Physics Commons^™

Unusually Low Thermal Conductivity In The Argyrodite Ag8gete6 Attributed To Strong Anharmonicity, Dale Hitchcock

All Dissertations

Arguably the main focus of thermoelectric materials research over the last decade has been the reduction of lattice thermal conductivity through nanostructuring. This approach has proved quite effective in many instances, but has several inherent drawbacks including not only the metastability of many of the nanostructures used, but also difficulty decoupling the effects on the thermal properties of materials from the effects on their electrical properties. Some more recent research has focused on reduced thermal conductivity in materials with strong anharmonicity. In these systems anharmonicty in the crystal structure, whose strength can be gauged by the so-called Gruneissen parameter leads …

Interaction Quench Induced Multimode Dynamics Of Finite Atomic Ensembles, Simeon I. Mistakidis, L. Cao, P. Schmelcher

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Correlated Non-Equilibrium Dynamics Of Few-Boson Systems In One-Dimensional Finite Lattices Is Investigated. Starting From Weak Interactions We Perform A Sudden Interaction Quench And Employ The Numerically Exact Multi-Layer Multi-Configuration Time-Dependent Hartree Method For Bosons To Obtain The Resulting Quantum Dynamics. Focusing On The Low-Lying Modes Of The Finite Lattice We Observe The Emergence Of Density-Wave Tunneling, Breathing And Cradle-Like Processes. In Particular, The Tunneling Induced By The Quench Leads To A 'global' Density-Wave Oscillation. The Resulting Breathing And Cradle Modes Are Inherent To The Local Intrawell Dynamics And Connected To Excited-Band States. Moreover, The Interaction Quenches Couple The Density-Wave …

Empirical Formulas For Direct Double Ionization By Bare Ions: Z=-1 To 92, Robert D. Dubois, A. C.F. Santos, S. T. Manson

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Experimental cross sections and cross-section ratios reported in the literature for direct double ionization of the outer shells of helium, neon, and argon atoms resulting from bare ions ranging from protons to uranium and for antiprotons are analyzed in terms of a first- and second-order interference model originally proposed by McGuire [J. H. McGuire, Phys. Rev. Lett. 49, 1153 (1982) PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.49.1153]. Empirical formulas for the various contributions to double ionization plus information about the phase difference between the first- and second-order mechanisms are extracted from the data. Projectile and target scaling's are also extracted. Total cross sections and their ratios …

Ferroelectric Tunnel Junctions With Graphene Electrodes, Haidong Lu, Alexey Lipatov, Sangjin Ryu, D. J. Kim, H. Lee, M. Ye. Zhuravlev, Chang-Beom Eom, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal, Alexander Sinitskii, Alexei Gruverman

Evgeny Tsymbal Publications

Polarization-driven resistive switching in ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs)—structures composed of two electrodes separated by an ultrathin ferroelectric barrier—offers new physics and materials functionalities, as well as exciting opportunities for the next generation of non-volatile memories and logic devices. Performance of FTJs is highly sensitive to the electrical boundary conditions, which can be controlled by electrode material and/or interface engineering. Here, we demonstrate the use of graphene as electrodes in FTJs that allows control of interface properties for significant enhancement of device performance. Ferroelectric polarization stability and resistive switching are strongly affected by a molecular layer at the graphene/BaTiO₃ interface. …

Line-Driven Radiative Outflows In Luminous Quasars, Rebecca A. A. Bowler, Paul C. Hewett, James T. Allen, Gary J. Ferland

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

An analysis of ≃19 500 narrow ( ≲ 200 km s⁻¹) C iv λλ1548.2,1550.8 absorbers in ≃34 000 Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasar spectra is presented. The statistics of the number of absorbers as a function of outflow velocity shows that in approximately two-thirds of outflows, with multiple C iv absorbers present, absorbers are line-locked at the 500 km s⁻¹ velocity separation of the C iv absorber doublet; appearing as ‘triplets’ in the quasar spectra. Line-locking is an observational signature of radiative line-driving in outflowing material, where the successive shielding of ‘clouds’ of material in the outflow …

Confined Mesoscopic Fluid-Like Films Analyzed With Frequency Modulation And Acoustic Detection, Rodolfo Fernandez Rodriguez

Dissertations and Theses

Complete understanding of the physics underlying the changes in viscoelasticity, relaxation time, and phase transitions that mesoscopic fluid-like systems undergo at solid-liquid interfaces or under confinement remains one of the major challenges in condensed matter physics. Moreover, studies of confined mesoscopic fluid films are relevant to technological areas like adhesion, wetting processes and nanotribology.

