A search for strong, ordered magnetic fields in Herbig Ae/Be stars

The origin of magnetic fields in intermediate-mass and high-mass stars is fundamentally a mystery. Clues toward solving this basic astrophysical problem can likely be found at the pre-main sequence (PMS) evolutionary stage. With this work, we perform the largest and most sensitive search for magnetic fields in pre-main sequence Herbig Ae/Be (HAeBe) stars. Sixty-eight observations of 50 HAeBe stars have been obtained in circularly polarised light using the FORS1 spectropolarimeter at the ESO VLT. An analysis of both Balmer and metallic lines reveals the possible presence of weak longitudinal magnetic fields in photospheric lines of two HAeBe stars, HD 101412 and BF Ori. The intensity of the longitudinal fields detected in HD 101412 and BF Ori suggest that they correspond to globally-ordered magnetic fields with surface intensities of order 1 kG. Monte Carlo simulations of the longitudinal field measurements of the undetected stars allow us to place an upper limits of about 300 G on the general presence of aligned magnetic dipole magnetic fields, and of about 500 G on perpendicular dipole fields. We find that the observed bulk incidence of magnetic HAeBe stars in our sample is 8-12%, in good agreement with that of magnetic main sequence stars of similar masses. We also find that the rms longitudinal field intensity of magnetically-detected HAeBe stars is similar to that of Ap stars and consistent with magnetic flux conservation during stellar evolution. These results are all in agreement with the hypothesis that the magnetic fields of main sequence Ap/Bp stars are fossils, which already exist within the stars at the pre-main sequence stage. Finally, we explore the ability of our new magnetic data to constrain magnetospheric accretion in Herbig Ae/Be stars.Comment: Accepted by Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2007 January 11. Received 2007 January 11; in original form 2006 August 18. The paper contains 18 pages, 11 figures and 2 table

Resistless electron beam lithography process for the fabrication of sub-50 nm silicide structures

We report on a study of the fabrication of submicron silicide structures with a resistless lithography technique. Several different metals can be used as a basis for producing silicide using this method; in this work, results will be discussed for both platinum and nickel silicide. The feasibility of producing nanostructures using polycrystalline silicon as a base growth layer for metal–oxide– semiconductor, and other device applications have also been demonstrated. Threshold doses for this method for submicron lines (<50 nm) and square areas were obtained in order to establish a framework for the fabrication of more complex devices. Preliminary electrical measurements were carried out which indicate that the resistivity of the silicide is 45 [mu omega] cm, and that the barrier height of the silicide/(high resistivity silicon) interface is 0.56 eV

Investigation of the magnetic field characteristics of Herbig Ae/Be stars: Discovery of the pre-main sequence progenitors of the magnetic Ap/Bp stars

We are investigating the magnetic characteristics of pre-main sequence Herbig Ae/Be stars, with the aim of (1) understanding the origin and evolution of magnetism in intermediate-mass stars, and (2) exploring the influence of magnetic fields on accretion, rotation and mass-loss at the early stages of evolution of A, B and O stars. We have begun by conducting 2 large surveys of Herbig Ae/Be stars, searching for direct evidence of photospheric magnetic fields via the longitudinal Zeeman effect. From observations obtained using FORS1 at the ESO-VLT and ESPaDOnS at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, we report the confirmed detection of magnetic fields in 4 pre-main sequence A- and B-type stars, and the apparent (but as yet unconfirmed) detection of fields in 2 other such stars. We do not confirm the detection of magnetic fields in several stars reported by other authors to be magnetic: HD 139614, HD 144432 or HD 31649. One of the most evolved stars in the detected sample, HD 72106A, shows clear evidence of strong photospheric chemical peculiarity, whereas many of the other (less evolved) stars do not. The magnetic fields that we detect appear to have surface intensities of order 1 kG, seem to be structured on global scales, and appear in about 10% of the stars studied. Based on these properties, these magnetic stars appear to be pre-main sequence progenitors of the magnetic Ap/Bp stars.Comment: v2: Include comment regarding publication source To appear in the proceedings of "Solar Polarisation 4", held in Boulder, USA, Sept. 200

Laboratory Characterization and Astrophysical Detection of Vibrationally Excited States of Vinyl Cyanide in Orion-KL

New laboratory data of CH$_2$CHCN (vinyl cyanide) in its ground and vibrationally excited states at the microwave to THz domain allow searching for these excited state transitions in the Orion-KL line survey. Frequency-modulated spectrometers combined into a single broadband 50-1900 GHz spectrum provided measurements of CH$_2$CHCN covering a spectral range of 18-1893 GHz, whose assignments was confirmed by Stark modulation spectra in the 18-40 GHz region and by ab-initio anharmonic force field calculations. For analyzing the emission lines of CH$_2$CHCN species detected in Orion-KL we used the excitation and radiative transfer code (MADEX) at LTE conditions. The rotational transitions of the ground state of this molecule emerge from four cloud components of hot core nature which trace the physical and chemical conditions of high mass star forming regions in the Orion-KL Nebula. The total column density of CH$_2$CHCN in the ground state is (3.0$\pm$0.9)x10$^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$. We report on the first interstellar detection of transitions in the v10=1/(v11=1,v15=1) dyad in space, and in the v11=2 and v11=3 states in Orion-KL. The lowest energy vibrationally excited states of vinyl cyanide such as v11=1 (at 328.5 K), v15=1 (at 478.6 K), v11=2 (at 657.8 K), the v10=1/(v11=1,v15=1) dyad (at 806.4/809.9 K), and v11=3 (at 987.9 K) are populated under warm and dense conditions, so they probe the hottest parts of the Orion-KL source. Column density and rotational and vibrational temperatures for CH$_2$CHCN in their ground and excited states, as well as for the isotopologues, have been constrained by means of a sample of more than 1000 lines in this survey. Moreover, we present the detection of methyl isocyanide (CH$_3$NC) for the first time in Orion-KL and a tentative detection of vinyl isocyanide (CH$_2$CHNC) and give column density ratios between the cyanide and isocyanide isomers.Comment: 46 pages, 22 figures, 14 tables, 9 online table

Mass balance of zinc redistribution during the pedogenesis of a soil developed on a natural geochemical anomaly

Pedogenetic processes that redistribute soil elements over time have been considerably investigated and clearly identified. Nevertheless, the quantification of their respective influences on element redistribution is still poorly known, while soil protection requires extensive knowledge of their long-time depending evolution. The quantitative redistribution of elements is of prime importance in polluted soils, since the long-term environmental hazards depend on their potential mobility and biodisponibility, thus speciation. Among the elements frequently encountered in polluted soils and exhibiting a well-established phytotoxic nature, zinc is of great concern. Nevertheless, pollutions are too recent to observe or even predict the long-term behavior of zinc in polluted soils. An alternative approach is to study paleosoil developed on natural geochemical anomalies. Indeed, such paleosoils display zinc concentrations equivalent to those of polluted soils with the advantage to involve long pedological time of contact between the elements and the different soil phases. Our study aims at quantifying the long-term redistribution of zinc during the pedogenesis of a soil developed upon a natural geochemical anomaly. We first determined zinc speciation both in the parental material and in the solum, then quantified redistribution by mass balance calculations. This approach permits to estimate Zn outputs or inputs in the solum and to quantify its redistribution along the profile and among the different mineral phases

A silicone nanocrystal tunnel field effect transistor

Abstract : In this work, we demonstrate a silicon nanocrystal Field Effect Transistor (ncFET). Its operation is similar to that of a Tunnelling Field Effect Transistor (TFET) with two barriers in series. The tunnelling barriers are fabricated in very thin silicon dioxide and the channel in intrinsic polycrystalline silicon. The absence of doping eliminates the problem of achieving sharp doping profiles at the junctions, which has proven a challenge for large-scale integration and, in principle, allows scaling down the atomic level. The demonstrated ncFET features a 104 on/off current ratio at room temperature, a low 30pA/lm leakage current at a 0.5V bias, an on-state current on a par with typical all-Si TFETs and bipolar operation with high symmetry. Quantum dot transport spectroscopy is used to assess the band structure and energy levels of the silicon island

THz extended spectrum of the monodeuterated methyl formate (DCOOCH3)

