Large-scale simulations of a-Si:H: the origin of midgap states revisited

Large-scale classical and quantum simulations are used to generate a-Si:H structures. The bond-resolved density of the occupied electron states discloses the nature of microscopic defects responsible for levels in the gap. Highly strained bonds give rise to band tails and midgap states. The latter originate mainly from stretched bonds, in addition to dangling bonds, and can act as hole traps. This study provides strong evidence for photoinduced degradation (Staebler-Wronski effect) driven by strain, thus supporting recent work on a-Si, and sheds light on the role of hydrogen.     

Large supercell molecular dynamics study of defect formation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

We have performed molecular dynamics simulations of the defect formation associated with the Staebler-Wronski (SW) effect in a-Si:H using 224 and 231 atom supercells and employing semiempirical Si-Si and Si-H total energy functionals. The role of hydrogen in the defect formation within the bond breaking model of the SW effect has been investigated for both large supercells. The results suggest that, within this model, H can be important in weakening the normal Si-Si bonds which break to produce defects in the SW effect.     

Direct role of hydrogen in the Staebler-Wronski effect in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

We report a hydrogen-related defect that establishes the direct role of hydrogen in stabilizing the silicon dangling bonds created in the Staebler-Wronski effect in hydrogenated amorphous silicon. A specific NMR signal due to paired hydrogen atoms occurs only after optical excitation, exists at an intensity that is consistent with the density of optically induced silicon dangling bonds, and anneals at temperatures that are consistent with the annealing of the optically induced silicon dangling bonds. At this defect the hydrogen atoms are 2.3+/-0.2 A apart.     

Metastability of amorphous silicon from silicon network rebonding

We propose a network rebonding model for light-induced metastability in amorphous silicon, involving bonding rearrangements of silicon and hydrogen atoms. Nonradiative recombination breaks weak silicon bonds and generates dangling bond-floating bond pairs, with very low activation energies. The transient floating bonds annihilate, generating local hydrogen motion. Charged defects are also found. Support for these processes is found with tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations. The model accounts for major experimental features of the Staebler-Wronski effect including electron-spin resonance data, the t(1/3) kinetics of defect formation, two types of metastable dangling bonds, and hysteretic annealing.     

Sommerfeld enhancements for asymmetric dark matter

We extend the analysis of asymmetric Dark Matter relic density with the Sommerfeld enhancement to the case where the mediator is massive. In asymmetric Dark Matter models, asymmetric Dark Matter is assumed to couple to the light scalar or vector boson. Asymmetric Dark Matter annihilation cross section is enhanced by the Sommerfeld effect which exists due to the distortion of the wavefunction of asymmetric Dark Matter particle and anti–particle by long–range interactions. The impacts of the Sommerfeld enhancement on the relic densities of asymmetric Dark Matter particle and anti–particle are discussed. The effect of kinetic decoupling on the relic density is also probed when the annihilation cross section is boosted by the Sommerfeld enhancement. Finally, the constraints on the parameter space are given using the observational data of the relic density of Dark Matter.     

Protonium annihilation in optical models

We calculate the wave-functions, energy shifts and widths of low lying protonium states using different optical potentials (Dover-Richard, Kohno-Weise). The importance of tensor and isospin coupling is studied and the initial state distortion is compared for protonium annihilation andp¯p annihilation in flight at low energy. We study the range of distances at which annihilation actually occurs in protonium. We also analyse the effect of the initial state interaction on two meson branching ratios and underline that it may dramatically change the predictions of those microscopic models which are based only on phase space and simple quark diagrams.     

On the annealing behaviour of the Staebler-Wronski effect ina-Si:H

The kinetics of the Staebler-Wronski effect ina-Si:H were investigated experimentally. The rate of recovery from the illuminated state B to the annealed state A was observed at various temperatures in undoped,n- andp-dopeda-Si:H. The data can be characterized by a thermally activated relaxation time with an activation energy decreasing with increasing doping concentration. The results are compared with previous data and existing models.     

Features of charged-pion energy spectra in antiproton-<Superscript>4</Superscript>He annihilation at rest and formation of excited hadronic blobs

New data on the pion spectra measured in selected channels following the antiproton annihilation at rest on ⁴He are presented and discussed in the light of statistical models.     

Photo-induced degradation of a-Si: H diodes with an nin structure

Diodes with an nin structure consisting of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) exhibit space-charge-limited currents. We subjected some diodes to both illumination and voltage stresses. Only the illumination treatment led to a degradation of the I(U)-characteristics. The degradation is reversible by annealing. We deduce from these findings that metastable traps are created by recombining photocarriers rather than by single-carrier trapping. The reversible diode degradation is consistent with the Staebler-Wronski effect.     

Annihilation of positrons in hydrogen-saturated titanium

The effect of atomic hydrogen on the electronic structure of α-titanium samples is studied using the electron-positron annihilation methods. It is shown that different states of hydrogen atoms are manifested in different ways in the positron lifetime distribution spectrum. The results of theoretical calculations of the first component of the positron lifetime are in accord with the obtained experimental data.     

