Study of solid-state reactions and order-disorder transitions in Pd/α-Fe(001) thin films

The formation of the hard-magnetic ordered L1₀-FePd phase in thin bilayer Pd/α-Fe(001) films has been experimentally studied. Solid-state reactions initiated by thermal heating in bilayer Pd/α-Fe(001) films with a thickness of 50–60 nm (the atomic ratio Pd: Fe ≈ 50: 50) separated from the substrate have been studied using the in situ electron diffraction methods. It has been shown that the solid-state reaction between the palladium and iron layers in Pd/α-Fe(001) starts at 400°C with the formation of the disordered Fe-Pd phase. At 480°C, the ordered L1₀-FePd phase is formed. The order-disorder phase transition has been studied. It has been established that the transition of the ordered L1₀-FePd phase to the disordered FePd phase starts at 725°C. At 740°C, only the disordered FePd phase is present over the whole volume of the film. The observed temperature of the order-disorder phase transition is shifted from the equilibrium value by 35°C to higher temperatures. This effect is assumingly associated with the higher concentration of palladium atoms at the boundaries of the Fe-Pd crystal grains owing to the grain-boundary adsorption.     

Muon Knight shift in palladium

The Knight shift at positive muons implanted in pure palladium has been measured as a function of temperature from 19.8 to 883 K. The Knight shift variation is strictly proportional to the Pd magnetic susceptibility with ΔK^μ/Δ_x=-(0.43±0.02) mole/emu=-(2.39±0.11)kG/μ_B. A temperature independent term K^μ(x=0)=+45±10 ppm is found. The results are discussed in terms of the electronic structure of H in Pd.     

Measurement of the strong interaction parameters in antiprotonic deuterium

Antiprotonic deuterium K_α X-rays were seen for the first time. Their analysis resulted in spin-averaged 1s strong interaction parameters, namely −1050±250 eV (repulsive) for the 1s shift and 1100±750 eV for the 1s width. The large errors are mainly due to low statistics. In addition, values for the K_α/L_α and L_total/L_α yields at low pressure (20 mbar) were obtained: 0.005±0.003 and 1.34±0.05. Furthermore, a 2p mean absorption width of 80 ≤Γ_2p≤ 350 meV was deduced. The results for the 1s ground state are somewhat surprising, especially the narrow 1s width which is similar to the spin-averaged antiprotonic hydrogen 1s width. However, our 1s width is in agreement with low-energy scattering data [A. Zenoni et al., Phys. Lett. B 461 (1999) 413] (see preceding paper).     

Isomer shift in BaSnO3 under a pressure up to 15 GPa

The dependence of the unit cell volume of BaSnO₃ on the pressure up to 15 GPa has been investigated and the constants of the Murnaghan equation of state B ₀ = 178.39 ± 4.09 GPa and B′₀ = 4.68 ± 0.56 have been obtained using the X-ray diffraction method. The change of the isomer shift (IS) in BaSnO₃ with a variation in the pressure P has been examined using the gamma resonance method. This quantity is ?IS(P)/?P = ?(0.00474 ± 0.0002) mm s^?1 GPa^?1 or, taking into account the measurements of the unit cell parameter under pressure, ?IS/?L = 1.42 mm s^?1Å^?1, where L is the tin-oxygen distance.     

Valence state of manganese ions in the La1−α BiLaβMnLa1−δ OLa3±γ ceramics

The valence state of the Mn ions in ceramic samples of the La_1?α BiLa_βMnLa_1?δ OLa_3±γ composition (LBMO) has been studied using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The presence of Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions in these compounds has been shown. The relative content Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ has been determined by means of fitting the experimental Mn 2p spectra by the superposition of theoretical spectra of Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions. The elemental composition of the samples has been determined by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron probe microanalysis. It has been established that the relative content of Mn⁴⁺ ions correlates with parameter δ, which characterizes the deviation of the actual elemental composition of the La_1?α BiLa_βMnLa_1?δ OLa_3±γ ceramics from stoichiometry La_{1 ? x} Bi _x MnO₃.     

X-ray spectroscopy in the EC nucleus

The probabilities P_KK of double K-shell vacancy production per K electron capture decay and per K internal conversion of ¹⁰⁹Cd and ²⁰⁷Bi have been determined by means of the double- and triple-coincidence experiments using Kα X-ray and K internal conversion. For ¹⁰⁹Cd we find P_KK(EC) = (4.2 ± 0.5) × 10⁻⁵ and P_KK(IC) = (4.32 ± 0.46) × 10⁻⁵, and for ²⁰⁷Bi, P_KK(EC) = (2.54 ± 0.50) × 10⁻⁵. The observed X-ray energy shifts of the hypersatellite Ag (Kα₁^H) X-ray and the hypersatellite Pb (Kα₁^H) X-ray lines are 545±15 eV and 1238±45 eV, respectively.     

