The Casimir effect is a general phenomenon in physics, which arises when the vacuum fluctuation of an arbitrary field is modified by static or slowly varying boundary. However, its spin version is rarely addressed, mainly due to the fact that a macroscopic boundary in quantum spin systems is hard to define. In this article, we explore the spin Casimir effect induced by the zero-point fluctuation of spin waves in a general non-collinear ordered quantum antiferromagnet. This spin Casimir effect results in a spin torque between local spins and further causes various singular and divergent results in the framework of spin-wave theory, which invalidate the standard $1/S$ expansion procedure. To avoid this dilemma, we develop a self-consistent spin-wave expansion approach, which preserves the spin-wave expansion away from singularities and divergence. A detailed spin-wave analysis of the antiferromagnetic spin-1/2 Heisenberg model on a spatially anisotropic triangular lattice is undertaken within our approach. Our results indicate that the spiral order is only stable in the region $0.5<alpha<1.2$, where $alpha$ is the ratio of the coupling constants. In addition, the instability in the region $1.2<alpha<2$ is owing to the spin Casimir effect instead of the vanishing sublattice magnetization. And this extended spiral instable region may host some quantum disordered phases besides the quantum order by disorder induced Neel phase. Furthermore, our method provides an efficient and convenient tool that can estimate the correct exchange parameters and outline the quantum phase diagrams, which can be useful for experimental fitting processes in frustrated quantum magnets.
Based on the semi-classical extended Thomas-Fermi approach, we study the mass dependence of the symmetry energy coefficients of finite nuclei for 36 different Skyrme forces. The reference densities of both light and heavy nuclei are obtained. Eight models based on nuclear liquid drop concept and the Skyrme force SkM* suggest the symmetry energy coefficient $a_{rm sym}=22.90 pm 0.15 $ MeV at $A=260$, and the corresponding reference density is $rho_Asimeq 0.1$ fm$^{-3}$ at this mass region. The standard Skyrme energy density functionals give negative values for the coefficient of the $I^4$ term in the binding energy formula, whereas the latest Weizsacker-Skyrme formula and the experimental data suggest positive values for the coefficient.
A generalized Gross-Pitaevskii equation adapted to the $U(5)supset SO(5)supset SO(3)$ symmetry has been derived and solved for the spin-2 condensates. The spin-textile and the degeneracy of the ground state (g.s.) together with the factors affecting the stability of the g.s., such as the gap and the level density in the neighborhood of the g.s., have been studied. Based on a rigorous treatment of the spin-degrees of freedom, the spin-textiles can be understood in a $N$-body language. In addition to the ferro-, polar, and cyclic phases, the g,s, might in a mixture of them when $0< M< 2N$ ($M$ is the total magnetization). The great difference in the stability and degeneracy of the g.s. caused by varying $varphi $ (which marks the features of the interaction) and $M$ is notable. Since the root mean square radius $R_{rms}$ is an observable, efforts have been made to derive a set of formulae to relate $R_{rms}$ and $% N$, $omega $(frequency of the trap), and $varphi $. These formulae provide a way to check the theories with experimental data.
For a successful point-contact spectroscopy (PCS) measurement, metallic tips of proper shape and smoothness are essential to ensure the ballistic nature of a point-contact junction. Until recently, the fabrication of Au tips suitable for use in point-contact spectroscopy has remained more of an art involving a trial and error method rather than an automated scientific process. To address these issues, we have developed a technique with which one can prepare high quality Au tips reproducibly and systematically. It involves an electronic control of the driving voltages used for an electrochemical etching of a gold wire in an HCl-glycerol mixture or an HCl solution. We find that a stopping current, below which the circuit is set to shut off, is a single very important parameter to produce an Au tip of desired shape. We present detailed descriptions for a two-step etching process for Au tips and also test results from PCS measurements using them.
