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At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Photon emission in tumor biology.

Photon emission from mammalian cells has been subject of study for many years. Growing research activity is directed on the photon emission within the field of tumor biology. These studies, applying high-sensitivity photon counting methods, have paid attention to several aspects, including photon emission from serum of tumor-bearing animals, photon emission of tumors and of isolated tumor cells. In addition, research activity is increased with respect to the photon emission induced by white light from cultured tumor cells. In this review we report on the different aspects of spontaneous and induced photon emission of tumor cells as compared to normal cells. Throughout these studies the question of a functional biological role of this spontaneous and light-induced photon emission has been raised and some different points of view will be discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Synthesis of new two-photon absorbing fluorene derivatives via Cu-mediated Ullmann condensations

The Ullmann amination reaction was utilized to provide access to a number of fluorene analogues from common intermediates, via facile functionalization at positions 2, 7, and 9 of the fluorene ring. Through variation of amine or iodofluorene derivative, analogues bearing substitutents with varying electron-donating and electron-withdrawing ability, e.g., diphenylamino, bis-(4-methoxyphenyl)amine, nitro, and benzothiazole, were synthesized in good yield. The novel fluorene derivatives were fully characterized, including absorption and emission spectra. Didecylation at the 9-position afforded remarkably soluble derivatives. Target compounds 4, 5, and 9 are potentially useful as fluorophores in two-photon fluorescence microscopy. Their UV-vis spectra display desirable absorption in the range of interest suitable for two-photon excitation by near-IR femtosecond lasers. Preliminary measurements of two-photon absorption indicate the derivatives exhibit high two-photon absorptivity, affirming their potential as two-photon fluorophores. For example, using a 1,210 nm femtosecond pump beam, diphenylaminobenzothiazolylfluorene 4 exhibited nondegenerate two-photon absorption, with two-photon absorptivity (delta) of ca. 820 x 10(-50) cm(4) s photon(-1) molecule(-1) at the femtosecond white light continuum probe wavelength of 615 nm.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Seven excitons at a cost of one: redefining the limits for conversion efficiency of photons into charge carriers.

The performance of photovoltaic and photochemical devices is directly linked to the efficiency with which absorbed photons are converted into electron-hole pairs (excitons). A usual assumption is that one photon produces a single exciton, while the photon energy in the excess of the material's energy gap (the gap that separates the conduction from the valence band) is wasted as heat. Here we experimentally demonstrate that using semiconductor nanocrystals we can reduce this energy loss to a nearly absolute minimum allowed by energy conservation by producing multiple excitons per single photon. Specifically, we generate seven excitons from a photon with an energy of 7.8 energy gaps, which corresponds to only approximately 10% energy loss, while in the normal scenario (one photon produces one exciton) approximately 90% of the photon energy would be dissipated as heat. Such large yields of charge carriers (photon-to-exciton conversion efficiency up to 700%) has the potential to dramatically increase the performance of photovoltaic cells and can greatly advance solar fuel producing technologies.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Hybrid single-nanowire photonic crystal and microresonator structures.

We report a hybrid approach for photonic systems that combines chemically synthesized single nanowire emitters with lithographically defined photonic crystal and racetrack microresonator structures. Finite-difference time-domain calculations were used to design nanowire photonic crystal structures where the photonic band gap overlaps the electronic band gap of the nanowire. Photoluminescence (PL) images of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanowire photonic crystal structures designed in this way demonstrate localized emission from engineered defects and light suppression in regions of the photonic crystal. PL spectroscopy studies of defect-free nanowire photonic crystal structures further demonstrate the photonic band gap or stop band that spans most of the CdS band edge emission spectrum. In addition, single CdS nanowire-racetrack microresonator structures were fabricated, and PL imaging and spectroscopy measurements show good coupling of the nanowire to the microcavity including efficient feedback and amplified spontaneous emission. These hybrid structures exploit unique strengths of bottom-up and top-down approaches and thereby open new opportunities in nanophotonics from efficient and localized light sources to integrated optical processing.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Complete photonic bandgaps in 12-fold symmetric quasicrystals

