Topological mass generation to antisymmetric tensor matter field

We propose a mechanism to give mass to tensor matter field which preserve the U(1) symmetry. We introduce a complex vector field that couples with the tensor in a topological term. We also analyze the influence of the kinetic terms of the complex vector in our mechanism.Comment: 5 pages, to appear in Europhysics Letter

Quantum phase transitions in alternating spin-(1/2, 5/2) Heisenberg chains

The ground state spin-wave excitations and thermodynamic properties of two types of ferrimagnetic chains are investigated: the alternating spin-1/2 spin-5/2 chain and a similar chain with a spin-1/2 pendant attached to the spin-5/2 site. Results for magnetic susceptibility, magnetization and specific heat are obtained through the finite-temperature Lanczos method with the aim in describing available experimental data, as well as comparison with theoretical results from the semiclassical approximation and the low-temperature susceptibility expansion derived from Takahashi's modified spin-wave theory. In particular, we study in detail the temperature vs. magnetic field phase diagram of the spin-1/2 spin-5/2 chain, in which several low-temperature quantum phases are identified: the Luttinger Liquid phase, the ferrimagnetic plateau and the fully polarized one, and the respective quantum critical points and crossover lines

Quantum Properties of a Which-Way Detector

We explore quantum properties of a which-way detector using three versions of an idealized two slit arrangements. Firstly we derive complementarity relations for the detector; secondly we show how the "experiment" may be altered in such a way that using single position measurement on the screen we can obtain quantum erasure. Finally we show how to construct a superposition of "wave" and "particle" components

Dependence of the Black-body Force on Spacetime Geometry and Topology

In this paper we compute the corrections to the black-body force (BBF) potential due to spacetime geometry and topology. This recently discovered attractive force on neutral atoms is caused by the thermal radiation emitted from black bodies and here we investigate it in relativistic gravitational systems with spherical and cylindrical symmetries. For some astrophysical objects we find that the corrected black-body potential is greater than the flat case, showing that this kind of correction can be quite relevant when curved spaces are considered. Then we consider four cases: The Schwarzschild spacetime, the global monopole, the non-relativistic infinity cylinder and the static cosmic string. For the spherically symmetric case of a massive body, we find that two corrections appear: One due to the gravitational modification of the temperature and the other due to the modification of the solid angle subtended by the atom. We apply the found results to a typical neutron star and to the Sun. For the global monopole, the modification in the black-body potential is of topological nature and it is due to the central solid angle deficit that occurs in the spacetime generated by that object. In the cylindrical case, which is locally flat, no gravitational correction to the temperature exists, as in the global monopole case. However, we find the curious fact that the BBF depends on the topology of the spacetime through the modification of the azimuthal angle and therefore of the solid angle. For the static cosmic string we find that the force is null for the zero thickness case.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Revised versio

Influence of interface potential on the effective mass in Ge nanostructures

The role of the interface potential on the effective mass of charge carriers is elucidated in this work. We develop a new theoretical formalism using a spatially dependent effective mass that is related to the magnitude of the interface potential. Using this formalism we studied Ge quantum dots (QDs) formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) and co-sputtering (sputter). These samples allowed us to isolate important consequences arising from differences in the interface potential. We found that for a higher interface potential, as in the case of PECVD QDs, there is a larger reduction in the effective mass, which increases the confinement energy with respect to the sputter sample. We further understood the action of O interface states by comparing our results with Ge QDs grown by molecular beam epitaxy. It is found that the O states can suppress the influence of the interface potential. From our theoretical formalism we determine the length scale over which the interface potential influences the effective mass