X-ray,electrical conductivity and magnetic hysteresis studies of the chalcogenide system Zn1−xCuxCr2Se4

X-ray diffraction studies performed here indicated solid-solution formation between ZnCr₂Se₄ and CuCr₂Se₄, and all the compounds could be indexed on the basis of cubic spinel lattice. The compositions between 0 x 0.8 showed semi-conducting behaviour, while CuCr₂Se₄ (x=1.0) exhibited metallic conductivity. Seebeck measurements showd P-type behaviour for 0 x 1. Magnetic hysteresis indicated a ferromagnetic nature for all the compounds except ZnCr₂Se₄ (x=0). The shapes of/ _i plotted againstT exhibited single domain behaviour, and Curie temperatures showed an increase with increasing copper concentration.     

Y xBayCuzO7− δ solid solutions

Y_xBa_yCu_zO_7– ceramics forming at isobaric conditions were studied by x-ray diffraction analysis, dynamic magnetic measurements and potentiometric titration. It was established that compositions: 0.8 x 1.2 y=2, z=3; x-1, 1.8 y 2.2, z=3; x=1, y=2, 2.7 z 3.4: are in the homogeneity range of 123. It was found that compositions with nonstoichiometric cations rations have minimum T_c.     

Modified YBCO superconductor-ferroelectric composites: Bulk materials and thick films

Bulk samples and 50–125 m thick films of (1-x)YBa₂Cu₃O_7–-xBaTiO₃ (0x0.12 by weight) composites have been synthesized, the films being obtained by Stokes sedimentation on SrTiO₃ ceramic plates and firing in oxygen by Melt Textured Growth techniques.The phase composition and texture have been studied by X-ray diffraction and microstructure. Resistance and magnetic susceptibility of prepared samples have been measured.     

Crystallization kinetics of Zr-rich FexZr0−x0−x0−x(20 ⩽ x ⩽ 40) metallic glasses

The crystallization kinetics of the melt-spun Fe-Zr metallic glasses in the iron-rich region has been investigated by means of DSC and X-ray diffraction. The crystallization mode changes with iron concentration. In the lower iron region, 20 x 25, the Fe _x Zr100–x glasses crystallize into -Zr and Ti₂Ni-type FeZr₂ with an accompanying sharp and large exotherm at the first crystallization step and immediately after this step, they transform into orthorhombic FeZr₃. On the other hand, the alloys with 35 x 40 exhibit a gradual exotherm which initiates from a temperature far below the definite crystallization temperature (T _x). The Fe-Zr metallic glasses in this concentration region crystallize polymorphously into the oxygenstabilized Ti₂Ni-type FeZr₂ with accompanying relatively small and composite exotherms. The annealing at a temperature where the gradual exotherm occurs for the alloys with 30 x 40 does not cause any changes of X-ray halo pattern but results in the reduction of the heat of exotherm due to the crystallization.     

Investigation of structural transport and magnetic properties of the system Li0.25Cu0.5Fe2.25- x Al x O4

Experimental data on X-ray electrical conductivity, thermoelectric coefficient, magnetic hysteresis and infrared absorption spectra of the system Li_0.25Cu_0.5Fe_2.25–x Al _x O₄ are presented. All the compounds, 0x2.25, showed cubic symmetry. Lattice constant values progressively decreased on increasing the Al³⁺ content. X-ray intensity calculations, magnetic hysteresis and infrared spectroscopy studies indicated the presence of Li⁺, Al³⁺ and Fe³⁺ at tetrahedral and octahedral sites, while Cu²⁺ is present only at the octahedral site. The activation energy and threshold frequency increased with increasing values ofx. The compounds withx1.50 aren-type, and those withx2.0 arep-type semiconductors. Magnetic hysteresis indicated that compounds withx1.50 are ferrimagnetic, and those withx2.0 are antiferrimagnetic. High coercive force,H _c, values and remanence ratios (J _R/J_S) showed that all the compounds exceptx2.0 exhibit single-domain behaviour. The probable ionic configuration for the system is suggested as Li _0.15 ⁺ Al _0.5 ³⁺ Fe _0.35 ³⁺ [Li _0.1 ⁺ Cu _0.5 ²⁺ Fe _0.4 ³⁺ Al³⁺]O ₄ ^2– .     

The orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase transition in YBa2(Cu1−xFex)3O7−y

The phase transition YBa₂(Cu_1–x Fe _x )₃O_7–y (0x0.05) prepared through solid-state reaction was studied with X-ray diffraction analysis and optical microscope. It was found that the orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase change was induced between x=0.02 and x=0.03 by X-ray diffraction. The phase transition was also identified by the disappearance of striations in plate-like grains under polarized light. The microstructures of the specimens with compositions of x=0.01 and x=0.02 showed faint striation images. It is considered that a mixture of the orthorhombic and tetragonal phase exists in these compositions.     

The preparation of high transition temperature superconducting Pb-Bi-Ge alloy filaments using the method of glass-coated melt spinning

The melt spinning of Pb-Bi-Ge alloys with Pyrex glass was investigated as a means of producing a superconducting long filament with highT _c. Continuous filaments with maximumT _c of more than 10 K of Pb_100-x-y Bi _x Ge _y (15x37 and 725) were obtained from the molten state at 1500 K with a winding speed of 0.95 m sec^–1. The Pb₄₉Bi₃₃Ge₁₈ filament, which was 34×10^–6 m diameter and a ductile material with a tensile strength of 20 MPa and elongation of 2.7%, exhibited superconductivity at the highestT _c of 14.3 K. These filaments were found to be polycrystalline with a grain size of more than 5000×10^–10 m and had a mixed structure of germanium (diamond) (h c p) and bismuth phases. The germanium element distributed homogeneously in the filament.     

Low temperature heat release,sound velocity and attenuation,specific heat and thermal conductivity in polymers

We have measured the long time (t = 5 to 200 h) heat release of Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and Polystyrene (PS) at 70 mK T 300 mK. After cooling from a charging temperature of 80 K the heat release in PMMA shows a t^–1 dependence in the measured time and temperature ranges in agreement with the tunneling model. In contrast, for PS we observe strong deviations from at ^–1 dependence and a factor of ten smaller heat release than in PMMA in apparent contradiction to specific heat and thermal conductivity data for PS. To compare the heat release with other low temperature properties and to verify the consistency of the tunneling model we have measured also the acoustical properties (sound velocity and attentuation), the specific heat and the thermal conductivity of PMMA and PS in the temperature range 70mKT 100 mK, 70mKT200 mK and 0.3 KT4K, respectively. We show that the anomalous time dependence of the heat release of PS is due to the thermally activated relaxation of energy states with excitation energies above 15 K.     

Nuclear ferromagnetic ordering of141Pr in the diluted Van Vleck paramagnets Pr1−x Y x Ni5

We report on the first investigation of the effect of magnetic dilution on nuclear magnetic spin interactions in metals; we studied this effect in the diluted Van Vleck paramagnets Pr_1–xY_xNi₅. In addition, we investigated the electronic magnetic properties of these intermetallic compounds. For this purpose, we have measured the nuclear and electronic susceptibilities of Pr_1–xY_xNi5 with x = 0 to 0.2 at 50K T 8 mK and at 2.2 K T 300 K. We observe a linear decrease of the electronic Van Vleck susceptibility and of the hyperfine enhancement factor by 13% (per mole Pr³⁺). The hyperfine-enhanced nuclear susceptibility decreases by about a factor of three when going fromx = 0 tox = 0.2. The samples show nuclear ferromagnetic transitions of¹⁴¹Pr with nuclear Curie temperatures T_c decreasing from 370 K to 100 K and Weiss temperatures decreasing from 218 K to 13 K in this concentration range. These data are compared with the results of mean-field calculations. In addition, we report on measurements of the nuclear spin relaxation time of these compounds, for which we find values of a few msec at millikelvin temperatures and a critical speeding-up at T_c. Our data give hints that for x > 0.2 the character of the nuclear magnetic transition may change, possibly to a nuclear spin glass freezing.     

Bulk thermal expansion studies of BiCaSrCu2O x and Bi2CaSr2Cu2O x

The compounds BiCaSrCu₂O _x and Bi₂CaSr₂Cu₂O _x were prepared by ceramic techniques and characterized by X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and microthermogravimetry (TG) and their bulk thermal expansion measurements were carried out using dilatometry in the temperature range 298T1073 K in air. The results have been analyzed and are compared with those obtained earlier for YBa₂Cu₃O₇. The XRD analysis shows that both BiCaSrCu₂O _x and Bi₂CaSr₂Cu₂O _x are single phase in nature, having an orthorhombic symmetry. The TG analysis carried out in oxygen, air, and nitrogen shows negligible weight loss (R~0.1%) on heating to 1073 K, indicating that these two compounds, unlike YBa₂Cu₃O₇, are quite stable. The analysis of bulk thermal expansion data reveals that the average linear thermal expansion coefficient ( ₁) for both BiCaSrCu₂O _x and Bi₂CaSr₂Cu₂O _x is almost the same ( ₁ 10.5×10^–6 K^–1) and is found to be nearly half of that for YBa₂Cu₃O₇ ( ₁ 18×10^–6 K^–1), suggesting that the interatomic bonding in both BiCaSrCu₂O _x and Bi₂CaSr₂Cu₂O _x is stronger as compared to YBa₂Cu₃O₇.     

Magnetic and Electrotransport Properties of the Anion-Deficient Manganites with Perovskite Structure

The chemical phase content and microstructure as well as magnetic and magnetotransport properties for the doped anion-deficient La³⁺_1-xSr²⁺_xMn³⁺O^2–_3-x/2 orthomanganites have been experimentally studied. The high-quality anion-deficient ceramic with controlled chemical phase content and microstructure has been obtained from the parent stoichiometric one at the 800 C in vacuum. The average grain size is ~5 m. It is established that the samples in the region of 0 x 0.125 are O-orthorhombic perovskites whereas in the 0.175 x 0.30—rhombohedric. As doping level increases along with the oxygen vacancies number the samples in ground state undergo a transition from the antiferromagnet A-type (x=0) through the inhomogeneous magnetic state (0 < x 0.175 to the cluster spin glass one (0.175 < x 0.30. The temperature of magnetic moment freezing is ~ 45 K. All the samples are semiconductors and show considerable magnetoresistance over a wide temperature range with peak for x = 0.175 only. Fitting of the electrical resistivity to T^–1 and T^–1/4 realized. The concentration dependences of the activation energy, spontaneous magnetization, coercivity as well as magnetic transition temperatures for the anion-deficient La³⁺_1-xSr²⁺_xMn³⁺O^2–_3-x/2 ortomanganites have been established. Obtained experimental results are interpreted in terms of the oxygen vacancies, isotropic superexchange Mn³⁺-O–Mn³⁺ interactions and phase separation models.     

Fermi liquid behaviour of the viscosity of3He-4He mixtures

We have investigated³He-⁴He mixtures at³He-concentrations 0.98%x9.5% by the vibrating wire technique in the temperature range 1 mKT 100 mK and at pressures 0 bar p 20 bar. In the degenerate regime of the mixtures the Landau theory of Fermi liquids predicts a temperature dependence of the viscosity proportionalT ^–2. We report on the first observation of this behaviour at 3 mKT 10 mK for all investigated concentrations and pressures. At temperatures below about 20 mK slip corrections had to be taken into account due to the increase of the quasiparticle mean free path at very low temperatures. The low-temperature cut-off in T ² = constant indicates the transition into the ballistic regime of the mixtures, where the mean free path of the quasiparticles exceeds the radius of the vibrating wire. Our results for the pressure dependence of the viscosity as well as for its magnitude show substantial differences from predictions based on pseudopotential theory. However, a calculation of with the quasiparticle interaction potential of recent solubility measurements in mixtures agrees well with our experimental data, in particular the pressure independence of .     

