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M. P. Sarachik

Publications and source records attributed to M. P. Sarachik.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2019

Evidence for mixed phases and percolation at the metal-insulator transition in two dimensions

The in-plane magnetoconductance of the strongly interacting two-dimensional electron system in a silicon MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect transistor) exhibits an unmistakeable kink at a well-defined electron density, $n_k$. The kink at $n_k$ is near, but not at the critical density $n_c$ determined from resistivity measurements, and the density at which $n_k$ occurs varies with temperature. These features are inconsistent with expectations for a quantum phase transition. We suggest instead that this is a percolation transition and present a detailed model based on the formation of a mixed insulating and metallic phase within which a metal-insulator transition takes place by percolation.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2018

Transport evidence for a sliding two-dimensional quantum electron solid

Ignited by the discovery of the metal-insulator transition, the behaviour of low-disorder two-dimensional (2D) electron systems is currently the focus of a great deal of attention. In the strongly-interacting limit, electrons are expected to crystallize into a quantum Wigner crystal, but no definitive evidence for this effect has been obtained despite much experimental effort over the years. Here, studying the insulating state of a 2D electron system in silicon, we have found two-threshold voltage-current characteristics with a dramatic increase in noise between the two threshold voltages. This behaviour cannot be described within existing traditional models. On the other hand, it is strikingly similar to that observed for the collective depinning of the vortex lattice in Type-II superconductors. Adapting the model used for vortexes to the case of an electron solid yields good agreement with our experimental results, favouring the quantum electron solid as the origin of the low-density state.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2016

Resistivity of the insulating phase approaching the 2D metal-insulator transition: the effect of spin polarization

The resistivities of the dilute, strongly-interacting 2D electron systems in the insulating phase of a silicon MOSFET are the same for unpolarized electrons in the absence of magnetic field and for electrons that are fully spin polarized by the presence of an in-plane magnetic field. In both cases the resistivity obeys Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping $ρ(T) = ρ_0 \mbox{exp}[(T_{ES}/T)^{1/2}]$, with $T_{ES}$ and $1/ρ_0$ mapping onto each other if one applies a shift of the critical density $n_c$ reported earlier. With and withoug magnetic field, the parameters $T_{ES}$ and $1/ρ_0 = σ_0$ exhibit scaling consistent with critical behavior approaching a metal-insulator transition.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2014

Partial spin reversal in magnetic deflagration

The reversal of spins in a magnetic material as they relax toward equilibrium is accompanied by the release of Zeeman energy which can lead to accelerated spin relaxation and the formation of a well-defined self-sustained propagating spin-reversal front known as magnetic deflagration. To date, studies of Mn$_{12}$-acetate single crystals have focused mainly on deflagration in large longitudinal magnetic fields and found a fully spin-reversed final state. We report a systematic study of the effect of transverse magnetic field on magnetic deflagration and demonstrate that in small longitudinal fields the final state consists of only partially reversed spins. Further, we measured the front speed as a function of applied magnetic field. The theory of magnetic deflagration, together with a modification that takes into account the partial spin reversal, fits the transverse field dependence of the front speed but not its dependence on longitudinal field. The most significant result of this study is the finding of a partially spin-reversed final state, which is evidence that the spins at the deflagration front are also only partially reversed.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2013

Quantum Fluctuations and Long-Range Order in Molecular Magnets

We review our studies of the effect of transverse fields on the susceptibility and magnetization of single crystals of the prototype single molecule magnet (SMM), Mn$_{12}$-acetate, and of a new high-symmetry variant, Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH. SMM single crystals can exhibit long range ferromagnetic order associated with intermolecular dipole interactions. Transverse fields increase quantum spin fluctuation and quantum tunneling of the magnetization suppressing long range order. However, we have found that suppression of the Curie temperature by a transverse field in Mn$_{12}$-acetate is far more rapid than predicted by the Transverse-Field Ising Ferromagnetic Model (TFIFM). It appears that solvent disorder in Mn$_{12}$-acetate that results in an intrinsic distribution of small discrete tilts of the molecular magnetic easy axis from the global easy axis of the crystal ($\approx \pm 1^\circ$) gives rise to a distribution of random-fields that further suppresses long-range order. Semiquantitative agreement with the predictions of a Random-Field Ising Ferromagnet Model is found. Subsequent susceptibility studies we have conducted of the high symmetry Mn$_{12}$ variant, Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH, with the same spin structure and similar lattice constants but without the same solvent disorder as Mn$_{12}$-acetate, agrees with the TFIFM. An important implication of our studies is that long-range order in these two chemically very similar SMMs are described by distinct physical models.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2013

Onset of a Propagating Self-Sustained Spin Reversal Front in a Magnetic System

The energy released in a magnetic material by reversing spins as they relax toward equilibrium can lead to a dynamical instability that ignites self-sustained rapid relaxation along a deflagration front that propagates at a constant subsonic speed. Using a trigger heat pulse and transverse and longitudinal magnetic fields, we investigate and control the crossover between thermally driven magnetic relaxation and magnetic deflagration in single crystals of Mn$_{12}$-acetate.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2012

Critical Behavior of a Strongly Interacting 2D Electron System

With decreasing density $n_s$ the thermopower $S$ of a low-disorder 2D electron system in silicon is found to exhibit a sharp increase by more than an order of magnitude, tending to a divergence at a finite, disorder-independent density $n_t$ consistent with the critical form $(-T/S) \propto (n_s-n_t)^x$ with $x=1.0\pm 0.1$ ($T$ is the temperature). Our results provide clear evidence for an interaction-induced transition to a new phase at low density in a strongly-interacting 2D electron system.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2012

Transverse Field Ising Ferromagnetism in Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH

We report measurements of the magnetic susceptibility of single crystals of Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH, a new high-symmetry variant of the original single molecule magnet Mn$_{12}$-acetate. A comparison of these data to theory and to data for the Mn$_{12}$ acetate material shows that Mn$_{12}$-acetate-MeOH is a realization of a transverse-field Ising ferromagnet in contrast to the original Mn$_{12}$ acetate material, in which solvent disorder leads to effects attributed to random field Ising ferromagnetism.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2010

Experimental determination of the Weiss temperature of Mn$_{12}$-ac and Mn$_{12}$-ac-MeOH

We report measurements of the susceptibility in the temperature range from $3.5$ K to $6.0$ K of a series of Mn$_{12}$-ac and Mn$_{12}$-ac-MeOH samples in the shape of rectangular prisms of length $l_c$ and square cross-section of side $l_a$. The susceptibility obeys a Curie-Weiss Law, $χ=C/(T-θ)$, where $θ$ varies systematically with sample aspect ratio. Using published demagnetization factors, we obtain $θ$ for an infinitely long sample corresponding to intrinsic ordering temperatures $T_c \approx 0.85$ K and $\approx 0.74$ K for Mn$_{12}$-ac and Mn$_{12}$-ac-MeOH, respectively. The difference in $T_c$ for two materials that have nearly identical unit cell volumes and lattice constant ratios suggests that, in addition to dipolar interactions, there is a non-dipolar (exchange) contribution to the Weiss temperature that differs in the two materials because of the difference in ligand molecules.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2010

A metal-insulator transition in 2D: Established facts and open questions

The discovery of a metallic state and a metal-insulator transition (MIT) in two-dimensional (2D) electron systems challenges one of the most influential paradigms of modern mesoscopic physics, namely, that "there is no true metallic behavior in two dimensions". However, this conclusion was drawn for systems of noninteracting or weakly interacting carriers, while in all 2D systems exhibiting the metal-insulator transition, the interaction energy greatly exceeds all other energy scales. We review the main experimental findings and show that, although significant progress has been achieved in our understanding of the MIT in 2D, many open questions remain.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2010

Magnetic Avalanches in Molecular Nanomagnets

The magnetization of the prototypical molecular magnet Mn12-acetate exhibits a series of sharp steps at low temperatures due to quantum tunneling at specific resonant values of magnetic field applied along the easy c-axis. An abrupt reversal of the magnetic moment of such a crystal can also occur as an avalanche, where the spin reversal proceeds along a "deflagration" front that travels through the sample at subsonic speed. In this article we review experimental results that have been obtained for the ignition temperature and the speed of propagation of magnetic avalanches in molecular nanomagnets. Fits of the data with the theory of magnetic deflagration yield overall qualitative agreement. However, numerical discrepancies indicate that our understanding of these avalanches is incomplete.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2009

