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At least 109 records · Page 6

Stimulated concentration (diffusion) light scattering on nanoparticles in a liquid suspension

A nonlinear growth of the light scattering intensity has been observed and the frequency shift of the spectral line of scattered light has been measured in light backscattered in suspensions of diamond and latex nanoparticles in water. The shift corresponds to the HWHM of the line of spontaneous scattering on particles. We may conclude that there exists stimulated concentration (diffusion) light scattering on variations of the particle concentration, which is also called the stimulated Mie scattering. In a fibre probe scheme, the growth of the shift of the scattered spectral line is observed with an increase in the exciting beam power. The variation of the frequency shift with an increase in the exciting power is explained by convection in liquid. (light scattering)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Structural and Dynamical Fluctuations in Off-Stoichiometric NiMnGa Shape-Memory Alloys

3D diffuse scattering dataset in the temperature region of the existence of high temperature cubic L21 phase reveals localized intensity maxima related to phason modes. Peierls instability induced tetragonal distortions in the pre-martensitic phase cause strong diffuse scattering. Around (H0H) reflections diffuse scattering is strongly compressed along the [H0H] and enhanced along the [-H0H] direction.

diffuse scattering↗

A diffuse radar scattering model from Martian surface rocks

Remote sensing of Mars has been done with a variety of instrumentation at various wavelengths. Many of these data sets can be reconciled with a surface model of bonded fines (or duricrust) which varies widely across the surface and a surface rock distribution which varies less so. A surface rock distribution map from -60 to +60 deg latitude has been generated by Christensen. Our objective is to model the diffuse component of radar reflection based on this surface distribution of rocks. The diffuse, rather than specular, scattering is modeled because the diffuse component arises due to scattering from rocks with sizes on the order of the wavelength of the radar beam. Scattering for radio waves of 12.5 cm is then indicative of the meter scale and smaller structure of the surface. The specular term is indicative of large scale surface undulations and should not be causally related to other surface physical properties. A simplified model of diffuse scattering is described along with two rock distribution models. The results of applying the models to a planet of uniform fractional rock coverage with values ranging from 5 to 20% are discussed.

Calvin, W. M.↗

Impact of Interfacial Roughness on the Sorption Properties of Nanocast Polymers

Nanocasting is an emerging method to prepare organic polymers with regular, nanometer pores using inorganic templates. This report assesses the impact of imperfect template replication on the sorption properties of such polymer castings. Existing X-ray diffraction data show that substantial diffuse scattering exists in the small-angle region even though TEM images show near perfect lattices of uniform pores. To assess the origin of the diffuse scattering, the morphology of the phenol - formaldehyde foams (PFF) was investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The observed diffuse scattering is attributed to interfacial roughness due to fractal structures. Such roughness has a profound impact on the sorption properties. Conventional pore- filling models, for example, overestimate protein sorption capacity. A mathematical framework is presented to calculate sorption properties based on observed morphological parameters. The formalism uses the surface fractal dimension determined by SAXS in conjunction with nitrogen adsorption isotherms to predict lysozyme sorption. The results are consistent with measured lysozyme loading.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Island dynamics and anisotropy during vapor phase epitaxy of m-plane GaN

Using in situ grazing-incidence x-ray scattering, we have measured the diffuse scattering from islands that form during layer-by-layer growth of GaN by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy on the (1010) m-plane surface. The diffuse scattering is extended in the (0001) in-plane direction in reciprocal space, indicating a strong anisotropy with islands elongated along [1210] and closely spaced along [0001]. This is confirmed by atomic force microscopy of a quenched sample. Islands were characterized as a function of growth rate F and temperature. The island spacing along [0001] observed during the growth of the first monolayer obeys a power-law dependence on growth rate F-n, with an exponent n = 0:25 + 0.02. The results are in agreement with recent kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, indicating that elongated islands result from the dominant anisotropy in step edge energy and not from surface diffusion anisotropy. The observed power-law exponent can be explained using a simple steady-state model, which gives n = 1/4.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Photoinduced Domain Pattern Transformation in Ferroelectric-Dielectric Superlattices

The nanodomain pattern in ferroelectric/dielectric superlattices transforms to a uniform polarization state under above-bandgap optical excitation. X-ray scattering reveals a disappearance of domain diffuse scattering and an expansion of the lattice. Furthermore, the reappearance of the domain pattern occurs over a period of seconds at room temperature, suggesting a transformation mechanism in which charge carriers in long-lived trap states screen the depolarization field. A Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire model predicts changes in lattice parameter and a critical carrier concentration for the transformation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Finite-size effects in lead scandium tantalate relaxor thin films

