Ginzburg-Landau theory and effects of pressure on a two-band superconductor: application to MgB <Emphasis Type="Bold">2</Emphasis>

We present a model of pressure effects of a two-band superconductor based on a Ginzburg-Landau free energy with two order parameters. The parameters of the theory are pressure as well as temperature dependent. New pressure effects emerge as a result of the competition between the two bands. The theory then is applied to MgB₂. We identify two possible scenaria regarding the fate of the two σ subbands under pressure, depending on whether or not both subbands are above the Fermi energy at ambient pressure. The splitting of the two subbands is probably caused by the E_2g distortion. If only one subband is above the Fermi energy at ambient pressure (scenario I), application of pressure diminishes the splitting and it is possible that the lower subband participates in the superconductivity. The corresponding crossover pressure and Gr neisen parameter are estimated. In the second scenario both bands start above the Fermi energy and they move below it, either by pressure or via the substitution of Mg by Al. In both scenaria, the possibility of electronical topological transition is emphasized. Experimental signatures of both scenaria are presented and existing experiments are discussed in the light of the different physical pictures. Received 3 September 2002 / Received in final form 16 December 2002 Published online 14 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: joseph.betouras@ua.ac.be RID="b" ID="b"On leave from N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 31 Leninskii prospekt, 117915, Moscow, Russia     

Strong disorder fixed point in absorbing-state phase transitions

The effect of quenched disorder on nonequilibrium phase transitions in the directed percolation universality class is studied by a strong disorder renormalization group approach and by density matrix renormalization group calculations. We show that for sufficiently strong disorder the critical behavior is controlled by a strong disorder fixed point and in one dimension the critical exponents are conjectured to be exact: beta=(3-sqrt[5])/2 and nu( perpendicular )=2. For disorder strengths outside the attractive region of this fixed point, disorder dependent critical exponents are detected. Existing numerical results in two dimensions can be interpreted within a similar scenario.     

Flow cytometric discrimination of phytoplankton classes by fluorescence emission and excitation properties

The ataxonomic discrimination of phytoplankton species on the basis of fluorescence data obtained by multiwavelength excitation in combination with wavelength selective detection in flow cytometry is demonstrated. The discrimination is based on differences in pigment composition between the species, which are reflected in their spectral characteristics. Classification can be done both by making use of the absolute fluorescence intensities and with fluorescence parameter ratios. The latter approach has the advantage that size-related effects and instrument fluctuations are reduced to a large extent. Photoadaptation does influence the absolute as well as the ratioed parameters that are obtained but does not impede the classification into major ataxonomic groups.     

A global study of resonance production and of exchange processes inK − p interactions at 6.5 GeV/c

A sample of 3414 events of the typeK ^? p →K ^? pπ ⁺ π^? were recorded in the ANL 12-foot hydrogen bubble chamber exposed to aK ^?-meson beam of 6.5 GeV/c momentum. The total cross section for this reaction (1.17±0.07 mb), is compared to data obtained at neighbouring energies. Resonance production is studied using two complementary procedures; an analytical multichannel fit and multidimensional cluster methods. Baryon exchange processes, accounting for approximately 5% of the data, are isolated by the latter method.     

Discretization results for the Huff and Pareto-Huff competitive location models on networks

In this paper we prove that there always exists a finite set that includes an optimal solution for the Huff and the Pareto-Huff competitive models on networks with the assumption of a concave function of the distance. In the Huff model, there is always a vertex of the network that belongs to the solution set. For the Pareto-Huff model, we prove that there is always an optimal solution at, or an ε-optimal solution close to, a vertex or an isodistant point, a new concept introduced in this paper.     

The proton affinities and proton transfer in imine, amidine and guanidine series

The enthalpies of formation of neutral and protonated alkyl imines, amidine and guanidine are obtained by ab initio theoretical means using an isodesmic reaction technique. The corresponding proton affinities are obtained and discussed in terms of thermochemical stabilization energies. Their relation to the proton transfer process is examined and discussed. To this end, the structure and properties of various molecular complexes obtained between these molecules of interest and formic acid are explored. The sensitivity of this process to the presence of a neighbour water molecule is commented.     

Effects of intersubband interaction on multisubband electron transport in single and double quantum wells

The multisubband electron transport properties are studied for doped single quantum well and gated double asymmetric quantum well structures. The effects due to intersubband interaction and screening of the ionized impurity scattering are also investigated. We show that intersubband coupling plays an essential role in describing the screening properties as well as the effect of ionized impurity scattering on the mobility in a doped single quantum well. For coupled double quantum well structures, negative transconductance is found theoretically which is due to resonant tunneling between the two quantum wells.     

Manifestation of internal states in the nonlinear conductivity of Frohlich polarons

A numerical analysis of the Thornber-Feynman (T.F.) theory for the nonlinear polaron conductivity reveals, in the limit low temperature, interesting structure in the electric field versus average velocity curve. This structure is attributed to the internal states of the polaron.