Abstract: We present the Tight-Binding Studio (TB Studio) software package that calculates the different parameters of a tight-binding Hamiltonian from a set of Bloch energy bands obtained from first principle theories such as density functional theory, Hartree-Fock calculations or semi-empirical band-structure theory. This will be helpful for scientists who are interested in studying electronic and optical properties of structures using Green's function theory within the tight-binding approximation. TB Studio is a cross-platform application written in C++ with a graphical user interface design that is user-friendly and easy to work with. This software is powered by Linear Algebra Package C interface library for solving the eigenvalue problems and the standard high performance OpenGL graphic library for real time plotting. TB Studio and its examples together with the tutorials are available for download from tight-binding.com. Program summary Program Title: Tight-Binding Studio Program Files doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/j6x5mwzm2d.1 Licensing provisions: LGPL Programming language: C++ External routines: BLAS, LAPACK, LAPACKE, wxWidgets, OpenGL, MathGL Nature of problem: Obtaining Tight-Binding Hamiltonian from a set of Bloch energy bands obtained from first-principles calculations. Solution method: Starting from the simplified LCAO method, a tight-binding model in the two-center approximation is constructed. The Slater and Koster (SK) approach is used to calculate the parameters of the TB Hamiltonian. By using non-linear fitting approaches the optimal values of the SK parameters are obtained such that the TB energy eigenvalues are as close as possible to those from first-principles calculations. We obtain the expression for the Hamiltonian and the overlap matrix elements between the different orbitals of the different atoms in an orthogonal or non-orthogonal basis set. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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: 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: Quantum electron transport in side-gated graphene Hall bars is investigated in the presence of quantizing external magnetic fields. The asymmetric potential of four side-gates distorts the otherwise flat bands of the relativistic Landau levels, and creates new propagating states in the Landau spectrum (i.e. snake states). The existence of these new states leads to an interesting modification of the bend and Hall resistances, with new quantizing plateaus appearing in close proximity of the Landau levels. The electron guiding in this system can be understood by studying the current density profiles of the incoming and outgoing modes. From the fact that guided electrons fully transmit without any backscattering (similarly to edge states), we are able to analytically predict the values of the quantized resistances, and they match the resistance data we obtain with our numerical (tight-binding) method. These insights in the electron guiding will be useful in predicting the resistances for other side-gate configurations, and possibly in other system geometries, as long as there is no backscattering of the guided states.

Abstract: The angular momentum quantization of chiral gapless modes confined to a circularly shaped interface between two different topological phases is investigated. By examining several different setups, we show analytically that the angular momentum of the topological modes exhibits a highly chiral behavior, and can be coupled to spin and/or valley degrees of freedom, reflecting the nature of the interface states. A simple general one-dimensional model, valid for arbitrarily shaped loops, is shown to predict the corresponding energies and the magnetic moments. These loops can be viewed as building blocks for artificial magnets with tunable and highly diverse properties.

Abstract: The electron states in axially symmetric quantum wires are computed by means of the effective-mass Schrodinger equation, which is written in cylindrical coordinates phi, rho, and z. We show that a direct discretization of the Schrodinger equation by central finite differences leads to a non-symmetric Hamiltonian matrix. Because diagonalization of such matrices is more complex it is advantageous to transform it in a symmetric form. This can be done by the Liouville-like transformation proposed by Rizea et al. (2008), which replaces the wave function psi(rho) with the function F(rho) = psi(rho)root rho and transforms the Hamiltonian accordingly. Even though a symmetric Hamiltonian matrix is produced by this procedure, the computed wave functions are found to be inaccurate near the origin, and the accuracy of the energy levels is not very high. In order to improve on this, we devised a finite-difference scheme which discretizes the Schrodinger equation in the first step, and then applies the Liouville-like transformation to the difference equation. Such a procedure gives a symmetric Hamiltonian matrix, resulting in an accuracy comparable to the one obtained with the finite element method. The superior efficiency of the new finite-difference scheme (FDM) is demonstrated for a few p-dependent one-dimensional potentials which are usually employed to model the electron states in free-standing and core shell quantum wires. The new scheme is compared with the other FDM schemes for solving the effective-mass Schrodinger equation, and is found to deliver energy levels with much smaller numerical error for all the analyzed potentials. It also gives more accurate results than the scheme of Rizea et al., except for the ground state of an infinite rectangular potential in freestanding quantum wires. Moreover, the PT symmetry is invoked to explain similarities and differences between the considered FDM schemes. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: The interband optical absorption in Si/SiO2 quantum wells is calculated as function of the well width (W) and the evolution from an indirect to a direct gap material as function of the well width is investigated. In order to compute the electron states in the conduction band, the 30-band k . p model is employed, whereas the 6-band Luttinger-Kohn model is used for the hole states. We found that the effective direct band gap in the quantum well agrees very well with the W-2 scaling result of the single-band model. The interband matrix elements for linear polarized light oscillate with the quantum well width, which agrees qualitatively with a single band calculation. Our theoretical results indicate that the absorption can be maximized by a proper choice of the well width. However, the obtained absorption coefficients are at least an order of magnitude smaller than for a typical direct semiconductor even for a well width of 2 nm. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

Abstract: We present a theoretical study on optical properties such as optical conductance and light transmission coefficient for mono- and multi-layer graphene systems with AB- and ABC-stacking. Considering an air/graphene/dielectric-water structure, the optical coefficients for those graphene systems are examined and compared. The universal optical conductance sigma(N)(0)=N pi e(2)/(2h) for N layer graphene systems in the visible region is verified. For N 3 layer graphene, the mini-gap induced absorption edges can be observed in odd layers AB-stacked multilayer graphene, where the number and position of the absorption edges are decided by the layers number N. Meanwhile, we can observe the optical absorption windows for those graphene systems in the infrared to terahertz bandwidth (0.2-150 THz). The absorption window is induced by different transition energies required for inter- and intra-band optical absorption channels. We find that the depth and width of the absorption window can be tuned not only via varying temperature and electron density but also by changing the number of graphene layers and the stacking order. These theoretical findings demonstrate that mono- and multi-layer graphene systems can be applied as frequency tunable optoelectronic devices working in infrared to terahertz bandwidth. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: We present a theoretical study of the plasmon and coupled plasmon-phonon modes induced by intraband electron-electron interaction in graphene in the presence of driving dc electric field. We find that the electric field dependence of these collective excitation modes in graphene differs significantly from that in a conventional two-dimensional electron gas with a parabolic energy spectrum. This is due mainly to the fact that graphene has a linear energy spectrum and the Fermi velocity of electrons in graphene is much larger than the drift velocity of electrons. The obtained results demonstrate that the plasmon and coupled plasmon-phonon modes in graphene can be tuned by applying not only the gate voltage but also the source-to-drain field. The manipulation of plasmon and coupled plasmon-phonon modes by source-to-drain voltage can let graphene be more conveniently applied as an advanced plasmonic material.

Abstract: Using Floquet-Bloch theory, we propose to realize chiral topological phases in two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal FeX2 (X=Cl, Br, I) monolayers under irradiation of circularly polarized light. Such 2D FeX2 monolayers are predicted to be dynamically stable and exhibit both ferromagnetic and semiconducting properties. To capture the full topological physics of the magnetic semiconductor under periodic driving, we adopt ab initio Wannier-based tight-binding methods for the Floquet-Bloch bands, with the light-induced bandgap closings and openings being obtained as the light field strength increases. The calculations of slabs with open boundaries show the existence of chiral edge states. Interestingly, the topological transitions with branches of chiral edge states changing from zero to one and from one to two by tuning the light amplitude are obtained, showing that the topological Floquet phase of high Chern number can be induced in the present Floquet-Bloch systems. Published under license by AIP Publishing.

Abstract: Massless Dirac fermions (MDFs) emerge as quasiparticles in various novel materials such as graphene and topological insulators, and they exhibit several intriguing properties, of which Veselago focusing is an outstanding example with a lot of possible applications. However, up to now Veselago focusing merely occurred in p-n junction devices based on the isotropic MDF, which lacks the tunability needed for realistic applications. Here, motivated by the emergence of novel Dirac materials, we investigate the propagation behaviors of anisotropic MDFs in such a p-n junction structure. By projecting the Hamiltonian of the anisotropic MDF to that of the isotropic MDF and deriving an exact analytical expression for the propagator, precise Veselago focusing is demonstrated without the need for mirror symmetry of the electron source and its focusing image. We show a tunable focusing position that can be used in a device to probe masked atom-scale defects. This study provides an innovative concept to realize Veselago focusing relevant for potential applications, and it paves the way for the design of novel electron optics devices by exploiting the anisotropic MDF.

