Proton Emission——-Recent Results and Future Prospects

Considerable progress has been made in the study of proton-emitting nuclei since the first observation of direct proton emission nearly half a century ago. This has led to improvements in our understanding of this rare decay process and provided invaluable nuclear structure data far from the valley of beta stability. This paper reviews the implications of some recent results for exotic iridium, rhenium and tantalum isotopes and considers prospects for future experimental studies of proton-emitting nuclei located at and above the N =82 neutron shell closure.     

Mobility of large clusters on a semiconductor surface:Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation results

The mobility of clusters on a semiconductor surface for various values of cluster size is studied as a function of temperature by kinetic Monte Carlo method. The cluster resides on the surface of a square grid. Kinetic processes such as the diffusion of single particles on the surface, their attachment and detachment to/from clusters, diffusion of particles along cluster edges are considered. The clusters considered in this study consist of 150–6000 atoms per cluster on average.A statistical probability of motion to each direction is assigned to each particle where a particle with four nearest neighbors is assumed to be immobile. The mobility of a cluster is found from the root mean square displacement of the center of mass of the cluster as a function of time. It is found that the diffusion coefficient of clusters goes as D = A(T)Nαwhere N is the average number of particles in the cluster, A(T) is a temperature-dependent constant and α is a parameter with a value of about-0.64 α -0.75. The value of α is found to be independent of cluster sizes and temperature values(170–220 K)considered in this study. As the diffusion along the perimeter of the cluster becomes prohibitive, the exponent approaches a value of-0.5. The diffusion coefficient is found to change by one order of magnitude as a function of cluster size.     

Large scale silver nanowires network fabricated by MeV hydrogen(H~+) ion beam irradiation

A random two-dimensional large scale nano-network of silver nanowires(Ag-NWs) is fabricated by MeV hydrogen(H~+) ion beam irradiation. Ag-NWs are irradiated under H~+ion beam at different ion fluences at room temperature. The Ag-NW network is fabricated by H~+ion beam-induced welding of Ag-NWs at intersecting positions. H~+ion beam induced welding is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Moreover, the structure of Ag NWs remains stable under H~+ion beam, and networks are optically transparent. Morphology also remains stable under H~+ion beam irradiation. No slicings or cuttings of Ag-NWs are observed under MeV H~+ion beam irradiation.The results exhibit that the formation of Ag-NW network proceeds through three steps: ion beam induced thermal spikes lead to the local heating of Ag-NWs, the formation of simple junctions on small scale, and the formation of a large scale network. This observation is useful for using Ag-NWs based devices in upper space where protons are abandoned in an energy range from MeV to GeV. This high-quality Ag-NW network can also be used as a transparent electrode for optoelectronics devices.     

Field-induced phase transitions in chiral smectic liquid crystals studied by the constant current method

In ferroelectric liquid crystals, phase transitions can be induced by an electric field. The current constant method allows these transition to be quickly localized and thus the(E, T) phase diagram of the studied product can be obtained.In this work, we make a slight modification to the measurement principles based on this method. This modification allows the characteristic parameters of ferroelectric liquid crystal to be quantitatively measured. The use of a current square signal highlights a phenomenon of ferroelectric hysteresis with remnant polarization at null field, which points out an effect of memory in this compound.     

Optoelectronic and thermoelectric properties of Zintl YLi3X2(X=Sb,Bi) compounds through modified Becke—Johnson potential

In the present work, we investigate the structural, optoelectronic and thermoelectric properties of the YLi₃X₂(X=Sb, Bi) compounds using the full potential augmented plane wave plus local orbital (FP-APW+lo) method. The exchange-correlation potential is treated with the generalized gradient approximation/local density approximation (GGA/LDA) and with the modified Becke-Johnson potential (TB-mBJ) in order to improve the electronic band structure calculations. In addition, the estimated ground state properties such as the lattice constants, external parameters, and bulk moduli agree well with the available experimental data. Our band structure calculations with GGA and LDA predict that both compounds have semimetallic behaviors. However, the band structure calculations with the GGA/TB-mBJ approximation indicate that the ground state of the YLi₃Sb₂ compound is semiconducting and has an estimated indirect band gap (Γ-L) of about 0.036 eV while the ground state of YLi₃Bi₂ compound is semimetallic. Conversely the LDA/TB-mBJ calculations indicate that both compounds exhibit semiconducting characters and have an indirect band gap (Γ-L) of about 0.15 eV and 0.081 eV for YLi₃Sb and YLi₃Bi₂ respectively. Additionally, the optical properties reveal strong responses of the herein materials in the energy range between the IR and extreme UV regions. Thermoelectric properties such as thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermo power factors are also calculated.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of microscopic structure of ultra strong shock waves in dense helium

