Stochastic resonance with weak monochromatic driving: gains above unity induced by high-frequency signals

We study the effects of a high-frequency (HF) signal on the response of a noisy bistable system to a low-frequency subthreshold sinusoidal signal. We show that, by conveniently choosing the ratio of the amplitude of the HF signal to its frequency, stochastic resonance gains greater than unity can be measured at the low-frequency value. Thus, the addition of the HF signal can entail an improvement in the detection of weak monochromatic signals. The results are explained in terms of an effective model and illustrated by means of numerical simulations.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Magnetic switching of spin-scattering centers in Dresselhaus [110] circuits

Spin carriers subject to Dresselhaus [110] (D110) spin-orbit coupling (SOC) gather null spin phases in closed circuits, contrary to usual Rashba and Dresselhaus [001] SOC. We show that D110 spin phases can be activated in square circuits by introducing an in-plane Zeeman field, where localized field inhomogeneities act as effective spin-scattering centers. Our simulations show rich interference patterns in the quantum conductance, which work as maps for a geometric classification of the propagating spin states. We also find that disorder facilitates low-field implementations.Comment: evised version, 6 pages + supplemental materia

High-frequency effects in the FitzHugh-Nagumo neuron model

The effect of a high-frequency signal on the FitzHugh-Nagumo excitable model is analyzed. We show that the firing rate is diminished as the ratio of the high-frequency amplitude to its frequency is increased. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the excitable character of the system, and consequently the firing activity, is suppressed for ratios above a given threshold value. In addition, we show that the vibrational resonance phenomenon turns up for sufficiently large noise strength values.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures (to appear in Physical Review E

Geometry-Assisted Topological Transitions in Spin Interferometry

We identify a series of topological transitions occurring in electronic spin transport when manipulating spin-guiding fields controlled by the geometric shape of mesoscopic interferometers. They manifest as distinct inversions of the interference pattern in quantum conductance experiments. We establish that Rashba square loops develop weak-(anti)localization transitions (absent in other geometries as Rashba ring loops) as an in-plane Zeeman field is applied. These transitions, boosted by nonadiabatic spin scattering, prove to have a topological interpretation in terms of winding numbers characterizing the structure of spin modes in the Bloch sphere.Fil: Wang, Minmin. Tohoku University. Department Of Materials Science; JapónFil: Saarikoski, H.. Riken Center For Emergent Matter Science ; JapónFil: Reynoso, Andres Alejandro. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Investigaciones y Aplicaciones no Nucleares. Gerencia de Física (CAB). Laboratorio de Propiedades Ópticas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología - Nodo Bariloche | Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología. Unidad Ejecutora Instituto de Nanociencia y Nanotecnología - Nodo Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Baltanás, J. P.. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Frustaglia, D.. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Nitta, J.. Tohoku University. Department Of Materials Science; Japó

Regulation of Motor Function and Behavior by Atypical Chemokine Receptor 1

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10519-014-9665-7Atypical Chemokine Receptor 1 (ACKR1), previously known as the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines, stands out among chemokine receptors for its high selective expression on Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, consistent with the ability of ACKR1 ligands to activate Purkinje cells in vitro. Nevertheless, evidence for ACKR1 regulation of brain function in vivo has been lacking. Here we demonstrate that Ackr1−/− mice have markedly impaired balance and ataxia when placed on a rotating rod and increased tremor when injected with harmaline, a drug that induces whole-body tremor by activating Purkinje cells. Ackr1−/− mice also exhibited impaired exploratory behavior, increased anxiety-like behavior and frequent episodes of marked hypoactivity under low-stress conditions. The behavioral phenotype of Ackr1−/− mice was the opposite of the phenotype occurring in mice with cerebellar degeneration and the defects persisted when Ackr1 was deficient only on non-hematopoietic cells. We conclude that normal motor function and behavior depend in part on negative regulation of Purkinje cell activity by Ackr1

Rocking feedback-controlled ratchets

International audienceWe investigate the different regimes that emerge when a periodic driving force, the rocking force, acts on a collective feedback flashing ratchet. The interplay of the rocking and the feedback control gives a rich dynamics with different regimes presenting several unexpected features. In particular, we show that for both the one-particle ratchet and the collective version of the ratchet an appropriate rocking increases the flux. This mechanism gives the maximum flux that has been achieved in a ratchet device without an a priori bias

Geometric vector potentials from nonadiabatic spin dynamics

We propose a theoretical framework that captures the geometric vector potential emerging from the nonadiabatic spin dynamics of itinerant carriers subject to arbitrary magnetic textures. Our approach results in a series of constraints on the geometric potential and the nonadiabatic geometric phase associated with it. These constraints play a decisive role when studying, e.g., the geometric spin phase gathered by conducting electrons in ring interferometers under the action of in-plane magnetic textures, allowing a simple characterization of the topological transition recently reported by Saarikoski et al. [H. Saarikoski, J. E. Vázquez-Lozano, J. P. Baltanás, F. Nagasawa, J. Nitta, and D. Frustaglia, Phys. Rev. B 91, 241406(R) (2015)PRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.91.241406].Fil: Baltanás, J. P.. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Saarikoski, H.. RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science; JapónFil: Reynoso, Andres Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Frustaglia, D.. Universidad de Sevilla; Españ