Chaotic quasi-collision trajectories in the 3-centre problem

We study a particular kind of chaotic dynamics for the planar 3-centre problem on small negative energy level sets. We know that chaotic motions exist, if we make the assumption that one of the centres is far away from the other two (see Bolotin and Negrini, J. Diff. Eq. 190 (2003), 539--558): this result has been obtained by the use of the Poincar\'e-Melnikov theory. Here we change the assumption on the third centre: we do not make any hypothesis on its position, and we obtain a perturbation of the 2-centre problem by assuming its intensity to be very small. Then, for a dense subset of possible positions of the perturbing centre on the real plane, we prove the existence of uniformly hyperbolic invariant sets of periodic and chaotic almost collision orbits by the use of a general result of Bolotin and MacKay (see Cel. Mech. & Dyn. Astr. 77 (2000), 49--75). To apply it, we must preliminarily construct chains of collision arcs in a proper way. We succeed in doing that by the classical regularisation of the 2-centre problem and the use of the periodic orbits of the regularised problem passing through the third centre.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figure

Phase-space correlations of chaotic eigenstates

It is shown that the Husimi representations of chaotic eigenstates are strongly correlated along classical trajectories. These correlations extend across the whole system size and, unlike the corresponding eigenfunction correlations in configuration space, they persist in the semiclassical limit. A quantitative theory is developed on the basis of Gaussian wavepacket dynamics and random-matrix arguments. The role of symmetries is discussed for the example of time-reversal invariance.Comment: Published version with minor corrections to version

Hidden area and mechanical nonlinearities in freestanding graphene

We investigated the effect of out-of-plane crumpling on the mechanical response of graphene membranes. In our experiments, stress was applied to graphene membranes using pressurized gas while the strain state was monitored through two complementary techniques: interferometric profilometry and Raman spectroscopy. By comparing the data obtained through these two techniques, we determined the geometric hidden area which quantifies the crumpling strength. While the devices with hidden area $\sim0~\%$ obeyed linear mechanics with biaxial stiffness $428\pm10$ N/m, specimens with hidden area in the range $0.5-1.0~\%$ were found to obey an anomalous Hooke's law with an exponent $\sim0.1$

Anisotropic magnetoresistance in nanocontacts

We present ab initio calculations of the evolution of anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) in Ni nanocontacts from the ballistic to the tunnel regime. We find an extraordinary enhancement of AMR, compared to bulk, in two scenarios. In systems without localized states, like chemically pure break junctions, large AMR only occurs if the orbital polarization of the current is large, regardless of the anisotropy of the density of states. In systems that display localized states close to the Fermi energy, like a single electron transistor with ferromagnetic electrodes, large AMR is related to the variation of the Fermi energy as a function of the magnetization direction.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures; revised for publication, new figures in greyscal

Observation of the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect in Graphene

When electrons are confined in two dimensions and subjected to strong magnetic fields, the Coulomb interactions between them become dominant and can lead to novel states of matter such as fractional quantum Hall liquids. In these liquids electrons linked to magnetic flux quanta form complex composite quasipartices, which are manifested in the quantization of the Hall conductivity as rational fractions of the conductance quantum. The recent experimental discovery of an anomalous integer quantum Hall effect in graphene has opened up a new avenue in the study of correlated 2D electronic systems, in which the interacting electron wavefunctions are those of massless chiral fermions. However, due to the prevailing disorder, graphene has thus far exhibited only weak signatures of correlated electron phenomena, despite concerted experimental efforts and intense theoretical interest. Here, we report the observation of the fractional quantum Hall effect in ultraclean suspended graphene, supporting the existence of strongly correlated electron states in the presence of a magnetic field. In addition, at low carrier density graphene becomes an insulator with an energy gap tunable by magnetic field. These newly discovered quantum states offer the opportunity to study a new state of matter of strongly correlated Dirac fermions in the presence of large magnetic fields