227 research outputs found
Trajectory-based interpretation of laser light diffraction by a sharp edge
In the diffraction pattern produced by a half-plane sharp edge when it
obstructs the passage of a laser beam, two characteristic regions are
noticeable. There is a central region, where it can be noticed the diffraction
of laser light in the region of geometric shadow, while intensity oscillations
are observed in the non-obstructed area. On both sides of the edge, there are
also very long light traces along the normal to the edge of the obstacle. The
theoretical explanation to this phenomenon is based on the Fresnel-Kirchhoff
diffraction theory applied to the Gaussian beam propagation behind the
obstacle. Here we have supplemented this explanation by considering
electromagnetic flow lines, which provide a more complete interpretation of the
phenomenon in terms of electric and magnetic fields and flux lines, and that
can be related, at the same time, with average photon paths.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure
Fine Structure in Energy Spectra of Ultrasmall Au Nanoparticles
We have studied tunneling into individual Au nanoparticles of estimated
diameters 2-5 nm, at dilution refrigerator temperatures. The I-V curves
indicate resonant tunneling via discrete energy levels of the particle. Unlike
previously studied normal metal particles of Au and Al, in these samples we
find that the lowest energy tunneling resonances are split into clusters of
2-10 subresonances. Such effects appear to be increasingly important in smaller
grains, as might be expected from the larger characteristic energies.Comment: 1 pdf fil
On Wheeler's delayed-choice Gedankenexperiment and its laboratory realization
Here, we present an analysis and interpretation of the experiment performed
by Jacques et al. (2007 Science 315, 966), which represents a realization of
Wheeler's delayed-choice Gedankenexperiment. Our analysis is based on the
evolution of the photon state, since the photon enters into the Mach-Zehnder
interferometer with a removable beam-splitter until it exits. Given the same
incident photon state onto the output beam-splitter, BS_output, the photon's
state at the exit will be very different depending on whether BS_output is on
or off. Hence, the statistics of photon counts collected by the two detectors,
positioned along orthogonal directions at the exit of the interferometer, is
also going to be very different in either case. Therefore, it is not that the
choice of inserting (on) or removing (off) a beam-splitter leads to a delayed
influence on the photon behavior before arriving at the beam-splitter, but that
such a choice influences the photon state at and after BS_output, i.e., after
it has exited from the Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The random on/off choice at
BS_output has no delayed effect on the photon to behave as a wave or a
corpuscle at the entrance and inside the interferometer, but influences the
subsequent evolution of the photon state incident onto BS_output.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
Saturation of Spin-Polarized Current in Nanometer Scale Aluminum Grains
We describe measurements of spin-polarized tunnelling via discrete energy
levels of single Aluminum grains. In high resistance samples (),
the spin-polarized tunnelling current rapidly saturates as a function of the
bias voltage. This indicates that spin-polarized current is carried only via
the ground state and the few lowest in energy excited states of the grain. At
the saturation voltage, the spin-relaxation rate of the highest
excited states is comparable to the electron tunnelling rate: and in two samples. The ratio of
to the electron-phonon relaxation rate is in agreement with the Elliot-Yafet
scaling, an evidence that spin-relaxation in Al grains is governed by the
spin-orbit interaction.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Transport in Graphene Tunnel Junctions
We present a technique to fabricate tunnel junctions between graphene and Al
and Cu, with a Si back gate, as well as a simple theory of tunneling between a
metal and graphene. We map the differential conductance of our junctions versus
probe and back gate voltage, and observe fluctuations in the conductance that
are directly related to the graphene density of states. The conventional
strong-suppression of the conductance at the graphene Dirac point can not be
clearly demonstrated, but a more robust signature of the Dirac point is found:
the inflection in the conductance map caused by the electrostatic gating of
graphene by the tunnel probe. We present numerical simulations of our
conductance maps, confirming the measurement results. In addition, Al causes
strong n-doping of graphene, Cu causes a moderate p-doping, and in high
resistance junctions, phonon resonances are observed, as in STM studies.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure
Electronic Properties of Clean Au-Graphene Contacts
The effects of Au grains on graphene conduction and doping are investigated
in this report. To obtain a clean Au-graphene contact, Au grains are deposited
over graphene at elevated temperature and in high vacuum, before any chemical
processing. The bulk and the effective contact resistance versus gate voltage
demonstrate that Au grains cause p-doping in graphene. The Fermi level shift is
in agreement with first principles calculations, but the equilibrium separation
we find between the graphene and the top-most Au layer is larger than
predicted. Nonequilibrium electron transport displays giant-phonon thresholds
observed in graphene tunnel junctions, demonstrating the tunneling nature of
the contact, even though there are no dielectrics involved.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure
Properties of the quantum state arising after the L-photon state has passed trough a linear quantum amplifier
We consider the system of N two-level atoms, of which N0 atoms are unexcited and N1 are excited. This system of N two-level atoms, which forms a linear quantum amplifier, interacts with a single-mode electromagnetic field. The problem of amplification of the L-photon states using such an amplifier is studied. The evolution of the electromagnetic field density matrix is described by the master equation for the field under amplification. The dynamics of this process is such that it can be described as the transformation of the scale of the phase space. The exact solution of the master equation is expressed using the transformed Husimi function of the L-quantum state of the harmonic oscillator. The properties of this function are studied and using it the average photon number and its fluctuations in the amplified state are found. © 2021, Editura Academiei Romane. All rights reserved
Modelling Electron Spin Accumulation in a Metallic Nanoparticle
A model describing spin-polarized current via discrete energy levels of a
metallic nanoparticle, which has strongly asymmetric tunnel contacts to two
ferromagnetic leads, is presented.
In absence of spin-relaxation, the model leads to a spin-accumulation in the
nanoparticle, a difference () between the chemical potentials of
spin-up and spin-down electrons, proportional to the current and the Julliere's
tunnel magnetoresistance. Taking into account an energy dependent
spin-relaxation rate , as a function of bias
voltage () exhibits a crossover from linear to a much weaker dependence,
when equals the spin-polarized current through the
nanoparticle. Assuming that the spin-relaxation takes place via electron-phonon
emission and Elliot-Yafet mechanism, the model leads to a crossover from linear
to dependence. The crossover explains recent measurements of the
saturation of the spin-polarized current with in Aluminum nanoparticles,
and leads to the spin-relaxation rate of in an Aluminum
nanoparticle of diameter , for a transition with an energy difference of
one level spacing.Comment: 37 pages, 7 figure
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