21,320 research outputs found
Theory and simulation of two-dimensional nematic and tetratic phases
Recent experiments and simulations have shown that two-dimensional systems
can form tetratic phases with four-fold rotational symmetry, even if they are
composed of particles with only two-fold symmetry. To understand this effect,
we propose a model for the statistical mechanics of particles with almost
four-fold symmetry, which is weakly broken down to two-fold. We introduce a
coefficient to characterize the symmetry breaking, and find that the
tetratic phase can still exist even up to a substantial value of .
Through a Landau expansion of the free energy, we calculate the mean-field
phase diagram, which is similar to the result of a previous hard-particle
excluded-volume model. To verify our mean-field calculation, we develop a Monte
Carlo simulation of spins on a triangular lattice. The results of the
simulation agree very well with the Landau theory.Comment: 7 pages, including 12 postscript figures, uses REVTeX
Embedding problems of division algebras
A finite group G is called admissible over a given field if there exists a
central division algebra that contains a G-Galois field extension as a maximal
subfield. We give a definition of embedding problems of division algebras that
extends both the notion of embedding problems of fields as in classical Galois
theory, and the question which finite groups are admissible over a field. In a
recent work by Harbater, Hartmann and Krashen, all admissible groups over
function fields of curves over complete discretely valued fields with
algebraically closed residue field of characteristic zero have been
characterized. We show that also certain embedding problems of division
algebras over such a field can be solved for admissible groups.Comment: 19 page
Biaxial order parameter in the homologous series of orthogonal bent-core smectic liquid crystals
The fundamental parameter of the uniaxial liquid crystalline state that governs nearly all of its physical properties is the primary orientational order parameter (S) for the long axes of molecules with respect to the director. The biaxial liquid crystals (LCs) possess biaxial order parameters depending on the phase symmetry of the system. In this paper we show that in the first approximation a biaxial orthogonal smectic phase can be described by two primary order parameters: S for the long axes and C for the ordering of the short axes of molecules. The temperature dependencies of S and C are obtained by the Haller's extrapolation technique through measurements of the optical birefringence and biaxiality on a nontilted polar antiferroelectric (Sm-APA) phase of a homologous series of LCs built from the bent-core achiral molecules. For such a biaxial smectic phase both S and C, particularly the temperature dependency of the latter, are being experimentally determined. Results show that S in the orthogonal smectic phase composed of bent cores is higher than in Sm-A calamatic LCs and C is also significantly large
Radiofrequency spectroscopy of Li p-wave molecules: towards photoemission spectroscopy of a p-wave superfluid
Understanding superfluidity with higher order partial waves is crucial for
the understanding of high- superconductivity. For the realization of a
superfluid with anisotropic order parameter, spin-polarized fermionic lithium
atoms with strong p-wave interaction are the most promising candidates to date.
We apply rf-spectroscopy techniques that do not suffer from severe final-state
effects \cite{Perali08} with the goal to perform photoemission spectroscopy on
a strongly interacting p-wave Fermi gas similar to that recently applied for
s-wave interactions \cite{Stewart08}. Radiofrequency spectra of both quasibound
p-wave molecules and free atoms in the vicinity of the p-wave Feshbach
resonance located at 159.15\,G \cite{Schunck05} are presented. The observed
relative tunings of the molecular and atomic signals in the spectra with
magnetic field confirm earlier measurements realized with direct rf-association
\cite{Fuchs08}. Furthermore, evidence of bound molecule production using
adiabatic ramps is shown. A scheme to observe anisotropic superfluid gaps, the
most direct proof of p-wave superfluidity, with 1d-optical lattices is
proposed.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
JointZone: users' view of an adaptive online learning resource for rheumatology
This paper describes an online learning resource for rheumatology that was designed for a wide constituency of users including primarily undergraduate medical students and health professionals. Although the online resources afford an informal learning environment, the site was pedagogically designed to comply with the general recommendations of the Standing Committee on Training and Education of EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) for a rheumatology core curriculum. Any Internet user may freely browse the site content with optional registration providing access to adaptive features that personalize the user’s view, for example, providing a reading history and targeted support based on scores from completed case studies. The site has now been available since early 2003, and an online survey of site registrants indicates that well structured pedagogical materials that reflect a learners’ dominant ‘community of practice’ appear to be a successful aid to informal learning
Globular Structures of a Helix-Coil Copolymer: Self-Consistent Treatment
A self-consistent field theory was developed in the grand-canonical ensemble
formulation to study transitions in a helix-coil multiblock globule. Helical
and coil parts are treated as stiff rods and self-avoiding walks of variable
lengths correspondingly. The resulting field-theory takes, in addition to the
conventional Zimm-Bragg (B.H. Zimm, I.K. Bragg, J. Chem. Phys. 31, 526 (1959))
parameters, also three-dimensional interaction terms into account. The
appropriate differential equations which determine the self-consistent fields
were solved numerically with finite element method. Three different phase
states are found: open chain, amorphous globule and nematic liquid-crystalline
(LC) globule. The LC-globule formation is driven by the interplay between the
hydrophobic helical segments attraction and the anisotropic globule surface
energy of an entropic nature. The full phase diagram of the helix-coil
copolymer was calculated and thoroughly discussed. The suggested theory shows a
clear interplay between secondary and tertiary structures in globular
homopolypeptides.Comment: 26 pages, 30 figures, corrected some typo
Current dependence of grain boundary magnetoresistance in La_0.67Ca_0.33MnO_3 films
We prepared epitaxial ferromagnetic manganite films on bicrystal substrates
by pulsed laser ablation. Their low- and high-field magnetoresistance (MR) was
measured as a function of magnetic field, temperature and current. At low
temperatures hysteretic changes in resistivity up to 70% due to switching of
magnetic domains at the coercitive field are observed. The strongly non-ohmic
behavior of the current-voltage leads to a complete suppression of the MR
effect at high bias currents with the identical current dependence at low and
high magnetic fields. We discuss the data in view of tunneling and mesoscale
magnetic transport models and propose an explicit dependence of the spin
polarization on the applied current in the grain boundary region.Comment: 5 pages, to appear in J. Appl. Phy
Cavity-Controlled Collective Scattering at the Recoil Limit
We study collective scattering with Bose-Einstein condensates interacting
with a high-finesse ring cavity. The condensate scatters the light of a
transverse pump beam superradiantly into modes which, in contrast to previous
experiments, are not determined by the geometrical shape of the condensate, but
specified by a resonant cavity mode. Moreover, since the recoil-shifted
frequency of the scattered light depends on the initial momentum of the
scattered fraction of the condensate, we show that it is possible to employ the
good resolution of the cavity as a filter selecting particular quantized
momentum states.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Isotropic-nematic phase equilibria of polydisperse hard rods: The effect of fat tails in the length distribution
We study the phase behaviour of hard rods with length polydispersity, treated
within a simplified version of the Onsager model. We give a detailed
description of the unusual phase behaviour of the system when the rod length
distribution has a "fat" (e.g. log-normal) tail up to some finite cutoff. The
relatively large number of long rods in the system strongly influences the
phase behaviour: the isotropic cloud curve, which defines the where a nematic
phase first occurs as density is increased, exhibits a kink; at this point the
properties of the coexisting nematic shadow phase change discontinuously. A
narrow three-phase isotropic-nematic-nematic coexistence region exists near the
kink in the cloud curve, even though the length distribution is unimodal. A
theoretical derivation of the isotropic cloud curve and nematic shadow curve,
in the limit of large cutoff, is also given. The two curves are shown to
collapse onto each other in the limit. The coexisting isotropic and nematic
phases are essentially identical, the only difference being that the nematic
contains a larger number of the longest rods; the longer rods are also the only
ones that show any significant nematic ordering. Numerical results for finite
but large cutoff support the theoretical predictions for the asymptotic scaling
of all quantities with the cutoff length.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figure
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