High-pressure effect on the crystal and magnetic structures of the frustrated antiferromagnet YMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The high-pressure (to 5 GPa) effect on the crystal and magnetic structures of the hexagonal manganite YMnO₃ is studied by neutron diffraction in the temperature range 10–295 K. A spin-liquid state due to magnetic frustration on the triangular lattice formed by Mn ions is observed in this compound at normal pressure and T > T_N = 70 K, and an ordered triangular antiferromagnetic state with the symmetry of the irreducible representation Γ₁ arises at T < T_N. The high-pressure effect leads to a spin reorientation of Mn magnetic moments and a change in the symmetry of the antiferromagnetic structure, which can be described by a combination of the irreducible representations Γ₁ and Γ₂. In addition, it is observed that the ordered magnetic moment of Mn ions decreases from 3.27 μ_B (5 GPa) to 1.52 μ_B (5 GPa) at T = 10 K and diffuse scattering is enhanced at temperatures close to T_N. These effects can be explained within the model of the coexistence of the ordered antiferromagnetic phase and the spin-liquid state, whose volume fraction increases with pressure due to the enhancement of frustration effects.     

Monolayer assembly and striped architecture of Co nanoparticles on organic functionalized Si surfaces

We present a new strategy to fabricate a monolayer assembly of Br-terminated Co nanoparticles on functionalized Si surfaces by using chemical covalent bonding and microcontact printing method. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of the Co nanoparticles formed on the hydroxyl-terminated Si surface exhibit two-dimensional island networks with locally ordered arrays via covalent linkage between nanoparticles and surface. On the other hand, SAMs of the nanoparticles on the aminopropyl-terminated Si surface show an individual and random distribution over an entire surface. Furthermore, we have fabricated striped architectures of Co nanoparticles using a combination of microcontact printing and covalent linkage. Microcontact printing of octadecyltrichlorosilane and selective covalent linkage between nanoparticles and functionalized Si surfaces lead to a hybrid nanostructure with selectively assembled nanoparticles stripes on the patterned functionalized Si surfaces. PACS 81.07.Ta; 61.46.+w; 81.16.Dn; 81.16.Be; 68.37.Hk; 82.80.Pv     

Improved measurement of the form factors in the decay lambda+c-->lambda + nue

Using the CLEO detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we have studied the distribution of kinematic variables in the decay lambda(+)(c)lambda--> e(+)nu(e). By performing a four-dimensional maximum likelihood fit, we determine the form factor ratio, R= f(2)/f(1) = -0.31 +/- 0.05(stat) +/- 0.04(syst), the pole mass, M(pole) = [2.21 +/- 0.08(stat) +/- 0.14(syst)] GeV/c(2), and the decay asymmetry parameter of the lambda(+)(c), alpha (lambda(c)) = -0.86 +/-0.03(stat) +/- 0.02(syst), for q(2) = 0.67 (GeV/c(2))(2). We compare the angular distributions of the lambda(+)(c) and lambda(-)(c) and find no evidence for CP violation: A(lambda(c)) = (alpha(lambda(c)) + alpha (lambda(c)))/(alpha(lambda(c))-alpha(lambda(c))) = 0.00 +/- 0.03(stat) +/- 0.01(syst) +/- 0.02, where the third error is from the uncertainty in the world average of the CP-violating parameter, A(lambda), for ppi(-).     

Twist-grain-boundary structure in the B4 phase of a bent-core molecular system identified by second harmonic generation circular dichroism measurement

Second harmonic generation circular dichroism (SHG CD) measurements are performed on the B4 phase of a bent-core molecular system. Numerical analysis of SHG CD incorporating magnetic-dipole as well as electric-dipole interaction shows that the B4 phase is in a twist-grain-boundary structure with the helical axis along the bent direction of the molecules. The result is extremely important in the sense that achiral molecules are spontaneously optically resolved, i.e., deracemization, the chiral domains of which give rise to huge chiral nonlinear optical effect.     

