Gate Adjustable Coherent Three and Four Level Mixing in a Vertical Quantum Dot Molecule

We study level mixing in the single particle energy spectrum of one of the constituent quantum dots in a vertical double quantum dot by performing magneto-resonant-tunneling spectroscopy. The device used in this study differs from previous vertical double quantum dot devices in that the single side gate is now split into four separate gates. Because of the presence of natural perturbations caused by anharmonicity and anistrophy, applying different combinations of voltages to these gates allows us to alter the effective potential landscape of the two dots and hence influence the level mixing. We present here preliminary results from one three level crossing and one four level crossings high up in the energy spectrum of one of the probed quantum dots, and demonstrate that we are able to change significantly the energy dispersions with magnetic field in the vicinity of the crossing regions.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. MSS-14 conference proceedings submitted to Physica

Single charge sensing and transport in double quantum dots fabricated from commercially grown Si/SiGe heterostructures

We perform quantum Hall measurements on three types of commercially available modulation doped Si/SiGe heterostructures to determine their suitability for depletion gate defined quantum dot devices. By adjusting the growth parameters, we are able to achieve electron gases with charge densities 1-3 X 10^{11}/cm^2 and mobilities in excess of 100,000 cm^2/Vs. Double quantum dot devices fabricated on these heterostructures show clear evidence of single charge transitions as measured in dc transport and charge sensing and exhibit electron temperatures of 100 mK in the single quantum dot regime.Comment: Related papers at http://pettagroup.princeton.ed

Investigation of Mobility Limiting Mechanisms in Undoped Si/SiGe Heterostructures

We perform detailed magnetotransport studies on two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) formed in undoped Si/SiGe heterostructures in order to identify the electron mobility limiting mechanisms in this increasingly important materials system. By analyzing data from 26 wafers with different heterostructure growth profiles we observe a strong correlation between the background oxygen concentration in the Si quantum well and the maximum mobility. The highest quality wafer supports a 2DEG with a mobility of 160,000 cm^2/Vs at a density 2.17 x 10^11/cm^2 and exhibits a metal-to-insulator transition at a critical density 0.46 x 10^11/cm^2. We extract a valley splitting of approximately 150 microeV at a magnetic field of 1.8 T. These results provide evidence that undoped Si/SiGe heterostructures are suitable for the fabrication of few-electron quantum dots.Comment: Related papers at http://pettagroup.princeton.ed

Charge Relaxation in a Single Electron Si/SiGe Double Quantum Dot

We measure the interdot charge relaxation time T_1 of a single electron trapped in an accumulation mode Si/SiGe double quantum dot. The energy level structure of the charge qubit is determined using photon assisted tunneling, which reveals the presence of a low lying excited state. We systematically measure T_1 as a function of detuning and interdot tunnel coupling and show that it is tunable over four orders of magnitude, with a maximum of 45 microseconds for our device configuration. Measured relaxation times are consistent with a phonon mediated energy relaxation process and indicate that low lying excited states may have important implications in the development of silicon spin qubits.Comment: Related papers at http://pettagroup.princeton.ed

Two level anti-crossings high up in the single-particle energy spectrum of a quantum dot

We study the evolution with magnetic field of the single-particle energy levels high up in the energy spectrum of one dot as probed by the ground state of the adjacent dot in a weakly coupled vertical quantum dot molecule. We find that the observed spectrum is generally well accounted for by the calculated spectrum for a two-dimensional elliptical parabolic confining potential, except in several regions where two or more single-particle levels approach each other. We focus on two two-level crossing regions which show unexpected anti-crossing behavior and contrasting current dependences. Within a simple coherent level mixing picture, we can model the current carried through the coupled states of the probed dot provided the intrinsic variation with magnetic field of the current through the states (as if they were uncoupled) is accounted for by an appropriate interpolation scheme.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physica E in MSS 13 conference proceeding

Magnetic field induced effects in the high source-drain bias current of weakly coupled vertical quantum dot molecules

We report on the basic properties of recently observed magnetic field resonance, induced time dependent oscillation, and hysteresis effects in the current flowing through two weakly coupled vertical quantum dots at high source-drain bias (up to a few tens of mV). These effects bare some similarity to those reported in the N=2 spin-blockade regime, usually for weak in-plane magnetic field, of quantum dot molecules and attributed to hyperfine coupling, except here the measurements are conducted outside of the spin-blockade regime and the out-of-plane magnetic field is up to ~6 T.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Physica E in EP2DS 17 conference proceeding

Functional disability and social participation restriction associated with chronic conditions in middle-aged and older adults

Abstract : Background. We examine the population impact on functional disability and social participation of physical and mental chronic conditions individually and in combination. Methods. Cross-sectional, population-based data from community-dwelling people aged 45 years and over living in the 10 Canadian provinces in 2008–2009 were used to estimate the population attributable risk (PAR) for functional disability in basic (ADL) and instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living and social participation restrictions for individual and combinations of chronic conditions, stratified by age and gender, after adjusting for confounding variables. Results. Five chronic conditions (arthritis, depression, diabetes, heart disease and eye disease) made the largest contributions to ADL-related and IADL-related functional disability and social participation restrictions, with variation in magnitude and ranking by age and gender. While arthritis was consistently associated with higher PARs across gender and most age groups, depression, alone and in combination with the physical chronic conditions, was associated with ADL and IADL disability as well as social participation restrictions in the younger age groups, especially among women. Compared to women, the combinations of conditions associated with higher PARs in men more often included heart disease and diabetes. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that in community dwelling middle-aged and older adults, the impact of combinations of mental and physical chronic conditions on functional disability and social participation restriction is substantial and differed by gender and age. Recognising the differences in the drivers of PAR by gender and age group will ultimately increase the efficiency of clinical and public health interventions

Serum Concentrations of Myostatin and Myostatin-Interacting Proteins do not differ between young and Scarcopenic elderly men

Peer reviewedPostprin

Eurasian Arctic greening reveals teleconnections and the potential for novel ecosystems

Arctic warming has been linked to observed increases in tundra shrub cover and growth in recent decades on the basis of significant relationships between deciduous shrub growth/biomass and temperature. These vegetation trends have been linked to Arctic sea ice decline and thus to the sea ice/albedo feedback known as Arctic amplification. However, the interactions between climate, sea ice and tundra vegetation remain poorly understood. Here we reveal a 50- year growth response over a >100,000 km2 area to a rise in summer temperature for alder (Alnus) and willow (Salix), the most abundant shrub genera respectively at and north of the continental treeline. We demonstrate that whereas plant productivity is related to sea ice in late spring, the growing season peak responds to persistent synoptic-scale air masses over West Siberia associated with Fennoscandian weather systems through the Rossby wave train. Substrate is important for biomass accumulation, yet a strong correlation between growth and temperature encompasses all observed soil types. Vegetation is especially responsive to temperature in early summer. These results have significant implications for modelling present and future Low Arctic vegetation responses to climate change, and emphasize the potential for structurally novel ecosystems to emerge fromwithin the tundra zone.Vertaisarviointia edeltävä käsikirjoitu