Mössbauer effect study of Y(Fe0.022 Co0.978)2 at temperatures between 0.15 and 4.2k

A³He-⁴He dilution refrigerator was constructed to perform Mössbauer measurements well below 4.2K. Results are reported here on the pseudobinary Laves-Phase system Y (Fe_1-x Co_x)₂ for x=0.978. We found that at low temperatures, the Fe ions undergo a disordered magnetic phase transition, with a Curie temperature of approximately 4K and a saturation field of 96K0e. The easy axis of magnetization appears to be the [111] direction. This study is an extension to very low temperatures of previous work on the system with 0X0.978.Supported by the NSF Grant No. DMR 73-07665 AO 3     

Phase transitions in [Ni(NH3)6](NO3)2

Electric permittivity ^* = ′ − i″ of nickel-hexammino nitrate (NHN) has been measured within the range of temperature from 9 to 300 K at a frequency of 8.8 GHz (X-band). It has been found that the phase transitions at T_k1 = 247 K and T_k2 = 90 K are discontinuous structural transitions between centrosymmetric phases, whereas the transition at T_c = 63 K is a continuous phase transition (glass?).     

Ambient-pressure superconductivity at 8 K in the organic conductor β-(BEDT-TTF)2I3

We report that the superconductivity with the onset temperature as high as 8 K in the organic conductor of β-(BEDT-TTF)₂I₃, which was achieved by an application of a soft pressure, i.e. 1.3 kb, remains stable with even higher transition temperature after a subsequent release of pressure to the ambient pressure. Correspondingly, higher values of the upper critical field, H_c2, are observed. (H_c2 > 20 k0e at 2 K along the c¹-axis.)     

Mössbauer effect studies of Sm(Rh1−xFex)3B2, x=0.005

Sm(Rh_1–xFe_x)₃B₂ compound (x=0.005) was studied by⁵⁷Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy as a function of temperature. The Fe doped compound has high temperature magnetic transition T_c ^*580 K in addition to the transition at T_c90 K exhibited by the pure SmRh₃B₂ compound. For Tc ^* the spectrum comprises of a quadrupole doublet along with magnetic splitting which merges into a single quadrupole doublet above T_c ^*. The results indicate that Fe induces a large polarization in the Rh-4d band due to the enhanced density of states at the Fermi level in the presence of the hybridized Sm 4f-electrons.     

Estimating gas temperature in the channel of a high-temperature jet discharge in air

Consideration is made of determining gas temperature in the channel of a high-frequency jet discharge in air over the intensity distribution of lines for the rotational spectrum band for the transition A² X²II (0-0) in the radiation of hydroxyl. It is shown that the branches R₂ and Q₁ of this band are the most useful for temperature measurements at atmospheric pressure. Within error limits, the temperature in the discharge channel as determined from the lines of the R₂-branch is T_gas = (3120 ± 70) and (3380 ± 90) K in the cross sections of the discharge at a distance of 3 and 30 mm, respectively.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 3–7, February, 1987.     

Changes of valence state of Yb in YbCuAl at high pressure: A Mössbauer study

The 84.3 keV Mössbauer transition in¹⁷⁰Yb was used to investigate the intermediate valent intermetallic compound YbCuAl at pressures up to 130 kbar and in the temperature range between 1.6 K and 77 K. The electric quadrupole interaction parameters |eQV _zz | and , as well as their temperature variation are drastically dependent on pressure: |eQV _zz | is at 4.2 K larger by almost a factor of three at 130 kbar when compared to ambient pressure. On the other hand, |eQV _zz | drops by more than a factor of two at 130 kbar when the temperature is raised from 1.6 K to 77 K. A much smaller temperature dependence of quadrupole coupling is present at ambient pressure. Both these effects give strong evidence for a valence transition towards the 4f ¹³ (Yb³⁺) configuration under applied pressure. At 4.2 K this transition is completed near 50 kbar. No magnetic order could be detected down to 1.6 K over the whole pressure range. Some line broadening is observed at high pressures and low temperatures which most probably is related to paramagnetic relaxation phenomena and supports the claim that the Yb ion is in a magnetic state under these conditions.Work supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Positron mobility in polyethylene in the 60–400 K temperature range

