Charge-independent effective interactions for shell-model studies in the 0g9/2-1p1/2 space

The matrix elements of the effective Hamiltonian in the 0g _9/2-1p _1/2 space are determined by a least-square fit to the energies of 477 levels of nuclei with 38≤Z≤50 and 47≤N≤50. The results of the calculation are found to be in better agreement with experiment than those obtained with previously determined interactions. Received: 31 May 2001 / Accepted: 14 June 2001     

KNΛ and KNΣ coupling constants from the Chiral Bag Model

The KNΛ and KNΣ coupling constants have been calculated in the framework of the Chiral Bag Model(CBM). We find −3.88 ≤g _KNΛ≤−3.67 and 1.15 ≤g _KNΣ≤ 1.24 by taking into account pseudoscalar mesons (π, K) and vector mesons (ρ, ω, K ^*) field effects. Particularly, it is shown that vector mesons make significant contributions to the coupling constants g _KNΛ and g _KNΣ. Our values are existing within the experimental limits compared to the phenomenological values extracted from the kaon photoproduction and kaon-nucleon scattering experiments. Also, form factors are suggested for the πNN, πNΔ, KNΛ and KNΣ couplings. Received: 17 August 1998 / Revised version: 22 December 1998     

Stretched exponential relaxation in the Coulomb glass

The relaxation of the specific heat and the entropy to their equilibrium values is investigated numerically for the three-dimensional Coulomb glass at very low temperatures. The long time relaxation follows a stretched exponential function, f (t) = f ₀exp - (t/τ)^β , with the exponent β increasing with the temperature. The relaxation time diverges as an Arrhenius law when T→ 0. Received 24 May 2001 and Received in final form 12 September 2001     

Coarsening process in one-dimensional surface growth models

Surface growth models may give rise to instabilities with mound formation whose typical linear size L increases with time (coarsening process). In one dimensional systems coarsening is generally driven by an attractive interaction between domain walls or kinks. This picture applies to growth models for which the largest surface slope remains constant in time (corresponding to model B of dynamics): coarsening is known to be logarithmic in the absence of noise ( L(t) ∼ ln t) and to follow a power law ( L(t) ∼t ^1/3) when noise is present. If the surface slope increases indefinitely, the deterministic equation looks like a modified Cahn-Hilliard equation: here we study the late stages of coarsening through a linear stability analysis of the stationary periodic configurations and through a direct numerical integration. Analytical and numerical results agree with regard to the conclusion that steepening of mounds makes deterministic coarsening faster : if α is the exponent describing the steepening of the maximal slope M of mounds ( M ^α∼L) we find that L(t) ∼t ⁿ: n is equal to for 1≤α≤2 and it decreases from to for α≥2, according to n = α/(5α - 2). On the other side, the numerical solution of the corresponding stochastic equation clearly shows that in the presence of shot noise steepening of mounds makes coarsening slower than in model B: L(t) ∼t ^1/4, irrespectively of α. Finally, the presence of a symmetry breaking term is shown not to modify the coarsening law of model α = 1, both in the absence and in the presence of noise. Received 28 September 2001 and Received in final form 21 November 2001     

Phenomenological πN→ππN amplitude and the modelling of the Olsson–Turner and Chew–Low approaches

The phenomenological amplitude for the reaction πN→ππN fixed by fittings to the experimental data in the energy region 0.300 ≤P _Lab≤ 500 MeV/c is used for modelling the Chew–Low extrapolation and Olsson–Turner threshold approach. It is shown that the uncritical application of the former results in enermous theoretical errors, the extracted values being in fact random numbers. The results of the Olsson–Turner method are characterized by significant systematic errors coming from unknown details of the isobar physics. Received: 10 December 1997     

A role of the axial-vector mesons on the photon production in heavy-ion collisions and their relevant decays

