Two Dimensional Simulations of Pair-Instability Supernovae

We present preliminary results from two dimensional numerical studies of pair instability supernova (PSN). We study nuclear burning, hydrodynamic instabilities and explosion of very massive stars. Use a new radiation-hydrodynamics code, CASTRO.Comment: Proceedings of "The First Stars and Galaxies: Challenges for the Next Decade", Austin, Texas, March 8-11, 2010. 2 pages, 1 figur

Gas Dynamics of the Nickel-56 Decay Heating in Pair-Instability Supernovae

Very massive 140-260 Msun stars can die as highly-energetic pair-instability supernovae (PI SNe) with energies of up to 100 times those of core-collapse SNe that can completely destroy the star, leaving no compact remnant behind. These explosions can synthesize $0.1-30$ Msun of radioactive Ni56, which can cause them to rebrighten at later times when photons due to Ni56 decay diffuse out of the ejecta. However, heat from the decay of such large masses of Ni56 could also drive important dynamical effects deep in the ejecta that are capable of mixing elements and affecting the observational signatures of these events. We have now investigated the dynamical effect of Ni56 heating on PI SN ejecta with high-resolution two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations performed with the CASTRO code. We find that expansion of the hot Ni56 bubble forms a shell at the base of the silicon layer of the ejecta about 200 days after the explosion but that no hydrodynamical instabilities develop that would mix Ni56 with the Si/O-rich ejecta. However, while the dynamical effects of Ni56 heating may be weak they could affect the observational signatures of some PI SNe by diverting decay energy into internal expansion of the ejecta at the expense of rebrightening at later times.Comment: Accepted to ApJ, 14 page

Radiation Transport Simulations of Pulsational Pair-Instability Supernovae

Massive stars of helium cores of 35-65 Msun eventually encounter the electron/positron creation instability, and it triggers explosive carbon or oxygen burning that produces several thermonuclear eruptions. The resulting catastrophe collisions of eruptive shells sometimes produce luminous transients with peak luminosity of $10^{43} - 10^{44}$ erg/sec, known as pulsational pair-instability supernovae (PPISNe). Previous 2D simulations of colliding shells show the development of Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities and mixing. Here we present radiation hydrodynamic PPISNe simulations of a 110 Msun solar-metallicity star that was promising to produce a superluminous transit in the early work. Our comprehensive study contains a suite of one-, two-, and three-dimensional models. We discuss the impact of dimensionality and fluid instabilities on the resulting light curves. The results show the RT mixing found in previous multidimensional hydro studies transforms into a thin and distorted shell due to radiative cooling. Radiation from the wiggly shell peaks at its bolometric light curve of $\sim 2\times10^{43}$ erg/sec, lasting about 150 days and following with a plateau of $\sim 3\times10^{42}$ erg/sec for another two hundred days before it fades away. The total radiation energy emitted from colliding shells is $\sim 1.8 \times 10^{50}$ erg, which is $\sim 27\%$ of the kinetic energy of the major eruption. The dimensional effects also manifest on the physical properties, such as irregularity and thickness of the shell. Our study suggests PPISNe is a promising candidate of luminous SNe, the radiation of which originates from colliding shells with a homogeneous mixing of ejecta.Comment: Submitted to ApJ, 16 pages, comments are welcom

Coupled-resonator-induced transparency with a squeezed vacuum

We present the first experimental observation of quantum fluctuation spectra in two coupled optical cavities with an injected squeezed vacuum light. The quadrature components of the reflected squeezed vacuum spectra are measured by phase sensitive homodyne detector. The experimental results demonstrate coupled-resonator-induced transparency in the quantum regime, in which electromagnetically-induced-transparency-like characteristic of the absorption and dispersion properties of the coupled optical cavities determines the line-shape of the reflected quantum noise spectra.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Mechanism for current saturation and energy dissipation in graphene transistors

From a combination of careful and detailed theoretical and experimental studies, we demonstrate that the Boltzmann theory including all scattering mechanisms gives an excellent account, with no adjustable parameters, of high electric field transport in single as well as double-oxide graphene transistors. We further show unambiguously that scattering from the substrate and superstrate surface optical (SO) phonons governs the high field transport and heat dissipation over a wide range of experimentally relevant parameters. Models that neglect SO phonons altogether or treat them in a simple phenomenological manner are inadequate. We outline possible strategies for achieving higher current and complete saturation in graphene devices.Comment: revtex, 5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett

Positive exchange bias in ferromagnetic La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 / SrRuO3 bilayers

Epitaxial La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO)/ SrRuO3 (SRO) ferromagnetic bilayers have been grown on (001) SrTiO3 (STO) substrates by pulsed laser deposition with atomic layer control. We observe a shift in the magnetic hysteresis loop of the LSMO layer in the same direction as the applied biasing field (positive exchange bias). The effect is not present above the Curie temperature of the SRO layer (), and its magnitude increases rapidly as the temperature is lowered below . The direction of the shift is consistent with an antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between the ferromagnetic LSMO layer and the ferromagnetic SRO layer. We propose that atomic layer charge transfer modifies the electronic state at the interface, resulting in the observed antiferromagnetic interfacial exchange coupling.Comment: accepted to Applied Physics Letter