Spectroscopy and Excited-State Dynamics of Methyl Ferulate in Molecular Beams.

The spectroscopic and dynamic properties of methyl ferulate─a naturally occurring ultraviolet-protecting filter─and microsolvated methyl ferulate have been studied under molecular beam conditions using resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy in combination with quantum chemical calculations. We demonstrate and rationalize how the phenyl substitution pattern affects the state ordering of the lower excited singlet state manifold and what the underlying reason is for the conformation-dependent Franck-Condon (FC) activity in the UV-excitation spectra. Studies on microsolvated methyl ferulate reveal potential coordination sites and the influence of such coordination on the spectroscopic properties.

Mechanistic Basis for Red Light Switching of Azonium Ions.

Azonium ions formed by the protonation of tetra--methoxy-substituted aminoazobenzenes photoisomerize with red light under physiological conditions. This property makes them attractive as molecular tools for the photocontrol of physiological processes, for example, in photopharmacology. However, a mechanistic understanding of the photoisomerization process and subsequent thermal relaxation is necessary for the rational application of these compounds as well as for guiding the design of derivatives with improved properties.

Effect of Rapid Thermal Annealing on Si-Based Dielectric Films Grown by ICP-CVD.

Silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and silicon oxynitride thin films were deposited on the Si substrate by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition and annealed at 1100 °C for 3 min in an Ar environment. Silicon nitride and silicon oxide films deposited at ratios of the reactant flow rates of SiH/N = 1.875 and SiH/NO = 3, respectively, were Si-rich, while Si excess for the oxynitride film (SiH/N/NO = 3:2:2) was not found.

Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Hydrogen Storage in LaNiAlFe Hydride Bed.

In this article, the experimental measurements of the absorption/desorption P-C-T isotherms of hydrogen in the LaNiFeAl alloy at different temperatures and constant hydrogen pressure have been studied using a numerical model. The mathematics equations of this model contain parameters, such as the two terms, n and n representing the numbers of hydrogen atoms per site; N and N are the receptor sites' densities, and the energetic parameters are P and P. All these parameters are derived by numerically adjusting the experimental data.