Superconductivity in spinel oxide LiTi2O4 epitaxial thin films

LiTi2O4 is a unique material in that it is the only known oxide spinel superconductor. Although bulk studies have demonstrated that superconductivity can be generally described by the Bardeen-Cooper-Schreiffer theory, the microscopic mechanisms of superconductivity are not yet resolved fully. The sensitivity of the superconducting properties to various defects of the spinel crystal structure provides insight into such mechanisms. Epitaxial films of LiTi2O4 on single crystalline substrates of MgAl2O4, MgO, and SrTiO3 provide model systems to systematically explore the effects of lattice strain and microstructural disorder. Lattice strain that affects bandwidth gives rise to limited variations in the superconducting and normal state properties. Microstructural disorder such as antiphase boundaries that give rise to Ti network disorder can reduce the critical temperature, but Ti network disorder combined with Mg interdiffusion can affect the superconducting state much more dramatically. Thickness dependent transport studies indicate a superconductor-insulator transition as a function of film thickness regardless of lattice strain and microstructure. In addition, surface sensitive X-ray absorption spectroscopy has identified Ti to retain site symmetry and average valence of the bulk material regardless of film thickness.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figures, v2 - expanded Fig 1,2,7 with added discussion

Phase transitions and magnetic domain coexistence in Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 thin films

We present a study of the physical properties of perovskite oxide Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 (NSMO) thin films grown on (110)-oriented SrTiO3 substrates. In bulk form, NSMO displays coupled magnetic and electronic transitions from paramagnetic/insulator to ferromagnetic (FM)/metal and then to antiferromagnetic (AFM)/charge-ordered insulator with decreasing temperature. In thin films, the AFM ordering only occurs when the films exist in an anisotropic strain state such as those obtained on (110)-oriented cubic substrates. In this work, resonant X-ray reflectivity, soft X-ray photoemission electron microscopy (X-PEEM), and magnetometry measurements showed that the NSMO film displays both vertical and lateral magnetic phase separation. Specifically, the film consists of three layers with different density and magnetic properties. The FM and AFM properties of the main NSMO layer were probed as a function of temperature using soft X-ray magnetic spectroscopy, and the coexistence of lateral FM and AFM domains was demonstrated at 110 K using X-PEEM

Modification of magnetocrystalline anisotropy via ion-implantation

The ability to systematically modify the magnetic properties of epitaxial La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 thin films is demonstrated through the use of Ar+ ion implantation. With increasing implant dose, a uniaxial expansion of the c-axis of the unit cell leads to a transition from in-plane toward perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Above a critical dose of 3 × 1013 Ar+/cm2, significant crystalline disorder exists leading to a decrease in the average Mn valence state and near complete suppression of magnetization. Combined with lithographic techniques, ion implantation enables the fabrication of magnetic spin textures consisting of adjacent regions with tunable magnetic anisotropy in complex oxide thin films

Establishment and Maintenance of Conventional and Circulation-Driven Lung-Resident Memory CD8+ T Cells Following Respiratory Virus Infections

Antigen-specific CD8+ tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM cells) persist in the lung following resolution of a respiratory virus infection and provide first-line defense against reinfection. In contrast to other memory T cell populations, such as central memory T cells that circulate between lymph and blood, and effector memory T cells (TEM cells) that circulate between blood and peripheral tissues, TRM cells are best defined by their permanent residency in the tissues and their independence from circulatory T cell populations. Consistent with this, we recently demonstrated that CD8+ TRM cells primarily reside within specific niches in the lung (Repair-Associated Memory Depots; RAMD) that normally exclude CD8+ TEM cells. However, it has also been reported that circulating CD8+ TEM cells continuously convert into CD8+ TRM cells in the lung interstitium, helping to sustain TRM numbers. The relative contributions of these two mechanisms of CD8+ TRM cells maintenance in the lung has been the source of vigorous debate. Here we propose a model in which the majority of CD8+ TRM cells are maintained within RAMD (conventional TRM) whereas a small fraction of TRM are derived from circulating CD8+ TEM cells and maintained in the interstitium. The numbers of both types of TRM cells wane over time due to declines in both RAMD availability and the overall number of TEM in the circulation. This model is consistent with most published reports and has important implications for the development of vaccines designed to elicit protective T cell memory in the lung

Interfacial-Redox-Induced Tuning of Superconductivity in YBa2Cu3O7-δ.

Solid-state ionic approaches for modifying ion distributions in getter/oxide heterostructures offer exciting potentials to control material properties. Here, we report a simple, scalable approach allowing for manipulation of the superconducting transition in optimally doped YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) films via a chemically driven ionic migration mechanism. Using a thin Gd capping layer of up to 20 nm deposited onto 100 nm thick epitaxial YBCO films, oxygen is found to leach from deep within the YBCO. Progressive reduction of the superconducting transition is observed, with complete suppression possible for a sufficiently thick Gd layer. These effects arise from the combined impact of redox-driven electron doping and modification of the YBCO microstructure due to oxygen migration and depletion. This work demonstrates an effective step toward total ionic tuning of superconductivity in oxides, an interface-induced effect that goes well into the quasi-bulk regime, opening-up possibilities for electric field manipulation

Control of the Magnetic and Magnetotransport Properties of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 Thin Films Through Epitaxial Strain

The influence of epitaxial strain, in the form of tetragonal distortions, on the magnetic and magnetotransport properties of La{sub 0.67}Sr{sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} thin films was studied. The tetragonal distortion (c/a ratio) was modulated through the choice of the substrate, ranging from c/a=1.007 on (001)-oriented (LaAlO{sub 3}){sub 0.3}(Sr{sub 2}AlTaO{sub 6}){sub 0.7} substrates to 0.952 on (110)-oriented GdScO{sub 3} substrates. In agreement with previous theoretical predictions, these large values of tensile strain cause the Curie temperature and the saturation magnetization to decrease, alter the temperature dependence of the resistivity and magnetoresistance, and increase the resistivity several orders of magnitude

Programa Nacional de Melhoramento do Gir Leiteiro: resultado do Teste de Progênie - 12º Grupo.

bitstream/item/81952/1/Programa-nacional-de-melhoramento-96.pd

Altered Gamma-Band Activity in Recovered Depression

Background: The neurophysiological mechanisms of cognitive reactivity, the primary vulnerability factor of major depressive disorder (MDD) recurrence, remain unclear in individuals with recovered MDD (rMDD). Because gamma-band responses (GBRs) can be used to measure cognitive processing, they may also be useful for elucidating the mechanisms underlying cognitive reactivity. Identifying these mechanisms may permit the development of an index for predicting and preempting MDD recurrence. Here, to identify the neurophysiological mechanisms of cognitive reactivity, we examined the characteristics of the GBRs evoked/induced by emotional words in participants with and without rMDD after inducing a negative mood. Methods: Thirty-three healthy control participants and 18 participants with rMDD completed a lexical emotion identification task during electroencephalography along with assessments of cognitive reactivity after negative mood induction. Results: No between-group differences were identified for the task reaction times; however, the rMDD group had significantly higher cognitive reactivity scores than did the control group. Furthermore, the power of late GBRs to positive words was significantly greater in the rMDD group, with the greater power of late GBRs being related to higher cognitive reactivity. Limitations: Considering the population studied, our findings cannot be completely generalized to populations other than adolescents, people with rMDD, and those without a history of co-morbid disorders and early life stress. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the dysfunction of neural circuits related to higher-order processes like memory and attention might underlie cognitive reactivity. Altered late GBRs to positive information may be persistent biomarkers of the depression recurrence risk