Dielectric studies and critical behaviour in the vicinity of nematic–isotropic phase transition of a smectogenic binary mixture showing induced nematic phase

The phase diagram of a binary mixture composed of compounds, one having NCS terminal group (4DBT, showing smectic A₁ phase) and the other with CN terminal group (11OCB, showing smectic A_d phase), exhibiting induced nematic phase in a certain concentration range (0.100 < x_4DBT < 0.951) is reported here. Results of the static dielectric parameters measurement on this binary system within the entire mesomorphic range are presented. Evidence of strong pretransitional behaviour near the nematic–isotropic (N–I) phase transition, indicating the influence of tricritical behaviour, is observed. Precise determination of discontinuity (ΔT) and the critical exponent (α) of N–I phase transition have been carried out. Moreover, the order parameter critical exponent β is correctly predicted by the tricritical hypothesis through the dielectric anisotropy data for all the investigated mixtures.     

Tensile and indentation behavior of rigid PVC

The purpose of this study was the evaluation by mechanical testing of the durability of PVC. To that end, the mechanical behavior of PVC was subjected to systematic testing by traction and indentation methods, in order to define the brittle transition in time-temperature space. In a second portion we began a study of the change in the brittle transition by indentation methods after artificial weathering of the PVC.     

High-toughness/low-friction ductile epoxy coatings reinforced with carbon nanostructures

We present the results of effective reinforcement of epoxy resin matrix with fullerene carbon soot. The optimal carbon soot addition of 1 wt. % results in a toughness improvement of almost 20 times. The optimized soot-epoxy composites also show an increase in tensile elongation of more than 13%, thus indicating a change of the failure mechanism in tension from brittle to ductile. Additionally, the coefficient of friction is reduced from its 0.91 value in plain epoxy resin to 0.15 in the optimized composite. In the optimized composite, the lateral forces during nanoscratching decrease as much as 80% with enhancement of the elastic modulus and hardness by 43% and 94%, respectively. The optimized epoxy resin fullerene soot composite can be a strong candidate for coating applications where toughness, low friction, ductility and light weight are important.     

Determination of the anisotropy constant and saturation magnetization of magnetic nanoparticles from magnetization relaxation curves

We have developed a new method for the determination of the anisotropy constant and saturation magnetization of magnetic nanoparticles. This method deals with the approximation of magnetization relaxation curves measured upon application and further fast switching off the dc magnetizing field. The relaxation process is registered in the time interval from 6 μs to several minutes by using a scanning high-T _C SQUID-microscope equipped with a specially designed electronic circuit composed of a fast solid-state switch and a low-inductance magnetizing coil. The algorithm for calculating the approximation data is based on the activation Néel–Arrhenius law and takes into account the size distribution of the nanoparticles and the angular distribution of their easy axes. The performance of the method is demonstrated on dilute (∼0.2 vol%) ensembles of near-spherical Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with a mean size of 7.7 nm and a standard deviation of 45% as determined from transmission electron microscopy data.     

Photoinduced absorption edge shift of As20Se60Tl20 films

As₂₀Se₆₀Tl₂₀ bulk material was prepared firstly then thermal evaporation method was used to prepare As₂₀Se₆₀Tl₂₀ films. Illumination effect at room temperature for the mentioned films has been studied within the homogeneous glass-forming region. The prepared film samples were amorphous, this is depicted by X-ray chart. Optical properties have been studied using spectrophotometric measurements. The absorption edge was shifted to shorter wavelengths due to light exposure or photobleaching effect. It was found that the extinction coefficient and the optical band gap have opposite character after illumination.     

激光诱导Al等离子体在背景气体中的流体现象

调Q-YAG脉冲激光（波长1.06μm,脉宽10ns,能量为250mJ/pu1se）烧蚀Al靶,用短焦距照相系统和光学多道分析仪（OMA）记录了等离子体在氩气背景气体及不同压强下所呈现的流体现象及其等离子体辐射的空间分辨光谱。实验发现,当背景气压为400Pa以下时,在靶面上存在一个明亮的发光球体,球体直径远大于激光烧蚀斑的大小,此球体向四周辐射等离子体光谱,只是在垂直靶面的方向辐射相对较强。在气压约为400Pa,等离子体辐射才以较为明显的羽状体形态向前喷散,且随气压增高,喷散的立体角变小。随着背景气压的继续升高,等离子体羽被压缩,成为一个明亮的发光小羽状体,当气压达20～30kPa,发光羽状体开始出现分解的迹象,在羽状体前端形成一个光球。气压继续升高,等离子体羽完全变成一串发光球。离开靶面越远,发光球的半径越大。用光学多道分析系统分析这些发光球的光谱特征,发现在靶面附近主要是Al等离子体的谱线,而较远的发光球,其主要谱线则来自背景气体。在气压为20kPa左右,等离子休羽呈现烧蚀点为明亮的白色亮点,而羽端为鲜艳绿色（氩的514nm）的彩色羽。     

Type-II intermittency characteristics in the presence of noise

We consider a type of intermittent behavior that occurs as the result of the interplay between dynamical mechanisms giving rise to type-II intermittency and random dynamics. We analytically deduce the law for the distribution of the laminar phases, which has never been obtained hitherto. The already known dependence of the mean length of the laminar phases on the criticality parameter [Phys. Rev. E 68, 036203 (2003)] follows as a corollary of the carried out research. We also prove that this dependence obtained earlier under the assumption of the fixed form of the reinjection probability does not depend on the relaminarization properties, and, correspondingly, the obtained expression of the mean length of the laminar phases on the criticality parameter remains correct for different types of the reinjection probability.     

HL-1M装置中的离轴电子回旋加热实验

在HL-1M装置上进行了离轴电子回旋加热实验。研究了电子温度的变化，等离子体密度对加热效果的影响，离轴加热条件下MHD锯齿的变化，波对m/nk=1/1模的影响及在与低杂波电流驱动共同作用下的各种实验现象。 这些现象被认为与高能电子和它们的分布有关。     

The dispersive properties of an excited-doubletfour-level atomic system

We have investigated the dispersive properties of excited-doublet four-level atoms interacting with a weak probe field and an intense coupling laser field. We have derived an analytical expression of the dispersion relation for a general excited-doublet four-level atomic system subject to a one-photon detuning. The numerical results demonstrate that for a typical rubidium D1 line configuration, due to the unequal dipole moments for the transitions of each ground state to double excited states, generally there exists no exact dark state in the system. Close to the two-photon resonance, the probe light can be absorbed or gained and propagate in the so-called superluminal form. This system may be used as an optical switch.     

Critical Behavior of the Gaussian Model with Periodic Interactions on Diamond—Type Hierarchical Lattices in External Magnetic Fields

The Gaussian spin model with periodic interactions on the diamond-type hierarchical lattices is constructed by generalizing that with uniform interactions on translationally invariant lattices according to a class of substitution sequences.The Gaussian distribution constants and imposed external magnetic fields are also periodic depending on the periodic characteristic of the interaction onds.The critical behaviors of this generalized Gaussian model in external magnetic fields are studied by the exact renormalization-group approach and spin rescaling method.The critical points and all the critical exponents are obtained.The critical behaviors are found to be determined by the Gaussian distribution constants and the fractal dimensions of the lattices.When all the Gaussian distribution constants are the same,the dependence of the critical exponents on the dimensions of the lattices is the same as that of the Gaussian model with uniform interactions on translationally invariant lattices.