168 research outputs found
Suppression of hidden order in URu2Si2 under pressure and restoration in magnetic field
We describe here recent inelastic neutron scattering experiments on the heavy
fermion compound URu2Si2 realized in order to clarify the nature of the hidden
order (HO) phase which occurs below T_0 = 17.5 K at ambient pressure. The
choice was to measure at a given pressure P where the system will go, by
lowering the temperature, successively from paramagnetic (PM) to HO and then to
antiferromagnetic phase (AF). Furthermore, in order to verify the selection of
the pressure, a macroscopic detection of the phase transitions was also
achieved in situ via its thermal expansion response detected by a strain gauge
glued on the crystal. Just above P_x = 0.5 GPa, where the ground state switches
from HO to AF, the Q_0 = (1, 0, 0) excitation disappears while the excitation
at the incommensurate wavevector Q_1 = (1.4, 0, 0) remains. Thus, the Q_0 = (1,
0, 0) excitation is intrinsic only in the HO phase. This result is reinforced
by studies where now pressure and magnetic field can be used as tuning
variable. Above P_x, the AF phase at low temperature is destroyed by a magnetic
field larger than H_AF (collapse of the AF Q_0 = (1, 0, 0) Bragg reflection).
The field reentrance of the HO phase is demonstrated by the reappearance of its
characteristic Q_0 = (1, 0, 0) excitation. The recovery of a PM phase will only
be achieved far above H_AF at H_M approx 35 T. To determine the P-H-T phase
diagram of URu2Si2, macroscopic measurements of the thermal expansion were
realized with a strain gauge. The reentrant magnetic field increases strongly
with pressure. Finally, to investigate the interplay between superconductivity
(SC) and spin dynamics, new inelastic neutron scattering experiments are
reported down to 0.4 K, far below the superconducting critical temperature T_SC
approx 1.3 K as measured on our crystal by diamagnetic shielding.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures, ICN 2009 conference proceeding
Initial mass function variability from the integrated light of diverse stellar systems
We present a uniform analysis of the stellar initial mass function (IMF) from
integrated light spectroscopy of 15 compact stellar systems (11 globular
clusters in M31 and 4 ultra compact dwarfs in the Virgo cluster, UCDs) and two
brightest Coma cluster galaxies (BCGs), covering a wide range of metallicities
(1.7 [Fe/H] 0.01) and velocity dispersions (7.4 km~s 275 km~s). The S/N \AA Keck LRIS spectra are
fitted over the range 4000<\lambda/\mbox{\AA}<10,000 with flexible,
full-spectrum stellar population synthesis models. We use the models to fit
simultaneously for ages, metallicities, and individual elemental abundances of
the population, allowing us to decouple abundance variations from variations in
IMF slope. We show that compact stellar systems do not follow the same trends
with physical parameters that have been found for early-type galaxies. Most
globular clusters in our sample have an IMF consistent with that of the Milky
Way, over a wide range of [Fe/H] and [Mg/Fe]. There is more diversity among the
UCDs, with some showing evidence for a bottom-heavy IMF, but with no clear
correlation with metallicity, abundance, or velocity dispersion. The two Coma
BCGs have similar velocity dispersion and metallicity, but we find the IMF of
NGC~4874 is consistent with that of the Milky Way while NGC~4889 presents
evidence for a significantly bottom-heavy IMF. For this sample, the IMF appears
to vary between objects in a way that is not explained by a single
metallicity-dependent prescription.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
Field Reentrance of the Hidden Order State of URu2Si2 under Pressure
Combination of neutron scattering and thermal expansion measurements under
pressure shows that the so-called hidden order phase of URu2Si2 reenters in
magnetic field when antiferromagnetism (AF) collapses at H_AF (T). Macroscopic
pressure studies of the HO-AF boundaries were realized at different pressures
via thermal expansion measurements under magnetic field using a strain gauge.
Microscopic proof at a given pressure is the reappearance of the resonance at
Q_0=(1,0,0) under field which is correlated with the collapse of the AF Bragg
reflections at Q_0.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in J. Phys. Soc. Jp
Search for the Proton Decay Mode proton to neutrino K+ in Soudan 2
We have searched for the proton decay mode proton to neutrino K+ using the
one-kiloton Soudan 2 high resolution calorimeter. Contained events obtained
from a 3.56 kiloton-year fiducial exposure through June 1997 are examined for
occurrence of a visible K+ track which decays at rest into mu+ nu or pi+ pi0.
