Dynamic diffusion of helium into various types of solids during their deformation and dispersion

Quantitative relations governing the penetration of helium atoms into various types of solids in the course of their plastic deformation in liquid ³He (T = 0.6–1.8 K) and ⁴He (T = 4.2 K) and dispersion in gaseous helium at 300 K were obtained and analyzed. Experiments were carried out on metals with different lattice types, ionic single crystals, amorphous alloys, and barite and titanium dioxide powders dispersed in helium. Curves illustrating helium extraction from deformed specimens under dynamic annealing were obtained. The temperature range of helium extraction was found to correlate with the melting temperature and the initial and deformed structures of a material, which determine the number and character of helium traps present in the material. The dependence of helium penetration intensity on the type of defects forming under plastic deformation for various materials, as well as the formation of chemical bonds of helium atoms to the defected structure of these materials, is discussed.     

Molecular dynamics simulation on elastoplastic properties of the void expansion in nanocrystalline copper

Influences of different factors on the elastic-plastic properties of nanocrystalline copper containing a void are studied by the molecular dynamics method. The radius of the circular plate is 30a, while the radius of the void is 5a (a is 0.3615 nm for the lattice constant of bulk copper). The effects of crystal orientation, the void ellipticity, loading rate, and temperature of nanocrystalline copper are discussed. The elastic-plastic deformation of nanocrystalline under inner pressure is investigated in this research. The plastic zone is determined according to the dislocation nucleation from the edge of the void. The simulation results show that there are different deformation mechanisms under different crystal orientations, and the nanocrystalline copper can be strengthened by changing the void shape, decreasing the loading rate, and lowering the temperature. And the plastic zone initiation and growth are further explained. The change of different conditions has a great influence on plastic zone.     

Low-temperature plasticity in nanocrystalline titanium and copper

The stress-strain compressive curves, temperature dependences of the yield stress, and small-inelastic-strain rate spectra of coarse-grained and ultrafine-grained (produced by equal-channel angular pressing) titanium and copper are compared in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. As the temperature decreases, copper undergoes mainly strain hardening and titanium undergoes thermal hardening. The temperature dependences of the yield stress of titanium and copper have specific features which correlate with the behavior of their small-inelastic-strain rate spectra. Under the same loading conditions, the rate of microplastic deformation of ultrafine-grained titanium is lower than that of coarse-grained titanium and the rate peaks shift toward high temperatures. The deformation activation volumes of titanium samples differing in terms of their grain size are (10–35)b ³, where b is the Burgers vector magnitude. The dependences of the yield stress on the grain size at various temperatures are satisfactorily described by the Hall-Petch relation.     

Anomalous hall effect in a diluted <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-InAs〈Mn〉 magnetic semiconductor

The dependences of the electrical resistivity and the Hall coefficient of single-crystal p-InAs〈Mn〉 bulk samples with an acceptor concentration of about 10¹⁸ cm^–3 on uniform pressure P = 4–6 GPa at T = 300 K in the region of impurity conduction are quantitatively analyzed. The anomalous Hall effect is shown to occur in p-InAs〈Mn〉. Its contribution is negative and correlates with the deionization of acceptors and an increase in the magnetic susceptibility.     

Influence of the defect and structural state of FCC and BCC metals on the intensity of mechanodynamic penetration of helium atoms

The specific features of the mechanodynamic penetration of helium under plastic deformation into fcc (Cu) and bcc (Fe, Nb) metals with different initial defect structures (single-crystal, nanocrystalline, and porous samples) are investigated. The intensity of mechanodynamic penetration into these metals is shown to depend on the type of bonding (metallic or covalent), which determines the degree of localization of the plastic flow of these metals, as well as on the type of defect structure and on the character of plastic flow (dislocation deformation, twinning, grain-boundary sliding). Curves of helium extraction from samples at different strains are obtained. It is found that the helium release exhibits a wide variety of peaks depending on the degree and character of plastic deformation of the metals under investigation. This suggests that the metals contain different types of helium traps, which determine the content of helium and the specific features of its release in the temperature range studied.     

Nucleation of cracks near the free surface in deformed metallic nanomaterials with a bimodal structure

A theoretical model that effectively describes the nucleation of cracks in stress fields of dislocation pile-ups near the free surface in metallic nanomaterials with a bimodal structure has been developed. The dependences of the critical shear stress τ_c (for the formation of a crack with an equilibrium length of 10 nm on a dislocation pile-up near the surface) on the size d of a grain containing the dislocation pile-up have been calculated for copper with a bimodal structure. Theoretically, it has been found that the critical shear stress τ_c for the nucleation of a crack near the free surface in a nanomaterial with a bimodal structure is approximately 30% higher than that for the crack nucleation within the nanomaterial at a distance from the free surface.     

Parametric study of radiofrequency helium discharge under atmospheric pressure

The parameters of radiofrequency helium discharge under atmospheric pressure were studied by electrical and optical measurements using high voltage probe, current probe and optical emission spectroscopy. Two discharge modes α and γ were observed within certain limits. During α to γ mode transition, a decrease in voltage (280–168 V), current (2.05–1.61 A) and phase angle (76^°–56^°) occurred. The discharge parameters such as resistance, reactance, sheath thickness, electron density, excitation temperature and gas temperature were assessed by electrical measurements using equivalent circuit model and optical emission spectroscopy. In α mode, the discharge current increased from 1.17 to 2.05 A, electron density increased from 0.19 × 10¹² to 0.47 × 10¹² cm^?3 while sheath thickness decreased from 0.40 to 0.25 mm. The excitation temperatures in the α and γ modes were 3266 and 4500 K respectively, evaluated by Boltzmann’s plot method. The estimated gas temperature increased from 335 K in the α mode to 485 K in the γ mode, suggesting that the radiofrequency atmospheric pressure helium discharge can be used for surface treatment applications.     

CARS study of deuterium clusters stabilized in solid helium

Solid deuterium clusters that for the first time have been isolated in a matrix of solid helium have been investigated at T=1.3 K and P=3 MPa by the coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) technique. The vibronic Q₁((J=0) and Q₁(J=1) line intensity, shape, and positions have been studied as functions of ortho and para content in the solid, as well as of the size of clusters. The strong effect of Raman scattering cross-section sensitivity to the molecular environment nuclear spin state has been found in CARS: the ratio of probabilities for the scattering by para(J=1) and ortho(J=0) deuterium, which is equal to 1 in a gas, is as high as 10000 in nearly pure ortho deuterium, whereas it is about 50 in spontaneous Raman scattering. This effect has been shown to occur starting from a cluster size corresponding to the onset of the phonon band.     

Influence of Morphological Defects on Thermophysical Properties of γ-Gd<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The temperature dependences of the heat capacity (C _p ) and the thermal conductivity (κ) in the temperature range from 300 to 773 K of polycrystalline gadolinium sulfide samples (γ-GdS _y ) with the deviation of the composition from the integer stoichiometric were studied. It was found that the thermal conductivity of gadolinium sulfides decreases monotonically and reaches 0.74 W/(m K) at T = 773 K for the composition y = 1.479, which is much lower than for the known single-crystal samples. The influence of morphological defects (boundaries of crystallites and dislocations) on the intensity of scattering of phonons is studied. It has been established that ceramic samples of gadolinium sulphides have a large heat capacity and a lower thermal conductivity, in comparison with monocrystalline samples of the same composition.     

Effect of small particle sizes on the measured density of nanocrystalline powders of nonstoichiometric tantalum carbide TaC<Subscript> <Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis> </Subscript>

Nanocrystalline powders of the nonstoichiometric tantalum carbide TaC_y (0.81 ≤ y ≤ 0.96) with an average particle size in the range from 45 to 20 nm have been prepared using high-energy ball milling of coarse-grained powders. The density of the initial coarse-grained and prepared nanocrystalline powders of TaC_y has been measured by helium pycnometry. The sizes of particles in tantalum carbide powders have been estimated using the X-ray diffraction analysis and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. The density of TaC_y nanopowders measured by helium pycnometry is underestimated as compared to the true density due to the adsorption of helium by the highly developed surface of the nanocrystalline powders. It has been shown that the difference between the true and measured densities is proportional to the specific surface area or is inversely proportional to the average particle size of the nanopowders. The large difference between the true and measured pycnometric densities indicates a superhydrophobicity of the tantalum carbide nanopowders.     

On the possibility of laser generation without inversion on the fine-structure levels of a helium atom

It is shown that laser generation is possible in principle upon coherent excitation according to the V-scheme of the (1s2p)³ P _j levels with j = 1, 2 of a helium atom from the (1s2s)³ S ₁ level of the same atom when the latter level is, in turn, populated by electron or proton impact.     

The effect of external visible light on the breakdown voltage of a long discharge tube

The breakdown characteristics of a discharge tube with a configuration typical of gas-discharge light sources and electric-discharge lasers (a so-called “long discharge tube”) filled with argon or helium at a pressure of 1 Torr have been investigated. A breakdown has been implemented using positive and negative voltage pulses with a linear leading edge having a slope dU/dt ~ 10–10⁷ V/s. Visible light from an external source (halogen incandescent lamp) is found to affect the breakdown characteristics. The dependences of the dynamic breakdown voltage of the tube on dU/dt and on the incident light intensity are measured. The breakdown voltage is found to decrease under irradiation of the high-voltage anode of the tube in a wide range of dU/dt. A dependence of the effect magnitude on the light intensity and spectrum is obtained. Possible physical mechanisms of this phenomenon are discussed.     

Mechanism of decrease in the strength of submicron-sized specimens of FCC metals with a nanocrystalline structure

The effect of decrease in the strength of submicron-sized specimens of face-centered cubic (fcc) metals with a nanocrystalline structure and a cross-sectional size D < 5d, as compared to the strength of the specimens with D ? 5d (where d is the grain size), has been considered theoretically on the basis of the dislocation–kinetic equations and relationships. Previously, it has been found that this decrease is caused by the escape of a part of the dislocations through the surface of the specimen under the action of single-pole dislocation sources in grains adjacent to the surface. In this study, it has been shown that the absorption of lattice dislocations by grain boundaries and its accompanying grain boundary sliding lead to a further decrease in the flow stress of specimens, which is equally related to both thin (D < 5d) and thick (D ? 5d) specimens.     

Dislocation mobility in C<Subscript>60</Subscript> fullerite crystals

The dependences of the path of leading dislocations in indentation rosette rays on the load, the loading time, and the indentation temperature in the range 260 < T ≤ 373 K were studied for C₆₀ fullerite crystals. The dislocation mobility parameters are estimated: the exponent m characterizing the stress dependence of the dislocation velocity depends on the structural perfection of the crystal and ranges from 2.3 to 24.5, the activation energy for dislocation motion ΔH ₀ ? (0.4–0.5) eV, and the velocity of leading dislocations in indentation rosette rays v _l ? 10^?5?10^?4 cm/s. The data from micro-and macromechanical experiments are shown to agree with each other. The dislocation mobility is assumed to be controlled by the dislocation interaction with local barriers.     

Electron transport,penetration depth,and the upper critical magnetic field in ZrB<Subscript>12</Subscript> and MgB<Subscript>2</Subscript>

We report on the synthesis and measurements of the temperature dependences of the resistivity ρ, the penetration depth λ, and the upper critical magnetic field H_c2, for polycrystalline samples of dodecaboride ZrB₁₂ and diboride MgB₂. We conclude that ZrB₁₂ behaves as a simple metal in the normal state with the usual Bloch-Grüneisen temperature dependence of ρ(T) and with a rather low resistive Debye temperature T_R = 280 K (to be compared to T_R = 900 K for MgB₂). The ρ(T) and λ(T) dependences for these samples reveal a superconducting transition in ZrB₁₂ at T_c = 6.0 K. Although a clear exponential λ(T) dependence in MgB₂ thin films and ceramic pellets was observed at low temperatures, this dependence was almost linear for ZrB₁₂ below T_c/2. These features indicate an s-wave pairing state in MgB₂, whereas a d-wave pairing state is possible in ZrB₁₂. In disagreement with conventional theories, we found a linear temperature dependence, of H_c2(T) for ZrB₁₂ (H_c2(0) = 0.15 T).     

Low-temperature thermal conductivity of tellurium-doped bismuth

Phonon thermal conductivities κ₂₂ (?T ‖ C1) and κ₃₃ (? T ‖ C₃) of tellurium-doped bismuth with an electron concentration in the range 1.8 × 10¹⁹ ≤ n_L ≤ 1.4 × 10²⁰ cm^?3 were studied in the temperature interval 2 < T < 300 K. The temperature dependence of the phonon thermal conductivity obtained on doped bismuth samples of both orientations exhibits two maxima, one at a low temperature and the other at a high temperature. The effect of various phonon relaxation mechanisms on the dependence of both phonon thermal conductivity maxima on temperature, impurity concentration, and electron density is studied.     

Effect of the magnetic anisotropy energy distribution of MnSb clusters on spontaneous magnetization reversal of GaMnSb thin films

Temperature m(T) and time m(t) dependences of the magnetic moment of GaMnSb thin films with MnSb clusters have been measured. The m(t) dependences are straightened in semilogarithmic coordinates m(lnt). The temperature dependences of magnetic viscosity S(T) corresponding to the slope of straight lines m(lnt) have been studied. It have been demonstrated that the behavior of dependences S(T) is governed by the lognormal distribution of the magnetic anisotropy energy of MnSb clusters. It have been found that the behavior of dependences m(T) measured after the films were cooled in zero magnetic field and in magnetic field H = 10 kOe is also governed by the lognormal distribution of the magnetic anisotropy energy of MnSb clusters.     

Local approximation oscillatory differential method for the analysis of physical processes at the interface between vortex and Meissner regions in superconductors

A “differential” method for local diagnostics of superconductors has been developed. Regular steps with identical heights through certain intervals of an external field have been revealed on the magnetic-field dependences of the trapped magnetic flux density B _tr(H ₀) and the effective demagnetizing factor n _eff (H ₀) of bulk and film YBCO samples. It has been shown that the sample in high magnetic fields “decays” stepwise into subcrystallites and nanocrystallites whose size is much smaller than the depth of penetration of the magnetic field λ.     

Surface tension of pure liquid helium isotopes

The effects caused by vapor inhomogeneity over liquid helium are considered. Both pure isotopes have surface levels, whose population increases with temperature T. We separated their contribution to the temperature dependence of surface tension σ₃(T) and σ₄(T) and compared our theoretical results with the results of Japanese experimental works [1–3]. For liquid He³, one has σ₃(T)=σ₃(0)?σ ₃ ^∞ T² at 0.2 K<T<1 K and σ₃(T)=σ₃(0)?α ₃ ⁰ T²exp(?Δ₃/T) at T<0.2 K, with Δ₃≈0.25 K. For liquid He⁴, σ₄(T)=σ₄(0)?AT^7/3? α ₄ ⁰ T²exp(?Δ₄/T) at T<2 K, where A is the Atkins constant and Δ₄≈4 K. The parameters α ₃ ⁰ , α ₃ ^∞ , and α ₄ ⁰ depend on the fluid properties.