Topological Gauge Structure and Phase Diagram for Weakly Doped Antiferromagnets

We show that the topological gauge structure in the phase string theory of the {\rm t-J} model gives rise to a global phase diagram of antiferromagnetic (AF) and superconducting (SC) phases in a weakly doped regime. Dual confinement and deconfinement of holons and spinons play essential roles here, with a quantum critical point at a doping concentration $x_c\simeq 0.043$. The complex experimental phase diagram at low doping is well described within such a framework.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, modified version, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Interpretation of Impact Features on the Surface of the WFPC-2 Radiator

An examination of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC-2) radiator assembly was conducted at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) during the summer of 2009. Immediately apparent was the predominance of impact features resident only in the thermal paint layer; similar phenomenology was observed during a prior survey of the WFPC-1 radiator. As well, larger impact features displayed spallation zones, darkened areas, and other features not encountered in impacts onto bare surfaces. Whereas the characterization of impact features by depth and diameter on unpainted surfaces has been long established, the mitigation provided by the painted layer presented a challenge to further analysis of the WFPC-2 features; a literature search revealed no systematic characterization of the ballistic limit equations of painted or coated surfaces. In order to characterize the impactors responsible for the observed damage, an understanding of the cratering and spallation phenomenology of the painted surface was required. To address that challenge, NASA sponsored a series of hypervelocity calibration shots at the White Sands Test Facility (WSTF). This effort required the following activities: the production, painting, and artificial ageing of test coupons in a manner similar to the actual radiator; the determination of the test matrix parameters projectile diameter and material (mass density), impact velocity, and impact angle, so as to enable both an adequate characterization of the impact by projectile and impact geometry and support hydrocode modeling to fill in and extend the applicability of the calibration shots; the selection of suitable projectiles; logistics; and an analysis of feature characteristics upon return of the coupons. This paper reports the results of the test campaign and presents ballistic limit equations for painted surfaces. We also present initial results of our interpretation methodologies

Coexistence of Itinerant Electrons and Local Moments in Iron-Based Superconductors

In view of the recent experimental facts in the iron-pnictides, we make a proposal that the itinerant electrons and local moments are simultaneously present in such multiband materials. We study a minimal model composed of coupled itinerant electrons and local moments to illustrate how a consistent explanation of the experimental measurements can be obtained in the leading order approximation. In this mean-field approach, the spin-density-wave (SDW) order and superconducting pairing of the itinerant electrons are not directly driven by the Fermi surface nesting, but are mainly induced by their coupling to the local moments. The presence of the local moments as independent degrees of freedom naturally provides strong pairing strength for superconductivity and also explains the normal-state linear-temperature magnetic susceptibility above the SDW transition temperature. We show that this simple model is supported by various anomalous magnetic properties and isotope effect which are in quantitative agreement with experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures; an expanded versio

Resonant magneto-optic Kerr effect in the magnetic topological insulator Cr:(Sbx_x,Bi1−x_{1-x})2_2Te3_3

We report measurements of the polar Kerr effect, proportional to the out-of-plane component of the magnetization, in thin films of the magnetically doped topological insulator $(\text{Cr}_{0.12}\text{Bi}_{0.26}\text{Sb}_{0.62})_2\text{Te}_3$. Measurements of the complex Kerr angle, $\Theta_K$, were performed as a function of photon energy in the range $0.8\text{ eV}<\hbar\omega<3.0\text{ eV}$. We observed a peak in the real part of $\Theta_K(\omega)$ and zero crossing in the imaginary part that we attribute to resonant interaction with a spin-orbit avoided crossing located $\approx$ 1.6 eV above the Fermi energy. The resonant enhancement allows measurement of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of $\Theta_K$ in the ultrathin film limit, $d\geq2$ quintuple layers. We find a sharp transition to zero remanent magnetization at 6 K for $d<8$~QL, consistent with theories of the dependence of impurity spin interactions on film thickness and their location relative to topological insulator surfaces.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

The murky distinction between self-concept and self-efficacy: beware of lurking jingle-jangle fallacies

This study extends the classic constructive dialogue/debate between self-concept and self-efficacy researchers (Marsh, Roche, Pajares & Miller, 1997) regarding the distinctions between these two constructs. The study is a substantive-methodological synergy, bringing together new substantive, theoretical and statistical models, and developing new tests of the classic jingle-jangle fallacy. We demonstrate that in a representative sample of 3,350 students from math classes in 43 German schools, generalized math self-efficacy and math outcome expectancies were indistinguishable from math self-concept, but were distinct from test-related and functional measures of self-efficacy. This is consistent with the jingle-jangle fallacies that are proposed. On the basis of pre-test-variables, we demonstrate negative frame-of-reference effects in social (big-fish-little-pond effect) and dimensional (internal/external frame-of-reference effect) comparisons for three self-concept-like constructs in each of the first four years of secondary school. In contrast, none of the frame-of-reference effects were significantly negative for either of the two self-efficacy-like constructs in any of the four years of testing. After controlling for pre-test variables, each of the three self-concept-like constructs (math self-concept, outcome expectancy, and generalized math self-efficacy) in each of the four years of secondary school was more strongly related to post-test outcomes (school grades, test scores, future aspirations) than were the corresponding two self-efficacy-like factors. Extending discussion by Marsh et al. (1997) we clarify distinctions between self-efficacy and self-concept; the role of evaluation, worthiness, and outcome expectancy in self-efficacy measures; and complications in generalized and global measures of self-efficacy

Study of pure annihilation type decays B→Ds∗KB \to D_s^{*} K

In this work, we calculate the rare decays $B^0 \to D_s^{*-} K^+$ and $B^+ \to D_s^{*+} \bar{K}^0$ in perturbative QCD approach with Sudakov resummation. We give the branching ratio of $10^{-5}$ for $B^0 \to D_s^{*-}K^+$, which will be tested soon in $B$ factories. The decay $B^+ \to D_s^{*+} \bar{K}^0$ has a very small branching ratio at ${\cal O}(10^{-8})$, due to the suppression from CKM matrix elements $|V_{ub}^* V_{cd}|$. It may be sensitive to new physics contributions.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figur

Growth of High-Mobility Bi2Te2Se Nanoplatelets on hBN Sheets by van der Waals Epitaxy

The electrical detection of the surface states of topological insulators is strongly impeded by the interference of bulk conduction, which commonly arises due to pronounced doping associated with the formation of lattice defects. As exemplified by the topological insulator Bi2Te2Se, we show that via van der Waals epitaxial growth on thin hBN substrates the structural quality of such nanoplatelets can be substantially improved. The surface state carrier mobility of nanoplatelets on hBN is increased by a factor of about 3 compared to platelets on conventional Si/SiOx substrates, which enables the observation of well-developed Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. We furthermore demonstrate the possibility to effectively tune the Fermi level position in the films with the aid of a back gate

Macroscopic quantum coherence in mesoscopic ferromagnetic systems

In this paper we study the Macroscopic Quantum Oscillation (MQO) effect in ferromagnetic single domain magnets with a magnetic field applied along the hard anistropy axis. The level splitting for the ground state, derived with the conventional instanton method, oscillates with the external field and is quenched at some field values. A formula for quantum tunneling at excited levels is also obtained. The existence of topological phase accounts for this kind of oscillation and the corresponding thermodynamical quantities exhibit similar interference effects which resembles to some extent the electron quantum phase interference induced by gauge potential in the Aharonov-Bohm effect and the $\Theta$-vacuum in Yang-Mills field theory..Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Study of color suppressed modes B0→Dˉ(∗)0η(′)B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta^{(\prime)}

The color suppressed modes $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta^{(\prime)}$ are analyzed in perturbative QCD approach. We find that the dominant contribution is from the non-factorizable diagrams. The branching ratios calculated in our approach for $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta$ agree with current experiments. By neglecting the gluonic contribution, we predict the branching ratios of $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta'$ are at the comparable size of $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \pi^0$, but smaller than that of $B^0 \to \bar D^{(*)0} \eta$.Comment: revtex, 5 pages, axodraw.st

Generalized pricing formulas for stochastic volatility jump diffusion models applied to the exponential Vasicek model

Path integral techniques for the pricing of financial options are mostly based on models that can be recast in terms of a Fokker-Planck differential equation and that, consequently, neglect jumps and only describe drift and diffusion. We present a method to adapt formulas for both the path-integral propagators and the option prices themselves, so that jump processes are taken into account in conjunction with the usual drift and diffusion terms. In particular, we focus on stochastic volatility models, such as the exponential Vasicek model, and extend the pricing formulas and propagator of this model to incorporate jump diffusion with a given jump size distribution. This model is of importance to include non-Gaussian fluctuations beyond the Black-Scholes model, and moreover yields a lognormal distribution of the volatilities, in agreement with results from superstatistical analysis. The results obtained in the present formalism are checked with Monte Carlo simulations.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl