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At least 289 records · Page 16

Spin/valley pumping of resident electrons in WSe2 and WS2 monolayers

Abstract Monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides are ideal materials to control both spin and valley degrees of freedom either electrically or optically. Nevertheless, optical excitation mostly generates excitons species with inherently short lifetime and spin/valley relaxation time. Here we demonstrate a very efficient spin/valley optical pumping of resident electrons in n-doped WSe 2 and WS 2 monolayers. We observe that, using a continuous wave laser and appropriate doping and excitation densities, negative trion doublet lines exhibit circular polarization of opposite sign and the photoluminescence intensity of the triplet trion is more than four times larger with circular excitation than with linear excitation. We interpret our results as a consequence of a large dynamic polarization of resident electrons using circular light.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Large negative magnetoresistance in antiferromagnetic G⁡d 2 ⁢S⁢e 3

Rare earth chalcogenides provide a great platform to study exotic quantum phenomena such as superconductivity and charge density waves. Among various interesting properties, the coupling between magnetism and electronic transport has attracted significant attention. Here, we report the investigation of such coupling in α-G⁡d 2⁢ S⁢e 3 single crystals through magnetic, calorimetric, and transport property measurements. α-G⁡d 2 ⁢S⁢e 3 is found to display an antiferromagnetic ground state below 11 K with metamagnetic spin-flop transitions. The magnetic fluctuations remain strong above the transition temperature. Transport measurements reveal an overall metallic transport behavior with a large negative magnetoresistance of approximately 65% near the magnetic transition temperature, together with positive magnetoresistance near the field-induced spin-flop transitions, which can be understood in terms of the suppression of spin scattering by the magnetic field.

electrical properties↗

Constraining level densities through quantitative correlations with cross-section data

The adopted level densities (LD) for the nuclei produced through different reaction mechanisms significantly impact the accurate calculation of cross sections for the different reaction channels. Many common LD models make simplified assumptions regarding the overall behavior of the total LD and the intrinsic spin and parity distributions of the excited states. However, very few experimental constraints are taken into account in these models: LD at neutron separation energy coming from average spacings of s- and p-wave resonances ( D 0 and D 1 , respectively) whenever they have been previously measured, and the sometimes subjective extrapolation of discrete levels. These, however, constrain the LD only in very specific regions of excitation energy, and for specific spins and parities. This work aims to establish additional experimental constraints on LD through quantitative correlations between cross sections and LD. This allows for fitting and the determination of detailed structures in LD. For this we use the microscopic Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) LD as a starting point as the HFB LD provide a more realistic spin and parity distributions than phenomenological models such as Gilbert-Cameron (GC). We then associate variations predicted by the HFB model with the structure observed in double-differential cross sections at low outgoing neutron energy, a region that is dominated by the LD input. We also use (n, p) on 56 Fe , as an example case where angle-integrated cross sections are extremely sensitive to LD. For comparison purposes we also perform calculations with the GC model. With this approach we are able to perform fits of the LD based on actual experimental data, constraining the model and ensuring its consistency. This approach can be particularly useful in extrapolating the LD to nuclei for which high-excited discrete levels and/or values of D 0 or D 1 are unknown. Finally, it also predicts neutron-induced inelastic γ cross sections that in some cases can differ significantly from more standard phenomenological LD models such as GC.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nuclei with Up to $$\varvec{A=6}$$ Nucleons with Artificial Neural Network Wave Functions

The ground-breaking works of Weinberg have opened the way to calculations of atomic nuclei that are based on systematically improvable Hamiltonians. Solving the associated many-body Schrödinger equation involves non-trivial difficulties, due to the non-perturbative nature and strong spin-isospin dependence of nuclear interactions. Artificial neural networks have proven to be able to compactly represent the wave functions of nuclei with up to $A=4$ nucleons. In this work, we extend this approach to $^6$Li and $^6$He nuclei, using as input a leading-order pionless effective field theory Hamiltonian. We successfully benchmark their binding energies, point-nucleon densities, and radii with the highly-accurate hyperspherical harmonics method.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Algorithm advances and applications of time‐dependent first‐principles simulations for ultrafast dynamics

Abstract Far from equilibrium phenomenon is a central theme of contemporary material research. Such phenomenon can exhibit itself in atomic structure and dynamics, but very often it also happens as non‐equilibrium phenomenon in the electronic structure. In ab initio material simulation, density functional theory (DFT) has played an essential role in studying electronic ground state problems. For excited states, besides many‐body perturbation theory, another powerful tool is the time dependent DFT (TDDFT) method. In particular, the real‐time TDDFT (rt‐TDDFT) method can be used to simulate many non‐equilibrium phenomena directly. Here we introduce our works on some algorithm advances based on our recently rt‐TDDFT method. This method uses the plane‐wave basis set, and significantly accelerates its efficiency by increasing the time step from 0.1–1 as in traditional methods to 0.2–0.5 fs. The noncollinear magnetic moments and spin–orbit coupling have also been included in our rt‐TDDFT method. Furthermore, a Boltzmann‐TDDFT algorithm has been developed to solve the hot carrier overheating problem in Ehrenfest dynamics, and a natural orbital branching algorithm has been developed to overcome the mean‐field approximation in Ehrenfest dynamics nuclear trajectory, thus allows stochastic multiple paths in chemical reactions. Utilizing these methods, we have studied the photoinduced ultrafast demagnetization, ultrafast phase transition, energy transfer between plasmon and hot carriers, as well as the high‐energy ion implantation and low‐energy atomic diffusion in semiconductors. We believe the tools as the ones introduced here can enable us to study a wide range of phenomena which are of great interest in modern day material research. This article is categorized under: Structure and Mechanism > Computational Materials Science Electronic Structure Theory > Ab Initio Electronic Structure Methods Electronic Structure Theory > Density Functional Theory

Liu, Wen‐Hao↗

Spectroscopy of states in 136 Ba using the 138 Ba(p,t) reaction

Background: The 136 Ba isotope is the daughter nucleus in 136 Xe $ββ$ decay. It also lies in a shape transitional region of the nuclear chart, making it a suitable candidate to test a variety of nuclear models. Purpose: To obtain spectroscopic information on states in 136 Ba, which will allow a better understanding of its low-lying structure. These data may prove useful to constrain future 136 Xe → 136 Ba neutrinoless $ββ$ decay matrix element calculations. Methods: Here, a 138 Ba(p, t) reaction was used to populate states in 136 Ba up to approximately 4.6 MeV in excitation energy. The tritons were detected using a high-resolution Q3D magnetic spectrograph. A distorted wave Born approximation analysis was performed for the measured triton angular distributions. Results: 102 excited states in 136 Ba were observed, out of which 52 are reported for the first time. Definite spin-parity assignments are made for 26 newly observed states, while previously ambiguous assignments for ten other states are resolved. Together with other available data, the results are used to determine level densities in 136 Ba. These were compared with theory predictions, obtained using shell model calculations with Hamiltonians previously used for 136 Xe neutrinoless $ββ$ decay matrix element evaluations. Conclusions: The shell model predicted level densities agree reasonably well for the two Hamiltonians. However the results for theory and experiment are found to agree only at lower energies, diverging from one another for the higher lying states, with the discrepancy increasing with energy. This is presumably because of lower production cross sections for a majority of the higher-lying predicted states and the experimental limitations in resolving a large number of nearly degenerate states predicted by the theory.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Nonlinear magnons and exchange Hamiltonians of the delafossite proximate quantum spin liquid candidates KYbSe 2 and NaYbSe 2

Quantum spin liquids (QSLs) are theoretical states of matter with long-range entanglement and exotic quasiparticles. However, they generally elude quantitative theory, rendering their underlying phases mysterious and hampering efforts to identify experimental QSL states. Here we study triangular-lattice resonating-valence-bond QSL candidate materials KYbSe 2 and NaYbSe 2 . We measure the magnon modes in their 1/3 plateau phase, where quantitative theory is tractable, using inelastic neutron scattering and fit them using nonlinear spin wave theory. We also fit the KYbSe 2 heat capacity using high-temperature series expansion. Both KYbSe 2 fits yield the same magnetic Hamiltonian to within uncertainty, confirming previous estimates and showing the Heisenberg ratio J 2 / J 1 to be an accurate model for these materials. Most importantly, comparing KYbSe 2 and NaYbSe 2 shows that the smaller A -site Na + ion has a larger J 2 / J 1 ratio. However, hydrostatic pressure applied to KYbSe 2 increases the ordering temperature (a result consistent with density functional theory calculations), indicating that pressure decreases J 2 / J 1 . In conclusion, these results show how the periodic table and hydrostatic pressure can tune the A YbSe 2 materials in a controlled way.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Spin–Orbit Matrix Elements for a Combined Spin-Flip and IP/EA approach

