Mechanism of giant magnetoresistance in intermetallic compounds of rare-earth ions and actinides

Giant positive or negative magnetoresistance is calculated in a band model. The spectra of the band electrons in a two-sublattice antiferromagnetic intermetallic compound depend on the antiferromagnetism vector L(T,H). The metamagnetic transition to the ferromagnetic phase is accompanied by splitting with respect to the spin σ, displacement of the energy bands, and a decrease in the effective masses of the band electrons. This mechanism of giant negative magnetoresistance is also accompanied by an increase in the relaxation time τ_jσ. Scattering by chemical-bond fluctuations is considered as the main relaxation mechanism. Giant positive magnetoresistance results from a four-subband model of 4f and 5f intermetallic compounds. The electron effective masses m _jσ(J _jT ) of the (j,σ) bands increase with the mean angular momentum J _1T (T,H) of an ion in the jth sublattice of 4(5)f ions. The thermodynamics of such a four-sublattice model, the nonlinear magnetization and magnetoresistance curves, and the nonmonotonic dependence of the specific heat C _m(T,H) on the field H are calculated. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 1806–1814 (October 1997)     

Ion-induced sputtering of a metal in the form of large clusters

A model is proposed for the ion-induced sputtering of a metal in the form of large clusters with a number of atoms N⩾5. The model is based on simple physical assumptions and is consistent with experiment. As an example, calculations are made of the relative cluster yield as a function of the number of atoms in the cluster as a result of the bombardment of various metals by singly charged 5 keV argon ions. A comparison is made with experimental data. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 64–68 (March 1999)     

On the splitting of the lower band of charged elementary excitations of a two-dimensional antiferromagnet

A spin-polaron approach is developed on the basis of a generalized Kondo lattice model for a two-dimensional antiferromagnet (CuO₂ plane model). This approach makes it possible to describe the splitting of polaron bands of carriers both in the presence of long-range magnetic order (T=0) and for a finite spin-correlation length (T≠0) and also can account for the strong deviation from the Luttinger theorem and the shadow-bands effect at both zero and finite temperatures. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 5, 386–391 (10 September 1998)     

Phase diagrams of (d x 2−y 2+id xy) superconductors on a square lattice

A model of strongly coupled electrons on a square lattice with attraction of the electrons to nearest-neighbor and next-nearest neighbor lattice sites is studied. For this model, the phase diagrams containing d _x ²−y ², d _xy, and (d _x ²−y ²+id _xy) states are constructed in the variables temperature versus chemical potential for different ratios of the corresponding potentials. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 5, 356–360 (10 March 1998)     

Crystallization of a dusty plasma in the positive column of a glow discharge

The formation of macroscopic ordered structures in the standing striations of a stationary glow discharge in Ne is observed. A Coulomb quasicrystal is formed by spherical glass particles with diameters of 50–63 μm and charge Z _p~7·10⁵ e. The interparticle distance is approximately 300 μm. This corresponds to a nonideality parameter Γ~5·10⁴, which leads to crystallization in the Yukawa model. The factors leading to the formation of a quasicrystal in the striations are discussed. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 64, No. 2, 86–91 (25 July 1996)     

"Positronic" effective charges of anions in polar substances

The "positronic" effective charges of anions in polar substances are investigated further on the basis of the optical — positron model proposed in 1966 by Gol’danskii and Prokop’ev [Fiz. Tverd. Tela,8, No. 2, 515 (1966)] and developed in 1990 by Aref’ev and Prokof’ev [Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, 52 (1990)] (modified optical model). High productivity of this model in determining anion effective charges in various polar substances (ionic crystals, semiconductors with ionic chemical bonds, etc.) is demonstrated. A. Yu. Malinin Scientific Research Institute for Materials Science. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 23–29, February, 1997.     

Amorphization and shear microbands near grain boundaries in mechanically alloyed metallic materials

A theoretical model which effectively describes a novel micromechanism of solid-state amorphization in mechanically alloyed metallic materials is proposed. Within the model the amorphous phase nucleates as a result of the intersection of a grain boundary by a plastic-shear microband. It is shown that the growth of a nucleus of the amorphous α-β alloy near a site on a grain boundary intersected by a shear microband is effectively controlled by the rate of diffusion mixing of atoms of the mechanically alloyed metals α and β. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 35–38 (July 1997)     

A<Subscript>4</Subscript> symmetry and lepton masses and mixing

Stimulated by Ma’s idea, which explains the tribimaximal neutrino mixing by assuming an A₄ flavor symmetry, a lepton mass matrix model is investigated. A Frogatt–Nielsen-type model is assumed, and the flavor structures of the masses and mixing are caused by the VEVs of SU(2)_L singlet scalars φ_i ^u and φ_i ^d (i=1,2,3), which are assigned to 3 and (1 ,1 ’,1 ”) of A₄, respectively. Possible charged lepton and neutrino mass spectra and mixing are investigated.     

Microscopic three-cluster study of the low-energy 9 Be photodisintegration

The ⁹Be and ⁹B nuclei are investigated in a microscopic three-cluster model involving α + α + n (or α + α + p) configurations. The ⁸Be (0 ⁺ , 2 ⁺ ) + n and ⁵He (3/2 ^- , 1/2 ^- ) + α (or mirror) channels are included by taking account of the unstable nature of ⁸Be and ⁵He. Spectroscopic properties of ⁹Be and ⁹B are analyzed. We show that the ⁵He + α configurations cannot be neglected to derive accurate results. The ⁹Be(γ,αα)n photodisintegration cross-section is shown to be mainly determined by ⁸Be + n channels at low energies, but ⁵He + α channels become important beyond E _γ≈ 4 MeV. Received: 7 September 2001 / Accepted: 19 November 2001     

Anomalous evolution of photoluminescence in porous silicon in an electric field

The change produced in the photoluminescence (PL) of n-type porous silicon (por-Si) by irradiation with ultraviolet laser radiation in the presence of an external electric field has been investigated. A field effect, consisting of a large change in the integrated PL intensity when the field is switched on or off, was observed. When the field intensity E exceeds a critical value, the change in the PL becomes anomalous — an alternating sawtooth signal. A kinetic model is proposed wherein the experimental results are explained by a change in the density of neutral acceptor and hole surface states formed by hydrogen, oxygen, and fluorine atoms adsorbed on the surfaces of pores. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 5, 357–361 (10 September 1997)     

Electronic structure of Ce and Sm in hydrides and the 4f collapse in YbHx

The population of the 4f, 5d, and 6s shells of rare-earth atoms in RH_x hydrides (R=Ce, Sm, Yb; x≈2–3) has been studied by the x-ray line-shift method. The population of the 5d and 6s shells of Ce and Sm atoms, and the charge on them in metals and hydrides, were determined from experiment and calculated within the Hartree-Fock-Dirac (Koopmans) model. The decrease of the charge on Ce and Sm revealed upon transition from the metal to the hydride argues unambiguously for the anionic (hydride) model. In YbH_x with x⩾2, the structural transition is accompanied by a strongly pronounced electronic transition from divalent to a noninteger-valence state . Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1393–1396 (August 1998)     

Evolution of the population of outer 6s and 5d shells in rare-earth metals

The shifts of the Kα ₁ and Kβ ₁ lines of all rare-earth (RE) metals (from La to Lu) have been measured experimentally by the x-ray shift method. The population of the RE-metal 6s and 5d shells has been determined by comparing the experimental and theoretical shifts obtained within the Dirac-Fock (Koopmans) model. Trivalent metals exhibit a monotonic cross-over from the 6s ^≈25d ^≈1 to 6s ^≈15d ^≈2 configuration with increasing atomic number. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 1361–1362 (August 1999)     

Detection of (<Emphasis Type="Italic">C</Emphasis> + <Emphasis Type="Italic">A</Emphasis>)-type dislocation self-blocking in magnesium

The self-blocking effect predicted theoretically and then observed in intermetallides is established for a pure metal, namely, for magnesium. This effect can be observed only for magnesium single crystals whose axis is parallel to the c axis and whose yield stress behavior σ _y (T) has a temperature anomaly. For such single crystals, the self-blocking of the (c + a)-type edge dislocations is established during pyramidal slip of type II. The self-blocking is proved by dislocation extension along the preferred direction without external stress. In this case, the á 1[`1]00 ñ \left\langle {1\bar{1}00} \right\rangle directions appear preferred. TEM images of (c + a) dislocations extended along the preferred directions are presented. It is demonstrated that two effects – temperature anomaly of σ _y (T) and dislocation self-blocking – have the common nature: a two-valley potential relief of the dislocation. A model of two-valley relief of the (c + a) dislocations in Mg is proposed.     

Quantum beats in excitons in Cu2O

A theoretical study is carried out of quantum beats (QB) in the time-dependent intensities of absorption of a test pulse and of spontaneous luminescence in a Cu₂O crystal under conditions of double optical resonance. It is assumed that pumping is effected by a CO₂-laser pulse which dynamically couples the exciton levels 1s(Γ ₅ ⁺ ) and 2p(Γ ₄ ⁻ ,Γ ₅ ⁻ ,Γ ₃ ⁻ Γ ₂ ⁻ ) and splits them into two or three pairs of quasi-energy levels. The frequency of the test pulse is in resonance with the frequency Γ ₅ ⁺ of the exciton. The corresponding intensities for various directions of the electric vector of the pump field E _L, the polarization vector ξ, and the wave vector q of the test pulse are obtained. The frequency of the quantum beats is twice the Rabi frequency, which for different values of E _L, ξ and q contains different sets of matrix elements of the dipole transitions between the levels 1s(Γ ₅ ⁺ ) and 2p(Γ ₄ ⁻ ,Γ ₅ ⁻ ,Γ ₃ ⁻ Γ ₂ ⁻ ). Thus, by measuring the period of the quantum beats it is possible to determine the unknown matrix elements of the indicated transitions. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 844–847 (May 1997)     

