On the dynamics of phase separation

A new framework is developed for a treatment of the unmixing of an alloy or another system undergoing a phase transition after a quench into the coexistence region. Expanding around a suitably chosen reference equilibrium state new order parameter fields are introduced by a regrouping of diagrams. In a path integral representation the action of the new fields is constructed in a renormalized form and calculated by expansion ind=4– dimensions. As a first application the timedependence of the structure factor is computed using a simple factorization. It is found that unmixing takes place in the whole coexistence régime with a lifetime of metastable states which diverges at the coexistence curve and with no sharp boundary between the spinodale and nucleation régime.     

氟锆酸盐光纤玻璃中的析晶和分相现象

氟化物光纤玻璃中的夹杂物,分相颗粒和微晶颗粒等缺陷,造成光纤的散射损失,影响了实际制备工作.本文利用大视场光学显微镜,X射线衍射,透射电子显微镜和差热分析,研究了ZBLA氟化物玻璃中的分相和析晶现象,观察到了以成核生长机理进行的分相颗粒,析晶颗粒的成分是β-BaF_2·ZrF_4和α-BaF_2·2ZrF_4,通过DTA分析确定了这些相的析晶活化能.     

液态Ga-In合金中的团簇分离现象

与以往试验及模拟计算方法不同,文章利用从头计算分子动力学研究了液态Ga, In及Ga-In合金的偏结构. 发现合金偏双体相关函数gGaGa(r), gInIn(r)的第一峰的位置分别与液态纯Ga和纯In的第一峰 位置接近, gGaIn(r)第一峰位置大于纯Ga和纯In第一峰位置的平均值,说明液态Ga-In合金中异类原子 呈现排斥倾向, Ga-Ga, In-In团簇更容易出现.在纯Ga, 纯In中占据最高含量的1311键对在液态合金中占主导 地位,说明Ga-Ga, In-In团簇共存于液态Ga-In合金中. Voronoi多面体分析发现,随着In含量的增加, 在Ga_100-xIn_x(30 ≤x≤qslant 50 at.% ) 区域内, Ga原子周围主配位数出现突变,由12降为10,证明Ga-Ga和In-In团簇倾向于分离.该研究结果不同于 通常的微观不均匀模型,揭示了液态Ga-In合金中团簇分离的机制.     

Critical phenomena in nonequilibrium phase transitions

We discuss a number of models associated with phase transitions in purely kinetic models where detailed balance does not hold as in thermal equilibrium systems. These models include some of the features of heterogeneous catalysis on a surface, and are used to examine the effect of local correlations on the reaction process. We argue that many models which do not include desorption will show the same kind of critical behavior if they have a continuous transition to a poisoned state. We also present results for a model with a continuous transition to a non-poisoned state. The effect of adding desorption, diffusion, and anisotropy to these idealized models is also discussed.     

Spontaneous explosive crystallization and phase transformations in a selenium/copper bilayer nanofilm

Spontaneous explosive crystallization in a selenium/copper bilayer nanofilm has been experimentally studied. It has been shown that the formation of a microcrack network in the selenium film is a decisive factor for spontaneous explosive crystallization. The microcrack network is an efficient channel for the relaxation of the collected energy of elastic stresses in the selenium film. The relaxation of this energy accelerates crystallization and transfers it to the explosive regime. It has been found that crystalline phases appearing in the products of the reaction after spontaneous explosive crystallization depend on the ratio of the thicknesses of the copper and selenium films.     

The fluid phenomena in the crystallization of the protein crystal

This paper reports that an optical diagnostic system consisting of Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a phase shift device and image processor has been used for study of the kinetics of protein crystal growing process. The crystallization process of protein crystal by vapour diffusion is investigated. The interference fringes are observed in real time. The present experiment demonstrates that the diffusion and the sedimentation influence the crystallization of protein crystal which grows in solution, and the concentration capillary convection associated with surface tension occurs at the vicinity of free surface of the protein mother liquor, and directly affects on the outcome of protein crystallization. So far the detailed analysis and the important role of the fluid phenomena in protein crystallization have been discussed a little in both space- and ground-based crystal growth experiments. It is also found that these fluid phenomena affect the outcome of protein crystallization, regular growth, and crystal quality. This may explain the fact that many results of space-based investigation do not show overall improvement.     

On the existence of percolative phase separation in high-T c cuprates

The phase separation behavior of superconducting cuprate systems is studied. Using experimental data obtained from electrical resistivity and susceptibility measurements on La₂CuO₄₊ we demonstrate that the phase separation is of electronic and percolative nature. In addition, the experiments clearly prove the coexistence of bulk superconductivity and long-range antiferromagnetic (afm) order.     

