Bipolar High Field Excitations in Co/Cu/Co Nanopillars

Current-induced magnetic excitations in Co/Cu/Co bilayer nanopillars ($\sim$50 nm in diameter) have been studied experimentally at low temperatures for large applied fields perpendicular to the layers. At sufficiently high current densities excitations, which lead to a decrease in differential resistance, are observed for both current polarities. Such bipolar excitations are not expected in a single domain model of spin-transfer. We propose that at high current densities strong asymmetries in the longitudinal spin accumulation cause spin-wave instabilities transverse to the current direction in bilayer samples, similar to those we have reported for single magnetic layer junctions.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures+ 2 additional jpg figures (Fig. 2d and Fig. 3) high resolution figures and recent related articles are available at: http://www.physics.nyu.edu/kentlab/news.htm

Current Induced Excitations in Cu/Co/Cu Single Ferromagnetic Layer Nanopillars

Current-induced magnetic excitations in Cu/Co/Cu single layer nanopillars (~50 nm in diameter) have been studied experimentally as a function of Co layer thickness at low temperatures for large applied fields perpendicular to the layers. For asymmetric junctions current induced excitations are observed at high current densities for only one polarity of the current and are absent at the same current densities in symmetric junctions. These observations confirm recent predictions of spin-transfer torque induced spin wave excitations in single layer junctions with a strong asymmetry in the spin accumulation in the leads.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Experimental comparison of dynamic tracking performanceof iGPS and laser tracker

External metrology systems are increasingly being integrated with traditional industrial articulated robots, especially in the aerospace industries, to improve their absolute accuracy for precision operations such as drilling, machining and jigless assembly. While currently most of the metrology assisted robotics control systems are limited in their position update rate, such that the robot has to be stopped in order to receive a metrology coordinate update, some recent efforts are addressed toward controlling robots using real-time metrology data. The indoor GPS is one of the metrology systems that may be used to provide real-time 6DOF data to a robot controller. Even if there is a noteworthy literature dealing with the evaluation of iGPS performance, there is, however, a lack of literature on how well the iGPS performs under dynamic conditions. This paper presents an experimental evaluation of the dynamic measurement performance of the iGPS, tracking the trajectories of an industrial robot. The same experiment is also repeated using a laser tracker. Besides the experiment results presented, this paper also proposes a novel method for dynamic repeatability comparisons of tracking instrument

Current-Induced Effective Magnetic Fields in Co/Cu/Co Nanopillars

We present a method to measure the effective field contribution to spin-transfer-induced interactions between the magnetic layers in a trilayer nanostructure, which enables spin-current effects to be distinguished from the usual charge-current-induced magnetic fields. This technique is demonstrated on submicron Co/Cu/Co nanopillars. The hysteresis loop of one of the magnetic layers in the trilayer is measured as a function of current while the direction of magnetization of the other layer is kept fixed, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction. These measurements show a current-dependent shift of the hysteresis loop which, based on the symmetry of the magnetic response, we associate with spin-transfer. The observed loop-shift with applied current at room temperature is reduced in measurements at 4.2 K. We interprete these results both in terms of a spin-current dependent effective activation barrier for magnetization reversal and a spin-current dependent effective magnetic field. From data at 4.2 K we estimate the magnitude of the spin-transfer induced effective field to be $\sim 1.5 \times 10^{-7}$ Oe cm$^2$/A, about a factor of 5 less than the spin-transfer torque.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Spatial distribution of local currents of massless Dirac fermions in quantum transport through graphene nanoribbons

We employ the formalism of bond currents, expressed in terms of the nonequilibrium Green functions, to image the charge flow between two sites of the honeycomb lattice of graphene ribbons of few nanometers width. In sharp contrast to nonrelativistic electrons, current density profiles of quantum transport at energies close to the Dirac point in clean zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNR) differs markedly from the profiles of charge density peaked at the edges due to zero-energy localized edge states. For transport through the lowest propagating mode induced by these edge states, edge vacancies do not affect current density peaked in the center of ZGNR. The long-range potential of a single impurity acts to reduce local current around it while concurrently increasing the current density along the zigzag edge, so that ZGNR conductance remains perfect $G=2e^2/h$.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Current-Induced Magnetization Reversal in High Magnetic Fields in Co/Cu/Co Nanopillars

Current-induced magnetization dynamics in Co/Cu/Co trilayer nanopillars (~100nm in diameter) has been studied experimentally for large applied fields perpendicular to the layers. An abrupt and hysteretic increase in dynamic resistance is observed at high current densities for one polarity of the current, comparable to the giant magnetoresistance effect observed at low fields. A micromagnetic model, that includes a spin-transfer torque, suggests that the current induces a complete reversal of the thin Co layer to alignment antiparallel to the applied field-that is, to a state of maximum magnetic energy.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, (submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett.), added missing figure caption of fig. 3, updated to published versio

Shapes, contact angles, and line tensions of droplets on cylinders

Using an interface displacement model we calculate the shapes of nanometer-size liquid droplets on homogeneous cylindrical surfaces. We determine effective contact angles and line tensions, the latter defined as excess free energies per unit length associated with the two contact lines at the ends of the droplet. The dependences of these quantities on the cylinder radius and on the volume of the droplets are analyzed.Comment: 26 pages, RevTeX, 10 Figure

Early intervention with Bifidobacterium lactis NCC2818 modulates the host-microbe interface independent of the sustained changes induced by the neonatal environment

Inflammatory and metabolic diseases can originate during early-life and have been correlated with shifts in intestinal microbial ecology. Here we demonstrate that minor environmental fluctuations during the early neonatal period had sustained effects on the developing porcine microbiota and host-microbe interface. These inter-replicate effects appear to originate during the first day of life, and are likely to reflect very early microbiota acquisition from the environment. We statistically link early systemic inflammation with later local increases in inflammatory cytokine (IL-17) production, which could have important enteric health implications. Immunity, intestinal barrier function, host metabolism and host-microbiota co-metabolism were further modified by Bifidobacterium lactis NCC2818 supplementation, although composition of the in situ microbiota remained unchanged. Finally, our robust model identified novel, strong correlations between urinary metabolites (eg malonate, phenylacetylglycine, alanine) and mucosal immunoglobulin (IgM) and cytokine (IL-10, IL-4) production, thus providing the possibility of the development of urinary ‘dipstick’ tests to assess non-accessible mucosal immune development and identify early precursors (biomarkers) of disease. These results have important implications for infants exposed to neonatal factors including caesarean delivery, antibiotic therapy and delayed discharge from hospital environments, which may predispose to the development of inflammatory and metabolic diseases in later life