Showing papers in "Physical Review Letters in 2006"
TL;DR: This work shows that graphene's electronic structure is captured in its Raman spectrum that clearly evolves with the number of layers, and allows unambiguous, high-throughput, nondestructive identification of graphene layers, which is critically lacking in this emerging research area.
Abstract: Graphene is the two-dimensional building block for carbon allotropes of every other dimensionality We show that its electronic structure is captured in its Raman spectrum that clearly evolves with the number of layers The D peak second order changes in shape, width, and position for an increasing number of layers, reflecting the change in the electron bands via a double resonant Raman process The G peak slightly down-shifts This allows unambiguous, high-throughput, nondestructive identification of graphene layers, which is critically lacking in this emerging research area
13,474 citations
TL;DR: The authors' ab initio calculations show that the origin of energy gaps for GNRs with armchair shaped edges arises from both quantum confinement and the crucial effect of the edges, which differs from the results of simple tight-binding calculations or solutions of the Dirac's equation based on them.
Abstract: Based on a first-principles approach, we present scaling rules for the band gaps of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) as a function of their widths. The GNRs considered have either armchair or zigzag shaped edges on both sides with hydrogen passivation. Both varieties of ribbons are shown to have band gaps. This differs from the results of simple tight-binding calculations or solutions of the Dirac's equation based on them. Our ab initio calculations show that the origin of energy gaps for GNRs with armchair shaped edges arises from both quantum confinement and the crucial effect of the edges. For GNRs with zigzag shaped edges, gaps appear because of a staggered sublattice potential on the hexagonal lattice due to edge magnetization. The rich gap structure for ribbons with armchair shaped edges is further obtained analytically including edge effects. These results reproduce our ab initio calculation results very well.
4,471 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that the entanglement entropy in d + 1 dimensional conformal field theories can be obtained from the area of d dimensional minimal surfaces in AdS(d+2), analogous to the Bekenstein-Hawking formula for black hole entropy.
Abstract: A holographic derivation of the entanglement entropy in quantum (conformal) field theories is proposed from anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence. We argue that the entanglement entropy in d + 1 dimensional conformal field theories can be obtained from the area of d dimensional minimal surfaces in AdS(d+2), analogous to the Bekenstein-Hawking formula for black hole entropy. We show that our proposal agrees perfectly with the entanglement entropy in 2D CFT when applied to AdS(3). We also compare the entropy computed in AdS(5)XS(5) with that of the free N=4 super Yang-Mills theory.
4,395 citations
TL;DR: By varying the distance between molecule and particle, this work shows the first experimental measurement demonstrating the continuous transition from fluorescence enhancement to fluorescence quenching.
Abstract: We present an experimental and theoretical study of the fluorescence rate of a single molecule as a function of its distance to a laser-irradiated gold nanoparticle. The local field enhancement leads to an increased excitation rate whereas nonradiative energy transfer to the particle leads to a decrease of the quantum yield (quenching). Because of these competing effects, previous experiments showed either fluorescence enhancement or fluorescence quenching. By varying the distance between molecule and particle we show the first experimental measurement demonstrating the continuous transition from fluorescence enhancement to fluorescence quenching. This transition cannot be explained by treating the particle as a polarizable sphere in the dipole approximation.
2,854 citations
TL;DR: The von Neumann entropy of rho, a measure of the entanglement of the interior and exterior variables, has the form S(rho) = alphaL - gamma + ..., where the ellipsis represents terms that vanish in the limit L --> infinity.
Abstract: We formulate a universal characterization of the many-particle quantum entanglement in the ground state of a topologically ordered two-dimensional medium with a mass gap. We consider a disk in the plane, with a smooth boundary of length L, large compared to the correlation length. In the ground state, by tracing out all degrees of freedom in the exterior of the disk, we obtain a marginal density operator rho for the degrees of freedom in the interior. The von Neumann entropy of rho, a measure of the entanglement of the interior and exterior variables, has the form S(rho)=alphaL-gamma+[centered ellipsis], where the ellipsis represents terms that vanish in the limit L-->[infinity]. We show that -gamma is a universal constant characterizing a global feature of the entanglement in the ground state. Using topological quantum field theory methods, we derive a formula for gamma in terms of properties of the superselection sectors of the medium.
2,028 citations
TL;DR: A way to detect a kind of topological order using only the ground state wave function which directly measures the total quantum dimension D= Sum(id2i).
Abstract: A large class of topological orders can be understood and classified using the string-net condensation picture. These topological orders can be characterized by a set of data $(N,{d}_{i},{F}_{lmn}^{ijk},{\ensuremath{\delta}}_{ijk})$. We describe a way to detect this kind of topological order using only the ground state wave function. The method involves computing a quantity called the ``topological entropy'' which directly measures the total quantum dimension $D=\ensuremath{\sum}_{i}{d}_{i}^{2}$.
1,733 citations
TL;DR: An optical process in which the spin angular momentum carried by a circularly polarized light beam is converted into orbital angular momentum, leading to the generation of helical modes with a wave-front helicity controlled by the input polarization is demonstrated.
Abstract: We demonstrate experimentally an optical process in which the spin angular momentum carried by a circularly polarized light beam is converted into orbital angular momentum, leading to the generation of helical modes with a wave-front helicity controlled by the input polarization. This phenomenon requires the interaction of light with matter that is both optically inhomogeneous and anisotropic. The underlying physics is also associated with the so-called Pancharatnam-Berry geometrical phases involved in any inhomogeneous transformation of the optical polarization.
1,725 citations
TL;DR: An effective two-dimensional Hamiltonian is derived to describe the low-energy electronic excitations of a graphite bilayer, which correspond to chiral quasiparticles with a parabolic dispersion exhibiting Berry phase 2pi.
Abstract: We derive an effective two-dimensional Hamiltonian to describe the low-energy electronic excitations of a graphite bilayer, which correspond to chiral quasiparticles with a parabolic dispersion exhibiting Berry phase $2\ensuremath{\pi}$. Its high-magnetic-field Landau-level spectrum consists of almost equidistant groups of fourfold degenerate states at finite energy and eight zero-energy states. This can be translated into the Hall conductivity dependence on carrier density, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{xy}(N)$, which exhibits plateaus at integer values of $4{e}^{2}/h$ and has a double $8{e}^{2}/h$ step between the hole and electron gases across zero density, in contrast to $(4n+2){e}^{2}/h$ sequencing in a monolayer.
1,631 citations
TL;DR: Comparisons with three-dimensional calculations guide us to decipher the contributions of the excitation enhancement, spontaneous emission modification, and quenching in the molecular excitation and emission processes.
Abstract: We investigate the coupling of a single molecule to a single spherical gold nanoparticle acting as a nanoantenna. Using scanning probe technology, we position the particle in front of the molecule with nanometer accuracy and measure a strong enhancement of more than 20 times in the fluorescence intensity simultaneous to a 20-fold shortening of the excited state lifetime. Comparisons with three-dimensional calculations guide us to decipher the contributions of the excitation enhancement, spontaneous emission modification, and quenching. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence for the role of the particle plasmon resonance in the molecular excitation and emission processes.
1,513 citations
TL;DR: This work predicts a quantized spin Hall effect in the absence of any magnetic field, where the intrinsic spin Hall conductance is quantized in units of 2(e/4pi).
Abstract: The quantum Hall liquid is a novel state of matter with profound emergent properties such as fractional charge and statistics. Existence of the quantum Hall effect requires breaking of the time reversal symmetry caused by an external magnetic field. In this work, we predict a quantized spin Hall effect in the absence of any magnetic field, where the intrinsic spin Hall conductance is quantized in units of 2 e/4{pi}. The degenerate quantum Landau levels are created by the spin-orbit coupling in conventional semiconductors in the presence of a strain gradient. This new state of matter has many profound correlated properties described by a topological field theory.
1,457 citations
TL;DR: A simple local atomic structure optimization algorithm which is significantly faster than standard implementations of the conjugate gradient method and often competitive with more sophisticated quasi-Newton schemes typically used in ab initio calculations is introduced.
Abstract: We introduce a simple local atomic structure optimization algorithm which is significantly faster than standard implementations of the conjugate gradient method and often competitive with more sophisticated quasi-Newton schemes typically used in ab initio calculations. It is based on conventional molecular dynamics with additional velocity modifications and adaptive time steps. The surprising efficiency and especially the robustness and versatility of the method is illustrated using a variety of test cases from nanoscience, solid state physics, materials research, and biochemistry.
TL;DR: In this article, an experimental search for an electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron has been carried out at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble.
Abstract: An experimental search for an electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron has been carried out at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble. Spurious signals from magnetic-field fluctuations were reduced to insignificance by the use of a cohabiting atomic-mercury magnetometer. Systematic uncertainties, including geometric-phase-induced false EDMs, have been carefully studied. The results may be interpreted as an upper limit on the neutron EDM of |dn|
TL;DR: It is demonstrated theoretically that electromagnetic waves can be "squeezed" and tunneled through very narrow channels filled with epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials and it is discussed that in some cases the isotropy of the ENZ material may not be an issue.
Abstract: In this Letter, we demonstrate theoretically that electromagnetic waves can be ``squeezed'' and tunneled through very narrow channels filled with $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$-near-zero (ENZ) materials. We show that the incoming planar wave front is replicated at the output interface, independently of the specific geometry of the channel. A closed analytical formula is derived for the scattering parameters of a particular class of geometries. It is discussed that in some cases the isotropy of the ENZ material may not be an issue. A metamaterial realization of an anisotropic ENZ material is suggested and numerically studied.
TL;DR: A new algorithm for evolving orbiting black-hole binaries that does not require excision or a corotating shift is presented and fourth-order convergence of waveforms is shown and the radiated gravitational energy and angular momentum from the plunge is computed.
Abstract: We present a new algorithm for evolving orbiting black-hole binaries that does not require excision or a corotating shift. Our algorithm is based on a novel technique to handle the singular puncture conformal factor. This system, based on the Baumgarte-Shapiro-Shibata-Nakamura formulation of Einstein's equations, when used with a "precollapsed" initial lapse, is nonsingular at the start of the evolution and remains nonsingular and stable provided that a good choice is made for the gauge. As a test case, we use this technique to fully evolve orbiting black-hole binaries from near the innermost stable circular orbit regime. We show fourth-order convergence of waveforms and compute the radiated gravitational energy and angular momentum from the plunge. These results are in good agreement with those predicted by the Lazarus approach.
TL;DR: It is shown that the time dependence of correlation functions in an extended quantum system in d dimensions, which is prepared in the ground state of some Hamiltonian and then evolves without dissipation according to some other Hamiltonian, may be extracted using methods of boundary critical phenomena in d + 1 dimensions.
Abstract: We show that the time dependence of correlation functions in an extended quantum system in d dimensions, which is prepared in the ground state of some Hamiltonian and then evolves without dissipation according to some other Hamiltonian, may be extracted using methods of boundary critical phenomena in d + 1 dimensions For d = 1 particularly powerful results are available using conformal field theory These are checked against those available from solvable models They may be explained in terms of a picture, valid more generally, whereby quasiparticles, entangled over regions of the order of the correlation length in the initial state, then propagate classically through the system
TL;DR: A core-shell composite NW model in terms of the surface stiffening effect correlated with significant bond length contractions occurred near the {1010} free surfaces is proposed to explore the origin of the size dependence, and it is possible to estimate the size-related elastic properties of GaN nanotubes and relative nanostructures by using this model.
Abstract: We report a size dependence of Young's modulus in [0001] oriented ZnO nanowires (NWs) with diameters ranging from 17 to 550 nm for the first time. The measured modulus for NWs with diameters smaller than about 120 nm is increasing dramatically with the decreasing diameters, and is significantly higher than that of the larger ones whose modulus tends to that of bulk ZnO. A core-shell composite NW model in terms of the surface stiffening effect correlated with significant bond length contractions occurred near the {1010} free surfaces (which extend several layers deep into the bulk and fade off slowly) is proposed to explore the origin of the size dependence, and present experimental result is well explained. Furthermore, it is possible to estimate the size-related elastic properties of GaN nanotubes and relative nanostructures by using this model.
TL;DR: The approach follows the "puncture" treatment of black holes, but utilizing a new gauge condition which allows the black holes to move successfully through the computational domain, and applies these techniques to an inspiraling binary, modeling the radiation generated during the final plunge and ringdown.
Abstract: We present new techniques for evolving binary black hole systems which allow the accurate determination of gravitational waveforms directly from the wave zone region of the numerical simulations. Rather than excising the black hole interiors, our approach follows the "puncture" treatment of black holes, but utilizing a new gauge condition which allows the black holes to move successfully through the computational domain. We apply these techniques to an inspiraling binary, modeling the radiation generated during the final plunge and ringdown. We demonstrate convergence of the waveforms and and good conservation of mass-energy, with just over 3% of the system s mass converted to gravitational radiation.
TL;DR: A phenomenological theory of inhomogeneous ferroelectric magnets is presented, which describes their thermodynamics and magnetic field behavior, and shows that electric polarization can also be induced at domain walls and that magnetic vortices carry electric charge.
Abstract: It was recently observed that the ferroelectrics showing the strongest sensitivity to an applied magnetic field are spiral magnets. We present a phenomenological theory of inhomogeneous ferroelectric magnets, which describes their thermodynamics and magnetic field behavior, e.g., dielectric susceptibility anomalies at magnetic transitions and sudden flops of electric polarization in an applied magnetic field. We show that electric polarization can also be induced at domain walls and that magnetic vortices carry electric charge.
TL;DR: Regular (nonsingular) space-times are given that describe the formation of a (locally defined) black hole from an initial vacuum region, its quiescence as a static region, and its subsequent evaporation to a vacuum region.
Abstract: Regular (nonsingular) space-times are given that describe the formation of a (locally defined) black hole from an initial vacuum region, its quiescence as a static region, and its subsequent evaporation to a vacuum region. The static region is Bardeen-like, supported by finite density and pressures, vanishing rapidly at large radius and behaving as a cosmological constant at small radius. The dynamic regions are Vaidya-like, with ingoing radiation of positive-energy flux during collapse and negative-energy flux during evaporation, the latter balanced by outgoing radiation of positive-energy flux and a surface pressure at a pair creation surface. The black hole consists of a compact space-time region of trapped surfaces, with inner and outer boundaries that join circularly as a single smooth trapping horizon.
TL;DR: In this paper, the expansion instability of a toroidal current ring in low-beta magnetized plasma is investigated, and the results are verified with experiments on spheromak expansion and with essential properties of solar coronal mass ejections.
Abstract: The expansion instability of a toroidal current ring in low-beta magnetized plasma is investigated. Qualitative agreement is obtained with experiments on spheromak expansion and with essential properties of solar coronal mass ejections, unifying the two apparently disparate classes of fast and slow coronal mass ejections.
TL;DR: The analysis is based on the full dynamics towards synchronization of a system of coupled oscillators and provides a useful connection between synchronization dynamics, complex networks topology, and spectral graph analysis.
Abstract: We study the relationship between topological scales and dynamic time scales in complex networks. The analysis is based on the full dynamics towards synchronization of a system of coupled oscillators. In the synchronization process, modular structures corresponding to well-defined communities of nodes emerge in different time scales, ordered in a hierarchical way. The analysis also provides a useful connection between synchronization dynamics, complex networks topology, and spectral graph analysis.
TL;DR: Utilizing terahertz time domain spectroscopy, the electromagnetic response of planar split ring resonators fabricated on GaAs is characterized and optical excitation is sufficient to turn off the electric resonance demonstrating the potential of SRR terAhertz switches.
Abstract: Utilizing terahertz time domain spectroscopy, we have characterized the electromagnetic response of a planar array of split ring resonators (SRRs) fabricated upon a high resistivity GaAs substrate. The measured frequency dependent magnetic and electric resonances are in excellent agreement with theory and simulation. For two polarizations, the SRRs yield a negative electric response ($ϵl0$). We demonstrate, for the first time, dynamical control of the electrical response of the SRRs through photoexcitation of free carriers in the substrate. An excited carrier density of $\ensuremath{\sim}4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{16}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ is sufficient to short the gap of the SRRs, thereby turning off the electric resonance, demonstrating the potential of such structures as terahertz switches. Because of the universality of metamaterial response over many decades of frequency, these results have implications for other regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
TL;DR: Using In0.53Ga0.47As containing ErAs nanoparticles, thermal conductivity reduction is demonstrated by almost a factor of 2 below the alloy limit and a corresponding increase in the thermoelectric figure of merit is demonstrated.
Abstract: Atomic substitution in alloys can efficiently scatter phonons, thereby reducing the thermal conductivity in crystalline solids to the "alloy limit." Using In0.53Ga0.47As containing ErAs nanoparticles, we demonstrate thermal conductivity reduction by almost a factor of 2 below the alloy limit and a corresponding increase in the thermoelectric figure of merit by a factor of 2. A theoretical model suggests that while point defects in alloys efficiently scatter short-wavelength phonons, the ErAs nanoparticles provide an additional scattering mechanism for the mid-to-long-wavelength phonons.
TL;DR: This work proposes a low-dimensional model to describe the epidemic dynamics on an adaptive network, where the susceptibles are able to avoid contact with the infected by rewiring their network connections, and presents a full local bifurcation analysis.
Abstract: Many real-world networks are characterized by adaptive changes in their topology depending on the state of their nodes. Here we study epidemic dynamics on an adaptive network, where the susceptibles are able to avoid contact with the infected by rewiring their network connections. This gives rise to assortative degree correlation, oscillations, hysteresis, and first order transitions. We propose a low-dimensional model to describe the system and present a full local bifurcation analysis. Our results indicate that the interplay between dynamics and topology can have important consequences for the spreading of infectious diseases and related applications.
TL;DR: The known results on the resolution of the big-bang singularity in loop quantum cosmology are significantly extended, and unlike in other approaches the quantum evolution is deterministic across the deep Planck regime.
Abstract: Some long-standing issues concerning the quantum nature of the big bang are resolved in the context of homogeneous isotropic models with a scalar field. Specifically, the known results on the resolution of the big-bang singularity in loop quantum cosmology are significantly extended as follows: (i) the scalar field is shown to serve as an internal clock, thereby providing a detailed realization of the ``emergent time'' idea; (ii) the physical Hilbert space, Dirac observables, and semiclassical states are constructed rigorously; (iii) the Hamiltonian constraint is solved numerically to show that the big bang is replaced by a big bounce. Thanks to the nonperturbative, background independent methods, unlike in other approaches the quantum evolution is deterministic across the deep Planck regime.
TL;DR: By analyzing simulated data, it is shown that the resulting rates of force-induced rupture are significantly more reliable than those obtained by the widely used approach based on Bell's formula.
Abstract: We present a unified framework for extracting kinetic information from single-molecule pulling experiments at constant force or constant pulling speed. Our procedure provides estimates of not only (i) the intrinsic rate coefficient and (ii) the location of the transition state but also (iii) the free energy of activation. By analyzing simulated data, we show that the resulting rates of force-induced rupture are significantly more reliable than those obtained by the widely used approach based on Bell's formula. We consider the uniqueness of the extracted kinetic information and suggest guidelines to avoid overinterpretation of experiments.
TL;DR: Graphene weak-localization magnetoresistance is strongly suppressed and, in some cases, completely absent, due to mesoscopic corrugations of graphene sheets which can cause a dephasing effect similar to that of a random magnetic field.
Abstract: Low-field magnetoresistance is ubiquitous in low-dimensional metallic systems with high resistivity and well understood as arising due to quantum interference on self-intersecting diffusive trajectories. We have found that in graphene this weak-localization magnetoresistance is strongly suppressed and, in some cases, completely absent. The unexpected observation is attributed to mesoscopic corrugations of graphene sheets which can cause a dephasing effect similar to that of a random magnetic field.
TL;DR: Tomographic analysis demonstrates that the polarization state of pairs of photons emitted from a biexciton decay cascade becomes entangled when spectral filtering is applied and that the remanent information in the quantum dot degrees of freedom is negligible.
Abstract: Tomographic analysis demonstrates that the polarization state of pairs of photons emitted from a biexciton decay cascade becomes entangled when spectral filtering is applied. The measured density matrix of the photon pair satisfies the Peres criterion for entanglement by more than 3 standard deviations of the experimental uncertainty and violates Bell's inequality. We show that the spectral filtering erases the "which path" information contained in the photons' color and that the remanent information in the quantum dot degrees of freedom is negligible.
TL;DR: A new continuous-time solver for quantum impurity models such as those relevant to dynamical mean field theory, based on a stochastic sampling of a perturbation expansion in the impurity-bath hybridization parameter is presented, which allows very efficient simulations even at low temperatures and for strong interactions.
Abstract: We present a new continuous-time solver for quantum impurity models such as those relevant to dynamical mean field theory. It is based on a stochastic sampling of a perturbation expansion in the impurity-bath hybridization parameter. Comparisons with Monte Carlo and exact diagonalization calculations confirm the accuracy of the new approach, which allows very efficient simulations even at low temperatures and for strong interactions. As examples of the power of the method we present results for the temperature dependence of the kinetic energy and the free energy, enabling an accurate location of the temperature-driven metal-insulator transition.
TL;DR: This work tracks the motion of individual fluorescently labeled mRNA molecules inside live E. coli cells and finds that the motion is subdiffusive, with an exponent that is robust to physiological changes, including the disruption of cytoskeletal elements.
Abstract: We track the motion of individual fluorescently labeled mRNA molecules inside live E. coli cells. We find that the motion is subdiffusive, with an exponent that is robust to physiological changes, including the disruption of cytoskeletal elements. By modifying the parameters of the RNA molecule and the bacterial cell, we are able to examine the possible mechanisms that can lead to this unique type of motion, especially the effect of macromolecular crowding. We also examine the implications of anomalous diffusion on the kinetics of bacterial gene regulation, in particular, how transcription factors find their DNA targets.