An Analysis of the Trigonal Center Structure of Yb3+ Ion in CsCaF3

The crystal field parameters determined from interpretation of optical spectra are used to analyze distortions of a crystal lattice in the vicinity of an impurity ion and vacancy at a Cs⁺ site compensating the excess positive charge in the trigonal centers of Yb³⁺ ions in CsCaF₃ crystal. Interactions of the impurity ion with the nearest neighbors (an octahedron of F^? ions) and the next nearest neighbors (a cube of Cs⁺ ions) are considered within the superposition model. It is established that, at formation of the trigonal center, three F^? ions of the nearest octahedron, placed symmetrically along the threefold axis on the side of the vacancy, move away from the impurity ion a little and significantly deviate from this axis. The second triangle of F^? ions, on the contrary, comes nearer to the impurity ion and nestles on the axis of the center a little. The three Cs⁺ ions, the second neighbors on the side of the vacancy, slightly come nearer to Yb³⁺ ion and considerably nestle on the center axis. The second triangle of Cs⁺ ions, from the opposite side of vacancy, also comes nearer to the paramagnetic ion and also nestles on the center axis a little. The Cs⁺ ion, lying on the center axis, comes considerably nearer to the impurity ion.     

Entropy and enthalpy of formation and migration of lattice defects in Na(I)

The self-diffusion coefficients of Na⁺ and I^?, as well as the ionic conductivity, are measured in Na(I) single crystals, pure and doped with Ca²⁺ ions. The computer analysis of the whole set of data shows that the atom transport in Na(I) is ensured essentially by the free vacancies with a very small contribution (～4%) of the vacancy pairs. The thermodynamic parameters of vacancy formation and migration are derived by taking the long range interactions into account (activity coefficients on the concentrations and relaxation factors on the mobilities). The respective entropies of Schottky defect formation, cation migration and anion migration are equal to 7.64, 3.23 and 2.91 k while the corresponding enthalpies are equal to 2.00, 0.58 and 0.77 eV.     

Photon and electron stimulated desorption of adsorbates from W {100}

We have performed photon and electron stimulated desorption (PSD and ESD) studies of F⁺, Cl⁺ and O⁺ ions from a W {100} surface and have measured the kinetic energies for a small range of emission angles of these ions as well as the effect of different electron and photon excitation energies. We find that the PSD and ESD processes show essentially the same threshold energies and produce the same ion energy and angle distribution, and so evidently involve the same mechanism. For the case of O⁺ we also find clear evidence that substrate core-level excitation initiates the desorption process as proposed by Knotek and Feibelman for adsorbates bonded to surface atoms with a maximal valency configuration. The substrate levels are not seen to play a role in the F⁺ and Cl⁺ desorption, indicating a very different type of bonding for these species on the W surface.     

Structure and properties of molecular and ionic clusters in vapour over caesium fluoride

The properties of neutral molecules Cs₂F₂, Cs₃F₃, and Cs₄F₄, and positive and negative cluster ions Cs₂F⁺, CsF₂^?, Cs₃F₂⁺, Cs₂F₃^?, Cs₄F₃⁺, and Cs₅F₄⁺ were studied by several of quantum chemical methods implementing density function theory and Möller–Plesset perturbation theory of second and fourth orders. For all species, the equilibrium geometrical structure and vibrational spectra were determined. Different isomers have been revealed for the trimer neutral molecule Cs₃F₃; pentaatomic, both positive and negative, Cs₃F₂⁺, Cs₂F₃^?; and heptaatomic Cs₄F₃⁺ ions. The most abundant isomers in the saturated vapour were determined. Enthalpies of dissociation reactions and enthalpies of formation of the species were obtained.     

Type I FA (Rb, Cs) and II FA (Li, Na) tunable laser activities and donor-acceptor properties of O and O at KCl (001) surface: first principle calculations

Type I F_A (Rb⁺, Cs⁺) and II F_A (Li⁺, Na⁺) tunable laser activities, adsorptivity and donor-acceptor properties of O and O⁻ adsorbates at the flat surface of KCl crystal were investigated using an embedded cluster model and ab initio methods of molecular electronic structure calculations. Ion clusters were embedded in a simulated Coulomb field that closely approximates the Madelung field of the host surface, and the nearest neighbor ions to the defect site were allowed to relax to equilibrium. Based on the calculated Stokes shifted optical transition bands, F_A tunable laser activities were found to be inversely proportional to the size of the dopant cation (Li⁺, Na⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺) relative to the host cation (K⁺). This relation was explained in terms of the axial perturbation of the impurity cation. The probability of orientational bleaching attributed to the RES saddle point ion configuration along the 〈110〉 axis was found to be inversely proportional to the size of the dopant cation, with activation energy barriers of ca. 0.44-3.34 eV. Surface relaxation energies of type II F_A centers were more important than those of type I F_A centers. In terms of defect formation energies, the products of type II F_A center imperfection were more stable than those of type I F_A. The difference between F or F_A band energies and exciton bands depended almost exclusively on the size of the positive ion species. As far as the adsorptivity of O and O⁻ is concerned, the results confirm that surface imperfection enhances the adsorption energies by ca. 4.38-16.37 eV. O and O⁻ penetrate through the defect-containing surface. The energy gap between the adsorbate and the defect containing surface and the donor-acceptor property of adsorbate play the dominant role in the course of adsorbate substrate interactions and the results were explained in terms of electrostatic potential curves and Mulliken population analysis.     

FA(Ga+,In+,Tl+) tunable laser activity and interaction of halogen atoms (F,Cl,Br,I,At) at the (001) surface of KCl crystal: ab initio calculations

An attempt has been made to examine F_A(Ga⁺,In⁺,Tl⁺) tunable laser activity and adsorptivity of halogen atoms (F,Cl,Br,I,At) at the (0 0 1) surface of KCl crystal using an embedded cluster model, CIS and density functional theory calculations with effective core potentials. The ion clusters were embedded in a simulated Coulomb field that closely approximates the Madelung field at the host surface. The nearest neighbor ions to the defect site were then allowed to relax to equilibrium. Based on the calculated strength of electron–phonon coupling and Stokes-shifted optical transition bands, The F_A(Tl⁺) center was found to be the most laser active in agreement with the experimental observation that the optical emissions of F_A(In⁺) and F_A(Ga⁺) centers were strongly quenched. The disappearance of the anisotropy and np splitting observed in the absorption of F_A(Ga⁺,In⁺,Tl⁺) centers were monotonically increasing functions of the size of the impurity cation. The F_A(Ga⁺,In⁺,Tl⁺) defect formation energies followed the order F_A(Ga⁺)>F_A(In⁺)>F_A(Tl⁺). The Glasner–Tompkins empirical relationship between the principal optical absorption of F centers in solids and the fundamental absorption of the host crystal was generalized to include the positive ion species. As far as the adsorptivity of the halogen atoms is concerned, the F and F_A(In⁺,Tl⁺) centers were found to change the nature of adsorption from physical adsorption to chemical adsorption. The adsorption energies were monotonically increasing functions of the electronegativity of the halogen and the amount of charge transferred from the defect-free surface. The calculated adsorption energies were explainable in terms of the electron affinity, the effective nuclear charge and the electrostatic potentials at the surface. The spin pairing mechanism played the dominant role in the course of adsorbate–substrate interactions and the KCl defect-free surface can be made semiconducting by F or F_A(In⁺,Tl⁺) surface imperfections.     

Heat of formation of solid solution of alkali halides

Based on a semicontinuum model, the electrostatic, the polarisation, and the repulsive energy change of a lattice is calculated numerically, as a function of the relaxation of the nearest neighbouring ions of a substitutional impurity in an alkali halide crystal. It is found that for a particular displacement, the total energy change of the lattice is a minimum. Thus the heat of formation of a dilute solid solution is obtained. Here, we report calculations on the heat of formation of the following systems-Na⁺ in LiCl, Li⁺ in NaCl, K⁺ in NaCl, Na⁺ in KCl, Rb⁺ in NaCl, Na⁺ in RbCl, F^? in NaCl, Cl^? in NaF. Br^? in NaCl and Cl^? in NaBr.     

Theoretical investigation of the EPR parameters and the crystal lattice defects of the trigonal symmetry in RbCdF3:Cr3+

In this paper, the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) parameters in RbCdF₃:Cr³⁺ have been studied by means of energy matrices and the Newman superposition model, the theoretical results are in excellent agreement with the experimental ones. The existence of Rb⁺ vacancy and the lattice distortion have been verified. The EPR parameters arising from the Rb⁺ vacancy itself and the crystal lattice distortion are analyzed and calculated. We obtain that the six ligand F⁻ ions move to the central Cr³⁺ ion by Δ = 0.0013 nm, and the front three F⁻ ions rotate 2.98° away from the [111] axis while the back three F⁻ ions rotate 1.016° toward it.     

Theoretical calculation for the high pressure properties of alkali fluorides

Abstract

The overlap repulsive potentials of ion pairs (Li ⁺?F^?, Na⁺?F^? and K⁺?F^?) are calculated by means of generalized Heitler-London method and the numerical results are fitted in the Born-Mayer form, i.e. Dexp (—αR), Then the parameter D for each pair potential is modified to satisfy the crystal equilibrium condition at the experimentally known lattice constant. The redetermined repulsive potentials are applied to calculate the cohesive energies, bulk moduli, equations of state and NaC1–to-CsC1 structural phase transition pressures of LiF, NaF and KF crystals. The results obtained are compared with some other theoretical values and the available experimental data, and good agreement is reached.     

Structure of negative impurity ions in liquid helium

The experimental mobilities of negative halogen (Cl^?, F^?, and I^?) and metal (Ba^? and Ga^?) impurity ions in superfluid ⁴He are close to each other and much lower than the mobilities of not only He⁺ ions but also electron bubbles. It has been shown that the formation of multiatomic complexes (clusters or bubbles) around ions is responsible for this low mobility. Although the mobilities are similar, the structures of the resulting complexes are qualitatively different in the cases of halogens and metals: solid clusters, which are similar to a well-studied cluster at the He⁺ ion, are formed near halogen ions, which exhibit high electron affinities, whereas metal ions are localized in bubbles, which are similar to electron bubbles. The temperature and pressure dependence of the mobility of these complexes is qualitatively different. Experiments in this area, most likely, performed with a wider variety of negative ions, would enhance the understanding of the structure of charged complexes in liquid helium.     

On the nature of ion bombardment-induced phase transformations in films of transition metals

Abstract

Electron diffraction studies have been made of polycrystalline Ni films irradiated with well separated beams of ions of different nature, namely ions of inert (He⁺, Ne⁺, Ar⁺, Kr⁺, Xe⁺) and reactive (N⁺ and O⁺) gases. The Ni films were prepared under vacuum conditions (P? 3·10^?6Pa during evaporation) preventing an appreciable contamination of the films with impurities. The samples were irradiated at T? 300 K with ion beams of energies from 10 to 100 keV in the dose range between 5·10¹⁶ cm^?2 and the value leading to sample destruction.

Irradiation with noble gas ions revealed no phase transitions in the Ni films. A similar result was obtained in irradiation of Fe and Cr films with He⁺ ions. The bombardment of Ni films with reactive gas ions does cause changes in the lattice structure of the samples under study, depending on the nature of the bombarding ions. The N⁺ ion bombardment gives rise to the hcp phase with the lattice parameters typical of the Ni₃N compound, and the O⁺ ion bombardment results in the fcc phase with the NiO-type parameter.

