1,155 research outputs found
Hole crystallization in semiconductors
When electrons in a solid are excited to a higher energy band they leave
behind a vacancy (hole) in the original band which behaves like a positively
charged particle. Here we predict that holes can spontaneously order into a
regular lattice in semiconductors with sufficiently flat valence bands. The
critical hole to electron effective mass ratio required for this phase
transition is found to be of the order of 80.Comment: accepted for publication in J. Phys. A: Math. Ge
Stability of a magnetically levitated nanomagnet in vacuum: Effects of gas and magnetization damping
In the absence of dissipation a non-rotating magnetic nanoparticle can be
stably levitated in a static magnetic field as a consequence of the spin origin
of its magnetization. Here we study the effects of dissipation on the stability
of the system, considering the interaction with the background gas and the
intrinsic Gilbert damping of magnetization dynamics. At large applied magnetic
fields we identify magnetization switching induced by Gilbert damping as the
key limiting factor for stable levitation. At low applied magnetic fields and
for small particle dimensions magnetization switching is prevented due to the
strong coupling of rotation and magnetization dynamics, and the stability is
mainly limited by the gas-induced dissipation. In the latter case, high vacuum
should be sufficient to extend stable levitation over experimentally relevant
timescales. Our results demonstrate the possibility to experimentally observe
the phenomenon of quantum spin stabilized magnetic levitation.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, revised versio
Reentrant valence transition in EuO at high pressures: beyond the bond-valence model
The pressure-dependent relation between Eu valence and lattice structure in
model compound EuO is studied with synchrotron-based x-ray spectroscopic and
diffraction techniques. Contrary to expectation, a 7% volume collapse at
45 GPa is accompanied by a reentrant Eu valence transition into a
\emph{lower} valence state. In addition to highlighting the need for probing
both structure and electronic states directly when valence information is
sought in mixed-valent systems, the results also show that widely used
bond-valence methods fail to quantitatively describe the complex electronic
valence behavior of EuO under pressure.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Preprint arXiv: 2106.14858 Submitted on 28 Jun 2021
In the absence of dissipation a non-rotating magnetic nanoparticle can be stably levitated in a static magnetic field as a consequence of the spin origin of its magnetization. Here, we study the effects of dissipation on the stability of the system, considering the interaction with the background gas and the intrinsic Gilbert damping of magnetization dynamics. We find that dissipation limits the time over which a particle can be stably levitated. At large applied magnetic fields we identify magnetization switching induced by Gilbert damping as the key limiting factor for stable levitation. At low applied magnetic fields and for small particle dimensions magnetization switching is prevented due to the strong coupling of rotation and magnetization dynamics, and the stability is mainly limited by the gas-induced dissipation. In this latter case, high vacuum should be sufficient to extend stable levitation over experimentally relevant timescales. Our results demonstrate the possibility to experimentally observe the phenomenon of quantum spin stabilized magnetic levitation
Real Estate and the Great Crisis: Lessons for Macroprudential Policy
Credit conditions have caused real estate booms and busts, owing to an underpricing of credit risk aided by regulatory arbitrage and shadow financing. Across countries, real estate price and credit bubbles have reflected not only inelastic land supply and thin trading, but also the amplification of shocks via backward-looking price expectations and financing based on distorted prices. Macroprudential lessons from the Great Crisis include preventing excess real estate financing and limiting the amplification and correlation of risks. Nonetheless, the costs and benefits of recent regulations require re-evaluation amid an ongoing need to address correlated risks from shadow financing and securitization
Spin-polarized tunneling currents through a ferromagnetic insulator between two metallic or superconducting leads
Using the Keldysh formalism the tunneling current through a hybrid structure
where a confined magnetic insulator (I) is sandwiched between two non-magnetic
leads is calculated. The leads can be either normal metals (M) or
superconductors (S). Each region is modelled as a single band in tight-binding
approximation in order to understand the formation of the tunneling current as
clearly as possible. The tunneling process itself is simulated by a
hybridization between the lead and insulator conduction bands. The insulator is
assumed to have localized moments which can interact with the tunneling
electrons. This is described by the Kondo Lattice Model (KLM) and treated
within an interpolating self-energy approach. For the superconductor the
mean-field BCS theory is used. The spin polarization of the current shows a
strong dependence both on the applied voltage and the properties of the
materials. Even for this idealized three band model there is a qualitative
agreement with experiment.Comment: 15 pages, 23 figures, accepted for publication in PR
Simultaneous X-ray and Ultraviolet Observations of the SW Sextantis Star DW Ursae Majoris
