arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Nattermann.
An asymptotically exact theory of spectrum and transverse distribution of magnetization in long-wave magnons is presented. It is based on exact analytical solution of linearized Landau-Lifshitz equation in a film. The quantization of the transverse wave parameters and wave vectors is studied.
Recently completely new types of domain walls (DWs) have been discovered in helical magnets, consisting generically of a regular array of {\it pairs} of magnetic vortex lines \cite{Li+12}. Only for special orientations DWs are free of vortices. In this article we calculate their elastic and pinning properties, using the pitch angle $θ$ as a small parameter. In particular we show that vortex free DWs exhibit long range elasticity which makes them very stiff and suppresses their pinning by impurities. Their roughening transition temperature is of the order of the Néel temperature. DWs including vortices (either by orientation or due to step formation above their roughening transition) show short range elasticity and strong pinning by impurities. These results apply both to centro-symmetric as well as to non-centrosymmetric systems. The application to chiral liquid crystals is briefly discussed.
The theory of elasticity and pinning of domain walls in helical magnets is presented. Domain walls perpendicular to the helical axis show non-local elasticity and are marginally pinned by local disorder. Weak anisotropy combined with magnetic dilution leads however to a non-local bulk pinning effect. Domain walls with other orientations include generically vortex arrays, similar to type-II superconductors. Their pinning force is calculated as a function of wall orientation, pitch angle and impurity concentration. It is shown that metastable domains can vary between needle and pancake like shape.
The structure of domain walls determines to a large extent the properties of magnetic materials, in particular their hardness and switching behavior, it represents an essential ingredient of spintronics. Common domain walls are of Bloch and Neel types in which the magnetization rotates around a fixed axis, giving rise to a one-dimensional magnetization profile. Domain walls in helical magnets, most relevant in multiferroics, were never studied systematically. Here we show that domain walls in helical magnets are fundamentally different from Bloch and Neel walls. They are generically characterized by a two-dimensional pattern formed by a regular lattice of vortex singularities. In conical phases vortices carry Berry phase flux giving rise to the anomalous Hall effect. In multiferroics vortices are charged, allowing to manipulate magnetic domain walls by electric fields. Our theory allows the interpretation of magnetic textures observed in helical magnetic structures.
We study the mean field equation of motion for driven domain walls in random media. We discuss the two cases of an external constant as well as an oscillating driving force. Our main focus lies on the critical dynamics close to the depinning transition, which we study by analytical and numerical methods. We find power-law scaling for the velocity as well as the hysteresis loop area.
We consider theoretically transport in a spinfull one-channel interacting quantum wire placed in an external magnetic field. For the case of two point-like impurities embedded in the wire, under a small voltage bias the spin-polarized current occurs at special points in the parameter space, tunable by a single parameter. At sufficiently low temperatures complete spin-polarization may be achieved, provided repulsive interaction between electrons is not too strong.
We investigate the influence of quantum fluctuations and weak disorder on the vortex dynamics in a two-dimensional superconducting Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless system. The temperature below which quantum fluctuations dominate the vortex creep is determined, and the transport in this quantum regime is described. The crossover from quantum to classical regime is discussed and the quantum correction to the classical current-voltage relation is determined. It is found that weak disorder can effectively reduce the critical current as compared to that in the clean system.
We consider theoretically the transport in a one-channel spinless Luttinger liquid with two strong impurities in the presence of dissipation. As a difference with respect to the dissipation free case, where the two impurities fully transmit electrons at resonance points, the dissipation prevents complete transmission in the present situation. A rich crossover diagram for the conductance as a function of applied voltage, temperature, dissipation strength, Luttinger liquid parameter K and the deviation from the resonance condition is obtained. For weak dissipation and 1/2<K<1, the conduction shows a non-monotonic increase as a function of temperature or voltage. For strong dissipation the conduction increases monotonically but is exponentially small.
The variable range hopping results for noninteracting electrons of Mott and Shklovskii are generalized to 1D disordered charge density waves and Luttinger liquids using an instanton approach. Following a recent paper by Nattermann, Giamarchi and Le Doussal [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 91}, 56603 (2003)] we calculate the quantum creep of charges at zero temperature and the linear conductivity at finite temperatures for these systems. The hopping conductivity for the short range interacting electrons acquires the same form as for noninteracting particles if the one-particle density of states is replaced by the compressibility. In the present paper we extend the calculation to dissipative systems and give a discussion of the physics after the particles materialize behind the tunneling barrier. It turns out that dissipation is crucial for tunneling to happen. Contrary to pure systems the new metastable state does not propagate through the system but is restricted to a region of the size of the tunneling region. This corresponds to the hopping of an integer number of charges over a finite distance. A global current results only if tunneling events fill the whole sample. We argue that rare events of extra low tunneling probability are not relevant for realistic systems of finite length. Finally we show that an additional Coulomb interaction only leads to small logarithmic corrections.
The influence of randomly distributed point impurities \emph{and} planar defects on the order and transport in type-II superconductors and related systems is considered theoretically. For planar defects of identical orientation the flux line lattice exhibits a new glassy phase dominated by the planar defects with a finite compressibility, a transverse Meissner effect, large sample to sample fuctuations of the susceptibility and an exponential decay of translational long range order. The flux creep resistivity for currents $J$ parallel to the defects is $ρ(J)\sim \exp-(J_0/J)^{3/2}$ . Strong disorder enforces an array of dislocations to relax shear strain.
The influence of randomly distributed point impurities and planar defects on order and transport in type-II superconductors and related systems is studied. It is shown that the Bragg glass phase is unstable with respect to planar efects. Even a single weak defect plane oriented parallel to the magnetic field as well as to one of the main axis of the Abrikosov flux line lattice is a relevant perturbation in the Bragg glass. A defect that is aligned with the magnetic field restores the flux density oscillations which decay algebraically with the distance from the defect. The theory exhibits striking similarities to the physics of a Luttinger liquid with a frozen impurity. The exponent for the flux line creep in the direction perpendicular to a relevant defect is derived. We find that the flux line lattice exhibits in the presence of many randomly distributed parallel planar defects aligned to the magnetic field a new glassy phase which we call planar glass. The planar glass is characterized by diverging shear and tilt moduli, a transverse Meissner effect, resistance against shear deformations. We also obtain sample to sample fluctuations of the longitudinal magnetic susceptibility and an exponential decay of translational long range order in the direction perpendicular to the defects. The flux creep perpendicular to the defects leads to a nonlinear resistivity $ρ(J \to 0)\sim \exp[-(J_D/J)^{3/2}]$. Strong planar defects enforce arrays of dislocations that are located at the defects with a Burgers vector parallel to the defects in order to relax shear strain.
We study theoretically the transport through a single impurity in a one-channel Luttinger liquid coupled to a dissipative (ohmic) bath . For non-zero dissipation $η$ the weak link is always a relevant perturbation which suppresses transport strongly. At zero temperature the current voltage relation of the link is $I\sim \exp(-E_0/eV)$ where $E_0\simη/κ$ and $κ$ denotes the compressibility. At non-zero temperature $T$ the linear conductance is proportional to $\exp(-\sqrt{{\cal C}E_0/k_BT})$. The decay of Friedel oscillation saturates for distance larger than $L_η\sim 1/η$ from the impurity.
We study formation of the charge-density wave long-range order in a system of repulsive 1D electrons coupled to 3D phonons. We show that the CDW can be stabilized by interaction with phonons in quasi-1D crystals and semiconducting nanowires. In the case of metallic atomic chains, interaction with phonons of 3D substrate is not enough, and violation of the translational invariance by commensurable perturbation or disorder is needed. The possibility of stabilization of superconductivity in 1D electrons with attraction by means of tunnel coupling to a 3D metal is considered.
We reinvestigate the competition between the Mott and the Anderson insulator state in a one-dimensional disordered fermionic system by a combination of instanton and renormalization group methods. Tracing back both the compressibility and the ac-conductivity to a vanishing kink energy of the electronic displacement field we do not find any indication for the existence of an intermediate (Mott glass) phase.
Some thermodynamic properties of weakly interacting Bose systems are derived from dimensional and heuristic arguments and thermodynamic relations, without resorting to statistical mechanics.
The temperature ($T$) and frequency ($ω$) dependent conductivity of weakly disordered Luttinger liquids is calculated in a systematic way both by perturbation theory and from a finite temperature renormalization group (RG) treatment to leading order in the disorder strength. Whereas perturbation theory results in $ω/T$ scaling of the conductivity such scaling is violated in the RG traetment. We also determine the non-linear field dependence of the conductivity, whose power law scaling is different from that of temperature and frequency dependence.
It is shown that the Bragg glass phase can become unstable with respect to planar defects. A single defect plane that is oriented parallel to the magnetic field as well as to one of the main axis of the Abrikosov flux line lattice is always relevant, whereas we argue that a plane with higher Miller index is irrelevant, even at large defect potentials. A finite density of parallel defects with random separations can be relevant even for larger Miller indices. Defects that are aligned with the applied field restore locally the flux density oscillations which decay algebraically with distance from the defect. The current voltage relation is changed to ln V(J) -J^{-1}. The theory exhibits some similarities to the physics of Luttinger liquids with impurities.
We consider low energy charge transport in one-dimensional (1d) electron systems with short range interactions under the influence of a random potential. Combining RG and instanton methods, we calculate the nonlinear ac conductivity and discuss the crossover between the nonanalytic field dependence of the electric current at zero frequency and the linear ac conductivity at small electric fields and finite frequency.