A tubular macrocycle from covalently linked anthracenes and meta-phenylene spacers

A novel tubular macrocycle containing four anthracene panels covalently linked by meta-phenylene spacers was synthesized. The tube is approximately 1 nm long with anthracene panels delimiting a columnar cavity with a diameter of ~1 nm and exhibits strong blue fluorescence.     

Discovery of the First 2- State in 16C via Neutron Knockout Reaction

The ¹⁶C nucleus has been investigated by the neutron knockout reaction of ¹⁷C on a liquid hydrogen target. Applying the invariant mass method in inverse kinematics and γ-ray spectroscopy, the energy spectrum was reconstructed by triple-coincidence measurement, in which neutrons, charged fragments, and γ rays from the decay of the reaction residue (¹⁶C*) were detected. A peak at 0.47 MeV was observed in the invariant mass spectrum in coincidence with a peak at 0.74 MeV in the γ-ray spectrum, which indicates the presence of an unbound state with an excitation energy of 5.46 MeV. Comparison of the experimental cross section with the value derived by a theoretical calculation provided evidence that the spin-parity of this state is 2^?.     

Dynamic Investigation of Mechanism of Catalytic Reactions as Revealed by Spectroscopic Techniques

The study of chemisorption of gases on catalyst surfaces is of primary importance in elucidating the mechanism of heterogeneous catalysis. Accordingly, the adsorption of each of the gases which participate in the catalysis has been studied separately in many cases. However, chemisorption on the catalyst surface during the progress of reaction, generally speaking, cannot be estimated from the adsorption equilibrium of reactants and products measured separately for each species, but depends upon the mechanism of the reaction, the interaction among the adsorbed species, the formation of reaction intermediates or surface complexes, and the area of active region on the surface.     

Reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy analysis of the evolution of ErSb on InSb

We discuss an ex-situ monitoring technique based on glancing-angle infrared-absorption used to determine small amounts of erbium antimonide (ErSb) deposited on an indium antimonide (InSb) layer epitaxially grown on an InSb (100) substrate by low pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Infrared absorption from the indium–hydrogen (InH) stretching mode at 1754.5 cm^? 1 associated with a top most surface of an epitaxial InSb layer was used to compare varying levels of surface coverage with ErSb. Among four samples of varying coverage of ErSb deposition (7.2 to 21.5 monolayers), detected infrared absorption peaks distinct to InH weakened as ErSb surface coverage increased. In the early stage of ErSb deposition, our study suggests that outermost indium atoms in the InSb buffer layer are replaced by Er resulting in increase in absorption associated with the InH mode. Using this simple ex-situ technique, we show that it is possible to calibrate the amount of ErSb deposited atop each individual InSb substrate for depositions of few to tens of monolayers.     

FM-AFM imaging of a commercial polyethylene film immersed in n-dodecane

The subnanometer topography of a partially crystalline polyethylene film was observed in liquid n-dodecane using a frequency-modulation atomic force microscope. Locally ordered structures were found and assigned to a (100) facet of crystalline domains.     

A Peanut‐Shaped Polyaromatic Capsule: Solvent‐Dependent Transformation and Electronic Properties of a Non‐Contacted Fullerene Dimer

Synthesis of molecular containers capable of incorporating multiple fullerenes remains challenging. Reported here is that room‐temperature mixing of metal ions with W‐shaped bispyridine ligands featuring polyaromatic panels results in the quantitative formation of a peanut‐shaped M₂L₄ capsule. The capsule reversibly converts into two molecules of an ML₂ double tube in response to changes in the solvent. Notably, the capsule allows the incorporation of two fullerene molecules into the connected two spherical cavities at room temperature. The close proximity yet non‐contact of the encapsulated C₆₀ molecules, with a separation of 6.4 Å, was revealed by X‐ray crystallographic analysis. The resultant, unusual fullerene dimer undergoes sequential reduction within the capsule to generate (C₆₀^.?)₂, C₆₀^.??C₆₀^2?, and (C₆₀^2?)₂ species. Furthermore, temperature‐controlled stepwise incorporation of two C₆₀ molecules into the capsule is demonstrated.     

Beta-decay study of Tz = - 2 proton-rich nucleus 24Si

$ \beta$ -decay spectroscopy on a T _z = - 2 proton-rich nucleus ²⁴Si was performed. The decay scheme of ²⁴Si was reconstructed by the $ \beta$ -delayed $ \gamma$ -ray and proton measurements. Two $ \beta$ branches to the bound 1₁ ⁺ and 1₂ ⁺ states in ²⁴Al were observed for the first time. The observation of the allowed transition firmly established the spin-parity assignment for the 1₂ ⁺ states. The branching ratios to the 1₁ ⁺ and 1₂ ⁺ states were determined to be 31(4)% and 23.9(15)%, respectively. The branching ratios to three unbound states in ²⁴Al including a new level at 6.735MeV were also determined for the first time. The level structure of ²⁴Al was compared with its mirror nucleus ²⁴Na . The Thomas-Ehrman shift on the 1₂ ⁺ state indicates s -wave dominance in the state as well as a characteristic behavior of the weakly bound s -wave proton in ²⁴Al .     

Photoinduced metal-to-insulator transition in a manganite thin film

A persistent photoinduced metal-to-insulator transition has been confirmed in a manganite thin film, Pr_(0.55)(Ca_(0.75)Sr_(0.25))_(0.45)MnO3, near a multicritical point by monitoring with transport measurements and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Together with the previously reported reverse effect, the photoinduced insulator-to-metal transition, it is found that the relative stability of the metallic and insulating phases interchanges around 80 K in the middle of a very wide hysteresis loop, which is a manifestation of the large potential barrier due to the long-range elastic energy. It is shown that photons are much more effective in overcoming the barrier via the electronically excited intermediate states than via the heat mode.