Effects of Al particles and thin layer on thermal expansion and conductivity of Al-Y_2Mo_3O_(12) cermets

Low thermal expansion composites are difficult to obtain by using Al with larger positive thermal expansion coefficient（TEC） and the materials with smaller negative TECs. In this investigation, Y2Mo3O12 with larger negative TEC is used to combine with Al to obtain a low thermal expansion composite with high conductivity. The TEC of Al is reduced by 19%for a ratio Al：Y2Mo3O12 of 0.3118. When the mass ratio of Al：Y2Mo3O12 increases to 2.0000, the conductivity of the composite increases so much that a transformation from capacitance to pure resistance appears. The results suggest that Y2Mo3O12 plays a dominant role in the composite for low content of Al（presenting isolate particles）, while the content of Al increases enough to contact each other, the composite presents mainly the property of Al. For the effect of high content Al, it is considered that Al is squeezed out of the cermets during the uniaxial pressure process to form a thin layer on the surface.

Spin-dependent negative differential conductance in transport through single-molecule magnets

Transport properties are theoretically studied through an anisotropy single-molecule magnet symmetrically connected to two identical ferromagnetic leads. It is found that even though in parallel configuration of leads’ magnetizations, the total current still greatly depends on the spin polarization of leads at certain particular bias region, and thus for large polarization a prominent negative differential conductance （NDC） emerges. This originates from the joint effect of single-direction transitions and spin polarization, which removes the symmetry between spin-up and spin-down transitions. The present mechanism of NDC is remarkably different from the previously reported mechanisms. To clarify the physics of the NDC, we further monitored the shot noise spectroscopy and found that the appearance of the NDC is accompanied by the rapid decrease of Fano factor.

Low-bias negative differential conductance controlled by electrode separation

The electronic transport properties of a single thiolated arylethynylene molecule with 9,10-dihydroanthracene core, denoted as TADHA, is studied by using non-equilibrium Green＇s function formalism combined with ab initio calculations. The numerical results show that the TADHA molecule exhibits excellent negative differential conductance （NDC） behavior at lower bias regime as probed experimentally. The NDC behavior of TADHA molecule originates from the Stark effect of the applied bias voltage, by which the highest occupied molecular orbital （HOMO） and the HOMO-1 are pulled apart and become localized. The NDC behavior of TADHA molecular system is tunable by changing the electrode distance. Shortening the electrode separation can enhance the NDC effect which is attributed to the possible increase of coupling between the two branches of TADHA molecule.

Ferromagnetic barrier-induced negative differential conductance on the surface of a topological insulator

The effect of the negative differential conductance of a ferromagnetic barrier on the surface of a topological insulat（ is theoretically investigated. Due to the changes of the shape and position of the Fermi surfaces in the ferromagnetic barrie the transport processes can be divided into three kinds： the total, partial, and blockade transmission mechanisms. The bias voltage can give rise to the transition of the transport processes from partial to blockade transmission mechanisms, which results in a considerable effect of negative differential conductance. With appropriate structural parameters, the currenl voltage characteristics show that the minimum value of the current can reach to zero in a wide range of the bias voltag and then a large peak-to-valley current ratio can be obtained.

Direct Current Generation in Carbon Nanotubes by Terahertz Field

We report on a theoretical investigation of a direct current generation in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are stimulated axially by terahertz (THz) field. We consider the kinetic approach based on the semiclassical Boltzmann’s transport equation with constant relaxation time approximation, together with the energy spectrum of an electron in the tight-binding approximation. Our results indicate that for strong THz-fields, there is simultaneous generation of DC current in the axial and circumferential directions of the CNTs, even at room temperature. We found that a THz-field can induce a negative conductivity in the CNTs that leads to the THz field induced DC current. For varying amplitude of the THz-field, the current density decreases rapidly and modulates around zero with interval of negative conductivity. The interval decreases with increasing the amplitude of the THz-field. We show that the THz-field can cause fast switching from a zero DC current to a finite DC current due to the quasi-ballistic transport, and that electron scattering is a necessary condition for switching.

Influence of electron–phonon interaction on the properties of transport through double quantum dot with ferromagnetic leads

Electronic transport through a vibrating double quantum dot （DQD） in contact with noncollinear ferromagnetic （FM） leads is investigated. The state transition between the two dots of the DQD is excited by an AC microwave driving field. The corresponding currents and differential conductance are calculated in the Coulomb blockade regime by means of the Born-Markov master equation. It is shown that the interplay between electrons and phonons gives rise to phonon-assisted tunneling resonances and Franck-Condon blockade under certain conditions. In noncollinear magnetic configurations, spin-blockade effects are also observed, and the angle of polarization has some influence on the transport characteristics.

Dynamics and Its Control in Modulation-Doped Heterostructures

A simulation model and the dynamics of the forced modulation doped heterostructure, which operates in the state far from thermodynamic equilibrium, are discussed. The numerical simulations clearly reveal that the system under an appropriate bias including DC and AC voltages exhibits expected complex dynamical behaviors. The amplitude and frequency of the externally applied microwave field are taken as the control parameters in the system. Because many nonlinear dynamical systems may have more than one possible time asympotic final state depending on the different initial conditions, the basins of attractions of both ordinary attractor and chaotic attractor are also studied respecively. Finally, as a possible application a method based on pulse driving to control chaos in semiconductor is proposed.

Different Geometries of Superheterodyne Amplification of Electromagnetic Beams in Waveguides Nitride-Dielectric

The superheterodyne amplification of electromagnetic waves is investigated when the resonant three-wave interaction of two electromagnetic waves with the space charge wave occurs in the waveguides nitride n-GaN, n-InN films-dielectric. The amplification of SCW waves due to the negative differential conductivity is investigated in nitride n-GaN, n-InN films at the frequencies f ≤ 400 GHz in the lower part of the terahertz (THz) range. The electromagnetic waves are either in the upper part of THz range or in the optical range. The superheterodyne amplification is considered in two geometries, the collinear one in which the three interacting waves travel in the same direction and the anti-collinear geometry where the second electromagnetic wave propagates in the opposite direction. The preferences and drawbacks of each geometry are pointed out. The finite width of space charge waves leads to decrease of increments of amplification.

Gas-sensor property of single-molecule device:F_2 adsorbing effect

The single thiolated arylethynylene molecule with 9,10-dihydroanthracene core（denoted as TADHA） possesses pronounced negative differential conductance（NDC） behavior at lower bias regime. The adsorption effects of F2 molecule on the current and NDC behavior of TADHA molecular junctions are studied by applying non-equilibrium Green＇s formalism combined with density functional theory. The numerical results show that the F2 molecule adsorbed on the benzene ring of TADHA molecule near the electrode can dramatically suppresses the current of TADHA molecular junction. When the F2 molecule adsorbed on the conjugated segment of 9,10-dihydroanthracene core of TADHA molecule, an obviously asymmetric effect on the current curves induces the molecular system showing apparent rectifier behavior. However, the current especially the NDC behavior have been significantly enlarged when F2 addition reacted with triple bond of TADHA molecule.

Breaking efficiency limit of thermal concentrators by conductivity couplings

The concentrating efficiency of a thermal concentrator can be reflected in the ratio of its interior to exterior temperature gradients,which, however, has an upper limit in existing schemes. Here, we manage to break this upper limit by considering the couplings of thermal conductivities and improve the concentrating efficiency of thermal concentrators. For this purpose, we first discuss a monolayer scheme with an isotropic thermal conductivity, which can break the upper limit but is still restricted by its geometric configuration. To go further, we explore another degree of freedom by considering the monolayer scheme with an anisotropic thermal conductivity or by adding the second shell with an isotropic thermal conductivity, thereby making the concentrating efficiency completely free from the geometric configuration. Nevertheless, apparent negative thermal conductivities are required, and we resort to external heat sources realizing the same effect without violating the second law of thermodynamics. Finite-element simulations are performed to confirm the theoretical predictions, and experimental suggestions are also provided to improve feasibility. These results may have potential applications for thermal camouflage and provide guidance to other diffusive systems such as static magnetic fields and dc current fields for achieving similar behaviors.

Complex dynamical behaviors in modulation-doped GaAs/Al_xGa_(1-x)As heterostructures

We study dynamics of the forced modulation-doped GaAs/AIGaAs heterostructure de-vices . The coupled differential equations governing the dynamical behaviors are numerically simulated. Biased with an appropriate dc field, the system exhibits two states: spontaneous current oscillation and fixed points. By imposing an ac driving force, the dynamical system shows frequency locking, quasiperiodicity, and chaos, which are sensitive to the amplitude and frequency of the externally ap-plied periodical microwave field. The basins of attraction of both ordinary attractors and strange attrac-tors are presented.