261 research outputs found
High pressure phases in highly piezoelectric Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3
Two novel room-temperature phase transitions are observed, via synchrotron
x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, in the Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 alloy under
hydrostatic pressures up to 16 GPa. A monoclinic (M)-to-rhombohedral (R1) phase
transition takes place around 2-3 GPa, while this R1 phase transforms into
another rhombohedral phase, R2, at about 6-7 GPa. First-principles calculations
assign the R3m and R3c symmetry to R1 and R2, respectively, and reveal that R2
acts as a pressure-induced structural bridge between the polar R3m and a
predicted antiferrodistortive R-3c phase.Comment: REVTeX, 4 pages with 3 figures embedded. Figs 1 and 3 in colo
Spin Dynamics in the Magnetoelectric Effect LiCoPO Compound
Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) experiments were performed to investigate
the spin dynamics in magnetoelectric effect (ME) LiCoPO single crystals.
Weak dispersion was detected in the magnetic excitation spectra along the three
principal crystallographic axes measured around the (0 1 0) magnetic
reflection. Analysis of the data using linear spin-wave theory indicate that
single-ion anisotropy in LiCoPO is as important as the strongest
nearest-neighbor exchange coupling. Our results suggest that Co
single-ion anisotropy plays an important role in the spin dynamics of
LiCoPO and must be taken into account in understanding its physical
properties. High resolution INS measurements reveal an anomalous low energy
excitation that we hypothesize may be related to the magnetoelectric effect of
LiCoPO.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Antiferromagnetism in the magnetoelectric effect single crystal LiMnPO
Elastic and inelastic neutron scattering studies reveal details of the
antiferromagnetic tansition and intriguing spin-dynamics in the
magneto-electric effect single crystal LiMnPO. The elastic scattering
studies confirm the system is antiferromagnetic (AFM) below =33.75 K with
local magnetic moments (Mn; ) that are aligned along the
crystallographic a-axis. The spin-wave dispersion curves propagating along the
three principal axes, determined by inelastic scattering, are adequately
modeled in the linear spin-wave framework assuming a spin-Hamiltonian that is
parameterized by inter- and in-plane nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor
interactions, and by easy-plane anisotropy. The temperature dependence of the
spin dynamics makes this an excellent model many-body spin system to address
the question of the relationship between spin-wave excitations and the order
parameter
Gelsolin dysfunction causes photoreceptor loss in induced pluripotent cell and animal retinitis pigmentosa models
Mutations in the Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator (RPGR) cause X-linked RP (XLRP), an untreatable, inherited retinal dystrophy that leads to premature blindness. RPGR localises to the photoreceptor connecting cilium where its function remains unknown. Here we show, using murine and human induced pluripotent stem cell models, that RPGR interacts with and activates the actin-severing protein gelsolin, and that gelsolin regulates actin disassembly in the connecting cilium, thus facilitating rhodopsin transport to photoreceptor outer segments. Disease-causing RPGR mutations perturb this RPGR-gelsolin interaction, compromising gelsolin activation. Both RPGR and Gelsolin knockout mice show abnormalities of actin polymerisation and mislocalisation of rhodopsin in photoreceptors. These findings reveal a clinically-significant role for RPGR in the activation of gelsolin, without which abnormalities in actin polymerisation in the photoreceptor connecting cilia cause rhodopsin mislocalisation and eventual retinal degeneration in XLRP.Mutations in the Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator (RPGR) cause retinal dystrophy, but how this arises at a molecular level is unclear. Here, the authors show in induced pluripotent stem cells and mouse knockouts that RPGR mediates actin dynamics in photoreceptors via the actin-severing protein, gelsolin
Li1.5La1.5MO6 (M = W6+, Te6+) as a new series of lithium-rich double perovskites for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries
Solid-state batteries are a proposed route to safely achieving high energy densities, yet this architecture faces challenges arising from interfacial issues between the electrode and solid electrolyte. Here we develop a novel family of double perovskites, Li1.5La1.5MO6 (M = W6+, Te6+), where an uncommon lithium-ion distribution enables macroscopic ion diffusion and tailored design of the composition allows us to switch functionality to either a negative electrode or a solid electrolyte. Introduction of tungsten allows reversible lithium-ion intercalation below 1 V, enabling application as an anode (initial specific capacity >200 mAh g-1 with remarkably low volume change of ∼0.2%). By contrast, substitution of tungsten with tellurium induces redox stability, directing the functionality of the perovskite towards a solid-state electrolyte with electrochemical stability up to 5 V and a low activation energy barrier (<0.2 eV) for microscopic lithium-ion diffusion. Characterisation across multiple length- and time-scales allows interrogation of the structure-property relationships in these materials and preliminary examination of a solid-state cell employing both compositions suggests lattice-matching avenues show promise for all-solid-state batteries
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