Isentropic compressibility, effective pressure, classical sound absorption and shear relaxation time of aqueous lithium bromide, sodium bromide and potassium bromide solutions

Densities, speeds of sound and viscosities of aqueous lithium bromide, sodium bromide and potassium bromide solutions were measured as functions of concentration (0.0085≤m (mol kg⁻¹)≤14.06) and temperature (273.15≤T(K)≤323.15). Allied properties like isentropic compressibilities, effective pressure, classical sound absorption and shear relaxation time were calculated by using the measured data. The interaction in these three bromide solutions vary in the order of NaBr>KBr>LiBr. The primary hydration shells are saturated at 10.8, 5.1 and 5.8 mol kg⁻¹ with 5.1, 10.9 and 9.6 number of water molecules in the primary hydration shell of lithium bromide, sodium bromide and potassium bromide solutions respectively. The cationic environment is found to influence the hydration phenomena of the anion.

The non-Arrhenius temperature dependence of shear relaxation time were analysed by using the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) equation. The concentration dependence of shear relaxation time is different in these three bromide solutions. Such an effect is attributed to the competitive effects of hydrogen bonding, structure forming/breaking effect of ions and the formation of ion pairs.     

Source abundances of ultra heavy elements derived from UHCRE measurements

A total of 205 tracks have been located, measured, and positively identified as originating from Ultra Heavy (Z ≥ 65) cosmic ray ions with energies over 2 GeV/amu in the 10 UHCRE plastic track detector (mainly Lexan polycarbonate) stacks studied by our Group. About 40 values of reduced etch rate S have been obtained along each of these tracks. A method based on determining the gradient of S, together with calibration in accelerators, is used to determine the charge of each ion resulting in one of such tracks to obtain the charge spectrum of the recorded Ultra Heavy ions. The abundance ratio of ions with 87 ≤ Z ≤ 100, to those with 74 ≤ Z ≤ 86, as well as that of ions with 81 ≤ Z ≤ 86 to those with 74 ≤ Z ≤ 80 are calculated at 0.016 and 0.32, respectively, which agree with the values obtained from measurements in the HEAO-3 and Ariel-6 experiments. The abundance ratio of ions with 70 ≤ Z ≤ 73 to those with 74 ≤ Z ≤ 86 is also calculated, but its value (0.074) did not seem to be significant because of our detectors' low registration efficiency in the charge range 70 ≤ Z ≤ 73. A computer program developed by our Group, based on the Leaky Box cosmic ray propagation model, has been used to determine the source abundances of cosmic ray nuclei with Z ≥ 65 inferred from the abundances measured in the UHCRE. It appeared that r-process synthesized elements were overabundant compared to the Solar System abundances, as predicted by other authors.     

Molecular parameters describing intermolecular interactions in the electrooptical Kerr effect

Electrooptical Kerr effect has been studied in binary solutions of a dipolar liquid (-picoline, β-picoline) in a non-dipolar solvent (benzene, p-xylene) and 1,4-dioxane in the full range of concentrations of the dipolar component (0 ≤ f₂ ≤ 1). The experimental Kerr constant K_s of the solutions, refraction index n_s, density ρ_s and the dielectric constant ε_s have been measured and used for the calculation of the molar Kerr constants K_S^M within the Onsager local field model. Analysis of changes in the molar Kerr constants as a function of the solute concentration by fits of theoretical functions to the experimental ones has permitted a determination of the parameters characterizing intermolecular interactions in binary solutions.     

Projectile fragmentation of O and S at 3.65 GeV/n on several targets

We investigate the charge changing collisions for ¹⁶O and ³²S beams at 3.65 GeV/n on several targets, by using Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTD). Track measurements were performed by an automatic measurement system. We determined the total charge changing cross sections and the elemental cross sections for the production of fragments of charge 9 ≤ Z ≤ 14. Comparison with theoretical models as well as with experimental data are given.     

Fluctuation effects in disordered Peierls systems

We review the density of states (DOS) and related quantities of quasi one‐dimensional disordered Peierls systems in which fluctuation effects of a backscattering potential play a crucial role. The low‐energy behavior of non‐interacting fermions which are subject to a static random backscattering potential will be described by the strictly one‐dimensional fluctuating gap model (FGM). Recently, the FGM has also been used to explain the pseudogap phenomenon in high‐T_c superconductors. We develop a non‐perturbative method which allows for a simultaneous calculation of the DOS and inverse localization length for an arbitrary given disorder potential by solving a simple initial value problem. In the white noise limit, we recover all known results by solving a Fokker‐Planck equation. For the physically interesting case of finite correlation lengths, we use analytical and numerical methods to show that a complex order parameter leads to a suppression of the DOS, i.e. a pseudogap, and that for a real order parameter this pseudogap is overshadowed by a singularity in the DOS. We will also consider the case of classical phase fluctuations which applies to low temperatures where amplitude fluctuations are frozen out. For this regime we present analytic results for the DOS, the inverse localization length, the specific heat, and the Pauli susceptibility.     

Magnetic and microstructural investigations of melt-spun Fe(NdPr)B

The magnetic behavior of rapidly solidified FePrB was investigated in the composition range Fe_77+χPr₁₅B_8−χ (0 ≤ χ ≤ 4). Furthermore, the magnetic and microstructural properties of Fe(NdPr)B were analyzed in the range Fe₇₈(Nd_χPr_1−χ)₁₅B₇ (0 ≤ χ ≤ 1). The temperature dependence of the critical field was analyzed with a modified form of Brown's expression for the nucleation field. From this analysis the values for the microstructural parameters, _K and N_eff, were determined which describe the deteriorating effects of the non-ideal microstructure on the coercivity.     

Phase segregation of LixMn2O4 (0.6<x<1) in non-equilibrium reduction processes

Chemical synthesis routes to Li_xMn₂O₄ (0.15≤x≤1) in non-equilibrium reduction processes were developed to carry out detailed structural analysis. Non-equilibrium Li_xMn₂O₄ (0.15≤x≤1) samples were prepared by chemical lithiation of λ-MnO₂ with LiI for 24 h; longer than 1 week was needed to reach true equilibrium at room temperature. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. The phase diagram was different from that in the equilibrium state; three cubic phases (phases A, B and C) were observed for Li_xMn₂O₄ (0.15≤x≤1). There were two regions of two-phase coexistence: the region of 0.25<x<0.55 (phase B+phase C) and 0.6<x<1.0 (phase A+phase B). In the compositional range of 0.6<x<1.0, the lattice constants of phases A and B change with the lithium composition, this indicates that it is a structural anomaly with a metastable two-phase character in non-equilibrium reduction processes.     

Specific heat jump in BCS superconductors

An exact analytical expression for the specific heat jump at the critical temperature T_c has been obtained directly from the BCS gap equation for any shape of the energy dependent electronic density of states (DOS). We consider a model which takes into consideration electron-electron repulsion, formulated in the Hubbard model along with the electron-electron attraction due to electron-phonon interaction in the BCS formalism. We have analyzed this expression for constant as well as for the Lorentzian forms of DOS. It is shown that the constant DOS in the simple BCS theory cannot explain the large values of , found in some superconductors. The specific heat versus temperature curve has been found to have a peak, similar to that of Eliashberg theory of superconductivity. The influence of repulsive interaction is very small and occurs mainly at higher temperatures. Received: 26 January 1998     

Electronic spectrum in a microscopical model for the Zn-doped CuO2 plane

We consider a microscopical model for the Zn-doped CuO₂ plane with Zn impurities being described as vacancies for the d-states on Cu sites. A reduction of the original p-d model to an effective one-band model results in the t-J model with vacancies for the spin 1/2 d-states at the Zn-sites. By employing the T-matrix formalism for the Green functions in terms of the Hubbard operators the density of electronic states (DOS) is calculated. Symmetry analysis of the perturbation matrix shows that in the system with d-type electronic wave functions additional DOS of d-, p- and s-types appear due to the perturbation of local energy levels and the interaction between nearest neighbors around the vacancy. The local and resonant state formation caused by Zn impurities is analyzed. Received 24 May 2000 and Received in final form 1 August 2000     

Factorization of correlation functions and the replica limit of the Toda lattice equation

Exact microscopic spectral correlation functions are derived by means of the replica limit of the Toda lattice equation. We consider both Hermitian and non-Hermitian theories in the Wigner–Dyson universality class (class A) and in the chiral universality class (class AIII). In the Hermitian case we rederive two-point correlation functions for class A and class AIII as well as several one-point correlation functions in class AIII. In the non-Hermitian case the average spectral density of non-Hermitian complex random matrices in the weak non-Hermiticity limit is obtained directly from the replica limit of the Toda lattice equation. In the case of class A, this result describes the spectral density of a disordered system in a constant imaginary vector potential (the Hatano–Nelson model) which is known from earlier work. New results are obtained for the average spectral density in the weak non-Hermiticity limit of a quenched chiral random matrix model at non-zero chemical potential. These results apply to the ergodic or ϵ domain of the quenched QCD partition function at non-zero chemical potential. Our results have been checked against numerical results obtained from a large ensemble of random matrices. The spectral density obtained is different from the result derived by Akemann for a closely related model, which is given by the leading order asymptotic expansion of our result. In all cases, the replica limit of the Toda lattice equation explains the factorization of spectral one- and two-point functions into a product of a bosonic (non-compact integral) and a fermionic (compact integral) partition function. We conclude that the fermionic partition functions, the bosonic partition functions and the supersymmetric partition function are all part of a single integrable hierarchy. This is the reason that it is possible to obtain the supersymmetric partition function, and its derivatives, from the replica limit of the Toda lattice equation.     

