22,488 research outputs found
A parity-breaking electronic nematic phase transition in the spin-orbit coupled metal CdReO
Strong electron interactions can drive metallic systems toward a variety of
well-known symmetry-broken phases, but the instabilities of correlated metals
with strong spin-orbit coupling have only recently begun to be explored. We
uncovered a multipolar nematic phase of matter in the metallic pyrochlore
CdReO using spatially resolved second-harmonic optical anisotropy
measurements. Like previously discovered electronic nematic phases, this
multipolar phase spontaneously breaks rotational symmetry while preserving
translational invariance. However, it has the distinguishing property of being
odd under spatial inversion, which is allowed only in the presence of
spin-orbit coupling. By examining the critical behavior of the multipolar
nematic order parameter, we show that it drives the thermal phase transition
near 200 kelvin in CdReO and induces a parity-breaking lattice
distortion as a secondary order.Comment: 9 pages main text, 4 figures, 10 pages supplementary informatio
A study on inclusion formation mechanism in alpha-LiIO sub 3 crystals
The spatial distribution of inclusions in alpha-LiIO3 crystals by means of an argon laser beam scanning technique is studied. The effects of crystal dimensions and solution fluid flow on the inclusion formation in the alpha-LiIO3 crystals were observed. It was further shown that the fluid flow plays an important role in the formation of inclusions. The results obtained were further applied and verified by growing a perfect alpha-LiIO3 single crystal. An experimental foundation for further theoretical studies on the causes of inclusions may be provided
Transmutation prospect of long-lived nuclear waste induced by high-charge electron beam from laser plasma accelerator
Photo-transmutation of long-lived nuclear waste induced by high-charge
relativistic electron beam (e-beam) from laser plasma accelerator is
demonstrated. Collimated relativistic e-beam with a high charge of
approximately 100 nC is produced from high-intensity laser interaction with
near-critical-density (NCD) plasma. Such e-beam impinges on a high-Z convertor
and then radiates energetic bremsstrahlung photons with flux approaching
10^{11} per laser shot. Taking long-lived radionuclide ^{126}Sn as an example,
the resulting transmutation reaction yield is the order of 10^{9} per laser
shot, which is two orders of magnitude higher than obtained from previous
studies. It is found that at lower densities, tightly focused laser irradiating
relatively longer NCD plasmas can effectively enhance the transmutation
efficiency. Furthermore, the photo-transmutation is generalized by considering
mixed-nuclide waste samples, which suggests that the laser-accelerated
high-charge e-beam could be an efficient tool to transmute long-lived nuclear
waste.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, it has been submitted to Physics of Plasm
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