NMR investigations of dynamical processes in orientationally ordered and disordered NaCN,RbCN and CsCN

The nuclear spin lattice relaxation timeT ₁ of the²³Na,⁸⁵Rb,⁸⁷Rb,¹³³Cs,¹⁴N nuclei is measured in NaCN, RbCN and CsCN as a function of temperature below and above the ferroelastic phase transition temperatureT _c. BelowT _c the behaviour ofT ₁ of the alkali nuclei renders possible to determine the flip frequency of the CN molecules and its temperature dependence. AboveT _c from the¹⁴NT ₁ the correlation time τ_c of the rotational motions of the CN molecules and its temperature dependence is determined. An empirical rule is verified demonstrating that atT _c the correlation times take nearly the same values for all cyanides. For the high and low temperature phases one obtains atT _c about τ_c=5·10^?13s and τ_c=5·10^?11s, respectively. The results are discussed with respect to the mechanism of the phase transition.     

Impurity spin dynamics in the classical Kondo system Cu: Fe. NMR relaxation of impurity neighbour nuclei

The correlation time τ_i of the impurity electronic spin in the Kondo system Cu:Fe has been measured over the temperature range 4.2 K?T?300 K (T_K=27.6 K) by means of NMR relaxation of impurity neighbour nuclei. τ_i being in the sub-picosecond region varies with temperatures as predicted by the model calculation of Götze and Schlottmann.     

Relaxation mechanism in γ-ray-irradiated L-alanine studied by transfer saturation EPR and pulse EPR

Stable paramagnetic centers in γ-ray-irradiated L-alanine dosimeters exhibit a maximum in relaxation rate in the vicinity of 190 K. The mechanism of this relaxation rate has been investigated on the first stable alanine radical center, SARI, by employing continuous-wave transfer saturation electron paramagnetic resonance and pulse electron paramagnetic resonance techniques. The detected in-phase and out-of-phase spectra as well as phase memory times,T _M, indicate that besides the well-known τ_p of the CH₃ group of SAR1 an additional correlation time, τ_l (ΔElk=2689±50 K and 0 τ₁₀ = 0.15 ± 0.03 ps), is involved in the transverse relaxation process and effects the SAR1 center. For the SAR1 center this mechanism originates from the hindered motion of undamaged CH₃ and NH ₃ ⁺ groups in the lattice. The motion of these groups additionally effects the spectrum of the SAR1 center through averaging out of the anisotropic splitting.     

Paramagnetische Relaxation von CeCl3

The paramagnetic relaxation in CeCl₃ was investigated in the temperature interval between 1.07°K and 4.21°K using a mutual inductance bridge at frequencies between 3 Hz and 3200 Hz. The dependence of the complex susceptibility on temperature below theλ point is given by a Debye function. Above this temperature, however, deviations occur. The temperature dependence of the relaxation time forT<T _λ can be described byτ～T ^?n where 1.82≦n≦2.35 for 470 Oe≦H≦3360 Oe. At the highest temperatures Orbach Processes occur over the first excited crystal field component which according to these measurements lies atE _II=k(56±10)°K. In the entire temperature range the relaxation processes are determined by further relaxation mechanisms in addition to the spin lattice relaxation. The nature of these could not, however, be determined.     

Magnetoelectric effect in samarium molybdate

This paper reports on the nonlinear magnetoelectric effect (MEE) in the orthorhombic ferroelectric ferroelastic β′ phase of samarium molybdate Sm₂(MoO₄)₃ observed in magnetic fields up to 20 T and temperatures from 4.4 to 0.43 K. The magnetic-field-induced electric polarization in Sm₂(MoO₄)₃ is an order of magnitude larger than that in isomorphic Gd₂(MoO₄)₃. This provides support for the magnetostriction mechanism proposed by us for the MEE in rare-earth molybdates. The polarization in Sm₂(MoO₄)₃ was found to fall off with time. The relaxation time constant τ increases with decreasing temperature from τ=10² s at T=4.4 K to τ≈10³ s at T=0.43 K.     

Dielectric dispersion in d-ADP

Complex electric permittivity in paraelectric phase close to T_c of d-ADP over the frequency range 0.8–38 GHz has been measured. Molecular relaxation time τ₀ at 239 K equals to 2.2 or 4.0 ps depending on the internal field model and is very close to that found for d-KDP.     

Multicomponent Rayleigh scattering from guanidine hydrochloride solutions

We present results of Brillouin light scattering studies of lysozyme and guanidine hydrochloride solutions in the temperature range 290–350 K. The Brillouin spectra of 6 M guanidine hydrochloride have been found to contain an additional component in Rayleigh scattering that manifests itself as a broad quasi‐elastic scattering line centered at the unshifted frequency and described by a Lorentz function (i.e. a Debye relaxor with relaxation time τ₁ ~ 25 ps at room temperature). The temperature dependence of τ₁ is described by the Arrhenius law with activation energy E_a = 0.11 ± 0.01 eV and prefactor τ₀= 0.33 ± 0.03 ps. The Brillouin spectra of lysozyme denatured by 6 M guanidine hydrochloride exhibit a more complicated structure of the additional contribution into Rayleigh scattering, which is fitted best of all by a sum of two Lorentzians centered at the unshifted frequency (with relaxation times τ₁ ~ 19 ps and τ₂ ~ 180 ps at 339 K). Possible origins of the quasi‐elastic scattering are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

NMR spin lattice relaxation in dilute CuFe alloys with impurity interactions

Previous measurements by Wilkening and Hesse have shown, that the excess relaxation rate ΔT^-1₁ of the matrix nuclei in $\text{CuF}$e dilute alloys can be explained in terms of the LD-model with rapid spin diffusion. Measurements reported in this paper confirm the existence of an electric quadrupole diffusion barrier. It could be shown that the influence of the quadrupole barrier is coupled to large clusters within the alloy. The electron spin lattice relaxation time τ₁ behaves temperature independent in the range 30 K ? T ? 300 K. This can be understood if an effective correlation time τ is introduced, which results from a distrubution of temperature dependent times τ^cl(T) belonging to clusters of different size.     

Magnetic relaxation spectra of YbPd2Si2

We present the results of inelastic neutron scattering experiments on the intermediate-valent system YbPd₂Si₂ to investigate the magnetic relaxation behaviour. We have performed measurements on polycrystalline samples with neutrons of incident energyE ₀=3.1 meV at temperatures between 1.5 K and 250 K, and withE ₀=12.7 meV andE ₀=50.8 meV at temperatures between 5 K and 50 K using time-of-flight spectrometers. At temperaturesT>50 K we find a pure quasielastic magnetic response with a rather broad linewidth typical for intermediate-valent systems. AtT50 K an inelastic excitation line appears at about 21 meV; its intensity increases with decreasing temperature. In the same temperature range (T<50 K) the quasielastic linewidth decreases rapidly and atT=5 K the quasielastic response has been apparently transformed to a second inelastic feature at about 4.7 meV. The width of this low-energy excitation fits well to the temperature dependence of the quasielastic linewidth forT>5 K.     

Energy relaxation of electrons in the (100) n-channel of a Si-MOSFET: II. Surface phonon treatment

The electron energy relaxation is investigated as a function of the “electron temperature” T_e in the n-channel of a (100) surface silicon MOSFET device by inspecting the phenomenological energy relaxation time τ_ε(T_e). τ_ε is determined theoretically and compared to experimental results in order to identify the energy relaxation mechanism(s) present at the interface. Two dimensional electron transport is assumed. Single activation temperature (θ) Rayleigh wave scattering and acoustic Rayleigh wave scattering are studied as possible energy loss processes. The effects of electric subbanding near the surface are included. τ_ε is calculated for T_e ? 15 K in the electric quantum limit. We find that a single θ = 12.0 K Rayleigh phonon fits theory to experiment for a single electron inversion density (N_inv) case, but can not provide a fit simultaneously for more than one N_inv value. Theory and experiment disagree when Rayleigh wave acoustic scattering is assumed.     

Transient differential reflectivity of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases in the bilayered manganite La1.24Sr1.76Mn2O7

Photoinduced effects in a single crystal of bilayered manganites, La_2−2xSr_1+2xMn₂O₇ (x=0.38), were investigated in a wide range of temperatures by pump-probe measurement at a photon energy of 1.6 eV. In a ferromagnetic metallic state, significant enhancement of positive rise in differential reflectivity with a slow relaxing time of 100 ps was observed just below T_C=127 K, indicating that the reflectivity change with the slow relaxation time constant is induced by laser heating. We have also observed an unconventional fast relaxing component that has a time constant of the order of 10 ps. This fast relaxing component, whose absolute value has an asymmetric peak at T_C, is presumably due to short-range correlation of Jahn-Teller distortion.     

Fe2+ spin transition in [Fe(trz)(Htrz)2](BF4) as evidenced by a variable temperature EPR study

The EPR of Fe³⁺ ions has been used for the first time to evidence a low-spin (S=0) to high-spin (S=2) transition of Fe²⁺ ions in an octahedral ferrous complex [Fe(trz)(Htrz)₂](BF₄). The temperature dependence of the intensity of the Fe³⁺ EPR line atg=4.3 reveals a spin transition which occurs for the Fe²⁺ ions, with hysteresis. The transition temperatures areT _c↑=374 K in the warming mode andT _c↓=345 K in the cooling mode. The analysis of the EPR spectral data indicates the presence of a structural phase transition accompanying the spin transition.     

Temperaturabhängigkeit der Szintillationslichtausbeuten von p-Terphenyl-, Anthrazen- und Naphthalinkristallen bei Anregung mit α- und Β-Teilchen

The temperature dependence of the integral scintillation light yield of p-terphenyl, anthracene, and naphthalene single crystals excited byα- andΒ-particles was investigated betweenT=10 ?K andT=293 ?K. The variation of the scintillation anisotropy of p-terphenyl with temperature was measured as well. With decreasing temperature the scintillation light of anthracene and naphthalene is found to be emitted faster. The integral light yield of p-terphenyl shows a pronounced maximum atT=34 ?K which is caused by the delayed component only. The maximum is explained by triplet exciton trapping.     

Nucleon propagator at finite temperature

We study the nucleon propagator at finite temperature in the framework of finite energy QCD sum rules. We find that the nucleon mass is approximately constant over a wide range of temperature, increasing sharply near the critical temperature for deconfinementT _c . The coupling of the nucleon to quarks is a monotonically decreasing function ofT, vanishing atT=T _c .     

39K quadrupole coupling and spin-lattice relaxation in the high temperature phases in KLiSO4

³⁹K quadrupole perturbed nuclear magnetic resonance spectra show that in KLiSO₄ atT _c =743 K a phase transition from a room temperature hexagonal to a high temperature orthorhombic phase takes place. The high temperature phase is definitely not incommensurately modulated. The huge shortening of the³⁹K spin-lattice relaxation time on approachingT _c from below demonstrates that KLiSO₄ becomes a superionic conductor above 743 K. The self-diffusion coefficient of the Li-ions is estimated asD=10^–6 cm²/s at 780 K.     

Infrared spectroscopy of the intermediate-valence semiconductor YbB12

The dynamic conductivity and permittivity spectra of the intermediate-valence compound YbB₁₂ are measured in the frequency range (6–10⁴) cm^?1 (quantum energy 0.75 meV-1.24 eV) at temperatures of 5–300 K. Analysis of the spectral singularities associated with the response of free charge carriers has made it possible for the first time to determine the temperature dependences of their microscopic parameters, viz., concentration, effective mass, relaxation frequency and time, mobility, and plasma frequency. It is shown that the relaxation frequency decreases upon cooling from 300 K to the coherence temperature T ^* = 70 K for YbB₁₂, which is mainly associated with the phonon mechanism of scattering of charge carriers. For cooling below the coherence temperature T ^* = 70 K, the temperature dependence of the relaxation frequency for charge carriers of the Fermi-liquid type is found to be γ ～ γ₀ + T ², while their effective mass and relaxation time increase, respectively, to m ^*(20 K) = 34m ₀ (m ₀ is the free electron mass) and τ(20 K) = 4 × 10^?13 s, indicating the establishment of coherent scattering of carriers from localized magnetic moments of the f centers. At a temperature of T = 5 K, the conductivity spectrum contains an absorption line at a frequency of 22 cm^?1 (2.7 meV); the origin of this line can be associated with the exciton-polaron bound state. Since such a state was observed earlier in other intermediate-valence semiconductors (such as SmB₆, TmSe_1?x Te, and (Sm, Y)S), it is probably typical of this class of compounds.     

Dynamic phenomena in layer superconducting cuprate and organic metals

Dynamic electron spin resonance (ESR) and extended x-ray absorption edge fine structure (XAFS) measurements suggest that layered organic metals and cuprate superconductors behave similarly. The response to microwave radiation in a modulated external magnetic field indicates that: (i) triplet state, T * ESR is observed below T_c for both; (ii) the condensation of free spin doublet D to T* occurs above the transition temperature to superconductivity T_c (10 ± 1 K for the organic metal (BEDT-TTF)₃Ta₂F₁₁ and 92 to 12 K for YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ and its rare earth derivatives); (iii) antiferomagnetic (AF) resonance is detected above T_c for the organic metal. Here the exchange field between the aligned AF domains: J_AF(150 K) = 130.7 mT (153 mK) is greater than the exchange term J(150 K) ≈ 15 mT (20 mK) between free spins (S = 1/2) leading to T* states; the lifetime of AF domains τ_AF decreases below 150 K and resonance is not detected below 44 K (i.e. τ_AF < 10^-10 s) allowing a superconducting transition to appear below 10 K; (iv) the relaxation time τ₁ for the half field, triplet state ESR absorption increases fourfold near 10 K for the organic metal and, (v) the onset of superconductivity is detected in all superconductors by the appearance of an energy loss at exactly H=0 and, magnetization oscillations observed versus H below T_c when the samples are cooled in a non-zero field H. The spin-lattice relaxation time for the organic metal triplet state, half field ESR near 10 K is interpreted using the Gorter phenomenological relation τ₁ = C_H /α_H, C_H and α_H are respectively the heat capacity and the thermal contact coefficient to the lattice by the spin system, at constant field H . Complementary changes in x-ray edge widths near T_c are correlated to electron-phonon interactions.     

Energy relaxation of two-dimensional electrons in the quantum Hall effect regime

The mm-wave spectroscopy with high temporal resolution is used to measure the energy relaxation times τ_e of 2D electrons in GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures in magnetic fields B=0–4 T under quasi-equilibrium conditions at T=4.2 K. With increasing B, a considerable increase in τe from 0.9 to 25 ns is observed. For high B and low values of the filling factor ν, the energy relaxation rate τ _e ^?1 oscillates. The depth of these oscillations and the positions of maxima depend on the filling factor ν. For ν>5, the relaxation rate τ _e ^?1 is maximum when the Fermi level lies in the region of the localized states between the Landau levels. For lower values of ν, the relaxation rate is maximum at half-integer values of τ _e ^?1 when the Fermi level is coincident with the Landau level. The characteristic features of the dependence τ _e ^?1 (B) are explained by different contributions of the intralevel and interlevel electron-phonon transitions to the process of the energy relaxation of 2D electrons.     

Relaxation phenomena in electronic and lattice subsystems on iron surface during its ablation by ultrashort laser pulses

Single-shot ablative spallation and fragmentation thresholds, as well as corresponding ablative crater depths, were measured on the surface of iron using optical interferometry, for different ultrashort laser pulse widths in the range τ_las = 0.3–3.6 ps. The nonmonotonic dependence of these thresholds on τlas with the minimum near 1.2 ps (the characteristic electron-phonon relaxation time τ _ep ) represents transport and emission relaxation phenomena for nonthermalized and thermalized carriers, generated by sub- and picosecond laser pulses, respectively. Compared to rather slow spallative ablation, much faster—picosecond—fragmentation ablation of the iron surface through hydrodynamic expansion of its supercritical fluid ceased for τ_las > τ _ep as a result of evaporative cooling.