Anisotropy of microwave conductivity in the superconducting and normal states of YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript>−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>: 3D-2D crossover

The imaginary parts of microwave conductivity σ″(T<T_c) and resistivity ρ (_T)=1/σ(T>T_c) along (σ _ab ^″ and ρ_ab) and across and (σ _c ^″ and ρ_c the cuprate ab planes of a YBa₂Cu₃O_7?x crystal with the oxygen doping level x varying from 0.07 to 0.47 were measured in the temperature range 5≤ T≤200 K. In the superconducting state, the σ _ab ^″ (T)/σ _ab ^″ (0) and σ _c ^″ (T/σ _c ^″ (0) curves coincide for an optimally doped (x=0.07) crystal, but, with an increase in x, the slopes of the σ _c ^″ (T)/σ _c ^″ (0) curves decrease noticeably at T<T_c/3, on the background of small changes happening to the σ _ab ^″ (T/σ _ab ^″ (0) curves. The two-dimensional (2D) transport along the ab planes in the normal state of YBa₂Cu₃O_7?x is always metallic, but there is a crossover (at x=0.07) from the Drude to hopping (at x>0.07) conductivity along the c axis. This is confirmed both by the estimates of the lowest metallic and the highest tunneling conductivities along the c axis and by quantitative comparison of the measured ρ_c(T) curves with the curves calculated in the polaron model of quasiparticle transport along the c axis.     

Pyroelectric and electromechanical properties of the antiferroelectric liquid crystal MHPOBC

We study pyroelectric and electromechanical effects in the prototype antiferroelectric liquid crystal 4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl-phenyl)4′-octylbiphenil-4-carboxylate (MHPOBC). The linear electromechanical effect in the freely suspended liquid crystal films of MHPOBC has been detected in the broad temperature range inclusive of the antiferroelectric SmC _A ^* as well as paraelectric SmA. The anomalous behavior of the hysteresis loop of SmC _β ^* in the (pyroelectric coefficient, dc bias electric voltage) coordinates has been found.     

Determination of the effective nuclear charge for free ions of transition metals from experimental spectra

The refined set of values of the effective nuclear charge (\(\bar Z_{ef} \)) and the set of one-electron spin-orbital constants (ξ _3d ^teor ) are obtained for ions of transition metals with the help of a semiempirical method of calculation of the spectrum of free ions with allowance for the spin-orbital interaction. The effective nuclear charge, which is a variable theoretical parameter, was determined from a comparison of theoretically calculated ion absorption spectra with experimental ones. The form of the potential for the calculation of the spin-orbital constant was chosen such that the calculated value ξ _3d ^teor would coincide with the experimental one ξ _3d ^exp . The calculated set of values \(\bar Z_{ef} \), ξ _3d ^teor } can be used in semiempirical calculations of energy levels of 3d ions (ions with an incomplete 3d shell).     

Photon distribution functions of the fluorescence photons from a single nanoparticle in various photon counting methods

Simple expressions have been derived for three photon distribution functions w _N ^M (T), w _N ^Z (T), and w _N ^O (T) corresponding to three different methods for counting fluorescence photons from a single nanoparticle excited by continuous laser radiation. In contrast to the previously derived expressions represented in the form of N multiple integrals, the new expressions contain only single or double integrals of Poisson functions, which makes it possible to easily perform the numerical calculation of the photon distribution. The simplest photon counting method corresponds to the lengthiest function w _N ^M (T); on the contrary, the simplest function w _N ^O (T) corresponds to the most complex photon counting method. The functions w _N ^M (T), w _N ^Z (T), and w _N ^O (T) are noticeably different in short time intervals T; however, the distributions calculated using these functions are almost indistinguishable from each other in long T intervals. This circumstance makes it possible to use the simplest function w _N ^O (T) to consider the photon statistics measured by the simplest method. This possibility is particularly important for investigating the fluorescence photon statistics, where the intensity fluctuates.     

Surface tension of pure liquid helium isotopes

The effects caused by vapor inhomogeneity over liquid helium are considered. Both pure isotopes have surface levels, whose population increases with temperature T. We separated their contribution to the temperature dependence of surface tension σ₃(T) and σ₄(T) and compared our theoretical results with the results of Japanese experimental works [1–3]. For liquid He³, one has σ₃(T)=σ₃(0)?σ ₃ ^∞ T² at 0.2 K<T<1 K and σ₃(T)=σ₃(0)?α ₃ ⁰ T²exp(?Δ₃/T) at T<0.2 K, with Δ₃≈0.25 K. For liquid He⁴, σ₄(T)=σ₄(0)?AT^7/3? α ₄ ⁰ T²exp(?Δ₄/T) at T<2 K, where A is the Atkins constant and Δ₄≈4 K. The parameters α ₃ ⁰ , α ₃ ^∞ , and α ₄ ⁰ depend on the fluid properties.     

