DD-optimal saturated designs: a simulation study

In this work we focus on saturated $D$-optimal designs. Using recent results, we identify $D$-optimal designs with the solutions of an optimization problem with linear constraints. We introduce new objective functions based on the geometric structure of the design and we compare them with the classical $D$-efficiency criterion. We perform a simulation study. In all the test cases we observe that designs with high values of $D$-efficiency have also high values of the new objective functions.Comment: 8 pages. Preliminary version submitted to the 7th IWS Proceeding

Infrared/optical - X-ray simultaneous observations of X-ray flares in GRB 071112C and GRB 080506

We investigate the origin of short X-ray flares which are occasionally observed in early stages of afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). We observed two events, GRB 071112C and GRB 080506, before the start of X-ray flares in the optical and near-infrared (NIR) bands with the 1.5-m Kanata telescope. In conjunction with published X-ray and optical data, we analyzed densely sampled light curves of the early afterglows and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in the NIR-X-ray ranges. We found that the SEDs had a break between the optical and X-ray bands in the normal decay phases of both GRBs regardless of the model for the correction of the interstellar extinction in host galaxies of GRBs. In the X-ray flares, X-ray flux increased by 3 and 15 times in the case of GRB 071112C and 080506, respectively, and the X-ray spectra became harder than those in the normal decay phases. No significant variation in the optical-NIR range was detected together with the X-ray flares. These results suggest that the X-ray flares were associated with either late internal shocks or external shocks from two-component jets.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysic

AC-coupled GaAs microstrip detectors with a new type of integrated bias resistors

Full size single-sided GaAs microstrip detectors with integrated coupling capacitors and bias resistors have been fabricated on 3'' substrate wafers. PECVD deposited SiO_2 and SiO_2/Si_3N_4 layers were used to provide coupling capacitaces of 32.5 pF/cm and 61.6 pF/cm, respectively. The resistors are made of sputtered CERMET using simple lift of technique. The sheet resistivity of 78 kOhm/sq. and the thermal coefficient of resistance of less than 4x10^-3 / degree C satisfy the demands of small area biasing resistors, working on a wide temperature range.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures, to be published in NIM

Increased production of viral proteins by a 3'-LTR-deleted infectious clone of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1

We previously reported that a full-length provirus of HTLV-1 was directly constructed from the HTLV-1-transformed cell line MT-2 using overlapping polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned into a plasmid vector (pFL-MT2). 293T cells transfected with pFL-MT2 alone did not produce virus particles because there was no expression of the viral transactivator protein Tax, whereas cells transfected with pFL-MT2 plus a Tax expression vector produced virus-like particles. In the process of constructing the HTLV-1 provirus by overlapping PCR, we also constructed an incomplete molecular clone, in which the 3' long terminal repeat (LTR) was replaced with the endogenous human gene, which resulted in the expression of a tax gene shorter by 43 bp. This incomplete molecular clone alone expressed Tax and produced the viral protein in transfected cells. Various clones were then constructed with different lengths of the 3' LTR and lacking the reverse-direction TATA box. The clones contained over 113 bp of the 3' LTR, with no reverse-direction TATA box, which might express the full-length tax gene, and did not produce the viral antigen. These results suggest that Tax in which the C-terminal portion is deleted is more strongly expressed than the wild-type protein and has transcriptional activity

Nuclear spin-spin coupling in La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4} studied by stimulated echo decay

We have performed copper NQR experiments in high temperature superconductors YBa_{2}Cu_{4}O_{8}, YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{7}, and La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4} (x=0.12 and 0.15), using the stimulated echo technique. The stimulated echo intensity is analyzed by a model that includes the spin-lattice relaxation process (T_ {1 }-process) and the fluctuating local field due to nuclear spin-spin coupling. The model gives quantitative account of the experimental results in Y-based compounds using the known values of 1/T_{1} and 1/T_{2G}, the gaussian decay rate of the spin echo intensity. The same model applied to LSCO enables us to extract the value of T_{2G}. Our results indicate that T_{1}T/T_{2G} is independent of temperature, implying that the dynamic exponent is one in La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4}.Comment: 14 pages, 11 fugures, The bibliography field is correcte

Antiferromagnetic phase transition in four-layered high-T_c superconductors Ba_2Ca_3Cu_4O_8(F_yO_{1-y})_2 with T_c=55-102 K: Cu- and F-NMR studies

We report on magnetic characteristics in four-layered high-T_c superconductors Ba_2Ca_3Cu_4O_8(F_yO_{1-y})_2 with apical fluorine through Cu- and F-NMR measurements. The substitution of oxygen for fluorine at the apical site increases the carrier density (N_h) and T_c from 55 K up to 102 K. The NMR measurements reveal that antiferromagnetic order, which can uniformly coexist with superconductivity, exists up to N_h = 0.15, which is somewhat smaller than N_h = 0.17 being the quantum critical point (QCP) for five-layered compounds. The fact that the QCP for the four-layered compounds moves to a region of lower carrier density than for five-layered ones ensures that the decrease in the number of CuO_2 layers makes an interlayer magnetic coupling weaker.Comment: 7 pages, 6 gigures, Submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Magnetic Properties of Weakly Doped Antiferromagnets

We study the spin excitations and the transverse susceptibility of a two-dimensional antiferromagnet doped with a small concentration of holes in the t-J model. The motion of holes generates a renormalization of the magnetic properties. The Green's functions are calculated in the self-consistent Born approximation. It is shown that the long-wavelength spin waves are significantly softened and the shorter-wavelength spin waves become strongly damped as the doping increases. The spin wave velocity is reduced by the coherent motion of holes, and not increased as has been claimed elsewhere. The transverse susceptibility is found to increase considerably with doping, also as a result of coherent hole motion. Our results are in agreement with experimental data for the doped copper oxide superconductors.Comment: 20 page

Experimental Evidence for a Glass forming "Stripe Liquid" in the Magnetic Ground State of La1.65Eu0.2Sr0.15CuO4

We report measurements of the longitudinal ($^{139}T_1^{-1}$) and transverse ($^{139}T_2^{-1}$) decay rates of the magnetization of $^{139}$La nuclei performed in a high quality single crystal of La$_{1.65}$Eu$_{0.2}$Sr$_{0.15}$CuO$_{4}$. We observe a dramatic slowing of the Cu 3d spins manifested as a sharp increase of both $^{139}T_1^{-1}$ and $^{139}T_2^{-1}$ below 30 K. We find that in this temperature range the fluctuations involve a unique time scale $\tau$ which diverges as $(T-T_{\rm A})^{-1.9}$ with $T_{\rm A}\thickapprox 5$ K. This behavior is distinct from the continuous freezing observed in underdoped La$_{1-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ which involves a distribution of energy barriers. By contrast, in La$_{1.65}$Eu$_{0.2}$Sr$_{0.15}$CuO$_{4}$, the freezing below 30K is intrinsic to its magnetic ground state and the observed power law supports the existence of a glass forming "charge stripe liquid".Comment: 5 pages, 3 Figures. Revised version, resubmitte