Scale-invariant large nonlocality in polycrystalline graphene

The observation of large nonlocal resistances near the Dirac point in graphene has been related to a variety of intrinsic Hall effects, where the spin or valley degrees of freedom are controlled by symmetry breaking mechanisms. Engineering strong spin or valley Hall signals on scalable graphene devices could stimulate further practical developments of spin- and valleytronics. Here we report on scale-invariant nonlocal transport in large-scale chemical vapour deposition graphene under an applied external magnetic field. Contrary to previously reported Zeeman spin Hall effect, our results are explained by field-induced spin-filtered edge states whose sensitivity to grain boundaries manifests in the nonlocal resistance. This phenomenon, related to the emergence of the quantum Hall regime, persists up to the millimeter scale, showing that polycrystalline morphology can be imprinted in nonlocal transport. This suggests that topological Hall effects in large-scale graphene materials are highly sensitive to the underlying structural morphology, limiting practical realizations.Comment: Main paper (14 pages, 5 figures) and Supplementary information (8 pages, 8 figures

Tuning the resistive switching properties of TiO2-x films

We study the electrical characteristics of TiO2-x-based resistive switching devices fabricated with different oxygen/argon flow ratio during the oxide thin film sputtering deposition. Upon minute changes in this fabrication parameter, three qualitatively different device characteristics were accessed in the same system, namely, standard bipolar resistive switching, electroforming-free devices, and devices with multi-step breakdown. We propose that small variations in the oxygen/ argon flow ratio result in relevant changes of the oxygen vacancy concentration, which is the key parameter determining the resistive switching behavior. The coexistence of percolative or non-percolative conductive filaments is also discussed. Finally, the hypothesis is verified by means of the temperature dependence of the devices in low resistance state.Fil: Ghenzi, Néstor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área Investigaciones y Aplicaciones no Nucleares; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. CIC nanoGUNE; EspañaFil: Rozenberg, M.J.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física; Argentina. Université Paris Sud; FranciaFil: Llopis, R.. CIC nanoGUNE; EspañaFil: Levy, Pablo Eduardo. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área Investigaciones y Aplicaciones no Nucleares; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Hueso, Luis E.. Universidad del País Vasco; España. Fundación Vasca para la Ciencia; EspañaFil: Stoliar, Pablo Alberto. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. CIC nanoGUNE; Españ

Temporal and spatial variations of the absolute reflectivity of Jupiter and Saturn from 0.38 to 1.7 μ\mum with PlanetCam-UPV/EHU

We provide measurements of the absolute reflectivity of Jupiter and Saturn along their central meridians in filters covering a wide range of visible and near-infrared wavelengths (from 0.38 to 1.7 $\mu$m) that are not often presented in the literature. We also give measurements of the geometric albedo of both planets and discuss the limb-darkening behavior and temporal variability of their reflectivity values for a period of four years (2012-2016). This work is based on observations with the PlanetCam-UPV/EHU instrument at the 1.23 m and 2.2 m telescopes in Calar Alto Observatory (Spain). The instrument simultaneously observes in two channels: visible (VIS; 0.38-1.0 $\mu$m) and short-wave infrared (SWIR; 1.0--1.7 $\mu$m). We obtained high-resolution observations via the lucky-imaging method. We show that our calibration is consistent with previous independent determinations of reflectivity values of these planets and, for future reference, provide new data extended in the wavelength range and in the time. Our results have an uncertainty in absolute calibration of 10--20\%. We show that under the hypothesis of constant geometric albedo, we are able to detect absolute reflectivity changes related to planetary temporal evolution of about 5-10\%.Comment: 13 pages, 18 figures, (in press

Limb imaging of the Venus O2 visible nightglow with the Venus Monitoring Camera

We investigated the Venus O2 visible nightglow with imagery from the Venus Monitoring Camera on Venus Express. Drawing from data collected between April 2007 and January 2011, we study the global distribution of this emission, discovered in the late 70s by the Venera 9 and 10 missions. The inferred limb-viewing intensities are on the order of 150 kiloRayleighs at the lower latitudes and seem to drop somewhat towards the poles. The emission is generally stable, although there are episodes when the intensities rise up to 500 kR. We compare a set of Venus Monitoring Camera observations with coincident measurements of the O2 nightglow at 1.27 {\mu}m made with the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer, also on Venus Express. From the evidence gathered in this and past works, we suggest a direct correlation between the instantaneous emissions from the two O2 nightglow systems. Possible implications regarding the uncertain origin of the atomic oxygen green line at 557.7 nm are noted.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

