Study of the peak effect phenomenon in single crystals of 2H-NbSe2

The weakly pinned single crystals of the hexagonal 2H-NbSe₂ compound have emerged as prototypes for determining and characterizing the phase boundaries of the possible order-disorder transformations in the vortex matter. We present here a status report based on the ac and dc magnetization measurements of the peak effect phenomenon in three crystals of 2H-NbSe₂, in which the critical current densities vary over two orders of magnitude. We sketch the generic vortex phase diagram of a weakly pinned superconductor, which also utilizes theoretical proposals. We also establish the connection between the metastability effects and pinning.     

Tunable narrow-band infrared emitters from hexagonal lattices

In this work, we present both the theoretical basis as well as supporting experimental measurements for development of a novel mid-infrared thermally stimulated narrow band emitter with a spectral bandwidth of less than 10%. To achieve this, we utilize a metallized-surface 2D photonic crystal of air voids in a silicon background with hexagonal structure symmetry. Our results are based on the generation of discrete surface plasmon (SP) modes in the thin metallized layer residing on the top surface. This yields a series of adequately spaced discrete peaks in the reflection spectrum, dominated by a single sharp feature corresponding to the lowest plasmon order, in an otherwise uniform highly reflective spectrum (>90%) over most of the IR spectrum. This, in turn, gives rise to a sharp absorption feature with a correspondingly narrow thermal emission peak in the emission spectrum. Transfer matrix calculations simulate well both the position and strengths of the absorption peaks. By altering the period of the surface photonic lattice, the SP peak and emissive band can be tuned to the desired wavelength. These devices promise a new class of tunable infrared emitters with high power in a narrow spectral bandwidth. Such narrow band sources are critical to achieving high efficiency gas sensors.     

Shaping Solid-State Supramolecular Cavities: Chemically Induced Accordionlike Movement of gamma-Zirconium Phosphate Containing Polyethylenoxide Pillars

The hydrophilic oxygen atoms of polyethylenoxide chains inserted as pillars in gamma-zirconium phosphate form hydrogen bonds with the acid groups of the host. As a result the pillars are almost perpendicular to the gamma layers. Upon changing the pH level of the supernatant solution the hydrogen bonds are broken and the pillars become almost perpendicular to the layers (shown schematically). Thus there is a reversible enlargement-shortening of the interlayer space.     

Prebiotically Plausible Autocatalytic Peptide Amyloids

The prebiotic emergence of molecules capable both of self-replication and of storing information was a defining event at the dawn of life. Still, no plausible prebiotic self-replication of biologically relevant molecules has been demonstrated. Building upon the known templating nature of amyloids, we present two systems in which the products of a peptide-bond-forming reaction act as self-replicators to enhance the yield and stereoselectivity of their formation. This first report of an amino acid condensation that can undergo autocatalysis further supports the potential role of amyloids in prebiotic molecular evolution as an environment-responsive and information-coding system capable of self-replication.     

Cross Spectral Measurements in a Quiescent Magnetoplasma

The low frequency cross spectrum of electron density fluctuations in a weakly ionized magnetoplasma is measured with two Langmuir probes aligned transverse to the static magnetic field. The shapes of the observed cross spectra are exponentionally damped cosines as predicted by theory. However, the frequency of the first zero crossing of the cross spectra is strongly dependent on probe bias.     

Investigation of quasi-realistic heterotic string models with reduced Higgs spectrum

Quasi-realistic heterotic-string models in the free fermionic formulation typically contain an anomalous U(1) that leads to supersymmetry breaking. Supersymmetry is restored by imposing F- and D-flatness on the vacuum. A three generation free fermionic standard-like model which did not admit stringent F- and D-flat directions has been presented (Cleaver et al. in Phys. Rev. D 78, 046009, 2008) and it was argued that all the moduli in that model were fixed. The particular property of that model was the reduction of the untwisted Higgs spectrum by a combination of symmetric and asymmetric internal dimension boundary conditions with respect to the internal fermions associated with the compactified dimensions. This reduction occurred without the need or presence of flat directions. In this paper we extend the analysis of free fermionic models with reduced Higgs spectrum to models with the same internal space but with modified gauge groups: SO(10) or flipped SU(5) subgroup. We show that all the models studied in this paper do admit stringent flat directions. Currently, the only examples of models that do not admit stringent flat directions are the standard-like models of Cleaver et al. (Phys. Rev. D 78, 046009, 2008). We comment on the relationship between flat directions and reduced Higgs in free fermionic models as well as the possible connection between moduli stabilization and model phenomenology.     

Rotation reversal bifurcation and energy confinement saturation in tokamak Ohmic L-mode plasmas

Direction reversals of intrinsic toroidal rotation have been observed in diverted Alcator C-Mod Ohmic L-mode plasmas following electron density ramps. For low density discharges, the core rotation is directed cocurrent, and reverses to countercurrent following an increase in the density above a certain threshold. Such reversals occur together with a decrease in density fluctuations with 2 cm(-1)≤k(θ)≤11 cm(-1) and frequencies above 70 kHz. There is a strong correlation between the reversal density and the density at which the Ohmic L-mode energy confinement changes from the linear to the saturated regime.