Phase transition and random-field induced domain wall response of SrTi O 3

The dielectric permittivity ε^′ - i of SrTi ¹⁸O ₃ (STO18) is studied under a dc electric field E as a function of the temperature, T. In ε^′ vs. T, a double-peak is found when 0 < E < 30 KV/m. While the peak at high-T is attributed to the smeared ferroelectric phase transition, the low-T one is induced by domain wall motion. The transverse Ising model including an external homogeneous and quenched random-fields is successfully used to describe both the smeared phase transition and the domain wall response in the low-T domain state. The calculations are in good agreement with the experimental results. Received 4 January 2002 / Received in final form 25 March 2002 Published online 19 July 2002     

Momentum transfer theory of ion transport under the influence of resonant charge transfer collisions: the case of argon and neon ions in parent gases

Transport properties of ion swarms in presence of Resonant Charge Transfer (RCT) collisions are studied using Momentum Transfer Theory (MTT). It was shown that, not surprisingly, RCT collisions may be represented as a special case of elastic scattering. Using the developed MTT we tested a previously available anisotropic set of cross-sections for Ar+Ar ⁺ collisions by making the comparisons with the available data for the transverse diffusion coefficient. We also developed an anisotropic set of Ne+Ne ⁺ integral cross-sections based on the available data for mobility, longitudinal and transverse diffusion. Anisotropic sets of cross-sections are needed for Monte Carlo simulations of ion transport and plasma models. Received 16 June 2002 / Received in final form 2nd August 2002 Published online 24 September 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: vrhovac@phy.bg.ac.yu RID="b" ID="b"e-mail: zoran@phy.bg.ac.yu     

Spin-wave contributions to nuclear magnetic relaxation in magnetic metals

The longitudinal and transverse nuclear magnetic relaxation rates 1/T ₁(T) and 1/T ₂(T) are calculated for three- and two-dimensional (3D and 2D) metallic ferro- and antiferromagnets (FM and AFM) with localized magnetic moments in the spin-wave temperature region. The contribution of the one-magnon decay processes is strongly enhanced in comparison with the standard T-linear Korringa term, especially for the FM case. For the 3D AFM case this contribution diverges logarithmically, the divergence being cut at the magnon gap ω due to magnetic anisotropy, and for the 2D AFM case as ω^-1. The electron-magnon scattering processes yield T ²ln(T/ω) and T ²/ω^1/2-terms in 1/T ₁ for the 3D AFM and 2D FM cases, respectively. The two-magnon (“Raman”) contributions are investigated and demonstrated to be large in the 2D FM case. Peculiarities of the isotropic 2D limit (where the correlation length is very large) are analyzed. Received 29 November 1999 and Received in final form 6 June 2000     

Electronic excitation and singlet-triplet coupling in uracil tautomers and uracil-water complexes

Electronic spectra of uracil in its diketo (lactam) form and five enol (lactim) tautomeric forms have been investigated by means of combined density functional and configuration interaction methods. We have simulated the effects of hydrogen bonding with a protic solvent by recomputing the spectrum of uracil in the presence of two, four, or six water molecules. Geometries of the electronic ground state and several low-lying excited states have been optimized. Spin-orbit coupling has been determined for correlated wavefunctions employing a non-empirical spin-orbit mean-field approach. In accord with experiment, we find the diketo tautomer to be the most stable one. The calculations confirm that the first absorption band arises from the ¹( π↦π^*) S ₀↦S ₂ excitation. The experimentally observed vibrational structure in this band originates from a breathing mode of the six ring. Complexation with water molecules is seen to cause a significant blue shift of n↦π^* excitations while leaving π↦π^* excitations nearly uninfluenced. Computed radiative lifetimes are presented for the experimentally known weak phosphorescence from the π↦π^* excited T₁ state. Among the uracil lactim tautomers, one is particularly interesting from a spectroscopic point of view. In this tautomer, the π↦π^* excitation gives rise to the S₁ state. Received 18 February 2002 / Received in final form 5 June 2002 Published online 13 September 2002     

