Searching for confined modes in graphene channels: The variable phase method

Copyright © 2012 American Physical SocietyUsing the variable phase method, we reformulate the Dirac equation governing the charge carriers in graphene into a nonlinear first-order differential equation from which we can treat both confined-state problems in electron waveguides and above-barrier scattering problems for arbitrary-shaped potential barriers and wells, decaying at large distances. We show that this method agrees with a known analytic result for a hyperbolic secant potential and go on to investigate the nature of more experimentally realizable electron waveguides, showing that when the Fermi energy is set at the Dirac point, truly confined states are supported in pristine graphene. In contrast to exponentially decaying potentials, we discover that the threshold potential strength at which the first confined state appears is vanishingly small for potentials decaying at large distances as a power law; but nonetheless, further confined states are formed when the strength and spread of the potential reach a certain threshold.Millhayes Foundation (DAS)Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council: EPSRC (CAD)EU FP7 ITN SpinoptronicsFP7 IRSES project SPINMETFP7 IRSES project TerACaNFP7 IRSES project ROBOCO

An Automatic System to Discriminate Malignant from Benign Massive Lesions on Mammograms

Mammography is widely recognized as the most reliable technique for early detection of breast cancers. Automated or semi-automated computerized classification schemes can be very useful in assisting radiologists with a second opinion about the visual diagnosis of breast lesions, thus leading to a reduction in the number of unnecessary biopsies. We present a computer-aided diagnosis (CADi) system for the characterization of massive lesions in mammograms, whose aim is to distinguish malignant from benign masses. The CADi system we realized is based on a three-stage algorithm: a) a segmentation technique extracts the contours of the massive lesion from the image; b) sixteen features based on size and shape of the lesion are computed; c) a neural classifier merges the features into an estimated likelihood of malignancy. A dataset of 226 massive lesions (109 malignant and 117 benign) has been used in this study. The system performances have been evaluated terms of the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, obtaining A_z = 0.80+-0.04 as the estimated area under the ROC curve.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; Proceedings of the ITBS 2005, 3rd International Conference on Imaging Technologies in Biomedical Sciences, 25-28 September 2005, Milos Island, Greec

DWPF Recycle Evaporator Shielded Cells Testing

Testing was performed to determine the feasibility and processing characteristics of evaporation of actual Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) recycle material. Samples of the Off Gas Condensate Tank (OGCT) and Slurry Mix Evaporator Condensate Tank (SMECT) were transferred from DWPF to the Savannah River National Lab (SRNL) Shielded Cells and blended with De-Ionized (DI) water and a small amount of Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) product. A total of 3000 mL of this feed was concentrated to approximately 90 mL during a semi-batch evaporation test of approximately 17 hours. One interruption occurred during the run when the feed tube developed a split and was replaced. Samples of the resulting condensate and concentrate were collected and analyzed. The resulting analysis of the condensate was compared to the Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) limits for the F/H Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). Results from the test were compared to previous testing using simulants and OLI modeling. Conclusions from this work included the following: (1) The evaporation of DWPF recycle to achieve a 30X concentration factor was successfully demonstrated. The feed blend of OGCT and SMECT material was concentrated from 3000 mL to approximately 90 mL during testing, a concentration of approximately 33X. (2) Foaming was observed during the run. Dow Corning 2210 antifoam was added seven times throughout the run at 100 parts per million (ppm) per addition. The addition of this antifoam was very effective in reducing the foam level, but the impact diminished over time and additional antifoam was required every 2 to 3 hours during the run. (3) No scale or solids formed on the evaporator vessel, but splatter was observed in the headspace of the evaporator vessel. No scaling formed on the stainless steel thermocouple. (4) The majority of the analytes met the F/H ETP WAC. However, the detection limits for selected species (Sr-90, Pu-238, Pu-240, Am-243, and Cm-244) exceeded the ETP WAC limits. (5) I-129 was calculated to have exceeded the ETP WAC limits based on an assumed Decontamination Factor (DF) of 1 during evaporation. (6) The DF for most species was limited by the detection limits of the sample analysis. Based on iron, manganese, total alpha, total beta, and other species, very low entrainment was noted and evaporator DF was >10,000 for non-volatile species. (7) Very low DF's were obtained for selected species, especially mercury and formate. These species are present as volatile compounds and will exceed ETP WAC limits if sufficient concentrations are in the evaporator feed. (8) The evaporator DF's for the radioactive test were in good agreement with simulant test results. Differences noted in the DF of selected species, such as Hg, were more likely attributed to analytical issues than differences in the performance of the two evaporators. (9) The simulant appeared to be conservative in terms of foaming and scaling characteristics of the evaporator. The initial spike in foaming that occurred during all simulant runs did not occur during the Shielded Cells run and overall foaminess after the start of the test was controlled by antifoam additions. The splatter that was deposited during the radioactive test was less than the simulant runs and was more easily removed. (10) The OLI model results were overly conservative due to the manner that entrainment of solids was incorporated into the model

Phase stability of the AlxCrFeCoNi alloy system

The addition of Al to the A1 CrFeCoNi alloy has been shown to promote the formation of intermetallic phases, offering possibilities for the development of alloys with advantageous mechanical properties. However, despite numerous experimental investigations, there remain significant uncertainties as to the phase equilibria in this system particularly at temperatures below 1000°C. The present study makes a systematic assessment of the literature data pertaining to the equilibrium phases in alloys of the AlxCrFeCoNi system. Two alloys, with atomic ratios, x = 0.5 and 1.0, are then selected for further experimental investigation, following homogenisation (1200°C/72 h) and subsequent long-duration (1000 h) heat-treatments at 1000, 850 and 700°C. The Al0.5 alloy was found to be dual-phase A1 + B2 in the homogenised condition and following exposure at 1000°C but D8b phase precipitates developed following heat-treatment at the lower temperatures. In the Al1.0 alloy, B2, A2 and A1 phases were identified in the homogenised condition and at 1000°C. At 850 and 750°C, the A2 phase was replaced by the D8b phase. These experimental observations were used alongside literature data to assess the veracity of CALPHAD predictions made using the TCHEA4 thermodynamic database

Heliospheric Transport of Neutron-Decay Protons

We report on new simulations of the transport of energetic protons originating from the decay of energetic neutrons produced in solar flares. Because the neutrons are fast-moving but insensitive to the solar wind magnetic field, the decay protons are produced over a wide region of space, and they should be detectable by current instruments over a broad range of longitudes for many hours after a sufficiently large gamma-ray flare. Spacecraft closer to the Sun are expected to see orders-of magnitude higher intensities than those at the Earth-Sun distance. The current solar cycle should present an excellent opportunity to observe neutron-decay protons with multiple spacecraft over different heliographic longitudes and distances from the Sun.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, to be published in special issue of Solar Physic

Particle Acceleration in Cosmic Sites - Astrophysics Issues in our Understanding of Cosmic Rays

Laboratory experiments to explore plasma conditions and stimulated particle acceleration can illuminate aspects of the cosmic particle acceleration process. Here we discuss the cosmic-ray candidate source object variety, and what has been learned about their particle-acceleration characteristics. We identify open issues as discussed among astrophysicists. -- The cosmic ray differential intensity spectrum is a rather smooth power-law spectrum, with two kinks at the "knee" (~10^15 eV) and at the "ankle" (~3 10^18 eV). It is unclear if these kinks are related to boundaries between different dominating sources, or rather related to characteristics of cosmic-ray propagation. We believe that Galactic sources dominate up to 10^17 eV or even above, and the extragalactic origin of cosmic rays at highest energies merges rather smoothly with Galactic contributions throughout the 10^15--10^18 eV range. Pulsars and supernova remnants are among the prime candidates for Galactic cosmic-ray production, while nuclei of active galaxies are considered best candidates to produce ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays of extragalactic origin. Acceleration processes are related to shocks from violent ejections of matter from energetic sources such as supernova explosions or matter accretion onto black holes. Details of such acceleration are difficult, as relativistic particles modify the structure of the shock, and simple approximations or perturbation calculations are unsatisfactory. This is where laboratory plasma experiments are expected to contribute, to enlighten the non-linear processes which occur under such conditions.Comment: accepted for publication in EPJD, topical issue on Fundamental physics and ultra-high laser fields. From review talk at "Extreme Light Infrastructure" workshop, Sep 2008. Version-2 May 2009: adjust some wordings and references at EPJD proofs stag

Electromagnetic properties of the 21+ state in 134Te: Influence of core excitation on single-particle orbits beyond 132Sn

The g factor and B(E2) of the first excited 2+ state have been measured following Coulomb excitation of the neutron-rich semimagic nuclide 134Te (two protons outside 132Sn) produced as a radioactive beam. The precision achieved matches related g-factor m