Photo-excited semiconductor superlattices as constrained excitable media: Motion of dipole domains and current self-oscillations

A model for charge transport in undoped, photo-excited semiconductor superlattices, which includes the dependence of the electron-hole recombination on the electric field and on the photo-excitation intensity through the field-dependent recombination coefficient, is proposed and analyzed. Under dc voltage bias and high photo-excitation intensities, there appear self-sustained oscillations of the current due to a repeated homogeneous nucleation of a number of charge dipole waves inside the superlattice. In contrast to the case of a constant recombination coefficient, nucleated dipole waves can split for a field-dependent recombination coefficient in two oppositely moving dipoles. The key for understanding these unusual properties is that these superlattices have a unique static electric-field domain. At the same time, their dynamical behavior is akin to the one of an extended excitable system: an appropriate finite disturbance of the unique stable fixed point may cause a large excursion in phase space before returning to the stable state and trigger pulses and wave trains. The voltage bias constraint causes new waves to be nucleated when old ones reach the contact.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

A Layer Correlation Technique for ATLAS Calorimetry Calibration at the 2004 ATLAS Combined Beam Test

A method for calibrating the response of a segmented calorimeter to hadrons is developed. The ansatz is that information on longitudinal shower fluctuations gained from a principal component analysis of the layer energy depositions can improve energy resolution by correcting for hadronic invisible energy and dead material losses: projections along the eigenvectors of the correlation matrix are used as input for the calibration. The technique is used to reconstruct the energy of pions impinging on the ATLAS calorimeters during the 2004 Barrel Combined Beam Test at the CERN H8 area. Simulated Monte Carlo events are used to derive corrections for invisible energy lost in nuclear reactions and in dead material in front and in between the calorimeters. For pion beams with energies between 20 and 180 GeV, the particle energy is reconstructed within 3% and the resolution is improved by about 20%

Electromagnetic multipole theory for optical nanomaterials

Optical properties of natural or designed materials are determined by the electromagnetic multipole moments that light can excite in the constituent particles. In this work we present an approach to calculate the multipole excitations in arbitrary arrays of nanoscatterers in a dielectric host medium. We introduce a simple and illustrative multipole decomposition of the electric currents excited in the scatterers and link this decomposition to the classical multipole expansion of the scattered field. In particular, we find that completely different multipoles can produce identical scattered fields. The presented multipole theory can be used as a basis for the design and characterization of optical nanomaterials

Long-term stability of GaAs/AlAs terahertz quantum-cascade lasers

We have investigated high-performance GaAs/AlAs terahertz (THz) quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) with respect to the long-term stability of their operating parameters. The output power of lasers that contain an additional, thick AlAs refractive-index contrast layer underneath the cascade structure decreases after three months by about 35%. The deterioration of these lasers is attributed to the oxidation processes in this contrast layer starting from the facets. However, GaAs/AlAs THz QCLs with an Al0.9Ga0.1As refractive-index contrast layer exhibit long-term stability of the operating parameters over many years even when they are exposed to atmospheric conditions. Therefore, these lasers are promising high-power radiation sources in the terahertz spectral region for commercial applications

Moving to serene nature may prevent poor mental health—results from a swedish longitudinal cohort study

Green spaces are recognized for improving mental health, but what particular kind of nature is required is yet not elucidated. This study explores the effect of specific types of recreational nature qualities on mental health. Longitudinal data (1999/2000 and 2005) from a public health survey was distributed to a stratified sample (n = 24,945) of a Swedish population. People from rural or suburban areas (n = 9230) who had moved between baseline and follow-up (n = 1419) were studied. Individual geographic residence codes were linked to five predefined nature qualities, classified in geographic information systems (GIS). Any change in the amount of or type of qualities within 300 m distance between baseline and follow-up was correlated to any change in mental health (as measured by the General Health Questionnaire) by logistic regression models. On average, the population had limited access to nature qualities both pre- and post-move. There was no significant correlation between change in the amount of qualities and change in mental health. However, the specific quality “serene” was a significant determinant with a significantly decreased risk for women of change to mental ill-health at follow-up. The objective definition of the potentially health-promoting quality may facilitate implication in landscape practice and healthy plannin

Absence of quantum-confined Stark effect in GaN quantum disks embedded in (Al,Ga)N nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Several of the key issues of planar (Al,Ga)N-based deep-ultraviolet light emitting diodes could potentially be overcome by utilizing nanowire heterostructures, exhibiting high structural perfection and improved light extraction. Here, we study the spontaneous emission of GaN/(Al,Ga)N nanowire ensembles grown on Si(111) by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The nanowires contain single GaN quantum disks embedded in long (Al,Ga)N nanowire segments essential for efficient light extraction. These quantum disks are found to exhibit intense emission at unexpectedly high energies, namely, significantly above the GaN bandgap, and almost independent of the disk thickness. An in-depth investigation of the actual structure and composition of the nanowires reveals a spontaneously formed Al gradient both along and across the nanowire, resulting in a complex core/shell structure with an Al deficient core and an Al rich shell with continuously varying Al content along the entire length of the (Al,Ga)N segment. This compositional change along the nanowire growth axis induces a polarization doping of the shell that results in a degenerate electron gas in the disk, thus screening the built-in electric fields. The high carrier density not only results in the unexpectedly high transition energies, but also in radiative lifetimes depending only weakly on temperature, leading to a comparatively high internal quantum efficiency of the GaN quantum disks up to room temperature.Comment: This document is the unedited Author's version of a Submitted Work that was subsequently accepted for publication in Nano Letters (2019), copyright (C) American Chemical Society after peer review. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b01521, the supporting information is available (free of charge) under the same lin

Recreational values of the natural environment in relation to neighbourhood satisfaction, physical activity, obesity and wellbeing.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this population-based study was to investigate associations between recreational values of the close natural environment and neighbourhood satisfaction, physical activity, obesity and wellbeing. METHODS: Data from a large public health survey distributed as a mailed questionnaire in suburban and rural areas of southern Sweden were used (N = 24,819; 59% participation rate). Geocoded residential addresses and the geographical information system technique were used to assess objectively five recreational values of the close natural environment: serene, wild, lush, spacious and culture. RESULTS: On average, a citizen of the Scania region, inner city areas excluded, only had access to 0.67 recreational values within 300 metres distance from their residence. The number of recreational values near the residence was strongly associated with neighbourhood satisfaction and physical activity. The effect on satisfaction was especially marked among tenants and the presence of recreational values was associated with low or normal body mass index in this group. A less marked positive association with vitality among women was observed. No evident effect on self-rated health was detectable. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate access to natural environments with high recreational values was rare in the study population and was distributed in an inequitable manner. Moreover, such access was associated with a positive assessment of neighbourhood satisfaction and time spent on physical activity, which can be expected to reduce obesity and increase vitality by having a buffering effect on stress