Evanescent Plane Waves in Multilayer Structures

We have considered evanescent plane waves in structures with a layer of a substance with ε, μ < 0 and with a layer of a well-reflecting metal, ε < 0, μ ≥ 1. Waves with increased amplitude as compared with the initial wave have been found to occur, due to which evanescent waves with wave number as in the initial wave but with increased amplitude arise behind these layers. A composite material with ε, μ < 0 at optical frequencies are proposed. Surface waves on a metal layer are considered in detail. It is shown that surface waves with a sufficiently arbitrary wave number can be excited. It is also shown that, on very thin layers, surface waves with wave number exceeding ten times that of a homogeneous plane wave in vacuum can be excited. Propagation losses are calculated. For a silver layer, the wave path can be from 30 up to 100 wavelengths. Practical use in developing techniques for optical transformations of short-wave surface waves in 2D space, similar to those in 3D space, are pointed out.     

Smectic islands in antiferroelectric nanofilms

Heterochiral islands, in which topological dipoles are oppositely directed, are observed in freestanding antiferroelectric (SmC _A ^*) films. The topological dipoles in films with a transverse electric polarization and a planar molecule orientation at island boundaries are coplanar with an electric field. The topological dipoles in films with a longitudinal polarization and a planar orientation at island boundaries are perpendicular to an electric field. For a radial director orientation at island boundaries, the topological dipoles in films with a longitudinal polarization are coplanar with a field. Changing the orientation of an electric field, we can control the position of a topological defect at an island boundary and the orientation of a topological dipole. Heterochiral islands can form dimers with an anomalously small interisland distance.     

On the Connectivity of Cobordisms and Half-Projective TQFT's

We consider a generalization of the axioms of a TQFT, the so-called half-projective TQFT's, where we inserted an anomaly, , in the composition law. Here μ₀ is a coboundary (in a group cohomological sense) on the cobordism categories with non-negative, integer values. The element of the ring over which the TQFT is defined does not have to be invertible. In particular, it may be zero. This modification makes it possible to extend quantum-invariants, which vanish on S ¹×S ², to non-trivial TQFT's. Note, that a TQFT in the ordinary sense of Atiyah with this property has to be trivial all together. We organize our discussions such that the notion of a half-projective TQFT is extracted as the only possible generalization under a few very natural assumptions. Based on separate work with Lyubashenko on connected TQFT's, we construct a large class of half-projective TQFT's with . Their invariants all vanish on S ¹×S ², and they coincide with the Hennings invariant for non-semisimple Hopf algebras and, more generally, with the Lyubashenko invariant for non-semisimple categories. We also develop a few topological tools that allow us to determine the cocycle μ₀ and find numbers, ϱ(M), such that the linear map associated to a cobordism, M, is of the form . They are concerned with connectivity properties of cobordisms, as for example maximal non-separating surfaces. We introduce in particular the notions of “interior” homotopy and homology groups, and of coordinate graphs, which are functions on cobordisms with values in the morphisms of a graph category. For applications we will prove that half-projective TQFT's with vanish on cobordisms with infinite interior homology, and we argue that the order of divergence of the TQFT on a cobordism, M, in the “classical limit” can be estimated by the rank of its maximal free interior group, which coincides with ϱ(M). Received: 20 October 1997 / Accepted: 18 March 1998     

Poisson Quasi-Nijenhuis Structures with Background

We define Poisson quasi-Nijenhuis structures with background on Lie algebroids and we prove that any generalized complex structure on a Courant algebroid which is the double of a Lie algebroid has an associated Poisson quasi-Nijenhuis structure with background. We prove that any Lie algebroid with a Poisson quasi-Nijenhuis structure with background constitutes, with its dual, a quasi-Lie bialgebroid. We also prove that any pair (π,ω) of a Poisson bivector and a 2-form induces a Poisson quasi-Nijenhuis structure with background and we observe that particular cases correspond to already known compatibilities between π and ω. This paper was presented as a poster in the conference “Poisson 2008”, EPFL, Lausanne, in July 2008.     

Gravitational effects on the SU(5) breaking phase transition for a Coleman-Weinberg potential

The gravitational coupling Rφ² plays a crucial role in determining the fate of the symmetric, high temperature state in a graud unified model with Coleman-Weinberg type symmetry breaking. If this term enters in the lagrangian with a negative sign, it drives the SU(5) breaking phase transition at a temperature of about 10¹⁰ GeV. If it enters with a positive sign, and in particular with the coefficient $\text{1}\text{12}$ which is required for a conformally invariant classical theory, this term prevents the phase transition from being completed, at least until temperatures are reached for which the SU(5) coupling becomes large.     

Optical inhomogeneity model for evaporated Y2O3 obtained from physical thickness measurement

A multiparameter fitting with additional parameters for film inhomogeneity based on transmission results is used to get film inhomogeneity information and to compare different models for film structure. For a number of evaporated materials similar results from transmission fitting have been obtained by using a model consisting of two sublayers with a constant difference in refractive indices between them, either with a thin sublayer in the contact with a substrate or with air. As additional information, we obtained the film physical thickness result from step profile measurements for an oxygen-doped Y₂O₃ film on a fused silica and we compared it with the fit results for this coating. The result closest to the profilometry one has been achieved for a model with a thinner sublayer in contact with the substrate. The differences are great enough to assert that Y₂O₃ films on a fused silica possess a higher refractive index in the first stages of growth and then, after some transition, the main material with smaller refractive index grows on it.     

Time-of-flight studies of emission of μt from frozen hydrogen films

In recent TRIUMF experiments, a μ^- beam is stopped in a solid hydrogen film with a small fraction of T₂. The Ramsauer-Townsend (RT) mechanism allows μt to escape into vacuum with a few eV of energy. To study the emission process, an imaging system was used to determine the position of muon decays. Experimental histograms are in good agreement with a Monte Carlo simulation. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Oxidation of iron studied by PAC and CEMS

A metallic Fe specimen, implanted with ¹¹¹In, was oxidized and subsequently annealed in a high vacuum for PAC spectroscopy. This treatment gave rise to a huge PAC signal. The magnitude of the hyperfine field was found to be one third of that in metallic Fe. CEMS on an enriched Fe foil given exactly the same treatment has revealed that a maghemite phase (γ-Fe₂O₃) is formed right after the oxidation treatment and a magnetite phase (Fe₃O₄) after the vacuum annealing. ¹¹¹In in the magnetite phase was found to give rise to a PAC signal with large amplitude. PAC spectroscopy in an external magnetic field has revealed that the site of ¹¹¹In is the tetrahedral site of the magnetite with the hyperfine field of +12 T, which is in excellent agreement with those in the ferrites. The present method of oxidation of metallic Fe with nuclear probes in it is quite useful for the study of oxidation processes. Also, it provides us with a simple means to prepare ferrite specimens incorporated with nuclear probes. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Metamagnetic phase transitions induced by static and pulsed fields in (Sm0.5Gd0.5)0.55Sr0.45MnO3 ceramics

It has been found that the magnetic susceptibility of (Sm_0.5Gd_0.5)_0.55Sr_0.45MnO₃ ceramic samples in zero external magnetic field exhibits a sharp peak near the temperature of 48.5 K with a small temperature hysteresis that does not depend on the frequency of measurements and is characteristic of the phase transition to an antiferromagnetic state with a long-range charge orbital ordering, which is accompanied by an increase in the magnetic susceptibility with a decrease in the temperature. The magnetization isotherms in static and pulsed magnetic fields at temperatures below 60 K demonstrate the occurrence of an irreversible metamagnetic transition to a homogeneous ferromagnetic state with a critical transition field independent of the measurement temperature, which, apparently, is associated with the destruction of the insulating state with a long-range charge ordering. In the temperature range 60 K ?? T ?? 150 K, the ceramic samples undergo a magnetic-field-induced reversible phase transition to the ferromagnetic state, which is similar to the metamagnetic transition in the low-temperature phase and is caused by the destruction of local charge/orbital correlations. With an increase in the temperature, the critical transition fields increase almost linearly and the field hysteresis disappears. Near the critical fields of magnetic phase transitions, small ultra-narrow magnetization steps have been revealed in pulsed fields with a high rate of change in the magnetic field of ??400 kOe/??s.     

Correlated states and transparency of a barrier for low-energy particles at monotonic deformation of a potential well with dissipation and a stochastic force

The features of the formation of correlated coherent states of a particle in a parabolic potential well at its monotonic deformation (expansion or compression) in finite limits have been considered in the presence of dissipation and a stochastic force. It has been shown that, in both deformation regimes, a correlated coherent state is rapidly formed with a large correlation coefficient |r| → 1, which corresponds at a low energy of the particle to a very significant (by a factor of 10⁵⁰–10¹⁰⁰ or larger) increase in the transparency of the potential barrier at its interaction with atoms (nuclei) forming the “walls” of the potential well or other atoms located in the same well. The efficiency of the formation of correlated coherent states, as well as |r|, increases with an increase in the deformation interval and with a decrease in the deformation time. The presence of the stochastic force acting on the particle can significantly reduce the maximum |r| value and result in the fast relaxation of correlated coherent states with |r| → 0. The effect of dissipation in real systems is weaker than the action of the stochastic force. It has been shown that the formation of correlated coherent states at the fast expansion of the well can underlie the mechanism of nuclear reactions at a low energy, e.g., in microcracks developing in the bulk of metal hydrides loaded with hydrogen or deuterium, as well as in a low-pressure plasma in a variable magnetic field in which the motion of ions is similar to a harmonic oscillator with a variable frequency.     

Dynamics of the phase transitions in the system of nonequilibrium charge carriers in quantum-dimensional Si1 − x Ge x /Si structures

The dynamics of the phase transition from an electron-hole plasma to an exciton gas is studied during pulsed excitation of heterostructures with Si_{1 ? x} Ge _x /Si quantum wells. The scenario of the phase transition is shown to depend radically on the germanium content in the Si_{1 ? x} Ge _x layer. The electron-hole system decomposes into a rarefied exciton and a dense plasma phases for quantum wells with a germanium content x = 3.5% in the time range 100–500 ns after an excitation pulse. In this case, the electron-hole plasma existing in quantum wells has all signs of an electron-hole liquid. A qualitatively different picture of the phase transition is observed for quantum wells with x = 9.5%, where no separation into phases with different electronic spectra is detected. The carrier recombination in the electron-hole plasma leads a gradual weakening of screening and the appearance of exciton states. For a germanium content of 5–7%, the scenario of the phase transition is complex: 20–250 ns after an excitation pulse, the properties of the electron-hole system are described in terms of a homogeneous electron-hole plasma, whereas its separation into an electron-hole liquid and an exciton gas is detected after 350 ns. It is shown that, for the electron-hole liquid to exist in quantum wells with x = 5–7% Ge, the exciton gas should have a substantially higher density than in quantum wells with x = 3.5% Ge. This finding agrees with a decrease in the depth of the local minimum of the electron-hole plasma energy with increasing germanium concentration in the SiGe layer. An increase in the density of the exciton gas coexisting with the electron-hole liquid is shown to enhance the role of multiparticle states, which are likely to be represented by trions T ⁺ and biexcitons, in the exciton gas.     

Ultrasound velocimetry of ferrofluid spin-up flow measurements using a spherical coil assembly to impose a uniform rotating magnetic field

Ferrofluid spin-up flow is studied within a sphere subjected to a uniform rotating magnetic field from two surrounding spherical coils carrying sinusoidally varying currents at right angles and 90° phase difference. Ultrasound velocimetry measurements in a full sphere of ferrofluid shows no measureable flow. There is significant bulk flow in a partially filled sphere (1-14 mm/s) of ferrofluid or a finite height cylinder of ferrofluid with no cover (1-4 mm/s) placed in the spherical coil apparatus. The flow is due to free surface effects and the non-uniform magnetic field associated with the shape demagnetizing effects. Flow is also observed in the fully filled ferrofluid sphere (1-20 mm/s) when the field is made non-uniform by adding a permanent magnet or a DC or AC excited small solenoidal coil. This confirms that a non-uniform magnetic field or a non-uniform distribution of magnetization due to a non-uniform magnetic field are causes of spin-up flow in ferrofluids with no free surface, while tangential magnetic surface stress contributes to flow in the presence of a free surface.Recent work has fitted velocity flow measurements of ferrofluid filled finite height cylinders with no free surface, subjected to uniform rotating magnetic fields, neglecting the container shape effects which cause non-uniform demagnetizing fields, and resulting in much larger non-physical effective values of spin viscosity η′∼10⁻⁸−10⁻¹² N s than those obtained from theoretical spin diffusion analysis where η′≤10⁻¹⁸ N s. COMSOL Multiphysics finite element computer simulations of spherical geometry in a uniform rotating magnetic field using non-physically large experimental fit values of spin viscosity η′∼10⁻⁸−10⁻¹² N s with a zero spin-velocity boundary condition at the outer wall predicts measureable flow, while simulations setting spin viscosity to zero (η′=0) results in negligible flow, in agreement with the ultrasound velocimetry measurements. COMSOL simulations also confirm that a non-uniform rotating magnetic field or a uniform rotating magnetic field with a non-uniform distribution of magnetization due to an external magnet or a current carrying coil can drive a measureable flow in an infinitely long ferrofluid cylinder with zero spin viscosity (η′=0).     

Sensitive detection of ammonia and ethylene with a pulsed quantum cascade laser using intra and interpulse spectroscopic techniques

Spectroscopic concentration measurements of ammonia and ethylene were done with a pulsed, distributed feedback (DFB) quantum cascade (QC) laser centered at 970 cm⁻¹. An astigmatic Herriot cell with 150 m path length was employed, and we compare the results from experiments using inter- and intrapulse techniques, respectively. The measurements include the detection of ammonia in breath with these methodologies. In the interpulse technique, the laser was excited with short current pulses (5–10 ns), and the pulse amplitude was modulated with an external current ramp resulting in a ∼0.3 cm⁻¹ frequency scan. A standard amplitude demodulation technique was implemented for extracting the absorption line, thus avoiding the need for a fast digitizer or a gated integrator. In the intrapulse technique, a linear frequency down-chirp is used for sweeping across the absorption line. A 200 ns long current pulse was used for these measurements which resulted in a spectral window of ∼1.74 cm⁻¹ during the down-chirp. The use of a room temperature mercury-cadmium-telluride detector resulted in a completely cryogen free spectrometer. We demonstrate detection limits of ∼3 ppb for ammonia and ∼5 ppb for ethylene with less than 10 s averaging time with the intrapulse method and ∼4 ppb for ammonia and ∼7 ppb for ethylene with the interpulse technique with an integration time of ∼5 s.     

Representation of solutions of the Burgers equation using functional integrals

In the paper, a representation of a solution of the Burgers equation in ℝ ⁿ is obtained by using integrals with respect to the Wiener measure on the space of trajectories in ℝ ⁿ . The Burgers equation is considered in a rigged Hilbert space. It is proved that, in the infinite-dimensional case, there is an analog of the Cole-Hopf transformation relating the Burgers equation and an analog of the heat equation with respect to measures. The Feynman-Kac formula for the heat equation (with potential) with respect to measures in a rigged Hilbert space is obtained.     

Dynamics of VUV spectra in fast capillary discharge

The temporal behavior of VUV spectra of capillary discharge with a rate of a current rise on the order of 10¹² A/s is studied. The current is generated using an inductive storage unit with a plasma-erosion opening switch. This discharge is accompanied by the generation of a shock wave on an inner wall of a capillary and by its subsequent cumulation on the discharge axis. The capillary is prefilled with argon at a pressure of 80 Pa. Radiation spectra are obtained using an off-Rowland spectrograph based on a concave grating with optimal focusing in the wavelength range of 20 nm. The radiation is recorded with a detector based on a microchannel plate with a time resolution of 20 ns, which makes it possible to separate the spectra of two phases of the discharge, i.e., the cumulation phase of the shock wave in argon that fills the capillary (T _e ∼ 20–30 eV) and the phase of subsequent discharge in a substance desorbed from the capillary wall T _e ∼ 50 eV).     

Two-Dimensional Triplet Magnetoexcitons and a Magnetofermionic Condensate in the GaAs/AlGaAs Heterostructures

A fundamentally new collective state, namely, the magnetofermionic condensate, is discovered during photoexcitation of a sufficiently dense gas of long-lived triplet cyclotron magnetoexcitons in a twodimensional Hall insulator with a high electron mobility, a filling factor of ν = 2, and temperatures of T < 1 K. The condensed phase coherently interacts with an external electromagnetic field, exhibits superradiant properties in the recombination of correlated condensate electrons with heavy holes in the valence band, and spreads nondissipatively in the layer of a two-dimensional electron gas to macroscopical large distances, transferring an integer spin. The observed effects are explained in terms of a coherent condensate in a nonequilibrium system of two-dimensional fermions with a fully quantized energy spectrum, in which a degenerate ensemble of long-lived triplet magnetoexcitons obeying the Bose statistics is present.

     

Ab Initio Study of the Polarization,Electronic, Magnetic,and Optical Properties of Perovskite SrMO<Subscript>3</Subscript> (M = Fe,Mn) Crystals and Thin Films Containing Magnetic Ions

The magnetic, electronic, and polarization properties of the SrFeO₃ and SrMnO₃ compounds with a perovskite structure are calculated using the density functional theory in the bulk and thin-film states. A ferroelectric instability is found to be absent in the bulk state, and the polar mode is softened in the thin-film state of SrMnO₃ in the presence of tensile stresses in the substrate. As a result, a polar phase with a polarization of 23 μC/cm² appears, which agrees with experimental data. The study of the magnetic and electronic properties demonstrates the existence of G-type antiferromagnetic ordering in SrMnO₃ and the appearance of a dielectric gap of about 1.5 eV in its thin film. A ferromagnetic phase with metallic conduction in both the bulk and thin-film states is detected in SrFeO₃.     

Mössbauer study of the defect structures around Te implanted in Al x Ga1−x As

^129mTe-atoms were implanted in Al _x Ga_1?x As-samples (withx varying from 0 to 1) with a dose of 2×10¹³ atoms/cm². After rapid thermal annealing to 900°C, a variation in the Mössbauer spectra as a function ofx is observed. Forx between 0.2 and 0.7, a component with a large electric field gradient is dominant in the spectra, while for the other values ofx a single line dominates. The presence of the component with a large electric field gradient coincides with the presence of the so-called “DX-center”.     

Square Roots and Inverses in E-Rings

An e-ring is a pair (R, E) consisting of an associative ring R with unity l together with a subset E ⊆ R of elements, called eflects, with properties suggested by the so-called effect operators on a Hilbert space. Examples are given in which R is a unital C*-algebra, the ring of finite elements in an ordered field, the ring of continuous functions on a compact Hausdorff space, or the ring of measurable functions on a Borel space. We review the basic facts about e-rings and give a structure theorem for the case in which E satisfies the descending chain condition. Motivated by the notion of sequential observation of effects in quantum mechanics, we study the existence and uniqueness of square roots in an e-ring, we apply some of the same techniques to give conditions for the existence of multiplicative inverses, and we make contact with the theory of Jordan algebras.     

Microstructure of stomaflex based magnetic elastomers

Stomaflex elastomers filled with two types of magnetic particles (nano- and micro-sized) were investigated. It was observed that doping with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and applying a magnetic field during the polymerisation process led to a significant change in the local structure of the elastomer. Decreases in the quasi-crystalline phase concentration, in the average size of the crystalline blocks, and in the ordering distance were observed after doping the elastomer with magnetite nanoparticles. After filling the polymer with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, yet the elastomer fractal dimension changes. For the elastomer filled with a large amount of Fe microparticles (75% particle concentration) a texture effect is observed, and this effect is larger for the samples polymerised in a magnetic field. At all microparticle concentrations, these elastomers exhibit surface fractal structure.