992 research outputs found
Structure, dynamics and bifurcations of discrete solitons in trapped ion crystals
We study discrete solitons (kinks) accessible in state-of-the-art trapped ion
experiments, considering zigzag crystals and quasi-3D configurations, both
theoretically and experimentally. We first extend the theoretical understanding
of different phenomena predicted and recently experimentally observed in the
structure and dynamics of these topological excitations. Employing tools from
topological degree theory, we analyze bifurcations of crystal configurations in
dependence on the trapping parameters, and investigate the formation of kink
configurations and the transformations of kinks between different structures.
This allows us to accurately define and calculate the effective potential
experienced by solitons within the Wigner crystal, and study how this
(so-called Peierls-Nabarro) potential gets modified to a nonperiodic globally
trapping potential in certain parameter regimes. The kinks' rest mass (energy)
and spectrum of modes are computed and the dynamics of linear and nonlinear
kink oscillations are analyzed. We also present novel, experimentally observed,
configurations of kinks incorporating a large-mass defect realized by an
embedded molecular ion, and of pairs of interacting kinks stable for long
times, offering the perspective for exploring and exploiting complex collective
nonlinear excitations, controllable on the quantum level.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures, v2 corrects Fig. 2 and adds some text and
reference
Photoemission kinks and phonons in cuprates
One of the possible mechanisms of high Tc superconductivity is Cooper pairing
with the help of bosons, which change the slope of the electronic dispersion as
observed by photoemission. Giustino et al. calculated that in the high
temperature superconductor La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 crystal lattice vibrations
(phonons) should have a negligible effect on photoemission spectra and
concluded that phonons do not play an important role. We show that the
calculations employed by Giustino et al. fail to reproduce huge influence of
electron-phonon coupling on important phonons observed in experiments. Thus one
would expect these calculations to similarly fail in explaining the role of
electron-phonon coupling for the electronic dispersion.Comment: To appear in Nature as a Brief Communiction Arisin
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