Ultrafast pump-probe dynamics in ZnSe-based semiconductor quantum-wells

Pump-probe experiments are used as a controllable way to investigate the properties of photoexcited semiconductors, in particular, the absorption saturation. We present an experiment-theory comparison for ZnSe quantum wells, investigating the energy renormalization and bleaching of the excitonic resonances. Experiments were performed with spin-selective excitation and above-bandgap pumping. The model, based on the semiconductor Bloch equations in the screened Hartree-Fock approximation, takes various scattering processes into account phenomenologically. Comparing numerical results with available experimental data, we explain the experimental results and find that the electron spin-flip occurs on a time scale of 30 ps.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures. Key words: nonlinear and ultrafast optics, modeling of femtosecond pump-probe experiments, electron spin-flip tim

Choice of fluorophore affects dynamic DNA nanostructures

The ability to dynamically remodel DNA origami structures or functional nanodevices is highly desired in the field of DNA nanotechnology. Concomitantly, the use of fluorophores to track and validate the dynamics of such DNA-based architectures is commonplace and often unavoidable. It is therefore crucial to be aware of the side effects of popular fluorophores, which are often exchanged without considering the potential impact on the system. Here, we show that the choice of fluorophore can strongly affect the reconfiguration of DNA nanostructures. To this end, we encapsulate a triple-stranded DNA (tsDNA) into water-in-oil compartments and functionalize their periphery with a single-stranded DNA handle (ssDNA). Thus, the tsDNA can bind and unbind from the periphery by reversible opening of the triplex and subsequent strand displacement. Using a combination of experiments, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and reaction-diffusion modelling, we demonstrate for 12 different fluorophore combinations that it is possible to alter or even inhibit the DNA nanostructure formation—without changing the DNA sequence. Besides its immediate importance for the design of pH-responsive switches and fluorophore labelling, our work presents a strategy to precisely tune the energy landscape of dynamic DNA nanodevices

Supercurrent in Nodal Superconductors

In recent years, a number of nodal superconductors have been identified; d-wave superconductors in high T_c cuprates, CeCoIn$_5$, and \kappa-(ET)_2Cu(NCS)_2, 2D f-wave superconductor in Sr_2RuO_4 and hybrid s+g-wave superconductor in YNi_2B_2C. In this work we conduct a theoretical study of nodal superconductors in the presence of supercurrent. For simplicity, we limit ourselves to d-wave and 2D f-wave superconductors. We compute the quasiparticle density of states and the temperature dependence of the depairing critical current in nodal superconductors, both of which are accessible experimentally.Comment: revtex4, 6 pages, 7 figures; fixed typos, updated references, trimmed introductio

Integral field spectroscopy of nearby QSOs II. The molecular gas content and condition for star formation

We present single-dish 12CO(1 − 0) and 12CO(2 − 1) observations for 14 low-redshift quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). In combination with optical integral field spectroscopy we study how the cold gas content relates to the star formation rate (SFR) and black hole accretion rate. 12CO(1 − 0) is detected in 8 of 14 targets and 12CO(2 − 1) is detected in 7 out of 11 cases. The majority of disc-dominated QSOs reveal gas fractions and depletion times well matching normal star forming systems. Two gas-rich major mergers show clear starburst signatures with higher than average gas fractions and shorter depletion times. Bulge-dominated QSO hosts are mainly undetected in 12CO(1 − 0) which corresponds, on average, to lower gas fractions than in disc-dominated counterparts. Their SFRs however imply shorter than average depletion times and higher star formation efficiencies. Negative QSO feedback through removal of cold gas seems to play a negligible role in our sample. We find a trend between black hole accretion rate and total molecular gas content for disc-dominated QSOs when combined with literature samples. We interpret this as an upper envelope for the nuclear activity and is well represented by a scaling relation between the total and circum-nuclear gas reservoir accessible for accretion. Bulge-dominated QSOs significantly differ from that scaling relation and appear uncorrelated with the total molecular gas content. This could be explained either by a more compact gas reservoir, blow out of the gas envelope through outflows, or a different ISM phase composition

HE 0047-1756: A new gravitationally lensed double QSO

The quasar HE 0047-1756, at z=1.67, is found to be split into two images 1.44" apart by an intervening galaxy acting as a gravitational lens. The flux ratio for the two components is roughly 3.5:1, depending slightly upon wavelength. The lensing galaxy is seen on images obtained at 800 nm and 2.1 \mu; there is also a nearby faint object which may be responsible for some shear. The spectra of the two quasar images are nearly identical, but the emission line ratio between the two components scale differently from the continuum. Moreover, the fainter component has a bluer continuum slope than the brighter one. We argue that these small differences are probably due to microlensing. There are hints of an Einstein ring emanating from the brighter image toward the fainter one.Comment: 4 pages, submitted to A&A Letter