13,707 research outputs found
Multiple jumps and vacancy diffusion in a face-centered cubic metal
The diffusion of monovacancies in gold has been studied by computer
simulation. Multiple jumps have been found to play a central role in the atomic
dynamics at high temperature, and have been shown to be responsible for an
upward curvature in the Arrhenius plot of the diffusion coefficient.
Appropriate saddle points on the potential energy surface have been found,
supporting the interpretation of vacancy multiple jumps as distinct migration
mechanisms.Comment: 16 page
The thick-thin decomposition and the bilipschitz classification of normal surface singularities
We describe a natural decomposition of a normal complex surface singularity
into its "thick" and "thin" parts. The former is essentially metrically
conical, while the latter shrinks rapidly in thickness as it approaches the
origin. The thin part is empty if and only if the singularity is metrically
conical; the link of the singularity is then Seifert fibered. In general the
thin part will not be empty, in which case it always carries essential
topology. Our decomposition has some analogy with the Margulis thick-thin
decomposition for a negatively curved manifold. However, the geometric behavior
is very different; for example, often most of the topology of a normal surface
singularity is concentrated in the thin parts.
By refining the thick-thin decomposition, we then give a complete description
of the intrinsic bilipschitz geometry of in terms of its topology and a
finite list of numerical bilipschitz invariants.Comment: Minor corrections. To appear in Acta Mathematic
A computerized Langmuir probe system
For low pressure plasmas it is important to record entire single or double Langmuir probe characteristics accurately. For plasmas with a depleted high energy tail, the accuracy of the recorded ion current plays a critical role in determining the electron temperature. Even for high density Maxwellian distributions, it is necessary to accurately model the ion current to obtain the correct electron density. Since the electron and ion current saturation values are, at best, orders of magnitude apart, a single current sensing resistor cannot provide the required resolution to accurately record these values. We present an automated, personal computer based data acquisition system for the determination of fundamental plasma properties in low pressure plasmas. The system is designed for single and double Langmuir probes, whose characteristics can be recorded over a bias voltage range of ±70 V with 12 bit resolution. The current flowing through the probes can be recorded within the range of 5 nA–100 mA. The use of a transimpedance amplifier for current sensing eliminates the requirement for traditional current sensing resistors and hence the need to correct the raw data. The large current recording range is realized through the use of a real time gain switching system in the negative feedback loop of the transimpedance amplifier
The microcanonical thermodynamics of finite systems: The microscopic origin of condensation and phase separations; and the conditions for heat flow from lower to higher temperatures
Microcanonical thermodynamics allows the application of statistical mechanics
both to finite and even small systems and also to the largest, self-gravitating
ones. However, one must reconsider the fundamental principles of statistical
mechanics especially its key quantity, entropy. Whereas in conventional
thermostatistics, the homogeneity and extensivity of the system and the
concavity of its entropy are central conditions, these fail for the systems
considered here. For example, at phase separation, the entropy, S(E), is
necessarily convex to make exp[S(E)-E/T] bimodal in E. Particularly, as
inhomogeneities and surface effects cannot be scaled away, one must be careful
with the standard arguments of splitting a system into two subsystems, or
bringing two systems into thermal contact with energy or particle exchange. Not
only the volume part of the entropy must be considered. As will be shown here,
when removing constraints in regions of a negative heat capacity, the system
may even relax under a flow of heat (energy) against a temperature slope. Thus
the Clausius formulation of the second law: ``Heat always flows from hot to
cold'', can be violated. Temperature is not a necessary or fundamental control
parameter of thermostatistics. However, the second law is still satisfied and
the total Boltzmann entropy increases. In the final sections of this paper, the
general microscopic mechanism leading to condensation and to the convexity of
the microcanonical entropy at phase separation is sketched. Also the
microscopic conditions for the existence (or non-existence) of a critical
end-point of the phase-separation are discussed. This is explained for the
liquid-gas and the solid-liquid transition.Comment: 23 pages, 2 figures, Accepted for publication in the Journal of
Chemical Physic
Suppression of Zeno effect for distant detectors
We describe the influence of continuous measurement in a decaying system and
the role of the distance from the detector to the initial location of the
system. The detector is modeled first by a step absorbing potential. For a
close and strong detector, the decay rate of the system is reduced; weaker
detectors do not modify the exponential decay rate but suppress the long-time
deviations above a coupling threshold. Nevertheless, these perturbing effects
of measurement disappear by increasing the distance between the initial state
and the detector, as well as by improving the efficiency of the detector.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Lamination And Microstructuring Technology for a Bio-Cell Multiwell array
Microtechnology becomes a versatile tool for biological and biomedical
applications. Microwells have been established long but remained
non-intelligent up to now. Merging new fabrication techniques and handling
concepts with microelectronics enables to realize intelligent microwells
suitable for future improved cancer treatment. The described technology depicts
the basis for the fabrication of a elecronically enhanced microwell. Thin
aluminium sheets are structured by laser micro machining and laminated
successively to obtain registration tolerances of the respective layers of
5..10\^Am. The microwells lasermachined into the laminate are with
50..80\^Am diameter, allowing to hold individual cells within the well.
The individual process steps are described and results on the microstructuring
are given.Comment: Submitted on behalf of EDA Publishing Association
(http://irevues.inist.fr/EDA-Publishing
Relaunching the Open Education Policy Registry
Post on OER World Map Blog providing an update on the development of the OE Policy Registry
Nonclassicality in Weak Measurements
We examine weak measurements of arbitrary observables where the object is
prepared in a mixed state and on which measurements with imperfect detectors
are made. The weak value of an observable can be expressed as a conditional
expectation value over an infinite class of different generalized Kirkwood
quasi-probability distributions. "Strange" weak values for which the real part
exceeds the eigenvalue spectrum of the observable can only be found if the
Terletsky-Margenau-Hill distribution is negative, or, equivalently, if the real
part of the weak value of the density operator is negative. We find that a
classical model of a weak measurement exists whenever the
Terletsky-Margenau-Hill representation of the observable equals the classical
representation of the observable and the Terletsky-Margenau-Hill distribution
is nonnegative. Strange weak values alone are not sufficient to obtain a
contradiction with classical models.
We propose feasible weak measurements of photon number of the radiation
field. Negative weak values of energy contradicts all classical stochastic
models, whereas negative weak values of photon number contradict all classical
stochastic models where the energy is bounded from below by the zero-point
energy. We examine coherent states in particular, and find negative weak values
with probabilities of 16% for kinetic energy (or squared field quadrature), 8%
for harmonic oscillator energy and 50% for photon number. These experiments are
robust against detector inefficiency and thermal noise.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure
Dilemma and Quantum Battle of Sexes
We analysed quantum version of the game battle of sexes using a general
initial quantum state. For a particular choice of initial entangled quantum
state it is shown that the classical dilemma of the battle of sexes can be
resolved and a unique solution of the game can be obtained.Comment: Revised, Latex, 9 pages, no figure, corresponding author's email:
[email protected]
Regular obstructed categories and TQFT
A proposal of the concept of -regular obstructed categories is given. The
corresponding regularity conditions for mappings, morphisms and related
structures in categories are considered. An n-regular TQFT is introduced. It is
shown the connection of time reversibility with the regularity.Comment: 22 pages in Latex. To be published in J. Math. Phy
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