Direct link between Coulomb blockade and shot noise in a quantum coherent structure

We analyze the current-voltage characteristic of a quantum conduction channel coupled to an electromagnetic environment of arbitrary frequency-dependent impedance. In the weak blockade regime the correction to the ohmic behavior is directly related to the channel current fluctuations vanishing at perfect transmission in the same way as shot noise. This relation can be generalized to describe the environmental Coulomb blockade in a generic mesoscopic conductor coupled to an external impedance, as the response of the latter to the current fluctuations in the former.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Evidence for saturation of channel transmission from conductance fluctuations in atomic-size point contacts

The conductance of atomic size contacts has a small, random, voltage dependent component analogous to conductance fluctuations observed in diffusive wires (UCF). A new effect is observed in gold contacts, consisting of a marked suppression of these fluctuations when the conductance of the contact is close to integer multiples of the conductance quantum. Using a model based on the Landauer-Buettiker formalism we interpret this effect as evidence that the conductance tends to be built up from fully transmitted (i.e., saturated) channels plus a single, which is partially transmitted.Comment: An error in Eq.(2) was corrected, where a square root was added to the factor (1-cos(gamma)). This results in a revised estimate for the mean free path of 5 nm, which is now fully consistent with the estimates from the series resistance and the thermopowe

Quantum Conductance in Semimetallic Bismuth Nanocontacts

Electronic transport properties of bismuth nanocontacts are analyzed by means of a low temperature scanning tunneling microscope. The subquantum steps observed in the conductance versus elongation curves give evidence of atomic rearrangements in the contact. The underlying quantum nature of the conductance reveals itself through peaks in the conductance histograms. The shape of the conductance curves at 77 K is well described by a simple gliding mechanism for the contact evolution during elongation. The strikingly different behaviour at 4 K suggests a charge carrier transition from light to heavy ones as the contact cross section becomes sufficiently small.Comment: 5 pages including 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

Identificação de métodos para superação da dormência em sementes de cornichão.

O cornichão é uma leguminosa forrageira amplamente utilizada no Rio Grande do Sul que se destaca por sua versatilidade, tolerância à acidez e à baixa fertilidade, além de excelente valor nutritivo, conferido por elevados teores de proteína e digestibilidade. Entretanto, um dos problemas da espécie é seu estabelecimento lento, devido à dormência tegumentar, exigindo o emprego de tratamentos pré-germinativos que permitam a superação da dormência das sementes e expressão da máxima germinação do lote. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi identificar métodos eficientes, rápidos, seguros e de fácil padronização para a superação da dormência de sementes de cornichão. O trabalho foi conduzido no Laboratório de Análise de Sementes da Embrapa Clima Temperado e foram utilizadas sementes de cornichão de uma linhagem avançada de melhoramento. As sementes foram submetidas a doze tratamentos visando à superação da dormência: pré-esfriamento (10 ºC) por 7 dias, imersão em água a temperatura ambiente por 8 e 16 horas, escarificação mecânica com lixa por 20, 40, 60, 80 e 100 segundos, a 1750 rpm, e escarificação mecânica com revestimento das pás do cilindro do escarificador com borracha de 0,7 cm de espessura, por 5, 10, 15 e 20 segundos. Após cada tratamento, as sementes foram submetidas ao teste de germinação a 20-30 ºC, por 12 dias, sendo avaliadas quanto à percentagem de germinação. O tratamento de pré-esfriamento, atualmente recomendado para superação da dormência das sementes de cornichão pelas Regras para Análise de Sementes, não foi eficiente para promover a germinação das mesmas. A escarificação mecânica com revestimento das pás do cilindro do escarificador com borracha, por 5 segundos, é eficiente para superação da dormência de sementes de cornichão.Título em inglês: Identification of methods to overcome seed dormancy in lotus

Connective neck evolution and conductance steps in hot point contacts

Dynamic evolution of the connective neck in Al and Pb mechanically controllable break junctions was studied during continuous approach of electrodes at bias voltages V_b up to a few hundred mV. A high level of power dissipation (10^-4 - 10^-3 W) and high current density (j > 10^10 A/cm^2) in the constriction lead to overheating of the contact area, electromigration and current-enhanced diffusion of atoms out of the "hot spot". At a low electrode approach rate (10 - 50 pm/s) the transverse dimension of the neck and the conductance of the junction depend on V_b and remain nearly constant over the approach distance of 10 - 30 nm. For V_b > 300 mV the connective neck consists of a few atoms only and the quantum nature of conductance manifests itself in abrupt steps and reversible jumps between two or more levels. These features are related to an ever changing number of individual conductance channels due to the continuous rearrangement in atomic configuration of the neck, the recurring motion of atoms between metastable states, the formation and breaking of isolated one-atom contacts and the switching between energetically preferable neck geometries.Comment: 21 pages 10 figure

Subharmonic gap structure in d-wave superconductors

We present a self-consistent theory of current-voltage characteristics of d-wave/d-wave contacts at arbitrary transparency. In particular, we address the open problem of the observation of subharmonic gap structure (SGS) in cuprate junctions. Our analysis shows that: (i) the SGS is possible in d-wave superconductors, (ii) the existence of bound states within the gap results in an even-odd effect in the SGS, (iii) elastic scattering mechanisms, like impurities or surface roughness, may suppress the SGS, and (iv) in the presence of a magnetic field the Doppler shift of the Andreev bound states leads to a very peculiar splitting of the SGS, which is an unambiguous fingerprint of d-wave superconductivity.Comment: Revtex4, 4 pages, 5 figure

The Formal Dynamism of Categories: Stops vs. Fricatives, Primitivity vs. Simplicity

Minimalist Phonology (MP; Pöchtrager 2006) constructs its theory based on the phonological epistemological principle (Kaye 2001) and exposes the arbitrary nature of standard Government Phonology (sGP) and strict-CV (sCV), particularly with reference to their confusion of melody and structure. For Pöchtrager, these are crucially different, concluding that place of articulation is melodic (expressed with elements), while manner of articulation is structural. In this model, the heads (xN and xO) can license and incorporate the length of the other into their own interpretation, that is xN influences xO projections as well as its own and vice versa. This dynamism is an aspect of the whole framework and this paper in particular will show that stops and fricatives evidence a plasticity of category and that, although fricatives are simpler in structure, stops are the more primitive of the two. This will be achieved phonologically through simply unifying the environment of application of the licensing forces within Pöchtrager's otherwise sound onset structure. In doing so, we automatically make several predictions about language acquisition and typology and show how lenition in Qiang (Sino-Tibetan) can be more elegantly explained

From favorable atomic configurations to supershell structures: a new interpretation of conductance histograms

Title: From favorable atomic configurations to supershell structures: a new interpretation of conductance histograms Authors: A. Hasmy (IVIC), E. Medina (IVIC), P.A. Serena (CSIC,IVIC) Comments: 7 pages, 3 figures, cond-mat.anwar.10825 Subj-class: Soft Condensed MatterComment: 7 pages, 3 figuresSubject: fput HMS.tex HMS-FIG1.ps HMS-FIG2.ps HMS-FIG3.p

Transitions between "π\pi" and "0" states in superconductor -- ferromagnet -- superconductor junctions

Experimental and theoretical study of superconductor (S) -- ferromagnet (F) -- superconductor junctions showed that in certain range of parameters (e.g., the length of the ferromagnet $d_F$, the exchange field, $E_{\rm ex}$) the ground state of a SFS junction corresponds to superconducting phase difference $\pi$ or 0. The phase diagram of a SFS junction with the respect to $\pi$ and 0 states is investigated in this letter in $E_{\rm ex}, d_{F}, T$ space. It is shown that the phase diagram is very sensitive to the geometry of the system, in particular, to the amount of disorder.Comment: Minor changes. References adde

Subharmonic Shapiro steps and assisted tunneling in superconducting point contacts

We analyze the current in a superconducting point contact of arbitrary transmission in the presence of a microwave radiation. The interplay between the ac Josephson current and the microwave signal gives rise to Shapiro steps at voltages V = (m/n) \hbar \omega_r/2e, where n,m are integer numbers and \omega_r is the radiation frequency. The subharmonic steps (n different from 1) are a consequence of the ocurrence of multiple Andreev reflections (MAR) and provide an unambiguous signature of the peculiar ac Josephson effect at high transmission. Moreover, the dc current exhibits a rich subgap structure due to photon-assisted MARs.Comment: Revtex, 4 pages, 4 figure