8,863 research outputs found
Localized to extended states transition for two interacting particles in a two-dimensional random potential
We show by a numerical procedure that a short-range interaction induces
extended two-particle states in a two-dimensional random potential. Our
procedure treats the interaction as a perturbation and solve Dyson's equation
exactly in the subspace of doubly occupied sites. We consider long bars of
several widths and extract the macroscopic localization and correlation lengths
by an scaling analysis of the renormalized decay length of the bars. For ,
the critical disorder found is , and the critical
exponent . For two non-interacting particles we do not find any
transition and the localization length is roughly half the one-particle value,
as expected.Comment: 4 two-column pages, 4 eps figures, Revtex, to be published in
Europhys. Let
Mapping all classical spin models to a lattice gauge theory
In our recent work [Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 230502 (2009)] we showed that the
partition function of all classical spin models, including all discrete
standard statistical models and all Abelian discrete lattice gauge theories
(LGTs), can be expressed as a special instance of the partition function of a
4-dimensional pure LGT with gauge group Z_2 (4D Z_2 LGT). This provides a
unification of models with apparently very different features into a single
complete model. The result uses an equality between the Hamilton function of
any classical spin model and the Hamilton function of a model with all possible
k-body Ising-type interactions, for all k, which we also prove. Here, we
elaborate on the proof of the result, and we illustrate it by computing
quantities of a specific model as a function of the partition function of the
4D Z_2 LGT. The result also allows one to establish a new method to compute the
mean-field theory of Z_2 LGTs with d > 3, and to show that computing the
partition function of the 4D Z_2 LGT is computationally hard (#P hard). The
proof uses techniques from quantum information.Comment: 21 pages, 21 figures; published versio
Metallic properties of magnesium point contacts
We present an experimental and theoretical study of the conductance and
stability of Mg atomic-sized contacts. Using Mechanically Controllable Break
Junctions (MCBJ), we have observed that the room temperature conductance
histograms exhibit a series of peaks, which suggests the existence of a shell
effect. Its periodicity, however, cannot be simply explained in terms of either
an atomic or electronic shell effect. We have also found that at room
temperature, contacts of the diameter of a single atom are absent. A possible
interpretation could be the occurrence of a metal-to-insulator transition as
the contact radius is reduced, in analogy with what it is known in the context
of Mg clusters. However, our first principle calculations show that while an
infinite linear chain can be insulating, Mg wires with larger atomic
coordinations, as in realistic atomic contacts, are alwaysmetallic. Finally, at
liquid helium temperature our measurements show that the conductance histogram
is dominated by a pronounced peak at the quantum of conductance. This is in
good agreement with our calculations based on a tight-binding model that
indicate that the conductance of a Mg one-atom contact is dominated by a single
fully open conduction channel.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure
Structure and conductance histogram of atomic-sized Au contacts
Many experiments have shown that the conductance histograms of metallic
atomic-sized contacts exhibit a peak structure, which is characteristic of the
corresponding material. The origin of these peaks still remains as an open
problem. In order to shed some light on this issue, we present a theoretical
analysis of the conductance histograms of Au atomic contacts. We have combined
classical molecular dynamics simulations of the breaking of nanocontacts with
conductance calculations based on a tight-binding model. This combination gives
us access to crucial information such as contact geometries, forces, minimum
cross-section, total conductance and transmission coefficients of the
individual conduction channels. The ensemble of our results suggests that the
low temperature Au conductance histograms are a consequence of a subtle
interplay between mechanical and electrical properties of these nanocontacts.
At variance with other suggestions in the literature, our results indicate that
the peaks in the Au conductance histograms are not a simple consequence of
conductance quantization or the existence of exceptionally stable radii. We
show that the main peak in the histogram close to one quantum of conductance is
due to the formation of single-atom contacts and chains of gold atoms.
