Step Bunching with Alternation of Structural Parameters

By taking account of the alternation of structural parameters, we study bunching of impermeable steps induced by drift of adatoms on a vicinal face of Si(001). With the alternation of diffusion coefficient, the step bunching occurs irrespective of the direction of the drift if the step distance is large. Like the bunching of permeable steps, the type of large terraces is determined by the drift direction. With step-down drift, step bunches grows faster than those with step-up drift. The ratio of the growth rates is larger than the ratio of the diffusion coefficients. Evaporation of adatoms, which does not cause the step bunching, decreases the difference. If only the alternation of kinetic coefficient is taken into account, the step bunching occurs with step-down drift. In an early stage, the initial fluctuation of the step distance determines the type of large terraces, but in a late stage, the type of large terraces is opposite to the case of alternating diffusion coefficient.Comment: 8pages, 16 figure

Single-electron transistor effect in a two-terminal structure

A peculiarity of the single-electron transistor effect makes it possible to observe this effect even in structures lacking a gate electrode altogether. The proposed method can be useful for experimental study of charging effects in structures with an extremely small central island confined between tunnel barriers like a nanometer-sized quantum dot or a macromolecule probed with a tunneling microscope), where it is impossible to provide a gate electrode for control of the tunnel current.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Investigation of marmoset hybrids (Cebuella pygmaea x Callithrix jacchus) and related Callitrichinae (Platyrrhini) by cross-species chromosome painting and comparative genomic hybridization

We report on the cytogenetics of twin offspring from an interspecies cross in marmosets (Callitrichinae, Platyrrhini), resulting from a pairing between a female Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus, 2n = 46) and a male Pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea, 2n = 44). We analyzed their karyotypes by multi-directional chromosome painting employing human, Saguinus oedipus and Lagothrix lagothricha chromosome-specific probes. Both hybrid individuals had a karyotype with a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 45. As a complementary tool, interspecies comparative genomic hybridization (iCGH) was performed in order to screen for genomic imbalances between the hybrids and their parental species, and between Callithrix argentata and S. oedipus, respectively. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Unequal effects of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors in acute cardiac dysfunction induced by isoproterenol

Ohta, T; Hasebe, N; Tsuji, S; Izawa, K; Jin, YT; Kido, S; Natori, S; Sato, M; Kikuchi, K, AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-HEART AND CIRCULATORY PHYSIOLOGY, 287(6), H2914-H2921, 2004. "Copyright 2004 by the American Physical Society." publisherSeveral clinical trials have demonstrated that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) are equally effective in the treatment of chronic heart failure. However, this has not been confirmed for acute cardiac dysfunction. We examined whether ACEI or ARB prevents isoproterenol-induced acute left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in dogs. LV dysfunction induced by a large dose of isoproterenol (1 µg·kg^–1·min^–1, 3-h infusion) was compared in dogs treated with ACEI (temocaprilat) or ARB (olmesartan). Atrial pacing induced a constant heart rate and use of adjustable aortic banding provided a nearly constant afterload. LV systolic function (LV dP/dt, fractional shortening, and ejection fraction) and diastolic function (γ and LV end-diastolic pressure) were significantly deteriorated after isoproterenol infusion. The LV dysfunction was almost totally prevented by ARB but was only partially prevented by ACEI. The partial effect of ACEI was complemented by cotreatment with HOE-140, a bradykinin B_2 receptor antagonist. At baseline, the response to low doses of isoproterenol was significantly attenuated by ACEI but not by ARB, and the ACEI-induced attenuation was totally abolished by cotreatment with HOE-140. The response to isoproterenol was significantly attenuated after 3 h of excess isoproterenol loading, and it was almost completely preserved by ARB but not by ACEI. In conclusion, acute LV dysfunction and β-adrenergic desensitization induced by excess isoproterenol administration were almost totally prevented by ARB but only partially prevented by ACEI. These differences were attributable at least in part to bradykinin pathways activated by ACEI administration in acute LV dysfunction

