385 research outputs found
Current and noise expressions for radio-frequency single-electron transistors
We derive self-consistent expressions of current and noise for
single-electron transistors driven by time-dependent perturbations. We take
into account effects of the electrical environment, higher-order co-tunneling,
and time-dependent perturbations under the two-charged state approximation
using the Schwinger-Kedysh approach combined with the generating functional
technique. For a given generating functional, we derive exact expressions for
tunneling currents and noises and present the forms in terms of transport
coefficients. It is also shown that in the adiabatic limit our results
encompass previous formulas. In order to reveal effects missing in static
cases, we apply the derived results to simulate realized radio-frequency
single-electron transistor. It is found that photon-assisted tunneling affects
largely the performance of the single-electron transistor by enhancing both
responses to gate charges and current noises. On various tunneling resistances
and frequencies of microwaves, the dependence of the charge sensitivity is also
discussed.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figure
TRIS I: Absolute Measurements of the Sky Brightness Temperature at 0.6, 0.82 and 2.5 GHz
At frequencies close to 1 GHz the sky diffuse radiation is a superposition of
radiation of Galactic origin, the 3 K Relic or Cosmic Microwave Background
Radiation, and the signal produced by unresolved extragalactic sources. Because
of their different origin and space distribution the relative importance of the
three components varies with frequency and depends on the direction of
observation. With the aim of disentangling the components we built TRIS, a
system of three radiometers, and studied the temperature of the sky at , and GHz using geometrically scaled antennas
with identical beams (HPBW = ). Observations
included drift scans along a circle at constant declination
which provided the dependence of the sky signal on the
Right Ascension, and absolute measurement of the sky temperature at selected
points along the same scan circle. TRIS was installed at Campo Imperatore (lat.
= N, long.= , elevation = 2000 m a.s.l.) in
Central Italy, close to the Gran Sasso Laboratory.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa
Exploring impulsive solar magnetic energy release and particle acceleration with focused hard X-ray imaging spectroscopy
How impulsive magnetic energy release leads to solar eruptions and how those eruptions are energized and evolve are vital unsolved problems in Heliophysics. The standard model for solar eruptions summarizes our current understanding of these events. Magnetic energy in the corona is released through drastic restructuring of the magnetic field via reconnection. Electrons and ions are then accelerated by poorly understood processes. Theories include contracting loops, merging magnetic islands, stochastic acceleration, and turbulence at shocks, among others. Although this basic model is well established, the fundamental physics is poorly understood. HXR observations using grazing-incidence focusing optics can now probe all of the key regions of the standard model. These include two above-the-looptop (ALT) sources which bookend the reconnection region and are likely the sites of particle acceleration and direct heating. The science achievable by a direct HXR imaging instrument can be summarized by the following science questions and objectives which are some of the most outstanding issues in solar physics (1) How are particles accelerated at the Sun? (1a) Where are electrons accelerated and on what time scales? (1b) What fraction of electrons is accelerated out of the ambient medium? (2) How does magnetic energy release on the Sun lead to flares and eruptions? A Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) instrument, which can be built now using proven technology and at modest cost, would enable revolutionary advancements in our understanding of impulsive magnetic energy release and particle acceleration, a process which is known to occur at the Sun but also throughout the Universe
Quantum physics meets biology
Quantum physics and biology have long been regarded as unrelated disciplines,
describing nature at the inanimate microlevel on the one hand and living
species on the other hand. Over the last decades the life sciences have
succeeded in providing ever more and refined explanations of macroscopic
phenomena that were based on an improved understanding of molecular structures
and mechanisms. Simultaneously, quantum physics, originally rooted in a world
view of quantum coherences, entanglement and other non-classical effects, has
been heading towards systems of increasing complexity. The present perspective
article shall serve as a pedestrian guide to the growing interconnections
between the two fields. We recapitulate the generic and sometimes unintuitive
characteristics of quantum physics and point to a number of applications in the
life sciences. We discuss our criteria for a future quantum biology, its
current status, recent experimental progress and also the restrictions that
nature imposes on bold extrapolations of quantum theory to macroscopic
phenomena.Comment: 26 pages, 4 figures, Perspective article for the HFSP Journa
On the faintest solar coronal hard X-rays observed with FOXSI
Solar nanoflares are small eruptive events releasing magnetic energy in the
quiet corona. If nanoflares follow the same physics as their larger
counterparts, they should emit hard X-rays (HXRs) but with a rather faint
intensity. A copious and continuous presence of nanoflares would deliver
enormous amounts of energy into the solar corona, possibly accounting for its
high temperatures. To date, there has not been any direct observation of such
sustained and persistent HXRs from the quiescent Sun. However, Hannah et al. in
2010 constrained the quiet Sun HXR emission using almost 12 days of quiescent
solar-off-pointing observations by RHESSI. These observations set upper limits
at photons s cm keV and
photons s cm keV for the 3-6
keV and 6-12 keV energy ranges, respectively. Observing feeble HXRs is
challenging because it demands high sensitivity and dynamic range instruments
in HXRs. The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) sounding rocket
experiment excels in these two attributes. Particularly, FOXSI completed its
third successful flight (FOXSI-3) on September 7th, 2018. During FOXSI-3's
flight, the Sun exhibited a fairly quiet configuration, displaying only one
aged non-flaring active region. Using the entire 6.5 minutes of FOXSI-3
data, we constrained the quiet Sun emission in HXRs. We found upper
limits in the order of photons s cm
keV for the 5-10 keV energy range. FOXSI-3's upper limit is consistent
with what was reported by Hannah et al., 2010, but FOXSI-3 achieved this result
using 1/2640 less time than RHESSI. A possible future spacecraft using
FOXSI's concept would allow enough observation time to constrain the current
HXR quiet Sun limits further or perhaps even make direct detections
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The FIELDS Instrument Suite for Solar Probe Plus: Measuring the Coronal Plasma and Magnetic Field, Plasma Waves and Turbulence, and Radio Signatures of Solar Transients.
NASA's Solar Probe Plus (SPP) mission will make the first in situ measurements of the solar corona and the birthplace of the solar wind. The FIELDS instrument suite on SPP will make direct measurements of electric and magnetic fields, the properties of in situ plasma waves, electron density and temperature profiles, and interplanetary radio emissions, amongst other things. Here, we describe the scientific objectives targeted by the SPP/FIELDS instrument, the instrument design itself, and the instrument concept of operations and planned data products
A Methodology for Detecting Field Potentials from the External Ear Canal: NEER and EVestG
An algorithm called the neural event extraction routine (NEER) and a method called Electrovestibulography (EVestG) for extracting field potentials (FPs) from artefact rich and noisy ear canal recordings is presented. Averaged FP waveforms can be used to aid detection of acoustic and or vestibular pathologies. FPs were recorded in the external ear canal proximal to the ear drum. These FPs were extracted using an algorithm called NEER. NEER utilises a modified complex Morlet wavelet analysis of phase change across multiple scales and a template matching (matched filter) methodology to detect FPs buried in noise and biological and environmental artefacts. Initial simulation with simulated FPs shows NEER detects FPs down to −30 dB SNR (power) but only 13–23% of those at SNR’s <−6 dB. This was deemed applicable to longer duration recordings wherein averaging could be applied as many FPs are present. NEER was applied to detect both spontaneous and whole body tilt evoked FPs. By subtracting the averaged tilt FP response from the averaged spontaneous FP response it is believed this difference is more representative of the vestibular response. Significant difference (p < 0.05) between up and down whole body (supine and sitting) movements was achieved. Pathologic and physiologic evidence in support of a vestibular and acoustic origin is also presented
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