Electrical transport and high thermoelectric properties of PbTe doped with Bi2Te3 prepared by HPHT

In this paper, n-type lead telluride (PbTe) compounds doped with Bi₂Te₃ have been successfully prepared by high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) technique. The composition-dependent thermoelectric properties of PbTe doped with Bi₂Te₃ have been studied at room temperature. The figure-of-merit, Z, for PbTe is very sentivite to the dopants, which could be improved largely although the doped content of Bi₂Te₃ is very small (<0.08 mol%). In addition, the maximum value reaches to 9.3×10⁻⁴ K⁻¹, which is about 20% higher than that of PbTe alloyed with Bi₂Te₃ sintered at ambient pressure (7.6×10⁻⁴ K⁻¹) and several times higher than that of small grain size PbTe containing other dopants. The improved thermoelectric performance in this study may be due to the effect of high pressure and the low lattice thermal conductivity resulting from Bi₂Te₃ as source of dopants.     

Study of structural and electronic transport properties of Ce-doped LaMnO3

The structural and electronic transport properties of La_1−x Ce _x MnO₃ (x=0.0–1.0) have been studied. All the samples exhibit orthorhombic crystal symmetry and the unit cell volume decreases with Ce doping. They also make a metal-insulator transition (MIT) and transition temperature increases with increase in Ce concentration up to 50% doping. The system La_0.5Ce_0.5MnO₃ also exhibits MIT instead of charge-ordered state as observed in the hole doped systems of the same composition.     

Studies on chemical stability in CO2 and H2O and electrical conductivity of perovskite-type Ba3In2Zr1?xCexO8 (x?= 0, 0.5, 1)

We report the synthesis, structure, microstructure, chemical stability in H₂O and CO₂, and electrical transport properties of an oxide ion-conducting perovskite-related structure Ba₃In₂MO₈ (M = Zr, Ce, Zr_0.5Ce_0.5). Powder X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of a simple cubic perovskite-like structure for Ba₃In₂ZrO₈ (a = 4.205(9) ?), Ba₃In₂CeO₈ (a = 4.234(1) ?), and Ba₃In₂Zr_0.5Ce_0.5O₈ (a = 4.285(8) ?). The increase in lattice constant is consistent with the Shannon’s ionic radius trend. Among the three samples investigated, Ba₃In₂ZrO₈ was found to be stable against reaction with pure CO₂ at elevated temperature, while the Ce and 1:1 Zr and Ce compounds were unstable at 600 °C. Ba₃In₂ZrO₈, Ba₃In₂CeO₈, and Ba₃In₂Zr_0.5Ce_0.5O₈ were found to be chemically unstable in H₂O at about 50 °C. The bulk electrical conductivity of the samples prepared at different temperatures was found to be nearly the same; the total conductivity (bulk + grain–boundary + electrode) seems to change with sintering temperature. Both Ba₃In₂ZrO₈ and Ba₃In₂CeO₈, prepared at 1,400 °C, exhibited comparable electrical conductivity of about 6 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at 800 °C, which is comparable to that of conventional Y₂O₃-doped ZrO₂ electrolyte. These compounds are very promising electroltes, provided that their chemical and mechnical stabitities are improved without losing any ionic conductivity.     

Temperature dependence of thermal properties of Ag<Subscript>8</Subscript>In<Subscript>14</Subscript>Sb<Subscript>55</Subscript>Te<Subscript>23</Subscript> phase-change memory materials

The dependence of thermal properties of Ag₈In₁₄Sb₅₅Te₂₃ phase-change memory materials in crystalline and amorphous states on temperature was measured and analyzed. The results show that in the crystalline state, the thermal properties monotonically decrease with the temperature and present obvious crystalline semiconductor characteristics. The heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity decrease from 0.35 J/g K, 1.85 mm²/s, and 4.0 W/m K at 300 K to 0.025 J/g K, 1.475 mm²/s, and 0.25 W/m K at 600 K, respectively. In the amorphous state, while the dependence of thermal properties on temperature does not present significant changes, the materials retain the glass-like thermal characteristics. Within the temperature range from 320 K to 440 K, the heat capacity fluctuates between 0.27 J/g K and 0.075 J/g K, the thermal diffusivity basically maintains at 0.525 mm²/s, and the thermal conductivity decreases from 1.02 W/m K at 320 K to 0.2 W/m K at 440 K. Whether in the crystalline or amorphous state, Ag₈In₁₄Sb₅₅Te₂₃ are more thermally active than Ge₂Sb₂Te₅, that is, the Ag₈In₁₄Sb₅₅Te₂₃ composites bear stronger thermal conduction and diffusion than the Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ phase-change memory materials.     

Advances in single crystal growth and annealing treatment of electron-doped HTSC

High quality electron-doped HTSC single crystals of Pr_2−xCe_xCuO_4+δ and Nd_2−xCe_xCuO_4+δ have been successfully grown by the container-free traveling solvent floating zone technique. The optimally doped Pr_2−xCe_xCuO_4+δ and Nd_2−xCe_xCuO_4+δ crystals have transition temperatures T _c of 25 K and 23.5 K, respectively, with a transition width of less than 1 K. We found a strong dependence of the optimal growth parameters on the Ce content x. We discuss the optimization of the post-growth annealing treatment of the samples, the doping extension of the superconducting dome for both compounds as well as the role of excess oxygen. The absolute oxygen content of the as-grown crystals is determined from thermogravimetric experiments and is found to be ≥ 4.0. This oxygen surplus is nearly completely removed by a post-growth annealing treatment. The reduction process is reversible as demonstrated by magnetization measurements. In as-grown samples the excess oxygen resides on the apical site O(3). This apical oxygen has nearly no doping effect, but rather influences the evolution of superconductivity by inducing additional disorder in the CuO₂ layers. The very high crystal quality of Nd_2−xCe_xCuO_4+δ is particularly manifest in magnetic quantum oscillations observed on several samples at different doping levels. They provide a unique opportunity of studying the Fermi surface and its dependence on the carrier concentration in the bulk of the crystals.     

UV excitable Y2? x ? y Gd y SiO5:Ce x phosphors for cool white light emission

Cool white light was realized in Y_2−x−y Gd _x SiO₅: Ce _y phosphor under near UV excitation, due to the occupation Ce³⁺ in Y³⁺ 1st and 2nd site, synthesized using solid state carbothermal reduction route. SEM with elemental analysis show the existence of Gd in Y₂SiO₅:Ce enhances the particles size in comparison to Y₂SiO₅:Ce phosphors alone. Gd³⁺ (0.00≤x≤0.75) and Ce³⁺ (0.02≤y≤0.10) concentration was optimized to 0.50 and 0.08 in Y₂SiO₅, respectively. The CIE chromaticity color coordinates (0.24, 0.20) are close to cool white light value which could be useful for the fabrication of cool white LED.     

Effect of excitation level on the photoluminescence of barium thiogallate activated with europium and cerium ions

The photoluminescence of barium thiogallates doped with Eu²⁺, Ce³⁺, and Eu²⁺ + Ce³⁺ ions is studied over a wide range of excitation levels (10^–3–10⁶ W/cm²). Introduction of 3 at.% Eu and 3 at.% Ce instead of 5 at.% Eu into a BaGa₂S₄ matrix doubles the luminescence quantum yield of the phosphor. Doped BaGa₂S₄ exhibits a high linearity in its luminescence intensity as a function of excitation level (a constant efficiency) up to 2·10⁴ W/cm² for excitation pulse durations of 8 ns, which corresponds to cw pumping at a power density of about 5·10² W/cm² in terms of the concentration of excited ions. It is shown that using BaGa₂S₄:Eu,Ce along with the “yellow” phosphor of a Nichia NS6L083 LED may increase its color rendering index from 0.64 to 0.80 with no reduction in its luminous efficiency.     

Dependence of the superconducting transition parameters on the solid-solution composition and Te excess in Sn1−z PbzTe:In

A low-temperature (0.4–4.2 K) measurement of the temperature dependences of the resistivity of two series of samples, SnTe_1+y and Sn_0.8Pb_0.2Te_1+y solid solution, doped with 5 at.% In, is reported. The parameters of the superconducting transition, namely, the critical temperatures T _c and the second critical magnetic field H _c2, and their dependences on tellurium excess (0⩽y⩽0.06) have been determined. The observed variation of the critical parameters with increasing tellurium excess in the samples is associated with a change in the filling by holes of the indium-impurity resonance states. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 2132–2134 (December 1999)     

Lu2SiO5:Ce and Y2SiO5:Ce single crystals and single crystalline film scintillators: Comparison of the luminescent and scintillation properties

The paper is dedicated to development of scintillators based on the single crystalline films of Ce³⁺ doped Lu₂SiO₅ (LSO:Ce) and Y₂SiO₅ (YSO:Ce) orthosilicates grown by Liquid Phase Epitaxy method onto YSO substrates from melt-solutions based on the PbO–B₂O₃ flux. We also compare the luminescent and scintillation properties of Ce doped LSO:Ce and YSO:Ce single crystalline films with those of their single crystal counterparts, grown by the Czochralski method.     

