arXiv subjects

Daniel P. Arovas

Publications and source records attributed to Daniel P. Arovas.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Fluctuations and Noise Signatures of Driven Magnetic Skyrmions

Magnetic skyrmions are particle-like objects with topologically-protected stability which can be set into motion with an applied current. Using a particle-based model we simulate current-driven magnetic skyrmions interacting with random quenched disorder and examine the skyrmion velocity fluctuations parallel and perpendicular to the direction of motion as a function of increasing drive. We show that the Magnus force contribution to skyrmion dynamics combined with the random pinning produces an isotropic effective shaking temperature. As a result, the skyrmions form a moving crystal at large drives instead of the moving smectic state observed in systems with a negligible Magnus force where the effective shaking temperature is anisotropic. We demonstrate that spectral analysis of the velocity noise fluctuations can be used to identify dynamical phase transitions and to extract information about the different dynamic phases, and show how the velocity noise fluctuations are correlated with changes in the skyrmion Hall angle, transport features, and skyrmion lattice structure.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Non linear conductivity and collective charge excitations in the lowest Landau level

For weakly disordered fractional quantum Hall phases, the non linear photoconductivity is related to the charge susceptibility of the clean system by a Floquet boost. Thus, it may be possible to probe collective charge modes at finite wavevectors by electrical transport. Incompressible phases, irradiated at slightly above the magneto-roton gap, are predicted to exhibit negative photoconductivity and zero resistance states with spontaneous internal electric fields. Non linear conductivity can probe composite fermions' charge excitations in compressible filling factors.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Strain-induced Landau Levels in arbitrary dimensions with an exact spectrum

Certain non-uniform strain applied to graphene flakes has been shown to induce pseudo-Landau levels in the single-particle spectrum, which can be rationalized in terms of a pseudo-magnetic field for electrons near the Dirac points. However, this Landau level structure is in general approximate and restricted to low energies. Here we introduce a family of strained bipartite tight-binding models in arbitrary spatial dimension d and analytically prove that their entire spectrum consists of perfectly degenerate pseudo-Landau levels. This construction generalizes the case of triaxial strain on graphene's honeycomb lattice to arbitrary d; in d=3 our model corresponds to tetraxial strain on the diamond lattice. We discuss general aspects of pseudo-Landau levels in arbitrary d.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Band flatness optimization through complex analysis

Narrow band electron systems are particularly likely to exhibit correlated many-body phases driven by interaction effects. Examples include magnetic materials, heavy fermion systems, and topological phases such as fractional quantum Hall states and their lattice-based cousins, the fractional Chern insulators (FCIs). Here we discuss the problem of designing models with optimal band flatness, subject to constraints on the range of electron hopping. In particular, we show how the imaginary gap, which serves as a proxy for band flatness, can be optimized by appealing to Rouche's theorem, a familiar result from complex analysis. This leads to an explicit construction which we illustrate through its application to two-band FCI models with nontrivial topology (i.e. nonzero Chern numbers). We show how the imaginary gap perspective leads to an elegant geometric picture of how topological properties can obstruct band flatness in systems with finite ranged hopping.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Quantum Nucleation of Skyrmions in Magnetic Films by Inhomogeneous Fields

Recent experiments have reported on controlled nucleation of individual skyrmions in chiral magnets. Here we show that in magnetic ultra-thin films with interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, single skyrmions of different radii can be nucleated by creating a local distortion in the magnetic field. In our study, we have considered zero temperature quantum nucleation of a single skyrmion from a ferromagnetic phase. The physical scenario we model is one where a uniform field stabilizes the ferromagnet, and an opposing local magnetic field over a circular spot, generated by the tip of a local probe, drives the skyrmion nucleation. Using spin path integrals and a collective coordinate approximation, the tunneling rate from the ferromagnetic to the single skyrmion state is computed as a function of the tip's magnetic field and the circular spot radius. Suitable parameters for the observation of the quantum nucleation of single skyrmions are identified.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Collective modes in a quantum solid

We provide a theoretical explanation for the optical modes observed in inelastic neutron scattering (INS) on the bcc solid phase of helium 4 [T. Markovich, E. Polturak, J. Bossy, and E. Farhi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 195301 (2002)]. We argue that these excitations are amplitude (Higgs) modes associated with fluctuations of the crystal order parameter within the unit cell. We present an analysis of the modes based on an effective Ginzburg-Landau model, classify them according to their symmetry properties, and compute their signature in INS experiments. In addition, we calculate the dynamical structure factor by means of an ab intio quantum Monte Carlo simulation and find a finite frequency excitation at zero relative momentum.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Order and disorder in SU(N) simplex solid antiferromagnets

