Decay of the false vacuum at finite temperature

In this paper we study kinetics of the first-order phase transitions in gauge theories with spontaneous symmetry breaking. A general theory of the decay of the metastable phase (false vacuum) at a finite temperature is developed. A number of concrete examples are considered, which will make it possible to study kinetics of phase transitions in a wide class of theories without complicated computer calculations.     

Temperature dependence of coupling constants and the phase transition in the Coleman-Weinberg theory

It is shown that the temperature dependence of the effective Higgs boson coupling constants leads to a considerable modification of the theory of the SU(5) Coleman-Weinberg phase transition.     

The outermost atomic layer of thin films of fluorinated polymethacrylates

In this paper, we investigate the surface properties of a series of copolymers of perfluoroalkyl methacrylate (CH2 = C(CH3)COOCH2CnF(2n + 1), n = 1, 6, or 10) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) and of blends of perfluorooctyl-end-capped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and pure PMMA. The introduction of perfluoroalkyl groups significantly lowers the polymer surface energy as determined by the acid-base approach. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms a higher fluorine concentration in the surface region (the outer 3.8 nm) as compared to in the bulk. The fluorine density in the outermost atomic layer is quantitatively determined by low-energy ion scattering (LEIS). A linear relationship is found between the fluorine density in the outermost atomic layer and the surface energy of the partially fluorinated polymethacrylates, irrespective of the length of the perfluoroalkyl chain. This linearity confirms Langmuir's "principle of independent surface action". Deviation from this linear relationship exists for both highly and sparsely fluorinated polymethacrylates and can be ascribed to the local (surface) ordering of the fluorinated tails and MMA units, respectively. This study may offer one further step toward a deeper understanding of the correlations between macroscopic surface properties and microscopic surface chemical composition.     

Expansion of matter heated by an ultrashort laser pulse

Recent experiments have utilizied high-power subpicosecond laser pulses to effect the ultrafast heating of a condensed material to temperatures far above the critical temperature. Using optical diagnostics it was established that a complicated density profile with sharp gradients, differing substantially from an ordinary rarefaction wave, forms in the expanding heated matter. The present letter is devoted to the analysis of the expansion of matter under the conditions of the experiments reported by D. von der Linde, K. Sokolowski-Tinten, and J. Bialkowski, Appl. Surf. Science 109/110, 1 (1996); K. Sokolowski-Tinten, J. Bialkowski, A. Cavalleri et al., Proc. Soc. Photo-Opt. Instum. Eng. 3343, 46 (1998); and, K. Sokolowski-Tinten, J. Bialkowski, A. Cavalleri et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 224 (1998). It is shown that if the unloading adiabat passes through the two-phase region, a thin liquid shell filled with low-density two-phase matter forms in the expanding material. The shell moves with a constant velocity. The velocity in the two-phase material is a linear function of the coordinate (flow with uniform deformation), and the density is independent of the coordinate and decreases with time as t ⁻¹. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, No. 4, 284–289 (25 February 1999)     

多功能两亲梳状聚合物的合成及包覆荧光量子点

利用溶液聚合和成酰胺反应合成了多功能梳状两亲性共聚物,聚(甲基丙烯酸-co-甲基丙烯酸十八酯)-(乙醇胺-乙二胺叶酸)(PSM-EE-FA).用红外光谱(FTIR),核磁共振(1H-NMR)及凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)表征了该聚合物的结构及分子量分布.实验结果证明合成了该聚合物,其数均分子量(Mn)为28600,多分散性为1.375.用该两亲梳状聚合物包覆油溶性CdSe/ZnS量子点,通过相转移作用,得到水溶性靶向量子点(PSM-EE-FA-QDs).该水溶性量子点溶液具有较好的稳定性.通过紫外-可见(UV-Vis)及荧光发射光谱分析对该量子点的光学性质进行研究.结果表明,PSM-EE-FA-QDs的紫外-可见光谱及荧光发射光谱峰形与原量子点基本一致.由于量子点表面聚合物层的形成,峰位发生少量红移.该量子点水溶液的荧光强度是原量子点氯仿溶液的98%,荧光产率是原量子点氯仿溶液的95%.动态光散射(DLS)及透射电镜(TEM)测试结果表明水溶性量子点分布均匀.合成的水溶性量子点不但光学性能稳定,而且聚合物及水溶性量子点的合成方法较为简便.     

Modal parameters of two incomplete and complete guitars differing in the bracing pattern of the soundboard

Similarities and differences in vibrational behavior of two guitars having a symmetric Torres bracing pattern and an asymmetric pattern forming a lattice on a soundboard are investigated by means of the modal analysis technique and laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) measurements. Instruments are investigated before and after a bridge and strings assembling (i.e., they are incomplete or complete). The bracing pattern and the absence/presence of the bridge and strings have some effect on modal frequencies and mode shapes. The bracing pattern does not affect the sequence of at least first three low frequency mode shapes of incomplete/complete instruments but affects their modal frequencies. Depending on frequency, the bridge behaves either as a rigid or a flexible structure.