We present the first pointed X-ray observation of DW Ursae Majoris, a novalike cataclysmic variable (CV) and one of the archetype members of the SW Sextantis class, obtained with the XMM-Newton satellite. These data provide the first detailed look at an SW Sex star in the X-ray regime (with previous X-ray knowledge of the SW Sex stars limited primarily to weak or non-detections in the ROSAT All Sky Survey). It is also one of only a few XMM-Newton observations (to date) of any high mass transfer rate novalike CV, and the only one in the evolutionarily important 3-4 hr orbital period range. The observed X-ray spectrum of DW UMa is very soft, with ~95% of the detected X-ray photons at energies <2 keV. The spectrum can be fit equally well by a one-component cooling flow model, with a temperature range of 0.2-3.5 keV, or a two-component, two-temperature thermal plasma model, containing hard (~5-6 keV) and soft (~0.8 keV) components. The X-ray light curve of DW UMa shows a likely partial eclipse, implying X-ray reprocessing in a vertically extended region, and an orbital modulation, implying a structural asymmetry in the X-ray reprocessing site (e.g., it cannot be a uniform corona). We also obtained a simultaneous near-ultraviolet light curve of DW UMa using the Optical Monitor on XMM-Newton. This light curve is similar in appearance to published optical-UV light curves of DW UMa and shows a prominent deep eclipse. Regardless of the exact nature of the X-ray reprocessing site in DW UMa, the lack of a prominent hard X-ray total eclipse and very low fraction of high energy X-rays point to the presence of an optically and geometrically thick accretion disk that obscures the boundary layer and modifies the X-ray spectrum emitted near the white dwarf
The Mid-Infrared Spectrum of the Short Orbital Period Polar EF Eridani from the Spitzer Space Telescope
We present the first mid-infrared (5.5-14.5 micron) spectrum of a highly
magnetic cataclysmic variable, EF Eridani, obtained with the Infrared
Spectrograph on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The spectrum displays a relatively
flat, featureless continuum. A spectral energy distribution model consisting of
a 9500 K white dwarf, L5 secondary star, cyclotron emission corresponding to a
B~13 MG white dwarf magnetic field, and an optically thin circumbinary dust
disk is in reasonable agreement with the extant 2MASS, IRAC, and IRS
observations of EF Eri. Cyclotron emission is ruled out as a dominant
contributor to the infrared flux density at wavelengths >3 microns. The
spectral energy distribution longward of ~5 microns is dominated by dust
emission. Even longer wavelength observations would test the model's prediction
of a continuing gradual decline in the circumbinary disk-dominated region of
the spectral energy distribution.Comment: To be published in The Astrophysical Journa
CBU_1932: A Hypothetical DNA-Binding Protein of the Q Fever Pathogen Coxiella Burnetii
Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen that resides within a lysosome-like acidic compartment of the eukaryotic host cell and may cause acute and chronic human infections. Our recent transcriptome analysis of C. burnetii demonstrated that the CBU_1932 open reading frame displayed an exceptionally high transcript level at 11,481 transcripts per million (TPM), well above average transcript quantity for remaining ORFs in the genome. Due to it’s high transcript level we hypothesize the corresponding protein may play an important role for Coxiella. Analysis of the CBU_1932 locus indicates that one of the adjacent ORFs, CBU_1933 is a hypothetical DNA binding protein. The protein encoded by CBU_1932 ORF consists of 66 amino acid residues with an unusually high percentage (42%) of residues being basic, including 20 lysines. Using BLAST algorithms we found CBU_1932 had no similarity with currently defined proteins, but has orthologues in other human intracellular pathogens such as Legionella and Chlamydia. Due to the high number of basic residues in CBU_1932, and linkage with a hypothetical DNA binding protein (CBU_1933), we hypothesize that CBU_1932 may also encode a protein involved with binding DNA or other negatively charged substrates. To address this hypothesis, we are in the process of cloning the 201-base pair CBU_1932 ORF into pMAL-c5x expression plasmid and analyzing the recombinant protein using DNA-binding protocols including electrophoretic mobility-shift assay EMSA. We are confident that characterization of this high-level transcript/highly basic protein will lead to a better understanding of the unique metabolism of Coxiella and other intracellular pathogens
Electron rescattering at metal nanotips induced by ultrashort laser pulses
We report on the first investigation of plateau and cut-off structures in
photoelectron spectra from nano-scale metal tips interacting with few-cycle
near-infrared laser pulses. These hallmarks of electron rescattering,
well-known from atom-laser interaction in the strong-field regime, appear at
remarkably low laser intensities with nominal Keldysh parameters of the order
of . Quantum and quasi-classical simulations reveal that a large
field enhancement near the tip and the increased backscattering probability at
a solid-state target play a key role. Plateau electrons are by an order of
magnitude more abundant than in comparable atomic spectra, reflecting the high
density of target atoms at the surface. The position of the cut-off serves as
an in-situ probe for the locally enhanced electric field at the tip apex
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