Rectangular to hexagonal columnar phase transition exhibited by a biforked mesogen

We present the structural study of a biforked compound exhibiting a Col_r-Col_h phase transition. This study was performed by means of DSC, optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, dilatometry and molecular modelling. The molecular packing within the two columnar mesophases of this compound is discussed. For the first time, it is shown that the clusters of adjacent molecules which form the elementary section of a column are tilted with respect to the columnar axis in the rectangular mesophase. From the whole set of experimental data, the number of molecules in a columnar section is found to be about 5 in the rectangular mesophase, and 4 in the hexagonal one. The transition between the two columnar mesophases is discussed with respect to its slow kinetics. Received 1st October 2002 Published online: 16 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: ribeiro@cii.fc.ul.pt RID="b" ID="b"UMR 7504     

Evidence of the hexagonal columnar liquid-crystal phase of hard colloidal platelets by high-resolution SAXS

A vast majority of compounds with bent core or banana shaped molecules exhibit the phase sequence B₆-B₁-B₂ as the chain length is increased in a homologous series. The B₆ phase has an intercalated fluid lamellar structure with a layer spacing of half the molecular length. The B₁ phase has a two dimensionally periodic rectangular columnar structure. The B₂ phase has a monolayer fluid lamellar structure with molecules tilted with respect to the layer normal. Neglecting the tilt order of the molecules in the B₂ phase, we have developed a frustrated packing model to describe this phase sequence qualitatively. The model has some analogy with that of the frustrated smectics exhibited by highly polar rod like molecules.     

Melting of columnar hexagonal DNA liquid crystals

The persistence length DNA hexagonal-cholesteric phase transition upon dilution and/or increase in solvent ionic strength is investigated with polarized light microscopy. The ionic strength dependence of the transition follows Lindemann criterion , i.e., the hexagonal lattice melts when the root-mean-square fluctuations in transverse order exceed 10% of the interaxial spacing. The spacings are derived from density and the fluctuations are estimated with a theory of undulation enhanced electrostatic interactions. Additional support for this theory is given by the DNA equation of state and anisotropic neutron radiation scattering from magnetically aligned cholesteric samples just below the phase transition. Received: 17 November 1997 / Revised: 21 January 1998 / Accepted: 25 February 1998     

Shear melting of a hexagonal columnar crystal by proliferation of dislocations

A hexagonal columnar crystal undergoes a shear-melting transition above a critical shear rate or stress. We combine the analysis of the shear-thinning regime below the melting with that of synchrotron x-ray scattering data under shear and propose the melting to be due to a proliferation of dislocations, whose density is determined by both techniques to vary as a power law of the shear rate with a 2/3 exponent, as expected for a creep model of crystalline solids. Moreover, our data suggest the existence under shear of a line hexatic phase, between the columnar crystal and the liquid phase.     

Analytical expression for phase distribution of a hexagonal array at fractional Talbot planes

We describe a reciprocal-lattice vector method for analysis of the diffractive self-imaging (or Talbot effect) of a two-dimensional periodic object. Using this method we analyze the fractional Talbot effect of a hexagonal array and deduce a simple analytical expression for calculation of the complex amplitude distribution at any fractional Talbot plane. Based on this new formula, we design a hexagonal array illuminator (HTAI) with a high fractional parameter. A computer simulation for demonstration of the HTAI is also given.     

Superconducting phase at 7.7 K in the HgxReO3 compound with a hexagonal bronze structure

We have successfully synthesized a new rhenium-based hexagonal bronze material, HgxReO3, which exhibits superconductivity with the transition temperature Tc=7.7 K at ambient pressure and 11.1 K at 4 GPa. This compound is a superconductor with the highest Tc among hexagonal bronzes. Moreover, it presents the novel crystallographic feature that (Hg2)2+ polycations, in contrast to monatomic cations in known hexagonal bronzes, are incorporated into open channels. There is evidence that conducting electrons tightly couple with Hg-related phonons. Our results inspire detailed studies on the role of the rattling phonon in the occurrence of superconductivity in the hexagonal bronzes.     

Statistical mechanics of vacancy and interstitial strings in hexagonal columnar crystals

Columnar crystals contain defects in the form of vacancy-interstitial loops or strings of vacancies and interstitials bounded by column "heads" and "tails." These defect strings are oriented by the columnar lattice and can change size and shape by movement of the ends and by forming kinks along the length. Hence an analysis in terms of directed living polymers [S. A. Safran, Statistical Thermodynamics of Surfaces, Interfaces, and Membranes (Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA, 1994), Sec. 8] is appropriate to study their size and shape distribution, volume fraction, etc. If the entropy of transverse fluctuations overcomes the string line tension in the crystalline phase, a string proliferation transition occurs, leading to a supersolid phase [E. Frey, D. R. Nelson, and D. S. Fisher, Phys. Rev. B 49, 9723 (1994); see also J. Prost, Liq. Cryst. 8, 123 (1990)]. We estimate the wandering entropy and examine the behavior in the transition regime. We also calculate numerically the line tension of various species of vacancies and interstitials in a triangular lattice for power-law potentials as well as for a modified Bessel function interaction between columns such as occurs in the case of flux lines in type-II superconductors or long polyelectrolytes in an ionic solution. We find that the centered interstitial is the lowest-energy defect for a very wide range of interactions; the symmetric vacancy is preferred only for extremely short interaction ranges.     

Interactions and correlations of particulate inclusions in a columnar phase

We calculate the elastic-field-mediated interaction between macroscopic particles in a columnar hexagonal phase. The interaction is found to be long-ranged and non-central, with both attractive and repulsive parts. We show how the interaction modifies the particle correlations and the column fluctuations. We also calculate the interaction of particles with the topological defects of the columnar phase. The particle-defect interaction reduces the mobility of the defects. Received 14 March 2002 and Received in final form 13 August 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: rjoy@physics.iisc.ernet.in     

具有六方晶系结构的多晶体材料弹性常数——Y弹性常数

利用最近提出的新的物理参量——Ｙ弹性常数,将其应用于具有六方晶系结构的多晶体材料.推导了六方晶系结构的多晶体材料之Ｙ弹性常数,通过算例与具有六方晶系结构的多晶体材料之X射线弹性常数进行了比较.运用这个Ｙ弹性常数进一步推导出的多晶体材料整体之机械弹性常数的表达式与Kneer的研究结果中的表达式虽然形式不同,但针对具体材料所计算的结果却完全符合. 关键词： Y弹性常数 六方晶系 多晶体材料     

Ferromagnetic resonance in the polycrystalline hexagonal ferrites Co2−x ZnxW

Experimental studies of the ferromagnetic resonance spectra of polycrystalline hexagonal ferrites of the system Co_2−x Zn_xW in the frequency range 16–32 GHz are described. It is shown that interpretation of the experimental data requires the assumption of an anisotropic effective magnetomechanical ratio (or g-factor). The results of these experiments are compared with calculations based on the equations of motion, which ensure the conservation of the mechanical moment length. Concentration dependences are determined for the components of the magnetomechanical ratio tensor and the anisotropy field of this system of hexagonal ferrites at room temperature. Possible reasons why anisotropy fields measured in the vicinity of a spin reorientation transition will differ from results given by other methods are discussed. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1050–1053 (June 1999)     

Method of a singular point and determination of fields of anisotropy of polycrystalline hexagonal magnets

A numerical computation is performed on the magnetization curves and their derivatives for magnets of hexagonal syngony for isotropic polycrystalline specimens as well as materials with sheet texture in the basis plane. It is shown that investigation of the second derivatives ²M/H² for a degree of texture f_T > 0.4 permits obtaining information about the magnitude of the anisotropy field independently of its type. The singularities of M(H) and ²M/H² are examined for magnetization processes of the first kind. In this case the singular point method permits measuring the magnitude of the critical fields, the critical magnetizations, and the anisotropy field on a textured specimen with f_T>0.7, which yields information about the magnitudes of the high order anisotropy constants in the long run.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 39–42, January, 1989.     

