23 excitation of Li+ by electron impact

The 1¹S→2³S excitation of Li⁺ has been studied in the Coulomb-Born-Oppenheimer approximation. The differential and the total cross sections are given at double the threshold energy.     

Interlayer force constants in high symmetry layer crystals

Symmetry adapted linear chain model has been used for the evaluation of compressional and shear interlayer force constants in MnCl₂ and GaSe from the observed zone centre and zone edge frequencies. The method is applicable to two major groups of high symmetry layer crystals having XAX and XAAX type layers.     

Deterministic inventory models for variable production

This paper presents two deterministic inventory models for a single item, where for the first model, the production rate at any instant depends on the on-hand inventory and for the second one, it is demand dependent. However, in both cases, the demand rate at any moment of time is a linear function of time for the scheduling period. Both the models are formulated and solved without allowing shortages. Two numeric examples have been added to illustrate the results.     

Viscous fluid in static spherically symmetric space-time

The paper presents a static spherically symmetric viscous fluid solution of Einstein field equation, assuming an equation of statep=(γ?1)ρ. Though static, the solution has expansion, shear, and acceleration and can explain cosmological red shift. Also it has a particle horizon. The singularity at the origin and larger viscosity make it unfit to represent a real universe.     

Magnetic susceptibilities and mössbauer spectra of some fluorinated monothio-β-diketonato complexes of iron(III)

Summary The magnetic moments of the iron(III) chelates of the fluorinated monothio--diketones RC(SH)=CFICOCF₃ (R = 2-thienyl, -naphthyl, Ph, p-McC6H4, p-FC₆H₄,p-ClC₆H₄, m-MeC₆H₄, m-CIC₆H₄ m-BrC₆H₄) have been measured over a temperature range. The moments vary from 5.49 to 2.16 B.M. at room temperature and are temperaturedependent, falling to as low as 1.82 B.M. at 83 K. The quadrupole splittings from the Messbauer spectra at room temperature are within the range 0.70 to 1.80 mm/s, whereas at 77 K they lie within the range 1.70 to 1.95 mm/s. These results indicate that the iron atom is in an intermediate effective crystal field, which depends to a small extent on the temperature and the substituent R and increases in the order: C₄H₃S < -C₁₀ < p-XC₆H₄ < Ph < m-XC₆H₄ (X = Me, F, CI or Br). Also the results indicate the degree of bonding asymmetry of the iron atom.     

Bionomic exploitation of a ratio-dependent predator–prey system

The present article deals with the problem of combined harvesting of a Michaelis–Menten-type ratio-dependent predator–prey system. The problem of determining the optimal harvest policy is solved by invoking Pontryagin's Maximum Principle. Dynamic optimization of the harvest policy is studied by taking the combined harvest effort as a dynamic variable. Computer simulations are carried out to illustrate our analytical findings. Biological and bioeconomical interpretations of the results are explained critically.     

Neutron powder diffraction studies in CaMn1‐xCuxO3 (x = 0, 0.2)

Neutron powder diffraction patterns were recorded on CaMn_1‐xCu_xO₃ (x = 0 and 0.20) compounds at different temperatures down to 11K. All the patterns were analyzed by employing Rietveld refinement technique and using the Fullprof program. The observed crystallographic peaks could be refined by using Pbnm space group and no structural transition has been observed down to 11K. An additional peak at 2θ = 16.7° has been observed with decrease in temperature below T_N and its intensity was found to increase with decrease in temperature. It could be indexed to magnetic (101) plane. The magnetic ordering is found to be G‐type antiferromagnetic behaviour. The magnetic moment at 11K for the samples x = 0.0 and 0.20 are found to be 2.69 and 2.42μ_B. The doped Cu ions are found to be in Cu²⁺ state and take part antiferromagnetic interactions with Mn ions. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optical and structural properties of lead iodide thin films prepared by vacuum evaporation method

Thermally processed lead iodide (PbI₂) thin films were prepared by the vacuum evaporation method in a constant ambient. Measured thickness of the film was verified analytically from the optical transmittance data in a wavelength range between 300 and 1600 nm. From the Tauc relation for the non‐direct inter band transition, the optical band gap of the film was found to be 2.58 eV for film thickness 300 nm. X‐ray diffraction analysis confirmed that PbI₂ films are polycrystalline, having hexagonal structure. The low fluctuation in Urbach energy indicates that the grain size is quite small. The present findings are in agreement with the other results. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Possible Routes for Efficient Thermo-Electric Energy Conversion in a Molecular Junction

In the context of designing an efficient thermoelectric energy-conversion device at nanoscale level, we suggest several important tuning parameters to enhance the performance of thermoelectric converters. We consider a simple molecular junction, which is always helpful to understand the basic mechanisms in a deeper way, where a benzene molecule is coupled to two external baths having unequal temperatures. The key component responsible for achieving better performance is associated with the asymmetric nature of transmission function, and in the present work, we show that it can be implemented in different ways by regulating the physical parameters involving the system. Employing a tight-binding framework we calculate electrical and thermal conductances, thermopower, and figure of merit (FOM) by using Landauer integrals, and thoroughly examine the critical roles played by molecule-to-lead (ML) interface geometry, magnetic field, chemical substituent group, ML coupling, and the direct coupling between the two leads. Our results show that a reasonably large FOM (≫1) can be obtained and lead to a possibility of regulating the efficiency by selectively tuning the physical parameters. We believe that the present analysis will enhance the understanding of designing efficient thermoelectric devices, and can be verified in a laboratory.     

Correlating Charge-Carrier Dynamics with Efficiency in Quantum-Dot Solar Cells: Can Excitonics Lead to Highly Efficient Devices?

The photovoltaic performance of quantum-dot solar cells strongly depends on the charge-carrier relaxation and recombination processes, which need to be modulated in a favorable way to obtain maximum efficiency. Recently, significant efforts have been devoted to investigate the carrier dynamics of nanocrystal sensitizers, both in solution and deposited on TiO₂ photoanodes, with the aim to correlate the excitonics with solar-energy conversion efficiency. This Minireview summarizes some proof of the concepts that efficiency can be directly correlated to the exciton dynamics of quantum-dot solar cells. The presented findings are based on CdSeS alloy, CdSe/CdS core/shell, Au/CdSe nanohybrids, and Mn-doped CdZnSSe nanocrystals, where the favourable excitonic processes are optimized to enhance the efficiency. Future prospects and limitations are addressed as well.