Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Low Magnetic Prandtl Number Dynamos With Helical Forcing, Pablo D. Mininni, David C. Montgomery

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present direct numerical simulations of dynamo action in a forced Roberts flow. The behavior of the dynamo is followed as the mechanical Reynolds number is increased, starting from the laminar case until a turbulent regime is reached. The critical magnetic Reynolds for dynamo action is found, and in the turbulent flow it is observed to be nearly independent on the magnetic Prandtl number in the range from ∼0.3 to ∼0.1. Also the dependence of this threshold with the amount of mechanical helicity in the flow is studied. For the different regimes found, the configuration of the magnetic and velocity …

Photovoltaic Effect In Bent Quantum Wires In The Ballistic Transport Regime, Yuriy V. Pershin Dr, Carlo Piermarocchi

Faculty Publications

A scheme for the generation of a photocurrent in bent quantum wires is proposed. We calculate the current using a generalized Landauer-Büttiker approach that takes into account the electromagnetic radiation. For circularly polarized light, it is demonstrated that the curvature in the bent wire induces an asymmetry in the scattering coefficients for left and right moving electrons. This asymmetry results in a current at zero bias voltage. The effect is due to the geometry of the wire which transforms the photon angular momentum into translational motion for the electrons. Possible experimental realizations of this scheme are discussed.

Limits Of Quintessence, R. R. Caldwell, Eric V. Linder

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present evidence that the simplest particle-physics scalar-field models of dynamical dark energy can be separated into distinct behaviors based on the acceleration or deceleration of the field as it evolves down its potential towards a zero minimum. We show that these models occupy narrow regions in the phase plane of w and w′, the dark energy equation of state and its time derivative in units of the Hubble time. Restricting an energy scale of the dark energy microphysics limits how closely a scalar field can resemble a cosmological constant. These results, indicating a desired measurement resolution of order σ(w′)≈(1+w), …

Persistent And Radiation-Induced Currents In Distorted Quantum Rings, Yuriy V. Pershin Dr, Carlo Piermarocchi

Faculty Publications

Persistent and radiation-induced currents in distorted narrow quantum rings are theoretically investigated. We show that ring distorsions can be described using a geometrical potential term. We analyze the effect of this term on the current induced by a magnetic flux (persistent current) and by a polarized coherent electromagnetic field (radiation-induced current). The strongest effects in persistent currents are observed for distorted rings with a small number of electrons. The distortion smoothes the current oscillations as a function of the magnetic flux and changes the temperature dependence of the current amplitude. For radiation-induced currents, the distortion induces an ac component in …

Electron-Impact Ionization Of Hydrogen And Lithiumlike Systems, M A. Uddin, Abul Kalam Fazlul Haque, A K. Basak, Khondkar R. Karim, B C. Saha

Faculty publications – Physics

The electron impact single ionization cross sections on a number of targets with atomic number Z=1-92 in the H and Li isoelectronic sequences are calculated using a modified version of the recently propounded relativisitic improved binary-encounter dipole (MRIBED) model [M. A. Uddin , Phys. Rev. A 70, 032706 (2004); 71, 032715 (2005)]. The modified RQIBED (MRIBED) model along with a Z-dependent factor in it is found remarkably successful in the applications to H- and Li-like systems and also valid for the ionization of a filled s orbit including the He-like targets.

Investigation Of Laser Beam Induced Current Techniques For Heterojunction Photodiode Characterization, Weifu Fang, David A. Redfern, Kazufumi Ito, G. Bahir, Charles A. Musca, John M. Dell, Lorenzo Faraone

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

A reduced model is developed that has significant advantages over the full drift-diffusion model for the simulation of laser beam-induced current (LBIC) signals in the presence of heterojunctions. The model determines the contribution to the LBIC signal that would occur from photogeneration at any position within the semiconductor, and is particularly useful for heterostructures where judicious choice of illumination wavelength can result in photogeneration at different depths within the device structure. The reduced model is used to examine the basic features of LBIC as applied to two types of planar P-n HgCdTe heterojunction photodiode structures. In particular, the question of …

Simulation Of Charged Particle Trajectories In The Neutron Decay Correlation Experiment Abba, D. Desai, G. Greene, R. Mahurin, D. Bowman, John R. Calarco

Physics & Astronomy

The proposed neutron decay correlation experiment, abBA, will directly detect the direction of emission of decay protons and electrons as well as providing spectroscopic information for both particles. In order to provide this information, the abBA experiment incorporates spatially varying electric and magnetic fields. We report on detailed simulations of the decay particle trajectories in order to assess the impact of various systematic effects on the experimental observables. These include among others; adiabaticity of particle orbits, tracking of orbits, reversal of low energy protons due to inhomogeneous electric field, and accuracy of proton time of flight measurements. Several simulation methods …

Physicist's Reformed Critique Of Nonreductive Physicalism And Emergence, Arnold E. Sikkema

Pro Rege

Two figures are included. Dr. Sikkema has obtained permission from the first author of the paper from which Fig. 2 is adapted, as well as from the publisher.

Deep-Uv Light Emitting Diodes: An Experimental Investigation Of Characterization And Optimization Techniques, Eric M. Fraser

Pomona Senior Theses

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs) have many advantages over conventional light sources. Current commercial LEDs span the spectrum from IR to near- UV. There are a variety of applications for devices that extend into the deep-UV, including biological agent detection and optical storage. The nitride material system is a set of semiconducting compounds that have wavelengths that span a broad range, from yellow to deep-UV. AlGaN has a direct bandgap that extends into the deep-UV range; we will try to grow device-quality material, deposited epitaxially using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on sapphire substrates.

Temperature-Dependent Asymmetry Of The Nonlocal Spin-Injection Resistance: Evidence For Spin Nonconserving Interface Scattering, Samir Garzon, Igor Žutić, Richard A. Webb

Faculty Publications

We report nonlocal spin injection and detection experiments on mesoscopic Co-Al₂O₃-Cu spin valves. We have observed a temperature-dependent asymmetry in the nonlocal resistance between parallel and antiparallel configurations of the magnetic injector and detector. This strongly supports the existence of a nonequilibrium resistance that depends on the relative orientation of the detector magnetization and the nonequilibrium magnetization in the normal metal providing evidence for increasing interface spin scattering with temperature.

Microscopic Theory Of The Low Frequency Raman Modes In Germanium Nanocrystals, Shang-Fen Ren, Peter Y. Yu

Faculty publications – Physics

We have studied the Raman intensities of low-frequency phonon modes in germanium (Ge) nanocrystals (NC) with varying sizes by using a microscopic valence force field model. The results are compared with the predictions of the continuum model of Lamb using a projection method. We found that the l=0 spheroidal Lamb modes are Raman active in the parallel polarization scattering geometry, while the l=2 spheroidal Lamb modes are active in the crossed polarization geometry. This result agrees with the group theory prediction that the torsional Lamb modes are not Raman active, but is in disagreement with the identification of torsional Lamb …

Deep-Uv Light Emitting Diodes: An Experimental Investigation Of Characterization And Optimization Techniques, Eric M. Fraser

Pomona Senior Theses

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs) have many advantages over conventional light sources. Current commercial LEDs span the spectrum from IR to near- UV. There are a variety of applications for devices that extend into the deep-UV, including biological agent detection and optical storage. The nitride material system is a set of semiconducting compounds that have wavelengths that span a broad range, from yellow to deep-UV. AlGaN has a direct bandgap that extends into the deep-UV range; we will try to grow device-quality material, deposited epitaxially using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on sapphire substrates.

Cardiac Relaxation Dynamics Investigated By Doppler Tissue Imaging (Dti), Gerard J. King

Doctoral

Following an initial pilot study to explore the usefulness of Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) for the assessment of regional systolic dysfunction in the ischaemic heart, new techniques for the diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction have been developed

In the refinement of the techniques further evidence to support the existence of the early diastolic mechanism was obtained prior to assessing its clinical utility. For this the relationship between peak early diastolic mitral ring tissue velocity (EA) as a surrogate for recoil, and the acceleration of early transmitral flow (ventricular filling) was investigated in patients with diastolic dysfunction and in normal subjects. This …

Long-Lived Spin Coherence States In Semiconductor Heterostructures, Yuriy V. Pershin Dr

Faculty Publications

We study evolution of electron spin coherence having nonhomogeneous direction of spin polarization vector in semiconductor heterostructures. It is found that the electron spin relaxation time due to the D’yakonov- Perel’ relaxation mechanism essentially depends on the initial spin polarization distribution. This effect has its origin in the coherent spin precession of electrons diffusing in the same direction. We predict a long spin relaxation time of a novel structure: a spin coherence standing wave and discuss its experimental realization.

Computation Of Electron-Impact K-Shell Ionization Cross Sections Of Atoms, M A. Uddin, Abul Kalam Fazlul Haque, M Masum Billah, A K. Basak, Khondkar R. Karim, B C. Saha

Faculty publications – Physics

The total cross sections of electron impact single K-shell ionization of atomic targets, with a wide range of atomic numbers from Z=6-50, are evaluated in the energy range up to about 10 MeV employing the recently proposed modified version of the improved binary-encounter dipole (RQIBED) model [Uddin , Phys. Rev. A 70, 032706 (2004)], which incorporates the ionic and relativistic effects. The experimental cross sections for all targets are reproduced satisfactorily even in the relativistic energies using fixed generic values of the two parameters in the RQIBED model. The relativistic effect is found to be significant in all targets except …

The Equation, Winter 2005, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

College of Science and Mathematics Newsletters

This 14 page newsletter discusses various happenings within the College of Science and Mathematics. It begins with a letter from the dean, and continues on with news, events, alumni news, and other community news.

Against Realist Instruction: Superficial Success Masking Catastrophic Failure And An Alternative, Dewey I. Dykstra

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose: Often radical constructivists are confronted with arguments why radical constructivism is wrong. The present work presents a radical constructivist alternative to such arguments: a comparison of the results of two instructional practices, the standard, realistbased instruction and a radical constructivist-based instruction, both in physics courses. Design: Evidence from many studies of student conceptions in standard instruction (Duit 2004) is taken into account. In addition, diagnostic data, pre and post instruction, were collected from over 1,000 students in multiple institutions across the U. S. over a period of about 15 years via an established diagnostic of conceptual understanding of motion …

Today's Take On Einstein’S Relativity: Proceedings Of The Conference Of 18 Feb 2005, Florentin Smarandache, Homer B. Tilton

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Non Sequiturs in Relativity Four in number at this point Dr. Smith of "Lost in Space" had a knack of easing out of binds that he'd gotten himself into. Dr. Einstein was a little like that. Einstein originally declared that the distortions of special relativity reflect real changes to the objects being remotely observed, then reconsidered. The first non sequitur is quoted here from Sachs:[1] In a lecture that Einstein gave to the Prussian Academy of Sciences in 1921, he said the following: "Geometry predicates nothing about relations of real things, but only geometry together with the purport of physical …

High-Energy Effective Action From Scattering Of Qcd Shock Waves, Ian Balitsky

Physics Faculty Publications

At high energies, the relevant degrees of freedom are Wilson lines—infinite gauge links ordered along straight lines collinear to the velocities of colliding particles. The effective action for these Wilson lines is determined by the scattering of QCD shock waves. I develop the symmetric expansion of the effective action in powers of strength of one of the shock waves and calculate the leading term of the series. The corresponding first-order effective action, symmetric with respect to projectile and target, includes both up and down fan diagrams and pomeron loops.

Beam-Helicity Asymmetries In Double-Charged-Pion Photoproduction On The Proton, H. Bagdasaryan, M. Bektasoglu, S. Bültmann, Gail Dodge, N. Guler, C. E. Hyde-Wright, H. G. Juengst, A. Klein, S. E. Kuhn, L. M. Qin, W. Roberts, F. Sabatié, S. Tkachenko, L. B. Weinstein, J. Yun, J. Zhang, Et Al., Clas Collaboration

Physics Faculty Publications

Beam-helicity asymmetries for the two-pion-photoproduction reaction 𝛾⃗p → p π⁺π^- have been studied for the first time in the resonance region for center-of-mass energies between 1.35 and 2.30 GeV. The experiment was performed at Jefferson Lab with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer using circularly polarized tagged photons incident on an unpolarized hydrogen target. Beam-helicity-dependent angular distributions of the final-state particles were measured. The large cross-section asymmetries exhibit strong sensitivity to the kinematics and dynamics of the reaction. The data are compared with the results of various phenomenological model calculations, and show that these models currently do not …

Exclusive Photoproduction Of The Cascade Ξ Hyperons, H. Bagdasaryan, M. Bektasoglu, K. V. Dharmawardane, G. E. Dodge, T. A. Forest, G. Gavalian, N. Guler, C. E. Hyde-Wright, A. V. Klimenko, S. E. Kuhn, L. M. Qin, L. B. Weinstein, J. Yun, Et Al., Clas Collaboration

Physics Faculty Publications

We report on the first measurement of exclusive Ξ^-(1321) hyperon photoproduction in 𝛾p → K⁺K⁺Ξ^- for 3.2 < E𝛾 < 3.9 GeV. The final state is identified by the missing mass in p(𝛾,K⁺K⁺)X measured with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory. We have detected a significant number of the ground state Ξ^-(1321)1/2⁺ and have estimated the total cross section for its production. We also have strong evidence for the first excited state Ξ^-(1530)3/2⁺. Photoproduction provides a copious source of Ξ's. We discuss the possibilities of a search for the recently proposed Ξ₅^- and Ξ₅^{+ …}

Transitions Into The Negative-Energy Dirac Continuum, P Krekora, Q Su, Rainer Grobe

Faculty publications – Physics

We compare the predictions of the single-particle Dirac equation with quantum field theory for an electron subjected to a space and time dependent field. We demonstrate analytically and numerically that a transition into the negative-energy subspace predicted by the single-particle Dirac equation is directly associated with the degree of suppression of pair-production as described by quantum field theory. We show that the portion of the mathematical wave function that populates the negative-energy states corresponds to the difference between the positron spatial density for systems with and without an electron initially present.

