35 Search Results

pedagogical review of the chiral induced spin selectivity effect

Surface acoustic waves (SAWs), with their five orders-of-magnitude slower propagation velocity, allow for considerably shorter wavelengths at the same frequency compared to electromagnetic waves. The short wavelengths allow for device miniaturization and on-chip integration. The generic design of these devices involves piezoelectric substrates with comb-like arrays of Al or Au electrodes known as interdigitated transducers (IDTs) deposited on the surface. However, Al and Au both have shortcomings at the cryogenic temperatures required for quantum applications, namely, the formation of two-level systems and the lack of superconductivity perpetuating Ohmic losses, respectively. In this work, SAWs are generated in the high-MHz tomore » low-GHz range using niobium nitride (NbN) interdigitated transducers and Bragg reflectors. We demonstrate the fabrication of acoustic devices through photolithography and reactive ion etching. The sharp transition between superconducting and normal states and the corresponding change in SAW transmission allows for fine control of the “on” (superconducting) and “off” (normal) states of NbN, with a ΔT = 1 K separating the transmission minimum and maximum. We demonstrate a 16× difference in transmission between the “on” and “off” states of the device. The SAW transmission behavior mirrors the change in resistance of NbN at its T_c. These findings open up new possibilities for the integration of NbN SAW resonators into existing quantum architectures based on NbN and a method for adjusting transmission properties independent of applied voltage.« less

Since its discovery over 15 years ago, the reversible dehydrogenation of Mg(BH₄)₂ to Mg(B₃H₈)₂ has remained one of the more intriguing hydrogen-cycling systems. While the mechanism of this reaction has been the subject of a good deal of speculation and computational studies, prior to this work it had not been probed through kinetic studies. Previous reports of the dehydrogenation of Mg(BH₄)₂ to Mg(B₃H₈)₂ have not included kinetic studies. The present studies have shown that the dehydrogenation of Mg(BH₄)₂ to Mg(B₃H₈)₂ is suppressed by hydrogen pressure indicating that the rate-limiting step in this process involves hydrogen elimination. Computational modeling of kineticmore » data obtained from monitoring the hydrogen elimination from Mg(BH₄)₂ to Mg(B₃H₈)₂ under static vacuum over a range of temperatures supports that the dehydrogenation occurs through a reversible three-step process in which the elimination of hydrogen from the [B₃H₁₀]⁻ intermediate is rate limiting. A mechanism involving the low energy transfer of neighboring BH3 groups is proposed to account for the formation of [B₃H₈]⁻ at relatively low temperatures.« less

We demonstrate a pump-probe strobe light spectroscopy for sensitive detection of magneto-optical dynamics in the context of hybrid magnonics. The technique uses a combinatorial microwave-optical pump-probe scheme, leveraging both the high-energy resolution of microwaves and high-efficiency detection using optical photons. In contrast with conventional stroboscopy using continuous-wave light, we apply microwave and optical pulses with varying pulse widths, and demonstrate magneto-optical detection of magnetization dynamics in Y3Fe5O12 films. The detected magneto-optical signals depend strongly on the characteristics of both the microwave and the optical pulses, as well as their relative time delays. We show that good magneto-optical sensitivity and coherentmore » stroboscopic character are maintained, even at a microwave pump pulse of 1.5 ns and an optical probe pulse of 80 ps, under a 7 MHz clock rate, corresponding to a pump-probe footprint of approximately 1% in one detection cycle. Our results show that time-dependent strobe light measurement of magnetization dynamics can be achieved in the gigahertz frequency range under a pump-probe detection scheme.« less

The chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect offers compelling approaches for manipulating spin-dependent processes in both chemistry and physics, yet the physical mechanism(s) underpinning CISS are still debated. Here we present a study of structure-property relationships in chiral quantum dot assemblies to identify attributes of CISS-based phenomena. Our results show that the circular dichroism (CD) strength of chiral CdSe quantum dots’ primary exciton transition correlates with two CISS properties, the propensity to transmit pure spin currents and to produce spin-polarized charge currents. While the spin-polarized charge current reverses its sign with a change in the polarity of the CD signal, themore » pure spin current transport does not. The trends in both transport types can be rationalized in terms of chirality-induced splitting of spin sub-bands, which are modulated by chiral symmetry breaking under charge transport through the CdSe quantum dots.« less

Improving the photon-magnon coupling strength can be done by tuning the structure of microwave resonators to better interact with the magnon counterpart. Planar resonators accommodating unconventional photon modes beyond the half- and quarter-wavelength designs have been explored due to their optimized mode profiles and potentials for on-chip integration. Here, we designed and fabricated an actively controlled ring resonator supporting the spoof localized surface plasmons (LSPs), and implemented it in the investigation of photon-magnon coupling for hybrid magnonic applications. We demonstrated gain-assisted photon-magnon coupling with the YIG magnon mode under several different sample geometries. The achieved coupling amplification largely benefits frommore » the high quality factor (Q-factor) due to the additional gain provided by a semiconductor amplifier, which effectively increases the Q-factor from a nearly null state (passive resonance) to more than 1000 for a quadrupole LSP mode. Our results suggest an additional control knob for manipulating photon-magnon coupled systems exploiting external controls of gain and loss.« less

The azulene (C₁₀H₈) molecule, the simplest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) carrying a fused seven- and five-membered ring, is regarded as a fundamental molecular building block of saddle-shaped carbonaceous nanostructures such as curved nanographenes in the interstellar medium. However, an understanding of the underlying gas-phase formation mechanisms of this nonbenzenoid 10π-Hückel aromatic molecule under low-temperature conditions is in its infancy. Here, by merging crossed molecular beam experiments with electronic structure calculations and molecular dynamics simulations, our investigations unravel an unconventional low-temperature, barrierless route to azulene via the reaction of the simplest organic radical, methylidyne (CH), with indene (C₉H₈) through ring expansion.more » This reaction might represent the initial step toward to the formation of saddle-shaped PAHs with seven-membered ring moieties in hydrocarbon-rich cold molecular clouds such as the Taurus Molecular Cloud-1 (TMC-1). These findings challenge conventional wisdom that molecular mass growth processes to nonplanar PAHs, especially those containing seven-membered rings, operate only at elevated pressure and high-temperature conditions, thus affording a versatile low-temperature route to contorted aromatics in our galaxy.« less

Two novel acceptors are designed and synthesized, and the PTQ11:PEH-F binary system is highly promising for industrial cost-effective organic photovoltaics.

The need for sensitively and reliably probing magnetization dynamics has been increasing in various contexts such as studying novel hybrid magnonic systems, in which the spin dynamics strongly and coherently couple to other excitations, including microwave photons, light photons, or phonons. Recent advances in quantum magnonics also highlight the need for employing the magnon phase as quantum state variable, which is to be detected and mapped out with high precision in on-chip micro- and nanoscale magnonic devices. Here, in this study, we demonstrate a facile optical technique that can directly perform concurrent spectroscopic and imaging functionalities with spatial and phasemore » resolutions, using infrared strobe light operating at 1550-nm wavelength. To showcase the methodology, we spectroscopically studied the phaseresolved spin dynamics in a bilayer of Permalloy and yttrium iron garnet Y₃ Fe₅ O₁₂ (YIG), and spatially imaged the backward-volume spin-wave modes of YIG in the dipolar spin-wave regime. Using the strobe light probe, the detected precessional phase contrast can be directly used to construct the map of the spin wave's wave front, in the continuous-wave regime of spin-wave propagation and in the stationary state, without needing any optical reference path. By selecting the applied field, frequency, and detection phase, the spin-wave images can be made sensitive to the precession amplitude and phase. Our results demonstrate that infrared optical strobe light can serve as a versatile platform for magneto-optical probing of magnetization dynamics, with potential implications in investigating hybrid magnonic systems.« less

The chiral induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect, in which the structural chirality of a material determines the preference for the transmission of electrons with one spin orientation over that of the other, is emerging as a design principle for creating next-generation spintronic devices. CISS implies that the spin preference of chiral structures persists upon injection of pure spin currents and can act as a spin analyzer without the need for a ferromagnet. Here, we report an anomalous spin current absorption in chiral metal oxides that manifests a colossal anisotropic nonlocal Gilbert damping with a maximum-to-minimum ratio of up to 1000%.more » A twofold symmetry of the damping is shown to result from differential spin transmission and backscattering that arise from chirality-induced spin splitting along the chiral axis. These studies reveal the rich interplay of chirality and spin dynamics and identify how chiral materials can be implemented to direct the transport of spin current.« less