ICEMS study of isothermal oxidation of Fe–Mn–Al–C–Cr–Si–Mo, Fe–Mn–Al–C–Cr–Si and Fe–9Cr–1Mo alloys

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the isothermal behavior of Fe–27.3Mn–7.6Al–C–6.5Cr–0.25Si–0.88Mo (Mo(0)) and Fe–27.3Mn–7.6Al–1.0C–6.5Cr–0.25Si (Mo(1)) alloys and compare it against Fe–9Cr–1Mo (FCR) commercial alloy. The experiments were carried out at 600°C, 700°C, 750°C and 850°C, each one during 72 h in static air. The oxidation kinetics was measured as a function of time using a Thermogravimetry analyzer (TGA). The structure and composition of the oxide scale were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Integral Conversion Electron Mössbauer Spectroscopy (CEMS). The TGA results show that at all oxidation temperatures the sample FCR exhibit the lowest kinetic corrosion and the lowest weight gain, whereas Mo(0) the highest. By CEMS technique it were found a broad magnetic sextet, which has been fit by one hyperfine field distribution with mean hyperfine field characteristic to ferritic/martensite phase, one Fe^3?+? doublet and one singlet for the Mo(0) and Mo(1) alloys. Samples oxidized at highest temperatures exhibit a strong paramagnetic line, probably due that the Cr or Mn oxides may be enriched on the surface. Then, the magnetic phase can be converted partially into austenite phase at highest temperatures.     

Electro-optic metal–insulator–semiconductor–insulator–metal Mach-Zehnder plasmonic modulator

The performance of a CMOS-compatible electro-optic Mach-Zehnder plasmonic modulator is investigated using electromagnetic and carrier transport simulations. Each arm of the Mach-Zehnder device comprises a metal–insulator–semiconductor–insulator–metal (MISIM) structure on a buried oxide substrate. Quantum mechanical effects at the oxide/semiconductor interfaces were considered in the calculation of electron density profiles across the structure, in order to determine the refractive index distribution and its dependence on applied bias. This information was used in finite element simulations of the electromagnetic modes within the MISIM structure in order to determine the Mach-Zehnder arm lengths required to achieve destructive interference and the corresponding propagation loss incurred by the device. Both inversion and accumulation mode devices were investigated, and the layer thicknesses and height were adjusted to optimise the device performance. A device loss of <8 dB is predicted for a MISIM structure with a 25 nm thick silicon layer, for which the device length is <3 μm, and <5 dB loss is predicted for the limiting case of a 5 nm thick silicon layer in a 1.2 μm long device: in both cases, the maximum operating voltage is 7.5 V.     

Characterization of bismuth–tin–lead and bismuth–tin–lead–cadmium fusible alloys

Microstructure, electrical, mechanical and thermal properties of quenched bismuth–tin eutectic, Rose (Bi₅₀Sn_22.9Pb_27.1) and Wood’s (Bi₅₀Sn_12.5Pb₂₅Cd_12.5) alloys have been investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, the double bridge method, the dynamic resonance method, Vickers hardness measurement and thermal analysis. Wood’s alloy (Bi–Pb–Sn–Cd) has low electrical resistivity and melting point but a high elastic modulus and internal friction when compared with the Rose (Bi–Pb–Sn) alloy. The presence of cadmium in Wood’s alloy decreases its melting point and electrical resistivity with an increase in its elastic modulus, which improves the mechanical properties. Wood’s alloy (Bi–Pb–Sn–Cd) has better properties, which make it useful in various applications such as in protection shields for radiotherapy, locking of mechanical devices and welding at low temperature.     

Chern–Simons–Rozansky–Witten topological field theory

We construct and study a new topological field theory in three dimensions. It is a hybrid between Chern–Simons and Rozansky–Witten theory and can be regarded as a topologically-twisted version of the N=4$N=4$d=3$d=3$ supersymmetric gauge theory recently discovered by Gaiotto and Witten. The model depends on a gauge group G and a hyper-Kähler manifold X with a tri-holomorphic action of G. In the case when X is an affine space, we show that the model is equivalent to Chern–Simons theory whose gauge group is a supergroup. This explains the role of Lie superalgebras in the construction of Gaiotto and Witten. For general X, our model appears to be new. We describe some of its properties, focusing on the case when G is simple and X is the cotangent bundle of the flag variety of G. In particular, we show that Wilson loops are labeled by objects of a certain category which is a quantum deformation of the equivariant derived category of coherent sheaves on X.     

