Scanning tunneling microscopy study of the growth and self-organization of Ge nanostructures on vicinal Si(111) surfaces

The initial stages of Ge growth on Si(111) vicinal surfaces tilted in the [ $\overline 1 \overline 1 2$ ] and [ $11\overline 2 $ ] directions were studied in situ in the temperature range 350–500°C using scanning tunneling microscopy. It was shown that, at low Ge deposition rates of 10^?2 to 10^?3 BL/min, ordered Ge nanowires can form on surfaces tilted in the [ $\overline 1 \overline 1 2$ ] direction under conditions of step-layered growth. The height of a nanosized Ge wire is one or three interplanar distances and is determined by the initial height of a silicon step. It was established that, during epitaxial growth, steps with a [ $11\overline 2 $ ] front are replaced by steps with a [ $\overline 1 \overline 1 2$ ] front. As a result, the step edge is serrated and the formation of smooth nanosized Ge wires uniform in width is hampered on the serrated Si(111) surfaces tilted in the [ $11\overline 2 $ ] direction.     

Mixing and CP violation: fromB^0 - \overline {B^0 } to T^0 - \overline {T^0 }

We extend from \(B^0 - \overline {B^0 } to T^0 - \overline {T^0 } \) the study of neutral pseudoscalar mesons with respect to mixing and CP violation. The possibility of a quite large top quark mass necessitates a more careful computation of the box diagram amplitude. Our result is that, while in \(B^0 - \overline {B^0 } \) systems CP violation is expected to be very small (～10^?6) and mixing quite large (10–20% or more), precisely the opposite occurs for \( T^0 - \overline {T^0 } \) . In particular, CP violation in the \( T_u^0 - \overline {T_u^0 } \) system could be of the same order of magnitude as in the \(K^0 - \overline {K^0 } \) system (～10^?3) while the mixing is totally negligible.     

Electron-microscopic study of microcracks in single-crystal Ti<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al

Microcracks in a Ti₃ Al alloy subjected to indentation at room temperature were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The microcracks are shown to grow on \(\{ 0\overline 1 11\} \) pyramidal planes and in the slip bands of 2c + a superdislocations on \(\{ 20\overline 2 1\} \) and \(\{ 11\overline 2 1\} \) pyramidal planes. It is found that, due to the formation of a slip band in the basal plane at a microcrack tip, the propagating microcrack becomes steplike rather than straight. It is shown that a microcrack can nucleate at the line of intersection of \(\{ 11\overline 2 1\} \) pyramidal and \(\{ 0\overline 1 10\} \) prismatic planes.     

A Heisenberg Double Addition to the Logarithmic Kazhdan–Lusztig Duality

For a Hopf algebra B, we endow the Heisenberg double \({\mathcal{H}(B^*)}\) with the structure of a module algebra over the Drinfeld double \({\mathcal{D}(B)}\). Based on this property, we propose that \({\mathcal{H}(B^*)}\) is to be the counterpart of the algebra of fields on the quantum-group side of the Kazhdan–Lusztig duality between logarithmic conformal field theories and quantum groups. As an example, we work out the case where B is the Taft Hopf algebra related to the \({\overline{\mathcal{U}}_{\mathfrak{q}} s\ell(2)}\) quantum group that is Kazhdan–Lusztig-dual to (p,1) logarithmic conformal models. The corresponding pair \({(\mathcal{D}(B),\mathcal{H}(B^*))}\) is “truncated” to \({(\overline{\mathcal{U}}_{\mathfrak{q}} s\ell2,\overline{\mathcal{H}}_{\mathfrak{q}} s\ell(2))}\), where \({\overline{\mathcal{H}}_{\mathfrak{q}} s\ell(2)}\) is a \({\overline{\mathcal{U}}_{\mathfrak{q}} s\ell(2)}\) module algebra that turns out to have the form \({\overline{\mathcal{H}}_{\mathfrak{q}} s\ell(2)=\mathbb{C}_{\mathfrak{q}}[z,\partial]\otimes\mathbb{C}[\lambda]/(\lambda^{2p}-1)}\), where \({\mathbb{C}_{\mathfrak{q}}[z,\partial]}\) is the \({\overline{\mathcal{U}}_{\mathfrak{q}} s\ell(2)}\)-module algebra with the relations z ^p  = 0, ? ^p  = 0, and \({\partial z = \mathfrak{q}-\mathfrak{q}^{-1} + \mathfrak{q}^{-2} z\partial}\).     

Electromagnetic and strange probes of dense nuclear matter at NICA/MPD: a feasibility study

The main task of the NICA/MPD physics program is a study of the properties of nuclear matter under extreme conditions achieved in collisions of heavy ions. These properties can reveal themselves through different probes, the most promising among those being the lepton-antilepton pairs and strange hadrons. In this paper the MPD performance for measuring the electron-positron pairs and strange particles (Λ, Ξ^– and Ω^– hyperons and their antiparticles \(\overline \Lambda \), \({\overline \Xi ^ + }\) and \({\overline \Omega ^ + }\) as well as hypernuclei ₃ ^Λ Λ) in central Au + Au collisions at NICA energies is presented.     

Field emission and photoluminescence of ZnO nanocombs

Three kinds of new comb-shape nanostructures of ZnO have been grown on single silicon substrates without catalyst-assisted thermal evaporation of Zn and active carbon powders. The morphology and structure of the prepared nanorods are determined on the basis of field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The growth mechanism of the ZnO nanocombs can be explained on the basis of the vapor–solid (VS) processes. In nanocombs 1 and nanocombs 2, the comb teeth grow along [0001] and the comb stem grows along [ $01\overline{1}0$ ], while in nanocombs 3, nanoteeth grow along [ $01\overline{1}0$ ] and stem grows along [0001]. The photoluminescence and field-emission properties of ZnO nanocombs 1–3 have been investigated. The turn-on electric field of ZnO nanocombs 1–3, which is defined as the field required to producing a current density of 10 μA/cm², is 9, 7.7 and 7.1 V/μm, respectively. The field-emission performance relies not only on the tip’s radius of curvature and field enhancement factor, but also on the factor evaluating the degree of the screening effect.     

Regularity of the Speed of Biased Random Walk in a One-Dimensional Percolation Model

We consider biased random walks on the infinite cluster of a conditional bond percolation model on the infinite ladder graph. Axelson-Fisk and Häggström established for this model a phase transition for the asymptotic linear speed \(\overline{\hbox {v}}\) of the walk. Namely, there exists some critical value \(\lambda _{\hbox {c}}>0\) such that \(\overline{\hbox {v}}>0\) if \(\lambda \in (0,\lambda _{\hbox {c}})\) and \(\overline{\hbox {v}}=0\) if \(\lambda \ge \lambda _{\hbox {c}}\). We show that the speed \(\overline{\hbox {v}}\) is continuous in \(\lambda \) on \((0,\infty )\) and differentiable on \((0,\lambda _{\hbox {c}}/2)\). Moreover, we characterize the derivative as a covariance. For the proof of the differentiability of \(\overline{\hbox {v}}\) on \((0,\lambda _{\hbox {c}}/2)\), we require and prove a central limit theorem for the biased random walk. Additionally, we prove that the central limit theorem fails to hold for \(\lambda \ge \lambda _{\hbox {c}}/2\).     

Formation of microcracks in an indented Ti<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al intermetallic compound

Microcracks in the Ti₃Al alloy indented at room temperature have been analyzed by electron microscopy. Analysis of the microstructure has revealed that microcracks propagate in the {0\(\overline 1 \)11} pyramidal planes and in the slip bands of the 2c + a superdislocations in the {20\(\overline 2 \)1} and {11\(\overline 2 \)1} pyramidal planes. It is found that the formation of a slip band in the basal plane at the microcrack tip leads to a change in the character of microcrack propagation from straight-line to steplike.     