Hydrodynamic properties and structure of strong shock waves in classical dense helium are simulated using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics methods. The shock speed in the simulation reaches 100 km/s and the Mach number is over 250, which are close to the parameters of shock waves in the implosion process of inertial confinement fusion. The simulations show that the high-Mach-number shock waves in dense media have notable differences from weak shock waves or those in dilute gases. These results will provide useful information on the implosion process, especially the structure of strong shock wave front, which remains an open question in hydrodynamic simulations.     

Flow of couple stress fluid with variable thermal conductivity

The steady flow and heat transfer of a couple stress fluid due to an inclined stretching cylinder are analyzed. The thermal conductivity is assumed to be temperature dependent. The governing equations for the flow and heat transfer are transformed into ordinary differential equations. Series solutions of the resulting problem are computed. The effects of various interested parameters, e.g., the couple stress parameter, the angle of inclination, the mixed convection parameter, the Prandtl number, the Reynolds number, the radiation parameter, and the variable thermal conductivity parameter, are illustrated. The skin friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number are computed and analyzed. It is observed that the heat transfer rate at the surface increases while the velocity and the shear stress decrease when the couple stress parameter and the Reynolds number increase. The temperature increases when the Reynolds number increases.     

Strong-form framework for solving boundary value problems with geometric nonlinearity

In this paper, we present a strong-form framework for solving the boundary value problems with geometric nonlinearity, in which an incremental theory is developed for the problem based on the Newton-Raphson scheme. Conventionally, the finite element methods (FEMs) or weak-form based meshfree methods have often been adopted to solve geometric nonlinear problems. However, issues, such as the mesh dependency, the numerical integration, and the boundary imposition, make these approaches computationally inefficient. Recently, strong-form collocation methods have been called on to solve the boundary value problems. The feasibility of the collocation method with the nodal discretization such as the radial basis collocation method (RBCM) motivates the present study. Due to the limited application to the nonlinear analysis in a strong form, we formulate the equation of equilibrium, along with the boundary conditions, in an incremental-iterative sense using the RBCM. The efficacy of the proposed framework is numerically demonstrated with the solution of two benchmark problems involving the geometric nonlinearity. Compared with the conventional weak-form formulation, the proposed framework is advantageous as no quadrature rule is needed in constructing the governing equation, and no mesh limitation exists with the deformed geometry in the incremental-iterative process.     

质子数Z 分别位于Ru 之上和之下的A~(100~126) 丰中子原子核三轴形变在原子核形状变迁和共存中的重要作用(英文)

基于Ru (Z = 44) 丰中子同位素中存在最大三轴形变的理论预言和实验证据,综述了近年来Rh (Z = 45),Pd (Z =46), Ag (Z =47), Cd (Z =48)(质子数Z 位于Ru,Z =44 之上)及Zr (Z =40), Nb (Z =41), Mo (Z =42),Tc (Z =43)(质子数Z 位于Ru,Z =44 之下) 的A~ (100~126) 丰中子同位素中关于三轴形变的形状变迁和形状共存系统性研究的重要进展。252Cf 自发裂变瞬发 射线-- 三重符合、特别是新建立的--- 四重符合数据的系统观测和研究,在Ru, Pd, Cd 和Nb 丰中子同位素中显著扩展或首次观测到了一系列能带,为这个核区原子核形状的研究提供了新的、重要的实验数据。联系此前报道的有关进展,使用PES, TRS, PSM, CCCSM 和SCTAC 理论模型计算拟合新的实验数据,在该核区沿同中素和同位素链,并随自旋和激发能变化各自由度,跟踪原子核形状渐进变化,获得了新的系统性研究成果,显著扩展和深化了人们对原子核形状变迁和形状共存的认知。对于Ru 及其上的Rh (Z = 45), Pd (Z = 46), Ag (Z = 47) 和Cd (Z = 48) 丰中子同位素的研究表明:Rh 丰中子核具有比最大值稍小的三轴形变,γ = 28°,并在103{106Rh 同位素链上鉴别出了手征对称破缺;在三轴形变核112Ru和114Pd(N = 68)中发现了三轴原子核的摆动运动,该摆动运动也可能在114Ru (N = 70)中存在;观察到了从具有最大三轴形变的110,112Ru 中手征破缺到稍小三轴形变的112,114,116Pd 中扰动的手征破缺的过渡;在较软的Ag 核中观察到了丰富的谱学结构,在104,105Ag 中鉴别出了可能的手征对称破缺,在较重的115,117Ag 中提出了趋于三轴形变的软度;具有小形变的Cd核的能级结构被解释为准粒子耦合、准转动和软三轴形变;最近的库伦激发的研究提供了Z = 50, N = 82满壳附近122,124,126Cd 核中出现核集体性的实验和理论证据;上述研究成果展现出从Ru中的最大三轴形变(γ=30°,三轴形变极小增益为0.67 MeV), 经具有大三轴形变的Rh核γ=28°),到Pd核中的稍小、但稳定于中等自旋到高自旋区的三轴形变(γ~41°,三轴形变极小增益为0.32 MeV),再经Ag核中的软度,最后到具有很小形变、但仍出现集体性质、包括软三轴形变的Cd核的过渡。对于Pd核转动带交叉系统性的研究揭示了其第一带交叉(νh_11/2)2 中子转动顺排的上行驱动,和第二带交叉(πg_9/2)2质子转动顺排的下行驱动效应,成功地解释了114Pd 中的三轴摆动运动,并给出了110-118Pd同位素链中理论早已预言、而比早期理论预言更为完整准确的形状渐进变迁和形状共存的图像。根据该核区的系统研究,发现最大三轴形变出现在112Ru,而在相邻的偶Z(Pd)同位素链,三轴形变极小的中心在114Pd, 两者均为N = 68。上述系统性研究沿相邻的Ru和Pd偶Z同位素链,在N =68同中素中鉴别出最大三轴形变,均比理论预言的108Ru 和110Pd 多4个中子。在Z值位于Ru (Z = 44) 之下的Zr (Z = 40), Nb (Z = 41), Mo (Z = 42) and Tc (Z = 43) 丰中子同位素中,Y和Zr核具有很强的轴对称四极形变,而在较重的Zr同位素中出现了自由度;较重的Nb核(A = 104~106) 基态具有中等程度的软三轴形变和强四极形变,随着自旋和激发能的增加,过渡到接近于轴对称的强四极形变;而较轻的Nb核(A≤103) 基态均接近轴对称形状;在Nb同位素链上基态由球形到强四极形变的形状突变发生在100Nb(N = 59),在100-106Nb同位素链中基态的软三轴形变随中子数增加而增加;在Nb核中还观察到关于软三轴形变的形状共存;Mo核具有大的三轴形变,观察到了振动和手征对称破缺;Tc核具有比最大值稍小的三轴形变,γ=26°,并观察到了手征对称破缺。质子数Z从41到48的A~(100~126)丰中子同位素,特别是Pd和Nb 同位素,呈现出关于三轴形变的过渡特征。This paper reviews the systematic investigations and understanding for the shape transitions and coexistence with regard to triaxial deformations in A s 100 to 126 neutron-rich Rh (Z = 45), Pd (Z = 46), Ag (Z = 47), Cd (Z = 48) and Zr (Z = 40), Nb (Z = 41), Mo (Z = 42), Tc (Z = 43) isotopes with Z beyond and below Ru (Z = 44), respectively, in Ru the maximal triaxial deformation having been predicted and deduced. The recent measurements and studies of prompt triple- and four-fold, γ-γ-γ and γ-γ-γ-γ, coincidence data from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf using Gammasphere have yielded considerable expansion and extension or first observation of the bands in Ru, Pd, Cd, and Nb isotopes,which provided important data for the studies of nuclear shapes in this region. Combined with previous investigations, recent systematic studies of the new data well reproduced by PES, TRS, PSM, CCCSM and SCTAC model calculations have traced shape changes along the isotonic and isotopic chains, respectively,and with changing excitations/spins as well, significantly expanding our knowledge of shape transitions/coexistence in nuclei.For the neutron-rich Ru and beyond, Rh, Pd, Ag and Cd isotopes, triaxial deformations γ= 28°,slightly smaller than the maximal value, were deduced in Rh (Z = 45) isotopes, with chiral symmetry breaking proposed in 103-106Rh; onset of wobbling motions were identified in 112Ru and 114Pd (N =68),and probably also in 114Ru (N =70); evolution from chiral symmetry breaking in 110,112Ru with maximal triaxial deformations to disturbed chirality in 112,114,116Pd with less pronounced triaxial deformations was proposed; rich nuclear structure was proposed in soft Ag isotopes with possible chiral doubling