Structural motifs of pre-nucleation clusters.

Structural motifs of pre-nucleation clusters prepared in single, optically levitated supersaturated aqueous aerosol microparticles containing CaBr2 as a model system are reported. Cluster formation is identified by means of X-ray absorption in the Br K-edge regime. The salt concentration beyond the saturation point is varied by controlling the humidity in the ambient atmosphere surrounding the 15-30 µm microdroplets. This leads to the formation of metastable supersaturated liquid particles. Distinct spectral shifts in near-edge spectra as a function of salt concentration are observed, in which the energy position of the Br K-edge is red-shifted by up to 7.1 ± 0.4 eV if the dilute solution is compared to the solid. The K-edge positions of supersaturated solutions are found between these limits. The changes in electronic structure are rationalized in terms of the formation of pre-nucleation clusters. This assumption is verified by spectral simulations using first-principle density functional theory and molecular dynamics calculations, in which structural motifs are considered, explaining the experimental results. These consist of solvated CaBr2 moieties, rather than building blocks forming calcium bromide hexahydrates, the crystal system that is formed by drying aqueous CaBr2 solutions.

Coherent control of the ultrafast dissociative ionization dynamics of bromochloroalkanes.

We report on the coherent control of the ultrafast ionization and fragmentation dynamics of the bromochloroalkanes C(2)H(4)BrCl and C(3)H(6)BrCl using shaped femtosecond laser pulses. In closed-loop control experiments on bromochloropropane (C(3)H(6)BrCl) the fragment ion yields of CH(2)Cl(+), CH(2)Br(+), and C(3)H(3)(+) are optimized with respect to that of the parent cation C(3)H(6)BrCl(+). The fragment ion yields are recorded in additional experiments in order to reveal the energetics of cation fragmentation, where laser-produced plasma radiation is used as a tunable pulsed nanosecond vacuum ultraviolet radiation source along with photoionization mass spectrometry. The time structure of the optimized femtosecond laser pulses leads to a depletion of the parent ion and an enhancement of the fragment ions, where a characteristic sequence of pulses is required. Specifically, an intense pump pulse is followed by a less intense probe pulse where the delay is 0.5 ps. Similarly optimized pulse shapes are obtained from closed-loop control experiments on bromochloroethane (C(2)H(4)BrCl), where the fragment ion yield of CH(2)Br(+) is optimized with respect to that of C(2)H(4)BrCl(+) as well as the fragment ion ratios C(2)H(2)(+)/CH(2)Br(+) and C(2)H(3)(+)/C(2)H(4)Cl(+). The assignment of the underlying control mechanism is derived from one-color 804 nm pump-probe experiments, where the yields of the parent cation and several fragments show broad dynamic resonances with a maximum at Δt = 0.5 ps. The experimental findings are rationalized in terms of dynamic ionic resonances leading to an enhanced dissociation of the parent cation and some primary fragment ions.

Elastic light scattering from free sub-micron particles in the soft X-ray regime.

We report the first experimental results on angle-resolved elastic light scattering in the soft X-ray regime, where free sub-micron particles in the size regime between 150 and 250 nm are studied in the gas phase by using a continuous particle beam. Two different types of studies are reported: (i) Angle-resolved elastic light scattering experiments provide specific information on the scattering patterns in the regime of element-selective inner-shell excitation near the Si 2p-edge (80-150 eV). In addition to intense forward scattering, we observe distinct features in the angle-resolved scattering patterns. These are modelled by using Mie theory as well as a model that includes contributions from diffuse and specular reflection. The results are primarily attributed to scattering from soft X-rays in the surface layer. (ii) Spectroscopic experiments are reported, where the photon detector is placed at a given scattering angle while scanning the photon energy near the Si 2p-absorption edge. These results are also analyzed by a Mie model, yielding accurate information of the size distribution.

Limits of high-order perturbation theory in time-domain optical mammography.

Higher order corrections to the Born approximation in perturbation theory are derived in order to improve its performance with the experiments in slablike geometry. A general expression of the nth order correction to absorption is developed. The cross talking between absorption and scattering is given. The convergence for higher orders of perturbation analysis for absorbing inclusions was studied. Second order absorption and scattering contributions to the transmitted flux are discussed by analyzing the data from forward simulations. The validity of the results is proven in the experiments with phantoms simulating breast tumors. The significant improvement for the fitted values of the absorption is observed. The alternative application of developed formalism as the first order theory to treat the multiple inclusions is suggested.

Photoionization of small krypton clusters in the Kr 3d regime: evidence for site-specific photoemission.

Kr 3d ionization energies of small, variable size krypton clusters are investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy, where the size regime of clusters with an average size N< or =30 is studied. Characteristic shifts in Kr 3d ionization energies to lower binding energies are found compared to the bare atom. These are also different from those of large krypton clusters. Moreover, we find evidence for photoionization of the krypton dimer. Its 3d ionization energy is barely shifted relative to the atomic value. Results from model calculations considering different isomers and cluster sizes as well as defect sites give evidence that the experimental results can be related to photoionization from different surface sites in variable size krypton clusters. This can be related to site-specific photoemission in small Kr clusters. The results are compared to size effects in Kr 3d near-edge features of variable size Kr clusters as well as recent results on Kr 3d photoionization of large Kr clusters.

High frequency surface vibrational modes and relaxation of MgO nanocrystals.

We present a computational proof for the puzzling experimental vibrational density of states in MgO nanocrystals measured by neutron scattering. For the first time, the experimental peak of longitudinal optical modes in the high frequency region is theoretically reproduced and traced back to surface inward relaxation. Practically perfect agreement of theory with the experiment demonstrates the importance of nanocrystal size effects. Dependence of the transversal optical model on the volume/surface ratio is also verified. Strong (up to 2%) buckling of nanocrystal faces is found. Our calculations show varieties of relaxation shapes for clusters, shedding light on contradictory data on nanocrystals and infinite surfaces.

Minute SiGe quantum dots on Si(001) by a kinetic 3D island mode.

We investigated the initial growth stages of Si(x)Ge(1-x)/Si(001) by real time stress measurements and in situ scanning tunneling microscopy at deposition temperatures, where intermixing effects are still minute (< or =900 K). Whereas Ge/Si(001) is a well known Stranski-Krastanow system, the growth of SiGe alloy films switches to a 3D island mode at Si content above 20%. The obtained islands are small (a few nanometers), are uniform in shape, and exhibit a narrow size distribution, making them promising candidates for future quantum dot devices.