Deconfinement Phase Transition in Neutron Stars and \delta-Meson Field

The Maxwell and Glendenning construction scenarios of deconfinement phase transition in neutron star matter are investigated. The hadronic phase is described within the relativistic mean-field (RMF) theory, if also the scalar-isovector \delta-meson field is taken into account. The strange quark phase is described in the frame of MIT bag model, including the effect of perturbative one-gluon exchange interactions. The influence of the \delta-meson field on the deconfinement phase transition boundary characteristics is discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Scalar-Isovector Delta-Meson in the Relativistic Mean-Field Theory and the Structure of Neutron Stars with a Quark Core

In the framework of the relativistic mean-field theory, we have considered the equation of state of superdense nuclear matter, taking into account an effective scalar-isovector delta-meson field. The effect of the delta-meson field on the characteristics of a Maxwell-type quark phase transition has been studied. The quark phase is described with the aid of the improved version of the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) bag model, in which interactions between the u, d, s quarks inside the bag are taken into account in the one-gluon exchange approximation. For different values of the bag parameter B, series of neutron star models with a quark core have been built. Stability problems for neutron stars with an infinitesimal quark core are discussed. An estimate is obtained for the amount of energy released in a catastrophic transformation of a critical neutron star to a star with a finite-size quark core.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, Talk given at the International Conference RUSGRAV-13, June 23-28, 2008, PFUR, Mosco

Relativistic Mean-Field Theory Equation of State of Neutron Star Matter and a Maxwellian Phase Transition to Strange Quark Matter

The equation of state of neutron star matter is examined in terms of the relativistic mean-field theory, including a scalar-isovector $\delta$-meson effective field. The constants of the theory are determined numerically so that the empirically known characteristics of symmetric nuclear matter are reproduced at the saturation density. The thermodynamic characteristics of both asymmetric nucleonic matter and $\beta$-equilibrium hadron-electron $npe$-plasmas are studied. Assuming that the transition to strange quark matter is an ordinary first-order phase transition described by Maxwell's rule, a detailed study is made of the variations in the parameters of the phase transition owing to the presence of a $\delta$-meson field. The quark phase is described using an improved version of the bag model, in which interactions between quarks are accounted for in a one-gluon exchange approximation. The characteristics of the phase transition are determined for various values of the bag parameter within the range $B\in[60,120]$ $MeV/fm^{3}$ and it is shown that including a $\delta$-meson field leads to a reduction in the phase transition pressure $P_{0}$ and in the concentrations $n_{N}$ and $n_{Q}$ at the phase transition point.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure

Exchange bias in laterally oxidized Au/Co/Au nanopillars

Au/Co/Au nanopillars fabricated by colloidal lithography of continuous trilayers exhibit and enhanced coercive field and the appearance of an exchange bias field with respect to the continuous layers. This is attributed to the lateral oxidation of the Co interlayer that appears upon disc fabrication. The dependence of the exchange bias field on the Co nanodots size and on the oxidation degree is analyzed and its microscopic origin clarified by means of Monte Carlo simulations based on a model of a cylindrical dot with lateral core/shell structure.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures. Published in Appl. Phys. Let