Optical properties of semiconducting iron disilicide thin films

The iron silicides samples were prepared by annealing of iron films evaporated onto silicon wafers and capped with amorphous silicon thin overlayers. Semiconducting FeSi₂ phase is formed by annealing at the temperatures from 550°C to 850°C. The optical properties of the FeSi₂ layers have been deduced from reflectance and transmittance measurements carried out in the temperature range of (77–380) K. The spectral dependence of the absorption coefficient favours direct allowed transitions with forbidden energy gap of 0.87eV at the room temperature. The application of a simple three-parameter semiempirical formula to the temperature dependence of the direct energy gaps leads to the following best fit parameters: the band gap at zero temperature E _g (0) = (0.895 ± 0.004)eV, the dimensionless coupling parameter S = 2.0 ± 0.3, and the average phonon energy <hw> = (46 ± 8)meV. By examining all the reported triplets of parameters for -FeSi₂ fabricated by different techniques and thermal processes, an obvious discrepancy can be found for the lattice coupling parameter and average phonon energy, although the bandgaps at 0 K are very similar. Unlike the theoretical prediction and the earlier reported result, our results do not show any evidence of a particularly strong electron-phonon interaction, which would give the lower carrier mobilities. -FeSi₂ seems to be an intriguing material where states with energies near the band edges permit ambiguous interpretation of the character of transitions. From optical model for the thin film-substrate system we found the index of refraction to be (5–5.9) in the photon energy interval from 0.65 to 1.15eV. There is also indication of an additional higher-energy absorption edge at l.05eV.     

On Higher Order Pyramidal Finite Elements

In this paper we first prove a theorem on the nonexistence of pyramidal polynomial basis functions. Then we present a new symmetric composite pyramidal finite element which yields a better convergence than the nonsymmetric one. It has fourteen degrees of freedom and its basis functions are incomplete piecewise triquadratic polynomials. The space of ansatz functions contains all quadratic functions on each of four sub-tetrahedra that form a given pyramidal element.     

Basics of NMR line shape in quasicrystals

The measurement and analysis of broad nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of quasicrystals require experimental methods and theoretical interpretations different from NMR investigations of regular periodic crystals. Frequency- and field-sweep methods for recording quasicrystalline NMR spectra are described and compared with the measurement of²⁷Al NMR spectra of icosahedral AlPdMn and decagonal AlNiCo quasicrystals. The nuclear spin interactions that determine the NMR line shape are the same for both types of the above Al-based quasicrystals, where the electric quadrupolar interaction with the broad distribution of its electric field gradient parameters predominantly determines the shape of the broad satellite “background” intensity. The essential observations are an almost isotropic²⁷Al NMR spectrum of the icosahedral quasicrystals and a strong angular dependence of the spectrum of decagonal quasicrystals.     

Influence of structural defects on the magnetization process in high-magnetic fields in the Fe61Co10Y8Nb1B20 alloy in the form of ribbons and plates

Amorphous samples of the Fe₆₁Co₁₀Y₈Nb₁B₂₀ alloy in the form of a ribbon with thickness of approximately 30 μm and in the form of a plate with thickness of 0.5 mm have been investigated. Plates were obtained by a suction-casting method, and ribbons by a single roller melt-spinning method. Microstructural studies, using X-ray spectroscopy, confirmed that samples in the as-quenched state were fully amorphous. Measurements carried out using a vibrating sample magnetometer allowed values of coercivity and saturation magnetization to be obtained; it also facilitated the estimation of size and nature of structural defects in the investigated samples. All of the investigated samples of this alloy in the as-quenched state have high values of saturation magnetization of greater than 1.25 T.     

Generalization of Lagrangian dynamics

We speculate on a generalized dynamics described by an integral over action functionals that is a generalization of the standard functional integral. In a simple Gaussian case we obtain a certain differential equation for the measure of Feynman integral. We prove that the equation is satisfied for the spin zero field in one space-time dimension.     

The influence of tensile stress on grain and cell boundary precipitation in supersaturated Al-Zn alloys during creep

The results are presented of the optical microscopic and X-ray diffraction study of the stress-induced nucleation and growth of (Zn) precipitates at grain and cell boundaries (GB's and CB's) during uniaxial creep at 200 °C of supersaturated AlZn20 and AlZn30 alloys. The rate of precipitation is increased mainly owing to the modifying effect of tensile stress on diffusion processes in alloy samples during their anneal. The diffusion of Zn atoms toward GB's and CB's from adjacent regions of grains is accompanied during creep by diffusive flux of Zn along boundaries parallel or nearly parallel to the tensile creep axis toward boundaries with near to normal orientation to that axis. Enhanced precipitation of results then preferentially at the latter and is supressed at the former boundaries where even the dissolution of preexisting has been found during a later application of tensile stress. The stress-induced precipitation of at GB's gradually ceases with prolonged creep exposures due to the lengthening of duffusion paths of Zn atoms from grain interior to GB's.Dissolution of lamellae by their regress toward GB's and CB's is assisted with the stress-induced diffusion of Zn along epitaxial / lamellar interfaces. Copious precipitation of at the parts of GB's and/or CB's with near to normal orientation to the creep axis is then observed on account of Zn from dissolved lamellae. Creep strain also leads to the fragmentation of lamellae and thus also to breaking down of the paths for diffusion of Zn along / interfaces. Spheroidization of fragmented parts of lamellae is then observed. Spheroids of remain embedded within the former lamellar regions.Large creep strains and high strain rates observed on fine-grained alloy samples may be associated with an enhanced viscous GB sliding due to the stress-dependent flow of Zn along GB's and/or CB's.     

On kinetics of the photodissociation iodine laser

The kinetics of iodine laser amplifiers is examined by solving the time evolution equations of chemical kinetics during optical pumping. The pumping radiation intensity is modelled by a black body of the temperature varying in time (corresponding to the flash lamp pulse). A brief comparison is made of pumping effects by long and short light pulses. Pumping by the long pulse is studied in more detail and it is found that there exists an optimum pulse strength beyond which the inversion in the laser mixture no longer grows appreciably, only its lifetime is shortened. In this connection the effect of pyrolysis of the alkyliodide molecule is also discussed. The pyrolysis is found to occur under very strong illumination, but it does not interfere with the photolytic decomposition and the optimum laser action. Finally, the influence of the reaction rate constants is studied in a systematic way and only few of them are found to carry real weight.The authors are obliged to Drs. S. V. Kuznetsova and A. I. Maslov who were consulted on the values of the reaction constants and who also drew our attention to some of the references.     

Electrical properties of some crystalline salts of adenine

In the present paper we report the first experimental results on ac and dc conductivity and permittivity of adenine hemisulphate hydrate and adenine sulphate measured at atmospheric and high hydrostatic pressures. For both materials ac conductivity is of ^s type, where:s 1·1· Room temperature dc conductivity of adenine hemisulphate hydrate equals approximately 5×10^{–15 –1} cm^–1 with an activation energy of 0·86 eV; dc conductivity of adenine sulphate is less than 10^–16 cm^–1. On the basis of these measurements and those carried out at high pressure, it is concluded that conductivity of adenine hemisulphate hydrate is of electronic type.The authors wish to thank Dr. J. Zachová for the preparation of adenine salts single crystals.     

Nochmals Zur Arbeit Über Reines Eisen

Ohne Zusammenfassung

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