Dichroism Signal Research Articles

Pressure-induced first-order magnetic phase transition and Yb ordered moment in YbCu2Si2

We report on high-pressure x-ray absorption near edge structure and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements at the Yb ${L}_{3}$ edge on ${\mathrm{YbCu}}_{2}{\mathrm{Si}}_{2}$. This intermetallic is a well-known intermediate valence compound which shows a pressure-induced paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition at about 8 GPa. The pressure dependence of the Yb magnetization has been determined by following the evolution with pressure of the maximum of the dichroic signal at the energy corresponding to the electric quadrupole ($2{p}_{3/2}\ensuremath{-}4f$) transitions. The observed XMCD deduced magnetization curves confirm the ferromagnetic nature of the high-pressure phase as well as the first-order nature of the transition. The Yb ordered moment deduced from XMCD which amounts to about $1.25{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ at 8.7 GPa and 2.7 K is in very good agreement with the one estimated by M\"ossbauer spectroscopy for the magnetically ordered component of the spectra. This observation indicates that the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases coexist only in a narrow pressure range in our XMCD experiment. This is not the case for the M\"ossbauer measurements, which show that the paramagnetic component vanishes only at 20 GPa. Our results clarify the existing discrepancy with dc magnetization measurements that reported values of the Yb moment more than two times smaller. We propose that these apparent contradictory results are due to different experimental conditions which influence the range of coexistence of the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases, as found in many similar situations and frequently addressed in the literature.

Reversible Aggregation of Chlorophyll Derivative Induced by Phase Transition of Lipid.

Controlling the supramolecular organization of pigment molecules will provide innovative materials that exhibit variable optical properties. In nature, photosynthetic systems employ chlorophyllous supramolecules in which each pigment molecule is suitably organized in proteins, and their properties are adequately optimized by changing the structures of the surrounding amino acid residues. Here, we report a strategy for varying the aggregation behavior of a chlorophyll derivative by using a phase-transition phenomenon of lipid bilayers. Methyl pyropheophorbide a (MPP) was employed as a chlorophyllous pigment in our artificial system, and synthetic phosphatidylcholines with saturated acyl chain(s) were also used. The MPP molecules successfully accumulated within the lipid bilayer of liposomes without changing the vesicular structure. When the lipid bilayer was in a gel form (under the phase-transition temperature, Tm), the embedded MPP aggregated to yield a dimeric form showing red-shifted absorption bands and circular dichroism signals. When the solutions of MPP-containing liposomes were heated to higher temperatures than their Tm, MPP disaggregated to monomeric form as the absorption spectrum changed into its original fashion in dichloromethane. The reversible thermochromic (dis)aggregation of the MPP molecules had good cyclability. Additional careful examination of the phase transition in the MPP-lipid co-assemblies clarified that the critical temperatures of the MPP (dis)aggregation were in good agreement with the phase-transition temperatures of the pigment-containing bilayers. The reversible MPP aggregation in the lipid bilayers occurred in a wide range of temperatures (around 10-55 °C) by changing the length of the diacyl side chains of phospholipids. The reversible thermochromism of the chlorophyllous system was established by varying the nature of the surrounding lipid bilayer. This study can provide a useful strategy for making variable tetrapyrrolic aggregate systems induced by mild extrinsic stimuli.

High magneto-optical performance of GdFeO3 thin film with high orientation and heavy Ce3+ doping

Abstract In this paper, GdFeO3 thin films with high orientation and heavily Ce3+ doping were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering with a matching substrate. The effects of substrates and Ce3+ doping on the structure, magnetic and magneto-optical properties of thin films were investigated. As a result, Ce3+ doping can not only increase the saturation magnetization but also greatly enhance the magnetic circular dichroism signals of Ce:GdFeO3 thin films. Based on the density functional theory calculation, it can be found that the probability of electron transition between Ce3+ 4f and Fe3+ 3d and the difference in the absorption of right and left circularly polarized light increase, which results in the strong magneto-optical effect of Ce:GdFeO3/STO thin films.

Competing Allosteric Mechanisms for Coordination-Directed Conformational Changes of Chiral Stacking Structures with Aromatic Rings.

This work revealed that significant asymmetric nonlinear effects can be found in a coordination-directed conformational alteration through competing allosteric mechanisms. Toward this aim, we have prepared new chiral bridging ligands [( S, S)- and ( R, R)-Im2An] containing an anthracene ring as a spacer with two ethynyl-linked chiral imidazole groups at the 9,10-positions. The ( S, S)- and ( R, R)-Im2An ligands (L) spontaneously form the assemblies with Zn2+ ions (M) in solution phase, giving L4M2-type assemblies with a general formula [( S, S)- or ( R, R)-Im2An]4(Zn2+)2. NMR studies revealed that the [( S, S)-Im2An]4(Zn2+)2 assembly has an anthracene dimer structure with a parallel-displaced geometry, leading to relatively small circular dichroism (CD) signals, as expected for nonchiral objects. Conversely, subsequent addition of chiral coligands [( R)- or ( S)-Ph-box] to [( S, S)-Im2An]4(Zn2+)2 afforded an alternative Zn2+ assembly with general formula [( R)- or ( S)-Ph-box]2[( S, S)-Im2An]2(Zn2+)2, where the chiral coligands expel two of the ( S, S)-Im2An ligands that were singly bound to the Zn2+ ions in the original [( S, S)-Im2An]4(Zn2+)2 assembly. This ligand-exchange reaction causes conformational alteration from a parallel-displaced structure to a twisted stacking between the anthracene rings inside the Zn2+ assembly, which results in a significant enhancement of CD signals due to excitonic interactions of the chiral anthracene dimer. Dissymmetry factor ( gCD) for CD due to chiral stacking structures shows a significant inverse sigmoidal response to the enantiomeric excess of the chiral coligands. The observed nonlinear phenomena are results of the two conflicting mechanisms, homochiral cooperative association (homochiral self-sorting) to form CD-active assemblies [( S)- or ( R)-Ph-box]2[( S, S)-Im2An]2(Zn2+)2 versus heterochiral cooperative dissociation of [( S, S)-Im2An]4(Zn2+)2 by sequestering of Zn2+ inside the assembly through formation of a heterochiral 2:1 Zn2+ complex ([( R)-Ph-box][( S)-Ph-box]Zn2+). The presented mechanisms provide a new strategy for generating switch-like OFF/ON states in chiral systems.

Reversible Modification of Ferromagnetism through Electrically Controlled Morphology

AbstractConverse magnetoelectric coupling in artificial multiferroics is generally modeled through three possible mechanisms: charge transfer, strain mediated effects or ion migration. Here the role played by electrically controlled morphological modifications on the ferromagnetic response of a multiferroic heterostructure, specifically FexMn1−x ferromagnetic films on piezoferroelectric PMN‐PT [001] substrates, is discussed. The substrates present, in correspondence to electrical switching, fully reversible morphological changes at the surface, to which correspond reproducible modifications of the ferromagnetic response of the FexMn1−x films. Topographic analysis by atomic force microscopy shows the formation of surface cracks (up to 100 nm in height) upon application of a sufficiently high positive electric field (up to 6 kV cm−1). The cracks disappear after application of negative electric field of the same magnitude. Correspondingly, in operando X‐ray magnetic circular dichroic spectroscopy at Fe edge in FexMn1−x layers and micro‐MOKE measurements show local variations in the intensity of the dichroic signal and in the magnetic anisotropy as a function of the electrically driven morphological state. This morphologic parameter, rarely explored in literature, directly affects the ferromagnetic response of the system. Its proof of electrically reversible modification of the magnetic response adds a new possibility in the design of electrically controlled magnetic devices.

Detection of the Enzymatic Cleavage of DNA through Supramolecular Chiral Induction to a Cationic Polythiophene.

Water-soluble π-conjugated polymers are increasingly envisioned in biosensors, in which their unique optical and electronic properties permit a highly sensitive detection of biomolecular targets. In particular, cationic π-conjugated polymers are attractive for DNA sensing technologies, through the use of the fluorescence signals either in physiological solutions or in thin films. However, in the context of enzymatic activity assays, fluorescence-based methods require covalently labeling DNA with a dye or an antibody and are limited to short time scale due to dye photobleaching. In this frame, we report here a novel possible approach to probe the cleavage of DNA by a restriction enzyme, in continuous and without covalently labeled DNA substrate. This is achieved by exploiting unique chiroptical signals arising from the chiral induction of DNA to a poly[3-(6'-(trimethylphosphonium)hexyl)thiophene-2,5-diyl] upon interaction. The cleavage of DNA by HpaI, an endonuclease enzyme, is monitored through circular dichroism (CD) signals in the spectral range where the polymer absorbs light, i.e., far away from the spectral ranges of both DNA and the enzyme. We compare the results to a conventional noncontinuous assay by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and we demonstrate that induced CD signals are effective in probing the enzymatic activity. By means of molecular dynamics simulations and calculations of CD spectra, we bring molecular insights into the structure of DNA/polymer supramolecular complexes before and after the cleavage of DNA. We show that the cleavage of DNA modifies the dynamics and the organization of the polymer backbone induced by the DNA helix. Altogether, our results provide detailed spectroscopic and structural insights into the enzymatic cleavage of DNA in interaction with a π-conjugated polymer, which could be helpful for developing chiroptical detection tools to monitor the catalytic activity in real time.

