4,029 research outputs found
Theory of spin, electronic and transport properties of the lateral triple quantum dot molecule in a magnetic field
We present a theory of spin, electronic and transport properties of a
few-electron lateral triangular triple quantum dot molecule in a magnetic
field. Our theory is based on a generalization of a Hubbard model and the
Linear Combination of Harmonic Orbitals combined with Configuration Interaction
method (LCHO-CI) for arbitrary magnetic fields. The few-particle spectra
obtained as a function of the magnetic field exhibit Aharonov-Bohm
oscillations. As a result, by changing the magnetic field it is possible to
engineer the degeneracies of single-particle levels, and thus control the total
spin of the many-electron system. For the triple dot with two and four
electrons we find oscillations of total spin due to the singlet-triplet
transitions occurring periodically in the magnetic field. In the three-electron
system we find a transition from a magnetically frustrated to the
spin-polarized state. We discuss the impact of these phase transitions on the
addition spectrum and the spin blockade of the lateral triple quantum dot
molecule.Comment: 30 pages (one column), 9 figure
Electronic structure of YbB: Is it a Topological Insulator or not?
To resolve the controversial issue of the topological nature of the
electronic structure of YbB, we have made a combined study using density
functional theory (DFT) and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES).
Accurate determination of the low energy band topology in DFT requires the use
of modified Becke-Johnson exchange potential incorporating the spin-orbit
coupling and the on-site Coulomb interaction of Yb electrons as large
as 7 eV. We have double-checked the DFT result with the more precise GW band
calculation. ARPES is done with the non-polar (110) surface termination to
avoid band bending and quantum well confinement that have confused ARPES
spectra taken on the polar (001) surface termination. Thereby we show
definitively that YbB has a topologically trivial B 2-Yb 5
semiconductor band gap, and hence is a non-Kondo non-topological insulator
(TI). In agreement with theory, ARPES shows pure divalency for Yb and a -
band gap of 0.3 eV, which clearly rules out both of the previous scenarios of
- band inversion Kondo TI and - band inversion non-Kondo TI. We
have also examined the pressure-dependent electronic structure of YbB,
and found that the high pressure phase is not a Kondo TI but a
\emph{p}-\emph{d} overlap semimetal.Comment: The main text is 6 pages with 4 figures, and the supplementary
information contains 6 figures. 11 pages, 10 figures in total To be appeared
in Phys. Rev. Lett. (Online publication is around March 16 if no delays.
Bioink properties before, during and after 3D bioprinting
Bioprinting is a process based on additive manufacturing from materials containing living cells. These materials, often referred to as bioink, are based on cytocompatible hydrogel precursor formulations, which gel in a manner compatible with different bioprinting approaches. The bioink properties before, during and after gelation are essential for its printability, comprising such features as achievable structural resolution, shape fidelity and cell survival. However, it is the final properties of the matured bioprinted tissue construct that are crucial for the end application. During tissue formation these properties are influenced by the amount of cells present in the construct, their proliferation, migration and interaction with the material. A calibrated computational framework is able to predict the tissue development and maturation and to optimize the bioprinting input parameters such as the starting material, the initial cell loading and the construct geometry. In this contribution relevant bioink properties are reviewed and discussed on the example of most popular bioprinting approaches. The effect of cells on hydrogel processing and vice versa is highlighted. Furthermore, numerical approaches were reviewed and implemented for depicting the cellular mechanics within the hydrogel as well as for prediction of mechanical properties to achieve the desired hydrogel construct considering cell density, distribution and material-cell interaction
Anisotropic Dirac fermions in a Bi square net of SrMnBi2
We report the highly anisotropic Dirac fermions in a Bi square net of
SrMnBi2, based on a first principle calculation, angle resolved photoemission
spectroscopy, and quantum oscillations for high-quality single crystals. We
found that the Dirac dispersion is generally induced in the (SrBi)+ layer
containing a double-sized Bi square net. In contrast to the commonly observed
isotropic Dirac cone, the Dirac cone in SrMnBi2 is highly anisotropic with a
large momentum-dependent disparity of Fermi velocities of ~ 8. These findings
demonstrate that a Bi square net, a common building block of various layered
pnictides, provide a new platform that hosts highly anisotropic Dirac fermions.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Superconductivity Near Ferromagnetism in MgCNi3
An unusual quasi-two-dimensional heavy band mass van Hove singularity (vHs)
lies very near the Fermi energy in MgCNi3, recently reported to superconduct at
8.5 K. This compound is strongly exchange enhanced and is unstable to
ferromagnetism upon hole doping with 12% Mg --> Na or Li. The 1/4-depleted fcc
(frustrated) Ni sublattice and lack of Fermi surface nesting argues against
competing antiferromagnetic and charge density wave instabilities. We identify
an essentially infinite mass along the M-Gamma line, leading to
quasi-two-dimensionality of this vHs may promote unconventional p-wave pairing
that could coexist with superconductivity.Comment: 4 two-column pages, 4 figure
Growth model with restricted surface relaxation
We simulate a growth model with restricted surface relaxation process in d=1
and d=2, where d is the dimensionality of a flat substrate. In this model, each
particle can relax on the surface to a local minimum, as the Edwards-Wilkinson
linear model, but only within a distance s. If the local minimum is out from
this distance, the particle evaporates through a refuse mechanism similar to
the Kim-Kosterlitz nonlinear model. In d=1, the growth exponent beta, measured
from the temporal behavior of roughness, indicates that in the coarse-grained
limit, the linear term of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation dominates in short
times (low-roughness) and, in asymptotic times, the nonlinear term prevails.
The crossover between linear and nonlinear behaviors occurs in a characteristic
time t_c which only depends on the magnitude of the parameter s, related to the
nonlinear term. In d=2, we find indications of a similar crossover, that is,
logarithmic temporal behavior of roughness in short times and power law
behavior in asymptotic times
Theory of electronic transport through a triple quantum dot in the presence of magnetic field
Theory of electronic transport through a triangular triple quantum dot
subject to a perpendicular magnetic field is developed using a tight binding
model. We show that magnetic field allows to engineer degeneracies in the
triple quantum dot energy spectrum. The degeneracies lead to zero electronic
transmission and sharp dips in the current whenever a pair of degenerate states
lies between the chemical potential of the two leads. These dips can occur with
a periodicity of one flux quantum if only two levels contribute to the current
or with half flux quantum if the three levels of the triple dot contribute. The
effect of strong bias voltage and different lead-to-dot connections on
Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in the conductance is also discussed
Universality in two-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang growth
We analyze simulations results of a model proposed for etching of a
crystalline solid and results of other discrete models in the 2+1-dimensional
Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) class. In the steady states, the moments W_n of
orders n=2,3,4 of the heights distribution are estimated. Results for the
etching model, the ballistic deposition (BD) model and the
temperature-dependent body-centered restricted solid-on-solid model (BCSOS)
suggest the universality of the absolute value of the skewness S = W_3 /
(W_2)^(3/2) and of the value of the kurtosis Q = W_4 / (W_2)^2 - 3. The sign of
the skewness is the same of the parameter \lambda of the KPZ equation which
represents the process in the continuum limit. The best numerical estimates,
obtained from the etching model, are |S| = 0.26 +- 0.01 and Q = 0.134 +- 0.015.
For this model, the roughness exponent \alpha = 0.383 +- 0.008 is obtained,
accounting for a constant correction term (intrinsic width) in the scaling of
the squared interface width. This value is slightly below previous estimates of
extensive simulations and rules out the proposal of the exact value \alpha=2/5.
The conclusion is supported by results for the ballistic deposition model.
Independent estimates of the dynamical exponent and of the growth exponent are
1.605 <= z <= 1.64 and \beta = 0.229 +- 0.005, respectively, which are
consistent with the relations \alpha + z = 2 and z = \alpha / \beta.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.
Tumor necrosis factor alpha, citrullination, and peptidylarginine deiminase 4 in lung and joint inflammation
BACKGROUND: The relationship between lung and joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is poorly understood. Lung inflammation with resultant protein citrullination may trigger anti-citrullinated protein antibodies, inflammation, and arthritis. Alternatively, lung and joint inflammation may be two manifestations of a single underlying pathology. The lung has increased citrullination and TNF-alpha levels are high in rheumatoid arthritis; however, it is unknown if TNF-alpha can induce lung protein citrullination. The citrullinating enzyme peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) exacerbates TNF-alpha-induced arthritis, but a role for PAD4 in lung citrullination and TNF-alpha-induced lung inflammation has not been explored. Our aim was to use TNF-alpha-overexpressing mice to clarify the intersection of TNF-alpha, citrullination, PAD4, arthritis, and lung inflammation.
METHODS: Lung protein citrullination in wild-type mice, mice that overexpress TNF-alpha systemically (TNF(+)), TNF(+)PAD4(+/+), and TNF(+)PAD4(-/-) mice was quantified by both gel electrophoresis using a citrulline probe and western blot. Hematoxylin and eosin (HandE)-stained lung sections from TNF(+)PAD4(+/+) and TNF(+)PAD4(-/-) mice were scored for lung inflammation. HandE-stained ankle joint sections from mice that overexpress TNF-alpha only in the lungs were assessed for arthritis.
RESULTS: TNF(+) mice have increased lung protein citrullination. TNF(+)PAD4(-/-) mice do not have significantly reduced lung protein citrullination, but do have decreased lung inflammation compared to TNF(+)PAD4(+/+) mice. Mice that overexpress TNF-alpha only in the lungs do not develop arthritis.
CONCLUSIONS: PAD4 exacerbates lung inflammation downstream of TNF-alpha without having a major role in generalized protein citrullination in inflamed lungs. Also, TNF-alpha-induced lung inflammation is not sufficient to drive murine arthritis
Dynamics of vibrofluidized granular gases in periodic structures
The behavior of a driven granular gas in a container consisting of
connected compartments is studied employing a microscopic kinetic model. After
obtaining the governing equations for the occupation numbers and the granular
temperatures of each compartment we consider the various dynamical regimes. The
system displays interesting analogies with the ordering processes of phase
separating mixtures quenched below the their critical point. In particular, we
show that below a certain value of the driving intensity the populations of the
various compartments become unequal and the system clusterizes. Such a
phenomenon is not instantaneous, but is characterized by a time scale, ,
which follows a Vogel-Vulcher exponential behavior. On the other hand, the
reverse phenomenon which involves the ``evaporation'' of a cluster due to the
driving force is also characterized by a second time scale which diverges at
the limit of stability of the cluster.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figure
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