Die isomeren Atomkerne: Yb169m,Yb175m,Yb177m

Short lived isomers of Yb were produced by neutron irradiation of enriched isotopes and have been investigated with the aid of scintillation spectrometers. Yb^169m decays with a half-life ofT _1/2=(46±2) sec emitting only L-radiation. This decay is assumed to be the same as the E 3-transition of 24 keV following the electron capture of Lu¹⁶⁹. Yb^175m [T _1/2=(0,072±0,005) sec] emitsγ-rays of (495±15) keV. The measured K-conversion coefficientα _{K 495}=0,24±0,04 and the total conversion coefficientα _{4 5}=0,6±0,3 indicate the transition to be M3. Yb^177m [T _1/2=(6,4±0,1) sec] decays by a cascade of twoγ-rays. The isomeric (228±3) keV-transition is followed by a (104±1,5) keV-radiation. The measured conversion coefficients areα _{K 228}=4,1±0,4 andα _{K 228}=6,5±0,5 for the first transition andα _{K 104}=0,39±0,05 andα ₁₀₄=0,51±0,05 for the second, indicating a M3-E1-cascade. For the M 3-transition the measured coefficients agree well with those calculated for a nucleus of finite size, but they differ by a factor of 1,5 for the E1-transition.     

A Mössbauer study of iron and iron–cobalt nanotubes in polymer ion-track membranes

Iron and iron–cobalt nanostructures that were synthesized in polymer ion-track membranes have been studied via Mössbauer spectroscopy combined with raster electron microscopy, energy-dispersion analysis, and X-ray diffraction data. The obtained nanostructures are single-phase bcc Fe_1–xCo_x nanotubes with a high degree of polycrystallinity, whose length is 12 μm; their diameter is 110 ± 3 nm and the wall thickness is 21 ± 2 nm. Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ cations were detected in the nanotubes, which belong to iron salts that were used and formed in the electrochemical deposition. The Fe nanotubes exhibit eventual magnetic moment direction distributions of Fe atoms, whereas Fe/Co nanotubes have a partial magnetic structure along the nanotube axis with a mean value of the angle between the magnetic moment and nanotube axis of 34° ± 2°. Substituting the Fe atom with Co in the nearest environment of the Fe atom within the Fe/Co structure of nanotubes leads to a noticeable increase in the hyperfine magnetic field at the ⁵⁷Fe nuclei (by 8.7 ± 0.4 kOe) and to a slight decrease in the shift of the Mössbauer line (by 0.005 ± 0.004 mm/s).     

Copper ion induced reactions on110-108-106Cd,109-107Ag and110Pd. new rhenium,osmium and iridium isotopes

By⁶³Cu induced reactions on¹¹⁰Cd,¹⁰⁸Cd,¹⁰⁶Cd,¹⁰⁹Ag,¹⁰⁷Ag and¹¹⁰Pd targets, new isotopes were searched in the Ir, Os, Re region. Cross bombardments and excitation function measurements were used to identify newα emitting isotopes:¹⁷⁰Ir (E _α = 6.01 ±0.01 MeV?T _1/2=1.1±0.2s),¹⁶⁹Ir (E _α =6.11±0.01 MeV?T _1/2=0.4±0.1 s),¹⁶⁸Ir (E _α =6.22±0.02 MeV,¹⁶⁸Os (E _α =5.66±0.01 MeV?T _1/2=1.9±0.1 s),¹⁶⁷Os (E _α =5.84 ±0.01MeV ?T ^1/2=0.65±0.15s),¹⁶⁶Os (E _α =6.00±0.02 MeV?T _1/2=0.3 ±0.1 s),¹⁶⁵Os (E _α =6.20±0.02 MeV),¹⁶⁹Re (E _α =5.05±0.01 MeV),¹⁶⁸Re (5.26±0.01 MeV?T ^1/2=5.5 ±0.5 s). Theα-decay measurements are compared to theQ _α values obtained from different mass predictions.     

Lifetime measurements and particle-core coupling calculations in144Sm

Applying the generalized centroid shift method in the¹⁴²Nd(α, 2n)¹⁴⁴Sm reaction the following half-lives have been measured:T _1/2(3,376 keV)=(1.6±0.2) ns,T _1/2(3,460 keV) =(0.5±0.2) ns andT _1/2(5,150 keV)≦0.3 ns. Level energies and electromagnetic transition rates have been calculated within a particle-core coupling approach that is based on the shell model with configuration mixing. The persistence ofl-forbiddenness of M1 transitions between rather complex configurations could be confirmed.     

The decay of141Ce

The decay of¹⁴¹Ce has been reinvestigated using different experimental methods. The efficiency extrapolation technique applied to 4πβ —γ coincidence measurements has been employed for the determination of the disintegration rate of the sources and of the total internal conversion coefficient. TheK X-ray andγ-ray emisssion rates have been measured with a calibrated Si(Li) and an intrinsic germanium detector. Additionally the photon intensities have been determined from the internal conversion coefficients. Electron experiments with a magneticβ-spectrometer yielded the relative intensities, the shape factors and the maximum energies of the two β^?-transitions and the internal conversion ratiosK/L andK/(L + M+...). TheK-shell internal conversion probability has been determined with an electronK X-ray coincidence technique using the magneticβ-spectrometer together with a high energy resolution Si(Li) detector. New values for the following decay properties have been deduced:β ^?-intensities (p ₁ =0.306 + 0.006,p ₂= 0.694±0.006), shape factorsC = const (1+Aε) (A ₁ = ?(0.24±0.03),A ₂=?(0.22±0.04)), maximumβ ^?-energies (E ₀₁ = (582.2±2.6) keV,E ₀₂= (436.7±4.6) keV),K- shell internal conversion coefficient (α _K = 0.376±0.008), total internal conversion coefficient (α = 0.438±0.010), internal conversion ratios (K/L = 7.29±0.24, K/(L + M + ...) = 5.78±0.18),γ-ray intensity (I _γ = 0.482±0.003),K X-ray intensity (I_{K X} = 0.168±0.002) and the photon intensity ratio (I _{K X} /I _γ = 0.349±0.005). The procedure of uncertainty quotation is presented in some detail. The results are discussed with respect to existing experimental data.     

X-rays from pionic 3He

Pionic X-ray energies, lorentzian widths, and relative intensities have been measured for the transitions in liquid ³He. The pion-nucleus interaction is found to result in an attractive shift of the 1s level of 27 ± 5 eV and in a lorentzian width of 65 ±12 eV. The measured K_β to K_α intensity ratio is 1.05±0.07.     

High-spin states in106Cd

Levels of¹⁰⁶Cd, populated by¹⁰⁴Pd(α, 2nγ)¹⁰⁶Cd have been studied measuring direct and delayedγ-ray spectra,γ-γ coincidences andγ-ray angular distributions. A decay level scheme is proposed including states up to 4659.8 keV. IntenseE2 transition cascades have been observed. The half-life of an isomeric level located at 4659.8 keV has been measured:T _1/2= 62±6ns. Nuclear Reactions ¹⁰⁴Pd(α, 2nγ),E _α=31MeV; measuredE _γ,I _γ,γ-γ coinc, σ(θ)T _1/2.¹⁰⁶Cd deduced levels,J, π, Enriched targets. Ge(Li) detectors.     

A specific heat study of the nematic-smectic-A transition in octyloxycyanobiphenyl

A high-resolution ac calorimetry measurement of the nematic to smectic-A transition has been carried out carefully on octyloxycyanobiphenyl (80CB). The measured critical exponents α = α′ = .24 ± .03 are consistent with X-ray results through the hyperscaling relation ν∥ + 2ν_⊥ = 2 - α.     

Stabilization of high spin FCC Fe in (Fe/Pd)n multilayers

Polycrystalline (Fe/Pd)_n multilayers are grown onto sapphire substrates at room temperature in a UHV system. The number of periods n=40 and the thickness of Pd layers of t_Pd=4 nm are kept constant, whereas the thickness of the Fe layers is varied from 1.5 to 5 nm. Structural properties are studied by in situ reflection high energy diffraction (RHEED), scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and ex situ by X-ray diffraction at small angles and large angles. Analyzing the experimental data using the program SUPREX we obtain interplanar distances of d_Fe=2.03±0.01 Å for an Fe layer thickness larger than about 2.5 nm as expected for (1 1 0) planes of BCC Fe. For Fe layers with thicknesses less than about 2.5 nm the interplanar distance is d_Fe=2.1±0.01 Å, which is close to the distance between (1 1 1) planes of FCC Fe with a lattice parameter of a=3.64 Å. Magnetic susceptibility measurements at temperatures between 1.5 and 300 K for (Fe/Pd)_n multilayers with FCC Fe yield a magnetic moment per Fe atom of μ=2.7±0.1 μ_B, which is about 20% larger compared to μ=2.2 μ_B for BCC Fe. We show that the occurrence of the large magnetic moment originates from FCC Fe being in the high spin (HS) state rather than from polarization effects of Pd at Fe/Pd interfaces.     

