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 model.

Effect of temperature on photophysical properties of polymeric nanofiber materials with porphyrin photosensitizers.

Electrospun nanofibers possess large surface to volume ratios, high porosity, and good mechanical properties that are necessary for biological applications. We prepared different types of photoactive polymeric nanofiber materials with encapsulated or externally bound porphyrin photosensitizers. The kinetics of formation and the decay of both singlet oxygen O2((1)Δg) and porphyrin triplet states that are generated by irradiation of nanofiber materials in an air atmosphere or in an air-saturated aqueous solution were measured and evaluated by luminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy in the temperature range between 5 and 60 °C. We found shortening of the O2((1)Δg) lifetime and a significant increase in singlet oxygen-sensitized delayed fluorescence at higher temperatures. These photophysical data show an increase in the diffusion coefficient for O2((1)Δg) with temperature, and they are consistent with a stronger antibacterial effect of the nanofiber material on Escherichia coli at higher temperature.

Photophysical properties of CdSe quantum dot self-assemblies with zinc phthalocyanines and azaphthalocyanines.

The formation of self-assemblies between CdSe quantum dots (QDs) and Zn phthalocyanines (Pc) and azaphthalocyanines (AzaPc) bearing alkylsulfanyl substituents and the photophysical properties of these assemblies were studied using both steady-state and time-resolved luminescence/absorption spectroscopy. The formation of the self-assemblies was accompanied by a blue shift of the Q band of the dyes and by a quenching of the CdSe QDs luminescence. The largest spectral shift of the Q-band was approximately 7 nm and was observed for pentan-3-ylsulfanyl-functionalised phthalocyanine (). Assuming a 1 : 1 stoichiometry, the calculated binding constant was 4 × 10(4) M(-1). Pc substituted with the bulky tert-butylsulfanyl groups (1) exhibited a smaller shift of the Q band. The quenching of the CdSe QDs luminescence by 1 was more effective than that observed for 3. The results indicated that the luminescence quenching may be due to a photoinduced charge transfer between 1 or 3 and the CdSe QDs. In contrast, the AzaPc (2) with the same substituents as 1 had little effect on the QDs luminescence. For all cases, we found an inefficient resonance energy transfer between the attached dyes and the CdSe QD. The formation of the self-assemblies had negligible effects on the photogeneration of the singlet oxygen, O2((1)Δg), that was fully controlled only by the absorption of the light by the macrocycles.

Fluorescent polyurethane nanofabrics: a source of singlet oxygen and oxygen sensing.

Polyurethane (PUR) nanofabrics based on nanofibers of average diameters in the range of 250-110 nm with different meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) loading (0.01-5 wt %) were prepared by an electrospinning process. The oxygen quenching of excited states and singlet oxygen-sensitized delayed fluorescence (SODF) of TPP were studied at different oxygen pressures. We found that TPP in PUR matrix is present in monomeric state, and it is easily accessed by oxygen. Analysis of the kinetics of the TPP triplet, singlet oxygen, and SODF indicates that repopulation of TPP fluorescent state includes reaction of singlet oxygen with TPP triplets. The integrated SODF achieved more than 20% of the prompt fluorescence for nanofabric loaded with 5 wt % TPP. The dependence of SODF intensity on the TPP concentration in nanofibers is nearly quadratic.

Detailed study of fine and hyperfine structures in rotational spectra of the free fluoroformyloxyl radical FCO2.

More than 160 new hyperfine components of rotational transitions of the free fluoroformyloxyl radical FCO(2) have been measured using the Prague millimeter wave high resolution spectrometer. The frequencies of these transitions together with the previously measured data were analyzed in detail and precise values of magnetic hyperfine and fine parameters were obtained. These new parameters significantly improve the values of previously determined hyperfine parameters which were rather unreliable. The new fine and hyperfine parameters obtained in this study are compatible with those of the simultaneously electron paramagnetic resonance study. Besides that, significantly improved ground state rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of the fluoroformyloxyl radical were derived.

Tetraphenylporphyrin-cobalt(III) bis(1,2-dicarbollide) conjugates: from the solution characteristics to inhibition of HIV protease.