Insulator-metal transition shift related to magnetic polarons in La<Subscript>0.67-x</Subscript>Y<Subscript>x</Subscript>Ca<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>MnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The magnetic transport properties have been measured for La_0.67-xY_xCa_0.33MnO₃ ( 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.14) system. It was found that the transition temperature T _p almost linearly moves to higher temperature as H increases. Electron spin resonance confirms that above T _p , there exist ferromagnetic clusters. From the magnetic polaron point of view, the shift of T _p vs. H was understood, and it was estimated that the size of the magnetic polaron is of 9.7 ∼ 15.4 ? which is consistent with the magnetic correlation length revealed by the small-angle neutron-scattering technique. The transport properties at temperatures higher than T _p conform to the variable-range hopping mechanism. Received 27 August 2002 / Received in final form 2 December 2002 Published online 14 March 2003     

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     

Classical spin liquid properties of the infinite-component spin vector model on a fully frustrated two dimensional lattice

Thermodynamic quantities and correlation functions (CFs) of the classical antiferromagnet on the checkerboard lattice are studied for the exactly solvable infinite-component spin-vector model, D↦∞. In contrast to conventional two-dimensional magnets with continuous symmetry showing extended short-range order at distances smaller than the correlation length, r ξ _c∝ exp(T ^*/T), correlations in the checkerboard-lattice model decay already at the scale of the lattice spacing due to the strong degeneracy of the ground state characterized by a macroscopic number of strongly fluctuating local degrees of freedom. At low temperatures, spin CFs decay as < >∝ 1/r ² in the range a ₀≪r≪ξ _c∝T ^-1/2, where a₀ is the lattice spacing. Analytical results for the principal thermodynamic quantities in our model are very similar with MC simulations, exact and analytical results for the classical Heisenberg model (D = 3) on the pyrochlore lattice. This shows that the ground state of the infinite-component spin vector model on the checkerboard lattice is a classical spin liquid. Received 16 November 2001 and Received in final form 12 February 2002     

K<Superscript>+</Superscript> production in proton-nucleus reactions and the role of momentum-dependent potentials

The production of K⁺-mesons in proton-nucleus collisions from 1.0 to 2.5GeV is analyzed with respect to one-step nucleon-nucleon ( NN → NYK ⁺) and two-step Δ-nucleon ( ΔN → K ⁺ YN) or pion-nucleon ( πN → K ⁺ Y) production channels on the basis of a coupled-channel transport approach (CBUU) including the kaon final-state interactions. The influence of momentum-dependent potentials for the nucleon, hyperon and kaon in the final state are studied as well as the importance of K⁺ elastic rescattering in the target nucleus. The transport calculations are compared to the experimental K⁺ spectra taken at LBL Berkeley, SATURNE, CELSIUS, GSI and COSY-Jülich. It is found that the momentum-dependent baryon potentials affect the excitation function of the K⁺ cross-section; at low bombarding energies of ∼ 1.0GeV the attractive baryon potentials in the final state lead to a relative enhancement of the kaon yield, whereas the net repulsive potential at bombarding energies ∼ 2GeV causes a decrease of the K⁺ cross-section. Furthermore, it is pointed out that especially the K⁺ spectra at low momenta (or kinetic energy T _K) allow to determine the in-medium K⁺ potential almost model independently due to a relative shift of the K⁺ spectra in kinetic energy that arises from the acceleration of the kaons when propagating out of the nuclear medium to free space, i.e. converting the potential energy to the kinetic energy of the free kaon. Received: 28 January 2002 / Accepted: 3 June 2002 / Published online: 19 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: Wolfgang.Cassing@theo.physik.uni-giessen.de Communicated by P. Schuck     

Spin susceptibility in small Fermi energy systems: effects of nonmagnetic impurities

In small Fermi energy metals, disorder can deeply modify superconducting state properties leading to a strong suppression of the critical temperature T_c. In this paper, we show that also normal state properties can be seriously influenced by disorder when the Fermi energy E _F is sufficiently small. We calculate the normal state spin susceptibility χ for a narrow band electron-phonon coupled metal as a function of the non-magnetic impurity scattering rate . We find that as soon as is comparable to E _F, χ is strongly reduced with respect to its value in the clean limit. The effects of the electron-phonon interaction including the nonadiabatic corrections are discussed. Our results strongly suggest that the recent finding on irradiated MgB₂ samples can be naturally explained in terms of small E _F values associated with the σ-bands of the boron plane, sustaining therefore the hypothesis that MgB₂ is a nonadiabatic metal. Received 31 July 2002 / Received in final form 21 September 2002 Published online 31 December 2002     

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     

Multi-patch model for transport properties of cuprate superconductors

A number of normal state transport properties of cuprate superconductors are analyzed in detail using the Boltzmann equation. The momentum dependence of the electronic structure and the strong momentum anisotropy of the electronic scattering are included in a phenomenological way via a multi-patch model. The Brillouin zone and the Fermi surface are divided in regions where scattering between the electrons is strong and the Fermi velocity is low (hot patches) and in regions where the scattering is weak and the Fermi velocity is large (cold patches). We present several motivations for this phenomenology starting from various microscopic approaches. A solution of the Boltzmann equation in the case of N patches is obtained and an expression for the distribution function away from equilibrium is given. Within this framework, and limiting our analysis to the two patches case, the temperature dependence of resistivity, thermoelectric power, Hall angle, magnetoresistance and thermal Hall conductivity are studied in a systematic way analyzing the role of the patch geometry and the temperature dependence of the scattering rates. In the case of Bi-based cuprates, using ARPES data for the electronic structure, and assuming an inter-patch scattering between hot and cold states with a linear temperature dependence, a reasonable agreement with the available experiments is obtained. Received 3 August 2001 and Received in final form 1st November 2001     

Narrow α + <Superscript>28</Superscript>Si elastic-scattering states at high excitation in <Superscript>32</Superscript>S

The excitation function and angular distributions of elastic α-particle scattering on ²⁸Si have been measured in the laboratory energy range 6-28 MeV using a backscattering technique on a thick target, yielding a continuous energy distribution. More than 200 narrow states are observed, with widths in the range ∼ 30-100 keV at excitation energies E ^* = 13-32 MeV. Angular distributions at backward angles were measured, and angular momentum values of more than 83 states have been deduced. The analysis gives spin-parities J ^π, α-partial widths Γ_α and reduced widths of the narrow high-lying resonant states in ³²S. The experimentally observed states display both the negative- and the positive-parity rotational-like sequences with seemingly no parity splitting, a finding which is at variance with most potential-model predictions. The deduced effective moment of inertia indicates a more extended structure than the ground-state configuration. The observed strength of each ℓ-value is analyzed in terms of an underlying split doorway state of Lorentzian form, which yields an interpretation as fragmented rotational α + ²⁸Si states. Received: 26 June 2000 / Accepted: 16 September 2002 / Published online: 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: kkallman@abo.fi RID="b" ID="b"Present address: Swedish Polytechnic, FIN-65200 Vasa, Finland. Communicated by D. Guerreau     

Localization-delocalization transition in one-dimensional system with long-range correlated diagonal disorder

We show that the electronic states in a one-dimensional (1D) Anderson model of diagonal disorder with long-range correlation proposed by de Moura and Lyra exhibit localization-delocalization phase transition in varying the energy of electrons. Using transfer matrix method, we calculate the average resistivity and investigate how it changes with the size of the system N. For given value of α (> 2) we find critical energies E_c1 and E_c2 such that the resistivity decreases with N as a power law ∝ N ^{- γ} for electron energies within the range of [E _c1, E _c2], and exponentially grows with N outside this range. Such behaviors persist in approaching the transition points and the exponent γ is in the range from 0.92 to 0.96. The origin of the delocalization in this 1D model is discussed. Received 18 December 2001 / Received in final form 2 May 2002 Published online 14 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: sjxiong@nju.edu.cn     

Photoexcitation of rare-gas neon and argon clusters doped with <Emphasis Type="Bold">H</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Bold">2</Emphasis></Subscript><Emphasis Type="Bold">O</Emphasis>

