• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.201-209
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• 2022

The previously developed microspot spectroscopic ellipsometer (SE) is upgraded to a microspot SE compatible with the atomic force microscope (AFM). The focusing optical system of the previous microspot SE is optimized to incorporate an AFM head. In addition, the rotating compensator ellipsometer in polarizer-sample-compensator-analyzer configuration is adopted in order to minimize the negative effects caused by beam wobble. This research leads to the derivation of the expressions needed to get spectro-ellipsometric constants despite the fact that the employed rotating compensator is far from the ideal achromatic quarter-wave plate. The spot size of the developed microspot SE is less than 20 ㎛ while the AFM head is mounted. It operates in the wavelength range of 190-850 nm and has a measurement accuracy of δΔ ≤ 0.05° and δΨ ≤ 0.02°, respectively. Fast measurement of ≤3 s/sp is realized by precisely synchronizing the azimuthal angle of a rotating compensator with the spectrograph. The microspot SE integrated with an AFM is expected to be useful in characterizing the structure and optical properties of finely patterned samples.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.105-110
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• 2018

Objectives : We tried to observe the fluorescence anisotropy and intensity of ethidium ion in the intercalating binding interaction between DNA and ethidium ions in the presence of berberine, and then tried to explain the effect of berberine on the intercalating interaction of ethidium ion with DNA. Methods : DNA(calf thymus DNA), berberine and ethidium bromide(EtBr) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Co. Proper amount of each compound was dissolved in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer(pH 7.0) containing 100 mM of NaCl to prepare stock solutions. Collections of the fluorescence anisotropy and intensity data were performed on JASCO FP-8300 spectrofluorometer equipped with a polarizer and a Peltier temperature controller. The excitation of ethidium ion was done at 550 nm and the emission data were collected at 600 nm. For Stern-Volmer plot, the fluorescence data were collected at $18^{\circ}C$ and $30^{\circ}C$. Results : According to the results of this research, the weak competitive binding pattern between ethidium ion and berberine appeared in binding with DNA at low ratio of DNA to ethidium ion. But at high ratio of DNA to ethidium ion, this weak competition disappeared. Instead, berberine might bind to DNA by intercalating way. In other words, berberine could de-intercalate ethidium ion from DNA at low concentration of DNA relative to ethidium ion, but could not at high concentration of DNA relative to ethidium ion. In addition, the mechanism of fluorescence quenching of ethidium ion could also proceed differently, depending on the ratio of the amount of DNA to that of ethidium ion. Conclusions : The effect of berberine on the DNA-ethidium ion intercalating interaction could work differently, depending on the relative ratio of the amount of DNA to that of ethidium ion. This study also showed that fluorescence anisotropy analysis is very useful method to obtain detailed information for investigation of the complex binding interactions. In order to fully understand the mechanism of action of the pharmacological effect by berberine, studies on the effect of berberine on the action of proteins such as various enzymes closely related to berberine-induced medicinal effects should be continued.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.57.4-58
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• 2021

Asteroids have undergone various processes such as impacts, space weathering, and thermal evolution. Because they expose their surfaces to space without atmosphere, these evolutional processes have been recorded directly on their surfaces. The remote-sensing observations have been conducted to reveal these evolutional histories of the target asteroids. For example, crater and boulder distributions are unambiguous evidence for past nondestructive impacts with other celestial bodies. Multiband and spectroscopic observations have revealed space-weathering history (as well as compositions). Whereas most physical quantities have been examined intensively using spacecraft and telescopes, only a little has been studied on "the grain size". It is one of the fundamental physical quantities for diagnosing the collisional and thermal history of asteroids. Our group has conducted polarimetric research of asteroids (as well as Moon [1]) to determine the particle size and further investigate the evolutional histories of target asteroids [2],[3]. For example, the existence of regolith on an S-type asteroid, Toutatis, was suggested almost twenty years before space exploration [4]. Moreover, we reported that near-Sun asteroids indicate a signature of submillimeter grains, which could be created by a thermal sintering process by solar radiation [5]. However, it is important to note that in-situ polarimetry has not been reported on the asteroid surface, although the Korean Lunar Exploration Program aims to do polarimetry on the lunar surface [6]. Therefore, it is expected that the polarizer mounted on the Korean Apophis spacecraft can make the first estimate of the grain size and its regional variation over the Apophis surface. In this presentation, we outline research of S-type asteroid surfaces through remote-sensing observations and consider the role of polarimetry. Based on this review, we consider the purpose, potentiality, and strategy of the polarimetry using the onboard device for the Apophis spacecraft. We will report a possible polarization phase curve of Apophis estimated from ordinary chondrites and past observational data of S-type asteroids, taking account of the space weathering effect. Based on this estimation, we will consider the strategy of how to determine the particle size (and space weathering degree) of the Apophis surface. We will also mention the detectability of dust hovering on the surface.