Liquid–Vapor Phase Transitions for Systems with Finite-Range Interactions

We consider particles in ^d , d2, interacting via attractive pair and repulsive four-body potentials of the Kac type. Perturbing about mean-field theory, valid when the interaction range becomes infinite, we prove rigorously the existence of a liquid–gas phase transition when the interaction range is finite but long compared to the interparticle spacing for a range of temperature.     

Accelerating the development of phase-change random access memory with in-fab plasma profiling time-of-flight mass spectrometry

We demonstrate the potential of using plasma profiling time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PP-TOFMS) to accelerate process developments for phase-change random access memory (PCRAM) applications, which require advanced materials with composition-driven properties. We assess the performances of PP-TOFMS for the chemical depth-profiling of GeSbTe phase change materials, first after deposition steps to investigate the top surface layer and the incorporation of silicon into the amorphous matrix, then after the thermal annealing step to refine in situ capping strategies, and finally in close loop with etching process steps. Comparison of reference-free semiquantitative PP-TOFMS analysis based on ion beam ratio with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry shows remarkable agreement (~10% relative). PP-TOFMS proves to be a fast screening tool, which allows process monitoring and selection of samples that indeed need more complex analysis.     

Random surfaces with two-sided constraints: An application of the theory of dominant ground states

We consider some models of classical statistical mechanics which admit an investigation by means of the theory of dominant ground states. Our models are related to the Gibbs ensemble for the multidimensional SOS model with symmetric constraints _x m/2. The main result is that for ₀, where ₀ does not depend onm, the structure of thermodynamic phases in the model is determined by dominant ground states: for an evenm a Gibbs state is unique and for an oddm the number of space-periodic pure Gibbs states is two.     

A remark on the low-temperature behavior of the SOS interface in half-space

We investigate the low-temperature phase diagram of thed-dimensional (d2) solid-on-solid (SOS) interface constrained to lie above a rigid wall to which it is attracted by a constant force. We prove uniqueness of the Gibbs state and exponentially fast convergence (in the diameter of the domain) of the finite-volume expectation of local observables, for all values of parameters where uniqueness in the class of translation-periodic limit Gibbs states was established previously. These domains of uniqueness are bordered by lines on which the system undergoes a layering transition.     

Animal urine as painting materials in African rock art revealed by cluster ToF‐SIMS mass spectrometry imaging

The rock art site at the village of Songo in Mali is a very important Dogon ritual place where, since the end of the nineteenth century until today, takes place the ceremony of circumcision. During these ceremonies, paintings are performed on the walls of the shelter with mainly three colors: red, black and white. Ethnological literature mentions the use of animal urine of different species such as birds, lizards or snakes as a white pigment. Urine of these animals is mainly composed of uric acid or urate salts. In this article, time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) is used to compare uric acid, snake urine and a sample of a white pigment of a Dogon painting coming from the rock art site of Songo. ToF‐SIMS measurements in both positive and negative ion modes on reference compounds and snake urine proved useful for the study of uric acid and urate salts. This method enables to identify unambiguously these compounds owing to the detection in negative ion mode of the ion corresponding to the deprotonated molecule ([M ? H]^? at m/z 167.01) and its fragment ions. Moreover, the mass spectra obtained in positive ion mode permit to differentiate uric acid and urate salts on the basis of specific ions. Applying this method to the Dogon white pigments sample, we show that the sample is entirely composed of uric acid. This proves for the first time, that animal urine was used as a pigment by the Dogon. The presence of uric acid instead of urate salts as normally expected in animal urine could be explained by the preparation of the pigment for its application on the stone. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Layering transition in SOS model with external magnetic field

For the SOS model defined by the Hamiltonian , where _x , _x ,{1,2,...},h>0,x ^d ,d2 it is shown that in the low-temperature region an infinite sequence of first-order phase transitions takes place whenh»0 and the temperature is fixed.     

Gas Phase of Asymmetric Nearest Neighbor Ising Model

We consider an asymmetric d-dimensional, d>1, Ising model with the pair interaction I in one direction different from the pair interaction J in all other directions. We show that for any inverse temperature the system is in the gas phase as soon as |J|<C ^–1 d ^–2(1–tanh( |I|)) with C>0 being a small numeric constant.     

Cycloadditions of methyl dichloroacetate to electrophilic alkenes

Seven MIRC reactions of methyl dichloroacetate with alkenes containing electron-withdrawing groups were used to make 1-chlorocyclopropanecarboxylates.     

On the Uniqueness of Gibbs States¶in the Pirogov-Sinai Theory

We prove that, for low-temperature systems considered in the Pirogov-Sinai theory, uniqueness in the class of translation-periodic Gibbs states implies global uniqueness, i.e. the absence of any non-periodic Gibbs state. The approach to this infinite volume state is exponentially fast. Received: 4 June 1996 / Accepted: 30 October 1996