Magnetoelastic instability in Ising-like models

The magnetoelastic instability in nanostructured ring-shaped Ising-like spin 1/2 model has been investigated by using the exact diagonalization method. It is found that there exists two critical anisotropy parameters and () in the phase diagram. As the anisotropy parameter , the magnetoelastic transition from dimerized phase to uniform phase is a first order transition with an increase of the lattice spring constant. While for , the transition is continuous. Another critical value divides the different lattice distortion behavior as the anisotropy is strengthened.     

Synthesis of new La nitrides at high pressure and temperature

We have succeeded in synthesizing two new lanthanum nitrides in a supercritical nitrogen fluid at high pressure (about 30 GPa) and high temperature (about 2000 K), using a diamond anvil cell and a YAG laser heating system. These nitrides were found to be stable down to 5 GPa and ∼300 K in a nitrogen atmosphere. One of the new lanthanum nitrides is a cubic P lattice-type phase, which is a main phase synthesized nitride. The calculated lattice parameter is at 5 GPa, 300 K. The other nitride is of a trigonal P lattice-type. The calculated lattice parameters are and at 5 GPa, 300 K. The most likely phase of the former new La nitride is , the structure of which may be similar to the   Mn₂O₃-type (Ia80). The phase of the latter nitride is , the structure of which is the same as the   La₂O₃-type (hP5).     

Phase diagram of the three states Potts model with next nearest neighbour interactions on the Bethe lattice

We have found an exact phase diagram of the Potts model with competing nearest neighbor and next nearest neighbor interactions on the Bethe lattice of order two. The diagram consists of five phases: ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, modulated, antiphase and paramodulated, all meeting at the multicritical point . We report on a new phase which we denote as paramodulated, found at low temperatures and characterized by zero average magnetization lying inside the modulated phase. Such a phase, inherent in the Potts model has no analogues in the Ising setting.     

Magnetic properties of the mixed ferrimagnetic ternary system with a single-ion anisotropy on the Bethe lattice

The magnetic properties of the ternary system ABC consisting of spins , S=1, and are investigated on the Bethe lattice by using the exact recursion relations. We consider both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions. The exact expressions for magnetizations and magnetic susceptibilities are found, and thermal behaviors of magnetizations and susceptibilities are studied. We construct the phase diagrams and find that the system exhibits one, two or even three compensation temperatures depending on the values of the interaction parameters in the Hamiltonian. Moreover, the system undergoes a second-order phase transition for the coordination number q?3 and a second- and first-order phase transitions for q>3; hence the system gives a tricritical point. The system also exhibits the reentrant behaviors.     

Identification of a rotator phase of octamethyl ferrocene and correlations between its structural and dynamical properties

The low- and high-temperature phases of octamethyl ferrocene were studied in detail, using high-resolution X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and nuclear resonant scattering, in particular the novel technique of synchrotron radiation perturbed angular correlations (SRPAC). Much as in the case of an analogous but more unsymmetrical molecule, octamethyl ethinyl ferrocene, the high-temperature phase possesses the space group with lattice parameters , , which in the rhombohedral setting correspond to , α=104.79^°. An increase of the volume per formula unit of about 12% across the phase transition is observed.The rotation of the electric field gradient, which can be identified with the rotation of the entire molecule within the lattice, follows Arrhenius behaviour with a high activation energy of . Whereas precursor effects and a change in activation energy were observed for octamethyl ethinyl ferrocene, no such effects are observed for octamethyl ferrocene. We relate this difference to the absence of the ethinyl substituent in octamethyl ferrocene.     

Pressure-temperature phase diagram of the ferromagnetic Kondo lattice compound CeRuPO

The new example of a ferromagnetic Kondo lattice, CeRuPO, is a good candidate which offers the opportunity to investigate the physical properties near a ferromagnetic instability. Macroscopic experiments evidenced a Kondo temperature and Curie temperature of . We have investigated the pressure-temperature phase diagram of CeRuPO by means of electrical resistivity measurements on high quality single crystals in the temperature interval from 1.8 to 300 K. The pressure dependence of the ordering temperature follows the anticipated behavior of a Ce-based Kondo lattice system, where pressure is expected to suppress the magnetic order. The critical pressure for the suppression of the transition temperature to zero is estimated to be .     

Majority-vote model with different agents

We consider the majority-vote model with noise in a network of social interactions for a system with two classes of individuals, class σ and class τ. For the two-agent model each class has its own dynamics, with individuals of σ class being influenced by neighbors of both classes, while the individuals of type τ are influenced only by neighbors of that class. We use Monte Carlo simulations and finite-size scaling techniques to estimate the critical properties of the system in the stationary state. The calculated values of the critical noise parameters, and , allow us to identify five distinct regions in the phase diagram on the q_τ-q_σ plane. The critical exponents for each class are the same and we conclude that the present model belongs to the same universality class as the two-dimensional Ising model.     

