Spectral interferences from polyatomic barium ions in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

For the Element2 (a relatively new high-sensitivity magnetic sector ICP MS), we have studied spectral interferences from barium arising as a result of polyatomic barium ions, which have a considerable effect on the intensity of lines for rare-earth isotopes. We have shown that the parameters characterizing the interferences (the ratios of the signals from oxygen-containing, chlorine-containing, and fluorine-containing BaX⁺ ions to the Ba⁺ signal, and the apparent rare-earth concentrations C_{app j} resulting when overlap from polyatomic Ba occurs) are higher for the Element2 than for a quadrupole instrument (PQ2⁺). However, it is possible to solve many spectral overlap problems when using the Element2 by using the medium-resolution (MR) or high-resolution (HR) modes. We have estimated the resolutions needed to completely separate the masses of the polyatomic barium ions and the rare-earth isotopes in the spectrum. For cases when it is impossible to use the high-resolution mode due to the ∼100-fold decrease in sensitivity, we recommend preliminary separation of Ba from the rare earths. In this work, we have used extraction chromatography to determine low rare-earth concentration levels in Lake Baikal water. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 6, pp. 813–818, November–December, 2006.     

Photoluminescence of nanoparticles of (Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>0.95</Subscript>(Eu<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>0.05</Subscript> solid solution

We have ground bulk samples to obtain nanoparticles of (Ga₂S₃)_1–x (Eu₂O₃) _x solid solutions, the sizes of which were determined using an atomic force microscope. The photoluminescence spectra of the nanoparticles were studied in the temperature interval 77–300 K. We have established the mechanisms for emission and transfer of energy from the matrix to the rare-earth ion, and we determined the Stokes shift (ΔS = 0.7 eV), the Huang–Rhys parameter (S = 16), and the optical phonon energy (ħ−ω = 23 meV).     

Properties of lithium ion-conducting ceramics based on rare-earth titanates

The properties of complex oxides with perovskite structure of the Ln_2/3−XM_3XTiO₃ type (where Ln = rare-earth element and M = Li, Na, K) have been investigated. It has been shown that lithium - containing perovskites possess cationic conductivity, with values depending on the size of conducting channels and the concentration of vacant sites in the rare-earth ion sublattice. Paper presented at the 5th Euroconference on Solid State Ionics, Benalmádena, Spain, Sept. 13–20, 1998.     

Spin-reorientation phase transition in the basal plane in α-Fe2O3:Ga,Dy

In hematite crystals doped with gallium and dysprosium ions a spin-reorientation phase transition induced in the basal plane by the introduction of dysprosium ions was observed in the temperature range T=15–20 K. The effect is associated with the competition between the anisotropy fields arising from the iron and rare-earth subsystems. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 9, 694–697 (10 May 1996)     

Influence of isovalent substitutions on absorption spectra of orthoferrities

The role of impurity ions in formation of the optical properties of rare-earth orthoferrites is investigated. Optical spectra of the substituted against unsubstituted orthoferrites are presented. The influence of different isovalent substitutions on the optical absorption of orthoferrites that are promising for magnetooptics is studied. Institute of Solid-State and Semiconductor Physics of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 17, P. Brovka St., Minsk, 220072, Belarus. Translated from zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 64, No. 5, pp. 642–645, September–October, 1997.     

A new quasi-Ising magnet

We have performed measurements of the magnetization and differential magnetic susceptibility of Dy_0.62Y_2.38Fe₅O₁₂ single crystals in pulsed magnetic fields up to 45 T at liquid-helium temperature for three orientations of the external field: H‖[100], H‖[110], and H‖[111]. It was found that the magnetization reversal in the rare-earth magnetic subsystem occurs via several phase transitions, whose number depends on the direction of the external field, as is characteristic for Ising magnets. The anomalies in the field dependences of the magnetization are interpreted on the assumption of quasi-Ising ordering of the rare-earth ions. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 8, 552–556 (25 April 1998)     

Hyperfine Magnetic Anomaly in Atomic Spectra of Rare-Earth Elements

The constants of the hyperfine splitting in the atomic optical spectra of the rare-earth elements – Nd, Eu, Gd and Lu – were measured. The method of laser resonance fluorescence in the parallel atomic beam was used. The values of the hyperfine magnetic anomaly were determined from the comparision of magnetic dipole constant ratios of the neighbouring odd Z or N isotopes for the different atomic levels. The connection of these values and the parameters of atomic and nuclear structure is discussed. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Impurity centers in a barium titanate ceramic doped with rare-earth ions

The ceramic BaTiO₃ doped with rare-earth ions Y, La, Nd, Sm, Lu, and Dy to 0.1–0.5 at. % was studied in the temperature range 160<T<480 K by ESR. Several ESR spectra were observed. The most intense spectra have g factors close to 5.5 and 1.96. The dependences of their intensity, g factor, and width on the concentration of rare-earth ions and temperature were studied. Analysis of the data obtained made it possible to determine the critical concentration of the rare-earth ions x _c =0.2–0.3 at. %. It is characterized by the fact that for x<x _c or x>x _c all rare-earth ions, except Lu, replace predominantly Ba⁴⁺ or Ti⁴⁺, respectively. Models of paramagnetic centers were established: Fe³⁺-V _O (g≈5.5) and Ti³⁺-Ln³⁺ (g≈1.96), where V _O is an oxygen vacancy and Ln is a rare-earth ion. An abrupt change in axial symmetry to cubic for a Fe₃₊-V _O center at a phase transition from the tetragonal into the cubic phase was observed for the first time. The role of new centers in the appearance of the posistor effect is discussed. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1838–1842 (October 1999)     

Jahn-Teller effect on Sm3+ ions in fluctuating-valence compounds

The dynamic and static Jahn-Teller effects are observed in ESR on rare-earth ions, specifically, on Sm³⁺ ions in the fluctuating-valence material SmB₆. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 10, 645–648 (25 November 1997)     

Magnetoelastic contribution to the thermal expansion of the rare-earth phosphates TbPO4 and TmPO4

The thermal expansion of the rare-earth phosphates TbPO₄ and TmPO₄ having zircon structure has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. Significant magnetoelastic anomalies of the thermal expansion have been identified and the magnetoelastic contributions have been isolated allowing for corrections to the variation of the phonon contribution along the rare-earth ion series. It is shown that the magnetoelastic contribution to the thermal expansion of terbium and thulium phosphate is well described by the temperature dependence of the quadrupole moments of the rare-earth ions. The fully symmetric magnetoelastic coefficients for Tb³⁺ and Tm³⁺ are determined and a comparison is made of the magnetoelastic anomalies of the thermal expansion and the magnetoelastic coefficients of rare-earth phosphates and vanadates allowing for the differences in the crystal fields of the two isomorphic groups of zircons. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 106–111 (January 1997)     

Growth and properties of epitaxial rare-earth scandate thin films

Epitaxial rare-earth scandate thin films of 100–1500 nm in thickness have been prepared by pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO₃(100) and MgO(100) substrates. Stoichiometry and crystallinity were investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry/channelling (RBS/C), transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Electrical measurements on microstructured capacitors with a SrRuO₃ bottom electrode and Au top contacts reveal dielectric constants of 20 to 27, leakage currents of 0.85 to 6 μA/cm² at 250 kV/cm, and breakdown fields of 0.6 to 1.2 MV/cm. The optical bandgaps of the films range from 5.5 to 6 eV. The results substantiate the high potential of rare-earth scandates as alternative gate oxides. PACS 73.61.Ng; 73.40.Rw; 77.22.Ch; 77.55.+f; 78.40.Ha     

β-delayed proton decays near the proton drip line

We briefly reviewed the experimental study on β-delayed proton decays near the proton drip line published by our group during the period of 1996–2004, namely the first observation of the β-delayed proton decays of 9 new nuclides in the rare-earth region and the new measurements of β-delayed proton decays of 5 nuclides in the mass ∼90 region near theN=Z line with the aid of the “p-y” coincidence in combination with a He-jet tape transport system. In the meantime some important experimental technique details were supplemented. The experimental results, including the half-lives, spins, parities, deformations and production reaction cross sections for the 14 nuclei were summarized and compared with the current nuclear-model predictions, and then the following points were represented. (1) The experimental half-lives for⁸⁵Mo and⁹²Rh as well as the predicted “waiting point” nuclei⁸⁹Ru and⁹³Pd are 5–10 times longer than the theoretical predictions given by M?ller et al. using a macroscopic-microscopic model. It considerably influences the predictions of the abundances of the nuclides produced in the rp-process. (2) The current-model predictions are not consistent with the experimental assignments of the spins and parities for the proton drip-line nuclei¹⁴²Ho and¹²⁸Pm. However, the nuclear potential energy surface (PES) calculated by using a Woods-Saxon-Strutinsky method reproduced the experimental results. (3) The Alice code overestimated the production reaction cross sections of the studied 9 rare-earth nuclei by one order of magnitude or two, while HIVAP code overestimated them by one order of magnitude approximately.     

Effect of Mo3+ ions on Nd3+ spin-lattice relaxation in Y3Al5O12

The content of Mo³⁺ ions in YAG:Nd garnet samples prepared by different technologies has been studied, and the spin-lattice relaxation rate of these ions at temperatures of 4–5 K measured. It is concluded is drawn that Mo³⁺ ions can play the part of rapidly relaxing centers mediating the Nd³⁺ spin-lattice relaxation at liquid-helium temperatures. This may account for a number of features in the spin-lattice relaxation of rare-earth ions in garnets, observed earlier at low temperatures. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 2026–2028 (November 1998)     

Jahn-Teller effect on Sm3+ ions in SmB6

Electron spin resonance on samarium ions with stabilized valence Sm³⁺ is investigated in the fluctuating-valence semiconductor SmB₆, both pure and doped with the rare-earth ions Eu²⁺, Er³⁺, and Gd₃₊. The dynamic and static Jahn-Teller effects have been observed for the first time on rare-earth ions. The relation between the Jahn-Teller effect in a fluctuating-valence semiconductor and the excitonic nature of the ground state of such a semiconductor is discussed. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 1860–1871 (May 1999)     

First-principles electronic structure of rare-earth arsenides

The electronic properties of rare-earth arsenides have been calculated from first principles. In the calculations we have treated the rare-earth f electrons both as core-like and as valence-like electrons. We consider the changes in the energy bands and in the density of states near the Fermi level which are found to be relevant, except for the case of LuAs, and discuss this in relation with the role played from the rare-earth 5d derived states. Moreover we show that the rare-earth 5d related bands are particularly sensitive to the variation of the lattice constant; change in the lattice constant of less than 1% leads to a different behaviour with respect to the crossing of the rare-earth 5d derived bands and the As 4p derived bands along the Δ-direction. This point is discussed in connection with the possibility of having a semimetal-semiconductor transition in the rare-earth arsenides. Received 22 February 2001     

Metamagnetism and magnetostriction of the Ising antiferromagnet DyCrO3

The magnetostriction of the Ising antiferromagnet DyCrO₃ during metamagnetic transitions induced by a magnetic field applied along the a and b axes of the crystal is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The magnetostriction measurements performed in the temperature range 1.5–4.2 K in magnetic fields up to 3 T clearly reveal the two-step character of the transition from the original antiferromagnetic structure to the ferromagnetic structure with the intermediate formation of a low-symmetry structure (when H is parallel to the a axis). The unusual behavior of the magnetostriction discovered during the magnetizing process provides information on the nature of magnetostriction in rare-earth Ising metamagnets. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 668–670 (April 1997)     

Antiferromagnetic resonance and dielectric properties of rare-earth ferroborates in the submillimeter frequency range

The magnetoresonance and dielectric properties of a number of crystals of a new family of multiferroics, namely, rare-earth ferroborates RFe₃(BO₃)₄ (R = Y, Eu, Pr, Tb, Tb_0.25Er_0.75), are studied in the sub-millimeter frequency range (ν = 3–20 cm⁻¹). Ferroborates with R = Y, Tb, and Eu exhibit permittivity jumps at temperatures of 375, 198, and 58 K, respectively, which are caused by the R32 → P3₁21 phase transition. Antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR) modes in the subsystem of Fe³⁺ ions are detected in the range of anti-ferromagnetic ordering (T < T _N = 30–40 K) in all ferroborates that have either an easy-plane (Y, Eu) or easy-axis (Pr, Tb, Tb_0.25Er_0.75) magnetic structure. The AFMR frequencies are found to depend strongly on the magnetic anisotropy of a rare-earth ion and its exchange interaction with the Fe subsystem, which determine the type of magnetic structure and the sign and magnitude of an effective anisotropy constant. The basic parameters of the magnetic interactions in these ferroborates are found, and the magnetoelectric contribution to AFMR is analyzed.     

Large-scale synthesis of In2O3 nanowires

In₂O₃ nanowires have been successfully fabricated on a large scale from indium particles by thermal evaporation at 1030 °C. The as-synthesized products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SEM and TEM images show that these nanowires are uniform with diameters of about 60–120 nm and lengths of about 15–25 μm. XRD and selected-area electron diffraction analysis together indicate that these In₂O₃ nanowires crystallize in a cubic structure of the bixbyite Mn₂O₃ (I) type (also called the C-type rare-earth oxide structure). The growth mechanism of these nanowires is also discussed. Received: 29 June 2001 / Accepted: 28 September 2001 / Published online: 20 December 2001     

Electronic phase separation in a low-temperature tetragonal phase of lanthanum-strontium cuprates according to 139La NQR data

A nonuniform electron density distribution is observed in La_{1−x− y} Nd_ySr_xCuO₄ and La_1−x−y Eu_ySr_xCuO₄, and long-lived magnetic fluctuations in these compounds are studied. The dynamics of the magnetic fluctuations depends strongly on the magnetic properties of the rare-earth ions, which stabilize the low-temperature tetragonal phase. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 5, 344–349 (10 March 1998)