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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Quantum many-body scars in a Landau level on a thin torus

We review a kinetically constrained pair-hopping model that arises within a Landau level in the quantum Hall effect. At filling ν = 1/3, the model exactly maps onto the so-called “PXP model,” a constrained model for the Rydberg atom chain that is numerically known to exhibit ETH-violating states in the middle of the spectrum or quantum many-body scars. Indeed, particular charge density wave configurations exhibit the same revivals seen in the PXP model. We generalize the mapping to fillings factors ν = p/(2p+1), and show that the model is equivalent to nonintegrable spin chains within particular constrained Krylov Hilbert spaces. These lead to new examples of quantum many-body scars which manifest as revivals and slow thermalization of particular charge density wave states. Finally, we investigate the stability of the quantum scars under certain Hamiltonian perturbations motivated by the fractional quantum Hall physics.

1-dimensional spin chains↗
DOE OSTI2021

Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer pairing of composite fermions

Topological pairing of composite fermions has led to remarkable ideas, such as excitations obeying non-Abelian braid statistics and topological quantum computation. Here, we construct a p-wave paired Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) wave function for composite fermions in the torus geometry, which is a convenient geometry for formulating momentum space pairing as well as for revealing the underlying composite-fermion Fermi sea. Following the standard BCS approach, we minimize the Coulomb interaction energy at half filling in the lowest and the second Landau levels, which correspond to filling factors ν = 1/2 and ν = 5/2 in GaAs quantum wells, by optimizing two variational parameters that are analogous to the gap and the Debye cut-off energy of the BCS theory. Our results show no evidence for pairing at ν = 1/2 but a clear evidence for pairing at ν = 5/2. To a good approximation, the highest overlap between the exact Coulomb ground state at ν = 5/2 and the BCS state is obtained for parameters that minimize the energy of the latter, thereby providing support for the physics of composite-fermion pairing as the mechanism for the 5/2 fractional quantum Hall effect. We discuss the issue of modular covariance of the composite-fermion BCS wave function, and calculate its Hall viscosity and pair correlation function. By similar methods, we look for but do not find an instability to s-wave pairing for a spin-singlet composite-fermion Fermi sea at half-filled lowest Landau level in a system where the Zeeman splitting has been set to zero.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

From weak antilocalization to Kondo scattering in a magnetic complex oxide interface

Quantum corrections to electrical resistance can serve as sensitive probes of the magnetic landscape of a material. For example, interference between time-reversed electron paths gives rise to weak localization effects, which can provide information about the coupling between spins and orbital motion, while the Kondo effect is sensitive to the presence of spin impurities. In this work, we use low-temperature magnetotransport measurements to reveal a gradual transition from weak antilocalization (WAL) to Kondo scattering in the quasi-two-dimensional electron gas formed at the interface between SrTiO 3 and the Mott insulator NdTiO 3 . This transition occurs as the thickness of the NdTiO 3 layer is increased. Analysis of the Kondo scattering and WAL points to the presence of atomic-scale magnetic impurities coexisting with nanoscale magnetic regions that affect transport via a strong magnetic exchange interaction. This leads to distinct magnetoresistance behaviors that can serve as a sensitive probe of magnetic properties in two dimensions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Quantum Size Effects, Multiple Dirac Cones, and Edge States in Ultrathin Bi(110) Films

The presence of inherently strong spin–orbit coupling in bismuth, its unique layer-dependent band topology and high carrier mobility make it an interesting system for both fundamental studies and applications. Theoretically, it has been suggested that strong quantum size effects should be present in the Bi(110) films, with the possibility of Dirac Fermion states in the odd-bilayer (BL) films, originating from dangling p z orbitals and quantum-spin hall (QSH) states in the even-bilayer films. However, the experimental verification of these claims has been lacking. Here, we study the electronic structure of Bi(110) films grown on a high-T c superconductor, Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ (Bi2212) using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). We observe an oscillatory behavior of electronic structure with the film thickness and identify the Dirac-states in the odd-bilayer films, consistent with the theoretical predictions. In the even-bilayer films, we find another Dirac state that was predicted to play a crucial role in the QSH effect. In the low thickness limit, we observe several extremely one-dimensional states, probably originating from the edge-states of Bi(110) islands. Our results provide a much needed experimental insight into the electronic and structural properties of Bi(110) films.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Spin Texture Control and Magnetic Gap Engineering in a Ferromagnetic Insulator–Topological Insulator Sandwiched Heterostructure