The Charmonium-Molecule Hybrid Structure of the X(3872)

In order to understand the structure of the X(3872) the effects of the ${{\rm c\overline{c}}}$ charmonium core state coupling to the ${D^0\overline{D}^{*0}}$ and D ⁺ D ^*? molecule states are studied. The obtained structure of the X(3872) is about 9 % of ${{\rm c}\overline{{\rm c}}}$ charmonium, 75 % of the isoscalar ${D\overline{D}}$ molecule and 16 % of the isovector ${D\overline{D}}$ molecule which explains observed properties of the X(3872) well.     

Resonance studies at STAR

Preliminary results from measurements of resonances (K ^*0(892), $\overline {K*^0 } (892)$ , Φ(1020), and ρ(770)) and weakly decaying particles (Λ(1116), $\bar \Lambda (1116)$ , and K _S ⁰ (498)) are presented. The measurements are performed at mid-rapidity by the STAR detector in $\sqrt {s_{NN} } = 130$ GeV Au?Au collisions at RHIC. The ratios K ^*0/h?, $\overline {K*^0 } /K$ , and $\bar \Lambda /\Lambda $ are compared to measurements at different energies and colliding systems. Estimates of thermal parameters, such as temperature and baryon chemical potential, are also presented.     

Degeneration of Bethe subalgebras in the Yangian of $$\mathfrak {gl}_n$$

We study degenerations of Bethe subalgebras B(C) in the Yangian \(Y(\mathfrak {gl}_n)\), where C is a regular diagonal matrix. We show that closure of the parameter space of the family of Bethe subalgebras, which parameterizes all possible degenerations, is the Deligne–Mumford moduli space of stable rational curves \(\overline{M_{0,n+2}}\). All subalgebras corresponding to the points of \(\overline{M_{0,n+2}}\) are free and maximal commutative. We describe explicitly the “simplest” degenerations and show that every degeneration is the composition of the simplest ones. The Deligne–Mumford space \(\overline{M_{0,n+2}}\) generalizes to other root systems as some De Concini–Procesi resolution of some toric variety. We state a conjecture generalizing our results to Bethe subalgebras in the Yangian of arbitrary simple Lie algebra in terms of this De Concini–Procesi resolution.     

BV estimates fail for most quasilinear hyperbolic systems in dimensions greater than one

We show that for most non-scalar systems of conservation laws in dimension greater than one, one does not have BV estimates of the form $$\begin{gathered} \parallel \overline V u(\overline t )\parallel _{T.V.} \leqq F(\parallel \overline V u(0)\parallel _{T.V.} ), \hfill \\ F \in C(\mathbb{R}),F(0) = 0,F Lipshitzean at 0, \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ even for smooth solutions close to constants. Analogous estimates forL ^p norms $$\parallel u(\overline t ) - \overline u \parallel _{L^p } \leqq F(\parallel u(0) - \overline u \parallel _{L^p } ),p \ne 2$$ withF as above are also false. In one dimension such estimates are the backbone of the existing theory.     

A brief review of antimatter production

In this article, we present a brief review of the discoveries of kinds of antimatter particles, including positron ( $ \bar e $ ), antiproton ( $ \bar p $ ), antideuteron ( $ \bar d $ ) and antihelium-3 ( $ ^3 \overline {He} $ ). Special emphasis is put on the discovery of the antihypertriton( $ \frac{3} {\Lambda }\overline H $ ) and antihelium-4 nucleus ( $ ^4 \overline {He} $ , or $ \bar \alpha $ ) which were reported by the RHIC-STAR experiment very recently. In addition, brief discussions about the effort to search for antinuclei in cosmic rays and study of the longtime confinement of the simplest antimatter atom, antihydrogen are also given. Moreover, the production mechanism of anti-light nuclei is introduced.     

The Isospin Mixing in the X(3872) Decay Spectrum

The large isospin symmetry breaking found in the X(3872) decay is investigated by looking into the transfer strength from the \({{c}\bar{c}}\) quarkonium to the two-meson states: \({c\bar{c} \rightarrow D^{0}\overline{D}^{*0}, D^{+} D^{*-} , J /\psi\omega, {\rm and} \, J /\psi\rho}\) . The widths of the \({\rho}\) and \({\omega}\) mesons are taken into account in the calculation. It is found that very narrow \({J /\psi\omega}\) and \({J /\psi\rho}\) peaks appear at the \({D^{0}\overline{D}^{*0}}\) threshold. These narrow peaks appear provided that the strength of the \({D^{0}\overline{D}^{*0}}\) component is large around the threshold. The large width of the \({\rho}\) meson enhances the isospin-one component in the transfer strength considerably, which reduces the ratio \({{\rm Br}(X \rightarrow J /\psi\omega)/{\rm Br}(X \rightarrow J /\psi\rho)}\) down to 2.5.     

