Hierarchic Natures and Dynamics of Photoinduced Structural Phase Transition in Non-Degenerate Charge Density Wave States Via Successive Photoexcitations

We investigate the adiabatic and dynamical natures of the lattice relaxation of excitons in strongly coupled electron-phonon (e-ph) systems using the extended Peierls-Hubbard model, so as to clarify the possible mechanisms of the photoinduced structural phase transition (PISPT) via multi-photon. Focusing on the growth process of relaxed domains that is induced by multi-photoexcitation, we calculate the adiabatic potential energy surfaces relevant to the nonlinear lattice relaxations of excitons in this process. Calculated potentials lead to an essential model of a multi-stepwise potential-crossing (MSPC) system that is composed of many displaced harmonic oscillators as an elementary process of the domain growth in the strongly coupled e-ph systems. We also investigate the dynamical natures in such MSPC systems calculating the time-developments the excited wave packet in this system using the density operator. It is concluded from calculated results that the system possibly develops from the lowest-energy potential state to the higher ones by the effect of the photoexcitations followed by the lattice relaxations.     

Surface structures of equimolar mixtures of imidazolium-based ionic liquids using high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy

Surface structures of equimolar mixtures of imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) having a common cation (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C₄MIM]) or 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C₆MIM])) and different anions (bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([TFSI]), hexafluorophosphate ([PF₆]) or chlorine) are studied using high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (HRBS). Both cations and anions have the same preferential orientations at the surface as in the pure ILs. In the mixture, the larger anion is located shallower than the smaller anion. The [TFSI] anion is slightly enriched at the surface relative to [PF₆] with coverage of ~ 60% for the equimolar mixtures of [C₄₍₆₎MIM] [TFSI] and [C₄₍₆₎MIM] [PF₆]. No surface segregation is observed for [C₆MIM] [TFSI]_0.5[Cl]_0.5 and [C₆MIM] [PF₆]_0.5[Cl]_0.5. These results are different from the recent TOF-SIMS measurement where very strong surface segregation of [TFSI] was concluded for the mixture of [C₄MIM] [TFSI] and [C₄MIM] [PF₆].     

Well-crystallized zinc oxide quantum dots with narrow size distribution

In this study, pulsed laser ablation, online annealing, and following size classification using a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) were employed to fabricate quantum dots (QDs) of zinc oxide (ZnO). The irregularly shaped ZnO particles were obtained at annealing temperature less than 873 K, which gradually transformed into spherical QDs with increasing the annealing temperature. Finally, ZnO QDs with narrow size distribution having spherical shapes were successfully obtained at temperatures above 1173 K under the DMA classification at a nominal size of 10 nm. TEM observation demonstrated that the ZnO QDs obtained by this process were well-crystallized single crystallites with a wurtzite structure. Further, ZnO QDs with average sizes in the range of 4.8–8.1 nm were successfully fabricated by reducing the specified sizes of DMA. These features of the fabricated ZnO QDs are favorable for investigation of intrinsic quantum size effect in ZnO.     

Effect of fast neutron irradiation on magnetic properties of fullerene superconductor Rb3C60

Effects of fast neutron irradiation and post-annealing on magnetic properties of Rb₃C₆₀ were studied through the dc magnetization measurement. Rb₃C₆₀ powder samples were prepared in an evacuated quartz glass tube, and the temperature and the magnetic field dependences of dc magnetization were measured before and after irradiation and after post-annealing. The neutron fluences were 1.0, 1.8 and 3.3 × 10¹⁶ n/cm², and the post-annealing was made at a temperature of 473 K for 3 h. Magnetic hysteresis of the samples irradiated at the fluence of 1.8 and 3.3 × 10¹⁶ n/cm² disappeared, and the hysteresis curves hardly changed at the fluence of 1.0 × 10¹⁶ n/cm². As for the post-annealing effect, the hysteresis curves of the sample irradiated at the fluence of 1.8 × 10¹⁶ n/cm² were completely recovered after annealing, while those of the other samples, which had a magnetic background before irradiation, were not recovered. In this study, it was found that the loss of superconductivity in Rb₃C₆₀ powder is observed when the neutron irradiation fluence exceeds 1.0 × 10¹⁶ n/cm², and the lost superconductivity is completely recovered by the post-annealing at 473 K for 3 h.     

