Selection rules for light-induced magnetization of a crystal with threefold symmetry: the case of antiferromagnetic NiO

We propose Raman-induced collinear difference-frequency generation (DFG) as a method to manipulate dynamical magnetization. When a fundamental beam propagates along a threefold rotational axis, this coherent second-order optical process is permitted by angular momentum conservation through the rotational analogue of the umklapp process. As a demonstration, we experimentally obtained polarization properties of collinear magnetic DFG along a [111] axis of a single crystal of antiferromagnetic NiO with micromultidomain structure, which excellently agreed with the theoretical prediction.     

Quantal master equation valid for any time scale

A new memoryless expression for the equation of motion for the reduced density matrix is derived. It is equivalent to that proposed by Tokuyama and Mori, but has a more convenient form for the application of the perturbational expansion method. The master equation derived from this form of equation in the first Born approximation is applied to two examples, the Brownian motion of a quantal oscillator and that of a spin. In both examples the master equation is rewritten into the coherent-state representation. A comparison is made with the stochastic theory of the spectral line shape given by Kubo, and it is shown that this theory of the line shape can be incorporated into the framework of the present theory.     

Free vibration characteristics of double-walled carbon nanotubes embedded in an elastic medium

In this Letter, a theoretical analysis of the resonant vibration of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) and the DWCNTs embedded in an elastic medium is presented based on Euler-Bernoulli beam model and Winkler spring model. The vibration modes of DWCNTs are quite different from those of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The resonant vibrations of DWCNTs are found to have in-phase and anti-phase modes, in which the deflections of the inner and outer nanotubes occur in the same and opposite directions, respectively. For the vibration of DWCNTs with the same harmonic numbers, the resonant frequencies of anti-phase mode are larger than the ones of in-phase mode. Moreover, influence of the surrounding medium on the resonant vibrations is investigated using the Winkler spring model. The results show that surrounding medium makes a strong impact on the vibration frequencies of in-phase mode, but little on those of anti-phase mode.     

Behavior of polymer-based electroactive actuator incorporated with mild hydrothermally treated CNTs

We fabricated an actuator that was made from polyurethane (PU) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the filler. To improve the dispersion of the CNTs, a mild hydrothermal treatment was carried out. Carboxyl and hydroxyl groups were introduced to the surface of the CNTs, and they were found to be highly dispersed in polar solvents such as dimethylformamide. To evaluate these films, we mainly focused on electrical properties, such as dielectric spectroscopy, space charge measurements, and actuator behavior. We found that the PU/CNTs film bents toward the cathode when an electric field was applied, and it reverted to its original position when the electric field was removed. Upon the inclusion of the CNTs as the filler for the polymer, the electrical properties of the films improved significantly. The highly polarized films had a high relative permittivity, and this produced a higher Maxwell pressure, which assisted the actuation. A high accumulated charge density was observed from space charge measurements in some of the films, and this explains the bending direction and the actuation mechanism.     

Success or Failure of Chiral Crystallization of Similar Heterocyclic Compounds

Single crystals of two achiral and planar heterocyclic compounds, C₉H₈H₃O(CA1) and C₈H₅NO₂ (CA4), recrystallized from ethanol, were characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis, respectively, and chiral crystallization was observed only for CA1 as P2₁2₁2₁ (# 19), whereas it was not observed for CA4 P2₁/c (# 14). In CA1, as a monohydrate, the hydrogen bonds were pronounced around the water of crystallization (O4), and the planar cyclic sites were arranged in parallel to slightly tilted positions. On the other hand, an anhydride CA4 formed a dimer by hydrogen bonds between adjacent molecules in the crystal, which were aggregated by van der Waals forces and placed in parallel planar cyclic sites.     

Polymer effect in graft polymerizations of acrolein onto imidazole-containing polymer

The graft polymerizations of acrolein (AL) onto an imidazole (Im)-containing polymer, such as a homopolymer of 4(5)-vinylimidazole (VIm) and several copolymers of VIm-4-vinylpyridine (VPy), VIm-1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (VPr), and VIm-styrene (St), have been studied in ethanol at 0°C. The degree of polymerization (P?_n) of the resulting polyacrolein graft depended on the number of Im units in the Im-containing polymer which produced a decrease in P?_n of grafted polyacrolein. The P?_n of the graft polyacrolein was determined to be in the range of 5-23. The rate of polymerization (R_p) was expressed by R_p = k(PVIm) (AL)². The graft polymerizability of the AL was influenced by the comonomer in the parent polymer, and was found to be in the order of VIm homopolymer > VIm-VPr copolymer > VIm-VPy copolymer > VIm-St copolymer. R_p was affected by the functional group around the Im group in the Im-containing polymer. These results were discussed by assuming the conformation of the parent polymer in ethanol.     

Enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrones catalyzed by optically active cationic cobalt(III) complexes

[reaction: see text] The optically active beta-ketoiminato cationic cobalt(III) complexes were employed as efficient Lewis acid catalysts for the enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes with nitrones. Excellent endo selectivities and high enantioselectivities were achieved in the cycloaddition reaction of 1-cyclopentene-1-carbaldehyde and the nitrones derived from 2-halobenzaldehyde.