Structural studies and T c dependence in La2−x Dy x Ca y Ba2Cu4+y O z type mixed oxide superconductors

A new series of mixed oxide superconductors with the stoichiometric composition La_2−x Dy _x Ca _y Ba₂Cu_4+y O _z (x=0.0 − 0.5, y=2x) has been studied for structural and superconductiong properties. Our earlier studies on La_2−x (Y/Er) _x Ca _y Ba₂Cu_4+y O _z series, show a strong dependence of T _c on hole concentration (p _sh). In the present work, the results of the analysis of the neutron diffraction measurements at room temprerature on x=0.3 and 0.5 samples are reported. It is interesting to know that Ca substitutes for both La and Ba site with concomitant displacement of La onto Ba site. Superconductivity studies show that maximum T _c is obtained for x=0.5, y=1.0 sample (T _c ∼ 75 K), for La_1.5Dy_0.5Ca₁Ba₂Cu₅O _z (La-2125).     

Collective volume plasmons in manganites with nanoscale phase separation: simulation of the measured infrared spectra of La(0.7)Ca(0.3)MnO3

Optical characteristics of manganites with nanoscale electronic phase separation are simulated using an exact renormalization group transformation in Kirchhoff's equations. The local electric field is found to be highly inhomogeneous, exceeding the incident-wave field by orders of magnitude when the permittivities of the phases have opposite signs and plasmons are excited. The spatial scale of the field fluctuations suggests the collective character of the plasmon modes. The results of the simulation explain the optical anomalies of La(0.7)Ca(0.3)MnO(3) single crystals and films in the infrared frequency range in a natural way.     

Investigation of structural features of the Y3Al5O12: Ce3+/Lu2O3 crystal phosphors formed by the colloidal chemical method

The specific features of the crystal structure of crystal phosphors Y₃Al₅O₁₂: Ce³⁺/Lu₂O₃ (Lu₂O₃: Ce) synthesized by the colloidal chemical method have been investigated by neutron diffraction at room temperature. The influence of the method used for introducing Lu₂O₃ into the system on the structure and luminescence properties of the samples has been analyzed. The investigation has revealed that the spectra of the samples prepared under the most nonequilibrium conditions are characterized by the Stokes shift and high photoluminescence intensity. This has been explained by the disorder of their crystal structure due to the formation of stable associates of defects.     

Synthesis and extraction properties of oxathiacrown compounds containing benzyl groups

8-Benzyl-1.4-dioxa-7,10-dithiacyclododecane and 11-benzyl-1,4,7-trioxa-10,13-dithiacyclopentadecane were obtained by the interaction of (2,3-dibromo-1-propyl)benzene with 1,8-dimercapto-3,6-dioxaoctane and 1,11-dimercapto-3,6,9-trioxaundecane. The extracting ability of the obtained compounds has been studied in relation to Sr²⁺ and Pb²⁺ ions from aqueous solutions in the presence of anions of various degrees of hardness with determination of the metal content by a radiometric method. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 244–249, February, 2006.     

Preparation and characterization of MgB2 superconductor

The MgB₂ superconductor, synthesized using solid-state and liquid-phase sintering methods, have been characterized for various properties. The upper critical field, irreversibility line and critical current density have been determined using magnetization data. The current-voltage characteristics recorded under an applied magnetic field revealed the existence of vortex glass transition. The surface analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that MgB₂ is sensitive to atmospheric degradation.     

Investigation of the structural aspects in the formation of optical properties of the GeO2-Eu2O3-Ag nanosystem

The structural characteristics of the 95GeO₂-5Eu₂O₃, 94.9GeO₂-5Eu₂O₃-0.1Ag, and 99.9GeO₂-0.1Ag xerogels annealed in air at the temperature T _an = 850°C have been studied using X-ray diffraction and small-angle neutron scattering. It has been established that the significant change in the relative intensity of the ⁷ F ₀ → ⁵ L ₆ and ⁷ F ₀ → ⁵ H ₆ luminescence excitation bands of Eu³⁺ ions upon introduction of silver correlates with the decrease in the characteristic sizes of polydisperse clusters formed during annealing. The character of the changes in chemical bonds in the system due to the clustering and their role in the formation of optical properties have been analyzed.     

Facile Transformation of the Hydroxy‐Substituted Oxathiacrown Ethers

9(12)‐Hydroxy‐dithia‐13(16)‐crown‐4(6)‐ethers have been prepared by the condensing an oligoethylene glycol dithiol with 2,3‐dibromo‐1‐propanol. Methods of oxidation, halogenation, amination, and esterification of the 9‐hydroxythiacrown ether, producing corresponding oxathiacrown ether derivatives in good yields, have been developed. Cyclic destruction has not been found in the studied reactions. The change of the oxathiamacrocyclic ring size in the course of the halogenation and amination reactions was revealed.     

Tunneling magnetoresistance of phase-separated manganites

A simple model of phase separation is used to study the magnetoresistance of manganites in the nonmetallic state. It is assumed that the phase separation corresponds to the emergence of small ferromagnetic metallic droplets (ferrons) in a nonconducting antiferromagnetic or paramagnetic medium, with the metallic phase concentration being far from the percolation threshold. The charge transfer is accomplished by way of electron jumps between droplets. The magnetoresistance in such a system is defined both by the variation of the volume of the metal phase and by the dependence of the probabilities of electron transitions on the magnitude of the magnetic field. It is demonstrated that, in the region of low magnetic fields, the magnetoresistance is quadratic with respect to the field and decreases with temperature by the T ^?n law, where n takes values from 1 to 5 depending on the correlation between the parameters. In the high-field limit, the magnetoresistance increases abruptly with the volume of the metal phase. The crossover of the field dependence from quadratic to a stronger one may be accompanied by the emergence of a platean in the magnetoresistance. The correlation between the obtained results and the available experimental data is discussed.     

On the nature of the processes occurring in silver doped SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> films under heat treatment

The processes taking place on air-heating of SiO₂−Ag⁺ films and xerogels produced from the SiO₂ sols of different pH (3.7 or 9.5) were investigated. Silver nanoparticles 10–40 nm in size tolerant to oxidation at temperatures above 600 °C were found to be formed in the systems whatever the pH value of the starting sol. SiO₂ crystallization giving the cristobalite phase in the temperature range from 500 to 800 °C was shown to proceed only in the films produced from the acidic sol, while in those formed from the alkali one SiO₂ remained amorphous. A mechanism by which the formation of Ag nanoparticles and the cristobalite phase occurs in the films at the oxidative conditions is suggested.