Examining the fragmentation of 158 A GeV lead ions on copper target: Charge-changing cross sections

A stack of plastic CR-39 Track Detectors were exposed to 158 A GeV ²⁰⁷Pb ions at the CERN-SPS beam facility. The exposure of stack was performed at normal incidence with a fluence of about $1500\mathrm{ions}/{\mathrm{cm}}^2$. The total number of lead ions in each spill was about $7.8\times {10}^4$ with eight spills on each stack. For the stack with the Cu target, the lengths of etched cones on one face of the CR-39 detectors (before and after the target) were measured. Using these measurements and charge identification methodology in CR-39 track detectors, total and partial charge changing cross sections of 158 A GeV ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{82+}$ ions on Cu and CR-39 targets are determined in the charge region $63⩽Z⩽82$. The possibilities of presence and absence of odd–even effect in measured partial charge changing cross sections of 158 A GeV Pb ions for Cu and CR-39 targets are described. The charge resolution $({\sigma }_Z)$ achieved in the present experiment is $\sim 0.18\mathrm{e}$–0.21e. The analysis of discrepancies between our experimental results and other published results for the identical reaction is also presented.     

Origin of TSL peaks located at 200–250 K in UV-irradiated PbWO4 crystals

Thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) was studied for many ${\mathrm{PbWO}}_4$ crystals after their selective irradiation at 80–220 K in the 3.4–5.0 eV energy range to clarify the origin of the defects responsible for the TSL peaks located in the 200–250 K range. The conclusion is made that both in ${\mathrm{PbWO}}_4$ and ${\mathrm{PbWO}}_4$:$\mathrm{Mo}$ crystals the total TSL intensity and the intensity ratio of various TSL peaks are mainly determined by the concentration and type of oxygen and lead vacancies which depend on the crystal preparation and annealing conditions and on the concentration of trivalent rare-earth impurity ions. The TSL peak near 200 K is ascribed to $\{{\mathrm{Pb}}^{+}–{\mathrm{WO}}_3\}$ centers and the peak in the 210–230 K range, to the electron centers, containing oxygen vacancies of the type of ${\mathrm{WO}}_2$ and WO. Only the 250 K peak arises from electron ${\mathrm{MoO}}_4^{3-}$ centers. Thermally stimulated processes are accompanied with the green G(II) emission.     

Orientation relationship between α-Fe precipitate and α-Al2O3 matrix in iron-implanted sapphire

Fe ions were implanted into α-Al₂O₃ single crystals (sapphire) at room temperature and annealed in a reducing atmosphere. The orientation relationships (ORs) between α-Fe particles and sapphire matrix were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All the α-Fe particles have the orientation relationship (OR) of (1 1 1)_α-Fe || (0 0 0 1)_sapphire and ${[1\overline{1}0]}_{\alpha \text{-Fe}}\left|\right|{[11\overline{2}0]}_{\text{sapphire}}$ with sapphire. This OR is predicted precisely by the coincidence of reciprocal lattice points (CRLP) method. The other OR of (1 1 0)_α-Fe || (0 0 0 1)_sapphire and ${[111]}_{\alpha \text{-Fe}}\left|\right|{[5\overline{1}\overline{4}0]}_{\text{sapphire}}$ reported before is confirmed by the same method to be one of the secondary preferred orientation relationships in the α-Fe/sapphire system.     

Fast intrinsic emission in Cs2CdI4 single crystal

The spectral-luminescent studies of the ${\mathrm{Cs}}_2{\mathrm{CdI}}_4$ single crystals are reported. The fast luminescence in the 3.6–2.0 eV energy range with decay time $\tau =4.6\mathrm{ns}$ was revealed in the crystal under high-energy excitation $(E_{\mathrm{exc}}>8\mathrm{eV})$ at 9 K. This luminescence is supposed to be caused by the hole transitions between subbands of the split valence band. The energy-band picture for ${\mathrm{Cs}}_2{\mathrm{CdI}}_4$ crystals was calculated as a proof of the luminescence model.     

The recombination channels of luminescence excitation in YAG:Yb single crystalline films

Absorption and emission spectra, luminescence decay kinetics and thermostimulated luminescence of X-ray irradiated YAG:Yb single crystalline films were studied. Two emission bands peaked at 420 and 488 nm have been detected in the investigated films. The strong thermal quenching of luminescence band at 488 nm was observed above 160 K. The influence of growth conditions and annealing in air on the lifetime of ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ ion excited state in the IR spectral region have been revealed. The recombination mechanisms of the $f–f$ transition at ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ ion excitation, as well as the mechanism of lifetime shortening for the excited ${\mathrm{Yb}}^{3+}$ luminescence have been discussed.     

YbNi2: A heavy fermion ferromagnet

Measurements of the magnetization and specific heat of YbNi₂ binary alloy are reported. The DC magnetic susceptibility displays a ferromagnetic behavior with a Curie temperature T_C=10.5 K, one of the highest found in Yb compounds. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the specific heat exhibits a lambda anomaly with a peak of 5.12 J/mol K at 9.4 K. The analysis also shows an additional magnetic contribution around 32 K stemming from the crystalline electric field of a quartet at ${\Delta }_1=72\mathrm{K}$ and a doublet at ${\Delta }_2=126\mathrm{K}$, according to the splitting of the Yb³⁺ ion in cubic symmetry. From the magnetic contribution to the specific heat, a relatively high Kondo temperature $T_K=27\mathrm{K}$ is estimated. Below the magnetic transition, the specific heat shows a huge value of the electronic coefficient ${\gamma }_{\mathit{LT}}=573\mathrm{mJ}/\mathrm{mol}\mathrm{K}$, which is a signature of a heavy fermion behavior. Therefore, this alloy is a fine example of enhanced ferromagnetism and heavy fermion behavior among Yb compounds.     

Disorder dependence electron phonon scattering rate of V82Pd18 − xFex alloys at low temperature

We have systematically investigated the disorder dependence electron phonon scattering rate in three dimensional disordered V₈₂Pd_18 ? xFe_x alloys. A minimum in temperature dependence resistivity curve has been observed at low temperature $T=T_{\mathrm{m}}$. In the temperature range $5\text{ K}\le T\le T_{\mathrm{m}}$ the resistivity correction follows ${{\rho }_{\mathrm{o}}}^{5/2}{T}^{1/2}$ law. The dephasing scattering time has been calculated from analysis of magnetoresistivity by weak localization theory. The electron dephasing time is dominated by electron–phonon scattering and follows anomalous temperature (T) and disorder $({\rho }_0)$ dependence behaviour like ${\tau }_{\mathrm{e}\text{-}\mathrm{ph}}^{?1}\propto T^2/{\rho }_0$, where ${\rho }_0$ is the impurity resistivity. The magnitude of the saturated dephasing scattering time $({\tau }_0)$ at zero temperature decreases with increasing disorder of the samples. Such anomalous behaviour of dephasing scattering rate is still unresolved.