We report measurements of a new type of magnetoresistance in Pt and Ta thin films. The spin accumulation created at the surfaces of the film by the spin Hall effect decreases in a magnetic field because of the Hanle effect, resulting in an increase o
f the electrical resistance as predicted by Dyakonov [PRL 99, 126601 (2007)]. The angular dependence of this magnetoresistance resembles the recently discovered spin Hall magnetoresistance in Pt/Y3Fe5O12 bilayers, although the presence of a ferromagnetic insulator is not required. We show that this Hanle magnetoresistance is an alternative, simple way to quantitatively study the coupling between charge and spin currents in metals with strong spin-orbit coupling.
Magnetization curves of two rectangular metal-organic coordination networks formed by the organic ligand TCNQ (7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) and two different (Mn and Ni) 3d transition metal atoms [M(3d)] show marked differences that are explaine
d using first principles density functional theory and model calculations. We find that the existence of a weakly dispersive hybrid band with M(3d) and TCNQ character crossing the Fermi level is determinant for the appearance of ferromagnetic coupling between metal centers, as it is the case of the metallic system Ni-TCNQ but not of the insulating system Mn-TCNQ. The spin magnetic moment localized at the Ni atoms induces a significant spin polarization in the organic molecule; the corresponding spin density being delocalized along the whole system. The exchange interaction between localized spins at Ni centers and the itinerant spin density is ferromagnetic. Based on two different model Hamiltonians, we estimate the strength of exchange couplings between magnetic atoms for both Ni- and Mn-TCNQ networks that results in weak ferromagnetic and very weak antiferromagnetic correlations for Ni- and Mn-TCNQ networks, respectively.
With the help of the spin-orbit interaction, we propose a scheme to perform holonomic single qubit gates on the electron spin confined to a quantum dot. The manipulation is done in the absence (or presence) of an applied magnetic field. By adiabatic
changing the position of the confinement potential, one can rotate the spin state of the electron around the Bloch sphere in semiconductor heterostructures. The dynamics of the system is equivalent to employing an effective non-Abelian gauge potential whose structure depends on the type of the spin-orbit interaction. As an example, we find an analytic expression for the electron spin dynamics when the dot is moved around a circular path (with radius R) on the two dimensional electron gas (2DEG), and show that all single qubit gates can be realized by tuning the radius and orientation of the circular paths. Moreover, using the Heisenberg exchange interaction, we demonstrate how one can generate two-qubit gates by bringing two quantum dots near each other, yielding a scalable scheme to perform quantum computing on arbitrary N qubits. This proposal shows a way of realizing holonomic quantum computers in solid-state systems.
We calculate the dynamic structure factor S(q,omega) of a one-dimensional (1D) interacting Bose gas confined in a harmonic trap. The effective interaction depends on the strength of the confinement enforcing the 1D motion of atoms; interaction may be
further enhanced by superimposing an optical lattice on the trap potential. In the compressible state, we find that the smooth variation of the gas density around the trap center leads to softening of the singular behavior of S(q,omega) at Lieb-1 mode compared to the behavior predicted for homogeneous 1D systems. Nevertheless, the density-averaged response remains a non-analytic function of q and omega at Lieb-1 mode in the limit of weak trap confinement. The exponent of the power-law non-analyticity is modified due to the inhomogeneity in a universal way, and thus, bears unambiguously the information about the (homogeneous) Lieb-Liniger model. A strong optical lattice causes formation of Mott phases. Deep in the Mott regime, we predict a semi-circular peak in S(q,omega) centered at the on-site repulsion energy, omega=U. Similar peaks of smaller amplitudes exist at multiples of U as well. We explain the suppression of the dynamic response with entering into the Mott regime, observed recently by D. Clement et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. v. 102, p. 155301 (2009), based on an f-sum rule for the Bose-Hubbard model.
We study theoretically electron spins in nanowire quantum dots placed inside a transmission line resonator. Because of the spin-orbit interaction, the spins couple to the electric component of the resonator electromagnetic field and enable coherent m
anipulation, storage, and read-out of quantum information in an all-electrical fashion. Coupling between distant quantum-dot spins, in one and the same or different nanowires, can be efficiently performed via the resonator mode either in real time or through virtual processes. For the latter case we derive an effective spin-entangling interaction and suggest means to turn it on and off. We consider both transverse and longitudinal types of nanowire quantum-dots and compare their manipulation timescales against the spin relaxation times. For this, we evaluate the rates for spin relaxation induced by the nanowire vibrations (phonons) and show that, as a result of phonon confinement in the nanowire, this rate is a strongly varying function of the spin operation frequency and thus can be drastically reduced compared to lateral quantum dots in GaAs. Our scheme is a step forward to the formation of hybrid structures where qubits of different nature can be integrated in a single device.