Study of the semileptonic charm decays D(0)-->pi(-)l(+)nu and D(0)-->K(-)l(+)nu

We investigate the decays D(0)-->pi(-)l(+)nu and D(0)-->K(-)l(+)nu, where l is e or mu, using approximately 7 fb(-1) of data collected with the CLEO III detector. We find R(0) identical with B(D(0)-->pi(-)e(+)nu)/B(D(0)-->K(-)e(+)nu)=0.082+/-0.006+/-0.005. Fits to the kinematic distributions of the data provide parameters describing the form factor of each mode. Combining the form factor results and R(0) gives |f(pi)(+)(0)|(2)|V(cd)|(2)/|f(K)(+)(0)|(2)|V(cs)|(2)=0.038(+0.006+0.005)(-0.007-0.003).     

Phase-only hologram generation based on integral imaging and its enhancement in depth resolution

We introduce a phase-only hologram generation method based on an integral imaging,and propose an enhancement method in representable depth interval.The computational integral imaging reconstruction method is modified based on optical flow to obtain depth-slice images for the focused objects only.A phaseonly hologram for multiple plane images is generated using the iterative Fresnel transform algorithm.In addition,a division method in hologram plane is proposed for enhancement in the representable minimum depth interval.     

Suppression of samarium diffusion in top seeded melt growth processed Y123 superconductors using a Sm123 seed

To suppress the samarium diffusion from a SmBa₂Cu₃O_7?y (Sm123) seed into an YBa₂Cu₃O_7?y (Y123) compact during a top seeded melt growth (TSMG) process, Y211 buffer disks of various thicknesses (t) were inserted at the seed/compact interface. The effectiveness of the Y211 buffer insert on the suppression of samarium diffusion was estimated from the susceptibility curve and composition analysis for the three top surface regions (region just below the seed/buffer, intermediate region between the buffer and compact edge and compact edge). The difference in the superconducting temperature (T_c) and the superconducting transition width (ΔT) in the three regions was large, when no buffer or thin buffers (t is smaller than 1 mm) were used. As a buffer disk of an appropriate thickness was inserted into the seed/compact interface, the difference in T_c and ΔT in the three regions was much reduced. The composition analysis across the seed/buffer/compact region clearly revealed that the T_c decrease was caused by the samarium diffusion from a seed, which led to the formation of Y_1?xSm_xBa₂Cu₃O_7?y in the Y123 compact region. The buffer insert technique was demonstrated to insure the uniform superconducting properties of the top surface of TSMG processed Y123 superconductors.     

Effects of calcium doping on the superconducting properties of top-seeded melt growth processed Y1.5Ba2−xCaxCu3Oy superconductors

The effect of calcium doping on the superconducting properties of top seeded melt growth (TSMG) processed Y_1.5Ba_2?xCa_xCu₃O_y superconductors was studied in terms of calcium content (X_ca). YBa_2?xCa_xCu₃O_7?δ (X_ca = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.1, 0.3) powders were synthesized by the powder calcination method. YBa_2?xCa_xCu₃O_7?δ powders were mixed with 0.25 mole Y₂O₃ powder and 1 wt.% CeO₂ as Y₂BaCuO₅ (Y211) refiner, and finally made into Y₁.₅Ba_2?xCa_xCu₃O_y (Y1.5) + 1 wt.% CeO₂ composition. The single Y123 growth on the top surface was observed up to X_ca = 0.1, while the multiple Y123 growth was observed at X_ca ? 0.1. The superconducting transition temperature (T_c) and critical current density (J_c) of TSMG processed Y1.5 samples were inversely proportional to X_ca. The Y211 size increased with increasing X_ca due to the enhancement of Y211 coarsening by calcium doping. No Y211 refining effect by CeO₂ was observed in the calcium doped samples. The T_c and J_c decrease by calcium doping are likely to be due to the calcium incorporation with the Y123 lattice and formation of coarse Y211 particles.     

Underlayer dependence of electric field effect on magnetic anisotropy and its volatility in CoFeB/MgO structures

We report the dependence of voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) effect and its volatility on an underlayer (UL) in CoFeB/MgO structures. For a sample with Ta or Pt UL, the VCMA effect occurs when the applied gate voltage (V_g) exceeds a critical value, and it persists even after removing V_g. This is in contrast to the volatile VCMA effect and its linear dependence on V_g in a sample with W UL. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the volatility of the VCMA effect can be modified by introducing a Ta/W bilayer, enabling arbitrary control of the magnetic properties via VCMA effect.