Optical absorption band edge in single-crystal GeS

The absorption band edge of single-crystal orthorhombic GeS has been measured in all three polarizations at 4.2, 77 and 300°K. Strong excitonic absorption is observed for E ∥ a, and the transitions in this direction are identified as direct-allowed. Transitions in the E ∥ b and E ∥ c polarizations are tentatively identified as direct forbidden and direct allowed, respectively, with values for E_g similar to those found for E ∥ a. Evidence for the partially two-dimen?ional character of GeS is discussed.     

Luminescence of exciton in GeS

The luminescence of one free and four bound excitons has been investigated in the layer compound GeS. Up to six phonon replicas of the bound excitons are observable. The energies of these phonons are in reasonable agreement with Raman- and IR reflectivity measurements. The luminescence is highly anisotropic and is only seen in the polarization E ∥ a which confirms that the transitions E ∥ b are forbidden. Measurements with E ∥ c were inconclusive because of the difficulties in the sample preparation. Time resolved measurements revealed decay times between 20 nsec and 1.5 μsec for the different bound excitons. One exciton has been identified as bound to a Si impurity. This is the first observation of intentional doping of GeS. Thermal dissociation energies for the bound excitons lie between 6.5 and 20 meV.     

Effect of an external electric field on liquid crystalline polymers

The effect of an external electric field on the order parameter and on the isotropic-anisotropic phase transition temperature for semi-flexible liquid crystalline polymers is studied by a mean-field approximation. For the polymers whose electric dipole moments are parallel to the chain backbone, the critical transition temperature T_c is extensively changed by gDT ∼ ∥E∥², where E is the external electric field.     

Long-wave optical vibrations of V2O5

The infrared reflection spectra of V₂O₅ single crystals have been measured in polarized light for E ∥ a, E ∥ b and E ∥ c. By Kramers-Kronig analysis the optical constants and the values of some LO- and TO-mode frequencies were evaluated. Two unknown lattice vibrations have been ascertained.     

The energy-band gaps in tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane measured by far-infrared photoconductivity

The b-axis photoconductivity of TTF-TCNQ at 5 K has been measured with polarized radiation. The bolometric signal from vibrational modes was removed by increasing the chopping frequency and reducing the temperature. Band gaps of 403 K (E ∥ a) and 453 K (E ∥ b) were obtained, the former agreeing with d.c. conductivity results above 13 K. Impurity photoconductivity was observed with E ∥ b and an energy gap of 130 K explaining d.c. conductivity results below 13 K.     

Singlett-triplett splitting of the free A-exciton in ZnO

By comparing the absorption and emission spectra (4 K) of ZnO single crystals the positions of the free A-exciton lines in emission can be declared. These transitions for E ⊥ c and E ∥ c were produced by excitons having a parallel or antiparallel spin orientation of the electron and the hole. This fine structure splitting is 0.20 meV.     

Microwave spectrum,dipole moment,and conformation of 3-methylcyclopentanone

The rotational spectrum of 3-methylcyclopentanone has been observed in the frequency region from 18.0 to 26.5 GHz. Both a-type and b-type transitions in the ground vibrational state and a-type transitions in five excited states have been assigned. The ground state rotational constants are determined to be A = 5423.32 ± 0.18, B = 1949.51 ± 0.01, and C = 1529.59 ± 0.01 MHz. Analysis of the measured quadratic Stark effects gives the dipole moment components ∥μ_a∥ = 2.97 ± 0.02, ∥μ_b∥ = 1.00 ± 0.03, ∥μ_c∥ = 0.18 ± 0.06, and the total dipole moment ∥μ_t∥ = 3.14 ± 0.03 D. These data are consistent with a twisted-ring conformation with a methyl group in the equatorial position.     

Optical phonons in CuAlS2

The optical phonons at k=0 of CuAlS₂ have been investigated by Raman scattering, infrared reflectivity and absorption measurements from 50 to 1000 cm^-1 at T=300 K. Eleven of the thirteen expected optically active phonons have been observed and identified with respect to their symmetry types. The phonon frequencies appear in a range from 498 to 76 cm^-1 with predominant polar modes at 445 and 266 cm^-1. The dielectric dispersion for E ⊥ c and E ∥ c has been determined by Kramers-Kronig integrations.     

