9,997 research outputs found
Spin edge helices in a perpendicular magnetic field
We present an exact solution to the problem of the spin edge states in the
presence of equal Bychkov-Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit fields in a
two-dimensional electron system, restricted by a hard-wall confining potential
and exposed to a perpendicular magnetic field. We find that the spectrum of the
spin edge states depends critically on the orientation of the sample edges with
respect to the crystallographic axes. Such a strikingly different spectral
behavior generates new modes of the persistent spin helix-spin edge helices
with novel properties, which can be tuned by the applied electric and magnetic
fields.Comment: In press in Physical Review Letters; Revised arguments in the
introductory part; 3 figure
ROSAT PSPC detection of soft X-ray absorption in GB 1428+4217: The most distant matter yet probed with X-ray spectroscopy
We report on a ROSAT PSPC observation of the highly-luminous z = 4.72
radio-loud quasar GB 1428+4217 obtained between 1998 December 11 and 17, the
final days of the ROSAT satellite. The low-energy sensitivity of the PSPC
detector was employed to constrain the intrinsic X-ray absorption of the
currently most distant X-ray detected object. Here we present the detection of
significant soft X-ray absorption towards GB 1428+4217, making the absorbing
material the most distant matter yet probed with X-ray spectroscopy. X-ray
variability by 25+-8 per cent is detected on a timescale of 6500 s in the rest
frame. The X-ray variation requires an unusually high radiative efficiency of
at least 4.2, further supporting the blazar nature of the source.Comment: 6 pages incl. 6 figures, accepted for publication in Monthly Notice
Control of electron spin and orbital resonance in quantum dots through spin-orbit interactions
Influence of resonant oscillating electromagnetic field on a single electron
in coupled lateral quantum dots in the presence of phonon-induced relaxation
and decoherence is investigated. Using symmetry arguments it is shown that spin
and orbital resonance can be efficiently controlled by spin-orbit interactions.
The control is possible due to the strong sensitivity of Rabi frequency to the
dot configuration (orientation of the dot and a static magnetic field) as a
result of the anisotropy of the spin-orbit interactions. The so called easy
passage configuration is shown to be particularly suitable for magnetic
manipulation of spin qubits, ensuring long spin relaxation time and protecting
the spin qubit from electric field disturbances accompanying on-chip
manipulations.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures; v2: introduction and conclusions broadened,
moderate structure and content change
Electron spin relaxation in graphene: the role of the substrate
Theory of the electron spin relaxation in graphene on the SiO substrate
is developed. Charged impurities and polar optical surface phonons in the
substrate induce an effective random Bychkov-Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling
field which leads to spin relaxation by the D'yakonov-Perel' mechanism.
Analytical estimates and Monte Carlo simulations show that the corresponding
spin relaxation times are between micro- to milliseconds, being only weakly
temperature dependent. It is also argued that the presence of adatoms on
graphene can lead to spin lifetimes shorter than nanoseconds.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Limits from rapid TeV variability of Mrk 421
The extreme variability event in the TeV emission of Mrk 421, recently
reported by the Whipple team, imposes the tightest limits on the typical size
of the TeV emitting regions in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). We examine the
consequences that this imposes on the bulk Lorentz factor of the emitting
plasma and on the radiation fields present in the central region of this Active
Nucleus. No strong evidence is found for extreme Lorentz factors. However,
energetics arguments suggest that any accretion in Mrk 421 has to take place at
small rates, compatible with an advection-dominated regime.Comment: 5 pages (Latex MNRAS style), revised version, submitted to MNRA
X-ray emission from the Ultramassive Black Hole candidate NGC1277: implications and speculation on its origin
We study the X-ray emission from NGC1277, a galaxy in the core of the Perseus
cluster, for which van den Bosch et al. have recently claimed the presence of
an UltraMassive Black Hole (UMBH) of mass 1.7 times 10^10 Msun, unless the IMF
of the stars in the stellar bulge is extremely bottom heavy. The X-rays
originate in a power-law component of luminosity 1.3 times 10^40 erg/s embedded
in a 1 keV thermal minicorona which has a half-light radius of about 360 pc,
typical of many early-type galaxies in rich clusters of galaxies. If Bondi
accretion operated onto the UMBH from the minicorona with a radiative
efficiency of 10 per cent, then the object would appear as a quasar with
luminosity 10^46 erg/s, a factor of almost 10^6 times higher than observed. The
accretion flow must be highly radiatively inefficient, similar to past results
on M87 and NGC3115. The UMBH in NGC1277 is definitely not undergoing any
significant growth at the present epoch. We note that there are 3 UMBH
candidates in the Perseus cluster and that the inferred present mean mass
density in UMBH could be 10^5 Msun/Mpc^3, which is 20 to 30 per cent of the
estimated mean mass density of all black holes. We speculate on the implied
growth of UMBH and their hosts, and discuss the possibiity that extreme AGN
feedback could make all UMBH host galaxies have low stellar masses at redshifts
around 3. Only those which end up at the centres of groups and clusters later
accrete large stellar envelopes and become Brightest Cluster Galaxies. NGC1277
and the other Perseus core UMBH, NGC1270, have not however been able to gather
more stars or gas owing to their rapid orbital motion in the cluster core.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, MNRAS in pres
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