Do Bars Trigger Activity in Galactic Nuclei?

We investigate the connection between the presence of bars and AGN activity, using a volume-limited sample of $\sim$9,000 late-type galaxies with axis ratio $b/a>0.6$ and $M_{r} < -19.5+5{\rm log}h$ at low redshift ($0.02\le z\lesssim 0.055$), selected from Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. We find that the bar fraction in AGN-host galaxies (42.6%) is $\sim$2.5 times higher than in non-AGN galaxies (15.6%), and that the AGN fraction is a factor of two higher in strong-barred galaxies (34.5%) than in non-barred galaxies (15.0%). However, these trends are simply caused by the fact that AGN-host galaxies are on average more massive and redder than non-AGN galaxies because the fraction of strong-barred galaxies (\bfrsbo) increases with $u-r$ color and stellar velocity dispersion. When $u-r$ color and velocity dispersion (or stellar mass) are fixed, both the excess of \bfrsbo in AGN-host galaxies and the enhanced AGN fraction in strong-barred galaxies disappears. Among AGN-host galaxies we find no strong difference of the Eddington ratio distributions between barred and non-barred systems. These results indicate that AGN activity is not dominated by the presence of bars, and that AGN power is not enhanced by bars. In conclusion we do not find a clear evidence that bars trigger AGN activity.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Vortex-flow electromagnetic emission in stacked intrinsic Josephson junctions

We confirmed the existence of the collective transverse plasma modes excited by the motion of the Josephson vortex lattice in stacked intrinsic Josephson junctions of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+x}$ by observing the multiple subbranches in the Josephson-vortex-flow current-voltage characteristics. We also observed the symptom of the microwave emission from the resonance between the Josephson vortex lattice and the collective transverse plasma modes, which provides the possibility of developing Josephson-vortex-flow electromagnetic oscillators.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Formation of high-quality Ag-based ohmic contacts to p-type GaN

Low resistance and high reflectance ohmic contacts on p-type GaN were achieved using an Ag-based metallization scheme. Oxidation annealing was the key to achieve ohmic behavior of Ag-based contacts on p-type GaN. A low contact resistivity of similar to 5x10(-5) Omega cm(2) could be achieved from Me (=Ni, Ir, Pt, or Ru)/Ag (50/1200 angstrom) contacts after annealing at 500 degrees C for 1 min in O(2) ambient. Oxidation annealing promoted the out-diffusion of Ga atoms from the GaN layer, and Ga atoms dissolved in the in-diffused Ag layer with the formation of Ag-Ga solid solution, resulting in ohmic contact formation. Using Ru/Ni/Au (500/200/500 angstrom) overlayers on the Me/Ag contacts, the excessive incorporation of oxygen molecules into the contact interfacial region, and the out-diffusion and agglomeration of Ag, were effectively prevented during oxidation annealing. As a result, a high reflectance of 87.2% at the 460 nm wavelength and a smooth surface morphology could be obtained simultaneously. (C) 2008 The Electrochemical Society.open111618sciescopu