Jet cooled NO2 intra cavity laser absorption spectroscopy (ICLAS) between 11200 and 16150 cm

We have combined the high sensitivity of the ICLAS technique with the rotational cooling effect of a slit jet expansion in order to observe and to understand the visible and near infrared NO₂ spectrum. By this way, an equivalent absorption pathlength of several kilometers through rotationally cooled molecules has been achieved. Due to the vibronic interaction between the two lowest electronic states, ²A₁ and à ²B₂, this spectrum is vibronically dense and complex. Moreover, the dense room temperature rotational structure is perturbed by additional rovibronic interactions. In contrast, the rotational analysis of our jet cooled spectrum is straightforward. The NO₂ absorption spectrum is vanishing to the IR but, owing to the high sensitivity of the ICLAS technique, we have been able to record the NO₂ spectrum down to 11200 cm⁻¹ with a new Ti:sapphire ICLAS spectrometer. As a result 249 ²B₂ vibronic bands have been observed (175 cold bands and 74 hot bands) in the 11200–16150 cm⁻¹ energy range. Due to the cooling effect of the slit jet we have reduced the rotational temperature down to about 12 K and at this temperature the K = 0 subbands are dominant. Consequently, we have analysed only the K = 0 manifold for N 7 of each vibronic band. The dynamical range of the band intensities is about one thousand. Due to the strong vibronic interaction between the ²A₁ and à ²B₂ electronic states, we observed not only the a₁ vibrational levels of the à ²B₂ state but also the b₂ vibrational levels of the ²A₁ state interacting with the previous ones. By comparison with the calculated density of states, we conclude that we have observed about 65% of the total number of ²B₂ vibronic levels located in the studied range. However, there are more missing levels in the IR because of the weakness of the spectrum in this range. The correlation properties of this set of vibronic levels have been analysed calculating the power spectrum of the absorption stick spectrum which displays periodic motions: the dominant period, at 714 ± 20 cm⁻¹, corresponds to the bending motion of the à ²B₂ state. The other observed periods remain unassigned. In contrast the next neighbor spacing distribution (NNSD) shows a strong level repulsion, i.e. a manifestation of quantum chaos. These two observations, apparently contradictory, can be rationalized as follows: the short time dynamics, for t < 10⁻¹² s, is “regular” while for longer times the dynamics becomes “chaotic”. We suggest that this behavior may be observed directly with a pump and probe fs laser experiment.     

High-sensitivity intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy with vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers

We report the demonstration of high-sensitivity intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy with multiple-quantum-well vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers (VECSEL's). A detection limit of 3x10(-10) cm (-1) has been achieved. The spectrotemporal dynamics of a VECSEL in the 1030-nm wavelength region has been studied. The laser was operating cw at room temperature, with a baseline signal-to-noise ratio as high as 400. The laser was optically pumped with a threshold as low as 80 mW and was broadly tunable over a spectral range of ~75 nm .     

Cavity ringdown spectroscopy: broad band absolute absorption measurements

Here we report further results in our recent extension of cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS) to CW single frequency lasers. We previously pointed out the excellent reproducibility of our spectra, in particular the baseline measurements obtained from the empty cavity. The ability of accurately measuring the zero absorption baseline is essential when studying very broad or congested absorption spectra or even continua. We demonstrate the performance of our CW-CRDS setup by obtaining the absolute absorption spectrum of a weak and broad overtone transition in CHF₃. We also discuss how the present results will apply to conventional pulsed-CRDS.     

Further development in fast ion beam laser spectroscopy (F.I.B.L.A.S.): Zeeman effect in singly ionized 138Ba

A further advantage of the “in flight” saturated absorption set up is pointed out. Application of a magnetic field, parallel to the superimposed beams direction, in the velocity labelling zone, leads to a simple experimental set up for high resolution study of the Zeeman effect in ionic systems. Feasibility is demonstrated with a test experiment in ¹³⁸ Ba⁺. Since probing is carried out in a field free region, “in flight” saturated absorption leads to a marked simplification of the observed pattern, as compared to the result expected from similar investigations in a cell configuration.     

