Efficient table-top dual-wavelength beamline for ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy in the soft X-ray region.

We present a table-top beamline providing a soft X-ray supercontinuum extending up to 370 eV from high-order harmonic generation with sub-13 fs 1300 nm driving pulses and simultaneous production of sub-5 fs pulses centered at 800 nm. Optimization of high harmonic generation in a long and dense gas medium yields a photon flux of  ~ 1.4 × 106 photons/s/1% bandwidth at 300 eV. The temporal resolution of X-ray transient absorption experiments with this beamline is measured to be 11 fs for 800 nm excitation. This dual-wavelength approach, combined with high flux and high spectral and temporal resolution soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy, is a new route to the study of ultrafast electronic dynamics in carbon-containing molecules and materials at the carbon K-edge

Gallium Oxide and Dioxide: Investigation of the Ground and Low-Lying Electronic States via Anion Photoelectron Spectroscopy

The GaO and GaO2 molecules were investigated using negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy. All the photoelectron spectra showed vibrationally resolved progressions. With the aid of electronic structure calculations and Franck-Condon spectral simulations, different molecular parameters and energetics of GaO-/GaO and GaO2-/GaO2 were determined, including the electron affinity of GaO, the vibrational frequency of GaO-, and the term energy, spin-orbit splitting, and vibrational frequency for the first excited A 2PiOmega state of GaO. The GaO2- photoelectron spectra comprised three bands assigned as transitions from the linear X 1Sigma(g)+ ground state of GaO2- to three linear neutral states: the A 2Pi(g), B 2Pi(u), and C 2Sigma(u) + states. The symmetric stretch frequencies of the anion and three neutral states as well as the spin-orbit splitting of the neutral 2Pi states were determined. Electronic structure calculations found the neutral lowest energy linear structure to be only 63 meV higher than the neutral bent geometry

Disentangling conical intersection and coherent molecular dynamics in methyl bromide with attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy

Attosecond probing of core-level electronic transitions provides a sensitive tool for studying valence molecular dynamics with atomic, state, and charge specificity. In this report, we employ attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy to follow the valence dynamics of strong-field initiated processes in methyl bromide. By probing the 3d core-to-valence transition, we resolve the strong field excitation and ensuing fragmentation of the neutral σ* excited states of methyl bromide. The results provide a clear signature of the non-adiabatic passage of the excited state wavepacket through a conical intersection. We additionally observe competing, strong field initiated processes arising in both the ground state and ionized molecule corresponding to vibrational and spin-orbit motion, respectively. The demonstrated ability to resolve simultaneous dynamics with few-femtosecond resolution presents a clear path forward in the implementation of attosecond XUV spectroscopy as a general tool for probing competing and complex molecular phenomena with unmatched temporal resolution

Anion Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Solvated Transition State Precursors

Photoelectron (PE) spectra have been collected for the clustered bihalide anions XHX−∙(M) (X=Br, I) and BrHI−∙(M), where M=H2O, HBr, and HI, in order to probe the effects of strongly solvating species on the PE spectra of transition state precursor anions. The PE spectra of the XHX−∙(H2O) ions show similar vibrational progressions as the spectra of the bare BrHBr− and IHI− anions, indicating that photodetachment of the bare and hydrated ions accesses similar XHX transition state geometries on the X+HX reactionpotential energy surfaces. These results are consistent with electronic structure calculations that predict a double hydrogen-bonded XHX−∙(H2O) structure in which the symmetry of the strong XHX−hydrogen bond is largely preserved. In contrast, PE spectra of BrHBr−(HBr)1,2 and IHI−(HI)1,2 indicate that the addition of a single HBr or HI disrupts the symmetric XHX− bond, resulting in structures of the form X−∙(HX)n, and altering the geometry of the Franck–Condon region accessed on the neutral potential energy surfaces. Similarly, PE spectra of BrHI−∙(HI) and BrHI−∙(HBr) suggest anion structures of the form I−∙(HBr)HI and I−∙(HBr)2, respectively

Photoelectron Spectroscopy of ClH2 - and ClD2 -: A Probe of the Cl+H2 Van Der Waals Well and Spin-Orbit Excited States