We introduce a practical approach for computing the Breit–Pauli spin–orbit matrix elements of multiconfigurational systems with both spin and spatial degeneracies based on our recently developed RAS-nSF-IP/EA method (Houck, S. E.; et al. J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2019, 15, 2278). The spin–orbit matrix elements over all the multiplet components are computed using a single one-particle reduced density matrix as a result of the Wigner–Eckart theorem. A mean field spin–orbit approximation was used to account for the two-electron contributions. Basis set dependence as well as the effect of including additional excitations is presented. The effect of correlating the core and semicore orbitals is also examined. Surprisingly accurate results are obtained for spin–orbit coupling constants, despite the fact that the efficient wave function approximations we research neglect the bulk of dynamical correlation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Nuclear DFT analysis of electromagnetic moments in odd near doubly magic nuclei

We use the nuclear density functional theory to determine nuclear electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole moments in all one-particle and one-hole neighbours of eight doubly magic nuclei. We align angular momenta along the intrinsic axial-symmetry axis with broken time-reversal symmetry, which allows us to explore fully the self-consistent charge, spin, and current polarisation. Spectroscopic moments are determined for symmetry-restored wave functions and compared with available experimental data. We find that the obtained polarisations do not call for using quadrupole- or dipole-moment operators with effective charges or effective g-factors.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Revisiting superconductivity in the extended one-band Hubbard model: Pairing via spin and charge fluctuations

The leading superconducting instabilities of the two-dimensional extended repulsive one-band Hubbard model within spin-fluctuation pairing theory depend sensitively on electron density, band, and interaction parameters. We map out the phase diagrams within a random-phase-approximation spin- and charge-fluctuation approach, and find that while B 1g (d x 2 –y 2 ) and B 2g (d xy ) pairing dominates in the absence of repulsive longer-range Coulomb interactions V NN , the latter induces pairing in other symmetry channels, including, e.g., A 2g (g-wave), nodal A 1g (extended s-wave), or nodal E u (p-wave) spin-triplet superconductivity. At the lowest temperatures, transition boundaries in the phase diagrams between symmetry-distinct spin-singlet orders generate complex time-reversal symmetry broken superpositions. By contrast, we find that boundaries between singlet and triplet regions are characterized by first-order transitions. Finally, motivated by recent photoemission experiments, we have determined the influence of an additional explicitly attractive nearest-neighbor interaction, V NN < 0, on the superconducting gap structure. Furthermore, depending on the electronic filling, such an attraction boosts E u (p-wave) spin-triplet or B 1g (d x 2 –y 2 ) spin-singlet ordering.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Hindered segmental dynamics in associative protein hydrogels studied by neutron spin-echo spectroscopy

Transient binding between associating macromolecules can cause qualitative changes to chain dynamics, including modes of conformational relaxation and diffusion, through tethering effects imparted by long-range connectivity. Here, in this work, the role of binding on short-time segmental dynamics in associative polymer gels is investigated by neutron spin-echo (NSE) measurements on a class of model artificial coiled-coil proteins with a systematically varied architecture, probing timescales of 0.1–130 ns, and length scales close to the molecular radius of gyration. The results illustrate effects of transient cross-linking on chain dynamics on different timescales, manifested in changes in segmental relaxation behavior with variations in strand length, chain concentration, and sticker distribution (endblock- vs midblock-functionalized). In all gels, a short-time cooperative diffusion mode is seen over all wave vectors, analogous to a semidilute solution, with no transitions seen at any known structural length scale. However, the diffusion coefficients are found to decrease with increasing junction density across all gels, with the strand length and number of stickers per chain in each gel appearing to play a relatively minor role. The slowing of cooperative diffusion with junction density contrasts with classical predictions of a greater restoring force for fluctuation dissipation due to the increased elasticity, suggesting additional effects of the coiled-coil junctions such as an enhancement in local viscosity that slows dynamics. Notably, the relaxation rates for all gels can be rescaled by the interjunction spacing inferred from small-angle neutron scattering, where they collapse onto a master curve suggestive of self-similar dynamics even in networks with different strand lengths and chain architectures. On long timescales (but shorter than the junction exchange time), a slowing of network relaxation is observed, resulting in a nondecaying plateau in the spin-echo amplitude attributed to a freezing of chain dynamics due to tethering. A characteristic length scale corresponding to the extent of dynamic fluctuations is estimated for each gel, which appears to be smaller than the interjunction spacing but similar to the correlation blob size of the overlapping strands. The results indicate an important role of transient binding on molecular-scale dynamics in associative polymer gels, even on timescales shorter than the junction exchange time, in addition to its effects on long-range self-diffusion previously observed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Circuit quantum electrodynamics detection of induced two-fold anisotropic pairing in a hybrid superconductor–ferromagnet bilayer

