Anisotropic optical response of nanocrystalline v2O5 thin films and effects of oxygen vacancy formation

We report a high sensitivity to oxygen vacancy formation as well as the temperature dependence of anisotropic optical properties of a nanocrystalline V2O5 thin film. Spectroscopic ellipsometry data show that the film has a uniaxial optical anisotropy due to a highly ordered nanocrystalline layer structure. The anisotropic optical properties of the film begin to change at 400 K in a high vacuum and can be linked to the changes in the electronic structure of the film upon reduction. An increase in the refractive indices, anisotropic changes of the optical conductivities, and a decrease in film thickness are observed after vacuum heating and are recovered to original values by heating in air up to 480 K. The experimental results are supported by the previous theoretical studies on the stability of reduced V2O5 surface through the formation of oxygen vacancies. We discuss the formation of oxygen vacancies, vacancy-induced structural relaxations, and changes in the electronic structure of V2O5 in conjunction with the experimental results.1441sciescopu

Highly reproducible alkali metal doping system for organic crystals through enhanced diffusion of alkali metal by secondary thermal activation

In this paper, we report an efficient alkali metal doping system for organic single crystals. Our system employs an enhanced diffusion method for the introduction of alkali metal into organic single crystals by controlling the sample temperature to induce secondary thermal activation. Using this system, we achieved intercalation of potassium into picene single crystals with closed packed crystal structures. Using optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, we confirmed that the resulting samples were uniformly doped and became K2picene single crystal, while only parts of the crystal are doped and transformed into K2picene without secondary thermal activation. Moreover, using a customized electrical measurement system, the insulator-to-semiconductor transition of picene single crystals upon doping was confirmed by in situ electrical conductivity and ex situ temperature-dependent resistivity measurements. X-ray diffraction studies showed that potassium atoms were intercalated between molecular layers of picene, and doped samples did not show any KH- nor KOH-related peaks, indicating that picene molecules are retained without structural decomposition. During recent decades, tremendous efforts have been exerted to develop high-performance organic semiconductors and superconductors, whereas as little attention has been devoted to doped organic crystals. Our method will enable efficient alkali metal doping of organic crystals and will be a resource for future systematic studies on the electrical property changes of these organic crystals upon doping. © 2018 The Author(s

Brain Structural Networks Associated with Intelligence and Visuomotor Ability

Increasing evidence indicates that multiple structures in the brain are associated with intelligence and cognitive function at the network level. The association between the grey matter (GM) structural network and intelligence and cognition is not well understood. We applied a multivariate approach to identify the pattern of GM and link the structural network to intelligence and cognitive functions. Structural magnetic resonance imaging was acquired from 92 healthy individuals. Source-based morphometry analysis was applied to the imaging data to extract GM structural covariance. We assessed the intelligence, verbal fluency, processing speed, and executive functioning of the participants and further investigated the correlations of the GM structural networks with intelligence and cognitive functions. Six GM structural networks were identified. The cerebello-parietal component and the frontal component were significantly associated with intelligence. The parietal and frontal regions were each distinctively associated with intelligence by maintaining structural networks with the cerebellum and the temporal region, respectively. The cerebellar component was associated with visuomotor ability. Our results support the parieto-frontal integration theory of intelligence by demonstrating how each core region for intelligence works in concert with other regions. In addition, we revealed how the cerebellum is associated with intelligence and cognitive functions

Metal-insulator transition in disordered 2DEG including temperature effects

We calculate self-consistently the mutual dependence of electron correlations and electron-defect scattering for a two dimensional electron gas at finite temperature. We employ an STLS approach to calculate the electron correlations while the electron scattering rate off Coulombic impurities and surface roughness is calculated using self-consistent current-relaxation theory. The methods are combined and self-consistently solved. We discuss a metal-insulator transition for a range of disorder levels and electron densities. Our results are in good agreement with recent experimental observations.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX + epsf, 5 figure

Adhesion mechanics of graphene membranes

The interaction of graphene with neighboring materials and structures plays an important role in its behavior, both scientifically and technologically. The interactions are complicated due to the interplay between surface forces and possibly nonlinear elastic behavior. Here we review recent experimental and theoretical advances in the understanding of graphene adhesion. We organize our discussion into experimental and theoretical efforts directed toward: graphene conformation to a substrate, determination of adhesion energy, and applications where graphene adhesion plays an important role. We conclude with a brief prospectus outlining open issues.Comment: Review article to appear in special issue on graphene in Solid State Communication

Reliability of the beamsplitter based Bell-state measurement

A linear 50/50 beamsplitter, together with a coincidence measurement, has been widely used in quantum optical experiments, such as teleportation, dense coding, etc., for interferometrically distinguishing, measuring, or projecting onto one of the four two-photon polarization Bell-states $|\psi^{(-)}>$. In this paper, we demonstrate that the coincidence measurement at the output of a beamsplitter cannot be used as an absolute identifier of the input state $|\psi^{(-)}>$ nor as an indication that the input photons have projected to the $|\psi^{(-)}>$ state.Comment: 4 pages, two-colum

Orientational pinning and transverse voltage: Simulations and experiments in square Josephson junction arrays

We study the dependence of the transport properties of square Josephson Junctions arrays with the direction of the applied dc current, both experimentally and numerically. We present computational simulations of current-voltage curves at finite temperatures for a single vortex in the array ($Ha^2/\Phi_0=f=1/L^2$), and experimental measurements in $100\times1000$ arrays under a low magnetic field corresponding to $f\approx0.02$. We find that the transverse voltage vanishes only in the directions of maximum symmetry of the square lattice: the [10] and [01] direction (parallel bias) and the [11] direction (diagonal bias). For orientations different than the symmetry directions, we find a finite transverse voltage which depends strongly on the angle $\phi$ of the current. We find that vortex motion is pinned in the [10] direction ($\phi=0$), meaning that the voltage response is insensitive to small changes in the orientation of the current near $\phi=0$. We call this phenomenon orientational pinning. This leads to a finite transverse critical current for a bias at $\phi=0$ and to a transverse voltage for a bias at $\phi\not=0$. On the other hand, for diagonal bias in the [11] direction the behavior is highly unstable against small variations of $\phi$, leading to a rapid change from zero transverse voltage to a large transverse voltage within a few degrees. This last behavior is in good agreement with our measurements in arrays with a quasi-diagonal current drive.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure

Synchronization and resonance in a driven system of coupled oscillators

We study the noise effects in a driven system of globally coupled oscillators, with particular attention to the interplay between driving and noise. The self-consistency equation for the order parameter, which measures the collective synchronization of the system, is derived; it is found that the total order parameter decreases monotonically with noise, indicating overall suppression of synchronization. Still, for large coupling strengths, there exists an optimal noise level at which the periodic (ac) component of the order parameter reaches its maximum. The response of the phase velocity is also examined and found to display resonance behavior.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figure

A New Upper Limit for the Tau-Neutrino Magnetic Moment

Using a prompt neutrino beam in which a nu_tau component was identified for the first time, the nu_tau magnetic moment was measured based on a search for an anomalous increase in the number of neutrino-electron interactions. One such event was observed when 2.3 were expected from background processes, giving an upper 90% confidence limit of 3.9x10^-7 Bohr magnetons.Comment: 9 pages; 1 figur