Mechanisms And Dynamics Of The Metastable Decay In Ar-2(+), J. Fedor, K. Gluch, R. Parajuli, S. Matt-Leubner, Olof E. Echt, P. Scheier, T. D. Mark

Physics & Astronomy

A detailed experimental as well as theoretical investigation of the properties of the metastable dissociation Ar-2(+)-->Ar++Ar is presented. The mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy (MIKE) scan technique has been performed using a three sector field mass spectrometer. The possible mechanisms of the metastability of Ar-2(+) have been examined and the observed decay process is assigned to the II(1/2)(u)-->I(1/2)(g) bound to continuum radiative transition, in agreement with earlier work. The calculation of the theoretical shape of the kinetic energy release distribution of fragment ions allowed us to construct the theoretical MIKE peak and compare it with the raw experimental data. …

Mohanty And Webb Reply, P. Mohanty, Richard A. Webb

Faculty Publications

A Reply to the Comment by V. I. Fal'ko et al.

Polarization Of Nuclear Spins From The Conductance Of Quantum Wires, James A. Nesteroff, Yuriy V. Pershin Dr, Vladimir Privman

Faculty Publications

We devise an approach to measure the polarization of nuclear spins via conductance measurements. Specifically, we study the combined effect of external magnetic field, nuclear spin polarization, and Rashba spin-orbit interaction on the conductance of a quantum wire. Nonequilibrium nuclear spin polarization affects the electron energy spectrum making it time dependent. Changes in the extremal points of the spectrum result in time dependence of the conductance. The conductance oscillation pattern can be used to obtain information about the amplitude of the nuclear spin polarization and extract the characteristic time scales of the nuclear spin subsystem.

High-Resolution Kinetic Energy Release Distributions And Dissociation Energies For Fullerene Ions C(N)(+), 42 <= N <= 90, K. Gluch, S. Matt-Leubner, Olof E. Echt, B. Concina, P. Scheier, T. D. Mark

Physics & Astronomy

We have measured the kinetic energy released in the unimolecular dissociation of fullerene ions, C(n)(+)-->C(n-2)(+)+C(2), for sizes 42less than or equal tonless than or equal to90. A three-sector-field mass spectrometer equipped with two electric sectors has been used in order to ensure that contributions from isotopomers of different masses do not distort the experimental kinetic energy release distributions. We apply the concept of microcanonical temperature to derive from these data the dissociation energies of fullerene cations. They are converted to dissociation energies of neutral fullerenes with help of published adiabatic ionization energies. The results are compared with literature values. …

How We Think About And Prepare To Teach Physics, Dewey I. Dykstra

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We have been preparing physics teachers in the same manner for many decades. Yet, physics education research reveals for some observers disturbing evidence of little or no change in understanding the phenomena occurs as a direct result of physics instruction from elementary school through the college years. The apparent compatibility between these learning results and prevailing paradigm enables the construction of a description the paradigm. If it can be demonstrated that there is even just one alternative paradigm from which powerful alternative pedagogical practice is derived, are we not obligated to change how we prepare to teach physics?

Microscopic Investigation Of Phonon Modes In Sige Alloy Nanocrystals, Shang-Fen Ren, Wei Cheng, Peter Y. Yu

Faculty publications – Physics

Phonon modes in spherical silicon germanium alloy (SiGe) nanocrystals containing up to 1147 atoms (3.6 nm) have been investigated as a function of the Si concentration. Microscopic details of phonon modes, including phonon frequencies and vibrational amplitudes, phonon density-of-states are calculated directly from the dynamic matrices. In particular, the dependence of phonon frequency on the configuration (such as a different ratio of Si to Ge atoms), and location (surface or interior) of clusters of atoms in SiGe alloy nanocrystals have been investigated. Low frequency surface phonons that are related to the spheroidal and torsional modes of a continuum sphere are …

Patterning Polymer Thin Films: Lithographically Induced Self Assembly And Spinodal Dewetting, Regina C. Carns

Pomona Senior Theses

In an age in which the microchip is ubiquitous, the rewards for novel methods of microfabrification are great, and the vast possibilities of nanotechnology lie just a little ahead. Various methods of microlithography offer differing benefits, and even as older techniques such as optical lithography are being refined beyond what were once considered their upper limits of resolution, new techniques show great promise for going even further once they reach their technological maturity. Recent developments in optical lithography may allow it to break the 100-nm limit even without resorting to x-rays.

Behavior Of Coupled Automata, Reuben Gann, Jessica Venable, Eric J. Friedman, Adam S. Landsberg

WM Keck Science Faculty Papers

We study the nature of statistical correlations that develop between systems of interacting self-organized critical automata (sandpiles). Numerical and analytical findings are presented describing the emergence of "synchronization" between sandpiles and the dependency of this synchronization on factors such as variations in coupling strength, toppling rule probabilities, symmetric versus asymmetric coupling rules, and numbers of sandpiles.