Abstract: Using time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory, we study the dynamic properties of a rectangular superconducting loop, which are found to depend on the position of the current leads. For asymmetric positioning of the leads, different kinetic inductance of the two paths for injected electric current leads to different critical conditions in the two branches. System self-regulates by allowing vortex entry, as vortex currents bring equilibration between the two current flows and the conventional resistive state can be realized. We also demonstrate that individual vortex entry in the loop can be detected by measuring the voltage between normal-metal leads, for applied currents comparable in magnitude to the screening currents.

Abstract: Electron transport through a spin-orbit-coupled quantum ring is investigated within linear response theory. We show that the finite width of the ring results in the appearance of Fano resonances in the conductance. This turns out to be a consequence of the spin-orbit interaction that leads to a breaking of the parity of the states localized in the ring. The resonances appear when the system is close to maxima of Aharonov-Casher conductance oscillations where spin transfer is heavily modified. When the spin-orbit coupling strength is detuned from the Aharonov-Casher maxima the resonances are broadened resulting in a dependence of the spin transport on the electron Fermi energy in contrast to predictions from one-dimensional models.

Abstract: Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory is used to investigate the effect of the size of a superconducting square on the vortex states in the quantum confinement regime. When the superconducting coherence length is comparable to the Fermi wavelength, the shape resonances of the superconducting order parameter have strong influence on the vortex configuration. Several unconventional vortex states, including asymmetric ones, giant-multivortex combinations, and states comprising giant antivortices, were found as ground states and their stability was found to be very sensitive on the value of k(F)xi(0), the size of the sample W, and the magnetic flux Phi. By increasing the temperature and/or enlarging the size of the sample, quantum confinement is suppressed and the conventional mesoscopic vortex states as predicted by the Ginzburg-Laudau (GL) theory are recovered. However, contrary to the GL results we found that the states containing symmetry-induced vortex-antivortex pairs are stable over the whole temperature range. It turns out that the inhomogeneous order parameter induced by quantum confinement favors vortex-antivortex molecules, as well as giant vortices with a rich structure in the vortex core-unattainable in the GL domain.

Abstract: Quantum thermal transport in armchair and zigzag graphene nanoribbons is investigated in the presence of single atomic vacancies and subject to different boundary conditions. We start with a full comparison of the phonon polarizations and energy dispersions as given by a fifth-nearest-neighbor force-constant model (5NNFCM) and by elasticity theory of continuum membranes (ETCM). For free-edge ribbons, we discuss the behavior of an additional acoustic edge-localized flexural mode, known as fourth acoustic branch (4ZA), which has a small gap when it is obtained by the 5NNFCM. Then, we show that ribbons with supported edges have a sample-size dependent energy gap in the phonon spectrum which is particularly large for in-plane modes. Irrespective to the calculation method and the boundary condition, the dependence of the energy gap for the low-energy optical phonon modes against the ribbon width W is found to be proportional to 1/W for in-plane, and 1/W-2 for out-of-plane phonon modes. Using the 5NNFCM, the ballistic thermal conductance and its contributions from every single phonon mode are then obtained by the nonequilibrium Green's function technique. We found that, while edge and central localized single atomic vacancies do not affect the low-energy transmission function of in-plane phonon modes, they reduce considerably the contributions of the flexural modes. On the other hand, in-plane modes contributions are strongly dependent on the boundary conditions and at low temperatures can be highly reduced in supported-edge samples. These findings could open a route to engineer graphene based devices where it is possible to discriminate the relative contribution of polarized phonons and to tune the thermal transport on the nanoscale.

Abstract: Biexcitons in fractional dimensional spaces are studied using variational quantum Monte Carlo. We investigate the biexciton binding energy as a function of the electron-hole mass fraction sigma as well as study the dimensional dependence of biexcitons for sigma = 0 and sigma = 1. As our first application of this model we treat the H(2) molecule in two and three dimensions. Next we investigate biexcitons in carbon nanotubes within the fractional dimensional model. To this end we find a relation between the nanotube radius and the effective dimension. The results of both applications are compared with results obtained using different models and we find a reasonable agreement. Within the fractional dimensional model we find that the biexciton binding energy in carbon nanotubes accurately scales as E(B)(r,epsilon) = 1280 meV angstrom/(r epsilon), as a function of radius r and the dielectric screening epsilon.

Abstract: Using advanced three-dimensional simulations, we show that an Abrikosov vortex, trapped inside a cavity perpendicular to an artificial Josephson junction, can serve as a very efficient source for generation of Josephson vortex-antivortex pairs in the presence of the applied electric current. In such a case, the nucleation rate of the pairs can be tuned in a broad range by an out-of-plane ac magnetic field in a broad range of frequencies. This parametrically amplified vortex-antivortex nucleation can be considered as a macroscopic analog of the dynamic Casimir effect, where fluxon pairs mimic the photons and the ac magnetic field plays the role of the oscillating mirrors. The emerging vortex pairs in our system can be detected by the pronounced features in the measured voltage characteristics, or through the emitted electromagnetic radiation, and exhibit resonant dynamics with respect to the frequency of the applied magnetic field. Reported tunability of the Josephson oscillations can be useful for developing high-frequency emission devices.

Abstract: Within the Ginzburg-Landau theory, we study the vortex structures in three-dimensional anisotropic mesoscopic superconductors in the presence of a uniform magnetic field. Anisotropy is included through varied Tc in different layers of the sample and leads to distinct differences in the vortex states and their free energy. Several unconventional states are found, some comprising vortex clusters or exhibiting asymmetry. In a tilted magnetic field, we found second-order transitions between different vortex states, although vortex entry is generally a first-order transition in mesoscopic samples. In multilayered samples the kinked vortex strings are formed owing to the competing interactions of vortices with Meissner currents and the weak-link boundaries. The length and deformation of vortex fragments are determined solely by the inclination and strength of applied magnetic field, and this lock-in does not depend on the degree of anisotropy between the superconducting layers.

Abstract: The electronic structure of GaAs/AlxGa1−xAs and AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs core-shell nanowires grown in the [001] direction is studied. The k⋅p method with the 6×6 Kohn-Lüttinger Hamiltonian, taking into account the split-off band is used. The variation in the energy level dispersion, the spinor contribution to the ground state and the optical interband absorption are studied. For some range of parameters the top of the valence band exhibits a camelback structure which results in an extra peak in the optical absorption.