410 research outputs found
Polarisation Independent Liquid Crystal Lenses and Contact Lenses using Embossed Reactive Mesogens
Liquid crystal lenses have promise in optical systems owing to their tunability combined with low electrical power, cost, and weight. A good example of such a system is switchable contact lenses for the correction of ageârelated presbyopia. Sufficiently large phase modulation can be done using nematic liquid crystals in a meniscus lens configuration. However, the birefringent materials are inherently polarisation dependent, usually requiring orthogonal polarisations to be focussed separately. A novel method is presented for producing polarisation independent lenses based on reactive mesogens. Results are presented for a 2âlevel and 3âlevel diffractive Fresnel lenses, and the promise of the technique for use in refractive lenses such as contact lenses is discussed
Polarisation Independent Liquid Crystal Lenses using Embossed Reactive Mesogens
Liquid crystal lenses have promise in optical systems owing to their tunability combined with low electrical power, cost and weight. A good example of such a system is switchable contact lenses for the correction of ageârelated presbyopia. Large phase modulation can be done using nematic liquid crystals. However, the birefringent materials are inherently polarisation dependent, usually requiring orthogonal polarisations to be focused separately. A novel method is presented for producing polarisation independent lenses based on reactive mesogens
Fuzzy cellular model for on-line traffic simulation
This paper introduces a fuzzy cellular model of road traffic that was
intended for on-line applications in traffic control. The presented model uses
fuzzy sets theory to deal with uncertainty of both input data and simulation
results. Vehicles are modelled individually, thus various classes of them can
be taken into consideration. In the proposed approach, all parameters of
vehicles are described by means of fuzzy numbers. The model was implemented in
a simulation of vehicles queue discharge process. Changes of the queue length
were analysed in this experiment and compared to the results of NaSch cellular
automata model.Comment: The original publication is available at http://www.springerlink.co
Stabilization of d-Band Ferromagnetism by Hybridization with Uncorrelated Bands
We investigate the influence of s-d or p-d hybridization to d-band
ferromagnetism to estimate the importance of hybridization for the magnetic
properties of transition metals. To focus our attention to the interplay
between hybridization and correlation we investigate a simple model system
consisting of two non-degenerated hybridized bands, one strongly correlated,
the other one quasi-free. To solve this extended Hubbard model, we apply simple
approximations, namely SDA and MAA, that, concerning ferromagnetism in the
single-band model, are known to give qualitatively satisfactory results. This
approach allows us to discuss the underlying mechanism, by which d-band
ferromagnetism is influenced by the hybridization on the basis of analytical
expressions. The latter clearly display the order and the functional
dependencies of the important effects. It is found, that spin-dependent
inter-band particle fluctuations cause a spin-dependent band shift and a
spin-dependent band broadening of the Hubbard bands. The shift stabilizes, the
broadening tends to destabilize ferromagnetism. Stabilization requires
relatively high band distances and small hybridization matrix elements.
Super-exchange and RKKY coupling are of minor importance.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted for PR
Volatile Decision Dynamics: Experiments, Stochastic Description, Intermittency Control, and Traffic Optimization
The coordinated and efficient distribution of limited resources by individual
decisions is a fundamental, unsolved problem. When individuals compete for road
capacities, time, space, money, goods, etc., they normally make decisions based
on aggregate rather than complete information, such as TV news or stock market
indices. In related experiments, we have observed a volatile decision dynamics
and far-from-optimal payoff distributions. We have also identified ways of
information presentation that can considerably improve the overall performance
of the system. In order to determine optimal strategies of decision guidance by
means of user-specific recommendations, a stochastic behavioural description is
developed. These strategies manage to increase the adaptibility to changing
conditions and to reduce the deviation from the time-dependent user
equilibrium, thereby enhancing the average and individual payoffs. Hence, our
guidance strategies can increase the performance of all users by reducing
overreaction and stabilizing the decision dynamics. These results are highly
significant for predicting decision behaviour, for reaching optimal behavioural
distributions by decision support systems, and for information service
providers. One of the promising fields of application is traffic optimization.Comment: For related work see http://www.helbing.or
Investigating field-induced magnetic order in Han purple by neutron scattering up to 25.9 T
BaCuSi2O6 is a quasi-two-dimensional (2D) quantum antiferromagnet containing three different types of stacked, square-lattice bilayer hosting spin-1/2 dimers. Although this compound has been studied extensively over the last two decades, the critical applied magnetic field required to close the dimer spin gap and induce magnetic order, which exceeds 23 T, has to date precluded any kind of neutron scattering investigation. However, the HFM/EXED instrument at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin made this possible at magnetic fields up to 25.9 T. Thus we have used HFM/EXED to investigate the field-induced ordered phase, in particular to look for quasi-2D physics arising from the layered structure and from the different bilayer types. From neutron diffraction data, we determined the global dependence of the magnetic order parameter on both magnetic field and temperature, finding a form consistent with 3D quantum critical scaling; from this we deduce that the quasi-2D interactions and nonuniform layering of BaCuSi2O6 are not anisotropic enough to induce hallmarks of 2D physics. From neutron spectroscopy data, we measured the dispersion of the strongly Zeeman-split magnetic excitations, finding good agreement with the zero-field interaction parameters of BaCuSi2O6. We conclude that HFM/EXED allowed a significant extension in the application of neutron scattering techniques to the field range above 20 T and in particular opened previously unavailable possibilities in the study of field-induced magnetic quantum phase transitions
Correlated electrons in the presence of disorder
Several new aspects of the subtle interplay between electronic correlations
and disorder are reviewed. First, the dynamical mean-field theory
(DMFT)together with the geometrically averaged ("typical") local density of
states is employed to compute the ground state phase diagram of the
Anderson-Hubbard model at half-filling. This non-perturbative approach is
sensitive to Anderson localization on the one-particle level and hence can
detect correlated metallic, Mott insulating and Anderson insulating phases and
can also describe the competition between Anderson localization and
antiferromagnetism. Second, we investigate the effect of binary alloy disorder
on ferromagnetism in materials with -electrons described by the periodic
Anderson model. A drastic enhancement of the Curie temperature caused by
an increase of the local -moments in the presence of disordered conduction
electrons is discovered and explained.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, final version, typos corrected, references
updated, submitted to Eur. Phys. J. for publication in the Special Topics
volume "Cooperative Phenomena in Solids: Metal-Insulator Transitions and
Ordering of Microscopic Degrees of Freedom
Cotranscriptional recruitment of the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein Pab2 to nascent transcripts and association with translating mRNPs
Synthesis of the pre-mRNA poly(A) tail in the nucleus has important consequences on the translational activity of the mature mRNA in the cytoplasm. In most eukaryotes, nuclear polyadenylation of pre-mRNAs is thought to require the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein (PABP2/PABPN1) for poly(A) tail synthesis and ultimate length control. As yet, however, the extent of the association between PABP2 and the exported mRNA remains poorly understood. Here, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays to show that the fission yeast ortholog of mammalian PABP2 (Pab2) is cotranscriptionally recruited to active genes. Notably, the association of Pab2 to genes precedes that of a typical 3âČ-processing/polyadenylation factor, suggesting that Pab2 recruitment during the transcription cycle precedes polyadenylation. The inclusion of an RNase step in our ChIP and immunoprecipitation assays suggests that Pab2 is cotranscriptionally recruited via nascent mRNA ribonucleoprotein (mRNPs). Tandem affinity purification coupled with mass spectrometry also revealed that Pab2 associates with several ribosomal proteins as well as general translation factors. Importantly, whereas previous results suggest that the nuclear poly(A)-binding protein is not present on cytoplasmic mRNAs, we show that fission yeast Pab2 is associated with polysomes. Our findings suggest that Pab2 is recruited to nascent mRNPs during transcription and remains associated with translated mRNPs after nuclear export
Itinerant Ferromagnetism in the Periodic Anderson Model
We introduce a novel mechanism for itinerant ferromagnetism, based on a
simple two-band model. The model includes an uncorrelated and dispersive band
hybridized with a second band which is narrow and correlated. The simplest
Hamiltonian containing these ingredients is the Periodic Anderson Model (PAM).
Using quantum Monte Carlo and analytical methods, we show that the PAM and an
extension of it contain the new mechanism and exhibit a non-saturated
ferromagnetic ground state in the intermediate valence regime. We propose that
the mechanism, which does not assume an intra atomic Hund's coupling, is
present in both the iron group and in some f electron compounds like
Ce(Rh_{1-x} Ru_x)_3 B_2, La_x Ce_{1-x} Rh_3 B_2 and the uranium
monochalcogenides US, USe, and UTe
- âŠ