Showing papers in "European Physical Journal B in 2016"

Nanophononics: state of the art and perspectives

Abstract: Understanding and controlling vibrations in condensed matter is emerging as an essential necessity both at fundamental level and for the development of a broad variety of technological applications. Intelligent design of the band structure and transport properties of phonons at the nanoscale and of their interactions with electrons and photons impact the efficiency of nanoelectronic systems and thermoelectric materials, permit the exploration of quantum phenomena with micro- and nanoscale resonators, and provide new tools for spectroscopy and imaging. In this colloquium we assess the state of the art of nanophononics, describing the recent achievements and the open challenges in nanoscale heat transport, coherent phonon generation and exploitation, and in nano- and optomechanics. We also underline the links among the diverse communities involved in the study of nanoscale phonons, pointing out the common goals and opportunities.

High temperature superconductivity in sulfur and selenium hydrides at high pressure

Abstract: Due to its low atomic mass, hydrogen is the most promising element to search for high-temperature phononic superconductors. However, metallic phases of hydrogen are only expected at extreme pressures (400 GPa or higher). The measurement of the record superconducting critical temperature of 203 K in a hydrogen-sulfur compound at 160 GPa of pressure [A.P. Drozdov, M.I. Eremets, I.A. Troyan, arXiv:1412.0460 [cond-mat.supr-con] (2014); A.P. Drozdov, M.I. Eremets, I.A. Troyan, V. Ksenofontov, S.I. Shylin, Nature 525, 73 (2015)], shows that metallization of hydrogen can be reached at significantly lower pressure by inserting it in the matrix of other elements. In this work we investigate the phase diagram and the superconducting properties of the H-S systems by means of minima hopping method for structure prediction and density functional theory for superconductors. We also show that Se-H has a similar phase diagram as its sulfur counterpart as well as high superconducting critical temperature. We predict H3Se to exceed 120 K superconductivity at 100 GPa. We show that both H3Se and H3S, due to the critical temperature and peculiar electronic structure, present rather unusual superconducting properties.

The extreme risk of personal data breaches and the erosion of privacy

Abstract: Personal data breaches from organisations, enabling mass identity fraud, constitute an extreme risk. This risk worsens daily as an ever-growing amount of personal data are stored by organisations and on-line, and the attack surface surrounding this data becomes larger and harder to secure. Further, breached information is distributed and accumulates in the hands of cyber criminals, thus driving a cumulative erosion of privacy. Statistical modeling of breach data from 2000 through 2015 provides insights into this risk: A current maximum breach size of about 200 million is detected, and is expected to grow by fifty percent over the next five years. The breach sizes are found to be well modeled by an extremely heavy tailed truncated Pareto distribution, with tail exponent parameter decreasing linearly from 0.57 in 2007 to 0.37 in 2015. With this current model, given a breach contains above fifty thousand items, there is a ten percent probability of exceeding ten million. A size effect is unearthed where both the frequency and severity of breaches scale with organisation size like s 0.6. Projections indicate that the total amount of breached information is expected to double from two to four billion items within the next five years, eclipsing the population of users of the Internet. This massive and uncontrolled dissemination of personal identities raises fundamental concerns about privacy.

Higher-order aggregate networks in the analysis of temporal networks: path structures and centralities

Abstract: Despite recent advances in the study of temporal networks, the analysis of time-stamped network data is still a fundamental challenge. In particular, recent studies have shown that correlations in the ordering of links crucially alter causal topologies of temporal networks, thus invalidating analyses based on static, time-aggregated representations of time-stamped data. These findings not only highlight an important dimension of complexity in temporal networks, but also call for new network-analytic methods suitable to analyze complex systems with time-varying topologies. Addressing this open challenge, here we introduce a novel framework for the study of path-based centralities in temporal networks. Studying betweenness, closeness and reach centrality, we first show than an application of these measures to time-aggregated, static representations of temporal networks yields misleading results about the actual importance of nodes. To overcome this problem, we define path-based centralities in higher-order aggregate networks, a recently proposed generalization of the commonly used static representation of time-stamped data. Using data on six empirical temporal networks, we show that the resulting higher-order measures better capture the true, temporal centralities of nodes. Our results demonstrate that higher-order aggregate networks constitute a powerful abstraction, with broad perspectives for the design of new, computationally efficient data mining techniques for time-stamped relational data.

First-principles dynamics of electrons and phonons*

Abstract: First-principles calculations combining density functional theory and many-body perturbation theory can provide microscopic insight into the dynamics of electrons and phonons in materials. We review this theoretical and computational framework, focusing on perturbative treatments of scattering, dynamics, and transport of electrons and phonons. Application of these first-principles calculations in electronics, lighting, spectroscopy, and renewable energy are discussed.

Innovation diffusion on time-varying activity driven networks

Abstract: Since its introduction in the 1960s, the theory of innovation diffusion has contributed to the advancement of several research fields, such as marketing management and consumer behavior. The 1969 seminal paper by Bass [F.M. Bass, Manag. Sci. 15, 215 (1969)] introduced a model of product growth for consumer durables, which has been extensively used to predict innovation diffusion across a range of applications. Here, we propose a novel approach to study innovation diffusion, where interactions among individuals are mediated by the dynamics of a time-varying network. Our approach is based on the Bass’ model, and overcomes key limitations of previous studies, which assumed timescale separation between the individual dynamics and the evolution of the connectivity patterns. Thus, we do not hypothesize homogeneous mixing among individuals or the existence of a fixed interaction network. We formulate our approach in the framework of activity driven networks to enable the analysis of the concurrent evolution of the interaction and individual dynamics. Numerical simulations offer a systematic analysis of the model behavior and highlight the role of individual activity on market penetration when targeted advertisement campaigns are designed, or a competition between two different products takes place.

Statistical physics of the spatial Prisoner’s Dilemma with memory-aware agents

Abstract: We introduce an analytical model to study the evolution towards equilibrium in spatial games, with ‘memory-aware’ agents, i.e., agents that accumulate their payoff over time. In particular, we focus our attention on the spatial Prisoner’s Dilemma, as it constitutes an emblematic example of a game whose Nash equilibrium is defection. Previous investigations showed that, under opportune conditions, it is possible to reach, in the evolutionary Prisoner’s Dilemma, an equilibrium of cooperation. Notably, it seems that mechanisms like motion may lead a population to become cooperative. In the proposed model, we map agents to particles of a gas so that, on varying the system temperature, they randomly move. In doing so, we are able to identify a relation between the temperature and the final equilibrium of the population, explaining how it is possible to break the classical Nash equilibrium in the spatial Prisoner’s Dilemma when considering agents able to increase their payoff over time. Moreover, we introduce a formalism to study order-disorder phase transitions in these dynamics. As result, we highlight that the proposed model allows to explain analytically how a population, whose interactions are based on the Prisoner’s Dilemma, can reach an equilibrium far from the expected one; opening also the way to define a direct link between evolutionary game theory and statistical physics.

Thermoelectric transport in the topological phase due to the coexistence of superconductivity and spin-density-wave

Abstract: We study the thermoelectric transport in two dimensional topological system which has coexistence of superconductivity (SC) and spin-density wave (SDW). The SC is presumed to be of dx2 − y2 + (px + ipy) type whereas the SDW order parameter is of BCS symmetry. The Hamiltonian describing such a coexistence phase is shown to have topological phase in addition to the conventional one. The transport properties in such topological system have two distinct contributions: (i) the surface/edge and (ii) the bulk. The competition between the surface/edge versus the bulk transport is analyzed in different parameter regimes and the possibility of enhancing the figure of merit is discussed.

Discrete breathers in alpha-uranium

Abstract: Uranium is an important radioactive material used in the field of nuclear energy and it is interesting from the scientific point of view because it possesses unique structure and properties. There exist several experimental reports on anomalies of physical properties of uranium that have not been yet explained. Manley et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 125501 (2006); Phys. Rev. B 77, 214305 (2008)] speculate that the excitation of discrete breathers (DBs) could be the reason for anisotropy of thermal expansion and for the deviation of heat capacity from the theoretical prediction in the high temperature range. In the present work, with the use of molecular dynamics, the existence of DBs in α-uranium is demonstrated and their properties are studied. It is found that DB frequency lies above the phonon band and increases with DB amplitude. DB is localized on half a dozen of atoms belonging to a straight atomic chain. DB in uranium, unlike DBs in fcc, bcc and hcp metals, is almost immobile. Thus, the DB reported in this study cannot contribute to thermal conductivity and the search for other types of DBs in α-uranium should be continued. Our results demonstrate that even metals with low-symmetry crystal lattices such as the orthorhombic lattice of α-uranium can support DBs.

