Effective mass (solid-state physics)

About: Effective mass (solid-state physics) is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 12539 publications have been published within this topic receiving 295485 citations.

Monte Carlo study of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model

Abstract: One of the most promising applications of ultracold gases in optical lattices is the possibility to use them as quantum emulators of more complex condensed matter systems. We provide benchmark calculations, based on exact quantum Monte Carlo simulations, for the emulator to be tested against. We report results for the ground state phase diagram of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model at unity filling factor. We precisely trace out the critical behavior of the system and resolve the region of small insulating gaps, $\ensuremath{\Delta}⪡J$. The critical point is found to be ${(J/U)}_{c}=0.05974(3)$, in perfect agreement with the high-order strong-coupling expansion method of Elstner and Monien [Phys. Rev. B 59, 12184 (1999)]. In addition, we present data for the effective mass of particle and hole excitations inside the insulating phase and obtain the critical temperature for the superfluid-normal transition at unity filling factor.

High-temperature superconductors: Universal nodal Fermi velocity

Abstract: The mechanism that causes high-temperature superconductivity in copper oxide materials (cuprates) is still unknown, more than 15 years after it was discovered1. As the charge carriers (electrons or holes) are introduced into the parent antiferromagnetic insulator, a process called doping, the material evolves from an insulator to a superconductor, and eventually to a normal metal. This marked change of physical properties with doping2,3,4,5,6,7 indicates that doping dependence (non-universality) might be a general feature of these materials, but we find that, on the contrary, the low-energy Fermi velocity of electrons is in fact universal, even among different superconductor families.

Structure and electronic properties of InN and In-rich group III-nitride alloys

Abstract: The experimental study of InN and In-rich InGaN by a number of structural, optical and electrical methods is reviewed. Recent advances in thin film growth have produced single crystal epitaxial layers of InN which are similar in structural quality to GaN films made under similar conditions and which can have electron concentrations below 1 × 1018 cm−3 and mobilities exceeding 2000 cm2 (Vs)−1. Optical absorption, photoluminescence, photo-modulated reflectance and soft x-ray spectroscopy measurements were used to establish that the room temperature band gap of InN is 0.67 ± 0.05 eV. Experimental measurements of the electron effective mass in InN are presented and interpreted in terms of a non-parabolic conduction band caused by the k · p interaction across the narrow gap. Energetic particle irradiation is shown to be an effective method to control the electron concentration, n, in undoped InN. Optical studies of irradiated InN reveal a large Burstein–Moss shift of the absorption edge with increasing n. Fundamental studies of the energy levels of defects in InN and of electron transport are also reviewed. Finally, the current experimental evidence for p-type activity in Mg-doped InN is evaluated.

Excitonic and nonlinear-optical properties of dielectric quantum-well structures

Abstract: Excitonic and nonlinear-optical properties of dielectric quantum-well (DQW) structures are investigated theoretically. A DQW is a quantum well sandwiched by barrier materials with a smaller dielectric constant and a larger band gap than the well material. The fundamental physics determining the excitonic properties in a DQW, i.e., exciton binding energy, exciton oscillator strength, and nonlinear-optical response, are clarified. The most important mechanisms for enhancing the excitonic properties are quantum-confinement effect, mass-confinement effect, and dielectric-confinement effect. Quantum confinement increases the spatial overlap between an electron and a hole as a result of the potential well confinement, and it enhances oscillator strength. Mass confinement is based on the penetration of the carrier wave function into barrier layers with a heavier effective mass than the well layer. It increases the exciton reduced mass and hence the exciton binding energy. Dielectric confinement arises from the reduction of the effective dielectric constant of the whole system due to the penetration of the electric field into the barrier medium having a smaller dielectric constant than the well and enhances the Coulomb interaction between the electron and hole. On the basis of these analyses, the general guiding principles are established for designing DQW structures with optimum excitonic properties. Various practical examples of DQW's are examined with respect to the lattice-constant matching, the difference in the dielectric constant, and the difference in the carrier effective masses. ZnSe is found to be one of the most promising candidates for the barrier material of the GaAs DQW.

Electronic structure of palladium

Abstract: A detailed investigation of the electronic structure of palladium is presented in terms of two different band models: (1) ab initio calculations using the augmented-plane-wave method, and (2) calculations using the combined interpolation scheme augmented by inclusion of relativistic corrections. The width and position of the $d$-band complex are found to be particularly sensitive features of the electronic structure of palladium. A highly detailed density-of-states histogram, and estimates for the first and second derivatives of the density of states at the Fermi energy are derived. In addition, detailed comparisons are made with Fermi-surface-static susceptibility, and specific-heat experimental results. Estimates for the effects of manybody enhancements suggest that paramagnons raise the effective mass at the Fermi energy by only about 41%. Owing to the strong $s\ensuremath{-}d$ hybridization in palladium, the Fermi surface is made up almost entirely of $d$-like states. Because the Fermi energy in palladium falls near the strongly spin-orbit split levels at $X$ and $L$, spin quenching reduces the effective $g$ factor at the Fermi energy from 2 to about 1.65. This increases an estimate of the effective Stoner-enhancement factor from 10 to about 15.