Optical properties of TlNi2Se2: Observation of pseudogap formation

The quasi-two-dimensional nickel chalcogenides $TlNi_2Se_2$ is a newly discovered superconductor. We have performed optical spectroscopy study on $TlNi_2Se_2$ single crystals over a broad frequency range at various temperatures. The overall optical reflectance spectra are similar to those observed in its isostructure $BaNi_2As_2$. Both the suppression in $R(\omega)$ and the peaklike feature in $\sigma_1(\omega)$ suggest the progressive formation of a pseudogap feature in the midinfrared range with decreasing temperatures, which might be originated from the dynamic local fluctuation of charge-density-wave (CDW) instability. We propose that the CDW instability in $TlNi_2Se_2$ is driven by the saddle points mechanism, due to the existence of van Hove singularity very close to the Fermi energy.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Determination of a set of constitutive equations for an al-li alloy at SPF conditions

© 2015 The Authors.Uniaxial tensile tests of aluminium-lithium alloy AA1420wereconducted at superplastic forming conditions. The mechanical properties of this Al-Li alloy were then modelled by a set of physicallybased constitutive equations. The constitutive equations describe the isotropic work hardening,recovery and damage by dislocation density changes and grain size evolution. Based on a recent upgraded optimisation technique, the material constants for these constitutive equations were determined

Superfluidity of Λ\Lambda hyperons in neutron stars

We study the $^1S_0$ superfluidity of $\Lambda$ hyperons in neutron star matter and neutron stars. We use the relativistic mean field (RMF) theory to calculate the properties of neutron star matter. In the RMF approach, the meson-hyperon couplings are constrained by reasonable hyperon potentials that include the updated information from recent developments in hypernuclear physics. To examine the $^1S_0$ pairing gap of $\Lambda$ hyperons, we employ several $\Lambda\Lambda$ interactions based on the Nijmegen models and used in double-$\Lambda$ hypernuclei studies. It is found that the maximal pairing gap obtained is a few tenths of a MeV. The magnitude and the density region of the pairing gap are dependent on the $\Lambda\Lambda$ interaction and the treatment of neutron star matter. We calculate neutron star properties and find that whether the $^1S_0$ superfluidity of $\Lambda$ hyperons exists in the core of neutron stars mainly depends on the $\Lambda\Lambda$ interaction used.Comment: 22 pages, 2 Tables, 6 Figur

Model Extraction Warning in MLaaS Paradigm

Cloud vendors are increasingly offering machine learning services as part of their platform and services portfolios. These services enable the deployment of machine learning models on the cloud that are offered on a pay-per-query basis to application developers and end users. However recent work has shown that the hosted models are susceptible to extraction attacks. Adversaries may launch queries to steal the model and compromise future query payments or privacy of the training data. In this work, we present a cloud-based extraction monitor that can quantify the extraction status of models by observing the query and response streams of both individual and colluding adversarial users. We present a novel technique that uses information gain to measure the model learning rate by users with increasing number of queries. Additionally, we present an alternate technique that maintains intelligent query summaries to measure the learning rate relative to the coverage of the input feature space in the presence of collusion. Both these approaches have low computational overhead and can easily be offered as services to model owners to warn them of possible extraction attacks from adversaries. We present performance results for these approaches for decision tree models deployed on BigML MLaaS platform, using open source datasets and different adversarial attack strategies

Optical spectroscopy study of Nd(O,F)BiS2 single crystals

We present an optical spectroscopy study on F-substituted NdOBiS$_2$ superconducting single crystals grown using KCl/LiCl flux method. The measurement reveals a simple metallic response with a relatively low screened plasma edge near 5000 \cm. The plasma frequency is estimated to be 2.1 eV, which is much smaller than the value expected from the first-principles calculations for an electron doping level of x=0.5, but very close to the value based on a doping level of 7$\%$ of itinerant electrons per Bi site as determined by ARPES experiment. The energy scales of the interband transitions are also well reproduced by the first-principles calculations. The results suggest an absence of correlation effect in the compound, which essentially rules out the exotic pairing mechanism for superconductivity or scenario based on the strong electronic correlation effect. The study also reveals that the system is far from a CDW instability as being widely discussed for a doping level of x=0.5.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Optical spectroscopy study of the collapsed tetragonal phase of CaFe2_2(As0.935_{0.935}P0.065_{0.065})2_2 single crystals

We present an optical spectroscopy study on P-doped CaFe$_2$As$_2$ which experiences a structural phase transition from tetragonal to collapsed tetragonal (cT) phase near 75 K. The measurement reveals a sudden reduction of low frequency spectral weight and emergence of a new feature near 3200 \cm (0.4 eV) in optical conductivity across the transition, indicating an abrupt reconstruction of band structure. The appearance of new feature is related to the interband transition arising from the sinking of hole bands near $\Gamma$ point below Fermi level in the cT phase, as expected from the density function theory calculations in combination with the dynamical mean field theory. However, the reduction of Drude spectral weight is at variance with those calculations. The measurement also indicates an absence of the abnormal spectral weight transfer at high energy (near 0.5-0.7 eV) in the cT phase, suggesting a suppression of electron correlation effect.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure