Publications

We study the phase segregation in magnetite ferrofluids under the influence of an external magnetic field. A phase with lower nanoparticle density and corresponding higher optical transmission is formed in the bottom of a glass cell in the presence of only a very modest magnetic field gradient (smaller than 25 T/m). The flux density in our magnetic configuration is simulated using finite element methods. Upon switching off the external magnetic field, the low-density phase develops into a 'bubble'-like feature. The kinetics of this 'bubble' in the absence and presence of a magnetic field are described and analyzed in terms of a simple model, which takes into account buoyancy and drag forces. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of fullerene on the radical polymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone with lauroyl peroxide in toluene was investigated kinetically. C-60 was found to act both as inhibitor and as retarder because the polymerization rate and the molecular weight of resulting poly(vinylpyrrolidone) is decreasing with the increase of the fullerene concentration (0-6.94 x 10(-4) mol l(-1)). The water-soluble poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-modified fullerene C-60 compound was characterized by differential scanning calorimetric, Infrared and Raman spectroscopy, UV absorption and photoluminescence. Based on the results obtained by optical measurements, it is argued that by the covalent attachment of the polymeric radicals to fullerene cage the extended electronic conjugation system of the C-60 is broken leading to the appearance of a polyene structure.

The most popular process of MgB(2) wire fabrication is the so-called in situ powder-in-tube (PIT) process, which is characterized by filing metallic tubes with Mg and B mixed powder, drawing and rolling the material into wires and, finally, by applying a heat treatment. X-ray diffraction analyses were carried out for MgB(2) cores and SiC-added wires. XRD patterns reveal that nearly single-phase MgB(2) was obtained. Also, in this paper are presented the obtained magnetization curves.

Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O-3-BiFeO3 (PZT-BFO) multilayer structures were realized by sol-gel on Pt/Si substrate and their electrical properties were investigated using top Pt, Au and Cu electrodes. All multilayers start and end with PZT films. The polarization-voltage and current-voltage hysteresis loops resemble to those encountered in case of antiferroelectric (AFE) films, although component materials are both ferroelectric (FE). The AFE-like behavior is more clearly visible in the case of three-layer structures of PZT-BFO-PZT type, and it is not dependent of the metal used as top electrode. After fatigue cycling the polarization hysteresis apparently changes from characteristic AFE double-loop to FE single loop, although the four switching current peaks characteristic for an AFE behavior are still present in the current hysteresis. These results suggest the presence of an AFE interfacial coupling between the PZT and BFO layers.

The nanostructure of Si-x(SiO2)(1-x) films deposited on quartz substrate, where x varies from 0 to 1, was determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy in the sample regions with x approximate to 0.1, 0.2. 0.5. and 0.75. In the Si-0.5(SiO2)(0.5) region, the formation of a Si nanocrystallite network was established. At high concentrations of Si nanocrystallites, nanotwins and stacking faults occurred in the crystallites. Large Si crystallites appeared at x >= 0.5 in the quartz Substrate under the interface, while the film presented nanopores over the interface. The mechanisms for the formation of the nanocrystallites were discussed and correlated with the film properties.

The Stoner instability of the paramagnetic state, yielding to the occurence of ferromagnetism, is reviewed for electron density of states reflecting changes in the dimensionality of the system. The situations treated are one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cases and also a special case where the density of states has a parabolic shape near the Fermi level, and is half-filled at equilibrium. We recover the basic results obtained in the original work of E.C. Stoner [Proc. Roy. Soc. London A 165, 372 (1938)]; also we demonstrate that in 1D and 2D case, whenever the Stoner criterion is satisfied, the system evolves spontaneously towards maximum polarization allowed by Hund's rules. For the 3D case, the situation is that: (i) when the Stoner criterion is satisfied, but the ratio between the Hubbard repulsion energy U and the Fermi energy epsilon(F) is between 4/3 and 3/2, the system evolves towards a ferromagnetic state with incomplete polarization (the polarization parameter is between 0 and 1); (ii) when U/epsilon(F), > 3/2, the system evolves towards maximum polarization. This situation was also recognized in the original paper of Stoner, but with no further analysis of the obtained polarizations nor comparison with experimental results. We apply the result of calculation in order to predict the Hubbard interaction energy. Finally, for the case of half-filled parabolic density of states a result quite similar with the case of the free electron 3D DOS is obtained, but here the Hubbard energy has to be compared with the band half-widh 6, whereas the absolute value of the Fermi energy has no relevance in this model. The Stoner criterion is U/delta > 4/3 and for U/delta < 2 the total energy is minimized for incomplete polarization. We compare the results obtained from the present theoretical study with the newest available experimental data.

The molecular dynamics of 4-n-octyl-4(')-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) confined inside the pores of a series of AlMCM-41 samples with the same structure, constant composition (Si/Al=14.7) but different pore sizes (diameter between 2.3 and 4.6 nm) was investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy (10(-2)-10(9) Hz) in a large temperature interval. Two relaxation processes are observed: one has a bulklike behavior and is assigned to the 8CB in the pore center. The relaxation time of the second relaxation process is essentially slower than that of the former one and this process is related to the dynamics of molecules in a surface layer with a paranematic order. Both relaxation processes are specifically influenced by the interaction of the molecules with the surface and by the confinement. Above the clearing temperature the temperature dependence of the relaxation rate of the bulklike process obeys the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann (VFT) law. The Vogel temperature increases with decreasing pore size. This is explained by increasing influence of paranematic potential of the surface layer with decreasing pore size. The temperature dependence of the relaxation rate of the surface layer follows also the VFT formula and the Vogel temperature decreases with decreasing pore size. This temperature dependence is controlled by both the interaction of the 8CB molecules with the surface via hydrogen bonding and by spatial confinement effects. To discriminate between both effects the data for the surface layer of 8CB confined to the molecular sieves are compared with results concerning 8CB adsorbed as a quasimonolayer on the surface of silica spheres of aerosil. On this basis a confinement parameter is defined and discussed.

SBN thin films were grown on MgO and Silicon substrates by PLD and RF-PLD (radiofrequency assisted PLD) starting from single crystal Sr0.6Ba0.4Nb2O6 and ceramic Sr0.5Ba0.5Nb2O6 stoichiometric targets. Morphological and structural analyses were performed on the SBN layers by AFM and XRD and optical properties were measured by spectroellipsometry. The films composition was determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry. The best set of experimental conditions for obtaining crystalline, c-axis preferential texture and with dominant 31 degrees in-plane orientation relative to the MgO (100) axis is identified.

The paper presents the spectroscopic properties of electrolytic colored KCl:Tl and KCI:Tl+Ca crystals and the assignments of the new defects which are formed during electron injection process. The new formed defects Tl-0 and Tl-0+Ca2+ with the metal in the anionic sites, presents very high photoluminescence properties in the near infrared region. Together with those centers, the F-centers, their aggregates and the holes centers are formed during electrolytic coloring process. Their properties were studied by optical absorption (OA), photoluminescence (PL) and thermoluminescence (TL) measurements and compared with those obtained by ionizing irradiation in uncolored KCl:Tl crystals. The results suggest a more efficient Tl+-> Tl-0 process in the case of Ca2+ codoped samples due to the prolonged time of electrons injection, low temperature and high electric field.

Neutron irradiation is a promising method for a spectacular enhancement of the critical current density of the high temperature superconductors. The suppression of the mechanisms responsible for superconductivity under irradiation are analyzed and put side by side with the effects on the flux line lattice dynamics. Additionally, the evolution of the creation/generation balance of the defects of the crystal structure is connected to the evolution of the response of the vortex system with an emphasis on the ceramic materials.