The perfect spin injection in silicene FS/NS junction

We theoretically investigate the spin injection from a ferromagnetic silicene to a normal silicene (FS/NS), where the magnetization in the FS is assumed from the magnetic proximity effect. Based on a silicene lattice model, we demonstrated that the pure spin injection could be obtained by tuning the Fermi energy of two spin species, where one is in the spin orbit coupling gap and the other one is outside the gap. Moreover, the valley polarity of the spin species can be controlled by a perpendicular electric field in the FS region. Our findings may shed light on making silicene-based spin and valley devices in the spintronics and valleytronics field.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Hysteresis and Anisotropic Magnetoresistance in Antiferromagnetic Nd2−xCexCuO4Nd_{2-x}Ce_xCuO_{4}

The out-of-plane resistivity ($\rho_c$) and magnetoresistivity (MR) are studied in antiferromangetic (AF) $Nd_{2-x}Ce_xCuO_{4}$ single crystals, which have three types of noncollinear antiferromangetic spin structures. The apparent signatures are observed in $\rho_c(T)$ measured at the zero-field and 14 T at the spin structure transitions, giving a definite evidence for the itinerant electrons directly coupled to the localized spins. One of striking feature is an anisotropy of the MR with a fourfold symmetry upon rotating the external field (B) within ab plane in the different phases, while twofold symmetry at spin reorientation transition temperatures. The intriguing thermal hysteresis in $\rho_c(T,B)$ and magnetic hysteresis in MR are observed at spin reorientation transition temperatures.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Thermal Hall Conductivity as a Probe of Gap Structure in Multi-band Superconductors: The Case of Ba1−xKxFe2As2\rm Ba_{1-x}K_xFe_2As_2

The sign and profile of the thermal Hall conductivity $\kappa_{xy}$ gives important insights into the gap structure of multi-band superconductors. With this perspective, we have investigated $\kappa_{xy}$ and the thermal conductivity $\kappa_{xx}$ in $\rm Ba_{1-x}K_xFe_2As_2$ which display large peak anomalies in the superconducting state. The anomalies imply that a large hole-like quasiparticle (qp) population exists below the critical temperature $T_c$. We show that the qp mean-free-path inferred from $\kappa_{xx}$ reproduces the observed anomaly in $\kappa_{xy}$, providing a consistent estimate of a large qp population. Further, we demonstrate that the hole-like signal is consistent with a theoretical scenario where despite potentially large gap variations on the electron pockets, the minimal homogeneous gap of the superconducting phase resides at a hole pocket. Implications for probing the gap structure in the broader class of pnictide superconductors are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Orientation significantly updated from previous (0811.4668v1) reflecting new theoretical understanding of experimental results and physical implications. Introduction, discussion, and figures updated including additional figure for model calculatio

Multiple phase transitions in single-crystalline Na1−δ_{1-\delta}FeAs

Specific heat, resistivity, susceptibility and Hall coefficient measurements were performed on high-quality single crystalline Na$_{1-\delta}$FeAs. This compound is found to undergo three successive phase transitions at around 52, 41, and 23 K, which correspond to structural, magnetic and superconducting transitions, respectively. The Hall effect result indicates the development of energy gap at low temperature due to the occurrence of spin-density-wave instability. Our results provide direct experimental evidence of the magnetic ordering in the nearly stoichiometric NaFeAs.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Integer quantum Hall effect and topological phase transitions in silicene

We numerically investigate the effects of disorder on the quantum Hall effect (QHE) and the quantum phase transitions in silicene based on a lattice model. It is shown that for a clean sample, silicene exhibits an unconventional QHE near the band center, with plateaus developing at $\nu=0,\pm2,\pm6,\ldots,$ and a conventional QHE near the band edges. In the presence of disorder, the Hall plateaus can be destroyed through the float-up of extended levels toward the band center, in which higher plateaus disappear first. However, the center $\nu=0$ Hall plateau is more sensitive to disorder and disappears at a relatively weak disorder strength. Moreover, the combination of an electric field and the intrinsic spin-orbit interaction (SOI) can lead to quantum phase transitions from a topological insulator to a band insulator at the charge neutrality point (CNP), accompanied by additional quantum Hall conductivity plateaus.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Six-dimensional weak-strong simulations of head-on beam-beam compensation in RHIC

To compensate the large beam-beam tune spread and beam-beam resonance driving terms in the polarized proton operation in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), we will introduce a low-energy DC electron beam into each ring to collide head-on with the opposing proton beam. The device to provide the electron beam is called an electron lens. In this article, using a 6-D weak-strong-beam-beam interaction simulation model, we investigate the effects of head-on beam-beam compensation with electron lenses on the proton beam dynamics in the RHIC 250 GeV polarized proton operation. This article is abridged from the published article [1].Comment: 5 pages, contribution to the ICFA Mini-Workshop on Beam-Beam Effects in Hadron Colliders, CERN, Geneva, Switzerland, 18-22 Mar 201

Infrared spectroscopy of the charge ordering transition in Na0.5_{0.5}CoO2_2

We report infrared spectra of a Na$_{0.5}$CoO$_2$ single crystal which exhibits a sharp metal-insulator transition near 50 K due to the formation of charge ordering. In comparison with x=0.7 and 0.85 compounds, we found that the spectral weight associated with the conducting carriers at high temperature increases systematically with decreasing Na contents. The charge ordering transition only affects the optical spectra below 1000 cm$^{-1}$. A hump near 800 cm$^{-1}$ develops below 100 K, which is accompanied by the appearance of new lattice modes as well as the strong anti-resonance feature of phonon spectra. At lower temperature $T_{co}$, an optical gap develops at the magnitude of 2$\Delta\approx3.5k_BT_{co}$, evidencing an insulating charge density wave ground state. Our experimental results and analysis unequivocally point towards the importance of charge ordering instability and strong electron-phonon interaction in Na$_x$CoO$_2$ system.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Metamagnetic Transition in Na0.85_{0.85}CoO2_2 Single Crystals

We report the magnetization, specific heat and transport measurements of high quality Na$_{0.85}$CoO$_2$ single crystals in applied magnetic fields up to 14T. In high temperatures, the system is in a paramagnetic phase. It undergoes a magnetic phase transition below about 20K. When the field is applied along the c-axis, the measurement data of magnetization, specific heat and magnetoresistance reveal a metamagnetic transition from an antiferromagnetic state to a quasi-ferromagnetic state at about 8T in low temperatures. However, no transition is observed in the magnetization measurements up to 14T when the field is applied perpendicular to the c-axis. The low temperature magnetic phase diagram of Na$_{0.85}$CoO$_2$ is determined.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Angular-dependent Magnetoresistance Oscillations in Na0.48_{0.48}CoO2_{2} Single Crystal

We report measurements of the c-axis angular-dependent magnetoresistance (AMR) for a Na$_{0.48}$CoO$_{2}$ single crystal, with a magnetic field of 10 T rotating within Co-O planes. Below the metal-insulator transition temperature induced by the charge ordering, the oscillation of the AMR is dominated by a two-fold rotational symmetry. The amplitudes of the oscillation corresponding to the four- and six-fold rotational symmetries are distinctive in low temperatures, but they merge into the background simultaneously at about 25 K. The six-fold oscillation originates naturally from the lattice symmetry. The observation of the four-fold rotational symmetry is consistent with the picture proposed by Choy, et al., that the Co lattice in the charge ordered state will split into two orthorhombic sublattice with one occupied by Co$^{3+}$ ions and the other by Co$^{4+}$ ions. We have also measured the c-axis AMR for Na$_{0.35}$CoO$_{2}$ and Na$_{0.85}$CoO$_{2}$ single crystals, and found no evidence for the existence of two- and four-fold symmetries.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to PR