Multiferroic magnetoelectric coupling and relaxor ferroelectric behavior in 0.7BiFeO3-0.3BaTiO3 nanocrystals

The structural, microstructural, polarization, magnetization, dielectric constant, and relaxor characteristics of 0.7BiFeO₃-0.3BaTiO₃ (BF-BT) nanocrystals have been studied. BF-BT nanocrystals were prepared by a chemical route using polyvinyl alcohol as surfactant. The phase structure is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and average particle size by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The magnetoelectric coupling is studied by polarization hysteresis loops under the influence of applied magnetic field and the phase transition anomaly. The diffuse phase transition is studied by modified Curie-Weiss law and relaxor characteristics by Vogel-Fulcher relation.     

Raman spectra of the orthorhombic semiconductor compound Cu2SnTe3

The optical phonon spectrum of the semiconductor Cu₂SnTe₃, that crystallizes in the orthorhombic structure with space group Imm2 (), have been studied by measuring unpolarized Raman scattering between 10 and 300 K. The experimental frequencies of the phonon modes observed were compared to those calculated by using simplified lattice dynamical models reported in the literature. From combined analysis of these results together with the factor group analysis of the zone-center vibrational modes, valuable information about these modes was obtained and their possible symmetry was assigned. A₁ modes at 71, 123, 167, 176 and 190 cm⁻¹; A₂ modes 115 and 131 cm⁻¹; B₁ modes at 76, 142 and 152 cm⁻¹; B₂ modes at 89, 100 and 206 cm⁻¹; a overtone at 246 cm⁻¹, and combinations at 218, 270 and 292 cm⁻¹; have been observed in this compound.     

Correlation between helical surface waves and guided modes of an infinite immersed elastic cylinder

Scattering of obliquely incident plane acoustic waves from immersed infinite solid elastic cylinders is a complex phenomenon that involves generation of various types of surface waves on the body of the cylinder. Mitri [F.G. Mitri, Acoustic backscattering enhancement resulting from the interaction of an obliquely incident plane wave with an infinite cylinder, Ultrasonics 50 (2010) 675-682] recently showed that for a solid aluminum cylinder, there exist acoustic backscattering enhancements at a normalized frequency of ka?0.1. The incidence angle α_c at which these enhancements are observed lies between the first (longitudinal) and second (shear) coupling angles of the cylinder. He also confirmed the observations previously reported by the authors that there exist backscattering enhancements of the dipole mode at large angles of incidence where no wave penetration into the cylinder is expected. In this paper, physical explanations are provided for the aforementioned observations by establishing a correlation between helical surface waves generated by oblique insonification of an immersed infinite solid elastic cylinder and the longitudinal and flexural guided modes that can propagate along the cylinder. In particular, it is shown that the backscattering enhancement observed at ka?0.1 is due to the excitation of the first longitudinal guided mode travelling at the bar velocity along the cylinder. It is also demonstrated that the dipole resonance mode observed at incidence angles larger than the Rayleigh coupling angle is associated with the first flexural guided mode of the cylinder. The correlation established between the scattering and propagation problems can be used in both numerical and experimental studies of interaction of mechanical waves with cylinders.     

Shape effect of elongated grains on ultrasonic attenuation in polycrystalline materials

Longitudinal and transverse wave attenuation coefficients are obtained in a simple integral form for ultrasonic waves in cubic polycrystalline materials with elongated grains. Dependences of attenuation on frequency and grain shape are described in detail. The explicit analytical solutions for ellipsoidal grains in the Rayleigh and stochastic frequency limits are given for a wave propagating in an arbitrary direction relative to ellipsoid axes. The attenuation exhibits classic frequency dependence in those frequency limits. However, the dependence on the grain shape in the stochastic limits is unexpected: it is independent of the cross-section of the ellipsoidal grains and depends only on the grain dimension in the propagation direction. In the Rayleigh region attenuation is proportional to effective volume of the ellipsoidal grain and is independent of its shape. A complex behavior of attenuation on the grain shape/size and frequency is exhibited in the transition region. The results obtained reduce to the classic dependences of attenuation on parameters for polycrystals with equiaxed grains.     

Improved surface-enhanced Raman scattering of patterned gold nanoparticles deposited on silicon nanoporous pillar arrays

Large-area silicon nanoporous pillar arrays (Si-NPA) uniformly coated with gold nanoparticles was synthesized, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering of rhodamine 6G adsorbed on these gold nanoparticles were studied and compared. It's found that Au/Si-NPA substrate has a significantly high Raman signal sensitivity and good homogeneity. These are attributed to gold nanoparticles with narrow particle-size distribution uniformly coated on the surface and to the enlarged specific surface area for adsorption of target molecules brought by the porous silicon pillars.     

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of Ag, Au and Cu nanoclusters on TiO2-nanotubes/Ti substrate

Tubular arrays of TiO₂ nanotubes (ranging in diameter from 40 to 110 nm) on a Ti substrate were used as a support for Ag, Au or Cu deposits obtained by the sputter deposition technique, where the amount of metal varied from 0.01 to 0.2 mg/cm². Those composite supports were intended for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) investigations. Composite samples were studied with the aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) to reveal their characteristic morphological and chemical features. Raman spectra of pyridine (as a probe molecule) were measured at different cathodic potentials ranging from −0.2 down to −1.2 V after the pyridine had been adsorbed on the metal-covered TiO₂ nanotube/Ti substrates. In addition, SERS spectra on a bulk standard activated Ag, Au and Cu substrates were also measured. The SERS activity of the composite samples was strongly dependent on the amount of metal deposit, e.g. at and above 0.06 mg Ag/cm², the intensity of SERS signal was even higher than that for the Ag reference substrate. The high activity of these composites is mainly a result of their specific morphology. The high SERS sensitivity on the surface morphology of the substrate made it possible to monitor very small temporal changes in the Ag metal clusters. This rearrangement was not detectable with microscopic (SEM) or microanalytical (AES) methods. The SERS activity of Au or Cu clusters was distinctly lower than those of Ag. The spectral differences exhibited by the three kinds of composites as compared to the reference metal samples are discussed.     

降雨对532nm和1064nm激光传输的衰减特性研究

降雨会对激光信号产生严重的衰减,从而给激光目标探测的应用带来一定影响.激光在降雨中的传输衰减已在红外波段做了大量的实验研究,而可见光波段激光在雨中的传输衰减特性还未见报道.基于夫琅禾费衍射和几何光学散射理论,建立雨滴对532 nm绿激光和1064 nm近红外激光光束的传输衰减模型,对比分析两波长激光在不同降雨量下的衰减...     

中子半影成像的计算机断层重建技术

实际用于中子半影成像重建的方法都是线性方法,而计算机断层重建是一种能够用于中子半影成像重建的新方法.介绍了中子半影成像的断层重建原理,将半影成像的诊断图像沿径向等角度提取、微分后就可以使用断层重建方法重建.给出了使用卷积反投影方法重建不同噪声诊断图像的结果,并分析了断层重建的优缺点.重建结果表明,断层重建方法能够重建出...