We study the structure of quantum ground states of simplex solid models, which are generalizations of the valence bond construction for quantum antiferromagnets originally proposed by Affleck, Kennedy, Lieb, and Tasaki (AKLT) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 799 (1987)]. Whereas the AKLT states are created by application of bond singlet operators for SU(2) spins, the simplex solid construction is based on N-simplex singlet operators for SU(N) spins. In both cases, a discrete one-parameter family of translationally-invariant models with exactly solvable ground states is defined on any regular lattice, and the equal time ground state correlations are given by the finite temperature correlations of an associated classical model on the same lattice, owing to the product form of the wave functions when expressed in a CP^{N-1} coherent state representation. We study these classical companion models via a mix of Monte Carlo simulations, mean-field arguments, and low-temperature effective field theories. Our analysis reveals that the ground states of SU(4) edge- and SU(8) face-sharing cubic lattice simplex solid models are long range ordered for sufficiently large values of the discrete parameter, whereas the ground states of the SU(3) models on the kagome (2D) and hyperkagome (3D) lattices are always quantum disordered. The kagome simplex solid exhibits strong local order absent in its three-dimensional hyperkagome counterpart, a contrast that we rationalize with arguments similar to those leading to `order by disorder'.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Entanglement analysis of isotropic spin-1 chains

We investigate entanglement spectra of the SO(3) bilinear-biquadratic spin-1 chain, a model with phases exhibiting spontaneous symmetry breaking (both translation and spin rotation), points of enlarged symmetry, and a symmetry-protected topological phase (the Haldane phase). Our analysis reveals how these hallmark features are manifested in the entanglement spectra, and highlights the versatility of entanglement spectra as a tool to study one-dimensional quantum systems via small finite size realisations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Topological indices for open and thermal systems via Uhlmann's phase

Two-dimensional topological phases are characterized by TKNN integers, which classify Bloch energy bands or groups of Bloch bands. However, quantization does not survive thermal averaging or dephasing to mixed states. We show that using Uhlmann's parallel transport for density matrices (Rep. Math. Phys. 24, 229 (1986)), an integer classification of topological phases can be defined for a finite generalized temperature $T$ or dephasing Lindbladian. This scheme reduces to the familiar TKNN classification for $T T_{{\rm c},2}$, and exhibits a `gapless' intermediate regime where topological indices are not well-defined. We demonstrate these ideas in detail, applying them to Haldane's honeycomb lattice model and the Bernevig-Hughes-Zhang model, and we comment on their generalization to multi-band Chern insulators.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Impurity scattering in Weyl Semimetals and their stability classification

Weyl Semimetals (WS) are a new class of Dirac-type materials exhibiting a phase with bulk energy nodes and an associated vanishing density of states (DOS). We investigate the stability of this nodal DOS suppression in the presence of local impurities and consider whether or not such a suppression can be lifted by impurity-induced resonances. We find that while a scalar (chemical potential type) impurity can always induce a resonance at arbitrary energy and hence lift the DOS suppression at Dirac/Weyl nodes, for many other impurity types (e.g. magnetic or orbital-mixing), resonances are forbidden in a wide range of energy. We investigate a $4$-band tight-binding model of WS adapted from a physical heterostructure construction due to Burkov, Hook, and Balents, and represent a local impurity potential by a strength $g$ as well as a matrix structure $Λ$. A general framework is developed to analyze this resonance dichotomy and make connection with the phase shift picture in scattering theory, as well as to determine the relation between resonance energy and impurity strength $g$. A complete classification of impurities based on $Λ$, based on their effect on nodal DOS suppression, is tabulated. We also discuss the differences between continuum and lattice approaches.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Dynamic Spin Fluctuations at $T\rightarrow 0$ in a Spin-1/2 Ferromagnetic Kagome Lattice

We report magnetization, electron spin resonance (ESR), and muon spin relaxation ($μ$SR) measurements on single crystals of the $S=1/2$ (Cu$% ^{+2}$) kagomé compound Cu(1,3-benzendicarboxylate). The $μ$SR is carried to temperatures as low as 45 mK. The spin Hamiltonian parameters are determined from the analysis of the magnetization and ESR data. We find that this compound has anisotropic ferromagnetic interactions. Nevertheless, no spin freezing is observed even at temperatures two orders of magnitude lower than the coupling constants. In light of this finding, the relation between persistent spin dynamics and spin liquid are reexamined.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Dynamics and Conductivity Near Quantum Criticality

Relativistic O(N) field theories are studied near the quantum critical point in two space dimensions. We compute dynamical correlations by large scale Monte Carlo simulations and numerical analytic continuation. In the ordered side, the scalar spectral function exhibits a universal peak at the Higgs mass. For N=3 and 4 we confirm its ω^3 rise at low frequency. On the disordered side, the spectral function exhibits a sharp gap. For N=2, the dynamical conductivity rises above a threshold at the Higgs mass (density gap), in the superfluid (Mott insulator) phase. For charged bosons, (Josephson arrays) the power law rise above the Higgs mass, increases from two to four. Approximate charge-vortex duality is reflected in the ratio of imaginary conductivities on either side of the transition. We determine the critical conductivity to be σ^*_c = 0.3 (\pm 0.1) 4e^2/h. In the appendices, we describe a generalization of the worm algorithm to N>2, and also a singular value decomposition error analysis for the numerical analytic continuation.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Stability of Weyl metals under impurity scattering

We investigate the effects of bulk impurities on the electronic spectrum of Weyl semimetals, a recently identified class of Dirac-type materials. Using a $T$-matrix approach, we study resonant scattering due to a localized impurity in tight binding versions of the continuum models recently discussed by Burkov, Hook, and Balents, describing perturbed four-component Dirac fermions in the vicinity of a critical point. The impurity potential is described by a strength $g$ as well as a matrix structure $Λ$. Unlike the case in d-wave superconductors, where a zero energy resonance can always be induced by varying the impurity scalar and/or magnetic impurity strength, we find that for certain types of impurity ($Λ$), the Weyl node is protected, and that a scalar impurity will induce an intragap resonance over a wide range of scattering strength. A general framework is developed to address this question, as well as to determine the dependence of resonance energy on the impurity strength.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Entanglement spectrum and Wannier center flow of the Hofstadter problem

We examine the quantum entanglement spectra and Wannier functions of the square lattice Hofstadter model. Consistent with previous work on entanglement spectra of topological band structures, we find that the entanglement levels exhibit a spectral flow similar to that of the full system's energy spectrum. While the energy spectra are continuous, with open boundary conditions the entanglement spectra exhibit discontinuities associated with the passage of an energy edge state through the Fermi level. We show how the entanglement spectrum can be understood by examining the band projectors of the full system and their behavior under adiabatic pumping. In so doing we make connections with the original TKNN work on topological two-dimensional band structures and their Chern numbers. Finally we consider Wannier states and their adiabatic flows, and draw connections to the entanglement properties.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2012

Topological Order and Absence of Band Insulators at Integer Filling in Non-Symmorphic Crystals

Band insulators appear in a crystalline system only when the filling -- the number of electrons per unit cell and spin projection -- is an integer. At fractional filling, an insulating phase that preserves all symmetries is a Mott insulator, i.e. it is either gapless or, if gapped, displays fractionalized excitations and topological order. We raise the inverse question -- at an integer filling is a band insulator always possible? Here we show that lattice symmetries may forbid a band insulator even at certain integer fillings, if the crystal is non-symmorphic -- a property shared by a majority of three-dimensional crystal structures. In these cases, one may infer the existence of topological order if the ground state is gapped and fully symmetric. This is demonstrated using a non-perturbative flux threading argument, which has immediate applications to quantum spin systems and bosonic insulators in addition to electronic band structures in the absence of spin-orbit interactions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Visibility of the Amplitude (Higgs) Mode in Condensed Matter

The amplitude mode is a ubiquitous collective excitation in condensed matter systems with broken continuous symmetry. It is expected in antiferromagnets, short coherence length superconductors, charge density waves, and lattice Bose condensates. Its detection is a valuable test of the corresponding field theory, and its mass gap measures the proximity to a quantum critical point. However, since the amplitude mode can decay into low-energy Goldstone modes, its experimental visibility has been questioned. Here we show that the visibility depends on the symmetry of the measured susceptibility. The longitudinal susceptibility diverges at low frequency as χ_{σσ} ~ i/ω(d=2) or log(1/|ω|) (d=3), which can completely obscure the amplitude peak. In contrast, the scalar susceptibility is suppressed by four extra powers of frequency, exposing the amplitude peak throughout the ordered phase. We discuss experimental setups for measuring the scalar susceptibility. The conductivity of the O(2) theory (relativistic superfluid) is a scalar response and therefore exhibits suppressed absorption below the Higgs mass threshold, σ~ ω^{2d+1}. In layered, short coherence length superconductors, (relevant e.g. to cuprates) this threshold is raised by the interlayer plasma frequency.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Edge States, Entanglement Spectra, and Wannier Functions in Haldane's Honeycomb Lattice Model and its Bilayer Generalization

We study Haldane's honeycomb lattice model and a bilayer generalization thereof from the perspective of edge states, entanglement spectra, and Wannier function behavior. For the monolayer model, we obtain the zigzag edge states analytically, and identify the edge state crossing point $k_c$ with where the $f = 1/2$ entanglement occupancy and the half-odd-integer Wannier centers occur. A continuous interpolation between the entanglement states and the Wannier states is introduced. We then construct a bilayer model by Bernal stacking two monolayers coupled by interlayer hopping. We analyze a particular limit of this model where an extended symmetry, related to inversion, is present. The band topology then reveals a break-down of the correspondence between edge and entanglement spectrum, which is analyzed in detail, and compared with the inversion-symmetric Z2 topological insulators which show a similar phenomenon.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Floquet Spectrum and Transport Through an Irradiated Graphene Ribbon

Graphene subject to a spatially uniform, circularly-polarized electric field supports a Floquet spectrum with properties akin to those of a topological insulator, including non-vanishing Chern numbers associated with bulk bands and current-carrying edge states. Transport properties of this system however are complicated by the non-equilibrium occupations of the Floquet states. We address this by considering transport in a two-terminal ribbon geometry for which the leads have well-defined chemical potentials, with an irradiated central scattering region. We demonstrate the presence of edge states, which for infinite mass boundary conditions may be associated with only one of the two valleys. At low frequencies, the bulk DC conductivity near zero energy is shown to be dominated by a series of states with very narrow anticrossings, leading to super-diffusive behavior. For very long ribbons, a ballistic regime emerges in which edge state transport dominates.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