139 research outputs found
Quantum and thermal spin relaxation in diluted spin ice: Dy(2-x)MxTi2O7 (M = Lu, Y)
We have studied the low temperature a.c. magnetic susceptibility of the
diluted spin ice compound Dy(2-x)MxTi2O7, where the magnetic Dy ions on the
frustrated pyrochlore lattice have been replaced with non-magnetic ions, M = Y
or Lu. We examine a broad range of dilutions, 0 <= x <= 1.98, and we find that
the T ~ 16 K freezing is suppressed for low levels of dilution but re-emerges
for x > 0.4 and persists to x = 1.98. This behavior can be understood as a
non-monotonic dependence of the quantum spin relaxation time with dilution. The
results suggest that the observed spin freezing is fundamentally a single spin
process which is affected by the local environment, rather than the development
of spin-spin correlations as earlier data suggested.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figure
Quantum-Classical Reentrant Relaxation Crossover in Dy2Ti2O7 Spin-Ice
We have studied spin relaxation in the spin ice compound Dy2Ti2O7 through
measurements of the a.c. magnetic susceptibility. While the characteristic spin
relaxation time is thermally activated at high temperatures, it becomes almost
temperature independent below Tcross ~ 13 K, suggesting that quantum tunneling
dominates the relaxation process below that temperature. As the low-entropy
spin ice state develops below Tice ~ 4 K, the spin relaxation time increases
sharply with decreasing temperature, suggesting the emergence of a collective
degree of freedom for which thermal relaxation processes again become important
as the spins become highly correlated
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Tuning the bandgap of Cs2AgBiBr6 through dilute tin alloying.
The promise of lead halide hybrid perovskites for optoelectronic applications makes finding less-toxic alternatives a priority. The double perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 (1) represents one such alternative, offering long carrier lifetimes and greater stability under ambient conditions. However, the large and indirect 1.95 eV bandgap hinders its potential as a solar absorber. Here we report that alloying crystals of 1 with up to 1 atom% Sn results in a bandgap reduction of up to ca. 0.5 eV while maintaining low toxicity. Crystals can be alloyed with up to 1 atom% Sn and the predominant substitution pathway appears to be a ∼2 : 1 substitution of Sn2+ and Sn4+ for Ag+ and Bi3+, respectively, with Ag+ vacancies providing charge compensation. Spincoated films of 1 accommodate a higher Sn loading, up to 4 atom% Sn, where we see mostly Sn2+ substitution for both Ag+ and Bi3+. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations ascribe the bandgap redshift to the introduction of Sn impurity bands below the conduction band minimum of the host lattice. Using optical absorption spectroscopy, photothermal deflection spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, 119Sn NMR, redox titration, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, multiple elemental analysis and imaging techniques, and DFT calculations, we provide a detailed analysis of the Sn content and oxidation state, dominant substitution sites, and charge-compensating defects in Sn-alloyed Cs2AgBiBr6 (1:Sn) crystals and films. An understanding of heterovalent alloying in halide double perovskites opens the door to a wider breadth of potential alloying agents for manipulating their band structures in a predictable manner
Low Temperature Spin Freezing in Dy2Ti2O7 Spin Ice
We report a study of the low temperature bulk magnetic properties of the spin
ice compound Dy2Ti2O7 with particular attention to the (T < 4 K) spin freezing
transition. While this transition is superficially similar to that in a spin
glass, there are important qualitative differences from spin glass behavior:
the freezing temperature increases slightly with applied magnetic field, and
the distribution of spin relaxation times remains extremely narrow down to the
lowest temperatures. Furthermore, the characteristic spin relaxation time
increases faster than exponentially down to the lowest temperatures studied.
These results indicate that spin-freezing in spin ice materials represents a
novel form of magnetic glassiness associated with the unusual nature of
geometrical frustration in these materials.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figure
Dengue prevalence as an evidence of Climate change in Sri Lanka
Climate change is the main fundamental human development challenge of the 21st century. Sri Lanka is a developing island nation subject to tropical climate patterns; highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. High variability of rainfall patterns and increasing temperature experienced during the recent past in Sri Lanka could be one of the consequences of global climate change with the increase of Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The main objective of this study is to investigate the possibility to use the dengue prevalence as an evidence of climate change in Sri Lanka by establishing the correlation of climate factors and dengue incidence. Seven districts were randomly selected across all climatic zones for the study and dengue incidence, rainfall, and temperature statistics of last 10 years were collected from relevant governmental institutions. Data analysis was done using SPSS (version 21) and R (Rx64 3.5.1) Statistical Software. According to the findings of the study, rainfall and temperature difference have a statistically significant correlation with dengue incidents. Therefore, dengue prevalence can be used as an evidence of climate change in Sri Lanka. Hence, authorities should take necessary steps to mainstream Climate change into development policies in all sectors for a sustainable future. KEYWORDS: Adaptation, Climate change, Dengue, Mitigation, UNFCC
Magnetisation Studies of Geometrically Frustrated Antiferromagnets SrLn2O4, with Ln = Er, Dy and Ho
We present the results of susceptibility \chi(T) and magnetisation M(H)
measurements performed on single crystal samples of the rare-earth oxides
SrLn2O4 (Ln = Er, Dy and Ho). The measurements reveal the presence of magnetic
ordering transition in SrHo2O4 at 0.62 K and confirm that SrEr2O4 orders
magnetically at 0.73 K, while in SrDy2O4 such a transition is absent down to at
least 0.5 K. The observed ordering temperatures are significantly lower than
the Curie-Weiss temperatures, \theta_{CW}, obtained from the high-temperature
linear fits to the 1/\chi(T) curves, which implies that these materials are
subject to geometric frustration. Strong anisotropy found in the \chi(T) curves
for a field applied along the different crystallographic directions is also
evident in the M(H) curves measured both above and below the ordering
temperatures. For all three compounds the magnetisation plateaux at
approximately one third of the magnetisation saturation values can be seen for
certain directions of applied field, which is indicative of field-induced
stabilisation of a collinear {\it two-up one-down} structure.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Recent advances in unveiling active sites in molybdenum sulfide-based electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Hydrogen has received significant attention as a promising future energy carrier due to its high energy density and environmentally friendly nature. In particular, the electrocatalytic generation of hydrogen fuel is highly desirable to replace current fossil fuel-dependent hydrogen production methods. However, to achieve widespread implementation of electrocatalytic hydrogen production technology, the development of highly active and durable electrocatalysts based on Earth-abundant elements is of prime importance. In this context, nanostructured molybdenum sulfides (MoS x ) have received a great deal of attention as promising alternatives to precious metal-based catalysts. In this focus review, we summarize recent efforts towards identification of the active sites in MoS x -based electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We also discuss recent synthetic strategies for the engineering of catalyst structures to achieve high active site densities. Finally, we suggest ongoing and future research challenges in the design of advanced MoS x -based HER electrocatalysts
Self-optimizing, highly surface-active layered metal dichalcogenide catalysts for hydrogen evolution
Low-cost, layered transition-metal dichalcogenides (MX_2) based on molybdenum and tungsten have attracted substantial interest as alternative catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). These materials have high intrinsic per-site HER activity; however, a significant challenge is the limited density of active sites, which are concentrated at the layer edges. Here we unravel electronic factors underlying catalytic activity on MX_2 surfaces, and leverage the understanding to report group-5 MX_2 (H-TaS_2 and H-NbS_2) electrocatalysts whose performance instead mainly derives from highly active basal-plane sites, as suggested by our first-principles calculations and performance comparisons with edge-active counterparts. Beyond high catalytic activity, they are found to exhibit an unusual ability to optimize their morphology for enhanced charge transfer and accessibility of active sites as the HER proceeds, offering a practical advantage for scalable processing. The catalysts reach 10 mA cm^(−2) current density at an overpotential of ∼50–60 mV with a loading of 10–55 μg cm^(−2), surpassing other reported MX2 candidates without any performance-enhancing additives
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