Direct search for solar axions by using strong magnetic field and X-ray detectors

We have searched for axions which could be produced in the solar core by exploiting their conversion to X rays in a strong laboratory magnetic field. The signature of the solar axion is an increase in the rate of the X rays detected in a magnetic helioscope when the sun is within its acceptance. From the absence of such a signal we set a 95% confidence level limit on the axion coupling to two photons $g_{a\gamma\gamma}\equiv 1/M < 6.0\times 10^{-10}$ GeV$^{-1}$, provided the axion mass $m_a<0.03$ eV. The limit on the coupling is factor 4.5 more stringent than the recent experimental result. This is the first experiment whose sensitivity to $g_{a\gamma\gamma}$ is higher than the limit constrained by the solar age consideration.Comment: 11 pages, REVTeX, 4 eps figures included, submitted to PL

Formation and characterization of phthalocyanine dimer/C60 solar cells

AbstractOrganic solar cells with μ-oxo-bridged gallium phthalocyanine dimer (GaPc dimer) and fullerene were produced by an evaporation method. A device based on the GaPc dimer provided a conversion efficiency of 4.2×10–3%, which is better compared to a device based on phthalocyanine monomer. Dimerization effect was discussed with a molecular orbital calculation, and the crystalline phases of the present solar cells were investigated by X-ray diffraction. Further improvement of the efficiency was discussed on the basis of the experimental results

Soft X-ray Angle Resolved Photoemission with Micro Positioning Techniques for Metallic V2O3

Soft X-ray angle-resolved photoemission has been performed for metallic V2O3. By combining a microfocus beam (40 µm × 65 µm) and micro-positioning techniques with a long-working-distance microscope, it has been possible to observe band dispersions from tiny cleavage surfaces with a typical size of several tens of µm. The photoemission spectra show a clear position dependence, reflecting the morphology of the cleaved sample surface. By selecting high-quality flat regions on the sample surface, it has been possible to perform band mapping using both photon-energy and polar-angle dependences, opening the door to three-dimensional angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy for typical three-dimensional correlated materials where large cleavage planes are rarely obtained