The magnetic phase in 2-2-1-2 superconducting materials

Three related aspects of the magnetic phase diagram are presented here: the first deals with the disruption of the antiferromagnetic order in the electron rich phase obtained by Ce doping, the second concern the role of Bi planes as a sink-buffer of carriers, the third focuses the magnetization vs. temperature curves in a variety of different bilayer materials as seen by the muons and discusses the “anomalous” behaviour in relation to theoretical predictions and neutron scattering data.     

Oriented orthorhombic Lead Oxide film grown by vapour phase deposition for X‐ray detector applications

Several materials are under investigations for flat panel x‐ray detector applications. Among them, PbO shows interesting properties, i.e. high sensitivity, large stopping power and high resistivity at room temperature. However, the exploitation of PbO is limited by the difficulty to obtain good quality films constituted by a single phase. In this paper, we describe a new approach for the vapour phase growth of orthorhombic PbO films. The grown layers show a single phase, good crystallinity, and preferential orientation along the c axis. Optical characterization evidenced the presence of a broad defect band. Gold contacted films showed very high electrical resistivity and appreciable response to X‐ray radiation.     

Using high pressure to prepare polymorphs of the Ba2Co(1-x)Zn(x)S3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) compounds

In this work, high pressure was used as a tool to induce structural transition and prepare metastable polymorphs of ternary sulfides. Structural transformations under high pressure of compounds belonging to the Ba(2)Co(1-x)Zn(x)S(3) (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) series were studied using X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. All members of the Ba(2)Co(1-x)Zn(x)S(3) series show the Ba(2)CoS(3)-type one-dimensional structure, but, after heating under pressure, the Ba(2)CoS(3) compound (x = 0) separates into BaS and the two-dimensional BaCoS(2-δ) (δ ≈ 0), while Ba(2)Co(1-x)Zn(x)S(3) compounds with x ≥ 0.25 maintain their one-dimensional features but rearrange into polymorphs showing the Ba(2)MnS(3)-type structure. All structural transformations can be linked to shortening in interchain metal-metal distances caused by the high pressure, and the role of the zinc in preventing loss of one-dimensionality is discussed.     

Crystal structure of inclusion compounds: The complexes of thecis-syn-cis and thecis-anti-cis isomers of dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 with 4-methylbenzenesulfamide

The crystal structure of two complexes of the isomerscis-syn-cis (isomer A) andcis-anti-cis (isomer B) of dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 with 4-methylbenzenesulfamide have been determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction methods. The two structures have been solved by direct methods and refined to agreement values of 0.067 and 0.038 for isomers A and B respectively. The first isomer forms an inclusion compound with a host/guest ratio of 1 : I; the second one of I:2. The amino groups of the guest molecules are connected by N-H...O hydrogen bonds with oxygen atoms of the polyether molecules. The methyl groups of 4-methylbenzenesulfamide do not form hydrogen bonds.[/p]The host-guest interactions in the molecular complexes, the reciprocal influence of the two molecules on their conformation and the intermolecular contacts between the molecules in the crystal are discussed.     

Effect of grain-size on the ethanol vapor sensing properties of room-temperature sputtered ZnO thin films

We have investigated the gas sensing properties of ZnO thin films (100 to 200 nm thickness) deposited by room-temperature radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The sensitivity of the films to ethanol vapor was measured in the 10 to 50 ppm concentration range at operating temperatures between 200 and 400 °C. A synergetic effect of decreasing grain size and increasing operating temperature was observed towards the improvement of the sensitivity, reaching a value of 54 and a limit of detection as low as 0.61 ppm. The decrease in the grain size resulted in prolonged response time but faster recovery. In any case, both response time and recovery time are < 400 s. The results demonstrate that room-temperature magnetron sputtering is a viable approach to enhance the performances of ZnO films in sensors for ethanol vapor.

Sensor response for ZnO films in presence of 50 ppm ethanol as a function grain size and temperature

     

A new phase growth in LiF: Ti and LiF: Ti,Mg

Abstract

ITC measurements, optical absorption spectra in the wavenumber range 5.4 × 10⁴?200 cm^?1, microspectrophotometry, photoluminescence spectra, optical and electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction have been used to study the growth and the nature of a new phase occlusions in LiF: Ti³⁺ and LiF: Mg²⁺, Ti³⁺. They grow along the 100 direction as a consequence of high temperature heat treatments in moist atmosphere.     

Ground state structures of molecules “prepared” for phototautomerization: 2,2′-bipyridyl-3,3′-diol and 2,2′-bipyridyl-3-ol

The crystal structures of two molecules undergoing fast intramolecular excited state proton transfer (2,2-bipyridyl-3,3-diol, BP(OH)₂, and 2,2-bipyridyl-3-ol, BP(OH)) are reported and compared with the results ofab initio and molecular mechanics calculations. Strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding is observed in both cases. The pyridyl rings are coplanar in BP(OH)₂, whereas in BP(OH) they form an angle of 3.7°.Dedicated to Prof. R. Zahradnik on the occasion of his birthday.