Static, non-magnetic impurities give rise to gap states in a doped Mott-Hubbard antiferromagnetic insulator. The spectral and spatial features of these gap states are discussed, and it is argued that these gap states are responsible for the observed local-moment behaviour in zinc-doped cuprates.

An efficient fast Fourier transform method has been employed to determine correlation function [g(r*)] using the structure factor [S(Q*)] calculated with the rescaled mean spherical approximation (RMSA) and the DLVO potential. Based on this function a parametric (size and charge) study of the ordering in a highly charged and concentrated macroions (an ideal colloid) has been made. The strength of the correlation increases with the increase in the charge on macroions and it saturates after acertain value. Similarly, a critical diameter of the particle depending on the charge on it has been found at which normal feature of the ordering disappears.

The transient currents measured in discharge mode with cellulose acetate (CA): polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) blend films (≈ 20µm thick) as a function of charging field [(1.5–4.5)×10⁴ V/cm], temperatures (323–373 K) and polymer weight ratio (90:10 and 75:25) have been found to follow Curie-von Schweidler law, characterized with two slopes in short and long time regions. Isochronals characteristics (i.e. current/temperature plots at constant times) constructed from these data seemed to reveal a broad peak observed at 363 K. Values of activation energy increase with PAVc content and also with time of observation. Space charge due to trapping of injected charge carriers in energetically distributed traps and induced dipoles created because of the piling up of charge carriers at the phase boundary of heterogeneous structure of blend are considered to account for the observed currents.

The cavity perturbation technique is employed for the characterisation of semiconductors at microwave frequency for its conductivity. Temperature variation of microwave conductivity studies provide the information regarding the band gap, scattering parameter and impurity ionization energy. Change in the real part of the dielectric permittivity with conductivity indicates the change in the momentum relaxation time.

The dielectric relaxation studies of 4-ethylphenol-methanol mixtures have been carried out at various temperatures ranging from 10°C to 40°C using time domain reflectometry in the frequency range 10 MHz to 10 GHz. The relaxation mechanism in these systems is explained by Cole-Davidson model. The excess dielectric parameters, Kirkwood correlation factor and activation energy have been calculated and discussed with respect to molecular arrangements, and microdynamics of the binary mixture composed of both the associative type of liquids.

Comparison of the conversion efficiency for efficient second-harmonic generation of Nd: YAG laser radiation is reported for KDP, LAP, KTP, BBO and LBO crystals. Conversion efficiencies as high as 50% and 46% were obtained for our laboratory-grown KDP and LAP crystals respectively, for power densities well below their damage thresholds.

Experiments on collisional ion sheaths are carried out by applying a pulsed negative bias on a disc electrode immersed in a collisional plasma. The pulse is characterized by a linear rise, followed by a constant voltage phase and then exponential decay. The measured currents to the electrode are compared to predictions from a dynamic collisional ion sheath model which is developed from the basic two fluid equations. The parameter determining the degree of collisionality is also defined. The agreement between the two in the rising and the flat top phases of the pulse is found to be good. Some residual discrepancies as well as the disagreement in the decay phase are discussed.

A facility for carrying out beam-foil spectroscopic studies in the UV and visible region using the 400 kV electrostatic ion accelerator at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay is described.