First-order Fréedericksz transition and front propagation in a liquid crystal light valve with feedback

Fréedericksz transition can become subcritical in the presence of a feedback mechanism that leads to the dependence of the local electric field onto the liquid crystal re-orientation angle. We have characterized experimentally the first-order Fréedericksz transition in a Liquid Crystal Light Valve with optical feedback. The bistability region is determined, together with the Fréedericksz transition point and the Maxwell point. We show the propagation of fronts connecting the different metastable states and we estimate the front velocity. Theoretically, we derive an amplitude equation, valid close to the Fréedericksz transition point, which accounts for the subcritical character of the bifurcation.Received: 21 October 2003, Published online: 6 January 2004PACS: 05.45.-a Nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear dynamical systems - 64.60.-i General studies of phase transitions     

On Covariant Phase Space and the Variational Bicomplex

The notion of a phase space in classical mechanics is well known. The extension of this concept to field theory however, is a challenging endeavor, and over the years numerous proposals for such a generalization have appeared in the literature. In this paper We review a Hamiltonian formulation of Lagrangian field theory based on an extension to infinite dimensions of J.-M. Souriau's symplectic approach to mechanics. Following G. Zuckerman, we state our results in terms of the modern geometric theory of differential equations and the variational bicomplex. As an elementary example, we construct a phase space for the Monge–Ampere equation.     

Correlation of optical properties with the fractal microstructure of black molybdenum coatings

Coating is commonly used for improving the optical properties of surfaces for solar collector applications. The coating morphology depends on the deposition conditions, and this determines the final optical characteristics. Coating morphologies are irregular and of fractal nature, so a suitable approach for its characterization should use methods borrowed from fractal analysis. The aim of this work is to study the fractal characteristics of black molybdenum coatings on copper and to relate the fractal parameters to the optical properties. To this end, coating surfaces were prepared via immersion in a solution of ammonium paramolybdate for different deposition periods. The fractal analysis was carried out for SEM and AFM images of the coating surface and the fractal properties were obtained with a recently developed high-dimensional extension of the well-known detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). The most salient parameter drawn from the application of the DFA is the Hurst index, a parameter related to the roughness of the coating surface, and the multifractality index, which is related to the non-linearity features of the coating morphology. The results showed that optical properties, including absorptance and emittance, are decreasing functions of the Hurst and multifractality indices. This suggests that coating surfaces with high absorptance and emittance values are related to complex coating morphologies conformed within a non-linear structure.     

Structure,thermal properties,conductivity and electrochemical stability of di-urethanesil hybrids doped with LiCF<Subscript>3</Subscript>SO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

Variable chain length di-urethane cross-linked poly(oxyethylene) (POE)/siloxane hybrid networks were prepared by application of a sol-gel strategy. These materials, designated as di-urethanesils (represented as d-Ut(Y′), where Y′ indicates the average molecular weight of the polymer segment), were doped with lithium triflate (LiCF₃SO₃). The two host hybrid matrices used, d-Ut(300) and d-Ut(600), incorporate POE chains with approximately 6 and 13 (OCH₂CH₂) repeat units, respectively. All the samples studied, with compositions ∞ > n ≥ 1 (where n is the molar ratio of (OCH₂CH₂) repeat units per Li⁺), are entirely amorphous. The di-urethanesils are thermally stable up to at least 200 °C. At room temperature the conductivity maxima of the d-Ut(300)- and d-Ut(600)-based di-urethanesil families are located at n = 1 (approximately 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ and 7.4 × 10⁻⁵ Scm⁻¹, respectively). At about 100 °C, both these samples also exhibit the highest conductivity of the two electrolyte systems (approximately 1.6 × 10⁻⁴ and 1.0 × 10⁻³ Scm⁻¹, respectively). The d-Ut(600)-based xerogel with n = 1 displays excellent redox stability.     

Adhesion hysteresis in dynamic atomic force microscopy

The effects of adhesion hysteresis in the dynamic‐dissipation curves measured in amplitude‐modulation atomic force microscopy are discussed. Hysteresis in the interaction forces is shown to modify the dynamics of the cantilever leading to different power dissipation curves in the repulsive and attractive regimes. Experimental results together with numerical simulations show that power dissipation, as measured in force microscopy, is not always proportional to the energy dissipated in the tip–sample interaction process. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Black hole entropy quantization

Ever since the pioneering works of Bekenstein and Hawking, black hole entropy has been known to have a quantum origin. Furthermore, it has long been argued by Bekenstein that entropy should be quantized in discrete (equidistant) steps given its identification with horizon area in (semi-)classical general relativity and the properties of area as an adiabatic invariant. This lead to the suggestion that the black hole area should also be quantized in equidistant steps to account for the discrete black hole entropy. Here we shall show that loop quantum gravity, in which area is not quantized in equidistant steps, can nevertheless be consistent with Bekenstein's equidistant entropy proposal in a subtle way. For that we perform a detailed analysis of the number of microstates compatible with a given area and show consistency with the Bekenstein framework when an oscillatory behavior in the entropy-area relation is properly interpreted.     

Transition from rigid to flexible structures in micelles of Undecylammonium chloride in aqueous solutions of NaCl

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) data for Undecylammonium chloride (UAC) in heavy water in the presence of NaCl 0.0428 and 0.3422 M are consistent with the presence of elongated micelles. This micellar shape has been adopted to analyze viscosity data of UAC in water in the presence of NaCl. The results obtained from this last technique are consistent with the increase of the micelle aggregation number with increasing the surfactant concentration. Micelles change from prolate ellipsoidal shape to cylindrical and wormlike shapes by increasing the added NaCl concentration and surfactant concentrations. The differences between results for the micelle aggregation number calculated from viscosity, SANS and light scattering data have been attributed to the solvent effect on micelle formation as well as changes in the size, shape and flexibility of the micelle. Viscosity data provide qualitative information on the effect of the added NaCl concentration and surfactant concentration on the size, shape, flexibility of the micelles in diluted solutions.     

Importance of nuclear effects in the measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters

We investigate how models for neutrino–nucleus cross sections based on different assumptions for the nuclear dynamics affect the forecasted sensitivities to neutrino oscillation parameters at future neutrino facilities. We limit ourselves to the quasi-elastic regime, where the neutrino cross sections can be evaluated with less uncertainties, and discuss the sensitivity reach to θ₁₃${\theta }_{13}$ and δ at a prototype low-γ β-beam, mostly sensitive to the quasi-elastic regime.     

Electron microscopy characterization of nanostructured carbon obtained from chlorination of metallocenes and metal carbides

In this work we report some new well-defined carbon nanostructures produced by direct chlorination of metallocenes (ferrocene and cobaltocene) and NbC, at temperatures from 100 to 900 degrees C. Thus, amorphous carbon nanotubes with variable dimensions depending on reaction temperature were produced from ferrocene. When cobaltocene is the carbon precursor the main product are solid amorphous nanospheres. The high refractory metal carbide NbC as carbon source favours the growth of nanospherical cabbage-like particles with a higher degree of graphene sheets order. Besides, NbC crystallites encapsulated in an amorphous carbon shell were also found at lower temperatures (T< or =700 degrees C).