890 research outputs found
Enhanced thermoelectric properties by Ir doping of PtSb2 with pyrite structure
The effects of Ir doping on the thermoelectric properties of Pt1-xIrxSb2 (x =
0, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.1) with pyrite structure were studied. Measurements of
electrical resistivity rho, Seebeck coefficient S, and thermal conductivity
kappa were conducted. The results showed an abrupt change from semiconducting
behavior without Ir (x = 0) to metallic behavior at x = 0.01. The sample with x
= 0.01 exhibited large S and low rho, resulting in a maximum power factor
(S^2/rho) of 43 muW/cmK^2 at 400 K. The peculiar "pudding mold"-type electronic
band dispersion could explain the enhanced thermoelectric properties in the
metallic state.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figure
Directional tunnelling spectroscopy of a normal metal--wave superconductor junction
We calculate the normal metal--wave superconductor tunnelling spectrum
for various junction orientations and for two forms of the superconducting gap,
one which allows for point nodes and the other which allows for line nodes. For
a junction oriented with its normal parallel to the ab plane of the tetragonal
superconductor, we find that the tunnelling spectrum is strongly dependent on
orientation in the plane. The spectrum contains two peaks at energies
equivalent to the magnitudes of the gap function in the direction parallel to
the interface normal and in the direction making a angle with the
normal. These two peaks appear in both superconductors with point nodes and
line nodes, but are more prominent in the latter. For the tunnelling along the
c axis, we find a sharp peak at the gap maximum in the conductance spectrum of
the superconductor with line nodes, whereas with point nodes we find a peak
occurring at the value of the gap function along the c axis. We discuss the
relevance of our result to borocarbide systems.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figure
Science cafés. Cross-cultural adaptation and educational applications
Tokyo Institute of Technology (TokyoTech) has been developing a number of methodologies to teach graduate students the theory and practice of science communication since 2005. One of the tools used is the science café, where students are taught about the background based primarily on theoretical models developed in the UK. They then apply that knowledge and adapt it the Japanese cultural context and plan, execute and review outcomes as part of their course. In this paper we review 4 years of experience in using science cafés in this educational context; we review the background to the students’ decision-making and consensus-building process towards deciding on the style and subject to be used, and the value this has in illuminating the cultural influences on the science café design and implementation. We also review the value of the science café as an educational tool and conclude that it has contributed to a number of teaching goals related to both knowledge and the personal skills required to function effectively in an international environment
Violation of the isotropic- approximation in overdoped La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4
Magnetotransport measurements on the overdoped cuprate La_{1.7}Sr_{0.3}CuO_4
are fitted using the Ong construction and band parameters inferred from
angle-resolved photoemission. Within a band picture, the low temperature Hall
data can only be fitted satisfactorily by invoking strong basal-plane
anisotropy in the mean-free-path . This violation of the isotropic-
approximation supports a picture of dominant small-angle elastic scattering in
cuprates due to out-of-plane substitutional disorder. We show that both band
anisotropy and anisotropy in the elastic scattering channel strongly
renormalize the Hall coefficient in overdoped La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4 over a wide
doping and temperature range.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Josephson effect in a weak link between borocarbides
A stationary Josephson effect is analyzed theoretically for a weak link
between borocarbide superconductors. It is shown that different models of the
order parameter result in qualitatively different current-phase relations
Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state in a perpendicular field of quasi two-dimensional CeCoIn5
A Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnkov (FFLO) state was previously reported in the
quasi-2D heavy fermion CeCoIn5 when a magnetic field was applied parallel to
the ab-plane. Here, we conduct 115^In NMR studies of this material in a
PERPENDICULAR field, and provide strong evidence for FFLO in this case as well.
Although the topology of the phase transition lines in the H-T phase diagram is
identical for both configurations, there are several remarkable differences
between them. Compared to H//ab, the FFLO region for H perpendicular to the
ab-plane shows a sizable decrease, and the critical field separating the FFLO
and non-FFLO superconducting states almost ceases to have a temperature
dependence. Moreover, directing H perpendicular to the ab-plane results in a
notable change in the quasiparticle excitation spectrum within the planar node
associated with the FFLO transition.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Theoretical study of electronic Raman scattering of Borocarbide superconductors
The electronic Raman scattering of Borocarbide superconductors is studied
based on the weak coupling theory with -wave gap symmetry. The low energy
behaviors and the relative peak positions can be naturally understood, while
the explanation of the detailed shape of the peak seems to require a
strong inelastic interaction not present in the weak coupling theory.Comment: Revtex 4 file, 9 pages and 5 figure
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