Phase rotation scheme of laser-produced ions for reduction of the energy spread

In order to widely spread out particle beams utilized in cancer therapy, laser-produced ions are developed as the injection beam for an ion synchrotron dedicated for cancer therapy. Such a laser ion source is expected to contribute largely to the realization of compactness of the size and low cost of the cancer therapy accelerator. The energy spectrum of the laser-produced ions, however, has no peak, but their intensities decrease exponentially according to the increase of the energy. For the purpose of modifying such a situation, we have proposed a scheme to rotate the beam in the longitudinal phase space with the use of the RF electric field, which is phase-adjusted with the pulse laser. We aim for a reduction of the energy spread of ± 5% selected by an energy analyzer and slits to ±1% by such phase rotation. For this purpose, a quarter wavelength resonator with two gaps with the same resonant frequency as the source laser has already been fabricated, together with its RF power source. The above phase rotation system and its recent experimental realization are presented.     

Local structure analysis of smoky and colorless topaz using single crystal Al NMR

The angular dependence of the ²⁷Al NMR spectrum was measured for single crystals of smoky and colorless topaz, Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂. Smoky topaz was obtained by irradiating high energy neutrons to colorless topaz. The quadrupole coupling constant e²Qq/h and the asymmetry parameter η were obtained from the analysis of the angular dependences of quadrupole splitting of the ²⁷Al NMR spectrum. The local structures around the aluminum atoms in smoky and colorless topaz were discussed from the magnitude and the direction of the electric field gradient. The directions of principal axes of the EFG tensor of ²⁷Al were close to the directions of Al-O and Al-F bonds. The difference in the bond lengths between Al(1)-F(1) and Al(1)-F(2) was found to affect the x and y components of the EFG tensor.     

Application of stir bar sorptive extraction for wine analysis

Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to analyse wine samples for three applications: flavour and compositional analysis; 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), a common off-aroma in wine; and agrochemicals. SBSE was found to be orders of magnitude more sensitive than modern conventional methodology, allowing for lower detection and quantitation levels, and improved confirmation of identity; SBSE often gave better signal to noise in scan mode than other methods in selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode. With the help of their characteristic mass spectra all agrochemicals could be identified unambiguously at concentrations of 10 microg L(-1) in wine and a further 100 constituents were detected in a Cabernet Sauvignon sample. Thus it is now possible to analyse complex samples such as wine by scan mode, with better confirmation of identity, and without sacrificing sensitivity, where previously SIM methodology had to be used.     

Synthesis of New Lithium Ionic Conductor Thio-LISICON—Lithium Silicon Sulfides System

The new lithium ionic conductors, thio-LISICON (LIthium SuperIonic CONductor), were found in the ternary Li₂S-SiS₂-Al₂S₃ and Li₂S-SiS₂-P₂S₅ systems. Their structures of new materials, Li_4+xSi_1−xAl_xS₄ and Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄ were determined by X-ray Rietveld analysis, and the electric and electrochemical properties were studied by electronic conductivity, ac conductivity and cyclic voltammogram measurements. The structure of the host material, Li₄SiS₄ is related to the γ-Li₃PO₄-type structure, and when the Li⁺ interstitials or Li⁺ vacancies were created by the partial substitutions of Al³⁺ or P⁵⁺ for Si⁴⁺, large increases in conductivity occur. The solid solution member x=0.6 in Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄ showed high conductivity of 6.4×10^-4 S cm⁻¹ at 27°C with negligible electronic conductivity. The new solid solution, Li_4−xSi_1−xP_xS₄, also has high electrochemical stability up to ∼5 V vs Li at room temperature. All-solid-state lithium cells were investigated using the Li_3.4Si_0.4P_0.6S₄ electrolyte, LiCoO₂ cathode and In anode.     

exo- and enantioselective cycloaddition of azomethine ylides generated from N-alkylidene glycine esters using chiral phosphine-copper complexes

High diastereo- and enantioselectivities were obtained for the asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides generated from N-alkylideneglycine esters with dipolarophiles using chiral phosphine-copper complexes as catalysts. Whereas the cycloaddition of azomethine ylides catalyzed by metal salts generally afforded endo-adducts as the predominant product, the present method is the first example of an exo-selective cycloaddition. [reaction: see text]     

Asymmetric synthesis of a chroman derivative (vitamin e precursor)

Chromanmethanol $\text{2}$, a chiral intermediate for the synthesis of α-tocopherol $\text{1}$, is prepared from α-hydroxy aldehyde $\text{5}$, which is obtained by an asymmetric synthesis in over 95% ee.     

Subsecond luminescence intensity fluctuations of single CdSe quantum dots

Photoluminescence (PL) intermittency characteristics are examined for single quantum dots (QDs) in a CdSe QD sample synthesized at a slow rate at 75 degrees C. Although the PL quantum efficiency was relatively low ( approximately 0.25), we noticed that the PL intensity of single CdSe QDs fluctuated on a subsecond time scale with short-lived "on" and "off" states. The subsecond PL intensity fluctuations of CdSe QDs are different from "on" and "off" PL blinking generally observed for QDs fluctuating on a millisecond to minute time scale. We characterized single QDs by identifying polarized excitations, topographic imaging using atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). From analysis of the PL intensity trajectories from >100 single CdSe QDs, the average intermittency time was 213 ms. From the PL quantum efficiency, slow growth of QDs, intensity trajectory analyses, and previous reports relating surface trap states and PL properties of QDs, we attribute the subsecond PL intensity fluctuations of single CdSe QDs and short-lived "on" and "off" states to a high-density distribution of homogeneous surface trap states.