Fractionation of hydrogen isotopes between crystalline hydrates and saturated solution of cobalt dichloride

The hydrogen isotopic fractionation factors between the crystal water (CW) in crystalline hydrates and the saturated aqueous solution of cobalt dichloride, alphaCW-st.sol, were experimentally determined in the temperature range from 10 to 55 degrees C under equilibrium condition: alphaCW-st.sol in cobalt dichloride hexahydrate, CoCl2 x 6H2O, from 10 to 43 degrees C, and in cobalt dichloride dihydrate, CoCl2 x 2H2O, at 50 and 55 degrees C. The empirical relationship between ln alphaC.W.-st.sol and (1/T2) on the CW of CoCl2 x 6H2O in the temperature range from 10 to 43 degrees C was obtained as: 10(3)ln alphaCW-st.sol=-2.46(10(6)/T2)+17.6. The CW of dihydrate of cobalt dichloride exhibits larger depletion of deuterium than that of hexahydrate. The values of alphaCW-st.sol in CoCl2 x 2H2O are similar to that of CuCl2 x 2H2O and BaCl2 x 2H2O at 25 degrees C. This fact indicates that the hydrogen fractionation factor between the CW and the saturated aqueous solution of cobalt dichloride strongly depends on the structure of crystalline hydrate rather than the chemical species of cation and/or the crystallized temperature.     

Anomalous pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature of beta-pyrochlore AOs2O6 oxides

High-pressure effects on the superconducting transitions of beta-pyrochlore oxide superconductors AOs(2)O(6) (A = Cs,Rb,K) are studied by measuring resistivity under high pressures up to 10 GPa. The superconducting transition temperature T(c) first increases with increasing pressure in every compound and then exhibits a broad maximum at 7.6 K (6 GPa), 8.2 K (2 GPa), and 10 K (0.6 GPa) for A = Cs, Rb, and K, respectively. Finally, the superconductivity is suppressed completely at a critical pressure near 7 GPa and 6 GPa for A = Rb and K and probably above 10 GPa for A = Cs. Characteristic changes in the coefficient A of the T(2) term in resistivity and residual resistivity are observed, both of which are synchronized with the corresponding change in T(c).     

Quantum critical point of an itinerant antiferromagnet in a heavy fermion

A quantum critical point of the heavy fermion Ce(Ru(1-x)Rh(x))2Si2, (x = 0,0.03) has been studied by single-crystalline neutron scattering. By accurately measuring the dynamical susceptibility at the antiferromagnetic wave vector k3 = 0.35c*, we have shown that the inverse energy width gamma(k3), i.e., the inverse correlation time, depends on temperature as gamma(k3) = c1 + c2T((3/2)+/-0.1), where c1 and c2 are x dependent constants, in a low temperature range. This critical exponent 3/2 +/- 0.1 proves that the quantum critical point is controlled by that of the itinerant antiferromagnet.     

Grüneisen ratio divergence at the quantum critical point in CeCu(6-x)Agx

The heavy-fermion system CeCu6-xAgx is studied at its antiferromagnetic quantum critical point, xc=0.2, by low-temperature (T> or =50 mK) specific heat, C(T), and volume thermal expansion, beta(T), measurements. Whereas C/T proportional to log((T0/T) would be compatible with the predictions of the itinerant spin-density-wave (SDW) theory for two-dimensional critical spin fluctuations, beta(T)/T and the Grüneisen ratio, Gamma(T) proportional to beta/C, diverge much weaker than expected, in strong contrast to this model. Both C and beta, plotted as a function of the reduced temperature t=T/T0 with T0=4.6 K, are similar to what was observed for YbRh2(Si(0.95)Ge(0.05))2 (T0=23.3 K), indicating a striking discrepancy to the SDW prediction in both systems.     

Temperature-dependent structures of proton-conducting Ba(Zr(0.8-x)Ce(x)Y(0.2))O(2.9) ceramics by Raman scattering and x-ray diffraction

In situ temperature-dependent micro-Raman scattering and x-ray diffraction have been performed to study atomic vibration, lattice parameter and structural transition of proton-conducting Ba(Zr(0.8-x)Ce(x)Y(0.2))O(2.9) (BZCY) ceramics (x = 0.0-0.8) synthesized by the glycine-nitrate combustion process. The Raman vibrations have been identified and their frequencies increase with decreasing x as the heavier Ce(4+) ions are replaced by Zr(4+) ions. The main Raman vibrations of Ba(Ce(0.8)Y (0.2))O(2.9) appear near 305, 332, 352, 440 and 635 cm(-1). The X-O ( X=Ce, Zr, Y) stretching modes are sensitive to the variation of Ce/Zr ratio. A rhombohedral-cubic structural transition was observed for x = 0.5-0.8, in which the transition shifts toward higher temperature as cerium increases, except for Ba(Ce(0.8)Y(0.2))O(2.9). A minor monoclinic phase possibly coexists in the rhombohedral matrix for x = 0.5-0.8. The lower-cerium BZCYs (x = 0.0-0.4) ceramics do not exhibit any transition in the region of 20-900?°C, indicating a cubic phase at and above room temperature.     

Experimental calibration and field investigation of the oxygen isotopic fractionation between biogenic aragonite and water

Marine molluscs have long been recognised as potential records of palaeoclimate change using the patterns and differences in the stable isotopic composition of the carbonate shells. The aim of this study is to improve the robustness of this approach for aragonitic molluscs by completing the first experimental calibration of the fractionation between water and biogenic aragonite. Fractionation factors were calibrated by growing specimens of the freshwater mollusc Lymnaea peregra under controlled conditions of water temperature and isotopic composition. Fifteen populations of L. peregra were maintained at constant temperature and isotopic conditions for five months (at five different temperatures and using three different water compositions). Water samples and temperature measurements were taken regularly throughout the experiment. The temperature dependence of the fractionation factor, between 8 and 24 degrees C, is given by: 1000 ln alpha=16.74x(1000T(-1))-26.39 (T in Kelvin) and the relationship between temperature (T), delta(18)O(carb) and delta(18)O(wat) is given by: T=21.36-4.83xdelta(+ degrees )O(carb)-delta(+ degrees )O(wat) (T is in degrees C, delta(18)O(carb) is with respect to Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) replacement standard for PDB, and delta(18)O(wat) is with respect to Vienna standard mean ocean water (VSMOW)) The outcome of the controlled experiment is compared with previous studies on synthetic, and biogenic, calcite and aragonite from field and laboratory investigations. These comparisons suggest that although a vital offset exists between the fractionation of isotopes in synthetic and biogenic aragonite for molluscs in general, there is no vital effect that is specific either to freshwater, or to individual, genera. Therefore, the calibrated relationship may be used for any freshwater or marine mollusc to derive palaeotemperatures providing the isotopic composition of the environmental water can be reliably constrained. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of electron doping on the magnetic correlations in the bilayered brownmillerite compound Ca(2.5-x)La(x)Sr(0.5)GaMn2O8: a neutron diffraction study

The effect of electron doping on the magnetic properties of the brownmillerite type bilayered compounds has been investigated by neutron powder diffraction in La substituted Ca(2.5-x)La(x)Sr(0.5)GaMn(2)O(8) compounds (x = 0.05 and 0.1), in comparison with the undoped compound (x = 0). In all compounds, a long-range three-dimensional collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) structure is found below the Néel temperature T(N) of the respective compound, whereas, well above T(N), three-dimensional short-range magnetic ordering is observed. In the intermediate temperature range just above T(N), a strong effect of electron doping (La substitution) on the magnetic correlations has been observed. Here, a short-range AFM correlation with a possible dimensionality of three has been found for substituted compounds (x = 0.05 and 0.1) as compared to the reported two-dimensional long-range AFM ordering in the parent compound. With increasing electron doping, a decrease in T(N) is also observed. The short-range magnetic correlations set in over a large temperature range above T(N). A magnetic phase diagram in the x-T plane is proposed from these results.     

The superconducting transition temperatures of Fe(1+x)Se(1-y), Fe(1+x)Se(1-y)Te(y) and (K/Rb/Cs)(z)Fe(2-x)Se2

In a recent contribution to this journal, it was shown that the transition temperatures of optimal high-T(C) compounds obey the algebraic relation T(C0) = k(-1)(B)/?ζ, where ? is related to the mean spacing between interacting charges in the layers, ζ is the distance between interacting electronic layers, β is a universal constant and k(B) is Boltzmann's constant. The equation was derived assuming pairing based on interlayer Coulomb interactions between physically separated charges. This theory was initially validated for 31 compounds from five different high-T(C) families (within an accuracy of ±1.37 K). Herein we report the addition of Fe(1+x)Se(1-y) and Fe(1+x)Se(1-y)Te(y) (both optimized under pressure) and A(z)Fe(2-x)Se(2) (for A = K, Rb or Cs) to the growing list of Coulomb-mediated superconducting compounds in which T(C0) is determined by the above equation. Doping in these materials is accomplished through the introduction of excess Fe and/or Se deficiency, or a combination of alkali metal and Fe vacancies. Consequently, a very small number of vacancies or interstitials can induce a superconducting state with a substantial transition temperature. The confirmation of the above equation for these Se-based Fe chalcogenides increases to six the number of superconducting families for which the transition temperature can be accurately predicted.     

Charge ordering fluctuation and optical pseudogap in La(1-x)Ca(x)MnO(3)

Optical spectroscopy was used to investigate the optical gap ( 2 Delta) due to charge ordering (CO) and related pseudogap developments with x and temperature ( T) in La(1-x)Ca(x)MnO(3) ( 0.48< or =x< or =0.67). Surprisingly, we found 2 Delta/k(B)T(CO) is as large as 30 for x approximately 0.5, and decreases rapidly with increasing x. Simultaneously, the optical pseudogap, possibly starting from T* far above T(CO) becomes drastically enhanced near x = 0.5, producing non-BCS T-dependence of 2 Delta with the large magnitude far above T(CO), and systematic increase of T* for x approximately 0.5. These results unequivocally indicate systematically enhanced CO correlation when x approaches 0.5 even though T(CO) decreases.     

高温高压下草酸脱羧反应中的拉曼光谱研究

应用水热金刚石压腔结合拉曼光谱技术研究了高温高压下草酸溶液的热稳定,使用拉曼光谱对其脱羧反应及产物进行监测。结果表明低温升温过程中,草酸的拉曼谱图中各个特征振动峰没有发生变化,随着温度的继续升高,其特征振动峰逐渐变弱。达到一定温度后,羧基的拉曼特征峰消失,草酸发生脱羧反应:C2H2O4—2CO2+H2生成CO2和H2。高温高压下草酸发生热分解的温度压力之间呈线性关系,其线性回归方程为P(MPa)=12.839 T(K)-5 953.7,R2=0.99。草酸脱羧反应的摩尔体积变化与温度压力的关系为ΔV(cm-3.mol-1)=16.69-0.002P(MPa)+0.005 2T(K),R2=0.99。     

Metallic state in cubic FeGe beyond its quantum phase transition

We report on results of electrical resistivity and structural investigations on the cubic modification of FeGe under high pressure. The long-wavelength helical order (T(C) = 280 K) is suppressed at a critical pressure p(c) approximately 19 GPa. An anomaly at T(X)(p) and strong deviations from a Fermi-liquid behavior in a wide pressure range above p(c) suggest that the suppression of T(C) disagrees with the standard notion of a quantum critical phase transition. The metallic ground state persisting at high pressure can be described by band-structure calculations if zero-point motion is included. The shortest FeGe interatomic distance display discontinuous changes in the pressure dependence close to the T(C)(p) phase line.     