Multi‐Dimensional Quantum Nanostructures with Polarization Properties for Display Applications

AbstractColloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), or quantum nanostructures with various dimensions and morphologies, are excellent emerging solution‐processable luminescent materials for display applications. The future of semiconductor NCs in the display market strongly relies on the development of low energy consuming devices. Replacing spherical NCs with multi‐dimensional nanostructures that emit linearly or circularly polarized light with high color purity and brightness, can significantly enhance the performance and efficiency of future display devices. In this review, we highlight some recent advances of colloidal syntheses of multi‐dimensional quantum nanostructures and their implementation as polarized light sources. The most representative examples are quasi‐one‐dimensional (q‐1D) CdSe/CdS dot‐in‐rods with strong linearly polarized emission for liquid crystal display technologies, and two‐dimensional (2D) nanoplatelets with enhanced circular dichroism signals as potential circularly polarized luminescence sources for electroluminescence applications.

Iron Phthalocyanine and Ferromagnetic Thin Films: Magnetic Behavior of Single and Double Interfaces.

Metal-phthalocyanines are quasi-planar heterocyclic macrocycle molecules with a highly conjugated structure. They can be engineered at the molecular scale (central atom, ligand) to tailor new properties for organic spintronics devices. In this study, we evaluated the magnetic behavior of FePc in a ∼1 nm molecular film sandwiched between two ferromagnetic films: cobalt (bottom) and nickel (top). In the single interface, FePc in contact with a Co film is magnetically coupled with the inorganic film magnetization, though the relatively small Fe(Pc) X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) signal in remanence, with respect to that observed in applied field of 6 T, suggests that a fraction of molecules in the organometallic film have their magnetic moment not aligned or antiparallel with respect to Co. When in contact with two interfaces, Fe(Pc) XMCD doubles, indicating that part of the Fe(Pc) are now aligned with the Ni topmost layer, saturated at 1 T. We discussed the relevance of the finding in terms of understanding and developing hybrid organic/inorganic spin devices.

Superchiral photons unveil magnetic circular dichroism

Polarization-dependent photon spectroscopy (dichroism) using signal-enhancing superchiral beams is shown to be sensitive to magnetic properties of the sample, whereas previous investigations explored charge-like electronic properties of chiral samples. In the process of unveiling the potential to observe magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), we underline an affinity between spectroscopies using the Borrmann effect, twisted beams and superchiral beams. Use of an effective wavevector in a quantum-mechanical theory unites the aforementioned spectroscopies and vastly improves our understanding of their advantages. Exploiting an effective wavevector for superchiral beams, natural circular dichroism (NCD) is derived from electric dipole - magnetic dipole (E1-M1) and electric dipole - electric quadrupole (E1-E2) absorption events, and MCD is derived from electric quadrupole-electric quadrupole (E2-E2) absorption. Signal enhancement by superchiral beams is a straightforward gain for the user because NCD and MCD are otherwise precisely the same as for a circularly polarized beam, according to our calculations. Our analysis shows that enhancement of E2-E2 is superior to that available for parity-odd events under consideration. Electronic degrees of freedom in all dichroic signals are encapsulated in atomic multipoles that are frequently used in theoretical interpretations of several established experimental techniques.

A chiral assembly of gold nanoparticle trimer-based biosensors for ultrasensitive detection of the major allergen tropomyosin in shellfish

A biosensor based on a chiral assembly of polymer of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) trimers was developed for the detection and quantification of the major shellfish allergen tropomyosin (TROP). TROP and anti-TROP monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were immobilized on 20 nm and 30 nm 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (16-MHDA) functionalized AuNPs to assemble a trimer, which has a Circular dichroism (CD) signal. The free TROP from samples was quantified as an inhibitor for the formation of the AuNP trimer. The AuNP trimer-based biosensor allowed for the selective determination of TROP in the range of 0.1–15 ng mL−1 with the limit of detection (LOD) of 21 pg mL−1 (S/N = 3) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 70 pg mL−1 (S/N = 10). The use of a AuNP trimer-based biosensor with simple sample preparation functions with specificity and accuracy; this highlights its applicability for the detection of allergens in shellfish products, related products and their production lines. Furthermore, based on the less conserved sequences of TROP in phylogenetically different species, this biosensor is currently being used to identify the adulteration of shellfish products using TROP as biomarker.

