(1-x)MgAl2O4-xTiO2 dielectrics for microwave and millimeter wave applications

The MgAl₂O₄ ceramics were prepared by the conventional solid-state ceramic route and the dielectric properties studied in the microwave frequency region (3–13 GHz). The phase purity and crystal structure were identified using the X-ray diffraction technique. The MgAl₂O₄ spinel ceramics show interesting microwave dielectric properties (ε_r=8.75, Q_uxf=68900 GHz (loss tangent = 0.00017 at 12.3 GHz), τ_f=-75 ppm/°C). The MgAl₂O₄ has high negative τ_f, which precludes its immediate use in practical applications. Hence the microwave dielectric properties of MgAl₂O₄ spinels were tailored by adding different mole fractions of TiO₂. The ε_r and Q factor of the mixed phases were increased with the molar addition of TiO₂ into the spinel to form mixtures based on (1-x)MgAl₂O₄-xTiO₂ (x=0.0-1.0). For x=0.25 in (1-x)MgAl₂O₄-xTiO₂, the microwave quality factor reaches a maximum value of Q_uxf=105400 GHz (loss tangent = 0.00007 at 7.5 GHz) where ε_r and τ_f are 11.035 and -12 ppm/°C, respectively. The microwave dielectric properties of the newly developed 0.75MgAl₂O₄-0.25TiO₂ dielectric is superior to several commercially available low loss dielectric substrates. PACS 77.22.-d; 84.40.-x; 81.05.Je     

Transfer measurements for the Ti+Ni systems at near barrier energies

Large enhancements have been observed in the sub-barrier fusion cross sections for Ti+Ni systems in our previous studies. Coupled channel calculations incorporating couplings to 2⁺ and 3⁻ states failed to explain these enhancements completely. A possibilty of transfer channels contributing to the residual enhancements had been suggested. In order to investigate the role of relevant transfer channels, measurements of one- and two-nucleon transfer were carried out for ^46,48Ti+⁶¹Ni systems. The present paper gives the results of these studies.     

Dispersive power and crossover temperature,TCO, of two polar nematic liquid crystals in the visible spectral region

Refractive index studies are carried out on two highly polar liquid crystals: 1. N-(p-n-methoxy benzylidene)-p-amino benzonitrile, PmBAB, 2. N-(p-n-ethoxy benzylidene)-p-amino benzonitrile, PeBAB. The experimental investigations are carried out in the visible region at four different wavelengths, namely, 633, 589, 546 and 436 nm. The two compounds exhibit only the nematic liquid crystalline phase in between the isotropic and crystalline solid. The dispersive power ω is estimated for two consecutive wavelengths for the case of <n>, n_e and n_o for different wavelengths and found to be constant with temperature. Further the temperature gradients of n_e and n_o are estimated, and the crossover temperature is obtained using dn_o/dT for all the wavelengths.     

Steering in computational science: Mesoscale modelling and simulation

This paper outlines the benefits of computational steering for high performance computing applications. Lattice-Boltzmann mesoscale fluid simulations of binary and ternary amphiphilic fluids in two and three dimensions are used to illustrate the substantial improvements which computational steering offers in terms of resource efficiency and time to discover new physics. We discuss details of our current steering implementations and describe their future outlook with the advent of computational grids.     

Isolobal analogy between trivalent boron and divalent silicon

Singlet organosilylenes with a lone pair and an emptyp orbital are isolobal to trivalent borane if a B-H is equated to the lone pair on Si. Using this analogy, a particular isomer of CSi₂H₂ (24) is predicted to be a stable structure. MNDO calculations on24 and many of its possible isomers suggest that24 is at global minimum on the potential energy surface of CSi₂H₂.Ab initio calculations using a, minimal STO-3G basis set, on some selected structures also support these results.     

Measurement of the ground state 2n pickup probability for 28Si+68Zn and its role in sub-barrier fusion enhancement

The ground state and excited state transfer yields for the 2-neutron pickup channel in the ²⁸Si+⁶⁸Zn system have been measured explicitly. The recoil mass separator at the nuclear Science Centre, New Delhi was used for the measurement. A NaI(T1) detector was used for detecting the deexcitation γ’s from the transfer products. The kinematic coincidence technique was employed for the transfer measurement. Simplified coupled channels calculations show that out of all transfer channels the major contribution to the sub-barrier enhancement comes from the ground state 2 neutron pickup channel with a ground state Q-value of+1.83 MeV.     

Free Convective Nonaligned Non-Newtonian Flow with Non-linear Thermal Radiation

The present study explores the free convective oblique Casson fluid over a stretching surface with non-linear thermal radiation effects. The governing physical problem is modelled and transformed into a set of coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations by suitable similarity transformation, which are solved numerically with the help of shooting method keeping the convergence control of 10^-5 in computations. Influence of pertinent physical parameters on normal, tangential velocity profiles and temperature are expressed through graphs. Physical quantities of interest such as skin friction coefficients and local heat flux are investigated numerically.