A DRIFT CHAMBER WITH UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD AND MEASUREMENTS OF THE ELECTRON DRIFT VELOCITY

The measurements of the electron drift velocity as a function of the electric field have been made in a small drift chamber with uniform electric field for Ar/CH₄, Ar/i-C₄H₁₀, Ar/CO₂ and SQS gas mixtures. The values of the electric field range from obout 0.3 to 2.5kV/cm. The results of the measurements are discussed.     

TEST BEAM STUDIES OF BES BARREL SHOWER COUNTER PROTOTYPE

The BES barrel shower counter prototype was tested with electron and pion beam in the momentum range from 0.2 to 2.0GeV/c at 12GeV PS test beam line of KEK, the preliminary results were reported. Four types of gas mixtures which were used in prototype have been tested: 40% Ar/60% Isobutane, 44.5% Ar/44.5%CH₄/11% Methylel, 47%Ar/47%%CH₄/6% Methylel, 49.3%Ar/49.3%CH₄/1.4% Ethyl alcohol. The results show that using SQS tube as sampling means in BES shower is feasible way for BEPC region.     

Synthesis of C-N and Si-C films by pulsed laser ablation with frozen N2 and CH4 targets

The possibilities of pulsed laser single ablation (PLSA) from the frozen target materials, such as inert gases (Ar, Kr, Xe), N₂ and CH₄, using KrF excimer and YAG(SHG) lasers have been investigated. The single ablations were realized by the pulsed YAG(SHG) laser in a relatively short time, but the KrF excimer laser was unsuccessful. As an example of the application of pulsed laser co-ablation (PLCA) of the frozen target, polycrystalline hexagonal SiC films were formed without any post-thermal annealing by using frozen CH₄ on Si targets. The films, however, contain splashing Si particles. On the other hand, the PLSA method, using a mixture of frozen N₂ and CH₄ targets, enabled the formation of amorphous C-N films without splashing particles.     

Fabrication and Characterization of SmCo5/Fe65Co35 and SmCo5/Fe Composite Spring Exchange Magnets

SmCo5/Fe65Co35 and SmCo5/Fe spring exchange magnets are fabricated by dc magnetron sputtering on MgO substrates and 100-nm-thick Si3N4 membranes, respectively. The base pressure of sputtering chamber is kept below 10^-7 Tort, and Ar pressure is 3 to 8mTorr. The samples are characterized by an x-ray diffractometer, a superconducting quantum interference magnetometer, and high resolution magnetic soft x-ray microscopy. We obtain the complete exchange coupling and single phase behaviour of composite magnets. The （BH）max value achieved is 28.8 MGOe.     

Vacuum versus gas environment for the synthesis of nanocomposite films by pulsed-laser deposition

Nanocomposite films formed by Cu nanocrystals (NCs) with sizes <10 nm embedded in an amorphous Al₂O₃ host have been grown by alternate pulsed-laser deposition both in vacuum and in a buffer gas (Ar) up to pressures of 0.1 Torr. The dimensions, dimension distributions, and shape of the NC produced in vacuum and in Ar up to pressures of 5᎒^-3 Torr follow a similar trend as a function of the Cu areal density. This allows us to conclude that the nucleation and growth of the NC are dominated by processes occurring at the substrate surface rather than in the gas phase. For Ar pressures ̓᎒^-2 Torr, the anisotropy of the NC is enhanced, the deposition rate decreases abruptly and a significant amount of the buffer gas is incorporated into the host, thus leading to the formation of a porous material.     

THE INFLUNCES OF IMPURITIES IN GAS MIXTURE UPON THE SIGNAL PERFORMANCES OF THE DRIFT CHAMBER

Operating the drift chamber with the gas mixture of Ar+CH₄, some performances of the drift chamber such as the pulse heights, the energy resolutions, the counting rates and the thresholds of the counting rate plateau have been measured under the different components of the nitrogen, oxygen and air in the gas mixture respectively. The permeability of different materials which used to make the gas pipeline have also been compared.     

The effect of different ambient gases, pressures, and substrate temperatures on TiO2 thin films grown on Si(100) by laser ablation technique

Pure titanium dioxide (TiO₂) thin films were deposited on single-crystal Si(100) substrates by laser ablation. We investigated the effects of ambient gas (O₂ or Ar), pressures, and substrate temperatures on film quality. From the annealing experiment of the deposited TiO₂ thin film under Ar or O₂ ambient gas, we see the chemical effect of ambient gas on film quality. The crystallinity of the deposited TiO₂ thin film is best at 700 °C in the substrate temperature range attempted, 400-700 °C, and at pressures of 0.1 Torr and below. The rutile phase is dominant under most experimental conditions. Only under very extreme conditions did we obtain a thin film of the anatase phase.     

Growth dynamics of carbon-metal particles and nanotubes synthesized by CO2 laser vaporization

To study the growth of carbon-Co/Ni particles and single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by 20 ms CO₂ laser-pulse irradiation of a graphite-Co/Ni (1.2 at. %) target in an Ar gas atmosphere (600 Torr), we used emission imaging spectroscopy and shadowgraphy with a temporal resolution of 1.67 ms. Wavelength-selected emission images showed that C₂ emission was strong in the region close to the target (within 2 cm), while for the same region the blackbody radiation from the large clusters or particles increased with increasing distance from the target. Shadowgraph images showed that the viscous flow of carbon and metal species formed a mushroom or a turbulent cloud spreading slowly into the Ar atmosphere, indicating that particles and SWNTs continued to grow as the ejected material cooled. In addition, emission imaging spectroscopy at 1200 °C showed that C₂ and hot clusters and particles with higher emission intensities were distributed over much wider areas. We discuss the growth dynamics of the particles and SWNTs through the interaction of the ambient Ar with the carbon and metal species released from the target by the laser pulse.     

Onset of SF6 clustering in steady supersonic Laval nozzle flow

SF₆ clustering (3-6% in molar fraction) by homogeneous nucleation in argon was experimentally studied in a steady-state-flow supersonic Laval nozzle. The onset of clustering was detected by FT-IR spectroscopy. Measurements of the static pressure in the nozzle, together with the equations of isentropic flow, yielded the relation between the pressure of SF₆, P_c, and the temperature, T_c, at the observed onset of clustering in the range 60 Kc<110 K and 0.1 Torrc<2.0 Torr. We found that there was no influence of the argon carrier gas pressure, which ranged from 1.9 to 21 Torr at the onset points, on the onset of condensation. In addition, the logarithmic value of the supersaturation ratio was found to linearly depend on T_c^-3/2 at the onset as deduced by Wegener and Wu from the classical theory of homogeneous nucleation [Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 7, 325 (1977)]. Our results indicate that supersonic expansion in the nozzle did not form heterogeneous clusters consisting of SF₆ and Ar but single-component clusters of SF₆ in a mixture of SF₆ and Ar under the experimental conditions studied herein. We obtained an onset curve (pressure versus temperature) for the SF₆ homogeneous clustering, which indicated the boundary for diminishing of the the SF₆ monomers in the supersonic Laval nozzle.     

Lattice Dynamical Simulation of Guest-Host Interaction in N2 Clathrate Hydrate

We perform the lattice dynamical simulation studies of hydrate host lattice interacting with Xe, Ar, and N2 atoms/molecules. The calculated results show that the well-defined peaks （2.0meV and 3.8meV） and another peak （6.2 me V） are assigned to the vibrations of N2 molecules in large and small cages, respectively. It is confirmed that the double N2 molecule occupancies of large cage lead to filling of the mode gap between the small cage and the large cage.     

