Determination of optimal experimental conditions for accurate 3D reconstruction of the magnetization vector via XMCD-PEEM.

This work presents a detailed analysis of the performance of X-ray magnetic circular dichroism photoemission electron microscopy (XMCD-PEEM) as a tool for vector reconstruction of magnetization. For this, 360° domain wall ring structures which form in a synthetic antiferromagnet are chosen as the model to conduct the quantitative analysis. An assessment is made of how the quality of the results is affected depending on the number of projections that are involved in the reconstruction process, as well as their angular distribution. For this a self-consistent error metric is developed which allows an estimation of the optimum azimuthal rotation angular range and number of projections. This work thus proposes XMCD-PEEM as a powerful tool for vector imaging of complex 3D magnetic structures.

Reliable Adaptive Video Streaming Driven by Perceptual Semantics for Situational Awareness.

A novel cross-layer optimized video adaptation driven by perceptual semantics is presented. The design target is streamed live video to enhance situational awareness in challenging communications conditions. Conventional solutions for recreational applications are inadequate and novel quality of experience (QoE) framework is proposed which allows fully controlled adaptation and enables perceptual semantic feedback. The framework relies on temporal/spatial abstraction for video applications serving beyond recreational purposes. An underlying cross-layer optimization technique takes into account feedback on network congestion (time) and erasures (space) to best distribute available (scarce) bandwidth. Systematic random linear network coding (SRNC) adds reliability while preserving perceptual semantics. Objective metrics of the perceptual features in QoE show homogeneous high performance when using the proposed scheme. Finally, the proposed scheme is in line with content-aware trends, by complying with information-centric-networking philosophy and architecture.

Vectorial Kerr magnetometer for simultaneous and quantitative measurements of the in-plane magnetization components.

A vectorial magneto-optic Kerr effect (v-MOKE) setup with simultaneous and quantitative determination of the two in-plane magnetization components is described. The setup provides both polarization rotations and reflectivity changes at the same time for a given sample orientation with respect to a variable external magnetic field, as well as allowing full angular studies. A classical description based on the Jones formalism is used to calculate the setup's properties. The use of different incoming light polarizations and/or MOKE geometries, as well as the errors due to misalignment and solutions are discussed. To illustrate the capabilities of the setup a detailed study of a model four-fold anisotropy system is presented. Among others, the setup allows to study the angular dependence of the hysteresis phenomena, remanences, critical fields, and magnetization reversal processes, as well as the accurate determination of the easy and hard magnetization directions, domain wall orientations, and magnetic anisotropies.

Desorption kinetics from a surface derived from direct imaging of the adsorbate layer.

There are numerous indications that adsorbed particles on a surface do not desorb statistically, but that their spatial distribution is important. Evidence almost exclusively comes from temperature-programmed desorption, the standard method for measuring desorption rates. However, this method, as a kinetics experiment, cannot uniquely prove an atomic mechanism. Here we report a low-energy electron microscopy investigation in which a surface is microscopically imaged while simultaneously temperature-programmed desorption is recorded. The data show that during desorption of oxygen molecules from a silver single crystal surface, islands of oxygen atoms are present. By correlating the microscopy and the kinetics data, a model is derived that includes the shapes of the islands and assumes that the oxygen molecules desorb from the island edges. The model quantitatively reproduces the complex desorption kinetics, confirming that desorption is affected by islands and that the often used mean-field treatment is inappropriate.

Growth of magnetic nanowires on self-organized stripe templates: Fe on Pd-O/W(110).

The structural and magnetic properties of Fe-Pd nanostructures grown on regular alternating Pd and oxygen stripes on the W(110) surface are studied using SPELEEM methods. The self-organized Pd-O stripe template, formed at about 1000 °C and aligned with the [001] direction, has an average period of only few tens nm and is preserved upon quenching the sample temperature to ambient conditions. Fe is shown to preferentially bond to the Pd stripes, forming an Fe-Pd surface alloy within the stripe phase. The magnetic easy axis is found to be aligned perpendicular to the Fe-Pd stripe axis.

The effect of magnetic anisotropy on the spin configurations of patterned La(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO3 elements.

We study the effect of magnetocrystalline anisotropy on the magnetic configurations of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 bar and triangle elements using photoemission electron microscopy imaging. The dominant remanent state is a low energy flux-closure state for both thin (15 nm) and thick (50 nm) elements. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy, which competes with the dipolar energy, causes a strong modification of the spin configuration in the thin elements, depending on the shape, size and orientation of the structures. We investigate the magnetic switching processes and observe in triangular shaped elements a displacement of the vortex core along the easy axis for an external magnetic field applied close to the hard axis, which is well reproduced by micromagnetic simulations.

Thermal stability of corrugated epitaxial graphene grown on Re(0001).

We report on a novel approach to determine the relationship between the corrugation and the thermal stability of epitaxial graphene grown on a strongly interacting substrate. According to our density functional theory calculations, the C single layer grown on Re(0001) is strongly corrugated, with a buckling of 1.6 Å, yielding a simulated C 1s core level spectrum which is in excellent agreement with the experimental one. We found that corrugation is closely knit with the thermal stability of the C network: C-C bond breaking is favored in the strongly buckled regions of the moiré cell, though it requires the presence of diffusing graphene layer vacancies.

Domain-wall depinning assisted by pure spin currents.

We study the depinning of domain walls by pure diffusive spin currents in a nonlocal spin valve structure based on two ferromagnetic Permalloy elements with copper as the nonmagnetic spin conduit. The injected spin current is absorbed by the second Permalloy structure with a domain wall, and from the dependence of the wall depinning field on the spin current density we find an efficiency of 6×10{-14} T/(A/m{2}), which is more than an order of magnitude larger than for conventional current induced domain-wall motion. Theoretically we find that this high efficiency arises from the surface torques exerted by the absorbed spin current that lead to efficient depinning.

Generation of ultrashort coherent vacuum ultraviolet pulses using electron storage rings: a new bright light source for experiments.

We demonstrate for the first time that seeded harmonic generation on electron storage rings can produce coherent optical pulses in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral range. The experiment is performed at Elettra, where coherent pulses are generated at 132 nm, with a duration of about 100 fs. The light source has a repetition rate of 1 kHz and adjustable polarization; it is very bright, with a peak power several orders of magnitude above that of spontaneous synchrotron radiation. Owing to high stability, the source is used in a test photoemission electron microscopy experiment. We anticipate that seeded harmonic generation on storage rings can lead to unprecedented developments in time-resolved femtosecond spectroscopy and microscopy.

Relationship between nonadiabaticity and damping in permalloy studied by current induced spin structure transformations.

By direct imaging we determine spin structure changes in Permalloy wires and disks due to spin transfer torque as well as the critical current densities for different domain wall types. Periodic domain wall transformations from transverse to vortex walls and vice versa are observed, and the transformation mechanism occurs by vortex core displacement perpendicular to the wire. The results imply that the nonadiabaticity parameter beta does not equal the damping alpha, in agreement with recent theoretical predictions. The vortex core motion perpendicular to the current is further studied in disks revealing that the displacement in opposite directions can be attributed to different polarities of the vortex core.

Surfactant-assisted epitaxial growth and magnetism of Fe films on Cu(111).

The magnetic properties of thin epitaxial layers of Fe grown on Cu(111) depend sensitively on the films' structure and morphology. A combination of experiments and numerical simulations reveals that the use of a surfactant monolayer (ML) of Pb during molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth at room temperature reduces the amount of interdiffusion at the Cu-Fe interface, retards the fcc-to-bcc transformation by about 2 ML and substantially increases the films' coercivity. The origin of all these alterations to the magnetic behavior can be traced back to the structural modifications provoked by the surfactant during the early growth stages. These results open the way for the controlled fabrication of custom-designed materials with specific magnetic characteristics.

The Effect of pH on Monoglyceride-Caseinate Mixed Monolayers at the Air-Water Interface.

The surface pressure (pi) area (A) isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) of monoglyceride-caseinate mixed films spread on buffered water at pH 5 and 7 and at 20 degrees C were determined as a function of the mass fraction (X) of monoglyceride (monopalmitin or monoolein) in the mixture. The structural characteristics, miscibility, and morphology of monoglyceride-caseinate mixed films are very dependent on surface pressure and monolayer composition. The monolayer structure was more expanded as the pH and the monoglyceride concentration in the mixture were increased. From the concentration and surface pressure dependence on excess area, free energy, and collapse pressure, it was deduced that, at a macroscopic level, monoglyceride (either monopalmitin or monoolein) and caseinate form a practically immiscible monolayer at the air-water interface. The BAM images and the evolution with the surface pressure of the relative reflectivity of BAM images give complementary information on the interactions and structural characteristics of monoglyceride-caseinate mixed monolayers, which at a microscopic level corroborated in part the conclusions derived from the pi-A isotherm at a macroscopic level. Over the overall range of existence of the mixed film the monolayer presents some heterogeneity due to the fact that domains of monoglyceride (especially of monopalmitin) and spots of collapsed caseinate residues are present during the monolayer compression-expansion cycle, giving relative intensity peaks with high relative film thickness. At higher pi, after the caseinate collapse, characteristic squeezing-out phenomenon was observed. At the monoglyceride monolayer collapse the mixed film is practically dominated by the presence of monoglyceride. The prevalence of monoglyceride in the interface increases with the amount of monoglyceride in the mixture and at higher pi. However, some degree of interactions exists between monoglyceride and caseinate in the mixed film and these interactions are more pronounced as the monolayer is compressed at the highest surface pressures. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Evidence for two types of nicotinic receptors in the cat carotid body chemoreceptor cells.

Current concepts on the location and functional significance of nicotinic receptors in the carotid body rest on alpha-bungarotoxin binding and autoradiographic studies. Using an in vitro preparation of the cat carotid body whose catecholamine deposits have been labeled by prior incubation with the tritiated natural precursor [3H]tyrosine, we have found that nicotine induces release of [3H]catecholamines in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 9.81 microM). We also found that mecamylamine (50 microM) completely abolished the nicotine-induced release, while alpha-bungarotoxin (100 nM; approximately 20 times its binding Kd) only reduced the release by 56%. These findings indicate that chemoreceptor cells, and perhaps other carotid body structures, contain nicotinic receptors that are not sensitive to alpha-bungarotoxin and force a revision of the current concepts on cholinergic mechanisms in the carotid body chemoreception.