Neutron scattering study of NiHx at 77K

The results of simultaneous measurements of inelastic incoherent neutron scattering (IINS) and neutron diffraction on NiH_x system with x = 0.40, 0.28 and 0.12 at temperatures of 77 K are briefly presented. In the phonon density of states, supposing a one-phonon mechanism for the scattering process, the optic modes appear as a broad band from 70 to 140 meV with a strong peak at 90 meV and weak peaks at 105 and 130 meV. Neutron diffraction confirms information about the phase composition of the samples investigated.     

Magnetic state of nickel-zinc ferrites at high zinc concentrations

Neutron diffraction and magnetic methods are used to investigate ferrites from the system Zn_xFe_1−x [Ni_1−x Fe_1+x ]O₄. In these investigations, no diffraction effects were observed that would indicate ordered positions for the perpendicular projections of spins at 4.2 K over the entire ferrimagnetic range of concentrations x. However, the high-field magnetic susceptibility and intense small-angle scattering of neutrons observed at helium temperatures in samples with x>0.45 are evidence of local angular structures with effective sizes of 1–10 nm. The temperatures at which these local angular structures are disrupted are determined. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1503–1504 (August 1998)     

Crystal field effects on the magnetic and hyperfine properties of Yb3+ in ytterbium ethylsulfate

The magnetic and hyperfine properties of Yb³⁺ in Yb(C₂H₅SO₄)₃·.9H₂O have been studied using the crystal field (CF) obtained from an analysis of the observed absorption spectra of the crystal. The principal magnetic susceptibilities are in reasonable agreement with those observed both at liquid oxygen and liquid helium temperatures. The observed reversal of magnetic anisotropy at 17.7K is also corroborated. The Schottky heat capacity shows a peak at around 40K. The magnetic hyperfine field due to the 4f electrons at the nucleus is found to be 1.79MG. The hyperfine heat capacity C_N has a Schottky anomaly at about 25 mK. Above 1K, in the liquid helium range, C_N follows a simple T^?2 law as observed by Cooke et al. It is concluded that in the rare earth ethylsulfates a single suitable CF gives a good account of the various properties from room temperature down to liquid He temperatures.     

Influence of magnetoelastic effects on lattice vibrations in the ferromagnetic invar alloy Fe0.65Ni0.35

Neutron scattering measurements have been made of phonons in a Fe₆₅Ni₃₅ crystal at several temperatures. Marked softening of the [110] acoustic shear modes and a dip in the dispersion relation are found at low temperatures. Above the magnetic ordering temperature T_c, the frequency shift is removed completely, which suggests phonon perturbation by magnetoelastic coupling.     

Debye-Waller factor through the glass transition temperature in a-selenium,by incoherent inelastic neutron scattering

We report, in this work, Incoherent Inelastic Neutron Scattering (IINS) measurements in amorphous bulk selenium. Taking into account the low frequency Vibrational Density-of-States(VDOS), we study the modification introduced in the Debye-Waller factor by increasing temperature through the glass transition temperature (T_g). The occurrence, in the vibrational density-of-states, of a ω² dependence in the acoustic region, allowed us to apply the Debye theory from which the variations of the Deybe-Waller factor are calculated in addition. It is shown that the main contribution to it is given by the acoustic region of the vibrational density of states and has a faster increase for temperatures above T_g.     

Interactions of neutrons with239Pu in the energy range between 1.5 and 5.5 MeV

Neutron scattering angular distributions of²³⁹Pu were measured at seven primary neutron energies between 1.5 and 5.5 MeV. Absolute differential scattering cross-section results are plotted and tabulated. Cross section calculations using a central optical model were made and the results were compared with the experimental values. Moreover, nuclear temperatures of the fission and the inelastic neutron evaporation processes were extracted from the measured spectra.     

Ammonium dynamics in the disorder a-phase of K1- x (NH4) x Y (Y=Cl,Br, I). a neutron scattering study

Temperature and concentration effects on the lattice parameters and the amplitude weighted phonon density of states (AWPDS) in the mixed salts of ammonium-potassium halides were investigated by neutron powder diffraction (NPD) and incoherent inelastic scattering (IINS). In the disorder α-phase (NaCl type), ammonium ions perform a fast stochastic reorientation at phonon frequencies rate, down to ca. 80 K. The IINS spectra at 10 K displayed the four distinct ammonium excitations, two (resonant) modes below and two (localised) above the cut-off frequency of the AWPDS of potassium halides. The high frequency localised modes correspond to the translational and librational vibrations of NH₄ ions. These modes are typical for ordered phases of ammonium halides. Ammonium concentration effects on the localised and resonant modes were studied for the K_{1? x} (NH₄) _x I mixed salts and the harmonic excitations of ammonium in the hypothetical low temperature α-phase of NH₄I were approximated to ca. 30, 95, 155 and 250 cm^?1. In the real low temperature ordered γ-phase of NH₄I, translational ammonium vibrations were observed at ca. 140-160 cm^?1 and librational at ca. 300 cm^?1.     

Anisotropic scattering rates and antiferromagnetic precursor effects in the t-t'-U Hubbard model

We have investigated the evolution of the electronic properties of the t-t'-U Hubbard model with hole doping and temperature. Due to the shape of the Fermi surface, scattering from short wavelength spin fluctuations leads to strongly anisotropic quasi-particle scattering rates at low temperatures near half-filling. As a consequence, significant variations with momenta near the Fermi surface emerge for the spectral functions and the corresponding ARPES signals. At low doping the inverse lifetime of quasiparticles on the Fermi surface is of order varying linearly in temperature from energies of order t down to a very low energy scale set by the spin fluctuation frequency while at intermediate doping a sub-linear T-dependence is observed. This behavior is possibly relevant for the interpretation of photoemission spectra in cuprate superconductors at different hole doping levels. Received 31 July 2000     

Neutron Spectroscopy of Norbornane

Results of inelastic incoherent neutron scattering (IINS) on norbornane are reported. The IINS spectra in the low-temperature phases display low-frequency internal vibration modes very well. The assignment of these modes is proposed in reference to the results of the calculations of the structure and dynamics of isolated molecules by semi-empirical quantum chemistry methods.     

Spectroscopic,structural and theoretical studies of 2‐methyl‐4‐nitroaniline (MNA) crystal. Electronic transitions in IR

Polarized FT‐IR, Raman, neutron scattering (IINS), and UV‐Vis‐NIR spectra of 2‐methyl‐4‐nitroaniline (MNA) crystal plates, powder, and solutions were measured in the 10–50 000 cm⁻¹ range. The FT‐IR spectrum of deuterated MNA (DMNA) in KBr pellet, the Raman spectrum of the DMNA powder as well as the EPR spectrum of the MNA powder were also recorded. Complete assignments of bands to normal vibrations have been proposed. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of wavenumbers and potential energy distribution (PED) have been performed to strengthen the assignments. The analysis of vibrational and electronic spectra has revealed vibronic couplings in MNA molecules in solutions and in crystals. In the polarized FT‐IR spectra of the crystal five unusually large bands are observed in MIR and NIR regions. Their origin is discussed in terms of N H···O, C H···O, C H···H N hydrogen bonds, intermolecular charge transfers, electrostatic interactions, and ion radicals formation in the crystal. The role of a methyl group introduction to 4‐nitroaniline is analyzed. The crystal structure of MNA at the room temperature was re‐investigated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal desorption spectroscopy of he from Ni at and below saturation

Trapping of helium after implantation at energies of 8 to 150 keV and fluences up to 10¹⁹ He-ions/cm² in nickel at room temperature is studied by measuring the thermal desorption spectra during linear heating up to 1000°C. At several annealing stages the trapped helium is measured by means of the nuclear reaction ³He(d, α)H and the target surface is observed by laser scattering and with the scanning electron microscope.

The thermal desorption spectra depend strongly on the implantation fluence but only slightly on the implantation energy, indicating a similar trapping of He in the lattice for the implantation energies used here, The temperature at which desorption starts decreases with increasing fluence. Above the critical fluence for blistering an additional low temperature (150°C) desorption maximum is found.

The desorption peak at 150°C can be approximated theoretically with a single jump desorption process of first order and a Gaussian distribution of activation energies around 1 eV. The measurements indicate that at higher temperatures (>300°C) helium desorption is partly due to the opening of helium bubbles at the target surface.     

Zeeman splitting of a fluorescing level of CaF2 : U6+

Zeeman spectra for a pure electronic transition in the emission from a crystal of CaF₂ : U cooled to helium temperatures are reported for a magnetic field of 7.7 T along principal crystallographic directions. The polarized Zeeman spectra correspond to those of an E → A transition at a centre with trigonal and inversion symmetry.     

Structure and dynamics of water confined in a nanoporous sol-gel silica glass: a neutron scattering study

During recent years, the understanding of the modification of the structure and dynamics of water confined in different environments has been the focus of much interest in scientific research. This topic is in fact of great relevance in a lot of technological areas and, in living systems, essential water-related phenomena occur in restricted geometries in cells, and active sites of proteins and membranes, or at their surface. In this paper we report on the most recent up to date account of structural and dynamical properties of confined water in comparison with the bulk state. In particular, as far as structure is concerned, we present new neutron diffraction results on heavy water confined in a fully hydrated sol-gel silica glass (GelSil) as a function of the temperature. At low T, the nucleation of cubic ice superimposed to liquid water, already observed for water within Vycor glasses, is discussed. As far as the dynamics is concerned, we report results of a detailed spectroscopic analysis of diffusive relaxation and vibrational properties of water confined in nanopores of Gelsil glass, at different temperatures and hydration percentages, performed by our research group during recent years by means of incoherent quasi-elastic (IQENS) and inelastic (IINS) neutron scattering. IQENS spectra are analysed in the framework of the relaxing cage model (RCM). IINS spectra show the evolution of the one-phonon-amplitude weighted proton vibrational density of states (VDOS), Z(ω), when water loses its peculiar bulk properties and originates new structural environments due to its surface interactions.     

Specific features of the central peak in the Raman spectra of a lithium niobate crystal

The low-frequency Raman scattering (RS) spectra of a LiNbO₃ ferroelectric crystal are studied in the temperature range 300–1423 K. The central peak characterizing the relaxation susceptibility of the crystal lattice is observed over the entire temperature range studied, including at temperatures much lower than the Curie temperature (T _c = 1470 K). Far from T _c, the characteristics of the central peak are shown to be unlike those expected in the framework of the standard approaches. (i) The central-peak width γ_R increases as the temperature increases to T ～ 1300 K, and the critical slowing down (γ_R ∝ T _c ? T) occurs only above this temperature. (ii) A central peak arises in the RS geometry where the scattering by “nonferroelectric” E phonons is allowed. The experimental results are interpreted with allowance for relaxation dynamics in local regions of the crystal lattice.     

Spectrum of vibrational frequencies of crystalline tungsten at temperatures of 293 and 2400 K

The slow neutron inelastic scattering spectra for a refractory (T _melt = 3680 K) Group VI transition metal of the Periodic Table, namely, tungsten, were measured for the first time in the range from room temperature to 2400 K. Measurements of the neutron scattering spectra of tungsten were performed on a DIN-2PI time-of-flight spectrometer installed at the IBR-2 reactor (Dubna, Russia). The sample was heated in a TS3000 K high-temperature thermostat. The spectrum of vibrational frequencies of the crystal lattice of tungsten at temperatures of 293 and 2400 K was determined from the measured neutron scattering spectra by the iterative method. A softening of the frequency spectrum of tungsten was observed with increasing temperature. This was explained by the increasing role of vibrational anharmonicity effects at high temperatures. The experimental results were compared with model calculations of the frequency spectrum of tungsten.     

Radiation damage in tungsten: Its influence on the trapping and subsequent thermal desorption of helium

Abstract

Desorption spectra of various doses of 160eV helium ions injected into a damaged polycrystallinc tungsten target are described. Conclusions derived from these are applied to the interpretation of spectra obtained for the injection of helium (at different energies and doses) into an undamaged target, and are shown to be consistent with the spectral variations observed.

Experiments are described in which a damaged target was partially annealed prior to the injection of 160 eV helium, with the result that the desorption spectra were modified in such a way as to reveal new information about certain trapping sites and release processes in tungsten.     

Brillouin scattering studies of rare gas solids

Abstract

The scattering of light by elementar excitations in the matter is results in two phenomena, discriminated by the zero wavevector frequency of the excitation: if this frequency is zero, one deals with Brillouin scattering, and with Raman scattering in the other case. Brillouin scattering results from the interaction of light with thermal excitations (acoustic phonons in a crystal) of a material, or, from a classical point of view, with density waves. Contrary to Raman scattering, the selection rules allow always the observation of at least one mode. It is a powerful technic in the study of rare gases under pressure: at ambient temperature, rare gases crystallize in the face centered cubic structure (except helium which structure was recently found to be hexagonal) and are therefore Raman and infrared inactive.

Experimental results will be reviewed on rare gases and rare gas mixtures in the fluid phase, like He-Ne and He-H₂. These results will be discussed in relation with recent measurements of the frequency of global oscillations of Jupiter.     

Spin dynamics of a binary alloy (spin glass)

Neutron scattering measurements on a $\text{Cu}$ 8 % Mn alloy fail to show the normal critical slowing down of spins associated with sharp magnetic phase transition. However, the quasi-elastic scattering width is found to approach an approximately constant q-independent value at temperatures around that of the maximum in the susceptibility, following a continuous process of freezing of spins. An important observation from the measurements is that the temperature of the maximum in χ depends on the time constant of the probe; being 39 ± 1 K in the a.c. susceptibility measurements (τ ～ 10^-2s) against 52 ± 3 K obtained from the neutron scattering results (τ ～ 10^-11s).     

Vibrational spectroscopy of indium-doped Pb0.9Mn0.1Te alloy

Raman scattering and far-infrared reflection spectra of 0.5 at.% In doped Pb_0.9Mn_0.1Te single crystal at temperatures between 10 and 300K are presented. The infrared spectra have been fitted using a modified plasmon-phonon interaction model with an additional oscillator (at about 122 cm^?1) representing a local In-impurity mode. Phonons in this mixed crystal exhibit intermediate mode behavior. The plasma frequency decreases on cooling from 300 to 25K and increases sharply between 20 and 10 K. The results of galvanomagnetic measurements are also presented.     

ESR study of calix[4]arene by spin-trapping method

Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements are introduced to investigate the interaction between 5,11,17,23-tetrabromo-25,26,27,28-tetramethoxycalix[4]arene (II ₄) and 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane (MNP) or nitrosodurene (ND) which are used as spin-trapping reagents under ultraviolet irradiation. In most cases, the complicated ESR spectra were observed because of the overlap of ESR signals attributed to several spin adducts in different conformations or in an inclusion state. However, after the optimum amount of ND was added into theII ₄ solution, the ESR spectrum showed that each nitrogen hyperfine line was further split to 1:2:1 triplet lines, and this is a typical spectrum ascribed to the spin adduct of ND at one para position ofII ₄.