Quantum materials that combine magnetism with topological order are emerging as key platforms for next-generation spintronics and low-energy electronics. They enable the realization of emergent quantum phenomena, such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect and axion insulator states. The ferromagnetic insulator (FMI)/topological insulator (TI)/FMI sandwich structure of a single-septuple layer (1SL) MnBi 2 Te 4 /four-quintuple layer (4QL) Bi 2 Te 3 /1SL MnBi 2 Te 4 holds great potential to achieve such desirable quantum phenomena at an elevated temperature, owing to its large Dirac point band gap and high Curie temperature. Here, for this work, spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (spin-ARPES) is employed to directly verify that the band gap arises from broken time-reversal symmetry via proximity-driven magnetization. This study demonstrates direct control of the spin state via external magnetic fields and unambiguously confirms the exchange interaction as the gap-opening mechanism. The robust magnetic gap and controllable spin texture make this heterostructure a suitable candidate for spintronic applications and magnetic topological quantum phases.

exchange gap↗
DOE OSTI2024

SU(4) symmetry breaking and induced superconductivity in graphene quantum Hall edges

In graphene, the approximate SU(4) symmetry associated with the spin and valley degrees of freedom in the quantum Hall (QH) regime is reflected in the fourfold degeneracy of graphene’s Landau levels (LLs). Interactions and the Zeeman effect break such approximate symmetry and lift the corresponding degeneracy of the LLs. We study how the breaking of the approximate SU(4) symmetry affects the properties of graphene’s QH edge modes located in proximity to a superconductor. We show how the lifting of the fourfold degeneracy qualitatively modifies the transport properties of the QH-superconductor heterojunction. For the zero LL, by placing the edge modes in proximity to a superconductor, it is, in principle, possible to realize a 1D topological superconductor supporting Majoranas in the presence of sufficiently strong Zeeman field. Here, we estimate the topological gap of such a topological superconductor and relate it to the properties of the QH-superconductor interface.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Non-Abelian quasiparticles and topological superconductivity for the quantum information science

The research performed on this proposal lead to significant progress in understanding spectra of charge carrier holes in spin 3/2 valence bands in two-dimensional systems and topological phenomena in these systems; resulted in enhanced knowledge of topological excitations, such as Majorana fermions and parafermions in electron and hole systems; lead to new breakthroughs in understanding quantum Hall systems, which is an important breeding ground for topological excitations; contributed to understanding of several aspects of theory of spin-orbit interactions; and understanding of hybrid superconductor/semiconductor structures. Methods and techniques used or developed in the research were effective in achieving its results. Some of the developed methods have been used by the research community. The achieved results are beneficial for both theorists and experimentalists in condensed matter and related areas of research, developed knowledge is important for progress in quantum science and technology, and therefore is of benefit to the public.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

SU(3) Topology of Magnon-Phonon Hybridization in 2D Antiferromagnets

Magnon-phonon hybrid excitations are studied theoretically in a two-dimensional antiferromagnet with an easy axis normal to the plane. In this work, we show that two magnon bands and one phonon band are intertwined by the magnetoelastic coupling through a nontrivial SU(3) topology, which can be intuitively perceived by identifying a skyrmion structure in the momentum space. Our results are insensitive to lattice details and generally applicable to two-dimensional antiferromagnets. We show this by developing a continuum theory as the long-wavelength approximation to the tight-binding model. The theoretical results can be probed by measuring the thermal Hall conductance as a function of the temperature and the magnetic field. We envision that the magnetoelastic coupling in antiferromagnets can be a promising venue in search of various topological excitations, which cannot be found in magnetic or elastic models alone.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Half-Integer Quantized Topological Response in Quasiperiodically Driven Quantum Systems

A spin strongly driven by two harmonic incommensurate drives can pump energy from one drive to the other at a quantized average rate, in close analogy with the quantum Hall effect. The pumping rate is a nonzero integer in the topological regime, while the trivial regime does not pump. The dynamical transition between the regimes is sharp in the zero-frequency limit and is characterized by a Dirac point in a synthetic band structure. We show that the pumping rate is half-integer quantized at the transition and present universal Kibble-Zurek scaling functions for energy transfer processes. Finally, our results adapt ideas from quantum phase transitions, quantum information, and topological band theory to nonequilibrium dynamics, and identify qubit experiments to observe the universal linear and nonlinear response of a Dirac point in synthetic dimensions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Magnetic Damping Modulation in IrMn 3 / Ni 80 Fe 20 via the Magnetic Spin Hall Effect

