|
Summary of Research Projects (Supports in 2005
Fiscal Year)
| Subjects |
Attempt to Detect Correlated Dynamics among Plural
Particles in Crystal by AC Calorimetry |
Representative
researcher |
University of Tsukuba Kazuya SAITO
|
| Molecules perpetually move in gas, liquid
and even in solid. Molecular dynamics has therefore been a central issue
in physical chemistry that pursues understandings on properties of matter
in terms of molecular language. Although many spectroscopic techniques
including vibrational, NMR and neutron ones have been utilized to study
molecular dynamics, they are essentially based on one-particle scheme.
On the other hand, strong correlation effects among particles are known
to be a key that brings many interesting phenomena such as phase transition.
It is therefore desired to find spectroscopic strategy capable to detect
correlation effects. According to Boltzmann's relation, entropy directly
reflects the correlation effect. Heat capacity is a temperature derivative
of entropy and can be measured in a spectroscopic manner by using AC calorimetry.
In this project, an AC calorimeter workable over a wide frequency range
(below 1 Hz to a few kHz) has been constructed. A commercial gas-sensor
chip was used as a calorimeter body. Construction is still under way: A
test measurement on a tiny crystal of TGS (ca. 5 ng) was successful. Besides
the construction of the calorimeter, two crystals have been found that
correlated dynamics could be clearly detected through studies utilizing
adiabatic calorimetry. |
|
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