Relaxation processes in a low-order three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stribling, Troy; Matthaeus, William H.

1991-01-01

The time asymptotic behavior of a Galerkin model of 3D magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) has been interpreted using the selective decay and dynamic alignment relaxation theories. A large number of simulations has been performed that scan a parameter space defined by the rugged ideal invariants, including energy, cross helicity, and magnetic helicity. It is concluded that time asymptotic state can be interpreted as a relaxation to minimum energy. A simple decay model, based on absolute equilibrium theory, is found to predict a mapping of initial onto time asymptotic states, and to accurately describe the long time behavior of the runs when magnetic helicity is present. Attention is also given to two processes, operating on time scales shorter than selective decay and dynamic alignment, in which the ratio of kinetic to magnetic energy relaxes to values 0(1). The faster of the two processes takes states initially dominant in magnetic energy to a state of near-equipartition between kinetic and magnetic energy through power law growth of kinetic energy. The other process takes states initially dominant in kinetic energy to the near-equipartitioned state through exponential growth of magnetic energy.

Direct Comparison of Surface and Bulk Relaxation of PS - A Temperature Dependent Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wen-Li; Sambasivan, Sharadha; Wang, Chia-Ying; Genzer, Jan; Fischer, Daniel A.

2005-03-01

Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy was used to measure simultaneously the relaxation rates of polystyrene (PS) molecules at the free surface and in the bulk. The samples were uniaxially oriented at room temperature via a modified cold rolling process. The density of the oriented samples as determined by liquid immersion technique is identical to that of bulk PS. At temperatures below its bulk glass transition temperature the rate of surface and bulk chain relaxation was monitored by measuring the partial-electron yield (PEY) and the fluorescence NEXAFS yields (FS), respectively, both parallel and perpendicular to the stretching direction. The decay rate of the dichroic ratios from both PEY and FY at various temperatures was taken as a measure of the relaxation rate of surface and bulk molecules respectively. In addition, the decay rate of the optical birefringence was also measured to provide an independent measure of the bulk relaxation. Relaxation of PS chains was found to occur faster on the surface relative to the bulk. The magnitude of the surface glass transition temperature suppression over the bulk was estimated to be 18 C based on the measured temperature dependence of the relaxation rates.

State of water in starch-water systems in the gelatinization temperature range as investigated using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motwani, Tanuj

Starch-water interactions occurring during gelatinization are critical for developing a mechanistic understanding of the gelatinization process. The overall goal of this project was to investigate the state of water in starch-water systems in the gelatinization temperature range using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. In the first part of the project, the dielectric response of native wheat starch-water slurries was measured at seven different starch concentrations between 5--60% starch (w/w) in the frequency range of 200 MHz--20 GHz at 25°C. The deconvolution of the dielectric spectra using the Debye model revealed presence of up to three relaxation processes. The relaxation time range of what were considered to be the high, intermediate and low frequency relaxations were 4--9 ps, 20--25 ps and 230--620 ps, respectively. The high frequency relaxation was observed at all starch concentrations, while the intermediate and low frequency relaxation were only observed at starch concentrations of 10% and above, and 30% and above, respectively. The high frequency relaxation was attributed to bulk water, while the intermediate and low frequency relaxations were attributed to rotationally restrained water molecules present in the starch-water system. To investigate the state of water in the gelatinization temperature range, the dielectric response, gelatinization enthalpy and water absorption by 10%, 30% or 50% starch slurries were measured after heating the slurries to different end temperatures between 40--90°C for 30 min. The high frequency relaxation time for 10% starch slurry dropped significantly (P<0.001) upon heating up to 60°C. For 30% and 50% starch slurries, high frequency relaxation times were not significantly influenced (P>0.159) by heating up to 80°C. The intermediate and low frequency relaxation times were not significantly influenced (P>0.712) by heating for all starch concentrations. Also, the amount of water associated with the three relaxations was

Low-temperature electron-spin relaxation in the crystalline and glassy states of solid ethanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kveder, Marina; Merunka, Dalibor; Jokić, Milan; Rakvin, Boris

2008-03-01

X -band electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to study the spectral properties of a nitroxide spin probe in ethanol glass and crystalline ethanol, at 5-11.5K . The different anisotropy of molecular packing in the two host matrices was evidenced by different rigid limit values for maximal hyperfine splitting in the signal of the spin probe. The significantly shorter phase memory time Tm for the spin probe dissolved in crystalline ethanol, as compared to ethanol glass, was discussed in terms of contribution from spectral diffusion. The effect of low-frequency dynamics was manifested in the temperature dependence of Tm and in the difference between the data measured at different spectral positions. This phenomenon was addressed within the framework of the slow-motional isotropic diffusion model [S. Lee and S. Z. Tang, Phys. Rev. B 31, 1308 (1985)] predicting the spin probe dynamics within the millisecond range, at very low temperatures. The shorter spin-lattice relaxation time of the spin probe in ethanol glass was interpreted in terms of enhanced energy exchange between the spin system and the lattice in the glass matrix due to boson peak excitations.

Temperature-dependent relaxation of dipole-exchange magnons in yttrium iron garnet films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihalceanu, Laura; Vasyuchka, Vitaliy I.; Bozhko, Dmytro A.; Langner, Thomas; Nechiporuk, Alexey Yu.; Romanyuk, Vladyslav F.; Hillebrands, Burkard; Serga, Alexander A.

2018-06-01

Low-energy consumption enabled by charge-free information transport, which is free from Joule heating, and the ability to process phase-encoded data through the use of nanometer-sized interference devices operating at GHz and THz frequencies are just a few benefits of spin-wave-based technologies. Moreover, when approaching cryogenic temperatures, quantum phenomena in spin-wave systems pave the path towards quantum information processing. In view of these applications, the lifetime of magnons—spin-wave quanta—is of high relevance for the fields of magnonics, magnon spintronics, and quantum computing. Here, the relaxation behavior of parametrically excited magnons having wave numbers from zero up to 6 ×105rad cm-1 was experimentally investigated in the temperature range from 20 to 340 K in single-crystal yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films of different thickness epitaxially grown on gallium gadolinium garnet (GGG) substrates as well as in a bulk YIG crystal—the magnonic materials featuring the lowest magnetic damping thus far known. Due to magnon-magnon interactions, the relaxation rate of the parametric magnons increases with an increase of their wave numbers. In the thinner samples, this increase is less pronounced, which can be associated with a stronger quantization of their magnon spectra. For the YIG films, we have found a significant increase in the magnon relaxation rate below 150 K—up to eight times the reference value at 340 K—in the entire range of probed wave numbers, which is in direct opposition to that in ultrapure YIG crystals. This increase is related to rare-earth impurities contaminating the YIG samples with a slight contribution caused by the coupling of spin waves to the spin system of the paramagnetic GGG substrate at the lowest temperatures.

Dielectric relaxation in Li2SO4 in the intermedia-temperature regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diosa, J. E.; Vargas, R. A.; Fernández, M. E.; Albinsson, I.; Mellander, B.-E.

2005-08-01

The dielectric permittivity of polycrystalline Li2SO4 was measured from 5 Hz to 13 MHz and over the temperature range 235-460 °C. The corrected imaginary part of permittivity, , and its real part vs. frequency clearly show a new dielectric relaxation around fmax = 2 × 104 Hz at T = 256 °C, which shifts to higher frequencies (1 MHz) as the temperatures increases. The relaxation frequency (calculated from the peak position of ) vs. reciprocal T shows an activated relaxation process with activation energy Ea= 0.9 eV, which is very close to that derived from the dc conductivity, E (0.87 eV). We suggest that this dielectric relaxation could be due to the Li+ jump and SO₄^- reorientation that cause distortion and change of the local lattice polarizability inducing dipoles like LiSO₄^-.

Temperature relaxation in supernova remnants, revisited

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Itoh, H.

1984-01-01

Some supernova remnants are expanding into a partially neutral medium. The neutral atoms which are engulfed by the fast blast shock are collisionally ionized to eject low-energy secondary electrons. Calculations are conducted of the temperature relaxation through Coulomb collisions among the secondary electrons, the shocked electrons, and the ions, assuming that the three species have Maxwellian velocity distributions. The results are applied to a self-similar blast wave. If the efficiency of collisionless electron heating at the shock front is high in young remnants such as Tycho, the secondary electrons may be much cooler than both the shocked electrons and the ions. In this case, the emergent X-ray continuum spectrum will have a two-temperature, or a power-law, appearance. This effect may have been observed in the bright rim of the remnant of SN 1006.

Temperature dependent relaxation of interface-states in graphene on SiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Anil Kumar; Gupta, Anjan Kumar

2018-04-01

We have studied the evolution of resistance relaxation with temperature in graphene field effect transistor on SiO2. At room temperature, piranha-cleaned-SiO2 devices show slow resistance relaxation while IPA-cleaned-SiO2 devices do not. With cooling the former devices show a decrease in magnitude and time constant of the slow relaxation and it becomes negligible at 250K. Relaxation study at elevated temperature of the IPA-cleaned devices show a gate voltage polarity dependent time constant with respect to the charge neutrality point but it remains almost independent of temperature. The magnitude of relaxation increases with temperature. Further, after annealing at elevated temperature, we found that the relaxation times become independent of gate voltage polarity and its magnitude becomes very small. These observations are discussed using increase in diffusion of interface-species with temperature.

Molecular relaxation behavior and isothermal crystallization above glass transition temperature of amorphous hesperetin.

PubMed

Shete, Ganesh; Khomane, Kailas S; Bansal, Arvind Kumar

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the relaxation behavior of amorphous hesperetin (HRN), using dielectric spectroscopy, and assessment of its crystallization kinetics above glass transition temperature (Tg ). Amorphous HRN exhibited both local (β-) and global (α-) relaxations. β-Relaxation was observed below Tg , whereas α-relaxation prominently emerged above Tg . β-Relaxation was found to be of Johari-Goldstein type and was correlated with α-process by coupling model. Secondly, isothermal crystallization experiments were performed at 363 K (Tg + 16.5 K), 373 K (Tg + 26.5 K), and 383 K (Tg + 36.5 K). The kinetics of crystallization, obtained from the normalized dielectric strength, was modeled using the Avrami model. Havriliak-Negami (HN) shape parameters, αHN and αHN .βHN , were analyzed during the course of crystallization to understand the dynamics of amorphous phase during the emergence of crystallites. HN shape parameters indicated that long range (α-like) were motions affected to a greater extent than short range (β-like) motions during isothermal crystallization studies at all temperature conditions. The variable behavior of α-like motions at different isothermal crystallization temperatures was attributed to evolving crystallites with time and increase in electrical conductivity with temperature. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Capturing molecular multimode relaxation processes in excitable gases based on decomposition of acoustic relaxation spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Ming; Liu, Tingting; Wang, Shu; Zhang, Kesheng

2017-08-01

Existing two-frequency reconstructive methods can only capture primary (single) molecular relaxation processes in excitable gases. In this paper, we present a reconstructive method based on the novel decomposition of frequency-dependent acoustic relaxation spectra to capture the entire molecular multimode relaxation process. This decomposition of acoustic relaxation spectra is developed from the frequency-dependent effective specific heat, indicating that a multi-relaxation process is the sum of the interior single-relaxation processes. Based on this decomposition, we can reconstruct the entire multi-relaxation process by capturing the relaxation times and relaxation strengths of N interior single-relaxation processes, using the measurements of acoustic absorption and sound speed at 2N frequencies. Experimental data for the gas mixtures CO2-N2 and CO2-O2 validate our decomposition and reconstruction approach.

Local spin dynamics at low temperature in the slowly relaxing molecular chain [Dy(hfac)3{NIT(C6H4OPh)}]: A μ+ spin relaxation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arosio, Paolo; Corti, Maurizio; Mariani, Manuel; Orsini, Francesco; Bogani, Lapo; Caneschi, Andrea; Lago, Jorge; Lascialfari, Alessandro

2015-05-01

The spin dynamics of the molecular magnetic chain [Dy(hfac)3{NIT(C6H4OPh)}] were investigated by means of the Muon Spin Relaxation (μ+SR) technique. This system consists of a magnetic lattice of alternating Dy(III) ions and radical spins, and exhibits single-chain-magnet behavior. The magnetic properties of [Dy(hfac)3{NIT(C6H4OPh)}] have been studied by measuring the magnetization vs. temperature at different applied magnetic fields (H = 5, 3500, and 16500 Oe) and by performing μ+SR experiments vs. temperature in zero field and in a longitudinal applied magnetic field H = 3500 Oe. The muon asymmetry P(t) was fitted by the sum of three components, two stretched-exponential decays with fast and intermediate relaxation times, and a third slow exponential decay. The temperature dependence of the spin dynamics has been determined by analyzing the muon longitudinal relaxation rate λinterm(T), associated with the intermediate relaxing component. The experimental λinterm(T) data were fitted with a corrected phenomenological Bloembergen-Purcell-Pound law by using a distribution of thermally activated correlation times, which average to τ = τ0 exp(Δ/kBT), corresponding to a distribution of energy barriers Δ. The correlation times can be associated with the spin freezing that occurs when the system condenses in the ground state.

Glass transition and relaxation processes of nanocomposite polymer electrolytes.

PubMed

Money, Benson K; Hariharan, K; Swenson, Jan

2012-07-05

This study focus on the effect of δ-Al(2)O(3) nanofillers on the dc-conductivity, glass transition, and dielectric relaxations in the polymer electrolyte (PEO)(4):LiClO(4). The results show that there are three dielectric relaxation processes, α, β, and γ, in the systems, although the structural α-relaxation is hidden in the strong conductivity contribution and could therefore not be directly observed. However, by comparing an enhanced dc-conductivity, by approximately 2 orders of magnitude with 4 wt % δ-Al(2)O(3) added, with a decrease in calorimetric glass transition temperature, we are able to conclude that the dc-conductivity is directly coupled to the hidden α-relaxation, even in the presence of nanofillers (at least in the case of δ-Al(2)O(3) nanofillers at concentrations up to 4 wt %). This filler induced speeding up of the segmental polymer dynamics, i.e., the α-relaxation, can be explained by the nonattractive nature of the polymer-filler interactions, which enhance the "free volume" and mobility of polymer segments in the vicinity of filler surfaces.

Hydration of Rhyolitic Glasses: Comparison Between High- and Low-Temperature Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anovitz, L.; Fayek, M.; Cole, D. R.; Carter, T.

2012-12-01

While a great deal is known about the interaction between water and rhyolitic glasses and melts at temperatures above the glass transition, the nature of this interaction at lower temperatures is more obscure. Comparisons between high- and low-temperature diffusive studies suggest that several factors play an important role under lower-temperatures conditions that are not significant at higher temperatures. Surface concentrations, which equilibrate quickly at high temperature, change far more slowly as temperatures decrease, and may not equilibrate at room temperature for hundreds or thousands of years. Coupled with temperature-dependent diffusion coefficients this complicates calculation of diffusion profiles as a function of time. A key factor in this process appears to be the inability of "self-stress", caused by the in-diffusing species, to relax at lower temperatures, a result expected below the glass transition. Regions of the glass hydrated at low temperatures are strongly optically anisotropic, and preliminary calculations suggest that the magnitude of stress involved may be very high. On the microstuctural scale, extrapolations of high-temperature FTIR data to lower temperatures suggests there should be little or no hydroxyl present in glasses "hydrated" at low temperatures. Analyses of both block and powder samples suggest that this is generally true in the bulk of the hydrated glass, excluding hydroxyl groups that formed during the initial cooling of the melt. However, hydroxyl do groups appear to be present at the glass surface, where both SIMS and neutron reflectometry data suggest hydration levels may be higher than projected from the bulk of the glass. Isotopic exchange experiments also suggest that bonding is relatively weak, as hydration water exchanges readily with the enviroment. All of these observations lead to the conclusion that the observed stress is due to the presence of interstructural, rather than bonded, water. This likely explains the

Zero field splitting fluctuations induced phase relaxation of Gd3+ in frozen solutions at cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raitsimring, A.; Dalaloyan, A.; Collauto, A.; Feintuch, A.; Meade, T.; Goldfarb, D.

2014-11-01

Distance measurements using double electron-electron resonance (DEER) and Gd3+ chelates for spin labels (GdSL) have been shown to be an attractive alternative to nitroxide spin labels at W-band (95 GHz). The maximal distance that can be accessed by DEER measurements and the sensitivity of such measurements strongly depends on the phase relaxation of Gd3+ chelates in frozen, glassy solutions. In this work, we explore the phase relaxation of Gd3+-DOTA as a representative of GdSL in temperature and concentration ranges typically used for W-band DEER measurements. We observed that in addition to the usual mechanisms of phase relaxation known for nitroxide based spin labels, GdSL are subjected to an additional phase relaxation mechanism that features an increase in the relaxation rate from the center to the periphery of the EPR spectrum. Since the EPR spectrum of GdSL is the sum of subspectra of the individual EPR transitions, we attribute this field dependence to transition dependent phase relaxation. Using simulations of the EPR spectra and its decomposition into the individual transition subspectra, we isolated the phase relaxation of each transition and found that its rate increases with |ms|. We suggest that this mechanism is due to transient zero field splitting (tZFS), where its magnitude and correlation time are scaled down and distributed as compared with similar situations in liquids. This tZFS induced phase relaxation mechanism becomes dominant (or at least significant) when all other well-known phase relaxation mechanisms, such as spectral diffusion caused by nuclear spin diffusion, instantaneous and electron spin spectral diffusion, are significantly suppressed by matrix deuteration and low concentration, and when the temperature is sufficiently low to disable spin lattice interaction as a source of phase relaxation.

Modeling Low-temperature Geochemical Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordstrom, D. K.

2003-12-01

Geochemical modeling has become a popular and useful tool for a wide number of applications from research on the fundamental processes of water-rock interactions to regulatory requirements and decisions regarding permits for industrial and hazardous wastes. In low-temperature environments, generally thought of as those in the temperature range of 0-100 °C and close to atmospheric pressure (1 atm=1.01325 bar=101,325 Pa), complex hydrobiogeochemical reactions participate in an array of interconnected processes that affect us, and that, in turn, we affect. Understanding these complex processes often requires tools that are sufficiently sophisticated to portray multicomponent, multiphase chemical reactions yet transparent enough to reveal the main driving forces. Geochemical models are such tools. The major processes that they are required to model include mineral dissolution and precipitation; aqueous inorganic speciation and complexation; solute adsorption and desorption; ion exchange; oxidation-reduction; or redox; transformations; gas uptake or production; organic matter speciation and complexation; evaporation; dilution; water mixing; reaction during fluid flow; reaction involving biotic interactions; and photoreaction. These processes occur in rain, snow, fog, dry atmosphere, soils, bedrock weathering, streams, rivers, lakes, groundwaters, estuaries, brines, and diagenetic environments. Geochemical modeling attempts to understand the redistribution of elements and compounds, through anthropogenic and natural means, for a large range of scale from nanometer to global. "Aqueous geochemistry" and "environmental geochemistry" are often used interchangeably with "low-temperature geochemistry" to emphasize hydrologic or environmental objectives.Recognition of the strategy or philosophy behind the use of geochemical modeling is not often discussed or explicitly described. Plummer (1984, 1992) and Parkhurst and Plummer (1993) compare and contrast two approaches for

Local spin dynamics at low temperature in the slowly relaxing molecular chain [Dy(hfac)3(NIT(C6H4OPh))]: A μ{sup +} spin relaxation study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arosio, Paolo, E-mail: paolo.arosio@guest.unimi.it; Orsini, Francesco; Corti, Maurizio

2015-05-07

The spin dynamics of the molecular magnetic chain [Dy(hfac){sub 3}(NIT(C{sub 6}H{sub 4}OPh))] were investigated by means of the Muon Spin Relaxation (μ{sup +}SR) technique. This system consists of a magnetic lattice of alternating Dy(III) ions and radical spins, and exhibits single-chain-magnet behavior. The magnetic properties of [Dy(hfac){sub 3}(NIT(C{sub 6}H{sub 4}OPh))] have been studied by measuring the magnetization vs. temperature at different applied magnetic fields (H = 5, 3500, and 16500 Oe) and by performing μ{sup +}SR experiments vs. temperature in zero field and in a longitudinal applied magnetic field H = 3500 Oe. The muon asymmetry P(t) was fitted by the sum of three components, twomore » stretched-exponential decays with fast and intermediate relaxation times, and a third slow exponential decay. The temperature dependence of the spin dynamics has been determined by analyzing the muon longitudinal relaxation rate λ{sub interm}(T), associated with the intermediate relaxing component. The experimental λ{sub interm}(T) data were fitted with a corrected phenomenological Bloembergen-Purcell-Pound law by using a distribution of thermally activated correlation times, which average to τ = τ{sub 0} exp(Δ/k{sub B}T), corresponding to a distribution of energy barriers Δ. The correlation times can be associated with the spin freezing that occurs when the system condenses in the ground state.« less

Ultrasonic Relaxation Study of 1-Alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-Based Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Probing the Role of Alkyl Chain Length in the Cation.

PubMed

Zorębski, Michał; Zorębski, Edward; Dzida, Marzena; Skowronek, Justyna; Jężak, Sylwia; Goodrich, Peter; Jacquemin, Johan

2016-04-14

Ultrasound absorption spectra of four 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imides were determined as a function of the alkyl chain length on the cation from 1-propyl to 1-hexyl from 293.15 to 323.15 K at ambient pressure. Herein, the ultrasound absorption measurements were carried out using a standard pulse technique within a frequency range from 10 to 300 MHz. Additionally, the speed of sound, density, and viscosity have been measured. The presence of strong dissipative processes during the ultrasound wave propagation was found experimentally, i.e., relaxation processes in the megahertz range were observed for all compounds over the whole temperature range. The relaxation spectra (both relaxation amplitude and relaxation frequency) were shown to be dependent on the alkyl side chain length of the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ring. In most cases, a single-Debye model described the absorption spectra very well. However, a comparison of the determined spectra with the spectra of a few other imidazolium-based ionic liquids reported in the literature (in part recalculated in this work) shows that the complexity of the spectra increases rapidly with the elongation of the alkyl chain length on the cation. This complexity indicates that both the volume viscosity and the shear viscosity are involved in relaxation processes even in relatively low frequency ranges. As a consequence, the sound velocity dispersion is present at relatively low megahertz frequencies.

Slow secondary relaxation in a free-energy landscape model for relaxation in glass-forming liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diezemann, Gregor; Mohanty, Udayan; Oppenheim, Irwin

1999-02-01

Within the framework of a free-energy landscape model for the relaxation in supercooled liquids the primary (α) relaxation is modeled by transitions among different free-energy minima. The secondary (β) relaxation then corresponds to intraminima relaxation. We consider a simple model for the reorientational motions of the molecules associated with both processes and calculate the dielectric susceptibility as well as the spin-lattice relaxation times. The parameters of the model can be chosen in a way that both quantities show a behavior similar to that observed in experimental studies on supercooled liquids. In particular we find that it is not possible to obtain a crossing of the time scales associated with α and β relaxation. In our model these processes always merge at high temperatures and the α process remains above the merging temperature. The relation to other models is discussed.

Spectral hole lifetimes and spin population relaxation dynamics in neodymium-doped yttrium orthosilicate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruzeiro, E. Zambrini; Tiranov, A.; Usmani, I.; Laplane, C.; Lavoie, J.; Ferrier, A.; Goldner, P.; Gisin, N.; Afzelius, M.

2017-05-01

We present a detailed study of the lifetime of optical spectral holes due to population storage in Zeeman sublevels of Nd3 +:Y2SiO5 . The lifetime is measured as a function of magnetic field strength and orientation, temperature, and Nd3 + doping concentration. At the lowest temperature of 3 K we find a general trend where the lifetime is short at low field strengths, then increases to a maximum lifetime at a few hundred mT, and then finally decays rapidly for high field strengths. This behavior can be modeled with a relaxation rate dominated by Nd3 +-Nd3 + cross relaxation at low fields and spin lattice relaxation at high magnetic fields. The maximum lifetime depends strongly on both the field strength and orientation, due to the competition between these processes and their different angular dependencies. The cross relaxation limits the maximum lifetime for concentrations as low as 30 ppm of Nd3 + ions. By decreasing the concentration to less than 1 ppm we could completely eliminate the cross relaxation, reaching a lifetime of 3.8 s at 3 K. At higher temperatures the spectral hole lifetime is limited by the magnetic-field-independent Raman and Orbach processes. In addition we show that the cross relaxation rate can be strongly reduced by creating spectrally large holes of the order of the optical inhomogeneous broadening. Our results are important for the development and design of new rare-earth-ion doped crystals for quantum information processing and narrow-band spectral filtering for biological tissue imaging.

Electron spin relaxation in two polymorphic structures of GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Nam Lyong

2015-03-01

The relaxation process of electron spin in systems of electrons interacting with piezoelectric deformation phonons that are mediated through spin-orbit interactions was interpreted from a microscopic point of view using the formula for the electron spin relaxation times derived by a projection-reduction method. The electron spin relaxation times in two polymorphic structures of GaN were calculated. The piezoelectric material constant for the wurtzite structure obtained by a comparison with a previously reported experimental result was {{P}pe}=1.5 × {{10}29} eV {{m}-1}. The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the relaxation times for both wurtzite and zinc-blende structures were similar, but the relaxation times in zinc-blende GaN were smaller and decreased more rapidly with increasing temperature and magnetic field than that in wurtzite GaN. This study also showed that the electron spin relaxation for wurtzite GaN at low density could be explained by the Elliot-Yafet process but not for zinc-blende GaN in the metallic regime.

Bethe lattice approach and relaxation dynamics study of spin-crossover materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oke, Toussaint Djidjoho; Hontinfinde, Félix; Boukheddaden, Kamel

2015-07-01

Dynamical properties of Prussian blue analogs and spin-crossover materials are investigated in the framework of a Blume-Emery-Griffiths (BEG) spin-1 model, where states ±1 and 0 represent the high-spin (HS) state and the low-spin state, respectively. The quadrupolar interaction depends on the temperature in the form . Magnetic interactions are controlled by a factor such that for (), magnetic ordering is not expected. The model is exactly solved using the Bethe lattice approach for the equilibrium properties. The results are closer to those calculated by numerical simulations with suitable Arrhenius-type transition rates. The study of relaxation processes of non-equilibrium HS states revealed one-step nonlinear sigmoidal relaxation curves of the HS fraction at low temperatures. We found that increasing the magnetic interactions leads to the appearance of a plateau in the thermal hysteresis as well as in the relaxation curves of the HS fraction at low temperature.

Slowing hot-carrier relaxation in graphene using a magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plochocka, P.; Kossacki, P.; Golnik, A.; Kazimierczuk, T.; Berger, C.; de Heer, W. A.; Potemski, M.

2009-12-01

A degenerate pump-probe technique is used to investigate the nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in multilayer graphene. Two distinctly different dynamics of the carrier relaxation are observed. A fast relaxation (˜50fs) of the carriers after the initial effect of phase-space filling followed by a slower relaxation (˜4ps) due to thermalization. Both relaxation processes are less efficient when a magnetic field is applied at low temperatures which is attributed to the suppression of the electron-electron Auger scattering due to the nonequidistant Landau-level spacing of the Dirac fermions in graphene.

Mechanisms of relaxation and spin decoherence in nanomagnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Tol, Johan

Relaxation in spin systems is of great interest with respect to various possible applications like quantum information processing and storage, spintronics, and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). The implementation of high frequencies and fields is crucial in the study of systems with large zero-field splitting or large interactions, as for example molecular magnets and low dimensional magnetic materials. Here we will focus on the implementation of pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (ERP) at multiple frequencies of 10, 95, 120, 240, and 336 GHz, and the relaxation and decoherence processes as a function of magnetic field and temperature. Firstly, at higher frequencies the direct single-phonon spin-lattice relaxation (SLR) is considerably enhanced, and will more often than not be the dominant relaxation mechanism at low temperatures, and can be much faster than at lower fields and frequencies. In principle the measurement of the SLR rates as a function of the frequency provides a means to map the phonon density of states. Secondly, the high electron spin polarization at high fields has a strong influence on the spin fluctuations in relatively concentrated spin systems, and the contribution of the electron-electron dipolar interactions to the coherence rate can be partially quenched at low temperatures. This not only allows the study of relatively concentrated spin systems by pulsed EPR (as for example magnetic nanoparticles and molecular magnets), it enables the separation of the contribution of the fluctuations of the electron spin system from other decoherence mechanisms. Besides choice of temperature and field, several strategies in sample design, pulse sequences, or clock transitions can be employed to extend the coherence time in nanomagnets. A review will be given of the decoherence mechanisms with an attempt at a quantitative comparison of experimental rates with theory.

Low temperature multi-alkali photocathode processing technique for sealed intensified CCD tubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doliber, D. L.; Dozier, E. E.; Wenzel, H.; Beaver, E. A.; Hier, R. G.

1989-01-01

A low temperature photocathode process has been used to fabricate an intensified CCD visual photocathode image tube, by incorporating a thinned, backside-illumined CCD as the target anode of a digicon tube of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) design. The CCD digicon tube employs the HST's sodium bialkali photocathode and MgF2 substrate, thereby allowing a direct photocathode quantum efficiency comparison between photocathodes produced by the presently employed low temperature process and those of the conventional high temperature process. Attention is given to the processing chamber used, as well as the details of gas desorption and photocathode processing.

Extracting the Electron-Ion Temperature Relaxation Rate from Ion Stopping Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grabowski, Paul E.; Frenje, Johan A.; Benedict, Lorin X.

2016-10-01

Direct measurement of i-e equilibration rates at ICF-relevant conditions is a big challenge, as it is difficult to differentiate from other sinks and sources of energy, such as heat conduction and pdV work. Another method is to use information from ion stopping experiments. Such experiments at the OMEGA laser have made precision energy loss measurements of fusion products at these conditions. Combined with the multimonochromatic x-ray imager technique, which gives temporally and spatially resolved electron temperature and density, we have a robust stopping experiment. We propose to use such stopping measurements to assess the i-e temperature relaxation rate, since both processes involve energy exchange between electrons and ions. We require that the fusion products are 1) much faster than the thermal ions so that i-i collisions are negligible compared to i-e collisions and 2) slower than the thermal electrons so that the stopping obeys a linear friction law. Then the Coulomb logarithms associated with ion stopping and i-e temperature relaxation rate are identical and a measurement of the former provides the latter. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Proton spin-lattice relaxation in low-dimensional ferromagnetic copper halides (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marzke, R. F.; Haines, D. N.; Raffaelle, D. P.; Chamberlin, R. V.; Ramakrishna, B. L.

1991-04-01

1H spin-lattice relaxation times have been measured as functions of temperature and frequency in powder samples of the two-dimensional ferromagnetic compound (CH3NH3)2CuCl4 and in single crystals of the one-dimensional ferromagnets (C6H11NH3)CuB3 (CHAB), (C6H11NH3)CuCl3 (CHAC), and (C4H12N)CuCl3 (TMCuC). Sample temperatures were varied between 4.2 and 298 K, and NMR frequencies ranging from 12.6 to 54.0 MHz were used. Widths and shapes of the lines, typically several hundred Gauss broad at low temperatures, were recorded. The dependence of T1 upon magnetic field orientation was measured for the one-dimensional (1D) single crystal samples. Each compound showed basically two temperature regimes of different spin-lattice relaxation behavior, separated by a narrow transition temperature region. From 4.2 K, T1 in the compounds decreased strongly as the temperature was raised, a behavior expected for second-order Raman processes [K. M. Kopinga, A. M. C. Tinus, W. J. M. de Jonge, and G. C. de Vries, Phys. Rev. B 36, 5398 (1987)]. At the transition temperature region the decrease of T1 ceased, and T1 began to increase weakly and quasilinearly to 300 K. In the three 1D compounds, the transition regions occurred well below temperatures corresponding to 1D exchange interaction strengths in CHAC (˜70 K), CHAB (˜55 K), and TMCuC (˜30 K), and also above the compounds' 3D ordering temperatures (˜1.5 K and below). We noted a correlation between the T1 transition temperatures and temperatures at which spin dimensionality ``crossovers'' are observed in magnetic susceptibilities, going from Heisenberg to non-Heisenberg behavior as the temperature is decreased. The latter occur at approximately 10 K in CHAC. TMCuC, which has the most isotropic J tensor of these compounds and also the lowest weak-strong T1 transition, does not show a spin dimensionality crossover in susceptibility down to 2 K, but based on our NMR results one would be expected at or below this temperature. Further

One and two-phonon processes of the spin-flip relaxation in quantum dots: Spin-phonon coupling mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zi-Wu; Li, Shu-Shen

2012-07-01

We investigate the spin-flip relaxation in quantum dots using a non-radiation transition approach based on the descriptions for the electron-phonon deformation potential and Fröhlich interaction in the Pavlov-Firsov spin-phonon Hamiltonian. We give the comparisons of the electron relaxations with and without spin-flip assisted by one and two-phonon processes. Calculations are performed for the dependence of the relaxation time on the external magnetic field, the temperature and the energy separation between the Zeeman sublevels of the ground and first-excited state. We find that the electron relaxation time of the spin-flip process is more longer by three orders of magnitudes than that of no spin-flip process.

High temperature dielectric relaxation anomaly of Y³⁺ and Mn²⁺ doped barium strontium titanate ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Shiguang; Mao, Chaoliang, E-mail: maochaoliang@mail.sic.ac.cn, E-mail: xldong@mail.sic.ac.cn; Wang, Genshui

2014-10-14

Relaxation like dielectric anomaly is observed in Y³⁺ and Mn²⁺ doped barium strontium titanate ceramics when the temperature is over 450 K. Apart from the conventional dielectric relaxation analysis method with Debye or modified Debye equations, which is hard to give exact temperature dependence of the relaxation process, dielectric response in the form of complex impedance, assisted with Cole-Cole impedance model corrected equivalent circuits, is adopted to solve this problem and chase the polarization mechanism in this paper. Through this method, an excellent description to temperature dependence of the dielectric relaxation anomaly and its dominated factors are achieved. Further analysismore » reveals that the exponential decay of the Cole distribution parameter n with temperature is confirmed to be induced by the microscopic lattice distortion due to ions doping and the interaction between the defects. At last, a clear sight to polarization mechanism containing both the intrinsic dipolar polarization and extrinsic distributed oxygen vacancies hopping response under different temperature is obtained.« less

Real-time observation of cascaded electronic relaxation processes in p-Fluorotoluene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Qiaoli; Deng, Xulan; Long, Jinyou; Wang, Yanmei; Abulimiti, Bumaliya; Zhang, Bing

2017-08-01

Ultrafast electronic relaxation processes following two photoexcitation of 400 nm in p-Fluorotoluene (pFT) have been investigated utilizing time-resolved photoelectron imaging coupled with time-resolved mass spectroscopy. Cascaded electronic relaxation processes started from the electronically excited S2 state are directly imaged in real time and well characterized by two distinct time constants of 85 ± 10 fs and 2.4 ± 0.3 ps. The rapid component corresponds to the lifetime of the initially excited S2 state, including the structure relaxation from the Franck-Condon region to the conical intersection of S2/S1 and the subsequent internal conversion to the highly excited S1 state. While, the slower relaxation constant is attributed to the further internal conversion to the high levels of S0 from the secondarily populated S1 locating in the channel three region. Moreover, dynamical differences with benzene and toluene of analogous structures, including, specifically, the slightly slower relaxation rate of S2 and the evidently faster decay of S1, are also presented and tentatively interpreted as the substituent effects. In addition, photoelectron kinetic energy and angular distributions reveal the feature of accidental resonances with low-lying Rydberg states (the 3p, 4s and 4p states) during the multi-photon ionization process, providing totally unexpected but very interesting information for pFT.

Low-temperature thermal properties of a hyperaged geological glass.

PubMed

Pérez-Castañeda, Tomás; Jiménez Riobóo, Rafael J; Ramos, Miguel A

2013-07-24

We have measured the specific heat of amber from the Dominican Republic, an ancient geological glass about 20 million years old, in the low-temperature range 0.6 K ≤ T ≤ 26 K, in order to assess the effects of its natural stabilization (hyperageing) process on the low-temperature glassy properties, i.e. boson peak and two-level systems. We have also conducted modulated differential scanning calorimetry experiments to characterize the thermodynamic state of our samples. We found that calorimetric curves exhibit a huge ageing signal ΔH ≈ 5 J g(-1) in the first upscan at the glass transition Tg = 389 K, that completely disappears after heating up (rejuvenating) the sample to T = 395 K for 3 h. To independently evaluate the phonon contribution to the specific heat, Brillouin spectroscopy was performed in the temperature range 80 K ≤ T ≤ 300 K. An expected increase in the Debye level was observed after rejuvenating the Dominican amber. However, no significant change was observed in the low-temperature specific heat of glassy amber after erasing its thermal history: both its boson peak (i.e., the maximum in the Cp/T(3) representation) and the density of tunnelling two-level systems (i.e., the Cp ∼ T contribution at the lowest temperatures) remained essentially the same. Also, a consistent analysis using the soft-potential model of our Cp data and earlier thermal-conductivity data found in the literature further supports our main conclusion, namely, that these glassy 'anomalous' properties at low temperatures remain essentially invariant after strong relaxational processes such as hyperageing.

Communication: Vibrational relaxation of CO(1Σ) in collision with Ar(1S) at temperatures relevant to the hypersonic flight regime.

PubMed

Denis-Alpizar, Otoniel; Bemish, Raymond J; Meuwly, Markus

2017-03-21

Vibrational energy relaxation (VER) of diatomics following collisions with the surrounding medium is an important elementary process for modeling high-temperature gas flow. VER is characterized by two parameters: the vibrational relaxation time τ vib and the state relaxation rates. Here the vibrational relaxation of CO(ν=0←ν=1) in Ar is considered for validating a computational approach to determine the vibrational relaxation time parameter (pτ vib ) using an accurate, fully dimensional potential energy surface. For lower temperatures, comparison with experimental data shows very good agreement whereas at higher temperatures (up to 25 000 K), comparisons with an empirically modified model due to Park confirm its validity for CO in Ar. Additionally, the calculations provide insight into the importance of Δν>1 transitions that are ignored in typical applications of the Landau-Teller framework.

Rotational relaxation of molecular hydrogen at moderate temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, S. P.

1994-01-01

Using a coupled rotation-vibration-dissociation model the rotational relaxation times for molecular hydrogen as a function of final temperature (500-5000 K), in a hypothetical scenario of sudden compression, are computed. The theoretical model is based on a master equation solver. The bound-bound and bound-free transition rates have been computed using a quasiclassical trajectory method. A review of the available experimental data on the rotational relaxation of hydrogen is presented, with a critical overview of the method of measurements and data reduction, including the sources of errors. These experimental data are then compared with the computed results.

Relaxation phenomena in AOT-water-decane critical and dense microemulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Letamendia, L.; Pru-Lestret, E.; Panizza, P.; Rouch, J.; Sciortino, F.; Tartaglia, P.; Hashimoto, C.; Ushiki, H.; Risso, D.

2001-11-01

We report on extensive measurements of the low and high frequencies sound velocity and sound absorption in AOT-water-decane microemulsions deduced from ultrasonic and, for the first time as far as the absorption is concerned, from Brillouin scattering experiments. New experimental results on dielectric relaxation are also reported. Our results, which include data taken for critical as well as dense microemulsions, show new interesting relaxation phenomena. The relaxation frequencies deduced from very high frequency acoustical measurements are in good agreement with new high frequency dielectric relaxation measurements. We show that along the critical isochore, sound dispersion, relaxation frequency, and static dielectric permittivity can be accurately fitted to power laws. The absolute values of the new exponents we derived from experimental data are nearly equal, and they are very close to β=0.33 characterising the shape of the coexistence curve. The exponent characterising the infinite frequency permittivity is very close to 0.04 relevant to the diverging shear viscosity. For dense microemulsions, two well defined relaxation domains have been identified and the temperature variations of the sound absorption and the zero frequency dielectric permittivity bear striking similarities. We also show that the relaxation frequency of the slow relaxation process is almost independent of temperature and volume fraction and so cannot be attributed to percolation phenomena, whereas it can more likely be attributed to an intrinsic relaxation process probably connected to membrane fluctuations.

Investigation of excited-state relaxation processes of organic dyes by time-resolved spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Przhonska, O.; Slominsky, Yu.; Kachkovsky, A.; Stahl, U.; Senoner, M.; Dähne, S.

1996-04-01

The results of the measurements of the fluorescence decay kinetics of the new series of polymethine dyes in liquid and solid polymeric media are reported. The effects of polymeric media on absorption-relaxation-emission processes are studied at wide excitation, emission and temperature regions.

NMR relaxation studies in doped poly-3-methylthiophene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, K. Jugeshwar; Clark, W. G.; Gaidos, G.; Reyes, A. P.; Kuhns, P.; Thompson, J. D.; Menon, R.; Ramesh, K. P.

2015-05-01

NMR relaxation rates (1 /T1 ), magnetic susceptibility, and electrical conductivity studies in doped poly-3-methylthiophene are reported in this paper. The magnetic susceptibility data show the contributions from both Pauli and Curie spins, with the size of the Pauli term depending strongly on the doping level. Proton and fluorine NMR relaxation rates have been studied as a function of temperature (3-300 K) and field (for protons at 0.9, 9.0, 16.4, and 23.4 T, and for fluorine at 9.0 T). The temperature dependence of T1 is classified into three regimes: (a) For T <(g μBB /2 kB ) , the relaxation mechanism follows a modified Korringa relation due to electron-electron interactions and disorder. 1H - T1 is due to the electron-nuclear dipolar interaction in addition to the contact term. (b) For the intermediate temperature range (g μBB /2 kB ) temperature where the contribution from the reorientation motion to the T1 is insignificant) the relaxation mechanism is via spin diffusion to the paramagnetic centers. (c) In the high-temperature regime and at low Larmor frequency the relaxation follows the modified Bloembergen, Purcell, and Pound model. T1 data analysis has been carried out in light of these models depending upon the temperature and frequency range of study. Fluorine relaxation data have been analyzed and attributed to the P F6 reorientation. The cross relaxation among the 1H and 19F nuclei has been observed in the entire temperature range suggesting the role of magnetic dipolar interaction modulated by the reorientation of the symmetric molecular subgroups. The data analysis shows that the enhancement in the Korringa ratio is greater in a less conducting sample. Intra- and interchain hopping of charge carriers is found to be a dominant relaxation mechanism at low temperature. Frequency dependence of T1-1 on temperature shows that at low temperature [T <(g μBB /2 kB ) ] the system shows three dimensions and changes to quasi one dimension at

Effect of fluctuations on the NMR relaxation beyond the Abrikosov vortex state

DOE PAGES

Glatz, A.; Galda, A.; Varlamov, A. A.

2015-08-25

Here, the effect of fluctuations on the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation rate W = T –1 1 is studied in a complete phase diagram of a two-dimensional superconductor above the upper critical field line H c2(T). In the region of relatively high temperatures and low magnetic fields, the relaxation rate W is determined by two competing effects. The first one is its decrease in the result of suppression of the quasiparticle density of states (DOS) due to formation of fluctuation Cooper pairs (FCPs). The second one is a specific, purely quantum relaxation process of the Maki-Thompson (MT) type, whichmore » for low field leads to an increase of the relaxation rate. The latter describes particular fluctuation processes involving self-pairing of a single electron on self-intersecting trajectories of a size up to phase-breaking length ℓ Φ which becomes possible due to an electron spin-flip scattering event at a nucleus. As a result, different scenarios with either growth or decrease of the NMR relaxation rate are possible upon approaching the normal-metal–type-II superconductor transition. The character of fluctuations changes along the line H c2(T) from the thermal long-wavelength type in weak magnetic fields to the clusters of rotating FCPs in fields comparable to Hc2(0). We find that below the well-defined temperature T* 0 ≈ 0.6T c0, the MT process becomes ineffective even in the absence of intrinsic pair breaking. The small scale of the FCP rotations ξ xy in such high fields impedes formation of long (≲ℓ Φ) self-intersecting trajectories, causing the corresponding relaxation mechanism to lose its efficiency. This reduces the effect of superconducting fluctuations in the domain of high fields and low temperatures to just the suppression of quasiparticle DOS, analogous to the Abrikosov vortex phase below the H c2(T) line.« less

Small polaronic hole hopping mechanism and Maxwell-Wagner relaxation in NdFeO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, I.; Akhtar, M. J.; Younas, M.; Siddique, M.; Hasan, M. M.

2012-10-01

In the modern micro-electronics, transition metal oxides due to their colossal values of dielectric permittivity possess huge potential for the development of capacitive energy storage devices. In the present work, the dielectric permittivity and the effects of temperature and frequency on the electrical transport properties of polycrystalline NdFeO3, prepared by solid state reaction method, are discussed. Room temperature Mossbauer spectrum confirms the phase purity, octahedral environment for Fe ion, and high spin state of Fe3+ ion. From the impedance spectroscopic measurements, three relaxation processes are observed, which are related to grains, grain boundaries (gbs), and electrode-semiconductor contact in the measured temperature and frequency ranges. Decrease in resistances and relaxation times of the grains and grain boundaries with temperature confirms the involvement of thermally activated conduction mechanisms. Same type of charge carriers (i.e., small polaron hole hopping) have been found responsible for conduction and relaxation processes through the grain and grain boundaries. The huge value of the dielectric constant (˜8 × 103) at high temperature and low frequency is correlated to the Maxwell-Wagner relaxation due to electrode-sample contact.

High Temperature Uniaxial Compression and Stress-Relaxation Behavior of India-Specific RAFM Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Naimish S.; Sunil, Saurav; Sarkar, Apu

2018-07-01

India-specific reduced activity ferritic martensitic steel (INRAFM), a modified 9Cr-1Mo grade, has been developed by India as its own structural material for fabrication of the Indian Test Blanket Module (TBM) to be installed in the International Thermonuclear Energy Reactor (ITER). The extensive study on mechanical and physical properties of this material has been currently going on for appraisal of this material before being put to use in the ITER. High temperature compression, stress-relaxation, and strain-rate change behavior of the INRAFM steel have been investigated. The optical microscopic and scanning electron microscopic characterizations were carried out to observe the microstructural changes that occur during uniaxial compressive deformation test. Comparable true plastic stress values at 300 °C and 500 °C and a high drop in true plastic stress at 600 °C were observed during the compression test. Stress-relaxation behaviors were investigated at 500 °C, 550 °C, and 600 °C at a strain rate of 10-3 s-1. The creep properties of the steel at different temperatures were predicted from the stress-relaxation test. The Norton's stress exponent ( n) was found to decrease with the increasing temperature. Using Bird-Mukherjee-Dorn relationship, the temperature-compensated normalized strain rate vs stress was plotted. The stress exponent ( n) value of 10.05 was obtained from the normalized plot. The increasing nature of the strain rate sensitivity ( m) with the test temperature was found from strain-rate change test. The low plastic stability with m 0.06 was observed at 600 °C. The activation volume ( V *) values were obtained in the range of 100 to 300 b3. By comparing the experimental values with the literature, the rate-controlling mechanisms at the thermally activated region of high temperature were found to be the nonconservative movement of jogged screw dislocations and thermal breaking of attractive junctions.

High Temperature Uniaxial Compression and Stress-Relaxation Behavior of India-Specific RAFM Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Naimish S.; Sunil, Saurav; Sarkar, Apu

2018-05-01

India-specific reduced activity ferritic martensitic steel (INRAFM), a modified 9Cr-1Mo grade, has been developed by India as its own structural material for fabrication of the Indian Test Blanket Module (TBM) to be installed in the International Thermonuclear Energy Reactor (ITER). The extensive study on mechanical and physical properties of this material has been currently going on for appraisal of this material before being put to use in the ITER. High temperature compression, stress-relaxation, and strain-rate change behavior of the INRAFM steel have been investigated. The optical microscopic and scanning electron microscopic characterizations were carried out to observe the microstructural changes that occur during uniaxial compressive deformation test. Comparable true plastic stress values at 300 °C and 500 °C and a high drop in true plastic stress at 600 °C were observed during the compression test. Stress-relaxation behaviors were investigated at 500 °C, 550 °C, and 600 °C at a strain rate of 10-3 s-1. The creep properties of the steel at different temperatures were predicted from the stress-relaxation test. The Norton's stress exponent (n) was found to decrease with the increasing temperature. Using Bird-Mukherjee-Dorn relationship, the temperature-compensated normalized strain rate vs stress was plotted. The stress exponent (n) value of 10.05 was obtained from the normalized plot. The increasing nature of the strain rate sensitivity (m) with the test temperature was found from strain-rate change test. The low plastic stability with m 0.06 was observed at 600 °C. The activation volume (V *) values were obtained in the range of 100 to 300 b3. By comparing the experimental values with the literature, the rate-controlling mechanisms at the thermally activated region of high temperature were found to be the nonconservative movement of jogged screw dislocations and thermal breaking of attractive junctions.

Primary and secondary relaxation process in plastically crystalline cyanocyclohexane studied by 2H nuclear magnetic resonance. II. Quantitative analysis.

PubMed

Micko, B; Kruk, D; Rössler, E A

2013-02-21

We analyze the results of our previously reported 2H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments in the plastically crystalline (PC) phase of cyanocyclohexane (Part I of this work) to study the fast secondary relaxation (or β-process) in detail. Both, the occurrence of an additional minimum in the spin-lattice relaxation T1 and the pronounced effects arising in the solid-echo spectrum above the glass transition temperature T(g) = 134 K, allow for a direct determination of the restricting geometry of the β-process in terms of the "wobbling-in-a-cone" model. Whereas at temperatures below T(g) the reorientation is confined to rather small solid angles (below 10°), the spatial restriction decreases strongly with temperature above T(g), i.e., the distribution of cone angles shifts continuously towards higher values. The β-process in the PC phase of cyanocyclohexane proceeds via the same mechanism as found in structural glass formers. This is substantiated by demonstrating the very similar behavior (for T < T(g)) of spin-lattice relaxation, stimulated echo decays, and spectral parameters when plotted as a function of (taken from dielectric spectroscopy). We do, however, not observe a clear-cut relation between the relaxation strength of the β-process observed by NMR (calculated within the wobbling-in-a-cone model) and dielectric spectroscopy.

Membrane Separation Processes at Low Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, Clyde

2002-01-01

The primary focus of Kennedy Space Center's gas separation activities has been for carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon used in oxygen production technologies for Martian in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) projects. Recently, these studies were expanded to include oxygen for regenerative life support systems. Since commercial membrane systems have been developed for separation of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen, initially the studies focused on these membrane systems, but at lower operating temperatures and pressures. Current investigations art examining immobilized liquids and solid sorbents that have the potential for higher selectivity and lower operating temperatures. The gas separation studies reported here use hollow fiber membranes to separate carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon in the temperature range from 230 to 300 K. Four commercial membrane materials were used to obtain data at low feed and permeate pressures. These data were used with a commercial solution-diffusion modeling tool to design a system to prepare a buffer gas from the byproduct of a process to capture Martian carbon dioxide. The system was designed to operate, at 230 K with a production rate 0.1 sLpm; Feed composition 30% CO2, 44% N2, and 26% Ar; Feed pressure 104 kPa (780); and Permeate pressure 1 kPa (6 torr); Product concentration 600 ppm CO2. This new system was compared with a similar system designed to operate at ambient temperatures (298 K). The systems described above, along with data, test apparatus, and models are presented.

Influence of relaxation processes on the evaluation of the metastable defect density in Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maciaszek, M.; Zabierowski, P.

2016-06-07

In this contribution, we investigated by means of numerical simulations the influence of relaxation processes related to metastable defects on electrical characteristics of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}. In particular, we analyzed the relaxation of a metastable state induced by illumination at a fixed temperature as well as the dependence of the hole concentration on the temperature during cooling. The knowledge of these two relaxation processes is crucial in the evaluation of the hole concentration in the relaxed state and after light soaking. We have shown that the distribution of the metastable defects can be considered frozen below 200 K. The hole capture crossmore » section was estimated as ∼3 × 10{sup −15} cm{sup 2}. It was shown that the usually used cooling rates may lead to relevant changes of the hole concentration. We calculated the lower limit of the hole concentration after cooling, and we presented how it depends on densities of shallow acceptors and metastable defects. Moreover, we proposed a method which allows for the evaluation of shallow acceptor and metastable defect densities from two capacitance-voltage profiles measured in the relaxed and light soaking states. Finally, we indicated experimental conditions in which the influence of relaxation processes on the accuracy of this method is the smallest.« less

Structural Relaxation of Vit4Amorphous Alloy by the Enthalpy Relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Reilly, James; Hammond, Vincent

2002-03-01

The structural relaxation of an amorphous alloy designated Vit4 has been investigated as a function of thermal history using differential scanning calorimetry. Results indicate that the width of the glass transition region is approximately 30 °C, which is broader than molecular or polymeric glasses but similar to inorganic glasses. The broad transition implies a large distribution of relaxation times, a low activation energy, or a combination of these effects. The Tool-Narayanaswamy model for structural relaxation has been used to analyze the change in fictive temperature that occurs for a series of cooling rates. The activation energy calculated from these data the is 187 kJ/mol, a value that is low compared to other glasses. Using optimization programs, the other relaxation parameters, the characteristic relaxation time, the non-linearity parameter, x, and the fractional exponent of distribution of relaxation times, b, were determined from the experimental specific heat curves. Although the parameters were in good agreement with values typical of other glassy materials, there appears to be less correlation between them than is observed in molecular and polymeric glasses. The results obtained in this study indicate that the structural relaxation of Vit 4 is similar to other glasses except for a low activation energy with high glass transition. This could be due to a low free volume or configurational entropy. The width of the glass transition could result from a large distribution of relaxation times or a low activation energy. The exponent of the distribution of relaxation times, b, is 0.45±0.1 and the non-linearity parameter, x =0.5±0.2. The structural relaxation of Vit 4 is dominated by a low activation energy which is related to the atomic jump motion of hard spheres. The DCp at Tg should be 11.7 J/mol. deg per bead according to Wunderlich’s rule. This means that the change in Cp at Tg in Vit4 can be accounted for by one bead although there are five metal

Characterization of structural relaxation in inorganic glasses using length dilatometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koontz, Erick

The processes that govern how a glass relaxes towards its thermodynamic quasi-equilibrium state are major factors in understanding glass behavior near the glass transition region, as characterized by the glass transition temperature (Tg). Intrinsic glass properties such as specific volume, enthalpy, entropy, density, etc. are used to map the behavior of the glass network below in and near the transition region. The question of whether a true thermodynamic second order phase transition takes place in the glass transition region is another pending question. Linking viscosity behavior to entropy, or viewing the glass configuration as an energy landscape are just a couple of the most prevalent methods used for attempting to understand the glass transition. The structural relaxation behavior of inorganic glasses is important for more than scientific reasons, many commercial glass processing operations including glass melting and certain forms of optical fabrication include significant time spent in the glass transition region. For this reason knowledge of structural relaxation processes can, at a minimum, provide information for annealing duration of melt-quenched glasses. The development of a predictive model for annealing time prescription has the potential to save glass manufacturers significant time and money as well as increasing volume throughput. In optical hot forming processes such as precision glass molding, molded optical components can significantly change in shape upon cooling through the glass transition. This change in shape is not scientifically predictable as of yet though manufacturers typically use empirical rules developed in house. The classification of glass behavior in the glass transition region would allow molds to be accurately designed and save money for the producers. The work discussed in this dissertation is comprised of the development of a dilatometric measurement and characterization method of structural relaxation. The measurement and

Anomalous C-V response correlated to relaxation processes in TiO{sub 2} thin film based-metal-insulator-metal capacitor: Effect of titanium and oxygen defects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kahouli, A., E-mail: kahouli.kader@yahoo.fr; University Grenoble Alpes, G2Elab, F-38000 Grenoble; Marichy, C.

2015-04-21

Capacitance-voltage (C–V) and capacitance-frequency (C–f) measurements are performed on atomic layer deposited TiO{sub 2} thin films with top and bottom Au and Pt electrodes, respectively, over a large temperature and frequency range. A sharp capacitance peak/discontinuity (C–V anomalous) is observed in the C–V characteristics at various temperatures and voltages. It is demonstrated that this phenomenon is directly associated with oxygen vacancies. The C–V peak irreversibility and dissymmetry at the reversal dc voltage are attributed to difference between the Schottky contacts at the metal/TiO{sub 2} interfaces. Dielectric analyses reveal two relaxation processes with degeneration of the activation energy. The low trapmore » level of 0.60–0.65 eV is associated with the first ionized oxygen vacancy at low temperature, while the deep trap level of 1.05 eV is associated to the second ionized oxygen vacancy at high temperature. The DC conductivity of the films exhibits a transition temperature at 200 °C, suggesting a transition from a conduction regime governed by ionized oxygen vacancies to one governed by interstitial Ti{sup 3+} ions. Both the C–V anomalous and relaxation processes in TiO{sub 2} arise from oxygen vacancies, while the conduction mechanism at high temperature is governed by interstitial titanium ions.« less

Relaxation dynamics and transformation kinetics of deeply supercooled water: Temperature, pressure, doping, and proton/deuteron isotope effects.

PubMed

Lemke, Sonja; Handle, Philip H; Plaga, Lucie J; Stern, Josef N; Seidl, Markus; Fuentes-Landete, Violeta; Amann-Winkel, Katrin; Köster, Karsten W; Gainaru, Catalin; Loerting, Thomas; Böhmer, Roland

2017-07-21

Above its glass transition, the equilibrated high-density amorphous ice (HDA) transforms to the low-density pendant (LDA). The temperature dependence of the transformation is monitored at ambient pressure using dielectric spectroscopy and at elevated pressures using dilatometry. It is found that near the glass transition temperature of deuterated samples, the transformation kinetics is 300 times slower than the structural relaxation, while for protonated samples, the time scale separation is at least 30 000 and insensitive to doping. The kinetics of the HDA to LDA transformation lacks a proton/deuteron isotope effect, revealing that this process is dominated by the restructuring of the oxygen network. The x-ray diffraction experiments performed on samples at intermediate transition stages reflect a linear combination of the LDA and HDA patterns implying a macroscopic phase separation, instead of a local intermixing of the two amorphous states.

Relaxation dynamics and transformation kinetics of deeply supercooled water: Temperature, pressure, doping, and proton/deuteron isotope effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemke, Sonja; Handle, Philip H.; Plaga, Lucie J.; Stern, Josef N.; Seidl, Markus; Fuentes-Landete, Violeta; Amann-Winkel, Katrin; Köster, Karsten W.; Gainaru, Catalin; Loerting, Thomas; Böhmer, Roland

2017-07-01

Above its glass transition, the equilibrated high-density amorphous ice (HDA) transforms to the low-density pendant (LDA). The temperature dependence of the transformation is monitored at ambient pressure using dielectric spectroscopy and at elevated pressures using dilatometry. It is found that near the glass transition temperature of deuterated samples, the transformation kinetics is 300 times slower than the structural relaxation, while for protonated samples, the time scale separation is at least 30 000 and insensitive to doping. The kinetics of the HDA to LDA transformation lacks a proton/deuteron isotope effect, revealing that this process is dominated by the restructuring of the oxygen network. The x-ray diffraction experiments performed on samples at intermediate transition stages reflect a linear combination of the LDA and HDA patterns implying a macroscopic phase separation, instead of a local intermixing of the two amorphous states.

Primary and secondary relaxation process in plastically crystalline cyanocyclohexane studied by 2H nuclear magnetic resonance. I.

PubMed

Micko, B; Lusceac, S A; Zimmermann, H; Rössler, E A

2013-02-21

We study the main (α-) and secondary (β-) relaxation in the plastically crystalline (PC) phase of cyanocyclohexane by various 2H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods (line-shape, spin-lattice relaxation, stimulated echo, and two-dimensional spectra) above and below the glass transition temperature T(g) = 134 K. Our results regarding the α-process demonstrate that molecular motion is not governed by the symmetry of the lattice. Rather it is similar to the one reported for structural glass formers and can be modeled by a reorientation proceeding via a distribution of small and large angular jumps. A solid-echo line-shape analysis regarding the β-process below T(g) yields again very similar results when compared to those of the structural glass formers ethanol and toluene. Hence we cannot confirm an intramolecular origin for the β-process in cyanocyclohexane. The fast β-process in the PC phase allows for the first time a detailed 2H NMR study of the process also at T > T(g): an additional minimum in the spin-lattice relaxation time reflecting the β-process is found. Furthermore the solid-echo spectra show a distinct deviation from the rigid limit Pake pattern, which allows a direct determination of the temperature dependent spatial restriction of the process. In Part II of this work, a quantitative analysis is carried out, where we demonstrate that within the model of a "wobbling in a cone" the mean cone angle increases above T(g) and the corresponding relaxation strength is compared to dielectric results.

Structural relaxation processes in polyethylene glycol/CCl4 solutions by Brillouin scattering.

PubMed

Pochylski, M; Aliotta, F; Błaszczak, Z; Gapiński, J

2005-03-10

We present results of a Brillouin scattering experiment on solutions of poly(ethylene glycol) of mean molecular mass 600 g/mol (PEG600) in CCl4. The relaxation process detected has been assigned to conformational rearrangements of the polymeric chains, triggered by reorientation of the side groups. The concentration dependencies of the hypersound velocity and normalized absorption are compared against the indications from several models proposed in the literature. The concentration evolution of the system is described in terms of two distinct regimes. At high polymer content, the system is dominated by the structure of the dense polymer, where polymer-polymer interactions, together with excluded volume effects, induce the existence of a preferred local arrangement resulting in a narrow distribution of the relaxation times, with the average value of the relaxation time following a simple Arrhenius temperature dependence. As the concentration decreases, the original structure of the hydrogen bonded polymer network is destroyed, and a number of different local configuration coexist, giving rise to a wider distribution of relaxation times or to a multiple relaxation. At low concentrations, the experimental data are well fitted assuming a Vogel-Fulker-Tammon behavior for the average relaxation time. In addition, the observed deviation from the ideal behavior for the refractive index and the density suggests that CCl4 does not behave as an inert solvent, and due to polarization effects, it can develop local hetero-associated structures via electrostatic interaction with the O-H end groups of the polymeric chains. The hypothesis has been successfully tested by fitting the concentration behavior of the hypersonic velocity to a recent three-component model, suitable to describe the concentration dependence of sound velocity in moderately interacting fluids. The indication of the model furnishes a very high value for the association constant of the PEG600, confirming the

Relaxation Dynamics in Heme Proteins.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholl, Reinhard Wilhelm

A protein molecule possesses many conformational substates that are likely arranged in a hierarchy consisting of a number of tiers. A hierarchical organization of conformational substates is expected to give rise to a multitude of nonequilibrium relaxation phenomena. If the temperature is lowered, transitions between substates of higher tiers are frozen out, and relaxation processes characteristic of lower tiers will dominate the observational time scale. This thesis addresses the following questions: (i) What is the energy landscape of a protein? How does the landscape depend on the environment such as pH and viscosity, and how can it be connected to specific structural parts? (ii) What relaxation phenomena can be observed in a protein? Which are protein specific, and which occur in other proteins? How does the environment influence relaxations? (iii) What functional form best describes relaxation functions? (iv) Can we connect the motions to specific structural parts of the protein molecule, and are these motions important for the function of the protein?. To this purpose, relaxation processes after a pressure change are studied in carbonmonoxy (CO) heme proteins (myoglobin-CO, substrate-bound and substrate-free cytochrome P450cam-CO, chloroperoxidase-CO, horseradish peroxidase -CO) between 150 K and 250 K using FTIR spectroscopy to monitor the CO bound to the heme iron. Two types of p -relaxation experiments are performed: p-release (200 to ~eq40 MPa) and p-jump (~eq40 to 200 MPa) experiments. Most of the relaxations fall into one of three groups and are characterized by (i) nonexponential time dependence and non-Arrhenius temperature dependence (FIM1( nu), FIM1(Gamma)); (ii) exponential time dependence and non-Arrhenius temperature dependence (FIM0(A_{i}to A_{j})); exponential time dependence and Arrhenius temperature dependence (FIMX( nu)). The influence of pH is studied in myoglobin-CO and shown to have a strong influence on the substate population of the

Effect of pressure on the α relaxation in glycerol and xylitol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paluch, M.; Casalini, R.; Hensel-Bielowka, S.; Roland, C. M.

2002-06-01

The effect of pressure on the dielectric relaxation of two polyhydroxy alcohols is examined by analysis of existing data on glycerol, together with new measurements on xylitol. The fragility, or Tg-normalized temperature dependence, changes with pressure for low pressures, but becomes invariant above 1 GPa. When compared at temperatures for which the α-relaxation times are equal, there is no effect of pressure (<1 GPa) on the shape of the α dispersion at higher temperatures. However, nearer Tg, pressure broadens the α peak, consistent with the expected correlation of fragility with the breadth of the relaxation function. We also observe that the α-relaxation peaks for both glycerol and xylitol show an excess intensity at higher frequencies. For xylitol, unlike for glycerol, at lower temperatures this wing disjoins to form a separate peak. For both glass formers, elevated pressure causes the excess wing to become more separated from the peak maximum; that is, the properties of the primary and excess intensities are not correlated. This implies that the excess wing in glycerol is also a distinct secondary process, although it cannot be resolved from the primary peak.

A wrinkling-based method for investigating glassy polymer film relaxation as a function of film thickness and temperature.

PubMed

Chung, Jun Young; Douglas, Jack F; Stafford, Christopher M

2017-10-21

We investigate the relaxation dynamics of thin polymer films at temperatures below the bulk glass transition T g by first compressing polystyrene films supported on a polydimethylsiloxane substrate to create wrinkling patterns and then observing the slow relaxation of the wrinkled films back to their final equilibrium flat state by small angle light scattering. As with recent relaxation measurements on thin glassy films reported by Fakhraai and co-workers, we find the relaxation time of our wrinkled films to be strongly dependent on film thickness below an onset thickness on the order of 100 nm. By varying the temperature between room temperature and T g (≈100 °C), we find that the relaxation time follows an Arrhenius-type temperature dependence to a good approximation at all film thicknesses investigated, where both the activation energy and the relaxation time pre-factor depend appreciably on film thickness. The wrinkling relaxation curves tend to cross at a common temperature somewhat below T g , indicating an entropy-enthalpy compensation relation between the activation free energy parameters. This compensation effect has also been observed recently in simulated supported polymer films in the high temperature Arrhenius relaxation regime rather than the glassy state. In addition, we find that the film stress relaxation function, as well as the height of the wrinkle ridges, follows a stretched exponential time dependence and the short-time effective Young's modulus derived from our modeling decreases sigmoidally with increasing temperature-both characteristic features of glassy materials. The relatively facile nature of the wrinkling-based measurements in comparison to other film relaxation measurements makes our method attractive for practical materials development, as well as fundamental studies of glass formation.

Relaxation mode analysis and Markov state relaxation mode analysis for chignolin in aqueous solution near a transition temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsutake, Ayori; Takano, Hiroshi

2015-09-01

It is important to extract reaction coordinates or order parameters from protein simulations in order to investigate the local minimum-energy states and the transitions between them. The most popular method to obtain such data is principal component analysis, which extracts modes of large conformational fluctuations around an average structure. We recently applied relaxation mode analysis for protein systems, which approximately estimates the slow relaxation modes and times from a simulation and enables investigations of the dynamic properties underlying the structural fluctuations of proteins. In this study, we apply this relaxation mode analysis to extract reaction coordinates for a system in which there are large conformational changes such as those commonly observed in protein folding/unfolding. We performed a 750-ns simulation of chignolin protein near its folding transition temperature and observed many transitions between the most stable, misfolded, intermediate, and unfolded states. We then applied principal component analysis and relaxation mode analysis to the system. In the relaxation mode analysis, we could automatically extract good reaction coordinates. The free-energy surfaces provide a clearer understanding of the transitions not only between local minimum-energy states but also between the folded and unfolded states, even though the simulation involved large conformational changes. Moreover, we propose a new analysis method called Markov state relaxation mode analysis. We applied the new method to states with slow relaxation, which are defined by the free-energy surface obtained in the relaxation mode analysis. Finally, the relaxation times of the states obtained with a simple Markov state model and the proposed Markov state relaxation mode analysis are compared and discussed.

Relaxation rates of low-field gas-phase ^129Xe storage cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limes, Mark; Saam, Brian

2010-10-01

A study of longitudinal nuclear relaxation rates T1 of ^129Xe and Xe-N2 mixtures in a magnetic field of 3.8 mT is presented. In this regime, intrinsic spin relaxation is dominated by the intramolecular spin-rotation interaction due to persistent xenon dimers, a mechanism that can be quelled by introducing large amounts of N2 into the storage cell. Extrinsic spin relaxation is dominated by the wall-relaxation rate, which is the primary quantity of interest for the various low-field storage cells and coatings that we have tested. Previous group work has shown that extremely long gas-phase relaxation times T1 can be obtained, but only at large magnetic fields and low xenon densities. The current work is motivated by the practical benefits of retaining hyperpolarized ^129Xe for extended periods of time in a small magnetic field.

State resolved vibrational relaxation modeling for strongly nonequilibrium flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Iain D.; Josyula, Eswar

2011-05-01

Vibrational relaxation is an important physical process in hypersonic flows. Activation of the vibrational mode affects the fundamental thermodynamic properties and finite rate relaxation can reduce the degree of dissociation of a gas. Low fidelity models of vibrational activation employ a relaxation time to capture the process at a macroscopic level. High fidelity, state-resolved models have been developed for use in continuum gas dynamics simulations based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD). By comparison, such models are not as common for use with the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. In this study, a high fidelity, state-resolved vibrational relaxation model is developed for the DSMC technique. The model is based on the forced harmonic oscillator approach in which multi-quantum transitions may become dominant at high temperature. Results obtained for integrated rate coefficients from the DSMC model are consistent with the corresponding CFD model. Comparison of relaxation results obtained with the high-fidelity DSMC model shows significantly less excitation of upper vibrational levels in comparison to the standard, lower fidelity DSMC vibrational relaxation model. Application of the new DSMC model to a Mach 7 normal shock wave in carbon monoxide provides better agreement with experimental measurements than the standard DSMC relaxation model.

Will spin-relaxation times in molecular magnets permit quantum information processing?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardavan, Arzhang

2007-03-01

Certain computational tasks can be efficiently implemented using quantum logic, in which the information-carrying elements are permitted to exist in quantum superpositions. To achieve this in practice, a physical system that is suitable for embodying quantum bits (qubits) must be identified. Some proposed scenarios employ electron spins in the solid state, for example phosphorous donors in silicon, quantum dots, heterostructures and endohedral fullerenes, motivated by the long electron-spin relaxation times exhibited by these systems. An alternative electron-spin based proposal exploits the large number of quantum states and the non-degenerate transitions available in high spin molecular magnets. Although these advantages have stimulated vigorous research in molecular magnets, the key question of whether the intrinsic spin relaxation times are long enough has hitherto remained unaddressed. Using X-band pulsed electron spin resonance, we measure the intrinsic spin-lattice (T1) and phase coherence (T2) relaxation times in molecular nanomagnets for the first time. In Cr7M heterometallic wheels, with M = Ni and Mn, phase coherence relaxation is dominated by the coupling of the electron spin to protons within the molecule. In deuterated samples T2 reaches 3 μs at low temperatures, which is several orders of magnitude longer than the duration of spin manipulations, satisfying a prerequisite for the deployment of molecular nanomagnets in quantum information applications.

Time and Temperature Dependence of Viscoelastic Stress Relaxation in Gold and Gold Alloy Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mongkolsuttirat, Kittisun

Radio frequency (RF) switches based on capacitive MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) devices have been proposed as replacements for traditional solid-state field effect transistor (FET) devices. However, one of the limitations of the existing capacitive switch designs is long-term reliability. Failure is generally attributed to electrical charging in the capacitor's dielectric layer that creates an attractive electrostatic force between a moving upper capacitor plate (a metal membrane) and the dielectric. This acts as an attractive stiction force between them that may cause the switch to stay permanently in the closed state. The force that is responsible for opening the switch is the elastic restoring force due to stress in the film membrane. If the restoring force decreases over time due to stress relaxation, the tendency for stiction failure behavior will increase. Au films have been shown to exhibit stress relaxation even at room temperature. The stress relaxation observed is a type of viscoelastic behavior that is more significant in thin metal films than in bulk materials. Metal films with a high relaxation resistance would have a lower probability of device failure due to stress relaxation. It has been shown that solid solution and oxide dispersion can strengthen a material without unacceptable decreases in electrical conductivity. In this study, the viscoelastic behavior of Au, AuV solid solution and AuV2O5 dispersion created by DC magnetron sputtering are investigated using the gas pressure bulge testing technique in the temperature range from 20 to 80°C. The effectiveness of the two strengthening approaches is compared with the pure Au in terms of relaxation modulus and 3 hour modulus decay. The time dependent relaxation curves can be fitted very well with a four-term Prony series model. From the temperature dependence of the terms of the series, activation energies have been deduced to identify the possible dominant relaxation mechanism. The measured

Myofilament properties comprise the rate-limiting step for cardiac relaxation at body temperature in the rat.

PubMed

Janssen, Paul M L; Stull, Linda B; Marbán, Eduardo

2002-02-01

The majority of studies aimed at characterizing basic contractile mechanisms have been conducted at room temperature. To elucidate the mechanism of cardiac relaxation under more physiological conditions, we investigated contractile function and calcium handling in ultrathin rat cardiac trabeculae. Active developed tension was unaltered between 22.5 and 30.0 degrees C (from 89 +/- 10 to 86 +/- 11 mN/mm(2), P = not significant) but steeply declined at 37.5 degrees C (30 +/- 5 mN/mm(2)). Meanwhile, the speed of relaxation (time from peak force to 50% relaxation) declined from 22.5 to 30.0 degrees C (from 360 +/- 40 to 157 +/- 17 ms) and further declined at 37.5 degrees C to 76 +/- 13 ms. Phase-plane analysis of calcium versus force revealed that, with increasing temperature, the relaxation phase is shifted rightward, indicating that the rate-limiting step of relaxation tends to depend more on calcium kinetics as temperature rises. The force-frequency relationship, which was slightly negative at 22.5 degrees C (0.1 vs. 1 Hz: 77 +/- 12 vs. 66 +/- 7 mN/mm(2)), became clearly positive at 37.5 degrees C (1 vs. 10 Hz: 30 +/- 5 vs. 69 +/- 9 mN/mm(2)). Phase-plane analyses indicated that, with increasing frequency, the relaxation phase is shifted leftward. We conclude that temperature independently affects contraction and relaxation, and cross-bridge cycling kinetics become rate limiting for cardiac relaxation under experimental conditions closest to those in vivo.

Rotational relaxation of fluoromethane molecules in low-temperature collisions with buffer-gas helium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xingjia; Xu, Liang; Yin, Yanning; Xu, Supeng; Xia, Yong; Yin, Jianping

2016-06-01

We propose a method to study the rotational relaxation of polar molecules [here taking fluoromethane (CH3F ) as an example] in collisions with 3.5 K buffer-gas helium (He) atoms by using an electrostatic guiding technique. The dependence of the guiding signal of CH3F on the injected He flux and the dependence of the guiding efficiency of CH3F on its rotational temperature are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. By comparing the experimental and simulated results, we find that the translational and rotational temperatures of the buffer-gas cooled CH3F molecules can reach to about 5.48 and 0.60 K, respectively, and the ratio between the translational and average rotational collisional cross sections of CH3F -He is γ =σt/σr=36.49 ±6.15 . In addition, the slowing, cooling, and boosting effects of the molecular beam with different injected He fluxes are also observed and their forming conditions are investigated in some detail. Our study shows that our proposed method can not only be used to measure the translational and rotational temperatures of the buffer-gas cooled molecules, but also to measure the ratio of the translational collisional cross section to the average rotational collisional cross section, and even to measure the average rotational collisional cross section when the translational collisional cross section is measured by fitting the lifetime of molecule signal to get a numerical solution from the diffusion equation of buffer-gas He atoms in the cell.

A wrinkling-based method for investigating glassy polymer film relaxation as a function of film thickness and temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Jun Young; Douglas, Jack F.; Stafford, Christopher M.

2017-10-01

We investigate the relaxation dynamics of thin polymer films at temperatures below the bulk glass transition Tg by first compressing polystyrene films supported on a polydimethylsiloxane substrate to create wrinkling patterns and then observing the slow relaxation of the wrinkled films back to their final equilibrium flat state by small angle light scattering. As with recent relaxation measurements on thin glassy films reported by Fakhraai and co-workers, we find the relaxation time of our wrinkled films to be strongly dependent on film thickness below an onset thickness on the order of 100 nm. By varying the temperature between room temperature and Tg (≈100 °C), we find that the relaxation time follows an Arrhenius-type temperature dependence to a good approximation at all film thicknesses investigated, where both the activation energy and the relaxation time pre-factor depend appreciably on film thickness. The wrinkling relaxation curves tend to cross at a common temperature somewhat below Tg, indicating an entropy-enthalpy compensation relation between the activation free energy parameters. This compensation effect has also been observed recently in simulated supported polymer films in the high temperature Arrhenius relaxation regime rather than the glassy state. In addition, we find that the film stress relaxation function, as well as the height of the wrinkle ridges, follows a stretched exponential time dependence and the short-time effective Young's modulus derived from our modeling decreases sigmoidally with increasing temperature—both characteristic features of glassy materials. The relatively facile nature of the wrinkling-based measurements in comparison to other film relaxation measurements makes our method attractive for practical materials development, as well as fundamental studies of glass formation.

Investigation of Temperature Change under Influence of Ultrashort Laser Pulses Taking into Account Relaxation Properties of Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eremin, A. V.; Kudinov, V. A.; Stefanyuk, E. V.; Kudinov, I. V.

2018-03-01

By using the modified Fourier law’s formula considering the relaxation of heat flow and temperature gradient, a mathematical model of the local non-equilibrium process of plate heating with ultrashort laser pulses was developed. The research showed that consideration of non-locality results in the delayed plate heat up irrespective of the laser radiation flow intensity. It was also shown that in consideration of the relaxation phenomena, the boundary conditions may not be fulfilled immediately – they may be set only within a definite range of the initial time.

Temperature dependence of the NMR spin-lattice relaxation rate for spin-1/2 chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coira, E.; Barmettler, P.; Giamarchi, T.; Kollath, C.

2016-10-01

We use recent developments in the framework of a time-dependent matrix product state method to compute the nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation rate 1 /T1 for spin-1/2 chains under magnetic field and for different Hamiltonians (XXX, XXZ, isotropically dimerized). We compute numerically the temperature dependence of the 1 /T1 . We consider both gapped and gapless phases, and also the proximity of quantum critical points. At temperatures much lower than the typical exchange energy scale, our results are in excellent agreement with analytical results, such as the ones derived from the Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) theory and bosonization, which are valid in this regime. We also cover the regime for which the temperature T is comparable to the exchange coupling. In this case analytical theories are not appropriate, but this regime is relevant for various new compounds with exchange couplings in the range of tens of Kelvin. For the gapped phases, either the fully polarized phase for spin chains or the low-magnetic-field phase for the dimerized systems, we find an exponential decrease in Δ /(kBT ) of the relaxation time and can compute the gap Δ . Close to the quantum critical point our results are in good agreement with the scaling behavior based on the existence of free excitations.

Exploration of dielectric relaxations of a room temperature anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwivedi, Aanchal; Verma, Rohit; Dhar, R.; Dabrowski, R.

2018-05-01

Dielectric characterization of a technologically important room temperature anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) mixture has been carried out as a function of temperature and frequency. The mixture has a phase sequence of I-SmA*-SmC*-SmCA* -SmIA* -Cr. Electrical study for the planar anchoring of the molecules demonstrates seven relaxation mechanisms in various mesophases of the mixture. Dielectric spectrum of paraelectric SmA* phase exhibits a relaxation mechanism due to the tilt fluctuation of the molecules. In ferroelectric SmC* phase, Goldstone mode has been observed due to the fluctuation in azimuthal angle. In antiferroelectric SmCA*and hexatic SmIA* phases two relaxation mechanisms are observed due to bond orientation order & anti-phase fluctuation and rotation around the short axes respectively.

Exchange and relaxation effects in low-energy radiationless transitions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, M. H.; Crasemann, B.; Aoyagi, M.; Mark, H.

1978-01-01

The effect on low-energy atomic inner-shell Coster-Kronig and super Coster-Kronig transitions that is produced by relaxation and by exchange between the continuum electron and bound electrons was examined and illustrated by specific calculations for transitions that deexcite the 3p vacancy state of Zn. Taking exchange and relaxation into account is found to reduce, but not to eliminate, the discrepancies between theoretical rates and measurements.

Depolarization current relaxation process of insulating dielectrics after corona poling under different charging conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J. W.; Zhou, T. C.; Wang, J. X.; Yang, X. F.; Zhu, F.; Tian, L. M.; Liu, R. T.

2017-10-01

As an insulating dielectric, polyimide is favorable for the application of optoelectronics, electrical insulation system in electric power industry, insulating, and packaging materials in space aircraft, due to its excellent thermal, mechanical and electrical insulating stability. The charge storage profile of such insulating dielectric is utmost important to its application, when it is exposed to electron irradiation, high voltage corona discharge or other treatments. These treatments could induce changes in physical and chemical properties of treated samples. To investigate the charge storage mechanism of the insulating dielectrics after high-voltage corona discharge, the relaxation processes responsible for corona charged polyimide films under different poling conditions were analyzed by the Thermally Stimulated Discharge Currents method (TSDC). In the results of thermal relaxation process, the appearance of various peaks in TSDC spectra provided a deep insight into the molecular status in the dielectric material and reflected stored space charge relaxation process in the insulating polymers after corona discharge treatments. Furthermore, the different space charge distribution status under various poling temperature and different discharge voltage level were also investigated, which could partly reflect the influence of the ambiance condition on the functional dielectrics after corona poling.

Vibrational Relaxation and Dynamical Transitions in Atactic Polystyrene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Hanqing; Park, Yung; Painter, Paul

2009-03-01

Infrared bands and Raman lines recorded in the frequency domain have a counterpart in the time domain in the form of time-correlation functions, which are sensitive to molecular dynamics on the picosecond time scale. This is explored by calculating time correlation functions and their variation with temperature for the conformationally insensitive modes observed near 1601 cm-1 and 1583 cm-1 in the infrared spectrum of atactic polystyrene. The correlation functions were modeled by assuming that there is a fast relaxation process characterized by a single relaxation time that is inhomogeneously broadened by a slower process, also characterized by a single relaxation time. The fundamental mode, near 1583 cm-1, is inhomogeneously broadened, but the relaxation time calculated for this mode is sensitive to temperature as a result of anharmonic coupling to a combination mode. A change in the modulation of the 1583 cm-1 band becomes apparent about 10--20 degrees below the thermally measured Tg. Relaxation times at first increase then decrease and becomes negligible at temperatures near 180 degrees. These results are consistent with theories of the glass transition.

Internal structural changes in keratin fibres resulting from combined hair waving and stress relaxation treatments: a Raman spectroscopic investigation.

PubMed

Kuzuhara, A

2016-04-01

The objective of our research was to investigate the influence of chemical treatments (reduction, stress relaxation and oxidation) on hair keratin fibres. The structure of cross-sections at various depths of virgin white human hair resulting from permanent waving treatments with stress relaxation process was directly analysed at a molecular level using Raman spectroscopy. In particular, the three disulphide (-SS-) conformations in human hair were compared by S-S band analysis. The gauche-gauche-gauche (GGG) and gauche-gauche-trans (GGT) contents of -SS- groups remarkably decreased, while the trans-gauche-trans (TGT) content was not changed by performing the reduction process with thioglycolic acid. In addition, the high-temperature stress relaxation process after reduction accelerated the disconnection of -SS- (GGG and GGT) groups in the human hair, while the low-temperature stress relaxation process after reduction accelerated the reconnection of -SS- (GGG and GGT) groups. Moreover, the S-O band intensity at 1042 cm(-1) , assigned to cysteic acid, existing in the cuticle region and the surface of the cortex region increased, while the GGG content significantly decreased by performing the oxidation process after the reduction and the high-temperature stress relaxation processes. The author concluded that the high-temperature relaxation process after reduction accelerated the disconnection of -SS- (GGG and GGT) groups, thereby leading to the remarkable local molecular disorganization (an increase in the cysteic acid content and a decrease in the GGG content) on the cuticle and cortex cells during the oxidation process. © 2015 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Computer simulation of low-temperature composites sintering processes for additive technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tovpinets, A. O.; Leytsin, V. N.; Dmitrieva, M. A.

2017-12-01

This is impact research of mixture raw components characteristics on the low-temperature composites structure formation during the sintering process. The obtained results showed that the structure determination of initial compacts obtained after thermal destruction of the polymer binder lets quantify the concentrations of main components and the refractory crystalline product of thermal destruction. Accounting for the distribution of thermal destruction refractory product allows us to refine the forecast of thermal stresses in the matrix of sintered composite. The presented results can be considered as a basis for optimization of initial compositions of multilayer low-temperature composites obtained by additive technologies.

Relaxation versus adiabatic quantum steady-state preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venuti, Lorenzo Campos; Albash, Tameem; Marvian, Milad; Lidar, Daniel; Zanardi, Paolo

2017-04-01

Adiabatic preparation of the ground states of many-body Hamiltonians in the closed-system limit is at the heart of adiabatic quantum computation, but in reality systems are always open. This motivates a natural comparison between, on the one hand, adiabatic preparation of steady states of Lindbladian generators and, on the other hand, relaxation towards the same steady states subject to the final Lindbladian of the adiabatic process. In this work we thus adopt the perspective that the goal is the most efficient possible preparation of such steady states, rather than ground states. Using known rigorous bounds for the open-system adiabatic theorem and for mixing times, we are then led to a disturbing conclusion that at first appears to doom efforts to build physical quantum annealers: relaxation seems to always converge faster than adiabatic preparation. However, by carefully estimating the adiabatic preparation time for Lindbladians describing thermalization in the low-temperature limit, we show that there is, after all, room for an adiabatic speedup over relaxation. To test the analytically derived bounds for the adiabatic preparation time and the relaxation time, we numerically study three models: a dissipative quasifree fermionic chain, a single qubit coupled to a thermal bath, and the "spike" problem of n qubits coupled to a thermal bath. Via these models we find that the answer to the "which wins" question depends for each model on the temperature and the system-bath coupling strength. In the case of the "spike" problem we find that relaxation during the adiabatic evolution plays an important role in ensuring a speedup over the final-time relaxation procedure. Thus, relaxation-assisted adiabatic preparation can be more efficient than both pure adiabatic evolution and pure relaxation.

Glass-Transition Temperature of the β-Relaxation as the Major Predictive Parameter for Recrystallization of Neat Amorphous Drugs.

PubMed

Kissi, Eric Ofosu; Grohganz, Holger; Löbmann, Korbinian; Ruggiero, Michael T; Zeitler, J Axel; Rades, Thomas

2018-03-15

Recrystallization of amorphous drugs is currently limiting the simple approach to improve solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs by amorphization of a crystalline form of the drug. In view of this, molecular mobility, α-relaxation and β-relaxation processes with the associated transition temperatures T gα and T gβ , was investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The correlation between the transition temperatures and the onset of recrystallization for nine amorphous drugs, stored under dry conditions at a temperature of 296 K, was determined. From the results obtained, T gα does not correlate with the onset of recrystallization under the experimental storage conditions. However, a clear correlation between T gβ and the onset of recrystallization was observed. It is shown that at storage temperature below T gβ , amorphous nifedipine retains its amorphous form. On the basis of the correlation, an empirical correlation is proposed for predicting the onset of recrystallization for drugs stored at 0% RH and 296 K.

Relaxation Time of High-Density Amorphous Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handle, Philip H.; Seidl, Markus; Loerting, Thomas

2012-06-01

Amorphous water plays a fundamental role in astrophysics, cryoelectron microscopy, hydration of matter, and our understanding of anomalous liquid water properties. Yet, the characteristics of the relaxation processes taking place in high-density amorphous ice (HDA) are unknown. We here reveal that the relaxation processes in HDA at 110-135 K at 0.1-0.2 GPa are of collective and global nature, resembling the alpha relaxation in glassy material. Measured relaxation times suggest liquid-like relaxation characteristics in the vicinity of the crystallization temperature at 145 K. By carefully relaxing pressurized HDA for several hours at 135 K, we produce a state that is closer to the ideal glass state than all HDA states discussed so far in literature.

Spin-lattice relaxation of individual solid-state spins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norambuena, A.; Muñoz, E.; Dinani, H. T.; Jarmola, A.; Maletinsky, P.; Budker, D.; Maze, J. R.

2018-03-01

Understanding the effect of vibrations on the relaxation process of individual spins is crucial for implementing nanosystems for quantum information and quantum metrology applications. In this work, we present a theoretical microscopic model to describe the spin-lattice relaxation of individual electronic spins associated to negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond, although our results can be extended to other spin-boson systems. Starting from a general spin-lattice interaction Hamiltonian, we provide a detailed description and solution of the quantum master equation of an electronic spin-one system coupled to a phononic bath in thermal equilibrium. Special attention is given to the dynamics of one-phonon processes below 1 K where our results agree with recent experimental findings and analytically describe the temperature and magnetic-field scaling. At higher temperatures, linear and second-order terms in the interaction Hamiltonian are considered and the temperature scaling is discussed for acoustic and quasilocalized phonons when appropriate. Our results, in addition to confirming a T5 temperature dependence of the longitudinal relaxation rate at higher temperatures, in agreement with experimental observations, provide a theoretical background for modeling the spin-lattice relaxation at a wide range of temperatures where different temperature scalings might be expected.

On the origin of stretched exponential (Kohlrausch) relaxation kinetics in the room temperature luminescence decay of colloidal quantum dots.

PubMed

Bodunov, E N; Antonov, Yu A; Simões Gamboa, A L

2017-03-21

The non-exponential room temperature luminescence decay of colloidal quantum dots is often well described by a stretched exponential function. However, the physical meaning of the parameters of the function is not clear in the majority of cases reported in the literature. In this work, the room temperature stretched exponential luminescence decay of colloidal quantum dots is investigated theoretically in an attempt to identify the underlying physical mechanisms associated with the parameters of the function. Three classes of non-radiative transition processes between the excited and ground states of colloidal quantum dots are discussed: long-range resonance energy transfer, multiphonon relaxation, and contact quenching without diffusion. It is shown that multiphonon relaxation cannot explain a stretched exponential functional form of the luminescence decay while such dynamics of relaxation can be understood in terms of long-range resonance energy transfer to acceptors (molecules, quantum dots, or anharmonic molecular vibrations) in the environment of the quantum dots acting as energy-donors or by contact quenching by acceptors (surface traps or molecules) distributed statistically on the surface of the quantum dots. These non-radiative transition processes are assigned to different ranges of the stretching parameter β.

Low Temperature Processing of Boron Carbide Cement Composite for Tough, Wear Resistant Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-12-15

TITLE AND SUBTITLE Low Temperature Processing of Boron Carbide Cement Composite for Tough, Wear Resistant Structures 6. AUTHOR(S) Kristen J. Law...project has developed a low temperature polymer ceramic composite consisting of boron carbide layers bonded by cement, laminated with polymer...composite have been shown to compare favorably to those of partially sintered boron carbide. Applications for this material have been identified in

Direct simulation Monte Carlo modeling of relaxation processes in polyatomic gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfeiffer, M.; Nizenkov, P.; Mirza, A.; Fasoulas, S.

2016-02-01

Relaxation processes of polyatomic molecules are modeled and implemented in an in-house Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code in order to enable the simulation of atmospheric entry maneuvers at Mars and Saturn's Titan. The description of rotational and vibrational relaxation processes is derived from basic quantum-mechanics using a rigid rotator and a simple harmonic oscillator, respectively. Strategies regarding the vibrational relaxation process are investigated, where good agreement for the relaxation time according to the Landau-Teller expression is found for both methods, the established prohibiting double relaxation method and the new proposed multi-mode relaxation. Differences and applications areas of these two methods are discussed. Consequently, two numerical methods used for sampling of energy values from multi-dimensional distribution functions are compared. The proposed random-walk Metropolis algorithm enables the efficient treatment of multiple vibrational modes within a time step with reasonable computational effort. The implemented model is verified and validated by means of simple reservoir simulations and the comparison to experimental measurements of a hypersonic, carbon-dioxide flow around a flat-faced cylinder.

Direct simulation Monte Carlo modeling of relaxation processes in polyatomic gases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pfeiffer, M., E-mail: mpfeiffer@irs.uni-stuttgart.de; Nizenkov, P., E-mail: nizenkov@irs.uni-stuttgart.de; Mirza, A., E-mail: mirza@irs.uni-stuttgart.de

2016-02-15

Relaxation processes of polyatomic molecules are modeled and implemented in an in-house Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code in order to enable the simulation of atmospheric entry maneuvers at Mars and Saturn’s Titan. The description of rotational and vibrational relaxation processes is derived from basic quantum-mechanics using a rigid rotator and a simple harmonic oscillator, respectively. Strategies regarding the vibrational relaxation process are investigated, where good agreement for the relaxation time according to the Landau-Teller expression is found for both methods, the established prohibiting double relaxation method and the new proposed multi-mode relaxation. Differences and applications areas of these two methodsmore » are discussed. Consequently, two numerical methods used for sampling of energy values from multi-dimensional distribution functions are compared. The proposed random-walk Metropolis algorithm enables the efficient treatment of multiple vibrational modes within a time step with reasonable computational effort. The implemented model is verified and validated by means of simple reservoir simulations and the comparison to experimental measurements of a hypersonic, carbon-dioxide flow around a flat-faced cylinder.« less

MCNP6.1 simulations for low-energy atomic relaxation: Code-to-code comparison with GATEv7.2, PENELOPE2014, and EGSnrc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Seongmoon; Sung, Wonmo; Lee, Jaegi; Ye, Sung-Joon

2018-01-01

Emerging radiological applications of gold nanoparticles demand low-energy electron/photon transport calculations including details of an atomic relaxation process. Recently, MCNP® version 6.1 (MCNP6.1) has been released with extended cross-sections for low-energy electron/photon, subshell photoelectric cross-sections, and more detailed atomic relaxation data than the previous versions. With this new feature, the atomic relaxation process of MCNP6.1 has not been fully tested yet with its new physics library (eprdata12) that is based on the Evaluated Atomic Data Library (EADL). In this study, MCNP6.1 was compared with GATEv7.2, PENELOPE2014, and EGSnrc that have been often used to simulate low-energy atomic relaxation processes. The simulations were performed to acquire both photon and electron spectra produced by interactions of 15 keV electrons or photons with a 10-nm-thick gold nano-slab. The photon-induced fluorescence X-rays from MCNP6.1 fairly agreed with those from GATEv7.2 and PENELOPE2014, while the electron-induced fluorescence X-rays of the four codes showed more or less discrepancies. A coincidence was observed in the photon-induced Auger electrons simulated by MCNP6.1 and GATEv7.2. A recent release of MCNP6.1 with eprdata12 can be used to simulate the photon-induced atomic relaxation.

Effects of the aging temperature and stress relaxation conditions on γ‧ precipitation in Inconel X-750

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Jeong Won; Seong, Baek Seok; Jeong, Hi Won; Choi, Yoon Suk; Kang, Namhyun

2015-02-01

Inconel X-750 is a Ni-based precipitation-hardened superalloy typically used in springs designed for high-temperature applications such as the hold-down springs in nuclear power plants. γ‧ is a major precipitate in X-750 alloys which affects the strength, creep resistance, and stress relaxation properties of the spring. In this study, a solution-treated X-750 wire coiled into a spring was used that was aged at various temperatures and submitted to stress relaxation tests with and without loading. Small angle neutron scattering was employed to quantify the size and volume fraction of γ‧ phase in the springs as a function of the aging temperature and the application of a load during stress relaxation. The volume fraction of γ‧ precipitates increased in the specimen aged at 732 °C following stress relaxation at 500 °C for 300 h. However, the mean size of the precipitates in the samples was not affected by stress relaxation. The specimen aged at the lower temperature (620 °C) contained a smaller γ‧ volume fraction and gained a smaller fraction of γ‧ during stress relaxation compared with the sample aged at the higher temperature (732 °C). The smaller increase in the γ‧ volume fraction for the sample aged at 620 °C was associated with a larger increase in the M23C6 secondary carbide content during relaxation. The Cr depletion zone around the secondary carbides raises the solubility of γ‧ thereby decreasing the volume fraction of γ‧ precipitates in Inconel X-750. In terms of stress relaxation, a larger increase in the γ‧ volume fraction was measured with loading rather than without. This is probably associated with the dislocation accumulation generated under loading that facilitate the nucleation and growth of heterogeneous γ‧ phase due to enhanced diffusion.

Secondary relaxations in supercooled and glassy sucrose-borate aqueous solutions.

PubMed

Longinotti, M Paula; Corti, Horacio R; Pablo, Juan J de

2008-10-13

The dielectric relaxation spectra of concentrated aqueous solutions of sucrose-borate mixtures have been measured in the supercooled and glassy regions in the frequency range of 40Hz to 2MHz. The secondary (beta) relaxation process was analyzed in the temperature range 183-233K at water contents between 20 and 30wt%. The relaxation times were obtained, and the activation energy of that process was calculated. In order to assess the effect of borate on the relaxation of disaccharide-water mixtures, we also studied the dielectric behavior of sucrose aqueous solutions in the same range of temperatures and water contents. Our findings support the view that, beyond a water content of approximately 20wt%, the secondary relaxation of water-sucrose and water-sucrose-borate mixtures adopts a universal character that can be explained in terms of a simple exponential function of the temperature scaled by the glass transition temperature (T(g)). The behavior observed for water-sucrose and water-sucrose-borate mixtures is compared with previous results obtained in other water-carbohydrate systems.

Nuclear spin relaxation of methane in solid xenon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugimoto, Takeru; Arakawa, Ichiro; Yamakawa, Koichiro

2018-03-01

Nuclear spin relaxation of methane in solid xenon has been studied by infrared spectroscopy. From the analysis of the temporal changes of the rovibrational peaks, the rates of the nuclear spin relaxation of I = 2 ← 1 correlated to the rotational relaxation of J = 0 ← 1 were obtained at temperatures of 5.1-11.5 K. On the basis of the temperature dependence of the relaxation rate, the activation energy of the indirect two-phonon process was determined to be 50 ± 6 K, which is in good agreement with the rotational transition energies of J = 2 ← 1 and J = 3 ← 1. Taking into account this result and the spin degeneracy, we argue that the lowest J = 3 level in which the I = 1 and I = 2 states are degenerate acts as the intermediate point of the indirect process.

Dielectric relaxation of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol around the glass transition by thermally stimulated depolarization currents.

PubMed

Arrese-Igor, S; Alegría, A; Colmenero, J

2015-06-07

We explore new routes for characterizing the Debye-like and α relaxation in 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (2E1H) monoalcohol by using low frequency dielectric techniques including thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) techniques and isothermal depolarization current methods. In this way, we have improved the resolution of the overlapped processes making it possible the analysis of the data in terms of a mode composition as expected for a chain-like response. Furthermore the explored ultralow frequencies enabled to study dynamics at relatively low temperatures close to the glass transition (Tg). Results show, on the one hand, that Debye-like and α relaxation timescales dramatically approach to each other upon decreasing temperature to Tg. On the other hand, the analysis of partial polarization TSDC data confirms the single exponential character of the Debye-like relaxation in 2E1H and rules out the presence of Rouse type modes in the scenario of a chain-like response. Finally, on crossing the glass transition, the Debye-like relaxation shows non-equilibrium effects which are further emphasized by aging treatment and would presumably emerge as a result of the arrest of the structural relaxation below Tg.

Quantum process tomography with informational incomplete data of two J-coupled heterogeneous spins relaxation in a time window much greater than T1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maciel, Thiago O.; Vianna, Reinaldo O.; Sarthour, Roberto S.; Oliveira, Ivan S.

2015-11-01

We reconstruct the time dependent quantum map corresponding to the relaxation process of a two-spin system in liquid-state NMR at room temperature. By means of quantum tomography techniques that handle informational incomplete data, we show how to properly post-process and normalize the measurements data for the simulation of quantum information processing, overcoming the unknown number of molecules prepared in a non-equilibrium magnetization state (Nj) by an initial sequence of radiofrequency pulses. From the reconstructed quantum map, we infer both longitudinal (T1) and transversal (T2) relaxation times, and introduce the J-coupling relaxation times ({T}1J,{T}2J), which are relevant for quantum information processing simulations. We show that the map associated to the relaxation process cannot be assumed approximated unital and trace-preserving for times greater than {T}2J.

On relaxation nature of glass transition in amorphous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanditov, Damba S.; Ojovan, Michael I.

2017-10-01

A short review on relaxation theories of glass transition is presented. The main attention is paid to modern aspects of the glass transition equation qτg = C, suggested by Bartenev in 1951 (q - cooling rate of the melt, τg - structural relaxation time at the glass transition temperature Tg). This equation represents a criterion of structural relaxation at transition from liquid to glass at T = Tg (analogous to the condition of mechanical relaxation ωτ = 1, where the maximum of mechanical loss is observed). The empirical parameter С = δTg has the meaning of temperature range δTg that characterizes the liquid-glass transition. Different approaches of δTg calculation are reviewed. In the framework of the model of delocalized atoms a modified kinetic criterion of glass transition is proposed (q/Tg)τg = Cg, where Cg ≅ 7·10-3 is a practically universal dimensionless constant. It depends on fraction of fluctuation volume fg, which is frozen at the glass transition temperature Cg = fg/ln(1/fg). The value of fg is approximately constant fg ≅ 0.025. At Tg the process of atom delocalization, i.e. its displacement from the equilibrium position, is frozen. In silicate glasses atom delocalization is reduced to critical displacement of bridge oxygen atom in Si-O-Si bridge necessary to switch a valence bond according to Muller and Nemilov. An equation is derived for the temperature dependence of viscosity of glass-forming liquids in the wide temperature range, including the liquid-glass transition and the region of higher temperatures. Notion of (bridge) atom delocalization is developed, which is related to necessity of local low activation deformation of structural network for realization of elementary act of viscous flow - activated switch of a valence (bridge) bond. Without atom delocalization (;trigger mechanism;) a switch of the valence bond is impossible and, consequently, the viscous flow. Thus the freezing of atom delocalization process at low temperatures

Vogel-Fulcher dependence of relaxation rates in a nematic monomer and elastomer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shenoy, D.; Filippov, S.; Aliev, F.; Keller, P.; Thomsen, D.; Ratna, B.

2000-12-01

Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy is used to study the relaxation processes in a nematic monomer and the corresponding cross-linked polymer nematic liquid crystal (elastomer). In the frequency window 10 mHz to 2 GHz the monomer liquid crystal shows a single relaxation whereas the polymer exhibits three relaxation processes, two of which are quantitatively analyzed. The temperature dependence of relaxation times in both the monomer and polymer follows a Vogel-Fulcher behavior. The relaxation processes are identified with specific molecular motions and activation energies are calculated in a linear approximation for comparison with literature data.

Relaxation processes and conduction mechanism in bismuth ferrite lead titanate composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Truptimayee; Behera, Banarji

2018-02-01

In this study, samarium (Sm)-doped multiferroic composites of 0.8BiSmxFe1-xO3-0.2PbTiO3 where x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 were prepared via the conventional solid state reaction route. The electrical properties of these composites were analyzed using an impedance analyzer over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies (102-106 Hz). The impedance and modulus analyses confirmed the presence of both bulk and grain boundary effects in the materials. The temperature dependence of impedance and modulus spectrum indicated the negative temperature coefficient of resistance behavior. The dielectric relaxation exhibited non-Debye type behavior and it was temperature dependent. The relaxation time (τ) and DC conductivity followed an Arrhenius type behavior. The frequency-dependent AC conductivity obeyed Jonscher's power law. The correlated barrier hopping model was appropriate to understand the conduction mechanism in the composites considered.

MAGNETIC RELAXATION IN RARE EARTH DOPED GARNET.

DTIC Science & Technology

in resonance measurements by the constant low temperature linewidth due to two magnon scattering. In contrast, the PPI relaxation rate is independent...of two magnon scattering. The 4.5K doublet may well be related to a near crossing of energy levels which probably causes the anomalous low temperature peaks in delta H and resonance field observed by Dillon. (Author)

Influence of thermally activated processes on the deformation behavior during low temperature ECAP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fritsch, S.; Scholze, M.; F-X Wagner, M.

2016-03-01

High strength aluminum alloys are generally hard to deform. Therefore, the application of conventional severe plastic deformation methods to generate ultrafine-grained microstructures and to further increase strength is considerably limited. In this study, we consider low temperature deformation in a custom-built, cooled equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) tool (internal angle 90°) as an alternative approach to severely plastically deform a 7075 aluminum alloy. To document the maximum improvement of mechanical properties, these alloys are initially deformed from a solid solution heat-treated condition. We characterize the mechanical behavior and the microstructure of the coarse grained initial material at different low temperatures, and we analyze how a tendency for the PLC effect and the strain-hardening rate affect the formability during subsequent severe plastic deformation at low temperatures. We then discuss how the deformation temperature and velocity influence the occurrence of PLC effects and the homogeneity of the deformed ECAP billets. Besides the mechanical properties and these microstructural changes, we discuss technologically relevant processing parameters (such as pressing forces) and practical limitations, as well as changes in fracture behavior of the low temperature deformed materials as a function of deformation temperature.

Dielectric relaxation dynamics and AC conductivity scaling of metal-organic framework (MOF-5) based polymer electrolyte nanocomposites incorporated with ionic liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Rituraj; Kumar, A.

2017-10-01

Dielectric relaxation dynamics and AC conductivity scaling of a metal-organic framework (MOF-5) based poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdf-HFP) incorporated with 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate have been studied over a frequency range of 40 Hz-5 MHz and in the temperature range of 300 K-380 K. High values of dielectric permittivity (~{{\\varepsilon }\\prime} ) having strong dispersion are obtained at low frequency because of interfacial polarization. The real part of the dielectric modulus spectra (M‧) shows no prominent peak, whereas the imaginary part (M″) shows certain peaks, with a reduction in relaxation time (τ) that can be attributed to a non-Debye relaxation mechanism. The spectra also depict both concentration- and temperature-independent scaling behavior. The power law dependent variation of AC conductivity follows the jump relaxation model and reveals activated ion hopping over diffusion barriers. The value of the frequency exponent is observed to decrease with increasing concentration of ionic liquid, indicating the forward hopping of ions in the relaxation process. The AC conductivity scaling curves at different temperatures also depict the temperature-independent relaxation dynamics.

Sweet cherry softening accompanied with moisture migration and loss during low-temperature storage.

PubMed

Zhu, Danshi; Liang, Jieyu; Liu, He; Cao, Xuehui; Ge, Yonghong; Li, Jianrong

2018-08-01

Hardness is one of the important qualities influencing consumer appeal and marketing of fresh sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.). Moisture loss is one of the main causative factors of cherry softening. In this work, moisture loss and softening process of sweet cherry during postharvest storage at 0 and 4 °C were studied. In addition, low-field 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) was used to analyze water distribution and migration in sweet cherry during storage at 4 °C. Moisture content correlated significantly (p < 0.01) with both skin and flesh hardness of cherry fruit at the two storage temperatures. According to the transverse relaxation curve, relaxation time, as T 21 (0.01-10 ms), T 22 (10-150 ms), and T 23 (150-1000 ms) were ascribed to cell wall protons, cytoplasmic water, and vacuolar water respectively. Contents of cytoplasmic (p < 0.05) and vacuolar water (p < 0.01) changed significantly with storage time. Magnetic resonance imaging results illustrated that water distributes uniformly in fresh tissue. With prolonged storage time, free water content increased gradually, and then internal damage occurred. Sweet cherry softening closely correlated with moisture loss during low-temperature storage. LF-NMR is a useful technique to investigate moisture migration of fruits and vegetables. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Generalized Lenard-Balescu calculations of electron-ion temperature relaxation in beryllium plasma.

PubMed

Fu, Zhen-Guo; Wang, Zhigang; Li, Da-Fang; Kang, Wei; Zhang, Ping

2015-09-01

The problem of electron-ion temperature relaxation in beryllium plasma at various densities (0.185-18.5g/cm^{3}) and temperatures [(1.0-8)×10^{3} eV] is investigated by using the generalized Lenard-Balescu theory. We consider the correlation effects between electrons and ions via classical and quantum static local field corrections. The numerical results show that the electron-ion pair distribution function at the origin approaches the maximum when the electron-electron coupling parameter equals unity. The classical result of the Coulomb logarithm is in agreement with the quantum result in both the weak (Γ_{ee}<10^{-2}) and strong (Γ_{ee}>1) electron-electron coupling ranges, whereas it deviates from the quantum result at intermediate values of the coupling parameter (10^{-2}<Γ_{ee}<1). We find that with increasing density of Be, the Coulomb logarithm will decrease and the corresponding relaxation rate ν_{ie} will increase. In addition, a simple fitting law ν_{ie}/ν_{ie}^{(0)}=a(ρ_{Be}/ρ_{0})^{b} is determined, where ν_{ie}^{(0)} is the relaxation rate corresponding to the normal metal density of Be and ρ_{0}, a, and b are the fitting parameters related to the temperature and the degree of ionization 〈Z〉 of the system. Our results are expected to be useful for future inertial confinement fusion experiments involving Be plasma.

Dynamics of human serum albumin studied by acoustic relaxation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Hushcha, T; Kaatze, U; Peytcheva, A

Sonic absorption spectra of solutions of human serum albumin (SA) in water and in aqueous phosphate buffer systems have been measured between 0.2 and 2000 MHz at different temperatures (15-35 degrees C), pH values (1.8-12.3), and protein concentrations (1-40 g/L). Several spectra, indicating relaxation processes in the whole frequency range, have been found. The spectra at neutral pH could be fitted well with an analytical function consisting of the asymptotic high frequency absorption and two relaxation contributions, a Debye-type relaxation term with discrete relaxation time and a term with asymmetric continuous distribution of relaxation times. Both relaxation contributions were observed in water and in buffer solutions and increased with protein concentration. The contribution represented by a Debye-type term is practically independent of temperature and was attributed to cooperative conformational changes of the polypeptide chain featuring a relaxation time of about 400 ns. The distribution of the relaxation times corresponding to the second relaxation contribution was characterized by a short time cutoff, between about 0.02 and 0.4 ns depending on temperature, and a long time tail extending to microseconds. Such relaxation behavior was interpreted in terms of solute-solvent interactions reflecting various hydration layers of HSA molecules. At acid and alkaline pH, an additional Debye-type contribution with relaxation time in the range of 30-100 ns exists. It seems to be due to proton transfer reactions of protein side-chain groups. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of these processes have been estimated from these first measurements to indicate the potential of acoustic spectra for the investigation of the elementary kinetics of albumin processes. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers, 2004

Electronic Structure of Low-Temperature Solution-Processed Amorphous Metal Oxide Semiconductors for Thin-Film Transistor Applications

PubMed Central

Socratous, Josephine; Banger, Kulbinder K; Vaynzof, Yana; Sadhanala, Aditya; Brown, Adam D; Sepe, Alessandro; Steiner, Ullrich; Sirringhaus, Henning

2015-01-01

The electronic structure of low temperature, solution-processed indium–zinc oxide thin-film transistors is complex and remains insufficiently understood. As commonly observed, high device performance with mobility >1 cm2 V−1 s−1 is achievable after annealing in air above typically 250 °C but performance decreases rapidly when annealing temperatures ≤200 °C are used. Here, the electronic structure of low temperature, solution-processed oxide thin films as a function of annealing temperature and environment using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, and photothermal deflection spectroscopy is investigated. The drop-off in performance at temperatures ≤200 °C to incomplete conversion of metal hydroxide species into the fully coordinated oxide is attributed. The effect of an additional vacuum annealing step, which is beneficial if performed for short times at low temperatures, but leads to catastrophic device failure if performed at too high temperatures or for too long is also investigated. Evidence is found that during vacuum annealing, the workfunction increases and a large concentration of sub-bandgap defect states (re)appears. These results demonstrate that good devices can only be achieved in low temperature, solution-processed oxides if a significant concentration of acceptor states below the conduction band minimum is compensated or passivated by shallow hydrogen and oxygen vacancy-induced donor levels. PMID:26190964

Electronic Structure of Low-Temperature Solution-Processed Amorphous Metal Oxide Semiconductors for Thin-Film Transistor Applications.

PubMed

Socratous, Josephine; Banger, Kulbinder K; Vaynzof, Yana; Sadhanala, Aditya; Brown, Adam D; Sepe, Alessandro; Steiner, Ullrich; Sirringhaus, Henning

2015-03-25

The electronic structure of low temperature, solution-processed indium-zinc oxide thin-film transistors is complex and remains insufficiently understood. As commonly observed, high device performance with mobility >1 cm 2 V -1 s -1 is achievable after annealing in air above typically 250 °C but performance decreases rapidly when annealing temperatures ≤200 °C are used. Here, the electronic structure of low temperature, solution-processed oxide thin films as a function of annealing temperature and environment using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, and photothermal deflection spectroscopy is investigated. The drop-off in performance at temperatures ≤200 °C to incomplete conversion of metal hydroxide species into the fully coordinated oxide is attributed. The effect of an additional vacuum annealing step, which is beneficial if performed for short times at low temperatures, but leads to catastrophic device failure if performed at too high temperatures or for too long is also investigated. Evidence is found that during vacuum annealing, the workfunction increases and a large concentration of sub-bandgap defect states (re)appears. These results demonstrate that good devices can only be achieved in low temperature, solution-processed oxides if a significant concentration of acceptor states below the conduction band minimum is compensated or passivated by shallow hydrogen and oxygen vacancy-induced donor levels.

Modified Phenylethynyl Containing Imides for Secondary Bonding: Non-Autoclave, Low Temperature Processable Adhesives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dezern, James F. (Technical Monitor); Chang, Alice C.

1999-01-01

As part of a program to develop structural adhesives for high performance aerospace applications, research continued on the development of modified phenylethynyl containing imides, LaRC(trademark)MPEIs. In previous reports, the polymer properties were controlled by varying the molecular weight, the amount of branching, and the phenylethynyl content and by blending with low molecular weight materials. This research involves changing the flexibility in the copolyimide backbone of the branched, phenylethynyl terminated adhesives. These adhesives exhibit excellent processability at pressures as low as 15 psi and temperatures as low as 288 C. The Ti/Ti lap shear specimens are processable in an autoclave or a temperature programmable oven under a vacuum bag at 288-300 C without external pressure. The cured polymers exhibit high mechanical properties and excellent solvent resistance. The chemistry and properties of these adhesives are presented.

Study on the temperature-dependent coupling among viscosity, conductivity and structural relaxation of ionic liquids.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi; Yonezawa, Takuya; Koda, Shinobu

2015-07-15

The frequency-dependent viscosity and conductivity of three imidazolium-based ionic liquids were measured at several temperatures in the MHz region, and the results are compared with the intermediate scattering functions determined by neutron spin echo spectroscopy. The relaxations of both the conductivity and the viscosity agree with that of the intermediate scattering function at the ionic correlation when the relaxation time is short. As the relaxation time increases, the relaxations of the two transport properties deviate to lower frequencies than that of the ionic structure. The deviation begins at a shorter relaxation time for viscosity than for conductivity, which explains the fractional Walden rule between the zero-frequency values of the shear viscosity and the molar conductivity.

Vibrational relaxation of a molecule in strong interaction with a reservoir: Nonmonotonic temperature dependence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenkre, V. M.; Ierides, A. A.

2018-06-01

This theoretical study of the vibrational relaxation of a molecule in interaction with a reservoir uncovers a noteworthy temperature (T) dependence of the time evolution of the relaxation. Its rate increases with T in one interval but decreases in another. The feature arises not for a weak molecule-reservoir interaction but only for coupling strong enough to require polaronic dressing transformations. Our treatment, based on a recent generalization of the well-known Montroll-Shuler equation for relaxation and an explicit calculation of bath correlations from the microscopically specified Hamiltonian, could provide an alternative explanation of an "inverted" T-dependence of relaxation in an experimental report by Fayer and collaborators on W(CO)6 dissolved in CHCl3.

Room-temperature electron spin relaxation of nitroxides immobilized in trehalose: Effect of substituents adjacent to NO-group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzhelev, Andrey A.; Strizhakov, Rodion K.; Krumkacheva, Olesya A.; Polienko, Yuliya F.; Morozov, Denis A.; Shevelev, Georgiy Yu.; Pyshnyi, Dmitrii V.; Kirilyuk, Igor A.; Fedin, Matvey V.; Bagryanskaya, Elena G.

2016-05-01

Trehalose has been recently promoted as efficient immobilizer of biomolecules for room-temperature EPR studies, including distance measurements between attached nitroxide spin labels. Generally, the structure of nitroxide influences the electron spin relaxation times, being crucial parameters for room-temperature pulse EPR measurements. Therefore, in this work we investigated a series of nitroxides with different substituents adjacent to NO-moiety including spirocyclohexane, spirocyclopentane, tetraethyl and tetramethyl groups. Electron spin relaxation times (T1, Tm) of these radicals immobilized in trehalose were measured at room temperature at X- and Q-bands (9/34 GHz). In addition, a comparison was made with the corresponding relaxation times in nitroxide-labeled DNA immobilized in trehalose. In all cases phase memory times Tm were close to 700 ns and did not essentially depend on structure of substituents. Comparison of temperature dependences of Tm at T = 80-300 K shows that the benefit of spirocyclohexane substituents well-known at medium temperatures (∼100-180 K) becomes negligible at 300 K. Therefore, unless there are specific interactions between spin labels and biomolecules, the room-temperature value of Tm in trehalose is weakly dependent on the structure of substituents adjacent to NO-moiety of nitroxide. The issues of specific interactions and stability of nitroxide labels in biological media might be more important for room temperature pulsed dipolar EPR than differences in intrinsic spin relaxation of radicals.

Low temperatures shear viscosity of a two-component dipolar Fermi gas with unequal population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darsheshdar, E.; Yavari, H.; Zangeneh, Z.

2016-07-01

By using the Green's functions method and linear response theory we calculate the shear viscosity of a two-component dipolar Fermi gas with population imbalance (spin polarized) in the low temperatures limit. In the strong-coupling Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) region where a Feshbach resonance gives rise to tightly bound dimer molecules, a spin-polarized Fermi superfluid reduces to a simple Bose-Fermi mixture of Bose-condensed dimers and the leftover unpaired fermions (atoms). The interactions between dimer-atom, dimer-dimer, and atom-atom take into account to the viscous relaxation time (τη) . By evaluating the self-energies in the ladder approximation we determine the relaxation times due to dimer-atom (τDA) , dimer-dimer (τcDD ,τdDD) , and atom-atom (τAA) interactions. We will show that relaxation rates due to these interactions τDA-1 ,τcDD-1, τdDD-1, and τAA-1 have T2, T4, e - E /kB T (E is the spectrum of the dimer atoms), and T 3 / 2 behavior respectively in the low temperature limit (T → 0) and consequently, the atom-atom interaction plays the dominant role in the shear viscosity in this rang of temperatures. For small polarization (τDA ,τAA ≫τcDD ,τdDD), the low temperatures shear viscosity is determined by contact interaction between dimers and the shear viscosity varies as T-5 which has the same behavior as the viscosity of other superfluid systems such as superfluid neutron stars, and liquid helium.

Temperature dependence of the hydrated electron's excited-state relaxation. II. Elucidating the relaxation mechanism through ultrafast transient absorption and stimulated emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farr, Erik P.; Zho, Chen-Chen; Challa, Jagannadha R.; Schwartz, Benjamin J.

2017-08-01

The structure of the hydrated electron, particularly whether it exists primarily within a cavity or encompasses interior water molecules, has been the subject of much recent debate. In Paper I [C.-C. Zho et al., J. Chem. Phys. 147, 074503 (2017)], we found that mixed quantum/classical simulations with cavity and non-cavity pseudopotentials gave different predictions for the temperature dependence of the rate of the photoexcited hydrated electron's relaxation back to the ground state. In this paper, we measure the ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy of the photoexcited hydrated electron as a function of temperature to confront the predictions of our simulations. The ultrafast spectroscopy clearly shows faster relaxation dynamics at higher temperatures. In particular, the transient absorption data show a clear excess bleach beyond that of the equilibrium hydrated electron's ground-state absorption that can only be explained by stimulated emission. This stimulated emission component, which is consistent with the experimentally known fluorescence spectrum of the hydrated electron, decreases in both amplitude and lifetime as the temperature is increased. We use a kinetic model to globally fit the temperature-dependent transient absorption data at multiple temperatures ranging from 0 to 45 °C. We find the room-temperature lifetime of the excited-state hydrated electron to be 137 ±40 fs, in close agreement with recent time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (TRPES) experiments and in strong support of the "non-adiabatic" picture of the hydrated electron's excited-state relaxation. Moreover, we find that the excited-state lifetime is strongly temperature dependent, changing by slightly more than a factor of two over the 45 °C temperature range explored. This temperature dependence of the lifetime, along with a faster rate of ground-state cooling with increasing bulk temperature, should be directly observable by future TRPES experiments. Our data also suggest

Low-Temperature Solution Processable Electrodes for Piezoelectric Sensors Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuukkanen, Sampo; Julin, Tuomas; Rantanen, Ville; Zakrzewski, Mari; Moilanen, Pasi; Lupo, Donald

2013-05-01

Piezoelectric thin-film sensors are suitable for a wide range of applications from physiological measurements to industrial monitoring systems. The use of flexible materials in combination with high-throughput printing technologies enables cost-effective manufacturing of custom-designed, highly integratable piezoelectric sensors. This type of sensor can, for instance, improve industrial process control or enable the embedding of ubiquitous sensors in our living environment to improve quality of life. Here, we discuss the benefits, challenges and potential applications of piezoelectric thin-film sensors. The piezoelectric sensor elements are fabricated by printing electrodes on both sides of unmetallized poly(vinylidene fluoride) film. We show that materials which are solution processable in low temperatures, biocompatible and environmental friendly are suitable for use as electrode materials in piezoelectric sensors.

On improved understanding of plasma-chemical processes in complex low-temperature plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Röpcke, Jürgen; Loffhagen, Detlef; von Wahl, Eric; Nave, Andy S. C.; Hamann, Stephan; van Helden, Jean-Piere H.; Lang, Norbert; Kersten, Holger

2018-05-01

Over the last years, chemical sensing using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) in the visible spectral range has been combined with methods of mid infrared laser absorption spectroscopy (MIR-LAS) in the molecular fingerprint region from 3 to 20 μm, which contains strong rotational-vibrational absorption bands of a large variety of gaseous species. This optical approach established powerful in situ diagnostic tools to study plasma-chemical processes of complex low-temperature plasmas. The methods of MIR-LAS enable to detect stable and transient molecular species in ground and excited states and to measure the concentrations and temperatures of reactive species in plasmas. Since kinetic processes are inherent to discharges ignited in molecular gases, high time resolution on sub-second timescales is frequently desired for fundamental studies as well as for process monitoring in applied research and industry. In addition to high sensitivity and good temporal resolution, the capacity for broad spectral coverage enabling multicomponent detection is further expanding the use of OES and MIR-LAS techniques. Based on selected examples, this paper reports on recent achievements in the understanding of complex low-temperature plasmas. Recently, a link with chemical modeling of the plasma has been provided, which is the ultimate objective for a better understanding of the chemical and reaction kinetic processes occurring in the plasma. Contribution to the Topical Issue "Fundamentals of Complex Plasmas", edited by Jürgen Meichsner, Michael Bonitz, Holger Fehske, Alexander Piel.

Spin relaxation in n-type GaAs quantum wells from a fully microscopic approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, J.; Wu, M. W.; Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026

2007-01-15

We perform a full microscopic investigation on the spin relaxation in n-type (001) GaAs quantum wells with an Al{sub 0.4}Ga{sub 0.6}As barrier due to the D'yakonov-Perel' mechanism from nearly 20 K to room temperature by constructing and numerically solving the kinetic spin Bloch equations. We consider all the relevant scattering such as the electron-acoustic-phonon, the electron-longitudinal-optical-phonon, the electron-nonmagnetic-impurity, and the electron-electron Coulomb scattering to the spin relaxation. The spin relaxation times calculated from our theory with a fitting spin splitting parameter are in good agreement with the experimental data by Ohno et al. [Physica E (Amsterdam) 6, 817 (2000)] overmore » the whole temperature regime (from 20 to 300 K). The value of the fitted spin splitting parameter agrees with many experiments and theoretical calculations. We further show the temperature dependence of the spin relaxation time under various conditions such as electron density, impurity density, and well width. We predict a peak solely due to the Coulomb scattering in the spin relaxation time at low temperature (<50 K) in samples with low electron density (e.g., density less than 1x10{sup 11} cm{sup -2}) but high mobility. This peak disappears in samples with high electron density (e.g., 2x10{sup 11} cm{sup -2}) and/or low mobility. The hot-electron spin kinetics at low temperature is also addressed with many features quite different from the high-temperature case predicted.« less

Longitudinal Relaxation of Ferromagnetic Grains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Würger, Alois

1998-07-01

We study the activated longitudinal dynamics of a small single-domain magnet with uniaxial anisotropy, coupled to quantum noise. The smallest finite eigenvalue λ1 = γ0e-EB/kBT of the relaxation matrix is evaluated in a controlled approximation. For white noise we find γ0~T-1 at moderate temperatures and γ0 = const at very low T. Coupling to elastic waves leads to a prefactor that is linear in T or constant, depending on temperature. At very low T, the discreteness of the energy spectrum is crucial.

Low-temperature methyl group dynamics of hexamethylbenzene in crystalline and glassy matrices as studied by 2H NMR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Börner, K.; Diezemann, G.; Rössler, E.; Vieth, H. M.

1991-07-01

2H NMR spectra of hexamethylbenzene (HMB) in protonated crystalline and amorphous matrices at low temperatures are presented. All spectra reveal lineshape changes which can be attributed to methyl group tunnelling. Compared to neat HMB, a drastic increase of the tunnelling frequency is found for all systems. This indicates that the hindering potential originates predominantly from intermolecular forces. We studied the temperature dependence of these spectra and the spin-lattice relaxation in order to exclude a distribution of motional correlation times describing a thermally activated process. In addition, we find a distortion of the methyl tetrahedron.

Collective relaxation processes in atoms, molecules and clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolorenč, Přemysl; Averbukh, Vitali; Feifel, Raimund; Eland, John

2016-04-01

Electron correlation is an essential driver of a variety of relaxation processes in excited atomic and molecular systems. These are phenomena which often lead to autoionization typically involving two-electron transitions, such as the well-known Auger effect. However, electron correlation can give rise also to higher-order processes characterized by multi-electron transitions. Basic examples include simultaneous two-electron emission upon recombination of an inner-shell vacancy (double Auger decay) or collective decay of two holes with emission of a single electron. First reports of this class of processes date back to the 1960s, but their investigation intensified only recently with the advent of free-electron lasers. High fluxes of high-energy photons induce multiple excitation or ionization of a system on the femtosecond timescale and under such conditions the importance of multi-electron processes increases significantly. We present an overview of experimental and theoretical works on selected multi-electron relaxation phenomena in systems of different complexity, going from double Auger decay in atoms and small molecules to collective interatomic autoionization processes in nanoscale samples.

ab initio calculation of the rate of vibrational relaxation and thermal dissociation of hydrogen by helium at high temperatures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dove, J.E.; Raynor, S.

The master equation for the thermal dissociation of para-H/sub 2/ infinitely dilute in He, was solved for temperatures of 1000 to 10,000/sup 0/K. Transition probabilities, used in the master equation, were obtained, in the case of energy transfer transitions, from distorted wave and quasi-classical trajectory calculations and, for dissociative processes, from trajectory calculations alone. An ab initio potential was used. From the solution, values of the dissociation rate constant, vibrational relaxation times, and incubation times for dissociation and vibrational relaxation were calculated. The sensitivity of the calculated results to variations in the transition probabilities was examined. Vibrational relaxation is mostmore » sensitive to simultaneous transitions in vibration and rotation (VRT processes); pure rotational (RT) transitions also have a substantial effect. Dissociation is most strongly affected by RT processes, but changes in VRT and groups of dissociative transitions also have a significant effect. However complete suppression of all dissociative transitions except those from levels immediately next to the continuum lowers the dissociation rates only by a factor of about 2. The location of the dissociation ''bottleneck'' is discussed. 5 figures, 3 tables.« less

Biochar Preparation from Simulated Municipal Solid Waste Employing Low Temperature Carbonization Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Areeprasert, C.; Leelachaikul, P.; Jangkobpattana, G.; Phumprasop, K.; Kiattiwat, T.

2018-02-01

This paper presents an investigation on carbonization process of simulated municipal solid waste (MSW). Simulated MSW consists of a representative of food residue (68%), plastic waste (20%), paper (8%), and textile (4%). Laboratory-scale carbonization was performed in this study using a vertical-type pyrolyzer varying carbonization temperature (300, 350, 400, and 450 °C) and heating rate (5, 10, 15, and 20 °C/min). Appearance of the biochar product was in black and the volume was significantly reduced. Low carbonization temperature (300 °C) might not completely decompose plastic materials in MSW. Results showed that the carbonization at the temperature of 400 °C with the heating rate of 5 °C/min was the optimal condition. The yield of biochar from the optimal process was 50.6% with the heating value of 26.85 MJ/kg. Energy input of the process was attributed to water evaporation and the decomposition of plastics and paper. Energy output of the process was highest at the optimal condition. Energy output and input ratio was around 1.3-1.7 showing the feasibility of the carbonization process in all heating rate condition.

A quantum mechanical alternative to the Arrhenius equation in the interpretation of proton spin-lattice relaxation data for the methyl groups in solids.

PubMed

Bernatowicz, Piotr; Shkurenko, Aleksander; Osior, Agnieszka; Kamieński, Bohdan; Szymański, Sławomir

2015-11-21

The theory of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in methyl groups in solids has been a recurring problem in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The current view is that, except for extreme cases of low torsional barriers where special quantum effects are at stake, the relaxation behaviour of the nuclear spins in methyl groups is controlled by thermally activated classical jumps of the methyl group between its three orientations. The temperature effects on the relaxation rates can be modelled by Arrhenius behaviour of the correlation time of the jump process. The entire variety of relaxation effects in protonated methyl groups have recently been given a consistent quantum mechanical explanation not invoking the jump model regardless of the temperature range. It exploits the damped quantum rotation (DQR) theory originally developed to describe NMR line shape effects for hindered methyl groups. In the DQR model, the incoherent dynamics of the methyl group include two quantum rate (i.e., coherence-damping) processes. For proton relaxation only one of these processes is relevant. In this paper, temperature-dependent proton spin-lattice relaxation data for the methyl groups in polycrystalline methyltriphenyl silane and methyltriphenyl germanium, both deuterated in aromatic positions, are reported and interpreted in terms of the DQR model. A comparison with the conventional approach exploiting the phenomenological Arrhenius equation is made. The present observations provide further indications that incoherent motions of molecular moieties in the condensed phase can retain quantum character over much broader temperature range than is commonly thought.

Measured Electron Spin Relaxation Rates in Frozen Solutions of Azurin, VITAMIN-B12R, and Nitrosyl Ferrous Myoglobin.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muench, Philip James

Rates in frozen glycerin/water solutions at temperatures between 1.4 K and 20 K are reported for a copper-containing protein, azurin, and a cobalt-containing biomolecular complex, vitamin B_{rm 12r}, the paramagnetic product of the photolysis of coenzyme B_{12}. Results are interpreted in terms of a spectral dimensionality. Rates are also reported for nitrosyl ferrous myoglobin in frozen water solution, which exhibits a dominant one-phonon relaxation process up to 20 K and thus does not reveal spectral dimensionality. The anomalous variation of rate with temperature observed in several iron-containing proteins is not conspicuous here. In a model two-phonon mechanism of relaxation, temperature dependence is fixed by a spectral dimensionality, m, which specifies the variation of vibrational density of states with frequency rho(nu ) ~ nu ^{rm m-1} and is named in analogy with the Debye density of states in 1-, 2-, and 3-dimensional crystals. At sufficiently high temperatures, a non-resonant two-phonon process (Raman) should dominate the relaxation of a paramagnetic ion unless low-lying (under ^{~}70 cm^ {-1}) electronic states are present, as in many rare earths and in high spin ferric complexes, including many ferric proteins. The temperature dependence of the Raman rate for a Kramers ion (odd number of electrons) is T^{rm 3+2m} if temperature is sufficiently lower than Theta = hnu_{rm max} /k, the Debye temperature. The values of m from relaxation data on frozen solutions of a protein have sometimes been dependent upon solvent conditions. The maximum values of m for heme proteins, iron-sulfur proteins, and one copper -and-iron-containing protein, have ranged from about 1.3 to 1.8. Pulse saturation/recovery was used. The recoveries were not exponential, but rates were estimated from semilogarithmic displays of signals or from numerical fitting. The temperature dependence of the rates for azurin between 1.5 K and 22 K can be fit with a spectral dimensionality of 3 and

Dielectric relaxation in undiluted poly (4-chlorostyrene). II. Characteristics of the high frequency tail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshihara, M.; Work, R. N.

1981-05-01

The shape of the principal dielectric relaxation process that occurs just above the glass transition temperature Tg in well annealed, atactic, undiluted poly (4-chlorostyrene) exhibits a small tail at the high frequency end of the spectrum of relaxation times. This high frequency tail (HFT) has been characterized at temperatures varying from 351 to 413 K by using the Havriliak-Negami equation. The glass transition temperature Tg of P4CS is about 400 K. It is suggested that the HFT is distinct from the β relaxation process which occurs in polystyrene at temperatures just below Tg; and that the HFT is experimental evidence of the existence of localized, fast conformational changes. This fast process is presumed to be slowed and broadened by interactions with the surroundings.

Secondary and primary relaxations in hyperbranched polyglycerol: a comparative study in the frequency and time domains.

PubMed

Garcia-Bernabé, Abel; Dominguez-Espinosa, Gustavo; Diaz-Calleja, Ricardo; Riande, Evaristo; Haag, Rainer

2007-09-28

The non-Debye relaxation behavior of hyperbranched polyglycerol was investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy. A thorough study of the relaxations was carried out paying special attention to truncation effects on deconvolutions of overlapping processes. Hyperbranched polyglycerol exhibits two relaxations in the glassy state named in increasing order of frequency beta and gamma processes. The study of the evolution of these two fast processes with temperature in the time retardation spectra shows that the beta absorption is swallowed by the alpha in the glass-liquid transition, the gamma absorption being the only relaxation that remains operative in the liquid state. In heating, a temperature is reached at which the alpha absorption vanishes appearing the alphagamma relaxation. Two characteristics of alpha absorptions, decrease of the dielectric strength with increasing temperature and rather high activation energy, are displayed by the alphagamma process. Williams' ansatz seems to hold for these topologically complex macromolecules.

Physical Property Evaluation of ZnO Thin Film Fabricated by Low-Temperature Process for Flexible Transparent TFT.

PubMed

Khafe, Adie Bin Mohd; Watanabe, Hiraku; Yamauchi, Hiroshi; Kuniyoshi, Shigekazu; Iizuka, Masaaki; Sakai, Masatoshi; Kudo, Kazuhiro

2016-04-01

The usual silicon-based display back planes require fairly high process temperature and thus the development of a low temperature process is needed on flexible plastic substrates. A new type of flexible organic light emitting transistor (OLET) had been proposed and investigated in the previous work. By using ultraviolet/ozone (UV/O3) assisted thermal treatments on wet processed zinc oxide field effect transistor (ZnO-FET), through low-process temperature, ZnO-FETs were fabricated which succeeded to achieve target drain current value and mobility. In this study, physical property evaluation of ZnO was conducted in term of their crystallinity, the increase composition of ZnO formed inside the thin film and the decrease of the carbon impurities originated from aqueous solution of the ZnO itself. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) evaluation showed UV/03 assisted thermal treatment has no obvious effect towards crystallinity of ZnO in the range of low process temperature. Moreover, through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) evaluation and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy evaluation, more carbon impurities disappeared from the ZnO thin film and the increase of composition amount of ZnO, when the thin film was subjected to UV/O3 assisted thermal treatment. Therefore, UV/O3 assisted thermal treatment contributed in carbon impurities elimination and accelerate ZnO formation in ZnO thin film, which led to the improvement in the electrical property of ZnO-FET in the low-process temperature.

Modeling and simulation of the deposition/relaxation processes of polycrystalline diatomic structures of metallic nitride films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García, M. F.; Restrepo-Parra, E.; Riaño-Rojas, J. C.

2015-05-01

This work develops a model that mimics the growth of diatomic, polycrystalline thin films by artificially splitting the growth into deposition and relaxation processes including two stages: (1) a grain-based stochastic method (grains orientation randomly chosen) is considered and by means of the Kinetic Monte Carlo method employing a non-standard version, known as Constant Time Stepping, the deposition is simulated. The adsorption of adatoms is accepted or rejected depending on the neighborhood conditions; furthermore, the desorption process is not included in the simulation and (2) the Monte Carlo method combined with the metropolis algorithm is used to simulate the diffusion. The model was developed by accounting for parameters that determine the morphology of the film, such as the growth temperature, the interacting atomic species, the binding energy and the material crystal structure. The modeled samples exhibited an FCC structure with grain formation with orientations in the family planes of < 111 >, < 200 > and < 220 >. The grain size and film roughness were analyzed. By construction, the grain size decreased, and the roughness increased, as the growth temperature increased. Although, during the growth process of real materials, the deposition and relaxation occurs simultaneously, this method may perhaps be valid to build realistic polycrystalline samples.

Composition-dependent damping and relaxation dynamics in miscible polymer blends above glass transition temperature by anelastic spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xuebang; Shang, Shuying; Xu, Qiaoling; Liu, Changsong; Zhu, Zhengang; Zhang, Guangzhao

2008-07-01

Anelastic spectroscopy is used to study the composition dependence of the damping and molecular relaxation dynamics in miscible poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blends above the glass transition temperature. The ultrahigh damping peak of the relaxation type is shown to be associated with the liquid-liquid transition of PMMA. A higher PEO concentration leads to a higher damping performance and a lower transition temperature. The decreasing activation energy with increasing PEO concentration indicates a drastic increase in molecular mobility. Moreover, the relaxation time reveals a transition from the Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman behavior to the Arrhenius behavior due to the intermolecular guest-host interactions.

New insights on SOI Tunnel FETs with low-temperature process flow for CoolCube™ integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diaz Llorente, C.; Le Royer, C.; Batude, P.; Fenouillet-Beranger, C.; Martinie, S.; Lu, C.-M. V.; Allain, F.; Colinge, J.-P.; Cristoloveanu, S.; Ghibaudo, G.; Vinet, M.

2018-06-01

This paper reports the fabrication and electrical characterization of planar SOI Tunnel FETs (TFETs) made using a Low-Temperature (LT) process designed for 3D sequential integration. These proof-of-concept TFETs feature junctions obtained by Solid Phase Epitaxy Regrowth (SPER). Their electrical behavior is analyzed and compared to reference samples (regular process using High-Temperature junction formation, HT). Dual ID-VDS measurements verify that the TFET structures present Band-to-Band tunnelling (BTBT) carrier injection and not Schottky Barrier tunnelling. P-mode operating LT TFETs deliver an ON state current similar to that of the HT reference, opening the door towards optimized devices operating with very low threshold voltage VTH and low supply voltage VDD.

The time dependence of rock healing as a universal relaxation process, a tutorial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snieder, Roel; Sens-Schönfelder, Christoph; Wu, Renjie

2017-01-01

The material properties of earth materials often change after the material has been perturbed (slow dynamics). For example, the seismic velocity of subsurface materials changes after earthquakes, and granular materials compact after being shaken. Such relaxation processes are associated by observables that change logarithmically with time. Since the logarithm diverges for short and long times, the relaxation can, strictly speaking, not have a log-time dependence. We present a self-contained description of a relaxation function that consists of a superposition of decaying exponentials that has log-time behaviour for intermediate times, but converges to zero for long times, and is finite for t = 0. The relaxation function depends on two parameters, the minimum and maximum relaxation time. These parameters can, in principle, be extracted from the observed relaxation. As an example, we present a crude model of a fracture that is closing under an external stress. Although the fracture model violates some of the assumptions on which the relaxation function is based, it follows the relaxation function well. We provide qualitative arguments that the relaxation process, just like the Gutenberg-Richter law, is applicable to a wide range of systems and has universal properties.

NMR at Low and Ultra-Low Temperatures

PubMed Central

Tycko, Robert

2017-01-01

Conspectus Solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements at low temperatures have been common in physical sciences for many years, and are becoming increasingly important in studies of biomolecular systems. This article reviews a diverse set of projects from my laboratory, dating back to the early 1990s, that illustrate the motivations for low-temperature solid state NMR, the types of information that are available from the measurements, and likely directions for future research. These projects include NMR studies of both physical and biological systems, performed at low (cooled with nitrogen, down to 77 K) and very low (cooled with helium, below 77 K) temperatures, and performed with and without magic-angle spinning (MAS). In NMR studies of physical systems, the main motivation is to study phenomena that occur only at low temperatures. Two examples from my laboratory are studies of molecular rotation and an orientational ordering in solid C60 at low temperatures and studies of unusual electronic states, called skyrmions, in two-dimensionally confined electron systems within semiconductor quantum wells. NMR measurements on quantum wells were facilitated by optical pumping of nuclear spin polarizations, a signal enhancement phenomenon that exists at very low temperatures. In studies of biomolecular systems, motivations for low-temperature NMR include suppression of molecular tumbling (thereby permitting solid state NMR measurements on soluble proteins), suppression of conformational exchange (thereby permitting quantitation of conformational distributions), and trapping of transient intermediate states in a non-equilibrium kinetic process (by rapid freeze-quenching). Solid state NMR measurements on AIDS-related peptide/antibody complexes, chemically denatured states of the model protein HP35, and a transient intermediate in the rapid folding pathway of HP35 illustrate these motivations. NMR sensitivity generally increases with decreasing sample

Change in dielectric relaxation with the presence of water in highly filled composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuncer, Enis

It is important to determine the dielectric characteristics of semiconductor encapsulation materials based on epoxy resins. We employed the dielectric spectroscopy technique to investigate the dielectric relaxation in the presence of water and how it changes the relaxation. It was observed that the dielectric relaxation of the material was significantly influenced by absorbed water, the local segmental motion (also known as Johari-Goldstein (β) relaxation) was influenced most by the presence of the water, it was modified by the wet sample compared to dry one, and required high activation energy. The relaxation related to the glass transition was contributed by the cooperative motion (the α-relaxation) of the epoxy resin system. The α-relaxation was shifted to a low temperature in the wet sample compared to dry one. The relaxation was modeled with a clear Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann-Hesse (VFTH) behavior; the Vogel temperature of the wet sample was 8K lower than the dry sample. The presence of water acts as a plasticizer for the molecular relaxation, and speed-up the cooperative process. The measured data were also used to estimate the electrical properties of the resin system by employing an effective-medium model together with a porous media continuum model by taking into account the physical properties of the system. It is already known that the influence of water in semiconductor packaging is important in sensitive applications. The presented measurements and the analysis method would be appreciated within the semiconductor packaging community to improve material selection and performance evaluation efforts.

Statistical mechanical approach to secondary processes and structural relaxation in glasses and glass formers: a leading model to describe the onset of Johari-Goldstein processes and their relationship with fully cooperative processes.

PubMed

Crisanti, A; Leuzzi, L; Paoluzzi, M

2011-09-01

The interrelation of dynamic processes active on separated time-scales in glasses and viscous liquids is investigated using a model displaying two time-scale bifurcations both between fast and secondary relaxation and between secondary and structural relaxation. The study of the dynamics allows for predictions on the system relaxation above the temperature of dynamic arrest in the mean-field approximation, that are compared with the outcomes of the equations of motion directly derived within the Mode Coupling Theory (MCT) for under-cooled viscous liquids. By varying the external thermodynamic parameters, a wide range of phenomenology can be represented, from a very clear separation of structural and secondary peak in the susceptibility loss to excess wing structures.

Relaxation processes and physical aging in metallic glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruta, B.; Pineda, E.; Evenson, Z.

2017-12-01

Since their discovery in the 1960s, metallic glasses have continuously attracted much interest across the physics and materials science communities. In the forefront are their unique properties, which hold the alluring promise of broad application in fields as diverse as medicine, environmental science and engineering. However, a major obstacle to their wide-spread commercial use is their inherent temporal instability arising from underlying relaxation processes that can dramatically alter their physical properties. The result is a physical aging process which can bring about degradation of mechanical properties, namely through embrittlement and catastrophic mechanical failure. Understanding and controlling the effects of aging will play a decisive role in our on-going endeavor to advance the use of metallic glasses as structural materials, as well as in the more general comprehension of out-of-equilibrium dynamics in complex systems. This review presents an overview of the current state of the art in the experimental advances probing physical aging and relaxation processes in metallic glasses. Similarities and differences between other hard and soft matter glasses are highlighted. The topic is discussed in a multiscale approach, first presenting the key features obtained in macroscopic studies, then connecting them to recent novel microscopic investigations. Particular emphasis is put on the occurrence of distinct relaxation processes beyond the main structural process in viscous metallic melts and their fate upon entering the glassy state, trying to disentangle results and formalisms employed by the different groups of the glass-science community. A microscopic viewpoint is presented, in which physical aging manifests itself in irreversible atomic-scale processes such as avalanches and intermittent dynamics, ascribed to the existence of a plethora of metastable glassy states across a complex energy landscape. Future experimental challenges and the comparison with

Deformation, Stress Relaxation, and Crystallization of Lithium Silicate Glass Fibers Below the Glass Transition Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Chandra S.; Brow, Richard K.; Kim, Cheol W.; Reis, Signo T.

2004-01-01

The deformation and crystallization of Li(sub 2)O (center dot) 2SiO2 and Li(sub 2)O (center dot) 1.6SiO2 glass fibers subjected to a bending stress were measured as a function of time over the temperature range -50 to -150 C below the glass transition temperature (Tg). The glass fibers can be permanently deformed at temperatures about 100 C below T (sub)g, and they crystallize significantly at temperatures close to, but below T,, about 150 C lower than the onset temperature for crystallization for these glasses in the no-stress condition. The crystallization was found to occur only on the surface of the glass fibers with no detectable difference in the extent of crystallization in tensile and compressive stress regions. The relaxation mechanism for fiber deformation can be best described by a stretched exponential (Kohlrausch-Williams-Watt (KWW) approximation), rather than a single exponential model.The activation energy for stress relaxation, Es, for the glass fibers ranges between 175 and 195 kJ/mol, which is considerably smaller than the activation energy for viscous flow, E, (about 400 kJ/mol) near T, for these glasses at normal, stress-free condition. It is suspected that a viscosity relaxation mechanism could be responsible for permanent deformation and crystallization of the glass fibers below T,

Non-polymeric asymmetric binary glass-formers. II. Secondary relaxation studied by dielectric, 2H NMR, and 31P NMR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pötzschner, B.; Mohamed, F.; Bächer, C.; Wagner, E.; Lichtinger, A.; Bock, D.; Kreger, K.; Schmidt, H.-W.; Rössler, E. A.

2017-04-01

We investigate the secondary (β-) relaxations of an asymmetric binary glass former consisting of a spirobichroman derivative (SBC; Tg = 356 K) as the high-Tg component and the low-Tg component tripropyl phosphate (TPP; Tg = 134 K). The main relaxations are studied in Paper I [B. Pötzschner et al., J. Chem. Phys. 146, 164503 (2017)]. A high Tg contrast of ΔTg = 222 K is put into effect in a non-polymeric system. Component-selective studies are carried out by combining results from dielectric spectroscopy (DS) for mass concentrations cTPP ≥ 60% and those from different methods of 2H and 31P NMR spectroscopy. In the case of NMR, the full concentration range (10% ≤ cTPP ≤ 100%) is covered. The neat components exhibit a β-relaxation (β1 (SBC) and β2 (TPP)). The latter is rediscovered by DS in the mixtures for all concentrations with unchanged time constants. NMR spectroscopy identifies the β-relaxations as being alike to those in neat glasses. A spatially highly restricted motion with angular displacement below ±10° encompassing all molecules is involved. In the low temperature range, where TPP shows the typical 31P NMR echo spectra of the β2-process, very similar spectral features are observed for the (deuterated) SBC component by 2H NMR, in addition to its "own" β1-process observed at high temperatures. Apparently, the small TPP molecules enslave the large SBC molecules to perform a common hindered reorientation. The temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation time of both components is the same and reveals an angular displacement of the SBC molecules somewhat smaller than that of TPP, though the time constants τβ2 are the same. Furthermore, T1(T) of TPP in the temperature region of the β2-process is absolutely the same as in the mixture TPP/polystyrene investigated previously. It appears that the manifestations of the β-process introduced by one component are essentially independent of the second component. Finally, at cTPP ≤ 20% one

Low-temperature direct bonding of glass nanofluidic chips using a two-step plasma surface activation process.

PubMed

Xu, Yan; Wang, Chenxi; Dong, Yiyang; Li, Lixiao; Jang, Kihoon; Mawatari, Kazuma; Suga, Tadatomo; Kitamori, Takehiko

2012-01-01

Owing to the well-established nanochannel fabrication technology in 2D nanoscales with high resolution, reproducibility, and flexibility, glass is the leading, ideal, and unsubstitutable material for the fabrication of nanofluidic chips. However, high temperature (~1,000 °C) and a vacuum condition are usually required in the conventional fusion bonding process, unfortunately impeding the nanofluidic applications and even the development of the whole field of nanofluidics. We present a direct bonding of fused silica glass nanofluidic chips at low temperature, around 200 °C in ambient air, through a two-step plasma surface activation process which consists of an O(2) reactive ion etching plasma treatment followed by a nitrogen microwave radical activation. The low-temperature bonded glass nanofluidic chips not only had high bonding strength but also could work continuously without leakage during liquid introduction driven by air pressure even at 450 kPa, a very high pressure which can meet the requirements of most nanofluidic operations. Owing to the mild conditions required in the bonding process, the method has the potential to allow the integration of a range of functional elements into nanofluidic chips during manufacture, which is nearly impossible in the conventional high-temperature fusion bonding process. Therefore, we believe that the developed low-temperature bonding would be very useful and contribute to the field of nanofluidics.

Relaxation of the resistive superconducting state in boron-doped diamond films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kardakova, A.; Shishkin, A.; Semenov, A.; Goltsman, G. N.; Ryabchun, S.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Bousquet, J.; Eon, D.; Sacépé, B.; Klein, Th.; Bustarret, E.

2016-02-01

We report a study of the relaxation time of the restoration of the resistive superconducting state in single crystalline boron-doped diamond using amplitude-modulated absorption of (sub-)THz radiation (AMAR). The films grown on an insulating diamond substrate have a low carrier density of about 2.5 ×1021cm-3 and a critical temperature of about 2 K . By changing the modulation frequency we find a high-frequency rolloff which we associate with the characteristic time of energy relaxation between the electron and the phonon systems or the relaxation time for nonequilibrium superconductivity. Our main result is that the electron-phonon scattering time varies clearly as T-2, over the accessible temperature range of 1.7 to 2.2 K. In addition, we find, upon approaching the critical temperature Tc, evidence for an increasing relaxation time on both sides of Tc.

Shear-induced conformational ordering, relaxation, and crystallization of isotactic polypropylene.

PubMed

An, Haining; Li, Xiangyang; Geng, Yong; Wang, Yunlong; Wang, Xiao; Li, Liangbin; Li, Zhongming; Yang, Chuanlu

2008-10-02

The shear-induced coil-helix transition of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) has been studied with time-resolved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy at various temperatures. The effects of temperature, shear rate, and strain on the coil-helix transition were studied systematically. The induced conformational order increases with the shear rate and strain. A threshold of shear strain is required to induce conformational ordering. High temperature reduces the effect of shear on the conformational order, though a simple correlation was not found. Following the shear-induced conformational ordering, relaxation of helices occurs, which follows the first-order exponential decay at temperatures well above the normal melting point of iPP. The relaxation time versus temperature is fitted with an Arrhenius law, which generates an activation energy of 135 kJ/mol for the helix-coil transition of iPP. At temperatures around the normal melting point, two exponential decays are needed to fit well on the relaxation kinetic of helices. This suggests that two different states of helices are induced by shear: (i) isolated single helices far away from each other without interactions, which have a fast relaxation kinetic; (ii) aggregations of helices or helical bundles with strong interactions among each other, which have a much slower relaxation process. The helical bundles are assumed to be the precursors of nuclei for crystallization. The different helix concentrations and distributions are the origin of the three different processes of crystallization after shear. The correlation between the shear-induced conformational order and crystallization is discussed.

76 FR 11891 - Temperature-Indicating Devices; Thermally Processed Low-Acid Foods Packaged in Hermetically...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-03

... contain mercury will eliminate concerns about potential contamination of the food or the processing... Vol. 76 Thursday, No. 42 March 3, 2011 Part III Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Part 113 Temperature-Indicating Devices; Thermally Processed Low-Acid Foods...

Magnetization process and low-temperature thermodynamics of a spin-1/2 Heisenberg octahedral chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strečka, Jozef; Richter, Johannes; Derzhko, Oleg; Verkholyak, Taras; Karľová, Katarína

2018-05-01

Low-temperature magnetization curves and thermodynamics of a spin-1/2 Heisenberg octahedral chain with the intra-plaquette and monomer-plaquette interactions are examined within a two-component lattice-gas model of hard-core monomers, which takes into account all low-lying energy modes in a highly frustrated parameter space involving the monomer-tetramer, localized many-magnon and fully polarized ground states. It is shown that the developed lattice-gas model satisfactorily describes all pronounced features of the low-temperature magnetization process and the magneto-thermodynamics such as abrupt changes of the isothermal magnetization curves, a double-peak structure of the specific heat or a giant magnetocaloric effect.

Temperature dosimetry using MR relaxation characteristics of poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel (PVA-C).

PubMed

Lukas, L A; Surry, K J; Peters, T M

2001-11-01

Hyperthermic therapy is being used for a variety of medical treatments, such as tumor ablation and the enhancement of radiation therapy. Research in this area requires a tool to record the temperature distribution created by a heat source, similar to the dosimetry gels used in radiation therapy to record dose distribution. Poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogel (PVA-C) is presented as a material capable of recording temperature distributions between 45 and 70 degrees C, with less than a 1 degrees C error. An approximately linear, positive relationship between MR relaxation times and applied temperature is demonstrated, with a maximum of 16.3 ms/ degrees C change in T(1) and 10.2 ms/ degrees C in T(2) for a typical PVA-C gel. Applied heat reduces the amount of cross-linking in PVA-C, which is responsible for a predictable change in T(1) and T(2) times. Temperature distributions in PVA-C volumes may be determined by matching MR relaxation times across the volumes to calibration values produced in samples subjected to known temperatures. Factors such as thermotolerance, perfusion effects, and thermal conductivity of PVA-C are addressed for potentially extending this method to modeling thermal doses in tissue. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Application of Atmospheric-Pressure Microwave Line Plasma for Low Temperature Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Haruka; Nakano, Suguru; Itoh, Hitoshi; Sekine, Makoto; Hori, Masaru; Toyoda, Hirotaka

2015-09-01

Atmospheric pressure (AP) plasmas have been given much attention because of its high cost benefit and a variety of possibilities for industrial applications. In various kinds of plasma production technique, pulsed-microwave discharge plasma using slot antenna is attractive due to its ability of high-density and stable plasma production. In this plasma source, however, size of the plasma has been limited up to a few cm in length due to standing wave inside a waveguide. To solve this, we have proposed a newly-developed AP microwave plasma source that utilizes not standing wave but travelling wave. By using this plasma source, spatially-uniform AP line plasma with 40 cm in length was realized by pure helium discharge in 60 cm slot and with nitrogen gas additive of 1%. Furthermore, gas temperature as low as 400 K was realized in this device. In this study, as an example of low temperature processes, hydrophilic treatment of PET films was performed. Processing speed increased with pulse frequency and a water contact angle of ~20° was easily obtained within 5 s with no thermal damage to the substrate. To evaluate treatment-uniformity of long line length, PET films were treated by 90 cm slot-antenna plasma and uniform treatment performance was confirmed.

Integration of Electrodeposited Ni-Fe in MEMS with Low-Temperature Deposition and Etch Processes

PubMed Central

Schiavone, Giuseppe; Murray, Jeremy; Perry, Richard; Mount, Andrew R.; Desmulliez, Marc P. Y.; Walton, Anthony J.

2017-01-01

This article presents a set of low-temperature deposition and etching processes for the integration of electrochemically deposited Ni-Fe alloys in complex magnetic microelectromechanical systems, as Ni-Fe is known to suffer from detrimental stress development when subjected to excessive thermal loads. A selective etch process is reported which enables the copper seed layer used for electrodeposition to be removed while preserving the integrity of Ni-Fe. In addition, a low temperature deposition and surface micromachining process is presented in which silicon dioxide and silicon nitride are used, respectively, as sacrificial material and structural dielectric. The sacrificial layer can be patterned and removed by wet buffered oxide etch or vapour HF etching. The reported methods limit the thermal budget and minimise the stress development in Ni-Fe. This combination of techniques represents an advance towards the reliable integration of Ni-Fe components in complex surface micromachined magnetic MEMS. PMID:28772683

Low-temperature solution processing of palladium/palladium oxide films and their pH sensing performance.

PubMed

Qin, Yiheng; Alam, Arif U; Pan, Si; Howlader, Matiar M R; Ghosh, Raja; Selvaganapathy, P Ravi; Wu, Yiliang; Deen, M Jamal

2016-01-01

Highly sensitive, easy-to-fabricate, and low-cost pH sensors with small dimensions are required to monitor human bodily fluids, drinking water quality and chemical/biological processes. In this study, a low-temperature, solution-based process is developed to prepare palladium/palladium oxide (Pd/PdO) thin films for pH sensing. A precursor solution for Pd is spin coated onto pre-cleaned glass substrates and annealed at low temperature to generate Pd and PdO. The percentages of PdO at the surface and in the bulk of the electrodes are correlated to their sensing performance, which was studied by using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscope. Large amounts of PdO introduced by prolonged annealing improve the electrode's sensitivity and long-term stability. Atomic force microscopy study showed that the low-temperature annealing results in a smooth electrode surface, which contributes to a fast response. Nano-voids at the electrode surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscope, indicating a reason for the long-term degradation of the pH sensitivity. Using the optimized annealing parameters of 200°C for 48 h, a linear pH response with sensitivity of 64.71±0.56 mV/pH is obtained for pH between 2 and 12. These electrodes show a response time shorter than 18 s, hysteresis less than 8 mV and stability over 60 days. High reproducibility in the sensing performance is achieved. This low-temperature solution-processed sensing electrode shows the potential for the development of pH sensing systems on flexible substrates over a large area at low cost without using vacuum equipment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spacecraft Charging in Low Temperature Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Linda N.

2007-01-01

Spacecraft charging in plasma and radiation environments is a temperature dependent phenomenon due to the reduction of electrical conductivity in dielectric materials at low temperatures. Charging time constants are proportional to l/conductivity may become very large (on the order of days to years) at low temperatures and accumulation of charge densities in insulators in charging environments traditionally considered benign at ambient temperatures may be sufficient to produce charge densities and electric fields of concern in insulators at low temperatures. Low temperature charging is of interest because a number of spacecraft-primarily infrared astronomy and microwave cosmology observatories-are currently being design, built, and or operated at very cold temperatures on the order of 40K to 100K. This paper reviews the temperature dependence of spacecraft charging processes and material parameters important to charging as a function of temperature with an emphasis on low temperatures regimes.

Dielectric relaxation studies of binary mixture of β-picoline and methanol using time domain reflectometry at different temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trivedi, C. M.; Rana, V. A.; Hudge, P. G.; Kumbharkhane, A. C.

2016-08-01

Complex permittivity spectra of binary mixtures of varying concentrations of β-picoline and Methanol (MeOH) have been obtained using time domain reflectometry (TDR) technique over frequency range 10 MHz to 25 GHz at 283.15, 288.15, 293.15 and 298.15 K temperatures. The dielectric relaxation parameters namely static permittivity (ɛ0), high frequency limit permittivity (ɛ∞1) and the relaxation time (τ) were determined by fitting complex permittivity data to the single Debye/Cole-Davidson model. Complex nonlinear least square (CNLS) fitting procedure was carried out using LEVMW software. The excess permittivity (ɛ0E) and the excess inverse relaxation time (1/τ)E which contain information regarding molecular structure and interaction between polar-polar liquids were also determined. From the experimental data, parameters such as effective Kirkwood correlation factor (geff), Bruggeman factor (fB) and some thermo dynamical parameters have been calculated. Excess parameters were fitted to the Redlich-Kister polynomial equation. The values of static permittivity and relaxation time increase nonlinearly with increase in the mol-fraction of MeOH at all temperatures. The values of excess static permittivity (ɛ0E) and the excess inverse relaxation time (1/τ)E are negative for the studied β-picoline — MeOH system at all temperatures.

Low temperature sputter-deposited ZnO films with enhanced Hall mobility using excimer laser post-processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsakonas, C.; Kuznetsov, V. L.; Cranton, W. M.; Kalfagiannis, N.; Abusabee, K. M.; Koutsogeorgis, D. C.; Abeywickrama, N.; Edwards, P. P.

2017-12-01

We report the low temperature (T  <  70 °C) fabrication of ZnO thin films (~140 nm) with Hall mobility of up to 17.3 cm2 V-1 s-1 making them suitable for thin film transistor (TFT) applications. The films were deposited by rf magnetron sputtering at T  <  70 °C and subsequently laser processed in ambient temperature in order to modify the Hall mobility and carrier concentration. Medium-to-low energy laser radiation densities and a high number of pulses were used to avoid damaging the films. Laser annealing of the films after aging in the lab under 25%-35% relative humidity and at an average illuminance of 120 lux resulted in an overall higher mobility and relatively low carrier concentration in comparison to the non-aged films that were laser processed immediately after deposition. A maximum overall measured Hall mobility of 17.3 cm2 V-1 s-1 at a carrier density of 2.3  ×  1018 cm-3 was measured from a 1 GΩ as deposited and aged film after the laser treatment. We suggest that the aging of non-processed films reduces structural defects mainly at grain boundaries by air species chemisorption, with concomitant increase in thermal conductivity so that laser processing can have an enhancing effect. Such a processing combination can act synergistically and produce suitable active layers for TFT applications with low temperature processing requirements.

Multi-Phonon Relaxation of H^- Local Modes in CaF_2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davison, C. P.; Happek, U.; Campbell, J. A.; Engholm, J. R.; Schwettman, H. A.

1998-03-01

Local modes play an important role in the relaxation of vibrational modes of small molecules in solids (J.R. Engholm, C.W. Rella, H.A. Schwettman, and U. Happek; Phys. Rev. Lett. 77), 1302 (1996)., but only few attempts have been reported to study the relaxation of these local modes. Here we report on experiments to investigate the non-radiative relaxation of H^- local modes in CaF_2. Using a pump-probe technique, saturation experiments on the H^- local modes, both interstitial and substitutional, were performed at the Stanford Free Electron Laser Center. At low temperature we find a relaxation time T1 of 45 psec for the substitutional H^- local mode, and a more rapid relaxation for the interstitial H^- local modes next to La^3+ and Lu^3+ impurities. Information on the decay channels of the local modes are obtained from the characteristic temperature dependence of the relaxation rates. This work is supported in part by the ONR, Grant No. N00014-94-1024.

Breakdown of the independent electron picture in mesoscopic samples at low temperatures: The hunt for the Unicorn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, R. A.

1998-03-01

A variety of experiments are discussed where, at low temperatures, it appears that the non-interacting picture of electrons in a Fermi liquid description of a mesoscopic sample is breaking down. Specifically, experiments on the temperature dependence of the phase-coherence time, energy relaxation rate, spin-flip scattering time, persistent currents in normal metals and transmission through a barrier in the fractional quantum Hall regime all display low-temperature properties which can not be accounted for in the independent electron picture.

Thermal relaxation of molecular oxygen in collisions with nitrogen atoms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andrienko, Daniil A., E-mail: daniila@umich.edu; Boyd, Iain D.

2016-07-07

Investigation of O{sub 2}–N collisions is performed by means of the quasi-classical trajectory method on the two lowest ab initio potential energy surfaces at temperatures relevant to hypersonic flows. A complete set of bound–bound and bound–free transition rates is obtained for each precollisional rovibrational state. Special attention is paid to the vibrational and rotational relaxations of oxygen as a result of chemically non-reactive interaction with nitrogen atoms. The vibrational relaxation of oxygen partially occurs via the formation of an intermediate NO{sub 2} complex. The efficient energy randomization results in rapid vibrational relaxation at low temperatures, compared to other molecular systemsmore » with a purely repulsive potential. The vibrational relaxation time, computed by means of master equation studies, is nearly an order of magnitude lower than the relaxation time in N{sub 2}–O collisions. The rotational nonequilibrium starts to play a significant effect at translational temperatures above 8000 K. The present work provides convenient relations for the vibrational and rotational relaxation times as well as for the quasi-steady dissociation rate coefficient and thus fills a gap in data due to a lack of experimental measurements for this system.« less

Thin-film copper indium gallium selenide solar cell based on low-temperature all-printing process.

PubMed

Singh, Manjeet; Jiu, Jinting; Sugahara, Tohru; Suganuma, Katsuaki

2014-09-24

In the solar cell field, development of simple, low-cost, and low-temperature fabrication processes has become an important trend for energy-saving and environmental issues. Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells have attracted much attention due to the high absorption coefficient, tunable band gap energy, and high efficiency. However, vacuum and high-temperature processing in fabrication of solar cells have limited the applications. There is a strong need to develop simple and scalable methods. In this work, a CIGS solar cell based on all printing steps and low-temperature annealing is developed. CIGS absorber thin film is deposited by using dodecylamine-stabilized CIGS nanoparticle ink followed by printing buffer layer. Silver nanowire (AgNW) ink and sol-gel-derived ZnO precursor solution are used to prepare a highly conductive window layer ZnO/[AgNW/ZnO] electrode with a printing method that achieves 16 Ω/sq sheet resistance and 94% transparency. A CIGS solar cell based on all printing processes exhibits efficiency of 1.6% with open circuit voltage of 0.48 V, short circuit current density of 9.7 mA/cm(2), and fill factor of 0.34 for 200 nm thick CIGS film, fabricated under ambient conditions and annealed at 250 °C.

Molecular dynamics and vibrational relaxations in liquid nitromethane.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grazia Giorgini, Maria; Mariani, Leonardo; Morresi, Assunta; Paliani, Giulio; Cataliotti, Rosario Sergio

The vibrational relaxation processes of totally symmetric v1 (CH stretching and v5 (NO2 bending) motions of liquid nitromethane have been studied as a function of temperature and concentration in CD3NO2 and CCl4 solutions. The experimental vibrational correlation functions of these two modes have shown that relaxation is collision assisted and suitable for modelling with the stochastic Kubo-Rothschild theory.

Escape time, relaxation, and sticky states of a softened Henon-Heiles model: Low-frequency vibrational mode effects and glass relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toledo-Marín, J. Quetzalcóatl; Naumis, Gerardo G.

2018-04-01

Here we study the relaxation of a chain consisting of three masses joined by nonlinear springs and periodic conditions when the stiffness is weakened. This system, when expressed in their normal coordinates, yields a softened Henon-Heiles system. By reducing the stiffness of one low-frequency vibrational mode, a faster relaxation is enabled. This is due to a reduction of the energy barrier heights along the softened normal mode as well as for a widening of the opening channels of the energy landscape in configurational space. The relaxation is for the most part exponential, and can be explained by a simple flux equation. Yet, for some initial conditions the relaxation follows as a power law, and in many cases there is a regime change from exponential to power-law decay. We pinpoint the initial conditions for the power-law decay, finding two regions of sticky states. For such states, quasiperiodic orbits are found since almost for all components of the initial momentum orientation, the system is trapped inside two pockets of configurational space. The softened Henon-Heiles model presented here is intended as the simplest model in order to understand the interplay of rigidity, nonlinear interactions and relaxation for nonequilibrium systems such as glass-forming melts or soft matter. Our softened system can be applied to model β relaxation in glasses and suggest that local reorientational jumps can have an exponential and a nonexponential contribution for relaxation, the latter due to asymmetric molecules sticking in cages for certain orientations.

Low temperature chemical processing of graphite-clad nuclear fuels

DOEpatents

Pierce, Robert A.

2017-10-17

A reduced-temperature method for treatment of a fuel element is described. The method includes molten salt treatment of a fuel element with a nitrate salt. The nitrate salt can oxidize the outer graphite matrix of a fuel element. The method can also include reduced temperature degradation of the carbide layer of a fuel element and low temperature solubilization of the fuel in a kernel of a fuel element.

Energy thresholds of discrete breathers in thermal equilibrium and relaxation processes.

PubMed

Ming, Yi; Ling, Dong-Bo; Li, Hui-Min; Ding, Ze-Jun

2017-06-01

So far, only the energy thresholds of single discrete breathers in nonlinear Hamiltonian systems have been analytically obtained. In this work, the energy thresholds of discrete breathers in thermal equilibrium and the energy thresholds of long-lived discrete breathers which can remain after a long time relaxation are analytically estimated for nonlinear chains. These energy thresholds are size dependent. The energy thresholds of discrete breathers in thermal equilibrium are the same as the previous analytical results for single discrete breathers. The energy thresholds of long-lived discrete breathers in relaxation processes are different from the previous results for single discrete breathers but agree well with the published numerical results known to us. Because real systems are either in thermal equilibrium or in relaxation processes, the obtained results could be important for experimental detection of discrete breathers.

Neural correlates of novelty and appropriateness processing in externally induced constraint relaxation.

PubMed

Huang, Furong; Tang, Shuang; Sun, Pei; Luo, Jing

2018-05-15

Novelty and appropriateness are considered the two fundamental features of creative thinking, including insight problem solving, which can be performed through chunk decomposition and constraint relaxation. Based on a previous study that separated the neural bases of novelty and appropriateness in chunk decomposition, in this study, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to further dissociate these mechanisms in constraint relaxation. Participants were guided to mentally represent the method of problem solving according to the externally provided solutions that were elaborately prepared in advance and systematically varied in their novelty and appropriateness for the given problem situation. The results showed that novelty processing was completed by the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and regions in the executive system (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC]), whereas appropriateness processing was completed by the TPJ and regions in the episodic memory (hippocampus), emotion (amygdala), and reward systems (orbitofrontal cortex [OFC]). These results likely indicate that appropriateness processing can result in a more memorable and richer experience than novelty processing in constraint relaxation. The shared and distinct neural mechanisms of the features of novelty and appropriateness in constraint relaxation are discussed, enriching the representation of the change theory of insight. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Growth and relaxation processes in Ge nanocrystals on free-standing Si(001) nanopillars.

PubMed

Kozlowski, G; Zaumseil, P; Schubert, M A; Yamamoto, Y; Bauer, J; Schülli, T U; Tillack, B; Schroeder, T

2012-03-23

We study the growth and relaxation processes of Ge crystals selectively grown by chemical vapour deposition on free-standing 90 nm wide Si(001) nanopillars. Epi-Ge with thickness ranging from 4 to 80 nm was characterized by synchrotron based x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. We found that the strain in Ge nanostructures is plastically released by nucleation of misfit dislocations, leading to degrees of relaxation ranging from 50 to 100%. The growth of Ge nanocrystals follows the equilibrium crystal shape terminated by low surface energy (001) and {113} facets. Although the volumes of Ge nanocrystals are homogeneous, their shape is not uniform and the crystal quality is limited by volume defects on {111} planes. This is not the case for the Ge/Si nanostructures subjected to thermal treatment. Here, improved structure quality together with high levels of uniformity of the size and shape is observed.

Lineshape theory of pigment-protein complexes: How the finite relaxation time of nuclei influences the exciton relaxation-induced lifetime broadening

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dinh, Thanh-Chung; Renger, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.renger@jku.at

2016-07-21

In pigment-protein complexes, often the excited states are partially delocalized and the exciton-vibrational coupling in the basis of delocalized states contains large diagonal and small off-diagonal elements. This inequality may be used to introduce potential energy surfaces (PESs) of exciton states and to treat the inter-PES coupling in Markov and secular approximations. The resulting lineshape function consists of a Lorentzian peak that is broadened by the finite lifetime of the exciton states caused by the inter-PES coupling and a vibrational sideband that results from the mutual displacement of the excitonic PESs with respect to that of the ground state. Somore » far analytical expressions have been derived that relate the exciton relaxation-induced lifetime broadening to the Redfield [T. Renger and R. A. Marcus, J. Chem. Phys. 116, 9997 (2002)] or modified Redfield [M. Schröder, U. Kleinekathöfer, and M. Schreiber, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 084903 (2006)] rate constants of exciton relaxation, assuming that intra-PES nuclear relaxation is fast compared to inter-PES transfer. Here, we go beyond this approximation and provide an analytical expression, termed Non-equilibrium Modified Redfield (NeMoR) theory, for the lifetime broadening that takes into account the finite nuclear relaxation time. In an application of the theory to molecular dimers, we find that, for a widely used experimental spectral density of the exciton-vibrational coupling of pigment-protein complexes, the NeMoR spectrum at low-temperatures (T < 150 K) is better approximated by Redfield than by modified Redfield theory. At room temperature, the lifetime broadening obtained with Redfield theory underestimates the NeMoR broadening, whereas modified Redfield theory overestimates it by a similar amount. A fortuitous error compensation in Redfield theory is found to explain the good performance of this theory at low temperatures. Since steady state spectra of PPCs are often measured at low

Lineshape theory of pigment-protein complexes: How the finite relaxation time of nuclei influences the exciton relaxation-induced lifetime broadening.

PubMed

Dinh, Thanh-Chung; Renger, Thomas

2016-07-21

In pigment-protein complexes, often the excited states are partially delocalized and the exciton-vibrational coupling in the basis of delocalized states contains large diagonal and small off-diagonal elements. This inequality may be used to introduce potential energy surfaces (PESs) of exciton states and to treat the inter-PES coupling in Markov and secular approximations. The resulting lineshape function consists of a Lorentzian peak that is broadened by the finite lifetime of the exciton states caused by the inter-PES coupling and a vibrational sideband that results from the mutual displacement of the excitonic PESs with respect to that of the ground state. So far analytical expressions have been derived that relate the exciton relaxation-induced lifetime broadening to the Redfield [T. Renger and R. A. Marcus, J. Chem. Phys. 116, 9997 (2002)] or modified Redfield [M. Schröder, U. Kleinekathöfer, and M. Schreiber, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 084903 (2006)] rate constants of exciton relaxation, assuming that intra-PES nuclear relaxation is fast compared to inter-PES transfer. Here, we go beyond this approximation and provide an analytical expression, termed Non-equilibrium Modified Redfield (NeMoR) theory, for the lifetime broadening that takes into account the finite nuclear relaxation time. In an application of the theory to molecular dimers, we find that, for a widely used experimental spectral density of the exciton-vibrational coupling of pigment-protein complexes, the NeMoR spectrum at low-temperatures (T < 150 K) is better approximated by Redfield than by modified Redfield theory. At room temperature, the lifetime broadening obtained with Redfield theory underestimates the NeMoR broadening, whereas modified Redfield theory overestimates it by a similar amount. A fortuitous error compensation in Redfield theory is found to explain the good performance of this theory at low temperatures. Since steady state spectra of PPCs are often measured at low temperatures

Synergic nature of dielectric relaxation process in the layered perovskite halide salts: The case of 1,3- diammoniumpropylenetetrabromocadmate compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staśkiewicz, Beata

2018-06-01

The negative thermal expansion (NTE) property was a prototype to discuss the origin of difference between classical Debye relaxation process and the non-Debye behavior in the layered perovskite halide salt of chemical formula NH3(CH2)3NH3CdBr4. The analysis has been taken by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy measurements in almost six decades in frequency 5 × 102 ≤ f(ω) ≤ 1.2 × 108 and in the temperature range 315 ≤ T(K) ≤ 390. It was shown that the investigated sample exhibit an antiferrodistortive nature of phase transition between two orthorhombic structural modifications i.e. Pnma (phase I) and Ima2 (phase II) at Tc1(I → II) = 326 K, leading from an antiferroelectric to a paraelectric phase. The involvement of an odd number of carbon atoms in the alkylammonium chains in dielectric properties of examined sample is proved. Higher structural modifications, i.e. Ima2 (phase II) and P21/m (phase III), have shown significant deviations from a regular circle on the Cole-Cole diagram. Presented experimental observations are essentially important for the theoretical explanation of relaxation processes in analyzed organic - inorganic compound crystallizing in a perovskite-like topology and may provide new perspective on the fundamental aspect of relaxation response in "diammonium" series.

Low temperature processing of dielectric perovskites for energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, N. B.; Schreib, Ben; Devilbiss, Michael; Loiacono, Julian; Arnold, Bradley; Choa, Fow-Sen; Mandal, K. D.

2016-05-01

Since the report of high dielectric value was published for the calcium copper titanate of the stoichiometry CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO), several of its analogs such as Yittrium copper titanate Y2/3Cu3Ti4O12 (YCTO), Pr2/3Cu3Ti4O12 (PCTO) and several other compounds have been studied extensively. Most of these materials have demonstrated very high dielectric constants. However, the roadblock is their low resistivity. To overcome this problem, several approaches have been considered, including doping and substitution. In order to solve this problem, we have synthesized the stoichiometric composition and used low temperature processing to grow grains of La2/3Cu3Ti4O12 (LCTO) stoichiometric compound. LCTO with excess copper oxide was also prepared to determine its effect on the morphology and dielectric constant of the stoichiometric LCTO compound. In spite of the low melting point of copper oxide, we observed that excess copper oxide did not show any faster grain growth. Also, the dielectric constant of LCTO was lower than CCTO and unlike CCTO, LCTO showed significant changes as the function of frequency. The measured resistivity was slightly higher than CCTO.

Characterization of the low-temperature properties of a simplified protein model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagmann, Johannes-Geert; Nakagawa, Naoko; Peyrard, Michel

2014-01-01

Prompted by results that showed that a simple protein model, the frustrated Gō model, appears to exhibit a transition reminiscent of the protein dynamical transition, we examine the validity of this model to describe the low-temperature properties of proteins. First, we examine equilibrium fluctuations. We calculate its incoherent neutron-scattering structure factor and show that it can be well described by a theory using the one-phonon approximation. By performing an inherent structure analysis, we assess the transitions among energy states at low temperatures. Then, we examine nonequilibrium fluctuations after a sudden cooling of the protein. We investigate the violation of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem in order to analyze the protein glass transition. We find that the effective temperature of the quenched protein deviates from the temperature of the thermostat, however it relaxes towards the actual temperature with an Arrhenius behavior as the waiting time increases. These results of the equilibrium and nonequilibrium studies converge to the conclusion that the apparent dynamical transition of this coarse-grained model cannot be attributed to a glassy behavior.

Non-rigid ultrasound image registration using generalized relaxation labeling process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jong-Ha; Seong, Yeong Kyeong; Park, MoonHo; Woo, Kyoung-Gu; Ku, Jeonghun; Park, Hee-Jun

2013-03-01

This research proposes a novel non-rigid registration method for ultrasound images. The most predominant anatomical features in medical images are tissue boundaries, which appear as edges. In ultrasound images, however, other features can be identified as well due to the specular reflections that appear as bright lines superimposed on the ideal edge location. In this work, an image's local phase information (via the frequency domain) is used to find the ideal edge location. The generalized relaxation labeling process is then formulated to align the feature points extracted from the ideal edge location. In this work, the original relaxation labeling method was generalized by taking n compatibility coefficient values to improve non-rigid registration performance. This contextual information combined with a relaxation labeling process is used to search for a correspondence. Then the transformation is calculated by the thin plate spline (TPS) model. These two processes are iterated until the optimal correspondence and transformation are found. We have tested our proposed method and the state-of-the-art algorithms with synthetic data and bladder ultrasound images of in vivo human subjects. Experiments show that the proposed method improves registration performance significantly, as compared to other state-of-the-art non-rigid registration algorithms.

Prony series spectra of structural relaxation in N-BK7 for finite element modeling.

PubMed

Koontz, Erick; Blouin, Vincent; Wachtel, Peter; Musgraves, J David; Richardson, Kathleen

2012-12-20

Structural relaxation behavior of N-BK7 glass was characterized at temperatures 20 °C above and below T(12) for this glass, using a thermo mechanical analyzer (TMA). T(12) is a characteristic temperature corresponding to a viscosity of 10(12) Pa·s. The glass was subject to quick temperature down-jumps preceded and followed by long isothermal holds. The exponential-like decay of the sample height was recorded and fitted using a unique Prony series method. The result of his method was a plot of the fit parameters revealing the presence of four distinct peaks or distributions of relaxation times. The number of relaxation times decreased as final test temperature was increased. The relaxation times did not shift significantly with changing temperature; however, the Prony weight terms varied essentially linearly with temperature. It was also found that the structural relaxation behavior of the glass trended toward single exponential behavior at temperatures above the testing range. The result of the analysis was a temperature-dependent Prony series model that can be used in finite element modeling of glass behavior in processes such as precision glass molding (PGM).

Modelling of loading, stress relaxation and stress recovery in a shape memory polymer.

PubMed

Sweeney, J; Bonner, M; Ward, I M

2014-09-01

A multi-element constitutive model for a lactide-based shape memory polymer has been developed that represents loading to large tensile deformations, stress relaxation and stress recovery at 60, 65 and 70°C. The model consists of parallel Maxwell arms each comprising neo-Hookean and Eyring elements. Guiu-Pratt analysis of the stress relaxation curves yields Eyring parameters. When these parameters are used to define the Eyring process in a single Maxwell arm, the resulting model yields at too low a stress, but gives good predictions for longer times. Stress dip tests show a very stiff response on unloading by a small strain decrement. This would create an unrealistically high stress on loading to large strain if it were modelled by an elastic element. Instead it is modelled by an Eyring process operating via a flow rule that introduces strain hardening after yield. When this process is incorporated into a second parallel Maxwell arm, there results a model that fully represents both stress relaxation and stress dip tests at 60°C. At higher temperatures a third arm is required for valid predictions. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dielectric relaxation, resonance and scaling behaviors in Sr3Co2Fe24O41 hexaferrite

PubMed Central

Tang, Rujun; Jiang, Chen; Qian, Wenhu; Jian, Jie; Zhang, Xin; Wang, Haiyan; Yang, Hao

2015-01-01

The dielectric properties of Z-type hexaferrite Sr3Co2Fe24O41 (SCFO) have been investigated as a function of temperature from 153 to 503 K between 1 and 2 GHz. The dielectric responses of SCFO are found to be frequency dependent and thermally activated. The relaxation-type dielectric behavior is observed to be dominating in the low frequency region and resonance-type dielectric behavior is found to be dominating above 108 Hz. This frequency dependence of dielectric behavior is explained by the damped harmonic oscillator model with temperature dependent coefficients. The imaginary part of impedance (Z″) and modulus (M″) spectra show that there is a distribution of relaxation times. The scaling behaviors of Z″ and M″ spectra further suggest that the distribution of relaxation times is temperature independent at low frequencies. The dielectric loss spectra at different temperatures have not shown a scaling behavior above 108 Hz. A comparison between the Z″ and the M″ spectra indicates that the short-range charges motion dominates at low temperatures and the long-range charges motion dominates at high temperatures. The above results indicate that the dielectric dispersion mechanism in SCFO is temperature independent at low frequencies and temperature dependent at high frequencies due to the domination of resonance behavior. PMID:26314913

Low-temperature spin dynamics of Mn-rich Mn(Ga)As nanoclusters embedded in a GaAs matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weizhu; Deng, Jiajun; Lu, Jun; Sun, Baoquan; Zhao, Jianhua

2008-03-01

Recently, the composite systems of Mn-rich Mn(Ga)As nanoclusters embedded in GaAs matrices have received an increasing attention due to the large magneto-optical and magneto-resistance effects at room temperature which could be applied to spin-electronic devices. In this work, we report the low-temperature spin dynamic behaviours including memory effects and slow magnetic relaxation of such composite systems. The systems can be formed by in situ postgrowth annealing of (Ga,Mn)As films at 650 ^oC for 10 min because of spinodal decomposition. High-resolution TEM images show zincblende Mn-rich Mn(Ga)As nanoclusters with a diameter in the range of 10-20 nm embedded in a GaAs matrix. From zero-field cooled and field cooled measurements, we can observe a clear bifurcation of the two curves demonstrating the existence of the spin-glass-like phase below the blocking temperature in the systems with high Mn concentration. Memory effects and slow magnetic relaxation, the typical characteristics of spin-glass-like phases, are also detected, and the hierarchical model is confirmed to be in accordance with such low-temperature behaviours. On the other hand, for samples with low Mn content, ferromagnetic order remains up to 360K.

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique

PubMed Central

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-01-01

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers. PMID:28230088

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-02-01

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers.

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique.

PubMed

Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Si Joon; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-02-23

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers.

Glass transition and relaxation dynamics of propylene glycol-water solutions confined in clay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elamin, Khalid; Björklund, Jimmy; Nyhlén, Fredrik; Yttergren, Madeleine; Mârtensson, Lena; Swenson, Jan

2014-07-01

The molecular dynamics of aqueous solutions of propylene glycol (PG) and propylene glycol methylether (PGME) confined in a two-dimensional layer-structured Na-vermiculite clay has been studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. As typical for liquids in confined geometries the intensity of the cooperative α-relaxation becomes considerably more suppressed than the more local β-like relaxation processes. In fact, at high water contents the calorimetric glass transition and related structural α-relaxation cannot even be observed, due to the confinement. Thus, the intensity of the viscosity related α-relaxation is dramatically reduced, but its time scale as well as the related glass transition temperature Tg are for both systems only weakly influenced by the confinement. In the case of the PGME-water solutions it is an important finding since in the corresponding bulk system a pronounced non-monotonic concentration dependence of the glass transition related dynamics has been observed due to the growth of hydrogen bonded relaxing entities of water bridging between PGME molecules [J. Sjöström, J. Mattsson, R. Bergman, and J. Swenson, Phys. Chem. B 115, 10013 (2011)]. The present results suggest that the same type of structural entities are formed in the quasi-two-dimensional space between the clay platelets. It is also observed that the main water relaxation cannot be distinguished from the β-relaxation of PG or PGME in the concentration range up to intermediate water contents. This suggests that these two processes are coupled and that the water molecules affect the time scale of the β-relaxation. However, this is most likely true also for the corresponding bulk solutions, which exhibit similar time scales of this combined relaxation process below Tg. Finally, it is found that at higher water contents the water relaxation does not merge with, or follow, the α-relaxation above Tg, but instead crosses the α-relaxation

Glass transition and relaxation dynamics of propylene glycol-water solutions confined in clay.

PubMed

Elamin, Khalid; Björklund, Jimmy; Nyhlén, Fredrik; Yttergren, Madeleine; Mårtensson, Lena; Swenson, Jan

2014-07-21

The molecular dynamics of aqueous solutions of propylene glycol (PG) and propylene glycol methylether (PGME) confined in a two-dimensional layer-structured Na-vermiculite clay has been studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. As typical for liquids in confined geometries the intensity of the cooperative α-relaxation becomes considerably more suppressed than the more local β-like relaxation processes. In fact, at high water contents the calorimetric glass transition and related structural α-relaxation cannot even be observed, due to the confinement. Thus, the intensity of the viscosity related α-relaxation is dramatically reduced, but its time scale as well as the related glass transition temperature Tg are for both systems only weakly influenced by the confinement. In the case of the PGME-water solutions it is an important finding since in the corresponding bulk system a pronounced non-monotonic concentration dependence of the glass transition related dynamics has been observed due to the growth of hydrogen bonded relaxing entities of water bridging between PGME molecules [J. Sjöström, J. Mattsson, R. Bergman, and J. Swenson, Phys. Chem. B 115, 10013 (2011)]. The present results suggest that the same type of structural entities are formed in the quasi-two-dimensional space between the clay platelets. It is also observed that the main water relaxation cannot be distinguished from the β-relaxation of PG or PGME in the concentration range up to intermediate water contents. This suggests that these two processes are coupled and that the water molecules affect the time scale of the β-relaxation. However, this is most likely true also for the corresponding bulk solutions, which exhibit similar time scales of this combined relaxation process below Tg. Finally, it is found that at higher water contents the water relaxation does not merge with, or follow, the α-relaxation above Tg, but instead crosses the α-relaxation

Screening effects due to carrier doping on valley relaxation in transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konabe, Satoru

2016-08-15

This work theoretically investigated the mechanism of valley polarization relaxation in monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides, focusing on the exchange interactions between electrons and holes. In particular, we elucidated the effects of screening resulting from carrier doping on valley depolarization dynamics. The results show that the valley relaxation time is highly dependent on the extent of carrier doping. In addition, a finite degree of doping is predicted to induce additional valley relaxation temperature dependence at low temperatures, an effect that is absent at zero doping. Our calculation results suggest the possibility of increasing the valley relaxation time by tuning carriermore » doping, which could present a means of manipulating the valley degrees of freedom.« less

Low-Temperature Soft-Cover Deposition of Uniform Large-Scale Perovskite Films for High-Performance Solar Cells.

PubMed

Ye, Fei; Tang, Wentao; Xie, Fengxian; Yin, Maoshu; He, Jinjin; Wang, Yanbo; Chen, Han; Qiang, Yinghuai; Yang, Xudong; Han, Liyuan

2017-09-01

Large-scale high-quality perovskite thin films are crucial to produce high-performance perovskite solar cells. However, for perovskite films fabricated by solvent-rich processes, film uniformity can be prevented by convection during thermal evaporation of the solvent. Here, a scalable low-temperature soft-cover deposition (LT-SCD) method is presented, where the thermal convection-induced defects in perovskite films are eliminated through a strategy of surface tension relaxation. Compact, homogeneous, and convection-induced-defects-free perovskite films are obtained on an area of 12 cm 2 , which enables a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.5% on a solar cell with an area of 5 cm 2 . This is the highest efficiency at this large cell area. A PCE of 15.3% is also obtained on a flexible perovskite solar cell deposited on the polyethylene terephthalate substrate owing to the advantage of presented low-temperature processing. Hence, the present LT-SCD technology provides a new non-spin-coating route to the deposition of large-area uniform perovskite films for both rigid and flexible perovskite devices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Role of Relaxation on the Giant Permittivity and Electrical Properties of CaCu3Ti4O12 Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xuetong; Ren, Lulu; Liao, Ruijin; Li, Jianying; Yang, Lijun; Wang, Feipeng

2016-06-01

CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) ceramics were synthesized under various sintering conditions to investigate the role of relaxation on permittivity and electrical properties. Two relaxation processes that respectively related to grain and to domain boundary at a temperature as low as 223 K were fitted according to the Cole-Cole theory. The results indicate that both relaxations largely account for the giant permittivity of CCTO ceramics. Moreover, the relaxation behaviors of grain and of the grain boundary can be processed via impedance plots that vary from 113 K to 473 K. It is shown that longer sintering duration leads to lower resistance of grain and of grain boundary: e.g., from 3200 Ω to 810 Ω and 1.76 MΩ to 0.48 MΩ, respectively. The activation energy related to grain-boundary relaxation drops from 1.14 eV to 0.80 eV, while the value of grain stays unchanged at about 0.11 eV. The Schottky barrier of the CCTO sample decreases from 0.65 eV to 0.57 eV. It is also proposed that the nonlinearity of current-voltage property for CCTO ceramics may be strongly related to the relaxation processes of grain boundaries.

Multiple-decker phthalocyaninato dinuclear lanthanoid(III) single-molecule magnets with dual-magnetic relaxation processes.

PubMed

Katoh, Keiichi; Horii, Yoji; Yasuda, Nobuhiro; Wernsdorfer, Wolfgang; Toriumi, Koshiro; Breedlove, Brian K; Yamashita, Masahiro

2012-11-28

The SMM behaviour of dinuclear Ln(III)-Pc multiple-decker complexes (Ln = Tb(3+) and Dy(3+)) with energy barriers and slow-relaxation behaviour were explained by using X-ray crystallography and static and dynamic susceptibility measurements. In particular, interactions among the 4f electrons of several dinuclear Ln(III)-Pc type SMMs have never been discussed on the basis of the crystal structure. For dinuclear Tb(III)-Pc complexes, a dual magnetic relaxation process was observed. The relaxation processes are due to the anisotropic centres. Our results clearly show that the two Tb(3+) ion sites are equivalent and are consistent with the crystal structure. On the other hand, the mononuclear Tb(III)-Pc complex exhibited only a single magnetic relaxation process. This is clear evidence that the magnetic relaxation mechanism depends heavily on the dipole-dipole (f-f) interactions between the Tb(3+) ions in the dinuclear systems. Furthermore, the SMM behaviour of dinuclear Dy(III)-Pc type SMMs with smaller energy barriers compared with that of Tb(III)-Pc and slow-relaxation behaviour was explained. Dinuclear Dy(III)-Pc SMMs exhibited single-component magnetic relaxation behaviour. The results indicate that the magnetic relaxation properties of dinuclear Ln(III)-Pc multiple-decker complexes are affected by the local molecular symmetry and are extremely sensitive to tiny distortions in the coordination geometry. In other words, the spatial arrangement of the Ln(3+) ions (f-f interactions) in the crystal is important. Our work shows that the SMM properties can be fine-tuned by introducing weak intermolecular magnetic interactions in a controlled SMM spatial arrangement.

A low-background piston-cylinder-type hybrid high pressure cell for muon-spin rotation/relaxation experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shermadini, Z.; Khasanov, R.; Elender, M.; Simutis, G.; Guguchia, Z.; Kamenev, K. V.; Amato, A.

2017-10-01

A low background double-wall piston-cylinder-type pressure cell is developed at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The cell is made from BERYLCO-25 (beryllium copper) and MP35N nonmagnetic alloys with the design and dimensions which are specifically adapted to muon-spin rotation/relaxation (μSR) measurements. The mechanical design and performance of the pressure cell are evaluated using finite-element analysis (FEA). By including the measured stress-strain characteristics of the materials into the finite-element model, the cell dimensions are optimized with the aim to reach the highest possible pressure while maintaining the sample space large (6 mm in diameter and 12 mm high). The presented unconventional design of the double-wall piston-cylinder pressure cell with a harder outer MP35N sleeve and a softer inner CuBe cylinder enables pressures of up to 2.6 GPa to be reached at ambient temperature, corresponding to 2.2 GPa at low temperatures without any irreversible damage to the pressure cell. The nature of the muon stopping distribution, mainly in the sample and in the CuBe cylinder, results in a low-background μSR signal.

Relaxation mechanisms in glassy dynamics: the Arrhenius and fragile regimes.

PubMed

Hentschel, H George E; Karmakar, Smarajit; Procaccia, Itamar; Zylberg, Jacques

2012-06-01

Generic glass formers exhibit at least two characteristic changes in their relaxation behavior, first to an Arrhenius-type relaxation at some characteristic temperature and then at a lower characteristic temperature to a super-Arrhenius (fragile) behavior. We address these transitions by studying the statistics of free energy barriers for different systems at different temperatures and space dimensions. We present a clear evidence for changes in the dynamical behavior at the transition to Arrhenius and then to a super-Arrhenius behavior. A simple model is presented, based on the idea of competition between single-particle and cooperative dynamics. We argue that Arrhenius behavior can take place as long as there is enough free volume for the completion of a simple T1 relaxation process. Once free volume is absent one needs a cooperative mechanism to "collect" enough free volume. We show that this model captures all the qualitative behavior observed in simulations throughout the considered temperature range.

Suppression of Raman electron spin relaxation of radicals in crystals. Comparison of Cu2+ and free radical relaxation in triglycine sulfate and Tutton salt single crystals.

PubMed

Hoffmann, S K; Goslar, J; Lijewski, S

2011-08-31

Electron spin-lattice relaxation was measured by the electron spin echo method in a broad temperature range above 4.2 K for Cu(2+) ions and free radicals produced by ionizing radiation in triglycine sulfate (TGS) and Tutton salt (NH4)(2)Zn(SO4)2 ⋅ 6H2O crystals. Localization of the paramagnetic centres in the crystal unit cells was determined from continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectra. Various spin relaxation processes and mechanisms are outlined. Cu(2+) ions relax fast via two-phonon Raman processes in both crystals involving the whole phonon spectrum of the host lattice. This relaxation is slightly slower for TGS where Cu(2+) ions are in the interstitial position. The ordinary Raman processes do not contribute to the radical relaxation which relaxes via the local phonon mode. The local mode lies within the acoustic phonon band for radicals in TGS but within the optical phonon range in (NH4)(2)Zn(SO4)2 ⋅ 6H2O. In the latter the cross-relaxation was considered. A lack of phonons around the radical molecules suggested a local crystal amorphisation produced by x- or γ-rays.

Normal and anomalous nuclear spin-lattice relaxation at high temperatures in Sc-H(D), Y-H, and Lu-H solid solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, R. G.; Han, J.-W.; Torgeson, D. R.; Baker, D. B.; Conradi, M. S.; Norberg, R. E.

1995-02-01

We report the results of measurements of the proton (1H) spin-lattice relaxation rate R1 at high temperatures (to ~1400 K) in the hcp (α) solid-solution phases of the Sc-H, Y-H, and Lu-H systems, and of R1(45Sc) in Sc-H and Sc-D solid solutions. The latter measurements show unambiguous evidence of an anomalous increase at ~1000 K, whereas R1(1H) shows no such increase at any temperature. This behavior of R1(1H) contrasts with that in the bcc V-H, etc., solid solutions where anomalous relaxation occurs below ~1000 K, and in all investigated metal dihydride phases, MH2-x. The anomalous R1(1H) behavior in α-VHx, α-NbHx, etc., may be understood in terms of fast spin relaxation in the H2 gas in equilibrium with the solid, mediated by fast gas-solid exchange of hydrogen. However, in the present systems, α-ScHx, α-YHx, etc., the H2 gas pressure in equilibrium with the hcp systems is extremely low, resulting in negligible H2 concentration in the gas phase, and consequently a negligible contribution to R1(1H). In contrast, some of the present measurements indicate that the R1(45Sc) anomaly does result from the hydrogen content of the metal, but the mechanism remains unexplained.

Generation of low-temperature air plasma for food processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanova, Olga; Demidova, Maria; Astafiev, Alexander; Pinchuk, Mikhail; Balkir, Pinar; Turantas, Fulya

2015-11-01

The project is aimed at developing a physical and technical foundation of generating plasma with low gas temperature at atmospheric pressure for food industry needs. As known, plasma has an antimicrobial effect on the numerous types of microorganisms, including those that cause food spoilage. In this work an original experimental setup has been developed for the treatment of different foods. It is based on initiating corona or dielectric-barrier discharge in a chamber filled with ambient air in combination with a certain helium admixture. The experimental setup provides various conditions of discharge generation (including discharge gap geometry, supply voltage, velocity of gas flow, content of helium admixture in air and working pressure) and allows for the measurement of the electrical discharge parameters. Some recommendations on choosing optimal conditions of discharge generation for experiments on plasma food processing are developed.

Spin relaxation dynamics of holes in intrinsic GaAs quantum wells studied by transient circular dichromatic absorption spectroscopy at room temperature.

PubMed

Fang, Shaoyin; Zhu, Ruidan; Lai, Tianshu

2017-03-21

Spin relaxation dynamics of holes in intrinsic GaAs quantum wells is studied using time-resolved circular dichromatic absorption spectroscopy at room temperature. It is found that ultrafast dynamics is dominated by the cooperative contributions of band filling and many-body effects. The relative contribution of the two effects is opposite in strength for electrons and holes. As a result, transient circular dichromatic differential transmission (TCD-DT) with co- and cross-circularly polarized pump and probe presents different strength at several picosecond delay time. Ultrafast spin relaxation dynamics of excited holes is sensitively reflected in TCD-DT with cross-circularly polarized pump and probe. A model, including coherent artifact, thermalization of nonthermal carriers and the cooperative contribution of band filling and many-body effects, is developed, and used to fit TCD-DT with cross-circularly polarized pump and probe. Spin relaxation time of holes is achieved as a function of excited hole density for the first time at room temperature, and increases with hole density, which disagrees with a theoretical prediction based on EY spin relaxation mechanism, implying that EY mechanism may be not dominant hole spin relaxation mechanism at room temperature, but DP mechanism is dominant possibly.

VO2 film temperature dynamics at low-frequency current self-oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bortnikov, S. G.; Aliev, V. Sh.; Badmaeva, I. A.; Mzhelskiy, I. V.

2018-02-01

Low-frequency (˜2 Hz) current self-oscillations were first obtained in a millimeter-sized two-terminal planar device with a vanadium dioxide (VO2) film. The film temperature distribution dynamics was investigated within one oscillation period. It was established that the formation and disappearance of a conductive channel occur in a film in less than 60 ms with oscillation period 560 ms. The experimentally observed temperature in the channel region reached 413 K, being understated due to a low infrared microscope performance (integration time 10 ms). The VO2 film temperature distribution dynamics was simulated by solving a 2D problem of the electric current flow and heat transfer in the film. The calculation showed that the thermally initiated resistance switching in the film occurs in less than 4 ms at a channel temperature reaching ˜1000 K. The experimental results and simulation are consistent with the current self-oscillation mechanism based on the current pinching and dielectric relaxation in the VO2 film at the metal-insulator phase transition.

Effects of the Relaxation of Upwelling-Favorable Winds on the Diurnal and Semidiurnal Water Temperature Fluctuations in the Santa Barbara Channel, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aristizábal, María. F.; Fewings, Melanie R.; Washburn, Libe

2017-10-01

In the Santa Barbara Channel, California, and around the Northern Channel Islands, water temperature fluctuations in the diurnal and semidiurnal frequency bands are intermittent, with amplitudes that vary on time scales of days to weeks. The cause of this intermittency is not well understood. We studied the effects of the barotropic tide, vertical stratification, propagation of coastal-trapped waves, regional wind relaxations, and diurnal-band winds on the intermittency of the temperature fluctuations during 1992-2015. We used temperature data from 43 moorings in 10-200 m water depth and wind data from two buoys and one land station. Subtidal-frequency changes in vertical stratification explain 20-40% of the intermittency in diurnal and semidiurnal temperature fluctuations at time scales of days to weeks. Along the mainland north of Point Conception and at the Northern Channel Islands, the relaxation of upwelling-favorable winds substantially increases vertical stratification, accounting for up to 55% of the subtidal-frequency variability in stratification. As a result of the enhanced stratification, wind relaxations enhance the diurnal and semidiurnal temperature fluctuations at those sites, even though the diurnal-band wind forcing decreases during wind relaxation. A linear model where the background stratification is advected vertically explains a substantial fraction of the temperature fluctuations at most sites. The increase of vertical stratification and subsequent increase in diurnal and semidiurnal temperature fluctuations during wind relaxation is a mechanism that can supply nutrients to the euphotic zone and kelp forests in the Channel in summer when upwelling is weak.

Ionic relaxation in PEO/PVDF-HFP-LiClO4 blend polymer electrolytes: dependence on salt concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, S.; Ghosh, A.

2016-06-01

In this paper, we have studied the effect of LiClO4 salt concentration on the ionic conduction and relaxation in poly ethylene oxide (PEO) and poly (vinylidene fluoride hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) blend polymer electrolytes, in which the molar ratio of ethylene oxide segments to lithium ions (R  =  EO: Li) has been varied between 3 and 35. We have observed two phases in the samples containing low salt concentrations (R  >  9) and single phase in the samples containing high salt concentrations (R  ⩽  9). The scanning electron microscopic images indicate that there exists no phase separation in the blend polymer electrolytes. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity shows two slopes corresponding to high and low temperatures and follows Arrhenius relation for the samples containing low salt concentrations (R  >  9). The conductivity relaxation as well as the structural relaxation has been clearly observed at around 104 Hz and 106 Hz for these concentrations of the blended electrolytes. However, a single conductivity relaxation peak has been observed for the compositions with R  ⩽  9. The scaling of the conductivity spectra shows that the relaxation mechanism is independent of temperature, but depends on salt concentration.

Investigating the effect of humidity on the α-relaxations of low-density polyethylene using dielectric spectroscopy.

PubMed

Amin, Aeshna; Dantuluri, Ajay Kumar Raju; Bansal, Arvind Kumar

2012-01-17

A previous work from our lab reported the higher sorption of lipophilic preservatives in LDPE form-fill-seal packs that were stored at 75% relative humidity (RH) as against 25% RH. The aim of the present work was to investigate structural changes taking place in LDPE on exposure to higher humidity. The crystallinity of LDPE, determined by differential scanning calorimetry, was found to be similar for the packs charged at both humidity conditions. Dielectric spectroscopy (1.0E-02 Hz to 1.0E02 Hz in the temperature range of 75-87°C), however, showed faster α relaxation of LDPE films exposed to higher humidity. The activation energy of α relaxations was lower at 75% RH (99.735 kJ/mol) than at 25% RH (113.112 kJ/mol) after two weeks of storage. This work presents previously unreported evidence of the plasticization effect of water on LDPE, using dielectric spectroscopy. Furthermore, changes in α relaxation on exposure to humidity support the latest theory of its origin to be from the constrained amorphous regions. The authors suggest the employment of extreme humidity conditions (low and high), during accelerated stability studies of aqueous products in plastic packs to track the sorption loss of formulation components. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phonon Spectrum in Hydroxyapatite: Calculations and EPR Study at Low Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biktagirov, Timur; Gafurov, Marat; Iskhakova, Kamila; Mamin, Georgy; Orlinskii, Sergei

2016-12-01

Density functional theory-based calculations within the framework of the plane-wave pseudopotential approach are carried out to define the phonon spectrum of hydroxyapatite Ca_{10}(PO4)6(OH)2 (HAp). It allows to describe the temperature dependence of the electronic spin-lattice relaxation time T_{1e} of the radiation-induced stable radical NO3^{2-} in HAp, which was measured in X-band (9 GHz, magnetic field strength of 0.34 T) in the temperature range T = (10-300) K. It is shown that the temperature behavior of T_{1e} at T> 20 K can be fitted via two-phonon Raman type processes with the Debye temperature Θ D ≈ 280 {K} evaluated from the phonon spectrum.

Revealing spatially heterogeneous relaxation in a model nanocomposite.

PubMed

Cheng, Shiwang; Mirigian, Stephen; Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y; Bocharova, Vera; Sumpter, Bobby G; Schweizer, Kenneth S; Sokolov, Alexei P

2015-11-21

The detailed nature of spatially heterogeneous dynamics of glycerol-silica nanocomposites is unraveled by combining dielectric spectroscopy with atomistic simulation and statistical mechanical theory. Analysis of the spatial mobility gradient shows no "glassy" layer, but the α-relaxation time near the nanoparticle grows with cooling faster than the α-relaxation time in the bulk and is ∼20 times longer at low temperatures. The interfacial layer thickness increases from ∼1.8 nm at higher temperatures to ∼3.5 nm upon cooling to near bulk Tg. A real space microscopic description of the mobility gradient is constructed by synergistically combining high temperature atomistic simulation with theory. Our analysis suggests that the interfacial slowing down arises mainly due to an increase of the local cage scale barrier for activated hopping induced by enhanced packing and densification near the nanoparticle surface. The theory is employed to predict how local surface densification can be manipulated to control layer dynamics and shear rigidity over a wide temperature range.

Nuclear Spin relaxation mediated by Fermi-edge electrons in n-type GaAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotur, M.; Dzhioev, R. I.; Kavokin, K. V.; Korenev, V. L.; Namozov, B. R.; Pak, P. E.; Kusrayev, Yu. G.

2014-03-01

A method based on the optical orientation technique was developed to measure the nuclear-spin lattice relaxation time T 1 in semiconductors. It was applied to bulk n-type GaAs, where T 1 was measured after switching off the optical excitation in magnetic fields from 400 to 1200 G at low (< 30 K) temperatures. The spin-lattice relaxation of nuclei in the studied sample with n D = 9 × 1016 cm-3 was found to be determined by hyperfine scattering of itinerant electrons (Korringa mechanism) which predicts invariability of T 1 with the change in magnetic field and linear dependence of the relaxation rate on temperature. This result extends the experimentally verified applicability of the Korringa relaxation law in degenerate semiconductors, previously studied in strong magnetic fields (several Tesla), to the moderate field range.

Low temperature superplasticity and thermal stability of a nanostructured low-carbon microalloyed steel

PubMed Central

Hu, J.; Du, L.-X.; Sun, G.-S.; Xie, H.; Misra, R.D.K.

2015-01-01

We describe here for the first time the low temperature superplasticity of nanostructured low carbon steel (microalloyed with V, N, Mn, Al, Si, and Ni). Low carbon nanograined/ultrafine-grained (NG/UFG) bulk steel was processed using a combination of cold-rolling and annealing of martensite. The complex microstructure of NG/UFG ferrite and 50–80 nm cementite exhibited high thermal stability at 500 °C with low temperature elongation exceeding 100% (at less than 0.5 of the absolute melting point) as compared to the conventional fine-grained (FG) counterpart. The low temperature superplasticity is adequate to form complex components. Moreover, the low strength during hot processing is favorable for decreasing the spring back and minimize die loss. PMID:26687012

Acoustic and relaxation behaviors of polydimethylsiloxane studied by using brillouin and dielectric spectroscopies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Byoung Wan; Ko, Jae-Hyeon; Park, Jaehoon; Shin, Dong-Myeong; Hwang, Yoon-Hwae

2016-04-01

The temperature dependences of the acoustic properties and the dielectric relaxation times of polydimethylsiloxane were investigated by using high-resolution Brillouin and broadband dielectric spectroscopies. The longitudinal sound velocity showed a large increase upon approaching the glass transition temperature while the acoustic absorption coefficient exhibited a maximum at ~263 K. Comparison of these results with previous ultrasonic data revealed a substantial frequency dispersion of the acoustic properties of this silicone-based elastomer. The relaxation times derived from the acoustic absorption peaks were consistent with the temperature dependence of the dielectric relaxation time of the structural a process, indicating a strong coupling between the acoustic waves and the segmental motions of the main chains.

Colossal photo-conductive gain in low temperature processed TiO2 films and their application in quantum dot solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Debranjan; Goswami, Prasenjit N.; Rath, Arup K.

2017-03-01

Colloidal quantum dot (QD) solar cells have seen remarkable progress in recent past to reach the certified efficiency of 10.6%. Anatase titanium oxide (TiO2) is a widely studied n-type widow layer for the collection of photogenerated electrons in QD solar cells. Requirement of high temperature (˜500 °C) processing steps proved to be disadvantageous for its applications in flexible solar cells and roll to roll processing, and it also has adverse commercial implications. Here, we report that solar light exposure to low temperature processed (80 °C-150 °C) TiO2 and niobium doped TiO2 films leads to unprecedented enhancement in their electron densities and electron mobilities, which enables them to be used as efficient n-type layers in quantum dot solar cells. Such photoinduced high conducting states in these films show gradual decay over hours after the light bias is taken off and can be retrieved under solar illumination. On the contrary, TiO2 films processed at 500 °C show marginal photo induced enhancements in their characteristics. In bilayer configuration with PbS QDs, photovoltaic devices based on low temperature processed TiO2 films show improved performance over high temperature processed TiO2 films. The stability of photovoltaic devices also improved in low temperature processed TiO2 films under ambient working conditions.

An Integrated, Low Temperature Process to Capture and Sequester Carbon Dioxide from Industrial Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendlandt, R. F.; Foremski, J. J.

2013-12-01

Laboratory experiments show that it is possible to integrate (1) the chemistry of serpentine dissolution, (2) capture of CO2 gas from the combustion of natural gas and coal-fired power plants using aqueous amine-based solvents, (3) long-term CO2 sequestration via solid phase carbonate precipitation, and (4) capture solvent regeneration with acid recycling in a single, continuous process. In our process, magnesium is released from serpentine at 300°C via heat treatment with ammonium sulfate salts or at temperatures as low as 50°C via reaction with sulfuric acid. We have also demonstrated that various solid carbonate phases can be precipitated directly from aqueous amine-based (NH3, MEA, DMEA) CO2 capture solvent solutions at room temperature. Direct precipitation from the capture solvent enables regenerating CO2 capture solvent without the need for heat and without the need to compress the CO2 off gas. We propose that known low-temperature electrochemical methods can be integrated with this process to regenerate the aqueous amine capture solvent and recycle acid for dissolution of magnesium-bearing mineral feedstocks and magnesium release. Although the direct precipitation of magnesite at ambient conditions remains elusive, experimental results demonstrate that at temperatures ranging from 20°C to 60°C, either nesquehonite Mg(HCO3)(OH)●2H2O or a double salt with the formula [NH4]2Mg(CO3)2●4H2O or an amorphous magnesium carbonate precipitate directly from the capture solvent. These phases are less desirable for CO2 sequestration than magnesite because they potentially remove constituents (water, ammonia) from the reaction system, reducing the overall efficiency of the sequestration process. Accordingly, the integrated process can be accomplished with minimal energy consumption and loss of CO2 capture and acid solvents, and a net generation of 1 to 4 moles of H2O/6 moles of CO2 sequestered (depending on the solid carbonate precipitate and amount of produced H2

Electron spin relaxation governed by Raman processes both for Cu2+ ions and carbonate radicals in KHCO3 crystals: EPR and electron spin echo studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Stanislaw K.; Goslar, Janina; Lijewski, Stefan

2012-08-01

EPR studies of Cu2+ and two free radicals formed by γ-radiation were performed for KHCO3 single crystal at room temperature. From the rotational EPR results we concluded that Cu2+ is chelated by two carbonate molecules in a square planar configuration with spin-Hamiltonian parameters g|| = 2.2349 and A|| = 18.2 mT. Free radicals were identified as neutral HOCOrad with unpaired electron localized on the carbon atom and a radical anion CO3·- with unpaired electron localized on two oxygen atoms. The hyperfine splitting of the EPR lines by an interaction with a single hydrogen atom of HOCOrad was observed with isotropic coupling constants ao = 0.31 mT. Two differently oriented radical sites were identified in the crystal unit cell. Electron spin-lattice relaxation measured by electron spin echo methods shows that both Cu2+ and free radicals relax via two-phonon Raman processes with almost the same relaxation rate. The temperature dependence of the relaxation rate 1/T1 is well described with the effective Debye temperature ΘD = 175 K obtained from a fit to the Debye-type phonon spectrum. We calculated a more realistic Debye temperature value from available elastic constant values of the crystal as ΘD = 246 K. This ΘD-value and the Debye phonon spectrum approximation give a much worse fit to the experimental results. Possible contributions from a local mode or an optical mode are considered and it is suggested that the real phonon spectrum should be used for the relaxation data interpretation. It is unusual that free radicals in KHCO3 relax similarly to the well localized Cu2+ ions, which suggests a small destruction of the host crystal lattice by the ionizing irradiation allowing well coupling between radical and lattice dynamics.

Low temperature solution process-based defect-induced orange-red light emitting diode

PubMed Central

Biswas, Pranab; Baek, Sung-Doo; Hoon Lee, Sang; Park, Ji-Hyeon; Jeong Lee, Su; Il Lee, Tae; Myoung, Jae-Min

2015-01-01

We report low-temperature solution-processed p-CuO nanorods (NRs)/n-ZnO NRs heterojunction light emitting diode (LED), exploiting the native point defects of ZnO NRs. ZnO NRs were synthesized at 90 °C by using hydrothermal method while CuO NRs were synthesized at 100 °C by using microwave reaction system. The electrical properties of newly synthesized CuO NRs revealed a promising p-type nature with a hole concentration of 9.64 × 1018 cm−3. The current-voltage characteristic of the heterojunction showed a significantly high rectification ratio of 105 at 4 V with a stable current flow. A broad orange-red emission was obtained from the forward biased LED with a major peak at 610 nm which was attributed to the electron transition from interstitial zinc to interstitial oxygen point defects in ZnO. A minor shoulder peak was also observed at 710 nm, corresponding to red emission which was ascribed to the transition from conduction band of ZnO to oxygen vacancies in ZnO lattice. This study demonstrates a significant progress toward oxide materials based, defect-induced light emitting device with low-cost, low-temperature methods. PMID:26648420

Dielectric relaxation and localized electron hopping in colossal dielectric (Nb,In)-doped TiO2 rutile nanoceramics.

PubMed

Tsuji, Kosuke; Han, HyukSu; Guillemet-Fritsch, Sophie; Randall, Clive A

2017-03-28

Dielectric spectroscopy was performed on a Nb and In co-doped rutile TiO 2 nano-crystalline ceramic (n-NITO) synthesized by a low-temperature spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The dielectric properties of the n-NITO were not largely affected by the metal electrode contacts. Huge dielectric relaxation was observed at a very low temperature below 35 K. Both the activation energy and relaxation time suggested that the electronic hopping motion is the underlying mechanism responsible for the colossal dielectric permittivity (CP) and its relaxation, instead of the internal barrier layer effect or a dipolar relaxation. With Havriliak-Negami (H-N) fitting, a relaxation time with a large distribution of dielectric relaxations was revealed. The broad distributed relaxation phenomena indicated that Nb and In were involved, controlling the dielectric relaxation by modifying the polarization mechanism and localized states. The associated distribution function is calculated and presented. The frequency-dependent a.c. conductance is successfully explained by a hopping conduction model of the localized electrons with the distribution function. It is demonstrated that the dielectric relaxation is strongly correlated with the hopping electrons in the localized states. The CP in SPS n-NITO is then ascribed to a hopping polarization.

An investigation of preload relaxation behaviour of three zinc- aluminum alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mir, A. A.

2016-08-01

Zinc alloy castings are usually assembled together or mounted by screwed steel fasteners, and are tightened to a predetermined torque to develop the required tensile preload in the fastener. Due to relaxation processes in the castings, creep may cause a partial preload loss at an elevated temperature. The equipment used for load relaxation tests consists of a loadmonitoring device, an oil bath, and a data-acquisition system. A load cell monitoring device is used to monitor the load loss in an ISO-metric M6*1 steel screw set into sand castings made from alloys No. 3, No. 5 and No. 2 and tightened to produce an initial preload of 6 kN. The castings were held at constant temperature in the range 80 - 120°C in an oil bath. The oil bath maintains the desired test temperature throughout the experiment. All tests were conducted for periods of up to 160 h. For all alloys, the initial load loss was high, decreasing gradually with time, but not ceasing. The load loss increased rapidly with test temperature, and almost all of the relaxation curves approximated to a logarithmic decay of load with time. Alloy No. 2 had the best resistance to load loss, with No. 5 next and No. 3 worst at all temperatures. The lower resistance to relaxation of alloy No. 3 was mainly due to the lower relaxation strength of copper-free primary dendrites, whereas in alloys No. 5 and No. 2, the higher copper contents contribute greatly to their relaxation strength in the form of second-phase particles.

Spin-lattice relaxation and the calculation of gain, pump power, and noise temperature in ruby

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, J. R.

1989-01-01

The use of a quantitative analysis of the dominant source of relaxation in ruby spin systems to make predictions of key maser amplifier parameters is described. The spin-lattice Hamiltonian which describes the interaction of the electron spins with the thermal vibrations of the surrounding lattice is obtained from the literature. Taking into account the vibrational anisotropy of ruby, Fermi's rule is used to calculate the spin transition rates between the maser energy levels. The spin population rate equations are solved for the spin transition relaxation times, and a comparison with previous calculations is made. Predictions of ruby gain, inversion ratio, and noise temperature as a function of physical temperature are made for 8.4-GHz and 32-GHz maser pumping schemes. The theory predicts that ruby oriented at 90 deg will have approximately 50 percent higher gain in dB and slightly lower noise temperature than a 54.7-deg ruby at 32 GHz (assuming pump saturation). A specific calculation relating pump power to inversion ratio is given for a single channel of the 32-GHz reflected wave maser.

Kinetics of low-temperature transitions and a reaction rate theory from non-equilibrium distributions

PubMed Central

Aquilanti, Vincenzo; Coutinho, Nayara Dantas

2017-01-01

This article surveys the empirical information which originated both by laboratory experiments and by computational simulations, and expands previous understanding of the rates of chemical processes in the low-temperature range, where deviations from linearity of Arrhenius plots were revealed. The phenomenological two-parameter Arrhenius equation requires improvement for applications where interpolation or extrapolations are demanded in various areas of modern science. Based on Tolman's theorem, the dependence of the reciprocal of the apparent activation energy as a function of reciprocal absolute temperature permits the introduction of a deviation parameter d covering uniformly a variety of rate processes, from those where quantum mechanical tunnelling is significant and d < 0, to those where d > 0, corresponding to the Pareto–Tsallis statistical weights: these generalize the Boltzmann–Gibbs weight, which is recovered for d = 0. It is shown here how the weights arise, relaxing the thermodynamic equilibrium limit, either for a binomial distribution if d > 0 or for a negative binomial distribution if d < 0, formally corresponding to Fermion-like or Boson-like statistics, respectively. The current status of the phenomenology is illustrated emphasizing case studies; specifically (i) the super-Arrhenius kinetics, where transport phenomena accelerate processes as the temperature increases; (ii) the sub-Arrhenius kinetics, where quantum mechanical tunnelling propitiates low-temperature reactivity; (iii) the anti-Arrhenius kinetics, where processes with no energetic obstacles are rate-limited by molecular reorientation requirements. Particular attention is given for case (i) to the treatment of diffusion and viscosity, for case (ii) to formulation of a transition rate theory for chemical kinetics including quantum mechanical tunnelling, and for case (iii) to the stereodirectional specificity of the dynamics of reactions strongly hindered by the

Kinetics of low-temperature transitions and a reaction rate theory from non-equilibrium distributions.

PubMed

Aquilanti, Vincenzo; Coutinho, Nayara Dantas; Carvalho-Silva, Valter Henrique

2017-04-28

This article surveys the empirical information which originated both by laboratory experiments and by computational simulations, and expands previous understanding of the rates of chemical processes in the low-temperature range, where deviations from linearity of Arrhenius plots were revealed. The phenomenological two-parameter Arrhenius equation requires improvement for applications where interpolation or extrapolations are demanded in various areas of modern science. Based on Tolman's theorem, the dependence of the reciprocal of the apparent activation energy as a function of reciprocal absolute temperature permits the introduction of a deviation parameter d covering uniformly a variety of rate processes, from those where quantum mechanical tunnelling is significant and d  < 0, to those where d  > 0, corresponding to the Pareto-Tsallis statistical weights: these generalize the Boltzmann-Gibbs weight, which is recovered for d  = 0. It is shown here how the weights arise, relaxing the thermodynamic equilibrium limit, either for a binomial distribution if d  > 0 or for a negative binomial distribution if d  < 0, formally corresponding to Fermion-like or Boson-like statistics, respectively. The current status of the phenomenology is illustrated emphasizing case studies; specifically (i) the super -Arrhenius kinetics, where transport phenomena accelerate processes as the temperature increases; (ii) the sub -Arrhenius kinetics, where quantum mechanical tunnelling propitiates low-temperature reactivity; (iii) the anti -Arrhenius kinetics, where processes with no energetic obstacles are rate-limited by molecular reorientation requirements. Particular attention is given for case (i) to the treatment of diffusion and viscosity, for case (ii) to formulation of a transition rate theory for chemical kinetics including quantum mechanical tunnelling, and for case (iii) to the stereodirectional specificity of the dynamics of reactions strongly hindered by the

New insights for mesospheric OH: multi-quantum vibrational relaxation as a driver for non-local thermodynamic equilibrium

PubMed Central

Kalogerakis, Konstantinos S.; Matsiev, Daniel; Cosby, Philip C.; Dodd, James A.; Falcinelli, Stefano; Hedin, Jonas; Kutepov, Alexander A.; Noll, Stefan; Panka, Peter A.; Romanescu, Constantin; Thiebaud, Jérôme E.

2018-01-01

The question of whether mesospheric OH(υ) rotational population distributions are in equilibrium with the local kinetic temperature has been debated over several decades. Despite several indications for the existence of non-equilibrium effects, the general consensus has been that emissions originating from low rotational levels are thermalized. Sky spectra simultaneously observing several vibrational levels demonstrated reproducible trends in the extracted OH(υ) rotational temperatures as a function of vibrational excitation. Laboratory experiments provided information on rotational energy transfer and direct evidence for fast multi-quantum OH(high-υ) vibrational relaxation by O atoms. We examine the relationship of the new relaxation pathways with the behavior exhibited by OH(υ) rotational population distributions. Rapid OH(high-υ) + O multi-quantum vibrational relaxation connects high and low vibrational levels and enhances the hot tail of the OH(low-υ) rotational distributions. The effective rotational temperatures of mesospheric OH(υ) are found to deviate from local thermodynamic equilibrium for all observed vibrational levels. PMID:29503514

Comparison of influence of ageing on low-temperature characteristics of asphalt mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vacková, Pavla; Valentin, Jan; Benešová, Lucie

2017-09-01

Ability of relaxation of asphalt mixtures and thus its resilience to climate change and traffic load is decreasing by influence of aging - in this case aging of bituminous binder. Binder exposed to climate and UV ages and becomes more fragile and susceptible to damage. The results of the research presented in this paper are aimed to finding a correlation between low-temperature properties of referential and aged asphalt mixture specimens and characteristics (not low-temperature) of bituminous binders. In this research there were used conventional road binders, commonly used modified binders and binders additionally modified in the laboratory. The low-temperature characteristics were determined by strength flexural test, commonly used in the Czech Republic for High Modulus Asphalt Mixtures (TP 151), and semi-cylindrical bending test (EN 12697-44). Both of the tests were extended by specimens exposed to artificial long-term aging (EN 12697-52) - storing at 85° C for 5 days. The results were compared with characteristics of binders for finding a suitable correlation between characteristics of binders and asphalt mixtures.

Mechanical relaxations of a Cu60Zr40 metallic glass studied by using a dynamic mechanical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, H. T.; Park, C. O.

2013-03-01

The mechanical relaxation behaviors of a Cu60Zr40 metallic glass were investigated by using isothermal multi-frequency dynamic mechanical measurements. From the spectra of the elastic moduli, master curves were constructed using the time-temperature superposition principle. The temperature dependence of the shift factor was found to follow the Arrhenius relationship in two temperature regions, one below and the other above the glass transition temperature ( T g ), and the activation energies for low-temperature relaxation and viscous flow were 32.7 kJ/mol and 307.1 kJ/mol, respectively. The decoupling of these two relaxations, shown in the temperature dependent plot of the shift factor, manifests the dynamic glass transition temperature region of the Cu60Zr40 metallic glass. From the temperature dependence of the shift factor, the fragility index of this alloy was also estimated.

Excitations and relaxation dynamics in multiferroic GeV4S8 studied by terahertz and dielectric spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reschke, S.; Wang, Zhe; Mayr, F.; Ruff, E.; Lunkenheimer, P.; Tsurkan, V.; Loidl, A.

2017-10-01

We report on THz time-domain spectroscopy on multiferroic GeV4S8 , which undergoes orbital ordering at a Jahn-Teller transition at 30.5 K and exhibits antiferromagnetic order below 14.6 K. The THz experiments are complemented by dielectric experiments at audio and radio frequencies. We identify a low-lying excitation close to 0.5 THz, which is only weakly temperature dependent and probably corresponds to a molecular excitation within the electronic level scheme of the V4 clusters. In addition, we detect complex temperature-dependent behavior of a low-lying phononic excitation, closely linked to the onset of orbitally driven ferroelectricity. In the high-temperature cubic phase, which is paramagnetic and orbitally disordered, this excitation is of relaxational character becomes an overdamped Lorentzian mode in the orbitally ordered phase below the Jahn-Teller transition, and finally appears as well-defined phonon excitation in the antiferromagnetic state. Abrupt changes in the real and imaginary parts of the complex dielectric permittivity show that orbital ordering appears via a structural phase transition with strong first-order character and that the onset of antiferromagnetic order is accompanied by significant structural changes, which are of first-order character, too. Dielectric spectroscopy documents that at low frequencies, significant dipolar relaxations are present in the orbitally ordered, paramagnetic phase only. In contrast to the closely related GaV4S8 , this relaxation dynamics that most likely mirrors coupled orbital and polar fluctuations does not seem to be related to the dynamic processes detected in the THz regime.

Relaxation process of the discharge channel near the anode in long air gaps under positive impulse voltages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xiangen; He, Junjia; Luo, Bing; Jia, Lei; Yang, Yongchao; Xiao, Pei

2017-12-01

The relaxation process of the discharge channel near the anode in a long air gap was observed using a Schlieren system with a temporal resolution of 5 µs and a spatial resolution of 70 µm. The dynamic characteristics of the decay process in the vicinity of the anode are obtained. The discharge channel evolves just as a growing mushroom in nature during the relaxation phase. Two physical quantities, angle θ and velocity v, are defined to describe the process in this paper. The average value of the angle and velocity under lightning impulses are 71.7° and 3.3 m s-1 respectively, while 7.7 m s-1 under switching impulses. A simplified model was established to simulate the formation of mushroom-shaped channel. The simulation and experimental results show that the formation and development of the mushroom-shaped channel are due to two factors. One is the convection of the high temperature and high pressure air near the anode produced by the first corona discharge; the other is the ionic migration. These two factors result in the phenomena that the cooling process in the vicinity of the anode is much more efficient than further into the gap, whereas the thermal conductivity of the anode may have little contribution to that.

Charge carrier relaxation in InGaAs-GaAs quantum wire modulation-doped heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondratenko, S. V.; Iliash, S. A.; Mazur, Yu I.; Kunets, V. P.; Benamara, M.; Salamo, G. J.

2017-09-01

The time dependencies of the carrier relaxation in modulation-doped InGaAs-GaAs low-dimensional structures with quantum wires have been studied as functions of temperature and light excitation levels. The photoconductivity (PC) relaxation follows a stretched exponent with decay constant, which depends on the morphology of InGaAs epitaxial layers, presence of deep traps, and energy disorder due to inhomogeneous distribution of size and composition. A hopping model, where electron tunnels between bands of localized states, gives appropriate interpretation for temperature-independent PC decay across the temperature range 150-290 K. At low temperatures (T < 150 K), multiple trapping-retrapping via 1D states of InGaAs quantum wires (QWRs), sub-bands of two-dimensional electron gas of modulation-doped n-GaAs spacers, as well as defect states in the GaAs environment are the dominant relaxation mechanism. The PC and photoluminescence transients for samples with different morphologies of the InGaAs nanostructures are compared. The relaxation rates are found to be largely dependent on energy disorder due to inhomogeneous distribution of strain, nanostructure size and composition, and piezoelectric fields in and around nanostructures, which have a strong impact on efficiency of carrier exchange between bands of the InGaAs QWRs, GaAs spacers, or wetting layers; presence of local electric fields; and deep traps.

The spin-temperature theory of dynamic nuclear polarization and nuclear spin-lattice relaxation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byvik, C. E.; Wollan, D. S.

1974-01-01

A detailed derivation of the equations governing dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) and nuclear spin lattice relaxation by use of the spin temperature theory has been carried to second order in a perturbation expansion of the density matrix. Nuclear spin diffusion in the rapid diffusion limit and the effects of the coupling of the electron dipole-dipole reservoir (EDDR) with the nuclear spins are incorporated. The complete expression for the dynamic nuclear polarization has been derived and then examined in detail for the limit of well resolved solid effect transitions. Exactly at the solid effect transition peaks, the conventional solid-effect DNP results are obtained, but with EDDR effects on the nuclear relaxation and DNP leakage factor included. Explicit EDDR contributions to DNP are discussed, and a new DNP effect is predicted.

Spin-orbit coupling induced two-electron relaxation in silicon donor pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yang; Das Sarma, S.

2017-09-01

We unravel theoretically a key intrinsic relaxation mechanism among the low-lying singlet and triplet donor-pair states in silicon, an important element in the fast-developing field of spintronics and quantum computation. Despite the perceived weak spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in Si, we find that our discovered relaxation mechanism, combined with the electron-phonon and interdonor interactions, drives the transitions in the two-electron states over a large range of donor coupling regimes. The scaling of the relaxation rate with interdonor exchange interaction J goes from J5 to J4 at the low to high temperature limits. Our analytical study draws on the symmetry analysis over combined band, donor envelope, and valley configurations. It uncovers naturally the dependence on the donor-alignment direction and triplet spin orientation, and especially on the dominant SOC source from donor impurities. While a magnetic field is not necessary for this relaxation, unlike in the single-donor spin relaxation, we discuss the crossover behavior with increasing Zeeman energy in order to facilitate comparison with experiments.

Rotational Relaxation in Nonequilibrium Freejet Expansions of Heated Nitrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gochberg, Lawrence A.; Hurlbut, Franklin C.; Arnold, James O. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Rotational temperatures have been measured in rarefied, nonequilibrium, heated freejet expansions of nitrogen using the electron beam fluorescence technique at the University of California at Berkeley Low Density Wind Tunnel facility. Spectroscopic measurements of the (0,0) band of the first negative system of nitrogen reveal the nonequilibrium behavior in the flowfield upstream of, and through the Mach disk, which forms as the freejet expands into a region of finite back pressure. Results compare well with previous freejet expansion data and computations regarding location of the Mach disk and terminal rotational temperature in the expansion. Measurements are also presented for shock thickness based on the rotational temperature changes in the flow. Thickening shock layers, departures of rotational temperature from equilibrium in the expansion region, and downstream rotational temperature recovery much below that of an isentropic normal shock provide indications of the rarefied, nonequilibrium flow behavior. The data are analyzed to infer constant values of the rotational-relaxation collision number from 2.2 to 6.5 for the various flow conditions. Collision numbers are also calculated in a consistent manner for data from other investigations for which is seen a qualitative increase with increasing temperature. Rotational-relaxation collision numbers are seen as not fully descriptive of the rarefied freejet flows. This may be due to the high degree of nonequilibrium in the flowfields, and/or to the use of a temperature-insensitive rotational-relaxation collision number model in the data analyses.

Thermal relaxation behavior of residual stress in laser hardened 17-4PH steel after shot peening treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhou; Chen, Yanhua; Jiang, Chuanhai

2011-09-01

In order to investigate the residual stress relaxations of shot peened layer, isothermal annealing treatments were carried out on tempered and laser hardened 17-4PH steel after shot peening with different temperatures from 300 °C to 600 °C. The results showed that the residual stresses were relaxed in the whole deformation layer especially under higher temperature. The maximum rates of stress relaxation took place at the initial stage of annealing process in all conditions. The relaxation process during isothermal annealing could be described by Zener-Wert-Avrami function. The thermal stability of residual stress in tempered 17-4PH was higher than that in laser hardened 17-4PH as well as that in α-iron, which was due to the pinning effects of ɛ-Cu precipitates on the dislocation movement. As massive ɛ-Cu precipitates formed in the temperature about 480 °C, the activation enthalpies for stress relaxation in laser hardened 17-4PH were the same as that in tempered 17-4PH in the conditions of isothermal annealing temperatures of 500 °C and 600 °C.

Bolt clampup relaxation in a graphite/epoxy laminate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shivakumar, K. N.; Crews, J. H., Jr.

1982-01-01

A simple bolted joint was analyzed to calculate bolt clampup relaxation for a graphite/epoxy (T300/5208) laminate. A viscoelastic finite element analysis of a double-lap joint with a steel bolt was conducted. Clampup forces were calculated for various steady-state temperature-moisture conditions using a 20-year exposure duration. The finite element analysis predicted that clampup forces relax even for the room-temperature-dry condition. The relaxations were 8, 13, 20, and 30 percent for exposure durations of 1 day, 1 month, 1 year, and 20 years, respectively. As expected, higher temperatures and moisture levels each increased the relaxation rate. The combined viscoelastic effects of steady-state temperature and moisture appeared to be additive. From the finite-element analysis, a simple equation was developed for clampup force relaxation. This generalized equation was used to calculate clampup forces for the same temperature-moisture conditions as used in the finite-element analysis. The two sets of calculated results agreed well.

Deconvolution of the relaxations associated with local and segmental motions in poly(methacrylate)s containing dichlorinated benzyl moieties in the ester residue.

PubMed

Dominguez-Espinosa, Gustavo; Díaz-Calleja, Ricardo; Riande, Evaristo; Gargallo, Ligia; Radic, Deodato

2005-09-15

The relaxation behavior of poly(2,3-dichlorobenzyl methacrylate) is studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range of 10(-1)-10(9) Hz and temperature interval of 303-423 K. The isotherms representing the dielectric loss of the glassy polymer in the frequency domain present a single absorption, called beta process. At temperatures close to Tg, the dynamical alpha relaxation already overlaps with the beta process, the degree of overlapping increasing with temperature. The deconvolution of the alpha and beta relaxations is facilitated using the retardation spectra calculated from the isotherms utilizing linear programming regularization parameter techniques. The temperature dependence of the beta relaxation presents a crossover associated with a change in activation energy of the local processes. The distance between the alpha and beta peaks, expressed as log(fmax;beta/fmax;alpha) where fmax is the frequency at the peak maximum, follows Arrhenius behavior in the temperature range of 310-384 K. Above 384 K, the distance between the peaks remains nearly constant and, as a result, the a onset temperature exhibited for many polymers is not reached in this system. The fraction of relaxation carried out through the alpha process, without beta assistance, is larger than 60% in the temperature range of 310-384 K where the so-called Williams ansatz holds.

ASCA Temperature Maps for Merging and Relaxed Clusters and Physics of the Cluster Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Markevitch, M.; Sarazin, C.; Nevalainen, J.; Vikhlinin, A.; Forman, W.

1999-01-01

ASCA temperature maps for several galaxy clusters undergoing strong mergers will be presented. From these maps, it is possible to estimate velocities of the colliding subclusters. I will discuss several interesting implications of these estimates for the physics of the cluster gas and the shape of the gravitational potential. I will also present temperature maps and profiles for several relaxed clusters selected for X-ray mass determination, and present the mass values derived without the assumption of isothermality. The accurate mass-temperature and luminosity-temperature relations will be discussed. This talk will review how AXAF will revolutionize X-ray astronomy through its radically better imaging and spectroscopic resolution. Examples from many fields of astrophysics will be given.

Relaxation of the bulk modulus in partially molten dunite?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cline, C. J.; Jackson, I.

2016-11-01

To address the possibility of melt-related bulk modulus relaxation, a forced oscillation experiment was conducted at seismic frequencies on a partially molten synthetic dunite specimen (melt fraction = 0.026) utilizing the enhanced capacity of the Australian National University attenuation apparatus to operate in both torsional and flexural oscillation modes. Shear modulus and dissipation data are consistent with those for melt-bearing olivine specimens previously tested in torsion, with a pronounced dissipation peak superimposed on high-temperature background. Flexural data exhibit a monotonic decrease in complex Young's modulus with increasing temperature under transsolidus temperatures. The observed variation of Young's modulus is well described by the relationship 1/E 1/3G, without requiring relaxation of the bulk modulus. At high homologous temperatures, when shear modulus is low, extensional and flexural oscillation measurements have little resolution of bulk modulus, and thus, only pressure oscillation measurements can definitively constrain bulk properties at these conditions.

Effects of low temperature on coagulation of kaolinite suspensions.

PubMed

Xiao, Feng; Ma, Jun; Yi, Peng; Huang, Ju-Chang Howard

2008-06-01

In this study, coagulation of kaolinite suspensions at low temperatures is compared with that at an ambient temperature of 22 degrees C, and the process is examined with regard to the coagulation rate (CR) and chemical aspects of coagulation. Experiments using a photometric dispersion analyzer (PDA) show that coagulation of kaolinite suspensions can be taken as a two-phase process. Low temperature greatly reduces the CR of the first phase but not that of the second one. On the other hand, results show that low temperature did not serve to impede the hydrolysis of aluminum [Al(III)] within 1 min of alum addition. The measurements of electrophoretic mobility (EM) indicate that destabilization of kaolinite particles by hydrolyzed Al species was not hindered by low temperature within 1 min of alum addition. Slow coagulation at low temperature is due to the lowered CR but not the altered chemistry aspect of Al(III). Furthermore, the change in settled turbidity after 20-min flocculation as a function of coagulant dosage was more severe in the cold because of the low CR. Elongating floc-growth time, as observed, was able to counterbalance the retarded CR at low temperature and improve turbidity removal efficiency.

Low temperature processed complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device by oxidation effect from capping layer.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenwei; Al-Jawhari, Hala A; Nayak, Pradipta K; Caraveo-Frescas, J A; Wei, Nini; Hedhili, M N; Alshareef, H N

2015-04-20

In this report, both p- and n-type tin oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) were simultaneously achieved using single-step deposition of the tin oxide channel layer. The tuning of charge carrier polarity in the tin oxide channel is achieved by selectively depositing a copper oxide capping layer on top of tin oxide, which serves as an oxygen source, providing additional oxygen to form an n-type tin dioxide phase. The oxidation process can be realized by annealing at temperature as low as 190 °C in air, which is significantly lower than the temperature generally required to form tin dioxide. Based on this approach, CMOS inverters based entirely on tin oxide TFTs were fabricated. Our method provides a solution to lower the process temperature for tin dioxide phase, which facilitates the application of this transparent oxide semiconductor in emerging electronic devices field.

Tracking Temperature-Dependent Relaxation Times of Ferritin Nanomagnets with a Wideband Quantum Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer-Nolte, Eike; Schlipf, Lukas; Ternes, Markus; Reinhard, Friedemann; Kern, Klaus; Wrachtrup, Jörg

2014-11-01

We demonstrate the tracking of the spin dynamics of ensemble and individual magnetic ferritin proteins from cryogenic up to room temperature using the nitrogen-vacancy color center in diamond as a magnetic sensor. We employ different detection protocols to probe the influence of the ferritin nanomagnets on the longitudinal and transverse relaxation of the nitrogen-vacancy center, which enables magnetic sensing over a wide frequency range from Hz to GHz. The temperature dependence of the observed spectral features can be well understood by the thermally induced magnetization reversals of the ferritin and enables the determination of the anisotropy barrier of single ferritin molecules.

Calculation of the electron spin relaxation times in InSb and InAs by the projection-reduction method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kang, Nam Lyong, E-mail: nlkang@pusan.ac.kr

2014-12-07

The electron spin relaxation times in a system of electrons interacting with piezoelectric phonons mediated through spin-orbit interactions were calculated using the formula derived from the projection-reduction method. The results showed that the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the relaxation times in InSb and InAs were similar. The piezoelectric material constants obtained by a comparison with the reported experimental result were P{sub pe}=4.0×10{sup 22} eV/m for InSb and P{sub pe}=1.2×10{sup 23} eV/m for InAs. The result also showed that the relaxation of the electron spin by the Elliot-Yafet process is more relevant for InSb than InAs at a low density.

Relaxation of bending stresses and the reversibility of residual stresses in amorphous soft magnetic alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kekalo, I. B.; Mogil’nikov, P. S., E-mail: pavel-mog@mail.ru

2015-06-15

The reversibility of residual bending stresses is revealed in ribbon samples of cobalt- and iron-based amorphous alloys Co{sub 69}Fe{sub 3.7}Cr{sub 3.8}Si{sub 12.5}B{sub 11} and Fe{sub 57}Co{sub 31}Si{sub 2.9}B{sub 9.1}: the ribbons that are free of applied stresses and bent under the action of residual stresses become completely or incompletely straight upon annealing at the initial temperatures. The influence of annealing on the relaxation of bending stresses is studied. Preliminary annealing is found to sharply decrease the relaxation rate of bending stresses, and the initial stage of fast relaxation of these stresses is absent. Complete straightening of preliminarily annealed ribbons ismore » shown to occur at significantly higher temperatures than that of the initial ribbons. Incomplete straightening of the ribbons is explained by the fact that bending stresses relaxation at high annealing temperatures proceeds due to both reversible anelastic deformation and viscous flow, which is a fully irreversible process. Incomplete reversibility is also caused by irreversible processes, such as the release of excess free volume and clustering (detected by small-angle X-ray scattering). The revealed differences in the relaxation processes that occur in the cobalt- and iron-based amorphous alloys are discussed in terms of different atomic diffusion mobilities in these alloys.« less

Full Scale Field Trial of the Low Temperature Mercury Capture Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Locke, James; Winschel, Richard

2012-05-21

CONSOL Energy Inc., with partial funding from the Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory, designed a full-scale installation for a field trial of the Low-Temperature Mercury Control (LTMC) process, which has the ability to reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants by over 90 percent, by cooling flue gas temperatures to approximately 230°F and absorbing the mercury on the native carbon in the fly ash, as was recently demonstrated by CONSOL R&D on a slip-stream pilot plant at the Allegheny Energy Mitchell Station with partial support by DOE. LTMC has the potential to remove over 90 percent ofmore » the flue gas mercury at a cost at least an order of magnitude lower (on a $/lb mercury removed basis) than activated carbon injection. The technology is suitable for retrofitting to existing and new plants, and, although it is best suited to bituminous coal-fired plants, it may have some applicability to the full range of coal types. Installation plans were altered and moved from the original project host site, PPL Martins Creek plant, to a second host site at Allegheny Energy's R. Paul Smith plant, before installation actually occurred at the Jamestown (New York) Board of Public Utilities (BPU) Samuel A. Carlson (Carlson) Municipal Generating Station Unit 12, where the LTMC system was operated on a limited basis. At Carlson, over 60% mercury removal was demonstrated by cooling the flue gas to 220-230°F at the ESP inlet via humidification. The host unit ESP operation was unaffected by the humidification and performed satisfactorily at low temperature conditions.« less

Crystallization and doping of amorphous silicon on low temperature plastic

DOEpatents

Kaschmitter, James L.; Truher, Joel B.; Weiner, Kurt H.; Sigmon, Thomas W.

1994-01-01

A method or process of crystallizing and doping amorphous silicon (a-Si) on a low-temperature plastic substrate using a short pulsed high energy source in a selected environment, without heat propagation and build-up in the substrate. The pulsed energy processing of the a-Si in a selected environment, such as BF3 and PF5, will form a doped micro-crystalline or poly-crystalline silicon (pc-Si) region or junction point with improved mobilities, lifetimes and drift and diffusion lengths and with reduced resistivity. The advantage of this method or process is that it provides for high energy materials processing on low cost, low temperature, transparent plastic substrates. Using pulsed laser processing a high (>900.degree. C.), localized processing temperature can be achieved in thin films, with little accompanying temperature rise in the substrate, since substrate temperatures do not exceed 180.degree. C. for more than a few microseconds. This method enables use of plastics incapable of withstanding sustained processing temperatures (higher than 180.degree. C.) but which are much lower cost, have high tolerance to ultraviolet light, have high strength and good transparency, compared to higher temperature plastics such as polyimide.

Crystallization and doping of amorphous silicon on low temperature plastic

DOEpatents

Kaschmitter, J.L.; Truher, J.B.; Weiner, K.H.; Sigmon, T.W.

1994-09-13

A method or process of crystallizing and doping amorphous silicon (a-Si) on a low-temperature plastic substrate using a short pulsed high energy source in a selected environment, without heat propagation and build-up in the substrate is disclosed. The pulsed energy processing of the a-Si in a selected environment, such as BF3 and PF5, will form a doped micro-crystalline or poly-crystalline silicon (pc-Si) region or junction point with improved mobilities, lifetimes and drift and diffusion lengths and with reduced resistivity. The advantage of this method or process is that it provides for high energy materials processing on low cost, low temperature, transparent plastic substrates. Using pulsed laser processing a high (>900 C), localized processing temperature can be achieved in thin films, with little accompanying temperature rise in the substrate, since substrate temperatures do not exceed 180 C for more than a few microseconds. This method enables use of plastics incapable of withstanding sustained processing temperatures (higher than 180 C) but which are much lower cost, have high tolerance to ultraviolet light, have high strength and good transparency, compared to higher temperature plastics such as polyimide. 5 figs.

Synthesis of diamond films at low temperature and study of nonlinear dynamic synthesis process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Qingxun; Shang, Yong; Dong, Lifang; Fu, Guangsheng; Yan, Zheng; Yang, Jingfa

2002-09-01

In this paper, the experimental synthesis of diamond films and optical emission spectroscopy (OES) of the gaseous phase species are studied in the range of substrate temperature from Ts = 300°C to 850°C. The high quality sub-microcrystalline diamond films are successfully deposited at substrate temperature (330 ≍ 340)°C by adopting glow plasma assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition (GPCVD). For the first time, in situ OES is applied to diagnose weak signal of GPCVD system when CH4 and H2 are used as the input gas, and the reactive species are identified in diamond growth processes. A primary model of diamond films growing at low temperature is presented by studying dynamic behavior for nonequilibrium plasma reactions.

Revealing spatially heterogeneous relaxation in a model nanocomposite

DOE PAGES

Cheng, Shiwang; Mirigian, Stephen; Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.; ...

2015-11-18

The detailed nature of spatially heterogeneous dynamics of glycerol-silica nanocomposites is unraveled by combining dielectric spectroscopy with atomistic simulation and statistical mechanical theory. Analysis of the spatial mobility gradient shows no glassy layer, but the -relaxation time near the nanoparticle grows with cooling faster than the -relaxation time in the bulk and is ~20 times longer at low temperatures. The interfacial layer thickness increases from ~1.8 nm at higher temperatures to ~3.5 nm upon cooling to near bulk T g. A real space microscopic description of the mobility gradient is constructed by synergistically combining high temperature atomistic simulation with theory.more » Our analysis suggests that the interfacial slowing down arises mainly due to an increase of the local cage scale barrier for activated hopping induced by enhanced packing and densification near the nanoparticle surface. As a result, the theory is employed to predict how local surface densification can be manipulated to control layer dynamics and shear rigidity over a wide temperature range.« less

An experimental study of the intersystem crossing and reactions of C2(X1Sigmag+) and C2(a3Pi(u)) with O2 and NO at very low temperature (24-300 K).

PubMed

Páramo, Alejandra; Canosa, André; Le Picard, Sébastien D; Sims, Ian R

2006-03-09

A low-temperature gas-phase kinetics study of the reactions and collisional relaxation processes involving C2(X1Sigma(g)+) and C2(a3Pi(u)) in collision with O2 and NO partners at temperatures from 300 to 24 K is reported. The experiments employed a CRESU (Cinétique de Réaction en Ecoulement Supersonique Uniforme) apparatus to attain low temperatures. The C2 species were created using pulsed laser photolysis at 193 nm of mixtures containing C2Cl4 diluted in N2, Ar, or He carrier gas. C2(X1Sigma(g)+) molecules were detected via pulsed laser-induced fluorescence in the (D1Sigma(u)+ <-- X1Sigma(g)+) system, and C2(a3Pi(u)) molecules were detected via pulsed laser-induced fluorescence in the (d 3Pi(g) <-- a 3Pi(u)) system. Relaxation of 3C2 by intersystem crossing induced by oxygen was measured at temperatures below 200 K, and it was found that this process remains very efficient in the temperature range 50-200 K. Reactivity of C2(X1Sigma(g)+) with oxygen became very inefficient below room temperature. Using these two observations, it was found to be possible to obtain the C2(X1Sigma(g)+) state alone at low temperatures by addition of a suitable concentration of O2 and then study its reactivity with NO without any interference coming from the possible relaxation of C2(a3Pi(u)) to C2(X1Sigma(g)+) induced by this reagent. The rate coefficient for reaction of C2(X1Sigma(g)+) with NO was found to be essentially constant over the temperature range 36-300 K with an average value of (1.6 +/- 0.1) x 10(-10) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). Reactivity of C2(a3Pi(u)) with NO was found to possess a slight negative temperature dependence over the temperature range 50-300 K, which is in very good agreement with data obtained at higher temperatures.

Measuring gas temperature during spin-exchange optical pumping process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Normand, E.; Jiang, C. Y.; Brown, D. R.; Robertson, L.; Crow, L.; Tong, X.

2016-04-01

The gas temperature inside a Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping (SEOP) laser-pumping polarized 3He cell has long been a mystery. Different experimental methods were employed to measure this temperature but all were based on either modelling or indirect measurement. To date there has not been any direct experimental measurement of this quantity. Here we present the first direct measurement using neutron transmission to accurately determine the number density of 3He, the temperature is obtained using the ideal gas law. Our result showed a surprisingly high gas temperature of 380°C, compared to the 245°C of the 3He cell wall temperature and 178°C of the optical pumping oven temperature. This experiment result may be used to further investigate the unsolved puzzle of the "X-factor" in the SEOP process which places an upper bound to the 3He polarization that can be achieved. Additional spin relaxation mechanisms might exist due to the high gas temperature, which could explain the origin of the X-factor.

Bend stress relaxation and tensile primary creep of a polycrystalline alpha-SiC fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hee Man, Yun; Goldsby, Jon C.; Morscher, Gregory N.

1995-01-01

Understanding the thermomechanical behavior (creep and stress relaxation) of ceramic fibers is of both practical and basic interest. On the practical level, ceramic fibers are the reinforcement for ceramic matrix composites which are being developed for use in high temperature applications. It is important to understand and model the total creep of fibers at low strain levels where creep is predominantly in the primary stage. In addition, there are many applications where the component will only be subjected to thermal strains. Therefore, the stress relaxation of composite consituents in such circumstances will be an important factor in composite design and performance. The objective of this paper is to compare and analyze bend stress relaxation and tensile creep data for alpha-SiC fibers produced by the Carborundum Co. (Niagara Falls, NY). This fiber is of current technical interest and is similar in composition to bulk alpha-SiC which has been studied under compressive creep conditions. The temperature, time, and stress dependences will be discussed for the stress relaxation and creep results. In addition, some creep and relaxation recovery experiments were performed in order to understand the complete viscoelastic behavior, i.e. both recoverable and nonrecoverable creep components of these materials. The data will be presented in order to model the deformation behavior and compare relaxation and/or creep behavior for relatively low deformation strain conditions of practical concern. Where applicable, the tensile creep results will be compared to bend stress relaxation data.

Low-temperature cluster catalysis.

PubMed

Judai, Ken; Abbet, Stéphane; Wörz, Anke S; Heiz, Ulrich; Henry, Claude R

2004-03-10

Free and supported metal clusters reveal unique chemical and physical properties, which vary as a function of size as each cluster possesses a characteristic electron confinement. Several previous experimental results showed that the outcome of a given chemical reaction can be controlled by tuning the cluster size. However, none of the examples indicate that clusters prepared in the gas phase and then deposited on a support material are indeed catalytically active over several reaction cycles nor that their catalytic properties remain constant during such a catalytic process. In this work we report turn-over frequencies (TOF) for Pd(n) (n = 4, 8, 30) clusters using pulsed molecular beam experiments. The obtained results illustrate that the catalytic reactivity for the NO reduction by CO (CO + NO --> 1/2N(2) + CO(2)) is indeed a function of cluster size and that the measured TOF remain constant at a given temperature. More interestingly, the temperature of maximal reactivity is at least 100 K lower than observed for palladium nanoparticles or single crystals. One reason for this surprising observation is the character of the binding sites of these small clusters: N(2) forms already at relatively low temperatures (400 and 450 K) and therefore poisoning by adsorbed nitrogen adatoms is prevented. Thus, small clusters not only open the possibility of tuning a catalytic process by changing cluster size, but also of catalyzing chemical reactions at low temperatures.

Low Temperature Processed Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Device by Oxidation Effect from Capping Layer

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhenwei; Al-Jawhari, Hala A.; Nayak, Pradipta K.; Caraveo-Frescas, J. A.; Wei, Nini; Hedhili, M. N.; Alshareef, H. N.

2015-01-01

In this report, both p- and n-type tin oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) were simultaneously achieved using single-step deposition of the tin oxide channel layer. The tuning of charge carrier polarity in the tin oxide channel is achieved by selectively depositing a copper oxide capping layer on top of tin oxide, which serves as an oxygen source, providing additional oxygen to form an n-type tin dioxide phase. The oxidation process can be realized by annealing at temperature as low as 190°C in air, which is significantly lower than the temperature generally required to form tin dioxide. Based on this approach, CMOS inverters based entirely on tin oxide TFTs were fabricated. Our method provides a solution to lower the process temperature for tin dioxide phase, which facilitates the application of this transparent oxide semiconductor in emerging electronic devices field. PMID:25892711

Thermal diffusivity and nuclear spin relaxation: a continuous wave free precession NMR study.

PubMed

Venâncio, Tiago; Engelsberg, Mario; Azeredo, Rodrigo B V; Colnago, Luiz A

2006-07-01

Continuous wave free precession (CWFP) nuclear magnetic resonance is capable of yielding quantitative and easily obtainable information concerning the kinetics of processes that change the relaxation rates of the nuclear spins through the action of some external agent. In the present application, heat flow from a natural rubber sample to a liquid nitrogen thermal bath caused a large temperature gradient leading to a non-equilibrium temperature distribution. The ensuing local changes in the relaxation rates could be monitored by the decay of the CWFP signals and, from the decays, it was possible to ascertain the prevalence of a diffusive process and to obtain an average value for the thermal diffusivity.

Low-temperature-processed efficient semi-transparent planar perovskite solar cells for bifacial and tandem applications

PubMed Central

Fu, Fan; Feurer, Thomas; Jäger, Timo; Avancini, Enrico; Bissig, Benjamin; Yoon, Songhak; Buecheler, Stephan; Tiwari, Ayodhya N.

2015-01-01

Semi-transparent perovskite solar cells are highly attractive for a wide range of applications, such as bifacial and tandem solar cells; however, the power conversion efficiency of semi-transparent devices still lags behind due to missing suitable transparent rear electrode or deposition process. Here we report a low-temperature process for efficient semi-transparent planar perovskite solar cells. A hybrid thermal evaporation–spin coating technique is developed to allow the introduction of PCBM in regular device configuration, which facilitates the growth of high-quality absorber, resulting in hysteresis-free devices. We employ high-mobility hydrogenated indium oxide as transparent rear electrode by room-temperature radio-frequency magnetron sputtering, yielding a semi-transparent solar cell with steady-state efficiency of 14.2% along with 72% average transmittance in the near-infrared region. With such semi-transparent devices, we show a substantial power enhancement when operating as bifacial solar cell, and in combination with low-bandgap copper indium gallium diselenide we further demonstrate 20.5% efficiency in four-terminal tandem configuration. PMID:26576667

Low-temperature-processed efficient semi-transparent planar perovskite solar cells for bifacial and tandem applications.

PubMed

Fu, Fan; Feurer, Thomas; Jäger, Timo; Avancini, Enrico; Bissig, Benjamin; Yoon, Songhak; Buecheler, Stephan; Tiwari, Ayodhya N

2015-11-18

Semi-transparent perovskite solar cells are highly attractive for a wide range of applications, such as bifacial and tandem solar cells; however, the power conversion efficiency of semi-transparent devices still lags behind due to missing suitable transparent rear electrode or deposition process. Here we report a low-temperature process for efficient semi-transparent planar perovskite solar cells. A hybrid thermal evaporation-spin coating technique is developed to allow the introduction of PCBM in regular device configuration, which facilitates the growth of high-quality absorber, resulting in hysteresis-free devices. We employ high-mobility hydrogenated indium oxide as transparent rear electrode by room-temperature radio-frequency magnetron sputtering, yielding a semi-transparent solar cell with steady-state efficiency of 14.2% along with 72% average transmittance in the near-infrared region. With such semi-transparent devices, we show a substantial power enhancement when operating as bifacial solar cell, and in combination with low-bandgap copper indium gallium diselenide we further demonstrate 20.5% efficiency in four-terminal tandem configuration.

On the origin of the low-temperature band in depolarization current spectra of poled multicomponent silicate glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunkov, P. N.; Kaasik, V. P.; Lipovskii, A. A.; Tagantsev, D. K.

2018-04-01

Thermally stimulated depolarization current spectra of poled silicate multicomponent glasses in the vicinity of room temperature (220-320 K) have been recorded and two bands, typical for such glasses, have been observed. It was shown that the high-temperature band (at about 290 K) is related to the relaxation of poled glass structure in the bulk, while the low-temperature band (at about 230-270 K) should be attributed to the surface phenomenon—absorption/desorption of positive species of ambient atmosphere, supposedly, water cluster ions H+(H2O)n.

Characteristic of Low Temperature Carburized Austenitic Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Istiroyah; Pamungkas, M. A.; Saroja, G.; Ghufron, M.; Juwono, A. M.

2018-01-01

Low temperature carburizing process has been carried out on austenitic stainless steel (ASS) type AISI 316L, that contain chromium in above 12 at%. Therefore, conventional heat treatment processes that are usually carried out at high temperatures are not applicable. The sensitization process due to chromium migration from the grain boundary will lead to stress corrosion crack and decrease the corrosion resistance of the steel. In this study, the carburizing process was carried out at low temperatures below 500 °C. Surface morphology and mechanical properties of carburized specimens were investigated using optical microscopy, non destructive profilometer, and Vicker microhardness. The surface roughness analysis show the carburising process improves the roughness of ASS surface. This improvement is due to the adsorption of carbon atoms on the surface of the specimen. Likewise, the hardness test results indicate the carburising process increases the hardness of ASS.

Low-temperature bonding process for the fabrication of hybrid glass-membrane organ-on-a-chip devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pocock, Kyall J.; Gao, Xiaofang; Wang, Chenxi; Priest, Craig; Prestidge, Clive A.; Mawatari, Kazuma; Kitamori, Takehiko; Thierry, Benjamin

2016-10-01

The integration of microfluidics with living biological systems has paved the way to the exciting concept of "organs-on-a-chip," which aims at the development of advanced in vitro models that replicate the key features of human organs. Glass-based devices have long been utilized in the field of microfluidics but the integration of alternative functional elements within multilayered glass microdevices, such as polymeric membranes, remains a challenge. To this end, we have extended a previously reported approach for the low-temperature bonding of glass devices that enables the integration of a functional polycarbonate porous membrane. The process was initially developed and optimized on specialty low-temperature bonding equipment (μTAS2001, Bondtech, Japan) and subsequently adapted to more widely accessible hot embosser units (EVG520HE Hot Embosser, EVG, Austria). The key aspect of this method is the use of low temperatures compatible with polymeric membranes. Compared to borosilicate glass bonding (650°C) and quartz/fused silica bonding (1050°C) processes, this method maintains the integrity and functionality of the membrane (Tg 150°C for polycarbonate). Leak tests performed showed no damage or loss of integrity of the membrane for up to 150 h, indicating sufficient bond strength for long-term cell culture. A feasibility study confirmed the growth of dense and functional monolayers of Caco-2 cells within 5 days.

Low Temperature, Low Pressure Fabrication of Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

preceramic polymers that convert by pyrolysis to SiC , SiOC or C. Potential polymeric precursors to ZrB2 and ZrC were not selected, because they were not...limited extent, C/ SiC composite substrates using preceramic and precarbon polymers combined with inert fillers and/or reactive metals. The evolved... SiC is an obvious example for powder mixed with a preceramic polymer binder to achieve the desired low-temperature processing. The polymeric

Interactions and exchange of CO2 and H2O in coals: an investigation by low-field NMR relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaoxiao; Yao, Yanbin; Liu, Dameng; Elsworth, Derek; Pan, Zhejun

2016-01-01

The mechanisms by which CO2 and water interact in coal remain unclear and these are key questions for understanding ECBM processes and defining the long-term behaviour of injected CO2. In our experiments, we injected helium/CO2 to displace water in eight water-saturated samples. We used low-field NMR relaxation to investigate CO2 and water interactions in these coals across a variety of time-scales. The injection of helium did not change the T2 spectra of the coals. In contrast, the T2 spectra peaks of micro-capillary water gradually decreased and those of macro-capillary and bulk water increased with time after the injection of CO2. We assume that the CO2 diffuses through and/or dissolves into the capillary water to access the coal matrix interior, which promotes desorption of water molecules from the surfaces of coal micropores and mesopores. The replaced water mass is mainly related to the Langmuir adsorption volume of CO2 and increases as the CO2 adsorption capacity increases. Other factors, such as mineral composition, temperature and pressure, also influence the effective exchange between water and CO2. Finally, we built a quantified model to evaluate the efficiency of water replacement by CO2 injection with respect to temperature and pressure.

Interactions and exchange of CO2 and H2O in coals: an investigation by low-field NMR relaxation.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaoxiao; Yao, Yanbin; Liu, Dameng; Elsworth, Derek; Pan, Zhejun

2016-01-28

The mechanisms by which CO2 and water interact in coal remain unclear and these are key questions for understanding ECBM processes and defining the long-term behaviour of injected CO2. In our experiments, we injected helium/CO2 to displace water in eight water-saturated samples. We used low-field NMR relaxation to investigate CO2 and water interactions in these coals across a variety of time-scales. The injection of helium did not change the T2 spectra of the coals. In contrast, the T2 spectra peaks of micro-capillary water gradually decreased and those of macro-capillary and bulk water increased with time after the injection of CO2. We assume that the CO2 diffuses through and/or dissolves into the capillary water to access the coal matrix interior, which promotes desorption of water molecules from the surfaces of coal micropores and mesopores. The replaced water mass is mainly related to the Langmuir adsorption volume of CO2 and increases as the CO2 adsorption capacity increases. Other factors, such as mineral composition, temperature and pressure, also influence the effective exchange between water and CO2. Finally, we built a quantified model to evaluate the efficiency of water replacement by CO2 injection with respect to temperature and pressure.

Role of turboexpanders in low-temperature processing is growing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Atwood, L.

1969-01-20

The word turboexpander is, in some respects, an unfortunate choice of names since it implies there is a fundamental difference between a turboexpander and a turbine. Actually an expander is a turbine and a turbine is an expander. In simplest terms a turboexpander converts the energy of high-pressure gas into kinetic energy by increasing the velocity of the gas in the nozzles. It then converts this energy into work by the action of the high-velocity jets impinging on the expander blades. This describes an expander where all the pressure drop occurs in the nozzle. By far, the largest current applicationmore » for expansion turbines is in air-separation plants. These plants separate air into its various constituents for the tonnage production of oxygen, nitrogen, argon, etc. The recovery of helium from natural gas and the liquefaction of natural gas for storage and transportation are 2 processes requiring large quantities of refrigeration at low temperatures. Turbine expanders can be used to advantage in these systems.« less

Ultrafast Physics Behind the Nonradiative Relaxation Process of Chromium Ions in Forsterite Crystals.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demos, Stavros Gregorios

The nonradiative relaxation following photoexcitation has been studied in Cr^{4+} -doped forsterite (Mg_2SiO _4) using picosecond laser excitation and ultrasensitive photon counting detection. The experimental techniques utilized were time resolved antiStokes Raman scattering and up-converted hot and ordinary luminescence. The up-converted hot luminescence technique allowed the investigation of the upper state nonradiative relaxation of the excited state manifold of Cr^{4+ }-doped forsterite. The excitation involves the absorption of two photons per photoexcited ion in a two-step absorption. Discrete peaks are observed in the hot up-converted luminescence spectrum and are attributed to the population of nonequilibrium vibronic levels during the deexcitation of the ions by phonon emission. This work reveals that the phonon modes participating in the initial steps of the nonradiative relaxation of the photoexcited ions have energies 218 +/- 20, 325 +/- 20, 365 +/- 20 and 513 +/- 12 cm^ {-1}. The shape of the luminescence spectral envelope suggests two electronic bottlenecks at ~2.1 and ~2.45 eV associated with slower rates of vibrational relaxation at different parts of the excited state manifold. Time resolved measurements indicated that the average time for phonon emission is of the order of hundreds of fs. Information on the nonequilibrium phonon dynamics of the 225, 335 and 370 cm^{-1} modes of forsterite has been obtained using time resolved Raman scattering. Laser pulses of 450 fs in duration and 590 nm in wavelength were used to excite the Cr ions 2.1 eV above the ground state. The probe pulses (obtained from the same laser) are monitoring the nonequilibrium phonon population through the intensity of the antiStokes Raman lines at various pump-probe delay times. Experiments were performed at room and liquid nitrogen temperatures. The observed nonequilibrium phonon populations are associated with the overall complex nonradiative decay following the excitation of

Low-Energy, Low-Cost Production of Ethylene by Low- Temperature Oxidative Coupling of Methane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Radaelli, Guido; Chachra, Gaurav; Jonnavittula, Divya

In this project, we develop a catalytic process technology for distributed small-scale production of ethylene by oxidative coupling of methane at low temperatures using an advanced catalyst. The Low Temperature Oxidative Coupling of Methane (LT-OCM) catalyst system is enabled by a novel chemical catalyst and process pioneered by Siluria, at private expense, over the last six years. Herein, we develop the LT-OCM catalyst system for distributed small-scale production of ethylene by identifying and addressing necessary process schemes, unit operations and process parameters that limit the economic viability and mass penetration of this technology to manufacture ethylene at small-scales. The outputmore » of this program is process concepts for small-scale LT-OCM catalyst based ethylene production, lab-scale verification of the novel unit operations adopted in the proposed concept, and an analysis to validate the feasibility of the proposed concepts.« less

Pressure relaxation and diffusion of vacancies in rapidly grown helium crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birchenko, A. P.; Mikhin, N. P.; Rudavskii, E. Ya.; Smirnov, S. N.; Fysun, Ya. Yu.

2018-04-01

An experimental study of the features of pressure relaxation in rapidly grown crystals of a diluted solid solution 3He-4He, at temperatures above 1.3 K, was performed. A cylindrical cell with capacitive pressure sensors at the ends was used for measurements. It was found that, when the helium crystals were grown at cooling rates ≳4 mK/s, the difference in pressure ΔP registered by the sensors at 1.3 K reached 2.4 bars. The ΔP value decreased with subsequent stepwise increase in temperature, but reached zero only after thorough annealing at the premelting temperatures. The kinetics of pressure changes at the sample ends at different temperatures was recorded. The results obtained were interpreted within the framework of the structural relaxation model based on the monovacancy diffusion mechanism. The proposed model made it possible to explain the dependence of ΔP on the time and temperature recorded in the experiment, as well as to determine the activation energy of the structural relaxation process and the diffusion coefficient of vacancies. The details of the vacancy model are described in the Appendix.

Thermally induced magnetic relaxation in square artificial spin ice.

PubMed

Andersson, M S; Pappas, S D; Stopfel, H; Östman, E; Stein, A; Nordblad, P; Mathieu, R; Hjörvarsson, B; Kapaklis, V

2016-11-24

The properties of natural and artificial assemblies of interacting elements, ranging from Quarks to Galaxies, are at the heart of Physics. The collective response and dynamics of such assemblies are dictated by the intrinsic dynamical properties of the building blocks, the nature of their interactions and topological constraints. Here we report on the relaxation dynamics of the magnetization of artificial assemblies of mesoscopic spins. In our model nano-magnetic system - square artificial spin ice - we are able to control the geometrical arrangement and interaction strength between the magnetically interacting building blocks by means of nano-lithography. Using time resolved magnetometry we show that the relaxation process can be described using the Kohlrausch law and that the extracted temperature dependent relaxation times of the assemblies follow the Vogel-Fulcher law. The results provide insight into the relaxation dynamics of mesoscopic nano-magnetic model systems, with adjustable energy and time scales, and demonstrates that these can serve as an ideal playground for the studies of collective dynamics and relaxations.

Thermally induced magnetic relaxation in square artificial spin ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, M. S.; Pappas, S. D.; Stopfel, H.; Östman, E.; Stein, A.; Nordblad, P.; Mathieu, R.; Hjörvarsson, B.; Kapaklis, V.

2016-11-01

The properties of natural and artificial assemblies of interacting elements, ranging from Quarks to Galaxies, are at the heart of Physics. The collective response and dynamics of such assemblies are dictated by the intrinsic dynamical properties of the building blocks, the nature of their interactions and topological constraints. Here we report on the relaxation dynamics of the magnetization of artificial assemblies of mesoscopic spins. In our model nano-magnetic system - square artificial spin ice - we are able to control the geometrical arrangement and interaction strength between the magnetically interacting building blocks by means of nano-lithography. Using time resolved magnetometry we show that the relaxation process can be described using the Kohlrausch law and that the extracted temperature dependent relaxation times of the assemblies follow the Vogel-Fulcher law. The results provide insight into the relaxation dynamics of mesoscopic nano-magnetic model systems, with adjustable energy and time scales, and demonstrates that these can serve as an ideal playground for the studies of collective dynamics and relaxations.

Low-Temperature Plasma Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khare, Bishun; Meyyappan, M.

2004-01-01

A low-temperature plasma process has been devised for attaching specified molecular groups to carbon nanotubes in order to impart desired chemical and/or physical properties to the nanotubes for specific applications. Unlike carbon-nanotube- functionalization processes reported heretofore, this process does not involve the use of wet chemicals, does not involve exposure of the nanotubes to high temperatures, and generates very little chemical residue. In addition, this process can be carried out in a relatively simple apparatus and can readily be scaled up to mass production.

Slow magnetic relaxation at zero field in the tetrahedral complex [Co(SPh)4]2-.

PubMed

Zadrozny, Joseph M; Long, Jeffrey R

2011-12-28

The Ph(4)P(+) salt of the tetrahedral complex [Co(SPh)(4)](2-), possessing an S = (3)/(2) ground state with an axial zero-field splitting of D = -70 cm(-1), displays single-molecule magnet behavior in the absence of an applied magnetic field. At very low temperatures, ac magnetic susceptibility data show the magnetic relaxation time, τ, to be temperature-independent, while above 2.5 K thermally activated Arrhenius behavior is apparent with U(eff) = 21(1) cm(-1) and τ(0) = 1.0(3) × 10(-7) s. Under an applied field of 1 kOe, τ more closely approximates Arrhenius behavior over the entire temperature range. Upon dilution of the complex within a matrix of the isomorphous compound (Ph(4)P)(2)[Zn(SPh)(4)], ac susceptibility data reveal the molecular nature of the slow magnetic relaxation and indicate that the quantum tunneling pathway observed at low temperatures is likely mediated by intermolecular dipolar interactions. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Magnetocaloric effect and slow magnetic relaxation in CsGd(MoO4)2 induced by crystal-field anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkáč, V.; Tarasenko, R.; Orendáčová, A.; Orendáč, M.; Sechovský, V.; Feher, A.

2018-05-01

The experimental and theoretical study of magnetocaloric effect and magnetic relaxation of the powder sample of CsGd(MoO4)2 were performed. The large conventional magnetocaloric effect was found around 2 K with - ΔSmax ≈ 26.5 J/(kg K) for B = 7 T. AC susceptibility measurement revealed multiple-time scale magnetic relaxation effects on different time scales. Slowest relaxation effect was attributed to the direct process with a bottleneck effect and two faster relaxation processes are effectively temperature independent, probably as a result of averaging in the powder sample.

Low Temperature Magnetic Ordering of the Magnetic Ionic Plastic Crystal, Choline[FeCl4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Pedro, I.; García-Saiz, A.; Andreica, D.; Fernández Barquín, L.; Fernández-Díaz, M. T.; Blanco, J. A.; Amato, A.; Rodríguez Fernández, J.

2015-11-01

We report on the nature of the low temperature magnetic ordering of a magnetic ionic plastic crystal, Choline[FeCl4]. This investigation was carried out using heat capacity measurements, neutron diffraction experiments and muon spin relaxation (μSR) spectroscopy. The calorimetric measurements show the onset of an unusual magnetic ordering below 4 K with a possible second magnetic phase transition below 2 K. Low temperature neutron diffraction data reveal a three dimensional antiferromagnetic ordering at 2 K compatible with the previous magnetometry results. The analysis of μSR spectra indicates a magnetic phase transition below 2.2 K. At 1.6 K, the analysis of the shape of the μSR spectra suggests the existence of an additional magnetic phase with features of a possible incommensurate magnetic structure.

Low Temperature Sheet Forming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voges-Schwieger, Kathrin; Hübner, Sven; Behrens, Bernd-Arno

2011-05-01

Metastable austenitic stainless steels change their lattice during forming operations by strain-induced alpha'-martensite formation. Temperatures below T = 20° C can accelerate the phase transformation while temperatures above T = 60° C may suppress the formation of martensite during the forming operation. In past investigations, the effect of high-strength martensitic regions in an austenitic ductile lattice was used in crash relevant parts for transportation vehicles. The local martensitic regions act as reinforcements leading to an increase in crash energy absorption. Moreover, they control the folding behavior as well as the force-distance-characteristic and increase the buckling resistance. This paper deals with a concerted thermomechanical drawing process to increase the local formation of alpha'-martensite caused by low temperatures.

Low temperature stabilization process for production of carbon fiber having structural order

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rios, Orlando; McGuire, Michael Alan; More, Karren Leslie

A method for producing a carbon fiber, the method comprising: (i) subjecting a continuous carbon fiber precursor having a polymeric matrix in which strength-enhancing particles are incorporated to a stabilization process during which the carbon fiber precursor is heated to within a temperature range ranging from the glass transition temperature to no less than 20.degree. C. below the glass transition temperature of the polymeric matrix, wherein the maximum temperature employed in the stabilization process is below 400.degree. C., for a processing time within said temperature range of at least 1 hour in the presence of oxygen and in the presencemore » of a magnetic field of at least 1 Tesla, while said carbon fiber precursor is held under an applied axial tension; and (ii) subjecting the stabilized carbon fiber precursor, following step (i), to a carbonization process. The stabilized carbon fiber precursor, resulting carbon fiber, and articles made thereof are also described.« less

Relaxation processes of the liquid crystal ME6N in the isotropic phase studied by Raman scattering experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giorgini, Maria Grazia; Arcioni, Alberto; Polizzi, Ciro; Musso, Maurizio; Ottaviani, Paolo

2004-03-01

We have investigated the Raman profiles of the ν(C≡N) and ν(C=O) vibrational modes of the nematic liquid crystal ME6N (4-cyanophenyl-4'-hexylbenzoate) in the isotropic phase at different temperatures and used them as probes of the dynamics and structural organization of this liquid. The vibrational time correlation functions of the ν(C≡N) mode, rather adequately interpreted within the assumption of exponential modulation function (the Kubo-Rothschild theory), indicate that the system experiences an intermediate dynamical regime that gets only slightly faster with increasing temperature. However, this theory fails in predicting the non-exponential behavior that the time correlation functions manifest in the long time range (t>3 ps). For this reason we have additionally approached the interpretation of vibrational correlation functions in terms of the theory formulated by Rothschild and co-workers for locally structured liquids. The application of this theory reveals that the molecular dynamics in this liquid crystal in the isotropic phase is that deriving from a distribution of differently sized clusters, which narrows as the temperature increases. Even at the highest temperature reached in this study (87 °C above the nematic-isotropic transition), the liquid has not yet achieved the structure of the simple liquid and the dynamics has not reached the limit of the single channel process. The vibrational and orientational relaxations occur in very different time scales. The temperature independence of the orientational dynamics in the whole range from 55 °C to 135 °C has been referred to the nonhydrodynamic behavior of the system, arising when local pseudonematic structures persist for times longer than the orientational relaxation. The occurrence of the process of resonant vibrational energy transfer between the C=O groups of adjacent molecules has been revealed in the isotropic phase by a slightly positive Raman noncoincidence effect in the band associated

Kinetic study of low-temperature CO2 plasmas under non-equilibrium conditions. I. Relaxation of vibrational energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, T.; Grofulović, M.; Klarenaar, B. L. M.; Morillo-Candas, A. S.; Guaitella, O.; Engeln, R.; Pintassilgo, C. D.; Guerra, V.

2018-01-01

A kinetic model describing the time evolution of ˜70 individual CO2(X1Σ+) vibrational levels during the afterglow of a pulsed DC glow discharge is developed in order to contribute to the understanding of vibrational energy transfer in CO2 plasmas. The results of the simulations are compared against in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy data obtained in a pulsed DC glow discharge and its afterglow at pressures of a few Torr and discharge currents of around 50 mA. The very good agreement between the model predictions and the experimental results validates the kinetic scheme considered here and the corresponding vibration-vibration and vibration-translation rate coefficients. In this sense, it establishes a reaction mechanism for the vibrational kinetics of these CO2 energy levels and offers a firm basis to understand the vibrational relaxation in CO2 plasmas. It is shown that first-order perturbation theories, namely, the Schwartz-Slawsky-Herzfeld and Sharma-Brau methods, provide a good description of CO2 vibrations under low excitation regimes.

Influence of impurities and defects on the nuclear relaxation in YIG films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, K.; Lütgemeier, H.; Zinn, W.; Gerhardt, R.; Dötsch, H.; Kucera, M.; Englich, J.; Nitsch, K.; Novák, P.

1996-08-01

The relaxation of 57Fe nuclei in yttrium iron garnet (YIG) is very sensitive to the way in which charge compensation is achieved in these magnetic insulators. Charge compensation becomes necessary either if nontrivalent impurities are incorporated in the garnet structure or in the presence of intrinsic defects. From measurements of the nuclear relaxation times T1 and T2 in epitaxial YIG films doped with small amounts of Ca, Si or Pb, we conclude that the relaxation behavior at low temperatures depends critically on the presence of certain intrinsic defects, namely Fe 2+. These ions also increase the optical absorption in the near infrared.

Process and Microstructure to Achieve Ultra-high Dielectric Constant in Ceramic-Polymer Composites.

PubMed

Zhang, Lin; Shan, Xiaobing; Bass, Patrick; Tong, Yang; Rolin, Terry D; Hill, Curtis W; Brewer, Jeffrey C; Tucker, Dennis S; Cheng, Z-Y

2016-10-21

Influences of process conditions on microstructure and dielectric properties of ceramic-polymer composites are systematically studied using CaCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 (CCTO) as filler and P(VDF-TrFE) 55/45 mol.% copolymer as the matrix by combining solution-cast and hot-pressing processes. It is found that the dielectric constant of the composites can be significantly enhanced-up to about 10 times - by using proper processing conditions. The dielectric constant of the composites can reach more than 1,000 over a wide temperature range with a low loss (tan δ ~ 10 -1 ). It is concluded that besides the dense structure of composites, the uniform distribution of the CCTO particles in the matrix plays a key role on the dielectric enhancement. Due to the influence of the CCTO on the microstructure of the polymer matrix, the composites exhibit a weaker temperature dependence of the dielectric constant than the polymer matrix. Based on the results, it is also found that the loss of the composites at low temperatures, including room temperature, is determined by the real dielectric relaxation processes including the relaxation process induced by the mixing.

Process and Microstructure to Achieve Ultra-high Dielectric Constant in Ceramic-Polymer Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lin; Shan, Xiaobing; Bass, Patrick; Tong, Yang; Rolin, Terry D.; Hill, Curtis W.; Brewer, Jeffrey C.; Tucker, Dennis S.; Cheng, Z.-Y.

2016-10-01

Influences of process conditions on microstructure and dielectric properties of ceramic-polymer composites are systematically studied using CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) as filler and P(VDF-TrFE) 55/45 mol.% copolymer as the matrix by combining solution-cast and hot-pressing processes. It is found that the dielectric constant of the composites can be significantly enhanced-up to about 10 times - by using proper processing conditions. The dielectric constant of the composites can reach more than 1,000 over a wide temperature range with a low loss (tan δ ~ 10-1). It is concluded that besides the dense structure of composites, the uniform distribution of the CCTO particles in the matrix plays a key role on the dielectric enhancement. Due to the influence of the CCTO on the microstructure of the polymer matrix, the composites exhibit a weaker temperature dependence of the dielectric constant than the polymer matrix. Based on the results, it is also found that the loss of the composites at low temperatures, including room temperature, is determined by the real dielectric relaxation processes including the relaxation process induced by the mixing.

Process and Microstructure to Achieve Ultra-high Dielectric Constant in Ceramic-Polymer Composites

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lin; Shan, Xiaobing; Bass, Patrick; Tong, Yang; Rolin, Terry D.; Hill, Curtis W.; Brewer, Jeffrey C.; Tucker, Dennis S.; Cheng, Z.-Y.

2016-01-01

Influences of process conditions on microstructure and dielectric properties of ceramic-polymer composites are systematically studied using CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) as filler and P(VDF-TrFE) 55/45 mol.% copolymer as the matrix by combining solution-cast and hot-pressing processes. It is found that the dielectric constant of the composites can be significantly enhanced–up to about 10 times – by using proper processing conditions. The dielectric constant of the composites can reach more than 1,000 over a wide temperature range with a low loss (tan δ ~ 10−1). It is concluded that besides the dense structure of composites, the uniform distribution of the CCTO particles in the matrix plays a key role on the dielectric enhancement. Due to the influence of the CCTO on the microstructure of the polymer matrix, the composites exhibit a weaker temperature dependence of the dielectric constant than the polymer matrix. Based on the results, it is also found that the loss of the composites at low temperatures, including room temperature, is determined by the real dielectric relaxation processes including the relaxation process induced by the mixing. PMID:27767184

Temperature dependence of the structural relaxation time in equilibrium below the nominal T(g): results from freestanding polymer films.

PubMed

Ngai, K L; Capaccioli, Simone; Paluch, Marian; Prevosto, Daniele

2014-05-22

When the thickness is reduced to nanometer scale, freestanding high molecular weight polymer thin films undergo large reduction of degree of cooperativity and coupling parameter n in the Coupling Model (CM). The finite-size effect together with the surfaces with high mobility make the α-relaxation time of the polymer in nanoconfinement, τ(α)(nano)(T), much shorter than τ(α)(bulk)(T) in the bulk. The consequence is avoidance of vitrification at and below the bulk glass transition temperature, T(g)(bulk), on cooling, and the freestanding polymer thin film remains at thermodynamic equilibrium at temperatures below T(g)(bulk). Molecular dynamics simulations have shown that the specific volume of the freestanding film is the same as the bulk glass-former at equilibrium at the same temperatures. Extreme nanoconfinement renders total or almost total removal of cooperativity of the α-relaxation, and τ(α)(nano)(T) becomes the same or almost the same as the JG β-relaxation time τ(β)(bulk)(T) of the bulk glass-former at equilibrium and at temperatures below T(g)(bulk). Taking advantage of being able to obtain τ(β)(bulk)(T) at equilibrium density below T(g)(bulk) by extreme nanoconfinement of the freestanding films, and using the CM relation between τ(α)(bulk)(T) and τ(β)(bulk)(T), we conclude that the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann-Hesse (VFTH) dependence of τ(α)(bulk)(T) cannot hold for glass-formers in equilibrium at temperatures significantly below T(g)(bulk). In addition, τ(α)(bulk)(T) does not diverge at the Vogel temperature, T₀, as suggested by the VFTH-dependence and predicted by some theories of glass transition. Instead, τ(α)(bulk)(T) of the glass-former at equilibrium has a much weaker temperature dependence than the VFTH-dependence at temperature below T(g)(bulk) and even below T₀. This conclusion from our analysis is consistent with the temperature dependence of τ(α)(bulk)(T) found experimentally in polymers aged long enough time to attain the

Thermodynamic scaling of α-relaxation time and viscosity stems from the Johari-Goldstein β-relaxation or the primitive relaxation of the coupling model.

PubMed

Ngai, K L; Habasaki, J; Prevosto, D; Capaccioli, S; Paluch, Marian

2012-07-21

By now it is well established that the structural α-relaxation time, τ(α), of non-associated small molecular and polymeric glass-formers obey thermodynamic scaling. In other words, τ(α) is a function Φ of the product variable, ρ(γ)/T, where ρ is the density and T the temperature. The constant γ as well as the function, τ(α) = Φ(ρ(γ)/T), is material dependent. Actually this dependence of τ(α) on ρ(γ)/T originates from the dependence on the same product variable of the Johari-Goldstein β-relaxation time, τ(β), or the primitive relaxation time, τ(0), of the coupling model. To support this assertion, we give evidences from various sources itemized as follows. (1) The invariance of the relation between τ(α) and τ(β) or τ(0) to widely different combinations of pressure and temperature. (2) Experimental dielectric and viscosity data of glass-forming van der Waals liquids and polymer. (3) Molecular dynamics simulations of binary Lennard-Jones (LJ) models, the Lewis-Wahnström model of ortho-terphenyl, 1,4 polybutadiene, a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate, and a molten salt 2Ca(NO(3))(2)·3KNO(3) (CKN). (4) Both diffusivity and structural relaxation time, as well as the breakdown of Stokes-Einstein relation in CKN obey thermodynamic scaling by ρ(γ)/T with the same γ. (5) In polymers, the chain normal mode relaxation time, τ(N), is another function of ρ(γ)/T with the same γ as segmental relaxation time τ(α). (6) While the data of τ(α) from simulations for the full LJ binary mixture obey very well the thermodynamic scaling, it is strongly violated when the LJ interaction potential is truncated beyond typical inter-particle distance, although in both cases the repulsive pair potentials coincide for some distances.

Electron spin relaxation in carbon nanotubes: Dyakonov-Perel mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenov, Yuriy; Zavada, John; Kim, Ki Wook

2010-03-01

The long standing problem of unaccountable short spin relaxation in carbon nanotubes (CNT) meets a disclosure in terms of curvature-mediated spin-orbital interaction that leads to spin fluctuating precession analogous to Dyakonov-Perel mechanism. Strong anisotropy imposed by arbitrary directed magnetic field has been taken into account in terms of extended Bloch equations. Especially, stationary spin current through CNT can be controlled by spin-flip processes with relaxation time as less as 150 ps, the rate of transversal polarization (i.e. decoherence) runs up to 1/(70 ps) at room temperature while spin interference of the electrons related to different valleys can be responsible for shorter spin dephasing. Dependencies of spin-relaxation parameters on magnetic field strength and orientation, CNT curvature and chirality have been analyzed.

Zinc chloride modified electronic transport and relaxation studies in barium-tellurite glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhankhar, Sunil; Kundu, R. S.; Rani, Sunita; Sharma, Preeti; Murugavel, S.; Punia, Rajesh; Kishore, N.

2017-09-01

The ac conductivity of halide based tellurium glasses having composition 70 TeO2-(30-x) BaO-x ZnCl2; x = 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 has been investigated in the frequency range 10-1 Hz to 105Hz and in the temperature range 453 K to 553 K. The frequency and temperature dependent ac conductivity show mixed behaviour with increase in halide content and found to obey Jonscher's universal power law. The values of dc conductivity, crossover frequency and frequency exponent have been estimated from the fitting of experimental data of ac conductivity with Jonscher's universal power law. For determining the conduction mechanism in studied glass system, frequency exponent has been analyzed by various theoretical models. In presently studied glasses, the ac conduction takes place via overlapping large polaron tunneling (OLPT). The values of activation energy for dc conduction (W) and the one associated with relaxation process ( E R) are found to increase with increase in x up to glass sample with x = 15 and thereafter it decrease with increase in zinc chloride content. DC conduction takes place via variable range hopping (VRH) as proposed by Mott with some modification suggested by Punia et al. The value of real part of modulus ( M') is observed to decrease with increase in temperature. The value of stretched exponent (β) obtained from fitting of M'' reveals the presence of non-Debye type of relaxation in presently studied glass samples. Scaling spectra of ac conductivity and values of electric modulus ( M' and M'') collapse into a single master curve for all the compositions and temperatures. The values of relaxation energy ( E R) for all the studied glass compositions are almost equal to W, suggesting that polarons have to overcome same barrier while relaxing and conducting. The conduction and relaxation processes in the studied glass samples are composition and temperature independent. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Process Developed for Generating Ceramic Interconnects With Low Sintering Temperatures for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhong, Zhi-Min; Goldsby, Jon C.

2005-01-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have been considered as premium future power generation devices because they have demonstrated high energy-conversion efficiency, high power density, and extremely low pollution, and have the flexibility of using hydrocarbon fuel. The Solid-State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) initiative, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and private industries, is leading the development and commercialization of SOFCs for low-cost stationary and automotive markets. The targeted power density for the initiative is rather low, so that the SECA SOFC can be operated at a relatively low temperature (approx. 700 C) and inexpensive metallic interconnects can be utilized in the SOFC stack. As only NASA can, the agency is investigating SOFCs for aerospace applications. Considerable high power density is required for the applications. As a result, the NASA SOFC will be operated at a high temperature (approx. 900 C) and ceramic interconnects will be employed. Lanthanum chromite-based materials have emerged as a leading candidate for the ceramic interconnects. The interconnects are expected to co-sinter with zirconia electrolyte to mitigate the interface electric resistance and to simplify the processing procedure. Lanthanum chromites made by the traditional method are sintered at 1500 C or above. They react with zirconia electrolytes (which typically sinter between 1300 and 1400 C) at the sintering temperature of lanthanum chromites. It has been envisioned that lanthanum chromites with lower sintering temperatures can be co-fired with zirconia electrolyte. Nonstoichiometric lanthanum chromites can be sintered at lower temperatures, but they are unstable and react with zirconia electrolyte during co-sintering. NASA Glenn Research Center s Ceramics Branch investigated a glycine nitrate process to generate fine powder of the lanthanum-chromite-based materials. By simultaneously doping calcium on the lanthanum site, and cobalt and aluminum on the

Nuclear relaxation rate in layered superconductors with unconventional pairing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maleyev, S.V.; Yashenkin, A.G.; Aristov, D.N.

1994-11-01

The cubic temperature dependence of the nuclear relaxation rate (NRR) in layered superconductors with the order parameter having zeros at the Fermi surface (FS) is found to be universal under quite general conditions. The coefficient in the quasi-Korringa term for the NRR appearing at low temperatures due to impurity scattering is estimated. It is shown that an anisotropy of the gap function over the FS leads to the disappearance of the Hebel-Slichter coherence peak close to [ital T][sub [ital c

Conformational Entropy from Slowly Relaxing Local Structure Analysis of 15N-H Relaxation in Proteins: Application to Pheromone Binding to MUP-I in the 283-308 K Temperature Range.

PubMed

Žídek, Lukáš; Meirovitch, Eva

2017-09-21

The slowly relaxing local structure (SRLS) approach is applied to 15 N-H relaxation from the major urinary protein I (MUP-I), and its complex with pheromone 2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazol. The objective is to elucidate dynamics, and binding-induced changes in conformational entropy. Experimental data acquired previously in the 283-308 K temperature range are used. The N-H bond is found to reorient globally with correlation time, τ 1,0 , and locally with correlation time, τ 2,0 , where τ 1,0 ≫ τ 2,0 . The local motion is restricted by the potential u = -c 0 2 D 00 2 , where D 00 2 is the Wigner rotation matrix element for L = 2, K = 0, and c 0 2 evaluates the strength of the potential. u yields straightforwardly the order parameter, ⟨D 00 2 ⟩, and the conformational entropy, S k , both given by P eq = exp(-u). The deviation of the local ordering/local diffusion axis from the N-H bond, given by the angle β, is also determined. We find that c 0 2 ≅ 18 ± 4 and τ 2,0 = 0-170 ps for ligand-free MUP-I, whereas c 0 2 ≅ 15 ± 4 and τ 2,0 = 20-270 ps for ligand-bound MUP-I. β is in the 0-10° range. c 0 2 and τ 2,0 decrease, whereas β increases, when the temperature is increased from 283 to 308 K. Thus, SRLS provides physically well-defined structure-related (c 0 2 and ⟨D 00 2 ⟩), motion-related (τ 2,0 ), geometry-related (β), and binding-related (S k ) local parameters, and their temperature-dependences. Intriguingly, upon pheromone binding the conformational entropy of MUP-I decreases at high temperature and increases at low temperature. The very same experimental data were analyzed previously with the model-free (MF) method which yielded "global" (in this context, "relating to the entire 283-308 K range") amplitude (S 2 ) and rate (τ e ) of the local motion, and a phenomenological exchange term (R ex ). S 2 is found to decrease (implying implicitly "global" increase in S k ) upon pheromone binding.

Aging of Johari-Goldstein Relaxation in Structural Glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yardimci, Hasan; Leheny, Robert L.

2006-03-01

Using frequency-dependent dielectric susceptibility measurements we characterize the aging in two supercooled liquids, sorbitol and xylitol, below their calorimetric glass transition temperatures, Tg. In addition to the alpha relaxation that tracks the structural dynamics, the susceptibilities of both liquids possess a secondary Johari-Goldstein relaxation at higher frequencies. Following a quench below Tg, the susceptibility slowly approaches equilibrium behavior. For both liquids, features of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation display a dependence on the time since the quench, or aging time, that is very similar to the age dependence of the alpha peak. However, one can not assign a single fictive temperature to both the alpha and Johari-Goldstein relaxations. For example, the peak frequency of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation remains constant during aging for sorbitol while it increases with age for xylitol, inconsistent with a decreasing fictive temperature. This behavior contrasts with that of the high frequency tail of the alpha peak whose shape and position track the aging of the main part of the peak.

NMR spin-rotation relaxation and diffusion of methane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, P. M.; Asthagiri, D.; Chapman, W. G.; Hirasaki, G. J.

2018-05-01

The translational diffusion-coefficient and the spin-rotation contribution to the 1H NMR relaxation rate for methane (CH4) are investigated using MD (molecular dynamics) simulations, over a wide range of densities and temperatures, spanning the liquid, supercritical, and gas phases. The simulated diffusion-coefficients agree well with measurements, without any adjustable parameters in the interpretation of the simulations. A minimization technique is developed to compute the angular velocity for non-rigid spherical molecules, which is used to simulate the autocorrelation function for spin-rotation interactions. With increasing diffusivity, the autocorrelation function shows increasing deviations from the single-exponential decay predicted by the Langevin theory for rigid spheres, and the deviations are quantified using inverse Laplace transforms. The 1H spin-rotation relaxation rate derived from the autocorrelation function using the "kinetic model" agrees well with measurements in the supercritical/gas phase, while the relaxation rate derived using the "diffusion model" agrees well with measurements in the liquid phase. 1H spin-rotation relaxation is shown to dominate over the MD-simulated 1H-1H dipole-dipole relaxation at high diffusivity, while the opposite is found at low diffusivity. At high diffusivity, the simulated spin-rotation correlation time agrees with the kinetic collision time for gases, which is used to derive a new expression for 1H spin-rotation relaxation, without any adjustable parameters.

Characterization of dynamics in complex lyophilized formulations: I. Comparison of relaxation times measured by isothermal calorimetry with data estimated from the width of the glass transition temperature region.

PubMed

Chieng, Norman; Mizuno, Masayasu; Pikal, Michael

2013-10-01

The purposes of this study are to characterize the relaxation dynamics in complex freeze dried formulations and to investigate the quantitative relationship between the structural relaxation time as measured by thermal activity monitor (TAM) and that estimated from the width of the glass transition temperature (ΔT(g)). The latter method has advantages over TAM because it is simple and quick. As part of this objective, we evaluate the accuracy in estimating relaxation time data at higher temperatures (50 °C and 60 °C) from TAM data at lower temperature (40 °C) and glass transition region width (ΔT(g)) data obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. Formulations studied here were hydroxyethyl starch (HES)-disaccharide, HES-polyol, and HES-disaccharide-polyol at various ratios. We also re-examine, using TAM derived relaxation times, the correlation between protein stability (human growth hormone, hGH) and relaxation times explored in a previous report, which employed relaxation time data obtained from ΔT(g). Results show that most of the freeze dried formulations exist in single amorphous phase, and structural relaxation times were successfully measured for these systems. We find a reasonably good correlation between TAM measured relaxation times and corresponding data obtained from estimates based on ΔT(g), but the agreement is only qualitative. The comparison plot showed that TAM data are directly proportional to the 1/3 power of ΔT(g) data, after correcting for an offset. Nevertheless, the correlation between hGH stability and relaxation time remained qualitatively the same as found with using ΔT(g) derived relaxation data, and it was found that the modest extrapolation of TAM data to higher temperatures using ΔT(g) method and TAM data at 40 °C resulted in quantitative agreement with TAM measurements made at 50 °C and 60 °C, provided the TAM experiment temperature, is well below the Tg of the sample. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Characterization of Dynamics in Complex Lyophilized Formulations: I. Comparison of Relaxation Times Measured by Isothermal Calorimetry with Data Estimated from the Width of the Glass Transition Temperature Region

PubMed Central

Chieng, Norman; Mizuno, Masayasu; Pikal, Michael

2013-01-01

The purposes of this study are to characterize the relaxation dynamics in complex freeze dried formulations and to investigate the quantitative relationship between the structural relaxation time as measured by thermal activity monitor (TAM) and that estimated from the width of the glass transition temperature (ΔTg). The latter method has advantages over TAM because it is simple and quick. As part of this objective, we evaluate the accuracy in estimating relaxation time data at higher temperatures (50°C and 60°C) from TAM data at lower temperature (40°C) and glass transition region width (ΔTg) data obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. Formulations studied here were hydroxyethyl starch (HES)-disaccharide, HES-polyol and HES-disaccharide-polyol at various ratios. We also re-examine, using TAM derived relaxation times, the correlation between protein stability (human growth hormone, hGH) and relaxation times explored in a previous report, which employed relaxation time data obtained from ΔTg. Results show that most of the freeze dried formulations exist in single amorphous phase, and structural relaxation times were successfully measured for these systems. We find a reasonably good correlation between TAM measured relaxation times and corresponding data obtained from estimates based on ΔTg, but the agreement is only qualitative. The comparison plot showed that TAM data is directly proportional to the 1/3 power of ΔTg data, after correcting for an offset. Nevertheless, the correlation between hGH stability and relaxation time remained qualitatively the same as found with using ΔTg derived relaxation data, and it was found that the modest extrapolation of TAM data to higher temperatures using ΔTg method and TAM data at 40°C resulted in quantitative agreement with TAM measurements made at 50 °C and 60 °C, provided the TAM experiment temperature is well below the Tg of the sample. PMID:23608636

Conversion of an atomic to a molecular argon ion and low pressure argon relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

M, N. Stankov; A, P. Jovanović; V, Lj Marković; S, N. Stamenković

2016-01-01

The dominant process in relaxation of DC glow discharge between two plane parallel electrodes in argon at pressure 200 Pa is analyzed by measuring the breakdown time delay and by analytical and numerical models. By using the approximate analytical model it is found that the relaxation in a range from 20 to 60 ms in afterglow is dominated by ions, produced by atomic-to-molecular conversion of Ar+ ions in the first several milliseconds after the cessation of the discharge. This conversion is confirmed by the presence of double-Gaussian distribution for the formative time delay, as well as conversion maxima in a set of memory curves measured in different conditions. Finally, the numerical one-dimensional (1D) model for determining the number densities of dominant particles in stationary DC glow discharge and two-dimensional (2D) model for the relaxation are used to confirm the previous assumptions and to determine the corresponding collision and transport coefficients of dominant species and processes. Project supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Grant No. ON171025).

The strengthening mechanism of a nickel-based alloy after laser shock processing at high temperatures

PubMed Central

Li, Yinghong; Zhou, Liucheng; He, Weifeng; He, Guangyu; Wang, Xuede; Nie, Xiangfan; Wang, Bo; Luo, Sihai; Li, Yuqin

2013-01-01

We investigated the strengthening mechanism of laser shock processing (LSP) at high temperatures in the K417 nickel-based alloy. Using a laser-induced shock wave, residual compressive stresses and nanocrystals with a length of 30–200 nm and a thickness of 1 μm are produced on the surface of the nickel-based alloy K417. When the K417 alloy is subjected to heat treatment at 900 °C after LSP, most of the residual compressive stress relaxes while the microhardness retains good thermal stability; the nanocrystalline surface has not obviously grown after the 900 °C per 10 h heat treatment, which shows a comparatively good thermal stability. There are several reasons for the good thermal stability of the nanocrystalline surface, such as the low value of cold hardening of LSP, extreme high-density defects and the grain boundary pinning of an impure element. The results of the vibration fatigue experiments show that the fatigue strength of K417 alloy is enhanced and improved from 110 to 285 MPa after LSP. After the 900 °C per 10 h heat treatment, the fatigue strength is 225 MPa; the heat treatment has not significantly reduced the reinforcement effect. The feature of the LSP strengthening mechanism of nickel-based alloy at a high temperature is the co-working effect of the nanocrystalline surface and the residual compressive stress after thermal relaxation. PMID:27877617

Dispersion Relations for Proton Relaxation in Solid Dielectrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalytka, V. A.; Korovkin, M. V.

2017-04-01

Frequency-temperature spectra of the complex permittivity are studied for proton semiconductors and dielectrics using the methods of a quasi-classical kinetic theory of dielectric relaxation (the Boltzmann kinetic theory) in the linear approximation with respect to the polarizing field in the radio frequency range at temperatures T = 50-450 K. The effect of the quantum transitions of protons on the Debye dispersion relations is taken into account for crystals with hydrogen bonds (HBC) at low temperatures (50-100 K). The diffusion coefficients and the mobilities under electrical transfer of protons in the HBCs are constructed at high temperatures (100-350 K) in a non-linear approximation with respect to the polarizing field.

Boson peak dynamics of natural polymer starch investigated by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and low-frequency Raman scattering.

PubMed

Terao, Wakana; Mori, Tatsuya; Fujii, Yasuhiro; Koreeda, Akitoshi; Kabeya, Mikitoshi; Kojima, Seiji

2018-03-05

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and low-frequency Raman scattering were performed on the natural polymer starch to investigate the boson peak (BP) dynamics. In the infrared spectrum, the BP was observed at 0.99THz at the lowest temperature. Compared to the result from a previous study for vitreous glucose, both the frequency of the BP and absorption coefficient show lower values than those of the vitreous glucose. These behaviors originate from the longer correlation length of the medium-range order and lower concentration of hydroxyl groups in the starch. In the Raman spectrum, the BP was observed at 1.1THz at room temperature, although the BP was not observed around room temperature due to the excess wing of the fast relaxation modes in the infrared spectrum. The temperature dependence of ε″(ν) during the heating process and cooling process shows a hysteresis below 230K. During the heating process, kinks were observed at 140K and 230K. These kinks are attributed to the β-relaxation and the β wet -relaxation, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Boson peak dynamics of natural polymer starch investigated by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and low-frequency Raman scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terao, Wakana; Mori, Tatsuya; Fujii, Yasuhiro; Koreeda, Akitoshi; Kabeya, Mikitoshi; Kojima, Seiji

2018-03-01

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and low-frequency Raman scattering were performed on the natural polymer starch to investigate the boson peak (BP) dynamics. In the infrared spectrum, the BP was observed at 0.99 THz at the lowest temperature. Compared to the result from a previous study for vitreous glucose, both the frequency of the BP and absorption coefficient show lower values than those of the vitreous glucose. These behaviors originate from the longer correlation length of the medium-range order and lower concentration of hydroxyl groups in the starch. In the Raman spectrum, the BP was observed at 1.1 THz at room temperature, although the BP was not observed around room temperature due to the excess wing of the fast relaxation modes in the infrared spectrum. The temperature dependence of ε″(ν) during the heating process and cooling process shows a hysteresis below 230 K. During the heating process, kinks were observed at 140 K and 230 K. These kinks are attributed to the β-relaxation and the βwet-relaxation, respectively.

High Performance, Low Temperature Solution-Processed Barium and Strontium Doped Oxide Thin Film Transistors.

PubMed

Banger, Kulbinder K; Peterson, Rebecca L; Mori, Kiyotaka; Yamashita, Yoshihisa; Leedham, Timothy; Sirringhaus, Henning

2014-01-28

Amorphous mixed metal oxides are emerging as high performance semiconductors for thin film transistor (TFT) applications, with indium gallium zinc oxide, InGaZnO (IGZO), being one of the most widely studied and best performing systems. Here, we investigate alkaline earth (barium or strontium) doped InBa(Sr)ZnO as alternative, semiconducting channel layers and compare their performance of the electrical stress stability with IGZO. In films fabricated by solution-processing from metal alkoxide precursors and annealed to 450 °C we achieve high field-effect electron mobility up to 26 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . We show that it is possible to solution-process these materials at low process temperature (225-200 °C yielding mobilities up to 4.4 cm 2 V -1 s -1 ) and demonstrate a facile "ink-on-demand" process for these materials which utilizes the alcoholysis reaction of alkyl metal precursors to negate the need for complex synthesis and purification protocols. Electrical bias stress measurements which can serve as a figure of merit for performance stability for a TFT device reveal Sr- and Ba-doped semiconductors to exhibit enhanced electrical stability and reduced threshold voltage shift compared to IGZO irrespective of the process temperature and preparation method. This enhancement in stability can be attributed to the higher Gibbs energy of oxidation of barium and strontium compared to gallium.

High Performance, Low Temperature Solution-Processed Barium and Strontium Doped Oxide Thin Film Transistors

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Amorphous mixed metal oxides are emerging as high performance semiconductors for thin film transistor (TFT) applications, with indium gallium zinc oxide, InGaZnO (IGZO), being one of the most widely studied and best performing systems. Here, we investigate alkaline earth (barium or strontium) doped InBa(Sr)ZnO as alternative, semiconducting channel layers and compare their performance of the electrical stress stability with IGZO. In films fabricated by solution-processing from metal alkoxide precursors and annealed to 450 °C we achieve high field-effect electron mobility up to 26 cm2 V–1 s–1. We show that it is possible to solution-process these materials at low process temperature (225–200 °C yielding mobilities up to 4.4 cm2 V–1 s–1) and demonstrate a facile “ink-on-demand” process for these materials which utilizes the alcoholysis reaction of alkyl metal precursors to negate the need for complex synthesis and purification protocols. Electrical bias stress measurements which can serve as a figure of merit for performance stability for a TFT device reveal Sr- and Ba-doped semiconductors to exhibit enhanced electrical stability and reduced threshold voltage shift compared to IGZO irrespective of the process temperature and preparation method. This enhancement in stability can be attributed to the higher Gibbs energy of oxidation of barium and strontium compared to gallium. PMID:24511184

The effect of a broad activation energy distribution on deuteron spin-lattice relaxation.

PubMed

Ylinen, E E; Punkkinen, M; Birczyński, A; Lalowicz, Z T

2015-10-01

Deuteron NMR spectra and spin-lattice relaxation were studied experimentally in zeolite NaY(2.4) samples containing 100% or 200% of CD3OH or CD3OD molecules of the total coverage of Na atoms in the temperature range 20-150K. The activation energies describing the methyl and hydroxyl motions show broad distributions. The relaxation data were interpreted by improving a recent model (Stoch et al., 2013 [16]) in which the nonexponential relaxation curves are at first described by a sum of three exponentials with adjustable relaxation rates and weights. Then a broad distribution of activation energies (the mean activation energy A0 and the width σ) was assumed for each essentially different methyl and hydroxyl position. The correlation times were calculated from the Arrhenius equation (containing the pre-exponential factor τ0), individual relaxation rates computed and classified into three classes, and finally initial relaxation rates and weights for each class formed. These were compared with experimental data, motional parameters changed slightly and new improved rates and weights for each class calculated, etc. This method was improved by deriving for the deuterons of the A and E species methyl groups relaxation rates, which depend explicitly on the tunnel frequency ωt. The temperature dependence of ωt and of the low-temperature correlation time were obtained by using the solutions of the Mathieu equation for a threefold potential. These dependencies were included in the simulations and as the result sets of A0, σ and τ0 obtained, which describe the methyl and hydroxyl motions in different positions in zeolite. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel spin dynamics in ferrimagnetic molecular chains from 1H NMR and μSR spin-lattice relaxation measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Micotti, E.; Lascialfari, A.; Rigamonti, A.; Aldrovandi, S.; Caneschi, A.; Gatteschi, D.; Bogani, L.

2004-05-01

The spin dynamics in the helical chain Co(hfac) 2NITPhOMe has been investigated by 1H NMR and μSR relaxation. In the temperature range 15relaxation of the homogeneous magnetization. For T⩽15 K, NMR and μSR evidence a second spin relaxation mechanism, undetected by the magnetization measurements. From the analysis of these data, insights on this novel relaxation process are derived.

Thermally induced magnetic relaxation in square artificial spin ice

DOE PAGES

Andersson, M. S.; Pappas, S. D.; Stopfel, H.; ...

2016-11-24

The properties of natural and artificial assemblies of interacting elements, ranging from Quarks to Galaxies, are at the heart of Physics. The collective response and dynamics of such assemblies are dictated by the intrinsic dynamical properties of the building blocks, the nature of their interactions and topological constraints. Here in this paper, we report on the relaxation dynamics of the magnetization of artificial assemblies of mesoscopic spins. In our model nano-magnetic system $-$ square artificial spin ice $-$ we are able to control the geometrical arrangement and interaction strength between the magnetically interacting building blocks by means of nano-lithography. Usingmore » time resolved magnetometry we show that the relaxation process can be described using the Kohlrausch law and that the extracted temperature dependent relaxation times of the assemblies follow the Vogel-Fulcher law. The results provide insight into the relaxation dynamics of mesoscopic nano-magnetic model systems, with adjustable energy and time scales, and demonstrates that these can serve as an ideal playground for the studies of collective dynamics and relaxations.« less

Thermally induced magnetic relaxation in square artificial spin ice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andersson, M. S.; Pappas, S. D.; Stopfel, H.

