1,842 research outputs found
Subsurface impurities and vacancies in a three-dimensional topological insulator
Using a three-dimensional microscopic lattice model of a strong topological
insulator (TI) we study potential impurities and vacancies in surface and
subsurface positions. For all impurity locations we find impurity-induced
resonance states with energy proportional to the inverse of the impurity
strength, although the impurity strength needed for a low-energy resonance
state increases with the depth of the impurity. For strong impurities and
vacancies as deep as 15 layers into the material, resonance peaks will appear
at and around the Dirac point in the surface energy spectrum, splitting the
original Dirac point into two nodes located off-center. Furthermore, we study
vacancy clusters buried deep inside the bulk and find zero-energy resonance
states for both single and multiple-site vacancies. Only fully symmetric
multiple-site vacancy clusters show resonance states expelled from the bulk
gap.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. Minor changes in v
Strong potential impurities on the surface of a topological insulator
Topological insulators (TIs) are said to be stable against non-magnetic
impurity scattering due to suppressed backscattering in the Dirac surface
states. We solve a lattice model of a three-dimensional TI in the presence of
strong potential impurities and find that both the Dirac point and low-energy
states are significantly modified: low-energy impurity resonances are formed
that produce a peak in the density of states near the Dirac point, which is
destroyed and split into two nodes that move off-center. The impurity-induced
states penetrate up to 10 layers into the bulk of the TI. These findings
demonstrate the importance of bulk states for the stability of TIs and how they
can destroy the topological protection of the surface.Comment: 4+ pages, 3 figures. Published versio
Convergence in Institutions and Market Outcomes: Cross-Country and Time-Series Evidence from the BEEPS Surveys in Transition Economies
This paper uses the BEEPS firm-level data to study the process of convergence of transition countries with developed market economies. The primary focus of the study is on competition and market structure, finance and the structure of lending to firms, and how firms respond to the economic environment by restructuring; we are able to do this because the BEEPS cover thousands of firms from virtually all transition countries over a long time period (1996-99 through 2002-05), as well firms from developed market economies, thus providing a set of natural benchmarks. We find substantial evidence of convergence of transition countries with developed market economies in a number of dimensions. The pattern of growth at the country, sectoral and firm level shows rapid growth of the new private sector and of the micro- and small-firm sectors, with the size distribution of firms moving towards the pattern observed in the BEEPS surveys of developed market economies. Our interpretation of the evidence on competition is that there is an initial move by firms into niches to exploit local market power, and later in transition entry and domestic competitive pressure increases. In finance, the increasing reliance on retained earnings in transition countries reflects a maturation of the sector as new firms come to rely less on informal and family sources of finance. The scale of restructuring and innovation activity is as high or higher in transition economies as in developed market economies. Interestingly, we find evidence of an inverse-U shape pattern, with the peak of restructuring activity taking place in 2002, the middle of the period analyzed. Throughout, the regional patterns suggest greater convergence in the transition countries that joined the European Union in 2004 than in the other, lower-income transition economies.transition, convergence, market structure, competition, enterprise finance, enterprise restructuring
Odd-frequency superconducting pairing in topological insulators
We discuss the appearance of odd-frequency spin-triplet s-wave
superconductivity, first proposed by Berezinskii [{\it JETP} {\bf 20}, 287
(1974)], on the surface of a topological insulator proximity coupled to a
conventional spin-singlet s-wave superconductor. Using both analytical and
numerical methods we show that this disorder robust odd-frequency state is
present whenever there is an in-surface gradient in the proximity induced gap,
including superconductor-normal state (SN) junctions. The time-independent
order parameter for the odd-frequency superconductor is proportional to the
in-surface gap gradient. The induced odd-frequency component does not produce
any low-energy states.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. v2 contains minor changes + supplementary
materia
Convergence in Institutions and Market Outcomes: Cross-Country and Time-Series Evidence from the Beeps Surveys in Transition Economies
Enzyme prodrug therapy achieves site-specific, personalized physiological responses to the locally produced nitric oxide
Nitric oxide (NO) is a highly potent but short-lived endogenous radical with a wide spectrum of physiological activities. In this work, we developed an enzymatic approach to the site-specific synthesis of NO mediated by biocatalytic surface coatings. Multilayered polyelectrolyte films were optimized as host compartments for the immobilized β-galactosidase (β-Gal) enzyme through a screen of eight polycations and eight polyanions. The lead composition was used to achieve localized production of NO through the addition of β-Gal–NONOate, a prodrug that releases NO following enzymatic bioconversion. The resulting coatings afforded physiologically relevant flux of NO matching that of the healthy human endothelium. The antiproliferative effect due to the synthesized NO in cell culture was site-specific: within a multiwell dish with freely shared media and nutrients, a 10-fold inhibition of cell growth was achieved on top of the biocatalytic coatings compared to the immediately adjacent enzyme-free microwells. The physiological effect of NO produced via the enzyme prodrug therapy was validated ex vivo in isolated arteries through the measurement of vasodilation. Biocatalytic coatings were deposited on wires produced using alloys used in clinical practice and successfully mediated a NONOate concentration-dependent vasodilation in the small arteries of rats. The results of this study present an exciting opportunity to manufacture implantable biomaterials with physiological responses controlled to the desired level for personalized treatment
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