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Crystals
Volume 9
Issue 7
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Crystals, Volume 9, Issue 7 (July 2019) – 53 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Growing crystals in a gel matrix is possible to induce a huge variety of crystal shapes but also deep morphological and structural modifications, including disordered intergrowth crystals, macro- and micromorphology alterations, and gel inclusion phenomena. Moreover, thanks to their versatility, gel diffusion techniques represent a powerful tool to affect the overall kinetic process and, thus, the phase equilibrium composition in multicomponent systems, like the well-known, hybrid functional materials “coordination polymers (CPs)”. The history of crystal growth via a gel method of a CP system based on a cadmium salt and a bipyridyl ligand is reported, including a fascinating in situ observation of the growth process. View this paper
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17 pages, 5407 KiB  
Review
Quality Control and Structural Assessment of Anisotropic Scintillating Crystals
by Luigi Montalto, Pier Paolo Natali, Lorenzo Scalise, Nicola Paone, Fabrizio Davì, Daniele Rinaldi, Gianni Barucca and Paolo Mengucci
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070376 - 23 Jul 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3757
Abstract
Nowadays, radiation detectors based on scintillating crystals are used in many different fields of science like medicine, aerospace, high-energy physics, and security. The scintillating crystals are the core elements of these devices; by converting high-energy radiation into visible photons, they produce optical signals [...] Read more.
Nowadays, radiation detectors based on scintillating crystals are used in many different fields of science like medicine, aerospace, high-energy physics, and security. The scintillating crystals are the core elements of these devices; by converting high-energy radiation into visible photons, they produce optical signals that can be detected and analyzed. Structural and surface conditions, defects, and residual stress states play a crucial role in their operating performance in terms of light production, transport, and extraction. Industrial production of such crystalline materials is a complex process that requires sensing, in-line and off-line, for material characterization and process control to properly tune the production parameters. Indeed, the scintillators’ quality must be accurately assessed during their manufacture in order to prevent malfunction and failures at each level of the chain, optimizing the production and utilization costs. This paper presents an overview of the techniques used, at various stages, across the crystal production process, to assess the quality and structural condition of anisotropic scintillating crystals. Different inspection techniques (XRD, SEM, EDX, and TEM) and the non-invasive photoelasticity-based methods for residual stress detection, such as laser conoscopy and sphenoscopy, are presented. The use of XRD, SEM, EDX, and TEM analytical methods offers detailed structural and morphological information. Conoscopy and sphenoscopy offer the advantages of fast and non-invasive measurement suitable for the inspection of the whole crystal quality. These techniques, based on different measurement methods and models, provide different information that can be cross-correlated to obtain a complete characterization of the scintillating crystals. Inspection methods will be analyzed and compared to the present state of the art. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scintillator Crystals: Structure, Characterization and Models for Better Performances)
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12 pages, 3104 KiB  
Article
Crystallization and Crystallographic Analysis of a Bradyrhizobium Elkanii USDA94 Haloalkane Dehalogenase Variant with an Eliminated Halide-Binding Site
by Tatyana Prudnikova, Barbora Kascakova, Jeroen R. Mesters, Pavel Grinkevich, Petra Havlickova, Andrii Mazur, Anastasiia Shaposhnikova, Radka Chaloupkova, Jiri Damborsky, Michal Kuty and Ivana Kuta Smatanova
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070375 - 23 Jul 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3804
Abstract
Haloalkane dehalogenases are a very important class of microbial enzymes for environmental detoxification of halogenated pollutants, for biocatalysis, biosensing and molecular tagging. The double mutant (Ile44Leu + Gln102His) of the haloalkane dehalogenase DbeA from Bradyrhizobium elkanii USDA94 (DbeAΔCl) was constructed to study the [...] Read more.
Haloalkane dehalogenases are a very important class of microbial enzymes for environmental detoxification of halogenated pollutants, for biocatalysis, biosensing and molecular tagging. The double mutant (Ile44Leu + Gln102His) of the haloalkane dehalogenase DbeA from Bradyrhizobium elkanii USDA94 (DbeAΔCl) was constructed to study the role of the second halide-binding site previously discovered in the wild-type structure. The variant is less active, less stable in the presence of chloride ions and exhibits significantly altered substrate specificity when compared with the DbeAwt. DbeAΔCl was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion procedure with further optimization by the random microseeding technique. The crystal structure of the DbeAΔCl has been determined and refined to the 1.4 Å resolution. The DbeAΔCl crystals belong to monoclinic space group C121. The DbeAΔCl molecular structure was characterized and compared with five known haloalkane dehalogenases selected from the Protein Data Bank. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Crystallization)
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7 pages, 2071 KiB  
Article
Triple-Ringed Luminescent Heptanuclear Zn(II) Cluster for Efficient Ag(I) Ion Sensing Materials
by Qian-Jun Deng, Min Chen, Dong-Chu Chen, Zhong-Hong Zhu and Hua-Hong Zou
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070374 - 22 Jul 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2261
Abstract
The organic ligands (E)-8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carbaldehyde oxime (H2L1) and furan-2-ylmethanamine (H2L2) were used to react with Zn(NO3)2·6H2O at 140 °C solvothermal for two days to obtain the heptanuclear Zn(II) [...] Read more.
The organic ligands (E)-8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carbaldehyde oxime (H2L1) and furan-2-ylmethanamine (H2L2) were used to react with Zn(NO3)2·6H2O at 140 °C solvothermal for two days to obtain the heptanuclear Zn(II) cluster [Zn7(L1)4(HL1)2(H2L2)(µ2-OH)(µ2-O)(NO3)] (1). The X-ray single crystal diffraction reveals that every five-coordinated Zn(II) ions are surrounded by two N atoms and three O atoms with the N2O3 coordination environment and four-coordinated Zn(II) ion surrounded by one N atom and three O atoms in the NO3 coordinated environment. The photoluminescence of cluster 1 is obvious. Moreover, in the presence of Ag(I) ions, cluster 1 exhibits an efficient recognition ability, and it realizes the recognition of toxic metal ions. Here, we have developed cluster-based sensing materials for the efficient detection of heavy metal ions Ag(I) strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Transition Metal or Rare Earth -based Luminescent Inorganic Materials)
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8 pages, 1183 KiB  
Article
Epitaxial Order Driven by Surface Corrugation: Quinquephenyl Crystals on a Cu(110)-(2×1)O Surface
by Roland Resel, Markus Koini, Jiri Novak, Steven Berkebile, Georg Koller and Michael Ramsey
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070373 - 22 Jul 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2791
Abstract
A 30 nm thick quinquephenyl (5P) film was grown by molecular beam deposition on a Cu(110)(2×1)O single crystal surface. The thin film morphology was studied by light microscopy and atomic force microscopy and the crystallographic structure of the thin film was investigated by [...] Read more.
A 30 nm thick quinquephenyl (5P) film was grown by molecular beam deposition on a Cu(110)(2×1)O single crystal surface. The thin film morphology was studied by light microscopy and atomic force microscopy and the crystallographic structure of the thin film was investigated by X-ray diffraction methods. The 5P molecules crystallise epitaxially with (201)5P parallel to the substrate surface (110)Cu and with their long molecular axes parallel to [001]Cu. The observed epitaxial alignment cannot be explained by lattice matching calculations. Although a clear minimum in the lattice misfit exists, it is not adapted by the epitaxial growth of 5P crystals. Instead the formation of epitaxially oriented crystallites is determined by atomic corrugations of the substrate surface, such that the initially adsorbed 5P molecules fill with its rod-like shape the periodic grooves of the substrate. Subsequent crystal growth follows the orientation and alignment of the molecules taken within the initial growth stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Investigation of Nanostructures with X-ray Scattering Techniques)
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15 pages, 5833 KiB  
Article
Ethanol- and Methanol-Coordinated and Solvent-Free Dodecahydro closo-Dodecaborates of 3d Transition Metals and of Magnesium
by Emilie Didelot, Zbigniew Łodziana, Fabrizio Murgia and Radovan Černý
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 372; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070372 - 21 Jul 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3801
Abstract
Magnesium and 3d transition metals closo-borates were prepared by mechanosynthesis (ball milling) of the mixtures Na2B12H12 + MCl2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Mg), followed by addition of ethanol or methanol and drying under [...] Read more.
Magnesium and 3d transition metals closo-borates were prepared by mechanosynthesis (ball milling) of the mixtures Na2B12H12 + MCl2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Mg), followed by addition of ethanol or methanol and drying under dynamic vacuum. The dead mass of NaCl is partly removed by filtration. The crystal structures of solvent-coordinated and solvent-free closo-borates have been characterized by temperature dependent synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction, ab initio calculations, thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy. Various solvated complexes containing six, four, three, two or one solvent molecules were obtained by successive removal of the solvent until in most case the solvent-free metal closo-borates were obtained with the exception of Mg whose hypothetical crystal structure, however, could have its prototype in MnB12H12. The 3d transition metal closo-borates were studied in the view of their potential use as Na- or Li-ion battery electrodes in combination with Na or Li closo-borate solid electrolytes. The metal oxidation state (II) obtained in compounds presented here does not allow such application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Crystalline Materials)
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16 pages, 3209 KiB  
Article
Growth from the Melt and Properties Investigation of ScF3 Single Crystals
by Denis Karimov, Irina Buchinskaya, Natalia Arkharova, Pavel Prosekov, Vadim Grebenev, Nikolay Sorokin, Tatiana Glushkova and Pavel Popov
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 371; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070371 - 20 Jul 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4806
Abstract
ScF3 optical quality bulk crystals of the ReO3 structure type (space group P m 3 ¯ m , a = 4.01401(3) Å) have been grown from the melt by Bridgman technique, in fluorinating atmosphere for the first time. Aiming to substantially [...] Read more.
ScF3 optical quality bulk crystals of the ReO3 structure type (space group P m 3 ¯ m , a = 4.01401(3) Å) have been grown from the melt by Bridgman technique, in fluorinating atmosphere for the first time. Aiming to substantially reduce vaporization losses during the growth process graphite crucibles were designed. The crystal quality, optical, mechanical, thermal and electrophysical properties were studied. Novel ScF3 crystals refer to the low-refractive-index (nD = 1.400(1)) optical materials with high transparency in the visible and IR spectral region up to 8.7 µm. The Vickers hardness of ScF3 (HV ~ 2.6 GPa) is substantially higher than that of CaF2 and LaF3 crystals. ScF3 crystals possess unique high thermal conductivity (k = 9.6 Wm−1К−1 at 300 K) and low ionic conductivity (σ = 4 × 10−8 Scm−1 at 673 К) cause to the structural defects in the fluorine sublattice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rare-Earth Metal Compounds)
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12 pages, 3432 KiB  
Article
Systematic Design of Crystal Structure for Hofmann-Like Spin Crossover Fe(L)2[Ag(CN)2]2 Complexes
by Takashi Kosone, Yoshinori Makido, Syogo Okuda, Ayaka Haigo, Takeshi Kawasaki, Daisuke Akahoshi, Toshiaki Saito and Takafumi Kitazawa
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070370 - 20 Jul 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3204
Abstract
The synthesis, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of a new two-dimensional (2D) Hofmann-like series, FeII(L)2[AgI(CN)2]2 (L = 3-cyano-4-methylpyridine (1), allyl isonicotinate (2), phenyl-isonicotinate (3), and benzyl nicotinate ( [...] Read more.
