1,454 research outputs found
Distinguishing step relaxation mechanisms via pair correlation functions
Theoretical predictions of coupled step motion are tested by direct STM
measurement of the fluctuations of near-neighbor pairs of steps on
Si(111)-root3 x root3 R30 - Al at 970K. The average magnitude of the
pair-correlation function is within one standard deviation of zero, consistent
with uncorrelated near-neighbor step fluctuations. The time dependence of the
pair-correlation function shows no statistically significant agreement with the
predicted t^1/2 growth of pair correlations via rate-limiting atomic diffusion
between adjacent steps. The physical considerations governing uncorrelated step
fluctuations occurring via random attachment/detachment events at the step edge
are discussed.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure
Fluctuations, line tensions, and correlation times of nanoscale islands on surfaces
We analyze in detail the fluctuations and correlations of the (spatial)
Fourier modes of nano-scale single-layer islands on (111) fcc crystal surfaces.
We analytically show that the Fourier modes of the fluctuations couple due to
the anisotropy of the crystal, changing the power spectrum of the fluctuations,
and that the actual eigenmodes of the fluctuations are the appropriate linear
combinations of the Fourier modes. Using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations with
bond-counting parameters that best match realistic energy barriers for hopping
rates, we deduce absolute line tensions as a function of azimuthal orientation
from the analyses of the fluctuation of each individual mode. The
autocorrelation functions of these modes give the scaling of the correlation
times with wavelength, providing us with the rate-limiting kinetics driving the
fluctuations, here step-edge diffusion. The results for the energetic
parameters are in reasonable agreement with available experimental data for
Pb(111) surfaces, and we compare the correlation times of island-edge
fluctuations to relaxation times of quenched Pb crystallites.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures; to appear in PRB 70, xxx (15 Dec 2004), changes
in MC and its implication
Observation of the Radiative Decay D^(*+) → D^+y
We have observed a signal for the decay D^(*+)→D^+γ at a significance of 4 standard deviations. From the measured branching ratio B(D^(*+)→D^+γ)/B(D^(*+)→D^+π^0) = 0.055±0.014±0.010 we find B(D^(*+)→D^+γ) = 0.017±0.004±0.003, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. We also report the highest precision determination of the remaining D^(*+) branching fractions
Fractal formation and ordering in random sequential adsorption
We reveal the fractal nature of patterns arising in random sequential
adsorption of particles with continuum power-law size distribution, , . We find that the patterns become more and
more ordered as increases, and that the Apollonian packing is obtained
at limit. We introduce the entropy production rate as a
quantitative criteria of regularity and observe a transition from an irregular
regime of the pattern formation to a regular one. We develop a scaling theory
that relates kinetic and structural properties of the system.Comment: 4 pages, RevTex, 4 postscript figures. To appear in Phys.Rev.Let
Lessons from CLEO and FOCUS Measurements of D0-anti-D0 Mixing Parameters
If the true values of the D0-anti-D0 mixing parameters lie within the one
sigma ranges of recent measurements, then there is strong evidence for a large
width difference, y > 0.01, and large SU(3) breaking effects in strong phases,
\delta > pi/4. These constraints are model independent, and would become
stronger if M_{12}/Gamma_{12} << 1 in the D0-anti-D0 system. The interesting
fact that the FOCUS result cannot be explained by a large mass difference is
not trivial and depends on the small D0-anti-D0 production asymmetry in FOCUS
and the bounds on CP violating effects from CLEO. The large value of \delta
might help explain why y ~ sin^2(theta_c).Comment: 15 pages, harvma
A lattice gas model of II-VI(001) semiconductor surfaces
We introduce an anisotropic two-dimensional lattice gas model of metal
terminated II-IV(001) seminconductor surfaces. Important properties of this
class of materials are represented by effective NN and NNN interactions, which
result in the competition of two vacancy structures on the surface. We
demonstrate that the experimentally observed c(2x2)-(2x1) transition of the
CdTe(001) surface can be understood as a phase transition in thermal
equilbrium. The model is studied by means of transfer matrix and Monte Carlo
techniques. The analysis shows that the small energy difference of the
competing reconstructions determines to a large extent the nature of the
different phases. Possible implications for further experimental research are
discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Anisotropy in Nucleation and Growth of Two-Dimensional Islands during Homoepitaxy on Hex Reconstructed Au(100)
We present results of a comprehensive scanning tunneling microscopy study of the nucleation and growth of Au islands on Au(100). It is shown that the reconstruction of the substrate produces strong anisotropic effects. Rate equation analysis of the experimental flux and temperature dependence of the island density suggests: (i) a critical size of i=3 for T=315−380 K, but i\u3e3 above 400 K; and (ii) strongly anisotropic diffusion, preferentially parallel to the reconstruction rows (activation energy ∼0.2 eV). We comment on energetic and kinetic aspects of the observed island shape anisotropy
A Compact Gas Cerenkov Detector with Novel Optics
We discuss the design and performance of a threshold Cerenkov counter for
identification of charged hadrons. The radiator is pressurized gas, which is
contained in thin-walled cylindrical modules. A mirror system of novel design
transports Cerenkov photons to photomultiplier tubes. This system is compact,
contains relatively little material, and has a large fraction of active volume.
A prototype of a module designed for the proposed CLEO III detector has been
studied using cosmic rays. Results from these studies show good agreement with
a detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the module and indicate that it should
achieve separation of pions and kaons at the 2.5-3.0sigma level in the momentum
range 0.8-2.8 GeV/c. We predict performance for specific physics analyses using
a GEANT-based simulation package.Comment: Submitted to NIM. 23 pages, 11 postscript figures. Postscript file is
also available at http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/199
Coupling biochemistry and mechanics in cell adhesion: a model for inhomogeneous stress fiber contraction
Biochemistry and mechanics are closely coupled in cell adhesion. At sites of
cell-matrix adhesion, mechanical force triggers signaling through the
Rho-pathway, which leads to structural reinforcement and increased
contractility in the actin cytoskeleton. The resulting force acts back to the
sites of adhesion, resulting in a positive feedback loop for mature adhesion.
Here we model this biochemical-mechanical feedback loop for the special case
when the actin cytoskeleton is organized in stress fibers, which are
contractile bundles of actin filaments. Activation of myosin II molecular
motors through the Rho-pathway is described by a system of reaction-diffusion
equations, which are coupled into a viscoelastic model for a contractile actin
bundle. We find strong spatial gradients in the activation of contractility and
in the corresponding deformation pattern of the stress fiber, in good agreement
with experimental findings.Comment: Revtex, 35 pages, 13 Postscript figures included, in press with New
Journal of Physics, Special Issue on The Physics of the Cytoskeleto
A quantitative theory of current-induced step bunching on Si(111)
We use a one-dimensional step model to study quantitatively the growth of
step bunches on Si(111) surfaces induced by a direct heating current.
Parameters in the model are fixed from experimental measurements near 900 deg C
under the assumption that there is local mass transport through surface
diffusion and that step motion is limited by the attachment rate of adatoms to
step edges. The direct heating current is treated as an external driving force
acting on each adatom. Numerical calculations show both qualitative and
quantitative agreement with experiment. A force in the step down direction will
destabilize the uniform step train towards step bunching. The average size of
the step bunches grows with electromigration time as t^beta, with beta = 0.5,
in agreement with experiment and with an analytical treatment of the steady
states. The model is extended to include the effect of direct hopping of
adatoms between different terraces. Monte-Carlo simulations of a solid-on-solid
model, using physically motivated assumptions about the dynamics of surface
diffusion and attachment at step edges, are carried out to study two
dimensional features that are left out of the present step model and to test
its validity. These simulations give much better agreement with experiment than
previous work. We find a new step bending instability when the driving force is
along the step edge direction. This instability causes the formation of step
bunches and antisteps that is similar to that observed in experiment.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure
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