Optical characterisation of the photolytic decomposition of ferrocene into nanoparticles

Optical emission from the photolytic dissociation of ferrocene Fe(C₅H₅)₂, often abbreviated as FeCp₂, in argon atmosphere was studied. The dissociation was performed by using an ArF excimer laser, operating at a wavelength of 193 nm. Two pressure regions were examined. At low (0.1 mbar) pressure, several emission lines of Fe could be identified, however no C, C₂, or CH emission lines/bands were found. At a higher (20 mbar) pressure of the FeCp₂/Ar gas mixture, a broadband emission identified as blackbody radiation was observed. This blackbody radiation originates from nanoparticles with a mean size of 30 nm, which consist of both metallic iron and amorphous carbon. The initial colour temperature of the particles was 2600 K.     

DELAY LINE READ OUT FOR A TWO-DIMENSIONAL DRIFT CHAMBER

Tests on the read out of the second coordinate (along the anode wire) of the MIT-Harward-type drift chamber by using a Naples type flat solenoieal delay line were conducted. Spatial resolution of 2～5mm and linearity better than 1% were obtained along the delay line of 80cm in length with the gas mixture of P9 or Ar/CH₄=70/30.     

Magnetic Behaviour of Sm2Co7/Fe/Sm2 Co7, Nanocomposite Trilayers with Cr and Ti Additions

Trilayered Sm2Co7/Fe/Sm2Co7 spring exchange magnets are fabricated by dc magnetron sputtering on MgO substrates. Very thin layers （0.3-0.7 nm） of Cr and Ti are added at the interfaces of the two magnetic phases. The thickness of StucCo7 is kept at 20nm and Fe at 6nm while the thickness of Cr and Ti are varied as 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7nm. The base pressure of sputtering chamber is kept below 10^-7 Torr and Ar pressure at 3-8m Torr. The samples are characterized by x-ray diffraction （XRD） and SQUID magnetometer. We report improvement in exchange coupling of nonacomposite magnets by addition of thin layers of Cr at interfaces.     

Irradiation Effect in C60 Films Induced By Low Energy Ions

Irradiation effecs, mainly including transformation from crystalline into amorphous state, of C₆₀, films induced by 120keV H, Ar and Fe ions irradiation were analysed by means of Raman scattering technique. The results indicate that amorphization process in the cases of Ar and Fe ions irradiation is dominated by nuclear collision, but in the case of H ion irradiation, the process is dominated by electronic energy transfer. The annealing effect of electronic energy loss which induced the intermediate graphitization process before amorphization in lower irradiation dose ranging from 2×10¹⁴ ions/cm² to 5×10¹⁶ ions/cm² was found in the case of H ion irradiation for the first bine.     

Developments of a 2D position sensitiveneutron detector

China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS), one project of the 12^th Five-Year-Plan scheme of China, is under construction in Guangdong province. Three neutron spectrometers will be installed during the first phase of the project, and two-dimensional position sensitive thermal neutron detectors are required. Before the construction of the neutron detectors, a prototype of a two-dimensional 200 mm×200 mm Multi-wire Proportional Chamber (MWPC) with Ar/CO₂ (90/10) flowing gas has been constructed. In 2009, the prototype was tested with the ⁵⁵Fe X-ray using part of the electronics, and performed well.
Following the test in 2009, the neutron detector was constructed with the complete electronics and filled with the 6 atm. ³He+2.5 atm. C₃H₈ gas mixture in 2010. The neutron detector has been primarily tested with an Am-Be source. In this paper, new developments of the neutron detector including the design of the high pressure chamber, the optimization of the gas purifying system and the gas filling process will be reported. The results and discussion are also presented in this paper.     

Modelling and Optimization for Deposition of SiOxNy Films by Radio-Frequency Reactive Sputtering

SiOxNy films are deposited by reactive sputtering from a Si target in Ar/O2/N2 atmospheres. In order to achieve the control of film composition and to keep a high deposition rate at the same time, a new sputtering model based on Berg＇s work is provided for the condition of double reactive gases. Analysis based on this model shows that the deposition process can easily enter the target-poisoning mode when the preset gas flow （N2 in this work） is too high, and the film composition will change from nitrogen-rich to SiO2-like with the increase of oxygen supply while keeping the N2 supply constant. The modelling results are confirmed in the deposition process of SiOxNy. Target self-bias voltages during sputtering are measured to characterize the different sputtering modes. FTIR-spectra and dielectric measurements are used to testify the model prediction of composition. Finally, an optimized sputtering condition is selected with the O2/N2 flow ratio varying from 0 to I and N2 supply fixed at I sccm. Average deposition rate of 17nm/min is obtained under this selected condition, which has suggested the model validity and potential for industry applications.     

