Improving the conductance of carbon nanotube networks through resonant momentum exchange

We present a mechanism to improve the conductivity of carbon nanotube (CNT) networks by improving the conductance between CNTs of different chirality. We argue generally that a weak perturbation can greatly improve the inter-tube conductance by allowing momentum-conserving tunnelling. The mechanism is verified with a tight-binding model, allowing an investigation of its impact for a network containing a range of chiralities. We discuss practical implementations, and conclude that it may be effected by weak physical interactions, and therefore does not require chemical bonding to the CNTs.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Calibration of the CH and CN Variations Among Main Sequence Stars in M71 and in M13

An analysis of the CN and CH band strengths measured in a large sample of M71 and M13 main sequence stars by Cohen (1999a,b) is undertaken using synthetic spectra to quantify the underlying C and N abundances. In the case of M71 it is found that the observed CN and CH band strengths are best matched by the {\it{identical}} C/N/O abundances which fit the bright giants, implying: 1) little if any mixing is taking place during red giant branch ascent in M71, and 2) a substantial component of the C and N abundance inhomogeneities is in place before the main sequence turn-off. The unlikelihood of mixing while on the main sequence requires an explanation for the abundance variations which lies outside the present stars (primordial inhomogeneities or intra-cluster self enrichment). For M13 it is shown that the 3883\AA CN bands are too weak to be measured in the spectra for any reasonable set of expected compositions. A similar situation exists for CH as well. However, two of the more luminous program stars do appear to have C abundances considerably greater than those found among the bright giants thereby suggesting deep mixing has taken place on the M13 red giant branch.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication by A

The 67 Hz Feature in the Black Hole Candidate GRS 1915+105 as a Possible ``Diskoseismic'' Mode

The Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) has made feasible for the first time the search for high-frequency (~ 100 Hz) periodic features in black hole candidate (BHC) systems. Such a feature, with a 67 Hz frequency, recently has been discovered in the BHC GRS 1915+105 (Morgan, Remillard, & Greiner). This feature is weak (rms variability ~0.3%-1.6%), stable in frequency (to within ~2 Hz) despite appreciable luminosity fluctuations, and narrow (quality factor Q ~ 20). Several of these properties are what one expects for a ``diskoseismic'' g-mode in an accretion disk about a 10.6 M_sun (nonrotating) - 36.3 M_sun (maximally rotating) black hole (if we are observing the fundamental mode frequency). We explore this possibility by considering the expected luminosity modulation, as well as possible excitation and growth mechanisms---including turbulent excitation, damping, and ``negative'' radiation damping. We conclude that a diskoseismic interpretation of the observations is viable.Comment: 4 Pages, Latex (emulateapj.sty included), to Appear in ApJ Letters, Vol. 477, Final Version with Updated Reference

Rietveld refinement of the crystal structures of Rb2X Si5O12 (X = Ni, Mn)

The synthetic leucite silicate framework mineral analogues Rb2XSi5O12 {X = Ni [dirubidium nickel(II) pentasilicate] and Mn [dirubidium manganese(II) pentasilicate]} have been prepared by high-temperature solid-state synthesis. The results of Rietveld refinements, using X-ray powder diffraction data collected using Cu K[alpha] X-rays, show that the title compounds crystallize in the space group Pbca and adopt the cation-ordered structure of Cs2CdSi5O12 and other leucites. The structures consist of tetrahedral SiO4 and XO4 units sharing corners to form a partially substituted silicate framework. Extraframework Rb+ cations sit in channels in the framework. All atoms occupy the 8c general position for this space group. In these refined structures, silicon and X atoms are ordered onto separate tetrahedrally coordinated sites (T-sites). However, the Ni displacement parameter and the Ni—O bond lengths suggest that for the X = Ni sample, there may actually be some T-site cation disorder

Production of multipartite entanglement for electron spins in quantum dots

We propose how to generate genuine multipartite entanglement of electron spin qubits in a chain of quantum dots using the naturally available single-qubit rotations and two-qubit Heisenberg exchange interaction in the system. We show that the minimum number of required operations to generate entangled states of the GHZ-, cluster and W-type scales linearly with the number of qubits and estimate the fidelities of the generated entangled cluster states. As the required single and two-qubit operations have recently been realized, our proposed scheme opens the way for experimental investigation of multipartite entanglement with electron spin qubits.Comment: 8 pages, 2 Figure

Rietveld refinements of the crystal structures of Rb2XSi5O12 (X = Mn, Ni)

Poster Number: CCG06 Synthetic analogues of the silicate framework mineral leucite (KAlSi2O6) with the stoichiometry Rb2XSi5O12 (X = Mn, Ni) have been prepared by high temperature solid-state synthesis. Ambient temperature X-ray powder diffraction data have been collected on these samples. Analysis of these powder diffraction data show that these samples both consist of single phases [1] isostructural with the Pbca cation-ordered framework leucite structure of Cs2CdSi5O12 [2]. Rietveld refinement [3] shows that for X = Mn this crystal structure has complete Mn and Si cation order over the tetrahredrally coordinated sites (T-sites) in the silicate framework. However, for X = Ni, Rietveld refinement suggests that there may be some Ni and Si cation T-site cation disorder

C and N Abundances in Stars At the Base of the Red Giant Branch in M5

We present an analysis of a large sample of moderate resolution Keck LRIS spectra of subgiant (V \sim 17.2) and fainter stars in the Galactic globular cluster M5 (NGC 5904) with the goal of deriving C and N abundances. Star-to-star stochastic variations with significant range in both [C/Fe] and [N/Fe] are found at all luminosities extending to the bottom of the RGB at M_V \sim +3. Similar variations in CH appear to be present in the main sequence turnoff spectra. There is no sign of a change in the behavior of C and N with evolutionary stage over the full range in luminosity of the RGB and SGB. The C and N abundances appear strongly anti-correlated, as would be expected from the CN-cycle processing of stellar material. Yet the present stars are considerably fainter than the RGB bump, the point at which deep mixing is believed to set in. On this basis, while the observed abundance pattern is consistent with proton capture nucleosynthesis, we infer that the site of the reactions is likely not within the present sample, but rather in a population of more massive (2 -- 5 M(Sun)) now defunct stars. The range of variation of the N abundances is very large and the sum of C+N increases as C decreases. To reproduce this requires the incorporation not only of CN but also of ON-processed material. Furthermore, the existence of this correlation is quite difficult to reproduce with an external mechanism such as ``pollution'' with material processed in a more massive AGB star, which mechanism is fundamentally stochastic in nature. We therefore suggest that although the internal mixing hypothesis has serious flaws,new theoretical insights are needed and it should not be ruled out yet. (abridged)Comment: Slightly updated version to conform to that accepted by the A

Synthesis and Variable Temperature Electrical Conductivity Studies of Highly Ordered TiO2 Nanotubes

Rafts of aligned, high aspect ratio TiO2 nanotubes were fabricated by an electrochemical anodization method and their axial electrical conductivities were determined over the temperature range 225-400 °C. Length, outer diameter and wall thickness of the nanotubes were approximately 60-80 µm, 160 nm and 30 nm, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy studies confirmed that the TiO2 nanotubes were initially amorphous, and became polycrystalline anatase after heat treatment attemperatures as low as 250 °C in air. The activation energy for conductivity over the temperature range 250 - 350 °C was found to be 0.87 eV. The conductivity values are comparable to those of nanocrystalline and nanoporous anatase thin films reported in literature.Engineering and Applied Science