A scaled equation of state for real fluids in the critical region

A scaled equation of state is proposed for real fluids in the critical region which incorporates asymmetry with respect to the critical isochore. In the range of reduced densities 0.65(/ _c)1.4 and for reduced temperatures (T/T _c)1.2, the equation represents P-V-T data for steam within the experimental accuracy.     

Substitution of Cu by Fe in the superconducting ceramic oxide EuBa2Cu3Oy: Structure, electrical conductivity, and microwave response

A series of EuBa₂(Cu_1–x Fe _x )₃O_y (0.0x0.15) ceramics were prepared and examined by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, electrical resistance measurements, and a magnetically modulated microwave absorption technique. The oxygen content (y=6.98±0.03), determined by thermogravimetric analysis in a reducing atmosphere, was independent of the iron concentration forx0.12. The introduction of iron into the EuBa₂Cu₃O _y lattice, via substitution into copper sites, effects a progressive decrease in the superconducting transition temperature with increasing iron concentration. Normal-state conductivity similarly progresses from a low resistivity and negative temperature coefficient behavior, to a semiconducting-like response at the high iron concentrations. X-ray powder diffraction measurements indicate that material containing 6% iron and above is tetragonal, yet it remains superconducting with up to at least 12% iron.     

Critical review of the thermodynamics of the Na-Al-O system

The free energies of formation of various phases in the Na-Al-O systems are critically reviewed for the composition range between pure alumina and sodium-aluminate. The results clearly indicate that in the temperature range between 600 and 1100 K neither-alumina nor'-alumina (Na₂O.5Al₂O₃) are stable with respect to sodium; the most stable phase in that range being sodium aluminate. Least square fitting and statistical analysis of all the available data on the free energy of formation of-alumina deemed accurate yields G _form ⁰ (from oxides) = –8772+1.53T (J/mole of O) (600 T 1200K) If the composition of-alumina is assumed to be Na₂0.11Al₂O₃ then G _form ⁰ (Na_1/17Al_11/17O, from elements) = –565100+109.6T (J mole of O) (600 T 1200 K) If the composition is assumed to be 19 then: G _form ⁰ (Na_1/14Al_9/14O, from elements) = –564000+109.6T (J/mole of O) (600 T 1200K) Based on the only study to date, the best estimate for the free energy of formation of-alumina is G _form ⁰ (Na_1/8Al_5/8O, from the elements) = –567860+114T (J/mole of O) (600 T 1200 K)The uncertainty (95% confidence band) is estimated to be about ±200 J/mole of O. Based on these results-alumina should be thermodynamically stable at lower temperatures, but become unstable at temperatures >900 K and should, kinetics permitting, dissociate into-alumina and sodium aluminate. Experimental evidence, however exists that conclusively shows that-alumina is thermodynamically stable at much higher temperatures than 900 K which leads to the conclusion that G °_form for-alumina reported to date is too high and should be more negative.     

Crystal structure and hydrogen occupation in H x V2O5(x=0.0–3.9)

Changes in the crystal structure and the lattice constants of powdered crystalline V₂O₅ after absorption of hydrogen were measured, as a function of the concentration, by X-ray diffractometry. The diffraction spectra obtained showed that three kinds of phases, (x<0.4 in H _x V₂O₅), (co-existing with either terminal phase in the range of 0.4x<3.2) and (3.2x3.9), appear up tox=3.9, which was found to be the upper limit of the absorption at 70C under a hydrogen pressure of 5 MPa. The crystal system of the three phases was determined to be orthorhombic, although the lattice constants differed. The diffraction lines were broadened, and the background of the X-ray spectra grew with hydrogenation, especially in the -region, which indicates the growth of the lattice distortion and a quasi-amorphous state. The occupation of hydrogen atoms in each phase is discussed on the basis of the experimental results.     

