Die Bundeswehr als „modernes“ Wirtschaftsunternehmen

The German Army is in a process of transformation for about two decades now, these concerning mainly two processes: first, the transformation from a Cold War land-defence army to an intervention army deployed worldwide; second, the outsourcing of many formerly state-army-owned services to the private sector via different forms of cooperation. The article argues that the latest ongoing “structural reform” of the German Army enforced by the conservative-liberal government has pushed the door open for the army to become a private corporation by itself

Surface-Emitted Green Light Generated In Langmuir-Blodgett-Film Wave-Guides

We demonstrate second-harmonic generation due to counterpropagating beams in planar waveguides of 2-docosylamino-5-nitropyridine (DCANP). The DCANP molecules were deposited by Langmuir-Blodgett techniques and have a preferred alignment within the substrate plane. Four-layer waveguide structures were used to optimize the trade-off between propagation loss and efficient surface-emitted green light

Mapping Molecular Orientation with Phase Sensitive Vibrationally Resonant Sum-Frequency Generation Microscopy

We demonstrate a phase sensitive, vibrationally resonant sum-frequency generation (PSVR-SFG) microscope that combines high resolution, fast image acquisition speed, chemical selectivity, and phase sensitivity. Using the PSVR-SFG microscope, we generate amplitude and phase images of the second-order susceptibility of collagen I fibers in rat tail tendon tissue on resonance with the methylene vibrations of the protein. We find that the phase of the second-order susceptibility shows dependence on the effective polarity of the fibril bundles, revealing fibrous collagen domains of opposite orientations within the tissue. The presence of collagen microdomains in tendon tissue may have implications for the interpretation of the mechanical properties of the tissue. [Image: see text

In Situ Microscopy and Spectroscopy Applied to Surfaces at Work

The present review discusses the current state of the art microscopic and spectroscopic characterization techniques available to study surfaces and interfaces under working conditions. Microscopic techniques such as environmental transmission electron microscopy and in situ transmission electron microscopy are first discussed showing their applications in the field of nanomaterials and catalysis. Next sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy is discussed, giving probing examples of surface studies in gaseous conditions. Synchrotron based X-ray techniques are also examined with a specific focus on ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron and absorption techniques such as near and extended X-ray absorption fine structure. Each of the techniques is evaluated, whilst the pros and cons are discussed in term of surface sensitivity, spatial resolution and/or time resolution. The second part of the articles is articulated around the future of in situ characterization, giving examples of the probable development of the discussed techniques as well as an introduction of emerging tools such as scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, ptychography, and X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy