1,611 research outputs found
Ga-induced atom wire formation and passivation of stepped Si(112)
We present an in-depth analysis of the atomic and electronic structure of the
quasi one-dimensional (1D) surface reconstruction of Ga on Si(112) based on
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy (STM and STS), Rutherford
Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Density Functional Theory (DFT)
calculations. A new structural model of the Si(112)6 x 1-Ga surface is
inferred. It consists of Ga zig-zag chains that are intersected by
quasi-periodic vacancy lines or misfit dislocations. The experimentally
observed meandering of the vacancy lines is caused by the co-existence of
competing 6 x 1 and 5 x 1 unit cells and by the orientational disorder of
symmetry breaking Si-Ga dimers inside the vacancy lines. The Ga atoms are fully
coordinated, and the surface is chemically passivated. STS data reveal a
semiconducting surface and show excellent agreement with calculated Local
Density of States (LDOS) and STS curves. The energy gain obtained by fully
passivating the surface calls the idea of step-edge decoration as a viable
growth method toward 1D metallic structures into question.Comment: Submitted, 13 pages, accepted in Phys. Rev. B, notational change in
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Sub-nanosecond, time-resolved, broadband infrared spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation
A facility for sub-nanosecond time-resolved (pump-probe) infrared
spectroscopy has been developed at the National Synchrotron Light Source of
Brookhaven National Laboratory. A mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser produces 2 ps
duration, tunable near-IR pump pulses synchronized to probe pulses from a
synchrotron storage ring. The facility is unique on account of the broadband
infrared from the synchrotron, which allows the entire spectral range from 2
cm-1 (0.25 meV) to 20,000 cm-1 (2.5 eV) to be probed. A temporal resolution of
200 ps, limited by the infrared synchrotron-pulse duration, is achieved. A
maximum time delay of 170 ns is available without gating the infrared detector.
To illustrate the performance of the facility, a measurement of electron-hole
recombination dynamics for an HgCdTe semiconductor film in the far- and mid
infrared range is presented.Comment: 11 pages with 9 figures include
Atom-by-Atom Substitution of Mn in GaAs and Visualization of their Hole-Mediated Interactions
The discovery of ferromagnetism in Mn doped GaAs [1] has ignited interest in
the development of semiconductor technologies based on electron spin and has
led to several proof-of-concept spintronic devices [2-4]. A major hurdle for
realistic applications of (Ga,Mn)As, or other dilute magnetic semiconductors,
remains their below room-temperature ferromagnetic transition temperature.
Enhancing ferromagnetism in semiconductors requires understanding the
mechanisms for interaction between magnetic dopants, such as Mn, and
identifying the circumstances in which ferromagnetic interactions are maximized
[5]. Here we report the use of a novel atom-by-atom substitution technique with
the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) to perform the first controlled atomic
scale study of the interactions between isolated Mn acceptors mediated by the
electronic states of GaAs. High-resolution STM measurements are used to
visualize the GaAs electronic states that participate in the Mn-Mn interaction
and to quantify the interaction strengths as a function of relative position
and orientation. Our experimental findings, which can be explained using
tight-binding model calculations, reveal a strong dependence of ferromagnetic
interaction on crystallographic orientation. This anisotropic interaction can
potentially be exploited by growing oriented Ga1-xMnxAs structures to enhance
the ferromagnetic transition temperature beyond that achieved in randomly doped
samples. Our experimental methods also provide a realistic approach to create
precise arrangements of single spins as coupled quantum bits for memory or
information processing purposes
On the Connection of Anisotropic Conductivity to Tip Induced Space Charge Layers in Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy of p-doped GaAs
The electronic properties of shallow acceptors in p-doped GaAs{110} are
investigated with scanning tunneling microscopy at low temperature. Shallow
acceptors are known to exhibit distinct triangular contrasts in STM images for
certain bias voltages. Spatially resolved I(V)-spectroscopy is performed to
identify their energetic origin and behavior. A crucial parameter - the STM
tip's work function - is determined experimentally. The voltage dependent
potential configuration and band bending situation is derived. Ways to validate
the calculations with the experiment are discussed. Differential conductivity
maps reveal that the triangular contrasts are only observed with a depletion
layer present under the STM tip. The tunnel process leading to the anisotropic
contrasts calls for electrons to tunnel through vacuum gap and a finite region
in the semiconductor.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figure
