A fractional-spin phase in the power-law Kondo model

We consider a Kondo impurity coupled to a fermionic host with a power-law density of states near the Fermi level, ρ(ε) ∼ |ε|^r, with exponent r < 0. Using both perturbative renormalization group (poor man's scaling) and numerical renormalization group methods, we analyze the phase diagram of this model for ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic Kondo coupling. Both sectors display non-trivial behavior with several stable phases separated by continuous transitions. In particular, on the ferromagnetic side there is a stable intermediate-coupling fixed point with universal properties corresponding to a fractional ground-state spin. Received 18 February 2002 Published online 31 July 2002     

Genetic Algorithms as a tool in the study of aperiodic order,with application to the case of X-Ray diffraction spectra of GaAs-AlAs multilayer heterostructures

We present the first application of Genetic Algorithms to the analysis of data from an aperiodically ordered system, high resolution X-Ray diffraction spectra from multilayer heterostructures arranged according to a deterministic or random scheme. This method paves the way to the solution of the “inverse problem”, that is the retrieval of the generating disorder from the investigation of the spectra of an unknown sample having non crystallographic, non quasi-crystallographic order. Received 18 March 2002 / Received in final form 3 July 2002 Published online 31 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: Evelyne.Lutton@inria.fr RID="b" ID="b"CNRS UMR 8502     

Wilson's renormalization group applied to 2D lattice electrons in the presence of van Hove singularities

The weak coupling instabilities of a two dimensional Fermi system are investigated for the case of a square lattice using a Wilson renormalization group scheme to one loop order. We focus on a situation where the Fermi surface passes through two saddle points of the single particle dispersion. In the case of perfect nesting, the dominant instability is a spin density wave but d-wave superconductivity as well as charge or spin flux phases are also obtained in certain regions in the space of coupling parameters. The low energy regime in the vicinity of these instabilities can be studied analytically. Although saddle points play a major role (through their large contribution to the single particle density of states), the presence of low energy excitations along the Fermi surface rather than at isolated points is crucial and leads to an asymptotic decoupling of the various instabilities. This suggests a more mean-field like picture of these instabilities, than the one recently established by numerical studies using discretized Fermi surfaces. Received 11 April 2001 and Received in final form 6 September 2001     

Spin polarized current in the ground state of superconductor-ferromagnet-insulator trilayers

We study the ground state properties of a superconductor-ferromagnet-insulator trilayer on the basis of a Hubbard Model featuring exchange splitting in the ferromagnet and electron-electron attraction in the superconductor. We solve the spin-polarized Hartree-Fock-Gorkov equations together with the Maxwell's equation (Ampere's law) fully self-consistently with respect to the order parameter and the current. For certain values of the exchange splitting we find that a spontaneous spin polarized current is generated in the ground state and is intimately related to Andreev bound states at the Fermi level. Moreover, the polarization of the current strongly depends on the band filling. Received 23 September 2002 / Received in final form 13 December 2002 Published online 1st April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: m.a.krawiec@bristol.ac.uk     

Specific heats of the charge density wave compounds o-TaS and (TaSe ) I

Specific heats of the charge-density-wave compounds o-TaS₃ and (TaSe₄)₂I have been measured over the wide temperature interval 10 K-300 K. Both systems exhibit strong non-Debye behavior. Very weak and broad anomalies are observed at the Peierls transition temperatures. For o-TaS₃, the change in the curvature of the specific heat occurs at temperature of 40 K where glass transition has been deduced from dielectric measurements, and an extended scaling analysis suggests that the glass transition is associated with a dynamical cross over in length scales. We briefly discuss the characteristics and physical origins of the anomalies at both the Peierls and glass transitions. Received 5 April 2002 / Received in final form 28 June 2002 Published online 17 September 2002     

Nature of the Peierls- to Mott-insulator transition in 1D

In order to clarify the physics of the crossover from a Peierls band insulator to a correlated Mott-Hubbard insulator, we analyze ground-state and spectral properties of the one-dimensional half-filled Holstein-Hubbard model using quasi-exact numerical techniques. In the adiabatic limit the transition is connected to the band to Mott insulator transition of the ionic Hubbard model. Depending on the strengths of the electron-phonon coupling and the Hubbard interaction the transition is either first order or evolves continuously across a narrow intermediate phase with finite spin, charge, and optical excitation gaps. Received 7 July 2002 / Received in final form 21 October 2002 Published online 27 January 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: holger.fehske@physik.uni-greifswald.de     

Self-averaging in complex brain neuron signals

Nonlinear statistical properties of Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) of limbic brain are studied in vivo. VTA plays key role in generation of pleasure and in development of psychological drug addiction. It is shown that spiking time-series of the VTA dopaminergic neurons exhibit long-range correlations with self-averaging behavior. This specific VTA phenomenon has no relation to VTA rewarding function. Last result reveals complex role of VTA in limbic brain. Received 17 April 2002 / Received in final form 30 September 2002 Published online 31 December 2002     

Spin susceptibility in small Fermi energy systems: effects of nonmagnetic impurities

In small Fermi energy metals, disorder can deeply modify superconducting state properties leading to a strong suppression of the critical temperature T_c. In this paper, we show that also normal state properties can be seriously influenced by disorder when the Fermi energy E _F is sufficiently small. We calculate the normal state spin susceptibility χ for a narrow band electron-phonon coupled metal as a function of the non-magnetic impurity scattering rate . We find that as soon as is comparable to E _F, χ is strongly reduced with respect to its value in the clean limit. The effects of the electron-phonon interaction including the nonadiabatic corrections are discussed. Our results strongly suggest that the recent finding on irradiated MgB₂ samples can be naturally explained in terms of small E _F values associated with the σ-bands of the boron plane, sustaining therefore the hypothesis that MgB₂ is a nonadiabatic metal. Received 31 July 2002 / Received in final form 21 September 2002 Published online 31 December 2002     

Ginzburg-Landau theory and effects of pressure on a two-band superconductor: application to MgB <Emphasis Type="Bold">2</Emphasis>

We present a model of pressure effects of a two-band superconductor based on a Ginzburg-Landau free energy with two order parameters. The parameters of the theory are pressure as well as temperature dependent. New pressure effects emerge as a result of the competition between the two bands. The theory then is applied to MgB₂. We identify two possible scenaria regarding the fate of the two σ subbands under pressure, depending on whether or not both subbands are above the Fermi energy at ambient pressure. The splitting of the two subbands is probably caused by the E_2g distortion. If only one subband is above the Fermi energy at ambient pressure (scenario I), application of pressure diminishes the splitting and it is possible that the lower subband participates in the superconductivity. The corresponding crossover pressure and Gr neisen parameter are estimated. In the second scenario both bands start above the Fermi energy and they move below it, either by pressure or via the substitution of Mg by Al. In both scenaria, the possibility of electronical topological transition is emphasized. Experimental signatures of both scenaria are presented and existing experiments are discussed in the light of the different physical pictures. Received 3 September 2002 / Received in final form 16 December 2002 Published online 14 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: joseph.betouras@ua.ac.be RID="b" ID="b"On leave from N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 31 Leninskii prospekt, 117915, Moscow, Russia     

Size and randomness effects on the temperature-dependent hopping conductivity of nanocrystalline chains

Developing a renormalization group approach, we study the hopping conductivity of nanocrystalline chains with different site energies. Exact calculations show that many parameters including nano-sizes, randomness of grain distributions, lattice distortions, site energies, transition rates, Fermi energy, and temperature influence the conductivity. Some new singular features, for example the frequency shift, the amplitude fluctuations, and the interchange between “peak” and “valley” behavior of the imaginary part of the conductivity can be caused by certain parameters mentioned above, while the interface distortions modulate mainly the overall amplitudes of the conductivity at the whole frequency region. Received 13 January 2000 and Received in final form 12 September 2000     

Electronic structure of LaNi and its hydride LaNi H

The electronic structure of LaNi₅ and its hydride LaNi₅H₇ are obtained using the self-consistent cluster-embedding calculation method. The Fermi level of LaNi₅H₇ is 5.172 eV higher than that of LaNi₅. In both materials, the La 5d electrons locate nearby the Fermi levels, and make only a small contribution to the density of states (DOS) of the valence bands. There is no significant charge transfer from La to Ni in LaNi₅. But for LaNi₅H₇, there is a charge transfer of 1.16 electrons from La to H, and H atoms are combined mainly with Ni to form hybridized orbitals in the energy regions far below the Fermi level. An explanation of hydrogenation of LaNi₅ is proposed: It is easy for hydrogens to take off some localized La 5 d electrons near the Fermi level, and combine with Ni to form hybridized orbitals in lower energy regions. This process is therefore in favor of energy, and forces a lattice expansion until the Fermi level rises to zero. Received 13 July 2001 / Received in final form 10 December 2001 Published online 17 September 2002     

Rowers coupled hydrodynamically. Modeling possible mechanisms for the cooperation of cilia

We introduce a model system of stochastic entities, called rowers which include some essentials of the behavior of real cilia. We introduce and discuss the problem of symmetry breaking for these objects and its connection with the onset of macroscopic, directed flow in the fluid. We perform a mean field-like calculation showing that hydrodynamic interaction may provide for the symmetry breaking mechanism and the onset of fluid flow. Finally, we discuss the problem of the metachronal wave in a stochastic context through an analytical calculation based on a path integral representation of our model equation. Received 12 June 2001 and Received in final form 9 January 2002     

Quasi-periodic and periodic solutions for dynamical systems related to Korteweg-de Vries equation

We consider quasi-periodic and periodic (cnoidal) wave solutions of a set of n-component dynamical systems related to Korteweg-de Vries equation. Quasi-periodic wave solutions for these systems are expressed in terms of Novikov polynomials. Periodic solutions in terms of Hermite polynomials and generalized Hermite polynomials for dynamical systems related to Korteweg-de Vries equation are found. Received 15 October 2001 / Received in final form 6 March 2002 Published online 2 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: nakostov@ie.bas.bg     

Fast intramolecular dynamics of triphenyl phosphite investigated by <Emphasis Type="Bold">2</Emphasis>H NMR

The first analysis of rapid intramolecular motions of triphenyl phosphite by ²H NMR is presented. The fragile slowing down of the primary relaxation is followed by a solid-echo method. The occurrence of a fast reorientation of the phenyl side groups is demonstrated in the supercooled liquid state, identified as a two-fold flip on the basis of simple lineshape simulations. Coexistence of both static and motionally averaged components in “two phase” spectra indicate a broad distribution of correlation times for this relaxation. This dynamical behavior is shown to persist in the glacial phase. Received 28 May 2002 / Received in final form 1st October 2002 Published online 31 December 2002     

Disease spreading in structured scale-free networks

We study the spreading of a disease on top of structured scale-free networks recently introduced. By means of numerical simulations we analyze the SIS and the SIR models. Our results show that when the connectivity fluctuations of the network are unbounded whether the epidemic threshold exists strongly depends on the initial density of infected individuals and the type of epidemiological model considered. Analytical arguments are provided in order to account for the observed behavior. We conclude that the peculiar topological features of this network and the absence of small-world properties determine the dynamics of epidemic spreading. Received 16 October 2002 Published online 4 February 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: yamir@ictp.trieste.it     

Mean field loops versus quantum anti-crossing nets in trapped Bose-Einstein condensates

We study a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in an asymmetric double well potential. Solutions of the time-independent Gross-Pitaevskii equation reveal intrinsic loops in the energy (or chemical potential) level behavior when the shape of the potential is varied. We investigate the corresponding behavior of the quantum (many-body) energy levels. Applying the two-mode approximation to the bosonic field operators, we show that the quantum energy levels create an anti-crossing net inside the region bounded by the loop of the mean field solution. Received 6 March 2002 / Received in final form 19 September 2002 Published online 15 November 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: smerzi@cnls.lanl.gov     

Carrier-induced changes in the phase resolved reflection of GaAs quantum wells

The influence of thermalized non-coherent carriers on the dielectric function of GaAs/AlAs quantum wells is investigated by reflection spectroscopy. Experiments are performed using the method of spectral interferometry, where both amplitude and phase of reflected pulses can be determined. For low excitation density the complex coefficient of reflection can be described using as dielectric function a broadened Elliot formula. With increasing carrier density pronounced nonlinearities appear in both amplitude and phase due to many-body effects between excited carriers. The nonlinear behavior fits very well to the results of a many-body theory based on the Semiconductor Bloch equations including memory effects in the scattering processes between carriers and the polarization induced by the probe pulse. Received 29 May 2002 / Received in final form 23 September 2002 Published online 19 December 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: manzke@physik3.uni-rostock.de     

From ballistic motion to localization: a phase space analysis

We introduce phase space concepts to describe quantum states in a disordered system. The merits of an inverse participation ratio defined on the basis of the Husimi function are demonstrated by a numerical study of the Anderson model in one, two, and three dimensions. Contrary to the inverse participation ratios in real and momentum space, the corresponding phase space quantity allows for a distinction between the ballistic, diffusive, and localized regimes on a unique footing and provides valuable insight into the structure of the eigenstates. Received 5 March 2002