Instabilities and disorder of the domain patterns in the systems with competing interactions

The dynamics of the domains is studied in a two-dimensional model of the microphase separation of diblock copolymers in the vicinity of the transition. A criterion for the validity of the mean field theory is derived. It is shown that at certain temperatures the ordered hexagonal pattern becomes unstable with respect to the two types of instabilities: the radially-nonsymmetric distortions of the domains and the repumping of the order parameter between the neighbors. Both these instabilities may lead to the transformation of the regular hexagonal pattern into a disordered pattern.Comment: ReVTeX, 4 pages, 3 figures (postscript); submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

A non-parametric structural hybrid modeling approach for electricity prices

We develop a stochastic model of zonal/regional electricity prices, designed to reflect information in fuel forward curves and aggregated capacity and load as well as zonal or regional price spreads. We use a nonparametric model of the supply stack that captures heat rates and fuel prices for all generators in the market operator territory, combined with an adjustment term to approximate congestion and other zone-specific behavior. The approach requires minimal calibration effort, is readily adaptable to changing market conditions and regulations, and retains sufficient tractability for the purpose of forward price calibration. The model is illustrated for the spot and forward electricity prices of the PS zone in the PJM market, and the set of time-dependent risk premiums are inferred and analyzed

Research Proposal for an Experiment to Search for the Decay {\mu} -> eee

We propose an experiment (Mu3e) to search for the lepton flavour violating decay mu+ -> e+e-e+. We aim for an ultimate sensitivity of one in 10^16 mu-decays, four orders of magnitude better than previous searches. This sensitivity is made possible by exploiting modern silicon pixel detectors providing high spatial resolution and hodoscopes using scintillating fibres and tiles providing precise timing information at high particle rates.Comment: Research proposal submitted to the Paul Scherrer Institute Research Committee for Particle Physics at the Ring Cyclotron, 104 page

Finite-Temperature Charge-Ordering Transition and Fluctuation Effects in Quasi-One-Dimensional Electron Systems at Quarter Filling

Finite-temperature charge-ordering phase transition in quasi one-dimensional (1D) molecular conductors is investigated theoretically, based on a quasi 1D extended Hubbard model at quarter filling with interchain Coulomb repulsion $V_\perp$. The interchain term is treated within mean-field approximation whereas the 1D fluctuations in the chains are fully taken into account by the bosonization theory. Three regions are found depending on how the charge ordered state appears at finite temperature when $V_\perp$ is introduced: (i) weak-coupling region where the system transforms from a metal to a charge ordered insulator with finite transition temperature at a finite critical value of $V_\perp$, (ii) an intermediate region where this transition occurs by infinitesimal $V_\perp$ due to the stability of inherent 1D fluctuation, and (iii) strong-coupling region where the charge ordered state is realized already in the purely 1D case, of which the transition temperature becomes finite with infinitesimal $V_\perp$. Analytical formula for the $V_\perp$ dependence of the transition temperature is derived for each region.Comment: 4 pages, submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Superconductivity and Antiferromagnetism in Quasi-one-dimensional Organic Conductors

We review the current understanding of superconductivity in the quasi-one-dimensional organic conductors of the Bechgaard and Fabre salt families. We discuss the interplay between superconductivity, antiferromagnetism, and charge-density-wave fluctuations. The connection to recent experimental observations supporting unconventional pairing and the possibility of a triplet-spin order parameter for the superconducting phase is also presented.Comment: (v1) 30 pages, 13 figures; Review article for the 20th anniversary of high-Tc superconductivity, to appear in J. Low Temp. Phys. (v2) 1 Ref. adde

Pairing competition in a quasi-one-dimensional model of organic superconductors (TMTSF)2X_{2}X in magnetic field

We microscopically study the effect of the magnetic field (Zeeman splitting) on the superconducting state in a model for quasi-one-dimensional organic superconductors (TMTSF)$_{2}X$. We investigate the competition between spin singlet and spin triplet pairings and the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov(FFLO) state by random phase approximation. While we studied the competition by comparison with the eigenvalue of the gap equation at a fixed temperature in our previous study (Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{102} (2009) 016403), here we obtain both the $T_c$ for each pairing state and a phase diagram in the $T$(temperature)-$h_z$(field)-$V_y$(strength of the charge fluctuation) space. The phase diagram shows that consecutive transitions from singlet pairing to the FFLO state and further to $S_z=1$ triplet pairing can occur upon increasing the magnetic field when $2k_{F}$ charge fluctuations coexist with $2k_{F}$ spin fluctuations. In the FFLO state, the singlet d-wave and $S_{z}=0$ triplet $f$-wave components are strongly mixed especially when the charge fluctuations are strong.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figure

The nonlinear time-dependent response of isotactic polypropylene

Tensile creep tests, tensile relaxation tests and a tensile test with a constant rate of strain are performed on injection-molded isotactic polypropylene at room temperature in the vicinity of the yield point. A constitutive model is derived for the time-dependent behavior of semi-crystalline polymers. A polymer is treated as an equivalent network of chains bridged by permanent junctions. The network is modelled as an ensemble of passive meso-regions (with affine nodes) and active meso-domains (where junctions slip with respect to their positions in the bulk medium with various rates). The distribution of activation energies for sliding in active meso-regions is described by a random energy model. Adjustable parameters in the stress--strain relations are found by fitting experimental data. It is demonstrated that the concentration of active meso-domains monotonically grows with strain, whereas the average potential energy for sliding of junctions and the standard deviation of activation energies suffer substantial drops at the yield point. With reference to the concept of dual population of crystalline lamellae, these changes in material parameters are attributed to transition from breakage of subsidiary (thin) lamellae in the sub-yield region to fragmentation of primary (thick) lamellae in the post-yield region of deformation.Comment: 29 pages, 12 figure

Finite-Temperature Properties across the Charge Ordering Transition -- Combined Bosonization, Renormalization Group, and Numerical Methods

We theoretically describe the charge ordering (CO) metal-insulator transition based on a quasi-one-dimensional extended Hubbard model, and investigate the finite temperature ($T$) properties across the transition temperature, $T_{\rm CO}$. In order to calculate $T$ dependence of physical quantities such as the spin susceptibility and the electrical resistivity, both above and below $T_{\rm CO}$, a theoretical scheme is developed which combines analytical methods with numerical calculations. We take advantage of the renormalization group equations derived from the effective bosonized Hamiltonian, where Lanczos exact diagonalization data are chosen as initial parameters, while the CO order parameter at finite-$T$ is determined by quantum Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that the spin susceptibility does not show a steep singularity at $T_{\rm CO}$, and it slightly increases compared to the case without CO because of the suppression of the spin velocity. In contrast, the resistivity exhibits a sudden increase at $T_{\rm CO}$, below which a characteristic $T$ dependence is observed. We also compare our results with experiments on molecular conductors as well as transition metal oxides showing CO.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Gravitational Waves From Known Pulsars: Results From The Initial Detector Era

We present the results of searches for gravitational waves from a large selection of pulsars using data from the most recent science runs (S6, VSR2 and VSR4) of the initial generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors LIGO (Laser Interferometric Gravitational-wave Observatory) and Virgo. We do not see evidence for gravitational wave emission from any of the targeted sources but produce upper limits on the emission amplitude. We highlight the results from seven young pulsars with large spin-down luminosities. We reach within a factor of five of the canonical spin-down limit for all seven of these, whilst for the Crab and Vela pulsars we further surpass their spin-down limits. We present new or updated limits for 172 other pulsars (including both young and millisecond pulsars). Now that the detectors are undergoing major upgrades, and, for completeness, we bring together all of the most up-to-date results from all pulsars searched for during the operations of the first-generation LIGO, Virgo and GEO600 detectors. This gives a total of 195 pulsars including the most recent results described in this paper.United States National Science FoundationScience and Technology Facilities Council of the United KingdomMax-Planck-SocietyState of Niedersachsen/GermanyAustralian Research CouncilInternational Science Linkages program of the Commonwealth of AustraliaCouncil of Scientific and Industrial Research of IndiaIstituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare of ItalySpanish Ministerio de Economia y CompetitividadConselleria d'Economia Hisenda i Innovacio of the Govern de les Illes BalearsNetherlands Organisation for Scientific ResearchPolish Ministry of Science and Higher EducationFOCUS Programme of Foundation for Polish ScienceRoyal SocietyScottish Funding CouncilScottish Universities Physics AllianceNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationOTKA of HungaryLyon Institute of Origins (LIO)National Research Foundation of KoreaIndustry CanadaProvince of Ontario through the Ministry of Economic Development and InnovationNational Science and Engineering Research Council CanadaCarnegie TrustLeverhulme TrustDavid and Lucile Packard FoundationResearch CorporationAlfred P. Sloan FoundationAstronom