Pseudogap and metal-insulator transitions in doped semiconductors

The electronic spectrum of a doped semiconductor described by the Anderson-Holstein impurity model and its conductivity derived from the Kubo linear response theory are calculated. Two characteristic temperatures depending on the doping level x are found in the phase diagram, T _PG and T _λ(x). The pseudogap that opens in the single-particle spectrum at low doping levels and temperatures closes at the lower one, T _PG. The pseudogap state of an insulator is attributed to spin fluctuations in a doped compound. At the higher characteristic temperature T _λ(x),, spin fluctuations vanish and the doped compound becomes a paramagnetic poor metal. Two distinct metal-insulator crossovers between semiconductor-like and metallic temperature dependence of resistivity are found. An insulator-to-poor-metal transition occurs at T ^*(x) ≈ T _λ(x). A poor-metal-to-insulator transition at a lower temperature is attributed to the temperature dependence of density of states in the pseudogap. It is shown that both transitions are observed in La_2?x Sr_xCUO₄.     

Characteristics of the fragmentation region in h-A interactions at superhigh energies according to XREC data

Experimental and calculation data on γ-ray-hadron families, obtained using X-ray emulsion chambers at superhigh energies (E ₀ ? 10¹⁵ eV) in stratospheric and high-mountain investigations of cosmic rays, are discussed. Relations between model characteristics and experimental data on the transverse size and alignment of the most energetic subcores in γ-h families are considered. Lateral characteristics of γ-ray families are shown to be independent of secondary particles 〈p _t 〉 in h-A interactions but are strongly determined by the p _t (x _Lab) dependence at 0.05 ? x _Lab ? 0.20. Conclusions on properties of h-A interactions at superhigh energies are drawn.     

Stability of a free-standing liquid-crystal film: The measurement of the interaction between the film surfaces

The interaction energy of the surfaces of a free-standing liquid-crystal film has been determined. The measurements are performed in a smectic phase below the melting temperature of a bulk sample T _C, in the temperature range of structural instability of thin films at T > T _C, and in a quasi-smectic phase at T > T _C. Two modes of smectic-layer motion in the film are detected: they lead to film thinning at T > T _C and film thickening at a low temperature. The measurement results are discussed in terms of recent theoretical concepts.     

Comparison of site-specific valence band densities of states determined from Auger spectra and XPS-determined valence band spectra in GeS (001) and GeSe (001)

Auger lineshapes of the Ge M₁M_4,5V and M₃M_4,5V and Se _M1M_4,5V transitions in GeS (001) and GeSe (001) are measured and compared to XPS valence band spectra. Distortions in both types of spectra due to inelastic scattering, analyzer and source broadening, and core level lifetime broadening are removed by deconvolution techniques. The valence band consists of three main peaks at ?2 eV, ?8 eV, and ?13 eV. There is excellent agreement of peak positions in AES and XPS spectra. The Auger lineshapes can be interpreted in terms of site-specific densities of states. They indicate that the states at ～?8 eV and at ～?13 eV are associated with the cation and anion sites respectively. The bonding p-like states at the top of the valence band have both cation and anion character. The Auger lineshapes indicate that the states closest to the valence band maximum are preferentially associated with Ge.     

NMR study of re-entrant spin-glass state in NiMn alloys

The temperature dependence of the average hyperfine field H̄_i and the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time T₁ of ⁵⁵Mn on three different types (i = I, II and III) of Mn atoms in NiMn alloys containing 10 and 15 at % Mn have been measured. In 15 at % Mn alloy, H̄_III associated with Mn atoms having an antiparallel moment μ_III increases abruptly at 12K, while H̄_I and H̄_II associated with Mn atoms having parallel moments μ_I and μ_II do not with decreasing temperature. On the other hand T⁻¹₁ of ⁵⁵Mn of all three types of Mn atoms are largely enhanced at the same temperature, 12 K. This behavior was not observed in 10 at % Mn alloy.These effects observed in 15 at % Mn alloy are considered to be due to the freezing of the transverse component of the antiparallel moment μ_III due to the onset of the re-entrant spin-glass transition at 12 K.     

Effect of polymers doping on flux pinning behavior of MgB2

The effects of polymers doping on irreversibility field (H_irr) and critical current density (J_c) of MgB₂ have been investigated in this work. It is found that both J_c, and H_irr, are improved by doping at relative lower temperature region. The J_c−B curves of all samples studied in this work are well fitted using J_c(B) formula in percolation model. The values of upper critical field anisotropy (γ) are obtained from the fitting result at various temperatures. It is observed that values of γ for polymers doping samples are reduced at these temperatures. This is considered to be responsible for the enhancement of values of J_c for doped samples. Moreover, the percolation threshold, p_c, is found to be enhanced with increasing temperature. It is believed that the grain boundary pinning is still dominating in MgB₂, while the deviation of experimental data from the theoretical values is due to the percolation of suppercurrent in polycrystalline MgB₂.     