Asymmetric metal-free synthesis of fluoroquinolones by organocatalytic hydrogenation

A highly enantioselective organocatalytic transfer hydrogenation enabling the synthesis of both 6-fluoro-2-methyltetrahydroquinoline and 7,8-difluoro-3-methyl-benzoxazine has been developed. These key building blocks can for the first time be synthesized using the same methodology allowing fast and efficient, metal-free access to the antibiotic fluoroquinolones flumequine and levofloxacine.     

Fluorescent probe based on intramolecular proton transfer for fast ratiometric measurement of cellular transmembrane potential

Development of fast-response potentiometric probes for measuring the transmembrane potential Vm in cell plasma membranes remains a challenge. To overcome the limitations of the classical charge-shift potentiometric probes, we selected a 3-hydroxychromone fluorophore undergoing an excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction that generates a dual emission highly sensitive to electric fields. To achieve the highest sensitivity to the electric field associated to Vm, we modified the fluorophore by adding two rigid legs containing terminal polar sulfonate groups to allow a deep vertical insertion of the fluorophore into the membrane. Fluorescence spectra of the new dye in lipid vesicles and cell membranes confirm the fluorophore location in the hydrophobic region of the membranes. Variation of Vm in lipid vesicles and cell plasma membranes results in a change of the intensity ratio of the two emission bands of the probe. The ratiometric response of the dye in cells is approximately 15% per 100 mV, and is thus quite large in comparison with most single-fluorophore, fast-response probes reported to date. Combined patch-clamp/fluorescence data further show that the ratiometric response of the dye in cells is faster than 1 ms. Analysis of the excitation and emission shifts further suggests that the probe responds to changes in Vm by a mechanism based on electrochromic modulation of its ESIPT reaction. Thus, for the first time, the ESIPT reaction has been successfully applied as a sensing principle for detection of transmembrane potential, allowing to couple classical electrochromic band shifts with changes in the relative intensities of the two well-separated emission bands. The fast two-band ratiometric response as well as the relatively high sensitivity of the new probe are the key features that make it useful for rapid detection of Vm changes in cell suspensions and single cells. Moreover, the new design principles proposed in the present work should allow further improvement of the probe sensitivity.     

Isotope ratio monitoring gas chromatography/Mass spectrometry of D/H by high temperature conversion isotope ratio mass spectrometry

Of all the elements, hydrogen has the largest naturally occurring variations in the ratio of its stable isotopes (D/H). It is for this reason that there has been a strong desire to add hydrogen to the list of elements amenable to isotope ratio monitoring gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (irm-GC/MS). In irm-GC/MS the sample is entrained in helium as the carrier gas, which is also ionized and separated in the isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). Because of the low abundance of deuterium in nature, precise and accurate on-line monitoring of D/H ratios with an IRMS requires that low energy helium ions be kept out of the m/z 3 collector, which requires the use of an energy filter. A clean mass 3 (HD(+.)) signal which is independent of a large helium load in the electron impact ion source is essential in order to reach the sensitivity required for D/H analysis of capillary GC peaks. A new IRMS system, the DELTA(plus)XL(trade mark), has been designed for high precision, high accuracy measurements of transient signals of hydrogen gas. It incorporates a retardation lens integrated into the m/z 3 Faraday cup collector. Following GC separation, the hydrogen bound in organic compounds must be quantitatively converted into H(2) gas prior to analysis in the IRMS. Quantitative conversion is achieved by high temperature conversion (TC) at temperatures >1400 degrees C. Measurements of D/H ratios of individual organic compounds in complicated natural mixtures can now be made to a precision of 2 per thousand (delta notation) or, better, with typical sample amounts of approximately 200 ng per compound. Initial applications have focused on compounds of interest to petroleum research (biomarkers and natural gas components), food and flavor control (vanillin and ethanol), and metabolic studies (fatty acids and steroids). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.