Photoelectron (PE) spectra of ClH−2 and ClD−2 were measured at 299 nm (4.154 eV). Photodetachment of these anions accesses the prereactive van der Waals well on the ground stateCl+H2potential energy surface, as well as the low-lying spin–orbit excited states resulting from the interaction of Cl and Cl* with H2. The PE spectra are dominated by two relatively narrow peaks corresponding to transitions to the neutral Cl⋅H2 and Cl*⋅H2 complexes. The energetics and widths of these features are interpreted in terms of the properties of the anion and neutral potential energy surfaces

Associations between body mass index, weight control concerns and behaviors, and eating disorder symptoms among non-clinical Chinese adolescents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous research with adolescents has shown associations of body weight, weight control concerns and behaviors with eating disorder symptoms, but it is unclear whether these associations are direct or whether a mediating effect exists. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity, weight control concerns and behaviors, and eating disorder symptoms and to examine the mediating function of weight control concerns and behaviors on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and eating disorder symptoms among non-clinical adolescents in China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional survey among 2019 adolescent girls and 1525 adolescent boys in the 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th grades from seven cities in China was conducted. Information on weight control concerns and behaviors, and eating disorder symptoms (Eating Disorder Inventory-3) were collected from the adolescents using a self-administrated questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Weight control concerns and behaviors, and eating disorder symptoms were prevalent among the study population. A high proportion of adolescents scored at or above the threshold on the eating disorder inventory (EDI) subscale such as bulimia, interoceptive deficits, perfectionism, and maturity fears, which indicated eating disorder symptoms. High BMI was significantly associated with high score of drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, bulimia, low self-esteem, interceptive deficits and maturity fears, so do perceived body weight status. Almost all weight control concerns and behaviors we investigated were significantly associated with high EDI subscale scores. When weight control concerns were added to the model, as shown in the model, the association between BMI and tendency of drive to thinness and bulimia was attenuated but still kept significant. The association between BMI and body dissatisfaction were no further significant. The association of BMI and drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction and bulimia was considerably weaker than when weight control behaviors were not included.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Weight control concerns and behaviors may be mediators of the association between BMI and eating disorder symptoms. Interpretation of these weight control problems is crucial to develop culturally appropriate educational and intervention programs for adolescents.</p

Spectroscopic Characterization of the Ground and Low-Lying Electronic States of Ga2N via Anion Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

Anion photoelectron spectra of Ga2N− were measured at photodetachment wavelengths of 416nm(2.978eV), 355nm(3.493eV), and 266nm(4.661eV). Both field-free time-of-flight and velocity-map imaging methods were used to collect the data. The field-free time-of-flight data provided better resolution of the features, while the velocity-map-imaging data provided more accurate anisotropy parameters for the peaks. Transitions from the ground electronic state of the anion to two electronic states of the neutral were observed and analyzed with the aid of electronic structure calculations and Franck-Condon simulations. The ground-state band was assigned to a transition between linear ground states of Ga2N−(XΣg+1) and Ga2N(XΣu+2), yielding the electron affinity of Ga2N, 2.506±0.008eV. Vibrationally resolved features in the ground-state band were assigned to symmetric and antisymmetric stretch modes of Ga2N, with the latter allowed by vibronic coupling to an excited electronic state. The energy of the observed excited neutral state agrees with that calculated for the AΠu2 state, but the congested nature of this band in the photoelectron spectrum is more consistent with a transition to a bent neutral state

Transverse confinement in stochastic cooling of trapped atoms

Stochastic cooling of trapped atoms is considered for a laser-beam configuration with beam waists equal or smaller than the extent of the atomic cloud. It is shown, that various effects appear due to this transverse confinement, among them heating of transverse kinetic energy. Analytical results of the cooling in dependence on size and location of the laser beam are presented for the case of a non-degenerate vapour.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Optics

Efficient table-top dual-wavelength beamline for ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy in the soft X-ray region

We present a table-top beamline providing a soft X-ray supercontinuum extending up to 350 eV from high-order harmonic generation with sub-13 fs 1300 nm driving pulses and simultaneous production of sub-5 fs pulses centered at 800 nm. Optimization of the high harmonic generation in a long and dense gas medium yields a photon flux of ~2 x 10^7 photons/s/1% bandwidth at 300 eV. The temporal resolution of X-ray transient absorption experiments with this beamline is measured to be 11 fs for 800 nm excitation. This dual-wavelength approach, combined with high flux and high spectral and temporal resolution soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy, is a new route to the study of ultrafast electronic dynamics in carbon-containing molecules and materials at the carbon K-edge