Hyperbolic Polaritonic Crystals Based on Nanostructured Nanorod Metamaterials

Surface plasmon polaritons usually exist on a few suitable plasmonic materials; however, nanostructured plasmonic metamaterials allow a much broader range of optical properties to be designed. Here, bottom-up and top-down nanostructuring are combined, creating hyperbolic metamaterial-based photonic crystals termed hyperbolic polaritonic crystals, allowing free-space access to the high spatial frequency modes supported by these metamaterials.

Strong second harmonic generation in SiC, ZnO, GaN two-dimensional hexagonal crystals from first-principles many-body calculations

The second harmonic generation (SHG) intensity spectrum of SiC, ZnO, GaN two-dimensional hexagonal crystals is calculated by using a real-time first-principles approach based on Green's function theory [Attaccalite et al., Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter Mater. Phys. 2013 88, 235113]. This approach allows one to go beyond the independent particle description used in standard first-principles nonlinear optics calculations by including quasiparticle corrections (by means of the GW approximation), crystal local field effects and excitonic effects. Our results show that the SHG spectra obtained using the latter approach differ significantly from their independent particle counterparts. In particular they show strong excitonic resonances at which the SHG intensity is about two times stronger than within the independent particle approximation. All the systems studied (whose stabilities have been predicted theoretically) are transparent and at the same time exhibit a remarkable SHG intensity in the range of frequencies at which Ti:sapphire and Nd:YAG lasers operate; thus they can be of interest for nanoscale nonlinear frequency conversion devices. Specifically the SHG intensity at 800 nm (1.55 eV) ranges from about 40-80 pm V(-1) in ZnO and GaN to 0.6 nm V(-1) in SiC. The latter value in particular is 1 order of magnitude larger than values in standard nonlinear crystals.

Obtaining and characterization of single crystals and ceramics of PZT

É conhecido que as propriedades electromecânicas do zirconato titanato de chumbo, PbZrxTi1-xO3 (PZT), alcançam um máximo na região morfotrópica. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido na tentativa de explicar as causas deste máximo e a sua dependência com a microestrutura. Para conhecer essas causas, que provocam o aparecimento de um máximo nas propriedades electromecânicas foi necessário estudar cerâmicos com composições próximas da zona morfotrópica. Os cerâmicos foram caracterizados do ponto de vista dieléctrico e estrutural e o máximo da constante dieléctrica na região morfotrópica foi confirmado, assim como a sua dependência do tamanho do grão. A posição do máximo de permitividade está relacionada com o ponto onde ocorre a transição de fase da estrutura romboédrica para tetragonal. Para conhecer as propriedades intrínsecas do PZT surgiu a necessidade de produzir monocristais destes compostos com dimensões e qualidade adequadas à medição das suas propriedades. No presente trabalho, fizeramse crescer monocristais de PZT com boa qualidade e dimensões relativamente elevadas, usando um método de solução a alta temperatura, com um fluxo de [PbO-KF-PbCl2]-B2O3, numa razão molar de 60/40 entre PZT e fluxo. Primeiro, optimizaram-se as condições de processamento, testando-se diferentes perfis de temperatura e percentagem de fluxo para promover o crescimento e melhorar a qualidade dos cristais de PZT. As condições identificadas como óptimas foram usadas para depois fazer crescer cristais de PZT. Os cristais obtidos evidenciaram uma morfologia cúbica com dimensões típicas de - 3 x 3 x 3 mm3.

