1,721,003 research outputs found
Plasmons in topological insulator cylindrical nanowires
No full textWe present a theoretical analysis of Dirac magnetoplasmons in topological insulator nanowires. We discuss
a cylindrical geometry where Berry phase effects induce the opening of a gap at the neutrality point. By
taking into account surface electron wave functions introduced in previous papers and within the random phase
approximation, we provide an analytical form of the dynamic structure factor. Dispersions and spectral weights
of Dirac plasmons are studied with varying the radius of the cylinder, the surface doping, and the strength of an
external magnetic field. We show that, at zero surface doping, interband damped plasmonlike excitations form
at the surface and survive at low electron surface dopings (∼1010 cm−2). Then, we point out that the plasmon
excitations are sensitive to the Berry phase gap closure when an external magnetic field close to half quantum flux
is introduced. Indeed, a well-defined magnetoplasmon peak is observed at lower energies upon the application
of the magnetic field. Finally, the increase of the surface doping induces a crossover from damped interband to
sharp intraband magnetoplasmons, which, as expected for large radii and dopings (∼1012 cm−2), approach the
proper limit of a two-dimensional surface
Strain-induced topological phase transition at (111) SrTiO3-based heterostructures
No full textThe quasi-two-dimensional electronic gas at the (111) SrTiO3-based heterostructure interfaces is described by a multiband tight-binding model providing electronic bands in agreement at low energies with photoemission experiments. We analyze both the roles of the spin-orbit coupling and of the trigonal crystal-field effects. We point out the presence of a regime with sizable strain where the band structure exhibits a Dirac cone whose features are consistent with ab initio approaches. The combined effect of spin-orbit coupling and trigonal strain gives rise to nontrivial spin and orbital angular momenta patterns in the Brillouin zone and to quantum spin Hall effect by opening a gap at the Dirac cone. The system can switch from a conducting to a topological insulating state via modification of trigonal strain within a parameter range which is estimated to be experimentally achievable
Strain-induced topological phase transition at (111) SrTiO3-based heterostructures
No full textThe quasi-two-dimensional electronic gas at the (111) -based heterostructure interfaces is described by a multiband tight-binding model providing electronic bands in agreement at low energies with photoemission experiments. We analyze both the roles of the spin-orbit coupling and of the trigonal crystal-field effects. We point out the presence of a regime with sizable strain where the band structure exhibits a Dirac cone whose features are consistent with ab initio approaches. The combined effect of spin-orbit coupling and trigonal strain gives rise to nontrivial spin and orbital angular momenta patterns in the Brillouin zone and to quantum spin Hall effect by opening a gap at the Dirac cone. The system can switch from a conducting to a topological insulating state via modification of trigonal strain within a parameter range which is estimated to be experimentally achievable
Editorial: innovative quantum materials
No full textQuantum Materials are materials where the manifestation of the quantum mechanical nature of matter constituents, which comes into evidence at the macroscopic scale, is used to obtain new functionalities. The study of quantum materials is relevant both on the fundamental and on the applied side. Indeed, this class of materials provides a common thread between physics, materials science and engineering. The focus is on emergent excitations, such as Dirac and Majorana fermions. In particular, it analyzes their sensitivity to external perturbations, such as electric and magnetic fields, and boundary conditions that can be controlled by surface/edge terminations, defect states and nanostructuring. The topical issue provides a broad description of innovative quantum materials discussing a variety of different phenomena: (1) interference phenomena in quantum devices made up of a topological insulator, (2) bound states in finite length nanowires with an inhomogeneous spin–orbit coupling profile relevant for Majorana physics, (3) sensitivity of graphene transport properties to defect states and edge functionalization, (4) role of Moiré phonons on the energy properties of twisted bilayer graphene at the magic angle important for van der Waals materials, (5) emergent spin excitations and anisotropic magnetotransport properties in iridates, (6) magnetoelectric couplings and improper magnetoelectric behavior in manganites significant for the realization of novel spintronic devices
Theoretical approaches for nanoscale thermoelectric phenomena
No full textWe focus on the theoretical approaches aimed to analyze thermoelectric properties at the nanoscale. We discuss several relevant theoretical approaches for different set-ups of nano-devices providing estimations of the thermoelectric parameters in the linear and non-linear regime, in particular the thermoelectric figure of merit and the power-efficiency trade-off. Moreover, we analyze the role of not only electronic, but also of vibrational degrees of freedom. First, nanoscale thermoelectric phenomena are considered in the quantum coherent regime using the Landauer-Büttiker method and focusing on effects of energy filtering. Then, we analyze the effects of many-body couplings between nanostructure degrees of freedom, such as electron-electron and electron-vibration interactions, which can strongly affect the thermoelectric conversion. In particular, we discuss the enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit in the Coulomb blockade regime for a quantum dot model starting from the master equation for charge state probabilities and the tunneling rates through the electrodes. Finally, within the non-equilibrium Green function formalism, we quantify the reduction of the thermoelectric performance in simple models of molecular junctions due to the effects of the electron-vibration coupling and phonon transport at room temperature
Interplay between singlet and triplet pairings in multiband two-dimensional oxide superconductors
