Deep level transient spectroscopy study for the development of ion-implanted silicon field-effect transistors for spin-dependent transport

A deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) study of defects created by low-fluence, low-energy ion implantation for development of ion-implanted silicon field-effect transistors for spin-dependent transport experiments is presented. Standard annealing strategies are considered to activate the implanted dopants and repair the implantation damage in test metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors. Fixed oxide charge, interface trapped charge and the role of minority carriers in DLTS are investigated. A furnace anneal at 950 $\rm ^{o}$C was found to activate the dopants but did not repair the implantation damage as efficiently as a 1000 $\rm ^{o}$C rapid thermal anneal. No evidence of bulk traps was observed after either of these anneals. The ion- implanted spin-dependent transport device is shown to have expected characteristics using the processing strategy determined in this study.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure

Optical and electronic properties of sub-surface conducting layers in diamond created by MeV B-implantation at elevated temperatures

Boron implantation with in-situ dynamic annealing is used to produce highly conductive sub-surface layers in type IIa (100) diamond plates for the search of a superconducting phase transition. Here we demonstrate that high-fluence MeV ion-implantation, at elevated temperatures avoids graphitization and can be used to achieve doping densities of 6 at.%. In order to quantify the diamond crystal damage associated with implantation Raman spectroscopy was performed, demonstrating high temperature annealing recovers the lattice. Additionally, low-temperature electronic transport measurements show evidence of charge carrier densities close to the metal-insulator-transition. After electronic characterization, secondary ion mass spectrometry was performed to map out the ion profile of the implanted plates. The analysis shows close agreement with the simulated ion-profile assuming scaling factors that take into account an average change in diamond density due to device fabrication. Finally, the data show that boron diffusion is negligible during the high temperature annealing process.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, submitted to JA

Polar kicks and the spin period - eccentricity relation in double neutron stars

We present results of a population synthesis study aimed at examining the role of spin-kick alignment in producing a correlation between the spin period of the first-born neutron star and the orbital eccentricity of observed double neutron star binaries in the Galactic disk. We find spin-kick alignment to be compatible with the observed correlation, but not to alleviate the requirements for low kick velocities suggested in previous population synthesis studies. Our results furthermore suggest low- and high-eccentricity systems may form through two distinct formation channels distinguished by the presence or absence of a stable mass transfer phase before the formation of the second neutron star. The presence of highly eccentric systems in the observed sample of double neutron stars may furthermore support the notion that neutron stars accrete matter when moving through the envelope of a giant companion.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of "40 Years of Pulsars: Millisecond Pulsars, Magnetars, and More", August 12-17, 2007, McGill University, Montreal, Canad

Eccentric double white dwarfs as LISA sources in globular clusters

We consider the formation of double white dwarfs (DWDs) through dynamical interactions in globular clusters. Such interactions can give rise to eccentric DWDs, in contrast to the exclusively circular population expected to form in the Galactic disk. We show that for a 5-year Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission and distances as far as the Large Magellanic Cloud, multiple harmonics from eccentric DWDs can be detected at a signal-to-noise ratio higher than 8 for at least a handful of eccentric DWDs, given their formation rate and typical lifetimes estimated from current cluster simulations. Consequently the association of eccentricity with stellar-mass LISA sources does not uniquely involve neutron stars, as is usually assumed. Due to the difficulty of detecting (eccentric) DWDs with present and planned electromagnetic observatories, LISA could provide unique dynamical identifications of these systems in globular clusters.Comment: Published in ApJ 665, L5

Equipotential Surfaces and Lagrangian points in Non-synchronous, Eccentric Binary and Planetary Systems

We investigate the existence and properties of equipotential surfaces and Lagrangian points in non-synchronous, eccentric binary star and planetary systems under the assumption of quasi-static equilibrium. We adopt a binary potential that accounts for non-synchronous rotation and eccentric orbits, and calculate the positions of the Lagrangian points as functions of the mass ratio, the degree of asynchronism, the orbital eccentricity, and the position of the stars or planets in their relative orbit. We find that the geometry of the equipotential surfaces may facilitate non-conservative mass transfer in non-synchronous, eccentric binary star and planetary systems, especially if the component stars or planets are rotating super-synchronously at the periastron of their relative orbit. We also calculate the volume-equivalent radius of the Roche lobe as a function of the four parameters mentioned above. Contrary to common practice, we find that replacing the radius of a circular orbit in the fitting formula of Eggleton (1983) with the instantaneous distance between the components of eccentric binary or planetary systems does not always lead to a good approximation to the volume-equivalent radius of the Roche-lobe. We therefore provide generalized analytic fitting formulae for the volume-equivalent Roche lobe radius appropriate for non-synchronous, eccentric binary star and planetary systems. These formulae are accurate to better than 1% throughout the relevant 2-dimensional parameter space that covers a dynamic range of 16 and 6 orders of magnitude in the two dimensions.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, 2 Tables, Accepted by the Astrophysical Journa

The impact of reduction of doublet well spacing on the Net Present Value and the life time of fluvial Hot Sedimentary Aquifer doublets

This paper evaluates the impact of reduction of doublet well spacing, below the current West Netherlands Basin standard of 1000 to 1500 m, on the Net Present Value (NPV) and the life time of fluvial Hot Sedimentary Aquifer (HSA) doublets. First, a sensitivity analysis is used to show the possible advantage of such reduction on the NPV. The parameter value ranges are derived from West Netherlands Basin HSA doublet examples. The results indicate that a reduction of well spacing from 1400 to 1000 m could already influence NPV by up to 15%. This effect would be larger in more marginally economic HSA doublets compared to the West Netherlands Basin base case scenario. The possibility to reduce well spacing is supported by finite element production simulations, utilizing detailed facies architecture models. Furthermore, our results underline the necessity of detailed facies architecture models to assess the potential and risks of HSA doublets. This factor significantly affects doublet life time and net energy production of the doublet

Weather radar for urban hydrological applications: lessons learnt and research needs identified from 4 pilot catchments in North-West Europe

International audienceThis study investigates the impact of rainfall estimates of different spatial resolutions on the hydraulic outputs of the models of four of the EU RainGain project’s pilot locations (the Cranbrook catchment (UK), the Herent catchment (Belgium), the Morée-Sausset catchment (France) and the Kralingen District (The Netherlands)). Two storm events, one convective and one stratiform, measured by a polarimetric X-band radar located in Cabauw (The Netherlands) were selected for analysis. The original radar estimates, at 100 m and 1 min resolutions, were aggregated to a spatial resolution of 1000 m. These estimates were then applied to the high-resolution semi-distributed hydraulic models of the four urban catchments, all of which have similar size (between 5 and 8 km2), but different morphological, hydrological and hydraulic characteristics. When doing so, methodologies for standardising rainfall inputs and making results comparable were implemented. The response of the different catchments to rainfall inputs of varying spatial resolution is analysed in the light of model configuration, catchment and storm characteristics. Rather surprisingly, the results show that for the two events under consideration the spatial resolution (i.e. 100 m vs 1000 m) of rainfall inputs does not have a significant influence on the outputs of urban drainage models. The present study will soon be extended to more storms as well as model structures and resolutions, with the final aim of identifying critical spatial-temporal resolutions for urban catchment modelling in relation to catchment and storm event characteristics