Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Modeling Of Metal-Ferroelectric-Insulator-Semiconductor Structures Based On Langmuir–Blodgett Copolymer Films, Timothy J. Reece, Stephen Ducharme

Stephen Ducharme Publications

Among the ferroelectric thin films used in field-effect transistor devices; the ferroelectric copolymer of polyvinylidene fluoride PVDF –CH2–CF2–, with trifluoroethylene TrFE –CHF–CF2–, has distinct advantages, including low dielectric constant, low processing temperature, low cost, and compatibility with organic semiconductors. The operation of a metal-ferroelectric insulatorsemiconductor structure with PVDF-TrFE as the ferroelectric layer was analyzed and optimized by numerical solution of the Miller and McWhorter model. A model device consisting of 20 nm PVDF/TrFE on a 10-nm-thick high-k dielectric buffer exhibits a memory window of 5 V with an operating voltage of 15 V. The operating voltage can be reduced to …

Perturbation Theory Analysis Of Attosecond Photoionization, Anthony F. Starace, Evgeny A. Pronin, M. V. Frolov, N. L. Manakov

Anthony F. Starace Publications

Ionization of an atom by a few-cycle attosecond xuv pulse is analyzed using perturbation theory (PT), keeping terms in the transition amplitude up to second order in the pulse electric field. Within the PT approach, we present an ab initio parametrization of the ionized electron angular distribution (AD) using rotational invariance and symmetry arguments. This parametrization gives analytically the dependence of the AD on the carrier envelope phase (CEP), the polarization of the pulse, and on the ionized electron momentum direction, p^ . For the general case of an elliptically polarized pulse, we show that interference of the first- and …

Finite Temperature Effects In Magnetic Materials: Model And Ab Initio Studies, Aleksander L. Wysocki

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The understanding of finite temperature behavior of magnetic materials is of vital importance for spintronic applications. In this dissertation different theoretical techniques for studying magnetic thermodynamics of various materials are discussed. Cr₂O₃ is an antiferromagnetic insulator that was proposed to be a key component of new spintronic devices. The magnetic properties of Cr₂O₃ were studied using the LDA+U method. Magnetism was found to be very well described by the Heisenberg model. Subsequently, magnetic thermodynamics was explored using quantum pair cluster approximation. Overall, very good agreement with experiment was found for the ground state and …

Exchange Bias Training Effect In Magnetically Coupled Bilayers, Srinivas Polisetty

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Interfaces in magnetically coupled bilayer heterostructures play a vital role in novel spintronics devices. Particularly, control of the interface spin structure enables the development of progressively down-scalable magnetic read-heads which are of major importance for non volatile magnetic recording media. Exchange bias and its accompanying training effect are fundamental magnetic coupling phenomena taking place at the interfaces of antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic and hard/soft ferromagnetic bilayers. Here, in my thesis I present the experimental results of exchange bias training in the prototypical antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic exchange bias system CoO/Co and the corresponding coupling and aging phenomena in the all ferromagnetic hard/soft bilayer CoPtCrB/CoCr. The latter …

Nanoscale Domain Patterns In Ultrathin Polymer Ferroelectric Films, Pankaj Sharma, Timothy J. Reece, Daniel W. Wu, Vladimir M. Fridkin, Stephen Ducharme, Alexei Gruverman

Stephen Ducharme Publications

High-resolution studies of domain configurations in Langmuir–Blodgett films of ferroelectric polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene), P(VDF-TrFE), have been carried out by means of piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Changes in film thickness and morphology cause significant variations in polarization patterns. In continuous films and nanomesas with relatively low thickness/grain aspect ratio (<1/10), the relationship between the average domain size and thickness follows the Kittel law. Nanomesas with high aspect ratio (>1/5) exhibit significant deviations from this law, suggesting additional surface-energy-related mechanisms affecting the domain patterns. Polarization reversal within a single crystallite has been demonstrated and local switching parameters (coercive voltage and remnant piezoresponse) have been measured by monitoring the local hysteresis loops. Reliable control of polarization at the sub-grain level demonstrates …

Isomeric Effects With Di-Iodobenzene (C6H4I2) On Adsorption On Graphite, Keisuke Fukutani, Ning Wu, Peter A. Dowben

Peter Dowben Publications

Differences are seen in the adsorption of 1,2-di-iodobenzene, 1,3-di-iodobenzene, and 1,4-di-iodobenzene on graphite, as a function of exposure, using core level photoemission. The isomer 1,3-di-iodobenzene exhibits significant differences from 1,2-di-iodobenzene, and 1,4-di-iodobenzene in apparent sticking coefficients and core level binding energies. 1,3-Di-iodobenzene adsorb on graphite at 110 K in a strongly Stranski–Krastanov or Volmer–Weber (island) growth mode. The implication is that, even for small molecules adsorption, the adsorbate dipole in the plane of surface and the choice of isomer may matter.

Dielectric Nanocomposites: An Inside-Out Approach To Storing Electrostatic Energy, Stephen Ducharme

Stephen Ducharme Publications

The ability to achieve high-energy densities is the central challenge in energy storage and recovery. A promising strategy for increasing energy storage is to use highperformance dielectric materials, such as highly polarizable nanoparticles or polymers, or nanocomposites of the two. In this issue, Kim et al. use a molecular coating and clever chemistry to combine oxide nanoparticles with a polymer matrix, thereby producing an improved nanocomposite dielectric. Some advantages and challenges of using nanocomposites as improved dielectric materials are presented in this Perspective.

The Aharonov-Bohm Effects: Variations On A Subtle Theme, Herman Batelaan, Akira Tonomura

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

The notion, introduced 50 years ago, that electrons could be affected by electromagnetic potentials without coming in contact with actual force fields was received with a skepticism that has spawned a flourishing of experimental tests and expansions of the original idea.

Magnetoelectric Effect At The Srruo3/Batio3 (001) Interface: An Ab Initio Study, Manish K. Niranjan, John D. Burton, Julian P. Velev, Sitaram Jaswal, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal

Evgeny Tsymbal Publications

Ferromagnet/ferroelectric interface materials have emerged as structures with strong magnetoelectric coupling that may exist due to unconventional physical mechanisms. Here we present a first-principles study of the magnetoelectric effect at the ferromagnet/ferroelectric SrRuO3 /BaTiO3 (001) interface. We find that the exchange splitting of the spin-polarized band structure, and therefore the magnetization, at the interface can be altered substantially by reversal of the ferroelectric polarization in the BaTiO3. These magnetoelectric effects originate from the screening of polarization charges at the SrRuO3 /BaTiO3 interface and are consistent with the Stoner model for itinerant magnetism.

Adsorbate/Absorbate Interactions With Organic Ferroelectric Polymers, Peter A. Dowben, Luis G. Rosa, Carolina C. Ilie, Jie Xiao

Peter Dowben Publications

We discuss the interactions of adsorbates with the organic ferroelectric copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride (PVDF)–trifluoroethylene (TrFE)). Range of molecular adsorbates is discussed from the smaller polar molecules like water, which is small enough to both adsorb and absorb, to the larger macrocyclic metal–organic metal phthalocyanines. The changes in local dipole orientation may affect the strength of the coupling between adsorbate or absorbate and the copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene). The interface dipole interactions may also affect device properties. The dipole interactions are implicated at the interface between copper phthalocyanine and poly(vinylidene fluoride with trifluoroethylene) affecting the band offsets and the diode properties.

Tunneling Electroresistance In Ferroelectric Tunnel Junctions With A Composite Barrier, M. Ye. Zhuravlev, Yong Wang, S. Maekawa, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal

Evgeny Tsymbal Publications

Tunneling electroresistance (TER) effect is the change in the electrical resistance of a ferroelectric tunnel junction (FTJ) associated with polarization reversal in the ferroelectric barrier layer. Here we predict that a FTJ with a composite barrier that combines a functional ferroelectric film and a thin layer of a nonpolar dielectric can exhibit a significantly enhanced TER. Due to the change in the electrostatic potential with polarization reversal, the nonpolar dielectric barrier acts as a switch that changes its barrier height from a low to high value. The predicted values of TER are giant and indicate that the resistance of the …

Fluorescence Polarization Of Atomic, Dissociated Atomic, And Molecular Transitions Induced By Spin-Polarized Electron Impact, Jack W. Maseberg

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Excitation of atoms by spin-polarized electron impact yields fluorescence that can generally exhibit both linear and circular polarization. For experiments where the scattered electrons are not detected, symmetry requires that the electron beam be spin polarized in order for non-zero circular polarization to be observed. Extensive theoretical and experimental investigations have been performed regarding fluorescence polarizations (Stokes parameters) resulting from spin-polarized electron impact excitation of atoms. Measurement of fluorescence polarization provides insight into the angular momentum coupling that exists in the atomic state of interest. It also enables the measurement of electron spin polarization and experimental benchmarking of theoretical atomic …

