504 research outputs found
Self-assembly of the simple cubic lattice with an isotropic potential
Conventional wisdom presumes that low-coordinated crystal ground states
require directional interactions. Using our recently introduced optimization
procedure to achieve self-assembly of targeted structures (Phys. Rev. Lett. 95,
228301 (2005), Phys. Rev. E 73, 011406 (2006)), we present an isotropic pair
potential for a three-dimensional many-particle system whose classical
ground state is the low-coordinated simple cubic (SC) lattice. This result is
part of an ongoing pursuit by the authors to develop analytical and
computational tools to solve statistical-mechanical inverse problems for the
purpose of achieving targeted self-assembly. The purpose of these methods is to
design interparticle interactions that cause self-assembly of technologically
important target structures for applications in photonics, catalysis,
separation, sensors and electronics. We also show that standard approximate
integral-equation theories of the liquid state that utilize pair correlation
function information cannot be used in the reverse mode to predict the correct
simple cubic potential. We report in passing optimized isotropic potentials
that yield the body-centered cubic and simple hexagonal lattices, which provide
other examples of non-close-packed structures that can be assembled using
isotropic pair interactions.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in Physical Review
Charge and spin distributions in GaMnAs/GaAs Ferromagnetic Multilayers
A self-consistent electronic structure calculation based on the
Luttinger-Kohn model is performed on GaMnAs/GaAs multilayers. The Diluted
Magnetic Semiconductor layers are assumed to be metallic and ferromagnetic. The
high Mn concentration (considered as 5% in our calculation) makes it possible
to assume the density of magnetic moments as a continuous distribution, when
treating the magnetic interaction between holes and the localized moment on the
Mn(++) sites. Our calculation shows the distribution of heavy holes and light
holes in the structure. A strong spin-polarization is observed, and the charge
is concentrated mostly on the GaMnAs layers, due to heavy and light holes with
their total angular momentum aligned anti-parallel to the average
magnetization. The charge and spin distributions are analyzed in terms of their
dependence on the number of multilayers, the widths of the GaMnAs and GaAs
layers, and the width of lateral GaAs layers at the borders of the structure.Comment: 12 pages,7 figure
Discerning Aggregation in Homogeneous Ensembles: A General Description of Photon Counting Spectroscopy in Diffusing Systems
In order to discern aggregation in solutions, we present a quantum mechanical
analog of the photon statistics from fluorescent molecules diffusing through a
focused beam. A generating functional is developed to fully describe the
experimental physical system as well as the statistics. Histograms of the
measured time delay between photon counts are fit by an analytical solution
describing the static as well as diffusing regimes. To determine empirical
fitting parameters, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy is used in parallel
to the photon counting. For expedient analysis, we find that the distribution's
deviation from a single Poisson shows a difference between two single fluor
moments or a double fluor aggregate of the same total intensities. Initial
studies were performed on fixed-state aggregates limited to dimerization.
However preliminary results on reactive species suggest that the method can be
used to characterize any aggregating system.Comment: 30 pages, 5 figure
On the Application of a Monolithic Array for Detecting Intensity-Correlated Photons Emitted by Different Source Types
It is not widely appreciated that many subtleties are involved in the
accurate measurement of intensity-correlated photons; even for the original
experiments of Hanbury Brown and Twiss (HBT). Using a monolithic 4x4 array of
single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), together with an off-chip algorithm for
processing streaming data, we investigate the difficulties of measuring
second-order photon correlations g2 in a wide variety of light fields that
exhibit dramatically different correlation statistics: a multimode He-Ne laser,
an incoherent intensity-modulated lamp-light source and a thermal light source.
Our off-chip algorithm treats multiple photon-arrivals at pixel-array pairs, in
any observation interval, with photon fluxes limited by detector saturation, in
such a way that a correctly normalized g2 function is guaranteed. The impact of
detector background correlations between SPAD pixels and afterpulsing effects
on second-order coherence measurements is discussed. These results demonstrate
that our monolithic SPAD array enables access to effects that are otherwise
impossible to measure with stand-alone detectors.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figure
Multi-phonon Raman scattering in semiconductor nanocrystals: importance of non-adiabatic transitions
Multi-phonon Raman scattering in semiconductor nanocrystals is treated taking
into account both adiabatic and non-adiabatic phonon-assisted optical
transitions. Because phonons of various symmetries are involved in scattering
processes, there is a considerable enhancement of intensities of multi-phonon
peaks in nanocrystal Raman spectra. Cases of strong and weak band mixing are
considered in detail. In the first case, fundamental scattering takes place via
internal electron-hole states and is participated by s- and d-phonons, while in
the second case, when the intensity of the one-phonon Raman peak is strongly
influenced by the interaction of an electron and of a hole with interface
imperfections (e. g., with trapped charge), p-phonons are most active.
Calculations of Raman scattering spectra for CdSe and PbS nanocrystals give a
good quantitative agreement with recent experimental results.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, E-mail addresses: [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected], accepted for publication in
Physical Review
Quantum dots and spin qubits in graphene
This is a review on graphene quantum dots and their use as a host for spin
qubits. We discuss the advantages but also the challenges to use graphene
quantum dots for spin qubits as compared to the more standard materials like
GaAs. We start with an overview of this young and fascinating field and will
then discuss gate-tunable quantum dots in detail. We calculate the bound states
for three different quantum dot architectures where a bulk gap allows for
confinement via electrostatic fields: (i) graphene nanoribbons with armchair
boundary, (ii) a disc in single-layer graphene, and (iii) a disc in bilayer
graphene. In order for graphene quantum dots to be useful in the context of
spin qubits, one needs to find reliable ways to break the valley-degeneracy.
This is achieved here, either by a specific termination of graphene in (i) or
in (ii) and (iii) by a magnetic field, without the need of a specific boundary.
We further discuss how to manipulate spin in these quantum dots and explain the
mechanism of spin decoherence and relaxation caused by spin-orbit interaction
in combination with electron-phonon coupling, and by hyperfine interaction with
the nuclear spin system.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, topical review prepared for Nanotechnolog
Intersubband-induced spin-orbit interaction in quantum wells
Recently, we have found an additional spin-orbit (SO) interaction in quantum
wells with two subbands [Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 076603 (2007)]. This new SO term
is non-zero even in symmetric geometries, as it arises from the intersubband
coupling between confined states of distinct parities, and its strength is
comparable to that of the ordinary Rashba. Starting from the Kane
model, here we present a detailed derivation of this new SO Hamiltonian and the
corresponding SO coupling. In addition, within the self-consistent Hartree
approximation, we calculate the strength of this new SO coupling for realistic
symmetric modulation-doped wells with two subbands. We consider gated
structures with either a constant areal electron density or a constant chemical
potential. In the parameter range studied, both models give similar results. By
considering the effects of an external applied bias, which breaks the
structural inversion symmetry of the wells, we also calculate the strength of
the resulting induced Rashba couplings within each subband. Interestingly, we
find that for double wells the Rashba couplings for the first and second
subbands interchange signs abruptly across the zero bias, while the
intersubband SO coupling exhibits a resonant behavior near this symmetric
configuration. For completeness we also determine the strength of the
Dresselhaus couplings and find them essentially constant as function of the
applied bias.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figure
The macro- and megabenthic fauna on the continental shelf of the eastern Amundsen Sea, Antarctica
In 2008 the BIOPEARL II expedition on board of RRS James Clark Ross sailed to the eastern Amundsen Sea Embayment and Pine Island Bay, one of the least studied Antarctic continental shelf regions due to its remoteness and ice cover. A total of 37 Agassiz trawls were deployed at depth transects along the continental and trough slopes. A total of 5,469 specimens, belonging to 32 higher taxonomic groups and more than 270 species, were collected. Species richness per station varied from 1â55. The benthic assemblages were dominated by echinoderms and clearly different to those in the Ross, Scotia and Weddell seas. Here we present the macro- and megafaunal assemblage structure, its species richness and the presence of several undescribed species
Knee complaints and consequences on work status; a 10-year follow-up survey among floor layers and graphic designers
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of the study was to examine if knee complaints among floor layers predict exclusion from the trade.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 1994/95 self-reported data were obtained from a cohort of floor layers and graphic designers with and without knee straining work activities, respectively. At follow-up in 2005 the questionnaire survey was repeated. The study population consisted of 81 floor layers and 173 graphic designers who were presently working in their trades at baseline (1995). All participants were men aged 36â70 years in 2005.</p> <p>We computed the risk of losing gainful employment in the trade according to occurrence of knee complaints at baseline, using Cox proportional hazard regression adjusted for a number of potential confounding variables. Moreover, the crude and adjusted odds risk ratio for knee complaints according to status of employment in the trade were computed, using graphic designers as reference.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A positive but non-significant association between knee complaints lasting more than 30 days the past 12 months and exclusion from the trade was found among floor layers (Hazard Ratio = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.6â3.5).</p> <p>The frequency of self-reported knee complaints was lower among floor layers presently at work in the trade in year 2005 (26.3%) compared with baseline in 1995 (41.1%), while the opposite tendency was seen among graphic designers (20.7% vs. 10.7%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study suggests that knee complaints are a risk factor for premature exclusion from a knee demanding trade. However, low power of the study precludes strong conclusions. The study also indicates a healthy worker effect among floor layers and a survivor effect among graphic designers.</p
Bayesian Model Selection Applied to the Analysis of Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy Data of Fluorescent Proteins in Vitro and in Vivo
Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is a powerful technique to investigate molecular dynamics with single molecule sensitivity. In particular, in the life sciences it has found widespread application using fluorescent proteins as molecularly specific labels. However, FCS data analysis and interpretation using fluorescent proteins remains challenging due to typically low signal-to-noise ratio of FCS data and correlated noise in autocorrelated data sets. As a result, naive fitting procedures that ignore these important issues typically provide similarly good fits for multiple competing models without clear distinction of which model is preferred given the signal-to-noise ratio present in the data. Recently, we introduced a Bayesian model selection procedure to overcome this issue with FCS data analysis. The method accounts for the highly correlated noise that is present in FCS data sets and additionally penalizes model complexity to prevent over interpretation of FCS data. Here, we apply this procedure to evaluate FCS data from fluorescent proteins assayed in vitro and in vivo. Consistent with previous work, we demonstrate that model selection is strongly dependent on the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement, namely, excitation intensity and measurement time, and is sensitive to saturation artifacts. Under fixed, low intensity excitation conditions, physical transport models can unambiguously be identified. However, at excitation intensities that are considered moderate in many studies, unwanted artifacts are introduced that result in nonphysical models to be preferred. We also determined the appropriate fitting models of a GFP tagged secreted signaling protein, Wnt3, in live zebrafish embryos, which is necessary for the investigation of Wnt3 expression and secretion in development. Bayes model selection therefore provides a robust procedure to determine appropriate transport and photophysical models for fluorescent proteins when appropriate models are provided, to help detect and eliminate experimental artifacts in solution, cells, and in living organisms.National Science Foundation (U.S.). Physics of Living Systems ProgramNational Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) (Award U01MH106011
- âŠ