Chiral Nanostructured Composite Films via Solvent-Tuned Self-Assembly and Their Enantioselective Performances.

Chiral nanostructures exhibited distinctive functions and attractive applications in complex biological systems, which demonstrated the subject of many outstanding research studies. In this work, various hierarchical composite film nanostructures were designed via supramolecular self-assembly using chiral amphiphilic glutamate derivatives and achiral porphyrin derivatives and their macroscopic enantioselective recognition properties were investigated. We have found that intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions between water (donor and acceptor) and N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as well as chloroform (CHCl3) (acceptor only) and DMF could subtly alter the molecular packing and significantly affected the supramolecular self-assembled nanostructures and triggered circular dichroism (CD) signal reversal. Present research work exemplified a feasible method to fabricate chiral flower-like and brick-like nanostructure films in different mixed solvents and large-scale chiral transfer from the molecular level to complex structures, which also provided a facile approach to identify certain l-/d-amino acids by means of contact angle detection using present obtained self-assembled composted films.

Dichroism in two-color above-threshold ionization with twisted XUV beams and intense infrared laser fields

We theoretically investigate the two-color above-threshold ionization of atoms and ions by twisted XUV Bessel and Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams in the presence of a strong circularly polarized near-infrared (NIR) laser field. The presence of the NIR field modifies the continuum states accessible to the photoelectron. Based on the strong-field approximation, we explore the resulting energy and angular distributions of photoelectron as a function of the beam parameters. In particular, we analyze dichroism signals that arise due to the twisted nature of the XUV beam and the helicity of the NIR field. We focus on the comparison between LG beams and Bessel beams in the paraxial approximation. Here, we find that both beams yield similar results when the paraxial regime is valid. For localized targets, the dichroism signals strongly depend on the size and position of the atoms relative to the beam axis. Moreover, the dichroism signal tends to zero when the XUV LG beam is linear polarized. Detailed computations of the dichroism are performed and discussed for the $4s$ valence-shell photoionization of ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}$ ions.

Enantioselective sensing of carboxylic acids with a bis(urea)oligo(phenylene)ethynylene foldamer

The development of molecular probes for optical sensing of chiral compounds has received increasing attention in recent years, in particular because of the potential to accelerate asymmetric reaction analysis. In this study, we prepared conformationally flexible oligo(phenylene)ethynylene foldamers carrying peripheral bis(trifluoromethyl)phenylurea units that undergo hydrogen bonding with chiral carboxylic acids. This interaction results in a chiral amplification process across the stereodynamic sensor scaffold which coincides with characteristic circular dichroism signals at high wavelengths. The induced chiroptical signals allow quantitative determination of the enantiomeric excess of the substrate which was demonstrated with nonracemic samples of tartaric acid. The chirality sensing assay is fast, sufficiently accurate for high-throughput screening purposes and adaptable to parallel analysis with multiwell plate readers.

In situ generated pyroglutamate bridged polyoxotitaniums with strong circular dichroism signal

In this text, we use inexpensive and natural amino acid, successfully obtained the asymmetric crystallization of three PTCs, [Ti6(OiPr)14(μ2-O)(μ3-O)2(d/l-pGlu)2] (d-PTC-53; l-PTC-53; H2pGlu = pyroglutamic acid) and [Ti6(OiPr)14(μ2-O)(μ3-O)2(d-pGlu)2] [Ti6(OiPr)14(μ2-O)(μ3-O)2(l-pGlu)2] (d,l-PTC-53). Interestingly, in situ lactamide reaction starting from glutamic acid to pyroglutamic acid was observed. In addition, the chirality features of these PTCs have been thoroughly discussed. The two enantiomers crystallize in chiral P21 space group. The optically pure pGlu ligands transform its chirality to the inorganic titanium oxo clusters. As a result, the stack of these inorganic clusters generates homochiral helical chains along the characteristic axial direction. Apart from the microscopic structural analysis, the macroscopic solid-state samples exhibit unusual strong circular dichroism (CD) signals, further verified the homochiral feature of the enantiomers.

Chiral Plasmonic Nanocrystals for Generation of Hot Electrons: Toward Polarization-Sensitive Photochemistry.

The use of biomaterials, with techniques such as DNA-directed assembly or biodirected synthesis, can surpass top-down fabrication techniques in creating plasmonic superstructures in terms of spatial resolution, range of functionality, and fabrication speed. In particular, by enabling a very precise placement of nanoparticles in a bioassembled complex or through the controlled biodirected shaping of single nanoparticles, plasmonic nanocrystals can show remarkably strong circular dichroism (CD) signals. We show that chiral bioplasmonic assemblies and single nanocrystals can enable polarization-sensitive photochemistry based on the generation of energetic (hot) electrons. It is now established that hot plasmonic electrons can induce surface photochemistry or even reshape plasmonic nanocrystals. We show that merging chiral plasmonic nanocrystal systems and the hot-election generation effect offers unique possibilities in photochemistry, such as polarization-sensitive photochemistry promoting nonchiral molecular reactions, chiral photoinduced growth of a colloid at the atomic level, and chiral photochemical destruction of chiral nanocrystals. In contrast, for chiral molecular systems, the equivalent of the described effects is challenging to observe because molecular species typically exhibit very small CD signals. Moreover, we compare our findings with traditional chiral photochemistry at the molecular level, identifying new, different regimes for chiral photochemistry with possibilities that are unique for plasmonic colloidal systems. In this study, we bring together the concept of hot-electron generation and the field of chiral colloidal plasmonics. Using chiral plasmonic nanorod complexes as a model system, we demonstrate remarkably strong CD in both optical extinction and generation rates of hot electrons. Studying the regime of steady-state excitation, we discuss the influence of geometrical and material parameters on the chiral effects involved in the generation of hot electrons. Optical chirality and the chiral hot-electron response in the nanorod dimers result from complex interparticle interactions, which can appear in the weak coupling regime or in the form of Rabi splitting. Regarding practical applications, our study suggests interesting opportunities in polarization-sensitive photochemistry, in chiral recognition or separation, and in promoting chiral crystal growth at the nanoscale.

Mechanistic Interplay between Light Switching and Guest Binding in Photochromic [Pd2Dithienylethene4] Coordination Cages.

Photochromic [Pd2L4] coordination cages based on dithienylethene (DTE) ligands L allow triggering guest uptake and release by irradiation with light of different wavelengths. The process involves four consecutive electrocyclic reactions to convert all chromophores between their open and closed photoisomeric forms. So far, guest affinity of the fully switched species was elucidated, but mechanistic details concerning the intermediate steps remained elusive. Now, a new member of the DTE cage family allows unprecedented insight into the interplay between photoisomerization steps and guest location inside/outside the cavity. Therefore, the intrinsic chirality of the DTE backbones was used as reporter for monitoring the fate of a chiral guest. In its "open" photoisomeric form ( o-L, [Pd2( o-L)4] = o-C), the C2-symmetric DTE chromophore quickly converts between energetically degenerate P and M helical conformations. After binding homochiral 1 R-( -) or 1 S-( +) camphor sulfonate ( R-CSA or S-CSA), guest-to-host chirality transfer was observed via a circular dichroism (CD) signal for the cage-centered absorption. Irradiating the R/S-CSA@ o-C host-guest complexes at 313 nm produced configurationally stable "closed" photoisomers, thus locking the induced chirality with an enantiomeric excess close to 25%. This value (corresponding to chiral induction for one out of four ligands), together with DOSY NMR, ion mobility mass spectrometry, and X-ray structure results, shows that closure of the first photoswitch is sufficient to expel the guest from the cavity.

Current-induced domain wall oscillations in a nanowire imaged by time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy

Abstract We study reversible domain wall motion in half-ring Ni 80 Fe 20 nanowires on a nanosecond (ns) timescale in a truly current-induced pump-probe experiment using an energy filtered, aberration-corrected photoemission electron microscope. The X-ray magnetic circular dichroism signal is probed at different time delays before, during and after the current pulse in a stroboscopic mode with circularly polarized synchrotron radiation in the energy range of the Fe L 3 -edge (707 eV). We observe lateral domain wall oscillations with a frequency of ∼ 0.4 GHz. Comparing the results to a proposed string model, we find that the domain wall oscillations can be described as string-like asymmetric oscillations.

Methyl divanillate: redox properties and binding affinity with albumin of an antioxidant and potential NADPH oxidase inhibitor.

Vanillic acid is a widely used food additive (flavouring agent, JECFA number: 959) with many reported beneficial biological effects. The same is true for its ester derivative (methyl vanillate, JECFA number: 159). Based on the increasing evidence that diapocynin, the dimer of apocynin (NADPH oxidase inhibitor), has some improved pharmacological properties compared to its monomer, here the dimer of methyl vanillate (MV), i.e., methyl divanillate (dimer of methyl vanillate, DMV) was synthesized and studied in the context of its redox properties and binding affinity with human serum albumin (HSA). We found that the antioxidant potency of DMV was significantly increased compared to MV. In this regard, the reduction of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical by DMV was 30-fold more effective compared to MV. Ferric ion reduction was 4-fold higher and peroxyl radical reduction was 2.7-fold higher. The interaction with HSA was significantly improved (Stern–Vomer constants, 3.8 × 105 mol−1 L and 2.3 × 104 mol−1 L, for DMV and MV, respectively). The complexation between DMV and HSA was also evidenced by induced circular dichroism (ICD) signal generation in the former due to its fixation in the asymmetric protein pocket. Density-functional calculations (TD-DFT) showed that the ICD spectrum was related to a DMV conformation bearing a dihedral angle of approximately −60°. Similar dihedral angles were obtained in the lowest and most populated DMV cluster poses obtained by molecular docking simulations. The computational studies and experimental displacement studies revealed that DMV binds preferentially at site I. In conclusion, besides being a powerful antioxidant, DMV is also a strong ligand of HSA. This is the first study on the chemical and biophysical properties of DMV, a compound with potential beneficial biological effects.

Dipole orientation polarization property of single-molecule manipulated by external electric field

The dipole orientation of single-molecule plays an important role in improving the fluorescence collection efficiency and promises to have applications in super-resolution imaging, protein folding, and Förster resonance energy transfer between fluorophores. However, these applications are realized usually by precisely manipulating the orientation of the dipole moment of single molecules. Here, the dipole orientation of 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′,-tetramethylindodicarbocyanine (DiD) single molecules with the permanent dipole moment of 14.9 D is manipulated by using an external electric field of 3500 V/mm. Single DiD molecules are prepared by using mixed solvent of chloroform and dimethyl sulfoxide. The dipole orientation of single molecules is manipulated by an external electric field during the evaporation of solvent. The fluorescence of single molecules is measured by splitting the fluorescence collected by an objective into the S-polarized and P-polarized beams, and the fluorescence polarization of single molecules can be calculated by measuring the intensities of two orthogonal channels (<i>I</i><sub>S</sub> and <i>I</i><sub>P</sub>). The distribution of dipole orientation angle (<i>α</i>) for single DiD molecules in poly-(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film is analyzed statistically, and its changes are compared under different electric fields. It is found that the dipole orientation angle <i>α</i> of single DiD molecules in the PMMA film without applying electric field obeys a single-peak Gaussian distribution with the most probable value of 41°, which results from the fluorescence dichroism signal of the high numerical aperture objective. Applying a perpendicular electric field to the surface of single-molecule sample, the distribution of dipole orientation angle <i>α</i> of single DiD molecules can be still fitted by a single-peak Gaussian function with the most probable value of 44.2°. The dipole orientation of single DiD molecules under the perpendicular electric field changes little. However, by applying a parallel electric field to the surface of single-molecule sample, the dipole orientation angle <i>α</i> of single DiD molecules changes prominently. It obeys a two-peak Gaussian distribution with the most probable values of ～ 32° and 55.5°, indicating that the orientation polarization of the dipole moment occurs to the single DiD molecules in PMMA film. The dipole orientation of single polar molecules tends to the parallel electric field in this case.

A chiroptical nanoprobe for highly selective recognition of histidine enantiomers in aqueous media

Histidine is one of the essential amino acids in the human body, and the variation of its concentration in vivo has shown it to align with some liver and kidney diseases. In this work, a series of novel poly(2-oxazoline) derivatives bearing chiral pyrrolidine–triazole moieties in the side chain were designed and synthesized to serve as chemical sensors for histidine. The results demonstrated that the homopolymer HPOx2 is capable of selectively binding optically active histidine through nitrogen/Cu2+ coordination to form complexes exhibiting induced circular dichroism (ICD) signals with signs related to the absolute configuration of the guest compound. Interestingly, the micelle-type nanoparticles assembled from the corresponding amphiphilic copolymer (CPOx2) gave a much stronger CD response, with an intensity five times that of its small molecule- or homopolymer counterparts. The proposed method, based on the chiroptical probe, allows for enantioselective detection of histidine in aqueous media, showing potential application in the field of biomedical assay and chiral drug synthesis.