123 research outputs found
BCS-like Bogoliubov Quasiparticles in High-Tc Superconductors Observed by Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy
We performed high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on
triple-layered high-Tc cuprate Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+delta. We have observed the full
energy dispersion (electron and hole branches) of Bogoliubov quasiparticles and
determined the coherence factors above and below EF as a function of momentum
from the spectral intensity as well as from the energy dispersion based on BCS
theory. The good quantitative agreement between the experiment and the
theoretical prediction suggests the basic validity of BCS formalism in
describing the superconducting state of cuprates.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Slabs of stabilized jellium: Quantum-size and self-compression effects
We examine thin films of two simple metals (aluminum and lithium) in the
stabilized jellium model, a modification of the regular jellium model in which
a constant potential is added inside the metal to stabilize the system for a
given background density. We investigate quantum-size effects on the surface
energy and the work function. For a given film thickness we also evaluate the
density yielding energy stability, which is found to be slightly higher than
the equilibrium density of the bulk system and to approach this value in the
limit of thick slabs. A comparison of our self-consistent calculations with the
predictions of the liquid-drop model shows the validity of this model.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Observation of band structure and density of states effects in Co-based magnetic tunnel junctions
Utilizing Co/AlO/Co magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with Co
electrodes of different crystalline phases, a clear relationship between
electrode structure and junction transport properties is presented. For
junctions with one fcc(111) textured and one polycrystalline (poly-phase and
poly-directional) Co electrode, a strong asymmetry is observed in the
magnetotransport properties, while when both electrodes are polycrystalline the
magnetotransport is essentially symmetric. These observations are successfully
explained within a model based on ballistic tunneling between the calculated
band structures (DOS) of fcc-Co and hcp-Co.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Determination of total x-ray absorption coefficient using non-resonant x-ray emission
An alternative measure of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) called inverse partial fluorescence yield (IPFY) has recently been developed that is both bulk sensitive and free of saturation effects. Here we show that the angle dependence of IPFY can provide a measure directly proportional to the total x-ray absorption coefficient, µ(E). In contrast, fluorescence yield (FY) and electron yield (EY) spectra are offset and/or distorted from µ(E) by an unknown and difficult to measure amount. Moreover, our measurement can determine µ(E) in absolute units with no free parameters by scaling to µ(E) at the non-resonant emission energy. We demonstrate this technique with measurements on NiO and NdGaO3. Determining µ(E) across edge-steps enables the use of XAS as a non-destructive measure of material composition. In NdGaO3, we also demonstrate the utility of IPFY for insulating samples, where neither EY or FY provide reliable spectra due to sample charging and self-absorption effects, respectively
Heterochromatic Genome Stability Requires Regulators of Histone H3 K9 Methylation
Heterochromatin contains many repetitive DNA elements and few protein-encoding genes, yet it is essential for chromosome organization and inheritance. Here, we show that Drosophila that lack the Su(var)3-9 H3K9 methyltransferase display significantly elevated frequencies of spontaneous DNA damage in heterochromatin, in both somatic and germ-line cells. Accumulated DNA damage in these mutants correlates with chromosomal defects, such as translocations and loss of heterozygosity. DNA repair and mitotic checkpoints are also activated in mutant animals and are required for their viability. Similar effects of lower magnitude were observed in animals that lack the RNA interference pathway component Dcr2. These results suggest that the H3K9 methylation and RNAi pathways ensure heterochromatin stability
Electrons, Photons, and Force: Quantitative Single-Molecule Measurements from Physics to Biology
Single-molecule measurement techniques have illuminated unprecedented details of chemical behavior, including observations of the motion of a single molecule on a surface, and even the vibration of a single bond within a molecule. Such measurements are critical to our understanding of entities ranging from single atoms to the most complex protein assemblies. We provide an overview of the strikingly diverse classes of measurements that can be used to quantify single-molecule properties, including those of single macromolecules and single molecular assemblies, and discuss the quantitative insights they provide. Examples are drawn from across the single-molecule literature, ranging from ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy studies of adsorbate diffusion on surfaces to fluorescence studies of protein conformational changes in solution
Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome
The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead
Recommended from our members
Recent Results Using Synchrotron Radiation for Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis
Recommended from our members
Aerosol Analysis for the Regional Air Pollution Study. Final Report
The design and operation of an aerosol sampling and analysis program implemented during the 1975 to 1977 St. Louis Regional Air Pollution Study is described. A network of ten samplers were operated at selected sites in the St. Louis area and the total mass and elemental composition of the collected particulates were determined. Sampling periods of 2 to 24 hours were employed. The samplers were capable of collecting aerosol particles in two distinct size ranges corresponding to fine ( 2.4 ..mu..m diameter) particles. This unique feature allowed the separation of the particulate samples into two distinct fractions with differing chemical origins and health effects. The analysis methods were also newly developed for use in the St. Louis RAPS study. Total particulate mass was measured by a beta-particle attenuation method in which a precision of +- 5 ..mu..m/cm/sup 2/ could be obtained in a one minute measurement time. Elemental compositions of the samples were determined using an energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence method in which detectable limits of 5 ng/cm/sup 2/ or less were routinely achieved for elements ranging in atomic number from Al to Pb. The advantages of these analytical methods over more conventional techniques arise from the ability to automate the measurements. During the course of the two year study, a total of more than 35,000 individual samples were processed and a total of 28 concentrations measured for each sample
- …