The properties of natural and artificial assemblies of interacting elements, ranging from Quarks to Galaxies, are at the heart of Physics. The collective response and dynamics of such assemblies are dictated by the intrinsic dynamical properties of the building blocks, the nature of their interactions and topological constraints. Here in this paper, we report on the relaxation dynamics of the magnetization of artificial assemblies of mesoscopic spins. In our model nano-magnetic system $-$ square artificial spin ice $-$ we are able to control the geometrical arrangement and interaction strength between the magnetically interacting building blocks by means of nano-lithography. Usingmore » time resolved magnetometry we show that the relaxation process can be described using the Kohlrausch law and that the extracted temperature dependent relaxation times of the assemblies follow the Vogel-Fulcher law. The results provide insight into the relaxation dynamics of mesoscopic nano-magnetic model systems, with adjustable energy and time scales, and demonstrates that these can serve as an ideal playground for the studies of collective dynamics and relaxations.« less

Threshold heating temperature for magnetic hyperthermia: Controlling the heat exchange with the blocking temperature of magnetic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pimentel, B.; Caraballo-Vivas, R. J.; Checca, N. R.; Zverev, V. I.; Salakhova, R. T.; Makarova, L. A.; Pyatakov, A. P.; Perov, N. S.; Tishin, A. M.; Shtil, A. A.; Rossi, A. L.; Reis, M. S.

2018-04-01

La0.75Sr0.25MnO3 nanoparticles with average diameter close to 20.9 nm were synthesized using a sol-gel method. Measurements showed that the heating process stops at the blocking temperaturesignificantly below the Curie temperature. Measurements of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) as a function of AC magnetic field revealed a superquadratic power law, indicating that, in addition to usual Néel and Brown relaxation, the hysteresis also plays an important role in the mechanism of heating. The ability to control the threshold heating temperature, a low remanent magnetization and a low field needed to achieve the magnetic saturation are the advantages of this material for therapeutic magnetic hyperthermia.

Suppression of vapor cell temperature error for spin-exchange-relaxation-free magnetometer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Jixi, E-mail: lujixi@buaa.edu.cn; Qian, Zheng; Fang, Jiancheng

2015-08-15

This paper presents a method to reduce the vapor cell temperature error of the spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) magnetometer. The fluctuation of cell temperature can induce variations of the optical rotation angle, resulting in a scale factor error of the SERF magnetometer. In order to suppress this error, we employ the variation of the probe beam absorption to offset the variation of the optical rotation angle. The theoretical discussion of our method indicates that the scale factor error introduced by the fluctuation of the cell temperature could be suppressed by setting the optical depth close to one. In our experiment, we adjustmore » the probe frequency to obtain various optical depths and then measure the variation of scale factor with respect to the corresponding cell temperature changes. Our experimental results show a good agreement with our theoretical analysis. Under our experimental condition, the error has been reduced significantly compared with those when the probe wavelength is adjusted to maximize the probe signal. The cost of this method is the reduction of the scale factor of the magnetometer. However, according to our analysis, it only has minor effect on the sensitivity under proper operating parameters.« less

A Low-Cost CMOS Programmable Temperature Switch

PubMed Central

Li, Yunlong; Wu, Nanjian

2008-01-01

A novel uncalibrated CMOS programmable temperature switch with high temperature accuracy is presented. Its threshold temperature Tth can be programmed by adjusting the ratios of width and length of the transistors. The operating principles of the temperature switch circuit is theoretically explained. A floating gate neural MOS circuit is designed to compensate automatically the threshold temperature Tth variation that results form the process tolerance. The switch circuit is implemented in a standard 0.35 μm CMOS process. The temperature switch can be programmed to perform the switch operation at 16 different threshold temperature Tths from 45—120°C with a 5°C increment. The measurement shows a good consistency in the threshold temperatures. The chip core area is 0.04 mm2 and power consumption is 3.1 μA at 3.3V power supply. The advantages of the temperature switch are low power consumption, the programmable threshold temperature and the controllable hysteresis. PMID:27879871

Interactions and exchange of CO2 and H2O in coals: an investigation by low-field NMR relaxation

PubMed Central

Sun, Xiaoxiao; Yao, Yanbin; Liu, Dameng; Elsworth, Derek; Pan, Zhejun

2016-01-01

The mechanisms by which CO2 and water interact in coal remain unclear and these are key questions for understanding ECBM processes and defining the long-term behaviour of injected CO2. In our experiments, we injected helium/CO2 to displace water in eight water-saturated samples. We used low-field NMR relaxation to investigate CO2 and water interactions in these coals across a variety of time-scales. The injection of helium did not change the T2 spectra of the coals. In contrast, the T2 spectra peaks of micro-capillary water gradually decreased and those of macro-capillary and bulk water increased with time after the injection of CO2. We assume that the CO2 diffuses through and/or dissolves into the capillary water to access the coal matrix interior, which promotes desorption of water molecules from the surfaces of coal micropores and mesopores. The replaced water mass is mainly related to the Langmuir adsorption volume of CO2 and increases as the CO2 adsorption capacity increases. Other factors, such as mineral composition, temperature and pressure, also influence the effective exchange between water and CO2. Finally, we built a quantified model to evaluate the efficiency of water replacement by CO2 injection with respect to temperature and pressure. PMID:26817784

Solute induced relaxation in glassy polymers: Experimental measurements and nonequilibrium thermodynamic model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Minelli, Matteo; Doghieri, Ferruccio

2014-05-15

Data for kinetics of mass uptake from vapor sorption experiments in thin glassy polymer samples are here interpreted in terms of relaxation times for volume dilation. To this result, both models from non-equilibrium thermodynamics and from mechanics of volume relaxation contribute. Different kind of sorption experiments have been considered in order to facilitate the direct comparison between kinetics of solute induced volume dilation and corresponding data from process driven by pressure or temperature jumps.

Low-temperature Condensation of Carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasnokutski, S. A.; Goulart, M.; Gordon, E. B.; Ritsch, A.; Jäger, C.; Rastogi, M.; Salvenmoser, W.; Henning, Th.; Scheier, P.

2017-10-01

Two different types of experiments were performed. In the first experiment, we studied the low-temperature condensation of vaporized graphite inside bulk liquid helium, while in the second experiment, we studied the condensation of single carbon atoms together with H2, H2O, and CO molecules inside helium nanodroplets. The condensation of vaporized graphite leads to the formation of partially graphitized carbon, which indicates high temperatures, supposedly higher than 1000°C, during condensation. Possible underlying processes responsible for the instant rise in temperature during condensation are discussed. This suggests that such processes cause the presence of partially graphitized carbon dust formed by low-temperature condensation in the diffuse interstellar medium. Alternatively, in the denser regions of the ISM, the condensation of carbon atoms together with the most abundant interstellar molecules (H2, H2O, and CO), leads to the formation of complex organic molecules (COMs) and finally organic polymers. Water molecules were found not to be involved directly in the reaction network leading to the formation of COMs. It was proposed that COMs are formed via the addition of carbon atoms to H2 and CO molecules ({{C}}+{{{H}}}2\\to {HCH},{HCH}+{CO}\\to {{OCCH}}2). Due to the involvement of molecular hydrogen, the formation of COMs by carbon addition reactions should be more efficient at high extinctions compared with the previously proposed reaction scheme with atomic hydrogen.

Analysis of Low-Temperature Utilization of Geothermal Resources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, Brian

Full realization of the potential of what might be considered “low-grade” geothermal resources will require that we examine many more uses for the heat than traditional electricity generation. To demonstrate that geothermal energy truly has the potential to be a national energy source we will be designing, assessing, and evaluating innovative uses for geothermal-produced water such as hybrid biomass-geothermal cogeneration of electricity and district heating and efficiency improvements to the use of cellulosic biomass in addition to utilization of geothermal in district heating for community redevelopment projects. The objectives of this project were: 1) to perform a techno-economic analysis ofmore » the integration and utilization potential of low-temperature geothermal sources. Innovative uses of low-enthalpy geothermal water were designed and examined for their ability to offset fossil fuels and decrease CO2 emissions. 2) To perform process optimizations and economic analyses of processes that can utilize low-temperature geothermal fluids. These processes included electricity generation using biomass and district heating systems. 3) To scale up and generalize the results of three case study locations to develop a regionalized model of the utilization of low-temperature geothermal resources. A national-level, GIS-based, low-temperature geothermal resource supply model was developed and used to develop a series of national supply curves. We performed an in-depth analysis of the low-temperature geothermal resources that dominate the eastern half of the United States. The final products of this study include 17 publications, an updated version of the cost estimation software GEOPHIRES, and direct-use supply curves for low-temperature utilization of geothermal resources. The supply curves for direct use geothermal include utilization from known hydrothermal, undiscovered hydrothermal, and near-hydrothermal EGS resources and presented these results at the

Stress Relaxation in Epoxy Thermosets via a Ferrocene-Based Amine Curing Agent

DOE PAGES

Jones, Brad H.; Wheeler, David R.; Black, Hayden T.; ...

2017-06-29

Physical stress relaxation in rubbery, thermoset polymers is limited by cross-links, which impede segmental motion and restrict relaxation to network defects, such as chain ends. In parallel, the cure shrinkage associated with thermoset polymerizations leads to the development of internal residual stress that cannot be effectively relaxed. Recent strategies have reduced or eliminated such cure stress in thermoset polymers largely by exploiting chemical relaxation processes, wherein temporary cross-links or otherwise transient bonds are incorporated into the polymer network. In this paper, we explore an alternative approach, wherein physical relaxation is enhanced by the incorporation of organometallic sandwich moieties into themore » backbone of the polymer network. A standard epoxy resin is cured with a diamine derivative of ferrocene and compared to conventional diamine curing agents. The ferrocene-based thermoset is clearly distinguished from the conventional materials by reduced cure stress with increasing cure temperature as well as unique stress relaxation behavior above its glass transition in the fully cured state. The relaxation experiments exhibit features characteristic of a physical relaxation process. Furthermore, the cure stress is observed to vanish precipitously upon deliberate introduction of network defects through an increasing imbalance of epoxy and amine functional groups. Finally, we postulate that these beneficial properties arise from fluxional motion of the cyclopentadienyl ligands on the polymer backbone.« less

Stress Relaxation in Epoxy Thermosets via a Ferrocene-Based Amine Curing Agent

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, Brad H.; Wheeler, David R.; Black, Hayden T.

Physical stress relaxation in rubbery, thermoset polymers is limited by cross-links, which impede segmental motion and restrict relaxation to network defects, such as chain ends. In parallel, the cure shrinkage associated with thermoset polymerizations leads to the development of internal residual stress that cannot be effectively relaxed. Recent strategies have reduced or eliminated such cure stress in thermoset polymers largely by exploiting chemical relaxation processes, wherein temporary cross-links or otherwise transient bonds are incorporated into the polymer network. In this paper, we explore an alternative approach, wherein physical relaxation is enhanced by the incorporation of organometallic sandwich moieties into themore » backbone of the polymer network. A standard epoxy resin is cured with a diamine derivative of ferrocene and compared to conventional diamine curing agents. The ferrocene-based thermoset is clearly distinguished from the conventional materials by reduced cure stress with increasing cure temperature as well as unique stress relaxation behavior above its glass transition in the fully cured state. The relaxation experiments exhibit features characteristic of a physical relaxation process. Furthermore, the cure stress is observed to vanish precipitously upon deliberate introduction of network defects through an increasing imbalance of epoxy and amine functional groups. Finally, we postulate that these beneficial properties arise from fluxional motion of the cyclopentadienyl ligands on the polymer backbone.« less

Low-Temperature Power Electronics Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Richard L.; Dickman, John E.; Hammoud, Ahmad; Gerber, Scott

1997-01-01

Many space and some terrestrial applications would benefit from the availability of low-temperature electronics. Exploration missions to the outer planets, Earth-orbiting and deep-space probes, and communications satellites are examples of space applications which operate in low-temperature environments. Space probes deployed near Pluto must operate in temperatures as low as -229 C. Figure 1 depicts the average temperature of a space probe warmed by the sun for various locations throughout the solar system. Terrestrial applications where components and systems must operate in low-temperature environments include cryogenic instrumentation, superconducting magnetic energy storage, magnetic levitation transportation system, and arctic exploration. The development of electrical power systems capable of extremely low-temperature operation represents a key element of some advanced space power systems. The Low-Temperature Power Electronics Program at NASA Lewis Research Center focuses on the design, fabrication, and characterization of low-temperature power systems and the development of supporting technologies for low-temperature operations such as dielectric and insulating materials, power components, optoelectronic components, and packaging and integration of devices, components, and systems.

Microfabricated alkali vapor cell with anti-relaxation wall coating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Straessle, R.; Pétremand, Y.; Briand, D.

2014-07-28

We present a microfabricated alkali vapor cell equipped with an anti-relaxation wall coating. The anti-relaxation coating used is octadecyltrichlorosilane and the cell was sealed by thin-film indium-bonding at a low temperature of 140 °C. The cell body is made of silicon and Pyrex and features a double-chamber design. Depolarizing properties due to liquid Rb droplets are avoided by confining the Rb droplets to one chamber only. Optical and microwave spectroscopy performed on this wall-coated cell are used to evaluate the cell's relaxation properties and a potential gas contamination. Double-resonance signals obtained from the cell show an intrinsic linewidth that is significantlymore » lower than the linewidth that would be expected in case the cell had no wall coating but only contained a buffer-gas contamination on the level measured by optical spectroscopy. Combined with further experimental evidence this proves the presence of a working anti-relaxation wall coating in the cell. Such cells are of interest for applications in miniature atomic clocks, magnetometers, and other quantum sensors.« less

19F spin-lattice relaxation of perfluoropolyethers: Dependence on temperature and magnetic field strength (7.0-14.1 T)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadayakkara, Deepak K.; Damodaran, Krishnan; Hitchens, T. Kevin; Bulte, Jeff W. M.; Ahrens, Eric T.

2014-05-01

Fluorine (19F) MRI of perfluorocarbon-labeled cells has become a powerful technique to track the migration and accumulation of cells in living organisms. It is common to label cells for 19F MRI with nanoemulsions of perfluoropolyethers that contain a large number of chemically equivalent fluorine atoms. Understanding the mechanisms of 19F nuclear relaxation, and in particular the spin-lattice relaxation of these molecules, is critical to improving experimental sensitivity. To date, the temperature and magnetic field strength dependence of spin-lattice relaxation rate constant (R1) for perfluoropolyethers has not been described in detail. In this study, we evaluated the R1 of linear perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and cyclic perfluoro-15-crown-5 ether (PCE) at three magnetic field strengths (7.0, 9.4, and 14.1 T) and at temperatures ranging from 256-323 K. Our results show that R1 of perfluoropolyethers is dominated by dipole-dipole interactions and chemical shift anisotropy. R1 increased with magnetic field strength for both PCE and PFPE. In the temperature range studied, PCE was in the fast motion regime (ωτc < 1) at all field strengths, but for PFPE, R1 passed through a maximum, from which the rotational correlation time was estimated. The importance of these measurements for the rational design of new 19F MRI agents and methods is discussed.

19F Spin-lattice Relaxation of Perfluoropolyethers: Dependence on Temperature and Magnetic Field Strength (7.0-14.1T)

PubMed Central

Kadayakkara, Deepak K.; Damodaran, Krishnan; Hitchens, T. Kevin; Bulte, Jeff W.M.; Ahrens, Eric T.

2014-01-01

Fluorine (19F) MRI of perfluorocarbon labeled cells has become a powerful technique to track the migration and accumulation of cells in living organisms. It is common to label cells for 19F MRI with nanoemulsions of perfluoropolyethers that contain a large number of chemically equivalent fluorine atoms. Understanding the mechanisms of 19F nuclear relaxation, and in particular the spin-lattice relaxation of these molecules, is critical to improving experimental sensitivity. To date, the temperature and magnetic field strength dependence of spin-lattice relaxation rate constant (R1) for perfluoropolyethers has not been described in detail. In this study, we evaluated R1 of linear perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and cyclic perfluoro-15-crown-5 ether (PCE) at three magnetic field strengths (7.0, 9.4, and 14.1 T) and at temperatures ranging from 256-323K. Our results show that R1 of perfluoropolyethers is dominated by dipole-dipole interactions and chemical shift anisotropy. R1 increased with magnetic field strength for both PCE and PFPE. In the temperature range studied, PCE was in the fast motion regime (ωτc < 1) at all field strengths, but for PFPE, R1 passed through a maximum, from which the rotational correlation time was estimated. The importance of these measurements for the rational design of new 19F MRI agents and methods is discussed. PMID:24594752

Process for fabricating high reflectance-low stress Mo--Si multilayer reflective coatings

DOEpatents

Montcalm, Claude; Mirkarimi, Paul B.

2001-01-01

A high reflectance-low stress Mo--Si multilayer reflective coating particularly useful for the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength region. While the multilayer reflective coating has particular application for EUV lithography, it has numerous other applications where high reflectance and low stress multilayer coatings are utilized. Multilayer coatings having high near-normal incidence reflectance (R.gtoreq.65%) and low residual stress (.ltoreq.100 MPa) have been produced using thermal and non-thermal approaches. The thermal approach involves heating the multilayer coating to a given temperature for a given time after deposition in order to induce structural changes in the multilayer coating that will have an overall "relaxation" effect without reducing the reflectance significantly.

Dielectric response to the low-temperature magnetic defect structure and spin state transition in polycrystalline LaCoO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Rainer; Wu, J.; Leighton, C.; Terry, I.

2009-03-01

The dielectric and magnetic properties and their correlations were investigated in polycrystalline perovskite LaCoO3-δ . The intrinsic bulk and grain-boundary (GB) dielectric relaxation processes were deconvoluted using impedance spectroscopy between 20 and 120 K, and resistivity and capacitance were analyzed separately. A thermally induced magnetic transition from a Co3+ low-spin (LS) (S=0;t2g6eg0) to a higher spin state occurs at Ts1≈80K , which is controversial in nature and has been suggested to be an intermediate-spin (IS) state (S=1;t2g5eg1) or a high-spin (HS) state (S=2;t2g4eg2) transition. This spin state transition was confirmed by magnetic-susceptibility measurements and was reflected in the impedance by a split of the single GB relaxation process into two coexisting contributions. This apparent electronic phase coexistence at T>80K was interpreted as a reflection of the coexistence of magnetic LS and IS/HS states. At lower temperatures (T≤40K) perceptible variation in bulk dielectric permittivity with temperature appeared to be correlated with the magnetic susceptibility associated with a magnetic defect structure. At 40K

Relaxation of Isolated Ventricular Cardiomyocytes by a Voltage-Dependent Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridge, John H. B.; Spitzer, Kenneth W.; Ershler, Philip R.

1988-08-01

Cell contraction and relaxation were measured in single voltage-clamped guinea pig cardiomyocytes to investigate the contribution of sarcolemmal Na+-Ca2+ exchange to mechanical relaxation. Cells clamped from -80 to 0 millivolts displayed initial phasic and subsequent tonic contractions; caffeine reduced or abolished the phasic and enlarged the tonic contraction. The rate of relaxation from tonic contractions was steeply voltage-dependent and was significantly slowed in the absence of a sarcolemmal Na+ gradient. Tonic contractions elicited in the absence of a Na+ gradient promptly relaxed when external Na+ was applied, reflecting activation of Na+-Ca2+ exchange. It appears that a voltage-dependent Na+-Ca2+ exchange can rapidly mechanically relax mammalian heart muscle.

Large eddy simulation of the low temperature ignition and combustion processes on spray flame with the linear eddy model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Haiqiao; Zhao, Wanhui; Zhou, Lei; Chen, Ceyuan; Shu, Gequn

2018-03-01

Large eddy simulation coupled with the linear eddy model (LEM) is employed for the simulation of n-heptane spray flames to investigate the low temperature ignition and combustion process in a constant-volume combustion vessel under diesel-engine relevant conditions. Parametric studies are performed to give a comprehensive understanding of the ignition processes. The non-reacting case is firstly carried out to validate the present model by comparing the predicted results with the experimental data from the Engine Combustion Network (ECN). Good agreements are observed in terms of liquid and vapour penetration length, as well as the mixture fraction distributions at different times and different axial locations. For the reacting cases, the flame index was introduced to distinguish between the premixed and non-premixed combustion. A reaction region (RR) parameter is used to investigate the ignition and combustion characteristics, and to distinguish the different combustion stages. Results show that the two-stage combustion process can be identified in spray flames, and different ignition positions in the mixture fraction versus RR space are well described at low and high initial ambient temperatures. At an initial condition of 850 K, the first-stage ignition is initiated at the fuel-lean region, followed by the reactions in fuel-rich regions. Then high-temperature reaction occurs mainly at the places with mixture concentration around stoichiometric mixture fraction. While at an initial temperature of 1000 K, the first-stage ignition occurs at the fuel-rich region first, then it moves towards fuel-richer region. Afterwards, the high-temperature reactions move back to the stoichiometric mixture fraction region. For all of the initial temperatures considered, high-temperature ignition kernels are initiated at the regions richer than stoichiometric mixture fraction. By increasing the initial ambient temperature, the high-temperature ignition kernels move towards richer

Alternating-current conductivity and dielectric relaxation of bulk iodoargentate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duan, Hai-Bao, E-mail: duanhaibao4660@163.com; Yu, Shan-Shan; Zhou, Hong

Graphical abstract: The electric modulus shows single dielectric relaxation process in the measured frequency range. - Highlights: • The conduction mechanism is described by quantum mechanical tunneling model. • The applications of dielectric modulus give a simple method for evaluating the activation energy of the dielectric relaxation. • The [Ag{sub 2}I{sub 4}]{sup 2−}1-D chain and [Cu(en){sub 2}]{sup 2+} cation column form the layered stacks by hydrogen bond interactions. - Abstract: An inorganic-organic hybrid compound Cu(en){sub 2}Ag{sub 2}I{sub 4} (en = ethylenediamine) (1) was synthesized and single crystal structurally characterized. Along the [001] direction, the inorganic parts form an infinite 1-Dmore » chain and [Cu(en){sub 2}]{sup 2+} cations are separated by inorganic chain. The electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of 1 have been investigated over wide ranges of frequency. The alternating-current conductivities have been fitted to the Almond–West type power law expression with use of a single value of S. It is found that S values for 1 are nearly temperature-independent, which indicates that the conduction mechanism could be quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) model. The dielectric loss and electric modulus show single dielectric relaxation process. The activation energy obtained from temperature-dependent electric modulus compare with the calculated from the dc conductivity plots.« less

Low-temperature crystallization of silicate dust in circumstellar disks.

PubMed

Molster, F J; Yamamura, I; Waters, L B; Tielens, A G; de Graauw, T; de Jong, T; de Koter, A; Malfait, K; van den Ancker, M E; van Winckel, H; Voors, R H; Waelkens, C

1999-10-07

Silicate dust in the interstellar medium is observed to be amorphous, yet silicate dust in comets and interplanetary dust particles is sometimes partially crystalline. The dust in disks that are thought to be forming planets around some young stars also appears to be partially crystalline. These observations suggest that as the dust goes from the precursor clouds to a planetary system, it must undergo some processing, but the nature and extent of this processing remain unknown. Here we report observations of highly crystalline silicate dust in the disks surrounding binary red-giant stars. The dust was created in amorphous form in the outer atmospheres of the red giants, and therefore must be processed in the disks to become crystalline. The temperatures in these disks are too low for the grains to anneal; therefore, some low-temperature process must be responsible. As the physical properties of the disks around young stars and red giants are similar, our results suggest that low-temperature crystallization of silicate grains also can occur in protoplanetary systems.

String-like collective motion in the α- and β-relaxation of a coarse-grained polymer melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pazmiño Betancourt, Beatriz A.; Starr, Francis W.; Douglas, Jack F.

2018-03-01

Relaxation in glass-forming liquids occurs as a multi-stage hierarchical process involving cooperative molecular motion. First, there is a "fast" relaxation process dominated by the inertial motion of the molecules whose amplitude grows upon heating, followed by a longer time α-relaxation process involving both large-scale diffusive molecular motion and momentum diffusion. Our molecular dynamics simulations of a coarse-grained glass-forming polymer melt indicate that the fast, collective motion becomes progressively suppressed upon cooling, necessitating large-scale collective motion by molecular diffusion for the material to relax approaching the glass-transition. In each relaxation regime, the decay of the collective intermediate scattering function occurs through collective particle exchange motions having a similar geometrical form, and quantitative relationships are derived relating the fast "stringlet" collective motion to the larger scale string-like collective motion at longer times, which governs the temperature-dependent activation energies associated with both thermally activated molecular diffusion and momentum diffusion.

Temperature Dependence of Low-Frequency Spectra in Molten Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide Salts of Imidazolium Cations Studied by Femtosecond Raman-Induced Kerr Effect Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Shirota, Hideaki; Kakinuma, Shohei

2015-07-30

In this study, the temperature dependence of the low-frequency spectra of liquid bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide salts of the monocations 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium and the dications 1,6-bis(3-methylimidazolium-1-yl)hexane and 1,12-bis(3-methylimidazolium-1-yl)dodecane has been investigated by means of femtosecond optical heterodyne-detected Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy. The intensity in the low-frequency region below 20 cm(-1) in the spectra of the four ionic liquids increases with rising temperature. From a line-shape analysis of the broadened low-frequency spectra of the ionic liquids, it is clear that the lowest-frequency component, which peaks at approximately 5 cm(-1), contributes to the temperature dependence of the spectra. This implies that the activity of the intermolecular translational vibrational motion is increasing with rising temperature. It is also possible that decoupling in the crossover process between intermolecular vibrational motion and structural relaxation occurs as a result of a deterioration of the non-Markovian feature or the loss of memory caused by the higher temperature. The peak of the highest-frequency component, which is due mainly to the imidazolium ring libration, shifts to lower frequency with increasing temperature. This is attributed to weaker interactions of the ionic liquids at higher temperatures. Temperature-dependent viscosities from 293 to 353 K of the four ionic liquids have also been characterized.

Efficient planar Sb2S3 solar cells using a low-temperature solution-processed tin oxide electron conductor.

PubMed

Lei, Hongwei; Yang, Guang; Guo, Yaxiong; Xiong, Liangbin; Qin, Pingli; Dai, Xin; Zheng, Xiaolu; Ke, Weijun; Tao, Hong; Chen, Zhao; Li, Borui; Fang, Guojia

2016-06-28

Efficient planar antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) heterojunction solar cells have been made using chemical bath deposited (CBD) Sb2S3 as the absorber, low-temperature solution-processed tin oxide (SnO2) as the electron conductor and poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as the hole conductor. A solar conversion efficiency of 2.8% was obtained at 1 sun illumination using a planar device consisting of F-doped SnO2 substrate/SnO2/CBD-Sb2S3/P3HT/Au, whereas the solar cells based on a titanium dioxide (TiO2) electron conductor exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 1.9%. Compared with conventional Sb2S3 sensitized solar cells, the high-temperature processed mesoscopic TiO2 scaffold is no longer needed. More importantly, a low-temperature solution-processed SnO2 layer was introduced for electron transportation to substitute the high-temperature sintered dense blocking TiO2 layer. Our planar solar cells not only have simple geometry with fewer steps to fabricate but also show enhanced performance. The higher efficiency of planar Sb2S3 solar cell devices based on a SnO2 electron conductor is attributed to their high transparency, uniform surface, efficient electron transport properties of SnO2, suitable energy band alignment, and reduced recombination at the interface of SnO2/Sb2S3.

Dynamics of the phase formation process upon the low temperature selenization of Cu/In-multilayer stacks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oertel, M., E-mail: michael.oertel@uni-jena.de; Ronning, C.

2015-03-14

Phase reactions occurring during a low temperature selenization of thin In/Cu-multilayer stacks were investigated by ex-situ x-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Therefore, dc-sputtered In/Cu-multilayers onto molybdenum coated soda lime glass were selenized in a high vacuum system at temperatures between 260 and 340 °C with different dwell times and selenium supply. The combination of the results of the phase analysis by XRD and the measurements of the in-depth elemental distribution by EDS allowed a conclusion on the occurring reactions within the layer depth. We found two CuInSe{sub 2} formation processes depending on the applied temperature. Already, atmore » a heater temperature of 260 °C, the CuInSe{sub 2} formation can occur by the reaction of Cu{sub 2−x}Se with In{sub 4}Se{sub 3} and Se. At 340 °C, CuInSe{sub 2} is formed by the reaction of Cu{sub 2−x}Se with InSe and Se. Because both reactions need additional selenium, the selenium supply during the selenization can shift the reaction equilibria either to the metal binaries side or to the CuInSe{sub 2} side. Interestingly, a lower selenium supply shifts the equilibrium to the CuInSe{sub 2} side, because the amount of selenium incorporated into the metallic layer is higher for a lower selenium supply. Most likely, a larger number of grain boundaries are the reason for the stronger selenium incorporation. The results of the phase formation studies were used to design a two stage selenization process to get a defined structure of an indium selenide- and a copper selenide-layer at low temperatures as the origin for a controlled interdiffusion to form the CuInSe{sub 2}-absorber-layer at higher temperatures. The approach delivers a CuInSe{sub 2} absorber which reach total area efficiencies of 11.8% (13.0% active area) in a CuInSe{sub 2}-thin-film solar cell. A finished formation of CuInSe{sub 2} at low temperature was not observed in our experiments but is

Time scales of relaxation dynamics during transient conditions in two-phase flow: RELAXATION DYNAMICS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schlüter, Steffen; Berg, Steffen; Li, Tianyi

2017-06-01

The relaxation dynamics toward a hydrostatic equilibrium after a change in phase saturation in porous media is governed by fluid reconfiguration at the pore scale. Little is known whether a hydrostatic equilibrium in which all interfaces come to rest is ever reached and which microscopic processes govern the time scales of relaxation. Here we apply fast synchrotron-based X-ray tomography (X-ray CT) to measure the slow relaxation dynamics of fluid interfaces in a glass bead pack after fast drainage of the sample. The relaxation of interfaces triggers internal redistribution of fluids, reduces the surface energy stored in the fluid interfaces, andmore » relaxes the contact angle toward the equilibrium value while the fluid topology remains unchanged. The equilibration of capillary pressures occurs in two stages: (i) a quick relaxation within seconds in which most of the pressure drop that built up during drainage is dissipated, a process that is to fast to be captured with fast X-ray CT, and (ii) a slow relaxation with characteristic time scales of 1–4 h which manifests itself as a spontaneous imbibition process that is well described by the Washburn equation for capillary rise in porous media. The slow relaxation implies that a hydrostatic equilibrium is hardly ever attained in practice when conducting two-phase experiments in which a flux boundary condition is changed from flow to no-flow. Implications for experiments with pressure boundary conditions are discussed.« less

Ferromagnetism versus slow paramagnetic relaxation in Fe-doped Li3N

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fix, M.; Jesche, A.; Jantz, S. G.; Bräuninger, S. A.; Klauss, H.-H.; Manna, R. S.; Pietsch, I. M.; Höppe, H. A.; Canfield, P. C.

2018-02-01

We report on isothermal magnetization, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and magnetostriction as well as temperature-dependent alternating-current (ac) susceptibility, specific heat, and thermal expansion of single crystalline and polycrystalline Li2(Li1 -xFex) N with x =0 and x ≈0.30 . Magnetic hysteresis emerges at temperatures below T ≈50 K with coercivity fields of up to μ0H =11.6 T at T =2 K and magnetic anisotropy energies of 310 K (27 meV). The ac susceptibility is strongly frequency-dependent (f =10 -10 000 Hz) and reveals an effective energy barrier for spin reversal of Δ E ≈1100 K (90 meV). The relaxation times follow Arrhenius behavior for T >25 K . For T <10 K , however, the relaxation times of τ ≈1010 s are only weakly temperature-dependent, indicating the relevance of a quantum tunneling process instead of thermal excitations. The magnetic entropy amounts to more than 25 J molFe-1 K-1, which significantly exceeds R ln 2 , the value expected for the entropy of a ground-state doublet. Thermal expansion and magnetostriction indicate a weak magnetoelastic coupling in accordance with slow relaxation of the magnetization. The classification of Li2(Li1 -xFex) N as ferromagnet is stressed and contrasted with highly anisotropic and slowly relaxing paramagnetic behavior.

Ferromagnetism versus slow paramagnetic relaxation in Fe-doped Li 3 N

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fix, M.; Jesche, A.; Jantz, S. G.

We report on isothermal magnetization, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and magnetostriction as well as temperature-dependent alternating-current (ac) susceptibility, specific heat, and thermal expansion of single crystalline and polycrystalline Li 2 ( Li 1-xFe x) N with x = 0 and x ≈ 0.30 . Magnetic hysteresis emerges at temperatures below T ≈ 50 K with coercivity fields of up to μ 0H = 11.6 T at T = 2 K and magnetic anisotropy energies of 310 K (27 meV). The ac susceptibility is strongly frequency-dependent (f = 10 – 10 000 Hz) and reveals an effective energy barrier for spin reversal ofmore » Δ E ≈ 1100 K (90 meV). The relaxation times follow Arrhenius behavior for T > 25 K . For T < 10 K , however, the relaxation times of τ ≈ 10 10s are only weakly temperature-dependent, indicating the relevance of a quantum tunneling process instead of thermal excitations. The magnetic entropy amounts to more than 25 J mol -1 Fe K -1, which significantly exceeds R ln 2 , the value expected for the entropy of a ground-state doublet. Thermal expansion and magnetostriction indicate a weak magnetoelastic coupling in accordance with slow relaxation of the magnetization. The classification of Li 2 ( Li 1-xFe x) N as ferromagnet is stressed and contrasted with highly anisotropic and slowly relaxing paramagnetic behavior.« less

Ferromagnetism versus slow paramagnetic relaxation in Fe-doped Li 3 N

DOE PAGES

Fix, M.; Jesche, A.; Jantz, S. G.; ...

2018-02-23

We report on isothermal magnetization, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and magnetostriction as well as temperature-dependent alternating-current (ac) susceptibility, specific heat, and thermal expansion of single crystalline and polycrystalline Li 2 ( Li 1-xFe x) N with x = 0 and x ≈ 0.30 . Magnetic hysteresis emerges at temperatures below T ≈ 50 K with coercivity fields of up to μ 0H = 11.6 T at T = 2 K and magnetic anisotropy energies of 310 K (27 meV). The ac susceptibility is strongly frequency-dependent (f = 10 – 10 000 Hz) and reveals an effective energy barrier for spin reversal ofmore » Δ E ≈ 1100 K (90 meV). The relaxation times follow Arrhenius behavior for T > 25 K . For T < 10 K , however, the relaxation times of τ ≈ 10 10s are only weakly temperature-dependent, indicating the relevance of a quantum tunneling process instead of thermal excitations. The magnetic entropy amounts to more than 25 J mol -1 Fe K -1, which significantly exceeds R ln 2 , the value expected for the entropy of a ground-state doublet. Thermal expansion and magnetostriction indicate a weak magnetoelastic coupling in accordance with slow relaxation of the magnetization. The classification of Li 2 ( Li 1-xFe x) N as ferromagnet is stressed and contrasted with highly anisotropic and slowly relaxing paramagnetic behavior.« less

Thermal expansion of silver iodide-silver molybdate glasses at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandanici, A.; Raimondo, A.; Cutroni, M.; Ramos, M. A.; Rodrigo, J. G.; Vieira, S.; Armellini, C.; Rocca, F.

2009-05-01

Ionic glasses obtained combining silver iodide and silver molybdate are characterized by quite low values of the glass transition temperature Tg around 320-350 K, by high values of the dc ionic conductivity even at room temperature and by a peculiar behavior of the mechanical response at ultrasonic frequencies. In fact, at temperatures well below their glass transition temperature, these glasses exhibit an intense peak of acoustic attenuation well described by two different and almost overlapping relaxational contributions. Considering also that negative thermal expansion has been reported for some molybdate crystalline compounds, we have investigated in this work the thermal expansion of two silver iodomolybdate glasses (AgI)1-x(Ag2MoO4)x for x =0.25 and x =0.33 in a wide temperature range (4.2-300 K) from cryogenic temperatures up to some 20 K below Tg using a precision capacitance dilatometer aiming to understand whether the expansivity shows some possible fingerprint corresponding to the above-mentioned mechanical response. Two different measuring methods, a quasiadiabatic and a continuous one, have been used for the thermal expansion measurements. The results are discussed in comparison with the information obtained from previous investigations based on the extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique and with the behavior of other ionic glasses.

Dielectric relaxation and electrical conductivity in Bi 5NbO 10 oxygen ion conductors prepared by a modified sol-gel process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Jungang; Vaish, Rahul; Qu, Yuanfang; Krsmanovic, Dalibor; Varma, K. B. R.; Kumar, R. V.

Crystalline Bi 5NbO 10 nanoparticles have been achieved through a modified sol-gel process using a mixture of ethylenediamine and ethanolamine as a solvent. The Bi 5NbO 10 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that well-dispersed 5-60 nm Bi 5NbO 10 nanoparticles were prepared through heat-treating the precursor at 650 °C and the high density pellets were obtained at temperatures lower than those commonly employed. The frequency and temperature dependence of the dielectric constant and the electrical conductivity of the Bi 5NbO 10 solid solutions were investigated in the 0.1 Hz to 1 MHz frequency range. Two distinct relaxation mechanisms were observed in the plots of dielectric loss and the imaginary part of impedance (Z″) versus frequency in the temperature range of 200-350 °C. The dielectric constant and the loss in the low frequency regime were electrode dependent. The ionic conductivity of Bi 5NbO 10 solid solutions at 700 °C is 2.86 Ω -1 m -1 which is in same order of magnitude for Y 2O 3-stabilized ZrO 2 ceramics at same temperature. These results suggest that Bi 5NbO 10 is a promising material for an oxygen ion conductor.

Evaluation of limiting factors affecting photovoltaic performance of low-temperature-processed TiO₂ films in dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Lee, Taek-Yong; Kim, Hui-Seon; Park, Nam-Gyu

2014-04-14

Limiting factors affecting photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cell employing low-temperature-processed TiO2 films were investigated. TiO2 films were prepared at a low temperature of 200 °C using the normal alcohol-containing binder-free TiO2 paste (LT200). Their photovoltaic performance was compared to a high-temperature (550 °C) annealed TiO2 film prepared using a polymer binder containing TiO2 paste (HT550). Compared to the proportional increase in conversion efficiency with TiO2 film thickness upto 14 μm for HT550, the increase in efficiency was terminated at relatively smaller thickness of about 8 μm for LT200 mainly due to unaugmented photocurrent. From the transient photocurrent-voltage studies, the electron transport rate was found to be almost identical, while charge recombination was one order of magnitude faster for LT200. Consequently, the electron diffusion length was more than 2-3 times shorter for LT200 than for HT550. Electron diffusion length and electron life time obtained from electrochemical impedance analysis were well consistent with those observed from transient measurement. Density of states (DOS) was evaluated to be shallow and narrow in LT200, which was responsible for limiting photovoltaic performance in the low-temperature processed TiO2 film. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comptonization of X-rays by low-temperature electrons. [photon wavelength redistribution in cosmic sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Illarionov, A.; Kallman, T.; Mccray, R.; Ross, R.

1979-01-01

A method is described for calculating the spectrum that results from the Compton scattering of a monochromatic source of X-rays by low-temperature electrons, both for initial-value relaxation problems and for steady-state spatial diffusion problems. The method gives an exact solution of the inital-value problem for evolution of the spectrum in an infinite homogeneous medium if Klein-Nishina corrections to the Thomson cross section are neglected. This, together with approximate solutions for problems in which Klein-Nishina corrections are significant and/or spatial diffusion occurs, shows spectral structure near the original photon wavelength that may be used to infer physical conditions in cosmic X-ray sources. Explicit results, shown for examples of time relaxation in an infinite medium and spatial diffusion through a uniform sphere, are compared with results obtained by Monte Carlo calculations and by solving the appropriate Fokker-Planck equation.

Crater Relaxation and Stereo Imaging of the Icy Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, C. B.; Beyer, R. A.; Nimmo, F.; Roberts, J. H.; Robuchon, G.

2010-12-01

Crater relaxation has been used as a probe of subsurface temperature structure for over thirty years, both on terrestrial bodies and icy satellites. We are developing and testing two independent methods for processing stereo pairs to produce digital elevation models, to address how crater relaxation depends on crater diameter, geographic location, and stratigraphic position on the icy satellites of Jupiter and Saturn. Our topographic profiles will then serve as input into two numerical models, one viscous and one viscoelastic, to allow us to probe the subsurface thermal profiles and relaxation histories of these satellites. We are constructing stereo topography from Galileo and Cassini image pairs using the NASA Ames Stereo Pipeline (Moratto et al. 2010), an automated stereogrammetry tool designed for processing planetary imagery captured from orbiting and landed robotic explorers on other planets. We will also be using the commercial program SOCET SET from BAE Systems (Miller and Walker 1993; 1995). Qualitatively, it is clear that there are large spatial variations in the degree of crater relaxation among Jupiter’s and Saturn’s satellites. However, our use of stereo topography will allow quantitative measures of crater relaxation (e.g. depth:diameter ratio or equivalent) to be derived. Such measures are essential to derive quantitative estimates of the heat fluxes responsible for this relaxation. Estimating how surface heat flux has varied with time provides critical constraints on satellite thermal (and orbital) evolution. Craters undergo viscous relaxation over time at a rate that depends on the temperature gradient and crater scale. We are investigating how the near-surface satellite heat flux varied in time and space, based on our crater relaxation observations. Once we have crater profiles from our DEMs, we use them as input to two theoretical approaches: a relatively simple (viscous) numerical model in which time-varying heat fluxes can be included, and

The Selective Epitaxy of Silicon at Low Temperatures.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lou, Jen-Chung

1991-01-01

This dissertation has developed a process for the selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of silicon at low temperatures using a dichlorosilane-hydrogen mixture in a hot-wall low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) reactor. Some basic issues concerning the quality of epilayers --substrate preparation, ex-situ and in-situ cleaning, and deposition cycle, have been studied. We find it necessary to use a plasma etch to open epitaxial windows for the SEG of Si. A cycled plasma etch, a thin sacrificial oxide growth, and an oxide etching step can completely remove plasma-etch-induced surface damage and contaminants, which result in high quality epilayers. A practical wafer cleaning step is developed for low temperature Si epitaxial growth. An ex-situ HF vapor treatment can completely remove chemical oxide from the silicon surface and retard the reoxidation of the silicon surface. An in-situ low-concentration DCS cycle can aid in decomposition of surface oxide during a 900 ^circC H_2 prebake step. An HF vapor treatment combined with a low-concentration of DCS cycle consistently achieves defect-free epilayers at 850^circC and lower temperatures. We also show that a BF_sp{2}{+ } or F^+ ion implantation is a potential ex-situ wafer cleaning process for SEG of Si at low temperatures. The mechanism for the formation of surface features on Si epilayers is also discussed. Based on O ^+ ion implantation, we showed that the oxygen incorporation in silicon epilayers suppresses the Si growth rate. Therefore, we attribute the formation of surface features to the local reduction of the Si growth rate due to the dissolution of oxide islands at the epi/substrate interface. Finally, with this developed process for the SEG of silicon, defect-free overgrown epilayers are also obtained. This achievement demonstrates the feasibility for the future silicon-on-oxide (SOI) manufacturing technology.

Combined modified atmosphere packaging and low temperature storage delay lignification and improve the defense response of minimally processed water bamboo shoot.

PubMed

Song, Lili; Chen, Hangjun; Gao, Haiyan; Fang, Xiangjun; Mu, Honglei; Yuan, Ya; Yang, Qian; Jiang, Yueming

2013-09-04

Minimally processed water bamboo shoot (WBS) lignifies and deteriorates rapidly at room temperature, which limits greatly its marketability. This study was to investigate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the sensory quality index, lignin formation, production of radical oxygen species (ROS) and activities of scavenging enzymes, membrane integrity and energy status of minimally processed WBS when packaged with or without the sealed low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags, and then stored at 20°C for 9 days or 2°C for 60 days. The sensory quality of minimally processed WBS decreased quickly after 6 days of storage at 20°C. Low temperature storage maintained a higher sensory quality index within the first 30 days, but exhibited higher contents of lignin and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as compared with non-MAP shoots at 20°C. Combined MAP and low temperature storage not only maintained good sensory quality after 30 days, but also reduced significantly the increases in lignin content, superoxide anion (O2.-) production rate, H2O2 content and membrane permeability, maintained high activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and reduced the increase in activities of lipase, phospholipase D (PLD) and lipoxygenase (LOX). Furthermore, the minimally processed WBS under MAP condition exhibited higher energy charge (EC) and lower adenosine monophosphate (AMP) content by the end of storage (60 days) at 2°C than those without MAP or stored for 9 days at 20°C. These results indicated that MAP in combination with low temperature storage reduced lignification of minimally processed WBS, which was closely associated with maintenance of energy status and enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes, as well as reduced alleviation of membrane damage caused by ROS.

Combined modified atmosphere packaging and low temperature storage delay lignification and improve the defense response of minimally processed water bamboo shoot

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Minimally processed water bamboo shoot (WBS) lignifies and deteriorates rapidly at room temperature, which limits greatly its marketability. This study was to investigate the effect of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the sensory quality index, lignin formation, production of radical oxygen species (ROS) and activities of scavenging enzymes, membrane integrity and energy status of minimally processed WBS when packaged with or without the sealed low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags, and then stored at 20°C for 9 days or 2°C for 60 days. Results The sensory quality of minimally processed WBS decreased quickly after 6 days of storage at 20°C. Low temperature storage maintained a higher sensory quality index within the first 30 days, but exhibited higher contents of lignin and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as compared with non-MAP shoots at 20°C. Combined MAP and low temperature storage not only maintained good sensory quality after 30 days, but also reduced significantly the increases in lignin content, superoxide anion (O2.-) production rate, H2O2 content and membrane permeability, maintained high activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and reduced the increase in activities of lipase, phospholipase D (PLD) and lipoxygenase (LOX). Furthermore, the minimally processed WBS under MAP condition exhibited higher energy charge (EC) and lower adenosine monophosphate (AMP) content by the end of storage (60 days) at 2°C than those without MAP or stored for 9 days at 20°C. Conclusion These results indicated that MAP in combination with low temperature storage reduced lignification of minimally processed WBS, which was closely associated with maintenance of energy status and enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes, as well as reduced alleviation of membrane damage caused by ROS. PMID:24006941

Surface modification of superaustenitic and maraging stainless steels by low-temperature gas-phase carburization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentil, Johannes

Low-temperature gas-phase carburization of 316L austenitic stainless steel was developed in recent years by the Swagelok company. This process generates great mechanical and electrochemical surface properties. Hardness, wear resistance, fatigue behavior, and corrosion resistance are dramatically improved, while the formation of carbides is effectively suppressed. This new technique is of technical, economical, but especially of scientific interest because the surface properties of common stainless steel can be enhanced to a level of more sophisticated and more expensive superalloys. The consequential continuation of previous research is the application of the carburization process to other steel grades. Differences in chemical composition, microstructure, and passivity between the various alloys may cause technical problems and it is expected that the initial process needs to be optimized for every specific material. This study presents results of low-temperature carburization of AL-6XN (superaustenitic stainless steel) and PH13-8Mo (precipitation-hardened martensitic stainless steel). Both alloys have been treated successfully in terms of creating a hardened surface by introducing high amounts of interstitially dissolved carbon. The surface hardness of AL-6XN was increased to 12GPa and is correlated with a colossal carbon supersaturation at the surface of up to 20 at.%. The hardened case develops a carburization time-dependent thickness between 10mum after one carburization cycle and up to 35mum after four treatments and remains highly ductile. Substantial broadening of X-ray diffraction peaks in low-temperature carburized superaustenitic stainless steels are attributed to the generation of very large compressive biaxial residual stresses. Those large stresses presumably cause relaxations of the surface, so-called undulations. Heavily expanded regions of carburized AL-6XN turn ferromagnetic. Non-carburized AL-6XN is known for its outstanding corrosion resistance

Anomaly diffuse and dielectric relaxation in strontium doped lanthanum molybdate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Xiao; Fan, Huiqing, E-mail: hqfan3@163.com; Shi, Jing

2011-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The anomaly diffuse and dielectric relaxation behaviors are fitted by the Cole-Cole approach. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The peak in the LSMO is corresponding to different oxygen ion diffusion process. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We first give better explanation about the strange conductivity change caused by doping. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The oxygen ion diffusion is due to a combination of the dipolar relaxation and the motion of ions. -- Abstract: The dielectric properties of the La{sub 2-x}Sr{sub x}Mo{sub 2}O{sub 9-{delta}} (x = 0-0.2) ceramics were investigated in the temperature range of 300-800 K. Dielectric measurement reveals that two dielectric anomalies, associated with the oxygen ion diffusion,more » exist in frequency spectrum with x = 0.5. The broad dielectric peaks in tan {delta}({omega}) can be well fitted by a modified Cole-Cole approach. When x = 0.1, only one dielectric relaxation peak is observed, corresponding to different oxygen ion diffusion processes, as distinct from the only relaxation peak in the pure La{sub 2}Mo{sub 2}O{sub 9}. The relaxation parameters {tau}{sub 0}, the dielectric relaxation strength {Delta}, and the activation energy E{sub a} were obtained. The result of this work shows that, the conductivity change caused by doping between the two phases is due to the combination of the dipolar effects and motion of ions.« less

Low-temperature atomic layer deposition of TiO{sub 2} thin layers for the processing of memristive devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Porro, Samuele, E-mail: samuele.porro@polito.it; Conti, Daniele; Guastella, Salvatore

2016-01-15

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) represents one of the most fundamental techniques capable of satisfying the strict technological requirements imposed by the rapidly evolving electronic components industry. The actual scaling trend is rapidly leading to the fabrication of nanoscaled devices able to overcome limits of the present microelectronic technology, of which the memristor is one of the principal candidates. Since their development in 2008, TiO{sub 2} thin film memristors have been identified as the future technology for resistive random access memories because of their numerous advantages in producing dense, low power-consuming, three-dimensional memory stacks. The typical features of ALD, such asmore » self-limiting and conformal deposition without line-of-sight requirements, are strong assets for fabricating these nanosized devices. This work focuses on the realization of memristors based on low-temperature ALD TiO{sub 2} thin films. In this process, the oxide layer was directly grown on a polymeric photoresist, thus simplifying the fabrication procedure with a direct liftoff patterning instead of a complex dry etching process. The TiO{sub 2} thin films deposited in a temperature range of 120–230 °C were characterized via Raman spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrical current–voltage measurements taken in voltage sweep mode were employed to confirm the existence of resistive switching behaviors typical of memristors. These measurements showed that these low-temperature devices exhibit an ON/OFF ratio comparable to that of a high-temperature memristor, thus exhibiting similar performances with respect to memory applications.« less

Spectroscopy for Industrial Applications: High-Temperature Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fateev, Alexander; Grosch, Helge; Clausen, Sonnik; Barton, Emma J.; Yurchenko, Sergei N.; Tennyson, Jonathan

2014-06-01

The continuous development of the spectroscopic databases brings new perspectives in the environmental and industrial on-line process control, monitoring and stimulates further optical sensor developments. This is because no calibration gases are needed and, in general, temperature-dependent spectral absorption features gases of interest for a specific instrument can in principle be calculated by knowing only the gas temperature and pressure in the process under investigation/monitoring. The latest HITRAN-2012 database contains IR/UV spectral data for 47 molecules and it is still growing. However use of HITRAN is limited to low-temperature processes (< 400 K) and therefor can be used for absorption spectra calculations at limited temperature/pressure ranges. For higher temperatures, the HITEMP-2010 database is available. Only a few molecules CO2, H2O, CO and NO are those of interest for e.g. various combustion and astronomical applications are included. In the recent few years, several efforts towards a development of hot line lists have been made; those have been implemented in the latest HITRAN2012 database1. High-resolution absorption measurements of NH3 (IR, 0.1 cm-1) and phenol (UV, 0.019 nm) on a flow gas cell2 up to 800 K are presented. Molecules are of great interest in various high-temperature environments including exoplanets, combustion and gasification. Measured NH3 hot lines have been assigned and spectra have been compared with that obtained by calculations based on the BYTe hot line list1. High-temperature NH3 absorption spectra have been used in the analysis of in situ high-resolution IR absorption measurements on the producer gas in low-temperature gasification process on a large scale. High-resolution UV temperature-dependent absorption cross-sections of phenol are reported for the first time. All UV data have been calibrated by relevant GC/MS measurements. Use of the data is demonstrated by the analysis of in situ UV absorption measurements on a

Evidence for spin injection and transport in solution-processed TIPS-pentacene at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mooser, S.; Cooper, J. F. K.; Banger, K. K.; Wunderlich, J.; Sirringhaus, H.

