Single crystal study of the one dimensional Ca Co O compound: five stable configurations for the Ising triangular lattice

Single crystals of the one-dimensional phase Ca₃Co₂O₆ of several mm length have been grown. The magnetic study of such a crystal confirms the previous observations on polycrystalline samples: it consists of a triangular lattice of ferromagnetic [Co₂O₆] chains ( K) antiferromagnetically coupled ( K). The dynamic of these chains array, probed by AC susceptibility, is very slow as shown from the large shift of the freezing temperature from 12 K to 16.5 K as the excitation frequency increases by three orders of magnitude (10⁰ to 10³ Hz). The origin of this effect is believed to be the result of different arrangements with close energies for the chain ferromagnetic moments on the triangular lattice. Five stable magnetic configurations have been evidenced by the magnetization as a function of applied field curves registered at 2 K. Their relative magnetizations correspond to m =1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 3 where m =3 represents the ferromagnetic ordering of three chains on the same triangle, each chain having a m =1 magnetization. A magnetic phase diagram is finally proposed. Received 7 December 1999     

Optical measurements of the superconducting gap in MgB 2

Far-infrared reflectivity studies on the polycrystalline intermetallic compound MgB₂ with a superconducting transition temperature T _c = 39 K were performed at temperatures 20 K to 300 K. We observe a significant raise of the superconducting-to-normal state reflectivity ratio below 70 cm ^-1 , with a maximum at about 25-30 cm ^-1 , which gives a lower estimate of the superconducting gap of 2Δ(0) ≈ 3-4 meV. Received 7 March 2001 and Received in final form 18 April 2001     

Dielectric polarization in random media

The theory of dielectric polarization in random media is systematically formulated in terms of response kernels. The primary response kernel K(12) governs the mean dielectric response at the pointr ₁ to the external electric field at the pointr ₂ in an infinite system. The inverse of K(12) is denoted by L(12); it is simpler and more fundamental than K(12) itself. Rigorous expressions are obtained for the effective dielectric constant ^* in terms of L(12) and K(12). The latter expression involves the Onsager-Kirkwood function ( ^*– ₀)(2 ^*+ ₀) /₀^* (where ₀ is an arbitrary reference value), and appears to be new to the random medium context. A wide variety of series representations for ^* are generated by means of general perturbation expansions for K(12) and L(12). A discussion is given of certain pitfalls in the theory, most of which are related to the fact that the response kernels are long ranged. It is shown how the dielectric behavior of nonpolar molecular fluids may be treated as a special case of the general theory. The present results for ^* apply equally well to other effective phenomenological coefficients of the same generic type, such as thermal and electrical conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, and diffusion coefficients.Work performed under the auspices of the United States Department of Energy. A preliminary report on this work was given at the Eighth West Coast Statistical Mechanics Conference, University of California, Berkeley, 22 June 1982.     

Hole-electron mechanism of F-H pair generation in RbCl crystals with impurity electron traps

Production of F, Cl ₃ ⁻ , Ag⁰, and Tl⁰ centers in RbCl:Ag and RbCl:Tl crystals by photons having energies ranging from 5 to 10 eV has been studied at 295 and 180 K. It is shown that creation of near-impurity excitations is accompanied by formation of F centers localized in the vicinity of Ag⁺ and Tl⁺ ions. F centers are produced in direct optical generation of self-trapped excitons. In addition to the well-known mechanism of F-H pair production in nonradiative recombination of electrons with self-trapped holes, a hole-electron process has been revealed for the first time to operate in RbCl:Ag having deep electron traps. By this mechanism, F-H pairs appear in the following sequence of stages: thermally stimulated unfreezing of hopping diffusion of self-trapped holes (V _K centers), tunneling electron transfer from Ag⁰ to the approaching V _K centers, and subsequent nonradiative decay of triplet self-trapped excitons near Ag⁺ ions. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1238–1245 (July 1998)     

Characteristics of Ti0.97Co0.03O2:Sb0.01 dilute magnetic semiconducting thin films deposited at 500 °C by pulsed laser deposition

