Control of Mooij correlations at the nanoscale in the disordered metallic Ta-nanoisland FeNi multilayers.

Localisation phenomena in highly disordered metals close to the extreme conditions determined by the Mott-Ioffe-Regel (MIR) limit when the electron mean free path is approximately equal to the interatomic distance is a challenging problem. Here, to shed light on these localisation phenomena, we studied the dc transport and optical conductivity properties of nanoscaled multilayered films composed of disordered metallic Ta and magnetic FeNi nanoisland layers, where ferromagnetic FeNi nanoislands have giant magnetic moments of 10[Formula: see text]-10[Formula: see text] Bohr magnetons ([Formula: see text]). In these multilayered structures, FeNi nanoisland giant magnetic moments are interacting due to the indirect exchange forces acting via the Ta electron subsystem. We discovered that the localisation phenomena in the disordered Ta layer lead to a decrease in the Drude contribution of free charge carriers and the appearance of the low-energy electronic excitations in the 1-2 eV spectral range characteristic of electronic correlations, which may accompany the formation of electronic inhomogeneities. From the consistent results of the dc transport and optical studies we found that with an increase in the FeNi layer thickness across the percolation threshold evolution from the superferromagnetic to ferromagnetic behaviour within the FeNi layer leads to the delocalisation of Ta electrons from the associated localised electronic states. On the contrary, we discovered that when the FeNi layer is discontinuous and represented by randomly distributed superparamagnetic FeNi nanoislands, the Ta layer normalized dc conductivity falls down below the MIR limit by about 60%. The discovered effect leading to the dc conductivity fall below the MIR limit can be associated with non-ergodicity and purely quantum (many-body) localisation phenomena, which need to be challenged further.

Optical Transistor for Amplification of Radiation in a Broadband Terahertz Domain.

We propose a new type of optical transistor for a broadband amplification of terahertz radiation. It is made of a graphene-superconductor hybrid, where electrons and Cooper pairs couple by Coulomb forces. The transistor operates via the propagation of surface plasmons in both layers, and the origin of amplification is the quantum capacitance of graphene. It leads to terahertz waves amplification, the negative power absorption, and as a result, the system yields positive gain, and the hybrid acts like an optical transistor, operating with the terahertz light. It can, in principle, amplify even a whole spectrum of chaotic signals (or noise), which is required for numerous biological applications.

Nonlinear dynamics and band transport in a superlattice driven by a plane wave.

A quantum particle transport induced in a spatially periodic potential by a propagating plane wave has a number of important implications in a range of topical physical systems. Examples include acoustically driven semiconductor superlattices and cold atoms in an optical crystal. Here we apply a kinetic description of the directed transport in a superlattice beyond standard linear approximation, and utilize exact path-integral solutions of the semiclassical transport equation. We show that the particle drift and average velocities have nonmonotonic dependence on the wave amplitude with several prominent extrema. Such nontrivial kinetic behavior is related to global bifurcations developing with an increase of the wave amplitude. They cause dramatic transformations of the system phase space and lead to changes of the transport regime. We describe different types of phase trajectories contributing to the directed transport and analyze their spectral content.

Morphological imperfections of epitaxial graphene: from a hindrance to the generation of new photo-responses in the visible domain.

We report the discovery of remarkable photo-physical phenomena with characteristics unique to epitaxial graphene grown on 6H-SiC (000-1). Surprisingly, the electrical resistance of graphene increases under light illumination in contrast to conventional materials where it normally decreases. The resistance shows logarithmic temperature dependences which may be attributed to an Altshuler-Aronov effect. We show that the photoresistance depends on the frequency of the irradiating light, with three lasers (red, green, and violet) used to demonstrate the phenomenon. The counterintuitive rise of the positive photoresistance may be attributed to a creation of trapped charges upon irradiation. We argue that the origin of the photoresistance is related to the texture formed by the graphene flakes. Photovoltage also exists and increases with light intensity. However, its value saturates quickly with irradiation and does not change with time. The saturation of the photovoltage may be associated with the formation of a quasi-equilibrium state of the excited electrons and holes associated with a charge redistribution between the graphene and SiC substrate. The obtained physical picture is in agreement with the photoresistance measurements: X-ray photoelectron spectrometry "XPS", atomic force microscopy "AFM", Raman spectroscopy and the magnetic dependence of photoresistance decay measurements. We also observed non-decaying photoresistance and linear magnetoresistance in magnetic fields up to 1 T. We argue that this is due to topological phases spontaneously induced by persistent current formation within the graphene flake edges by magnetic fields.

Anomalous magnetoresistance in the spinel superconductor LiTi2O4.

LiTi2O4 is a unique compound in that it is the only known spinel oxide superconductor. The lack of high quality single crystals has thus far prevented systematic investigations of its transport properties. Here we report a careful study of transport and tunnelling spectroscopy in epitaxial LiTi2O4 thin films. An unusual magnetoresistance is observed which changes from nearly isotropic negative to prominently anisotropic positive as the temperature is decreased. We present evidence that shows that the negative magnetoresistance likely stems from the suppression of local spin fluctuations or spin-orbit scattering centres. The positive magnetoresistance suggests the presence of an orbital-related state, also supported by the fact that the superconducting energy gap decreases as a quadratic function of magnetic field. These observations indicate that the spin-orbital fluctuations play an important role in LiTi2O4 in a manner similar to high-temperature superconductors.

Subterahertz chaos generation by coupling a superlattice to a linear resonator.

We investigate the effects of a linear resonator on the high-frequency dynamics of electrons in devices exhibiting negative differential conductance. We show that the resonator strongly affects both the dc and ac transport characteristics of the device, inducing quasiperiodic and high-frequency chaotic current oscillations. The theoretical findings are confirmed by experimental measurements of a GaAs/AlAs miniband semiconductor superlattice coupled to a linear microstrip resonator. Our results are applicable to other active solid state devices and provide a generic approach for developing modern chaos-based high-frequency technologies including broadband chaotic wireless communication and superfast random-number generation.

Charged nano-domes and bubbles in epitaxial graphene.

For the first time, new epitaxial graphene nano-structures resembling charged 'bubbles' and 'domes' are reported. A strong influence, arising from the change in morphology, on the graphene layer's electronic, mechanical and optical properties has been shown. The morphological properties of these structures have been studied with atomic force microscopy (AFM), ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) and Raman spectroscopy. After initial optical microscopy observation of the graphene, a detailed description of the surface morphology, via AFM and nanomechanical UFM measurements, was obtained. Here, graphene nano-structures, domes and bubbles, ranging from a few tens of nanometres (150­200 nm) to a few µm in size have been identified. The AFM topographical and UFM stiffness data implied the freestanding nature of the graphene layer within the domes and bubbles, with heights on the order of 5­12 nm. Raman spectroscopy mappings of G and 2D bands and their ratio confirm not only the graphene composition of these structures but also the existence of step bunching, defect variations and the carrier density distribution. In particular, inside the bubbles and substrate there arises complex charge redistribution; in fact, the graphene bubble­substrate interface forms a charged capacitance. We have determined the strength of the electric field inside the bubble­substrate interface, which may lead to a minigap of the order of 5 meV opening for epitaxial graphene grown on 4H-SiC face-terminated carbon.

Anomalous multi-order Raman scattering in LaMnO3: a signature of quantum lattice effects in a Jahn-Teller crystal.

The multi-order Raman scattering is studied up to fourth order for a detwinned LaMnO3 crystal. Based on a comprehensive data analysis of the polarization-dependent Raman spectra, we show that the anomalous features in the multi-order scattering could be the sidebands on the low-energy mode at about 25 cm(-1). We suggest that this low-energy mode stems from the tunneling transition between the potential energy minima arising near the Jahn-Teller Mn(3+) ion due to the lattice anharmonicity and that the multi-order scattering is activated by this low-energy electronic motion. The sidebands are dominated by the oxygen contribution to the phonon density-of-states, however, there is an admixture of an additional component, which may arise from coupling between the low-energy electronic motion and the vibrational modes.

Formation of metallic magnetic clusters in a Kondo-lattice metal: evidence from an optical study.

Magnetic materials are usually divided into two classes: those with localised magnetic moments, and those with itinerant charge carriers. We present a comprehensive experimental (spectroscopic ellipsomerty) and theoretical study to demonstrate that these two types of magnetism do not only coexist but complement each other in the Kondo-lattice metal, Tb(2)PdSi(3). In this material the itinerant charge carriers interact with large localised magnetic moments of Tb(4f) states, forming complex magnetic lattices at low temperatures, which we associate with self-organisation of magnetic clusters. The formation of magnetic clusters results in low-energy optical spectral weight shifts, which correspond to opening of the pseudogap in the conduction band of the itinerant charge carriers and development of the low- and high-spin intersite electronic transitions. This phenomenon, driven by self-trapping of electrons by magnetic fluctuations, could be common in correlated metals, including besides Kondo-lattice metals, Fe-based and cuprate superconductors.

A stable "flat" form of two-dimensional crystals: could graphene, silicene, germanene be minigap semiconductors?

The discovery of a flat two-dimensional crystal known as graphene has contradicted Landau-Peierls-Mermin-Wagner arguments that there is no stable flat form of such crystals. Here, we show that the "flat" shape of graphene arises due to a microscopic buckling at the smallest possible interatomic scale. We show that the graphene, silicene, and other two-dimensional crystals are stable due to transverse short-range displacements of appropriate atoms. The distortions are small and form various patterns, which we describe in a framework of Ising model with competing interactions. We show that when temperature decreases, two transitions, disorder into order and order into disorder, arise. The ordered state has a form of stripes where carbon atoms are shifted regularly with respect to the plane. The flat graphene, silicene, or germanene planes look like a microscopic "washboard" with the wavelength of about couple of interatomic spacing of appropriate sublattices, which for graphene is about 1.8-3.6 Å. At lower temperatures, the ordered state transforms into a glass. Because of up-down asymmetry in buckled graphene, silicene and other two-dimensional crystals deposited on substrate, a minibandgap may arise. We derive a criterion for the minigap formation and show how it is related to the buckling and to the graphene-substrate interaction. Because of the bandgap, there may arise new phenomena and in particular a rectification of ac current induced by microwave or infrared radiation. We show that the amplitude of direct current arising at wave mixing of two harmonics of microwave electromagnetic radiation is huge. Moreover, we predict the existence of miniexcitons and a new type of fermionic minipolaritons whose behavior can be controlled by the microwave and terahertz radiation.

Current induced decomposition of Abrikosov vortices in p-n layered superconductors and heterostructures.

We describe the decomposition of Abrikosov vortices into decoupled pancake vortices in superconductors having both electron and hole charge carriers. We estimate the critical current of such a decomposition, at which a superconducting-normal state transition occurs, and find that it is very sensitive to the magnetic field and temperature. The effect can be observed in recently synthesized self-doped high-Tc layered superconductors with electrons and holes coexisting in different Cu-O planes and in artificial p-n superconductor heterostructures. The sensitivity of the critical current to a magnetic field may be used for sensors and detectors of a magnetic field, which can be built up from the superconductor heterostructures.

Shape waves in 2D Josephson junctions: exact solutions and time dilation.

We predict a new class of excitations propagating along a Josephson vortex in two-dimensional Josephson junctions. These excitations are associated with the distortion of a Josephson vortex line and have an analogy with shear waves in solid mechanics. Their shapes can have an arbitrary profile, which is retained when propagating. We derive a universal analytical expression for the energy of arbitrary shape excitations, investigate their influence on the dynamics of a vortex line, and discuss conditions where such excitations can be created. Finally, we show that such excitations play the role of a clock for a relativistically moving Josephson vortex and suggest an experiment to measure a time dilation effect analogous to that in special relativity.

Orbital non-fermi-liquid behavior in cubic ruthenates.

We peruse various anomalous physical responses of the cubic (ferromagnetic SrRuO3 and paramagnetic CaRuO3) ruthenates, such as fractional power-law conductivity, anomalous Raman line shapes, and Hall currents. We show how these exciting power-law observations are naturally described within a new, local (orbital) non-Fermi-liquid state arising from strong, multiorbital Coulomb interactions. Introducing a multiorbital, correlated model treated within the dynamical mean-field theory, we also find two distinct relaxation rates for relaxation of transport in complete agreement with experiment.

Flux cloning in Josephson transmission lines.

We describe a novel effect related to the controlled birth of a single Josephson vortex. In this phenomenon, the vortex is created in a Josephson transmission line at a T-shaped junction. The "baby" vortex arises at the moment when a "mother" vortex propagating in the adjacent transmission line passes the T-shaped junction. In order to give birth to a new vortex, the mother vortex must have enough kinetic energy. Its motion can also be supported by an externally applied driving current. We determine the critical velocity and the critical driving current for the creation of the baby vortices and briefly discuss the potential applications of the found effect.

Thermodynamics of entropy-driven phase transformations.

Thermodynamic properties of one-dimensional lattice models exhibiting entropy-driven phase transformations are discussed in quantum and classical regimes. Motivated by the multistability of compounds exhibiting photoinduced phase transitions, we consider systems with asymmetric, double, and triple well on-site potential. One finds that among a variety of regimes, quantum versus classical, discrete versus continuum, a key feature is asymmetry distinguished as a "shift" type and "shape" type in limiting cases. The behavior of the specific heat indicates one phase transformation in a "shift" type and a sequence of two phase transformations in "shape"-type systems. Future analysis in higher dimensions should allow us to identify which of these entropy-driven phase transformations would evolve into phase transitions of the first order.

Suppression of superconductivity in mesoscopic superconductors.

We propose a new boundary-driven phase transition associated with vortex nucleation in mesoscopic superconductors (of size of the order of, or larger than, the penetration depth). We derive the rescaling equations and we show that boundary effects associated with vortex nucleation lower the conventional transition temperature in mesoscopic superconductors by an amount which is a function of the size of the superconductor. This result explains recent experiments in small superconductors where it was found that the transition temperature depends on the size of the system and is lower than the critical Berezinski-Kosterlitz-Thouless temperature.