Characterization by X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility and Mössbauer spectroscopy of a new alluaudite-like phosphate:: Na4CaFe4(PO4)6

A single crystal of a new sodium calcium iron (III) phosphate, Na₄CaFe₄(PO₄)₆, has been synthesized by a flux method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c(a=12.099(5) Å, b=12.480(5) Å, c=6.404(2) Å, β=113.77(3)°, Z=2, R₁=0.022, R_w2=0.066). The crystal structure belongs to the alluaudite type, characterized by the X(2)X(1)M(1)M(2)₂(PO₄)₃ general formula. The open framework results from Fe₂O₁₀ units of edge-sharing FeO₆ octahedra, which alternate with M(1)O₆ octahedra (M(1)=Na+Ca) that form infinite chains. These chains are linked together through the common corners of PO₄ tetrahedra yielding two distinct tunnels of sodium cation occupation. This compound is antiferromagnetic with a Néel temperature of 35 K. Mössbauer parameters are consistent with the structural results.     

Trivalent Cation Substitution Effect into Layered Double Hydroxides Co2Fey Al1−y(OH)6Cl·nH2O: Study of the Local Order: Ionic Conductivity and Magnetic Properties

A series of layered double hydroxide materials of composition Co₂Fe_yAl_1−y(OH)₆Cl·nH₂O (0≤y≤1) was prepared via chimie douce. The crystalline parameter related to the cation to cation distance obeys the expected variation, showing that the substitution is effective over the entire range. Local order around Co and Fe cations is studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Moduli of the Fourier transform at the Fe K-edge are superimposable, in agreement with an ordered model, although present in small domains since no superlattice is depicted. The ionic resistivity of the samples is highly dependent on the water molecule content. The conductivity is found to be thermally assisted, and the variation of the slope in the Arrhenius diagram is explained by a Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher-type behavior. Magnetic susceptibility measurements support the proposed cation composition and indicate the onset of local magnetic order at low temperature (below 10 K). The inter-sheet distance influences the magnetic response at low temperature, showing the presence of weak interactions between lamellae.     

Alkyne‐Mediated Approach to the Synthesis of (4R,5R)‐5‐Hydroxy‐4‐decanolide and (−)‐Muricatacin

The asymmetric synthesis of two naturally occurring 5‐hydroxy‐γ‐butyrolactones, (4R,5R)‐5‐hydroxy‐4‐decanolide ( 1a ) and (?)‐muricatacin ( 2 ), is described using a general alkyne‐mediated strategy. The key steps involved are Sonogashira coupling for the desired carbon‐chain extension followed by Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation to construct the hydroxy‐lactone framework.     

95 GHz millimeter wave signal generation using an arrayed waveguide grating dual wavelength semiconductor laser

We report the generation of a 95?GHz carrier frequency by optical heterodyning of two wavelengths from adjacent channels from an arrayed waveguide grating-based multiwavelength laser. The extended cavity structure of the device provides low phase noise and narrow optical linewidth, further enhanced by the intracavity filter effect of the arrayed waveguide grating. We demonstrate that the generated RF beat note, at 95?GHz, has a -3 dB linewidth of 250?kHz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the narrowest RF linewidth generated from a free-running dual-wavelength semiconductor laser. The device is realized as a photonic integrated circuit using active-passive integration technology, and fabricated on a multiproject wafer run, constituting a novel approach for a compact, low-cost dual-wavelength heterodyne source.     

Motion of charged particles in a NUTty Einstein–Maxwell spacetime and causality violation

We investigate the motion of electrically charged test particles in spacetimes with closed timelike curves, a subset of the black hole or wormhole Reissner–Nordström-NUT spacetimes without periodic identification of time. We show that, while in the wormhole case there are closed worldlines inside a potential well, the wordlines of initially distant charged observers moving under the action of the Lorentz force can never close or self-intersect. This means that for these observers causality is preserved, which is an instance of our weak chronology protection criterion.     

The Milne problem for partially plane-polarized light

An accurate numerical method has been devised to solve half-range problems for the scattering of azimuth-independent polarized radiation in stellar atmospheres. The use of the method is illustrated by solving the Milne problem for the radiation intensity at any optical depth, for the extrapolation distance, and for the law of darkening.     

Analytic solution for heat transfer of a third grade viscoelastic fluid in non-Darcy porous media with thermophysical effects

An analytic approximate solution is presented for the natural convective dissipative heat transfer of an incompressible, third grade, non-Newtonian fluid flowing past an infinite porous plate embedded in a Darcy–Forchheimer porous medium. The mathematical model is developed in an $(x\text{,}y)$ coordinate system. Using a set of transformations, the momentum equation is rendered one-dimensional and a partly linearized heat conservation equation is derived. The viscoelastic formulation presented by Akyildiz [Akyildiz FT. A note on the flow of a third grade between heated parallel plates. Int J Non-Linear Mech 2001;36:349–52] is adopted, which generates lateral mass and viscoelastic terms in the heat conservation equation, as well as in the momentum equation. A number of special cases of the general transformed model are discussed. A homotopy analysis method (HAM) is implemented to solve, with appropriate boundary conditions, the coupled third-order, second degree ordinary differential equation for momentum and the second-order, fourth degree heat conservation equation.     

Photoacoustic studies on two new organic NLO materials: L‐threonine and L‐prolinium tartrate

Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) is a non‐destructive testing (NDT) tool and used here for analyzing the physical properties such as thermal diffusivity, thermal diffusion length, thermal conductivity and thermal effusivity of L‐Threonine and L‐Prolinium tartrate. These two crystals belong to a group of recently developed NLO materials, in our laboratory. The single crystals of the two compounds were grown by using submerged seed solution growth method. Characterization of the crystals was made by using single crystal X‐ray diffraction. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)