5,095 research outputs found
Making it work: identifying the challenges of collaborative international research
In this article, we explore the challenges – and benefits – of conducting collaborative research on an international scale. The authors – from Australia, Canada, and New Zealand – draw upon their experiences in designing and conducting a three-country study. The growing pressures on scholars to work in collaborative research teams are described, and key findings and reflections are presented. It is claimed that such work is a highly complex and demanding extension to the academic’s role. The authors conclude that, despite the somewhat negative sense that this reflection may convey, the synergies gained and the valuable comparative learning that took place make overcoming these challenges a worthwhile process. The experiences as outlined in this paper suggest that developing understandings of the challenges inherent in undertaking international collaborative research might well be a required component of the professional development opportunities afforded to new scholars
Landau quantization effects in the charge-density-wave system (Per)(mnt) (where Au and Pt)
A finite transfer integral orthogonal to the conducting chains of a
highly one-dimensional metal gives rise to empty and filled bands that simulate
an indirect-gap semiconductor upon formation of a commensurate
charge-density-wave (CDW). In contrast to semiconductors such as Ge and Si with
bandgaps eV, the CDW system possesses an indirect gap with a greatly
reduced energy scale, enabling moderate laboratory magnetic fields to have a
major effect. The consequent variation of the thermodynamic gap with magnetic
field due to Zeeman splitting and Landau quantization enables the electronic
bandstructure parameters (transfer integrals, Fermi velocity) to be determined
accurately. These parameters reveal the orbital quantization limit to be
reached at T in (Per)(mnt) salts, making them highly
unlikely candidates for a recently-proposed cascade of field-induced
charge-density wave states
Fluid structure in the immediate vicinity of an equilibrium three-phase contact line and assessment of disjoining pressure models using density functional theory
We examine the nanoscale behavior of an equilibrium three-phase contact line
in the presence of long-ranged intermolecular forces by employing a statistical
mechanics of fluids approach, namely density functional theory (DFT) together
with fundamental measure theory (FMT). This enables us to evaluate the
predictive quality of effective Hamiltonian models in the vicinity of the
contact line. In particular, we compare the results for mean field effective
Hamiltonians with disjoining pressures defined through (I) the adsorption
isotherm for a planar liquid film, and (II) the normal force balance at the
contact line. We find that the height profile obtained using (I) shows good
agreement with the adsorption film thickness of the DFT-FMT equilibrium density
profile in terms of maximal curvature and the behavior at large film heights.
In contrast, we observe that while the height profile obtained by using (II)
satisfies basic sum rules, it shows little agreement with the adsorption film
thickness of the DFT results. The results are verified for contact angles of
20, 40 and 60 degrees
Foliation of the Kottler-Schwarzschild-De Sitter Spacetime by Flat Spacelike Hypersurfaces
There exist Kruskal like coordinates for the Reissner-Nordstrom (RN) black
hole spacetime which are regular at coordinate singularities. Non existence of
such coordinates for the extreme RN black hole spacetime has already been
shown. Also the Carter coordinates available for the extreme case are not
manifestly regular at the coordinate singularity, therefore, a numerical
procedure was developed to obtain free fall geodesics and flat foliation for
the extreme RN black hole spacetime. The Kottler-Schwarzschild-de Sitter
(KSSdS) spacetime geometry is similar to the RN geometry in the sense that,
like the RN case, there exist non-singular coordinates when there are two
distinct coordinate singularities. There are no manifestly regular coordinates
for the extreme KSSdS case. In this paper foliation of all the cases of the
KSSdS spacetime by flat spacelike hypersurfaces is obtained by introducing a
non-singular time coordinate.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure
Alkali Oxides. Analysis of Bonding and Explanation of the Reversal of Ordering of the 2Σ and 2ΠStates
We analyze the bonding in alkali oxides, MO, for M = Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs. Using ab initio correlated wave functions we find that the ground state is ²II for M = Li, Na, and K and that the ground state is ²Ʃ^+ for M = Rb and Cs. The origin of this effect is explained
Comparison of the Fermi-surface topologies of kappa-(BEDT-TTF)_2 Cu(NCS)_2 and its deuterated analogue
We have measured details of the quasi one-dimensional Fermi-surface sections
in the organic superconductor kappa-(BEDT-TTF)_2 Cu(NCS)_2 and its deuterated
analogue using angle-dependent millimetre-wave techniques. There are
significant differences in the corrugations of the Fermi surfaces in the
deuterated and undeuterated salts. We suggest that this is important in
understanding the inverse isotope effect, where the superconducting transition
temperature rises on deuteration. The data support models for superconductivity
which invoke electron-electron interactions depending on the topological
properties of the Fermi surface
Recent high-magnetic-field studies of unusual groundstates in quasi-two-dimensional crystalline organic metals and superconductors
After a brief introduction to crystalline organic superconductors and metals,
we shall describe two recently-observed exotic phases that occur only in high
magnetic fields. The first involves measurements of the non-linear electrical
resistance of single crystals of the charge-density-wave (CDW) system
(Per)Au(mnt) in static magnetic fields of up to 45 T and temperatures
as low as 25 mK. The presence of a fully gapped CDW state with typical CDW
electrodynamics at fields higher that the Pauli paramagnetic limit of 34 T
suggests the existence of a modulated CDW phase analogous to the
Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state. Secondly, measurements of the Hall
potential of single crystals of -(BEDT-TTF)KHg(SCN), made using
a variant of the Corbino geometry in quasistatic magnetic fields, show
persistent current effects that are similar to those observed in conventional
superconductors. The longevity of the currents, large Hall angle, flux
quantization and confinement of the reactive component of the Hall potential to
the edge of the sample are all consistent with the realization of a new state
of matter in CDW systems with significant orbital quantization effects in
strong magnetic fields.Comment: SNS 2004 Conference presentatio
A photonic bandgap resonator to facilitate GHz frequency conductivity experiments in pulsed magnetic fields
We describe instrumentation designed to perform millimeter-wave conductivity
measurements in pulsed high magnetic fields at low temperatures. The main
component of this system is an entirely non-metallic microwave resonator. The
resonator utilizes periodic dielectric arrays (photonic bandgap structures) to
confine the radiation, such that the resonant modes have a high Q-factor, and
the system possesses sufficient sensitivity to measure small samples within the
duration of a magnet pulse. As well as measuring the sample conductivity to
probe orbital physics in metallic systems, this technique can detect the sample
permittivity and permeability allowing measurement of spin physics in
insulating systems. We demonstrate the system performance in pulsed magnetic
fields with both electron paramagnetic resonance experiments and conductivity
measurements of correlated electron systems.Comment: Submitted to the Review of Scientific instrument
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