Quantitative Study of Magnetotransport through a (Ga,Mn)As Single Ferromagnetic Domain

We have performed a systematic investigation of the longitudinal and transverse magnetoresistance of a single ferromagnetic domain in (Ga,Mn)As. We find that, by taking into account the intrinsic dependence of the resistivity on the magnetic induction, an excellent agreement between experimental results and theoretical expectations is obtained. Our findings provide a detailed and fully quantitative validation of the theoretical description of magnetotransport through a single ferromagnetic domain. Our analysis furthermore indicates the relevance of magneto-impurity scattering as a mechanism for magnetoresistance in (Ga,Mn)As.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; v2: missing references included, figures recompressed to improve readabilit

Improved Horizontal Directional Hearing in Bone Conduction Device Users with Acquired Unilateral Conductive Hearing Loss

We examined horizontal directional hearing in patients with acquired severe unilateral conductive hearing loss (UCHL). All patients (n = 12) had been fitted with a bone conduction device (BCD) to restore bilateral hearing. The patients were tested in the unaided (monaural) and aided (binaural) hearing condition. Five listeners without hearing loss were tested as a control group while listening with a monaural plug and earmuff, or with both ears (binaural). We randomly varied stimulus presentation levels to assess whether listeners relied on the acoustic head-shadow effect (HSE) for horizontal (azimuth) localization. Moreover, to prevent sound localization on the basis of monaural spectral shape cues from head and pinna, subjects were exposed to narrow band (1/3 octave) noises. We demonstrate that the BCD significantly improved sound localization in 8/12 of the UCHL patients. Interestingly, under monaural hearing (BCD off), we observed fairly good unaided azimuth localization performance in 4/12 of the patients. Our multiple regression analysis shows that all patients relied on the ambiguous HSE for localization. In contrast, acutely plugged control listeners did not employ the HSE. Our data confirm and further extend results of recent studies on the use of sound localization cues in chronic and acute monaural listening

Indirect exchange in GaMnAs bilayers via spin-polarized inhomogeneous hole gas: Monte Carlo simulation

The magnetic order resulting from an indirect exchange between magnetic moments provided by spin-polarized hole gas in the metallic phase of a GaMnAs double layer structure is studied via Monte Carlo simulation. The coupling mechanism involves a perturbative calculation in second order of the interaction between the magnetic moments and carriers (holes). We take into account a possible polarization of the hole gas due to the existence of an average magnetization in the magnetic layers, establishing, in this way, a self-consistency between the magnetic order and the electronic structure. That interaction leads to an internal ferromagnetic order inside each layer, and a parallel arrangement between their magnetizations, even in the case of thin layers. This fact is analyzed in terms of the inter- and intra-layer interactions.Comment: 17 pages and 14 figure

Spin diffusion in doped semiconductors

The behavior of spin diffusion in doped semiconductors is shown to be qualitatively different than in undoped (intrinsic) ones. Whereas a spin packet in an intrinsic semiconductor must be a multiple-band disturbance, involving inhomogeneous distributions of both electrons and holes, in a doped semiconductor a single-band disturbance is possible. For n-doped nonmagnetic semiconductors the enhancement of diffusion due to a degenerate electron sea in the conduction band is much larger for these single-band spin packets than for charge packets, and can exceed an order of magnitude at low temperatures even for equilibrium dopings as small as 10^16 cm^-3. In n-doped ferromagnetic and semimagnetic semiconductors the motion of spin packets polarized antiparallel to the equilibrium carrier spin polarization is predicted to be an order of magnitude faster than for parallel polarized spin packets. These results are reversed for p-doped semiconductors.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

The efficacy of topical imiquimod in high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: A major side effect of cervical excision for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is premature birth. A non-invasive treatment for reproductive age women is warranted. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of topical imiquimod in the treatment of high-grade CIN, defined as a regression to ≤CIN 1, and to determine the clearance rate of high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV), compared with surgical treatment and placebo. Methods: Databases were searched for articles from their inception to February 2023.The study protocol number was INPLASY2022110046. Original studies reporting the efficacy of topical imiquimod in CIN 2, CIN 3 or persistent hr-HPV infections were included. The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses checklist. Results: Five studies were included (n = 463). Histological regression to ≤CIN 1 was 55% in imiquimod versus 29% in placebo, and 93% in surgical treatment. Imiquimod-treated women had a greater odds of histological regression to ≤CIN 1 than placebo (odds ratio [OR] 4.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.03–8.54). In comparison to imiquimod, surgical treatment had an OR of 14.81(95% CI 6.59–33.27) for histological regression to ≤CIN 1. The hr-HPV clearance rate was 53.4% after imiquimod and 66% after surgical treatment (95% CI 0.62–23.77). Conclusions: The histological regression rate is highest for surgical treatment followed by imiquimod treatment and placebo.</p

Interlayer coupling in ferromagnetic semiconductor superlattices

We develop a mean-field theory of carrier-induced ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors. Our approach represents an improvement over standard RKKY model allowing spatial inhomogeneity of the system, free-carrier spin polarization, finite temperature, and free-carrier exchange and correlation to be accounted for self-consistently. As an example, we calculate the electronic structure of a Mn$_x$Ga$_{1-x}$As/GaAs superlattice with alternating ferromagnetic and paramagnetic layers and demonstrate the possibility of semiconductor magnetoresistance systems with designed properties.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

A theory of ferromagnetism in planar heterostructures of (Mn,III)-V semiconductors

A density functional theory of ferromagnetism in heterostructures of compound semiconductors doped with magnetic impurities is presented. The variable functions in the density functional theory are the charge and spin densities of the itinerant carriers and the charge and localized spins of the impurities. The theory is applied to study the Curie temperature of planar heterostructures of III-V semiconductors doped with manganese atoms. The mean-field, virtual-crystal and effective-mass approximations are adopted to calculate the electronic structure, including the spin-orbit interaction, and the magnetic susceptibilities, leading to the Curie temperature. By means of these results, we attempt to understand the observed dependence of the Curie temperature of planar $\delta$-doped ferromagnetic structures on variation of their properties. We predict a large increase of the Curie Temperature by additional confinement of the holes in a $\delta$-doped layer of Mn by a quantum well.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

The H1 Forward Proton Spectrometer at HERA

The forward proton spectrometer is part of the H1 detector at the HERA collider. Protons with energies above 500 GeV and polar angles below 1 mrad can be detected by this spectrometer. The main detector components are scintillating fiber detectors read out by position-sensitive photo-multipliers. These detectors are housed in so-called Roman Pots which allow them to be moved close to the circulating proton beam. Four Roman Pot stations are located at distances between 60 m and 90 m from the interaction point.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Nucl.Instr.and Method

Solvent contribution to the stability of a physical gel characterized by quasi-elastic neutron scattering

The dynamics of a physical gel, namely the Low Molecular Mass Organic Gelator {\textit Methyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-$\alpha$ -D-mannopyranoside ($\alpha$-manno)} in water and toluene are probed by neutron scattering. Using high gelator concentrations, we were able to determine, on a timescale from a few ps to 1 ns, the number of solvent molecules that are immobilised by the rigid network formed by the gelators. We found that only few toluene molecules per gelator participate to the network which is formed by hydrogen bonding between the gelators' sugar moieties. In water, however, the interactions leading to the gel formations are weaker, involving dipolar, hydrophobic or $\pi-\pi$ interactions and hydrogen bonds are formed between the gelators and the surrounding water. Therefore, around 10 to 14 water molecules per gelator are immobilised by the presence of the network. This study shows that neutron scattering can give valuable information about the behaviour of solvent confined in a molecular gel.Comment: Langmuir (2015