Abstract-The Critical Effect of Hydration on the THz Signatures of Biomolecules and Bioparticles

E. R. Brown, W.-D. Zhang, 


https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-024-1093-8_13

Here we present an original study of the effect of hydration on THz absorption signatures in biomolecules (lactose monohydrate and biotin) and bioparticles (Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus cereus spores). We observe a “red-shift” in center frequency with increasing hydration in all samples, consistent with Lorentzian-oscillator behavior. But the effect of hydration on linewidth is ambiguous, sometimes increasing the linewidth (consistent with Lorentzian behavior) and sometimes decreasing the linewidth.

Abstract-Experimental and Theoretical Study of Strong Low-Terahertz Absorption of Thymine

W.-D. Zhang, A. Bykhovski, J. A. Deibel,, E. R. Brown

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10762-017-0420-z

The absorption coefficient of a nucleobase-thymine-in powder form was measured with terahertz spectroscopy in both frequency- and time-domain experiments. For frequencies below 3 THz, a strong signature was observed at 1.27 THz. Furthermore, molecular-dynamic simulations were conducted to reveal that the 1.27 THz absorption signature is related to a transverse optical phonon mode. The simulations also indicated that bound water molecules are vital to the vibrational mode.