Hardness and microstructural variation of Al–Mg–Mn–Sc–Zr alloy

Variations of Vickers hardness were observed in Al–Mg–Mn alloy and Al–Mg–Mn–Sc–Zr alloy at different ageing times, ranging from a peak value of 81.2 HV at 54 ks down to 67.4 HV at 360 ks, below the initial hardness value, 71.8 HV at 0 ks for the case of Al–Mg–Mn–Sc–Zr alloy. Microstructures of samples at each ageing stage were examined carefully by transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) both in two-dimensions and three-dimensions. The presence of different types, densities, and sizes of particles were observed dispersed spherical Al₃Sc_1−xZr_x and also block-shaped Al₃Sc precipitates growing along <1 0 0>_Al with facets {1 0 0} and {1 1 0} of the precipitates. TEM analysis both in two-dimensions and three-dimensions, performed on various samples, confirmed the direct correlation between the hardness and the density of Al₃Sc.     

A golden point rule in rock–paper–scissors–lizard–spock game

We study a novel five-species system on two-dimensional lattices when each species have two superior and two inferior partners. Here we simplify the huge parameter space of predation probability to only two parameters. Both of Monte Carlo simulation and Mean Field Theory reveal that two of strategies may die out when the ratio of the two parameters is close to the golden point 0.618, and the remaining three strategies are provided a cyclic dominance system.     

Plastic deformation properties of Zr–Nb–Ti–Ta–Hf high-entropy alloys

We have investigated the plastic deformation properties of single-phase Zr–Nb–Ti–Ta–Hf high-entropy alloys from room temperature (RT) up to 300 °C. Uniaxial deformation tests at a constant strain rate of 10^?4?s^?1 were performed, including incremental tests such as stress relaxations, strain-rate changes, and temperature changes in order to determine the thermodynamic activation parameters of the deformation process. The microstructure of deformed samples was characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The strength of the investigated Zr–Nb–Ti–Ta–Hf phase is not as high as the values frequently reported for high-entropy alloys in other systems. At RT we measure a flow stress of about 850 °C. We find an activation enthalpy of about 1 eV and a stress dependent activation volume between 0.5 and 2 nm³. The measurement of the activation parameters at higher temperatures is affected by structural changes evolving in the material during plastic deformation.     

The Hintermann–Merlini–Baxter–Wu and the infinite-coupling-limit Ashkin–Teller models

We show how the Hintermann–Merlini–Baxter–Wu model (which is a generalization of the well-known Baxter–Wu model to a general Eulerian triangulation) can be mapped onto a particular infinite-coupling-limit of the Ashkin–Teller model. We work out some mappings among these models, also including the standard and mixed Ashkin–Teller models. Finally, we compute the phase diagram of the infinite-coupling-limit Ashkin–Teller model on the square, triangular, hexagonal, and kagome lattices.     

Study of inverse a.c. Josephson effect in Y–Ba–Cu–O and Y–8a–Sr–Cu–O

Microwave induced d.c. voltage due to inverse a.c. Josephson effect has been observed across bulk samples of Y-Ba-Cu-O and Y-Ba-Sr-Cu-O. The d.c. voltage is found to vary with microwave power, frequency and also with small external magnetic fields. Although the resistivity curve of Y-Ba-Cu-O does not show any appreciable resistance drop around 230 K, the microwave induced d.c. voltage due to the inverse a.c. Josephson effect has been found to exist upto 230 K. The resistivity behaviour of Y-Ba-Sr-Cu-O shows a sharp resistivity drop above 230 K. In this sample the inverse Josephson effect is found to exist upto +26 °C, indicating the presence of a phase having a superconducting onset around this temperature.     

Exact solution of the Gaudin model with Dzyaloshinsky–Moriya and Kaplan–Shekhtman–Entin–Wohlman–Aharony interactions

We study the exact solution of the Gaudin model with Dzyaloshinsky–Moriya and Kaplan–Shekhtman–Entin–Wohlman–Aharony interactions. The energy and Bethe ansatz equations of the Gaudin model can be obtained via the off-diagonal Bethe ansatz method. Based on the off-diagonal Bethe ansatz solutions, we construct the Bethe states of the inhomogeneous X X X Heisenberg spin chain with the generic open boundaries. By taking a quasi-classical limit, we give explicit closed-form expression of the Bethe states of the Gaudin model. From the numerical simulations for the small-size system, it is shown that some Bethe roots go to infinity when the Gaudin model recovers the U(1) symmetry. Furthermore,it is found that the contribution of those Bethe roots to the Bethe states is a nonzero constant. This fact enables us to recover the Bethe states of the Gaudin model with the U(1) symmetry. These results provide a basis for the further study of the thermodynamic limit, correlation functions, and quantum dynamics of the Gaudin model.     

Spinning Particles in NUT–Reissner–Nordstrom Space–Time

We study the geodesic motion of pseudo-classical spinning particles in the NUT–Reissner–Nordstrom space–time. We investigate the generalized Killing equations for spinning space and derive the constants of the motion in terms of the solutions of these equations. We give an analysis of the motion on a cone and on a plane.     

Towards a Skyrme–Hartree–Fock–Bogolyubov Mass Formula

In this work, we explain our astrophysical motivations for deriving a mass formula based on HFB calculations with a Skyrme interaction. We give an overview of existing mass formulae and present briefly the last HF+BCS mass formula [1]. The Skyrme force MSk7 [1] is considered in the study of shell effects at N=82, in the neutron-rich region far from stability, within the HFB and HF+BCS theories, and compared with results obtained using the forces SkP^δ and SkP^δρ [2]. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Wormhole solutions in Gauss–Bonnet–Born–Infeld gravity

A new class of solutions which yields an (n + 1)-dimensional spacetime with a longitudinal nonlinear magnetic field is introduced. These spacetimes have no curvature singularity and no horizon, and the magnetic field is non singular in the whole spacetime. They may be interpreted as traversable wormholes which could be supported by matter not violating the weak energy conditions. We generalize this class of solutions to the case of rotating solutions and show that the rotating wormhole solutions have a net electric charge which is proportional to the magnitude of the rotation parameter, while the static wormhole has no net electric charge. Finally, we use the counterterm method and compute the conserved quantities of these spacetimes.     

Approaches to the synthesis of High-TC superconducting oxides in La–Ba–Cu–O and Y–Ba–Cu–O systems

Abstract

High-T_C superconducting oxides of nominal La_1.85Ba_0.15 CuO₄ and YBa₂ Cu₃ O₇ have been prepared by using nitrate, carbonate, oxalate/malonate and citrate precursors. While the samples in the Y-system are generally monophasic YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ with T_C around 90K, the preparations in the La-system are biphasic containing K₂NiF₄-like La_1.85Ba_0.15 CuO₄ (T_C = 30K) and a perovskite-like phase with' a much higher T_C (200–300K). Effect of Ca, Zr, Ce as well as S substitution in YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ has also been investigated     

Accretion disks around the Gibbons–Maeda–Garfinkle–Horowitz–Strominger charged black holes

It seems surprising that the emissivity properties of the accretion disk (à la Page and Thorne) surrounding the Gibbons–Maeda–Garfinkle–Horowitz–Strominger (GMGHS) black holes of heterotic string theory have not yet been studied. To fill this gap in the literature, we study the emissivity properties of the thin accretion disks around these black holes both in the Einstein and in the string frame using the Page–Thorne model. For illustration, we choose as a toy model a stellar-sized spherically symmetric black hole and find that, while the emissivity properties do not significantly differ from those of Reissner–Nordström and Schwarzschild black holes, they remarkably differ at GMGHS extreme limits corresponding to naked singularity and wormhole at higher frequencies. These differences provide a novel way to speculatively conclude about different types of objects from the observational point of view.     

Superconductivity of Y–Ba–Cu–O and substituted systems

Superconductivity of Y-Ba-Cu-O system is studied in the composition 2:2:3 and 1:2:3 of Y:Ba:Cu. The effect of replacement of Y or Ba by divalent Sr and Ca, trivalent Ce and tetravalent Zr is studied. X-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM techniques are used for materials characterization. Superconducting transition temperatures are measured resistively. Rapid resistance drop observed above 230 K in Y-Ba-Sr-Cu-O and Y-Ba-Ca-Cu-O systems indicate the possible existence of superconductivity above 230 K. Substitution of Ce in place of Y is found to reduce the onset Tc from 95 K to 80 K. For the first time, replacement of Cu by Zr in Y-Ba-Cu-O has yielded the onset Tc of about 105 K.     

The Cauchy Problem for Chern–Simons–Proca–Higgs Equations

We study initial value problems for Chern–Simons–Proca–Higgs equations. We prove that the Cauchy problem is locally well posed under the Lorentz gauge condition. In the case of repulsive potential, the global existence of the solution is proved using the covariant version of the Brezis–Gallouet inequality. In the case of attractive potential, we show that for initial data having negative energy, the solution has a finite time singularity.     

Spectroscopy of the Einstein–Maxwell–Dilaton–Axion black hole

The entropy spectrum of a spherically symmetric black hole was derived via the Bohr–Sommerfeld quantization rule in Majhi and Vagenas’s work. Extending this work to charged and rotating black holes, we quantize the horizon area and the entropy of an Einstein–Maxwell–Dilaton–Axion black hole via the Bohr–Sommerfeld quantization rule and the adiabatic invariance. The result shows the area spectrum and the entropy spectrum are respectively equally spaced and independent on the parameters of the black hole.