Structure and magnetism of single-phase epitaxial γ′-Fe4N

Single phase epitaxial pure γ′-Fe4N films are grown on MgO (001) by molecular beam epitaxy of iron in the presence of nitrogen obtained from a radio frequency atomic source. The epitaxial, single phase nature of the films is revealed by x-ray diffraction and by the local magnetic environment investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The macroscopic magnetic properties of the γ′-Fe4N films are studied in detail by means of transverse Kerr effect measurements. The hysteresis loops are consistent with the cubic atomic structure, displaying easy [100] magnetization directions. The films are single domain at remanence, and the reversal is dominated by 180° or 90° domain wall nucleation and propagation, depending on the applied field direction. When 90° domain walls are responsible for the magnetization reversal, this proceeds in two stages, and the measured coercive fields vary accordingly. Magnetic domain observations reveal the two distinct reversal —driven by 180° or 90° domain walls— modes displaying large domains, of the order of mm. From magnetometer techniques, the saturation magnetization, μ0Ms, is measured to be 1.8 T. A magneto-optical torque technique is used to obtain a value of the anisotropy constant of 2.9×104J/m3.The authors acknowledge partial financing from EC project HIDEMAR G5RD-CT-2002-00731 and PHANTOMS network. The authors are indebted to A. Gupta and K. V. Rao from the department of Materials Science and Engineering, KTH, Sweden for help with the low T SQUID measurements, and to L. Ballcels and M. A. García from Materials Science ICMM CSIC, Spain for high-T VSM measurements. This work was part of the research program of the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter-FOM, The Netherlands. J.M.G.M. acknowledges financing through the Ramón y Cajal program from the Spanish MCyT.Peer reviewe

Low cost plastic optical fiber sensor based on surface plasmon resonance

Surface plasmon excitation using a variation of Kretschmann method based on light guiding through an optical fiber has been extensively studied in the literature. But, due to its particularly bad propagation conditions, plastic optical fiber was not taken into account in documented experiments. We propose a low cost sensor using this type of fiber, in which we try to avoid the problems both through careful design and signal processing. First of all we discuss the sample fabrication and measurement in section 2; then the results obtained are discussed in section 3, including the problems faced because of the multimode character of the fiber, for which we propose alternative sample shapes as a mean of reducing them. As a conclusion we propose a roadmap to design a low cost sensor based in the structures studied in this paper

Differences in n-type doping efficiency between Al- and Ga-ZnO films

A careful and wide comparison between Al and Ga as substitutional dopants in the ZnO wurtzite structure is presented. Both cations behave as n-type dopants and their inclusion improves the optical and electrical properties of the ZnO matrix, making it more transparent in the visible range and rising up its electrical conductivity. However, the same dopant/Zn ratio leads to a very different doping efficiency when comparing Al and Ga, being the Ga cation a more effective dopant of the ZnO film. The measured differences between Al- and Ga-doped films are explained with the hypothesis that different quantities of these dopant cations are able to enter substitutionally in the ZnO matrix. Ga cations seem to behave as perfect substitutional dopants, while Al cation might occupy either substitutional or interstitial sites. Moreover, the subsequent charge balance after doping appear to be related with the formation of different intrinsic defects that depends on the dopant cation. The knowledge of the doped-ZnO films microstructure is a crucial step to optimize the deposition of transparent conducting electrodes for solar cells, displays, and other photoelectronic devices.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2007-60996, MAT2008-06858-C02-02, MAT2008- 06330, TEC2010-16700FUNCOAT CSD2008-00023- CONSOLIDER INGENIOSonderforschungsbereich SFB 76

Critical Role of Electrical Resistivity in Magnetoionics

The utility of electrical resistivity as an indicator of magnetoionic performance in stoichiometrically and structurally similar thin-film systems is demonstrated. A series of highly nanocrystalline cobalt nitride (Co-N) thin films (85 nm thick) with a broad range of electrical properties exhibit markedly different magnetoionic behaviors. Semiconducting, near stoichiometric CoN films show the best performance, better than their metallic and insulating counterparts. Resistivity reflects the interplay between atomic bonding, carrier localization, and structural defects, and in turn determines the strength and distribution of applied electric fields inside the actuated films. This fact, generally overlooked, reveals that resistivity can be used to quickly evaluate the potential of a system to exhibit optimal magnetoionic effects, while also opening interesting challenges.Financial support by the European Research Council (SPIN-PORICS 2014-Consolidator Grant, Agreement No. 648454, and the MAGIC-SWITCH 2019-Proof of Concept Grant, Agreement No. 875018), the Spanish Government (MAT2017-86357-C3-1-R and PID2020- 116844RB-C21), the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017- SGR-292 and 2018-LLAV-00032) and the European Regional Development Fund (MAT2017-86357-C3-1-R and 2018-LLAV-00032) is acknowledged. This work was partially supported by the Impulse-und Net-working fund of the Helmholtz Association (FKZ VH-VI-442 Memriox), and the Helmholtz Energy Materials Characterization Platform (03ET7015). The PALS measurements were carried out at ELBE at the Helmholtz-Zentrum DresdenRossendorf e. V., a member of the Helmholtz Association. L.A. thanks MINECO for a Ramón y Cajal Contract (RYC-2013-12640). J.S. thanks the Spanish Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre for fruitful discussions. E.M. acknowledges support as a Serra Húnter Fellow. We acknowledge service from MiNa Laboratory at IMNCSIC

Pushing the Limits of Space Technology

Coordinators: Philippe Godignon; Gustavo Liñán.Peer reviewe

Shell structures in aluminum nanocontacts at elevated temperatures

Aluminum nanocontact conductance histograms are studied experimentally from room temperature up to near the bulk melting point. The dominant stable configurations for this metal show a very early crossover from shell structures at low wire diameters to ionic subshell structures at larger diameters. At these larger radii, the favorable structures are temperature-independent and consistent with those expected for ionic subshell (faceted) formations in face-centered cubic geometries. When approaching the bulk melting temperature, these local stability structures become less pronounced as shown by the vanishing conductance histogram peak structure

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Search for stop and higgsino production using diphoton Higgs boson decays

Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top-quark (stop) and the Higgs boson (higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7 inverse femtobarns of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the stop mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the higgsino mass

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good