71,983 research outputs found
Electron pockets and pseudogap asymmetry observed in the thermopower of underdoped cuprates
We calculate the diffusion thermoelectric power of high-Tc cuprates using the
resonating-valence-bond spin-liquid model developed by Yang, Rice and Zhang
(YRZ). In this model, reconstruction of the energy-momentum dispersion results
in a pseudogap in the density of states that is heavily asymmetric about the
Fermi level. The subsequent asymmetry in the spectral conductivity is found to
account for the large magnitude and temperature dependence of the thermopower
observed in underdoped cuprates. In addition we find evidence in experimental
data for electron pockets in the Fermi surface, arising from a YRZ-like
reconstruction, near the onset of the pseudogap in the slightly overdoped
regime.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in EP
Exploring the value of Scotland's environment
Protection of the environment can be regarded as representing a substantial cost to business. However, it is typically considered from the point of view of effect on company profitability, rather than its relative importance to human kind. This paper estimates the value of Scotland's natural environment by applying the methodology developed by Costanza et al (1997a and b) for estimation of the value of the earth's ecosystem services. Ecosystem services provide the vital functions to support life on Earth, such as flows of materials and energy. Since the study's publication, further research has sought to apply this global methodology to a regional and national level (for example Loomis et al, 2000, Farber and Griner, 2000 and Stevens et al, 2000). The value derived for Scotland provides a useful context for understanding the scale and importance of Scotland's natural habitats and it helps to reinforce the message that the environment is central to human welfare (Williams et al, 2003). The valuation of ecosystem services in monetary terms provokes theoretical, practical and philosophical arguments. This paper does not seek to revisit in depth these debates; rather the valuation should be taken as a starting point for setting the importance of Scotland's ecosystems in an interesting perspective. A recent edition of the journal Ecological Economics (Costanza and Farber, 2002) was devoted to considering some of these issues and providing many avenues for further exploration
Evidence for two electronic components in high-temperature superconductivity from NMR
A new analysis of 63Cu and 17O NMR shift data on La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 is reported
that supports earlier work arguing for a two-component description of this
material, but conflicts with the widely held view that the cuprates are a
one-component system. The data are analyzed in terms of two components A and B
with susceptibilities Chi(A), Chi(B), and Chi(AB)=Chi(BA) . We find that above
Tc, Chi(AB) and Chi(BB) are independent of temperature and obtain for the first
time the temperature dependence of all three susceptibilities above Tc as well
as the complete temperature dependence of Chi(AA)+Chi(AB) and of
Chi(AB)+Chi(BB) below Tc. The form of the results agrees with that recently
proposed by Barzykin and Pines.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
Nanoindentation-induced deformation of Ge
The deformation mechanisms of crystalline (100) Ge were studied using nanoindentation, cross sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) and Raman microspectroscopy. For a wide range of indentation conditions using both spherical and pointed indenters, multiple discontinuities were found in the force–displacement curves on loading, but no discontinuities were found on unloading. Raman microspectroscopy, measured from samples which had plastically deformed on loading, showed a spectrum shift from that in pristine Ge, suggesting only residual strain. No evidence (such as extra Raman bands) was found to suggest that any pressure-induced phase transformations had occurred, despite the fact that the material had undergone severe plastic deformation.Selected area diffraction pattern studies of the mechanically damaged regions also confirmed the absence of additional phases. Moreover, XTEM showed that, at low loads, plastic deformation occurs by twinning and dislocation motion. This indicates that the hardness of Gemeasured by indentation is not primarily dominated by phase transformation, rather by the nucleation and propagation of twin bands and/or dislocations
Spin Dynamics near the Superconductor-to-Insulator Transition in Impurity-Doped YBa2Cu4O8
We studied low-frequency spin dynamics near the impurity-induced
superconductor-to-insulator transition for underdoped high-Tc superconductor
YBa2(Cu1-xMx)4O8 (M=Ni, Zn) using the Cu nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR)
spin-echo technique. We observed remarkable suppression of the normal-state
pseudo spin-gap and a loss of Cu NQR spectrum intensity at low temperatures
around the critical impurity concentration.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. To be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Vol.70,
No.7 (2001
Boosting clinical performance: The impact of enhanced final year placements.
BACKGROUND: This study follows on from a study that investigated how to develop effective final year medical student assistantship placements, using multidisciplinary clinical teams in planning and delivery. AIMS: This study assessed the effects on objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performance of the in-course enhanced "super-assistantship" placement introduced to a randomly selected sample of 2013-14 final year medical students at Leeds medical school. METHODS: Quantitative data analysis was used to compare the global grades of OSCE stations between students who undertook this placement against those who did not. RESULTS: There was a small overall improvement in the "super-assistantship" student scores across the whole assessment (effect size = 0.085). "Pre-op Capacity", "Admissions Prescribing" and "Hip Pain" stations had small-medium effect sizes (0.226, 0.215, and 0.214) in favor of the intervention group. Other stations had small effect sizes (0.107-0.191), mostly in favor of the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: The "super-assistantship" experience characterized by increasing student responsibility on placement can help to improve competence and confidence in clinical decision-making "in a simulated environment". The clinical environment and multidisciplinary team must be ready and supported to provide these opportunities effectively. Further in-course opportunities for increasing final year student responsibility should be developed
Suppression of Superconductivity in Mesoscopic Superconductors
We propose a new boundary-driven phase transition associated with vortex
nucleation in mesoscopic superconductors (of size of the order of, or larger
than, the penetration depth). We derive the rescaling equations and we show
that boundary effects associated with vortex nucleation lowers the conventional
transition temperature in mesoscopic superconductors by an amount which is a
function of the size of the superconductor. This result explains recent
experiments in small superconductors where it was found that the transition
temperature depends on the size of the system and is lower than the critical
Berezinsk\u{i}-Kosterlitz-Thouless temperature.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. Vol. 86 (15 Jan. 2001
- …