Weak localization of bulk channels in topological insulator thin film

Weak antilocalization (WAL) is expected whenever strong spin-orbit coupling or scattering comes into play. Spin-orbit coupling in the bulk states of a topological insulator is very strong, enough to result in the topological phase transition. However, the recently observed WAL in topological insulators seems to have an ambiguous origin from the bulk states. Starting from the effective model for three-dimensional topological insulators, we find that the lowest two-dimensional (2D) bulk subbands of a topological insulator thin film can be described by the modified massive Dirac model. We derive the magnetoconductivity formula for both the 2D bulk subbands and surface bands. Because with Relatively large gap, the 2D bulk subbands may lie in the regimes where the unitary behavior or even weak localization (WL) is also expected, instead of always WAL. As a result, the bulk states may contribute small magnetoconductivity or even compensate the WAL from the surface states. Inflection in magnetoconductivity curves may appear when the bulk WL channels outnumber the surface WAL channels, providing a signature of the weak localization from the bulk states.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

A complete FFT-based decomposition formalism for the redshift-space bispectrum

To fully extract cosmological information from nonlinear galaxy distribution in redshift space, it is essential to include higher-order statistics beyond the two-point correlation function. In this paper, we propose a new decomposition formalism for computing the anisotropic bispectrum in redshift space and for measuring it from galaxy samples. Our formalism uses tri-polar spherical harmonic decomposition with zero total angular momentum to compress the 3D modes distribution in the redshift-space bispectrum. This approach preserves three fundamental properties of the Universe: statistical homogeneity, isotropy, and parity-symmetry, allowing us to efficiently separate the anisotropic signal induced by redshift-space distortions (RSDs) and the Alcock-Paczy\'{n}ski (AP) effect from the isotropic bispectrum. The relevant expansion coefficients in terms of the anisotropic signal are reduced to one multipole index $L$, and the $L> 0$ modes are induced only by the RSD or AP effects. Our formalism has two advantages: (1) we can make use of Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) to measure the bispectrum; (2) it gives a simple expression to correct for the survey geometry, i.e., the survey window function. As a demonstration, we measure the decomposed bispectrum from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Data Release 12, and, for the first time, present a $14\sigma$ detection of the anisotropic bispectrum in the $L=2$ mode.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figure

The Glashow resonance as a discriminator of UHE cosmic neutrinos originating from p-gamma and p-p collisions

We re-examine the interesting possibility of utilizing the Glashow resonance (GR) channel nu_ebar + e^- to W^- to anything to discriminate between the UHE cosmic neutrinos originating from p-gamma and pp collisions in an optically thin source of cosmic rays. We propose a general parametrization of the initial neutrino flavor composition by allowing the ratios Phi^{p gamma}_{pi^-}/Phi^{p gamma}_{pi^+} and Phi^{pp}_{pi^-}/Phi^{pp}_{pi^+} to slightly deviate from their conventional values. A relationship between the typical source parameter kappa = (Phi^{p gamma}_{pi^+} + Phi^{p gamma}_{pi^-})/(Phi^{pp}_{pi^+} + Phi^{pp}_{pi^-} + Phi^{p gamma}_{pi^+} + Phi^{p gamma}_{pi^-}) and the working observable of the GR R_0 = Phi^T_{nu_ebar}/ (Phi^T_{nu_mu} + Phi^T_{nu_mu}) at a neutrino telescope is derived, and the numerical dependence of R_0 on kappa is illustrated by taking account of the latest experimental data on three neutrino mixing angles. It is shown that a measurement of R_0 is in principle possible to identify the pure p-gamma interaction (kappa =1), the pure pp interaction (kappa =0) or a mixture of both of them (0 < kappa < 1) at a given source of UHE cosmic neutrinos. The event rate of the GR signal against the background is also estimated.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, final version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Supernova bound on keV-mass sterile neutrinos reexamined

Active-sterile neutrino mixing is strongly constrained for m_s > 100 keV to avoid excessive energy losses from supernova cores. For smaller m_s, matter effects suppress the effective mixing angle except for a resonant range of energies where it is enhanced. We study the case of \nu_tau-\nu_s-mixing where a \nu_tau-\bar\nu_tau asymmetry builds up due to the strong excess of \nu_s over \bar\nu_s emission or vice versa, reducing the overall emission rate. In the warm dark matter range m_s < 10 keV the mixing angle is essentially unconstrained.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures; minor changes, references updated, matches the published versio

Using spin bias to manipulate and measure quantum spin in quantum dots

A double-quantum-dot coupled to electrodes with spin-dependent splitting of chemical potentials (spin bias) is investigated theoretically by means of the Green's functions formalism. By applying a large spin bias, the quantum spin in a quantum dot (the dot 1) can be manipulated in a fully electrical manner. To noninvasively monitor the manipulation of the quantum spin in the dot 1, it is proposed that the second quantum dot (the dot 2) is weakly coupled to the dot 1. In the presence of the exchange interaction between the two dots, the polarized spin in the dot 1 behaves like an effective magnetic field and weakly polarizes the spin in the nearby quantum dot 2. By applying a very small spin bias to the dot 2, the spin-dependent transport through the dot 2 can be probed, allowing the spin polarization in the dot 1 to be identified nondestructively. These two steps form a complete scheme to manipulate a trapped spin while permitting this manipulation to be monitored in the double-dot system using pure electric approaches

State Concentration Exponent as a Measure of Quickness in Kauffman-type Networks

We study the dynamics of randomly connected networks composed of binary Boolean elements and those composed of binary majority vote elements. We elucidate their differences in both sparsely and densely connected cases. The quickness of large network dynamics is usually quantified by the length of transient paths, an analytically intractable measure. For discrete-time dynamics of networks of binary elements, we address this dilemma with an alternative unified framework by using a concept termed state concentration, defined as the exponent of the average number of t-step ancestors in state transition graphs. The state transition graph is defined by nodes corresponding to network states and directed links corresponding to transitions. Using this exponent, we interrogate the dynamics of random Boolean and majority vote networks. We find that extremely sparse Boolean networks and majority vote networks with arbitrary density achieve quickness, owing in part to long-tailed in-degree distributions. As a corollary, only relatively dense majority vote networks can achieve both quickness and robustness.Comment: 6 figure

Spin resolved Hall effect driven by spin-orbit coupling

Spin and electric Hall currents are calculated numerically in a two-dimensional mesoscopic system with Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling by means of the Landauer-Buttiker formalism. It is found that both electric and spin Hall currents circulate when two spin-orbit couplings coexist, while the electric Hall conductance vanishes if either one is absent. The electric and spin Hall conductances are suppressed in strong disorder, but survive in weak disorder. Physically it can be understood that the spinomotive transverse "force" generated by spin-orbit coupling is responsible for the formation of the spin Hall current and the lack of transverse reflection symmetry is the origin of the electric Hall current.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure