Point-contact spectroscopy in heavy-fermion superconductors

We develop a minimal model to calculate point-contact spectra between a metallic tip and a superconducting heavy-fermion system. We apply our tunneling model to the heavy fermion CeCoIn5, both in the normal and superconducting state. In point-contact and scanning tunneling spectroscopy many heavy-fermion materials, like CeCoIn5, exhibit an asymmetric differential conductance, dI/dV, combined with a strongly suppressed Andreev reflection signal in the superconducting state. We argue that both features may be explained in terms of a multichannel tunneling model in the presence of localized states near the interface. We find that it is not sufficient to tunnel into two itinerant bands of light and heavy electrons to explain the Fano line shape of the differential conductance. Localized states in the bulk or near the interface are an essential component for quantum interference to occur when an electron tunnels from the metallic tip of the point contact into the heavy-fermion system.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Andreev experiments on superconductor/ferromagnet point contacts

Andreev reflection is a smart tool to investigate the spin polarisation P of the current through point contacts between a superconductor and a ferromagnet. We compare different models to extract P from experimental data and investigate the dependence of P on different contact parameters.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Fizika Nizkikh Temperatu

Motion by Stopping: Rectifying Brownian Motion of Non-spherical Particles

We show that Brownian motion is spatially not symmetric for mesoscopic particles embedded in a fluid if the particle is not in thermal equilibrium and its shape is not spherical. In view of applications on molecular motors in biological cells, we sustain non-equilibrium by stopping a non-spherical particle at periodic sites along a filament. Molecular dynamics simulations in a Lennard-Jones fluid demonstrate that directed motion is possible without a ratchet potential or temperature gradients if the asymmetric non-equilibrium relaxation process is hindered by external stopping. Analytic calculations in the ideal gas limit show that motion even against a fluid drift is possible and that the direction of motion can be controlled by the shape of the particle, which is completely characterized by tensorial Minkowski functionals.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Towards a Microscopic Theory for Metallic Heavy-Fermion Point Contacts

The bias-dependent resistance R(V) of NS-junctions is calculated using the Keldysh formalism in all orders of the transfer matrix element. We present a compact and simple formula for the Andreev current, that results from the coupling of electrons and holes on the normal side via the anomalous Green's function on the superconducting side. Using simple BCS Nambu-Green's functions the well known Blonder-Tinkam-Klapwijk theory can be recovered. Incorporating the energy-dependent quasi-particle lifetime of the heavy fermions strongly reduces the Andreev-reflection signal.Comment: 3 pages, TeX type, 1 eps figure include, SCES96 Z\"uric

Break junctions of the heavy-fermion superconductors

Mechanical-controllable break junctions of the heavy-fermion superconductors can show Josephson-like superconducting anomalies. But a systematic study on the contact size demonstrates that these anomalies are mainly due to Maxwell's resistance being suppressed in the superconducting heavy-fermion phase. Up to day, we could not find any superconducting features by vacuum-tunnelling spectroscopy, providing further evidence for the pair-breaking effect of the heavy-fermion interfaces.Comment: 5 pages, EPS figures included, REVTeX, to be published in Physica B 9

Power Utility Maximization in Discrete-Time and Continuous-Time Exponential Levy Models

Consider power utility maximization of terminal wealth in a 1-dimensional continuous-time exponential Levy model with finite time horizon. We discretize the model by restricting portfolio adjustments to an equidistant discrete time grid. Under minimal assumptions we prove convergence of the optimal discrete-time strategies to the continuous-time counterpart. In addition, we provide and compare qualitative properties of the discrete-time and continuous-time optimizers.Comment: 18 pages, to appear in Mathematical Methods of Operations Research. The final publication is available at springerlink.co

A Damping of the de Haas-van Alphen Oscillations in the superconducting state

Deploying a recently developed semiclassical theory of quasiparticles in the superconducting state we study the de Haas-van Alphen effect. We find that the oscillations have the same frequency as in the normal state but their amplitude is reduced. We find an analytic formulae for this damping which is due to tunnelling between semiclassical quasiparticle orbits comprising both particle-like and hole-like segments. The quantitative predictions of the theory are consistent with the available data.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Grain size analysis in permanent magnets from Kerr microscopy images using machine learning techniques

Understanding the relationships between composition, structure, processing and properties helps in the development of improved materials for known applications as well as for new applications. Materials scientists, chemists and physicists have researched these relationships for many years, until the recent past, by characterizing the bulk properties of functional materials and describing them with theoretical models. Magnets are widly used in electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), data storage, power generation and transmission, sensors etc. The search for novel magnetic phases requires an efficient quantitative microstructure analysis of microstructural information like phases, grain distribution and micromagnetic structural information like domain patterns, and correlating the information with intrinsic magnetic parameters of magnet samples. The information out of micromagnetic domains helps in obtaining the optimized microstructures in magnets that have good intrinsic magnetic properties. This paper is aimed at introducing the use of a traditional machine learning (ML) model with a higher dimensional feature set and a deep learning (DL) model to classify various regions in sintered NdFeB magnets based on Kerr-microscopy images. The obtained results are compared against reference data, which is generated manually by subject experts. Additionally, the results were compared against the approach for grain analysis, which is based on the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique. Further, the challenges faced by the traditional machine learning model for classifying microstructures in Kerr micrographs are discussed

Reduction of myocardial infarction by postischemic administration of the calpain inhibitor A-705253 in comparison to the Na(+)/H(+) exchange inhibitor Cariporide (R) in isolated perfused rabbit hearts

The calpain inhibitor A-705253 and the Na(+)/H(+) exchange inhibitor Cariporide (R) were studied in isolated perfused rabbit hearts subjected to 60 min occlusion of the ramus interventricularis of the left coronary artery (below the origin of the first diagonal branch), followed by 120 min of reperfusion. The inhibitors were added to the perfusion fluid solely or in combination at the beginning of reperfusion. Hemodynamic monitoring and biochemical analysis of perfusion fluid from the coronary outflow were performed. Myocardial infarct size and area at risk (transiently not perfused myocardium) were determined from left ventricular slices after a special staining procedure with Evans blue and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride. The infarcted area (dead myocardium) was 72.7 +/- 4.0% of the area at risk in untreated controls, but was significantly smaller in the presence of the inhibitors. The largest effect was observed with 10(-6) M A-705253, which reduced the infarcted area to 49.2 +/- 4.1% of the area at risk, corresponding to a reduction of 33.6%. Cariporide (R) at 10(-6) M reduced the infarct size to the same extent. The combination of both inhibitors, however, did not further improve cardioprotection. No significant difference was observed between the experimental groups in coronary perfusion, left ventricular pressure, heart rate, or in the release of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase from heart muscle