80 research outputs found
Microscopic investigation of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation in cumene:Insights on the mosaic structure in a van der Waals liquid
The Johari-Goldstein (βJG) relaxation anticipates in time, and is closely connected to, the structural relaxation in deeply supercooled liquids. Probing its microscopic properties is a crucial step for a complete understanding of the glass-transition. We here report the investigation of the van der Waals glass-former cumene using time-domain interferometry, a technique able to probe microscopic density fluctuations at the spatial and temporal scales relevant for the βJG-relaxation. We find that the molecules participating in it undergo a restricted motion, though sufficient to induce local, cage-breaking events at the characteristic time-scale for molecular re-orientations. A detailed characterization of the relaxation strength, i.e. the fraction of molecules involved in the relaxation process, shows that such molecules are connected in a percolating cluster which, above the glass-transition temperature, Tg, is weakly dependent on temperature. Our results confirm thus previous observations of a mosaic structure associated to the βJG-relaxation in the supercooled state, and provide additional information on its temperature evolution above the glass-transition temperature. We conclude that the observed microscopic properties of the βJG-relaxation, and thus of the associated mosaic structure, are generic and independent of the molecular interaction potential. In addition, we show that, while the dynamics within the percolating cluster becomes progressively slower on approaching Tg, the fraction of the molecules involved in cage-breaking events within the βJG-relaxation is not affected by temperature.</p
Testing the influence of acceleration on time dilation using a rotating M\"Ossbauer absorber
The aim of the experiment series was to test the influence of acceleration on
time dilation by measuring the relative spectral shift between the resonance
spectra of a rotating Mossbauer absorber with acceleration anti-parallel and
parallel to the direction of the incident beam. Based on the experiences and
know-how acquired in our previous experiments, We collected data for rotation
frequencies up to 510Hz in both directions of rotation and also used different
slits. For each run with high rotation, we observed a stable statistically
significant relative shift between the spectra of the two states with opposite
acceleration. This indicates the influence of acceleration on time dilation.
However, we found that this shift also depends on the choice of the slit, and
on the direction of rotation. These new unexpected findings, resulting from the
loss of symmetry in obtaining the resonant lines in the two states, could
overshadow the relative shift due to acceleration. This loss of the symmetry is
caused by the deflection of the radiative decay due to the Nuclear Lighthouse
effect from the rotating Mossbauer absorber. We also found that it is
impossible to keep the alignment (between the optical and the dynamical rotor
systems) with accuracy needed for such experiment, for long runs, which
resulted in the reduction of the accuracy of the observed relative shift. These
prevent us to claim with certainty the influence of acceleration on time
dilation using the currently available technology. An improved KB optics with
focal spot of less than 1 micron to avoid the use of a slit and a more rigid
mounting of the rotor system, are necessary for the success of such experiment.
Hopefully, these findings together with the indispensable plan for a conclusive
experiment presented in the paper, will prove useful to future experimentalists
wishing to pursue such an experiment
Lattice dynamics of endotaxial silicide nanowires
Self-organized silicide nanowires are considered as main building blocks of
future nanoelectronics and have been intensively investigated. In
nanostructures, the lattice vibrational waves (phonons) deviate drastically
from those in bulk crystals, which gives rise to anomalies in thermodynamic,
elastic, electronic, and magnetic properties. Hence, a thorough understanding
of the physical properties of these materials requires a comprehensive
investigation of the lattice dynamics as a function of the nanowire size. We
performed a systematic lattice dynamics study of endotaxial FeSi nanowires,
forming the metastable, surface-stabilized -phase, which are in-plane
embedded into the Si(110) surface. The average widths of the nanowires ranged
from 24 to 3 nm, their lengths ranged from several m to about 100 nm. The
Fe-partial phonon density of states, obtained by nuclear inelastic scattering,
exhibits a broadening of the spectral features with decreasing nanowire width.
The experimental data obtained along and across the nanowires unveiled a
pronounced vibrational anisotropy that originates from the specific orientation
of the tetragonal -FeSi unit cell on the Si(110) surface. The
results from first-principles calculations are fully consistent with the
experimental data and allow for a comprehensive understanding of the lattice
dynamics of endotaxial silicide nanowires.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, 3 table
Thermoelectric performance of n-type Mg2Ge
Magnesium-based thermoelectric materials (Mg2X, X = Si, Ge, Sn) have received considerable attention due to their availability, low toxicity, and reasonably good thermoelectric performance. The synthesis of these materials with high purity is challenging, however, due to the reactive nature and high vapour pressure of magnesium. In the current study, high purity single phase n-type Mg2Ge has been fabricated through a one-step reaction of MgH2 and elemental Ge, using spark plasma sintering (SPS) to reduce the formation of magnesium oxides due to the liberation of hydrogen. We have found that Bi has a very limited solubility in Mg2Ge and results in the precipitation of Mg2Bi3. Bismuth doping increases the electrical conductivity of Mg2Ge up to its solubility limit, beyond which the variation is minimal. The main improvement in the thermoelectric performance is originated from the significant phonon scattering achieved by the Mg2Bi3 precipitates located mainly at grain boundaries. This reduces the lattice thermal conductivity by ~50% and increases the maximum zT for n-type Mg2Ge to 0.32, compared to previously reported maximum value of 0.2 for Sb-doped Mg2Ge
Spiral magnetism, spin flop, and pressure induced ferromagnetism in the negative charge transfer gap insulator Sr2FeO4
Iron IV oxides are strongly correlated materials with negative charge transfer energy negative Delta , and exhibit peculiar electronic and magnetic properties such as topological helical spin structures in themetallic cubic perovskite SrFeO3. Here, the spin structure of the layered negative Delta insulator Sr2FeO4 was studied by powder neutron diffraction in zero field and magnetic fields up to 6.5 T. Below TN 56K, Sr2FeO4 adopts an elliptical cycloidal spin structure with modulated magnetic moments between 1.9 and 3.5 amp; 956;B and a propagation vector k amp; 964;, amp; 964;, 0 with amp; 964; 0.137. With increasing magnetic field the spin structure undergoes a spin flop transition near 5 T. Synchrotron 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy reveals that the spin spiral transforms to a ferromagnetic structure at pressures between 5 and 8 GPa, just in the pressure range where a Raman active phonon nonintrinsic to the K2NiF4 type crystal structure vanishes. These results indicate an insulating ground state which is stabilized by a hidden structural distortion and differs from the charge disproportionation in other Fe IV oxide
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