2012-10-01

Recently, there has been growing interest in the field of organic spintronics, where the research on organic semiconductors (OSCs) has extended from the complex aspects of charge carrier transport to the study of the spin transport properties of those anisotropic and partly localized systems.1 Furthermore, solution-processed OSCs are not only interesting due to their technological applications, but it has recently been shown in 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) thin film transistors that they can exhibit a negative temperature coefficient of the mobility due to localized transport limited by thermal lattice fluctuations.2 Here, spin injection and transport in solution-processed TIPS-pentacene are investigated exploiting vertical CoPt/TIPSpentacene/AlOx/Co spin valve architectures.3 The antiparallel magnetization state of the relative orientation of CoPt and Co is achieved due to their different coercive fields. A spin valve effect is detected from T = 175 K up to room temperature, where the resistance of the device is lower for the antiparallel magnetization state. The first observation of the scaling of the magnetoresistance (MR) with the bulk mobility of the OSC as a function of temperature, together with the dependence of the MR on the interlayer thickness, clearly indicates spin injection and transport in TIPS-pentacene. From OSC-spacer thickness-dependent MR measurements, a spin relaxation length of TIPS-pentacene of (24+/-6) nm and a spin relaxation time of approximately 3.5 μs at room temperature are estimated, taking the measured bulk mobility of holes into account.

Ultrafast probes of nonequilibrium hole spin relaxation in the ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patz, Aaron; Li, Tianqi; Liu, Xinyu; Furdyna, Jacek K.; Perakis, Ilias E.; Wang, Jigang

2015-04-01

We report direct measurements of hole spin lifetimes in ferromagnetic GaMnAs carried out by time- and polarization-resolved spectroscopy. Below the Curie temperature, ultrafast photoexcitation of GaMnAs with linearly polarized light is shown to create a nonequilibrium hole spin population via dynamical polarization of the holes through p -d exchange scattering with ferromagnetically ordered Mn spins. The system is then observed to relax in a distinct three-step recovery process: (i) a femtosecond hole spin relaxation, on the scale of 160-200 fs; (ii) a picosecond hole energy relaxation, on the scale of 1-2 ps; and (iii) a coherent, damped Mn spin precession with a period of 250 ps. The transient amplitude of the hole spin relaxation component diminishes with increasing temperature, directly following the ferromagnetic order of GaMnAs, while the hole energy amplitude shows negligible temperature change. Our results serve to establish the hole spin lifetimes in the ferromagnetic semiconductor GaMnAs, at the same time demonstrating a spectroscopic method for studying nonequilibrium hole spins in the presence of magnetic order and spin-exchange interaction.

The Effects of Suggestibility on Relaxation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickard, Henry C.; And Others

1985-01-01

Selected undergraduates (N=32) on the basis of Creative Imagination Scale scores and randomly assigned high and low suggestibility subjects to progressive relaxation (PR) and suggestions of relaxation (SR) training modes. Results revealed a significant pre-post relaxation effect, and main efffects for both suggestibility and training mode. (NRB)

Transformation fatigue and stress relaxation of shape memory alloy wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pappas, P.; Bollas, D.; Parthenios, J.; Dracopoulos, V.; Galiotis, C.

2007-12-01

The present work deals with the stress generation capability of nickel-titanium shape memory alloys (SMAs) under constrained conditions for two well-defined loading modes: recurrent crystalline transformation (transformation fatigue) and a one-step continuous activation (generated stress relaxation). The data acquired will be very useful during the design process of an SMA Ni-Ti element as a functional part of an assembly. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was employed in order to investigate the transformation characteristics of the alloy before and after the tests. Transformation fatigue tests revealed that the parameter that affects more the rate of the functional degradation is the number of crystalline transitions the wire undergoes. Thus, the service life limit of this material as a stress generator can be reduced to a few thousand working cycles. For stress relaxation, the main factor that affects the ability for stress generation is the working temperature: the higher the temperature above the austenite finish (TAf) limit the higher the relaxation effect. Thermomechanical treatment of the alloy during the tests reveals the 'hidden' transformation from the cubic structure (B2) of austenite to the rhombohedral structure of the R-phase. It is believed that the gradual loss of the stress generation capability of the material under constrained conditions must be associated to a gradual slipping relaxation mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on as-received, re-trained, fatigued and stress-relaxed specimens in the martensitic state provide further support for this hypothesis.

Isothermal enthalpy relaxation of glassy 1,2,6-hexanetriol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fransson, Å.; Bäckström, G.

The isothermal enthalpy relaxation of glassy 1,2,6-hexanetriol has been measured at six temperatures. The relaxation time and the distribution parameters extracted from fits of the Williams-Watts relaxation function are compared with parameters obtained by other techniques and on other substances. A detailed comparison of the Williams-Watts and the Davidson-Cole relaxation functions is presented.

Role of Thickness Confinement on Relaxations of the Fast Component in a Miscible A/B Blend

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Green, Peter; Sharma, Ravi P.; Dong, Ban Xuan

Spatial compositional heterogeneity strongly influences the dynamics of the A and B components of bulk miscible blends. Its effects are especially apparent in mixtures, such as poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME)/polystyrene (PS), where there exist significant disparities between the component glass transition temperatures (Tgs) and relaxation times. The relaxation processes characterized by distinct temperature dependencies and relaxation rates manifest different local compositional environments for temperatures above and below the glass transition temperature of the miscible blend. This same behavior is shown to exist in miscible PS/PVME films as thin as 100 nm. Moreover, in thin films, the characteristic segmental relaxation timesmore » t of the PVME component of miscible PVME/PS blends confined between aluminum (Al) substrates decrease with increasing molecular weight M of the PS component. These relaxation rates are film thickness dependent, in films up to a few hundred nanometers in thickness. This is in remarkable contrast to homopolymer films, where thickness confinement effects are apparent only on length scales on the order of nanometers. These surprisingly large length scales and M dependence are associated with the preferential interfacial enrichment - wetting layer formation - of the PVME component at the external Al interfaces, which alters the local spatial blend composition within the interior of the film. The implications are that the dynamics of miscible thin film blends are dictated in part by component Tg differences, disparities in component relaxation rates, component-substrate interactions, and chain lengths (entropy of mixing).« less

OCT-based approach to local relaxations discrimination from translational relaxation motions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matveev, Lev A.; Matveyev, Alexandr L.; Gubarkova, Ekaterina V.; Gelikonov, Grigory V.; Sirotkina, Marina A.; Kiseleva, Elena B.; Gelikonov, Valentin M.; Gladkova, Natalia D.; Vitkin, Alex; Zaitsev, Vladimir Y.

2016-04-01

Multimodal optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emerging tool for tissue state characterization. Optical coherence elastography (OCE) is an approach to mapping mechanical properties of tissue based on OCT. One of challenging problems in OCE is elimination of the influence of residual local tissue relaxation that complicates obtaining information on elastic properties of the tissue. Alternatively, parameters of local relaxation itself can be used as an additional informative characteristic for distinguishing the tissue in normal and pathological states over the OCT image area. Here we briefly present an OCT-based approach to evaluation of local relaxation processes in the tissue bulk after sudden unloading of its initial pre-compression. For extracting the local relaxation rate we evaluate temporal dependence of local strains that are mapped using our recently developed hybrid phase resolved/displacement-tracking (HPRDT) approach. This approach allows one to subtract the contribution of global displacements of scatterers in OCT scans and separate the temporal evolution of local strains. Using a sample excised from of a coronary arteria, we demonstrate that the observed relaxation of local strains can be reasonably fitted by an exponential law, which opens the possibility to characterize the tissue by a single relaxation time. The estimated local relaxation times are assumed to be related to local biologically-relevant processes inside the tissue, such as diffusion, leaking/draining of the fluids, local folding/unfolding of the fibers, etc. In general, studies of evolution of such features can provide new metrics for biologically-relevant changes in tissue, e.g., in the problems of treatment monitoring.

Theoretical Studies of Relaxation and Optical Properties of Polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Bih-Yaw

1993-01-01

This thesis is composed of two parts. In the part one, the empirical correlation between the logarithm of tunneling splittings and the temperature at which the spin-lattice relaxation time is minimum for methyl groups in different molecular crystals is explained successfully by taking multiphonon processes into account. We show that one phonon transitions dominate in the low barrier limit. However, in the intermediate barrier range and high barrier limit, it is necessary to include multiphonon processes. We also show that the empirical correlation depends only logarithmically on the details of the phonon bath. In the part two, we have investigated the optical and relaxation properties of conjugated polymers. The connection between the vibronic picture of Raman scattering and the third order perturbation approach in solid state physics is clarified in chapter 2. Starting from the Kramers -Heissenberg-Dirac formula for Raman scattering, we derive expressions for the Condon and Herzberg-Teller terms from a simple two-level system to a two-band system, i.e. polyacetylene, by using traditional vibronic picture. Both the Condon and Herzberg-Teller terms contribute to two-band processes, while three-band processes consist only of Herzberg-Teller terms in the solid state limit. Close to resonance the Condon term dominates and converges to the usual solid state result. In the off-resonance region the Herzberg -Teller term is comparable to Condon term for both small molecule and solid state system. In chapter 3, we will concentrate on the lattice relaxation of the lowest optically allowed 1B_ {u} state, especially, the effect of electron correlation on the excited state geometric relaxation for finite polyenes. We have examined the competition between electron-electron interaction and electron-phonon coupling on the formation of localized lattice distortion in the 1B_{u} state for finite polyene with chain length up to 30 double bonds. The chain length dependence of the

Ultrafast electronic relaxation in superheated bismuth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamaly, E. G.; Rode, A. V.

2013-01-01

Interaction of moving electrons with vibrating ions in the lattice forms the basis for many physical properties from electrical resistivity and electronic heat capacity to superconductivity. In ultrafast laser interaction with matter the electrons are heated much faster than the electron-ion energy equilibration, leading to a two-temperature state with electron temperature far above that of the lattice. The rate of temperature equilibration is governed by the strength of electron-phonon energy coupling, which is conventionally described by a coupling constant, neglecting the dependence on the electron and lattice temperature. The application of this constant to the observations of fast relaxation rate led to a controversial notion of ‘ultra-fast non-thermal melting’ under extreme electronic excitation. Here we provide theoretical grounds for a strong dependence of the electron-phonon relaxation time on the lattice temperature. We show, by taking proper account of temperature dependence, that the heating and restructuring of the lattice occurs much faster than were predicted on the assumption of a constant, temperature independent energy coupling. We applied the temperature-dependent momentum and energy transfer time to experiments on fs-laser excited bismuth to demonstrate that all the observed ultra-fast transformations of the transient state of bismuth are purely thermal in nature. The developed theory, when applied to ultrafast experiments on bismuth, provides interpretation of the whole variety of transient phase relaxation without the non-thermal melting conjecture.

Solution-processed lithium-doped zinc oxide thin-film transistors at low temperatures between 100 and 300 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fangmei; Qian, Chuan; Sun, Jia; Liu, Peng; Huang, Yulan; Gao, Yongli; Yang, Junliang

2016-04-01

Lithium-doped zinc oxide (Li-ZnO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated by solution process at the low temperatures ranged from 100 to 300 °C. Li-ZnO TFTs fabricated at 300 °C under nitrogen condition showed a mobility of 1.2 cm2/Vs. Most importantly, the mobility of Li-ZnO TFT devices fabricated at 100 °C could be increased significantly from 0.08 to 0.4 cm2/Vs by using double spin-coated and UV irradiation-treated Li-ZnO film, and the on-/off-current ratio is in the order of 106. Notably, the XPS analyses proved that the performance improvement was originated from the chemical composition or stoichiometry evolution, in which the hydroxide was converted into metal oxide and accelerated the formation of the oxygen vacancies. Furthermore, low-voltage operating Li-ZnO TFTs were demonstrated by using a high-capacitance ion gel gate dielectrics. The Li-ZnO TFTs with an operating voltage as low as 2 V exhibited the carrier mobilities of 2.1 and 0.65 cm2/Vs for the devices treated at 300 and 100 °C, respectively. The low-temperature, solution-processed Li-ZnO TFTs showed greatly potential applications in flexible displays, smart label, and sensors.

Fabrication and Characterization of 3D-Printed Highly-Porous 3D LiFePO₄ Electrodes by Low Temperature Direct Writing Process.

PubMed

Liu, Changyong; Cheng, Xingxing; Li, Bohan; Chen, Zhangwei; Mi, Shengli; Lao, Changshi

2017-08-10

LiFePO₄ (LFP) is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. In this study, low temperature direct writing (LTDW)-based 3D printing was used to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) LFP electrodes for the first time. LFP inks were deposited into a low temperature chamber and solidified to maintain the shape and mechanical integrity of the printed features. The printed LFP electrodes were then freeze-dried to remove the solvents so that highly-porous architectures in the electrodes were obtained. LFP inks capable of freezing at low temperature was developed by adding 1,4 dioxane as a freezing agent. The rheological behavior of the prepared LFP inks was measured and appropriate compositions and ratios were selected. A LTDW machine was developed to print the electrodes. The printing parameters were optimized and the printing accuracy was characterized. Results showed that LTDW can effectively maintain the shape and mechanical integrity during the printing process. The microstructure, pore size and distribution of the printed LFP electrodes was characterized. In comparison with conventional room temperature direct ink writing process, improved pore volume and porosity can be obtained using the LTDW process. The electrochemical performance of LTDW-fabricated LFP electrodes and conventional roller-coated electrodes were conducted and compared. Results showed that the porous structure that existed in the printed electrodes can greatly improve the rate performance of LFP electrodes.

Use of low temperature blowers for recirculation of hot gases

DOEpatents

Maru, H.C.; Forooque, M.

1982-08-19

An apparatus is described for maintaining motors at low operating temperatures during recirculation of hot gases in fuel cell operations and chemical processes such as fluidized bed coal gasification. The apparatus includes a means for separating the hot process gas from the motor using a secondary lower temperature gas, thereby minimizing the temperature increase of the motor and associated accessories.

Electron-phonon relaxation and excited electron distribution in gallium nitride

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhukov, V. P.; Donostia International Physics Center; Tyuterev, V. G., E-mail: valtyut00@mail.ru

2016-08-28

We develop a theory of energy relaxation in semiconductors and insulators highly excited by the long-acting external irradiation. We derive the equation for the non-equilibrium distribution function of excited electrons. The solution for this function breaks up into the sum of two contributions. The low-energy contribution is concentrated in a narrow range near the bottom of the conduction band. It has the typical form of a Fermi distribution with an effective temperature and chemical potential. The effective temperature and chemical potential in this low-energy term are determined by the intensity of carriers' generation, the speed of electron-phonon relaxation, rates ofmore » inter-band recombination, and electron capture on the defects. In addition, there is a substantial high-energy correction. This high-energy “tail” largely covers the conduction band. The shape of the high-energy “tail” strongly depends on the rate of electron-phonon relaxation but does not depend on the rates of recombination and trapping. We apply the theory to the calculation of a non-equilibrium distribution of electrons in an irradiated GaN. Probabilities of optical excitations from the valence to conduction band and electron-phonon coupling probabilities in GaN were calculated by the density functional perturbation theory. Our calculation of both parts of distribution function in gallium nitride shows that when the speed of the electron-phonon scattering is comparable with the rate of recombination and trapping then the contribution of the non-Fermi “tail” is comparable with that of the low-energy Fermi-like component. So the high-energy contribution can essentially affect the charge transport in the irradiated and highly doped semiconductors.« less

Quantum mechanical study of the proton exchange in the ortho-para H2 conversion reaction at low temperature.

PubMed

Honvault, P; Jorfi, M; González-Lezana, T; Faure, A; Pagani, L

2011-11-14

Ortho-para H(2) conversion reactions mediated by the exchange of a H(+) proton have been investigated at very low energy for the first time by means of a time independent quantum mechanical (TIQM) approach. State-to-state probabilities and cross sections for H(+) + H(2) (v = 0, j = 0,1) processes have been calculated for a collision energy, E(c), ranging between 10(-6) eV and 0.1 eV. Differential cross sections (DCSs) for H(+) + H(2) (v = 0, j = 1) → H(+) + H(2) (v' = 0, j' = 0) for very low energies only start to develop a proper global minimum around the sideways scattering direction (θ≈ 90°) at E(c) = 10(-3) eV. Rate coefficients, a crucial information required for astrophysical models, are provided between 10 K and 100 K. The relaxation ortho-para process j = 1 → j' = 0 is found to be more efficient than the j = 0 → j' = 1 conversion at low temperatures, in line with the extremely small ratio between the ortho and para species of molecular hydrogen predicted at the temperature of interstellar cold molecular clouds. The results obtained by means of a statistical quantum mechanical (SQM) model, which has previously proved to provide an adequate description of the dynamics of the title reactions at a higher collision energy regime, have been compared with the TIQM results. A reasonable good agreement has been found with the only exception of the DCSs for the H(+) + H(2) (v = 0, j = 1) → H(+) + H(2) (v' = 0, j' = 0) process at very low energy. SQM cross sections are also slightly below the quantum results. Estimates for the rate coefficients, in good accord with the TIQM values, are a clear improvement with respect to pioneering statistical studies on the reaction.

Atmospheric Wind Relaxations and the Oceanic Response in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fewings, M. R.; Dorman, C. E.; Washburn, L.; Liu, W.

2010-12-01

On the West Coast of North America in summer, episodic relaxation of the upwelling-favorable winds causes warm water to propagate northward from southern to central California, against the prevailing currents [Harms and Winant 1998, Winant et al. 2003, Melton et al. 2009]. Similar wind relaxations are an important characteristic of coastal upwelling ecosystems worldwide. Although these wind relaxations have an important influence on coastal ocean dynamics, no description exists of the regional atmospheric patterns that lead to wind relaxations in southern California, or of the regional ocean response. We use QuikSCAT wind stress, North American Regional Reanalysis atmospheric pressure products, water temperature and velocity from coastal ocean moorings, surface ocean currents from high-frequency radars, and MODIS satellite sea-surface temperature and ocean color images to analyze wind relaxation events and the ocean response. We identify the events based on an empirical index calculated from NDBC buoy winds [Melton et al. 2009]. We describe the regional evolution of the atmosphere from the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California over the few days leading up to wind relaxations, and the coastal ocean temperature, color, and current response off southern and central California. We analyze ~100 wind relaxation events in June-September during the QuikSCAT mission, 1999-2009. Our results indicate south-central California wind relaxations in summer are tied to mid-level atmospheric low-pressure systems that form in the Gulf of Alaska and propagate southeastward over 3-5 days. As the low-pressure systems reach southern California, the atmospheric pressure gradient along the coast weakens, causing the surface wind stress to relax to near zero. The weak wind signal appears first at San Diego and propagates northward. QuikSCAT data indicate the relaxed winds extend over the entire Southern California Bight and up to 200 km offshore of central California. Atmospheric dynamics in

A study of internal energy relaxation in shocks using molecular dynamics based models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zheng; Parsons, Neal; Levin, Deborah A.

2015-10-01

Recent potential energy surfaces (PESs) for the N2 + N and N2 + N2 systems are used in molecular dynamics (MD) to simulate rates of vibrational and rotational relaxations for conditions that occur in hypersonic flows. For both chemical systems, it is found that the rotational relaxation number increases with the translational temperature and decreases as the rotational temperature approaches the translational temperature. The vibrational relaxation number is observed to decrease with translational temperature and approaches the rotational relaxation number in the high temperature region. The rotational and vibrational relaxation numbers are generally larger in the N2 + N2 system. MD-quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) with the PESs is also used to calculate the V-T transition cross sections, the collision cross section, and the dissociation cross section for each collision pair. Direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) results for hypersonic flow over a blunt body with the total collision cross section from MD/QCT simulations, Larsen-Borgnakke with new relaxation numbers, and the N2 dissociation rate from MD/QCT show a profile with a decreased translational temperature and a rotational temperature close to vibrational temperature. The results demonstrate that many of the physical models employed in DSMC should be revised as fundamental potential energy surfaces suitable for high temperature conditions become available.

Investigation of effective impact parameters in electron-ion temperature relaxation via Particle-Particle Coulombic molecular dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yinjian

2017-09-01

Aiming at a high simulation accuracy, a Particle-Particle (PP) Coulombic molecular dynamics model is implemented to study the electron-ion temperature relaxation. In this model, the Coulomb's law is directly applied in a bounded system with two cutoffs at both short and long length scales. By increasing the range between the two cutoffs, it is found that the relaxation rate deviates from the BPS theory and approaches the LS theory and the GMS theory. Also, the effective minimum and maximum impact parameters (bmin* and bmax*) are obtained. For the simulated plasma condition, bmin* is about 6.352 times smaller than the Landau length (bC), and bmax* is about 2 times larger than the Debye length (λD), where bC and λD are used in the LS theory. Surprisingly, the effective relaxation time obtained from the PP model is very close to the LS theory and the GMS theory, even though the effective Coulomb logarithm is two times greater than the one used in the LS theory. Besides, this work shows that the PP model (commonly known as computationally expensive) is becoming practicable via GPU parallel computing techniques.

Relaxational effects in radiating stellar collapse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govender, Megan; Maartens, Roy; Maharaj, Sunil D.

1999-12-01

Relaxational effects in stellar heat transport can in many cases be significant. Relativistic Fourier-Eckart theory is inherently quasi-stationary, and cannot incorporate these effects. The effects are naturally accounted for in causal relativistic thermodynamics, which provides an improved approximation to kinetic theory. Recent results, based on perturbations of a static star, show that relaxation effects can produce a significant increase in the central temperature and temperature gradient for a given luminosity. We use a simple stellar model that allows for non-perturbative deviations from staticity, and confirms qualitatively the predictions of the perturbative models.

Low Temperature Reflectance Spectra of Titan Tholins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roush, T. L.; Dalton, J. B.; Fonda, Mark (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Compositional interpretation of remotely obtained reflectance spectra of outer solar system surfaces is achieved by a variety of methods. These include matching spectral curves, matching spectral features, quantitative spectral interpretation, and theoretical modeling of spectra. All of these approaches rely upon laboratory measurements of one kind or another. The bulk of these laboratory measurements are obtained with the sample of interest at ambient temperatures and pressures. However, surface temperatures of planets, satellites, and asteroids in the outer solar system are significantly cooler than ambient laboratory conditions on Earth. The infrared spectra of many materials change as a function of temperature. As has been recently demonstrated it is important to assess what effects colder temperatures have on spectral properties and hence, compositional interpretations. Titan tholin is a solid residue created by energetic processing of H-, C-, and N-bearing gases. Such residues can also be created by energetic processing if the gases are condensed into ices. Titan tholin has been suggested as a coloring agent for several surfaces in the outer solar system. Here we report laboratory measurements of Titan tholin at a temperature of 100 K and compare these to measurements of the same sample near room temperature. At low temperature the absorption features beyond 1 micrometer narrow slightly. At wavelengths greater than approx. 0.8 micrometer the overall reflectance of the sample decreases slightly making the sample less red at low temperatures. We will discuss the implications of the laboratory measurements for interpretation of cold outer solar system surfaces.

Influence of Nanodisperse Metal Fillers on the Viscoelastic Properties and Processes of Mechanical Relaxation of Polymer Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolupav, B. B.; Kolupaev, B. S.; Levchuk, V. V.; Maksimtsev, Yu. R.; Sidletskii, V. A.

2017-05-01

The results of research into the viscoelastic properties and processes of mechanical relaxation of polyvinylchloride (PVC) containing Cu nanoparticles obtained by means of electroerosion crushing and electrohydraulic destruction of agglomerates of disperse Cu in the presence of an ultrasonic field are presented. It is shown that, in the case of longitudinal shear deformation at a frequency of 0.4 × 106 s-1 over a wide range of temperatures and content of ingredients, viscoelastic phenomena depending on structural changes in the PVC system occur. An analysis of quantitative results of the elastic and viscoelastic deformation of a body is carried out taking into account the energy and entropy components of interaction of the polymer and filler at their interface.

Attaining Low Temperatures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheatley, John D.; Van Till, Howard J.

1970-01-01

Discusses the definition of temperature and the concept of order in non-mathematical terms. Describes the cooling techniques necessary in low temperature physics research, including magnetic cooling, the use of the Pomeranchuk Effect, and dilution refrigeration. Outlines the types of phenomena observed in matter within various temperature ranges…

PREFACE: VII Conference on Low Temperature Plasma in the Processes of Functional Coating Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nail, Kashapov

2016-01-01

The VII All-Russian (with international participation) Scientific Technical Conference "Low-temperature plasma during the deposition of functional coatings" took place from 4-7 November 2015 at the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Kazan Federal University. The conference was attended by over 150 people from Russia and abroad. The participants proposed a wide range of issues affecting the theoretical and experimental aspects of the problems of the physics of low-temperature plasma. We heard the reports of experts from leading universities and research organizations in the field of plasma physics: Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University, MEPhI, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Institute of High Current Electronics SB RAS, etc. A series of works were devoted to the study of thin films obtained by low-temperature plasma. This year, work dedicated to the related field of heat mass transfer in multiphase media and low-temperature plasma was also presented. Of special interest were reports on the exploration of gas discharges with liquid electrolytic electrodes and the study of dusty plasmas. Kashapov Nail, D.Sc., professor (Kazan Federal University)

Ultrafast exciton relaxation in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thilagam, A., E-mail: thilaphys@gmail.com

2016-04-28

We examine a mechanism by which excitons undergo ultrafast relaxation in common monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides. It is shown that at densities ≈1 × 10{sup 11 }cm{sup −2} and temperatures ≤60 K, excitons in well known monolayers (MoS{sub 2}, MoSe{sub 2}, WS{sub 2}, and WSe{sub 2}) exist as point-like structureless electron-hole quasi-particles. We evaluate the average rate of exciton energy relaxation due to acoustic phonons via the deformation potential and the piezoelectric coupling mechanisms and examine the effect of spreading of the excitonic wavefunction into the region perpendicular to the monolayer plane. Our results show that the exciton relaxation rate is enhanced with increasemore » in the exciton temperature, while it is decreased with increase in the lattice temperature. Good agreements with available experimental data are obtained when the calculations are extrapolated to room temperatures. A unified approach taking into account the deformation potential and piezoelectric coupling mechanisms shows that exciton relaxation induced by phonons is as significant as defect assisted scattering and trapping of excitons by surface states in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides.« less

F-centers mechanism of long-term relaxation in lead zirconate-titanate based piezoelectric ceramics. 2. After-field relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishchuk, V. M.; Kuzenko, D. V.

2016-08-01

The paper presents results of experimental study of the dielectric constant relaxation during aging process in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 based solid solutions (PZT) after action of external DC electric field. The said process is a long-term one and is described by the logarithmic function of time. Reversible and nonreversible relaxation process takes place depending on the field intensity. The relaxation rate depends on the field strength also, and the said dependence has nonlinear and nonmonotonic form, if external field leads to domain disordering. The oxygen vacancies-based model for description of the long-term relaxation processes is suggested. The model takes into account the oxygen vacancies on the sample's surface ends, their conversion into F+- and F0-centers under external effects and subsequent relaxation of these centers into the simple oxygen vacancies after the action termination. F-centers formation leads to the violation of the original sample's electroneutrality, and generate intrinsic DC electric field into the sample. Relaxation of F-centers is accompanied by the reduction of the electric field, induced by them, and relaxation of the dielectric constant, as consequent effect.

Relaxation model of radiation-induced conductivity in polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhutayeva, Yu. R.; Khatipov, S. A.

1999-05-01

The paper suggests a relaxation model of radiation-induced conductivity (RIC) in polymers. According to the model, the transfer of charges generated in the polymer volume by ionizing radiation takes place with the participation of molecular relaxation processes. The mechanism of electron transport consists in the transfer of the charge directly between traps when they draw close to one another due to the rotation of macromolecule segments. The numerical solutions of the corresponding kinetic equations for different distribution functions Q( τ) of the times of molecular relaxation and for different functions of the probability P( τ, τ') of charge transfer in the `overlapping' regions of the diffusion spheres of the segments are analyzed. The relaxation model provides an explanation of the non-Arrhenius behavior of the RIC temperature dependence, the power dependence of RIC on the dose rate with a power index in the interval 0.5-1.0, the appearance of maxima in the curves of the RIC temporal dependence and their irreversible character in the region of large dose rates (more than 1 Gy/s). The model can be used for interpreting polymer RIC in conditions of kinetic mobility of macromolecules.

The mechanical spectra of β-relaxation and spontaneous densification effects in an amorphous polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muzeau, Elisabeth; Johari, G. P.

1990-12-01

The dynamic mechanical spectra of shear modulus of poly(methyl methacrylate) have been measured at several temperatures over the frequency range 10 -4-1 Hz in order to study localized diffusion of chain segments which appears as β-relaxation. The shape of the spectra of both the real and imaginary components has been analyzed. It is described by a stretched exponential decay function with exponent of 0.18 and it shows nearly 50% change in the modulus over this frequency range. This exponent and the rate of relaxation are remarkably similar to those observed by dielectric methods. A procedure for obtaining the exponent of the decay function and the relaxation strength of the β-process has been outlined. The strength of the β-relaxation, or equivalently the number of molecular segments undergoing a thermally activated localized diffusion, decreases on structural relaxation during the isothermal ageing, and the magnitude of the modulus increases. Qualitatively speaking, these effects seem comparable to the effects of an increase in density that normally occurs with decrease in temperature or increase in pressure, and demonstrate that isothermal ageing causes collapse of "soft sites" in a rigid amorphous matrix.

Low-temperature dielectric behavior of Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}-SiO{sub 2} solid solutions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choosuwan, H.; Guo, R.; Bhalla, A. S.

2003-03-01

Dielectric properties of Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}(0.92):SiO{sub 2}(0.08) ceramic were measured in the temperature range of 10-300 K by the cryostat system. Frequency-dependent dielectric loss suggests the relaxation behavior of this material. The relaxation mechanism was analyzed by the Arrhenius relationship and the Cole-Cole plot. Calculated distribution of relaxation time reveals deviation from the pure Debye relaxation.

Proton Relaxivity and Magnetic Hyperthermia Evaluation of Gadolinium Doped Nickel Ferrite Nanoparticles as Potential Theranostic Agents.

PubMed

Yadavalli, Tejabhiram; Raja, Paradeep; Ramaswamy, Shivaraman; Chandrasekharan, Gopalakrishnan; Chennakesavulu, Ramasamy

2017-02-01

This paper outlines the preparation of gadolinium doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles as potential magnetic carriers and longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents using hydrothermal method with gadolinium concentration varying from 10% to 40%. A concise effect on the crystal structure was observed at 10% and 20% gadolinium doping, while gadolinium oxide was observed to leach at concentrations exceeding 20%. Further, gadolinium doped nickel ferrites were analyzed for their morphological, magnetic, proton relaxation and magnetic hyperthermia heating properties to understand their potential role as magnetic carrier agents. Low temperature and room temperature magnetic studies conducted on the samples showed comparatively high magnetic saturation with low remanent magnetization. Further, relaxometry studies revealed a high relaxation rate of 6.63 s−1 at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL. Magnetic hyperthermia studies of the samples at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, assessed that the samples attained a temperature of 68 °C in 240 seconds.

Current-driven ion-acoustic and potential-relaxation instabilities excited in plasma plume during electron beam welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trushnikov, D. N.; Mladenov, G. M.; Belenkiy, V. Ya.; Koleva, E. G.; Varushkin, S. V.

2014-04-01

Many papers have sought correlations between the parameters of secondary particles generated above the beam/work piece interaction zone, dynamics of processes in the keyhole, and technological processes. Low- and high-frequency oscillations of the current, collected by plasma have been observed above the welding zone during electron beam welding. Low-frequency oscillations of secondary signals are related to capillary instabilities of the keyhole, however; the physical mechanisms responsible for the high-frequency oscillations (>10 kHz) of the collected current are not fully understood. This paper shows that peak frequencies in the spectra of the collected high-frequency signal are dependent on the reciprocal distance between the welding zone and collector electrode. From the relationship between current harmonics frequency and distance of the collector/welding zone, it can be estimated that the draft velocity of electrons or phase velocity of excited waves is about 1600 m/s. The dispersion relation with the properties of ion-acoustic waves is related to electron temperature 10 000 K, ion temperature 2 400 K and plasma density 1016 m-3, which is analogues to the parameters of potential-relaxation instabilities, observed in similar conditions. The estimated critical density of the transported current for creating the anomalous resistance state of plasma is of the order of 3 A.m-2, i.e. 8 mA for a 3-10 cm2 collector electrode. Thus, it is assumed that the observed high-frequency oscillations of the current collected by the positive collector electrode are caused by relaxation processes in the plasma plume above the welding zone, and not a direct demonstration of oscillations in the keyhole.

Calorimetric and relaxation properties of xylitol-water mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elamin, Khalid; Sjöström, Johan; Jansson, Helén; Swenson, Jan

2012-03-01

We present the first broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and differential scanning calorimetry study of supercooled xylitol-water mixtures in the whole concentration range and in wide frequency (10-2-106 Hz) and temperature (120-365 K) ranges. The calorimetric glass transition, Tg, decreases from 247 K for pure xylitol to about 181 K at a water concentration of approximately 37 wt. %. At water concentrations in the range 29-35 wt. % a plentiful calorimetric behaviour is observed. In addition to the glass transition, almost simultaneous crystallization and melting events occurring around 230-240 K. At higher water concentrations ice is formed during cooling and the glass transition temperature increases to a steady value of about 200 K for all higher water concentrations. This Tg corresponds to an unfrozen xylitol-water solution containing 20 wt. % water. In addition to the true glass transition we also observed a glass transition-like feature at 220 K for all the ice containing samples. However, this feature is more likely due to ice dissolution [A. Inaba and O. Andersson, Thermochim. Acta, 461, 44 (2007)]. In the case of the BDS measurements the presence of water clearly has an effect on both the cooperative α-relaxation and the secondary β-relaxation. The α-relaxation shows a non-Arrhenius temperature dependence and becomes faster with increasing concentration of water. The fragility of the solutions, determined by the temperature dependence of the α-relaxation close to the dynamic glass transition, decreases with increasing water content up to about 26 wt. % water, where ice starts to form. This decrease in fragility with increasing water content is most likely caused by the increasing density of hydrogen bonds, forming a network-like structure in the deeply supercooled regime. The intensity of the secondary β-relaxation of xylitol decreases noticeably already at a water content of 2 wt. %, and at a water content above 5 wt. % it has been replaced by a

Low temperature aqueous desulfurization of coal

DOEpatents

Slegeir, W.A.; Healy, F.E.; Sapienza, R.S.

1985-04-18

This invention describes a chemical process for desulfurizing coal, especially adaptable to the treatment of coal-water slurries, at temperatures as low as ambient, comprising treating the coal with aqueous titanous chloride whereby hydrogen sulfide is liberated and the desulfurized coal is separated with the conversion of titanous chloride to titanium oxides.

Low temperature aqueous desulfurization of coal

DOEpatents

Slegeir, William A.; Healy, Francis E.; Sapienza, Richard S.

1985-01-01

This invention describes a chemical process for desulfurizing coal, especially adaptable to the treatment of coal-water slurries, at temperatures as low as ambient, comprising treating the coal with aqueous titanous chloride whereby hydrogen sulfide is liberated and the desulfurized coal is separated with the conversion of titanous chloride to titanium oxides.

Low to moderate temperature nanolaminate heater

DOEpatents

Eckels, J Del [Livermore, CA; Nunes, Peter J [Danville, CA; Simpson, Randall L [Livermore, CA; Hau-Riege, Stefan [Fremont, CA; Walton, Chris [Oakland, CA; Carter, J Chance [Livermore, CA; Reynolds, John G [San Ramon, CA

2011-01-11

A low to moderate temperature heat source comprising a high temperature energy source modified to output low to moderate temperatures wherein the high temperature energy source modified to output low to moderate temperatures is positioned between two thin pieces to form a close contact sheath. In one embodiment the high temperature energy source modified to output low to moderate temperatures is a nanolaminate multilayer foil of reactive materials that produces a heating level of less than 200.degree. C.

Reduced water vapor transmission rates of low-temperature solution-processed metal oxide barrier films via ultraviolet annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seonuk; Jeong, Yong Jin; Baek, Yonghwa; Kim, Lae Ho; Jang, Jin Hyuk; Kim, Yebyeol; An, Tae Kyu; Nam, Sooji; Kim, Se Hyun; Jang, Jaeyoung; Park, Chan Eon

2017-08-01

Here, we report the fabrication of low-temperature sol-gel-derived aluminum oxide (AlOx) films via ultraviolet (UV) annealing and the investigation of their water vapor blocking properties by measuring the water vapor transmission rates (WVTRs). The UV annealing process induced the formation of a dense metal-oxygen-metal bond (Al-O-Al structure) at low temperatures (<200 °C) that are compatible with commercial plastic substrates. The density of the UV-annealed AlOx thin film at 180 °C was comparable to that of AlOx thin films that have been thermally annealed at 350 °C. Furthermore, the UV-annealed AlOx thin films exhibited a high optical transparency in the visible region (>99%) and good electrical insulating properties (∼10-7 A/cm2 at 2 MV/cm). Finally, we confirmed that a dense AlOx thin film was successfully deposited onto the plastic substrate via UV annealing at low temperatures, leading to a substantial reduction in the WVTRs. The Ca corrosion test was used to measure the WVTRs of AlOx thin films deposited onto polyethylene naphthalate or polyimide substrates, determined to be 0.0095 g m-2 day-1 (25 °C, 50% relative humidity) and 0.26 g m-2 day-1, respectively.

Dielectric relaxation of NdMnO{sub 3} nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saha, Sujoy, E-mail: sahasujoy3@gmail.com; Chanda, Sadhan; Dutta, Alo

2013-11-15

Graphical abstract: (a) TEM image of particle distribution of NMO. (b) HRTEM image of a single NMO particle under 4,000,000× magnification. (c) SAED pattern of a single NMO nanoparticle. - Highlights: • NdMnO{sub 3} nanoparticles are synthesized by sol–gel process. • TEM micrograph shows a granular characteristic with an average particle size of ∼50 nm. • HRTEM is consistent with the spacing between the (2 0 0) planes of the orthorhombic NdMnO{sub 3}. • Band gap is found to be 4.4 eV. • Cole–Cole model has been used to explain the dielectric relaxation in the material. • The activation energymore » of the material is found to be ∼0.43 eV. - Abstract: The neodymium manganate (NdMnO{sub 3}) nanoparticles are synthesized by the sol–gel process. The phase formation and particle size of the sample are determined by X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The band gap of the material is obtained by UV–visible absorption spectroscopy using Tauc relation. Dielectric properties of the sample have been investigated in the frequency range from 42 Hz to 1 MHz and in the temperature range from 303 K to 573 K. The dielectric relaxation peaks are observed in the frequency dependent dielectric loss spectra. The Cole–Cole model is used to explain the dielectric relaxation mechanism of the material. The complex impedance plane plot confirms the existence of both the grain and grain-boundary contribution to the relaxation. The temperature dependence of both grain and grain-boundary resistances follow the Arrhenius law with the activation energy of 0.427 and 0.431 eV respectively. The frequency-dependent conductivity spectra follow the power law.« less

Processing urinary endoscopes in a low-temperature steam and formaldehyde autoclave.

PubMed Central

Gibson, G L

1977-01-01

Methods of disinfection and sterilisation of urinary endoscopes are considered. A small mobile low-temperature steam and formaldehyde autoclave (Miniclave 80) is evaluated and shown to be satisfactory for this purpose as judged by a variety of relevant microbiological test pieces. Images PMID:557503

Relaxation techniques for stress

MedlinePlus

... of your body. These sensors measure your skin temperature, brain waves, breathing, and muscle activity. You can ... more about any of these techniques through local classes, books, videos, or online. Alternative Names Relaxation response ...

Alternate current conductivity in BSb films prepared by PLD technique: Electron transport processes in low-temperature range (10-275 K)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Shirsendu; Bhunia, Ritamay; Hussain, Shamima; Bhar, Radhaballabh; Kumar Pal, Arun

2017-04-01

This study is focused on the measurement of alternate current (a.c.) electrical conductivity of BSb films, deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrates at 673K by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The frequency-dependent a.c. conductivity is measured as a function of temperature (10-275K) and frequency (100Hz-100kHz). The transport processes governing the electrical conduction processes in this material are analyzed critically. It is observed from FESEM micrograph that the film is composed of small discrete grain with sizes varying in the range 6-12nm. It is interesting to notice from \\lnσ_ac versus 1000/T plot that there are three distinct zones: i) Semiconductor zone at high temperature from 275 to 150K, ii) Insulator zone at low temperature from 70 to 10K and iii) an abrupt change of the \\lnσ_ac versus 1000/T plot at ˜ 75 indicating MIS transition occurring in this BSb film. We found that the activation energy for the BSb films in the lower-temperature range was quite low ˜ 6 to 41neV, while that in the higher-temperature range was 20 to 50meV.

A Low Temperature, Solution-Processed Poly(4-vinylphenol), YO(x) Nanoparticle Composite/Polysilazane Bi-Layer Gate Insulator for ZnO Thin Film Transistor.

PubMed

Shin, Hyeonwoo; Kang, Chan-Mo; Chae, Hyunsik; Kim, Hyun-Gwan; Baek, Kyu-Ha; Choi, Hyoung Jin; Park, Man-Young; Do, Lee-Mi; Lee, Changhee

2016-03-01

Low temperature, solution-processed metal oxide thin film transistors (MEOTFTs) have been widely investigated for application in low-cost, transparent, and flexible electronics. To enlarge the application area, solution-processed gate insulators (GI) have been investigated in recent years. We investigated the effects of the organic/inorganic bi-layer GI to ZnO thin film transistors (TFTs). PVP, YO(x) nanoparticle composite, and polysilazane bi-layer showed low leakage current (-10(-8) A/cm2 in 2 MV), which are applicable in low temperature processed MEOTFTs. Polysilazane was used as an interlayer between ZnO and PVP, YO(x) nanoparticle composite as a good charge transport interface with ZnO. By applying the PVP, YO(x), nanoparticle composite/polysilazane bi-layer structure to ZnO TFTs, we successfully suppressed the off current (I(off)) to -10(-11) and fabricated good MEOTFTs in 180 degrees C.

Influence of High-Pressure Processing at Low Temperature and Nisin on Listeria innocua Survival and Sensory Preference of Dry-Cured Cold-Smoked Salmon.

PubMed

Lebow, Noelle K; DesRocher, Lisa D; Younce, Frank L; Zhu, Mei-Jun; Ross, Carolyn F; Smith, Denise M

2017-12-01

Cold-smoked salmon (CSS) production lacks a validated kill step for Listeria monocytogenes. Although Listeria spp. are reduced by nisin or high-pressure processing (HPP), CSS muscle discoloration is often observed after HPP. Effects of nisin and low-temperature HPP on L. innocua survival (nonpathogenic surrogate for L. monocytogenes), spoilage organism growth, color, and sensory preference and peelability of CSS were studied. Cold-smoked sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) fillets ± nisin (10 μg/g) were inoculated with a 3-strain L. innocua cocktail, vacuum-packaged, frozen at - 30 °C, and high-pressure processed in an ice slurry within an insulated sleeve. Initial experiments indicated that nisin and HPP for 120 s at 450 MPa (N450) and 600 MPa (N600) were most effective against L. innocua, and thus were selected for further storage studies. L. innocua in N450 and N600-treated CSS was reduced 2.63 ± 0.15 and 3.99 ± 0.34 Log CFU/g, respectively, immediately after HPP. L. innocua and spoilage growth were not observed in HPP-treated CSS during 36 d storage at 4 °C. Low-temperature HPP showed a smaller increase in lightness of CSS compared to ambient-temperature HPP performed in previous studies. Sensory evaluation indicated that overall liking of CSS treated with N450 and N600 were preferred over the control by 61% and 62% of panelists, respectively (P < 0.05). Peelability of sliced CSS was reduced by HPP (P < 0.05). Nisin in combination with low-temperature HPP was effective in controlling L. innocua in CSS while maintaining consumer acceptability. Cold-smoked salmon is a high-risk ready-to-eat product that may be contaminated with L. monocytogenes. Results showed that nisin combined with high-pressure processing at low temperature, reduced the population of Listeria and controlled the spoilage organisms during storage. As an added benefit, high-pressure processing at low temperature may reduce lightening of the salmon flesh, leading to enhanced consumer

Impact of process temperature on GaSb metal-oxide-semiconductor interface properties fabricated by ex-situ process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokoyama, Masafumi; Asakura, Yuji; Yokoyama, Haruki; Takenaka, Mitsuru; Takagi, Shinichi

2014-06-01

We have studied the impact of process temperature on interface properties of GaSb metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures fabricated by an ex-situ atomic-layer-deposition (ALD) process. We have found that the ALD temperature strongly affects the Al2O3/GaSb MOS interface properties. The Al2O3/GaSb MOS interfaces fabricated at the low ALD temperature of 150 °C have the minimum interface-trap density (Dit) of ˜4.5 × 1013 cm-2 eV-1. We have also found that the post-metalization annealing at temperature higher than 200 °C degrades the Al2O3/GaSb MOS interface properties. The low-temperature process is preferable in fabricating GaSb MOS interfaces in the ex-situ ALD process to avoid the high-temperature-induced degradations.

Flux-split algorithms for flows with non-equilibrium chemistry and vibrational relaxation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grossman, B.; Cinnella, P.

1990-01-01

The present consideration of numerical computation methods for gas flows with nonequilibrium chemistry thermodynamics gives attention to an equilibrium model, a general nonequilibrium model, and a simplified model based on vibrational relaxation. Flux-splitting procedures are developed for the fully-coupled inviscid equations encompassing fluid dynamics and both chemical and internal energy-relaxation processes. A fully coupled and implicit large-block structure is presented which embodies novel forms of flux-vector split and flux-difference split algorithms valid for nonequilibrium flow; illustrative high-temperature shock tube and nozzle flow examples are given.

Johari-Goldstein Relaxation Far Below Tg: Experimental Evidence for the Gardner Transition in Structural Glasses?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geirhos, K.; Lunkenheimer, P.; Loidl, A.

2018-02-01

Experimental evidence for the Gardner transition, theoretically predicted to arise deep in the glassy state of matter, is scarce. At this transition, the energy landscape sensed by the particles forming the glass is expected to become more complex. In the present Letter, we report the dielectric response of two typical glass formers with well-pronounced Johari-Goldstein β relaxation, following this response down to unprecedented low temperatures, far below the glass transition. As the Johari-Goldstein process is believed to arise from the local structure of the energy landscape, its investigation seems an ideal tool to seek evidence for the Gardner transition. Indeed, we find an unusual broadening of the β relaxation below about 110 K for sorbitol and 100 K for xylitol, in excess of the expected broadening arising from a distribution of energy barriers. These results are well consistent with the presence of the Gardner transition in canonical structural glass formers.

Steepest-entropy-ascent quantum thermodynamic modeling of the relaxation process of isolated chemically reactive systems using density of states and the concept of hypoequilibrium state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guanchen; von Spakovsky, Michael R.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a study of the nonequilibrium relaxation process of chemically reactive systems using steepest-entropy-ascent quantum thermodynamics (SEAQT). The trajectory of the chemical reaction, i.e., the accessible intermediate states, is predicted and discussed. The prediction is made using a thermodynamic-ensemble approach, which does not require detailed information about the particle mechanics involved (e.g., the collision of particles). Instead, modeling the kinetics and dynamics of the relaxation process is based on the principle of steepest-entropy ascent (SEA) or maximum-entropy production, which suggests a constrained gradient dynamics in state space. The SEAQT framework is based on general definitions for energy and entropy and at least theoretically enables the prediction of the nonequilibrium relaxation of system state at all temporal and spatial scales. However, to make this not just theoretically but computationally possible, the concept of density of states is introduced to simplify the application of the relaxation model, which in effect extends the application of the SEAQT framework even to infinite energy eigenlevel systems. The energy eigenstructure of the reactive system considered here consists of an extremely large number of such levels (on the order of 10130) and yields to the quasicontinuous assumption. The principle of SEA results in a unique trajectory of system thermodynamic state evolution in Hilbert space in the nonequilibrium realm, even far from equilibrium. To describe this trajectory, the concepts of subsystem hypoequilibrium state and temperature are introduced and used to characterize each system-level, nonequilibrium state. This definition of temperature is fundamental rather than phenomenological and is a generalization of the temperature defined at stable equilibrium. In addition, to deal with the large number of energy eigenlevels, the equation of motion is formulated on the basis of the density of states and a set of

Low toxicity high temperature PMR polyimide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pater, Ruth H. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

In-situ polymerization of monomer reactants (PMR) type polyimides constitute an important class of ultra high performance composite matrix resins. PMR-15 is the best known and most widely used PMR polyimide. An object of the present invention is to provide a substantially improved high temperature PMR-15 system that exhibits better processability, toughness, and thermo-oxidative stability than PMR-15, as well as having a low toxicity. Another object is to provide new PMR polyimides that are useful as adhesives, moldings, and composite matrices. By the present invention, a new PMR polyimide comprises a mixture of the following compounds: 3,4'-oxydianiline (3,4'-ODA), NE, and BTDE which are then treated with heat. This PMR was designated LaRC-RP46 and has a broader processing window, better reproducibility of high quality composite parts, better elevated temperature mechanical properties, and higher retention of mechanical properties at an elevated temperature, particularly, at 371 C.

Collaborative Research: Process-resolving Decomposition of the Global Temperature Response to Modes of Low Frequency Variability in a Changing Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cai, Ming; Deng, Yi

2015-02-06

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Annular Modes (AMs) represent respectively the most important modes of low frequency variability in the tropical and extratropical circulations. The future projection of the ENSO and AM variability, however, remains highly uncertain with the state-of-the-art coupled general circulation models. A comprehensive understanding of the factors responsible for the inter-model discrepancies in projecting future changes in the ENSO and AM variability, in terms of multiple feedback processes involved, has yet to be achieved. The proposed research aims to identify sources of such uncertainty and establish a set of process-resolving quantitative evaluations of the existing predictions ofmore » the future ENSO and AM variability. The proposed process-resolving evaluations are based on a feedback analysis method formulated in Lu and Cai (2009), which is capable of partitioning 3D temperature anomalies/perturbations into components linked to 1) radiation-related thermodynamic processes such as cloud and water vapor feedbacks, 2) local dynamical processes including convection and turbulent/diffusive energy transfer and 3) non-local dynamical processes such as the horizontal energy transport in the oceans and atmosphere. Taking advantage of the high-resolution, multi-model ensemble products from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) soon to be available at the Lawrence Livermore National Lab, we will conduct a process-resolving decomposition of the global three-dimensional (3D) temperature (including SST) response to the ENSO and AM variability in the preindustrial, historical and future climate simulated by these models. Specific research tasks include 1) identifying the model-observation discrepancies in the global temperature response to ENSO and AM variability and attributing such discrepancies to specific feedback processes, 2) delineating the influence of anthropogenic radiative forcing on the key feedback

Rounded stretched exponential for time relaxation functions.

PubMed

Powles, J G; Heyes, D M; Rickayzen, G; Evans, W A B

2009-12-07

A rounded stretched exponential function is introduced, C(t)=exp{(tau(0)/tau(E))(beta)[1-(1+(t/tau(0))(2))(beta/2)]}, where t is time, and tau(0) and tau(E) are two relaxation times. This expression can be used to represent the relaxation function of many real dynamical processes, as at long times, t>tau(0), the function converges to a stretched exponential with normalizing relaxation time, tau(E), yet its expansion is even or symmetric in time, which is a statistical mechanical requirement. This expression fits well the shear stress relaxation function for model soft soft-sphere fluids near coexistence, with tau(E)low and high frequency in Cole-Cole plots for dielectric and shear stress relaxation (both the modulus and viscosity forms). It is shown that both the dielectric spectra and dynamic shear modulus imaginary parts approach the real axis with a slope equal to 0 at high frequency, whereas the dynamic viscosity has an infinite slope in the same limit. This indicates that inertial effects at high frequency are best discerned in the modulus rather than the viscosity Cole-Cole plot. As a consequence of the even expansion in time of the shear stress relaxation function, the value of the storage modulus derived from it at very high frequency exceeds that in the infinite frequency limit (i.e., G(infinity)).