454 research outputs found
Limitations to Carrier Mobility and Phase-Coherent Transport in Bilayer Graphene
We present transport measurements on high-mobility bilayer graphene fully
encapsulated in hexagonal boron nitride. We show two terminal quantum Hall
effect measurements which exhibit full symmetry broken Landau levels at low
magnetic fields. From weak localization measurements, we extract gate-tunable
phase coherence times as well as the inter- and intra-valley
scattering times and . While is in qualitative
agreement with an electron-electron interaction mediated dephasing mechanism,
electron spin-flip scattering processes are limiting at low
temperatures. The analysis of and points to local strain
fluctuation as the most probable mechanism for limiting the mobility in
high-quality bilayer graphene
Etched graphene quantum dots on hexagonal boron nitride
We report on the fabrication and characterization of etched graphene quantum
dots (QDs) on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and SiO2 with different island
diameters. We perform a statistical analysis of Coulomb peak spacings over a
wide energy range. For graphene QDs on hBN, the standard deviation of the
normalized peak spacing distribution decreases with increasing QD diameter,
whereas for QDs on SiO2 no diameter dependency is observed. In addition, QDs on
hBN are more stable under the influence of perpendicular magnetic fields up to
9T. Both results indicate a substantially reduced substrate induced disorder
potential in graphene QDs on hBN
Photo-induced second-order nonlinearity in stoichiometric silicon nitride waveguides
We report the observation of second-harmonic generation in stoichiometric
silicon nitride waveguides grown via low-pressure chemical vapour deposition.
Quasi-rectangular waveguides with a large cross section were used, with a
height of 1 {\mu}m and various different widths, from 0.6 to 1.2 {\mu}m, and
with various lengths from 22 to 74 mm. Using a mode-locked laser delivering
6-ps pulses at 1064 nm wavelength with a repetition rate of 20 MHz, 15% of the
incoming power was coupled through the waveguide, making maximum average powers
of up to 15 mW available in the waveguide. Second-harmonic output was observed
with a delay of minutes to several hours after the initial turn-on of pump
radiation, showing a fast growth rate between 10 to 10 s,
with the shortest delay and highest growth rate at the highest input power.
After this first, initial build-up, the second-harmonic became generated
instantly with each new turn-on of the pump laser power. Phase matching was
found to be present independent of the used waveguide width, although the
latter changes the fundamental and second-harmonic phase velocities. We address
the presence of a second-order nonlinearity and phase matching, involving an
initial, power-dependent build-up, to the coherent photogalvanic effect. The
effect, via the third-order nonlinearity and multiphoton absorption leads to a
spatially patterned charge separation, which generates a spatially periodic,
semi-permanent, DC-field-induced second-order susceptibility with a period that
is appropriate for quasi-phase matching. The maximum measured second-harmonic
conversion efficiency amounts to 0.4% in a waveguide with 0.9 x 1 {\mu}m
cross section and 36 mm length, corresponding to 53 {\mu}W at 532 nm with 13 mW
of IR input coupled into the waveguide. The according amounts to
3.7 pm/V, as retrieved from the measured conversion efficiency.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figure
Observation of the spin-orbit gap in bilayer graphene by one-dimensional ballistic transport
We report on measurements of quantized conductance in gate-defined quantum
point contacts in bilayer graphene that allow the observation of subband
splittings due to spin-orbit coupling. The size of this splitting can be tuned
from 40 to 80 eV by the displacement field. We assign this gate-tunable
subband-splitting to a gap induced by spin-orbit coupling of Kane-Mele type,
enhanced by proximity effects due to the substrate. We show that this
spin-orbit coupling gives rise to a complex pattern in low perpendicular
magnetic fields, increasing the Zeeman splitting in one valley and suppressing
it in the other one. In addition, we observe the existence of a spin-polarized
channel of 6 e/h at high in-plane magnetic field and of signatures of
interaction effects at the crossings of spin-split subbands of opposite spins
at finite magnetic field.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Supplement 6 figure
Benchmark problems for reactive transport modeling of the generation and attenuation of acid rock drainage
Acid rock drainage (ARD) is a problem of international relevance with substantial environmental and economic implications. Reactive transport modeling has proven a powerful tool for the process-based assessment of metal release and attenuation at ARD sites. Although a variety of models has been used to investigate ARD, a systematic model intercomparison has not been conducted to date. This contribution presents such a model intercomparison involving three synthetic benchmark problems designed to evaluate model results for the most relevant processes at ARD sites. The first benchmark (ARD-B1) focuses on the oxidation of sulfide minerals in an unsaturated tailing impoundment, affected by the ingress of atmospheric oxygen. ARD-B2 extends the first problem to include pH buffering by primary mineral dissolution and secondary mineral precipitation. The third problem (ARD-B3) in addition considers the kinetic and pH-dependent dissolution of silicate minerals under low pH conditions. The set of benchmarks was solved by four reactive transport codes, namely CrunchFlow, Flotran, HP1, and MIN3P. The results comparison focused on spatial profiles of dissolved concentrations, pH and pE, pore gas composition, and mineral assemblages. In addition, results of transient profiles for selected elements and cumulative mass loadings were considered in the intercomparison. Despite substantial differences in model formulations, very good agreement was obtained between the various codes. Residual deviations between the results are analyzed and discussed in terms of their implications for capturing system evolution and long-term mass loading predictions
Etched graphene single electron transistors on hexagonal boron nitride in high magnetic fields
We report on the fabrication and electrical characterisation of etched
graphene single electron transistors (SETs) of various sizes on hexagonal boron
nitride (hBN) in high magnetic fields. The electronic transport measurements
show a slight improvement compared to graphene SETs on SiO2. In particular,
SETs on hBN are more stable under the influence of perpendicular magnetic
fields up to 9T in contrast to measurements reported on SETs on SiO2. This
result indicates a reduced surface disorder potential in SETs on hBN which
might be an important step towards clean and more controllable graphene QDs.Comment: To be published in Phys. Status Solidi
Community-based control of a neglected tropical disease: the mossy foot treatment and prevention association
Podoconiosis (endemic non-filarial elephantiasis, also known as mossy foot) is a non-communicable disease now found exclusively in the tropics, caused by the conjunction of environmental, genetic, and economic factors. Silicate particles formed by the disintegration of lava in areas of high altitude (over 1,000 m) and seasonal rainfall (over 1,000 mm per annum) penetrate the skin of barefoot subsistence farmers, and in susceptible individuals cause lymphatic blockage and subsequent elephantiasis [1]. Although an estimated one million Ethiopians (of a total population of 77 million) are afflicted with podoconiosis [2], which creates a huge economic burden in endemic areas [3], no national policy has yet been developed to control or prevent the condition, and most affected communities remain unaware of treatment options
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