Lattice-corrected strain-induced vector potentials in graphene

The electronic implications of strain in graphene can be captured at low energies by means of pseudovector potentials which can give rise to pseudomagnetic fields. These strain-induced vector potentials arise from the local perturbation to the electronic hopping amplitudes in a tight-binding framework. Here we complete the standard description of the strain-induced vector potential, which accounts only for the hopping perturbation, with the explicit inclusion of the lattice deformations or, equivalently, the deformation of the Brillouin zone. These corrections are linear in strain and are different at each of the strained, inequivalent Dirac points, and hence are equally necessary to identify the precise magnitude of the vector potential. This effect can be relevant in scenarios of inhomogeneous strain profiles, where electronic motion depends on the amount of overlap among the local Fermi surfaces. In particular, it affects the pseudomagnetic field distribution induced by inhomogeneous strain configurations, and can lead to new opportunities in tailoring the optimal strain fields for certain desired functionalities.Comment: Errata for version

Exciton mediated one phonon resonant Raman scattering from one-dimensional systems

We use the Kramers-Heisenberg approach to derive a general expression for the resonant Raman scattering cross section from a one-dimensional (1D) system explicitly accounting for excitonic effects. The result should prove useful for analyzing the Raman resonance excitation profile lineshapes for a variety of 1D systems including carbon nanotubes and semiconductor quantum wires. We apply this formalism to a simple 1D model system to illustrate the similarities and differences between the free electron and correlated electron-hole theories.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Chirality dependence of the radial breathing phonon mode density in single wall carbon nanotubes

A mass and spring model is used to calculate the phonon mode dispersion for single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) of arbitrary chirality. The calculated dispersions are used to determine the chirality dependence of the radial breathing phonon mode (RBM) density. Van Hove singularities, usually discussed in the context of the single particle electronic excitation spectrum, are found in the RBM density of states with distinct qualitative differences for zig zag, armchair and chiral SWNTs. The influence the phonon mode density has on the two phonon resonant Raman scattering cross-section is discussed.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Overview of the Exploration Exercise Device Validation Study Plans

The NASA has determined that a multi-functional exercise device will be developed for use as an exercise device during exploration missions. The device will allow for full body resistance and metabolic exercise necessary to minimize physiological losses during space flight and to maintain fitness necessary to perform critical mission tasks. Prior to implementation as an exercise device on an Exploration vehicle, there will be verification and validation testing completed to determine device efficacy at providing the necessary training stimuli to achieve desired goals. Because the exploration device will be new device that has yet be specified, specific Verification and Validation (V&V) protocols have yet to be developed. Upon delivery of an exploration exercise device training unit, stakeholders throughout NASA will develop V&V plans that include ground-based testing and testing on the International Space Station (ISS). Stakeholders will develop test protocols that include success criterion for the device. Ground tests will occur at NASA Johnson Space Station prior to flight testing. The intents of the ground tests are to allow crew, spaceflight medicine, science, engineering, Astronaut Strength, Conditioning, and Reconditioning staff, and others to gain experience in the best utilization of the device. The goal is to obtain an evidence base for recommending use of the device on the ISS. The developed protocol will be created to achieve multiple objectives, including determining if the device provides an adequate training stimulus for 5th - 95th percentile males and females, allows for exercise modalities that protect functional capability, and is robust and can withstand extensive human use. Although protocols are yet to be determined, current expectations include use of the device by test subjects and current crew in order to obtain quantitative and qualitative feedback. Information obtained during the ground tests may be used to influence device modifications during design iterations. Assuming successful ground tests, the device will be installed on the ISS for testing during space flight. Spaceflight testing is envisioned to include an activation and checkout (ACO) phase and a V&V phase. During the ACO phase, 1-2 crewmembers will exercise with the device to ensure proper function. ACO is expected to last multiple months because of the many modes and methods of exercise that need to be assessed. However, the goal is to complete the ACO as quickly as possible. Once successful ACO occurs, the crew will be free to use the device for normal exercise pending concurrence from stakeholders. V&V tests on the ISS will ideally consist of crew using the device for all of their exercise for an entire mission. Exercise prescriptions will be supplied that replicate expected prescriptions during exploration missions. Crew that are not enrolled in the V&V studies would be also free to use the device as their schedule permits. As experience is gained by users, exercise protocols could change. The intent of all V&V testing is to ensure that all have thorough understanding of experience at optimizing device capabilit

Monolayer MoS2 strained to 1.3% with a microelectromechanical system

We report on a modified transfer technique for atomically thin materials integrated onto microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) for studying strain physics and creating strain-based devices. Our method tolerates the non-planar structures and fragility of MEMS, while still providing precise positioning and crack free transfer of flakes. Further, our method used the transfer polymer to anchor the 2D crystal to the MEMS, which reduces the fabrication time, increases the yield, and allowed us to exploit the strong mechanical coupling between 2D crystal and polymer to strain the atomically thin system. We successfully strained single atomic layers of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) with MEMS devices for the first time and achieved greater than 1.3% strain, marking a major milestone for incorporating 2D materials with MEMS We used the established strain response of MoS2 Raman and Photoluminescence spectra to deduce the strain in our crystals and provide a consistency check. We found good comparison between our experiment and literature.Published versio

Social presence in the 21st Century: an adjustment to the Community of Inquiry framework

The Community of Inquiry framework, originally proposed by Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000) identifies teaching, social and cognitive presences as central to a successful online educational experience. This article presents the findings of a study conducted in Uruguay between 2007 and 2010. The research aimed to establish the role of cognitive, social and teaching presences in the professional development of 40 English language teachers on Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes delivered in blended learning settings. The findings suggest that teaching presence and cognitive presence have themselves 'become social'. The research points to social presence as a major lever for engagement, sense-making and peer support. Based on the patterns identified in the study, this article puts forward an adjustment to the Community of Inquiry framework, which shows social presence as more prominent within the teaching and cognitive constructs than the original version of the framework suggests

Tunable Resonant Raman Scattering from Singly Resonant Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes

We perform tunable resonant Raman scattering on 17 semiconducting and 7 metallic singly resonant single wall carbon nanotubes. The measured scattering cross-section as a function laser energy provides information about a tube's electronic structure, the lifetime of intermediate states involved in the scattering process and also energies of zone center optical phonons. Recording the scattered Raman signal as a function of tube location in the microscope focal plane allows us to construct two-dimensional spatial maps of singly resonant tubes. We also describe a spectral nanoscale artifact we have coined the "nano-slit effect"

Intrinsic Optical Transition Energies in Carbon Nanotubes

Intrinsic optical transition energies for isolated and individual single wall carbon nanotubes grown over trenches are measured using tunable resonant Raman scattering. Previously measured E22_S optical transitions from nanotubes in surfactants are blue shifted 70-90 meV with respect to our measurements of nanotubes in air. This large shift in the exciton energy is attributed to a larger change of the exciton binding energy than the band-gap renormalization as the surrounding dielectric constant increases.Comment: Due to a mistake, a different paper was submitted as "revised v2". This is a re-submission of the origional version in order to correct the mistak