Scanning tunneling microscopy investigation of 2H-MoS_2: A layered semiconducting transition‐metal dichalcogenide

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has been enormously successful in solving several important problems in the geometric and electronic structure of homogeneous metallic and semiconducting surfaces. A central question which remains to be answered with respect to the study of compound surfaces, however, is the extent to which the chemical identity of constituent atoms may be established. Recently, progress in this area was made by Feenstra et al. who succeeded in selectively imaging either Ga or As atoms on the GaAs (110) surface. So far this is the only case where such selectivity has been achieved. In an effort to add to our understanding of compound surface imaging we have undertaken a vacuum STM study of 2H-MoS_2, a material which has two structurally and electronically different atomic species at its surface

Specialising Software for Different Downstream Applications Using Genetic Improvement and Code Transplantation

OAPA Genetic improvement uses computational search to improve existing software while retaining its partial functionality. Genetic improvement has previously been concerned with improving a system with respect to all possible usage scenarios. In this paper, we show how genetic improvement can also be used to achieve specialisation to a specific set of usage scenarios. We use genetic improvement to evolve faster versions of a C++ program, a Boolean satisfiability solver called MiniSAT, specialising it for three applications. Our specialised solvers achieve between 4% and 36% execution time improvement, which is commensurate with efficiency gains achievable using human expert optimisation for the general solver. We also use genetic improvement to evolve faster versions of an image processing tool called ImageMagick, utilising code from GraphicsMagick, another image processing tool which was forked from it. We specialise the format conversion functionality to black & amp; white images and colour images only. Our specialised versions achieve up to 3% execution time improvement

Quantitative maps of geomagnetic perturbation vectors during substorm onset and recovery

We have produced the first series of spherical harmonic, numerical maps of the time‐dependent surface perturbations in the Earth's magnetic field following the onset of substorms. Data from 124 ground magnetometer stations in the Northern Hemisphere at geomagnetic latitudes above 33° were used. Ground station data averaged over 5 min intervals covering 8 years (1998–2005) were used to construct pseudo auroral upper, auroral lower, and auroral electrojet (AU*, AL*, and AE*) indices. These indices were used to generate a list of substorms that extended from 1998 to 2005, through a combination of automated processing and visual checks. Events were sorted by interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation (at the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite), dipole tilt angle, and substorm magnitude. Within each category, the events were aligned on substorm onset. A spherical cap harmonic analysis was used to obtain a least error fit of the substorm disturbance patterns at 5 min intervals up to 90 min after onset. The fits obtained at onset time were subtracted from all subsequent fits, for each group of substorm events. Maps of the three vector components of the averaged magnetic perturbations were constructed to show the effects of substorm currents. These maps are produced for several specific ranges of values for the peak |AL*| index, IMF orientation, and dipole tilt angle. We demonstrate an influence of the dipole tilt angle on the response to substorms. Our results indicate that there are downward currents poleward and upward currents just equatorward of the peak in the substorms' westward electrojet.Key PointsShow quantitative maps of ground geomagnetic perturbations due to substormsThree vector components mapped as function of time during onset and recoveryCompare/contrast results for different tilt angle and sign of IMF Y‐componentPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110891/1/jgra51610.pd

Comment on “Nonlinear response of the polar ionosphere to large values of the interplanetary electric field” by C. T. Russell et al.

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95504/1/jgra16638.pd

Effective thermodynamics of strongly coupled qubits

Interactions between a quantum system and its environment at low temperatures can lead to violations of thermal laws for the system. The source of these violations is the entanglement between system and environment, which prevents the system from entering into a thermal state. On the other hand, for two-state systems, we show that one can define an effective temperature, placing the system into a `pseudo-thermal' state where effective thermal laws are upheld. We then numerically explore these assertions for an n-state system inspired by the spin-boson environment.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Consequences of a saturated convection electric field on the ring current

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94778/1/grl15466.pd

The two‐way relationship between ionospheric outflow and the ring current

It is now well established that the ionosphere, because it acts as a significant source of plasma, plays a critical role in ring current dynamics. However, because the ring current deposits energy into the ionosphere, the inverse may also be true: the ring current can play a critical role in the dynamics of ionospheric outflow. This study uses a set of coupled, first‐principles‐based numerical models to test the dependence of ionospheric outflow on ring current‐driven region 2 field‐aligned currents (FACs). A moderate magnetospheric storm event is modeled with the Space Weather Modeling Framework using a global MHD code (Block Adaptive Tree Solar wind Roe‐type Upwind Scheme, BATS‐R‐US), a polar wind model (Polar Wind Outflow Model), and a bounce‐averaged kinetic ring current model (ring current atmosphere interaction model with self‐consistent magnetic field, RAM‐SCB). Initially, each code is two‐way coupled to all others except for RAM‐SCB, which receives inputs from the other models but is not allowed to feed back pressure into the MHD model. The simulation is repeated with pressure coupling activated, which drives strong pressure gradients and region 2 FACs in BATS‐R‐US. It is found that the region 2 FACs increase heavy ion outflow by up to 6 times over the noncoupled results. The additional outflow further energizes the ring current, establishing an ionosphere‐magnetosphere mass feedback loop. This study further demonstrates that ionospheric outflow is not merely a plasma source for the magnetosphere but an integral part in the nonlinear ionosphere‐magnetosphere‐ring current system.Key PointsRegion 2 field‐aligned currents drive additional ionospheric O+ outflowThis additional outflow feeds the ring current, creating a feedback systemIonospheric outflow is a tightly coupled piece of the M‐I systemPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112284/1/jgra51836.pd

Understanding and Controlling Cu-Catalyzed Graphene Nucleation: The Role of Impurities, Roughness, and Oxygen Scavenging

The mechanism by which Cu catalyst pretreatments control graphene nucleation density in scalable chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is systematically explored. The intrinsic and extrinsic carbon contamination in the Cu foil is identified by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry as a major factor influencing graphene nucleation and growth. By selectively oxidizing the backside of the Cu foil prior to graphene growth, a drastic reduction of the graphene nucleation density by 6 orders of magnitude can be obtained. This approach decouples surface roughness effects and at the same time allows us to trace the scavenging effect of oxygen on deleterious carbon impurities as it permeates through the Cu bulk. Parallels to well-known processes in Cu metallurgy are discussed. We also put into context the relative effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of the most widely used Cu pretreatments, including wet etching and electropolishing, allowing a rationalization of current literature and determination of the relevant parameter space for graphene growth. Taking into account the wider CVD growth parameter space, guidelines are discussed for high-throughput manufacturing of "electronic-quality" monolayer graphene films with domain size exceeding 1 mm, suitable for emerging industrial applications, such as electronics and photonics.This research was supported by the ERC under grant InsituNANO (279342), the EPSRC under grant GRAPHTED (EP/K016636/1), and the Innovation R&D programme of the National Measurement System of the U.K. Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (project number 118616)