Abstract: We explore the influence of strain on the valley-polarized transmission of graphene by employing the wave-function matching and the non-equilibrium Green's function technique. When the transmission is along the armchair direction, we show that the valley polarization and transmission can be improved by increasing the width of the strained region and increasing (decreasing) the extensional strain in the armchair (zigzag) direction. It is noted that the shear strain does not affect transmission and valley polarization. Furthermore, when we consider the smooth strain barrier, the valley-polarized transmission can be enhanced by increasing the smoothness of the strain barrier. We hope that our finding can shed new light on constructing graphene-based valleytronic and quantum computing devices by solely employing strain.

Abstract: A theoretical and experimental study of the work function of few-layer graphene is reported. The influence of the number of layers on the work function is investigated in the presence of a substrate, a molecular dipole layer, and combinations of the two. The work function of few-layer graphene is almost independent of the number of layers with only a difference between monolayer and multilayer graphene of about 60 meV. In the presence of a charge-donating substrate the charge distribution is found to decay exponentially away from the substrate and this is directly reflected in the work function of few-layer graphene. A dipole layer changes the work function only when placed in between the substrate and few-layer graphene through a change of the charge transfer between the two.

Abstract: We investigate the self-assembly of vortices in a type-II superconducting disk subjected to highly nonuniform confining potentials produced by inhomogeneous magnetic textures. Using a series of numerical experiments performed within the Ginzburg–Landau theory, we show that vortices can arrange spontaneously in highly nonuniform, defect-free crystals, reminiscent of conformal lattices, even though the strict conditions for the conformal crystal are not fulfilled. These results contradict continuum-limit theory, which predicts that the order of a nonuniform crystal is unavoidably frustrated by the presence of topological defects. By testing different cooling routes of the superconductor, we observed several different self-assembled configurations, each of which corresponding to one in a set of allowed conformal transformations, which depends on the magnetic and thermal histories of the system.

Abstract: Nowadays the electronic structure calculations allow the study of complex systems determining the hyperfine parameters measured at a probe atom, including the presence of crystalline defects. The hyperfine electric parameters have been measured by Mossbauer spectroscopy in silicon materials implanted with Mn-57 ->,Fe-57 ions, observing four main contributions to the spectra. Nevertheless, some ambiguities still remain in the Fe-57 Mossbauer spectra interpretation in this case, regarding the damage configurations and its evolution with annealing. In the present work several implantation environments are evaluated and the Fe-57 hyperfine parameters are calculated. The observed correlation among the studied local environments and the experimental observations is presented, and a tentative microscopic description of the behavior and thermal evolution of the characteristic defects local environments of the probe atoms concerning the location of vacancies and interstitial Si in the neighborhood of Fe-57 ions in substitutional and interstitial sites is proposed. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Abstract: The rational design of two-dimensional (2D) piezoelectric materials has recently garnered great interest due to their increasing use in technological applications, including sensor technology, actuating devices, energy harvesting, and medical applications. Several materials possessing high piezoelectric response have been reported so far, but a high-throughput first-principles approach to estimate the piezoelectric potential of layered materials has not been performed yet. In this study, we systematically investigated the piezoelectric (e(11), d(11)) and elastic (C-11 and C-12) properties of 128 thermodynamically stable 2D semiconductor materials by employing first-principle methods. Our high-throughput approach demonstrates that the materials containing Group-V elements produce significantly high piezoelectric strain constants, d(11) > 40 pm V-1, and 49 of the materials considered have the e(11) coefficient higher than MoS2 insomuch as BrSSb has one of the largest d(11) with a value of 373.0 pm V-1. Moreover, we established a simple empirical model in order to estimate the d(11) coefficients by utilizing the relative ionic motion in the unit cell and the polarizability of the individual elements in the compounds.

Abstract: High-performance rechargeable batteries are becoming very important for high-end technologies with their ever increasing application areas. Hence, improving the performance of such batteries has become the main bottleneck to transferring high-end technologies to end users. In this study, we propose an argon intercalation strategy to enhance battery performance via engineering the interlayer spacing of honeycomb structures such as graphite, a common electrode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, we systematically investigated the LIB performance of graphite and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) when argon atoms were sent into between their layers by using first-principles density-functional-theory calculations. Our results showed enhanced lithium binding for graphite and h-BN structures when argon atoms were intercalated. The increased interlayer space doubles the gravimetric lithium capacity for graphite, while the volumetric capacity also increased by around 20% even though the volume was also increased. The ab initio molecular dynamics simulations indicate the thermal stability of such graphite structures against any structural transformation and Li release. The nudged-elastic-band calculations showed that the migration energy barriers were drastically lowered, which promises fast charging capability for batteries containing graphite electrodes. Although a similar level of battery promise was not achieved for h-BN material, its enhanced battery capabilities by argon intercalation also support that the argon intercalation strategy can be a viable route to enhance such honeycomb battery electrodes.

Abstract: Superfluidity has been predicted and now observed in a number of different electron-hole double-layer semiconductor heterostructures. In some of the heterostructures, such as GaAs and Ge-Si electron-hole double quantum wells, there is a strong mismatch between the electron and hole effective masses. We systematically investigate the sensitivity to unequal masses of the superfluid properties and the self-consistent screening of the electron-hole pairing interaction. We find that the superfluid properties are insensitive to mass imbalance in the low density BEC regime of strongly-coupled boson-like electron-hole pairs. At higher densities, in the BEC-BCS crossover regime of fermionic pairs, we find that mass imbalance between electrons and holes weakens the superfluidity and expands the density range for the BEC-BCS crossover regime. This permits screening to kill the superfluid at a lower density than for equal masses.

Abstract: Advanced materials with various micro-/nanostructures have attracted plenty of attention for decades in energy storage devices such as rechargeable batteries (ion- or sulfur based batteries) and supercapacitors. To improve the electrochemical performance of batteries, it is uttermost important to develop advanced electrode materials. Moreover, the cathode material is also important that it restricts the efficiency and practical application of aluminum-ion batteries. Among the potential cathode materials, sulfur has become an important candidate material for aluminum-ion batteries cause of its considerable specific capacity. Two-dimensional materials are currently potential candidates as electrodes from lab-scale experiments to possible pragmatic theoretical studies. In this review, the fundamental principles, historical progress, latest developments, and major problems in Li-S and Al-S batteries are reviewed. Finally, future directions in terms of the experimental and theoretical applications have prospected.

Abstract: Using relativistic density-functional calculations, we examine the magneto-crystalline anisotropy and exchange properties of transition-metal atoms adsorbed on 2D-GaAs. We show that single Mn and Mo atom (Co and Os) strongly bind on 2D-GaAs, and induce local out-of-plane (in-plane) magnetic anisotropy. When a pair of TM atoms is adsorbed on 2D-GaAs in a close range from each other, magnetisation properties change (become tunable) with respect to concentrations and ordering of the adatoms. In all cases, we reveal presence of strong Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction. These results indicate novel pathways towards two-dimensional chiral magnetic materials by design, tailored for desired applications in magneto-electronics.

Abstract: The time evolution of a low-energy two-dimensional Gaussian wave packet in ABC-stacked n-layer graphene (ABC-NLG) is investigated. Expectation values of the position (x, y) of center-of-mass and the total probability densities of the wave packet are calculated analytically using the Green's function method. These results are confirmed using an alternative numerical method based on the split-operator technique within the Dirac approach for ABC-NLG, which additionally allows to include external fields and potentials. The main features of the zitterbewegung (trembling motion) of wave packets in graphene are demonstrated and are found to depend not only on the wave packet width and initial pseudospin polarization, but also on the number of layers. Moreover, the analytical and numerical methods proposed here allow to investigate wave packet dynamics in graphene systems with an arbitrary number of layers and arbitrary potential landscapes.

Abstract: Motivated by the recent successful synthesis of double-M carbides, we investigate structural and electronic properties of WCrC and WCrCO2 monolayers and the effects of biaxial and out-of-plane strain and electric field using density functional theory. WCrC and WCrCO2 monolayers are found to be dynamically stable. WCrC is metallic and WCrCO2 display semi-metallic character with narrow band gap, which can be controlled by strain engineering and electric field. WCrCO2 monolayer exhibits a dual band gap which is preserved in the presence of an electric field. The band gap of WCrCO2 monolayer increases under uniaxial strain while it becomes metallic under tensile strain, resulting in an exotic 2D double semi-metallic behavior. Our results demonstrate that WCrCO2 is a new platform for the study of novel physical properties in two-dimensional Dirac materials and which may provide new opportunities to realize high-speed low-dissipation devices.

Abstract: We have studied the transport properties of LaTiO3/SrTiO3 (LTO/STO) heterostructures. In spite of 2D growth observed in reflection high energy electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy images revealed that the samples tend to amorphize. Still, we observe that the structures are conducting, and some of them exhibit high conductance and/or superconductivity. We established that conductivity arises mainly on the STO side of the interface, and shows all the signs of the two-dimensional electron gas usually observed at interfaces between STO and LTO or LaAlO3, including the presence of two electron bands and tunability with a gate voltage. Analysis of magnetoresistance (MR) and superconductivity indicates the presence of spatial fluctuations of the electronic properties in our samples. That can explain the observed quasilinear out-of-plane MR, as well as various features of the in-plane MR and the observed superconductivity.

Abstract: Part of the collection of the Rubens House in Antwerp is a portrait of young Anthony van Dyck, alternatively attributed to Peter Paul Rubens and his pupil Anthony van Dyck. In order to reconstruct the genesis of the portrait in a manner that improves upon past investigations, a number of high-end technological methods, such as X-radiography, X-ray computer tomography, mammographic tomosynthesis and macroscopic X-ray fluorescence, have been employed to render the overpainted layers visible again. The results of the interdisciplinary examinations of the portrait of the youthful Van Dyck are impressive. The combined results allow the later additions to be peeled away until the original composition can be reached. Several pentimenti are easily discernible and refer to a rather immature hand that makes the authorship of Peter Paul Rubens very unlikely. What emerges is a portrait of an ambitious young man with a luxuriant head of hair and a slightly turned-up collar. The hat and cape were added later. The facial features are more recognisable and the execution of the bold curls points irrefutably in the direction of Anthony van Dyck as the author of his own portrait.

Abstract: The electronic and vibrational properties of germanane and fluorinated germanene are studied within density functional theory (DFT) and density functional perturbation theory frameworks. Different structural configurations of germanane and fluorinated germanene are investigated. The energy difference between the different configurations are consistently smaller than the energy of thermal fluctuations for all the analyzed DFT functionals LDA, GGA, and hybrid functionals, which implies that, in principle, it is possible to find these different configurations in different regions of the sample as minority phases or local defects. We calculate the Raman and infrared spectra for these configurations by using ab initio calculations and compare it with available experimental spectra for germanane. Our results show the presence of minority phases compatible with the configurations analyzed in this work. As these low energy configurations are metastable the present work shows that the synthesis of these energy competing phases is feasible by selectively changing the synthesis conditions, which is an opportunity to expand in this way the availability of new two-dimensional compounds.