Ab-initio study of structural, elastic, thermal, electronic and magnetic properties of quaternary Heusler alloys CoMnCrZ (Z = Al, As, Si, Ge)

Abstract: First-principles approach is used to study the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of CoMnCrZ (Z = Al, Si, Ge and As) quaternary Heusler compounds, using full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) scheme within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The computed equilibrium lattice parameters agree well with the available theoretical data. The obtained negative formation energy shows that CoMnCrZ (Z = Al, Si, Ge, As) compounds have strong structural stability. The elastic constants C ij are calculated using the total energy variation with strain technique. The polycrystalline elastic moduli (namely: the shear modulus, Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, sound velocities, Debye temperature and melting temperature were derived from the obtained single-crystal elastic constants. The ductility mechanism for the studied compounds is discussed via the elastic constants C ij . Our calculations with the GGA approximation predict that CoMnCrGe, CoMnCrAl, CoMnCrSi and CoMnCrAs are half-metallic ferrimagnets (HMFs) with a half-metallic gap E HM of 0.03 eV, 0.19 eV, 0.34 eV and 0.50 eV for, respectively. We also find that the half-metallicity is maintained on a wide range of lattice constants.

Rényi entropies of the highly-excited states of multidimensional harmonic oscillators by use of strong Laguerre asymptotics

Abstract: The Renyi entropies R p [ ρ ], p> 0, ≠ 1 of the highly-excited quantum states of the D-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator are analytically determined by use of the strong asymptotics of the orthogonal polynomials which control the wavefunctions of these states, the Laguerre polynomials. This Rydberg energetic region is where the transition from classical to quantum correspondence takes place. We first realize that these entropies are closely connected to the entropic moments of the quantum-mechanical probability ρ n (r) density of the Rydberg wavefunctions Ψ n,l, { μ }(r); so, to the ℒ p -norms of the associated Laguerre polynomials. Then, we determine the asymptotics n → ∞ of these norms by use of modern techniques of approximation theory based on the strong Laguerre asymptotics. Finally, we determine the dominant term of the Renyi entropies of the Rydberg states explicitly in terms of the hyperquantum numbers (n,l), the parameter order p and the universe dimensionality D for all possible cases D ≥ 1. We find that (a) the Renyi entropy power decreases monotonically as the order p is increasing and (b) the disequilibrium (closely related to the second order Renyi entropy), which quantifies the separation of the electron distribution from equiprobability, has a quasi-Gaussian behavior in terms of D.

Coverage centralities for temporal networks

Abstract: Structure of real networked systems, such as social relationship, can be modeled as temporal networks in which each edge appears only at the prescribed time. Understanding the structure of temporal networks requires quantifying the importance of a temporal vertex, which is a pair of vertex index and time. In this paper, we define two centrality measures of a temporal vertex based on the fastest temporal paths which use the temporal vertex. The definition is free from parameters and robust against the change in time scale on which we focus. In addition, we can efficiently compute these centrality values for all temporal vertices. Using the two centrality measures, we reveal that distributions of these centrality values of real-world temporal networks are heterogeneous. For various datasets, we also demonstrate that a majority of the highly central temporal vertices are located within a narrow time window around a particular time. In other words, there is a bottleneck time at which most information sent in the temporal network passes through a small number of temporal vertices, which suggests an important role of these temporal vertices in spreading phenomena.

Finite-time stability and synchronization for memristor-based fractional-order Cohen-Grossberg neural network

Abstract: In this paper, we study the finite-time stability and synchronization problem of a class of memristor-based fractional-order Cohen-Grossberg neural network (MFCGNN) with the fractional order α ∈ (0,1 ]. We utilize the set-valued map and Filippov differential inclusion to treat MFCGNN because it has discontinuous right-hand sides. By using the definition of Caputo fractional-order derivative, the definitions of finite-time stability and synchronization, Gronwall’s inequality and linear feedback controller, two new sufficient conditions are derived to ensure the finite-time stability of our proposed MFCGNN and achieve the finite-time synchronization of drive-response systems which are constituted by MFCGNNs. Finally, two numerical simulations are presented to verify the rightness of our proposed theorems.

Wikipedia mining of hidden links between political leaders

Abstract: We describe a new method of reduced Google matrix which allows to establish direct and hidden links between a subset of nodes of a large directed network. This approach uses parallels with quantum scattering theory, developed for processes in nuclear and mesoscopic physics and quantum chaos. The method is applied to the Wikipedia networks in different language editions analyzing several groups of political leaders of USA, UK, Germany, France, Russia and G20. We demonstrate that this approach allows to recover reliably direct and hidden links among political leaders. We argue that the reduced Google matrix method can form the mathematical basis for studies in social and political sciences analyzing Leader-Members eXchange (LMX).

The interfacial properties of SrRuO 3 /MoS 2 heterojunction: a first-principles study

Abstract: First-principles calculation was used to study the interfacial properties of the SrRuO3 (1 1 1)/MoS2(√3 × √3) heterojunction. It is found that the huge magnetic moments in of monolayer MoS2 largely originate from the Ru-S hybridization for the Ru-terminated interface. Moreover, for the SrO-terminated interface, we studied mainly the metal and semiconductor contact characteristic. The calculated results show that the Schottky barrier height can be significantly reduced to zero for the SrO-terminated interface. Schottky barrier heights dominate the transport behavior of the SrRuO3/MoS2 interface. Our results not only have potential applications in spintronics devices, but also are in favour of the scaling of field effect transistors.

Cross-response in correlated financial markets: individual stocks

Abstract: Previous studies of the stock price response to trades focused on the dynamics of single stocks, i.e. they addressed the self-response. We empirically investigate the price response of one stock to the trades of other stocks in a correlated market, i.e. the cross-responses. How large is the impact of one stock on others and vice versa? – This impact of trades on the price change across stocks appears to be transient instead of permanent as we discuss from the viewpoint of market efficiency. Furthermore, we compare the self-responses on different scales and the self- and cross-responses on the same scale. We also find that the cross-correlation of the trade signs turns out to be a short-memory process.

Multiple solutions and corresponding power output of a nonlinear bistable piezoelectric energy harvester

Abstract: We examine multiple responses of a vibrational energy harvester composed of a vertical beam and a tip mass. The beam is excited horizontally by a harmonic inertial force while mechanical vibrational energy is converted to electrical power through a piezoelectric patch. The mechanical resonator can be described by single or double well potentials depending on the gravity force from the tip mass. By changing the tip mass we examine the appearance of various solutions and their basins of attraction. Identification of particular solutions of the energy harvester is important as each solution may provide a different level of power output.

Kramers escape of a self-propelled particle

Abstract: We investigate the escape rate of an overdamped, self-propelled spherical Brownian particle on a surface from a metastable potential well. Within a modeling in terms of a 1D constant speed of the particle’s active dynamics we consider the associated rate using both numerical and analytical approaches. Regarding the properties of the stationary state in the potential well, two major timescales exist, each governing the translational and the rotational dynamics of the particle, respectively. The particle radius is identified to present the essential quantity in charge of regulating the ratio between those timescales. For very small and very large particle radii, approximate analytic expressions for the particle’s escape rate can be derived, which, within their respective range of validity, compare favorably with the precise escape numerics of the underlying full two-dimensional Fokker-Planck description.

BCS theory of driven superconductivity

Abstract: We study the impact of a time-dependent external driving of the lattice phonons in a minimal model of a BCS superconductor. Upon evaluating the driving-induced vertex corrections of the phonon-mediated electron-electron interaction, we show that parametric phonon driving can be used to elevate the critical temperature Tc, while a dipolar phonon drive has no effect. We provide simple analytic expressions for the enhancement factor of Tc. Furthermore, a mean-field analysis of a nonlinear phonon-phonon interaction also shows that phonon anharmonicities further amplify Tc. Our results hold universally for the large class of normal BCS superconductors.

