63 research outputs found
Quantitative optical determination of the shape of Cu nanocrystals in a composite film
5 pages, 4 figures, 1 table.We demonstrate that optical extinction spectroscopy can be used to determine the effective shape of Cu nanocrystals (NCs) embedded in a transparent amorphous Al2O3 host both produced by pulsed laser deposition. The axial ratio of the NCs was extracted from the positions of the surface plasmon modes of the optical extinction spectra of the nanocomposite film. Comparison to the results obtained by grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering shows excellent agreement. Thus, optical spectroscopy can be used as a simple, easily accessible, and versatile tool for the characterization of the NCs that form nanocomposite films.This work was supported by the European Union
(BRITE Project No. 98-0616).Peer reviewe
Oscillatory Size-Dependence of the Surface Plasmon Linewidth in Metallic Nanoparticles
We study the linewidth of the surface plasmon resonance in the optical
absorption spectrum of metallic nanoparticles, when the decay into
electron-hole pairs is the dominant channel. Within a semiclassical approach,
we find that the electron-hole density-density correlation oscillates as a
function of the size of the particles, leading to oscillations of the
linewidth. This result is confirmed numerically for alkali and noble metal
particles. While the linewidth can increase strongly, the oscillations persist
when the particles are embedded in a matrix.Comment: RevTeX4, 5 pages, 2 figures, final versio
Classification of Light-Induced Desorption of Alkali Atoms in Glass Cells Used in Atomic Physics Experiments
We attempt to provide physical interpretations of light-induced desorption
phenomena that have recently been observed for alkali atoms on glass surfaces
of alkali vapor cells used in atomic physics experiments. We find that the
observed desorption phenomena are closely related to recent studies in surface
science, and can probably be understood in the context of these results. If
classified in terms of the photon-energy dependence, the coverage and the
bonding state of the alkali adsorbates, the phenomena fall into two categories:
It appears very likely that the neutralization of isolated ionic adsorbates by
photo-excited electron transfer from the substrate is the origin of the
desorption induced by ultraviolet light in ultrahigh vacuum cells. The
desorption observed in low temperature cells, on the other hand, which is
resonantly dependent on photon energy in the visible light range, is quite
similar to light-induced desorption stimulated by localized electronic
excitation on metallic aggregates. More detailed studies of light-induced
desorption events from surfaces well characterized with respect to alkali
coverage-dependent ionicity and aggregate morphology appear highly desirable
for the development of more efficient alkali atom sources suitable to improve a
variety of atomic physics experiments.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; minor corrections made, published in e-Journal of
Surface Science and Nanotechnology at
http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ejssnt/4/0/4_63/_articl
Bacterial Cyclic Diguanylate Signaling Networks Sense Temperature
Many bacteria use the second messenger cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) to control motility, biofilm production and virulence. Here, we identify a thermosensory diguanylate cyclase (TdcA) that modulates temperature-dependent motility, biofilm development and virulence in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. TdcA synthesizes c-di-GMP with catalytic rates that increase more than a hundred-fold over a ten-degree Celsius change. Analyses using protein chimeras indicate that heat-sensing is mediated by a thermosensitive Per-Arnt-SIM (PAS) domain. TdcA homologs are widespread in sequence databases, and a distantly related, heterologously expressed homolog from the Betaproteobacteria order Gallionellales also displayed thermosensitive diguanylate cyclase activity. We propose, therefore, that thermotransduction is a conserved function of c-di-GMP signaling networks, and that thermosensitive catalysis of a second messenger constitutes a mechanism for thermal sensing in bacteria
Spectral hole burning in absorption profiles of metal nanoparticles prepared by laser assisted growth
We have combined two novel methods, i.e. persistent spectral hole burning and laser assisted growth, to
measure the decay time T2 of surface plasmon excitation in metal nanoparticles of different size at constant well
defined shape. The measured values of T2 amount to and are independent of size for diameters
ranging from 8 to
Laser-induced manipulation of the size and shape of small metal particles: Towards monodisperse clusters on surfaces
Adsorbate-induced transition between different mechanisms of laser-stimulated desorption
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