A New Two-Dimensional Pulse Sequence for T2* Measurements of Protons in C Isotopomers

A new two-dimensional pulse sequence for T₂* measurement of protons directly coupled to ¹³C spins is proposed. The sequence measures the tranverse relaxation time of heteronuclear proton single-quantum coherence under conditions of free precession and is therefore well suited to evaluate relaxation losses of proton magnetization during preparation delays of heteronuclear pulse experiments in analytical NMR. The relevant part of the pulse sequence can be inserted as a “building block” into any direct or inverse detecting H,C correlation pulse sequence if proton spin–spin relaxation is to be investigated. In this contribution, the building block is inserted into a HETCOR as well as into a HMQC pulse sequence. Experimental results for the HETCOR-based sequence are given.     

Magnetic properties of Nd1−xKxMnO3 compounds

Polycrystalline Nd_1−xK_xMnO₃ (x=0.10–0.20) compounds have been prepared in single phase form with Pbnm space group. The magnetic properties were studied by measuring dc magnetization and ac susceptibility. They exhibit paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition with transition temperature ranging from 116 to 128 K. The magnetization data have been analyzed by using Brillouin function model and by taking into account the ferromagnetic interaction. The effective spin contribution towards ferromagnetic interaction and spin canting angle have been estimated. The spin canting angle is found to decrease with increase in doping. Magneto-caloric effect (MCE) has been studied and the maximum change in entropy was found to be 1.76 J/kg K for 1 T field. Metal–insulator transition and colossal magnetoresistance of the order of 60% for 1 T field have been observed for x=0.20 sample.     

Study on the second-harmonic-generation of GdCa4O(BO3)3 crystals along various phase-matching directions

In this paper, the theoretical calculations of d_eff of GdCa₄O(BO₃)₃ (GdCOB) along various phase-matching (PM) directions are reported. It is shown that the maximum d_eff is out of the main planes and the d_eff in the range of (0<θ≤90, 90<φ≤180) are larger than that in the range of (0<θ≤90, 0≤φ≤90). The PM direction along (θ=66.8, φ=132.6) for GdCOB crystal has the largest d_eff. Second-harmonic-generation (SHG) experiments were performed on GdCOB crystal along various PM directions. The results show that in GdCOB crystal, the intracavity SHG conversion efficiency is 27.6% along the PM direction (θ=66.8, φ=132.6) which is larger than that along PM directions in XY and XZ main planes, which are in good agreement with the theoretical calculations. The continuous-wave (cw) green laser output power is 1.22 W when LD pump power is 10 W in the Nd:YVO₄/GdCOB laser.     

Antiferromagnetic versus spin-glass like behavior in MnIn2S4

The low-temperature magnetic properties of MnIn₂S₄ have been studied using AC magnetic susceptibility and magnetization experiments. High-temperature susceptibility fits indicate the presence of antiferromagnetic interactions. Low-field magnetization data show a peak at 5.6±0.1 K, below which strong irreversibility is observed between zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) cycles suggesting that the observed peak corresponds to a spin-glass-like transition instead of the antiferromagnetic one previously reported. Further evidence of this magnetic state comes from AC susceptibility data at different frequencies. The in-phase component χ′(T) exhibits the behavior expected of spin glasses, i.e. a shift of the cusp to higher temperatures for higher frequencies.     

Synthesis and magnetic properties of Sm–Y3Fe5O12 nanoparticles

Garnet nanoparticles Y_3−xSm_xFe₅O₁₂ were fabricated by a sol–gel method. The XRD patterns of all the samples have only peaks of the garnet structure and the sizes range from 34 to 67 nm. Results of VSM show that the saturation magnetization of Y_3−xSm_xFe₅O₁₂ (0<x3) decreases on increasing the Sm concentration x evidently. Meanwhile, it is observed that with the enhancement of the surface spin effects, the saturation magnetization rises as the nanoparticle size is increased.     

T1 and T2 effects during radio-frequency pulses in spoiled gradient echo sequences

Finite pulse durations in diverse pulse schemes lead to the reduction of the magnitude of the magnetization vector due to T₁ and T₂ effects during the radio-frequency pulses. This paper presents an analysis of the steady state signal in the presence of relaxation effects during radio-frequency pulses in MRI spoiled gradient echo sequences. It is shown that minor attenuations of the magnetization vector can have dramatic consequences on the measured signal, and may thus entail a loss in SNR benefits at high static magnetic fields if a careful analysis is not performed. It is emphasized that it is the time-integrated magnetization vector trajectory that matters for these effects and not only the pulse duration. Some experimental results obtained on a phantom at 3 T verify this analysis.     