Effect of far-field flow on a columnar crystal in the convective undercooled melt

The growth behavior of a columnar crystal in the convective undercooled melt affected by the far-field uniform flow is studied and the asymptotic solution for the interface evolution of the columnar crystal is derived by means of the asymptotic expansion method.The results obtained reveal that the far-field flow induces a significant change of the temperature around the columnar crystal and the convective flow caused by the far-field flow accelerates the growth velocity of the interface of the growing columnar crystal in the upstream direction and inhibits its growth velocity in the downstream direction.Our results are similar to the experimental data and numerical simulations.     

Generation of near-field hexagonal array illumination with a phase grating

A hexagonal array not only is a nature-preferred pattern but also is widely used in optoelectronical materials and devices. We report a simple method of hexagonal array illumination based on the Talbot effect that has a theoretical efficiency of 100%. An experimental efficiency of 90.6% with a binary phase (0, pi) hexagonal grating is given. This method should be highly interesting for applications of hexagonal array illumination in optical devices as well as in other hexagonal cells.     

Magnetic field induced instabilities of a doped lyotropic hexagonal phase

A new anisotropic magnetic fluid is obtained using a colloidal suspension of magnetic particles of nanometric size (ferrofluid) as a component of a swollen lyotropic hexagonal phase. This doped hexagonal system exhibits specific behaviors when submitted to a magnetic field of weak intensity. The field-induced instabilities are described and interpreted; they result from a high anisotropy of the magnetic susceptibility of the medium, which is measured. It is finally shown that the magnetic properties of the doped hexagonal phase allows one a determination of the compression modulus of the system. Received 10 February 1998     

Electrical conductivity of polycrystalline alkali nitrates in stable states and at phase transitions

The temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity of polycrystalline alkali nitrates between room temperature and their melting temperatures has been studied. The lg =f(1/T) dependence is a discontinuous line consisting of regions of impurity and intrinsic conductivity. The conductivity changes discontinuously at a first-order phase transition, during the transition from a structure with lower symmetry to one with higher symmetry, and vice versa. The activation energy for ionic migration in the series of alkali nitrates is at a minimum for potassium nitrate.     

Collective dynamics near a phase transition in confined fluids

We performed molecular dynamics simulations in the microcanonical ensemble (MEMD) for a "simple" fluid confined between two solid substrates. From the calculation of the intermediate scattering function F(k( parallel ),t) and through the memory function formalism, we extract material ( i.e. transport and thermodynamics) coefficients in the vicinity of the liquid-gas phase transition. Our results show that approaching the limit of stability ( i.e. the spinodal), the dynamics of the system changes markedly.     

Studies of the surface magnetic state of the Sr-M hexagonal ferrites near the phase transition at the Curie temperature

A study is reported of the temperature dependences of the hyperfine (HF) interaction parameters in a ～200-nm thick surface layer and in the bulk of macroscopic hexagonal ferrite crystals of the Sr-M type (SrFe₁₂O₁₉ and SrFe_10.2Al_1.8O₁₉). The method used for the measurements is Mössbauer spectroscopy with simultaneous detection of gamma quanta, characteristic x-ray emission, and electrons, which permits direct comparison of the HF parameters in the bulk and the near-surface layers of a sample. As follows from the experimentally determined temperature dependences of the effective magnetic fields, the fields at the nuclei of the iron ions located in a ～200-nm thick near-surface layer decrease with increasing temperature faster than those of the ions in the bulk. The transition to paramagnetic state in a ～200-nm thick surface layer was found to occur 3° below the bulk Curie temperature. This offers the first experimental evidence for the transition to paramagnetic state in a surface layer of macroscopic ferromagnets to take place below the Curie temperature T _c for the bulk of the crystal. It has been established that the transition temperature T _c (L) of a thin layer at a depth L from the surface of a crystal increases as one moves away from the surface to reach T _c at the inner boundary of the surface layer called critical. In the vicinity of T _c one observes a nonuniform state, with the crystal being magnetically ordered in the bulk but disordered on the surface. The experimental data obtained were used to construct a phase diagram of surface and bulk states for macroscopic magnets near the Curie (or Néel) temperature.