Circuit model for spin-bottleneck resistance in magnetic-tunnel-junction devices

Spin-bottlenecks are created in magnetic-tunnel-junction devices by spatial inhomogeneity in the relative resistances for up and down spins. We propose a simple electrical circuit model for these devices which incorporates spin-bottleneck effects and can be used to calculate their overall resistance and magnetoresistance. The model permits a simple understanding of the dependence of device magnetoresistance on spin diffusion lengths, tunneling magnetoresistance, and majority and minority spin resistivities in the ferromagnetic electrodes. The circuit model is in a good quantitative agreement with detailed transport calculations.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Magnetic domains in III-V magnetic semiconductors

Recent progress in theoretical understanding of magnetic anisotropy and stiffness in III-V magnetic semiconductors is exploited for predictions of magnetic domain characteristics and methods of their tuning. We evaluate the width and the energy of domain walls as well as the period of stripe domains in perpendicular films. The computed stripe width d = 1.1 um for Ga_0.957Mn_0.043As/In_0.16Ga_0.84As compares favorably to the experimental value 1.5 um, as determined by Shono et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 77, 1363 (2000)].Comment: 4 RevTex pages, 2 figures spelling of author's names corrected in abstract pag

Theory of inter-edge superexchange in zigzag edge magnetism

A graphene nanoribbon with zigzag edges has a gapped magnetic ground state with an antiferromagnetic inter-edge superexchange interaction. We present a theory based on asymptotic properties of the Dirac-model ribbon wavefunction which predicts $W^{-2}$ and $W^{-1}$ ribbon-width dependencies for the superexchange interaction strength and the charge gap respectively. We find that, unlike the case of conventional atomic scale superexchange, opposite spin-orientations on opposite edges of the ribbon are favored by both kinetic and interaction energies.Comment: 4 pages 8 figure

Colour analysis of degraded parchment

Multispectral imaging was employed to collect data on the degradation of an 18th century parchment by a series of physical and chemical treatments. Each sample was photographed before and after treatment by a monochrome digital camera with 21 narrow-band filters. A template-matching technique was used to detect the circular holes in each sample and a four-point projective transform to register the 21 images. Colour accuracy was verified by comparison of reconstructed spectra with measurements by spectrophotometer

Competing Ordered States in Bilayer Graphene

We use a perturbative renormalization group approach with short-range continuum model interactions to analyze the competition between isotropic gapped and anisotropic gapless ordered states in bilayer graphene, commenting specifically on the role of exchange and on the importance of spin and valley flavor degeneracy. By comparing the divergences of the corresponding susceptibilities, we conclude that this approach predicts gapped states for flavor numbers N=1,2,4. We also comment briefly on the related gapped states expected in chiral (ABC) trilayer graphene.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures and 1 tabl

Theory of Weak Localization in Ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As

We study quantum interference corrections to the conductivity in (Ga,Mn)As ferromagnetic semiconductors using a model with disordered valence band holes coupled to localized Mn moments through a p-d kinetic-exchange interaction. We find that at Mn concentrations above 1% quantum interference corrections lead to negative magnetoresistance, i.e. to weak localization (WL) rather than weak antilocalization (WAL). Our work highlights key qualitative differences between (Ga,Mn)As and previously studied toy model systems, and pinpoints the mechanism by which exchange splitting in the ferromagnetic state converts valence band WAL into WL. We comment on recent experimental studies and theoretical analyses of low-temperature magnetoresistance in (Ga,Mn)As which have been variously interpreted as implying both WL and WAL and as requiring an impurity-band interpretation of transport in metallic (Ga,Mn)As.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures; submitted to Phys. Rev.