[en] Study of equilibrium shapes and transitions among these shapes (phases) in atomic nuclei has been a very active field of research. The models based on Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) theory and its extensions and variations have been successfully applied to study such transitions. This report presents the results of calculations on the entire Sm-chain, ^144-158Sm, carried out in the RMF framework

[en] In this work, the elastic, anisotropic, thermodynamic and optical properties of α-PbO₂ and β-PbO₂ are studied by first-principle calculations based on density functional theory. The results describing elastic properties show that both α-PbO₂ and β-PbO₂ have certain plasticity and mechanical stability. β-PbO₂ has large elastic anisotropy. Combined with the quasi-harmonic Debye model, changes of the bulk modulus (B), constant volume heat capacity (CV), constant pressure heat capacity (CP), Debye temperature (ΘD) and thermal expansion coefficient (α) of α-PbO₂ and β-PbO₂, in the temperature range 0–500 K and the pressure range 0–30 GPa, are studied. Finally, the optical properties of PbO₂ are also examined. The results provide important guidance for the application of α-PbO₂ and β-PbO₂.

[en] The structure, adhesion work, interfacial energy, interfacial fracture toughness and electronic properties of the Al(111)/TiAl₃(112) interface were investigated based on first-principles calculations. The number of convergent layers on the surface of Al(111) and TiAl₃(112) is discussed, and it is more suitable to stack 7 layers of Al(111) on 5 layers of TiAl₃(112). The established interfacial structure was optimized, and the UBER method and the complete relaxation method were used to determine the optimal interfacial distance and work of adhesion. The Ti-HCP interface has the smallest surface energy and the largest adhesion work, indicating that it is the most stable. The Ti-HCP density of states map shows that for atoms in the first layer of Al(111) and TiAl₃(112), some orbital hybridization peaks can be seen, especially for Al-P and Ti-d orbitals. These resonance peaks imply covalent interactions between Al-P and Ti-d. (author)

[en] Three new bands in ¹⁷⁴Ta have been identified by using the ¹⁶⁰Gd(¹⁹F,5n) reaction at beam energies of 87 MeV and 96 MeV. Nilsson configurations are assigned to these bands. In the 9/2^-[514]_p+5/2^-[512]_n band, the AB neutron crossing occurs at a rotational frequency of 0.30 MeV. This is indicative of the disappearance of the evidence for a reduction in neutron pair correlations. (orig.)

[en] Properties of single-Λ and double-Λ hypernuclei for even-N Ca isotopes ranging from the proton dripline to the neutron dripline are studied using the relativistic continuum Hartree-Bogolyubov theory with a zero-range pairing interaction. Compared with ordinary nuclei, the addition of one or two Λ-hyperons lowers the Fermi level. The predicted neutron dripline nuclei are, respectively, ⁷⁵_ΛCa and ⁷⁶_2ΛCa, as the additional attractive force provided by the Λ-N interaction shifts nuclei from outside to inside the dripline. Therefore, the last bound hypernuclei have two more neutrons than the corresponding ordinary nuclei. Based on the analysis of two-neutron separation energies, neutron single-particle energy levels, the contribution of continuum and nucleon density distribution, giant halo phenomena due to the pairing correlation, and the contribution from the continuum are suggested to exist in Ca hypernuclei similar to those that appear in ordinary Ca isotopes. (orig.)

[en] Graphical abstract: -- Highlights: • The three-order polynomials of the dependencies of B and Θ_D on the applied pressure are obtained. • The anisotropic indexes of Al₃Sc are larger than that of Al₃Y and increases generally with the increasing P. • The covalent-type bonding enhances in Al₃Sc and Al₃Y under applied pressures. -- Abstract: The effects of high pressure on elastic properties and electronic structures of L1₂ structure trialuminide Al₃Sc and Al₃Y compounds have been investigated by first-principles calculations within the local density approximation. The elastic properties and Debye temperature for Al₃Sc and Al₃Y increase with the increasing pressure, and the calculated values in elastic properties and Debye temperatures which obtained at 0 GPa are in good agreement with the available experiment data. The mechanical anisotropic properties are discussed using universal anisotropic index A^U and Zener anisotropy index A^Z. The calculated electronic properties suggest that a significant amount of charge in the interstitial region gives rise to an enhanced directional covalent-type bonding between the Sc (Y) and Al atoms as the pressure is up to 40 GPa

[en] The intrinsic level densities of dinuclear systems formed in heavy-ion reactions are calculated using the single-particle spectra obtained with the modified two-center shell model. The role of the mass asymmetry, deformation parameters, and neck size on the level density as well as their quenching with excitation energy are studied. The extracted level density parameter is compared with that obtained in the sudden approximation. The phenomenological parametrization is suggested to estimate the level density parameters for dinuclear systems and strongly deformed nuclear shapes. (orig.)

[en] Highlights: • ZrAl₂ is the most stable in Zr–Al binary compounds. • The orthorhombic ZrAl is the most anisotropic. • Zr₂Al₃ is a direct band gap semiconductor with the band gap of 0.053 eV. • One Zr atom forms two covalent bonds with two Al atoms in ZrAl₂. -- Abstract: To better clarify and understand the phase stability and elastic properties of stable Zr–Al binary intermetallic compounds, the structural properties, phase stability, elastic properties, and electronic structures of these compounds in Zr–Al system have been systematically investigated by using first-principles calculations. The calculated equilibrium structures and enthalpies of formation in present work are in good agreement with the available experimental and other theoretical data, and the results of enthalpies of formation show that ZrAl₂ is the most stable. The elastic properties, including elastic constants, Poisson’s ratio and anisotropy index, and Debye temperatures were also investigated. It is found that ZrAl is the most anisotropic in Zr–Al binary compounds. Furthermore, the electronic structures were discussed to reveal the bonding characteristics of the compounds

[en] Single-particle resonant states in spherical nuclei are studied by an analytic continuation in the coupling constant (ACCC) method within the framework of the self-consistent relativistic mean field (RMF) theory. Taking the neutron resonant state ν1g_9/2 in ⁶⁰Ca as an example, we examine the analyticity of the eigenvalue and eigenfunction for the Dirac equation with respect to the coupling constant by means of a Pade approximant of the second kind. The RMF-ACCC approach is then applied to ¹²²Zr and, for the first time, this approach is employed to investigate both the energies, widths, and wave functions for l≠0 resonant states close to the continuum threshold. Predictions are also compared with corresponding results obtained from the scattering phase shift method

[en] The yrast band in ¹⁶⁶Ta at high-spin states is established for the first time through the ¹⁴¹Pr(²⁸Si, 3n)¹⁶⁶Ta reaction at a beam energy of 127 MeV. Excitation function, residual radioactivity, and x-γ, γ-γ coincidences were measured. Signature inversion features of ¹⁶⁶Ta and neighbouring isotones are discussed. (author)