arXiv subjects

P. S. Cornaglia

Publications and source records attributed to P. S. Cornaglia.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Strong magnetoelastic effect in CeCo$_{1-x}$Fe$_{x}$Si as Néel order is suppressed

A very strong magnetoelastic effect in the CeCo$_{1-x}$Fe$_{x}$Si alloys is reported. The strength of the magnetostrictive effect can be tuned upon changing $x$. The moderate low-temperature linear magnetostriction observed at low Fe concentrations becomes very large ($\frac {ΔL}{L} \left(16 T,2 K\right) =$ 3$\times$10$^{-3}$) around the critical concentration ($x_c \approx$ 0.23) at which the long-range antiferromagnetic order vanishes. Upon increasing doping through the non-magnetic region ($x > x_c$), the magnetostriction strength gradually weakens again. Remarkably the low-temperature magnetostriction at the critical concentration shows a pronounced $S$-like shape (centered at $B_m \sim$ 6 T) resembling other well-known Ce-based metamagnetic systems like CeRu$_2$Si$_2$ and CeTiGe. Unlike what is observed in these compounds, however, the field dependence of the magnetization shows only a minor upturn around $B_m$ vaguely resembling a metamagnetic behavior. The subtle interplay between magnetic order and the Kondo screening seems to originate an enhanced valence susceptibility slightly changing the Ce ions valence, ultimately triggering the large magnetostriction observed around the critical concentration.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Scaling of conductance through quantum dots with magnetic field

Using different techniques, and Fermi-liquid relationships, we calculate the variation with applied magnetic field (up to second order) of the zero-temperature equilibrium conductance through a quantum dot described by the impurity Anderson model. We focus on the strong-coupling limit $U \gg Δ$ where $U$ is the Coulomb repulsion and $Δ$ is half the resonant-level width, and consider several values of the dot level energy $E_d$, ranging from the Kondo regime $ε_F-E_d \gg Δ$ to the intermediate-valence regime $ε_F-E_d \sim Δ$, where $ε_F$ is the Fermi energy. We have mainly used density-matrix renormalization group (DMRG) and numerical renormalization group (NRG) combined with renormalized perturbation theory (RPT). Results for the dot occupancy and magnetic susceptibility from DMRG and NRG+RPT are compared with the corresponding Bethe ansatz results for $U \rightarrow \infty$, showing an excellent agreement once $E_d$ is renormalized by a constant Haldane shift. For $U < 3 Δ$ a simple perturbative approach in $U$ agrees very well with the other methods. The conductance decreases with applied magnetic field for dot occupancies $n_d \sim 1$ and increases for $n_d \sim 0.5$ or $n_d \sim 1.5$ regardless of the value of $U$. We also relate the energy scale for the magnetic-field dependence of the conductance with the width of low energy peak in the spectral density of the dot.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2012

Thermopower of an SU(4) Kondo resonance under an SU(2) symmetry-breaking field

We calculate the thermopower of a quantum dot described by two doublets hybridized with two degenerate bands of two conducting leads, conserving orbital (band) and spin quantum numbers, as a function of the temperature $T$ and a splitting $δ$ of the quantum dot levels which breaks the SU(4) symmetry. The splitting can be regarded as a Zeeman (spin) or valley (orbital) splitting. We use the non-crossing approximation (NCA), the slave bosons in the mean-field approximation (SBMFA) and also the numerical renormalization group (NRG) for large $δ$. The model describes transport through clean C nanotubes %with weak disorder and in Si fin-type field effect transistors, under an applied magnetic field. The thermopower as a function of temperature $S(T)$ displays two dips that correspond to the energy scales given by the Kondo temperature $T_K$ and $δ$ and one peak when $k_BT$ reaches the charge-transfer energy. These features are much more pronounced than the corresponding ones in the conductance, indicating that the thermopower is a more sensitive probe of the electronic structure at intermediate or high energies. At low temperatures ($T \ll T_K$) $T_K S(T)/T$ is a constant that increases strongly near the degeneracy point $δ=0$. We find that the SBMFA fails to provide an accurate description of the thermopower for large $δ$. Instead, a combination of Fermi liquid relations with the quantum-dot occupations calculated within the NCA gives reliable results for $T \ll T_K$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Mott transition of fermionic mixtures with mass imbalance in optical lattices

We investigate the effect of mass imbalance in binary Fermi mixtures loaded in optical lattices. Using dynamical mean-field theory, we study the transition from a fluid to a Mott insulator driven by the repulsive interactions. For almost every value of the parameters we find that the light species with smaller bare mass is more affected by correlations than the heavy one, so that their effective masses become closer than their bare masses before a Mott transition occurs. The strength of the critical repulsion decreases monotonically as the mass imbalance grows so that the minimum is realized when one of the species is localized. The evolution of the spectral functions testifies that a continuous loss of coherence and a destruction of the Fermi liquid occur as the imbalance grows. The two species display distinct properties and experimentally-observable deviations from the behavior of a balanced Fermi mixture.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Magnetic Structure of Hydrogen Induced Defects on Graphene

Using density functional theory (DFT), Hartree-Fock, exact diagonalization, and numerical renormalization group methods we study the electronic structure of diluted hydrogen atoms chemisorbed on graphene. A comparison between DFT and Hartree-Fock calculations allows us to identify the main characteristics of the magnetic structure of the defect. We use this information to formulate an Anderson-Hubbard model that captures the main physical ingredients of the system, while still allowing a rigorous treatment of the electronic correlations. We find that the large hydrogen-carbon hybridization puts the structure of the defect half-way between the one corresponding to an adatom weakly coupled to pristine graphene and a carbon vacancy. The impurity's magnetic moment leaks into the graphene layer where the electronic correlations on the C atoms play an important role in stabilizing the magnetic solution. Finally, we discuss the implications for the Kondo effect.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2011

Quantum Transport Through a Stretched Spin--1 Molecule

We analyze the electronic transport through a model spin-1 molecule as a function of temperature, magnetic field and bias voltage. We consider the effect of magnetic anisotropy, which can be generated experimentally by stretching the molecule. In the experimentally relevant regime the conductance of the unstretched molecule reaches the unitary limit of the underscreened spin- 1 Kondo effect at low temperatures. The magnetic anisotropy generates an antiferromagnetic coupling between the remaining spin 1/2 and a singular density of quasiparticles, producing a second Kondo effect and a reduced conductance. The results explain recent measurements in spin-1 molecules [Science 328 1370 (2010)].

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Electrical Control of the Chemical Bonding of Fluorine on Graphene

We study the electronic structure of diluted F atoms chemisorbed on graphene using density functional theory calculations. We show that the nature of the chemical bonding of a F atom adsorbed on top of a C atom in graphene strongly depends on carrier doping. In neutral samples the F impurities induce a sp^3-like bonding of the C atom below, generating a local distortion of the hexagonal lattice. As the graphene is electron-doped, the C atom retracts back to the graphene plane and for high doping (10^14 cm^-2) its electronic structure corresponds to a nearly pure sp^2 configuration. We interpret this sp^3-sp^2 doping-induced crossover in terms of a simple tight binding model and discuss the physical consequences of this change.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

Mechanical Control of Spin States in Spin-1 Molecules and the Underscreened Kondo Effect

The ability to make electrical contact to single molecules creates opportunities to examine fundamental processes governing electron flow on the smallest possible length scales. We report experiments in which we controllably stretch individual cobalt complexes having spin S = 1, while simultaneously measuring current flow through the molecule. The molecule's spin states and magnetic anisotropy were manipulated in the absence of a magnetic field by modification of the molecular symmetry. This control enabled quantitative studies of the underscreened Kondo effect, in which conduction electrons only partially compensate the molecular spin. Our findings demonstrate a mechanism of spin control in single-molecule devices and establish that they can serve as model systems for making precision tests of correlated-electron theories.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Pseudogap opening and formation of Fermi arcs as an orbital-selective Mott transition in momentum space

We present an approach to the normal state of cuprate superconductors which is based on a minimal cluster extension of dynamical mean-field theory. Our approach is based on an effective two-impurity model embedded in a self-consistent bath. The two degrees of freedom of this effective model can be associated to the nodal and antinodal regions of momentum space. We find a metal-insulator transition which is selective in momentum space: At low doping quasiparticles are destroyed in the antinodal region, while they remain protected in the nodal region, leading to the formation of apparent Fermi arcs. We compare our results to tunneling and angular-resolved photoemission experiments on cuprates. At very low energy, a simple description of this transition can be given using rotationally invariant slave bosons.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Localized Spins on Graphene

The problem of a magnetic impurity, atomic or molecular, absorbed on top of a carbon atom in otherwise clean graphene is studied using the numerical renormalization group. The spectral, thermodynamic, and scattering properties of the impurity are described in detail. In the presence of a small magnetic field, the low energy electronic features of graphene make possible to inject spin polarized currents through the impurity using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). Furthermore, the impurity scattering becomes strongly spin dependent and for a finite impurity concentration it leads to spin polarized bulk currents and a large magnetoresistance. In gated graphene the impurity spin is Kondo screened at low temperatures. However, at temperatures larger than the Kondo temperature, the anomalous magnetotransport properties are recovered.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Valence-Bond Dynamical Mean-Field Theory of Doped Mott Insulators with Nodal/Antinodal Differentiation

