Structure–property relationships of low sintering temperature scheelite-structured (1 − x)BiVO 4 –xLaNbO 4 microwave dielectric ceramics

A series of (1 − x)BiVO4–xLaNbO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) ceramics were prepared via a solid state reaction method. A scheelite-structured solid solution was formed for x ≤ 0.5 but for x > 0.5, tetragonal scheelite, monoclinic LaNbO4-type and La1/3NbO3 phases co-existed. As x increased from 0 to 0.1, the room temperature crystal structure gradually changed from monoclinic to tetragonal scheelite, associated with a decrease in the ferroelastic phase transition temperature from 255 °C (BiVO4) to room temperature or even below. High sintering temperatures were also found to accelerate this phase transition for compositions with x ≤ 0.08. Temperature independent high quality factor Qf >10 000 GHz in a wide temperature range 25–140 °C and high microwave permittivity εr ∼76.3 ± 0.5 was obtained for the x = 0.06 ceramic sintered at 800 °C. However, small changes in composition resulted in a change in the sign and magnitude of the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (TCF) due to the proximity of the ferroelastic transition to room temperature. If TCF can be controlled and tuned through zero, then (1 − x)BiVO4–xLaNbO4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) is a strong candidate for microwave device applications

Temperature stable K0.5(Nd1−xBix)0.5MoO4 microwave dielectrics ceramics with ultra-low sintering temperature

K 0.5 (Nd 1-x Bi x ) 0.5 MoO 4 (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.7) ceramics were prepared via the solid-state reaction method. All ceramics densified below 720°C with a uniform microstructure. As x increased from 0.2 to 0.7, relative permittivity (e(open) r ) increased from 13.6 to 26.2 commensurate with an increase in temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (TCF) from - 31 ppm/°C to + 60 ppm/°C and a decrease in Qf value (Q = quality factor; f = resonant frequency) from 23 400 to 8620 GHz. Optimum TCF was obtained for x = 0.3 (-15 ppm/°C) and 0.4 (+4 ppm/°C) sintered at 660 and 620°C with e(open) r ~15.4, Q f ~19 650 GHz, and e(open) r ~17.3, Q f ~13 050 GHz, respectively. Ceramics in this novel solid solution are a candidate for ultra low temperature co-fired ceramic (ULTCC) technology

Summer soil drying exacerbated by earlier spring greening of northern vegetation

Earlier vegetation greening under climate change raises evapotranspiration and thus lowers spring soil moisture, yet the extent and magnitude of this water deficit persistence into the following summer remain elusive. We provide observational evidence that increased foliage cover over the Northern Hemisphere, during 1982–2011, triggers an additional soil moisture deficit that is further carried over into summer. Climate model simulations independently support this and attribute the driving process to be larger increases in evapotranspiration than in precipitation. This extra soil drying is projected to amplify the frequency and intensity of summer heatwaves. Most feedbacks operate locally, except for a notable teleconnection where extra moisture transpired over Europe is transported to central Siberia. Model results illustrate that this teleconnection offsets Siberian soil moisture losses from local spring greening. Our results highlight that climate change adaptation planning must account for the extra summer water and heatwave stress inherited from warming-induced earlier greening

Microwave assisted low temperature synthesis of MnZn ferrite nanoparticles

MnZnFe2O4ferrite nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation method using a microwave heating system at temperature of 100 °C. X-ray diffraction reveals the samples as prepared are pure ferrite nanocrystalline phase, transmission electron microscopy image analysis shows particles are in agglomeration state with an average size of about 10 nm, furthermore, crystal size of samples are increased with longer microwave heating

Direct Measurements of the Branching Fractions for D0→K−e+νeD^0 \to K^-e^+\nu_e and D0→π−e+νeD^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e and Determinations of the Form Factors f+K(0)f_{+}^{K}(0) and f+π(0)f^{\pi}_{+}(0)

