5,894 research outputs found
On Coordinate Transformations in Planar Noncommutative Theories
We consider planar noncommutative theories such that the coordinates verify a
space-dependent commutation relation. We show that, in some special cases, new
coordinates may be introduced that have a constant commutator, and as a
consequence the construction of Field Theory models may be carried out by an
application of the standard Moyal approach in terms of the new coordinates. We
apply these ideas to the concrete example of a noncommutative plane with a
curved interface. We also show how to extend this method to more general
situations.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure. references adde
Suppression of ferromagnetism in CeSi_1.81 under temperature and pressure
We have studied the pressure dependence of the magnetization of single
crystalline CeSi_1.81. At ambient pressure ferromagnetism develops below T_C =
9.5 Below ~ 5 K an additional shoulder in low-field hysteresis loops and a
metamagnetic crossover around 4 T suggest the appearance of an additional
magnetic modulation to the ferromagnetic state. The suppression of the magnetic
order in CeSi_1.81 as function of temperature at ambient pressure and as
function of pressure at low temperature are in remarkable qualitative
agreement. The continuous suppression of the ordered moment at p ~ 13.1 kbar
suggests the existence of a ferromagnetic quantum critical point in this
material.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, to be published in Physical Review
New insight into the physics of iron pnictides from optical and penetration depth data
We report theoretical values for the unscreened plasma frequencies Omega_p of
several Fe pnictides obtained from DFT based calculations within the LDA and
compare them with experimental plasma frequencies obtained from reflectivity
data. The sizable renormalization observed for all considered compounds points
to the presence of many-body effects beyond the LDA. From the large empirical
background dielectric constant of about 12-15, we estimate a large arsenic
polarizability of about 9.5 +- 1.2 Angstroem^3 where the details depend on the
polarizabilities of the remaining ions taken from the literature. This large
polarizability can significantly reduce the value of the Coulomb repulsion U_d
about 4 eV on iron known from iron oxides to a level of 2 eV or below. In
general, this result points to rather strong polaronic effects as suggested by
G.A. Sawatzky et al., in Refs. arXiv:0808.1390 and arXiv:0811.0214 (Berciu et
al.). Possible consequences for the conditions of a formation of bipolarons are
discussed, too. From the extrapolated muon spin rotation penetration depth data
at T= 0 and the experimental Omega_p we estimate the total coupling constant
lambda_tot for the el-boson interaction within the Eliashberg-theory adopting a
single band approximation. For LaFeAsO_0.9F_0.1 a weak to intermediately strong
coupling regime and a quasi-clean limit behaviour are found. For a pronounced
multiband case we obtain a constraint for various intraband coupling constants
which in principle allows for a sizable strong coupling in bands with either
slow electrons or holes.Comment: 34 pages, 10 figures, submitted to New Journal of Physics
(30.01.2009
Optical Study of LaO_0.9F_0.1FeAs: Evidence for a Weakly Coupled Superconducting State
We have studied the reflectance of the recently discovered superconductor
LaO_0.9F0.FeAs in a wide energy range from the far infrared to the visible
regime. We report on the observation of infrared active phonons, the plasma
edge (PE) and possible interband transitions. On the basis of this data and the
reported in-plane penetration depth lambda_L(0) about 254 nm [H. Luetkens et
al., Phys. Rev. Lett. v. 101, 0970009 (2008)] a disorder sensitive relatively
small value of the total electron electron-boson coupling constant
lambda_tot=lambda_e-ph+lambda_e-sp ~ 0.6 +- 0.35 can be estimated adopting an
effective single-band picture.Comment: Changed title, updated references, final published versio
Ce-L3-XAS study of the temperature dependence of the 4f occupancy in the Kondo system Ce2Rh3Al9
We have used temperature dependent x-ray absorption at the Ce-L3 edge to
investigate the recently discovered Kondo compound Ce2Rh3Al9. The systematic
changes of the spectral lineshape with decreasing temperature are analyzed and
found to be related to a change in the occupation number, n_f, as the
system undergoes a transition into a Kondo state. The temperature dependence of
indicates a characteristic temperature of 150K, which is clearly related
with the high temperature anomaly observed in the magnetic susceptibility of
the same system. The further anomaly observed in the resistivity of this system
at low temperature (ca. 20K) has no effect on n_f and is thus not of Kondo
origin.Comment: 7 pages, three figures, submitted to PR
A Homogenous Set of Globular Cluster Relative Distances and Reddenings
We present distance modulus and reddening determinations for 72 Galactic
globular clusters from the homogeneous photometric database of Piotto et al.
(2002), calibrated to the HST flight F439W and F555W bands. The distances have
been determined by comparison with theoretical absolute magnitudes of the ZAHB.
For low and intermediate metallicity clusters, we have estimated the apparent
Zero Age Horizontal Branch (ZAHB) magnitude from the RR Lyrae level. For metal
rich clusters, the ZAHB magnitude was obtained from the fainter envelope of the
red HB. Reddenings have been estimated by comparison of the HST
colour-magnitude diagrams (CMD) with ground CMDs of low reddening template
clusters. The homogeneity of both the photometric data and the adopted
methodological approach allowed us to obtain highly accurate relative cluster
distances and reddenings. Our results are also compared with recent
compilations in the literature.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Sildenafil added to pirfenidone in patients with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and risk of pulmonary hypertension: A Phase IIb, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study – Rationale and study design
Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is commonly observed in patients with advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Despite the availability of therapies for both IPF and PH, none are approved for PH treatment in the context of significant pulmonary disease. This study will investigate the use of sildenafil added to pirfenidone in patients with advanced IPF and risk of PH, who represent a group with a high unmet medical need. Methods: This Phase IIb, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is actively enrolling patients and will study the efficacy, safety and tolerability of sildenafil or placebo in patients with advanced IPF and intermediate or high probability of Group 3 PH who are receiving a stable dose of pirfenidone. Patients with advanced IPF (diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide 6440% predicted) and risk of Group 3 PH (defined as mean pulmonary arterial pressure 6520 mm Hg with pulmonary arterial wedge pressure 6415 mm Hg on a previous right-heart catheterisation [RHC], or intermediate/high probability of Group 3 PH as defined by the 2015 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines) are eligible. In the absence of a previous RHC, patients with an echocardiogram showing a peak tricuspid valve regurgitation velocity 652.9 m/s can enrol if all other criteria are met. The primary efficacy endpoint is the proportion of patients with disease progression over a 52-week treatment period. Safety will be evaluated descriptively. Discussion: Combination treatment with sildenafil and pirfenidone may warrant investigation of the treatment of patients with advanced IPF and pulmonary vascular involvement leading to PH
- …