654 research outputs found
Nanoscale periodicity in stripe-forming systems at high temperature: Au/W(110)
We observe using low-energy electron microscopy the self-assembly of
monolayer-thick stripes of Au on W(110) near the transition temperature between
stripes and the non-patterned (homogeneous) phase. We demonstrate that the
amplitude of this Au stripe phase decreases with increasing temperature and
vanishes at the order-disorder transition (ODT). The wavelength varies much
more slowly with temperature and coverage than theories of stress-domain
patterns with sharp phase boundaries would predict, and maintains a finite
value of about 100 nm at the ODT. We argue that such nanometer-scale stripes
should often appear near the ODT.Comment: 5 page
Labyrinthine Island Growth during Pd/Ru(0001) Heteroepitaxy
Using low energy electron microscopy we observe that Pd deposited on Ru only
attaches to small sections of the atomic step edges surrounding Pd islands.
This causes a novel epitaxial growth mode in which islands advance in a
snakelike motion, giving rise to labyrinthine patterns. Based on density
functional theory together with scanning tunneling microscopy and low energy
electron microscopy we propose that this growth mode is caused by a surface
alloy forming around growing islands. This alloy gradually reduces step
attachment rates, resulting in an instability that favors adatom attachment at
fast advancing step sections
Real Space Observations of Magnesium Hydride Formation and Decomposition
The mechanisms of magnesium hydride formation and thermal decomposition are
directly examined using in-situ imaging.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure
Surfactant effect in heteroepitaxial growth. The Pb - Co/Cu(111) case
A MonteCarlo simulations study has been performed in order to study the
effect of Pb as surfactant on the initial growth stage of Co/Cu(111). The main
characteristics of Co growing over Cu(111) face, i.e. the decorated double
layer steps, the multiple layer islands and the pools of vacancies, disappear
with the pre-evaporation of a Pb monolayer. Through MC simulations, a full
picture of these complex processes is obtained. Co quickly diffuses through the
Pb monolayer exchanging place with Cu atoms at the substrate. The exchange
process diffusion inhibits the formation of pure Co islands, reducing the
surface stress and then the formation of multilayer islands and the pools of
vacancies. On the other hand, the random exchange also suppress the nucleation
preferential sites generated by Co atoms at Cu steps, responsible of the step
decoration.Comment: 4 pages, latex, 2 figures embedded in the tex
Solving the large discrepancy between inclusive and exclusive measurements of the reaction cross section at astrophysical energies
A solution of the large discrepancy existing between inclusive and exclusive
measurements of the reaction
cross section at MeV is evaluated. This problem has profound
astrophysical relevance for this reaction is of great interest in Big-Bang and
r-process nucleosynthesis. By means of a novel technique, a comprehensive study
of all existing cross section
data is carried out, setting up a consistent picture in which all the inclusive
measurements provide the reliable value of the cross section. New unambiguous
signatures of the strong branch pattern non-uniformities, near the threshold of
higher excited levels, are presented and their possible
origin, in terms of the cluster structure of the involved excited states of
and nuclei, is discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl
Dislocation Emission around Nanoindentations on a (001) fcc Metal Surface Studied by STM and Atomistic Simulations
We present a combined study by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and atomistic
simulations of the emission of dissociated dislocation loops by nanoindentation
on a (001) fcc surface. The latter consist of two stacking-fault ribbons
bounded by Shockley partials and a stair-rod dislocation. These dissociated
loops, which intersect the surface, are shown to originate from loops of
interstitial character emitted along the directions and are usually
located at hundreds of angstroms away from the indentation point. Simulations
reproduce the nucleation and glide of these dislocation loops.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
Variable stars in the bulge globular cluster NGC 6401
We present a study of variable stars in globular cluster NGC 6401. The cluster is only 5.3º away from the Galactic centre and suffers from strong differential reddening. The photometric precision afforded us by difference image analysis resulted in improved sensitivity to variability in formerly inaccessible interior regions of the cluster. We find 23 RRab and 11 RRc stars within one cluster radius (2.4'), for which we provide coordinates, finder-charts and time-series photometry. Through Fourier decomposition of the RR Lyrae star light curves we derive a mean metallicity of [Fe/H]UVES = -1.13 ± 0.06 ([Fe/H]ZW = -1.25 ± 0.06), and a distance of d ≈ 6.35 ± 0.81 kpc. Using the RR Lyrae population, we also determine that NGC 6401 is an Oosterhoff type I cluster.PostprintPeer reviewe
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