No full textWe theoretically study the superconducting properties of multiband two-dimensional transition metal oxide superconductors by analyzing not only the role played by conventional singlet pairings, but also by the triplet order parameters, favored by the spin-orbit couplings present in these materials. In particular, we focus on the two-dimensional electron gas at the (001) interface between and band insulators where the low electron densities and the sizable spin-orbit couplings affect the superconducting features. Our theoretical study is based on an extended superconducting mean-field analysis of the typical multiband tight-binding Hamiltonian, as well as on a parallel analysis of the effective electronic bands in the low-momentum limit, including static on-site and intersite intraband attractive potentials under applied magnetic fields. The presence of triplet pairings is able to strongly reduce the singlet order parameters which, as a result, are no longer a monotonic function of the charge density. The interplay between the singlet and the triplet pairings affects the dispersion of quasiparticle excitations in the Brillouin zone and also induces anisotropy in the superconducting behavior under the action of an in-plane and of an out-of-plane magnetic fields. Finally, nontrivial topological superconducting states become stable as a function of the charge density, as well as of the magnitude and of the orientation of the magnetic field. In addition to the chiral, time-reversal breaking, topological superconducting phase, favored by the linear Rashba couplings and by the on-site attractive potentials in the presence of an out-of-plane magnetic field, we find that a time-reversal invariant topological helical superconducting phase is promoted by nonlinear spin-orbit couplings and by the intersite attractive interactions in the absence of magnetic field
Ground-state features and spectral properties of large polaron liquids from low to high charge densities
No full textA different variational approach is proposed at zero temperature for a finite density of charge carriers in order to study ground-state features of the Fröhlich model including electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions. Within the intermediate electron-phonon coupling regime characteristic of large polarons, the approach takes into account on the same footing polaron formation and polaron-polaron correlations which play a relevant role going from low to high charge densities. Including fluctuations on top of the variational approach, the electronic spectral function is calculated from the weak to the intermediate electron-phonon coupling regime finding a peak-dip-hump line shape. The spectra are characterized by a transfer of spectral weight from the incoherent hump to the coherent peak with decreasing the electron-phonon coupling constant or with increasing the particle density. Three different density regimes stem out: the first, at low densities, where the features of a single large polaron with a substantial incoherent spectral weight are not modified by charge carrier interactions; a second one, at intermediate densities, where the polaronic liquid shows a rapid crossover from incoherent to coherent dynamics; the third one, at high densities, where screening effects are so prominent that the system presents a conventional metallic phase. The results obtained in the low to intermediate density regime turn out to be relevant for the interpretation of recent tunneling and photoemission experiments in SrTiO3-based systems
Interplay between singlet and triplet pairings in multiband two-dimensional oxide superconductors
No full textWe theoretically study the superconducting properties of multiband two-dimensional transition metal oxide superconductors by analyzing not only the role played by conventional singlet pairings, but also by the triplet order parameters, favored by the spin-orbit couplings present in these materials. In particular, we focus on the two-dimensional electron gas at the (001) interface between LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 band insulators where the low electron densities and the sizable spin-orbit couplings affect the superconducting features. Our theoretical study is based on an extended superconducting mean-field analysis of the typical multiband tight-binding Hamiltonian, as well as on a parallel analysis of the effective electronic bands in the low-momentum limit, including static on-site and intersite intraband attractive potentials under applied magnetic fields. The presence of triplet pairings is able to strongly reduce the singlet order parameters which, as a result, are no longer a monotonic function of the charge density. The interplay between the singlet and the triplet pairings affects the dispersion of quasiparticle excitations in the Brillouin zone and also induces anisotropy in the superconducting behavior under the action of an in-plane and of an out-of-plane magnetic fields. Finally, nontrivial topological superconducting states become stable as a function of the charge density, as well as of the magnitude and of the orientation of the magnetic field. In addition to the chiral, time-reversal breaking, topological superconducting phase, favored by the linear Rashba couplings and by the on-site attractive potentials in the presence of an out-of-plane magnetic field, we find that a time-reversal invariant topological helical superconducting phase is promoted by nonlinear spin-orbit couplings and by the intersite attractive interactions in the absence of magnetic field
Evolution of topological superconductivity by orbital-selective confinement in oxide nanowires
No full textWe determine the optimal conditions to achieve topological superconducting phases having spin-singlet pairing for a planar nanowire with a finite lateral width in the presence of an in-plane external magnetic field. We employ a microscopic description that is based on a three-band electronic model including both the atomic spin-orbit coupling and the inversion asymmetric potential at the interface between oxide band-gap insulators. We consider amplitudes of the pairing gap, spin-orbit interactions, and electronic parameters that are directly applicable to nanowires of LaAlO3-SrTiO3. The lateral confinement introduces a splitting of the d orbitals that alters the orbital energy hierarchy and significantly affects the electron filling dependence of the topological phase diagram. Due to the orbital directionality of the t(2g) states, we find that in the regime of strong confinement the onset of topological phases is pinned at electron filling where the quasiflat heavy bands start to get populated. The increase of the nanowire thickness leads to a changeover from a sparse-to-dense distribution of topologically nontrivial domains which occurs at the crossover associated with the orbital population inversion. These findings are corroborated by a detailed analysis of the most favorable topological superconducting phases in the electron doping-magnetic field plane highlighting the role of orbital-selective confinement
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