Conversion of the frequency of emission of a neodymium laser by the method of resonance pumping of active media

Journal of Applied Spectroscopy -     

Wide-aperture superatmospheric-pressure CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser amplifier pumped by a self-sustained volume discharge

Initiation of a self-sustained volume discharge in CO₂-containing gaseous mixtures kept under a pressure of up to 10 atm with the aim of amplifying picosecond IR pulses is considered. Experimental electricdischarge and optical characteristics of a wide-aperture high-pressure CO₂ amplifier are presented. The feasibility of designing terawatt laser equipment with a master oscillator and preamplifier is discussed.     

Thermal Oxidation of a Carbon Condensate Formed in High-Frequency Carbon and Carbon–Nickel Plasma Flow

We have reported on the comparative characteristics of thermal oxidation of a carbon condensate prepared by high-frequency arc evaporation of graphite rods and a rod with a hollow center filled with nickel powder. In the latter case, along with different forms of nanodisperse carbon, nickel particles with nickel core–carbon shell structures are formed. It has been found that the processes of the thermal oxidation of carbon condensates with and without nickel differ significantly. Nickel particles with the carbon shell exhibit catalytic properties with respect to the oxidation of nanosized carbon structures. A noticeable difference between the temperatures of the end of the oxidation process for various carbon nanoparticles and nickel particles with the carbon shell has been established. The study is aimed at investigations of the effect of nickel nanoparticles on the dynamics of carbon condensate oxidation upon heating in the argon–oxygen flow.     

Radiation from a pulsed discharge in a ring gap with a transparent outer sheath

Journal of Applied Spectroscopy -     

XAS and XPS examination of the Au–S nanostructures produced via the reduction of aqueous gold(III) by sulfide ions

The S L- and Au L₃-edge X-ray absorption fine structure and X-ray photoelectron spectra of nanoscale Au–S products formed via the reduction of aqueous HAuCl₄ by sulfide ions and immobilized onto graphite have been acquired. The TEY XANES and XPS spectra implied the formation of predominant polysulfide species and metallic gold, while the transmission spectra showed Au–S bonding, the share of which increased with increasing molar Na₂S/HAuCl₄ ratio in the reaction solution. The Au–S distances derived from EXAFS analysis changes from 2.31 Å to 2.325 Å with the concentration of sodium sulfide in solution, being longer than that for cuprite-type crystalline Au₂S (2.174 Å). It has been concluded from all the evidence that the surface of gold sulfide decomposes in air and in ultra-high vacuum even before X-ray irradiation.     

Nickel-containing carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles prepared in a high-frequency arc plasma

This paper presents the results of an investigation of nickel-containing carbon nanostructures prepared by plasma-chemical synthesis in a carbon-helium plasma jet at atmospheric pressure with the arc fed by a high-frequency current. It is demonstrated that, under these conditions, the conversion of graphite into a carbon condensate reaches 98 wt % and the contents of carbon nanotubes and nickel in this condensate are 72 and 10 wt %, respectively. Sequential treatment with nitric and hydrochloric acids has made it possible to extract purified carbon nanotubes and nickel nanoparticles coated with a carbon shell (approximately 50 nm thick) in which the nickel content is 4 wt %. Data are presented on the diameters of the prepared nanotubes and on the state of carbon in the samples.     

Hydrogenation of the nanopowders that form in a carbon-helium plasma stream during the introduction of Ni and Mg

Composite nanoparticles consisting of magnesium, nickel, and carbon atoms are studied both theoretically and experimentally. The calculations performed in terms of the density functional theory show that the jump frequency of hydrogen atoms in nickel-containing magnesium hydride increases substantially near impurity nickel atoms; as a result, the rate of hydrogen absorption by magnesium also increases. Nickel on the magnesium surface is shown to be absorbed via an island growth mechanism. Composite Mg-C, Ni-C, and Mg-Ni-C powders are produced by plasmachemical synthesis in a carbon-helium plasma stream. Hydrogen is introduced into a chamber during synthesis. It is found by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis that, among these three composites, only Mg-Ni-C contains magnesium fixed in the MgH₂ compound. The process of such “ultrarapid” hydrogenation of magnesium, which occurs in the time of formation of composite nanoparticles, can be explained by the catalytic action of nickel, which is enhanced by a high temperature. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs demonstrate the dynamics of the dehydrogenation of Mg-Ni-C composite nanoparticles in heating by an electron beam.     

XPS and XANES study of layered mineral valleriite

Mineral valleriite of the Talnakh deposit, which consists of alternating copper-iron sulfide layers and brucite-like layers of magnesium-aluminium hydroxide is studied for the first time by XPS at photon excitation energies ranging from 1.253 keV to 6 keV and CuL FeL, SL, AlL, MgK, and OK edge TEY XANES using synchrotron radiation. The comparison of the XPS and XANES spectra of valleriite and chalcopyrite, in particular, demonstrates that in the sulfide layers of valleriite, Cu⁺ and Fe³⁺ are in a tetrahedral coordination, however, a local positive charge on both cations is slightly lower than that in chalcopyrite, apparently, due to a structure disorder. The concentration of oxygen-bound iron decreases with an increase in the depth of the analyzed layer even after ion etching; probably, Fe does not enter into the brucite-like layer, but mainly forms its own surface structures.     

Yttrium-containing endohedral metallofullerenes: Synthesis and extraction

Physics of the Solid State - Yttrium-containing endohedral metallofullerenes are synthesized in an RF arc discharge in the helium flow with embedded Y2O3. It is shown that the formation of the...