Search for superheavy hydrogen isotopes <Superscript>4,5</Superscript>H in reactions of pion absorption by <Superscript>10,11</Superscript>B nuclei

The results of searching for production of superheavy hydrogen isotopes ^4,5H in reactions of absorption of stopped π^? mesons by ^10,11B nuclei are reported. A peak near 3 MeV was observed in the missing mass spectra measured in the reactions ^10,11B(π^?, t⁴He)X, ¹⁰B(π^?, d⁴He)X, and ¹⁰B(π^?, t³He)X. A structure caused by two ⁵H states with the resonance energies E _R = 5.2 and 10.4 MeV was observed in the missing mass spectra measured in the reactions ¹¹B(π^?, d⁴He)X, ¹¹B(π^?, t³He)X, and ¹⁰B(π^?, d³He)X.     

Optical characteristics of radiation from N<Stack><Subscript>2</Subscript><Superscript>*</Superscript></Stack> dimers in a barrier discharge

The spectral and power characteristics of radiation of the second positive system of nitrogen (C ³Π _u → B ³Π _g ) in Ar-N₂ and Ar-N₂-Cl₂ mixtures excited by barrier discharge have been studied experimentally. Addition of argon to N₂ increased the radiation power by sixfold. In the triple mixture Ar-N₂-Cl₂ = 210/0.5/0.005, minor chlorine additions increased the intensity of the C ³Π _u → _B ³Π _g transition by 26% compared to Ar-N₂ mixtures. Radiation power density of 2.7 mW/cm² has been achieved. In both binary and triple mixtures, the second positive system of nitrogen was the major contributor to radiation, while the contributions of the fourth positive system of N ₂ ^* (D ³Σ _u ⁺ → B ³Π _g ), the Vegard-Kaplan transition of N ₂ ^* (A ³Σ _u ⁺ → X ¹Σ _g ⁺ ), and the D′ → A′ band of Cl ₂ ^* were negligibly small.     

Searching for rare cluster configurations of <Superscript>14</Superscript>C nuclei in the pion absorption reaction

Analysis of the two-dimensional Dalitz plot measured in the reaction ¹⁴C(π^–, pd)X allows us to follow the absorption of pions by cluster ³p and identify signs of the configuration ³p + ¹¹Li in the ¹⁴C nucleus. The highly excited state of ^12,13Be beryllium isotopes with excitation energies E* ≈ 30 MeV and which decay with the emission of hydrogen isotopes is observed for the first time: ¹²Be* → p + ¹¹Li and ¹³Be* → d + ¹¹Li.     

Investigation of low-lying levels of the <Stack><Subscript>4</Subscript><Superscript>8</Superscript></Stack>Be nucleus in the multiquantum approximation of the orthogonal scheme

In the multiquantum approximation of the orthogonal scheme, specific calculations for the energies and radii of the ₄ ⁸ Be nucleus are performed with allowance for all states characterized by the λ=[44] Young diagram, the quantum numbers K_min and K_min+2 of the O(3(A?1)) group, and the quantum numbers E=K+2N (N≤9) of the U(3(A?1)) group. The convergence of the results with respect to the extension of the basis is studied, and the structure of relevant wave functions is revealed. The results of these calculations are compared with the results obtained in the analogous approximation of the unitary scheme.     

Band interaction in <Superscript>162</Superscript>Dy, <Superscript>168</Superscript>Er,and <Superscript>172</Superscript>Yb

Coriolis interaction between levels of two rotational bands in ¹⁷²Yb with K ^π = 2⁺ and 3⁺ and in ¹⁶⁸Er between levels with K ^π = 0^?, 1^?, and 2^? is studied. The values of the interaction parameters are obtained. The mutual influence of two bands in ¹⁶²Dy with ΔK = 2, K _i ^π = 0 ₂ ⁺ and 2 ₁ ⁺ due to Coriolis interaction is demonstrated.     

Mixing of <Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript> neutral mesons within the minimum supersymmetry model

Mixing of K ⁰ and B ⁰ mesons is studied in the scope of the minimum supersymmetry model (MSSM) with a type II Yukawa sector and explicit violation of CP invariance in the Higgs potential. The mixing parameters Δm _LS and ? are calculated in the limit of the low-energy four-fermion approximation with a charged Higgs boson exchange. It is shown that supersymmetric effects are very small for K ⁰ mesons and may be quite significant for B _s ⁰ and B _d ⁰ mesons, which imposes constraints on the MSSM parameter space.     

