[en] Intensive research has been carried out in recent years into nonthermal activation of the processes of surface treatment of semiconductor materials with the formation of film structures. In addition to laser radiation whose physics of interaction with the solid has been studied most extensively, these investigations have been carried out using other physical methods of activation - electric field, and ultraviolet radiation, which have been studied less extensively. All of these methods are characterised by the localisation of the energy effect in sub-surface the regions of the solid and, consequently, by the absence of secondary processes of migration and degradation in its volume. This is a considerable advantage of the processes in this direction in comparison with conventional processes, with their total thermal effect of the entire crystal. One of these processes is the production of thin films of silica on neutral and active substrates by gas-phase deposition from a mixture of tetraetoxysilane (TEOS) on the surface of a silicon substrate during the process of formation of silica film under the effect of ultraviolet radiation. The theoretical basis of the evaluation was a presented by the following considerations. The energy effect of ultraviolet radiation on the TEOS molecule takes place twice: directly in the gas phase as a result of absorption of the radiation energy by the molecules (and their excitation) and later: the surface of silicon as a result of the absorption of radiation energy by surface active centres and the transfer of the adsorbed excitation energy to the molecules adsorbed on them. Since the mean activation energy of dissociation of the TEOS molecule in the non-excited state is quite high (∼ 3500 kJ/mole), we did not consider the low-probability breakdown of the molecules in the gas phase and consider dissociation only with the surface of the substrate taking part in it

[en] Depth profiles of absorbed gamma dose were obtained by numeric calculations in the frame of the model proposed. The radionuclide composition, characteristic for polluted regions in the town of Pripyat, as well as specific geometry of sample location were used on model calculations. The results obtained proved good shielding characteristics of main building materials and correlate closely with the data obtained by experimental methods of retrospective accident dosimetry. (Author)

[en] A study has been made of the scintillation, luminescent and kinetic characteristics of full size (25 radiation lengths) PbWO₄ single crystals, obtained in the optimal condition. It is shown that the light yield of the crystals is 11 - 14 phe/MeV, the constants of decay time are fast less than 100 ns, depending upon crystallization features, medium of growth and thermal annealing. Especial role of the oxygen content in these processes is discussed

[en] Dose reconstruction using thermoluminescence (TL) of quartz, extracted from the ceramic plant pots, and using EPR of the sugar samples, was performed after the 1994 radiation accident in the village Kiisa (Estonia). A gamma-ray source ¹³⁷Cs was located during approx. 28 days in one of the village dwelling houses. On the basis of preliminary results, some important details of the history of the accident have been clarified. It was shown, that the gamma-ray source most of the time was placed in the kitchen table drawer. Thus, the absorbed dose rate of whole-body exposure for three inhabitants of the house in Kiisa was defined by this location of the source. (Author)

[en] We present our recent development of new approach for compositional study of topography, nanomechanical and piezoelectric properties with nanometer spatial resolution and demonstrate it in application to two types of biopiezoelectrics: type I collagen and diphenylalanine peptide nanotubes. (paper)

[en] The effect of the mechanically induced background ESR signal whose Lande factor is g = 2.0038, width = 0.791 mT, on absorbed dose estimation using the additive method was studied. The intensity and width of this signal increases with decreasing grain size. It was found to be thermally stable and sensitive to ⁹⁰Sr radiation. The latter phenomenon should lead to its increasing contribution to the radiation-induced hydroxyapatite signal at g_{perpendicular}=2.0018 at irradiation with higher doses. However, it was found that the interference between mechanically induced and the hydroxyapatite signals may be interpreted as either ''negative'' for larger grain size or ''positive'' for finer grain size. This feature in turn leads to under and overestimation of the hydroxyapatite signal, respectively, and is apparently caused by the inverse relationship between the signal width and grain size. Enamel samples were irradiated with 44, 88, 220, 440, 660 and 880 mGy from a ¹³⁷Cs gamma ray source. It was determined that 220 mGy was the lowest absorbed dose that could be reliably detected, while doses as low as 44 mGy could tentatively be identified. (Author)

[en] The results of a partial-wave analysis of data on proton-proton interaction in the energy range 100-1300 MeV are presented. The real parts of phase shifts were found for states of orbital angular momentum up to L = 9, while their imaginary parts were determined for states of orbital angular momentum up to L = 5. The sixth parameter of the S matrix was introduced in order to describe states of total angular momentum J = 2 and 4. The inelasticity thresholds were chosen individually for each state and were found to be substantially different from one another. The resulting solution was characterized by χ² = 1.155 per point in the case where the number of experimental data was 12 841 and by a large imaginary part of the phase shift in the ³P₂-wave state at the edge of the energy range. Special features of the interaction in orbital states are discussed along with the energy dependence of integrated amplitudes and amplitudes of the scattering matrix at zero angle.

[en] The cross section for the fission of actinide nuclei that is induced by fast neutrons is considered as a fraction of the cross section for inelastic nucleon interaction with nuclei. In turn, inelastic nucleon interaction with a nucleus is treated as scattering on intranuclear nucleons. It is shown that this interaction model describes satisfactorily the cross section for the inelastic interaction of 60- to 2200-MeV nucleons for a broad set of nuclei and that the energy dependence of the cross section for the fission of actinide nuclei that is induced by 400- to 1000-MeV protons replicates the energy dependence of the cross section for inelastic interactions with respective nuclei. From the model used, it follows that the cross sections for proton-nucleus interactions exceed cross sections for respective neutron-nucleus interactions in the energy range extending up to 550 MeV; at higher energies neutron cross sections are larger than proton cross sections.

[en] Experimental results on the conditions of activation of probe nanolithography of a thin titanium film by means of local anodic oxidation are reported. It is established that ultraviolet stimulation reduces the geometric dimensions of nanometric oxide structures. The stimulation is accompanied by an increase in the amplitude and duration of the threshold voltage pulse, correspondingly, from 6 to 7 V and from 50 to 100 ms at the relative humidity 50%. The experimental data on the effect of the cantilever coating material and substrate temperature on the geometric dimensions of nanometric oxide structures are reported.

[en] The paper raises certain questions concerning the use of structural glass (glazing) in external vertical enclosures of modern construction systems, pointing to the need for combining composite materials, especially composite foam, in translucent enclosures, which helps dramatically reduce the weight of external panels while improving their heat and sound insulation performance. It also emphasizes the relevance of energy efficiency at the building operation and building construction stages, as energy efficiency is not only the heat saving performance during building operation, but also a high effectiveness of the construction technology.

The novelty of the study lies in engineering a wall panel possibly combining two materials — profiled glass and composite foam. The paper not only details the panel design, but also describes the manufacturing technology and the envelope arranging processes with two wall panel attachment methods and related joint assemblies. Based on a number of scientific publications, the handling mechanisms are discussed suitable for different ways of coupling the structural elements — wall panel and floor slab. Focusing on box-type structural glazing, the authors stress the need for further study involving other types of structural glass (channel shaped, ribbed, trimmed) to create multicomponent wall panels for a variety of regional climate conditions. (paper)