Synthesis of silicon oxide/VYCOR composite membrane structures by an optimized LPCVD process

This study is focused on development of highly selective ceramic membrane structures consisting of silicon dioxide films synthesized by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) on mesoporous Vycor substrates. The ability of easily altering the composition of such films by varying the LPCVD processing parameters affords the opportunity of microengineering the pore structure by reducing the diameters of pre-existing pores in the support. The process parameters investigated include, deposition temperature, total pressure, and flow rate of oxygen. Both the kinetics and select properties of the deposits were examined. The growth rate as a function of temperature was seen to follow an Arrhenius behavior in the range 350-475 °C with an apparent activation energy of 9 kcal/mol. The growth rate was seen to increase with higher oxygen flow rate and to vary as a function of the square root of pressure. Within the framework of the process window investigated a temperature of 450 °C, total pressure of 500 mTorr, oxygen and DES flow rate of 15 sccm and 30 scorn, respectively, yielded the best quality oxide with density 2.11 g/cm3, RI 1.45, and compressive stress 210 MPa. Permeation studies on Silicon Oxide/ Vycor composite membrane synthesized by the same side reaction geometry indicated poor permselectivity performance followed by cracking of the membrane structure. Opposing reactant geometry technique resulted in membrane structures of significantly higher selectivity than that predicted by Knudsen mechanism

Fourier transform for functions of bicomplex variables

This paper examines the existence and region of convergence of Fourier transform of the functions of bicomplex variables with the help of projection on its idempotent components as auxiliary complex planes. Several basic properties of this bicomplex version of Fourier transform are examined.Comment: 1 figur

Engineering the magnetic properties of the Mn13_{13} cluster by doping

With a goal to produce giant magnetic moment in Mn$_{13}$ cluster which will be useful for practical applications, we have considered the structure and magnetic properties of pure Mn$_{13}$ cluster and substitutionally doped it with X = Ti, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni atom to produce Mn$_{12}$X clusters. We find that Ti and V substitutions in Mn$_{13}$ cluster are the most promising in terms of gaining substantial binding energy as well as achieving higher magnetic moment through ferromagnetic alignment of atom-centered magnetic moments. This has been demonstrated in terms of energetics and electronic properties of the clusters. For comparison, we have also studied the effect of N-capping of Mn$_{13}$ cluster, predicted in the earlier work [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 89}, 185504 (2002)] as a means to produce stable giant magnetic moment in Mn clusters upto cluster size of 5 Mn atoms.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, 2 table

Structure, reactivity and electronic properties of V-doped Co clusters

Structures, physical and chemical properties of V doped Co$_{13}$ clusters have been studied in detail using density functional theory based first-principles method. We have found anomalous variation in stability of the doped clusters with increasing V concentration, which has been nicely demonstrated in terms of energetics and electronic properties of the clusters. Our study explains the nonmonotonic variation in reactivity of Co$_{13-m}$V$_m$ clusters towards H$_2$ molecules as reported experimentally [J. Phys. Chem. {\bf 94}, 2744 (1990)]. Moreover, it provides useful insight into the cluster geometry and chemically active sites on the cluster surface, which can help to design better catalytic processes.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, 4 table

Electroweak Precision Data, Light Sleptons and Stability of the SUSY Scalar Potential

The light slepton-sneutrino scenario with non-universal scalar masses at the GUT scale is preferred by the electroweak precision data. Though a universal soft breaking mass at or below the Plank scale can produce the required non-universality at the GUT scale through running, such models are in conflict with the stability of the electroweak symmetry breaking vacuum. If the supergravity motivated idea of a common scalar mass at some high scale along with light sleptons is supported by future experiments that may indicate that we are living in a false vacuum. In contrast SO(10) D-terms, which may arise if this GUT group breaks down directly to the Standard Model, can lead to this spectrum with many striking phenomenological predictions, without jeopardizing vacuum stability.Comment: Plain Latex, 17 pages, 5 postscript figur

Recursive approach to study transport properties of atomic wire

In this study, we propose a recursive approach to study the transport properties of atomic wires. It is based upon a real-space block-recursion technique with Landauer's formula being used to express the conductance as a scattering problem. To illustrate the method, we have applied it on a model system described by a single band tight-binding Hamiltonian. Results of our calculation therefore may be compared with the reported results on Na-atom wire. Upon tuning the tight-binding parameters, we can distinctly identify the controlling parameters responsible to decide the width as well as the phase of odd-even oscillations in the conductance.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, table