Inhomogeneity Length Scale Research Articles

Interaction of driven ``cold'' electron plasma wave with thermal bulk via ion spatial inhomogeneity

Abstract Using high resolution Vlasov - Poisson simulations, evolution of driven ``cold" electron plasma wave (EPW) in the presence of stationary inhomogeneous background of ions is studied. Mode coupling dynamics between ``cold'' EPW with phase velocity $v_{\phi}$ greater than thermal velocity i.e $v_{\phi} \gg v_{thermal}$ and its inhomogeneity induced sidebands is illustrated as an initial value problem. In driven cases, formation of BGK like phase space structures corresponding to sideband modes due to energy exchange from primary mode to bulk particles via wave-wave and wave-particle interactions leading to particle trapping is demonstrated for inhomogeneous plasma. Qualitative comparison studies between initial value perturbation and driven problem is presented, which examines the relative difference in energy transfer time between the interacting modes. Effect of variation in background ion inhomogeneity amplitude as well as ion inhomogeneity scale length on the driven EPWs is reported.

Damped kink motions in a system of two solar coronal tubes with elliptic cross sections

Aims. This study is motivated by observations of coordinated transverse displacements in neighboring solar active region loops, addressing specifically how the behavior of kink motions in straight two-tube equilibria is impacted by tube interactions and tube cross-sectional shapes. Methods. We worked with linear, ideal, pressureless magnetohydrodynamics. Axially standing kink motions were examined as an initial value problem for transversely structured equilibria involving two identical, field-aligned, density-enhanced tubes with elliptic cross sections (elliptic tubes). Continuously nonuniform layers were implemented around both tube boundaries. We numerically followed the system response to external velocity drivers, largely focusing on the quasi-mode stage of internal flows to derive the pertinent periods and damping times. Results. The periods and damping times that we derive for two-circular-tube setups justify the available modal results found with the T-matrix approach. Regardless of cross-sectional shapes, our nonuniform layers feature the development of small-scale shears and energy accumulation around Alfvén resonances, indicative of resonant absorption and phase mixing. As with two-circular-tube systems, our configurational symmetries still make it possible to classify lower-order kink motions by the polarization and symmetric properties of the internal flows; hence, such motions are labeled as S​x and Ax. However, the periods and damping times for two-elliptic-tube setups further depend on cross-sectional aspect ratios, with Ax motions occasionally damped less rapidly than S​x motions. We find uncertainties up to ∼20% (∼50%) for the axial Alfvén time (the inhomogeneity lengthscale) if the periods (damping times) computed for two-elliptic-tube setups are seismologically inverted with canonical theories for isolated circular tubes. Conclusions. The effects of loop interactions and cross-sectional shapes need to be considered when the periods, and in particular the damping times, are seismologically exploited for coordinated transverse displacements in adjacent coronal loops.

Electron cyclotron resonance during plasma initiation

Electron-cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) is the main heating mechanism in the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator. Although second-harmonic ECRH (X2) has been used routinely for plasma startup, startup at third harmonic (X3) is known to be much more difficult. In this work, we investigate the energy gain of particles during nonlinear wave–particle interaction for conditions relevant to second- and third-harmonic startups in W7-X. We take into account both the beam and the ambient magnetic field inhomogeneities. The latter is shown to significantly increase the mean energy gain resulting from a single wave–particle resonant interaction. In W7-X-like conditions, the improvement in maximum gained energy is up to 4 times the analogous uniform magnetic field case. However, this improvement is not enough to ensure X3 startup. The optimal magnetic field inhomogeneity length scale for average energy gain and start up in W7-X-like conditions is found to be in the range of $1$ to $3\ {\rm km}^{-1}$ . A possibility of using multiple beams with neighbouring resonances is also considered. A considerable enhancement of the energy gain is demonstrated.

