1,121 research outputs found
Possible indicators for low dimensional superconductivity in the quasi-1D carbide Sc3CoC4
The transition metal carbide Sc3CoC4 consists of a quasi-one-dimensional (1D)
structure with [CoC4]_{\inft} polyanionic chains embedded in a scandium
matrix. At ambient temperatures Sc3CoC4 displays metallic behavior. At lower
temperatures, however, charge density wave formation has been observed around
143K which is followed by a structural phase transition at 72K. Below T^onset_c
= 4.5K the polycrystalline sample becomes superconductive. From Hc1(0) and
Hc2(0) values we could estimate the London penetration depth ({\lambda}_L ~=
9750 Angstroem) and the Ginsburg-Landau (GL) coherence length ({\xi}_GL ~= 187
Angstroem). The resulting GL-parameter ({\kappa} ~= 52) classifies Sc3CoC4 as a
type II superconductor. Here we compare the puzzling superconducting features
of Sc3CoC4, such as the unusual temperature dependence i) of the specific heat
anomaly and ii) of the upper critical field H_c2(T) at T_c, and iii) the
magnetic hysteresis curve, with various related low dimensional
superconductors: e.g., the quasi-1D superconductor (SN)_x or the 2D
transition-metal dichalcogenides. Our results identify Sc3CoC4 as a new
candidate for a quasi-1D superconductor.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Spatial and temporal influences on discrimination of vibrotactile stimuli on the arm
Body\u2013machine interfaces (BMIs) provide a non-invasive way to control devices. Vibrotactile stimulation has been used by BMIs to provide performance feedback to the user, thereby reducing visual demands. To advance the goal of developing a compact, multivariate vibrotactile display for BMIs, we performed two psychophysical experiments to determine the acuity of vibrotactile perception across the arm. The first experiment assessed vibration intensity discrimination of sequentially presented stimuli within four dermatomes of the arm (C5, C7, C8, and T1) and on the ulnar head. The second experiment compared vibration intensity discrimination when pairs of vibrotactile stimuli were presented simultaneously vs. sequentially within and across dermatomes. The first experiment found a small but statistically significant difference between dermatomes C7 and T1, but discrimination thresholds at the other three locations did not differ. Thus, while all tested dermatomes of the arm and hand could serve as viable sites of vibrotactile stimulation for a practical BMI, ideal implementations should account for small differences in perceptual acuity across dermatomes. The second experiment found that sequential delivery of vibrotactile stimuli resulted in better intensity discrimination than simultaneous delivery, independent of whether the pairs were located within the same dermatome or across dermatomes. Taken together, our results suggest that the arm may be a viable site to transfer multivariate information via vibrotactile feedback for body\u2013machine interfaces. However, user training may be needed to overcome the perceptual disadvantage of simultaneous vs. sequentially presented stimuli
Order and nFl Behavior in UCu4Pd
We have studied the role of disorder in the non-Fermi liquid system UCu4Pd
using annealing as a control parameter. Measurement of the lattice parameter
indicates that this procedure increases the crystallographic order by
rearranging the Pd atoms from the 16e to the 4c sites. We find that the low
temperature properties depend strongly on annealing. Whereas the non-Fermi
liquid behavior in the specific heat can be observed over a larger temperature
range after annealing, the clear non-Fermi liquid behavior of the resistivity
of the unannealed sample below 10 K disappears. We come to the conclusion that
this argues against the Kondo disorder model as an explanation for the
non-Fermi liquid properties of both as-prepared and annealed UCu4Pd
Transport, magnetic, thermodynamic and optical properties in Ti-doped Sr_2RuO_4
We report on electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and
magnetization, on heat capacity and optical experiments in single crystals of
Sr_2Ru_(1-x)Ti_xO_4. Samples with x=0.1 and 0.2 reveal purely semiconducting
resistivity behavior along c and the charge transport is close to localization
within the ab-plane. A strong anisotropy in the magnetic susceptibility appears
at temperatures below 100 K. Moreover magnetic ordering in c-direction with a
moment of order 0.01 mu_B/f.u. occurs at low temperatures. On doping the
low-temperature linear term of the heat capacity becomes reduced significantly
and probably is dominated by spin fluctuations. Finally, the optical
conductivity reveals the anisotropic character of the dc resistance, with the
in-plane conductance roughly following a Drude-type behavior and an insulating
response along c
Evolution of Quantum Criticality in CeNi_{9-x}Cu_xGe_4
Crystal structure, specific heat, thermal expansion, magnetic susceptibility
and electrical resistivity studies of the heavy fermion system
CeNi_{9-x}Cu_xGe_4 (0 <= x <= 1) reveal a continuous tuning of the ground state
by Ni/Cu substitution from an effectively fourfold degenerate non-magnetic
Kondo ground state of CeNi_9Ge_4 (with pronounced non-Fermi-liquid features)
towards a magnetically ordered, effectively twofold degenerate ground state in
CeNi_8CuGe_4 with T_N = 175 +- 5 mK. Quantum critical behavior, C/T ~ \chi ~
-ln(T), is observed for x about 0.4. Hitherto, CeNi_{9-x}Cu_xGe_4 represents
the first system where a substitution-driven quantum phase transition is
connected not only with changes of the relative strength of Kondo effect and
RKKY interaction, but also with a reduction of the effective crystal field
ground state degeneracy.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure
Unusual behaviours and Impurity Effects in the Noncentrosymmetric Superconductor CePt3Si
We report a study in which the effect of defects/impurities, growth process,
off-stoichiometry, and presence of impurity phases on the superconducting
properties of noncentrosymmetric CePt3Si is analysed by means of the
temperature dependence of the magnetic penetration depth. We found that the
linear low-temperature response of the penetration depth -indicative of line
nodes in this material- is robust regarding sample quality, in contrast to what
is observed in unconventional centrosymmetric superconductors with line nodes.
