Topic Review
Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors for Radiation Detection
An overview of wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors for radiation detection applications is given. The recent advancements in the fabrication of high-quality wafers have enabled remarkable WBG semiconductor device applications. The most common 4H-SiC, GaN, and β-Ga2O3 devices used for radiation detection are described.
  • 93
  • 04 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Types of Liquid Crystals
The liquid-crystalline state of matter (mesomorphic state, or mesophase) is intermediate between the crystalline and liquid states, simultaneously showing some of the anisotropic properties of solids and the fluidity of liquids. In this state, materials demonstrate a tendency to flow like liquids and have some properties similar to solids. LCs may be divided into two main classes, named thermotropics and lyotropics. The importance of liquid crystals, alongside with their technical applications, lies in their role as carriers of life. In fact, fully ordered solids are a dead matter, and fully disordered liquids are also dead. But liquid crystals, as partially ordered soft matter systems, bear all qualities that had been necessary for the emergence of life. Practically all biological structures show some features pf liquid crystalline ordering. 
  • 498
  • 15 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Topological and Dissipative Solitons in Liquid Crystals
Solitons are self-sustained localized packets of waves in nonlinear media that propagate without changing shape. They are found everywhere in our daily life from nerve pluses in our bodies to eyes of storms in the atmosphere and even density waves in galaxies. Solitons in liquid crystals have received increasing attention due to their importance in fundamental physical science and potential applications in various fields. 
  • 600
  • 21 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Thermo-Mechanical Effects in the Dual Model of Liquids
The Dual Model of Liquids (DML) is a new mesoscopic model of liquids, whose validity and applicability was demonstrated in several cases. It is shown here that DML may even explain crossed effects of Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics (NET). According to DML, liquids are arranged on a mesoscopic scale by means of aggregates of molecules, or liquid particles. These structures share the liquid world with a population of lattice particles, i.e., elastic waves that interact with the liquid particles by means of an inertial force, allowing the mutual exchange of energy and momentum between the two populations. The hit particle relaxes the acquired energy and momentum due to the interaction, giving them back to the system a step forward and a time-lapse later, alike in a tunnel effect. The transport phenomena in liquids out of equilibrium have been studied since their discoveries, however, no firm theoretical interpretation exists yet. It is demonstrated that the DML may correctly model the thermodiffusion, in particular getting formal expressions for positive and negative Soret coefficient, and another “unexpected” mechano-thermal effect recently discovered in liquids submitted to shear strain, for which the first-ever theoretical interpretation is provided. Both applications of the DML are supported by the comparison with experimental data. The generality of the approach allows us to customize it for other non-equilibrium phenomena of NET.
  • 201
  • 29 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Thermal Diffusivity and Mechanical Properties of Wood
A dependence of Brinell hardness and thermal diffusivity tensor components upon humidity for common pine wood is found. The results of the measurement of Brinell hardness, microhardness, Young’s modulus, and main components of thermal diffusivity tensor for three perpendicular cuts are found to be correlated. It is shown that the mechanical properties correlate better with the ratio of longitude to transversal thermal diffusivity coefficients than with the respective individual absolute values. The mechanical characteristics with the highest correlation with the abovementioned ratio are found to be the ratio of Young’s moduli in longitude and transversal directions. 
  • 579
  • 17 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Thermal Conductivity Improvement of PCCs
To overcome the long-standing disadvantages of PCMs, for instance, small values of thermal conductivity, liquid leakage, separation of phase, and the problem of supercooling, advanced phase change composites (PCCs) manufactured by chemical modifications or the incorporation of functional additives are essential to overcome these disadvantages and promote the large-scale application of PCMs.
  • 547
  • 29 Nov 2022
Topic Review
The Phase Field Approach
The phase field approach was developed in the last 20 years to handle radiation damage in materials. This approach bridges the gap between atomistic simulations extensively used to model first step of radiation damage at short time and continuum approach at large time. The main advantage of such an approach lies in its ability to compute not only the microstructure at the nanometric scale but also to calculate generalized susceptibilities such as elastic constants under irradiation.
  • 323
  • 05 May 2022
Topic Review
Superconductivity and Hydrogen Economy
Hydrogen as an energy carrier is a promising alternative to fossil fuels, and it becomes more and more popular in developed countries as a carbon-free fuel. The low boiling temperature of hydrogen (20 K or −253.15 °C) provides a unique opportunity to implement superconductors with a critical temperature above 20 K such as MgB2 or high-temperature superconductors. Superconductors increase efficiency and reduce the loss of energy, which could compensate for the high price of LH2 to some extent. Norway is one of the pioneer countries with adequate infrastructure for using liquid hydrogen in the industry, especially in marine technology where a superconducting propulsion system can make a remarkable impact on its economy. Using superconductors in the motor of a propulsion system can increase its efficiency from 95% to 98% when the motor operates at full power. The difference in efficiency is even greater when the motor does not work at full power.
  • 597
  • 19 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Spins in Semiconductor Nanoparticles
- Spin-dependent phenomena in semiconductors are analyzed starting from a theory of the dynamic nuclear polarization via numerous insightful findings in the realm of characterization and control through the nuclear spin polarization in nanoparticles and their aggregates into microparticles as potential contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications.  - Electron spin-dependent process of the photosensitized generation of singlet oxygen in porous silicon (Si) for photodynamic therapy application and design of Si-based nanoparticles with electron spin centers for MRI contrasting for cancer theranostics are discussed.  
  • 1.0K
  • 12 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Solid and Liquid Oxygen under Ultrahigh Magnetic Fields
Oxygen is a unique molecule that possesses a spin quantum number S=1. In the condensed phases of oxygen, the delicate balance between the antiferromagnetic interaction and van der Waals force results in the various phases with different crystal structures. By applying ultrahigh magnetic fields, the antiferromagnetic coupling between O2 molecules breaks, and novel high-field phase (θ phase) appears. Since oxygen is an important element for various (bio-)chemical reactions, the reorientation of O2 molecules could be an attractive mechanism for contrlling the reactivity.
  • 462
  • 01 Aug 2022
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