Nonlinear photocurrents in two-dimensional systems based on graphene and boron nitride

DC photoelectrical currents can be generated purely as a non-linear effect in uniform media lacking inversion symmetry without the need for a material junction or bias voltages to drive it, in what is termed photogalvanic effect. These currents are strongly dependent on the polarization state of the radiation, as well as on topological properties of the underlying Fermi surface such as its Berry curvature. In order to study the intrinsic photogalvanic response of gapped graphene (GG), biased bilayer graphene (BBG), and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), we compute the non-linear current using a perturbative expansion of the density matrix. This allows a microscopic description of the quadratic response to an electromagnetic field in these materials, which we analyze as a function of temperature and electron density. We find that the intrinsic response is robust across these systems and allows for currents in the range of pA cm/W to nA cm/W. At the independent-particle level, the response of hBN-based structures is significant only in the ultra-violet due to their sizeable band-gap. However, when Coulomb interactions are accounted for by explicit solution of the Bethe-Salpeter equation, we find that the photoconductivity is strongly modified by transitions involving exciton levels in the gap region, whose spectral weight dominates in the overall frequency range. Biased bilayers and gapped monolayers of graphene have a strong photoconductivity in the visible and infrared window, allowing for photocurrent densities of several nA cm/W. We further show that the richer electronic dispersion of BBG at low energies and the ability to change its band-gap on demand allows a higher tunability of the photocurrent, including not only its magnitude but also, and significantly, its polarity.Comment: Updating with published version and respective references; 14 pages, 11 figure

Peculiarities of the stacks with finite number of intrinsic Josephson junctions

We study the breakpoint region on the outermost branch of current-voltage characteristics of the stacks with different number of intrinsic Josephson junctions. We show that at periodic boundary conditions the breakpoint region is absent for stacks with even number of junctions. For stacks with odd number of junctions and for stacks with nonperiodic boundary conditions the breakpoint current is increased with number of junctions and saturated at the value corresponding to the periodic boundary conditions. The region of saturation and the saturated value depend on the coupling between junctions. We explain the results by the parametric resonance at the breakpoint and excitation of the longitudinal plasma wave by the Josephson oscillations. A way for the diagnostics of the junctions in the stack is proposed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Inducing spin-dependent tunneling to probe magnetic correlations in optical lattices

We suggest a simple experimental method for probing antiferromagnetic spin correlations of two-component Fermi gases in optical lattices. The method relies on a spin selective Raman transition to excite atoms of one spin species to their first excited vibrational mode where the tunneling is large. The resulting difference in the tunneling dynamics of the two spin species can then be exploited, to reveal the spin correlations by measuring the number of doubly occupied lattice sites at a later time. We perform quantum Monte Carlo simulations of the spin system and solve the optical lattice dynamics numerically to show how the timed probe can be used to identify antiferromagnetic spin correlations in optical lattices.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Observations of electron gyroharmonic waves and the structure of the Io torus

Narrow-banded emissions were observed by the Planetary Radio Astronomy experiment on the Voyager 1 spacecraft as it traversed the Io plasma torus. These waves occur between harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency and are the Jovian analogue of electrostatic emissions observed and theoretically studied for the terrestrial magnetosphere. The observed frequencies always include the component near the upper hybrid resonant frequency, (fuhr) but the distribution of the other observed emissions varies in a systematic way with position in the torus. A refined model of the electron density variation, based on identification of the fuhr line, is included. Spectra of the observed waves are analyzed in terms of the linear instability of an electron distribution function consisting of isotropic cold electrons and hot losscone electrons. The positioning of the observed auxiliary harmonics with respect to fuhr is shown to be an indicator of the cold to hot temperature ratio. It is concluded that this ratio increases systematically by an overall factor of perhaps 4 or 5 between the inner and outer portions of the torus

Evaluation of Seeding Rates of AU Triumph and Endophyte-Infected Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue

Increased difficulty in stand establishment of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) has been reported by producers since the introduction of endophyte (Acremonium coenophialum Morgan Jones and Gams)-free tall fescue seed into the market place. This has encouraged the use of higher seeding rates for endophyte-free tall fescue without scientific basis. The objective of this study was to determine whether ‘AU Triumph’, and endophyte-free cultivar, and endophyte-infected ‘Kentucky 31’ differ in minimum seeding rates for successful establishment. Experiments were established at two locations in each of two years, using a randomized complete block with four replications. Soils at the two locations were Cahaba fine sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Hapludult) and Sumter clay (fine-silty, carbonatic, thermic Rendollic Eutrochreps). For a period of 17-19 mo after planting, dry matter yields were determined whenever forage reached approximately 6 in. in height. Each location x year combination was analyzed independently. Linear and quadratic effects of seeding rate were tested at each harvest date, and single degree of freedom comparisons were made for cultivar effects and their interactions with the linear and quadratic effects. At harvest dates when significant linear or quadratic effects were detected for seeding rate, response curves were fitted. In some juvenile stands (first or second post planting harvests), dry matter yields increased with increasing seeding rates, or increased with increasing seeding rates to approximately 20 Ib seed/acre and then leveled off. Seeding rates did not affect tall fescue yields at later harvests. Lack of cultivar interactions with seeding rate indicates there is no basis for recommending higher seeding rates of AU Triumph than for endophyte-infected Kentucky 31 under these conditions

Antiferromagnetic noise correlations in optical lattices

We analyze how noise correlations probed by time-of-flight (TOF) experiments reveal antiferromagnetic (AF) correlations of fermionic atoms in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) optical lattices. Combining analytical and quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) calculations using experimentally realistic parameters, we show that AF correlations can be detected for temperatures above and below the critical temperature for AF ordering. It is demonstrated that spin-resolved noise correlations yield important information about the spin ordering. Finally, we show how to extract the spin correlation length and the related critical exponent of the AF transition from the noise.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure