472 research outputs found
The evidence of quasi-free positronium state in GiPS-AMOC spectra of glycerol
We present the results of processing of Age-Momentum Correlation (AMOC)
spectra that were measured for glycerol by the Gamma-induced positron
spectroscopy (GiPS) facility. Our research has shown that the shape of
experimental s(t) curve cannot be explained without introduction of the
intermediate state of positronium (Ps), called quasi-free Ps. This state yields
the wide Doppler line near zero lifetimes. We discuss the possible properties
of this intermediate Ps state from the viewpoint of developed model. The amount
of annihilation events produced by quasi-free Ps is estimated to be less than
5% of total annihilations. In the proposed model, quasi-free Ps serves as a
precursor for trapped Ps of para- and ortho-states
A Non-Equilibrium Defect-Unbinding Transition: Defect Trajectories and Loop Statistics
In a Ginzburg-Landau model for parametrically driven waves a transition
between a state of ordered and one of disordered spatio-temporal defect chaos
is found. To characterize the two different chaotic states and to get insight
into the break-down of the order, the trajectories of the defects are tracked
in detail. Since the defects are always created and annihilated in pairs the
trajectories form loops in space time. The probability distribution functions
for the size of the loops and the number of defects involved in them undergo a
transition from exponential decay in the ordered regime to a power-law decay in
the disordered regime. These power laws are also found in a simple lattice
model of randomly created defect pairs that diffuse and annihilate upon
collision.Comment: 4 pages 5 figure
Reversing a granular flow on a vibratory conveyor
Experimental results are presented on the transport properties of granular
materials on a vibratory conveyor. For circular oscillations of the shaking
trough a non-monotonous dependence of the transport velocity on the normalized
acceleration is observed. Two maxima are separated by a regime, where the
granular flow is much slower and, in a certain driving range, even reverses its
direction. A similar behavior is found for a single solid body with a low
coefficient of restitution, whereas an individual glass bead of 1 mm diameter
is propagated in the same direction for all accelerations.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Applied Physics Letter
Vacancy complexes in nonequilibrium germanium-tin semiconductors
Understanding the nature and behavior of vacancy-like defects in epitaxial
GeSn metastable alloys is crucial to elucidate the structural and
optoelectronic properties of these emerging semiconductors. The formation of
vacancies and their complexes is expected to be promoted by the relatively low
substrate temperature required for the epitaxial growth of GeSn layers with Sn
contents significantly above the equilibrium solubility of 1 at.%. These
defects can impact both the microstructure and charge carrier lifetime. Herein,
to identify the vacancy-related complexes and probe their evolution as a
function of Sn content, depth-profiled pulsed low-energy positron annihilation
lifetime spectroscopy and Doppler broadening spectroscopy were combined to
investigate GeSn epitaxial layers with Sn content in the 6.5-13.0 at.% range.
The samples were grown by chemical vapor deposition method at temperatures
between 300 and 330 {\deg}C. Regardless of the Sn content, all GeSn samples
showed the same depth-dependent increase in the positron annihilation line
broadening parameters, which confirmed the presence of open volume defects. The
measured average positron lifetimes were the highest (380-395 ps) in the region
near the surface and monotonically decrease across the analyzed thickness, but
remain above 350 ps. All GeSn layers exhibit lifetimes that are 85 to 110 ps
higher than the Ge reference layers. Surprisingly, these lifetimes were found
to decrease as Sn content increases in GeSn layers. These measurements indicate
that divacancies are the dominant defect in the as-grown GeSn layers. However,
their corresponding lifetime was found to be shorter than in epitaxial Ge thus
suggesting that the presence of Sn may alter the structure of divacancies.
Additionally, GeSn layers were found to also contain a small fraction of
vacancy clusters, which become less important as Sn content increases
Via Hexagons to Squares in Ferrofluids: Experiments on Hysteretic Surface Transformations under Variation of the Normal Magnetic Field
We report on different surface patterns on magnetic liquids following the
Rosensweig instability. We compare the bifurcation from the flat surface to a
hexagonal array of spikes with the transition to squares at higher fields. From
a radioscopic mapping of the surface topography we extract amplitudes and
wavelengths. For the hexagon--square transition, which is complex because of
coexisting domains, we tailor a set of order parameters like peak--to--peak
distance, circularity, angular correlation function and pattern specific
amplitudes from Fourier space. These measures enable us to quantify the smooth
hysteretic transition. Voronoi diagrams indicate a pinning of the domains. Thus
the smoothness of the transition is roughness on a small scale.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figure
Study of the optimal conditions for NV- center formation in type 1b diamond, using photoluminescence and positron annihilation spectroscopies
We studied the parameters to optimize the production of negatively-charged
nitrogen-vacancy color centers (NV-) in type~1b single crystal diamond using
proton irradiation followed by thermal annealing under vacuum. Several samples
were treated under different irradiation and annealing conditions and
characterized by slow positron beam Doppler-broadening and photoluminescence
(PL) spectroscopies. At high proton fluences another complex vacancy defect
appears limiting the formation of NV-. Concentrations as high as 2.3 x 10^18
cm^-3 of NV- have been estimated from PL measurements. Furthermore, we inferred
the trapping coefficient of positrons by NV-. This study brings insight into
the production of a high concentration of NV- in diamond, which is of utmost
importance in ultra-sensitive magnetometry and quantum hybrid systems
applications
Response of a ferrofluid to traveling-stripe forcing
We observe the dynamics of waves propagating on the surface of a ferrofluid
under the influence of a spatially and temporarily modulated field. In
particular, we excite plane waves by a travelling lamellar modulation of the
magnetization. By this external driving both the wavelength and the propagation
velocity of the waves can be controlled. The amplitude of the excited waves
exhibits a resonance phenomenon similar to that of a forced harmonic
oscillator. Its analysis reveals the dispersion relation of the free surface
waves, from which the critical magnetic field for the onset of the Rosensweig
instability can be extrapolated
Particle dynamics of a cartoon dune
The spatio-temporal evolution of a downsized model for a desert dune is
observed experimentally in a narrow water flow channel. A particle tracking
method reveals that the migration speed of the model dune is one order of
magnitude smaller than that of individual grains. In particular, the erosion
rate consists of comparable contributions from creeping (low energy) and
saltating (high energy) particles. The saltation flow rate is slightly larger,
whereas the number of saltating particles is one order of magnitude lower than
that of the creeping ones. The velocity field of the saltating particles is
comparable to the velocity field of the driving fluid. It can be observed that
the spatial profile of the shear stress reaches its maximum value upstream of
the crest, while its minimum lies at the downstream foot of the dune. The
particle tracking method reveals that the deposition of entrained particles
occurs primarily in the region between these two extrema of the shear stress.
Moreover, it is demonstrated that the initial triangular heap evolves to a
steady state with constant mass, shape, velocity, and packing fraction after
one turnover time has elapsed. Within that time the mean distance between
particles initially in contact reaches a value of approximately one quarter of
the dune basis length
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