Detection of charge motion in a non-metallic silicon isolated double quantum dot

As semiconductor device dimensions are reduced to the nanometer scale, effects of high defect density surfaces on the transport properties become important to the extent that the metallic character that prevails in large and highly doped structures is lost and the use of quantum dots for charge sensing becomes complex. Here we have investigated the mechanism behind the detection of electron motion inside an electrically isolated double quantum dot that is capacitively coupled to a single electron transistor, both fabricated from highly phosphorous doped silicon wafers. Despite, the absence of a direct charge transfer between the detector and the double dot structure, an efficient detection is obtained. In particular, unusually large Coulomb peak shifts in gate voltage are observed. Results are explained in terms of charge rearrangement and the presence of inelastic cotunneling via states at the periphery of the single electron transistor dot

Global attractors for Cahn-Hilliard equations with non constant mobility

We address, in a three-dimensional spatial setting, both the viscous and the standard Cahn-Hilliard equation with a nonconstant mobility coefficient. As it was shown in J.W. Barrett and J.W. Blowey, Math. Comp., 68 (1999), 487-517, one cannot expect uniqueness of the solution to the related initial and boundary value problems. Nevertheless, referring to J. Ball's theory of generalized semiflows, we are able to prove existence of compact quasi-invariant global attractors for the associated dynamical processes settled in the natural "finite energy" space. A key point in the proof is a careful use of the energy equality, combined with the derivation of a "local compactness" estimate for systems with supercritical nonlinearities, which may have an independent interest. Under growth restrictions on the configuration potential, we also show existence of a compact global attractor for the semiflow generated by the (weaker) solutions to the nonviscous equation characterized by a "finite entropy" condition

Large-N phase transition in lattice 2-d principal chiral models

We investigate the large-N critical behavior of 2-d lattice chiral models by Monte Carlo simulations of U(N) and SU(N) groups at large N. Numerical results confirm strong coupling analyses, i.e. the existence of a large-N second order phase transition at a finite $\beta_c$.Comment: 12 pages, Revtex, 8 uuencoded postscript figure

SU(N) chiral gauge theories on the lattice

We extend the construction of lattice chiral gauge theories based on non-perturbative gauge fixing to the non-abelian case. A key ingredient is that fermion doublers can be avoided at a novel type of critical point which is only accessible through gauge fixing, as we have shown before in the abelian case. The new ingredient allowing us to deal with the non-abelian case as well is the use of equivariant gauge fixing, which handles Gribov copies correctly, and avoids Neuberger's no-go theorem. We use this method in order to gauge fix the non-abelian group (which we will take to be SU(N)) down to its maximal abelian subgroup. Obtaining an undoubled, chiral fermion content requires us to gauge-fix also the remaining abelian gauge symmetry. This modifies the equivariant BRST identities, but their use in proving unitarity remains intact, as we show in perturbation theory. On the lattice, equivariant BRST symmetry as well as the abelian gauge invariance are broken, and a judiciously chosen irrelevant term must be added to the lattice gauge-fixing action in order to have access to the desired critical point in the phase diagram. We argue that gauge invariance is restored in the continuum limit by adjusting a finite number of counter terms. We emphasize that weak-coupling perturbation theory applies at the critical point which defines the continuum limit of our lattice chiral gauge theory.Comment: 39 pages, 3 figures, A number of clarifications adde

Dynamics of magnetization coupled to a thermal bath of elastic modes

We study the dynamics of magnetization coupled to a thermal bath of elastic modes using a system plus reservoir approach with realistic magnetoelastic coupling. After integrating out the elastic modes we obtain a self-contained equation for the dynamics of the magnetization. We find explicit expressions for the memory friction kernel and hence, {\em via} the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem, for the spectral density of the magnetization thermal fluctuations. For magnetic samples in which the single domain approximation is valid, we derive an equation for the dynamics of the uniform mode. Finally we apply this equation to study the dynamics of the uniform magnetization mode in insulating ferromagnetic thin films. As experimental consequences we find that the fluctuation correlation time is of the order of the ratio between the film thickness, $h$, and the speed of sound in the magnet and that the line-width of the ferromagnetic resonance peak should scale as $B_1^2h$ where $B_1$ is the magnetoelastic coupling constant.Comment: Revised version as appeared in print. 12 pages 9 figure

Competition between excitonic gap generation and disorder scattering in graphene

We study the disorder effect on the excitonic gap generation caused by strong Coulomb interaction in graphene. By solving the self-consistently coupled equations of dynamical fermion gap $m$ and disorder scattering rate $\Gamma$, we found a critical line on the plane of interaction strength $\lambda$ and disorder strength $g$. The phase diagram is divided into two regions: in the region with large $\lambda$ and small $g$, $m \neq 0$ and $\Gamma = 0$; in the other region, $m = 0$ and $\Gamma \neq 0$ for nonzero $g$. In particular, there is no coexistence of finite fermion gap and finite scattering rate. These results imply a strong competition between excitonic gap generation and disorder scattering. This conclusion does not change when an additional contact four-fermion interaction is included. For sufficiently large $\lambda$, the growing disorder may drive a quantum phase transition from an excitonic insulator to a metal.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

Entanglement Controlled Single-Electron Transmittivity

We consider a system consisting of single electrons moving along a 1D wire in the presence of two magnetic impurities. Such system shows strong analogies with a Fabry - Perot interferometer in which the impurities play the role of two mirrors with a quantum degree of freedom: the spin. We have analysed the electron transmittivity of the wire in the presence of entanglement between the impurity spins. The main result of our analysis is that, for suitable values of the electron momentum, there are two maximally entangled state of the impurity spins the first of which makes the wire transparent whatever the electron spin state while the other strongly inhibits the electron transmittivity. Such predicted striking effect is experimentally observable with present day technology.Comment: Published version (6 figures

The effects of superconductor-stabilizer interfacial resistance on quench of a pancake coil made out of coated conductor

We present the results of numerical analysis of normal zone propagation in a stack of $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-x}$ coated conductors which imitates a pancake coil. Our main purpose is to determine whether the quench protection quality of such coils can be substantially improved by increased contact resistance between the superconducting film and the stabilizer. We show that with increased contact resistance the speed of normal zone propagation increases, the detection of a normal zone inside the coil becomes possible earlier, when the peak temperature inside the normal zone is lower, and stability margins shrink. Thus, increasing contact resistance may become a viable option for improving the prospects of coated conductors for high $T_c$ magnets applications.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure