de Sitter vacua via consistent terms

We introduce a new mechanism for producing locally stable de Sitter or Minkowski vacua, with spontaneously broken N = 1 supersymmetry and no massless scalars, applicable to superstring and M-theory compactifications with fluxes. We illustrate the mechanism with a simple N = 1 supergravity model that provides parametric control on the sign and the size of the vacuum energy. The crucial ingredient is a gauged U(1) that involves both an axionic shift and an R symmetry, and severely constrains the F- and D-term contributions to the potential.     

Kac limit for finite-range spin glasses

We consider a finite-range spin glass model in arbitrary dimension, where the strength of the two-body coupling decays to zero over some distance gamma(-1). We show that, under mild assumptions on the interaction potential, the infinite-volume free energy of the system converges to that of the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick one, in the Kac limit gamma-->0. This could be a first step toward an expansion around mean-field theory, for spin glass systems.     

Identification and assay of wild-type and modified nucleoside mixtures by turbo ionspray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A method is presented which allows the identification and assay of a nucleoside in the presence of other analogues and homologues. The method is based on the conventional multiple reaction monitoring approach performed on the [M + H]+ ions of wild-type and modified nucleosides produced by the turbo ionspray ionization method on a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The accuracy of the quantitative determination relies on the evaluation of a response factor rho, which takes into account the kinetics of dissociation of the parent ions into the protonated [B + 2H]+ nucleobase ions. The evaluation of the absolute concentration of each analyte in the examined mixture does not require any previous chromatographic separation.     

Low-threshold quantum-cascade lasers at 3.5 THz (lambda = 85 microm)

Chirped-superlattice quantum-cascade lasers are reported that emit at lambda approximately 85 microm (3.6 THz), which is to the authors' knowledge the longest wavelength demonstrated so far with this technology. Collected peak output powers of 1.5 mW per facet were measured at liquid-helium temperature, and a maximum operating temperature of 45 K was reached. Record low-threshold-current densities of 95 and 115 A cm(-2) were observed in pulsed and continuous-wave operation, respectively. For the latter, output powers of a few hundred microwatts are estimated at low temperatures.     

Boosts in an Arbitrary Direction and Maximal Causal Velocities in a Deformed Minkowski Space

We discuss boosts in a deformed Minkowski space, i.e., a four-dimensional spacetime with metric coefficients depending on nonmetric coordinates (in particular on the energy). The general form of a boost in an arbitrary direction is derived in the case of space anisotropy. Two maximal trivector velocities are mathematically possible, an isotropic and an anisotropic one. However, only the anisotropic velocity has physical meaning, being invariant indeed under deformed boosts.     

High peak power operation and harmonic generation of a single-polarization, Yb-doped photonic crystal fiber amplifier

We report on the use of a single-polarization, 41 μm core-diameter, intrinsically single-mode photonic crystal fiber (PCF) to obtain high peak power (up to 800 kW), 1 ns-duration pulses in a 100:1 linearly polarized, intrinsically single-mode (M²  1.2) output. By transmitting the PCF output through nonlinear crystals, we also obtained efficient second, third, and fourth harmonic generation resulting in peak power >400 kW in the visible (green, 531 nm) and 200 kW in the UV (265.5 nm). To our knowledge these results represent the highest peak power obtained in a linearly polarized output from a fiber and the highest peak power in the visible and UV obtained through harmonic generation of the direct fiber output.     

Anchoring sulphur-headgroup organic molecules at Cu(1 0 0): Tailoring the interface electronic states

Sulphur-headgroup organic molecules have been chemisorbed on Cu(1 0 0) as self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) in highly-ordered two-fold symmetry structures, and the electronic states induced at the interface have been measured by photoemission: a close similarity of the main interface states for methane-thiolate and mercaptobenzoxazole on Cu(1 0 0) in the same p(2 × 2)-phase is observed. The bonding states for methane-thiolate/Cu(1 0 0) in the p(2 × 2) and c(2 × 2) structures have been compared to ab-initio calculation of the total density of states (DOS) for the S/Cu(1 0 0) system in the same phases. The major role of the S-Cu bonding to determine the density of state evolution at the interface is brought to light. The observed differences in the two phases depend mainly on the charge distribution associated to the different molecular packing, with a minor role of the radical group.