Ab Initio Theory of Scattering-Independent Anomalous Hall Effect

We report on first-principles calculations of the side-jump contribution to the anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) directly from the electronic structure of a perfect crystal. We implemented our approach for a short-range scattering disorder model within the density functional theory and computed the full scattering-independent AHC in elemental bcc Fe, hcp Co, fcc Ni, and L1o FePd and FePt alloys. The full AHC thus calculated agrees systematically with experiment to a degree unattainable so far, correctly capturing the previously missing elements of side-jump contributions, hence paving the way to a truly predictive theory of the anomalous Hall effect and turning it from a characterization tool to a probing tool of multi-band complex electronic band structures.Comment: PRL in pres

Non-local field-like spin-orbit torques in Rashba systems: an ab-initio study of Ag2_{2}Bi/Ag/Fe film

We investigate from first principles the field-like spin-orbit torques (SOTs) in a Ag$_{2}$Bi-terminated Ag(111) film grown on ferromagnetic Fe(110). We find that a large part of the SOT arises from the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) in the Ag$_{2}$Bi layer far away from the Fe layers. These results clearly hint at a long range spin transfer in the direction perpendicular to the film that does not originate in the spin Hall effect. In order to bring evidence of the non-local character of the computed SOT, we show that the torque acting on the Fe layers can be engineered by the introduction of Bi vacancies in the Ag$_{2}$Bi layer. Overall, we find a drastic dependence of the SOT on the disorder type, which we explain by a complex interplay of different contributions to the SOT in the Brillouin zone

Communicating the threat of emerging infections to the public.

Communication theory and techniques, aided by the electronic revolution, provide new opportunities and challenges for the effective transfer of laboratory, epidemiologic, surveillance, and other public health data to the public who funds them. We review the applicability of communication theory, particularly the audience-source-message-channel meta-model, to emerging infectious disease issues. Emergence of new infectious organisms, microbial resistance to therapeutic drugs, and increased emphasis on prevention have expanded the role of communication as a vital component of public health practice. In the absence of cure, as in AIDS and many other public health problems, an effectively crafted and disseminated prevention message is the key control measure. Applying communication theory to disease prevention messages can increase the effectiveness of the messages and improve public health

Anisotropy of spin relaxation and transverse transport in metals

Using first principles methods we explore the anisotropy of the spin relaxation and transverse transport properties in bulk metals with respect to the direction of the spin quantization axis in paramagnets or of the spontaneous magnetization in ferromagnets. Owing to the presence of the spin-orbit interaction the orbital and spin character of the Bloch states depends sensitively on the orientation of the spins relative to the crystal axes. This leads to drastic changes in quantities which rely on interband mixing induced by the spin-orbit interaction. The anisotropy is particularly striking for quantities which exhibit spiky and irregular distribution in the Brillouin zone, such as the spin-mixing parameter or the Berry curvature of the electronic states. We demonstrate this for three cases: (i) the Elliott-Yafet spin-relaxation mechanism in paramagnets with structural inversion symmetry; (ii) the intrinsic anomalous Hall effect in ferromagnets; and (iii) the spin Hall effect in paramagnets. We discuss the consequences of the pronounced anisotropic behavior displayed by these properties for spin-polarized transport applications.Comment: Psi-k Highlight 111 (2012

Thermal Conductivity, Thermopower, and Figure of Merit of La_{1-x}Sr_xCoO_3

We present a study of the thermal conductivity k and the thermopower S of single crystals of La_{1-x}Sr_xCoO_3 with 0<= x <= 0.3. For all Sr concentrations La_{1-x}Sr_xCoO_3 has rather low k values, whereas S strongly changes as a function of x. We discuss the influence of the temperature- and the doping-induced spin-state transitions of the Co ions on both, S and k. From S, k, and the electrical resistivity rho we derive the thermoelectric figure of merit Z=S^2/(k*rho). For intermediate Sr concentrations we find notably large values of Z indicating that Co-based materials could be promising candidates for thermoelectric cooling.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures included, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Spin-State Transition and Metal-Insulator Transition in La1−x_{1-x}Eux_xCoO3_3}

We present a study of the structure, the electric resistivity, the magnetic susceptibility, and the thermal expansion of La$_{1-x}$Eu$_x$CoO$_3$. LaCoO$_3$ shows a temperature-induced spin-state transition around 100 K and a metal-insulator transition around 500 K. Partial substitution of La$^{3+}$ by the smaller Eu$^{3+}$ causes chemical pressure and leads to a drastic increase of the spin gap from about 190 K in LaCoO$_3$ to about 2000 K in EuCoO$_3$, so that the spin-state transition is shifted to much higher temperatures. A combined analysis of thermal expansion and susceptibility gives evidence that the spin-state transition has to be attributed to a population of an intermediate-spin state with orbital order for $x<0.5$ and without orbital order for larger $x$. In contrast to the spin-state transition, the metal-insulator transition is shifted only moderately to higher temperatures with increasing Eu content, showing that the metal-insulator transition occurs independently from the spin-state distribution of the Co$^{3+}$ ions. Around the metal-insulator transition the magnetic susceptibility shows a similar increase for all $x$ and approaches a doping-independent value around 1000 K indicating that well above the metal-insulator transition the same spin state is approached for all $x$.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Heat transport in SrCu_2(BO_3)_2 and CuGeO_3

In the low dimensional spin systems $SrCu_2(BO_3)_2$ and $CuGeO_3$ the thermal conductivities along different crystal directions show pronounced double-peak structures and strongly depend on magnetic fields. For $SrCu_2(BO_3)_2$ the experimental data can be described by a purely phononic heat current and resonant scattering of phonons by magnetic excitations. A similar effect seems to be important in $CuGeO_3$, too but, in addition, a magnetic contribution to the heat transport may be present.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; appears in the proceedings of the SCES2001 (Physica B

Separation of Quasiparticle and Phononic Heat Currents in YBCO

Measurements of the transverse (k_{xy}) and longitudinal (k_{xx}) thermal conductivity in high magnetic fields are used to separate the quasiparticle thermal conductivity (k_{xx}^{el}) of the CuO_2-planes from the phononic thermal conductivity in YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}. k_{xx}^{el} is found to display a pronounced maximum below T_c. Our data analysis reveals distinct transport (\tau) and Hall (\tau_H) relaxation times below T_c: Whereas \tau is strongly enhanced, \tau_H follows the same temperature dependence as above T_c

Helical magnetic structure and the anomalous and topological Hall effects in epitaxial B20 Fe1−y_{1-y}Coy_yGe films

Epitaxial films of the B20-structure alloy Fe$_{1-y}$Co$_y$Ge were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si (111) substrates. The magnetization varied smoothly from the bulk-like values of one Bohr magneton per Fe atom for FeGe to zero for non-magnetic CoGe. The chiral lattice structure leads to a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI), and the films' helical magnetic ground state was confirmed using polarized neutron reflectometry measurements. The pitch of the spin helix, measured by this method, varies with Co content $y$ and diverges at $y \sim 0.45$. This indicates a zero-crossing of the DMI, which we reproduced in calculations using first principle methods. We also measured the longitudinal and Hall resistivity of our films as a function of magnetic field, temperature, and Co content $y$. The Hall resistivity is expected to contain contributions from the ordinary, anomalous, and topological Hall effects. Both the anomalous and topological Hall resistivities show peaks around $y \sim 0.5$. Our first principles calculations show a peak in the topological Hall constant at this value of $y$, related to the strong spin-polarisation predicted for intermediate values of $y$. Half-metallicity is predicted for $y = 0.6$, consistent with the experimentally observed linear magnetoresistance at this composition. Whilst it is possible to reconcile theory with experiment for the various Hall effects for FeGe, the large topological Hall resistivities for $y \sim 0.5$ are much larger then expected when the very small emergent fields associated with the divergence in the DMI are taken into account

Magnetoresistance, specific heat and magnetocaloric effect of equiatomic rare-earth transition-metal magnesium compounds

We present a study of the magnetoresistance, the specific heat and the magnetocaloric effect of equiatomic $RET$Mg intermetallics with $RE = {\rm La}$, Eu, Gd, Yb and $T = {\rm Ag}$, Au and of GdAuIn. Depending on the composition these compounds are paramagnetic ($RE = {\rm La}$, Yb) or they order either ferro- or antiferromagnetically with transition temperatures ranging from about 13 to 81 K. All of them are metallic, but the resistivity varies over 3 orders of magnitude. The magnetic order causes a strong decrease of the resistivity and around the ordering temperature we find pronounced magnetoresistance effects. The magnetic ordering also leads to well-defined anomalies in the specific heat. An analysis of the entropy change leads to the conclusions that generally the magnetic transition can be described by an ordering of localized $S=7/2$ moments arising from the half-filled $4f^7$ shells of Eu$^{2+}$ or Gd$^{3+}$. However, for GdAgMg we find clear evidence for two phase transitions indicating that the magnetic ordering sets in partially below about 125 K and is completed via an almost first-order transition at 39 K. The magnetocaloric effect is weak for the antiferromagnets and rather pronounced for the ferromagnets for low magnetic fields around the zero-field Curie temperature.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures include