On the time evolution of Bernstein processes associated with a class of parabolic equations

In this article dedicated to the memory of Igor D. Chueshov, I first summarize in a few words the joint results that we obtained over a period of six years regarding the long-time behavior of solutions to a class of semilinear stochastic parabolic partial differential equations. Then, as the beautiful interplay between partial differential equations and probability theory always was close to Igor's heart, I present some new results concerning the time evolution of certain Markovian Bernstein processes naturally associated with a class of deterministic linear parabolic partial differential equations. Particular instances of such processes are certain conditioned Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes, generalizations of Bernstein bridges and Bernstein loops, whose laws may evolve in space in a non trivial way. Specifically, I examine in detail the time development of the probability of finding such processes within two-dimensional geometric shapes exhibiting spherical symmetry. I also define a Faedo-Galerkin scheme whose ultimate goal is to allow approximate computations with controlled error terms of the various probability distributions involved

Dewetting of solid films with substrate mediated evaporation

The dewetting dynamics of an ultrathin film is studied in the presence of evaporation - or reaction - of adatoms on the substrate. KMC simulations are in good agreement with an analytical model with diffusion, rim facetting, and substrate sublimation. As sublimation is increased, we find a transition from the usual dewetting regime where the front slows down with time, to a sublimation-controlled regime where the front velocity is approximately constant. The rim width exhibits an unexpected non-monotonous behavior, with a maximum in time.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Commensurable continued fractions

We compare two families of continued fractions algorithms, the symmetrized Rosen algorithm and the Veech algorithm. Each of these algorithms expands real numbers in terms of certain algebraic integers. We give explicit models of the natural extension of the maps associated with these algorithms; prove that these natural extensions are in fact conjugate to the first return map of the geodesic flow on a related surface; and, deduce that, up to a conjugacy, almost every real number has an infinite number of common approximants for both algorithms.Comment: 41 pages, 10 figure

Poisson approximation for large-contours in low-temperature Ising models

We consider the contour representation of the infinite volume Ising model at low temperature. Fix a subset V of Z^d, and a (large) N such that calling G_{N,V} the set of contours of length at least N intersecting V, there are in average one contour in G_{N,V} under the infinite volume "plus" measure. We find bounds on the total variation distance between the law of the contours of lenght at least N intersecting V under the "plus" measure and a Poisson process. The proof builds on the Chen-Stein method as presented by Arratia, Goldstein and Gordon. The control of the correlations is obtained through the loss-network space-time representation of contours due to Fernandez, Ferrari and Garcia.Comment: 10 pages, to appear in Physica

Electrical characterization Of SiGe thin films

An apparatus for measuring electrical resistivity and Hall coefficient on both thin films and bulk material over a temperature range of 300K to 1300K has been built. A unique alumina fixture, with four molybdenum probes, allows arbitrarily shaped samples, up to 2.5 cm diameter, to be measured using van der Pauw's method. The system is fully automated and is constructed with commercially available components. Measurements of the electrical properties of doped and undoped Si-Ge thin films, grown by liquid phase epitaxy reported here, are to illustrate the capabilities of the apparatus

Production of the X(3872) at the Tevatron and the LHC

We predict the differential cross sections for production of the X(3872) at the Tevatron and the Large Hadron Collider from both prompt QCD mechanisms and from decays of b hadrons. The prompt cross section is calculated using the NRQCD factorization formula. Simplifying assumptions are used to reduce the nonperturbative parameters to a single NRQCD matrix element that is determined from an estimate of the prompt cross section at the Tevatron. For X(3872) with transverse momenta greater than about 4 GeV, the predicted cross section is insensitive to the simplifying assumptions. We also discuss critically a recent analysis that concluded that the prompt production rate at the Tevatron is too large by orders of magnitude for the X(3872) to be a weakly-bound charm-meson molecule. We point out that if charm-meson rescattering is properly taken into account, the upper bound is increased by orders of magnitude and is compatible with the observed production rate at the Tevatron.Comment: 29 pages, 5 figure