Photocurrent in gyrotropic Weyl semimetals

Photocurrents in the Weyl semimetals belonging to the gyrotropic symmetry classes have been theoretically studied. It has been shown that the circular photocurrent transverse to the direction of light incidence appears in weakly gyrotropic crystals with the C _nv (n = 3, 4, 6) symmetry only when spin-dependent terms both linear and quadratic or cubic in the quasimomentum, as well as a spin-independent term resulting in the tilt of the cone dispersion, are taken into account in the electron effective Hamiltonian. A polarization-independent magnetic-field-induced photocurrent, which is allowed only in gyrotropic systems, has been predicted. For crystals with the C_2v symmetry, a microscopic mechanism of the photocurrent in a quantized magnetic field, which is generated in direct optical transitions between the ground and first excited magnetic subbands, has been considered. It has been shown that this photocurrent becomes nonzero in the presence of the anisotropic tilt of dispersion cones.     

Geometrical optics of moving media

The propagation of a monochromatic light wave in a medium moving at a spatially nonuniform velocity is described in terms of geometrical optics. An eikonal equation is derived to the first order in the parameter v/c (where v is the velocity of the medium and c is the velocity of light). It is shown that the nonuniformity of the motion of the medium leads to a shift and bending of the light rays and to a rotation of the plane of polarization. The estimates obtained demonstrate the feasibility of observing the revealed effects in real experiments. These effects can be used to analyze the distributions of the velocity of motion of fluids and, possibly, gases.     

Anomalous diffusion and fluctuation effects in highly disordered media

The model of impurity transport in highly disordered fractal media is generalized with account taken of the superdiffusional behavior at large distances and fluctuative behavior at small distances. It is found that the impurity source power is renormalized due to the spatial fluctuations of medium characteristics. The renormalization coefficient K decreases dramatically with changing the source dimension R for R values smaller than the correlation length in the medium. In the same domain of R values, the coefficient K, together with the effective power, undergoes increasing statistical scatter.     

Wave nonreciprocity in inhomogeneous gyrotropic media and multilayer systems: II. Multilayer systems

The propagation of electromagnetic waves in multilayer systems with a naturally (or structurally) gyrotropic layer (layers) is considered. A new mechanism of wave nonreciprocity is revealed. In particular, the wave nonreciprocity in multilayer systems with gyrotropic layers is investigated and a simple multilayer system consisting of a layer of a cholesteric liquid crystal and a substrate is considered. It is shown that multilayer systems with strong nonreciprocity can be used as optical diodes or optical isolators (which transmit signals through an optical channel in one direction and block signals propagating in the opposite direction) and systems for accumulation of light energy.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>) gravity constraints from gravitational waves

The recent LIGO observation sparked interest in the field of gravitational wave signals. Besides the gravitational wave observation the LIGO collaboration used the inspiraling black hole pair to constrain the graviton mass. Unlike general relativity, f(R) theories have a characteristic non-zero mass graviton. We apply this constraint on the graviton mass to viable f(R) models in order to find the effects on model parameters. We find it possible to constrain the parameter space with these gravity wave based observations. We consider the popular Hu–Sawicki model as a case study and find an appropriate parameter bracket. The result generalizes to other f(R) theories and can be used to constrain the parameter space.     

Characteristics of surface acoustic waves in (11$$\bar 2$$ 0)ZnO film/ R-sapphire substrate structures

(11\(\bar 2\)0)ZnO film/R-sapphire substrate structure is promising for high frequency acoustic wave devices. The propagation characteristics of SAWs, including the Rayleigh waves along [0001] direction and Love waves along [1ī00] direction, are investigated by using 3 dimensional finite element method (3D-FEM). The phase velocity (v _p), electromechanical coupling coefficient (k ²), temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) and reflection coefficient (r) of Rayleigh wave and Love wave devices are theoretically analyzed. Furthermore, the influences of ZnO films with different crystal orientation on SAW properties are also investigated. The results show that the 1st Rayleigh wave has an exceedingly large k ² of 4.95% in (90°, 90°, 0°) (11\(\bar 2\)0)ZnO film/R-sapphire substrate associated with a phase velocity of 5300 m/s; and the 0th Love wave in (0°, 90°, 0°) (11\(\bar 2\)0)ZnO film/R-sapphire substrate has a maximum k ² of 3.86% associated with a phase velocity of 3400 m/s. And (11\(\bar 2\)0)ZnO film/R-sapphire substrate structures can be used to design temperature-compensated and wide-band SAW devices. All of the results indicate that the performances of SAW devices can be optimized by suitably selecting ZnO films with different thickness and crystal orientations deposited on R-sapphire substrates.     

