Apparent negative motion of vortex matter due to inhomogeneous pinning

We investigate the transport of vortices in superconductors with inhomgeneous pinning under a driving force. The inhomogeneity of pinning is simplified as strong-weak pinning regions. It is demonstrated that the interactions between the vortices captured by strong pinning potentials and the vortices in the weak pinning region cause absolute negative motion (ANM) of vortices: The vortices which are climbing toward the high barriers induced by the strong pinning with the help of driving force move toward the opposite direction of the force and back to their equilibrium positions in the weak pinning region as the force decreases or is withdrawn. Our simulations reveal that the hysteresis of ANM is determined by the competition between the speed of the negative motion which depends on the piining inhomogeneity in superconductors and the speed of the driving force. Under the conditions of either larger force scanning rate or higher pinning inhomogeneity, a marked ANM and a larger hysteretic speed-force loop could be observed. This indicates that the time window to observe the ANM should be chosen properly. Moreover, the V-1 characteristics of Ag-sheathed Bi=2223 tapes are measured, and experimental observations are qualitatively in agreement with the simulation

Influence of the starting composition on the structural and superconducting properties of MgB2 phase

We report the preparation of Mg$_{1-x}$B$_{2}$ (0$\le$x$\le$0.5) compounds with the nominal compositions. Single phase MgB$_{2}$ was obtained for x=0 sample. For 0$<$x$\le$0.5, MgB$_{4}$ coexists with "MgB$_{2}$" and the amount of MgB$_{4}$ increases with x. With the increase of x, the lattice parameter ${\it c}$ of "MgB$_{2}$" increases and the lattice parameter ${\it a}$ decreases, correspondingly T$_{c}$ of Mg$_{1-x}$B$_{2}$ decreases. The results were discussed in terms of the presence of Mg vacancies or B interstitials in the MgB$_{2}$ structure. This work is helpful to the understanding of the MgB$_{2}$ films with different T$_{c}$, as well as the Mg site doping effect for MgB$_{2}$.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Comparing proton momentum distributions in A=2A=2 and 3 nuclei via 2^2H 3^3H and 3^3He (e,e′p)(e, e'p) measurements

We report the first measurement of the $(e,e'p)$ reaction cross-section ratios for Helium-3 ($^3$He), Tritium ($^3$H), and Deuterium ($d$). The measurement covered a missing momentum range of $40 \le p_{miss} \le 550$ MeV$/c$, at large momentum transfer ($\langle Q^2 \rangle \approx 1.9$ (GeV$/c$)$^2$) and $x_B>1$, which minimized contributions from non quasi-elastic (QE) reaction mechanisms. The data is compared with plane-wave impulse approximation (PWIA) calculations using realistic spectral functions and momentum distributions. The measured and PWIA-calculated cross-section ratios for $^3$He$/d$ and $^3$H$/d$ extend to just above the typical nucleon Fermi-momentum ($k_F \approx 250$ MeV$/c$) and differ from each other by $\sim 20\%$, while for $^3$He/$^3$H they agree within the measurement accuracy of about 3\%. At momenta above $k_F$, the measured $^3$He/$^3$H ratios differ from the calculation by $20\% - 50\%$. Final state interaction (FSI) calculations using the generalized Eikonal Approximation indicate that FSI should change the $^3$He/$^3$H cross-section ratio for this measurement by less than 5\%. If these calculations are correct, then the differences at large missing momenta between the $^3$He/$^3$H experimental and calculated ratios could be due to the underlying $NN$ interaction, and thus could provide new constraints on the previously loosely-constrained short-distance parts of the $NN$ interaction.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures (4 panels

Entrainment range of nonidentical circadian oscillators by a light-dark cycle

Circadian clocks in health and diseas

The Proportion of Light-Responsive Neurons Determines the Limit Cycle Properties of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

Circadian clocks in health and diseas