Atomic and Electronic Structure of a Rashba pp-nn Junction at the BiTeI Surface

The non-centrosymmetric semiconductor BiTeI exhibits two distinct surface terminations that support spin-split Rashba surface states. Their ambipolarity can be exploited for creating spin-polarized $p$-$n$ junctions at the boundaries between domains with different surface terminations. We use scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) to locate such junctions and investigate their atomic and electronic properties. The Te- and I-terminated surfaces are identified owing to their distinct chemical reactivity, and an apparent height mismatch of electronic origin. The Rashba surface states are revealed in the STS spectra by the onset of a van Hove singularity at the band edge. Eventually, an electronic depletion is found on interfacial Te atoms, consistent with the formation of a space charge area in typical $p$-$n$ junctions.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Giant ambipolar Rashba effect in a semiconductor: BiTeI

We observe a giant spin-orbit splitting in bulk and surface states of the non-centrosymmetric semiconductor BiTeI. We show that the Fermi level can be placed in the valence or in the conduction band by controlling the surface termination. In both cases it intersects spin-polarized bands, in the corresponding surface depletion and accumulation layers. The momentum splitting of these bands is not affected by adsorbate-induced changes in the surface potential. These findings demonstrate that two properties crucial for enabling semiconductor-based spin electronics -- a large, robust spin splitting and ambipolar conduction -- are present in this material.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

The momentum and photon energy dependence of the circular dichroic photoemission in the bulk Rashba semiconductors BiTeX (X = I, Br, Cl)

Bulk Rashba systems BiTeX (X = I, Br, Cl) are emerging as important candidates for developing spintronics devices, because of the coexistence of spin-split bulk and surface states, along with the ambipolar character of the surface charge carriers. The need of studying the spin texture of strongly spin-orbit coupled materials has recently promoted circular dichroic Angular Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy (cd-ARPES) as an indirect tool to measure the spin and the angular degrees of freedom. Here we report a detailed photon energy dependent study of the cd-ARPES spectra in BiTeX (X = I, Br and Cl). Our work reveals a large variation of the magnitude and sign of the dichroism. Interestingly, we find that the dichroic signal modulates differently for the three compounds and for the different spin-split states. These findings show a momentum and photon energy dependence for the cd-ARPES signals in the bulk Rashba semiconductor BiTeX (X = I, Br, Cl). Finally, the outcome of our experiment indicates the important relation between the modulation of the dichroism and the phase differences between the wave-functions involved in the photoemission process. This phase difference can be due to initial or final state effects. In the former case the phase difference results in possible interference effects among the photo-electrons emitted from different atomic layers and characterized by entangled spin-orbital polarized bands. In the latter case the phase difference results from the relative phases of the expansion of the final state in different outgoing partial waves.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Accelerating magnetic induction tomography‐based imaging through heterogeneous parallel computing

Magnetic Induction Tomography (MIT) is a non‐invasive imaging technique, which has applications in both industrial and clinical settings. In essence, it is capable of reconstructing the electromagnetic parameters of an object from measurements made on its surface. With the exploitation of parallelism, it is possible to achieve high quality inexpensive MIT images for biomedical applications on clinically relevant time scales. In this paper we investigate the performance of different parallel implementations of the forward eddy current problem, which is the main computational component of the inverse problem through which measured voltages are converted into images. We show that a heterogeneous parallel method that exploits multiple CPUs and GPUs can provide a high level of parallel scaling, leading to considerably improved runtimes. We also show how multiple GPUs can be used in conjunction with deal.II, a widely‐used open source finite element library

Mathematical Modelling of Cell-Fate Decision in Response to Death Receptor Engagement

Cytokines such as TNF and FASL can trigger death or survival depending on cell lines and cellular conditions. The mechanistic details of how a cell chooses among these cell fates are still unclear. The understanding of these processes is important since they are altered in many diseases, including cancer and AIDS. Using a discrete modelling formalism, we present a mathematical model of cell fate decision recapitulating and integrating the most consistent facts extracted from the literature. This model provides a generic high-level view of the interplays between NFκB pro-survival pathway, RIP1-dependent necrosis, and the apoptosis pathway in response to death receptor-mediated signals. Wild type simulations demonstrate robust segregation of cellular responses to receptor engagement. Model simulations recapitulate documented phenotypes of protein knockdowns and enable the prediction of the effects of novel knockdowns. In silico experiments simulate the outcomes following ligand removal at different stages, and suggest experimental approaches to further validate and specialise the model for particular cell types. We also propose a reduced conceptual model implementing the logic of the decision process. This analysis gives specific predictions regarding cross-talks between the three pathways, as well as the transient role of RIP1 protein in necrosis, and confirms the phenotypes of novel perturbations. Our wild type and mutant simulations provide novel insights to restore apoptosis in defective cells. The model analysis expands our understanding of how cell fate decision is made. Moreover, our current model can be used to assess contradictory or controversial data from the literature. Ultimately, it constitutes a valuable reasoning tool to delineate novel experiments

Voludensitometrie: Visualisation tridimensionnelle d'organes

Pour étudier la cartographie volumique de la densité de matière (imagerie par rayons X), de la densité protonique (imagerie RMN) ou de l'activité spécifique d'un traceur radioactif (imagerie γ ou β+) on reconstruit à partir de mesures sur des détecteurs un ensemble de résultats de calculs ou voxels repérables par un triplet de coordonnées d'espace et représentant une estimation locale du paramètre étudié. Les concepts de représentation développés s'étendent d'ailleurs à tout paramètre pour lequel l'additivité a un sens. L'opérateur doit piloter un logiciel d'analyse afin d'élaborer les documents lui permettant d'obtenir une représentation mentale de l'objet. Sur un écran de visualisation ces documents seront soit des graphiques, soit des images, soit des séquences d'images. Le processus élémentaire d'élaboration d'une image comprend: - le conditionnement du volume: . définition d'un repère absolu (transformations géométriques) . extraction interactive (chirurgie) ou automatique (segmentation) de sous-volumes . mise en forme contextuelle (agencement des sous volumes, dissolution) - la réduction à deux dimensions de l'information soit par intégration spatiale (radiographie), soit par représentation de surface (morphoscopie) La communication présente ces différents concepts pouvant donner lieu au développement d'une console interactive de visualisation. Des séquences, enregistrées sur vidéo cassettes et réalisées à partir d'un logiciel expérimental, illustrent les premiers résultats obtenus

Magnetic and transport measurements on melt-textured DyBCO single domains

In this communication we report critical current measurements of melt processed DyBa2Cu3O7-x samples determined by several measuring techniques. First the material was characterized by AC susceptibility and DC magnetization. The results are characteristic of good quality melt-processed (RE)BCO material with T-c = 89 K and Jc(77 K, 1 T) = 10^4 A/cm^2. Next, pulsed currents were used in order to determine both I-V curves and transport critical currents. The origin of the discrepancy between transport and magnetic data has been discussed. The results point out significant local variations of the critical current density throughout the single domain. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved