Light-induced evaporation and condensation growth of aerosol particles

We analyze the possibility of resonant optical radiation inducing evaporation and condensation growth of aerosol particles suspended in a vapor-gas mixture. The molecules of the vapor absorb radiation selectively as to velocity. We examine the Knudsen regime, in which the particle radius is much smaller than the mean free path of the molecules. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 1036–1047 (March 1998)     

Thickness dependence of exciton absorption in pure GaAs crystals at the “prequantum” limit

The optical absorption of GaAs crystals with thicknesses d=0.4−4.4 μm is measured in the exciton-polariton resonance region at a temperature of 1.7 K. As the thickness is reduced, both a broadening of the exciton line and increased absorption with a negligible Stark shift are observed. The way the absorption spectra vary with crystal thickness is examined in terms of a competition between two regions for light-exciton interactions in the crystal: in the field of surface charges and electric-field free. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 869–871 (May 1998)     

Magnetic order in LaEuSrCuO studied [2pt] by Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy

⁵⁷Fe M?ssbauer effect studies of La_1.65Eu_0.20Sr_0.15CuO₄ doped with 0.5 at% ⁵⁷Fe performed in the temperature region 300 K > T > 4.2 K give an onset temperature for magnetic ordering of K. This temperature practically is the same as that found in Nd doped La_2-xSr_xCuO₄. It indicates that the magnetic ordering temperature in the LTT phase of rare earth (RE) doped La_2-xSr_xCuO₄ is independent of the RE moment. The direction of the ⁵⁷Fe magnetic moment in the magnetically ordered state is within the CuO₂ plane, while it has been found to be parallel to the c-axis in Nd doped La_2-xSr_xCuO₄. Received: 23 June 1998 / Accepted: 14 July 1998     

Thermal effects and anomalies in the low-temperature plasticity of crystals

This paper discusses theoretically the mechanism that causes the temperature dependences of the yield point and yield stress, along with their rate coefficients, to deviate from behavior characteristic of thermally activated plastic strain at low temperatures (<30 K). At this time the existence of such deviations, e.g., anomalous decreases in the values of these characteristics in this temperature range, is explained by arguing that the process whereby dislocations overcome local barriers has inertia. It is shown that the observed anomalies can be caused by the development of thermal instability in the plastic strain at low temperatures. In contrast to inertia-related effects, thermal effects allow us to explain the plasticity of crystals at low temperatures without contradiction and within the framework of a single mechanism, including the unstable, discontinuous character of plastic strain that is characteristic of these temperatures. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 684–689 (April 1998)     

Excitons in ZnP2 crystals in the electric field of a Schottky barrier

A study is made of the effect of electric fields on the exciton states of β-ZnP₂ crystals (T=77 K) in structures with Schottky barriers formed by depositing semitransparent electrically-conducting InSnO₂ films on the crystal surface. The observed changes in the exciton optical reflection spectra when an electrical potential is applied to a barrier are explained by the shift and broadening of the exciton level caused by the Stark effect. The experimental data are compared with calculations based on a theory of exciton optical reflection from planar spatially nonuniform structures. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 884–886 (May 1998)     

Magnetic phases of FexV1−x S and their electronic structure

A study has been made of the Fe_xV_1−x S solid solutions with 0<x<0.5. For the compounds with x>0.1, x-ray diffraction analysis discloses a V₅S₈ superstructure. Samples with x>0.1 are magnetically ordered at room temperature. The concentration dependences of resistivity and magnetization exhibit sharp peaks for x=0.1 and x=0.2, respectively. The main features of the structure and electronic properties have been qualitatively explained in terms of the three-band exciton-insulator model, and the maxima in resistivity and magnetization are assigned to the formation of localized magnetic moments with S=1, which become delocalized with increasing x. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1890–1893 (October 1998)     

A shape model for the twisting power of chiral solutes in nematics

The twisting power of chiral probes in nematics is interpreted in terms of a shape model, in which the surface elements of the solute molecules tend to align with the local director. The theoretical treatment is based on a previous approach, suitable for relating order parameters in nematics to molecular shape, and leads to the definition of a molecular pseudo-tensor whose orientational average determines the pitch and handedness of the helical macrostructures. Results of numerical calculations performed for distorted biphenyl and binaphthyl molecules are in agreement with the experimental results.     

Determination of the Tolman cone angle from crystallographic parameters and a statistical analysis using the crystallographic data base

Summary A new method of evaluating the Tolman cone angle from X-ray structural data available from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Base has been developed and a statistical analysis of the cone angles of the phosphines PPh₃, PMe₂Ph, PMePh₂, PMe₃, PEt₃ and PCy₃ (Cy = cyclohexyl) in transition metal complexes has been completed.