Exciton Molecules in Quantum Wells: Influence of the Well Width Fluctuations

The influence of the well width fluctuations on the dependence of the binding energy of excitonic complexes in quantum wells is studied by using the path-integral Monte-Carlo technique. The results are compared with available experimental data and a good agreement is found.Postdoctoral researcher of FWO-Vlaanderen     

The “corset effect” of spin-lattice relaxation in polymer melts confined in nanoporous media

Linear polyethylene oxides with molecular weightsM _w of 1665 and 10170 confined in pores with variable diameters in a solid methacrylate matrix were studied by proton field-cycling nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry. The pore diameter was varied in the range of 9–57 nm. In all cases, the spin-lattice relaxation time shows a frequency dependence close toT ₁∞ v^3/4 in the range ofv=3·10^?1-2·10¹ MHz as predicted by the tube-reptation model. This protonT ₁ dispersion essentially reproduces that found in a previous deuteron study (R. Kimmich, R.-O. Seitter, U. Beginn, M. Möller, N. Fatkullin: Chem. Phys. Lett. 307, 147, 1999). As a feature particularly characteristic for reptation, this finding suggests that reptation is the dominating chain dynamics mechanism under pore confinement in the corresponding time range. The absolute values of the spin-lattice relaxation times indicate that the diameter of the effective tubes in which reptation occurs is much smaller than the pore diameters on the time scale of spin-lattice relaxation experimens. An estimation leads to a valued ^*～0.5 nm. The impenetrability of the solid pore walls, the uncrossability of polymer chains (“excluded volume”) and the low value of the compressibility in polymer melts create the “corset effect” which reduces the lateral motions of polymer chains to a microscopic scale of only a few tenths of a nanometer.     

Effect of nickel coating on electrochemical performance of graphite anodes for lithium ion batteries

Among the different materials often studied and proposed as negative electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, graphite anodes are the most used in commercial batteries. For this study, synthetic graphite was tested. During the first discharge 0.2 Li ions were consumed for the formation of the SEI film and the capacity reaches about 387 mAh/g. But at the end of the first charge only 72% of the initial charge was recovered (the reversible capacity is about 279 mAh/g). In order to improve this performance we have deposited metallic nickel on graphite with the intention to obtain a homogeneous thin layer able to modify the nature of the SEI film, to allow the diffusion of lithium ions through the protective layer, and also to increase the performance of graphite electrodes. The results show a decrease of the irreversible capacity loss (16% instead of 28% for pure graphite electrodes) as well as better cycleability for a nickel-deposited graphite electrode with only 11% weight ratio of nickel. On the other hand, an increase of the nickel content decreases this performance.     

Fundamentals of the direct measurement of sound intensity and practical applications

Sound intensity is a measure of the magnitude and direction of the flow of sound energy. Developments in sound intensity measurement capabilities in the last quarter century have occurred because of several reasons. The main ones include the derivation of the cross-spectral formulation for sound intensity and developments in digital signal processing. This paper begins with a brief historical introduction of sound intensity measurements. Then elementary theory for sound intensity is presented. A section on sound intensity measurements is then included. The next section of the paper discusses sources of measurement error; the major sources of error are described in some detail. The paper continues with a discussion of the main applications of sound intensity measurements: sound power determination, noise source identification, and transmission loss measurements. The paper concludes with a discussion of ISO and ANSI intensity related standards and relevant references.     

Elastic scattering of slow positrons on atoms

The results of calculations of the elastic scattering cross section of positrons on noble gas and alkali atoms are presented. The calculations are performed within the one-electron Hartree-Fock approximation with multielectron correlations in the so-called random phase approximation with exchange taken into account. Virtual positronium formation is taken into account and proved to be very important. Arguments are presented that the positron polarization potential is repulsive for alkali atoms. The results obtained are in a reasonable agreement with experiment and with some previously reported calculations.     

Modelling and design of a travelling-wave electro-optic modulator on InP

Based on a rigorous vectorial analysis, a fast travelling-wave Mach–Zehnder modulator is modelled and designed. The cross-section of the semiconductor layer stack and the lossy electrodes are carefully modelled using the method of lines in order to investigate propagation characteristics, velocity and losses. This yields an accurate microwave and optical field distribution to explain the behaviour of the component. In order to enhance the modulation efficiency, design curves are derived and the cross-sectional dimensions for minimum microwave loss are determined. The loss of the optimized modulator agrees very well with small-signal measurements up to 40 GHz and HFSS simulations. The layerstack of the fabricated device is suitable for integration with InP multi-wavelength lasers.     

Ordered states and structural transitions in a system of Abrikosov vortices with periodic pinning

A system of Abrikosov vortices in a quasi-two-dimensional HTSC plate is considered for various periodic lattices of pinning centers. The magnetization and equilibrium configurations of the vortex density for various values of external magnetic field and temperature are calculated using the Monte Carlo method. It is found that the interaction of the vortex system with the periodic lattice of pinning centers leads to the formation of various ordered vortex states through which the vortex system passes upon an increase or a decrease in the magnetic field. It is shown that ordered vortex states, as well as magnetic field screening processes, are responsible for the emergence of clearly manifested peaks on the magnetization curves. Extended pinning centers and the effect of multiple trapping of vortices on the behavior of magnetization are considered. Melting and crystallization of the vortex system under the periodic pinning conditions are investigated. It is found that the vortex system can crystallize upon heating in the case of periodic pinning.     

Polarization dynamics of intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser

Experimental study of low-frequency dynamics of an intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser demonstrates the influence of the interaction of orthogonally polarized modes, participating in frequency doubling (type II phase matching), on the stability of the laser output. At a sufficiently low pump rate and low conversion efficiency, the laser shows stable operation with a low noise level at the frequencies of relaxation oscillations. At a high pump power and/or a high conversion efficiency, the laser emission becomes unstable as a result of Hopf bifurcation at the frequencies of relaxation oscillations that are responsible for the anti-phase polarization dynamics of the laser.     

Effect of short glass fiber on structure and viscoelastic behavior of olefinic polymers synthesized with metallocene catalyst

Several composites were prepared on the basis of an ethylene homopolymer and different copolymers of ethylene and 1‐hexene, synthesized with a metallocene catalyst, as matrices and a content of a 5 wt % of short glass fiber. The effect of the fiber incorporation on the structure and mechanical and viscoelastic behaviors was analyzed for the different samples. The glass fibers induced a slightly higher crystallinity, and the crystallite morphology significantly changed (long spacings and crystal orientation). The incorporation of fibers did not reinforce the different matrices under study at this low content; consequently, the mechanical parameters, such as Young's modulus, yielding stress, and microhardness, were lower in the composites as compared with those values found in the neat polyolefins. The location and apparent activation energies of distinct relaxation processes are also discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1244–1255, 2003     

Optimal entropic uncertainty relation for successive measurements in quantum information theory

We derive an optimal bound on the sum of entropic uncertainties of two or more observables when they are sequentially measured on the same ensemble of systems. This optimal bound is shown to be greater than or equal to the bounds derived in the literature on the sum of entropie uncertainties of two observables which are measured on distinct but identically prepared ensembles of systems. In the case of a two-dimensional Hilbert space, the optimum bound for successive measurements of two-spin components, is seen to be strictly greater than the optimal bound for the case when they are measured on distinct ensembles, except when the spin components are mutually parallel or perpendicular