arXiv subjects

G. D. Mahan

Publications and source records attributed to G. D. Mahan.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2011

Theory of Polar Corrections to Donor Binding

We calculate the optical phonon correction to the binding energy of electrons to donors in cubic materials. Previous theories calculated the Rydberg energy reduced by the effective mass and the static dielectric function. They omitted an important energy term from the long-range polarization of the ionized donor, which vanishes for the neutral donor. They also omitted the donor-phonon interaction. Including these terms yields a new formula for the donor binding energy.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2002

The Phonon Drag Effect in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

A variational solution of the coupled electron-phonon Boltzmann equations is used to calculate the phonon drag contribution to the thermopower in a 1-D system. A simple formula is derived for the temperature dependence of the phonon drag in metallic, single-walled carbon nanotubes. Scattering between different electronic bands yields nonzero values for the phonon drag as the Fermi level varies.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2002

Variational approach to the Coulomb problem on a cylinder

We evaluate, by means of variational calculations, the bound state energy E_B of a pair of charges located on the surface of a cylinder, interacting via Coulomb potential - e^2 / r . The trial wave function involves three variational parameters. E_B is obtained as a function of the reduced curvature C = a_0 / R, where a_0 is the Bohr radius and R is the radius of the cylinder. We find that the energetics of binding exhibits a monotonic trend as a function of C ; the known 1D and 2D limits of E_B are reproduced accurately by our calculation. E_B is relatively insensitive to curvature for small C . Its value is ~ 1% higher at C = 1 than at C = 0. This weak dependence is confirmed by a perturbation theory calculation. The high curvature regime approximates the 1D Coulomb model; within our variational approach, E_B has a logarithmic divergence as R approaches zero. The proposed variational method is applied to the case of donors in single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs).

cond-mat↗

arXiv2002

Enhanced cohesion of matter on a cylindrical surface

We evaluate the cohesive energies E$_b$ of four systems in which particles move on a cylindrical surface, at fixed distance R from the axis. We find quite nonuniversal dependences of E$_b$ on R. For the Coulomb binding problem, E$_b$ is a monotonically decreasing function of R. For three problems involving Lennard-Jones interactions, the behavior is nonmonotonic; E$_b$ is larger at R = $\infty$ than at R=0; the maximum binding corresponds to R $\sim 0.7 σ$ (the hard core parameter). Consequences of the enhanced binding are discussed.

cond-mat↗

arXiv2000

Umklapp Scattering and Heat Conductivity of Superlattices

The mean free path of phonons in superlattices is estimated. It is shown to be strongly dependent on the superlattice period due to the Umklapp scattering in subbands. It first falls with increasing the superlattice period until it becomes comparable with the latter after what it rises back to the bulk value. Similar behavior is expected of heat conductivity, which is proportional to the mean free path.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv1999

Minimum Thermal Conductivity of Superlattices

The phonon thermal conductivity of a multilayer is calculated for transport perpendicular to the layers. There is a cross over between particle transport for thick layers to wave transport for thin layers. The calculations shows that the conductivity has a minimum value for a layer thickness somewhat smaller then the mean free path of the phonons.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv1999

Diffusion and Transport Coefficients in Synthetic Opals

Opals are structures composed of the closed packing of spheres in the size range of nano-to-micro meter. They are sintered to create small necks at the points of contact. We have solved the diffusion problem in such structures. The relation between the diffusion coefficient and the termal and electrical conductivity makes possible to estimate the transport coefficients of opal structures. We estimate this changes as function of the neck size and the mean-free path of the carriers. The theory presented is also applicable to the diffusion problem in other periodic structures.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv1998

Multilayer Thermionic Refrigerator and Generator

A new method of refrigeration is proposed. Cooling is obtained by thermionic emission of electrons over periodic barriers in a multilayer geometry. These could be either Schottky barriers between metals and semiconductors or else barriers in a semiconductor superlattice. The same device is an efficient power generator. A complete theory is provided.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1996

The anharmonic electron-phonon problem

The anharmonic electron-phonon problem is solved in the infinite-dimensional limit using quantum Monte Carlo simulation. Charge-density-wave order is seen to remain at half filling even though the anharmonicity removes the particle-hole symmetry (and hence the nesting instability) of the model. Superconductivity is strongly favored away from half filling (relative to the charge-density-wave order) but the anharmonicity does not enhance transition temperatures over the maximal values found in the harmonic limit.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1996

Strong-coupling expansions for the anharmonic Holstein model and for the Holstein-Hubbard model

A strong-coupling expansion is applied to the anharmonic Holstein model and to the Holstein-Hubbard model through fourth order in the hopping matrix element. Mean-field theory is then employed to determine transition temperatures of the effective (pseudospin) Hamiltonian. We find that anharmonic effects are not easily mimicked by an on-site Coulomb repulsion, and that anharmonicity strongly favors superconductivity relative to charge-density-wave order. Surprisingly, the phase diagram is strongly modified by relatively small values of the anharmonicity.

cond-mat↗