Spontaneous nuclear ferromagnetic ordering of in nuclei in AuIn2 Part I. Nuclear specific heat and nuclear susceptibility

We have measured the nuclear specific heat C_n and nuclear susceptibility _n of In nuclei (I=9/2, =5.5 _n) in the cubic intermetallic compound AuIn₂ (Korringa constant =0.11 Ksec) in the normal conducting state at 30K10mK and 2mTB115 mT. Our data show a positive nuclear Weiss temperature =+ 43 K and that the In nuclei undergo a nuclear ferromagnetic transition at T_c=35 K. The In nuclei experience an internal field of about 10 mT (obtained from C_n at T>T_c ). The nuclear ordering temperature T_c and the internal field increase with applied magnetic field. From the data we deduce exchange constants for the investigated system. The critical entropy reduction S(T_c)/S_max=8.6% and critical enthalpy E=0.28 RT_c are in reasonable agreement with the measured ordering temperature T_c,applying the Heisenberg model for a simple cubic I=9/2 spin system. The nuclear spin relaxation time calculated from the real and imaginary parts of _n is 10 msec at T>50 K, but drops to <1msec at T_c.This is the first observation of a spontaneous nuclear magnetic ordering transition in a not-hyperfine-enhanced metal at thermal equilibrium, i.e. at T _nuclear =T _electron .     

Some properties of Sb2Te3−xSex for nonvolatile memory based on phase transition

Composition dependence of properties of Sb₂Te_3–x Se _x in the range 0x<3 were studied using differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. Sb₂Te_3–x Se _x form solid solution for 0<x1.25 and 2.75x<3. A systematic study of crystallization temperature in Sb₂Te_3–x Se _x (0x2.75) thin films prepared by flash evaporation was carried out. In preliminary experiments for some compositions, more than 10³ repetitions between amorphous and crystalline states were attained by the application of electric pulses.     

Comparison of Superconductivity and Structure for Lanthanum Replacing for Barium and Copper in YBa2Cu3Od

X-ray diffraction studies and the resistivity measurements are used to characterize the structure and the superconductivity of the nominal composition of YBa₂Cu_{3 – x} La _x O _d (YBCLO) cuprates with x 0.30. There was a BaCuO₂ impurity phase detected with x 0.10. The structure of the main phase (123) has the orthorhombic form with Pmmm symmetry in the whole doping range. With increasing content of lanthanum, x, the lattice constants increase for x < 0.04, and decrease for x 0.04. Rietveld refinements for X-ray diffraction show that the dopant of lanthanum substitutes for copper in the lower doping level, and replaces for both barium and copper in the high doping level. The zero-resistance temperature T _c0 first increases with the increase of the content of lanthanum in YBCLO as x 0.04 and then decreases with x as x 0.04. We compared the results with those of La-doped YBa_{2 – z} La _z Cu₃O _y cuprates. The different relationship in superconductivity dependence of lanthanum content may result from the strains due to the different occupancy of lanthanum in the unit cell of YBa₂Cu₃O _d .     

Substrate/film interactions in thick films of YBaCuO on alumina

The substrate-film interaction in thick films (>10m) of YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x on alumina processed under normal conditions is investigated using electron-probe microanalysis. The formation of a mixture of barium aluminate and alumina over a thickness of about 2m in the interfacial region is established quantitatively using compositional mapping and point-count analysis across the substrate-film interface. Diffusion of aluminium into the film over severalm beyond the reaction layer is also observed. The variation of oxygen composition across the interface has been mapped. Leaching of oxygen from the 1-2-3 phase in the bulk is suggested as the reason for the observed decrease inT _c(0) and increase in T _c in films of YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x on alumina.