Beta-induced decrease in the content of the Si-II,Si-XII,Si-III,and α-Si silicon phases formed under an indenter

Physics of the Solid State - Volumes of the metastable Si-II, Si-XII, Si-III, and α-Si silicon phases in a locally deformed (Berkovich pyramid) region of unirradiated and beforehand irradiated...     

Electronic band structure and effective masses of electrons and holes in the α and β phases of silicon nitride

The electronic band structure of the two main crystallographic modifications of silicon nitride, namely, the α-Si₃N₄ and β-Si₃N₄ phases, is calculated from the first principles. The estimates obtained for the effective charges of silicon and nitrogen atoms and those for the effective masses of electrons and holes in the α-Si₃N₄ phase are in good agreement with the available experimental data for amorphous silicon nitride a-Si₃N₄. The calculations performed demonstrate that the effective mass tensor determined for the β-Si₃N₄ phase differs substantially from the effective mass tensor obtained for the α-Si₃N₄ phase.     

The room-temperature decomposition of metastable phases precipitated in the Al-Zn alloys at 200 °C

The room-temperature decomposition of metastable phases in the Al-Zn alloys (from 25 to 50 wt. % Zn) was studied by the transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Metastable phases, i.e. G.-P. zones, _R-and -phases, were grown at 200 °C and their decomposition into equilibrium -phase at 20 °C was investigated. Ageing times comprised 1 to 999 days.Both the decomposition mechanism and the rate of decomposition of coherent phases were found to be dependent on the particle sizes and their density reached at 200 °C. The local vacancy supersaturation around the -nucleus in a dense system of G.-P. zones leads to an enhanced growth rate of such nucleus and thus to the formation of one large -precipitate at the expense of several neighbouring G.-P. zones. The elastic stress field around this -particle promotes the further nucleation and growth of -precipitates and leads to their gradual spread throughout the matrix. The decomposition of intermediately sized _Rprecipitates results in the development of -precipitates of comparable sizes nucleated on the array of misfit dislocations at the periphery of _R-precipitates. The cooperative effect between neighbouring particles does not influence the decomposition of large _R-precipitated which split then into several smaller -particles. The rate of G.-P. zones or _R to -decomposition increases with the increasing sizes of transition precipitates and with the zinc content of the alloy. The kinetics of to -decomposition was found to be independent both on the annealing time at 200 °C and on the investigated alloy composition. This can be attributed to the constant density of misfit dislocations as nucleation sites for -precipitates along the -matrix interface and to the large mutual separation of -precipitates in all these alloys.In conclusion we would like to express our thanks to Doc. Dr. V.Syneek, CSc. for his valuable discussions and to Ing. V.íma for the preparation of Al-Zn alloys. Our thanks are also due to Mr. Z.iký for his help in the X-ray diffraction measurement and to P.Vyhlídka for the careful chemical analyses of the investigated alloys.     

Study of physicochemical forms of the spatial distribution of α-emitters in areas around the Chernobyl NPP

The results of measurements of the physicochemical forms of α-emitters formed by high-temperature dispersion of the fuel and the material and construction elements adjacent to the reactor during the Chernobyl accident on April 26, 1986 are report. Measurements were performed in May 1986 with the help of low-background nitrocellulose track detectors developed in 1985 and produced at the Institute of Chemical Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The fraction of the aggregate form was found to decrease in the direction from the Chernobyl NPP to the city of Kiev, to a level characteristic of the dispersed component at a distance of 100 km from the plant. The α-radioactivity of various objects, such as biota, soil, surfaces of buildings and industrial installations, was assessed. The distribution of α-activity of microparticles was demonstrated to be closely described by the lognormal function.     

Comparison of short-range ion-ion correlations in the α, β and δ phases of Bi2O3

Neutron total scattering data for α-Bi₂O₃ and δ-Bi₂O₃, considering both the Bragg and diffuse components, have been analysed by the reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) method to extract experimental information concerning the short-range correlations between pairs of ions. These results complement the average structural information provided by conventional Rietveld refinement of the Bragg scattering alone. The radial and angular distribution functions in the stable ambient temperature α phase and superionic δ phase of Bi₂O₃ are presented and compared with the corresponding data for the metastable β phase reported previously. These data provide an important insight into the nature of the anion disorder within the highly conducting δ phase and the relationship between the δ phase and its ordered α and β counterparts.     

Comparison of the thermal stability of the α, β and γ phases in poly(vinylidene fluoride) based on in situ thermal Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The electroactive β phase of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is induced due to the aging time of PVDF solutions. The feasibility of the combination of the three crystalline polymorphs (α, β and γ) is demonstrated where their relative proportion within the PVDF film can be tailored by the simple monitoring of the preparation conditions. To identify all these phases, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is carried out and it is spotlighted that the vibrational bands at 510 and 841 cm^?1 are not sufficient to state the formation of the β phase. The main aim of this work is devoted to develop a better understanding on the thermal stability of these several phases of PVDF, which has a longstanding ambiguity persisting in this area. It has been found that the in situ thermal FT-IR spectroscopy is one of the best alternatives to understand this important issue. It is ascertained that the β phase is the least thermally stable phase among α, β and γ phases, whereas the γ phase is the most thermally stable phase.     