Photonic crystals are attracting current interest for a variety of reasons, such as their ability to inhibit the spontaneous emission of light. This and related properties arise from the formation of photonic bandgaps, whereby multiple scattering of photons by lattices of periodically varying refractive indices acts to prevent the propagation of electromagnetic waves having certain wavelengths. One route to forming photonic crystals is to etch two-dimensional periodic lattices of vertical air holes into dielectric slab waveguides. Such structures can show complete photonic bandgaps, but only for large-diameter air holes in materials of high refractive index (such as gallium arsenide, n = 3.69), which unfortunately leads to significantly reduced optical transmission when combined with optical fibres of low refractive index. It has been suggested that quasicrystalline (rather than periodic) lattices can also possess photonic bandgaps. Here we demonstrate this concept experimentally and show that it enables complete photonic bandgaps--non-directional and for any polarization--to be realized with small air holes in silicon nitride (n = 2.02), and even glass (n = 1.45). These properties make photonic quasicrystals promising for application in a range of optical devices.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Single photons on demand from a single molecule at room temperature.

The generation of non-classical states of light is of fundamental scientific and technological interest. For example, 'squeezed' states enable measurements to be performed at lower noise levels than possible using classical light. Deterministic (or triggered) single-photon sources exhibit non-classical behaviour in that they emit, with a high degree of certainty, just one photon at a user-specified time. (In contrast, a classical source such as an attenuated pulsed laser emits photons according to Poisson statistics.) A deterministic source of single photons could find applications in quantum information processing, quantum cryptography and certain quantum computation problems. Here we realize a controllable source of single photons using optical pumping of a single molecule in a solid. Triggered single photons are produced at a high rate, whereas the probability of simultaneous emission of two photons is nearly zero--a useful property for secure quantum cryptography. Our approach is characterized by simplicity, room temperature operation and improved performance compared to other triggered sources of single photons.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Three-dimensional control of light in a two-dimensional photonic crystal slab.

Optoelectronic devices are increasingly important in communication and information technology. To achieve the necessary manipulation of light (which carries information in optoelectronic devices), considerable efforts are directed at the development of photonic crystals--periodic dielectric materials that have so-called photonic bandgaps, which prohibit the propagation of photons having energies within the bandgap region. Straightforward application of the bandgap concept is generally thought to require three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystals; their two-dimensional (2D) counterparts confine light in the crystal plane, but not in the perpendicular z direction, which inevitably leads to diffraction losses. Nonetheless, 2D photonic crystals still attract interest because they are potentially more amenable to fabrication by existing techniques and diffraction losses need not seriously impair utility. Here we report the fabrication of a waveguide-coupled photonic crystal slab (essentially a free-standing 2D photonic crystal) with a strong 2D bandgap at wavelengths of about 1.5 microm, yet which is capable of fully controlling light in all three dimensions. These features confirm theoretical calculations on the possibility of achieving 3D light control using 2D bandgaps, with index guiding providing control in the third dimension, and raise the prospect of being able to realize unusual photonic-crystal devices, such as thresholdless lasers.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Plasmon-assisted transmission of entangled photons.

The state of a two-particle system is said to be entangled when its quantum-mechanical wavefunction cannot be factorized into two single-particle wavefunctions. This leads to one of the strongest counter-intuitive features of quantum mechanics, namely non-locality. Experimental realization of quantum entanglement is relatively easy for photons; a starting photon can spontaneously split into a pair of entangled photons inside a nonlinear crystal. Here we investigate the effects of nanostructured metal optical elements on the properties of entangled photons. To this end, we place optically thick metal films perforated with a periodic array of subwavelength holes in the paths of the two entangled photons. Such arrays convert photons into surface-plasmon waves--optically excited compressive charge density waves--which tunnel through the holes before reradiating as photons at the far side. We address the question of whether the entanglement survives such a conversion process. Our coincidence counting measurements show that it does, so demonstrating that the surface plasmons have a true quantum nature. Focusing one of the photon beams on its array reduces the quality of the entanglement. The propagation of the surface plasmons makes the array effectively act as a 'which way' detector.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Continuous generation of single photons with controlled waveform in an ion-trap cavity system.

The controlled production of single photons is of fundamental and practical interest; they represent the lowest excited quantum states of the radiation field, and have applications in quantum cryptography and quantum information processing. Common approaches use the fluorescence of single ions, single molecules, colour centres and semiconductor quantum dots. However, the lack of control over such irreversible emission processes precludes the use of these sources in applications (such as quantum networks) that require coherent exchange of quantum states between atoms and photons. The necessary control may be achieved in principle in cavity quantum electrodynamics. Although this approach has been used for the production of single photons from atoms, such experiments are compromised by limited trapping times, fluctuating atom-field coupling and multi-atom effects. Here we demonstrate a single-photon source based on a strongly localized single ion in an optical cavity. The ion is optimally coupled to a well-defined field mode, resulting in the generation of single-photon pulses with precisely defined shape and timing. We have confirmed the suppression of two-photon events up to the limit imposed by fluctuations in the rate of detector dark counts. The stream of emitted photons is uninterrupted over the storage time of the ion, as demonstrated by a measurement of photon correlations over 90 min.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Few-states models for three-photon absorption.

Few-states models are derived for the calculation of three-photon absorption matrix elements. Together with earlier derived few-states models for two-photon absorption, the models are evaluated against results from response theory calculations that provide the full sum-over-states values. It is demonstrated that not even for systems with charge-transfer character, where few-states models for two-photon absorption are in excellent agreement with response theory, do the models provide a quantitatively correct description for three-photon absorption. The convergence behavior, merits, and shortcomings of the models are elucidated in some detail. The role of various characteristics of the electronic structure, such as symmetry, charge transfer, and conjugation--important for the formation of a large three-photon cross section--is analyzed. As for two-photon absorption cross sections, it is essential to consider generalized few-states models also for three-photon absorption, that is, to account for dipolar directions and laser beam polarization. Despite their poor quantitative performance, it is argued that few-states models at times can be useful for interpretation purposes when applied to three-photon absorption.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Two-photon absorption cross sections: an investigation of solvent effects. Theoretical studies on formaldehyde and water.

The effects of a solvent on the two-photon absorption of microsolvated formaldehyde and liquid water have been studied using hybrid coupled-cluster/molecular mechanics (CC/MM) response theory. Both water and formaldehyde were considered solvated in water, where the solvent water molecules were described within the framework of molecular mechanics. Prior to the CC/MM calculations, molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the water/formaldehyde and water/water aggregates and many configurations were generated. By carrying out CC/MM response calculations on the individual configurations, it was possible to obtain statistically averaged results for both the excitation energies and two-photon absorption cross sections. For liquid water, the comparison between one- and two-photon absorption spectra is in good agreement with the experimental data available in the literature. In particular, the lowest energy transition occurring in the one-photon absorption spectrum of water only occurs with a relatively small strength in the two-photon absorption spectrum. This result is important for the interpretation of two-photon absorption data as these results show that in the absence of selection rules that determine which transitions are forbidden, the spectral profile of the two-photon absorption spectrum can be significantly different from the spectral profile of the one-photon absorption spectrum.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1983

A nearly mono-energetic 6-7 MeV photon calibration source.

A photon source has been developed which delivers about 85% of its photon dose equivalent from photons with energies of 6.1,6.9 and 7.1 MeV produced in the 19F(p, alpha gamma)16O reaction. The source uses up to 50 muA of 2.7 MeV protons incident on a 6 mg/cm2 target of CaF2. It produces a photon field with a dose equivalent rate of up to 6 mSv/h (600 mrem/h) over a large area 100 cm from the target. The field can be calibrated in terms of photon fluence to within +/- 5%. In common with other high-energy photon sources, there is considerable contamination of the field by knock-on electrons and scattered photons. Experiments with various filter materials and detailed Monte-Carlo calculations with the EGS electron-photon transport code have been done to investigate the importance of these contaminants.

Calibration↗
PubMed1987

Monte Carlo study of electron spectra produced in semi-infinite and finite water phantoms irradiated by photons of energies up to 2 MeV.

A Monte Carlo calculation for the initial electron energy spectra produced in semi-infinite and finite water phantoms irradiated by photons of energies up to 2 MeV and photons from 60Co are presented incorporating successive Compton scattering, photoelectric absorption and Auger effect. The backscattering of photons through the top of the phantom and transmission of photons out of the finite phantom through the sides also are considered. The results are compared with the earlier calculation for infinite water phantom of Turner et al. who assumed that all the photons remained in the water until they were absorbed. It is found that inclusion of backscattering in a semi-infinite phantom yields significantly different results from those of Turner et al. for the infinite phantom. It is also found that backscattering and transmission of the photons through the sides of the finite phantom further alter the initial energy spectra of electrons, as well as the average number of electrons per photon at different photon incident energies.

Electrons↗
PubMed2003

Construction of one-dimensional photonic crystals based on the incident angle domain.

An effective method used to extend the band gap of hybrid one-dimensional photonic crystals is proposed. This method does not require one-dimensional photonic crystals used in the construction of hybrid photonic crystals to have omnidirectional photonic band gaps. This property gives the designers more freedom to select materials used in the design. Another advantage of this method is the ability to obtain very large omnidirectional photonic band gaps of hybrid structures without using too many one-dimensional photonic crystals. Some structures are constructed by this method to prove it. By using TiO2 and SiO2, the structure composed of four one-dimensional photonic crystals based on this method has been calculated and fabricated. The theoretical relative bandwidth of an omnidirectional photonic band gap is 41.33%, and the experimental result is up to 37%, which is very large in the visible region. By comparison, the theoretical relative bandwidth of the conventional method based on the frequency domain is only 14.26%.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Calculation of scattering cross sections for increased accuracy in diagnostic radiology. I. Energy broadening of Compton-scattered photons.

In this work, scattering cross sections differential with respect to both the scattering angle and the energy of the scattered photon are derived in the relativistic impulse approximation for the light elements H, Be, and Al, and photon energies between 30 and 200 keV. The energy broadening of the scattered photons reflects the momentum distribution of the target electrons. It increases with both increasing atomic number of the scatterer and with scattering angle. Even in light elements, the energy broadening is comparable with the intrinsic energy resolution of modern Ge spectrometers. In reconstructing primary photon energy spectra by means of a Ge spectrometer and Compton scattering techniques, i.e., by measuring the photons incoherently scattered at a given angle, the energy resolution is markedly impaired compared to direct measurements in the primary beam. This is usually explained as an effect of the nonzero acceptance angle of the detector. It is shown, however, that the fundamental energy broadening of the scattered photons is alone sufficient as an explanation. The Compton scattering technique is valuable in determining energy spectra in clinical situations. Aspects of its optimal performance are discussed. The commonly used scattering angle of 90 degrees seems adequate. At small scattering angles, the incoherent-scattering cross section is badly known due to electron-electron interactions and, for photon energies less than 100 keV, coherent scattering contributes appreciably to the total scattering even in media of low atomic number. In cases where coherent scattering dominates and where the energy degradation of the incoherently scattered photons is small compared to the energy resolution of the spectrometer, the reconstruction is simplified. The double-differential cross sections derived can be used to simplify calculations of the Compton component of the mass-energy absorption coefficient.

Radiography↗
PubMed2006

Focusing concave lens using photonic crystals with magnetic materials.

The guided modes lying in the upper gap-edge band in the photonic band structure of photonic crystals have negative values of refractive index. This feature generates many interesting optical phenomena, and some spectacular photonic devices such as focusing slabs have been developed. We report the design of a photonic-crystal, planoconcave lens for focusing incident parallel light, and theoretically analyze the chromatic aberrations for TM and TE modes. In addition to dielectric photonic crystals, the chromatic aberration of a magnetic photonic-crystal planoconcave lens was investigated because the magnetic permeability may also contribute to the periodic index contrast in photonic crystals, especially at long wavelengths. A significant difference was found in the chromatic aberration for a TM mode propagating in a dielectric than in a magnetic photonic-crystal planoconcave lens.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Dosimetric penumbra effects in catheter-based intravascular brachytherapy using a centered photon or beta line source.

