Abstract: The ground-state energy of three-particle systems consisting of electrons and holes as found in semiconducting quantum wells is studied. The degree of confinement is determined by the quantum-well width and we can vary the dimensionality of the system from two to three dimensions. The energy levels of the system can further be altered by the application of an external magnetic field which is directed perpendicular to the well.

Abstract: We investigate mesoscopic Josephson-junction arrays created by patterning superconducting disks on monolayer graphene, concentrating on the high-T/T-c regime of these devices and the phenomena which contribute to the superconducting glass state in diffusive arrays. We observe features in the magnetoconductance at rational fractions of flux quanta per array unit cell, which we attribute to the formation of flux-quantized vortices. The applied fields at which the features occur are well described by Ginzburg-Landau simulations that take into account the number of unit cells in the array. We find that the mean conductance and universal conductance fluctuations are both enhanced below the critical temperature and field of the superconductor, with greater enhancement away from the graphene Dirac point.

Abstract: By numerically solving the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations in a type-II superconductor, characterized by a critical temperature T-c1, and the coherence length xi(1), with a channel formed by overlapping rhombuses (diamond-like channel) made of another type-II superconductor, characterized, in general, by different T-c2 and xi(2), we investigate the dynamics of driven vortex matter for varying parameters of the channel: the width of the neck connecting the diamond cells, the cell geometry, and the ratio between the coherence lengths in the bank and the channel. We analyzed samples with periodic boundary conditions (which we call 'infinite' samples) and finite-size samples (with boundaries for vortex entry/exit), and we found that by tuning the channel parameters, one can manipulate the vortex dynamics, e.g., change the transition from flux-pinned to flux-flow regime and tune the slope of the IV-curves. In addition, we analyzed the effect of interstitial vortices on these characteristics. The critical current of this device was studied as a function of the applied magnetic field, j(c)(H). The function j(c)(H) reveals a striking commensurability peak, in agreement with recent experimental observations. The obtained results suggest that the diamond channel, which combines the properties of pinning arrays and flux-guiding channels, can be a promising candidate for potential use in devices controlling magnetic flux motion.

Abstract: Fermi's golden rule underpins the investigation of mobile carriers propagating through various solids, being a standard tool to calculate their scattering rates. As such, it provides a perturbative estimate under the implicit assumption that the effect of the interaction Hamiltonian which causes the scattering events is sufficiently small. To check the validity of this assumption, we present a general framework to derive simple validity criteria in order to assess whether the scattering rates can be trusted for the system under consideration, given its statistical properties such as average size, electron density, impurity density et cetera. We derive concrete validity criteria for metallic nanowires with conduction electrons populating a single parabolic band subjected to different elastic scattering mechanisms: impurities, grain boundaries and surface roughness.

Abstract: In this work, a recently developed quantitative approach based on the principles of detection theory is used in order to determine the possibilities and limitations of High Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR STEM) and HR TEM for atom-counting. So far, HR STEM has been shown to be an appropriate imaging mode to count the number of atoms in a projected atomic column. Recently, it has been demonstrated that HR TEM, when using negative spherical aberration imaging, is suitable for atom-counting as well. The capabilities of both imaging techniques are investigated and compared using the probability of error as a criterion. It is shown that for the same incoming electron dose, HR STEM outperforms HR TEM under common practice standards, i.e. when the decision is based on the probability function of the peak intensities in HR TEM and of the scattering cross-sections in HR STEM. If the atom-counting decision is based on the joint probability function of the image pixel values, the dependence of all image pixel intensities as a function of thickness should be known accurately. Under this assumption, the probability of error may decrease significantly for atom-counting in HR TEM and may, in theory, become lower as compared to HR STEM under the predicted optimal experimental settings. However, the commonly used standard for atom-counting in HR STEM leads to a high performance and has been shown to work in practice.

Abstract: In a previous study, it was found that cargo tank operations like cleaning and venting, lead to higher cargo vapor concentrations around the ship’s superstructure. Can wind tunnel experiments confirm these findings? Is there an improvement when using higher outlets at high velocities compared to lower outlets with a low outlet velocity? Is there a relation between relative wind speed and measured concentration? These questions were investigated in the Peutz wind tunnel. By using a tracer gas for the wind tunnel experiments, concentration coefficients have been calculated for various settings. The study shows that using high-velocity outlets is an efficient way to keep concentrations as low as possible. The only exception is for relative wind directions from the bow. In this last case using a manhole as ventilation outlet leads to lower concentrations. With increasing wind speeds the building downwash effect resulted in higher concentration coefficients near the main deck. This study confirms our on-board measurements and suggests the lowering of the ventilation inlet of the accommodation, so that the high-velocity outlet can be used safely at all times.

Abstract: We report the controlled self-organization and switching of newly designed Schiff base (E)-4-((4-(phenylethynyl) benzylidene) amino) benzenethiol (EPBB) molecules on a Au (111) surface at room temperature. Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS) were used to image and analyze the conformational changes of the EPBB molecules. The conformational change of the molecules was induced by using the STM tip while increasing the tunneling current. The switching of a domain or island of molecules was shown to be induced by the STM tip during scanning. Unambiguous fingerprints of the switching mechanism were observed via STM/STS measurements. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering was employed, to control and identify quantitatively the switching mechanism of molecules in a monolayer. Density functional theory calculations were also performed in order to understand the microscopic details of the switching mechanism. These calculations revealed that the molecular switching behavior stemmed from the strong interaction of the EPBB molecules with the STM tip. Our approach to controlling intermolecular mechanics provides a path towards the bottom-up assembly of more sophisticated molecular machines.

Abstract: The idea of stacking multiple monolayers of different two-dimensional materials has become a global pursuit. In this work, a silicene armchair nanoribbon of width W and van der Waals-bonded to different transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) bilayer substrates MoX2 and WX2, where X = S, Se, Te is considered. The orbital resolved electronic structure and ballistic transport properties of these systems are simulated by employing van der Waals-corrected density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's functions. We find that the lattice mismatch with the underlying substrate determines the electronic structure, correlated with the silicene buckling distortion and ultimately with the contact resistance of the two-terminal system. The smallest lattice mismatch, obtained with the MoTe2 substrate, results in the silicene ribbon properties coming close to those of a freestanding one. With the TMD bilayer acting as a dielectric layer, the electronic structure is tunable from a direct to an indirect semiconducting layer, and subsequently to a metallic electronic dispersion layer, with a moderate applied perpendicular electric field.

Abstract: Density functional theory calculations are used to study gas adsorption properties of a recently synthesized CaO monolayer, which is found to be thermodynamically stable in its buckled form. Due to its topology and strong interaction with the CO2 molecules, this material possesses a remarkably high CO2 uptake capacity (similar to 0.4 g CO2 per g adsorbent). The CaO + CO2 system shows excellent thermal stability (up to 1000 K). Moreover, the material is highly selective towards CO2 against other major greenhouse gases such as CH4 and N2O. These advantages make this material a very promising candidate for CO2 capture and storage applications.

Abstract: The catalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons is an industrially important process, in which selectivity is a key issue. We here investigate the conversion of methanol to formaldehyde on a vanadia surface employing long timescale simulations, reaching a time scale of seconds. In particular, we compare the thermal process to the case where an additional external electric field is applied, as would be the case in a direct plasma-catalysis setup. We find that the electric field influences the retention time of the molecules at the catalyst surface. These simulations provide an atomic scale insight in the thermal catalytic oxidative dehydrogenation process, and in how an external electric field may affect this process.

Abstract: The Ca0.85-1.5xGdxEu0.1_0.05-0.5xWO4 (0 < x < 0.567) series of cation-deficient scheelites is investigated to unveil the influence of the cation vacancies on the crystal structure and luminescent properties. The concentration of the vacancies is varied by the heterovalent substitution of Gd3+ for Ca2+, keeping the concentration of the Eu3+ luminescent centers constant in all compounds of the series. The crystal structure of the materials is studied using a combination of transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. At low vacancy concentration (x = 0.1, 0.2), cations and cation vacancies are randomly distributed in the structure, and the materials preserve the I41/a symmetry of the parent scheelite structure [x = 0.1: a = 5.25151(1) Å, c = 11.39479(2) Å; x = 0.2: a = 5.25042(1) Å, c = 11.41335(2) Å]. At higher concentration, the cation-vacancy ordering gives rise to incommensurately modulated structures. The x = 0.3 structure has a (3 + 2)D tetragonal symmetry [superspace group I41/a(a,b,0)00(-b,a,0)00, a = 5.24700(1) Å, c = 11.45514(3) Å, q1 = 0.51637(14)a* + 0.80761(13)b*, q2 = -0.80761a* + 0.51637b*]. At x = 0.4, the scheelite basic cell undergoes a monoclinic distortion with the formation of the (3 + 1)D structure [superspace group I2/b(a,b,0)00, a = 5.23757(1) Å, b = 5.25035(1) Å, c = 11.45750(2) Å, g = 90.5120(2) o, q = 0.54206(8)a* + 0.79330(8)b*]. In both structures, the antiphase Ca and (Gd,Eu) occupancy modulations indicate that the ordering between the A cations and vacancies also induces partial Ca/(Gd,Eu) cation ordering. Further increase of the Gd3þ content up to x = 0.567 leads to the formation of a monoclinic phase (space group C2/c) with the Eu2/3WO4-type structure. Despite the difference in the cation-vacancy ordering patterns, all materials in the series demonstrate very similar quantum efficiency and luminescence decay lifetimes. However, the difference in the local coordination environment of the A cation species noticeably affects the line width and the multiplet splitting of the 4f6-4f6 transitions.

Abstract: By making use of circularly polarized light and electrostatic gating, monolayer molybdenum disulfide (ML – MoS2) can form a platform supporting multiple types of charge carriers. They can be discriminated by their spin, valley index, or whether they are electrons or holes. We investigate the collective properties of those charge carriers and are able to identify distinct plasmon modes. We analyze the corresponding dispersion relation, lifetime, and oscillator strength, and calculate the phase relation between the oscillations in the different components of the plasmon modes. All platforms in ML-MoS2 support a long-wavelength root q plasmon branch at zero kelvins. In addition to this, for an n-component system, n-1 distinct plasmon modes appear as acoustic modes with linear dispersion in the long-wavelength limit. These modes correspond to out-of-phase oscillations in the different fermion liquids and have, although being damped, a relatively long lifetime. Additionally, we also find distinct modes at large wave vectors that are more strongly damped by intraband processes.

Abstract: <script type='text/javascript'>document.write(unpmarked('The resistive random-access memory (RRAM) device concept is close to enabling the development of a new generation of non-volatile memories, provided that their reliability issues are properly understood. The design of a RRAM operating with extrinsic defects based on metallic inclusions, also called conductive bridge RAM, allows the use of a large spectrum of solid electrolytes. However, when scaled to device dimensions that meet the requirements of the latest technological nodes, the discrete nature of the atomic structure of the materials impacts the device operation. Using density functional theory simulations, we evaluated the migration kinetics of Cu conducting species in amorphous and solid electrolyte materials, and established that atomic disorder leads to a large variability in terms of defect stability and kinetic barriers. This variability has a significant impact on the filament resistance and its dynamics, as evidenced during the formation step of the resistive filament. Also, the atomic configuration of the formed filament can age/relax to another metastable atomic configuration, and lead to a modulation of the resistivity of the filament. All these observations are qualitatively explained on the basis of the computed statistical distributions of the defect stability and on the kinetic barriers encountered in RRAM materials.'));