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CeOs(4)Sb(12) and CeFe(4)P(12) are classified as Kondo semiconductors, which show coupled changes in electrical transport, thermodynamic and magnetic properties with a low-temperature semiconductor-like electrical resistivity. We have carried out core level and valence band photoemission spectroscopy on single crystal CeOs(4)Sb(12) and CeFe(4)P(12) to study their electronic structure and the evolution of states at the Fermi level as a function of temperature (∼10-300 K). The Ce 3d core level spectra show the presence of f(0), f(1) and f(2) final states with very different relative intensities in the two compounds. Single-impurity Anderson model calculations provide f electron counts of n(f) = 0.97 and 0.86 per Ce atom, suggestive of a low- and high-T(K) (= single ion Kondo temperature) for CeOs(4)Sb(12) and CeFe(4)P(12), respectively. The high-resolution temperature-dependent near-Fermi level spectra show pseudogaps of energy ∼ 50 meV and ∼ 110 meV in the valence band density of states (DOS) of CeOs(4)Sb(12) and CeFe(4)P(12), respectively. The temperature dependence of the DOS at the Fermi level follows the change in effective magnetic moment estimated from magnetic susceptibility for both materials, confirming the Kondo nature of the pseudogap in CeOs(4)Sb(12) and CeFe(4)P(12). A compilation of measured pseudogaps using photoemission and optical spectroscopy identifies the charge gaps Δ(C) for Ce-based Kondo semiconductors and provides a direct relation with T(K) given by Δ(C) ∼ 2k(B)T(K). In conjunction with the known behaviour of the spin gaps Δ(S) ∼ k(B)T(K), the results establish the coupled energy scaling of the spin and charge gaps in Kondo semiconductors.

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The effect of the primary knock-on atom (PKA) spectrum in radiation damage and the subsequent defect structure formation and their impact in deuterium (D) trapping has been investigated using computer simulations and surrogate ion irradiation experiments. The neutron spectrum for an 'ITER-like' divertor shape and parameters has been generated using ATTILA and SPECTER codes to identify the relevant PKA energies. It has been observed that 10 MeV boron (B) produces a PKA spectrum similar to that obtained from a reactor-like neutron spectrum. Experiments have been carried out with ions of gold (Au), B, helium (He) and D with energies ranging from 0.1 MeV-80 MeV for a fluence range of 1.3 × 10 18 ions m −2 -5 × 10 21 ions m −2 , and distinctly different PKA spectra have been produced. While 80 MeV Au ions produced dense and small clusters of interstitial defects (<10 nm), B produced large dislocation loops up to 60 nm in size. At room temperature, the imprint of the cascade is well captured by the vacancies due to their low mobility, and the vacancy defects observed in Au and B irradiation showed significant differences. Molecular dynamics simulations show that at PKA energies exceeding 150 keV, the fragmentation of the cascades takes place, which tends to limit the size of individual defects in the case of 80 MeV Au irradiation. A mechanism based on the competitive capture of mobile interstitials has been proposed to explain the observed large dislocation loops as well as dislocation lines in different irradiation experiments.

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Pristine α-MnMoO4 nanorods were facilely prepared via co-precipitation (Cp) and microwave hydrothermal (MH) methods.

We study the electronic structure of EuNi 2 ͑Si 0.2 Ge 0.8 ͒ 2 , which exhibits a temperature dependent mixed valence transition, using 4d-4f resonant photoemission spectroscopy (RESPES), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and temperature-dependent ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). The RESPES studies identify the divalent and trivalent Eu 4f character density of states (DOS) which participate in the valence transition. Using the photoionization cross section variation as a function of photon energy, we discuss the Eu, Ni, and Ge-Si partial DOS in the valence band. The bulk divalent Eu 4f character states are centered at a binding energy of about 0.75 eV, significantly away from the Fermi level. While the surface divalent feature is negligibly affected, the spectra obtained using He II␣ UPS exhibit temperature dependent bulk Eu 4f character states. The bulk divalent spectral weight is transferred to the high energy trivalent states, across the valence transition temperature, T v ϳ 80 K. The He I␣ UPS also exhibit spectral intensity changes across T v . The nonf character conduction band states at and near the Fermi level exhibit spectral weight changes up to 350 meV with a small energy ͑ϳ25 meV͒ temperature dependent pseudogaplike feature. The results suggest an increase in effective hybridization strength between the conduction and 4f electrons in the low temperature nearly trivalent phase. While the 4f character changes across T v are qualitatively consistent with change in valence configurations, the temperature dependent spectral changes in the non-f character DOS indicate direct participation in the valence transition in EuNi 2 ͑Si 0.2 Ge 0.8 ͒ 2 .