Polarization-independent modulation of light in gyrotropic cubic crystals

Polarization-independent modulation of light in gyrotropic cubic crystals is investigated in the Bragg and intermediate diffraction regimes. It is found that, for crystals with considerable specific rotation, the photoelastic anisotropy is suppressed by the circular anisotropy and the observed diffraction efficiency depends weakly on the polarization azimuth of the incident light. Good agreement is obtained between modulation parameters calculated theoretically on the basis of the coupled wave theory and experimental results for a bismuth silicate crystal in the intermediate diffraction regime.     

Electroluminescent method for determining hydrogen peroxide and peroxydisulphate ions in aqueous solution using TiO(2) film electrodes

An electrochemical optical sensor system with luminescence response was proposed for the continuous determination of hydrogen peroxide or peroxydisulphate concentration in aqueous solutions. The electroluminescence (EL) of TiO(2) film electrodes, which arises under conditions of the cathodic polarization as a result of the hole injection into the TiO(2) from high-energy OH or SO(4)(2-) radicals produced by the electroreduction of H(2)O(2) or S(2)O(8)(2-) ions on the electrode surface, was used as the analytical signal. The EL response is linearly related, in a logarithmic scale, to the hydrogen peroxide or peroxydisulphate concentration ranging from 10(-3) to 10(-1) M H(2)O(2) and from 5 x 10(-4) to 1 M Na(2)S(2)O(8). It was shown that a substantial increase in the quantum efficiency of the EL and, as a consequence, in the sensitivity of the sensor system can be achieved by doping TiO(2) films with chromium. The potential dependence of the EL spectrum for TiO(2) electrodes in S(2)O(8)(2-) solutions differs essentially from that in H(2)O(2) solutions which allows measurement of the concentration of S(2)O(8)(2-) ions when they coexist with H(2)O(2) in solution.     

Incorporation of β-Alanine in Cu(II) ATCUN Peptide Complexes Increases ROS Levels,DNA Cleavage and Antiproliferative Activity**

Redox-active Cu(II) complexes are able to form reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the presence of oxygen and reducing agents. Recently, Faller et al. reported that ROS generation by Cu(II) ATCUN complexes is not as high as assumed for decades. High complex stability results in silencing of the Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycle and therefore leads to low ROS generation. In this work, we demonstrate that an exchange of the α-amino acid Gly with the β-amino acid β-Ala at position 2 (Gly2→β-Ala2) of the ATCUN motif reinstates ROS production (^•OH and H₂O₂). Potentiometry, cyclic voltammetry, EPR spectroscopy and DFT simulations were utilized to explain the increased ROS generation of these β-Ala2-containing ATCUN complexes. We also observed enhanced oxidative cleavage activity towards plasmid DNA for β-Ala2 compared to the Gly2 complexes. Modifications with positively charged Lys residues increased the DNA affinity through electrostatic interactions as determined by UV/VIS, fluorescence, and CD spectroscopy, and consequently led to a further increase in nuclease activity. A similar trend was observed regarding the cytotoxic activity of the complexes against several human cancer cell lines where β-Ala2 peptide complexes had lower IC₅₀ values compared to Gly2. The higher cytotoxicity could be attributed to an increased cellular uptake as determined by ICP-MS measurements.     

Reflection of light from a plane-parallel layer modulated by ultrasound

The features of Bragg reflection of light from a plane-parallel layer perturbed by a standing ultrasonic wave are investigated. It is shown that, with an increase in the thickness of the modulated layer, the reflection coefficient of the light wave diffracted by the ultrasound reaches the maximum value at smaller intensities of the ultrasound and is determined by the relation between the refractive indices of the adjoining media. The possibility of efficient acousto-optical diffraction of light in the Bragg reflection regime at superlattices of photoelasticity in the field of low-frequency ultrasonic waves with a moderate level of acoustic power is established.     

Bragg diffraction of light by ultrasonic shear waves in a plane-parallel layer

We have studied anisotropic Bragg diffraction of light by ultrasonic shear waves in an optically isotropic plane-parallel layer. We have established the analytical dependences of the relative intensities and polarization azimuths of reflected and transmitted diffracted waves on the intensity of the ultrasound, the layer thickness, the angle of incidence, and the polarization azimuth of the incident light. We show that rotation of the plane of polarization of the diffracted wave is determined by the different Fresnel reflection of the s and p polarized components of the incident light in the plane-parallel layer. We have determined that in mismatched acousto-optic structures, deep amplitude modulation of transmitted and reflected light is possible which is an order of magnitude greater than the usual modulation in matched structures.     

Wideband light diffraction on bulk acoustic waves in uniaxial crystals

We study diffraction of light on ultrasonic waves, excited by a system of interdigitial transducers, in uniaxial crystals. We show that wideband acoustooptical diffraction in trigonal crystals in the presence of additional anisotropy differs significantly from the isotropy of diffraction on a shear ultrasonic wave in the absence of it. We establish that an exact Bragg angle correction in a wide frequency retuning range is achieved owing to electrically induced anisotropy in the external electric field.     

Intermediate regime of light diffraction by surface ultrasonic waves in planar gyrotropic optical waveguides

The intermediate regime of optoacoustic interaction, similar to the Bragg one, with Rayleigh surface ultrasonic waves in gyrotropic planar waveguides is studied. A system of equations of bound waves is presented that describes planar optoacoustic interaction in the intermediate, Raman-Natoh, and Bragg regimes of light diffraction by surface ultrasonic waves. It is shown that the optical activity of a wavequide film favors the incident light energy pumping to diffracted light for a TE-polarization wave and decelerates this process for an incident TM-polarization wave. Mozyr' State Pedagogical Institute, 28, Studencheskaya St., Mozyr', 247760, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 412–416, May–June, 1997.     

On the size of cavities in tunnels with continuous and perforated walls

A one-dimensional theory is developed to describe the hydrodynamic interaction of cavities with walls of continuous and perforated working sections, allowance being made for the influence of hydraulic losses and the boundary layers on the walls, and also the ponderability and surface-tension forces. It is shown that if some of the fluid is sucked through the perforated boundaries of the working section one can not only strongly reduce the influence of the walls of the tunnel on the size of a cavity but also appreciably increase the useful loading of the flow by the cavity. The available experiments and some made specially by the authors are compared with the calculations, and this reveals satisfactory agreement in the complete range of cavitation numbers and relative blocking of the flow by the body and cavity.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 2, pp. 163–167, March–April, 1979.