High-Resolution X-Ray Spectroscopy of the Accretion Disk Corona Source 4U 1822-37

We present a preliminary analysis of the X-ray spectrum of the accretion disk corona source, 4U 1822-37, obtained with the High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer onboard the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We detect discrete emission lines from photoionized iron, silicon, magnesium, neon, and oxygen, as well as a bright iron fluorescence line. Phase-resolved spectroscopy suggests that the recombination emission comes from an X-ray illuminated bulge located at the predicted point of impact between the disk and the accretion stream. The fluorescence emission originates in an extended region on the disk that is illuminated by light scattered from the corona.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures; Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Nonlinear Spin Dynamics in Ferromagnets with Electron-Nuclear Coupling

Nonlinear spin motion in ferromagnets is considered with nonlinearity due to three factors: (i) the sample is prepared in a strongly nonequilibrium state, so that evolution equations cannot be linearized as would be admissible for spin motion not too far from equilibrium, (ii) the system considered consists of interacting electron and nuclear spins coupled with each other via hyperfine forces, and (iii) the sample is inserted into a coil of a resonant electric circuit producing a resonator feedback field. Due to these nonlinearities, coherent motion of spins can develop, resulting in their ultrafast relaxation. A complete analysis of mechanisms triggering such a coherent motion is presented. This type of ultrafast coherent relaxation can be used for studying intrinsic properties of magnetic materials.Comment: 1 file, LaTex, 23 page

Reprogrammable magnonic band structure of layered Permalloy/Cu/Permalloy nanowires

Reprogrammability of magnonic band structure in layered Permalloy/Cu/Permalloy nanowires is demonstrated to depend on the relative orientation of the two layers magnetization. By using Brillouin light spectroscopy, we show that when the layers are aligned parallel two dispersive modes, with positive and negative group velocity, are observed while when the magnetic layers are aligned anti-parallel, only one dispersive mode, with positive group velocity, is detected. Our findings are successfully compared and interpreted in terms of a microscopic (Hamiltonian-based) method. An explanation for the observed behavior can be attributed to mode-mixing (or hybridization) effect when the two magnetic layers are aligned anti-parallel. This work opens the path to magnetic field-controlled reconfigurable magnonic crystals with multi-modal frequency transmission characteristics

Temperature Dependent Empirical Pseudopotential Theory For Self-Assembled Quantum Dots

We develop a temperature dependent empirical pseudopotential theory to study the electronic and optical properties of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) at finite temperature. The theory takes the effects of both lattice expansion and lattice vibration into account. We apply the theory to the InAs/GaAs QDs. For the unstrained InAs/GaAs heterostructure, the conduction band offset increases whereas the valence band offset decreases with increasing of the temperature, and there is a type-I to type-II transition at approximately 135 K. Yet, for InAs/GaAs QDs, the holes are still localized in the QDs even at room temperature, because the large lattice mismatch between InAs and GaAs greatly enhances the valence band offset. The single particle energy levels in the QDs show strong temperature dependence due to the change of confinement potentials. Because of the changes of the band offsets, the electron wave functions confined in QDs increase by about 1 - 5%, whereas the hole wave functions decrease by about 30 - 40% when the temperature increases from 0 to 300 K. The calculated recombination energies of exciton, biexciton and charged excitons show red shifts with increasing of the temperature, which are in excellent agreement with available experimental data

Fold and thrust belts : structural style, evolution and exploration – an introduction

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Implications of X-Ray Line Variations for 4U1822-371

4U 1822-371 is one of the proto-type accretion disk coronal sources with an orbital period of about 5.6 hours. The binary is viewed almost edge-on at a high inclination angle of 83 degrees, which makes it a unique candidate to study binary orbital and accretion disk dynamics in high powered X-ray sources. We observed the X-ray source in 4U 1822-371 with the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (HETGS) for almost nine binary orbits. X-ray eclipse times provide an update of the orbital ephemeris. We find that our result follows the quadratic function implied by previous observations; however, it suggests a flatter trend. Detailed line dynamics also confirm a previous suggestion that the observed photo-ionized line emission originates from a confined region in the outer edge of the accretion disk near the hot spot. Line properties allow us to impose limits on the size of accretion disk, the central corona, and the emission region. The photo-ionized plasma is consistent with ionization parameters of log(xi) > 2, and when combined with disk size and reasonable assumptions for the plasma density, this suggests illuminating disk luminosities which are over an order of magnitude higher than what is actually observed. That is, we do not directly observe the central emitting X-ray source. The spectral continua are best fit by a flat power law with a high energy cut-off and partial covering absorption (N_H ranging from 5.4-6.3x10^{22} cm^{-2}) with a covering fraction of about 50%. We discuss some implications of our findings with respect to the photo-ionized line emission for the basic properties of the X-ray source.Comment: Submitted to the Astrophysical Journa

Asymmetric spin-wave dispersion due to Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in an ultrathin Pt/CoFeB film

Employing Brillouin spectroscopy, strong interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions have been observed in an ultrathin Pt/CoFeB film. Our micromagnetic simulations show that spin-wave nonreciprocity due to asymmetric surface pinning is insignificant for the 0.8nmthick CoFeB film studied. The observed high asymmetry of the monotonic spin wave dispersion relation is thus ascribed to strong Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions present at the Pt/CoFeB interface. Our findings should further enhance the significance of CoFeB as an important material for magnonic, spintronic and skyrmionic applications.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Localized magnetoplasmon modes arising from broken translational symmetry in semiconductor superlattices

The electromagnetic propagator associated with the localized collective magnetoplasmon excitations in a semiconductor superlattice with broken translational symmetry, is calculated analytically within linear response theory. We discuss the properties of these collective excitations in both radiative and non-radiative regimes of the electromagnetic spectra. We find that low frequency retarded modes arise when the surface density of carriers at the symmetry breaking layer is lower than the density at the remaining layers. Otherwise a doublet of localized, high-frequency magnetoplasmon-like modes occurs.Comment: Revtex file + separate pdf figure