Influence of an isolated magnetic impurity on an unconventional superconducting state

The effect of the moment of a magnetic impurity on the order parameter of an unconventional superconductor is examined. The coupling of the magnetic moment to the order parameter induces a locally time-reversal symmetry-breaking state which generates a magnetic field distribution in the vicinity of the impurity. The magnetic field can cause precession of the magnetic moment. The case of a spin polarized muon injected into the superconductor is discussed. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 304–312 (July 1997) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Reproduced here with stylistic changes by the Translation Editor.     

Photoacoustic multicomponent gas analysis using a Levenberg–Marquardt fitting algorithm

2 laser photoacoustic spectrometer has been developed for the in-situ monitoring of atmospheric trace gases in different environments. Numerous air pollutants, such as ammonia, ethene, ozone and alcohols, can be monitored with a time resolution of a few minutes. A new fitting algorithm based on the numerical method of Levenberg–Marquardt is discussed and applied to the derivation of individual gas concentrations from measured photoacoustic signal amplitudes and phases at selected CO₂ laser wavelengths. The algorithm has been tested with artificially generated multicomponent gas mixtures exhibiting gas concentrations in the ppb to ppm range. Furthermore, its potential is demonstrated with the analysis of an air sample from a fruit storage chamber and with ambient air measurements during a field study in a rural environment. Received: 23 March 1998/Revised version: 18 June 1998     

Three‐Axis Anisotropic Exchange Coupling in the Single‐Molecule Magnets NEt4[MnIII2(5‐Brsalen)2(MeOH)2MIII(CN)6] (M=Ru,Os)

We have investigated the single‐molecule magnets [Mn^III₂(5‐Brsalen)₂(MeOH)₂M^III(CN)₆]NEt₄ (M=Os ( 1 ) and Ru ( 2 ); 5‐Brsalen=N,N′‐ethylenebis(5‐bromosalicylidene)iminate) by frequency‐domain Fourier‐transform terahertz electron paramagnetic resonance (THz‐EPR), inelastic neutron scattering, and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry. The combination of all three techniques allows for the unambiguous experimental determination of the three‐axis anisotropic magnetic exchange coupling between Mn^III and Ru^III or Os^III ions, respectively. Analysis by means of a spin‐Hamiltonian parameterization yields excellent agreement with all experimental data. Furthermore, analytical calculations show that the observed exchange anisotropy is due to the bent geometry encountered in both 1 and 2 , whereas a linear geometry would lead to an Ising‐type exchange coupling.     

The potential of mid-infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy for the detection of various doping agents used by athletes

The feasibility of laser-photoacoustic measurements for the detection and the analysis of different isolated doping agents in the vapour phase is discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that photoacoustic vapour-phase measurements of doping substances have been presented. Spectra of different doping classes (stimulants, anabolica, diuretica, and beta blockers) are shown and discussed in terms of their detection sensitivity and selectivity. The potential of laser spectroscopy for detecting the intake of prohibited substances by athletes is explored. PACS 07.57.Ty; 33.20.Ea; 82.80.Kq     

Phenomenological theory of the s-wave state in superconductors without an inversion center

In materials without an inversion center of symmetry the spin degeneracy of the conducting band is lifted by an antisymmetric spin orbit coupling (ASOC). Under such circumstances, spin and parity cannot be separately used to classify the Cooper pairing states. Consequently, the superconducting order parameter is generally a mixture of spin singlet and triplet pairing states. In this paper we investigate the structure of the order parameter and its response to disorder for the most symmetric pairing state (A₁). Using the example of the heavy Fermion superconductor CePt₃Si, we determine characteristic properties of the superconducting instability. Depending on the type of the pairing interaction, the gap function is characterized by the presence of line nodes. We show that this line nodes move in general upon temperature. Such nodes would be essential to explain recent low-temperature data of thermodynamic quantities such as the NMR-T₁ ^-1, London penetration depth, and heat conductance. Moreover, we study the effect of (non-magnetic) impurity on the superconducting state.     

A semi-analytical approach to the study of an elastic circular cylinder confined in a cylindrical fluid domain subjected to small-amplitude transient motions

This paper deals with the transient motions experienced by an elastic circular cylinder in a cylindrical fluid domain initially at rest and subjected to small-amplitude imposed displacements. Three fluid models are considered, namely potential, viscous and acoustic, to cover different fluid–structure interaction regimes. They are derived here from the general compressible Navier–Stokes equations by a formal perturbation method so as to underline their links and ranges of validity a priori. The resulting fluid models are linear owing to the small-amplitude-displacement hypothesis. For simplicity, the elastic flexure beam model is chosen for the circular cylinder dynamics. The semi-analytical approach used here is based on the methods of Laplace transform in time, in vacuo eigenvector expansion with time-dependent coefficients for the transverse beam displacement and separation of variables for the fluid. Moreover, the viscous case is handled with a matched asymptotic expansion performed at first order. The projection of the fluid forces on the in vacuo eigenvectors leads to a fully coupled system involving the modal time-dependent displacement coefficients. These coefficients are then obtained by matrix inversion in the Laplace domain and fast numerical inversion of the Laplace transform. The three models, written in the form of convolution products, are described through the analysis of their kernels, involving both the wave propagation phenomena in the fluid domain and the beam elasticity. Last, the three models are illustrated for a specific imposed motion mimicking shock loading. It is shown that their combination permits coverage of a broad range of motions.     

Near-infrared laser based cavity ringdown spectroscopy for applications in petrochemical industry

A simple, economic diode laser based cavity ringdown system for trace-gas applications in the petrochemical industry is presented. As acetylene (C₂H₂) is sometimes present as an interfering contaminant in the gas flow of ethylene (ethene, C₂H₄) in a polyethylene production process, an on-line monitoring of such traces is essential. We investigated C₂H₂–C₂H₄ mixtures in a gas-flow configuration in real time. The experimental setup consists of a near-infrared external cavity diode laser with an output power of a few mW, standard telecommunication fibers and a home-made gas cell providing a user-friendly cavity alignment. A noise-equivalent detection sensitivity of 4.5×10^-8 cm^-1 Hz^-1/2 was achieved, corresponding to a detection limit of 20 ppbV C₂H₂ in synthetic air at 100 mbar. In an actual C₂H₂–C₂H₄ gas-flow measurement the minimum detectable concentration of C₂H₂ added to the C₂H₄ gas stream (which may already contain an unknown C₂H₂ contamination) increased to 160 ppbV. Moreover, stepwise C₂H₂ concentration increments of 500 ppbV were resolved with a 1-min time resolution and an excellent linear relationship between the absorption coefficient and the concentration was found. PACS 07.07.Df; 42.62.Fi; 82.80.Gk     

High-resolution spectra of bromo methane and methyl bromide obtained by a continuously tunable 10-bar CO2 laser based photoacoustic spectrometer.

High resolution spectral data of 100 ppmV (10(-6) per volume) concentrations of the trace gases bromo methane (BM, CH3Br), and methyl bromide (DME, (CH3)2O), buffered in synthetic air (80% N2, 20% O2) at atmospheric pressure and room temperature are reported. The spectra are recorded with a continuously tunable 10-bar CO2 laser based photoacoustic (PA) spectrometer. The tuning range covers 76 cm(-1) between 9.2 microm (1087 cm(-1)) and 10.7 microm (935 cm(-1)) at a constant narrow line-width of 0.018 cm(-1) (540 MHz). The non-resonant PA measuring cell employs an in-line 10-microphone array. The estimated detection limits for BM and DME are approximately 2 ppmV for a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 3. This corresponds to a calculated detection limit of approximately 76 ppbV for ethylene.     

Excimer laser processing of embedded fibers

Novel aspects of the excimer laser etching of nanostructures in embedded optical fibers are discussed. Emphasis is put on the etching of a specified hole geometry and on excellent surface quality of the hole walls.On leave from: Institute of Quantum Electronics, ETH, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland