Wigner crystallization in quantum electron bilayers

The phase diagram of quantum electron bilayers in zero magnetic field is obtained using density functional theory. For large electron densities the system is in the liquid phase, while for smaller densities the liquid may freeze (Wigner crystallization) into four different crystalline phases; the lattice symmetry and the critical density depend on the the inter-layer distance. The phase boundaries between different Wigner crystals consist of both first and second order transitions, depending on the phases involved, and join the freezing curve at three different triple points.Comment: To appear in Europhys. Lett. (11 pages in REVTEX + 2 figures in postscript

Statics and dynamics of phase segregation in multicomponent fermion gas

We investigate the statics and dynamics of spatial phase segregation process of a mixture of fermion atoms in a harmonic trap using the density functional theory. The kinetic energy of the fermion gas is written in terms of the density and its gradients. Several cases have been studied by neglecting the gradient terms (the Thomas-Fermi limit) which are then compared with the Monte-Carlo results using the full gradient corrected kinetic energy. A linear instability analysis has been performed using the random-phase approximation. Near the onset of instability, the fastest unstable mode for spinodal decomposition is found to occur at $q=0$. However, in the strong coupling limit, many more modes with $q\approx K_F$ decay with comparable time scales.Comment: 14 figure

A Gate-Induced Switch in Zigzag Graphene Naoribbons and Charging Effects

Using non-equilibrium Green's function formalism, we investigate nonlinear transport and charging effects of gated graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with even number of zigzag chains. We find a negative differential resistance (NDR) over a wide range of gate voltages with on/off ratio $\sim 10^6$ for narrow enough ribbons. This NDR originates from the parity selection rule and also prohibition of transport between discontinues energy bands. Since the external field is well screened close to the contacts, the NDR is robust against the electrostatic potential. However, for voltages higher than the NDR threshold, due to charge transfer through the edges of ZGNR, screening is reduced such that the external potential can penetrate inside the ribbon giving rise to smaller values of off current. Furthermore, on/off ratio of the current depends on the aspect ratio of the length/width and also edge impurity. Moreover, on/off ratio displays a power law behavior as a function of ribbon length.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

Wigner Crystallization of a two dimensional electron gas in a magnetic field: single electrons versus electron pairs at the lattice sites

The ground state energy and the lowest excitations of a two dimensional Wigner crystal in a perpendicular magnetic field with one and two electrons per cell is investigated. In case of two electrons per lattice site, the interaction of the electrons {\em within} each cell is taken into account exactly (including exchange and correlation effects), and the interaction {\em between} the cells is in second order (dipole) van der Waals approximation. No further approximations are made, in particular Landau level mixing and {\em in}complete spin polarization are accounted for. Therefore, our calculation comprises a, roughly speaking, complementary description of the bubble phase (in the special case of one and two electrons per bubble), which was proposed by Koulakov, Fogler and Shklovskii on the basis of a Hartree Fock calculation. The phase diagram shows that in GaAs the paired phase is energetically more favorable than the single electron phase for, roughly speaking, filling factor $f$ larger than 0.3 and density parameter $r_s$ smaller than 19 effective Bohr radii (for a more precise statement see Fig.s 4 and 5). If we start within the paired phase and increase magnetic field or decrease density, the pairs first undergo some singlet- triplet transitions before they break.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Ground-state energy and compressibility of a disordered two-dimensional electron gas

Two-dimensional (2D) electron systems in the presence of disorder are of interest in connection with the observed metal-insulator transition in such systems. We use density functional theory in its local-spin density approximation (LSDA) to calculate the ground-state energy of a 2D electron system in the presence of remote charged impurities which up on averaging provides disorder. The inverse compressibility calculated from the ground-state energy exhibits a minimum at a critical density controlled by the disorder strength. Our findings are in agreement with experimental results. © World Scientific Publishing Company

Cold-Adapted Signal Proteins: NMR Structures of Pheromones from the Antarctic Ciliate Euplotes nobilii

Cell type-specific signal proteins, known as pheromones, are synthesized by ciliated protozoa in association with their self/nonself mating-type systems, and are utilized to control the vegetative growth and mating stages of their life cycle. In species of the most ubiquitous ciliate, Euplotes, these pheromones form families of structurally homologous molecules, which are constitutively secreted into the extracellular environment, from where they can be isolated in sufficient amounts for chemical characterization. This paper describes the NMR structures of En-1 and En-2, which are members of the cold-adapted pheromone family produced by Euplotes nobilii, a species inhabiting the freezing coastal waters of Antarctica. The structures were determined with the proteins from the natural source, using homonuclear 1H NMR techniques in combination with automated NOESY peak picking and NOE assignment. En-1 and En-2 have highly homologous global folds, which consist of a central three-a-helix bundle with an up-down-up topology and a 310-helical turn near the N-terminus. This fold is stabilized by four disulfide bonds and the helices are connected by bulging loops. Apparent structural specificity resides in the variable C-terminal regions of the pheromones.TheNMRstructures ofEn-1 and En-2 provide novel insights into the cold-adaptive modifications that distinguish the E. nobilii pheromone family from the closely related E. raikovi pheromone family isolated from temperate waters

Negative differential resistance in molecular junctions: application to graphene ribbon junctions

Using self-consistent calculations based on Non-Equilibrium Green's Function (NEGF) formalism, the origin of negative differential resistance (NDR) in molecular junctions and quantum wires is investigated. Coupling of the molecule to electrodes becomes asymmetric at high bias due to asymmetry between its highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels. This causes appearance of an asymmetric potential profile due to a depletion of charge and reduction of screening near the source electrode. With increasing bias, this sharp potential drop leads to an enhanced localization of the HOMO and LUMO states in different parts of the system. The reduction in overlap, caused by localization, results in a significant reduction in the transmission coefficient and current with increasing bias. An atomic chain connected to two Graphene ribbons was investigated to illustrate these effects. For a chain substituting a molecule, an even-odd effect is also observed in the NDR characteristics.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Multiple Functionality in Nanotube Transistors

Calculations of quantum transport in a carbon nanotube transistor show that such a device offers unique functionality. It can operate as a ballistic field-effect transistor, with excellent characteristics even when scaled to 10 nm dimensions. At larger gate voltages, channel inversion leads to resonant tunneling through an electrostatically defined nanoscale quantum dot. Thus the transistor becomes a gated resonant tunelling device, with negative differential resistance at a tunable threshold. For the dimensions considered here, the device operates in the Coulomb blockade regime, even at room temperature.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Let