The global structure of simple space-times

According to a standard definition of Penrose, a space-time admitting well-defined future and past null infinitiesI ⁺ andI ^– is asymptotically simple if it has no closed timelike curves, and all its endless null geodesics originate fromI ^– and terminate atI ⁺. The global structure of such space-times has previously been successfully investigated only in the presence of additional constraints. The present paper deals with the general case. It is shown thatI ⁺ is diffeomorphic to the complement of a point in some contractible open 3-manifold, the strongly causal regionI ₀ ⁺ ofI ⁺ is diffeomorphic to , and every compact connected spacelike 2-surface inI ⁺ is contained inI ₀ ⁺ and is a strong deformation retract of bothI ₀ ⁺ andI ⁺. Moreover the space-time must be globally hyperbolic with Cauchy surfaces which, subject to the truth of the Poincaré conjecture, are diffeomorphic to ³.     

The effect of the relative position of the bandgap with respect to laser wavelength on the behaviour of DFWM in semiconductor-doped glasses

Degenerated four-wave mixing (DFWM) was realised in five commercial semiconductor-doped glasses (Corning CS3–66, CS3–67, CS3–68, CS3–69, CS3–70). The reflectivity obtained for each glass seems very dependent on the energy excess (E=hv–E _g) and relatively independant on l, the product of the absorption coefficient () by the sample thickness (l). The decay time of the DFWM signal was measured for each glass. The relaxation was found to be different when the photon energy is under or over the gap.     

Thermal annealing effects on grain boundary recombination activity in silicon

We have studied the influence of conventional and rapid thermal treatments at 850°C for 30 min and 10 s, respectively, on the recombination activity of the9,13 (P-type) and25 (N-type) grain boundaries in silicon. The analyses were made by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) working in the electron beam induced current mode (EBIC) and completed by minority carrier diffusion length measurements. The main result obtained from this study shows the importance of the rapid thermal process as a suitable thermal treatment for polycrystalline materials.     

Magnetism in very thin films of permalloy measured by spin polarized cascade electrons

The spin polarizationP of the low energy cascade electrons excited with a primary unpolarized electron beam is measured with ultrathin films of permalloy (Ni₈₀Fe₂₀) as a function of film thickness, external magnetic field, and temperatureT. Surface adsorbates of small concentrations of less than 10% of a monolayer can change the Curie point and the saturation value ofP ₀(T0) by as much as 30%. The Ta-substrate induces a magnetically dead region in permalloy. Conventional spin wave theory cannot account for the observed smallT-dependence of the magnetizationM. Films on a nonmagnetic substrate are compared to similar films coupled to bulk permalloy over an interface of Ta. TheT-dependence ofM with the coupled films can be explained by spin wave theory. At lowT, the films coupled to the bulk exhibit a faster decrease ofM than the uncoupled films. We propose that this thermal stabilization of the magnetization in very thin ferromagnetic films is due to quenching of the long wavelength spin modes.     

Ferromagnetic order and critical behavior at surfaces of ultrathin epitaxial films

The critical behavior, ferromagnetic order and magnetic anisotropies of ultrathin, epitaxial, magnetic films is studied using electron capture spectroscopy (ECS), which is capable of probing the long-ranged and short-ranged electron spin polarization (ESP) at the topmost surface layer of uncoated and coated magnetic structures. For all systems [Ni(100)/Cu(100), Ni(100)/NaCl(100), fcc Fe(111)/Cu(111), Fe(100)/Ag(100), Tb/Fe(100)/Ag(100), Fe(100)/Au(100), hcp Tb(0001)/W(110), Fe(110)/W(110), V(100)/Ag(100), Pd(100)/Ag(100), Pd/W(110)] investigated so far, ferromagnetic order is detected. It is found that the surface Curie temperatureT _Cs depends on film thicknessd. ECS data obtained at the surface of various systems reveal the existence ofT- andd-dependent magnetic anisotropies. Although for V(100)/Ag(100) the measured critical exponent=0.128 agrees very well with=1/8 predicted for the two-dimensional Ising model, for other systems, such as Fe(100)/Au(100), the measured value (0.25) is in disagreement with theoretical predictions. The experimental results are discussed within the framework of presently available experimental and theoretical data.     

Synthesis,characterization, spectroscopy and thermal analysis of rare earth picrate complexes with <Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis>-lysine

Summary Rare earth picrate (RE) complexes with L-lysine (Lys) were synthesized and characterized. Elemental analysis (CHN), EDTA titrations and thermogravimetry data suggest a general formula RE(pic)₃·2Lys·2H₂O, where RE=La-Lu (without Pm) and Y, pic=picrate). IR spectra suggest that Lys is coordinated to the central ion through the nitrogen of the α-amino group. Parameters obtained from the absorption spectrum of the Nd compound indicated that the metal-ligand bonds are essentially electrostatic. Emission spectrum and biexponential behavior of the luminescence decay of the Eu compound suggest the existence of polymeric species. Thermogravimetric/derivative thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves of all complexes are very similar, with five events. The final products are the corresponding rare earth oxides and their X-ray diffraction patterns are identical to the calcinated oxides.</o:p>     

1,3,6,9,12,14,17,20-octaethynyltetrabenz[a,b,f,j,k,o]-4,5,10,11,15,16,21,22- octadehydro[18]annulene: a carbon-rich hydrocarbon

Dodecaynes 1a-d have been prepared via a convergent strategy that employs Sonogashira couplings as the carbon-carbon bond-forming tool. Due to the steric bulk of the DMTS groups, 1c adopts a nonplanar conformation, the dynamics of which have been probed by VT-NMR. The cobalt-catalyzed isomerization of 1a,b produced the new conjugated phenylenes 2a,b and 3a,b, respectively. [structure: see text]     

Simultaneous separation and identification of hashish constituents by coupled liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS)

Summary This paper reports the use of liquid chromatography for the separation and determination of the major cannabinoids extracted from hashish samples. The direct coupling to the mass spectrometer enables the selective identification both of neutral and acidic cannabinoids. The developed method does not require any preliminary derivatization and should, therefore, be of interest in forensic analysis for simple and unequivocal determination of hashish constituents.Part of this work was presented at the 2nd Italian-Spanish Joint Meeting of Medicinal Chemistry, 30 August–3 September 1995, Ferrara, Italy.