Effect of electrolyte concentration on the dynamic surface tension and dilational viscoelasticity of adsorption layers of chitosan and dodecyl chitosan.

The effect of an external salt (AcONa) on the kinetics of adsorption and structure formation inside the adsorption layers (ALs) of chitosan (Ch) and dodecyl chitosan (C12Ch) as well as on the frequency dependence of the complex dilational elasticity modulus of these layers has been studied. The complex dilational elasticity modulus of adsorption layers of polymers has been measured on the drop tensiometer (Tracker, IT Concept, France) upon applying a small sinusoidal variation of the drop area with a given frequency, omega, in the range from 10(-2) to 0.63 rad/s and recording the variation of the surface pressure.

On the design of capacitive sensors using flexible electrodes for multipurpose measurements.

This article evaluates the potential of capacitive measurements using flexible electrodes to access various physical quantities. These electrodes are made of a thin metallic film, typical thickness 0.2 microm, evaporated on a plastic substrate.

Thermal conductivity of spin-polarized liquid 3He.

We present the first measurements of the thermal conductivity of spin-polarized normal liquid 3He. Using the rapid melting technique to produce nuclear polarizations up to 0.7, and a vibrating wire both as a heater and a thermometer, we show that, unlike the viscosity, the conductivity increases much less than predicted for s-wave scattering.

Probing "cosmological" defects in superfluid 3He-B with a vibrating-wire resonator.

We report on the observation of an anomalously high damping measured by a vibrating-wire resonator (VWR) immersed into superfluid at ultralow temperatures. The observed dissipation is orders of magnitude above that corresponding to friction with the dilute normal fraction and superfluid vortices. A clear pinning behavior is also observed, as well as a strong magnetic field dependence.

Coherent oscillations in a superconducting multilevel quantum system.

We have observed coherent oscillations in a multilevel quantum system, formed by a current-biased dc SQUID. These oscillations have been induced by applying resonant microwave pulses of flux. Quantum measurement is performed by a nanosecond flux pulse that projects the final state onto one of two different voltage states of the dc SQUID, which can be read out.

Evidence of two-dimensional macroscopic quantum tunneling of a current-biased dc SQUID.

The escape probability out of the superconducting state of a hysteretic dc SQUID has been measured at different values of the applied magnetic flux. At low temperatures, the escape current and the width of the probability distribution are temperature independent but they depend on flux. Experimental results do not fit the usual one-dimensional macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) law but are perfectly accounted for by the two-dimensional MQT behavior as we propose here.

One-shot quantum measurement using a hysteretic dc SQUID.

We propose a single shot quantum measurement to determine the state of a Josephson charge quantum bit (qubit). The qubit is a Cooper pair box and the measuring device is a two junction superconducting quantum interference device (dc SQUID). This coupled system exhibits a close analogy with a Rydberg atom in a high Q cavity, except that in the present device we benefit from the additional feature of escape from the supercurrent state by macroscopic quantum tunneling, which provides the final readout.

NMR and parity nonconservation. Experimental requirements to observe a difference between enantiomer signals.

The possibility of observing a difference in the high-resolution NMR spectra of two enantiomers as due to parity nonconservation is discussed. Proposals to minimize the NMR linewidths are presented. It is concluded that, using the ultra- high-resolution technique, a difference could be observed with high Z value spin one- half nuclei such as Pt, T1, Xe.

Ferroelectric Mott-Hubbard phase of organic (TMTTF)2X conductors.

We present experimental evidence and a corresponding theory for the ferroelectric transition in the family of quasi-one-dimensional conductors (TMTTF)2X. We interpret this new transition in the frame of the combined Mott-Hubbard state taking into account the double action of the spontaneous charge disproportionation on the TMTTF molecular stacks and of the X anionic potentials.

Zero temperature spin wave damping in spin polarized 3He: does it exist?

Previous spin echo experiments at equilibrium polarizations in 3He- 4He mixtures have confirmed the prediction of zero temperature polarization-induced spin wave damping in Fermi liquids. We have measured the damping of spin waves in dilute 3He, spin polarized by a 4He circulating dilution refrigerator. The maximum polarization is almost a factor of 5 higher than the equilibrium polarization in a magnetic field of 10.

Polarization decreases the specific heat of liquid 3He.

We report on the first measurements of the polarization dependence of the specific heat of liquid 3He. Transient polarizations m of up to 70% were reached by using the rapid melting technique. The specific heat at 60-100 mK and 27 bars is found to decrease approximately as m(2), the reduction reaching at least 30% for m = 70%.

Characterization of the binding of alpha-L-Fuc (1-->2)-beta-D-Gal (1-->), a xyloglucan signal, in blackberry protoplasts.

Previous work showed that the fucose-->galactose moiety of the xyloglucan nonasaccharide XXFG is responsable for its biological activity. We used this side chain of XXFG (alpha-L-Fuc (1-->2)-beta-D-Gal (1-->)) in ligand-binding experiments to demonstrate its role as a signal molecule in plant cells. Proteins solubilized from plasma membrane enriched fractions isolated from Rubus fruticosus protoplasts were tested for their ability to bind the side chain of XXFG, using a digoxigenin- or biotin-conjugated neoglycoprotein specific for 2'-fucosyl-lactose in blots and k-ELISA tests.