Ba2AlSi5N9

Ba2AlSi5N9 was synthesized starting from Si3N4, AlN, and Ba in a radio-frequency furnace at temperatures of about 1725°C. The new nitridoalumosilicate crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 (no. 1), a=9.860(1) Å, b=10.320(1) Å, c=10.346(1) Å, α=90.37(2)°, β=118.43(2)°; γ=103.69(2)°, Z=4, R1=0.0314. All synthesized crystals were characteristically twinned by reticular pseudomerohedry with twin law (1 0 0, −0.5 −1 0, −1 0 −1). The crystal structure of Ba2AlSi5N9 was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data of a twinned crystal and confirmed by Rietveld refinement both on X-ray and on neutron powder diffraction data. Statistical distribution Si/Al is corroborated by lattice energy calculations (MAPLE). 29Si and 27Al solid-state NMR are in accordance with the crystallographic results. Ba2AlSi5N9 represents a new type of network structure made up of TN4 tetrahedra (T = Si, Al). Highly condensed layers of dreier rings with nitrogen connecting three neighboring tetrahedral centers occur which are further crosslinked by dreier rings and vierer rings. The dreier rings consist of corner-sharing tetrahedra, whereas some of the vierer rings exhibit two pairs of edge-sharing tetrahedra. In the resulting voids of the network there are eight different Ba2+ sites with coordination numbers between 6 and 10. Thermogravimetric investigations confirmed a thermal stability of Ba2AlSi5N9 up to about 1515°C (He atmosphere). Luminescence measurements on Ba2AlSi5N9:Eu2+ (2 mol % Eu2+) with an excitation wavelength of 450 nm revealed a broadband emission peaking at 584 nm (FWHM=100 nm) originating from dipole-allowed 4f6(7F)5d1 → 4f7(8S7/2) transitions

A conservative and efficient model for grain boundaries of solid electrolytes in a continuum model for solid-state batteries

A formulation is presented to efficiently model ionic conduction inside, i.e. across and along, grain boundaries. Efficiency and accuracy is achieved by reducing it to a two-dimensional manifold while guaranteeing the conservation of mass and charge at the intersection of multiple grain boundaries. The formulation treats the electric field and the electric current as independent solution variables. We elaborate on the numerical challenges this formulation implies and compare the computed solution with results from an analytical solution by quantifying the convergence towards the exact solution. Towards the end of this work, the model is firstly applied to setups with extreme values of crucial parameters of grain boundaries to study the influence of the ionic conduction in the grain boundary on the overall battery cell voltage and, secondly, to a realistic microstructure to show the capabilities of the formulation

Focusing a deterministic single-ion beam

We focus down an ion beam consisting of single 40Ca+ ions to a spot size of a few mum using an einzel-lens. Starting from a segmented linear Paul trap, we have implemented a procedure which allows us to deterministically load a predetermined number of ions by using the potential shaping capabilities of our segmented ion trap. For single-ion loading, an efficiency of 96.7(7)% has been achieved. These ions are then deterministically extracted out of the trap and focused down to a 1sigma-spot radius of (4.6 \pm 1.3)mum at a distance of 257mm from the trap center. Compared to former measurements without ion optics, the einzel-lens is focusing down the single-ion beam by a factor of 12. Due to the small beam divergence and narrow velocity distribution of our ion source, chromatic and spherical aberration at the einzel-lens is vastly reduced, presenting a promising starting point for focusing single ions on their way to a substrate.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

The history of a quiet-Sun magnetic element revealed by IMaX/SUNRISE

Isolated flux tubes are considered to be fundamental magnetic building blocks of the solar photosphere. Their formation is usually attributed to the concentration of magnetic field to kG strengths by the convective collapse mechanism. However, the small size of the magnetic elements in quiet-Sun areas has prevented this scenario from being studied in fully resolved structures. Here we report on the formation and subsequent evolution of one such photospheric magnetic flux tube, observed in the quiet Sun with unprecedented spatial resolution (0\farcs 15 - 0\farcs 18) and high temporal cadence (33 s). The observations were acquired by the Imaging Magnetograph Experiment (IMaX) aboard the \textsc{Sunrise} balloon-borne solar observatory. The equipartition field strength magnetic element is the result of the merging of several same polarity magnetic flux patches, including a footpoint of a previously emerged loop. The magnetic structure is then further intensified to kG field strengths by convective collapse. The fine structure found within the flux concentration reveals that the scenario is more complex than can be described by a thin flux tube model with bright points and downflow plumes being established near the edges of the kG magnetic feature. We also observe a daisy-like alignment of surrounding granules and a long-lived inflow towards the magnetic feature. After a subsequent weakening process, the field is again intensified to kG strengths. The area of the magnetic feature is seen to change in anti-phase with the field strength, while the brightness of the bright points and the speed of the downflows varies in phase. We also find a relation between the brightness of the bright point and the presence of upflows within it.Comment: 13 pages. Accepted in ApJ. Animation 1 can be viewed and downloaded from: http://spg.iaa.es/downloads.as

NGC 346 in the Small Magellanic Cloud. III. Recent Star Formation and Stellar Clustering Properties in the Bright HII Region N 66

In the third part of our photometric study of the star-forming region NGC 346/N~66 and its surrounding field in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), we focus on the large number of low-mass pre-main sequence (PMS) stars revealed by the Hubble Space Telescope Observations with the Advanced Camera for Surveys. We investigate the origin of the observed broadening of the pre-main sequence population in the $V-I$, $V$ CMD. The most likely explanations are either the presence of differential reddening or an age spread among the young stars. Assuming the latter, simulations indicate that we cannot exclude the possibility that stars in NGC 346 might have formed in two distinct events occurring about 10 and 5 Myr ago, respectively. We find that the PMS stars are not homogeneously distributed across NGC 346, but instead are grouped in at least five different clusters. On spatial scales from 0.8$''$ to 8$''$ (0.24 to 2.4 pc at the distance of the SMC) the clustering of the PMS stars as computed by a two-point angular correlation function is self-similar with a power law slope $\gamma \approx -0.3$. The clustering properties are quite similar to Milky Way star forming regions like Orion OB or $\rho$ Oph. Thus molecular cloud fragmentation in the SMC seems to proceed on the same spatial scales as in the Milky Way. This is remarkable given the differences in metallicity and hence dust content between SMC and Milky Way star forming regions.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 16 pages, 13 (low-resolution) figures, emulateapj.cls LaTeX styl

Natural extensions and entropy of α\alpha-continued fractions

We construct a natural extension for each of Nakada's $\alpha$-continued fractions and show the continuity as a function of $\alpha$ of both the entropy and the measure of the natural extension domain with respect to the density function $(1+xy)^{-2}$. In particular, we show that, for all $0 < \alpha \le 1$, the product of the entropy with the measure of the domain equals $\pi^2/6$. As a key step, we give the explicit relationship between the $\alpha$-expansion of $\alpha-1$ and of $\alpha$

Grain Structure Evolution of Al−Cu Alloys in Powder Bed Fusion with Laser Beam for Excellent Mechanical Properties

Powder Bed Fusion with Laser Beam of Metals (PBF-LB/M) is one of the fastest growing technology branches. More and more metallic alloys are being qualified, but processing of aluminum wrought alloys without cracks and defects is still challenging. It has already been shown that small parts with low residual porosity can be produced. However, suffering from microscopic hot cracks, the fracture behavior has been rather brittle. In this paper different combinations of temperature gradients and solidification rates are used to achieve specific solidification conditions in order to influence the resulting microstructure, as well as internal stresses. By this approach it could be shown that EN AW-2024, an aluminum-copper wrought alloy, is processable via PBF-LB/M fully dense and crack-free with outstanding material properties, exceeding those reported for commonly manufactured EN AW-2024 after T4 heat treatment

Reliability Exercise for the Polymyalgia Rheumatica Classification Criteria Study: The Oranjewoud Ultrasound Substudy

Objective. A study supported by the EULAR and the ACR being conducted to establish classification criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) will include ultrasound examination of the shoulders and hips. Ultrasound (US) depicts glenohumeral joint effusion, biceps tenosynovitis, subdeltoid bursitis, hip joint synovitis, and trochanteric bursitis in PMR. These findings may aid in distinguishing PMR from other diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess standards and US interreader agreement of participants in the PMR classification criteria study. Methods. Sixteen physicians in four groups examined shoulders and hips of 4 patients and 4 healthy adults with ultrasound. Overall agreement and interobserver agreement were calculated. Results. The overall agreement (OA) between groups was 87%. The OA for healthy shoulders was 88.8%, for healthy hips 100%, for shoulders with pathology 85.2%, and 74.3% for hips with pathology, respectively. Conclusion. There was a high degree of agreement found for the examination of healthy shoulders and pathologic hips. Agreement was moderate for pathologic shoulders and perfect for healthy hips. US of shoulder and hips performed by different examiners is a reliable and feasible tool for assessment of PMR related disease pathology and can be incorporated into a classification criteria study

Evidence of mild founder LMOD3 mutations causing nemaline myopathy 10 in Germany and Austria

Objective To expand the clinical and genetic spectrum of nemaline myopathy 10 by a series of Austrian and German patients with a milder disease course and missense mutations in LMOD3. Methods We characterized the clinical features and the genetic status of 4 unrelated adolescent or adult patients with nemaline myopathy. Results The 4 patients showed a relatively mild disease course. They all have survived into adulthood, 3 of 4 have remained ambulatory, and all showed marked facial weakness. Muscle biopsy specimens gave evidence of nemaline bodies. All patients were unrelated but originated from Austria (Tyrol and Upper Austria) and Southern Germany (Bavaria). All patients carried the missense variant c.1648C>T, p.(Leu550Phe) in the LMOD3 gene, either on both alleles or in trans with another missense variant (c.1004A>G, p.Gln335Arg). Both variants were not reported previously. Conclusions In 2014, a severe form of congenital nemaline myopathy caused by disrupting mutations in LMOD3 was identified and denoted as NEM10. Unlike the previously reported patients, who had a severe clinical picture with a substantial risk of early death, our patients showed a relatively mild disease course. As the missense variant c.1648C>T is located further downstream compared to all previously published LMOD3 mutations, it might be associated with higher protein expression compared to the reported loss-of-function mutations. The apparent clusters of 2 mild mutations in Germany and Austria in 4 unrelated families may be explained by a founder effect