2,106 research outputs found
Chain Formation by Spin Pentamers in eta-Na9V14O35
The nature of the gapped ground state in the quasi-one-dimensional compound
eta-Na9V14O35 cannot easily be understood, if one takes into account the odd
number of spins on each structural element. Combining the results of specific
heat, susceptibility and electron spin resonance measurements we show that
eta-Na9V14O35 exhibits a novel ground state where multi-spin objects build up a
linear chain. These objects - pentamers - consist of five antiferromagnetically
arranged spins with effective spin 1/2. Their spatial extent results in an
exchange constant along the chain direction comparable to the one in the
high-temperature state.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
Surface Morphology and Strain Relief in Surfactant Mediated Growth of Germanium on Silicon (111)
The growth of Ge on Si is strongly modified by adsorbates called surfactants. The relevance of the stress on surface morphology and the growth mode of Ge on Si(111) is presented in a detailed in situ study by high resolution low energy electron diffraction (LEED) during the deposition. The change from islanding to layer-by-layer growth mode is seen in the oscillatory intensity behaviour of the 00-spot. As a strain relief mechanism, the Ge-film forms a microscopic rough surface of small triangular and defect-free pyramids in the pseudomorphic growth regime up to 8 monolayers. As soon as the pyramids are completed and start to coalesce, strain relieving defects are created at their base, finally arranging to the dislocation network. Without the driving force for the micro-roughness, the stress, the surface flattens again showing a much larger terrace length. The formation process of the dislocation network results in a spot splitting in LEED, since the periodic dislocations at the interface give rise to elastic deformation of the surface. Surprisingly the Ge-film is relaxed to 70% immediately after 8 monolayers of coverage, which is attributed to the micro rough surface morphology, providing innumerous nucleation sites for dislocation
Implementing general measurements on linear optical and solid-state qubits
We show a systematic construction for implementing general measurements on a
single qubit, including both strong (or projection) and weak measurements. We
mainly focus on linear optical qubits. The present approach is composed of
simple and feasible elements, i.e., beam splitters, wave plates, and polarizing
beam splitters. We show how the parameters characterizing the measurement
operators are controlled by the linear optical elements. We also propose a
method for the implementation of general measurements in solid-state qubits.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
Memory Effect and Triplet Pairing Generation in the Superconducting Exchange Biased Co/CoOx/Cu41Ni59/Nb/Cu41Ni59 Layered Heterostructure
We fabricated a nanolayered hybrid superconductor-ferromagnet spin-valve
structure, the resistive state of which depends on the preceding magnetic field
polarity. The effect is based on a strong exchange bias (about -2 kOe) on a
diluted ferromagnetic copper-nickel alloy and generation of a long range odd in
frequency triplet pairing component. The difference of high and low resistance
states at zero magnetic field is 90% of the normal state resistance for a
transport current of 250 {\mu}A and still around 42% for 10 {\mu}A. Both logic
states of the structure do not require biasing fields or currents in the idle
mode.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, Accepted to Applied Physics Letter
Reentrant Superconductivity and Superconducting Critical Temperature Oscillations in F/S/F trilayers of Cu41Ni59/Nb/Cu41Ni59 Grown on Cobalt Oxide
Ferromagnet/Superconductor/Ferromagnet (F/S/F) trilayers constitute the core
of a superconducting spin valve. The switching effect of the spin valve is
based on interference phenomena occurring due to the proximity effect at the
S/F interfaces. A remarkable effect is only expected if the core structure
exhibits strong critical temperature oscillations, or most favorable, reentrant
superconductivity, when the thickness of the ferromagnetic layer is increased.
The core structure has to be grown on an antiferromagnetic oxide layer (or such
layer to be placed on top) to pin by exchange bias the
magnetization-orientation of one of the ferromagnetic layers. In the present
paper we demonstrate that this is possible, keeping the superconducting
behavior of the core structure undisturbed.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, 1 tabl
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Intrathecal B-cell activation in LGI1 antibody encephalitis.
ObjectiveTo study intrathecal B-cell activity in leucine-rich, glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) antibody encephalitis. In patients with LGI1 antibodies, the lack of CSF lymphocytosis or oligoclonal bands and serum-predominant LGI1 antibodies suggests a peripherally initiated immune response. However, it is unknown whether B cells within the CNS contribute to the ongoing pathogenesis of LGI1 antibody encephalitis.MethodsPaired CSF and peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells were collected from 6 patients with LGI1 antibody encephalitis and 2 patients with other neurologic diseases. Deep B-cell immune repertoire sequencing was performed on immunoglobulin heavy chain transcripts from CSF B cells and sorted PB B-cell subsets. In addition, LGI1 antibody levels were determined in CSF and PB.ResultsSerum LGI1 antibody titers were on average 127-fold higher than CSF LGI1 antibody titers. Yet, deep B-cell repertoire analysis demonstrated a restricted CSF repertoire with frequent extensive clusters of clonally related B cells connected to mature PB B cells. These clusters showed intensive mutational activity of CSF B cells, providing strong evidence for an independent CNS-based antigen-driven response in patients with LGI1 antibody encephalitis but not in controls.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that intrathecal immunoglobulin repertoire expansion is a feature of LGI1 antibody encephalitis and suggests a need for CNS-penetrant therapies
Reentrant superconductivity in superconductor/ferromagnetic-alloy bilayers
We studied the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) like state
establishing due to the proximity effect in superconducting Nb/Cu41Ni59
bilayers. Using a special wedge-type deposition technique, series of 20-35
samples could be fabricated by magnetron sputtering during one run. The layer
thickness of only a few nanometers, the composition of the alloy, and the
quality of interfaces were controlled by Rutherford backscattering
spectrometry, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Auger
spectroscopy. The magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic alloy layer were
characterized with superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID)
magnetometry. These studies yield precise information about the thickness, and
demonstrate the homogeneity of the alloy composition and magnetic properties
along the sample series. The dependencies of the critical temperature on the Nb
and Cu41Ni59 layer thickness, Tc(dS) and Tc(dF), were investigated for constant
thickness dF of the magnetic alloy layer and dS of the superconducting layer,
respectively. All types of non-monotonic behaviors of Tc versus dF predicted by
the theory could be realized experimentally: from reentrant superconducting
behavior with a broad extinction region to a slight suppression of
superconductivity with a shallow minimum. Even a double extinction of
superconductivity was observed, giving evidence for the multiple reentrant
behavior predicted by theory. All critical temperature curves were fitted with
suitable sets of parameters. Then, Tc(dF) diagrams of a hypothetical F/S/F
spin-switch core structure were calculated using these parameters. Finally,
superconducting spin-switch fabrication issues are discussed in detail in view
of the achieved results.Comment: 34 pages, 9 figure
In situ observation of stress relaxation in epitaxial graphene
Upon cooling, branched line defects develop in epitaxial graphene grown at
high temperature on Pt(111) and Ir(111). Using atomically resolved scanning
tunneling microscopy we demonstrate that these defects are wrinkles in the
graphene layer, i.e. stripes of partially delaminated graphene. With low energy
electron microscopy (LEEM) we investigate the wrinkling phenomenon in situ.
Upon temperature cycling we observe hysteresis in the appearance and
disappearance of the wrinkles. Simultaneously with wrinkle formation a change
in bright field imaging intensity of adjacent areas and a shift in the moire
spot positions for micro diffraction of such areas takes place. The stress
relieved by wrinkle formation results from the mismatch in thermal expansion
coefficients of graphene and the substrate. A simple one-dimensional model
taking into account the energies related to strain, delamination and bending of
graphene is in qualitative agreement with our observations.Comment: Supplementary information: S1: Photo electron emission microscopy and
LEEM measurements of rotational domains, STM data of a delaminated bulge
around a dislocation. S2: Movie with increasing brightness upon wrinkle
formation as in figure 4. v2: Major revision including new experimental dat
Monitoring retinal changes with optical coherence tomography predicts neuronal loss in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
BACKGROUND:Retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a clinical and research tool in multiple sclerosis, where it has shown significant retinal nerve fiber (RNFL) and ganglion cell (RGC) layer thinning, while postmortem studies have reported RGC loss. Although retinal pathology in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) has been described, comparative OCT studies among EAE models are scarce. Furthermore, the best practices for the implementation of OCT in the EAE lab, especially with afoveate animals like rodents, remain undefined. We aimed to describe the dynamics of retinal injury in different mouse EAE models and outline the optimal experimental conditions, scan protocols, and analysis methods, comparing these to histology to confirm the pathological underpinnings. METHODS:Using spectral-domain OCT, we analyzed the test-retest and the inter-rater reliability of volume, peripapillary, and combined horizontal and vertical line scans. We then monitored the thickness of the retinal layers in different EAE models: in wild-type (WT) C57Bl/6J mice immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide (MOG35-55) or with bovine myelin basic protein (MBP), in TCR2D2 mice immunized with MOG35-55, and in SJL/J mice immunized with myelin proteolipid lipoprotein (PLP139-151). Strain-matched control mice were sham-immunized. RGC density was counted on retinal flatmounts at the end of each experiment. RESULTS:Volume scans centered on the optic disc showed the best reliability. Retinal changes during EAE were localized in the inner retinal layers (IRLs, the combination of the RNFL and the ganglion cell plus the inner plexiform layers). In WT, MOG35-55 EAE, progressive thinning of IRL started rapidly after EAE onset, with 1/3 of total loss occurring during the initial 2 months. IRL thinning was associated with the degree of RGC loss and the severity of EAE. Sham-immunized SJL/J mice showed progressive IRL atrophy, which was accentuated in PLP-immunized mice. MOG35-55-immunized TCR2D2 mice showed severe EAE and retinal thinning. MBP immunization led to very mild disease without significant retinopathy. CONCLUSIONS:Retinal neuroaxonal damage develops quickly during EAE. Changes in retinal thickness mirror neuronal loss and clinical severity. Monitoring of the IRL thickness after immunization against MOG35-55 in C57Bl/6J mice seems the most convenient model to study retinal neurodegeneration in EAE
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