Equation of state and structural phase transition in FeBO3 at high pressure

The evolution of X-ray diffraction patterns in FeBO₃ under high pressures up to 63 GPa has been investigated at room temperature in a diamond anvil cell. A structural phase transition at a pressure of 53±2 GPa was found for the first time. The transition is of the first-order type with a hysteresisless drop of the reduced unit cell volume of about 8.6%. Apparently, the transition is isostructural. At pressures below the transition, the equation of state for FeBO₃ was fitted. In the third-order approximation of the Birch-Murnagan equation of state, the bulk modulus K and its first pressure derivative K′ were found to be 255±25 GPa and 5.0±1.2, respectively.     

Growth and Characterization of CdSe1 − y S y Nanofilms Obtained by Chemical Bath Deposition

In this work, the growth and characterization of cadmium selenide sulphur (CdSe_1???y S _y ) deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique at the reservoir temperature of 20?±?2 °C are presented, varying the thiourea volume added to the growth solution in the range of 0–30 ml. The films chemical stoichiometry was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Raman scattering reveal that CdSe_1???y S _y -deposited films showed hexagonal wurtzite crystalline phase. The average size of the crystalline grain in relation to the sulphur volume varies in the range of 1.48–9.2 nm that was determined by using the Debye-Scherrer equation for the direction (100), which is confirmed by analyzing the grain average diameter by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Raman scattering shows that the lattice dynamics is characteristic of bimodal behaviour and the multipeak adjust of the first optical longitudinal mode for the CdSeS denotes, in all cases, the Raman shift of the characteristic peak in the range of 177–181 cm^?1 of the CdSe crystals associated with the sulphur incorporation. CdSe_1???y S _y band gap energy can be varied from 1.86 to 2.11 eV by varying the thiourea volume added in the growth solution measured by transmittance at room temperature.     

The decay of115 mIn

The decay of^115m In has been investigated using accurate counting methods. The emission rate of conversion electrons plusβ ^?-particles was determined with a 4π proportional flow counter. The total andK-shell internal conversion coefficients of the 336 keVγ-ray in¹¹⁵In were measured by the electron X-ray coincidence method using combinations of a Si surface barrier with a NaI(Tl) detector and of a magneticβ-spectrometer with a high energy resolution Si(Li) detector, respectively. The conversion ratioR=K/(L+M+...) was deduced from electron spectra recorded with the magneticβ-spectrometer. The 336 keVγ-ray emission rate of all used sources was determined with a calibrated NaI(Tl)γ-ray spectrometer. A Ge(Li) detector has been used to determine the relative intensity of the 497 keVγ-ray in¹¹⁵Sn. As results have been deduced the 336 keVγ-ray emission per decay (N _γ1/N ₀=(45.9 ± 0.1)%), the total internal conversion coefficient (α=1.073 ± 0.014), theK-shell internal conversion coefficient (α _K=0.843±0.012), the conversion ratioR=3.63±0.07, theβ ^?-transition per decay going to the ground state (N _β1/N ₀=(5.0 ± 0.7)%) and to the first excited level in¹¹⁵Sn¹¹⁵Sn(N _β2/N ₀=(0.047 ± 0.002)%), and the 497 keVγ-ray emission (N _γ2/N _γ1=(0.103 ± 0.004)%). From the obtained internal conversion data it follows that the 336 keVγ-ray transition is ofM4 character with anE5 admixture of less than (3.5±1.5)%. The half-life of the isomeric state¹¹⁵ mIn has been determined with four different methods. The result isT _1/2=(4.486±0.004) h.     

E2 transition probabilities in77Br

⁷⁷Br has been investigated by the reaction⁶⁴Ni(¹⁶O,p2nγ) at 60 MeV. The following mean lives (in parentheses) have been determined by the recoil distance Doppler shift method (energies in keV): 161.9 (718±50 ps), 575.2 (14.2±2.1 ps), 639.0 (14.1±0.8 ps), 782.0 (4.3±0.9 ps), 790.1 (6.2±0.8 ps), 1,273.2 (4.0±1.0 ps), 1,303.0 (4.0±1 ps), 1,480.8 (0.6 ±0.2 ps). The resultingB(E2) values are compared with rotor plus particle calculations. Nuclear reaction⁶⁴Ni(¹⁶O,p2nγ)E ₀=60 MeV; measuredE _γ, recoil distance Doppler shift; deducedT _1/2. Enriched target, Ge(Li).