The coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism in nano-scale metallic grains

A nano-scale metallic grain in which the single-particle dynamics are chaotic is described by the so-called universal Hamiltonian. This Hamiltonian includes a superconducting pairing term and a ferromagnetic exchange term that compete with each other: pairing correlations favor minimal ground-state spin, while the exchange interaction favors maximal spin polarization. Of particular interest is the fluctuation-dominated regime where the bulk pairing gap is comparable to or smaller than the single-particle mean level spacing and the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory of superconductivity breaks down. Superconductivity and ferromagnetism can coexist in this regime. We identify signatures of the competition between superconductivity and ferromagnetism in a number of quantities: ground-state spin, conductance fluctuations when the grain is weakly coupled to external leads and the thermodynamic properties of the grain, such as heat capacity and spin susceptibility.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures, Proceedings of the Conference on the Frontiers of Quantum and Mesoscopic Thermodynamics (FQMT11

Bound hole states in a ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As environment

A numerical technique is developed to solve the Luttinger-Kohn equation for impurity states directly in k-space and is applied to calculate bound hole wave functions in a ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As host. The rich properties of the band structure of an arbitrarily strained, ferromagnetic zinc-blende semiconductor yields various features which have direct impact on the detailed shape of a valence band hole bound to an active impurity. The role of strain is discussed on the basis of explicit calculations of bound hole states.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

On Superalgebras of Matrices with Symmetry Properties

It is known that semi-magic square matrices form a 2-graded algebra or superalgebra with the even and odd subspaces under centre-point reflection symmetry as the two components. We show that other symmetries which have been studied for square matrices give rise to similar superalgebra structures, pointing to novel symmetry types in their complementary parts. In particular, this provides a unifying framework for the composite `most perfect square' symmetry and the related class of `reversible squares'; moreover, the semi-magic square algebra is identified as part of a 2-gradation of the general square matrix algebra. We derive explicit representation formulae for matrices of all symmetry types considered, which can be used to construct all such matrices.Comment: 25 page

No new limit on the size distribution of gamma-ray bursts

The results of a study (Carter et. al.) of gamma ray bursts using long duration balloon exposure are analyzed. Arguments are presented against the conclusion that the size spectrum extrapolates to a power law with index from -1.0 to -0.5, and that therefore the gamma ray bursts are of galactic origin. It is claimed that the data are consistent with an upper limit over 100 times that proposed, and that therefore no conclusion can be drawn from the measurements regarding the nature or origin of gamma ray bursts. The resulting upper limit to the rate of occurrence of small bursts lies above the -1.5 index power law extrapolation of the size spectrum of known events, i.e., greater than the rate expected from an infinitely extended source region

A biomimetic nanofluidic diode based on surface-modified polymeric carbon nitride nanotubes

A controllable ion transport including ion selectivity and ion rectification across nanochannels or porous membranes is of great importance because of potential applications ranging from biosensing to energy conversion. Here, a nanofluidic ion diode was realized by modifying carbon nitride nanotubes with different molecules yielding an asymmetric surface charge that allows for ion rectification. With the advantages of low-cost, thermal and mechanical robustness, and simple fabrication process, carbon nitride nanotubes with ion rectification have the potential to be used in salinity-gradient energy conversion and ion sensor systems

Pfaffian pairing wave functions in electronic structure quantum Monte Carlo

We investigate the accuracy of trial wave function for quantum Monte Carlo based on pfaffian functional form with singlet and triplet pairing. Using a set of first row atoms and molecules we find that these wave functions provide very consistent and systematic behavior in recovering the correlation energies on the level of 95%. In order to get beyond this limit we explore the possibilities of multi-pfaffian pairing wave functions. We show that a small number of pfaffians recovers another large fraction of the missing correlation energy comparable to the larger-scale configuration interaction wave functions. We also find that pfaffians lead to substantial improvements in fermion nodes when compared to Hartree-Fock wave functions.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, submitted to PR