Dynamical properties of the sine Gordon quantum spin magnet Cu PM at zero and finite temperature

The material copper pyrimidine dinitrate Cu PM is a quasi one dimensional spin system described by the spin 1 2 XXZ Heisenberg antiferromagnet with Dzyaloshinskii Moriya interactions. Based on numerical results obtained by the density matrix renormalization group, exact diagonalization, and accompanying electron spin resonance ESR experiments we revisit the spin dynamics of this compound in an applied magnetic field. Our calculations for momentum and frequency resolved dynamical quantities give direct access to the intensity of the elementary excitations at both zero and finite temperature. This allows us to study the system beyond the low energy description by the quantum sine Gordon model. We find a deviation from the Lorentz invariant dispersion for the single soliton resonance. Furthermore, our calculations only confirm the presence of the strongest boundary bound state previously derived from a boundary sine Gordon field theory, while composite boundary bulk excitations have too low intensities to be observable. Upon increasing the temperature, we find a temperature induced crossover of the soliton and the emergence of new features, such as interbreather transitions. The latter observation is confirmed by our ESR experiments on Cu PM over a wide range of the applied fiel

Softened magnetic excitations in the s = 3/2 distorted triangular antiferromagnet alpha-CaCr2O4

The spin dynamics and magnetic excitations of the slightly distorted triangular s = 3/2 system alpha-CaCr2O4 are investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy and electron spin resonance (ESR) to elucidate its peculiar magnetic properties. Two-magnon excitations in circular RL symmetry show a multi-maximum structure with a dominant spectral weight at low energies. The temperature dependence of the ESR linewidth is described by a critical broadening DeltaHpp(T) ~ (T - T_N)^{-p} with the exponent p = 0.30(3) - 0.38(5) for temperatures above T_N = 42.6 K. The exponent is much smaller than that of other s = 3/2 triangular lattices. This is ascribed to soft roton-like modes, indicative of the instability of a helical 120{\deg} phase. As an origin we discuss a complex spin topology formed by four inequivalent nearest neighbor and sizable next-nearest neighbor interactions.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Interaction between magnetic moments and itinerant carriers in d0 ferromagnetic SiC

Elucidating the interaction between magnetic moments and itinerant carriers is an important step to spintronic applications. Here, we investigate magnetic and transport properties in d0 ferromagnetic SiC single crystals prepared by postimplantation pulsed laser annealing. Magnetic moments are contributed by the p states of carbon atoms, but their magnetic circular dichroism is different from that in semi-insulating SiC samples. The anomalous Hall effect and negative magnetoresistance indicate the influence of d0 spin order on free carriers. The ferromagnetism is relatively weak in N-implanted SiC compared with that in Al-implanted SiC after annealing. The results suggest that d0 magnetic moments and itinerant carriers can interact with each other, which will facilitate the development of SiC spintronic devices with d0 ferromagnetism.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figure

Perturbative regime of terahertz high-harmonics generation in topological insulators

In this Letter, terahertz high harmonic generation processes in topological insulators of the bismuth and antimony chalcogenides family are investigated. Field conversion efficiencies are determined and clean cubic and quintic power-law scaling is observed for third and fifth harmonics, up to driving terahertz fields of 140 kV/cm. This is in contrast to all previous experiments on terahertz harmonics generation in Dirac materials where a non-perturbative regime has been observed already at few 10s kV/cm driving fields. Our nonlinear THz spectroscopy experiments are complemented by THz pump - optical probe measurements showing distinctly different relaxation dynamics of the carriers in the topologically-protected Dirac states at the surfaces and the bulk. The THz-induced dynamics of surface states reveal ultrafast relaxation that prevents accumulation effects, and results in a clear perturbative regime of THz harmonics generation that is different to graphene or Dirac semimetals with their slower relaxation times in the few ps regime

Haematopoietic stem cell migration to the ischemic damaged kidney is not altered by manipulating the SDF-1/CXCR4-axis

Background. Haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) have been shown to migrate to the ischemic kidney. The factors that regulate the trafficking of HSC to the ischemic damaged kidney are not fully understood. The stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/CXCR4-axis has been identified as the central signalling axis regulating trafficking of HSC to the bone marrow. Therefore, we hypothesized that SDF-1/CXCR4 interactions are implicated in the migration of HSC to the injured kidney

Terahertz-slicing -- an all-optical synchronization for 4th generation light sources

A conceptually new approach to synchronizing accelerator-based light sources and external laser systems is presented. The concept is based on utilizing a sufficiently intense accelerator-based single-cycle terahertz pulse to slice a thereby intrinsically synchronized femtosecond-level part of a longer picosecond laser pulse in an electro-optic crystal. A precise synchronization of the order of 10 fs is demonstrated, allowing for real-time lock-in amplifier signal demodulation. We demonstrate successful operation of the concept with three benchmark experiments using a 4th generation accelerator-based terahertz light source, i.e. (i) far-field terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, (ii) terahertz high harmonic generation spectroscopy, and (iii) terahertz scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy

Invasive characteristics of human prostatic epithelial cells: understanding the metastatic process

Prostate cancer has a predilection to metastasise to the bone marrow stroma (BMS) by an as yet uncharacterised mechanism. We have defined a series of coculture models of invasion, which simulate the blood/BMS boundary and allow the elucidation of the signalling and mechanics of trans-endothelial migration within the complex bone marrow environment. Confocal microscopy shows that prostate epithelial cells bind specifically to bone marrow endothelial-to-endothelial cell junctions and initiate endothelial cell retraction. Trans-endothelial migration proceeds via an epithelial cell pseudopodial process, with complete epithelial migration occurring after 232±43 min. Stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)/CXCR4 signalling induced PC-3 to invade across a basement membrane although the level of invasion was 3.5-fold less than invasion towards BMS (P=0.0007) or bone marrow endothelial cells (P=0.004). Maximal SDF-1 signalling of invasion was completely inhibited by 10 μM of the SDF-1 inhibitor T140. However, 10 μM T140 only reduced invasion towards BMS and bone marrow endothelial cells by 59% (P=0.001) and 29% (P=0.011), respectively. This study highlights the need to examine the potential roles of signalling molecules and/or inhibitors, not just in single-cell models but in coculture models that mimic the complex environment of the bone marrow