The synthesis, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of a new two-dimensional (2D) Hofmann-like series, FeII(L)2[AgI(CN)2]2 (L = 3-cyano-4-methylpyridine (1), allyl isonicotinate (2), phenyl-isonicotinate (3), and benzyl nicotinate (4)) were studied. These compounds have a 2D sheet structure because of their strongly determinate self-assembly process. An octahedral FeII ion is coordinated with the nitrogen atoms of[AgI(CN)2 linear units at equatorial positions and monodentate pyridine derivatives at the axial position. The layers construct a parallel stacking array. Compounds 1–3 show pairs of layers constructed by intermetallic Ag···Ag interactions. Compound 4 shows a mono-layer structure. The substituent bulk of the ligands affects the interlayer space. Compounds 1–4 undergo a 100% spin transition. However, compound 1, incorporating a smaller group, has a relatively lower critical temperature (Tc = 182 K (1), Tc = 221 K (2), Tc = 227 (3) and Tc1 = 236 K, Tc2 = 215 K (4)). We investigated the correlations between our systematic crystal design, substituent size, and the spin crossover profiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Applications of New Spin Crossover Compounds (Volume II))
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13 pages, 4179 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Structural Features, and Catalytic Activity of an Iron(II) 3D Coordination Polymer Driven by an Ether-Bridged Pyridine-Dicarboxylate
by Na Zhao, Yu Li, Jinzhong Gu, Marina V. Kirillova and Alexander M. Kirillov
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070369 - 20 Jul 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2845
Abstract
New iron(II) three-dimensional coordination polymer (3D CP), [Fe(µ3-Hcpna)2]n (1), was assembled under hydrothermal conditions from 5-(4’-carboxyphenoxy)nicotinic acid (H2cpna) as a trifunctional organic N,O-building block. This stable microcrystalline CP was characterized by standard methods [...] Read more.
New iron(II) three-dimensional coordination polymer (3D CP), [Fe(µ3-Hcpna)2]n (1), was assembled under hydrothermal conditions from 5-(4’-carboxyphenoxy)nicotinic acid (H2cpna) as a trifunctional organic N,O-building block. This stable microcrystalline CP was characterized by standard methods for coordination compounds in the solid state (infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction). Structure and topology of 1 were examined and permitted an identification of a 3,6-connected framework of the rtl topological type. In addition, compound 1 acts as effective catalyst precursor for oxidative functionalization of alkanes (propane and cyclic C5−C8 alkanes) under homogeneous catalysis conditions, namely for the oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons with H2O2/H+ system to produce ketones and alcohols, and for alkane carboxylation with CO/H2O/S2O82− system to obtain carboxylic acids. The influence of an acid promoter and substrate scope (propane and cyclic C5−C8 alkanes) were investigated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Crystal Engineering)
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9 pages, 3743 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Study of CdSe QDs by a Microfluidic Method and via a Bulk Reaction
by Jinfeng Liu, Yarong Gu, Qirui Wu, Xiaohong Wang, Lijuan Zhao, Andrew deMello, Weijia Wen, Rui Tong and Xiuqing Gong
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070368 - 18 Jul 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3835
Abstract
In this work, we synthesized monodispersed CdSe quantum dots (QDs) by a microfluidic method and via a bulk reaction. The structures of the CdSe QDs were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The optical properties of the [...] Read more.
In this work, we synthesized monodispersed CdSe quantum dots (QDs) by a microfluidic method and via a bulk reaction. The structures of the CdSe QDs were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The optical properties of the prepared CdSe QDs were determined using ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The CdSe QDs obtained by the microfluidic method have a faster crystal growth rate and a higher absolute photoluminescence quantum yield than those obtained via the bulk reaction. Additionally, we investigated the growth process of the CdSe QDs with increasing residence times. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanowires and Quantum Dots for IoT Applications)
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14 pages, 6608 KiB  
Article
Crystal Structure, Stability and Desolvation of the Solvates of Sorafenib Tosylate
by Peng Yang, Chunlei Qin, Shichao Du, Lina Jia, Yujia Qin, Junbo Gong and Songgu Wu
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070367 - 17 Jul 2019
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5466
Abstract
In this study, three solvates of sorafenib tosylate were obtained from methanol, ethanol and n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) after solvate screening and the effect of solvent on the formation of solvate was analyzed. The solvents with high value of polarity/dipolarity and appropriate hydrogen bond donor/acceptor [...] Read more.
In this study, three solvates of sorafenib tosylate were obtained from methanol, ethanol and n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) after solvate screening and the effect of solvent on the formation of solvate was analyzed. The solvents with high value of polarity/dipolarity and appropriate hydrogen bond donor/acceptor propensity are more likely to form corresponding solvates. The crystal structures of the solvates were elucidated for the first time by using single crystal X-ray diffraction data. The analysis results indicate that methanol solvate and ethanol solvate are isostructural and hydrogen bonds could be formed between solvent molecules and sorafenib tosylate molecules. Hirshfeld surface analysis was used to research the interactions in the solvates, and the results reveal that the H···H, C···H/H···C and O···H/ H···O contacts play the vital role in molecular packing. In addition, three solvates were characterized by polarized light microscope, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The solvates show different thermodynamic stability in methanol +NMP and ethanol +NMP mixtures. Furthermore, the desolvation of solvates was studied by hot stage microscope and discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Solvent Crystallization)
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12 pages, 3882 KiB  
Review
Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Spectroscopy: Tautomerism and Structure of Functional Azoles
by Lyudmila I. Larina
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070366 - 17 Jul 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3525
Abstract
The Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance spectroscopy data of functionalized azoles (imidazoles, triazoles and corresponding benzazoles) are reviewed and critically discussed. The possibility of studying the tautomerism of azoles by the NQR method is considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue NQR of Polymorphic Crystals)
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12 pages, 37724 KiB  
Article
Deterministic Insertion of KTP Nanoparticles into Polymeric Structures for Efficient Second-Harmonic Generation
by Dam Thuy Trang Nguyen and Ngoc Diep Lai
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070365 - 17 Jul 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3284
Abstract
We investigate theoretically and experimentally the creation of virtually any polymer-based photonic structure containing individual nonlinear KTiOPO 4 nanoparticles (KTP NPs) using low one-photon absorption (LOPA) direct laser writing (DLW) technique. The size and shape of polymeric microstructures and the position of the [...] Read more.