Large electromechanical effects in relaxor ferroelectrics are generally attributed to the collective response of an ensemble of correlated, nanometer-sized polar structures induced by chemical and charge disorder. Here, we study finite-size effects on such polar order (i.e., how it evolves when sample dimensions approach the polarization correlation length) in 7–70-nm-thick films of the relaxor ferroelectric PbSc 0.5 Ta 0.5 O 3 . Temperature-dependent polarization studies reveal a linear suppression of the polarization and nonlinearity associated with relaxor order as the film thickness decreases to ≈ 30 nm. Below this thickness, however, the suppression rapidly accelerates, and polarization is completely absent by film thicknesses of ≈ 7 nm, despite the continued observation of a broad peak in dielectric permittivity and frequency dispersion. Diffuse-scattering measurements reveal the diffuse-scattering symmetry, and analysis suggests the films have a polarization correlation length of ≈ 23 nm. Finally, taken together, it is apparent that reduction of sample size and the resulting distribution of polar structures drive suppression and eventual quenching of the electrical response of relaxors, which may be attributed to increasing dipole-dipole and dipole-interface interactions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

On the surface photovoltaic effect in a multivalley semiconductor in an external magnetic field

A theory of the photovoltaic effect in a semi-infinite multvalley semiconductor upon the absorption of polarized light at free carriers caused by the specular reflection and diffuse scattering of electrons at a film surface is developed by us. The kinetic Boltzmann equation in the approximation of time relaxation and boundary conditions, which determine the correlation between the distribution function of electrons reflected from a semi-infinite crystal surface and the distribution function of electrons incident onto a surface for the case of both specular reflection and diffuse scattering is used. The aforementioned takes into account the fact that the distribution function of electrons diffusely scattered from a surface depends only on their energy and is determined from the condition of total electron flux vanishing at the surface. Expressions for analyzing the spectral dependence of the current which is linearly dependent on the magnetic-field strength are obtained.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A model of diffuse radar scattering from Martian surface rocks

Two physically plausible surface rock-orientation models are presently used to characterize the depolarized component of diffuse radar energy scattering on Mars, and plots of scattering cross-section are derived as a function of Doppler shift. The spectral shapes thus modeled exhibit similarities to observed spectra; their magnitudes are generally within a factor of about 2 of measured values. While surface inhomogeneities could account for the degree of discrepancy, subsurface element scattering may also be implicated.

Calvin, Wendy M.↗

Quantitative Characterization of the Nanoscale Local Lattice Strain Induced by Sr Dopants in La 1.92 Sr 0.08 CuO 4

Here, the nanometer scale lattice deformation brought about by the dopants in the high temperature superconducting cuprate La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 (x = 0.08) was investigated by measuring the associated x-ray diffuse scattering around multiple Bragg peaks. A characteristic diffuse scattering pattern was observed, which can be well described by continuum elastic theory. With the fitted dipole force parameters, the acoustic-type lattice deformation pattern was reconstructed and found to be of similar size to lattice thermal vibration at 7 K. Our results address the long-term concern of dopant introduced local lattice inhomogeneity, and show that the associated nanometer scale lattice deformation is marginal and cannot, alone, be responsible for the patched variation in the spectral gaps observed with scanning tunneling microscopy in the cuprates.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Special relativity effects for space-based coherent lidar experiments

There is a great need to develop a system that can measure accurately atmospheric wind profiles because an accurate data of wind profiles in the atmosphere constitutes single most input for reliable simulations of global climate numerical methods. Also such data helps us understand atmospheric circulation and climate dynamics better. Because of this need for accurate wind measurements, a space-based Laser Atmospheric Winds Sounder (LAWS) is being designed at MSFC to measure wind profiles in the lower atmosphere of the earth with an accuracy of 1 m/s at lower altitudes to 5m/s at higher altitudes. This system uses an orbiting spacecraft with a pulsed laser source and measures the Doppler shift between the transmitted and received frequencies to estimate the atmospheric wind velocities. If a significant return from the ground (sea) is possible, the spacecraft speed and height are estimated from it and these results and the Doppler shift are then used to estimate the wind velocities in the atmosphere. It is expected that at the proposed wavelengths, there will be enough backscatter from the aerosols but there may no be significant return from the ground. So a coherent (heterodyne) detection system is being proposed for signal processing because it can provide high signal to noise ratio and sensitivity and thus make the best use of low ground return. However, for a heterodyne detection scheme to provide the best results, it is important that the receiving aperture be aligned properly for the proposed wind sounder, this amounts to only a few microradians tolerance in alignment. It is suspected that the satellite motion relative to the ground may introduce errors in the order of a few microradians because of special relativity. Hence, the problem of laser scattering off a moving fixed target when the source and receiver are moving, which was not treated in the past in the literature, was analyzed in the following, using relativistic electrodynamics and applied to the case of the space-based coherent lidar, assuming flat ground. Here an interest in developing analytical expression for the location of the receiving point for the return with respect to the satellite, receiving angle and Doppler shift in frequency and amount of tip, all as measured in the satellite moving coordinate system and the diffuse scattering angle at the ground which does not require any compensation. All the three cases of retro-reflection, specular reflection and diffuse scattering by the ground should be treated though retro-reflection and diffuse scattering are more important.

