Study of ultrathin Pt/Co/Pt trilayers modified by nanosecond XUV pulses from laser-driven plasma source

We have studied the structural mechanisms responsible for the magnetic reorientation between in-plane and out-of-plane magnetization in the (25 nm Pt)/(3 and 10 nm Co)/(3 nm Pt) trilayer systems irradiated with nanosecond XUV pulses generated with laser-driven gas-puff target plasma source of a narrow continuous spectrum peaked at wavelength of 11 nm. The thickness of individual layers, their density, chemical composition and irradiation-induced lateral strain were deduced from symmetric and asymmetric X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, grazing-incidence X-ray reflectometry (GIXR), grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXRF), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. In the as grown samples we found, that the Pt buffer layers are relaxed and that the layer interfaces are sharp. As a result of a quasi-uniform irradiation of the samples, the XRD, EXAFS, GIXR and GIXRF data reveal the formation of two distinct layers composed of Pt1-xCox alloys with different Co concentrations, dependent on the thickness of the as grown magnetic Co film but with similar ∼1% lateral tensile residual strain. For smaller exposure dose (lower number of accumulated pulses) only partial interdiffusion at the interfaces takes place with the formation of a tri-layer composed of Co-Pt alloy sandwiched between thinned Pt layers, as revealed by TEM. The structural modifications are accompanied by magnetization changes, evidenced by means of magneto-optical microscopy. The difference in magnetic properties of the irradiated samples can be related to their modification in Pt1-xCox alloy composition, as the other parameters (lateral strain and alloy thickness) remain almost unchanged. The out-of-plane magnetization observed for the sample with initially 3 nm Co layer can be due to a significant reduction of demagnetization factor resulting from a lower Co concentration

Damage accumulation in thin ruthenium films induced by repetitive exposure to femtosecond XUV pulses below the single shot ablation threshold

The process of damage accumulation in thin ruthenium films exposed to multiple femtosecond XUV free electron laser FEL pulses below the critical angle of reflectance at the Free electron LASer facility in Hamburg FLASH was experimentally analyzed. The multi shot damage threshold is found to be lower than single shot damage threshold. Detailed analysis of the damage morphology and its dependence on irradiation conditions justifies the assumption that cavitation induced by the FEL pulse is the prime mechanism responsible for multi shot damage in optical coating

A semi-analytical approach for the characterization of ordered 3D nano structures using grazing-incidence X-ray fluorescence

Following the recent demonstration of grazing-incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXRF) based characterization of the 3D atomic distribution of different elements and dimensional parameters of periodic nanoscale structures, this work presents a new computational scheme for the simulation of the angular dependent fluorescence intensities from such periodic 2D and 3D nanoscale structures. The computational scheme is based on the dynamical diffraction theory in many-beam approximation, which allows to derive a semi-analytical solution to the Sherman equation in a linear-algebraic form. The computational scheme has been used to analyze recently published GIXRF data measured on 2D Si3N4 lamellar gratings, as well as on periodically structured 3D Cr nano pillars. Both the dimensional and structural parameters of these nanostructures have been reconstructed by fitting numeric simulations to the experimental GIXRF data. Obtained results show good agreement with nominal parameters used in the manufacturing of the structures, as well as with reconstructed parameters based on the previously published finite element method simulations, in case of the Si3N4 grating

Роль микроРНК в развитии радиорезистентности клеток рака предстательной железы (экспериментальное исследование)

Background. Radiation therapy is one of the leading treatments for early and late stage prostate cancer. Radiation therapy is one of the leading treatments for early and late stage prostate cancer. The significant frequency of prostate cancer progression after radiation therapy makes it relevant to study the molecular mechanisms of the development of radioresistance, to identify prognostic markers of its development.Objective: identification and analysis of the mechanism of action of microRNAs regulating radioresistance of prostate cancer cells on the model of the androgen-independent DU145 cell line.Materials and methods. We used human prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines: DU145-hormone-independent prostate cancer cell line and DU145-RR - its radioresistant variant. Differential microRNA expression was measured in cultured DU145 and DU145-RR cells 1, 8 days after a single gamma irradiation at a dose of 4 Gy. To analyze the differential expression of microRNAs in the initial and radioresistant variants of DU145 cells, the HiSeq 2000 platform (Illumina Inc., USA) was used. The miRBase v.21 database was used to identify microRNAs. The miRTarbase 7.0 and KEGG PATHWAY databases were used for bioinformatic analysisResults. The results of the study showed that the aberrant expression of miR-101-3p, -148a-3p, -21-3p, -532-5p, -92a-3p in DU145-RR cells upregulated compared to that in DU145 cells, and miR-125b-5p, -23a-3p, -424-3p - downregulated. It has been shown that the role of these microRNAs is associated with the provision of functional interaction between DNA methyltransferases, the transcriptional regulator of the proto-oncogenic protein Myc, and PTEN phosphatase in the regulation of the activity of MAPK and PI3K protein kinase signaling cascades. Constitutive activation of these cascades leads to an increase in cell survival, migration, proliferation, and growth.Conclusion. A wide range of target genes and a significant change in the expression profiles of microRNAs in various conditions, including the transition of malignant cells to a radioresistant status, makes microRNAs promising prognostic markers of radioresistance in prostate cancer.Введение. Лучевая терапия - один из ведущих методов лечения рака предстательной железы на ранней и поздней стадиях развития. Значительная частота прогрессирования рака предстательной железы после лучевой терапии делает актуальными изучение молекулярных механизмов развития радиорезистентности и выявление прогностических маркеров ее развития.Цель исследования - идентификация и анализ механизма действия микроРНК, регулирующих радиорезистентность клеток рака предстательной железы на модели андрогеннезависимой клеточной линии DU145.Материалы и методы. В работе использовали клеточные линии аденокарциномы предстательной железы человека: DU145 - гормононезависимую клеточную линию рака предстательной железы и DU145-RR - ее радиорезистент-ный вариант. Дифференциальную экспрессию микроРНК измеряли в культивируемых клетках DU145 и DU145-RR через 1 и 8 сут после однократного Y-облучения в дозе 4 Гр. Для анализа дифференциальной экспрессии микроРНК в исходном и радиорезистентном вариантах клеток DU145 использовали платформу HiSeq 2000 (Illumina Inc., США). Для идентификации микроРНК применяли базу данных miRBase v.21. Для биоинформатического анализа - базы данных miRTarbase 7.0 и KEGG PATHWAY.Результаты. Результаты исследования показали, что аберрантная экспрессия miR-101-3p, -148a-3p, -21-3p, -532-5p, -92a-3p в клетках DU145-RR повышается по сравнению с таковой в клетках DU145, а miR-125b-5p, -23a-3p, -424-3p -снижается. Показано, что роль этих микроРНК связана с обеспечением функционального взаимодействия между ДНК-метилтрансферазами, транскрипционным регулятором протоонкогенного белка Myc, а также фосфатазой PTEN в регуляции активности протеинкиназных сигнальных каскадов MAPK и PI3K. Конститутивная активация данных каскадов приводит к повышению выживаемости, миграции, пролиферации и росту клеток.Заключение. Широкий спектр генов-мишеней и существенное изменение профилей экспрессии микроРНК при различных состояниях, включая переход злокачественных клеток в радиорезистентный статус, делают микроРНК перспективными прогностическими маркерами радиорезистентности при раке предстательной железы

Characterization of megahertz X ray laser beams by multishot desorption imprints in PMMA

Proper diagnostics of intense free electron laser FEL X ray pulses is indisputably important for experimental data analysis as well as for the protection of beamline optical elements. New challenges for beam diagnostic methods are introduced by modern FEL facilities capable of delivering powerful pulses at megahertz MHz repetition rates. In this paper, we report the first characterization of a defocused MHz 13.5 nm beam generated by the free electron laser in Hamburg FLASH using the method of multi pulse desorption imprints in poly methyl methacrylate PMMA . The beam fluence profile is reconstructed in a novel and highly accurate way that takes into account the nonlinear response of material removal to total dose delivered by multiple pulses. The algorithm is applied to experimental data of single shot ablation imprints and multi shot desorption imprints at both low 10 Hz and high 1 MHz repetition rates. Reconstructed response functions show a great agreement with the theoretical desorption response function mode

Experimental study of EUV mirror radiation damage resistance under long term free electron laser exposures below the single shot damage threshold

The durability of grazing and normal incidence optical coatings has been experimentally assessed under free electron laser irradiation at various numbers of pulses up to 16 million shots and various fluence levels below 10 of the single shot damage threshold. The experiment was performed at FLASH, the Free electron LASer in Hamburg, using 13.5 nm extreme UV EUV radiation with 100 fs pulse duration. Polycrystalline ruthenium and amorphous carbon 50 nm thin films on silicon substrates were tested at total external reflection angles of 20 and 10 grazing incidence, respectively. Mo Si periodical multilayer structures were tested in the Bragg reflection condition at 16 off normal angle of incidence. The exposed areas were analysed post mortem using differential contrast visible light microscopy, EUV reflectivity mapping and scanning X ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The analysis revealed that Ru and Mo Si coatings exposed to the highest dose and fluence level show a few per cent drop in their EUV reflectivity, which is explained by EUV induced oxidation of the surfac

Mechanism of single shot damage of Ru thin films irradiated by femtosecond extreme UV free electron laser

Ruthenium is a perspective material to be used for XUV mirrors at free electron laser facilities. Yet, it is still poorly studied in the context of ultrafast laser matter interaction. In this work, we present single shot damage studies of thin Ru films irradiated by femtosecond XUV free electron laser pulses at FLASH. Ex situ analysis of the damaged spots, performed by different types of microscopy, shows that the weakest detected damage is surface roughening. For higher fluences we observe ablation of Ru. Combined simulations using Monte Carlo code XCASCADE 3D and the two temperature model reveal that the damage mechanism is photomechanical spallation, similar to the case of irradiating the target with optical lasers. The analogy with the optical damage studies enables us to explain the observed damage morphologie