Dirac Theory Research Articles

Controlling Thermodynamic Properties of Ferromagnetic Group-IV Graphene-Like Nanosheets by Dilute Charged Impurity

Using the Kane-Mele Hamiltonian, Dirac theory and self-consistent Born approximation, we investigate the effect of dilute charged impurity on the electronic heat capacity and magnetic susceptibility of two-dimensional ferromagnetic honeycomb structure of group-IV elements including silicene, germanene and stanene within the Green’s function approach. We also find these quantities in the presence of applied external electric field. Our results show that the silicene (stanene) has the maximum (minimum) heat capacity and magnetic susceptibility at uniform electric fields. From the behavior of theses quantities, the band gap has been changed with impurity concentration, impurity scattering strength and electric field. The analysis on the impurity-dependent magnetic susceptibility curves shows a phase transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases. Interestingly, electronic heat capacity increases (decreases) with impurity concentration in silicene (germanene and stanene) structure.

On a microscopic representation of space–time IV

We summarize some previous work on SU(4) describing hadron representations and transformations as well as its noncompact “counterpart” SU*(4) being the complex embedding of SL(2,H). So after having related the 16-dim Dirac algebra to SU*(4), on the one hand we have access to real, complex, and quaternionic Lie group chains and their respective algebras, on the other hand it is of course possible to relate physical descriptions to the respective representations. With emphasis on the common maximal compact subgroup USp(4), we are led to projective geometry of the real 3-space and various transfer principles which we use to extend the previous work on the rank 3-algebras above. On real spaces, such considerations are governed by the groups SO(n,m) with n + m = 6. The central thread, however, focuses here on line and Complex geometry which finds its well-known counterparts in descriptions of electromagnetism and special relativity as well as—using transfer principles—in Dirac, gauge, and quantum field theory. We discuss a simple picture where Complexe of second grade play the major and dominant rôle to unify (real) projective geometry, complex representation theory and line/Complex representations in order to proceed to dynamics.

Does Pizzella’s experiment violate causality?

Recent experiments, performed by Prof. Pizzella’s team with relativistic electron bunches, indicate that Coulomb field is rigidly attached to the charge’s instantaneous position. Despite a widespread opinion, this fact does not violate causality in moving reference frames. To see that, one should apply the Wigner – Dirac theory of relativistic dynamics and take into account that the Lorentz boost generator depends on interaction. Then one can show that interaction remains instantaneous in all reference frames.

Lorentz-violating modification of Dirac theory based on spin-nondegenerate operators

The Standard-Model Extension (SME) parameterizes all possible Lorentz-violating contributions to the Standard Model and General Relativity. It can be considered as an effective framework to describe possible quantum-gravity effects for energies much below the Planck energy. In the current paper, the spin-nondegenerate operators of the SME fermion sector are the focus. The propagators, energies, and solutions to the modified Dirac equation are obtained for several families of coefficients including nonminimal ones. The particle energies and spinors are computed at first order in Lorentz violation and, with the optical theorem, they are shown to be consistent with the propagators. The optical theorem is then also used to derive the matrices formed from a spinor and its Dirac conjugate at all orders in Lorentz violation. The results are the first explicit ones derived for the spin-nondegenerate operators. They will prove helpful for future phenomenological calculations in the SME that rely on the footing of quantum field theory.

The Dirac–Hestenes Equation and its Relation with the Relativistic de Broglie–Bohm Theory

In this paper we provide using the Clifford and spin-Clifford formalism and some few results of the extensor calculus a derivation of the conservation laws that follow directly from the Dirac–Hestenes equation (DHE) describing a Dirac–Hestenes spinor field (DHSF) in interaction with an external electromagnetic field without using the Lagrangian formalism. In particular, we show that the energy-momentum and total angular momentum extensors of a DHSF is not conserved in spacetime regions permitting the existence of a null electromagnetic field F but a non null electromagnetic potential \(A \). These results have been used together with some others recently obtained (e.g., that the classical relativistic Hamilton–Jacobi equation is equivalent to a DHE satisfied by a particular class of DHSF) to obtain the correct relativistic quantum potential when the Dirac theory is interpreted as a de Broglie–Bohm theory. Some results appearing in the literature on this issue are criticized and the origin of some misconceptions is detailed with a rigorous mathematical analysis.

Spin heat capacity of monolayer and AB-stacked bilayer MoS2 in the presence of exchange magnetic field

Dirac theory and Green's function technique are carried out to compute the spin dependent band structures and corresponding electronic heat capacity (EHC) of monolayer (ML) and AB-stacked bilayer (BL) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) two-dimensional (2D) crystals. We report the influence of induced exchange magnetic field (EMF) by magnetic insulator substrates on these quantities for both structures. The spin-up (down) subband gaps are shifted with EMF from conduction (valence) band to valence (conduction) band at both Dirac points in the ML because of the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) which leads to a critical EMF in the K point and EHC returns to its initial states for both spins. In the BL case, EMF results split states and the decrease (increase) behavior of spin-up (down) subband gaps has been observed at both K and K′ valleys which is due to the combined effect of SOC and interlayer coupling. For low and high EMFs, EHC of BL MoS2 does not change for spin-up subbands while increases for spin-down subbands.

The Effect of Exchange Magnetic Field on Spin Magnetic Susceptibility of Monolayer and AB-Stacked Bilayer MoS2

In this work, the spin-dependent electronic band structure and magnetic susceptibility (MS) of two graphene’s analogue, monolayer and AB-stacked bilayer MoS 2, are investigated in the presence of induced magnetization by magnetic insulators. Here, we have assumed that the type of magnetic insulators can change the magnetization strength. By focusing on the Dirac points of Brillouin zone and using the Dirac theory within the Green’s function approach, band structures and MSs of two systems are compared. In the bilayer case, gate voltage produces an electric field in order to have spin-orbit coupling (SOC) for spintronic applications. Our results represent the Stark and Zeeman effects because of the spin splitting states by electric and magnetic fields. We have found that the MS has marvelous behaviors before and after a critical magnetization in the monolayer MoS 2 while it increases slightly in bilayer lattice. Up (down) spin band gaps in bilayer MoS 2 decreases (increases) at both Dirac points due to the combined SOC and interlayer hopping potentials.

Introduction to Topological Phases and Electronic Interactions in (2+1) Dimensions

A brief introduction to topological phases is provided, considering several two-band Hamiltonians in one- and two-dimensions. Relevant concepts of the topological insulator theory, such as: Berry phase, Chern number, and the quantum adiabatic theorem, are reviewed in a basic framework, which is meant to be accessible to non-specialists. We discuss the Kitaev chain, SSH, and BHZ models. The role of the electromagnetic interaction in the topological insulator theory is addressed in the light of the Pseudo quantum electrodynamics (PQED). The well known parity anomaly for massless Dirac particle is reviewed in terms of the Chern number. Within the continuum limit, a half-quantized Hall conductivity is obtained. Thereafter, by considering the lattice regularization of the Dirac theory, we show how one may obtain the well known quantum Hall conductivity for a single Dirac cone. The renormalization of the electron energy spectrum, for both small and large coupling regime, is derived. In particular, it is shown that massless Dirac particles may, only in the strong correlated limit, break either chiral or parity symmetries. For graphene, this implies the generation of Landau-like energy levels and the quantum valley Hall effect.

The first law of black hole mechanics for fields with internal gauge freedom

We derive the first law of black hole mechanics for physical theories based on a local, covariant and gauge-invariant Lagrangian where the dynamical fields transform non-trivially under the action of some internal gauge transformations. The theories of interest include General Relativity formulated in terms of tetrads, Einstein–Yang–Mills theory and Einstein–Dirac theory. Since the dynamical fields of these theories have some internal gauge freedom, we argue that there is no natural group action of diffeomorphisms of spacetime on such dynamical fields. In general, such fields cannot even be represented as smooth, globally well-defined tensor fields on spacetime. Consequently the derivation of the first law by Iyer and Wald cannot be used directly. Nevertheless, we show how such theories can be formulated on a principal bundle and that there is a natural action of automorphisms of the bundle on the fields. These bundle automorphisms encode both spacetime diffeomorphisms and internal gauge transformations. Using this reformulation we define the Noether charge associated to an infinitesimal automorphism and the corresponding notion of stationarity and axisymmetry of the dynamical fields. We first show that we can define certain potentials and charges at the horizon of a black hole so that the potentials are constant on the bifurcate Killing horizon, giving a generalised zeroth law for bifurcate Killing horizons. We further identify the gravitational potential and perturbed charge as the temperature and perturbed entropy of the black hole which gives an explicit formula for the perturbed entropy analogous to the Wald entropy formula. We then obtain a general first law of black hole mechanics for such theories. The first law relates the perturbed Hamiltonians at spatial infinity and the horizon, and the horizon contributions take the form of a ‘potential times perturbed charge’ term. We also comment on the ambiguities in defining a prescription for the total entropy for black holes.