Origin of the metal-insulator transition in the superconducting series Bi2Sr2Ca1−xYxCu2O8+δ

The metal-insulator transition in the solid solution Bi₂Sr₂Ca_1−xY_xCu₂O_8+δ (0≤x≤1) has been investigated by TGA (oxygen content) and by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (Bi and Cu valence states). Resistivity and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements have shown that the superconducting properties and the metallic behavior vanish for x>0.55. The oxygen content δ is larger than x/2 for x≤0.3 and smaller than x/2 for x≥0.6. For x=0, the Cu K edge shows a shift towards high energy with respect to the Cu(II) oxide La₂CuO₄; this shift decreases with increasing x in agreement with the decrease of the doping hole density and the variations of the physical properties. For 0≤x≤0.3, the Bi L₃ edge shows a shift of 1 eV towards low energy with respect to the Bi(III) oxide Bi₂O₃ in agreement with the charge transfer between [CuO₂]_∞ and [BiO]_∞ planes. This shift also decreases with increasing x, but is still present for the x=0.6 composition for which δ is smaller than x/2. A model of the metal-insulator transition in this series is proposed based on the fact that the intercalation of excess oxygen raises the bottom of the Bi-O band with respect to the Fermi level and decreases the contribution of the Bi-O electron pocket to the hole density.     

Low temperature magnetocaloric effects in Dy1Ba2Cu3O7−δ and Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ high-Tc single crystals

The heat release has been measured in high temperature superconductors during and after a change of the external magnetic field μ₀H_a ≤ 0.5 T applied parallel to the c-axis at 0.1 K ≤ T ≤ 0.45 K. Two Y123 and one Dy123 twinned single crystals were investigated. An analysis of the heat release based on the Bean model and on a model for thin superconductors in perpendicular geometry recently proposed by Brandt et al. has been carried out. During field sweep we measured ∝ H_a²dH_a/dt. This dependence can be understood within the Bean model for longitudinal geometry. The critical current densities obtained with this method are in good agreement with those from magnetization measurements. We also present measurements, and a first quantitative analysis, of dissipation due to the time relaxation of the flux line lattice after a field sweep. For the heat release a t⁻¹ dependence has been found which corresponds to a logarithmic time dependence of the magnetization. The normalized relaxation rate we obtained is in agreement with literature values.     

Simple theory of the density-of-states function in heavily doped non-linear optical and optoelectronic materials

We study theoretically the dispersion relation of the conduction electrons and the corresponding density-of-state (DOS) function in heavily doped non-linear optical, tetragonal, III–V, ternary and quaternary materials forming band tails. It has been found, taking CdGeAs₂, Cd₃As₂, InAs, In_1−xGa_xAs_yP_1−y lattice matched to InP and Hg_1−xCd_xTe as examples of the aforementioned materials that the complex nature of the energy spectrum, the oscillatory DOS for the negative values of the energy and the creation of a new forbidden zone is due to the presence of the crystal field splitting constant, the anisotropic effective electron mass and the anisotropic spin–orbit splitting for the tetragonal and non-linear optical materials and because of the interaction of the impurity atoms in the tails with the spin–orbit splitting of the valence bands for the other compounds. Analytically, the presence of non-removable poles in the dispersion relation of the undoped material creates the complex energy spectrum for the corresponding heavily doped sample and the solution of the Boltzmann transport equation will introduce new physical ideas and new experimental findings under different external conditions. The results of the perturbed III–V semiconductors whose unperturbed energy band structures are defined by the two band model of Kane and that of parabolic energy bands are special cases of our generalized analysis and no oscillations in the DOS are found in the aforementioned cases. The well-known results of the DOS for all materials in the absence of doping have also been obtained from the theoretical analysis under certain limiting conditions. This compatibility is the indirect test of our generalized formalism.     

Can we extract lambda-lambda interaction from two-particle momentum correlation?

We analyze the invariant mass spectrum of Λ-Λ in ¹²C(K⁻, K⁺ ΛΛ) reaction at P_K⁻ = 1.65 GeV/c by using a combined framework of IntraNuclear Cascade (INC) model and the correlation function technique. The observed enhancement at low-invariant masses can be well reproduced with attractive Λ-Λ interactions with the scattering length either in the range a = −6 −4 fm (no bound state) or a = 7 12 fm (with bound state). We also discuss Λ-Λ correlation functions in central relativistic heavy-ion collisions as a possible way to eliminate this discrete ambiguity.     

Anomalous double peak structure in superconductor/ferromagnet tunneling density of states

We have experimentally investigated the density of states (DOS) in Nb/Ni (S/F) bilayers as a function of Ni thickness, d(F). Our thinnest samples show the usual DOS peak at +/- Delta(0), whereas intermediate-thickness samples have an anomalous "double-peak" structure. For thicker samples (d(F) > or =3.5 nm), we see an inverted DOS, which has previously only been reported in superconductor or weak-ferromagnet structures. We analyze the data using the self-consistent nonlinear Usadel equation and find that we are able to quantitatively fit the features at +/- Delta(0) -- in particular the thickness at which the inversion occurs -- only if we include a large amount of spin-orbit scattering in the model. Interestingly, we are unable to reproduce the subgap structure through the addition of any parameter(s). Therefore, the observed anomalous subgap structure represents new physics beyond that contained in the present Usadel theory.     

Nax/2Bi1−x/2MoxV1−xO4 and Bi1−x/3MoxV1−xO4 New Scheelite-related phases

New Scheelite-related solid solutions of the compositions Na_x/2Bi_1−x/2Mo_xV_1−xO₄ (0≤x≤1) and Bi_1−x/3 Mo_xV_1−xO₄(0≤x≤0.2) have been synthesised by the substitution of Na and Mo at the A and B sites respectively of the ABO₄ type ferroelastic BiVO₄. The phases were characterised using chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, EDAX, and Raman spectroscopy. While almost a continuous solid solution is obtained for the series Na_x/2Bi_1−x/2Mo_xV_1−xO₄, the absence of Na at the A-site results only in a narrow stability region for the other series, Bi_1−x/3 Mo_xV_1−xO₄ where 0≤x≤0.2. Raman spectra of selected samples at room temperature also suggest that vanadium and molybdenum atoms are disordered at the tetrahedral sites.     

Magnetic and mechanical properties of amorphous Fe-Y alloys

The magnetic and mechanical properties of amorphous Fe_100−xY_x alloys (20 ≤ x ≤ 60) fabricated by rapid quenching have been measured. The dependence of the density, Young's modulus and magnetic moment per Fe atom on x shows a break point between x = 30 and 40, accompanied by a drastic change in the X-ray diffraction pattern. The spontaneous volume magnetostriction as well as the forced volume magnetostriction are a maximum at x = 20 and decrease rapidly with increasing x. The variation of the magnetic and mechanical properties with x is explained by a change of the local atomic arrangement in the amorphous state, reflecting the structure of corresponding crystalline compounds.     

Density of quantum states in quasi-1D layers

Recently, new quantum effects have been studied in thin nanograting layers. Nanograting on the surface imposes additional boundary conditions on the electron wave function and reduces the density of states (DOS). When the nanograting dimensions are close to the de Broglie wavelength, the DOS reduction is considerable and leads to changes in the layer properties. DOS calculations are challenging to perform and are related to the quantum billiard problem. Performing such calculations requires finding the solutions for the time-independent Schrödinger equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Here, we use a numerical method, namely the Method of Auxiliary Sources, which offers significant computational cost reduction relative to other numerical methods. We found the first five eigenfunctions for the nanograting layer and compared them with the corresponding eigenfunctions for a plain layer by calculating the correlation coefficients. Furthermore, the numerical data were used to analyze the DOS reduction. The nanograting is shown to reduce the probability of occupation of a particular quantum state, reducing the integrated DOS by as much as 4.1-fold. This reduction in the DOS leads to considerable changes in the electronic properties.     

A general derivation of the density of states function for quantum wells and superlattices

The intent of this paper is to provide the reader with a detailed summary of the development of the density of states (DOS) functions for two-dimensional systems. Specifically, the DOS is derived for an infinite quantum well, a finite well, and a periodic array of coupled wells (a superlattice). Many authors state that the DOS is “simply …” without references, yet many who are new to the subject of two-dimensional systems may not see the “simplicity,” for instance, of the derivation of the DOS for a superlattice. We also show the relationships between the expressions for each case when the appropriate limits are taken. This comparison shows the consistency that such a general derivation furnishes to each expression.     

Molecular multivalent electrolytes: microstructure and screening lengths

We study small rod-like molecular electrolytes solutions with their corresponding atomic counterions. The asymptotic length scales (decay length and wavelength) of the structural correlations are analyzed using the formalism of the dressed interaction site theory (DIST). The correlation functions are determined using the reference interaction site model equation complemented with a mixed approach in which the hypernetted-chain closure is used for the repulsive interactions, and the mean spherical approximation is used for the attractive interactions. The results from this scheme are in good agreement with the Monte Carlo computer simulations reported here. The asymptotic properties of the correlation functions of this molecular system are compared against those corresponding to two related simple (atomic) electrolyte models. The main conclusion is that the molecular structure of the ions lowers by two orders of magnitude the concentration at which the transition from monotonic to oscillatory decay occurs.