101 research outputs found
Orbital frustration at the origin of the magnetic behavior in LiNiO2
We report on the ESR, magnetization and magnetic susceptibility measurements
performed over a large temperature range, from 1.5 to 750 K, on high-quality
stoichiometric LiNiO2. We find that this compound displays two distinct
temperature regions where its magnetic behavior is anomalous. With the help of
a statistical model based on the Kugel'-Khomskii Hamiltonian, we show that
below T_of ~ 400 K, an orbitally-frustrated state characteristic of the
triangular lattice is established. This then gives a solution to the
long-standing controversial problem of the magnetic behavior in LiNiO2.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, RevTex, accepted in PR
Universal amplitude of the free energy density in finite-size scaling: the Potts universality
Using the numerical results of the finite-size scaling study of the q-state
Potts model by Bloete and Nightingale, we obtain conjectured expressions for
the universal amplitude of the free energy density.Comment: Old paper, for archiving. 4 pages, IOP macr
Finite-Size Scaling and Universality in the Spin 1 Quantum XY Chain
The spin-1 XY chain in a transverse field is studied using finite-size
scaling. The ground state phase diagram displays a paramagnetic, an ordered
ferromagnetic and an ordered oscillatory phase. The paramagnetic-ferromagnetic
transition line belongs to the universality class of the 2D Ising model. Along
this line, universality is confirmed for the finite-size scaling functions of
several correlation lengths and for the conformal operator content.Comment: Latex 8 pages, 2 uucompressed figure
Measuring kinetic coefficients by molecular dynamics simulation of zone melting
Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to measure the kinetic
coefficient at the solid-liquid interface in pure gold. Results are obtained
for the (111), (100) and (110) orientations. Both Au(100) and Au(110) are in
reasonable agreement with the law proposed for collision-limited growth. For
Au(111), stacking fault domains form, as first reported by Burke, Broughton and
Gilmer [J. Chem. Phys. {\bf 89}, 1030 (1988)]. The consequence on the kinetics
of this interface is dramatic: the measured kinetic coefficient is three times
smaller than that predicted by collision-limited growth. Finally,
crystallization and melting are found to be always asymmetrical but here again
the effect is much more pronounced for the (111) orientation.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures (for fig. 8 : [email protected]). Accepted for
publication in Phys. Rev.
Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation of rapid directional solidification
We present the results of non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations for
the growth of a solid binary alloy from its liquid phase. The regime of high
pulling velocities, , for which there is a progressive transition from
solute segregation to solute trapping, is considered. In the segregation
regime, we recover the exponential form of the concentration profile within the
liquid phase. Solute trapping is shown to settle in progressively as is
increased and our results are in good agreement with the theoretical
predictions of Aziz [J. Appl. Phys. {\bf 53}, 1158 (1981)]. In addition, the
fluid advection velocity is shown to remain directly proportional to , even
at the highest velocities considered here (ms).Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Transition from damage to fragmentation in collision of solids
We investigate fracture and fragmentation of solids due to impact at low
energies using a two-dimensional dynamical model of granular solids. Simulating
collisions of two solid discs we show that, depending on the initial energy,
the outcome of a collision process can be classified into two states: a damaged
and a fragmented state with a sharp transition in between. We give numerical
evidence that the transition point between the two states behaves as a critical
point, and we discuss the possible mechanism of the transition.Comment: Revtex, 12 figures included. accepted by Phys. Rev.
Phase-Field Approach for Faceted Solidification
We extend the phase-field approach to model the solidification of faceted
materials. Our approach consists of using an approximate gamma-plot with
rounded cusps that can approach arbitrarily closely the true gamma-plot with
sharp cusps that correspond to faceted orientations. The phase-field equations
are solved in the thin-interface limit with local equilibrium at the
solid-liquid interface [A. Karma and W.-J. Rappel, Phys. Rev. E53, R3017
(1996)]. The convergence of our approach is first demonstrated for equilibrium
shapes. The growth of faceted needle crystals in an undercooled melt is then
studied as a function of undercooling and the cusp amplitude delta for a
gamma-plot of the form 1+delta(|sin(theta)|+|cos(theta)|). The phase-field
results are consistent with the scaling law "Lambda inversely proportional to
the square root of V" observed experimentally, where Lambda is the facet length
and V is the growth rate. In addition, the variation of V and Lambda with delta
is found to be reasonably well predicted by an approximate sharp-interface
analytical theory that includes capillary effects and assumes circular and
parabolic forms for the front and trailing rough parts of the needle crystal,
respectively.Comment: 1O pages, 2 tables, 17 figure
Pattern formation in directional solidification under shear flow. I: Linear stability analysis and basic patterns
An asymptotic interface equation for directional solidification near the
absolute stabiliy limit is extended by a nonlocal term describing a shear flow
parallel to the interface. In the long-wave limit considered, the flow acts
destabilizing on a planar interface. Moreover, linear stability analysis
suggests that the morphology diagram is modified by the flow near the onset of
the Mullins-Sekerka instability. Via numerical analysis, the bifurcation
structure of the system is shown to change. Besides the known hexagonal cells,
structures consisting of stripes arise. Due to its symmetry-breaking
properties, the flow term induces a lateral drift of the whole pattern, once
the instability has become active. The drift velocity is measured numerically
and described analytically in the framework of a linear analysis. At large flow
strength, the linear description breaks down, which is accompanied by a
transition to flow-dominated morphologies, described in a companion paper.
Small and intermediate flows lead to increased order in the lattice structure
of the pattern, facilitating the elimination of defects. Locally oscillating
structures appear closer to the instability threshold with flow than without.Comment: 20 pages, Latex, accepted for Physical Review
Vaccines against toxoplasma gondii : challenges and opportunities
Development of vaccines against Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans is of high priority, given the high burden of disease in some areas of the world like South America, and the lack of effective drugs with few adverse effects. Rodent models have been used in research on vaccines against T. gondii over the past decades. However, regardless of the vaccine construct, the vaccines have not been able to induce protective immunity when the organism is challenged with T. gondii, either directly or via a vector. Only a few live, attenuated T. gondii strains used for immunization have been able to confer protective immunity, which is measured by a lack of tissue cysts after challenge. Furthermore, challenge with low virulence strains, especially strains with genotype II, will probably be insufficient to provide protection against the more virulent T. gondii strains, such as those with genotypes I or II, or those genotypes from South America not belonging to genotype I, II or III. Future studies should use animal models besides rodents, and challenges should be performed with at least one genotype II T. gondii and one of the more virulent genotypes. Endpoints like maternal-foetal transmission and prevention of eye disease are important in addition to the traditional endpoint of survival or reduction in numbers of brain cysts after challenge
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