Charge transport mechanism in networks of armchair graphene nanoribbons

In graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), the lateral confinement of charge carriers opens a band gap, the key feature that enables novel graphene-based electronics. Despite great progress, reliable and reproducible fabrication of single-ribbon field-effect transistors (FETs) is still a challenge, impeding the understanding of the charge transport. Here, we present reproducible fabrication of armchair GNR-FETs based on networks of nanoribbons and analyze the charge transport mechanism using nine-atom wide and, in particular, five-atom-wide GNRs with large conductivity. We show formation of reliable Ohmic contacts and a yield of functional FETs close to unity by lamination of GNRs to electrodes. Modeling the charge transport in the networks reveals that transport is governed by inter-ribbon hopping mediated by nuclear tunneling, with a hopping length comparable to the physical GNR length. Overcoming the challenge of low-yield single-ribbon transistors by the networks and identifying the corresponding charge transport mechanism is a key step forward for functionalization of GNRs

Methylation landscape in the genome of higher plants of agronomical interest

In eukaryotic cells the methylation of cytosines in DNA is an essential mechanism which is implied in the dynamic organization of the genome structure, in relation to genes expression. Plant genomes contain a significant proportion and variable according to the species, of sequences which are likely to be methylated during the life of the plant. It is known that the establishment and the maintenance of methylation profiles in both genomic areas and specific sequences constitute a crucial mediator in the modulation of genes expression during development. Recent studies have evidenced the implication of epimutations in the adaptation of plants to their environment particularly in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Recently, the complete mapping of methylation in the genomes of Arabidopsis thaliana and rice provided invaluable information on the distribution of methylation within genes in relation to their expression. The impact of changes in the methylation profiles on the characters of agronomic importance has not been intensively studied yet, whereas this question takes a considerable importance in the context of an increasing food demand and foreseen global climate changes. The METHYLANDSCAPE project proposes to isolate genomic DNA sequences on the basis of their degree of methylation and to connect the variation of their methylation profiles with, on the one hand, the expression of the corresponding genes and, on the other hand, with environmental or developmental processes. Thus, it should be possible to identify genes which expression is differentially controlled by methylation during development and/or in situation of stress, and likely to have an influence on the agronomic value of the plant. The METHYLANDSCAPE partners thus propose to bring signification advances in plant genomics on four original species, by integrating DNA methylation mapping and the relationship between epigenome and transcriptome, up to the generation of methylation-sensitive markers linked with characters of agronomic importance. (Texte intégral

Evaluation of magnetic helicity density in the wave number domain using multi-point measurements in space

We develop an estimator for the magnetic helicity density, a measure of the spiral geometry of magnetic field lines, in the wave number domain as a wave diagnostic tool based on multi-point measurements in space. The estimator is numerically tested with a synthetic data set and then applied to an observation of magnetic field fluctuations in the Earth foreshock region provided by the four-point measurements of the Cluster spacecraft. The energy and the magnetic helicity density are determined in the frequency and the wave number domain, which allows us to identify the wave properties in the plasma rest frame correcting for the Doppler shift. In the analyzed time interval, dominant wave components have parallel propagation to the mean magnetic field, away from the shock at about Alfvén speed and a left-hand spatial rotation sense of helicity with respect to the propagation direction, which means a right-hand temporal rotation sense of polarization. These wave properties are well explained by the right-hand resonant beam instability as the driving mechanism in the foreshock. Cluster observations allow therefore detailed comparisons with various theories of waves and instabilities

Global existence problem in T3T^3-Gowdy symmetric IIB superstring cosmology

We show global existence theorems for Gowdy symmetric spacetimes with type IIB stringy matter. The areal and constant mean curvature time coordinates are used. Before coming to that, it is shown that a wave map describes the evolution of this system

Scheme for calculating the orbital-dependent exchange-correlation potential using the virial theorem: Application to atomic systems

We present a density-functional scheme for calculating the orbital-dependent exchange-correlation potential using the virial theorem as a sum rule. In order to check the validity of this scheme, atomic-structure calculations only with the exchange potential are performed. The accuracy of this scheme is shown to be comparable to that of the optimized effective potential (OEP) method, while the computational workload is extremely reduced compared to the OEP method.ArticlePHYSICAL REVIEW A. 78(1):012501 (2008)journal articl

Return to utopia? Vision and practice of the Japanese right at Yasukuni shrine

The Shinto shrine Yasukuni has drawn international attention as a controversial site for its enshrinement of convicted war criminals and glorification of Japanese colonialism. Every year on the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in 1945, it draws a festival-like crowd; among the crowd are right-wing political activists, individuals in military regalia, and representatives of right-wing organizations dressed in pseudo-militaristic uniforms performing monologues and marching in formation, among other activities. This article examines the meaning and ideology underpinning the (re)enactment of Japanese empire and war at Yasukuni shrine. In Japan, the far-right have appropriated Shinto as a pillar of an imagined, lost ‘tradition’ which must be resuscitated to save society from moral and political collapse. The article argues that despite its call to the past, this imaginary emerges as an ontological and epistemological challenge to the secularization and liberalization which took place in the decades following World War II. Yasukuni is positioned as both the inspiration for, and location of, this utopianism. More than escapism, the enactment of utopia at the shrine embodies an active project to win the hearts and minds of the Japanese people, the ultimate aim of which is to construct an anti-secular, reactionary and illiberal social order

HATS-1b: The First Transiting Planet Discovered by the HATSouth Survey

We report the discovery of HATS-1b, a transiting extrasolar planet orbiting the moderately bright V=12.05 G dwarf star GSC 6652-00186, and the first planet discovered by HATSouth, a global network of autonomous wide-field telescopes. HATS-1b has a period P~3.4465 d, mass Mp~1.86MJ, and radius Rp~1.30RJ. The host star has a mass of 0.99Msun, and radius of 1.04Rsun. The discovery light curve of HATS-1b has near continuous coverage over several multi-day periods, demonstrating the power of using a global network of telescopes to discover transiting planets.Comment: Submitted to AJ 10 pages, 5 figures, 6 table

Coupled Nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation and Toda equation (the Root of Integrability)

We consider the relation between the discrete coupled nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation and Toda equation. Introducing complex times we can show the intergability of the discrete coupled nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation. In the same way we can show the integrability in coupled case of dark and bright equations. Using this method we obtain several integrable equations.Comment: 11 pages, LateX, to apper in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Vol. 66, No