Near-ordering structural transitions in amorphous metal alloys

The temperature variations in the modulus of elasticity (Young’s modulus) E and internal friction Q ⁻¹ of the amorphous metal alloys Ti₅₀Cu_50−x Ni_x (5⩽x⩽20) are studied at temperatures of 300–800 K. There is an anomalous increase in E(T) at temperatures above T _x (which varies from 440 to 525 K, depending on the composition). When the amount of nickel in the alloy is high (x>12 at. %), a small peak shows up in Q ⁻¹(T). These effects are related to structural transitions in near-ordering regions (clusters). A model for structural relaxation of near ordering in amorphous alloys is proposed on the basis of these experiments. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 389–392 (March 1998)     

Magnetic properties and energy transfer in the luminophors CaS:Eu,Cl

Studies have been performed on the magnetic properties and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of the small-crystal luminophors CaS:Eu,Cl. By comparing the EPR and magnetic susceptibility data we have determined that Eu enters into the CaS matrix primarily in the trivalent state Eu³⁺. We have found that the magnetic susceptibility of the sample with the lowest europium content (5×10⁻³ at. %) has a sharp peak at T≈5 K. A model is proposed of clusters into which the europium ions in these luminophors can associate. On the basis of this model an explanation is given for the anomalous temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility as well as a long list of other experimental facts (including peculiarities of the thermal luminescence). Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 1698–1707 (May 1998)     

Elementary muon, pion, and kaon particles as resonators for neutrino quanta. Calculations of mass ratios for e, μ, π0, π±, K 0, K ±, and ν e

Masses of a number of elementary particles are calculated on the basis of the model suggested in [1] with the use of one parameter. In this model, an electron is considered as an electric cloud enclosed inside an elastic lepton shell, electron neutrino ν _е is considered as an elastic lepton shell contracted to a minimal size, and muon, pion and kaon are considered as resonators for quanta of virtual neutrinos excited inside the elastic lepton shell. The number and type of these quanta are determined from the decay scheme for μ, π, and K: 2 for the muon (ν _е and ), 3 for the pion (ν _е , ν _μ, and ), and at least 21 for the kaon. The model allows mass ratios approximating the experimental data for these particles to be obtained for the first time, with the ratio of μ and е masses equal to (6πℏс/е ²)^2/3 ≅ 188, the ratio of π ⁰ and μ masses equal to (3/2)^2/3, and the ratio of K ⁰ and π ⁰ equal masses to 7^2/3. The calculated e, μ , π ⁰, and K ⁰ masses are in the 0.547:105.707:134.963:493.87 (MeV) ratios (normalized by the neutral pion mass). This is in good agreement with the available experimental data. The mass ν _е (≅ 0.02 eV) is also estimated in this model, and the variety of K-meson decay schemes is naturally explained as a result of the variety of excited intrinsic neutrino field structures with the same energy. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 23–29, January, 2009.     

A series of free exciton lines in zinc diarsenide

A structure corresponding to the n=1, 2, and 3 free-exciton states is observed in the optical transmission spectra of zinc diarsenide at 5 K. The band gap for E⊥C at temperatures of 5–300 K and the exciton binding energy (17.5 eV) are determined. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 877–878 (May 1998)     

Piezoelectric properties of oriented Z′ cuts of PZT-type ferroelectric ceramics

The piezoelectric and dielectric properties of oriented β°Z′ cuts (β=0, 15, 30, 45, 60°) of piezoelectric crystals of TsTS-83G (lead zirconate titanate) composite are studied. A static model is proposed for the case of a maximally polarized ceramic based on the conditions of complete and partial stability of the polar axes c with allowance for their nonuniform distribution for 180° and 90° domain reorientations. It is found that the TsTS-83G piezoelectric composite does not exhibit anisotropy in the piezoelectric coefficient d ₃₃ ^′ when the axis of the Z′ cut is rotated in the ZY plane relative to the XYZ coordinate system. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 75–79 (July 1998) Deceased.     

Field evaporation of a Hf-Mo alloy

The field evaporation of a Hf-Mo alloy (15 wt. % Hf) is investigated using a time-of-flight atom probe. A moderately heated tip detects an impurity of Hf and Mo oxides on the surface. Thermofield microprotrusions grown at T=1440–1850 K in an electric field (retarding to electrons) of intensity E=(3.2–5)×10⁷ V/cm are analyzed at room temperature and above. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 69–73 (March 1998)