Second order coupling between excited atoms and surface polaritons

Casimir-Polder interactions between an atom and a macroscopic body are typically regarded as due to the exchange of virtual photons. This is strictly true only at zero temperature. At finite temperature, real-photon exchange can provide a significant contribution to the overall dispersion interaction. Here we describe a new resonant two-photon process between an atom and a planar interface. We derive a second order effective Hamiltonian to explain how atoms can couple resonantly to the surface polariton modes of the dielectric medium. This leads to second-order energy exchanges which we compare with the standard nonresonant Casimir-Polder energy.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

Ground-state van der Waals forces in planar multilayer magnetodielectrics

Within the frame of lowest-order perturbation theory, the van der Waals potential of a ground-state atom placed within an arbitrary dispersing and absorbing magnetodielectric multilayer system is given. Examples of an atom situated in front of a magnetodielectric plate or between two such plates are studied in detail. Special emphasis is placed on the competing attractive and repulsive force components associated with the electric and magnetic matter properties, respectively, and conditions for the formation of repulsive potential walls are given. Both numerical and analytical results are presented.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, minor correction

On kernel engineering via Paley–Wiener

A radial basis function approximation takes the form $$s(x)=\sum_{k=1}^na_k\phi(x-b_k),\quad x\in {\mathbb{R}}^d,$$ where the coefficients a 1,…,a n are real numbers, the centres b 1,…,b n are distinct points in ℝ d , and the function φ:ℝ d →ℝ is radially symmetric. Such functions are highly useful in practice and enjoy many beautiful theoretical properties. In particular, much work has been devoted to the polyharmonic radial basis functions, for which φ is the fundamental solution of some iterate of the Laplacian. In this note, we consider the construction of a rotation-invariant signed (Borel) measure μ for which the convolution ψ=μ φ is a function of compact support, and when φ is polyharmonic. The novelty of this construction is its use of the Paley–Wiener theorem to identify compact support via analysis of the Fourier transform of the new kernel ψ, so providing a new form of kernel engineering

Residual strain in free-standing CdTe nanowires overgrown with HgTe

We investigate the crystal properties of CdTe nanowires overgrown with HgTe. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) confirm, that the growth results in a high ensemble uniformity and that the individual heterostructures are single-crystalline, respectively. We use high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) to investigate strain, caused by the small lattice mismatch between the two materials. We find that both CdTe and HgTe show changes in lattice constant compared to the respective bulk lattice constants. The measurements reveal a complex strain pattern with signatures of both uniaxial and shear strains present in the overgrown nanowires

Quantum tunneling through planar p-n junctions in HgTe quantum wells

We demonstrate that a p-n junction created electrically in HgTe quantum wells with inverted band-structure exhibits interesting intraband and interband tunneling processes. We find a perfect intraband transmission for electrons injected perpendicularly to the interface of the p-n junction. The opacity and transparency of electrons through the p-n junction can be tuned by changing the incidence angle, the Fermi energy and the strength of the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. The occurrence of a conductance plateau due to the formation of topological edge states in a quasi-one-dimensional p-n junction can be switched on and off by tuning the gate voltage. The spin orientation can be substantially rotated when the samples exhibit a moderately strong Rashba spin-orbit interaction.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Fine structure of "zero-mode" Landau levels in HgTe/HgCdTe quantum wells

HgTe/HgCdTe quantum wells with the inverted band structure have been probed using far infrared magneto-spectroscopy. Realistic calculations of Landau level diagrams have been performed to identify the observed transitions. Investigations have been greatly focused on the magnetic field dependence of the peculiar pair of "zero-mode" Landau levels which characteristically split from the upper conduction and bottom valence bands, and merge under the applied magnetic field. The observed avoided crossing of these levels is tentatively attributed to the bulk inversion asymmetry of zinc blend compounds.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Nonequilibrium thermal Casimir-Polder forces

We study the nonequilibrium Casimir-Polder force on an atom prepared in an incoherent superposition of internal energy-eigenstates, which is placed in a magnetoelectric environment of nonuniform temperature. After solving the coupled atom--field dynamics within the framework of macroscopic quantum electrodynamics, we derive a general expression for the thermal Casimir-Polder force.Comment: 5 page

Casimir force on amplifying bodies

Based on a unified approach to macroscopic QED that allows for the inclusion of amplification in a limited space and frequency range, we study the Casimir force as a Lorentz force on an arbitrary partially amplifying system of linearly locally responding (isotropic) magnetoelectric bodies. We demonstrate that the force on a weakly polarisable/magnetisable amplifying object in the presence of a purely absorbing environment can be expressed as a sum over the Casimir--Polder forces on the excited atoms inside the body. As an example, the resonant force between a plate consisting of a dilute gas of excited atoms and a perfect mirror is calculated

Molecular beam epitaxy of high structural quality Bi2Se3 on lattice matched InP(111) substrates

Epitaxial layers of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy on laterally lattice-matched InP(111)B substrates. High resolution X-ray diffraction shows a significant improvement of Bi2Se3 crystal quality compared to layers deposited on other substrates. The measured full width at half maximum of the rocking curve is Delta omega=13 arcsec, and the (omega-2theta) scans exhibit clear layer thickness fringes. Atomic force microscope images show triangular twin domains with sizes increasing with layer thickness. The structural quality of the domains is confirmed on the microscopic level by transmission electron microscopy.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Non-Perturbative Theory of Dispersion Interactions

Some open questions exist with fluctuation-induced forces between extended dipoles. Conventional intuition derives from large-separation perturbative approximations to dispersion force theory. Here we present a full non-perturbative theory. In addition we discuss how one can take into account finite dipole size corrections. It is of fundamental value to investigate the limits of validity of the perturbative dispersion force theory.Comment: 9 pages, no figure