1,678 research outputs found
Critical State Flux Penetration and Linear Microwave Vortex Response in YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-x} Films
The vortex contribution to the dc field (H) dependent microwave surface
impedance Z_s = R_s+iX_s of YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-x} thin films was measured using
suspended patterned resonators. Z_s(H) is shown to be a direct measure of the
flux density B(H) enabling a very precise test of models of flux penetration.
Three regimes of field-dependent behavior were observed: (1) Initial flux
penetration occurs on very low field scales H_i(4.2K) 100Oe, (2) At moderate
fields the flux penetration into the virgin state is in excellent agreement
with calculations based upon the field-induced Bean critical state for thin
film geometry, parametrized by a field scale H_s(4.2K) J_c*d 0.5T, (3) for very
high fields H >>H_s, the flux density is uniform and the measurements enable
direct determination of vortex parameters such as pinning force constants
\alpha_p and vortex viscosity \eta. However hysteresis loops are in
disagreement with the thin film Bean model, and instead are governed by the low
field scale H_i, rather than by H_s. Geometric barriers are insufficient to
account for the observed results.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX type, Uses REVTeX style files, Submitted to Physical
Review B, 600 dpi PostScript file with high resolution figures available at
http://sagar.physics.neu.edu/preprints.htm
C-axis Penetration Depth and Inter-layer Conductivity in the Thallium Based Cuprate Superconductors
The c-axis Josephson plasmon in optimally doped single-layer and bi-layer
high Tc cuprates Tl2201 and Tl2212 have been investigated using infrared
spectroscopy. We observed the plasma frequencies for these two compounds at
27.8 and 25.6 cm-1 respectively, which we interpret as a Josephson resonance
across the TlO blocking layers. No maximum in the temperature dependence of the
c-axis conductivity was observed below Tc, indicating that even in the
superconducting state a coherent quasi-particle contribution to the c-axis
conductivity is absent or very weak, in contrast to the behaviour of the
ab-plane conductivity.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Microwave Current Imaging in Passive HTS Components by Low-Temperature Laser Scanning Microscopy (LTLSM)
We have used the LTLSM technique for a spatially resolved investigation of
the microwave transport properties, nonlinearities and material inhomogeneities
in an operating coplanar waveguide YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta} (YBCO) microwave
resonator on an LaAlO_3 (LAO) substrate. The influence of twin-domain blocks,
in-plane rotated grains, and micro-cracks in the YBCO film on the nonuniform rf
current distribution were measured with a micrometer-scale spatial resolution.
The impact of the peaked edge currents and rf field penetration into weak links
on the linear device performance were studied as well. The LTLSM capabilities
and its future potential for non-destructive characterization of the microwave
properties of superconducting circuits are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, 2-column format, presented at High Temperature
Superconductors in High Frequency Fields 2004, Journal of Superconductivity
(in press
Beyond Prejudice as Simple Antipathy: Hostile and Benevolent Sexism Across Cultures
The authors argue that complementary hostile and benevolent componen:s of sexism exist ac ro.ss
cultures. Male dominance creates hostile sexism (HS). but men's dependence on women fosters
benevolent sexism (BS)-subjectively positive attitudes that put women on a pedestal but reinforce their
subordination. Research with 15,000 men and women in 19 nations showed that (a) HS and BS are
coherenl constructs th at correlate positively across nations, but (b) HS predicts the ascription of negative
and BS the ascription of positive traits to women, (c) relative to men, women are more likely to reject
HS than BS. especially when overall levels of sexism in a culture are high, and (d) national averages on
BS and HS predict gender inequal ity across nations. These results challenge prevailing notions of
prejudice as an antipathy in that BS (an affectionate, patronizing ideology) reflects inequality and is a
cross-culturally pervasive complement to HS
Experimental Study of the Inductance of Pinned Vortices in Superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-d Films
Using a two-coil mutual inductance method, we have measured the complex
resistivity, rho_v(T,Be), of pinned vortices in c-axis pulsed laser deposited
YBa2Cu3O7-d films with magnetic field Be applied perpendicular to the film. At
low frequencies, (<100 kHz), rho_v is inductive and is inversely proportional
to the Labusch parameter, the average vortex pinning force constant, kappa_exp.
The observed weakening of kappa_exp with Be is consistent with a simple model
based on linear pinning defects. Adding classical thermal fluctuations to the
model in a simple way describes the observed linear T dependence of rho_v,
below ~15 K and provides reasonable values for the effective radius (.3 nm to
>.8 nm) of the defects and the depth of the pinning potential. The success of
this model implies that thermal supercurrent (phase) fluctuations have their
full classical amplitude down to 5 K for frequencies below the characteristic
depinning frequency. To date, no sufficient theory exists to explain the data
between ~15 K and the vortex glass melting temperature.Comment: 31 pages, 8 figures. Subm. to PR
Freely decaying weak turbulence for sea surface gravity waves
We study numerically the generation of power laws in the framework of weak
turbulence theory for surface gravity waves in deep water. Starting from a
random wave field, we let the system evolve numerically according to the
nonlinear Euler equations for gravity waves in infinitely deep water. In
agreement with the theory of Zakharov and Filonenko, we find the formation of a
power spectrum characterized by a power law of the form of .Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Thin superconducting disk with B-dependent Jc: Flux and current distributions
The critical state in a superconducting thin circular disk with an arbitrary
magnetic field dependence of the critical sheet current, Jc(B), is analyzed.
With an applied field Ba perpendicular to the disk, a set of coupled integral
equations for the flux and current distributions is derived. The equations are
solved numerically, and flux and current profiles are presented graphically for
several commonly used Jc(B) dependences. It is shown that for small Ba the flux
penetration depth can be described by an effective Bean model with a
renormalized Jc entering the leading term. We argue that these results are
qualitatively correct for thin superconductors of any shape. The results
contrast the parallel geometry behavior, where at small Ba the B-dependence of
the critical current can be ignored.Comment: RevTeX, 7 pages including 8 figure
Owning an overweight or underweight body: distinguishing the physical, experienced and virtual body
Our bodies are the most intimately familiar objects we encounter in our perceptual environment. Virtual reality provides a unique method to allow us to experience having a very different body from our own, thereby providing a valuable method to explore the plasticity of body representation. In this paper, we show that women can experience ownership over a whole virtual body that is considerably smaller or larger than their physical body. In order to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying body ownership, we use an embodiment questionnaire, and introduce two new behavioral response measures: an affordance estimation task (indirect measure of body size) and a body size estimation task (direct measure of body size). Interestingly, after viewing the virtual body from first person perspective, both the affordance and the body size estimation tasks indicate a change in the perception of the size of the participant’s experienced body. The change is biased by the size of the virtual body (overweight or underweight). Another novel aspect of our study is that we distinguish between the physical, experienced and virtual bodies, by asking participants to provide affordance and body size estimations for each of the three bodies separately. This methodological point is important for virtual reality experiments investigating body ownership of a virtual body, because it offers a better understanding of which cues (e.g. visual, proprioceptive, memory, or a combination thereof) influence body perception, and whether the impact of these cues can vary between different setups
Decreased blood–brain barrier P-glycoprotein function in the progression of Parkinson’s disease, PSP and MSA
Decreased blood–brain barrier (BBB) efflux function of the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) transport system could facilitate the accumulation of toxic compounds in the brain, increasing the risk of neurodegenerative pathology such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study investigated in vivo BBB P-gp function in patients with parkinsonian neurodegenerative syndromes, using [11C]-verapamil PET in PD, PSP and MSA patients. Regional differences in distribution volume were studied using SPM with higher uptake interpreted as reduced P-gp function. Advanced PD patients and PSP patients had increased [11C]-verapamil uptake in frontal white matter regions compared to controls; while de novo PD patients showed lower uptake in midbrain and frontal regions. PSP and MSA patients had increased uptake in the basal ganglia. Decreased BBB P-gp function seems a late event in neurodegenerative disorders, and could enhance continuous neurodegeneration. Lower [11C]-verapamil uptake in midbrain and frontal regions of de novo PD patients could indicate a regional up-regulation of P-gp function
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