157 research outputs found
Landauer Theory, Inelastic Scattering and Electron Transport in Molecular Wires
In this paper we address the topic of inelastic electron scattering in
mesoscopic quantum transport. For systems where only elastic scattering is
present, Landauer theory provides an adequate description of transport that
relates the electronic current to single-particle transmission and reflection
probabilities. A formalism proposed recently by Bonca and Trugman facilitates
the calculation of the one-electron transmission and reflection probabilities
for inelastic processes in mesoscopic conductors connected to one-dimensional
ideal leads. Building on their work, we have developed a self-consistent
procedure for the evaluation of the non-equilibrium electron distributions in
ideal leads connecting such mesoscopic conductors to electron reservoirs at
finite temperatures and voltages. We evaluate the net electronic current
flowing through the mesoscopic device by utilizing these non-equilibrium
distributions. Our approach is a generalization of Landauer theory that takes
account of the Pauli exclusion principle for the various competing elastic and
inelastic processes while satisfying the requirement of particle conservation.
As an application we examine the influence of elastic and inelastic scattering
on conduction through a two site molecular wire with longitudinal phonons using
the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model of electron-phonon coupling.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figure
Universal corrections to the Fermi-liquid theory
We show that the singularities in the dynamical bosonic response functions of
a generic 2D Fermi liquid give rise to universal, non-analytic corrections to
the Fermi-liquid theory. These corrections yield a term in the specific
heat, terms in the effective mass and the uniform spin susceptibility
, and term in . The existence of these
terms has been the subject of recent controversy, which is resolved in this
paper. We present exact expressions for all non-analytic terms to second order
in a generic interaction and show that only U(0) and matter.Comment: references added, a typo correcte
Current-Driven Magnetization Dynamics in Magnetic Multilayers
We develop a quantum analog of the classical spin-torque model for
current-driven magnetic dynamics. The current-driven magnetic excitation at
finite field becomes significantly incoherent. This excitation is described by
an effective magnetic temperature rather than a coherent precession as in the
spin-torque model. However, both the spin-torque and effective temperature
approximations give qualitatively similar switching diagrams in the
current-field coordinates, showing the need for detailed experiments to
establish the proper physical model for current-driven dynamics.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
The decay pi0 to gamma gamma to next to leading order in Chiral Perturbation Theory
The two photon decay width of the neutral pion is analyzed within the
combined framework of Chiral Perturbation Theory and the 1/Nc expansion up to
order p^6 and p^4 times 1/Nc in the decay amplitude. The eta' is explicitly
included in the analysis. It is found that the decay width is enhanced by about
4.5% due to the isospin-breaking induced mixing of the pure U(3) states. This
effect, which is of leading order in the low energy expansion, is shown to
persist nearly unchanged at next to leading order. The chief prediction for the
width with its estimated uncertainty is 8.10+-0.08 eV. This prediction at the
1% level makes the upcomming precision measurement of the decay width even more
urgent.
Observations on the eta and eta' can also be made, especially about their
mixing, which is shown to be significantly affected by next to leading order
corrections.Comment: 21 pages, two figure
Predictive powers of chiral perturbation theory in Compton scattering off protons
We study low-energy nucleon Compton scattering in the framework of baryon
chiral perturbation theory (BPT) with pion, nucleon, and (1232)
degrees of freedom, up to and including the next-to-next-to-leading order
(NNLO). We include the effects of order , and , with
MeV the -resonance excitation energy. These are
all "predictive" powers in the sense that no unknown low-energy constants enter
until at least one order higher (i.e, ). Estimating the theoretical
uncertainty on the basis of natural size for effects, we find that
uncertainty of such a NNLO result is comparable to the uncertainty of the
present experimental data for low-energy Compton scattering. We find an
excellent agreement with the experimental cross section data up to at least the
pion-production threshold. Nevertheless, for the proton's magnetic
polarizability we obtain a value of fm, in
significant disagreement with the current PDG value. Unlike the previous
PT studies of Compton scattering, we perform the calculations in a
manifestly Lorentz-covariant fashion, refraining from the heavy-baryon (HB)
expansion. The difference between the lowest order HBPT and BPT
results for polarizabilities is found to be appreciable. We discuss the chiral
behavior of proton polarizabilities in both HBPT and BPT with the
hope to confront it with lattice QCD calculations in a near future. In studying
some of the polarized observables, we identify the regime where their naive
low-energy expansion begins to break down, thus addressing the forthcoming
precision measurements at the HIGS facility.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, RevTeX4, revised version published in EPJ
Dust Devil Tracks
Dust devils that leave dark- or light-toned tracks are common on Mars and they can also be found on the Earth’s surface. Dust devil tracks (hereinafter DDTs) are ephemeral surface features with mostly sub-annual lifetimes. Regarding their size, DDT widths can range between ∼1 m and ∼1 km, depending on the diameter of dust devil that created the track, and DDT lengths range from a few tens of meters to several kilometers, limited by the duration and horizontal ground speed of dust devils. DDTs can be classified into three main types based on their morphology and albedo in contrast to their surroundings; all are found on both planets: (a) dark continuous DDTs, (b) dark cycloidal DDTs, and (c) bright DDTs. Dark continuous DDTs are the most common type on Mars. They are characterized by their relatively homogenous and continuous low albedo surface tracks. Based on terrestrial and martian in situ studies, these DDTs most likely form when surficial dust layers are removed to expose larger-grained substrate material (coarse sands of ≥500 μm in diameter). The exposure of larger-grained materials changes the photometric properties of the surface; hence leading to lower albedo tracks because grain size is photometrically inversely proportional to the surface reflectance. However, although not observed so far, compositional differences (i.e., color differences) might also lead to albedo contrasts when dust is removed to expose substrate materials with mineralogical differences. For dark continuous DDTs, albedo drop measurements are around 2.5 % in the wavelength range of 550–850 nm on Mars and around 0.5 % in the wavelength range from 300–1100 nm on Earth. The removal of an equivalent layer thickness around 1 μm is sufficient for the formation of visible dark continuous DDTs on Mars and Earth. The next type of DDTs, dark cycloidal DDTs, are characterized by their low albedo pattern of overlapping scallops. Terrestrial in situ studies imply that they are formed when sand-sized material that is eroded from the outer vortex area of a dust devil is redeposited in annular patterns in the central vortex region. This type of DDT can also be found in on Mars in orbital image data, and although in situ studies are lacking, terrestrial analog studies, laboratory work, and numerical modeling suggest they have the same formation mechanism as those on Earth. Finally, bright DDTs are characterized by their continuous track pattern and high albedo compared to their undisturbed surroundings. They are found on both planets, but to date they have only been analyzed in situ on Earth. Here, the destruction of aggregates of dust, silt and sand by dust devils leads to smooth surfaces in contrast to the undisturbed rough surfaces surrounding the track. The resulting change in photometric properties occurs because the smoother surfaces have a higher reflectance compared to the surrounding rough surface, leading to bright DDTs. On Mars, the destruction of surficial dust-aggregates may also lead to bright DDTs. However, higher reflective surfaces may be produced by other formation mechanisms, such as dust compaction by passing dust devils, as this may also cause changes in photometric properties. On Mars, DDTs in general are found at all elevations and on a global scale, except on the permanent polar caps. DDT maximum areal densities occur during spring and summer in both hemispheres produced by an increase in dust devil activity caused by maximum insolation. Regionally, dust devil densities vary spatially likely controlled by changes in dust cover thicknesses and substrate materials. This variability makes it difficult to infer dust devil activity from DDT frequencies. Furthermore, only a fraction of dust devils leave tracks. However, DDTs can be used as proxies for dust devil lifetimes and wind directions and speeds, and they can also be used to predict lander or rover solar panel clearing events. Overall, the high DDT frequency in many areas on Mars leads to drastic albedo changes that affect large-scale weather patterns
General practitioners’ classification of patients with medically unexplained symptoms
In encounters between general practitioners (GPs) and patients with medically
unexplained symptoms (MUS), the negotiation of the sick role is a social process.
