ABSTRACT
As is well-known, the character of the π orbitals is of paramount importance for the chemical properties of the carbon allotropes and their derived compounds. While at equilibrium the nature of these orbitals is well understood, their photoinduced nonequilibrium behavior is under investigation. Here, we demonstrate that when a UV-laser pulse excites a carrier density larger than 10% of the π* density of state in graphite, a renormalization of the π-π* band gap takes place. This result has been achieved by detecting the transient reflectivity and the associated decay time of an infrared probe following the excitation of a UV pump pulse tuned across the π-π* absorption resonance. The pump photon energy at which both the transient reflectivity and the decay time are maximum is downshifted by 500 meV with respect to the relative absorption maximum at equilibrium. This finding is interpreted as a transient π-π* band gap shrinking of similar magnitude, near the M point of the Brillouin zone.
ABSTRACT
Many-body interactions with the underlying bulk electrons determine the properties of confined electronic states at the surface of a metal. Using momentum resolved nonlinear photoelectron spectroscopy we show that one can tailor these many-body interactions in graphite, leading to a strong renormalization of the dispersion and linewidth of the image potential state. These observations are interpreted in terms of a basic self-energy model, and may be considered as exemplary for optically induced many-body interactions.
ABSTRACT
A survey was carried out to verify if an immunohistochemical method associated with agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) will establish a firm diagnosis of caprine paratuberculosis. One hundred and thirty-six goats were tested by AGID for antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis at two different times: the first time 22 (19.1%) were positive and the second time 25 (18%). One seronegative goat with severe diarrhea and 5 seropositive goats, two of which showing similar clinical signs, were sacrificed and necropsied. Samples were taken from small intestine, liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes for bacteriological, histological and immunohistochemical examinations. M.a. paratuberculosis was isolated from intestine samples of 4 seropositive goats and from mesenteric lymph nodes of one seropositive goat; the microorganism was not isolated from samples of one seropositive and the seronegative animals. Ziehl Neelsen staining showed acid-fast bacilli in macrophages of the 5 seropositive animals and the immunohistochemical method for M. a. paratuberculosis detected bacterial antigen in the same samples.