arXiv subjects

S. Dong

Publications and source records attributed to S. Dong.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2010

Magnetoelectric coupling at the interface of BiFeO3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 multilayers

Electric-field controlled exchange bias in a heterostructure composed of the ferromagnetic manganite La0.7Sr0.3MO3 and the ferroelectric antiferromagnetic BiFeO3 has recently been demonstrated experimentally. By means of a microscopic model Hamiltonian we provide a possible explanation of the origin of this magnetoelectric coupling. We find, in agreement with experimental results, a net ferromagnetic moment at the BiFeO3 interface. The induced ferromagnetic moment is the result of the competition between the e_g-electrons double exchange and the t_2g-spins antiferromagnetic superexchange that dominate in bulk BiFeO3. The balance of these simultaneous ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic tendencies is strongly affected by the interfacial electronic charge density which, in turn, can be controlled by the BiFeO3 ferroelectric polarization.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Chemical evolution of the Galactic bulge as traced by microlensed dwarf and subgiant stars. III. Detection of lithium in the metal-poor bulge dwarf MOA-2010-BLG-285S

Context: In order to study the evolution of Li in the Galaxy it is necessary to observe dwarf or subgiant stars. Abridged Although Li has been extensively studied in the Galactic disk and halo, to date there is only one uncertain detection of Li in an unevolved bulge star. AIMS: Our aim with this study is to provide the first clear detection of Li in the Galactic bulge, based on an analysis of a dwarf star that has largely retained its initial Li abundance. METHODS: We have performed a detailed elemental abundance analysis of the bulge dwarf star MOA-2010-BLG-285S using a high-resolution, and high signal-to-noise spectrum obtained with the UVES spectrograph at the VLT when the object was optically magnified during a gravitational microlensing event (visual magnification A~550 during observation). The lithium abundance was determined through synthetic line profile fitting of the 7Li resonance doublet line at 670.8 nm. The results have been corrected for departures from LTE. Results: MOA-2010-BLG-285S is, at [Fe/H]=-1.23, the most metal-poor dwarf star detected so far in the Galactic bulge. Its old age (12.5 Gyr) and enhanced [alpha/Fe] ratios agree well with stars in the thick disk at similar metallicity. This star represents the first unambiguous detection of Li in a metal-poor dwarf star in the Galactic bulge. We find an NLTE corrected Li abundance of log e(Li)=2.16, which is consistent with values derived for Galactic disk and halo dwarf stars at similar metallicities and temperatures. Conclusion: Our results show that there are no signs of Li enrichment or production in the Galactic bulge during its earliest phases. Observations of Li in other galaxies (omega Cen) and other components of the Galaxy suggest further that the Spite plateau is universal.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2010

Masses and Orbital Constraints for the OGLE-2006-BLG-109Lb,c Jupiter/Saturn Analog Planetary System

We present a new analysis of the Jupiter+Saturn analog system, OGLE-2006-BLG-109Lb,c, which was the first double planet system discovered with the gravitational microlensing method. This is the only multi-planet system discovered by any method with measured masses for the star and both planets. In addition to the signatures of two planets, this event also exhibits a microlensing parallax signature and finite source effects that provide a direct measure of the masses of the star and planets, and the expected brightness of the host star is confirmed by Keck AO imaging, yielding masses of M_* = 0.51(+0.05-0.04) M_sun, M_b = 231+-19 M_earth, M_c = 86+-7 M_earth. The Saturn-analog planet in this system had a planetary light curve deviation that lasted for 11 days, and as a result, the effects of the orbital motion are visible in the microlensing light curve. We find that four of the six orbital parameters are tightly constrained and that a fifth parameter, the orbital acceleration, is weakly constrained. No orbital information is available for the Jupiter-analog planet, but its presence helps to constrain the orbital motion of the Saturn-analog planet. Assuming co-planar orbits, we find an orbital eccentricity of eccentricity = 0.15 (+0.17-0.10) and an orbital inclination of i = 64 (+4-7) deg. The 95% confidence level lower limit on the inclination of i > 49 deg. implies that this planetary system can be detected and studied via radial velocity measurements using a telescope of >30m aperture.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2010

OGLE 2008--BLG--290: An accurate measurement of the limb darkening of a Galactic Bulge K Giant spatially resolved by microlensing

