Electrodeposition of epitaxial nickel films on GaAs

The structural and magnetic properties of Ni films grown by electrodeposition from simple sulfate solutions directly onto the (0 0 1) and (0 1 1) surfaces of n-GaAs have been studied. In-plane X-ray diffraction has been used to show that Ni grows on (0 0 1) GaAs with two different preferred epitaxial relationships: (1) perpendicular to plane (0 0 1)_Ni(0 0 1)_GaAs and preferred orientation in-plane [1 0 0]_Ni[1 1 0]_GaAs and (2) perpendicular to plane (0 1 1)_Ni(0 0 1)_GaAs and preferred orientation in-plane [1 1 1]_Ni[1 1 0]_GaAs. Nickel films grown on (0 1 1) n-GaAs show only a single preferred growth relationship: perpendicular to plane (1 1 1)_Ni(0 1 1)_GaAs and in-plane [1 1 0]_Ni[1 1 0]_GaAs. The magnetic properties were strongly dependent on the substrate orientation. The films grown on GaAs (0 0 1) showed a small but definite four-fold magnetic anisotropy in plane with the highest remanence being found along the GaAs [1 0 0] direction. In contrast, the Ni films grown on the (0 1 1) GaAs showed a pronounced uniaxial anisotropy with an anisotropy field of approximately 500 Oe.     

Vortex penetration depth of κ-(ET)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br

The magnetic field dependence of the in-plane penetration depth λ_|(H) for single crystal κ-(ET)₂Cu[N(CN)₂]Br has been measured at 3, 9.6, and 36 MHz. Over a limited range, λ_| scales with a characteristic field H^*(T) that coincides with a shoulder in the λ_| vs. H curves. Above that field, λ_| increases sharply toward a second inflection point at H^**(T) that coincides with is close to the irreversibility line measured by magnetization. For fields larger than H^** the penetration depth diverges, suggesting that the vortex lattice has melted. The field dependence at one frequency agrees qualitatively with a model of pinned vortices at low fields giving way to flux flow at higher fields. However, the observed frequency dependence deviates significantly from the predictions of this model, suggesting that collective effects play a major role. Our technique also yields a new measurement for the interplane penetration depth λ 300 μm, implying an anisotropy λ/λ_| > 200.     

Four contact electrical measurements on the anisotropic high-Tc superconductors: voltage reversals

We describe three mechanisms for the anomalous voltage reversals which are occasionally observed during four contact current-voltage measurements on the high temperature superconductors. Voltage reversals have been frequently observed for whiskers of the bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide (BSSCO) compounds, and we describe measurements made on high quality whiskers of the 2:2:1:2 and 2:2:2:3 phases. A simple model based on extreme anisotropy plus offset contacts can explain the gross features of four contact measurements in the ohmic flux-flow regime, but not the wealth of reversal phenomena found for the IVVI configuration in the lower temperature irreversibility region.     

Viscoelastic properties of laminated bodies

In this paper we define a class of two-phase laminate composites for which the constituent elements are either linearly elastic or exhibit viscoelastic effects. We determine the viscoelastic behaviour of the equivalent homogeneous transversely isotropic medium by a single time-independent memory function.     

Effect of heat treatment on the magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of cobalt ferrite

The influence of different heat treatments on the magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of highly magnetostrictive CoFe₂O₄ has been investigated. The first order cubic anisotropy coefficient, coercive field, magnetostriction and high strain sensitivity were observed to decrease as the heat treatment temperature increased. The saturation magnetization of the samples on the other hand increased with increase in heat treatment temperature. These changes were not accompanied by any observable changes in crystal structure or composition and are indicative of migration of Co²⁺ from the octahedral sites (B-sites) to the tetrahedral sites (A-sites) and Fe³⁺ from the A-sites to the B-sites of the spinel structure. Different distributions of the cations at the two distinct lattice sites can strongly affect the magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of these materials.     

Critical properties of the paramagnetic-to-ferromagnetic transition in nanocrystalline Gd diluted with Fe

Nanocrystalline Gd_0.946Fe_0.054 of average grain size 68 nm was prepared by melt-spinning. The magnetic behavior in the vicinity of the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition was investigated via dc magnetization and ac susceptibility measurements. The transition temperature and effective critical exponents for the order parameter and zero-field susceptibility were determined using Arrott-Noakes and Kouvel-Fisher analyses. The values obtained were T_C=291.71±0.07 K, β_eff=0.385±0.009, and γ_eff=1.24±0.03, respectively. Correction to scaling analysis indicated that the asymptotic exponents were both smaller than the effective ones within the reduced-temperature range investigated, contrary to the behavior seen in monocrystalline Gd. This behavior can be explained in terms of a crossover from 3D short-range Heisenberg universality class to the 3D Ising universality class due to increased anisotropy induced by the high magnetic fields used in the measurements and also possibly due to strain.     

Multicomponent transport algorithms for partially ionized mixtures

We investigate iterative methods for solving linear systems arising from the kinetic theory of gases and providing multicomponent transport coefficients of partially ionized plasmas. We consider the situations of weak and strong magnetic fields as well as electron temperature nonequilibrium and the linear systems are investigated in their natural constrained singular symmetric form. Stationary iterative techniques are considered with new more singular formulations of the transport linear systems as well as orthogonal residuals algorithms. The new formulations are derived by considering generalized inverses with nullspaces of increasing dimension. Numerical tests are performed with high temperature air and iterative techniques lead to fast and accurate evaluation of the transport coefficients for all ionization levels and magnetic field intensities.     

Homogenization of spatially dispersive metamaterial arrays in terms of generalized electric and magnetic polarizations

An anisotropic homogenization theory for spatially dispersive periodic arrays is developed, based on the microscopic Maxwell equations, that yields causal, macroscopic permittivities, and inverse permeabilities for the fundamental Floquet modes of the arrays. (Macroscopic magnetoelectric coefficients are not required.) Reality conditions, reciprocity relations, passivity conditions, and causality relations are derived for these spatially dispersive macroscopic constitutive parameters. A significant feature of the formulation is that the macroscopic permittivities and permeabilities reduce to their anisotropic-continuum definitions in terms of ordinary macroscopic averages at the low spatial and temporal frequencies. In addition, diamagnetic metamaterial arrays require no special considerations or modifications to accommodate their unusual characteristics. A numerical example of a 2D array comprised of circular–cylinder inclusions is given that confirms the theoretical results for the computed electric and magnetic or diamagnetic macroscopic polarizations.     

借助液体透射电镜原位分析钯纳米棒的可控性氧化刻蚀

借助原位液体透射电镜,我们观察并研究了钯纳米棒溶液环境下的氧化刻蚀的微观行为及机理。通过改变钯纳米棒所处的液体环境,有效地控制了钯纳米棒的氧化刻蚀行为。由于端部具有较高的反应活性,钯纳米棒在氯化铁溶液中的氧化刻蚀会选择沿着轴向进行,具有明显的各向异性。当反应在超薄液层进行时,钯纳米棒的氧化刻蚀会变为准各向同性。这种行为是由于超薄溶液中溶解产物以及氧化物的扩散被抑制,在纳米棒端部选择性发生的氧化刻蚀会受到阻碍。最后,我们发现在钯纳米棒端部选择性沉积金,可以保护纳米棒的端部不受氧化,从而能控制刻蚀沿着钯纳米棒的径向进行。本文的研究结果对贵金属纳米晶的结构参数的精确调控以利于实际应用具有重要的意义。