0000000000267211
AUTHOR
Nicolas Jaouen
A Study Using X-ray Absorption and Emission Spectroscopy of Dioxygen-Binding Xerogels Incorporating Cyclam Units Complexed with Copper Salts.
X-ray absorption spectroscopy was used to elucidate how hybrid xerogels complexed with CuCl2 could reversibly bind molecular dioxygen. Difference EXAFS analyses at the Cu K-edge suggest that dioxygen could bridge two Cu atoms in a μ-η1:η1 peroxo-like conformation with unequal Cu···O distances. Only the short distance (RCu–O1 = 1.86 ± 0.01 A) was unambiguously determined and looks typical of a CuII site. The Cu···Cu internuclear distances would be rather long: RCu–Cu ≈ 4.0 A (3.9 A) for the oxygenated (oxygen-free) xerogels. Cl K-edge EXAFS spectra revealed the pre-existence in the oxygen-free xerogels of CuI sites with short Cl–Cu bonds (2.11 ± 0.03 A). Pentacoordinate CuII sites with a lon…
Ultrafast Optical Demagnetization manipulates Nanoscale Spin Structure in Domain Walls
During ultrafast demagnetization of a magnetically ordered solid, angular momentum has to be transferred between the spins, electrons, and phonons in the system on femto- and picosecond timescales. Although the intrinsic spin-transfer mechanisms are intensely debated, additional extrinsic mechanisms arising due to nanoscale heterogeneity have only recently entered the discussion. Here we use femtosecond X-ray pulses from a free-electron laser to study thin film samples with magnetic domain patterns. We observe an infrared-pump-induced change of the spin structure within the domain walls on the sub-picosecond timescale. This domain-topography-dependent contribution connects the intrinsic dem…
Ultrafast Dynamics of Magnetic Domain Structures Probed by Coherent Free-Electron Laser Light
Synchrotron radiation news 26(6), 27 - 32 (2013). doi:10.1080/08940886.2013.850384
Structure of Dioxygen Binding Xerogels Incorporating Cyclams Complexed with CuCl2 Salts
X-ray absorption/emission spectroscopies were combined in order to elucidate how hybrid xerogels complexed with CuCl2 could bind reversibly O2. Difference EXAFS analyses at the Cu K-edge revealed the existence of binuclear structures with long Cu...Cu distances, i.e. RCu–Cu ≈ 3.98 A and 3.87 A for the oxygenated and oxygen-free xerogels. In oxygenated xerogels, dioxygen would bridge two Cu atoms in a μ-η1 : η1 peroxo-like conformation. The Cu-O signal found at short distance (RCu−O1 = 1.85 ± 0.01 A) is fully consistent with 40% of O2 molecules being chemisorbed per Cu site. In oxygen-free xerogels, Cl K-edge EXAFS revealed the presence of CuI sites with short Cl-Cu bond lengths (RCl−Cu = 2.…