G. M. Penello | Searcharxiv

arXiv2022

Periodic strings: a mechanical analogy to photonic and phononic crystals

We study a periodic vibrating string composed of a finite sequence of string segments connected periodically, with each segment characterized by a constant linear mass density. The main purpose is to provide a configuration that can mimic the properties of photonic or phononic crystals and could be implemented in undergraduate physics laboratories. We demonstrate that this configuration displays frequency intervals for which wave propagation is not allowed (frequency bandgaps), in close analogy to photonic and phononic crystals. We discuss the behavior of these bandgaps when varying physical parameters, such as the values of the linear mass densities, the oscillation frequency, and the number of strings constituting the entire system. Some analogies with the propagation of electronic waves through a crystal lattice in condensed matter physics are also explored.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2010

Ion-beam modification of the magnetic properties of GaMnAs epilayers

We study the controlled introduction of defects in GaMnAs by irradiating the samples with energetic ion beams, which modify the magnetic properties of the DMS. Our study focuses on the low-carrier-density regime, starting with as-grown GaMnAs films and decreasing even further the number of carriers, through a sequence of irradiation doses. We did a systematic study of magnetization as a function of temperature and of the irradiation ion dose. We also performed in-situ room temperature resistivity measurements as a function of the ion dose. We observe that both magnetic and transport properties of the samples can be experimentally manipulated by controlling the ion-beam parameters. For highly irradiated samples, the magnetic measurements indicate the formation of magnetic clusters together with a transition to an insulating state. The experimental data are compared with mean-field calculations for magnetization. The independent control of disorder and carrier density in the calculations allows further insight on the individual role of this two factors in the ion-beam-induced modification of GaMnAs.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