We have determined the positron mobility (₊) in polyethylene samples (67.2% crystalline, glass transition temperatureT _g=151 K) in the 64–400 K temperature range by Doppler shift measurements. A method based on the simulataneous observation of two lines from¹³³Ba and¹³⁷Cs radioactive sources together with the positron annihilation line, was employed to measure the Doppler shift of the 511 keV line as a function of the electric field applied to the samples. With this method we were able to measure at the same time the drift velocity of positrons and theS parameter. This parameter is very important in the interpretation of the mobility trend in samples where the positron states change with temperature. The positron mobility was corrected for positronium formation. ₊ at 64 K is 31.7±0.8 cm² V^–1 s^–1 then decreases up to 123 K, increases at 148 K and decreases again up to 170 K (₊=26.9±0.8 cm² V^–s^–). This sharp change in mobility is centred around the glass transition temperature of our samples. Then the mobility remains almost constant up to 230 K. From 250 K to 377 K, ₊ increases and reaches the value of 38.4±1.0 cm² V^–1s^–1. The corrected experimental data were well fitted by a simple model taking into account scattering and a thermally activated process (hopping mechanism).     

The pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature of LaT4P12(T = Fe,Ru, Os)

The superconducting transition temperature, T_c, of the LaT₄P₁₂ compounds with T = Fe, Ru, or Os has been measured under hydrostatic pressure P up to 1.8 GPa. The T = Fe compound exhibits a substantial increase of T_c from T_c (P = 0) = 4.1 K at a rate (dT_c/dP)_P=0= +7.2 x 10^-1 K/GPa. In contrast, the Ru and Os compounds exhibit only weak decreases of T_c from T_c (P = 0) = 7.2 K and 1.8 K with (dT_c/dP)_P=0= -1.6 x 10^-1 K/GPa and -9.5 x 10^-2 K/GPa, respectively. An analysis of this strikingly divergent behavior of T_c(P) in terms of the structural characteristics of the RT₄X₁₂ class of compounds where R = rare earth element, T = Fe, Ru, or Os, and X = P, As, or Sb suggests that T_c(P) for these materials consists of two competing contributions: a depression of T_c due to the compression of the lattice (i.e., decrease in volume), and an enhancement of T_c due to the effect of pressure on La itself.     

Temperature dependence of the tunable luminescence of GaAs doping superlattices

Doping superlattices show tunable optical and electrical properties due to the space charge induced separation of photoexcited or electrically injected carriers. We have investigated the tunable luminescence in GaAs doping superlattices of doping levels n=1×10¹⁸cm⁻³ and n=4×10 ¹⁸cm⁻³ as function of excitation density and sample temperature. The temperature dependence of the tunability was investigated in the range between 4 and 700K, and we found the critical transition temperatures T₀ at 90 and 460K for the low and high doped samples, respectively. The results verify the theoretical prediction concerning the transition temperature at which the luminescence changes from full to zero tunability.     

The effect of magnetic structures on the electrical resistivity of thulium

The influence of the magnetic structures in thulium with the residual resistance ratio (RRR) of 140 on the electrical resistivity was determined from 4·2 K up to 70 K. The measurements indicated the Néel temperatureT _N = 57.5 K and the Curie temperature T_C = 32 K. Furthermore, a new transition was found at T_H = 49 K which did not appear in the neutron diffraction measurements.Dedicated to Dr. Svatopluk Krupika on the occasion of his 65th birthday.We would like to express our thanks to V. Sojeková and H. Bobulská for their assistance in the measurements.     

Magnetic properties of incommensurate antiferromagnet β-KMnCl3

Magnetic properties of orthorhombic incommensurate antiferromagnet β-KMnCl₃ have been studied as a function of temperature down to 0,5K and in magnetic fields up to 70 k0e. The exchange parameters were estimated with molecular-field theory. Magnetic field behaviour of β-KMnCl₃ is in accordance with change of magnetic structure from helical into fan structure and then into induced ferromagnetic state. The Neel temperature decreases with increase magnetic field overage 0,05K on 1 k0e.     

Pressure and temperature induced modification of luminescence from tetracene single crystals

Fluorescence spectra of crystalline tetracene have been recorded in the temperature range 120 to 300 K under hydrostatic pressure up to 600 MPa. From discontinuities in both emission spectra and spectral intensities it is concluded that two phase transitions occur. The room temperature phase is transformed to a low temperature phase/high pressure phase I at T^I_t (p = 0) = 182 K, the temperature coefficient being dT^I_t/dp = 0.395 K/MPa. The phase transition is induced by a decrease of the specific volume under pressure and/or upon cooling. Lack of a significant shift of the origin of the fluorescence band near T^I_t at constant pressure is an artifact resulting from the neglect of reabsorption effects. The Stokes shift is 260 cm^-1, independent of temperature and crystal modification. In accord with previous Raman data a second phase transition occurs at T^II_t (p) = 143 K, the pressure shift being dT^II_t/dp = 0.088 K/MPa.In addition, the shift of the triplet energy as a function of pressure as well as the pressure-dependence of the rate constants governing fission of a singlet exciton into a pair of triplets is discussed utilizing their magnetic field dependences.     

Diffusion and compressibility of sodium on the (110) plane of tungsten

The surface diffusion parameters and the compressibility of sodium on the (110) plane of tungsten have been measured using the field emission fluctuation method for sodium coverages from 0.2 to 3 × 10¹⁴ atoms cm^?2 and for temperatures from 170 to 500 K. Two temperature regimes can be defined. In the high temperature regime (? 300 K) the diffusion is essentially normal with an activation energy ranging from 0.28 to 0.58 eV and a preexponential coefficient D₀ from 10^?8.1 to 10^?2.7 cm² s^?1. In this regime the compressibility increases with temperature indicating an effective repulsive adatoms interaction. In the low temperature regime (? 300 K) the diffusion coefficient decreases with temperature at high coverage and slowly increases with temperature at lower coverage. The transition between both regimes appears on the compressibility versus temperature curve as an inflection point. The comparison of the present results with slow electron diffraction results furnishes strong evidence that the observed transition corresponds to a continuous short-range order-disorder transition.     

Low temperature self-ion irradiation of pure and granular aluminium-films

Al-films, evaporated at room temperature under different oxygen partial pressures, were irradiated with self-ions (500 keV, Al⁺⁺) at low temperature (<7 K). The observed increase of the resistivity and of the superconducting transition temperatureT _c depends strongly on the oxygen contentc ₀ present in the layers. A qualitative different behaviour of the above quantities was found for different fluence ranges of the bombarding ions. For high fluences in all cases an oxygen stabilized disorder state was obtained with correspondingT _c-increases betweenT _c=0.2 K for the purest films (c ₀0.5 at %) andT _c =1.2 K for films with c ₀=40 at %. The annealing behaviour of the irradiated films is also dependent on the oxygen contentc ₀.     

Anomalous elastic behaviour of monoclinic potassium hydrogen carbonate,KHCO3, in the vicinity of the phase transition at 318 K

The elastic constants of monoclinic KHCO₃ have been determined from resonance frequencies of thick plates at ca. 15 MHz in the range between 250 and 370 K. A strong elastic anisotropy is present with a maximum of the longitudinal stiffness near the direction of the hydrogen bonds within the (HCO₃)^2-₂ dimers. The shear stiffness c₆₆ related to transversal waves propagating along the twofold axis [0 1 0]′ and [1 0 0]′ with displacement vectors nearly parallel to [1 0 0]′ and [0 1 0]′, respectively, shows a drastic softening approaching 318 K from below and from above, indicating a ferroelastic transition. All other elastic constants behave normally except in the close vicinity of the transition temperature where in some cases a small discontinuity is visible. The components of the thermal expansion tensor undergo a discontinuous change at the transition. The pressure derivative of the transition temperature is 2.3 K kbar^-1. A comparison with alkali cyanides and KH₂PO₄ reveals that the interactions driving the transition are rather originating from order-disorder processes of protons as in KH₂PO₄ than from an orientational molecular disorder as in alkali cyanides.     

Temperature dependence of thermoelectric properties of Ni-doped CoSb3

Temperature dependences of the Hall coefficient, Hall mobility and thermoelectric properties of Ni-doped CoSb₃ have been characterized over the temperature range from 20 to 773 K. Ni-doped CoSb₃ is an n-type semiconductor and the conduction type changes from n-type to p-type at around 450 K. The temperature for the transition from n-type to p-type increased with increasing Ni content x. The Seebeck coefficient reaches a maximum value near the transition temperature. The electrical resistivity indicates that Co_1−xNi_xSb₃ is a typical semiconductor when x≤0.03 and a degenerate semiconductor when x>0.03. Thermal conductivity analyses show that the lattice component is predominant at lower temperatures and carrier and bipolar components become large at temperatures higher than the transition temperature. The thermoelectric figure of merit reaches a maximum value close to the transition temperature and the largest value, 4.67×10⁻⁴ K⁻¹ at 600 K, was obtained for x=0.05.     

Anomalies of the refractive index and the optical energy gap of ferroelectric Pb1−x Ge x Te

The refractive index and the optical energy gap of Pb_1–x Ge _x Te (0x0.11) have been determined from transmission- and reflectivity measurements in the temperature range from 4.2 K to 300 K. At the ferroelectric phase transition a change of the temperature coefficient of both quantities is observed. A two bandk·p model calculation demonstrates a correlation of the optical energy gap with the high frequency dielectric constant. For higher values ofx (x=0.09) a splitting of absorption edge and birefringence have been observed.     

Near-infrared diode laser absorption sensor for rapid measurements of temperature and water vapor in a shock tube

A fast-response (100 kHz) tunable diode laser absorption sensor is developed for measurements of temperature and H₂O concentration in shock tubes, e.g. for studies of combustion chemistry. Gas temperature is determined from the ratio of fixed-wavelength laser absorption of two H₂O transitions near 7185.60 cm^-1 and 7154.35 cm^-1, which are selected using design rules for the target temperature range of 1000–2000 K and pressure range of 1–2 atm. Wavelength modulation spectroscopy is employed with second-harmonic detection (WMS-2f) to improve the sensor sensitivity and accuracy. Normalization of the second-harmonic signal by the first-harmonic signal is used to remove the need for calibration and minimize interference from emission, scattering, beam steering, and window fouling. The laser modulation depth for each H₂O transition is optimized to maximize the WMS-2f signal for the target test conditions. The WMS-2f sensor is first validated in mixtures of H₂O and Ar in a heated cell for the temperature range of 500–1200 K (P=1 atm), yielding an accuracy of 1.9% for temperature and 1.4% for H₂O concentration measurements. Shock wave tests with non-reactive H₂O–Ar mixtures are then conducted to demonstrate the sensor accuracy (1.5% for temperature and 1.4% for H₂O concentration) and response time at higher temperatures (1200–1700 K, P=1.3–1.6 atm). PACS 42.62.Fi; 42.55.Px; 42.60.Fc; 07.35.+k     

Intergranular Melting of Ultrafine Grained Nd2Fe14B Studied by Means of Radiotracer Diffusion

Grain-boundary (Gb) diffusion was studied in ultrafine grained Nd₂Fe₁₄B-based permanent magnets below and above the melting transition of the Nd-enriched intergranular phase using the radiotracer technique with the isotope ⁵⁹Fe. The product D _Gb of interface diffusion coefficient and interface thickness shows a substantial increase above the intergranular melting transition. Assuming a volume self-diffusivity as in -Fe, an analysis in the framework of grain-boundary diffusion kinetic of type B yields an Arrhenius-type behaviour D _Gb = 1.53 × 10^–11 exp(–1.74 eV/kT) m³ s^–1 below the intergranular melting transition. Similar values D _Gb are observed for ultrafine grained Nd-Fe-B with reduced Nd excess in the grain boundaries. The diffusion characteristics are compared with the kinetics of the hot-deformation which is of technical relevance for the processing of high-performance permanent magnets.