Hopf-algebraic renormalization of QED in the linear covariant gauge

In the context of massless quantum electrodynamics (QED) with a linear covariant gauge fixing, the connection between the counterterm and the Hopf-algebraic approach to renormalization is examined. The coproduct formula of Green’s functions contains two invariant charges, which give rise to different renormalization group functions. All formulas are tested by explicit computations to third loop order. The possibility of a finite electron self-energy by fixing a generalized linear covariant gauge is discussed. An analysis of subdivergences leads to the conclusion that such a gauge only exists in quenched QED.     

Helium and point defect accumulation: (i) microstructure and mechanical behaviour

Ferritic/martensitic (F/M) steels are good candidate structural materials for the future fusion reactors and spallation sources. However, irradiation of steels is known to produce hardening, loss of ductility, shift in ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and reduction of fracture toughness and creep resistance starting at low doses. Helium (He), produced by transmutation during the irradiation, also impacts mechanical properties. Numerous experimental and theoretical studies on the evolution of the microstructure of steels under irradiation have been conducted until now. We review the effect of irradiation-induced point defects and in particular of He on the mechanical properties of F/M steels. To cite this article: R. Schäublin et al., C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

Thermal stability of alkoxy monolayers grafted on Si(1 1 1)

Direct grafting of organic monolayers on Si is of prime interest in order to give specific properties to a silicon surface. However, for microelectronics applications, this possibility is hampered by the limited stability of the grafted layers. It has been previously established that alkyl layers attached to Si surfaces through Si-C bonds become unstable at 250-300 °C, by desorption of alkenes. Changing the nature of the bonding to the surface might allow one to circumvent this desorption pathway and increase the layer stability. In our work, decanol and decyl aldehyde are reacted with the Si(1 1 1)-H surface at ∼100 °C during 20 h in order to obtain alkoxy monolayers. FTIR measurements performed in ATR geometry show that the grafted molecule surface coverage is on the order of 33% after reaction with decanol and 50% after reaction with decyl aldehyde. Characterization by AFM essentially reveals that the morphology of the grafted surfaces is unaffected as compared to that of Si-H surfaces. However, the edges of the terraces at alcohol-grafted surfaces exhibit some pitting, probably due to the presence of water in the grafting liquid. Thermal stability studies show that alkoxy chains progressively disappear from the Si surface between 200 and 400 °C. From the CH₂/CH₃ ratio in the CH region (2760-3070 cm⁻¹), it appears that the chains undergo progressive dissociation by C-C bond breaking before their complete disappearance from the surface. Therefore, the thermal behaviour of alkoxy monolayers appears quite distinct from that of alkyl monolayers that tend to leave the surface in a much narrower temperature range (250-350 °C), essentially via breaking of the Si-C bonds.     

A Residual-Based Compact Scheme for the Compressible Navier–Stokes Equations

A simple and efficient time-dependent method is presented for solving the steady compressible Euler and Navier–Stokes equations with third-order accuracy. Owing to its residual-based structure, the numerical scheme is compact without requiring any linear algebra, and it uses a simple numerical dissipation built on the residual. The method contains no tuning parameter. Accuracy and efficiency are demonstrated for 2-D inviscid and viscous model problems. Navier–Stokes calculations are presented for a shock/boundary layer interaction, a separated laminar flow, and a transonic turbulent flow over an airfoil.     

Oxygen as a site specific probe of the structure of water and oxide materials

The method of oxygen isotope substitution in neutron diffraction is introduced as a site specific structural probe. It is employed to measure the structure of light versus heavy water, thus circumventing the assumption of isomorphism between H and D as used in more traditional neutron diffraction methods. The intramolecular and intermolecular O-H and O-D pair correlations are in excellent agreement with path integral molecular dynamics simulations, both techniques showing a difference of ?0.5% between the O-H and O-D intramolecular bond distances. The results support the validity of a competing quantum effects model for water in which its structural and dynamical properties are governed by an offset between intramolecular and intermolecular quantum contributions.     

Characterization of a sCMOS‐based high‐resolution imaging system

The detection system is a key part of any imaging station. Here the performance of the novel sCMOS‐based detection system installed at the ID17 biomedical beamline of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and dedicated to high‐resolution computed‐tomography imaging is analysed. The system consists of an X‐ray–visible‐light converter, a visible‐light optics and a PCO.Edge5.5 sCMOS detector. Measurements of the optical characteristics, the linearity of the system, the detection lag, the modulation transfer function, the normalized power spectrum, the detective quantum efficiency and the photon transfer curve are presented and discussed. The study was carried out at two different X‐ray energies (35 and 50 keV) using both 2× and 1× optical magnification systems. The final pixel size resulted in 3.1 and 6.2 µm, respectively. The measured characteristic parameters of the PCO.Edge5.5 are in good agreement with the manufacturer specifications. Fast imaging can be achieved using this detection system, but at the price of unavoidable losses in terms of image quality. The way in which the X‐ray beam inhomogeneity limited some of the performances of the system is also discussed.     

Coding of shape from shading in area V4 of the macaque monkey

Background  

The shading of an object provides an important cue for recognition, especially for determining its 3D shape. However, neuronal mechanisms that allow the recovery of 3D shape from shading are poorly understood. The aim of our study was to determine the neuronal basis of 3D shape from shading coding in area V4 of the awake macaque monkey.