Some {\rm O}(\alpha^2) annihilation type contributions to the orthopositronium width

We consider some radiative corrections to the lowest order annihilation diagram for the orthopositronium decay rate. The insertion of the renormalized vertex correction in the annihilation graph gives . We compute also the contribution of the square of the lowest order annihilation amplitude, which turns out to be . Finally, we obtain a term arising from the correction to the light–light scattering block due to the exchange of one coulombic photon, in agreement with earlier computations. Received: 10 December 1997 / Published online: 24 March 1998     

Hydrogen-Antihydrogen Molecule and Its Properties

The metastability of the four-body system is discussed from the point of view of radiative rearrangement collisions of the hydrogen and antihydrogen. Such collisions lead to the formation of an intermediate molecular state which further decays into positronium and protonium or is destroyed via annihilation. We present calculations of the lifetime of the system and the branching ratios for Coulombic decay and annihilation.     

Observation of double radiative capture on pionic hydrogen

We report the first observation of double radiative capture on pionic hydrogen. The experiment was conducted at the TRIUMF cyclotron using the RMC spectrometer and detected gamma-ray coincidences following pi(-) stops in liquid hydrogen. We found the branching ratio for double radiative capture to be [3.05+/-0.27(stat)+/-0.31(syst)]x10(-5). The measured branching ratio and angle-energy distributions support the theoretical prediction of a dominant contribution from the pipi-->gammagamma annihilation mechanism.     

Stochastic ballistic annihilation and coalescence

We study a class of stochastic ballistic annihilation and coalescence models with a binary velocity distribution in one dimension. We obtain an exact solution for the density which reveals a universal phase diagram for the asymptotic density decay. By universal we mean that all models in the class are described by a single phase diagram spanned by two reduced parameters. The phase diagram reveals four regimes, two of which contain the previously studied cases of ballistic annihilation. The two new phases are a direct consequence of the stochasticity. The solution is obtained through a matrix product approach and builds on properties of a q-deformed harmonic oscillator algebra.     

Astrophysical signatures of secluded dark matter

We analyze the indirect astrophysical signatures of secluded models of WIMP dark matter, characterized by a weak-scale rate for annihilation into light MeV-scale mediators which are metastable to decay into Standard Model states. Such scenarios allow a significant enhancement of the annihilation cross section in the galactic halo relative to its value at freeze-out, particularly when the mediator is light enough for this process to proceed through radiative capture to a metastable ‘WIMP-onium’ bound state. For MeV-scale vector mediators charged under a hidden U(1)^′$\mathrm{U}{(1)}^{\prime }$ gauge group, the enhanced annihilation rate leads predominantly to a sizable excess positron flux, even in the absence of astrophysical boost factors.     

Application of the Second Born Approximation to Excitation of Hydrogen Atoms by Protons and Antiprotons Impact

We present and compare total cross sections for excitation in collisions of protons and antiprotons with hydrogen atoms in the 2s state. Calculations axe performed in the framework of the second Born approximation, in the energy range of 5-1000 keV. We apply the usual approach of the second Born approximation, which approximates the summation raised by retaining few terms, as well as another approach approximates all energies corresponding to the intermediate states to that corresponding to the initial state. The annihilation effect in the case of the antiproton collision is investigated. We compare the results with the previous theoretical calculations.     

Single-step triplet-triplet annihilation: an intrinsic limit for the high brightness efficiency of phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes

We investigate triplet-triplet annihilation in molecular host-guest systems where triplets are localized on spatially separated guest molecules. Our results indicate that the dominant mechanism of annihilation is single-step long-range (F?rster-type) energy transfer between two excited guests. This mechanism leads to a fundamental limit for the efficiency of phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes at high luminance. Our model is confirmed by photoluminescence decay experiments on 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphine platinum as guest in a host matrix of 4,4'-N,N'-dicarbazole-biphenyl.     

PdAgHx金属氢化物正电子湮没研究

在77—295 K温区和氢浓度0—0.35范围采用正电子湮没寿命测量方法研究了Pd0.75Ag0.25H_x氢化物合金. 充氢后正电子湮没寿命谱可以用两个寿命成分表征. 短寿命成分τ1不随温度和氢浓度变化, 是自由正电子湮没寿命; 长寿命成分τ2及其相对强度I2不随温度变化, 但随氢浓度的增加分别增大和减小, τ2是氢气泡捕获的正电子湮没寿命, τ2增大和I2减小说明随氢浓度增大氢聚集成的气泡的尺度增大, 而浓度减小. 实验结果表明, 氢脆的微观机理是氢气泡致脆. The metal hydride PdAgHx with a hydrogen concentration x ranging from 0 to 0.35 has been investigated by positron annihilation lifetime method in the temperature region between 77 K and 295 K. The measured lifetime spectra in metal hydride PdAgHx are characterized by two lifetimes τ1 and τ2. The short lifetime τ1 is independent of both hydrogen concentration and temperature, which is ascribed to the annihilation lifetime of free positrons. The long lifetime τ2 and its intensity I2 do not change with temperature, while τ2 increases and I2 decreases with increasing of hydrogen concentration. τ2 is attributed to the lifetime of positrons trapped at the hydrogen bubble. The increase of τ2 indicates the growth of the hydrogen bubble, and the decrease of I2 shows the reduction of the hydrogen bubble concentration. The experimental result shows a microscopic mechanism that the hydrogen bubble produced causes hydrogen embrittlement.     

Effect of magnetic field on triplet excitons annihilation in Langmuir-Blodgett films

We study the effect of an external magnetic field on annihilation of triplet excitons of aromatic molecules in Langmuir-Blodgett films. Differences in the magnetic effect in relation to the number of layers, temperature, and recording time of annihilation delayed fluorescence are determined.