Wetting phenomena in the (3 × 1) phase of a model for H on Fe(110)

Interfaces between the three physically distinct, but equivalent domains in the (3 × 1) phase of a lattice gas model for the adsorbate system H/Fe(110) and its Ising analog are studied. In the ground state two types of wetting transitions are found where a light or a heavy domain wall decomposes into two heavy or two light walls separated by the third domain. These transitions give rise to wetting lines in the phase diagram which are located using Monte Carlo techniques.     

Photoinduced effects in nematic liquid crystals

Temperature, concentration of the solvent and pressure are the parameters that are well known to bring about phase transitions in liquid-crystalline systems. In recent years a new parameter has been added to this list: light. The principle behind these photoinduced transitions is the light-driven shape transformation of certain photoactive materials like, e.g., azobenzene. In this article, we present results of various aspects of our recent investigations on such photoinduced transitions in the nematic phase and highlight the feature that light is a new tool to study phase transitions and the associated critical phenomena.     

相变的激光光散射研究进展

本文简述地评述了相变的激光非弹性光散射研究取得的进展。其内容包括光散学研究相变的历史,铁电相变、非公度相变以及高温钇钡铜氧超导体结构相变等晶格动力学方面。     

Phase transitions, interfacial fluctuations and hidden symmetries for fluids near structured walls

Fluids adsorbed at micro-patterned and geometrically structured substrates can exhibit novel phase transitions and interfacial fluctuation effects distinct from those characteristic of wetting at planar, homogeneous walls. We review recent theoretical progress in this area paying particular attention to filling transitions pertinent to fluid adsorption near wedges, which have highlighted a deep connection between geometrical and contact angles. We show that filling transitions are not only characterized by large scale interfacial fluctuations leading to universal critical singularities but also reveal hidden symmetries with short-ranged critical wetting transitions and properties of dimensional reduction. We propose a non-local interfacial model which fulfills all these properties and throws light on long-standing problems regarding the order of the 3D short-range critical wetting transition.     

Ultrasonic velocities and elastic constants in tin-indium alloys

Ultrasonic velocities, elastic constants and internal friction are studied in Sn-In alloys in the concentration range of 0 to 30 wt% of In using composite oscillator technique. Anomalies observed in the vicinity of the phase transitions of these alloys at fourteen concentrations are interpreted in the light of the phase changes in the phase diagram.     

Quantum phase transitions in the shastry-sutherland model for SrCu2(BO3)(2)

We investigate quantum phase transitions in the frustrated antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model for SrCu2(BO3)(2) by using the series expansion method. It is found that a novel spin-gap phase, adiabatically connected to the plaquette-singlet phase, exists between the dimer and the magnetically ordered phases known thus far. When the ratio of the competing exchange couplings alpha( = J'/J) is varied, this spin-gap phase exhibits a first- (second-) order quantum phase transition to the dimer (the magnetically ordered) phase at the critical point alpha(c1) = 0.677(2) [ alpha(c2) = 0. 86(1)]. Our results shed light on some controversial arguments about the nature of quantum phase transitions in this model.     

The chiral and deconfinement phase transitions

By introducing the dressed Polayakov loop or dual chiral condensate as a candidate order parameter to describe the deconfinement phase transition for light flavors, we discuss the interplay between the chiral and deconfinement phase transitions, and propose the possible QCD phase diagram at finite temperature and density. We also introduce a dynamical gluodynamic model with dimension-2 gluon condensate, which can describe the color electric deconfinement as well as the color magnetic confinement.     

Threshold Collision Energy of the QCD Phase Diagram Tricritical Endpoint

Using the most advanced formulation of the hadron resonance gas model we analyze the two sets of irregularities found at chemical freeze-out of central nuclear-nuclear collisions at the center of mass energies 3.8–4.9 GeV and 7.6–9.2 GeV. In addition to previously reported irregularities at the collision energies 4.9 and 9.2 GeV we found sharp peaks of baryonic charge density. Also we analyze the collision energy dependence of the modified Wroblewski factor and the strangeness suppression factor. Based on the thermostatic properties of the mixed phase of a 1st order phase transition and the ones of the Hagedorn mass spectrum we explain, respectively, the reason of observed chemical equilibration of strangeness at the collision energy 4.9 GeV and above 8.7 GeV. It is argued that the both sets of irregularities possibly evidence for two phase transitions, namely, the 1st order transition at lower energy range and the 2nd order transition at higher one. In combination with a recent analysis of the light nuclei number fluctuations we conclude that the center of mass collision energy range 8.8–9.2 GeV may be in the nearest vicinity of the QCD tricritical endpoint. The properties of the phase existing between two phase transitions are revealed and discussed.     

