Surface plasmon polariton scattering by small ellipsoid particles

Scattering of surface plasmon polaritons (SPP’s) by small ellipsoid particles placed near a dielectric–metal interface is theoretically considered. Using the Green’s function formalism and the dipole approximation, we consider the differential and total scattering cross-sections associated with the SPP-to-SPP scattering as well as with the SPP scattering into waves propagating away from the interface, analyzing the influence of system parameters. As an example, scattering cross-sections of differently shaped gold spheroid particles placed near an air–gold interface are evaluated at the light wavelength of 800 nm. It is shown that the differential and total cross-sections depend strongly upon the particle-to-surface distance, the ratio between the major and minor axes and their orientation with respect to both the interface and the direction of SPP incidence. Implications of the obtained results to the design of SPP micro-optical components are also discussed.     

Unique edge structure and stability of fabricated dimer islands on Si(001)

The edge structure and stability of monolayer-high islands fabricated on Si(001) surfaces by scanning tunneling microscopy have been analyzed theoretically. In contrast to the edges of similar islands grown by depositing Si, the properties of edges of fabricated islands are determined by the length of the trench of dimers that are removed to create the island. We demonstrate the possibility of controlling the edge structure, and thus the stability, through a selective process of atom removal.     

负离子元素杂质破坏模型

探讨了HfO₂薄膜中负离子元素杂质破坏模型，并得出薄膜中的杂质主要来源于 镀膜材料. 用电子束蒸发方法沉积两种不同Cl元素含量的HfO₂薄膜，测定薄膜 弱吸收和损伤阈值来验证负离子元素破坏模型. 结果表明，随着Cl元素含量的增加薄膜的弱 吸收增加损伤阈值减小. 这主要是因为负离子元素在蒸发过程中形成挥发性的气源中心而产 生缺陷，缺陷在激光辐照过程中又形成吸收中心. 因此负离子元素的存在将加速薄膜的破坏 . 关键词： 负离子元素杂质 缺陷 吸收     

Topological order in the phase diagram for high-temperature superconductors with point defects

Applying a Lindemann like criterion obtained previously by Kierfeld et al. [J. Kierfeld, T. Nattermann, T. Hwa, Phys. Rev. B 55 (1997) 626], we estimate the magnetic field and temperature for a high-T_c superconductor, at which a topologically ordered vortex glass phase becomes unstable with respect to a disorder-induced formation of dislocations. The employed criterion is shown to be equivalent to a conventional phenomenological Lindemann criterion including the values for the numerical factors, i.e., for the Lindemann number. The positional correlation length of the topologically ordered vortex glass is calculated.     

Magnetic phase transitions in nanostructures induced by shear stress under high pressure

Magnetic phase transitions of the first and second order were revealed by Mössbauer spectroscopy in nanosystems of - and -ferric oxides and metallic europium subjected to shear stress (240°) under high pressure (20 kbar). For - and -ferric oxide nanoclusters, the Curie (Neel) points decreased to 300 K, whereas for nanostructured europium the Neel point increased from 90 to 100 K. The thermodynamic model of magnetic phase transitions predicting a change in the character of magnetic phase transitions and a decrease (increase) in the critical Neel (Curie) points in nanoclusters was developed. The type of magnetic phase transitions and the change in the critical points were caused by defects in nanoclusters, whose maximum concentration was observed for the clusters with the 20—50 nm size range.     

Defect concentration in Ti-substituted YIG from TG curves

The article discusses theory and experiment about the measurement of defect concentration in Ti-substituted yttrium iron garnet by means of thermogravimetry techniques. The two possible cases arising from oxygen interchange with atmosphere, oxygen vacancies and interstitial cations, may be analyzed quantitatively from the derived expressions. The possibility of another type of defects being present in the samples, not associated to oxygen evolution, is not excluded. Measurements were carried out in air and CO₂ for different Ti contents. The substitution tends to increase slightly the defect parameter θ in YIG, while a CO₂ reducing atmosphere is much more effective than the Ti substitution for increasing θ. Calculations for a given single-phased sample sintered in air show two possibilities: a deficit of one oxygen atom for every 2.5 unit cells of 96 atoms, or one excess cation for every 3.5 cells. Other samples show very similar results. The accuracy involved in the measurements is about 2–3%.     

Raman study of structural defects in SiO2 aerogels

The structure of the silica aerogels was studied by Raman spectroscopy. The spectra of the solid network resembles that of bulk silica with additional bands related to organic groups and a large amount of OH groups.The typical bands due to ring breathing also called defect bands D ₁ and D ₂ located at 490 and 610 cm^–1 are present. However, the evolution of the D ₂ band compared to that of OH band (980 cm^–1) seems apparently, in contradiction with the results previously reported in the literature. During heat treatments between 25 and 300°C the D ₂ and the OH bands increase simultaneously. Generally, in silica glass the defect band D ₂ grows at the expense of the OH groups.This result is explained by the oxidation of the organic compounds which, in this temperature range, leads to the formation of the both species (OH) and those related to siloxane rings. ²⁹Si MAS NMR results are in agreement with the Raman study.     

FT-EPR Spectroscopic Study of Silicophosphate Glasses Derived from Gels

(100-x) mole% SiO₂-x mole% P₂O₅-glasses withx=1–9 have been prepared by the sol-gel process using tetraethylorthosilicate and triethylphosphate as precursors. The gels were fired at various temperatures up to 950°C and then exposed to γ-ray irradiation to induce paramagnetic centers. CW-EPR and FT-EPR Spectroscopies were employed at temperatures between 4 and 300 K in order to determine the resulting structures. The dried gels exhibited four types of O ₂ ⁻ -ions trapped in pores of different sizes. The gels fired atT=670°C exhibited theE’ ₁-center and non-bridging oxygen as a results of the fracture of the Si-O-Si bonds. At higher temperatures, the spectra of the POHC, POHC ^b ,E’, and CH ₃ ⁻ -centers have been detected that are a function ofx andT.     

Fine structures of zeolite-Linde-L (LTL): surface structures, growth unit and defects

High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) has been used to image the surface structure of nano- and micrometer-sized synthetic crystals of zeolite-Linde-L (LTL). Columnar holes and rotational, nano-sized, wheel-like defects were observed within the crystals, where the hole has a minimum size equal to that of the rotational defect. Predictions of surface structure from atomistic computer simulation concur with the observations from HREM and provide insight into the crystal growth mechanism of perfect and defective LTL. Analysis of the energetics of the formation of rotational defect structures reveals that the driving force for defect creation is thermodynamic and furthermore, the rotational defects could be created in high concentrations. Formation of a columnar hole is found to be slightly energetically unfavourable and therefore we speculate that the incidence of both rotational and nano-sized vacancy defects is strongly dependent on kinetic factors and reaction conditions. The morphology of nano- and microcrystalline LTL is contradistinct and we use insights from simulation to propose an explanation of the disparity in crystal shape.     

Environment of the P b center at the Si(111)/oxide interface

We assess several models for the environment of the P _b center (Si dangling bond center) at the interface of Si(111) with its oxide. The comparison of hyperfine constants observed with those predicted using large cluster models favors a local structure in which there is an Si-Si bond within the oxide close to the Si dangling bond. Such Si-Si bonds are also suggested by a number of other experiments and are consistent with the reactive layer model proposed to rationalize a range of oxidation studies.