Thermodynamics dictates that the specific heat of a system is strictly non-negative. However, in finite classical systems there are well-known theoretical and experimental cases where this rule is violated, in particular finite atomic clusters. Here, we show for the first time that negative heat capacity can also occur in finite quantum systems. The physical scenario on which this effect might ...

We study confinement of the ground state of atoms in strong magnetic fields to different subspaces related to the lowest Landau band. The results obtained allow us to calculate the quantum current in the entire semiclassical region B ≪ Z.

Bismuth-chalchogenides are model examples of three-dimensional topological insulators. Their ideal bulk-truncated surface hosts a single spin-helical surface state, which is the simplest possible surface electronic structure allowed by their non-trivial Z(2) topology. However, real surfaces of such compounds, even if kept in ultra-high vacuum, rapidly develop a much more complex electronic stru...

Nanowire superlattices (NWSLs) are objects with a wide range of potential applications in nanoscale electronics and photonics. These objects are already grown experimentally in laboratories and studies of their properties represent an important task in nanotechnology research. Tools of mathematical modelling provide a powerful means for studying these fascinating structures with an ultimate goa...

The analytic expression for the Hall Coefficient (HC) caused by the confined electrons in the presence of a strong electromagnetic wave (EMW) including the effect of phonon confinement in rectangular quantum wires (RQWs) is calculated by using the quantum kinetic equation for electrons in the case of electron optical phonon scattering. It is because the expression of the HC for the confined pho...

We report the results of a careful expenmental investigation of trie Cu site configurations in the Cu02 Plane of B12Sr2CaCu208+y (B12212) showing tbat trie quasi 2D Fermi liquid is confined in trie stripes of width L with a superlattice period

Modern technology unintentionally provides resources that enable the trust of everyday interactions to be undermined. Some authentication schemes address this issue using devices that give a unique output in response to a challenge. These signatures are generated by hard-to-predict physical responses derived from structural characteristics, which lend themselves to two different architectures, ...

Flanged shear walls are used extensively in moderate- and high-rise buildings to resist lateral loads induced by earthquakes. The seismic performance of many buildings is, therefore, closely linked to the behavior of the reinforced concrete walls. They must be carefully designed to provide not only adequate strength, but also sufficient ductility to avoid brittle failure under strong lateral lo...