184 research outputs found
Superconducting proximity effect in a mesoscopic ferromagnetic wire
We present an experimental study of the transport properties of a
ferromagnetic metallic wire (Co) in metallic contact with a superconductor
(Al). As the temperature is decreased below the Al superconducting transition,
the Co resistance exhibits a significant dependence on both temperature and
voltage. The differential resistance data show that the decay length for the
proximity effect is much larger than we would simply expect from the exchange
field of the ferromagnet.Comment: 4 pages, 6 included epsf figures, published version with small
change
Subgap anomaly and above-energy-gap structure in chains of diffusive SNS junctions
We present the results of low-temperature transport measurements on chains of
superconductor--normal-constriction--superconductor (SNS) junctions fabricated
on the basis of superconducting PtSi film. A comparative study of the
properties of the chains, consisting of 3 and 20 SNS junctions in series, and
single SNS junctions reveals essential distinctions in the behavior of the
current-voltage characteristics of the systems: (i) the gradual decrease of the
effective suppression voltage for the excess conductivity observed at zero bias
as the quantity of the SNS junctions increases, (ii) a rich fine structure on
the dependences dV/dI-V at dc bias voltages higher than the superconducting gap
and corresponding to some multiples of 2\Delta/e. A model to explain this
above-energy-gap structure based on energy relaxation of electron via
Cooper-pair-breaking in superconducting island connecting normal metal
electrods is proposed.Comment: RevTex, 5 pages, 4 figure
Evolution of Male-Killer Suppression in a Natural Population
Male-killing bacteria are widespread in arthropods, and can profoundly alter the reproductive biology of their host species. Here we detail the first case of complete suppression of a male killer. The nymphalid butterfly Hypolimnas bolina is infected with a strain of the bacterium Wolbachia, wBol1, which kills male host embryos in Polynesian populations, but does not do so in many areas of Southeast Asia, where both males and female adults are naturally infected, and wBol1-infected females produce a 1:1 sex ratio. We demonstrate that absence of male killing by wBol1 is associated with dominant zygotic suppression of the action of the male killer. Simulations demonstrate host suppressors of male-killer action can spread very rapidly, and historical data indicating the presence of male killing in Southeast Asia in the very recent past suggests suppressor spread has been a very recent occurrence. Thus, male killer/host interactions are much more dynamic than previously recognised, with rapid and dramatic loss of the phenotype. Our results also indicate that suppression can render male killers completely quiescent, leading to the conclusion that some species that do not currently express a male killer may have done so in the past, and thus that more species have had their biology affected by these parasites than previously believed
Phase Dependent Thermopower in Andreev Interferometers
We report measurements of the thermopower S of mesoscopic Andreev
interferometers, which are hybrid loops with one arm fabricated from a
superconductor (Al), and one arm from a normal metal (Au). S depends on the
phase of electrons in the interferometer, oscillating as a function of magnetic
flux with a period of one flux quantum (= h/2e). The magnitude of S increases
as the temperature T is lowered, reaching a maximum around T = 0.14 K, and
decreases at lower temperatures. The symmetry of S oscillations with respect to
magnetic flux depends on the topology of the sample.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Mesoscopic Ferromagnet/Superconductor Junctions and the Proximity Effect
We have measured the electrical transport of submicron ferromagnets (Ni) in
contact with a mesoscopic superconductor (Al) for a range of interface
resistances. In the geometry measured, the interface and the ferromagnet are
measured separately. The ferromagnet itself shows no appreciable
superconducting proximity effect, but the ferromagnet/superconductor interface
exhibits strong temperature, field and current bias dependences. These effects
are dependent on the local magnetic field distribution near the interface
arising from the ferromagnet. We find that the temperature dependences may be
fit to a modified version of the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk theory for
normal-superconductor transport.Comment: 4 eps fig
Mesoscopic proximity effect in double barrier Superconductor/Normal Metal junctions
We report transport measurements down to T=60mK of SININ and SNIN structures
in the diffusive limit. We fabricated Al-AlOx/Cu/AlOx/Cu (SININ) and
Al/Cu/AlOx/Cu (SNIN) vertical junctions. For the first time, a zero bias
anomaly was observed in a metallic SININ structure. We attribute this peak of
conductance to coherent multi-reflections of electrons between the two tunnel
barriers. This conductance maximum is quantitatively fitted by the relevant
theory of mesoscopic SININ structures. When the barrier at the SN interface is
removed (SNIN structure), we observe a peak of conductance at finite voltage
accompagnied by an excess of sub-gap conductance.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, editorially approved for publication in Phys.
