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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,027 records · Page 57

Controlling the orbital Hall effect in gapped bilayer graphene in the terahertz regime

We study the orbital Hall effect (OHE) in the AC regime using bilayer graphene (BLG) as a prototypical material platform. While the unbiased BLG has gapless electronic spectra, applying a perpendicular electric field creates an energy band gap that can be continuously tuned from zero to high values. By exploiting this flexibility, we demonstrate the ability to control the behavior of AC orbital Hall conductivity. Particularly, we demonstrate that the orbital Hall conductivity at the neutrality point changes its signal at a critical frequency, the value of which is proportional to the perpendicular electric field. For BLG with narrow band gaps, the active frequency region for the AC OHE may extend to a few terahertz, which is experimentally accessible with current technologies. We also consider the introduction of a perpendicular magnetic field in the weak-coupling regime using first-order perturbation theory to illustrate how the breaking of time-reversal symmetry enables the emergence of the AC charge Hall effect in the charge-doped situation and modifies the AC orbital Hall conductivity. Our calculations suggest that BLG with narrow band gaps is a practical candidate for investigating time-dependent orbital angular momentum transport. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Energy-relaxation pathways in finite-sized artificial square-ice structures

The energy-relaxation pathway in artificial spin ice structures refers to the series of individual moment reorientations the system undergoes as it relaxes from an initial state to a final low-energy state. The probability of the artificial spin ice structure reaching a ground state depends on the energy of the intermediate states as approximated by an Arrhenius-type relation. In this work, we report that by modifying the geometry of artificial square-ice structures, we can influence the probability of observing the ground state in different configurations. Furthermore, our findings are supported by dipolar energy calculations for various energy-relaxation pathways and the corresponding experimental data obtained by magnetic force microscopy.

Analog computation↗

Robust qubit interactions mediated by photonic topological edge states

Here, we investigate the coupling of two spatially separated qubits via topologically protected edge states in a two-dimensional Hofstadter lattice. In this hybrid platform, the qubits are coupled to distinct edge sites of the lattice, enabling long-range interactions mediated by topological edge modes. We solve the full system Hamiltonian and analyze the resulting eigenstate structure to uncover the conditions under which coherent qubit interactions emerge. Our analysis reveals that the effective coupling is highly sensitive to the qubit placement, energy detuning, and the topological character of the edge spectrum. We obtain an analytical solution that goes beyond the perturbative regime, capturing the full interplay between the qubits and edge modes. These results provide a foundation for exploring information transport and many-body effects in engineered quantum systems where interactions are mediated by topological edge modes.

Chern insulators↗

Chirality-induced zigzag domain wall in in-plane magnetized ultrathin films

In this report the domain structure in in-plane magnetized Fe/Ni/W(110) films is investigated using spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy. A novel transition of the domain wall shape from a zigzaglike pattern to straight is observed as a function of the film thickness, which is triggered by the transition of the domain wall type from the out-of-plane chiral wall to the in-plane Néel wall. The contribution of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction to the wall energy is proposed to explain the transition of the domain wall shape, which is supported by Monte Carlo simulations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Spin-dependent charge transport through 2D chiral hybrid lead-iodide perovskites

Chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) occurs when the chirality of the transporting medium selects one of the two spin ½ states to transport through the media while blocking the other. Monolayers of chiral organic molecules demonstrate CISS but are limited in their efficiency and utility by the requirement of a monolayer to preserve the spin selectivity. We demonstrate CISS in a system that integrates an inorganic framework with a chiral organic sublattice inducing chirality to the hybrid system. Using magnetic conductive-probe atomic force microscopy, we find that oriented chiral 2D-layered Pb-iodide organic/inorganic hybrid perovskite systems exhibit CISS. Electron transport through the perovskite films depends on the magnetization of the probe tip and the handedness of the chiral molecule. The films achieve a highest spin-polarization transport of up to 86%. Magnetoresistance studies in modified spin-valve devices having only one ferromagnet electrode confirm the occurrence of spin-dependent charge transport through the organic/inorganic layers.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Nuclear spin engineering for quantum information science

Semiconductors are the backbone of modern technology, garnering decades of investment in high-quality materials and devices. Electron spin systems in semiconductors, including atomic defects and quantum dots, have been demonstrated in the last two decades to host quantum coherent spin qubits, often with coherent spin–photon interfaces and proximal nuclear spins. These systems are at the center of developing quantum technology. However, new material challenges arise when considering the isotopic composition of host and qubit systems. The isotopic composition governs the nature and concentration of nuclear spins, which naturally occur in leading host materials. These spins generate magnetic noise—detrimental to qubit coherence—but also show promise as local quantum memories and processors, necessitating careful engineering dependent on the targeted application. Reviewing recent experimental and theoretical progress toward understanding local nuclear spin environments in semiconductors, we show this aspect of material engineering as critical to quantum information technology.

