Hands-on training in Nonimaging Optics for SME's: the SMETHODS experience

A 5-day training in Nonimaging Optics for European SME’s employees was carried out in June 2012 in the framework of the FP7 funded Support Action "SMETHODS". The training combined theoretical introduction and hands-on practice. The experience was very positive, and the lessons learned will improve the next scheduled sessions. Introduction The FP7 funded Support Action "SMETHODS" [1] is an initiative of seven European academic institutions to strengthen Europe's optics and photonics industry, which has started on 1 September 2011. Participation in training sessions is free for participants, who are selected with priority will be given to employees of small and medium sized European enterprises (SMEs). The consortium in SMETHODS is formed by seven partners that are the most prominent academic institutions in optical design in their countries. Through fully integrated collaborative training sessions, the consortium provides professional assistance as well as hands-on training in a variety of design tasks in four domains: (1) imaging optics, (2) nonimaging optics, (3) wave optics, and (4) diffractive optics. For each of this domains domain, 5-day training sessions are scheduled to be hold in different locations throughout Europe, four times in two years, the teach four times in a 2.5 years period.

Magnetization reversal assisted by half antivortex states in nanostructured circular cobalt disks

The half antivortex, a fundamental topological structure which determines magnetization reversal of submicron magnetic devices with domain walls, has been suggested also to play a crucial role in spin torque induced vortex core reversal in circular disks. Here, we report on magnetization reversal in circular disks with nanoholes through consecutive metastable states with half antivortices. In-plane anisotropic magnetoresistance and broadband susceptibility measurements accompanied by micromagnetic simulations reveal that cobalt (Co) disks with two and three linearly arranged nanoholes directed at 45° and 135° with respect to the external magnetic field show reproducible step-like changes in the anisotropic magnetoresistance and magnetic permeability due to transitions between different intermediate states mediated by vortices and half antivortices confined to the dot nanoholes and edges, respectively. Our findings are relevant for the development of multi-hole based spintronic and magnetic memory devices.

Imaging of spin waves in atomically designed nanomagnets

The spin dynamics of all ferromagnetic materials are governed by two types of collective phenomenon: spin waves and domain walls. The fundamental processes underlying these collective modes, such as exchange interactions and magnetic anisotropy, all originate at the atomic scale. However, conventional probing techniques based on neutron1 and photon scattering2 provide high resolution in reciprocal space, and thereby poor spatial resolution. Here we present direct imaging of standing spin waves in individual chains of ferromagnetically coupled S = 2 Fe atoms, assembled one by one on a Cu2N surface using a scanning tunnelling microscope. We are able to map the spin dynamics of these designer nanomagnets with atomic resolution in two complementary ways. First, atom-to-atom variations of the amplitude of the quantized spin-wave excitations are probed using inelastic electron tunnelling spectroscopy. Second, we observe slow stochastic switching between two opposite magnetization states3, 4, whose rate varies strongly depending on the location of the tip along the chain. Our observations, combined with model calculations, reveal that switches of the chain are initiated by a spin-wave excited state that has its antinodes at the edges of the chain, followed by a domain wall shifting through the chain from one end to the other. This approach opens the way towards atomic-scale imaging of other types of spin excitation, such as spinon pairs and fractional end-states5, 6, in engineered spin chains.

Orbital currents and charge density waves in a generalized Hubbard ladder

We study a generalized Hubbard model on the two-leg ladder at zero temperature, focusing on a parameter region with staggered flux (SF)/d-density wave (DDW) order. To guide our numerical calculations, we first investigate the location of a SF/DDW phase in the phase diagram of the half-filled weakly interacting ladder using a perturbative renormalization group (RG) and bosonization approach. For hole doping 6 away from half-filling, finite-system density-matrix renormalizationgroup (DMRG) calculations are used to study ladders with up to 200 rungs for intermediate-strength interactions. In the doped SF/DDW phase, the staggered rung current and the rung electron density both show periodic spatial oscillations, with characteristic wavelengths 2/delta and 1/delta, respectively, corresponding to ordering wavevectors 2k(F) and 4k(F) for the currents and densities, where 2k(F) = pi(1 - delta). The density minima are located at the anti-phase domain walls of the staggered current. For sufficiently large dopings, SF/DDW order is suppressed. The rung density modulation also exists in neighboring phases where currents decay exponentially. We show that most of the DMRG results can be qualitatively understood from weak-coupling RG/bosonization arguments. However, while these arguments seem to suggest a crossover from non-decaying correlations to power-law decay at a length scale of order 1/delta, the DMRG results are consistent with a true long-range order scenario for the currents and densities. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Haematite natural crystals: non-linear initial susceptibility at low temperature

Several works have reported that haematite has non-linear initial susceptibility at room temperature, like pyrrhotite or titanomagnetite, but there is no explanation for the observed behaviours yet. This study sets out to determine which physical property (grain size, foreign cations content and domain walls displacements) controls the initial susceptibility. The performed measurements include microprobe analysis to determine magnetic phases different to haematite; initial susceptibility (300 K); hysteresis loops, SIRM and backfield curves at 77 and 300 K to calculate magnetic parameters and minor loops at 77 K, to analyse initial susceptibility and magnetization behaviours below Morin transition. The magnetic moment study at low temperature is completed with measurements of zero field cooled-field cooled and AC susceptibility in a range from 5 to 300 K. The minor loops show that the non-linearity of initial susceptibility is closely related to Barkhausen jumps. Because of initial magnetic susceptibility is controlled by domain structure it is difficult to establish a mathematical model to separate magnetic subfabrics in haematite-bearing rocks.

In-situ examination of the selective etching of an alkanethiol monolayer covered Au{111} surface

An examination of the selective etching mechanism of a 1-alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM) covered Au{111} surface using in-situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) is presented. The monolayer self-assembles on a smooth Au{111} surface and typically contains nanoscale non-uniformities such as pinholes, domain boundaries and monatomic depressions. During etching in a ferri/ferrocyanide water-based etchant, selective and preferential etching occurs at SAM covered Au(111) terrace and step edges where a lower SAM packing density is observed, resulting in triangular islands being relieved. The triangular islands are commensurate with the Au(111) lattice with their long edges parallel to its [11-0] direction. Thus, SAM etching is selective and preferential attack is localized to defects and step edges at sites of high molecular density contrast.

Engineering thin films of magnetic alloys and semiconductor oxides at the nanoscale

The thesis aims to exploit properties of thin films for applications such as spintronics, UV detection and gas sensing. Nanoscale thin films devices have myriad advantages and compatibility with Si-based integrated circuits processes. Two distinct classes of material systems are investigated, namely ferromagnetic thin films and semiconductor oxides. To aid the designing of devices, the surface properties of the thin films were investigated by using electron and photon characterization techniques including Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). These are complemented by nanometer resolved local proximal probes such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), magnetic force microscopy (MFM), electric force microscopy (EFM), and scanning tunneling microscopy to elucidate the interplay between stoichiometry, morphology, chemical states, crystallization, magnetism, optical transparency, and electronic properties. Specifically, I studied the effect of annealing on the surface stoichiometry of the CoFeB/Cu system by in-situ AES and discovered that magnetic nanoparticles with controllable areal density can be produced. This is a good alternative for producing nanoparticles using a maskless process. Additionally, I studied the behavior of magnetic domain walls of the low coercivity alloy CoFeB patterned nanowires. MFM measurement with the in-plane magnetic field showed that, compared to their permalloy counterparts, CoFeB nanowires require a much smaller magnetization switching field , making them promising for low-power-consumption domain wall motion based devices. With oxides, I studied CuO nanoparticles on SnO2 based UV photodetectors (PDs), and discovered that they promote the responsivity by facilitating charge transfer with the formed nanoheterojunctions. I also demonstrated UV PDs with spectrally tunable photoresponse with the bandgap engineered ZnMgO. The bandgap of the alloyed ZnMgO thin films was tailored by varying the Mg contents and AES was demonstrated as a surface scientific approach to assess the alloying of ZnMgO. With gas sensors, I discovered the rf-sputtered anatase-TiO2 thin films for a selective and sensitive NO2 detection at room temperature, under UV illumination. The implementation of UV enhances the responsivity, response and recovery rate of the TiO2 sensor towards NO2 significantly. Evident from the high resolution XPS and AFM studies, the surface contamination and morphology of the thin films degrade the gas sensing response. I also demonstrated that surface additive metal nanoparticles on thin films can improve the response and the selectivity of oxide based sensors. I employed nanometer-scale scanning probe microscopy to study a novel gas senor scheme consisting of gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires with functionalizing oxides layer. The results suggested that AFM together with EFM is capable of discriminating low-conductive materials at the nanoscale, providing a nondestructive method to quantitatively relate sensing response to the surface morphology.