Rev. B Rapid Com
A New Model and Method for Understanding Wolbachia-Induced Cytoplasmic Incompatibility
Wolbachia are intracellular bacteria transmitted almost exclusively vertically through eggs. In response to this mode of transmission, Wolbachia strategically manipulate their insect hosts' reproduction. In the most common manipulation type, cytoplasmic incompatibility, infected males can only mate with infected females, but infected females can mate with all males. The mechanism of cytoplasmic incompatibility is unknown; theoretical and empirical findings need to converge to broaden our understanding of this phenomenon. For this purpose, two prominent models have been proposed: the mistiming-model and the lock-key-model. The former states that Wolbachia manipulate sperm of infected males to induce a fatal delay of the male pronucleus during the first embryonic division, but that the bacteria can compensate the delay by slowing down mitosis in fertilized eggs. The latter states that Wolbachia deposit damaging “locks” on sperm DNA of infected males, but can also provide matching “keys” in infected eggs to undo the damage. The lock-key-model, however, needs to assume a large number of locks and keys to explain all existing incompatibility patterns. The mistiming-model requires fewer assumptions but has been contradicted by empirical results. We therefore expand the mistiming-model by one quantitative dimension to create the new, so-called goalkeeper-model. Using a method based on formal logic, we show that both lock-key- and goalkeeper-model are consistent with existing data. Compared to the lock-key-model, however, the goalkeeper-model assumes only two factors and provides an idea of the evolutionary emergence of cytoplasmic incompatibility. Available cytological evidence suggests that the hypothesized second factor of the goalkeeper-model may indeed exist. Finally, we suggest empirical tests that would allow to distinguish between the models. Generalizing our results might prove interesting for the study of the mechanism and evolution of other host-parasite interactions
Andreev Conductance of Chaotic and Integrable Quantum Dots
We examine the voltage V and magnetic field B dependent Andreev conductance
of a chaotic quantum dot coupled via point contacts to a normal metal and a
superconductor. In the case where the contact to the superconductor dominates,
we find that the conductance is consistent with the dot itself behaving as a
superconductor-- it appears as though Andreev reflections are occurring locally
at the interface between the normal lead and the dot. This is contrasted
against the behaviour of an integrable dot, where for a similar strong coupling
to the superconductor, no such effect is seen. The voltage dependence of the
Andreev conductance thus provides an extremely pronounced quantum signature of
the nature of the dot's classical dynamics. For the chaotic dot, we also study
non-monotonic re-entrance effects which occur in both V and B.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
Two-dimensional array of diffusive SNS junctions with high-transparent interfaces
We report the first comparative study of the properties of two-dimensional
arrays and single superconducting film - normal wire - superconducting film
(SNS) junctions. The NS interfaces of our SNS junctions are really high
transparent, for superconducting and normal metal parts are made from the same
material (superconducting polycrystalline PtSi film). We have found that the
two-dimensional arrays reveal some novel features: (i) the significant
narrowing of the zero bias anomaly (ZBA) in comparison with single SNS
junctions, (ii) the appearance of subharmonic energy gap structure (SGS), with
up to n=16 (eV=\pm 2\Delta/n), with some numbers being lost, (iii) the
transition from 2D logarithmic weak localization behavior to metallic one. Our
experiments show that coherent phenomena governed by the Andreev reflection are
not only maintained over the macroscopic scale but manifest novel pronounced
effects as well. The behavior of the ZBA and SGS in 2D array of SNS junctions
strongly suggests that the development of a novel theoretical approach is
needed which would self-consistently take into account the distribution of the
currents, the potentials, and the superconducting order parameter.Comment: RevTex, 5 pages, 5 figure
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