Defects↗

Switching the conductance of a single molecule: Lessons from molecular junctions

The concept of using single molecules as functional building blocks in electronic circuitry represents the ultimate device miniaturization and has garnered tremendous attention from physics, chemistry, and engineering. Recent advances in single-molecule junction techniques have enabled direct investigation of charge transport in a quasi-one-dimensional conduction channel composed of an individual molecule. Furthermore, one of the main research focuses over the past decade has been to understand the conductance switching effect of single molecules as it is essential for developing molecular-scale optoelectronics, computing, and sensing applications. In this perspective, we highlight the established physical and chemical mechanisms for single-molecule conductance switching behavior and examine the associated stimuli in single-molecule junction systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Institute for Quantum Matter

The mission of the Institute for Quantum Matter (IQM) Energy Frontier Research Center was to discover and understand emergent properties in material systems with the potential for transformative impacts on energy and information technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Editorial: Generation, detection and manipulation of skyrmions in magnetic nanostructures

Due to their compact shape and small size down to a few nanometers, good thermal stability, and low driven current density, magnetic skyrmions have become promising building blocks for high-density storage and fast information processing applications. In a dozen years, this field dubbed as skyrmionics has attracted significant attention for exploring fundamental physics as well as for practical applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Large Nernst Effect and Thermodynamics Properties in Weyl Antiferromagnet

The noncollinear antiferromagnet Mn3Sn exhibits a large anomalous Hall effect (AHE) driven by a large Berry curvature despite the vanishingly small magnetization. Theoretically, the large Berry curvature in antiferromagnets is predicted to be induced by the time-reversal breaking Weyl state in momentum space. Here, we comprehensively study the thermal conductivity, specific heat, thermoelectric power S(T), and thermomagnetic power S ji (T) in single crystals of Mn 3 Sn. Mn 3 Sn exhibited a large spontaneous anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) at room temperature; in particular, the signal magnitude of Mn 3 Sn exceeded 0.6 µV/K, which is comparable to that of ordinary ferromagnets. The large ANE results from the magnetic Weyl states near the Fermi level E F and likely shares its origin with the AHE. Moreover, the possibility of Nernst-type thermoelectric modules was evaluated by analyzing the basic thermal and electric physical properties.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Spin lifetime tuning in zincblende heterostructures and applications to spin devices

We present analytical expressions for the D'yakonov-Perel' spin relaxation rates under the combined action of bulk and structural inversion asymmetry for zincblende heterostructures when terms up to linear and third order in k are included in the Hamiltonian. We see for heterostructures that, under the right conditions, the lowest-order-in-k component of the spin relaxation tensor can be made to vanish for all spin components at the same time. We study how the inclusion of terms of higher order in k affects these results.

spin filters↗

Theory of electrically controlled resonant tunneling spin devices

We report device concepts that exploit spin-orbit coupling for creating spin polarized current sources using nonmagnetic semiconductor resonant tunneling heterostructures, without external magnetic fields. The resonant interband tunneling psin filter exploits large valence band spin-orbit interaction to provide strong spin selectivity.

spin filters↗

Device Concepts Based on Spin-dependent Transmission in Semiconductor Heterostructures

We examine zero-magnetic-field spin-dependent transmission in nonmagnetic semiconductor heterostructures with structural inversion asymmetry (SIA) and bulk inversion asymmetry (BIA), and report spin devices concepts that exploit their properties. Our modeling results show that several design strategies could be used to achieve high spin filtering efficiencies. The current spin polarization of these devices is electrically controllable, and potentially amenable to highspeed spin modulation, and could be integrated in optoelectronic devices for added functionality.

resonant tunneling↗