The physical properties of metamagnetic Fe$_3$Ga$_4$ single crystals are investigated to explore the sensitivity of the magnetic states to temperature, magnetic field, and sample history. The data reveal a moderate anisotropy in the magnetization and
the metamagnetic critical field along with features in the specific heat at the magnetic transitions $T_1=68$ K and $T_2=360$ K. Both $T_1$ and $T_2$ are found to be sensitive to the annealing conditions of the crystals suggesting that disorder affects the competition between the ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) states. Resistivity measurements reveal metallic transport with a sharp anomaly associated with the transition at $T_2$. The Hall effect is dominated by the anomalous contribution which rivals that of magnetic semiconductors in magnitude ($-5 mu Omega$ cm at 2 T and 350 K) and undergoes a change of sign upon cooling into the low temperature FM state. The temperature and field dependence of the Hall effect indicate that the magnetism is likely to be highly itinerant in character and that a significant change in the electronic structure accompanies the magnetic transitions. We observe a contribution from the topological Hall effect in the AFM phase suggesting a non-coplanar contribution to the magnetism. Electronic structure calculations predict an AFM ground state with a wavevector parallel to the crystallographic $c$-axis preferred over the experimentally measured FM state by $approx$ 50 meV per unit cell. However, supercell calculations with a small density of Fe-antisite defects introduced tend to stabilize the FM over the AFM state indicating that antisite defects may be the cause of the sensitivity to sample synthesis conditions.
Two correlated superconducting phases are identified in layered superconductor BaTi2(Sb1-xBix)2O (x=0.16), with the superconducting transition temperatures of TC = 6 K (the high TC phase) and 3.4 K (the low TC Phase), respectively. The 6 K supercondu
cting phase appears firstly in the as-prepared sample and can decay into the low TC phase by exposing to ambient atmosphere for certain duration. Especially the high TC phase can reappear from the decayed sample with the low TC phase by vacuum annealing. It is also found that the CDW/SDW order occurs only with the 6 K superconducting phase. These notable features and alteration of superconductivity due to the post-processing and external pressure can be explained by the scenario of electronic phase-separation.
We consider the problem of two-point resistance on an m x n cobweb network with a superconducting boundary, which is topologically equivalent to a geographic globe. We deduce a concise formula for the resistance between any two nodes on the globe usi
ng a method of direct summation pioneered by one of us [Z. Z. Tan, et al, J. Phys. A 46, 195202 (2013)]. This method contrasts the Laplacian matrix approach which is difficult to apply to the geometry of a globe. Our analysis gives the result directly as a single summation.
An m x n cobweb network consists of n radial lines emanating from a center and connected by $m$ concentric n-sided polygons. A conjecture of Tan, Zhou and Yang for the resistance from center to perimeter of the cobweb is proved by extending the metho
d used by the above authors to derive formulae for m = 1, 2 and 3 and general n. The resistance of an m x (s+t+1) fan network from the apex to a point on the boundary distant s from the corner is also found.
The virial expansion of a gas is a correction to the ideal gas law that is usually discussed in advanced courses in statistical mechanics. In this note we outline this derivation in a manner suitable for advanced undergraduate and introductory gradua
te classroom presentations. We introduce a physically meaningful interpretation of the virial expansion that has heretofore escaped attention, by showing that the virial series is actually an expansion in a parameter that is the ratio of the effective volume of a molecule to its mean volume. Using this interpretation we show why under normal conditions ordinary gases such as O_2 and N_2 can be regarded as ideal gases.
We have carried out a comprehensive study of the molecular conditions and star-forming activities in dark cloud L1174 with multi-wavelength data. Mapping observations of L1174 in $^{13}$CO $J=2-1$ and $^{12}$CO $J=3-2$ were performed using the KOSMA
3-meter telescope. Six molecular cores with masses ranging from 5 to 31 $M_odot$ and sizes ranging from 0.17 to 0.39 pc are resolved. Large area ahead of a Herbig Be star, HD 200775, is in expanding and core 1 is with collapse signature. Large line widths of $^{13}$CO $J=2-1$ indicate the ubiquity of turbulent motions in this region. Spectra of $^{12}$CO $J=3-2$ prevalently show conspicuously asymmetric double-peaked profiles. In a large area, red-skewed profiles are detected and suggestive of a scenario of global expansion. There is a large cavity around the Herbig Be star HD 200775, the brightest star in L1174. The gas around the cavity has been severely compressed by the stellar winds from HD 200775. Feedbacks from HD 200775 may have helped form the molecular cores around the cavity. Seventeen 2MASS potential young stellar objects were identified according to their 2MASS colour indices. The spatial distribution of the these 2MASS sources indicates that some of them have a triggered origin. All these suggest that feedbacks from a Herbig Ae/Be star may also have the potential to trigger star forming activities.