The conclusion is drawn on the chemical origin of the phase transformations in the Ni films under ion bombardment. The necessity of revising the concept about the polymorphous nature of phase transformations induced in the films of transition metals by ion bombardment is substantiated.     

Zur Bildungskinetik der F-Folgezentren in KCl

The process of F-center aggregation under light irradiation, which involves ionic movement at low temperatures (observable down to — 60°C), is not at all understood in its mechanism. It is the aim of this work to evaluate quantitatively the kinetics of this process for different F-aggregate centers. In part I the assoziation of F-centers in KCl crystals with isolated Na⁺ or Li⁺ ions was thoroughly investigated as the clearest model case of F-center-aggregation. The reaction product in these crystals after light irradiation, an F-center associated to a Na⁺ or Li⁺ ion as nearest (100) neighbor (F _A -center), is well established in its model and can be detected by its double peak absorption structure. By optical measurements of the rate of F _A -center formation in dependence on light-intensity, time, Na⁺ or Li⁺-concentration, F→F′ conversion rate and temperature, the kinetics of this reaction could be evaluated in a simple equation of bimolecular type. The analysis leads to the conclusion, that either the anion vacancy or the F′-center must be regarded as a unit of high thermal mobility (activation energy 0·6±0·05 eV, jump frequency about 10² sec^?1 at room temperature) which diffuses randomly in the lattice and can be captured by a Na⁺ or Li⁺ ion.     

Impact Parameter Dependence of K-Shell Vacancy Production in Collisions of 1 MeV/a. m. u. Cu lons with Cu,Ge and Ag Atoms

The mechanism of K-shell vacancy production is studied in an X-ray-scattered ion coincidence experiment with 63 MeV ⁶³Cu⁴⁺ ions colliding with natural Cu, Ge and Ag targets. The impact parameter dependent K-shell vacancy production probability measured in the experiment is analysed in terms of the rotational coupling and the statistical models. The K-shell vacancy sharing ratio between the collision partners is compared with the predictions to the Demkov model.     

Electron-stimulated desorption of positive ions from hexagonal α-SiC

Electron-stimulated desorption (ESD) of positive ions (H⁺, O⁺, ⁺OH, F⁺ and Cl⁺) from the Si- and C-terminated surfaces of hexagonal α-SiC has been observed for electron energies in the 5–105 eV range. Comparison of these results with those for the ESD of the same ions from the surfaces of Si and condensed hydrocarbons leads to a model for the H⁺, ⁺OH, F⁺ and Cl⁺ threshold desorption process based on transitions from deep valence Si and C “s-like” levels to states in the conduction band, followed by Auger decay to form a localized multiple valence-hole configuration. O⁺ desorption, on the other hand, is initiated by O 2s ionization. Evidence is found for a strong dependence of the F⁺ threshold on the local chemical bonding. The results indicate that the thresholds for ESD of these ions from SiC are determined more by the electronic excitation of the substrate than by direct excitation of the adsorbate bond.     

Secondary Electron and Negative-Ion Emission from Metal Surface under the Bombardment by Positive Ions (H<Superscript>+</Superscript>, Cl<Superscript>+</Superscript>, HCl<Superscript>+</Superscript>)

A trap for positive ions (H⁺, Cl⁺, HCl⁺) is created within a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The yields of secondary electrons and negative ions (HCl^?, H^?) formed due to forward and backward scattering of positive ions by steel wire at different kinetic energies (200–750 eV) are measured.     

Anomalous enhancement of negative sputtered ion emission by oxygen

Enhancement of negative sputtered ion yields by oxygen (either O⁺₂ bombardment or O₂ gas with Ar⁺ bombardment) is demonstrated for Si^?, As^?, P^?, Ga^?, Cu^? and Au^?, sputtered from a variety of matrices. Because oxygen also enhances positive ion yields of the same species, this effect cannot be simply explained on the basis of existing sputtered ion emission models. To rationalize these phenomena, a surface polarization model is developed which invokes localized electron emissive or electron retentive sites associated with differently oriented surface dipoles in the oxygenated surface. Such sites are considered to dominate the emission of negative and positive ions respectively. The model is shown to correctly predict that Au⁺ and Au^? ion yields are much more strongly enhanced by oxygen in dilute Au-Al alloys than in pure gold.     