Electron paramagnetic-resonance and electron-nuclear double-resonance observations of domains in the irradiated ferroelectrics KH2AsO4 and KD2AsO4

A direct observation of ferroelectric domains in x-irradiated KH2AsO4 and KD2AsO4 using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and in the case of KH2AsO4 also using electron-nuclear double-resonance (ENDOR), is reported. The nature of the observed domain splittings and consequently the effects of an externally applied electric field on the EPR and ENDOR spectra are explained. Moreover, the higher resolution possible with the ENDOR technique, has, for the first time, made it possible to use protons as microscopic probes and to identify in general lines from individual domains in all directions.

Domain Wall Propagation in Meso and Nanoscale Ferroelectrics

As part of an ongoing programme to evaluate the extent to which external morphology alters domain wall mobility in ferroelectrics, the electrical switching characteristics of single-crystal BaTiO3 nanorods and thin film plates have been measured and compared. It was found that ferroelectric nanorods were more readily switched than thin plates; increasing the shape constraint therefore appears to enhance switchability. This observation is broadly consistent with previous work, in which local notches patterned along the length of nanorods enhanced switching (McMillen et al 2010 Appl. Phys. Lett. 96 042904), while antinotches had the opposite effect (McQuaid et al 2010 Nano Lett. 10 3566). In this prior work, local enhancement and denudation of the electric field was expected at the notch and antinotch sites, respectively, and this was thought to be the reason for the differences in switching behaviour observed. However, for the simple nanorods and plates investigated here, no differences in the electric field distributions are expected. To rationalise the functional measurements, domain development during switching was imaged directly by piezoresponse force microscopy. A two-stage process was identified, in which narrow needle-like reverse domains initially form across the entire interelectrode gap and then subsequently coarsen through domain wall propagation perpendicular to the applied electric field. To be consistent with the electrical switching data, we suggest that the initial formation of needle domains occurs more readily in the nanorods than in the plates.

NMR Spectroscopy of Multi-domain Proteins : Immunoglobulin-like Domains of Human Filamin A

Proteins are complex biomacromolecules playing fundamental roles in the physiological processes of all living organisms. They function as structural units, enzymes, transporters, process regulators, and signal transducers. Defects in protein functions often derive from genetic mutations altering the protein structure, and impairment of essential protein functions manifests itself as pathological conditions. Proteins operate through interactions, and all protein functions depend on protein structure. In order to understand biological mechanisms at the molecular level, one has to know the structures of the proteins involved. This thesis covers structural and functional characterization of human filamins. Filamins are actin-binding and -bundling proteins that have numerous interaction partners. In addition to their actin-organizing functions, filamins are also known to have roles in cell adhesion and locomotion, and to participate in the logistics of cell membrane receptors, and in the coordination of intracellular signaling pathways. Filamin mutations in humans induce severe pathological conditions affecting the brain, bones, limbs, and the cardiovascular system. Filamins are large modular proteins composed of an N-terminal actin-binding domain and 24 consecutive immunoglobulin-like domains (IgFLNs). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a versatile method of gaining insight into protein structure, dynamics and interactions. NMR spectroscopy was employed in this thesis to study the atomic structure and interaction mechanisms of C-terminal IgFLNs, which are known to house the majority of the filamin interaction sites. The structures of IgFLN single-domains 17 and 23 and IgFLN domain pairs 16-17 and 18-19 were determined using NMR spectroscopy. The structures of domain pairs 16 17 and 18 19 both revealed novel domain domain interaction modes of IgFLNs. NMR titrations were employed to characterize the interactions of filamins with glycoprotein Ibα, FilGAP, integrin β7 and dopamine receptors. Domain packing of IgFLN domain sextet 16 21 was further characterized using residual dipolar couplings and NMR relaxation analysis. This thesis demonstrates the versatility and potential of NMR spectroscopy in structural and functional studies of multi-domain proteins.