The Weiss model and the Landau–Khalatnikov model for the switching of ferroelectrics

It is shown that the molecular field theory by P. Weiss formally leads to the switching kinetics of ferroelectrics, which is described by the well-known Landau–Khalatnikov equation. The switching has a critical character, taking place only at E_a>E_c (E_a: external field, E_c: coercive field). The results are checked by computer simulations.     

Galvanomagnetic properties of atomically disordered Sr<Subscript>2</Subscript>RuO<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals

The effect of neutron-bombardment-induced atomic disorder on the galvanomagnetic properties of Sr₂RuO₄ single crystals has been experimentally studied in a broad range of temperatures (1.7–380 K) and magnetic fields (up to 13.6 T). The disorder leads to the appearance of negative temperature coefficients for both the in-plane electric resistivity (ρ_a) and that along the c axis (ρ_c), as well as the negative magnetoresistance Δρ, which is strongly anisotropic to the magnetic field orientation (H ∥ a and H ∥ c), with the easy magnetization direction along the c axis and a weak dependence on the probing current direction in the low-temperature region. The experimental ρ_a(T) and ρ_c(T) curves obtained for the initial and radiation-disordered samples can be described within the framework of a theoretical model with two conductivity channels. The first channel corresponds to the charge carriers with increased effective masses (～10m _e , where m _e is the electron mass) and predominantly electron-electron scattering, which leads to the quadratic temperature dependences of ρ_a and ρ_c. The second channel corresponds to the charge carriers with lower effective masses exhibiting magnetic scattering at low temperatures, which leads to the temperature dependence of the ρ_{a, c}(T) ∝ 1/T type.     

Band-edge photoluminescence of PbI2

Photoluminescence spectra of the hexagonal layered semiconductor PbI₂ have been measured at 4.2°K on various single crystalline specimens. They are interpreted in relation with the anisotropic polariton model. The emitted radiation is assumed to originate from free and bound exciton recombination, with and without phonon emission. A peak polarized E ∥ c about 4 meV above the excitonic line is related to the extraordinary polariton mode.     

An improved decoupling approximation method for nonlinear granular composites

An improved decoupling approximation is proposed to estimate the spatial average of ∥E∥^β, where ∥E∥ denotes the magnitude of the local electric field E and β (β ≥ 3) is the nonlinear exponent. As an example, we recalculate the nonlinear susceptibilities of weakly nonlinear composites and find that our present results are very close to the simulation data.     

Antiferromagnetic exchange mechanism of superconductivity in cuprates

The theory of superconducting pairing due to antiferromagnetic exchange is considered. The strong dependence of the superconducting transition temperature T _c on the lattice constant a observed recently in mercury superconductors is explained within the framework of this theory. Calculations have been performed based on the two-band p-d Hubbard model in the strong correlation limit. The large excitation energy Δ_pd for the antiferromagnetic exchange of two particles from different Hubbard subbands results in the suppression of the retardation effects and in the pairing of all the particles in the conduction subband with the Fermi energy E _F ?Δ_pd:T _c ?E _F exp(?1/λ), where λ∝J. The dependence T _c (a) and the isotope effect are explained by the dependence of the exchange interaction J on a and on zero-point vibrations of oxygen ions.     

Optical 4<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>-4<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis> transitions in multiferroic HoMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

In the absorption spectra of the hexagonal single-crystal manganite HoMnO₃ in the paramagnetic ferroelectric state, lines near 1.1 and 2.0 μm were observed associated with the transitions ⁵ I ₈ → ⁵ I ₆ and ⁵ I ₈ → ⁵ I ₇, respectively, within the 4f ¹⁰ configuration of the Ho³⁺ ion. At T = 80 K, to the ⁵ I ₈ → ⁵ I ₇ transition corresponds one band at 1.9 μm for both polarizations E ∥ c and E ⊥ c. As the temperature increases from 80 to 293 K, a low-energy band with a peak at 2.04 μm for E ⊥ c and a peak at 2.07 μm for E ∥ c arises associated with transitions from an excited Stark level of the ground ⁵ I ₈ multiplet to the Stark levels of the ⁵ I ₇ multiplet and with an increase in the population of the initial Stark level, the energy of which is ～100 K.     

Thermoreflectance of single crystal Gd

Thermoreflectance spectra for E∥c and E⊥c were measured on a Gd single crystal. The thermoconductance spectra, Δσ_∥ and Δσ_t], are very anisotropic. The strong interband edge at about 0.5 eV is shown to arise from a transition to or from the Fermi level for E⊥c. For E∥c additional effects occur.     

Spin assignment to the 9.026 MeV resonance level of36Ar using35Cl(p, γ)36Ar triple angular correlation measurements forE p = 533 keV

Triple correlation experiments have been performed to study the³⁵Cl(p, γ)³⁶Ar resonance for a proton energyE _p = 533 keV. From the analysis of the measured gamma ray angular distributions, due to the gamma decay of the 9.026 MeV resonance level in³⁶Ar via the 9.026 MeV→1.97 MeV→0 MeV double cascade, a spin value ofJ ₁ =2⁺ for the 9.026 MeV level and a mixing ratio of ?1.97 MeV∥L′₁ = 2∥9.026 MeV?/?1.97 MeV∥ L₁ = 1∥9.026 MeV? = ?0.055 + 0.022 for the 9.026 MeV→ 1.97 MeV transition could be derived.     

The non-isotropic character of electric and dielectric properties of ammonium zinc chloride crystal

The dielectric constant, ε, and the d.c. conductivity, σ, were measured along the a-, b- and c-axes of (NH₄)₂ZnCl₄ (AZC) crystal in the 300-450 K temperature range. Crystals of AZC grown from aqueous solutions containing excess of ZnCl₂ were used. The value of the dielectric permittivity of AZC is extremely small compared to other ferroelectric crystals. Pronounced broad or step-like peaks at the phase transition temperatures were detected along the a- and b-axes, while ε along the c-axis is temperature independent up to the end of the measuring range. Reciprocal of the dielectric permittivity in the range of the commensurate to incommensurate phase transition obeys a relation similar to the Curie-Weiss law that is valid for second order ferroelectric/paraelectric phase transitions. The constants of the proposed relationship applied to the cooling run are given. The J-E characteristics along the three crystallographic axes were measured in the normal, incommensurate, commensurate and antiferroelectric phases. Hence, the type of conduction mechanism has been estimated. Parameters of Poole-Frenkel and Richardson-Schottky types of conduction mechanism have been determined. The effect of applied electric field on the conductivity measurement was also tested. Conductivity anomalies with different character were observed at the phase transition temperatures. The lnσ−1000/T dependence revealed thermal activation energy of conduction along the a-, b- and c-axes with different values in different phases of AZC.     

Magnetic patterns in dipolar films with close packed structures

It is described and explained the dynamics of the transition from in-plane to perpendicular magnetization for dipolar films with close packed structures when the c/a ratio, with c the interlayer separation and a the two-dimensional lattice constant, is varied. Several arrangements of distinct number of stacked layers are considered. Magnetization switching follows a mechanism based on the role of the interlayer coupling, which is understood as the contribution of the interaction between dipoles of different layers to the studied effects. Calculations for sufficiently low temperatures show that each magnetic configuration transition leaves a fingerprint as an entropy maximum when the latter is plotted as a function of c/a. Thus the entropy allows to determine the c/a range of stability of the different magnetic patterns.     

Anisotropy of magnetic properties of a twin-free EuBaCo2O5.5 single crystal

The magnetic characteristics of a twin-free EuBaCo₂O_5.5 single crystal were studied. It is shown that Co ions exhibit an Ising-type behavior with an easy axis directed along the a axis in the temperature range from 2 K to T _c (250 K). As the temperature decreases from 300 K, a number of magnetic phase transitions occur under magnetic fields H ∥ a. In the range where antiferromagnetic ordering of Co³⁺ ions exists, metamagnetic transitions were observed to occur in fields whose values were dependent on temperature. The strengths of competing interactions in the crystal are estimated.