Effects on structure and superconductivity for La and Ca codoping in YBa2Cu3Oy cuprates

The nominal composition of Y_0.8Ca_0.2Ba_2−xLa_xCu₃O_y (YBLCO) cuprates with x≤0.50 has been synthesized by the standard solid state reaction technique. X-ray diffraction and the resistivity measurements are used to characterize the structure and the superconductivity of YBLCO cuprates. There is no structural phase transition in the whole doping range. The dependencies of the lattice constants and some other structural parameters on the content of La for the samples YBLCO with x≤0.20 are different than those for the samples with x≥0.25. The zero resistance temperature T_c0 increases with the increase of the content of La in YBLCO as x≤0.20, and decreases as x≥0.25. We compared these results with those of Nd-doped Y_0.8Ca_0.2Ba_2−zNd_zCu₃O_y cuprates. It seems that T_c0 is related to the structural parameters due to Ca and La codoping in YBLCO.     

Weak ferromagnetism in BiFeO3 doped with titanium

The Bi_1−xA_xFe_1−xTi_xO₃ (A—Ca, Sr, Pb, Ba) and BiFe_1−xTi_xO_3+δ systems have been studied using X-ray, neutron powder diffraction and magnetization measurements in a magnetic field up to 14 T. It was found that all Bi_1−xA_xFe_1−xTi_xO₃ solid solutions are rhombohedral up to x=0.3. In the case of BiFe_1−xTi_xO_3+δ the rhombohedral distortion preserved up to x=0.11. A homogeneous weakly ferromagnetic state was found for Bi_1−xCa_xFe_1−xTi_xO₃ (0.15≤x≤0.25) and BiFe_1−xTi_xO_3+δ (0.06≤x≤0.11), probably due to magnetoelectric interactions, whereas Bi_1−xA_xFe_1−xTi_xO₃ (A—Sr, Pb, Ba) compounds above doping level x>0.1 seem to be collinear antiferromagnets.     

Lattice, magnetic and transport properties in antiperovskite compounds

The temperature-dependent magnetization, lattice, and transport properties of Mn₃Sn_1−xGe_xC (0≤x≤0.5) compounds are systematically investigated. The Mn–Mn atomic distance decreases as Ge content is increased, and the transition temperature from ferromagnetic (or ferrimagnetic) to paramagnetic state decreases too. Mn₃SnC has a large magnetovolume effect (MVE). However, Ge-doping in Mn₃SnC gradually reduces the MVE, till the MVE disappears. Whether there is an abnormal lattice change or not, there always exists an anomalous increase in resistivity near the magnetic phase transition point with decreasing temperature.     

Charge order and spin order in Nd0.5Sr0.5Mn1? x (Ga x , Ti x )O3 system

Magnetic properties of Nd0.5Sr0.5Mn1-x(Gax,Tix)O3 system (0.04≤x≤0.4) were investigated through magnetization and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements. It was observed that a small amount of Ti substitution for Mn will destroy the charge-ordering (CO) phase completely and induce the cluster-spin-glass phase in the system, which displays a procedure of collapse of CO and of an enhancement of spin ordering (SO) phase. In contrast, the Ga substitution for Mn induces a melting of CO phase in the system. It was observed that with substitution the CO phase is suppressed gradually and the remanent CO phase is retained all the while, and withal, there is a co-existence of AFM CO phase and FM SO at low temperature. In addition, an abrupt rise of magnetization was observed in M-Tcurves. We attributed this abnormal phenomenon to a transition from canted AFM SO to FM SO in CO region.     

Effect of Zn substitution on the magnetic properties of Mg1−xZnxFe2O4 ferrites

Polycrystalline Mg_1−xZn_xFe₂O₄ (x=0.0–0.6) ferrites have been prepared using solid-state reaction technique. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the samples crystallize in a single-phase cubic spinel structure. The lattice parameter increases linearly with increase in zinc content obeying Vegard's law. The continuous decrease in Curie temperature (T_c) with an increase in Zn content is attributed to the weakening of A–B exchange interaction. Saturation magnetization (M_s) and magnetic moment are observed to increase up to x=0.4, and thereafter decrease due to the spin canting in B-sites. The initial permeability is found to increase with the addition of Zn²⁺ ions but the resonance frequency shifts towards the lower frequency.     

Measurements of line intensities and determination of transition moment parameters from experimental data for the ν1 and ν3 bands of D2S

First measurements of line intensities for ν₁ and ν₃ bands of D₂³²S are reported. About 300 intensities of D₂³²S vibration–rotation lines were obtained from experimental high-resolution spectra recorded in the 1810–2051 cm⁻¹ region with the Fourier Transform Spectrometer built in Reims. Empirical values of transition moment parameters for ν₁ and ν₃ bands of D₂³²S were determined for the first time using a least-square fit to the observed intensities. Experimental D₂³²S intensities were compared with recent global variational predictions [Vl.G. Tyuterev, L. Régalia-Jarlot, D.W. Schwenke, S.A. Tashkun, Y.G. Borkov, C. R. Phys. 5 (2004) 189–199] computed from isotopically invariant potential and dipole moment functions of the hydrogen sulphide molecule. Average discrepancy between these calculations and our observed data was 0.03 cm⁻¹ for line positions of this spectral range. The discrepancy between these calculations and our measurements for the sum of line intensities was 5.5% and 3.5% for the ν₁ and ν₃ bands, correspondingly.     

Improved GaSb surfaces using a (NH4)2S/(NH4)2S04 solution

Bulk (1 0 0) n-GaSb surfaces have been treated with a sulphur based solution ((NH₄)₂S/(NH₄)₂SO₄) to which sulphur has been added, not previously reported for the passivation of GaSb surfaces. Au/n-GaSb Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) fabricated on the treated material show significant improvement compared to that of the similar SBDs on the as-received material as evidenced by the lower ideality factor (n), higher barrier height (?_b) and lower contact resistance obtained. Additionally, the reverse leakage current, although not saturating, has been reduced by almost an order of magnitude at −0.2 V. The sample surfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The native oxide, Sb–O, present on the as-received material is effectively removed on treating with ([(NH₄)₂S/(NH₄)₂SO₄]+S) and (NH₄)₂S. Analysis of the as-received surface by XPS, prior to and after argon sputtering, suggests that the native oxide layer is ≤8.5 nm.     

Synthesis and magnetic properties of single-crystalline BaFe12O19 nanoparticles

Rod-like and platelet-like nanoparticles of simple-crystalline barium hexaferrite (BaFe₁₂O₁₉) have been synthesized by the molten salt method. Both particle size and morphology change with the reaction temperature and time. The easy magnetization direction (0 0 l) of the BaFe₁₂O₁₉ nanoparticles has been observed directly by performing X-ray diffraction on powders aligned at 0.5 T magnetic field. The magnetic properties of the BaFe₁₂O₁₉ magnet were investigated with various sintering temperatures. The maximum values of saturation magnetization (σ_s=65.8 emu/g), remanent magnetization (σ_r=56 emu/g) and coercivity field (H_ic=5251 Oe) of the aligned samples occurred at the sintering temperatures of 1100 °C. These results indicate that BaFe₁₂O₁₉ nanoparticles synthesized by the molten salt method should enable detailed investigation of the size-dependent evolution of magnetism, microwave absorption, and realization of a nanodevice of magnetic media.     

Millimeter-Wave and High-Resolution Infrared Spectra of Monoisotopic SCSe: Equilibrium, Ground State, and ν1, mν2, and nν3 Rovibrational Parameters

The Fourier transform infrared spectrum of monoisotopic SC⁸⁰Se has been investigated in the ν₂, ν₃, 2ν₂, 2ν₃, and ν₁ regions with a resolution between 3 and 4 × 10⁻³ cm⁻¹. In addition, the millimeter-wave spectrum has been studied in the region 150 to 320 GHz, and ground and ν₂ = 1 excited state transitions have been measured. Ground state constants, B₀ = 2043.285 4(4) MHz and D₀ = 146.53(5) Hz, have been determined from a merge of millimeter-wave data and ground state combination differences spanning J values up to 77 and 143, respectively. The band centers ν₂ = 352.341 075(9) cm⁻¹ and ν₃ = 505.480 06(5)cm⁻¹ have been determined. The rovibrational parameters of numerous overtone and combination levels (ν₁ν^l2₂ν₃) = 02⁰0, 02²0, 03¹0, 03³0, 04⁰0, 04²0, 00⁰2, and 00⁰3 have been obtained from polynomial analyses whose standard deviations ranged from 0.7 to 3.5 × 10⁻⁴ cm⁻¹. The 10⁰0 level, ν_eff 1435.840 cm⁻¹, is anharmonically perturbed by the 04⁰0 level, with an avoided crossing at J = 55, and W₁₂₂₂₂ = 0.963 09(1) cm⁻¹. Transitions to both the upper (E⁺) and lower (E⁻) sublevels of the dyad were observed for 1 ≤ J′ ≤ 117 and 4 ≤ J′ ≤ 171, respectively, and the deperturbed wavenumbers ν₁ = 1435.542 76(2) and 4ν⁰₂ = 1432.725 00(3) cm⁻¹ were derived. Furthermore, a local crossing of the E⁻ and 04²0 levels involving l-type resonance was observed at J = 91.     

High-Resolution Study of the BaI AΠ Electronic State

Near-infrared and visible spectra of the A²Π–X²Σ⁺, C²Π_1/2–A²Π_1/2, C²Π_1/2–B²Σ⁺, and C²Π_1/2–X²Σ⁺ band systems of the BaI molecule were recorded by using Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS). The spectra were produced from the chemiluminescent reaction Ba + I₂ and also by using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique in which the laser sources were a Ti:sapphire single-mode laser, a dye single-mode laser, and a Kr⁺ multimode ion laser. Resolved rotational data, originating from 19 vibrational levels (0 ≤ v ≤ 5 and 7 ≤ v ≤ 19) of the A²Π state, 24 vibrational levels (0 ≤ v ≤ 18 and 20 ≤ v ≤ 24) of the X²Σ⁺ state, and 8 vibrational levels (1 ≤ v ≤ 2 and 9 ≤ v ≤ 14) of the C²Π state, were used in the final analysis. Previously recorded data for the B²Σ⁺–X²Σ⁺ and C²Π–X²Σ⁺ systems, taken from R. F. Gutterres, J. Vergès, and C. Amiot, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 196, 29–44 (1999) and from C. A. Leach, A. A. Tsekouras, and R. N. Zare, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 153, 59–72 (1992), were added to the present work data field. Accurate and improved molecular constants, for the X²Σ⁺, B²Σ⁺, A²Π, and C²Π states, were derived from a simultaneous treatment of the whole data set.     

Surface reaction kinetics in oxygen nonstoichiometry re-equilibration of BaTiO3−δ

We report the (bare) surface redox-reaction rate constant that was determined, along with the chemical diffusivity , by a conductivity relaxation technique on Al-doped single crystal and undoped polycrystal BaTiO_3−δ as a function of oxygen activity in its range of −16≤log a_O2≤0 at elevated temperatures of 800–1100 °C. It takes a value in the range of −4<log( /cm s⁻¹)≤−1, which is even larger than that of the oxides that are considered best as oxygen membranes. It has been found that the surface reaction step grows more rate controlling as the electronic transference number gets smaller or the electronic stoichiometric composition (δ≈0) is approached. The oxygen potential drop due to the surface reaction was estimated by an oxygen concentration cell technique. The oxygen potential drop grows larger as the stoichiometric composition is approached, that is in accord with the variation of against oxygen activity.     

Electrical and interface characteristics of nanocrystalline n-Zn0.5Cd0.5S/p-Cu2S heterojunction structure prepared by dip coating

Nanocrystalline of n-Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S/p-Cu₂S heterojunctions were successfully prepared by the dip coating method. The surface morphology and the composition analysis were made by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) technique, respectively. Temperature dependent current–voltage characteristics of the heterojunctions were measured in the temperature range 300–400 K with a step of 25 K. The current–voltage (I–V) characteristics exhibit electrical rectification behavior. The zero bias barrier height (Φ_B0) and the ideality factor (n) are affected by temperature. Interface states at the n-Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S/p-Cu₂S heterojunction play a crucial role in determining the electrical characteristics of the heterojunction. The high value of n can be ascribed to the presence of an interfacial layer. The energy distribution profile of the density of interface states (N_ss) was extracted from the forward bias I–V measurements using the width of the depletion region deduced from the capacitance -voltage characteristics at high frequency (1MHz).     

The electronic spectrum of bismuth monofluoride: A reinvestigation of the A0-X10 system

A reinvestigation of the A0⁺-X₁0⁺ band system, the most electronic transitions reported for bismuth monofluoride, is presented. Approximately 65 bands were photographed in emission between 4220 and 5417 Å, of which 33 were rotationally analyzed. Inconsistencies in earlier vibrational analyses were resolved. Rotational constants for 0 ≤ ν′ ≤ 12 and 0 ≤ ν″ ≤ 18 were determined from direct least-squares fitting to the measured line positions of each band. “Merging” of the overdetermined constants was performed to obtain the best single estimate of each parameter. The resulting minimum-variance linear unbiased estimates were used to calculate RKR potential curves. Franck-Condon factors and r centroids were subsequently obtained and are presented. Evidence is given for predissociation in the upper state; perturbations involving levels above the crossing point are correlated with those previously reported in the B0⁺ state. The upper limit of the ground-state dissociation energy (3.14 eV) is in accord with extrapolated values as given in earlier investigations. The nature of a postulated third interacting state is also discussed.