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At least 721 records · Page 40

Helical magnetic order and Fermi surface nesting in noncentrosymmetric ScFeGe

Here, an investigation of the structural, magnetic, thermodynamic, and charge transport properties of noncentrosymmetric hexagonal ScFeGe reveals it to be an anisotropic metal with a transition to a weak itinerant incommensurate helimagnetic state below T N =36 K. Neutron diffraction measurements discovered a temperature and field independent helical wave vector k = (0 0 0.193) with magnetic moments of 0.53 μ B per Fe confined to the ab-plane. Density functional theory calculations are consistent with these measurements and find several bands that cross the Fermi level along the c-axis with a nearly degenerate set of flat bands just above the Fermi energy. The anisotropy found in the electrical transport is reflected in the calculated Fermi surface, which consists of several warped flat sheets along the c-axis with two regions of significant nesting, one of which has a wave vector that closely matches that found in the neutron diffraction. The electronic structure calculations, along with a strong anomaly in the c-axis conductivity at TN, signal a Fermi surface driven magnetic transition, similar to that found in spin density wave materials. Magnetic fields applied in the ab-plane result in a metamagnetic transition with a threshold field of ≈ 6.7 T along with a sharp, strongly temperature dependent discontinuity and a change in sign of the magnetoresistance for in-plane currents. Thus, ScFeGe is an ideal system to investigate the effect of in-plane magnetic fields on a helimagnet with a c-axis propagation vector, where the relative strength of the magnetic interactions and anisotropies determine the topology and magnetic structure.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

One-dimensional Rashba states with unconventional spin texture in Bi chains

Spin-polarized electrons confined in low-dimensional structures are of high interest for spintronics applications. Here, in this study, we investigate the electronic structure of an ordered array of Bi monomer and dimer chains on the Ag(110) surface. By means of spin-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we find Rashba-Bychkov split bands crossing the Fermi level with one-dimensional constant energy contours. These bands are up-spin polarized for positive wave vectors and down-spin polarized for negative wave vectors, at variance with the Rashba-Bychkov model that predicts a pair of states with opposite spin in each half of the surface Brillouin zone. Density functional theory shows that spin-selective hybridization with the Ag bulk bands originates this unconventional spin texture.

1-dimensional spin chains↗

Convection–Kelvin Wave Coupling in a Global Convection-Permitting Model

A convectively coupled equatorial Kelvin wave (CCKW) was observed over the equatorial Indian Ocean in early November 2011 during the DYNAMO field campaign. This study examines the structure of the CCKW event using two simulations made using the MPAS model: one with 3-km grid spacing without convective parameterization and another with a 15-km grid and parameterized convection. Both simulations qualitatively capture the observed structure of the CCKW, including its vertical tilt and progression of cloud/precipitation structures. The two simulations, however, differ substantially in the amplitude of the CCKW-associated precipitation. While the 3-km run realistically captures the observed modulation of precipitation by the CCKW, the 15-km simulation severely underestimates its magnitude. To understand the difference between the two MPAS simulations regarding wave–convection coupling within the CCKW, the relationship of precipitation with convective inhibition, saturation fraction, and surface turbulent fluxes is investigated. Results show that the 15-km simulation underestimates the magnitude of the CCKW precipitation peak in association with its unrealistically linear relationship between moisture and precipitation. Precipitation, both in observations and the 3-km run, is predominantly controlled by saturation fraction and this relationship is exponential. In contrast, the parameterized convection in the 15-km run is overly sensitive to convective inhibition and not sensitive enough to environmental moisture. The implications of these results on CCKW theories are discussed.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Experiments at TA-55 have used optical pyrometry to measure temperatures of shocked plutonium on the 40mm gun

Researchers at LANL, along with collaborators from MSTS, have worked for more than a decade to develop and implement an optical pyrometry method to measure the temperature of metals shocked to the high pressures and temperatures. Because traditional shock wave measurements only provide information on the mechanical state of the material, temperature measurements are required to validate and improve equation-of-state (EOS) models for materials. The conditions sampled are complex; commenserate with those found in planetary impacts, and accressed by conventional and nuclear weapons. Optical pyrometry is currently the best available method for inferring the temperature of shocked metals, by careful measurement of the calibrated radiance emitted by a surface at finite temperature. These measurements are difficult often complicated by the short time scales associated with shock wave experiments (<1 µs) coupled with the many sources of non-thermal light (impact flash, fracture light, etc.) that pollutes the radiant light measured from the sample.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Stationary Bragg reflection of laser light in inhomogeneous absorbing plasmas inside inertial confinement fusion Hohlraums

Laser-produced plasma in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) Hohlraums are marked with density non-uniformity whose length scale can go down to micrometers. This scale is of the order of the laser wavelength. The WKB approximation, which is classically used in radiation-hydrodynamic codes to compute the laser trajectory, cannot correctly take into account such small-scale inhomogeneity of the plasma. Going beyond this approximation, we predict a novel mechanism for the laser reflection. Here we show that an electromagnetic plane wave with wave number k resonates with the k B =2 k Fourier component of a multimode perturbation of the background density and generates a reflected wave. It is the first time that this reflection is considered for stationary inhomogeneous ICF plasmas, and the energy absorption is taken into account. This mechanism, which is a form of Bragg reflection, can occur away from the critical surface and generate a drift of the location of the laser absorption. Furthermore, this absorption will be periodically modulated with a k B wave number. The stationary Bragg reflection can explain ongoing discrepancies between experimental and numerical data about laser trajectory and absorption in ICF Hohlraums.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Mixed quantum–classical approach to model non-adiabatic electron–nuclear dynamics: Detailed balance and improved surface hopping method

We develop a density matrix formalism to describe coupled electron–nuclear dynamics. To this end, we introduce an effective Hamiltonian formalism that describes electronic transitions and small (quantum) nuclear fluctuations along a classical trajectory of the nuclei. Using this Hamiltonian, we derive equations of motion for the electronic occupation numbers and for the nuclear coordinates and momenta. We show that, in the limit, when the number of nuclear degrees of freedom coupled to a given electronic transition is sufficiently high (i.e., the strong decoherence limit), the equations of motion for the electronic occupation numbers become Markovian. Furthermore, the transition rates in these (rate) equations are asymmetric with respect to the lower-to-higher energy transitions and vice versa. In thermal equilibrium, such asymmetry corresponds to the detailed balance condition. We also study the equations for the electronic occupations in the non-Markovian regime and develop a surface hopping algorithm based on our formalism. To treat the decoherence effects, we introduce additional “virtual” nuclear wave packets whose interference with the “real” (physical) wave packets leads to the reduction in coupling between the electronic states (i.e., decoherence) as well as to the phase shifts that improve the accuracy of the numerical approach. Remarkably, the same phase shifts lead to the detailed balance condition in the strong decoherence limit.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Effect of Topology on Transient Dynamic and Shock Response of Polymeric Lattice Structures

Architected cellular materials, such as lattice structures, offer potential for tunable mechanical properties for dynamic applications of energy absorption and impact mitigation. In this work, the static and dynamic behavior of polymeric lattice structures was investigated through experiments on octet-truss, Kelvin, and cubic topologies with relative densities around 8%. Here, dynamic testing was conducted via direct impact experiments (25–70 m/s) with high-speed imaging coupled with digital image correlation and a polycarbonate Hopkinson pressure bar. Mechanical properties such as elastic wave speed, deformation modes, failure properties, particle velocities, and stress histories were extracted from experimental results. At low impact velocities, a transient dynamic response was observed which was composed of a compaction front initiating at the impact surface and additional deformation bands whose characteristics matched low strain-rate behavior. For higher impact velocities, shock analysis was carried out using compaction wave velocity and Eulerian Rankine–Hugoniot jump conditions with parameters determined from full-field measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Accurate surface estimation from high-resolution 3D microwave images

Active millimeter and microwave imaging techniques can be used to create a high-resolution 3D image volume of a target’s reflectivity. Millimeter-wave imaging is commonly used for personnel security screening and numerous other applications. Backprojection based image reconstruction techniques form a 3D complex-valued volume. The complex-valued volume is commonly reduced to a real-valued volume by taking the magnitude. For anomaly detection and cross image registration of an object it is beneficial to generate an accurate representation of an object’s surface. Extracting a smooth and accurate surface from a magnitude only image is challenging. One difficulty is the magnitude image has limited resolution in the depth direction which normally limits precision to a moderate fraction of the depth resolution. Another difficulty is that the magnitude of the image depends heavily on the geometry and orientation of the object being imaged. The phase information in a complex-valued image volume provides a means to decouple the magnitude of the image from the geometry of an object and provide precision much finer than the depth resolution would indicate. This enables the generation of a smooth and accurate point cloud representation of the surface of an imaged object. A method to extract a point cloud from the phase information in a 3D complex-valued millimeter-wave image volume is developed and results with simulated and experimental data are presented.

Clark, Richard T.↗

Efficient microwave absorption with V n+1 C n T x MXenes

The availability of MXenes and other two-dimensional conductive nanomaterials with tunable surface chemistry has reshaped the field of electromagnetic protection. However, the high electrical conductivity and low dielectric loss of titanium-based MXenes lead to strong reflection of electromagnetic waves, even when combined with polymers to form composites. Here, we report on the ability of vanadium-based MXenes to provide broadband microwave absorption. Polyurethane composites with ~2 wt % V n+1 C n T x can absorb 90% of electromagnetic waves covering the entire X band. In addition, pure V n+1 C n T x films of submicrometer thickness can provide effective electromagnetic interference shielding. The free electron transport, surface terminations, native defects, and layers arrangement in composites have profound effects on electronic and dielectric properties of V n+1 C n T x MXenes. This study points toward a new frontier for development of thin and highly absorbing MXene-based electromagnetic protection materials.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Coexistence of Dirac fermion and charge density wave in the square-net-based semimetal LaAuSb 2

Here, we report a comprehensive study of magnetotransport properties, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations on self-flux grown LaAuSb 2 single crystals. Resistivity and Hall measurements reveal a charge density wave (CDW) transition at 77 K. MR and de Haas-Van Alphen (dHvA) measurements indicate that the transport properties of LaAuSb 2 are dominated by Dirac fermions that arise from Sb square nets. ARPES measurements and DFT calculations reveal an electronic structure with a common feature of the square-net-based topological semimetals, which is in good agreement with the magnetotransport properties. Our results indicate the coexistence of CDW and Dirac fermion in LaAuSb 2 , both of which are linked to the bands arising from the Sb-square net, suggesting that the square net could serve as a structural motif to explore various electronic orders.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Quasi-particle interference of the van Hove singularity in Sr2RuO4

Abstract The single-layered ruthenate Sr 2 RuO 4 is one of the most enigmatic unconventional superconductors. While for many years it was thought to be the best candidate for a chiral p -wave superconducting ground state, desirable for topological quantum computations, recent experiments suggest a singlet state, ruling out the original p -wave scenario. The superconductivity as well as the properties of the multi-layered compounds of the ruthenate perovskites are strongly influenced by a van Hove singularity in proximity of the Fermi energy. Tiny structural distortions move the van Hove singularity across the Fermi energy with dramatic consequences for the physical properties. Here, we determine the electronic structure of the van Hove singularity in the surface layer of Sr 2 RuO 4 by quasi-particle interference imaging. We trace its dispersion and demonstrate from a model calculation accounting for the full vacuum overlap of the wave functions that its detection is facilitated through the octahedral rotations in the surface layer.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Stress field measurements using quantitative schlieren

Quantitative schlieren analysis is extended here to optically transparent solids in quasi-static and dynamic experiments to measure stress distributions. The quasi-static experiments in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) compared refraction angles and stress gradients calculated from schlieren images to the analytical Flamant solution of a line load on a half-space. The quantitative schlieren measurements of the stress field in the thin sample with a load compared well to the analytical solution. The analysis method was then extended to explosive induced shock waves in PMMA. The explosive induced response of PMMA was experimentally studied using high-speed schlieren to visualize the shock propagation in conjunction with Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) to record surface velocity histories. The stress state estimated from the schlieren images was compared to the stress calculated from the PDV measurements. High-speed imaging limitations caused the shock wave to not be fully resolved in the images, but was resolved in the PDV measurement. The stress state behind the shock calculated from the high-speed images followed a similar trend to the stress calculated from the PDV measurements.

Physics↗

Arctic Deployment of a Fully Integrated Self-Powered Drifting Buoy Harvesting Wave Energy via a Triboelectric Nanogenerator

The Arctic Ocean remains one of the most poorly sampled regions on Earth, where improved in situ environmental monitoring is vital for advancing oceanographic and atmospheric studies. However, data collection efforts are constrained by the short operational lifespans and high costs of conventional systems. Drifting buoys powered by pendulum-driven wave energy harvesters offer a cost-effective alternative, yet earlier designs have neither been optimized for real-world wave conditions nor validated in the Arctic. In this study, we develop a self-powered drifting buoy that integrates a pendulum-driven triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) system with a mechanical motion rectifier, a high-gear-ratio transmission, and power management circuits. Through coupled buoy–pendulum dynamic simulations and laboratory testing using a motion simulator, we identify an optimal pendulum mass of 1.6 kg (12.7% of total buoy weight) that maximizes energy output while maintaining buoy stability. Laboratory experiments achieved average power outputs of 12.7 mW under Arctic-like wave and temperature conditions. The system was successfully deployed in the Bering Sea, where it generated 11 J of energy in 3.1 m waves, marking the first Arctic deployment of a TENG-based drifting buoy for sea surface temperature monitoring. This work establishes a cost-effective framework for designing self-powered Arctic monitoring platforms and advances the feasibility of long-term environmental observations in real Arctic waters.

marine enerby↗

Photometric detection of internal gravity waves in upper main-sequence stars

Massive stars are predicted to excite internal gravity waves (IGWs) by turbulent core convection and from turbulent pressure fluctuations in their near-surface layers. These IGWs are extremely efficient at transporting angular momentum and chemical species within stellar interiors, but they remain largely unconstrained observationally. In this work, we aim to characterise the photometric detection of IGWs across a large number of O and early-B stars in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram, and explain the ubiquitous detection of stochastic variability in the photospheres of massive stars. Furthermore, we combined high-precision time-series photometry from the NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite with high-resolution ground-based spectroscopy of 70 stars with spectral types O and B to probe the relationship between the photometric signatures of IGWs and parameters such as spectroscopic mass, luminosity, and macroturbulence.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Screening of resonant magnetic perturbation fields assuming various plasma flow models

A recently updated version of the MARS-F code [Y. Q. Liu et al., Phys. Plasmas 7, 3681 (2000); L. Li et al., Phys. Plasmas 25, 082512 (2018); and G. L. Xia et al., Nucl. Fusion 59, 126035 (2019)] is utilized to numerically investigate the plasma screening effect on the applied resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) field, assuming various equilibrium flow models, including the toroidal flow, the parallel flow and their combinations, and poloidal and toroidal projections of the parallel flow. A parallel equilibrium flow with a uniform radial profile is found to have no effect on plasma screening of the RMP field. A sheared parallel flow, however, does change plasma screening. The poloidal projection of the parallel flow weakens plasma screening in the resistive-inertial regime. The effect on the favorable average curvature regime is found, however, to be non-monotonic. With the increasing flow speed, the poloidal projection first weakens Glasser-Green-Johnson (GGJ)-screening. Further increase in the flow speed results in enhanced GGJ-screening again. This non-monotonic behavior is related to the perturbed parallel shielding current, which appears also off the mode rational surface at fast flow due to additional resonances between the RMP perturbation and the sound wave continuum. These results indicate that flow induced plasma screening to the RMP field can have complicated characteristics, which, in turn, can have implications on the RMP field penetration into the plasma in experiments for controlling the edge localized modes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Optical and photoemission investigation of structural and magnetic transitions in the iron-based superconductor Sr 0.67 Na 0.33 Fe 2 As 2

We report the temperature-dependent optical conductivity and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) studies of the multiband iron-based superconductor Sr 0.67 Na 0.33 Fe 2 As 2 . Measurements were made in the high-temperature tetragonal paramagnetic phase, below the structural and magnetic transitions at $T_N$ $≃$ 125 K in the orthorhombic spin-density-wave (SDW)-like phase and $T_r$ $≃$42 K in the reentrant tetragonal double-Q magnetic phase where both charge and SDWorder exist, and below the superconducting transition at $T_c$ $≃$ 10 K. The free-carrier component in the optical conductivity is described by two Drude contributions: one strong and broad and the other weak and narrow. The broad Drude component decreases dramatically below TN and Tr , with much of its strength being transferred to a bound excitation in the midinfrared, while the narrow Drude component shows no anomalies at either of the transitions, actually increasing in strength at low temperature while narrowing dramatically. The behavior of an infrared-active mode suggests zone folding below Tr. Below Tc the dramatic decrease in the low-frequency optical conductivity signals the formation of a superconducting energy gap. ARPES reveals holelike bands at the center of the Brillouin zone (BZ), with both electron- and holelike bands at the corners. Below $T_N$, the hole pockets at the center of the BZ decrease in size, consistent with the behavior of the broad Drude component; however, below $T_r$ the electronlike bands shift and split, giving rise to a low-energy excitation in the optical conductivity at $≃$20 meV. The $C_2$ and $C_4$ magnetic states, with resulting spin-density-wave and charge-SDW order, respectively, lead to a significant reconstruction of the Fermi surface that has profound implications for the transport originating from the electron and hole pockets but appears to have relatively little impact on the superconductivity in this material.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Unveiling in-gap states and Majorana zero modes in superconductor-topological insulator bilayer model

Interfaces between topological insulators and superconductors (SCs) are promising platforms for realizing Majorana zero modes (MZMs) via the superconducting proximity effect. We introduce a bilayer model consisting of the surface states of a three-dimensional topological insulator (3DTI) coupled to an 𝑠-wave superconductor and systematically study the role of interlayer tunneling strength (𝑡⊥) motivated by the recent growth of the Fe⁡(Te,Se)/Bi 2 ⁢Te 3 heterostructure. We find that increasing 𝑡⊥ shifts the proximity-induced (PrI) gap minimum away from the Γ point, giving rise to momentum-selective interference patterns that manifest as spatial oscillations in the in-gap states. We introduce an antidot with a magnetic vortex in the model and investigate the resulting in-gap states, including MZMs and Caroli–de Gennes–Matricon (CdGM) modes. With increasing hybridization strength, the energy separation between MZMs and CdGM states increases, enhancing the isolation of MZMs. Importantly, in the strong hybridization limit, the leading CdGM separation remains large in spite of the decrease in the PrI gap. Spin- and spatially resolved wavefunction analysis reveals angular momentum asymmetries absent in conventional 𝑠-wave systems. A direct comparison with a standalone 𝑠-wave superconductor confirms the emergence of distinct 𝑝-wave-like features in the bilayer geometry. Our results provide experimentally relevant predictions for tuning the stability of MZMs and their differentiation from the CdGM modes in SC-3DTI heterostructures and offer a theoretical framework for probing unconventional superconductivity in engineered topological systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Steady-State Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Evaluation for Aerospace & Additive Manufacturing Applications [Slides]

How does ultrasonic inspection work? Rich phenomenology of interactions between ultrasonic waves and features in plate-like structures. Hidden defects/discontinuities create measurable changes in the surface wavefield. Based on these measurements, we can build tools that detect the presence of different kinds of defects and estimate structural/material properties (e.g. local thickness).

42 ENGINEERING↗