Dynamic Behavior in Piezoresponse Force Microscopy

Frequency dependent dynamic behavior in Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) implemented on a beam-deflection atomic force microscope (AFM) is analyzed using a combination of modeling and experimental measurements. The PFM signal comprises contributions from local electrostatic forces acting on the tip, distributed forces acting on the cantilever, and three components of the electromechanical response vector. These interactions result in the bending and torsion of the cantilever, detected as vertical and lateral PFM signals. The relative magnitudes of these contributions depend on geometric parameters of the system, the stiffness and frictional forces of tip-surface junction, and operation frequencies. The dynamic signal formation mechanism in PFM is analyzed and conditions for optimal PFM imaging are formulated. The experimental approach for probing cantilever dynamics using frequency-bias spectroscopy and deconvolution of electromechanical and electrostatic contrast is implemented.Comment: 65 pages, 15 figures, high quality version available upon reques

Experimental and Theoretical Investigation into the Effect of the Electron Velocity Distribution on Chaotic Oscillations in an Electron Beam under Virtual Cathode Formation Conditions

The effect of the electron transverse and longitudinal velocity spread at the entrance to the interaction space on wide-band chaotic oscillations in intense multiple-velocity beams is studied theoretically and numerically under the conditions of formation of a virtual cathode. It is found that an increase in the electron velocity spread causes chaotization of virtual cathode oscillations. An insight into physical processes taking place in a virtual cathode multiple velocity beam is gained by numerical simulation. The chaotization of the oscillations is shown to be associated with additional electron structures, which were separated out by constructing charged particle distribution functions.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Crab cavities for linear colliders

Crab cavities have been proposed for a wide number of accelerators and interest in crab cavities has recently increased after the successful operation of a pair of crab cavities in KEK-B. In particular crab cavities are required for both the ILC and CLIC linear colliders for bunch alignment. Consideration of bunch structure and size constraints favour a 3.9 GHz superconducting, multi-cell cavity as the solution for ILC, whilst bunch structure and beam-loading considerations suggest an X-band copper travelling wave structure for CLIC. These two cavity solutions are very different in design but share complex design issues. Phase stabilisation, beam loading, wakefields and mode damping are fundamental issues for these crab cavities. Requirements and potential design solutions will be discussed for both colliders.Comment: 3 pages. To be published in proceedings of LINAC 2008, Victoria, Canad

A plasma wakefield acceleration experiment using CLARA beam

We propose a Plasma Accelerator Research Station (PARS) based at proposed FEL test facility CLARA (Compact Linear Accelerator for Research and Applications) at Daresbury Laboratory. The idea is to use the relativistic electron beam from CLARA, to investigate some key issues in electron beam transport and in electron beam driven plasma wakefield acceleration, e.g. high gradient plasma wakefield excitation driven by a relativistic electron bunch, two bunch experiment for CLARA beam energy doubling, high transformer ratio, long bunch self-modulation and some other advanced beam dynamics issues. This paper presents the feasibility studies of electron beam transport to meet the requirements for beam driven wakefield acceleration and presents the plasma wakefield simulation results based on CLARA beam parameters. Other possible experiments which can be conducted at the PARS beam line are also discussed

Impact of the tip radius on the lateral resolution in piezoresponse force microscopy

We present a quantitative investigation of the impact of tip radius as well as sample type and thickness on the lateral resolution in piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) investigating bulk single crystals. The observed linear dependence of the width of the domain wall on the tip radius as well as the independence of the lateral resolution on the specific crystal-type are validated by a simple theoretical model. Using a Ti-Pt-coated tip with a nominal radius of 15 nm the so far highest lateral resolution in bulk crystals of only 17 nm was obtained

Local probing of ionic diffusion by electrochemical strain microscopy: spatial resolution and signal formation mechanisms

Electrochemical insertion-deintercalation reactions are typically associated with significant change of molar volume of the host compound. This strong coupling between ionic currents and strains underpins image formation mechanisms in electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM), and allows exploring the tip-induced electrochemical processes locally. Here we analyze the signal formation mechanism in ESM, and develop the analytical description of operation in frequency and time domains. The ESM spectroscopic modes are compared to classical electrochemical methods including potentiostatic and galvanostatic intermittent titration (PITT and GITT), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This analysis illustrates the feasibility of spatially resolved studies of Li-ion dynamics on the sub-10 nanometer level using electromechanical detection.Comment: 49 pages, 17 figures, 4 tables, 3 appendices, to be submitted to J. Appl. Phys

Phospho-mTOR expression in human glioblastoma microglia-macrophage cells

The glioblastoma (GBM) immune microenvironment is highly heterogeneous, and microglia may represent 30–70% of the entire tumor. However, the role of microglia and other specific immune populations is poorly characterized. Activation of mTOR signaling occurs in numerous human cancers and has roles in microglia-glioma cell interactions. We now show in human tumor specimens (42 patients), that 39% of tumor-associated microglial (TAM) cells express mTOR phosphorylated at Ser-2448; and similar mTOR activation is observed using a human microglia-glioma interaction paradigm. In addition, we confirm previous studies that microglia express urea and ARG1 (taken as M2 marker) in the presence of glioma cells, and this phenotype is down-regulated in the presence of a mTOR inhibitor. These results suggest that mTOR suppression in GBM patients might induce a reduction of the M2 phenotype expression in up to 40% of all TAMs. Since the M2 profile of microglial activation is believed to be associated with tumor progression, reductions in that phenotype may represent an additional anti-tumor mechanism of action of mTOR inhibitors, along with direct anti-proliferative activities

Interatomic-Coulombic-decay-induced recapture of photoelectrons in helium dimers

We investigate the onset of photoionization shakeup induced interatomic Coulombic decay (ICD) in He2 at the He+*(n = 2) threshold by detecting two He+ ions in coincidence. We find this threshold to be shifted towards higher energies compared to the same threshold in the monomer. The shifted onset of ion pairs created by ICD is attributed to a recapture of the threshold photoelectron after the emission of the faster ICD electron.Comment: 5 Pages, 2 Figure