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Patrick Bruno

Publications and source records attributed to Patrick Bruno.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Majorana's stellar representation for the local polarization of harmonic electromagnetic and gravitational waves

The local polarization of electromagnetic (EMW) and gravitational waves (GW) is discussed from an operational point of view, in which all the relevant mathematical framework is constructed in terms of measurements of the power absorbed by a local detector. The intrinsic dependence of the observations upon the nature of the detector is emphasized. In particular, the benefit of using a dual-symmetric detector, equally sensitive to the electric and magnetic fields of the EMW (resp. gravito-electric and gravito-magnetic tensor in the GW case) is pointed out. The Majorana stellar representation of the polarization is introduced, and its physical interpretation is highlighted. Finally, expressions for the energy density, linear momentum density, helicity and spin density of the wave in terms of the Majorana representation are presented.

physics.class-ph

Jacques Friedel and the physics of metals and alloys

This is an introduction to the theoretical physics of metals for students and physicists from other specialities. Certain simple consequences of the Fermi statistics in pure metals are first addressed, namely the Peierls distortion, Kohn anomalies and the Labb\'e-Friedel distortion. Then the physics of dilute alloys is discussed. The analogy with nuclear collisions was a fruitful starting point, which suggested one should analyse the effects of impurities in terms of a scattering problem with the introduction of phase shifts. Starting from these concepts, Friedel derived a theory of the resistivity of alloys, and a celebrated sum rule relating the phase shifts at the Fermi level to the number of electrons in the impurity, which turned out to play a prominent role later in the context of correlated impurities, as for instance in the Kondo effect. Friedel oscillations are also an important result, related to incommensurate magnetic structures. It is shown how they can be derived in various ways: from collision theory, perturbation theory, self-consistent approximations and Green's function methods. While collision theory does not permit to take the crystal structure into account, which is responsible for electronic bands, those effects can be included in other descriptions, using for instance the tight binding approximation.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Maxwell-Sylvester Multipoles and the Geometric Theory of Irreducible Tensor Operators of Quantum Spin Systems

A geometric theory of the irreducible tensor operators of quantum spin systems. It is based upon the Maxwell-Sylvester geometric representation of the multipolar electrostatic potential. In the latter, an order-$\ell$ multipolar potential is represented by a collection of $\ell$ equal length vectors, i.e. by $\ell$ points on a sphere, instead of by its components on some fixed (but arbitrary) basis. The geometric representation offers a much more appropriate tool for getting physical insight on specific characteristics of a multipole, such as its symmetries, or its departure from ideal symmetry. We derive explicit expressions enabling to perform any calculations we may need to perform on multipoles. All relevant quantities are eventually expressed in terms of scalar products of pairs of vectors (i.e., in terms of geometric quantities such as lengths and angles). The whole formalism is entirely independent of any particular choice of coordinate, and needs no use of the somehow abstract formalism traditionally used when dealing with angular momenta. The formalism is then applied to treat the problem of the irreducible tensor operators of quantum spin systems. It enables to completely dispense with the calculation and use of the Stevens operators, which can be quite complicated even for moderate values of $\ell$. Explicit expressions for the calculation of expectations values of physical observables are derived. They essentially consist in combinations of scalar products of vector pairs. Together with the coherent state representation of the quantum states of spin systems, this provides a complete geometric, coordinate-free, description of the states, dynamics and physical properties of these systems.

quant-ph

Impossibility of Spontaneously Rotating Time-Crystals: A No-Go Theorem

I present arguments indicating the impossibility of spontaneously rotating quantum timecrystals, as recently proposed by Frank Wilczek [arXiv:1202.2539]. In particular, I prove a No-Go Theorem, rigorously ruling out the possibility of spontaneous ground-state (or thermal equilibrium) rotation for a broad class of systems.

quant-ph

Quantum geometric phase in Majorana's stellar representation: Mapping onto a many-body Aharonov-Bohm phase