We investigate theoretically and experimentally the creation of virtually any polymer-based photonic structure containing individual nonlinear KTiOPO 4 nanoparticles (KTP NPs) using low one-photon absorption (LOPA) direct laser writing (DLW) technique. The size and shape of polymeric microstructures and the position of the nonlinear KTP crystal inside the structures, were perfectly controlled at nanoscale and on demand. Furthermore, we demonstrated an enhancement of the second-harmonic generation (SHG) by a factor of 90 when a KTP NP was inserted in a polymeric pillar. The SHG enhancement is attributed to the resonance of the fundamental light in the cavity. This enhancement varied for different KTP NPs, because of the random orientation of the KTP NPs, which affects the light/matter interaction between the fundamental light and the NP as well as the collection efficiency of the SHG signal. The experimental result are further supported by a simulation model using Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sonic and Photonic Crystals)
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11 pages, 11078 KiB  
Communication
Electro-Optical Effects of a Color Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal Device by Micro-Encapsulation with a Pigment-Doped Shell
by Chao Ping Chen, Dae Soo Kim and Chul Gyu Jhun
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070364 - 17 Jul 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5437
Abstract
Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) refer to nematic liquid crystals, which are embedded in a polymer matrix. A conventional PDLC device is fabricated by phase separation. However, this method leads to non-uniform electro-optical characteristics of the device due to the non-uniform size distribution of [...] Read more.
Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) refer to nematic liquid crystals, which are embedded in a polymer matrix. A conventional PDLC device is fabricated by phase separation. However, this method leads to non-uniform electro-optical characteristics of the device due to the non-uniform size distribution of the liquid crystal droplets. Moreover, the PDLC device is switched between the transparent state and the scattering state so that a full color scheme is intrinsically impossible without a color filter. In this paper, a fabrication method for a color PDLC device with uniform size and shape for liquid crystal droplets is proposed. Droplets of a fairly uniform size in large quantities can be obtained by means of membrane emulsification. Microcapsules are fabricated by complex coacervation with gelatin and gum arabic. By adding red, green, and blue pigments, color microcapsules are obtained. The electro-optical effects of the fabricated color PDLC devices are also demonstrated. The driving voltage of the device is 90 V, and the switching time is 8.3 ms. In the turn-on state, the measured hazes of red, green, and blue PDLC devices are 16.89%, 15.82%, and 18.55%, respectively, while in the turn-off state, the measured hazes of those devices are 65.21%, 67.32%, and 70.76%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Patterned-Liquid-Crystal for Novel Displays)
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20 pages, 3878 KiB  
Article
Phase Stability and Morphology of Gel Grown Crystals: The Case of CdCl2-bpp Polymeric System
by Leonardo Lo Presti, Massimo Moret and Silvia Rizzato
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070363 - 16 Jul 2019
Viewed by 3263
Abstract
A phenomenological study is carried out on a complex two-component diffusion-reacting system in gel, that is, the Cd-1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane (Cd-bpp) coordination polymer. The latter can exist in three solid forms, which exploit a 1:1 correspondence among the Cd/bpp ratio, the crystal structure and [...] Read more.
A phenomenological study is carried out on a complex two-component diffusion-reacting system in gel, that is, the Cd-1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane (Cd-bpp) coordination polymer. The latter can exist in three solid forms, which exploit a 1:1 correspondence among the Cd/bpp ratio, the crystal structure and the crystal morphology (1/2: bipyramids; 2/3: needles; 1/3: plates). The aim was to clarify the role of key physicochemical variables (reactant concentrations, composition of the solvent and density of the transport medium) in determining the chemical nature and the morphology of the final crystallization products. The gel method was tested in a variety of different crystallization configurations, including single and double diffusion techniques. The density of the gel primarily affects the morphology of the synthesized crystals, with denser media favouring the needle-like 2/3 Cd-bpp species and diluted ones the 1/2 Cd-bpp bipyramidal one. However, higher densities of the gel are generally associated to strained crystals. The solvent composition is also important, as for example the 1/2 Cd-bpp bipyramids require at least a minimum amount of ethanol to appear. We demonstrated that in gel the strict “equality” stoichiometric criteria for metal-to-ligand ratios can be sometimes eluded, as non–equilibrium concentrations can be locally attained. In this respect, the crystallization geometry was proven to act as a key tool to influence the crystallization output, as it determines the direction and magnitude of the concentration gradients. Finally, the use of U tubes to perform one-pot screenings of a large part of the crystallization space is discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crystal Growth in Gels)
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11 pages, 6000 KiB  
Article
Phase and Residual Stress Evaluation of Dual-Phase Al70Cr30N and Al80Cr20N PVD Films
by Joern Kohlscheen and Tomohiro Shibata
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070362 - 15 Jul 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2591
Abstract
We investigated arc ion-plated Al70Cr30N and Al80Cr20N thin films deposited with three different bias voltages (50 V, 100 V, and 150 V) to study crystal phase stabilities, residual stresses, and mechanical properties. Commercial compositions of [...] Read more.
