62 research outputs found
Is the `Finite Bias Anomaly' in planar GaAs-Superconductor junctons caused by point-contact like structures?
We correlate transmission electron microscope (TEM) pictures of
superconducting In contacts to an AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction with differential
conductance spectroscopy performed on the same heterojunction. Metals deposited
onto a (100) AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure do not form planar contacts but,
during thermal annealing, grow down into the heterostructure along
crystallographic planes in pyramid-like `point contacts'. Random surface
nucleation and growth gives rise to a different interface transmission for each
superconducting point contact. Samples annealed for different times, and
therefore having different contact geometry, show variations in
characteristic of ballistic transport of Cooper pairs, wave interference
between different point emitters, and different types of weak localization
corrections to Giaever tunneling. We give a possible mechanism whereby the
`finite bias anomaly' of Poirier et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett., {\bf 79}, 2105
(1997)), also observed in these samples, can arise by adding the conductance of
independent superconducting point emitters in parallel
Schottky barrier heights at polar metal/semiconductor interfaces
Using a first-principle pseudopotential approach, we have investigated the
Schottky barrier heights of abrupt Al/Ge, Al/GaAs, Al/AlAs, and Al/ZnSe (100)
junctions, and their dependence on the semiconductor chemical composition and
surface termination. A model based on linear-response theory is developed,
which provides a simple, yet accurate description of the barrier-height
variations with the chemical composition of the semiconductor. The larger
barrier values found for the anion- than for the cation-terminated surfaces are
explained in terms of the screened charge of the polar semiconductor surface
and its image charge at the metal surface. Atomic scale computations show how
the classical image charge concept, valid for charges placed at large distances
from the metal, extends to distances shorter than the decay length of the
metal-induced-gap states.Comment: REVTeX 4, 11 pages, 6 EPS figure
Basement membrane proteoglycans: Modulators Par Excellence of cancer growth and angiogenesis
Co-limitation towards lower latitudes shapes global forest diversity gradients
The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most recognized global patterns of species richness exhibited across a wide range of taxa. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in the past two centuries to explain LDG, but rigorous tests of the drivers of LDGs have been limited by a lack of high-quality global species richness data. Here we produce a high-resolution (0.025° × 0.025°) map of local tree species richness using a global forest inventory database with individual tree information and local biophysical characteristics from ~1.3 million sample plots. We then quantify drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. Generally, annual mean temperature was a dominant predictor of tree species richness, which is most consistent with the metabolic theory of biodiversity (MTB). However, MTB underestimated LDG in the tropics, where high species richness was also moderated by topographic, soil and anthropogenic factors operating at local scales. Given that local landscape variables operate synergistically with bioclimatic factors in shaping the global LDG pattern, we suggest that MTB be extended to account for co-limitation by subordinate drivers
On mammalian sperm dimensions
Data on linear sperm dimensions in mammals are presented. There is information on a total of 284 species, representing 6.2% of all species; 17.2% of all genera and 49.2% of all families have some representation, with quantitative information missing only from the orders Dermoptera, Pholidota, Sirenia and Tubulidentata. In general, sperm size is inverse to body mass (except for the Chiroptera), so that the smallest known spermatozoa are amongst those of artiodactyls and the largest are amongst those of marsupials. Most variations are due to differences in the lengths of midpiece and principal piece, with head lengths relatively uniform throughout the mammals
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