Multidomain switching in the ferroelectric nanodots

Controlling the polarization switching in the ferroelectric nanocrystals, nanowires and nanodots has an inherent specificity related to the emergence of depolarization field that is associated with the spontaneous polarization. This field splits the finite-size ferroelectric sample into polarization domains. Here, based on 3D numerical simulations, we study the formation of 180$^{\circ }$ polarization domains in a nanoplatelet, made of uniaxial ferroelectric material, and show that in addition to the polarized monodomain state, the multidomain structures, notably of stripe and cylindrical shapes, can arise and compete during the switching process. The multibit switching protocol between these configurations may be realized by temperature and field variations

Beta, Dipole and Noncommutative Deformations of M-theory Backgrounds with One or More Parameters

We construct new M-theory solutions starting from those that contain 5 U(1) isometries. We do this by reducing along one of the 5-torus directions, then T-dualizing via the action of an O(4,4) matrix and lifting back to 11-dimensions. The particular T-duality transformation is a sequence of O(2,2) transformations embedded in O(4,4), where the action of each O(2,2) gives a Lunin-Maldacena deformation in 10-dimensions. We find general formulas for the metric and 4-form field of single and multiparameter deformed solutions, when the 4-form of the initial 11-dimensional background has at most one leg along the 5-torus. All the deformation terms in the new solutions are given in terms of subdeterminants of a 5x5 matrix, which represents the metric on the 5-torus. We apply these results to several M-theory backgrounds of the type AdS_r x X^{11-r}. By appropriate choices of the T-duality and reduction directions we obtain analogues of beta, dipole and noncommutative deformations. We also provide formulas for backgrounds with only 3 or 4 U(1) isometries and study a case, for which our assumption for the 4-form field is violated.Comment: v2:minor corrections, v3:small improvements, v4:conclusions expanded, to appear in Class. Quant. Gra

A Note on Einstein Sasaki Metrics in D \ge 7

In this paper, we obtain new non-singular Einstein-Sasaki spaces in dimensions D\ge 7. The local construction involves taking a circle bundle over a (D-1)-dimensional Einstein-Kahler metric that is itself constructed as a complex line bundle over a product of Einstein-Kahler spaces. In general the resulting Einstein-Sasaki spaces are singular, but if parameters in the local solutions satisfy appropriate rationality conditions, the metrics extend smoothly onto complete and non-singular compact manifolds.Comment: Latex, 13 page

All supersymmetric solutions of minimal supergravity in six dimensions

A general form for all supersymmetric solutions of minimal supergravity in six dimensions is obtained. Examples of new supersymmetric solutions are presented. It is proven that the only maximally supersymmetric solutions are flat space, AdS_3 x S^3 and a plane wave. As an application of the general solution, it is shown that any supersymmetric solution with a compact horizon must have near-horizon geometry R^{1,1} x T^4, R^{1,1} x K3 or identified AdS_3 x S^3.Comment: 40 pages. v2: two references adde

New Results in Sasaki-Einstein Geometry

This article is a summary of some of the author's work on Sasaki-Einstein geometry. A rather general conjecture in string theory known as the AdS/CFT correspondence relates Sasaki-Einstein geometry, in low dimensions, to superconformal field theory; properties of the latter are therefore reflected in the former, and vice versa. Despite this physical motivation, many recent results are of independent geometrical interest, and are described here in purely mathematical terms: explicit constructions of infinite families of both quasi-regular and irregular Sasaki-Einstein metrics; toric Sasakian geometry; an extremal problem that determines the Reeb vector field for, and hence also the volume of, a Sasaki-Einstein manifold; and finally, obstructions to the existence of Sasaki-Einstein metrics. Some of these results also provide new insights into Kahler geometry, and in particular new obstructions to the existence of Kahler-Einstein metrics on Fano orbifolds.Comment: 31 pages, no figures. Invited contribution to the proceedings of the conference "Riemannian Topology: Geometric Structures on Manifolds"; minor typos corrected, reference added; published version; Riemannian Topology and Geometric Structures on Manifolds (Progress in Mathematics), Birkhauser (Nov 2008

Supersymmetric AdS_5 Solutions of Type IIB Supergravity

We analyse the most general bosonic supersymmetric solutions of type IIB supergravity whose metrics are warped products of five-dimensional anti-de Sitter space AdS_5 with a five-dimensional Riemannian manifold M_5. All fluxes are allowed to be non-vanishing consistent with SO(4,2) symmetry. We show that the necessary and sufficient conditions can be phrased in terms of a local identity structure on M_5. For a special class, with constant dilaton and vanishing axion, we reduce the problem to solving a second order non-linear ODE. We find an exact solution of the ODE which reproduces a solution first found by Pilch and Warner. A numerical analysis of the ODE reveals an additional class of local solutions.Comment: 33 page

The general form of supersymmetric solutions of N=(1,0) U(1) and SU(2) gauged supergravities in six dimensions

We obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for a supersymmetric field configuration in the N=(1,0) U(1) or SU(2) gauged supergravities in six dimensions, and impose the field equations on this general ansatz. It is found that any supersymmetric solution is associated to an $SU(2)\ltimes \mathbb{R}^4$ structure. The structure is characterized by a null Killing vector which induces a natural 2+4 split of the six dimensional spacetime. A suitable combination of the field equations implies that the scalar curvature of the four dimensional Riemannian part, referred to as the base, obeys a second order differential equation. Bosonic fluxes introduce torsion terms that deform the $SU(2)\ltimes\mathbb{R}^4$ structure away from a covariantly constant one. The most general structure can be classified in terms of its intrinsic torsion. For a large class of solutions the gauge field strengths admit a simple geometrical interpretation: in the U(1) theory the base is K\"{a}hler, and the gauge field strength is the Ricci form; in the SU(2) theory, the gauge field strengths are identified with the curvatures of the left hand spin bundle of the base. We employ our general ansatz to construct new supersymmetric solutions; we show that the U(1) theory admits a symmetric Cahen-Wallach$_4\times S^2$ solution together with a compactifying pp-wave. The SU(2) theory admits a black string, whose near horizon limit is $AdS_3\times S_3$. We also obtain the Yang-Mills analogue of the Salam-Sezgin solution of the U(1) theory, namely $R^{1,2}\times S^3$, where the $S^3$ is supported by a sphaleron. Finally we obtain the additional constraints implied by enhanced supersymmetry, and discuss Penrose limits in the theories.Comment: 1+29 pages, late

Randomizing world trade. II. A weighted network analysis

Based on the misleading expectation that weighted network properties always offer a more complete description than purely topological ones, current economic models of the International Trade Network (ITN) generally aim at explaining local weighted properties, not local binary ones. Here we complement our analysis of the binary projections of the ITN by considering its weighted representations. We show that, unlike the binary case, all possible weighted representations of the ITN (directed/undirected, aggregated/disaggregated) cannot be traced back to local country-specific properties, which are therefore of limited informativeness. Our two papers show that traditional macroeconomic approaches systematically fail to capture the key properties of the ITN. In the binary case, they do not focus on the degree sequence and hence cannot characterize or replicate higher-order properties. In the weighted case, they generally focus on the strength sequence, but the knowledge of the latter is not enough in order to understand or reproduce indirect effects.Comment: See also the companion paper (Part I): arXiv:1103.1243 [physics.soc-ph], published as Phys. Rev. E 84, 046117 (2011

Acute Ethanol Administration Rapidly Increases Phosphorylation of Conventional Protein Kinase C in Specific Mammalian Brain Regions in Vivo

Background Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of isoenzymes that regulate a variety of functions in the central nervous system including neurotransmitter release, ion channel activity, and cell differentiation. Growing evidence suggests that specific isoforms of PKC influence a variety of behavioral, biochemical, and physiological effects of ethanol in mammals. The purpose of this study was to determine whether acute ethanol exposure alters phosphorylation of conventional PKC isoforms at a threonine 674 (p-cPKC) site in the hydrophobic domain of the kinase, which is required for its catalytic activity. Methods Male rats were administered a dose range of ethanol (0, 0.5, 1, or 2 g/kg, intragastric) and brain tissue was removed 10 minutes later for evaluation of changes in p-cPKC expression using immunohistochemistry and Western blot methods. Results Immunohistochemical data show that the highest dose of ethanol (2 g/kg) rapidly increases p-cPKC immunoreactivity specifically in the nucleus accumbens (core and shell), lateral septum, and hippocampus (CA3 and dentate gyrus). Western blot analysis further showed that ethanol (2 g/kg) increased p-cPKC expression in the P2 membrane fraction of tissue from the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus. Although p-cPKC was expressed in numerous other brain regions, including the caudate nucleus, amygdala, and cortex, no changes were observed in response to acute ethanol. Total PKC? immunoreactivity was surveyed throughout the brain and showed no change following acute ethanol injection

Binding energy and dephasing of biexcitons in In0.18Ga0.82As/GaAs single quantum wells

Biexciton binding energies and biexciton dephasing in In0.18Ga0.82As/GaAs single quantum wells have been measured by time-integrated and spectrally resolved four-wave mixing. The biexciton binding energy increases from 1.5 to 2.6 meV for well widths increasing from 1 to 4 nm. The ratio between exciton and biexciton binding energy changes from 0.23 to 0.3 with increasing inhomogeneous broadening, corresponding to increasing well width. From the temperature dependence of the exciton and biexciton four-wave mixing signal decay, we have deduced the acoustic-phonon scattering of the exciton-biexciton transition. It is found to be comparable to that of the exciton transition, indicating that the deformation potential interactions for the exciton and the exciton-biexciton transitions are comparable