Interband phototransitions involving free electrons: I. Crystals with a direct band gap

Nonlinear absorption of laser radiation with a photon energy exceeding the half-width of the direct band gap of crystal but lower than its width has been considered. It is shown that, in the case of singlephoton resonance at transitions between two conduction bands, even at radiation intensities j ??10⁵?C10⁶ W/cm², there is a range of j values where the optical absorption and concentration of nonequilibrium electron-hole pairs sharply increase with an increase in j. The transition of the material between states with different optical and electric properties occurs for few nanoseconds.     

Interband phototransitions involving free electrons: III. Transmission of light through crystals

It has been shown that the two-electron mechanism of nonlinear optical absorption considered in the first two parts of our study, even at laser radiation intensities j ～ 10³-10⁴ W/cm² in the case of nanosecond pulses, can lead to almost complete absorption of light by crystals that are transparent to weak radiation of the same wavelength. A number of materials that can exhibit the considered effects have been described.     

Multiphoton transitions and the resonant optical Stark effect in AgBr nanocrystals

Nonlinear absorption of 30-ps light pulses with λ = 560 nm in AgBr nanocrystals is experimentally studied in the range of intensities 10⁸–10¹⁰ W/cm². The results of a theoretical analysis show that the absorption is related to direct interband n-photon transitions. With increasing light intensity j, the number n increases and the region of the k-space changes for the transitions predominantly contributing to the absorption. It is shown that, due to specific features of the AgBr electronic band structure, the probabilities of two-photon transitions for the light at λ = 560 nm are anomalously low, while those of four-photon transitions are anomalously high. In addition, the increase in the two-photon transition rate with increasing intensity is blocked at j ? 10⁸ W/cm² due to the resonant optical Stark effect and due to a gap arising in the band spectrum, rearranged because of the interaction with light.     

Multiphoton generation of electron-hole pairs involving free carriers in an indirect-gap crystal

The paper reports on a study of nonlinear absorption of high-intensity laser radiation in the case where the photon energy is less than one half of the indirect-gap width in a crystal. The deficiency in the energy needed for two-photon excitation of the electron-hole pair is made up by the kinetic energy of free electrons, which was acquired in intraband nonlinear absorption of light. The probabilities of Auger-type indirect two-photon interband transitions involving free electrons have been calculated by perturbation theory. It is shown that, for a free-carrier concentration in the conduction band n _c ? 10¹⁵ cm^?3, and the radiation intensity range of interest for the experiment, j ～ 3–10 GW/cm², the calculated probabilities of such transitions exceed by several orders of magnitude those of “conventional” direct and indirect (involving phonons) multiphoton transitions which can take place in the system considered.     

Contraction of electroweak model and neutrino

The electroweak model, which lepton sector correspond to the contracted gauge group SU(2; j) × U(1), j ?? 0, whereas boson and quark sectors are standard one, is suggested. The field space of the model is fibered under contraction in such a way that neutrino fields are in the fiber and all other fields are in the base. Properties of the fibered field space are understood in context of semi-Riemannian geometry. This model describes in a natural manner why neutrinos so rarely interact with matter, as well as why neutrino cross section increase with the energy. Dimensionfull parameter of the model is interpreted as neutrino energy. Dimensionless contraction parameter j at low energy is connected with the Fermi constant of weak interactions and is approximated as j ² ?? 10^?5.     

Effect of dislocations on the lattice thermal conductivity of superconducting niobium

Thermal conductivity measurements on single crystal Nb samples in the superconducting state have demonstrated a resonant scattering of thermal phonons at roughly 5 × 10¹⁰Hz. The assumption of a mechanical resonance associated with the dislocation structure accounts for the present data and is consistent with other data found in the literature. The thermalization of phonons at an abraded sample surface, and the attendant failure of the relation l^?1 = ∑_jl_j^?1 for phonon mean free paths, was also observed.     

