Refractive index spectral dependence, Raman spectra, and transmission spectra of high-purity 28Si, 29Si, 30Si, and natSi single crystals

We performed precise measurement of the refractive index of stable silicon isotopes 28Si, 29Si, and 30Si single crystals with enrichments above 99.9 at.% and a silicon single-crystal natSi of natural isotopic composition with the Fourier-transform interference refractometry method from 1.06 to more than 80 μm with 0.1 cm(-1) resolution and accuracy of 2×10(-5)…1×10(-4). The oxygen and carbon concentrations in all crystals are within 5×10(15) cm(-3), and the content of the metal impurities is 10(-5)…10(-6) at.%. The peculiar changes of the refractive index in the phonon absorption region of all silicon single crystals are shown. The coefficients of the generalized Cauchy dispersion function approximating the experimental refractive index values all over the measuring range are given. The transmission and Raman spectra are also studied.

Equivalence of quantum and classical coherence in electronic energy transfer

To investigate the effect of quantum coherence on electronic energy transfer, which is the subject of current interest in photosynthesis, we solve the problem of transport for the simplest model of an aggregate of monomers interacting through dipole-dipole forces using both quantum and classical dynamics. We conclude that for realistic coupling strengths quantum and classical coherent transport are identical. This is demonstrated by numerical calculations for a linear chain and for the photosynthetic Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex.

Optical excitation waves in a molecular crystal

We have used the quantum theory of radiation, within the time-dependent Hartree approximation, to study exciton states of a van der Waals molecular crystal. The radiation variables are eliminated to give a semi-classical picture of molecular dipoles interacting through a retarded potential, and the solutions of the Hartree equations are closely connected with the quasi-particle excited states in Agranovich’s theory. In the Lorentz-Lorenz approximation the crystal has excited states which correspond to both longitudinal and transverse exciton weaves, and the refractive index behaves classically. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of metallic reflexion by dye crystals.

Physical events in the track structure of heavy ions and their relation to alterations of biomolecules

Heavy charged particles interacting with biological cells can produce a wide variety of different physical, chemical and biological consequences. A rigorous identification of relevant chemical and biological alterations of biomolecules in cells, however, is still lacking and, thus, it is difficult to identify the potential biological importance of different early physical events. In addition, due to experimental and theoretical problems also little is known about the details of energy transfer, -absorption and -decay from projectiles to atoms/molecules in condensed targets; this is particularly true for not completely stripped heavy ions. Nevertheless, one might conclude from available data that higher densities of physical energy absorption events have a significantly higher probability to lead to qualitatively more severe biochemical alterations as regards the induction of DNA double strand breaks and of chromatin damage. It is not very likely that energy migration along the DNA molecule in biological cells over long distances plays a significant role as contributor to these biological radiation effects.

Electronic excitations in condensed biological matter

In living matter, electronic excitations may have a collective character which is reviewed here in simple physical terms. In liquids and ordered solids the collective excitations appear as plasmons or excitons. Plasmons are delocalized electronic perturbations of a huge number of oscillating electrons decaying very quickly into localized electronic perturbations, mainly low-energy ionizations. Excitons are very light, moving quantum quasi-particles carrying energy, charge and information in structured biological systems. In deformable soft structures collective excitations appear as solitons behaving as rather massive quasi-particles of combined quantum and classical character. Solitons are relatively stable micro-objects able to transfer energy, charge, mass, and biological information along such biological structures as (chains of) macromolecules, fibres, membranes and surfaces. Some photobiological and radiation biological consequences of collective electronic excitations are suggested.