Data on photoneutron reactions from various experiments for <Superscript>133</Superscript>Cs, <Superscript>138</Superscript>Ba and <Superscript>209</Superscript>Bi nuclei

Basic methods for determining cross sections for photoneutron partial reactions are examined. They are obtained directly in experiments with quasimonoeneregetic annihilation photons or from the cross section for the (γ, xn) = (γ, 1n) + 2(γ, 2n) + 3(γ, 3n) +... neutron-yield reaction in experiments with bremsstrahlung photons by introducing corrections based on statistical nuclear-reaction theory. The difference in the conditions of these experiments, which leads to discrepancies between their results because of sizable systematic errors, is analyzed. Physical criteria are used to study the reliability of data on the photodisintegration of ¹³³Cs, ¹³⁸Ba, and ²⁰⁹Bi nuclei. The cross sections for partial and total reactions satisfying the reliability criteria are evaluated within the experimental–theoretical method (σ^eval(γ, in) = F_i^theor × σ^expt(γ, xn)) on the basis of the experimental cross sections σ^expt(γ, xn) and the results of the calculations within the combined model of photonuclear reactions.     

Structure of the local environment and hyperfine interactions of <Superscript>57</Superscript>Fe probe atoms in DyNiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> nickelate

The local structure of DyNiO₃ nickelate at both sides of the insulator (T < T _im) ? metal (T > T _im) phase transition was studied by probe ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The character of change in the hyperfine parameters of probe iron atoms specifically near the phase-transition temperature (T ≈ T _im) was analyzed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis><Superscript>0</Superscript>-boson decays in a strong electromagnetic field

The probability of Z ⁰-boson decay to a pair of charged fermions in a strong electromagnetic field, Z ⁰ → \(\bar f\) f, is calculated. On the basis of a method that employs exact solutions to relativistic wave equations for charged particles, an analytic expression for the partial decay width Γ(?) = Γ(Z ⁰ → \(\bar f\) f) is obtained at an arbitrary value of the parameter ? = \(eM_Z^{ - 3} \sqrt { - (F_{\mu \nu } q^\nu )^2 } \), which characterizes the external-field strength. The total Z ⁰-boson decay width in an intense electromagnetic field, Γ _Z (?), is calculated by summing these results over all known generations of charged leptons and quarks. It is found that, in the region of relatively weak fields (? < 0.06), the field-induced corrections to the standard Z ⁰-boson decay width in a vacuum do not exceed 2%. As ? increases, the total decay width Γ _Z (?) develops oscillations against the background of its gradual decrease to the absolute-minimum point. At ?_min = 0.445, the total Z ⁰-boson decay width reaches the minimum value of Γ _Z (?_min) = 2.164 GeV, which is smaller than the Z ⁰-boson decay width in a vacuum by more than 10%. In the region of superstrong fields (? > 1), Γ _Z (?) grows monotonically with increasing external-field strength. In the region ? > 5, the t-quark-production process Z ⁰ → \(\bar t\) t, which is forbidden in the absence of an external field, begins contributing significantly to the total decay width of the Z ⁰ boson.     

Theoretical study of photoionization of the isoelectronic sequence Rb<Superscript>+</Superscript>, Sr<Superscript>2+</Superscript>, and Y<Superscript>3+</Superscript>

The photoionization cross sections for the 4p shell of ions of the Kr isoelectronic sequence Rb⁺, Sr²⁺, and Y³⁺ are calculated. The configuration interaction theory and the perturbation theory are used to describe the many-electron effects. The relativistic effects are taken into account in the Pauli-Fock approximation. The calculated resonance structure of photoionization cross sections for the 4p shell in the region below the 4s threshold associated with the autoionization of the 4s-np singly excited states and the 4p4p-nln′l′ doubly excited states reproduces the results of recent measurements of total photoabsorption cross sections for the Rb⁺, Sr²⁺, and Y³⁺ ions. It is found that, as the nuclear charge in the isoelectronic sequence increases, the ratio between the direct and correlation parts of amplitudes of the 4s-(n/?)p transition changes and, as the consequence, the minimum of the photoionization cross section of the 4s shell shifts from the continuous spectrum to the region of states of discrete spectrum. This accounts for the strong changes in the shape of the 4s-np resonances in the photoionization cross sections for the 4p shell of Rb⁺, Sr²⁺, and Y³⁺, as well as the distinction between the shapes of the 4s-6p _1/2 mirror resonance in the partial 4p _1/2 and 4p _3/2 photoionization cross sections for the Y³⁺ ion which do not suppress each other in the total photoionization cross section, as is the case for similar resonances in Rb⁺ and Sr²⁺.     

Adiabatic elastic moduli in ZnSe : Mn<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and ZnSe : V<Superscript>2+</Superscript> crystals

The temperature dependences of the elastic moduli C ₄₄ (C ₁₁ ? C ₁₂)/2 and C _l = (C ₁₁ + C ₁₂ + 2C ₄₄)/2 of ZnSe : V²⁺ (impurity concentration, 6 × 10¹⁸ cm^?3) and ZnSe : Mn²⁺ (9.4 × 10²⁰ cm^?3) are measured in the temperature range 1.4–100.0 K at frequencies of 52 and 156 MHz. The temperature dependences of the adiabatic elastic moduli are derived. It is established that softening of the symmetry modules is observed only in the crystal with an impurity having orbitally degenerate states.     

Study of absorption spectra of Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript> in KTaO<Subscript>3</Subscript> crystals

The first results of the study of optical absorption spectra of KTaO₃: Er³⁺ crystals are presented. In the 350–660-nm region, lines are observed deriving from intraconfigurational electronic transitions from the ⁴ I _15/2 ground state to levels of the ⁴ F _9/2, ⁴ S _3/2, ² H _11/2, ⁴ F _7/2, ⁴ F _5/2(⁴ F _3/2), ² G _9/2, and ⁴ G _11/2 excited states of the Er³⁺ ions. A comprehensive study of transitions to the ⁴ F _9/2, ⁴ S _3/2, ² H _11/2, and ⁴ F _7/2 levels at 77 K is carried out. The number of lines observed for the above transitions fits the theoretically possible number for ?-? electronic transitions in Er³⁺ ions in the cubic crystal field. In the case of a differently charged substituted ion, this situation occurs only under nonlocal impurity charge compensation. The energies of the excited state levels for the transitions under study are determined.     

Line shape of <Superscript>57</Superscript>Co sources exhibiting self absorption

The effect of selfabsorption in Mössbauer sources is studied in detail. Spectra were measured using an old ⁵⁷ C o/R h source of 74M B q activity with an original activity of ca. 3.7G B q and a 0.15G B q ⁵⁷ C o/α ? F e source magnetized by an in-plane magnetic field of 0.2 T. The ⁵⁷ C o/α ? F e source of a thickness of 25 μ was used both from the active and the inactive side giving cause to very different selfabsorption effects. The absorber was a single crystal of ferrous ammonium sulphate hexahydrate (FAS). Its absorption properties were taken over from a detailed study (Bull et al., Hyperfine Interact. 94(1–3), 1; Spiering et al. 2). FAS (space group P21/c) crystallizes as flat plates containing the (\(\overline {2}\)01) plane. The γ-direction was orthogonal to the crystal plate. The ⁵⁷ C o atoms of the ⁵⁷ C o/R h source were assumed to be homogeneously distributed over a 6μ thick Rh foil and to follow a one dimensional diffusion profile in the 25 μ Fe-foil. The diffusion length was fitted to 10 μ. The theory follows the Blume-Kistner equations for forward scattering (Blume and Kistner, Phys. Rev. 171, 417, 3) by integrating over the source sampled up to 128 layers.     