Gravitational microlensing is not only a successful tool for discovering distant exoplanets, but it also enables characterization of the lens and source stars involved in the lensing event. In high magnification events, the lens caustic may cross over the source disk, which allows a determination of the angular size of the source and additionally a measurement of its limb darkening. When such extended-source effects appear close to maximum magnification, the resulting light curve differs from the characteristic Paczynski point-source curve. The exact shape of the light curve close to the peak depends on the limb darkening of the source. Dense photometric coverage permits measurement of the respective limb-darkening coefficients. In the case of microlensing event OGLE 2008-BLG-290, the K giant source star reached a peak magnification of about 100. Thirteen different telescopes have covered this event in eight different photometric bands. Subsequent light-curve analysis yielded measurements of linear limb-darkening coefficients of the source in six photometric bands. The best-measured coefficients lead to an estimate of the source effective temperature of about 4700 +100-200 K. However, the photometric estimate from colour-magnitude diagrams favours a cooler temperature of 4200 +-100 K. As the limb-darkening measurements, at least in the CTIO/SMARTS2 V and I bands, are among the most accurate obtained, the above disagreement needs to be understood. A solution is proposed, which may apply to previous events where such a discrepancy also appeared.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Enhancement of ferroelectricity in Cr-doped Ho_2Ti_2O_7

A series of polycrystalline pyrochlore rare-earth titanate Ho_{2-x}Cr_xTi_2O_7 are synthesized in order to enhance the ferroelectricity of pyrochlore Ho2Ti2O7. For the sample close to the doping level x=0.4, a giant enhancement of polarization P up to 660\muC/m2 from 0.54\muC/m2 at x=0 is obtained, accompanied with an increment of ferroelectric transition point Tc up to ~140K from ~60K. A magnetic anomaly at T~140K together with the polarization response to magnetic field, is identified, implying the multiferroic effect in Ho2-xCrxTi2O7.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Water in HD 209458b's atmosphere from 3.6 - 8 microns IRAC photometric observations in primary transit

The hot Jupiter HD 209458b was observed during primary transit at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8 and 8.0 microns using the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on the Spitzer Space Telescope. We detail here the procedures we adopted to correct for the systematic trends present in the IRAC data. The light curves were fitted including limb darkening effects and fitted using Markov Chain Monte Carlo and prayer-bead Monte Carlo techniques, finding almost identical results. The final depth measurements obtained by a combined Markov Chain Monte Carlo fit are at 3.6 microns, 1.469 +- 0.013 % and 1.448 +- 0.013 %; at 4.5 microns, 1.478 +- 0.017 % ; at 5.8 microns, 1.549 +- 0.015 % and at 8.0 microns 1.535 +- 0.011 %. Our results clearly indicate the presence of water in the planetary atmosphere. Our broad band photometric measurements with IRAC prevent us from determining the additional presence of other other molecules such as CO, CO2 and methane for which spectroscopy is needed. While water vapour with a mixing ratio of 10^-4-10^-3 combined with thermal profiles retrieved from the day-side may provide a very good fit to our observations, this data set alone is unable to resolve completely the degeneracy between water abundance and atmospheric thermal profile.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2010

A Cold Neptune-Mass Planet OGLE-2007-BLG-368Lb: Cold Neptunes Are Common

We present the discovery of a Neptune-mass planet OGLE-2007-BLG-368Lb with a planet-star mass ratio of q=[9.5 +/- 2.1] x 10^{-5} via gravitational microlensing. The planetary deviation was detected in real-time thanks to the high cadence of the MOA survey, real-time light curve monitoring and intensive follow-up observations. A Bayesian analysis returns the stellar mass and distance at M_l = 0.64_{-0.26}^{+0.21} M_\sun and D_l = 5.9_{-1.4}^{+0.9} kpc, respectively, so the mass and separation of the planet are M_p = 20_{-8}^{+7} M_\oplus and a = 3.3_{-0.8}^{+1.4} AU, respectively. This discovery adds another cold Neptune-mass planet to the planetary sample discovered by microlensing, which now comprise four cold Neptune/Super-Earths, five gas giant planets, and another sub-Saturn mass planet whose nature is unclear. The discovery of these ten cold exoplanets by the microlensing method implies that the mass ratio function of cold exoplanets scales as dN_{\rm pl}/d\log q \propto q^{-0.7 +/- 0.2} with a 95% confidence level upper limit of n < -0.35 (where dN_{\rm pl}/d\log q \propto q^n). As microlensing is most sensitive to planets beyond the snow-line, this implies that Neptune-mass planets are at least three times more common than Jupiters in this region at the 95% confidence level.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2010

EUCLID : Dark Universe Probe and Microlensing planet Hunter

There is a remarkable synergy between requirements for Dark Energy probes by cosmic shear measurements and planet hunting by microlensing. Employing weak and strong gravitational lensing to trace and detect the distribution of matter on cosmic and Galactic scales, but as well as to the very small scales of exoplanets is a unique meeting point from cosmology to exoplanets. It will use gravity as the tool to explore the full range of masses not accessible by any other means. EUCLID is a 1.2m telescope with optical and IR wide field imagers and slitless spectroscopy, proposed to ESA Cosmic Vision to probe for Dark Energy, Baryonic acoustic oscillation, galaxy evolution, and an exoplanet hunt via microlensing. A 3 months microlensing program will already efficiently probe for planets down to the mass of Mars at the snow line, for free floating terrestrial or gaseous planets and habitable super Earth. A 12+ months survey would give a census on habitable Earth planets around solar like stars. This is the perfect complement to the statistics that will be provided by the KEPLER satellite, and these missions combined will provide a full census of extrasolar planets from hot, warm, habitable, frozen to free floating.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2009

Interpretation of Strong Short-Term Central Perturbations in the Light Curves of Moderate-Magnification Microlensing Events

To improve the planet detection efficiency, current planetary microlensing experiments are focused on high-magnification events searching for planetary signals near the peak of lensing light curves. However, it is known that central perturbations can also be produced by binary companions and thus it is important to distinguish planetary signals from those induced by binary companions. In this paper, we analyze the light curves of microlensing events OGLE-2007-BLG-137/MOA-2007-BLG-091, OGLE-2007-BLG-355/MOA-2007-BLG-278, and MOA-2007-BLG-199/OGLE-2007-BLG-419, for all of which exhibit short-term perturbations near the peaks of the light curves. From detailed modeling of the light curves, we find that the perturbations of the events are caused by binary companions rather than planets. From close examination of the light curves combined with the underlying physical geometry of the lens system obtained from modeling, we find that the short time-scale caustic-crossing feature occurring at a low or a moderate base magnification with an additional secondary perturbation is a typical feature of binary-lens events and thus can be used for the discrimination between the binary and planetary interpretations.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2009

Preliminary results of 3D-DDTC pixel detectors for the ATLAS upgrade

3D Silicon sensors fabricated at FBK-irst with the Double-side Double Type Column (DDTC) approach and columnar electrodes only partially etched through p-type substrates were tested in laboratory and in a 1.35 Tesla magnetic field with a 180GeV pion beam at CERN SPS. The substrate thickness of the sensors is about 200um, and different column depths are available, with overlaps between junction columns (etched from the front side) and ohmic columns (etched from the back side) in the range from 110um to 150um. The devices under test were bump bonded to the ATLAS Pixel readout chip (FEI3) at SELEX SI (Rome, Italy). We report leakage current and noise measurements, results of functional tests with Am241 gamma-ray sources, charge collection tests with Sr90 beta-source and an overview of preliminary results from the CERN beam test.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2009

Enhanced polarization, magnetoelectric response and possible bi-multiferroic phase separation in Tb_{1-x}Ho_xMnO_3

A series of manganites Tb1-xHoxMnO3 (0<=x<=0.6) with orthorhombic structure are synthesized and detailed investigations on their multiferroicity are performed. Successive magnetic transitions upon temperature variation are evidenced for all samples, and both the Mn3+ spiral spin ordering and rare-earth spin ordering are suppressed with increasing x. Significant enhancement of both the polarization and magnetoelectric response within 0.2<x<0.4 is observed, which may be ascribed to the competition possibly existing between spiral and E-type spin orders. Theoretical calculation is given based on two eg-orbital double-exchange model, and the result supports the scenario of the multiferroic phase separation.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Discovery of a Jupiter/Saturn Analog with Gravitational Microlensing

Searches for extrasolar planets have uncovered an astonishing diversity of planetary systems, yet the frequency of solar system analogs remains unknown. The gravitational microlensing planet search method is potentially sensitive to multiple-planet systems containing analogs of all the solar system planets except Mercury. We report the detection of a multiple-planet system with microlensing. We identify two planets with masses of ~0.71 and ~0.27 times the mass of Jupiter and orbital separations of ~2.3 and ~4.6 astronomical units orbiting a primary star of mass ~0.50 solar masses at a distance of ~1.5 kiloparsecs. This system resembles a scaled version of our solar system in that the mass ratio, separation ratio, and equilibrium temperatures of the planets are similar to those of Jupiter and Saturn. These planets could not have been detected with other techniques; their discovery from only six confirmed microlensing planet detections suggests that solar system analogs may be common.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Surface phase separation in nanosized charge-ordered manganites

Recent experiments showed that the robust charge-ordering in manganites can be weakened by reducing the grain size down to nanoscale. Weak ferromagnetism was evidenced in both nanoparticles and nanowires of charge-ordered manganites. To explain these observations, a phenomenological model based on surface phase separation is proposed. The relaxation of superexchange interaction on the surface layer allows formation of a ferromagnetic shell, whose thickness increases with decreasing grain size. Possible exchange bias and softening of the ferromagnetic transition in nanosized charge-ordered manganites are predicted.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2006

Electric Field Induced Collapse of Charge-Ordered Phase in Manganites

The colossal electroresistance in manganites is a concomitant of the electric field induced insulator-to-metal phase transition. A phenomenological phase transition model is proposed to study this electric field induced collapse of charge-ordered phase. The hysteresis of the phase transition is well explained using the effective medium approximation. The volume fraction of metallic region at the metal-to-insulator transition point is estimated as 30%. In addition, it is found that the critical electric field to melt the charge-ordered phase will decrease with the applied magnetic field.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2006

Microlens OGLE-2005-BLG-169 Implies Cool Neptune-Like Planets are Common

We detect a Neptune mass-ratio (q~8e-5) planetary companion to the lens star in the extremely high-magnification (A~800) microlensing event OGLE-2005-BLG-169. If the parent is a main-sequence star, it has mass M~0.5 M_sun implying a planet mass of ~13 M_earth and projected separation of ~2.7 AU. When intensely monitored over their peak, high-magnification events similar to OGLE-2005-BLG-169 have nearly complete sensitivity to Neptune mass-ratio planets with projected separations of 0.6 to 1.6 Einstein radii, corresponding to 1.6--4.3 AU in the present case. Only two other such events were monitored well enough to detect Neptunes, and so this detection by itself suggests that Neptune mass-ratio planets are common. Moreover, another Neptune was recently discovered at a similar distance from its parent star in a low-magnification event, which are more common but are individually much less sensitive to planets. Combining the two detections yields 90% upper and lower frequency limits f=0.37^{+0.30}_{-0.21} over just 0.4 decades of planet-star separation. In particular, f>16% at 90% confidence. The parent star hosts no Jupiter-mass companions with projected separations within a factor 5 of that of the detected planet. The lens-source relative proper motion is μ~7--10 mas/yr, implying that if the lens is sufficiently bright, I<23.8, it will be detectable by HST by 3 years after peak. This would permit a more precise estimate of the lens mass and distance, and so the mass and projected separation of the planet. Analogs of OGLE-2005-BLG-169Lb orbiting nearby stars would be difficult to detect by other methods of planet detection, including radial velocities, transits, or astrometry.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2006

Phase equilibrium in two orbital model under magnetic field

The phase equilibrium in manganites under magnetic field is studied using a two orbital model, based on the equivalent chemical potential principle for the competitive phases. We focus on the magnetic field induced melting process of CE phase in half-doped manganites. It is predicted that the homogenous CE phase begins to decompose into coexisting ferromagnetic phase and CE phase once the magnetic field exceeds the threshold field. In a more quantitative way, the volume fractions of the two competitive phases in the phase separation regime are evaluated.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2005

Colossal resistivity change besides magnetoresistance: an extended theoretical framework for electronic transport of manganites

Current theoretical approaches to manganites mainly stem from magnetic framework, in which the electronic transport is thought to be spin-dependent and the double exchange mechanism plays a core role. However, quite a number of experimental observations can yet not be reasonably explained. For example, multiplicate insulator-metal transitions and resistivity reduction induced by perturbations other than magnetic field, such as electric current, are not well understood. A comprehensive analysis on earlier extensive studies is performed and two types of origins for resistivity change are highlighted. Besides the insulated-to-metallic transition induced by external field such as magnetic field, the insulated-to-insulated transition induced extrinsically is even a more important source for the colossal resistivity change. We propose an extended framework for the electronic transport of manganites, in which the contribution of charge degree of freedom is given a special priority.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2005

Jahn-Teller distortion induced charge-ordering in CE phase of manganites

The charge order of CE phase in half-doped manganites is studied, based on an argument that the charge-ordering is caused by the Jahn-Teller distortions of MnO6 octahedra rather than Coulomb repulsion between electrons. The uantitative calculation on the ferromagnetic zigzag chain as the basic structure unit of CE phase within the framework of two-orbital double exchange model including Jahn-Teller effect is performed, and it is shown that the charge-disproportionation of Mn cations in the charge-ordered CE phase is less than 13%. In addition, we predict the negative charge-disproportionation once the Jahn-Teller effect is weak enough.

cond-mat.str-el↗