Quo Vadis total reflection X-ray fluorescence?

The multielement trace analytical method ‘total reflection X-ray fluorescence’ (TXRF) has become a successfully established method in the semiconductor industry, particularly, in the ultra trace element analysis of silicon wafer surfaces. TXRF applications can fulfill general industrial requirements on daily routine of monitoring wafer cleanliness up to 300 mm diameter under cleanroom conditions. Nowadays, TXRF and hyphenated TXRF methods such as ‘vapor phase decomposition (VPD)-TXRF’, i.e. TXRF with a preceding surface and acid digestion and preconcentration procedure, are automated routine techniques (‘wafer surface preparation system’, WSPS). A linear range from 10⁸ to 10¹⁴ [atoms/cm²] for some elements is regularly controlled. Instrument uptime is higher than 90%. The method is not tedious and can automatically be operated for 24 h/7 days. Elements such as S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Sn, Sb, Ba and Pb are included in the software for standard peak search. The detection limits of recovered elements are between 1×10¹¹ and 1×10⁷ [atoms/cm²] depending upon X-ray excitation energy and the element of interest. For the determination of low Z elements, i.e. Na, Al and Mg, TXRF has also been extended but its implementation for routine analysis needs further research. At present, VPD-TXRF determination of light elements is viable in a range of 10⁹ [atoms/cm²]. Novel detectors such as silicon drift detectors (SDD) with an active area of 5 mm², 10 mm² or 20 mm², respectively, and multi-array detectors forming up to 70 mm² are commercially available. The first SDD with 100 mm² (!) area and integrated backside FET is working under laboratory conditions. Applications of and comparison with ICP-MS, HR-ICP-MS and SR-TXRF, an extension of TXRF capabilities with an extremely powerful energy source, are also reported.     

Depth profiles of shallow implanted layers by soft ion sputtering and total-reflection X-ray fluorescence

A new method suitable for depth profiling of shallow layers on different materials is presented. It is based on a soft and planar ion sputtering combined with differential weighing, total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry and Tolansky interferometry. By means of a stepwise repetition of these techniques it is possible to determine both density/depth and concentration/depth profiles. The respective quantities are expressed in terms inherent only to the sample and traceable to the SI-units or subunits gram, nanometer and mole. It is a unique feature of this method that density/depth profiles can directly be obtained from measurements without any calibration or theoretical approximation. The method is applied to a Si wafer implanted with Co ions of 25 keV energy and a nominal dose of 1×10¹⁶ cm⁻². The depth resolution is shown to be <3 nm while a total depth of some 100 nm can be reached. The concentration/depth profile is compared with RBS measurements, wet-chemical etching plus TXRF and Monte Carlo simulations. In view of the fact that only similar but not exactly the same samples have been examined by these methods, a good correspondence can be noticed.     

5-Hydroxytryptamino-induced calcium sparks in cultured rat stomach fundus smooth muscle cells

With the imaging fluorescence probe of Ca2+ (fluo-3) and a laser scanning confocal micro-scope, the spontaneous localized calcium release event was first discovered in resting rat cardiac myocytes by Cheng[1] in 1993. A mathematical simulation is developed with computer in order to reveal the effect, which is immediately suggested that these events are likely to reflect the local-ized release of Ca2+ from a small cluster of ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channels in sar-coplasmic reticulum …     

Near-infrared fluorimetric determination of nucleic acids by shifting the ion-association equilibrium between heptamethylene cyanine and Alcian blue 8GX

A new method based on near-infrared (near-IR) fluorescence recovery, employing a two-reagent system which is composed of an anionic heptamethylene cyanine (HMC) and a polycationic phthalocyanine dye, Alcian blue 8GX, is presented for the determination of nucleic acids. With a maximum excitation wavelength at 766 nm and a maximum emission wavelength at 796 nm, the fluorescence recovery is linear with the concentration of nucleic acids added. Factors including the acidity of the medium, the reaction time, the optimal ratio of the two reagents, as well as the influence of foreign substance were all investigated. Meanwhile, the mechanism of fluorescence recovery was also studied. Under the optimal conditions, the linear ranges of the calibration curves were 10-250 ng ml⁻¹ for calf thymus DNA (CT DNA) and 10-200 ng ml⁻¹ for yeast RNA. The detection limits were 6.8 ng ml⁻¹ for CT DNA and 6.3 ng ml⁻¹ for yeast RNA, respectively. The method has been applied to the analysis of practical samples and the recovery results were satisfactory.     

