528 research outputs found
Topological Crystalline Insulators in the SnTe Material Class
Topological crystalline insulators are new states of matter in which the
topological nature of electronic structures arises from crystal symmetries.
Here we predict the first material realization of topological crystalline
insulator in the semiconductor SnTe, by identifying its nonzero topological
index. We predict that as a manifestation of this nontrivial topology, SnTe has
metallic surface states with an even number of Dirac cones on high-symmetry
crystal surfaces such as {001}, {110} and {111}. These surface states form a
new type of high-mobility chiral electron gas, which is robust against disorder
and topologically protected by reflection symmetry of the crystal with respect
to {110} mirror plane. Breaking this mirror symmetry via elastic strain
engineering or applying an in-plane magnetic field can open up a continuously
tunable band gap on the surface, which may lead to wide-ranging applications in
thermoelectrics, infrared detection, and tunable electronics. Closely related
semiconductors PbTe and PbSe also become topological crystalline insulators
after band inversion by pressure, strain and alloying.Comment: submitted on Feb. 10, 2012; to appear in Nature Communications; 5
pages, 4 figure
Topological semimetal in a fermionic optical lattice
Optical lattices play a versatile role in advancing our understanding of
correlated quantum matter. The recent implementation of orbital degrees of
freedom in chequerboard and hexagonal optical lattices opens up a new thrust
towards discovering novel quantum states of matter, which have no prior analogs
in solid state electronic materials. Here, we demonstrate that an exotic
topological semimetal emerges as a parity-protected gapless state in the
orbital bands of a two-dimensional fermionic optical lattice. The new quantum
state is characterized by a parabolic band-degeneracy point with Berry flux
, in sharp contrast to the flux of Dirac points as in graphene. We
prove that the appearance of this topological liquid is universal for all
lattices with D point group symmetry as long as orbitals with opposite
parities hybridize strongly with each other and the band degeneracy is
protected by odd parity. Turning on inter-particle repulsive interactions, the
system undergoes a phase transition to a topological insulator whose
experimental signature includes chiral gapless domain-wall modes, reminiscent
of quantum Hall edge states.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures and Supplementary Informatio
A topological Dirac insulator in a quantum spin Hall phase : Experimental observation of first strong topological insulator
When electrons are subject to a large external magnetic field, the
conventional charge quantum Hall effect \cite{Klitzing,Tsui} dictates that an
electronic excitation gap is generated in the sample bulk, but metallic
conduction is permitted at the boundary. Recent theoretical models suggest that
certain bulk insulators with large spin-orbit interactions may also naturally
support conducting topological boundary states in the extreme quantum limit,
which opens up the possibility for studying unusual quantum Hall-like phenomena
in zero external magnetic field. Bulk BiSb single crystals are
expected to be prime candidates for one such unusual Hall phase of matter known
as the topological insulator. The hallmark of a topological insulator is the
existence of metallic surface states that are higher dimensional analogues of
the edge states that characterize a spin Hall insulator. In addition to its
interesting boundary states, the bulk of BiSb is predicted to
exhibit three-dimensional Dirac particles, another topic of heightened current
interest. Here, using incident-photon-energy-modulated (IPEM-ARPES), we report
the first direct observation of massive Dirac particles in the bulk of
BiSb, locate the Kramers' points at the sample's boundary and
provide a comprehensive mapping of the topological Dirac insulator's gapless
surface modes. These findings taken together suggest that the observed surface
state on the boundary of the bulk insulator is a realization of the much sought
exotic "topological metal". They also suggest that this material has potential
application in developing next-generation quantum computing devices.Comment: 16 pages, 3 Figures. Submitted to NATURE on 25th November(2007
One-dimensional Topological Edge States of Bismuth Bilayers
The hallmark of a time-reversal symmetry protected topologically insulating
state of matter in two-dimensions (2D) is the existence of chiral edge modes
propagating along the perimeter of the system. To date, evidence for such
electronic modes has come from experiments on semiconducting heterostructures
in the topological phase which showed approximately quantized values of the
overall conductance as well as edge-dominated current flow. However, there have
not been any spectroscopic measurements to demonstrate the one-dimensional (1D)
nature of the edge modes. Among the first systems predicted to be a 2D
topological insulator are bilayers of bismuth (Bi) and there have been recent
experimental indications of possible topological boundary states at their
edges. However, the experiments on such bilayers suffered from irregular
structure of their edges or the coupling of the edge states to substrate's bulk
states. Here we report scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments which
show that a subset of the predicted Bi-bilayers' edge states are decoupled from
states of Bi substrate and provide direct spectroscopic evidence of their 1D
nature. Moreover, by visualizing the quantum interference of edge mode
quasi-particles in confined geometries, we demonstrate their remarkable
coherent propagation along the edge with scattering properties that are
consistent with strong suppression of backscattering as predicted for the
propagating topological edge states.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, and supplementary materia
Josephson supercurrent through a topological insulator surface state
Topological insulators are characterized by an insulating bulk with a finite
band gap and conducting edge or surface states, where charge carriers are
protected against backscattering. These states give rise to the quantum spin
Hall effect without an external magnetic field, where electrons with opposite
spins have opposite momentum at a given edge. The surface energy spectrum of a
threedimensional topological insulator is made up by an odd number of Dirac
cones with the spin locked to the momentum. The long-sought yet elusive
Majorana fermion is predicted to arise from a combination of a superconductor
and a topological insulator. An essential step in the hunt for this emergent
particle is the unequivocal observation of supercurrent in a topological phase.
Here, we present the first measurement of a Josephson supercurrent through a
topological insulator. Direct evidence for Josephson supercurrents in
superconductor (Nb) - topological insulator (Bi2Te3) - superconductor e-beam
fabricated junctions is provided by the observation of clear Shapiro steps
under microwave irradiation, and a Fraunhofer-type dependence of the critical
current on magnetic field. The dependence of the critical current on
temperature and length shows that the junctions are in the ballistic limit.
Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations in magnetic fields up to 30 T reveal a
topologically non-trivial two-dimensional surface state. We argue that the
ballistic Josephson current is hosted by this surface state despite the fact
that the normal state transport is dominated by diffusive bulk conductivity.
The lateral Nb-Bi2Te3-Nb junctions hence provide prospects for the realization
of devices supporting Majorana fermions
Expression of M. tuberculosis-induced suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1, SOCS3, FoxP3 and secretion of IL-6 associates with differing clinical severity of tuberculosis
Background
Appropriate immune activation of T cells and macrophages is central for the control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections. IFN-γ stimulated responses are lowered in tuberculosis (TB), while expression of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) molecules – 1 and 3 and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+T regulatory cells is increased. Here we investigated the association of these molecules in regard to clinical severity of TB. Methods
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from patients with pulmonary TB (PTB, n = 33), extra-pulmonary TB (ETB, n = 33) and healthy endemic controls (EC, n = 15). Cases were classified as moderately advanced or far advanced PTB, and less severe or severe disseminated ETB. M. tuberculosis -stimulated IFN-γ, SOCS1, SOCS3 and FoxP3 gene expression and secretion of Th1 and Th2 cytokines was measured. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann–Whitney U, Wilcoxon Rank and Kruskal Wallis non-parametric tests. Results
In un-stimulated PBMCs, IL-6 (p = 0.018) and IL-10 (p = 0.013) secretion levels were increased in PTB while IL-10 was also increased in ETB (p = 0.003), all in comparison with EC. M. tuberculosis-stimulated IL-6 (p = 0.003) was lowered in ETB as compared with EC. SOCS1 mRNA expression in M. tuberculosis stimulated PBMCs levels in moderately advanced PTB (p = 0.022), far advanced (p = 0.014) PTB, and severe ETB (p = 0.009) were raised as compared with EC. On the other hand, SOCS1 mRNA titers were reduced in less severe ETB, in comparison with severe ETB (p = 0.027) and far advanced PTB (p = 0.016). SOCS3 mRNA accumulation was reduced in far advanced PTB (p = 0.007) and FoxP3 mRNA expression was increased in less severe ETB as compared with EC (p = 0.017). Conclusions
The lowered SOCS1 mRNA levels in patients with less severe extra-pulmonary TB as compared to those with more severe ETB and PTB may lead to elevated IFN-γ pathway gene expression in the latter group. As localized ETB has shown to be associated with more effective Th1 immunity and adaptive responses, this suggests a role for SOCS1 in determining disease outcome in extra-pulmonary TB
The space group classification of topological band insulators
Topological band insulators (TBIs) are bulk insulating materials which
feature topologically protected metallic states on their boundary. The existing
classification departs from time-reversal symmetry, but the role of the crystal
lattice symmetries in the physics of these topological states remained elusive.
Here we provide the classification of TBIs protected not only by time-reversal,
but also by crystalline symmetries. We find three broad classes of topological
states: (a) Gamma-states robust against general time-reversal invariant
perturbations; (b) Translationally-active states protected from elastic
scattering, but susceptible to topological crystalline disorder; (c) Valley
topological insulators sensitive to the effects of non-topological and
crystalline disorder. These three classes give rise to 18 different
two-dimensional, and, at least 70 three-dimensional TBIs, opening up a route
for the systematic search for new types of TBIs.Comment: Accepted in Nature Physic
Emergent Phenomena Induced by Spin-Orbit Coupling at Surfaces and Interfaces
Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) describes the relativistic interaction between the
spin and momentum degrees of freedom of electrons, and is central to the rich
phenomena observed in condensed matter systems. In recent years, new phases of
matter have emerged from the interplay between SOC and low dimensionality, such
as chiral spin textures and spin-polarized surface and interface states. These
low-dimensional SOC-based realizations are typically robust and can be
exploited at room temperature. Here we discuss SOC as a means of producing such
fundamentally new physical phenomena in thin films and heterostructures. We put
into context the technological promise of these material classes for developing
spin-based device applications at room temperature
Job Creation and Trade in Manufactures: Industry-Level Analysis Across Countries
This paper examines industry-level responses of manufacturing employment in the context of globalization using a large sample of developed, developing, and transition economies. We find that developing countries need atypically high rates of value-added growth (about 10 %) to increase manufacturing employment appreciably (about 4 %). The employment benefits of export orientation are also modest even in “comparative advantage” industries of developing countries. However, diversifying the export basket contributes significantly to employment growth, particularly in the medium- and high-technology industries. Import competition does not undermine employment growth in low-technology industries of developing countries while it displaces jobs in the same industries in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and transition economies. For developing countries, import-induced job losses are higher in the more capital-intensive medium-technology industries. Jobs in high-technology industries are less sensitive to imports with positive relationships observed in the OECD. Investment also complements job creation in low-technology industries of developing countries that have yet to industrialize
Environmental factors modulating the stability and enzymatic activity of the Petrotoga mobilis Esterase (PmEst)
Enzymes isolated from thermophilic organisms found in oil reservoirs can find applications in many fields, including the oleochemical, pharmaceutical, bioenergy, and food/dairy industries. In this study, in silico identification and recombinant production of an esterase from the extremophile bacteria Petrotoga mobilis (designated PmEst) were performed. Then biochemical, bioinformatics and structural characterizations were undertaken using a combination of synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD) and fluorescence spectroscopies to correlate PmEst stability and hydrolytic activity on different substrates. The enzyme presented a high Michaelis-Menten constant (KM 0.16 mM) and optimum activity at ~55°C for p-nitrophenyl butyrate. The secondary structure of PmEst was preserved at acid pH, but not under alkaline conditions. PmEst was unfolded at high concentrations of urea or guanidine through apparently different mechanisms. The esterase activity of PmEst was preserved in the presence of ethanol or propanol and its melting temperature increased ~8°C in the presence of these organic solvents. PmEst is a mesophilic esterase with substrate preference towards short-to medium-length acyl chains. The SRCD data of PmEst is in agreement with the prediction of an α/β protein, which leads us to assume that it displays a typical fold of esterases from this family. The increased enzyme stability in organic solvents may enable novel applications for its use in synthetic biology. Taken together, our results demonstrate features of the PmEst enzyme that indicate it may be suitable for applications in industrial processes, particularly, when the use of polar organic solvents is required
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