We report measurements of the branching fractions and direct CP asymmetries (A_{CP}) for B->K pi, pi pi and KK decays (but not pi^0 pi^0) based on the final data sample of 772x10^6 B B-bar pairs collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle d
etector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+ e^- collider. We set a 90% confidence-level upper limit for K^+- K^-+ at 2.0x10^{-7}; all other decays are observed with branching fractions ranging from 10^{-6} to 10^{-5}. In the $B^0/B^0-bar -> K^+-pi^-+ mode, we confirm Belles previously reported large A_{CP} with a value of -0.069 +- 0.014 +- 0.007 and a significance of 4.4 sigma. For all other flavor-specific modes, we find A_{CP} values consistent with zero, including A_{CP}(K^+- pi^0) = +0.043 +- 0.024 +- 0.007 with 1.8 sigma significance. The difference of CP asymmetry between B^+- -> K^+- pi^0 and B^0/B^0-bar -> K^+-pi^-+ is found to be Delta A_{K pi} equiv A_{CP} (K^+ pi^0) - A_{CP}(K^+ pi^-) = +0.112 +- 0.027 +- 0.007 with 4.0 sigma significance. We also calculate the ratios of partial widths for the B-> K pi decays. Using our results, we test the validity of the sum rule A_{CP}(K^+ pi^-) + A_{CP}(K^0pi^+) x Gamma(K^0pi^+)/Gamma(K^+ pi^-)} - A_{CP}(K^+ pi^0)x 2Gamma(K^+ pi^0)/Gamma(K^+ pi^-) - A_{CP}(K^0 pi^0)x 2Gamma(K^0 pi^0)/Gamma(K^+ pi^-) = 0 and obtain a sum of -0.270 +- 0.132 +- 0.060 with 1.9 sigma significance.
The $q$-state Potts model has stood at the frontier of research in statistical mechanics for many years. In the absence of a closed-form solution, much of the past efforts have focused on locating its critical manifold, trajectory in the parameter ${
q, e^J}$ space where $J$ is the reduced interaction, along which the free energy is singular. However, except in isolated cases, antiferromagnetic (AF) models with $J<0$ have been largely neglected. In this paper we consider the Potts model with AF interactions focusing on deducing its critical manifold in exact and/or closed-form expressions. We first re-examine the known critical frontiers in light of AF interactions. For the square lattice we confirm the Potts self-dual point to be the sole critical point for $J>0$. We also locate its critical frontier for $J<0$ and find it to coincide with a solvability condition observed by Baxter in 1982. For the honeycomb lattice we show that the known critical point holds for {all} $J$, and determine its critical $q_c = frac 1 2 (3+sqrt 5) = 2.61803$ beyond which there is no transition. For the triangular lattice we confirm the known critical point to hold only for $J>0$. More generally we consider the centered-triangle (CT) and Union-Jack (UJ) lattices consisting of mixed $J$ and $K$ interactions, and deduce critical manifolds under homogeneity hypotheses. For K=0 the CT lattice is the diced lattice, and we determine its critical manifold for all $J$ and find $q_c = 3.32472$. For K=0 the UJ lattice is the square lattice and from this we deduce both the $J>0$ and $J<0$ critical manifolds and find $q_c=3$ for the square lattice. Our theoretical predictions are compared with recent tensor-based numerical results and Monte Carlo simulations.
Professor Chen Ning Yang has made seminal and influential contributions in many different areas in theoretical physics. This talk focuses on his contributions in statistical mechanics, a field in which Professor Yang has held a continual interest for
over sixty years. His Masters thesis was on a theory of binary alloys with multi-site interactions, some 30 years before others studied the problem. Likewise, his other works opened the door and led to subsequent developments in many areas of modern day statistical mechanics and mathematical physics. He made seminal contributions in a wide array of topics, ranging from the fundamental theory of phase transitions, the Ising model, Heisenberg spin chains, lattice models, and the Yang-Baxter equation, to the emergence of Yangian in quantum groups. These topics and their ramifications will be discussed in this talk.
We solve the monomer-dimer problem on a non-bipartite lattice, the simple quartic lattice with cylindrical boundary conditions, with a single monomer residing on the boundary. Due to the non-bipartite nature of the lattice, the well-known method of a
Temperley bijection of solving single-monomer problems cannot be used. In this paper we derive the solution by mapping the problem onto one on close-packed dimers on a related lattice. Finite-size analysis of the solution is carried out. We find from asymptotic expansions of the free energy that the central charge in the logarithmic conformal field theory assumes the value $c=-2$.