Photochemically induced fluorescence investigation of aβ-cyclodextrin: Azure A inclusion complex and determination of analytical parameters

The photooxidation of Azure A and fluorescence properties of Azure A and its photoproduct have been investigated in aqueous media and in the presence of-cyclodextrin (-CD). The fluorescence intensity of the complex formed between the photoproduct and -CD was found to be three times higher than that of the uncomplexed Azure A photoproduct. A complex formation constant of 110±40 M^–1 was calculated using the Benesi-Hildebrand treatment of the fluorescence emission data. Although the stoichiometry of the Azure A photoproduct: -CD complex was found to be 1: 1, it seems that the Azure A structure is only partially included. Calibration graphs were plotted for the free Azure A photoproduct and the photogenerated product included in -CD. The analytical parameters and quantification limits were determined.     

Synthesis and modification of terrylenediimides as high-performance fluorescent dyes

Two new synthetic approaches to terrylenediimides, highly photostable fluorescent dyes, are described. For the first time terrylenediimide has been synthesised in a straightforward procedure that makes large quantities available. The second route includes an efficient cross-coupling reaction followed by a cyclodehydrogenation. Monofunctionalisation of the imide structure allows terrylenediimides now to be coupled with a variety of compounds, for example, by Suzuki cross-coupling, which can lead to an array of terrylenediimides with new functional groups such as hydroxy, amino, or carboxy groups needed to link up with other molecules. The functionalisation in the bay region is used to tune the properties of terrylenediimides and extend the range of applications, for example, by introducing water solubility. These tetrasubstituted terrylenediimides offer, depending on the substituents used, exciting features such as good solubility in common organic solvents, water solubility, or NIR absorption.     

镉-铽-铕-强力霉素-曲通X-100协同荧光增敏体系研究

研究了在表面活性剂TritonX 10 0存在下 ,稀土离子和部分主、副族元素的离子对Eu 强力霉素(DC)体系的协同荧光增敏效应 ,建立了Cd Tb Eu DC TritonX 10 0协同荧光增敏体系 ,并提出了一种高灵敏度测定稀土元素铕的荧光光度新方法。方法的检出限为 5 .0× 10 -11mol/L ;线性范围为 4 .0× 10 -10 ～ 4 .0× 10 -8mol/L。     

XRF分析铁矿粉的标准选择判据研究和应用

本文对ＸＲＦ法分析铁矿的基体校正元素进行了研究，并建立了标准选择判据，编制的计算软件可以自动地从大量标样中选择适合该样品分析的标准。该法可用于粉末压片制样的分析，方法快速，准确度和精密度均符合生产要求。     

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Investigations Using Quantum‐Dot Fluorophores

F?rster resonance energy transfer (FRET), which involves the nonradiative transfer of excitation energy from an excited donor fluorophore to a proximal ground-state acceptor fluorophore, is a well-characterized photophysical tool. It is very sensitive to nanometer-scale changes in donor-acceptor separation distance and their relative dipole orientations. It has found a wide range of applications in analytical chemistry, protein conformation studies, and biological assays. Luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots, QDs) are inorganic fluorophores with unique optical and spectroscopic properties that could enhance FRET as an analytical tool, due to broad excitation spectra and tunable narrow and symmetric photoemission. Recently, there have been several FRET investigations using luminescent QDs that focused on addressing basic fundamental questions, as well as developing targeted applications with potential use in biology, including sensor design and protein conformation studies. Herein, we provide a critical review of those developments. We discuss some of the basic aspects of FRET applied to QDs as both donors and acceptors, and highlight some of the advantages offered (and limitations encountered) by QDs as energy donors and acceptors compared to conventional dyes. We also review the recent developments made in using QD bioreceptor conjugates to design FRET-based assays.     

甲基化的β-环糊精与十六烷基三甲基溴化胺的相互作用

环糊精与表面活性剂的相互作用已有许多研究,但多局限于β－环糊精（β－CD）,而修饰的β－环糊精与表面活性剂的相互作用研究较少[1－3]．分子内扭转电荷转移（TICT）激发态对介质极性高度敏感性,已成功地用于探针环糊精与表面活性剂的相互作用[4]．研究表明,β－CD能够诱