Context. Laboratory spectral recordings and an accurate molecular spectral analysis of any potential interstellar molecule are essential for generating a complete spectroscopic line list. This permits predicting the frequencies and intensities of any transition so that subsequently, it can be identified in the interstellar medium. Aims. Our analysis of DCOOCH3 aims to provide a comprehensive spectral catalog that encompasses as much as possible the frequency coverage of the new-generation far-IR and submillimeter wave observation facilities. Methods. We newly measured the rotational spectrum of DCOOCH3 in the laboratory of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the frequency range of 0.85 to 1.5 THz. We jointly analyzed the new data with literature data using the rho axis method, which is a tool developed for the spectral analysis of molecules with large-amplitude internal CH3 rotors. Results. We fit 27 spectroscopic constants of DCOOCH3 to 3763 transitions with highest values of J = 69 and Ka = 36 of the ground torsional state with a standard (unitless) deviation of 0.97. With respect to previous work, this is a significantly better result that was obtained with 2060 more transitions, and we also achieved a better accuracy for the new parameter values.This research was supported by the FIS2011-28738-C02-02 project (MINECO, Spain), the French PCMI (Programme National de Physique Chimie du Milieu Interstellaire), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11174098). M.C. acknowledges the research stay at the Universite Paris Diderot under the Guest Faculty programme in May 2014. Portions of this paper present research carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Government sponsorship is acknowledged

Influence of the substrate-induced strain and irradiation disorder on the Peierls transition in TTF-TCNQ microdomains

The influence of the combined effects of substrate-induced strain, finite size and electron irradiation-induced defects have been studied on individual micron-sized domains of the organic charge transfer compound tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF-TCNQ) by temperature-dependent conductivity and current-voltage measurements. The individual domains have been isolated by focused ion beam etching and electrically contacted by focused ion and electron beam induced deposition of metallic contacts. The temperature-dependent conductivity follows a variable range hopping behavior which shows a crossover of the exponent as the Peierls transition is approached. The low temperature behavior is analyzed within the segmented rod model of Fogler, Teber and Shklowskii, as originally developed for a charge-ordered quasi one-dimensional electron crystal. The results are compared with data obtained on as-grown and electron irradiated epitaxial TTF-TCNQ thin films of the two-domain type

Involvement of Noradrenergic Neurotransmission in the Stress- but not Cocaine-Induced Reinstatement of Extinguished Cocaine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference in Mice: Role for β-2 Adrenergic Receptors

The responsiveness of central noradrenergic systems to stressors and cocaine poses norepinephrine as a potential common mechanism through which drug re-exposure and stressful stimuli promote relapse. This study investigated the role of noradrenergic systems in the reinstatement of extinguished cocaine-induced conditioned place preference by cocaine and stress in male C57BL/6 mice. Cocaine- (15 mg/kg, i.p.) induced conditioned place preference was extinguished by repeated exposure to the apparatus in the absence of drug and reestablished by a cocaine challenge (15 mg/kg), exposure to a stressor (6-min forced swim (FS); 20–25°C water), or administration of the α-2 adrenergic receptor (AR) antagonists yohimbine (2 mg/kg, i.p.) or BRL44408 (5, 10 mg/kg, i.p.). To investigate the role of ARs, mice were administered the nonselective β-AR antagonist, propranolol (5, 10 mg/kg, i.p.), the α-1 AR antagonist, prazosin (1, 2 mg/kg, i.p.), or the α-2 AR agonist, clonidine (0.03, 0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) before reinstatement testing. Clonidine, prazosin, and propranolol failed to block cocaine-induced reinstatement. The low (0.03 mg/kg) but not high (0.3 mg/kg) clonidine dose fully blocked FS-induced reinstatement but not reinstatement by yohimbine. Propranolol, but not prazosin, blocked reinstatement by both yohimbine and FS, suggesting the involvement of β-ARs. The β-2 AR antagonist ICI-118551 (1 mg/kg, i.p.), but not the β-1 AR antagonist betaxolol (10 mg/kg, i.p.), also blocked FS-induced reinstatement. These findings suggest that stress-induced reinstatement requires noradrenergic signaling through β-2 ARs and that cocaine-induced reinstatement does not require AR activation, even though stimulation of central noradrenergic neurotransmission is sufficient to reinstate