Resolving and Tuning Mechanical Anisotropy in Black Phosphorus via Nanomechanical Multimode Resonance Spectromicroscopy

Black phosphorus (P) has emerged as a layered semiconductor with a unique crystal structure featuring corrugated atomic layers and strong in-plane anisotropy in its physical properties. Here, we demonstrate that the crystal orientation and mechanical anisotropy in free-standing black P thin layers can be precisely determined by spatially resolved multimode nanomechanical resonances. This offers a new means for resolving important crystal orientation and anisotropy in black P device platforms in situ beyond conventional optical and electrical calibration techniques. Furthermore, we show that electrostatic-gating-induced straining can continuously tune the mechanical anisotropic effects on multimode resonances in black P electromechanical devices. Combined with finite element modeling (FEM), we also determine the Young's moduli of multilayer black P to be 116.1 and 46.5 GPa in the zigzag and armchair directions, respectively.Comment: Main Text: 13 Pages, 4 Figures; Supplementary Information: 5 Pages, 2 Figures, 2 Table

Momentum Distribution of Near-Zero-Energy Photoelectrons in the Strong-Field Tunneling Ionization in the Long Wavelength Limit

We investigate the ionization dynamics of Argon atoms irradiated by an ultrashort intense laser of a wavelength up to 3100 nm, addressing the momentum distribution of the photoelectrons with near-zero-energy. We find a surprising accumulation in the momentum distribution corresponding to meV energy and a \textquotedblleft V"-like structure at the slightly larger transverse momenta. Semiclassical simulations indicate the crucial role of the Coulomb attraction between the escaping electron and the remaining ion at extremely large distance. Tracing back classical trajectories, we find the tunneling electrons born in a certain window of the field phase and transverse velocity are responsible for the striking accumulation. Our theoretical results are consistent with recent meV-resolved high-precision measurements.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Topology and topological sequence entropy

Let $X$ be a compact metric space and $T:X\longrightarrow X$ be continuous. Let $h^*(T)$ be the supremum of topological sequence entropies of $T$ over all subsequences of $\mathbb Z_+$ and $S(X)$ be the set of the values $h^*(T)$ for all continuous maps $T$ on $X$. It is known that $\{0\} \subseteq S(X)\subseteq \{0, \log 2, \log 3, \ldots\}\cup \{\infty\}$. Only three possibilities for $S(X)$ have been observed so far, namely $S(X)=\{0\}$, $S(X)=\{0,\log2, \infty\}$ and $S(X)=\{0, \log 2, \log 3, \ldots\}\cup \{\infty\}$. In this paper we completely solve the problem of finding all possibilities for $S(X)$ by showing that in fact for every set $\{0\} \subseteq A \subseteq \{0, \log 2, \log 3, \ldots\}\cup \{\infty\}$ there exists a one-dimensional continuum $X_A$ with $S(X_A) = A$. In the construction of $X_A$ we use Cook continua. This is apparently the first application of these very rigid continua in dynamics. We further show that the same result is true if one considers only homeomorphisms rather than con\-ti\-nuous maps. The problem for group actions is also addressed. For some class of group actions (by homeomorphisms) we provide an analogous result, but in full generality this problem remains open. The result works also for an analogous class of semigroup actions (by continuous maps)

On gauge-invariant Green function in 2+1 dimensional QED

Both the gauge-invariant fermion Green function and gauge-dependent conventional Green function in $2+1$ dimensional QED are studied in the large $N$ limit. In temporal gauge, the infra-red divergence of gauge-dependent Green function is found to be regulariable, the anomalous dimension is found to be $\eta= \frac{64}{3 \pi^{2} N}$. This anomalous dimension was argued to be the same as that of gauge-invariant Green function. However, in Coulomb gauge, the infra-red divergence of the gauge-dependent Green function is found to be un-regulariable, anomalous dimension is even not defined, but the infra-red divergence is shown to be cancelled in any gauge-invariant physical quantities. The gauge-invariant Green function is also studied directly in Lorentz covariant gauge and the anomalous dimension is found to be the same as that calculated in temporal gauge.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Fire responses and resistance of concrete-filled steel tubular frame structures

This paper presents the results of dynamic responses and fire resistance of concretefilled steel tubular (CFST) frame structures in fire conditions by using non-linear finite element method. Both strength and stability criteria are considered in the collapse analysis. The frame structures are constructed with circular CFST columns and steel beams of I-sections. In order to validate the finite element solutions, the numerical results are compared with those from a fire resistance test on CFST columns. The finite element model is then adopted to simulate the behaviour of frame structures in fire. The structural responses of the frames, including critical temperature and fire-resisting limit time, are obtained for the ISO-834 standard fire. Parametric studies are carried out to show their influence on the load capacity of the frame structures in fire. Suggestions and recommendations are presented for possible adoption in future construction and design of these structures

Topological Quantum Phase Transition in Synthetic Non-Abelian Gauge Potential

The method of synthetic gauge potentials opens up a new avenue for our understanding and discovering novel quantum states of matter. We investigate the topological quantum phase transition of Fermi gases trapped in a honeycomb lattice in the presence of a synthetic non- Abelian gauge potential. We develop a systematic fermionic effective field theory to describe a topological quantum phase transition tuned by the non-Abelian gauge potential and ex- plore its various important experimental consequences. Numerical calculations on lattice scales are performed to compare with the results achieved by the fermionic effective field theory. Several possible experimental detection methods of topological quantum phase tran- sition are proposed. In contrast to condensed matter experiments where only gauge invariant quantities can be measured, both gauge invariant and non-gauge invariant quantities can be measured by experimentally generating various non-Abelian gauges corresponding to the same set of Wilson loops

Retrofit self-optimizing control: a step forward towards real implementation

After 15 year development, it is still hard to find any real application of the self-optimizing control (SOC) strategy, although it can achieve optimal or near optimal operation in industrial processes without repetitive realtime optimization. This is partially because of the misunderstanding that the SOC requires to completely reconfigure the entire control system which is generally unacceptable for most process plants in operation, even though the current one may not be optimal. To alleviate this situation, this paper proposes a retrofit SOC methodology aiming to improve the optimality of operation without change of existing control systems. In the new retrofitted SOC systems, the controlled variables (CVs) selected are kept at constant by adjusting setpoints of existing control loops, which therefore constitutes a two layer control architecture. CVs made from measurement combinations are determined to minimise the global average losses. A subset measurement selection problem for the global SOC is solved though a branch and bound algorithm. The standard testbed Tennessee Eastman (TE) process is studied with the proposed retrofit SOC methodology. The optimality of the new retrofit SOC architecture is validated by comparing two state of art control systems by Ricker and Larsson et al., through steady state analysis as well as dynamic simulations