Polarization Dependent Switching of Asymmetric Nanorings with a Circular Field

We experimentally investigated the switching from onion to vortex states in asymmetric cobalt nanorings by an applied circular field. An in-plane field is applied along the symmetric or asymmetric axis of the ring to establish domain walls (DWs) with symmetric or asymmetric polarization. A circular field is then applied to switch from the onion state to the vortex state, moving the DWs in the process. The asymmetry of the ring leads to different switching fields depending on the location of the DWs and direction of applied field. For polarization along the asymmetric axis, the field required to move the DWs to the narrow side of the ring is smaller than the field required to move the DWs to the larger side of the ring. For polarization along the symmetric axis, establishing one DW in the narrow side and one on the wide side, the field required to switch to the vortex state is an intermediate value

Imaging Magnetic Focusing of Coherent Electron Waves

The magnetic focusing of electrons has proven its utility in fundamental studies of electron transport. Here we report the direct imaging of magnetic focusing of electron waves, specifically in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). We see the semicircular trajectories of electrons as they bounce along a boundary in the 2DEG, as well as fringes showing the coherent nature of the electron waves. Imaging flow in open systems is made possible by a cooled scanning probe microscope. Remarkable agreement between experiment and theory demonstrates our ability to see these trajectories and to use this system as an interferometer. We image branched electron flow as well as the interference of electron waves. This technique can visualize the motion of electron waves between two points in an open system, providing a straightforward way to study systems that may be useful for quantum information processing and spintronics

Phase Diagram of 360 degrees Domain Walls in Magnetic Rings

One method to increase bit density in magnetic memory devices is to use multi-state structures, such as a ferromagnetic nanoring with multiple domain walls (DWs), to encode information. However, there is a competition between decreasing the ring size in order to more densely pack bits and increasing it to make multiple DWs stable. This paper examines the effects of ring geometry, specifically inner and outer diameters (ODs), on the formation of 360 degrees DWs. By sequentially increasing the strength of an applied circular magnetic field, we examine how DWs form under the applied field and whether they remain when the field is returned to zero. We examine the relationships between field strength, number of walls initially formed, and the stability of these walls at zero field for different ring geometries. We demonstrate that there is a lower limit of 200 nm to the ring diameter for the formation of any 360 degrees DWs under an applied field, and that a high number of 360 degrees DWs are stable at remanence only for narrow rings with large ODs

A Multi-Level Single-Bit Data Storage Device

One method to increase bit density in magnetic memory devices is to use larger structures that have multiple states in which to encode information rather than the typical two state system. A ferromagnetic nanoring with multiple domain walls that annihilate at different applied magnetic fields could serve as such a bit. This paper examines the formation and annihilation of four 360° domain walls (DWs) using micromagnetic simulations. To create the walls, one can apply circular magnetic fields to asymmetric nanoring structures. Nanorings with circular notches on a centered elliptical hole enable the formation of stable DWs in specific locations with known characteristics. By considering the impacts of both domain wall length and topological winding number on domain wall energy, one can create a nanostructure with four stable domain walls that annihilate at different applied magnetic fields. With two stable vortex configurations, such nanorings could theoretically encode up to ten different states

La Atalaya : diario de la mañana: Año XXII Número 8380 - 1914 noviembre 22

Copia digital. Madrid : Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. Subdirección General de Coordinación Bibliotecaria, 201

Characterizing Pilus-Mediated Adhesion of Biofilm-Forming E. coli to Chemically Diverse Surfaces Using Atomic Force Microscopy

Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms living together at an interface. Because biofilms are often associated with contamination and infection, it is critical to understand how bacterial cells adhere to surfaces in the early stages of biofilm formation. Even harmless commensal Escherichia coli naturally forms biofilms in the human digestive tract by adhering to epithelial cells, a trait that presents major concerns in the case of pathogenic E. coli strains. The laboratory strain E. coli ZK1056 provides an intriguing model system for pathogenic E. coli strains because it forms biofilms robustly on a wide range of surfaces.E. coli ZK1056 cells spontaneously form living biofilms on polylysine-coated AFM cantilevers, allowing us to measure quantitatively by AFM the adhesion between native biofilm cells and substrates of our choice. We use these biofilm-covered cantilevers to probe E. coli ZK1056 adhesion to five substrates with distinct and well-characterized surface chemistries, including fluorinated, amineterminated, and PEG-like monolayers, as well as unmodified silicon wafer and mica. Notably, after only 0−10 s of contact time, the biofilms adhere strongly to fluorinated and amine-terminated monolayers as well as to mica and weakly to “antifouling” PEG monolayers, despite the wide variation in hydrophobicity and charge of these substrates. In each case the AFM retraction curves display distinct adhesion profiles in terms of both force and distance, highlighting the cells’ ability to adapt their adhesive properties to disparate surfaces. Specific inhibition of the pilus protein FimH by a nonhydrolyzable mannose analogue leads to diminished adhesion in all cases, demonstrating the critical role of type I pili in adhesion by this strain to surfaces bearing widely different functional groups. The strong and adaptable binding of FimH to diverse surfaces has unexpected implications for the design of antifouling surfaces and antiadhesion therapies