New Fluorescent Antitumour Cisplatin Analogue Complexes. Study of the Characteristics of their Binding to DNA by Flow Injection Analysis

The flow injection technique is applied to study the binding to DNA of new platinum complexes—E₁: ethylenediaminechlorocholylglycinateplatinum(II): [PtCl(CG)(en)], C₅₄H₉₂O₁₂Pt and E₂: ethylenediaminebischolylglycinateplatinum(II): [Pt(CG)₂(en)], C₂₈H₅₀ClN₃O₆Pt—derived from cisplatin in which the exchangeable ligands were replaced by bile acids, such that these anticancer drugs have less toxicity and less resistance is developed towards them. Both compounds are fluorescent and their fluorescence is enhanced when they form adducts with DNA, a property that is extremely useful for monitoring the cytotoxic activity and their mechanisms of action. The binding parameters to DNA of E₁ [apparent intrinsic binding constant K_E1: (11.2 ± 0.4) × 10³ M⁻¹ and maximum number of binding sites per nucleotide, n _E1: 0.121 ± 2 × 10⁻³) and E₂ (K_E2: 9.2 ± 0.7) × 10³ M⁻¹ and n _E2 0.098 ± 2 × 10⁻³] were determined following the Scatchard method and the type of binding was studied experimentally through the modifications introduced by each of the compounds into the ethidium bromide–DNA bond.     

New short-wavelength laser emissions from partially deuterated methanol isotopes

The partially deuterated isotopes of methanol, CH₂DOH and CHD₂OH, have been reinvestigated as sources of far-infrared (FIR) laser emissions using an optically pumped molecular laser (OPML) system recently designed for wavelengths below 150 μm. With this system, 10 new FIR laser emissions from these isotopes ranging from 32.8 to 174.6 μm have been discovered. This includes the shortest known OPML emission from CHD₂OH, at 32.8 μm. These lines are reported with their operating pressure, polarizations relative to the CO₂ pump laser and wavelengths, measured to ±0.5 μm. In addition, polarizations for three previously observed FIR laser lines from CHD₂OH were measured for the first time. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Dr. K.M. Evenson, a pioneer in the field for his role in the development of optically pumped molecular lasers and their use in laser frequency measurements and the laser magnetic resonance technique. His scientific expertise, guidance, mentoring and friendship will be greatly missed. Received: 27 March 2002 / Published online: 8 May 2002     

Growth and characterization of cerium-substituted yttrium iron garnet single crystals for magneto-optical applications

This paper is concerned with the preparation and characterization of cerium-substituted yttrium iron garnets, which are known to be oxides having a large Faraday rotation effect. Using the improved flux method we successfully grew bulk single crystals of iron garnet doped with Ce³⁺ ions with maximum substitutions up to 0.349. Here we investigate different solution compositions for maximum Ce³⁺ substitution. The Faraday rotation and optical absorption spectra were measured in the near infrared region for different Ce³⁺ ion substituted iron garnets. The specific Faraday rotation of Ce_0.349Eu_0.195Y_2.456Fe₅O₁₂ was found to be 1430 deg/cm at a wavelength of 780 nm and –1280 deg/cm at 1150 nm. The Ce substitution prominently enhances the Faraday rotation effect, and Yb³⁺ and Eu³⁺ ions substituted for Y³⁺ in the dodecahedral sites of YIG can increase the concentration of Ce³⁺ ions, depressing the formation of nonmagnetic Ce⁴⁺ ions by charge compensation. Received: 24 January 2001 / Accepted: 2 March 2001 / Published online: 27 June 2001     

Investigation of CuGaTe<Subscript>2</Subscript> semiconductor compounds doped with Mn by the EPR method

The EPR method is used to investigate the synthesized basic CuGaTe₂ compound and CuGaTe₂{Mn} compounds doped with Mn. The CuGaTe₂ EPR spectra obtained testify to the formation of the Jahn-Teller copper centers with g-tensors having axial symmetry that differ by values of the main g-tensor components (g_⎟⎪ and g_⊥). The intensive line with g_eff3 = 1.996 ± 0.001 registered for samples of CuGaTe₂{Mn} compounds is associated with the presence of centers formed by manganese.     

