arXiv subjects

Jack Kelsall

Publications and source records attributed to Jack Kelsall.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Intrinsic linewidths of confined phonons in few-layer hBN

Understanding lattice vibrations in two-dimensional (2D) materials is essential for controlling thermal transport, mechanical response, and energy dissipation in nanoscale devices. However, the intrinsic lifetimes of low-energy phonon modes, particularly those that are optically silent, remain largely unexplored. Here we use helium-3 spin-echo spectroscopy to resolve low-energy phonons at the surface of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and measure their intrinsic linewidths. We observe the flexural and Rayleigh wave modes and extract the bending rigidity of a quasi-freestanding hBN monolayer. We further report the simultaneous observation of multiple surface-confined interlayer shear modes whose energies agree closely with linear-chain model predictions. By resolving their intrinsic linewidths, we demonstrate a strong confinement-induced reduction in phonon lifetimes, with a near order of magnitude increase in linewidth between the four- and two-layer modes. The temperature dependence of the linewidths indicates that phonon-phonon scattering dominates between 160-360K, while the systematic broadening with decreasing layer number reveals the impact of confinement on phonon decay. These results reveal how reduced dimensionality affects the decay of interlayer shearing modes in hBN, providing direct insight into the phonon lifetimes, confinement effects, and dissipation pathways that govern the dynamical behaviour of two-dimensional materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Minimising Interference in Low-Pressure Supersonic Beam Sources

Free-jet atomic, cluster and molecular sources are typically used to produce beams of low-energy, neutral particles and find application in a wide array of technologies, from neutral atom microscopes to instruments for surface processing. We present a simple analytical theory that is applicable to many of these sources, when (i) the nozzle-skimmer distance is such that free molecular flow is achieved and (ii) there is negligible interference within the skimmer itself. The utility of the model is demonstrated by comparing experimental data with calculations performed using the theory. In particular, we show that skimmer interference is negligible compared to attenuation by 'background' gas for room-temperature beams. Our treatment does not depend on any free parameters and obviates the complexity of previous theories. As a result, we are able to devise a number of design recommendations to minimize interference in sources operating with cryogenic-temperature beams.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2023

Quantum Oscillations in an Impurity-Band Anderson Insulator

We show that for a system of localized electrons in an impurity band, which form an Anderson insulating state at zero temperature, there can appear quantum oscillations of the magnetization, i.e. the Anderson insulator can exhibit the de Haas-van Alphen effect. This is possible when the electronic band from which the localized states are formed has an extremum that traces out a nonzero area in reciprocal space. Our work extends existing theories for clean band insulators of this form to the situation where they host an impurity band. We show that the energies of these impurity levels oscillate with magnetic field, and compute the conditions under which these oscillations can dominate the de Haas-van Alphen effect. We discuss our results in connection with experimental measurements of quantum oscillations in Kondo insulators, and propose other experimental systems where the impurity band contribution can be dominant.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

JDAM -- Jump Diffusion by Analytic Models

Nanoscopic diffusion at surfaces normally takes place when an adsorbate jumps from one adsorption site to the other. Jump diffusion can be measured via quasi-elastic scattering experiments, and the results can often be interpreted in terms of analytic models. While the simplest model of jump diffusion only accounts for intercell jumps between nearest neighbours, recent works have highlighted that models which take into account both intracell and long-range intercell jumps are much needed. Here, we describe a program to compute the analytic lineshape expected from quasielastic scattering experiments, for translational jump diffusion on user-defined lattices. We provide an example of a general hexagonal surface composed of six sublattices, corresponding to the six principle adsorption sites - namely the top, two hollow, and three bridge sites. In that example we include only nearest-neighbour jumps. In addition, we provide a mean to calculate the lineshape for jumps on a hexagonal honeycomb lattice, with jumps up to the 10th nearest neighbour taken into consideration.

physics.comp-ph↗