In this process, GPs not only use traditional biomedical diagnostic tools but also
rely on their own opinions and evaluations of a patient’s particular circumstances
in deciding whether that patient is legitimately sick. The doctor is thus a
gatekeeper of legitimacy. This article presents results from a qualitative interview
study conducted in Denmark with GPs concerning their approach to patients
with MUS. We employ a symbolic interaction approach that pays special
attention to the external validation of the sick role, making GPs’ accounts of such
patients particularly relevant. One of the article’s main findings is that GPs’
criteria for judging the legitimacy of claims by those patients that present with
MUS are influenced by the extent to which GPs are able to constitute these
patients as people with social problems and problematic personality traits
Finite Cut Approximation for the Form Factor
Assuming the length of the cut to be finite and approximating the
integrated amplitude by a constant, we derive an expression for the form factor which is very close to that given by a simple pole. The
specific predictions of the obtained form factor for the region of small
momentum transfer are discussed along the lines of the Goldberger-Treiman
relation.Comment: 17 pages, Late
Compton scattering on the proton, neutron, and deuteron in chiral perturbation theory to O(Q^4)
We study Compton scattering in systems with A=1 and 2 using chiral
perturbation theory up to fourth order. For the proton we fit the two
undetermined parameters in the O(Q^4) p amplitude of McGovern to
experimental data in the region MeV, obtaining a
chi^2/d.o.f. of 133/113. This yields a model-independent extraction of proton
polarizabilities based solely on low-energy data: alpha_p=12.1 +/- 1.1 (stat.)
+/- 0.5 (theory) and beta_p=3.4 +/- 1.1 (stat.) +/- 0.1 (theory), both in units
of 10^{-4} fm^3. We also compute Compton scattering on deuterium to O(Q^4). The
d amplitude is a sum of one- and two-nucleon mechanisms, and contains
two undetermined parameters, which are related to the isoscalar nucleon
polarizabilities. We fit data points from three recent d scattering
experiments with a chi^2/d.o.f.=26.6/20, and find alpha_N=13.0 +/- 1.9 (stat.)
+3.9/-1.5 (theory) and a beta_N that is consistent with zero within sizeable
error bars.Comment: 57 pages, 16 figures. Substantial changes. Correction of errors in
deuteron calculation results in different values for isoscalar
polarizabilities. Results for the proton are unaffected. Text modified to
reflect this change, and also to clarify various point
Weak magnetism and non-Fermi liquids near heavy-fermion critical points
This paper is concerned with the weak-moment magnetism in heavy-fermion
materials and its relation to the non-Fermi liquid physics observed near the
transition to the Fermi liquid. We explore the hypothesis that the primary
fluctuations responsible for the non-Fermi liquid physics are those associated
with the destruction of the large Fermi surface of the Fermi liquid. Magnetism
is suggested to be a low-energy instability of the resulting small Fermi
surface state. A concrete realization of this picture is provided by a
fractionalized Fermi liquid state which has a small Fermi surface of conduction
electrons, but also has other exotic excitations with interactions described by
a gauge theory in its deconfined phase. Of particular interest is a
three-dimensional fractionalized Fermi liquid with a spinon Fermi surface and a
U(1) gauge structure. A direct second-order transition from this state to the
conventional Fermi liquid is possible and involves a jump in the electron Fermi
surface volume. The critical point displays non-Fermi liquid behavior. A
magnetic phase may develop from a spin density wave instability of the spinon
Fermi surface. This exotic magnetic metal may have a weak ordered moment
although the local moments do not participate in the Fermi surface.
Experimental signatures of this phase and implications for heavy-fermion
systems are discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures; (v2) includes expanded discussion and solution
of quantum Boltzmann equatio
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