Initial stages of contact-induced plasticity in sapphire. II. Mechanisms of plasticity initiation

Part II of the present study focuses on the yield point phenomenon, a discontinuous transition from the apparently elastic to the elastic–plastic regime for basal [C, (0001)], rhombohedral [R, (1 012)] and prism [A, (12 10) and M, (101 0)] planes of sapphire (Al₂O₃) under spherical contacts. The yield point mechanisms are predicted by supplementing the analysis presented in Part I with a criterion for the yield point transition. The proposed criterion accounts for the low-symmetry structure of sapphire. The resulting theoretical predictions are compared with experimental results. This comparison focuses on the effects of surface orientation and loading rates on the yield point load and on the peculiarities of yield point mechanisms, as reflected in the acoustic emission (AE) signals associated with the yield point. For the C plane, the availability of pyramidal and prism slip is expected to be a limiting factor for the yield point transition. Depending on the loading rate, either basal slip or basal twinning dominates the yield point mechanism for the M plane. For the A plane, the yield point is determined by basal slip. For the R plane, a yield point mechanism involving rhombohedral twinning combined with basal or pyramidal slip is possible. Consistent with the experimental results, the highest and the lowest yield point loads are predicted for C and R planes, respectively.     

Atomic-vacancy ordering in the lowest tungsten carbide W2C

Atomic-vacancy ordering in the lowest tungsten carbide W₂C with an L′3-type basic hexagonal structure has been studied by neutron diffraction and X-ray diffraction. In the temperature range 2700–1370 K, the only ordered phase of the lowest tungsten carbide is shown to be the trigonal ?-W₂C phase (space group P $\overline 3 $ 1m). This trigonal ?-W₂C phase is found to form via a disorder-order phase transition channel, which includes three superstructure vectors (k ₁₅ ⁽¹⁾ , k ₁₅ ⁽²⁾ , k ₁₇ ⁽¹⁾ ) of two Lifshitz stars ({k ₁₅}, {k ₁₇}, and to be described by two long-range order parameters (η₁₅, η₁₇). The distribution function of carbon atoms in the trigonal ?-W₂C superstructure is calculated, and the corresponding region of the allowable values of the long-range order parameters η₁₅ and η₁₇ is found. Symmetry analysis of other possible superstructures of the lowest tungsten carbide W₂C is performed, and the physically acceptable sequence of phase transformations in W₂C is determined.     

Antiproton low-energy collisions with Ps-atoms and true muonium atoms (μ + μ −)

Three-charge-particle collisions with participation of ultra-slow antiprotons ( \(\overline {\rm {p}}\) ) is the subject of this work. Specifically we compute the total cross sections and corresponding thermal rates of the following three-body reactions: \(\overline {\rm p}+(e^+e^-) \rightarrow \overline {\rm {H}} + e^-\) and \(\overline {\rm p}+(\mu ^+\mu ^-) \rightarrow \overline {\rm {H}}_{\mu } + \mu ^-\) , where \(e^-(\mu ^-)\) is an electron (muon) and \(e^+(\mu ^+)\) is a positron (antimuon) respectively, \(\overline {\rm {H}}=(\overline {\rm p}e^+)\) is an antihydrogen atom and \(\overline {\rm {H}}_{\mu }=(\overline {\rm p}\mu ^+)\) is a muonic antihydrogen atom, i.e. a bound state of \(\overline {\rm {p}}\) and μ ⁺. A set of two-coupled few-body Faddeev-Hahn-type (FH-type) equations is numerically solved in the framework of a modified close-coupling expansion approach.