How Effective Is The Data On Co-Occurrence Of Domains In Multi-Domain Proteins In Prediction Of Protein-Protein Interactions?

We explore the fuse of information on co-occurrence of domains in multi-domain proteins in predicting protein-protein interactions. The basic premise of our work is the assumption that domains co-occurring in a polypeptide chain undergo either structural or functional interactions among themselves. In this study we use a template dataset of domains in multidomain proteins and predict protein-protein interactions in a target organism. We note that maximum number of correct predictions of interacting protein domain families (158) is made in S. cerevisiae when the dataset of closely related organisms is used as the template followed by the more diverse dataset of bacterial proteins (48) and a dataset of randomly chosen proteins (23). We conclude that use of multi-domain information from organisms closely-related to the target can aid prediction of interacting protein families.

Dipole patterns in the structures of some ferroelectrics and antiferroelectrics

The dipole patterns in the ferroelectric and antiferroelectric structures are drawn according to experimentally determined symmetry changes in the ferroelectrics and antiferroelectrics. For the ferroelectrics the dipoles of the unit cells for one domain are oriented in parallel and the directions of the polarisation in the adjacent domains are at definite angles to each other. It is assumed for the antiferroelectrics, that the superstructural unit cell is formed by the adjacent cells of the paraelectrical modification; the subcells having the antiparallel directions of the polarisation. It is these superstructural cells of the antiferroelectrics that are determined during the experimental investigations of the antiferroelectrics. The superstructural cells of the adjacent domains are different. In one case, the difference is that in the adjacent domains, the directions of the polarisation in the subcells form an angle (e.g., in PbZrO3). In other cases the superstructural cells have not only different directions of the polarisation in the subcells but different signs of the enantiomorphism (e.g., NH4H2PO4). In the third case, the only difference is that the superstructural unit cells in the adjacent domains are turned by an angle to each other round the direction of the subcell polarisation [e.g., (NH4)2H3IO6], etc.

Effect of √-irradiation on the structure and dynamics of domains in triglycine selenate

A comparative study of the switching properties of pure and √-irradiated TGSe crystals has been carried out to see the effect of irradiation on the structure and dynamics of domains. The switching behaviour of √-irradiated TGSe has been found to be qualitatively similar to that of unirradiated crystal and this has been interpreted in terms of structural inhibition caused by the formation of radiolysis products as well as the difference between the domain structures of the unirradiated and irradiated samples. Confirmation of this has been obtained by studying the domain patterns using the etch method.

Effect of √-irradiation on the structure and dynamics of domains in triglycine selenate

A comparative study of the switching properties of pure and √-irradiated TGSe crystals has been carried out to see the effect of irradiation on the structure and dynamics of domains. The switching behaviour of √-irradiated TGSe has been found to be qualitatively similar to that of unirradiated crystal and this has been interpreted in terms of structural inhibition caused by the formation of radiolysis products as well as the difference between the domain structures of the unirradiated and irradiated samples. Confirmation of this has been obtained by studying the domain patterns using the etch method.

Understanding the role of domain-domain linkers in the spatial orientation of domains in multi-domain proteins

Inter-domain linkers (IDLs)' bridge flanking domains and support inter-domain communication in multi-domain proteins. Their sequence and conformational preferences enable them to carry out varied functions. They also provide sufficient flexibility to facilitate domain motions and, in conjunction with the interacting interfaces, they also regulate the inter-domain geometry (IDG). In spite of the basic intuitive understanding of the inter-domain orientations with respect to linker conformations and interfaces, we still do not entirely understand the precise relationship among the three. We show that IDG is evolutionarily well conserved and is constrained by the domain-domain interface interactions. The IDLs modulate the interactions by varying their lengths, conformations and local structure, thereby affecting the overall IDG. Results of our analysis provide guidelines in modelling of multi-domain proteins from the tertiary structures of constituent domain components.