The Effect of Trifluoroethoxy Groups on the Structures of Eight-Membered Ring-Containing Cyclic Phosphites 1

New phosphites 1–4 were synthesized from phosphorus trichloride and an appropriate diphenol followed by the addition of trifluoroethanol in the presence of triethylamine. These phosphites are to serve as precursors in the syntheses of biorelated hypervalent phosphoranes. ¹H, ¹⁹F, and ³¹P NMR spectra were recorded. X-ray analysis of 3 and 4 revealed that the sulfur-containing eight-membered ring was in a syn conformation that a allowed a sulfur donor interaction to the phosphorus atom, whereas for phosphite 2, the eight membered sulfonyl containing ring was in an anti conformation that did not allow a donor interaction to phosphorus from the oxygen atom of the sulfonyl group. Structural comparisons are made with related cyclic phosphites and phosphates having donor atoms in eight-membered rings.     

Fluorenyl hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene-dendritic oligothiophene hybrid materials: synthesis, photophysical properties, self-association behaviour and device performance

Apart from molecular properties, intermolecular forces play a vital role in defining the performance of organic electronic devices. This is particularly relevant in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells in which the arrangement of electron-donor and -acceptor materials into distinct crystalline phases of ideal size and distribution can lead to better power conversion efficiencies. In this study, a series of fluorenyl hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronenes (FHBC) decorated with thiophene dendrons (DOT) of variable size was obtained by using a convergent synthetic approach. With such variety of molecular sizes and shapes in hand, the objective of this study is to highlight the relationships between molecular properties, bulk properties and device performance. Correlations between π-π stacking ability and dendrimer generation were established from self-organisation studies in solution and solid state. The synergistic combination of molecular organisation at the nanoscale and photophysical characteristics derived from the FHBC and DOT moieties leads to a notable improvement of the photovoltaic performance.     

Heat load of a GaAs photocathode in an SRF electron gun

A great deal of effort has been made over the last decades to develop a better polarized electron source for high energy physics. Several laboratories operate DC guns with a gallium arsenide photocathode, which yield a highly polarized electron beam. However, the beam's emittance might well be improved by using a superconducting radio frequency (SRF) electron gun, which delivers beams of a higher brightness than that from DC guns because the field gradient at the cathode is higher. SRF guns with metal and CsTe cathodes have been tested successfully. To produce polarized electrons, a Gallium-Arsenide photo-cathode must be used: an experiment to do so in a superconducting RF gun is under way at BNL. Since a bulk gallium arsenide (GaAs) photocathode is normal conducting, a problem arises from the heat load stemming from the cathode. We present our measurements of the electrical resistance of GaAs at cryogenic temperatures, a prediction of the heat load and verification by measuring the quality factor of the gun with and without the cathode at 2 K. We simulate heat generation and flow from the GaAs cathode using the ANSYS program. By following the findings with the heat load model, we designed and fabricated a new cathode holder (plug) to decrease the heat load from GaAs.