We investigated arc ion-plated Al70Cr30N and Al80Cr20N thin films deposited with three different bias voltages (50 V, 100 V, and 150 V) to study crystal phase stabilities, residual stresses, and mechanical properties. Commercial compositions of AlxCr100–xN coatings typically range from x = 50 to 70 where the cubic face centered crystal phase occurs. The present study focuses on films near the solubility limit of Al in the cubic Cr(Al)N lattice around 70 at.%, above which hexagonal AlN (h–AlN) starts to form in significant amounts. Residual stress values are obtained by two methods: grazing incidence diffraction with the wholepattern fitting and the conventional side inclination method (sin2Ψ method). When multiple phases are present in the film, wholepattern fitting turns out to be particularly effective and a comparison of both measurement methods will be discussed. The Al70Cr30N films consist of the cubic phase with crystallite sizes of about 70 nm for all bias voltages. Compressive stress increased with bias voltage from about 3 to almost 6 GPa and coatings become brittle. Al80Cr20N films showed a different dependence on bias voltage. Using 50 V bias voltage in deposition, the major phase is h–AlN phase with a crystallite grain size of < 30 nm and (0002) preferred orientation. With increasing bias the cubic phase is stabilized also reaching about 70 nm crystallite size. In general, the compressive residual stress was significantly lower than for Al70Cr30N films for the same bias voltages which may be a result of the presence of the hexagonal phase. Wear and scratch tests confirmed higher ductility of the Al80Cr20N variants but reduced resistance of the films in impact wear testing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue X-ray and neutron Line Profile Analysis of Microstructures)
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43 pages, 7846 KiB  
Review
Layered Double Hydroxides: A Toolbox for Chemistry and Biology
by Giuseppe Arrabito, Aurelio Bonasera, Giuseppe Prestopino, Andrea Orsini, Alessio Mattoccia, Eugenio Martinelli, Bruno Pignataro and Pier Gianni Medaglia
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 361; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070361 - 15 Jul 2019
Cited by 65 | Viewed by 17810
Abstract
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are an emergent class of biocompatible inorganic lamellar nanomaterials that have attracted significant research interest owing to their high surface-to-volume ratio, the capability to accumulate specific molecules, and the timely release to targets. Their unique properties have been employed [...] Read more.
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are an emergent class of biocompatible inorganic lamellar nanomaterials that have attracted significant research interest owing to their high surface-to-volume ratio, the capability to accumulate specific molecules, and the timely release to targets. Their unique properties have been employed for applications in organic catalysis, photocatalysis, sensors, drug delivery, and cell biology. Given the widespread contemporary interest in these topics, time-to-time it urges to review the recent progresses. This review aims to summarize the most recent cutting-edge reports appearing in the last years. It firstly focuses on the application of LDHs as catalysts in relevant chemical reactions and as photocatalysts for organic molecule degradation, water splitting reaction, CO2 conversion, and reduction. Subsequently, the emerging role of these materials in biological applications is discussed, specifically focusing on their use as biosensors, DNA, RNA, and drug delivery, finally elucidating their suitability as contrast agents and for cellular differentiation. Concluding remarks and future prospects deal with future applications of LDHs, encouraging researches in better understanding the fundamental mechanisms involved in catalytic and photocatalytic processes, and the molecular pathways that are activated by the interaction of LDHs with cells in terms of both uptake mechanisms and nanotoxicology effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Layered Double Hydroxides)
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10 pages, 3012 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Solubility Analysis of a Famotidine Cocrystal
by Yan Zhang, Zhao Yang, Shuaihua Zhang and Xingtong Zhou
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070360 - 15 Jul 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5222
Abstract
A novel cocrystal of the potent H2 receptor antagonist famotidine (FMT) was synthesized with malonic acid (MAL) to enhance its solubility. The cocrystal structure was characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction, and the asymmetry unit contains one FMT and one MAL connected [...] Read more.
A novel cocrystal of the potent H2 receptor antagonist famotidine (FMT) was synthesized with malonic acid (MAL) to enhance its solubility. The cocrystal structure was characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction, and the asymmetry unit contains one FMT and one MAL connected via intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The crystal structure is monoclinic with a P21/n space group and unit cell parameters a = 7.0748 (3) Å, b = 26.6502 (9) Å, c = 9.9823 (4) Å, α = 90, β = 104.2228 (12), γ = 90, V = 1824.42 (12) Å3, and Z = 4. The cocrystal had unique thermal, spectroscopic, and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) properties that differed from FMT. The solubility of the famotidine-malonic acid cocrystal (FMT-MAL) was 4.2-fold higher than FMT; the FAM-MAL had no change in FMT stability at high temperature, high humidity, or with illumination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pharmaceutical Crystals)
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12 pages, 1688 KiB  
Article
Fe Melting Transition: Electrical Resistivity, Thermal Conductivity, and Heat Flow at the Inner Core Boundaries of Mercury and Ganymede
by Innocent C. Ezenwa and Richard A. Secco
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070359 - 15 Jul 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3966
Abstract
The electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity behavior of Fe at core conditions are important for understanding planetary interior thermal evolution as well as characterizing the generation and sustainability of planetary dynamos. We discuss the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of Fe, Co, and [...] Read more.
The electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity behavior of Fe at core conditions are important for understanding planetary interior thermal evolution as well as characterizing the generation and sustainability of planetary dynamos. We discuss the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of Fe, Co, and Ni at the solid–liquid melting transition using experimental data from previous studies at 1 atm and at high pressures. With increasing pressure, the increasing difference in the change in resistivity of these metals on melting is interpreted as due to decreasing paramagnon-induced electronic scattering contribution to the total electronic scattering. At the melting transition of Fe, we show that the difference in the value of the thermal conductivity on the solid and liquid sides increases with increasing pressure. At a pure Fe inner core boundary of Mercury and Ganymede at ~5 GPa and ~9 GPa, respectively, our analyses suggest that the thermal conductivity of the solid inner core of small terrestrial planetary bodies should be higher than that of the liquid outer core. We found that the thermal conductivity difference on the solid and liquid sides of Mercury’s inner core boundary is ~2 W(mK)−1. This translates into an excess of total adiabatic heat flow of ~0.01–0.02 TW on the inner core side, depending on the relative size of inner and outer core. For a pure Fe Ganymede inner core, the difference in thermal conductivity is ~7 W(mK)−1, corresponding to an excess of total adiabatic heat flow of ~0.02 TW on the inner core side of the boundary. The mismatch in conducted heat across the solid and liquid sides of the inner core boundary in both planetary bodies appears to be insignificant in terms of generating thermal convection in their outer cores to power an internal dynamo suggesting that chemical composition is important. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pressure-Induced Phase Transformations)
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12 pages, 3864 KiB  
Article
An Accurate Method for Crystallographic Reconstruction of Parent Austenite from Inherited Martensite in a Low-Alloy Steel
by Daokuan Wang, Junsong Jin, Qiaomin Li and Xinyun Wang
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070358 - 15 Jul 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2746
Abstract
The microstructure of austenite at high temperatures, which cannot be reserved at room temperatures, determines the properties of its transformed phase in low-alloy steels. Consequently, an accurate method is herein developed to reconstruct local orientations of the parent austenite ( γ ) phase [...] Read more.
