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Peter Oelhafen

Bio: Peter Oelhafen is an academic researcher from University of Basel. The author has contributed to research in topics: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy & Amorphous solid. The author has an hindex of 43, co-authored 261 publications receiving 7797 citations.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The findings-that the sensitivity of the human alerting response to light and its thermoregulatory sequelae are blue-shifted relative to the three-cone visual photopic system-indicate an additional role for these novel photoreceptors in modifying human alertness, thermophysiology, and heart rate.
Abstract: Light can elicit acute physiological and alerting responses in humans, the magnitude of which depends on the timing, intensity, and duration of light exposure. Here, we report that the alerting response of light as well as its effects on thermoregulation and heart rate are also wavelength dependent. Exposure to 2 h of monochromatic light at 460 nm in the late evening induced a significantly greater melatonin suppression than occurred with 550-nm monochromatic light, concomitant with a significantly greater alerting response and increased core body temperature and heart rate ( approximately 2.8 x 10(13) photons/cm(2)/sec for each light treatment). Light diminished the distal-proximal skin temperature gradient, a measure of the degree of vasoconstriction, independent of wavelength. Nonclassical ocular photoreceptors with peak sensitivity around 460 nm have been found to regulate circadian rhythm function as measured by melatonin suppression and phase shifting. Our findings-that the sensitivity of the human alerting response to light and its thermoregulatory sequelae are blue-shifted relative to the three-cone visual photopic system-indicate an additional role for these novel photoreceptors in modifying human alertness, thermophysiology, and heart rate.

787 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
30 Aug 2002-Science
TL;DR: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed a maximum oxidation resistance for “magic-number” clusters containing 55 gold atoms, which suggests that gold-55 clusters may act as especially effective oxidation catalysts, such as for oxidizing carbon monoxide.
Abstract: Gold nanoparticles ranging in diameter from 1 to 8 nanometers were prepared on top of silicon wafers in order to study the size dependence of their oxidation behavior when exposed to atomic oxygen. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed a maximum oxidation resistance for “magic-number” clusters containing 55 gold atoms. This inertness is not related to electron confinement leading to a size-induced metal-to-insulator transition, but rather seems to be linked to the closed-shell structure of such magic clusters. The result additionally suggests that gold-55 clusters may act as especially effective oxidation catalysts, such as for oxidizing carbon monoxide.

466 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
26 Jan 2011-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: The findings suggest that the sensitivity of the human alerting and cognitive response to polychromatic light at levels as low as 40 lux, is blue-shifted relative to the three-cone visual photopic system.
Abstract: Light exposure can cascade numerous effects on the human circadian process via the non-imaging forming system, whose spectral relevance is highest in the short-wavelength range Here we investigated if commercially available compact fluorescent lamps with different colour temperatures can impact on alertness and cognitive performance

405 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a review article deals with the motivation for using nanostructured materials in the field of solar energy conversion, and briefly some recent fundamental observations on supported nanoclusters and optical properties of embedded metallic nanClusters in a dielectric matrix.

344 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the preparation of hexagonally ordered metallic nanodots was studied in detail with emphasis on the chemical state of the resulting particles, where the reverse micelles themselves are capable of ligating defined amounts of a metal salt within their cores, acting as nanoreactors.
Abstract: The preparation of hexagonally ordered metallic nanodots was studied in detail with emphasis on the chemical state of the resulting particles. To obtain these dots, in a first step micellar structures were formed from diblock copolymers in solution. The reverse micelles themselves are capable of ligating defined amounts of a metal salt within their cores, acting as nanoreactors. After transfer of the metal-loaded reverse micelles onto a substrate, the polymer was removed by means of different plasmas (oxygen and/or hydrogen), which also allow the metal salt to be reduced to the metallic state. In this way, ordered arrays of metallic nanodots can be prepared on various substrates. By adjusting the appropriate parameters, the separation and the size of the dots can be varied and controlled. To determine their purity, chemical state, and surface cleanliness—all of which are crucial for subsequent experiments since nanoscale structures are intrinsically surface dominated—in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ex-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied, also giving information on the formation of the nanodots.

220 citations


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TL;DR: The simulation allows us to study in detail the changes in the structure-property relationship through the metal-semiconductor transition, and a detailed analysis of the local structural properties and their changes induced by an annealing process is reported.
Abstract: We present ab initio quantum-mechanical molecular-dynamics simulations of the liquid-metal--amorphous-semiconductor transition in Ge. Our simulations are based on (a) finite-temperature density-functional theory of the one-electron states, (b) exact energy minimization and hence calculation of the exact Hellmann-Feynman forces after each molecular-dynamics step using preconditioned conjugate-gradient techniques, (c) accurate nonlocal pseudopotentials, and (d) Nos\'e dynamics for generating a canonical ensemble. This method gives perfect control of the adiabaticity of the electron-ion ensemble and allows us to perform simulations over more than 30 ps. The computer-generated ensemble describes the structural, dynamic, and electronic properties of liquid and amorphous Ge in very good agreement with experiment. The simulation allows us to study in detail the changes in the structure-property relationship through the metal-semiconductor transition. We report a detailed analysis of the local structural properties and their changes induced by an annealing process. The geometrical, bonding, and spectral properties of defects in the disordered tetrahedral network are investigated and compared with experiment.

16,744 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review focuses on the synthesis, protection, functionalization, and application of magnetic nanoparticles, as well as the magnetic properties of nanostructured systems.
Abstract: This review focuses on the synthesis, protection, functionalization, and application of magnetic nanoparticles, as well as the magnetic properties of nanostructured systems. Substantial progress in the size and shape control of magnetic nanoparticles has been made by developing methods such as co-precipitation, thermal decomposition and/or reduction, micelle synthesis, and hydrothermal synthesis. A major challenge still is protection against corrosion, and therefore suitable protection strategies will be emphasized, for example, surfactant/polymer coating, silica coating and carbon coating of magnetic nanoparticles or embedding them in a matrix/support. Properly protected magnetic nanoparticles can be used as building blocks for the fabrication of various functional systems, and their application in catalysis and biotechnology will be briefly reviewed. Finally, some future trends and perspectives in these research areas will be outlined.

5,956 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe the deposition methods, deposition mechanisms, characterisation methods, electronic structure, gap states, defects, doping, luminescence, field emission, mechanical properties and some applications of diamond-like carbon.
Abstract: Diamond-like carbon (DLC) is a metastable form of amorphous carbon with significant sp3 bonding. DLC is a semiconductor with a high mechanical hardness, chemical inertness, and optical transparency. This review will describe the deposition methods, deposition mechanisms, characterisation methods, electronic structure, gap states, defects, doping, luminescence, field emission, mechanical properties and some applications of DLCs. The films have widespread applications as protective coatings in areas, such as magnetic storage disks, optical windows and micro-electromechanical devices (MEMs).

5,400 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Nanoalloys of Group 11 (Cu, Ag, Au) 865 5.1.5.2.
Abstract: 5.1. Nanoalloys of Group 11 (Cu, Ag, Au) 865 5.1.1. Cu−Ag 866 5.1.2. Cu−Au 867 5.1.3. Ag−Au 870 5.1.4. Cu−Ag−Au 872 5.2. Nanoalloys of Group 10 (Ni, Pd, Pt) 872 5.2.1. Ni−Pd 872 * To whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone: +39010 3536214. Fax:+39010 311066. E-mail: ferrando@fisica.unige.it. † Universita di Genova. ‡ Argonne National Laboratory. § University of Birmingham. | As of October 1, 2007, Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division. Volume 108, Number 3

3,114 citations