Temperature and junction-type dependency of Andreev reflection in MgB2

We studied the voltage and temperature dependency of the dynamic conductance of normal metal-MgB₂ junctions obtained either with the point-contact technique (with Au and Pt tips) or by making Ag-paint spots on the surface of MgB₂ samples. The fit of the conductance curves with the generalized BTK model gives evidence of pure s-wave gap symmetry. The temperature dependency of the gap, measured in Ag-paint junctions (dirty limit), follows the standard BCS curve with 2Δ/k_BT_c=3.3. In out-of-plane, high-pressure point-contacts we obtained almost ideal Andreev reflection characteristics showing a single small s-wave gap Δ=2.6±0.2 meV (clean limit).     

La5Al3Ni2 – an Intermetallic Phase Observed upon Crystallization of La50Al25Ni25 Metallic Glass

The yet unknown intermetallic phase La₅Al₃Ni₂ was obtained by partially crystallizing amorphous La₅₀Al₂₅Ni₂₅ at 550 K (further heating above 600 K leads to irreversible disappearance of this phase), and its crystal structure was determined from X‐ray powder diffraction data. The crystal structure of the La₅Al₃Ni₂ phase constitutes a new structure type (Cmcm, a = 14.231Å, b = 6.914Å, c = 10.460Å, oC40) and is built from [Al₃Ni₂] chains surrounded by La atoms. In the ternary system La‐Al‐Ni La₅Al₃Ni₂ is located on the section La₅₀Al_50−nNi_n (0 ≤ n ≤ 50) with the binary compounds LaAl and LaNi as end members. Strikingly, also the crystal structures of the end members can be conceived as chain structures with Al and Ni chains surrounded by La, respectively.     

Image Formation in Low Vacuum SEM

The role of positive gaseous ions in the formation of secondary electron images in low vacuum scanning electron microscopes is discussed. This paper describes the charging processes and related effects that occur during high vacuum imaging of insulators and then discusses the influence of ions on those processes. The ions are responsible for a number of phenomena, including distortion of the electric field above and below the specimen surface due to space charge, removal of excess negative charge from the specimen, alteration of the specimen surface barrier, and scavenging/filtering of the secondary electron emission. The resulting electron-specimen-ion interactions can give rise to interesting contrast effects that are unique to this class of instruments.     

Decomposition of EuPdIn and EuPtIn at high temperature and high pressure—formation of the hexagonal Laves phases EuPd0.72In1.28 and EuPt0.56In1.44

EuPd_0.72In_1.28 and EuPt_0.56In_1.44 were prepared under multianvil high-pressure (10.5 GPa) high-temperature (1500 and 1400 K) conditions from the precursor compounds EuPdIn and EuPtIn. They were investigated by X-ray diffraction on both powders and single crystals: MgZn₂-type, space group P6₃/mmc, a=578.7(1) pm, c=944.9(3) pm, wR2=0.0734, 263 F² values for EuPd_0.72In_1.28 and a=591.1(2) pm, c=933.8(2) pm, wR2=0.0853, 151 F² values for EuPt_0.56In_1.44 with 13 variable parameters per refinement. Both structures are built up from face- and corner-sharing tetrahedra of palladium (platinum) and indium atoms. The europium cations are located in cavities within the three-dimensional [Pd_0.72In_1.28] and [Pt_0.56In_1.44] networks. The 2a and 6 h positions of the tetrahedral networks show mixed Pd/In and Pt/In occupancy in EuPd_0.72In_1.28 and EuPt_0.56In_1.44, respectively. The crystal chemistry of these indides is briefly discussed.     

Structure and Magnetic Properties of Ce3Ge0.66In4.34 and Ce11Ge4.74In5.26

New indides Ce₃Ge_0.66In_4.34 and Ce₁₁Ge_4.74In_5.26 were synthesized from the elements by arc‐melting and subsequent annealing at 870 K. Single crystals were grown through special annealing procedures in sealed tantalum tubes in a high‐frequency furnace. Both compounds were investigated on the basis of X‐ray powder and single crystal data: I4/mcm, La₃GeIn₄ type, a = 848.8(1), c = 1192.0(2) pm, Z = 4, wR2 = 0.0453, 499 F² values, 17 variables for Ce₃Ge_0.66In_4.34 and I4/mmm, Sm₁₁Ge₄In₆ type (ordered version of the Ho₁₁Ge₁₀ type), a = 1199.3(2), c = 1662.0(3) pm, wR2 = 0.0507, 1217 F² values, 41 variables for Ce₁₁Ge_4.74In_5.26. The Ce₃Ge_0.66In_4.34 structure shows a mixed Ge/In occupancy on the 4c Wyckoff position. This site is octahedrally coordinated by cerium atoms. These octahedra share all edges, leading to a three‐dimensional network. The latter is penetrated by a two‐dimensional indium substructure which consists of flattened tetrahedra at In–In distances of 291 and 300 pm. The Ce₁₁Ge_4.74In_5.26 structure contains three crystallographically independent germanium sites. The latter are coordinated by eight or nine cerium neighbors. These CN8 and CN9 polyhedra are condensed to a complex network which is penetrated by a three‐dimensional indium network with In–In distances of 301–314 pm. The 16m site shows a mixed In/Ge occupancy. Chemical bonding in both compounds is dominated by the p elements. Both ternaries studied exhibit localized magnetism due to the presence of Ce³⁺ ions. The compound Ce₃GeIn₄ remains paramagnetic down to 1.72 K, whereas Ce₁₁Ge₄In₆ orders ferromagnetically at T_C = 7.5 K.     

A New Family of Binary Layered Compounds of Platinum with Alkali Metals (A = K,Rb, Cs)

By reacting platinum with alkali metals (A = K, Rb, Cs) a new family of binary alkali metal platinides has been synthesized and characterized by chemical analysis, X‐ray powder diffraction, thermal analysis (DTA and DSC), and magnetic measurements. All three compounds exhibit similar XRD‐patterns with strong reflections that can be indexed on the basis of a rhombohedral crystal system (K_xPt: a = 2.6462(1), c = 17.123(1); Rb_xPt: a = 2.6415(1) Å, c = 17.871(1) Å; Cs_xPt: a = 2.6505(1) Å, c = 18.536(1) Å; x < ½. The a lattice constant is independent on the alkali metal used and of value close to the Pt–Pt distance in NaPt₂ (2.645Å). The c parameter increases monotonically with the growing atomic radius of the alkali metal. The average structure of the alloys consists of cubic close packed layers of platinum atoms with layers of disordered alkali metals in between. For all compounds besides the strong reflections small satellites are observed which cannot be indexed together with the rhombohedral peaks in any rational 3‐dimensional lattice. However, these satellites can be indexed as incommensurate modulations within the ab plane (found propagation vectors k = (0.1011, 0.2506, 0) for Cs_xPt, and k = (0.0168, 0.2785, 0) for Rb_xPt).     

计算金属间化合物热力学性质的新方法

用一简单的相关函数式对金属间化合物的热力学性质进行拟合，提出了一种计算金属间化合物热力学性质的新方法，并用此方法计算了二元金属间化合物的常温热容和熵。计算结果表明，该方法简单，且能满足一定的计算精度，有一定的实用价值。     

Actinide heterobimetallic oxides (Th, U): reduction studies

In our laboratories we have been studying the synthesis and reactivity of binary actinide and lanthanide intermetallic compounds. In this work, the air-oxidation of ThCu₂ and AnNi₂ (An = Th, U) was followed by thermogravimetry (TG) and the products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The heterobimetallic oxides obtained are described by the formulas 2MO·ThO₂ (M = Cu, Ni) and 2NiO·UO₃. The thermogravimetric analysis under hydrogen of these heterobimetallic oxides show one mass loss for 2MO·ThO₂ and two mass losses for 2NiO·UO₃ over a wide range of temperature (293–1273 K). The characterization by XRD shows that the reduction products are 2M·ThO₂ (M = Cu, Ni) and 2Ni·UO₂, with all the actinides in the 4+ oxidation state. The actinide heterobimetallic oxides were described as copper or nickel supported catalysts.     

Neue Suboxid-Cluster [O5Ba18] in den Kristallstrukturen von Ba21M2O5 (M = Si,Ge)

Novel Suboxide Clusters [O₅Ba₁₈] in the Crystal Structures of Ba₂₁M₂O₅ (M = Si, Ge) The compounds Ba₂₁M₂O₅ (M = Si, Ge) crystallize in the cubic system with space group Fd3m, lattice constants 2 038.3(10) pm (Si), 2 039.8(9) pm (Ge) resp. and Z = 8. The crystal structure contains isolated Si/Ge atoms coordinated by barium atoms in an icosahedral arrangement. The oxygen atoms are situated in the centers of barium octahedra, four of which share common faces with an additional central octahedron. The novel clusters [O₅Ba₁₈] in principal are related to those in the crystal structures of the binary Cs/Rb suboxides.     

Differential thermal analysis of the Al+20% (Fe-50%B) system

In the present study, aluminium and mechanically alloyed (36 h) Fe/B (50 wt%) are mixed. Al+20 (wt%) Fe/B mixture has been studied by differential thermal analysis to determine the aluminium quantity that is supposed to melt and afterwards does not solidify as it reacts with Fe/B powder. The different areas between endothermic reaction (melting peak) and exothermic reaction (solidification peak) allow in knowing the quantity of aluminium that reacts with Fe/B and the amount of intermetallic phases formed at high temperature. In order to follow the process, compacts were sintered at different temperatures (700, 800, 900, 1000 and 1200 °C), in N₂/10H₂/0.1CH₄ atmosphere. Microstructure was evaluated by image analysis and the results obtained by both techniques are compared.