1,377 research outputs found
Composition profiling InAs quantum dots and wetting layers by atom probe tomography and cross-sectional scanning tunnelling microscopy
This study compares cross-sectional scanning tunnelling microscopy (XSTM) and
atom probe tomography (APT). We use epitaxially grown self-assembled InAs
quantum dots (QDs) in GaAs as an exemplary material with which to compare these
two nanostructural analysis techniques. We studied the composition of the
wetting layer and the QDs, and performed quantitative comparisons of the indium
concentration profiles measured by each method. We show that computational
models of the wetting layer and the QDs, based on experimental data, are
consistent with both analytical approaches. This establishes a link between the
two techniques and shows their complimentary behaviour, an advantage which we
exploit in order to highlight unique features of the examined QD material.Comment: Main article: 8 pages, 6 figures. Appendix: 3 pages, 5 figure
Measuring quantumness via anticommutators
We introduce a method to witness the quantumness of a system. The method
relies on the fact that the anticommutator of two classical states is always
positive. We show that there is always a nonpositive anticommutator due to any
two quantum states. We notice that interference depends on the trace of the
anticommutator of two states and it is therefore more natural to detect
quantumness by looking at anticommutators of states rather than their
commutators.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Origin of the spectral linewidth in non linear oscillators based on MgO tunnel junctions
We demonstrate the strong impact of the oscillator agility on the line
broadening by studying spin transfer induced microwave emission in MgO-based
tunnel junctions with current. The linewidth is almost not affected by
decreasing the temperature. At very low currents, a strong enhancement of the
linewidth at low temperature is attributed to an increase of the non linearity,
probably due to the field-like torque. Finally we evidence that the noise is
not dominated by thermal fluctuations but rather by the chaotization of the
magnetization system induced by the spin transfer torque.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, published in Phys. Rev. B 80, 060404 (2009
Observation of an energetic radiation burst from mountain-top thunderclouds
During thunderstorms on 2008 September 20, a simultaneous detection of gamma
rays and electrons was made at a mountain observatory in Japan located 2770 m
above sea level. Both emissions, lasting 90 seconds, were associated with
thunderclouds rather than lightning. The photon spectrum, extending to 10 MeV,
can be interpreted as consisting of bremsstrahlung gamma rays arriving from a
source which is 60 - 130 m in distance at 90% confidence level. The observed
electrons are likely to be dominated by a primary population escaping from an
acceleration region in the clouds.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review
Letter
Parallel pumping of magnetic vortex gyrations in spin-torque nano-oscillators
We experimentally demonstrate that large magnetic vortex oscillations can be
parametrically excited in a magnetic tunnel junction by the injection of
radio-frequency (rf) currents at twice the natural frequency of the gyrotropic
vortex core motion. The mechanism of excitation is based on the parallel
pumping of vortex motion by the rf orthoradial field generated by the injected
current. Theoretical analysis shows that experimental results can be
interpreted as the manifestation of parametric amplification when rf current is
small, and of parametric instability when rf current is above a certain
threshold. By taking into account the energy nonlinearities, we succeed to
describe the amplitude saturation of vortex oscillations as well as the
coexistence of stable regimes.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Fermi-LAT and Suzaku Observations of the Radio Galaxy Centaurus B
Centaurus B is a nearby radio galaxy positioned in the Southern hemisphere
close to the Galactic plane. Here we present a detailed analysis of about 43
months of accumulated Fermi-LAT data of the gamma-ray counterpart of the source
initially reported in the 2nd Fermi-LAT catalog, and of newly acquired Suzaku
X-ray data. We confirm its detection at GeV photon energies, and analyze the
extension and variability of the gamma-ray source in the LAT dataset, in which
it appears as a steady gamma-ray emitter. The X-ray core of Centaurus B is
detected as a bright source of a continuum radiation. We do not detect however
any diffuse X-ray emission from the known radio lobes, with the provided upper
limit only marginally consistent with the previously claimed ASCA flux. Two
scenarios that connect the X-ray and gamma-ray properties are considered. In
the first one, we assume that the diffuse non-thermal X-ray emission component
is not significantly below the derived Suzaku upper limit. In this case,
modeling the inverse-Compton emission shows that the observed gamma-ray flux of
the source may in principle be produced within the lobes. This association
would imply that efficient in-situ acceleration of the radiating electrons is
occurring and that the lobes are dominated by the pressure from the
relativistic particles. In the second scenario, with the diffuse X-ray emission
well below the Suzaku upper limits, the lobes in the system are instead
dominated by the magnetic pressure. In this case, the observed gamma-ray flux
is not likely to be produced within the lobes, but instead within the nuclear
parts of the jet. By means of synchrotron self-Compton modeling we show that
this possibility could be consistent with the broad-band data collected for the
unresolved core of Centaurus B, including the newly derived Suzaku spectrum.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 11 page
Purification through Zeno-like Measurements
A series of frequent measurements on a quantum system (Zeno-like
measurements) is shown to result in the ``purification'' of another quantum
system in interaction with the former. Even though the measurements are
performed on the former system, their effect drives the latter into a pure
state, irrespectively of its initial (mixed) state, provided certain conditions
are satisfied.Comment: REVTeX4, 4 pages, 1 figure; to be published in Phys. Rev. Lett.
(2003
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