Diffusion and Transport Coefficients in Synthetic Opals

Opals are structures composed of the closed packing of spheres in the size range of nano-to-micro meter. They are sintered to create small necks at the points of contact. We have solved the diffusion problem in such structures. The relation between the diffusion coefficient and the termal and electrical conductivity makes possible to estimate the transport coefficients of opal structures. We estimate this changes as function of the neck size and the mean-free path of the carriers. The theory presented is also applicable to the diffusion problem in other periodic structures.Comment: Submitted to PR

Practices of readiness: punctuation, poise and the contingencies of participatory design

How do we ready ourselves to intervene responsively in the contingent situations that arise in co-designing to make change? How do we attune to group dynamics and respond ethically to unpredictable developments when working with ‘community’? Participatory Design (PD) can contribute to social transitions, yet its focus is often tightly tuned to technique for designing ICT at the cost of participatory practice. We challenge PD conventions by addressing what happens as we step into a situation to alter it with others, an aspect of practice that cannot be replicated or interchanged. We do so to argue that practices of readiness are constituted by personal histories, experiences, philosophies and culture. We demonstrate this political argument by giving reflexive accounts of our dimensions of preparation. The narratives here are distinct, yet reveal complementary theories and worldviews that shape PD ontologies. We have organized these around the qualities of punctuation and poise as a way to draw out some less easily articulated aspects of PD practice

Properties of HxTaS2

The preparation of Hx TaS2 (0 \u3c x \u3c 0.87) is described. The compounds are only marginally stable at room temperature, slowly evolving H2S and H2 (and possibly Hp in air). Magnetic susceptibility data show that a low temperature transformation in 2H ... TaS2 (at so•K) is suppressed with the addition of hydrogen, and· at the same time the superconducting transition temperature T c rises from 0.8 to ~4.2•K at x = 0.11. Heat capacity measurements near this concentration show the superconductivity to be a bulk effect. Finally, by correlation of this data with susceptibility and T c measurements in other intercalation compounds, we suggest that the rise of T c (at low electron transfer) is due to suppression of the low temperature transformation and not due to an excitonic mechanism of superconductivity

Giant Thermoelectric Effect from Transmission Supernodes

We predict an enormous order-dependent quantum enhancement of thermoelectric effects in the vicinity of a higher-order `supernode' in the transmission spectrum of a nanoscale junction. Single-molecule junctions based on 3,3'-biphenyl and polyphenyl ether (PPE) are investigated in detail. The nonequilibrium thermodynamic efficiency and power output of a thermoelectric heat engine based on a 1,3-benzene junction are calculated using many-body theory, and compared to the predictions of the figure-of-merit ZT.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Penerapan Metode Pembelajaran Numbered Heads Together (Nht) Untuk Meningkatkan Motivasi Dan Hasil Belajar Kelarutan Dan Hasil Kali Kelarutan Kelas XI IPA 4 Sman 8 Surakarta Tahun Pelajaran 2012/2013

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan (1) motivasi belajar kelarutan dan hasil kali kelarutan dan (2) hasil belajar kelarutan dan hasil kali kelarutan melalui penerapan metode pembelajaran Numbered Heads Together (NHT). Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian tindakan kelas (Classroom Action Research) yang dilaksanakan dalam dua siklus dimana setiap siklusnya terdiri atas empat tahapan, yaitu perencanaan, pelaksanaan, pengamatan, dan refleksi. Subjek penelitian adalah siswa kelas XI IPA 4 SMAN 8 Surakarta Tahun Pelajaran 2012/2013. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui pengamatan, wawancara, kajian dokumen, angket, dan tes. Data yang diperoleh divalidasi menggunakan teknik triangulasi sumber dan dianalisis menggunakan analisis deskriptif kualitatif yang mengacu pada Miles dan Huberman. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan capaian motivasi belajar pada siklus I dan siklus II masing-masing mencapai 58,33% dan 79,17%. Hasil belajar yang diukur pada aspek kognitif dan afektif menunjukkan pada siklus I mencapai 29,17% dan 62,5% serta pada siklus II mencapai 70,83% dan 83,33%. Simpulan penelitian ini adalah penerapan metode pembelajaran Numbered Heads Together (NHT) mampu meningkatkan (1) motivasi belajar kelarutan dan hasil kali kelarutan dan (2) hasil belajar kelarutan dan hasil kali kelarutan kelas XI IPA 4 SMAN 8 Surakarta

Discovery (theoretical prediction and experimental observation) of a large-gap topological-insulator class with spin-polarized single-Dirac-cone on the surface

Recent theories and experiments have suggested that strong spin-orbit coupling effects in certain band insulators can give rise to a new phase of quantum matter, the so-called topological insulator, which can show macroscopic entanglement effects. Such systems feature two-dimensional surface states whose electrodynamic properties are described not by the conventional Maxwell equations but rather by an attached axion field, originally proposed to describe strongly interacting particles. It has been proposed that a topological insulator with a single spin-textured Dirac cone interfaced with a superconductor can form the most elementary unit for performing fault-tolerant quantum computation. Here we present an angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study and first-principle theoretical calculation-predictions that reveal the first observation of such a topological state of matter featuring a single-surface-Dirac-cone realized in the naturally occurring Bi$_2$Se$_3$ class of materials. Our results, supported by our theoretical predictions and calculations, demonstrate that undoped compound of this class of materials can serve as the parent matrix compound for the long-sought topological device where in-plane surface carrier transport would have a purely quantum topological origin. Our study further suggests that the undoped compound reached via n-to-p doping should show topological transport phenomena even at room temperature.Comment: 3 Figures, 18 pages, Submitted to NATURE PHYSICS in December 200