Effect of Ni content on the diffusion-controlled growth of the product phases in the Cu(Ni)–Sn system

A strong influence of Ni content on the diffusion-controlled growth of the (Cu,Ni)₃Sn and (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ phases by coupling different Cu(Ni) alloys with Sn in the solid state is reported. The continuous increase in the thickness ratio of (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ to (Cu,Ni)₃Sn with the Ni content is explained by combined kinetic and thermodynamic arguments as follows: (i) The integrated interdiffusion coefficient does not change for the (Cu,Ni)₃Sn phase up to 2.5 at.% Ni and decreases drastically for 5 at.% Ni. On the other hand, there is a continuous increase in the integrated interdiffusion coefficient for (Cu,Ni)₆Sn₅ as a function of increasing Ni content. (ii) With the increase in Ni content, driving forces for the diffusion of components increase for both components in both phases but at different rates. However, the magnitude of these changes alone is not large enough to explain the high difference in the observed growth rate of the product phases because of Ni addition. (iv) Kirkendall marker experiments indicate that the Cu₆Sn₅ phase grows by diffusion of both Cu and Sn in the binary case. However, when Ni is added, the growth is by diffusion of Sn only. (v) Also, the observed grain refinement in the Cu₆Sn₅ phase with the addition of Ni suggests that the grain boundary diffusion of Sn may have an important role in the observed changes in the growth rate.     

Influence of rhenium and ruthenium on the local mechanical properties of the γ and γ′ phases in nickel-base superalloys

The effect of rhenium and ruthenium on the hardness of the γ′ precipitates and the γ matrix in nickel-base superalloys was investigated using a nanoindenting atomic force microscope. The partitioning behaviour of the alloying elements and the lattice misfit between the γ and γ′ phase were determined in fully homogenised samples to explain the alloying effects. Rhenium strongly strengthens γ as it predominantly partitions to γ and has a strong solid solution-hardening effect. Ruthenium strengthens both γ and γ′ due to a more homogeneous partitioning behaviour. Ruthenium was found to cause less partitioning of rhenium to γ. This results in a stronger increase of the γ′ hardness. The change in the nanoindentation-derived hardness of both phases could be mainly attributed to the solid solution strengthening of Re and Ru.     

Mössbauer study of the vibrational anisotropy and of the light-induced population of metastable states in single-crystalline guanidinium nitroprusside

M?ssbauer studies were performed on single crystals of guanidinium nitroprusside with different orientations of their principal crystallographic axes (a, b, c) with respect to the incident radiation. The markedly anisotropic Lamb-M?ssbauer factor f _LM , i.e. f _LM ^(a) = 0.118(8), f _LM ^(b) = 0.174(8), f _LM ^(c) = 0.202(8) is in contrast to that of nitroprussides with inorganic anions. The observed anisotropy is ascribed to the anisotropic vibrational mean-square displacement of the nitroprusside anions as a whole which is due to the specific packing of both, anions and cations, as well as the very weak chemical bonding between the ions, typical only for guanidinium nitroprusside. The vibrational anisotropy of iron atoms in barium nitroprusside that has been observed by X-ray structural investigations has a different origin and therefore does not result in an anisotropic Lamb-M?ssbauer factor. We have also investigated metastable states in guanidinium nitroprusside that have been populated by means of incoherent irradiation from light-emitting diodes. With a specific orientation of the guanidinium nitroprusside single crystal a population of the metastable states up to 26% could be achieved. Populations of comparable size on lithium, sodium and potassium nitroprussides have only been reached using coherent laser irradiation. Received 15 December 1998 and Received in final form 3 March 1999     

Properties of planar Nb/α-Si/Nb Josephson junctions with various degrees of doping of the α-Si layer

The properties of Nb/??-Si/Nb planar Josephson junctions with various degrees of doping of the amorphous silicon layer are experimentally studied. Tungsten is used as a doping impurity. The properties of the Josephson junctions are shown to change substantially when the degree of doping of the ??-Si layer changes: a current transport mechanism and the shape of the current-voltage characteristic of the junctions change. Josephson junctions with SNS-type conduction are formed in the case of a fully degenerate ??-Si layer. The properties of such junctions are described by a classical resistive model. Josephson junctions with a resonance mechanism of current transport through impurity centers are formed at a lower degree of doping of the ??-Si layer. The high-frequency properties of such junctions are shown to change. The experimental results demonstrate that these junctions are close to SINIS-type Josephson junctions.     

Quantitative anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering — The determination of chemical concentrations in nano-scaled phases

In the last years Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering became a precise quantitative method resolving scattering contributions two or three orders of magnitude smaller compared to the overall small-angle scattering, which are related to the so-called pure-resonant scattering contribution. Additionally to the structural information precise quantitative information about the different constituents of multi-component systems like the fraction of a chemical component implemented into the materials nanostructures are obtained from these scattering contributions. The application of the Gauss elimination algorithm to the vector equation established by ASAXS measurements at three X-ray energies is demonstrated for three examples from chemistry and solid state physics. All examples deal with the quantitative analysis of the Resonant Invariant (RI-analysis). From the integrals of the pure-resonant scattering contribution the chemical concentrations in nano-scaled phases are determined. In one example the correlated analysis of the Resonant Invariant and the Non-resonant Invariant (NI-analysis) is employed.     

Bond properties of the chalcopyrite and stannite phases in the Cu–(In,Ga)–Se system

Bond properties of the chalcopyrite and (defect) stannite phases in the Cu–(In,Ga)–Se system are compared in view of the bond overlap population calculated by the molecular orbital calculation of the DV-Xα method. Bond stretching force constant α is estimated for the stannite phases through the bond Ovlp. The Cu–Se and In(Ga)–Se bonds in defect stannite structure are considered to be mechanically weakened by the 2b-site vacancies. We estimate the weakened force constants to be 60–70% of those in the chalcopyrite structure. On the other hand, in In(Ga)-rich stannite, In(Ga)_4d–Se_8i and In(Ga)_2b–Se_8i bonds are estimated to be tighter by 23–25 and 8–9%, respectively, than In(Ga)_4b–Se_8d bond in the chalcopyrite structure. The Γ₁ frequencies of the stannite phases are also calculated using the estimated force constants. Characteristic Raman signals peaked at 160–175 cm⁻¹ observed for the Cu(In_1−xGa_x)₃Se₅ system are explained by the Cu-rich phase for the Cu–In–Se system, and the phase combination of Cu-rich and Ga_2aV_2b types for the Cu–Ga–Se system from these calculations.     

Relaxation of the analyzing power of the (p, τX) and (p, αX) reactions in the continuum

The observed continuous decrease of the analyzing power for the reactions ($\text{p}$, τX) and ($\text{p}$, αX) on ⁹⁰Zr and ²⁰⁹Bi at E_p = 72 MeV as a function of the excitation energy of the final nucleus is described by a phenomenological relaxation process.     

Peculiarities of the ferromagnetic resonance in multilayer CoFeZr-α-Si films

The static magnetic properties and ferromagnetic resonance spectra of multilayer CoFeZr-α-Si films with different numbers and thicknesses of magnetic and nonmagnetic layers have been investigated. It is established that the shape of the ferromagnetic resonance spectrum and the resonant fields H _res depend on the thickness of nonmagnetic layers and their total number. The character of changes in the spectrum makes it possible to estimate the quality of layers and interfaces.     

Effect of ultrasound on the activity and conformation of α-amylase,papain and pepsin

The effect of ultrasound on the activity of α-amylase, papain and pepsin was investigated and the mechanism of the effect was explored by determining their conformational changes. With the irradiation of power ultrasound, the activity of α-amylase and papain was inhibited, while the activity of pepsin was activated. According to the analysis of circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy, the π_o → π¹ amide transitions and secondary structural components, especially β-sheet, of these three enzymes were significantly influenced by ultrasound. The tryptophan fluorescence intensity of the three enzymes was also observed to be affected by sonication. Furthermore, it was found that the pepsin molecule might gradually be resistant to prolonged ultrasonic treatment and recover from the ultrasound-induced damage to its original structure. The results suggested that the activity of α-amylase, papain and pepsin could be modified by ultrasonic treatment mainly due to the variation of their secondary and tertiary structures.     

The question of the intermediate order inα-Si∶H

In the present paper, estimates are performed of the main parameters of atomic radial distribution functions in -SiH, which are related to certain characteristics of the internal random field of this disordered heteropolar substance. On the basis of the data obtained the question is discussed of the existence of the intermediate order in the material under consideration.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 7, pp. 16–20, July, 1985.     

Atomic positions and diffusion paths of h and he in the α-Ti lattice

The solution energy of H and He in various interstitial and substitution positions in the hcp lattice of α-Ti has been calculated based on the method of electron density functional. The lowest solution energy of He corresponds to the basal octahedral position and that of H corresponds to the octahedral position (next in energy is the tetrahedral position). The calculated vibration frequencies of H in various positions are used for identification of lines in the vibration spectrum obtained by the method of neutron inelastic scattering. Taking into account these spectra, it can be concluded that hydrogen atoms occupy in the hcp lattice of Ti both the octahedral and tetrahedral positions even at 600 K. The available experimental data do not contradict the conclusion that the octahedral position is more preferable in α-Ti. The energy barriers are estimated for various diffusion paths of H and He.     

Anomalies in the α-Decay Energies and Half-Lives of Neutron-Deficient Po Isotopes

The transition rates of ΔL=0 - transitions in the lightest Po isotopes are considerably slower than the transition rates of the heavier ones, even leading to a considerable deviation in the classical Geiger-Nuttall plot. Evidence will be given that due to particle-hole excitations through the Z=82 proton shell, the groundstate of the lighter Po isotopes becomes deformed and direct - decay to the spherical groundstate of the corresponding Pb isotopes is highly retarded.