1,320 research outputs found
Hemispheric Asymmetry in New Neurons in Adulthood Is Associated with Vocal Learning and Auditory Memory
Many brain regions exhibit lateral differences in structure and function, and also incorporate new neurons in adulthood, thought to function in learning and in the formation of new memories. However, the contribution of new neurons to hemispheric differences in processing is unknown. The present study combines cellular, behavioral, and physiological methods to address whether 1) new neuron incorporation differs between the brain hemispheres, and 2) the degree to which hemispheric lateralization of new neurons correlates with behavioral and physiological measures of learning and memory. The songbird provides a model system for assessing the contribution of new neurons to hemispheric specialization because songbird brain areas for vocal processing are functionally lateralized and receive a continuous influx of new neurons in adulthood. In adult male zebra finches, we quantified new neurons in the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM), a forebrain area involved in discrimination and memory for the complex vocalizations of individual conspecifics. We assessed song learning and recorded neural responses to song in NCM. We found significantly more new neurons labeled in left than in right NCM; moreover, the degree of asymmetry in new neuron numbers was correlated with the quality of song learning and strength of neuronal memory for recently heard songs. In birds with experimentally impaired song quality, the hemispheric difference in new neurons was diminished. These results suggest that new neurons may contribute to an allocation of function between the hemispheres that underlies the learning and processing of complex signals
Microwave Oscillations of a Nanomagnet Driven by a Spin-Polarized Current
We describe direct electrical measurements of microwave-frequency dynamics in
individual nanomagnets that are driven by spin transfer from a DC
spin-polarized current. We map out the dynamical stability diagram as a
function of current and magnetic field, and we show that spin transfer can
produce several different types of magnetic excitations, including small-angle
precession, a more complicated large-angle motion, and a high-current state
that generates little microwave signal. The large-angle mode can produce a
significant emission of microwave energy, as large as 40 times the
Johnson-noise background.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure
Influence of a Uniform Current on Collective Magnetization Dynamics in a Ferromagnetic Metal
We discuss the influence of a uniform current, , on the
magnetization dynamics of a ferromagnetic metal. We find that the magnon energy
has a current-induced contribution proportional to
, where is the spin-current, and
predict that collective dynamics will be more strongly damped at finite . We obtain similar results for models with and without local moment
participation in the magnetic order. For transition metal ferromagnets, we
estimate that the uniform magnetic state will be destabilized for . We discuss the relationship of this effect to
the spin-torque effects that alter magnetization dynamics in inhomogeneous
magnetic systems.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure
Current driven switching of magnetic layers
The switching of magnetic layers is studied under the action of a spin
current in a ferromagnetic metal/non-magnetic metal/ferromagnetic metal spin
valve. We find that the main contribution to the switching comes from the
non-equilibrium exchange interaction between the ferromagnetic layers. This
interaction defines the magnetic configuration of the layers with minimum
energy and establishes the threshold for a critical switching current.
Depending on the direction of the critical current, the interaction changes
sign and a given magnetic configuration becomes unstable. To model the time
dependence of the switching process, we derive a set of coupled Landau-Lifshitz
equations for the ferromagnetic layers. Higher order terms in the
non-equilibrium exchange coupling allow the system to evolve to its
steady-state configuration.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Growth conditions, structure, and superconductivity of pure and metal-doped FeTe1-xSex single crystals
Superconducting single crystals of pure FeTe1 xSex and FeTe0.65Se0.35 doped
with Co, Ni, Cu, Mn, Zn, Mo, Cd, In, Pb, Hg, V, Ga, Mg, Al, Ti, Cr, Sr or Nd
into Fe ions site have been grown applying Bridgman's method. It has been found
that the sharpness of transition to the superconducting state in FeTe1 xSex is
evidently inversely correlated with crystallographic quality of the crystals.
Among all of the studied dopants only Co, Ni and Cu substitute Fe ions in
FeTe0.65Se0.35 crystals. The remaining examined ions do not incorporate into
the crystal structure. Nevertheless, they form inclusions together with
selenium, tellurium and/or iron, what changes the chemical composition of host
matrix and therefore influences Tc value. Small disorder introduced into
magnetic sublattice, by partial replacement of Fe ions by slight amount of
nonmagnetic ions of Cu (~ 1.5 at%) or by magnetic ions of Ni (~ 2 at%) and Co
(~5 at%) with spin value different than that of Fe ion, completely suppresses
superconductivity in FeTe1 xSex system. This indicates that even if
superconductivity is observed in the system containing magnetic ions it can not
survive when the disorder in magnetic ions sublattice is introduced, most
likely because of magnetic scattering of Cooper pairs.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, 3 table
Anatomy of Spin-Transfer Torque
Spin-transfer torques occur in magnetic heterostructures because the
transverse component of a spin current that flows from a non-magnet into a
ferromagnet is absorbed at the interface. We demonstrate this fact explicitly
using free electron models and first principles electronic structure
calculations for real material interfaces. Three distinct processes contribute
to the absorption: (1) spin-dependent reflection and transmission; (2) rotation
of reflected and transmitted spins; and (3) spatial precession of spins in the
ferromagnet. When summed over all Fermi surface electrons, these processes
reduce the transverse component of the transmitted and reflected spin currents
to nearly zero for most systems of interest. Therefore, to a good
approximation, the torque on the magnetization is proportional to the
transverse piece of the incoming spin current.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Field dependence of magnetization reversal by spin transfer
We analyse the effect of the applied field (Happl) on the current-driven
magnetization reversal in pillar-shaped Co/Cu/Co trilayers, where we observe
two different types of transition between the parallel (P) and antiparallel
(AP) magnetic configurations of the Co layers. If Happl is weaker than a rather
small threshold value, the transitions between P and AP are irreversible and
relatively sharp. For Happl exceding the threshold value, the same transitions
are progressive and reversible. We show that the criteria for the stability of
the P and AP states and the experimentally observed behavior can be precisely
accounted for by introducing the current-induced torque of the spin transfer
models in a Landau-Lifschitz-Gilbert equation. This approach also provides a
good description for the field dependence of the critical currents
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