249 research outputs found
Spin-Orbit Coupling and Anomalous Angular-Dependent Magnetoresistance in the Quantum Transport Regime of PbS
We measured magnetotransport properties of PbS single crystals which exhibit
the quantum linear magnetoresistance (MR) as well as the static skin effect
that creates a surface layer of additional conductivity. The Shubnikov-de Haas
oscillations in the longitudinal MR signify the peculiar role of spin-orbit
coupling. In the angular-dependent MR, sharp peaks are observed when the
magnetic field is slightly inclined from the longitudinal configuration, which
is totally unexpected for a system with nearly spherical Fermi surface and
points to an intricate interplay between the spin-orbit coupling and the
conducting surface layer in the quantum transport regime.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Optical Absorption Study by Ab initio Downfolding Approach: Application to GaAs
We examine whether essence and quantitative aspects of electronic excitation
spectra are correctly captured by an effective low-energy model constructed
from an {\em ab initio} downfolding scheme. A global electronic structure is
first calculated by {\em ab initio} density-functional calculations with the
generalized gradient approximation. With the help of constrained density
functional theory, the low-energy effective Hamiltonian for bands near the
Fermi level is constructed by the downfolding procedure in the basis of
maximally localized Wannier functions. The excited states of this low-energy
effective Hamiltonian ascribed to an extended Hubbard model are calculated by
using a low-energy solver. As the solver, we employ the Hartree-Fock
approximation supplemented by the single-excitation configuration-interaction
method considering electron-hole interactions. The present three-stage method
is applied to GaAs, where eight bands are retained in the effective model after
the downfolding. The resulting spectra well reproduce the experimental results,
indicating that our downfolding scheme offers a satisfactory framework of the
electronic structure calculation, particularly for the excitations and dynamics
as well as for the ground state.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, and 1 tabl
Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Genetic Counseling and a Distance, Computer-Based, Lifestyle Intervention Program for Adult Offspring of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Background, Study Protocol, and Baseline Patient Characteristics
Relatives of type 2 diabetic patients are at a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and should be regarded as target of intervention for diabetes prevention. However, it is usually hard to motivate them to implement preventive lifestyle changes, because of lack of opportunity to take advises from medical professionals, inadequate risk perception, and low priority for preventive behavior. Prevention strategy for them therefore should be highly acceptable and suited for them. The parallel, three-group trial is now being conducted to investigate the effects of genetic counseling and/or a computerized behavioral program on the prevention of type 2 diabetes in that population. The preventive strategies used in this study could provide a novel solution to the numbers of genetically high-risk individuals, if found to be effective. The objective of this paper is to describe the background, protocol, and baseline patient characteristics of the trial
Impurity conduction in phosphorus-doped buried-channel silicon-on-insulator field-effect transistors
We investigate transport in phosphorus-doped buried-channel
metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors at temperatures between 10
and 295 K. In a range of doping concentration between around 2.1 and 8.7 x 1017
cm-3, we find that a clear peak emerges in the conductance versus gate-voltage
curves at low temperature. In addition, temperature dependence measurements
reveal that the conductance obeys a variable-range-hopping law up to an
unexpectedly high temperature of over 100 K. The symmetric dual-gate
configuration of the silicon-on-insulator we use allows us to fully
characterize the vertical-bias dependence of the conductance. Comparison to
computer simulation of the phosphorus impurity band depth-profile reveals how
the spatial variation of the impurity-band energy determines the hopping
conduction in transistor structures. We conclude that the emergence of the
conductance peak and the high-temperature variable-range hopping originate from
the band bending and its change by the gate bias. Moreover, the peak structure
is found to be strongly related to the density of states (DOS) of the
phosphorus impurity band, suggesting the possibility of performing a novel
spectroscopy for the DOS of phosphorus, the dopant of paramount importance in
Si technology, through transport experiments.Comment: 9 figure
Magnetic Field-Induced Condensation of Triplons in Han Purple Pigment BaCuSiO
Besides being an ancient pigment, BaCuSiO is a quasi-2D magnetic
insulator with a gapped spin dimer ground state. The application of strong
magnetic fields closes this gap creating a gas of bosonic spin triplet
excitations called triplons. The topology of the spin lattice makes
BaCuSiO an ideal candidate for studying the Bose-Einstein condensation
of triplons as a function of the external magnetic field, which acts as a
chemical potential. In agreement with quantum Monte Carlo numerical
simulations, we observe a distinct lambda-anomaly in the specific heat together
with a maximum in the magnetic susceptibility upon cooling down to liquid
Helium temperatures.Comment: published on August 20, 200
Neutron Diffraction Study of Field Cooling Effects on Relaxor Ferroelectrics Pb[(Zn_{1/3} Nb_{2/3})_{0.92} Ti_{0.08}] O_{3}
High-temperature (T) and high-electric-field (E) effects on Pb[(Zn_{1/3}
Nb_{2/3})_{0.92} Ti_{0.08}]O_3 (PZN-8%PT) were studied comprehensively by
neutron diffraction in the ranges 300 <= T <= 550 K and 0 <= E <= 15 kV/cm. We
have focused on how phase transitions depend on preceding thermal and
electrical sequences. In the field cooling process (FC, E parallel [001] >= 0.5
kV/cm), a successive cubic (C) --> tetragonal (T) --> monoclinic (M_C)
transition was observed. In the zero field cooling process (ZFC), however, we
have found that the system does not transform to the rhombohedral (R) phase as
widely believed, but to a new, unidentified phase, which we call X. X gives a
Bragg peak profile similar to that expected for R, but the c-axis is always
slightly shorter than the a-axis. As for field effects on the X phase, we found
an irreversible X --> M_C transition via another monoclinic phase (M_A) as
expected from a previous report [Noheda et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 3891
(2001)]. At a higher electric field, we confirmed a c-axis jump associated with
the field-induced M_C --> T transition, which was observed by strain and x-ray
diffraction measurements.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, revise
High-temperature Fluidized Receiver for Concentrated Solar Radiation by a Beam-down Reflector System
AbstractThis study proposes a novel fluidized receiver for absorbing concentrated solar light at high temperatures. Previously, a tubular receiver and a volumetric receiver were developed to make high-temperature air for a solar gas turbine system. The aim was to combine these elements with a tower reflector; however, it was challenging to install these heavy receivers on the top of the tower. Currently, a fluidized receiver prototype is tested by a 3 kWh solar simulator in preparation for a field test at the Miyazaki beam-down reflector system. The fluid dynamics of the prototype receiver is numerically investigated. The currently treated receiver is an inner-circulating fluidized bed spouted by concentric gas streams with high and low velocities in the center and outer annulus, respectively. The draft tube is submerged in the particles to organize particle circulation. Concentrated light irradiates the particles through a quartz window at the top of the receiver container. Such a fluidized bed was first adopted by Kodama et al. for thermochemical reactions; however, it is currently pursued for its potential as a high-temperature receiver aimed at concentrated solar power generation. Experiments of the prototype receiver (inner diameter = 45mm) demonstrated that the inner particles are heated to a temperature greater than 900°C and that an increase of the central gas velocity removes the excess temperature near the particle bed surface. A numerical computation suggests that the large-scale circulation of particles leads to the activation of thermal mixing. The currently proposed receiver is thus expected to attenuate re-radiation losses likely to occur in a conventional volumetric porous receiver. The scale-up of the receiver is being considered by the numerical computation for a field test in the Miyazaki 100 kWh beam-down reflector system
Comparison of ankle-brachial pressure index and pulse wave velocity as markers of cognitive function in a community-dwelling population
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vascular factors have been implicated in the development of cognitive decline and dementia. The purpose of this study is to determine the association of the Ankle Brachial pressure Index (ABI) and brachial-ankle Pulse Wave Velocity (ba-PWV) to cognitive impairment in a community-dwelling population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The ABI and ba-PWV were measured using the volume-plethymographic apparatus in 388 subjects aged 60 years old and over. The Mini-Mental State Examination was also employed to measure global cognitive status. The effectiveness of the ABI and ba-PWV as putative markers of cognitive impairment were determined by using a multiple logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounding factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Subjects with poor cognition were significantly older and less well educated than those with normal cognition. According to the multiple logistic regression analysis, the lowest ABI tertile was found to be a significant independent risk factor (OR = 3.19, 95% CI = 1.30 to 7.82) of the cognitive impairment, whereas the highest brachial-ankle PWV tertile was not.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A low ABI was an independent risk factor for cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older populations, whereas a high ba-PWV may not be. Further research will be required to analyze ABI and PWV with greater accuracy.</p
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