Vortex Structures Formed by the Interference of Sliced Condensates

We study the formation of vortices, vortex necklaces and vortex ring structures as a result of the interference of higher-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). This study is motivated by earlier theoretical results pertaining to the formation of dark solitons by interfering quasi one-dimensional BECs, as well as recent experiments demonstrating the formation of vortices by interfering higher-dimensional BECs. Here, we demonstrate the genericity of the relevant scenario, but also highlight a number of additional possibilities emerging in higher-dimensional settings. A relevant example is, e.g., the formation of a "cage" of vortex rings surrounding the three-dimensional bulk of the condensed atoms. The effects of the relative phases of the different BEC fragments and the role of damping due to coupling with the thermal cloud are also discussed. Our predictions should be immediately tractable in currently existing experimental BEC setups.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures (low res). To appear in Phys. Rev. A. Full resolution preprint available at: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~rcarrete/publications

Anomalous strength of membranes with elastic ridges

We report on a simulational study of the compression and buckling of elastic ridges formed by joining the boundary of a flat sheet to itself. Such ridges store energy anomalously: their resting energy scales as the linear size of the sheet to the 1/3 power. We find that the energy required to buckle such a ridge is a fixed multiple of the resting energy. Thus thin sheets with elastic ridges such as crumpled sheets are qualitatively stronger than smoothly bent sheets.Comment: 4 pages, REVTEX, 3 figure

Study of Innovative Built-up Cold-formed Beams

In the present work innovative built-up cold-formed steel beams are presented. These are obtained by combining the pressing and cold-rolling forming techniques of steel sheets, along with the use of suitable connecting systems. Firstly, the beam shape features and the possible application fields, as well as the research project devoted to the assessment of their structural behaviour, are discussed. Then, experimental results concerning the characterization of both sheet material properties and connecting system performances are shown. In particular, the study of the sheet material is carried out by using an appropriate methodology of analysis, aiming at evaluating both mechanical and geometrical imperfections arising from the whole manufacturing process. At the same time, the mechanical behaviour of different connecting systems is investigated by means of several lap shear tests. The obtained results have provided useful design information and will be subsequently used to calibrate the numerical and theoretical models, addressing the prediction of the structural response of these innovative cold-formed beams

Enhancing the superconducting transition temperature of BaSi2 by structural tuning

We present a joint experimental and theoretical study of the superconducting phase of the layered binary silicide BaSi2. Compared with the layered AlB2 structure of graphite or diboride-like superconductors, in the hexagonal structure of binary silicides the sp3 arrangement of silicon atoms leads to corrugated sheets. Through a high-pressure synthesis procedure we are able to modify the buckling of these sheets, obtaining the enhancement of the superconducting transition temperature from 4 K to 8.7 K when the silicon planes flatten out. By performing ab-initio calculations based on density functional theory we explain how the electronic and phononic properties of the system are strongly affected by changes in the buckling. This mechanism is likely present in other intercalated layered superconductors, opening the way to the tuning of superconductivity through the control of internal structural parameters.Comment: Submitte

Superlattice formed by quantum-dot sheets: density of states and IR absorption

Low-energy continuous states of electron in heterosrtucture with periodically placed quantum-dot sheets are studied theoretically. The Green's function of electron is governed by the Dyson equation with the self-energy function which is determined the boundary conditions at quantum-dot sheets with weak damping in low-energy region. The parameters of superlattice formed by quantum-dot sheets are determined using of the short-range model of quantum dot. The density of states and spectral dependencies of the anisotropic absorption coefficient under mid-IR transitions from doped quantum dots into miniband states of superlattice strongly depend on dot concentration and on period of sheets. These dependencies can be used for characterization of the multi-layer structure and they determine parameters of different optoelectronic devices exploiting vertical transport of carriers through quantum-dot sheets.Comment: 7 pages and 5 figure

Optical elements formed by compressed gases: Analysis and potential applications

Spherical, cylindrical, and conical shock waves are optically analogous to gas lenses. The geometrical optics of these shock configurations are analyzed as they pertain to flow visualization instruments, particularly the rainbow schlieren apparatus and single-pass interferometers. It is proposed that a lens or mirror formed by gas compressed between plastic sheets has potential as a fluid visualization test object; as the objective mirror in a very large space-based telescope, communication antenna, or energy collector; as the objective mirror in inexpensive commercial telescopes; and as a component in fluid visualization apparatuses