High-efficiency reflection-type all-optical switch for ultrashort pulses based on a single asymmetrically confined photonic crystal defect

We propose a reflection-type all-optical switch for ultrashort pulses based on a single asymmetrically confined photonic crystal (PC) defect. By changing the absorption of the defect rather than its refractive index, we obtain modulation of reflectivity with a large extinction ratio. In addition, the control light can be strongly localized in the defect region and completely absorbed by optimization of the absorption of the defect. More importantly, the significant broadening of the defect mode ensures perfect reflection of ultrashort pulses. Finite-difference time-domain simulation of the switching operation of a three-dimensional PC structure for a 500-fs optical pulse is performed. Switching energy of a few femtojoules is achieved.     

Observation of B+/- -->omegaK+/- decay

We report the first observation of the charmless two-body mode B+/--->omegaK+/- decay, and a new measurement of the branching fraction for the B+/--->omegapi(+/-) decay. The measured branching fractions are B(B+/--->omegaK+/-)=(9.2(+2.6)(-2.3)+/-1.0)x10(-6) and B(B+/--->omegapi(+/-))=(4.2(+2.0)(-1.8)+/-0.5)x10(-6). We also measure the partial rate asymmetry of B+/--->omegaK+/- decays and obtain A(CP)=-0.21+/-0.28+/-0.03. The results are based on a data sample of 29.4 fb(-1) collected on the Upsilon(4S) resonance by the Belle detector at the KEKB e(+)e(-) collider.     

Lindbladione and related naphthoquinone pigments from a myxomycete Lindbladia tubulina

Lindbladione (1), 7-methoxylindbladione (2), and 6, 7-dimethoxylindbladione (3) have been isolated from a myxomycete Lindbladia tubulina and their structures were elucidated by spectral data.     

Interaction between f-electronic systems in dinuclear lanthanide complexes with phthalocyanines

The first detection and characterization of the interactions between the f-electronic systems in the dinuclear complexes of paramagnetic trivalent Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb ions with phthalocyanine ligands are presented. The molar magnetic susceptibilities, chi(m), were measured for PcLnPcLnPc* ([Ln, Ln]; Pc = dianion of phthalocyanine, Pc* = dianion of 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octabutoxyphthalocyanine) and PcLnPcYPc* ([Ln, Y]) in the range from 1.8 K to room temperature. The selective synthetic method previously reported for the heterodinuclear complex [Y, Ln] was used to prepare [Ln, Ln] and [Ln, Y] with a modification on the choice of starting materials. The f-f interaction contributions to the magnetic susceptibility are evaluated as Delta(chi)(m)T = chi(m)([Ln, Ln])T - chi(m)([Ln, Y])T - chi(m)([Y, Ln])T, where T refers to temperature on the kelvin scale. The homodinuclear complexes having f(8)-f(10)-systems, namely [Tb, Tb], [Dy, Dy], and [Ho, Ho], show positive Delta(chi)(m)T values in the 1.8-50 K range, indicating the existence of ferromagnetic interaction between the f-systems. The magnitude of the Delta(chi)(m)T increases in the descending order of the number of f-electrons. [Er, Er] gives negative Delta(chi)(m)T values in the 1.8-50 K range, showing the antiferromagnetic nature of the f-f interaction. [Tm, Tm] exhibits small and negative Delta(chi)(m)T values, which gradually decline in the negative direction as the temperature decreases in the range 13-50 K and sharply rise in the positive direction as the temperature falls from 10 to 1.8 K. [Yb, Yb] has extremely small Delta(chi)(m)T values, whose magnitude at 2 K is less than 1% of that of [Tb, Tb]. The ligand field parameters of the ground-state multiplets of the six [Ln, Y] complexes are determined by simultaneous fitting to both the magnetic susceptibility data and paramagnetic shifts of (1)H NMR. The theoretical analysis successfully converged by assuming that each ligand field parameter is a function of the number of f-electrons in each ion. Using these parameters as well as the previously obtained corresponding parameters for the [Y, Ln] series, the interactions between the f-systems in [Ln, Ln] are investigated. All the characteristic observations above are satisfactorily reproduced with the assumption that the magnetic dipolar term is the sole source of the f-f interaction.     

Sub-ppm laser spectroscopy of antiprotonic helium and a CPT-violation limit on the antiprotonic charge and mass

Six laser-resonant transitions have been detected in metastable antiprotonic helium atoms produced at the CERN Antiproton Decelerator. They include UV transitions from the last metastable states in the v = n-l-1 = 0 and 1 cascades. Zero-density frequencies were obtained from measured pressure shifts with fractional precisions between 1.3 x 10(-7) and 1.6 x 10(-6). By comparing these with QED calculations and the antiproton cyclotron frequency, we deduce that the antiproton and proton charges and masses agree to within 6 x 10(-8) with a confidence level of 90%.     

Synthesis of [Gly-1]RA-VII, [Gly-2]RA-VII, and [Gly-4]RA-VII. Glycine-containing analogues of RA-VII, an antitumor bicyclic hexapeptide from Rubia plants

Three analogues of RA-VII (1), an antitumor bicyclic hexapeptide from Rubia plants, were synthesized. Three analogues, [Gly-1]RA-VII (4), [Gly-2]RA-VII (5), and [Gly-4]RA-VII (6), in which one of the three alanine residues in 1 was replaced by a glycine residue, were prepared by linking of the cycloisodityrosine unit, obtained by degradation of 1, to three different glycine-containing tetrapeptides followed by macrocyclization. Of these three analogues, analogue 4 showed the highest cytotoxic activity. The NMR study revealed that in solution the conformer structures and their ratios of analogue 4 were very similar to those of natural peptide 1, suggesting that the methyl groups at Ala-2 and Ala-4 should be essential for producing the bioactive conformation, whereas that at D-Ala-1 is not essential.     

Effect of iodine on small-angle X-ray diffraction from drawn poly(ethylene terephthalate) film

The effect of iodine sorption on the small-angle x-ray diffraction intensity is discussed in terms of the distribution of iodine sorbed in the amorphous regions of polymers. The change in the intensity of the peak corresponding to long periods is measured as a function of the iodine uptake in drawn, and annealed poly(ethylene terephthalate) films. A linear relation with slope K is observed between the square root of relative intensity and iodine uptake. The slope K varies with annealing conditions. Theoretical values calculated for models of the distribution of iodine in amorphous regions, are compared with the observed K. Results can be interpreted on the basis of a “concave” distribution of iodine, i.e., with sorption sites more numerous near a crystal surface than in the interior of an amorphous region.     

Characterization of the interface region in VPE GaAs

“Absolute” electron mobility values in the substrate interface region of n-type GaAs epitaxial layers were investigated. Space-charge scattering was found to be significant near the interface but could be minimized by the sequential growth of layers in one step. Our experimental results suggest that local deviations from stoichiometry may be responsible for the space-charge scattering.