Fluorescein Based Three-channel Probe for the Selective and Sensitive Detection of CO32− Ions in an Aqueous Environment and Real Water Samples

Journal of Fluorescence - We have constructed a novel fluorescein-based fluorescent chemosensor, FL-In, functionalised with an indole moiety and capable of sensing by both the optical...     

Laser-induced shock waves from micro-scale volumina and in small tubes

Shock waves induced in a volume with a lateral dimension of the order of micrometers are investigated. In particular, shocks of spherical geometry are generated by means of weakly ionized laser produced plasmas. The plasmas are generated by intense pulsed laser radiation focused directly in atmospheric air. These measurements serve as tests for subsequent shocks launched from such laser plasmas into a narrow tube. The shock velocity as well as the density distribution are measured with a laser interferometer. Experimental results for shocks from nanosecond and femtosecond laser-generated plasmas are compared.     

Shock wave emission during the collapse of cavitation bubbles

Shock wave emission induced by intense laser pulses is investigated experimentally. The present work focuses on the conditions of shock wave emission in glycerine and distilled water during the first bubble collapse. Experimental investigations are carried out in liquids as a function of temperature and viscosity. Comparison is made with the theoretical work of Poritsky (Proc 1st US Natl Congress Appl Mech 813–821, 1952) and Brennen (Cavitation and bubble dynamics, Oxford University Press 1995). To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first experimental verification of those theories.     

Detection of chromium in liquids by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

Environmental concerns about the amount of dissolved heavy metals in coastal tidal waters have led to investigations into possible ways to detect chromium dissolved in water. A method using fluorescence spectroscopy in solution has been proposed. However, such optical emission spectroscopic methods tend to suffer from a lack of sensitivity caused by the strong quenching processes in liquids. In this investigation, Nd:YAG Q-switched laser pulses were utilised to generate a plasma filled bubble in a chromium solution. Fluorescence in the plasma was detected using an optical fibre tip placed adjacent to the bubble. Light wavelengths characteristic of chromium were detected and spectral images recorded using an optical multi-channel analyzer. PACS 39.30.+w; 42.62 Fi; 52.38 Mf; 92.20 Ny     

Recording grooves for fiber-chip coupling in PMMA using KrF excimer laser radiation: experiment and simulation

The fabrication of deep grooves with a high aspect ratio in poly-methylmethacrylate using excimer laser radiation (248 nm) and a cylindric lens has been investigated. The form of the grooves and their dimensions are evaluated with respect to the recording parameters. The patterns and their widths and depths may be adapted in a wide range depending on the particular application. As an example grooves for coupling monomode optical silica fibers were fabricated. Simulations were performed in order to explain the pattern formation. In a simple model the thermo-optic etching process may be simulated using a Gaussian-shaped laser beam and the FDBPM approach. Received: 7 December 1998 / Revised version: 12 January 1999 / Published online: 12 April 1999     

Resonance fluorescence spectroscopy in laser-induced cavitation bubbles

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in liquids using a double-pulse Q-switched Nd:YAG laser system has provided reliable results that give trace detection limits in water. Resonant laser excitation has been added to enhance detection sensitivity. A primary laser pulse (at 532 nm), transmitted via an optical fiber, induces a cavitation bubble and shockwave at a target immersed in a 10 mg l⁻¹–100 mg l⁻¹ indium (In) water suspension. The low-pressure rear of the shockwave induces bubble expansion and a resulting reduction in cavity pressure as it extends away from the target. Shortly before the maximum diameter is expected, a secondary laser pulse (also at 532 nm) is fed into the bubble in order to reduce quenching processes. The plasma field generated is then resonantly excited by a fiber-guided dye laser beam to increase detection selectivity. The resulting resonance fluorescence emission is optically detected and processed by an intensified optical multichannel analyzer system.      

Nickel-cysteine binding supported by phosphine chelates

The effect of chelating phosphines was tested on the structure and pH-dependent stability of nickel-cysteine binding. (1,2-Bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) and 1,1,1-tris[(diphenylphosphino)methyl]ethane (triphos) were used with three different cysteine derivatives (L-cysteine, Cys; L-cysteine ethyl ester, CysEt; cystamine, CysAm) to prepare complexes of the form (dppe)NiCysR(n+) and (triphos)NiCysR(n+) (n = 0 for Cys; n = 1 for CysEt and CysAm). Similar 31P {1H} NMR spectra for all (dppe)NiCysRn+ confirmed their square-planar P2NiSN coordination spheres. The structure of [(dppe)NiCysAm]PF6 was also confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The (triphos)NiCysAm+ and (triphos)NiCysEt+ complexes were fluxional at room temperature by 31P NMR. Upon cooling to -80 degrees C, all gave spectra consistent with a P2NiSN coordination sphere with the third phosphorus uncoordinated. Temperature-dependent 31P NMR spectra showed that a trans P-Ni-S pi interaction controlled the scrambling of the coordinated triphos. In aqueous media, (dppe)NiCys was protonated at pH approximately 4-5, leading to possible formation of a nickel-cysteinethiol and eventual cysteine loss at pH < 3. The importance of N-terminus cysteine in such complexes was demonstrated by preparing (dppe)NiCys-bead and trigonal-bipyramidal Tp*NiCys-bead complexes, where Cys-bead represents cysteine anchored to polystyrene synthesis beads and Tp*- = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate. Importantly, results with these heterogeneous systems demonstrated the selectivity of these nickel centers for cysteine over methionine and serine and most specifically for N-terminus cysteine. The role of Ni-S pi bonding in nickel-cysteine geometries will be discussed, including how these results suggest a mechanism for the movement of electron density from nickel onto the backbone of coordinated cysteine.     

Motion analysis of a diaphragmless driver section for a narrow channel shock tube

We set up a diaphragmless driver section as the first step towards developing a shock tube at microscale which has high experimental efficiency, independent of tube dimensions or the ratio of driver and driven pressure. The experiment described in this paper is performed by using our diaphragmless driver section. We measured the operating time and the velocity of the fast opening valve. Additionally we have introduced and calculated the differential equation, by using the Runge–Kutta–Gill method, to understand the motion of the fast opening valve. We achieved good agreement between experimental and calculated results for the velocity. We can conclude that the diaphragmless driver section is highly suitable for a narrow channel shock tube.      

Time-resolved measurements of shock-induced cavitation bubbles in liquids

A novel experimental method for the measurement of cavitation bubble dynamics is presented. The method makes use of a collimated cw HeNe laser beam that is focused onto a photodiode. A cavitation bubble centered in the laser beam leads to refraction and thus changes the diode signal. With sufficient temporal resolution of the measurement, the evolution of the bubble dynamics, and in particular, the collapse, could be well resolved (limitation is only due to diode response and oscilloscope bandwidth). In the present work this is demonstrated with cavitation bubbles generated with high-power nanosecond and femtosecond laser pulses, respectively. Bubble evolution is studied in two different liquids (water and glycerine) and at different temperatures and pressures.     

A combined LDA and flow-visualization study on flue organ pipes

Temporally resolved schlieren flow visualization and Laser-Doppler Anemometry (LDA) measurements have been performed on real flue organ pipes during the stationary state as well as during the attack transient. The techniques prove highly efficient in providing information on the details of the flow. The measurements reveal several details of the flow and demonstrate its importance in the sound formation. The spatial development of harmonics as well as the influence of nicks is also studied. It turns out that the jet instability wave behaves differently when the jet moves inward and outward of the pipe.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.