1,734 research outputs found
Mn valence instability in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 thin films
A Mn valence instability on La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 thin films, grown on LaAlO3
(001)substrates is observed by x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Mn L-edge
and O K-edge. As-grown samples, in situ annealed at 800 C in oxygen, exhibit a
Curie temperature well below that of the bulk material. Upon air exposure a
reduction of the saturation magnetization, MS, of the films is detected.
Simultaneously a Mn2+ spectral signature develops, in addition to the expected
Mn3+ and Mn4+ contributions, which increases with time. The similarity of the
spectral results obtained by total electron yield and fluorescence yield
spectroscopy indicates that the location of the Mn valence anomalies is not
confined to a narrow surface region of the film, but can extend throughout the
whole thickness of the sample. High temperature annealing at 1000 C in air,
immediately after growth, improves the magnetic and transport properties of
such films towards the bulk values and the Mn2+ signature in the spectra does
not appear. The Mn valence is then stable even to prolonged air exposure. We
propose a mechanism for the Mn2+ ions formation and discuss the importance of
these observations with respect to previous findings and production of thin
films devices.Comment: Double space, 21 pages, 6 figure
Ultrafast spin polarization control of Dirac fermions in topological insulators
Three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) are characterized by
spin-polarized Dirac-cone surface states that are protected from backscattering
by time-reversal symmetry. Control of the spin polarization of topological
surface states (TSSs) using femtosecond light pulses opens novel perspectives
for the generation and manipulation of dissipationless surface spin currents on
ultrafast timescales. Using time-, spin-, and angle-resolved spectroscopy, we
directly monitor for the first time the ultrafast response of the spin
polarization of photoexcited TSSs to circularly-polarized femtosecond pulses of
infrared light. We achieve all-optical switching of the transient out-of-plane
spin polarization, which relaxes in about 1.2 ps. Our observations establish
the feasibility of ultrafast optical control of spin-polarized Dirac fermions
in TIs and pave the way for novel optospintronic applications at ultimate
speeds.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure
Probing two topological surface bands of Sb2Te3 by spin-polarized photoemission spectroscopy
Using high resolution spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we
map the electronic structure and spin texture of the surface states of the
topological insulator Sb2Te3. In combination with density functional
calculations (DFT), we directly show that Sb2Te3 exhibits a partially occupied,
single spin-Dirac cone around the Fermi energy, which is topologically
protected. DFT obtains a spin polarization of the occupied Dirac cone states of
80-90%, which is in reasonable agreement with the experimental data after
careful background subtraction. Furthermore, we observe a strongly spin-orbit
split surface band at lower energy. This state is found at 0.8eV below the
Fermi level at the gamma-point, disperses upwards, and disappears at about
0.4eV below the Fermi level into two different bulk bands. Along the gamma-K
direction, the band is located within a spin-orbit gap. According to an
argument given by Pendry and Gurman in 1975, such a gap must contain a surface
state, if it is located away from the high symmetry points of the Brillouin
zone. Thus, the novel spin-split state is protected by symmetry, too.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure
Understanding the Role of Host Hemocytes in a Squid/Vibrio Symbiosis Using Transcriptomics and Proteomics
The symbiosis between the squid, Euprymna scolopes, and the bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, serves as a model for understanding interactions between beneficial bacteria and animal hosts. The establishment and maintenance of the association is highly specific and depends on the selection of V. fischeri and exclusion of non-symbiotic bacteria from the environment. Current evidence suggests that the host’s cellular innate immune system, in the form of macrophage-like hemocytes, helps to mediate host tolerance of V. fischeri. To begin to understand the role of hemocytes in this association, we analyzed these cells by high-throughput 454 transcriptomic and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) proteomic analyses. 454 high-throughput sequencing produced 650, 686 reads totaling 279.9 Mb while LC-MS/MS analyses of circulating hemocytes putatively identified 702 unique proteins. Several receptors involved with the recognition of microbial-associated molecular patterns were identified. Among these was a complete open reading frame to a putative peptidoglycan recognition protein (EsPGRP5) with conserved residues for amidase activity. Assembly of the hemocyte transcriptome showed EsPGRP5 had high coverage, suggesting it is among the 5% most abundant transcripts in circulating hemocytes. Other transcripts and proteins identified included members of the conserved NF-κB signaling pathway, putative members of the complement pathway, the carbohydrate binding protein galectin, and cephalotoxin. Quantitative Real-Time PCR of complement-like genes, cephalotoxin, EsPGRP5, and a nitric oxide synthase showed differential expression in circulating hemocytes from adult squid with colonized light organs compared to those isolated from hosts where the symbionts were removed. These data suggest that the presence of the symbiont influences gene expression of the cellular innate immune system of E. scolopes
Topological surface state under graphene for two-dimensional spintronics in air
Spin currents which allow for a dissipationless transport of information can
be generated by electric fields in semiconductor heterostructures in the
presence of a Rashba-type spin-orbit coupling. The largest Rashba effects occur
for electronic surface states of metals but these cannot exist but under
ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Here, we reveal a giant Rashba effect ({\alpha}_R
~ 1.5E-10 eVm) on a surface state of Ir(111). We demonstrate that its spin
splitting and spin polarization remain unaffected when Ir is covered with
graphene. The graphene protection is, in turn, sufficient for the spin-split
surface state to survive in ambient atmosphere. We discuss this result along
with evidences for a topological protection of the surface state.Comment: includes supplementary informatio
Quantitative determination of spin-dependent quasiparticle lifetimes and electronic correlations in hcp cobalt
We report on a quantitative investigation of the spin-dependent quasiparticle
lifetimes and electron correlation effects in ferromagnetic hcp Co(0001) by
means of spin and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. The experimental
spectra are compared in detail to state-of-the-art many-body calculations
within the dynamical mean field theory and the three-body scattering
approximation, including a full calculation of the one-step photoemission
process. From this comparison we conclude that although strong local many-body
Coulomb interactions are of major importance for the qualitative description of
correlation effects in Co, more sophisticated many-body calculations are needed
in order to improve the quantitative agreement between theory and experiment,
in particular concerning the linewidths. The quality of the overall agreement
obtained for Co indicates that the effect of non-local correlations becomes
weaker with increasing atomic number
Anisotropic effect of warping on the lifetime broadening of topological surface states in angle-resolved photoemission from Bi2 Te3
We analyze the strong hexagonal warping of the Dirac cone of Bi2Te3 by angle-
resolved photoemission. Along Γ¯¯¯M¯¯¯, the dispersion deviates from a linear
behavior meaning that the Dirac cone is warped outwards and not inwards. We
show that this introduces an anisotropy in the lifetime broadening of the
topological surface state which is larger along Γ¯¯¯K¯¯¯. The result is not
consistent with an explanation by nesting properties. Based on the
theoretically predicted modifications of the ground-state spin texture of a
strongly warped Dirac cone, we propose spin-dependent scattering processes as
explanation for the anisotropic scattering rates. These results could help
paving the way for optimizing future spintronic devices using topological
insulators and controlling surface-scattering processes via external gate
voltages
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Nocturia as an Unrecognized Symptom of Uncontrolled Hypertension in Black Men Aged 35 to 49 Years.
Background Hypertension is assumed to be asymptomatic. Yet, clinically significant nocturia (≥2 nightly voids) constitutes a putative symptom of uncontrolled hypertension. Black men with hypertension may be prone to nocturia because of blunted nocturnal blood pressure ( BP ) dipping, diuretic drug use for hypertension, and comorbidity that predisposes to nocturia. Here, we test the hypothesis that nocturia is a common and potentially reversible symptom of uncontrolled hypertension in black men. Methods and Results We determined the strength of association between nocturia (≥2 nightly voids) and high BP (≥135/85 mm Hg) by conducting in-person health interviews and measuring BP with an automated monitor in a large community-based sample of black men in their barbershops. Because nocturia is prevalent and steeply age-dependent after age 50 years, we studied men aged 35 to 49 years. Among 1673 black men (mean age, 43±4 years [ SD ]), those with hypertension were 56% more likely than men with normotension to have nocturia after adjustment for diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea (adjusted odds ratio, 1.56; 95% CI , 1.25-1.94 [ P<0.0001]). Nocturia prevalence varied by hypertension status, ranging from 24% in men with normotension to 49% in men whose hypertension was medically treated but uncontrolled. Men with untreated hypertension were 39% more likely than men with normotension to report nocturia ( P=0.02), whereas men whose hypertension was treated and controlled were no more likely than men with normotension to report nocturia ( P=0.69). Conclusions Uncontrolled hypertension was an independent determinant of clinically important nocturia in a large cross-sectional community-based study of non-Hispanic black men aged 35 to 49 years. Clinical Trial Registration URL : http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unqiue identifier: NCT 02321618
Photoemission of BiSe with Circularly Polarized Light: Probe of Spin Polarization or Means for Spin Manipulation?
Topological insulators are characterized by Dirac cone surface states with
electron spins aligned in the surface plane and perpendicular to their momenta.
Recent theoretical and experimental work implied that this specific spin
texture should enable control of photoelectron spins by circularly polarized
light. However, these reports questioned the so far accepted interpretation of
spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. We solve this puzzle and show that
vacuum ultraviolet photons (50-70 eV) with linear or circular polarization
probe indeed the initial state spin texture of BiSe while circularly
polarized 6 eV low energy photons flip the electron spins out of plane and
reverse their spin polarization. Our photoemission calculations, considering
the interplay between the varying probing depth, dipole selection rules and
spin-dependent scattering effects involving initial and final states explain
these findings, and reveal proper conditions for light-induced spin
manipulation. This paves the way for future applications of topological
insulators in opto-spintronic devices.Comment: Submitted for publication (2013
Tolerance of topological surface states towards magnetic moments: Fe on Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3
Topological insulators(1-8) are a novel form of matter which features
metallic surface states with quasirelativistic dispersion similar to
graphene(9). Unlike graphene, the locking of spin and momentum and the
protection by time-reversal symmetry(1-8) open up tremendous additional
possibilities for external control of transport properties(10-18). Here we show
by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy that the topological sur-face
states of Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3 are stable against the deposition of Fe without
opening a band gap. This stability extends to low submonolayer coverages
meaning that the band gap reported recently(19) for Fe on Bi2Se3 is incorrect
as well as to complete monolayers meaning that topological surface states can
very well exist at interfaces with ferromagnets in future devices.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Nature Physics 22. July 201
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