1,297 research outputs found
Quenched chirality in RbNiCl
The critical behaviour of stacked-triangular antiferromagnets has been
intensely studied since Kawamura predicted new universality classes for
triangular and helical antiferromagnets. The new universality classes are
linked to an additional discrete degree of freedom, chirality, which is not
present on rectangular lattices, nor in ferromagnets. However, the theoretical
as well as experimental situation is discussed controversially, and generic
scaling without universality has been proposed as an alternative scenario. Here
we present a careful investigation of the zero-field critical behaviour of
RbNiCl, a stacked-triangular Heisenberg antiferromagnet with very small
Ising anisotropy. From linear birefringence experiments we determine the
specific heat exponent as well as the critical amplitude ratio
. Our high-resolution measurements point to a single second order
phase transition with standard Heisenberg critical behaviour, contrary to all
theoretical predictions. From a supplementary neutron diffraction study we can
exclude a structural phase transition at T. We discuss our results in the
context of other available experimental results on RbNiCl and related
compounds. We arrive at a simple intuitive explanation which may be relevant
for other discrepancies observed in the critical behaviour of
stacked-triangular antiferromagnets. In RbNiCl the ordering of the
chirality is suppressed by strong spin fluctuations, yielding to a different
phase diagram, as compared to e.g.\@ CsNiCl, where the Ising anisotropy
prevents these fluctuations
Haydeeite: a spin-1/2 kagome ferromagnet
The mineral haydeeite, alpha-MgCu3(OD)6Cl2, is a S=1/2 kagome ferromagnet
that displays long-range magnetic order below TC=4.2 K with a strongly reduced
moment. Our inelastic neutron scattering data show clear spin-wave excitations
that are well described by a Heisenberg Hamiltonian with ferromagnetic
nearest-neighbor exchange J1=-38 K and antiferromagnetic exchange Jd=+11 K
across the hexagons of the kagome lattice. These values place haydeeite very
close to the quantum phase transition between ferromagnetic order and
non-coplanar twelve-sublattice cuboc2 antiferromagnetic order. Diffuse dynamic
short-range ferromagnetic correlations observed above TC persist well into the
ferromagnetically ordered phase with a behavior distinct from critical
scattering
Low dimensional ordering and fluctuations in methanol--hydroquinone-clathrate studied by X-ray and neutron diffraction
Methanol--hydroquinone-clathrate has been established as a model
system for dielectric ordering and fluctuations and is conceptually close to
magnetic spin systems. In X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments, we
investigated the ordered structure, the one-dimensional (1D) and the
three-dimensional (3D) critical scattering in the paraelectric phase, and the
temperature dependence of the lattice constants. Our results can be explained
by microscopic models of the methanol pseudospin in the hydroquinone cage
network, in consistency with previous dielectric investigations
Magnetic Order and Dynamics in Stripe-Ordered La2-xSrxNiO4
We have studied magnetic correlations in several compositions of
stripe-ordered La2-xSrxNiO4. In this paper we show how polarized-neutron
scattering has helped uncover important features of the magnetic ordering and
spin dynamics. In particular, polarization analysis has enabled us (1) to
characterize a spin reorientation transition, (2) to identify anisotropy gaps
in the spin excitation spectrum, and (3) to investigate an anomalous dip in the
spin-wave intensity suggestive of coupling between collective spin and charge
excitations.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figs. Presented at PNSXM, Venice. To appear in Physica
Spin correlations among the charge carriers in an ordered stripe phase
We have observed a diffuse component to the low-energy magnetic excitation
spectrum of stripe-ordered La5/3Sr1/3NiO4 probed by neutron inelastic
scattering. The diffuse scattering forms a square pattern with sides parallel
and perpendicular to the stripe directions. The signal is dispersive, with a
maximum energy of ~10 meV. Probed at 2 meV the scattering decreases in strength
with increasing temperature, and is barely visible at 100 K. We argue that the
signal originates from dynamic, quasi- one-dimensional, antiferromagnetic
correlations among the stripe electrons.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Physical Review Letter
Electronic structure and magnetic properties of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg system CuSe2O5
A microscopic magnetic model for the spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain compound
CuSe2O5 is developed based on the results of a joint experimental and
theoretical study. Magnetic susceptibility and specific heat data give evidence
for quasi-1D magnetism with leading antiferromagnetic (AFM) couplings and an
AFM ordering temperature of 17 K. For microscopic insight, full-potential DFT
calculations within the local density approximation (LDA) were performed. Using
the resulting band structure, a consistent set of transfer integrals for an
effective one-band tight-binding model was obtained. Electronic correlations
were treated on a mean-field level starting from LDA (LSDA+U method) and on a
model level (Hubbard model). In excellent agreement of experiment and theory,
we find that only two couplings in CuSe2O5 are relevant: the nearest-neighbour
intra-chain interaction of 165 K and a non-frustrated inter-chain coupling of
20 K. From a comparison with structurally related systems (Sr2Cu(PO4)2,
Bi2CuO4), general implications for a magnetic ordering in presence of
inter-chain frustration are made.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, 3 table
Root cortex development is fine-tuned by the interplay of MIGs, SCL3 and DELLAs during arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis
Root development is a crucial process that determines the ability of plants to acquire nutrients, adapt to the substrate and withstand changing environmental conditions. Root plasticity is controlled by a plethora of transcriptional regulators that allow, in contrast to tissue development in animals, post-embryonic changes that give rise to new tissue and specialized cells.
One of these changes is the accommodation in the cortex of hyperbranched hyphae of symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, called arbuscules. Arbuscule-containing cells undergo massive reprogramming to coordinate developmental changes with transport processes.
Here we describe a novel negative regulator of arbuscule development, MIG3. MIG3 induces and interacts with SCL3, both of which modulate the activity of the central regulator DELLA, restraining cortical cell growth. As in a tug-of-war, MIG3-SCL3 antagonizes the function of the complex MIG1-DELLA, which promotes the cell expansion required for arbuscule development, adjusting cell size during the dynamic processes of the arbuscule life cycle.
Our results in the legume plant Medicago truncatula advance the knowledge of root development in dicot plants, showing the existence of additional regulatory elements not present in Arabidopsis that fine-tune the activity of conserved central modules
The critical behavior of frustrated spin models with noncollinear order
We study the critical behavior of frustrated spin models with noncollinear
order, including stacked triangular antiferromagnets and helimagnets. For this
purpose we compute the field-theoretic expansions at fixed dimension to six
loops and determine their large-order behavior. For the physically relevant
cases of two and three components, we show the existence of a new stable fixed
point that corresponds to the conjectured chiral universality class. This
contradicts previous three-loop field-theoretical results but is in agreement
with experiments.Comment: 4 pages, RevTe
Surgical smoke: modern mobile smoke evacuation systems improve occupational safety in the operating theatre.
OBJECTIVES
Evaluation of smoke capture efficiency of different mobile smoke evacuation devices with respect to volatile organic compounds and their noise emission.
METHODS
Electrosurgical incisions were performed on fresh porcine liver in an operating room with vertical laminar flow. The generated surgical smoke was analysed with proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry with and without the use of a mobile smoke evacuation system consisting of a smoke evacuator machine, a suction hose and a handpiece. The inlet of the mass spectrometer was positioned 40 cm above the specimen. Various devices were compared: a hard plastic funnel, a flexible foam funnel, an on-tip integrated aspirator of an electrosurgical knife and a standard secretion suction (Yankauer). Also, sound levels were measured at a distance of 40 cm from the handpieces' inlet.
RESULTS
The smoke capture efficiency of the secretion suction was only 53%, while foam funnel, plastic funnel and integrated aspirator were all significantly more effective with a clearance of 95%, 91% and 91%, respectively. The mean sound levels were 68 and 59 A-weighted decibels with the plastic and foam funnel, respectively, 66 A-weighted decibels with the integrated aspirator and 63 A-weighted decibels with the secretion suction.
CONCLUSIONS
Carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic volatile organic compounds in surgical smoke can be efficiently reduced by mobile smoke evacuation system, providing improved protection for medical personnel. Devices specifically designed for smoke evacuation are more efficient than standard suction tools. Noise exposure for the surgeon was lowest with the flexible foam funnel and higher with the other handpieces tested
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