Tetraphenylporphyrin conjugates with one (PB1) and four (PB4) cobalt(III) bis(1,2-dicarbollide) substituents were synthesized and the physicochemical and photophysical properties as well as inhibition of HIV-1 protease were described. In methanol, both PB1 and PB4 were monomeric producing the triplet states and singlet oxygen after excitation. The triplet states of PB4 were quickly protonated. Porphyrins exhibited a small decrease of the quantum yields of the singlet oxygen formation (17% for PB4 and 13% for PB1) as compared with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin. On the contrary, no singlet oxygen was detected in aqueous solutions because of strong aggregation. Light scattering and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements documented that the behavior of aggregates in aqueous solutions is fairly complex and depends on pH, concentration, and aging. The aggregation started from spherical particles in neutral solutions. In acidic solutions, extended aggregation occurred because of slow protonation of the porphyrin pyrrole nitrogen atoms. Both PB1 and PB4 are new representatives of nonpeptide HIV-1 protease inhibitors. Their activity increased with the increasing number of the cobalt(III) bis(1,2-dicarbollide) substituents and was characterized with the IC50 values of 290+/-44 nM for PB1 and 77+/-13 nM for PB4.

Formation of lanthanide(III) texaphyrin complexes with DNA controlled by the size of the central metal cation.

Interaction of lanthanide(III) texaphyrins (LnTEX) with calf thymus DNA was studied by UV-Vis, CD, resonance light scattering spectroscopy and by laser flash photolysis. The thermal stability of the LnTEX/DNA complexes decreases with the increasing lanthanide ion radius: LuTEX>DyTEX>GdTEX>EuTEX>CeTEX> or =LaTEX. Texaphyrins LaTEX, LuTEX and GdTEX produce O2(1Deltag) in methanol solutions. In a phosphate buffer, the concentration of O2(1Deltag) produced by these texaphyrins bound to DNA is affected by the formation of aggregates on the DNA backbone.

Millimeter wave spectrum of bromomethyl radical, CH2Br.

The rotational spectra of the two isotopic species of the bromomethyl radical, CH2 79Br and CH2 81Br, have been observed in their ground electronic state 2B1 in the 180-470 GHz frequency region, corresponding to a-type transitions from N=8-7 to N=21-20. The radical was produced by hydrogen abstraction of methylbromide (CH3Br) either by chlorine or by fluorine atoms in a free space cell. Hyperfine structure due to the bromine nucleus has been resolved in the observed spectra, and the rotational constants as well as the fine and hyperfine interaction constants were accurately determined for both isotopomers. The inertial defect was determined to be 0.028 96(20) and 0.028 95(20) amu A(2), for CH2 79Br and CH2 81Br, respectively, suggesting a planar structure. By fixing the [angle]HCH bond angle at 124.5 degrees , an effective molecular structure can be derived as r0(CBr)=1.848 A and r0(CH)=1.084 A. A comparison of the molecular structure of various halogen-substituted methyl radicals with respect to the planarity of these radicals is discussed.

Photodegradation of 1-nitropyrene in solution and in the adsorbed state.

The photodegradation of the 1-nitropyrene (NPy) has been studied using conventional (Xe and medium pressure Hg lamps) and laser sources (XeCl excimer and Nd-YAG UV). Low energy monochromatic light sources were used to study the early stages of degradation (up to 50% conversion). The medium pressure Hg lamp was used for longer periods of irradiation (up to 6h) and for greater degradation of NPy. The results of our work confirm that degradation occurs by radical mechanism. Aromatic hydroxymethyl, methoxy, hydroxy and nitroso derivatives of pyrene (Py) are created by low energy UV irradiation. After a massive UV irradiation, the Py aromatic system is destroyed and more polar low-molecular compounds are generated. The photochemical method described in this paper, based on irradiation by UV lamp, is therefore, suitable for degradation of fused benzene ring(s) and thus should also be effective for degradation of other nitrated polycyclic aromatic compounds.

Optical emission spectroscopy of nitrogen species and plasma plume induced by laser ablation combined with pulse modulated radio-frequency discharge.

Combined laser ablation and pulse modulated radio-frequency (RF) discharge for deposition of CNalpha films was studied by the use of optical emission spectroscopy. Chemically active nitrogen was produced by RF discharge, concentrated between two small electrodes. Influence of RF power, nitrogen pressure, modulation frequency and pulse rate on nitrogen species production was researched. For the same system plasma expansion rate, kinetic energy and concentration of carbon ions emitted by laser from graphite target were determined by Langmuir probes measurement.

Wind tunnel simulation of air pollution dispersion in a street canyon.

Physical simulation was used to study pollution dispersion in a street canyon. The street canyon model was designed to study the effect of measuring flow and concentration fields. A method of C02-laser photoacoustic spectrometry was applied for detection of trace concentration of gas pollution. The advantage of this method is its high sensitivity and broad dynamic range, permitting monitoring of concentrations from trace to saturation values. Application of this method enabled us to propose a simple model based on line permeation pollutant source, developed on the principle of concentration standards, to ensure high precision and homogeneity of the concentration flow. Spatial measurement of the concentration distribution inside the street canyon was performed on the model with reference velocity of 1.5 m/s.