A microstructured wavefront filter for the Darwin nulling interferometer

The European Space Agency's space-based Darwin mission aims to directly detect extrasolar Earth-like planets using nulling interferometry. However, in order to accomplish this using current optical technology, the interferometer input beams must be filtered to remove local wavefront errors. Although short lengths of single-mode fibre are ideal wavefront filters, Darwin's operating wavelength range of 4 - 20µm presents real challenges for optical fibre technology. In addition to the fact that step-index fibres only offer acceptable coupling efficiency over about one octave of optical bandwidth, very few suitable materials are transparent within this wavelength range. Microstructured optical fibres offer two unique properties that hold great promise for this application; they can be made from a single-material and offer endlessly single-mode guidance. Here we explore the advantages of using a microstructured fibre as a broadband wavefront filter for 4 - 20 µm

Calibration of the Neutron Detection Efficiency of the COMPTEL NE213 Detector

This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY 87-1440

Octupole Deformation in the Odd-Odd Nucleus 224-Ac

This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478

Increasing alkyl chain length in a series of layered metal–organic frameworks aids ultrasonic exfoliation to form nanosheets

Metal–organic framework nanosheets (MONs) are attracting increasing attention as a diverse class of two-dimensional materials derived from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). The principles behind the design of layered MOFs that can readily be exfoliated to form nanosheets, however, remain poorly understood. Here we systematically investigate an isoreticular series of layered MOFs functionalized with alkoxy substituents in order to understand the effect of substituent alkyl chain length on the structure and properties of the resulting nanosheets. A series of 2,5-alkoxybenzene-1,4-dicarboxylate ligands (O2CC6H2(OR)2CO2, R = methyl–pentyl, 1–5, respectively) was used to synthesize copper paddle-wheel MOFs. Rietveld and Pawley fitting of powder diffraction patterns for compounds Cu(3–5)(DMF) showed they adopt an isoreticular series with two-dimensional connectivity in which the interlayer distance increases from 8.68 Å (R = propyl) to 10.03 Å (R = pentyl). Adsorption of CO2 by the MOFs was found to increase from 27.2 to 40.2 cm3 g–1 with increasing chain length, which we attribute to the increasing accessible volume associated with increasing unit-cell volume. Ultrasound was used to exfoliate the layered MOFs to form MONs, with shorter alkyl chains resulting in higher concentrations of exfoliated material in suspension. The average height of MONs was investigated by AFM and found to decrease from 35 ± 26 to 20 ± 12 nm with increasing chain length, with the thinnest MONs observed being only 5 nm, corresponding to five framework layers. These results indicate that careful choice of ligand functionalities can be used to tune nanosheet structure and properties, enabling optimization for a variety of applications

Metal‐organic framework nanosheets: programmable 2D materials for catalysis, sensing, electronics, and separation applications

Metal-organic framework nanosheets (MONs) have recently emerged as a distinct class of 2D materials with programmable structures that make them useful in diverse applications. In this review, the breadth of applications that have so far been investigated are surveyed, thanks to the distinct combination of properties afforded by MONs. How: 1) The high surface areas and readily accessible active sites of MONs mean they have been exploited for a variety of heterogeneous, photo-, and electro-catalytic applications; 2) their diverse surface chemistry and wide range of optical and electronic responses have been harnessed for the sensing of small molecules, biological molecules, and ions; 3) MONs tunable optoelectronic properties and nanoscopic dimensions have enabled them to be harnessed in light harvesting and emission, energy storage, and other electronic devices; 4) the anisotropic structure and porous nature of MONs mean they have shown great promise in a variety of gas separation and water purification applications; are discussed. The aim is to draw links between the uses of MONs in these different applications in order to highlight the common opportunities and challenges presented by this promising class of nanomaterials

Energy Dependence of the Ratio of Isovector Effective Interaction Strengths |J_στ/J_τ| from 0° (p,n) Cross Sections

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Grants NSF PHY 78-22774 A03, NSF PHY 81-14339, and by Indiana Universit

Gamow-Teller Resonances Observed in 90,92,94-Zr(p,n) at 120 and 160 MeV

Supported by the National Science Foundation and Indiana Universit

General Features of the Gamow-Teller Resonances

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY 78-22774 A02 & A03 and by Indiana Universit