自旋场效应晶体管中隧道磁阻的势垒相关反转效应

考虑自旋场效应晶体管中Rashba自旋轨道相互作用和自旋输运量子相干性,研究了势垒强度对自旋场效应晶体管的自旋相关量子输运的影响. 研究发现,势垒强度较低时,隧道结电导随Rashba自旋轨道相互作用强度的变化呈现明显的振荡现象,势垒强度较高时,电导表现出明显的势垒相关“电导开关”现象. 当势垒强度逐渐增强时,平行结构电导呈现出单调下降趋势,而反平行结构电导产生波动,这种波动导致该隧道磁阻也随势垒强度的变化表现出振荡现象,且在合适的准一维电子气厚度情况下隧道磁阻值可以产生正负反转,这个效应将会在基于自旋的电子器件信息的存储上获得应用. 关键词： 自旋场效应管 开关效应 量子相干 隧道磁阻     

A boundary element method for the calculation of noise barrier insertion loss in the presence of atmospheric turbulence

Atmospheric turbulence is an important factor that limits the amount of attenuation a barrier can provide in the outdoor environment. It is therefore important to develop a reliable method to predict its effect on barrier performance. The boundary element method (BEM) has been shown to be a very effective technique for predicting barrier insertion loss in the absence of turbulence. This paper develops a simple and efficient modification of the BEM formulation to predict the insertion loss of a barrier in the presence of atmospheric turbulence. The modification is based on two alternative methods: (1) random realisations of log-amplitude and phase fluctuations of boundary sources and (2) de-correlation of source coherence using the mutual coherence function (MCF). An investigation into the behaviours of these two methods is carried out and simplified forms of the methods developed. Some systematic differences between the predictions from the methods are found. When incorporated into the BEM formulation, the method of random realisations and the method of MCF de-correlation provide predictions that agree well with predictions by the parabolic equation method and by the scattering cross-section method on a variety of thin barrier configurations.     

Lifetime and coherence of two-level defects in a Josephson junction

We measure the lifetime (T?) and coherence (T?) of two-level defect states (TLSs) in the insulating barrier of a Josephson phase qubit and compare to the interaction strength between the two systems. We find for the average decay times a power-law dependence on the corresponding interaction strengths, whereas for the average coherence times we find an optimum at intermediate coupling strengths. We explain both the lifetime and the coherence results using the standard TLS model, including dipole radiation by phonons and anticorrelated dependence of the energy parameters on environmental fluctuations.     

Spin polarization of semiconductor carriers by reflection off a ferromagnet

We present a theory of generation or alteration of the electron spin coherence and population in an n-doped semiconductor by reflection at the interface with a ferromagnet. The dependence of the spin reflection on the Schottky barrier height and the doping concentration in the semiconductor was computed for a generic model. The theory provides an explanation for the spontaneous electron spin coherence and nuclear polarization in the semiconductor interfaced with a ferromagnet and associated phenomena recently observed by time-resolved Faraday rotation experiments. The study also points to an alternative approach to spintronics different from spin injection.     

TMR of double spin-valve type AF/FM/I/FM/I/FM/AF magnetic tunneling junctions

An unusually large enhancement of TMR at 77 K was observed in double barrier tunnel junctions (DBTJ). This is explained with extended Julliere's model which yields a twice larger TMR value. When the spin coherence length is much smaller at higher temperature, DBTJ is shown to work as a series of two single barrier tunnel junctions.     

Essence of Pseudogap and Oscillation in High-Temperature Cuprate Superconductor Junction of Pseudogap State

This paper gives methods to calculate the pairing temperature T*,at which a pseudogap is opened,and the superconducting temperature Tc,at which superconductivity appears,in the high-Tc cuprates,and demonstrates directly that at Tc ＜ T ＜ T* the pseudogap is the gap of Cooper pair without long-range phase coherence,and at T ＜ Tc there is long-range phase coherence between Cooper pairs.Based on the above clear physical picture on the pseudogap state and our mechanism for the ac Josephson effect,this paper proposes that there should be a novel oscillatory current in P-I-P junction,induced by a constant bias on the junction.Here,P represents the high-Tc curates in the pseudogap state,where Cooper pairs do not have long-range phase coherence,and I represents the thin insulating barrier.This paper conjectures that there is a possible high-temperature superconductivity in the heavily underdoped high-Tc cuprates.     

Quantum interference effect of a mesoscopic ring interrupted by a tunnelbarrier

We show that a scattering matrix can be used to calculate the transmission probability for a pure mesoscopic ring that has a circumference short compared with the phase coherence length that is interrupted by a clean tunnel barrier. The oscillation exhibits a period of 2π or π, depending on the thickness of the barrier, as a function of the electrostatic phase shift that arises from the etectrostatic potential applied to one branch of the ring. These results are independent of the parity of k_FL (k_F is the Fermi wave number, L is half of the path length of the ring.).     

