Structural phase transitions in ‘hcp’ C70 single-crystals

The thermal expansion of vapor-grownC ₇₀ single crystals ahs been investigated using high-resolution capacitance dilatometry from 5–380 K. Measurements were made both parallel and perpendicular to the hexagonalc-axis. Three first-order phase transitions which we associate with the consecutive disordering of theC ₇₀ molecules are observed upon heating at 280 K (long-axis spinning), 300 K (long-axis precession) and 355 K (quasi-free rotation), respectively. The highest-temperature transition exhibits a very large (50 K) thermal hysteresis. Powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction show that the crystals are predominantly hexagonal-close-packed (HCP) with an idealc/a1.63 above 360 K andc/a1.84 at 295 K.     

Computer simulation of driven diffusive systems with exchanges

The field-driven Kawasaki model with a fractionp admixture of Glauber dynamics is studied by computer simulation:p=0 corresponds to the order-parameter-onserving driven diffusive system, whilep=1 is the equilibrium Ising model. Forp=0.1 our best estimates of critical exponents based on a system of size 4096×128 are0.22, ^RS0.45, andv v 1. These exponents differ from both the values predicted by a field-theoretic method forp=0 and those of the equilibrium Ising model. Anisotropic finite-size scaling analyses are carried out, both for subsystems of the large system and for fully periodic systems. The results of the latter, however, are inconsistent, probably due to the complexity of the size effects. This leaves open the possibility that we are in a crossover regime fromp=0 top0 and that our critical exponents are effective ones. Forp=0 our results are consistent with the predictionsv >v .     

Real-space renormalization group for directed percolation system

We use the recently proposed real-space renormalization group method to study the critical behavior of directed percolation system in two dimensions. The correlation length exponents and are found to be 1.76 and 1.15. These results are in good agreements with the best known values.     

Spectral broadening of picosecond laser pulses in optical fibres

Picosecond light pulses of a passively mode-locked ruby laser (pulse duration t _L35 ps) are spectrally broadened in optical fibres of core diameters from 4 m to 600 m. Combining the effects of self-phase modulation, stimulated Raman scattering, and parametric four-photon interaction in an 8-m core fibre of 4 m length with the effect of selective spectral attenuation in a ruby rod resulted in rather smooth spectra extending from 685 nm to 830 nm (spectral width 2300 cm^-1).     

Experimental Test of a Time-Temperature Formulation of the Uncertainty Principle Via Nanoparticle Fluorescence

No Heading The uncertainty in the measured fluorescence decay lifetimes of 30 nm particles of YAG:Cc was used to evaluate the predictions of a novel form of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle suggested by de Sabbata and Sivaram, T t h/k. The worst-case uncertainty in temperature of 4.5 °K (as derived from the relationship between temperature and lifetime) and the measured uncertainty in decay lifetime, 0.45 ns, yielded an internal estimate of T t = 2.0 × 10^–9 °K s, which is 263 times larger than /k = 7.6 × 10^–12 °K s. An external estimate of T t = 4.5 × 10¹¹ °K s (which is = 6 times /k) is derived from the independently measured uncertainty in the temperature of the sample and the experimentally determined uncertainty in lifetime. These results could be low by a factor of 5.6 if signal averaging must be taken into account. If valid, the findings are consistent with the predictions of this version of the uncertainty principle and they imply the existence of a type of thermal quantum limit.     

Hydrogenated and irradiatedA15 Nb3Sn layers — Preparation,Rutherford scattering analysis,resistivity and superconductivity

Niobium films on sapphire were reacted in tin-vapour to Nb₃Sn with resistance ratiosR(297 K)/R(18.3 K) up to 6 and resistively measured superconducting transition temperaturesT _c up to 17.93 K. The composition Nb_3+z Sn_1–z H _x of electrolytically hydrogenated samples was determined depth dependent by Rutherford backscattering of 30 MeV³²S and simultaneous detection of recoiled protons. Considerable concentration gradients in the thin layers (0.27 m) were detected. The increase of resistivity with hydrogen content and the change in the temperature dependence of is analyzed. A correlation betweenT _c and ₀= is found: An increase of T _c =0.2 K at ₀25cm andx0.03 is followed by a drastic decrease toT _c <1.1 K at ₀80cm andx1. TheT _c vs. ₀ andT _c vs. (T) characteristic correlations are different from universal irradiation or preparation induced correlations. The discrepancies can be interpreted by a stiffening of phonon modes and a band-shifting caused by the hydrogen.     

Negative mass cyclotron resonance maser

Physical principles, design and operation characteristics of a negative mass cyclotron resonance maser inp-type germanium are considered in this paper. The formation of anisotropic inverted distributions of negative effective mass heavy holes in strong electric and magnetic fieldsE H [001], resulting in negative conductivity in the millimetre and submillimetre wavelength ranges, is discussed. The generation is observed at 0.9 to 8mm in low compensated germanium samples with the hole concentration rangeN ₀ 2×10¹² to 2×10¹⁴ cm^–3 at low temperaturesT 25 K in electric fieldsE 40 to 350Vcm^–1. The maser frequency is tuned by the magnetic field corresponding to a cyclotron resonance frequency of carriers with an effective mass ofm _c 0.4m ₀. The spectral width of the emission in single mode operation does not exceed several megahertz. A pulse duration of 1 to 200 s and a repetition rate off _rep 1 to 200 Hz has been obtained limited by sample heating. Possibilities of improving the maser characteristics inp-Ge as well as in other A_III B_v semiconductors and the perspectives of new frequency tuning methods due to the application of uniaxial stress and magnetic field are demonstrated.     

Low-temperature phase transitions in GdS,GdSe and GdTe

In the Gd monochalcogenides up to three different structural distortions have been detected in the magnetically ordered regime. Our experiments indicate that all three phases show type II antiferromagnetic order but with different orientations of the magnetic moments: A truly trigonal phase withm _k k=[1/2, 1/2, 1/2], a monoclinic phase withabc, =/2+, and the spins oriented along [110], and a pseudo-rhombohedrally compressed monoclinic phase with the spins in the (111) planes. The spin flips can be accounted for by a model including anisotropic exchange interactions.     

Collapse transition and asymptotic scaling behavior of lattice animals: Low-temperature expansion

A low-temperature expansion for the free energy density of lattice animals is derived. Analysis of the series yields a collapse transition temperature ofT _c - 0.54, in close agreement with previous estimates. It is demonstrated that _p,k, the number ofp-particle,p-bond animals, obeys the asymptotic scaling law log _p,k pg(k/p) + o(p). The low-temperature series and numerical data are used to estimate the scaling function.     

Proposal of a Fabry-Perot-type interferometer for x-rays

A Fabry-Perot-type interference filter for x-rays is proposed, where thin crystal plates are used as Bragg reflectors at normal incidence. The plates are cut from a perfect silicon crystal leaving a thin gap which may be filled with an appropriate immersion liquid. The calculated resolution of the transmitted beam isE/E5 × 10⁷, corresponding toE4 ×10^–4 eV. A possible layout of a high-resolution x-ray spectrometer based on Fabry-Perot-type interferometers is discussed.     

On the critical exponent for random walk intersections

The exponent _d for the probability of nonintersection of two random walks starting at the same point is considered. It is proved that 1/2<₂3/4. Monte Carlo simulations are done to suggest ₂=0.61 and ₃0.29.     

True self-avoiding walk on critical percolation clusters and lattice animal

The statistics of true-self-avoiding walk model on two dimensional critical percolation clusters and lattice animals are studied using real-space renormalization group method. The correlation length exponents 's are found to be _TSAW ^pc 0.576 and _TSAW ^LA 0.623 respectively for the critical percolation clusters and lattice animals.     

Cyclotron instabilities of a two-component electron plasma

A study is made of instability at frequencies close to the electron cyclotron frequency _B and its multiples, subject to the presence of two different groups of electrons. It is shown that a mixture of hot and cold electrons ( _ph ² _pc ² ) in the region of frequencies s _B, s2 can be unstable with respect to waves of the flute type (k _z=0) with maximum increment _max ( _ph/_pc). _B, if there exists an interval of transversal velocities in whichF/ >0. When the curvature of the magnetic field is taken into account, even waves with _B can be unstable in such a plasma. The effect of spatial inhomogeneity of the hot component on flute-type instability and on two-beam cyclotron instability is also examined.The author extends his thanks to A. B. Mikhajlovskij for his valuable comments and discussions.     

Low-load friction behavior of epitaxial C60 monolayers

We report on¹³C MAS NMR experiments in the low temperature phase of Rb₁C₆₀. Two different lines are observed with line shifts of 110 ppm and 50 ppm. The line at 50 ppm is a signature ofsp ³ carbons and can be interpreted in terms of a hypothetical polymerization along the crystallographica-axis. This supports a quasi 1 D structure of the A₁C₆₀ in the low temperature phase.     

An Equilibrium Lattice Model of Wetting on Rough Substrates

We consider a semi-infinite 3-dimensional Ising system with a rough wall to describe the effect of the roughness r of the substrate on wetting. We show that the difference of wall free energies (r)= _AW(r)– _BW(r) of the two phases behaves like (r)r(1), where r=1 characterizes a purely flat surface, confirming at low enough temperature and small roughness the validity of Wenzel's law, cos (r)r cos (1), which relates the contact angle of a sessile droplet to the roughness of the substrate     

Modelling of electron stream discharge

Particle-in-cell Monte Carlo code is used to simulate gas discharge initiated by a high current (I _e10kA) middle energy ( _e10keV) hot ( _e1 keV) electron stream. The generation of such an overthermal electron stream has been clearly demonstrated at the experimental REBEX facility during the relativistic electron beam-plasma interaction. When the electron beam (represented by1000 macroparticles) is injected into the drift tube filled by neutral gas (hydrogen,p=13.3–133 Pa) two different stages are observed. During the initial stage the arising Virtual Cathode (VC) is filled by hydrogen ions. The VC disappears when the quasineutrality of ionized gas is achieved. Then the severe exponential growth of electron and ion component of ionized gas is observed.List of symbols x distance from the left electrode [m] - t time [s] - v _x ,v _y velocity components [m/s] - g4(x) potential [Volt] - g4 _1/2(t) middle potential [Volt] - E(x) electric field [Volt/m] - Q _wall wall charge [C/m.m] - I current [C/s] - _tot total energy [J] - N number of macroparticles - f() energy distribution of electron macroparticles at the left electrode, is kinetic energy of macroparticle [eV]. Presented at 17^th Symposium Plasma Physics and Technology, Prague, June 13–16, 1995.     

Renormalization group equations with several length scales and crossover scaling functions for axial anisotropy

The critical behaviour of axially anisotropicn-vector models is characterized by two distinct length scales, the correlation lengths and for the easy and hard axes. In order to handle the full range of anisotropics from to partial differential renormalization group equations are derived, depending on and . The anisotropicX-Y model is studied in detail near four dimensions. The crossover scaling functions for the susceptibilities are calculated to first order in=4–d. Two distinct crossover regions are found for weak and dominant anisotropy, respectively.     

Self-gravitating radiation in anti-de sitter space

Equilibrium configurations of self-gravitating massless thermal radiation inside spherical boxes of radiusR in asymptotically anti-de Sitter space (A = -3/b ₂) are constructed numerically for a range of central densities. For each box radius considered (R/b = 0, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, ), there is a unique configuration with maximal total mass and entropy, and another (at a lower central density) with maximum asymptotic red-shifted temperature. With the box removed toR=, the maximum total mass and entropy of self-gravitating thermal radiation areM _max 0.4598b0.7964(–A)^–1/2 andS _max1.3560a ^1/4 b ^3/2 3.0910a ^1/4(–A)^–3/4, and the maximum red-shifted temperature is     

Anisotropy of the low temperature resistivity of hexagonal single crystalline spin glass systems

The impurity contribution to the resistivity in zero field (T) of dilute hexagonal single crystals of ZnMn, CdMn and MgMn has been studied in the mK range on samples cut parallel () and perpendicular () to thec-axis, using a SQUID technique for the measurements. Typical spin glass behavior is found in (T) as well as (T) for all alloys, with Kondo like logarithmic increases at higher temperatures and maxima atT _m at lower temperatures, indicating the influence of impurity interactions. The differences in the corresponding isotropic resistivity _poly(T) between the three systems can qualitatively be understood within the framework of a theoretical model by Larsen, describing (T) as a function of universal quantitiesT/T _K and _RKKY/T _K , where _RKKY is the RKKY-interaction strength andT _K the Kondo temperature. With respect to the two lattice directions studied, the behavior of (T and (T is anisotropic in the Kondo regime as well as in the range where ordering becomes important. While the anisotropy in the Kondo slope can be understood by an anisotropic unitarity limit, the understanding of the anisotropy in region where impurity interactions are important remains problematic.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. S. Methfessel on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Thermodynamic properties of the spin-Peierls transition in CuGeO3

We present an investigation of the spin-Peierls transition atT _SP=14.5 K in polycrystalline CuGeO₃ through specific-heat and thermal-expansion measurements. Clear second-order phase-transition anomalies are found in both properties atT _SP, although only a small entropy of S0.1 Rn2 is released at the transition. Most of the entropy is released atT _SP<T<150 K, where the temperature dependence of the magnetic contribution to the specific heat as well as the thermal expansion exhibit extrema atT ^*40 K. These are caused by one-dimensional antiferromagnetic fluctuations along the Cu chains, possibly accompanied by structural fluctuations. Using Ehrenfest's relation, a hydrostatic pressure coefficient (T _SP/_p)_p0 (0.45±0.06) K/kbar is derived.