755 research outputs found
Density-functional calculation of ionization energies of current-carrying atomic states
Current-density-functional theory is used to calculate ionization energies of
current-carrying atomic states. A perturbative approximation to full
current-density-functional theory is implemented for the first time, and found
to be numerically feasible. Different parametrizations for the
current-dependence of the density functional are critically compared. Orbital
currents in open-shell atoms turn out to produce a small shift in the
ionization energies. We find that modern density functionals have reached an
accuracy at which small current-related terms appearing in open-shell
configurations are not negligible anymore compared to the remaining difference
to experiment.Comment: 7 pages, 2 tables, accepted by Phys. Rev.
The generator coordinate method in time-dependent density-functional theory: memory made simple
The generator coordinate (GC) method is a variational approach to the quantum
many-body problem in which interacting many-body wave functions are constructed
as superpositions of (generally nonorthogonal) eigenstates of auxiliary
Hamiltonians containing a deformation parameter. This paper presents a
time-dependent extension of the GC method as a new approach to improve existing
approximations of the exchange-correlation (XC) potential in time-dependent
density-functional theory (TDDFT). The time-dependent GC method is shown to be
a conceptually and computationally simple tool to build memory effects into any
existing adiabatic XC potential. As an illustration, the method is applied to
driven parametric oscillations of two interacting electrons in a harmonic
potential (Hooke's atom). It is demonstrated that a proper choice of
time-dependent generator coordinates in conjunction with the adiabatic
local-density approximation reproduces the exact linear and nonlinear
two-electron dynamics quite accurately, including features associated with
double excitations that cannot be captured by TDDFT in the adiabatic
approximation.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figure
Assessing does not mean threatening : the purpose of assessment as a key determinant of girls' and boys' performance in a science class
International audienceDans le domaine scientifique, plusieurs travaux pointent les performances plus faibles des filles, en comparaison de celles obtenues par les garçons, surtout lorsque la situation évaluative active le stéréotype négatif supposé à propos de leurs capacités. L'originalité de cette recherche a été de ne pas répliquer un effet de menace du stéréotype, cette étude a testé l'efficacité d'une évaluation orientée vers la maîtrise en gardant le caractère évaluatif de la situation et surtout a permis de prouver que cette situation offrait un environnement d'apprentissage équitable pour les filles et les garçons
Spin gaps and spin-flip energies in density-functional theory
Energy gaps are crucial aspects of the electronic structure of finite and
extended systems. Whereas much is known about how to define and calculate
charge gaps in density-functional theory (DFT), and about the relation between
these gaps and derivative discontinuities of the exchange-correlation
functional, much less is know about spin gaps. In this paper we give
density-functional definitions of spin-conserving gaps, spin-flip gaps and the
spin stiffness in terms of many-body energies and in terms of single-particle
(Kohn-Sham) energies. Our definitions are as analogous as possible to those
commonly made in the charge case, but important differences between spin and
charge gaps emerge already on the single-particle level because unlike the
fundamental charge gap spin gaps involve excited-state energies. Kohn-Sham and
many-body spin gaps are predicted to differ, and the difference is related to
derivative discontinuities that are similar to, but distinct from, those
usually considered in the case of charge gaps. Both ensemble DFT and
time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) can be used to calculate these spin discontinuities
from a suitable functional. We illustrate our findings by evaluating our
definitions for the Lithium atom, for which we calculate spin gaps and spin
discontinuities by making use of near-exact Kohn-Sham eigenvalues and,
independently, from the single-pole approximation to TDDFT. The many-body
corrections to the Kohn-Sham spin gaps are found to be negative, i.e., single
particle calculations tend to overestimate spin gaps while they underestimate
charge gaps.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, 3 table
Andreev reflection and Klein tunneling in graphene
This is a colloquium-style introduction to two electronic processes in a
carbon monolayer (graphene), each having an analogue in relativistic quantum
mechanics. Both processes couple electron-like and hole-like states, through
the action of either a superconducting pair potential or an electrostatic
potential. The first process, Andreev reflection, is the electron-to-hole
conversion at the interface with a superconductor. The second process, Klein
tunneling, is the tunneling through a p-n junction. Existing and proposed
experiments on Josephson junctions and bipolar junctions in graphene are
discussed from a unified perspective.
CONTENTS:
I. INTRODUCTION
II. BASIC PHYSICS OF GRAPHENE (Dirac equation; Time reversal symmetry;
Boundary conditions; Pseudo-diffusive dynamics)
III. ANDREEV REFLECTION (Electron-hole conversion; Retro-reflection vs.
specular reflection; Dirac-Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation; Josephson junctions;
Further reading)
IV. KLEIN TUNNELING (Absence of backscattering; Bipolar junctions; Magnetic
field effects; Further reading)
V. ANALOGIES (Mapping between NS and p-n junction; Retro-reflection vs.
negative refraction; Valley-isospin dependent quantum Hall effect;
Pseudo-superconductivity)Comment: 20 pages, 28 figures; "Colloquium" for Reviews of Modern Physic
Degenerate ground states and nonunique potentials: breakdown and restoration of density functionals
The Hohenberg-Kohn (HK) theorem is one of the most fundamental theorems of
quantum mechanics, and constitutes the basis for the very successful
density-functional approach to inhomogeneous interacting many-particle systems.
Here we show that in formulations of density-functional theory (DFT) that
employ more than one density variable, applied to systems with a degenerate
ground state, there is a subtle loophole in the HK theorem, as all mappings
between densities, wave functions and potentials can break down. Two weaker
theorems which we prove here, the joint-degeneracy theorem and the
internal-energy theorem, restore the internal, total and exchange-correlation
energy functionals to the extent needed in applications of DFT to atomic,
molecular and solid-state physics and quantum chemistry. The joint-degeneracy
theorem constrains the nature of possible degeneracies in general many-body
systems
Membrane-in-the-middle optomechanics with a soft-clamped membrane at milliKelvin temperatures
Soft-clamped silicon nitride membrane resonators reach coherence times tau in
excess of 100 ms at milliKelvin bath temperatures. However, harnessing strong
optomechanical coupling in dry dilution refrigerators remains challenging due
to vibration issues and heating by optical absorption. Here, we propose to
address these issues with an actuator-free optical cavity and mechanical
resonator design, in which the cavity is mounted on a simple
vibration-isolation platform. We observe dynamical backaction when the cavity
is driven with a free-space optical beam stabilized close to the red sideband
using a two-beam locking scheme. Finally, we characterize the effect of
absorption heating on the coherence time, and find a scaling with the
intracavity power P as tau proportional to P to the power of -(0.34+/-0.04)
Lower Bounds on the Exchange-Correlation Energy in Reduced Dimensions
Bounds on the exchange-correlation energy of many-electron systems are
derived and tested. By using universal scaling properties of the
electron-electron interaction, we obtain the exponent of the bounds in three,
two, one, and quasi-one dimensions. From the properties of the electron gas in
the dilute regime, the tightest estimate to date is given for the numerical
prefactor of the bound, which is crucial in practical applications. Numerical
tests on various low-dimensional systems are in line with the bounds obtained,
and give evidence of an interesting dimensional crossover between two and one
dimensions
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