Optical properties of magnetic photonic crystals with an arbitrary magnetization orientation

We have studied the peculiarities of diffraction of light in magnetic photonic crystals at large values of magnetooptical activity parameter and modulation depth. We have considered the case of an arbitrary angle between the directions of the external static magnetic field and the normal to the layer. The problem has been solved by the modified Ambartsumyan layer summation method. It has been shown that the given system is nonreciprocal with respect to not only circular, but linear polarizations also. In this case, a new type of nonreciprocity is observed (namely, the relation R(α) ≠ R(–α) holds, where R is the reflection coefficient and α is the angle of incidence). It has been demonstrated that in the case of oblique incidence, there appears a new photonic forbidden band that is not selective relative to the polarization of incident light. We have detected strong dependences of reflectance, absorbance, transmittance nonreciprocity, and other characteristics on the angle between the direction of the external static magnetic field and the normal to the layer boundary. Such a system can be used as a controllable polarization filter and a mirror, as well as a source of circular (elliptic) polarization, a controllable optical diode, and so on.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>) gravity solutions for evolving wormholes

The scalar–tensor f(R) theory of gravity is considered in the framework of a simple inhomogeneous space-time model. In this research we use the reconstruction technique to look for possible evolving wormhole solutions within viable f(R) gravity formalism. These f(R) models are then constrained so that they are consistent with existing experimental data. Energy conditions related to the matter threading the wormhole are analyzed graphically and are in general found to obey the null energy conditions (NEC) in regions around the throat, while in the limit \(f(R)=R,\) NEC can be violated at large in regions around the throat.     

Impurity transport in fractal media in the presence of a degrading diffusion barrier

We have analyzed the transport regimes and the asymptotic forms of the impurity concentration in a randomly inhomogeneous fractal medium in the case when an impurity source is surrounded by a weakly permeable degrading barrier. The systematization of transport regimes depends on the relation between the time t ₀ of emergence of impurity from the barrier and time t _* corresponding to the beginning of degradation. For t ₀ < t _*, degradation processes are immaterial. In the opposite situation, when t ₀ > t _*, the results on time intervals t < t _* can be formally reduced to the problem with a stationary barrier. The characteristics of regimes with t _* < t < t ₀ depend on the scenario of barrier degradation. For an exponentially fast scenario, the interval t _* < t < t ₀ is very narrow, and the transport regime occurring over time intervals t < t _* passes almost jumpwise to the regime of the problem without a barrier. In the slow power-law scenario, the transport over long time interval t _* < t < t ₀ occurs in a new regime, which is faster as compared to the problem with a stationary barrier, but slower than in the problem without a barrier. The asymptotic form of the concentration at large distances from the source over time intervals t < t ₀ has two steps, while for t > t ₀, it has only one step. The more remote step for t < t ₀ and the single step for t > t ₀ coincide with the asymptotic form in the problem without a barrier.     

Symmetry energy of the nucleus in the relativistic Thomas–Fermi approach with density-dependent parameters

We introduce an inhomogeneous term, f(t,x), into the right-hand side of the usual Burgers equation and examine the resulting equation for those functions which admit at least one Lie point symmetry. For those functions f(t,x) which depend nontrivially on both t and x, we find that there is just one symmetry. If f is a function of only x, there are three symmetries with the algebra s l(2,R). When f is a function of only t, there are five symmetries with the algebra s l(2,R) ⊕ _s 2A ₁. In all the cases, the Burgers equation is reduced to the equation for a linear oscillator with nonconstant coefficient.     

Investigation of the mechanisms of exciton coherence relaxation in single GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells by the methods of excitonic induction

The mechanisms of exciton coherence relaxation in GaAs quantum wells in the linear mode have been experimentally investigated. An experimental technique has been developed for measuring the total phase relaxation rate, rates of reversible and temperature-irreversible excitonic phase relaxation, and the radiative decay rate Γ _R of excitonic polarization. The experimental values of Γ _R for a quantum well of specified thickness, obtained for a series of samples, have a spread not larger than 15%. This accuracy made it possible to estimate the shape of the dependence of Γ _R on the well thickness L _Z . It is experimentally found that Γ _R is temperature-independent up to 80 K.     

Waves in a superlattice with arbitrary interlayer boundary thickness

The transmittance D(ω), reflectance R(ω), and dispersion ω(k) are investigated for waves of various nature propagating through a one-dimensional superlattice (multilayer structure) with arbitrary thickness of the interlayer boundary. The dependences of the band gap widths δω_m and their positions in the wave spectrum of the superlattice on the interlayer boundary thickness d and the band number m are calculated. Calculations are performed in terms of the modified coupled-mode theory (MCMT) using the frequency dependence of R(ω), as well as in the framework of perturbation theory using the function ω (k), which made it possible to estimate the accuracy of the MCMT method; the MCMT method is found to have a high accuracy in calculating the band gap widths and a much lower accuracy in determining the gap positions. It is shown that the m dependence of δω _m for electromagnetic (or elastic) waves is different from that for spin waves. Furthermore, the widths of the band gaps with m=1 and 2 are practically independent of d, whereas the widths of all gaps for m>2 depend strongly on d. Experimental measurements of these dependences allow one to determine the superlattice interface thicknesses by using spectral methods.     

Magnetoresistance hysteresis in granular HTSCs as a manifestation of the magnetic flux trapped by superconducting grains in YBCO + CuO composites

Hysterestic behavior of the magnetoresistance of granular HTSCs and its interaction with the magnetic hysteresis are studied by measuring magnetoresistance R(H) and critical current I _c(H) of composites formed by HTSC Y_0.75Lu_0.25Ba₂Cu₃O₇ and CuO. A network of Josephson junctions is formed in such composites, in which the nonsuperconducting component plays the role of barriers between HTSC grains. Hysteretic dependences R(H) of magnetoresistance are studied in a wide range of transport current density j and are analyzed in the framework of the two-level model of a granular superconductor, in which dissipation takes place in the Josephson medium and the magnetic flux can be pinned both in grains and in the Josephson medium. The interrelation between the hysteresis of critical current I _c(H) and the evolution of the hysterestic dependence R(H) of the magnetoresistance upon transport current variation is demonstrated experimentally. The effect of the magnetic past history on the hysteretic behavior of R(H) and the emergence of a segment with a negative magnetoresistance are analyzed. It is shown for the first time that the R(H) dependences are characterized by a parameter that is independent of the transport current, viz., the width of the R(H) hysteresis loop.     

Radiation of electromagnetic waves by a dipole in an external uniform electrostatic field

Exact solution for the electromagnetic field densities E and H of a dipole of uniformly accelerated point-charges with identical masses is discussed. It is shown that, for any fixed time t and a large distance R between the center of the dipole and the fieldpoint, |E| ~ R ^?4, |H| ~ R ^?5, while for large c|t| ~ R, |E| ~ |H| ~1/R as in spherical electromagnetic waves. Nevertheless, any irreversible radiation of electromagnetic waves is absent since the wave zone does not exist.     

Cosmology from <Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis>) Theory in a Variant Speed of Light Scenario

In this work I present a generalization of f(R, T) gravity, by allowing the speed of light to vary. Cosmological solutions are presented for matter and radiation-dominated universes, the former allowing the universe expansion to accelerate while the latter contemplating a possible alternative to inflationary scenario. Remarkably, standard gravity is always retrieved for a special case of f(R, T).     