structure suggested in 104,105Ag, and softness towards triaxial deformation proposed in heavier 115,117Ag;quasi-particle couplings, quasi-rotations and soft triaxiality were suggested in Cd (Z =48) isotopes with small deformations; onset of collectivity was recently suggested in 122,124,126Cd in the vicinity of Z =50 and N = 82 closed shells by studies of Coulomb excitations; shape evolutions from maximal triaxial deformations in Ru (γ=30°, with triaxial minimum energy gain of 0.67 MeV), through Rh with large triaxial deformations ( γ=28°), to less pronounced triaxiality in Pd (with triaxial minimum energy gain of 0.32 MeV), then soft triaxiality in Ag, and finally to slightly deformed Cd isotopes but with emergence of collectivity and soft triaxiality were proposed. The systematic studies of the band crossings in Pd revealed up-rising drivings of the first band crossings caused by (νh_11/2)2 and down-sloping drivings of the second band crossings by (πg_9/2)2, explained the onset of wobbling motions in 114Pd,and showed a long-sought picture of shape evolution and coexistence in the Pd isotopic chain which is more complete but complex than earlier predictions. Based on the systematic studies in the mass region,maximal triaxial deformation is found to be reached in 112Ru and less-pronounced triaxiality centered at 114Pd, both for N =68, four neutrons more than predicted in earlier theoretical calculations.In the neutron-rich Zr (Z =40), Nb (Z =41), Mo (Z =42) and Tc (Z =43) isotopes with Z just below Ru, large quadrupole deformations of axially symmetric shapes were deduced in Y and Zr isotopes, with emergence of the degree of freedom having been suggested for heavier Zr isotopes; medium triaxial deformations were deduced for the ground states of heavier (A > 104) Nb isotopes, and, with increasing excitations and spins, evolution from medium triaxial deformations with strong quadrupole deformations at ground states to nearly axially-symmetric shapes were deduced; light Nb isotopes (A6103) have near axially-symmetric shapes with strong quadrupole deformations; combining with the identification of onset of strong quadrupole deformation at 100Nb in the Nb isotopic chain, an increase of soft triaxiality with increasing neutron number was proposed in 100-106Nb. Shape coexistence with regard to soft triaxiality is also proposed in Nb isotopes; large triaxial deformations, vibrations and chiral doublets were proposed in Mo isotopes; chiral doubling and large triaxial deformations (γ ~26°) slightly smaller than the maximal triaxiality were suggested in Tc isotopes.The neutron-rich nuclei with Z ranging from 41 through 48 and A ~100 to 126, especially the Pd and Nb isotopes are thus found to be transitional nuclei with regard to triaxiality.     

Angular Anisotropy of the Fission Fragments in the Dinuclear System Mo del

A theoretical evaluation of the collective excitation spectra of nucleus at large deformations is possible within the framework of the dinuclear system (DNS) model, which treats the wave function of the fissioning nucleus as a superposition of a mononucleus configuration and two-cluster configurations in a dynamical way, permitting exchange of nucleons between clusters. In this work the method of calculation of the potential energy and the collective spectrum of fissioning nucleus at scission point is presented. Combining the DNS model calculations and the statistical model of fission we calculate the angular distribution of fission fragments for the neutron–induced fission of 239Pu.