33,888 research outputs found
Fluctuating loops and glassy dynamics of a pinned line in two dimensions
We represent the slow, glassy equilibrium dynamics of a line in a
two-dimensional random potential landscape as driven by an array of
asymptotically independent two-state systems, or loops, fluctuating on all
length scales. The assumption of independence enables a fairly complete
analytic description. We obtain good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations
when the free energy barriers separating the two sides of a loop of size L are
drawn from a distribution whose width and mean scale as L^(1/3), in agreement
with recent results for scaling of such barriers.Comment: 11 pages, 4 Postscript figure
Dynamics and Transport in Random Antiferromagnetic Spin Chains
We present the first results on the low-frequency dynamical and transport
properties of random antiferromagnetic spin chains at low temperature (). We
obtain the momentum and frequency dependent dynamic structure factor in the
Random Singlet (RS) phases of both spin-1/2 and spin-1 chains, as well as in
the Random Dimer phase of spin-1/2 chains. We also show that the RS phases are
unusual `spin-metals' with divergent low-frequency conductivity at T=0, and
follow the spin conductivity through `metal-insulator' transitions tuned by the
strength of dimerization or Ising anisotropy in the spin-1/2 case, and by the
strength of disorder in the spin-1 case.Comment: 4 pages (two-column format). Presentation substantially revised to
accomodate new result
Exchange between deep donors in semiconductors: a quantum defect approach
Exchange interactions among defects in semiconductors are commonly treated
within effective-mass theory using a scaled hydrogenic wave-function. However
such a wave-function is only applicable to shallow impurities; here we present
a simple but robust generalization to treat deep donors, in which we treat the
long-range part of the wavefunction using the well established quantum defect
theory, and include a model central-cell correction to fix the bound-state
eigenvalue at the experimentally observed value. This allows us to compute the
effect of binding energy on exchange interactions as a function of donor
distance; this is a significant quantity given recent proposals to carry out
quantum information processing using deep donors. As expected, exchange
interactions are suppressed (or increased), compared to the hydrogenic case, by
the greater localization (or delocalization) of the wavefunctions of deep
donors (or `super-shallow' donors with binding energy less then the hydrogenic
value). The calculated results are compared with a simple scaling of the
Heitler-London hydrogenic exchange; the scaled hydrogenic results give the
correct order of magnitude but fail to reproduce quantitatively our
calculations. We calculate the donor exchange in silicon including inter-valley
interference terms for donor pairs along the direction, and also show
the influence of the donor type on the distribution of nearest-neighbour
exchange constants at different concentrations. Our methods can be used to
compute the exchange interactions between two donor electrons with arbitrary
binding energy.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, RevTeX
Vectorial Loading of Processive Motor Proteins: Implementing a Landscape Picture
Individual processive molecular motors, of which conventional kinesin is the
most studied quantitatively, move along polar molecular tracks and, by exerting
a force on a tether, drag cellular cargoes, {\em in
vivo}, or spherical beads, {\em in vitro}, taking up to hundreds of
nanometer-scale steps. From observations of velocities and the dispersion of
displacements with time, under measured forces and controlled fuel supply
(typically ATP), one may hope to obtain insight into the molecular motions
undergone in the individual steps. In the simplest situation, the load force
may be regarded as a scalar resisting force, , acting
parallel to the track: however, experiments, originally by Gittes {\em et al.}
(1996), have imposed perpendicular (or vertical) loads, , while more
recently Block and coworkers (2002, 2003) and Carter and Cross (2005) have
studied {\em assisting} (or reverse) loads, , and also sideways (or
transverse) loads
Anisotropic in-plane optical conductivity in detwinned Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2
We study the anisotropic in-plane optical conductivity of detwinned
Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 single crystals for x=0, 2.5% and 4.5% in a broad energy range
(3 meV-5 eV) across their structural and magnetic transitions. For temperatures
below the Neel transition, the topology of the reconstructed Fermi surface,
combined with the distinct behavior of the scattering rates, determines the
anisotropy of the low frequency optical response. For the itinerant charge
carriers, we are able to disentangle the evolution of the Drude weights and
scattering rates and to observe their enhancement along the orthorhombic
antiferromagnetic a-axis with respect to the ferromagnetic b-axis. For
temperatures above Ts, uniaxial stress leads to a finite in-plane anisotropy.
The anisotropy of the optical conductivity, leading to a significant dichroism,
extends to high frequencies in the mid- and near-infrared regions. The
temperature dependence of the dichroism at all dopings scales with the
anisotropy ratio of the dc conductivity, suggesting the electronic nature of
the structural transition. Our findings bear testimony to a large nematic
susceptibility that couples very effectively to the uniaxial lattice strain. In
order to clarify the subtle interplay of magnetism and Fermi surface topology
we compare our results with theoretical calculations obtained from density
functional theory within the full-potential linear augmented plane-wave method.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure
Random Walks, Reaction-Diffusion, and Nonequilibrium Dynamics of Spin Chains in One-dimensional Random Environments
Sinai's model of diffusion in one-dimension with random local bias is studied
by a real space renormalization group which yields asymptotically exact long
time results. The distribution of the position of a particle and the
probability of it not returning to the origin are obtained, as well as the
two-time distribution which exhibits "aging" with
scaling and a singularity at . The effects of a small uniform
force are also studied. Extension to motion of many domain walls yields
non-equilibrium time dependent correlations for the 1D random field Ising model
with Glauber dynamics and "persistence" exponents of 1D reaction-diffusion
models with random forces.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figures, RevTe
Environmental Site Characterization and Risk-Based Evaluation of a Site Contaminated with Tetrachloroethene (PCE) and Trichloroethene (TCE)
A healthcare company purchased property in eastern Iowa for a facility expansion. Before the purchase, a Phase I environmental site assessment (ESA) revealed that the property was the site of a former dry cleaning business. Phase II sampling and testing indicated that tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) had affected site soil and groundwater. Maximum concentrations of PCE and TCE in groundwater were 538 and 209 µg/L, respectively, and 105 and 1.51 mg/kg in soil. Additional sampling delineated the vertical and horizontal extent of contamination in the soil. The concentrations of the chlorinated solvents in both the soil and groundwater were below levels of regulatory concern. However, the company was concerned that the Iowa statewide standard for PCE in soil (780 mg/kg) might not provide adequate protection for several exposure pathways and wanted to assess the risk to the public from the contamination at the site. The results of a receptor survey were used to develop site-specific target levels (SSTLs) for contamination, using accepted human health exposure factors, models, and chemical-specific toxicity values. The recommended remedial options allowed the company to minimize the human health risks posed by contamination at the site
R.A.Fisher, design theory, and the Indian connection
Design Theory, a branch of mathematics, was born out of the experimental
statistics research of the population geneticist R. A. Fisher and of Indian
mathematical statisticians in the 1930s. The field combines elements of
combinatorics, finite projective geometries, Latin squares, and a variety of
further mathematical structures, brought together in surprising ways. This
essay will present these structures and ideas as well as how the field came
together, in itself an interesting story.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
Non-equilibrium dynamics in an interacting nanoparticle system
Non-equilibrium dynamics in an interacting Fe-C nanoparticle sample,
exhibiting a low temperature spin glass like phase, has been studied by low
frequency ac-susceptibility and magnetic relaxation experiments. The
non-equilibrium behavior shows characteristic spin glass features, but some
qualitative differences exist. The nature of these differences is discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figure
Aging and scaling laws in -hydroquinone-clathrate
The dielectric permittivity of the orientational glass
methanol(x=0.73)--hydroquinone-clathrate has been studied as function of
temperature and waiting time using different temperature-time-protocols. We
study aging, rejuvenation and memory effects in the glassy phase and discuss
similarities and differences to aging in spin-glasses. We argue that the
diluted methanol-clathrate, although conceptually close to its magnetic
pendants, takes an intermediate character between a true spin-glass and a pure
random field system
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