Search results for " insulator"
showing 10 items of 148 documents
Topological insulator nanoribbon Josephson junctions: Evidence for size effects in transport properties
2020
We have used Bi$_2$Se$_3$ nanoribbons, grown by catalyst-free Physical Vapor Deposition to fabricate high quality Josephson junctions with Al superconducting electrodes. In our devices we observe a pronounced reduction of the Josephson critical current density $J_c$ by reducing the width of the junction, which in our case corresponds to the width of the nanoribbon. Because the topological surface states extend over the entire circumference of the nanoribbon, the superconducting transport associated to them is carried by modes on both the top and bottom surfaces of the nanoribbon. We show that the $J_c$ reduction as a function of the nanoribbons width can be accounted for by assuming that on…
Two prospective Li-based half-Heusler alloys for spintronic applications based on structural stability and spin–orbit effect
2017
To search for half-metallic materials for spintronic applications, instead of using an expensive trial-and-error experimental scheme, it is more efficient to use first-principles calculations to design materials first, and then grow them. In particular, using a priori information of the structural stability and the effect of the spin–orbit interaction (SOI) enables experimentalists to focus on favorable properties that make growing half-metals easier. We suggest that using acoustic phonon spectra is the best way to address the stability of promising half-metallic materials. Additionally, by carrying out accurate first-principles calculations, we propose two criteria for neglecting the SOI s…
High transparency Bi 2 Se 3 topological insulator nanoribbon Josephson junctions with low resistive noise properties
2019
Bi$_2$Se$_3$ nanoribbons, grown by catalyst-free Physical Vapour Deposition, have been used to fabricate high quality Josephson junctions with Al superconducting electrodes. The conductance spectra (dI/dV) of the junctions show clear dip-peak structures characteristic of multiple Andreev reflections. The temperature dependence of the dip-peak features reveals a highly transparent Al/Bi$_2$Se$_3$ topological insulator nanoribbon interface and Josephson junction barrier. This is supported by the high values of the Bi$_2$Se$_3$ induced gap and of I$_c$R$_n$ (I$_c$ critical current, R$_n$ normal resistance of the junction) product both of the order of 160 $\mu$eV, a value close to the Al gap. T…
Mixed topological semimetals driven by orbital complexity in two-dimensional ferromagnets
2018
The concepts of Weyl fermions and topological semimetals emerging in three-dimensional momentum space are extensively explored owing to the vast variety of exotic properties that they give rise to. On the other hand, very little is known about semimetallic states emerging in two-dimensional magnetic materials, which present the foundation for both present and future information technology. Here, we demonstrate that including the magnetization direction into the topological analysis allows for a natural classification of topological semimetallic states that manifest in two-dimensional ferromagnets as a result of the interplay between spin-orbit and exchange interactions. We explore the emerg…
The Sea Urchin sns5 Chromatin Insulator Shapes the Chromatin Architecture of a Lentivirus Vector Integrated in the Mammalian Genome.
2016
Lentivirus vectors are presently the favorite vehicles for therapeutic gene transfer in hematopoietic cells. Nonetheless, these vectors integrate randomly throughout the genome, exhibiting variegation of transgene expression due to the spreading of heterochromatin into the vector sequences. Moreover, the cis-regulatory elements harbored by the vector could disturb the proper transcription of resident genes neighboring the integration site. The incorporation of chromatin insulators in flanking position to the transferred unit can alleviate both the above-mentioned dangerous effects, due to the insulator-specific barrier and enhancer-blocking activities. In this study, we report the valuable …
Surface structure promoted high-yield growth and magnetotransport properties of Bi2Se3 nanoribbons
2019
AbstractIn the present work, a catalyst-free physical vapour deposition method is used to synthesize high yield of Bi2Se3 nanoribbons. By replacing standard glass or quartz substrates with aluminium covered with ultrathin porous anodized aluminium oxide (AAO), the number of synthesized nanoribbons per unit area can be increased by 20–100 times. The mechanisms of formation and yield of the nanoribbons synthesized on AAO substrates having different arrangement and size of pores are analysed and discussed. It is shown that the yield and average length of the nanoribbons can base tuned by adjustment of the synthesis parameters. Analysis of magnetotransport measurements for the individual Bi2Se3…
Effect of graphene substrate type on formation of Bi2Se3 nanoplates
2019
AbstractKnowledge of nucleation and further growth of Bi2Se3 nanoplates on different substrates is crucial for obtaining ultrathin nanostructures and films of this material by physical vapour deposition technique. In this work, Bi2Se3 nanoplates were deposited under the same experimental conditions on different types of graphene substrates (as-transferred and post-annealed chemical vapour deposition grown monolayer graphene, monolayer graphene grown on silicon carbide substrate). Dimensions of the nanoplates deposited on graphene substrates were compared with the dimensions of the nanoplates deposited on mechanically exfoliated mica and highly ordered pyrolytic graphite flakes used as refer…
Uhlmann number in translational invariant systems
2019
We define the Uhlmann number as an extension of the Chern number, and we use this quantity to describe the topology of 2D translational invariant Fermionic systems at finite temperature. We consider two paradigmatic systems and we study the changes in their topology through the Uhlmann number. Through the linear response theory we linked two geometrical quantities of the system, the mean Uhlmann curvature and the Uhlmann number, to directly measurable physical quantities, i.e. the dynamical susceptibility and to the dynamical conductivity, respectively.
First experimental demonstration of a plasmonic MMI switch in 10 Gb/s true data traffic conditions
2012
We report the first experimental performance evaluation of a 75 um long plasmonic MMI switch, hetero-integrated on a SOI platform, operating with 10Gb/s data signals. The switch exhibits 2.9μs response time and 44.5% modulation depth while its extinction ratio varies from 5.4 to -1.5 dB for 35mW switching power. Error-free performance was achieved.
Transcriptomic data from panarthropods shed new light on the evolution of insulator binding proteins in insects
2016
BACKGROUND: Body plan development in multi-cellular organisms is largely determined by homeotic genes. Expression of homeotic genes, in turn, is partially regulated by insulator binding proteins (IBPs). While only a few enhancer blocking IBPs have been identified in vertebrates, the common fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster harbors at least twelve different enhancer blocking IBPs. We screened recently compiled insect transcriptomes from the 1KITE project and genomic and transcriptomic data from public databases, aiming to trace the origin of IBPs in insects and other arthropods. RESULTS: Our study shows that the last common ancestor of insects (Hexapoda) already possessed a substantial numbe…