Investigation into the dielectric relaxation of vinylidene fluoride copolymers with hexafluoropropylene

Four relaxation processes and one ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition are revealed in vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymers with different ratios of the components in the temperature range from ?100 to 150°C. The relaxation process occurring at the lowest temperature is associated with the local mobility of the chains, whereas the relaxation process at a higher temperature is due to micro-Brownian motion of segments in the amorphous phase in the glass transition range. A smeared relaxor phase transition from the polar modification of the α phase of vinylidene fluoride units to the paraelectric phase is observed in the temperature range 50–70°C. At higher temperatures, there occurs an intensive relaxation process that can be attributed to space-charge relaxation or manifestation of the normal relaxation mode.     

Muon investigation of HoMnO3 and YMnO3 hexagonal manganites

The magnetic properties of multiferroics HoMnO₃ and YMnO₃ have been investigated using the muon (μSR) method. Analysis of the dependence of the dynamical relaxation rate λ and characteristics of the distribution of local static fields makes it possible to more precisely determine the phase states of the samples under investigation.     

Light scattering in disperse layers with a high concentration of optically soft particles

A model describing the propagation of radiation in disperse close-packed layers of optically soft particles is proposed. The model is based on the radiative transfer equation used for describing a light field in the multiple scattering regime and on the interference approximation for describing collective scattering effects; it also takes into account the Fresnel reflection at the layer boundaries. To describe the single-scattering characteristics, the Mie formulas are used. The model allows one to consider scattering in layers of any optical thickness. Calculations of the angular structure of the radiation leaving the layer and estimates of the errors of the calculations were performed. The possibility of forming a maximum at small scattering angles in media with correlated particles is shown. The theoretical results are in good agreement with the available experimental data.     

Particular artifacts of topographic images of dielectrics in atomic-force microscopy

Particular artifacts of atomic-force microscopy (AFM) images of dielectrics, which are related to the presence of a static charge on the surface, are described. Artificial climate control with the use of a TRACKPORE ROOM-02 climatic box during measurements makes it possible to remove the static charge, owing to which the quality of AFM images and reliability of measured metric surface characteristics increase. Comparative analysis of the surface roughness measured under conventional conditions of microscope operation (static charge is present on a dielectric surface) and under the conditions of controlled artificial climate (static charge is completely removed) is performed. It is established that, in the presence of a static charge on the surface, roughness measurements may yield both overestimated and underestimated values; the largest increase in error is observed in measurements of micro-and nanosized surface areas.     

Crystal structure and nonlinear optical properties of the K2UO2(SO4)2 · 2H2O compound at 293 K

Single crystals of potassium uranyl sulfate are grown, and their atomic structure is determined using X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system with space group Pna2₁ [a = 13.773(4) Å, b = 7.288(2) Å, c = 11.556(4) Å, R ₁ = 0.033, wR ₂ = 0.0892 for 2630 reflections with I > 2σ(I)]. The crystal structure of the K₂UO₂(SO₄)₂ · 2H₂O compound is built up of two-dimensional infinite, negatively charged layers of the composition [UO₂(SO₄)₂·H₂O] _2∞ ^δ? ], which are linked together through the K⁺ ions. The specific features of the atomic arrangement in the structure of this compound are analyzed, and the second harmonic generation of laser radiation is investigated.     

Small-angle X-ray scattering study of the structure of powder fullerene C<Subscript>60</Subscript> and fullerene soot

Powder samples of fullerene C₆₀ and fullerene soot have been studied by the small-angle X-ray scattering method. The radii of gyration of scattering elements have been determined by constructing small-angle diffraction patterns in Guinier coordinates. The data obtained agree well with the results of wide-angle X-ray scattering study, the available data on the structure of the powder fullerene C₆₀ prepared by the Huffman-Krätschmer technique, and the structure of the C₆₀ molecules. Conglomerates of two C₆₀ molecules, along with crystallites ～20 nm in size that are distributed in an amorphous matrix, are present in fullerene powders. Fullerene soot contains C₆₀ crystallites 20–25 nm in size and graphite crystallites ～2–3 nm in size that are distributed in an amorphous matrix.     

Lattice dynamics and ion transport in structurally disordered chalcogenides of copper and silver

The results of studying the copper and silver selenides and their solid solutions are reported. The methods of inelastic neutron scattering and neutron diffraction analysis are used to study the dynamics and structure of the crystal lattice. The relation of the properties of dynamics and the crystal-lattice structure to the ion transport are analyzed.     

Structural localization of trace amounts of impurity ions in Langmuir-Blodgett films by the X-ray standing wave method

The molecular organization of Langmuir-Blodgett films based on the liquid crystal europium complex has been studied by the X-ray standing-wave method at the synchrotron radiation source BESSY (Germany). Analysis of the experimental data obtained made it possible to determine the composition of the organic multilayer nanosystems and localize the position of metal ions incorporated in organic layers from the aqueous subphase during film deposition. It is shown that, despite the low content of metal ions in the aqueous subphase (no higher than 10^?7 mol/l), their incorporation into the Langmuir layer affects the molecular film organization significantly.