The microstructure of austenite at high temperatures, which cannot be reserved at room temperatures, determines the properties of its transformed phase in low-alloy steels. Consequently, an accurate method is herein developed to reconstruct local orientations of the parent austenite ( γ ) phase from electron backscatter diffraction maps of the martensite ( α ′ ) microstructure. The orientation map of α ′ is cropped into a grid of data squares as the reconstruction unit. The cropped square is then divided into the square inherited from only one γ grain and the square inherited from more than one γ grain. The local orientations around parent γ grain boundaries are more accurately determined using a newly proposed reconstruction criterion. Furthermore, the solution spaces for the orientation relationship and the parent γ orientation are refined, which simultaneously improves the calculation accuracy and efficiency of reconstruction procedure. The validated reconstruction method is applied to obtain local orientations of the deformed γ microstructure accurately. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crystallographic Understanding of Deformation, Phase Transformation, and Recrystallization in Materials Engineering)
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19 pages, 1939 KiB  
Article
Anomalous Behaviors of Spin Waves Studied by Inelastic Light Scattering
by Hua-Yi Hou, Ming Yang, Jin Qiu, In-Sang Yang and Xiang-Bai Chen
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070357 - 14 Jul 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4038
Abstract
Magnonics, an emerging research field, aims to control and manipulate spin waves in magnetic materials and structures. However, the current understanding of spin waves remains quite limited. This review attempts to provide an overview of the anomalous behaviors of spin waves in various [...] Read more.
Magnonics, an emerging research field, aims to control and manipulate spin waves in magnetic materials and structures. However, the current understanding of spin waves remains quite limited. This review attempts to provide an overview of the anomalous behaviors of spin waves in various types of magnetic materials observed thus far by inelastic light scattering experiments. The anomalously large asymmetry of anti-Stokes to Stokes intensity ratio, broad linewidth, strong resonance effect, unique polarization selection, and abnormal impurity dependence of spin waves are discussed. In addition, the mechanisms of these anomalous behaviors of spin waves are proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Raman Spectroscopy of Crystals)
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9 pages, 2104 KiB  
Article
Experimental Evidence for Partially Dehydrogenated ε-FeOOH
by Yukai Zhuang, Zhongxun Cui, Dongzhou Zhang, Jin Liu, Renbiao Tao and Qingyang Hu
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070356 - 13 Jul 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2957
Abstract
Hydrogen in hydrous minerals becomes highly mobile as it approaches the geotherm of the lower mantle. Its diffusion and transportation behaviors under high pressure are important in order to understand the crystallographic properties of hydrous minerals. However, they are difficult to characterize due [...] Read more.
Hydrogen in hydrous minerals becomes highly mobile as it approaches the geotherm of the lower mantle. Its diffusion and transportation behaviors under high pressure are important in order to understand the crystallographic properties of hydrous minerals. However, they are difficult to characterize due to the limit of weak X-ray signals from hydrogen. In this study, we measured the volume changes of hydrous ε-FeOOH under quasi-hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic conditions. Its equation of states was set as the cap line to compare with ε-FeOOH reheated and decompression from the higher pressure pyrite-FeO2Hx phase with 0 < x < 1. We found the volumes of those re-crystallized ε-FeOOH were generally 2.2% to 2.7% lower than fully hydrogenated ε-FeOOH. Our observations indicated that ε-FeOOH transformed from pyrite-FeO2Hx may inherit the hydrogen loss that occurred at the pyrite-phase. Hydrous minerals with partial dehydrogenation like ε-FeOOHx may bring it to a shallower depth (e.g., < 1700 km) of the lower mantle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High Pressure Synthesis in Crystalline Materials)
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11 pages, 1262 KiB  
Article
Mg-Fe Layered Double Hydroxides Enhance Surfactin Production in Bacterial Cells
by Pei-Hsin Chang, Si-Yu Li, Tzong-Yuan Juang and Yung-Chuan Liu
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070355 - 12 Jul 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2984
Abstract
In this study, four additives—montmorillonite, activated carbon, and the layered double hydroxides (LDHs), Mg2Fe–LDH and Mg2Al–LDH—were tested for their ability to promote surfactin production in a Bacillus subtilis ATCC 21332 culture. Among these tested materials, the addition of 4 [...] Read more.
In this study, four additives—montmorillonite, activated carbon, and the layered double hydroxides (LDHs), Mg2Fe–LDH and Mg2Al–LDH—were tested for their ability to promote surfactin production in a Bacillus subtilis ATCC 21332 culture. Among these tested materials, the addition of 4 g/L of the Mg-Fe LDH, which featured an Mg/Fe molar ratio of 2:1, produced the highest surfactin yield of 5280 mg/L. During the time course of B. subtilis cultivation with the added LDH, two phases of cell growth were evident: Growth and decay. In the growth phase, the cells grew slowly and secreted a high amount of surfactin; in the decay phase, the cells degraded rapidly. The production in the presence of the Mg2Fe–LDH had three characteristics: (i) High surfactin production at low biomass, indicating a high specific surfactin yield of 3.19 g/g DCW; (ii) rapid surfactin production within 24 h, inferring remarkably high productivity (4660 mg/L/d); and (iii) a lower carbon source flux to biomass, suggesting an efficient carbon flux to surfactin, giving a high carbon yield of 52.8%. The addition of Mg2Fe–LDH is an effective means of enhancing surfactin production, with many potential applications and future industrial scale-up. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Layered Double Hydroxides)
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8 pages, 1858 KiB  
Article
Optical Transport Properties of Graphene Surface Plasmon Polaritons in Mid-Infrared Band
by Yindi Wang, Hongxia Liu, Shulong Wang, Ming Cai and Lan Ma
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070354 - 12 Jul 2019
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3552
Abstract
The excellent transmission characteristics of graphene surface plasmon polaritons in mid-infrared band were analyzed and verified effectively through theoretical derivation and soft simulation in this paper. Meanwhile, a sandwich waveguide structure of dielectric–graphene–substrate–dielectric based on graphene surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) was presented. Simulation [...] Read more.
The excellent transmission characteristics of graphene surface plasmon polaritons in mid-infrared band were analyzed and verified effectively through theoretical derivation and soft simulation in this paper. Meanwhile, a sandwich waveguide structure of dielectric–graphene–substrate–dielectric based on graphene surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) was presented. Simulation results indicate that graphene SPPs show unique properties in the mid-infrared region including ultra-compact mode confinement and dynamic tunability, which allow these SPPs to overcome the defects of metal SPPs and traditional silicon-based optoelectronic devices. Thus, they can be used to manufacture subwavelength devices. The work in this paper lays a theoretical foundation for the application of graphene SPPs in the mid-infrared region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Graphene Mechanics)
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13 pages, 2827 KiB  
Article
Generating a High Valency Biotin Binder by Selecting Uniform Protein Assemblies via Crystallization
by Orly Avraham, Yael Levi-Kalisman and Oded Livnah
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070353 - 11 Jul 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3136
Abstract
Crystallization is a common practice in the purification process in small molecule synthesis while selecting the wanted product. For proteins it is rarely applied due to the methodological predicaments in obtaining crystals. Our observation of the stabilized octamers in the crystal structure of [...] Read more.
Crystallization is a common practice in the purification process in small molecule synthesis while selecting the wanted product. For proteins it is rarely applied due to the methodological predicaments in obtaining crystals. Our observation of the stabilized octamers in the crystal structure of hoefavidin, a novel dimeric member of the avidin family, led to the notion of developing a novel biotechnological tool via covalent crosslinking. The avidin–biotin system has been exploited for decades utilizing the ultra-high affinity between avidin and biotin as a basis for numerous applications. Optimizing the system led to the discovery of a novel group of dimeric avidins including hoefavidin. Hoefavidin has a dynamic quaternary structure, where a dimer is the basis for generating the octamer via crystallographic symmetry operation. Upon biotin binding in solution hoefavidin dissociates solely into dimers. In order to stabilize the octamer, we designed the P61C mutant to form a disulfide bridge stabilizing the octamer and preventing dissociation upon biotin binding. The process of selecting P61C hoefavidin uniform octamers includes crystallization followed by dissolving the crystals. The P61C modified hoefavidin octamer can have a substantial added value to the various biotechnological applications and advances of the biotin based high affinity systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Crystal Engineering)
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15 pages, 4454 KiB  
Article
Effect of Type I Antifreeze Proteins on the Freezing and Melting Processes of Cryoprotective Solutions Studied by Site-Directed Spin Labeling Technique
by Adiel F. Perez, Kyle R. Taing, Justin C. Quon, Antonia Flores and Yong Ba
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 352; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070352 - 11 Jul 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4518
Abstract
Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) protect organisms living in subzero environments from freezing injury, which render them potential applications for cryopreservation of living cells, organs, and tissues. Cryoprotective agents (CPAs), such as glycerol and propylene glycol, have been used as ingredients to treat cellular tissues [...] Read more.
Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) protect organisms living in subzero environments from freezing injury, which render them potential applications for cryopreservation of living cells, organs, and tissues. Cryoprotective agents (CPAs), such as glycerol and propylene glycol, have been used as ingredients to treat cellular tissues and organs to prevent ice crystal’s formation at low temperatures. To assess AFP’s function in CPA solutions, we have the applied site-directed spin labeling technique to a Type I AFP. A two-step process to prevent bulk freezing of the CPA solutions was observed by the cryo-photo microscopy, i.e., (1) thermodynamic freezing point depression by the CPAs; and (2) inhibition to the growth of seed ice crystals by the AFP. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments were also carried out from room temperature to 97 K, and vice versa. The EPR results indicate that the spin labeled AFP bound to ice surfaces, and inhibit the growths of ice through the bulk freezing processes in the CPA solutions. The ice-surface bound AFP in the frozen matrices could also prevent the formation of large ice crystals during the melting processes of the solutions. Our study illustrates that AFPs can play an active role in CPA solutions for cryopreservation applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ice Crystals)
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10 pages, 8671 KiB  
Article
Polymorph Selection of ROY by Flow-Driven Crystallization
by Iwona Ziemecka, Sindy Gokalp, Sander Stroobants, Fabian Brau, Dominique Maes and Anne De Wit
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070351 - 09 Jul 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6433
Abstract
The selection of polymorphs of the organic compound 5-methyl-2-[(2-nitrophenyl)amino]-3-thiophenecarbonitrile, ROY, is studied experimentally in the confined space between two horizontal glass plates when an acetone solution of ROY of variable concentration is injected at a variable flow rate into water. Depending on the [...] Read more.
