Evolution of photoemission spectral functions in doped transition metal oxides

We discuss the experimental photoemission and inverse photoemission of early transition metal oxides, in the light of the dynamical mean field theory of correlated electrons which becomes exact in the limit of infinite dimensions. We argue that a comprehensive description of the experimental data requires spatial inhomogeneities and present a calculation of the evolution of the spectral function in an inhomogenous system with various degrees of inhomogeneity. We also point out that comparaison of experimental results and large d calculations require that the degree of correlation and disorder is larger in the surface than in the bulk

Optimal operating conditions and characteristics of acetone/CaF_2 detector for inverse photoemission spectroscopy

Performance and characteristics of a band-pass photon detector using acetone gas and CaF_2 window (acetone/CaF_2) have been studied and compared with an ethanol/MgF_2 detector. The optimal operating conditions are found to be 4 mbar acetone pressure and 745+/-20 V anode voltage. The count rate obtained by us is about a factor of 3 higher than what has been reported earlier for the acetone detector. Unlike other gas filled detectors, this detector works in the proportional region with very small dead time (4 micro sec). A detector band-pass of 0.48+/-0.01 eV FWHM is obtained.Comment: Review of Scientific Instruments 76, 066102 (2005

Spectral functions in doped transition metal oxides

We present experimental photoemission and inverse photoemission spectra of SrTiO$_{3- \delta}$ representing electron doped $d^0$ systems. Photoemission spectra in presence of electron doping exhibit prominent features arising from electron correlation effects, while the inverse photoemssion spectra are dominated by spectral features explainable within single-particle approaches. We show that such a spectral evolution in chemically doped correlated systems is not compatible with expectations based on Hubbard or any other similar model. We present a new theoretical approach taking into account the inhomogeneity of the `real' system which gives qualitatively different results compared to standard `homogeneous' models and is in quantitative agreement with experiments.Comment: 10 pages; 1 tex file+4 postscript files (to appear in Europhysics Letters

Discovery of a Very Young Field L Dwarf, 2MASS J01415823-4633574

While following up L dwarf candidates selected photometrically from the Two Micron All Sky Survey, we uncovered an unusual object designated 2MASS J01415823-4633574. Its optical spectrum exhibits very strong bands of vanadium oxide but abnormally weak absorptions by titanium oxide, potassium, and sodium. Morphologically such spectroscopic characteristics fall intermediate between old, field early-L dwarfs (log(g)~5) and very late M giants (log(g)~0), leading us to favor low gravity as the explanation for the unique spectral signatures of this L dwarf. Such a low gravity can be explained only if this L dwarf is much lower in mass than a typical old field L dwarf of similar temperature and is still contracting to its final radius. These conditions imply a very young age. Further evidence of youth is found in the near-infrared spectrum, including a triangular-shaped H-band continuum reminiscent of young brown dwarf candidates discovered in the Orion Nebula Cluster. Using the above information along with comparisons to brown dwarf atmospheric and interior models, our current best estimate is that this L dwarf has an age of 1-50 Myr and a mass of 6-25 M_Jupiter. The location of 2MASS 0141-4633 on the sky coupled with a distance estimate of ~35 pc and the above age estimate suggests that this object may be a brown dwarf member of either the 30-Myr-old Tucana/Horologium Association or the ~12-Myr-old beta Pic Moving Group.Comment: Accepted for publication in the 10 March 2006 issue (volume 639) of the Astrophysical Journa

Enhanced surface metallic density of states in icosahedral quasicrystals

Valence and core-level photoemission spectra show that cleaved i-Al-Pd-Mn quasicrystals have a pronounced metallic signature. Spectra from states above EF, populated by increasing the sample temperature, indicate the presence of a shallow pseudogap 0.09 eV above EF. The Al 2p line asymmetry, on the other hand, which indicates metallic behavior, decreases with increasing photoelectron escape depth. This implies a decreasing density of states at EF with increasing distance from the surface, consistent with indications that the density of states near EF in the bulk is reduced. Our results thus help to resolve the apparent contradiction between the theoretical predictions for a bulk pseudogap, and the clear metallic Fermi edges in photoemission

A Survey of Alkali Line Absorption in Exoplanetary Atmospheres

We obtained over 90 hours of spectroscopic observations of four exoplanetary systems with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET). Observations were taken in transit and out of transit, and we analyzed the differenced spectra---i.e., the transmission spectra---to inspect it for absorption at the wavelengths of the neutral sodium (\ion{Na}{1}) doublet at $\lambda\lambda5889, 5895$ and neutral potassium (\ion{K}{1}) at $\lambda7698$. We used the transmission spectrum at \ion{Ca}{1} $\lambda6122$---which shows strong stellar absorption but is not an alkali metal resonance line that we expect to show significant absorption in these atmospheres---as a control line to examine our measurements for systematic errors. We use an empirical Monte Carlo method to quantity these systematic errors. In a reanalysis of the same dataset using a reduction and analysis pipeline that was derived independently, we confirm the previously seen \ion{Na}{1} absorption in HD 189733b at a level of $(-5.26\pm1.69)\times10^{-4}$ (the average value over a 12 \AA{} integration band to be consistent with previous authors). Additionally, we tentatively confirm the \ion{Na}{1} absorption seen in HD 209458b (independently by multiple authors) at a level of $(-2.63\pm0.81)\times10^{-4}$, though the interpretation is less clear. Furthermore, we find \ion{Na}{1} absorption of $(-3.16\pm2.06)\times10^{-4}$ at $<3\sigma$ in HD 149026b; features apparent in the transmission spectrum are consistent with real absorption and indicate this may be a good target for future observations to confirm. No other results (\ion{Na}{1} in HD 147506b and \ion{Ca}{1} and \ion{K}{1} in all four targets) are significant to $\geq 3\sigma$, although we observe some features that we argue are primarily artifacts.Comment: 38 total pages (preprint format), 9 color figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in Ap

Hot-Jupiters and hot-Neptunes: a common origin?

We compare evolutionary models for close-in exoplanets coupling irradiation and evaporation due respectively to the thermal and high energy flux of the parent star with observations of recently discovered new transiting planets. The models provide an overall good agreement with observations, although at the very limit of the quoted error bars of OGLE-TR-10, depending on its age. Using the same general theory, we show that the three recently detected hot-Neptune planets (GJ436, $\rho$ Cancri, $\mu$ Ara) may originate from more massive gas giants which have undergone significant evaporation. We thus suggest that hot-Neptunes and hot-Jupiters may share the same origin and evolution history. Our scenario provides testable predictions in terms of the mass-radius relationships of these hot-Neptunes.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, accepted in A&A Lette

Rotational Velocities of Very Low Mass Binaries

We present rotational velocities for individual components of eleven very low mass (VLM) binaries with spectral types between M7.5 and L4. These results are based on observations taken with the near-infrared spectrograph, NIRSPEC, and the Keck II laser guide star adaptive optics (LGS AO) system. The binaries were targeted as part of a dynamical mass program, and their orbital inclinations are used to translate vsini into a rotational velocity for each component. We find that the observed sources tend to be rapid rotators (vsini > 10 km s^(-1)), consistent with previous measurements for ultracool objects. Five systems have component vsini's that are statistically different, with three binaries having velocity differences greater than 25 km s^(-1). To bring these discrepant rotational velocities into agreement would require their rotational axes to be inclined between 10 to 40° with respect to each other, and that at least one component has a significant inclination with respect to the orbital plane. Alternatively, each component could be rotating at a different rate, even though they have similar spectral types. Both differing rotational velocities and inclinations have interesting implications for binary star formation. Two of the binaries with large differences in rotational velocity are also known radio sources, LP 349-25AB and 2MASS 0746+20AB. LP 349-25B is rotating at ∼95 km s^(-1), within a factor of ∼3 of the break up speed, and is one of the most rapidly rotating VLM objects known

Cationic vacancy induced room-temperature ferromagnetism in transparent conducting anatase Ti_{1-x}Ta_xO_2 (x~0.05) thin films

We report room-temperature ferromagnetism in highly conducting transparent anatase Ti1-xTaxO2 (x~0.05) thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition on LaAlO3 substrates. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), proton induced x-ray emission (PIXE), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) indicated negligible magnetic contaminants in the films. The presence of ferromagnetism with concomitant large carrier densities was determined by a combination of superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry, electrical transport measurements, soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (SXMCD), XAS, and optical magnetic circular dichroism (OMCD) and was supported by first-principle calculations. SXMCD and XAS measurements revealed a 90% contribution to ferromagnetism from the Ti ions and a 10% contribution from the O ions. RBS/channelling measurements show complete Ta substitution in the Ti sites though carrier activation was only 50% at 5% Ta concentration implying compensation by cationic defects. The role of Ti vacancy and Ti3+ was studied via XAS and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) respectively. It was found that in films with strong ferromagnetism, the Ti vacancy signal was strong while Ti3+ signal was absent. We propose (in the absence of any obvious exchange mechanisms) that the localised magnetic moments, Ti vacancy sites, are ferromagnetically ordered by itinerant carriers. Cationic-defect-induced magnetism is an alternative route to ferromagnetism in wide-band-gap semiconducting oxides without any magnetic elements.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures, to appear in Philosophical Transaction - Royal Soc.

Mental health status and perceived burden in caregiving spouses of persons with psychotic illness (a study from India)

Mental illness poses a great deal of burden on other family members, particularly the primary caregiver. In the Indian context for a married person with mental illness, the caregiving burden is usually experienced by the spouse, who is considered to be the ‘natural’ option. This quantitative study used survey methodology to assess caregiving burden in fifty spouses of persons diagnosed with a psychotic illness. Data was collected at a neuro-psychiatric facility in Tiruchirappalli, India. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and the Burden Assessment Schedule were the instruments administered to assess the mental health status of the spouse and their perceived burden. Findings revealed that the majority of spouses were classified as experiencing ‘severe’ and ‘extremely severe’ in terms of their depression, anxiety and stress levels and ‘high’ in terms of perceived burden. The specific ‘type’ of clinical diagnosis, however, did not differentiate the spouses on the key variables studied. The correlation of these key variables with other background variables has also been examined. The implications of the results of this study for psychosocial intervention have also been discussed in this article