Currency Unions and Trade: A PPML Re-Assessment with High-Dimensional Fixed Effects
Recent work on the effects of currency unions (CUs) on trade stresses the importance of using many countries and years in order to obtain reliable estimates. However, for large samples, computational issues associated with the three-way (exporter-time, importer-time, and country-pair) fixed effects currently recommended in the gravity literature have heretofore limited the choice of estimator, leaving an important methodological gap. To address this gap, we introduce an iterative Poisson Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood (PPML) estimation procedure that facilitates the inclusion of these fixed effects for large data sets and also allows for correlated errors across countries and time. When applied to a comprehensive sample with more than 200 countries trading over 65 years, these innovations flip the conclusions of an otherwise rigorously-specified linear model. Most importantly, our estimates for both the overall CU effect and the Euro effect specifically are economically small and statistically insignificant. We also document that linear and PPML estimates of the Euro effect increasingly diverge as the sample size grows
Pill cycle disturbance in simultaneous use of itraconazole and oral contraceptives
Since the introduction of itraconazole in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Foundation LAREB and the Inspectorate for Health Care received 15 reports of pill cycle disturbances and one of pregnancy occurring during simultaneous use of itraconazole and oral contraceptives. Twelve women used oral contraceptives containing ethinylestradiol and desogestrel. In these women, the withdrawal bleeding was either delayed or did not occur at all; one of these women reported a transiently positive pregnancy test after previous breakthrough bleedings. Three women who used a contraceptive containing ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel had a breakthrough bleeding. One woman who used an oral contraceptive containing ethinylestradiol and cyproterone acetate became pregnant during the concomitant use of itraconazole. The possible mechanism involved remains to be explained. Although an influence of itraconazole on the reliability of oral contraceptives is uncertain, additional contraceptive measurements might be considered.</p
Puzzled by GRB 060218
We study the optical-UV/X-ray spectral energy distribution of GRB 060218
during the prompt phase and during what seems to be the afterglow phase. The
results are puzzling, since if the opt-UV and the X-ray emission belong to a
single backbody (BB), then its luminosity is too large, and this BB cannot be
interpreted as the signature of the shock breakout of the supernova. There are
also serious problems in associating the emission expected by the supernova
shock breakout with either the opt-UV or the X-ray emission. In the former case
we derive too small ejecta velocities; in the latter case, on the contrary, the
required velocity is too large, corresponding to the large radius of a BB
required to peak close to the UV band. We then present what we think is the
most conservative alternative explanation, namely a synchrotron spectrum,
self-absorbed in the opt-UV and extending up to the X-ray band, where we
observe the emission of the most energetic electrons, which are responsible for
the exponential roll-over of the spectrum. The obtained fit can explain the
entire spectrum except the BB observed in the X-rays, which must be a separate
component. The puzzling feature of this interpretation is that the same model
is required to explain the spectrum also at later times, up to 1e5 s, because
the opt-UV emission remains constant in shape and also (approximately) in
normalisation. In this case the observed X-ray flux is produced by self-Compton
emission. Thus the prompt emission phase should last for ~1e5 s or more.
Finally, we show that the BB observed in X-rays, up to 7000 seconds, can be
photospheric emission from the cocoon or stellar material, energized by the GRB
jet at radii comparable to the stellar radius (i.e. 1e10-1e11 cm), not very far
from where this material becomes transparent (e.g. 1e12 cm).Comment: revised version accepted for publication in MNRAS (Letters
Self-organized current transport through low angle grain boundaries in YBaCuO thin films, studied magnetometrically
The critical current density flowing across low angle grain boundaries in
YBaCuO thin films has been studied magnetometrically.
Films (200 nm thickness) were deposited on SrTiO bicrystal substrates
containing a single [001] tilt boundary, with angles of 2, 3, 5, and 7 degrees,
and the films were patterned into rings. Their magnetic moments were measured
in applied magnetic fields up to 30 kOe at temperatures of 5 - 95 K; current
densities of rings with or without grain boundaries were obtained from a
modified critical state model. For rings containing 5 and 7 degree boundaries,
the magnetic response depends strongly on the field history, which arises in
large part from self-field effects acting on the grain boundary.Comment: 8 pages, including 7 figure
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