Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Phase Transition”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10

Proximity Spin–Orbit Torque on a Two-Dimensional Magnet within van der Waals Heterostructure: Current-Driven Antiferromagnet-to-Ferromagnet Reversible Nonequilibrium Phase Transition in Bilayer CrI 3

The recently discovered two-dimensional magnetic insulator CrI 3 is an intriguing case for basic research and spintronic applications since it is a ferromagnet in the bulk but an antiferromagnet in bilayer form, with its magnetic ordering amenable to external manipulations. Using the first-principles quantum transport approach, we predict that injecting unpolarized charge current parallel to the interface of the bilayer-CrI 3 /monolayer-TaSe 2 van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure will induce spin–orbit torque and thereby drive the dynamics of magnetization on the first monolayer of CrI 3 in direct contact with TaSe 2 . By combining the calculated complex angular dependence of spin–orbit torque with the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation for classical dynamics of magnetization, we demonstrate that current pulses can switch the direction of magnetization on the first monolayer to become parallel to that of the second monolayer, thereby converting CrI 3 from antiferromagnet to ferromagnet while not requiring any external magnetic field. We explain the mechanism of this reversible current-driven nonequilibrium phase transition by showing that first monolayer of CrI 3 carries current due to evanescent wave functions injected by metallic transition metal dichalcogenide TaSe 2 , while concurrently acquiring strong spin–orbit coupling via such a proximity effect, whereas the second monolayer of CrI 3 remains insulating. Furthermore, the transition can be detected by passing vertical read current through the vdW heterostructure, encapsulated by a bilayer of hexagonal boron nitride and sandwiched between graphite electrodes, where we find a tunneling magnetoresistance of ≃240%.

2D magnetic materials↗

Magnetostructural phase transitions and large magnetic entropy changes in Ag-doped Mn 1–x Ag x CoGe intermetallic compounds

The influence of Ag-doping on the crystallographic structure, magnetic properties, and magnetocaloric effects of Mn 1–x Ag x CoGe (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) is reported. A transformation of crystal structure from orthorhombic to hexagonal was observed at room temperature. Doping Ag in Mn sites results in a first-order magnetostructural transition near room temperature. Furthermore, a Curie-temperature window of 90 K was obtained between the Curie temperatures of the austenite (Ni 2 In-type) and martensite (TiNiSi-type) phases. Large magnetic entropy change values of ~22.0 and 9.4 J/kg/K, and refrigerant capacity of 308 and 272 J/kg, were found for x = 0.06 and 0.05, respectively, for μ o ΔH = 5 T.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Solid–Liquid Phase Transition in the Octadecanoic Acid Film Adsorbed on the Toluene–Water Interface

The structure of the soluble protonated (pH = 2) octadecanoic acid film adsorbed on the saturated hydrocarbon (n-hexane)–water and aromatic hydrocarbon (toluene)–water interfaces is studied by X-ray reflectometry using synchrotron radiation. The experimental data demonstrate that a solid phase of a Gibbs monolayer 26 ± 1 Å thick, in which aliphatic tails are perpendicular to the surface and the area per molecule is A = 18 ± 2 Å{sup 2}, is formed in the film at the n-hexane–water interface. The solid monolayer on the toluene–water interface in the adsorbed film melts when temperature increases, and this transition is caused by disordering of the hydrocarbon tails of the acid. During the solid–liquid transition, the Gibbs monolayer thickness remains almost the same, 22 ± 1 Å. In the solid phase, we have A = 20 ± 2 Å{sup 2}, and the angle of deviation of the molecular tails from the normal to the surface is about 30°. The density of the liquid monolayer phase with A = 24 ± 2 Å{sup 2} corresponds to liquid n-octadecane.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Time-Reversal Symmetry-Breaking Nematic Insulators near Quantum Spin Hall Phase Transitions

We study the phase diagram of a model quantum spin Hall system as a function of band inversion and band-coupling strength, demonstrating that when band hybridization is weak, an interaction-induced nematic insulator state emerges over a wide range of band inversion. This property is a consequence of the long-range Coulomb interaction, which favors interband phase coherence that is weakly dependent on momentum and therefore frustrated by the single-particle Hamiltonian at the band inversion point. For weak band hybridization, interactions convert the continuous gap closing topological phase transition at inversion into a pair of continuous phase transitions bounding a state with broken time-reversal and rotational symmetries. At intermediate band hybridization, the topological phase transition proceeds instead via a quantum anomalous Hall insulator state, whereas at strong hybridization interactions play no role. We comment on the implications of our findings for InAs/GaSb and HgTe/CdTe quantum spin Hall systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