4,589 research outputs found
Electronic States of Graphene Nanoribbons
We study the electronic states of narrow graphene ribbons (``nanoribbons'')
with zigzag and armchair edges. The finite width of these systems breaks the
spectrum into an infinite set of bands, which we demonstrate can be
quantitatively understood using the Dirac equation with appropriate boundary
conditions. For the zigzag nanoribbon we demonstrate that the boundary
condition allows a particle- and a hole-like band with evanescent wavefunctions
confined to the surfaces, which continuously turn into the well-known zero
energy surface states as the width gets large. For armchair edges, we show that
the boundary condition leads to admixing of valley states, and the band
structure is metallic when the width of the sample in lattice constant units is
divisible by 3, and insulating otherwise. A comparison of the wavefunctions and
energies from tight-binding calculations and solutions of the Dirac equations
yields quantitative agreement for all but the narrowest ribbons.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure
Low-thrust chemical propulsion system propellant expulsion and thermal conditioning study. Executive summary
Preferred techniques for providing abort pressurization and engine feed system net positive suction pressure (NPSP) for low thrust chemical propulsion systems (LTPS) were determined. A representative LTPS vehicle configuration is presented. Analysis tasks include: propellant heating analysis; pressurant requirements for abort propellant dump; and comparative analysis of pressurization techniques and thermal subcoolers
Low-thrust chemical propulsion system propellant expulsion and thermal conditioning study
Thermal conditioning systems for satisfying engine net positive suction pressure (NPSP) requirements, and propellant expulsion systems for achieving propellant dump during a return-to-launch site (RTLS) abort were studied for LH2/LO2 and LCH4/LO2 upper stage propellant combinations. A state-of-the-art thermal conditioning system employing helium injection beneath the liquid surface shows the lowest weight penalty for LO2 and LCH4. A technology system incorporating a thermal subcooler (heat exchanger) for engine NPSP results in the lowest weight penalty for the LH2 tank. A preliminary design of two state-of-the-art and two new technology systems indicates a weight penalty difference too small to warrant development of a LH2 thermal subcooler. Analysis results showed that the LH2/LO2 propellant expulsion system is optimized for maximum dump line diameters, whereas the LCH4/LO2 system is optimized for minimum dump line diameter (LCH4) and maximum dump line diameter (LO2). The primary uncertainty is the accurate determination of two-phase flow rates through the dump system; experimentation is not recommended because this uncertainty is not considered significant
Numerical study of the lattice vacancy effects on the single-channel electron transport of graphite ribbons
Lattice vacancy effects on electrical conductance of nanographite ribbon are
investigated by means of the Landauer approach using a tight binding model. In
the low-energy regime ribbons with zigzag boundary provide a single conducting
channel whose origin is connected with the presence of edge states. It is found
that the chemical potential dependence of conductance strongly depends on the
difference () of the number of removed A and B sublattice sites. The
large lattice vacancy with shows zero-conductance dips
in the single-channel region, however, the large lattice vacancy with
has no dip structure in this region. The connection between this
conductance rule and the Longuet-Higgins conjecture is also discussed
Experience with Carbon Taxes and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Systems
Carbon taxes and emissions trading systems (ETSs) to limit emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are increasingly common. At the end of 2015, 17 GHG ETSs were operational in 55 jurisdictions, and 18 jurisdictions collected at least one carbon tax. This paper assesses the performance of carbon taxes and ETSs with respect to environmental effectiveness (reduction of emissions regulated by the instrument), cost-effectiveness (marginal abatement cost), economic efficiency, public finance, and administrative issues.
Data on emissions subject to carbon taxes are rarely reported. We estimate the taxed emissions for 17 taxes in 12 jurisdictions from 1991 through the end of 2015. All 17 taxes have reduced emissions relative to business-as-usual. Six of the jurisdictions actually reduced emissions, although in at least three of those jurisdictions the reductions appear to be due to other policies. The small sizes of reduction in almost all 17 cases are partially due to the low tax rates; the modest and uncertain changes in tax rates over time; and the limited response of taxed sources, such as fossil fuels, to price changes.
Actual emissions declined for at least six of 10 ETSs. Other policies and developments, such as the 2009 recession, contributed to the reductions, but estimates of the share of the reduction attributable to the instrument are rare. All of the ETSs have accumulated banks of surplus allowances and most have implemented measures to reduce these banks. On average, the marginal cost of compliance is substantially lower for ETSs than carbon taxes.