Epitaxial Ti_0.97Co_0.03O₂:Sb_0.01(TCO:Sb) films were deposited on R-Al₂O₃ (1 1 0 2) substrates at 500 °C in various deposition pressures by pulsed laser deposition. The solubility of cobalt within the films increases with decreasing deposition pressure at a deposition temperature of 500 °C. The TCO:Sb films deposited at 5×10⁻⁶ Torr exhibit a p-type anomalous Hall effect having a hole concentration of 6.1×10²²/cm³ at 300 K. On the other hand, films deposited at 4×10⁻⁴ Torr exhibits an n-type anomalous Hall effect having an electron concentration of about 1.1×10²¹/cm³. p- or n-type DMS characteristics depends on the change of the structure of TCO:Sb films and the solubility of Co is possible by controlling the deposition pressure.     

Surface modifications of crystalline SiO2 and Al2O3 induced by energetic heavy ions

Abstract

Glasses with composition × CoO.(0.25-x) CaO.0.75 B₂O₃ have been prepared over the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25 containing 2 mol% of V₂O₅. Electron paramagnetic Resonance spectra of VO²⁺ of these glasses has been measured at X-band (ν ≈ 9.15 GHz) at room temperature and at liquid nitrogen temperature. Spin Hamiltonian parameters of the VO²⁺ ions have been calculated. It is found that for x ≤ 0.12 the octahedral symmetry of the V⁴⁺ site is improved. A part of these glasses were annealed at 473 K for 24 hours and EPR spectra were recorded and analysed.     

SrB4O7:Sm2+: an optical sensor reflecting non-hydrostatic pressure at high-temperature and/or high pressure in a diamond anvil cell

A systematic investigation on the fluorescent spectra of SrB₄O₇:Sm²⁺ was performed in detail at high-temperature up to 623?K and/or high pressure up to 23.2?GPa with different pressure-transmitting media (PTMs), respectively. Combined with experiment data of previous research, the change of the ⁷D₀–⁵F₀ line (0–0 line) full width at half maximum (FWHM) of SrB₄O₇:Sm²⁺ under different pressure environments was specifically discussed. The results indicate that the FWHM of 0–0 line is sensitive to the non-hydrostatic pressure environment in 2-propanol, and methanol and ethanol mixture (ME) PTMs at ambient temperature. The first-order and the second-order derivation of the temperature dependence of 0–0 line FWHM at ambient pressure are 1.48(±0.21)?×?10^?4?nm/K and 9.63(±0.63)?×?10^?7?nm²/K² below 623?K. The 0–0 line FWHM is also sensitive to the non-hydrostatic pressure environment in ME at high-temperature and high pressure simultaneous, the non-hydrostatic transition pressures are 9.6?GPa at 323?K, 11.0?GPa at 373?K, 14.4?GPa at 423?K, respectively. SrB₄O₇:Sm²⁺ is recommended as an optical sensor to reflect the change of pressure environment in liquid media at high-temperature and/or high pressure.     

Studies of divacancy in Si using positron lifetime measurement

The charge state dependence of positron lifetime and trapping at divacancy (V₂) in Si doped with phosphorus or boron has been studied after 15 McV electron irradiation up to a fluence of 8.0×10¹⁷ e/cm². The positron trapping cross sections for V ₂ ^2– , V ₂ ^– and V ₂ ⁰ at 300 K were about 6×10^–14, 3×10^–14 and 0.1–3×10^–14 cm², respectively. For V ₂ ⁺ , however, no positron trapping was observed. The marked difference in the cross sections comes from Coulomb interaction between the positron and the charged divacancy. The trapping rates for V ₂ ⁰ and V ₂ ^2– have been found to increase with decreasing temperature in the temperature range of 10–300 K. These results are well interpreted by a two-stage trapping model having shallow levels with energy of 9 meV (V ₂ ⁰ ) and 21 meV (V ₂ ^2– ). The appearance of a shallow level for V ₂ ⁰ can not be explained by a conventional Rydberg state model. The lifetime (290–300 ps) in V ₂ ⁰ is nearly constant in the temperature range from 10 to 300 K, while that in V ₂ ^2– increases from 260 ps at 10 K to 320 ps at 300 K. The lifetime (260 ps) in V ₂ ^2– is shorter than that in V ₂ ⁰ at low temperature, which is due to the excess electron density in V ₂ ^2– . At high temperature, however, the longer lifetime of V ₂ ^2– than that of V ₂ ⁰ is attributed to lattice relaxation around V ₂ ^2– .     

Magnetic field alignment of high-T c superconductorsRBa2Cu3O7–δ (R=rare earth)

Finely ground powders ofRBa₂Cu₃O_{7 –} (R=Y, Nd, Sm, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb) have been mixed at dilute 3%-by-volume concentrations into epoxy matrices which were then allowed to harden in applied magnetic fieldsH _A=18 kOe. X-ray diffractometry studies and 4.3 K measurements of supercurrent-induced magnetization hysteresisM are interpreted as indicating at least partial alignment of single-crystal-grain c-axes (1) parallel toH _A forR=Y, Nd, Sm, Dy, Ho (as earlier found by Farrell et al. forR=Y), and (2) perpendicular toH _A forR=Eu, Er, Tm, Yb. With a few exceptions (Y, Sm, Eu) the alignment direction correlates with the sign of the second-order Stevens factor _J of the crystalline electric field Hamiltonian in the manner suggested by Livingston et al. For the best aligned specimens (Ho, Dy) critical current densitiesJ _c (4.3 K, 5 kOe) for individual grains are estimated fromM and the Bean model to be of order 10⁷ A/cm² for the measuring fieldH parallel to the original alignment fieldH _A, and of order 10⁶ A/cm² forH perpendicular toH _A.     

Synthesis and physical characterization of superconductivity-magnetism crossover compound RuSr2EuCeCu2O10−δ

We carefully studied the nonsuperconducting sample of the magneto-superconducting RuSr₂(Eu_1−xCe_x)Cu₂O_10−δ series with composition RuSr₂EuCeCu₂O_10−δ. This compound seems to exhibit a complex magnetic state as revealed by host of techniques like resistivity, thermopower, magnetic susceptibility, and MR measurements. The studied compound exhibited ferromagnetic like M(H) loops at 5, 20, and 50 K, and semiconductor like electrical conduction down to 5 K, with −MR^7 T of up to 4% at low temperatures. The −MR^7 T decreases fast above 150 K and monotonically becomes close to zero above say 230 K. Below, 150 K −MR^7 T decreases to around 3% monotonically down to 75 K, with further increase to 4% at around 30 K and lastly having a slight decrease below this temperature. The thermopower S(T) behavior closely followed the −MR^7 T steps in terms of d(S/T)/dT slopes. Further, both MR^7 T steps and d(S/T)/dT slopes are found in close vicinity to various magnetic ordering temperatures (T_mag) of this compound.     

Oscillator strength of the strongly “forbidden” Pb 6 p 2 3 P 0 ?6 p 2 3 P 1 transition at 1278.9 nm

The “forbidden” Pb 6p^{2 3}P ₀ ↦6 p ^{2 3}P₁ line at 1278.9 nm is measured by diode laser absorption in a resistively heated hot-pipe filled with a lead vapour and argon as buffer gas. The measurements performed at a temperature of 1170 K and a lead number density of 2.4×10 ¹⁵ cm^-3 yield the oscillator strength f _F = (4.5±1.1)×10 ^-7 which corresponds to a radiative transition probability A _F = (6.1±1.5) s^-1. Within the error bars, the result is in agreement with theoretical data published by different authors. Received 11 October 2000 and Received in final form 5 January 2001     

Anion dependence of the valence state detrapping behavior for a fused hydrocarbon bridged binuclear mixed valence iron compound and its di-oxygen sensitivity

Monocationic forms of the symmetric and asymmetric indacene bridged species [(Cp^*Fe)₂(-s-indacene)],I, and [(Cp^*Fe)₂(-as-indacene)],II, are fully detrapped and trapped, respectively, over the entire range from 1.5 K to ambient temperature as their BF ₄ ^– salts. In contrast to [II ⁺][BF ₄ ^– ], the TCNE^.– salt [II ⁺][TCNE^.–] exhibits a transition from fully trapped to a largely detrapped valence state behaviour over the increasing temperature range 100 to 300 K. Mössbauer spectra ofI suggest that while it is relatively insensitive to oxygen as a neat solid, it is strongly oxidized by O₂ in dry hexane solution. Similar studies ofII indicate essential insensitivity to O₂, both as a solid and in hexane solution.     

Luminescence decay of rare earth ions in an orthophosphate matrix

Abstract

Investigations of the luminescence decay of Ce³⁺- and Tb³⁺-ions in solid solutions of the system K₃La_1?x?yCe_xTb_y(P0₄)₂ were carried out at 298 K and 10 K using a laser pulse spectrometer or synchrotron radiation as excitation sources. A comparison of the decay times determined in the host absorption range (160 nm) and in the Ce³⁺- and Tb³⁺- ion levels shows a delayed decay of the host excitation. The results are discussed in regard to energy transfer.     

Temperature and pressure dependencies of the crystal structure of the organic superconductor (TMTSF) 2 ClO 4

The crystal structure of (TMTSF)₂ClO₄ has been determined at (7 K, 1 bar) and at (7 K, 5 kbar) with a high accuracy. For the latter, low temperature and pressure were applied simultaneously using a X-ray diffraction instrumentation designed in our laboratory, these results are the first for molecular compounds. The effects of lowering the temperature are not the same as those produced by increasing the pressure. At (7 K, 1 bar) the anion ordering which occurs in this compound, and which is characterised by the appearance of b ^* /2 superlattice reflections, is well observed. This anion ordering leads to the presence of two independent stacks of TMTSF cations which is the only case found in the Bechgaard salts family. The comparison of the low temperature crystal structures under atmospheric pressure and at 5 kbar shows that the centres of mass are nearly the same, independent of the pressure: the interchain interactions do not depend on the doubling of the unit cell. Under pressure, the ordering (0, 1/2, 0) does not occur at any temperature. These structural data are confirmed by the quantum chemical calculations which show that the difference in the site energy of the two independent cations is 100 meV. Received 10 April 2000 and Received in final form 27 September 2000     

Effect of pressure on the properties of DH diode lasers in AlxGa1-xAsySb1-y/GaSb system

Abstract

A helium pressure appparatus for diode laser studies up to 1.4 GPa at 77–300 K has been developed. DH lasers with Al_xGa_1-xAs_ySb_1-y active layers (x=0-0.05) lattice-matched to GaSb substrates have been investigated. It has been shown that in lasers with x,y=0 pressure dependences of the threshold current density (J_th) and the average electron lifetime at the threshold (τ) measured at 80 K depend strongly on the quadratic recombination of L^c ₆ electrons, the characteristic coefficient being 1.5×10^?11 cm³s^?1. The pressure-composition equivalence coefficient dx/dP=2.2×10^?10 Pa^?1 has been obtained for the lowest temperatures used.     

Temperature dependence of the YBa2Cu3O7 energy gap in differently oriented tunnel junctions

We have applied the break-junction technique to highly biepitaxial c-axis oriented YBa₂Cu₃O₇ thin films with T _C (ρ=0) = 91 K. Mechanically adjustable junctions with a good stability and tunneling current favored along the ab-planes have been realized. The conductance characteristics of these junctions show the presence of gap related maxima that move towards zero bias for increasing temperatures. Considering the misorientation angle α≈ 45 ^° ± 5 ^° of the junction, a maximum gap value at the Fermi level Δ ≈ 22 meV is inferred at T = 13 K. The temperature dependence of the gap related structures, shows a quasilinear behavior for T > 0.4 T _C similar to that observed in c-axis oriented, S-I-N type YBa₂Cu₃O₇ planar junctions. Received 20 July 2001     

On the surface denudation of voids induced by 200 keV C+ ion irradiation

Abstract

Niobium films (120 nm thick) deposited by electron-beam evaporation were implanted near 5 K with 100 keV N₂ ions to maximum fluences of 4 to 7 × 10¹⁷ N/cm². STEM diffraction patterns showed a structural phase transformation from the initial Nb lattice with [110] fiber texture (bcc, a ₀ = 0.330 nm) to randomly oriented δ-NbN (fcc, a ₀ = 0.435–0.439 nm), via an intermediate, highly disordered Nb-(interstitial N) structure (bcc, maximum a ₀ = 0.342 nm). Decreases in transition temperature T _c from 9 K to a minium of 3 K and rapid linear increases in residual resistivity (ρ ₁₀) were observed to fluence of 1.0–1.5 × 10¹⁷ N/cm² and were attributed to the accumulation of radiation-induced defects. Continued implantation resulted in δ-NbN formation and T _c increases to maximum values of 9–10 K which were achieved at fluences from 3.5 to 5.0 × 10¹⁷ N/cm², corresponding to average substoichiometric N/Nb ratios of 0.52–0.75, at which point the phase transformation was complete. The δ-NbN formation was accompanied by significant lattice reordering and grain growth. At still higher fluences T _c gradually declined to 8–9 K and sharp increases in ρ ₁₀ were observed, possibly due to film sputtering.     

Progress in pion-decay channelling: Refractory bcc metals at high and low temperatures

By means of π⁺/μ⁺ channelling, positive pions (π⁺) implanted intoTa, Mo, andW are investigated up to high temperatures. A striking observation is that the channelling effect disappears in a rather narrow temperature interval centred at 0.26 (Ta) to 0.51 (W) of the melting temperature. From studies of π⁺ trapping by oxygen atoms inTa estimates for the low-temperature π⁺ diffusivity inTa [D _π(23K)=1.4·10^−10±0.3 m²s⁻¹,D _π(47K)=5.7·10^−10±0.3 m²s⁻¹] as well as for the binding enthalpy of π⁺ to 0 atoms (H _B=7·10⁻² eV) have been obtained. The diffusion data are in reasonable agreement with the theory of phonon-assisted tunnelling.     

Zeeman spectroscopy of the 4 Eu → 2 B 1g phosphorescence of copper porphin in an n-alkane single crystal

The phosphorescence spectrum of the metastable ⁴ E_u state of copper porphin in single crystals of n-octane (C₈) and n-decane (C₁₀) has been studied between 2·3 and 35 K, with and without a magnetic field B. The crystal field splitting between the orbital components observed at 35 K is δ = 30·3 ± 0·3 (C₈), 13·8 ± 0·2 cm^-1 (C₁₀). From the Zeeman shifts we derive the effective orbital angular momentum Λ′ = 0·8 ± 0·2 (C₁₀), the spin-orbit coupling parameter |Z′| = 1·5 ± 1·0 cm^-1 (C₁₀), the spin-spin dipolar interaction parameters D = -0·1 ± 0·2 cm^-1 (C₈, C₁₀) and |E| = 0·31 ± 0·03 cm^-1 (C₈, C₁₀), and the g-factors g _∥ = 2·14 ± 0·04 (C₈, C₁₀) and g _⊥ = 2·00 ± 0·03 (C₈, C₁₀).     

Luminescent Properties of the Hexakis(Nitrito)Europate(Iii) Ion [Eu(No2)6]3−

Abstract

The 12-coordinated hexakis(nitrato)europate(III) ion displays a luminescence spectrum compatible with T_h, symmetry, with essentially a single emission line at 16 873 cm^?1 arising from the ⁵D₀→⁷F₁ transition. At low temperature (4.2 - 170 K), the lifetime of the ⁵D₀ level amounts to 10.9 ms and then sharply decreases because of vibrational de-excitation processes (E_a = 2 250 ± 1 490 cm^?1). The forbidden ⁵D₀→⁷F₀ transition displays an extensive pattern of Stokes and anti Stokes vibrational components and its energy reflects a nephelauxetic parameter for the nitrite ions δO(NO₂) equal to -14.4, slightly larger than the one associated to the nitrate ion in [Eu(NO₃)₆]^3-. The ligand excitation spectrum contains several bands displaying extensive vibrational structure mostly due to the δ(NO₂) vibrational mode.