Self-organization of N<Superscript>*</Superscript> inclusions in SmC<Superscript>*</Superscript> free-standing films

The behaviour of freely suspended smectic-C* ( SmC^*) films at the bulk SmC^*-cholesteric ( N^*) phase transition has been investigated using polarized-reflected-light microscopy. Our experimental observations show that above the bulk SmC^*- N^* phase transition the N^* order appears in different ways according to the film thickness. In thin films, the conventional layer-by-layer thinning occurs. In films of intermediate thickness N^* inclusions nucleate inside the SmC^* film. The distortions of the in-plane orientational order of the SmC^* host phase induce elastic interactions between the inclusions and lead to their self-organization in chain-like structures. Both the dynamic of the chaining and the parameters driving the equilibrium distance between the inclusions in the chain are investigated. In thick films, N^* fingers grow inside the film. The influence of the experimental conditions on the various processes is analysed. Received 1 July 2002 / Published online: 15 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: Philippe.cluzeau@univ-lille1.fr     

Theoretical LSP detection rates for <Superscript>71</Superscript>Ga, <Superscript>73</Superscript>Ge,and <Superscript>127</Superscript>I dark-matter detectors

The low-energy structure of the dark-matter detector nuclei ⁷¹Ga, ⁷³Ge, and ¹²⁷I has been studied by using the microscopic quasiparticle-phonon model. The resulting ground states have been used to calculate theoretical predictions for detection rates of the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) in experiments studying elastic scattering of an LSP from an atomic nucleus. The highest rate, approximately 0.27 yr^?1kg^?1, among all the adopted SUSY parameters and renormalization schemes was provided by ¹²⁷I at the zero limit of the detector energy threshold.     

Resonance Structure of the Charge-Exchange Strength Function and Neutrino-Capture Cross Sections for the Isotopes <Superscript>71</Superscript>Ga, <Superscript>98</Superscript>Mo,and <Superscript>127</Superscript>I

A resonance structure of the charge-exchange strength function S(E) and its effect on the neutrino-capture cross sections for the isotopes ⁷¹Ga, ⁹⁸Mo, and ¹²⁷I are studied within the self-consistent theory of finite Fermi systems. The calculation of the strength function S(E) takes into account Gamow–Teller, analog, and so-called lower lying pygmy resonances. The neutrino-capture cross sections σ(E) for the above three isotopes are calculated with allowance for the resonance structure of the strength function S(E), and the effect of each resonance on the energy dependence σ(E) is analyzed. It is found that all charge-exchange resonances in the strength function S(E) should be taken into account in calculating the neutrino-capture cross section σ(E) for the isotopes ⁷¹Ga, ⁹⁸Mo, and ¹²⁷I. The disregard of even highlying resonances leads to a substantial underestimation of the cross section σ(E), and this may affect the interpretation of respective experimental data.     

<Superscript>23</Superscript>Na and <Superscript>27</Superscript>Al NMR Study of Structure and Dynamics in Mordenite

Temperature dependencies of ²⁷Al and ²³Na nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and spin–lattice relaxations in mordenite have been studied in static and magic angle spinning regimes. Our data show that the spin–lattice relaxations of the ²³Na and ²⁷Al nuclei are mainly governed by interaction of nuclear quadrupole moments with electric field gradients of the crystal, modulated by translational motion of water molecules in the mordenite channels. At temperatures below 200 K, the dipolar interaction of nuclear spins with paramagnetic impurities becomes an important relaxation mechanism of the ²³Na and ²⁷Al nuclei.     

Brillouin light scattering characterization of the surface acoustic wave velocity in sp<Superscript>2</Superscript> allotropes thin films

Carbon thin films have been deposited by DC magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures ranging from 200 K to 400 K. The influence of the preparation substrate temperature on the elastic properties has been evidenced by means of the High Resolution Brillouin Spectroscopy. Thus, the surface acoustic wave (SAW) velocity evolution could be assessed for the different samples. The observed variation is analysed in terms of the relative population of sp² allotropes phases forming the film.     

