11,580 research outputs found
Current-induced Pinwheel Oscillations in Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy Spin Valve Nanopillars
Nanopillar spin valve devices are typically comprised of two ferromagnetic
layers: a reference layer and a free layer whose magnetic orientation can be
changed by both an external magnetic field and through the introduction of
spin-polarized electric current. Here we report the continuous repeated
switching behavior of both the reference and free layers of a perpendicular
spin valve made of Co/Pd and Co/Ni multilayers that arises for sufficiently
large DC currents. This periodic switching of the two layers produces an
oscillating signal in the MHz regime but is only observed for one sign of the
applied current. The observed behavior agrees well with micromagnetic
simulations
Physics and Applications of Laser Diode Chaos
An overview of chaos in laser diodes is provided which surveys experimental
achievements in the area and explains the theory behind the phenomenon. The
fundamental physics underpinning this behaviour and also the opportunities for
harnessing laser diode chaos for potential applications are discussed. The
availability and ease of operation of laser diodes, in a wide range of
configurations, make them a convenient test-bed for exploring basic aspects of
nonlinear and chaotic dynamics. It also makes them attractive for practical
tasks, such as chaos-based secure communications and random number generation.
Avenues for future research and development of chaotic laser diodes are also
identified.Comment: Published in Nature Photonic
All-optical control of ferromagnetic thin films and nanostructures
The interplay of light and magnetism has been a topic of interest since the
original observations of Faraday and Kerr where magnetic materials affect the
light polarization. While these effects have historically been exploited to use
light as a probe of magnetic materials there is increasing research on using
polarized light to alter or manipulate magnetism. For instance deterministic
magnetic switching without any applied magnetic fields using laser pulses of
the circular polarized light has been observed for specific ferrimagnetic
materials. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, optical control of
ferromagnetic materials ranging from magnetic thin films to multilayers and
even granular films being explored for ultra-high-density magnetic recording.
Our finding shows that optical control of magnetic materials is a much more
general phenomenon than previously assumed. These results challenge the current
theoretical understanding and will have a major impact on data memory and
storage industries via the integration of optical control of ferromagnetic
bits.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figure
Switching times in long-overlap Josephson junctions subject to thermal fluctuations and non-Gaussian noise sources
We investigate the superconducting lifetime of long current-biased Josephson
junctions, in the presence of Gaussian and non-Gaussian noise sources. In
particular, we analyze the dynamics of a Josephson junction as a function of
the noise signal intensity, for different values of the parameters of the
system and external driving currents. We find that the mean lifetime of the
superconductive state is characterized by nonmonotonic behavior as a function
of noise intensity, driving frequency and junction length. We observe that
these nonmonotonic behaviours are connected with the dynamics of the junction
phase string during the switching towards the resistive state. An important
role is played by the formation and propagation of solitons, with two different
dynamical regimes characterizing the dynamics of the phase string. Our analysis
allows to evidence the effects of different bias current densities, that is a
simple spatially homogeneous distribution and a more realistic inhomogeneous
distribution with high current values at the junction edges. Stochastic
resonant activation, noise enhanced stability and temporary trapping phenomena
are observed in the system investigated.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, Physical Review B, in pres
A highly efficient single photon-single quantum dot interface
Semiconductor quantum dots are a promising system to build a solid state
quantum network. A critical step in this area is to build an efficient
interface between a stationary quantum bit and a flying one. In this chapter,
we show how cavity quantum electrodynamics allows us to efficiently interface a
single quantum dot with a propagating electromagnetic field. Beyond the well
known Purcell factor, we discuss the various parameters that need to be
optimized to build such an interface. We then review our recent progresses in
terms of fabrication of bright sources of indistinguishable single photons,
where a record brightness of 79% is obtained as well as a high degree of
indistinguishability of the emitted photons. Symmetrically, optical
nonlinearities at the very few photon level are demonstrated, by sending few
photon pulses at a quantum dot-cavity device operating in the strong coupling
regime. Perspectives and future challenges are briefly discussed.Comment: to appear as a book chapter in a compilation "Engineering the
Atom-Photon Interaction" published by Springer in 2015, edited by A.
Predojevic and M. W. Mitchel
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