Competition in low ordered smectics between incommensurate phases and two-dimensional modulated ones for dimesogenic compounds

Systematic physical chemistry studies are in progress concerning the occurrence of incommensurate low ordered smectic phases in non-symmetric dimesogens varying molecular parameters from the standard compound KI-5. In the present study, the selected molecules possess the same spacer length and the same cholesteryl unit. By means of X-ray diffraction on orientated samples, commensurate phases, incommensurate fluid smectics and two-dimensional ones are clearly evidenced depending both on temperature and molecular parameters. So these dimesogenic compounds respond to the frustration connected to the competition between two incommensurate lengths with the formation either of an incommensurate phase or of a two-dimensional modulated phase. A new topology in a phase diagram results from this competition in a binary system composed of two homologous dimesogens. Received: 26 June 1997 / Revised: 7 October 1997 / Accepted: 29 October 1997     

On the incommensurate phase in modulated Heisenberg chains

Using the density matrix renormalization group method (DMRG) we calculate the magnetization of frustrated S=1/2 Heisenberg chains for various modulation patterns of the nearest neighbour coupling: commensurate, incommensurate with sinusoidal modulation and incommensurate with solitonic modulation. We focus on the order of the phase transition from the commensurate dimerized phase (D) to the incommensurate phase (I). It is shown that the order of the phase transition depends sensitively on the model. For the solitonic model in particular, a k-dependent elastic energy modifies the order of the transition. Furthermore, we calculate gaps in the incommensurate phase in adiabatic approximation. Received: 9 March 1998 / Accepted: 17 April 1998     

Light figure studies of optical anisotropy induced by nanoscale spatial modulation in TlInS2

The incommensurate material, TlInS₂, with layer structure was studied by light figure spectroscopy techniques in spectral range 400-700 nm in temperature interval 80-350 K. Evolution of light figures with temperature in phase transition region was reliably established. The optic angle of TlInS₂ was found to be sample-dependent with essentially two types of critical behavior with temperature; peak-like behavior that was ascribed to a pure incommensurate phase and peak-free behavior that was attributed to the influence of the domains or defects. In latter case the samples showed symmetry forbidden rotation of optic plane with temperature. As a whole, the obtained results allow for a conclusion that incommensurate spatial modulation with correlation length at the nanoscale was contributing to biaxial anisotropy of TlInS₂ to a level of 10⁻³ versus 10⁻⁴ for basic lattice.     

Synchronization in coupled nonidentical incommensurate fractional-order systems

Synchronization of fractional-order nonlinear systems has received considerable attention for many research activities in recent years. In this Letter, we consider the synchronization between two nonidentical fractional-order systems. Based on the open-plus-closed-loop control method, a general coupling applied to the response system is proposed for synchronizing two nonidentical incommensurate fractional-order systems. We also derive a local stability criterion for such synchronization behavior by utilizing the stability theory of linear incommensurate fractional-order differential equations. Feasibility of the proposed coupling scheme is illustrated through numerical simulations of a limit cycle system, a chaotic system and a hyperchaotic system.     

Magnetic field induced incommensurate resonance in cuprate superconductors

The influence of a uniform external magnetic field on the dynamical spin response of cuprate superconductors in the superconducting state is studied based on the kinetic energy driven superconducting mechanism. It is shown that the magnetic scattering around low and intermediate energies is dramatically changed with a modest external magnetic field. With increasing the external magnetic field, although the incommensurate magnetic scattering from both low and high energies is rather robust, the commensurate magnetic resonance scattering peak is broadened. The part of the spin excitation dispersion seems to be an hourglass-like dispersion, which breaks down at the heavily low energy regime. The theory also predicts that the commensurate resonance scattering at zero external magnetic field is induced into the incommensurate resonance scattering by applying an external magnetic field large enough.     

Dielectric properties of [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4 crystal under influence of electric field and uniaxial stresses

Abstract

Dielectric and light scattering spectroscopy are the most sensitive methods for the direct observation of low-frequency excitations in incommensurate phases. In several cases they have been successfully used for the observation of amplitudon and phason modqs. Whereas the amplitudon below the normal-incommensurate transition temperature behaves in a similar way to soft modes at common structural transitions, the phason represents a qualitatively new feature of incommensurate phases. All the corresponding experimental data published up to the middle of 1980 are reviewed and consistently interpreted taking into account the specific selection rules recenily derived. The necessary theoretical background is discussed qualitatively.     

The spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain: thermodynamics, quantum criticality and spin-Peierls exponents

We present numerical and analytical results for the thermodynamical properties of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain at arbitrary external magnetic field. Special emphasis is placed on logarithmic corrections in the susceptibility and specific heat at very low temperatures (T/J=10^-24) and small fields. A longstanding controversy about the specific heat is resolved. At zero temperature the spin-Peierls exponent is calculated in dependence on the external magnetic field. This describes the energy response of the system to commensurate and incommensurate modulations of the lattice. The exponent for the spin gap in the incommensurate phase is given. Received: 12 February 1998 / Received in final form: 15 March 1998 / Accepted: 17 March 1998     

Transferred hyperfine field of Rb2CoCl4 single crystals in the ferroelectric-incommensurate-normal phase by Rb NMR

The molecular susceptibility and paramagnetic shift of Rb₂CoCl₄ single crystals grown using the slow evaporation method were measured, and from these experimental results we obtained the transferred hyperfine interaction due to the transfer of spin density from Co²⁺ ions to Rb⁺ ions. The transferred hyperfine field was obtained for the ferroelectric, incommensurate, and normal phases. In the case of Rb(I), the transferred hyperfine interaction decreases with increasing temperature in the incommensurate phase, and increases with increasing temperature in the normal phase. The value of H_hf in the incommensurate and normal phases increases abruptly with increasing temperature in the case of Rb(II). These results indicate that the effects due to the transfer of spin density from Co²⁺ ions to the Rb(I) and Rb(II) ions are large above T_i. In particular, the effect due to the transfer of spin density to Rb(II) ions in the normal phase is very large; the variations with temperature of the transferred hyperfine interactions of the Rb(I) and Rb(II) nuclei are more or less continuous in T_c1 and T_i, and are not affected by the ferroelectric-incommensurate-normal phase transitions.     

Fermionic representation of a symmetrically frustrated SU(3) model: Application to the Haldane-gap antiferromagnets

The one-dimensional spin 1 bilinear-biquadratic model is re-expressed in a symmetrically frustrated SU(3) model, which facilitates us to introduce a fermionic representation and related bond-operator mean-field theory. By analyzing the gap and the static spin susceptibility, we shows that this treatment can easily capture the commensurate and incommensurate Haldane gap phases.     

Evolution of spin dynamics in electron-doped cuprate superconductors

Within the kinetic energy driven superconducting mechanism, the evolution of the magnetic excitations of the electron-doped cuprates in the superconducting state is studied. It is shown that there is a broad commensurate low energy magnetic scattering peak, while the magnetic resonance energy is located among this broad commensurate low energy scattering range. This broad commensurate low energy magnetic scattering disperses outward into a continuous ring-like incommensurate magnetic scattering at high energy.     

High-pressure Raman spectroscopy of antimony: As-type, incommensurate host-guest, and bcc phases

The vibrational dynamics of elemental solids that form incommensurate host-guest structures are of fundamental interest. High-pressure Raman scattering has been used to examine the vibrational spectrum of the group-V element Sb up to 33 GPa. A_1g and E_g phonons of the ambient pressure rhombohedral A7 phase display a marked decrease with pressure, i.e., prior to the transition to the tetragonal host-guest Sb-II phase at 8.6 GPa, via the monoclinic host-guest Sb-IV phase. The Raman spectrum of the incommensurate host-guest Sb-II phase, has five bands between 80 cm⁻¹ and 200 cm⁻¹ that increase with pressure. For the bcc structure stable above 28 GPa, we observe one weak disorder-induced band that increases with pressure.     

缺陷对碳纳米管摩擦与运动行为的影响

本文采用分子动力学方法研究了公度、无公度情况下含空位、Stone-Thrower-Wales(STW)型缺陷的单壁碳纳米管(SWCNT)在石墨基底上的摩擦与运动行为.结果表明,公度时缺陷的存在导致了界面局部无公度,减小了摩擦.随着碳纳米管底部STW缺陷的增多,碳纳米管变形增大,侧向力波动的幅值减小,局部无公度性增强,摩擦减小.含空位缺陷的碳纳米管所受的摩擦力明显大于含STW缺陷的碳纳米管,原因在于含空位缺陷的碳纳米管在运动的后期出现了明显的翻转现象,增大了能量耗散.无公度时,碳纳米管与石墨基底间的摩擦力很小,缺陷对其摩擦力影响不大,原因在于无论是否含有缺陷,碳纳米管与石墨组成的界面的无公度性差别不大.     

