Electrode processes during the electrorefiniment of lead in the KCl-PbCl2-PbO melt

The influence of PbO addition on current efficiency during the electrorefinement of lead in the KCl-PbCl2-PbO melt was investigated. It was shown that with PbO concentration in the KCl-PbCl2 eqiumolar mixture increasing, the current efficiency of lead decreases. Electrode processes mechanism is proposed

Electronic Transport Through a Nuclear-Spin-Polarization-Induced Quantum Wire

Electron transport in a low-dimensional structure—the nuclear-spin-polarization-induced quantum wire is theoretically studied. In the proposed system the local nuclear-spin polarization creates the effective hyperfine field that confines the electrons with the spins opposite to the hyperfine field to the regions of maximal nuclear-spin polarization. The influence of the nuclear-spin relaxation and diffusion on the electron energy spectrum and on the conductance of the quantum wire is calculated and the experimental feasibility is discussed

Electronic transport through nuclear-spin-polarization-induced quantum wire

Electron transport in a new low-dimensional structure - the nuclear spin polarization induced quantum wire (NSPI QW) is theoretically studied. In the proposed system the local nuclear spin polarization creates the effective hyperfine field which confines the electrons with the spins opposite to the hyperfine field to the regions of maximal nuclear spin polarization. The influence of the nuclear spin relaxation and diffusion on the electron energy spectrum and on the conductance of the quantum wire is calculated and the experimental feasibility is discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Research of oxygen-conducting ceramic materials for lithium chloride melt in reactors for pyrochemical processing of spent nuclear fuel

The behavior of potential ceramic materials (electrolytes conducting on oxygen ions) of electrochemical control devices of technological operations in oxide-halide melts was investigated. Based on the literature data and thermodynamic estimates for long-term tests in the LiCl, LiCl-Li2O and LiCl-Li2O-Li melts at a temperature of 650 ° C, mixtures of oxides ZrO2- Y2O3(YSZ), ZrO2-Sc2O3(ScSZ), ZrO2-CaO (CaSZ) and CeO2-Gd2O3(CGO) were selected. These melt under the studies are the most widely used in a number of high-temperature electrochemical processes of obtaining metals and alloys, as well as in the developed schemes of pyrochemical processing of nuclear fuel. The stability of the samples was determined by changes in mass, appearance, elemental analysis of the melt, as well as via the scanning electron microscopy. The best stability in LiCl-Li2O melts was shown by the samples of ZrO2-Y2O3with cubic and tetragonal structures and the samples of ZrO2-CaO. Based on the changes in the microstructure of the samples, it was concluded that the increase in the content of Li2O in the LiCl-Li2O melt accelerates the destruction of the sample mainly by the mechanism of dyeing, and the presence of lithium leads to loosening of the samples. © 2020 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved

Development of oxygen sensor for pyrochemical reactors of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing

The problem of closing the nuclear fuel cycle is not only related to the development of new types of nuclear fuel and the operation of fast neutron reactors, but also to the complex schemes for the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), which, in turn, require adherence to strict process parameters. In particular, this concerns the operation of the reduction of oxidized SNF mainly by metallic lithium. The paper presents the basic scientific principles and the results of experimental verification of the operation of an electrochemical sensor for measuring oxygen in molten salts in pyrochemical reactors for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. The sensor design consists of two combined electrochemical cells based on the solid electrolyte ZrO2-Y2O3 with a common reference electrode. The sensor allows continuous measurement of the oxygen activity in the oxide-chloride melt and the partial pressure of oxygen in the gas atmosphere above the melt directly during the process of pyrochemical processing. Experimental verification of the sensor performance was performed in a reactor with LiCl-Li2O melts at a temperature of 650 ° C. The resource of continuous sensor operation exceeded 500 hours, and the number of thermal cycles without destruction was at least 20. The sensor readings were found to depend on the specified Li2O content in the LiCl melt. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Slow Spin Relaxation in Two-Dimensional Electron Systems with Antidots

We report a Monte Carlo investigation of the effect of a lattice of antidots on spin relaxation in twodimensional electron systems. The spin relaxation time is calculated as a function of geometrical parameters describing the antidot lattice, namely, the antidot radius and the distance between their centers. It is shown that spin polarization relaxation can be efficiently suppressed by the chaotic spatial motion due to the antidot lattice. This phenomenon offers a new approach to spin coherence manipulation in spintronics devices.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

Computers from plants we never made. Speculations

We discuss possible designs and prototypes of computing systems that could be based on morphological development of roots, interaction of roots, and analog electrical computation with plants, and plant-derived electronic components. In morphological plant processors data are represented by initial configuration of roots and configurations of sources of attractants and repellents; results of computation are represented by topology of the roots' network. Computation is implemented by the roots following gradients of attractants and repellents, as well as interacting with each other. Problems solvable by plant roots, in principle, include shortest-path, minimum spanning tree, Voronoi diagram, $\alpha$-shapes, convex subdivision of concave polygons. Electrical properties of plants can be modified by loading the plants with functional nanoparticles or coating parts of plants of conductive polymers. Thus, we are in position to make living variable resistors, capacitors, operational amplifiers, multipliers, potentiometers and fixed-function generators. The electrically modified plants can implement summation, integration with respect to time, inversion, multiplication, exponentiation, logarithm, division. Mathematical and engineering problems to be solved can be represented in plant root networks of resistive or reaction elements. Developments in plant-based computing architectures will trigger emergence of a unique community of biologists, electronic engineering and computer scientists working together to produce living electronic devices which future green computers will be made of.Comment: The chapter will be published in "Inspired by Nature. Computing inspired by physics, chemistry and biology. Essays presented to Julian Miller on the occasion of his 60th birthday", Editors: Susan Stepney and Andrew Adamatzky (Springer, 2017

Quantum states and linear response in dc and electromagnetic fields for charge current and spin polarization of electrons at Bi/Si interface with giant spin-orbit coupling

An expansion of the nearly free-electron model constructed by Frantzeskakis, Pons and Grioni [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 82}, 085440 (2010)] describing quantum states at Bi/Si(111) interface with giant spin-orbit coupling is developed and applied for the band structure and spin polarization calculation, as well as for the linear response analysis for charge current and induced spin caused by dc field and by electromagnetic radiation. It is found that the large spin-orbit coupling in this system may allow resolving the spin-dependent properties even at room temperature and at realistic collision rate. The geometry of the atomic lattice combined with spin-orbit coupling leads to an anisotropic response both for current and spin components related to the orientation of the external field. The in-plane dc electric field produces only the in-plane components of spin in the sample while both the in-plane and out-of-plane spin components can be excited by normally propagating electromagnetic wave with different polarizations.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure

Electron spin dynamics in quantum dots and related nanostructures due to hyperfine interaction with nuclei

We review and summarize recent theoretical and experimental work on electron spin dynamics in quantum dots and related nanostructures due to hyperfine interaction with surrounding nuclear spins. This topic is of particular interest with respect to several proposals for quantum information processing in solid state systems. Specifically, we investigate the hyperfine interaction of an electron spin confined in a quantum dot in an s-type conduction band with the nuclear spins in the dot. This interaction is proportional to the square modulus of the electron wave function at the location of each nucleus leading to an inhomogeneous coupling, i.e. nuclei in different locations are coupled with different strength. In the case of an initially fully polarized nuclear spin system an exact analytical solution for the spin dynamics can be found. For not completely polarized nuclei, approximation-free results can only be obtained numerically in sufficiently small systems. We compare these exact results with findings from several approximation strategies.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures. Topical Review to appear in J. Phys.: Condens. Matte