Determination of the (Na) Sternheimer antishielding factor by Na NMR spectroscopy on sodium oxide chloride, Na3OCl

The (Na⁺) Sternheimer antishielding factor γ_∞ (Na⁺) was determined by ²³Na NMR spectroscopy on sodium oxide chloride, Na₃OCl. The quadrupolar coupling constant of the sodium ion in Na₃OCl was determined to QCC=11.34 MHz, which presents the largest coupling constant of a sodium nucleus observed so far. Applying a simple point charge model, the largest principal value of the electric field gradient at the sodium site was calculated to V_zz=−6.76762·10²⁰ V/m². From these values we calculated the (Na⁺) Sternheimer antishielding factor to γ_∞ (Na⁺)=−5.36. In sodium oxide, Na₂O, we observed an isotropic chemical shift of δ_CS=55.1 ppm, referenced to 1 M aqueous NaCl (δ=0 ppm).     

Al Multiple-Quantum MAS NMR of Mechanically Treated Bayerite (α-Al(OH)3) and Silica Mixtures

Two-dimensional ²⁷Al multiple-quantum magic angle spinning (MQMAS) NMR experiments are used to study mixtures of bayerite (α-Al(OH)₃) with either silicic acid (SiO₂.nH₂O) or silica gel (SiO₂) that have been ground together for varying lengths of time. This mechanical treatment produces changes in the ²⁷Al MAS and MQMAS NMR spectra that correspond to the formation of new Al species. Mean values of the quadrupolar interaction (P_Q) and isotropic chemical shift (δ_CS) are extracted from the two-dimensional ²⁷Al NMR spectra for each of these species. The presence of significant distributions of both ²⁷Al quadrupolar and chemical shift parameters is demonstrated and the effect of grinding duration on the magnitudes of these distributions is discussed.     

Separation of isotropic chemical and second-order quadrupolar shifts by multiple-quantum double rotation NMR

Using a two-dimensional multiple-quantum (MQ) double rotation (DOR) experiment the contributions of the chemical shift and quadrupolar interaction to isotropic resonance shifts can be completely separated. Spectra were acquired using a three-pulse triple-quantum z-filtered pulse sequence and subsequently sheared along both the ν₁ and ν₂ dimensions. The application of this method is demonstrated for both crystalline (RbNO₃) and amorphous samples (vitreous B₂O₃). The existence of the two rubidium isotopes (⁸⁵Rb and ⁸⁷Rb) allows comparison of results for two nuclei with different spins (I = 3/2 and 5/2), as well as different dipole and quadrupole moments in a single chemical compound. Being only limited by homogeneous line broadening and sample crystallinity, linewidths of approximately 0.1 and 0.2 ppm can be measured for ⁸⁷Rb in the quadrupolar and chemical shift dimensions, enabling highly accurate determination of the isotropic chemical shift and the quadrupolar product, P_Q. For vitreous B₂O₃, the use of MQDOR allows the chemical shift and electric field gradient distributions to be directly determined—information that is difficult to obtain otherwise due to the presence of second-order quadrupolar broadening.     

Resonances in at rest

Data on at rest show two resonant processes: (a) f₀(1370)η,f₀(1370)→σσ and ρρ, (b) η(1440)σ, η(1440)→ηπ⁺π⁻. The branching ratio BR[f₀(1370)→ρρ]/BR[f₀(1370)→σσ]=0.98±0.25 in the mass range available here. Using data on , the ratio Γ_4π/Γ_2π5 for f₀(1370). The effects of the strongly s-dependent width of f₀(1370) are discussed in some detail.The η(1440) is observed decaying to ησ and a₀(980)π, with strong destructive interference between them. In its decay to a₀(980)π, a narrow peak appears in the ηπ mass spectrum, but 30–50 MeV above that usually attributed to a₀(980) and significantly above the KK threshold. This effect is explained naturally by a two-step process: η(1440)→K^*(890)K followed by rescattering of the two kaons through a₀(980) to ηπ above the KK threshold.     

Effects of interactions and disorder on the compressibility of two-dimensional electron and hole systems

The compressibility χ of dilute two-dimensional electron and hole gases in GaAs semiconductor structures has been studied in the ranges of the interaction parameter r_s=1–2.5 and r_s=10–30 for the electron and hole system, respectively. Nonmonotonic dependence of χ^-1 with an upturn at low carrier densities is observed. Despite the large difference in r_s the behavior of χ^-1 in both systems can be accurately described by the theory of nonlinear screening of disorder by the carriers.     

Focal shift and focal switch of partially polarized Gaussian Schell-model beams passing through a system with the aperture and spherically aberrated lens separated

Based on the beam coherent-polarization (BCP) matrix approach and propagation law of partially coherent beams, the focal shift and focal switch of partially polarized Gaussian Schell-model (PGSM) beams passing through a system with the aperture and spherically aberrated lens separated is studied in detail. Our main attention is focused on the effect of spherical aberration and partial coherence on the focal shift and focal switch of PGSM beams. It is shown that for polarizer-free case there is no focal switch of PGSM beams, the focal shift of PGSM beams is closely related with spherical aberration coefficient C₄, auto-coherence length σ_a, truncation parameter δ and relative position s/f between the aperture and lens in general, and is independent of the cross-coherence length σ_c. After inserting a polarizer the focal switch can take place. Numerical calculation results are given to illustrate how the spherical aberration and partial coherence affect the focal shift and focal switch of PGSM beams.     

Effect of quartic-phase aberrations on the focal switch of Hermite–Gaussian beams

The focal switch of Hermite–Gaussian beams diffracted at an aperture and subsequently focused by a spherically aberrated lens is studied. Our main attention is focused on the effect of quartic-phase aberrations on the behavior of the focal switch. It is shown that quartic-phase aberrations affect the relative focal shift Δz_f, turning position s_1,t, and relative transition height Δz_sw. Apart from a critical maximum truncation parameter α_c,max, there is a critical minimum truncation parameter α_c,min. Within the region α_c,min<α<α_c,max the focal switch can take place, but quartic-phase aberrations give rise to a decrease of α_c,max-α_c,min in comparison with the aberration-free case.     

Conductometric and thermodynamic studies on the ionic association of HCOONH4, phCOONH4, HCOONa and phCOONa in aqueous–organic solvents

The specific conductance of ammonium formate, ammonium benzoate, sodium formate and sodium benzoate in (10%, 20% and 30% (W/W)) methanol–water, ethanol–water and glycerol–water mixtures at different temperatures (293, 298, 303 and 308 K) was measured.The molar conductance (Λ), limiting molar conductance (Λ₀), limiting ionic conductance (λ₀), association constants (K_A), the activation energy of the transport process (E_a), Walden product (Λ₀η₀), hydrodynamic radii (1/r_s⁺ + 1/r_s⁻)^− 1, transfer numbers of the studied ions (t), standard thermodynamic parameters of association (ΔG_A, ΔH_A and ΔS_A) were calculated and discussed.The results show that, the molar conductance and the limiting molar conductance values were decreased as the relative permittivity of the solvent decreased while, the association constant increased. Also the results show that the molar conductance, the limiting molar conductance and the association constant values were increased as the temperature increased indicating that the association process is an endothermic one.     

Nuclear relaxation and motional anisotropy of liquid s-triazine

The dynamic structure of liquid s-triazine has been studied by analysing the deuterium and nitrogen-14 quadrupolar relaxation data of d ₃-s-triazine.

The molecular motions are markedly anisotropic with: (a) fast, large angle jump, inertial type in-plane motions of almost zero activation enthalpy and large negative activation entropy; (b) comparatively slow, small angle jump, rotational diffusion type, out of plane motions of higher activation enthalpy and small activation entropy. Comparison of the data on the dynamic behaviour of pyridine [3] and benzene [4] with the present ones on s-triazine leads to a general picture of molecular motions of planar hexagonal rotors in the liquid state (at atmospheric pressure). The behaviour of pyridine, which has a dipole moment departs somewhat from the more similar (and more anisotropic) behaviour of benzene and s-triazine. These results also support our previous finding of motional anisotropy in liquid pyridine [3].

A pictorial representation of the motional anisotropy in benzene, pyridine and s-triazine is giving using motional ellipsoids whose axes lengths are proportional to the diffusion constants.     

Effect of aerosil dispersions on the nematic-to-isotropic interface

The effect of silica aerosils on the kinetics of the first-order nematic-isotropic (NI) phase transition is phenomenologically described in the framework of the time-dependent Landau-Ginzburg equation. A steady-state solution to the equation is presented such that the NI interface may propagate with a solitary-like wave profile under constant quenching. The results provide a plausible basis for the interpretation of the dynamical effects of quenched disorder in the liquid-crystal systems, caused by randomly interconnected porous media, such as aerosils. In the low silica aerosil ρ_s ( ≤0.1 g/cm^3) regime, the calculated values of the interface velocity v(T,ρ_s), the interface thickness κ(T,ρ_s), and the critical radius of a spherical nucleus of new nematic phase in a bulk isotropic environment, composed of polar molecules, such as 4-n-octyl- 4^′- cyanobiphenyl and 4-n-heptyl- 4^′- cyanobiphenyl shows that the effect of silica aerosils on the kinetics is reflected in a shifting of the set of temperature-dependent curves to lower temperature values.-1     

Implementation of controlled phase shift gates and Collins version of Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm on a quadrupolar spin-7/2 nucleus using non-adiabatic geometric phases

In this work controlled phase shift gates are implemented on a qaudrupolar system, by using non-adiabatic geometric phases. A general procedure is given, for implementing controlled phase shift gates in an ‘N’ level system. The utility of such controlled phase shift gates, is demonstrated here by implementing 3-qubit Deutsch–Jozsa algorithm on a spin-7/2 quadrupolar nucleus oriented in a liquid crystal matrix.     

Differential Line Broadening in the Presence of Quadrupolar–CSA Interference

The formalism for calculating the lineshape of a spin 1/2J-coupled to a high-spin nucleus undergoing quadrupolar and chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) relaxations is derived in the case where the tensors of both interactions are noncoincident and nonaxial. The expressions show that the CSA–quadrupolar interference term which is responsible for the asymmetry of lines involves a term depending on tensorial parameters. The effect of this term on the lineshapes is discussed with respect to three cases, namely coincident–axially symmetric, noncoincident–axially symmetric, and general noncoincident quadrupolar and CSA tensors. These cases are considered in the analysis of the lineshape of the¹H-decoupled spectra of the³¹P nucleusJ-coupled to the⁵⁹Co nucleus encountered in the tetrahedral cluster HFeCo₃(CO)₁₁PPh₂H.     

Al and Cu NMR study in UCu5Al

We have studied the microscopic properties of the tetragonal UCu₅Al Kondo compound by ²⁷Al and ^63,65Cu NMR in the paramagnetic state. NMR and susceptibility measurements performed on the powdered sample, but oriented along the applied field, showed χ>χ. Plots of K(T) against χ(T) at temperatures T≥100 K yield the transferred hyperfine fields of +5.9 kOe/μ_B for ²⁷Al nuclei, and +5.3 and −7.0 kOe/μ_B for ⁶⁵Cu nuclei in crystallographically inequivalent Cu(2) and Cu(1) sites, respectively. The Knight shift vs. susceptibility plots for T<100 K exhibit a deviation from the linear behaviour (absolute values of shifts become smaller than expected). We attribute this finding to the crystalline electric field effect in similar way as it was reported for several Ce-based compounds. The random distribution of the Al and Cu(2) atoms in the crystal lattice we consider as a reason of an unusual broadening of the NMR spectra, particularly at low temperatures.     

Effect of alkali content on AC conductivity of borate glasses containing two transition metals

Sodium borate glasses containing iron and molybdenum ions with the total concentration of transition ions constant and gradual substitution of sodium oxide (network modifier) by borate oxide (network former) was prepared. Densities, molar volume, DC and AC conductivities are measured. The trends of these properties are attributed to changes in the glass network structure. Their DC and AC conductivity increased with increasing NaO concentration. The increase of AC conductivity of sodium borate glasses is attributed to the chemical composition and the hopping mechanism of conduction. Measurements of the dielectric constant (ε) and dielectric loss (tan δ) as a function of frequency (50 Hz–100 kHz) and temperature (RT—600 K) indicate that the increase in dielectric constant and loss (ε and tan δ) values with increasing sodium ion content could be attributed to the assumption that Fe and Mo ions tend to assume network-forming position in the glass compositions studied.The variation of the value of frequency exponent s for all glass samples as the function of temperature at a definite frequency indicates that the value of s decreases with increasing the temperature which agrees with the correlated barrier-hopping (CBH) model.     

Correlator of the quark scalar currents and Γtot(H → hadrons) at O(αs) in pQCD

We present the results of the analytical evaluation of the massless four-loop

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(α³_s) correction to the correlator of the quark scalar currents and the Higgs decay rate into hadrons. In numerical form we found (in

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scheme) that Γ (H →

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b ) = (3G_F/4

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π) M_Hm²_b (M_H) [1 + 5.667α_s/π + (35.94 − 1.359n_f) (α_s/π)² + (164.139 − 25.771n_f + 0.259n²_f) (α_s/π)³] where n_f is the number of quark flavour and α_s = α_s(M_H).     

Universal rise of hadronic total cross sections based on forward πp and scatterings

Recently there are several evidences of the increase of the total cross section σ_tot to be log²s consistent with the Froissart unitarity bound, and the COMPETE collaborations in the PDG have further assumed σ_totBlog²(s/s₀) to extend its universal rise with a common value of B for all the hadronic scatterings. However, there is no rigorous proof yet based only on QCD. Therefore, it is worthwhile to prove this universal rise of σ_tot even empirically. In this Letter we attempt to obtain the value of B for πp scattering, B_πp, with reasonable accuracy by taking into account the rich πp data in all the energy regions. We use the finite-energy sum rule (FESR) expressed in terms of the πp scattering data in the low and intermediate energies as a constraint between high-energy parameters. We then have searched for the simultaneous best fit to the σ_tot and ρ ratios, the ratios of the real to imaginary parts of the forward scattering amplitudes. The lower energy data are included in the integral of FESR, the more precisely determined is the non-leading term such as logs, and then helps to determine the leading terms like log²s. We have derived the value of B_πp as B_πp=0.311±0.044 mb. This value is to be compared with the value of B for scattering, B_pp, in our previous analysis [M. Ishida, K. Igi, Eur. Phys. J. C 52 (2007) 357], B_pp=0.289±0.023 mb. Thus, our result appears to support the universality hypothesis.     

A new metallic state in two dimensions

We report the discovery of a new and unexpected kind of metal in two dimensions (2D), which exists in the presence of scattering by local magnetic moments. The experiment was carried out on a 2D electron system in silicon, where the local magnetic moments have been induced by disorder and their number was varied using substrate bias (V_sub). In the new metal, the conductivity decreases as σ(n_s,T)=σ(n_s,T=0)+A(n_s)T² (n_s – carrier density) to a non-zero value as temperature T→0. In three dimensions, this T² dependence is well known, and results from Kondo scattering by local magnetic moments. In 2D, however, the existence of a metal with dσ/dT>0 is very surprising. As the number of local moments is reduced, the range of temperatures [T<T_m(V_sub)] where they dominate transport becomes smaller. For T>T_m, we observe the usual 2D metallic behavior with dσ/dT<0.     

Resonant Raman scattering in Mn:ZnO dilute magnetic semiconductors

We report on micro-Raman measurements performed under various visible excitations on wurtzite Zn_1−xMn_xO thin films grown by MOCVD, for a wide range of Mn content (0<x<0.22). We observe a shift of the frequency of the E₂ phonon for increasing Mn content, indicating a substitution of the Mn atoms at the tetrahedral Zn sites of the host matrix. All spectra also reveal a dominant feature related to local vibrations of Mn atoms, as well as the A₁ (LO) phonon of the ZnMnO alloy. Both features are resonantly enhanced by the absorption of the incident laser light by internal transitions of the Mn²⁺ ions.     

Flavor symmetry, K– mixing and new physics effects on CP violation in D and Ds decays

Flavor symmetry and symmetry breaking, K⁰– mixing and possible effects of new physics on CP violation in weak decay modes D^±→K_S,L+X^±, (K_S,L+π⁰)_K^*+X^± (for X=π,ρ,a₁) and D^±_s→K_S,L+X^±_s, (K_S,L+π⁰)_K^*+X^±_s (for X_s=K,K^*) are analyzed. Relations between D^± and D^±_s decay branching ratios are obtained from the ds subgroup of SU(3) and dominant symmetry-breaking mechanisms are investigated. A CP asymmetry of magnitude 3.3×10⁻³ is shown to result in the standard model from K⁰– mixing in the final-state. New physics affecting the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed channels might either cancel this asymmetry or enhance it up to the percent level. A comparison between the CP asymmetries in D^±_(s)→K_SX^±_(s) and D^±_(s)→K_LX^±_(s) can pin down effects of new physics.