This thesis addresses the interaction between two sliding solids interfaces separated by a nanometer sized gap, with emphasis on the role of the mesoscopic fluid film trapped between them. For this purpose we integrated two acoustic techniques, recently introduced by our group, into a sub-nanometer precision …

High Dimensional Non-Linear Optimization Of Molecular Models, Joseph C. Fogarty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Molecular models allow computer simulations to predict the microscopic properties of macroscopic systems. Molecular modeling can also provide a fully understood test system for the application of theoretical methods. The power of a model lies in the accuracy of the parameter values which govern its mathematical behavior. In this work, a new software, called ParOpt, for general high dimensional non-linear optimization will be presented. The software provides a very general framework for the optimization of a wide variety of parameter sets. The software is especially powerful when applied to the difficult task of molecular model parameter optimization. Three applications of …

Electrostatic Breakdown Analysis, Sam Hansen

Senior Theses and Projects

Materials potentially suitable for spacecraft construction were exposed to electrostatic discharge in the USU Materials Physics Group lab, with hopes of identifying samples that possess greater resistance to breakdown. Breakdown shape and size may be important to determining material suitability for spacecraft construction [1]. The discharge damage sites of tested samples were examined, measured and logged into a matrix file for data analysis. Once logged, data was sorted within the matrix and compared graphically to identify trends.

Electrostatic Breakdown Analysis, Sam Hansen, Jr Dennison, Allen Andersen

Senior Theses and Projects

Materials potentially suitable for spacecraft construction were exposed to electrostatic discharge in the USU Materials Physics Group lab, with hopes of identifying samples that possess greater resistance to breakdown. Breakdown shape and size may be important to determining material suitability for spacecraft construction [1]. The discharge damage sites of tested samples were examined, measured and logged into a matrix file for data analysis. Once logged, data was sorted within the matrix and compared graphically to identify trends.

Magneto-Optical Kerr Eect Study Of Magnetic Anisotropy In Soft Ferromagnets, Tatiana Marie Eggers

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The continued progress of modern information technology relies on understanding the influence of magnetic anisotropy on magnetic thin films. In this work, two sources of magnetic anisotropy are examined in two different soft ferromagnets: a uniaxial anisotropy induced during the fabrication of Ni₈₀Fe₂₀ and exchange anisotropy, or exchange bias, which occurs at the interface of Ni₇₇Fe₁₄Cu₅Mo₄/Fe₅₀Mn₅₀ bilayer. A home-built Magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometer is used to measure the magnetic response of the soft ferromagnetic films and details of its construction are also discussed. A simple model …

Paraxial Ray Optics Cloaking, Joseph S. Choi, John C. Howell

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Despite much interest and progress in optical spatial cloaking, a three-dimensional (3D), transmitting, continuously multidirectional cloak in the visible regime has not yet been demonstrated. Here we experimentally demonstrate such a cloak using ray optics, albeit with some edge effects. Our device requires no new materials, uses isotropic off-the-shelf optics, scales easily to cloak arbitrarily large objects, and is as broadband as the choice of optical material, all of which have been challenges for current cloaking schemes. In addition, we provide a concise formalism that quantifies and produces perfect optical cloaks in the small-angle (‘paraxial’) limit.

Iterative Solutions To The Steady-State Density Matrix For Optomechanical Systems, P. D. Nation, J. R. Johansson, M. P. Blencowe, A. J. Rimberg

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present a sparse matrix permutation from graph theory that gives stable incomplete Lower- Upper (LU) preconditioners necessary for iterative solutions to the steady state density matrix for quantum optomechanical systems. This reordering is efficient, adding little overhead to the computation, and results in a marked reduction in both memory and runtime requirements compared to other solution methods, with performance gains increasing with system size. Either of these benchmarks can be tuned via the preconditioner accuracy and solution tolerance. This reordering optimizes the condition number of the approximate inverse, and is the only method found to be stable at large …

Modulation Of The Cardiac Calcium Release Channel By Homocysteine Thiolactone, Laura Jean Owen

Dissertations and Theses

Elevated levels in blood serum (≥10μmol/L) of the amino acid homocysteine is strongly correlated with the incidence of heart failure (HF). We present evidence that the cyclic thioester, homocysteine thiolactone (HTL), a metabolic product of homocysteine, irreversibly modifies proteins that regulate the contractile process in cardiac muscle. Two proteins found in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), the Ca²⁺ pump (SERCA2), and the ryanodine receptor (RyR2), are responsible for controlling the cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration and hence the contractile state of the heart. While both improper Ca²⁺ handling and elevated homocysteine levels have been considered bio-markers in HF, a direct …

Small Quantum Dots Conjugated To Nanobodies As Immunofluorescence Probes For Nanometric Microscopy, Yong Wang, En Cai, Tobias Rosenkranz, Pinghua Ge, Kai Wen Teng, Sung Jun Lim, Andrew M. Smith, Hee Jung Chung, Frederick Sachs, William N. Green, Philip Gottlieb, Paul R. Selvin

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Immunofluorescence, a powerful technique to detect specific targets using fluorescently labeled antibodies, has been widely used in both scientific research and clinical diagnostics. The probes should be made with small antibodies and high brightness. We conjugated GFP binding protein (GBP) nanobodies, small single-chain antibodies from llamas, with new ∼7 nm quantum dots. These provide simple and versatile immunofluorescence nanoprobes with nanometer accuracy and resolution. Using the new probes we tracked the walking of individual kinesin motors and measured their 8 nm step sizes; we tracked Piezo1 channels, which are eukaryotic mechanosensitive channels; we also tracked AMPA receptors on living neurons. …

Molecular Approaches To Chromatography Using Single Molecule Spectroscopy, Lydia Kisley

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Characterization And Modeling Of Nonlinear Dark Current In Digital Imagers, Justin Charles Dunlap

Dissertations and Theses

Dark current is an unwanted source of noise in images produced by digital imagers, the de facto standard of imaging. The two most common types of digital imager architectures, Charged-Coupled Devices (CCDs) and Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS), are both prone to this noise source. To accurately reflect the information from light signals this noise must be removed. This practice is especially vital for scientific purposes such as in astronomical observations.

Presented in this dissertation are characterizations of dark current sources that present complications to the traditional methods of correction. In particular, it is observed that pixels in both CCDs and CMOS …

Light Transport In Pt-Invariant Photonic Structures With Hidden Symmetries, M. H. Teimourpour, Ramy El-Ganainy, A. Eisfeld, A. Szameit, Demetrios N. Christodoulides

Department of Physics Publications

We introduce a recursive bosonic quantization technique for generating classical PT photonic structures that possess hidden symmetries and higher order exceptional points. We study light transport in these geometries and we demonstrate that perfect state transfer is possible only for certain initial conditions. Moreover, we show that for the same propagation direction, left and right coherent transports are not symmetric with field amplitudes following two different trajectories. A general scheme for identifying the conservation laws in such PT-symmetric photonic networks is also presented.

The Optical Luminosity Function Of Gamma-Ray Bursts Deduced From Rotse-Iii Observations, X. H. Cui, X. F. Wu, J. J. Wei, F. Yuan, W. K. Zheng, E. W. Liang, C. W. Akerlof, M. C. B. Ashley, H A. Flewelling, E. Göǧüş, T. Güver, Ü. Kızıloǧlu, T. A. Mckay, S. B. Pandey, E. S. Rykoff, W. Rujopakarn, B. E. Schaefer, J. C. Wheeler, Sarah A. Yost

Physics Faculty Publications

We present the optical luminosity function (LF) of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) estimated from a uniform sample of 58 GRBs from observations with the Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment III (ROTSE-III). Our GRB sample is divided into two sub-samples: detected afterglows (18 GRBs) and those with upper limits (40 GRBs). We derive R-band fluxes for these two sub-samples 100 s after the onset of the burst. The optical LFs at 100 s are fitted by assuming that the co-moving GRB rate traces the star formation rate. While fitting the optical LFs using Monte Carlo simulations, we take into account the …

Control Power In Perfect Controlled Teleportation Via Partially Entangled Channels, Xi-Han Li, Shohini Ghose

Physics and Computer Science Faculty Publications

We analyze and evaluate perfect controlled teleportation via three-qubit entangled channels from the point of view of the controller. The key idea in controlled teleportation is that the teleportation is performed only with the participation of the controller. We calculate a quantitative measure of the controller's power and establish a lower bound on the control power required for controlled teleportation. We show that the maximally entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state is a suitable channel for controlled teleportation of arbitrary single qubits-the controller's power meets the bound and the teleportation fidelity without the controller's permission is no better than the fidelity of a …