FMR fine structure – A tool to investigate the spatial magnetic phase separation phenomena in manganites

An original approach is proposed to study the magnetic phase separation phenomenon. It is based on the registration of the noise‐like FMR Fine Structure (FMR FS) caused by the magnetic interparticle dipole–dipole interaction between spatially separated ferromagnetic regions. Data obtained for a La_0.7Pb_0.3MnO₃ single crystal point to the existence of spatially separated ferromagnetic regions. It is shown that FMR FS of the La_0.7Pb_0.3MnO₃ single crystal is temperature reversible and disappears at the maximum of magnetoresistance.

     

Wetting phase transitions and critical phenomena in condensed matter

Equilibrium wetting phase transitions and critical phenomena are discussed from a phenomenological point of view. The ubiquitous character of the wetting phase transition is illustrated through its occurrence in a variety of condensed matter systems, ranging from classical fluids to superconductors and Bose-Einstein condensates. The intriguing behaviour of the three-phase contact line and its line tension, at wetting, is an example of a fundamental problem in this field on which much progress has been made.     

Electronic phase separation in La-Cuprates

The mechanisms driving the phase separation in high-T _c La cuprates is studied by magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity measurements. The experiments are performed under different thermal treatment. Three temperature ranges can be resolved characteristic for different physical processes: At 150T170K a space limited diffusion of superparamagnetic clusters (single hole clusters) occurs leading to the formation of a small but rather tight percolative subphase which at highT _c values becomes superconducting. Above 180 K the cluster motion becomes unrestricted in space and a more extended subphase is built up, however, with lowerT _c values. Above 230 K oxygen diffusion starts leading to an unexpected destruction of the conducting/superconducting phase.     

Nucleation and bulk crystallization in binary phase field theory

We present a phase field theory for binary crystal nucleation. In the one-component limit, quantitative agreement is achieved with computer simulations (Lennard-Jones system) and experiments (ice-water system) using model parameters evaluated from the free energy and thickness of the interface. The critical undercoolings predicted for Cu-Ni alloys accord with the measurements, and indicate homogeneous nucleation. The Kolmogorov exponents deduced for dendritic solidification and for "soft impingement" of particles via diffusion fields are consistent with experiment.     

Field-induced anisotropic magnetic phase transitions and tricritical phenomena in GdCr6Ge6

The interaction between complex magnetic structures and non-trivial band structures in ternary rare-earth GdCr₆Ge₆ induces exotic and abundant electro-magnetic phenomena. In this work, we perform a systematical investigation on critical behaviors and magnetic properties of the single-crystal GdCr₆Ge₆. The temperature, field, and angle dependence of magnetization unveils strong magnetic anisotropy along the c-axis and isotropic characteristic in the ab-...     

Stability of (Fe-Tm-B) amorphous alloys: relaxation and crystallization phenomena

Fe-Tm-B base (TM=transition metal) amorphous alloys (metallic glasses) are thermodynamically metastable. This limits their use as otherwise favourable materials, e.g. magnetically soft, corrosion resistant and mechanically firm. By analogy of the mechanical strain-stress dependence, at a certain degree of thermal activation the amorphous structure reaches its limiting state where it changes its character and physical properties. Relaxation and early crystallization processes in amorphous alloys, starting already around 100°C, are reviewed involving subsequently stress relief, free volume shrinking, topological and chemical ordering, pre-crystallization phenomena up to partial (primary) crystallization. Two diametrically different examples are demonstrated from among the soft magnetic materials: relaxation and early crystallization processes in the Fe-Co-B metallic glasses and controlled crystallization of amorphous ribbons yielding rather modern nanocrystalline Finemet alloys where late relaxation and pre-crystallization phenomena overlap when forming extremely dispersive and fine-grained nanocrystals-in-amorphous-sauce structure. Mössbauer spectroscopy seems to be unique for magnetic and phase analysis of such complicated systems.     

Broken chemical order and phase separation in GexSe1−x glasses

The trend of broken chemical order in Ge_xSe_1?x glasses displays a minimum at $\text{x =}\text{3}\text{8}$; as well as at $\text{x =}\text{1}\text{3}$;. The composition dependence of site populations determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy can be quantitatively understood in terms of molecular phase separation in these glasses. The proposed molecular phases and their morphologies are discussed in terms of a quasi-equilibrium free energy for rapidly quenched-melts. It is shown that this general approach provides a microscopic basis for understanding the overall glass forming tendency not only in binary but also in many ternary chalcogenide glasses.