21,693 research outputs found
Helium atom diffraction measurements of the surface structure and vibrational dynamics of CH_3-Si(111) and CD_3-Si(111) surfaces
The surface structure and vibrational dynamics of CH_3–Si(111) and CD_3–Si(111) surfaces were measured using helium atom scattering. The elastic diffraction patterns exhibited a lattice constant of 3.82 Å, in accordance with the spacing of the silicon underlayer. The excellent quality of the observed diffraction patterns, along with minimal diffuse background, indicated a high degree of long-range ordering and a low defect density for this interface. The vibrational dynamics were investigated by measurement of the Debye–Waller attenuation of the elastic diffraction peaks as the surface temperature was increased. The angular dependence of the specular (θ_i=θ_f) decay revealed
perpendicular mean-square displacements of 1.0 x 10^(−5) Å^2 K^(−1) for the CH_3–Si(111) surface and 1.2 x 10^(−5) Å^2 K^(−1) for the CD_3–Si(111) surface, and a He-surface attractive well depth of ~7 meV. The effective surface Debye temperatures were calculated to be 983 K for the CH_3–Si(111) surface and 824 K for the CD_3–Si(111) surface. These relatively large Debye temperatures suggest that collisional energy accommodation at the surface occurs primarily through
the Si–C local molecular modes. The parallel mean-square displacements were 7.1 x 10^(−4) and 7.2 x 10^(−4) Å^2 K^(−1) for the CH_3–Si(111) and CD_3–Si(111) surfaces, respectively. The observed increase in thermal motion is consistent with the interaction between the helium atoms and Si–CH_3 bending modes. These experiments have thus yielded detailed information on the dynamical properties of these robust and technologically interesting semiconductor interfaces
Revisited abundance diagnostics in quasars: Fe II/Mg II ratios
Both the Fe II UV emission in the 2000- 3000 A region [Fe II (UV)] and
resonance emission line complex of Mg II at 2800 A are prominent features in
quasar spectra. The observed Fe II UV/ Mg II emission ratios have been proposed
as means to measure the buildup of the Fe abundance relative to that of the
alpha-elements C, N, O, Ne and Mg as a function of redshift. The current
observed ratios show large scatter and no obvious dependence on redshift. Thus,
it remains unresolved whether a dependence on redshift exists and whether the
observed Fe II UV/ Mg II ratios represent a real nucleosynthesis diagnostic. We
have used our new 830-level model atom for Fe+ in photoionization calculations,
reproducing the physical conditions in the broad line regions of quasars. This
modeling reveals that interpretations of high values of Fe II UV/ Mg II are
sensitive not only to Fe and Mg abundance, but also to other factors such as
microturbulence, density, and properties of the radiation field. We find that
the Fe II UV/ Mg II ratio combined with Fe II (UV)/ Fe II (Optical) emission
ratio, where Fe II (Optical) denotes Fe II emission in 4000 - 6000 A can be
used as a reliable nucleosynthesis diagnostic for the Fe/Mg abundance ratios
for the physical conditions relevant to the broad-line regions (BLRs) of
quasars. This has extreme importance for quasar observations with the Hubble
Space Telescope and also with the future James Webb Space Telescope.Comment: kverner.gzip, 9 pages, f1-5.eps; aastex.cls; aastexug.sty, ApJL in
pres
Optical Versus Mid-Infrared Spectroscopic Classification of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies
The origin of huge infrared luminosities of ultraluminous infrared galaxies
(ULIGs) is still in question. Recently, Genzel et al. made mid-infrared (MIR)
spectroscopy of a large number of ULIGs and found that the major energy source
in them is massive stars formed in the recent starburst activity; i.e.,
70% -- 80% of the sample are predominantly powered by the starburst. However,
it is known that previous optical spectroscopic observations showed that the
majority of ULIGs are classified as Seyferts or LINERs (low-ionization nuclear
emission-line regions). In order to reconcile this difference, we compare types
of emission-line activity for a sample of ULIGs which have been observed in
both optical and MIR. We confirm the results of previous studies that the
majority of ULIGs classified as LINERs based on the optical emission-line
diagnostics turn to be starburst-dominated galaxies based on the MIR ones.
