Soft X-ray resonant magnetic scattering studies on Fe/CoO exchange bias system

We have used soft X-ray resonant magnetic scattering (XRMS) to search for the presence of an effective ferromagnetic moment belonging to the antiferromagnetic (AF) layer which is in close contact with a ferromagnetic (F) layer. Taking advantage of the element specificity of the XRMS technique, we have measured hysteresis loops of both Fe and CoO layers of a CoO(40 Å)/Fe (150 Å) exchange bias bilayer. From these measurements we have concluded that the proximity of the F layer induces a magnetic moment in the AF layer. The F moment of the AF layer has two components: one is frozen and does not follow the applied magnetic field and the other one follows in phase the ferromagnetic magnetization of the F layer. The temperature dependence of the F components belonging to the AF layer is shown and discussed.     

Magnetization reversal of micropattern Fe bar array: Combination of vector and Bragg magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements

We report on a magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) investigation of alternating wide and narrow Fe bars, forming a two-dimensional periodic array. The magnetization reversal was studied by regular longitudinal Vector-MOKE in specular geometry as well as in Bragg-MOKE geometry, using the diffraction spots from the grating for hysteresis measurements. With Vector-MOKE a two-step switching process for the wide and narrow Fe bars is observed, indicative for a narrow switching field distribution in this array. In addition, hysteresis loops were determined as a function of the diffraction order for the hard and easy axis direction. The loops at different orders of diffraction can qualitatively and quantitatively be described by Fourier transformations of micromagnetic simulations.     

Proximity effect in superconductor/ferromagnet layered system: Influence of superconductivity on magnetic properties of Nb/Fe epitaxial bilayers

Magnetic and superconducting properties of Fe/Nb epitaxial bilayers have been studied. Single crystal Fe/Nb (110) bilayers with a Nb thicknessd _Nb in the range from 250 to 650 Å and with a Fe thicknessd _Fe in the range from 7 to 27 Å were prepared using molecular beam epitaxy techniques. Magnetization measurements showed the existence of a magnetically “dead” Fe-interface layer with a thicknessd _NM varying strongly with minor modifications of the growth conditions. For bilayers with a small magnetic layer thicknessd _M and a smalld _NM the FMR measurements revealed an anomalous decrease of the effective magnetization 4πM _eff of the ferromagnetic Fe layer below the superconducting transition temperatureT _c. The absolute change of 4πM _eff belowT _c depends strongly on the actual values ofd _M andd _NM: upon decreasing bothd _M andd _NM the effect increases considerably. As a possible mechanism for the anomalous temperature dependence of 4πM _eff belowT _c we discuss a spatial modulation of ferromagnetic order due to a modification of the RKKY inter-action in the superconducting state.     

Asymmetric Catalysis. Part 149 [1]. Synthesis of New Chiral Tridentate Ligands for Enantioselective Catalysis

Summary. The synthesis of new chiral tridentate ligands is reported which coordinate transition metals in a meridional way. The ligands contain a pyridine ring, an oxazoline ring, and a strongly coordinating diphenylphosphanyl group. The methionine-derived ligand forms a copper complex, which has been studied by X-ray crystallography. The new ligands were tested in models of enantioselective catalyses, such as hydrogenation of ketopantolactone, hydrosilylation of acetophenone, and transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone.X-ray structure analysesReceived March 4, 2003; accepted March 4, 2003 Published online August 18, 2003     

Preparative and electrochemical investigations on the electron sponge behavior of cobalt telluride clusters: CO substitution in [Co11Te7(CO)10]n- ions (n=1, 2) by PMe2Ph and crystal structure of [Co11Te7(CO)5(PMe2Ph)5

The reaction of the cluster salts [Cp(2*) Nb(CO)(2)](n)[Co(11)Te(7)(CO)(10)] (Cp*=C(5)Me(5); n=1, 2) with excess PMe(2)Ph gave the neutral, dark brown clusters [Co(11)Te(7)(CO)(6)(PMe(2)Ph)(4)] (5) and [Co(11)Te(7)(CO)(5)(PMe(2)Ph)(5)] (6) with 147 metal valence electrons. The new compounds were characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses, and mass spectrometry. The molecular structure of 6 was determined by X-ray crystallography. Like its precursor anion, it consists of a pentagonal-prismatic [Co(11)Te(7)] core, but with a ligand sphere composed of five CO and five PMe(2)Ph ligands. Detailed electrochemical studies of both reactions reveal that a stepwise substitution of CO ligands in the initial cluster anions takes place leading to intermediate [Co(11)Te(7)(CO)(10-m)(PMe(2)Ph)(m)](n-) ions (m=1-5; n=1, 2). Each of these intermediates is distinguished by at least one oxidation and two reduction waves, giving rise to a total of 21 redox couples and 27 electroactive species. The electron sponge character of the new compounds is particularly pronounced in 5, which exhibits charges n between +1 and -4 corresponding to metal valence electron counts of between 146 and 151.     

Adsorption of atomic hydrogen at a nanostructured electrode of polyacrylate-capped Pt nanoparticles in polyelectrolyte

Atomic hydrogen electrosorption is reported at crystallite sites of polyacrylate-capped Pt nanoparticles (d = 2.5 +/- 0.6 nm), by assembling nanostructured electrodes of polyacrylate-Pt nanocrystallites layer-by-layer in a cationic polyelectrolyte, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride). Cyclic voltammetry in 1 M H2SO4 revealed a strongly adsorbed hydrogen state and a weakly adsorbed hydrogen state assigned to adsorption at (100) and (110) sites of the modified nanocrystallites, respectively. Resolving hydrogen adsorption states signifies that surface capping by the carboxylate groups is not irreversibly blocking hydrogen adsorption sites at the modified Pt nanoparticle surface. Adsorption peak currents increased with increasing the number of layers up to 16 bilayers, indicating the feasibility of nanoparticle charging via interparticle charge hopping and the accessibility of adsorption states within the thickness of the nanoparticle/polyelectrolyte multilayers. Despite similarity in hydrogen adsorption in the cyclic voltammorgrams in 1 M H2SO4, negative shifts in adsorption potentials were measured at the nanocrystallite Pt-polyelectrolyte multilayers relative to a polycrystalline bulk Pt surface. This potential shift is attributed to a kinetic limitation in the reductive hydrogen adsorption as a result of the Pt nanoparticle surface modification and the polyelectrolyte environment.     

Novel Redox-Active Cyclophanes Based on 3,3'-Biindolizines: Synthesis and Chirality

The first compounds of a new series of redox-active cyclophanes were prepared by dehydrocyclization of bridged indolizines of type 1. The bridged dipyridino-compounds 2a and 2b obtained by reaction of 2 mol of lithiated alpha-picolines with dihalides were used as starting materials. Subsequent treatment of 2a,b with 2 mol of alpha-bromo ketones gave quaternary pyridinium halides. Ring closure in an alkaline medium (Chichibabin reaction) yielded the starting material for the synthesis of the macrocycles. Oxidative C-C coupling gave the diastereomeric cyclophanes of type 3. In all cases one pair of the enantiomers was obtained in excess. CV-investigations have shown that the main products are reversible redox systems. To clarify their conformations, compounds 3c, 3d/1, and3d/2 were subjected to X-ray analysis.