Field suppression of the modulated phase of Ce2Pd2Sn

Low temperature magnetic (M) and thermal (C_P) properties of the intermetallic compound Ce₂Pd₂Sn have been investigated at zero and different magnetic fields. Two transitions were recognized at and , with latter nearly coinciding with the extrapolated Curie-Weiss temperature . The Curie factor evaluated from T≥T_M, is ≈2μ_B. The positive value of θ_P, the triangular coordination of the magnetic (Ce) atoms and the weak effect of applied magnetic field, reveal that T_M cannot be considered as a canonic antiferromagnetic transition like claimed in the literature. M(T) measurements under moderate magnetic fields () show T_C(B) increasing while T_M(B) is practically not affected. Both transition merge in a critical point at for , where the intermediate phase is suppressed. At , the cusp of a first order transition is observed in C_P(T). According to the proposed ferromagnetic ground state, it is followed by a C_P(T)∝T^3/2exp(-E_g/T) dependence, with a gap of anisotropy .     

New heavy mesons as hadronic molecules

We discuss a possible interpretation of the , D_s1(2460), and B_s1(5778) mesons as hadronic molecules. Using an effective Lagrangian approach we calculate their weak, strong and radiative decays. The new impact of the molecular structure of these states is the presence of u(d) quarks in the K, D^(∗) and B^(∗) mesons which gives rise to the direct strong isospin-violating transitions and in addition to the modes generated by η−π⁰ mixing as was considered before in the literature.     

Experimental and theoretical studies on X-ray induced secondary electron yields in Ti and TiO2

Generation of X-ray induced secondary electrons in Ti and TiO₂ was studied from both experimental and theoretical approaches, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) attached to a synchrotron radiation facility and Monte Carlo simulation, respectively.The experiment revealed that the yields of secondary electrons induced by X-rays (electrons/photon) at photon energies to 4950 and 5000 eV for Ti and TiO₂ are δ_Ti(4950 eV) = 0.002 and δ_Ti(5000 eV) = 0.014 while those for TiO₂ are δTiO₂(4950 eV)=0.003 and δTiO₂(5000 eV)=0.018.A novel approach to obtain the escape depth of secondary electrons has been proposed and applied to Ti and TiO₂. The approach agreed very well with the experimental data reported so far. The Monte Carlo simulation predicted; and while and .An experimental examination on the contribution of X-ray induced secondary electrons to photocatalysis in TiO₂ has also been proposed.     

Finite and infinite dynamical systems of identical interacting particles

A dynamical system of infinite volume and of infinite number of identical interacting particles occupying energy levels has been constructed as the limit of an infinite sequence of finite, equivalent systems of increasing size and particle number. Systems both in equilibrium and in non-equilibrium state (designated S_∞=limS_k, , respectively, k=1,2,…) were investigated. The main results are:(i) The values in the T-limit (thermodynamic limit) of the physical quantities characterizing these systems are determined.(ii) The time evolution process both in and in systems is governed by the non-linear rate equations with common initial conditions p_i(t₀), where p_i(t)=n_i(t)/N are the occupation probabilities at time t. The time evolution process in the and systems is the same. The asymptotic approach to the equilibrium state is proved.(iii) For the case of the equilibrium state, the Boltzmann probability distribution p_i is given by the equation −lnp_i+a+e_ib=0 common to S_k and S_∞ systems with the same value of a and b. The term a=β⁻¹a_e, where a_e is the free energy per particle, and .(iv) The conditions for the equivalence of the systems being in equilibrium and also of the ones in non-equilibrium are stated.     

The magnetocaloric effect and low temperature specific heat of SmNi

The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in a magnetic SmNi sample was evaluated from magnetization and heat capacity measurements. The MCE phenomena in the vicinity of magnetic phase transitions in terms of magnetic entropy change, , and adiabatic temperature change, , are reported. Isothermal magnetization measurements at several temperatures around the transition were carried out and used for versusT calculations. A similar dependence of the magnetic entropy change was evaluated from heat capacity C_p(T) measurements under zero field and 5 T. The SmNi system provides magnetic refrigerants that induce an adiabatic cooling of about during the magnetization process with a field of 5 T in the temperature range of 35-45 K. The temperature dependence of C_p(T) is analyzed in terms of the magnetic and the lattice contributions.     

Crystallisation progress in Si-rich ultra-soft nanocomposite alloy fabricated by melt spinning

The crystallisation process and the ultras-soft magnetic properties of amorphous/nanocomposite alloy Fe_73.5Si_17.5B₅Nb₃Cu₁ fabricated by conventional melt-spinning technique are systematically investigated in terms of thermal analysis and in-situ measurement of magnetisation dynamics. The thermal analysis using differential scanning calorimetry showed that crystallisation from Fe-based amorphous state to α-Fe(Si) started at . Further heating the sample leads to a transformation from the α-Fe(Si) to Fe-B phases at . Crystallisation activation energies were determined using two models: Kissinger and John-Mehl-Avrami (JMA), which were consistent to each other with a value of . High resolution transmission electron microscopy investigation revealed an ultrafine structure of α-Fe(Si) nanocrystallite with mean size of 12.5 nm embedded in an amorphous matrix. At a volume fraction of 86% of α-Fe(Si) phase, optimum soft magnetic properties were obtained with very high permeability of 110,000 and a very low coercivity of 0.015 Oe by annealing the amorphous alloy at in 40 min.