Noncollinear antiferromagnets can have additional spin Hall effects due to the net chirality of their magnetic spin structure, which provides for more complex spin-transport phenomena compared to ordinary nonmagnetic materials. Here we investigated how ferromagnetic resonance of permalloy (Ni 80 Fe 20 ) is modulated by spin Hall effects in adjacent epitaxial IrMn 3 films. We observe a large dc modulation of the ferromagnetic resonance linewidth for currents applied along the [001] IrMn 3 direction. Furthermore, this very strong angular dependence of spin-orbit torques from dc currents through the bilayers can be explained by the magnetic spin Hall effect where IrMn 3 provides novel pathways for modulating magnetization dynamics electrically.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Observation of spatially resolved Rashba states on the surface of CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 single crystals

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) are prime candidates for studying Rashba effects due to the heavy metal and halogen atoms in their crystal structure coupled with predicted inversion symmetry breaking. Nevertheless, observation of the Rashba effect in cubic CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 single crystals that possess bulk inversion symmetry is the subject of extensive debate due to the lack of conclusive experiments and theoretical explanations. In this work, we provide experimental evidence that Rashba state in cubic CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 single crystals at room temperature occurs exclusively on the crystal surface and depends on specific surface termination that results in local symmetry breaking. We demonstrate this using a suite of spatially resolved and depth-sensitive techniques, including circular photogalvanic effect, inverse spin Hall effect, and multiphoton microscopy, that are supported by first principle calculations. Our work suggests using surface Rashba states in these materials for spintronic applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Photon pumping in a weakly-driven quantum cavity–spin system

Highlights: • We study photon frequency conversion in a driven spin coupled to a cavity mode. • Quantized frequency conversion is excpected in the strong-drive adiabatic limit. • A new photon pumping effect is established in the accessible weak drive regime. • Pumping is linked to the delocalization of the corresponding Floquet states. • Quantum coherence is preserved in both the strong and ultraweak-drive limits. We investigate the photon pumping effect in a topological model consisting of a periodically driven spin-1/2 coupled to a quantum cavity mode out of the adiabatic limit. In the strong-drive adiabatic limit, a quantized frequency conversion of photons is expected as the temporal analog of the Hall current. We numerically establish a novel photon pumping phenomenon in the experimentally accessible nonadiabatic driving regime for a broad region of the parameter space. The photon frequency conversion efficiency exhibits strong fluctuations and high efficiency that can reach up 80% of the quantized value for commensurate frequency combinations. We link the pumping properties to the delocalization of the corresponding Floquet states which display multifractal behavior as the result of hybridization between localized and delocalized sectors. Finally we demonstrate that the quantum coherence properties of the initial state are preserved during the frequency conversion process in both the strong and ultra-weak-drive limit.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Emergence of Moiré Dirac Fermions at the Interface of Topological and 2D Magnetic Insulators

Dirac Fermions on the surface of the topological insulator are spin-momentum locked and topologically protected, making them interesting for spintronics and quantum computing applications. When in proximity to magnetism and superconductivity, these electronic states could result in quantum anomalous Hall effect and Majorana Fermions, respectively. An even more dramatic enrichment of the topological insulators’ physics is expected for moiré superlattices, where, analogously to the twisted graphene layers, electronic correlations could be strongly enhanced, a task previously notoriously difficult to achieve in topological matter. Until now, the experimental confirmation of such moiré properties has remained elusive. Here, we grow the two-dimensional van der Waals magnetic insulators FeX 2 (where X = Cl or Br) on top of the topological insulator Bi 2 Se 3 and establish a moiré superlattice formation at the interface. By means of scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we investigate the electronic properties of the formed moiré superlattice and demonstrate its tunability via the film choice. We reveal replicated Dirac cones and focus on their intersections, which, in the case of FeBr 2 /Bi 2 Se 3 , occur below the Fermi level. We identify the signatures of small gaps at the intersections around the M̅ i points that we attribute to the moiré interaction. These findings point to the specific type of magnetic moiré potential that breaks the time-reversal symmetry at these points but not at the $\barΓ$ point. Our observations provide an intriguing scenario of correlated topological phases induced by moiré superlattice that may result in topological superconductivity, high Chern number phases, and exotic noncollinear magnetic textures.

2D magnets↗
DOE OSTI2025

Harnessing ferro-valleytricity in pentalayer rhombohedral graphene for memory and compute

Two-dimensional materials with multiple degrees of freedom, including spin, valleys, and orbitals, open up an exciting avenue for engineering multifunctional devices. Beyond spintronics, these degrees of freedom can lead to novel quantum effects such as valley-dependent Hall effects and orbital magnetism, which could revolutionize next-generation electronics. However, achieving independent control over valley polarization and orbital magnetism has been a challenge due to the need for large electric fields. A recent breakthrough involving pentalayer rhombohedral graphene has demonstrated the ability to individually manipulate anomalous Hall signals and orbital magnetic hysteresis, forming what is known as a valley-magnetic quartet. Here, we leverage the electrically tunable ferro-valleytricity of pentalayer rhombohedral graphene to develop nonvolatile memory and in-memory computation applications. We propose an architecture for a dense, scalable, and selector-less nonvolatile memory array that harnesses the electrically tunable ferro-valleytricity. In our designed array architecture, nondestructive read and write operations are conducted by sensing the valley state through two different pairs of terminals, allowing for independent optimization of read/write peripheral circuits. The power consumption of our PRG-based array is remarkably low, with only ∼6 nW required per write operation and ∼2.3 nW per read operation per cell. This consumption is orders of magnitude lower than that of the majority of state-of-the-art cryogenic memories. Additionally, we engineer in-memory computation by implementing majority logic operations within our proposed nonvolatile memory array without modifying the peripheral circuitry. In conclusion, our framework presents a promising pathway toward achieving ultra-dense cryogenic memory and in-memory computation capabilities.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2020

Mechanism for Anomalous Hall Ferromagnetism in Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Motivated by the recent observation of an anomalous Hall effect in twisted bilayer graphene, here we use a lowest Landau level model to understand the origin of the underlying symmetry-broken correlated state. This effective model is rooted in the occurrence of Chern bands which arise due to the coupling between the graphene device and its encapsulating substrate. Our model exhibits a phase transition from a spin-valley polarized insulator to a partial or fully valley unpolarized metal as the bandwidth is increased relative to the interaction strength, consistent with experimental observations. In sharp contrast to standard quantum Hall ferromagnetism, the Chern number structure of the flat bands precludes an instability to an intervalley coherent phase, but allows for an excitonic vortex lattice at large interaction anisotropy.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Splitting of the Girvin-MacDonald-Platzman Density Wave and the Nature of Chiral Gravitons in the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect

A fundamental manifestation of the nontrivial correlations of an incompressible fractional quantum Hall (FQH) state is that an electron added to it disintegrates into more elementary particles, namely fractionally-charged composite fermions (CFs). We show here that the Girvin-MacDonald-Platzman (GMP) density-wave excitation of the 𝜈=𝑛/(2⁢𝑝⁢𝑛±1) FQH states also splits into more elementary single CF excitons. In particular, the GMP graviton, which refers to the recently observed spin-2 neutral excitation in the vanishing wave vector limit [Liang et al., Nature 628, 78 (2024)], remains undivided for 𝜈 =𝑛/(2⁢𝑛 ±1) but splits into two gravitons at 𝜈 =𝑛/(4⁢𝑛 ±1) with 𝑛 >1. Here, a detailed experimental confirmation of the many observable consequences of the splitting of the GMP mode should provide a unique window into the correlations underlying the FQH effect.

Composite fermions↗
DOE OSTI2022

Tuning the many-body interactions in a helical Luttinger liquid

In one-dimensional (1D) systems, electronic interactions lead to a breakdown of Fermi liquid theory and the formation of a Tomonaga-Luttinger Liquid (TLL). The strength of its many-body correlations can be quantified by a single dimensionless parameter, the Luttinger parameter K, characterising the competition between the electrons’ kinetic and electrostatic energies. Recently, signatures of a TLL have been reported for the topological edge states of quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulators, strictly 1D electronic structures with linear (Dirac) dispersion and spin-momentum locking. Here we show that the many-body interactions in such helical Luttinger Liquid can be effectively controlled by the edge state’s dielectric environment. This is reflected in a tunability of the Luttinger parameter K, distinct on different edges of the crystal, and extracted to high accuracy from the statistics of tunnelling spectra at tens of tunnelling points. The interplay of topology and many-body correlations in 1D helical systems has been suggested as a potential avenue towards realising non-Abelian parafermions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