Absence of singular superconducting fluctuation corrections to thermal conductivity

We evaluate the superconducting fluctuation corrections to thermal conductivity in the normal state which diverge as T approaches T_c. We find zero total contribution for one, two and three-dimensional superconductors for arbitrary impurity concentration. The method used is diagrammatic many-body theory, and all contributions -- Aslamazov-Larkin (AL), Maki-Thompson (MT), and density-of-states (DOS) -- are considered. The AL contribution is convergent, whilst the divergences of the DOS and MT diagrams exactly cancel.Comment: 4 pages text; 2 figure

Noninvasive Embedding of Single Co Atoms in Ge(111)2x1 Surfaces

We report on a combined scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) based investigation of Co atoms on Ge(111)2x1 surfaces. When deposited on cold surfaces, individual Co atoms have a limited diffusivity on the atomically flat areas and apparently reside on top of the upper pi-bonded chain rows exclusively. Voltage-dependent STM imaging reveals a highly anisotropic electronic perturbation of the Ge surface surrounding these Co atoms and pronounced one-dimensional confinement along the pi-bonded chains. DFT calculations reveal that the individual Co atoms are in fact embedded in the Ge surface, where they occupy a quasi-stationary position within the big 7-member Ge ring in between the 3rd and 4th atomic Ge layer. The energy needed for the Co atoms to overcome the potential barrier for penetration in the Ge surface is provided by the kinetic energy resulting from the deposition process. DFT calculations further demonstrate that the embedded Co atoms form four covalent Co-Ge bonds, resulting in a Co4+ valence state and a 3d5 electronic configuration. Calculated STM images are in perfect agreement with the experimental atomic resolution STM images for the broad range of applied tunneling voltages.Comment: 19 pages, 15 figures, 3 table

Quasiparticle contribution to heat carriers relaxation time in DyBa2_2Cu3_3O7−x_{7-x} from heat diffusivity measurements

It is shown that the controversy on phonons or electrons being the most influenced heat carriers below the critical temperature of high-T$_c$ superconductors can be resolved. Electrical and thermal properties of the same DyBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$ monodomain have been measured for two highly different oxygenation levels. While the oxygenated sample DyBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7}$ has very good superconducting properties ($T_c=90$ K), the DyBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.3}$ sample exhibits an insulator behavior. A careful comparison between measurements of the {\bf thermal diffusivity} of both samples allows us to extract the electronic contribution. This contribution to the relaxation time of heat carriers is shown to be large below $T_c$ and more sensitive to the superconducting state than the phonon contribution.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Hole-doping induced ferromagnetism in 2D materials

Two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetic materials are considered as promising candidates for the future generations of spintronic devices. Yet, 2D materials with intrinsic ferromagnetism are scarce. High-throughput first-principles simulations are performed in order to screen 2D materials that present a non-magnetic to a ferromagnetic transition upon hole doping. A global evolutionary search is subsequently performed, in order to identify alternative possible atomic structures of the eligible candidates, and 122 materials exhibiting a hole-doping induced ferromagnetism are identified. Their energetic and dynamic stability, as well as their magnetic properties under hole doping are investigated systematically. Half of these 2D materials are metal halides, followed by chalcogenides, oxides and nitrides, some of them having predicted Curie temperatures above 300 K. The exchange interactions responsible for the ferromagnetic order in these 2D materials are also discussed. This work not only provides theoretical insights into hole-doped 2D ferromagnetic materials, but also enriches the family of 2D magnetic materials for possible spintronic applications

Estimation of the charge carrier localization length from Gaussian fluctuations in the magneto-thermopower of La_{0.6}Y_{0.1}Ca_{0.3}MnO_3

The magneto-thermoelectric power (TEP) $\Delta S(T,H)$ of perovskite type manganise oxide $La_{0.6}Y_{0.1}Ca_{0.3}MnO_3$ is found to exhibit a sharp peak at some temperature $T^{*}=170K$. By approximating the true shape of the measured magneto-TEP in the vicinity of $T^{*}$ by a linear triangle of the form $\Delta S(T,H)\simeq S_p(H)\pm B^{\pm}(H)(T^{*}-T)$, we observe that $B ^{-}(H)\simeq 2B ^{+}(H)$. We adopt the electron localization scenario and introduce a Ginzburg-Landau (GL) type theory which incorporates the two concurrent phase transitions, viz., the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition at the Curie point $T_C$ and the "metal-insulator" (M-I) transition at $T_{MI}$. The latter is characterized by the divergence of the field-dependent charge carrier localization length $\xi (T,H)$ at some characteristic field $H_0$. Calculating the average and fluctuation contributions to the total magnetization and the transport entropy related magneto-TEP $\Delta S(T,H)$ within the GL theory, we obtain a simple relationship between $T^{*}$ and the above two critical temperatures ($T_{C}$ and $T_{MI}$). The observed slope ratio $B ^{-}(H)/B ^{+}(H)$ is found to be governed by the competition between the electron-spin exchange $JS$ and the induced magnetic energy $M_sH_0$. The comparison of our data with the model predictions produce $T_{C}=195K$, $JS=40meV$, $M_0=0.4M_s$, $\xi_0=10\AA$, and $n_e/n_i=2/3$ for the estimates of the Curie temperature, the exchange coupling constant, the critical magnetization, the localization length, and the free-to-localized carrier number density ratio, respectively.Comment: 6 pages (REVTEX), 2 PS figures (epsf.sty); submitted to Phys.Rev.

Two band gap field-dependent thermal conductivity of MgB2MgB_2

The thermal conductivity $\kappa (H,T)$ of the new superconductor $MgB_2$ was studied as a function of the temperature and a magnetic field. No anomaly in the thermal conductivity $\kappa (H,T)$ is observed around the superconducting transition in absence or presence of magnetic fields up to 14 Tesla; upon that field the superconductivity of $MgB_2$ persisted. The thermal conductivity in zero-field shows a $T$-linear increase up to 50K. The thermal conductivity is found to increase with increasing field at high fields. We interpret the findings as if there are two subsystems of quasiparticles with different field-dependent characters in a two ($L$ and $S$)-band superconductor reacting differently with the vortex structure. The unusual enhancement of $\kappa (H ,T)$ at low temperature but higher than a ($H_{c2S}\simeq 3T$) critical field is interpreted as a result of the overlap of the low energy states outside the vortex cores in the $S$-band.Comment: 6 pages,3 figure

Les facteurs prédictifs de morbimortalité chez les patients sous ballon de contre pulsion intra-aortique en chirurgie cardiaque

Le ballon de contre pulsion intra-aortique (BCPIA) est fréquemment utilisé en chirurgie cardiaque, comme moyen d'assistance circulatoire en cas de bas débit cardiaque. Il est d'intérêt clinique de déterminer les facteurs pronostiques chez les patients porteurs d'un BCPIA en chirurgie cardiaque, et qui restent un sujet rarement élucidé dans la littérature. L'objectif de notre travail est de déterminer les facteurs prédictifs de morbimortalitéchez les patients sous ballon de contre pulsion intraortique en périopératoire d'une chirurgie cardiaque. Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective portant sur l'ensemble des patients opérés en chirurgie cardiaque sous circulation extracorporelle, et ayant bénéficiés de la mise en place d'un ballon de contre pulsion intra-aortique en périopératoire, au service de chirurgie cardiovasculaire de l'Hôpital Militaire Mohamed V de Rabat, entrele mois de janvier 2005 et le mois d'aout 20014. Soixante dix patients ont été inclus dans notre étude. En analyse univariée l'âge, la dyspnée de stade III et IV, l'insuffisance cardiaque, la présence d'un infarctus du myocarde, d'une coronaropathie mono et bitronculaire, les anomalies du doppler de trons supra-aortique et du membre inférieur, le caractère urgent de la chirurgie, la durée de la circulation extracorporelle, l'instabilité hémodynamique postopératoire, le saignement et l'insuffisance rénale postopératoire étaient statistiquement associés à une mortalité postopératoire élevée. La dyskinésie préopératoire et la sortie de circulation extracorporelle sous drogues étaient associées à une morbidité globale élevée. En analyse multi variée, seule l'âge, constituait un facteur de risque indépendant de mortalité dans notre série avec un Odds Ratio (OR): 1,89 ; un Intervalle de Confiance (IC) 95% de (1,52-4,97) et un p =0,045. Au terme de notre étude, le taux de mortalité était de 48,57% et de morbidité globale était de 87,1%. Il nous parait donc nécessaire pour diminuer l'incidence de cette morbimortalité dans notre population, d'agir sur les facteurs que nous jugeons modifiables tels l'amélioration de la fonction cardiaque préopératoire, l'optimisation de la fonction rénale, la réduction de la durée de CEC et le contrôle du saignement

Thermal conductivity in B- and C- phase of UPt_3

Although the superconductivity in UPt_3 is one of the most well studied, there are still lingering questions about the nodal directions in the B and C phase in the presence of a magnetic field. Limiting ourselves to the low temperature regime (T<<Delta(0)), we study the magnetothermal conductivity with in semiclassical approximation using Volovik's approach. The angular dependence of the magnetothermal conductivity for an arbitrary field direction should clarify the nodal structure in UPt_3.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Litter on the seafloor along the African coast and in the Bay of Bengal based on trawl bycatches from 2011 to 2020

We present the occurrence of seafloor litter on the coast of Africa and in the Bay of Bengal based on records from the EAF-NANSEN Programme in 2011 to 2020. Litter bycatch records from 534 bottom trawls were standardized to km2 before analysis. Three percent of the records indicated areas of high littering and the highest densities occurred from 100 to 300 m in depth and 50 to 100 km from the coast. Littering was lower in the Indian Ocean compared to Atlantic Africa. Plastic objects and fishing gear dominated the recorded items (47 % and 22 % respectively) but, regional differences were pronounced. Plastic dominated North Atlantic and East African records (58 % and 80 % respectively) and fishing gear dominated (69 %) in South Atlantic Africa while records from the Bay of Bengal were a mix of categories. The relation between littering and population density, marine industry, major cities, and rivers is discussed.publishedVersio

Two dimensional V2O3 and its experimental feasibility as robust room-temperature magnetic Chern insulator

The possibility of dissipationless chiral edge states without the need of an external magnetic field in the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) offers a great potential in electronic/spintronic applications. The biggest hurdle for the realization of a room-temperature magnetic Chern insulator is to find a structurally stable material with a sufficiently large energy gap and Curie temperature that can be easily implemented in electronic devices. This work based on first-principle methods shows that a single atomic layer of V2O3 with honeycomb–kagome (HK) lattice is structurally stable with a spin-polarized Dirac cone which gives rise to a room-temperature QAHE by the existence of an atomic on-site spin–orbit coupling (SOC). Moreover, by a strain and substrate study, it was found that the quantum anomalous Hall system is robust against small deformations and can be supported by a graphene substrate.status: publishe