Renormalization Group Study of the Electron-phonon Interaction in the High Tc Cuprates

We generalize the numerical renormalization group scheme to study the phonon-mediated retarded interactions in the high Tc cuprates. We find that three sets of phonon-mediated retarded quasiparticle scatterings grow under RG flow. These scatterings share the following common features: 1) the initial and final quasiparticle momenta are in the antinodal regions, and 2) the scattering amplitudes have a $x^2-y^2$ symmetry. All three sets of retarded interaction are driven to strong coupling by the magnetic fluctuations around $(\pi,\pi)$. After growing strong, these retarded interaction will trigger density wave orders with d-wave symmetry. However, due to the d-wave form factor they will leave the nodal quasiparticle unaffected. We conclude that the main effect of electron-phonon coupling in the cuprates is to promote these density wave orders.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, references added, added more details about others' previous studie

Reflection high-energy electron diffraction studies of the growth of lnAs/Ga_(1-x)In_xSb strained-layer superlattices

We have used reflection high‐energy electron diffraction to study the surface periodicity of the growth front of InAs/GaInSb strained‐layer superlattices (SLSs). We found that the apparent surface lattice spacing reproducibly changed during layers which subsequent x‐ray measurements indicated were coherently strained. Abrupt changes in the measured streak spacings were found to be correlated to changes in the growth flux. The profile of the dynamic streak spacing was found to be reproducible when comparing consecutive periods of a SLSs or different SLSs employing the same shuttering scheme at the InAs/GaInSb interface. Finally, when the interface shuttering scheme was changed, it was found that the dynamic streak separation profile also changed. Large changes in the shuttering scheme led to dramatic differences in the streak separation profile, and small changes in the shuttering scheme led to minor changes in the profile. In both cases, the differences in the surface periodicity profile occurred during the parts of the growth where the incident fluxes differed

Effects of lattice distortion and Jahn–Teller coupling on the magnetoresistance of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 and La0.5Ca0.5CoO3 epitaxial films

Studies of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 epitaxial films on substrates with a range of lattice constants reveal two dominant contributions to the occurrence of colossal negative magnetoresistance (CMR) in these manganites: at high temperatures (T → TC, TC being the Curie temperature), the magnetotransport properties are predominantly determined by the conduction of lattice polarons, while at low temperatures (T ≪ TC/, the residual negative magnetoresistance is correlated with the substrate-induced lattice distortion which incurs excess magnetic domain wall scattering. The importance of lattice polaron conduction associated with the presence of Jahn–Teller coupling in the manganites is further verified by comparing the manganites with epitaxial films of another ferromagnetic perovskite, La0.5Ca0.5CoO3. Regardless of the differences in the substrate-induced lattice distortion, the cobaltite films exhibit much smaller negative magnetoresistance, which may be attributed to the absence of Jahn–Teller coupling and the high electron mobility that prevents the formation of lattice polarons. We therefore suggest that lattice polaron conduction associated with the Jahn–Teller coupling is essential for the occurrence of CMR, and that lattice distortion further enhances the CMR effects in the manganites

Experimental and Numerical Investigation on Progressive Collapse Resistance of Post-tensioned Precast Concrete Beam-Column Sub-assemblages

In this paper, four 1/2 scaled precast concrete (PC) beam-column sub-assemblages with high performance connection were tested under push-down loading procedure to study the load resisting mechanism of PC frames subjected to different column removal scenarios. The parameters investigated include the location of column removal and effective prestress in tendons. The test results indicated that the failure modes of unbonded post-tensioned precast concrete (PTPC) frames were different from that of reinforced concrete (RC) frames: no cracks formed in the beams and wide opening formed near the beam to column interfaces. For specimens without overhanging beams, the failure of side column was eccentric compression failure. Moreover, the load resisting mechanisms in PC frames were significantly different from that of RC frames: the compressive arch action (CAA) developed in concrete during column removal was mainly due to actively applied pre-compressive stress in the concrete; CAA will not vanish when severe crush in concrete occurred. Thus, it may provide negative contribution for load resistance when the displacement exceeds one-beam depth; the tensile force developed in the tendons could provide catenary action from the beginning of the test. Moreover, to deeper understand the behavior of tested specimens, numerical analyses were carried out. The effects of concrete strength, axial compression ratio at side columns, and loading approaches on the behavior of the sub-assemblages were also investigated based on validated numerical analysis

Electrical spin protection and manipulation via gate-locked spin-orbit fields

The spin-orbit (SO) interaction couples electron spin and momentum via a relativistic, effective magnetic field. While conveniently facilitating coherent spin manipulation in semiconductors, the SO interaction also inherently causes spin relaxation. A unique situation arises when the Rashba and Dresselhaus SO fields are matched, strongly protecting spins from relaxation, as recently demonstrated. Quantum computation and spintronics devices such as the paradigmatic spin transistor could vastly benefit if such spin protection could be expanded from a single point into a broad range accessible with in-situ gate-control, making possible tunable SO rotations under protection from relaxation. Here, we demonstrate broad, independent control of all relevant SO fields in GaAs quantum wells, allowing us to tune the Rashba and Dresselhaus SO fields while keeping both locked to each other using gate voltages. Thus, we can electrically control and simultaneously protect the spin. Our experiments employ quantum interference corrections to electrical conductivity as a sensitive probe of SO coupling. Finally, we combine transport data with numerical SO simulations to precisely quantify all SO terms.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures (color), plus supplementary information 18 pages, 8 figures (color) as ancillary arXiv pd

X-ray Properties of Radio-Selected Dual Active Galactic Nuclei

Merger simulations predict that tidally induced gas inflows can trigger kpc-scale dual active galactic nuclei (dAGN) in heavily obscured environments. Previously with the Very Large Array, we have confirmed four dAGN with redshifts between $0.04 < z < 0.22$ and projected separations between 4.3 and 9.2 kpc in the SDSS Stripe 82 field. Here, we present $Chandra$ X-ray observations that spatially resolve these dAGN and compare their multi-wavelength properties to those of single AGN from the literature. We detect X-ray emission from six of the individual merger components and obtain upper limits for the remaining two. Combined with previous radio and optical observations, we find that our dAGN have properties similar to nearby low-luminosity AGN, and they agree well with the black hole fundamental plane relation. There are three AGN-dominated X-ray sources, whose X-ray hardness-ratio derived column densities show that two are unobscured and one is obscured. The low obscured fraction suggests these dAGN are no more obscured than single AGN, in contrast to the predictions from simulations. These three sources show an apparent X-ray deficit compared to their mid-infrared continuum and optical [OIII] line luminosities, suggesting higher levels of obscuration, in tension with the hardness-ratio derived column densities. Enhanced mid-infrared and [OIII] luminosities from star formation may explain this deficit. There is ambiguity in the level of obscuration for the remaining five components since their hardness ratios may be affected by non-nuclear X-ray emissions, or are undetected altogether. They require further observations to be fully characterized.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Phase properties of hypergeometric states and negative hypergeometric states

We show that the three quantum states (P$\acute{o}$lya states, the generalized non-classical states related to Hahn polynomials and negative hypergeometric states) introduced recently as intermediates states which interpolate between the binomial states and negative binomial states are essentially identical. By using the Hermitial-phase-operator formalism, the phase properties of the hypergeometric states and negative hypergeometric states are studied in detail. We find that the number of peaks of phase probability distribution is one for the hypergeometric states and $M$ for the negative hypergeometric states.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Ultrafast optical spin echo for electron spins in semiconductors

Spin-based quantum computing and magnetic resonance techniques rely on the ability to measure the coherence time, T2, of a spin system. We report on the experimental implementation of all-optical spin echo to determine the T2 time of a semiconductor electron-spin system. We use three ultrafast optical pulses to rotate spins an arbitrary angle and measure an echo signal as the time between pulses is lengthened. Unlike previous spin-echo techniques using microwaves, ultrafast optical pulses allow clean T2 measurements of systems with dephasing times T2* fast in comparison to the timescale for microwave control. This demonstration provides a step toward ultrafast optical dynamic decoupling of spin-based qubits.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Properties of implanted and CVD incorporated nitrogen-vacancy centers: preferential charge state and preferential orientation

The combination of the long electron state spin coherence time and the optical coupling of the ground electronic states to an excited state manifold makes the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond an attractive candidate for quantum information processing. To date the best spin and optical properties have been found in centers deep within the diamond crystal. For useful devices it will be necessary to engineer NVs with similar properties close to the diamond surface. We report on properties including charge state control and preferential orientation for near surface NVs formed either in CVD growth or through implantation and annealing

77Se NMR Investigation of the K(x)Fe(2-y)Se(2) High Tc Superconductor (Tc=33K)

We report a comprehensive 77Se NMR study of the structural, magnetic, and superconducting properties of a single crystalline sample of the newly discovered FeSe-based high temperature superconductor K(x)Fe(2-y)Se(2) (Tc=33K) in a broad temperature range up to 290 K. We will compare our results with those reported for FeSe (Tc=9K) and FeAs-based high Tc systems.Comment: Final versio