Energy conditions in modified <Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis>) gravity

In this paper, we have considered flat Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker metric in the framework of perfect fluid models and modified f(G) gravity (where G is the Gauss Bonnet invariant). Particularly, we have considered particular realistic f(G) configurations that could be used to cure finite-time future singularities arising in the late-time cosmic accelerating epochs. We have then developed the viability bounds of these models induced by weak and null energy conditions, by using the recent estimated numerical figures of the deceleration, Hubble, snap and jerk parameters.     

Application of 3-D Fluorescence: Characterization of Natural Organic Matter in Natural Water and Water Purification Systems

Natural organic matter (NOM) found in water sources is broadly defined as a mixture of polyfunctional organic molecules, characterized by its complex structure and paramount influence on water quality. Because the inevitable release of pollutants into aquatic environments due to an ineffective control of industrial and agricultural pollution, the evaluation of the interaction of NOM with heavy metals, nanoparticles, organic pollutants and other pollutants in the aquatic environment, has greatly increased. Three-dimensional (3-D) fluorescence has the potential to reveal the interaction mechanisms between NOM and pollutants as well as the source of NOM pollution. In water purification engineering system, the 3-D fluorescence can indicate the variations of NOM composition and gives an effective prediction of water quality as well as the underline water purification mechanisms. Inadequately treated NOM is a cause of precursors of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), posing a potential threat to human health. Effective control and measurement/evaluation of NOM have long been an important factors in the prevention of water pollution. Overall, 3-D fluorescence allows for a rapid identification of organic components thus indicating possible sources of water pollution, mechanisms of pollutant interactions, and possible DBPs formed during conventional treatment of this water. This article reviews the 3-D fluorescence characteristics of NOM in natural water and typical water purification systems. The 3-D fluorescence was effective for indicating the variabilities in NOM composition and chemistry thus providing a better understanding of NOM in natural water system and water engineering system.     

Where is SUSY?

The searches for supersymmetry at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have so far yielded only null results and have considerably tightened the bounds on the sparticle masses. This has generated some skepticism in the literature regarding the ‘naturalness of SUSY’ which qualitatively requires some sparticles to be relatively light. Re-examining some of the bounds from LHC searches, it is argued with specific examples that the above skepticism is a red herring because (i) a quantitative and universally accepted definition of ‘naturalness’ is not available and (ii) even if some conventional definitions of naturalness is accepted at their face values, the alleged tension with the apparently stringent LHC bounds wither away once the strong assumptions, by no means compelling, underlying such bounds are relaxed.     

First-principle calculations of structural,electronic, optical,elastic and thermal properties of $$\hbox {MgXAs}_{2}$$ ($$\hbox {X}=\hbox {Si}, \hbox {Ge}$$X=Si,Ge) compounds

First-principle calculations on the structural, electronic, optical, elastic and thermal properties of the chalcopyrite \(\hbox {MgXAs}_{2}\) (\(\hbox {X}=\hbox {Si}, \hbox {Ge}\)) have been performed within the density functional theory (DFT) using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method. The obtained equilibrium structural parameters are in good agreement with the available experimental data and theoretical results. The calculated band structures reveal a direct energy band gap for the interested compounds. The predicted band gaps using the modified Becke–Johnson (mBJ) exchange approximation are in fairly good agreement with the experimental data. The optical constants such as the dielectric function, refractive index, and the extinction coefficient are calculated and analysed. The independent elastic parameters namely, \(C_{11}\), \(C_{12}\), \(C_{13}\), \(C_{33}\), \(C_{44}\) and \(C_{66 }\) are evaluated. The effects of temperature and pressure on some macroscopic properties of \(\hbox {MgSiAs}_{2}\) and \(\hbox {MgGeAs}_{2}\) are predicted using the quasiharmonic Debye model in which the lattice vibrations are taken into account.     

Orientation dependence of the electrocaloric effect of ferroelectric bilayer thin films

An analytical thermodynamic theory is applied to investigate the electrocaloric effect of ferroelectric BaTiO₃/SrTiO₃ bilayer thin films with different orientations at room temperature. Theoretical analysis indicates that the strong electrostatic coupling between the layers results in the suppression of ferroelectricity at a critical relative thickness which occurs approximately at 50%, 23%, and 12% of SrTiO₃ fraction in the (001), (110), and (111) bilayer thin films, respectively. The ferroelectric bilayer thin films are respected to have the largest electrocaloric effect at this critical relative thickness. Moreover, the electrocaloric effect strongly depends on the orientation and the (110) oriented bilayer thin films have the largest electrocaloric effect. Consequently, control of the orientation and the relative thickness of SrTiO₃ layer can be used to adjust the electrocaloric effect of ferroelectric bilayer thin films, which may provide the potential for practical application in refrigeration devices.     

Structural characterization of β-V2O5 films prepared by DC reactive magnetron sputtering

β-V₂O₅ films were successfully prepared on silicon substrates by direct current (DC) reactive magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra and field emission scan electron spectroscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the samples. Results revealed that the deposition temperature significantly influenced on the crystal structure of V₂O₅ films in the growth process. When the deposition temperature was below 500 °C, the sputtered film exhibited the α-V₂O₅ structure. However, β-V₂O₅ film was successfully obtained at 550 °C. High deposition temperature might provide V and O ions high mobility and energy in the reactive sputtering process, which induced the metastable β-V₂O₅ phase formed. The thermal stability of β-V₂O₅ film was studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy. The structure of sputtered β-V₂O₅ film was unstable under high temperature conditions (beyond 500 °C).     

Ideal Mixture Approximation of Cluster Size Distributions at Low Density

We consider an interacting particle system in continuous configuration space. The pair interaction has an attractive part. We show that, at low density, the system behaves approximately like an ideal mixture of clusters (droplets): we prove rigorous bounds (a) for the constrained free energy associated with a given cluster size distribution, considered as an order parameter, (b) for the free energy, obtained by minimising over the order parameter, and (c) for the minimising cluster size distributions. It is known that, under suitable assumptions, the ideal mixture has a transition from a gas phase to a condensed phase as the density is varied; our bounds hold both in the gas phase and in the coexistence region of the ideal mixture. The present paper improves our earlier results by taking into account the mixing entropy.