Quantum spin dynamics

Abstract:

We present experimental evidence for a hitherto unconfirmed type of angle-dependent magnetoresistance oscillation caused by magnetic breakdown. The effect was observed in the organic superconductor κ- (BEDT-TTF)2 Cu (NCS)2 using hydrostatic pressures of up to 9.8 kbar and magnetic fields of up to 33 T. In addition, we show that similar oscillations are revealed in ambient-pressure measurements, provided that the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations are suppressed either by elevated temperatures or filtering of the data. These results provide a compelling validation of Pippard's semiclassical picture of magnetic breakdown. © 2007 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

We examine environmental effects of surrounding nuclear spins on the electron spin relaxation of the N@ C60 molecule (which consists of a nitrogen atom at the center of a fullerene cage). Using dilute solutions of N@ C60 in regular and deuterated toluene, we observe and model the effect of translational diffusion of nuclear spins of the solvent molecules on the N@ C60 electron spin relaxation times. We also study spin relaxation in frozen solutions of N@ C60 in C S2, to which small quantities of a glassing agent, S2 Cl2, are added. At low temperatures, spin relaxation is caused by spectral diffusion of surrounding nuclear Cl 35,37 spins in the S2 Cl2, but, nevertheless, at 20 K, T2 as long as 0.23 ms is observed. © 2007 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

We consider the nonspherically decaying radiation field that is generated by a polarization current with a superluminally rotating distribution pattern in vacuum, a field that decays with the distance R(P) from its source as R(P)(-1/2), instead of R(P)(-1). It is shown (i) that the nonspherical decay of this emission remains in force at all distances from its source independently of the frequency of the radiation, (ii) that the part of the source that makes the main contribution toward the value of the nonspherically decaying field has a filamentary structure whose radial and azimuthal widths become narrower (as R(P)(-2) and R(P)(-3), respectively) the farther the observer is from the source, (iii) that the loci on which the waves emanating from this filament interfere constructively delineate a radiation subbeam that is nondiffracting in the polar direction, (iv) that the cross-sectional area of each nondiffracting subbeam increases as R(P), instead of R(P)(2), so that the requirements of conservation of energy are met by the nonspherically decaying radiation automatically, and (v) that the overall radiation beam within which the field decays nonspherically consists, in general, of the incoherent superposition of such coherent nondiffracting subbeams. These findings are related to the recent construction and use of superluminal sources in the laboratory and numerical models of the emission from them. We also briefly discuss the relevance of these results to the giant pulses received from pulsars.

Abstract:

We have studied the interlayer resistivity of the prototypical quasi-two-dimensional organic superconductor κ- (BEDT-TTF)2 Cu (NCS)2 as a function of temperature, current, and magnetic field, within the superconducting state. We find a region of nonzero resistivity whose properties are strongly dependent on magnetic field and current density. There is a crossover to non-Ohmic conduction below a temperature that coincides with the two-dimensional vortex solid-vortex liquid transition. We interpret the behavior in terms of a model of current- and thermally driven phase slips caused by the diffusive motion of the pancake vortices which are weakly coupled in adjacent layers, giving rise to a finite interlayer resistance. © 2007 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

The interlayer magnetoresistance rho(zz) of the organic metal kappa-(BEDT-TTF)(2)Cu(NCS)(2) is studied in fields of up to 45 T and at temperatures T from 0.5 to 30 K. The peak in rho(zz) seen in in-plane fields, a definitive signature of interlayer coherence, remains to Ts exceeding the Anderson criterion for incoherent transport by a factor approximately 30. Angle-dependent magnetoresistance oscillations are modeled using an approach based on field-induced quasiparticle paths on a 3D Fermi surface, to yield the T dependence of the scattering rate tau(-1). The results suggest that tau(-1) does not vary strongly over the Fermi surface, and that it has a T(2) dependence due to electron-electron scattering.