Magnetic and magnetoresistance behavior of Tb7Rh3, an intermetallic compound with a negative temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity in the paramagnetic state

The results of dc magnetization, electrical and magnetoresistance and heat capacity measurements (2-300 K) on Tb₇Rh₃, crystallizing in the Th₇Fe₃-type hexagonal structure, are reported. In this compound, magnetic ordering sets in around 90 K with additional transitions at low temperatures and the temperature coefficient of resistivity (ρ), , is negative over a wide temperature range in the paramagnetic state. The present magnetization results reveal that this compound is apparently characterized by rich features in the magnetic-field-temperature phase diagram. A point of major emphasis is that the sign of in the paramagnetic state can be gradually changed by the application of a magnetic field. As a result, the magnitude of the magnetoresistance (MR) is rather large even in the vicinity of room temperature (far above the magnetic ordering temperature), in addition to giant MR behavior in the magnetically ordered state.     

Non-linear dielectric effect in the isotropic phase of antiferroelectric liquid crystals

We have theoretically studied the non-linear dielectric effect in the isotropic phase of antiferroelectric liquid crystals on the basis of phenomenological theory. We find an analytical expression for the non-linear dielectric effect in the isotropic phase of the transition. The temperature dependence of the non-linear dielectric effect is presented in the isotropic phase of the transition.     

Possible coexistence of superconductivity and magnetism in intermetallic NiBi3

NiBi₃ polycrystals were synthesized via a solid state method. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the main phase present in the sample corresponds to NiBi₃ in a weight fraction of 96.82 % according to the refinement of the crystalline structure. SEM - EDS and XPS analysis reveal a homogeneous composition of NiBi₃, without Ni traces. The powder superconducting samples were studied by performing magnetic measurements. The superconducting transition temperature and critical magnetic fields were determined as , Oe and Oe. The superconducting parameters were , , and κ=5.136. Isothermal measurements below the transition temperature show an anomalous behavior. Above the superconducting transition the compound presents ferromagnetic characteristics up to 750 K, well above the Ni Curie temperature.     

Enhanced photovoltaic properties of polymer-fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells by thermal annealing

The effect of a thermal annealing treatment on the performance of bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells based on poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) and fullerene (C₆₀) composites is investigated. Upon thermal annealing at 120 ^°C, short-circuit current and power conversion efficiency (η) are more than tripled, while a sharp rise by eight times in and η is found for the device annealed at 200 ^°C. It is concluded that the improved phase separation between MEH-PPV and C₆₀ leads to the enhancement of and η at 120 ^°C, while thermodynamic molecule arrangement at the higher temperature of ∼200 ^°C induces a significant increase in all photovoltaic parameters of composite devices except the open-circuit voltage .     

Ordered zinc-vacancy induced Zn0.75Ox nanophase structure

Using transmission electron microscopy, a new nano-phase structure of Zn_0.75O_x induced by Zn-vacancy has been discovered to grow on wurtzite ZnO nanobelts. The superstructure grows epitaxial from the surface of the wurtzite ZnO nanobelts and can be fitted as an orthorhombic structure, with lattice parameters a′=2a, and c′=c, where a and c are the lattice parameters of ZnO. The superstructured phase is resulted from high-density Zn vacancies orderly distributed in the ZnO matrix. This study provides direct observation about the existence of Zn-vacancies in ZnO.     

Modelling of phase transitions and reaction at CO adsorption on oxygen precovered Pd(1 1 1)

Using the interaction parameters up to the third neighbors and activated form of O and CO diffusion and their reaction, the model has been proposed for Monte-Carlo simulations describing the catalytic O + CO → CO₂ reaction and occurring phase transitions on Pd(1 1 1) surface. Upon adsorption of CO the pre-adsorbed oxygen transforms from p(2 × 2)_O phase into and phases in the limit of room and moderate temperatures, respectively. We demonstrate that the kinetic effects determine both the occurrence of the p(2 × 1)_O and disappearance of the phases at moderate and low temperatures, respectively. Using reaction rate as a fit parameter, we show that at room temperature the start of the reaction can be synchronized with the occurrence of phase.     

Determination of electrical and solar cell parameters of FTO/CuPc/Al Schottky devices

A Schottky structure is fabricated using CuPc sandwiched between fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) and aluminium electrodes. The electrical properties of the device are measured at room temperature. Permittivity of the device is calculated from capacitance measurements. The saturation current density, , diode ideality factor, n=3.02 and barrier height, are determined for the Schottky juction. Reverse bias versus is interpreted in terms of Schottky emission. Solar cell parameters are determined from the J-V characteristics. Power conversion efficiency, η of 0.0024% is obtained for the cell. Band gap energy of the material is determined from UV-visible absorption spectrum.