Neutron single-particle structure of <Superscript>48</Superscript>Ca, <Superscript>50</Superscript>Ti, <Superscript>52</Superscript>Cr, <Superscript>54</Superscript>Fe,and <Superscript>56</Superscript>Ni nuclei

The change in the neutron single-particle structure of (1f?2p)-shell magic nuclei near the Fermi energy with an increase in the number of protons in the 1f _7/2 subshell from 0 for ⁴⁸Ca to 8 for ⁵⁶Ni has been investigated. Good agreement of the experimental and estimated values of the single-particle energies E _nlj of the bound states of neutrons in these nuclei with the results of calculations within the dispersive optical model is obtained.     

Cross sections of the photoneutron reaction for <Superscript>141</Superscript>Pr and <Superscript>186</Superscript>W nuclei,estimated from physical criteria of data reliability

Using objective physical criteria for data reliability, cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions (γ, 1n), (γ, 2n) and (γ, 3n) that are free of the shortcomings of neutron multiplicity sorting methods used on beams of quasimonoenergetic annihilation photons are obtained for ¹⁴¹Pr and ¹⁸⁶W nuclei. Evaluation is performed using the experimental–theoretical method (ETM), based on the experimental cross section of neutron yield reaction σ^exp(γ, xn) = σ^exp(γ, 1n) + 2 σ^exp(γ, 2ⁿ) + 3 σexp(γ, 3n) + … and ratios F _i ^theor= σ^theor(γ, in)/σ^theor(γ, xn) calculated within the combined model (CM) of photonuclear reactions, which stipulates that σ^eval(γ, in) = F _i ^theor σ^exp(γ, xn). It is found that for ¹⁴¹Pr and ¹⁸⁶W, ratios F ^exp _i do not contradict the data reliability criteria only at energies up to ~21 and ~22 MeV, respectively. At the same time, there are notable discrepancies between F _i ^theor and F ^exp _i, and thus between the evaluated and experimental cross sections of reactions. It is shown that the discrepancies between the evaluated and experimental cross sections are due to the assumed unreliable experimental distribution of neutrons in the channels with multiplicities 1, 2, and 3.     

Electron paramagnetic resonance of Cr<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-Li<Superscript>+</Superscript> centers in (Cr,Li): Mg<Subscript>2</Subscript>SiO<Subscript>4</Subscript> synthetic forsterite

Synthetic single crystals of chromium-and lithium-doped forsterite, namely, (Cr,Li): Mg₂SiO₄, are studied using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. It is revealed that, apart from the known centers Cr³⁺(M1) and Cr³⁺(M2) (with local symmetries C_i and C_s, respectively), these crystals involve two new types of centers with C₁ symmetry, namely, Cr³⁺(M1)′ and Cr³⁺(M2)′ centers. The standard parameters D and E in a zero magnetic field [zero-field splitting (ZFS) parameters expressed in GHz] and principal components of the g tensor are determined as follows: D=31.35, E=8.28, and g=(1.9797, 1.9801, 1.9759) for Cr³⁺(M1)′ centers and D=15.171, E=2.283, and g=(1.9747, 1.9769, 1.9710) for Cr³⁺(M2)′ centers. It is found that the lowsymmetric effect of misalignment of the principal axes of the ZFS and g tensors most clearly manifests itself (i.e., its magnitude reaches 19°) in the case of Cr³⁺(M2)′ centers. The structural models Cr³⁺(M1)-Li⁺(M2) and Cr³⁺(M2)-Li⁺(M1) are proposed for the Cr³⁺(M1)′ and Cr³⁺(M2)′ centers, respectively. The concentrations of both centers are determined. It is demonstrated that, upon the formation of Cr³⁺-Li⁺ ion pairs, the M1 position for chromium appears to be two times more preferable than the M2 position. Reasoning from the results obtained, the R₁ line (the ²E → ⁴A₂ transition) observed in the luminescence spectra of (Cr,Li): Mg₂SiO₄ crystals in the vicinity of 699.6 nm is assigned to the Cr³⁺(M1)′ center.     

Charge-transfer bands in crystals of alkaline earth fluorides with Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Yb<Superscript>3 + 1</Superscript>

The absorption, luminescence, and excitation spectra of CaF₂, SrF₂, and BaF₂ crystals with EuF₃ or YbF₃ impurity have been investigated in the range 1–12 eV. In all cases, strong wide absorption bands (denoted as CT₁) were observed at energies below the 4f ⁿ -4f ^{n ? 1}5d absorption threshold of impurity ions. Weaker absorption bands (denoted as CT₂) with energies 1.5–2 eV lower than those of the CT₁ bands have been found in the spectra of CaF₂ and SrF₂ crystals with EuF₃ or YbF₃ impurities. The fine structure of the luminescence spectra of CaF₂ crystals with EuF₃ impurities has been investigated under excitation in the CT bands. Under excitation in the CT₁ band, several Eu centers were observed in the following luminescence spectra: C _4v , O _h , and R aggregates. Excitation in the CT₂ bands revealed luminescence of only C _4v defects.     

Effect of the Lattice and Spin-Phonon Contributions on the Temperature Behavior of the Ground State Splitting of Gd<Superscript>3+</Superscript> in SrMoO<Subscript>4</Subscript>

The temperature behavior of the EPR spectra of the Gd³⁺ impurity center in single crystals of SrMoO₄ in the temperature range T = 99–375 K is studied. The analysis of the temperature dependences of the spin Hamiltonian b ₂ ⁰ (T) = b₂(F) + b₂(L) and P ₂ ⁰ (T) = P₂(F) + P₂(L) (for Gd¹⁵⁷) describing the EPR spectrum and contributing to the Gd³⁺ ground state splitting ΔE is carried out. In terms of the Newman model, the values of b₂(L) and P₂(L) depending on the thermal expansion of the static lattice are estimated; the b₂(F) and P₂(F) spin-phonon contributions determined by the lattice ion oscillations are separated. The analysis of b ₂ ⁰ (T) and P ₂ ⁰ (T) is evidence of the positive contribution of the spin-phonon interaction; the model of the local oscillations of the impurity cluster with close frequencies ω describes well the temperature behavior of b₂(F) and P₂(F).     

Reliability of the data on the cross sections of the partial photoneutron reaction for <Superscript>63,65</Superscript>Cu and <Superscript>80</Superscript>Se nuclei

The cross sections of partial photoneutron reactions are evaluated for the ^63,65Cu and ⁸⁰Se isotopes. The cross sections are free of systematic uncertainties from shortcomings of the experimental methods for neutron multiplicity sorting based on measurements of neutron energy used in experiments with quasimonoenergetic annihilation photon beams. An experimental-theoretical method is used to evaluate cross sections σ^eval(γ, in)= F_i^theor σ^exp(γ, xn), where ratios F_i^theor = σ^theor(γ, in)/σ^theor(γ, xn) = σ^theor(γ, in)/σ^theor[(γ, 1n) + 2(γ, 2n) + …] are calculated using a combined model of photonuclear reactions, and σ^exp(γ, xn) is the experimental cross section of the neutron yield reaction free from neutron multiplicity sorting problems. The cross sections are evaluated for reactions (γ, 1n) and (γ, 2n) for the ^63,65Cu and ⁸⁰Se isotopes, and for the total photoneutron reaction σ(γ, Sn) = σ[(γ, 1n) + (γ, 2n) + …]. It is shown that noticeable deviations of the experimental cross sections from the evaluated values result from the unreliable sorting of neutrons between the channels with multiplicities 1 and 2.     

Crystallization and melting of spin-polarized<Superscript>3</Superscript>He

The melting and growth of³He crystals, spin-polarized by an external magnetic field, are different in nature depending on whether the temperature is higher or lower than the characteristic ordering temperatures in the crystal (the Neel temperatureT _N ) and in the liquid (the superfluid transition temperatureT _c ). In the high-temperature region (T≥T _N ,T _c ) the liquid which appears upon melting has a high nonequilibrium spin density. In the low-temperature region (T?T _N ,T _c ) the melting and growth are accompanied by spin supercurrents both in the liquid and in the crystal in addition to mass supercurrents in the liquid. The crystallization waves at the liquid-solid interface should exist in the low-temperature region. With increasing magnetic field the waves change in nature, because the spin currents begin to play a dominant role. The wave spectrum becomes linear with a velocity inversely proportional to the magnetic field. The attenuation of the waves at low enough temperatures is mainly due to the interaction of the moving crystal-liquid interface with thermal spin waves in the crystal. The waves could be weakly damped at temperatures below a few hundreds microkelvins.