Candels/Goods-S, Cdfs, And Ecdfs: Photometric Redshifts For Normal And X-Ray-Detected Galaxies, Li-Ting Hsu, Mara Salvato, Kirpal Nandra, Marcella Brusa, Ralf Bender, Johannes Buchner, Jennifer L. Dooley, Dale D. Kocevski, Yicheng Guo, Nimish P. Hathi, Cyprian Rangel, S. P. Willner, Murray Brightman, Antonis Georgakakis, Tamás Budavári, Alexander S. Szalay, Matthew L.N. Ashby, Guillermo Barro, Tomas Dahlen, Sandra M. Faber, Henry C. Ferguson, Audrey Galametz, Andrea Grazian, Norman A. Grogin, Kuang-Han Huang, Anton M. Koekemoer, Ray A. Lucas, Elizabeth Mcgrath, Bahram Mobasher, Michael Peth, David J. Rosario, Jonathan R. Trump

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present photometric redshifts and associated probability distributions for all detected sources in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South (ECDFS). This work makes use of the most up-to-date data from the Cosmic Assembly Near-IR Deep Legacy Survey (CANDELS) and the Taiwan ECDFS Near-Infrared Survey (TENIS) in addition to other data. We also revisit multi-wavelength counterparts for published X-ray sources from the 4 Ms CDFS and 250 ks ECDFS surveys, finding reliable counterparts for 1207 out of 1259 sources (~96%). Data used for photometric redshifts include intermediate-band photometry deblended using the TFIT method, which is used for the first time in …

Nonlinear Optimal Filter Technique For Analyzing Energy Depositions In Tes Sensors Driven Into Saturation, Benjamin Shank, Jeffrey Yen, Blas Cabrera, John Mark Kreikebaum, Robert Moffatt, Peter Redl, Betty Young, Paul Brink, Matthew Cherry, Astrid Tomada

Faculty Publications

We present a detailed thermal and electrical model of superconducting transition edge sensors(TESs) connected to quasiparticle (qp) traps, such as the W TESs connected to Al qp traps used for CDMS (Cryogenic Dark Matter Search) Ge and Si detectors. We show that this improvedmodel, together with a straightforward time-domain optimal filter, can be used to analyze pulses well into the nonlinear saturation region and reconstruct absorbed energies with optimal energyresolution.

Does The Worsening Galactic Cosmic Radiation Environment Observed By Crater Preclude Future Manned Deep Space Exploration?, Nathan A. Schwadron, J. B. Blake, Anthony Case, Colin J. Joyce, Justin Kasper, J. E. Mazur, N. Petro, M. Quinn, Jamie A. Porter, Charles W. Smith, Sonya S. Smith, Harlan E. Spence, Lawrence W. Townsend, R. Turner, Jody K. Wilson, Cary Zeitlin

Physics & Astronomy

Abstract

The Sun and its solar wind are currently exhibiting extremely low densities and magnetic field strengths, representing states that have never been observed during the space age. The highly abnormal solar activity between cycles 23 and 24 has caused the longest solar minimum in over 80 years and continues into the unusually small solar maximum of cycle 24. As a result of the remarkably weak solar activity, we have also observed the highest fluxes of galactic cosmic rays in the space age and relatively small solar energetic particle events. We use observations from the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the …

Excitation Of Nightside Magnetosonic Waves Observedby Van Allen Probes, Qinghua Zhou, Fuliang Xiao, Chang Yang, Si Liu, C A. Kletzing, W. S. Kurth, G. B. Hospodarsky, Harlan E. Spence, Geoffrey Reeves, H. O. Funsten, J. B. Blake, D. N. Baker, J. R. Wygant

Physics & Astronomy

Abstract

During the recovery phase of the geomagnetic storm on 30-31 March 2013, Van Allen Probe A detected enhanced magnetosonic (MS) waves in a broad range of L = 1.8-4.7 and magnetic local time (MLT) = 17-22 h, with a frequency range ∼10-100 Hz. In the meanwhile, distinct proton ring distributions with peaks at energies of ∼10 keV, were also observed in L = 3.2-4.6 and L = 5.0-5.6. Using a subtracted bi-Maxwellian distribution to model the observed proton ring distribution, we perform three-dimensional ray tracing to investigate the instability, propagation, and spatial distribution of MS waves. Numerical results show …

Control Of Majorana Edge Modes By A G-Factor Engineered Nanowire Spin Transistor, Amrit De, Alexey Kovalev

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

We propose the manipulation of Majorana edge states via hybridization and spin currents in a nanowire spin transistor. The spin transistor is based on a heterostructure nanowire comprising of semiconductors with large and small g-factors that form the topological and non-topological regions respectively. The hybridization of bound edge states results in spin currents and 4π-periodic torques, as a function of the relative magnetic field angle – an effect which is dual to the fractional Josephson effect. We establish relation between torques and spin-currents in the non-topological region where the magnetic field is almost zero and spin is …