Quantitative analysis of blistering upon annealing of hydrogen-ion-implanted diamond single crystals

Local blistering observed upon high-temperature annealing of natural diamond single crystals implanted by 350-keV hydrogen ions with a dose of 12 × 10¹⁶ cm^?2 is studied. Based on room-temperature measurements, Griffith cracking criterion, and gas law, model quantitative calculations of blister size (R _j = (0.361?5.568) × 10^?3 m, V _j = (307?9695) × 10^?18 m³) and the amount of molecules in a blister (n _j = (0.448?10.95) × 10¹³) are carried out for the first time. At room temperature, T ₁ = 293 K, the amount of local elastic stresses σ_ij in the upper layer of the diamond is counterbalanced by (inner) hydrogen pressure P _ij of the (σ _j1 = P _j1 = (2.968?6.439) × 10⁷ Pa). At annealing temperature T ₂ = 1693 K, the hydrogen pressure rises to P _j2 = (0.1717?0.8750) GPa. Under subsequent annealing at a still higher temperature, T ₃ = 1743 K, the pressure in the blisters might be expected to grow to P _j3 = (0.1747?0.9010) GPa; however, some of blisters collapse and thin diamond slices flake away.     

Photon avalanche in a doped quantum well

The possibility of a photon avalanche in a doped quantum well irradiated by IR light is predicted. The proposed model includes the three lowest size-quantization subbands. The exciting IR light frequency is assumed to be in resonance with the transition between the second and third subbands. Probabilities of the Auger transitions responsible for the avalanche-like multiplication of electrons in excited states are calculated for the above-threshold light intensities (j>j _th). By numerically solving the rate equations for electron populations in the three subbands, it is shown that the values j _th in quantum wells with the free-carrier densities n ₀～10¹² cm^?2 are of the order of hundreds of kilowatt per square centimeter and do not depend on the rates of phototransition between the first and second subbands. Characteristic times of establishing the quasi-equilibrium distributions of electrons over the subbands lie in the picosecond range and steeply increase at near-threshold intensities.     

Spectroscopic characteristics of praseodymium-doped cubic double sodium-yttrium fluoride crystals Na0.4Y0.6F2.2:Pr3+. Intensities of optical transitions and luminescence kinetics

Using the Bridgman-Stockbarger technique, we have grown a series of cubic crystals Na_0.4Y_0.6F_2.2:Pr³⁺ (NYF:Pr³⁺) with a content of praseodymium in the range of 0.04–9 at %. We have determined the composition of crystals, evaluated their optical quality, and found the incorporation coefficient of Pr³⁺ ions into the Na_0.4Y_0.6F_2.2 matrix (K _Pr ～ 0.9). We have examined optical spectra of NaYF:Pr³⁺ crystals at room and low (7 K) temperatures in the range of 200–2500 nm. The low-temperature absorption spectra of NYF:Pr³⁺ crystals have been shown to consist of broad weakly structured bands. Based on the analysis of low-temperature absorption spectra, the structure of the Stark splitting of praseodymium levels has been represented in terms of a model of “quasi-centers,” which are characterized by an inhomogeneous broadening of Stark components. From experimental absorption cross-section spectra at T = 300 K, we have calculated oscillator strengths for transitions from the ground state ³ H ₄ to excited multiplets ³ H ₅, ³ H ₆, ³ F _j (j = 2, 3, 4), ¹ G ₄, ¹ D ₂, and (³ P _j ,¹ I ₆) (j = 0, 1, 2). Using the Judd-Ofelt method, we have determined intensity parameters Ω _t and found that Ω₂ = 0, Ω₄ = 4.4 × 10^?20, and Ω₆ = 2.28 × 10^?20 cm². With these values, we have calculated the probabilities of radiative transitions, the branching coefficients, and the lifetimes of the radiative levels ¹ D ₂ and ³ P ₀. The probabilities of multiphonon nonradiative transitions in NYF:Pr³⁺ crystals have been estimated. Using the method of kinetic spectroscopy with selective excitation, we have investigated the luminescence decay kinetics of praseodymium from the ³ P ₀ and ¹ D ₂ levels upon their selective resonant excitation by nanosecond laser pulses. The inference has been made that Na_0.4Y_0.6F_2.2:Pr³⁺ crystals are processable; admit doping by praseodymium in high concentrations; and, with respect to all their radiative characteristics, can be potentially considered as active media for converters of optical radiation and solid-state continuously tunable lasers in the visible range.     