Metastable structures of Dy layers adsorbed on Mo(112) and their transformations

Ordering of dysprosium on Mo(112) up to 1.5 monolayers has been investigated by LEED and work function analysis after adsorption at 100 K and annealing between 200 and 1000 K. At low annealing temperatures (< 350-600 K) ordered structures are found, which are changed or even destroyed irreversibly by annealing steps to higher temperatures. At coverages, θ, up to 0.3 monolayer a (6×1) not strictly commensurate chain structure is seen, which coexists up to θ = 0.58 with a one-dimensionally incommensurate c( 1.56×2) structure. At higher coverages up to the physical monolayer at θ≈ 0.77, incommensurate ( n×2) followed by oblique ( n×1) structures are seen with n continuously variable with coverage. The second layer forms a p (1.33×1) structure. Annealing to higher temperatures causes irreversible structural transitions with strongly coverage dependent properties. Up to θ = 0.58, only a glass-like disordered phase is formed, which cannot be ordered again. In contrast, the rectangular incommensurate structures between 0.58 < θ < 0.68 remain unchanged upon annealing, whereas the structures at higher coverages and those of the second layer are transformed into commensurate (s×1) structures with integer s. Geometrical models are presented for the non-annealed structures and possible origins for the two-dimensional concentration dependent vitrification of the Dy layers are discussed. Received 15 June 2001     

Spin configurations in hexagonal antiferromagnets with competing interactions

The ordered phase of the most part of ABX₃ antiferromagnets appears as a stacking of 120°-three sublattice spin layers with alternate spin direction along thec-axis. This configuration is easy to be explained because it is the minimum energy configuration of the Heisenberg hexagonal model with nearest neighbour antiferromagnetic interaction. However we show that moderate competitive interactions between in plane next nearest and third nearest neighbours stabilize incommensurate spin configurations. This gives some insight into the unexplained spin configuration observed in RbMnBr₃ by elastic neutron scattering experiment.     

On the satellite extinction in incommensurate phase

For ZnP₂ and CdP₂ crystals in incommensurate phase selective superstructure X-ray reflections are observed. As shown a phason and amplitudon excitation modes do not result in this selective extinction of satellites. Apparently, it is associated with a modulation wave form in the incommensurate phase. The X-ray spectrum peculiarity of incommensurate crystals is discussed taking into consideration systematic and selective extinction of satellites.     

Incommensurate Antiferromagnetism in the Extended t-J Model

The effect of the extra second neighbor hopping t‘ on the incommensurate spin correlation in the t-J modelin the underdoped regime is studied within the fermion-spin theory. It is shown that although the extra second neighborhopping t‘ is systematically accompanied with the increasing of the weight of the incommensurate peaks in the dynamicalspin structure factor, for the physical reasonable small value of t‘ the qualitative behavior of the incommensurate spincorrelation in the t-t‘-J model is the same as in the case of t-J model.     

Model of periodic superstructure formation induced by mobile defects on a semiconductor surface

A model for forming a periodic superstructure on a semiconductor surface with mobile defects is proposed. It is shown that a self-organized system of such defects could lead to considerable modulation of incommensurate phase parameters in near-surface layers under the conditions of defect interaction with an incommensurate displacement wave. This type of defect system could induce a substantial energy decrease for the incommensurate phase and its additional stabilization on the one hand, and an increase in modulation amplitude that might be accompanied by a soliton-like nonsinusoidal incommensurate displacement wave on the other. The model allows us to explain the experimental results regarding the periodic superstructure discovered by G.V. Benemanskaya et al. on the surface of a GaN semiconductor. In particular, the model enables us to explain the nature of such superstructures based on the self-organization of mobile neutral triad-type defects, composed of negatively charged (3−) vacancies of the host lattice centers of Ga³⁺ and surface impurity ions of Cs⁺ and Ba²⁺, under conditions of triad interaction with an incommensurate displacement wave.     

Magnetic structure of TbNiAl4

Magnetisation and specific heat measurements, in the range 2 K to room temperature, demonstrate that three magnetic phases exist for the intermetallic compound TbNiAl₄. Powder neutron diffraction, also carried out over a wide temperature range, establishes that the intermediate magnetic phase is incommensurate, and confirms that the lowest temperature phase has a linear antiferromagnetic structure with a (0 1 0) propagation vector. The respective transition (Néel) temperatures, in zero applied magnetic field are 34.0 and 28.0 K.     

Thermal stability of mode-locking steps in charge density waves

We examine the stability of mode-locking steps in incommensurate charge density waves in the presence of finite temperature. The steps turn out to be quite stable by showing a series of definite plateaus in the current-voltage characteristics. We also study the dynamical phase transition from a mode-locked state to an unlocked state by assuming the fact that there exists a similar power-law scaling hypothesis as in a pinning-depinning phase transition. The critical exponents around both the edges of the mode-locking steps are found to have similar values for the depinning transition.