Comments on the paper ‘The origin of the ferroelectric phase transition in ammonium sulphate’

The ‘soft mode’ theory of ferroelectric phase transition in ammonium sulphate reported recently by Sawada and co-workers has been criticised on the basis of experimental and theoretical facts known to-date about the crystal. It has been pointed out that the ‘soft mode’ responsible for the phase transition should have appropriate mixing of the internal modes of SO^2-₄ ion.     

Force chain buckling,unjamming transitions and shear banding in dense granular assemblies

Force chain buckling, leading to unjamming and shear banding, is examined quantitatively via a discrete element analysis of a two-dimensional, densely-packed, cohesionless granular assembly subject to quasistatic, boundary-driven biaxial compression. A range of properties associated with the confined buckling of force chains has been established, including: degree of buckling, buckling modes, spatial and strain evolution distributions, and relative contributions to non-affine deformation, dilatation and decrease in macroscopic shear strength and potential energy. Consecutive cycles of unjamming–jamming events, akin to slip–stick events arising in other granular systems, characterize the strain-softening regime and the shear band evolution. Peaks in the dissipation rate, kinetic energy and local non-affine strain are strongly correlated: the largest peaks coincide with each unjamming event that is evident in the concurrent drops in the macroscopic shear stress and potential energy. Unjamming nucleates from the buckling of a few force chains within a small region inside the band. A specific mode of force chain buckling, prevalent in and confined to the shear band, leads to above-average levels of local non-affine strain and release of potential energy during unjamming. Ongoing studies of this and other buckling modes from a structural stability standpoint serve as the basis for the formulation of internal variables and associated evolution laws, central to the development of thermomicromechanical constitutive theory for granular materials.     

High pressure dynamic XAS studies using an energy-dispersive spectrometer

ABSTRACT

We present in this paper recent advances in the high pressure domain provided by the introduction of time-resolved energy-dispersive XAS (EDXAS) techniques at synchrotrons. We highlight technical aspects and describe two modes of acquisition: the ‘movie’ mode, where the time resolution is given by the detector acquisition speed and the ‘pump-and-probe’ mode, where the time resolution is given by the delay between the pump and the probe. These two modes define a frontier in the time resolution, respectively above and below the ～10?μs regime. In the former, examples of applications are chemical stability and reactions at high pressure and high temperature or probing the warm dense matter regime using rapid current ramps. In the latter, an example is given on studies of dynamically compressed matter, by coupling single-bunch EDXAS at high-brilliance synchrotron to a nanosecond high-power laser.     

聚变等离子体中高能量粒子驱动的鱼骨模不稳定性研究

在考虑高能量粒子密度的空间分布及箍缩角分布的条件下,建立了研究鱼骨模的色散关系,并作了数值研究。结果表明：当高能量粒子的密度高于某个阈值时,鱼骨模会在高能量粒子密度梯度最大处被激发,其频率与高能量粒子的环向进动频率一致。在高β_h 区间,高能量勉强通行粒子将驱动鱼骨模进入第二稳定区。高能量捕获粒子能激发非共振鱼骨模,与勉强通行粒子激发的鱼骨模类似,在高β_h 区存在第二稳定区。     

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A general dispersion relation for fishbone mode is obtained when spatial density profile and pitch angle profile are taken into account. The fishbone modes can be driven into the second stable regime by barely passing energetic particles in high β_h region. The nonresonant fishbone mode can be induced by trapped energetic particles. Similar to the resonant fishbone modes, the nonresonant fishbone modes can also be driven into the second stable regime by trapped energetic particles and the real frequency linearly increases with increasing β_h.     

Nonlinear dynamic buckling of shallow circular arches under a sudden uniform radial load

The structural behavior of a shallow arch is highly nonlinear, and so when the amplitude of the oscillation of the arch produced by a suddenly applied load is sufficiently large, the oscillation of the arch may reach a position at its primary unstable equilibrium path or secondary bifurcation unstable equilibrium path, leading the arch to buckle dynamically. This paper presents an analytical study of the nonlinear dynamic in-plane buckling of a shallow circular arch under a uniform radial load that is applied suddenly and with an infinite duration. The principle of conservation of energy is used to establish the criterion for dynamic buckling of the arch, and the analytical solution for the dynamic buckling load is derived. It is shown that under a suddenly applied uniform radial load, a shallow pinned–fixed arch has a unique possible dynamic buckling load, while shallow pinned–pinned and fixed–fixed arches may have two possible dynamic buckling loads: a lower dynamic buckling load and an upper dynamic buckling load. The dynamic buckling loads of a shallow arch under a suddenly applied uniform radial load with infinite duration are found to be lower than their static counterparts, and to increase with an increase of the arch included angle and slenderness. The effect of static preloading on the dynamic buckling of an arch is also investigated. It is found that the pre-applied static load decreases the dynamic buckling load of the arch, but increases the sum of the pre-applied load and the dynamic buckling load.     

二维胶体玻璃中玻色峰与结构无序度的关联

本文从实验上研究了胶体玻璃在相同面密度下随着体系结构无序程度的增加, 振动态密度和玻色峰的变化规律. 通过调制两种不同粒径的温敏性水凝胶的数量比来改变体系的无序程度. 通过分析无序体系的声子模式得到体系的振动特性. 研究发现, 随着无序度的增加, 态密度在低频区域增强、玻色峰增高、玻色峰的峰值向低频区域移动. 不同无序程度的样品引起玻色峰的低频声子模式都表现出准局域的特点, 且低频准局域声子模式与样品中无序结构存在关联.     

Microscopic mean-field theory of the jamming transition

Dense particle packings acquire rigidity through a nonequilibrium jamming transition commonly observed in materials from emulsions to sandpiles. We describe athermal packings and their observed geometric phase transitions by using equilibrium statistical mechanics and develop a fully microscopic, mean-field theory of the jamming transition for soft repulsive spherical particles. We derive analytically some of the scaling laws and exponents characterizing the transition and obtain new predictions for microscopic correlation functions of jammed states that are amenable to experimental verifications and whose accuracy we confirm by using computer simulations.     

Semiclassical theory of three-level gas lasers

We present numerical solutions of the density matrix equations for a three-level gas laser gain medium with a single resonator mode at each of the two transition frequencies. Population pulsations and interference effects between the two transition amplitudes are included. Comparison with solutions obtained neglecting the interference terms shows these effects to be significant in low-pressure lasers at moderate intensities. Population pulsations also change results for resonator modes tuned near line center.     

Spiral modes supported by circular dielectric tubes and tube segments

The modal properties of curved dielectric slab waveguides are investigated. We consider quasi-confined, attenuated modes that propagate at oblique angles with respect to the axis through the center of curvature. Our analytical model describes the transition from scalar 2-D TE/TM bend modes to lossless spiral waves at near-axis propagation angles, with a continuum of vectorial attenuated spiral modes in between. Modal solutions are characterized in terms of directional wavenumbers and attenuation constants. Examples for vectorial mode profiles illustrate the effects of oblique wave propagation along the curved slab segments. For the regime of lossless spiral waves, the relation with the guided modes of corresponding dielectric tubes is demonstrated.     

Aggregation on a membrane of particles undergoing active exchange with a reservoir

We investigate the dynamics of clusters made of aggregating particles on a membrane which exchanges particles with a reservoir. Exchanges are driven by chemical reactions which supply energy to the system, leading to the establishment of a non-equilibrium steady state. We predict the distribution of cluster size at steady state. We show in particular that in a regime, that cannot exist at equilibrium, the distribution is bimodal: the membrane is mainly populated of single particles and finite-size clusters. This work is motivated by the observations that have revealed the existence of submicrometric clusters of proteins in biological membranes.     

Propagation based X-ray phase-contrast imaging technique for the microstructure analysis of biological soft tissues

X-ray phase-contrast imaging (PCI) technique is an emerging method for the study of the biological soft tissues, carbon composite materials, polymers, low-Z material science, etc. We have set up an experimental facility using a combination of X-ray CCD detector and a microfocus X-ray source. We demonstrate that sufficient contrast and intensity can be achieved for biological soft tissues with the X-ray source in the standard operation mode. Based on the cylindrical fiber and pigeon feathers imaging experiments, the boundary information was observed successfully in the light element materials and extremely low absorption material. This shows that X-ray phase-contrast imaging in this area will have a brilliant future.     

Vibrations of post-buckled rods: The singular inextensible limit

The small-amplitude in-plane vibrations of an elastic rod clamped at both extremities are studied. The rod is modeled as an extensible, shearable, planar Kirchhoff elastic rod under large displacements and rotations, and the vibration frequencies are computed both analytically and numerically as a function of the loading. Of particular interest is the variation of mode frequencies as the load is increased through the buckling threshold. While for some modes there are no qualitative changes in the mode frequencies, other frequencies experience rapid variations after the buckling threshold, the thinner the rod, the more abrupt the variations. Eventually, a mismatch for half of the frequencies at buckling arises between the zero thickness limit of the extensible model and the inextensible model.     

