Cryogen-free dilution refrigerator for bolometric search of neutrinoless double beta decay (0νβ β) in 124Sn

The feasibility study for searching neutrinoless double beta decay in ¹²⁴Sn using cryogenic bolometer has been initiated. For this purpose, a custom-built cryogen-free dilution refrigerator, having a large cooling power of 1.4 mW at 120 mK, has been installed at TIFR, India. This paper describes the design, installation and performance of a cryogen-free dilution refrigerator (CFDR-1200). The performance of CFDR-1200 has been analysed using Takano’s model developed for conventional (wet) dilution refrigerators.     

Progress in sub-femtosecond control of electron localization in molecules

Recent advances in controlled generation of intense, ultrashort laser pulses in the femtosecond and attosecond time-scales have pushed new avenues of research in the coherent control of ultrafast electron dynamics in atoms and molecules. We present a topical review on the phenomenon of control of electron localization in small dissociating molecules. By creating and controlling coherent superposition of the symmetric and antisymmetric electronic states, it becomes possible to confine the evolving electron cloud onto a preferred nucleus, thereby steering the molecule towards a desired dissociation route. We discuss the origin of the idea and various mechanisms to achieve electron localization in small molecules. To highlight recent experimental progress, we explain how one can employ few-cycle IR pulses and different attosecond extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pulses in various ways to successfully demonstrate the control of electronic dynamics. Future research opportunities and challenges on this topic are envisioned.     

Synthesis,characterization and third-order nonlinear optical properties of polydiacetylene nanostructures,silver nanoparticles and polydiacetylene–silver nanocomposites

We have synthesized, characterized and studied the third-order nonlinear optical properties of two different nanostructures of polydiacetylene (PDA), PDA nanocrystals and PDA nanovesicles, along with silver nanoparticles-decorated PDA nanovesicles. The second molecular hyperpolarizability γ(?ω; ω, ?ω, ω) of the samples has been investigated by antiresonant ring interferometric nonlinear spectroscopic (ARINS) technique using femtosecond mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser in the spectral range of 720–820 nm. The observed spectral dispersion of γ has been explained in the framework of three-essential states model and a correlation between the electronic structure and optical nonlinearity of the samples has been established. The energy of two-photon state, transition dipole moments and linewidth of the transitions have been estimated. We have observed that the nonlinear optical properties of PDA nanocrystals and nanovesicles are different because of the influence of chain coupling effects facilitated by the chain packing geometry of the monomers. On the other hand, our investigation reveals that the spectral dispersion characteristic of γ for silver nanoparticles-coated PDA nanovesicles is qualitatively similar to that observed for the uncoated PDA nanovesicles but bears no resemblance to that observed in silver nanoparticles. The presence of silver nanoparticles increases the γ values of the coated nanovesicles slightly as compared to that of the uncoated nanovesicles, suggesting a definite but weak coupling between the free electrons of the metal nanoparticles and π electrons of the polymer in the composite system. Our comparative studies show that the arrangement of polymer chains in polydiacetylene nanocrystals is more favourable for higher nonlinearity.     

Dielectric relaxation studies in 5CB nematic liquid crystal at 9 GHz under the influence of external magnetic field using microwave cavity spectrometer

Resonance width, shift in resonance frequency, relaxation time and activation energy of 5CB nematic liquid crystal are measured using microwave cavity technique under the influence of an external magnetic field at 9 GHz and at different temperatures. The dielectric response in liquid crystal at different temperatures and the effects of applied magnetic field on transition temperatures are studied in the present work. The technique needs a small quantity (< 0.001 cm³) of the sample and provides fruitful information about the macroscopic structure of the liquid crystal.     

Magnetic behaviour of AuFe and NiMo alloys

We study the electronic structure and a mean-field phase analysis based on the pair–pair energies derived from first-principles electronic structure calculations of AuFe and NiMo alloys. We have used the tight-binding linear muffin-tin orbitals-based augmented space recursion (TB-LMTO-ASR) method to do so. We investigate different behaviours of the two alloy systems by mapping the problems onto equivalent Ising models and then discuss the magnetic phase diagrams using the calculated pair energies. All three phases: paramagnetic, random ferromagnetic and spin glass, have been studied.     

Accretion,primordial black holes and standard cosmology

Primordial black holes evaporate due to Hawking radiation. We find that the evaporation times of primordial black holes increase when accretion of radiation is included. Thus, depending on accretion efficiency, more primordial black holes are existing today, which strengthens the conjecture that the primordial black holes are the proper candidates for dark matter.     

Dynamics of excitable nodes on random graphs

We study the interplay of topology and dynamics of excitable nodes on random networks. Comparison is made between systems grown by purely random (Erdős–Rényi) rules and those grown by the Achlioptas process. For a given size, the growth mechanism affects both the thresholds for the emergence of different structural features as well as the level of dynamical activity supported on the network.     

MHD free convective flow past semi-infinite vertical permeable wall

In this paper,the basic equations governing the flow and heat transfer of an incompressible viscous and electrically conducting fluid past a semi-infinite vertical permeable plate in the form of partia...