Peculiarities of biphasic regions at phase transitions in oriented textures of 4-cyano-4′-n-pentylbiphenyl

Peculiarities of the biphasic regions at the direct and reverse phase transitions between homeotropic oriented nematic mesophase and isotropic liquid have been investigated in detail in this work. The shift of phase transition temperatures to the low temperatures by the reverse phase transitions have been observed for this mesophase. Nonlinearity of thermotropic and thermo-optical properties at the phase transitions between nematic mesophase and isotropic liquid have been found.     

Unconventional phase transition of phase-change-memory materials for optical data storage

Recent years, optically controlled phase-change memory draws intensive attention owing to some advanced applications including integrated all-optical nonvolatile memory, in-memory computing, and neuromorphic computing. The light-induced phase transition is the key for this technology. Traditional understanding on the role of light is the heating effect. Generally, the RESET operation of phase-change memory is believed to be a melt-quenching-amorphization process. However, some recent experimental and theoretical investigations have revealed that ultrafast laser can manipulate the structures of phase-change materials by non-thermal effects and induces unconventional phase transitions including solid-to-solid amorphization and order-to-order phase transitions. Compared with the conventional thermal amorphization,these transitions have potential superiors such as faster speed, better endurance, and low power consumption. This article summarizes some recent progress of experimental observations and theoretical analyses on these unconventional phase transitions. The discussions mainly focus on the physical mechanism at atomic scale to provide guidance to control the phase transitions for optical storage. Outlook on some possible applications of the non-thermal phase transition is also presented to develop new types of devices.     

Phase transition in polymer gels due to local heating by illumination of light

The volume phase transition in gels induced by visible light and its related properties are presented, the mechanism of which is based on local heating of a polymer network by illumination of light. The gels consist of a covalently cross-linked copolymer network of thermosensitive N-isopropylacrylamide and a chromophore. Without light illumination, the gel volume changes sharply, but continuously at approximately 34°C when the temperature is varied. At a fixed temperature of an appropriate value, a discontinuous volume transition is observed when the light intensity is gradually changed. The phase transitions can be understood in terms of the temperature increment at the immediate vicinity of polymer chains due to the local heating via light absorption and subsequent thermal dissipation of light by the chromophore. The results can be qualitatively described by the Flory-Huggins mean-field equation of state of gels. In order to make clear the mechanism of the light-induced phase transition in the present system, we measured the light transmitting properties and the swelling as well as shrinking kinetics. These preliminary results are described semi-qualitatively by making use of a simple phenomenological model.     

Possible links between the liquid-gas and deconfinement-hadronization phase transitions

It is commonly accepted that strongly interacting matter has several phase transitions in different domains of temperature and baryon density. In this contribution I discuss two most popular phase transitions which, in principle, can be accessed in nuclear collisions. One of them, the liquid-gas phase transition, is well established theoretically and studied experimentally in nuclear multifragmentation reactions at intermediate energies. The other one, the deconfinement-hadronization phase transition, is at the focus of present and future experimental studies with relativistic heavy-ion beams at SPS, RHIC and LHC. Possible links between these two phase transitions are identified from the viewpoint of their manifestation in violent nuclear collisions.     

Linear circular dichroism in nonlinear absorption of light in a quantum well

The far infrared absorption spectrum caused by optical transitions of holes between size-quantization subbands is calculated for p-GaAs/AlGaAs(001) quantum-well structures. The selection rules for optical transitions at the center of the two-dimensional Brillouin zone are determined. Allowance is made for resonant saturation of one-photon electronic transitions between size-quantized subbands of light and heavy holes. The linear circular dichroism in one-photon nonlinear (resonant) and two-photon absorption of light in a size-quantized well are investigated. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1347–1349 (July 1998)     

Quantum phase transitions in electronic systems

Quantum phase transitions occur at zero temperature when some non‐thermal control‐parameter like pressure or chemical composition is changed. They are driven by quantum rather than thermal fluctuations. In this review we first give a pedagogical introduction to quantum phase transitions and quantum critical behavior emphasizing similarities with and differences to classical thermal phase transitions. We then illustrate the general concepts by discussing a few examples of quantum phase transitions occurring in electronic systems. The ferromagnetic transition of itinerant electrons shows a very rich behavior since the magnetization couples to additional electronic soft modes which generates an effective long‐range interaction between the spin fluctuations. We then consider the influence of rare regions on quantum phase transitions in systems with quenched disorder, taking the antiferromagnetic transitions of itinerant electrons as a primary example. Finally we discuss some aspects of the metal‐insulator transition in the presence of quenched disorder and interactions.     

非线性光学晶体的高压拉曼散射研究

 报道了高压下非线性光学晶体KNbO₃（KN）,KIO₃（KI）和KTiOAsO₄（KTA）的Raman散射研究结果,压力引起的Raman光谱非常丰富,在所有的样品中都观察到了压致相变。另外,在KN晶体中发现了非常强的压致振动耦合现象及高压非晶相。对于KTA,建立了Raman光谱变化与其倍频效率随压力提高之间的可能联系。在22 GPa以上,KI晶体的基本组成集团可能由IO₃变为IO₆。     

Optical selection rules and structures of cholesteric blue phases

By deriving optical selection rules for cholesteric blue phases and considering the nature of the phase transitions between them, a structural assignment for the three experimentally observed phases of Johnson et al. is obtained. All three are argued to be bcc. A method of testing this structure assignment directly by polarized light scattering studies is also presented.     

‘Phase transitions’ in bacteria – From structural transitions in free living bacteria to phenotypic transitions in bacteria within biofilms

Phase transitions are common in inanimate systems and have been studied extensively in natural sciences. Less explored are the rich transitions that take place at the micro- and nano-scales in biological systems. In conventional phase transitions, large-scale properties of the media change discontinuously in response to continuous changes in external conditions. Such changes play a significant role in the dynamic behaviours of organisms. In this review, we focus on some transitions in both free-living and biofilms of bacteria. Particular attention is paid to the transitions in the flagellar motors and filaments of free-living bacteria, in cellular gene expression during the biofilm growth, in the biofilm morphology transitions during biofilm expansion, and in the cell motion pattern transitions during the biofilm formation. We analyse the dynamic characteristics and biophysical mechanisms of these phase transition phenomena and point out the parallels between these transitions and conventional phase transitions. We also discuss the applications of some theoretical and numerical methods, established for conventional phase transitions in inanimate systems, in bacterial biofilms.     

一种高密度玻璃的多形性高压相变和物态方程研究

在二级轻气炮上用无氧铜飞片直接撞击重玻璃平板样品(密度为4.817 g/cm³,材料牌号:ZF6)开展了冲击压缩实验研究,压力范围为52.1—167.8 GPa,并采用多通道瞬态辐射高温计和光分析技术测量了其雨贡纽线、高压声速和冲击波温度等动态特性.实验结果显示,上述性质在三个不同压力区间出现不连续性变化,表明冲击压缩下该样品材料存在多形性高压相变,相变起始压力分别为23,78和120 GPa.实测声速先是随冲击压力的增高而增加,并在78 GPa附近出现急剧下降,之后又随压力增长,并在120 GPa之后下降到体波声速,表明材料进入高压熔化相.温度数据同样在78和120 GPa处出现明显的不连续变化,并在120 GPa之后变化趋于平缓与计算的Lindeman熔化线相符,进一步印证了上述相变行为.实测雨贡纽数据与LASL数据库中的重玻璃数据相符,结果显示除23 GPa附近有一明显的突变外,高压区数据几近线性变化,表明重玻璃的两个高压相变均为二级相变.本文报道的重玻璃材料高压物性数据和序列相变认识对于发展反向加载技术、提高材料声速测量精度和适用压力范围具有实用价值. 关键词： 重玻璃 冲击温度 卸载声速 冲击相变     

Optical nutation and photon echo by phase or amplitude shift of light waves

Optical nutation and photon echo caused by phase shift of a light wave incident on a resonant medium are considered. The case of simultaneous ultrashort perturbation of phase and amplitude is also treated. It is shown that a change of linear to circular polarization of incident light waves gives rise to an increase of the period and the decay time of optical nutation on the resonant atomic transitions J→J. On the contrary, the above mentioned period and decay time in the same situation are decreased on the resonant atomic transitions with the moment change J?J+1. This law in optical nutation can be taken as a base of the method for experimental identification of the atomic and molecular transitions. Moreover, the comparison of the theoretical and experimental optical nutation curves allows the probability of spontaneous emission to be determined.     

Ground-state properties of the Falicov-Kimball model in one and two dimensions

A new numerical method is used to study the ground-state properties of the spinless Falicov-Kimball model in one and two dimensions. The resultant solutions are used to examine the phase diagram of the model as well as possibilities for valence and metal-insulator transitions. In one dimension a comprehensive phase diagram of the model is presented. On the base of this phase diagram, the complete picture of valence and metal-insulator transitions is discussed. In two dimensions the structure of ground-state configurations is described for intermediate interactions between f and d electrons. In this region the phase separation and metal-insulator transitions are found at low f-electron concentrations. It is shown that valence transitions exhibit a staircase structure. Received 20 October 2000