Anomalous ultrasonic velocity of the transverse wave in KH3(SeO3)2

The ultrasonic velocity of the transverse wave with q = [010] and ξ = [001] measured as a function of temperature at 5 MHz in centrosymmetric KH₃(SeO₃)₂ shows a large anomaly with a tendency to approach zero at the transition temperature.     

Preparation of Ring and Chain Condensed Oligophosphates

Preparations of small-ring and short-chain condensed phosphates were made by dry and wet processes, respectively. The crystallization of tetra- hexa-, and octaphosphates from the phosphate solution was not easy, and metal salts of these oligophosphates were amorphous and unstable at normal temperature. Guanidine tetraphosphate and ammonium hexaphosphate were crystalline and stable at normal temperature.     

Anomalous temperature dependence of the dielectric and optical properties in ferroelectric liquid crystals

The anomalous temperature dependence of the sign of the spontaneous polarization in a biphenyl ester series of ferroelectric liquid crystals is reported. The reversal of the sign of the spontaneous polarization in the chiral smectic C phase of 2MBNCBC ((S)-2′-methylbutyl-4′-n- nonylcarbonyloxy-(l,l′-biphenyl)-l-carboxylate) is observed at T _m. This anomaly is studied in detail as functions of the length of the terminal alkyl chain, the applied electric field, the frequency and the applied hydrostatic pressure. T _m has been confirmed to depend on the length of the terminal chain and the applied pressure. However, it is independent of the applied field and the measuring frequency. In the mixture of these compounds, this anomaly is also observed.     

Physics opportunities with the RI Beam Factory at RIKEN

The RI Beam Factory (RIBF) is presently the top world-class radioactive-isotope (RI) beam facility in the world. Construction of the factory is now in the process of being completed. This facility is based on the in-flight method to produce fast RI beams. High-energy and intense primary beams accelerated by a superconducting ring cyclotron (SRC) are converted, via the projectile fragmentation or fission reaction channels, to RI beams at a new fragment separator called BigRIPS. Construction of major experimental installations is expected to commence in 2007. Physics opportunities with the RIBF are discussed herein.     

Matrix-isolation and electronic structure of vinyl-substituted silylenes and their complexes with bases [1]

Vinyl-substituted silylenes, 2,5-bis(methylene)-1-silacyclopentane-1,1-diyl ( 1 ) and 2-methylene-1-silacyclopentane-1,1-diyl ( 2 ), generated photochemically from the corresponding trisilanes in 3-methylpentane (3-MP) at 77 K, showed broad bands at 505 and 475 nm, respectively, which were assigned to the n(Si)-3p(Si) transition. The origin of the red shift in the n(Si)-3p(Si) transition is ascribed to the significant lowering of the 3p(Si) orbital level caused by the vinyl substitution on the silylene; the relatively high-lying 3p(Si) orbital can interact more effectively with the antibonding π* orbital than with the bonding π orbital of the vinyl group. The absorption spectra for 1 and 2 in the presence of several bases in 3-MP glass matrix shifted significantly to blue due to the formation of the corresponding base complexes. Analysis of the spectral change of the silylenes upon complexation with bases was very constructive for the understanding of the structural characteristics of substituted silylenes.     

Scanning tunneling microscopy of N2H4 on silicon surfaces

The chemistry of N₂H₄ on Si(100)2 × 1 and Si(111)7 × 7 has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy. At low coverages on Si(100)2 × 1 at room temperature the adsorption sites are distributed randomly on the surface and are imaged as dark spots in the dimer row by the STM. Upon annealing the substrate at 600 K, both isolated reaction products, as well as clusters of reaction products are formed on the surface. The STM images show that the majority of the isolated reaction products are adsorbed symmetrically across the dimers. Based on previous HREELS data, these are most likely NH_x groups. However, the clusters are not well resolved. Because of this we speculate that they are not simply symmetrically adsorbed NH_x groups, but likely have a more complicated internal structure. At higher coverages, the STM images show that the predominant pathway for adsorption is with the N---N bond parallel to the surface, in agreement with HREELS studies of this system. On Si(111)7 × 7, the molecule behaves in a manner which is similar to NH₃. That is, at low coverages the molecule adsorbs preferentially at center adatoms due to the greater reactivity of these sites, while at higher coverages it also reacts with the corner adatoms.     

M?ssbauer spectroscopic study on valence-detrapping and trapping of mixed-valence trinuclear iron(III, III, II) fluorine-substituted benzoate complexes

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are new iron-based materials, whose applications include brakes, dampers, clutches, shock absorbers systems and polishing of optical surfaces (lens and mirrors). They are dependent on the size and shape of particles as the magnetic properties. Interested in the possibility of using iron-rich powders, commonly used in nondestructive testing, ranging in size from a few μm to about 200?μm and lower cost than those commercially used for MR fluids, a study of the structural and magnetic properties of iron-rich metallic particles by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and M?ssbauer spectroscopy (MS) at room temperature has been done. Powders, as received, were separated into particle sizes smaller than 20?μm (sample A) and in the range of 20–38?μm (sample B) because these are the sizes generally required for applications in MR fluids. The particles whose sizes exceed the above values were ground in a high energy planetary mill for 3?h, using different values of rotational speed/time: 200?rpm for one hour, a pause of 10?s, 140?rpm for one hour, pause 10?s and then 175?rpm during the last hour. These powders were sieved to obtain particles smaller than 20?μm (sample C). According XRD results, in all samples, only α-Fe (lattice parameter a = 2,867(2) ?) and Fe₂O₃ (lattice parameter a = 5,037(1) ? and c = 13,755(8) ?) were present. The M?ssbauer spectra were fitted with two sextets. The hyperfine parameters values allowed us to assign the highest relative area spectrum (sextet) corresponding to α-Fe and the second one to Fe₂O₃ in accord to the XRD results. Thus, the preparation method using mechanical milling for diminishing the size of the metallic particles allowed us to get particles with size and magnetic properties that could lead to potentially MR fluids applications.