Surface-emitting second-harmonic generation in AlGaAs/GaAs waveguides

We investigate the impact of waveguide properties on the performance of surface-emitting second-harmonic generation (SESHG) devices. Using multi-layer AlGaAs/GaAs ridge waveguides that are optimized for SESHG at fundamental wavelengths = 1060 and 1550 nm, we achieve nonlinear cross-sections among the highest reported so far. In these devices, characteristics of the guided fundamental wave strongly determine the SESHG performance: multiple reflections in the longitudinal direction affect the conversion efficiency while higher order lateral waveguide modes modify the SESHG farfield. Both effects are significant for applications of SESHG in integrated photonic circuits.     

Kinetics of Oxidation of Diphenylmethane and Derivatives with Ce(IV) in Aqueous Acidic Acetonitrile

In aqueous acidic acetonitrilc solution cerium(IV) oxidizes diphenylmethane (Ph₂CH₂) to produce diphenylmethanol (Ph₂CHOH) first and then benzophenone (Ph₂CO). With the organic reductant in great excess, both the Ce(IV)-Ph₂CH₂ and Ce(IV)-Ph₂CHOH rcactions follow second-order kinetics. The rates of both reactions increase nonlinearly with increasing [H⁺] or with decreasing [H₂O]. Both kinetic and spectrophotometrc results indicate that replacement of water molecules by complex formation through the phenyl or hydroxyl group plays an important role in activating the reaction. Under similar conditions, the order of relative reactivities toward Ce(IV) oxidation is PhCH₂OH > CH₃CH₂OH > Ph2CHOH > Ph₂CH₂ > PhCH₃> (Ph₂CO, C₆H₆). Mechanistic interpretations of the kinetic results are presented.     

Direct probe of iron vibrations elucidates NO activation of heme proteins

We use nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS) to identify the Fe-NO stretching frequency in the NO adduct of myoglobin (MbNO) and in the related six-coordinate porphyrin Fe(TPP)(1-MeIm)(NO). Frequency shifts observed in MbNO Raman spectra upon isotopic substitution of Fe or the nitrosyl nitrogen confirm and extend the NRVS results. In contrast with previous assignments, the Fe-NO frequency of these six-coordinate complexes lies 70-100 cm-1 lower than in the analogous five-coordinate nitrosyl complexes, indicating a significant weakening of the Fe-NO bond in the presence of a trans imidazole ligand. This result supports proposed mechanisms for NO activation of heme proteins and underscores the value of NRVS as a direct probe of metal reactivity in complex biomolecules.     

Template synthesis and characterization of PbTiO3 nanowire arrays from aqueous solution

Highly ordered PbTiO₃ nanowire arrays were first reported by fabricating within the pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template in the aqueous solution by liquid-phase deposition method. The structure and morphology of PbTiO₃ nanowire arrays were characterized by SEM and TEM, respectively. The XRD result shows that desired stoichiometric composition could be easily obtained preparing the treatment solution during post-annealing in order to crystallize the nanowires. TEM analyses confirmed that the obtained nanowires composed of large crystals than others made by sol-gel methods. Finally, a possible growth mechanism of the PbTiO₃ nanowires is discussed.     

Upper limits for the rate constant for the reaction Br + H2O2 → HBr + HO2

Upper limits for the rate constant for the reaction Br + H₂O₂ → HBr + HO₂ have been measured over the temperature range 298 to 417 K in a discharge flow, system using a mass spectrometer as a detector. Results are K₁< 1.5 × 10^?15 cm³ s^?1 at 298 K and K₁< 3.0 × 10^?15 cm³ s^?1 at 417 K, respectively. The implication to Stratospheric chemistry is discus     

Herstellung der reinen,bicyclischen Olefine Bicyclo[4.2.1]non-2-en,Bicyclo[4.2.1]non-3-en und Bicyclo[4.2.1]non-7-en

Synthesis of the pure, bicyclic olefines Bicyclo[4.2.1]non-2-ene, Bicyclo[4.2.1]non-3-ene and Bicyclo[4.2.1]non-7-ene The synthesis of the olefines bicyclo[4.2.1]non-2-ene ( 3 ), bicyclo[4.2.1]non-3-ene ( 4 ) and bicyclo[4.2.1]non-7-ene ( 5 ) of high ‘certified’ purity from one common precursor ( 7 ) is described.     