We found one candidate event consistent with background, yielding a limit,
tau/B > 4.3 10^{31} years at 90% CL with no background subtraction.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, 3 tables and 3 figures, Accepted by Physics Letters
On the Hidden Order in URuSi --- Antiferro Hexadecapole Order and its Consequences
An antiferro ordering of an electric hexadecapole moment is discussed as a
promising candidate for the long standing mystery of the hidden order phase in
URuSi. Based on localized -electron picture, we discuss the
rationale of the selected multipole and the consequences of the antiferro
hexadecapole order of symmetry. The mean-field solutions and
the collective excitations from them explain reasonably significant
experimental observations: the strong anisotropy in the magnetic
susceptibility, characteristic behavior of pressure versus magnetic field or
temperature phase diagrams, disappearance of inelastic neutron-scattering
intensity out of the hidden order phase, and insensitiveness of the NQR
frequency at Ru-sites upon ordering. A consistency with the strong anisotropy
in the magnetic responses excludes all the multipoles in two-dimensional
representations, such as . The expected azimuthal angle
dependences of the resonant X-ray scattering amplitude are given. The
-type antiferro quadrupole should be induced by an in-plane
magnetic field along , which is reflected in the thermal expansion and
the elastic constant of the transverse mode. The
-type [-type] antiferro quadrupole is also induced by
applying the uniaxial stress along direction [ direction]. A
detection of these induced antiferro quadrupoles under the in-plane magnetic
field or the uniaxial stress using the resonant X-ray scattering provides a
direct redundant test for the proposed order parameter.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, 5 table
An expression signature of the angiogenic response in gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours: correlation with tumour phenotype and survival outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) are heterogeneous with respect to biological behaviour and prognosis. As angiogenesis is a renowned pathogenic hallmark as well as a therapeutic target, we aimed to investigate the prognostic and clinico-pathological role of tissue markers of hypoxia and angiogenesis in GEP-NETs. METHODS: Tissue microarray (TMA) blocks were constructed with 86 tumours diagnosed from 1988 to 2010. Tissue microarray sections were immunostained for hypoxia inducible factor 1α (Hif-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), carbonic anhydrase IX (Ca-IX) and somatostatin receptors (SSTR) 1–5, Ki-67 and CD31. Biomarker expression was correlated with clinico-pathological variables and tested for survival prediction using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression methods. RESULTS: Eighty-six consecutive cases were included: 51% male, median age 51 (range 16–82), 68% presenting with a pancreatic primary, 95% well differentiated, 51% metastatic. Higher grading (P=0.03), advanced stage (P<0.001), high Hif-1α and low SSTR-2 expression (P=0.03) predicted for shorter overall survival (OS) on univariate analyses. Stage, SSTR-2 and Hif-1α expression were confirmed as multivariate predictors of OS. Median OS for patients with SSTR-2+/Hif-1α-tumours was not reached after median follow up of 8.8 years, whereas SSTR-2-/Hif-1α+ GEP-NETs had a median survival of only 4.2 years (P=0.006). CONCLUSION: We have identified a coherent expression signature by immunohistochemistry that can be used for patient stratification and to optimise treatment decisions in GEP-NETs independently from stage and grading. Tumours with preserved SSTR-2 and low Hif-1α expression have an indolent phenotype and may be offered less aggressive management and less stringent follow up
Precise study of the resonance at Q0=(1,0,0) in URu2Si2
New inelastic neutron scattering experiments have been performed on URu2Si2
with special focus on the response at Q0=(1,0,0), which is a clear signature of
the hidden order (HO) phase of the compound. With polarized inelastic neutron
experiments, it is clearly shown that below the HO temperature (T0 = 17.8 K) a
collective excitation (the magnetic resonance at E0 \approx 1.7 meV) as well as
a magnetic continuum co-exist. Careful measurements of the temperature
dependence of the resonance lead to the observation that its position shifts
abruptly in temperature with an activation law governed by the partial gap
opening and that its integrated intensity has a BCS-type temperature
dependence. Discussion with respect to recent theoretical development is made
Pressure Collapse of the Magnetic Ordering in MnSi via Thermal Expansion
The itinerant quasi-ferromagnetic metal MnSi has been studied by detailed
thermal expansion measurements under pressures and magnetic fields. A sudden
decrease of the volume at the critical pressure Pc ~1.6 GPa has been observed
and is in good agreement with the pressure variation of the volume fraction of
the spiral magnetic ordering. This confirms that the magnetic order disappears
by a first order phase transition. The energy change estimated by the volume
discontinuity on crossing Pc is of similar order as the Zeeman energy of the
transition from the spiral ground state to a polarized paramagnetic one under
magnetic field. In contrast to the strong pressure dependence of the transition
temperature, the characteristic fields are weakly pressure dependent,
indicating that the strength of the ferromagnetic and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya
interactions do not change drastically around Pc. The evaluated results of the
thermal expansion coefficient and the magnetostriction are analyzed
thermodynamically. The Sommerfeld coefficient of the linear temperature term of
the specific heat is enhanced just below Pc. The magnetic field-temperature
phase diagrams in the ordered and paramagnetic phases are also compared.
Comparison is made with other heavy fermion compounds with first order phase
transition at 0 K.Comment: 9 pages, 13 figures, accepted to be published in JPS
Itinerant spin excitations near the hidden order transition in URu2Si2
By means of neutron scattering we show that the high-temperature precursor to
the hidden order state of the heavy fermion superconductor URuSi
exhibits heavily damped incommensurate paramagnons whose strong energy
dispersion is very similar to that of the long-lived longitudinal f-spin
excitations that appear below T. Since the underlying local f-exchange is
preserved we expect only the f-d interactions to change across the phase
transition and to cause the paramagnetic damping. The damping exhibits
single-ion behavior independent of wave vector and vanishes below the hidden
order transition. We suggest that this arises from a transition from valence
fluctuations to a hybridized f-d state below T. Here we present evidence
that the itinerant excitations, like those in chromium, are due to Fermi
surface nesting of hole and electron pockets so that the hidden order phase
likely originates from a Fermi-surface instability. We identify wave vectors
that span nested regions of a band calculation and that match the neutron spin
crossover from incommensurate to commensurate on approach to the hidden order
phase.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be submitted to PR
Superconductivity in Ce- and U-based "122" heavy-fermion compounds
This review discusses the heavy-fermion superconductivity in Ce- and U-based
compounds crystallizing in the body-centered tetragonal ThCr2Si2 structure.
Special attention will be paid to the theoretical background of these systems
which are located close to a magnetic instability.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures. Invited topical review (special issue on "Recent
Developments in Superconductivity") Metadata and references update
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