Quantum critical behavior in an antiferromagnetic heavy-fermion Kondo lattice system(Ce_(1-x)La_x)_2Ir_3Ge_5

The measurements on temperature dependences of magnetic susceptibility χ(T), specific heat C(T), and electrical resistivity ρ(T) were carried out for the antiferromagnetic(AFM)(Ce_(1-x)La_x)_2Ir_3Ge_5(0 ≤ x ≤ 0.66) system. It was found that the Neel temperature TNdecreases with increasing La content x, and reaches 0 K near a critical content xcr =0.6. A new phase diagram was constructed based on these measurements. A non-Fermi liquid behavior in ρ(T) and a log T relationship in C(T) were found in the samples near xcr, indicating them to be near an AFM quantum critical point(QCP) with strong spin fluctuation. Our finding indicates that(Ce_(1-x)La_x)_2Ir_3Ge_5 may be a new platform to search for unconventional superconductivity.     

钙钛矿锰氧化物La0.7Sr0.3MxMn1-xO3(M=Cr,Fe)的巨磁电阻效应与磁性

研究了溶胶 -凝胶法制备氧化物巨磁电阻材料的工艺 ,制备了La0 .7Sr0 .3 CrxMn1-xO3 (x =0 ,0 .10 ,0 .15 )和La0 .7Sr0 .3 FexMn1-xO3 (x =0 .0 5 ,0 .10 ,0 .16 )两系列的单相钙钛矿锰氧化物多晶样品 ,并研究了Cr ,Fe替代La0 .7Sr0 .3 MnO3 中部分Mn后对其结构、磁性和巨磁电阻性质的影响 .观察到La0 .7Sr0 .3 Cr0 .15Mn0 .85O3 和La0 .7Sr0 .3 Fe0 .0 5Mn0 .95O3 两个样品的电阻 温度曲线都出现了双峰 .定性讨论了可能产生双峰的机制 .随Cr(或Fe)替代量的增加 ,材料的居里温度很快下降 ,铁磁性减弱 ,导电性降低 ,巨磁电阻效应增强 .但与Fe掺杂相比 ,相同数量的Cr掺杂对材料的影响要小 .     

Measurement of the inclusive charmless semileptonic branching ratio of B mesons and determination of |V ub|

We report a measurement of the inclusive charmless semileptonic branching fraction of B mesons in a sample of 89 x 10(6) (-)BB events recorded with the BABAR detector at the Upsilon(4S) resonance. Events are selected by fully reconstructing the decay of one B meson and identifying a charged lepton from the decay of the other B meson. The number of signal events is extracted from the mass distribution of the hadronic system accompanying the lepton and is used to determine the ratio of branching fractions B((-)B-->X(u)lnu;)/B((-)B-->Xlnu;)=[2.06+/-0.25(stat)+/-0.23(syst)+/-0.36(theo)]x10(-2). Using the measured branching fraction for inclusive semileptonic B decays, we find B((-)B-->X(u)lnu;)=[2.24+/-0.27(stat)+/-0.26(syst)+/-0.39(theo)]x10(-3) and derive the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V(ub)|=[4.62+/-0.28(stat)+/-0.27(syst)+/-0.48(theo)]x10(-3).     

Intensity Measurements and Collision-Broadening Coefficients for the Oxygen A Band Measured by Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy

High-sensitivity, high-resolution intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy (ICLAS) has been used to measure line intensities, nitrogen-broadening coefficients, and self-broadening coefficients in the A band (b(1)Sigma(+)(g) <-- X(3)Sigma(-)(g)) of oxygen. Both linear cavity and ring cavity ICLAS configurations were used for these measurements, and the results were intercompared. The results were compared to values measured using long-path multiple-reflection cells by K. D. Ritter and T. D. Wilkinson [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 121, 1-19 (1987)] and L. Brown and C. Plymate, [J. Mol. Spectrosc. 199, 166-179 (2000)]. New results are included for weakly absorbing transitions, not observed in the earlier measurements, such as high rotational states (up to J = 39), hot-band transitions (v' = 1 <-- v" = 1), and isotopically substituted species ((18)O(2) and (16)O(18)O). Isotopic variants ((16)O(2), (18)O(2), and (16)O(18)O) have similar broadening coefficients for corresponding rotational levels, but the self-broadening coefficients are larger in the hot band (v' = v" = 1) as compared with v' = v" = 0 transitions. An ECS-EP scaling analysis of the v' = v" = 0 self-broadening data accurately represents the available data, with the exception of the N = 0 and N = 1 levels. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Finite-size scaling and universality of the thermal resistivity of liquid 4He near Tlambda