Rheo-dielectric behavior of low molecular weight liquid crystal 2. Behavior of 8CB in nematic and smectic states

Rheo-dielectric behavior was examined for 4−4^′−n-octyl-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) having large dipoles parallel to its principal axis (in the direction of the C≡N bond). In the quiescent state at all temperatures (T) examined, orientational fluctuation of the 8CB molecules was observed as dielectric dispersions at characteristic frequencies ω_c>10⁶ s⁻¹. In the isotropic state at high T, no detectable changes of the complex dielectric constant ɛ^*(ω) were found under slow flow at shear rates ˙γ≫ω_c. In the nematic state at intermediate T, the terminal relaxation intensity of ɛ^*(ω) was decreased under such slow flow. In the smectic state at lower T, the flow effect became much less significant. These results were related to the flow-induced changes of the liquid crystalline textures in the nematic and smectic states, and the differences of the rheo-dielectric behavior in these states are discussed in relation to a difference of the symmetry of molecular arrangements in the nematic and smectic textures. Received: 1 October 1998 Accepted: 13 January 1999     

Nonlinear rheology of concentrated spherical silica suspensions: 3. Concentration dependence

Nonlinear rheology was examined for concentrated suspensions of spherical silica particles (with radius of 40 nm) in viscous media, 2.27/1 (wt/wt) ethylene glycol/glycerol mixture and pure ethylene glycol. The particles were randomly and isotropically dispersed in the media in the quiescent state, and their effective volume fraction φ_eff ranged from 0.36 to 0.59. For small strains, the particles exhibited linear relaxation of the Brownian stress σ_B due to their diffusion. For large step strains γ, the nonlinear relaxation modulus G(t,γ) exhibited strong damping and obeyed the time-strain separability. This damping was related to γ-insensitivity of strain-induced anisotropy in the particle distribution that resulted in decreases of σ_B/γ. The damping became stronger for larger φ_eff. This φ_eff dependence was related to a hard-core volume effect, i.e., strain-induced collision of the particles that is enhanced for larger φ_eff. Under steady/transient shear flow, the particles exhibited thinning and thickening at low and high γ˙, respectively. The thinning behavior was well described by a BKZ constitutive equation using the G(t,γ) data and attributable to decreases of a Brownian contribution, σ_B/γ˙. The thickening behavior, not described by this equation, was related to dynamic clustering of the particles and corresponding enhancement of the hydrodynamic stress at high γ˙. In this thickening regime, the viscosity growth η₊ after start-up of flow was scaled with a strain γ˙t. Specifically, critical strains γ_d and γ_s for the onset of thickening and achievement of the steadily thickened state were independent of γ˙ but decreased with increasing φ_eff. This φ_eff dependence was again related to the hard-core volume effect, flow-induced collision of the particles enhanced for larger φ_eff. Received: 26 June 1998 Accepted: 9 December 1998     

Preparation and characterization of polyimide alternating copolymers incorporating N,N′-bis-(4-anilino)-1,2,4,5-benzene bis(dicarboximide)

N,N′-Di-(4-anilino)-1,2,4,5-benzene bis(dicarboximide) was prepared in a three-step synthesis and purified by heating the resulting solid to 200°C. Condensation of the diamino-diimide with several dianhydrides (BPDA, BTDA, and 6-FDA) yielded polyamic acid-imides that could be either thermally or chemically cured to the corresponding alternating copolyimides. Imidization of the polyamic acid-imide to the final polyimide was monitored by FTIR for samples coated on silicon wafers before being thermally cured. Polyimides prepared by chemical imidization were found by thermogravimetric analysis to be stable to temperatures of 600°C. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.