The structure of the C4 cluster radical

The first infrared spectrum of gas phase, jet-cooled C4 has been measured by high resolution diode laser absorption spectroscopy. Twelve rovibrational transitions are assigned to the nu3(sigmau) antisymmetric stretch of linear 3Sigma - g C4. No evidence is observed for the bent structure of triplet C4 recently observed in a matrix study by Cheung and Graham [J. Chem. Phys. 91, 6664 (1989)]. Indeed, the measured band origin (1548.9368(21) cm^–1) and effective ground state C–C bond length [1.304 31(21)A] are consistent with several ab initio predictions of a rigid, linear, cumulenic structure for this cluster radical

The C9 cluster: Structure and infrared frequencies

The high resolution infrared spectrum of the C9 cluster has been measured in direct absorption by infrared diode laser spectroscopy of a pulsed supersonic carbon cluster jet. Fifty-one rovibrational transitions have been assigned to the nu6 (sigmau ) antisymmetric stretch fundamental of the 1Sigma + 9 linear ground state of C9. The measured rotational constant [429.30(50) MHz] is in good agreement with ab initio calculations and indicates an effective bond length of 1.278 68(75) Å, consistent with cumulenic bonding in this cluster. Several perturbations are observed in the upper state, and the upper- and lower-state centrifugal distortion constants are observed to be anomolously large, evidencing a high degree of Coriolis mixing of the normal modes

Theory of size-dependent resonance Raman intensities in InP nanocrystals

The resonance Raman spectrum of InP nanocrystals is characterized by features ascribable to both longitudinal (LO) and transverse (TO) optical modes. The intensity ratio of these modes exhibits a strong size dependence. To calculate the size dependence of the LO and TO Raman cross sections, we combine existing models of Raman scattering, the size dependence of electronic and vibrational structure, and electron vibration coupling in solids. For nanocrystals with a radius >10 Å, both the LO and TO coupling strengths increase with increasing radius. This, together with an experimentally observed increase in the electronic dephasing rate with decreasing size, allows us to account for the observed ratio of LO/TO Raman intensities

The UV absorption spectrum of C60 (buckminsterfullerene): A narrow band at 3860 Å

The absorption spectrum of the special C60 cluster buckminsterfullerene has been studied in a supersonic beam by laser depletion of the cold van der Waals complexes of C60 with benzene and methylene chloride. Both complexes were found to display a single, isolated absorption band in the near ultraviolet superimposed on a structureless absorption continuum. For the methylene chloride complex this feature is centered at 3860 Å, and is roughly 50 cm−1 wide. In the benzene van der Waals cluster, the corresponding feature is located at 3863 Å, and has a similar width. This spectrum is tentatively assigned to the 0–0 band of the lowest 1T1u<--1Ag (LUMO+1<--HOMO) transition of a truncated icosahedral carbon shell structure, broadened by coupling to the underlying quasicontinuum of ground state vibrational levels

Integers represented as a sum of primes and powers of two

It is shown that every sufficiently large even integer is a sum of two primes and exactly 13 powers of 2. Under the Generalized Rieman Hypothesis one can replace 13 by 7. Unlike previous work on this problem, the proof avoids numerical calculations with explicit zero-free regions of Dirichlet L-functions. The argument uses a new technique to bound the measure of the set on which the exponential sum formed from powers of 2 is large.Comment: 32 Pages; typos correcte

Germanium quantum dots: Optical properties and synthesis

Three different size distributions of Ge quantum dots (>~200, 110, and 60 Å) have been synthesized via the ultrasonic mediated reduction of mixtures of chlorogermanes and organochlorogermanes (or organochlorosilanes) by a colloidal sodium/potassium alloy in heptane, followed by annealing in a sealed pressure vessel at 270 °C. The quantum dots are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, x-ray powder diffraction, x-ray photoemission, infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Colloidal suspensions of these quantum dots were prepared and their extinction spectra are measured with ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) and near infrared (IR) spectroscopy, in the regime from 0.6 to 5 eV. The optical spectra are correlated with a Mie theory extinction calculation utilizing bulk optical constants. This leads to an assignment of three optical features to the E(1), E(0'), and E(2) direct band gap transitions. The E(0') transitions exhibit a strong size dependence. The near IR spectra of the largest dots is dominated by E(0) direct gap absorptions. For the smallest dots the near IR spectrum is dominated by the Gamma25-->L indirect transitions

The geometric properties of an expandable whirling-membrane solar-energy concentrator

Geometric properties of expandable whirling membrane solar energy concentrator used in conjunction with electrical conversion systems for spacecraft auxiliary power unit

Nanocrystal seeding: A low temperature route to polycrystalline Si films

A novel method is presented for growth of polycrystalline silicon films on amorphous substrates at temperatures of 540–575 °C. Grain nucleation and grain growth are performed in two steps, using Si nanocrystals as nuclei ("seeds"). The nanocrystal seeds are produced by excimer laser photolysis of disilane in a room temperature flow cell. Film (grain) growth occurs epitaxially on the seeds in a separate thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) step, with growth rates 10–100 times higher than similar CVD growth rates on crystal Si. Grain size and CVD growth rates are dependent on seed coverage, for seed coverage <0.2 monolayers

The visual standards for the selection and retention of astronauts, part 2

In preparation for the various studies planned for assessing visual capabilities and tasks in order to set vision standards for astronauts, the following pieces of equipment have been assembled and tested: a spectacle obstruction measuring device, a biometric glare susceptibility tester, a variable vergence amplitude testing device, an eye movement recorder, a lunar illumination simulation chamber, a night myopia testing apparatus, and retinal adaption measuring devices