Fluorescent Property of the Gd<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-Doped Terbium Complexes and Crystal Structure of [Tb(TPTZ)(H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O)<Subscript>6</Subscript>]Cl<Subscript>3</Subscript>·3H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O

The complex of Tb(TPTZ)Cl₃·3H₂O was synthesized by adding the ethyl alcohol solution of TbCl₃ (1 mmol) to the solution of 2,4,6-tris-(2-pyridyl)-s-triazine(TPTZ,1 mmol) with constant stirring. The solution which had been filtered was kept at the room temperature for 4 weeks, and then a kind of transparent crystal was formed. Besides, nine kinds of solid complexes in the different molar proportion of terbium to gadolinium had been synthesized by adopting the similar method mentioned above. It was inferred from the elemental analysis and rare earth complexometry that the composition of these complexes is (Tb_xGd_y)(TPTZ)Cl₃·3H₂O (x : y = 0.9 : 0.1, 0.8 : 0.2, 0.7 : 0.3, 0.6 : 0.4, 0.5 : 0.5, 0.4 : 0.6, 0.3 : 0.7, 0.2 : 0.8, 0.1 : 0.9). The absorption spectra and photoluminescence of the complexes were determined in dimethylsulfoxide (DMF), which showed that the excitation of the complexes is mostly ligand based. The triplet state energy level of TPTZ was measured, indicating that the lowest excitation state energy level of Tb(III) and the triplet state energy level of TPTZ match well each other. The fluorescent data indicated that the fluorescent emission intensity of Tb³⁺ ions would be enhanced in the complexes after terbium was doped with Gd³⁺ ion. When x : y was 0.5 : 0.5, the fluorescent emission intensity was the largest. The result obtained by testing the X-ray diffraction of the monocrystal revealed that the molecular formula of the mono-crystal complex is [Tb(TPTZ)(H₂O)₆]Cl₃·3H₂O. The number of metal ion coordinates is nine, and the tridentate TPTZ and six water molecules are bonded with terbium respectively. Besides, it also revealed that the monocrystal belongs to the monoclinic system, and space group Cc with the following unit cell parameters is a = 1.4785 (3) nm, b = 1.0547 (2) nm, c = 1.7385 (4) nm, β = 94.42 (3)°, V = 2.7028 (9) nm³ and Z = 4.     

Preparation and properties of alumina composites modified by electric field-induced alignment of carbon nanotubes

Catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) are treated with HF and deionized water and are then placed into alumina ceramics for improvement of both electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. In particular, an alternating current (ac) electric field is applied during the coagulation of the alumina slurries to induce the formation of aligned MWNT networks in the alumina matrix. The coagulated alumina matrix composite bases filled with 2 wt. % ac electric field-induced aligned MWNTs, are then sintered by hot pressing. The electrical conductivities of the prepared composites in directions both parallel and perpendicular to the MWNTs alignment, reach values of 6.2×10^-2 S m^-1 and 6.8×10^-9 S m^-1, respectively, compared with that of 4.5×10^-15 S m^-1 for pristine alumina ceramics. The fracture toughness and flexing strengths of the prepared composites in the two directions are 4.66±0.66 MPa m^0.5, 390±70 MPa, and 3.65±0.46 MPa m^0.5, 191±5 MPa, respectively, compared with 3.78±0.66 MPa m^0.5 and 302±50 MPa for pristine alumina, 4.09±0.15 MPa m^0.5 and 334±60 MPa for alumina filled with 2 wt. % MWNTs prepared without the effect of an electric field, respectively. The results indicate that the electric field leads to anisotropic behaviour. The properties of the composites along the direction of the MWNTs alignment are much improved with the addition of a small amount of CVD grown MWNTs. PACS 61.46.Fg; 61.66.Fn     

Fitting Cosmological Data to the Function <Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis>) from GR Theory: Modified Chaplygin Gas

In the Friedmann cosmology, the deceleration of the expansion q plays a fundamental role. We derive the deceleration as a function of redshift q(z) in two scenarios: ΛCDM model and modified Chaplygin gas (MCG) model. The function for the MCG model is then fitted to the cosmological data in order to obtain the cosmological parameters that minimize χ ². We use the Fisher matrix to construct the covariance matrix of our parameters and reconstruct the q(z) function. We use Supernovae Ia, WMAP5, and BAO measurements to obtain the observational constraints. We determined the present acceleration as q ₀ = − 0.65 ±0.19 for the MCG model using the Union2 dataset of SNeIa, BAO, and CMB and q ₀ = − 0.67 ±0.17 for the Constitution dataset, BAO and CMB. The transition redshift from deceleration to acceleration was found to be around 0.80 for both datasets. We have also determined the dark energy parameter for the MCG model: Ω _X0 = 0.81 ±0.03 for the Union2 dataset and Ω _X0 = 0.83 ±0.03 using the Constitution dataset.     

Laser-induced fluorescence study of a xenon Hall thruster

2 ⁰→6p[3/2]₂(³P₂-¹D₂) transition at 823.2 nm and the xenon-ion 5d[3]_7/2→6p[2]_5/2 ⁰(⁴D_7/2-⁴P_5/2) transition is used to measure plasma parameters in the plume of a laboratory-model xenon Hall thruster. The Hall discharge operates nominally at 62 V, 4.2 A, and 3.2 mg s^-1 xenon flow, with an overall thruster power of 320 W. A tunable semiconductor diode laser and an Ar⁺-pumped dye laser are used to probe the respective excited-state transitions. Axial velocity measurements are made at a number of axial and radial locations up to 4.5 cm downstream of the thruster-exit plane and under a variety of thruster operating conditions. Neutral velocities from 100 m s^-1 to 400 m s^-1 and ion velocities as high as 12 km s^-1 are calculated from measured Doppler shifts. The charge-exchange phenomenon evidently does not significantly affect the xenon neutrals. The spectral-line shapes of the ion indicate a spread in ion energies through a non-Maxwellian distribution of axial velocities. Neutral kinetic temperatures of 500 (±200) K are observed under standard operating conditions. Zeeman and Stark effects on the spectral-line shapes, from the thruster’s magnetic and electric fields, are not substantial. The measured line center of the ion transition is 16521.23 (±0.02) cm^-1. Received: 20 January 1997/Revised version: 12 May 1997     

125Te NMR chemical-shift trends in PbTe–GeTe and PbTe–SnTe alloys

Complex tellurides, such as doped PbTe, GeTe, and their alloys, are among the best thermoelectric materials. Knowledge of the change in ¹²⁵Te NMR chemical shift due to bonding to dopant or “solute” atoms is useful for determination of phase composition, peak assignment, and analysis of local bonding. We have measured the ¹²⁵Te NMR chemical shifts in PbTe-based alloys, Pb_1−xGe_xTe and Pb_1−xSn_xTe, which have a rocksalt-like structure, and analyzed their trends. For low x, several peaks are resolved in the 22-kHz MAS ¹²⁵Te NMR spectra. A simple linear trend in chemical shifts with the number of Pb neighbors is observed. No evidence of a proposed ferroelectric displacement of Ge atoms in a cubic PbTe matrix is detected at low Ge concentrations. The observed chemical shift trends are compared with the results of DFT calculations, which confirm the linear dependence on the composition of the first-neighbor shell. The data enable determination of the composition of various phases in multiphase telluride materials. They also provide estimates of the ¹²⁵Te chemical shifts of GeTe and SnTe (+970 and +400±150 ppm, respectively, from PbTe), which are otherwise difficult to access due to Knight shifts of many hundreds of ppm in neat GeTe and SnTe.     

Three-body decay of a rubidium Bose–Einstein condensate

We have measured the three-body decay of a Bose–Einstein condensate of rubidium (⁸⁷Rb) atoms prepared in the doubly polarized ground state F=m _F =2. Our data are taken for a peak atomic density in the condensate varying between 2×10¹⁴ cm^-3 at initial time and 7×10¹³ cm^-3, 16 s later. Taking into account the influence of the uncondensed atoms on the decay of the condensate, we deduce a rate constant for condensed atoms L=1.8 (±0.5) ×10^-29 cm⁶ s^-1. For these densities we did not find a significant contribution of two-body processes such as spin dipole relaxation. Received: 24 November 1998 / Revised version: 26 June 1999 / Published online: 8 September 1999     

Photoluminescence and EPR studies on gamma irradiated Ce doped potassium halide single crystals

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance(EPR), Photoluminescence(PL), Thermoluminescence (TL) and other optical studies of γ-irradiated KBr, KCl:Ce³⁺ single crystals. Cerium when doped into the KBr, KCl is found to enter the host lattice in its trivalent state and act as electron trap during γ-irradiation, thereby partially converting itself to Ce²⁺. The Photoluminescence(PL) spectra of both KCl and KBr crystals doped with Ce exhibit the strong blue emissions of Ce corresponding to ⁵d(²D)→²F_5/2 and ⁵d(²D)→²F_7/2 transitions. The defect centers formed in the Ce³⁺ doped KBr and KCl. Crystals are studied using the technique of EPR. A dominant TL glow peak at 374, 422 K and KCl:Ce³⁺ at 466, 475 K is observed in the crystal. EPR studies indicate the presence at two centers at room temperature. Spectral distribution under the thermoluminescence emission(TLE) and optically stimulated emission(OSL) support the idea that defect annihilation process to be due to thermal release of F electron in KBr, KCl:Ce³⁺ crystals. Both Ce³⁺ and Ce²⁺ emissions were observed in the thermoluminescence emission of the crystals.