arXiv subjects

Bhaskaran Muralidharan

Publications and source records attributed to Bhaskaran Muralidharan.

97 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Enhancement of Spin-transfer torque switching via resonant tunneling

We propose the use of resonant tunneling as a route to enhance the spin-transfer torque switching characteristics of magnetic tunnel junctions. The proposed device structure is a resonant tunneling magnetic tunnel junction based on a MgO-semiconductor heterostructure sandwiched between a fixed magnet and a free magnet. Using the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism coupled self consistently with the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert-Slonczewski equation, we demonstrate enhanced tunnel magneto-resistance characteristics as well as lower switching voltages in comparison with traditional trilayer devices. Two device designs based on MgO based heterostructures are presented, where the physics of resonant tunneling leads to an enhanced spin transfer torque thereby reducing the critical switching voltage by up to 44%. It is envisioned that the proof-of-concept presented here may lead to practical device designs via rigorous materials and interface studies.

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arXiv2014

Role of dual nuclear baths on spin blockade leakage current bistabilities

Spin-blockaded electronic transport across a double quantum dot (DQD) system represents an important advancement in the area of spin-based quantum information. The basic mechanism underlying the blockade is the formation of a blocking triplet state. The bistability of the leakage current as a function of the applied magnetic field in this regime is believed to arise from the effect of nuclear Overhauser fields on spin-flip transitions between the blocking triplet and the conducting singlet states. The objective of this paper is to present the nuances of considering a two bath model on the experimentally observed current bistability by employing a self consistent simulation of the nuclear spin dynamics coupled with the electronic transport of the DQD set up. In doing so, we first discuss the important subtleties involved in the microscopic derivation of the hyperfine mediated spin flip rates. We then give insights as to how the differences between the two nuclear baths and the resulting difference Overhauser field affect the two-electron states of the DQD, and their connection with the experimentally observed current hysteresis curve.

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arXiv2014

Power and efficiency analysis of a realistic resonant tunneling diode thermoelectric

Low-dimensional systems with sharp features in the density of states have been proposed as a means to improving the efficiency of thermoelectric devices. Quantum dot systems, which offer the sharpest density of states achievable, however, suffer from low power outputs while bulk (3-D) thermoelectrics, while displaying high power outputs, offer very low efficiencies. Here, we analyze the use of a resonant tunneling diode structure that combines the best of both aspects, that is, density of states distortion with a finite bandwidth due to confinement that aids the efficiency and a large number of current carrying transverse modes that enhances the total power output. We show that this device can achieve a high power output ($\sim 0.3$ MW$/m^2$) at efficiencies of $\sim 40\%$ of the Carnot efficiency due to the contribution from these transverse momentum states at a finite bandwidth of $kT/2$. We then provide a detailed analysis of the physics of charge and heat transport with insights on parasitic currents that reduce the efficiency. Finally, a comparison between the resonant tunneling diode and a quantum dot device with comparable bandwidth reveals that a similar performance requires ultra-dense areal quantum dot densities of $\sim 10^{12}/cm^2$.

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arXiv2013

Thermoelectric spin accumulation and long-time spin precession in a non-collinear quantum dot spin valve

We explore thermoelectric spin transport and spin dependent phenomena in a non-collinear quantum dot spin valve set up. Using this set up, we demonstrate the possibility of a thermoelectric excitation of single spin dynamics inside the quantum dot. Many-body exchange fields generated on the single spins in this set up manifest as effective magnetic fields acting on the net spin accumulation in the quantum dot. We first identify generic conditions by which a zero bias spin accumulation in the dot may be created in the thermoelectric regime. The resulting spin accumulation is then shown to be subject to a field-like spin torque due to the effective magnetic field associated with either contact. This spin torque that is generated may yield long-time precession effects due to the prevailing blockade conditions. The implications of these phenomena in connection with single spin manipulation and pure spin current generation are then discussed.

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arXiv2012

Performance analysis of an interacting quantum dot thermoelectric system

We analyze the nanocaloritronic performance of an interacting quantum dot that is subject to an applied bias and an applied temperature gradient. It is now well known that, in the absence of phonon contribution, a weakly coupled non-interacting quantum dot can operate at thermoelectric efficiencies approaching the Carnot limit. However, it has also been recently pointed out that such peak efficiencies can only be achieved when operated in the reversible limit, with a vanishing current and hence a vanishing power output. In this paper, we point out three fundamental results affecting the thermoelectric performance due to the inclusion of Coulomb interactions: a) The reversible operating point carries zero efficiency, b) operation at finite power output is possible even at peak efficiencies approaching the Carnot value, and c) the evaluated trends of the the maximum efficiency deviate considerably from the conventional {\it{figure of merit}} $zT$ based result. Finally, we also analyze our system for thermoelectric operation at maximum power output.

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arXiv2007

A Generic Model for Current Collapse in Spin Blockaded Transport

A decrease in current with increasing voltage, often referred to as negative differential resistance (NDR), has been observed in many electronic devices and can usually be understood within a one-electron picture. However, NDR has recently been reported in nanoscale devices with large single-electron charging energies which require a many-electron picture in Fock space. This paper presents a generic model in this transport regime leading to a simple criterion for the conditions required to observe NDR and shows that this model describes the recent observation of multiple NDR's in Spin Blockaded transport through weakly coupled-double quantum dots quite well. This model shows clearly how a delicate interplay of orbital energy offset, delocalization and Coulomb interaction lead to the observed NDR under the right conditions, and also aids in obtaining a good match with experimentally observed features. We believe the basic model could be useful in understanding other experiments in this transport regime as well.

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arXiv2006

Theory of high bias Coulomb Blockade in ultrashort molecules

We point out that single electron charging effects such as Coulomb Blockade (CB) and high-bias staircases play a crucial role in transport through single ultrashort molecules. A treatment of Coulomb Blockade through a prototypical molecule, benzene, is developed using a master-equation in its complete many-electron Fock space, evaluated through exact diagonalization or full Configuration Interaction (CI). This approach can explain a whole class of non-trivial experimental features including vanishing zero bias conductances, sharp current onsets followed by ohmic current rises, and gateable current levels and conductance structures, most of which cannot be captured even qualitatively within the traditional Self Consistent Field (SCF) approach coupled with perturbative transport theories. By comparing the two approaches, namely SCF and CB, in the limit of weak coupling to the electrode, we establish that the inclusion of strong-correlations within the molecule becomes critical in addressing the above experiments. Our approach includes on-bridge-correlations fully, and is therefore well-suited for describing transport through short molecules in the limit of weak coupling to electrodes.

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