87 research outputs found
Triplet-Singlet Spin Relaxation via Nuclei in a Double Quantum Dot
The spin of a confined electron, when oriented originally in some direction,
will lose memory of that orientation after some time. Physical mechanisms
leading to this relaxation of spin memory typically involve either coupling of
the electron spin to its orbital motion or to nuclear spins. Relaxation of
confined electron spin has been previously measured only for Zeeman or exchange
split spin states, where spin-orbit effects dominate relaxation, while spin
flips due to nuclei have been observed in optical spectroscopy studies. Using
an isolated GaAs double quantum dot defined by electrostatic gates and direct
time domain measurements, we investigate in detail spin relaxation for
arbitrary splitting of spin states. Results demonstrate that electron spin
flips are dominated by nuclear interactions and are slowed by several orders of
magnitude when a magnetic field of a few millitesla is applied. These results
have significant implications for spin-based information processing
Realization of a Tunable Artificial Atom at a Supercritically Charged Vacancy in Graphene
The remarkable electronic properties of graphene have fueled the vision of a
graphene-based platform for lighter, faster and smarter electronics and
computing applications. One of the challenges is to devise ways to tailor its
electronic properties and to control its charge carriers. Here we show that a
single atom vacancy in graphene can stably host a local charge and that this
charge can be gradually built up by applying voltage pulses with the tip of a
scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The response of the conduction electrons
in graphene to the local charge is monitored with scanning tunneling and Landau
level spectroscopy, and compared to numerical simulations. As the charge is
increased, its interaction with the conduction electrons undergoes a transition
into a supercritical regime 6-11 where itinerant electrons are trapped in a
sequence of quasi-bound states which resemble an artificial atom. The
quasi-bound electron states are detected by a strong enhancement of the density
of states (DOS) within a disc centered on the vacancy site which is surrounded
by halo of hole states. We further show that the quasi-bound states at the
vacancy site are gate tunable and that the trapping mechanism can be turned on
and off, providing a new mechanism to control and guide electrons in grapheneComment: 18 pages and 5 figures plus 14 pages and 15 figures of supplementary
information. Nature Physics advance online publication, Feb 22 (2016
The extraordinary evolutionary history of the reticuloendotheliosis viruses
The reticuloendotheliosis viruses (REVs) comprise several closely related amphotropic retroviruses isolated from birds. These viruses exhibit several highly unusual characteristics that have not so far been adequately explained, including their extremely close relationship to mammalian retroviruses, and their presence as endogenous sequences within the genomes of certain large DNA viruses. We present evidence for an iatrogenic origin of REVs that accounts for these phenomena. Firstly, we identify endogenous retroviral fossils in mammalian genomes that share a unique recombinant structure with REVsâunequivocally demonstrating that REVs derive directly from mammalian retroviruses. Secondly, through sequencing of archived REV isolates, we confirm that contaminated Plasmodium lophurae stocks have been the source of multiple REV outbreaks in experimentally infected birds. Finally, we show that both phylogenetic and historical evidence support a scenario wherein REVs originated as mammalian retroviruses that were accidentally introduced into avian hosts in the late 1930s, during experimental studies of P. lophurae, and subsequently integrated into the fowlpox virus (FWPV) and gallid herpesvirus type 2 (GHV-2) genomes, generating recombinant DNA viruses that now circulate in wild birds and poultry. Our findings provide a novel perspective on the origin and evolution of REV, and indicate that horizontal gene transfer between virus families can expand the impact of iatrogenic transmission events
Fermi velocity engineering in graphene by substrate modification
The Fermi velocity is one of the key concepts in the study of a material, as
it bears information on a variety of fundamental properties. Upon increasing
demand on the device applications, graphene is viewed as a prototypical system
for engineering Fermi velocity. Indeed, several efforts have succeeded in
modifying Fermi velocity by varying charge carrier concentration. Here we
present a powerful but simple new way to engineer Fermi velocity while holding
the charge carrier concentration constant. We find that when the environment
embedding graphene is modified, the Fermi velocity of graphene is (i) inversely
proportional to its dielectric constant, reaching ~2.5 m/s, the
highest value for graphene on any substrate studied so far and (ii) clearly
distinguished from an ordinary Fermi liquid. The method demonstrated here
provides a new route toward Fermi velocity engineering in a variety of
two-dimensional electron systems including topological insulators.Comment: accepted in Scientific Report
Photoexcitation cascade and multiple hot-carrier generation in graphene
The conversion of light into free electronâhole pairs constitutes the key process in the fields of photodetection and photovoltaics. The efficiency of this process depends on the competition of different relaxation pathways and can be greatly enhanced when photoexcited carriers do not lose energy as heat, but instead transfer their excess energy into the production of additional electronâhole pairs through carrierâcarrier scattering processes. Here we use optical pumpâterahertz probe measurements to probe different pathways contributing to the ultrafast energy relaxation of photoexcited carriers. Our results indicate that carrierâcarrier scattering is highly efficient, prevailing over optical-phonon emission in a wide range of photon wavelengths and leading to the production of secondary hot electrons originating from the conduction band. As hot electrons in graphene can drive currents, multiple hot-carrier generation makes graphene a promising material for highly efficient broadband extraction of light energy into electronic degrees of freedom, enabling high-efficiency optoelectronic applications.United States. Office of Naval Research (Grant N00014-09-1-0724
