Copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes with 2-formylpyridine-derived hydrazones

In the present work 2-formylpyridine-para-chloro-phenyl hydrazone (H2FopClPh) and 2-formylpyridine-para-nitro-phenyl hydrazone (H2FopNO₂Ph) were obtained, as well as their copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes [Cu(H2FopClPh)Cl₂] (1), [Cu(2FopNO₂Ph)Cl] (2), [Zn(H2FopClPh)Cl₂] (3) and [Zn(H2FopNO₂Ph)Cl₂] (4). Upon re-crystallization in DMSO:acetone conversion of 2 into [Cu(2FopNO₂Ph)Cl(DMSO)] (2a) and of 4 into [Zn(2FopNO₂Ph)Cl(DMSO)] (4a) occurred. The crystal structures of 1, 2a, 3 and 4a were determined.     

Direct observation of rectified motion of vortices in a niobium superconductor

Using Lorentz microscopy to directly image vortices, we investigate vortex motion control and rectification in a niobium superconductor. We directly observe a net motion of vortices along microfabricated channels with a spatially asymmetric potential, even though the vortices were driven by an oscillatory field. By observing the individual motion of vortices, we clarify elementary processes involved in this rectification. To further demonstrate the ability to control the motion of vortices, we created a tiny vortex "racetrack" to monitor the motion of vortices in a closed circuit channel.     

Using Josephson vortex lattices to control terahertz radiation: tunable transparency and terahertz photonic crystals

The Josephson vortex (JV) lattice is a periodic array that scatters electromagnetic waves in the THz-frequency range. We show that JV lattices can produce a photonic band-gap structure (THz photonic crystal) with easily tunable forbidden zones controlled by the in-plane magnetic field. The scattering of electromagnetic waves by JVs results in a strong magnetic-field dependence of the reflection and transparency. Fully transparent or fully reflected frequency windows can be conveniently tuned by the in-plane magnetic field. These proposals are potentially useful for controllable THz filters.     

Critical dynamics of burst instabilities in the Portevin-Le Ch atelier effect

We investigate the Portevin-Le Chatelier effect (PLC), by compressing Al-Mg alloys in a very large deformation range, and interpret the results from the viewpoint of phase transitions and critical phenomena. The system undergoes two dynamical phase transitions between intermittent (or "jerky") and "laminar" plastic dynamic phases. Near these two dynamic critical points, the order parameter 1/tau of the PLC effect exhibits large fluctuations, and "critical slowing down" (i.e., the number tau of bursts, or plastic instabilities, per unit time slows down considerably).     

Quantum effects in energy and charge transfer in an artificial photosynthetic complex

We investigate the quantum dynamics of energy and charge transfer in a wheel-shaped artificial photosynthetic antenna-reaction center complex. This complex consists of six light-harvesting chromophores and an electron-acceptor fullerene. To describe quantum effects on a femtosecond time scale, we derive the set of exact non-Markovian equations for the Heisenberg operators of this photosynthetic complex in contact with a Gaussian heat bath. With these equations we can analyze the regime of strong system-bath interactions, where reorganization energies are of the order of the intersite exciton couplings. We show that the energy of the initially excited antenna chromophores is efficiently funneled to the porphyrin-fullerene reaction center, where a charge-separated state is set up in a few picoseconds, with a quantum yield of the order of 95%. In the single-exciton regime, with one antenna chromophore being initially excited, we observe quantum beatings of energy between two resonant antenna chromophores with a decoherence time of ～100 fs. We also analyze the double-exciton regime, when two porphyrin molecules involved in the reaction center are initially excited. In this regime we obtain pronounced quantum oscillations of the charge on the fullerene molecule with a decoherence time of about 20 fs (at liquid nitrogen temperatures). These results show a way to directly detect quantum effects in artificial photosynthetic systems.     

A new acousto-electro-optic improved resolution deflector for high frequency operation

The two main constrains on the characteristics of the acousto-optic deflector are the acoustic sound attenuation and velocity. These two parameters will determine the resolution and the radio frequency bandwidth.Due to a double degenerated phase matching condition on a specific acousto-optic deflector configuration, the possibility of an improvement on the resolution of the acousto optic deflector becomes evident. This degenerescence is the result of the action of a D.C. electric field by the electro-optic effect. This configuration presents several advantages upon the early related works based on optical activity of selected materials and enables a wideband interaction in such a way that the number of resolvable channels is kept high. This has implications on the acousto-optic spectrometers for wideband radio astronomy research.     

Spectral and electrochemical studies of ruthenium(II) complexes with N-methyl-4-nitrobenzaldehyde and N-methyl-4-nitrobenzophenone thiosemicarbazone: Potential anti-trypanosomal agents

N⁴-Methyl-4-nitrobenzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (H4NO₂Fo4M), N⁴-methyl-4-nitrobenzophenone thiosemicarbazone (H4NO₂Bz4M) and their ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(4NO₂Fo4M)₂(PPh₃)₂] (1), [Ru(4NO₂Bz4M)₂(PPh₃)₂] (2), [Ru(4NO₂Fo4M)₂(dppb)] (3) and [Ru(4NO₂Bz4M)₂(dppb)] (4) (dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphospine)butane) were obtained and characterized. The crystal structure of H4NO₂Fo4M has been determined. Electrochemical studies have shown that the nitro anion radical, one of the proposed intermediates in the mechanism of action of nitro-containing anti-trypanosomal drugs, is formed at approximately −1.00 V in the free thiosemicarbazones as well as in their corresponding ruthenium(II) complexes, suggesting their potential to act as antitrypanosomal drugs. The natural fluorescence of H4NO₂Fo4M, H4NO₂Bz4M and complexes (1)–(4) provides a way to identify and to monitor their concentration in biological systems.