Elastic behaviour of lead fluoride under pressure

The variation of the second-order elastic constants (SOECs) and the longitudinal and shear modulii with hydrostatic pressure for the lead fluoride (PbF₂) has been investigated for the first time by means of a three-body force potential (TBP) model. The significance of three-body interactions (TBI) has been clearly demonstrated in reproducing the elastic constant variations and the pressure derivatives of SOECs of PbF₂. The equation of state for this crystal has also been reported.     

Passivation of n-GaAs (100) surface by a Langmuir-Blodgett film

We report the results of passivation of n-GaAs surface by Langmuir-Blodgett films. The capacitance-voltage and current-voltage characteristics in a metal-insulator-semiconductor configuration fabricated using films as insulators, show that the frequency dispersion of the accumulation capacitance is small, indicating that the high frequency capacitance under accumulation is due to the LB film. It has been shown that it reduces the surface barrier characteristic of GaAs surfaces, and may offer hope for unpinning the surface Fermi level. We offer a possible explanation for these findings in terms of the advanced unified defect and the effective work function models.     

A ‘tree’ for generation and identification of the colour symmetry point groups

A flow chart (inverted ‘tree’) for generating and identifying the 58 magnetic and 18 polychromatic point groups using a classification for the 32 generating crystallographic point groups is suggested. The idea of colour generator is explored for generating the colour symmetry point groups. The advantages in presenting the identification of colour groups through a tree are discussed.     

相位差波前检测方法应用于平移误差检测的实验研究

相位差波前检测方法由于其结构简单,对环境要求低,测量精度较高等优点,被应用于诸多领域.本文针对拼接型天文望远镜中主镜的共相位检测问题,对相位差波前检测方法在拼接主镜各子镜间平移误差测量进行理论分析,并搭建了实验光路.实验结果表明:相位差波前检测方法对拼接镜平移误差的测量精度高于λ/20(λ为波长),满足系统对拼接平移误差的要求.     

Raman spectroscopic study of medieval Indian art of 17th century

We report the first Raman spectroscopic investigations of medieval Indian art of 17th century. Three miniature paintings, belonging to Mogul and Rajput schools from the collections of the Madras Museum, were investigated by micro‐Raman spectroscopy using different excitation wavelengths. Many areas in the paintings exhibited rich spectra containing several intense Raman bands. The Raman bands were assigned on the basis of the reported reference spectra of the pigments. Evidences for the presence of massicot, red‐lead, lead‐white, vermilion, litharge, Indian yellow and anatase are found. In addition, tentative assignments of some of the Raman bands to atacamite and orpiment are also made. The present studies suggest that several mineral‐based unique pigments were popular among the Indian artists of this period. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparative study on BIS thiourea cadmium acetate crystals using HRXRD, etching, microhardness, UV-visible and dielectric characterizations

〈1 1 1〉 oriented bis thiourea cadmium acetate (BTCA) crystal of diameter 15 mm and length 45 mm was grown for the first time by the unidirectional Sankaranarayanan-Ramasamy (SR) method. The conventional and SR method grown BTCA crystals were characterized by using high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), chemical etching, Vickers microhardness, UV-vis, dielectric studies and differential scanning calorimetry. The HRXRD analysis indicates that the crystalline perfection of SR method grown crystal is good without having any low angle internal structural grain boundaries. The transmittance of SR method grown BTCA is 14% higher than that of conventional grown crystal. The dielectric constant was higher and the dielectric loss was less in SR method grown crystal. The crystals grown by SR method possess less dislocation density and higher microhardness.     

Effect of Li2O content on physical and structural properties of vanadyl doped alkali zinc borate glasses

The effect of Li₂O content in vanadyl doped 20ZnO+xLi₂O+(30−x)Na₂O+50B₂O₃ (5≤x≥25) glasses has been studied with respect to their physical and structural properties. The absence of sharp peaks in XRD spectra of these glass samples confirms the amorphous nature. The physical parameters like density, refractive index, ionic concentration and electronic polarizability vary non-linearly with x mol% depending on the diffusivities of alkali ions. EPR and optical absorption spectra reveal that the resonance signals are characteristics of VO²⁺ ions in tetragonally compressed octahedral site. Spin-Hamiltonian, crystal field, tetragonal field and bonding parameters are found to be in good agreement with the other reported glass systems. The tetragonal distortion (g_⊥-g_∥) and Dt reveals that their values vary non-linearly with Li₂O content and reaches a minimum at x=10 mol%. An anomaly of character has been observed in all the properties of vanadyl doped glass systems, which gives a clear indication of mixed alkali effect.     

Structured Surfaces for Generation of Negative Index of Refraction

Materials with negative index of refraction have properties that are not naturally available. Such properties can be used to develop novel devices like the superlens which can surpass the diffraction limit. Optical cloaking can be achieved through this negative refractive index method. This article reviews the progress made in the area of negative refractive index materials from the first generation of negative electrical permittivity to the demonstration of negative index of refraction at optical frequency, with the relevant discussion on the physics of these materials. The prime focus of this article is on experimental demonstrations and fabrication related issues of negative refractive index materials which makes use of structured surfaces.     

Swift ion irradiation effect on high-k ZrO2- and Al2O3-based MOS devices

This paper describes the heavy ion-induced effects on the electrical characteristics of reactively sputtered ZrO₂ and Al₂O₃ high-k gate oxides deposited in argon plus nitrogen containing plasma. Radiation-induced degradation of sputtered high-k dielectric ZrO₂/Si and Al₂O₃/Si interface was studied using 45?MeV Li³⁺ ions. The devices were irradiated with Li³⁺ ions at various fluences ranging from 5?×?10⁹ to 5?×?10¹²?ions/cm². Capacitance–voltage and current–voltage characteristics were used for electrical characterization. Shift in flat band voltage towards negative value was observed in devices after exposure to ion radiation. Post-deposition annealing effect on the electrical behavior of high-k/Si interface was also investigated. The annealed devices showed better electrical and reliability characteristics. Different device parameters such as flat band voltage, leakage current, interface defect density and oxide-trapped charge have been extracted.The surface morphology and roughness values for films deposited in nitrogen containing plasma before and after ion radiation are extracted from Atomic Force Microscopy.