Induced fermionic charge and current densities in two-dimensional rings

For a massive quantum fermionic field, we investigate the vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of the charge and current densities induced by an external magnetic flux in a two-dimensional circular ring. Both the irreducible representations of the Clifford algebra are considered. On the ring edges the bag (infinite mass) boundary conditions are imposed for the field operator. This leads to the Casimir type effect on the vacuum characteristics. The radial current vanishes. The charge and the azimuthal current are decomposed into the boundary-free and boundary-induced contributions. Both these contributions are odd periodic functions of the magnetic flux with the period equal to the flux quantum. An important feature that distinguishes the VEVs of the charge and current densities from the VEV of the energy density is their finiteness on the ring edges. The current density is equal to the charge density for the outer edge and has the opposite sign on the inner edge. The VEVs are peaked near the inner edge and, as functions of the field mass, exhibit quite different features for two inequivalent representations of the Clifford algebra. We show that, unlike the VEVs in the boundary-free geometry, the vacuum charge and the current in the ring are continuous functions of the magnetic flux and vanish for half-odd integer values of the flux in units of the flux quantum. Combining the results for two irreducible representations, we also investigate the induced charge and current in parity and time-reversal symmetric models. The corresponding results are applied to graphene rings with the electronic subsystem described in terms of the effective Dirac theory with the energy gap. If the energy gaps for two valleys of the graphene hexagonal lattice are the same, the charge densities corresponding to the separate valleys cancel each other, whereas the azimuthal current is doubled.

Joint Wavelet—Fractional Fourier Transform**Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of the Higher Education Institutions of Anhui Province under Grant Nos KJ2013A258 and KJ2013A261.

Based on Dirac's representation theory and the technique of integration within an ordered product of operators, we put forward the joint wavelet—fractional Fourier transform in the context of quantum mechanics. Its corresponding transformation operator is found and the normally ordered form is deduced. This kind of transformation may be applied to analyzing and identifying quantum states.

Hourglass fermion surface states in stacked topological insulators with nonsymmorphic symmetry

Recently a nonsymmorphic topological insulator was predicted, where the characteristic feature is the emergence of a "hourglass fermion" surface state protected by the nonsymmorphic symmetry. Such a state has already been observed experimentally. We propose a simple model possessing the hourglass fermion surface state. The model is constructing by stacking the quantum-spin-Hall insulators with the interlayer coupling introduced so as to preserve the nonsymmorphic symmetry and the time reversal symmetry. The Dirac theory is also derived, whose analytical results reproduce the hourglass fermion surface state remarkably well. Furthermore, we discuss how the hourglass state is destroyed by introducing perturbations based on the symmetry analysis. Our results show that the hourglass fermion surface state is universal in the helical edge system with the nonsymmorphic symmetry.

Hamiltonian discontinuous Galerkin FEM for linear, stratified (in)compressible Euler equations: internal gravity waves

The linear equations governing internal gravity waves in a stratified ideal fluid possess a Hamiltonian structure. A discontinuous Galerkin finite element method has been developed in which this Hamiltonian structure is discretized, resulting in conservation of discrete analogs of phase space and energy. This required (i) the discretization of the Hamiltonian structure using alternating flux functions and symplectic time integration, (ii) the discretization of a divergence-free velocity field using Dirac's theory of constraints and (iii) the handling of large-scale computational demands due to the 3-dimensional nature of internal gravity waves and, in confined, symmetry-breaking fluid domains, possibly its narrow zones of attraction.

Gate tunable spin transport in graphene with Rashba spin-orbit coupling

Recently, it attracts much attention to study spin-resolved transport properties in graphene with Rashba spin-orbit coupling (RSOC). One remarkable finding is that Klein tunneling in single layer graphene (SLG) with RSOC (SLG + R for short below) behaves as in bi-layer graphene (BLG). Based on the effective Dirac theory, we reconsider this tunneling problem and derive the analytical solution for the transmission coefficients. Our result shows that Klein tunneling in SLG + R and BLG exhibits completely different behaviors. More importantly, we find two new transmission selection rules in SLG + R, i.e., the single band to single band (S → S) and the single band to multiple bands (S → M) transmission regimes, which strongly depend on the relative height among Fermi level, RSOC, and potential barrier. Interestingly, in the S → S transmission regime, only normally incident electrons have capacity to pass through the barrier, while in the S → M transmission regime the angle-dependent tunneling becomes very prominent. Using the transmission coefficients, we also derive spin-resolved conductance analytically, and conductance oscillation with the increasing barrier height and zero conductance gap are found in SLG + R. The present study offers new insights and opportunities for developing graphene-based spin devices.

Quantum Cauchy surfaces in canonical quantum gravity

For a Dirac theory of quantum gravity obtained from the refined algebraic quantization procedure, we propose a quantum notion of Cauchy surfaces. In such a theory, there is a kernel projector for the quantized scalar and momentum constraints, which maps the kinematic Hilbert space into the physical Hilbert space . Under this projection, a quantum Cauchy surface isomorphically represents a physical subspace with a kinematic subspace . The isomorphism induces the complete sets of Dirac observables in , which faithfully represent the corresponding complete sets of self-adjoint operators in . Due to the constraints, a specific subset of the observables would be ‘frozen’ as number operators, providing a background physical time for the rest of the observables. Therefore, a proper foliation with the quantum Cauchy surfaces may provide an observer frame describing the physical states of spacetimes in a Schrödinger picture, with the evolutions under a specific physical background. A simple model will be supplied as an initiative trial.

Identifying the Stern-Gerlach force of classical electron dynamics.

Different classical theories are commonly applied in various branches of physics to describe the relativistic dynamics of electrons by coupled equations for the orbital motion and spin precession. Exemplarily, we benchmark the Frenkel model and the classical Foldy-Wouthuysen model with spin-dependent forces (Stern-Gerlach forces) to the quantum dynamics as predicted by the Dirac equation. Both classical theories can lead to different or even contradicting predictions how the Stern-Gerlach forces modify the electron’s orbital motion, when the electron moves in strong electromagnetic field configurations of emerging high-intensity laser facilities. In this way, one may evaluate the validity and identify the limits of these classical theories via a comparison with possible experiments to provide a proper description of spin-induced dynamics. Our results indicate that the Foldy-Wouthuysen model is qualitatively in better agreement with the Dirac theory than the widely used Frenkel model.

Mixed-state form factors of U(1) twist fields in the Dirac theory

Using the ‘Liouville space’ (the space of operators) of the massive Dirac theory, we define mixed-state form factors of U(1) twist fields. We consider mixed states with density matrices diagonal in the asymptotic particle basis. This includes the thermal Gibbs state as well as all generalized Gibbs ensembles of the Dirac theory. When the mixed state is specialized to a thermal Gibbs state, using a Riemann–Hilbert problem and low-temperature expansion, we obtain finite-temperature form factors of U(1) twist fields. We then propose the expression for form factors of U(1) twist fields in general diagonal mixed states. We verify that these form factors satisfy a system of nonlinear functional differential equations, which is derived from the trace definition of mixed-state form factors. At last, under weak analytic conditions on the eigenvalues of the density matrix, we write down the large distance form factor expansions of two-point correlation functions of these twist fields. Using the relation between the Dirac and Ising models, this provides the large-distance expansion of the Rényi entropy (for integer Rényi parameter) in the Ising model in diagonal mixed states.

Strong-field Breit-Wheeler pair production in short laser pulses: Relevance of spin effects

Production of electron-positron pairs in the collision of a high-energy photon with a high-intensity few-cycle laser pulse is studied. By utilizing the frameworks of laser-dressed spinor and scalar quantum electrodynamics, a comparison between the production of pairs of Dirac and Klein-Gordon particles is drawn. Positron energy spectra and angular distributions are presented for various laser parameters. We identify conditions under which predictions from Klein-Gordon theory either closely resemble or largely differ from those of the proper Dirac theory. In particular, we address the question to which extent the relevance of spin effects is influenced by the short duration of the laser pulse.

The Clifford algebra of physical space and Dirac theory

The claim found in many textbooks that the Dirac equation cannot be written solely in terms of Pauli matrices is shown to not be completely true. It is only true as long as the term in the usual Dirac factorization of the Klein–Gordon equation is assumed to be the product of a square matrix β and a column matrix ψ. In this paper we show that there is another possibility besides this matrix product, in fact a possibility involving a matrix operation, and show that it leads to another possible expression for the Dirac equation. We show that, behind this other possible factorization is the formalism of the Clifford algebra of physical space. We exploit this fact, and discuss several different aspects of Dirac theory using this formalism. In particular, we show that there are four different possible sets of definitions for the parity, time reversal, and charge conjugation operations for the Dirac equation.

Universal collisionless transport of graphene

The impact of the electron-electron Coulomb interaction on the optical conductivity of graphene has led to a controversy that calls into question the universality of collisionless transport in this and other Dirac materials. Using a lattice calculation that avoids divergences present in previous nodal Dirac approaches, our work settles this controversy and obtains results in quantitative agreement with experiment over a wide frequency range. We also demonstrate that dimensional regularization methods agree, as long as the scaling properties of the conductivity and the regularization of the theory in modified dimension are correctly implemented. Tight-binding lattice and nodal Dirac theory calculations are shown to coincide at low energies even when the non-zero size of the atomic orbital wave function is included, conclusively demonstrating the universality of the optical conductivity of graphene.