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Results for “Attraction”

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.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Coupling to octahedral tilts in halide perovskite nanocrystals induces phonon-mediated attractive interactions between excitons

Understanding the origin of electron–phonon coupling in lead halide perovskites is key to interpreting and leveraging their optical and electronic properties. Here we show that photoexcitation drives a reduction of the lead–halide–lead bond angles, a result of deformation potential coupling to low-energy optical phonons. We accomplish this by performing femtosecond-resolved, optical-pump–electron-diffraction-probe measurements to quantify the lattice reorganization occurring as a result of photoexcitation in nanocrystals of FAPbBr 3 . Our results indicate a stronger coupling in FAPbBr 3 than CsPbBr 3 . We attribute the enhanced coupling in FAPbBr 3 to its disordered crystal structure, which persists down to cryogenic temperatures. We find the reorganizations induced by each exciton in a multi-excitonic state constructively interfere, giving rise to a coupling strength that scales quadratically with the exciton number. This superlinear scaling induces phonon-mediated attractive interactions between excitations in lead halide perovskites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Crystallization of binary nanocrystal superlattices and the relevance of short-range attraction

The synthesis of binary nanocrystal superlattices (BNSLs) enables the targeted integration of orthogonal physical properties, such as photoluminescence and magnetism, into a single superstructure, unlocking a vast design space for multifunctional materials. However, the formation mechanism of BNSLs remains poorly understood, restricting the prediction of the structure and properties of superlattices. Here we use a combination of in situ scattering and molecular simulation to elucidate the self-assembly of two common BNSLs (AlB 2 and NaZn 13 ) through emulsion templating. Our self-assembly experiments reveal that no intermediate structures precede the formation of the final binary phases, indicating that their formation proceeds through classical nucleation. Using simulations, we find that, despite the formation of AlB 2 and NaZn 13 typically being attributed to entropy, their self-assembly is most consistent with the nanocrystals possessing short-range interparticle attraction, which we find can accelerate nucleation kinetics in BNSLs. Here, we also find homogeneous, classical nucleation in simulations, corroborating our experiments. These results establish a robust correspondence between experiment and theory, paving the way towards prediction of BNSLs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Gravitational waves from more attractive dark binaries

Abstract The detection of gravitational waves (GWs) has led to a deeper understanding of binaries of ordinary astrophysical objects, including neutron stars and black holes. In this work, we point out that binary systems may also exist in a dark sector with astrophysical-mass macroscopic dark matter. These “dark binaries”, when coupled to an additional attractive long-range dark force, may generate a stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) with a characteristic spectrum different from ordinary binaries. We find that the SGWB from planet-mass dark binaries is detectable by space- and ground-based GW observatories. The contribution to the SGWB today is smaller from binaries that merge before recombination than after, avoiding constraints on extra radiation degrees of freedom while potentially leaving a detectable GW signal at high frequencies up to tens of GHz.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Probing Quantum Anomalous Hall States in Twisted Bilayer WSe 2 via Attractive Polaron Spectroscopy

Moiré superlattices in semiconductors exhibit a rich variety of interaction-induced topological states, including quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effects. A recent study hinted that twisted WSe 2 homobilayer (tWSe 2 ) could host a QAH state but lacked direct evidence of ferromagnetism, a key hallmark of this phase. Here, we report the first direct evidence of QAH states in tWSe 2 with spontaneous ferromagnetism. Specifically, we employ polarization-resolved attractive polaron spectroscopy on a dual-gated, 2° tWSe 2 and observe direct signatures of spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking at hole filling 𝜈 = 1. Together with a Chern number (𝐶) measurement via Streda formula analysis, we identify this magnetized state as a topological state, characterized by 𝐶 = 1. Furthermore, we demonstrate that these topological and magnetic properties are tunable via a finite displacement field, between a QAH ferromagnetic state and an antiferromagnetic state. Our findings position tWSe 2 as a highly versatile, stable, and optically addressable platform for investigating topological order and strong correlations in two-dimensional landscapes.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Spin-singlet topological superconductivity in the attractive Rashba-Hubbard model

Fully gapped, spin-singlet superconductors with antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling in a Zeeman magnetic field provide a promising route to realize superconducting states with non-Abelian topological order and therefore fault-tolerant quantum computation. Here we use a quantum Monte Carlo dynamical cluster approximation to study the superconducting properties of a doped two-dimensional attractive Hubbard model with Rashba spin-orbit coupling in a Zeeman magnetic field. We generally find that the Rashba coupling has a beneficial effect towards s-wave superconductivity. In the presence of a finite Zeeman field, when superconductivity is suppressed by Pauli pair breaking, the Rashba coupling counteracts the spin imbalance created by the Zeeman field by mixing the spins, and thus restores superconductivity at finite temperatures. Further, we show that this favorable effect of the spin-orbit coupling is traced to a spin-flip driven enhancement of the amplitude for the propagation of a pair of electrons in time-reversed states. Moreover, by inspecting the Fermi surface of the interacting model, we show that for sufficiently large Rashba coupling and Zeeman field, the superconducting state is expected to be topologically nontrivial.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Disentangling the physics of the attractive Hubbard model as a fully interacting model of fermions via the accessible and symmetry-resolved entanglement entropies

The complicated ways in which electrons interact in many-body systems such as molecules and materials have long been viewed through the lens of local electron correlation and associated correlation functions. However, quantum information science has demonstrated that more global diagnostics of quantum states like the entanglement entropy can provide a complementary and clarifying lens on electronic behavior. One particularly useful measure that can be used to distinguish between quantum and classical sources of entanglement is the accessible entanglement, the entanglement available as a quantum resource for systems subject to conservation laws, such as fixed particle number, due to superselection rules. In this work, we introduce an algorithm and demonstrate how to compute accessible and symmetry-resolved entanglements for interacting fermion systems. This is accomplished by combining an incremental version of the swap algorithm with a recursive auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo algorithm recently developed by the authors. We apply these tools to study the pairing and charge density waves exhibited in the paradigmatic attractive Hubbard model via entanglement. We find that the particle and spin symmetry-resolved entanglements and their related full probability distribution functions show very clear—and unique—signatures of the underlying electronic behavior even when those features are less pronounced in conventional correlation functions. Altogether, this work provides a systematic means of characterizing the entanglement within quantum systems that can grant a deeper understanding of the complicated electronic behavior that underlies quantum phase transitions and crossovers in many-body systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Attractive Effect of a Strong Electronic Repulsion: The Physics of Vertex Divergences

While the breakdown of the perturbation expansion for the many-electron problem has several formal consequences, here we unveil its physical effect: flipping the sign of the effective electronic interaction in specific scattering channels. By decomposing local and uniform susceptibilities of the Hubbard model via their spectral representations, we prove how entering the nonperturbative regime causes an enhancement of the charge response, ultimately responsible for the phase-separation instabilities close to the Mott metal-insulator transition. Furthermore, our analysis opens a new route for understanding phase transitions in the nonperturbative regime and clarifies why attractive effects emerging from a strong repulsion can induce phase separations but not s-wave pairing or charge-density wave instabilities.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Observation of Quasiparticle Pair Production and Quantum Entanglement in Atomic Quantum Gases Quenched to an Attractive Interaction

We report observation of quasiparticle pair-production and characterize quantum entanglement created by a modulational instability in an atomic superfluid. By quenching the atomic interaction to attractive and then back to weakly repulsive, we produce correlated quasiparticles and monitor their evolution in a superfluid through evaluating the in situ density noise power spectrum, which essentially measures a 'homodyne' interference between ground state atoms and quasiparticles of opposite momenta. We observe large amplitude growth in the power spectrum and subsequent coherent oscillations in a wide spatial frequency band within our resolution limit, demonstrating coherent quasiparticle generation and evolution. Here, the spectrum is observed to oscillate below a quantum limit set by the Peres-Horodecki separability criterion of continuous-variable states, thereby confirming quantum entanglement between interaction quench-induced quasiparticles.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Phonon-Mediated Long-Range Attractive Interaction in One-Dimensional Cuprates

Establishing a minimal microscopic model for cuprates is a key step towards the elucidation of a high-T c mechanism. By a quantitative comparison with a recent in situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurement in doped 1D cuprate chains, our simulation identifies a crucial contribution from long-range electron-phonon coupling beyond standard Hubbard models. Using reasonable ranges of coupling strengths and phonon energies, we obtain a strong attractive interaction between neighboring electrons, whose strength is comparable to experimental observations. Additionally, nonlocal couplings play a significant role in the mediation of neighboring interactions. Considering the structural and chemical similarity between 1D and 2D cuprate materials, this minimal model with long-range electron-phonon coupling will provide important new insights on cuprate high-T c superconductivity and related quantum phases.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Quasiparticle Scattering in a Superconductor near a Nematic Critical Point: Resonance Mode and Multiple Attractive Channels

We analyze the scattering rate for 2D fermions interacting via soft nematic fluctuations. The ground state is an s-wave superconductor, but other pairing channels are almost equally attractive. This strongly alters the scattering rate: At energies beyond the pairing gap Δ, it is renormalized by contributions from all pairing channels. At energies of order Δ, it is determined by the competition between scattering into a gapped continuum and dispersing nematic resonance. The outcome is a “peak-peak-dip-hump” spectrum, similar, but not identical, to the “peak-dip-hump” structure in the cuprates.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Size-dependent attraction of Cu solutes to clusters formed at Ag grain boundaries

We report a size-dependent solute clustering mechanism at grain boundaries in a sputtered ultrafine-grained Ag-Cu alloy, where large Cu clusters form despite weak individual solute-solute interactions. X-ray diffraction confirms limited Cu solubility in the Ag matrix, while scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals Cu clustering at both ordinary GBs and GB junctions. Density functional theory calculations show that 12-atom Cu clusters are energetically preferred, while smaller three-atom clusters are significantly less stable. Additional calculations demonstrate a marked increase in solute-cluster attraction energy with cluster size. As a result, these findings point to a previously unrecognized pathway for grain-boundary solute clustering in immiscible systems, driven by collective solute-cluster interactions, with implications for segregation behavior and stability in nanocrystalline and ultrafine-grained alloys.

Alloys↗
DOE OSTI2022

Efficient Region of Attraction Characterization for Control and Stabilization of Load Tap Changer Dynamics

In this article, we study the monitoring and control of long-term voltage stability considering load tap changer (LTC) dynamics. We show that under generic conditions, the LTC dynamics admit a unique stable equilibrium. For the stable equilibrium, we characterize an explicit inner approximation of its largest region of attraction (ROA). Compared to existing results, the computational complexity of the ROA characterization is drastically reduced. We propose a quadratically constrained linear program formulation for the ROA characterization problem. In addition, we formulate a second-order cone program for online voltage stability monitoring and control exploiting the proposed ROA characterization. Finally, we demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed formulations on the ROA characterization and stability monitoring and control using a standard IEEE test system.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Evaluation of large volume yeast interfering RNA lure-and-kill ovitraps for attraction and control of Aedes mosquitoes

Aedes mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), principle vectors of several arboviruses, typically lay eggs in man-made water-filled containers located near human dwellings. Given the widespread emergence of insecticide resistance, stable and biofriendly alternatives for mosquito larviciding are needed. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that inactivated yeast interfering RNA tablets targeting key larval developmental genes can be used to facilitate effective larvicidal activity while also promoting selective gravid female oviposition behaviour. In this work, we examined the efficacy of transferring this technology toward development of lure-and-kill ovitraps targeting Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) female mosquitoes. Insectary, simulated field and semi-field experiments demonstrated that two mosquito-specific yeast interfering RNA pesticides induce high levels of mortality among larvae of both species in treated large volume containers. Small-scale field trials conducted in Trinidad, West Indies demonstrated that large volume ovitrap containers baited with inactivated yeast tablets lure significantly more gravid females than traps containing only water and were highly attractive to both A. aegypti and A. albopictus females. Finally, these studies indicate that development of biorational yeast interfering RNA-baited ovitraps may represent a new tool for control of Aedes mosquitoes, including deployment in existing lure-and-kill ovitrap technologies or traditional container larviciding programs.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Attraction Indian Buffet Distribution

We propose the attraction Indian buffet distribution (AIBD), a distribution for binary feature matrices influenced by pairwise similarity information. Binary feature matrices are used in Bayesian models to uncover latent variables (i.e., features) that explain observed data. The Indian buffet process (IBP) is a popular exchangeable prior distribution for latent feature matrices. In the presence of additional information, however, the exchangeability assumption is not reasonable or desirable. The AIBD can incorporate pairwise similarity information, yet it preserves many properties of the IBP, including the distribution of the total number of features. Thus, much of the interpretation and intuition that one has for the IBP directly carries over to the AIBD. A temperature parameter controls the degree to which the similarity information affects feature-sharing between observations. Unlike other nonexchangeable distributions for feature allocations, the probability mass function of the AIBD has a tractable normalizing constant, making posterior inference on hyperparameters straight-forward using standard MCMC methods. A novel posterior sampling algorithm is proposed for the IBP and the AIBD. We demonstrate the feasibility of the AIBD as a prior distribution in feature allocation models and compare the performance of competing methods in simulations and an application.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Commonly Overlooked Material Attractiveness Issues [Slides]

SG-Pu, WG-Pu, FG-Pu, RG-Pu, HEU, and Np should not be ignored in safeguards or security discussions: Nation states prefer SG-Pu and WG-Pu for missile delivery. Terrorists and some nation states will prefer FG-Pu and RG-Pu to minimize the mass that must be stolen/diverted and to minimize the risk of detection. Terrorists and some nation states will prefer HEU to eliminate the need for testing. A nation state with reprocessing capabilities might prefer 237 Np because the IAEA doesn’t require it to be safeguarded. Terrorists might prefer 237 Np if the nation state does not provide adequate safeguards and security for it.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Strangely attractive: Collaboration and feedback in the field of molecular magnetism

The fluid synergy between experimentalists and theoreticians has, for decades, led to a deeper understanding of the processes that govern single-molecule magnets. This approach has allowed for the establishment of proven design criteria for the control of magnetic properties through molecular architecture and the development of new magnetic measurement techniques and innovative computational methodologies. Here, we give an account of the experimental and theoretical joint endeavor carried out as part of the synthesis group led by David Mills and the computational/theoretical team led by Nicholas Chilton, together with colleagues in synthetic f-element chemistry and magnetism at the University of Manchester. In addition, we provide a personal perspective on collaborative work in molecular magnetism and how such collaborations are essential for advancing the field further.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