Spontaneous Branching of Anode-Directed Streamers between Planar Electrodes

Non-ionized media subject to strong fields can become locally ionized by penetration of finger-shaped streamers. We study negative streamers between planar electrodes in a simple deterministic continuum approximation. We observe that for sufficiently large fields, the streamer tip can split. This happens close to Firsov's limit of `ideal conductivity'. Qualitatively the tip splitting is due to a Laplacian instability quite like in viscous fingering. For future quantitative analytical progress, our stability analysis of planar fronts identifies the screening length as a regularization mechanism.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PRL on Nov. 16, 2001, revised version of March 10, 200

Chalcogen Height Dependence of Magnetism and Fermiology in FeTe_xSe_{1-x}

FeTexSe1-x (x=0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1) system has been studied using density functional theory. Our results show that for FeSe, LDA seems better approximation in terms of magnitude of magnetic energy whereas GGA overestimates it largely. On the other hand for FeTe, GGA is better approximation that gives experimentally observed magnetic state. It has been shown that the height of chalcogen atoms above Fe layers has significant effect on band structure, electronic density of states (DOS) at Fermi level N(EF) and Fermi surfaces. For FeSe the value of N(EF) is small so as to satisfy Stoner criteria for ferromagnetism, (I\timesN(EF)\geq1) whereas for FeTe, since the value of N(EF) is large, the same is close to be satisfied. Force minimization done for FeTexSe1-x using supercell approach shows that in disordered system Se and Te do not share same site and have two distinct z coordinates. This has small effect on magnetic energy but no significant difference in band structure and DOS near EF when calculated using either relaxed or average value of z for chalcogen atoms. Thus substitution of Se at Te site decreases average value of chalcogen height above Fe layers which in turn affect the magnetism and Fermiology in the system. By using coherent-potential approximation for disordered system we found that height of chalcogen atoms above Fe layer rather than chalcogen species or disorder in the anion planes, affect magnetism and shape of Fermi surfaces (FS), thus significantly altering nesting conditions, which govern antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations in the system.Comment: 24 pages Text+Figs: comments/suggestions welcome ([email protected]

Effect of chemical disorder on NiMnSb investigated by Appearance Potential Spectroscopy: a theoretical study

The half-Heusler alloy NiMnSb is one of the local-moment ferromagnets with unique properties for future applications. Band structure calculations predict exclusively majority bands at the Fermi level, thus indicating {100%} spin polarization there. As one thinks about applications and the design of functional materials, the influence of chemical disorder in these materials must be considered. The magnetization, spin polarization, and electronic structure are expected to be sensitive to structural and stoichiometric changes. In this contribution, we report on an investigation of the spin-dependent electronic structure of NiMnSb. We studied the influence of chemical disorder on the unoccupied electronic density of states by use of the ab-initio Coherent Potential Approximation method. The theoretical analysis is discussed along with corresponding spin-resolved Appearance Potential Spectroscopy measurements. Our theoretical approach describes the spectra as the fully-relativistic self-convolution of the matrix-element weighted, orbitally resolved density of states.Comment: JPD submitte

Short Time Behavior in De Gennes' Reptation Model

To establish a standard for the distinction of reptation from other modes of polymer diffusion, we analytically and numerically study the displacement of the central bead of a chain diffusing through an ordered obstacle array for times $t < O(N^2)$. Our theory and simulations agree quantitatively and show that the second moment approaches the $t^{1/4}$ often viewed as signature of reptation only after a very long transient and only for long chains (N > 100). Our analytically solvable model furthermore predicts a very short transient for the fourth moment. This is verified by computer experiment.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, 4 ps file

Pion condensation in quark matter with finite baryon density

The phase structure of the Nambu -- Jona-Lasinio model at zero temperature and in the presence of baryon- and isospin chemical potentials is investigated. It is shown that in the chiral limit and for a wide range of model parameters there exist two different phases with pion condensation. In the first, ordinary phase, quarks are gapped particles. In the second, gapless pion condensation phase, there is no energy cost for creating only $u$- or both $u$ and $d$ quarks, and the density of baryons is nonzero.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures; two references adde

rho(omega)-> pi^0 pi^0 gamma, rho(omega) -> eta pi^0 gamma decays in the local quark Nambu--Jona-Lasinio model

The branching ratios and photon spectra of the rare processes rho(omega)-> pi^0 pi^0 gamma, rho(omega) -> eta pi^0 gamma are calculated in the framework of the standard local quark Nambu--Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model. Three types of diagrams are considered: the quark box and the pole diagrams with scalar (sigma,a_0(980)) and vector (rho,omega) mesons. The obtained estimations for the widths of the processes rho(omega)-> pi^0 pi^0 gamma are in satisfactory agreement with existing experimental data. Predictions are made for the widths of the processes rho(omega) -> eta pi^0 gamma.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

τ−→π−π0ντ\tau^{-} \to \pi^{-} \pi^{0} \nu_\tau decay in the extended NJL model

The width of the decay $\tau^{-} \to \pi^{-} \pi^{0} \nu_\tau$ was calculated in the extended NJL model. Contact interaction of $W$ boson with pion pair as well as the contribution of the $\rho$ mesons in ground and first radial-exited states are taken into account. The sum of the contact diagram and diagram with intermediate $\rho$ meson in the ground state leads to the result which coincides with the result of the vector-dominance model. Our results are in satisfactory agreement with experimental data.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

J Fluorescence

The scope of this paper is to illustrate the need for an improved quality assurance in fluorometry. For this purpose, instrumental sources of error and their influences on the reliability and comparability of fluorescence data are highlighted for frequently used photoluminescence techniques ranging from conventional macro- and microfluorometry over fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry to microarray technology as well as in vivo fluorescence imaging. Particularly, the need for and requirements on fluorescence standards for the characterization and performance validation of fluorescence instruments, to enhance the comparability of fluorescence data, and to enable quantitative fluorescence analysis are discussed. Special emphasis is dedicated to spectral fluorescence standards and fluorescence intensity standards

Competition of Color Ferromagnetic and Superconductive States in a Quark-Gluon System

The possibility of color ferromagnetism in an SU(2) gauge field model is investigated. The conditions allowing a stable color ferromagnetic state of the quark system in the chromomagnetic field occupying small domains are considered. A phase transition between this state and the color superconducting state is considered. The effect of finite temperature is analyzed.Comment: 21 pages, 4 Postscript figure