On the stability and growth of single myelin figures

Myelin figures are long thin cylindrical structures that typically grow as a dense tangle when water is added to the concentrated lamellar phase of certain surfactants. We show that, starting from a well-ordered initial state, single myelin figures can be produced in isolation thus allowing a detailed study of their growth and stability. These structures grow with their base at the exposed edges of bilayer stacks from which material is transported into the myelin. Myelins only form and grow in the presence of a driving stress; when the stress is removed, the myelins retract.Comment: 4 pages, 8 figures. Revised version, 1 new figure, additional reference

Spin-orbit coupling induced by a mass gradient

The existence of a spin-orbit coupling (SOC) induced by the gradient of the effective mass in low-dimensional heterostructures is revealed. In structurally asymmetric quasi-two-dimensional semiconductor heterostructures the presence of a mass gradient across the interfaces results in a SOC which competes with the SOC created by the electric field in the valence band. However, in graded quantum wells subjected to an external electric field, the mass-gradient induced SOC can be finite even when the electric field in the valence band vanishes.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl

Zitterbewegung is not an observable

It has recently been claimed that Zitterbewegung has been observed. However, we argue that it is not an observable and that the authors' observations must be reinterpreted

Slow Excitation Trapping in Quantum Transport with Long-Range Interactions

Long-range interactions slow down the excitation trapping in quantum transport processes on a one-dimensional chain with traps at both ends. This is counter intuitive and in contrast to the corresponding classical processes with long-range interactions, which lead to faster excitation trapping. We give a pertubation theoretical explanation of this effect.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Theory of the thermoelectricity of intermetallic compounds with Ce or Yb ions

The thermoelectric properties of intermetallic compounds with Ce or Yb ions are explained by the single-impurity Anderson model which takes into account the crystal-field splitting of the 4{\it f} ground-state multiplet, and assumes a strong Coulomb repulsion which restricts the number of {\it f} electrons or {\it f} holes to $n_f\leq 1$ for Ce and $n_f^{hole}\leq 1$ for Yb ions. Using the non-crossing approximation and imposing the charge neutrality constraint on the local scattering problem at each temperature and pressure, the excitation spectrum and the transport coefficients of the model are obtained. The thermopower calculated in such a way exhibits all the characteristic features observed in Ce and Yb intermetallics. Calculating the effect of pressure on various characteristic energy scales of the model, we obtain the $(T,p)$ phase diagram which agrees with the experimental data on CeRu$_{2}$Si$_2$, CeCu$_{2}$Si$_2$, CePd$_{2}$Si$_2$, and similar compounds. The evolution of the thermopower and the electrical resistance as a function of temperature, pressure or doping is explained in terms of the crossovers between various fixed points of the model and the redistribution of the single-particle spectral weight within the Fermi window.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure

Invariant expansion for the trigonal band structure of graphene

We present a symmetry analysis of the trigonal band structure in graphene, elucidating the transformational properties of the underlying basis functions and the crucial role of time-reversal invariance. Group theory is used to derive an invariant expansion of the Hamiltonian for electron states near the K points of the graphene Brillouin zone. Besides yielding the characteristic k-linear dispersion and higher-order corrections to it, this approach enables the systematic incorporation of all terms arising from external electric and magnetic fields, strain, and spin-orbit coupling up to any desired order. Several new contributions are found, in addition to reproducing results obtained previously within tight-binding calculations. Physical ramifications of these new terms are discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure; expanded version with more details and additional result

Kˉ∗\bar K^* meson in dense matter

We study the properties of $\bar K^*$ mesons in nuclear matter using a unitary approach in coupled channels within the framework of the local hidden gauge formalism and incorporating the $\bar K \pi$ decay channel in matter. The in-medium $\bar K^* N$ interaction accounts for Pauli blocking effects and incorporates the $\bar K^*$ self-energy in a self-consistent manner. We also obtain the $\bar K^*$ (off-shell) spectral function and analyze its behaviour at finite density and momentum. At normal nuclear matter density, the $\bar K^*$ meson feels a moderately attractive potential while the $\bar K^*$ width becomes five times larger than in free space. We estimate the transparency ratio of the $\gamma A \to K^+ K^{* -} A^\prime$ reaction, which we propose as a feasible scenario at present facilities to detect the changes of the properties of the $\bar K^*$ meson in the nuclear medium.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figures, one new section added, version published in Phys. ReV. C, http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevC.82.04521

An explanation of the Δ5/2−(1930)\Delta_{5/2^{-}}(1930) as a ρΔ\rho\Delta bound state

We use the $\rho\Delta$ interaction in the hidden gauge formalism to dynamically generate $N^{\ast}$ and $\Delta^{\ast}$ resonances. We show, through a comparison of the results from this analysis and from a quark model study with data, that the $\Delta_{5/2^{-}}(1930),$ $\Delta_{3/2^{-}}(1940)$ and $\Delta_{1/2^{-}}(1900)$ resonances can be assigned to $\rho\Delta$ bound states. More precisely the $\Delta_{5/2^{-}}(1930)$ can be interpreted as a $\rho\Delta$ bound state whereas the $\Delta_{3/2^{-}}(1940)$ and $\Delta_{1/2^{-}}(1900)$ may contain an important $\rho\Delta$ component. This interpretation allows for a solution of a long-standing puzzle concerning the description of these resonances in constituent quark models. In addition we also obtain degenerate $J^{P}=1/2^{-},3/2^{-},5/2^{-}$ $N^{*}$ states but their assignment to experimental resonances is more uncertain.Comment: 19 pags, 8 fig