Large intrinsic birefringence in zinc-blende based artificial semiconductors

A new attempt to solve the phase matching problem for semiconductor-based frequency conversion devices, based on the implementation of intrinsic birefringence in artificial materials, is discussed. The first results concerning the growth and characterization of ultrashort period superlattices are presented. To cite this article: J.-M. Jancu et al., C. R. Physique 8 (2007).     

Sur le nombre de points rationnels des variétés abéliennes et des Jacobiennes sur les corps finis

We give upper and lower bounds for the number of points on abelian and Jacobian varieties over finite fields. We also determine the values for the maximum and minimum number of points on Jacobian surfaces on a given finite field.     

Synthesis of cubic-BN using new flux-precursors: The fluoronitrides

Abstract

Instead of alkaline or alkaline-earth nitrides, fluoro-nitrides with mixed composition have been developed as flux-precursors for the elaboration process of c-BN. If the pressure and temperature conditions for the h-BN → c-BN conversion are sensibly reduced, the conversion rates are largely increased. On the other hand, such compounds are appropriate for growth of c-BN single crystal.     

A [Cyclentetrakis(methylene)]tetrakis[2‐hydroxybenzamide] Ligand That Complexes and Sensitizes Lanthanide(III) Ions

The synthesis of the cyclen derivative H₄ L ¹ ?2 HBr containing four 2‐hydroxybenzamide groups is described. The spectroscopic properties of the Ln^III conplexes of L ¹ (Ln=Gd, Tb, Yb, and Eu) reveal changes of the UV/VIS‐absorption, circular‐dichroism‐absorption, luminescence, and circularly polarized luminescence spectra. It is shown that at least two metal‐complex species are present in solution, whose relative amounts are pH dependent. At pH>8.0, an intense long‐lived emission is observed (for [Tb L ¹ ] and [Yb L ¹ ]), while at pH<8.0, a weaker, shorter‐lived species predominates. Unconventional Ln^III emitters (Pr, Nd, Sm, Dy, and Tm) were sensitized in basic solution, both in the VIS and in the near‐IR, to measure the emission of these ions.     

A combinatorial approach to jumping particles: The parallel TASEP

In this article, we continue the combinatorial study of models of particles jumping on a row of cells which we initiated with the standard totally asymmetric simple exclusion process or TASEP (Duchi and Schaeffer, Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series A, 110(2005), 1–29). We consider here the parallel TASEP, in which particles can jump simultaneously. On the one hand, the interest in this process comes from highway traffic modeling: it is the only solvable special case of the Nagel‐Schreckenberg automaton, the most popular model in that context. On the other hand, the parallel TASEP is of some theoretical interest because the derivation of its stationary distribution, as appearing in the physics literature, is harder than that of the standard TASEP. We offer here an elementary derivation that extends the combinatorial approach we developed for the standard TASEP. In particular, we show that this stationary distribution can be expressed in terms of refinements of Catalan numbers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2008     

Solid‐State Gas Sensors Developed from Functional Difluoroboradiazaindacene Dyes

This article describes the synthesis and characterization of several new difluoroboradiazaindacene (BODIPY?) dyes functionalized at the central 8‐position by a phenyliodo, phenylheptynoate or phenylheptynoic fragment and at the 3‐ or 3/5‐position(s) by 4‐dimethylaminophenylstyryl residue(s). Single‐crystal structural determinations confirm the planarity of the dyes, while the absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic properties are highly sensitive to the state of protonation (or alkylation) of the terminal anilino donor group(s). Reversible color tuning from green to blue for absorption and from colorless (i.e., near‐IR region) to red for fluorescence is obtained on successive addition of acid and base. The difunctionalized derivative is especially interesting in this respect and shows two well‐resolved pK_a values of 5.10 and 3.04 in acetonitrile. Addition of the first proton causes only small spectral changes and deactivates the molecule towards addition of the second proton. It is this latter step that accommodates the large change in absorption and emission properties, due to the reversible extinction of the intramolecular charge‐transfer character inherent to this type of dye. The main focus of the work is the covalent anchoring of the dyes to inert, porous polyacrylate beads so as to form a solid‐state sensor suitable for analysis of gases or flowing liquids. The final material is highly stable—its performance is undiminished after more than one year—and fully reversible over many cycles. The sensitivity is such that reactions can be followed by the naked eye and the detection limit is about 600 ppb for HCl and about 80 ppb for ammonia. Trace amounts of diphosgene can be detected, as can alkylating agents. The sensing action is indiscriminate and also operates when the beads are dispersed in aqueous media.     

Synthesis and complete assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR signals of new acetamido and aminoflavonoid derivatives

The complete ¹H and ¹³C NMR assignment of 9 acetamidochalcones, 18 acetamidoflavones, 18 aminoflavones, 9 acetamidoflavonols and 9 aminoflavonols has been performed using one‐ and two‐dimensional NMR techniques including COSY, HMQC and HMBC experiments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Selecting hidden Markov model state number with cross-validated likelihood

The problem of estimating the number of hidden states in a hidden Markov model is considered. Emphasis is placed on cross-validated likelihood criteria. Using cross-validation to assess the number of hidden states allows to circumvent the well-documented technical difficulties of the order identification problem in mixture models. Moreover, in a predictive perspective, it does not require that the sampling distribution belongs to one of the models in competition. However, computing cross-validated likelihood for hidden Markov models for which only one training sample is available, involves difficulties since the data are not independent. Two approaches are proposed to compute cross-validated likelihood for a hidden Markov model. The first one consists of using a deterministic half-sampling procedure, and the second one consists of an adaptation of the EM algorithm for hidden Markov models, to take into account randomly missing values induced by cross-validation. Numerical experiments on both simulated and real data sets compare different versions of cross-validated likelihood criterion and penalised likelihood criteria, including BIC and a penalised marginal likelihood criterion. Those numerical experiments highlight a promising behaviour of the deterministic half-sampling criterion.     

Experimental determination of the helicoidal electric field inside a twisted mesophase, in the selective reflection band

We consider the interface between a twisted birefringent mesophase and an isotropic medium. In the selective reflection band, when illuminated at normal incidence, the interface creates a coupling between the located dielectric reflection and the spread selective reflection. This coupling enables experimental measurement of the standing electric field orientation inside the liquid crystal.     

Binary group and Chinese postman polyhedra

A new proof of the characterization of the Chinese postman polyhedra is given. In developing this proof, a theorem of Gomory about homomorphic lifting of facets for group polyhedra is generalized to subproblems. Some results for the Chinese postman problem are generalized to binary group problems. In addition, a connection is made between Fulkerson's blocking polyhedra and a blocking pair of binary group problems. A connection is also developed between minors and lifting of facets for group problems.