C. L. Pereira — Page 2

arXiv2020

Stellar occultations enable milliarcsecond astrometry for Trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs

Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and Centaurs are remnants of our planetary system formation, and their physical properties have invaluable information for evolutionary theories. Stellar occultation is a ground-based method for studying these small bodies and has presented exciting results. These observations can provide precise profiles of the involved body, allowing an accurate determination of its size and shape. The goal is to show that even single-chord detections of TNOs allow us to measure their milliarcsecond astrometric positions in the reference frame of the Gaia second data release (DR2). Accurated ephemerides can then be generated, allowing predictions of stellar occultations with much higher reliability. We analyzed data from stellar occultations to obtain astrometric positions of the involved bodies. The events published before the Gaia era were updated so that the Gaia DR2 catalog is the reference. Previously determined sizes were used to calculate the position of the object center and its corresponding error with respect to the detected chord and the International Celestial Reference System (ICRS) propagated Gaia DR2 star position. We derive 37 precise astrometric positions for 19 TNOs and 4 Centaurs. Twenty-one of these events are presented here for the first time. Although about 68\% of our results are based on single-chord detection, most have intrinsic precision at the submilliarcsecond level. Lower limits on the diameter and shape constraints for a few bodies are also presented as valuable byproducts. Using the Gaia DR2 catalog, we show that even a single detection of a stellar occultation allows improving the object ephemeris significantly, which in turn enables predicting a future stellar occultation with high accuracy. Observational campaigns can be efficiently organized with this help, and may provide a full physical characterization of the involved object.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2020

Reversible doping of graphene field effect transistors by molecular hydrogen: the role of the metal/graphene interface

In this work, we present an investigation regarding how and why molecular hydrogen changes the electronic properties of graphene field effect transistors. We demonstrate that interaction with H2 leads to local doping of graphene near of the graphene-contact heterojunction. We also show that such interaction is strongly dependent on the characteristics of the metal-graphene interface. By changing the type metal in the contact, we observe that Ohmic contacts can be strongly or weakly electrostatically coupled with graphene. For strongly coupled contacts, the signature of the charge transfer effect promoted by the contacts results on an asymmetric ambipolar conduction, and such asymmetry can be tunable under interaction with H2. On the other hand, for contacts weakly coupled with graphene, the hydrogen interaction has a more profound effect. In such situation, the devices show a second charge neutrality point in graphene transistor transfer curves (a double-peak response) upon H2 exposure. We propose that this double-peak phenomenon arises from the decoupling of the work function of graphene and that of the metallic electrodes induced by the H2 molecules. We also show that the gas-induced modifications at the metal-graphene interface can be exploited to create a controlled graphene p-n junction, with considerable electron transfer to graphene layer and significant variation in the graphene resistance. These effects can pave the way for a suitable metallic contact engineering providing great potential for the application of such devices as gas sensors.

physics.app-ph↗