Raogudimetla, V. S.↗

The relation of local order to material properties in relaxor ferroelectrics

Correlating electromechanical and dielectric properties with nanometre-scale order is the defining challenge for the development of piezoelectric oxides. Current lead (Pb)-based relaxor ferroelectrics can serve as model systems with which to unravel these correlations, but the nature of the local order and its relation to material properties remains controversial. Here we employ recent advances in diffuse scattering instrumentation to investigate crystals that span the phase diagram of PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3-xPbTiO(3) (PMN-xPT) and identify four forms of local order. From the compositional dependence, we resolve the coupling of each form to the dielectric and electromechanical properties observed. We show that relaxor behaviour does not correlate simply with ferroic diffuse scattering; instead, it results from a competition between local antiferroelectric correlations, seeded by chemical short-range order, and local ferroic order. The ferroic diffuse scattering is strongest where piezoelectricity is maximal and displays previously unrecognized modulations caused by anion displacements. Our observations provide new guidelines for evaluating displacive models and hence the piezoelectric properties of environmentally friendly next-generation materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electronic heat generation in semiconductors: Non-equilibrium excitation and evolution of zone-edge phonons via electron–phonon scattering in photo-excited germanium

We investigate experimentally and using first-principles theory the generation of phonons and the relaxation of carriers on picosecond timescales across the Brillouin zone of photo-excited Ge by inter-valley electron–phonon scattering. The phonons generated are typical of those generated in semiconductor devices, contributing to the accumulation of heat within the material. We simulate the time-evolution of phonon populations, based on first-principles band structure and electron–phonon and phonon–phonon matrix elements, and compare them to data from time-resolved x-ray diffuse scattering experiments, performed at the Linac Coherent Light Source x-ray free-electron laser facility, following photo-excitation by a 50 fs near-infrared optical pulse. We show that the intensity of the non-thermal x-ray diffuse scattering signal, which is observed to grow substantially near the L-point of the Brillouin zone over 3–5 ps, is due to phonons generated by scattering of carriers between the Δ and L valleys. These phonons have low group velocities, resulting in a heat bottleneck. With the inclusion of phonon decay through 3-phonon processes, the simulations also account for other non-thermal features observed in the x-ray diffuse scattering intensity, which are due to anharmonic phonon–phonon scattering of the phonons initially generated by electron–phonon scattering.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Diffuse multiple scattering

A new form of diffraction lines similar to Rutherford, Kikuchi and Kossel lines has been identified. They can be used to eliminate the need for sample/source matching in Lonsdale’s triple convergent line method in lattice-parameter determination. A new form of diffraction lines has been identified, similar to Rutherford, Kikuchi and Kossel lines. This paper highlights some of the properties of these lines and shows how they can be used to eliminate the need for sample/source matching in Lonsdale’s triple convergent line method in lattice-parameter determination.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Active and passive defects in tetragonal tungsten bronze relaxor ferroelectrics

Tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) based oxides constitute a large family of dielectric materials which are known to exhibit complex distortions producing incommensurately modulated superstructures as well as significant local deviations from their average symmetry. The local deviations produce diffuse scattering in diffraction experiments. The structure as well as the charge dynamics of these materials are anticipated to be sensitive to defects, such as cation or oxygen vacancies. In this work, in an effort to understand how the structural and charge dynamical properties respond to these two types of vacancy defects, we have performed measurements of dielectric susceptibilities and single crystal diffraction experiments of two types of TTB materials with both ‘filled’ (Ba 2 NdFeNb 4 O 15 and Ba 2 PrFeNb 4 O 15 ) and ‘unfilled’ (Sr 0.5 Ba 0.5 Nb 2 O 6 ) cation sublattices. We also perform these measurements before and after oxygen annealing, which alters the oxygen vacancy concentrations. Surprisingly, we find that many of the diffuse scattering features that are present in the unfilled structure are also present in the filled structure, suggesting that the random fields and disorder that are characteristic of the unfilled structure are not responsible for many of the local structural features that are reflected in the diffuse scattering. Furthermore, oxygen annealing clearly affected both color and dielectric properties, consistent with a diminishment of the oxygen vacancy concentration, but had little effect on observed diffuse patterns.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Interface structure in nanoscale multilayers near continuous-to-discontinuous regime

Interfacial atomic diffusion, reaction, and formation of microstructure in nanoscale level are investigated in W/B{sub 4}C multilayer (ML) system as functions of thickness in ultrathin limit. Hard x-ray reflectivity (XRR) and x-ray diffuse scattering in conjunction with x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) in soft x-ray and hard x-ray regimes and depth profiling x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to precisely evaluate detailed interfacial structure by systematically varying the individual layer thickness from continuous-to-discontinuous regime. It is observed that the interfacial morphology undergoes an unexpected significant modification as the layer thickness varies from continuous-to-discontinuous regime. The interfacial atomic diffusion increases, the physical density of W layer decreases and that of B{sub 4}C layer increases, and further more interestingly the in-plane correlation length decreases substantially as the layer thickness varies from continuous-to-discontinuous regime. This is corroborated using combined XRR and x-ray diffused scattering analysis. XANES and XPS results show formation of more and more tungsten compounds at the interfaces as the layer thickness decreases below the percolation threshold due to increase in the contact area between the elements. The formation of compound enhances to minimize certain degree of disorder at the interfaces in the discontinuous region that enables to maintain the periodic structure in ML. The degree of interfacial atomic diffusion, interlayer interaction, and microstructure is correlated as a function of layer thickness during early stage of film growth.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