Correlated electron tunneling through two separate quantum dot systems with strong capacitive interdot coupling

A system consisting of two independently contacted quantum dots with strong electrostatic interaction shows interdot Coulomb blockade when the dots are weakly tunnel coupled to their leads. It is studied experimentally how the blockade can be overcome by correlated tunneling when tunnel coupling to the leads increases. The experimental results are compared with numerical renormalization group calculations using predefined (measured) parameters. Our results indicate Kondo correlations due to the electrostatic interaction in this double quantum dot system.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, published in Phys. Rev. Lett. Oct. 30t

LDA+DMFT Spectral Functions and Effective Electron Mass Enhancement in Superconductor LaFePO

In this Letter we report the first LDA+DMFT results (method combining Local Density Approximation with Dynamical Mean-Field Theory) for spectral properties of superconductor LaFePO. Calculated {\bf k}-resolved spectral functions reproduce recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) data [D. H. Lu {\it et al}., Nature {\bf 455}, 81 (2008)]. Obtained effective electron mass enhancement values $m^{*}/m\approx$ 1.9 -- 2.2 are in good agreement with infrared and optical studies [M. M. Qazilbash {\it et al}., Nature Phys. {\bf 5}, 647 (2009)], de Haas--van Alphen, electrical resistivity, and electronic specific heat measurements results, that unambiguously evidence for moderate correlations strength in LaFePO. Similar values of $m^{*}/m$ were found in the other Fe-based superconductors with substantially different superconducting transition temperatures. Thus, the dynamical correlation effects are essential in the Fe-based superconductors, but the strength of electronic correlations does not determine the value of superconducting transition temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

NiO: Correlated Bandstructure of a Charge-Transfer Insulator

The bandstructure of the prototypical charge-transfer insulator NiO is computed by using a combination of an {\it ab initio} bandstructure method and the dynamical mean-field theory with a quantum Monte-Carlo impurity solver. Employing a Hamiltonian which includes both Ni-d and O-p orbitals we find excellent agreement with the energy bands determined from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. This solves a long-standing problem in solid state theory. Most notably we obtain the low-energy Zhang-Rice bands with strongly k-dependent orbital character discussed previously in the context of low-energy model theories.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figur

LDA+DMFT computation of the electronic spectrum of NiO

The electronic spectrum, energy gap and local magnetic moment of paramagnetic NiO are computed by using the local density approximation plus dynamical mean-field theory (LDA+DMFT). To this end the noninteracting Hamiltonian obtained within the local density approximation (LDA) is expressed in Wannier functions basis, with only the five anti-bonding bands with mainly Ni 3d character taken into account. Complementing it by local Coulomb interactions one arrives at a material-specific many-body Hamiltonian which is solved by DMFT together with quantum Monte-Carlo (QMC) simulations. The large insulating gap in NiO is found to be a result of the strong electronic correlations in the paramagnetic state. In the vicinity of the gap region, the shape of the electronic spectrum calculated in this way is in good agreement with the experimental x-ray-photoemission and bremsstrahlung-isochromat-spectroscopy results of Sawatzky and Allen. The value of the local magnetic moment computed in the paramagnetic phase (PM) agrees well with that measured in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase. Our results for the electronic spectrum and the local magnetic moment in the PM phase are in accordance with the experimental finding that AFM long-range order has no significant influence on the electronic structure of NiO.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 1 table; published versio

On the HI-Hole and AGB Stellar Population of the Sagittarius Dwarf Irregular Galaxy

Using two HST/ACS data-sets that are separated by ~2 years has allowed us to derive the relative proper-motion for the Sagittarius dwarf irregular (SagDIG) and reduce the heavy foreground Galactic contamination. The proper-motion decontaminated SagDIG catalog provides a much clearer view of the young red-supergiant and intermediate-age asymptotic giant branch populations. We report the identification of 3 Milky Way carbon-rich dwarf stars, probably belonging to the thin disk, and pointing to the high incidence of this class at low Galactic latitudes. A sub-group of 4 oxygen-rich candidate stars depicts a faint, red extension of the well-defined SagDIG carbon-rich sequence. The origin of these oxygen-rich candidate stars remains unclear, reflecting the uncertainty in the ratio of carbon/oxygen rich stars. SagDIG is also a gas-rich galaxy characterized by a single large cavity in the gas disk (HI-hole), which is offset by ~360 pc from the optical centre of the galaxy. We nonetheless investigate the stellar feedback hypothesis by comparing the proper-motion cleaned stellar populations within the HI-hole with appropriately selected comparison regions, having higher HI densities external to the hole. The comparison shows no significant differences. In particular, the centre of the HI-hole (and the comparison regions) lack stellar populations younger than ~400 Myr, which are otherwise abundant in the inner body of the galaxy. We conclude that there is no convincing evidence that the SagDIG HI-hole is the result of stellar feedback, and that gravitational and thermal instabilities in the gas are the most likely mechanism for its formation.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A, 11 pages, 6 jpeg figure