An experimental investigation of dechanneling in copper single crystals

This investigation comprises a comparison of experimental and theoretical dechanneling of MeV protons in copper single crystals. Dechanneling results when an ion's transverse energy increases to the value where the ion can undergo small impact parameter collisions with individual atoms. Depth dependent dechanneling rates were determined as functions of lattice temperature, ion beam energy and crystal axis orientation. Ion beam energies were IMeV and 2MeV,temperatures ranged from 35 K to 280 K and the experiment was carried out along both the (lOa) and <110) axes. Experimental data took the form of aligned and random Rutherford backscattered energy spectra. Dechanneling rates were extracted from these spectra using a single scattering theory that took explicit account of the different stopping powers experienced by channeled and dechanneled ions and also included a correction factor to take into account multiple scattering effects along the ion's trajectory. The assumption of statistical equilibrium and small angle scattering of the channeled ions allows a description of dechanneling in terms of the solution of a diffusion like equation which contains a so called diffusion function. The diffusion function is shown to be related to the increase in average transverse energy. Theoretical treatments of increase in average transverse energy due to collisions of projectiles with channel electrons and thermal perturbations in the lattice potential are reviewed. Using the diffusion equation and the electron density in the channel centre as a fitting parameter dechanneling rates are extracted. Excellent agreement between theory and experiment has been demonstrated. Electron densities determined in the fitting procedure appear to be realistic. The surface parameters show themselves to be good indicators of the quality of the crystal.

Brillouin spectroscopy : measurement of elastic and photoelastic constants of some alkali holide crystals

The assembly and testing of apparatus for the measurement of elastic and photoelastic constants by Brillouin scattering, using a Fabry-Perot interferometer and with argon ion laser excitation is described. Such measurements are performed on NaCI, KBr and LiF using the A = 488.0 nm laser line. The elastic constants obtained here are in very good agreement with the ultrasonic data for all three materials. The discrepancy between ultrasonic and hypersonic sound velocities which was reported by some authors for KBr and LiF is not confirmed, and the elastic constants obtained for LiF are the most accurate to date. Also, the present photoelastic constants are in good agreement with the data obtained by ultrasonic techniques for all three crystals. The results for the KBr and LiF crystals constitute the first set of photoelastic constants obtained for these materials by Brillouin spectroscopy. Our results for LiF are the best available to date.

On the equation of state and atomic mean square displacement of crystals

We have presented a Green's function method for the calculation of the atomic mean square displacement (MSD) for an anharmonic Hamil toni an . This method effectively sums a whole class of anharmonic contributions to MSD in the perturbation expansion in the high temperature limit. Using this formalism we have calculated the MSD for a nearest neighbour fcc Lennard Jones solid. The results show an improvement over the lowest order perturbation theory results, the difference with Monte Carlo calculations at temperatures close to melting is reduced from 11% to 3%. We also calculated the MSD for the Alkali metals Nat K/ Cs where a sixth neighbour interaction potential derived from the pseudopotential theory was employed in the calculations. The MSD by this method increases by 2.5% to 3.5% over the respective perturbation theory results. The MSD was calculated for Aluminum where different pseudopotential functions and a phenomenological Morse potential were used. The results show that the pseudopotentials provide better agreement with experimental data than the Morse potential. An excellent agreement with experiment over the whole temperature range is achieved with the Harrison modified point-ion pseudopotential with Hubbard-Sham screening function. We have calculated the thermodynamic properties of solid Kr by minimizing the total energy consisting of static and vibrational components, employing different schemes: The quasiharmonic theory (QH), ).2 and).4 perturbation theory, all terms up to 0 ().4) of the improved self consistent phonon theory (ISC), the ring diagrams up to o ().4) (RING), the iteration scheme (ITER) derived from the Greens's function method and a scheme consisting of ITER plus the remaining contributions of 0 ().4) which are not included in ITER which we call E(FULL). We have calculated the lattice constant, the volume expansion, the isothermal and adiabatic bulk modulus, the specific heat at constant volume and at constant pressure, and the Gruneisen parameter from two different potential functions: Lennard-Jones and Aziz. The Aziz potential gives generally a better agreement with experimental data than the LJ potential for the QH, ).2, ).4 and E(FULL) schemes. When only a partial sum of the).4 diagrams is used in the calculations (e.g. RING and ISC) the LJ results are in better agreement with experiment. The iteration scheme brings a definitive improvement over the).2 PT for both potentials.

Some electrical properties of semi-conductor crystals / |nPhyu Phyu Khin. -- 260 St. Catharines, Ont. : [s. n.],

SiC and AtB 12 have been prepared and their resistivities and Hall voltages measured. The resistivities and Hall voltages were measured by the Van der Pauw's method, using spring loaded tungsten contacts. In this method, the major requirement is to have samples of plane parallel surfaces of arbitrary shape with four small contacts at the circumference. Similar measurements were made with a number of SiC crystals obtained from the Norton Research Corporation (Canada)-Ltd., Carolina Aluminum Co., Exolon Co. and Carborundum Co. It was found that resistivity, carrier concentration and mobility of ions depend on the type of impurity. AtB 12 was prepared from the melt containing At and B in the ratio of 4:1. They formed amber-colour pseudo tetragonal crystals. As the crystals obtained were small for electrical measurements, hot pressed lumps have been used to measure their resistivity.

Ultrasonic Study Of The Elastic Properties And Phase Transitions In Selected Mixed Sulphate Crystals

The thesis investigated the elastic properties and phase transitions in selected mixed sulphate crystals – Lithium Hydrazinium Sulphate [LiN2H2SO4], Lithium Ammonium Sulphate [LiNH4SO4] and Lithium Potassium Sulphate [LiKSO4] – using ultrasonic technique. The pulse echo overlap technique has been used for measuring ultrasonic velocity and its dependence on temperature along different directions with waves of longitudinal and transverse polarizations. Two major numerical techniques and the corresponding computer programs developed as part of present work are presented in this thesis. All the 9 elastic constants of LHS are determined accurately from ultrasonic measurements and applying misorientation correction refines the constants. Ultrasonic measurements are performed in LAS to determine the elastic constants and to study the low temperature phase transitions. Temperature variation studies of elastic constant of LAS are performed for 6 different modes of propagation for heating and cooling at low temperatures. All the 5 independent elastic constants of LPS is determined using ultrasonic measurements. It is concluded that LPS crystal does not undergo a phase transition near this temperature. A comparison of the three crystals studied shows that LPS has maximum number of phase transitions and LHS has the least number. It is interesting to note that LPS has the simplest formula unit among the three. There is considerable scope for the future work on these crystals and others belonging to the sulphate family.

Ultrasonic measurement of the elastic constants of selected nonlinear optical /semiorganic crystals with orthorhombic symmetry

Ultrasonic is a good tool to investigate the elastic properties of crystals. It enables one to determine all the elastic constants, Poisson’s ratios, volume compressibility and bulk modulus of crystals from velocity measurements. It also enables one to demonstrate the anisotropy of elastic properties by plotting sections of the surfaces of phase velocity, slowness, group velocity, Young’s modulus and linear compressibility along the a-b, b-c and a-c planes. They also help one to understand more about phonon amplification and help to interpret various phenomena associated with ultrasonic wave propagation, thermal conductivity, phonon transport etc. Study of nonlinear optical crystals is very important from an application point of view. Hundreds of new NLO materials are synthesized to meet the requirements for various applications. Inorganic, organic and organometallic or semiorganic classes of compounds have been studied for several reasons. Semiorganic compounds have some advantages over their inorganic and inorganic counterparts with regard to their mechanical properties. High damage resistance, high melting point, good transparency and non-hygroscopy are some of the basic requirements for a material to be suitable for device fabrication. New NLO materials are being synthesized and investigation of the mechanical and elastic properties of these crystals is very important to test the suitability of these materials for technological applications

Use of an open photoacoustic cell for the thermal characterisation of liquid crystals

In this paper, we describe the use of an open cell photoacoustic configuration for the evaluation of the thermal effusivity of liquid crystals. The feasibility, precision and reliability of the method are initially established by measuring the thermal effusivities of water and glycerol, for which the effusivity values are known accurately. In order to demonstrate the use of the present method in the thermal characterization of liquid crystals, we have measured the thermal effusivity values in various mesophases of 4-cyano-4 - octyloxybiphenyl (8OCB) and 4-cyano-4 -heptyloxybiphenyl (7OCB) liquid crystals using a variable temperature open photoacoustic cell. A comparison of the measured values for the two liquid crystals shows that the thermal effusivities of 7OCB in the nematic and isotropic phases are slightly less than those of 8OCB in the corresponding phases