Effect of Ca doping on the superconducting properties of GdBaSrCu3O7−δ bulk samples

Gd_1−xCa_xBaSrCu₃O_7−δ samples (0  x  0.1) were prepared via solid-state reaction. Four-point probes method was used for resistance versus temperature measurements. Results show decrease in T_c by increasing x content. This variation is assumed to be irrelevant to the different phases or impurity effects since X-ray patterns show all samples are tetragonal single-phase. Ca doping decreases the oxygen content and lattice parameters of the samples. It is suggested that Ca prevents the dislocation of oxygen, and then disrupts the hole concentration of the system and antiferromagnetic correlation at CuO₂ planes. Subsequently, destroys the superconductivity of the samples.     

Modified Kolmogorov wave turbulence in QCD matched onto “Bottom-up” thermalization

We investigate modification of Kolmogorov wave turbulence in QCD calculating gluon spectra as functions of time in the presence of a low energy source which feeds in energy density in the infrared region at a time-dependent rate. Then considering the picture of saturation constraints as has been constructed in the “bottom-up” thermalization approach we revisit that picture for RHIC center-mass energy, W=130 GeV, and also extend it to LHC center-mass energy, W=5500 GeV, thus for two cases having an opportunity to calculate the equilibration time, τ_eq|therm, of the gluon system produced in a central heavy ion collision at mid-rapidity region. Thereby, at RHIC and LHC energies we can match the equilibration time, obtained from the late stage gluon spectrum of the modified Kolmogorov wave turbulence, onto that of the “bottom-up” thermalization and other evolutional approaches as well. In addition, from the revised “bottom-up” approach we find the gluon liberation coefficient to be on the average, ε0.81–1.06 at RHIC and ε0.50–0.56 at LHC. We also present other phenomenological estimates of τ_therm which, at QCD realistic couplings, yield 0.45–0.65 fmτ_therm0.97–2.72 fm at RHIC and 0.31–0.40 fmτ_therm0.86–2.04 fm at LHC. We show that the second upper-bounds of τ_therm in both cases are due to the late stage gluon spectrum of the original Kolmogorov wave turbulence in QCD, previously deduced with a low energy source which feeds in energy density at a constant rate. On the other hand, the lower-bounds and first upper-bounds of τ_therm are due to the late stage gluon spectrum of the modified QCD wave turbulence, deduced here at the specific time-dependent rate. In the latter case, at certain conditions, taking also into account both very small and realistic couplings we give estimates: 0.65 fmτ_therm1.29 fm at RHIC and 0.52 fmτ_therm1.16 fm at LHC, as well as at realistic couplings we find 0.53<τ_therm<0.7 fm at RHIC and 0.41<τ_therm<0.65 fm at LHC.     

Interband absorption and luminescence in small quantum dots under strong magnetic fields

Interband absorption and luminescence of quasi-two-dimensional, circularly symmetric, N_e-electron quantum dots are studied at high magnetic fields, 8B60 T, and low temperatures, T2 K. In the N_e=0 and 1 dots, the initial and final states of such processes are fixed, and thus the dependence on B of peak intensities is monotonic. For larger systems, ground state rearrangements with varying magnetic field lead to substantial modifications of the absorption and luminescence spectra. Collective effects are seen in the N_e=2 and 3 dots at “filling fractions” and .     

Effect of quartic-phase aberrations on the focal switch of Hermite–Gaussian beams

The focal switch of Hermite–Gaussian beams diffracted at an aperture and subsequently focused by a spherically aberrated lens is studied. Our main attention is focused on the effect of quartic-phase aberrations on the behavior of the focal switch. It is shown that quartic-phase aberrations affect the relative focal shift Δz_f, turning position s_1,t, and relative transition height Δz_sw. Apart from a critical maximum truncation parameter α_c,max, there is a critical minimum truncation parameter α_c,min. Within the region α_c,min<α<α_c,max the focal switch can take place, but quartic-phase aberrations give rise to a decrease of α_c,max-α_c,min in comparison with the aberration-free case.     

On the theory of temporal aberrations for cathode lenses

A new approach to the theory of temporal aberration for cathode lenses is given in the present paper. A definition of temporal aberration is given in which a certain initial energy of electron emission along the axial direction ε_z1 (0ε_z1ε_0max) is considered. A new method to calculate the temporal aberration coefficients of cathode lenses named “direct integral method” is also presented. The “direct integral method” gives new expressions of the temporal aberration coefficients which are expressed in integral forms. The difference between “direct integral method” and “τ-variation method” is that the “τ-variation method” needs to solve the differential equations for the three of temporal geometrical aberration coefficients of second order, while the “direct integral method” only needs to carry out the integral calculation for all of these temporal aberration coefficients of second order.All of the formulae of the temporal aberration coefficients deduced from “direct integral method” and “τ-variation method” have been verified by an electrostatic concentric spherical system model, and contrasted with the analytical solutions. Results show that these two methods have got identical solutions and the solutions of temporal aberration coefficients of the first and second order are the same as with the analytical solutions. Although some forms of the results seem different, but they can be transformed into the same form. Thus, it can be concluded these two methods given by us are equivalent and correct, but the “direct integral method” is related to solve integral equations, which is more convenient for computation and could be suggested for use in practical design.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of the hetero-/homogeneous combustion of lean propane/air mixtures over platinum

The pure heterogeneous and the coupled hetero-/homogeneous combustion of fuel-lean propane/air mixtures over platinum have been investigated at pressures 1 bar  p  7 bar, fuel-to-air equivalence ratios 0.23  φ  0.43, and catalytic wall temperatures 723 K  T_w  1286 K. Experiments were performed in an optically accessible catalytic channel-flow reactor and involved 1-D Raman measurements of major gas-phase species concentrations across the reactor boundary layer for the assessment of catalytic fuel conversion and planar laser induced fluorescence (LIF) of the OH radical for the determination of homogeneous ignition. Numerical predictions were carried out with a 2-D elliptic CFD code that included a one-step catalytic reaction for the total oxidation of propane on Pt, an elementary C₃ gas-phase chemical reaction mechanism, and detailed transport. A global catalytic reaction step valid over the entire pressure–temperature-equivalence ratio parameter range has been established, which revealed a p^0.75 dependence of the catalytic reactivity on pressure. The aforementioned global catalytic step was further coupled to a detailed gas-phase reaction mechanism in order to simulate homogeneous ignition characteristics in the channel-flow reactor. The predictions reproduced within 10% the measured homogeneous ignition distances at pressures p  5 bar, while at p = 7 bar the simulations overpredicted the measurements by 19%. The overall model performance suggests that the employed hetero-/homogeneous chemical reaction schemes are suitable for the design of propane-fueled catalytic microreactors.     

Self assembled nanoparticle Pb1−xFexSe/single crystal Si heterojunctions

Nanoparticle Pb_1−xFe_xSe (0.00  x  0.16) thin films have been deposited on quartz, glass and silicon substrates by chemical bath deposition technique. Structural and optical properties of the films with iron concentration 0.00  x  0.16 indicate that the films grow as single-phase Pb_1−xFe_xSe ternary alloys with rocksalt structure and with direct optical band gaps (E_g) that increase with decrease in grain size and have values larger than 0.28 eV of the bulk PbSe. Average grain size in films grown at fixed bath temperature T_b of 85 °C is observed to decrease from 72 to 22 nm whereas lattice parameter is observed to increase from 6.12 to 6.14 Å with increase in Fe concentration from x = 0.00 to x = 0.16. The observed blue shift in film materials originates from quantum confinement in the nanograins. Nanoparticle Pb_1−xFe_xSe/single crystal Si heterojunctions show rectifying behavior. On illumination of heterojunctions with visible light current is observed to increase in forward and reverse bias. This increase in current in the presence of visible light is considered to be due to carrier multiplication by Auger electron emission.     

Microscopic description of superheavy nuclei

The results of extensive microscopic relativistic mean field (RMF) calculations for the nuclei appearing in the α-decay chains of recently discovered superheavy elements with 109  Z  118 are presented and discussed. The calculated ground-state properties like total binding energies, Q-values, deformations, radii, and densities closely agree with the corresponding experimental data, where available. The root mean square radii closely follow A^1/3 law (A being the mass number) with the constant r_o = 0.9639 ± 0.0005 fm. The double folding (tρρ) approximation is used to calculate the interaction potential between the daughter and the α, using RMF densities along with the density-dependent nucleon–nucleon interaction (M3Y). This in turn is employed within the WKB approximation to estimate the half-lives without any additional parameter for α-decay. The half-lives are highly sensitive to the Q-values used and qualitatively agree with the corresponding experimental values. The use of experimental Q-values in the WKB approximation improves the agreement with the experiment, indicating that the resulting interaction potential is reliable and can be used with confidence as the real part of the optical potential in other scattering and reaction processes.     

Focal switch of cosine-Gaussian beams

The focal switch of cosine-Gaussian (CsG) beams passing through a system with the aperture and lens separated is studied analytically and numerically. It is shown that the focal switch of CsG beams can appear not only for the apertured case, but also for the unapertured case. The necessary condition for the focal switch is that truncation parameter α > α_c and the beam parameter β > β_c, α_c, β_c being the corresponding critical values. There exists a maximum of the relative transition height Δz _sw as α varies, and Δz _sw increases with increasing β and decreasing N _w. The normalized axial intensity minimum I _min / I _max decreases with an increase of α and β, and I _min / I _max remains unchanged as N _w varies.     

Irreversibility line and flux pinning properties in iron-based high-Tc superconductor SmFeAsO0.85

The irreversibility line and flux pinning properties of high-T_c superconductor SmFeAsO_0.85 were studied using DC magnetization data. Polycrystalline SmFeAsO_0.85 was prepared in a high pressure synthesis apparatus under the pressure of 6 GPa. The results of DC susceptibility showed the superconducting transition at about 55 K. A critical current density J_c(B) was calculated using Bean’s critical state model. At low temperatures (20 K), J_c(B) showed a relatively high value with weak dependence on an applied magnetic field. At higher temperatures, a stronger dependence of the magnetic field was observed, which resulted from decrease in a critical current density probably due to the flux creep effect. The irreversibility line (IL) agreed well with the flux creep theory of Matsushita et al. A comparison of normalized pinning force density with the theoretical models showed that the irreversible behavior in SmFeAsO_0.85 is dominated mainly by normal point pinning (δT_c) and surface pinning mechanisms.     

Focal shift and focal switch of partially polarized Gaussian Schell-model beams passing through a system with the aperture and spherically aberrated lens separated

Based on the beam coherent-polarization (BCP) matrix approach and propagation law of partially coherent beams, the focal shift and focal switch of partially polarized Gaussian Schell-model (PGSM) beams passing through a system with the aperture and spherically aberrated lens separated is studied in detail. Our main attention is focused on the effect of spherical aberration and partial coherence on the focal shift and focal switch of PGSM beams. It is shown that for polarizer-free case there is no focal switch of PGSM beams, the focal shift of PGSM beams is closely related with spherical aberration coefficient C₄, auto-coherence length σ_a, truncation parameter δ and relative position s/f between the aperture and lens in general, and is independent of the cross-coherence length σ_c. After inserting a polarizer the focal switch can take place. Numerical calculation results are given to illustrate how the spherical aberration and partial coherence affect the focal shift and focal switch of PGSM beams.     

Hyperacceleration effects on turbulent combustion in premixed step-stabilized flames

Experimental results are presented from an investigation of the effects of large transverse accelerations on flame propagation and blowout limits in premixed step-stabilized flames. The accelerations, which exceed ±10,000 g in the present study, induce large body forces on the high-density reactants and low-density products. These body forces can substantially alter the flame propagation mechanisms and dramatically increase the flame blowout limits. Sustained centripetal accelerations a_c ≡ U²/R are created by flowing a premixed propane–air reactant stream with equivalence ratios 0.7  Φ  1.9 at various speeds U through a semicircular channel with radius R. A backward-facing step of height h on the radially outer (a_c > 0) or inner (a_c < 0) wall stabilizes the flame. For a_c > 0 the acceleration acts to force high-density reactants into the recirculation zone and low-density products into the reactant stream, while a_c < 0 forces hot products into the recirculation zone and impedes cold reactants from entering this zone. An otherwise identical straight channel provides corresponding baseline (a_c = 0) results for comparison. The flow speed U, equivalence ratio Φ, and step height h are systematically varied for a_c = 0, a_c > 0, and a_c < 0. Shadowgraph and chemiluminescence imaging show that as a_c→ +∞ the propagation of the flame across the channel becomes independent of the flame burning velocity and instead is primarily due to large-scale “centrifugal pumping” driven by the induced body forces. For a_c → −∞ the body forces effectively segregate reactants and products to produce a nearly flat flame. In both cases, for large |a_c| values the resulting blowout limits can be substantially higher than those at a_c = 0.     

Study of dielectric and ac impedance properties of Ti doped Mn ferrites

We have reported dielectric and ac impedance properties of Ti doped Mn_1+xFe_2−2xO₄ (0x0.5) ferrites prepared by solid-state reaction method, using dielectric and impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range of 42 Hz–5 MHz, between the temperatures (300K–473K). The dielectric constant and dielectric loss (tan δ) decreases with increasing frequency but these parameters increase with increasing temperature. The dielectric loss tangent curves exhibit dielectric relaxation peaks at high frequencies (3.6 kHz–5 MHz), which are attributed to the coincidence of the frequency of charge hopping between the localized charge states and the external field. The dielectric properties have been explained on the basis of space charge polarization according to Maxwell–Wagner’s two-layer model and the hopping of charge between Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ as well as between Mn³⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions at B-sites. The complex impedance analysis has been used to separate grain and grain boundary in studied samples. Two semicircles corresponding to grain and grain boundary have been observed at low temperature, while only one semicircle has been seen at high temperatures. The resistance of grain and grain boundary both increase with Ti⁴⁺ doping.     

