3,096 research outputs found
Accurate quadratic-response approximation for the self-consistent pseudopotential of semiconductor nanostructures
Quadratic-response theory is shown to provide a conceptually simple but
accurate approximation for the self-consistent one-electron potential of
semiconductor nanostructures. Numerical examples are presented for GaAs/AlAs
and InGaAs/InP (001) superlattices using the local-density approximation to
density-functional theory and norm-conserving pseudopotentials without
spin-orbit coupling. When the reference crystal is chosen to be the
virtual-crystal average of the two bulk constituents, the absolute error in the
quadratic-response potential for Gamma(15) valence electrons is about 2 meV for
GaAs/AlAs and 5 meV for InGaAs/InP. Low-order multipole expansions of the
electron density and potential response are shown to be accurate throughout a
small neighborhood of each reciprocal lattice vector, thus providing a further
simplification that is confirmed to be valid for slowly varying envelope
functions. Although the linear response is about an order of magnitude larger
than the quadratic response, the quadratic terms are important both
quantitatively (if an accuracy of better than a few tens of meV is desired) and
qualitatively (due to their different symmetry and long-range dipole effects).Comment: 16 pages, 20 figures; v2: new section on limitations of theor
Topological conditions for discrete symmetry breaking and phase transitions
In the framework of a recently proposed topological approach to phase
transitions, some sufficient conditions ensuring the presence of the
spontaneous breaking of a Z_2 symmetry and of a symmetry-breaking phase
transition are introduced and discussed. A very simple model, which we refer to
as the hypercubic model, is introduced and solved. The main purpose of this
model is that of illustrating the content of the sufficient conditions, but it
is interesting also in itself due to its simplicity. Then some mean-field
models already known in the literature are discussed in the light of the
sufficient conditions introduced here
Electron-phonon interaction in the solid form of the smallest fullerene C
The electron-phonon coupling of a theoretically devised carbon phase made by
assembling the smallest fullerenes C is calculated from first
principles. The structure consists of C cages in an {\it fcc} lattice
interlinked by two bridging carbon atoms in the interstitial tetrahedral sites
({\it fcc}-C). The crystal is insulating but can be made metallic by
doping with interstitial alkali atoms. In the compound NaC the
calculated coupling constant is 0.28 eV, a value much larger
than in C, as expected from the larger curvature of C. On the
basis of the McMillan's formula, the calculated =1.12 and a
assumed in the range 0.3-0.1 a superconducting T in the range 15-55 K is
predicted.Comment: 7 page
Simulation of abdominal MRI sequences in a computational 4D phantom for MRI-guided radiotherapy
Retrospective analysis of treatment plan robustness in image-guided carbon ion treatment of skull base tumors.
First-principles envelope-function theory for lattice-matched semiconductor heterostructures
In this paper a multi-band envelope-function Hamiltonian for lattice-matched
semiconductor heterostructures is derived from first-principles norm-conserving
pseudopotentials. The theory is applicable to isovalent or heterovalent
heterostructures with macroscopically neutral interfaces and no spontaneous
bulk polarization. The key assumption -- proved in earlier numerical studies --
is that the heterostructure can be treated as a weak perturbation with respect
to some periodic reference crystal, with the nonlinear response small in
comparison to the linear response. Quadratic response theory is then used in
conjunction with k.p perturbation theory to develop a multi-band effective-mass
Hamiltonian (for slowly varying envelope functions) in which all interface
band-mixing effects are determined by the linear response. To within terms of
the same order as the position dependence of the effective mass, the quadratic
response contributes only a bulk band offset term and an interface dipole term,
both of which are diagonal in the effective-mass Hamiltonian. Long-range
multipole Coulomb fields arise in quantum wires or dots, but have no
qualitative effect in two-dimensional systems beyond a dipole contribution to
the band offsets.Comment: 25 pages, no figures, RevTeX4; v3: final published versio
Effect of inter-well interactions on non-linear beam splitters for matter-wave interferometers
We study the non-linear beam splitter in matter-wave interferometers using ultracold quantum gases in a double-well configuration in presence of non-local interactions inducing inter-well density-density coupling, as they can be realized, e.g., with dipolar gases. We explore this effect after considering different input states, in the form of either coherent, or Twin-Fock, or NOON states. We first review the non-interacting limit and the case in which only the local interaction is present, including the study of sensitivity near the self-trapping threshold. Then, we consider the two-mode model in the presence of inter-well interactions and consider the scaling of the sensitivity as a function of the non-local coupling strength. Our analysis clearly shows that non-local interactions can compensate the degradation of the sensitivity induced by local interactions, so that they may be used to restore optimal sensitivity
Tree-ring–based summer mean temperature variations in the Adamello–Presanella Group (Italian Central Alps), 1610–2008 AD
Abstract. Climate records from remote mountain sites and for century-long periods are usually lacking for most continents and also for the European Alps. However, detailed reconstructions of climate parameters for pre-instrumental periods in mountain areas, suffering of glacial retreat caused by recent global warming, are needed in the view of a better comprehension of the environmental dynamics. We present here the first annually-resolved reconstruction of summer (JJA) mean temperature for the Adamello–Presanella Group (Central European Alps), one of the most glaciated mountain groups of the Italian Central Alps. The reconstruction has been based on four larch tree-ring width chronologies derived from living trees sampled in four valleys surrounding the Group. The reconstruction spans from 1610 to 2008 and the statistical verification of the reconstruction demonstrates the positive skill of the tree-ring dataset in tracking summer temperature variability also in the recent period
Reconstructing the Last Glacial Maximum in the Southern Alps: the record of the Adige River Glacial Amphitheatre
Quadratic response theory for spin-orbit coupling in semiconductor heterostructures
This paper examines the properties of the self-energy operator in
lattice-matched semiconductor heterostructures, focusing on nonanalytic
behavior at small values of the crystal momentum, which gives rise to
long-range Coulomb potentials. A nonlinear response theory is developed for
nonlocal spin-dependent perturbing potentials. The ionic pseudopotential of the
heterostructure is treated as a perturbation of a bulk reference crystal, and
the self-energy is derived to second order in the perturbation. If spin-orbit
coupling is neglected outside the atomic cores, the problem can be analyzed as
if the perturbation were a local spin scalar, since the nonlocal spin-dependent
part of the pseudopotential merely renormalizes the results obtained from a
local perturbation. The spin-dependent terms in the self-energy therefore fall
into two classes: short-range potentials that are analytic in momentum space,
and long-range nonanalytic terms that arise from the screened Coulomb potential
multiplied by a spin-dependent vertex function. For an insulator at zero
temperature, it is shown that the electronic charge induced by a given
perturbation is exactly linearly proportional to the charge of the perturbing
potential. These results are used in a subsequent paper to develop a
first-principles effective-mass theory with generalized Rashba spin-orbit
coupling.Comment: 20 pages, no figures, RevTeX4; v2: final published versio
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