National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

The linear relations of the neutron and X-ray optics in crystal powder diffractometers are extended with second-order terms. An expression for the angular deviation from the Bragg-peak position is derived which reduces to that of Wilson [Mathematical Theory of X-ray Powder Diffractometers (1963). Amsterdam: Philips Technical Library] for the case of characteristic X-rays in parafocusing geometry. A technique of computing second-order aberration effects is described. Line-shift formulae are given for conventional and curved-crystal diffractometers.

The quadratic-response function of the particle density to a static harmonic potential is calculated for a totally occupied Landau level. Then, with use of a variational approach, it is shown that the linear component of the density response is dominant for any wave vector q of the external potential and for a large range of amplitudes, including those which remove the gap up to the next Landau level. The contribution of the nonlinear components does not exceed a few percent if q < l(B)-1 and may be statisfactorily described by the quadratic component if q < 2l(B)-1, where l(B) = (HBARc/eB)1/2 is the magnetic length.

This paper describes the growth of CdF2 single crystals using the Bridgman method. Unwanted vapour reactions are avoided by using an argon atmosphere and glassy carbon crucibles. The installation for the growth of CdF2 single crystals is described in detail. Optical absorption of CdF2 crystals is shown for wavelengths of 200 to 800 nm. Transmission spectrum in the 2.5-10-mu-m range shows a low level of impurities which do not affect the optical qualities.

The steady-state conductance G of thick-film SnO2 chemoresistive gas sensors is measured for different CO concentrations c in air, in the 0-300 ppm range, at 0 and 100% relative humidity. The conductances G0 at 0 and G at 120 ppm CO in normal air are measured as a function of time in non-steady-state conditions, during the first two hours of stabilization, after keeping the sensors unheated (out of operation) for seven days. The time dependence of the conductance at sudden changes of the CO concentration between c = 0 and c not-equal 0 in normal air is also measured. Experimental results indicate that the ratio (G2-G0(2))/G0 depends almost linearly on c down to very low values (about 1 ppm), it is fairly independent of humidity in the steady state, and of time during the stabilization stage. This can offer a possibility for using SnO2 sensors not only for the detection, but also for the quantitative measurement, of small concentrations of a combustible gas in air.

A theory of correlated hopping diffusion on lattices with site-exclusion interaction is presented. We develop a variational procedure to estimate the diffusion constant D. We derive a method of obtaining several sequences of decreasing upper bounds for D. The method is extensively discussed for the particular sequence that starts with the mean-field approximant D(MF). The first term of a second sequence D(MF) approximately is obtained by a suitable renormalization of the jump rates and is closer to D than D(MF). This modified mean-field approximation enables us to formulate an improved version of the Miller-Abrahams equivalence to a resistor network that includes correlation effects.

The dimensionality of the dissipation process in the Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 high-T(c) superconducting compound was analyzed. This material shows two-dimensional superconductivity at high temperatures, almost up to T(c). Critical-current-anisotropy studies performed on ceramic samples with preferential crystallite orientation revealed the absence of strong intrinsic pinning. The dissipation is caused only by the magnetic field component perpendicular to the CuO2 planes.

The formation mechanism of definite compounds, under non-isothermal conditions, in binary and pseudobinary systems of the type Bi2O3-MO and CuO-MO, where M = Sr, Ca and Sr + Ca and in the pseudoternary system Bi2O3-(Sr,Ca)O-CuO has been studied. It has been established that the components of systems containing Bi2O3 and CaO exhibit much higher reactivity than those of the systems containing SrO and CuO. In the pseudoternary system superconducting phases are formed at low temperature with preferential participation of calcium. with increasing temperature incorporation of Sr and Cu in a preformed network takes place.

In the paper the properties of some Pd-Sm/gamma Al2O3 catalysts with different contents of palladium obtained by the successive method of impregnation have been studied. The metallographic microscopy determinations showed that by impregnating samarium upon a Pd/gamma Al2O3 supported catalyst a penetrating front, mostly different from the one of samarium, has resulted depending on the existent concentration of palladium upon the support and also a different migration front of the platinic metal. From the electronic microscopy determinations, electronic diffraction and EXAF3, the state in which the samarium is found after impregnation and after the drying and reduction, respectively, was established. Based on these determinations a mechanism of samarium impregnation was suggested.

Structural, electrical and magnetic data are reported on superconducting polycrystalline GdBa2Cu3Oapproximately7 materials obtained from Gd(NO3)3 .6 H2O, CuO and BaCO3 powders by a solid state reaction. The samples are single phase with orthorhombic distorted perovskite structure and with a critical temperature of approximately 90 K.

Using a new method, based on nanosecond-pulse reflection, we measured the temperature dependence of the permeability of the superconducting samples. The transition temperature and the superconducting phase content were determined.