Isospin mixing between low-lying states of the odd-odd N = Z nucleus 54Co

Isospin mixing of the recently discovered doublet of 4(+) states with isospin quantum numbers T = 0 and T = 1 in 54Co is analyzed. It is shown that the measured E2/M1 multipole mixing ratios can be used to estimate the isospin mixing of these states. Combining the new experimental data with results of a shell model calculation, the amount of isospin mixing is found to be approximately 0.2%.     

Anisotropy in the compton profile of copper

Directional Compton profiles of high statistical accuracy are measured by means of a 412 keV gamma-ray Compton spectrometer. The experimental anisotropies are in very satisfactory agreement with earlier measurements and there is good qualitative agreement between the experimental data and a recent band structure calculation. Quantitatively, however, the experimental anisotropy is significantly smaller than predicted by theory.A simple model calculation based on the Seitz approximation, in which higher order Fermi surface volumes all of spherical shape are taken into account in obtaining the momentum density, demonstrates that the major contribution to the Compton profile anisotropy in copper is due to the hybridization which has mixedd-electrons and nearly-free electrons in the top band. Any fine structure in the theoretical anisotropy due to the detailed shape of the Fermi surface cannot be resolved in the present experiment.The potential of analysing the electronic structure of transition metals in terms ofB(r), the Fourier transform of the momentum density, is discussed in detail. The major contribution to the anisotropy arises from localised peaks inB(r) centered on the sites of the translational lattice. Within the Seitz approximation it could be shown that these secondary maxima are caused by the presence of localisedd-electrons in the highest partly occupied band. In conclusion we anticipate that a proper treatment of electron correlation would produce a marked quantitative improvement in the agreement between the present experimental data and the Compton profiles obtained from current band structure calculations.     

Velocity measurements in a precessing jet flow using a three dimensional LDA system

 The turbulent, three dimensional and time dependent flow field of a precessing jet is investigated. In the present case the jet precession is generated by mechanically rotating a round jet inclined relative to the axis of rotation. A conditional flow visualisation technique is used to complement three dimensional laser Doppler velocity data, time-averaged and phase-averaged at the frequency of precession. The conditional phase-averaging technique enables phase-averaged velocity contours and vectors to be obtained which reveal flow patterns and structures within the flow field. Time-averaging of the velocity data shows that these structures are significant in that they generate a reverse flow (recirculation) region between the jet and its spinning axis. They are found also to cause a rapid decay of the mean velocity. The characteristics of the precessing jet found here are compared with previous investigations of the same flow and with investigations of other turbulent jets. Received: 17 March 1995/Accepted: 7 December 1995     

An argon ion ring laser as a gyroscope

As a prototype gyroscope for a precision measurement of the Earth's rotation _E, we set up an argon ion ring laser with an area of 1.4 m². Different cavity geometries were tested in order to achieve a cancellation of the effect of the plasma flow. In a set-up with two laser tubes of the same type facing towards opposite directions, a stability of the beat frequency of 2–3 _E was measured. In a configuration with a double transition of the laser beam through the tube, the lock-in threshold was too high for the Earth's rotation to be measured, however, no effect of the plasma flow was observed.     

Single-crystal Raman spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography at beamline X26-C of the NSLS

Three-dimensional structures derived from X-ray diffraction of protein crystals provide a wealth of information. Features and interactions important for the function of macromolecules can be deduced and catalytic mechanisms postulated. Still, many questions can remain, for example regarding metal oxidation states and the interpretation of `mystery density', i.e. ambiguous or unknown features within the electron density maps, especially at ～2 ? resolutions typical of most macromolecular structures. Beamline X26-C at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), provides researchers with the opportunity to not only determine the atomic structure of their samples but also to explore the electronic and vibrational characteristics of the sample before, during and after X-ray diffraction data collection. When samples are maintained under cryo-conditions, an opportunity to promote and follow photochemical reactions in situ as a function of X-ray exposure is also provided. Plans are in place to further expand the capabilities at beamline X26-C and to develop beamlines at NSLS-II, currently under construction at BNL, which will provide users access to a wide array of complementary spectroscopic methods in addition to high-quality X-ray diffraction data.     

Daubechies wavelets as a basis set for density functional pseudopotential calculations

Daubechies wavelets are a powerful systematic basis set for electronic structure calculations because they are orthogonal and localized both in real and Fourier space. We describe in detail how this basis set can be used to obtain a highly efficient and accurate method for density functional electronic structure calculations. An implementation of this method is available in the ABINIT free software package. This code shows high systematic convergence properties, very good performances, and an excellent efficiency for parallel calculations.     

Luminescence of molecules adsorbed on surfaces of wide gap materials

We report on the photoluminescence spectra of thin films of chain-like π-conjugated molecules on well-defined surfaces of wide gap inorganic materials. The aim is to study the energy transfer processes across the organic/substrate interface which limit the luminescence of molecules in close contact to substrate surfaces. We discuss quaterthiophene (4 T) adsorbed on the c(2×2)-ZnSe(0 0 1) surface and tetracene (Tc) on the surface of a thin epitaxial Al₂O₃ film on Ni₃Al(1 1 1). For thin films vapor-deposited at low substrate temperatures, we observe no luminescence signal for both systems, which indicates the presence of fast luminescence quenching processes at the organic/inorganic interface. After annealing, luminescence spectra corresponding to those of the bulk crystals are obtained. This can be explained by the formation of 3D-crystallites, which effectively separate most molecules from the organic/inorganic interface.     

Creation of hot radiation environments in laser-driven targets

A hot radiation environment, produced by maximizing laser-energy deposition into a small, high- "can," is a platform being developed for investigations of material properties under extreme conditions. In such small targets, almost doubling the laser energy results in only an incremental increase in the x-radiation flux, and almost no increase in the maximum achieved radiation temperature. That most of this additional laser energy is not deposited within the target is a direct consequence of laser-plasma interactions (LPI) outside of the target, which result in high-angle beams never entering the target late in the laser pulse. Accounting for these processes in the modeling results in quantitative agreement for the first time with experiments using very small cans. These findings have provided the scientific foundation for modifying the target geometry to mitigate the LPI and to achieve higher radiation temperatures.     

Efficient synthesis of gamma-alkylidenetetronic esters by sequential Lewis acid catalyzed

A new approach for the synthesis of gamma-alkylidenetetronic acids and esters is reported which involves Me3SiOTf-catalyzed, regio- and stereoselective cyclization of 4-alkoxy-1,3-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)-1,3-butadienes with oxalyl chloride. The alpha-hydroxy group of the butenolides is efficiently functionalized by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions via the corresponding enol triflates.