375 research outputs found
Kondo decoherence: finding the right spin model for iron impurities in gold and silver
We exploit the decoherence of electrons due to magnetic impurities, studied
via weak localization, to resolve a longstanding question concerning the
classic Kondo systems of Fe impurities in the noble metals gold and silver:
which Kondo-type model yields a realistic description of the relevant multiple
bands, spin and orbital degrees of freedom? Previous studies suggest a fully
screened spin Kondo model, but the value of remained ambiguous. We
perform density functional theory calculations that suggest . We also
compare previous and new measurements of both the resistivity and decoherence
rate in quasi 1-dimensional wires to numerical renormalization group
predictions for and 3/2, finding excellent agreement for .Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, shortened for PR
Evaporation of a packet of quantized vorticity
A recent experiment has confirmed the existence of quantized turbulence in
superfluid He3-B and suggested that turbulence is inhomogenous and spreads away
from the region around the vibrating wire where it is created. To interpret the
experiment we study numerically the diffusion of a packet of quantized vortex
lines which is initially confined inside a small region of space. We find that
reconnections fragment the packet into a gas of small vortex loops which fly
away. We determine the time scale of the process and find that it is in order
of magnitude agreement with the experiment.Comment: figure 1a,b,c and d, figure2, figure
Slow Quenches Produce Fuzzy, Transient Vortices
We examine the Zurek scenario for the production of vortices in quenches of
liquid in the light of recent experiments. Extending our previous
results to later times, we argue that short wavelength thermal fluctuations
make vortices poorly defined until after the transition has occurred. Further,
if and when vortices appear, it is plausible that that they will decay faster
than anticipated from turbulence experiments, irrespective of quench rates.Comment: 4 pages, Revtex file, no figures Apart from a more appropriate title,
this paper differs from its predecessor by including temperature, as well as
pressure, quenche
Dynamics of Quantum Phase Transition in an Array of Josephson Junctions
We study the dynamics of the Mott insulator-superfluid quantum phase
transition in a periodic 1D array of Josephson junctions. We show that crossing
the critical point diabatically i.e. at a finite rate with a quench time
induces finite quantum fluctuations of the current around the loop
proportional to . This scaling could be experimentally verified
with in array of weakly coupled Bose-Einstein condensates or superconducting
grains.Comment: 4 pages in RevTex, 3 .eps figures; 2 references added; accepted for
publication in Phys.Rev.Let
Testing the Kibble-Zurek Scenario with Annular Josephson Tunnel Junctions
In parallel with Kibble's description of the onset of phase transitions in
the early universe, Zurek has provided a simple picture for the onset of phase
transitions in condensed matter systems, strongly supported by agreement with
experiments in He3. In this letter we show how experiments with annular
Josephson tunnel Junctions can and do provide further support for this
scenario.Comment: Revised version with correct formula for the Swihart velocity. The
results are qualitatively the same as with the previous version but differ
quantitatively. 4 pages, RevTe
Defect Formation and Critical Dynamics in the Early Universe
We study the nonequilibrium dynamics leading to the formation of topological
defects in a symmetry-breaking phase transition of a quantum scalar field with
\lambda\Phi^4 self-interaction in a spatially flat, radiation-dominated
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker Universe. The quantum field is initially in a
finite-temperature symmetry-restored state and the phase transition develops as
the Universe expands and cools. We present a first-principles, microscopic
approach in which the nonperturbative, nonequilibrium dynamics of the quantum
field is derived from the two-loop, two-particle-irreducible closed-time-path
effective action. We numerically solve the dynamical equations for the
two-point function and we identify signatures of topological defects in the
infrared portion of the momentum-space power spectrum. We find that the density
of topological defects formed after the phase transition scales as a power law
with the expansion rate of the Universe. We calculate the equilibrium critical
exponents of the correlation length and relaxation time for this model and show
that the power law exponent of the defect density, for both overdamped and
underdamped evolution, is in good agreement with the "freeze-out" scenario of
Zurek. We introduce an analytic dynamical model, valid near the critical point,
that exhibits the same power law scaling of the defect density with the quench
rate. By incorporating the realistic quench of the expanding Universe, our
approach illuminates the dynamical mechanisms important for topological defect
formation. The observed power law scaling of the defect density with the quench
rate, observered here in a quantum field theory context, provides evidence for
the "freeze-out" scenario in three spatial dimensions.Comment: 31 pages, RevTex, 8 figures in EPS forma
Protracted Respiratory Failure in a Case of Global Spinal Syringomyelia and Chiari Malformation Following Administration of Diazepam: Illustrative Case
BACKGROUND: Syringomyelia is defined as dilation of the spinal cord\u27s central canal and is often precipitated by skull base herniation disorders. Although respiratory failure (RF) can be associated with skull base abnormalities due to brainstem compression, most cases occur in pediatric patients and quickly resolve. The authors report the case of an adult patient with global spinal syringomyelia and Chiari malformation who developed refractory RF after routine administration of diazepam.
OBSERVATIONS: A 31-year-old female presented with malnutrition, a 1-month history of right-sided weakness, and normal respiratory dynamics. After administration of diazepam prior to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), she suddenly developed hypercapnic RF followed MRI and required intubation. MRI disclosed a Chiari malformation type I and syrinx extending from C1 to the conus medullaris. After decompressive surgery, her respiratory function progressively returned to baseline status, although 22 months after initial benzodiazepine administration, the patient continues to require nocturnal ventilation.
LESSONS: Administration of central nervous system depressants should be closely monitored in patients with extensive syrinx formation given the potential to exacerbate diminished central respiratory drive. Early identification of syrinx in the context of Chiari malformation and hemiplegia should prompt clinical suspicion of underlying respiratory compromise and early involvement of intensive care consultants
Unraveling critical dynamics: The formation and evolution of topological textures
We study the formation of topological textures in a nonequilibrium phase
transition of an overdamped classical O(3) model in 2+1 dimensions. The phase
transition is triggered through an external, time-dependent effective mass,
parameterized by quench timescale \tau. When measured near the end of the
transition the texture separation and the texture width scale respectively as
\tau^(0.39 \pm 0.02) and \tau^(0.46 \pm 0.04), significantly larger than
\tau^(0.25) predicted from the Kibble-Zurek mechanism. We show that
Kibble-Zurek scaling is recovered at very early times but that by the end of
the transition the power-laws result instead from a competition between the
length scale determined at freeze-out and the ordering dynamics of a textured
system. In the context of phase ordering these results suggest that the
multiple length scales characteristic of the late-time ordering of a textured
system derive from the critical dynamics of a single nonequilibrium correlation
length. In the context of defect formation these results imply that significant
evolution of the defect network can occur before the end of the phase
transition. Therefore a quantitative understanding of the defect network at the
end of the phase transition generally requires an understanding of both
critical dynamics and the interactions among topological defects.Comment: 12 pages, revtex, 9 figures in eps forma
Charge Delocalization in Self-Assembled Mixed-Valence Aromatic Cation Radicals
The spontaneous assembly of aromatic cation radicals (D+•) with their neutral counterpart (D) affords dimer cation radicals (D2+•). The intermolecular dimeric cation radicals are readily characterized by the appearance of an intervalence charge-resonance transition in the NIR region of their electronic spectra and by ESR spectroscopy. The X-ray crystal structure analysis and DFT calculations of a representative dimer cation radical (i.e., the octamethylbiphenylene dimer cation radical) have established that a hole (or single positive charge) is completely delocalized over both aromatic moieties. The energetics and the geometrical considerations for the formation of dimer cation radicals is deliberated with the aid of a series of cyclophane-like bichromophoric donors with drastically varied interplanar angles between the cofacially arranged aryl moieties. X-ray crystallography of a number of mixed-valence cation radicals derived from monochromophoric benzenoid donors established that they generally assemble in 1D stacks in the solid state. However, the use of polychromophoric intervalence cation radicals, where a single charge is effectively delocalized among all of the chromophores, can lead to higher-order assemblies with potential applications in long-range charge transport. As a proof of concept, we show that a single charge in the cation radical of a triptycene derivative is evenly distributed on all three benzenoid rings and this triptycene cation radical forms a 2D electronically coupled assembly, as established by X-ray crystallography
Electrode Polarization Effects in Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy
In the present work, we provide broadband dielectric spectra showing strong
electrode polarization effects for various materials, belonging to very
different material classes. This includes both ionic and electronic conductors
as, e.g., salt solutions, ionic liquids, human blood, and
colossal-dielectric-constant materials. These data are intended to provide a
broad data base enabling a critical test of the validity of phenomenological
and microscopic models for electrode polarization. In the present work, the
results are analyzed using a simple phenomenological equivalent-circuit
description, involving a distributed parallel RC circuit element for the
modeling of the weakly conducting regions close to the electrodes. Excellent
fits of the experimental data are achieved in this way, demonstrating the
universal applicability of this approach. In the investigated ionically
conducting materials, we find the universal appearance of a second dispersion
region due to electrode polarization, which is only revealed if measuring down
to sufficiently low frequencies. This indicates the presence of a second
charge-transport process in ionic conductors with blocking electrodes.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, experimental data are provided in electronic form
(see "Data Conservancy"
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