Thermal conductivity of single crystals of the Ca1 − x Y x F2 + x solid solution

The thermal conductivity of single crystals of the solid solution of yttrium fluoride in calcium fluoride Ca_{1 ? x} Y _x F_{2 + x} with the fluorite structure (x ≤ 0.20) and the Ca_0.27Y_0.73F_2.73 phase with the tisonite structure has been studied by the absolute steady-state longitudinal heat flow method in the temperature range 50–300 K. It has been established that the thermal conductivity drops sharply with increasing yttrium trifluoride concentration, especially in the low-temperature region.     

Local dynamic deformation of the superconducting CuO2 plane in the Nd2 − x Ce x CuO4 + δ compound

The local structure of the electron-doped high-temperature superconductor Nd_{2 ? x} Ce _x CuO_{4 + δ} has been investigated by EXAFS spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation in the temperature range 5–300 K. The radii, coordination numbers, and Debye-Waller factors of the nearest coordination spheres of the copper, neodymium, and cerium local environment have been obtained. The Einstein temperatures, characterizing the strength of Cu-O, Nd-O, and Ce-O interatomic bonds have been determined. The dynamic local deformation of the superconducting CuO₂ plane in the form of vibrations of some part of oxygen ions in a double-well potential due to the difference in the electronic filling of neighboring CuO₄ complexes has been established.     

Mechanism of charge transfer in injection photodiodes based on the In-n +-CdS-n-CdS x Te1 − x -p-Zn x Cd1 − x Te-Mo structure

Photosensitive In-n ⁺-CdS-n-CdS _x Te_{1 ? x} -p-Zn _x Cd_{1 ? x} Te-Mo film structures based on II–VI semiconductors and operating in the wavelength range λ = 0.490–0.855 μm have been fabricated. These structures in the forward current direction at high bias voltages operate as injection photodiodes and exhibit a high integrated sensitivity S _int ≈ 700 A/lm (14500 A/W) at room temperature. It has been found that, in the fabricated structures at low illuminance levels and low forward bias voltages (0.05–0.50 V), the diffusion and drift fluxes of nonequilibrium charge carriers are directed toward each other. This effect leads to the sign reversal of the photocurrent, which makes it possible on the basis of these structures to create selective photodetectors with injection properties. In the reverse direction of the photocurrent, these structures also operate in the mode of internal amplification of the primary photocurrent, but the integrated sensitivity in this mode is considerably less than that in the forward current direction.     

The influence of praseodymium concentration on the luminescence properties of Ca1 ? x Pr x F2 + x (0.002 ≤ x ≤0.35)

The possibility of implementing photon cascade emission in CaF₂-PrF₃ crystals by increasing the PrF₃ concentration in the CaF₂ matrix is studied. It is shown that an increase in the Pr³⁺ content leads to redistribution of radiative transitions in favor of the ¹ S ₀-luminescence. The decrease in the efficiency of the second step of photon cascade emission at high PrF₃ concentrations is caused by quenching of the ³ P ₀ ?? 4f ² transitions as a result of cross relaxation.     

A Mössbauer effect study of the Fe2+x Mn1–x Al Heusler alloys

In this work the Mössbauer spectroscopy has been used to study the magnetic properties of Fe_2?+?x Mn_1???x Al alloys with small deviations of composition from the stoichiometric 2:1:1. The Mössbauer parameters obtained for the L2₁ phase indicate H _hf fields of about 25 T and 30 T at 80 K for Fe atoms at X sites in the ordered X₂YZ structure of the L2₁ full Heusler alloys.     

Magnetic and structural phase transitions in the shape-memory ferromagnetic alloys Ni2+x Mn1−x Ga

The results of an experimental investigation of the temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibility and resistivity in the shape-memory ferromagnetic alloys Ni_2+x Mn_1−x Ga (x=0–0.20) are reported. A T−x phase diagram is constructed on the basis of these data. It is shown that partial substitution of Ni for Mn causes the temperatures of the structural (martensitic) T _M and magnetic T _C (Curie point) phase transitions to converge. In the region where T _C =T _M the transition temperature increases linearly with magnetic field in the range from 0 to 10 kOe. The kinetics of a magnetic-field-induced martensitic phase transition is investigated, and the velocities of the martensite-austenite interphase boundary during direct and reverse transitions are measured. A theoretical model is proposed and the T−x phase diagram is calculated. It is shown that there exist concentration ranges where the magnetic and martensitic transitions merge into a first-order phase transition. The theoretical results are in qualitative agreement with experiment. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 1740–1755 (May 1999)     

Electron paramagnetic resonance of Gd3+ ions in Ca1 − x − y Y x Gd y F2 + x + y crystals

Electron paramagnetic resonance of Ca_{1 ? x ? y} Y _x Gd _y F_{2 + x + y} single crystals has revealed spectra that are not typical of gadolinium-doped CaF₂ crystals. These spectra have a nearly tetragonal symmetry and are most probably caused by Gd³⁺ ions localized in yttrium clusters. Weak spectra of tetragonal Gd³⁺ centers, whose parameters are close to those of a cubic gadolinium center caused by an isolated Gd³⁺ ion, have been also detected. These centers are attributed to isolated Gd³⁺ ions localized near octahedral rare-earth clusters or their associations.     

Studies on the synthesis and characterization of Zn1− x Cd x S and Zn1− x Cd x S:Mn2+ semiconductor quantum dots

Quantum dots (3–4?nm) of Zn_{1? x} Cd _x S (both free of Mn²⁺ and with Mn²⁺ incorporated) were synthesized through a novel solvothermal-microwave irradiation technique. Detailed structural analysis of the Zn_{1? x} Cd _x S and Zn_{1? x} Cd _x S:Mn²⁺ (x?=?0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) materials was carried out using powder X-ray diffraction technique. For all the compositions, the crystallite size was controlled to less than 1.5?nm. The optical energy gap for Zn_{1? x} Cd _x S was found to vary from 3.878 to 2.519?eV and for Zn_1?x Cd _x S:Mn²⁺ it varies from 3.830 to 2.442?eV when x is increased from 0 to 1. Overall, the optical energy gap could be tuned from a minimum of 2.442?eV to a maximum of 3.878?eV. DC conductivity analysis (from 40°C to 150°C) and electrical energy gap analysis for all the compositions were also performed. The dc conductivity for Zn_{1? x} Cd _x S solid solutions varies from 0.3840?×?10^?10 to 8.7782?×?10^?10?mho/m at 150°C and for Zn_{1? x} Cd _x S:Mn²⁺ it varies from 0.5751?×?10^?10 to 9.8078?×?10^?10 mho /m at 150°C (for x?=?0 to x?=?1). The method of synthesis and the results observed in this investigation may assist in the fabrication of optical devices when the required operational performance falls under the range observed in the study.     

On the magnetic susceptibility of Pd1−x Ag x in the range 0.5≦x≦1

The weak variation of the magnetic bulk susceptibility of Pd_1–x Ag _x with temperature T and silver mole fractionx within 0.5x1 has been investigated in the range 5KT400K. Experimental evidence can be given for an intersection point of the susceptibility isotherms (T=const,x) atx=0.55. The observed dependence of on T andx is interpreted by means of a semiphenomenological alloy susceptibility function (T,x).     

Phase transitions in ferromagnetic Ni2+x Mn1−x Ga alloys with regard for the modulation order parameter

The phase diagram of ferromagnetic alloys Ni_2+x Mn_1?x Ga is reconstructed on the basis of temperature dependences of the resistance. It is seen from this diagram that for small x, structural transitions from the cubic to the tetragonal phase are preceded by structural transformations in the cubic phase. In the framework of the phenomenological Landau theory of phase transitions, phase diagrams of the structural and magnetic phase transitions in these alloys are analyzed with regard for the modulation order parameter. It is shown that premartensitic and postmartensitic phase transitions related to the appearance of the modulated structure can occur along with martensitic transformations. The strain and modulation order parameters substantially affect the magnetic phase transitions via the interaction with the magnetic order parameter.     

The investigation of the laser properties of a new class of the mixed Y x Sc1 ? x VO4:Nd3+ crystals

The investigation of structural perfection and laser properties of a new class of mixed vanadates Y _x Sc_{1 ? x} VO₄:Nd³⁺ was carried out in this work. The research of the structural perfection of the crystals was carried out by applying the X-ray diffractometer. It was shown that the Y _x Sc_{1 ? x} VO₄:Nd³⁺ crystals have a good structural perfection. The lasing experiment shows that the maximal CW output power of 2 W was achieved upon 5.8 W pumping. The maximal slope efficiency of 41.5% was obtained along the [100] crystallographic direction for the ??-polarization.     

Structural deformations of the cubic lattice of the Zn1 ? x Fe x Se (x = 0.001) crystal

The structural state of a Zn_{1 ? x} Fe _x Se (x = 0.001) crystal has been studied using thermal neutron diffraction. The diffraction patterns of the cubic crystal have been found to contain diffuse scattering regions concentrated in the vicinity of the strong Bragg reflections. It has been shown that the diffuse scattering effects are due to local transverse displacements of the crystal lattice atoms, and these displacements are induced by iron ions that demonstrate the static Jahn-Teller effect of the tetragonal type in the ZnSe compound.     

The Large −g Observability of the Low-Lying Energies in the Strongly Singular Potentials V (x) = x 2 + g 2/x 6 after their 𝓟T −symmetric Regularization

The elementary quadratic plus inverse sextic interaction V (x) = x ² + g ²/x ⁶ containing a strongly singular repulsive core in the origin is made regular by a complex shift of coordinate x = s ?iε. The shift ε > 0 is fixed while the value of s is kept real and potentially observable, s ∈ (?∞, ∞). The low-lying energies of bound states are found in closed form for the large couplings g ? 1. Within the asymptotically vanishing ??(g ^?1/4) error bars these energies are real so that the time-evolution of the system may be expected unitary in an ad hoc physical Hilbert space.     

A 236 GHz Fe3+ EPR Study of Nanoparticles of the Ferromagnetic Room-Temperature Semiconductor Sn1−x Fe x O2 (x = 0.005)

High-frequency (236 GHz) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of Fe³⁺ ions at 255 K are reported in a Sn_1?x Fe _x O₂ powder with x = 0.005, which is a ferromagnetic semiconductor at room temperature. The observed EPR spectrum can be simulated reasonably well as the overlap of spectra due to four magnetically inequivalent high-spin (HS) Fe³⁺ ions (S = 5/2). The spectrum intensity is calculated, using the overlap I(BL) + (I(HS1) + I(HS2) + I(HS3) + I(HS4)) × exp(?0.00001B), where B is the magnetic field intensity in Gauss, I represents the intensity of an EPR line (HS1, HS2, HS3, HS4), and BL stands for the baseline (the exponential factor, as found by fitting to the experimental spectrum, is related to the Boltzmann population distribution of energy levels at 255 K, which is the temperature of the sample in the spectrometer). These high-frequency EPR results are significantly different from those at X-band. The large values of the zero-field splitting parameter (D) observed here for the four centers at the high frequency of 236 GHz are beyond the capability of X-band, which can only record spectra of ions with much smaller D values than those reported here.     

Effect of disorder on the transport properties of the high-T c superconductor Nd2− x CexCuO4+δ

The temperature dependences ρ_ab(T) of Nd_2?x Ce_xCuO_4+δ single crystals with 0≤x≤0.20 are studied and analyzed on the basis of the concepts in the theory of disordered 2D systems. The results are compared with the data obtained for other copper-oxide HTSC. It is found that a transition to the superconducting state in the optimal doping region 0.14≤x≤0.18 occurs only in crystals with a fairly small degree of disorder (k _Fl≥2, where l is the mean free path). This transition is compatible with the weak 2D-localization mode as long as the localization radius is longer than the characteristic size of a Cooper pair. The superconducting transition temperature in the optimal doping region increases monotonically with the parameter k _Fl characterizing the degree of disorder in the crystal. The degradation of superconducting properties upon a further increase in the doping level (x>0.18) is apparently associated with a transition from 2D to 3D conductivity in the single crystal.     

Quasi-two-dimensional transport properties of the layered superconductor Nd2−xCe x CuO4+δ

The temperature dependences of resistivities ρ_ab in the ab plane and ρ_c along the c axis have been studied for single-crystal Nd_{2 ? x} Ce_xCuO_{4 + δ} (x = 0.12, 0.15, 0.17, 0.20) films with (001) and (1 $\bar 1$ 0) orientations. The superconducting transition temperature and anisotropy coefficient are shown to be maximal in optimally annealed samples (the oxygen content is close to the stoichiometric content, δ → 0). A combination of the metallic behavior of the ρ_ab(T) dependence and the nonmetallic behavior of the ρ_c(T) dependence for the optimally annealed samples is an intrinsic property of the substance and an indication of the fact that the system is quasi-two-dimensional. This layered quasi-two-dimensional system is an Anderson dielectric with a strongly anisotropic localization radius (R _loc ^ab ? R _loc ^c ). An increase in the oxygen content and, hence, in the degree of disorder in the Nd_{2 ? x} Ce_xCuO_{4 + δ} system is found to decrease the resistivity anisotropy coefficient. Thus, a disorder-induced Anderson transition takes place in this quasi-two-dimensional system.     

Specific features of the structural transformations in La1 − x Ca x Mn0.98 57Fe0.02O3 + δ (x = 0.05−0.50)

The specific features of the structural transformations in La_{1 ? x} Ca _x Mn_0.98 ⁵⁷Fe_0.02O_{3 + δ} (x = 0.05?0.50) at different Ca concentrations have been studied using Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Variations of the heat treatment conditions (annealing in vacuum and in air) cause reversible phase transitions. For calcium concentrations to 20%, a whole set of phases with reversible structural transitions, such as PnmaII ? PnmaI ? $R\bar 3c$ , can be obtained using the corresponding heat treatment. The phases are successively suppressed with increasing calcium concentration. The rhombohedral phase is suppressed for x = 0.20. When the Ca concentration exceeds 20%, the PnmaII phase is suppressed; as a result, the PnmaI phase with equal concentrations of Mn⁴⁺ and calcium stable during any heat treatments remains. The specific features of phase formation in the La_{1 ? x} Ca _x Mn_0.98 ⁵⁷Fe_0.02O_{3 + δ} compound doped with calcium and in the basis LaMnO_{3 + δ} compound have been compared.