Theory of two-magnon Raman scattering in iron pnictides and chalcogenides

Although the parent iron-based pnictides and chalcogenides are itinerant antiferromagnets, the use of local moment picture to understand their magnetic properties is still widespread. We study magnetic Raman scattering from a local moment perspective for various quantum spin models proposed for this new class of superconductors. These models vary greatly in the level of magnetic frustration and show a vastly different two-magnon Raman response. Light scattering by two-magnon excitations thus provides a robust and independent measure of the underlying spin interactions. In accord with other recent experiments, our results indicate that the amount of magnetic frustration in these systems may be small.     

Resonant Raman scattering in germanium

We have studied the spectral dependence of the first order Raman scattering cross section of Ge at room and liquid nitrogen temperatures in the energy region containing the E₁ and E₁ + Δ₁ optical gaps. This region was covered by a fine mesh of points obtained from the discrete lines of three gas lasers and a cw continuously tunable dye laser. Only one resonant peak was observed, as opposed to the two peaks that characterise the absorption and reflection spectra in this region. The shape of this resonance peak can be explained as due to the changes in the electronic polarizability produced by phonon-induced wave function mixing of the spin-orbit split Λ valence band doublet. The observed temperature shift in the resonant energy is much smaller than the one predicted from the known shifts of the optical gaps with temperature. Furthermore the resonant peak at room temperature appears shifted to higher energies when compared with the theoretical peak calculated from the room temperature optical constants. The resonant Raman peak appears to shift with increasing temperature by the full thermal expansion effect plus only a fraction of the electron-phonon interaction shift seen in the optical constants.     

Nature of spin excitations in two-dimensional mott insulators: undoped cuprates and other materials

We investigate the excitation spectrum of a two-dimensional resonating valence bond (RVB) state. Treating the pi-flux phase with antiferromagnetic correlations as a variational ground state, we recover the long wavelength magnon as an "RVB exciton." However, this excitation does not exhaust the entire spectral weight and the high-energy spectrum is dominated by fermionic excitations. The latter can be observed directly by inelastic neutron scattering, and we predict their characteristic energy scales along different high symmetry directions in the magnetic Brillouin zone. We also interpret experimental results on two magnon Raman scattering and midinfrared absorption within this scenario.     

Resonant multiphonon Raman scattering in AgBr

Resonant Raman scattering in AgBr single crystals is studied at low temperatures. Excitation in resonance with the indirectΓ — L exciton as intermediate state gives rise to selectively enhanced narrow two-phonon Raman scattering. The phonons involved are pairs ofLA andTO phonons of opposite wavevectors near theL-point. A simple model involving one discrete exciton level is developed to explain the resonance behaviour. The temperature dependence of the scattered intensity, that is studied for 1.8 K <T < 35 K, can consistently be interpreted within this model as being due to the lifetime of the intermediate state. Assuming that the excitons predominantly decay by one-phonon scattering with long wavelength acoustical phonons the predicted temperature dependence of the intensity is found in good agreement with the experimental result. Additional scattering peaks are believed to be due to third-order processes involving an acousticalX-phonon in addition to theL-phonons of the second-order scattering. Using an oriented sample the resonant Raman peaks are found to be polarized.     

Strong photon nonlinearities and photonic mott insulators

We show that photon nonlinearities in an electromagnetically induced transparency can be at least 1 order of magnitude larger than predicted in all previous approaches. As an application we demonstrate that in this regime they give rise to very strong photon-photon interactions which are strong enough to make an experimental realization of a photonic Mott insulator state feasible in arrays of coupled ultrahigh-Q microcavities.     

Resonant Raman scattering in amorphous bulk selenium

The resonant Raman spectrum of a-Se bulk has been observed in the low frequency region and in the range of the wavelength 5145ndash;6328 Å.The maximum of the resonance is centered at 5998 Å and shows a sharp peak at 31 cm^?1 Stokes shift, whose intensity varies with wavelength.The experimental data were interpreted, and related to the behaviour of the derivative of the dielectric function in the same material.     

Mechanism of hopping transport in disordered mott insulators

By using a combination of detailed experimental studies and simple theoretical arguments, we identify a novel mechanism characterizing the hopping transport in the Mott insulating phase of Ca2-xSrxRuO4 near the metal-insulator transition. The hopping exponent alpha shows a systematic evolution from a value of alpha=1/2 deeper in the insulator to the conventional Mott value alpha=1/3 closer to the transition. This behavior, which we argue to be a universal feature of disordered Mott systems close to the metal-insulator transition, is shown to reflect the gradual emergence of disorder-induced localized electronic states populating the Mott-Hubbard gap.     

Resonant Raman scattering by plasmons in n-type Ge

We have measured the Raman efficiency for plasmon scattering in n-type Ge as a function of laser excitation frequency in the range of the E₁ and E₁+Δ₁ optical gaps (2.1–2.5 eV). Our results can be explained by a mechanism involving the macroscopic electric field that accompanies the plasma oscillation in a manner similar to that responsible for Fröhlich-interaction-induced forbidden LO-phonon resonances in polar semiconductors plus some contribution of the standard cdf mechanism for scattering by plasmons.     

Resonant Raman scattering in polyacetylene under hydrostatic pressure

The results of resonant Raman scattering experiments on trans-poly-acetylene under hydrostatic pressure are reported. The measurements were performed in a diamond anvil cell. The spectra could be measured up to 44 kbar. The pressure dependence of the 1295 cm^-1 line was measured in a sapphire cell up to 17 kbar. The results show that the changes in the phonon frequencies are very small. By comparing the pressure dependence of the Raman bands with their dependence on the photon energy of the exciting laser line it is possible to determine the pressure variation of the electronic energy gap. The results are consistent with previous measurements of the absorption spectrum under hydrostatic pressure which were carried out up to 13.5 kbar. The gap is found to decrease rapidly with pressure but the decrease tends to saturate at high pressures. The results are consistent with a model in which chain-chain interaction plays a dominant role.     

Resonant Raman scattering and luminescence of excitonic polaritons

Resonant light scattering spectra of excitonic polaritons are calculated with a model system consisting of one exciton band and LO and LA phonons by solving a balance equation describing the kinetic energy relaxation of polariton. The relative intensity of Raman sattering and luminescence changes with varying the incident photon energy because of the competition among various decay mechanisms of polariton. The results are in qualitative agreement with recent experimental observations.     

Anomalously broad Raman scattering spectrum due to two-magnon excitation in hexagonal YMnO3

A strong and broad Raman scattering (RS) spectrum is observed from two-magnon processes in YMnO3. The spectrum is analyzed by taking account (i) the magnon-exciton interaction and (ii) the magnon-phonon coupling in the intermediate state. Anomalous broadening of the RS is attributed to the large superexchange interaction between manganite ions and subsequent modification of magnons under the presence of the exciton and phonons in the intermediate state.     

Resonant Raman scattering in germanium and zincblende-type semiconductors temperature dependence

We have measured the resonance in the Raman scattering near the E₁ gaps of InAs and of a Ge_0.77 Si_0.23 alloy at 77, 300 and 594°K. In contrast to the E₁ gap determined in absorption and transmission measurements, the coresponding peak in the spectral dependence of the scattering cross section shifts very little with temperature; it occurs at all temperatures very near the energy of the absorption peak measured at low temperatures (∼ 77°K).     

Resonant Raman scattering in thallium chloride: simple model calculations

Calculations of the resonance enhancement of the “forbidden” 1LO line in thallium chloride are performed, using a simple hydrogenic model for exciton states. A large 1LO Raman scattering and some features of the cross section are in good agreement with the experimental results.