Nonlinear Dichroism In Back-To-Back Double Ionization Of He By An Intense Elliptically Polarized Few-Cycle Extreme Ultraviolet Pulse, Jean Marcel Ngoko Djiokap, N. L. Manakov, A. V. Meremianin, S. X. Hu, L. B. Madsen, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

Control of double ionization of He by means of the polarization and carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of an intense, few-cycle extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulse is demonstrated numerically by solving the six-dimensional two-electron, time-dependent Schrödinger equation for He interacting with an elliptically polarized XUV pulse. Guided by perturbation theory (PT), we predict the existence of a nonlinear dichroic effect (∝ I^3/2) that is sensitive to the CEP, ellipticity, peak intensity I, and temporal duration of the pulse. This dichroic effect (i.e., the difference of the two-electron angular distributions for opposite helicities of the ionizing XUV pulse) originates from interference of …

A Potential Foundation For Emergent Space-Time, Kevin H. Knuth, Newshaw Bahreyni

Physics Faculty Scholarship

We present a novel derivation of both the Minkowski metric and Lorentz transformations from the consistent quantification of a causally ordered set of events with respect to an embedded observer. Unlike past derivations, which have relied on assumptions such as the existence of a 4-dimensional manifold, symmetries of space-time, or the constant speed of light, we demonstrate that these now familiar mathematics can be derived as the unique means to consistently quantify a network of events. This suggests that space-time need not be physical, but instead the mathematics of space and time emerges as the unique way in which an …

Nonlinear Optimal Filter Technique For Analyzing Energy Depositions In Tes Sensors Driven Into Saturation, B. Shank, J. J. Yen, Blas Cabrera, J. M. Kreikebaum, R. Moffatt, P. Redl, Betty A. Young, P. L. Brink, M. Cherry, A. Tomada

Physics

We present a detailed thermal and electrical model of superconducting transition edge sensors (TESs) connected to quasiparticle (qp) traps, such as the W TESs connected to Al qp traps used for CDMS (Cryogenic Dark Matter Search) Ge and Si detectors. We show that this improved model, together with a straightforward time-domain optimal filter, can be used to analyze pulses well into the nonlinear saturation region and reconstruct absorbed energies with optimal energy resolution.

The Mass Evolution Of The First Galaxies: Stellar Mass Functions And Star Formation Rates At 4 < Z < 7 In The Candels Goods-South Field, K. Duncan, C. J. Conselice, A. Mortlock, W. G. Hartley, Y. Guo, H. C. Ferguson, R. Davé, Y. Lu, J. Owensworth, M. L. N. Ashby, A. Dekel, M. Dickinson, S. Faber, M. Giavalisco, N. Grogin, Dale D. Kocevski, A. Koekemoer, R. S. Somerville, C. E. White

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We measure new estimates for the galaxy stellar mass function and star formation rates for samples of galaxies at z ∼ 4, 5, 6 and 7 using data in the CANDELS GOODS South field. The deep near-infrared observations allow us to construct the stellar mass function at z ≥ 6 directly for the first time. We estimate stellar masses for our sample by fitting the observed spectral energy distributions with synthetic stellar populations, including nebular line and continuum emission. The observed UV luminosity functions for the samples are consistent with previous observations; however, we find that the observed M_{UV …}

Single Spin Asymmetries In Charged Kaon Production From Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering On A Transversely Polarized 3He Target, C. Dutta, A. Kolarkar, Wolfgang Korsch, Y. X. Zhao, Y. Wang, K. Allada, K. Aniol, J. R. M. Annand, T. Averett, F. Benmokhtar, W. Bertozzi, P. C. Bradshaw, P. Bosted

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We report the first measurement of target single spin asymmetries of charged kaons produced in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering of electrons off a transversely polarized ³He target. Both the Collins and Sivers moments, which are related to the nucleon transversity and Sivers distributions, respectively, are extracted over the kinematic range of 0.1<x_bj<0.4 for K⁺ and K⁻ production. While the Collins and Sivers moments for K⁺ are consistent with zero within the experimental uncertainties, both moments for K⁻ favor negative values. The Sivers moments are compared to the theoretical prediction from a phenomenological fit to the …

Dynamics Of Skirting Droplets, Caleb Akers, Jacob Hale

Annual Student Research Poster Session

No abstract provided.