Abstract: Stable monolayer materials based on existing, well known and stable two-dimensional crystal fluorographene and molybdenum disulfide are predicted to exhibit a huge magnetocrystalline anisotropy when functionalized with adsorbed transition metal atoms at vacant sides. Ab initio calculations within the density-functional theory formalism were performed to investigate the adsorption of the transitional metals in a single S (or F) vacancy of monolayer molybdenum disulfide (or fluorographene). We found strong bonding of the transitional metal atoms to the vacant sites with binding energies ranging from 2.5 to 5.2 eV. Our calculations revealed that these systems with adsorbed metal atoms exhibit a magnetic anisotropy, specifically the structures including Os and Ir show a giant magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy of 31-101 meV. Our results demonstrate the possibility of obtaining stable monolayer materials with huge magnetocrystalline anisotropy based on preexisting, well known and stable two-dimensional crystals: fluorographene and molybdenum disulfide. We believe that the results obtained here are useful not only for deeper understanding of the origin of magnetocrystalline anisotropy but also for the design of monolayer optoelectronic devices with novel functionalities.

Abstract: We compare classical versus quantum electron transport in recently investigated magnetic focusing devices (Bhandari et al 2016 Nano Lett. 16 1690) exposed to the perturbing potential of a scanning gate microscope (SGM). Using the Landauer-Buttiker formalism for a multi-terminal device, we calculate resistance maps that are obtained as the SGM tip is scanned over the sample. There are three unique regimes in which the scanning tip can operate (focusing, repelling, and mixed regime) which are investigated. Tip interacts mostly with electrons with cyclotron trajectories passing directly underneath it, leaving a trail of modified current density behind it. Other (indirect) trajectories become relevant when the tip is placed near the edges of the sample, and current is scattered between the tip and the edge. We point out that, in contrast to SGM experiments on gapped semiconductors, the STM tip can induce a pn junction in graphene, which improves contrast and resolution in SGM. We also discuss possible explanations for spatial asymmetry of experimentally measured resistance maps, and connect it with specific configurations of the measuring probes.

Abstract: Since the 1960's it has been well known that the basic superconductive quantities can exhibit oscillations as functions of the thickness (diameter) in superconducting nanofilms (nanowires) due to the size quantization of the electronic spectrum. However, very little is known about the effects of quantum confinement on the microscopic properties of vortices. Based on a numerical solution to the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations, we study the quantum-size oscillations of the vortex core resulting from the sequential interchange of the Kramer-Pesch and anti-Kramer-Pesch regimes with changing nanocylinder radius. The physics behind the anti-Kramer-Pesch anomaly is displayed by utilizing a semi-analytical Anderson approximate solution. We also demonstrate that the anti-Kramer-Pesch vortex core is robust against thermal smearing and results in a distinctive two-maxima structure in the local density of states, which can be used to identify the existence of the anti-Kramer-Pesch vortex.

Abstract: Synthesis of 1D-polymer nanowires by a self-assembly method using marginal solvents is an attractive technique. While the formation mechanism is poorly understood, this method is essential in order to control the growth of nanowires. Here we visualized the time-dependent assembly of poly (3-hexyl-thiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) nanowires by atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. The assembly of P3HT nanowires was carried out at room temperature by mixing cyclohexanone (CHN), as a poor solvent, with polymer solution in 1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCB). Both pi-pi stacking and planarization, obtained at the mix volume ratio of P3HT (in DCB):CHN (10:7), were considered during the investigation. We find that the length of nanowires was determined by the ordering of polymers in the polymer repetition direction. Additionally, our density functional theory calculations revealed that the presence of DCB and CHN molecules that stabilize the structural distortions due to tail group of polymers was essential for the core-wire formation.

Abstract: Recent advances in manufacturing arrays of artificial pinning sites, i.e., antidots, blind holes and magnetic dots, allowed an effective control of magnetic flux in superconductors. An array of magnetic bars deposited on top of a superconducting film was shown to display different pinning regimes depending on the direction of the in-plane magnetization of the bars. Changing the sign of their magnetization results in changes in the induced magnetic pinning potentials. By numerically solving the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations in a superconducting film with periodic arrays of zigzag-arranged magnetic bars, we revealed various flux dynamics regimes. In particular, we demonstrate flux pinning and flux flow, depending on the direction of the magnetization of the magnetic bars. Remarkably, the revealed different flux-motion regimes are associated with different mechanisms of vortex-antivortex dynamics. For example, we found that for an 'antiparallel' configuration of magnetic bars this dynamics involves a repeating vortex-antivortex generation and annihilation. We show that the depinning transition and the onset of flux flow can be manipulated by the magnetization of the bars and the geometry of the array. This provides an effective control of the depinning critical current that can be useful for possible fluxonics applications.

Abstract: Wigner molecules formed at high magnetic fields in circular and elliptic quantum dots are studied by exact diagonalization (ED) and unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) methods with multicenter basis of displaced lowest Landau level wave functions. The broken symmetry states with semi-classical charge density constructed from superpositions of the ED solutions are compared to the UHF results. UHF overlooks the dependence of the few-electron wave functions on the actual relative positions of electrons localized in different charge puddles and partially compensates for this neglect by an exaggerated separation of charge islands which are more strongly localized than in the exact broken-symmetry states. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Ballistic transport through nanoscale devices with time-dependent Rashba-type spin- orbit interaction (SOI) can lead to spin-polarized wavepackets that appear even for completely unpolarized input. The SOI that oscillates in a finite domain generates density and spin polarization fluctuations that leave the region as propagating waves. In particular, spin polarization has space and time dependence even in regions without SOI. Our results are based on an analytical solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. The relevant Floquet quasi-energies that are obtained appear in the energy spectrum of both the transmitted and the reflected waves.

Abstract: Using an extension of the Gutzwiller approximation for an inhomogeneous system, we study the two-band Hubbard model with unequal band widths for a slab geometry. The aim is to investigate the mutual effect of individual bands on the spatial distribution of quasi-particle weight and charge density, especially near the surface of the slab. The main effect of the difference in band width is the presence of two different length scales corresponding to the quasi-particle profile of each band. This is enhanced in the vicinity of the critical interaction of the narrow band where an orbitally selective Mott transition occurs and a surface dead layer forms for the narrow band. For the doped case, two different regimes of charge transfer between the surface and the bulk of the slab are revealed. The charge transfer from surface/ center to center/ surface depends on both the doping level and the average relative charge accumulated in each band. Such effects could also be of importance when describing the accumulation of charges at the interface between structures made of multi-band strongly correlated materials.

Abstract: We performed a numerical simulation of the dynamics of a Gaussian shaped wavepacket inside a small sized quantum ring, smoothly connected to two leads and exposed to a perturbing potential of a biased atomic force microscope tip. Using the Landauer formalism, we calculated conductance maps of this system in the case of single and two subband transport. We explain the main features in the conductance maps as due to the AFM tip influence on the wavepacket phase and amplitude. In the presence of an external magnetic field, the tip modifies the phi(0) periodic Aharonov-Bohm oscillation pattern into a phi(0)/2 periodic Al'tshuler-Aronov-Spivak oscillation pattern. Our results in the case of multiband transport suggest tip selectivity to higher subbands, making them more observable in the total

Abstract: We review the transmission properties of carriers interacting with potential barriers in graphene. The tunneling of electrons and holes in quantum structures in graphene is found to display features that are in marked contrast with those of other systems. In particular, the interaction between the carriers with electrostatic potential barriers can be related to the propagation of electromagnetic waves in media with negative refraction indices, also known as metamaterials. This behavior becomes evident as one calculates the time evolution of wavepackets propagating across the barrier interface. In addition, we discuss the effect of trigonal warping on the tunneling through potential barriers.