14,271 research outputs found
Dynamic rotor mode in antiferromagnetic nanoparticles
We present experimental, numerical, and theoretical evidence for a new mode
of antiferromagnetic dynamics in nanoparticles. Elastic neutron scattering
experiments on 8 nm particles of hematite display a loss of diffraction
intensity with temperature, the intensity vanishing around 150 K. However, the
signal from inelastic neutron scattering remains above that temperature,
indicating a magnetic system in constant motion. In addition, the precession
frequency of the inelastic magnetic signal shows an increase above 100 K.
Numerical Langevin simulations of spin dynamics reproduce all measured neutron
data and reveal that thermally activated spin canting gives rise to a new type
of coherent magnetic precession mode. This "rotor" mode can be seen as a
high-temperature version of superparamagnetism and is driven by exchange
interactions between the two magnetic sublattices. The frequency of the rotor
mode behaves in fair agreement with a simple analytical model, based on a high
temperature approximation of the generally accepted Hamiltonian of the system.
The extracted model parameters, as the magnetic interaction and the axial
anisotropy, are in excellent agreement with results from Mossbauer
spectroscopy
Exact enumeration of Hamiltonian circuits, walks, and chains in two and three dimensions
We present an algorithm for enumerating exactly the number of Hamiltonian
chains on regular lattices in low dimensions. By definition, these are sets of
k disjoint paths whose union visits each lattice vertex exactly once. The
well-known Hamiltonian circuits and walks appear as the special cases k=0 and
k=1 respectively. In two dimensions, we enumerate chains on L x L square
lattices up to L=12, walks up to L=17, and circuits up to L=20. Some results
for three dimensions are also given. Using our data we extract several
quantities of physical interest
Topological defects in lattice models and affine Temperley-Lieb algebra
This paper is the first in a series where we attempt to define defects in
critical lattice models that give rise to conformal field theory topological
defects in the continuum limit. We focus mostly on models based on the
Temperley-Lieb algebra, with future applications to restricted solid-on-solid
(also called anyonic chains) models, as well as non-unitary models like
percolation or self-avoiding walks. Our approach is essentially algebraic and
focusses on the defects from two points of view: the "crossed channel" where
the defect is seen as an operator acting on the Hilbert space of the models,
and the "direct channel" where it corresponds to a modification of the basic
Hamiltonian with some sort of impurity. Algebraic characterizations and
constructions are proposed in both points of view. In the crossed channel, this
leads us to new results about the center of the affine Temperley-Lieb algebra;
in particular we find there a special subalgebra with non-negative integer
structure constants that are interpreted as fusion rules of defects. In the
direct channel, meanwhile, this leads to the introduction of fusion products
and fusion quotients, with interesting mathematical properties that allow to
describe representations content of the lattice model with a defect, and to
describe its spectrum.Comment: 41
Rate theory for correlated processes: Double-jumps in adatom diffusion
We study the rate of activated motion over multiple barriers, in particular
the correlated double-jump of an adatom diffusing on a missing-row
reconstructed Platinum (110) surface. We develop a Transition Path Theory,
showing that the activation energy is given by the minimum-energy trajectory
which succeeds in the double-jump. We explicitly calculate this trajectory
within an effective-medium molecular dynamics simulation. A cusp in the
acceptance region leads to a sqrt{T} prefactor for the activated rate of
double-jumps. Theory and numerical results agree
Defect Tolerant Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides
Localized electronic states formed inside the band gap of a semiconductor due
to crystal defects can be detrimental to the material's optoelectronic
properties. Semiconductors with lower tendency to form defect induced deep gap
states are termed defect tolerant. Here we provide a systematic first
principles investigation of defect tolerance in 29 monolayer transition metal
dichalcogenides (TMDs) of interest for nanoscale optoelectronics. We find that
the TMDs based on group VI and X metals form deep gap states upon creation of a
chalcogen (S, Se, Te) vacancy while the TMDs based on group IV metals form only
shallow defect levels and are thus predicted to be defect tolerant.
Interestingly, all the defect sensitive TMDs have valence and conduction bands
with very similar orbital composition. This indicates a bonding/anti-bonding
nature of the gap which in turn suggests that dangling bonds will fall inside
the gap. These ideas are made quantitative by introducing a descriptor that
measures the degree of similarity of the conduction and valence band manifolds.
Finally, the study is generalized to non-polar nanoribbons of the TMDs where we
find that only the defect sensitive materials form edge states within the band
gap
Simulations of energetic beam deposition: from picoseconds to seconds
We present a new method for simulating crystal growth by energetic beam
deposition. The method combines a Kinetic Monte-Carlo simulation for the
thermal surface diffusion with a small scale molecular dynamics simulation of
every single deposition event. We have implemented the method using the
effective medium theory as a model potential for the atomic interactions, and
present simulations for Ag/Ag(111) and Pt/Pt(111) for incoming energies up to
35 eV. The method is capable of following the growth of several monolayers at
realistic growth rates of 1 monolayer per second, correctly accounting for both
energy-induced atomic mobility and thermal surface diffusion. We find that the
energy influences island and step densities and can induce layer-by-layer
growth. We find an optimal energy for layer-by-layer growth (25 eV for Ag),
which correlates with where the net impact-induced downward interlayer
transport is at a maximum. A high step density is needed for energy induced
layer-by-layer growth, hence the effect dies away at increased temperatures,
where thermal surface diffusion reduces the step density. As part of the
development of the method, we present molecular dynamics simulations of single
atom-surface collisions on flat parts of the surface and near straight steps,
we identify microscopic mechanisms by which the energy influences the growth,
and we discuss the nature of the energy-induced atomic mobility
Aversive Stimuli Drive Drug Seeking in a State of Low Dopamine Tone
Background Stressors negatively impact emotional state and drive drug seeking, in part, by modulating the activity of the mesolimbic dopamine system. Unfortunately, the rapid regulation of dopamine signaling by the aversive stimuli that cause drug seeking is not well characterized. In a series of experiments, we scrutinized the subsecond regulation of dopamine signaling by the aversive stimulus, quinine, and tested its ability to cause cocaine seeking. Additionally, we examined the midbrain regulation of both dopamine signaling and cocaine seeking by the stress-sensitive peptide, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF). Methods Combining fast-scan cyclic voltammetry with behavioral pharmacology, we examined the effect of intraoral quinine administration on nucleus accumbens dopamine signaling and hedonic expression in 21 male Sprague-Dawley rats. We tested the role of CRF in modulating aversion-induced changes in dopamine concentration and cocaine seeking by bilaterally infusing the CRF antagonist, CP-376395, into the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Results We found that quinine rapidly reduced dopamine signaling on two distinct time scales. We determined that CRF acted in the VTA to mediate this reduction on only one of these time scales. Further, we found that the reduction of dopamine tone and quinine-induced cocaine seeking were eliminated by blocking the actions of CRF in the VTA during the experience of the aversive stimulus. Conclusions These data demonstrate that stress-induced drug seeking can occur in a terminal environment of low dopamine tone that is dependent on a CRF-induced decrease in midbrain dopamine activity
Neutron scattering study of spin ordering and stripe pinning in superconducting LaSrCuO
The relationships among charge order, spin fluctuations, and
superconductivity in underdoped cuprates remain controversial. We use neutron
scattering techniques to study these phenomena in
LaSrCuO, a superconductor with a transition temperature
of ~K. At , we find incommensurate spin fluctuations with a
quasielastic energy spectrum and no sign of a gap within the energy range from
0.2 to 15 meV. A weak elastic magnetic component grows below ~K,
consistent with results from local probes. Regarding the atomic lattice, we
have discovered unexpectedly strong fluctuations of the CuO octahedra about
Cu-O bonds, which are associated with inequivalent O sites within the CuO
planes. Furthermore, we observed a weak elastic superlattice peak
that implies a reduced lattice symmetry. The presence of inequivalent O sites
rationalizes various pieces of evidence for charge stripe order in underdoped
\lsco. The coexistence of superconductivity with quasi-static spin-stripe order
suggests the presence of intertwined orders; however, the rotation of the
stripe orientation away from the Cu-O bonds might be connected with evidence
for a finite gap at the nodal points of the superconducting gap function.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures; accepted versio
An integrated Rotorcraft Avionics/Controls Architecture to support advanced controls and low-altitude guidance flight research
Salient design features of a new NASA/Army research rotorcraft--the Rotorcraft-Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) are described. Using a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter as a baseline vehicle, the RASCAL will be a flying laboratory capable of supporting the research requirements of major NASA and Army guidance, control, and display research programs. The paper describes the research facility requirements of these programs together with other critical constraints on the design of the research system. Research program schedules demand a phased development approach, wherein specific research capability milestones are met and flight research projects are flown throughout the complete development cycle of the RASCAL. This development approach is summarized, and selected features of the research system are described. The research system includes a real-time obstacle detection and avoidance system which will generate low-altitude guidance commands to the pilot on a wide field-of-view, color helmet-mounted display and a full-authority, programmable, fault-tolerant/fail-safe, fly-by-wire flight control system
Critical behavior of loops and biconnected clusters on fractals of dimension d < 2
We solve the O(n) model, defined in terms of self- and mutually avoiding
loops coexisting with voids, on a 3-simplex fractal lattice, using an exact
real space renormalization group technique. As the density of voids is
decreased, the model shows a critical point, and for even lower densities of
voids, there is a dense phase showing power-law correlations, with critical
exponents that depend on n, but are independent of density. At n=-2 on the
dilute branch, a trivalent vertex defect acts as a marginal perturbation. We
define a model of biconnected clusters which allows for a finite density of
such vertices. As n is varied, we get a line of critical points of this
generalized model, emanating from the point of marginality in the original loop
model. We also study another perturbation of adding local bending rigidity to
the loop model, and find that it does not affect the universality class.Comment: 14 pages,10 figure
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