Hypertriton and light nuclei production at Λ-production subthreshold energy in heavy-ion collisions

High-energy heavy-ion collisions produce abundant hyperons and nucleons. A dynamical coalescence model coupled with the ART model is employed to study the production probabilities of light clusters, deuteron (d), triton (t), helion (³He), and hypertriton (_Λ³H) at subthreshold energy of Λ production (≈ 1 GeV per nucleon). We study the dependence on the reaction system size of the coalescence penalty factor per additional nucleon and entropy per nucleon. The Strangeness Population Factor (S₃ / (³He × (Λ/p))) shows an extra suppression of hypertriton comparing to light clusters of the same mass number. This model predicts a hypertriton production cross-section of a few μb in ³⁶Ar+³⁶Ar, ⁴⁰Ca+⁴⁰Ca and ⁵⁶Ni+⁵⁶Ni in 1 A GeV reactions. The production rate is as high as a few hypertritons per million collisions, which shows that the fixed-target heavy-ion collisions at CSR (Lanzhou/China) at Λ subthreshold energy are suitable for breaking new ground in hypernuclear physics.     

Shadowgraphic and emission imaging spectroscopic studies of the laser ablation of graphite in an Ar gas atmosphere

Laser ablation of graphite in an Ar atmosphere at 560 Torr was done using a nanosecond-pulse Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) at a fluence of 12 J/cm². Dynamics in the ejection of carbon species and in their confinement near the graphite surface (<1 mm) due to their numerous collisions with Ar atoms were investigated by shadowgraphy, emission imaging, and emission spectroscopy at delay times of 0.01-100 7s following the laser irradiation. A shock wave was generated, and temporally and spatially dependent emissions from Ar⁺ and Ar were observed in addition to those from carbon species (C, C⁺, and C₂) and the Bremsstrahlung radiation from a hot plasma. We suggest that the dissipation of the kinetic and thermal energies of the carbon species, their backward motion, and their collisions with each other lead to the formation of clusters and particles through the interaction with Ar atoms.     

Laser-induced etching of polycrystalline Al2O3TiC in KOH aqueous solution

Laser-induced etching of polycrystalline Al₂O₃TiC material by a tightly-focused cw Ar ion laser has been investigated in a KOH solution with different concentrations. It is found that the KOH concentration can strongly affect the etching quality where low KOH concentration can result in rough and irregular patterns. Laser-induced etching of polycrystalline Al₂O₃TiC in a KOH solution is found to be a photothermal reaction in which a threshold laser power exists. With an appropriate set of etching parameters, well-defined grooves can be obtained with clean side walls and with an etching rate up to several hundred micrometers per second. The etching behavior is also found to depend on laser scanning direction. It is also found that the grains in the polycrystalline Al₂O₃TiC material play an important role in the etching dynamics and etching quality. This etching process is believed to be applicable to the formation of a slider surface of magnetic heads in the future.     

稀土焦绿石化合物R2Fe4/3W2/3O7的高温高压稳定性研究和X射线相分析

 本文利用X射线粉末衍射和位敏探测技术，研究了R₂Fe_4/3W_2/3O₇（R=Er、Yb、Dy）化合物经高温高压处理后的变化情况。在3.7 GPa，1 200 ℃条件下，六方相R₂Fe_4/3W_2/3O₇化合物按两种方式分解，而直接由R₂O₃，Fe₂O₃和WO₃原料出发，经上述同样的高温高压条件合成所得的产物与六方相高温高压分解产物相同，均为R₂WO₆、RFeO₃、WO₃和Fe₂O₃的多相聚合物。同时给出了R₂Fe_4/3W_2/3O₇六方相高温高压下的稳定区范围。