The (Berry-Aharonov-Anandan) geometric phase acquired during a cyclic quantum evolution of finite-dimensional quantum systems is studied. It is shown that a pure quantum state in a (2J+1)-dimensional Hilbert space (or, equivalently, of a spin-J system) can be mapped onto the partition function of a gas of independent Dirac strings moving on a sphere and subject to the Coulomb repulsion of 2J fixed test charges (the Majorana stars) characterizing the quantum state. The geometric phase may be viewed as the Aharonov-Bohm phase acquired by the Majorana stars as they move through the gas of Dirac strings. Expressions for the geometric connection and curvature, for the metric tensor, as well as for the multipole moments (dipole, quadrupole, etc.), are given in terms of the Majorana stars. Finally, the geometric formulation of the quantum dynamics is presented and its application to systems with exotic ordering such as spin nematics is outlined.

quant-ph

Exchange coupling in transition metal monoxides: Electronic structure calculations

An ab initio study of magnetic exchange interactions in antiferromagnetic and strongly correlated 3d transition metal monoxides is presented. Their electronic structure is calculated using the local self-interaction correction approach, implemented within the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker band structure method, which is based on multiple scattering theory. The Heisenberg exchange constants are evaluated with the magnetic force theorem. Based on these the corresponding Neel temperatures T_N and spin wave dispersions are calculated. The Neel temperatures are obtained using mean field approximation, random phase approximation and Monte Carlo simulations. The pressure dependence of T_N is investigated using exchange constants calculated for different lattice constants. All the calculated results are compared to experimental data.

cond-mat.other

Hopf algebras and the logarithm of the S-transform in free probability

Let k be a positive integer and let G_k denote the set of non-commutative k-variable distributions μsuch that μ(X_1) = ... = μ(X_k) = 1. G_k is a group under the operation of free multiplicative convolution. We identify G_k as the group of characters of a certain Hopf algebra Y_k. Then, by using the log map from characters to infinitesimal characters of Y_k, we introduce a transform LS_μ for distributions μin G_k. The main property of the LS-transform is that it linearizes commuting products in G_k. For μin G_k, the transform LS_μ is a power series in k non-commuting indeterminates; its coefficients can be computed from the coefficients of the R-transform of μby using summations over chains in the lattices NC(n) of non-crossing partitions. In the particular case k=1 one has that Y_1 is naturally isomorphic to the Hopf algebra Sym of symmetric functions, and that the LS-transform is very closely related to the logarithm of the S-transform of Voiculescu, by the formula LS(z) = - z log S(z). In this case the group G_1 can be identified as the group of characters of Sym, in such a way that the S-transform, its reciprocal 1/S and its logarithm log S relate in a natural sense to the sequences of complete, elementary and respectively power sum symmetric functions.

math.OA

Chiral two-dimensional electron gas in a periodic magnetic field

We study the energy spectrum and electronic properties of two-dimensional electron gas in a periodic magnetic field of zero average with a symmetry of triangular lattice. We demonstrate how the structure of electron energy bands can be changed with the variation of the field strength, so that we can start from nearly free electron gas and then transform it continuously to a system of essentially localized chiral electron states. We find that the electrons near some minima of the effective potential are responsible for occurrence of dissipationless persistent currents creating a lattice of current contours. The topological properties of the electron energy bands are also varied with the intensity of periodic field. We calculated the topological Chern numbers of several lower energy bands as a function of the field. The corresponding Hall conductivity is nonzero and, when the Fermi level lies in the gap, it is quantized.

cond-mat.str-el

Vacuum fluctuations and the spin current in mesoscopic structures with collinear magnetic order

We show that in magnetic nanostructures with a homogeneous magnetic order, the equilibrium spin current can be nonzero. For example, this is the case of a wide magnetic ring with the magnetization along the ring axis. The physical reason of this effect is a variation of the orientation of anisotropy axis inducing a spin torque acting on the magnetic ions. The mechanism of the spin current generation is related to the quantum vacuum fluctuations in the magnetic system.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

Anomalous Hall Effect due to the spin chirality in the Kagomé lattice

We consider a model for a two dimensional electron gas moving on a kagomé lattice and locally coupled to a chiral magnetic texture. We show that the transverse conductivity $σ\_{xy}$ does not vanish even if spin-orbit coupling is not present and it may exhibit unusual behavior. Model parameters are the chirality, the number of conduction electrons and the amplitude of the local coupling. Upon varying these parameters, a topological transition characterized by change of the band Chern numbers occur. As a consequence, $σ\_{xy}$ can be quantized, proportional to the chirality or have a non monotonic behavior upon varying these parameters.

cond-mat.str-el

Berry phase, topology, and diabolicity in quantum nano-magnets

A topological theory of the diabolical points (degeneracies) of quantum magnets is presented. Diabolical points are characterized by their diabolicity index, for which topological sum rules are derived. The paradox of the the missing diabolical points for Fe8 molecular magnets is clarified. A new method is also developed to provide a simple interpretation, in terms of destructive interferences due to the Berry phase, of the complete set of diabolical points found in biaxial systems such as Fe8.

quant-ph

Equilibrium spin currents and magnetoelectric effect in magnetic nanostructures

We discuss the problem of equilibrium spin currents in ferromagnets with inhomogeneous magnetization. Using simple microscopic models we explain the physical origin of equilibrium spin currents. Next we derive the equilibrium spin current from the Hamiltonian with a gauge field associated with local rotations in the spin space. Several examples of magnetic systems are studied in details, and the persistent spin current is found to exist in the ground state of these systems. We also demonstrate the possibility to measure the equilibrium spin current using the magnetoelectrically induced electric field near the ring.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Berry phase effects in magnetism

Lecture notes published in ''Magnetism goes nano'', Lecture Manuscripts of the 36th Spring School of the Institute of Solid State Research, edited by Stefan Bluegel, Thomas Brueckel, and Claus M. Schneider (Forschungszentrum Juelich, 2005).

cond-mat.mes-hall

Non-quantized Dirac monopoles and strings in the Berry phase of anisotropic spin systems

The Berry phase of an anisotropic spin system that is adiabatically rotated along a closed circuit C is investigated. It is shown that the Berry phase consists of two contributions: (i) a geometric contribution which can be interpreted as the flux through C of a non-quantized Dirac monopole, and (ii) a topological contribution which can be interpreted as the flux through C of a Dirac string carrying a non-quantized flux, i.e., a spin analogue of the Aharonov-Bohm effect. Various experimental consequences of this novel effect are discussed.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Twisted exchange interaction between localized spins embedded in a one- or two-dimensional electron gas with Rashba spin-orbit coupling

We study theoretically the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction in one- and two-dimensions in presence of a Rashba spin-orbit (SO) coupling. We show that rotation of the spin of conduction electrons due to SO coupling causes a twisted RKKY interaction between localized spins which consists of three different terms: Heisenberg, Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya, and Ising interactions. We also show that the effective spin Hamiltonian reduces to the usual RKKY interaction Hamiltonian in the twisted spin space where the spin quantization axis of one localized spin is rotated.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Indirect Exchange Interaction between two Quantum Dots in an Aharonov-Bohm Ring

We investigate the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction between two spins located at two quantum dots embedded in an Aharonov-Bohm (AB) ring. In such a system the RKKY interaction, which oscillates as a function of the distance between two local spins, is affected by the flux. For the case of the ferromagnetic RKKY interaction, we find that the amplitude of AB oscillations is enhanced by the Kondo correlations and an additional maximum appears at half flux, where the interaction is switched off. For the case of the antiferromagnetic RKKY interaction, we find that the phase of AB oscillations is shifted by pi, which is attributed to the formation of a singlet state between two spins for the flux value close to integer value of flux.

cond-mat.mes-hall