Bandgap bowing parameter and alloy fluctuations for β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 alloys for x ≤ 0.35 determined from low temperature optical reflectivity

A bandgap bowing parameter of 0.4 ± 0.2 eV for β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 alloys, with Al compositions (x) up to 0.35, has been determined from the bandgap obtained from low temperature optical reflectivity, which suppresses the effect of electron–phonon interaction on the bandgap. A length scale of inhomogeneity of 0.21 ± 0.03 times of the electron–hole mean free path length has been estimated for β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 alloys. The unit cell of β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 alloys compresses, and the lattice parameters vary linearly with Al substitution. Our results provide insight into bandgap engineering and alloy disorder for β-(AlxGa1−x)2O3 alloys, which are an important material system for applications in deep ultraviolet opto-electronic devices.

Real-space imaging of magnetic phase transformation in single crystalline Sm–Ca–Sr based manganite compound

Low-temperature-high-magnetic field magnetic force microscopy studies on colossal magnetoresistance material Sm0.5Ca0.25Sr0.25MnO3 have been carried out. These measurements provide real-space visualization of antiferromagnetic–ferromagnetic (AFM–FM) transition on sub-micron length scale and explain the presence of AFM–FM transition in the temperature-dependent magnetization measurements, but the absence of corresponding metal–insulator transition in temperature-dependent resistivity measurements at the low magnetic field. Distribution of transition temperature over the scanned area indicates towards the quench disorder broadening of the first-order magnetic phase transition. It shows that the length scale of chemical inhomogeneity extends over several micrometers.

Coarse-grained model of a nanoscale-segregated ionic liquid for simulations of low-temperature structure and dynamics

We perform molecular dynamics simulations to study the structure and dynamics of the ionic liquid [Omim][TFSI] in a broad temperature range. A particular focus is the progressing nanoscale segregation into polar and nonpolar regions upon cooling. As this analysis requires simulations of large systems for long times, we use the iterative Boltzmann inversion method to develop a new coarse-grained (CG) model from a successful all-atom (AA) model. We show that the properties are similar for both levels of description at room temperature, while the CG model shows stronger nanoscale segregation and faster diffusion dynamics than its AA counterpart at low temperatures. Exploiting these features of the CG model, we find that the characteristic length scale of the structural inhomogeneity nearly doubles to ∼3 nm when the temperature is decreased to about 200 K. Moreover, we observe that the nanoscale segregation is characterized by a bicontinuous morphology. In worm-like nonpolar regions, the ends of the octyl rests of the cations preferentially aggregate in the centers, while the other parts of the alkyl chains tend to be aligned parallel on a next-neighbor level and point outward, allowing for an integration of the imidazolium head groups of the cations into polar regions together with the anions, resembling to some degree the molecular arrangement in cylindrical micelles.

Coupling of drift wave with dust acoustic wave

A drift wave is a prominent mode of a magnetized plasma of inhomogeneous density. It plays an important role in the transport of particles, energy, and momentum perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field. The frequency of this mode is governed by the inhomogeneity scale length and is much lower than the typical homogeneous plasma modes involving ions and electrons. In this work, the possibility of coupling of this particular mode with the low frequency modes of a dusty plasma medium is considered. The drift wave has been found to saturate at large ky (perpendicular wavenumber) in a magnetized plasma with weakly correlated dust species mainly due to the shielding by polarization drift of ions. However, when dust particles are strongly correlated, the drift wave converts into a transverse shear wave at large ky.

Nanoscale magnetization inhomogeneity within single phase nanopillars.

We report observation of a radial dependence in the magnetic anisotropy of epitaxially strained CoFe2O4 nanopillars in a BaTiO3 matrix. This archetypal example of a multiferroic heterostructure with a self-assembling three-dimensional architecture possesses significant out-of-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. The anisotropy originates from the large magnetostriction of CoFe2O4 and the state of stress within the nanocomposite. Magnetometry suggests the existence of two magnetic phases with different anisotropies. Micromagnetic simulations of a core-shell magnetic anisotropy qualitatively reproduce features of the magnetic hysteresis and elucidate the magnetization reversal mechanism: The magnetization initially reorients within the pillar core, followed by that of the shell. This is consistent with polarized small-angle neutron scattering which can be described by a CoFe2O4 magnetization that is nonuniform on nanometer length scales. As the length scale of inhomogeneity of the magnetic anisotropy is similar to estimates of the relaxation of the displacement field from the CoFe2O4-BaTiO3 interface, stress and its influence on structure provide an important route to new functionality of vertically aligned nanopillars for applications in low-power memory, computing, and sensing.

