Low-energy acoustic plasmons at metal surfaces

Nearly two-dimensional (2D) metallic systems formed in charge inversion layers and artificial layered materials permit the existence of low-energy collective excitations, called 2D plasmons, which are not found in a three-dimensional (3D) metal. These excitations have caused considerable interest because their low energy allows them to participate in many dynamical processes involving electrons and phonons, and because they might mediate the formation of Cooper pairs in high-transition-temperature superconductors. Metals often support electronic states that are confined to the surface, forming a nearly 2D electron-density layer. However, it was argued that these systems could not support low-energy collective excitations because they would be screened out by the underlying bulk electrons. Rather, metallic surfaces should support only conventional surface plasmons-higher-energy modes that depend only on the electron density. Surface plasmons have important applications in microscopy and sub-wavelength optics, but have no relevance to the low-energy dynamics. Here we show that, in contrast to expectations, a low-energy collective excitation mode can be found on bare metal surfaces. The mode has an acoustic (linear) dispersion, different to the dependence of a 2D plasmon, and was observed on Be(0001) using angle-resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy. First-principles calculations show that it is caused by the coexistence of a partially occupied quasi-2D surface-state band with the underlying 3D bulk electron continuum and also that the non-local character of the dielectric function prevents it from being screened out by the 3D states. The acoustic plasmon reported here has a very general character and should be present on many metal surfaces. Furthermore, its acoustic dispersion allows the confinement of light on small surface areas and in a broad frequency range, which is relevant for nano-optics and photonics applications.     

A closely packed system of low-mass, low-density planets transiting Kepler-11

When an extrasolar planet passes in front of (transits) its star, its radius can be measured from the decrease in starlight and its orbital period from the time between transits. Multiple planets transiting the same star reveal much more: period ratios determine stability and dynamics, mutual gravitational interactions reflect planet masses and orbital shapes, and the fraction of transiting planets observed as multiples has implications for the planarity of planetary systems. But few stars have more than one known transiting planet, and none has more than three. Here we report Kepler spacecraft observations of a single Sun-like star, which we call Kepler-11, that reveal six transiting planets, five with orbital periods between 10 and 47?days and a sixth planet with a longer period. The five inner planets are among the smallest for which mass and size have both been measured, and these measurements imply substantial envelopes of light gases. The degree of coplanarity and proximity of the planetary orbits imply energy dissipation near the end of planet formation.     

利用椭圆偏振光谱法研究硅片上DNA分子杂交

将单晶硅片硅烷化后，用戊二醛做醛基修饰，将5′端氨基修饰寡核苷酸探针片段通过醛－氨共价键结合在硅片上，然后用椭圆偏振光谱法对探针和不同序列样品的杂交反应进行了研究。结果表明该方法能在不对样品进行荧光标记的情况下直接研究杂交反应的效率，从而得知样品的序列信息。     

导出London方程中所用的近似

在超导电子（对）密度均匀（ρ＝常数）和速度很小（ｖ→０）的条件下，由Ｓｃｈｒｏｄｉｎｇｅｒ方程出发直接导出Ｌｏｎｄｏｎ方程，由此可以看出上述两条件为Ｌｏｎｄｏｎ方程成立的必要条件。     

用光镊研究介质微粒在交流电场下的相互作用

综合利用光镊定位、高速摄像、图像处理系统和低介电常数电流变液颗粒，在动态情况下，直接验证交流外电场下电偶极子对间的相互作用。测量了2个μm量级的玻璃微珠之间作用力与球心间距和结构形成时间的关系，获得电流变颗粒在交流电场作用下的结构响应时间和相互作用强度。所采用的光镊－摄像－影像处理系统的空间分辨率为0．26μm，图像最高采样率为8000幅／s，对应的最优时间分辨率为125μs。由于所研究的体系使用同真实电流变颗粒同样大小的颗粒，所以对寻找更好的电流变液材料具有意义。     

Cardiac angiogenic imbalance leads to peripartum cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an often fatal disease that affects pregnant women who are near delivery, and it occurs more frequently in women with pre-eclampsia and/or multiple gestation. The aetiology of PPCM, and why it is associated with pre-eclampsia, remain unknown. Here we show that PPCM is associated with a systemic angiogenic imbalance, accentuated by pre-eclampsia. Mice that lack cardiac PGC-1α, a powerful regulator of angiogenesis, develop profound PPCM. Importantly, the PPCM is entirely rescued by pro-angiogenic therapies. In humans, the placenta in late gestation secretes VEGF inhibitors like soluble FLT1 (sFLT1), and this is accentuated by multiple gestation and pre-eclampsia. This anti-angiogenic environment is accompanied by subclinical cardiac dysfunction, the extent of which correlates with circulating levels of sFLT1. Exogenous sFLT1 alone caused diastolic dysfunction in wild-type mice, and profound systolic dysfunction in mice lacking cardiac PGC-1α. Finally, plasma samples from women with PPCM contained abnormally high levels of sFLT1. These data indicate that PPCM is mainly a vascular disease, caused by excess anti-angiogenic signalling in the peripartum period. The data also explain how late pregnancy poses a threat to cardiac homeostasis, and why pre-eclampsia and multiple gestation are important risk factors for the development of PPCM.     

悬浮MTG—YBCO样品的共振振荡

报道了各向异性高温超导体在非均匀磁场中水平振动和垂直振动和稳定性，测量了不同我力振幅下悬浮高温超导体的振荡幅度，首次观察到悬浮超导体在外力频率为２０－４０ＨＺ时出现共振振荡，并用通常的振荡理论分析了体系统的行为。