We have studied the fluorescence of electronically excited OH^*, H^* and H₂O^+* dissociation fragments after VUV excitation ( h ν≥11.6 eV) of rare-gas clusters (Rg = Ne, Ar) doped with H₂O molecules. In contrast to a free molecule, where Balmer H-series dominate the UV-visible spectra, only the OH ^* ( A ² Σ ⁺ ↦ X ² Π) emission band is observed in neon clusters. No emission of excited water ions has been observed. We find that while higher excitation energies (Ne vs. Ar) induce higher vibrational excitation of the OH^* ( A ) fragment, the rotational temperature is lower. This effect is attributed to the difference in the geometric position of the H₂O molecule on the surface or inside the Rg-cluster. The rotational relaxation in neon clusters is rapid while the vibrational relaxation is slow because of the coupling with the low energy matrix phonons. Received 7 March 2002 / Received in final form 27 May 2002 Published online 19 July 2002     

Harmonically trapped ideal quantum gases

We solve the problem of a Bose or Fermi gas in d-dimensions trapped by δ ⩽ d mutually perpendicular harmonic oscillator potentials. From the grand potential we derive their thermodynamic functions (internal energy, specific heat, etc.) as well as a generalized density of states. The Bose gas exhibits Bose-Einstein condensation at a nonzero critical temperature T _c if and only if d + δ > 2, along with a jump in the specific heat at T _c if and only if d + δ > 4. Specific heats for both gas types precisely coincide as functions of temperature when d + δ = 2. The trapped system behaves like an ideal free quantum gas in d + δ dimensions. For δ = 0 we recover all known thermodynamic properties of ideal quantum gases in d dimensions, while in 3D for δ = 1, 2 and 3 one simulates behavior reminiscent of quantum wells, wires anddots, respectively. Good agreement is found between experimental critical temperatures for the trapped boson gases ₃₇ ⁸⁷Rb, ₃ ⁷Li, ₃₇ ⁸⁵Rb, ₂ ⁴He, ₁₉ ⁴¹K and the known theoretical expression which is a special case for d = δ = 3, but only moderate agreement for ₁₁ ²⁷Na and ₁ ¹H. Received 17 July 2002 / Received in final form 14 October 2002 Published online 21 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: mdgg@hp.fciencias.unam.mx     

Transport theory of multiterminal hybrid structures

We derive a microscopic transport theory of multiterminal hybrid structures in which a superconductor is connected to several spin-polarized electrodes. We discuss the non-perturbative physics of extended contacts, and show that such contacts can be well represented by averaging out the phase of the electronic wave function. The intercontact Andreev reflection and elastic cotunneling conductances are identical if the phase can be averaged out, namely in the presence of at least one extended contact. The maximal conductance of a two-channel contact is proportional to (e ²/h)(a ₀/D)²exp[-D/ξ(ω^*)], where D is the distance between the contacts, a₀ the lattice spacing, ξ(ω) is the superconducting coherence length, and ω^* is the cross-over frequency between a perturbative regime ( ω < ω^*) and a non perturbative regime ( ω^* < ω < Δ). Received 18 June 2001 and Received in final form 17 January 2002     

Small-angle X-ray scattering from salt-free solutions of star-branched polyelectrolytes

The dispersion state of sodium-sulphonated polystyrene ( NaPSS) star-branched polyelectrolytes was investigated in salt-free aqueous solutions, by use of the small-angle X-ray scattering technique. With respect to polystyrene (PS) star-branched polymers of identical functionality, the ordering phenomenon occurring in the neighborhood of the overlap concentration c^* is reinforced and observed in a larger range of concentrations. Moreover, the degree of order is no longer maximum at c^* and is improved as the concentration decreases. The dispersion state is then mainly controlled by the electrostatic interaction. A crystalline order should therefore be achieved with stars of lower functionality, provided the electrostatic interaction is added to the osmotic repulsion. On the other hand, unusual scattering patterns are measured for aqueous solutions of NaPSS star polyelectrolytes. Indeed, a diffuse scattering is revealed at high angles, in addition to the regular diffraction rings related to preferred interstar distances. It is similar to the broad scattering peak produced by semidilute solutions of NaPSS linear polyelectrolytes and associated to the electrostatic correlation hole within the isotropic model. In the dilute regime (c < c ^*), it is just an intramolecular characteristic and represents the electrostatic repulsion between arms belonging to the same star. In the semidilute regime (c > c ^*), it also reflects the electrostatic repulsion between arms of distinct stars. So, as the concentration increases, it is mainly caused by the interpenetration of NaPSS stars. Such an observation is in agreement with the composite structure earlier proposed by Daoud and Cotton for star semidilute solutions. For c > c ^*, NaPSS star aqueous solutions can therefore be pictured as effective stars immersed in a matrix formed by the overlap of the arm ends. With respect to the dilute regime, the effective stars are smaller; the higher the concentration the smaller the size. Received 14 May 1999 and Received in final form 15 March 2000     

Two-point correlation function in systems with van der Waals type interaction

The behavior of the bulk two-point correlation function G(;T| d ) in d-dimensional system with van der Waals type interactions is investigated and its consequences on the finite-size scaling properties of the susceptibility in such finite systems with periodic boundary conditions is discussed within mean-spherical model which is an example of Ornstein and Zernike type theory. The interaction is supposed to decay at large distances r as r ^{- (d + σ)}, with 2 < d < 4, 2 < σ < 4 and d + σ≤6. It is shown that G(;T| d ) decays as r ^{- (d - 2)} for 1 ≪r≪ξ, exponentially for ξ≪r≪r ^*, where r ^* = (σ - 2)ξlnξ, and again in a power law as r ^{- (d + σ)} for r≫r ^*. The analytical form of the leading-order scaling function of G(;T| d ) in any of these regimes is derived. Received 28 May 2001     

Selective laser ionization of N≥82 indium isotopes: The new r-process nuclide 135In

Production yields and β-decay half-lives (T _1/2) of very neutron-rich indium isotopes were determined at CERN/ISOLDE using isobaric selectivity of a resonance-ionization laser ion-source. Beta-delayed neutron (βdn) multiscaling measurements have yielded improved T _1/2 for 206(6) ms ¹³²In, 165(3) ms ¹³³In and 141(5) ms ¹³⁴In. With 92(10) ms ¹³⁵In, a new r-process nuclide has been identified which acts as an important “waiting point” in the In isotopic chain for neutron densities in the range n _n≃ 10²⁴-10²⁶ n/cm³, where the r-matter flow has already passed the A≃ 130 abundance peak region. Received: 17 January 2002 / Accepted: 30 January 2002     

Microphase separation in weakly charged hydrophobic polyelectrolytes

Aqueous solutions of a well-defined poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-sodium 2-acrylamido-methylpropanesulfonate) (NIPAM/NaAMPS in a 95/5 molar ratio) have been investigated by means of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and rheological experiments as a function of temperature ( 25^° C T 60^° C) and polymer concentration ( 0.5wt% C 12wt%). The solutions remain optically transparent and isotropic over the whole temperature range, in contrast with the homopolyNIPAM which precipitates above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST = 32^° C). Upon addition of salt, the systems undergo a micro-macrophase separation. At temperatures above 45^° C, the SANS spectra exhibit a sharp peak at a scattering wave vector, q _max, which increases slightly with temperature. At high temperature ( T∼ 60^° C), the scattered intensity follows a power law I(q) ∼q ^-4 in the asymptotic regime, characteristic of two-density media with sharp interfaces, and q _max is found to vary with polymer concentration as q _max∼C ^0.22. Estimates of the typical sizes give values between 40 ? and 200 ?. These results provide a strong evidence of a thermally induced microphase separation, which is corroborated by the very sharp increases of the viscosity (over 2 decades) and of the stress relaxation time of the solutions, occurring in the temperature range where the scattering peak is observed. The results are discussed and compared with the theoretical models proposed for weakly charged polyelectrolytes in a poor solvent. Received 1 October 2001