Giant intrinsic photoresponse in pristine graphene
When the Fermi level matches the Dirac point in graphene, the reduced charge
screening can dramatically enhance electron-electron (e-e) scattering to
produce a strongly interacting Dirac liquid. While the dominance of e-e
scattering already leads to novel behaviors, such as electron hydrodynamic
flow, further exotic phenomena have been predicted to arise specifically from
the unique kinematics of e-e scattering in massless Dirac systems. Here, we use
optoelectronic probes, which are highly sensitive to the kinematics of electron
scattering, to uncover a giant intrinsic photocurrent response in pristine
graphene. This photocurrent emerges exclusively at the charge neutrality point
and vanishes abruptly at non-zero charge densities. Moreover, it is observed at
places with broken reflection symmetry, and it is selectively enhanced at free
graphene edges with sharp bends. Our findings reveal that the photocurrent
relaxation is strongly suppressed by a drastic change of fast photocarrier
kinematics in graphene when its Fermi level matches the Dirac point. The
emergence of robust photocurrents in neutral Dirac materials promises new
energy-harvesting functionalities and highlights intriguing electron dynamics
in the optoelectronic response of Dirac fluids.Comment: Originally submitted versio
Van der Waals heterostructures
Research on graphene and other two-dimensional atomic crystals is intense and
likely to remain one of the hottest topics in condensed matter physics and
materials science for many years. Looking beyond this field, isolated atomic
planes can also be reassembled into designer heterostructures made layer by
layer in a precisely chosen sequence. The first - already remarkably complex -
such heterostructures (referred to as 'van der Waals') have recently been
fabricated and investigated revealing unusual properties and new phenomena.
Here we review this emerging research area and attempt to identify future
directions. With steady improvement in fabrication techniques, van der Waals
heterostructures promise a new gold rush, rather than a graphene aftershock
Interferon-Îł and Proliferation Responses to Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhi Proteins in Patients with S. Typhi Bacteremia in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi infection is a significant global public health problem and the cause of typhoid fever. Salmonella are intracellular pathogens, and cellular immune responses are required to control and clear Salmonella infections. Despite this, there are limited data on cellular immune responses during wild type S. Typhi infection in humans. Here we report the assessment of cellular immune responses in humans with S. Typhi bacteremia through a screening approach that permitted us to evaluate interferon-Îł and proliferation responses to a number of S. Typhi antigens. We detected significant interferon-Îł CD4 and CD8 responses, as well as proliferative responses, to a number of recombinantly purified S. Typhi proteins as well as membrane preparation in infected patients. Antigen-specific interferon-Îł responses were present at the time of clinical presentation in patients and absent in healthy controls. These observations could assist in the development of interferon-Îł-based diagnostic assays for typhoid fever
First measurement of coherent Ï0 photoproduction in ultra-peripheral XeâXe collisions at âsNN = 5.44 TeV
The first measurement of the coherent photoproduction of Ï0 vector mesons in ultra-peripheral XeâXe collisions at sNN=5.44 TeV is presented. This result, together with previous HERA Îłp data and ÎłâPb measurements from ALICE, describes the atomic number (A) dependence of this process, which is particularly sensitive to nuclear shadowing effects and to the approach to the black-disc limit of QCD at a semi-hard scale. The cross section of the Xe+XeâÏ0+Xe+Xe process, measured at midrapidity through the decay channel Ï0âÏ+Ïâ, is found to be dÏ/dy=131.5±5.6(stat.)â16.9+17.5(syst.) mb. The ratio of the continuum to resonant contributions for the production of pion pairs is also measured. In addition, the fraction of events accompanied by electromagnetic dissociation of either one or both colliding nuclei is reported. The dependence on A of cross section for the coherent Ï0 photoproduction at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon of the ÎłA system of WÎłA,n=65 GeV is found to be consistent with a power-law behaviour Ï(ÎłAâÏ0A)âAα with a slope α=0.96±0.02(syst.). This slope signals important shadowing effects, but it is still far from the behaviour expected in the black-disc limit.publishedVersio
A(c)(+) Production and Baryon-to-Meson Ratios in pp and p-Pb Collisions at root S-NN=5.02 TeV at the LHC
The prompt production of the charm baryon Î_{c}^{+} and the Î_{c}^{+}/D^{0} production ratios were measured at midrapidity with the ALICE detector in pp and p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02ââTeV. These new measurements show a clear decrease of the Î_{c}^{+}/D^{0} ratio with increasing transverse momentum (p_{T}) in both collision systems in the range 2<p_{T}<12ââGeV/c, exhibiting similarities with the light-flavor baryon-to-meson ratios p/Ï and Î/K_{S}^{0}. At low p_{T}, predictions that include additional color-reconnection mechanisms beyond the leading-color approximation, assume the existence of additional higher-mass charm-baryon states, or include hadronization via coalescence can describe the data, while predictions driven by charm-quark fragmentation processes measured in e^{+}e^{-} and e^{-}p collisions significantly underestimate the data. The results presented in this Letter provide significant evidence that the established assumption of universality (colliding-system independence) of parton-to-hadron fragmentation is not sufficient to describe charm-baryon production in hadronic collisions at LHC energies
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