Hyperfine magnetic fields on Cd impurity in the Pd2MnIn1-xSnx and Pd2MnSn1-ySby heusler alloys

The TDPAC technique was used to measure the magnetic hyperfine field (mhf) acting on Cd impurity in the Heusler alloys Pd₂MnIn_1-xSn_x and Pd₂MnSn_1-ySb_y for various values of x and y in the range 0 ? x, y ? 1. The alloys of Pd₂MnIn_1-xSn_x are antiferromagnetic at the In-rich end and ferromagnetic at the Sn-rich end, with a transition region x ≈ 0.5?0.7 where both phases coexist; the alloys containing Sn/Sb are ferromagnetic for all values of y. The mhf on the Cd impurity in the antiferromagnetic, transition and ferromagnetic regions of Pd₂MnIn_1-xSn_x are respectively zero, -150 and -200 kOe. For the Sn/Sb alloys the field changes from -200 at the Sn-rich end to -235 kOe at the Sb-rich end. The values of the field very closely follow the trend of the ferromagnetic Curie temperatures for the same alloys as a function of the s-p electron concentration. The observed large distribution of field intensities (～20%) and the lower values of the field in the region x = 0.5?0.6 are attributed mainly to the effect of antiferromagnetic domains. The results are compared with previous Mössbauer mhf measurements at the sites of Sn and Sb in the same alloys as well as with measurements in other Heusler alloys.     

On the surface energy of crystals of inert gases

The dependences of the specific surface energy (σ) and its isochoric temperature derivative (?σ/?T) _V on the degree of compression (V/V ₀) of the crystal are calculated on the basis of the Mie-Lennard-Jones pair potential of interatomic interaction. The calculations are performed for all face-centered cubic crystals of inert gases (from Ne to Rn) to the degree of compression V/V ₀ = 0.016 along three isotherms: 1K, T _m and 300 K, where T _m is the melting temperature at zero pressure (V/V ₀ = 1). The activation processes such as the creation of vacancies and self-diffusion are taken into account in the calculations. It is shown that the isotherm σ(V/V ₀) reaching its maximum at (V/V ₀)_max sharply decreases upon further compression. The surface energy becomes negative (σ(V/V ₀) _fr =0) at V/V ₀ ≤ (V/V ₀) _fr < (V/V ₀)_max which should stimulate the process of crystal fragmentation, i.e., an increase in the specific (per atom) intercrystallite surface. It is shown that at high temperatures the condition of fragmentation holds in the crystal in the case of uniform tension, but it is already in the region of the liquid phase. The values of σ, (?σ/?T) _V , the vacancy concentration and the fraction of the diffusion atoms are estimated at the points: V/V ₀ = 1, (V/V ₀)_max and (V/V ₀) _fr at 1 K, Tm and 300 K. The size evolution of the surface and activation parameters is studied using neon as an example.     

Two regimes of vortex penetration into platelet-shaped type-II superconductors

Vortex penetration into a thin superconducting strip of a rectangular cross section is considered at an increasing applied magnetic field H _a , taking an interplay between the Bean-Livingston and the geometric barriers in the sample into account. We calculate the magnetic field H _p at which the penetration begins and show that two regimes of vortex penetration are possible. In the first regime, vortices appearing at the corners of the strip at H _a = H _p immediately move to its center, where a vortex dome starts to develop. In the second regime, the penetration occurs in two stages. In the first stage, at H _a < H _p , tilted vortices penetrate into the edge regions of the strip, where novel domes are shown to be formed at the top, bottom, and lateral surfaces. In the second stage, at H _a = H _p , the vortex propagation to the center becomes possible. The difference between the regimes manifests itself in slightly different dependences of the magnetic moment of the strip on H _a .     

Spin correlations in Ni-Mn-Ga

Results of measuring small-angle neutron scattering and neutron depolarization in a Ni_49.1Mn_29.4Ga_21.5 single crystal in the temperature range 15<T<400 K and in the range of magnetic fields 0<H<4.5 kOe are presented. The characteristic temperatures of the alloy were found to be as follows: T _C=373.7 K and the martensite transition temperature T _m=301–310 K. The magnetic critical scattering at T _C and the scattering at T<T _C were adequately described by the relationship I _m=A(q ²+κ²)^?2 (q is the transferred wave vector and R _c=1/κ is the correlation radius), and the temperature dependences of the A and R _c scattering parameters were determined. Left-right asymmetry was observed at 150<T< T _m in the scattering of neutrons polarized along or opposite to the applied field. This asymmetry was due to the inelastic magnetic interaction of neutrons in the sample. The magnetization of the alloy at T _m, critical scattering at T?T _C, anomalies in scattering, and the softening of magnetic excitations at 150 <T<T _m are discussed.     

