We investigate energetics and structure of circular and polygonal single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using large scale molecular simulations on NAS SP2, motivated by their unusual electronic and magnetic properties. The circular tori are formed by bending tube (n, n) whereas the polygonal tori are constructed by turning the joint of two tubes of (n, n), (n+1, n-1) and (n+2, n-2) with topologi...

Microfibers composed of azobenzene-based photochromic amorphous molecular materials, namely low molecular-mass photochromic materials with a glass-forming property, could be fabricated. These fibers were found to exhibit mechanical bending motion upon irradiation with a laser beam. In addition, the bending direction could be controlled by altering the polarization direction of the irradiated li...

Observations of the self-deflection effect for an asymmetrical continuous-wave laser beam in sodium vapor are described, and comparisons based on theoretical calculations are made. A self-bending angle as large as eight diffraction widths was recorded, and strong attenuation of the on-axis radiation due to self-bending was measured. At -200'C the self-deflection angle increased linearly with be...