VUV-UV luminescence of magnetoplumbite: (Sr0.96−xBa0.04)Al12−yMgyO19:Tbx

The title compounds (Sr_0.96−xBa_0.04)Al_12−yMg_yO₁₉:Tb_x (0<x<0.4; 0<y<0.18) are single-phase magnetoplumbite determined by X-ray powder diffraction analysis. The characteristic emission lines of ⁵D₃→⁷F_j (j=2, 3, 4, 5) and ⁵D₄→⁷F_j (j=4, 5, 6) of Tb³⁺ are recorded under the VUV excitation. The intensive luminescence mainly comes from ⁵D₃→⁷F_j transition when the concentration of Tb³⁺ is low. However, when the concentration of Tb³⁺ starts to increase from very low concentration, ⁵D₄→⁷F_j transition is becoming dominant. Three broad excitation bands at 165, 193 and 233 nm have been observed. The band at 165 nm originates from the overlap between the host absorption and the charge transfer of Tb³⁺-O²⁻. The other two broad bands are the first spin-allowed and the spin-forbidden of 4f-5d transition, respectively. The experimental observation of the 4f-5d transition of Tb³⁺ is consistent well with the theoretical expectations.     

Effect of the pump absorption on generation of infrared stimulated electronic Raman scattering in alkali-metal vapors

The main properties of infrared stimulated electronic Raman scattering (SERS) at the 6² S _1/2-7² S _{1/2, 3/2} transitions in cesium atoms are studied theoretically and experimentally as functions of the atomic concentration, which was varied from 10¹¹ to 10¹⁶ cm^?3. It is found that the efficiency of generation of Stokes radiation strongly depends on one-photon absorption of the pump radiation tuned near frequencies of the 6² S _1/2-7² P _{1/2, 3/2} transitions. By using the equation for the density matrix, which describes the evolution of a three-level system, the theory of resonance excitation of IR radiation upon one-photon absorption at an adjacent transition is developed. The theory describes well the main features of IR SERS in alkali-metal vapors.     

Field ion microscopy of cascades of atomic displacements in metals and alloys after various types of irradiation

Experimental results on atomic-spatial investigation of radiative defect formation in surface layers of materials, initiated by neutron bombardment (of Pt, E > 0.1 MeV) and ion implantation (in Cu₃Au: E = 40 keV, F = 10¹⁶ ion/m², j = 10^?3 A/cm²), are considered. Quantitative estimates are obtained for the size, shape, and volume fraction of cascades of atomic displacements formed under various types of irradiation in the surface layers of the materials. It is shown that the average size of radiation clusters after irradiation of platinum to a fast neutron fluence of 6.7 × 10²² m^?2 (E > 0.1 MeV) is about 3.8 nm. The experimentally established average size of a radiation cluster (disordered zone) in the alloy after ion bombardment is 4 × 4 × 1.5 nm.     

Order statistics for first passage times in diffusion processes

We consider the problem of the first passage times for absorption (trapping) of the firstj (j = 1,2, ....) ofk, j <k, identical and independent diffusing particles for the asymptotic case k?>1. Our results are a special case of the theory of order statistics. We show that in one dimension the mean time to absorption at a boundary for the first ofk diffusing particles, μ_1,k , goes as (lnk)^?1 for the set of initial conditions in which none of thek particles is located at a boundary and goes ask ^?2 for the set of initial conditions in which some of thek particles may be located at the boundary. We demonstrate that in one dimension our asymptotic results (k21) are independent of the potential field in which the diffusion takes place for a wide class of potentials. We conjecture that our results are independent of dimension and produce some evidence supporting this conjecture. We conclude with a discussion of the possible import of these results on diffusion-controlled rate processes.     

Nonlinear light absorption and luminescence in silicate glasses

The study of luminescence of high-purity multicomponent silicate glasses excited by radiation of a N₂ laser (λ=337 nm, P≈12kW) showed darkening of a sample and a monotone decrease in luminescence intensity and the transmitted radiation intensity from pulse to pulse. Additional illumination with radiation of an Ar⁺ laser (λ=514.5 nm) caused an increase in luminescence intensity. An increase in absorption and a decrease in luminescence intensity were found to be caused by two-photon absorption and electron-hole pair production.     