Development of a small X-ray source using an ultraviolet laser and pyroelectric crystal

We investigate a miniaturized X-ray source using an ultraviolet (UV) laser and a pyroelectric crystal and discuss potential applications in medicine. The UV laser is the fourth harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 266 nm, repetition rate of 10 Hz, and pulse energy of 40 mJ. The pyroelectric crystal is a LiNbO₃ cylinder of diameter 10 mm and length 6 mm. The prototype X-ray source we fabricated is an aluminum parallelepiped of dimensions 3 × 3 × 5 cm. The X-ray count rate of the X-ray source is maximized at approximately 1,400 cps for UV laser irradiation of approximately 5 min. After 30 min of irradiation by the UV laser, the temperature of the pyroelectric crystal rose from 295 K to 312 K. The principles of X-ray generation ensure that X-ray sources using UV lasers and pyroelectric crystals offer ample opportunity for miniaturization. We believe the X-ray source developed in this work is suitable for medical applications, although further study is needed to address points such as increasing the X-ray count rate and adjusting the temperature of the pyroelectric crystal.     

Amphoteric poly(vinyl alcohol) gel as a force generator: Observation of microporous gel formation with cryo-SEM

Amphoteric PVA hydrogels were made from mixed aqueous solutions of poly(acrylic acid), poly(allylamine) hydrochloride and poly(vinyl alcohol) by repetitive freezing and thawing. The hydrogen bond induced gelation produced an elastic and tough microporous hydrogel which generated tension as high as 0.3MPa corresponding to the solvent exchange from water to acetone. In this paper we show the microscopic structure of hydrogels determined by means of cryo-SEM technique and X-ray analysis.     

Crystallization Behavior of Sol-Gel Derived Films by Self-Seeding Process

We propose the novel preparation method, Self-seeding Process, based on the following concept for low temperature crystallization of oxide films. Introduction of desirable inhomogeneity should give lowering of a crystallization temperature through heterogeneous nucleation accompanied with reduced activation energy. We carried out inspection of the above concept through use of PZT films. PZT gel films with the desirable inhomogeneity of microstructure were prepared, and their crystallization behaviors was examined. The PZT film was successfully crystallized at 500°C by the self-seeding process. The single phase (001) oriented PZT film with 0.55 m in thickness was obtained at 550°C for 5 min. The self-seeding process by microstructure control is efficient for the low temperature process of the oxide thin film.     

Preparation of Hydrophobically Modified Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer-Encapsulated Gold Nanoparticles in Organic Solvents

HAuCl(4) in aqueous solution was extracted to toluene or chloroform using a hydrophobically modified poly(amidoamine) dendrimer. Then, by reduction of Au(3+) ions with dimethylamineborane, gold nanoparticles in the size range of 2-4 nm were obtained in toluene or chloroform. It is suggested that gold nanoparticles are encapsulated by the dendrimer. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Reaction dynamics of excited 2-(3-benzoylphenyl)propionic acid (ketoprofen) with histidine

Photoreaction dynamics of 2-(3-benzoylphenyl)propionic acid (ketoprofen, KP), one of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, with histidine in a phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.4) was investigated with the laser flash photolysis. The deprotonated form of KP (KP(-)) was decarboxylated via UV laser excitation to form a carbanion. It was found that histidine accelerates the protonation reaction of the carbanion to 3-ethylbenzophenone ketyl biradical (3-EBPH) for the first time. The experimental results of the photoreaction of KP with alanine as well as the photoreaction of KP with 4-methylimidazole (a part of the side chain of histidine) in methanol, clearly showed that the protonated form of histidine is a key species for the protonation reaction of the carbanion. These series of the initial reactions should result in the occurrence of photosensitization in vivo. The reaction mechanism was discussed in detail.