Moreover, we present a detailed comparison with experimental results on Au
atomic contacts where the individual channel transmissions have been
determined.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, version to be published in Phys. Rev. B. The
paper has been thoroughly revised and several figures have been replaced by
new one
Nonlinear Excitations, Stability Inversions and Dissipative Dynamics in Quasi-one-dimensional Polariton Condensates
We consider the existence, stability and dynamics of the ground state and
nonlinear excitations, in the form of dark solitons, for a
quasi-one-dimensional polariton condensate in the presence of pumping and
nonlinear damping. We find a series of remarkable features that can be directly
contrasted to the case of the typically energy-conserving ultracold alkali-atom
Bose-Einstein condensates. For some sizeable parameter ranges, the nodeless
("ground") state becomes {\it unstable} towards the formation of {\em stable}
nonlinear single or {\em multi} dark-soliton excitations. It is also observed
that for suitable parametric choices, the instability of single dark solitons
can nucleate multi-dark-soliton states. Also, for other parametric regions,
{\em stable asymmetric} sawtooth-like solutions exist. Finally, we consider the
dragging of a defect through the condensate and the interference of two
initially separated condensates, both of which are capable of nucleating dark
multi-soliton dynamical states.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure
Proximity DC squids in the long junction limit
We report the design and measurement of
Superconducting/normal/superconducting (SNS) proximity DC squids in the long
junction limit, i.e. superconducting loops interrupted by two normal metal
wires roughly a micrometer long. Thanks to the clean interface between the
metals, at low temperature a large supercurrent flows through the device. The
dc squid-like geometry leads to an almost complete periodic modulation of the
critical current through the device by a magnetic flux, with a flux periodicity
of a flux quantum h/2e through the SNS loop. In addition, we examine the entire
field dependence, notably the low and high field dependence of the maximum
switching current. In contrast with the well-known Fraunhoffer-type
oscillations typical of short wide junctions, we find a monotonous gaussian
extinction of the critical current at high field. As shown in [15], this
monotonous dependence is typical of long and narrow diffusive junctions. We
also find in some cases a puzzling reentrance at low field. In contrast, the
temperature dependence of the critical current is well described by the
proximity effect theory, as found by Dubos {\it et al.} [16] on SNS wires in
the long junction limit. The switching current distributions and hysteretic IV
curves also suggest interesting dynamics of long SNS junctions with an
important role played by the diffusion time across the junction.Comment: 12 pages, 16 figure
Mean Free Path and Energy Fluctuations in Quantum Chaotic Billiards
The elastic mean free path of carriers in a recently introduced model of
quantum chaotic billiards in two and three dimensions is calculated. The model
incorporates surface roughness at a microscopic scale by randomly choosing the
atomic levels at the surface sites between -W/2 and W/2. Surface roughness
yields a mean free path l that decreases as L/W^2 as W increases, L being the
linear size of the system. But this diminution ceases when the surface layer
begins to decouple from the bulk for large enough values of W, leaving more or
less unperturbed states on the bulk. Consequently, the mean free path shows a
minimum of about L/2 for W of the order of the band width. Energy fluctuations
reflect the behavior of the mean free path. At small energy scales, strong
level correlations manifest themselves by small values of the number of levels
variance Sigma^2(E) that are close to Random Matrix Theory (RMT) in all cases.
At larger energy scales, fluctuations are below the logarithmic behavior of RMT
for l > L, and above RMT value when l < L.Comment: 8 twocolumn pages, seven figures, revtex and epsf macros. To be
published in Physical Review B
Multifractality of Hamiltonians with power-law transfer terms
Finite-size effects in the generalized fractal dimensions are
investigated numerically. We concentrate on a one-dimensional disordered model
with long-range random hopping amplitudes in both the strong- and the
weak-coupling regime. At the macroscopic limit, a linear dependence of on
is found in both regimes for values of q \alt 4g^{-1}, where is the
coupling constant of the model.Comment: RevTex4, 5 two-column pages, 5 .eps figures, to be published in Phys.
Rev.
On the analogy between streamlined magnetic and solid obstacles
Analogies are elaborated in the qualitative description of two systems: the
magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow moving through a region where an external local
magnetic field (magnetic obstacle) is applied, and the ordinary hydrodynamic
flow around a solid obstacle. The former problem is of interest both
practically and theoretically, and the latter one is a classical problem being
well understood in ordinary hydrodynamics. The first analogy is the formation
in the MHD flow of an impenetrable region -- core of the magnetic obstacle --
as the interaction parameter , i.e. strength of the applied magnetic field,
increases significantly. The core of the magnetic obstacle is streamlined both
by the upstream flow and by the induced cross stream electric currents, like a
foreign insulated insertion placed inside the ordinary hydrodynamic flow. In
the core, closed streamlines of the mass flow resemble contour lines of
electric potential, while closed streamlines of the electric current resemble
contour lines of pressure. The second analogy is the breaking away of attached
vortices from the recirculation pattern produced by the magnetic obstacle when
the Reynolds number , i.e. velocity of the upstream flow, is larger than a
critical value. This breaking away of vortices from the magnetic obstacle is
similar to that occurring past a real solid obstacle. Depending on the inlet
and/or initial conditions, the observed vortex shedding can be either symmetric
or asymmetric.Comment: minor changes, accepted for PoF, 26 pages, 7 figure
Common Origin for Surface Reconstruction and the Formation of Chains of Metal Atoms
During the fracture of nanocontacts gold spontaneously forms freely suspended
chains of atoms, which is not observed for the iso-electronic noble metals Ag
and Cu. Au also differs from Ag and Cu in forming reconstructions at its
low-index surfaces. Using mechanically controllable break junctions we show
that all the 5d metals that show similar reconstructions (Ir, Pt and Au) also
form chains of atoms, while both properties are absent in the 4d neighbor
elements (Rh, Pd, Ag), indicating a common origin for these two phenomena. A
competition between s and d bonding is proposed as an explanation
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