We present measurements of the thermal resistivity rho(t,P,L) near the superfluid transition of 4He at saturated vapor pressure and confined in cylindrical geometries with radii L=0.5 and 1.0 microm [t identical with T/T(lambda)(P)-1]. For L=1.0 microm measurements at six pressures P are presented. At and above T(lambda) the data are consistent with a universal scaling function F(X)=(L/xi(0))(x/nu)(rho/rho(0)), X=(L/xi(0))(1/nu)t valid for all P (rho(0) and x are the pressure-dependent amplitude and effective exponent of the bulk resistivity rho, and xi=xi(0)t(-nu) is the correlation length). Indications of breakdown of scaling and universality are observed below T(lambda).     

Antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations above the dome-shaped and full-gap superconducting states of LaFeAsO1-xFx revealed by (75)As-nuclear quadrupole resonance

We report a systematic study by (75)As nuclear-quadrupole resonance in LaFeAsO(1-x)F(x). The antiferromagnetic spin fluctuation found above the magnetic ordering temperature T(N) = 58 K for x = 0.03 persists in the regime 0.04 ≤ x ≤ 0.08, where superconductivity sets in. A dome-shaped x dependence of the superconducting transition temperature T(c) is found, with the highest T(c) = 27 K at x = 0.06, which is realized under significant antiferromagnetic spin fluctuation. With increasing x further, the antiferromagnetic spin fluctuation decreases, and so does T(c). These features resemble closely the cuprates La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4). In x = 0.06, the spin-lattice relaxation rate (1/T(1)) below T(c) decreases exponentially down to 0.13T(c), which unambiguously indicates that the energy gaps are fully opened. The temperature variation of 1/T(1) below T(c) is rendered nonexponential for other x by impurity scattering.     

Anisotropy of the upper critical field in c-axis oriented MgB2 thin films

C-axis oriented MgB_2 thin films were synthesized on single-crystal MgO (111) substrates using a chemical vapour deposition technique. The as-formed films revealed a sharp superconducting transition temperature of 38K with the transition width 0.2K. The temperature dependence of the upper critical magnetic field H_{c2}(T) in the films was determined via resistivity for magnetic field H parallel and perpendicular to the c axis of the films. Using the Werthamer－Helfand－Hohenberg formula, we obtained the anisotropy ratio of the upper critical field γ=1.2.     

Logarithmic Fermi-liquid breakdown in NbFe2

The d-electron low temperature magnet NbFe2 is poised near the threshold of magnetism at ambient pressure, and can be tuned across the associated quantum critical point by adjusting the precise stoichiometry within the Nb1-yFe2+y homogeneity range. In a nearly critical single crystal (y= -0.01), we observe a T3/2 power-law dependence of the resistivity rho on temperature T and a logarithmic temperature dependence of the Sommerfeld coefficient gamma=C/T of the specific heat capacity C over nearly 2 orders of magnitude in temperature, extending down to 0.1 K.     

Observation of the decay B-->J/psietaK and search for X(3872)-->J/psieta

We report the observation of the B meson decay B+/- -->J/psietaK+/- and evidence for the decay B0-->J/psietaK0S, using 90 x 10(6) BB; events collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II e+e- asymmetric-energy storage ring. We obtain branching fractions of B(B+/- -->J/psietaK+/-) = [10.8 +/- 2.3(stat) +/- 2.4(syst)] x 10(-5) and B(B0-->J/psietaK0S) = [8.4 +/- 2.6(stat) +/- 2.7(syst)] x 10(-5). We search for the new narrow mass state, the X(3872), recently reported by the Belle Collaboration, in the decay B+/- -->X(3872)K+/-,X(3872)-->J/psieta and determine an upper limit of B[B +/- -->X(3872)K+/- -->J/psietaK+/-] < 7.7 x 10(-6) at 90% confidence level.