Publications

Pure triglycine sulphate crystals (TGS) show peculiar dielectric behavior in the ferroelectric phase, after crossing down the Curie point. Dielectric dispersion was investigated on the frequency range 1 Hz divided by 10 MHz. Temperature was changed at a sliding rate of 0.6 degrees C/minute, crossing up and down, several times, the Curie point between 65 degrees C and -120 degrees C. The second component of permittivity, drawn versus the frequency, shows two types of relaxation in the ferroelectric phase, with the characteristic time of tau(L) similar to 10(-3) sec and tau(H) similar to 10(-7) seconds. The first is recognized to be related with ferroelectric domain wall relaxation (domain cropping), although not clearly understood yet. The second one is ascribed to the "critical slowing down" effect, similar to the relaxation in the paraelectric phase, above T-C. A third, middle relaxation time, seems to be a sort of interaction of the two previously mentioned relaxation mechanisms. Papers from the literature, analyzing molecular dynamics and structural changes, could not correlate the flipping time similar to 10(-11) sec of the NH3 group of the glycine GI in the structure (the main responsible of the ferroelectric transition), with the mentioned relaxation times. Several aspects of the dielectric parameters evolution, related to the two relaxation processes on the large temperature range shall be analyzed and discussed.

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Linn) popularly known as Peacock flower in India belongs to family Caesalpiniace. In this work, we describe environment friendly technique for green synthesis of gold nanoparticles from AuCl4 solution using the Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Peacock flower) flower extract as reducing agent. The gold nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The UV-visible spectra indicate a strong Plasmon resonance that is located at similar to 450 nm. The TEM analysis shows that products have spherical morphology with size ranging between 10-50 nm. The study also indicates that gold nanoparticles show good antimicrobial activities when compared to the standard antibiotics.

We use a generalized Master equation (GME) formalism to describe the non-equilibrium time-dependent transport through a short quantum wire connected to semi-infinite biased leads. The contact strength between the leads and the wire are modulated by out-of-phase time-dependent functions which simulate a turnstile device. One lead is fixed at one end of the sample whereas the other lead has a variable placement. The system is described by a lattice model. We find that the currents in both leads depend on the placement of the second lead. In the rather small bias regime we obtain transient currents flowing against the bias for short time intervals. The GME is solved numerically in small time steps without resorting to the traditional Markov and rotating wave approximations. The Coulomb interaction between the electrons in the sample is included via the exact diagonalization method.

A mathematical approach for describing the influence of the ions dissolved in a liquid crystal on the impedance measurements is presented. New independent variables allow re-formulating the basic coupled differential equations of continuity and Poisson equation as well. The obtained forms are simpler than those used up to now. Illustrative examples are analyzed.

The ecofriendly synthesis of nanoparticles through various biological sources helps in exploring various herbs. Generally, nanoparticles are prepared by a variety of chemical methods which are not environmentally friendly. In this report we use aqueous extracts of Carthamus Tinctorius L. (Safflower) flowers for the synthesis of gold (Au) nanoparticles. A rapid and convenient method was considered for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles by reduction with auric chloride. UV-visible spectroscopy studies were carried out to assess the formation of Au nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to characterize the Au nanoparticles. TEM image divulges that nano triangle and spherical shaped gold nanoparticles are formed with polydispersed size, and the sizes are in the range of 40 nm to 200 nm. The antimicrobial activity of gold nanoparticles was performed on various gram negative bacteria and fungus. The gold nanoparticles showed more inhibitory activity on pathogenic gram negative bacteria than fungus.

High-peak power, passively Q-switched, composite Nd : YAG/Cr4+ : YAG lasers consisting of all-polycrystalline bonded Nd : YAG and Cr4+ : YAG ceramics are developed, and two applications of such lasers are discussed. A 1.1-at. %-doped Nd : YAG/Cr4+ : YAG ceramic laser is fabricated, which is quasi-cw pumped by a diode laser in the Hz-range, delivering laser pulses of 2.5-mJ energy and 1.9-MW peak power. By frequency doubling the laser output in a LiB3O5 (LBO) nonlinear crystal at room temperature, 0.36-mJ, 0.3-MW green laser pulses with 27% conversion efficiency are produced at 532 nm. Furthermore, a highly doped (1.5-at. %) Nd : YAG/Cr4+ : YAG ceramic laser operates successfully in the range of pulse repetition rates from 50 to 500 Hz, yielding 0.8-to-1.0 mJ pulses with a peak power around 1 MW. The laser output beam is amplified in a master-oscillator-power-amplifier (MOPA) system to generate laser pulses with 11-mJ energy at a 250-Hz repetition rate.

In this paper the electrochemical analysis of new materials, designed to be used as solid electrolytes for intermediate temperature fuel cells (IT-SOFC) was made. The materials are two different composites based on ceria 10YDC + (10%) 150ppm YA and 10ScDC + (10%) 150ppm YA, obtained by sol-gel method and sintered at temperature of 1500 degrees C. The electrochemical investigation was performed by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy technique. According of these analyses the composite 10YDC + (10%) 150ppm YA presents better conductivity than 10ScDC + (10%) 150ppm YA. These results were related with morphological investigation, realized by SEM.

When subjected to a linearly polarized terahertz pulse, a mesoscopic ring endowed with spin-orbit interaction (SOT) of the Rashba-Dresselhaus type exhibits non-uniform azimuthal charge and spin distributions. Both types of SOT couplings are considered linear in the electron momentum. Our results are obtained within a formalism based on the equation of motion satisfied by the density operator which is solved numerically for different values of the angle 0, the angle determining the polarization direction of the laser pulse. Solutions thus obtained are later employed in determining the time-dependent charge and spin currents, whose values are calculated in the stationary limit. Both these currents exhibit an oscillatory behavior complicated in the case of the spin current by a beating pattern. We explain this occurrence on account of the two spin-orbit interactions which force the electron spin to oscillate between the two spin quantization axes corresponding to Rashba and Dresselhaus interactions. The oscillation frequencies are explained using the single particle spectrum.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MION) doped dextran thin films for biomedical applications have been deposited onto the glass substrate by spin coating method. To understand the influence of the MION doping dextran on physico-chemical properties was conducted. The particle concentration in the samples defined as the oxide/dextran mass ratio, R was 1 and 5. MION -dextran thin films were charcacterized by various techniques such as X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Attachment (EDAX). These techniques have allowed the structural elucidation of polysaccharides thin films. The second derivative FT-IR spectra showed clearly that the polysaccharides bands. The biocompatibility of the maghemite-dextran thin films was demonstrated using MTT test, with the aid of hFOB 1.19 osteoblats cells. To evaluate cell proliferation rate quantitative by the hFOB 1.19 cells on HAp samples were cultured to 4 days. Cellular morphology was investigated using FESEM to obtain qualitative information of osteoblast cells on MION-dextran thin films. The data stronlgy suggest the potential use of iron oxide-dextran nanocomposite as a poetinal marker for or biomedical applications.

The luminescent europium-doped hydroxyapatite (Eu:HAp, Ca10-xEux(PO4)(6)(OH)(2)) with 0 <= x F-7(0) transition observed at 578 nm related to Eu3+ ions distributed on Ca2+ sites of the apatitic structure.