A role of the axial-vector mesons, such as K₁ and a₁, on the emitted-photon spectrum in hot hadronic matter is studied through the channels πρ→a ₁→πγ and Kρ→K ₁→Kγ. Both channels could be dominant over the region lower than E _γ∼ 0.5 GeV, while the role of the K₁ meson is diminished in the higher E _γ region. This study is carried out with an SU _L(3) ⊗SU _R(3) effective chiral Lagrangian which includes vector and axial-vector mesons systematically and explains well their hadronic and radiative decays simultaneously. Received: 8 August 2001 / Accepted: 4 February 2002     

Ionization of iridium ions in the Dresden EBIT studied by X-ray spectroscopy of direct excitation and radiative recombination processes

Ir^q+ ( 41≤q≤64) ions with open-shell configurations have been produced in the electron beam of the room-temperature Dresden Electron Beam Ion Trap (Dresden EBIT) at electron excitation energies from 2 keV to 13 keV. X-ray emission from direct excitation processes and radiative capture in krypton-like to aluminium-like iridium ions is measured with an energy dispersive Si(Li) detector. The detected X-ray lines are analyzed and compared with results from multiconfigurational Dirac-Fock (MCDF) atomic structure calculations. This allows to determine dominant produced ion charge states at different electron energies. The analysis shows that at the realized working gas pressure of 5×10^-9mbar for higher charged ions the maximum ion charge state is not preferently determined by the chosen electron beam energy needed for ionization of certain atomic substates, but by the balance between ionization and charge state reducing processes as charge exchange and radiative recombination. This behaviour is also discussed on the basis of model calculations for the resulting ion charge state distribution. Received 12 July 2001 and Received in final form 10 September 2001     

Molecular dynamics in thin films of isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate)

The molecular dynamics in thin films (18 nm-137 nm) of isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (i-PMMA) of two molecular weights embedded between aluminium electrodes are measured by means of dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range from 50 mHz to 10 MHz at temperatures between 273 K and 392 K. The observed dynamics is characterized by two relaxation processes: the dynamic glass transition (α-relaxation) and a (local) secondary β-relaxation. While the latter does not depend on the dimensions of the sample, the dynamic glass transition becomes faster (≤2 decades) with decreasing film thickness. This results in a shift of the glass transition temperature T _g to lower values compared to the bulk. With decreasing film thickness a broadening of the relaxation time distribution and a decrease of the dielectric strength is observed for the α-relaxation. This enables to deduce a model based on immobilized boundary layers and on a region displaying a dynamics faster than in the bulk. Additionally, T _g was determined by temperature-dependent ellipsometric measurements of the thickness of films prepared on silica. These measurements yield a gradual increase of T _g with decreasing film thickness. The findings concerning the different thickness dependences of T _g are explained by changes of the interaction between the polymer and the substrates. A quantitative analysis of the T _g shifts incorporates recently developed models to describe the glass transition in thin polymer films. Received 12 August 2001 and Received in final form 16 November 2001     

Pion and kaon electromagnetic form factors in a SUL(3) ⊗ SUR(3) effective Lagrangian

A SU(2) effective Lagrangian is extended to a SU _L(3) ⊗SU _R(3) by including the vector and axial vector meson. With this effective Lagrangian, electromagnetic form factors of charged pion and kaon are calculated in both time- and space-like regions. The pseudoscalar meson loops are taken into account. Good agreement with experimental data is obtained for those form factors and charged pseudoscalar meson radii. Decay widths of ρ→ππ and φ→K ⁺ K ^- are also calculated and shown to agree with experimental data very well. Received: 20 December 1999 / Accepted: 12 October 2000     

Low temperature dependence of the penetration depth in YBCO thin films revisited by mm wave transmission and surface impedance measurements

We report results obtained with two different experimental set-ups in state-of-the-art YBCO thin films as similar as possible, prepared by pulsed laser deposition on LaAlO₃ substrates: a surface impedance measurement on 4000 ? thick films using a parallel plate resonator (10 GHz), and a far infrared transmission (100-400 GHz) measurement which requires thinner (1000 ?) samples. The former measurement yields the temperature variation of the penetration depth λ(T) and the real part of the conductivity, provided the absolute value of λ(T) is known. The latter yields the imaginary part of the conductivity, hence the absolute value of the penetration depth, as well as its temperature dependence at the measuring frequency. Combining these two experiments, we establish a quasi-linear temperature variation of λ(T), with a 2 ? K^-1 low temperature slope, and a fairly large zero temperature value λ(T = 0)=(1800±200) ? . The scattering rate of the quasi-particles calculated from a two-fluids model shows that the films compare to good quality single crystals, where twice a larger slope has been found. This surprising behavior is described in detail, including an in-depth structural analysis of the samples in order to evaluate their similarities. We find that the 10 GHz data obtained in the thickest films can be fitted to the dirty d-wave mode in the unitarity limit, with an extrapolated slope of 3 ? K^-1, but yield a scattering rate that is difficult to reconcile with the high T _c (92 K) of the films. Received 7 May 2001 and Received in final form 18 October 2001     

Relation between vortex excitation and thermal conductivity in superconductors

Thermal conductivity κ _xx(T) under a field is investigated in d _{x2 - y2}-wave superconductors and isotropic s-wave superconductors by the linear response theory, using a microscopic wave function of the vortex lattice states. To study the origin of the different field dependence of κ_xx(T) between higher and lower temperature regions, we analyze the spatially-resolved thermal conductivity around a vortex at each temperature, which is related to the spectrum of the local density of states. We also discuss the electric conductivity in the same formulation for a comparison. Received 8 December 2001 and Received in final form 20 March 2002 Published online 6 June 2002     

The X-ray fluorescence cross-section for bromide and iodide compounds

The K_α and K_β X-ray fluorescence cross-sections for the bromide and the iodide compounds were measured by a high-resolution Si(Li) X-ray detector. The vacancies were produced by heavily filtered ²⁴¹Am gamma rays. We found that K_α and K_β X-ray fluorescence cross-sections are changed by chemical effect for different Br and I compounds. Experimental results were compared with the calculated values of Br and I elements. Received 15 May 2001 and Received in final form 8 July 2001     

Chiral dynamics and the reactions pp↦dK+ and pp↦dπ+η

We perform a study of the final-state interactions of the K ⁺ and the d systems in the reactions pp↦dK ⁺ and pp↦dπ⁺η. Since the two-meson system couples strongly to the a ₀(980) resonance, these reactions are expected to be an additional source of information about the controversial scalar sector. We also show that these reactions present peculiar features which can shed additional light on the much debated meson-baryon scalar sector with strangeness -1. We deduce the general structure of the amplitudes close to the dK ⁺ threshold, allowing for primary K ⁺ as well as π⁺η production with the two mesons in relative S- or P-wave. The interactions of the mesons are accounted for by using chiral unitary techniques, which generate dynamically the a ₀(980) resonance, and the d interaction is also taken into account. General formulae are derived that allow to incorporate the final-state interactions in these systems for any model of the production mechanism. We illustrate this approach by considering two specific production mechanisms based on three flavor meson-baryon chiral perturbation theory. It is demonstrated that in this scenario the d interactions are very important and can change the cross-section by as much as one order of magnitude. The amount of π⁺ηversus K ⁺ production is shown to depend critically on the primary mixture of the two mechanisms, with large interference effects due to final-state interactions. These effects are also shown to occur in the event distributions of invariant masses which are drastically modified by the final-state interactions of the two-meson or the d system. Received: 28 September 2001 / Accepted: 26 November 2001     

Advanced memory effects in the aging of a polymer glass

A new kind of memory effect on low frequency dielectric measurements on plexiglass (PMMA) is described. These measurements show that cooling and heating the sample at constant rate give an hysteretic dependence on temperature of the dielectric constant ε. A temporary stop of cooling produces a downward relaxation of ε. Two main features are observed (i) when cooling is resumed ε goes back to the values obtained without the cooling stop (i.e. the low temperature state is independent of the cooling history) (ii) upon reheating ε keeps the memory of all the cooling stops (Advanced memory). The dependence of this effect on frequency and on the cooling rate is analyzed. The memory deletion is studied too. Finally the results are compared with those of similar experiments done in spin glasses and with the famous experiments of Kovacs. Received 24 September 2001 and Received in final form 20 November 2001     

Pion-nucleon scattering in the K-matrix approach

The K-matrix approach with effective Lagrangians is used to describe the S and P pion-nucleon partial-wave amplitudes in the energy range E _lab≤ 1 GeV. It is demonstrated, that treating the resonance as K-matrix a pole gives the natural way to separate the resonance and non-resonance parts of the πN amplitude. The model includes all the four-star πN resonances, the non-resonance contributions are calculated from relevant Feynman graphs without any phenomenological form factors. Different contributions to the inelastic π⁻ p→ηn amplitude are estimated. Received: 9 July 1998     

Production of fragments with Z≥ 8 in interaction of 12.7 GeV 4He+U, Pb, Au and Ag: track detector study

The processes of production of fragments with Z≥ 8 in the interaction of 12.7 GeV ⁴He with U, Pb, Au and Ag have been analyzed using the polycarbonate track detector Makrofol. The sandwich technique was used which enables direct observation of multiply charged fragment emission by a single nucleus. The decay channels ending with one, two, or more (three, four) fragments were detected. A classification scheme based on the multiplicity of heavy fragments with Z > 20 was used in order to identify the events belonging to the different reaction channels. The cross sections, excitation energies and multiplicities of intermediate-mass fragments 8 ≤Z≤ 20 have been determined for the various reaction mechanisms, and their variation as a function of the target mass has been investigated. Received: 28 November 1997 / Revised version: 24 April 1998     

Interplay of charge, spin, orbital and lattice correlations in colossal magnetoresistance manganites

We derive a realistic microscopic model for doped colossal magnetoresistance manganites, which includes the dynamics of charge, spin, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom on a quantum mechanical level. The model respects the SU(2) spin symmetry and the full multiplet structure of the manganese ions within the cubic lattice. Concentrating on the hole doped domain ( 0≤x≤0.5) we study the influence of the electron-lattice interaction on spin and orbital correlations by means of exact diagonalisation techniques. We find that the lattice can cause a considerable suppression of the coupling between spin and orbital degrees of freedom and show how changes in the magnetic correlations are reflected in dynamic phonon correlations. In addition, our calculation gives detailed insights into orbital correlations and demonstrates the possibility of complex orbital states. Received 4 September 2002 / Received in final form 8 November 2002 Published online 31 December 2002     

The new isotope 270110 and its decay products 266Hs and 262Sg

The even-even nucleus ²⁷⁰110 was synthesized using the reaction ⁶⁴Ni + ²⁰⁷Pb. A total of eight α-decay chains was measured during an irradiation time of seven days. Decay data were obtained for the ground-state and a high-spin K isomer. The new nuclei ²⁶⁶Hs and ²⁶²Sg were identified as daughter products after α-decay. Spontaneous fission of ²⁶²Sg terminates the decay chain. The measured data are in agreement with calculations using the macroscopic-microscopic model and with self-consistent HFB calculations with Skyrme-Sly4 interaction. Received: 27 November 2000 / Accepted: 16 January 2001     

On polarization of strange baryons in reactions p + p↦p + Λ0 + K+ and p + p↦p + Σ0 + K+ near thresholds

Polarization properties of strange baryons produced in pp reactions, p + p↦p + Λ⁰ + K⁺ and p + p↦p + Σ⁰ + K⁺, near thresholds of the final states pΛ⁰K⁺ and pΣ⁰K⁺ are analysed relative to polarizations of colliding protons. The cross-sections for pp reactions are calculated within the effective Lagrangian approach accounting for strong pp rescattering in the initial state of colliding protons with a dominant contribution of the one-pion exchange and strong final-state interaction of daughter hadrons (Eur. Phys. J. A 9, 425 (2000)). Received: 22 October 2001 / Accepted: 14 November 2001