Andreev Tunneling in Strongly Interacting Quantum Dots

We review recent work on resonant Andreev tunneling through a strongly interacting quantum dot connected to a normal and to a superconducting lead. We derive a general expression for the current flowing in the structure and discuss the linear and non-linear transport in the nonperturbative regime. New effects associated to the Kondo resonance combined with the two-particle tunneling arise. The Kondo anomaly in the $I-V$ characteristics depends on the relative size of the gap energy and the Kondo temperature.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures; submitted to Superlattices and Microstructure

Non-magnetic impurities in two- and three- dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnets

In this paper we study in a large-S expansion effects of substituting spins by non-magnetic impurities in two- and three- dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnets in a weak magnetic field. In particular, we demonstrate a novel mechanism where magnetic moments are induced around non-magnetic impurities when magnetic field is present. As a result, Curie-type behaviour in magnetic susceptibility can be observed well below the Neel temperature, in agreement with what is being observed in $La_2Cu_{1-x}Zn_{x}O_4$ and $Sr(Cu_{1-x}Zn_x)_2O_3$ compounds.Comment: Latex fil

Topological spin excitations of Heisenberg antiferromagnets in two dimensions

In this paper we discuss the construction and the dynamics of vortex-like topological spin excitations in the Schwinger-boson description of Heisenberg antiferromagnets in two dimensions. The topological spin excitations are Dirac fermions (with gap) when spin value $S$ is a half-integer. Experimental and theoretical implications of these excitations are being investigated.Comment: Latex file, no figur

Topological term in the non-linear σ\sigma model of the SO(5) spin chains

We show that there is a topological (Berry phase) term in the non-linear $\sigma$ model description of the SO(5) spin chain. It distinguishes the linear and projective representations of the SO(5) symmetry group, in exact analogy to the well-known $\theta$-term of the SO(3) spin chain. The presence of the topological term is due to the fact that $\pi_2(\frac{SO(5)}{SO(3)\times SO(2)})= \mathbb{Z}$. We discuss the implication of our results on the spectra of the SO(5) spin chain, and connect it with a recent solvable SO(5) spin model which exhibits valence bond solid ground state and edge degeneracy.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure; the publication versio

Andreev tunnelling in quantum dots: A slave-boson approach

We study a strongly interacting quantum dot connected to a normal and to a superconducting lead. By means of the slave-boson technique we investigate the low temperature regime and discuss electrical transport through the dot. We find that the zero bias anomaly in the current-voltage characteristics which is associated to the occurance of the Kondo resonance in the quantum dot, is enhanced in the presence of superconductivity, due to resonant Andreev scattering.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Tristability in a non-equilibrium double-quantum-dot in Kondo regime

Electron tunneling through a non-equilibrium double quantum dot in the Kondo regime is studied. In the region of negative differential resistance, it is shown that this system possesses a complex response to the applied potential characterized by a tristable solution for the current. Increasing the applied potential or reducing the inter-dot coupling, the system goes through a transition from a coherent inter-dot regime to an incoherent one. The different nature of the solutions are characterized and it is shown that the effects of the asymmetry in the dot-lead coupling can be used to control the region of multistability. The mean-field slave-boson formalism is used to obtain the solution of the problem.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. To appear in Sol. State. Com

Edge states and conformal boundary conditions in super spin chains and super sigma models

The sigma models on projective superspaces CP^{N+M-1|N} with topological angle theta=pi mod 2pi flow to non-unitary, logarithmic conformal field theories in the low-energy limit. In this paper, we determine the exact spectrum of these theories for all open boundary conditions preserving the full global symmetry of the model, generalizing recent work on the particular case M=0 [C. Candu et al, JHEP02(2010)015]. In the sigma model setting, these boundary conditions are associated with complex line bundles, and are labelled by an integer, related with the exact value of theta. Our approach relies on a spin chain regularization, where the boundary conditions now correspond to the introduction of additional edge states. The exact values of the exponents then follow from a lengthy algebraic analysis, a reformulation of the spin chain in terms of crossing and non-crossing loops (represented as a certain subalgebra of the Brauer algebra), and earlier results on the so-called one- and two-boundary Temperley Lieb algebras (also known as blob algebras). A remarkable result is that the exponents, in general, turn out to be irrational. The case M=1 has direct applications to the spin quantum Hall effect, which will be discussed in a sequel.Comment: 50 pages, 18 figure

Chiral Correction to the Spin Fluctuation Feedback in two-dimensional p-wave Superconductors

We consider the stability of the superconducting phase for spin-triplet p-wave pairing in a quasi-two-dimensional system. We show that in the absence of spin-orbit coupling there is a chiral contribution to spin fluctuation feedback which is related to spin quantum Hall effect in a chiral superconducting phase. We show that this mechanism supports the stability of a chiral p-wave state.Comment: 8 pages. The final version is accepted for publication in Europhys Let

Supersymmetry in models with strong on-site Coulomb repulsion - application to t-J model

A supersymmetric way of imposing the constraint of no double occupancy in models with strong on-site Coulomb repulsion is presented in this paper. In this formulation the physical operators in the constrainted Hilbert space are invariant under local unitary transformations mixing boson and fermion representations. As an illustration the formulation is applied to the $t-J$ model. The model is studied in the mean-field level in the J=0 limit where we show how both the slave-boson and slave-fermion formulations are included naturally in the present approach and how further results beyond both approaches are obtained.Comment: 12 pages, Latex file, 1 figur

Vortices in Schwinger-Boson Mean-Field Theory of Two-Dimensional Quantum Antiferromagnets

In this paper we study the properties of vortices in two dimensional quantum antiferromagnets with spin magnitude S on a square lattice within the framework of Schwinger-boson mean field theory. Based on a continuum description, we show that vortices are stable topological excitations in the disordered state of quantum antiferromagnets. Furthermore, we argue that vortices can be divided into two kinds: the first kind always carries zero angular momentum and are bosons, whereas the second kind carries angular momentum S under favourable conditions and are fermions if S is half-integer. A plausible consequence of our results relating to RVB theories of High-Tc superconductors is pointed out.Comment: 25 page