148 research outputs found
Spin-glass-like behavior of Ge:Mn
We present a detailed study of the magnetic properties of
low-temperature-molecular-beam-epitaxy grown Ge:Mn dilute magnetic
semiconductor films. We find strong indications for a frozen state of
Ge_{1-x}Mn_{x}, with freezing temperatures of T_f=12K and T_f=15K for samples
with x=0.04 and x=0.2, respectively, determined from the difference between
field-cooled and zero-field-cooled magnetization. For Ge_{0.96}Mn_{0.04}, ac
susceptibility measurements show a peak around T_f, with the peak position T'_f
shifting as a function of the driving frequency f by Delta T_f' / [T_f' Delta
log f] ~ 0.06, whereas for sample Ge_{0.8}Mn_{0.2} a more complicated behavior
is observed. Furthermore, both samples exhibit relaxation effects of the
magnetization after switching the magnitude of the external magnetic field
below T_f which are in qualitative agreement with the field- and
zero-field-cooled magnetization measurements. These findings consistently show
that Ge:Mn exhibits a frozen magnetic state at low temperatures and that it is
not a conventional ferromagnet.Comment: Revised version contains extended interpretation of experimental dat
R/V POSEIDON cruise POS498, Recovery of Observatories at Athina Mud Volcano, Izmir (Turkey) - Catania (Italy), 18 April - 1 May, 2016
Compensation-dependent in-plane magnetization reversal processes in Ga1-xMnxP1-ySy
We report the effect of dilute alloying of the anion sublattice with S on the
in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy and magnetization reversal process in
Ga1-xMnxP as measured by both ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and superconducting
quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry. At T=5K, raising the S
concentration increases the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy between in-plane
directions while decreasing the magnitude of the (negative) cubic anisotropy
field. Simulation of the SQUID magnetometry indicates that the energy required
for the nucleation and growth of domain walls decreases with increasing y.
These combined effects have a marked influence on the shape of the
field-dependent magnetization curves; while the direction remains the easy axis
in the plane of the film, the field dependence of the magnetization develops
double hysteresis loops in the [011] direction as the S concentration increases
similar to those observed for perpendicular magnetization reversal in lightly
doped Ga1-xMnxAs. The incidence of double hysteresis loops is explained with a
simple model whereby magnetization reversal occurs by a combination of coherent
spin rotation and noncoherent spin switching, which is consistent with both FMR
and magnetometry experiments. The evolution of magnetic properties with S
concentration is attributed to compensation of Mn acceptors by S donors, which
results in a lowering of the concentration of holes that mediate
ferromagnetism.Comment: 37 pages, 9 figures, 3 table
Magnetically induced anisotropy of flux penetration into strong-pinning superconductor/ferromagnet bilayers
We studied the impact of soft ferromagnetic permalloy (Py) on the shielding currents in a strong-pinning superconductor?YBa2Cu3O7?? with Ba2Y(Nb/Ta)O-6 nano-precipitates?by means of scanning transmission x-ray microscopy. Typically and in particular when in the thin film limit, superconductor/ferromagnet (SC/FM) bilayers exhibit isotropic properties of the flux line ensemble at all temperatures. However, in elements with small aspect ratio a significant anisotropy in flux penetration is observed. We explain this effect by local in-plane fields arising from anisotropic magnetic stray fields originated by the ferromagnet. This leads to direction-dependent motion of magnetic vortices inside the SC/FM bilayer. Our results demonstrate that small variations of the magnetic properties can have huge impact on the superconductor
Potassium Starvation in Yeast: Mechanisms of Homeostasis Revealed by Mathematical Modeling
The intrinsic ability of cells to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions is a fundamental process required for survival. Potassium is the most abundant cation in living cells and is required for essential cellular processes, including the regulation of cell volume, pH and protein synthesis. Yeast cells can grow from low micromolar to molar potassium concentrations and utilize sophisticated control mechanisms to keep the internal potassium concentration in a viable range. We developed a mathematical model for Saccharomyces cerevisiae to explore the complex interplay between biophysical forces and molecular regulation facilitating potassium homeostasis. By using a novel inference method (“the reverse tracking algorithm”) we predicted and then verified experimentally that the main regulators under conditions of potassium starvation are proton fluxes responding to changes of potassium concentrations. In contrast to the prevailing view, we show that regulation of the main potassium transport systems (Trk1,2 and Nha1) in the plasma membrane is not sufficient to achieve homeostasis
- …