First excitations of the spin 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the kagomé lattice

We study the exact low energy spectra of the spin 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on small samples of the kagomé lattice of up to N=36 sites. In agreement with the conclusions of previous authors, we find that these low energy spectra contradict the hypothesis of Néel type long range order. Certainly, the ground state of this system is a spin liquid, but its properties are rather unusual. The magnetic () excitations are separated from the ground state by a gap. However, this gap is filled with nonmagnetic () excitations. In the thermodynamic limit the spectrum of these nonmagnetic excitations will presumably develop into a gapless continuum adjacent to the ground state. Surprisingly, the eigenstates of samples with an odd number of sites, i.e. samples with an unsaturated spin, exhibit symmetries which could support long range chiral order. We do not know if these states will be true thermodynamic states or only metastable ones. In any case, the low energy properties of the spin 1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the kagomé lattice clearly distinguish this system from either a short range RVB spin liquid or a standard chiral spin liquid. Presumably they are facets of a generically new state of frustrated two-dimensional quantum antiferromagnets. Received: 27 November 1997 / Accepted: 29 January 1998     

Experimental investigation and numerical simulation of the influence of resonator-length detuning on the output power,pulse duration and spectral width of a cw mode-locked picosecond optical parametric oscillator

We report on a cw mode-locked non-critically phase matched KTP optical parametric oscillator synchronously pumped by a picosecond Ti:Sapphire laser. High average signal output power of up to 950 mW over a large tuning range has been achieved. For this OPO the influence of resonator-length detuning on the output power, pulse duration and spectral bandwidth has been investigated. The measured data are in good agreement with the results of a numerical simulation using a split-step Fourier method which considers the group-velocity mismatch, the group-velocity dispersion and the self-phase modulation. The numerical simulation also describes the measured strong pump depletion and its influence on the OPO output and efficiency.     

Alloying by high dose ion implantation of iron into magnesium and aluminium

Alloys of the systems Fe–Al (mixable over the whole concentration range) and Fe–Mg (insoluble with each other) were produced by implantation of Fe ions into Al and Mg, respectively. The implantation energy was 200 keV and the ion doses ranged from 1 × 10₁₄ to 9 × 10₁₇cm^-2The obtained implantation profiles were determined by Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiling. Maximum iron concentrations reached were up to 60 at.% for implantation into Al and 94 at.% for implantation into Mg. Phase analysis of the implanted layers was performed by conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction. For implantation into Mg, two different kinds of Mössbauer spectra were obtained: at low doses paramagnetic doublets indicating at least two different iron sites and at high doses a dominant ferromagnetic six‐line‐pattern with a small paramagnetic fraction. The X‐ray diffraction pattern concluded that in the latter case a dilated αiron lattice is formed. For implantation into Al, the Mössbauer spectra were doublet structures very similar to those obtained at amorphous Fe–Al alloys produced by rapid quenching methods. They also indicated at least two different main iron environments. For the highest implanted sample a ferromagnetic six‐line‐pattern with magnetic field values close to those of Fe₃Al appeared.     

Formation of a two-dimensional periodic structure of local melting regions on a silicon surface upon pulsed light irradiation

The first results regarding the formation of a two-dimensional periodic structure of local melting regions on a silicon surface upon pulsed light irradiation are presented. The conditions are established, and the mechanism of the formation of such structures is discussed. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 97–99 (December 1997)     

High quantum efficiency of intersubband transitions in coherent tunneling of electrons through asymmetric double-barrier structures

A converging perturbation series that can be summed analytically has been obtained for intersubband transitions of electrons coherently tunneling through the middle of a dimensionally quantized level in an asymmetric double-barrier structure in a high-frequency terahertz electric field. The possibility of a substantial increase in tunneling current accompanied by either absorption or emission of a photon has been demonstrated. The quantum efficiency of radiative transitions between dimensionally quantized levels can be up to 66%. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 237–245 (July 1997)     

Investigation of the conditions for feeding filamentary silicon crystals,growing in a reactor with hot walls

An estimate of the factors which influence the rate of growth of filamentary silicon crystals in a standard chloride system using a quartz reactor with hot walls is given. It is shown that a diffusion form of crystallization is observed under the conditions investigated.Voronezh State Technical University. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 10, pp. 22–26, October, 1995.     

Three-dimensional atom probe study of the segregation behaviour of Ni91Pt9 alloy after sputtering

To investigate local ordering and segregation phenomenon in a Ni91Pt9-alloy after sputtering and annealing a 3D optical atom probe (OAP) has been used. The specimen tips have been prepared from polycrystalline samples. To sputter the samples a separate preparation chamber with a scannable Ar-sputter-gun is connected to the OAP vessel. When necessary, the sample can be electrically heated to induce segregation and cure the altered layer. After a heat treatment of a Ni91 at. %Pt 9 at.% specimen at 1100 K the surface of a (111)-oriented specimen is enriched in platinum by a factor of two in relation to the bulk. The phenomenon of short-range ordering has been investigated on the surface and in the subsurface volume. A 3D reconstruction of this annealed NiPt specimen shows regions with high concentration of platinum that gives an indication at short-range ordering. Uniform sputtering of the tip without a heat treatment induces a decisive depletion of Pt on the surface and the following subatomic layers. The atom-probe results of specimens in thermal equilibrium are in close agreement to further surface sensitive results obtained from Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (ISS) and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES).