Revealing the insulating gap in α'-NaV (2)O(5) with resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

We measured the low energy excitation spectrum of α'-NaV (2)O(5) across its charge ordering and crystallographic phase transition with resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the V L(3) edge. Exploiting the polarization dependence of the RIXS signal and the high resolution of the data, we reveal the excitation across the insulating gap at 1?eV and identify the excitations from occupied 3d(xy) bonding orbitals to unoccupied bonding 3d(xy) and 3d(yz)/3d(xz) orbitals. Furthermore we observe a progressive change of the electronic structure of α'-NaV (2)O(5) induced by soft x-ray irradiation, with the appearance of features characteristic of sodium deficient Na(x)V (2)O(5) (x?相似文献   

Physico-chemical study of fouling mechanisms of ultrafiltration membrane on Biwa lake (Japan)

Many studies have been undertaken to understand the fouling of the ultrafiltration membranes in drinking water treatment. Physico-chemical fouling of membranes depends on characteristics of the raw water and membrane surface properties. In the case of Biwa lake, some chemical parameters as Si and Fe concentrations change with temperature (season) causing irreversible fouling. While some exits on the influence of the particle mineralogy on the fouling, little work has been developed to elucidate the relation between the physicochemical complexity of the cake and the fouling. Generally clays or oxides are known to lead to a reversible fouling. In this work, the interactions between a UF organic membrane with minerals leading to a hardly reversible fouling are studied. In the case of the Biwa lake water, fouling of ultrafiltration membranes results from the formation of a Si-rich ferric gel directly deposited on the membrane surface and a secondary allophanic gel layer at a bigger distance. The deposit nature and the membrane/cake interactions were studied using infra-red, X-ray diffraction, Al and Si NMR and EXAFS technics. The effect of mineral particles, especially ferric oxides associated with silica, has been demonstrated. The formation of Fe---Si gel directly on the membrane surface is mainly responsible for the fouling. The change of these particles is less negative than the membrane surface. The structure of such a material is complex. The low permeability of the gel is at the prime origin of the fouling.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and characterization of the first Nb(3) triangular cluster compound bonded to fluorine ligands: association of Nb(3)I(i)F(i)(3)F(a)(8)L(a) units and Nb(IV)L(6) Octahedra with L=O and F

The synthesis and the crystal structure of the first compound containing Nb(3) triangular clusters bonded to fluorine ligands are presented in this work. The structure of Nb(3)IF(7)L(NbL(2))(0.25) with L = O and F, determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, is based on a Nb(3)I(i)F(i)(3)F(a)(8)L(a) unit and a NbL(6) octahedron (tetragonal, space group I4/m, a = 13.8638(3) A, c = 8.9183(2) A, V = 1714.14(7) A(3), Z = 8). Two crystallographic positions (noted L5 and L6) are randomly occupied by fluorine and oxygen with two different F:O occupancies. These L ligands build an octahedral site for a single niobium atom, located between the units. The four L5 ligands of the NbL(6) octahedron are shared with four Nb(3) cluster units, while the two other L6 ligands are terminal. The Nb(3) cluster is face-capped by one iodine and edge-bridged by three fluorine ligands. Two of the three niobium atoms constituting the cluster are bonded to three additional apical fluorine ligands, while the third one is bonded to two fluorines and one L5 ligand. The Nb(3) cluster is linked to six adjacent ones via all the apical fluorine ligands. The developed formula of the unit is therefore Nb(3)I(i)F(i)(3)F(a)(-)(a)(8/2)L(a) according to the Sch?fer and Schnering notation. The oxidation state of the single niobium and the random distribution of fluorine and oxygen on the two L sites will be discussed on the basis of structural analysis, the bond valence method, and IR and EPR measurements. The structural results will be compared to those of previously reported niobium compounds containing NbF(6) or Nb(F,O)(6) octahedra.     

Multinuclear high-resolution NMR study of compounds from the ternary system NaF-CaF2-AlF3: from determination to modeling of NMR parameters

27Al and 23Na NMR satellite transition spectroscopy and 3Q magic-angle-spinning spectra are recorded for three compounds from the ternary NaF-CaF2-AlF3 system. The quadrupolar frequency nuQ, asymmetry parameter etaQ, and isotropic chemical shift deltaiso are extracted from the spectrum reconstructions for five aluminum and four sodium sites. The quadrupolar parameters are calculated using the LAPW-based ab initio code WIEN2k. It is necessary to perform a structure optimization of all compounds to ensure a fine agreement between experimental and calculated parameters. By a comparison of experimental and calculated values, an attribution of all of the 27Al and 23Na NMR lines to the crystallographic sites is achieved. High-speed 19F NMR MAS spectra are recorded and reconstructed for the same compounds, leading to the determination of 18 isotropic chemical shifts. The superposition model developed by Bureau et al. is used, allowing a bijective assignment of the 19F NMR lines to the crystallographic sites.     

Surface plasmon dynamics of simple metal clusters excited with femtosecond optical pulses

We report a new mechanism on the dynamics of correlated electrons in simple metal clusters which manifests by a strong electron temperature dependence of the surface plasmon resonance spectral profile. This effect is revealed thanks to a theoretical approach based on the time-dependent local-density approximation at finite electronic temperature, and it should be experimentally observable using pump-probe femtosecond spectroscopy techniques.     

Spatially localized self-injection of electrons in a self-modulated laser-wakefield accelerator by using a laser-induced transient density ramp

By using a laser-induced transient density ramp, we demonstrate self-injection of electrons in a self-modulated laser-wakefield accelerator with spatial localization. The number of injected electrons reaches 1.7 x 10(8). The transient density ramp is produced by a prepulse propagating transversely to drill a density depression channel via ionization and expansion. The same mechanism of injection with comparable efficiency is also demonstrated with a transverse plasma waveguide driven by Coulomb explosion.     

Real-time decision problems: an operational research perspective

This paper is concerned with a class of dynamic and stochastic problems known as real-time decision problems. The objective is to provide responses of a required quality in a continuously evolving environment, within a prescribed time frame, using limited resources and information that is often incomplete or uncertain. Furthermore, the outcome of any particular decision may also be uncertain. This paper provides an overview of this class of problems, reviews the relevant Artificial Intelligence literature, proposes a dynamic programming framework, and assesses the potential usefulness of Operational Research approaches for their solution. Throughout the paper, a vehicle dispatching application illustrates the relevant concepts.     

Tabu search with ejection chains for the vehicle routing problem with private fleet and common carrier

The problem reported in this paper is a variant of the classical vehicle routing problem, where customer requests for a transportation company can be served either by its private fleet of vehicles or assigned to an external common carrier. The latter case occurs if the demand exceeds the total capacity of the private fleet or if it is more economical to do so. Accordingly, the objective is to minimize the variable and fixed costs of the private fleet plus the costs charged by the common carrier. A tabu search heuristic with a neighbourhood structure based on ejection chains is proposed to solve this problem. It is empirically demonstrated that this algorithm outperforms the best approaches reported in the literature on a set of benchmark instances with both homogeneous and heterogeneous fleets.     

An alternative tuning approach to enhance NMR signals

By using spin-noise type measurement we show that the resonance frequency of the reception circuit of classical NMR spectrometers does not match the Larmor frequency even if, in emission, the electronic circuit is perfectly tuned at the Larmor frequency and matches the amplifier impedance. We also show that this spin-noise method can be used to ensure a match between the Larmor frequency and the reception circuit resonance frequency. In these conditions, (i) the radiation damping field is in perfect quadrature to the magnetization and (ii) the NMR signal level and potentially the signal-to-noise ratio, are enhanced. This choice induces a change of the probe resonance frequency by several hundreds of kHz for 500 or 700 MHz spectrometer. We show that the resulting mismatch condition for emission can be removed by adding other tuning and matching degrees of freedom located on the excitation line (or by symmetry on the reception line) decoupled to the probe resonance circuit by the crossed diodes.