Abstract Hybrid systems represent one of the frontiers in the study of unconventional superconductivity and are a promising platform to realize topological superconducting states. These materials are challenging to probe using many conventional measurement techniques because of their mesoscopic dimensions, and therefore require new experimental probes so that they can be successfully characterized. Here, we demonstrate a probe that enables us to measure the superfluid density of micrometre-size superconductors using microwave techniques drawn from circuit quantum electrodynamics. We apply this technique to a superconductor–ferromagnet bilayer and find that the proximity-induced superfluid density is two-fold anisotropic within the plane of the sample. It also exhibits power-law temperature scaling that is indicative of a nodal superconducting state. These experimental results are consistent with the theoretically predicted signatures of induced triplet pairing with a nodal p -wave order parameter. Moreover, we observe modifications to the microwave response at frequencies near the ferromagnetic resonance, suggesting a coupling between the spin dynamics and induced superconducting order in the ferromagnetic layer. Our experimental technique can be employed more widely, for example to study fragile unconventional superconductivity in low-dimensional materials such as van der Waals heterostructures.

Bøttcher, C. G. L. (ORCID:0000000194898461)↗

Growth of accretion driven scalar hair around Kerr black holes

We report that Scalar fields around compact objects are of interest for scalar-tensor theories of gravity and dark matter models consisting of a massive scalar, e.g., axions. We study the behavior of a scalar field around a Kerr black hole with nontrivial asymptotic boundary conditions - both nonzero density and nonzero angular momentum. Starting from an initial radially homogeneous configuration, a scalar cloud is accreted, which asymptotes to known stationary configurations over time. We study the cloud growth for different parameters including black hole spin, scalar field mass, and the scalar field density and angular momentum far from the black hole. We characterize the transient growth of the mass and angular momentum in the cloud, and the spatial profile of the scalar around the black hole, and relate the results of fully nonlinear simulations to an analytic perturbative expansion. We also highlight the potential for these accreted clouds to create monochromatic gravitational wave signals - similar to the signals from superradiant clouds, although significantly weaker in amplitude.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Spins of primordial black holes formed in different cosmological scenarios

Primordial black holes (PBHs) could account for all or part of dark matter, as well as for some LIGO events. We discuss the spins of primordial black holes produced in different cosmological scenarios, with the emphasis on recently discovered possibilities. PBHs produced as a horizon-size collapse of density perturbations are known to have very small spins. In contrast, PBHs resulting from assembly of matterlike objects (particles, Q-balls, oscillons, etc.) can have large or small spins depending on their formation history and the efficiency of radiative cooling. Here, we show that scalar radiation can remove the angular momentum very efficiently, leading to slowly rotating PBHs in those scenarios for which the radiative cooling is important. Gravitational waves astronomy offers an opportunity to determine the spins of black holes, opening a new window on the early Universe if, indeed, some black holes have primordial origin.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Energy-Resolved Information Scrambling in Energy-Space Lattices

Here, weakly interacting Fermi gases simulate spin lattices in energy space, offering a rich platform for investigating information spreading and spin coherence in a large many-body quantum system. We show that the collective spin vector can be determined as a function of energy from the measured spin density, enabling general energy-space resolved protocols. We measure an out-of-time-order correlation function in this system and observe the energy dependence of the many-body coherence.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

GW190814: Gravitational Waves from the Coalescence of a 23 Solar Mass Black Hole with a 2.6 Solar Mass Compact Object

We report the observation of a compact binary coalescence involving a 22.2-24.3 M ⊙ black hole and a compact object with a mass of 2.50-2.67 M ⊙ (all measurements quoted at the 90% credible level). The gravitational-wave signal, GW190814, was observed during LIGO's and Virgo's third observing run on 2019 August 14 at 21:10:39 UTC and has a signal-to-noise ratio of 25 in the three-detector network. The source was localized to 18.5 deg 2 at a distance of 241 +41-41 Mpc; no electromagnetic counterpart has been confirmed to date. The source has the most unequal mass ratio yet measured with gravitational waves , 0.112+0.0090.008, , and its secondary component is either the lightest black hole or the heaviest neutron star ever discovered in a double compact-object system. The dimensionless spin of the primary black hole is tightly constrained to ≤0.07. Tests of general relativity reveal no measurable deviations from the theory, and its prediction of higher-multipole emission is confirmed at high confidence. We estimate a merger rate density of 1-23 Gpc -3 yr -1 for the new class of binary coalescence sources that GW190814 represents. Astrophysical models predict that binaries with mass ratios similar to this event can form through several channels, but are unlikely to have formed in globular clusters. However, the combination of mass ratio, component masses, and the inferred merger rate for this event challenges all current models of the formation and mass distribution of compact-object binaries.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Superconductivity in a topological lattice model with strong repulsion

The highly tunable nature of synthetic quantum materials-both in the solid-state and cold atom contexts-invites examining which microscopic ingredients aid in the realization of correlated phases of matter such as superconductors. Recent experimental advances in moiré materials suggest that unifying the features of the Fermi-Hubbard model and quantum Hall systems creates a fertile ground for the emergence of such phases. Here, we introduce the "double Hofstadter"model, a minimal 2D lattice model that incorporates exactly these features: Time-reversal symmetry, band topology, and strong repulsive interactions. By using infinite cylinder density matrix renormalization group methods (cylinder iDMRG), we investigate the ground state phase diagram of this model. We find that it hosts an interaction-induced quantum spin Hall insulator and demonstrate that weakly hole-doping this state gives rise to a superconductor at a finite circumference, with indications that this behavior persists on larger cylinders. Further, at the aforementioned circumference, the superconducting phase is surprisingly robust to perturbations including additional repulsive interactions in the pairing channel. By developing a technique to probe the superconducting gap function in iDMRG, we phenomenologically characterize the superconductor. Namely, we demonstrate that it is formed from the weak pairing of holes atop the quantum spin Hall insulator. Furthermore, we determine the pairing symmetry of the superconductor, finding it to be p-wave-reminiscent of the unconventional superconductivity reported in experiments on twisted bilayer graphene (TBG). Motivated by this, we elucidate structural similarities and differences between our model and those of TBG in its chiral limit. Finally, to provide a more direct experimental realization, we detail an implementation of our Hamiltonian in a system of cold fermionic alkaline-earth atoms in an optical lattice.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Prediction of s ± -Wave Superconductivity Enhanced by Electronic Doping in Trilayer Nickelates La 4 Ni 3 O 10 under Pressure

Motivated by the recently reported signatures of superconductivity in trilayer La 4 ⁢Ni 3 ⁢O 10 under pressure, here we comprehensively study this system using ab initio and random-phase approximation techniques. Without electronic interactions, the Ni d 3z 2 –r 2 orbitals show a bonding-antibonding and nonbonding splitting behavior via the O p z orbitals inducing a “trimer” lattice in La 4⁢ Ni 3 ⁢O 10 , analogous to the dimers of La 3 ⁢Ni 2 ⁢O 7 . The Fermi surface consists of three electron sheets with mixed e g orbitals, and a hole and an electron pocket made up of the d 3⁢z 2 –r 2 orbital, suggesting a Ni two-orbital minimum model. In addition, we find that superconducting pairing is induced in the s ± -wave channel due to partial nesting between the M = (π,π) centered pockets and portions of the Fermi surface centered at the Γ = (0,0) point. With changing electronic density n, the s ± instability remains leading and its pairing strength shows a domelike behavior with a maximum around n = 4.2 ( ~6.7% electron doping). The superconducting instability disappears at the same electronic density as that in the new 1313 stacking La 3 ⁢Ni 2 ⁢O 7 , correlated with the vanishing of the hole pocket that arises from the trilayer sublattice, suggesting that the high-T c superconductivity of La 3⁢ Ni 2 ⁢O 7 does not originate from a trilayer and monolayer structure. Furthermore, we confirm the experimentally proposed spin state in La 4 ⁢Ni 3 ⁢O 10 with an in-plane (π, π) order and antiferromagnetic coupling between the top and bottom Ni layers, and spin zero in the middle layer.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