ETS experience has been shared bilaterally and via dedicated institutions. As a result, most ETSs have increased the share of allowances auctioned; adopted declining emissions caps; specified future caps and floor prices several years into the future; shifted to benchmarking for free allowance allocations to emissions-intensive, trade-exposed (EITE) sources; reduced accessibility to foreign offset credits; and established market stability reserves. By contrast, there is little evidence of shared learning and virtually no change to the design of carbon taxes. We found no jurisdiction that routinely tracks the taxed emissions. Very few jurisdictions regularly assess the effectiveness of the tax in achieving emission reductions. Additionally, adjustments to the tax rate often are unpredictable after an introductory period of three to five years.
Both instruments reduce emissions, but ETSs have performed better than carbon taxes on the principal criteria of environmental effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Many jurisdictions have implemented both a carbon tax and a GHG ETS, and every jurisdiction that has adopted either instrument has also implemented other policies. More research is needed to improve the design of both instruments and their interaction with non-market-based carbon policies because the use of multiple instruments produces complex interactive and distributional effects. While economically inefficient, market-based policies should be supplemented by non-market-based policies to ensure sustained political support
The statistics of particle velocities in dense granular flows
We present measurements of the particle velocity distribution in the flow of
granular material through vertical channels. Our study is confined to dense,
slow flows where the material shears like a fluid only in thin layers adjacent
to the walls, while a large core moves without continuous deformation, like a
solid. We find the velocity distribution to be non-Gaussian, anisotropic, and
to follow a power law at large velocities. Remarkably, the distribution is
identical in the fluid-like and solid-like regions. The velocity variance is
maximum at the core, defying predictions of hydrodynamic theories. We show
evidence of spatially correlated motion, and propose a mechanism for the
generation of fluctuational motion in the absence of shear.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Nanographite Ribbons
Electronic and magnetic properties of ribbon-shaped nanographite systems with
zigzag and armchair edges in a magnetic field are investigated by using a tight
binding model. One of the most remarkable features of these systems is the
appearance of edge states, strongly localized near zigzag edges. The edge state
in magnetic field, generating a rational fraction of the magnetic flux (\phi=
p/q) in each hexagonal plaquette of the graphite plane, behaves like a
zero-field edge state with q internal degrees of freedom. The orbital
diamagnetic susceptibility strongly depends on the edge shapes. The reason is
found in the analysis of the ring currents, which are very sensitive to the
lattice topology near the edge. Moreover, the orbital diamagnetic
susceptibility is scaled as a function of the temperature, Fermi energy and
ribbon width. Because the edge states lead to a sharp peak in the density of
states at the Fermi level, the graphite ribbons with zigzag edges show
Curie-like temperature dependence of the Pauli paramagnetic susceptibility.
Hence, it is shown that the crossover from high-temperature diamagnetic to
low-temperature paramagnetic behavior of the magnetic susceptibility of
nanographite ribbons with zigzag edges.Comment: 13 pages including 19 figures, submitted to Physical Rev
Instabilities at [110] Surfaces of d_{x^2-y^2} Superconductors
We compare different scenarios for the low temperature splitting of the
zero-energy peak in the local density of states at (110) surfaces of
d_{x^2-y^2}-wave superconductors, observed by Covington et al.
(Phys.Rev.Lett.79 (1997), 277). Using a tight binding model in the
Bogolyubov-de Gennes treatment we find a surface phase transition towards a
time-reversal symmetry breaking surface state carrying spontaneous currents and
an s+id-wave state. Alternatively, we show that electron correlation leads to a
surface phase transition towards a magnetic state corresponding to a local spin
density wave state.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Soliton Trap in Strained Graphene Nanoribbons
The wavefunction of a massless fermion consists of two chiralities,
left-handed and right-handed, which are eigenstates of the chiral operator. The
theory of weak interactions of elementally particle physics is not symmetric
about the two chiralities, and such a symmetry breaking theory is referred to
as a chiral gauge theory. The chiral gauge theory can be applied to the
massless Dirac particles of graphene. In this paper we show within the
framework of the chiral gauge theory for graphene that a topological soliton
exists near the boundary of a graphene nanoribbon in the presence of a strain.
This soliton is a zero-energy state connecting two chiralities and is an
elementally excitation transporting a pseudospin. The soliton should be
observable by means of a scanning tunneling microscopy experiment.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Correlation effects of carbon nanotubes at boundaries: Spin polarization induced by zero-energy boundary states
When a carbon nanotube is truncated with a certain type of edges, boundary
states localized near the edges appear at the fermi level. Starting from
lattice models, low energy effective theories are constructed which describe
electron correlation effects on the boundary states. We then focus on a thin
metallic carbon nanotube which supports one or two boundary states, and discuss
physical consequences of the interaction between the boundary states and bulk
collective excitations. By the renormalization group analyses together with the
open boundary bosonization, we show that the repulsive bulk interactions
suppress the charge fluctuations at boundaries, and assist the spin
polarization.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur
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