Bond diluted surface phase diagrams of the transverse Ising model

The effects of diluted surface on the phase diagram of the transverse Ising spin model is studied by the use of an effective field method within the framework of single-site cluster theory. The state equations are derived using the differential operator technique. The complete phase diagrams are investigated when the exchange interactions JijS at the surface, is randomly distributed. JijS is in competition with the bulk interactions. In particular, the influence of the surface transverse field and the dilution parameter on the three-dimensional transverse Ising model is examined in detail.The effects of diluted surface on the phase diagram of the transverse Ising spin model is studied by the use of an effective field method within the framework of single-site cluster theory. The state equations are derived using the differential operator technique. The complete phase diagrams are investigated when the exchange interactions JijS at the surface, is randomly distributed. JijS is in competition with the bulk interactions. In particular, the influence of the surface transverse field and the dilution parameter on the three-dimensional transverse Ising model is examined in detail

The transverse mixed spin Ising model in a longitudinal random field

The transverse mixed spin Ising system consisting of spin-1/2 and spin-1 with a longitudinal random field is studied within the finite cluster approximation based on single-site cluster theory. The equations are derived using a probability distribution method based on the use of Van der Waerden identities. In the absence of the transverse field, the complete phase diagram in the case of simple cubic lattice is investigated and exhibits interesting behaviours, where the longitudinal field is bimodally and trimodally distributed. The influence of the transverse field on these behaviours are also examined.The transverse mixed spin Ising system consisting of spin-1/2 and spin-1 with a longitudinal random field is studied within the finite cluster approximation based on single-site cluster theory. The equations are derived using a probability distribution method based on the use of Van der Waerden identities. In the absence of the transverse field, the complete phase diagram in the case of simple cubic lattice is investigated and exhibits interesting behaviours, where the longitudinal field is bimodally and trimodally distributed. The influence of the transverse field on these behaviours are also examined

Disordered mixed spin Ising system in a random field

The diluted mixed spin Ising system consisting of spin-1/2 and spin-1 in a random field is studied by the use of finite cluster approximation the framework of a single-site cluster theory. The equations are derived using a probability distribution method based on the use of Van der Waerden identities. The complete phase diagrams are investigated in the case of the simple cubic lattice (z=6), where the random field is bimodally and trimodally distributed. In particular, the influence of the magnetic sites concentration on the tricritical behaviour is examined in detail.The diluted mixed spin Ising system consisting of spin-1/2 and spin-1 in a random field is studied by the use of finite cluster approximation the framework of a single-site cluster theory. The equations are derived using a probability distribution method based on the use of Van der Waerden identities. The complete phase diagrams are investigated in the case of the simple cubic lattice (z=6), where the random field is bimodally and trimodally distributed. In particular, the influence of the magnetic sites concentration on the tricritical behaviour is examined in detail

The critical Ising lines of the d=2 Ashkin-Teller model

The universal critical point ratio $Q$ is exploited to determine positions of the critical Ising transition lines on the phase diagram of the Ashkin-Teller (AT) model on the square lattice. A leading-order expansion of the ratio $Q$ in the presence of a non-vanishing thermal field is found from finite-size scaling and the corresponding expression is fitted to the accurate perturbative transfer-matrix data calculations for the $L\times L$ square clusters with $L\leq 9$.Comment: RevTex, 4 pages, two figure

Tricritical behaviour in deterministic aperiodic Ising systems

We use a mixed-spin model, with aperiodic ferromagnetic exchange interactions and crystalline fields, to investigate the effects of deterministic geometric fluctuations on first-order transitions and tricritical phenomena. The interactions and the crystal field parameters are distributed according to some two-letter substitution rules. From a Migdal-Kadanoff real-space renormalization-group calculation, which turns out to be exact on a suitable hierarchical lattice, we show that the effects of aperiodicity are qualitatively similar for tricritical and simple critical behaviour. In particular, the fixed point associated with tricritical behaviour becomes fully unstable beyond a certain threshold dimension (which depends on the aperiodicity), and is replaced by a two-cycle that controls a weakened and temperature-depressed tricritical singularity.Comment: Formatting improved. 7 pages, 2 figures (included). Journal reference adde

Design and fabrication of compositionally graded inorganic oxide thin films: Mechanical, optical and permeation characteristics

Different types of inorganic oxide films composed of a chemical composition gradient single layer were designed, fabricated and characterized. Compositionally graded thin films were created by power-controlled co-sputtering of alumina (Al2O3) and silica (SiO2) at room temperature, allowing the structural design of the film to be tailored at the nanometer scale. Two distinct graded thin films were fabricated: one with a compositionally asymmetric structure consisting of a SiO2-rich bottom interface and a Al2O3-rich top surface, and the other with a compositionally balanced sandwich structure consisting of both the top surface and bottom interface rich in SiO2 and a core rich in Al 2O3 (referred to as SGS for 'sandwich graded structure'). Smoothly graded thin films without interfacial boundaries were verified by Auger electron spectroscopy profiles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that the Al2O3/SiO2 graded structures consisted of Si-O and Al-O bonds, as well as Al-O-Si bonds in the transition layer. Neat Al2O3 or SiO2 and their graded ones were all investigated for their mechanical, optical and permeation properties. A SGS thin film presented the best mechanical stability (i.e., about three times improved film toughness of a neat Al2O3 single layer), demonstrating that balanced internal stresses and alternating bonding structures, achieved via a graded structure without interfaces, are crucial for enhancing mechanical stability. Furthermore, neat and graded thin films exhibited the similar level of optical transmittance and the permeation properties for the graded films were well matched with the behaviors of mechanical stability. © 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Understanding Battery Interfaces by Combined Characterization and Simulation Approaches: Challenges and Perspectives

Driven by the continuous search for improving performances, understanding the phenomena at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces has become an overriding factor for the success of sustainable and efficient battery technologies for mobile and stationary applications. Toward this goal, rapid advances have been made regarding simulations/modeling techniques and characterization approaches, including high-throughput electrochemical measurements coupled with spectroscopies. Focusing on Li-ion batteries, current developments are analyzed in the field as well as future challenges in order to gain a full description of interfacial processes across multiple length/timescales; from charge transfer to migration/diffusion properties and interphases formation, up to and including their stability over the entire battery lifetime. For such complex and interrelated phenomena, developing a unified workflow intimately combining the ensemble of these techniques will be critical to unlocking their full investigative potential. For this paradigm shift in battery design to become reality, it necessitates the implementation of research standards and protocols, underlining the importance of a concerted approach across the community. With this in mind, major collaborative initiatives gathering complementary strengths and skills will be fundamental if societal and environmental imperatives in this domain are to be met

Magnetic Behaviour of Disordered Ising Ferrimagnet in High Magnetic Field

The magnetic behaviour of a disordered ferrimagnetic system Ap B1-p where both A and B represent the magnetic atoms with respective spin SA = 1/2 and SB = 1 in presence of high magnetic field is treated theoretically.Assuming the magnetic interaction can be described through Ising Hamiltonian the approximate free energy is obtained using the cluster-variational method. The field dependence of the magnetization is then obtained for different concentration p and exchange parameters (JAA, JBB and JAB). For p = 0.5,the magnetization M in ferrimagnetic state and in absence of compensation temperature Tcm vanishes at TC.Field induced reversal of M is found at switching temperature TS (<TC) which is decreasing function of field H.A maximum in M is found above TS and the maximum value of M increases with field.In ferrimagnetic state M increases almost linearly at high H region. For system with large ferromagnetic JAA,the compensation temperature Tcm is increasing function of JBB and JAB .The decrease in compensation temperature is linear at small field and tends to saturate at higher field.The sharpness of the magnetization reversal is increased with H.For fully compensated state of the system with p = 2/3,the magnetization in presence of H also exhibits switching behaviour at TS .For p = 0.2 the field induced reversal of magnetization occurs more sharply.The orientational switching of the sublattice magnetization MA and MB with field increases the Zeeman energy and is the origin of magnetization reversal at TsComment: 12 pages,9 Figure