Average cross-responses in correlated financial markets

Abstract: There are non-vanishing price responses across different stocks in correlated financial markets, reflecting non-Markovian features. We further study this issue by performing different averages, which identify active and passive cross-responses. The two average cross-responses show different characteristic dependences on the time lag. The passive cross-response exhibits a shorter response period with sizeable volatilities, while the corresponding period for the active cross-response is longer. The average cross-responses for a given stock are evaluated either with respect to the whole market or to different sectors. Using the response strength, the influences of individual stocks are identified and discussed. Moreover, the various cross-responses as well as the average cross-responses are compared with the self-responses. In contrast to the short-memory trade sign cross-correlations for each pair of stocks, the sign cross-correlations averaged over different pairs of stocks show long memory.

Proper aspiration level promotes generous behavior in the spatial prisoner’s dilemma game

Abstract: Zero-determinant strategies, which can unilaterally define a linear relationship between two individuals’ long-term payoff, have drawn much attention to comprehend the emergence of cooperation among individuals with repeated interactions. A subset of zero-determinant strategies, extortion strategy, can let an extortioner’s surplus exceed her opponent’s by a fixed percentage. On the other hand, the dual generosity strategy can ensure that a complier’s payoff is never larger than her opponent’s. In the framework of the prisoner’s dilemma game driven by payoff aspiration, we investigate in this paper the evolution of generosity strategy, in competition with extortion and unconditional defection strategies. We show that extortioners act as a catalyst to induce more defectors to change to compliers. Such influence will enhance when extortioners become more greedy. At a low aspiration level where individuals are easy to be satisfied with their current payoffs, different strategies can coexist. With the increase of aspiration level, unsatisfied individuals are likely to turn to compliers and build long-term reciprocity with their neighbors. However, at a high aspiration level, individuals are difficult to be satisfied with their payoffs and may randomly change their behaviors. Thus proper aspiration level promotes the emergence of generous behavior in the spatial prisoner’s dilemma game.

Wikipedia ranking of world universities

Abstract: We use the directed networks between articles of 24 Wikipedia language editions for producing the wikipedia ranking of world Universities (WRWU) using PageRank, 2DRank and CheiRank algorithms. This approach allows to incorporate various cultural views on world universities using the mathematical statistical analysis independent of cultural preferences. The Wikipedia ranking of top 100 universities provides about 60% overlap with the Shanghai university ranking demonstrating the reliable features of this approach. At the same time WRWU incorporates all knowledge accumulated at 24 Wikipedia editions giving stronger highlights for historically important universities leading to a different estimation of efficiency of world countries in university education. The historical development of university ranking is analyzed during ten centuries of their history.

Robustness and closeness centrality for self-organized and planned cities

Abstract: Street networks are important infrastructural transportation systems that cover a great part of the planet. It is now widely accepted that transportation properties of street networks are better understood in the interplay between the street network itself and the so-called information or dual network, which embeds the topology of the street network’s navigation system. In this work, we present a novel robustness analysis, based on the interaction between the primal and the dual transportation layer for two large metropolises, London and Chicago, thus considering the structural differences to intentional attacks for self-organized and planned cities. We elaborate the results through an accurate closeness centrality analysis in the Euclidean space and in the relationship between primal and dual space. Interestingly enough, we find that even if the considered planar graphs display very distinct properties, the information space induce them to converge toward systems which are similar in terms of transportation properties.

A triple-band, polarization- and incident angle-independent microwave metamaterial absorber with interference theory

Abstract: We present the design, fabrication and characterization of an ultrathin triple-band metamaterial absorber (MMA) in the microwave frequencies. The unit cell of the MMA consists of three different sizes of electric split ring resonators (eSRRs) and continuous metal film separated by only 1 mm dielectric substrate. The single-band MMA of this structure is firstly investigated. Then, by tuning the scale factor of the unit cells, the proposed triple-band MMA achieves absorption peaks at 9.85 GHz, 13.05 GHz and 14.93 GHz, respectively. Electric field distributions at three resonant frequencies are investigated to qualitatively analyze the loss mechanism. The further simulated and experimental results indicate that the proposed MMA is also polarization- and incident angle-independent. Finally, the interference theory is introduced to quantitatively analyze the MMA, which provides good insight into the physics behind the absorbing structure. To calculate the absorption rates accurately, we employ a simulation strategy make the near-field coupling between two metallic layers get back (compensation method). The measured absorption spectra show an excellent agreement with the theoretical calculation and simulation results. Therefore, the explanation to the physical mechanism of the triple-band MMA is presented and verified.

Tune the topology to create or destroy patterns

Abstract: We consider the dynamics of a reaction-diffusion system on a multigraph. The species share the same set of nodes but can access different links to explore the embedding spatial support. By acting on the topology of the networks we can control the ability of the system to self-organise in macroscopic patterns, emerging as a symmetry breaking instability of an homogeneous fixed point. Two different cases study are considered: on the one side, we produce a global modification of the networks, starting from the limiting setting where species are hosted on the same graph. On the other, we consider the effect of inserting just one additional single link to differentiate the two graphs. In both cases, patterns can be generated or destroyed, as follows the imposed, small, topological perturbation. Approximate analytical formulae allow to grasp the essence of the phenomenon and can potentially inspire innovative control strategies to shape the macroscopic dynamics on multigraph networks.

Heat capacity, electrical and thermal conductivity of silicene

Abstract: We investigate the electronic heat capacity, electrical and thermal conductivity of monolayer planar and buckled silicon sheets (silicene) through tight binding approximation and Kubo-Greenwood formula. Applying and increasing dopant atoms to the system leads to opening a gap in the band structures and density of states that causes to decrease (increase) the heat capacity before (after) the Schottky anomaly. The electrical and electronic thermal conductivity of doped silicene reduces with increasing impurity strength.

Finite-time synchronization of complex dynamical networks with multi-links via intermittent controls

Abstract: This paper considers finite-time synchronization of complex multi-links dynamical networks with or without internal time delays via intermittent controls. Two simple intermittent feedback controllers are designed to achieve finite-time synchronization between the drive and response system. Some novel and effective finite-time synchronization criteria are derived based on finite-time stability analysis techniques. By constructing suitable Lyapunov functions, we theoretically prove its correctness. Finally, two numerical simulation examples are given to show the effectiveness of proposed method in this paper.

First principles study of electronic properties, interband transitions and electron energy loss of α-graphyne

Abstract: The electronic and optical properties of α-graphyne sheet are investigated by using density functional theory. The results confirm that α-graphyne sheet is a zero-gap semimetal. The optical properties of the α-graphyne sheet such as dielectric function, refraction index, electron energy loss function, reflectivity, absorption coefficient and extinction index are calculated for both parallel and perpendicular electric field polarizations. The optical spectra are strongly anisotropic along these two polarizations. For (E ∥ x), absorption edge is at 0 eV, while there is no absorption below 8 eV for (E ∥ z).

UV/IR mixing in non-Fermi liquids: higher-loop corrections in different energy ranges

Abstract: We revisit the Ising-nematic quantum critical point with an m-dimensional Fermi surface by applying a dimensional regularization scheme, introduced in [I. Mandal, S.S. Lee, Phys. Rev. B 92, 035141 (2015)]. We compute the contribution from two-loop and three-loop diagrams in the intermediate energy range controlled by a crossover scale. We find that for m = 2, the corrections continue to be one-loop exact for both the infrared and intermediate energy regimes.

Competition between quantum spin tunneling and Kondo effect

Abstract: Quantum spin tunneling and Kondo effect are two very different quantum phenomena that produce the same effect on quantized spins, namely, the quenching of their magnetization. However, the nature of this quenching is very different so that quantum spin tunneling and Kondo effect compete with each other. Importantly, both quantum spin tunneling and Kondo effect produce very characteristic features in the spectral function that can be measured by means of single spin scanning tunneling spectroscopy and allows to probe the crossover from one regime to the other. We model this crossover, and the resulting changes in transport, using a non-perturbative treatment of a generalized Anderson model including magnetic anisotropy that leads to quantum spin tunneling. We predict that, at zero magnetic field, integer spins can feature a split-Kondo peak driven by quantum spin tunneling.