Effects of Two Energy Scales in Weakly Dimerized Antiferromagnetic Quantum Spin Chains

By means of thermal expansion and specific heat measurements on the high-pressure phase of (VO)$_2$P$_2$O$_7$, the effects of two energy scales of the weakly dimerized antiferromagnetic $S$ = 1/2 Heisenberg chain are explored. The low energy scale, given by the spin gap $\Delta$, is found to manifest itself in a pronounced thermal expansion anomaly. A quantitative analysis, employing T-DMRG calculations, shows that this feature originates from changes in the magnetic entropy with respect to $\Delta$, $\partial S^{m}/ \partial \Delta$. This term, inaccessible by specific heat, is visible only in the weak-dimerization limit where it reflects peculiarities of the excitation spectrum and its sensitivity to variations in $\Delta$.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures now identical with finally published versio

Evidence for Insulating Behavior in the Electric Conduction of (NH3_3)K3_3C60_{60} Systems

Microwave study using cavity perturbation technique revealed that the conductivity of antiferromagnet (NH$_3$)K$_{3-x}$Rb$_x$C$_{60}$ at 200K is already 3-4 orders of magnitude smaller than those of superconductors, K$_3$C$_{60}$ and (NH$_3$)$_x$NaRb$_2$C$_{60}$, and that the antiferromagnetic compounds are {\it insulators} below 250K without metal-insulator transitions. The striking difference in the magnitude of the conductivity between these materials strongly suggests that the Mott-Hubbard transition in the ammoniated alkali fullerides is driven by a reduction of lattice symmetry from face-centered-cubic to face-centered-orthorhombic, rather than by the magnetic ordering.Comment: accepted for publication in PR

Sliding charge density wave in manganites

The so-called stripe phase of the manganites is an important example of the complex behaviour of metal oxides, and has long been interpreted as the localisation of charge at atomic sites. Here, we demonstrate via resistance measurements on La_{0.50}Ca_{0.50}MnO_3 that this state is in fact a prototypical charge density wave (CDW) which undergoes collective transport. Dramatic resistance hysteresis effects and broadband noise properties are observed, both of which are typical of sliding CDW systems. Moreover, the high levels of disorder typical of manganites result in behaviour similar to that of well-known disordered CDW materials. Our discovery that the manganite superstructure is a CDW shows that unusual transport and structural properties do not require exotic physics, but can emerge when a well-understood phase (the CDW) coexists with disorder.Comment: 13 pages; 4 figure

Conductance of Mesoscopic Systems with Magnetic Impurities

We investigate the combined effects of magnetic impurities and applied magnetic field on the interference contribution to the conductance of disordered metals. We show that in a metal with weak spin-orbit interaction, the polarization of impurity spins reduces the rate of electron phase relaxation, thus enhancing the weak localization correction to conductivity. Magnetic field also suppresses thermal fluctuations of magnetic impurities, leading to a recovery of the conductance fluctuations. This recovery occurs regardless the strength of the spin-orbit interaction. We calculate the magnitudes of the weak localization correction and of the mesoscopic conductance fluctuations at an arbitrary level of the spin polarization induced by a magnetic field. Our analytical results for the ``$h/e$'' Aharonov-Bohm conductance oscillations in metal rings can be used to extract spin and gyromagnetic factor of magnetic impurities from existing experimental data.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figure

Noise Probe of the Dynamic Phase Separation in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3

Giant Random Telegraph Noise (RTN) in the resistance fluctuation of a macroscopic film of perovskite-type manganese oxide La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 has been observed at various temperatures ranging from 4K to 170K, well below the Curie temperature (TC = 210K). The amplitudes of the two-level-fluctuations (TLF) vary from 0.01% to 0.2%. We use a statistical analysis of the life-times of the TLF to gain insight into the microscopic electronic and magnetic state of this manganite. At low temperature (below 30K) The TLF is well described by a thermally activated two-level model. An estimate of the energy difference between the two states is inferred. At higher temperature (between 60K and 170K) we observed critical effects of the temperature on the life-times of the TLF. We discuss this peculiar temperature dependence in terms of a sharp change in the free energy functional of the fluctuators. We attribute the origin of the RTN to be a dynamic mixed-phase percolative conduction process, where manganese clusters switch back and forth between two phases that differ in their conductivity and magnetization.Comment: 15 pages, PDF only, Phys. Rev. Lett. (in press

Low frequency 1/f noise in doped manganite grain-boundary junctions

We have performed a systematic analysis of the low frequency 1/f-noise in single grain boundary junctions in the colossal magnetoresistance material La_{2/3}Ca_{1/3}MnO_{3-delta}. The grain boundary junctions were formed in epitaxial La_{2/3}Ca_{1/3}MnO_{3-delta} films deposited on SrTiO_3 bicrystal substrates and show a large tunneling magnetoresistance of up to 300% at 4.2 K as well as ideal, rectangular shaped resistance versus applied magnetic field curves. Below the Curie temperature T_C the measured 1/f noise is dominated by the grain boundary. The dependence of the noise on bias current, temperature and applied magnetic field gives clear evidence that the large amount of low frequency noise is caused by localized sites with fluctuating magnetic moments in a heavily disordered grain boundary region. At 4.2 K additional temporally unstable Lorentzian components show up in the noise spectra that are most likely caused by fluctuating clusters of interacting magnetic moments. Noise due to fluctuating domains in the junction electrodes is found to play no significant role.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Ultrasonic Evaluation of Interfacial Properties in Adhesive Joints: Evaluation of Environmental Degradation