A computer model to predict traffic noise in urban situations under free flow and traffic light conditions

A computer model is presented for predicting traffic noise indices in built-up situations for free flow traffic conditions and for a flow interrupted by a traffic light. The stream of vehicles is simulated by a given time headway distribution, and a transfer function obtained from a 1 : 100 scale model is used to simulate the specific built-up situation. Different time headway distributions result in only very small discrepancies; even the simple “equally spaced” distribution is adequate for predicting noise indices with high accuracy, unless L₉₀ has to be predicted. In eight built-up situations along a road with freely flowing traffic only minor mutual differences are found when L₁ ? L_eq and L₁₀ ? L_eq are compared, but L₅₀ and L₉₀, and consequently TNI and L_np, show discrepancies of the order of 10 dB(A). If a traffic light is introduced the value of L_eq rises compared with the free flow case, and the values of L₁ and L₁₀ increase, especially at higher traffic intensities, while L₅₀ and L₉₀ decrease. If the noise indices are calculated as a function of the distance along the road to the traffic light increases in L₁, L₁₀ and L_eq are found at about 50 m beyond the traffic light. The principal cause for this increase appears to be the differences between the peak levels of an accelerating car and the sound level at the ultimate speed. More in situ measurements are required to test the accuracy of the model, especially for accelerating vehicles.     

Pressure induced transitions in MnAs and MnAs0.80Sb0.20

The NiAs type phases of MnAs and MnAs_0.80Sb_0.20 were studied for at pressures up to 12 GPa using the energy dispersive X-ray diffraction technique. MnAs (at ∼ 0.1 GPa) and MnAs_0.80Sb_0.20 (at ∼4 GPa) transform from the NiAs into the MnP type structure, followed by strong volume reductions. The anomalous compressibility properties are probably correlated with changes in the electronic band structure and in this respect are related to the high to low spin conversion in MnAs₁₋xP_x.     

Magnetic hyperfine fields of (Nd2Fe1-xCox)14B AT x = 0.25 between 100 and 780 K

The ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra are recorded in Nd₂(Fe_1-xCo_x)₁₄B at x = 0.25 in the temperature range 100 to 780 K. T_c the Curie temperature, B̄_hf, the magnetic hyperfine field average over various Fe nuclei of the unit cell and its temperature coefficient α(B̄_hf) in the vicinity of 300 K are found to be 760(5) K, 34.0(3) T and -0.08(1)% K^-1, respectively. The magnetic moment at Fe atoms is estimated to increase up to 12% as a result of the partial substitution by Co atoms. The dependence of the fields upon temperature is observed to be least at the j₂ and k₂ sites as compared to the other sites of Fe. The results for the variation of B_hf at all of the six sites of Fe with respect to temperature are given. A site preference of Fe atoms for the j₂ sites is observed.     

3.508 μ-HeXe-laser line absorption by CH3COOCH3, CH3, and NO2 and infrared emission at 6.89 μ by CH3COOCH3 and CH3 at elevated temperatures

Shock-tube HeXe-laser absorption data at ω_L=2850.633 cm^-1 for CH₃COOCH₃ at 757≤T, °K≤1344, NO₂at 412≤T, °K≤1859, andCH₃at 1283≤T, °K≤1562 are presented. Approximate models are used for the effective spectral absorption coefficient of vibration-rotation lines for analytical representations of the results around atmospheric pressures. For CH₃COOCH₃, an equivalent Voigt-profile for an isolated line was adopted in order to account for a dependence on total pressure of the laser absorption coefficient. Shock-tube emission data at λ=6.890 μ(Δλ=0.197μ) forCH₃COOCH₃at 814≤T, °K≤1651 and for CH₃at 1377≤T, °K≤1562 in the v₄-fundamental of the H-bond bending mode of the CH₃-group are well described at atmospheric pressures by approximations of just-overlapping-line models for polyatomic molecules. The adopted models are useful for concentration-time history measurements of methyl acetate, nitrogen dioxide, and methyl radicals behind shock waves.     

Strange-quark matter within the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model

The equation of state of baryon-rich quark matter is studied within the SU(3) Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model with flavor-mixing interaction. Possible bound states (strangelets) and chiral phase transitions in this matter are investigated at various values of the strangeness fraction r _s. Model predictions are very sensitive to the ratio of the vector and scalar coupling constants, ξ=G _V/G _S. At ξ=0.5 and zero temperature, the binding energy takes a maximum value of about 15 MeV per baryon at r _s?0.4. Such strangelets are negatively charged and have typical lifetimes of about 10^?7s. Calculations are performed at finite temperatures as well. According to these calculations, bound states exist up to temperatures of about 15 MeV. The model predicts a first-order chiral phase transition at finite baryon densities. The parameters of this phase transition are calculated as functions of r _s.     

Scaling and fragmentation distributions of beam remnants in high Et proton-proton collisions at √s =27.4 GeV

Charged particle trajectories have been reconstructed in pp collisions triggered by transverse energies (E_t) ranging from 1 GeV to 20 GeV. The forward fragmentation function of negative particles in the beam jet is found to scale with E_t in variable x=2p_L/√s−E_t, and the slope is near to that found for small jet triggers in an earlier experiment. Above about E_t=8 GeV, positive particles scale and for 0.5<x<1.0 the ratio of positives to negatives is 1.73±0.2. The forward fragmentation functions at high E_t do not show the behavior expected from the fragmentation of diquarks and are more like that from quarks.Multiplicity and energy flow in various forward polar angle regions are also presented; they are compared to the beam jet predictions of ISAJET and found to be greater at wide angles and less at small.     

Modification of the magnetic structure of UAs — Appearance of an incommensurate phase below TN in UAs0.97Se0.03, studied by neutron diffraction from a single crystal

The magnetic structure of UAs_0.97Se_0.03 has been studied by neutron diffraction from a single crystal in zero applied magnetic field. It is found to be antiferromagnetic, of type-IA (++--) below T_o = 75.6 K and of type-I (+-+-) above T_o. The type-I persists till T_IC = 113.5 K, while above it and up to T_N = 122 K an incommensurate phase appears, thereby modifying the magnetic structure in pure UAs. The k-value of the wavevector $\text{K}$ (along cubic axes) is changing from 0.642 at T_N to 0.652 at T_IC. The transitions at T_o and T_IC are first-order while the transition at T_N is second-order. The ordered magnetic moment is 2.15 μ_B at T = 4.2 K, it varies smoothly to 1.95 μ_B at T = 75.4 K and drops drastically to 1.47 μ_B at T = 76 K.     

Magnetic,transport, thermal properties and orbital state for spinel MnTi2O4

We systematically investigated the various properties of MnTi₂O₄. The compounds are found to be conducted by small polarons with different activation energies across the temperature T₁ and deviate from the Curie–Weiss law for the magnetic susceptibility at T₁. Also at T₁ do the specific heat undergo a crossover. As indicated by the X-ray diffraction peaks, the series of phenomena near the characteristic temperature T₁ are attributed to the happening of the micro-structural distortion, and the distortion implies the short-range orbital ordering state below T₁. This short-range oribtal ordering state is supported by the little upturn of the thermal conductance at T₁. As the temperature decreases, the systems enter a long-ranged collinear ferrimagnetic state at a lower temperature T_N. Moreover, the compounds decreases in thermal-electric power with the decrease of temperature and undergoes a p-type to n-type transition at the temperature T_pn. Through the quantitative theoretical analysis, both the decrease of the thermal power and the p-type to n-type transition are cooperatively induced by spin–orbit (SO) coupling and the Jahn–Teller (JT) effect.     

Effect of cation doping on low-temperature specific heat of LaMnO3 manganite

We have investigated the thermodynamic properties of perovskite manganite LaMnO₃, the parent compound of colossal magnetoresistive manganites, with the Ca²⁺ doping at the A-site. As strong electron-phonon interactions are present in these compounds, the lattice part of the specific heat deserves proper attention. We have described the temperature dependence of the lattice contribution to the specific heat at constant volume (C_v(lattice)) of La_1−xCa_xMnO₃ (x=0.125, 0.175, 0.25, 0.35, 0.50, 0.67, 0.75) as a function of temperature (1 K–20 K) by means of a rigid ion model (RIM).The trends of specific heat variations with temperature are almost similar at all the composition. The Debye temperatures obtained from the lattice contributions are found to be in somewhat closer agreement with the experimental data. The specific heat values revealed by using RIM are in closer agreement with the available experimental data, particularly at low temperatures for some concentrations (x) of La_1−xCa_xMnO₃. The theoretical results at higher temperatures can be improved by including the effects of the charge ordering, van der Waals attraction and anharmonicity in the framework of RIM.