<Superscript>23</Superscript>Na NMR in binary lithium-sodium cobaltite

Li_0.48Na_0.35CoO₂ lithium-sodium cobaltite was studied by means of wide-line ²³Na and ⁷Li NMR. A series of quantum-chemical calculations allowed to us determine the optimum positions of Li and Na atoms, to construct a map of the densities of electronic states near the Fermi level, and to estimate the electric field gradient on the Na nuclei. The results from these calculations are compared with experimental data from NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy     

<Superscript>29</Superscript>Si, <Superscript>27</Superscript>Al, <Superscript>1</Superscript>H and <Superscript>23</Superscript>Na MAS NMR Study of the Bonding Character in Aluminosilicate Inorganic Polymers

²⁹Si, ²⁷Al, ¹H and ²³Na solid-state magic-angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used to relate nominal composition, bonding character and compressive strength properties in aluminosilicate inorganic polymers (AIPs). The ²⁹Si chemical shift varies systematically with Si-to-Al ratio, indicating that the immediate structural environment of Si is altering with nominal composition. Fast ¹H MAS and ²⁹Si T _SiH/T _1ρ relaxation measurements demonstrated that occluded pore H₂O mobility within the disordered cavities is slow in comparison with H₂O mobility characteristics observed within the ordered channel structures of zeolites. The ²⁷Al MAS NMR data show that the Al coordination remains predominantly 4-coordinate. In comparison with the ²⁹Si MAS data, the corresponding ²⁷Al MAS line shapes are relatively narrow, suggesting that the AlO₄ tetrahedral geometry is largely unperturbed and the dominant source of structural disorder is propagated by large distributions of Si–O bond angles and bond lengths. Corresponding ²³Na MAS and multiple-quantum MAS NMR data indicate that Na speciation is dominated by distributions of hydration states; however, more highly resolved ²³Na resonances observed in some preparations supported the existence of short-range order. New structural elements are proposed to account for the existence of these Na resonances and an improved model for the structure of AIPs has also been proposed. Authors' address: John V. Hanna, NMR Facility, Institute of Materials and Engineering Science, Lucas Heights Research Laboratories, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Private Mail Bag 1, Menai, NSW 2234, Australia     

X-ray spectra induced by <Superscript>129</Superscript>Xe<Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">q</Emphasis>+</Superscript> impacting the metal surface

Using the slow highly charged ions ¹²⁹Xe ^q+ (q = 25, 26, 27; initial kinetic T ₀⩽4.65 keV/a.u.) to impact Au surface, the Au atomic Mα characteristic X-ray spectrum is induced. The result shows that as long as the charge state of projectile is high enough, the heavy atomic characteristic X-ray can be effectively excited even though the incident beam is very weak (nA magnitude), and the X-ray yield per ion is in the order of 10⁻⁸ and increases with the kinetic energy and potential energy of projectile. By measuring the Au Mα-X-ray spectra, Au atomic N-level lifetime is estimated at about 1.33×10⁻¹⁸ s based on Heisenberg uncertainty relation. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 10574132, 10274088 and 10405025), the Talent Introduction Project of Xianyang Normal University (Grant No. 05XSYK103) and the Education Commission Foundation of Shaanxi Province (Grant No. 04JK300)     

Temperature Dependence of <Superscript>1</Superscript>H and <Superscript>17</Superscript>O NMR Shifts of Water: Entropy Effect

Density functional theory together with statistical thermodynamics based on the equilibrium constants method and concept of orientational entropy were applied to reproduce the temperature dependences of ¹H and ¹⁷O nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts in liquid water. Despite a rather simple theoretical model, a satisfactory agreement between calculated NMR quantities and corresponding experimental data was found. By using only a single adjustable parameter of arbitrary directionality, we succeeded to imitate the first-order temperature effect for both (¹H and ¹⁷O) NMR signals in the neat water. ¹H and ¹⁷O magnetic shielding tensors of water molecules in various water clusters have been calculated using the density functional theory. The full geometry optimization was performed using Becke's three-parameter hybrid method and the Lee–Yang–Parr correlation functional (B3LYP) combined with 6-311++G^** basis set. Magnetic shielding tensors have been calculated using the modified hybrid functional of Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof, and the gauge-including atomic orbital approach was applied to ensure gauge invariance of the results. Solvent effects were taken into account by the polarized continuum model. Authors' address: Vytautas Balevicius, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Sauletekio 9, Vilnius 10222, Lithuania     

