Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Electron-Electron Interactions”

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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Study of Electrical Transport and Magnetic Properties of Nd{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3}/Nd{sub 0.8}Na{sub 0.2}MnO{sub 3} Bilayer Thin Films

Bilayer films of Nd{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3}/Nd{sub 0.8}Na{sub 0.2} MnO{sub 3} were grown on 001-orientated LaAlO{sub 3} substrate by using RF magnetron sputtering. The thickness of the Nd{sub 0.8}Na{sub 0.2}MnO{sub 3} (NNMO) film was kept fixed at 120 nm while that of the Nd{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} (NSMO) film was varied from 12 to 100 nm. X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the growth of films along the (001) direction, and the out-of-plane lattice constant of the NSMO film decreases with an increase in film thickness. The bilayer films are found to undergo out-of-plane tensile strain, and the lattice strain is found to decrease with an increase in film thickness. The ferromagnetic transition temperature is found to increase with an increase in the NSMO film thickness. M–H loops recorded at 50 K show a systematic increase in saturation magnetisation with an increase in film thickness. Metal–insulator transition has been observed for the film thickness of 30 nm and above, and the transition temperature is found to increase with an increase in film thickness. The electrical resistivity data in the metallic region were explained based on electron–electron and electron–magnon scattering mechanism by including a weak localisation effect at low temperature. The electrical resistivity data in the insulating region follow the Mott-variable range hopping model.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

The Structural, Electronic, Magnetic, and Optical Properties of Mn{sub 2}ZrGa{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x} Heusler Alloys: First-Principles Calculations

The structural, electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of Mn-based Heusler Mn{sub 2}ZrGa{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x} (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) alloys are calculated by first-principles full-potential linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbital (FP-LAPW+lo) method. It is found that Mn{sub 2}ZrGa{sub 1−x}Ge{sub x} alloys are half-metallic ferrimagnetic and their magnetic moments are in good agreement with the Slater–Pauling relationship. The calculations reveal that all alloys have a pseudo-gap in the majority-spin channel except for x = 0.75 and x = 1 which have a real gap in the majority-spin channel. The spin polarization is quite large for whole series, and it reaches to a value of 100% for x = 0.75 and x = 1. Our calculated results clearly show that with the Ge substitution, the lattice parameter linearly decreases while the bulk modulus increases. Moreover, the calculated formation energies confirm that these alloys are stable chemically. The optical properties, including the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function, reflectivity, and absorption spectra, were also investigated. The results show that the dominant behavior, at energy below 1 eV, is due to interactions of free electrons in the system. The increment of Ge concentration leads to an increase in the plasma frequency of metallic spin channel.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Magnetic Susceptibility and Neutron Scattering of Graphene in Antiferromagnetic State: a Tight-Binding Approach

We address here a tight-binding model study of the frequency-dependent antiferromagnetic spin susceptibility for the graphene systems. The Hamiltonian consists of electron hopping up to the third-nearest-neighbors, substrate and impurity effects in presence of electron-electron interactions at A and B sub-lattices. To calculate susceptibility, we evaluate the two-particle electron Green’s function by using Zubarev’s Green’s function technique. The frequency-dependent antiferromagnetic susceptibility of the system is computed numerically by taking 1000 X 1000 grid points of the electron momentum. The susceptibility displays a sharp peak at the neutron momentum transfer energy at low energies and another higher-energy peak associated with the substrate-induced gap. The evolution of these two peaks are investigated by varying neutron wave vector, Coulomb correlation energy, substrate-induced gap, electron hopping integrals and A- and B-site electron-doping concentrations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Crossover-Induced Spin Fluctuation and Electron Pairing in Strongly Correlated Electrons

We investigate the two-dimensional (2D) Hubbard model and d-p model as a model for cuprate high-temperature superconductors, by employing an optimized variational Monte Carlo method. We improved the many-body wave function starting from the simple Gutzwiller function. On the basis of optimized variational wave functions, we show that there is a superconducting phase in the ground state of the 2D Hubbard model. The on-site repulsive Coulomb interaction U can bring about high-temperature superconductivity because its characteristic energy is of the order of eV. The attractive interaction between electrons is induced by the crossover from weakly to strongly correlated regions. High-temperature superconductivity is possible in the strongly correlated region, where U is greater than the bandwidth.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Magnetic Behavior of Superconductor 2H-NbSe{sub 2} Intercalated with Iron: First Principle Study

We investigated the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of iron-intercalated niobium selinium, Fe{sub x}NbSe{sub 2} for x=0 and 0.25, from first principle calculations. The tendency towards the localization in superconductors criterion which has been extracted from our results placed the NbSe{sub 2} compound in vicinity of Fe-based superconductors. The DFT plus on-site coulomb repulsion U (DFT+U) and the exact exchange for correlated electrons (DFT+EECE)-based hybrid functional were used including the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) to understand the role of correlation and SOC effects in this type of systems. The calculation predicts the correct antiferromagnetic (AF) ground state, from both the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA+U. A shift up in the Fermi energy was observed after the intercalation of 2H-NbSe{sub 2} with iron, indicating a charge transfer from Fe to the host compound. The obtained magnetic moment of Fe is enhanced by a correlation effect in both DFT+U and DFT+EECE over the small value from GGA-only. Moreover, a large unquenched orbital magnetic moment is saturated to m{sub orb}∼0.6μ{sub B} under a moderate correlation effect of U{sub eff}∼2.0eV. We also show that the correlation effect is important along side with SOC in order to get a true picture for the band filling consistent with that of the crystal field splitting and a large unquenched m{sub orb} which has been found experimentally in such systems. Therefore, the combination of correlation and SOC effects is a decisive choice for further studies of such systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Energy Spectrum and Optical Absorption of Isomer No. 11 of С{sub 84} Fullerene of С{sub 2} Symmetry Within the Hubbard Model

Energy spectrum of isomer No. 11 of С{sub 84} fullerene of С{sub 2} symmetry is calculated within the Hubbard model. Based on the obtained energy spectrum, the optical absorption spectrum is modeled taking into account not only allowed, but also forbidden symmetry transitions. Good qualitative agreement with the experimental data is obtained. This suggests that when studying fullerenes, the intra-site Coulomb interaction of electrons must be taken into account.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Calculation of the Energy of the Interelectron Interaction in Molecules in a Basis of Slater Functions

A calculation of the electron interaction energy for the CH molecule with an open electron shell is performed using a basis of Slater atomic orbitals. The molecular orbitals are represented in the form of a linear combination of the 1s, 2s, 2p{sub x}, 2p{sub y}, and 2p{sub z} atomic orbitals of the C atom and the 1s orbital of the H atom. As a result of solving the Hartree–Fock–Roothaan equation, numerical values of the coefficients in this linear combination have been found.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

A quantum relaxation-time approximation for finite fermion systems

We propose a relaxation time approximation for the description of the dynamics of strongly excited fermion systems. Our approach is based on time-dependent density functional theory at the level of the local density approximation. This mean-field picture is augmented by collisional correlations handled in relaxation time approximation which is inspired from the corresponding semi-classical picture. The method involves the estimate of microscopic relaxation rates/times which is presently taken from the well established semi-classical experience. The relaxation time approximation implies evaluation of the instantaneous equilibrium state towards which the dynamical state is progressively driven at the pace of the microscopic relaxation time. As test case, we consider Na clusters of various sizes excited either by a swift ion projectile or by a short and intense laser pulse, driven in various dynamical regimes ranging from linear to strongly non-linear reactions. We observe a strong effect of dissipation on sensitive observables such as net ionization and angular distributions of emitted electrons. The effect is especially large for moderate excitations where typical relaxation/dissipation time scales efficiently compete with ionization for dissipating the available excitation energy. Technical details on the actual procedure to implement a working recipe of such a quantum relaxation approximation are given in appendices for completeness.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Response theory of the ergodic many-body delocalized phase: Keldysh Finkel’stein sigma models and the 10-fold way

We derive the finite temperature Keldysh response theory for interacting fermions in the presence of quenched short-ranged disorder, as applicable to any of the 10 Altland–Zirnbauer classes in an Anderson delocalized phase with at least a U(1) continuous symmetry. In this formulation of the interacting Finkel’stein nonlinear sigma model, the statistics of one-body wave functions are encoded by the constrained matrix field, while physical correlations follow from the hydrodynamic density or spin response field, which decouples the interactions. Integrating out the matrix field first, we obtain weak (anti) localization and Altshuler–Aronov quantum conductance corrections from the hydrodynamic response function. This procedure automatically incorporates the correct infrared cutoff physics, and in particular gives the Altshuler–Aronov–Khmelnitsky (AAK) equations for dephasing of weak (anti)localization due to electron–electron collisions. We explicate the method by deriving known quantumcorrections in two dimensions for the symplectic metal class AII, as well as the spin-SU(2) invariant superconductor classes C and CI. We show that quantum conductance corrections due to the special modes at zero energy in nonstandard classes are automatically cut off by temperature, as previously expected, while the Wigner–Dyson class Cooperon modes that persist to all energies are cut by dephasing. We also show that for short-ranged interactions, the standard self-consistent solution for the dephasing rate is equivalent to a particular summation of diagrams via the self-consistent Born approximation. This should be compared to the corresponding AAK solution for long-ranged Coulomb interactions, which exploits the Markovian noise correlations induced by thermal fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. We discuss prospects for exploring the many-body localization transition as a dephasing catastrophe in short-range interacting models, as encountered by approaching from the ergodic side. - Highlights: • The Keldysh response theory for disordered, interacting fermions is derived. • The theory applies to any Altland–Zirnbauer class with at least a U(1) symmetry. • The correct infrared physics at finite temperature is automatically incorporated. • The Altshuler–Aronov–Khmelnitsky equations for dephasing are systematically derived. • A strategy to explore the MBL transition as a dephasing catastrophe is proposed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Solving many-body Schrödinger equations with kinetic energy partition method

We present a general formulation of our previously developed kinetic energy partition (KEP) method for solving many-bodySchrödinger equations. In atomic physics, as well as in general molecular and solid state physics, solving many-electronSchrödinger equations is a very challenging task, often called Dirac’s challenge. The central problem is how to properly handle the electron–electron Coulomb repulsion interactions. Using the KEP solution scheme, in addition to dividing the kinetic energy into partial terms, the electron–electron Coulomb interaction is also separated into parts to be associated with a “negative mass” kinetic energy term. Therefore, the full Hamiltonian can be expressed as a simple sum of subsystem Hamiltonians, each representing an effective one-body problem. Using a Hartree-like product in constructing the wave-function, we achieve fast convergence in the calculations of the ground state energies. First, the model Moshinsky atoms are used to illustrate the solution procedure. We then apply this new KEP method to harmonium atoms and obtain precise energies with an error less than 5% using only two basis functions from each subsystem. It is thus very promising that this methodology, when further extended, can be useful for general many-body systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Novel hetero-bilayered materials for photovoltaics

The recently synthesized GaS and MoSe 2 nanosheets have been used as appropriate substrates for other layered materials, e.g. silicene/GaS heterosheets akin to graphene/BN systems. Here, we have performed a comprehensive first-principles study of the electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) GaS/MoSe 2 hetero-bilayers based on density functional theory (DFT). Here we found almost all proposed GaS/MoSe2 hetero-bilayers in the current study have an indirect band gap from the Γ point to the K point, except for one with a direct band gap at the K point. Tunable band gaps GaS/MoSe 2 hetero-bilayers can be controlled by strain modulation. State-of-the-art GW-Bethe–Salpeter method, accounting for electron-electron and electron-hole interactions, has been employed to compute accurate absorbance spectra for layered materials. Compared with its composing GaS and MoSe 2 monolayers, GaS/MoSe 2 hetero-bilayers show superior behavior on optical absorbance, indicating a stronger visible-light absorption and applications in solar energy harvesting. We foresee that the novel GaS/MoSe 2 hetero-bilayers would stimulate the fabrication of materials with unprecedented optical and physico-chemical properties that may apply in nanodevices and photovoltaic cells.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Second-order spectral line shift comparisons

The second-order spectral line width formulae from the projection operator and kinetic theory methods were recently compared. It was shown that a systematic expansion of the projection operator width expression including initial correlations formally agrees with the second-order kinetic theory result. It is now shown that the second-order dynamic shifts are also formally the same. The static shifts, however, differ due to an ad hoc treatment of electron-electron correlations in the projection operator method. The approximation is necessary in order to screen the radiator-electron interactions. The differences, however, are expected to be small. Finally, the results suggest using the rigorous and more compact second-order width and shift expressions from the kinetic theory method as the starting point for spectral line shape calculations. At line center, however, the projection operator second-order expression for the width and shift simplifies and reduces to the kinetic theory result.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

A split-step method to include electron–electron collisions via Monte Carlo in multiple rate equation simulations

A split-step numerical method for calculating ultrafast free-electron dynamics in dielectrics is introduced. The two split steps, independently programmed in C++11 and FORTRAN 2003, are interfaced via the presented open source wrapper. The first step solves a deterministic extended multi-rate equation for the ionization, electron–phonon collisions, and single photon absorption by free-carriers. The second step is stochastic and models electron–electron collisions using Monte-Carlo techniques. This combination of deterministic and stochastic approaches is a unique and efficient method of calculating the nonlinear dynamics of 3D materials exposed to high intensity ultrashort pulses. Results from simulations solving the proposed model demonstrate how electron–electron scattering relaxes the non-equilibrium electron distribution on the femtosecond time scale.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Modified Monte Carlo method for study of electron transport in degenerate electron gas in the presence of electron–electron interactions, application to graphene

Standard computational methods used to take account of the Pauli Exclusion Principle into Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of electron transport in semiconductors may give unphysical results in low field regime, where obtained electron distribution function takes values exceeding unity. Modified algorithms were already proposed and allow to correctly account for electron scattering on phonons or impurities. Present paper extends this approach and proposes improved simulation scheme allowing including Pauli exclusion principle for electron–electron (e–e) scattering into MC simulations. Simulations with significantly reduced computational cost recreate correct values of the electron distribution function. Proposed algorithm is applied to study transport properties of degenerate electrons in graphene with e–e interactions. This required adapting the treatment of e–e scattering in the case of linear band dispersion relation. Hence, this part of the simulation algorithm is described in details.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

High pressure structural investigation on alluaudites Na{sub 2}Fe{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}-Na{sub 2}FeMn{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} system

Alluaudites are promising electrochemical materials benefited from the open structure. Structural variations of alluaudites Na{sub 2}M{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} (M{sub 3}=Fe{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}Mn and FeMn{sub 2}) system have been studied by synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction combined with diamond anvil cell technique up to ~10 GPa at room temperature. No phase transition is observed. The excellent structural stability is mainly due to the flexible framework plus strong covalent P-O bond. Mn{sup 2+} instead of Fe can be described as Na{sup +}+2Fe{sup 2+}→Mn{sup 2+}+Fe{sup 3+}+□ where □ represents a lattice vacancy. The replacement of Fe with larger Mn{sup 2+} is equivalent to applying negative chemical pressure to the material. And it causes a more compressible b-axis, lattice expansion, structural compressibility and intensifies the core/electron-electron interactions of Fe. External pressure effect produces anisotropic lattice shrinkage. Structural considerations related to these variations and promising application prospects are discussed. - Graphical abstract: Figure 1 The crystal structure of alluaudites Na{sub 2}M{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} (M{sub 3}=Fe{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}Mn and FeMn{sub 2}) projected along the c-axis. Alluaudites adopt a flexible framework plus strong covalent P-O bond, which contribute to excellent structural stability up to ~10 GPa. Mn{sup 2+} instead of Fe can be described as Na{sup ++}2Fe{sup 2+}→Mn{sup 2+}+Fe{sup 3+}+□ where □ represents a lattice vacancy, and it is equivalent to applying negative chemical pressure to the host. The substitution causes a more compressible b-axis, lattice expansion, structural compressibility and intensifies the core/electron-electron interactions of Fe.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Probing Fe–V Bonding in a C 3 -Symmetric Heterobimetallic Complex

Direct metal–metal bonding of two distinct first-row transition metals remains relatively unexplored compared to their second- and third-row heterobimetallic counterparts. Herein, a recently reported Fe–V triply bonded species, [V( i PrNPPh 2 ) 3 FeI] (1; Kuppuswamy, S.; Powers, T. M.; Krogman, J. P.; Bezpalko, M. W.; Foxman, B. M.; Thomas, C. M. Vanadium–iron complexes featuring metal–metal multiple bonds. Chem. Sci. 2013, 4, 3557–3565), is studied using high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance, field- and temperature-dependent 57 Fe nuclear gamma resonance (Mössbauer) spectroscopy, and high-field electron-electron double resonance detected nuclear magnetic resonance. From the use of this suite of physical methods, we have observed the electronic structure of 1. These studies allow us to establish the effective $ \tilde{g} $ tensors as well as the Fe/V electro-nuclear hyperfine interaction tensors of the spin S = 1/2 ground state. We have rationalized these tensors in the context of ligand field theory supported by quantum chemical calculations. This theoretical analysis suggests that the S = 1/2 ground state originates from a single unpaired electron predominately localized on the Fe site.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Uncovering Highly-Excited State Mixing in Acetone Using Ultrafast VUV Pulses and Coincidence Imaging Techniques

Here, understanding the ultrafast dynamics of highly-excited electronic states of small molecules is critical for a better understanding of atmospheric and astrophysical processes, as well as for designing coherent control strategies for manipulating chemical dynamics. In highly excited states, nonadiabatic coupling, electron-electron interactions, and the high density of states govern dynamics. However, these states are computationally and experimentally challenging to access. Fortunately, new sources of ultrafast vacuum ultraviolet pulses, in combination with electron-ion coincidence spectroscopies, provide new tools to unravel the complex electronic landscape. Here we report time-resolved photoelectron-photoion coincidence experiments using 8 eV pump photons to study the highly excited states of acetone. We uncover for the first time direct evidence that the resulting excited state consists of a mixture of both n y → 3p and π → π* character, which decays with a time constant of 330 fs. In the future, this approach can inform models of VUV photochemistry and aid in designing coherent control strategies for manipulating chemical reactions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

New Perspective on Electron Transfer through Molecules

Motivated by experiments which display unusual length and temperature effects for electron transfer in the nanometer length regime, we propose a new approach for describing long range electron transfer (ET) processes through molecules. We posit that the electron reorganization in the molecules (e.g., the electronic polarization of a macromolecule or organic film by an applied electric potential, or the injected charge generating a dipole moment) should be included in the description. We numerically solve a one-dimensional model for the electron transport, which includes electron-electron interactions explicitly; and we show that it generates a power law distance dependence for electron similar to that observed in experiments. The model does not include vibrations explicitly and should be consistent with the weak temperature dependences observed experimentally. This approach emphasizes the need to treat the electronic changes in the molecule(s) more explicitly to understand the behavior.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