2,245 research outputs found
Exchange bias in GeMn nanocolumns: the role of surface oxidation
We report on the exchange biasing of self-assembled ferromagnetic GeMn
nanocolumns by GeMn-oxide caps. The x-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis of
this surface oxide shows a multiplet fine structure that is typical of the Mn2+
valence state in MnO. A magnetization hysteresis shift |HE|~100 Oe and a
coercivity enhancement of about 70 Oe have been obtained upon cooling (300-5 K)
in a magnetic field as low as 0.25 T. This exchange bias is attributed to the
interface coupling between the ferromagnetic nanocolumns and the
antiferromagnetic MnO-like caps. The effect enhancement is achieved by
depositing a MnO layer on the GeMn nanocolumns.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Using conceptual metaphor and functional grammar to explore how language used in physics affects student learning
This paper introduces a theory about the role of language in learning
physics. The theory is developed in the context of physics students' and
physicists' talking and writing about the subject of quantum mechanics. We
found that physicists' language encodes different varieties of analogical
models through the use of grammar and conceptual metaphor. We hypothesize that
students categorize concepts into ontological categories based on the
grammatical structure of physicists' language. We also hypothesize that
students over-extend and misapply conceptual metaphors in physicists' speech
and writing. Using our theory, we will show how, in some cases, we can explain
student difficulties in quantum mechanics as difficulties with language.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. ST:PE
Ising magnetism and ferroelectricity in CaCoMnO
The origin of both the Ising chain magnetism and ferroelectricity in
CaCoMnO is studied by electronic structure calculations
and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. We find that CaCoMnO has the
alternate trigonal prismatic Co and octahedral Mn sites in the
spin chain. Both the Co and Mn are in the high spin state. In
addition, the Co has a huge orbital moment of 1.7 which is
responsible for the significant Ising magnetism. The centrosymmetric crystal
structure known so far is calculated to be unstable with respect to exchange
striction in the experimentally observed
antiferromagnetic structure for the Ising chain. The calculated inequivalence
of the Co-Mn distances accounts for the ferroelectricity.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, PRL in press (changes made upon referees
comments
Orbital order in La0.5Sr1.5MnO4: beyond a common local Jahn-Teller picture
The standard way to find the orbital occupation of Jahn-Teller (JT) ions is
to use structural data, with the assumption of a one-to-one correspondence
between the orbital occupation and the associated JT distortion, e.g. in O6
octahedron. We show, however, that this approach in principle does not work for
layered systems. Specifically, using the layered manganite La0.5Sr1.5MnO4 as an
example, we found from our x-ray absorption measurements and theoretical
calculations, that the type of orbital ordering strongly contradicts the
standard local distortion approach for the Mn3+O6 octahedra, and that the
generally ignored long-range crystal field effect and anisotropic hopping
integrals are actually crucial to determine the orbital occupation. Our
findings may open a pathway to control of the orbital state in multilayer
systems and thus of their physical properties.Comment: 4+ pages, 4 figure
Discovery of a 500 pc shell in the nucleus of Centaurus A
Spitzer Space Telescope mid-infrared images of the radio galaxy Centaurus A
reveal a shell-like, bipolar, structure 500 pc to the north and south of the
nucleus. This shell is seen in 5.8, 8.0 and 24 micron broad-band images. Such a
remarkable shell has not been previously detected in a radio galaxy and is the
first extragalactic nuclear shell detected at mid-infrared wavelengths. We
estimate that the shell is a few million years old and has a mass of order
million solar masses. A conservative estimate for the mechanical energy in the
wind driven bubble is 10^53 erg. The shell could have created by a small few
thousand solar mass nuclear burst of star formation. Alternatively, the
bolometric luminosity of the active nucleus is sufficiently large that it could
power the shell. Constraints on the shell's velocity are lacking. However, if
the shell is moving at 1000 km/s then the required mechanical energy would be
100 times larger.Comment: submitted to ApJ Letter
Valence, spin, and orbital state of the Co ions in the one-dimensional Ca3Co2O6: an x-ray absorption and magnetic circular dichroism study
We have investigated the valence, spin, and orbital state of the Co ions in
the one-dimensional cobaltate Ca3Co2O6 using x-ray absorption and x-ray
magnetic circular dichroism at the Co-L2,3 edges. The Co ions at both the
octahedral Co_oct and trigonal Co_trig sites are found to be in a 3+ state.
From the analysis of the dichroism we established a low-spin state for the
Co_oct and a high-spin state with an anomalously large orbital moment of 1.7
muB at the Co3+ trig ions. This large orbital moment along the c-axis chain and
the unusually large magnetocrystalline anisotropy can be traced back to the
double occupancy of the d2 orbital in trigonal crystal field.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
The effect of isocapnic hyperoxia on neurophysiology as measured with MRI and MEG
The physiological effect of hyperoxia has been poorly characterised, with studies reporting conflicting results on the role of hyperoxia as a vasoconstrictor. It is not clear whether hyperoxia is the primary contributor to vasoconstriction or whether induced changes in CO2 that commonly accompany hyperoxia are a factor. As calibrated BOLD fMRI based on hyperoxia becomes more widely used, it is essential to understand the effects of oxygen on resting cerebral physiology. This study used a RespirActTM system to deliver a repeatable isocapnic hyperoxia stimulus to investigate the independent effect of O2 on cerebral physiology, removing any potential confounds related to altered CO2. T1-independent Phase Contrast MRI was used to demonstrate that isocapnic hyperoxia has no significant effect on carotid blood flow (normoxia 201 ± 11 ml/min, -0.3 ± 0.8 % change during hyperoxia, p = 0.8), whilst Look Locker ASL was used to demonstrate that there is no significant change in arterial cerebral blood volume (normoxia 1.3 ± 0.4 %, -0.5 ± 5 % change during hyperoxia). These are in contrast to significant changes in blood flow observed for hypercapnia (6.8 ± 1.5 %/mmHg CO2). In addition, magnetoencephalography provided a method to monitor the effect of isocapnic hyperoxia on neuronal oscillatory power. In response to hyperoxia, a significant focal decrease in oscillatory power was observed across the alpha, beta and low gamma bands in the occipital lobe, compared to a more global significant decrease on hypercapnia. This work suggests that isocapnic hyperoxia provides a more reliable stimulus than hypercapnia for calibrated BOLD, and that previous reports of vasoconstriction during hyperoxia probably reflect the effects of hyperoxia-induced changes in CO2. However, hyperoxia does induce changes in oscillatory power consistent with an increase in vigilance, but these changes are smaller than those observed under hypercapnia. The effect of this change in neural activity on calibrated BOLD using hyperoxia or combined hyperoxia and hypercapnia needs further investigation
Closing the shell: Gas-phase solvation of halides by 1,3-butadiene
Gas-phase solvation of halides by 1,3-butadiene has been studied via a combination of photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory. Photoelectron spectra for X−⋯(C4H6)n (X=Cl, Br, I where n=1-3, 1–3 and 1–7 respectively) are presented. For all complexes, the calculated structures indicate that butadiene is bound in a bidentate fashion through hydrogen-bonding, with the chloride complex showing the greatest degree of stabilisation of the internal C−C rotation of cis-butadiene. In both Cl− and Br− complexes, the first solvation shell is shown to be at least n = 4 from the vertical detachment energies (VDEs), however for I−, increases in the VDE may suggest a metastable, partially filled, first solvation shell for n = 4 and a complete shell at n = 6. These results have implications for gas-phase clustering in atmospheric and extraterrestrial environments
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