Coulomb correlations and coherent charge tunneling in mesoscopic coupled rings

We study the effect of a strong electron-electron (e-e) interaction in a system of two concentric one-dimensional rings with incommensurate areas A_1 and A_2, coupled by a tunnel amplitude. For noninteracting particles the magnetic moment (persistent current) m of the many-body ground state and first excited states is an irregular function of the external magnetic field. In contrast, we show that when strong e-e interactions are present the magnetic field dependence of m becomes periodic. In such a strongly correlated system disorder can only be caused by inter-ring charge fluctuations, controllable by a gate voltage. The oscillation period of m is proportional to 1/(A_1 + A_2) if fluctuations are suppressed. Coherent inter-ring tunneling doubles the period when charge fluctuations are allowed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figure

The ALTO project at IPN Orsay

In order to probe neutron rich radioactive noble gases produced by photo-fission, a PARRNe1 experiment (Production d'Atomes Radioactifs Riches en Neutrons) has been carried out at CERN. The incident electron beam of 50 MeV was delivered by the LIL machine: LEP Injector Linac. The experiment allowed to compare under the same conditions two production methods of radioactive noble gases: fission induced by fast neutrons and photo-fission. The obtained results show that the use of the electrons is a promising mode to get intense neutron rich ion beams. Thereafter, the success of this photo-fission experiment, a conceptual design for the installation at IPN Orsay of a 50 MeV electron accelerator close to the PARRNe-2 device has been worked out: ALTO Project. This work has started within a collaboration between IPNO, LAL and CERN groups.Comment: 14 pages, pdf file, International School-Seminar on Heavy-Ion Physics 7 (2002

Spin-dependent thermoelectric transport coefficients in near-perfect quantum wires

Thermoelectric transport coefficients are determined for semiconductor quantum wires with weak thickness fluctuations. Such systems exhibit anomalies in conductance near 1/4 and 3/4 of 2e^2/h on the rising edge to the first conductance plateau, explained by singlet and triplet resonances of conducting electrons with a single weakly bound electron in the wire [T. Rejec, A. Ramsak, and J.H. Jefferson, Phys. Rev. B 62, 12985 (2000)]. We extend this work to study the Seebeck thermopower coefficient and linear thermal conductance within the framework of the Landauer-Buettiker formalism, which also exhibit anomalous structures. These features are generic and robust, surviving to temperatures of a few degrees. It is shown quantitatively how at elevated temperatures thermal conductance progressively deviates from the Wiedemann-Franz law.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. B 2002; 3 figure

Giant lasing effect in magnetic nanoconductors

We propose a new principle for a compact solid-state laser in the 1-100 THz regime. This is a frequency range where attempts to fabricate small size lasers up till now have met severe technical problems. The proposed laser is based on a new mechanism for creating spin-flip processes in ferromagnetic conductors. The mechanism is due to the interaction of light with conduction electrons; the interaction strength, being proportional to the large exchange energy, exceeds the Zeeman interaction by orders of magnitude. On the basis of this interaction, a giant lasing effect is predicted in a system where a population inversion has been created by tunneling injection of spin-polarized electrons from one ferromagnetic conductor to another -- the magnetization of the two ferromagnets having different orientations. Using experimental data for ferromagnetic manganese perovskites with nearly 100% spin polarization we show the laser frequency to be in the range 1-100 THz. The optical gain is estimated to be of order 10^7 cm^{-1}, which exceeds the gain of conventional semiconductor lasers by 3 or 4 orders of magnitude. A relevant experimental study is proposed and discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Electromechanics of charge shuttling in dissipative nanostructures

We investigate the current-voltage (IV) characteristics of a model single-electron transistor where mechanical motion, subject to strong dissipation, of a small metallic grain is possible. The system is studied both by using Monte Carlo simulations and by using an analytical approach. We show that electromechanical coupling results in a highly nonlinear IV-curve. For voltages above the Coulomb blockade threshold, two distinct regimes of charge transfer occur: At low voltages the system behave as a static asymmetric double junction and tunneling is the dominating charge transfer mechanism. At higher voltages an abrupt transition to a new shuttle regime appears, where the grain performs an oscillatory motion back and forth between the leads. In this regime the current is mainly mediated by charges that are carried on the grain as it moves from one lead to the other.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, final version to be published in PR