Modulated phases in magnetic models frustrated by long-range interactions

We study an Ising model in one dimension with short range ferromagnetic and long range (power law) antiferromagnetic interactions. We show that the zero temperature phase diagram in a (longitudinal) field H involves a sequence of up and down domains whose size varies continuously with H, between -H_c and H_c which represent the edge of the ferromagnetic up and down phases. The implications of long range interaction in many body systems are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Mechanical properties of SiC fiber-reinforced reaction-bonded Si3N4 composites

The room temperature mechanical and physical properties of silicon carbide fiber reinforced reaction-bonded silicon nitride composites (SiC/RBSN) have been evaluated. The composites contained 23 and 40 volume fraction of aligned 140 micro m diameter chemically vapor deposited SiC fibers. Preliminary results for composite tensile and bend strengths and fracture strain indicate that the composites displayed excellent properties when compared with unreinforced RBSN of comparable porosity. Fiber volume fraction showed little influence on matrix first cracking strain but did influence the stressed required for matrix first cracking and for ultimate composite fracture strength. It is suggested that by reducing matrix porosity and by increasing the volume fraction of the large diameter SiC fiber, it should be possible to further improve the composite stress at which the matrix first cracks

Lorentz invariant dark-spinor and inflation

We investigate the possibility of the inflation driven by a Lorentz invariant non-standard spinor field. As these spinors are having dominant interaction via gravitational field only, they are considered as \emph{Dark Spinors}. We study how these dark-spinors can drive the inflation and investigate the cosmological (scalar) perturbations generated by them. Though the dark-spinors obey a Klein-Gordon like equation, the underlying theory of the cosmological perturbations is far more complex than the theories which are using a canonical scalar field. For example the sound speed of the perturbations is not a constant but varies with time. We find that in order to explain the observed value of the spectral-index $n_s$ one must have upper bound on the values of the background NSS-field. The tensor to scalar ratio remains as small as that in the case of canonical scalar field driven inflation because the correction to tensor spectrum due to NSS is required to be very small. In addition we discuss the relationship of results with previous results obtained by using the Lorentz invariance violating theories.Comment: 17 pages no figures (Some typographical errors corrected

Modulus, strength and thermal exposure studies of FP-Al2O3/aluminum and FP-Al2O3/magnesium composites

The mechanical properties of FP-Al2O3 fiber reinforced composites prepared by liquid infiltration techniques are improved. A strengthening addition, magnesium, was incorporated with the aluminum-lithium matrix alloy usually selected for these composites because of its good wetting characteristics. This ternary composite, FP-Al2O3/Al-(2-3)Li-(3-5)Mg, showed improved transverse strength compared with FP-Al2O3/Al-(2-3)Li composites. The lower axial strengths found for the FP-Al2O3/Al-(2-3)Li-(3-5)Mg composites were attributed to fabrication related defects. Another technique was the use of Ti/B coated FP-Al2O3 fibers in the composites. This coating is readily wet by molten aluminum and permitted the use of more conventional aluminum alloys in the composites. However, the anticipated improvements in the axial and transverse strengths were not obtained due to poor bonding between the fiber coating and the matrix. A third approach studied to improve the strengths of FP-Al2O3 reinforced composites was the use of magnesium alloys as matrix materials. While these alloys wet fibers satisfactorily, the result indicated that the magnesium alloy composites used offered no axial strength or modulus advantage over FP-Al2O3/Al-(2-3)Li composites

Generation of Large Moments in a Spin-1 Chain with Random Antiferromagnetic Couplings

We study the spin-1 chain with nearest neighbor couplings that are rotationally invariant, but include both Heisenberg and biquadratic exchange, with random strengths. We demonstrate, using perturbative renormalization group methods as well as exact diagonalization of clusters, that the system generates ferromagnetic couplings under certain circumstances even when all the bare couplings are antiferromagnetic. This disorder induced instability leads to formation of large magnetic moments at low temperatures, and is a purely quantum mechanical effect that does not have a classical counterpart. The physical origin of this instability, as well as its consequences, are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figure