Abstract: Magneto-optical (MO) properties of bi- and tri-layer graphene are investigated utilizing terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz TDS) in the presence of a strong magnetic field at room-temperature. In the Faraday configuration and applying optical polarization measurements, we measure the real and imaginary parts of the longitudinal and transverse MO conductivities of different graphene samples. The obtained experimental data fits very well with the classical MO Drude formula. Thus, we are able to obtain the key sample and material parameters of bi- and tri-layer graphene, such as the electron effective mass, the electronic relaxation time and the electron density. It is found that in high magnetic fields the electronic relaxation time tau for bi- and tri-layer graphene increases with magnetic field B roughly in a form tau similar to B-2. Most importantly, we obtain the electron effective mass for bi- and tri-layer graphene at room-temperature under non-resonant conditions. This work shows how the advanced THz MO techniques can be applied for the investigation into fundamental physics properties of atomically thin 2D electronic systems.

Abstract: We present a theoretical study on the optoelectronic properties of ABC-stacked trilayer graphene (TLG). The optical conductance and light transmittance are evaluated through using the energy-balance equation derived from the Boltzmann equation for an air/graphene/dielectric-wafer system in the presence of linearly polarized radiation field. The results obtained from two band structure models are examined and compared. For short wavelength radiation, the universal optical conductance sigma(0) = 3e(2)/(4h) can be obtained. Importantly, there exists an optical absorption window in the radiation wavelength range 10-200 mu m, which is induced by different transition energies required for inter- and intra-band optical absorption channels. As a result, we find that the position and width of this window depend sensitively on temperature and carrier density of the system, especially the lower frequency edge. There is a small characteristic absorption peak at about 82 mu m where the largest interband transition states exist in the ABC-stacked TLG model, in contrast to the relatively smooth curves in a simplified model. These theoretical results indicate that TLG has some interesting and important physical properties which can be utilized to realize infrared or THz optoelectronic devices.

Abstract: We present a detailed theoretical study on the optoelectronic properties of topological insulator thin film (TITFs). The k . p approach is employed to calculate the energy spectra and wave functions for both the bulk and surface states in the TITF. With these obtained results, the optical conductivities induced by different electronic transitions among the bulk and surface states are evaluated using the energy-balance equation derived from the Boltzmann equation. We find that for Bi2Se3-based TITFs, three characteristic regimes for the optical absorption can be observed. (i) In the low radiation frequency regime (photon energy (h) over bar omega < 200 meV), the free-carrier absorption takes place due to intraband electronic transitions. An optical absorption window can be observed. (ii) In the intermediate radiation frequency regime (200 < (h) over bar omega < 300 meV), the optical absorption is induced mainly by interband electronic transitions from surface states in the valance band to surface states in the conduction band and an universal value sigma(0) = e(2) / (8<(h)over bar>) for the optical conductivity can be obtained. (iii) In the high radiation frequency regime ((h) over bar omega > 300 meV), the optical absorption can be achieved via interband electronic transitions from bulk and surface states in the valance band to bulk and surface states in the conduction band. A strong absorption peak can be observed. These interesting findings indicate that optical measurements can be applied to identify the energy regimes of bulk and surface states in the TITF. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.

Abstract: Atomic collapse can be observed in graphene because of its large “effective” fine structure constant, which enables this phenomenon to occur for an impurity charge as low as Z(c) similar to 1-2. Here we investigate the effect of the sublattice symmetry on molecular collapse in two spatially separated charge tunable vacancies, which are located on the same (A-A type) or different (A-B type) sublattices. We find that the broken sublattice symmetry: (1) does not affect the location of the main bonding and antibonding molecular collapse peaks, (2) but shifts the position of the satellite peaks, because they are a consequence of the breaking of the local sublattice symmetry, and (3) there are vacancy characteristic collapse peaks that only occur for A-B type vacancies, which can be employed to distinguish them experimentally from the A-A type. As the charge, energy, and separation distance increase, the additional collapse features merge with the main molecular collapse peaks. We show that the spatial distribution around the vacancy site of the collapse states allows us to differentiate the molecular from the frustrated collapse.