8,476 research outputs found
Spontaneous breaking of the Fermi surface symmetry in the t-J model: a numerical study
We present a variational Monte Carlo (VMC) study of spontaneous Fermi surface
symmetry breaking in the t-J model. We find that the variational energy of a
Gutzwiller projected Fermi sea is lowered by allowing for a finite asymmetry
between the x- and the y-directions. However, the best variational state
remains a pure superconducting state with d-wave symmetry, as long as the
underlying lattice is isotropic. Our VMC results are in good overall agreement
with slave boson mean field theory (SBMFT) and renormalized mean field theory
(RMFT), although apparent discrepancies do show up in the half-filled limit,
revealing some limitations of mean field theories. VMC and complementary RMFT
calculations also confirm the SBMFT predictions that many-body interactions can
enhance any anisotropy in the underlying crystal lattice. Thus, our results may
be of consequence for the description of strongly correlated superconductors
with an anisotropic lattice structure.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures; final versio
Pregenomic RNA encapsidation analysis of eleven missense and nonsense polymerase mutants of human hepatitis B virus
We characterized 11 DNA polymerase mutants of human hepatitis B virus (HBV) which contain single missense or nonsense mutations in the various domains within this gene. Except for mutant 738, a tight association between DNA replication and RNA packaging of these missense pol mutants was observed. Further analysis of HBV core particle-associated RNA indicated that only the 3.5-kb core-specific RNA, but not the precore-specific RNA, is selectively packaged in this tissue culture system. Previously, we have demonstrated that only the 3.5-kb core-specific RNA can serve as an efficient template for pol translation. Taken together, our results suggest that selectivity of HBV RNA packaging occurs as a result of selective translation of pol-containing mRNAs. Furthermore, our data suggest that the RNA encapsidation domain of pol overlaps with all of the domains of pol involved in the synthesis of terminal protein, as well as DNA replication. Finally, on the basis of gradient centrifugation analysis, a pol defect appeared to have no negative effect on the assembly or stability of core particles. A new method to assay RNA encapsidation, as well as potential RNase H activity, is reported
Low energy physical properties of high-Tc superconducting Cu oxides: A comparison between the resonating valence bond and experiments
In a recent review by Anderson and coworkers\cite{Vanilla}, it was pointed
out that an early resonating valence bond (RVB) theory is able to explain a
number of unusual properties of high temperature superconducting (SC)
Cu-oxides. Here we extend previous calculations \cite{anderson87,FC
Zhang,Randeria} to study more systematically low energy physical properties of
the plain vanilla d-wave RVB state, and to compare results with the available
experiments. We use a renormalized mean field theory combined with variational
Monte Carlo and power Lanczos methods to study the RVB state of an extended
model in a square lattice with parameters suitable for the hole doped
Cu-oxides. The physical observable quantities we study include the specific
heat, the linear residual thermal conductivity, the in-plane magnetic
penetration depth, the quasiparticle energy at the antinode , the
superconducting energy gap, the quasiparticle spectra and the Drude weight. The
traits of nodes (including , the Fermi velocity and the velocity
along Fermi surface ), as well as the SC order parameter are also
studied. Comparisons of the theory and the experiments in cuprates show an
overall qualitative agreement, especially on their doping dependences.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, 1 tabl
d-Wave Pairing Correlation in the Two-Dimensional t-J Model
The pair-pair correlation function of the two-dimensional t-J model is
studied by using the power-Lanczos method and an assumption of monotonic
behavior. In comparison with the results of the ideal Fermi gas, we conclude
that the 2D t-J model does not have long range d-wave superconducting
correlation in the interesting parameter range of . Implications
of this result will also be discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, accepted by PR
Observation of simultaneous fast and slow light
We present a microresonator-based system capable of simultaneously producing
time-advanced and time-delayed pulses. The effect is based on the combination
of a sharp spectral feature with two orthogonally-polarized propagating
waveguide modes. We include an experimental proof-of-concept implementation
using a silica microsphere coupled to a tapered optical fiber and use a
time-domain picture to interpret the observed delays. We also discuss potential
applications for future all-optical networks.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
Additive Expression of Consolidated Memory through Drosophila Mushroom Body Subsets
Associative olfactory memory in Drosophila has two components called labile anesthesia-sensitive memory and consolidated anesthesia-resistant memory (ARM). Mushroom body (MB) is a brain region critical for the olfactory memory and comprised of 2000 neurons that can be classified into alphabeta, alpha'beta', and gamma neurons. Previously we demonstrated that two parallel pathways mediated ARM consolidation: the serotonergic dorsal paired medial (DPM)-alphabeta neurons and the octopaminergic anterior paired lateral (APL)-alpha'beta' neurons. This finding prompted us to ask how this composite ARM is retrieved. Here, we showed that blocking the output of alphabeta neurons and that of alpha'beta' neurons each impaired ARM retrieval, and blocking both simultaneously had an additive effect. Knockdown of radish and octbeta2R in alphabeta and alpha'beta' neurons, respectively, impaired ARM. A combinatorial assay of radish mutant background rsh1 and neurotransmission blockade confirmed that ARM retrieved from alpha'beta' neuron output is independent of radish. We identified MBON-beta2beta'2a and MBON-beta'2mp as the MB output neurons downstream of alphabeta and alpha'beta' neurons, respectively, whose glutamatergic transmissions also additively contribute to ARM retrieval. Finally, we showed that alpha'beta' neurons could be functionally subdivided into alpha'beta'm neurons required for ARM retrieval, and alpha'beta'ap neurons required for ARM consolidation. Our work demonstrated that two parallel neural pathways mediating ARM consolidation in Drosophila MB additively contribute to ARM expression during retrieval
Coherent versus Incoherent Light Scattering from a Quantum Dot
We analyze the light scattered by a single InAs quantum dot interacting with
a resonant continuous-wave laser. High resolution spectra reveal clear
distinctions between coherent and incoherent scattering, with the laser
intensity spanning over four orders of magnitude. We find that the fraction of
coherently scattered photons can approach unity under sufficiently weak or
detuned excitation, ruling out pure dephasing as a relevant decoherence
mechanism. We show how spectral diffusion shapes spectra, correlation
functions, and phase-coherence, concealing the ideal radiatively-broadened
two-level system described by Mollow.Comment: to appear in PRB 85, 23531
Zinc oxide tetrapods as efficient photocatalysts for organic pollutant degradation
Bisphenol A (BPA) and other organic pollutants from industrial wastewater have drawn increasing concern in the past decades regarding their environmental and biological risks, and hence developing strategies of effective degradation of BPA and other organic pollutants is imperative. Metal oxide nanostructures, in particular titanium oxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO), have been demonstrated to exhibit efficient photodegradation of various common organic dyes. ZnO tetrapods are of special interest due to their low density of native defects which consequently lead to lower recombination losses and higher photocatalytic efficiency. Tetrapods can be obtained by relatively simple and low-cost vapor phase deposition in large quantity; the micron-scale size would also be advantageous for catalyst recovery. In this study, the photodegradation of BPA with ZnO tetrapods and TiO2 nanostructures under UV illumination were compared. The concentration of BPA dissolved in DI water was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at specified time intervals. It was observed that the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO tetrapods eventually surpassed Degussa P25 in free-standing form, and more than 80% of BPA was degraded after 60 min. Photodegradation of other organic dye pollutants by tetrapods and P25 were also examined. The superior photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO tetrapods for degradation of BPA and other organic dye pollutants and its correlation with the material properties were discussed. © 2015 SPIE.published_or_final_versio
Two-photon interference with thermal light
The study of entangled states has greatly improved the basic understanding
about two-photon interferometry. Two-photon interference is not the
interference of two photons but the result of superposition among
indistinguishable two-photon amplitudes. The concept of two-photon amplitude,
however, has generally been restricted to the case of entangled photons. In
this letter we report an experimental study that may extend this concept to the
general case of independent photons. The experiment also shows interesting
practical applications regarding the possibility of obtaining high resolution
interference patterns with thermal sources.Comment: Added reference 1
Silicon ribbon stress-strain activities
The finite element method is used to investigate stress/strain in silicon ribbon. Failure considerations such as residual stress, buckling material non-linearity and creep are discussed. Temperature profiles are presented
- …