In situ temperature measurements in microwave-heated gassolid catalytic systems. Detection of hot spots and solid-fluid temperature gradients in the ethylene epoxidation reaction

Infrared thermographic techniques have been used for the first time to determine real-time gas and solid temperatures, as well as gas- solid temperature gradients in microwave heated structured reactors. A special reactor vessel has been developed that allows direct observation of the catalyst under microwave heating, and an operating procedure is presented to obtain gas and solid apparent emissivities as a function of temperature. These values are thereafter used to calculate temperatures at any point in the gas and solid phases under reaction. The method has been used to obtain gas and solid temperatures during the ethylene epoxidation reaction carried out on a silver-copper oxide catalyst. The direct heating of the monolith walls produced a stable, large temperature gradient between the solid and the gas phase

Ethylene epoxidation in microwave heated structured reactors

In the present work we show the microwave-induced heating of monolithic reactors containing a thin-layered catalyst that exhibits a strong and selective heating susceptibility under microwave irradiation. The combination of microwave radiation and structured reactors has been successfully applied for the intensification of the selective oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide (epoxidation) while operating at lower power consumptions and with higher energy efficiencies than in conventional heating conditions. The microwave radiation selectively heats the catalyst and the monolith walls while maintaining a relatively colder gas stream thereby creating a gas/solid temperature gradient of up to ~70 °C at a reaction temperature of 225 °C. Moreover, the influence of different parameters such as the distribution of the catalyst onto the structured monoliths or the temperature measurement techniques employed to determine the heating profiles (Optic Fibers and/or IR thermography) have been also thoroughly evaluated to justify the obtained catalytic results

HfO2 based memory devices with rectifying capabilities

We report on the fabrication and characterization of metal/insulator/metal capacitor like devices, with both rectifying and hysteretic features. Devices are formed by two junctions, Ti/HfO2 and Co/HfO2. Each junction exhibits highly repetitive hysteretic I-V curves with a sharp transition from a high to a low resistance state (3–4 orders of magnitude jump). The opposite transition (from low to high) is induced by polarity reversal. The rectifying non-crossing characteristics of the I-V branches denote their potential use as a multifunctional device, acting as a built-in rectifier and memory cell in a single device. Based on the phenomenological model description by Zazpe et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 103, 073114 (2013)], we propose a circuital equivalent representation supported on switchable rectifying junctions. By exploring different electrode connections, we disentangle the role of the bulk transport in HfO2 devices.Fil: Quinteros, Cynthia Paula. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área Investigaciones y Aplicaciones no Nucleares; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zaspe, R.. CIC nanoGUNE; EspañaFil: Marlasca, F. G.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área Investigaciones y Aplicaciones no Nucleares; ArgentinaFil: Golmar, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; ArgentinaFil: Casanova, F.. CIC nanoGUNE; España. Fundación Vasca para la Ciencia; EspañaFil: Stoliar, Pablo Alberto. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia. Universite de Nantes; FranciaFil: Hueso, L.. Fundación Vasca para la Ciencia; España. CIC nanoGUNE; EspañaFil: Levy, Pablo Eduardo. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área Investigaciones y Aplicaciones no Nucleares; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Potential vorticity of the south polar vortex of Venus

©2016. American Geophysical UnionVenus' atmosphere shows highly variable warm vortices over both of the planet's poles. The nature of the mechanism behind their formation and properties is still unknown. Potential vorticity is a conserved quantity when advective processes dominate over friction and diabatic heating and is a quantity frequently used to model balanced flows. As a step toward understanding the vortices' dynamics, we present maps of Ertel's potential vorticity (EPV) at Venus' south polar region. We analyze three configurations of the south polar vortex at the upper cloud level (P ~ 240 mbar; z ~ 58 km), based on our previous analyses of cloud motions and thermal structure from data acquired by the Visual and InfraRed Thermal Imaging Spectrometer instrument on board Venus Express. Additionally, we tentatively estimate EPV at the lower cloud level (P ~ 2200 mbar; z ~ 43 km), based on our previous wind measurements and on static stability data from Pioneer Venus and the Venus International Reference Atmosphere (VIRA) model. Values of EPV are on the order of 10−6 and 10−8 K m2 kg−1 s−1 at the upper and lower cloud levels, respectively, being 3 times larger than the estimated errors. The morphology observed in EPV maps is mainly determined by the structures of the vertical component of the relative vorticity. This is in contrast to the vortex's morphology observed in 3.8 or 5 µm images which are related to the thermal structure of the atmosphere at the cloud top. Some of the EPV maps point to a weak ringed structure in the upper cloud, while a more homogenous EPV field is found in the lower cloud