Two Dimensional Quantum Mechanical Modeling of Nanotransistors

Quantization in the inversion layer and phase coherent transport are anticipated to have significant impact on device performance in 'ballistic' nanoscale transistors. While the role of some quantum effects have been analyzed qualitatively using simple one dimensional ballistic models, two dimensional (2D) quantum mechanical simulation is important for quantitative results. In this paper, we present a framework for 2D quantum mechanical simulation of a nanotransistor / Metal Oxide Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET). This framework consists of the non equilibrium Green's function equations solved self-consistently with Poisson's equation. Solution of this set of equations is computationally intensive. An efficient algorithm to calculate the quantum mechanical 2D electron density has been developed. The method presented is comprehensive in that treatment includes the three open boundary conditions, where the narrow channel region opens into physically broad source, drain and gate regions. Results are presented for (i) drain current versus drain and gate voltages, (ii) comparison to results from Medici, and (iii) gate tunneling current, using 2D potential profiles. Methods to reduce the gate leakage current are also discussed based on simulation results.Comment: 12 figures. Journal of Applied Physics (to appear

A contiuum model for low temperature relaxation of crystal steps

High and low temperature relaxation of crystal steps are described in a unified picture, using a continuum model based on a modified expression of the step free energy. Results are in agreement with experiments and Monte Carlo simulations of step fluctuations and monolayer cluster diffusion and relaxation. In an extended model where mass exchange with neighboring terraces is allowed, step transparency and a low temperature regime for unstable step meandering are found.Comment: Submitted to Phys.Rev.Let

Study of a Threshold Cherenkov Counter Based on Silica Aerogels with Low Refractive Indices

To identify $\pi^{\pm}$ and $K^{\pm}$ in the region of $1.0\sim 2.5$ GeV/c, a threshold Cherenkov counter equipped with silica aerogels has been investigated. Silica aerogels with a low refractive index of 1.013 have been successfully produced using a new technique. By making use of these aerogels as radiators, we have constructed a Cherenkov counter and have checked its properties in a test beam. The obtained results have demonstrated that our aerogel was transparent enough to make up for loss of the Cherenkov photon yield due to a low refractive index. Various configurations for the photon collection system and some types of photomultipliers, such as the fine-mesh type, for a read out were also tested. From these studies, our design of a Cherenkov counter dedicated to $\pi / K$ separation up to a few GeV/c %in the momentum range of $1.0 \sim 2.5$ GeV/c with an efficiency greater than $90$ \% was considered.Comment: 21 pages, latex format (article), figures included, to be published in Nucl. Instrm. Meth.

A quantitative theory of current-induced step bunching on Si(111)

We use a one-dimensional step model to study quantitatively the growth of step bunches on Si(111) surfaces induced by a direct heating current. Parameters in the model are fixed from experimental measurements near 900 deg C under the assumption that there is local mass transport through surface diffusion and that step motion is limited by the attachment rate of adatoms to step edges. The direct heating current is treated as an external driving force acting on each adatom. Numerical calculations show both qualitative and quantitative agreement with experiment. A force in the step down direction will destabilize the uniform step train towards step bunching. The average size of the step bunches grows with electromigration time as t^beta, with beta = 0.5, in agreement with experiment and with an analytical treatment of the steady states. The model is extended to include the effect of direct hopping of adatoms between different terraces. Monte-Carlo simulations of a solid-on-solid model, using physically motivated assumptions about the dynamics of surface diffusion and attachment at step edges, are carried out to study two dimensional features that are left out of the present step model and to test its validity. These simulations give much better agreement with experiment than previous work. We find a new step bending instability when the driving force is along the step edge direction. This instability causes the formation of step bunches and antisteps that is similar to that observed in experiment.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Direct Coulomb and Exchange Interaction in Artificial Atoms

We determine the contributions from the direct Coulomb and exchange interactions to the total interaction in semiconductor artificial atoms. We tune the relative strengths of the two interactions and measure them as a function of the number of confined electrons. We find that electrons tend to have parallel spins when they occupy nearly degenerate single-particle states. We use a magnetic field to adjust the single-particle state degeneracy, and find that the spin-configurations in an arbitrary magnetic field are well explained in terms of two-electron singlet and triplet states.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Electronic States in Silicon Quantum Dots: Multivalley Artificial Atoms

Electronic states in silicon quantum dots are examined theoretically, taking into account a multivalley structure of the conduction band. We find that (i) exchange interaction hardly works between electrons in different valleys. In consequence electrons occupy the lowest level in different valleys in the absence of Hund's coupling when the dot size is less than 10 nm. High-spin states are easily realized by applying a small magnetic field. (ii) When the dot size is much larger, the electron-electron interaction becomes relevant in determining the electronic states. Electrons are accommodated in a valley, making the highest spin, to gain the exchange energy. (iii) In the presence of intervalley scattering, degenerate levels in different valleys are split. This could result in low-spin states. These spin states in multivalley artificial atoms can be observed by looking at the magnetic-field dependence of peak positions in the Coulomb oscillation.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure