Enhanced Nonlinear Response by Manipulating the Dirac Point at the (111) LaTiO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} Interface.

Tunable spin-orbit interaction (SOI) is an important feature for future spin-based devices. In the presence of a magnetic field, SOI induces an asymmetry in the energy bands, which can produce nonlinear transport effects (V∼I^{2}). Here, we focus on such effects to study the role of SOI in the (111) LaTiO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} interface.

Electronic and spin states at edges of finite p-orbital helical atomic chain.

In connection to the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect, we theoretically analyze the electronic and spin states of edges of a finite p-orbital helical atomic chain with the intra-atomic spin-orbit interaction. This model can host the spin-filtering state in which two up-spins propagate in one direction and two down-spins propagate in the opposite direction without breaking the time-reversal symmetry (TRS). The enhancement of charge modulations concentrated at the edges due to the evanescent states is induced, although the spin density is absent because of the TRS.

Magnetoconductance Anisotropies and Aharonov-Casher Phases.

The spin-orbit interaction (SOI) is a key tool for manipulating and functionalizing spin-dependent electron transport. The desired function often depends on the SOI-generated phase that is accumulated by the wave function of an electron as it passes through the device. This phase, known as the Aharonov-Casher phase, therefore depends on both the device geometry and the SOI strength.

Edge Reconstruction of a Time-Reversal Invariant Insulator: Compressible-Incompressible Stripes.

Two-dimensional (2D) topological electronic insulators are known to give rise to gapless edge modes, which underlie low energy dynamics, including electrical and thermal transport. This has been thoroughly investigated in the context of quantum Hall phases, and time-reversal invariant topological insulators. Here we study the edge of a 2D, topologically trivial insulating phase, as a function of the strength of the electronic interactions and the steepness of the confining potential.

Theory of Chirality Induced Spin Selectivity: Progress and Challenges.

A critical overview of the theory of the chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect, that is, phenomena in which the chirality of molecular species imparts significant spin selectivity to various electron processes, is provided. Based on discussions in a recently held workshop, and further work published since, the status of CISS effects-in electron transmission, electron transport, and chemical reactions-is reviewed. For each, a detailed discussion of the state-of-the-art in theoretical understanding is provided and remaining challenges and research opportunities are identified.

Rashba Splitting of Cooper Pairs.

We investigate theoretically the properties of a weak link between two superconducting leads, which has the form of a nonsuperconducting nanowire with a strong Rashba spin-orbit coupling caused by an electric field. In the Coulomb-blockade regime of single-electron tunneling, we find that such a weak link acts as a "spin splitter" of the spin states of Cooper pairs tunneling through the link, to an extent that depends on the direction of the electric field. We show that the Josephson current is sensitive to interference between the resulting two transmission channels, one where the spins of both members of a Cooper pair are preserved and one where they are both flipped.

Efficiency and dissipation in a two-terminal thermoelectric junction, emphasizing small dissipation.

The efficiency and cooling power of a two-terminal thermoelectric refrigerator are analyzed near the limit of vanishing dissipation (ideal system), where the optimal efficiency is the Carnot one, but the cooling power vanishes. This limit, where transport occurs only via a single sharp electronic energy, has been referred to as "strong coupling" or "the best thermoelectric." Confining the discussion to the linear-response regime, it is found that "parasitic" effects that make the system deviate from the ideal limit, and reduce the efficiency from the Carnot limit, are crucial for the usefulness of the device.

Suspended nanowires as mechanically controlled Rashba spin splitters.

Suspended nanowires are shown to provide mechanically controlled coherent mixing or splitting of the spin states of transmitted electrons, caused by the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. The sensitivity of the latter to mechanical bending makes the wire a tunable nanoelectromechanical weak link between reservoirs. When the reservoirs are populated with misbalanced "spin-up and spin-down" electrons, the wire becomes a source of split spin currents, which are not associated with electric charge transfer and which do not depend on temperature or driving voltages.

Scale-dependent competing interactions: sign reversal of the average persistent current.

The interaction-induced orbital magnetic response of a nanoscale system, modeled by the persistent current in a ring geometry, is evaluated for a system which is a superconductor in the bulk. The interplay of the renormalized Coulomb and Fröhlich interactions is crucial. The diamagnetic response of the large superconductor may become paramagnetic when the finite-size-determined Thouless energy is larger than or on the order of the Debye energy.

Effect of phonons on the ac conductance of molecular junctions.

We theoretically examine the effect of a single phonon mode on the structure of the frequency dependence of the ac conductance of molecular junctions, in the linear response regime. The conductance is enhanced (suppressed) by the electron-phonon interaction when the chemical potential is below (above) the energy of the electronic state on the molecule.PACS numbers: 71.

Discrete versus continuous wires on quantum networks.

Mesoscopic systems and large molecules are often modeled by graphs of one-dimensional wires connected at vertices. In this paper, we discuss the solutions of the Schrödinger equation on such graphs, which have been named "quantum networks". Such solutions are needed for finding the energy spectrum of single electrons on such finite systems or for finding the transmission of electrons between leads which connect such systems to reservoirs.

Effect of pair breaking on mesoscopic persistent currents well above the superconducting transition temperature.

We consider the mesoscopic normal persistent current (PC) in a very low-temperature superconductor with a bare transition temperature T_0(c) much smaller than the Thouless energy E(c). We show that in a rather broad range of pair-breaking strength, T_0(c) < or = Planck's/tau(s)< or =E(c), the transition temperature is renormalized to zero, but the PC is hardly affected. This may provide an explanation for the magnitude of the average PC's in the noble metals, as well as a way to determine their T_0(c)'s.

Order parameters and phase diagram of multiferroic RMn2O5.

The generic magnetic phase diagram of multiferroic RMn2O5 (with R=Y, Ho, Tb, Er, Tm), which allows different sequences of ordered magnetic structures for different R's and different control parameters, is described using order parameters which explicitly incorporate the magnetic symmetry. A phenomenological magnetoelectric coupling is used to explain why some of these magnetic phases are also ferroelectric. Several new experiments, which can test this theory, are proposed.

Long-range order in electronic transport through disordered metal films.

Ultracold atom magnetic field microscopy enables the probing of current flow patterns in planar structures with unprecedented sensitivity. In polycrystalline metal (gold) films, we observed long-range correlations forming organized patterns oriented at +/-45 degrees relative to the mean current flow, even at room temperature and at length scales larger than the diffusion length or the grain size by several orders of magnitude. The preference to form patterns at these angles is a direct consequence of universal scattering properties at defects.

Magnetically driven ferroelectric order in Ni3V2O8.

We show that long-range ferroelectric and incommensurate magnetic order appear simultaneously in a single phase transition in Ni3V2O8. The temperature and magnetic-field dependence of the spontaneous polarization show a strong coupling between magnetic and ferroelectric orders. We determine the magnetic symmetry using Landau theory for continuous phase transitions, which shows that the spin structure alone can break spatial inversion symmetry leading to ferroelectric order.

Orbital ac spin-Hall effect in the hopping regime.

The Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions are both shown to yield the low temperature spin-Hall effect for strongly localized electrons coupled to phonons. A frequency-dependent electric field E(omega) generates a spin-polarization current, normal to E, due to interference of hopping paths. At zero temperature the corresponding spin-Hall conductivity is real and is proportional to omega2.

Competing magnetic phases on a kagomé staircase.

We present thermodynamic and neutron data on Ni3V2O8, a spin-1 system on a kagomé staircase. The extreme degeneracy of the kagomé antiferromagnet is lifted to produce two incommensurate phases at finite T--one amplitude modulated, the other helical--plus a commensurate canted antiferromagnet for T-->0. The H-T phase diagram is described by a model of competing first and second neighbor interactions with smaller anisotropic terms.

Unusual symmetries in the Kugel-Khomskii Hamiltonian.

The Kugel-Khomskii Hamiltonian for cubic titanates describes spin and orbital superexchange interactions between d(1) ions having threefold degenerate t(2g) orbitals. Since orbitals do not couple along "inactive" axes, perpendicular to the orbital planes, the total number of electrons in |alpha> orbitals in any such plane and the corresponding total spin are both conserved. A Mermin-Wagner construction shows that there is no long-range spin ordering at nonzero temperatures.

Persistent currents in interacting Aharonov-Bohm interferometers and their enhancement by acoustic radiation.

We consider an Aharonov-Bohm interferometer, connected to two electronic reservoirs, with a quantum dot embedded on one of its arms. We find a general expression for the persistent current at steady state, valid for the case where the electronic system is free of interactions except on the dot. The result is used to derive the modification in the persistent current brought about by coupling the quantum dot to a phonon source.

Measuring the transmission phase of a quantum dot in a closed interferometer.

The electron transmission through a closed Aharonov-Bohm mesoscopic solid-state interferometer, with a quantum dot (QD) on one of the paths, is calculated exactly for a simple model. Although the conductance is an even function of the magnetic flux (due to Onsager's relations), in many cases one can use the measured conductance to extract both the amplitude and the phase of the "intrinsic" transmission amplitude t(D)=-i|t(D)|e(ialpha(D)) through the "bare" QD. We also propose to compare this indirect measurement with the (hitherto untested) direct relation sin((2)(alpha(D)) identical with |t(D)|(2)/max((|t(D)|(2)).

Broken unitarity and phase measurements in Aharonov-Bohm interferometers.

Aharonov-Bohm mesoscopic solid-state interferometers yield a conductance which contains a term cos(phi+beta), where phi relates to the magnetic flux. Experiments with a quantum dot on one of the interfering paths aim to relate beta to the dot's intrinsic Friedel transmission phase alpha(1). For closed systems, which conserve the electron current (unitarity), the Onsager relation requires that beta = 0 or pi.

Acoustoelectric current and pumping in a ballistic quantum point contact.

The acoustoelectric current induced by a surface acoustic wave (SAW) in a ballistic quantum point contact is considered using a quantum approach. We find that the current is of the "pumping" type and is not related to drag, i.e.