Experimental observation of bias-dependent nonlocal Andreev reflection

We investigate transport through hybrid structures consisting of two normal metal leads connected via tunnel barriers to one common superconducting electrode. We find clear evidence for the occurrence of nonlocal Andreev reflection and elastic cotunneling through a superconductor when the separation of the tunnel barrier is comparable to the superconducting coherence length. The probability of the two processes is energy dependent, with elastic cotunneling dominating at low energy and nonlocal Andreev reflection at higher energies. The energy scale of the crossover is found to be the Thouless energy of the superconductor, which indicates the phase coherence of the processes. Our results are relevant for the realization of recently proposed entangler devices.     

Supercurrents through barriers

Superconducting systems partitioned by barriers which are thin enough to allow supercurrents to pass through them are discussed. The implications for such systems of superconducting long-range order are considered, and a phenomenological theory developed and applied to a number of topics: penetration of a magnetic field into a barrier, interference of supercurrents in the presence of a magnetic field, the cut-off frequency associated with the propagation of electromagnetic waves along a barrier, a.c. supercurrents, and structure in the d.c. current-voltage characteristics of a barrier resulting from an applied microwave field or the a.c. supercurrent. The phenomenological theory is justified by the use of microscopic theory, and a new approach, based on the Gor'kov method, is described. The results of this approach, which is of more general validity than the tunnelling Hamiltonian method, are shown to be expressible in terms of Feynman diagrams. Attention is drawn to the analogy between supercurrents and other processes involving phase coherence.     

Investigation of electronic coupling in semiconductor double quantum wells using coherent optical two-dimensional Fourier transform spectroscopy

We investigate electronic coupling in asymmetric semiconductor double quantum wells using a new spectroscopy method, optical two-dimensional Fourier transform (2D-FT) spectroscopy. Measurements on two samples with different barrier thicknesses show drastically different 2D-FT spectra. We compare these measurements to conventional one-dimensional four-wave-mixing measurements, highlighting the unique advantages of the 2D-FT spectroscopy. An oscillatory behavior in the intensity of the cross peaks as a function of the mixing time is observed. This oscillation is attributed to interference between different quantum mechanical pathways, and its features are determined by the non-radiative Raman coherence between dipole-forbidden states.     

Microwave control of transport through a chaotic mesoscopic dot

We establish analogy between a microwave ionization of Rydberg atoms and a charge transport through a chaotic quantum dot induced by a monochromatic field in a regime with a potential barrier between dot contacts. We show that the quantum coherence leads to dynamical localization of electron excitation in energy so that only a finite number of photons is absorbed inside the dot. The theory developed determines the dependence of localization length on dot and microwave parameters showing that the microwave power can switch the dot between metallic and insulating regimes. ultiphoton ionization and excitation to highly excited states (e.g., Rydberg states)     

Tunnel barrier and noncollinear magnetization effects on shot noise in ferromagnetic/semiconductor/ferromagnetic heterojunctions

Based on the scattering approach, we investigate transport properties of electrons in a one-dimensional waveguide that contains a ferromagnetic/semiconductor/ferromagnetic heterojunction and tunnel barriers in the presence of Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions. We simultaneously consider significant quantum size effects, quantum coherence, Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions and noncollinear magnetizations. It is found that the tunnel barrier plays a decisive role in the transmission coefficient and shot noise of the ballistic spin electron transport through the heterojunction. When the small tunnel barriers are considered, the transport properties of electrons are quite different from those without tunnel barriers.     

Double point contact in quantum Hall line junctions

We show that multiple point contacts on a barrier separating two laterally coupled quantum Hall fluids induce Aharonov-Bohm (AB) oscillations in the tunneling conductance. These quantum coherence effects provide new evidence for the Luttinger liquid behavior of the edge states of quantum Hall fluids. For a two point contact, we identify coherent and incoherent regimes determined by the relative magnitude of their separation and the temperature. We analyze both regimes in the strong and weak tunneling amplitude limits as well as their temperature dependence. We find that the tunneling conductance should exhibit AB oscillations in the coherent regime, both at strong and weak tunneling amplitudes with the same period but with different functional form.     

Quantum spin chains with various defects

Using the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method, we study the quantum coherence in one‐dimensional disordered spin chains and Fermi systems. We consider in detail spinless fermions on a ring, and compare the influence of several kinds of impurities in a gapless and a dimerized, gapped system. In the translation‐invariant system a so‐called site‐impurity, which can be realized by a local potential or a modification of one link, increases for repulsive interaction, and decreases for attractive interaction, upon renormalization. The weakening of two neighbouring bonds, which is a realization of a so‐called bond‐impurity, on the other hand, is healed for repulsive interaction, but enhanced for intermediate attractive interactions. This leads to a strong suppression of the quantum coherence measured by the phase sensitivity, but not to localization. Adding a local distortion to a dimerized system, we find that even the presence of a single site‐impurity increases the metallic region found in the dimerized model. For a strong dimerization and a high barrier, an additional sharp maximum, is seen in the phase sensitivity as a function of interaction, already for systems with about 100 sites. A bond‐impurity in the dimerized system also opens a small metallic window in the otherwise isolating regime.     

Tuned transition from quantum to classical for macroscopic quantum states

The boundary between the classical and quantum worlds has been intensely studied. It remains fascinating to explore how far the quantum concept can reach with use of specially fabricated elements. Here we employ a tunable flux qubit with basis states having persistent currents of 1 μA carried by a million pairs of electrons. By tuning the tunnel barrier between these states we see a crossover from quantum to classical. Released from nonequilibrium, the system exhibits spontaneous coherent oscillations. For high barriers the lifetime of the states increases dramatically while the tunneling period approaches the phase coherence time and the oscillations fade away.     

Decoherence in josephson phase qubits from junction resonators

Although Josephson junction qubits show great promise for quantum computing, the origin of dominant decoherence mechanisms remains unknown. Improving the operation of a Josephson junction based phase qubit has revealed microscopic two-level systems or resonators within the tunnel barrier that cause decoherence. We report spectroscopic data that show a level splitting characteristic of coupling between a two-state qubit and a two-level system. Furthermore, we show Rabi oscillations whose "coherence amplitude" is significantly degraded by the presence of these spurious microwave resonators. The discovery of these resonators impacts the future of Josephson qubits as well as existing Josephson technologies.     

Uncertainty relations for quantum coherence with respect to mutually unbiased bases

The concept of quantum coherence, including various ways to quantify the degree of coherence with respect to the prescribed basis, is currently the subject of active research. The complementarity of quantum coherence in different bases was studied by deriving upper bounds on the sum of the corresponding measures. To obtain a two-sided estimate, lower bounds on the coherence quantifiers are also of interest. Such bounds are naturally referred to as uncertainty relations for quantum coherence. We obtain new uncertainty relations for coherence quantifiers averaged with respect to a set of mutually unbiased bases (MUBs). To quantify the degree of coherence, the relative entropy of coherence and the geometric coherence are used. Further, we also derive novel state-independent uncertainty relations for a set of MUBs in terms of the min-entropy.     

非对称自旋-轨道耦合系统的多体量子相干含时演化

本文以具有非对称性自旋相互作用的三体自旋系统为研究对象,重点研究了三体量子相干含时演化规律.采用精确量子对角化和基于量子主方程的数值模拟方法,讨论了三体量子系统中多种量子相干组分及其退相干.研究发现,量子相干组分的含时演化与整个系统的初态量子特性紧密相关.当初态为可分离纯态时,在较短时间内,非对称相互作用有利于增加多体量子相干度.这些量子相干度因受噪声影响而逐渐衰减.当初态为类Werner态时,量子相干度的分布满足加和性,即三体量子相干度等于所有两体量子相干度之和.自旋之间非对称相互作用和环境噪声都会引起三体量子相干度大于所有两体量子相干度之和.这些结论有助于多体量子资源的制备.     

Coherent charge transport in ferromagnet/semiconductor nanowire/ferromagnet double barrier junctions with the interplay of Rashba spin-orbit coupling,induced superconducting pair potential,and external magnetic field

By solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation, the influence of the interplay of Rashba spin-orbit coupling, induced superconducting pair potential, and external magnetic field on the spin-polarized coherent charge transport in ferromagnet/semiconductor nanowire/ferromagnet double barrier junctions is investigated based on the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk theory. The coherence effect is characterized by the strong oscillations of the charge conductance as a function of the bias voltage or the thickness of the semiconductor nanowire, resulting from the quantum interference of incoming and outgoing quasiparticles in the nanowire. Such oscillations can be effectively modulated by varying the strength of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling, the thickness of the nanowire, or the strength of the external magnetic field. It is also shown that two different types of zero-bias conductance peaks may occur under some particular conditions, which have some different characteristics and may be due to different mechanisms.     

Coherence vortices of partially coherent beams in the far field

Based on the propagation law of cross-spectral density function, studied in this paper are the coherence vortices of partially coherent, quasi-monochromatic singular beams with Gaussian envelope and Schell-model correlator in the far field, where our main attention is paid to the evolution of far-field coherence vortices into intensity vortices of fully coherent beams. The results show that, although there are usually no zeros of intensity in partially coherent beams with Gaussian envelope and Schell-model correlator, zeros of spectral degree of coherence exist. The coherence vortices of spectral degree of coherence depend on the relative coherence length, mode index and positions of pairs of points. If a point and mode index are kept fixed, the position of coherence vortices changes with the increase of the relative coherence length. For the low coherent case there is a circular phase dislocation. In the coherent limit coherence vortices become intensity vortices of fully coherent Laguerre--Gaussian beams.