Abstract: Using highly efficient simulations of the tight-binding Bogoliubov-de-Gennes model, we solved self-consistently for the pair correlation and the Josephson current in a superconducting-bilayer graphene-superconducting Josephson junction. Different doping levels for the non-superconducting link are considered in the short- and long-junction regimes. Self-consistent results for the pair correlation and superconducting current resemble those reported previously for single-layer graphene except at the Dirac point, where remarkable differences in the proximity effect are found, as well as a suppression of the superconducting current in the long-junction regime. Inversion symmetry is broken by considering a potential difference between the layers and we found that the supercurrent can be switched if the junction length is larger than the Fermi length.

Abstract: The adsorption of CO2 on surfaces of graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), decorated with Fe atoms, are investigated using the self-consistent-charge density-functional tight-binding (SCC-DFTB) method, neglecting the heat effects. Fe ad-atoms are more stable when they are dispersed on hollow sites. They introduce a large density of states at the Fermi level (N-F); where keeping such density low would help in gas sensing. Furthermore, the Fe ad-atom can weaken the C=O double bonds of the chemisorbed CO2 molecule, paving the way for oxygen atoms to drain more charges from Fe. Consequently, chemisorption of CO2 molecules reduces both N-F and the conductance while it enhances the sensitivity with the increasing gas dose. Conducting armchair CNTs (ac-CNTs) have higher sensitivity than graphene and semiconducting zigzag CNTs (zz-CNT5). Comparative study of sensitivity of ac-CNT-Fe composite towards various gases (e.g., O-2, N-2, H-2, H2O, CO and CO2) has shown high sensitivity and selectivity towards CO, CO2 and H2O gases. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: The lowest-energy configurations of Cn(n≤55) clusters are obtained using the energy-minimization technique with the conjugate gradient method where a modified Brenner potential is invoked to describe the carbon and hydrocarbon interaction. We found that the ground-state configuration consists of a single ring for small number of C atoms and multiring structures are found with increasing n, which can be in planar, bowl-like or caplike form. Contrary to previous predictions, the binding energy Eb does not show even-odd oscillations and only small jumps are found in the Eb(n) curve as a consequence of specific types of edges or equivalently the number of secondary atoms. We found that hydrogenation of the edge atoms may change the ground-state configuration of the nanocluster. In both cases we determined the magic clusters. Special attention is paid to trigonal and hexagonal shaped carbon clusters and to clusters having a graphenelike configuration. Trigonal clusters are never the ground state while hexagonal-shaped clusters are only the ground state when they have zigzag edges.

Abstract: We have calculated the plasmon modes in graphene double layer structures at finite temperatures, taking into account the inhomogeneity of the dielectric background of the system. The effective dielectric function is obtained from the solution of the Poisson equation of a three-layer dielectric medium with graphene sheets located at the interfaces, separating the different materials. Due to the momentum dispersion of the effective dielectric function, the intra- and interlayer bare Coulomb interactions in the graphene double layer system acquires an additional momentum dependence-an effect that is of the order of the interlayer interaction itself. We show that the energies of the in-phase and out-of-phase plasmon modes are determined largely by different values of the spatially dependent effective dielectric function. The effect of the dielectric inhomogeneity increases with temperature, and even at high temperatures the energy shift induced by the dielectric inhomogeneity and temperature itself remains larger than the broadening of the plasmon energy dispersions due to the Landau damping. The obtained new features of the plasmon dispersions can be observed in frictional drag measurements and in inelastic light scattering and electron energy-loss spectroscopies.

Abstract: We derive an exact solution to the problem of spin snake states induced in a nonhomogeneous magnetic field by a combined action of the Rashba spin-orbit and Zeeman fields. The electron spin behavior as a function of the cyclotron orbit center position and an external homogeneous magnetic field was obtained. It is shown that in an antisymmetric magnetic field the electron spin in the snake states has only an in-plane projection, perpendicular to the magnetic interface, which vanishes at large positive momenta. Applying an external homogeneous magnetic field adds a finite out-of-plane spin component and simultaneously gaps out the spectral branches, which results in regular beating patterns of the spin current components.

Abstract: The electronic properties of boron nitride nanoribbons (BNNRs) doped with a line of carbon atoms are investigated using density functional calculations. By replacing a line of alternating B and N atoms with carbons, three different configurations are possible depending on the type of the atoms which bond to the carbons. We found very different electronic properties for these configurations: (i) the NCB arrangement is strongly polarized with a large dipole moment having an unexpected direction, (ii) the BCB and NCN arrangements are nonpolar with zero dipole moment, (iii) the doping by a carbon line reduces the band gap regardless of the local arrangement of the borons and the nitrogens around the carbon line, and (iv) the polarization and energy gap of the carbon-doped BNNRs can be tuned by an electric field applied parallel to the carbon line. Similar effects were found when either an armchair or zigzag line of carbon was introduced.

Abstract: The dynamics of fullerene-cubane (C60⋅C8H8) cocrystal is studied combining experimental [x-ray diffuse scattering, quasielastic and inelastic neutron scattering (INS)] and simulation (molecular dynamics) investigations. Neutron scattering gives direct evidence of the free rotation of fullerenes and of the libration of cubanes in the high-temperature phase, validating the rotor-stator description of this molecular system. X-ray diffuse scattering shows that orientational disorder survives the order/disorder transition in the low-temperature phase, although the loss of fullerene isotropic rotational diffusion is featured by the appearance of a 2.2 meV mode in the INS spectra. The coupling between INS and simulations allows identifying a degeneracy lift of the cubane librations in the low temperature phase, which is used as a tool for probing the environment of cubane in this phase and for getting further insights into the phase transition mechanism.

Abstract: Continued miniaturization of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) requires an ever-decreasing thickness of the gate oxide. The structure of ultrathin silicon oxide films, however, critically depends on the oxidation mechanism. Using reactive atomistic simulations, we here demonstrate how the oxidation mechanism in hyperthermal oxidation of such structures may be controlled by the oxidation temperature and the oxidant energy. Specifically, we study the interaction of hyperthermal oxygen with energies of 15 eV with thin SiOx (x ≤ 2) films with a native oxide thickness of about 10 Å. We analyze the oxygen penetration depth probability and compare with results of the hyperthermal oxidation of a bare Si(100){2 × 1} (c-Si) surface. The temperature-dependent oxidation mechanisms are discussed in detail. Our results demonstrate that, at low (i.e., room) temperature, the penetrated oxygen mostly resides in the oxide region rather than at the SiOx|c-Si interface. However, at higher temperatures, starting at around 700 K, oxygen atoms are found to penetrate and to diffuse through the oxide layer followed by reaction at the c-Si boundary. We demonstrate that hyperthermal oxidation resembles thermal oxidation, which can be described by the DealGrove model at high temperatures. Furthermore, defect creation mechanisms that occur during the oxidation process are also analyzed. This study is useful for the fabrication of ultrathin silicon oxide gate oxides for metal-oxide-semiconductor devices as it links parameters that can be straightforwardly controlled in experiment (oxygen temperature, velocity) with the silicon oxide structure.

Abstract: A new oxygen-deficient Ruddlesden−Popper (RP) cobaltite Sm2BaCo2O7−δ (δ ≈ 1.0) has been synthesized and the crystal structure elucidated by Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) data and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The phase crystallizes in a primitive orthorhombic unit cell, with lattice parameters a = 5.4371(4) Å; b = 5.4405(4) Å and c = 19.8629(6) Å, and space group Pnnm. Contrary to other oxygen-deficient cobalt RP phases, the oxygen vacancies are located in the equatorial positions of the [CoO] layers to give an intralayer structure similar to Sr2Mn2O5, which is not usually observed for cobalt-containing materials. The Sm3+ and Ba2+ cations show a strong preference for distinct sites, with the majority of the larger Ba2+ cations situated in the perovskite block layers and Sm3+ cations predominantly in the rock salt layers. Magnetic susceptibility data demonstrate the strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) character of Sm2BaCo2O7−δ.

Abstract: Following extended use in organic chemistry, microwave-assisted synthesis is gaining more importance in the field of inorganic chemistry, especially for the synthesis of nanoporous materials. It offers some major advantages such as a significant shortening of the synthesis time and an improved promotion of nucleation. In the research here reported, microwave technology is applied for the synthesis of benzene bridged PMOs (periodic mesoporous organosilicas). PMOs are one of the latest innovations in the field of hybrid ordered mesoporous materials and have attracted much attention because of their feasibility in electronics, catalysis, separation and sorption applications. The different synthesis steps (stirring, aging and extraction) of the classical PMO synthesis are replaced by microwave-assisted synthesis steps. The characteristics of the as-synthesized materials are evaluated by X-ray diffraction, N2-sorption, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy. The microwave-assisted synthesis drastically reduces the synthesis time by more than 40 hours without any loss in structural properties, such as mesoscale and molecular ordering. The porosity of the PMO materials has even been improved by more than 25%. Moreover, the number of handling/transfer steps and amounts of chemicals and waste are drastically reduced. The study also shows that there is a clear time (1 to 3 hours) and temperature frame (373 K to 403 K) wherein synthesis of benzene bridged PMO is optimal. In conclusion, the microwave-assisted synthesis pathway allows an improved material to be obtained in a more economical way i.e. a much shorter time with fewer chemicals and less waste.

