Free energies and critical exponents of the A_1^{(1)}, B_n^{(1)}, C_n^{(1)} and D_n^{(1)} face models

We obtain the free energies and critical exponents of models associated with elliptic solutions of the star-triangle relation and reflection equation. The models considered are related to the affine Lie algebras A_1^{(1)}, B_n^{(1)},C_n^{(1)} and D_n^{(1)}. The bulk and surface specific heat exponents are seen to satisfy the scaling relation 2\alpha_s = \alpha_b + 2. It follows from scaling relations that in regime III the correlation length exponent \nu is given by \nu=(l+g)/2g, where l is the level and g is the dual Coxeter number. In regime II we find \nu=(l+g)/2l.Comment: 9 pages, Latex, no figure

The transmission of nosocomial pathogens in an intensive care unit: a space–time clustering and structural equation modelling approach

We investigated the incidence of cases of nosocomial pathogens and risk factors in an intensive treatment unit ward to determine if the number of cases is dependent on location of patients and the colonization/infection history of the ward. A clustering approach method was developed to investigate the patterns of spread of cases through time for five microorganisms [methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Acinetobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., Candida spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa] using hospital microbiological monitoring data and ward records of patient-bed use. Cases of colonization/infection by MRSA, Candida and Pseudomonas were clustered in beds and through time while cases of Klebsiella and Acinetobacter were not. We used structural equation modelling to analyse interacting risk factors and the potential pathways of transmission in the ward. Prior nurse contact with colonized/infected patients, mediated by the number of patient-bed movements, were important predictors for all cases, except for those of Pseudomonas. General health and invasive surgery were significant predictors of cases of Candida and Klebsiella. We suggest that isolation and bed movement as a strategy to manage MRSA infections is likely to impact upon the incidence of cases of other opportunist pathogen

The Importance of being Odd

In this letter I consider mainly a finite XXZ spin chain with periodic boundary conditions and \bf{odd} \rm number of sites. This system is described by the Hamiltonian $H_{xxz}=-\sum_{j=1}^{N}\{\sigma_j^{x}\sigma_{j+1}^{x} +\sigma_j^{y}\sigma_{j+1}^{y} +\Delta \sigma_j^z\sigma_{j+1}^z\}$. As it turned out, its ground state energy is exactly proportional to the number of sites $E=-3N/2$ for a special value of the asymmetry parameter $\Delta=-1/2$. The trigonometric polynomial $q(u)$, zeroes of which being the parameters of the ground state Bethe eigenvector is explicitly constructed. This polynomial of degree $n=(N-1)/2$ satisfy the Baxter T-Q equation. Using the second independent solution of this equation corresponding to the same eigenvalue of the transfer matrix, it is possible to find a derivative of the ground state energy w.r.t. the asymmetry parameter. This derivative is closely connected with the correlation function $=-1/2+3/2N^2$. In its turn this correlation function is related to an average number of spin strings for the ground state of the system under consideration: $= {3/8}(N-1/N)$. I would like to stress once more that all these simple formulas are \bf wrong \rm in the case of even number of sites. Exactly this case is usually considered.Comment: 9 pages, based on the talk given at NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Dynamical Symmetries in Integrable Two-dimensional Quantum Field Theories and Lattice Models", 25-30 September 2000, Kyiv, Ukraine. New references are added plus some minor correction

Manifestation of a Ferroelectric Phase Transition

Temperature dependences of the dielectric properties of ultrathin polyvinylidene fluoride films prepared using the Langmuir-Blodgett method were studied by linear and nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy. It is shown that ultrathin Langmuir films of polyvinylidene fluoride exhibit a manifestation of a first-order ferroelectric phase transition, which can be assigned to the interaction between the spontaneous polarization and the surfaces bounding the film. As the film thickness increases, the effect of the surfaces decreases and the ferroelectric phase transition shifts to high temperatures to vanish altogether when the temperature region of the transition rises above the melting point

Auxiliary matrices on both sides of the equator

The spectra of previously constructed auxiliary matrices for the six-vertex model at roots of unity are investigated for spin-chains of even and odd length. The two cases show remarkable differences. In particular, it is shown that for even roots of unity and an odd number of sites the eigenvalues contain two linear independent solutions to Baxter's TQ-equation corresponding to the Bethe ansatz equations above and below the equator. In contrast, one finds for even spin-chains only one linear independent solution and complete strings. The other main result is the proof of a previous conjecture on the degeneracies of the six-vertex model at roots of unity. The proof rests on the derivation of a functional equation for the auxiliary matrices which is closely related to a functional equation for the eight-vertex model conjectured by Fabricius and McCoy.Comment: 22 pages; 2nd version: one paragraph added in the conclusion and some typos correcte

Modeling of micro- and nano-scale domain recording by high-voltage atomic force microscopy in ferroelectrics-semiconductors

The equilibrium sizes of micro- and nano-domains caused by electric field of atomic force microscope tip in ferroelectric semiconductor crystals have been calculated. The domain was considered as a prolate semi-ellipsoid with rather thin domain walls. For the first time we modified the Landauer model allowing for semiconductor properties of the sample and the surface energy of the domain butt. The free carriers inside the crystal lead to the formation of the screening layer around the domain, which partially shields its interior from the depolarization field. We expressed the radius and length of the domain though the crystal material parameters (screening radius, spontaneous polarization value, dielectric permittivity tensor) and atomic force microscope tip characteristics (charge, radius of curvature). The obtained dependence of domain radius via applied voltage is in a good quantitative agreement with the ones of submicron ferroelectric domains recorded by high-voltage atomic force and scanning probe microscopy in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 crystals.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure

Finite size and intrinsic field effect on the polar-active properties of the ferroelectric-semiconductor heterostructures

Using Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire approach we calculated the equilibrium distributions of electric field, polarization and space charge in the ferroelectric-semiconductor heterostructures containing proper or incipient ferroelectric thin films. The role of the polarization gradient and intrinsic surface energy, interface dipoles and free charges on polarization dynamics are specifically explored. The intrinsic field effects, which originated at the ferroelectric-semiconductor interface, lead to the surface band bending and result into the formation of depletion space-charge layer near the semiconductor surface. During the local polarization reversal (caused by the inhomogeneous electric field induced by the nanosized tip of the Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) probe) the thickness and charge of the interface layer drastically changes, it particular the sign of the screening carriers is determined by the polarization direction. Obtained analytical solutions could be extended to analyze polarization-mediated electronic transport.Comment: 35 pages, 12 figures, 1 table, 2 appendices, to be submitted to Phys. Rev.

Optical second harmonic generation probe of two-dimensional ferroelectricity

Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) is used as a noninvasive probe of two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectricity in Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of copolymer vinylidene fluoride with trifluorethylene. The surface 2D ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition in the topmost layer of LB films and a thickness independent (almost 2D) transition in the bulk of these films are observed in temperature studies of SHG.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, Optics Letters, in prin

Analytic and geometric properties of photoinduced effects in noncentrosymmetric crystals: photovoltaic current and optical rectification

An original dispersion relation between the stationary coherent nonlinear optical responses by current and polarisation is obtained. The dispersion relation provides a new complimentary tool that can be employed to study light-induced charge transport models and facilitate experimental data analysis. It is shown that the origin of the coherent current and the dc-polarisation induced in a noncentrosymmetric crystal under illumination is related to the theory of the Berry phase and can be represented in terms of the renormalised geometric potentials. This renormalisation originates from the extra phase difference acquired by a carrier in the light field on the quantum transition between the electronic bands. The gauge invariance of the corresponding expressions for the current and the polarisation is demonstrated.Comment: 7 page