Realization of random-field dipolar Ising ferromagnetism in a molecular magnet

The longitudinal magnetic susceptibility of single crystals of the molecular magnet Mn$_{12}$-acetate obeys a Curie-Weiss law, indicating a transition to a ferromagnetic phase due to dipolar interactions. With increasing magnetic field applied transverse to the easy axis, the transition temperature decreases considerably more rapidly than predicted by mean field theory to a T=0 quantum critical point. Our results are consistent with an effective Hamiltonian for a random-field Ising ferromagnet in a transverse field, where the randomness is induced by an external field applied to Mn$_{12}$-acetate crystals that are known to have an intrinsic distribution of locally tilted magnetic easy axes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2009

Magnetic avalanches of minor fast-relaxing species of Mn12-acetate

Using micron-sized thermometers and Hall bars, we report time-resolved studies of the local temperature and local magnetization for two types of magnetic avalanches (abrupt spin reversals) in the molecular magneti Mn12-acetate, corresponding to avalanches of the main slow-relaxing crystalline form and avalanches of the fast-relaxing minor species that exists in all as-grown crystals of this material. An experimental protocol is used that allows the study of each type of avalanche without triggering avalanches in the other, and of both types of avalanches simultaneously. In samples prepared magnetically to enable both types of avalanches, minor species avalanches are found to act as a catalyst for the major species avalanches. magnetically to enable both types of avalanches, minor species avalanches are found to act as a catalyst for the major species avalanches.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2009

Tuning Magnetic Avalanches in Mn12-ac

Using micron-sized Hall sensor arrays to obtain time-resolved measurements of the local magnetization, we report a systematic study in the molecular magnet Mn$_{12}$-acetate of magnetic avalanches controllably triggered in different fixed external magnetic fields and for different values of the initial magnetization. The speeds of propagation of the spin-reversal fronts are in good overall agreement with the theory of magnetic deflagration of Garanin and Chudnovsky \cite{Garanin}.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2008

Experimental determination of the dipolar field in Mn12-acetate

Crystals of the molecular magnet Mn12-acetate are known to contain a small fraction of low- symmetry (minor) species with a small anisotropy barrier against spin reversal. The lower barrier leads to faster magnetic relaxation and lower coercive field. We exploit the low coercive fields of the minor species to make a direct determination of the dipole field in Mn12-ac. We find that the dipolar field of a fully magnetized crystal is 51.5 \pm 8.5 mT, consistent with theoretical expectations.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2008

Effect of parallel magnetic field on the Zero Differential Resistance State

The non-linear zero-differential resistance state (ZDRS) that occurs for highly mobile two-dimensional electron systems in response to a dc bias in the presence of a strong magnetic field applied perpendicular to the electron plane is suppressed and disappears gradually as the magnetic field is tilted away from the perpendicular at fixed filling factor $ν$. Good agreement is found with a model that considers the effect of the Zeeman splitting of Landau levels enhanced by the in-plane component of the magnetic field.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2007

Two-Parameter Scaling of Microwave Rectification vs Microwave Power at the Boundary between Two-Dimensional Electron Systems

We report measurements of the rectification of microwave radiation (0.7-20 GHz) at the boundary between two-dimensional electron systems separated by a narrow gap on a silicon surface for different temperatures, electron densities and microwave power. For frequencies above 4 GHz and different temperatures, the rectified voltage V_{dc} as a function of microwave power P can be scaled onto a single universal curve V*_{dc}=f*(P*). The scaled voltage is a linear function of power, V*_{dc} ~ P* for small power and proportional to P*^{1/2} at higher power. A theory is proposed that attributes the rectification to the thermoelectric response due to strong local overheating by the microwave radiation at the boundary between two dissimilar 2D metals. Excellent agreement is obtained between theory and experiment.

cond-mat.str-el↗