Messung der Kernradiusdifferenzen von46Ti,48Ti und50Ti durch elastische Elektronenstreuung

Ratios of differential cross sections for elastic electron scattering from⁴⁶Ti,⁴⁸Ti and⁵⁰Ti have been measured at 29 MeV and 58 MeV. A partial wave analysis, carried out for static Fermi-type nuclear charge distributions, yields differences of the r.m.s. radiiR _m ofR _m ⁴⁸ ?R _m ⁴⁶ =(?0,00₅±0,02₇) fm andR _m ⁵⁰ ?R _m ⁴⁶ =(0,00₃±0,02₁) fm, if the skin thickness parameterz of the charge density is assumed to be constant. If allowance is made for a change inz ofΔz/z=±5% and ±10%, then the errors increase by ±0,01₃ fm and ±0,02₈ fm, respectively. This indicates a relatively small change in nuclear r.m.s. radii below the magic neutron number N=28.     

Polarization modulation spectroscopy of surface plasmon resonance

The features of surface plasmon resonance in gold nanofilms deposited on the surface of a total-internal-reflection prism have been investigated theoretically, using the Fresnel equation, and experimentally, with application of the polarization modulation technique. The angular characteristics of the polarization difference of the reflection coefficients for s-and p-polarized light, Δρ = R _s ² ? R _p ² , were measured in the wave-length range λ = 0.4–2.0 μm. It is shown that the characteristics of Δρ, in contrast to the results of standard measurements by the surface plasmon resonance method, have a resonance peak. Due to this, the characteristics of the polarization difference contain nonresonant components whose magnitudes are determined by the internal reflection coefficients for the metal and insulator; these parameters depend on the film thickness. The calculated and experimental data coincide when the model assumes exponential dependence of the refractive indices and extinction coefficients on the thickness of the metal film. It is established that the characteristic parameter of the exponential is a metal film thickness of 11.0 ± 0.5 nm, at which the film optical parameters correspond to the bulk characteristics.     

Rayleigh wave attenuation due to the scattering by two-dimensional irregularities of the walls of an empty borehole

Attenuation of the Rayleigh waves propagating along an irregular surface of an empty borehole is investigated. This problem generalizes the problem on the attenuation of Rayleigh waves by an irregular boundary of a half-space. The technique used to evaluate the attenuation coefficient is based on the perturbation method and the mean field method. As a result, an expression is obtained that relates the partial attenuation coefficients of the surface Rayleigh wave to the scattering by the irregular surface of an empty borehole into the bulk longitudinal and transverse waves (the R → P and R → S processes) and into the surface Rayleigh waves (the R → R processes). The frequency-dependent behavior of the partial attenuation coefficients is analyzed for different correlation functions of irregularities.     

Doppler three-level (V-scheme) laser without population inversion

The theory of amplification and lasing without population inversion in a three-level medium with inhomogeneous broadening via the formation of an open V configuration is elaborated. The conditions for energy transfer from the infrared into the visible spectral range, i.e., the conditions of up-conversion n _b >n _c >n _a , and the external field required for saturation of the b?a transition are established. Two-photon resonant Raman transitions in ensemble of mobile atoms of a gas-discharge plasma are analyzed. The frequency shift of the probe field spectrum as a whole is shown to be governed by the frequency shift of the pump field multiplied by the ratio of the wave numbers of the probe amplification field and the pump field. The interaction of atoms through Ne transitions with the pump field (λ=1.15 εm, 2p ₄-2s ₂ transition) and the lasing field (λ=0.6328 εm, 3s ₂-2p ₂ transition) with an increase in the lasing frequency by a factor of 1.82 with respect to the absorbed radiation is calculated.     

Relaxation of the remanent resistance of granular HTSC Y-Ba-Cu-O + CuO composites after magnetic field treatment

The hysteresis of magnetoresistance R(H) and relaxation of the remanent resistance R _rem with time after magnetic field treatment of HTSC (Y-Ba-Cu-O) + CuO composites are studied. Such a composite constitutes a network of Josephson junctions wherein the nonsuperconducting component (CuO) forms Josephson barriers between HTSC grains. By comparing the experimental R _rem(t) and R(H) dependences, it is shown that the relaxation of the remanent resistance is caused by the decreased magnetic field in the intergrain medium due to relaxation of magnetization. The reason is uncovered for the differences between the published values of pinning potentials determined by measuring the relaxation of magnetization or resistance and fitting them by the Anderson law.