Since the MIR spectroscopy can probe more heavily-reddened, inner parts of the
ULIGs, it is quite unlikely that the inner parts are powered by the starburst
while the outer parts are powered by non-stellar ionization sources. The most
probable resolution of this dilemma is that the optical emission-line nebulae
with the LINER properties are powered predominantly by shock heating driven by
the superwind activity; i.e., a blast wave driven by a collective effect of a
large number of supernovae in the central region of galaxy mergers.Comment: 15 pages, 2 tables, and 3 eps figures. The Astrophysical Journal
(Part 1), in pres
High-growth firms: introduction to the special section
High-growth firms (HGFs) have attracted considerable attention recently, as academics and policymakers have increasingly recognized the highly skewed nature of many metrics of firm performance. A small number of HGFs drives a disproportionately large amount of job creation, while the average firm has a limited impact on the economy. This article explores the reasons for this increased interest, summarizes the existing literature, and highlights the methodological considerations that constrain and bias research. This special section draws attention to the importance of HGFs for future industrial performance, explores their unusual growth trajectories and strategies, and highlights the lack of persistence of high growth. Consequently, while HGFs are important for understanding the economy and developing public policy, they are unlikely to be useful vehicles for public policy given the difficulties involved in predicting which firms will grow, the lack of persistence in high growth levels, and the complex and often indirect relationship between firm capability, high growth, and macro-economic performance
The alpha-gamma transition of Cerium is entropy-driven
We emphasize, on the basis of experimental data and theoretical calculations,
that the entropic stabilization of the gamma-phase is the main driving force of
the alpha-gamma transition of cerium in a wide temperature range below the
critical point. Using a formulation of the total energy as a functional of the
local density and of the f-orbital local Green's functions, we perform
dynamical mean-field theory calculations within a new implementation based on
the multiple LMTO method, which allows to include semi-core states. Our results
are consistent with the experimental energy differences and with the
qualitative picture of an entropy-driven transition, while also confirming the
appearance of a stabilization energy of the alpha phase as the quasiparticle
Kondo resonance develops.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure
Is the Mott transition relevant to f-electron metals ?
We study how a finite hybridization between a narrow correlated band and a
wide conduction band affects the Mott transition. At zero temperature, the
hybridization is found to be a relevant perturbation, so that the Mott
transition is suppressed by Kondo screening. In contrast, a first-order
transition remains at finite temperature, separating a local moment phase and a
Kondo- screened phase. The first-order transition line terminates in two
critical endpoints. Implications for experiments on f-electron materials such
as the Cerium alloy CeLaTh are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
A macro-realism inequality for opto-electro-mechanical systems
We show how to apply the Leggett-Garg inequality to opto-electro-mechanical
systems near their quantum ground state. We find that by using a dichotomic
quantum non-demolition measurement (via, e.g., an additional circuit-QED
measurement device) either on the cavity or on the nanomechanical system
itself, the Leggett-Garg inequality is violated. We argue that only
measurements on the mechanical system itself give a truly unambigous violation
of the Leggett-Garg inequality for the mechanical system. In this case, a
violation of the Leggett-Garg inequality indicates physics beyond that of
"macroscopic realism" is occurring in the mechanical system. Finally, we
discuss the difficulties in using unbound non-dichotomic observables with the
Leggett-Garg inequality.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures. Added additional figure (2b), and associated
conten
Aperiodic tumbling of microrods advected in a microchannel flow
We report on an experimental investigation of the tumbling of microrods in
the shear flow of a microchannel (40 x 2.5 x 0.4 mm). The rods are 20 to 30
microns long and their diameters are of the order of 1 micron. Images of the
centre-of-mass motion and the orientational dynamics of the rods are recorded
using a microscope equipped with a CCD camera. A motorised microscope stage is
used to track individual rods as they move along the channel. Automated image
analysis determines the position and orientation of a tracked rods in each
video frame. We find different behaviours, depending on the particle shape, its
initial position, and orientation. First, we observe periodic as well as
aperiodic tumbling. Second, the data show that different tumbling trajectories
exhibit different sensitivities to external perturbations. These observations
can be explained by slight asymmetries of the rods. Third we observe that after
some time, initially periodic trajectories lose their phase. We attribute this
to drift of the centre of mass of the rod from one to another stream line of
the channel flow.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, as accepted for publicatio
Oscillator Strengths and Damping Constants for Atomic Lines in the J and H Bands
We have built a line list in the near-infrared J and H bands (1.00-1.34,
1.49-1.80 um) by gathering a series of laboratory and computed line lists.
Oscillator strengths and damping constants were computed or obtained by fitting
the solar spectrum.
The line list presented in this paper is, to our knowledge, the most complete
one now available, and supersedes previous lists.Comment: Accepted, Astrophysical Journal Supplement, tentatively scheduled for
the Sep. 1999 Vol. 124 #1 issue. Text and tables also available at
http://www.iagusp.usp.br/~jorge
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