The selection of polymorphs of the organic compound 5-methyl-2-[(2-nitrophenyl)amino]-3-thiophenecarbonitrile, ROY, is studied experimentally in the confined space between two horizontal glass plates when an acetone solution of ROY of variable concentration is injected at a variable flow rate into water. Depending on the local concentration within the radial flow, a polymorph selection is observed such that red prisms are favored close to the injection center while yellow needles are the preferred polymorph close to the edge of the injected ROY domain. At larger flow rates, a buoyancy-driven instability induces stripes at the outer edge of the displacement pattern, in which specific polymorphs are seen to crystallize. Our results evidence the possibility of a selection of ROY polymorph structures in out-of-equilibrium flow conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymorphism in Crystal)
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14 pages, 3513 KiB  
Article
Hydrogenation of HOPG-supported Gold Nanoparticles: Features of Initial Stages
by Andrey K. Gatin, Maxim V. Grishin, Nadezhda V. Dokhlikova, Sergey Yu. Sarvadii and Boris R. Shub
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 350; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070350 - 09 Jul 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3435
Abstract
The features of deuterium adsorption on the surface of gold nanoparticles deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) were determined. The results showed that deuterium adsorption on gold nanoparticles takes place at room temperature. The results also showed that the filling of the [...] Read more.
The features of deuterium adsorption on the surface of gold nanoparticles deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) were determined. The results showed that deuterium adsorption on gold nanoparticles takes place at room temperature. The results also showed that the filling of the nanoparticles’ surfaces with the adsorbate occurs from the graphite–gold interface until the entire surface is covered by deuterium. The results of quantum chemical simulations are used to explain the experimental data. A simple model of the observed effects is proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Investigation of Gold Nanoparticles)
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8 pages, 2342 KiB  
Article
A Tunable NIR Filter with Sphere Phase Liquid Crystal
by Changli Sun and Jiangang Lu
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070349 - 08 Jul 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2983
Abstract
A near-infrared (NIR) filter with sphere phase liquid crystal (SPLC) is proposed, which shows a low operating electric field and large temperature-gradient modulations. The central wavelength of the Bragg reflection can be thermally tuned from 1580 nm to 1324 nm with a temperature-gradient [...] Read more.
A near-infrared (NIR) filter with sphere phase liquid crystal (SPLC) is proposed, which shows a low operating electric field and large temperature-gradient modulations. The central wavelength of the Bragg reflection can be thermally tuned from 1580 nm to 1324 nm with a temperature-gradient of 42.7 nm/K. Meanwhile, the central wavelength can be electrically tuned over 76 nm within a low operating electric field of 0.3 V/μm. Thus, the SPLC filter may achieve a wavelength variation of 256 nm by thermal modulation and 76 nm by electrical modulation. The SPLC filter shows great potential applications in optical communication devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liquid Crystal Optics and Physics: Recent Advances and Prospects)
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14 pages, 1160 KiB  
Article
Unified Assessment of the Effects of Van der Waals Interactions on the Structural and Electronic Properties of Some Layered Organic Solids κ-(BEDT-TTF)2X
by Predrag Lazić, Ognjen Milat, Branko Gumhalter and Silvia Tomić
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070348 - 06 Jul 2019
Viewed by 3443
Abstract
Proper inclusion of van der Waals interactions (vdW) in ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT) is crucial to describe soft, organic, layered solids such as κ -(BEDT-TTF) 2 X . Since no consensus has been reached on the reliability [...] Read more.
Proper inclusion of van der Waals interactions (vdW) in ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT) is crucial to describe soft, organic, layered solids such as κ -(BEDT-TTF) 2 X . Since no consensus has been reached on the reliability of available vdW DFT functionals, most of the first principles calculations have been based on experimental crystal structure data without any structural optimization. Here, we explore optimal DFT-based schemes that account for the effects of vdW interactions on the structural and electronic band properties of three paradigmatic charge transfer salts, κ -(BEDT-TTF) 2 Cu 2 (CN) 3 , κ -(BEDT-TTF) 2 Ag 2 (CN) 3 , and κ -(BEDT-TTF) 2 Cu[N(CN) 2 ]Cl, for which a unified optimization of the structure is possible. Detailed examination of the prototype test system κ -(BEDT-TTF) 2 Cu[N(CN) 2 ]Cl shows that the optB88-vdW functional performs slightly better than the PBE-vdW and that the choice of pseudopotentials is critical to obtaining realistic results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Inorganic Crystalline Materials)
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28 pages, 5331 KiB  
Review
Femtosecond Laser Pulses Amplification in Crystals
by Razvan Dabu
Crystals 2019, 9(7), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst9070347 - 05 Jul 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6997
Abstract
This paper describes techniques for high-energy laser pulse amplification in multi-PW femtosecond laser pulses. Femtosecond laser pulses can be generated and amplified in laser media with a broad emission spectral bandwidth, like Ti:sapphire crystals. By chirped pulse amplification (CPA) techniques, hundred-Joule amplified laser [...] Read more.
This paper describes techniques for high-energy laser pulse amplification in multi-PW femtosecond laser pulses. Femtosecond laser pulses can be generated and amplified in laser media with a broad emission spectral bandwidth, like Ti:sapphire crystals. By chirped pulse amplification (CPA) techniques, hundred-Joule amplified laser pulses can be obtained. Multi-PW peak-power femtosecond pulses are generated after recompression of amplified chirped laser pulses. The characteristics and problems of large bandwidth laser pulses amplification in Ti:sapphire crystals are discussed. An alternative technique, based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) in nonlinear crystals, is presented. Phase-matching conditions for broad bandwidth parametric amplification in nonlinear crystals are inferred. Ultra-broad phase matching bandwidth of more than 100 nm, able to support the amplification of sub-10 fs laser pulses, are demonstrated in nonlinear crystals, such as Beta Barium Borate (BBO), Potassium Dideuterium Phosphate (DKDP), and Lithium Triborate (LBO). The advantages and drawbacks of CPA amplification in laser crystals and OPCPA in nonlinear crystals are discussed. A hybrid amplification method, which combines low-medium energy OPCPA in nonlinear crystals with high energy CPA in large aperture laser crystals, is described. This technique is currently used for the development of 10-PW laser systems, with sub-20 fs pulse duration and more than 1012 intensity contrast of output femtosecond pulses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Laser Crystals)
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