerization of the monomer ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) was carried out on indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes, in different dry organic electrolytic media, such as acetonitrile, acetonitrile–dichloromethane, and toluene–acetonitrile mixtures. It was found that electropolymerization kinetics can be controlled by changing the polarity of the electrolytic media, and kinetics is slower for those with low polarity. This fact combined with an accurate control of EDOT monomer concentration and electropolymerization at E_peak/2 potential, allows to control the morphology and thickness of the electropolymerized PEDOT films (E-PEDOT:ClO₄); toluene/ACN (4:1, v/v) and [EDOT]?=?0.3 mM gave the best films for application in organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. The performance of the E-PEDOT:ClO₄ films was tested on ITO electrodes as anode buffer layer in OPV cells with the configuration ITO/E-PEDOT:ClO₄/P3HT:PC₆₁BM/Field’s metal, where Field’s metal (cathode) is a eutectic alloy that lets to fabricate OPV devices easily and in a fast and economical way at free vacuum conditions. The performance of these devices was compared with an OPV device constructed with a buffer layer anode, prepared using the classical spin coating of PEDOT:PSS on ITO. Results showed that OPV cells fabricated with E-PEDOT:ClO₄ have a slightly increased PV performance.     

From hydrophilic to hydrophobic wood using direct fluorination: A localized treatment

When controlled by the treatment duration or the quantity of reactive molecules, direct fluorination using F₂ gas is efficient to decrease the hydrophilicity of wood both in the form of massive piece and powder. To prove that silver fir pieces and wood flour (mix of spruce and silver fir species) were investigated as representative examples. In both the cases, hydroxyl groups are converted into CF bonds resulting in the decrease in affinity for water. Fluorination is mainly located in the outer parts of the wood cell, where the content of lignin is the highest, maintaining the inner ones nonmodified. Because the microstructure is maintained by this location of fluorination, the mechanical properties are conserved for silver fir pieces. The mechanical properties are even enhanced for composite containing fluorinated wood flour because of a better compatibility between the fluorinated fillers and the polyester matrix.     

Reaction Dynamics of Weakly-Bound Few-Body Nuclei at Energies Around the Coulomb Barrier

We present a quantum reaction approach that unambiguously quantifies the complete and incomplete fusion of weakly-bound few-body nuclei. Calculations carried out within a simple model for \({\text{}^{6}}\)Li + \({\text{}^{209}}\)Bi at energies near the Coulomb barrier show that converged probabilities for the total, complete and incomplete fusion as well as for the scattering process can be obtained with the time-dependent wave-packet dynamics.     

Gravitational Lensing in the Strong Field Limit for Kar’s Metric

In this paper we calculate the strong field limit deflection angle for a light ray passing near a scalar charged spherically symmetric object, described by a metric which comes from the low-energy limit of heterotic string theory. Then, we compare the expansion parameters of our results with those obtained in the Einstein’s canonical frame, obtained by a conformal transformation, and we show that, at least at first order, the results do not agree.     

Pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-Dioxaborinine Hybrid Dyes: Synthesis and Substituent Effect in the Photophysical Properties

A novel family of pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-dioxaborinine (PP-DB) hybrid dyes was synthesized by the direct construction of the dioxaborinine (DB) fragment on the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (PP) ring, which implies the formation of four new bonds in a one-pot manner. The dyes’ optical properties were investigated and compared with the starting pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines; a study evidencing large fluorescence quantum yields in products (φ_f up to 69 %) due to an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process from the PP core to a ring of DB (PP→DB) that is absent in precursors (φ_f=0.03–0.30). Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations confirmed the fluorescence process involved in the novel dyes, where their ICT limits the non-radiative process due to the restricted rotation in the D−A system. The present work provides insight into how phenyl and DB ring incorporation impact the optical properties of this new group of hybrids dyes based on PP-DB.     

Three Complementary One-Pot Four-Component Reaction Sequences for Rapid,General and Direct Spiropyran Synthesis

Three one-pot three-step four-component reaction sequences for spiropyran synthesis have been developed, based around three different methods for in situ generation of 1,2,3-trisubstituted indoles (indole N-alkylation, Fischer indolisation and indole C-alkylation). The reaction sequences give access to a broad swathe of spiropyran structures. Each sequence is operationally straightforward, rapid and high yielding. We have synthesized 58 structurally diverse spiropyrans bearing a wide range of useful functional groups, and their utility were demonstrated in the targeted synthesis of potential ratiometric fluorescence probes for metal ions and spiropyran-cholesterol conjugates. Finally, we showed that our one-pot N-alkylation-C-alkylation-condensation sequence can underpin combinatorial spiropyran synthesis through generation of a 16-member spiropyran library.     

Theoretical study of solvent effects on the thermodynamics of iron(III) [tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)]porphyrin chloride dissociation

A quasichemical method that combines ab initio treatment of explicit solvent with dielectric continuum models has been used to study the origin of a strong effect of methanol on the extent of iron(III) [tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)]porphyrin chloride dissociation in acetonitrile-methanol solutions. It is shown that the dissociation is energetically more favorable in methanol than in acetonitrile primarily because of the strong specific interactions between the chloride anion and the solvent methanol molecules in its first solvation shell. These interactions are weaker in acetonitrile. The final estimate for the difference in the dissociation free energies in methanol and acetonitrile is -23 kJ/mol, in a good agreement with the experimental value of -21 kJ/mol. Energy decomposition analysis of chloride-solvent interactions suggests that stronger chloride-methanol binding is a result of the contribution of charge delocalization effects to the chloride-methanol interactions.