Spinodal ordering in Cu3Au

Results from, X-ray diffuse scattering and inelastic neutron scattering demonstrate the presence of long-lived fluctuations in order up to 5.0°C above the first-order phase transition, T_c = 383.2°C. The temperature for continuous ordering has been determined to be 358.2°C. The coherent phase boundary is 3–13°C below T_c.     

Die Temperaturabhängigkeit der magnetischen Jordan-Nachwirkung von Nickel

The magnetic after effect of pure polycristalline nickel and of a single crystal was measured between ?196 and +340 °C by a Förster second harmonic magnetometer. The viscosity constantS _v is shown to be proportional toB(T)·H_c(T) with an increasing functionB(T) for specimens of different magnetic hardness. The temperature dependence S_v(T) atH _c is rather complex in comparison to the simpleT- or √T-behaviour of former theoretical models. The latter is observed only forT??100 °C, whileS _v is nearly independent ofT between ?100 and +300 °C, and drops abruptly to zero forT?300 °C.     

Effect of structural water on the critical characteristics of highly textured YBa2Cu3O6.9

The effect of low-temperature treatment (200°C) in a humid argon atmosphere and subsequent annealing (930°C) on the critical parameters of a highly textured YBa₂Cu₃O_6.9 has been studied. During annealing at T = 200°C, the absorbed water is incorporated into the structure of the compound, which is accompanied by the deterioration of its superconducting properties. However, after the recovery annealing at T = 930°C and subsequent oxidation, the superconducting characteristics (j _c , B _1c , and F _p ) are improved. This is explained by the formation of 124-type planar defects, which are effective pinning centers, especially in high fields applied perpendicular to the c axis (⊥ c). The optimum conditions of double annealing substantially increasing the critical current density (j _c ≥ 10⁴ A/cm²) in an external magnetic field up to 10 T and also the first critical fields have been found. In fields up to ～3 T, the critical current density j _c is isotropic despite the conservation of high texture in the samples.     

Anomalous thermoelastic behaviour of cubic potassium cyanide

The temperature dependence of all elastic constants of cubic potassium cyanide has been measured by ultrasonic methods in the range from -105.4 to 181°C. Until about 180°C all elastic wave velocities increase with higher temperatures. The behaviour of the shear constant c₄₄ is given by c₄₄ = a · logT/T₀ with a = 0.219 · 10¹¹dyn.cm^?2 and T₀ = 153.7°K with a good approximation. These unusual effects are assigned to the librational vibrations and orientational jumping processes of the CN-ions. The phase transition at -105.5°C is a consequence of the low c₄₄ value.     

Cl35 NQR study of the structural phase transition in (CH3NH3)HgCl3

The Cl³⁵ nuclear quadrupole resonance spectra of (CH₃NH₃)HgCl₃ have been measured between -150°C and + 100°C. The spectra clearly show that a structural phase transition of first order takes place around T_c? 60°C. The transition may be related to a disordering of the CH₃NH₃ groups which are reorienting both above and below T_c. The positive temperature coefficient of the Cl NQR frequency, dv/dT may be also explained by the CH₃NH₃ motion.     

Effect of structural relaxation on low energy excitations in amorphous Zr x Cu1−x

We report on an investigation of the liquid-quenched metallic glass Zr _x Cu_1?x (0.6≦x≦0.74) subjected to heat treatments below the glass transition temperatureT _g. Annealing temperatures up to 200°C (<0.8T _g) were chosen as to achieve topological relaxation only. The superconducting transition temperaturesT _c are lowered, as already observed for other metallic glasses. Low temperature measurements of the thermal conductivity (0.5 K≦T≦15 K) and of the specific heat (0.1 K≦T≦3 K) were carried out in order to determine the effect of structural relaxation on the low energy configurational excitations characteristic of the amorphous state. The annealed samples show no detectable (<20%) change in the specific heat forT?T _c, but an increase of the thermal conductivity by a factor of 2 forT?T _c is observed. Within the tunneling model of two level systems (TLS) for the low energy excitations, this behavior can be qualitatively understood in terms of a change of the TLS relaxation time distribution upon annealing. This distribution differs from that of the commonly used standard tunneling model. The change of the phonon scattering by TLS directly observed forT?T_c is largely responsible for the enhancement of the thermal conductivity found also aboveT _c.     

Self-organization of the structure in the Cu60Fe40 composite during deformation-thermal treatment

The deformation-thermal stability of a clusterized amorphous-crystalline structure prepared from a Cu₆₀Fe₄₀ powder mixture at a logarithmic strain e = 4.6 and subjected to isochronous (40 min) annealings at T _a = 200–800°C has been investigated. Periodic changes (ΔT = 300°C) in the order and disorder with a maximum ordering at T _a = 300 and 600°C and a maximum disordering at T _a = 400 and 700°C have been observed. The periodicity of the dominant crystallographic order with a period ΔT = 400°C in the annealing temperature has been revealed for face-centered cubic copper phase planes separated by a singular point at T = 500°C characterized by the dominant body-centered cubic iron phase ordering. It has been shown that the sawtooth shape of the size distribution of strain clusters formed within the crystal structure of deformed samples slowly changes with increasing annealing temperature from exponential (T _a = 200–700°C) to linear (T _a = 800°C). This indicates a high density of internal local distortions in structural units.     

Dielectric properties of deuterated ammonium Rochelle salt

The dielectric constant of deuterated ammonium Rochelle salt along the three crystallographic axes as well as the pyroelectric charge density developed on the crystal surface perpendicularly to the b-axis have been measured with a high temperature resolution. The para- to ferroelectric transition at T_c = ?159°C shows a thermal hysteresis of ΔT = 0.15°C. This and the discontinuities in the dielectric constant along all three axes show that the phase transition is of the first-order. No phase intermediate between the para- and the ferroelectric phases could be detected.     

Central peak for a scalar ϕ 4-model: mode coupling approach revisited

We reinvestigate the mode coupling approach to the central peak which occurs in the vicinity of a structural phase transition at T _c. For a scalar ? ⁴-model it is shown that the use of renormalized vertices leads to quite different results compared to recent calculations with bare vertices. Particularly, we prove that the latter are obtained in leading order of the anharmonicity constant of the on-site potential from a perturbational treatment of the renormalized vertices. Again, this mode coupling approach may yield a dynamical transition at a temperature T _c'(≥ T _c) at which the dynamics becomes nonergodic, i.e. a central peak occurs. For a ? ⁴- model with infinite range interactions our theoretical predictions are consistent with numerical results. Furthermore, if the fluctuations in the vicinity of Tc are Gaussian, no dynamical transition occurs above Tc. Therefore the temperature T ₀'obtained from the Ginzburg criterion sets an upper bound for T _c'. If a dynamical transition occurs, it is shown that the nonergodicity parameter as function of wave vector q and temperature T follows from an universal master function.     

Ionic conductivity enhancement during pre-crystallization in amorphous lithium ionic conductor Li2B2O4

It is found from the temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity of amorphous Li₂B₂O₄ that the ion transport process is rather complicated. At temperature below T_k (≈310°C), the ionic conductivity obeys an Arrhenius relation. Above the crystallization temperature T_c (≈410°C) ion transport is dominated by the process in the crystalline state. In between the ionic conductivity is anomalously enhanced. In this pre-crystallization range two distinguishable steps with a transition temperature at T_p (≈380°C) can be identified. At temperature between T_k and T_p, the conductivity increase is due to the redistribution of free volume. For temperature between T_p and T_c the specimen contains a small amount of crystallites but the crystallinity is less than 5%. The ⁷Li NMR spectra show that the line shape of partially crystallized amorphous material is quite similar to that of LiCl containing DSPP but in this case the second-phase particles are crystallites of the parent material.     

Electron spin resonance in nickel near Tc

The temperature dependence of the FMR and EPR linewidth of bulk nickel single crystals was measured from 260 to 410°C at 9.85 GHz. A linewidth falling off rapidly with increasing temperature was found in a region above T_c: 365<T<385°C. An interpretation by the critical behaviour of the spin system is discussed.     

Phase transitions in the atomic, electronic, and magnetic subsystems of LaSrMnO films versus the synthesis temperature

The evolution of the cluster structure in amorphous LaSrMnO films as synthesis temperature T _s increases from 20 to 300°C is considered. Two order-disorder phase transitions with different scale parameters are observed. One of them, the aggregation of disordered atoms into small (～20 Å) amorphous clusters at T _s = 100°C, shows up as a sharp increase in the intensity of diffuse X-ray scattering (diffuse halo 1) with a simultaneous suppression of incoherent (background) scattering. At T _s > 150°C, disordering dominates (I _incoh = I _max) until the next stage of ordering sets in at T _s = 250?300°C. At this stage, the crystalline phase forms from large (>100 Å) crystalline clusters. This amorphous-crystalline phase transition is characterized by the appearance of Debye lines and a reduction of the halo intensity. The structural phase transition to long-range order is accompanied by a decrease in the LaSrMnO resistivity from 10¹⁰ to 10 Ω cm and a change from the tunneling mechanism of conductivity involving metallic clusters (which is typical of granulated systems) to the hopping mechanism with a hop variable length following the Mott law ρ ～ exp(T ^?1/4). In the magnetic subsystem, the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition occurs.     

3D dependence of the dielectric dispersion in a BaTiO3 single crystal

The 3D dependences ?′(log f, T) and tanδ(logf, T) of a perfect BaTiO₃ single crystal grown by the Remeika method have been studied in the ranges f = 1–2 × 10⁷ Hz and T = ?80–130°C. These dependences characterize a transition from the paraelectric phase (121.5°C) as a near-antiferroelectric transition followed by the transition to the tetragonal phase at ～79.5°C. According to a number of signs, the range 121.5–79.5°C corresponds to a metastable phase typical of first-order phase transitions. The unexpected result of this work has been discussed with invoking the hypothesis on the BaTiO₃ structure in the paraelectric phase, according to which it consists of three antiferroelectric states oriented along the crystallographic axes. Using the dielectric properties of BaTiO₃ as an example, the method of direct correct determination of the temperatures of the structural transformations from the anomaly of tanδ(logf, T) has also been demonstrated.     

Thermal conductivity of the amorphous and nanocrystalline phases of the beech wood biocarbon nanocomposite

Natural composites (biocarbons) obtained by carbonization of beech wood at different carbonization temperatures T _carb in the range of 800–2400°C have been studied using X-ray diffraction. The composites consist of an amorphous matrix and nanocrystallites of graphite and graphene. The volume fractions of the amorphous and nanocrystalline phases as functions of T _carb have been determined. Temperature dependences of the phonon thermal conductivity κ(T) of the biocarbons with different temperatures T _carb (1000 and 2400°C) have been analyzed in the range of 5–300 K. It has been shown that the behavior of κ(T) of the biocarbon with T _carb = 1000°C is controlled by the amorphous phase in the range of 5–50 K and by the nanocrystalline phase in the range of 100–300 K. The character of κ(T) of the biocarbon with T _carb = 2400°C is determined by the heat transfer (scattering) in the nanocrystalline phase over the entire temperature range of 5–300 K.     

Temperature dependence of the electric quadrupole interaction in PbHfO3

The temperature dependence of the Electric Field Gradient (EFG) in PbHfO₃ was studied in the temperature range 25–225°C by the Differential Perturbed Angular Correlation method. In the two anti-ferroelectric phases below 215°C, not too close to either transition temperature, the EFG decreases as the temperature increases toward T_c. Just above T_c an abrupt rise of EFG was observed indicating a critically behaving contribution to EFG. The results are interpreted in terms of a model based on the local static as well as time-dependent changes of the electric environment, at a lattice site. In accord with the predictions of this model the results exhibit qualitatively the P²_s temperature dependence of EFG far from T_c, where P_s is the sub-lattice polarization, while in close proximity to T_c the dominant contribution to EFG is due to the susceptibility X_q connected with the soft-mode fluctuations. The derived critical exponents are in agreement with previous experimental results on related compounds and with theoretical predictions. A hitherto unobserved additional component of V_zz was established, behaving critically at the antiferro-paraelectric transition at 215°C. This new component is interpreted to originate in local fluctuations connected with the central mode.     

Fermi surface studies in the low- and high-T c phase of the organic superconductor β-(BEDT-TTF)2I3

We report de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) measurements of the high-T _c modification (T _c = 7 - 8 K) and Shubnikov-de Haas results of the low-T _c modification (Tc ≈ 1:4 K) of the organic superconductor β-(BEDT-TTF)₂I₃. In the high-T _c phase we find a single closed two-dimensional orbit with a dHvA frequency F ₀ = (3815±10) T and a 1/cosθ dependence as expected for a quasi two-dimensional system (where θ is the angle between the magnetic field and the direction normal to the conducting planes). The effective cyclotron mass is m _c = (4:2±0:2)m _e. The dHvA signal shows a beating pattern caused by the three-dimensional warping of the Fermi cylinder. The inter-plane transfer integral estimated from the maximum beating frequency ΔF is t _⊥/εF ≈ 1/175. At the angles where the beating disappears, i.e., ΔF ≈ 0, the oscillations have a harmonic content which is much larger than expected from the Lifshitz-Kosevich formula. In the low-T _c phase weak SdH oscillations with a frequency of F _SdH ≈ 110 T and an effective cyclotron mass m _c ≈ 1:0m _e is found. These results suggest a possible reconstruction of the Fermi surface in the low-T _c phase.     

Nb3Sn正常-超导转变时的比热反常

在16.0°K—20.3°K之间测量了Nb₃Sn样品的热容量。Nb₃Sn在临界温度附近的比热跳跃值ΔC=2.21(±5％)焦耳/克分子·度。样品的临界温度T_c=17.88°K,转变宽度ΔT_c≈0.2°K。ΔC值利用热力学关系式确定了Nb₃Sn在0°K时的热力学临界场H₀=5300奥斯特。利用本文的结果和文献上关于热膨胀系数的跳跃值Δα及?T/?P值验证了热力学关系式。扼要地描述了比热测量装置.     

Ultrasonic attenuation near the cholesteric → smectic A transition

Ultrasonic attenuation at 2 MHz has been measured through the cholesteric → smectic A transition in cholestryl nonanoate. Very near the transition, 0.1 < (T ? T_c) < 0.6°C, the excess attenuation varies as (T ? T_c)ⁿ, where n for four separate runs varies between 0.30 and 0.34. These values are very close to the exponent of 0.33 predicted using a scaling laws and observed for the divergence of the twist viscosity in the nematic phase as the smectic A transition is approached.     

Polar regions in the paraelectric phase in a PbZr0.992Ti0.008O3 single crystal

Anomalous behaviour of ε and tan δ in the paraelectric phase was found for PbZr0.992Ti0.008O₃ single crystal. In the vicinity of temperatures 280–290°C (T _c = 236°C) the pyroelectric effect was also observed. Using the data obtained, the existence of an additional polarization (polar regions oriented in an external electric field) in the paraelectric phase is discussed.     

Über die Supraleitung von Hf-Rh-Legierungen

The transition temperaturesT _c of quenched Hf- Rh alloys are strongly increased in the hexagonal phase by Rh, similar to the homologous systems Ti-Rh and Zr-Rh. On the other hand a stabilization of the cubic high-temperature phase by Rh has not been possible. At higher amounts of Rh(>6 at%) the intermetallic compound Hf₂Rh with aT _c of 1.98 °K is formed. Moreover a transition temperature of 1.73 °K is found which is probably due to the intermetallic compound HfRh. The results above are interpreted with the help of X-ray diffraction and metallurgic techniques.