Versatile Near-Infrared Super-Resolution Imaging of Amyloid Fibrils with the Fluorogenic Probe CRANAD-2

CRANAD-2 is a fluorogenic curcumin derivative used for near-infrared detection and imaging in vivo of amyloid aggregates, which are involved in neurodegenerative diseases. We explore the performance of CRANAD-2 in two super-resolution imaging techniques, namely stimulated emission depletion (STED) and single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM), with markedly different fluorophore requirements. By conveniently adapting the concentration of CRANAD-2, which transiently binds to amyloid fibrils, we show that it performs well in both techniques, achieving a resolution in the range of 45–55 nm. Correlation of SMLM with atomic force microscopy (AFM) validates the resolution of fine features in the reconstructed super-resolved image. The good performance and versatility of CRANAD-2 provides a powerful tool for near-infrared nanoscopic imaging of amyloids in vitro and in vivo.     

Novel halogenated cyclopentasilylene-2,4-dienes via DFT

In view of immense importance of silylenes and the fact that their properties undergo significant changes on substitution with halogens, here, we have used B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory to access the effects of 1–4 halogens (X = F, Cl, Br, and I) on four unprecedented sets of cyclopentasilylene-2,4-dienes; with the following formulas: SiC₄H₃X ( 1 _X ), SiC₄H₂X₂ ( 2 _X ), SiC₄HX₃ ( 3 _X ), and SiC₄X₄ ( 4 _X ). In going down from F to I, the singlet (s)-triplet (t) energy gap (ΔE_s-t, a possible indication of stability), and band gap (ΔE_H-L) decrease while nucleophilicity (N), chemical potential (μ), and proton affinity (PA) increase. The overall order of N, μ, and PA for each X is 2 _X > 1 _X > 3 _X > 4 _X . Precedence of 2 _X over 1 _X is attributed to the symmetric cross conjugation in the former. The highest and lowest N are shown by 2 _I and 4 _F . The trend of divalent angle () for each X is 4 _X > 1 _X > 3 _X > 2 _X . The results show that in going from electron withdrawing groups (EWGs) to electron donating groups (EDGs), the ΔE_s-t and ΔE_H-L decrease while N, μ, and PA increase. Also, rather high N of our scrutinized silylenes may suggest new promising ligands in organometallic chemistry.     

介质折射率对一维三元光子晶体带隙的影响

利用光学传输矩阵法,数值模拟了一维二元、三元光子晶体的带隙结构,得出:三元光子晶体的主带隙略宽于二元光子晶体的主带隙;三元光子晶体的主带隙主要取决于最高折射率的介质和最低折射率的介质,而与居于两者之间的介质关系不大,并作出了相应的关系曲线。最后推导了三元光子晶体的色散关系。     

极化子导电到能带导电的转变

采用交流法测量大功率商用钛酸钡(BT)陶瓷加热器的电阻和加热功率随温度的变化关系.结果显示,BT陶瓷的电导特性在80℃附近出现了明显的转变,从低温时的极化子跳跃导电转变为高温时的能带导电,此时,电阻出现极小值,而加热功率出现极大值.     

Surface structures formed by individual adsorption and coadsorption of Mn and Bi on Cu(0 0 1), studied by LEED

We have studied the individual adsorption of Mn and Bi, and their coadsorption on Cu(0 0 1) by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). For Mn, we have determined the c(2 × 2) structure formed at 300 K, whose structure had been determined by several methods. We reconfirmed by a tensor LEED analysis that it is a substitutional structure and that a previously reported large corrugation (0.30 Å) between substitutional Mn and remaining surface Cu atoms coincides perfectly with the present value. In the individual adsorption of Bi, we have found a c(4 × 2) structure, which is formed by cooling below ∼250 K a surface prepared by Bi deposition of ∼0.25 ML coverage at 300 K where streaky half-order LEED spots appear. The c(4 × 2) structure has been determined by the tensor LEED analysis at 130 K and it is a substitutional structure. In the coadsorption, we found a c(6 × 4) structure, which has been determined by the tensor LEED analysis. It is very similar to the previously determined structure of the c(6 × 4) formed by coadsorption of Mg and Bi, and embedded MnBi₄ clusters are arranged in the top Cu layer instead of MgBi₄. Large lateral displacements of Bi atoms in the c(6 × 4)-(Mn + Bi) suggest that the Mn atoms undergo the size-enhancement caused by their large magnetic moment.     

Electrical behavior of the Au/MoS2 interface studied by light emission induced by scanning tunneling microscopy

Light emitted in the tunneling junction of a scanning tunneling microscope has been used to establish the electrical characteristics of nanojunctions made of Au islands deposited on flat MoS₂ surfaces. It is shown that these characteristics are those of rectifying contacts when the gold islands are isolated and that they evolve toward those of ohmic contacts when the island density increases. It is observed that the rectifying behavior also evolves over time as on infinite metal/semiconductor contacts. Using the STM tip, single gold islands can be manipulated on the MoS₂ surface so that their electrical behavior can be changed depending on their position with regard to the other islands.     

Spectral and temporal characteristics of metallic nanoparticles produced by femtosecond laser pulses

We study the time of flight optical emission from titanium and tungsten nanosized particles, generated through femtosecond laser-matter interaction in vacuum, in the wavelength spectral range from 300 to 900 nm. Typical spectra consist of broadband structureless signals similar to black body emission from a macroscopic object. Nanoparticles temperature, deduced from their emission spectra, decreases drastically as a function of their time of arrival at a given distance from the target. This behaviour is seen to be independent of individual particle velocities.     

生长温度对碳纳米管阴极场发射性能的影响

碳纳米管(Carbon Nanotubes,CNTs)场发射平面显示器(Field Emission Display,FED)与其他显示器比较显示了其独特优点,被认为是未来理想的平面显示器之一。碳纳米管阴极作为器件的核心部分,其性能的好坏直接影响显示器的性能。针对30~60英寸(76.2~152.4cm)大屏幕显示器所用的厚膜工艺,即采用丝网印刷法制备了碳纳米管阴极阵列,研究了化学气相沉积法在不同温度下生长的CNTs的场发射电流-电压特性,找到了适合FED用碳纳米管的最佳生长温度。结果表明生长温度越高(750℃),CNTs场发射性能越好。并用荧光粉阳极测试这些CNTs的场发射发光显示效果,验证了上述结论。     

Phenylene dendrimers and novel hyperbranched polyphenylenes as light emissive materials for blue OLEDs

New materials based on low-generation polyphenylene dendrimers with the light emission in the blue spectrum range were synthesized and examined for an efficient organic light emitting diodes (OLED) application. It has been shown that the ratio of p-phenylene groups with high fluorescence parameters to 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene groups with low fluorescent parameters may be the possible reason for the experimental variations of relative quantum yield of photoluminescence in the compounds explored. The quantum yield value is increased with a number of dendrimer generations up to 50–70%. The role of bromine atoms as the luminescence quenchers have been demonstrated, which is important for synthesis route choice.     

Single to 16-Channel Wavelength Conversion at 10 Gb/s Based on Cross-Gain Modulation of ASE Spectrum in SOA

A simple scheme for single to multi-channel wavelength conversion based on cross-gain modulation of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) spectrum in semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is described. Single to 16-channel wavelength conversion at 10 Gb/s is first demonstrated without any additional probe lights, the modulation information carried by input signal could be converted into arbitrary many channels if only the demultiplexer with enough channels is exploited. Output performance and pattern effects are investigated experimentally.