We discuss evidence that the broadness of the superconducting transition may be
intrinsic, though not implying the existence of a second superconducting
transition. The superconducting transition temperature systematically occurs
around 0.75 K in our measurements, in agreement with resistivity and ac
magnetic susceptibility data but in conflict with specific heat, thermal
conductivity and NMR data in which Tc is about 0.5 K. Random defects do not
change the linear low-temperature dependence of the penetration depth in the
heavy-fermion CePt3Si with line nodes, as they do in unconventional
centrosymmetric superconductors with line nodes.Comment: To appear in New Journal of Physic
Low field extension for magnetometers (TinyBee) used for investigations on low-dimensional superconductors with Bc1 < 5G
In this article a simple and easy to install low magnetic field extension of
the SQUID magnetometer Quantum Design MPMS-7 is described. This has been
accomplished by complementing the MPMS-7 magnet control system with a
laboratory current supply for the low magnetic field region (B \leq 200G). This
hard- and software upgrade provides a significant gain in the magnetic field
accuracy up to an order of magnitude compared with the standard instrument's
setup and is improving the resolution to better than 0.01G below 40G. The field
control has been integrated into the Quantum Design MultiVu software for a
transparent and user-friendly operation of this extension. The improvements
achieved are especially useful, when low magnetic field strengths (B < 1G) are
required at high precision. The specific advantages of this application are
illustrated by sophisticated magnetic characterisation of lowdimensional
superconductors like Sc3CoC4 and SnSe2{Co({\eta}-C5H5)2}x.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure
Poly-MTO, {(CH_3)_{0.92} Re O_3}_\infty, a Conducting Two-Dimensional Organometallic Oxide
Polymeric methyltrioxorhenium, {(CH_{3})_{0.92}ReO_{3}}_{\infty} (poly-MTO),
is the first member of a new class of organometallic hybrids which adopts the
structural pattern and physical properties of classical perovskites in two
dimensions (2D). We demonstrate how the electronic structure of poly-MTO can be
tailored by intercalation of organic donor molecules, such as
tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) or bis-(ethylendithio)-tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF),
and by the inorganic acceptor SbF. Integration of donor molecules leads to
a more insulating behavior of poly-MTO, whereas SbF insertion does not
cause any significant change in the resistivity. The resistivity data of pure
poly-MTO is remarkably well described by a two-dimensional electron system.
Below 38 K an unusual resistivity behavior, similar to that found in doped
cuprates, is observed: The resistivity initially increases approximately as
ln) before it changes into a dependence below 2 K.
As an explanation we suggest a crossover from purely two-dimensional
charge-carrier diffusion within the \{ReO\} planes at high
temperatures to three-dimensional diffusion at low temperatures in a
disorder-enhanced electron-electron interaction scenario (Altshuler-Aronov
correction). Furthermore, a linear positive magnetoresistance was found in the
insulating regime, which is caused by spatial localization of itinerant
electrons at some of the Re atoms, which formally adopt a electronic
configuration. X-ray diffraction, IR- and ESR-studies, temperature dependent
magnetization and specific heat measurements in various magnetic fields suggest
that the electronic structure of poly-MTO can safely be approximated by a
purely 2D conductor.Comment: 15 pages, 16 figures, 2 table
Early experience with the ARTISENTIAL® articulated instruments in laparoscopic low anterior resection with TME
Background: The notion of articulation in surgery has been largely synonymous with robotics. The ARTISENTIAL® instruments aim at bringing advanced articulation to laparoscopy to overcome challenges in narrow anatomical spaces. In this paper, we present first single-center results of a series of low anterior resections, performed with ARTISENTIAL®. Methods: Between September 2020 and August 2021, at the Department of Surgery, St. Marienkrankenhaus Siegen, Siegen, Germany, patients with cancer of the mid- and low rectum were prospectively enrolled in a pilot feasibility study to evaluate the ARTISENTIAL® articulated instruments in performing a laparoscopic low anterior resection. Perioperative and short-term postoperative data were analyzed. Results: Seventeen patients (10 males/7 females) were enrolled in this study. The patients had a median age of 66 years (range 47–80 years) and a median body mass index of 28 kg/m2 (range 23–33 kg/m2). The median time to rectal transection was 155 min (range 118–280 min) and the median total operative time was 276 min (range 192–458 min). The median estimated blood loss was 30 ml (range 5–70 ml) and there were no conversions to laparotomy. The median number of harvested lymph nodes was 15 (range 12–28). Total mesorectal excision (TME) quality was ‘good’ in all patients with no cases of circumferential resection margin involvement (R0 = 100%). The median length of stay was 9 days (range 7–14 days). There were no anastomotic leaks and the overall complication rate was 17.6%. There was one unrelated readmission with no mortality. Conclusions: Low anterior resection with ARTISENTIAL® is feasible and safe. All patients had a successful TME procedure with a good oncological outcome. We will now seek to evaluate the benefits of ARTISENTIAL® in comparison with standard laparoscopic instruments through a larger study
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