Stability of Aqueous Suspensions of COOH-Decorated Carbon Nanotubes to Organic Solvents, Esterification, and Decarboxylation

Carbon nanotubes are among the most widely used nanosystems, and stability of carbon nanotube suspensions is critical for nanotechnology and environmental science. Remaining in aqueous environment alone misses important factors that regulate colloidal stability in the presence of electrolytes. Indeed, introduction of (80-95) vol % organic solvents leads to sharp changes in suspension properties depending on the solvent. For example, the critical coagulation concentrations for a given inorganic or organic coagulating ion can change by 2 orders of magnitude when going from dimethyl sulfoxide to acetonitrile. We establish and explain these trends by Lewis acid-base interactions and show that a strong interaction extending beyond the standard theory of aggregation plays an important role.

Conversion of He(23 S) to He2( a3Σ u+) in Liquid Helium

The report of an anomalously intense He₄⁺ peak in electron impact mass spectra of large helium droplets created a stir 3 decades ago that continues to this day. When the electron kinetic energy exceeds 41 eV, an additional pathway opens that yields He₄⁺ predominantly in an electronically excited metastable state. A pair of He*(2³ S) atoms has been implicated based on the isolated He* energy of 19.82 eV and the 41 eV threshold, and the creation of He₄⁺ has been conjectured to proceed via a pair of He₂*( a³Σ _u⁺) precursors. The mechanism whereby He* converts to He₂* in liquid helium has remained a mystery, however. High level ab initio theory combined with classical molecular dynamics has been applied to systems comprising small numbers of He atoms. The conversion of He* to He₂* in such systems is shown to be due to a simple many-body effect that yields He₂* rapidly and efficiently.

Optoelectronic Properties of Semiconductor Quantum Dot Solids for Photovoltaic Applications

Quantum dot (QD) solids represent a new type of condensed matter drawing high fundamental and applied interest. Quantum confinement in individual QDs, combined with macroscopic scale whole materials, leads to novel exciton and charge transfer features that are particularly relevant to optoelectronic applications. This Perspective discusses the structure of semiconductor QD solids, optical and spectral properties, charge carrier transport, and photovoltaic applications. The distance between adjacent nanoparticles and surface ligands influences greatly electrostatic interactions between QDs and, hence, charge and energy transfer. It is almost inevitable that QD solids exhibit energetic disorder that bears many similarities to disordered organic semiconductors, with charge and exciton transport described by the multiple trapping model. QD solids are synthesized at low cost from colloidal solutions by casting, spraying, and printing. A judicious selection of a layer sequence involving QDs with different size, composition, and ligands can be used to harvest sunlight over a wide spectral range, leading to inexpensive and efficient photovoltaic devices.

Resolving multi-exciton generation by attosecond spectroscopy

We propose an experimentally viable attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy scheme to resolve controversies regarding multiexciton (ME) generation in nanoscale systems. Absence of oscillations indicates that light excites single excitons, and MEs are created by incoherent impact ionization. An oscillation indicates the coherent mechanism, involving excitation of superpositions of single and MEs. The oscillation decay, ranging from 5 fs at ambient temperature to 20 fs at 100 K, gives the elastic exciton-phonon scattering time. The signal is best observed with multiple-cycle pump pulses.

Hole-particle characterization of coupled-cluster singles and doubles and related models

The hole-particle analysis introduced in the paper [J. Chem. Phys. 124, 224109 (2006)] is fully described and extended for coupled-cluster models of practical importance. Based on operator renormalization of the conventional amplitudes t(ai) and t(ab,ij), we present a simplified method for estimating the hole-particle density matrices for coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD). With this procedure we convert the first-order density matrix of the configuration interaction (CI) singles and doubles (CISD) model, which lacks size consistency, into an approximately size-consistent expression. This permits us to correctly estimate specific indices for CCSD, including the hole and particle occupation numbers for each atom, the total occupation of holes/particles, and the entropylike measure for effective unpaired geminals. Our calculations for simple diatomic and triatomic systems indicate reasonable agreement with the full CI values. For CCSD and CISD we derive special types of two-center indices, which are similar to the charge transfer analysis of excited states previously given within the CIS model. These new quantities, termed charge transfer correlation indices, reveal the concealed effects of atomic influence on electronic redistribution due to electron correlation.

Analysis of multiconfigurational wave functions in terms of hole-particle distributions

A detailed study of hole-particle distributions in many-electron molecular systems is presented, based on a representation of the high-order density matrices obtained by an operator technique reminiscent of Bogolyubov's quantum statistical operator theory. A rigorous definition of density matrices of arbitrary order is given for a composite system of holes and particles. Particular attention is focused on the description of mixed hole-particle distributions. The main results are given as the functionals of excitation operators (generators) that are used in the conventional configuration interaction (CI) and coupled cluster (CC) theories. Local atomic occupation numbers for holes and particles are introduced to provide a measure of the participation of specific atoms in the electron correlation processes. The corresponding total occupations--as well as the hole-hole, particle-particle, and hole-particle mean distances--provide a useful and physically intuitive description of electron correlation. Suitable computational schemes for numerical evaluation of the above characteristics within full CI and typical CC approaches are presented. The insights one can gain with the developed approach into the peculiarities and nuances of the hole-particle picture in typical electronic processes such as excitation and molecular dissociation are illustrated with specific computations on small molecules and closed-shell atoms.

Quantum backreaction through the Bohmian particle

A novel solution to the quantum backreaction problem in a mixed quantum-classical simulation is provided using the Bohmian interpretation of quantum mechanics. The Bohmian backreaction is unique, computationally simple, features reaction channel branching, and easily gives the full classical limit. The Bohmian quantum-classical method is illustrated by application to a model of O2 interacting with a Pt surface.

Mean-field theory of acentric order of dipolar chromophores in polymeric electro-optic materials

A mean-field theory of macroscopic order of dipolar chromophores in a polymer matrix in the presence of an external electric field is developed. The theory is applied to characterize the electro-optic coefficient of the Pockel effect that forms the basis for a variety of polymeric nonlinear electro-optic materials. The coefficient is studied as a function of chromophore concentration, polymer properties, and manufacturing conditions, including temperature, strength of the applied electric field, and macroscopic shape of the sample. The model reproduces the observed behavior of the electro-optic coefficient and explains the nonlinear concentration dependence of the coefficient at high chromophore concentrations. Specific recommendations for system design are suggested from the analysis of the obtained data.

Quantum anti-zeno acceleration of a chemical reaction

Evidence of acceleration of a chemical reaction in a condensed phase due to the quantum anti-Zeno effect is presented by a quantum-mechanical calculation. The acceleration is caused by electronic decoherence. The mechanism clearly indicates the anti-Zeno effect and involves both delocalization of the electronic dynamics and a feedback loop by coupling to vibrations. Believed to be the first established example of the quantum anti-Zeno effect in chemistry, the observed phenomenon suggests the possibility of quantum control of chemical reactivity by choice of solvent.