α-Decay calculations of medium mass nuclei within generalized density-dependent cluster model

The α-decay half-lives of even–even medium mass nuclei have been systematically investigated using a radial wave function within the generalized density-dependent cluster model. The α-decay width is calculated using the overlap integral of the quasi-bound initial state wave function, the scattering final state wave function, and the difference of potentials. The effective α–nucleus potential is constructed using the double-folded integral of realistic nucleon–nucleon interactions with the mass density distributions of α particles and daughter nuclei. For comparison calculations are also carried out for the Woods–Saxon shape potential. The present study is restricted to even–even nuclei with 82<N126, where the shell effect on the α-preformation factor has been taken into account for even–even N=126 isotones. The obtained α-decay half-lives are found to agree with the experimental data with a mean factor of less than 2 for both the double-folded potential and the Woods–Saxon shape potential.     

A new simple tubular flow cell for use with variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry: A high throughput in situ protein adsorption study

A simple and novel flow cell design is presented here for use with variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) to study the adsorption of liquid-borne species on reflective surfaces. The flow cell allows a sample as large as 6 mm × 75 mm to be probed point by point and at any common ellipsometric angle of incidence, unlike other designs. Using our flow cell system with VASE, combinatorial films of Al_1−xNb_x, Al_1−xTa_x, and Al_1−xTi_x (0  x  1) were tested in situ for fibrinogen affinity along their 75 mm long compositional gradients. Fibrinogen adsorption on the films was found to be closely correlated to the various surface oxide fractions, with high alumina content at the surface leading to low amounts of adsorbed fibrinogen for each binary library. Adsorbed amounts measured in situ were in agreement with previously obtained values found using ex situ techniques.     

A high throughput approach to quantify protein adsorption on combinatorial metal/metal oxide surfaces using electron microprobe and spectroscopic ellipsometry

Although metallic biomaterials are widely used, systematic studies of protein adsorption onto such materials are generally lacking. Combinatorial binary films of Al_1−xTi_x and Al_1−xNb_x (0  x  1) and corresponding pure element films were produced on glass substrates using a unique magnetron sputtering technique. Fibrinogen and albumin adsorption amounts were measured by wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy (WDS) and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) equipment, both high throughput techniques with automated motion stage capabilities. X-ray diffraction revealed that the binary films have crystalline phases present near the ends of the compositional gradient with an amorphous region throughout the interior of the gradient. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy provided the surface chemistry along the binary films and showed that Al₂O₃ preferentially formed at the surface. Protein adsorption onto these films was found to be closely correlated to the alumina surface fraction, with high alumina content at the surface leading to low amounts of adsorbed fibrinogen and albumin. Protein adsorption amounts obtained with WDS and SE were in excellent agreement for all films. This suggests that this combinatorial materials approach combined with these state-of-the-art, automated high throughput instruments provides a novel way to accurately monitor protein adsorption taking place at the surfaces of these metal/metal oxide materials.     

Digitally whole-field analysis of isoclinic parameter in photoelasticity by four-step color phase-shifting technique

This paper presents a whole-field method for automatic determination of the isoclinic parameter φ in photoelasticity. The method determines φ in the true phase interval (-π/2<φ+π/2) based on the four-step color phase-shifting approach and a new unwrapping method based on simple logic operations, a binary image and a gray-scale mask. A plane polariscope with a white light source is used for capturing raw photoelastic fringe images. The theoretical validation of the method is done with the problem of a circular disk under compression. Comparisons between theoretical and experimental results are also demonstrated. The experimental confirmation for the proposed method is tested with the photoelastic model having an isotropic point(s) and/or a singular point(s). The results show the method permits the reliable isoclinic parameter to be determined in the true phase interval with almost no defects of the isochromatic parameter.     

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.     

Temperature dependence of the indirect band gap, steepness parameter and related optical constants of [Kx(NH4)1−x]2ZnCl4 mixed crystals

Optical transmittance measurements near the absorption edge of [K_x(NH₄)_1−x]₂ZnCl₄ mixed crystals, where x=0.00, 0.232, 0.522, 0.644, 0.859 and 1.00, are reported over 276–350 K range. Analysis reveals that the type of transition is the indirect allowed one. The absorption edge shifted towards lower energy with increasing temperature. It is shown that [K_x(NH₄)_1−x]₂ZnCl₄ mixed crystals with x0.644 reveal a phase transition at 319 K, this phase disappeared at high concentrations of K⁺ ions. The steepness parameter is given, its value is used to estimate the temperature dependence of the indirect energy gap. In the region of the absorption edge, the absorption coefficient obeys Urbach's rule. Urbach parameters are investigated as a function of temperature.     

Dramatic change of optical properties at a quantum critical point in the heavy fermion system

Optical properties of have been studied via infrared spectroscopy. For x>0.3, a hump in the optical conductivity σ₁ is observed at about 0.2 eV, resulting from strong hybridization between conduction electrons and Ce 4-f electronic states. For x0.3, in contrast, no such hump is observed. The low frequency plasmon indicating the existence of heavy particles is also observed below coherence temperature T^* for x>0.3.