Few-Cycle Attosecond Pulse Chirp Effects On Asymmetries In Ionized Electron Momentum Distributions, Liang-You Peng, Fang Tan, Qihuang Gong, Evgeny A. Pronin, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

The momentum distributions of electrons ionized from H atoms by chirped few-cycle attosecond pulses are investigated by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The central carrier frequency of the pulse is chosen to be 25 eV, which is well above the ionization threshold. The asymmetry (or difference) in the yield of electrons ionized along and opposite to the direction of linear laser polarization is found to be very sensitive to the pulse chirp (for pulses with fixed carrier-envelope phase), both for a fixed electron energy and for the energy-integrated yield. In particular, the larger the pulse chirp, the larger the …

Mfm Studies Of Interlayer Exchange Coupling In Co/Ru/Co Films: Effect Of Ru Layer Thickness, Lanping Yue, Zhen Li, Roger D. Kirby, David J. Sellmyer

David Sellmyer Publications

Antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic thin films are promising candidates for the design of new magnetic storage and logic devices. The ability to control the interlayer thickness, therefore the magnetic reversal response, of exchange-coupled magnetic layers is of paramount importance in nanotechnology, especially in magnetic sensing element design and applications. In this work, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) with improved sensitivity and high spatial resolution probes was used to obtain a more detailed view of magnetization reversal behavior and domain evolution in the indirect exchange-coupled trilayer system: Co/Ru/Co. The effect of the variable Ru interlayer thickness on the exchange coupling and thus the …

Spectroscopic Investigations On Polypropylene-Carbon Nanofiber Composites: I. Raman And Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy, Mircea Chipara, John R. Villarreal, Magdalena Dorina Chipara, Karen Lozano, Alin Cristian Chipara, David J. Sellmyer

David Sellmyer Publications

Isotactic polypropylene-vapor grown carbon nanofiber composites containing various fractions of carbon nanofibers, ranging from 0 to 20 wt %, have been prepared. Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the effect of the dispersion of carbon nanofibers within polypropylene and the interactions between carbon nanofibers and macromolecular chains. The as-recorded Raman spectra have been successfully fitted by a linear convolution of Lorentzian lines. Changes of the Raman lines parameters (position, intensity, width, and area) of polypropylene and carbon nanofibers were analyzed in detail. The Raman spectra of the polymeric matrix—at low concentrations of nanofibers—show important modifications that indicate strong interactions between …

Polarization Switching Kinetics Of Ferroelectric Nanomesas Of Vinylidene Fluoride-Trifluoroethylene Copolymer, R. V. Gaynutdinov, O. A. Lysova, S. G. Yudin, A. L. Tolstikhina, A. L. Kholkin, V. M. Fridkin, Stephen Ducharme

Stephen Ducharme Publications

The polarization switching kinetics of ferroelectric polymer nanomesas was investigated using piezoresponse force microscopy. The nanomesas were made by self-organization from Langmuir–Blodgett films of a 70% vinylidene fluoride and 30% trifluoroethylene copolymer. The polarization switching time exhibits an exponential dependence on reciprocal voltage that is consistent with nucleation-type switching dynamics.

Analytic Description Of The High-Energy Plateau In Harmonic Generation By Atoms: Can The Harmonic Power Increase With Increasing Laser Wavelengths?, M. V. Frolov, N. L. Manakov, T. S. Sarantseva, M. Yu. Emelin, M. Yu. Ryabikin, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

A closed-form analytic formula for high-order harmonic generation (HHG) rates for atoms (that generalizes an HHG formula for negative ions [M.V. Frolov et al., J. Phys. B 42, 035601 (2009)]) is used to study laser wavelength scaling of the HHG yield for harmonic energies in the cutoff region of the HHG plateau. We predict increases of the harmonic power for HHG by Ar, Kr, and Xe with increasing wavelength λ over atom-specific intervals of λ in the infrared region, λ ~ (0.8–2.0) μm.

Fission Processes Following Core Level Excitation In Closo-1,2-Orthocarborane, E. Rühl, A. P. Hitchcock, J. D. Bozek, T. Tyliszczak, A. L. D. Kilcoyne, D. N. Mcilroy, A. Knop-Gericke, Peter A. Dowben

Peter Dowben Publications

Time-of-flight mass analysis with multi-stop coincidence detection was used to study the multi-cation ionic fragmentation of the closo carborane cage molecule closo-1,2-orthocarborane (C₂B₁₀H₁₂) following inner-shell excitation in or above the B 1s regime. Electron ion coincidence spectra reveal the cationic products which are formed after core level excitation. Distinct changes in fragmentation pattern are observed as a function of excitation energy. Photoelectron–photoion– photoion coincidence (PEPIPICO) spectroscopy was used to study the dominant fission routes in the core level excitation regime. Series of ion pairs are identified, where asymmetric fission dominates, leading to ion pairs …

Photometry Of Type Ii Cepheid Candidates From The Northern Part Of The All Sky Automated Survey, Edward G. Schmidt, Brian Hemen, Danielle Rogalla, Lauren Thacker-Lynn, University Of Nebraska - Lincoln

Edward Schmidt Publications

We have obtained VR photometry of 282 Cepheid variable star candidates from the northern part of the All Sky Automated Survey (ASAS). These together with data from the ASAS and the Northern Sky Variability Survey (NSVS) were used to redetermine the periods of the stars. We divided the stars into four groups based on location in a plot of mean color, (V − R), versus period. Two of the groups fell within the region of the diagram containing known type II Cepheids and yielded 14 new highly probable type II Cepheids. The properties of the remaining stars in these two …

Selective Nanoshaving Of Self-Assembled Monolayers Of 2-(4-Pyridylethyl)Triethoxysilane, Luis G. Rosa, Jinyue Jiang, Ocelio V. Lima, Jie Xiao, Emmanuel Utreras, Peter A. Dowben, Li Tan

Peter Dowben Publications

Single molecular layers of 2-(4-pyridylethyl)triethoxysilane have been deposited on native oxide surfaces of silicon, with the triethoxysilylethyl groups towards the silicon oxide interface and pyridine at the surface. It is possible to “shave” or mechanically break the molecular bonds at the alkoxy-silane (Si–C) bond using scanning atomic force microscope, leaving large swaths of surface area cut to a depth of 0.64 ± 0.06 nm, exposing the silicon of the alkoxy-silane ligand. Mechanical cleavage of the pyridine ligand alone is also possible, but more difficult to control selectively.

Time-Resolved Electron Diffraction From Selectively Aligned Molecules, Peter Reckenthaeler, Martin Centurion, Werner Fuß, Sergei A. Trushin, Ferenc Krausz, Ernst E. Fill

Martin Centurion Publications

We experimentally demonstrate ultrafast electron diffraction from transiently aligned molecules in the absence of external (aligning) fields. A sample of aligned molecules is generated through photodissociation with femtosecond laser pulses, and the diffraction pattern is captured by probing the sample with picosecond electron pulses shortly after dissociation—before molecular rotation causes the alignment to vanish. In our experiments the alignment decays with a time constant of 2.6 ± 1.2 ps.

Exchange Coupling At Cobalt/ Nickel Oxide Interfaces, Andrew G. Baruth

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Spin arrangement at interfaces in layered magnetic materials is of vital importance to the emerging field of spintronics. Knowledge of how and why the interfacial spins behave in a certain way will aid in the development of future magnetic-based memories.

Much exploration has taken place in the interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) of ferromagnetic heterostructures with in-plane anisotropy. Only recently has it become apparent that to achieve the goals of increased areal density in magnetic memory a push for exploring magnetic materials with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) must occur. An interesting and promising candidate for such a magnetic system is [Co/Pt]/NiO/[Co/Pt], …

Magnetocaloric Properties Of Co/Cr Superlattices, Tathagata Mukherjee, Sarbeswar Sahoo, David J. Sellmyer, Christian Binek

Christian Binek Publications

Nanostructured materials for refrigeration applications are experimentally realized by molecular beam epitaxial growth of Co/Cr superlattices using mean-field theoretical concepts as guiding principles. Magnetocaloric properties are deduced from measurements of the temperature and field dependence of the magnetization of our samples. More generally, the potential of artificial antiferromagnets for near room-temperature refrigeration is explored. The effects of intraplane and interplane exchange interactions on the magnetic phase diagram in Ising-type model systems are revisited in mean-field considerations with special emphasis on tailoring magnetocaloric properties. The experimental results are discussed in light of our theoretical findings, and extrapolations for future improved nanostructures …

Analytic Formulas For Above-Threshold Ionization Or Detachment Plateau Spectra, M. V. Frolov, N. L. Manakov, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

Closed-form analytic formulas are derived in the tunneling limit for both above-threshold detachment (ATD) of negative ions and above-threshold ionization (ATI) of neutral atoms. These formulas are shown to give precise agreement with essentially exact single-active-electron numerical results for detached or ionized electron energies corresponding to the high-energy end of the ATD and ATI plateaus (with only a small constant shift of electron energies being required in the case of ATI). These formulas for ATI and ATD rates thus provide an analytic explanation for the well-known oscillatory patterns of ATI and ATD rates as functions of electron energy and of …

