arXiv subjects

Wonkee Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Wonkee Kim.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2009

Emerging nonequilibrium bound state in spin-current-local-spin scattering

Magnetization reversal is a well-studied problem with obvious applicability in computer hard-drives. One can accomplish a magnetization reversal in at least one of two ways: application of a magnetic field, or through a spin current. The latter is more amenable to a fully quantum mechanical analysis. We formulate and solve the problem whereby a spin current interacts with a ferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chain, to eventually reverse the magnetization of the chain. Spin-flips are accomplished through both elastic and inelastic scattering. A consequence of the inelastic scattering channel, when it is no longer energetically possible, is the occurrence of a new entity: a non-equilibrium bound state (NEBS), which is an emergent property of the coupled local plus itinerant spin system. For certain definite parameter values the itinerant spin lingers near the local spins for some time, before eventually leaking out as an outwardly diffusing state. This phenomenon results in novel spin-flip dynamics and filtering properties for this type of system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2008

Phase Fluctuations in High Temperature Superconductors

Within the phase fluctuation picture for the pseudogap state of a high-$T_{c}$ superconductor, we incorporate the phase fluctuations generated by the classical XY model with the Bogoliubov-de Gennes formalism utilizing a field-theoretical method. This picture delineates the inhomogeneous characteristics of local order parameters observed in high-$T_{c}$ superconductors above $T_{c}$. We also compute the local density of states near a non-magnetic impurity with a strong scattering potential. The resonance peak smoothly evolves as temperature increases through $T_{c}$ without showing any sudden broadening, which is consistent with recent experimental findings.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Hall Conductivity in a Spin-Triplet Superconductor

We calculate the Hall conductivity for a spin-triplet superconductor, using a generalized pairing symmetry dependent on an arbitrary phase, $\vphi$. A promising candidate for such an order parameter is Sr$_{2}$RuO$_{4}$, whose superconducting order parameter symmetry is still subject to investigation. The value of this phase can be determined through Kerr rotation and DC Hall conductivity measurements. Our calculations impose significant constraints on $\vphi$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Electron and Spin Transport in the Presence of Complex Absorbing Potential

We examine the impact of a complex absorbing potential on electron transport, both in the continuum and on a lattice. This requires the use of non-Hermitian Hamiltonians; the required formalism is briefly outlined. The lattice formulation allows us to study the interesting problem of an electron interacting with a stationary spin, and the subsequent time evolution of the electron and spin properties as the electron is absorbed after the initial interaction. Remarkably, the properties of the localized spin are affected 'at-a-distance' by the interaction of the (now entangled) electron with a complex potential.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2007

Quantum mechanics of spin transfer in coupled electron-spin chains

The manner in which spin-polarized electrons interact with a magnetized thin film is currently described by a semi-classical approach. This in turn provides our present understanding of the spin transfer, or spin torque phenomenon. However, spin is an intrinsically quantum mechanical quantity. Here, we make the first strides towards a fully quantum mechanical description of spin transfer through spin currents interacting with a Heisenberg-coupled spin chain. Because of quantum entanglement, this requires a formalism based on the density matrix approach. Our description illustrates how individual spins in the chain time-evolve as a result of spin transfer.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2006

Impurity Scattering of Wave Packets on a Lattice

Quantum transport in a lattice is distinct from its counterpart in continuum media. Even a free wave packet travels differently in a lattice than in the continuum. We describe quantum scattering in a one dimensional lattice using three different formulations and illustrate characteristics of quantum transport such as resonant transmission. We demonstrate the real time propagation of a wave packet and its phase shift due to impurity configurations. Spin-flip scattering is also taken into account in a spin chain system. We show how individual spins in the chain evolve as a result of a spin-flip interaction between an incoming electron and a spin chain.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2006

Hidden Symmetries of Electronic Transport in a Disordered One-Dimensional Lattice

Correlated, or extended, impurities play an important role in the transport properties of dirty metals. Here, we examine, in the framework of a tight-binding lattice, the transmission of a single electron through an array of correlated impurities. In particular we show that particles transmit through an impurity array in identical fashion, regardless of the direction of transversal. The demonstration of this fact is straightforward in the continuum limit, but requires a detailed proof for the discrete lattice. We also briefly demonstrate and discuss the time evolution of these scattering states, to delineate regions (in time and space) where the aforementioned symmetry is violated.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2004

How many electrons are needed to flip a local spin?

Considering the spin of a local magnetic atom as a quantum mechanical operator, we illustrate the dynamics of a local spin interacting with a ballistic electron represented by a wave packet. This approach improves the semi-classical approximation and provides a complete quantum mechanical understanding for spin transfer phenomena. Sending spin-polarized electrons towards a local magnetic atom one after another, we estimate the minimum number of electrons needed to flip a local spin.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2004

Quantum Mechanics of Spin Transfer in Ferromagnetic Multilayers

We use a quantum mechanical treatment of a ballistic spin current to describe novel aspects of spin transfer to a ferromagnetic multilayer. We demonstrate quantum phenomena from spin transmission resonance (STR) to magnetoelectric spin echo (MESE), depending on the coupling between the magnetic moments in the ferromagnetic thin films. Our calculation reveals new channels through which the zero spin transfer occurs in multilayers: the STR and MESE. We also illustrate that counter-intuitively, a negative spin torque can act initially on the second moment in a bilayer system.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2004

Microwave Conductivity of a High Purity d-wave Superconductor

The cusp-like behavior of the microwave conductivity observed in clean ortho-II YB$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6.50}$ at low temperature and low frequency is shown to be related directly to a linear in frequency dependence of the impurity scattering rate with a negligibly small value at zero frequency. In the weak scattering limit, the conductivity decreases linearly with the frequency. In the vortex state, assuming a random (Gaussian) distribution of vortices, we show that the magnetic field profoundly alters the impurity scattering rate, which now acquires a finite zero frequency value. As a consequence, we predict a Drude-like line shape in the microwave conductivity at low frequency.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2003

Spin Torque and its Relation to Spin Filtering

The spin torque exerted on a magnetic moment is a reaction to spin filtering when spin-polarized electrons interact with a thin ferromagnetic film. We show that, for certain conditions, a spin transmission resonance (STR) gives rise to a failure of spin filtering. As a consequence, no spin is transfered to the ferromagnet. The condition for STR depends on the incoming energy of electrons and the thickness of the film. For a simple model we find that when the STR condition is satisfied, the ferromagnetic film is transparent to the incoming electrons.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2003

Transport in vortex state of d-wave superconductors at zero temperature: Wiedemann-Franz violation

We show that the Wiedemann-Franz law is violated at zero temperature in the vortex state of a d-wave BCS superconductor with isotropic impurity scattering. We use a semiclassical approach to include the Doppler shift experienced by the quasiparticles due to the circulating supercurrents and consider as well the Andreev scattering from an array of vortices assumed to be randomly distributed. We also show that the vertex corrections to the electric conductivity, which can be large when there is significant anisotropy in the impurity scattering, become unimportant as the magnetic field is increased. For the thermal conductivity, the corrections remain negligible as in the absence of a magnetic field.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2003

Phase fluctuations of s-wave superconductors on a lattice

Based on an attractive $U$ Hubbard model on a lattice with up to second neighbor hopping we derive an effective Hamiltonian for phase fluctuations. The superconducting gap is assumed to have s-wave symmetry. The effective Hamiltonian we finally arrive at is of the extended XY type. While it correctly reduces to a simple XY in the continuum limit, in the general case, it contains higher neighbor interaction in spin space. An important feature of our Hamiltonian is that it gives a much larger fluctuation region between the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition temperature identified with $T_{c}$ for superconducting and the mean field transition temperature identified with the pseudogap temperature.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2003

Dynamics of a magnetic moment induced by a spin-polarized current

Effects of an incoming spin-polarized current on a magnetic moment are explored. We found that the spin torque occurs only when the incoming spin changes as a function of time inside of the magnetic film. This implies that some modifications are necessary in a phenomenological model where the coefficient of the spin torque term is a constant, and the coefficient is determined by dynamics instead of geometrical details. The precession of the magnetization reversal depends on the incoming energy of electrons in the spin-polarized current. If the incoming energy is smaller than the interaction energy, the magnetization does not precess while reversing its direction. We also found that the relaxation time associated with the reversal depends on the incoming energy. The coupling between an incoming spin and a magnetic moment can be estimated by measuring the relaxation time.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2003

Low Temperature Thermal Conductivity of High Purity YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6.99}$ in the Vortex State

The low temperature thermal conductivity of a d-wave superconductor is considered for arbitrary strength of the impurity potential. A random distribution of vortices is included within the usual semiclassical approach. The vortex-quasiparticle scattering is accounted for phenomenologically, in addition to impurity scattering. Application of the theory to recent data on high purity YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6.99}$ shows excellent agreement with experiment, both in zero field and in the presence of an applied magnetic field. We find that the strength of the impurity potential required to describe the data deviates qualitatively from either the unitary or Born limits.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2003

Wiedemann-Franz violation in the vortex state of a d-wave superconductor

We show that the Wiedemann-Franz law is violated in the vortex state of a d-wave superconductor at zero temperature. We use a semiclassical approach, which includes the Doppler shift on the quasiparticles as well as the Andreev scattering from a random distribution of vortices. We also show that the vertex corrections to the electrical conductivity due to the anisotropy of impurity scattering become unimportant in the presence of a sufficiently large magnetic field.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2002

Transport properties in the d-density wave state: Wiedemann-Franz law

We study the Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law in the d-density wave (DDW) model. Even though the opening of the DDW gap $(W_{0})$ profoundly modifies the electronic density of states and makes it dependent on energy, the value of the WF ratio at zero temperature (T=0) remains unchanged. However, neither electrical nor thermal conductivity display universal behavior. For finite temperature, with T greater than the value of the impurity scattering rate at zero frequency $γ(0)$ i.e. $γ(0)<T\ll W_{0}$, the usual WF ratio is obtained only in the weak scattering limit. For strong scattering there are large violations of the WF law.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2001

An effective Hamiltonian for phase fluctuations on a lattice: an extended XY model

We derive an effective Hamiltonian for phase fluctuations in an s-wave superconductor starting from the attractive Hubbard model on a square lattice. In contrast to the common assumption, we find that the effective Hamiltonian is not the usual XY model but is of an extended XY type. This extended feature is robust and leads to essential corrections in understanding phase fluctuations on a lattice. The effective coupling in the Hamiltonian varies significantly with temperature.

cond-mat.supr-con↗