Anderson orthogonality catastrophe in realistic quantum dots

We study Anderson orthogonality catastrophe (AOC) for an parabolic quantum dot (PQD), one of the experimentally realizable few-electron systems. The finite number of electrons in PQD causes AOC to be incomplete, with a broad distribution of many-body overlaps. This is a signature of mesoscopic fluctuations and is in agreement with earlier results obtained for chaotic quantum dots. Here, we focus on the effects of degeneracies in PQDs, realized through their inherent shell structures, on AOC. We find rich and interesting behaviours as a function of the strength and position of the perturbation, the system size, and the applied magnetic field. In particular, even for weak perturbations, we observe a pronounced AOC which is related to the degeneracy of energy levels. Most importantly, the power law decay of the many-body overlap as a function of increasing number of particles is modified in comparison to the metallic case due to rearrangements of energy levels in different shells.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figure

Phase delay time and superluminal propagation in barrier tunneling

In this work we study the behaviour of Wigner phase delay time for tunneling in the reflection mode. Our system consists of a circular loop connected to a single wire of semi-infinite length in the presence of Aharonov-Bohm flux. We calculate the analytical expression for the saturated delay time. This saturated delay time is independent of Aharonov- Bohm flux and the width of the opaque barrier thereby generalizing the Hartman effect. This effect implies superluminal group velocities as a consequence. We also briefly discuss the concept called "space collapse or space destroyer".Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Stochastic thermodynamics of macrospins with fluctuating amplitude and direction

We consider stochastic energy balance and entropy production (EP) in a generalized Langevin dynamics of macrospins, allowing for both amplitude and direction fluctuations, under external magnetic field. EP is calculated using Fokker-Planck equation, distinguishing between reversible and irreversible parts of probability currents. The system entropy increases due to irreversible non-equilibrium processes, and reduces as heat dissipates to surrounding environment. Using path probability distributions of time-forward trajectories and conjugate trajectories under time reversal, we obtain fluctuation theorems (FT) for total stochastic EP. We show that the choice of conjugate trajectories is crucial in obtaining entropy like quantities that obey FTs.Comment: 7 pages, no figure; version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Feedback control of noise in spin valves by the spin-transfer torque

The miniaturisation of magnetic read heads and random access memory elements makes them vulnerable to thermal fluctuations. We demonstrate how current-induced spin-transfer torques can be used to suppress the effects of thermal fluctuations. This enhances the fidelity of perpendicular magnetic spin valves. The simplest realization is a dc current to stabilize the free magnetic layers. The power can be significantly reduced without losing fidelity by simple control schemes, in which the stabilizing current-induced spin-transfer torque is controlled by the instantaneous resistance.Comment: 4pages, 2 figure

Phase time for a tunneling particle

We study the nature of tunneling phase time for various quantum mechanical structures such as networks and rings having potential barriers in their arms. We find the generic presence of the Hartman effect, with superluminal velocities as a consequence, in these systems. In quantum networks, it is possible to control the "super arrival" time in one of the arms by changing the parameters on another arm which is spatially separated from it. This is yet another quantum nonlocal effect. Negative time delays (time advancement) and "ultra Hartman effect" with negative saturation times have been observed in some parameter regimes. In the presence and absence of Aharonov-Bohm (AB) flux, quantum rings show the Hartman effect. We obtain the analytical expression for the saturated phase time. In the opaque barrier regime, this is independent of even the AB flux thereby generalizing the Hartman effect. We also briefly discuss the concept of "space collapse or space destroyer" by introducing a free space in between two barriers covering the ring. Further, we show in presence of absorption that the reflection phase time exhibits the Hartman effect in contrast to the transmission phase time

Understanding the Fano Resonance : through Toy Models

The Fano Resonance, involving the mixing between a quasi-bound `discrete' state of an inelastic channel lying in the continuum of scattering states belonging to the elastic channel, has several subtle features. The underlying ideas have recently attracted attention in connection with interference effects in quantum wires and mesoscopic transport phenomena. Simple toy models are provided in the present study to illustrate the basics of the Fano resonance in a simple and tractable setting.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figur

Scattering phase shifts in quasi-one-dimension

Scattering of an electron in quasi-one dimensional quantum wires have many unusual features, not found in one, two or three dimensions. In this work we analyze the scattering phase shifts due to an impurity in a multi-channel quantum wire with special emphasis on negative slopes in the scattering phase shift versus incident energy curves and the Wigner delay time. Although at first sight, the large number of scattering matrix elements show phase shifts of different character and nature, it is possible to see some pattern and understand these features. The behavior of scattering phase shifts in one-dimension can be seen as a special case of these features observed in quasi-one-dimensions. The negative slopes can occur at any arbitrary energy and Friedel sum rule is completely violated in quasi-one-dimension at any arbitrary energy and any arbitrary regime. This is in contrast to one, two or three dimensions where such negative slopes and violation of Friedel sum rule happen only at low energy where the incident electron feels the potential very strongly (i.e., there is a very well defined regime, the WKB regime, where FSR works very well). There are some novel behavior of scattering phase shifts at the critical energies where $S$-matrix changes dimension.Comment: Minor corrections mad