The energetic χ-criterion is developed to parameterize difference in the origin of high-order optical non-linearity associated with metallic atoms (Cu, Ag, Au) embedded destructively in oxide- and chalcogenide glasses. Within this approach, it is unambiguously proved that covalent-bonded networks of soft semiconductor chalcogenides exemplified by binary As(Ge)-S(Se) glasses differ essentially f...

The dust in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), an ideal analog of primordial galaxies at high redshifts, differs markedly from that in the Milky Way by exhibiting a steeply rising far-ultraviolet extinction curve, an absence of the 2175 extinction feature, and a local minimum at ∼12 mm in its infrared emission spectrum, suggesting Å the lack of ultrasmall carbonaceous grains (i.e., polycyclic ar...

Materials which are currently used in spin electronic devices, and materials which may be useful in future are discussed. These include ironcobaltand nickel-based alloys for spin polarization and analysis, metallic and insulating antiferromagnets for exchange bias and oxides for tunnel barriers. The 3d alloys also serve as detection or sensor layers. Permanent magnet materials play a role in bi...

Metal oxides are a group of compounds that are now intensively studied because of their wide use in modern ceramic materials, composites, nano-composites, etc., with new special properties. Many oxides are used as electronic materials for their electrical, magnetic and optical properties. The mechanisms of corrosion of metals and their alloys, as well as the mechanism of reduction in metallurgi...

In this study triggered-lightning induced fulgurites were formed in 99.9% pure binary oxides of manganese (MnO) and nickel (NiO) in order to study oxide reduction mechanisms. The fulgurite formation process involved packing the oxide in PVC holders and using the standard rocket-and-wire technique to trigger a lightning strike through the oxide at the International Center for Lightning Research ...