An integrated 8-12 GHz fractional-N frequency synthesizer in SiGe BiCMOS for satellite communications

We present an integrated fractional-N low-noise frequency synthesizer for satellite applications. By using two integrated VCOs and combining digital and analog tuning techniques, a PLL lock range from 8 to 12 GHz is achieved. Due to a small VCO fine tuning gain and optimized charge pump output biasing, the phase noise is low and almost constant over the tuning range. All 16 sub-bands show a tuning range above 900 MHz each, allowing temperature compensation without sub-band switching. This makes the synthesizer robust against variations of the device parameters with process, supply voltage, temperature and aging. The measured phase noise is ?87 dBc/Hz and ?106 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz and 1 MHz offset, respectively. In integer-N mode, phase noise values down to ?98 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz and ?111 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, respectively, were measured.     

Molecular Origin of the Charge Carrier Mobility in Small Molecule Organic Semiconductors

Small‐molecule organic semiconductors are used in a wide spectrum of applications, ranging from organic light emitting diodes to organic photovoltaics. However, the low carrier mobility severely limits their potential, e.g., for large area devices. A number of factors determine mobility, such as molecular packing, electronic structure, dipole moment, and polarizability. Presently, quantitative ab initio models to assess the influence of these molecule‐dependent properties are lacking. Here, a multiscale model is presented, which provides an accurate prediction of experimental data over ten orders of magnitude in mobility, and allows for the decomposition of the carrier mobility into molecule‐specific quantities. Molecule‐specific quantitative measures are provided how two single molecule properties, the dependence of the orbital energy on conformation, and the dipole‐induced polarization determine mobility for hole‐transport materials. The availability of first‐principles based models to compute key performance characteristics of organic semiconductors may enable in silico screening of numerous chemical compounds for the development of highly efficient optoelectronic devices.     

Feststoffbildung durch Kristallisation und Fällung

Formation of solids by crystallization and precipitation. Formation of solids from solutions can take place by crystallization or precipitation. The principal factor is the relationship between solubility and supersaturation. In crystallization, the solubility of the crystallising substance is so high that the formation of solids occurs largely in the metastable zone in the immediate vicinity of the solubility limits. Crystal growth and nucleation are functions of supersaturation. If a high supersaturation is required at low substance-specific growth rates for an adequate crystal growth, high nucleation rates and hence small crystals will result. On this basis, the authors present information for the specific design of crystallization processes. In contrast, the solubility of the precipitated product must be very low for precipitation. Direct crystal formation is possible only for substance systems of high solubility. As a rule, however, the precipitated substance is so insoluble that solids are formed via amorphous intermediates. The results of a large number of experiments show the influence of various parameters of the precipitation process on the filtrability of the precipitated product.     

Engineering a heavy atom derivative for the X-ray structure analysis of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase

Based on a preliminary structural model of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferasefrom Bacillus circulans (EC 2.4.1.19 [EC] ), Ser428 and Ser475 ofthe enzyme were mutated to cysteines in order to produce suitableheavy atom derivatives. Mutant Ser475 - Cys could not be expressedas protein. Mutant Ser428 - Cys was expressed in Escherichiacoli and purified. It crystallized isomorphously and gave riseto a mercury derivative that improved the electron density map.The structural results show that the new mercury-binding siteis in a pocket at the protein surface.     

Stereoisomere aromastoffe

Zusammenfassung Die optische Reinheit des Aromastoffs 1-Octen-3-ol in Champignons und Pfifferlingen und der chiralen Fruchtester Essigsäure-(Buttersäu-re)-Petan-2-ylester, Essigsäure-(Buttersäure)-heptan-tan2-ylester und Hexansäure-pentan-2-ylester in Bananen wird untersucht. Über das Vorkommen der chiralen Lactone -Octa-, -Deca- bzw. -Dodecalacton in Kokosnüssen wird berichtet. Die Bedeutung der Chiralität als Beurteilungskriterium natürlicher Aromastoffe wird diskutiert.

---

Stereoisomeric flavour compounds.XXI. Chiral aroma compounds in foods

Summary The optical purity of 1-octen-3-ol in mushrooms and the chiral esters of pentan-2-ol, heptan-2-ol with acetic acid, butyric acid and hexanoic acid in bananas is investigated. The analysis of the chiral lactones -octa-, -deca-, and -dodecalactone in coconuts is also reported and the importance of chirality with respect to the identification of natural aroma compounds is discussed.

     

In Situ Tensile Measurements of Single Fibers by Scanning Electron Microscopy

A newly developed tensile module allows tensile experiments of single fibers to be carried out under visual observation in the scanning electron microscope. This allows correlation of measured data with observed changes in the microstructure, such as surface irregularities and crack formation. With point heating, the thermal behavior of the fibers may be studied up to 2500°C. The results are presented with tensile elongation recordings and micrograph sequences of the structural changes. Carbon fibers with and without an aluminum coating were selected as testing specimens.     

Lyso platelet activating factor (LysoPAF) and its enantiomer. Total synthesis and carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy

Described is a reaction sequence for the total synthesis of lyso platelet activating factor (lysoPAF; 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and its enantiomer. The procedure is versatile and yields optically pure isomers of defined chain length. The synthesis is equally suited for the preparation of lysoPAF analogues and its enantiomers with unsaturation in the long aliphatic chain. First,rac-1(3)-O-alkylglycerol is prepared by alkylation ofrac-isopropylideneglycerol with alkyl methanesulfonate followed by acid-catalyzed removal of the ketal group. The primary hydroxy group of alkylglycerol is then protected by tritylation, the secondary hydroxy group is acylated, and the protective trityl group is removed under mild acidic conditions with boric acid on silicic acid, essentially without acyl migration. Condensation of the diradylglycerol with bromoethyl dichlorophosphate in diethyl ether, hydrolysis of the resulting chloride, and nucleophilic displacement of the bromine with trimethylamine givesrac-1-O-alkyl-2-acylglycero-3-phosphocholine in good overall yield. The racemic alkylacylglycerophosphocholine is finally treated with snake venom phospholipase A₂ (Ophiophagus hannah) which affords 1-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (lysoPAF) of natural configuration in optically pure form. The “unnatural” 3-O-alkyl-2-O-acyl-sn-glycerol-1-phosphocholine enantiomer, which is not susceptible to phospholipase A₂ cleavage, gives 3-O-alkyl-sn-glycero-1-phosphocholine upon deacylation with methanolic sodium hydroxide. Homogeneity and structure of the intermediates and final products were ascertained by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy on monomeric solutions.