It is known that failure of adhesive joints can occur either in the bulk region of an adhesive layer (cohesive mode) or along an interface between the adhesive and an adherent (interfacial or adhesion mode). Properly manufactured adhesive joints fail in the cohesive mode, while after environmental degradation the failure mode becomes predominantly interfacial. Therefore we conclude that humid environments affect mostly the interfacial region of a joint. This indicates the importance of non-destructive assessment of interface properties. While methods of cohesive property evaluation have progressed significantly, much more effort is required to develop interface evaluation methods. A development of this type is undertaken in this work

Violation of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem in glassy systems: basic notions and the numerical evidence

This review reports on the research done during the past years on violations of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT) in glassy systems. It is focused on the existence of a quasi-fluctuation-dissipation theorem (QFDT) in glassy systems and the currently supporting knowledge gained from numerical simulation studies. It covers a broad range of non-stationary aging and stationary driven systems such as structural-glasses, spin-glasses, coarsening systems, ferromagnetic models at criticality, trap models, models with entropy barriers, kinetically constrained models, sheared systems and granular media. The review is divided into four main parts: 1) An introductory section explaining basic notions related to the existence of the FDT in equilibrium and its possible extension to the glassy regime (QFDT), 2) A description of the basic analytical tools and results derived in the framework of some exactly solvable models, 3) A detailed report of the current evidence in favour of the QFDT and 4) A brief digression on the experimental evidence in its favour. This review is intended for inexpert readers who want to learn about the basic notions and concepts related to the existence of the QFDT as well as for the more expert readers who may be interested in more specific results.Comment: 120 pages, 37 figures. Topical review paper . Several typos and misprints corrected, new references included and others updated. to be published in J. Phys. A (Math. Gen.

DNA Fragmentation Simulation Method (FSM) and Fragment Size Matching Improve aCGH Performance of FFPE Tissues

Whole-genome copy number analysis platforms, such as array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, are transformative research discovery tools. In cancer, the identification of genomic aberrations with these approaches has generated important diagnostic and prognostic markers, and critical therapeutic targets. While robust for basic research studies, reliable whole-genome copy number analysis has been unsuccessful in routine clinical practice due to a number of technical limitations. Most important, aCGH results have been suboptimal because of the poor integrity of DNA derived from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. Using self-hybridizations of a single DNA sample we observed that aCGH performance is significantly improved by accurate DNA size determination and the matching of test and reference DNA samples so that both possess similar fragment sizes. Based on this observation, we developed a novel DNA fragmentation simulation method (FSM) that allows customized tailoring of the fragment sizes of test and reference samples, thereby lowering array failure rates. To validate our methods, we combined FSM with Universal Linkage System (ULS) labeling to study a cohort of 200 tumor samples using Agilent 1 M feature arrays. Results from FFPE samples were equivalent to results from fresh samples and those available through the glioblastoma Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). This study demonstrates that rigorous control of DNA fragment size improves aCGH performance. This methodological advance will permit the routine analysis of FFPE tumor samples for clinical trials and in daily clinical practice

One-Step Preservation of Phosphoproteins and Tissue Morphology at Room Temperature for Diagnostic and Research Specimens

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need to measure phosphorylated cell signaling proteins in cancer tissue for the individualization of molecular targeted kinase inhibitor therapy. However, phosphoproteins fluctuate rapidly following tissue procurement. Snap-freezing preserves phosphoproteins, but is unavailable in most clinics and compromises diagnostic morphology. Formalin fixation preserves tissue histomorphology, but penetrates tissue slowly, and is unsuitable for stabilizing phosphoproteins. We originated and evaluated a novel one-step biomarker and histology preservative (BHP) chemistry that stabilizes signaling protein phosphorylation and retains formalin-like tissue histomorphology with equivalent immunohistochemistry in a single paraffin block. RESULTS: Total protein yield extracted from BHP-fixed, routine paraffin-embedded mouse liver was 100% compared to snap-frozen tissue. The abundance of 14 phosphorylated proteins was found to be stable over extended fixation times in BHP fixed paraffin embedded human colon mucosa. Compared to matched snap-frozen tissue, 8 phosphoproteins were equally preserved in mouse liver, while AMPKβ1 Ser108 was slightly elevated after BHP fixation. More than 25 tissues from mouse, cat and human specimens were evaluated for preservation of histomorphology. Selected tissues were evaluated in a multi-site, independent pathology review. Tissue fixed with BHP showed equivalent preservation of cytoplasmic and membrane cytomorphology, with significantly better nuclear chromatin preservation by BHP compared to formalin. Immunohistochemical staining of 13 non-phosphorylated proteins, including estrogen receptor alpha, progesterone receptor, Ki-67 and Her2, was equal to or stronger in BHP compared to formalin. BHP demonstrated significantly improved immunohistochemical detection of phosphorylated proteins ERK Thr202/Tyr204, GSK3-α/β Ser21/Ser9, p38-MAPK Thr180/Tyr182, eIF4G Ser1108 and Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase Ser79. CONCLUSION: In a single paraffin block BHP preserved the phosphorylation state of several signaling proteins at a level comparable to snap-freezing, while maintaining the full diagnostic immunohistochemical and histomorphologic detail of formalin fixation. This new tissue fixative has the potential to greatly facilitate personalized medicine, biobanking, and phospho-proteomic research