Inference of magnetic field strength and density from damped transverse coronal waves

A classic application of coronal seismology uses transverse oscillations of waveguides to obtain estimates of the magnetic field strength. The procedure requires information on the density of the structures. Often it ignores the damping of the oscillations. We computed marginal posteriors for parameters such as the waveguide density, the density contrast, the transverse inhomogeneity length scale, and the magnetic field strength under the assumption that the oscillations can be modelled as standing magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) kink modes damped by resonant absorption. Our results show that the magnetic field strength can be properly inferred, even if the densities inside and outside the structure are largely unknown. Incorporating observational estimates of plasma density further constrains the obtained posteriors. The amount of information that is included a priori for the density and the density contrast influences their corresponding posteriors, but very little the inferred magnetic field strength. The decision to include or leave out the information on the damping and the damping timescales has a minimal impact on the obtained magnetic field strength. In contrast to the classic method, which provides numerical estimates with error bars or possible ranges of variation for the magnetic field strength, Bayesian methods offer the full distribution of plausibility over the considered range of possible values. The methods applied to available datasets of observed transverse loop oscillations can be extended to prominence fine structures or chromospheric spicules, and implemented to propagating waves in addition to standing oscillations.

Marginal stability, characteristic frequencies, and growth rates of gradient drift modes in partially magnetized plasmas with finite electron temperature

The detailed analysis of stability of azimuthal oscillations in partially magnetized plasmas with crossed electric and magnetic fields is presented. The instabilities are driven by the transverse electron current which, in general, is due to a combination of E×B and electron diamagnetic drifts. Marginal stability boundary is determined for a wide range of the equilibrium plasma parameters. It is shown that in some regimes near the instability threshold, only the low-frequency long-wavelength oscillations are unstable, while the short-wavelength high-frequency modes are stabilized by the finite Larmor radius effects. Without such stabilization, the high-frequency modes have much larger growth rates and dominate. A new regime of the instability driven exclusively by the magnetic field gradient is identified. Such instability takes place in the region of the weak electric field and for relatively large gradients of plasma density (ρs/ln>1, where ρs is the ion-sound Larmor radius and ln is the scale length of plasma density inhomogeneity).

Resistivity bound for hydrodynamic bad metals

We obtain a rigorous upper bound on the resistivity [Formula: see text] of an electron fluid whose electronic mean free path is short compared with the scale of spatial inhomogeneities. When such a hydrodynamic electron fluid supports a nonthermal diffusion process-such as an imbalance mode between different bands-we show that the resistivity bound becomes [Formula: see text] The coefficient [Formula: see text] is independent of temperature and inhomogeneity lengthscale, and [Formula: see text] is a microscopic momentum-preserving scattering rate. In this way, we obtain a unified mechanism-without umklapp-for [Formula: see text] in a Fermi liquid and the crossover to [Formula: see text] in quantum critical regimes. This behavior is widely observed in transition metal oxides, organic metals, pnictides, and heavy fermion compounds and has presented a long-standing challenge to transport theory. Our hydrodynamic bound allows phonon contributions to diffusion constants, including thermal diffusion, to directly affect the electrical resistivity.

Reliable Work Function Determination of Multicomponent Surfaces and Interfaces: The Role of Electrostatic Potentials in Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy

AbstractUltraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) is a key technique to determine the work function (Φ) of surfaces by measuring the secondary‐electron cut‐off (SECO). However, the interpretation of SECO spectra as obtained by UPS is not straightforward for multicomponent surfaces, and it is not comprehensively understood to what extent the length scale of inhomogeneity impacts the SECO. Here, this study unravels the physics governing the energy distribution of the SECO by experimentally and theoretically determining the electrostatic landscape above surfaces with defined patterns of Φ. For such samples, the measured SECO spectra exhibit actually two cut‐offs, one representing the high Φ surface component and the other one corresponding to an area‐averaged Φ value. By combining Kelvin probe force microscopy and electrostatic modeling, it is quantitatively demonstrated that the electrostatic potential of the high Φ areas leads to an additional energy barrier for the electrons emitted from the low Φ areas. Theoretical predictions of the induced energy barrier dependence on the Φ‐pattern length scale and sample bias are further experimentally verified. These findings establish a solid base for reliable SECO interpretation of heterogeneous surfaces and improved reliability of interfacial energy‐level diagrams from UPS experiments.

Lattice, Charge, and Spin Phase Inhomogeneity in Complex-Striped Quantum Matter

The Superstripes 2016 conference, held on June 23-29, 2016 in the island of Ischia in Italy celebrated the 20th anniversary of this series of conferences. For 20 years structural, electronic, and magnetic phase inhomogeneities in quantum matter have been the scientific focus for a growing physics community interested in complexity in quantum matter. It has been the meeting point for different scientific communities facing the challenging project to unveil the complex space and time landscapes in quantum matter. The interesting spatial inhomogeneity length scale of multiple coexisting phase ranges from atomic to mesoscopic and the time fluctuations are spread over multiple time scales. The response of these materials changes using different experimental techniques with different spatial and time resolution probing different aspects of the quantum complexity.

High‐order discontinuous Galerkin nonlocal transport and energy equations scheme for radiation hydrodynamics

SummaryThe nonlocal theory of the radiative energy transport in laser‐heated plasmas of arbitrary ratio of the characteristic inhomogeneity scale length to the photon mean free paths is applied to define the closure relations of a hydrodynamic system. The corresponding transport phenomena cannot be described accurately using the Chapman–Enskog approach, that is, with the usual fluid approach dealing only with local values and derivatives. Thus, we directly solve the photon transport equation allowing one to take into account the effect of long‐range photon transport. The proposed approach is based on the Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook collision operator using the photon mean free path as a unique parameter. Such an approach delivers a calculation efficiency and an inherent coupling of radiation to the fluid plasma parameters in an implicit way and directly incorporates nonequilibrium physics present under the condition of intense laser energy deposition due to inverse bremsstrahlung. In combination with a higher order discontinuous Galerkin scheme of the transport equation, the solution obeys both limiting cases, that is, the local diffusion asymptotic usually present in radiation hydrodynamics models and the collisionless transport asymptotic of free‐streaming photons. In other words, we can analyze the radiation transport closure for radiation hydrodynamics and how it behaves when deviating from the conditions of validity of Chapman–Enskog method, which is demonstrated in the case of exact steady transport and approximate multigroup diffusion numerical tests. As an application, we present simulation results of intense laser‐target interaction, where the radiative energy transport is controlled by the mean free path of photons. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Uncovering edge states and electrical inhomogeneity in MoS2 field-effect transistors

The understanding of various types of disorders in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), including dangling bonds at the edges, chalcogen deficiencies in the bulk, and charges in the substrate, is of fundamental importance for TMD applications in electronics and photonics. Because of the imperfections, electrons moving on these 2D crystals experience a spatially nonuniform Coulomb environment, whose effect on the charge transport has not been microscopically studied. Here, we report the mesoscopic conductance mapping in monolayer and few-layer MoS2 field-effect transistors by microwave impedance microscopy (MIM). The spatial evolution of the insulator-to-metal transition is clearly resolved. Interestingly, as the transistors are gradually turned on, electrical conduction emerges initially at the edges before appearing in the bulk of MoS2 flakes, which can be explained by our first-principles calculations. The results unambiguously confirm that the contribution of edge states to the channel conductance is significant under the threshold voltage but negligible once the bulk of the TMD device becomes conductive. Strong conductance inhomogeneity, which is associated with the fluctuations of disorder potential in the 2D sheets, is also observed in the MIM images, providing a guideline for future improvement of the device performance.

Shear, dilation, and swap: Mixing in the limit of fast diffusion

Molecules of different species mix by local rearrangement and long-range migration. Under certain conditions, the molecules are partially jammed: they rearrange slowly, but migrate fast. Here we formulate a theory of mixing when the long-range migration of molecules is fast, and the local rearrangement of molecules sets the time needed for mixing. In this limit, the time needed for mixing is independent of the length scale of inhomogeneity. We identify three modes of local rearrangement: shear, dilation, and swap. All three modes break and form intermolecular bonds. We place the three modes on equal footing, as distinct, concurrent, nonequilibrium processes. Our theory thus removes the bias that assumes local chemical equilibrium but allows the nonequilibrium process of shear. We propose a kinetic model of four independent viscosity-like coefficients, and a thermodynamic model of ideal mixing of molecules of unequal sizes and nonzero volume of mixing. We illustrate the theory with several examples, including the development of growth stress, the homogenization of a bilayer, and the disappearance of an inclusion in a matrix.

Nonlinearly coupled dynamics of irregularities in the equatorial electrojet

Kinetic wave description is used to study the nonlinear influence of background Farley Buneman (FB) modes on the Gradient Drift (GD) modes in the equatorial electrojet ionosphere. The dominant nonlinearity is mediated through the electron flux term in the governing fluid equation which further invokes a turbulent current into the system. Electron dynamics reveals the modification in electron collision frequency and inhomogeneity scale length. It is seen that the propagation and growth rate of GD modes get modified by the background FB modes. Also, a new quasimode gets excited through the quadratic dispersion relation. Physical significance of coupled dynamics between the participating modes is also discussed.

Measurement of local density and magnetic field of a magnetized plasma using Raman scattering from a focused laser pulse

We investigated the possibility of pin pointing the local density and magnetic field of an inhomogeneous, magnetized plasma by stimulated Raman scattering of a pump laser pulse focused on a desired position. As the Raman growth rate is proportional to the pump pulse amplitude, the spectral peak shift of the scattered signal is, though it is a spatially integrated one, expected to be determined dominantly by that from the focal position of the pump pulse. From a theoretical estimation, we found a condition of the pulse duration and plasma density for such an expectation to properly work. It was confirmed by two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that as long as the pulse duration is long and the length scale of the plasma inhomogeneity is large compared to the Rayleigh length, the spectral bandwidth of the spatially integrated Raman signal can be narrow enough to distinguish the peak position with good enough resolution.

Absolute and Convective Instabilities of Two-Plasmon Decay in an Inhomogeneous Magnetized Plasma**Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos 10990214 and 10775450, and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China under Grant No 2013GB112002.

Three-wave resonant parametric decay instability of extraordinary wave decay into two upper hybrid waves in an inhomogeneous plasma is studied theoretically. Analytical expressions of the local absolute growth rate, convective amplification factor and threshold intensity are obtained. The calculated results show that the effects of magnetic field and ky (ky is the component of the wavenumber of upper hybrid wave perpendicular to pump wave k0) on the growth rate, amplification factor and threshold intensity are extremely dependent on their strength. The absolute growth rate and convective amplification factor increase with the plasma density while the threshold decreases. Moreover, the expression indicates that the inhomogeneity scale length of density and linear damping will reduce the convective amplification factor.

Direct discrete simulation of the kinetic Landau-Fokker-Planck equation with an alternating external electromagnetic field

A stochastic method of simulation of Coulomb interaction is considered. The main idea of the method is to approximate the nonlinear Landau kinetic collision integral by the Boltzmann integral. In its realization, the method can be attributed to a wide class of Monte Carlo-type methods. It is easily combined with the existing particle methods used to simulate collisionless plasmas. This is important for simulation of the dynamics of both laboratory and space plasmas when the mean free path of plasma particles is comparable with the plasma inhomogeneity scale length. Illustrative examples of relaxation of two-temperature plasma being subject to a high-frequency alternating electric field are given, and differences from their classical description are considered. The method satisfies the conservation laws for the number of particles, momentum, and energy and is simple and efficient in implementation.