Hysteresis of the magnetoresistance of granular HTSC YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>7 − δ</Subscript> in weak fields

Hysteresis of the magnetoresistance of ceramic YBa₂Cu₃O_～6.95 HTSC samples is studied at T = 77.3 K in an external magnetic field H _ext changing in 0 → H _max → 0 cycles, where H _max is the maximum magnitude of H _ext. Information is obtained about the dependences of the critical fields of Josephson weak links H _c2J , the lower critical fields of superconducting grains H _c1A , and the critical fields H _BG-VG of the Bragg glass-vortex glass phase transition in the vortex matter on transport current I, magnetic field, and the mutual orientation of I and H _ext. It is found that the magnetoresistance δρ⁺/ρ_{273 K} measured with increasing H _ext is significantly higher than Δρ^?/ρ_{273 K} and that H _c2J ⁺ < H _c2J ^? , H _c1A ⁺ < H _c1A ^? , and H _BG-VG ⁺ < H _BG-VG ^? .     

Anticlinic-synclinic transitions in superthin free-standing smectic films

Anticlinic-synclinic transition was studied in superthin smectic films using polarized light reflected microscopy. The measurements were made in a compound exhibiting the mC _FI1 ^* subphase in a narrow temperature interval between antiferroelectric C _A ^* and ferroelectric SmC* phases. In films, we observed series of transitions with numbers increasing with increasing film thickness. Surface ordering leads to increasing transition temperatures with decreasing film thickness and to change of orientation of the molecular tilt plane in layers. Succession of transitions results from competition between the surface and the bulk ordering. We found that line string defects may form in a film, their orientation and collective behavior resulting from elastic deformation of molecular ordering.     

Optical and x-ray diffraction studies of the symmetry of distorted phases of the (NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>ZrF<Subscript>7</Subscript> crystal

(NH₄)₃ZrF₇ single crystals were grown, and polarization-optical and x-ray diffraction studies were performed on powders and crystalline plates of various cuts over a wide temperature range. Phase transitions are revealed at temperatures T _1↑ = 280 K, T _2↑ = 279.6 K, T _3↑ = 260–265 K, and T _4↑ = 238 K on heating and at T _1↓ = 280 K, T _2↓ = 269–270 K, T _3↓ = 246 K, and T _4↓ = 235 K on cooling. The sequence of changes in symmetry is established to be as follows: O _h ⁵ (Z = 4) ? D _2h ²⁵ (Z = 2) ? C _2h ³ (Z = 2) ? C _i ¹ (Z = 108) ? monoclinic²(Z = 216).     

Nonergodic state of relaxation ferroelectric Cd<Subscript>2</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript> in a constant electric field

The temperature dependence of the residual polarization of the nonergodic relaxation state (NERS) obtained from the measurements of pyroelectric current during zero-field heating (ZFH) in the temperature interval from 10 to 295 K is investigated for the Cd₂Nb₂O₇ relaxation system in two cases: (1) after sample cooling in a constant electric field E (FC) from T = 295 K to a preset temperature, which is much lower than the “freezing” temperature of the relaxation state (T _f ≈ 182 K), field removal, and subsequent cooling in zero field (ZFC) to T = 10 K and (2) after ZFC from T = 295 K to the same temperature below T _f , application of the same field, and FC to T = 10 K. The behavior of the P _r ^FC (T) and P _r ^ZFC (T) dependences is analyzed. In the field E < 2 kV/cm, the P _r ^ZFC curves as functions of 1/T have a broad low-intensity peak in the region T ≈ T _f , which vanishes in stronger fields, when the P _r ^FC (1/T) curves intersect at T ≈ T _f and have no anomalies. The difference in the behavior of P _r ^ZFC (T) and P _r ^FC (T) indicates the difference in the nature of NERS formed during ZFC and FC of the system upon a transition through T _f . In the ZFC mode, NERS exhibits glasslike behavior; in the FC regime, features of the ferroelectric behavior even in the weak field. Analogous variations of P _r ^ZFC (T) and P _r ^FC (T) in a classical ferroelectric KDP are also given for comparison.     

Stability of Coulomb systems

The stability of m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? m ₄ ^? Coulomb systems formed by particles of unit charge against dissociation is considered as a function of the particle mass. It is shown that, from the stability of the m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? three-particle system, it follows that the m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? m ₄ ^? four-particle system containing an additional particle of mass satisfying the condition m ₄ ^? ? m ₃ ^? is stable. The results of calculations of the stability domain for m ₁ ⁺ m ₂ ⁺ m ₃ ^? systems asymmetric in particle masses are reported. The stability of 39 asymmetric exotic four-particle molecules and mesic molecules against dissociation is established.     

Influence of the dimension of a polycrystalline film and the optical anisotropy of crystallites on the effective dielectric constant of the film

The dimension D of a polycrystalline film and the optical anisotropy m = ε_z/ε_x of uniaxial crystallites with the principal components ε_x = ε_y and ε_z of the tensor of the dielectric constant have been shown to produce a strong influence on the effective dielectric constant ε_D^* and the effective refractive index n_D^* = (ε_D^*)^1/2 of the film in the optical transparency region, as well as on the boundaries of the intervals B_Dl ≤ ε_D^* ≤ B_Du. The intervals Δ₂(m) = B_2l–B_2u and Δ₃(m) = B_3l–B_3u are separated by a gap for m in the range 1 < m < 2, whereas the theoretical dependence ε₂^*(m) is separated by a gap from the interval Δ₃(m) for m in the range 1 < m < 4. This is confirmed by a comparison of the experimental (n_oP) and theoretical (n_D^*) ordinary refractive indices for uniaxial polycrystalline films of the conjugated polymer poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) with uniaxial crystallites and appropriate values of m. In the visible transparency region of the PPV films with a change in m(λ) in the range 2 < m(λ) < 3 due to the dependence of the components ε_x,z(λ) on the light wavelength λ, the refractive indices n_oP²(λ) = ε_oP(λ) are consistent with the theoretical values of ε₂^*(λ) and lie outside the interval Δ₃(m). For m(λ) > 3 near the electronic absorption band of the crystallites, the values of ε_oP(λ) lie in the region of the overlap of the intervals Δ₂(m) and Δ₃(m). The boundaries mc of the range 1 < m < m_c are determined, for which the interval Δ₂(m) is separated by a gap from the dependences ε₃^*(m) corresponding to the effective medium theory with spherical crystallites and hierarchical models of a polycrystal, as well as from the proposed new dependence ε₃^*(m).     

Low-temperature spray-pyrolysis of FeS2 films and their electrical and optical properties

Iron disulfide (FeS₂) films with a wide range of electrical resistivities 100 Ω cm ? ρ ? 800 kΩ cm, a high adhesion to the substrate, and a resistance to aggressive media have been prepared by the spray pyrolysis of aqueous solutions of the salts FeCl₃ · 6H₂O and (NH₂)₂CS at low temperatures in the range 250°C ? T _S ? 400°C. It has been found that the FeS₂ films have a high transmittance T ≈ 60–70% and are characterized by a sharp transmission edge. It has been shown that the optical band gap for direct (E _g ^op = 2.19–2.78 eV) and indirect (E _g ^′op = 1.26–1.36 eV) optical transitions depends on the conditions of film preparation.     

High-frequency EPR of Cr<Superscript>2+</Superscript> ions in CdGa<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>4</Subscript>

High-frequency broad-band (65–240 GHz) EPR is used to study impurity centers of bivalent chromium in a CdGa₂S₄ crystal. It is found that the EPR spectra correspond to tetragonal symmetry. The spin Hamiltonian H = βB · g · S + B ₂ ⁰ O ₂ ⁰ + B ₄ ⁰ O ₄ ⁰ + B ₄ ⁴ O ₄ ⁴ with the parameters B ₂ ⁰ =23659±2 MHz, B ₄ ⁰ =1.9±1 MHz, |B ₄ ⁴ |=54.2±2 MHz, g_‖=1.93±0.02, and g_⊥=1.99±0.02 is used to describe the observed spectra. It is concluded that chromium ions occupy one of the tetrahedrally coordinated cation positions.     

Dipole moment functions for electronic transitions from ion-pair states of the second tier of molecular iodine

The emission spectra caused by the transitions from the ion-pair states and f0 _g ⁺ and G1_g of the I₂ molecule are obtained by excitation of individual rovibronic levels of the molecule by the method of optical-optical double resonance. The emission spectra from the state F0 _u ⁺ populated due to collisions I₂(f) + I₂(X) are also measured. By modeling the experimental emission spectra, the dipole moment functions for the electronic transitions f _g ⁺ -B0 _u ⁺ , A0 _u ⁺ , and B″0 _u ⁺ ; G1_g-A0 _u ⁺ and B″0 _u ⁺ ; and F0 _u ⁺ -X0 _g ⁺ and a′0 _g ⁺ of the iodine molecule are reconstructed.     

Heavy-quark production in p $$\bar p$$ collisions and unintegrated gluon distributions

The inclusive production of heavy (c and b) quarks in high-energy p\(\bar p\) collisions are considered within the semihard approach in QCD. The dependence of the cross section for heavy-quark production, σ(p_T>p _T ^min ), on unintegrated gluon distributions is studied. The results of this consideration are compared with experimental data obtained by the D0 and CDF Collaborations at Tevatron.     

Quenching of ππ* triplet states of vaporous polycyclic aromatic compounds by oxygen

The oxygen quenching rate constants k _T ^O2 of the triplet state T ₁ of vapors of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with strongly different oxidation potentials 0.44 eV < E _OX < 1.61 eV and energies of the triplet levels 14800 cm^?1 < E _T < 24500 cm^?1 (anthracene, 2-aminoanthracene, 9-nitroanthracene, chrysene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and carbazole) are estimated from the measured dependences of the decay rates and intensities of delayed fluorescence on the oxygen pressure P _O2. It is found that the rate constants k _T ^O2 vary from 4 × 10³ (9-nitroanthracene) to 4 × 10⁵ s^?1 Torr^?1 (2-aminoanthracene) and increase with decreasing oxidation potentials E _OX of PAHs. The rate constants k _T ^O2 for vapors and solutions are compared. The dependences of k _T ^O2 on the free energy of two intermolecular processes, namely, triplet energy transfer to oxygen and electron transfer, are analyzed. It is shown that the rate constants k _T ^O2 increase with decreasing electron transfer free energy, which proves that, along with energy transfer, charge-transfer interactions contribute to the quenching of the triplet states of PAH vapors.     

Structural phase transition in (1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>)SrTiO<Subscript>3</Subscript>+<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>SrMg<Subscript>1/3</Subscript>Nb<Subscript>2/3</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> solid solutions

The temperature dependences of the shear modulus and internal friction in ceramic samples of (1?x)SrTiO₃+xSrMg_1/3Nb_2/3O₃ solid solutions were studied by the torsional vibration method in the range 80–300 K. It was established that the temperature T _a of the O _h ¹ -D _4h ¹⁸ structural phase transition in these solid solutions increases with increasing x, although the lattice constant also increases. A discussion is presented of the contributions to the T _a (x) dependence due to a change in the volume and changes caused by the presence of a second solid-solution component (the impurity contribution). It is also shown that the defect-induced relaxation revealed earlier in a study of the dielectric properties of these materials manifests itself in internal friction peaks.     

Investigating the Double Beta Decay of <Superscript>58</Superscript>Ni

Double beta decay (β + EC, EC/EC) of ⁵⁸Ni is investigated at France’s Modane Underground Laboratory (4800 m water equivalent) using the OBELIX ultralow-background HPGe detector with a sensitive volume of 600 cm³ and a natural nickel sample of ~68% 58Ni with a mass of ~21.7 kg. After preliminary analysis of the experimental data accumulated over ~144 days, new experimental limits are obtained for the 2νβ⁺EC decay of ⁵⁸Ni to the 0⁺ ground state and the 2 ₁ ⁺ , 811 keV excited state of ⁵⁸Fe, and for the 2νEC/EC decay of ⁵⁸Ni to the 2 ₁ ⁺ , 811 keV and 2 ₂ ⁺ , 1675 keV excited states of ⁵⁸Fe. The limits are T_1/2(β⁺EC,0→0⁺) > 1.7 × 10²² yr, T_1/2(β⁺EC,0→2 ₁ ⁺ ) > 2.3 × 10²² yr, T_1/2(EC/EC,0→2 ₁ ⁺ ) > 3.3 × 10²² yr, and T_1/2(EC/EC,0→2 ₂ ⁺ ) > 3.4 × 10²² yr. Experimental limit T_1/2(0νEC/EC–res, 1918 keV > 4.1 × 10²² yr is obtained for resonant neutrinoless radiative EC/EC decay with an energy of 1918.3 keV. All limits are at 90% CL.     

Effect of the Lattice and Spin-Phonon Contributions on the Temperature Behavior of the Ground State Splitting of Gd<Superscript>3+</Superscript> in SrMoO<Subscript>4</Subscript>

The temperature behavior of the EPR spectra of the Gd³⁺ impurity center in single crystals of SrMoO₄ in the temperature range T = 99–375 K is studied. The analysis of the temperature dependences of the spin Hamiltonian b ₂ ⁰ (T) = b₂(F) + b₂(L) and P ₂ ⁰ (T) = P₂(F) + P₂(L) (for Gd¹⁵⁷) describing the EPR spectrum and contributing to the Gd³⁺ ground state splitting ΔE is carried out. In terms of the Newman model, the values of b₂(L) and P₂(L) depending on the thermal expansion of the static lattice are estimated; the b₂(F) and P₂(F) spin-phonon contributions determined by the lattice ion oscillations are separated. The analysis of b ₂ ⁰ (T) and P ₂ ⁰ (T) is evidence of the positive contribution of the spin-phonon interaction; the model of the local oscillations of the impurity cluster with close frequencies ω describes well the temperature behavior of b₂(F) and P₂(F).