Energy spectrum of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> electrons in a plane crystal lattice and in a strong magnetic field

Harper equations are derived for a _px, _py electronic system. Analysis is carried out for extreme points of the quasi-continuous spectrum in the cases when the number of magnetic flux quanta through a unit cell is a rational number and calculations are made for square and triangular lattices as well as for a honeycomb lattice with two nonequivalent atoms. The possibility of application of the results for explaining the fractional Hall effect is considered.     

Vibration analysis of planar serial-frame structures

A hybrid analytical/numerical method is proposed that permits the efficient dynamic analysis of planar serial-frame structures. The method utilizes a numerical implementation of a transfer matrix solution to the equation of motion. By analyzing the transverse and longitudinal motions of each segment simultaneously and considering the compatibility requirements across each frame angle, the undetermined variables of the entire frame structure system can be reduced to six which can be determined by application of the boundary conditions. The main feature of this method is to decrease the dimensions of the matrix involved in the finite element methods and certain other analytical methods.     

Longwave Marangoni convection in an inhomogeneously heated liquid

The supercritical Marangoni convection has been studied in a plane-parallel liquid layer, bounded by a free deformable gas-liquid interface from above and by a low-heat-conductivity wall from below, occurring under conditions of inhomogeneous heating in the horizontal plane. In a longwave approximation with a small inhomogeneity of heat flux, the process is described by a system of two-dimensional nonlinear equations for the temperature perturbations, vorticity, and free surface deformation. The concept of quasiequilibrium, implying stability of long-range flows, is introduced, which allows the inhomogeneous heat flux to be modeled by a step function. The linear stability is analyzed in the cases of planar and axisymmetric heat fluxes. The boundaries of stability of the convection regimes are determined on the plane of parameters characterizing the degree of supercriticity inside a heated spot and the depth of damping outside the spot. For an axisymmetric spot, the domains of stability with respect to perturbations for various azimuthal numbers are established.     

Ultrafast carrier dynamics in ferromagnetic InGaMnAs

We have carried out an ultrafast time-resolved differential reflectivity study of a ferromagnetic semiconductor InGaMnAs and made a systematic comparison with low-temperature grown and high-temperature grown InGaAs reference films. Very short carrier lifetimes (2 ps) were observed in InGaMnAs and the low-temperature grown InGaAs film, but not in the high-temperature grown InGaAs film. We attribute the short lifetimes to carrier trapping by mid-gap states introduced during low-temperature MBE growth. Furthermore, at long times, we observed periodic oscillations in the differential reflectivity signal with period 20 ps, which we interpret as coherent acoustic phonons.     

Temperature dependences of the low-frequency internal friction and shear modulus in a bulk amorphous alloy

The logarithmic decrement and shear modulus of a bulk amorphous Zr_52.5Ti₅Cu_17.9Ni_14.6Al₁₀ alloy were studied with an inverse torsion pendulum in the range from room temperature to the crystallization temperature and in the frequency range 5–40 Hz. The activation energy spectra of reversible and irreversible structural relaxation were estimated. The results obtained are discussed in the context of a two-energy-level model.     

Microstructure and high-temperature wear resistance of a laser surface alloyed γ-TiAl with carbon

TiC reinforced composite coating on γ-TiAl alloy was successfully fabricated by laser surface alloying with carbon. The fine TiC reinforcing phase had a gradient distribution in the coating, and its growth morphology of TiC in laser surface alloyed coating was in unique faceted platelet-like. The composite coating exhibited high hardness and excellent high-temperature sliding wear resistance.     

Core-shell structure in fullerene-containing molecular complexes

A shell model that describes the formation of molecular complexes around a C₆₀ molecule upon the solid-phase interaction of the powders is considered. From the absorption spectra, it follows that a reacting particle is a fullerene dimer.     

Generation of angular momentum of fission fragments in a cluster model

Based on the dinuclear system concept, the role of bending vibrations in creation of the angular momentum of primary fission fragments is investigated. For ²⁵²Cf spontaneous fission, the angular momenta of the fragments are calculated as a function of the neutron multiplicity and compared with available experimental data. Different cluster compositions of the ²⁵²Cf fission modes at the scission point are considered.