Stark structure of the Yb3+ ion levels in (YbxY1?x)2Ti2O7 and the crystal field in rare-earth titanates with a pyrochlore structure

The absorption spectra of Yb₂Ti₂O₇ single crystals and the luminescence and luminescence excitation spectra of Y₂Ti₂O₇: Yb (1%) polycrystals were studied in the temperature range 4.2–300 K. The spectra were analyzed in terms of the crystal-field theory and the exchange-charge model. Based on the set of crystal-field parameters found for Yb₂Ti₂O₇, analogous sets of parameters were determined for other rare-earth titanates and proved to be in reasonable agreement with all available experimental data. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 47, No. 8, 2005, pp. 1376–1380. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2005 by Klimin, Popova, Chukalina, Malkin, Zakirov, Antic-Fidancev, Goldner, Aschehoug, Dhalenne.     

Complex morphology of melt-spun nylon-6 fibres investigated by 1H double-quantum-filtered NMR spin-diffusion experiments.

The complex morphology of high-speed melt-spun nylon-6 fibres hydrated with D2O was investigated using 1H double-quantum-filtered spin-diffusion NMR experiments. The magnetisation exchange from selected crystalline domains along the fibrils and interfibrils was simulated with the help of a three-dimensional solution of a spin-diffusion equation approximated by a product of one-dimensional analytical NMR signals, which correspond to a lamellar morphology. This allows to measure the sizes of crystalline and less-mobile amorphous domains along the fibrils, as well as the diameter of the fibrils and interfibril distances. A series of nylon-6 fibres with extreme values of winding speed and draw ratio was investigated. The changes detected in the domain size along the fibrils and interfibrils show the same trend in the data obtained from wide-angle X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering.     

Increase of refractive index induced by absorbing centres

An analytical expression of the complex permittivity is derived for absorbing centres featuring inhomogeneous absorption-line broadening. Such an expression gives the dispersion law of the real part of the permittivity when the imaginary part has a Gaussian lineshape. Our mathematical approach starts from an overlap integral of Lorentzian-type dielectric susceptibilities weighted by a Gaussian probability distribution of the resonance absorption energies. The analytical solution found is consistent with the Kramers–Kronig relation. We demonstrate that, like in the case of homogeneous absorption-line broadening, the refractive index increases at photon energies lower than the resonance absorption energy also for inhomogeneous absorption-line broadening; if the absorbing centres emit Stokes-shifted radiation, such an increase can be exploited for passive and active waveguiding applications. An example is reported regarding active waveguides based on colour centres in a lithium fluoride crystal.     

FexNi100−x nanometric films deposited by laser ablation on SiO2/Si substrates

Fe_xNi_100−x nanometric films were deposited on SiO₂/Si substrates at room temperature using the pulsed laser deposition technique. The targets were Fe-Ni amorphous magnetic foils with composition Fe₅₀Ni₅₀, Fe₃₅Ni₆₅ and Fe₂₂Ni₇₈. Morphological and structural properties of the deposited films were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, and X-ray reflectivity. Electrical and magnetic characteristics of the films were investigated by using the four-point probe and the magneto-optic Kerr effect techniques, respectively. The film properties are strictly dependent on the Fe-Ni compositional ratio.     

Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy of hydrogen complex deactivation on InP:Zn(1 0 0) surfaces

Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy is used to study the kinetics of the H-Zn complex deactivation in Zn doped InP(1 0 0). Hydrogen injected into the material electronically passivates the local carrier concentration. Reverse-biased anneals of the InP under ultra-high vacuum show a dramatic change in the work function of the material with increasing temperature. Spectral features are also shown to be sensitive to sample temperature. To our knowledge, we show the first view of hydrogen retrapping at the surface using photoemission spectroscopy. A simple photoelectron threshold energy analysis shows the state of charge compensation of the material.     

Growth and characterisation of Eu doped GaN thin films

We have studied the optical properties of Eu doped GaN thin films. We have grown high quality Eu doped GaN thin films by using Gas Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy (GSMBE), with 1.4% Eu concentration. The Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) of the X-ray diffraction in an omega scan was found to be 288 arcsecs. Low Eu concentration (0.08%) doped GaN thin films were grown, where Eu-related photoluminescence at 622 and 613 nm was detected using above band-gap excitation at 2 K. For high Eu concentration of 30% GaN:Eu crystal photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra show strong and intense transitions at 622 and 664 nm, but also at 593 nm for CL spectra, with a similar transition observed from the low Eu concentration sample.     

New ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystalline materials containing differing numbers of lactate units

A new series of chiral liquid crystalline materials having the same rigid core containing a keto group, and various numbers of ( S )-lactate groups in the chiral segment, has been synthesized and studied. All the compounds contain a branched terminal alkyl chain derived from ( S )-2-methylbutanol. The influence of the number of lactate units on mesogenic behaviour has been studied. All the compounds show the paraelectric SmA phase and the ferroelectric SmC * phase over rather wide temperature ranges. The antiferroelectric SmC * A phase was observed for the compound possessing two lactate groups.     

Evidence of shear-dependent boundary slip in newtonian liquids

The European Physical Journal E - The flow of Newtonian fluids was studied by directly measuring the hydrodynamic drainage force acting on a sphere approaching a flat surface. Our force...     

Axial anomaly and index of the overlap hypercube operator

The overlap hypercube fermion is constructed by inserting a lattice fermion with hypercubic couplings into the overlap formula. One obtains an exact Ginsparg-Wilson fermion, which is more complicated than the standard overlap fermion, but which has improved practical properties and is of current interest for use in numerical simulations. Here we deal with conceptual aspects of the overlap hypercube Dirac operator. Specifically, we evaluate the axial anomaly and the index, demonstrating that the correct classical continuum limit is recovered. Our derivation is non-perturbative and therefore valid in all topological sectors. At the non-perturbative level this result had previously only been shown for the standard overlap Dirac operator with Wilson kernel. The new techniques which we develop to accomplish this also for hypercubic kernels are of a general nature and have the potential to be extended to overlap Dirac operators with even more general kernels.Received: 27 October 2003, Published online: 25 February 2004     

High pressure elastic and plastic deformations of silica: In situ diamond anvil cell Raman experiments

Normal silica glass is usually referred to as low density amorphous silica as it can be converted to high density amorphous silica by a hydrostatic pressure (polyamorphic transition). In this work in situ Raman experiments are performed in a diamond anvil cell up to 18 GPa. The pressure effects on the structure of silica after successive compression decompression experiments are analyzed. The mode Grüneisen parameters corresponding to the elastic compression of high density amorphous silica are obtained and compared with those of normal silica. A reorganization of the high density amorphous silica below 3 GPa is evidenced.