On the Role of Supercritical Water in Laser-Induced Backside Wet Etching of Glass

The features and mechanisms of microcrater formation in optical silicate glass by laser-induced backside wet etching (LIBWE) are determined in a wide range of energy densities (Φ) from 4 to 10³ J/cm² for laser pulses of 5 ns length and 1 kHz repetition rate. The existence of two different mechanisms of laserinduced microcrater formation is revealed: (i) chemical etching in supercritical water (SCW), and (ii) cavitation. At Φ > 10² J/cm² irregular craters of 1–20 μm in depth with rough walls and distinct cracks around microcrater are formed testifying that in such mode (“hard”) laser induced cavitation plays a dominant role in glass removal. At Φ < J/cm² neat glass craters with smooth walls are formed, their size and shape are easily reproducible, cracks are not formed, and the processing area is limited to the laser spot area. In this mode (“soft mode with active cavitation”), a microcirculation of water is stimulated by cavitation without causing undesirable shock breakage. The latter is achieved thanks to the fast removal of glass etching products by microcirculation, and the inflow of “fresh” etchant (SCW) to the glass surface in the vicinity of the formed microcraters. Such mode is optimal for highly controlled laser microstructuring of glass and other optically transparent materials.     

Calculations of mass and moment of inertia for neutron stars

Masses and moments of inertia for slowly-rotating neutron stars are calculated from the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations and various equations of state for neutron-star matter. We have also obtained pressure and density as a function of the distance from the centre of the star. Generally, two different equations of state are applied for particle densities n > 0.47 fm^?3 and n < 0.47 fm^?3.The maximum mass is, in our calculations for all equations of state except for the unrealistic non-relativistic ideal Fermi gas, given by 1.50 M_⊙ < M < 1.82 M_⊙, which agrees very well with “experimental results”. Corresponding results for the maximum moment of inertia are 9.5 × 10⁴⁴ g · cm² < I < 1.58 × 10⁴⁵ g · cm², which also seem to agree very well with “experimental results”. The radius of the star corresponding to maximum mass and maximum moment of inertia is given by 8.2 km < R < 10.0 km, but a smaller central density ρ_c will give a larger radius.     

Collective dynamics of supercritical water

Inelastic X-ray scattering experiments on sub- and supercritical water were performed to investigate collective dynamics of this unique solvent. Analysis within a generalized Langevin formalism shows that the positive dispersion of the sound velocity, as compared to the hydrodynamic value, first decreases (1.0<ρ<0.8 g cm⁻³) at all measured momentum transfers (1.3-10.7 nm⁻¹), and then increases (0.7<ρ<0.26 g cm⁻³) again only at higher momentum transfers. We suggest the initial decrease is due to approaching the percolation limit in the number of hydrogen bonds, and the subsequent increase is due to the formation of rigid dimers in sub- and supercritical water.     

Diffusion of ions in supercritical water: Dependence on ion size and solvent density and roles of voids and necks

We have performed molecular dynamics simulations of alkali metal (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺) and halide (F⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻) ions in supercritical water at 673 K. The calculations were done for water at three different densities of 1.0, 0.7 and 0.35 g cm⁻³ to investigate the effects of solute size on the diffusion of ions in supercritical water. On increase of ion size, we observe a maximum for diffusion of ions in supercritical water of higher densities (1.0 and 0.7 g cm⁻³). However, no such maximum is found for ion diffusion in the supercritical water of low density (0.35 g cm⁻³) or for diffusion of neutral solutes at all densities. These results are analyzed in terms of passage through voids and necks present in supercritical water. Correlations of the observed diffusion behavior with the sizes of ions and voids present in the systems are discussed.     

On the neutron charge radius and the new experiments proposed for the precise (n,e)-scattering length measurement

Strict comprehensive treating the generalized Dirak equation for nucleon in external electro-magnetic field argues quite clear that there is no physical reason to bring into consideration so-called “Foldy-term” while obtaining the neutron mean square charge radius < r _n ² >, caused by an electric charge distribution inside a nucleon, from the experimental value of the (ne) — scattering length b _ne , that term being, as a matter of fact, fictitious one. Consequently, the representing of the experimental quantity b _ne as a sum of “Foldy length” b _F and “intrinsic” one b_I, even so splitting the total value of < r _n ² > in “Foldy” and “intrinsic” < r _in ² >, turn out of having no profound physical sense, being rather ambiguous in actual fact. The formal phenomenological relation, originated from the generalized Dirak equation for nucleon, of the quantities b _ne , < r _n ² >, and neutron anomalous magnetic moment μ is inquired. Concise treating < r _n ² > in the frame-work of up-to-date nucleon cloudy bag model (CBM) is presented, no “Foldy term” being emerged, and < r _n ² >, calculated according this approach, provides b _ne -value which is in agreement with experimental result within accuracy of about 10%. On the other hand, the experimental b _ne -value proves to be described phenomenologically through solely the neutron anomalous magnetic moment μ with the same accuracy ～ 10%. Then the necessity of obtaining b _ne -value with more reliable accuracy then in previous experiments becomes obvious, corrections have to be reduced to the level of the precise declared. For these aims, two new proposed experiments have been Monte-Carlo modelled. The first renders the measurement of the energy dependence of an elastic scattering cross-section on ⁸⁶ Kr, having the unique small capture cross-section. The second one is to measure the energy dependence of neutron scattering angle anisotropy for natural Xe.     

Catapult mechanism for fast particle emission in fission and heavy ion reactions

The fission process of slabs of nuclear matter is modelled in TDHF approximation by adding an initial collective velocity field to the static self-consistent solution. In dependence on its amplitude either large amplitude density oscillations are excited or fission occurs. The final disintegration of the slab proceeds on a time scale of 10^?22s and is characterized by a sharp peak in the actual velocity field in the region of the “snatching” inner low density tails. A characteristic time later corresponding to the transit time of a nucleon across the fragment with mean velocity being the Fermi velocity plus twice the maximum “snatching” velocity, a low density lump correlated with a peak in the velocity field emerges in front of the fragments. We call these particles “catapult particles”. Recent experimental results possibly provide evidence for catapult neutrons in low-energy fission. We also speculate on the significance of the catapult mechanism for fast particle emission in the exit channel of heavy ion reactions.     

Dynamics of a nonlinear field

A systematic study is made of the plane wave modes of a nonlinear c-number field (λφ⁴ model) and interesting features of the behavior of such fields, which do not seem to have been observed before, are brought out. These relate to the case λ < 0, wherein there are different regimes characterized by different kinds of elliptic-function forms for the waves. We show that when the amplitude of the elliptic function waves approaches critical values corresponding to “phase transition” from one regime to another, the energy density in the field increases without limit (though the amplitude is finite). In two of the regimes which are “tachyonic” in nature, there are frozen wave modes which are spatially periodic but time independent. These turn out however to be unstable against perturbations. Finally we observe that in one of these regimes there exist a lower bound on the energy density in the wave field. The case of fields with higher nonlinearities is briefly considered.     

Critical temperatures for the observation of valley-splitting in Si-MOSFETS

At low temperatures the valley-splitting of Silicon MOS surface quantum states is enhanced by the difference of the Coulomb self-energies associate with the valley-split energy levels. The “critical temperature” T^C defines the upper limit of the temperature range O ≤ T < T^C within which the enhanced valley-splitting exceeds the line-width Γ so that it can be observed experimentally. The variation of T^C with the magnitude of the unenhanced “bare” valley-splitting ΔE^O is calculated for various magnetic fields and line-widths.     

Helium scattering and work function investigation of co adsorption on Pt(111) and vicinal surfaces

CO adsorption on Pt(111) and vicinal Pt(111) surfaces has been studied by means of work function variation and He scattering measurements. AES and LEED were used mainly for correlations with other work. Special attention has been paid to the low coverage regime (θ_co < 0.1) with emphasis on surface structural dependencies. The minimum of the work function versus CO exposure curve occurs at a coverage less than 11% on “kink-free” surfaces. This is much lower than the hitherto commonly accepted value of 33%, and does not relate to any observed LEED superstructure. The value of Δφ_min depends strongly on the surface structure. For an “ideal” Pt(111) surface with a step density less than 10^?3 at a temperature of 300 K, Δφ_min = ?240 meV. The scattering cross section Σ of CO adsorbed on Pt(111) for 63 meV He is typically > 250 Ų, i.e. much larger than expected from the Van der Waals radii of He and CO. For two nominal Pt(111) surfaces with step densities of 10^?2 and less than 10^?3, respectively, the measured Σ values varied by a factor of three. This can be explained by preferential CO occupation of defect sites, which are already not “seen” by thermal helium. By comparing results on a stepped (997) and a kinked (12 11 9) Pt surface with similar defect densities, the kinks are proven to play a decisive role. They probably form saddles in the recently proposed activation barrier for migration between terrace and step sites.     

Spontaneous e+e− pair creation in heavy ion collisions

We demonstrate that vibrational perturbations of supercritical “quasimolecules” which may occur in collisions of heavy ions can, within the context of first-order perturbation,theory, result in the production of coincident narrow e⁺e⁻ peaks, in place of and with a larger yield than that predicted for spontaneous positron emission from static supercritical systems. Certain features of this phenomenon coincide with those of the e⁺e⁻ peaks observed by the EPOS collaboration although some important aspects of the observations cannot be reproduced within our approximation. A detailed attempt to reconcile this theoretical model with the EPOS experiment must go beyond perturbation theory.     

Charge-exchange pigmy resonances of tin isotopes

Charge-exchange states, the so-called “pigmy” resonances, which are below the giant Gamow–Teller resonance, have been studied in the self-consistent theory of finite Fermi systems. Microscopic numerical calculations and semiclassical calculations are presented for nine tin isotopes with the mass numbers A =112, 114, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122, and 124, for which experimental data exist. These data have been obtained in the Sn(³He,t)Sb charge-exchange reaction at the energy E(³He) = 200 MeV. The comparison of calculations with experimental data on the energies of charge-exchange resonances gives the standard deviation δE < 0.40 MeV for microscopic numerical calculations and δE < 0.55 MeV for calculations by semiclassical formulas, which are comparable with experimental errors. The strength function for the ¹¹⁸Sn isotope has been calculated. It has been shown that the calculated resonance energies are close to the experimental values; the calculated and experimental relations between heights of pygmy resonance peaks are also close to each other.     

Evaluation of the postmortem ageing process of beef M. semitendinosus based on ultrasound-assisted l-histidine treatment

This paper aimed to investigate the postmortem ageing process of beef M. semitendinosus (ST, just slaughtered muscles) using ultrasound-assisted l-histidine treatment. The treatments with different concentrations of l-histidine solutions (0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2%, w/v) at 4 °C for 60 min were labeled “LH”, “MH” and “HH”, respectively. Furthermore, the corresponding treatments with the above l-histidine solutions for 55 min after ultrasound pretreatment for 5 min were labeled “ULH”, “UMH” and “UHH”, respectively. The results showed that the UMH group had the lowest Warner-Bratzler shear stress. The pH value of the HH and UHH groups was higher than that of the other groups (HH: 6.39 ± 0.02, UHH: 6.52 ± 0.03, P < 0.05). The MH and UMH groups showed large fiber spacing, cavities and fractures as well as obviously damaged myofibrils. In the UMH group, the soluble protein concentration (SPC) and caspase-3 activity were the highest, and the turbidity of actomyosin was the lowest. Surprisingly, the Ca²⁺-ATPase activity of actomyosin increased gradually with increasing concentrations of l-histidine solution. Therefore, the UMH treatment promoted the process of meat ageing, exhibiting the potential to be used by beef or other meat manufacturers to improve the production efficiency.     

Raman scattering excited with 532 nm laser in bisphenol “AF” and its connection with bisphenol “A” and “S”

Bisphenol “AF,” a chemically similar replacement substitute for Bisphenol “A” which is a widespread environmental hormone, is studied by Raman spectroscopy (250–3500?cm^–1). Experimentally observed scattering peaks are illuminated by Density Functional Theory calculations. Principal component analysis is executed on the experimental Raman spectra of Bisphenol “AF” together with spectra of Bisphenol “A” and “S” reported earlier. Eight correlating molecular frequencies of Bisphenol “AF,” “A,” and “S” are found in contrast to 12 such frequencies of Bisphenol “A” and “S” only. The refined list of correlating frequencies manifests the existence of correlation in bisphenol family and clue toward their grouping, identification, detection, and screening together with mechanism responsible for toxicity.     

Low-temperature contribution to the resonant tunneling conductance of a disordered N–I–N junction

A formula for the contribution ΔG ^res(T) to the resonant tunneling conductance of the N–I–N junction (where N is a normal metal and I is an insulator) with a weak (low impurity concentrations) structural disorder in the I layer from the low-temperature “smearing” electron Fermi surfaces in its N shores is obtained. It is shown that the temperature dependence ΔG ^res(T) in such a “dirty” junction qualitatively differs from the corresponding dependence ΔG ₀(T) in a “pure” (without resonant impurities in the I layer) junction: ΔG ^res(T) < 0, d(ΔG ^res)/dT < 0; ΔG ₀(T) > 0, d(ΔG ₀)/dT > 0, which can serve as an experimental test of the presence of impurity tunneling resonances in the disordered I layer.     

Dynamics of plasma corona of laser-irradiated spherical targets

The paper is devoted to an investigation of the formation and spreading of an inhomogeneous dense plasma heated by high-power laser radiation. The present status of the experimental and theoretical research in this field is analyzed. The “Kal'-mar” facility is used to study the dynamics of the plasma corona (electron density n_e ~ 10¹⁸–10²⁰ cm^-3), the law of motion of the critical (n_e ~ 10²¹ cm^-3) region of the plasma is established, and the dependence of the rate of compression of the shell targets on the initial parameters is determined. The electron temperature of the corona is measured with high temporal resolution in the course of the compression. A jetlike expansion of the “fast” ions is observed and investigated.     

Stepwise synthesis of fine crystalline Ce-doped yttrium aluminum garnet in water medium in subcritical and supercritical conditions

In this paper the continuous stepwise method of a production of fine crystalline yttrium aluminum garnet doped with cerium (YAG: Ce³⁺) in supercritical water fluid (SCWF) are represented. The synthesis was carried out in water medium in two stages: first in subcritical conditions and then in an atmosphere of supercritical water fluid. The stoichiometric mixture of yttrium oxide and aluminum hydroxide in a water solution of cerium nitrate was maintained the certain time at 280°C and under vapor water pressure 6.3 MPa. Then temperature and pressure were risen up to a supercritical condition (T = 392–400°C, P_{H2 O}P_{H_2 O} = 22 MPa). The concentration of cerium ions in reaction medium was changed in the interval 0.012–0.706 wt %. The products, obtained on various stages of synthesis, were investigated by physical-chemical methods. During the first stage, the crystals of boehmite and yttrium hydroxide under hydrothermal conditions were arising, and eventually poorly formed YAG: Ce³⁺ were appearing. At this stage, the diffusion of cerium ions into intermediate products takes place. Because of this, at the second step of synthesis, in supercritical conditions, YAG: Ce³⁺, phosphor with high luminescence intensity at 530 nm, was obtained. In supercritical conditions well-faceted crystals of 0.5–3.0 μm with rhombododecahedral habitus were produced.     

Magnetic viscosity and domain wall pinning in an MnAlC permanent magnet

Magnetic viscosity in a hot extruded MnAlC permanent magnet has been measured over a temperature range from 80 to 295 K. The results are fitted to a recent theory of “strong” and “weak” domain wall pinning which allows values of the thermal activation free (“absolute zero”) coercive field to be determined from the data. If the pinning is due to strong pins, randomly distributed throughout the material, a pin density of ≈3×10¹⁵ cm^-3 is predicted. There is no obvious evidence of pin sites of this density within the grains visible in electron micrographs.If the pinning is localized (possibly at grain boundaries) then weak pinning by a similar, but localized, density of pins is predicted. Lorentz electron microscopy domain contrast in such regions might however be overwhelmed by strain contrast effects.     

Axion constraints from white dwarf cooling times

Hypothetical, pseudoscalar particles would be abundantly emitted from the interior of white dwarfs through bremsstrahlung processes. These stars would then rapidly cool. From the observed number of hot degenerates we find a new bound on the Yukawa coupling to electrons of g < 4 × 10⁻¹³. For “invisible axions” this translates into a new bound on the Peccei-Quinn scale of v > 1 × 10⁹ GeV, corresponding to m_a < 3 × 10⁻² eV.     

Infrared Spectra Interpretations of Clay-Adsorbed Water in Relation to the “Anomalous” Water Controversy

Abstract

The nature of surface adsorbed water has been the subject of countless investigations. Much of the discussion has centered around the degree and strength of H-bonding to surface groups and between adjacent water molecules.^1,2 Water condensed into glass or quartz capillaries sometimes has unusual properties. This unusual water has been referred to as “orthowater,”³ “anomalous water,”^4,5,6 and “polywater”^7,8 and was thought by some to be polymers of water formed by specific surface catalysis.^1–3 Several possible structures of “polywater” have been suggested which require formation of symmetrical or very strong H-bonds between water molecules.^4,6,7 Infrared spectra of polywater have been presented^7,8 and the strongest absorption band which appeared at 1595 cm^?1 was assigned to the symmetric O-H-O bond. However, more recent investigations suggest that the observed polywater bands may actually be SO₄ ^2-, -COOH^?, or HCO₃ ^? bands, impurities collected by surface diffusion,⁹ or bands of a HNO₃ solution formed by corona discharge.¹⁰ Other observers^11,12 suggest that polywater may be a hydrosol formed by surface contaminates.