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At least 73 records · Page 4

Metastable states in the frustrated triangular compounds Ca 3 Co 2 - x Mn x O 6 and Ca 3 Co 2 O 6

The observation of unusual metastable behavior in Ca 3 Co 2 O 6 remains an ongoing puzzle. When the magnetic field is increased at certain very slow rates, evenly spaced steps occur in the magnetization and other physical quantities as a function of magnetic field every 1.2 T. The ground state without steps is approached by slow relaxation processes over hours to days. It is a striking example of extremely slow dynamics arising from geometrical frustration in an otherwise clean and long-range ordered system, and its precise description remains controversial. Here we shed light on the mystery by reporting similar behavior in isostructural Ca 3 Co 2-x MnxO 6 , albeit at magnetic field sweep rates that are six orders of magnitude faster than that in Ca 3 Co 2 O 6 . We observe these steps not only in the magnetization, but also in the magnetostriction, electric polarization, and magnetocaloric effect. Here, we present a study of metastable behavior in both compounds across seven orders of magnitude of magnetic field sweep rates using unique magnets at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. The metastable steps occur for intermediate ranges of magnetic field sweep rates, vanishing or evolving for the fastest and slowest sweep rates. Our data support that these metastable steps are an intrinsic feature of the three-dimensionally frustrated geometry of Ising spins in this structural family and thus narrow the number of applicable models.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Measurements of copper ground-state and metastable level population densities in a copper-chloride laser

The population densities of both the ground and the 2D(5/2) metastable states of copper atoms in a double-pulsed copper-chloride laser are correlated with laser energy as a function of time after the dissociation current pulse. Time-resolved density variations of the ground and excited copper atoms were derived from measurements of optical absorption at 324.7 and 510.6 nm, respectively, over a wide range of operating conditions in laser tubes with diameters of 4 to 40 mm. The minimum delay between the two current pulses at which lasing was observed is shown to be a function of the initial density and subsequent decay of the metastable state. Similarly, the maximum delay is shown to be a function of the initial density and decay of the ground state.

Nerheim, N. M.↗

Review of metastable states in heavy nuclei

Here, the structure of nuclear isomeric states is reviewed in the context of their role in contemporary nuclear physics research. Emphasis is given to high-spin isomers in heavy nuclei, with A ≳ 150. The possibility to exploit isomers to study some of the most exotic nuclei is a recurring theme. In spherical nuclei, the role of octupole collectivity is discussed in detail, while in deformed nuclei the limitations of the K quantum number are addressed. Isomer targets and isomer beams are considered, along with applications related to energy storage, astrophysics, medicine, and experimental advances.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Field-induced magnetic phase transitions and metastable states in Tb 3 Ni

In this study we report the detailed study of magnetic phase diagrams, low-temperature magnetic structures, and the magnetic field effect on the electrical resistivity of the binary intermetallic compound ${\mathrm{Tb}}_{3}\mathrm{Ni}$. The incommensurate magnetic structure of the spin-density-wave type described with magnetic superspace group $P{112}_{1}/a{1}^{{'}}(ab0)0ss$ and propagation vector ${\mathbf{k}}_{\mathrm{IC}}=\left[0.506,0.299,0\right]$ was found to emerge just below Néel temperature ${T}_{\mathrm{N}}=61$ K. Further cooling below 58 K results in the appearance of multicomponent magnetic states: (i) a combination of ${\mathbf{k}}_{1}=\left[\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2},0\right]$ and ${\mathbf{k}}_{\mathrm{IC}}$ in the temperature range 51 < T < 58 K; (ii) a mixed magnetic state of ${\mathbf{k}}_{\mathrm{IC}}, {\mathbf{k}}_{1}$, and ${\mathbf{k}}_{2}=\left[\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{4},0\right]$ with the partially locked-in incommensurate component in the temperature range 48 < T < 51 K; and (iii) a low-temperature magnetic structure that is described by the intersection of two isotropy subgroups associated with the irreducible representations of two coupled primary order parameters (OPs) ${\mathbf{k}}_{2}=\left[\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{4},0\right]$ and ${\mathbf{k}}_{3}=\left[\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{3},0\right]$ and involves irreducible representations of the secondary OPs ${\mathbf{k}}_{1}=\left[\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2},0\right]$ and ${\mathbf{k}}_{4}=\left[\frac{1}{2},0,0\right]$ below 48 K. An external magnetic field suppresses the complex low-temperature antiferromagnetic states and induces metamagnetic transitions towards a forced ferromagnetic state that are accompanied by a substantial magnetoresistance effect due to the magnetic superzone effect. Finally, the forced ferromagnetic state induced after application of an external magnetic field along the $b$ and $c$ crystallographic axes was found to be irreversible below 3 and 8 K, respectively.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Pressure Dependence and Metastable State Formation in the Photolysis of Dichlorine Monoxide (Cl2O)

Physics%K photolysis, dichlorine monoxide, pressure%U http://techreports.jpl.nasa.gov/1995/95-0924.pdfThe photodissociation of dichlorine monoxide (Cl2O) was studied using broadband flash photolysis to investigate the influence of variations in the photolysis wavelength domain, bath gas pressure, and bath gas identity on the yield and temporal dependence of the ClO product. ClO yields were independent of bath gas pressure when the photolysis spectral band extended to 200 nm (quartz cutoff) but for photolysis restricted to wavelengths longer than about 250 nm, ClO yields decreased with increasing bath gas pressure and there was a pressure-dependent delay in the formation of ClO.!.

photolysis↗

Influence of magnetic field on laser-produced barium plasmas: Spectral and dynamic behaviour of neutral and ionic species

The expansion dynamics and spectral behaviour of plasma produced by a Nd:YAG laser (λ=1.064 μm, pulse width: 8 ns) from barium target and expanding in 0.45 T transverse magnetic field in vacuum (10⁻⁵Torr pressure) are investigated using time-of-flight optical emission spectroscopy. The experiments are carried out at various laser fluences from 12 to 31 J/cm². The temporal profiles of neutral (Ba I 553.5 and 577.7 nm) lines are temporally broadened, while that of ionic (Ba II 413.0 and 455.4 nm) lines show strong confinement in the presence of a magnetic field. In the absence of magnetic field, the temporal profile of Ba I 553.5 nm is exactly reproduced by fitting with two Shifted Maxwell Boltzmann (SMB) Distribution components, while in the presence of a magnetic field the profile could only be fitted with three components. The field enhanced and field induced SMB components of neutral profile are correlated with populations of ground state, metastable states, and long-lived Rydberg states present in the barium plasma, while SMB components of ionic lines are explained on the basis of the presence of super-elastic collisions among the excited species in the plasma. The spatial variation of electron temperature and temporal variation of electron density are deduced and correlated to the different collisional processes in the barium plasma. The ionic profiles show efficient confinement in the presence of a magnetic field at higher fluences.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Dynamic control of metastable remanent states in mesoscale magnetic elements

The formation of the vortex-antivortex-vortex (v-av-v) metastable remanent states in elongated magnetic elements have been systematically investigated using micromagnetic modeling. It is demonstrated that the v-av-v magnetization pattern can be effectively stabilized by exciting the single vortex state with an external RF field. Furthermore, we show that a set of different polarity combinations of the vortex cores can be achieved by adjusting the frequency and amplitude of the excitation field. The corresponding dynamic response in time- and frequency-domain has also been presented. Owing to the diversity of the collective modes with different vortex-antivortex combinations, this system may open promising perspectives in the area of spin transfer torque oscillators.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Excitation and relaxation of metastable atomic states in an active medium of a repetitively pulsed copper vapour laser

The influence of a pre-pulse population of copper atom metastable states and their sub-population at a current pulse edge on the copper vapour laser pulse energy is studied under optimal temperature conditions. Experiments have been performed with active elements of a commercial laser having an internal diameter of a discharge channel of 14 and 20 mm. It is found that at a pulse repetition frequency of 12 – 14 kHz, corresponding to a maximal output power, the reduction of the energy due to a residual population of metastable states is by an order of magnitude less than due to their sub-population at a current pulse edge. The modelling based on the experimental results obtained has shown that in the case of an active element with an internal diameter of 14 mm, a decrease in the pulse leading edge from ∼25 ns to 0.6 ns does not reduce the laser pulse energy up to the repetition frequency of ∼50 kHz at an average output power of 70 W m{sup -1} and efficiency of ∼11%. (lasers)

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Self timed data sampler

A sampling circuit automatically resamples the data from another timing domain until the sampled data is represented correctly in the new domain by assuring that no metastable states exist. If a metastable state exists, a sampling signal recirculates through the sampling circuit until the metastable state no longer exists. A comparison of input data to sampled data is used to determine the existence of a metastable state.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Reactions of ground-state and metastable O/2+/ ions with He, O2, N2, and CO2 at thermal energies

Evidence is presented that some previous studies of reactions of O(2+) ions with various atoms and molecules referred to ion samples composed in part of ions in metastable (1D and/or 1S) states. This finding resolves the 3 orders of magnitude discrepancy between previous experimental and calculated rate coefficients for the O(2+)(3P) + He charge transfer process. Using a drift tube to distinguish, via arrival time differences, groundstate O(+)(3P) and metastable ions, a rate coefficient of (3.5 plus or minus 1.5) x 10 to the -11th cu cm/sec is obtained for the reaction, in good agreement with that obtained from ab initio theoretical calculations. Previous conclusions concerning reactions of O(2+) with O2 and N2, however, remain valid since the difference in reactivity of ground-state and metastable O(2+) ions appears to be negligible in this case. The rate coefficient for the reaction O(2+) + CO2 has been determined to be (2 plus or minus 0.5) x 10 to the -9th cu cm/sec for ions either in the ground-state or in metastable states.

Johnsen, R.↗

Noise signatures of metastable resistivity states in ferromagnetic insulating manganite

Pronounced noise signatures enabling one to discriminate metastable resistivity states in La{sub 0.86}Ca{sub 0.14}MnO{sub 3} single crystals have been observed. The normalized noise spectra for metastable resisitivity differ both in shape and magnitude, indicating that the metastable state is associated with transition of the electronic system into another local minimum of the potential landscape. Such scenario is consistent with freezing of the electronic system into a Coulomb glass state.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