NMR on superfluid<Superscript>3</Superscript>He in aerogel

The transition to superfluidity of³He in high porosity (98.2%) acrogel has been observed by nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The onset of the transition at all pressures above 13 bar is marked by a sharp increase in NMR frequency similar to that observed in bulk³He-A. This suggests that the aerogel/superfluid phase is highly homogeneous although both the transition temperature, T_c, and the amplitude of the order parameter are substantially suppressed. The acrogel strands are ≈ 50Å in diameter, much smaller than the superfluid coherence length. Consequently, we have attempted to interpret our observations as an impurity scattering problem. Based on our measurements of the magnetic field dependence of T_c it appears that both magnetic and potential scattering play important roles where the magnetic scattering can be associated with solid³He on the aerogel surface. This is determined by isotopic exchange with⁴He, a process which appears to stabilize a new superfluid state similar to the bulk B-phase.     

<Superscript>2</Superscript>H and <Superscript>13</Superscript>C NMR investigation of deuterofullerites C<Subscript>60</Subscript>D<Subscript>x</Subscript>

Deuterofullerites C₆₀D_x have been studied by ²H and ¹³C NMR. These fullerites have two types of carbon–deuterium bonds: C–D terminal bonds, characterized by the quadrupole coupling constant (QCC) of 171 kHz, and –C ··· D ··· C– bridging bonds with a QCC of 56 kHz. The latter is responsible for the rigid lattice found in these fullerites, which is untypical of fullerenes. PACS 81.05.Tp; 82.56.Fk; 61.48.+c; 61.18.Fs; 61.10.Nz     

Isotopomer selective optimization of <Superscript>39</Superscript>K<Superscript>85</Superscript>Rb<Superscript>+</Superscript> and <Superscript>41</Superscript>K<Superscript>87</Superscript>Rb<Superscript>+</Superscript> using optimal control

We report on isotope selective three-photon ionization of two isotopomers of KRb by applying evolution strategies. The particularity of this experiment is based on the high resolution phase and amplitude modulation of the fs-laser pulses provided by a 2 × 640 pixel pulse shaper. The optimization in a closed feedback loop performed with spectrally broad pulses centered at 840 nm shows high enhancements of one isotopomer at the expense of the other isotopomer and vice versa. From the optimal laser field we aim to gain details about the selective ionization sequence and the wavepacket evolution on the involved vibrational states.     

<Superscript>210</Superscript>Pb and <Superscript>210</Superscript>Po determination in environmental samples using liquid scintillation counting and alpha spectrometry

A simple radiochemical procedure has been developed to determine ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po in environmental samples from the same matrix. Sediment samples are decomposed by leaching with mineral acids or by microwave digestion, while water samples are pre-concentrated. One part of the resulting solution, spiked with ²⁰⁹Po, is used for ²¹⁰Po determination by spontaneous deposition onto nickel disks (α-spectrometry). The other part is assayed for ²¹⁰Pb, separating the Pb either by anion-exchange (sediment samples), or by solvent extraction (water samples). The ²¹⁰Pb source is finally prepared by precipitation as oxalate and the chemical recovery determined by gravimetry. The ²¹⁰Pb activity concentration is determined by liquid scintillation. A standard sediment sample supplied by IAEA and spiked water samples were analysed to check the procedure. The ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po measurements agreed well with the certifications, deviations being less than 10%. The mean recoveries for Pb and Po were (70±12)% and (77±8%) for sediments, and (70±10)% and (81±7)% for waters, respectively.     

Precise determination of the neutron scattering length of lead isotopes <Superscript>204</Superscript>Pb, <Superscript>207</Superscript>Pb and <Superscript>208</Superscript>Pb by neutron interferometry

Excited states of ⁶⁸Ga have been investigated through the ⁵⁵Mn(¹⁶O, 2pn) reaction at projectile energy 55 MeV. The level scheme has been extended up to 7.8 MeV. Altogether six new excited levels could be identified and twelve previously unobserved γ-transitions have been placed in the modified level scheme. Received: 19 June 2000 / Accepted: 20 October 2000     

Low-spin states in <Superscript>182</Superscript>Os and K<Superscript>π</Superscript> = 0<Superscript>+</Superscript>, 2<Superscript>+</Superscript> excited bands

Excited states in ¹⁸²Os were populated by the β⁺/EC decay of ¹⁸²Ir following mass separation. Gamma-ray and conversion electron spectroscopy techniques were employed. Monopole (E0) contributions were determined in transitions populating the ground-state band. A systematic study of the low-spin structures in the Os isotopes is presented and a detailed analysis in the framework of a microscopic configuration mixing approach is performed.     

<Superscript>53</Superscript>Cr NMR study of CuCrO<Subscript>2</Subscript> multiferroic

The magnetically ordered phase of the CuCrO₂ single crystal has been studied by the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method on ⁵³Cr nuclei in the absence of an external magnetic field. The ⁵³Cr NMR spectrum is observed in the frequency range ν_res = 61–66 MHz. The shape of the spectrum depends on the delay tdel between pulses in the pulse sequence τ_π/2–t _del–τ_π–t _del–echo. The spin–spin and spin–lattice relaxation times have been measured. Components of the electric field gradient, hyperfine fields, and the magnetic moment on chromium atoms have been estimated.     

<Superscript>57</Superscript>Fe NMR study of multiferroic BiFeO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The effects of the ⁵⁷Fe isotope content and high-frequency magnetic field amplitude h ₁ on the shape of the NMR spectrum of multiferroic BiFeO₃ at T = 4.2 K are studied by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. The NMR spectrum shape and transverse relaxation time T ₂ are found to depend strongly on the ⁵⁷Fe isotope content and h ₁ in multiferroic BiFeO₃ in the presence of a spatial spin-modulated structure of a cycloid type. In a sample with a high ⁵⁷Fe isotope content, the Suhl-Nakamura interaction contributes substantially to T ₂. When these dynamic effects are taken into account for analysis of the NMR spectrum shape, an undisturbed (without an anharmonicity effect) spatial spin-modulated structure of a cycloid type is shown to exist in BiFeO₃.     

Investigation of the Mn-doped compound CuGaTe<Subscript>2</Subscript> by <Superscript>63</Superscript>Cu AND <Superscript>69</Superscript>Ga nuclear magnetic resonance techniques

The synthesized base compound CuGaTe₂ and the Mn-doped compounds Cu_0.97Ga_0.97Mn_0.06Te₂ and Cu_0.93Ga_0.93Mn_0.14Te₂ have been investigated by using ⁶³Cu and ⁶⁹Ga NMR spectroscopy. The NMR spectra obtained testify to substantial structural distortions near the cationic positions in the crystal lattice of Mndoped samples. The constants of quadrupole coupling between ⁶³Cu and ⁶⁹Ga nuclei in the compounds investigated have been estimated.     

Near-barrier neutron transfer in reactions <Superscript>6</Superscript>He + <Superscript>45</Superscript>Sc, <Superscript>64</Superscript>Zn,and <Superscript>197</Superscript>Au

Experimental cross sections of formation of isotopes ⁴⁶Sc (in reaction ⁶He + ⁴⁵Sc), ^196,198Au (in reaction ⁶He + ¹⁹⁷Au), and ⁶⁵Zn (in reaction ⁶He + ⁶⁴Zn) are analyzed. The time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the outer neutrons of ⁶He and ¹⁹⁷Au nuclei is solved numerically to calculate the probability of neutron transfer and transfer cross sections. In reaction ⁶He + ¹⁹⁷Au, the contribution of fusion and subsequent evaporation to experimental data can be neglected, while the corresponding contributions to reactions ⁶He + ⁴⁵Sc and ⁶He + ⁶⁴Zn are considerable. Fusion–evaporation is taken into account using the computational code of the NRV knowledge base. The results of calculations are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data.