Purpose: In catheter-based intravascular brachytherapy, either photon or beta emitters are often used in a linear arrangement so that blood vessels of 10-30 mm lengths can be treated. With a line source, the dose gradient in the radial direction and longitudinal direction depend on the type of radionuclides used in the treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose fall-off at the edges of a linear source in a blood vessel for different types of photon and beta emitters.Materials/Methods: Dose distributions were calculated on cylindrical blood vessels of various radii. Radioactive sources of 192Ir, 125I, 103Pd, 188Re, 32P, and 90Y/Sr were studied. All the sources were assumed to be in the form of a line. The dose rate at a point in space produced by a radioactive source was computed by integrating the point dose rate kernel of the corresponding radionuclide over the radioactive line. The point dose rate kernel was computed with Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport. The edge effects were characterized with three newly defined quantities: longitudinal dose uniformity (LDU), effective coverage length (ECL), and margin length (ML). LDU was defined as the ratio of dose at a distance along the long axis of the vessel to the dose at center. ECL was defined as the length over which the LDU was greater than 0.95. ML was defined as half of the length difference between source length L and ECL, which is essentially the length segment at each edge that is covered by the source physical length but is being underdosed.Results: All beta emitters provided more uniform dose distributions and covered a larger portion of blood vessels longitudinally than photon emitters. Typical MLs were 2-3 mm for beta emitters and 4-6 mm for gamma emitters. As the radial depth of the point of interest increased, both the LDU and ECL decreased and ML increased. The ML increased from 2 to 3 mm for beta emitters and from 4 to 6 mm for photon emitters when the radial depth of the point of interest increased from 1.5 to 2.5 mm (typical proximal and distal media points for a 3-mm diameter lumen). The ML increased with increasing source length for all radionuclides. For beta emitters the ML increased initially from 1.5 mm to more than 2.5 mm as source length increased from 5 to 10 mm. When the source length was longer than 15 mm, the ML remains nearly constant, about 3 mm. For photon emitters, ML increased continuously from 1.5 mm to more than 6.0 mm, as source length increased from 5 to 50 mm.Conclusions: A formalism to quantify the dose uniformity along the length of a blood vessel undergoing catheter-based intravascular brachytherapy has been developed. This formalism was used to study the edge effects at the ends of several beta and photon sources. The results indicated that for a centered source the ML at each end due to penumbra effects was about 2 to 3 mm for beta emitters; about 4-6 mm for photon emitters. The ML increases as the radial depth of point of interest in the vessel increases. The ML increases also with increasing source length, especially for photon sources.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dosimetric penumbra effects in catheter-based intravascular brachytherapy using a centered photon or beta line source.

PURPOSE: In catheter-based intravascular brachytherapy, either photon or beta emitters are often used in a linear arrangement so that blood vessels of 10-30 mm lengths can be treated. With a line source, the dose gradient in the radial direction and longitudinal direction depend on the type of radionuclides used in the treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose fall-off at the edges of a linear source in a blood vessel for different types of photon and beta emitters. MATERIALS/METHODS: Dose distributions were calculated on cylindrical blood vessels of various radii. Radioactive sources of 192Ir, 125I, 103Pd, 188Re, 32P, and 90Y/Sr were studied. All the sources were assumed to be in the form of a line. The dose rate at a point in space produced by a radioactive source was computed by integrating the point dose rate kernel of the corresponding radionuclide over the radioactive line. The point dose rate kernel was computed with Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport. The edge effects were characterized with three newly defined quantities: longitudinal dose uniformity (LDU), effective coverage length (ECL), and margin length (ML). LDU was defined as the ratio of dose at a distance along the long axis of the vessel to the dose at center. ECL was defined as the length over which the LDU was greater than 0.95. ML was defined as half of the length difference between source length L and ECL, which is essentially the length segment at each edge that is covered by the source physical length but is being underdosed. RESULTS: All beta emitters provided more uniform dose distributions and covered a larger portion of blood vessels longitudinally than photon emitters. Typical MLs were 2-3 mm for beta emitters and 4-6 mm for gamma emitters. As the radial depth of the point of interest increased, both the LDU and ECL decreased and ML increased. The ML increased from 2 to 3 mm for beta emitters and from 4 to 6 mm for photon emitters when the radial depth of the point of interest increased from 1.5 to 2.5 mm (typical proximal and distal media points for a 3-mm diameter lumen). The ML increased with increasing source length for all radionuclides. For beta emitters the ML increased initially from 1.5 mm to more than 2.5 mm as source length increased from 5 to 10 mm. When the source length was longer than 15 mm, the ML remains nearly constant, about 3 mm. For photon emitters, ML increased continuously from 1.5 mm to more than 6.0 mm, as source length increased from 5 to 50 mm. CONCLUSIONS: A formalism to quantify the dose uniformity along the length of a blood vessel undergoing catheter-based intravascular brachytherapy has been developed. This formalism was used to study the edge effects at the ends of several beta and photon sources. The results indicated that for a centered source the ML at each end due to penumbra effects was about 2 to 3 mm for beta emitters; about 4-6 mm for photon emitters. The ML increases as the radial depth of point of interest in the vessel increases. The ML increases also with increasing source length, especially for photon sources.

Brachytherapy↗