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) application chemical characterization of enamel,dentin and bone

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) has been used extensively for chemical characterization of mineralized tissues in the past few decades. FTIR is an ideal technique to analyze chemical structural properties of natural materials, since the frequencies of several vibrational modes of organic and inorganic molecules are active in the infrared. This review discusses the use of FTIR methodology, highlighting the attenuated total reflection (ATR) sampling mode, particularly for characterization of enamel, dentin and bone tissues. Enamel, dentin and bone, are composed of an organic and a mineral phase. The mineral phase is characterized essentially as nonstoichiometric substituted apatite, being the carbonate and phosphate spectral peaks the main representative of these phase. Organic matrix of the post-eruptive enamel is small (～1% weight (wt)). The dentin and bone organic phases are mainly composed of type I collagen that appears as spectral bands of amide I, amide II, amide III bands. Furthermore, synthetic apatite materials are being designed for total or partial replacement, restoration or augmentation of these biological tissues with FTIR assistance.     

斜直圆筒内基于Euler-Rodrigues参数的细长杆螺旋屈曲研究

基于Euler-Rodrigues参数描述受约束细杆的后屈曲变形状态,建立相应的能量泛函,导出非线性平衡微分方程及接触力表达式.采用有限元法对能量泛函进行分析计算,通过与现有文献中数值、理论结果比较,验证了公式和求解过程的正确性.结合算例,揭示了正弦屈曲模态与螺旋屈曲模态之间的转化过程,证实了在受约束细长杆的后屈曲响应中存在不同屈曲模态之间的互相转变.     

Confined colloidal crystals in and out of equilibrium

Recent studies on confined crystals of charged colloidal particles are reviewed, both in equilibrium and out of equilibrium. We focus in particular on direct comparisons of experiments (light scattering and microscopy) with lattice sum calculations and computer simulations. In equilibrium we address buckling and crystalline multilayering of charged systems in hard and soft slit confinement. We discuss also recent crystalline structures obtained for charged mixtures. Moreover we put forward possibilities to apply external perturbations, in order to drive the system out of equilibrium. These include electrolyte gradients as well as the application of shear and electric fields.     

Photoemission spectra for gold for 15≤hv≤90 eV and the X-ray limit

Photoemission spectra for gold have been measured for photon energies 15≤hv≤90 eV using synchrotron radiation. We observe the transition from the ‘band structure’ regime (hv?30 eV) where spectra are strongly modulated by matrix elements to the high energy regim (hv?30 eV) where spectra reflect structure in the single-particle density of states.     

Acoustic modes in a dusty plasma

The propagation of the dust ion acoustic and dust acoustic modes in a dusty plasma is studied. The effect of the coupling of the charge fluctuation on the dust particles to the modes is taken into account self-consistently. It is found that the charge fluctuation leads to frequency down shift as well as dissipation of the modes. For the dust ion acoustic modes, these are significant only when the frequency characterizing the rate of capture of electrons by the dust particles in the equilibrium state is of the order of the frequency of the mode, and the mode can propagate without significant dissipation only when its frequency is well above this characteristic frequency. For the dust acoustic modes, these are significant only when the frequency characterizing the rate of capture of ions by the dust particles in the equilibrium state is of the order of the frequency of the mode, and the mode can propagate without significant dissipation only when its frequency is well above this characteristic frequency.     

Influence of the mechanical activation modes on the structure parameters and magnetic properties of Z-type hexaferrite Ba<Subscript>3</Subscript>Co<Subscript>2.4</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>0.4</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>23.2</Subscript>O<Subscript>41</Subscript> nanopowders

Transformation of the structural and magnetic properties of ferrimagnetic powders with hexagonal crystal structure and magnetocrystalline anisotropy with easy magnetization plane mechanically treated in a planetary mill is investigated. It is demonstrated that properties of nanodimensional powders of the material depend essentially on the mechanical treatment modes. For the soft mode, only sizes of powder particles reduce to nanometer sizes, and their magnetic properties are the same as for the bulk material. For the hard mode with a very high-milling process power, the magnetic properties of particles change significantly. This can be explained by the transition of a significant number of powder particles to the superparamagnetic or (and) spin-glass state. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 9, pp. 19–23, September, 2008.     

Quasiparticle picture of quarks near chiral phase transition

We study how the quasiparticle picture of the quark can be modified near but above the critical temperature (T _c) of the chiral phase transition; we incorporate into the quark self-energy the effects of the precursory soft modes of the phase transition, i.e. ‘para-σ(π) meson’. It is found that the quark spectrum has a three-peak structure near T _c: We show that the additional new spectra originate from the mixing between a quark (antiquark) and an antiquark-hole (quark-hole) caused by a “resonant scattering” of the quasi-fermions with the thermally-excited soft modes.