The absolute branching fractions for the decays $D^0 \to K^-e ^+\nu_e$ and $D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e$ are determined using $7584\pm 198 \pm 341$ singly tagged $\bar D^0$ sample from the data collected around 3.773 GeV with the BES-II detector at the BEPC. In the system recoiling against the singly tagged $\bar D^0$ meson, $104.0\pm 10.9$ events for $D^0 \to K^-e ^+\nu_e$ and $9.0 \pm 3.6$ events for $D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e$ decays are observed. Those yield the absolute branching fractions to be $BF(D^0 \to K^-e^+\nu_e)=(3.82 \pm 0.40\pm 0.27)$ and $BF(D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e)=(0.33 \pm 0.13\pm 0.03)$. The vector form factors are determined to be $|f^K_+(0)| = 0.78 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$ and $|f^{\pi}_+(0)| = 0.73 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.06$. The ratio of the two form factors is measured to be $|f^{\pi}_+(0)/f^K_+(0)|= 0.93 \pm 0.19 \pm 0.07$.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Measurements of the Mass and Full-Width of the ηc\eta_c Meson

In a sample of 58 million $J/\psi$ events collected with the BES II detector, the process J/$\psi\to\gamma\eta_c$ is observed in five different decay channels: $\gamma K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$, $\gamma\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$, $\gamma K^\pm K^0_S \pi^\mp$ (with $K^0_S\to\pi^+\pi^-$), $\gamma \phi\phi$ (with $\phi\to K^+K^-$) and $\gamma p\bar{p}$. From a combined fit of all five channels, we determine the mass and full-width of $\eta_c$ to be $m_{\eta_c}=2977.5\pm1.0 ({stat.})\pm1.2 ({syst.})$ MeV/$c^2$ and $\Gamma_{\eta_c} = 17.0\pm3.7 ({stat.})\pm7.4 ({syst.})$ MeV/$c^2$.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures and 4 table. Submitted to Phys. Lett.

The σ\sigma pole in J/ψ→ωπ+π−J/\psi \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^-

Using a sample of 58 million $J/\psi$ events recorded in the BESII detector, the decay $J/\psi \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^-$ is studied. There are conspicuous $\omega f_2(1270)$ and $b_1(1235)\pi$ signals. At low $\pi \pi$ mass, a large broad peak due to the $\sigma$ is observed, and its pole position is determined to be $(541 \pm 39)$ - $i$ $(252 \pm 42)$ MeV from the mean of six analyses. The errors are dominated by the systematic errors.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PL

A Measurement of Psi(2S) Resonance Parameters

Cross sections for e+e- to hadons, pi+pi- J/Psi, and mu+mu- have been measured in the vicinity of the Psi(2S) resonance using the BESII detector operated at the BEPC. The Psi(2S) total width; partial widths to hadrons, pi+pi- J/Psi, muons; and corresponding branching fractions have been determined to be Gamma(total)= (264+-27) keV; Gamma(hadron)= (258+-26) keV, Gamma(mu)= (2.44+-0.21) keV, and Gamma(pi+pi- J/Psi)= (85+-8.7) keV; and Br(hadron)= (97.79+-0.15)%, Br(pi+pi- J/Psi)= (32+-1.4)%, Br(mu)= (0.93+-0.08)%, respectively.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Search for the Lepton Flavor Violation Processes J/ψ→J/\psi \to μτ\mu\tau and eτe\tau

The lepton flavor violation processes $J/\psi \to \mu\tau$ and $e\tau$ are searched for using a sample of 5.8$\times 10^7$ $J/\psi$ events collected with the BESII detector. Zero and one candidate events, consistent with the estimated background, are observed in $J/\psi \to \mu\tau, \tau\to e\bar\nu_e\nu_{\tau}$ and $J/\psi\to e\tau, \tau\to\mu\bar\nu_{\mu}\nu_{\tau}$ decays, respectively. Upper limits on the branching ratios are determined to be $Br(J/\psi\to\mu\tau)<2.0 \times 10^{-6}$ and $Br(J/\psi \to e\tau) < 8.3 \times10^{-6}$ at the 90% confidence level (C.L.).Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Observation of the decay \psip\rar\kstark

Using 14 million $\psi(2S)$ events collected with the BESII detector, branching fractions of \psip\rar\kstarkpm and \kstarknn are determined to be: \calB(\psip\rar\kstarkpm)=(2.9^{+1.3}_{-1.7}\pm0.4)\times 10^{-5} and \calB(\psip\rar\kstarknn)=(13.3^{+2.4}_{-2.7}\pm1.9)\times 10^{-5}. The results confirm the violation of the "12%" rule for these two decay channels with higher precision. A large isospin violation between the charged and neutral modes is observed.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure