Spontaneous Magnetization and Electron Momentum Density in 3D Quantum Dots

We discuss an exactly solvable model Hamiltonian for describing the interacting electron gas in a quantum dot. Results for a spherical square well confining potential are presented. The ground state is found to exhibit striking oscillations in spin polarization with dot radius at a fixed electron density. These oscillations are shown to induce characteristic signatures in the momentum density of the electron gas, providing a novel route for direct experimental observation of the dot magnetization via spectroscopies sensitive to the electron momentum density.Comment: 5 pages (Revtex4), 4 (eps) figure

Is bicarbonate in Photosystem II the equivalent of the glutamate ligand to the iron atom in bacterial reaction centers?

Photosystem II of oxygen-evolving organisms exhibits a bicarbonate-reversible formate effect on electron transfer between the primary and secondary acceptor quinones, QA and QB. This effect is absent in the otherwise similar electron acceptor complex of purple bacteria, e.g. Rhodobacter sphaeroides. This distinction has led to the suggestion that the iron atom of the acceptor quinone complex in PS II might lack the fifth and sixth ligands provided in the bacterial reaction center (RC) by a glutamate residue at position 234 of the M-subunit in Rb. sphaeroides,RCs (M232 in Rps. viridis). By site-directed mutagenesis we have altered GluM234 in RCs from Rb. sphaeroides, replacing it with valine, glutamine and glycine to form mutants M234EV, M234EQ and M234EG, respectively. These mutants grew competently under phototrophic conditions and were tested for the formate-bicarbonate effect. In chromatophores there were no detectable differences between wild type (Wt) and mutant M234EV with respect to cytochrome b-561 reduction following a flash, and no effect of bicarbonate depletion (by incubation with formate). In isolated RCs, several electron transfer activities were essentially unchanged in Wt and M234EV, M234EQ and M234EG mutants, and no formate-bicarbonate effect was observed on: (a) the fast or slow phases of recovery of the oxidized primary donor (P+) in the absence of exogenous donor, i.e., the recombination of P+QA− or P+QB−, respectively; (b) the kinetics of electron transfer from QA− to QB; or (c) the flash dependent oscillations of semiquinone formation in the presence of donor to P+ (QB turnover). The absence of a formate-bicarbonate effect in these mutants suggests that GluM234 is not responsible for the absence of the formate-bicarbonate effect in Wt bacterial RCs, or at least that other factors must be taken into account. The mutant RCs were also examined for the fast primary electron transfer along the active (A-)branch of the pigment chain, leading to reduction of QA. The kinetics were resolved to reveal the reduction of the monomer bacteriochlorophyll (τ = 3.5 ps), followed by reduction of the bacteriopheophytin (τ = 0.9 ps). Both steps were essentially unaltered from the wild type. However, the rate of reduction of QA was slowed by a factor of 2 (τ = 410 ± 30 and 47 ± 30 ps for M234EQ and M234EV, respectively, compared to 220 ps in the wild type). EPR studies of the isolated RCs showed a characteristic g = 1.82 signal for the QA semiquinone coupled to the iron atom, which was indistinguishable from the wild type. It is concluded that GluM234 is not essential to the normal functioning of the acceptor quinone complex in bacterial RCs and that the role of bicarbonate in PS II is distinct from the role of this residue in bacterial RCs

Electrochemical properties of single-crystalline Mn3O4 nanostructures and their capacitive performance in basic electrolyte

Single-crystalline Mn3O4 square-shaped nanostructures have been successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method without using any surfactant. The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and High Resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). To assess the potential properties of nanostructures, galvanostatic charging-discharging and cyclic voltammetry measurements were performed for their use in supercapacitors. The Mn3O4 nanoarchitectures used as supercapacitor electrode in 1mol L-1 KOH electrolyte have a specific capacitance value of 355.5 F g-1 at a low current density of 0.35 A.g-1. The device still retain 85.08% of its initial capacitance afterwards 2000 cycles at a current density of 5 A.g-1. The as-synthesized Mn3O4 nanostructures exhibited a good rate capability and stability for electrochemical properties. These results indicate their potential application as electrode material for high performance supercapacitor in basic medium. � 2016 The Authors

Conductance Fluctuations of Open Quantum Dots under Microwave Radiation

We develop a time dependent random matrix theory describing the influence of a time-dependent perturbation on mesoscopic conductance fluctuations in open quantum dots. The effect of external field is taken into account to all orders of perturbation theory, and our results are applicable to both weak and strong fields. We obtain temperature and magnetic field dependences of conductance fluctuations. The amplitude of conductance fluctuations is determined by electron temperature in the leads rather than by the width of electron distribution function in the dot. The asymmetry of conductance with respect to inversion of applied magnetic field is the main feature allowing to distinguish the effect of direct suppression of quantum interference from the simple heating if the frequency of external radiation is larger than the temperature of the leads $\hbar\omega \gg T$.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Mathematical modelling and simulation of multiphase flow in a flat plate solar energy collector

Non-conventional collectors where organic fluid or refrigerant experience a phase change have many advantages over conventional collectors which have either air or relatively high temperature boiling liquid. Increase in heat transfer coefficient and system efficiency, corrosion prevention and freeze protection are the main benefits of the first type. In this study, a detailed numerical model of a flat plate collector is developed to investigate the fluid mean temperature, useful heat gain and heat transfer coefficient along the collector tube. The refrigerant HFC-134a was used in the simulation as the working fluid of the collector. The model can both predict the location where the fluid undergoes a phase change in the tube and the state at the exit under given inlet conditions. The effect of boiling on the heat transfer coefficient of the fluid is also investigated. Simulations were performed at three different mass flow rates (0.001, 0.005 and 0.01 kg/s) and three different operating pressures (4, 6 and 8 bar) to be able to see the effect of mass flow rate and pressure on plate temperature, heat loss coefficient, efficiency of the collector and the heat transfer coefficient of the fluid. The simulation results indicate that the heat transfer coefficient of the fluid increases from 153.54 W/m2K to 610.27 W/m2K in multiphase flow region. In the liquid single phase region, the collector efficiency rises from 60.2% to 68.8% and the heat transfer coefficient of the fluid increases from 39.24 W/m2K to 392.31 W/m2K with an increased flow rate whereas the collector efficiency decreases from 72.5% to 62.3% as the operating pressure increases from 4 bar to 8 bar. In order to validate the simulation model an experimental test rig was built and the experiments were performed with HFE 7000 as working thermo-fluid. A new simulation model utilizing HFE 7000 has been developed and the outlet temperature of the fluid was compared with the measured outlet temperature. Both measured and simulated results have shown close conformity

Magnetic Field Effects on the Transport Properties of One-sided Rough Wires

We present a detailed numerical analysis of the effect of a magnetic field on the transport properties of a `small-$N$' one-sided surface disordered wire. When time reversal symmetry is broken due to a magnetic field $B$, we find a strong increase with $B$ not only of the localization length $\xi$ but also of the mean free path $\ell$ caused by boundary states. Despite this, the universal relationship between $\ell$ and $\xi$ does hold. We also analyze the conductance distribution at the metal-insulator crossover, finding a very good agreement with Random Matrix Theory with two fluctuating channels within the Circular Orthogonal(Unitary) Ensemble in absence(presence) of $B$Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Experimental Study of Thermodynamic Assessment of a Small Scale Solar Thermal System

In this study, a scaled solar thermal system, which utilises HFE 7000, an environmentally friendly organic fluid has been designed, commissioned and tested to investigate the system performance. The proposed system comprises a flat-plate solar energy collector, a rotary vane expander, a brazed type water-cooled condenser, a pump and a heat recovery unit. In the experimental system, the flat-plate collector is employed to convert HFE-7000 into high temperature superheated vapour, which is then used to drive the rotary vane expander, as well as to generate mechanical work. Furthermore, a heat recovery unit is employed to utilise the condensation heat. This heat recovery unit consists of a domestic hot water tank which is connected to the condenser. Energy and exergy analysis have been conducted to assess the thermodynamic performance of the system. It has been found that the collector can transfer 3564.2 W heat to the working fluid (HFE 7000) which accounts for the 57.53% of the total energy on the collector surface. The rotary vane expander generates 146.74 W mechanical work with an isentropic efficiency of 58.66%. In the heat recovery unit, 23.2% of the total rejected heat (3406.48 W) from the condenser is recovered in the hot water tank and it is harnessed to heat the water temperature in the domestic hot water tank up to 22.41 ºC which subsequently will be utilised for secondary applications. The net work output and the first law efficiency of the solar ORC is found to be 135.96 W and 3.81% respectively. Exergy analysis demonstrates that the most exergy destruction rate takes place in the flat plate collector (431 W), which is the thermal source of the system. Post collector, it is followed by the expander (95 W), the condenser (32.3 W) and the pump (3.8 W) respectively. Exergy analysis results also show that the second law efficiency of the solar ORC is 17.8% at reference temperature of 15 ºC. Parametric study analysis reveals that both increase in the expander inlet pressure and the degree of superheat enhances the thermodynamic performance of the solar ORC

Experimental search for W/Z pairs and Higgs bosons at very high energy hadron-hadron colliders

We study, from an experimental point of view, the main ways to detect standard high mass Higgs bosons (from 300 GeV up to about 1 TeV) when they decay into W- and Z-pairs at the SSC. We also consider the corresponding W- and Z/sup 0/-pair continuum which may itself provide interesting physics, and we pay some attention to the case of an intermediate mass charged Higgs decaying into tau..nu../sub tau/ (m/sub H+-/ = 300 GeV). We first explain why and how high energy pp colliders may search for Higgs' and we compare their possible performances to those of the e/sup +/e/sup -/ and ep colliders at all possible mass scale (from few tens of GeV's up to 1 TeV). We then estimate the rates of the signals and the main backgrounds. We define the main characteristics of these events as reproduced by M.C. generators (especially implemented with these processes) and simulated through an idealized 4..pi.. fine-grained calorimeter. A trigger strategy for W- and Z-pairs is derived from this study. 26 refs., 28 figs

The Parallel Magnetoconductance of Interacting Electrons in a Two Dimensional Disordered System

The transport properties of interacting electrons for which the spin degree of freedom is taken into account are numerically studied for small two dimensional diffusive clusters. On-site electron-electron interactions tend to delocalize the electrons, while long-range interactions enhance localization. On careful examination of the transport properties, we reach the conclusion that it does not show a two dimensional metal insulator transition driven by interactions. A parallel magnetic field leads to enhanced resistivity, which saturates once the electrons become fully spin polarized. The strength of the magnetic field for which the resistivity saturates decreases as electron density goes down. Thus, the numerical calculations capture some of the features seen in recent experimental measurements of parallel magnetoconductance.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Consensus and ordering in language dynamics

We consider two social consensus models, the AB-model and the Naming Game restricted to two conventions, which describe a population of interacting agents that can be in either of two equivalent states (A or B) or in a third mixed (AB) state. Proposed in the context of language competition and emergence, the AB state was associated with bilingualism and synonymy respectively. We show that the two models are equivalent in the mean field approximation, though the differences at the microscopic level have non-trivial consequences. To point them out, we investigate an extension of these dynamics in which confidence/trust is considered, focusing on the case of an underlying fully connected graph, and we show that the consensus-polarization phase transition taking place in the Naming Game is not observed in the AB model. We then consider the interface motion in regular lattices. Qualitatively, both models show the same behavior: a diffusive interface motion in a one-dimensional lattice, and a curvature driven dynamics with diffusing stripe-like metastable states in a two-dimensional one. However, in comparison to the Naming Game, the AB-model dynamics is shown to slow down the diffusion of such configurations.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure