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Yao-Hui Zhu

Publications and source records attributed to Yao-Hui Zhu.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2018

Two-dimensional InSe/WS$_2$ heterostructure with enhanced optoelectronic performance in the visible region

Two-dimensional (2D) InSe and WS$_2$ exhibit promising characteristics for optoelectronic and photoelectrochemical applications, e.g. photodetection and photocatalytic water splitting. However, both of them have poor absorption of visible light due to wide band gaps. 2D InSe has high electron mobility but low hole mobility, while 2D WS$_2$ is on the opposite. Here, we design a 2D heterostructure composed of their monolayers and study its optoelectronic properties by first-principles calculations. Our results show that the heterostructure has a direct band gap of 2.19 eV, which is much smaller than those of the monolayers mainly due to a type-II band alignment: the valence band maximum and the conduction band minimum of monolayer InSe are lower than those of monolayer WS$_2$, respectively. The visible-light absorption is enhanced considerably, e.g. about fivefold (threefold) increase at the wavelength of 490 nm in comparison to monolayer InSe (WS$_2$). The type-II band alignment also facilitates the spatial separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, i.e., electrons (holes) reside preferably in the InSe (WS$_2$) layer. The two layers complement each other in carrier mobilities of the heterostructure: the photogenerated electrons and holes inherit the large mobilities from the InSe and WS$_2$ monolayers, respectively.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2017

Spin-accumulation capacitance and its application to magnetoimpedance

It has been known that spin-dependent capacitances usually coexist with geometric capacitances in a magnetic multilayer. However, the charge and energy storage of the capacitance due to spin accumulation has not been fully understood. Here, we resolve this problem starting from the charge storage in the spin degree of freedom: spin accumulation manifests itself as an excess of electrons in one spin channel and an equal deficiency in the other under the quasi-neutrality condition. This enables us to model the two spin channels as the two plates of a capacitor. Taking a ferromagnet/nonmagnet junction as an example and using a method similar to that for treating quantum capacitance, we find that a spin-accumulation (SA) capacitance can be introduced for each layer to measure its ability to store spins. A spatial charge storage is not essential for the SA capacitor and the energy stored in it is the splitting energy of the spin-dependent chemical potentials instead of the electrostatic energy. The SA capacitance is essentially a quantum capacitance due to spin accumulation on the scale of the spin-diffusion length. The SA capacitances can be used to reinterpret the imaginary part of the low-frequency magnetoimpedance.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2017

An alternative to the spin-coupled interface resistance for describing heat generation

Using a macroscopic approach, we studied theoretically the heat generation in a typical spin valve with nonmagnetic spacer layer of finite thickness. Our analysis shows that the spin-dependent heat generation cannot be interpreted as the Joule heating of the spin-coupled interface resistance except for some special segments. Moreover, the spin-coupled interface resistance can be negative in certain situation, and thus its "Joule heating" should be understood instead as the work done by the extra field in the ferromagnetic layers and at the spin-selective interfaces. Effective resistances are proposed as alternatives so that the spin-dependent heat generation can still be expressed in a form resembling Joule's law.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2017

Mechanisms of spin-dependent heat generation in spin valves

The extra heat generation in spin transport is usually interpreted in terms of the spin relaxation. By reformulating the heat generation rate, we found alternative current-force pairs without cross effects, which enable us to interpret the product of each pair as a distinct mechanism of heat generation. The results show that the spin-dependent part of the heat generation includes two terms. One of them is proportional to the square of the spin accumulation and arises from the spin relaxation. However, the other is proportional to the square of the spin-accumulation gradient and should be attributed to another mechanism, the spin diffusion. We illustrated the characteristics of the two mechanisms in a typical spin valve with a finite nonmagnetic spacer layer.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2017

Heat generation due to spin transport in spin valves

Using a macroscopic approach, we studied theoretically the heat generation due to spin transport in a typical spin valve with nonmagnetic spacer layer of finite thickness. Our analysis shows that the spin-dependent heat generation can also be caused by another mechanism, the spin-conserving scattering in the presence of spin accumulation gradient, in addition to the well-known spin-flip scattering. The two mechanisms have equal contributions in semi-infinite layers, such as the ferromagnetic layers of the spin valve. However, in the nonmagnetic layer of a thickness much smaller than its spin-diffusion length, the spin-dependent heat generation is dominated by the spin-flip scattering in the antiparallel configuration, and by the spin-conserving scattering in the parallel configuration. We also proved that the spin-dependent heat generation cannot be interpreted as the Joule heating of the spin-coupled interface resistance in each individual layer. An effective resistance is proposed as an alternative so that the heat generation can still be described simply by applying Joule's law to an equivalent circuit.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2014

Drag force on a moving impurity in a spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensate

We investigate the drag force on a moving impurity in a spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensate. We prove rigorously that the superfluid critical velocity is zero when the impurity moves in all but one directions, in contrast to the case of liquid helium and superconductor where it is finite in all directions. We also find that when the impurity moves in all directions except two special ones, the drag force has nonzero transverse component at small velocity. When the velocity becomes large and the states of the upper band are also excited, the transverse force becomes very small due to opposite contributions of the two bands. The characteristics of the superfluid critical velocity and the transverse force are results of the order by disorder mechanism in spin-orbit coupled boson systems.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗
arXiv2011

Wave-diffusion theory of spin transport in metals after ultrashort-pulse excitation

Spin and charge-current dynamics after ultrafast spin-polarized excitation in a normal metal are studied theoretically using a wave-diffusion theory. It is shown analytically how this macroscopic approach correctly describes the ballistic and diffusive properties of spin and charge transport, but also applies to the intermediate regime between these two limits. Using the wave-diffusion equations we numerically analyze spin and charge dynamics after ultrafast excitation of spin polarized carriers in thin gold films. Assuming slightly spin-dependent momentum relaxation times, we find that a unified treatment of diffusive and ballistic transport yields robust signatures in the spin and charge dynamics, which are in qualitative agreement with recent experimental results [Phys. Rev. Lett 107, 076601 (2011)]. The influence of boundary effects on the temporal signatures of spin transport is also studied.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2009

Spin-signal propagation in time-dependent noncollinear spin transport

Using a macroscopic analysis, we show that time-dependent noncollinear spin transport possesses a wavelike character. This leads to modifications of pure spin-diffusion dynamics and allows one to extract a finite spin-signal propagation velocity. We numerically study the dynamics of a pure spin current pumped into a nonmagnetic layer for precession frequencies ranging from GHz to THz.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2008

Signal propagation in time-dependent spin transport

This paper analyzes theoretically the signal propagation in spin transport by modulating the current passing through magnetic multilayers. Using a macroscopic description of spin transport based on the dynamical Boltzmann equation, we show that time-dependent spin transport possesses a wave-like character that leads to modifications of pure spin-diffusion dynamics. In particular, the wave-like characteristics allow one to extract a finite spin signal-propagation velocity.

cond-mat.other↗