Volume 3, Issue 1

The ground-state energy of neutral helium is estimated variationally with a trial wavefunction of the form ϕ≈e −γ(rA/a o)ne−γ(rB/a o)n. This model represents a modification of traditional textbook examinations of this problem via inclusion of the power “n” as a second nonlinear variational parameter in addition to the usual effective nuclear charge γ and leads to an upper-limit on the ground state energy of −2.86107 Eh (Eh=1 hartree) in comparison with the traditional (n=1) result of −2.84766 Eh. This result represents a reduction of the percentage overestimate from the true ground-state energy (−2.90373 Eh) of from 1.93 to 1.47. In comparison with the maximum accuracy obtainable from an uncorrelated trial wavefunction, −2.86168 Eh, the present trial wavefunction reduces the percentage overestimate from 0.49 (n=1) to 0.021. The optimum values of (n, γ) are determined to be ≈(0.897, 1.825).

Thin films of mixed of Copper Phthalocyanine (CuPc) and Nickel Phthalocyanine (NiPc) are deposited onto a pure glass substrate by a simultaneous thermal evaporation technique at room temperature. The material D.C. electrical conductivity of films at room temperature and also films annealed at 523 K has been investigated. The optical absorption and band gaps of the films are also measured. The results show that the electrical resistance is lower for the mixed films compared with the pure samples and also the optical band gap decreases for the mixed samples compared to the pure samples.

Physical consequences of ionic diffusion processes play a major role on the outcome of electrophysiology experiments due to both their contribution to the ionic transmembrane transport and phenomena taking place at the measuring instruments interface. As most of the time heterogenities in biological media with respect to ionic diffusion constants are disregarded, we intended to look upon the general case of ionic diffusion at the interface of two liquids on which gradients of these diffusion constants no longer can be neglected. We developed a theoretical model for the diffusion potential which emerges at an aqueous interface under gradients of concentration and diffusion constants. The experimental validation of our model was achieved through potential difference measurements of the diffusion potential between two solutions containing sodium chloride (NaCl) and glycerine solutions of various concentrations. Within the studied domain of the electrical charge mobility ratio, we noticed that experimental results are in agreement with the theoretically inferred diffusion potential values. This demonstrates that the resulting relationship for the diffusion potential inferred from our model could be applied for other cases, as well. When the ionic solutions contains an indefinite quantity of glycerine or an unknown substance able to modify diffusion constants of sodium and chloride, it was shown that through measurements of the diffusion potential one can infer the unknown concentration of glycerine and the modified ionic mobility ratio. This, in turn, builds up the foundation for a novel yet simple and efficient analitycal sensing device for quantitative determination in the field.

In the persistent photoconductivity (PPC) phenomenon, illumination of a YBa2Cu3O6.5 thin film junction with a 1mW He−Ne laser leads to the decrease of the critical voltage (similar to the threshold voltage). The decrease of the critical voltage was reversed by illumination with incandescent light. The critical voltage across the junction was experimentally decreased and increased by alternating illumination between He−Ne laser and incandescent light. We also observed visible quenching of the photo-induced state using a 5mW He−Ne laser. Finally, the threshold behavior of the junction was destroyed by illuminating it with incandescent light.

This paper attends to the problem of vibration of a self-excited mechanical system with a relatively complicated, history dependent dry friction model. The experimentally identified friction model allows description of various cases of stationary and transient motion. The system is composed of a lumped mass that interacts with a belt by means of dry friction. The system is additionally subjected to an external harmonic excitation through elastic element. The main objective of the experimental research has been focused on the analysis of the system behaviour for various values of the excitation frequency. This paper includes also computer simulation of the vibration of the considered system and comparison between the results of experimental and theoretical analysis. The comparison enables the assumed friction model for steel-polyester pair to be verified. It was another goal of the investigations.

The connection between interatomic potentials and structure functions of liquids is studied. The expressions for two- and three-body potentials are obtained. The contribution of three-body effects is found to be significant, reaching several per cent of the ground-state energy.

Rotational excitations of molecular adsorbed layers are studied theoretically. Nonlinear dynamical equations are obtained with accounting of quadrupolar interactions between molecules and freezing of translational degrees of freedom. The equilibrium positions of the molecules are found to be experimentally observed structures with alternating rotational ordering of planar rotors along the direction to the nearest neighbor (for linear or square structures) under low temperature. Dynamical analysis gives an integral of motion (energy) of the chain that in the long-wave limit leads consequently to the existence of four phases. The first one corresponds to oscillations near equilibrium ordered states. The second phase corresponds to low-energy rotational excitations along ‘valleys’ (easy directions in the effective potential) that do not destroy strong correlations between molecules while structural data can show rotational disorder (melting). The third phase corresponds to an energy that is enough to travel between ‘valleys’; only some ‘islands’ in the angle space are forbidden. Complete destruction of correlation when the energy is over the peaks of the effective potential corresponds to the fourth phase. Therefore rotational melting is a complex phenomenon that has several stages.

The ‘anomalous perihelion precession’ of Mercury, announced by Le Verrier in 1859, was a highly controversial topic for more than half a century and invoked many alternative theories until 1916, when Einstein presented his theory of general relativity as an alternative theory of gravitation and showed perihelion precession to be one of its potential manifestations. As perihelion precession was a directly derived result of the full General Theory and not just the Equivalence Principle, Einstein viewed it as the most critical test of his theory. This paper presents the computed value of the anomalous perihelion precession of Mercury's orbit using a new relativistic simulation model that employs a simple transformation factor for mass and time, proposed in an earlier paper. This computed value compares well with the prediction of general relativity and is, also, in complete agreement with the observed value within its range of uncertainty. No general relativistic equations have been used for computing the results presented in this paper.

Self-consistent solutions of the nonlinear Ginzburg-Landau (GL) equations are investigated numerically for a superconducting (SC) cylinder, placed in an axial magnetic field, with a single vortex on the axis (m=1). Two modes, which show the original state of the cylinder, SC or normal (s 0 andn 0), are studied. The field increase (FI) and the field decrease (FD) regimes are studied. The critical fields destroying the SC state withm=1 are found in both regimes. It is shown that in a cylinder of radiusR and GL-parameter ϰ, there exist a number of solutions depending only on the radial co-ordinater corresponding to different states such as M,e, d, p,i, n, $$\bar n$$ ,n *, and the state diagram on the plane of the variables (ϰ,R) is described. The critical fields corresponding to intrastate transitions and the onset of hysteresis are obtained. The critical fieldH 0(R) dividing the paramagnetic and diamagnetic states of the cylinder withm=1 is determined. The limiting fields of supercooling or superheating of the normal state at which the restoration of the SC state occurs are established. It is shown, that (in both casesm=1,0) there exist two critical parameters, $$\kappa _0 = {1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 {\sqrt 2 = 0.707}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\sqrt 2 = 0.707}}$$ and $$\kappa _0 = 0.93$$ , which divide bulk SC into three groups (with $$\kappa< \kappa _0 ,\kappa _0 \leqslant \kappa \leqslant \kappa _c $$ and $$\kappa > \kappa _c $$ ), in accordance with the behavior in a magnetic field. The parameters $$\kappa _0 $$ and $$\kappa _c $$ mark the boundary for the existence of a supercooled normal $$\bar n$$ -state in FD-regime and a superheated SC M-state in FI-regime respectively. It is shown, that the value $$\kappa _* = 0.417$$ , which was claimed in a number of papers as related to type-I superconductors, is illusory.

Excess thermodynamic functions of D2O water have been calculated from the vibrationally decoupled O−D stretching spectra of very dilute solutions of HOD in H2O. Comparison of the results with reference calorimetric data for water showed a good correspondence for excess heat capacity above the melting point of ice. The excess enthalpy at the melting point also coincides well with latent heat of melting.

A monocrystal ofFe 3 O 4 is characterized by resistance, magnetoresistance and magnetic measurements in a temperature range from 4.2 K to 350 K and magnetic field-cycling from −9 T to 9 T. The resistance measurements revealed a metal-insulator Verwey transition (VT) atT v=123.76 K with activation energy E=92.5 meV at T >T v and temperature-substitute for the activation energy below the VT,T 0=E/k B≈3800 K within 70 K–110K. The magnetotransport results independently verified the VT at 123.70 K, with discontinuous change in the magnetic moment ΔM≈0.21 ΔM≈0.21μ B and resistance hysteresis, dependent on the magnetic field in a narrow temperature range of 0.4° around theT v. The magnetic characterization established self consistentlyT v as ≈123.67 K, the jump in the magnetization at the VT≈0.25μ B and confirmed, that the magnetocrystalline anisotropy is the main microscopic mechanism responsible for the magnetization of the monocrystal (88%) with additional natural and imposed defects contributing as 12%.

Solutions for a type of generalized Korteweg-de Vries equation which should have physical impact will be determined here. These types of solutions should have applications in the study of intrinsic localized modes optical waveguide arrays and fluid dynamics. It is shown that trigonometric and hyperbolic solutions can be obtained by matching powers and coefficients of the independent terms in the equation after the assumed solution has been substituted. As well, solutions to the equation in terms of more complicated Jacobe elliptic functions are determined.

Maxwell's displacement current flowing through a metal electrode/air gap/Langmuir monolayer was detected. MDC experimental results obtained during a step compression mode are presented and contrasted with the Debye-Brown rotational model. As an alternative approach a theoretical model based on an analogy with a nonideal gas of polar molecules is derived from Lagrange's equation of motion.