Abstract: The charge density relaxation propagator of a two-dimensional electron system, which is the slope of the imaginary part of the polarization function, exhibits singularities for bosonic momenta having the order of the spin-orbit momentum and depending on the momentum orientation. We have provided an intuitive understanding for this nonanalytic behavior in terms of the interchirality subband electronic transitions, induced by the combined action of Bychkov-Rashba (BR) and Dresselhaus (D) spin-orbit coupling. It is shown that the regular behavior of the relaxation propagator is recovered in the presence of only one BR or D spin-orbit field or for spin-orbit interaction with equal BR and D coupling strengths. This creates a new possibility to influence carrier relaxation properties by means of an applied electric field.

Abstract: The strain-induced pseudomagnetic field in supported graphene deposited on top of a nanostructured substrate is investigated by using atomistic simulations. A step, an elongated trench, a one-dimensional barrier, a spherical bubble, a Gaussian bump, and a Gaussian depression are considered as support structures for graphene. From the obtained optimum configurations we found very strong induced pseudomagnetic fields which can reach up to similar to 1000 T due to the strain-induced deformations in the supported graphene. Different magnetic confinements with controllable geometries are found by tuning the pattern of the substrate. The resulting induced magnetic fields for graphene on top of a step, barrier, and trench are calculated. In contrast to the step and trench the middle part of graphene on top of a barrier has zero pseudomagnetic field. This study provides a theoretical background for designing magnetic structures in graphene by nanostructuring substrates. We found that altering the radial symmetry of the deformation changes the sixfold symmetry of the induced pseudomagnetic field.

Abstract: The Fe-vacancy ordering patterns in the superconducting KxFe2ySe2 and nonsuperconducting Kx(Fe,Co)2ySe2 samples have been investigated by electron diffraction and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The Fe-vacancy ordering occurs in the ab plane of the parent ThCr2Si2-type structure, demonstrating two types of patterns. Superstructure I retains the tetragonal symmetry and can be described with the aI = bI = as√5 (as is the unit cell parameter of the parent ThCr2Si2-type structure) supercell and I4/m space group. Superstructure II reduces the symmetry to orthorhombic with the aII = as√2, bII = 2as√2 supercell and the Ibam space group. This type of superstructure is observed for the first time in KxFe2ySe2. The Fe-vacancy ordering is inhomogeneous: the disordered areas interleave with the superstructures I and II in the same crystallite. The observed superstructures represent the compositionally dependent uniform ordering patterns of two species (the Fe atoms and vacancies) on a square lattice. More complex uniform ordered configurations, including compositional stripes, can be predicted for different chemical compositions of the KxFe2ySe2 (0 < y < 0.5) solid solutions.

Abstract: We study the mechanisms of CO2 conversion in a nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) discharge, by means of a chemical kinetics model. The calculated conversions and energy efficiencies are in reasonable agreement with experimental results over a wide range of specific energy input values, and the same applies to the evolution of gas temperature and CO2 conversion as a function of time in the afterglow, indicating that our model provides a realistic picture of the underlying mechanisms in the NRP discharge and can be used to identify its limitations and thus to suggest further improvements. Our model predicts that vibrational excitation is very important in the NRP discharge, explaining why this type of plasma yields energy-efficient CO2 conversion. A significant part of the CO2 dissociation occurs by electronic excitation from the lower vibrational levels toward repulsive electronic states, thus resulting in dissociation. However, vibration−translation (VT) relaxation (depopulating the higher vibrational levels) and CO + O recombination (CO + O + M → CO2 + M), as well as mixing of the converted gas with fresh gas entering the plasma in between the pulses, are limiting factors for the conversion and energy efficiency. Our model predicts that extra cooling, slowing down the rate of VT relaxation and of the above recombination reaction, thus enhancing the contribution of the highest vibrational levels to the overall CO2 dissociation, can further improve the performance of the NRP discharge for energy-efficient CO2 conversion.