The breakdown of conductance quantization in a quantum point contact in the presence of random long-range impurity potential is discussed. It is shown that in the linear response regime a decisive role is played by the indirect backscattering mechanism via quasilocalized states at the Fermi level; this can provide much higher backscattering rate than any direct backscattering process. For the r...

We report the unexpected bunching of Laughlin's quasiparticles, induced by an extremely weak backscattering potential at exceptionally low electron temperatures (T<10 mK), deduced from shot noise measurements. Backscattered charges q=nue, specifically, q=e/3, q=2e/5, and q<3e/7, in the respective filling factors, were measured. For the same settings but at a slightly higher electron temperature...

Backscattering spectrometry, x-ray diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopy have been used to study the reaction of a thin Pt film with an epilayer of ^110& GaN on ^110& sapphire upon annealing at 450, 550, 650, 750, and 800 °C for 30 min. A Ga concentration of 2 at. % is detected by MeV He backscattering spectrometry in the Pt layer at 550 °C. By x-ray diffraction, structural changes a...

The ability to directly follow and time-resolve the rearrangement of the nuclei within molecules is a frontier of science that requires atomic spatial and few-femtosecond temporal resolutions. While laser-induced electron diffraction can meet these requirements, it was recently concluded that molecules with particular orbital symmetries (such as πg) cannot be imaged using purely backscattering ...

The generation of an isolated attosecond gamma-ray pulse utilizing Compton backscattering of a relativistic electron bunch has been investigated. The energy of the electron bunch is modulated while the electron bunch interacts with a co-propagating few-cycle CEP (carrier envelope phase)-locked laser in a single-period wiggler. The energy-modulated electron bunch interacts with a counter-propaga...

A novel diffraction effect in high-energy electron backscattering is demonstrated: the formation of element-specific diffraction patterns via nuclear recoil. For sapphire (Al(2)O(3)), the difference in recoil energy allows us to determine if an electron scattered from aluminum or from oxygen. The angular electron distribution obtained in such measurements is a strong function of the recoiling l...

We present the design and fabrication of a micrometer-scale electron gun for the implementation of ultrafast low-energy electron diffraction from surfaces. A multi-step process involving photolithography and focused-ion-beam nanostructuring is used to assemble and electrically contact the photoelectron gun, which consists of a nanotip photocathode in a Schottky geometry and an einzel lens for b...

Low uncertainty measurements on pure element stable isotope pairs demonstrate that mass has no influence on the backscattering of electrons at typical electron microprobe energies. The traditional prediction of average backscatter intensities in compounds using elemental mass fractions is improperly grounded in mass and thus has no physical basis. We propose an alternative model to mass fractio...

In the treatment of superficial lesions with 8-13 MeV electrons, lead shields are often used to protect the underlying tissue. Measurements were made with film and ion chamber to analyse various aspects of external and internal shielding in electron beam therapy. Data were obtained on the thickness of lead required for shielding, the effect of blocking on dose-rate, electron-backscattering from...