We introduce a valence-bond dynamical mean-field theory of doped Mott insulators. It is based on a minimal cluster of two orbitals, each associated with a different region of momentum space and hybridized to a self-consistent bath. The low-doping regime is characterized by singlet formation and the suppression of quasiparticles in the antinodal regions, leading to the formation of Fermi arcs. This is described in terms of an orbital-selective transition in reciprocal space. The calculated tunneling and photoemission spectra are consistent with the phenomenology of the normal state of cuprates. We derive a low-energy description of these effects using a generalization of the slave-boson method.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Electronic Transport through Magnetic Molecules with Soft Vibrating Modes

The low-temperature transport properties of a molecule are studied in the field-effect transitor geometry. The molecule has an internal mechanical mode that modulates its electronic levels and renormalizes both the interactions and the coupling to the electrodes. For a soft mechanical mode the spin fluctuations in the molecule are dominated by the bare couplings while the valence changes are determined by the dressed energies. In this case, the transport properties present an anomalous behavior and the Kondo temperature has a weak gate voltage dependence. These observations are in agreement with recent experimental data.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Comment on: ``Zero temperature conductance of parallel T-shape double quantum dots'' [Physica E 39 (2007) 214, arXiv:0708.1842v1]

In a recent paper [Physica E 39 (2007) 214, arXiv:0708.1842v1] Crisan, Grosu and Tifrea revisited the problem of the conductance through a double quantum dot molecule connected to electrodes in a T-shape configuration. The authors obtained an expression for the conductance that disagrees with previous results in the literature. We point out an error in their derivation of the conductance formula and show that it gives unphysical results even for non-interacting quantum dots.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2007

Slave boson theory for transport through magnetic molecules with vibronic states

We study the electron transport through a magnetic molecular transistor in the Kondo limit using the slave boson technique. We include the electron-phonon coupling and analyze the cases where the spin of the molecule is either S=1/2 or S=1. We use the Schrieffer-Wolff transformation to write down a low energy Hamiltonian for the system. In the presence of electron-phonon coupling, and for $S\smeq1$, the resulting Kondo Hamiltonian has two active channels. At low temperature, these two channels interfere destructively, leading to a zero conductance.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Theory of Core-Level Photoemission and the X-ray Edge Singularity Across the Mott Transition

The zero temperature core-level photoemission spectrum is studied across the metal to Mott insulator transition using dynamical mean-field theory and Wilson's numerical renormalization group. An asymmetric power-law divergence is obtained in the metallic phase with an exponent alpha(U,Q)-1 which depends on the strength of both the Hubbard interaction U and the core-hole potential Q. For Q <~ U_c/2 alpha decreases with increasing U and vanishes at the transition (U -> U_c) leading to a symmetric peak in the insulating phase. For Q >~ U_c/2, alpha remains finite close to the transition, but the integrated intensity of the power-law vanishes and there is no associated peak in the insulator. The weight and position of the remaining peaks in the spectra can be understood within a molecular orbital approach.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Kondo effect with non collinear polarized leads: a numerical renormalization group analysis

The Kondo effect in quantum dots attached to ferromagnetic leads with general polarization directions is studied combining poor man scaling and Wilson's numerical renormalization group methods. We show that polarized electrodes will lead in general to a splitting of the Kondo resonance in the quantum dot density of states except for a small range of angles close to the antiparallel case. We also show that an external magnetic field is able to compensate this splitting and restore the unitary limit. Finally, we study the electronic transport through the device in various limiting cases.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2006

Electron-Phonon Correlation Effects in Molecular Transistors

The interplay of electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions is studied analytically in the Kondo regime. A Holstein electron-phonon coupling is shown to produce a weakening of the gate voltage dependence of the Kondo temperature and may explain the observed anomalies in some of these devices. A molecular center-of-mass mode opens a new channel for charge and spin fluctuations and in the antiadabatic limit the latter are described by an asymmetric two-channel Kondo model. Below the Kondo temperature the system develops a dynamical Jahn-Teller distortion and a low energy peak emerges in the phonon spectral density that could be observed in Raman microscopy experiments.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Universal Distribution of Kondo Temperatures in Dirty Metals

Kondo screening of diluted magnetic impurities in a disordered host is studied analytically and numerically in one, two and three dimensions. It is shown that in the T_K \to 0 limit the distribution of Kondo temperatures has a universal form, P(T_K) \sim T_K^{-α} that holds in the insulating phase and persists in the metallic phase close to the metal insulator transition. Moreover, the exponent αdepends only on the dimensionality. The most important consequence of this result is that the T-dependence of thermodynamic properties is smooth across the metal-insulator transition in three dimensional systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