Vacuum ultraviolet photoabsorption of prime ice analogues of Pluto and Charon

Here we present the first Vacuum UltraViolet (VUV) photoabsorption spectra of ice analogues of Pluto and Charon ice mixtures. For Pluto the ice analogue is an icy mixture containing nitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4) and water (H2O) prepared with a 100:1:1:3 ratio, respectively. Photoabsorption of icy mixtures with and without H2O were recorded and no significant changes in the spectra due to presence of H2O were observed. For Charon a VUV photoabsorption spectra of an ice analogue containing ammonia (NH3) and H2O prepared with a 1:1 ratio was recorded, a spectrum of ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) was also recorded. These spectra may help to interpret the P-Alice data from New Horizons

Synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline LaNi5 hydrogen storage materials

With the growing environmental concerns of greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, it is becoming increasingly important to switch to cleaner alternative fuels such as hydrogen [1]. Inter-metallic LaNi5 is one of the most widely used and studied solid-state hydrogen storage material \u2013 a pet material for the prototype systems using hydrogen fuel. However, nanostructuring effects on this systems are not yet fully explored. Recently we have carried out systematic studies regarding the effect of nanostructuring on the hydrogen sorption properties of this material [2]. Unlike some other potential hydrogen storage materials, which shows faster kinetics upon nanostructuring, the long time ball-milling of the bulk LaNi5 results in the formation of an anomalous-state resistant to hydrogen absorption-desorption reactions. In this contribution, we present the preliminary differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) data on the nanostrutured LaNi5 powders. XRD and XPS results indicate the long-time ball-milled and annealed LaNi5 to be of pure nanocrystalline phase. DSC results indicate a partial elimination of defects at 500oC, in a more efficient way for the short-time ball-milled powders compared to the long-time ball-milled samples. These results will be discussed in the light of the hydrogen sorption properties of the bulk and nanocrystalline LaNi5 samples

Photoemission studies of the near Fermi level spectral weight shifts in FeSe1-xTex superconductor

Our valence band photoelectron spectroscopic studies show a temperature dependent spectral weight transfer near the Fermi level in the Fe-based superconductor FeSe1-xTex. Using theoretical band structure calculations we have shown that the weight transfer is due to the temperature induced changes in the Fe(Se,Te)4 tetrahedra. These structural changes lead to shifts in the electron occupancy from the xz/yz and x2-y2 orbitals to the 3z2-r2 orbitals indicating a temperature induced crossover from a metallic state to an Orbital Selective Mott (OSM) Phase. Our study presents the observation of a temperature induced crossover to a low temperature OSM phase in the family of Fe chalcogenides.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Resonant Raman of OH/OD vibrations and photoluminescence studies in LiTaO3 thin film

Resonant Raman spectra (RRS) of O-H and O-D vibration and libration modes, their combinations and higher harmonics have been observed in LiTaO3 polycrystalline thin films. RRS peaks are superimposed on photoluminescence (PL) spectrum. Monochromatic light from a xenon lamp is used as excitation source. PL spectrum shows two broad peaks, first near the band gap in UV (4.4-4.8eV) and another in the sub band gap region (< 4.0 eV). Band gap PL along with RRS peaks are reported for the first time. Photoluminescence excitation spectrum (PLE) shows a peak at 4.8 eV. Peak positions and full width at half maximum (FWHM) of RRS peaks depend upon the excitation energy. Dispersions of the fundamental and the third harmonic of the stretching mode of O-H with excitation energy are about 800 cm-1/eV and 2000 cm-1/eV respectively. This dispersion is much higher than reported in any other material.Comment: 20 page

Hybrid Neuro Fuzzy Control Based Isolated Asynchronous Generation Connect to Non-Linear Load

This paper deals with a hybrid neuro fuzzy control to isolated asynchronous generator (IAG) connected to non linear load. The proposed method utilizes an NN based on the least mean-square algorithm known as adaptive linear element to extract the fundamental component of load currents to control the voltage and the frequency of an IAG with load balancing in an integrated manner. The IELC is realized using zigzag/three single-phase transformers and a six-leg insulated-gate bipolar-transistor-based current controlled voltage-source converter, a chopper switch, and an auxiliary load on its dc bus. The proposed IELC, with the generating system, is modeled and simulated in MATLAB environment using Simulink and Simpower System toolboxes. The simulated results are validated with test results on a developed prototype to demonstrate the effectiveness of IELC for the control of an IAG feeding three-phase four-wire linear/nonlinear balanced/ unbalanced loads with neutral-current Keywords: Adaptive linear element (adaline), integrated electronic load controller (IELC), isolated asynchronous generator(IAG), small hydro generation, small hydropower generation, fuzzy

Investigation of correlation effects in FeSe and FeTe by LDA + U method

Correlation effects are observed strong in Iron chalcogenides superconductors by experimental and theoretical investigations. We present a comparative study of the influence of Coulomb interaction and Hund's coupling in the electronic structure of FeSe and FeTe. The calculation is based on density functional theory (DFT) with local density approximation(LDA+U) framework employed in TB-LMTO ASA code. We found the correlation effects were orbital selective due to the strength of interorbital hybridization among different Fe-3d orbitals mediated via chalcogen (Se/Te-p) orbitals is different in both the compounds, however Coulomb interaction is screened significantly by Te-p bands in FeTe. Similarly the orbital section is different in both the compounds because of the difference in the chalcogen height

Electronic and magnetic structure of the (LaMnO3)2n/(SrMnO3)n superlattices

We study the magnetic structure of the (LaMnO3)2n/(SrMnO3)n superlattices from density-functional calculations. In agreement with the experiments, we find that the magnetism changes with the layer thickness n. The reason for the different magnetic structures is shown to be the varying potential barrier across the interface, which controls the leakage of the Mn-eg electrons from the LaMnO3 side to the SrMnO3 side. This in turn affects the interfacial magnetism via the carrier-mediated Zener double exchange. For the n=1 superlattice, the Mn-eg electrons are more or less spread over the entire lattice so that the magnetic behavior is similar to the equivalent alloy compound La2/3Sr1/3MnO3. For larger n, the eg electron transfer occurs mostly between the two layers adjacent to the interface, thus leaving the magnetism unchanged and bulklike away from the interface region.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant No. DE-FG02-00ER45818. We thank J. W. Freeland for stimulating this work and for valuable discussions

Electronic Phases and Phase Separation in the Hubbard-Holstein Model of a Polar Interface

http://arxiv.org/abs/1012.0889From a mean-field solution of the Hubbard-Holstein model, we show that a rich variety of different electronic phases can result at the interface between two polar materials such as LaAlO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$. Depending on the strengths of the various competing interactions, viz., the electronic kinetic energy, electron-phonon interaction, Coulomb energy, and electronic screening strength, the electrons could (i) either be strongly confined to the interface forming a 2D metallic or an insulating phase, (ii) spread deeper into the bulk making a 3D phase, or (iii) become localized at individual sites forming a Jahn-Teller polaronic phase. In the polaronic phase, the Coulomb interaction could lead to unpaired electrons resulting in magnetic Kondo centers. Under appropriate conditions, electronic phase separation may also occur resulting in the coexistence of metallic and insulating regions at the interface.This work was supported by the U. S. Department of Energy through Grant No. DE-FG02-00ER45818