676 research outputs found
Effective-Field-Theory Approach to Top-Quark Production and Decay
We discuss new physics in top-quark interactions, using an effective field
theory approach. We consider top-quark decay, single top production, and
top-quark pair production. We identify 15 dimension-six operators that
contribute to these processes, and we compute the deviation from the Standard
Model induced by these operators. The results provide a systematic way of
searching for (or obtaining bounds on) physics beyond the Standard Model.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures; references added, typos correcte
Lensing of 21cm Absorption "Halos" of 20-30 First Galaxies
Extended 21cm absorption regions (dubbed ``21cm absorption halos'') around
first galaxies at are likely the first distinctive structures
accessible to radio observations. Though the radio array capable of detecting
and resolving them must have km total collecting area, given the
great impact of such detections to the understanding of the reionization
process and cosmology, such radio survey would be extremely profitable. As an
example, we point out a potentially useful byproduct of such survey. The
resolved 21cm absorption ``halos'', likely close to spherical, can serve as
(almost) ideal sources for measuring the {\it cosmic shear} and mapping the
matter distribution to . We investigate the expected lensing signal
and consider a variety of noise contributions on the shear measurement. We find
that S/N can be achieved for individual ``halos''. Given millions of
21cm absorption ``halos'' across the sky, the total S/N will be comparable to
traditional shear measurement of galaxies at .Comment: Minor revisions and expanded discussions. Accepted to MNRA
Rewritable nanoscale oxide photodetector
Nanophotonic devices seek to generate, guide, and/or detect light using
structures whose nanoscale dimensions are closely tied to their functionality.
Semiconducting nanowires, grown with tailored optoelectronic properties, have
been successfully placed into devices for a variety of applications. However,
the integration of photonic nanostructures with electronic circuitry has always
been one of the most challenging aspects of device development. Here we report
the development of rewritable nanoscale photodetectors created at the interface
between LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. Nanowire junctions with characteristic dimensions
2-3 nm are created using a reversible AFM writing technique. These nanoscale
devices exhibit a remarkably high gain for their size, in part because of the
large electric fields produced in the gap region. The photoconductive response
is gate-tunable and spans the visible-to-near-infrared regime. The ability to
integrate rewritable nanoscale photodetectors with nanowires and transistors in
a single materials platform foreshadows new families of integrated
optoelectronic devices and applications.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Supplementary Information 7 pages, 9 figure
"Water-cycle" mechanism for writing and erasing nanostructures at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface
Nanoscale control of the metal-insulator transition in LaAlO3/ SrTiO3
heterostructures can be achieved using local voltages applied by a conductive
atomic-force microscope probe. One proposed mechanism for the writing and
erasing process involves an adsorbed H2O layer at the top LaAlO3 surface. In
this picture, water molecules dissociates into OH- and H+ which are then
selectively removed by a biased AFM probe. To test this mechanism, writing and
erasing experiments are performed in a vacuum AFM using various gas mixtures.
Writing ability is suppressed in those environments where H2O is not present.
The stability of written nanostructures is found to be strongly associated with
the ambient environment. The self-erasure process in air can be strongly
suppressed by creating a modest vacuum or replacing the humid air with dry
inert gas. These experiments provide strong constraints for theories of both
the writing process as well as the origin of interfacial conductance.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
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