Effect of distribution of stickers along backbone on temperature-dependent structural properties in associative polymer solutions

Effect of distribution of stickers along the backbone on structural properties in associating polymer solutions is studied using self-consistent field lattice model. Only two inhomogeneous morphologies, i.e., microfluctuation homogenous (MFH) and micelle morphologies, are observed. If the system is cooled, the solvent content within the aggregates decreases. When the spacing of stickers along the backbone is increased the temperature-dependent range of aggregation in MFH morphology and half-width of specific heat peak for homogenous solutions-MFH transition increase, and the symmetry of the peak decreases. However, with increasing spacing of stickers, the above three corresponding quantities related to micelles behave differently. It is demonstrated that the broad nature of the observed transitions can be ascribed to the structural changes which accompany the replacement of solvents in aggregates by polymer, which is consistent with the experimental conclusion. It is found that different effect of spacing of stickers on the two transitions can be interpreted in terms of intrachain and interchain associations.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1202.459

Understanding of the Retarded Oxidation Effects in Silicon Nanostructures

In-depth understanding of the retarded oxidation phenomenon observed during the oxidation of silicon nanostructures is proposed. The wet thermal oxidation of various silicon nanostructures such as nanobeams, concave/convex nanorings and nanowires exhibits an extremely different and complex behavior. Such effects have been investigated by the modeling of the mechanical stress generated during the oxidation process explaining the retarded regime. The model describes the oxidation kinetics of silicon nanowires down to a few nanometers while predicting reasonable and physical stress levels at the Si/SiO$_{2}$ interface by correctly taking into account the relaxation effects in silicon oxide through plastic flow

Effect of polymer concentration and length of hydrophobic end block on the unimer-micelle transition broadness in amphiphilic ABA symmetric triblock copolymer solutions

The effects of the length of each hydrophobic end block N_{st} and polymer concentration \bar{\phi}_{P} on the transition broadness in amphiphilic ABA symmetric triblock copolymer solutions are studied using the self-consistent field lattice model. When the system is cooled, micelles are observed, i.e.,the homogenous solution (unimer)-micelle transition occurs. When N_{st} is increased, at fixed \bar{\phi}_{P}, micelles occur at higher temperature, and the temperature-dependent range of micellar aggregation and half-width of specific heat peak for unimer-micelle transition increase monotonously. Compared with associative polymers, it is found that the magnitude of the transition broadness is determined by the ratio of hydrophobic to hydrophilic blocks, instead of chain length. When \bar{\phi}_{P} is decreased, given a large N_{st}, the temperature-dependent range of micellar aggregation and half-width of specific heat peak initially decease, and then remain nearly constant. It is shown that the transition broadness is concerned with the changes of the relative magnitudes of the eductions of nonstickers and solvents from micellar cores.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

A scheme for demonstration of fractional statistics of anyons in an exactly solvable model

We propose a scheme to demonstrate fractional statistics of anyons in an exactly solvable lattice model proposed by Kitaev that involves four-body interactions. The required many-body ground state, as well as the anyon excitations and their braiding operations, can be conveniently realized through \textit{dynamic}laser manipulation of cold atoms in an optical lattice. Due to the perfect localization of anyons in this model, we show that a quantum circuit with only six qubits is enough for demonstration of the basic braiding statistics of anyons. This opens up the immediate possibility of proof-of-principle experiments with trapped ions, photons, or nuclear magnetic resonance systems.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure