Energy transfer between Bi3+ and Nd3+ in germanate glass

Energy transfer from Bi³⁺ to Nd³⁺ is reported in germanate glass. It was found that the excitation range and intensities of the ⁴F_{$\text{3}\text{2}$} → ⁴I_{$\text{9}\text{2}$}, ⁴I_{$\text{11}\text{2}$} emissions are increased several fold when excited through ¹S₀ → ³P₁ absorption of Bi³⁺. It is shown that the energy transfer is nonradiative. The energy transfer probability and efficiency were calculated from the Bi³⁺ fluorescence decay rates and intensities. The Bi³⁺ → Nd³⁺ energy transfer may be utilized in Nd³⁺ glass laser.     

Laser photolysis studies of spiropyran-merocyanine aggregate formation in solution

The photoinduced processes leading to formation of J-aggregate stacks of 1-(β-methacryloxyethyl)-3,3-dimethyl-6′- nitrospiro-(indoline-2,2′-[2H-[2H-1] benzopyran) d its associated ring opened merocyanine form B have been determined by N₂-laser transient spectroscopy. Detailed mechanisms for formation of complexes AB, A₂B, and J-aggregate stacks (A₂B) _n in aliphatic and aromatic solvents are presented.     

Nd3+ and Yb3+ germanate and tellurite glasses for fluorescent solar energy collectors

The features of fluorescent glass solar collectors are discussed. Combination of Nd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ in high refractive index glasses is suggested as concentration material. Energy absorbed by Nd³⁺ is transferred with high efficiency to Yb³⁺ emitting at 970 nm. The self-absorption of Nd³⁺ is eliminated and long-wavelength emission at 1.06 μm decreased as a result of energy transfer.     

Laser and absorption saturation measurements of Cr crystals, pumped by broadband pulsed 940 nm radiation

The characteristics of a 940 nm pumped Cr⁴⁺:forsterite laser have been investigated using a pulsed colour centre laser as the excitation source. Laser threshold, slope efficiency and temporal behaviour have been determined for high and low Cr⁴⁺ doped material. 940 nm pumping is found to be more efficient than 532 and 730–770 nm excitation. Discrepancies with 1064 nm pumping are attributed to excited state absorption. Absorption saturation measurements have been used to assess the potential applications of Cr⁴⁺:forsterite, Cr⁴⁺:YAG and Cr⁴⁺: Lu₃A1₅O₁₂ (LuAG) as passive Q-switches for Nd lasers in the 940 nm region.     

Dynamic order-to-metastable-disorder vortex matter transition in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta

Magneto-optical measurements of transient vortex states in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta show enhanced effects of metastability in prism-shaped as compared to platelet crystals including a significant shift of the second magnetization peak and qualitatively different dynamics. In contrast to platelets, where dislocations are generated only at the sample edges, we propose that in prism samples the dislocations are generated dynamically in the entire sample due to distributed surface barriers. As a result, a dynamic phase transition from a Bragg glass to a metastable disordered phase may occur well below the thermodynamic transition field.     

Effects of sample size on the second magnetization peak in Bi2Sr2CaCuO8+δ at low temperatures

Effects of sample size on the second magnetization peak (SMP) in Bi₂Sr₂CaCuO₈+δ crystals are observed at low temperatures, above the temperature where the SMP totally disappears. In particular, the onset of the SMP shifts to lower fields as the sample size decreases —a result that could be interpreted as a size effect in the orderdisorder vortex matter phase transition. However, local magnetic measurements trace this effect to metastable disordered vortex states, revealing the same order-disorder transition induction in samples of different size.     

Flux-flow resistivity anisotropy in the instability regime of the a-b plane of epitaxial superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-delta thin films

Measurements of the nonlinear flux-flow resistivity rho and the critical vortex velocity vphi* at high voltage bias close to the instability regime predicted by Larkin and Ovchinnikov (Z. Eksp. Teor. Fiz 68, 1915 (1975) [Sov. Phys. JETP 41, 960 (1976)]) are reported along the node and antinode directions of the d-wave order parameter in the a-b plane of epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-delta films. In this pinning-free regime, rho and vphi* are found to be anisotropic with values in the node direction larger on average by 10% than in the antinode direction. The anisotropy of rho is almost independent of temperature and field. We attribute the observed results to the anisotropic quasiparticle distribution on the Fermi surface of YBa2Cu3O7-delta.     

Immunization and epidemic dynamics in complex networks

We study the behavior of epidemic spreading in networks, and, in particular, scale free networks. We use the Susceptible-Infected-Removed (SIR) epidemiological model. We give simulation results for the dynamics of epidemic spreading. By mapping the model into a static bond-percolation model we derive analytical results for the total number of infected individuals. We study this model with various immunization strategies, including random, targeted and acquaintance immunization.Received: 3 November 2003, Published online: 14 May 2004PACS: 02.50.Cw Probability theory - 02.10.Ox Combinatorics; graph theory - 89.20.Hh World Wide Web, Internet - 64.60.-i General studies of phase transitions     

Energy transfer from Cr3+ multisites to Tm3+ multisites in yttrium aluminium garnet

Multisite energy transfer from Cr³⁺ to Tm³⁺ was studied using low-temperature high-resolution laser spectroscopy. Selective excitation routes for Tm³⁺ sites were demonstrated using excitation and emission spectroscopy, and were confirmed by lifetime measurements.     

BRANCHING PATHWAYS IN THE PHOTOCYCLE OF BACTERIORHODOPSIN

Abstract— The pulsed laser photolysis of light-adapted bacteriorhodopsin (BR₅₇₀) is carried out over the temperature range between 25°C and—92°C in neutral and alkaline water-glycerol solutions. The results arc indicative of considerable complexity, introduced by two temperature dependent branching reactions associated with the intermediates K₆₁₀, L₅₅₀ and M₄₁₂, of the BR₅₇₀ photocycle. (a) At relatively low temperatures the primary photoproduct K-₆₁₀ equilibrates with a blue-shifted species, K_p. Both K₆₁₀ and the new intermediate subsequently decay into another species, K'_r, in a process which competes with the formation of L₅₅₀. Finally, K'_p converts very slowly to L₅₅₀. This branched pathway delays the formation of L₅₅₀ and thus of M₄₁₂, without affecting the final yield of either species, (b) A thermal back-reaction regenerating BR₅₇₀ takes place at the stage of L₅₅₀, inhibiting the formation of M₄₁₂. The reaction which also predominates at low temperatures, is relatively inefficient at high pH when the forward L₅₅₀→ M₄₁₂ step is highly catalyzed. It is the superposition of both branching mechanisms, (a) and (b), which accounts for the complex effects of temperature and pH on the photo-cycle of BR₅₇₀. Mechanism (b) is accounted for by a molecular scheme in which deprotonation of a tyrosine moiety at the stage of L₅₅₀ constitutes a prerequisite for deprotonation of the retinal-lysine schiff-base as required for forming M₄₁₂. This scheme appears to be directly related to the proton pump. Mechanism (a) introduces additional complexity in the photocycle at low temperatures but its molecular aspects are still unclear.