Quantum Nature Of Two-Dimensional Electron Gas Confinement At Laalo3=Srtio3 Interfaces, Karolina Janicka, Julian P. Velev, Evgeny Y. Tsymbal

Evgeny Tsymbal Publications

We perform density functional calculations to understand the mechanism controlling the confinement width of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interfaces. We find that the 2DEG confinement can be explained by the formation of metal induced gap states (MIGS) in the band gap of SrTiO₃. These states are formed as the result of quantum-mechanical tunneling of the charge created at the interface due to electronic reconstruction. The attenuation length of the MIGS into the insulator is controlled by the lowest-decay-rate evanescent states of SrTiO₃, as determined by its complex band structure. Our …

Plateau Structure In Resonant Laser-Assisted Electron-Atom Scattering, A. V. Flegel, M. V. Frolov, N. L. Manakov, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

Orders of magnitude increases are predicted in the cross sections for electron-atom scattering accompanied by absorption or emission of n laser photons for incident electron energies at which the electron, by emitting μ laser photons, can be captured by the atom to form a negative ion. Enhancements are most significant in the plateau region (n >> μ) of the scattered electron spectrum, whose shape is predicted to replicate that of the ion’s (n + μ)-photon detachment spectrum.

Evidence For The Decay BS0 → DS(*)DS(*) And A Measurement Of ΔγSCp/ΓS, V. M. Abazov, Kenneth A. Bloom, Gregory Snow, D0 Collaboration

Kenneth Bloom Publications

We search for the semi-inclusive process B_s⁰ → D_s^(*)D_s^(*) using 2.8 fb^-1 of pp collisions at √s = 1.96 TeV recorded by the D0 detector operating at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider.We observe 26.6 ± 8.4 signal events with a significance above background of 3.2 standard deviations yielding a branching ratio of B(b_s⁰ → D_s^(*)D_s^(*) = 0.035 ± 0.010(stat.) ± 0.011 (syst.). Under certain theoretical assumptions, these double-charm final states saturate CP-even eigenstates in the B_s⁰ decays resulting in a width …

Search For Anomalous Top-Quark Couplings With The D0 Detector, V. M. Abazov, Kenneth A. Bloom, Gregory Snow, D0 Collaboration

Kenneth Bloom Publications

Anomalous Wtb couplings modify the angular correlations of the top-quark decay products and change the single top-quark production cross section. We present limits on anomalous top-quark couplings by combining information from W boson helicity measurements in top-quark decays and anomalous coupling searches in the single top-quark final state. We set limits on right-handed vector couplings as well as left-handed and right-handed tensor couplings based on about 1 fb^-1 of data collected by the D0 experiment.

Measurement Of The Lifetime Of The BC± Meson In The Semileptonic Decay Channel, V. M. Abazov, Kenneth A. Bloom, Gregory Snow, D0 Collaboration

Kenneth Bloom Publications

Using approximately 1.3 fb^-1 of data collected by the D0 detector between 2002 and 2006, we measure the lifetime of the B_c^± meson in the B_c^± → J/ψμ^± + X final state. A simultaneous unbinned likelihood fit to the J/ψ + μ invariant mass and lifetime distributions yields a signal of 881 ± 80(stat) candidates and a lifetime measurement of τ(B_c^±) = 0.448_-0.036^+0.038(stat) ± 0.032(syst) ps.

Magnetism Of Fept Surface Alloys, Jan Honolka, T. Y. Lee, K. Kuhnke, Axel Enders, Ralph Skomski, S. Bornemann, S. Mankovsky, J. Minar, J. Staunton, H. Ebert, M. Hessler, K. Fauth, G. Schutz, A. Buchsbaum, M. Schmid, P. Varga, K. Kern

Ralph Skomski Publications

The complex correlation of structure and magnetism in highly coercive monoatomic FePt surface alloys is studied using scanning tunneling microscopy, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, and ab initio theory. Depending on the specific lateral atomic coordination of Fe either hard magnetic properties comparable to that of bulk FePt or complex noncollinear magnetism due to Dzyaloshinski-Moriya interactions are observed. Our calculations confirm the subtle dependence of the magnetic anisotropy and spin alignment on the local coordination and suggest that 3D stacking of Fe and Pt layers in bulk L1₀ magnets is not essential to achieve high-anisotropy values.