Control over Nanostructures and Associated Mesomorphic Properties of Doped Self‐Assembled Triarylamine Liquid Crystals

We have synthesized a series of triarylamine‐cored molecules equipped with an adjacent amide moiety and dendritic peripheral tails in a variety of modes. We show by ¹H NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy that their supramolecular self‐assembly can be promoted in solution upon light stimulation and radical initiation. In addition, we have probed their molecular arrangements and mesomorphic properties in the bulk by integrated studies on their film state by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), variable‐temperature polarizing optical microscopy (VT‐POM), variable‐temperature X‐ray diffraction (VT‐XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Differences in the number and the disposition of the peripheral tails significantly affect their mesomorphic properties associated with their lamellar‐ or columnar‐packed nanostructures, which are based on segregated stacks of the triphenylamine cores and the lipophilic/lipophobic periphery. Such structural tuning is of interest for implementation of these soft self‐assemblies as electroactive materials from solution to mesophases.     

Comparison of fast field-cycling magnetic resonance imaging methods and future perspectives

ABSTRACT

Fast field-cycling (FFC) nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry is a well-established method to determine the relaxation rates as a function of magnetic field strength. This so-called nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion gives insight into the underlying molecular dynamics of a wide range of complex systems and has gained interest especially in the characterisation of biological tissues and diseases. The combination of FFC techniques with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a high potential for new types of image contrast more specific to pathological molecular dynamics. This article reviews the progress in FFC-MRI over the last decade and gives an overview of the hardware systems currently in operation. We discuss limitations and error correction strategies specific to FFC-MRI such as field stability and homogeneity, signal-to-noise ratio, eddy currents and acquisition time. We also report potential applications with impact in biology and medicine. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future applications in transferring the underlying molecular dynamics into novel types of image contrast by exploiting the dispersive properties of biological tissue or MRI contrast agents.     

Controlling quantum coherence of atom laser by light with strong strength

A new method for controlling the quantum coherence of atom laser by applying input light with strong strength is presented within the framework of quantum dynamical theory. Unlike the case of rotating wave approximation(RWA), we show that the non-classical properties, such as sub-Poisson distribution and quadrature squeezed effect, can appear in the output atom laser beam with time. By choosing suitable initial RF phase, a steady and brighter output of squeezed coherent atom laser is also available.     

Asymptotique de la norme $L^2$ d'un cycle géodésique dans les revêtements de congruence d'une variété hyperbolique arithmétique

Let M be an arithmetic hyperbolic manifold and be a codimension 1 geodesic cycle. In this paper, we study the asymptotic growth of the -norm of the lifts of F in the congruence tower above M. We obtain an explicit value for the growth rate of this norm. In particular, we provide a new proof of a celebrated result of Millson [Mi] on the homology of the arithmetic hyperbolic manifolds. The method is quite general and gives a new way of getting non zero homology classes in certain locally symmetric spaces. Received: 20 April 2001; in final form: 26 September 2001 / Published online: 28 February 2002