Performance limits of graphene-ribbon-based field effect transistors

The performance of field effect transistors based on an single graphene ribbon with a constriction and a single back gate are studied with the help of atomistic models. It is shown how this scheme, unlike that of traditional carbon-nanotube-based transistors, reduces the importance of the specifics of the chemical bonding to the metallic electrodes in favor of the carbon-based part of device. The ultimate performance limits are here studied for various constriction and metal-ribbon contact models. In particular we show that, even for poorly contacting metals, properly taylored constrictions can give promising values for both the on-conductance and the subthreshold swing.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

A Proposal of a Renormalization Group Transformation for Lattice Field Theories

We propose a new Real Space Renormalization Group transformation useful for Monte Carlo calculations in theories with global or local symmetries. From relaxation arguments we define the block-spin transformation with two tunable free parameters, adapted to the system's action. Varying them it is possible to place the fixed point very close to the simulation point. We show how the method works in a simple model with global symmetry: the three dimensional XY model.Comment: 26 pages, uuencoded compressed postscript single file, 8 figures include

Two-point one-dimensional δ\delta-δ′\delta^\prime interactions: non-abelian addition law and decoupling limit

In this contribution to the study of one dimensional point potentials, we prove that if we take the limit $q\to 0$ on a potential of the type $v_0\delta({y})+{2}v_1\delta'({y})+w_0\delta({y}-q)+ {2} w_1\delta'({y}-q)$, we obtain a new point potential of the type ${u_0} \delta({y})+{2 u_1} \delta'({y})$, when $u_0$ and $u_1$ are related to $v_0$, $v_1$, $w_0$ and $w_1$ by a law having the structure of a group. This is the Borel subgroup of $SL_2({\mathbb R})$. We also obtain the non-abelian addition law from the scattering data. The spectra of the Hamiltonian in the exceptional cases emerging in the study are also described in full detail. It is shown that for the $v_1=\pm 1$, $w_1=\pm 1$ values of the $\delta^\prime$ couplings the singular Kurasov matrices become equivalent to Dirichlet at one side of the point interaction and Robin boundary conditions at the other side

The influence of microlensing on the shape of the AGN Fe K-alpha line

We study the influence of gravitational microlensing on the AGN Fe K-alpha line confirming that unexpected enhancements recently detected in the iron line of some AGNs can be produced by this effect. We use a ray tracing method to study the influence of microlensing in the emission coming from a compact accretion disc considering both geometries, Schwarzschild and Kerr. Thanks to the small dimensions of the region producing the AGN Fe K-alpha line, the Einstein Ring Radii associated to even very small compact objects have size comparable to the accretion disc hence producing noticeable changes in the line profiles. Asymmetrical enhancements contributing differently to the peaks or to the core of the line are produced by a microlens, off-centered with respect to the accretion disc. In the standard configuration of microlensing by a compact object in an intervening galaxy, we found that the effects on the iron line are two orders of magnitude larger than those expected in the optical or UV emission lines. In particular, microlensing can satisfactorily explain the excess in the iron line emission found very recently in two gravitational lens systems, H 1413+117 and MG J0414+0534. Exploring other physical {scenario} for microlensing, we found that compact objects (of the order of one Solar mass) which belong to {the bulge or the halo} of the host galaxy can also produce significant changes in the Fe K$_\alpha$ line profile of an AGN. However, the optical depth estimated for this type of microlensing is {very small, $\tau\sim 0.001$, even in a favorable case.Comment: Astron. Astrophys. accepte