Role of orientation in kinetics of nucleation and growth of crystals in polymers

A theoretical framework is provided for generalizing the inferences drawn from the results of earlier experimental studies of kinetics of crystallization in oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate). The framework is obtained by combining extensions of classical nucleation theories in polymers^3,4 and a theory of crystal growth with anisotropic incorporation of segments into growing crystals.¹⁵ It is shown that, while a very strong dependence of rate of primary nucleation on orientation does exist, there is a only a much weaker dependence of rate of crystal growth on the orientation of the crystallizing polymer. The theoretical formulation provided here would allow qualitative estimates for comparison with experiments.     

Active interferometer as an antenna for gravitational waves

It is demonstrated that a gain medium in the cavity of the Michelson interferometer that serves as a detector of gravitational waves allows a sharp decrease in the output power of the external laser source.     

High Curie temperature in B-site ordered Sr2CrWO6 epitaxial thin films

Epitaxial and c-axis oriented double perovskite Sr₂CrWO₆ thin films were prepared on SrTiO₃ (100) and LaAlO₃ (100) substrates by pulsed-laser deposition. Structural, magnetic and transport properties were found to be sensitive to the gas conditions employed during the deposition. A small amount of oxygen along with Ar during the deposition was found to be essential for B-site ordering; such films displayed lattice parameters close to the bulk value and display ferromagnetic metallic behavior. The Curie temperature observed above 500 K in these films is higher than bulk Sr₂CrWO₆ samples. Films grown without oxygen were observed to have long c-parameter and no B-site ordering; they were non-magnetic and semiconducting.     

A SAXS study of the nanostructural characteristics of TEOS-derived sonogels upon heat treatment up to 1100 °C

Xerogels obtained from the acid-catalyzed and ultrasound stimulated hydrolysis of TEOS were submitted to heat treatment at temperatures ranging from 60 to 1100 °C and studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The SAXS intensity as a function of the modulus of the scattering vector q was obtained in the range from q₀=0.19 to q_m=4.4 nm⁻¹. At 60 °C the xerogels exhibit an apparent surface fractal structure with a fractal dimension D_S∼2.5 in a length scale ranging from 1/q₁∼1 to 1/q_m∼0.22 nm. This structure becomes extremely rough at 120 °C (D_S∼3) and at 150 °C, it apparently converts to a mass fractal with a fractal dimension D∼2.4. This may mean an emptying of the pores with preservation of a share of the original mass fractal structure of the wet aged gel, for it had presented a mass fractal dimension D∼2.2. A well characterized porous structure formed by 2.0 nm mean size pores with smooth surface of about 380 m²/g is formed at 300 °C and remains stable until approximately 800 °C. At 900 °C the SAXS intensity vanishes indicating the disappearance of the pores in the probed length scale. The elimination of the nanopores occurs by a mechanism in which the number of pores diminishes keeping constant their mean size. The xerogels exhibit a foaming phenomenon above 900 °C and scatter following Porod's law as does a surface formed by a coarse structure.     

Effect of the Arsenic Concentration on the Characteristics of the Growth Step Echelon in GaAs Epitaxy

The effect of the arsenic concentration in the vapor phase on the growth step distribution over the surface of GaAs epitaxial layers grown in a chlorine-hydride vapor-transport system on substrates with 4° (111)A and (113)A orientations is studied. It is demonstrated that the average distance between steps in the echelon depends on the arsenic concentration and increases with it up to a certain constant value. It is assumed that this is connected with the change in the kink density at the steps.     

Nonlinear vibrations of a charged drop due to the initial excitation of neighboring modes

The asymptotic analysis of the nonlinear vibrations of a charged drop that are induced by a multi-mode initial deformation of its equilibrium shape is performed. It is shown that when two, three, or several neighboring modes are present in the initial deformation spectrum, the mode with the number one (translational mode) appears in the second-order mode spectrum. The excitation of the translational mode follows from the requirement of center-of-mass immobility and causes the dipole components (which are absent in the linear analysis) to appear in the spectra of the acoustic and electromagnetic radiation of the charged drop.