Soliton analysis of the electro-optical response of blue bronze

In recent measurements on the charge-density-wave (CDW) conductor blue bronze (K_0.3MoO₃), the electro-transmittance and electro-reflectance spectra were searched for intragap states that could be associated with solitons created by injection of electrons into the CDW at the current contacts [Eur. Phys. J. B16 (2000), 295; Eur. Phys. J. B35 (2003) 233]. In this work, we adapt the model of soliton absorption in dimerized polyacetylene to the blue bronze results, to obtain the (order of magnitude) estimate that current induced solitons occur on less than ∼10% of the conducting chains. We discuss the implications of these results on models of soliton lifetimes and motion of CDW phase dislocations.     

Specific heat and critical behavior of Tl0.3MoO3 near the Peierls phase transition

The specific heat of the quasi-one-dimensional charge-density-wave (CDW) compound Tl_0.3MoO₃ has been measured using an adiabatic continuous heating method from 100 to 220 K. A specific heat jump associated with the Peierls phase transition occurs at 172.3 K. A good scaling relation between the excess specific heat and the susceptibility is found between 140 K and 190 K. Further analysis indicates that the width of the critical region of Tl_0.3MoO₃ is about 10 K and the specific-heat critical behavior can be well described by the three-dimensional XY model.     

Electromodulated infrared transmission spectra of blue bronze

The infrared transmission of the quasi-one dimensional charge-density-wave (CDW) conductor blue bronze (K_0.3MoO₃) is affected by polarization of the CDW, and therefore by application of a voltage near or above the threshold for CDW depinning. In this paper, we compare the spectra associated with the relative change in transmission taken for different temperatures and oscillating voltages. We find that the phonon spectrum is affected by CDW polarization; the linewidths or frequencies of most phonons change by cm^-1. However, no new intragap states that can be associated with current injection are observed; i.e. the spectra associated with polarization of the CDW in the crystal bulk is identical to that associated with CDW current injection near the contacts. Our results indicate that, for light polarized perpendicular to the conducting chains, the density (n), cross-section , and bandwidth of intragap states are related by: n (?cm^-1)^-1. For expected values of the cross-section and bandwidth, this implies that the intragap states can be optically excited for a time less than s. Received 21 February 2000     

EPR study of the low temperature charge density wave state of o-TaS3

We report an EPR study of the chain conductor o-TaS₃ in the low temperature charge density wave (CDW) state. The EPR spectrum is attributed to Fe³⁺ (S=5/2) impurities. A power law for the temperature dependence of the EPR intensity, (T^−α with an exponent α∼0.8) found below ∼30 K is very close to that previously found in magnetic susceptibility measurements. The possible role of these impurities in the susceptibility data are discussed.     

A study of Peierls instabilities for a two-dimensional t-t' model

In this paper we study Peierls instabilities for a half-filled two-dimensional tight-binding model with nearest-neighbour hopping t and next nearest-neighbour hopping t' at zero and finite temperatures. Two dimerization patterns corresponding to the same phonon vector (π,π) are considered to be realizations of Peierls states. The effect of imperfect nesting introduced by t' on the Peierls instability, the properties of the dimerized ground state, as well as the competition between two dimerized states for each t' and temperature T, are investigated. It is found: (i). The Peierls instability will be frustrated by t' for each of the dimerized states. The Peierls transition itself, as well as its suppression by t', may be of second- or first-order. (ii). When the two dimerized states are considered jointly, one of them will dominate the other depending on parameters t' and T. Two successive Peierls transitions, that is, the system passing from the uniform state to one dimerized state and then to the other may take place with decrease of temperature. Implications of our results to real materials are discussed. Received 31 July 2001     

Specific heat anomalies in the quasi two-dimensional monophosphate tungsten bronzes KxP4W8O32

The monophosphate tungsten bronzes K_xP₄W₈O₃₂ (0.75<x<2) are quasi-two-dimensional conductors which show electronic transitions at a critical temperature T_c depending on the concentration of the alkali metal. The phase diagram shows a maximum at for x=1.30. We report specific heat measurements in the range 120-190 K. The thermal anomalies found at the transition temperature are larger than in conventional charge density wave materials. This corroborates that the transition is not a ‘pure’ charge density wave transition and that a structural transition dominates the instability.     