Diffusion of ions in supercritical water: Dependence on ion size and solvent density and roles of voids and necks

We have performed molecular dynamics simulations of alkali metal (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺) and halide (F⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻) ions in supercritical water at 673 K. The calculations were done for water at three different densities of 1.0, 0.7 and 0.35 g cm⁻³ to investigate the effects of solute size on the diffusion of ions in supercritical water. On increase of ion size, we observe a maximum for diffusion of ions in supercritical water of higher densities (1.0 and 0.7 g cm⁻³). However, no such maximum is found for ion diffusion in the supercritical water of low density (0.35 g cm⁻³) or for diffusion of neutral solutes at all densities. These results are analyzed in terms of passage through voids and necks present in supercritical water. Correlations of the observed diffusion behavior with the sizes of ions and voids present in the systems are discussed.     

Microscopic structure of liquid dimethyl sulphoxide and its electrolyte solutions: molecular dynamics simulations

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of pure dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and solutions of Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl^?, NaCl and CaCl₂ in DMSO have been performed at 298.15 K and 398.15 K in NVT ensembles by using a four-interaction-site model of DMSO and reaction field method for Coulombic interactions. The structure of solvent, ion-solvation shells and ion-pairs have been analysed by employing a concept of coordination centres and characteristic vectors of the solvent molecule. Results are given for atom-atom (corresponding to DMSO), ion-atom and ion-ion radial distribution functions (RDFs), orientation of the DMSO molecules and their geometrical arrangements in the first solvation shells of the ions (Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl^?). A preferential formation of cyclic dimers with antiparallel alignment between dipole moments of nearest-neighbour molecules in the pure solvent is found. Geometrical models of the first coordination shells of the ions in ‘infinitely dilute solutions’ are proposed. Ion-ion RDFs in NaCl-DMSO and CaCl₂-DMSO solutions reveal the presence of both solvent separated (SSIP) and contact (CIP) ion pairs. The structures of the solvation shells of such ion pairs are also discussed.     

Defect structures and migration mechanisms in oxide pyrochlores

Using computer simulation techniques the defect structure and oxygen ion migration mechanism of oxide pyrochlores (eg. Gd₂Zr₂O₇) was investigated in order to explain the decreased activation enthalpy for oxygen ion conductivity as a function of order. Shell model potentials were found to be necessary in order to obtain sufficiently accurate physical properties for the pyrochlore compound. The oxygen Frenkel defect consisting of ‘a split 48f vacancy’ and 8b interstitial appeared to be the most stable instrinsic defect, but vacancies related to extended defect structures may play an important role in the diffusion mechanism too. The migration mechanism of oxygen ions is mainly based on 48f-48f jumps and involve 0.9 eV barrier energy, comparable with the experimental activation enthalpies of 70–85 kJ/mol.     

Electron impact-induced ionization and dissociation of the freon-12 molecule

An experimental technique is described, and the relative cross sections of the single and dissociative electron-impact ionizations of the freon-12 molecule (CCl₂F₂) in the near-threshold energy range are obtained. The experiment is performed on a device that provides the mass separation and recording of ions with a monopole mass spectrometer. The mass spectrum of the freon-12 molecule is measured at various ionizing-electron energies, and the relative cross sections of dissociative ionization are measured for the most intense ion fragments, including isotope-containing fragments. The threshold dependences of these cross sections are used to determine the appearance potentials of the ion fragments. The isotope shift in the thresh-old appearance energies of ion fragments [C³⁵ClF₂]⁺ and [C³⁷ClF₂]⁺ is measured for the first time.