Nonexistence of intrinsic spin currents

We describe the electron spin dynamics in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit interaction and disorder using the spin-density matrix method. We show that in the Born approximation in the scattering amplitude the spin current is zero for an arbitrary ratio of the spin-orbit splitting and the scattering rate. Various types of the disorder potential are studied. We argue that the bulk spin current always depends explicitly on scattering by impurities. In this sense universal intrinsic spin current does not exist.     

Electron spin decoherence in quantum dots due to interaction with nuclei

We study the decoherence of a single electron spin in an isolated quantum dot induced by hyperfine interaction with nuclei. The decay is caused by the spatial variation of the electron wave function within the dot, leading to a nonuniform hyperfine coupling A. We evaluate the spin correlation function and find that the decay is not exponential but rather power (inverse logarithm) lawlike. For polarized nuclei we find an exact solution and show that the precession amplitude and the decay behavior can be tuned by the magnetic field. The decay time is given by (planck)N/A, where N is the number of nuclei inside the dot, and the amplitude of precession decays to a finite value. We show that there is a striking difference between the decoherence time for a single dot and the dephasing time for an ensemble of dots.     

Electrical transport and magnetic ordering in R 2Ti3Ge4 (R=Dy, Ho and Er) compounds

New R ₂Ti₃Ge₄ (R=Dy, Ho and Er) intermetallic compounds have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction and low temperature ac magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power measurements were carried out. The compounds crystallize in the parent, Sm₅Ge₄-type orthorhombic structure (space group Pnma) and lanthanide contraction is observed as one moves along the rare-earth series. The changeover from paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic phase happens at low temperatures and the ordering temperature scales with the de Gennes factor. The electrical resistivity is metallic with a negative curvature above 100 K. Thermopower displays a weak maximum at temperatures less than 50 K signifying the possible phonon and magnon drag effects.     

Edge spin accumulation in a ballistic regime

We consider a mesoscopic ballistic structure with Rashba spin-orbit splitting of the electron spectrum. The ballistic region is attached to the leads with a voltage applied between them. We calculate the edge spin density which appears in the presence of a charge current through the structure due to the difference in populations of electrons coming from different leads. Combined effect of the boundary scattering and spin precession leads to oscillations of the edge polarization with the envelope function decaying as a power law of the distance from the boundary. The problem is solved with the use of scattering states. The simplicity of the method allows us gain an insight into the underlying physics. We clarify the role of the unitarity of scattering for the problem of edge spin accumulation. In case of a straight boundary it leads to exact cancellation of all long-wave oscillations of the spin density. As a result, only the Friedel-like spin density oscillations with the momentum 2k _F survive. However, this appears to be rather exceptional case. In general, the smooth spin oscillations with the spin precession length recover, as it happens, e.g., for the wiggly boundary. We demonstrate also, that there is no relation between the spin current in the bulk, which is zero in the considered case, and the edge spin accumulation.     

Elastic properties of the Ta–V system: bcc Ta0.33V0.67 and C15 TaV2

Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy was used to measure the elastic constants of bcc Ta_0.33V_0.67 over the temperature range 3.5–300?K; the results were compared to earlier measurements on C15 TaV₂. The temperature dependence of the polycrystalline shear modulus is completely different in the two phases; that of the bcc phase decreases with temperature whereas that of the C15 phases increases in an anomalous fashion. This difference is consistent with a model involving doubly-degenerate levels at the X point of the Brillouin zone in the C15 phase with the Fermi level lying near the doubly degenerate level. This model accounted for the unusual behaviour of the C15 phase. Debye temperatures were determined from the ultrasonic measurements: 295?K for the C15 phase and 315?K for the bcc phase.