Effect of the electric field on “incommensurate-commensurate” magnetic phase transitions in BiFeO3-type multiferroics

The specific features of the “incommensurate-commensurate” phase transitions induced by a magnetic field in multiferroics (materials with coexisting magnetic and electric ordering) are considered. These materials are ferroelectromagnets, for example, bismuth ferrite BiFeO₃ and BiFeO₃-based compounds, which have spatially modulated spin structures. It is shown that the interaction between the electric and magnetic subsystems of the multiferroic material can lead to an electric-field-induced shift of the critical magnetic field corresponding to the transition from a spatially modulated state to a homogeneous antiferromagnetic state. According to the theoretical estimates obtained for material parameters characteristic of the bismuth ferrite, this shift is of the order of 0.5 T in an electric field of 50 kV/cm. The phase diagrams are constructed in the “electric field-magnetic field” coordinates. The results of calculations performed in the harmonic incommensurate structure approximation are compared with the exact soliton solution.     

Thermal decomposition of a generation 4.5 PAMAM dendrimer platinum drug conjugate

A nanoscale multivalent platinum drug based on a poly(amidoamine) [PAMAM] dendrimer (generation 4.5, carboxylate surface) has been synthesized and fully characterized using a variety of spectroscopic, chromatographic and thermal methods. Treatment of the dendrimer with an aqueous solution containing an excess diaquo(cis-1,2-diaminocyclohexane)platinum(II) produces a conjugate containing approximately forty (diaminocyclohexane)platinum(II) moieties at the surface of the dendrimer. This material undergoes smooth two-stage thermal decomposition to provide residual platinum oxide reflecting the platinum loading in the drug.     

Sorption capacity of acetylacetonated humin-like compounds with respect to cations of heavy metals

A method of synthesis of acetylacetonated humin-like compounds was developed. The effect of modification on the sorption capacity of humin-like compounds with respect to heavy metals was studied.     

High-frequency characteristics of CoFeVAlONb thin films

High-frequency characteristics of CoFeVAlONb thin films were studied. A thin film of Co_43.47Fe_35.30V_1.54Al_5.55O_9.93Nb_4.21 is observed to exhibit excellent magnetic properties; magnetic coercivity of 1.24 Oe, uniaxial in-plane anisotropy field of 66.99 Oe, and saturation magnetization of 19.8 kG. The effective permeability of the film is as high as 1089 and is stable up to 1.8 GHz, and with ferromagnetic resonance over 3 GHz. This film also has very high electrical resistivity of about 628 μΩ cm. These superior properties make it ideal for high-frequency magnetic applications.     

Calorimetric studies of the growth of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans in the presence of nitrocellulose

Calorimetric results indicate that nitrocellulose (NC)-induced changes in the metabolism of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans 1388 are caused by both chemical (nitrate) and physical (biofilm formation) factors. Nitrate added to lactate-based culture medium with nitrocellulose competed for the electron flux from lactate and suppressed the bacterial sulfidogenesis and growth. The presence of an insoluble compound (carbon backbone of the polymer) induced the creation of a biofilm-like structure with its own metabolism.     

Effects of trapped electrons on the line shape in emission Mössbauer spectra

To explain line broadening in emission Mössbauer spectra as compared to the corresponding absorber measurements, the model of trapped electrons has been proposed. Auger electrons (emitted, e.g. after electron capture by ⁵⁷Co or after the converted isomeric transition of ^119mSn), as well as secondary electrons, may be trapped in the proximity to the nucleogenic ion. Electrons captured by lattice traps at different distances from the daughter ion induce an asymmetric distribution of quadrupole splitting in the resulting emission spectra, as shown in a few examples. This model is supported by estimates of quadrupole splitting values which may be caused by such trapped electrons located at specified distances from the nucleogenic atom.     

Chaotic-to-ordered state transition of cathode-sheath instabilities in DC glow discharge plasmas

Transition from chaotic to ordered state has been observed during the initial stage of a discharge in a cylindrical DC glow discharge plasma. Initially it shows a chaotic behavior but increasing the discharge voltage changes the characteristics of the discharge glow and shows a period subtraction of order 7 period → 5 period → 3 period → 1 period, i.e. the system goes to single mode through odd cycle subtraction. On further increasing the discharge voltage, the system goes through period doubling, like 1 period → 2 period → 4 period. On further increasing the voltage, the system goes to stable state through two period subtraction, like 4 period → 2 period → stable.     

Working group report: Collider Physics

This is summary of the activities of the working group on collider physics in the IXth Workshop on High Energy Physics Phenomenology (WHEPP-9) held at the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar, India in January 2006. Some of the work subsequently done on these problems by the subgroups formed during the workshop is included in this report.