Neutron scattering study of a quasi-2D spin-1/2 dimer system Piperazinium Hexachlorodicuprate under hydrostatic pressure

We report inelastic neutron scattering study of a quasi-two-dimensional S=1/2 dimer system Piperazinium Hexachlorodicuprate under hydrostatic pressure. The spin gap {\Delta} becomes softened with the increase of the hydrostatic pressure up to P= 9.0 kbar. The observed threefold degenerate triplet excitation at P= 6.0 kbar is consistent with the theoretical prediction and the bandwidth of the dispersion relation is unaffected within the experimental uncertainty. At P= 9.0 kbar the spin gap is reduced to 0.55 meV from 1.0 meV at ambient pressure.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Rotational Dynamics of Organic Cations in CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite

Methylammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) based solar cells have shown impressive power conversion efficiencies of above 20%. However, the microscopic mechanism of the high photovoltaic performance is yet to be fully understood. Particularly, the dynamics of CH3NH3+ cations and their impact on relevant processes such as charge recombination and exciton dissociation are still poorly understood. Here, using elastic and quasi-elastic neutron scattering techniques and group theoretical analysis, we studied rotational modes of the CH3NH3+ cation in CH3NH3PbI3. Our results show that, in the cubic (T > 327K) and tetragonal (165K < T < 327K) phases, the CH3NH3+ ions exhibit four-fold rotational symmetry of the C-N axis (C4) along with three-fold rotation around the C-N axis (C3), while in orthorhombic phase (T < 165K) only C3 rotation is present. Around room temperature, the characteristic relaxation times for the C4 rotation is found to be ps while for the C3 rotation ps. The -dependent rotational relaxation times were fitted with Arrhenius equations to obtain activation energies. Our data show a close correlation between the C4 rotational mode and the temperature dependent dielectric permittivity. Our findings on the rotational dynamics of CH3NH3+ and the associated dipole have important implications on understanding the low exciton binding energy and slow charge recombination rate in CH3NH3PbI3 which are directly relevant for the high solar cell performance

A Signal-To-Noise Ratio Comparison fo Ultrasonic Transducers for C-Scan Imaging in Titanium

Digital data acquisition and the C-scan imaging of ultrasonic data offer improvements over analog recording techniques, such as strip-chart recording. As a result, peak-detected C-scan imaging is becoming the preferred method for the inspection of large titanium parts such as those found in the aircraft engine industry. The effectiveness of the inspection, however, still depends on the transducer. For this reason, a study of the effect of different transducer parameters on the sensitivity for detection of simulated defects in titanium specimens was conducted. Due to the increased emphasis on C-scan imaging, sensitivity is measured as an image-based signal-to-noise ratio

Unexpected earthquake hazard revealed by Holocene rupture on the Kenchreai Fault (central Greece): Implications for weak sub-fault shear zones

High-resolution elevation models, palaeoseismic trenching, and Quaternary dating demonstrate that the Kenchreai Fault in the eastern Gulf of Corinth (Greece) has ruptured in the Holocene. Along with the adjacent Pisia and Heraion Faults (which ruptured in 1981), our results indicate the presence of closely-spaced and parallel normal faults that are simultaneously active, but at different rates. Such a configuration allows us to address one of the major questions in understanding the earthquake cycle, specifically what controls the distribution of interseismic strain accumulation? Our results imply that the interseismic loading and subsequent earthquakes on these faults are governed by weak shear zones in the underlying ductile crust. In addition, the identification of significant earthquake slip on a fault that does not dominate the late Quaternary geomorphology or vertical coastal motions in the region provides an important lesson in earthquake hazard assessment.This work forms part of the NERCand ESRC-funded project ‘Earthquakes Without Frontiers’, and was partly funded by the NERC grant ‘Looking Inside the Continents from Space’

Multi-phonon scattering and Ti-induced hydrogen dynamics in sodium alanate

We use ab initio methods and neutron inelastic scattering (NIS) to study the structure, energetics, and dynamics of pure and Ti-doped sodium alanate (NaAlH_4), focusing on the possibility of substitutional Ti doping. The NIS spectrum is found to exhibit surprisingly strong and sharp two-phonon features. The calculations reveal that substitutional Ti doping is energetically possible. Ti prefers to substitute for Na and is a powerful hydrogen attractor that facilitates multiple Al--H bond breaking. Our results hint at new ways of improving the hydrogen dynamics and storage capacity of the alanates.Comment: 5 pages, with 4 postscript figures embedded. Uses REVTEX4 and graphicx macro