The iron-selenides are important because of their superconducting properties. Here, an unexpected phenomenon is predicted to occur in an iron-selenide compound with a quasi-one-dimensional ladder geometry: BaFe$_2$Se$_3$ should be a magnetic ferrielectric system, driven by its magnetic block order via exchange striction. A robust performance (high $T_{rm C}$ and large polarization) is expected. Different from most multiferroics, BaFe$_2$Se$_3$ is ferrielectric, with a polarization that mostly cancels between ladders. However, its strong magnetostriction still produces a net polarization that is large ($sim$$0.1$ $mu$C/cm$^2$) as compared with most magnetic multiferroics. Its fully ferroelectric state, with energy only slightly higher than the ferrielectric, has a giant improper polarization $sim$$2-3$ $mu$C/cm$^2$.
As the first well-documented example of the ferroelectric metal, LiOsO3 has received extensive research attention recently. Using density-functional calculations, we perform a systematic study for LiOsO3. We address the controversy about the depth of the double well in the potential surface, and propose that the ferroelectric transition is order-disorder like. Moreover, we unambiguously demonstrate that the electric screening in this compound is highly anisotropic, and there is still unscreened dipole-dipole interaction in one special direction which results in the long range ferroelectric order despite the metallic nature of LiOsO3.
Magnetocaloric materials can be useful in magnetic refrigeration applications, but to be practical the magneto-refrigerant needs to have a very large magnetocaloric effect (MCE) near room temperature for modest applied fields (<2 Tesla) with small hysteresis and magnetostriction, and should have a complete magnetic transition, be inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. One system that may fulfill these requirements is MnxFe2-xP1-yGey, where a combined first-order structural and magnetic transition occurs between the high temperature paramagnetic and low temperature ferromagnetic phase. We have used neutron diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and magnetization measurements to study the effects of Mn and Ge location in the structure on the ordered magnetic moment, MCE, and hysteresis for a series of compositions of the system near optimal doping. The diffraction results indicate that the Mn ions located on the 3f site enhance the desirable properties, while those located on the 3g sites are detrimental. The entropy changes measured directly by calorimetry can exceed 40 J/kg-K. The phase fraction that transforms, hysteresis of the transition, and entropy change can be controlled by both the compositional homogeneity and the particle size, and an annealing procedure has been developed that substantially improves the performance of all three properties of the material. On the basis of these results we have identified a pathway to optimize the MCE properties of this system for magnetic refrigeration applications.
Integrated quantum optics becomes a consequent tendency towards practical quantum information processing. Here, we report the on-chip generation and manipulation of photonic entanglement based on reconfigurable lithium niobate waveguide circuits. By introducing periodically poled structure into the waveguide interferometer, two individual photon-pair sources with controllable phase-shift are produced and cascaded by a quantum interference, resulting in a deterministically separated identical photon pair. The state is characterized by 92.9% visibility Hong-Ou-Mandel interference. Continuous morphing from two-photon separated state to bunched state is further demonstrated by on-chip control of electro-optic phase-shift. The photon flux reaches ~1.4*10^7 pairs nm-1 mW-1. Our work presents a scenario for on-chip engineering of different photon sources and paves a way to the fully integrated quantum technologies.
Motivated by a goal of realizing spin-orbit coupling (SOC) beyond one-dimension (1D), we propose and analyze a method to generate an effective 2D SOC in bilayer BECs with laser-assisted inter-layer tunneling. We show that an interplay between the inter-layer tunneling, SOC and intra-layer atomic interaction can give rise to diverse ground state configurations. In particular, the system undergoes a transition to a new type of stripe phase which spontaneously breaks the time-reversal symmetry. Different from the ordinary Rashba-type SOC, a fractionalized skyrmion lattice emerges spontaneously in the bilayer system without external traps. Furthermore, we predict the occurrence of a tetracritical point in the phase diagram of the bilayer BECs, where four different phases merge together. The origin of the emerging different phases is elucidated.
We present measurements of the electron temperature using gate defined quantum dots formed in a GaAs 2D electron gas in both direct transport and charge sensing mode. Decent agreement with the refrigerator temperature was observed over a broad range of temperatures down to 10 mK. Upon cooling nuclear demagnetization stages integrated into the sample wires below 1 mK, the device electron temperature saturates, remaining close to 10 mK. The extreme sensitivity of the thermometer to its environment as well as electronic noise complicates temperature measurements but could potentially provide further insight into the device characteristics. We discuss thermal coupling mechanisms, address possible reasons for the temperature saturation and delineate the prospects of further reducing the device electron temperature.
