Multiband effects on the conductivity for a multiband Hubbard model

The newly discovered iron-based superconductors have attracted lots of interests, and the corresponding theoretical studies suggest that the system should have six bands. In this paper, we study the multiband effects on the conductivity based on the exact solutions of one-dimensional two-band Hubbard model. We find that the orbital degree of freedom might enhance the critical value $U_c$ of on-site interaction of the transition from a metal to an insulator. This observation is helpful to understand why undoped High-$T_c$ superconductors are usually insulators, while recently discovered iron-based superconductors are metal. Our results imply that the orbital degree of freedom in the latter cases might play an essential role.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Pinned Low Energy Electronic Excitation in Metal Exchanged Vanadium Oxide Nanoscrolls

We measured the optical properties of mixed valent vanadium oxide nanoscrolls and their metal exchanged derivatives in order to investigate the charge dynamics in these compounds. In contrast to the prediction of a metallic state for the metal exchanged derivatives within a rigid band model, we find that the injected charges in Mn$^{2+}$ exchanged vanadium oxide nanoscrolls are pinned. A low-energy electronic excitation associated with the pinned carriers appears in the far infrared and persists at low temperature, suggesting that the nanoscrolls are weak metals in their bulk form, dominated by inhomogeneous charge disproportionation and Madelung energy effects.Comment: 4 figure

Evolution of Magnetism in Single-Crystal Honeycomb Iridates

We report the successful synthesis of single-crystals of the layered iridate, (Na$_{1-x}$Li$_{x}$)$_2$IrO$_3$, $0\leq x \leq 0.9$, and a thorough study of its structural, magnetic, thermal and transport properties. The new compound allows a controlled interpolation between Na$_2$IrO$_3$ and Li$_2$IrO$_3$, while maintaing the novel quantum magnetism of the honeycomb Ir$^{4+}$ planes. The measured phase diagram demonstrates a dramatic suppression of the N\'eel temperature, $T_N$, at intermediate $x$ suggesting that the magnetic order in Na$_2$IrO$_3$ and Li$_2$IrO$_3$ are distinct, and that at $x\approx 0.7$, the compound is close to a magnetically disordered phase that has been sought after in Na$_2$IrO$_3$ and Li$_2$IrO$_3$. By analyzing our magnetic data with a simple theoretical model we also show that the trigonal splitting, on the Ir$^{4+}$ ions changes sign from Na$_2$IrO$_3$ and Li$_2$IrO$_3$, and the honeycomb iridates are in the strong spin-orbit coupling regime, controlled by \jeff=1/2 moments.Comment: updated version with more dat

Competing Ground States in Triple-layered Sr4Ru3O10: Verging on Itinerant Ferromagnetism with Critical Fluctuations

Sr4Ru3O10 is characterized by a sharp metamagnetic transition and ferromagnetic behavior occurring within the basal plane and along the c-axis, respectively. Resistivity at magnetic field, B, exhibits low-frequency quantum oscillations when B||c-axis and large magnetoresistivity accompanied by critical fluctuations driven by the metamagnetism when B^c-axis. The complex behavior evidenced in resistivity, magnetization and specific heat presented is not characteristic of any obvious ground states, and points to an exotic state that shows a delicate balance between fluctuations and order.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure

Efficient energy transfer in light-harvesting systems, I: optimal temperature, reorganization energy, and spatial-temporal correlations

Understanding the mechanisms of efficient and robust energy transfer in light-harvesting systems provides new insights for the optimal design of artificial systems. In this paper, we use the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) protein complex and phycocyanin 645 (PC 645) to explore the general dependence on physical parameters that help maximize the efficiency and maintain its stability. With the Haken-Strobl model, the maximal energy transfer efficiency (ETE) is achieved under an intermediate optimal value of dephasing rate. To avoid the infinite temperature assumption in the Haken-Strobl model and the failure of the Redfield equation in predicting the Forster rate behavior, we use the generalized Bloch-Redfield (GBR) equation approach to correctly describe dissipative exciton dynamics and find that maximal ETE can be achieved under various physical conditions, including temperature, reorganization energy, and spatial-temporal correlations in noise. We also identify regimes of reorganization energy where the ETE changes monotonically with temperature or spatial correlation and therefore cannot be optimized with respect to these two variables

From Jeff=1/2 insulator to p-wave superconductor in single-crystal Sr2Ir1-xRuxO4 (0 < x< 1)

Sr2IrO4 is a magnetic insulator assisted by strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) whereas the Sr2RuO4 is a p-wave superconductor. The contrasting ground states have been shown to result from the critical role of the strong SOC in the iridate. Our investigation of structural, transport, and magnetic properties reveals that substituting 4d Ru4+ (4d4) ions for 5d Ir4+(5d5) ions in Sr2IrO4 directly adds holes to the t2g bands, reduces the SOC and thus rebalances the competing energies in single-crystal Sr2Ir1-xRuxO4. A profound effect of Ru doping driving a rich phase diagram is a structural phase transition from a distorted I41/acd to a more ideal I4/mmm tetragonal structure near x=0.50 that accompanies a phase transition from an antiferromagnetic-insulating state to a paramagnetic-metal state. We also make a comparison drawn with Rh doped Sr2IrO4, highlighting important similarities and differences.Comment: 18 pages,7 figure

Current-Voltage Characteristics of Long-Channel Nanobundle Thin-Film Transistors: A Bottom-up Perspective

By generalizing the classical linear response theory of stick percolation to nonlinear regime, we find that the drain current of a Nanobundle Thin Film Transistor (NB-TFT) is described under a rather general set of conditions by a universal scaling formula ID = A/LS g(LS/LC, rho_S * LS * LS) f(VG, VD), where A is a technology-specific constant, g is function of geometrical factors like stick length (LS), channel length (LC), and stick density (rho_S) and f is a function of drain (VD) and gate (VG) biasing conditions. This scaling formula implies that the measurement of full I-V characteristics of a single NB-TFT is sufficient to predict the performance characteristics of any other transistor with arbitrary geometrical parameters and biasing conditions