Orbital selective insulator-metal transition in V2O3 under external pressure

We present a detailed account of the physics of Vanadium sesquioxide (${\rm V_2O_3}$), a benchmark system for studying correlation induced metal-insulator transition(s). Based on a detailed perusal of a wide range of experimental data, we stress the importance of multi-orbital Coulomb interactions in concert with first-principles LDA bandstructure for a consistent understanding of the PI-PM MIT under pressure. Using LDA+DMFT, we show how the MIT is of the orbital selective type, driven by large changes in dynamical spectral weight in response to small changes in trigonal field splitting under pressure. Very good quantitative agreement with ($i$) the switch of orbital occupation and ($ii$) S=1 at each $V^{3+}$ site across the MIT, and ($iii$) carrier effective mass in the PM phase, is obtained. Finally, using the LDA+DMFT solution, we have estimated screening induced renormalisation of the local, multi-orbital Coulomb interactions. Computation of the one-particle spectral function using these screened values is shown to be in excellent quantitative agreement with very recent experimental (PES and XAS) results. These findings provide strong support for an orbital-selective Mott transition in paramagnetic ${\rm V_2O_3}$.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

Near-infrared observations of the Fornax dwarf galaxy. I. The red giant branch

We present a study of the evolved stellar populations in the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Fornax based on JHK imaging photometry. The observations cover an 18.5x18.5 arcmin central area with a mosaic of NTT/SOFI images. Our data sample all the red giant branch for the whole area. Deeeper observations reaching the red clump of helium-burning stars have also been obtained for a 4.5 x 4.5 arcmin region. Near-infrared photometry led to measurements of the distance to Fornax based on the K-band location of the RGB tip and the red clump. Once corrected for the mean age of the stellar populations in the galaxy, the derived distance modulus is 20.74 corresponding to a distance of 141 Kpc, in good agreement with estimates from optical data. By taking age effects into account, we have derived a distribution function of global metallicity [M/H] from optical-infrared colors of individual stars. Our photometric Metallicity Distribution Function covers the range -2.0<[M/H]<-0.6, with a main peak at [M/H]~-0.9 and a long tail of metal-poor stars, and less metal-rich stars than derived by recent spectroscopy. If metallicities from CaII triplet lines are correct, this result confirms a scenario of enhanced metal enrichment in the last 1-4 Gyr

Consistent LDA'+DMFT approach to electronic structure of transition metal oxides: charge transfer insulators and correlated metals

We discuss the recently proposed LDA'+DMFT approach providing consistent parameter free treatment of the so called double counting problem arising within the LDA+DMFT hybrid computational method for realistic strongly correlated materials. In this approach the local exchange-correlation portion of electron-electron interaction is excluded from self consistent LDA calculations for strongly correlated electronic shells, e.g. d-states of transition metal compounds. Then the corresponding double counting term in LDA+DMFT Hamiltonian is consistently set in the local Hartree (fully localized limit - FLL) form of the Hubbard model interaction term. We present the results of extensive LDA'+DMFT calculations of densities of states, spectral densities and optical conductivity for most typical representatives of two wide classes of strongly correlated systems in paramagnetic phase: charge transfer insulators (MnO, CoO and NiO) and strongly correlated metals (SrVO3 and Sr2RuO4). It is shown that for NiO and CoO systems LDA'+DMFT qualitatively improves the conventional LDA+DMFT results with FLL type of double counting, where CoO and NiO were obtained to be metals. We also include in our calculations transition metal 4s-states located near the Fermi level missed in previous LDA+DMFT studies of these monooxides. General agreement with optical and X-ray experiments is obtained. For strongly correlated metals LDA$^\prime$+DMFT results agree well with earlier LDA+DMFT calculations and existing experiments. However, in general LDA'+DMFT results give better quantitative agreement with experimental data for band gap sizes and oxygen states positions, as compared to the conventional LDA+DMFT.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, 1 table. In v2 there some additional clarifications are include