Ordered phthalocyanine superstructures on Ag(110)

Organic-metal interfaces, in particular, self-assembling systems, are interesting in the field of molecular electronics. In this study, we have investigated the formation of the Ag(110)-iron phthalocyanine (FePc) interface in a coverage range of less than 1 and up to 2 ML using synchrotron based photoelectron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. As-deposited FePc forms a densely packed first layer exhibiting a 3 x 2c(6 x 2) symmetry. Upon thermal treatment the order at the interface is modified depending on the initial FePc coverage, resulting in less densely packed but still ordered superstructures. The first monolayer is relatively strongly bound to the substrate, leading to the formation of an interface state just below the Fermi level. The highest occupied molecular orbital of FePc in the second layer is found at 1 eV higher binding energy compared to the interface state.     

A modified procedure for synthesising ratio judgements in the analytic hierarchy process

The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been widely applied to solve problems arising in group decision making, by synthesising different or conflicting judgements. However, directly synthesising conflicting judgements by calculating the geometric mean of preference weights (ratios) in AHP may not reach consensus from all members in a decision making group, especially, when those members represent the stakeholders of the decision making problem. This study proposes a new method that uses the genetic algorithm and utility function to synthesise preference weights to prevent this fallacy occurring when implementing the classical AHP approach. Using the proposed method, the final decision can be achieved with only minimally-adjusted preference weights.     

Search for the decay B+ --> K+nunu

We search for the rare flavor-changing neutral-current decay B(+)--> K(+)nunu in a data sample of 82 fb(-1) collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B-factory. Signal events are selected by examining the properties of the system recoiling against either a reconstructed hadronic or semileptonic charged-B decay. Using these two independent samples we obtain a combined limit of B(B(+)-->K(+)nunu ) < 5.2 x 10(-5) at the 90% confidence level. In addition, by selecting for pions rather than kaons, we obtain a limit of B(B+-->pi(+)nunu) < 1.0 x 10(-4) using only the hadronic B reconstruction method.     

Measurements of isomeric cross-section ratios for neutron capture in the resonances region

The creation of isomeric nuclei by neutron capture in the resonances energy range was studied with the lead slowing-down assembly CIRENE. The isomeric-ratio measurement of 8 nuclei allows to determine the spin of the compound nucleus at the binding energy. An experiment on ¹⁷⁷Lu underlines the role of the spin of a resonance on the isomeric-state feeding probability.     

Diversity of the surface properties of Lactococci and consequences on adhesion to food components

Bacteria possess surface properties, related to their charge, hydrophobicity and Lewis acid/base characteristics, that are involved in the attachment processes of microorganisms to surfaces. Fermentation bulks and food matrixes are complex heterogeneous media containing various components with different physicochemical characteristics. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether (i) bacteria present in a food matrix, interacted physicochemically at their surface level with the other constituents and (ii) the diversity of bacterial surface properties could result in a diversity of microbial adhesion to components and thus in a diversity of tolerance to toxic compounds. The surface properties of 20 lactic acid bacteria were characterized by the MATS method showing their relatively hydrophilic and various basic characteristics. The results obtained from a set of representative strains showed that (i) the strains with higher affinity for apolar solvents adsorbed more to lipids and hydrophobic compounds, (ii) the more the strains adsorbed to a toxic solvent, the less they were tolerant to this solvent. A diversity of bacterial surface properties was observed for the strains in the same species showing the importance of choosing bacteria according to their surface properties in function of technological objectives.     

Electrostatic tuning of the hole density in NdBa2Cu3O(7-delta) films and its effect on the Hall response

We have used the ferroelectric field effect in heterostructures based on superconducting NdBa2-Cu(3)O(7-delta) and ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 to electrostatically modulate in a reversible and nonvolatile fashion the hole carrier density of the superconducting layer. Reversing the ferroelectric polarization induces a constant relative change in the resistivity and Hall constant of 9% and 6%, respectively, at all temperatures above the superconducting transition. The cotangent of the Hall angle displays a T2 dependence with a slope that increases as the carrier density is reduced.     

Broadband integrated polarization beam splitter with surface plasmon

A broadband integrated waveguide polarization beam splitter consisting of a metal nanoribbon and two dielectric waveguides is proposed and numerically investigated. This surface plasmon based device provides a unique approach for polarization sensitive manipulation of light in an integrated circuit and will be essential for future classical and quantum information processes.     

Laboratory intercomparison of the ozone absorption coefficients in the mid-infrared (10 microm) and ultraviolet (300-350 nm) spectral regions

For the measurement of atmospheric ozone concentrations, the mid-infrared and ultraviolet regions are both used by ground-, air-, or satellite-borne instruments. In this study we report the first laboratory intercomparison of the ozone absorption coefficients using simultaneous measurements in these spectral regions. The intercomparison shows good agreement (around 98.5%) between the HITRAN 2000 recommendation for the mid-infrared and the most reference measurements in the ultraviolet regions, whereas systematic differences of about 5.5% are observed when using the recommendation of HITRAN2003 for the mid-infrared. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. Future measurements are clearly needed to resolve this issue.