Einfluß der Bestrahlung mit hochenergetischen Sauerstoffionen auf die kritische Stromdichte supraleitender Nb3Sn-Schichten

Nb₃Sn diffusion layers were irradiated with 24 MeV oxygen ions at fluences from 3.2×10¹³ up to 1.6×10¹⁵ cm^?2. The enhancement of the superconducting critical current density Δj _c has been measured as a function of fluence and of the external magnetic fieldH _a(j _c⊥H _a). The thermal annealing treatment of the defects concerning thej _c and induced by irradiation, has been investigated in the temperature region from 200 to 800 °C. The results are compared with the measurements of irradiation of Nb₃Sn with protons and deuterons. The measured data are discussed in connection with size of defects, cluster distance, fluxline distance and pinning-force.     

The influence of hydrostatic pressure on Raman spectra of TIS and TlInSe2

First order Raman spectra of TIS and TlInSe₂ single crystals excited with 1.064μm line of the continuously operated YAG: Nd³⁺ laser have been investigated in equilibrium conditions under various hydrostatic pressures up to 1.08 × 10⁹ and 7.06 × 10⁸ Pa, respectively. Mode parameters γ_j = (1/ν_j)(dν_j/dP) were determined for all the Raman bands observed. Comparison of a set of these parameters in both crystals showed that the character of binding interatomic forces in these crystals appeared to be similar. For both crystals the intensity of Raman bands decreased with increasing the pressure.     

Modification of the magnetic properties of polyimide films by cobalt ion implantation

The magnetic characteristics of polyimide films implanted with Co⁺ ions with an energy of 40 keV in the dose range D = 2.50 × 10¹⁶?1.25 × 10¹⁷ cm^?2 at ion current densities j = 4, 8, and 12 μA/cm² have been investigated. It has been shown that, at implantation doses of less than 5 × 10¹⁶ cm^?2, the superparamagnetic properties of modified samples are described by the Langevin equation. At higher doses, there is an intercluster interaction. It has been found that, with an increase in the ion current, the cluster size decreases. The sizes of the formed clusters are determined and vary in the range from 3.9 to 11.0 nm, depending on the implantation dose.     

Electromagnetically induced transparency in a molecular gas

The dynamic Stark effect on the as Q(5,4) transition of the 0 → 1 vibrational band of the ν₂ mode of ammonia ¹⁵NH₃ was studied by the method of copropagating waves of radiation of two ¹³CO₂ lasers operating at the R(18)_I line. For waves with mutually orthogonal polarizations, which propagated in a waveguide cell, the intensity of the saturating radiation reached 225 W/cm², and the absorption line of the probing radiation had the form of a two-hump curve with a splitting that was consistent with the Rabi frequency for the ammonia transition being investigated. At the maximum intensity of the saturating radiation, complete transparency was observed at the center of the absorption line of ¹⁵NH₃. When identically polarized saturating and probing waves propagating in a cell at a small angle with respect to each other were used, the splitting was more weakly manifested. The effect of a spatial inhomogeneity of the optical fields on the shape of the line of saturated absorption is discussed.     

Determination of the negative hydrogen ion concentration in a cesium-hydrogen discharge

The concentration N _H ⁻ of negative hydrogen ions in a low-voltage cesium-hydrogen discharge plasma N _H ⁻ is determined from experiments with laser radiation absorption caused by the photodetachment of electrons from the H⁻ ions. The resolution of a setup measuring the relative absorption is ≥10⁻⁵ for a signal-to-noise ratio of ∼10⁻² or less. A heated-cathode diode is used to initiate the discharge at a voltage of U≤10 V and a current density of j≤5 A/cm² (hydrogen pressure p _{H 2} is equal to several torr, and the cesium concentration in the plasma N _Cs ⁽⁰⁾ ∼10¹⁴ cm⁻³). The absorption due to the photoionization of excited Cs atoms is shown to be negligible. The measured concentration N _H ⁻ of the H⁻ ions is 10¹²–10¹³ cm⁻³. Experimental results are consistent with the theory.