Imperfect nesting and Peierls instability for a two-dimensional tight-binding model

Based on a half-filled two-dimensional tight-binding model with nearest-neighbour and next nearest-neighbour hopping the effect of imperfect Fermi surface nesting on the Peierls instability is studied at zero temperature. Two dimerization patterns corresponding to a phonon vector (π,π) are considered. It is found that the Peierls instability will be suppressed with an increase of next nearest-neighbour hopping which characterizes the nesting deviation. First and second order transitions to a homogeneous state are possible. The competition between the two dimerized states is discussed. Received 22 December 2000     

Effect of gamma irradiation on undoped and uranium doped calcium fluoride crystals

Color centers in undoped and U³⁺-doped CaF₂ crystals induced by γ-irradiation with different doses were studied by differential absorption and Raman spectra. Multiple color centers and conversion among them were caused in undoped CaF₂ with the creation of radiation defects. In U³⁺:CaF₂ crystal, trivalent uranium was demonstrated to act as hole trap in the process of γ-irradiation, which was ionized to tetravalent. This process was accompanied by the formation of F₂⁺ centers, but without additional background absorption due to radiation defects.     

Temperature dependence of the second threshold field for rubidium blue bronze Rb0.3MoO3

We have investigated the threshold properties of Rubidium blue bronze Rb_0.3MoO₃ under high dc electric field in a large temperature range 20-150 K. The second threshold fields have been observed at temperature up to 102.4 K, and have quasi-linear relationships with temperatures 20-45 K and 55-100 K, respectively. A novel crossover platform has been found firstly in the temperature dependence of the second threshold field E_T2 at about 45-55 K. The results indicate that the dynamical behavior of the second threshold effects may originate from different mechanisms. We suggest that the highly conducting state at 20-45 K and 55-100 K result from the undamped sliding motion of rigid CDW and current inhomogeneity, respectively.     

Thermal expansion measurements of the quasi-one-dimensional conductor K0.30MoO3

The charge density wave (CDW) dynamics of the quasi-one-dimensional conductor K_0.30MoO₃ shows two different regimes depending on the temperature: a strongly damped CDW motion above ∼50 K and CDW motion with almost no damping below ∼50 K. In a search for a characterization of this CDW behaviour, we performed thermal expansion measurements on K_0.30MoO₃ single crystals in the temperature range 4-250 K. In addition to the anomaly observed at the Peierls transition at 180 K along the [102] direction, an anomaly is observed at ∼50 K along the [−201] and [102] directions. The results are discussed in relation with the change in the CDW rigidity at ∼50 K.     

The smooth structural change in mesoscopic Peierls chains

We investigate the Peierls transition in finite chains by exact (Lanczos) diagonalization and within a seminumerical method based on the factorization of the electron-phonon wave function (Adiabatic Ansatz, AA). AA can be applied for mesoscopic chains up to micrometer sizes and its reliability can be checked self-consistently. Our study demonstrates the important role played for finite systems by the tunneling in the double well potential. The chains are dimerized only if their size N exceeds a critical value N_c which increases with increasing phonon frequency. Quantum phonon fluctuations yield a broad transition region. This smooth Peierls transition contrasts not only to the sharp mean field transition, but also with the sharp RPA soft mode instability, although RPA partially accounts for quantum phonon fluctuations. For weak coupling the dimerization disappears below micrometer sizes; therefore, this effect could be detected experimentally in mesoscopic systems. Received: 3 January 1998 / Revised: 13 March 1998 / Accepted: 3 April 1998     

Size effects on the charge-density-wave pinning in the quasi-one-dimensional conductor K0.30MoO3

We report size effects on the charge-density-wave pinning in the quasi-one-dimensional conductor K_0.30MoO₃ in the temperature range 77 K-160 K. The threshold field is approximately one order of magnitude larger in needle-like samples than in bulk crystals, temperature independent and strongly dependent on the width of the sample. In addition, the nonlinear conductivity shows a maximum near 130 K. The results are discussed in relation with various pinning models and CDW dislocations.     

Angular studies of the magnetoresistance in the density wave state of the quasi-two-dimensional purple bronze KMo<Subscript>6</Subscript>O<Subscript>17</Subscript>

The purple molybdenum bronze KMo₆O₁₇ is a quasi-two-dimensional compound which shows a Peierls transition towards a commensurate metallic charge density wave (CDW) state. High magnetic field measurements have revealed several transitions at low temperature and have provided an unusual phase diagram “temperature-magnetic field”. Angular studies of the interlayer magnetoresistance are now reported. The results suggest that the orbital coupling of the magnetic field to the CDW is the most likely mechanism for the field induced transitions. The angular dependence of the magnetoresistance is discussed on the basis of a warped quasi-cylindrical Fermi surface and provides information on the geometry of the Fermi surface in the low temperature density wave state.     

Homogeneous-inhomogeneous transitions in a Landau level with spin splitting

The homogeneous-inhomogeneous transitions of a two-dimensional electron gas in a strong perpendicular magnetic field are studied in the particular case when half of the states in a spin splitted Landau level are occupied. To this end the dielectric susceptibility in the homogeneous states as well as the free energy in the modulated states are calculated. Unless theg factor dos not exceed a certain value the charge-density waves are stable in an interval of finite temperatures.     

The thermoelectric power of charge-density-wave conductors Rb0.3MoO3 and Rb0.15K0.15MoO3

The thermoelectric power (TEP) of the quasi-one-dimensional charge-density-wave (CDW) conductors rubidium blue bronze Rb_0.3MoO₃ and its alloy Rb_0.15K_0.15MoO₃ were measured in the temperature range 80-280 K. The result showed a sign change from a small positive value to a great negative value where the Peierls transition temperatures (T_p) are 183 and 180 K for Rb_0.3MoO₃ and Rb_0.15K_0.15MoO₃, respectively. Above T_p, the TEP for both samples can be described with the empirical relation S=AT+B; while below T_p, the TEP fits well the relation S=AT+B/T based on the experimental data. The Fermi energies ε_F for Rb_0.3MoO₃ and Rb_0.15K_0.15MoO₃ are estimated to be 1.55 and 0.53 eV, respectively.     

Optical absorption spectrum and local symmetry of Tm ion in TmAl3(BO3)4 crystal

With the help of group theory analysis of absorption spectra of the transition ³H₆ → ³F₃ of Tm³⁺ ion in TmAl₃(BO₃)₄ crystal, measured at several temperatures from 1.8 till 293 K, it has been shown, that the local symmetry of the Tm³⁺ environment is C₃ and it decreases to C₁ at a low temperature. Effective selection rules and polarizations of lines at high enough temperatures (when the line-width is larger than the splitting in C₃ symmetry) have been obtained.     

Modification of the charge ordering transition in the quasi-one-dimensional conductor (TMTTF)2SbF6 under pressure

We have measured the temperature dependences of the conductance G and the dielectric permittivity ε′ of the (TMTTF)₂SbF₆ compound under a moderate pressure. The maximum of G(T) associated with the Mott-Hubbard localization disappears under pressure. With increasing pressure the peak in ε′(T), corresponding to the charge ordering (CO) phase transition, shifts to lower temperatures and broadens. At pressures above 0.24 GPa, ε′(T) becomes strongly frequency dependent. These modifications are explained in the frame of the extended Hubbard model and a slowing down behavior.     

Investigation on optical transmission spectra of (1−x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 single crystals

The optical transmission spectra from 0.3 to 11 μm of relaxor ferroelectric single crystals (1−x)Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-xPbTiO₃ (PMN-xPT) were systematically studied at room temperature in this paper. The crystal is transparent between 0.45 and 5.5 μm and becomes completely absorbing around 0.4 μm in near UV region and 10 μm in infrared region. But the wavelength cutoff in near UV is much sharper than the long wavelength cutoff. As compared with other configurations, tetragonal single crystals possess the optimal transmission properties. The optical transmittance in the wavelength region from 0.45 to 5.5 μm is about 70%. The results show that tetragonal PMN-xPT single crystals are promising for a wide range of optical applications. Some discussions about the oxygen-octahedra structure that determines the basic energy level of the crystals are also presented on the optical properties of PMN-xPT single crystals.     

Quantum efficiencies of near-infrared emission from Ni-doped glass-ceramics

A systematic method to evaluate potentials of Ni²⁺-doped transparent glass-ceramics as a new broadband optical gain media is presented. At first, near-infrared emission of various ceramics were investigated to explore the suitable crystalline phase to be grown in the glass-ceramics. The quantum efficiency of Ni²⁺ near-infrared emission estimated by the Struck-Fonger analysis was higher than 95% for spinel-type structure gallate crystals MgGa₂O₄ and LiGa₅O₈ at room temperature. Transparent glass-ceramics containing Ni²⁺:LiGa₅O₈ could be prepared and the quantum efficiency for the glass-ceramics was measured to be about 10%. This value shows a potential of Ni-doped transparent glass-ceramics as a broadband gain media.     

Optical study of anthracene molecules doped in fluorene single crystals

Properties of two luminescence centers, which are observed in anthracene-doped fluorene crystal as concentration increases, have been investigated to clarify their origin. Excitation spectra and concentration dependence of absorption spectra were measured and two types of luminescence are attributed to anthracene molecule pair centers with weak and strong interaction. Dipole-dipole interactions between two anthracence molecules of various configurations are estimated and possible configuration for two types of luminescence is proposed.