Optical reflectance of blue bronze crystals near the Peierls transition

We report on the reflectance of blue bronze crystals in the visible frequency range as a function of temperature. The observed large oscillations in the reflectance at all wavelengths at temperatures near the Peierls transition are interpreted as interference effects stemming from a surface layer. It is found that the surface layer, which appears to be tied to fluctuations, can be as much as 1.6 microns thick.     

Dynamics of a CW single-mode Nd:YAG laser with a Cs2 narrow-band saturable absorber

We present the results of experiments with a CW single-mode Nd:YAG laser, tunable in the vicinity of 1064 nm, with an intracavity narrow-band Cs ₂ vapor saturable absorber. It is shown that the laser dynamics is determined by both the pump level and detuning of the laser frequency from the absorption-line center.     

Observation of p(1×1)-type rows on TiO2(110)-p(1×2) surface by scanning tunneling microscope (STM)

The TiO₂(110) surfaces were observed by a Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM). We found two types of bright p(1×1)-type rows on the p(1×2) surface. One p(1×1)-type formed independently and corresponds to the bridging oxygen rows. The second p(1×1)-type appeared in a bright grouping, forming narrow rows, and corresponds to the five-fold titanium rows. The above results suggest the following two conclusions. First, the density of state (DOS) on the bridging oxygen rows becomes higher than that on the five-fold titanium atom rows when a bridging oxygen row exists independently on the p(1×2) surface. Second, the bright rows on a TiO₂(110)-p(1×1) surface correspond to the five-fold titanium atom rows. The results further show the validity of DOS calculations on the TiO₂(110)-p(1×1) surface by Diebold et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77 (1996) 1322]. The difference of width for Ti₂O₃ unit rows on the p(1×2) and p(1×3) surfaces in STM images are also discussed.     

Three-dimensional structure of the calcite-water interface by surface X-ray scattering

The three-dimensional structure of the calcite (104)-water interface has been determined with surface X-ray scattering. Nine crystal truncation rods (including specular and non-specular rods) were measured providing both vertical and lateral sensitivity to the interfacial structure. The results reveal that calcite is nearly ideally terminated with a single surface hydration layer that includes two inequivalent water molecules having distinct heights of 2.3 ± 0.1 and 3.5 ± 0.2 Å, each with a well-defined lateral registry with respect to the calcite surface. No additional layering of water is observed beyond this surface hydration layer. Small displacements in the outer two calcium carbonate layers were also observed. These results are compared with previous experimental and computational results.     

Determination of the largest lyapunov index for short chaotic time sequences in self-oscillating chemical reactions

A method was developed for the determination of largest Lyapunov index for short chaotic time sequences with allowance for the presence of noise in the response of the system. For this purpose a simple unidimensional representation modelling the dynamics of irregular self-oscillations was investigated. Conditions were found for adequate determination of the largest Lyapunov index from the noise-distorted signals. The results were used to obtain the largest Lyapunov index for the Belousov—Zhabotinskii reaction taking place in an ideal-mixing closed reactor and in a constant-mixing flow-type reactor. Institute of Organic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 136–142, May–June, 1997.     

Lattice instability of Ni2MnGa

Anomalies have been detected in the temperature behavior of the physical properties of Ni₂MnGa in the temperature interval preceding the martensitic transformation, which is attributed to TA ₂ phonon mode condensation at T=T _I>T _m (T _m is the martensitic transition temperature). Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 557–559 (March 1997)     

Observation of self-generation of dark envelope solitons for spin waves in ferromagnetic films

We have performed experiments in which self-generation of dark envelope solitons for spin waves at microwave frequencies were obtained. Stable self-generation of dark solitons was observed in a ring consisting of tangentially magnetized yttrium iron garnet film and a microwave signal amplifier. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 68, No. 3, 229–233 (10 August 1998)     

Polymorphism of biperiodic stripe domain structures

Magnetic-field-induced polymorphism of biperiodic stripe domain structures of films with a positive anisotropy constant and easy axis parallel to the normal to the surface is studied. A symmetry classification of the observed types of domain structures is performed, and the phase diagram of the films in the (H _⊥, H _∥) plane, where H _⊥ and H _∥ are, respectively, the components of the magnetic field vector perpendicular and parallel to the normal to the surface, is determined. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 9, 701–706 (10 May 1998)