Publications

In this contribution, the production of defects in radiation fields and their evolution toward equilibrium in silicon for detector uses has been modelled. In the quantitative model developed, the generation rate of primary defects is calculated starting from the projectile-silicon interaction and from recoil energy redistribution in the lattice. Vacancy-interstitial annihilation, interstitial migration to sinks, divacancy and vacancy-impurity complex (VP, VO, V2O, CiOi and CiCs) formation are considered. The results of the model support the experimental available data. The correlation between the initial material parameters, temperature, irradiation and annealing history is established. The model predictions could be a useful clue in obtaining harder materials for detectors at the new generation of accelerators or for space missions. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We performed flux-creep annealing experiments on disordered (overdoped) Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta and La2-xSrxCuO4 single crystals in remnant magnetic field at T = 10 K, where, as generally accepted, the vortex creep process is thermally activated, and at T = 2 and 1.8 K, in the putative quantum creep regime. A simple data analysis shows that the variation of the creep barrier U with the current density J remains qualitatively the same, regardless of T. In the case of La2-xSrxCuO4 single crystals in remnant field U(J) diverges in the low-J limit, and flux-creep annealing considerably reduces the normalized relaxation rate S at low T. We emphasize that the relatively large "residual" S values appearing below a certain crossover temperature in "standard" magnetization relaxation experiments are mainly due to the usually fixed relaxation time window in the conditions of a strong U(J) nonlinearity. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Radiation-induced defects in silicon diodes were investigated after exposure to high doses of Co-60 gamma irradiation, using Deep Level Transient Fourier Spectroscopy and Thermally Stimulated Current methods. The main focus was on differences between standard and oxygen-enriched material and the impact of the observed defect generation on the diode properties. Two close to mid gap trapping levels and a bi-stable donor level have been found to be responsible for the main macroscopic changes both in standard and oxygen-enriched float zone diodes. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The glassy composition As25Te35Si40 was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and infrared absorption (IR) measurements. X-ray diffraction patterns at room temperature and at temperatures around T-g were recorded and the radial distribution functions have been calculated. A continuous random network model for the ideal homogeneous glass structure has been proposed.

The replication of single-ion track templates opens up the possibility of accessing electrical properties of nanowires without using lithographic techniques. Polycarbonate foils of 30-mum thickness were irradiated with single swift heavy ions (e.g. An 11.4 or Xe 8.3 MeV/nucleon). By controlled one-sided etching of the damage trail caused by the ion, templates containing a single conical pore were prepared. The narrow pore openings had diameters down to 25 nm and opening angles up to 2degrees. By electrochemical deposition of copper, single conical wires were obtained. The electric current recorded during electrodeposition reflects the geometry of the pore. The wires were provided with electrical contacts. Current-voltage measurements confirmed that their resistance was ohmic. The wires could withstand a maximum current density above 10(8) A/cm(2).

The inhibiting effect of ETU has been studied regarding the corrosion of carbon-steel in NH4Cl 0.1 M solution at 25degreesC and 50degreesC. The effects of the inhibitor have been demonstrated using weight loss and electrochemical measurements as well as Mossbauer spectrometry. The efficiency of ETU increases with the raise of the concentration, but lowers with the temperature. An activation energy was determined using the Arrhenius equation. The experimental data characterize a Langmuir type adsorption isotherm and the results were correlated to the adsorption of the inhibitor Mossbauer spectrometry shows the formation of a superficial film on the surface of the corroded sample in the presence of ETU. This film provides a good corrosion protection for the sample.

A series of Bi-ZSM-5 containing 4.26, 5.54, and 6.64 wt% bismuth oxide was prepared by introducing Bi during ZSM-5 synthesis. For comparison. 5 wt% Bi (expressed as bismuth oxide)-impregnated ZSM-5 samples were also prepared. These samples were characterized by N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms at 77 K, XRD, XPS, IR spectroscopy in the lattice vibration range and in the presence of chemisorbed pyridine and CO2 and EXAFS. The characterization data confirmed the occlusion of bismuth oxide clusters in the zeolite pores. An intrinsic acidity due to bismuth oxide clusters was evidenced. This consisted, on one hand, in weak Lewis acid sites, ascribed to coordinatively unsaturated bismuth cations, and, on the other hand, in strong Bronsted acid sites, attributed to boundary Bi (. . .) O-Si linkages. These catalysts were tested in the liquid-phase oxidation of benzene, toluene, and cyclohexane using hydrogen peroxide as oxidizing agent. The results showed that Bi-ZSM-5 catalysts are more active than the reported titanium silicalites, but the efficiency of H2O2 use was quite small, an important part of this being nonselectively decomposed. A good selectivity was observed in cyclohexane oxidation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, we show that composites based on polyaniline (PANI) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are different when they are prepared by two different methods: (1) by adding dispersed SWNTs to the polymer solutions and (2) by chemical polymerization of aniline in the presence of SWNTs. The difference originates from the irreversible chemical transformation of SWNTs in the polymerization medium. The synthesis medium used for the preparation of PANI transforms SWNTs into fragments of shorter length like closed-shell fullerenes. This explains the similarity of SERS and FTIR spectra of the composites PANI/SWNTs and PANI/C-60 chemically prepared. All compounds exhibit an absorption band at 1144 cm(-1) in their FTIR spectra, increasing with the carbon nanoparticules content, as a signature of a charge transfer between the constituents. Besides, the FTIR spectrum of the compounds obtained by adding SWNTs to the polymer solution display an intense absorption band with two components at 773 and 755 cm(-1), which are associated with the vibration of deformation of the benzene and the quinoid ring, respectively. This indicates a strong hindrance effect produced by the binding on the polymer chain of voluminous carbon particles as nanotubes and large fragments of nanotubes.

The presence of magnetic moments in uranium atoms in some of U2TSi3, UTSi and U2T3Si (T is a 3d, 4d or 5d transition element) compounds is discussed in terms of the hybridization of s, p, d and f atomic orbitals. The hybridization strength in these ternary series of isostructural compounds was calculated using the semiquantitative band structure approach of Straub and Harrison. The prediction criterion for the presence of magnetic ordering, comparing the band width with a critical energy, seems to hold. The dominant influence of fd hybridization effects in the change of magnetic properties inside an isostructural group is in evidence.