Phase transitions and metastable states in TlGaSe2

The results of measurements of the dielectric constant of TlGaSe₂ in temperature range of successive phase transitions are presented. An anomaly in the temperature dependence of the real part of dielectric constant in TlGaSe₂ has been observed at about 242?K in addition to anomalies at 115, 108, and also near 65?K as reported in previous publications. The presence of temperature hysteresis effects in temperature interval between 115 and 242?K allowed making a conclusion about possible existence of an incommensurate phase in the mentioned temperature range. A model of succession of the structural phase transitions in TlGaSe₂ has been suggested.     

Nonlinear dynamics for proper ferroelastic transitions for which the landau condition is violated

On the basis of a lattice model the domain structure for ferroelastic transformations is examined. The model accounts for both strongly nonlinear and competing interactions which allow for, in some situations, the propagation of nonlinear excitations. The model can be mostly applied to proper ferroelastic transformations of which In-Tl, Ti-Ni, etc.… are good prototypes. The phonon dispersion of the transverse acoustic waves obtained in the linearized case is discussed and the results show first a phonon softening at nonzero wave-number and next an upwards convexity of the phonon branch near the long-wavelength limit. This can be seen as pre-transitional effects. In a fully nonlinear case we consider vanishing dilatation transformations and the continuum approximation is applied to the one-dimensional version. Then, we investigate nonlinear excitations; three main classes of solution are found: i) quasi-harmonic solutions corresponding to periodically modulated structures in space which is a precursor effect of the elastic transformation, ii) an array of solitons made of periodic arrangements of parent-elastic domains and iii) a moving strain soliton. All the significant results are numerically illustrated by means of the microscopic model. Finally, the similarity to martensitic transformations and some extensions of the model are outlined.     

Global hysteresis in ferroelectrics with incommensurate phases

A review of the basic experimental results connected with the formation of long-living metastable states in the incommensurate phases of ferroelectric crystals and related phenomena is given. The interpretation and appropriate physical mechanisms underlying the global hysteresis phenomena associated with these states are considered.     

Magnetic,Mössbauer and optical spectroscopic properties of the AFe3O(PO4)3 (A = Ca,Sr, Pb) series of powder compounds

AFe₃O(PO₄)₃ (A = Ca, Sr and Pb) powder compounds were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron-probe microanalysis (EPMA) coupled with wavelength dispersion spectroscopy (WDS), Raman and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies, specific heat and magnetic properties measurements. Magnetization, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements carried out on AFe₃O(PO₄)₃ (A = Sr, Ca and Pb) powders firmly establish a series of three ferromagnetic (FM)-like second order phase transitions spanned over the 32–8 K temperature range. Room temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy and associated DFT calculations confirm the existence of three crystallographically non equivalent Fe³⁺ sites in the three compounds. Mössbauer spectra recorded as a function of temperature in the PbFe₃O(PO₄)₃ compound also establishes the occurrence of two purely magnetic and reversible phase transitions at 32 and 10 K. Diffuse reflectance measurements reveal two broad absorption bands at 1047 and 837 nm, in both PbFe₃O(PO₄)₃ and SrFe₃O(PO₄)₃ powders, with peak cross sections ∼10⁻²⁰ cm² typical of spin-forbidden and forced electric dipole intraconfigurational transitions.     

The thermoelectric working fluid: Thermodynamics and transport

Thermoelectric devices are heat engines, which operate as generators or refrigerators using the conduction electrons as a working fluid. The thermoelectric heat-to-work conversion efficiency has always been typically quite low, but much effort continues to be devoted to the design of new materials boasting improved transport properties that would make them of the electron crystal–phonon glass type of systems. On the other hand, there are comparatively few studies where a proper thermodynamic treatment of the electronic working fluid is proposed. The present article aims at contributing to bridge this gap by addressing both the thermodynamic and transport properties of the thermoelectric working fluid covering a variety of models, including interacting systems.     

Phase transitions,optical, dielectric and viscoelastic properties of colloidal suspensions of BaTiO3 nanoparticles and cyanobiphenyl liquid crystals

We report experimental studies on the phase transitions and physical properties of colloidal suspensions of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles and two cyanobiphenyl liquid crystals (4-pentyl-4?-cyanobiphenyl and 4-octyl-4?-cyanobiphenyl). From the differential scanning calorimetric measurements, we show that the nanoparticles have antagonistic effect on the isotropic to nematic and nematic to smectic-A phase transitions. The birefringence, dielectric anisotropy and splay elastic constant remain almost unchanged, whereas the bend elastic constant and rotational viscosity decrease considerably. The experimental results are discussed based on the possible contribution of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles and free surfactant molecules in the suspensions.     

Ferroelasticity in non-group-subgroup transitions

Aizu's definition of ferroelasticity can be extended to transitions between two crystals whose point groups are not group-subgroup related. In general, two different variant structures then appear on both sides of the transition, each variant structure being determined by the operators “lost” at the transition. If a minimal common supergroup exists, then it is the prototype group. For each variant structure, a spontaneous strain tensor can be defined. Ferroelasticity occurs for both structures, and is termed “double ferroelasticity”, if none of the groups belong to the same symmetry system as the common minimal supergroup. Examples are discussed.     

Monolithic integration of an AlGaN/GaN metalinsulator field-effect transistor with an ultra-low voltage-drop diode for self-protection

In this paper,we present a monolithic integration of a self-protected AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator field-effect transistor(MISFET).An integrated field-controlled diode on the drain side of the AlGaN/GaN MISFET features a selfprotected function for a reverse bias.This diode takes advantage of the recessed-barrier enhancement-mode technique to realize an ultra-low voltage drop and a low turn-ON voltage.In the smart monolithic integration,this integrated diode can block a reverse bias(> 70 V/μm) and suppress the leakage current(< 5 × 10-11 A/mm).Compared with conventional monolithic integration,the numerical results show that the MISFET integrated with a field-controlled diode leads to a good performance for smart power integration.And the power loss is lower than 50% in conduction without forward current degeneration.     

Electron diffraction studies of variable periodicity in decagonal quasicrystals in aluminium-cobalt alloys

The reciprocal space vectors of the decagonal phase can be generated by a slight distortion of the basis vectors of a regular icosahedron to induce commensuration in one dimension. In different alloys a multiple of this basic periodicity has been observed. In particular, in Al-Co alloys, apart from the basic periodicity, doubling, tripling and quadrupling of this basic underlying periodicity has been observed. Stereographic analysis, simulation and experimental observation of electron diffraction patterns have been used to explore the nature of this varying periodicity in detail.