44,297 research outputs found
Emergent Nesting of the Fermi Surface from Local-Moment Description of Iron-Pnictide High-Tc Superconductors
We uncover the low-energy spectrum of a t-J model for electrons on a square
lattice of spin-1 iron atoms with 3dxz and 3dyz orbital character by applying
Schwinger-boson-slave-fermion mean-field theory and by exact diagonalization of
one hole roaming over a 4 x 4 x 2 lattice. Hopping matrix elements are set to
produce hole bands centered at zero two-dimensional (2D) momentum in the
free-electron limit. Holes can propagate coherently in the t-J model below a
threshold Hund coupling when long-range antiferromagnetic order across the d+ =
3d(x+iy)z and d- = 3d(x-iy)z orbitals is established by magnetic frustration
that is off-diagonal in the orbital indices. This leads to two hole-pocket
Fermi surfaces centered at zero 2D momentum. Proximity to a commensurate
spin-density wave (cSDW) that exists above the threshold Hund coupling results
in emergent Fermi surface pockets about cSDW momenta at a quantum critical
point (QCP). This motivates the introduction of a new Gutzwiller wavefunction
for a cSDW metal state. Study of the spin-fluctuation spectrum at cSDW momenta
indicates that the dispersion of the nested band of one-particle states that
emerges is electron-type. Increasing Hund coupling past the QCP can push the
hole-pocket Fermi surfaces centered at zero 2D momentum below the Fermi energy
level, in agreement with recent determinations of the electronic structure of
mono-layer iron-selenide superconductors.Comment: 41 pages, 12 figures, published versio
Controlled nucleation of topological defects in the stripe domain patterns of Lateral multilayers with Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy: competition between magnetostatic, exchange and misfit interactions
Magnetic lateral multilayers have been fabricated on weak perpendicular
magnetic anisotropy amorphous Nd-Co films in order to perform a systematic
study on the conditions for controlled nucleation of topological defects within
their magnetic stripe domain pattern. A lateral thickness modulation of period
is defined on the nanostructured samples that, in turn, induces a lateral
modulation of both magnetic stripe domain periods and average
in-plane magnetization component . Depending on lateral multilayer
period and in-plane applied field, thin and thick regions switch independently
during in-plane magnetization reversal and domain walls are created within the
in-plane magnetization configuration coupled to variable angle grain boundaries
and disclinations within the magnetic stripe domain patterns. This process is
mainly driven by the competition between rotatable anisotropy (that couples the
magnetic stripe pattern to in-plane magnetization) and in-plane shape
anisotropy induced by the periodic thickness modulation. However, as the
structural period becomes comparable to magnetic stripe period ,
the nucleation of topological defects at the interfaces between thin and thick
regions is hindered by a size effect and stripe domains in the different
thickness regions become strongly coupled.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Physical Review
Fermion Analogy for Layered Superconducting Films in Parallel Magnetic Field
The equivalence between the Lawrence-Doniach model for films of extreme
type-II layered superconductors and a generalization of the back-scattering
model for spin-1/2 electrons in one dimension is demonstrated. This fermion
analogy is then exploited to obtain an anomalous tail for
the parallel equilibrium magnetization of the minimal double layer case in the
limit of high parallel magnetic fields for temperatures in the
critical regime.Comment: 11 pages of plain TeX, 1 postscript figur
Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition in Spin-Charge Separated Superconductor
A model for spin-charge separated superconductivity in two dimensions is
introduced where the phases of the spinon and holon order parameters couple
gauge-invariantly to a statistical gauge-field representing chiral
spin-fluctuations. The model is analyzed in the continuum limit and in the
low-temperature limit. In both cases we find that physical electronic phase
correlations show a superconducting-normal phase transition of the
Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless type, while statistical gauge-field excitations
are found to be strictly gapless. The normal-to-superconductor phase boundary
for this model is also obtained as a function of carrier density, where we find
that its shape compares favorably with that of the experimentally observed
phase diagram for the oxide superconductors.Comment: 35 pages, TeX, CSLA-P-93-
Nesting Induced Peierls-type Instability for Compressed Li-CI16
Alkalies are considered to be simple metals at ambient conditions. However,
recently reported theoretical and experimental results have shown an unexpected
and intriguing correlation between complex structures and an enhanced
superconducting transition temperature in lithium under pressure. In this
article we analyze the pressure induced Fermi surface deformation in bcc
lithium, and its relation to the observed cI16 structure. According to our
calculations, the Fermi surface becomes increasingly anisotropic with pressure
and develops an extended nesting along the bcc [121] direction. This nesting
induces a phonon instability of both transverse modes at N, so that a
Peierls-type mechanism is proposed to explain the stability of Li-cI16.Comment: Proceedings of Fukuoka 2006 Conference on Novel Pressure-induced
Phenomena in Condensed Matter Systems. To be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn.
2 pages and 3 figure
Direct Measurement of Periodic Electric Forces in Liquids
The electric forces acting on an atomic force microscope tip in solution have
been measured using a microelectrochemical cell formed by two periodically
biased electrodes. The forces were measured as a function of lift height and
bias amplitude and frequency, providing insight into electrostatic interactions
in liquids. Real-space mapping of the vertical and lateral components of
electrostatic forces acting on the tip from the deflection and torsion of the
cantilever is demonstrated. This method enables direct probing of electrostatic
and convective forces involved in electrophoretic and dielectroforetic
self-assembly and electrical tweezer operation in liquid environments
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