Massive Dirac Particles Research Articles

Relativistic effects on the spin entanglement of two massive Dirac particles

We have studied the relativistic effects on the mean spin entanglement of two massive Dirac particles using the simultaneous eigen-spinors of the Foldy-Woutheysen mean spin operator and the Dirac Hamiltonian. We have obtained the transformation matrix from the spinor with specific momentum to the spinor with a transformed momentum under an arbitrary Lorentz transformation. Using the transformation matrix we have shown the consistent monotonic behavior between the concurrence and the maximum value of Bell parameter in Bell inequality of transformed spin states.

Klein Paradox and Disorder-Induced Delocalization of Dirac Quasiparticles in One-Dimensional Systems

Dirac particle penetration is studied theoretically with Dirac equation in one-dimensional systems. We investigate a one-dimensional system with N barriers where both barrier height and well width are constants randomly distributed in certain range. The one-parameter scaling theory for nonrelativistic particles is still valid for massive Dirac particles. In the same disorder sample, we find that the localization length of relativistic particles is always larger than that of nonrelativistic particles and the transmission coefficient related to incident particle in both cases fits the form T ∼ exp(− αL). More interesting, massless relativistic particles are entirely delocalized no matter how big the energy of incident particles is.

Self-isospectrality, mirror symmetry, and exotic nonlinear supersymmetry

We study supersymmetry of a self-isospectral one-gap Poschl-Teller system in the light of a mirror symmetry that is based on spatial and shift reflections. The revealed exotic, partially broken nonlinear supersymmetry admits seven alternatives for a grading operator. One of its local, first order supercharges may be identified as a Hamiltonian of an associated one-gap, non-periodic Bogoliubov-de Gennes system. The latter possesses a nonlinear supersymmetric structure, in which any of the three non-local generators of a Clifford algebra may be chosen as the grading operator. We find that the supersymmetry generators for the both systems are the Darboux-dressed integrals of a free spin-1/2 particle in the Schrodinger picture, or of a free massive Dirac particle. Nonlocal Foldy- Wouthuysen transformations are shown to be involved in the supersymmetric structure.

Electronic properties of graphene and graphene nanoribbons with ‘pseudo-Rashba’ spin-orbit coupling

We discuss the electronic properties of graphene and graphene nanoribbons including ‘pseudo-Rashba’ spin–orbit coupling. After summarizing the bulk properties of massless and massive Dirac particles, we first analyze the scattering behavior close to an infinite mass and zigzag boundary. For low energies, we observe strong deviations from the usual spin-conserving behavior at high energies such as reflection acting as a spin polarizer or switch. This results in spin polarization along the direction of the boundary due to the appearance of evanescent modes in the case of non-equilibrium or when there is no coherence between the two one-particle branches. We then discuss the spin and density distribution of graphene nanoribbons.

Massive Dirac particles on the background of charged de Sitter black hole manifolds

We consider the behavior of massive Dirac fields on the background of a charged de Sitter black hole. All black hole geometries are taken into account, including the Reissner-Nordstr\"om-de Sitter one, the Nariai case, and the ultracold case. Our focus is at first on the existence of bound quantum mechanical states for the Dirac Hamiltonian on the given backgrounds. In this respect, we show that in all cases no bound state is allowed, which amounts also to the nonexistence of normalizable time-periodic solutions of the Dirac equation. This quantum result is in contrast to classical physics, and it is shown to hold true even for extremal cases. Furthermore, we shift our attention on the very interesting problem of the quantum discharge of the black holes. Following the Damour-Deruelle-Ruffini approach, we show that the existence of level crossing between positive and negative continuous energy states is a signal of the quantum instability leading to the discharge of the black hole, and in the cases of the Nariai geometry and of the ultracold geometries we also calculate in WKB approximation the transmission coefficient related to the discharge process.

Supercritical Coulomb impurities in gapped graphene

We study the problem of Coulomb field-induced charging of the ground state in a system of two-dimensional (2D) massive Dirac particles---gapped graphene. As in its 3D QED counterpart, the critical Coulomb coupling is renormalized to higher values compared to the massless case. We find that in gapped graphene, a different supercritical regime is possible, where the screening charge is comparable to the impurity charge; thus, leading to suppression of the Coulomb field at nanometer scales. We corroborate this with a numerical solution of the tight-binding problem on the honeycomb lattice.

A topological Dirac insulator in a quantum spin Hall phase

When electrons are subject to a large external magnetic field, the conventional charge quantum Hall effect dictates that an electronic excitation gap is generated in the sample bulk, but metallic conduction is permitted at the boundary. Recent theoretical models suggest that certain bulk insulators with large spin-orbit interactions may also naturally support conducting topological boundary states in the quantum limit, which opens up the possibility for studying unusual quantum Hall-like phenomena in zero external magnetic fields. Bulk Bi(1-x)Sb(x) single crystals are predicted to be prime candidates for one such unusual Hall phase of matter known as the topological insulator. The hallmark of a topological insulator is the existence of metallic surface states that are higher-dimensional analogues of the edge states that characterize a quantum spin Hall insulator. In addition to its interesting boundary states, the bulk of Bi(1-x)Sb(x) is predicted to exhibit three-dimensional Dirac particles, another topic of heightened current interest following the new findings in two-dimensional graphene and charge quantum Hall fractionalization observed in pure bismuth. However, despite numerous transport and magnetic measurements on the Bi(1-x)Sb(x) family since the 1960s, no direct evidence of either topological Hall states or bulk Dirac particles has been found. Here, using incident-photon-energy-modulated angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (IPEM-ARPES), we report the direct observation of massive Dirac particles in the bulk of Bi(0.9)Sb(0.1), locate the Kramers points at the sample's boundary and provide a comprehensive mapping of the Dirac insulator's gapless surface electron bands. These findings taken together suggest that the observed surface state on the boundary of the bulk insulator is a realization of the 'topological metal'. They also suggest that this material has potential application in developing next-generation quantum computing devices that may incorporate 'light-like' bulk carriers and spin-textured surface currents.

Scattering for massive Dirac fields on the Kerr metric

Starting with the Dirac equation outside the event horizon of a nonextreme Kerr black hole, we develop a time-dependent scattering theory for massive Dirac particles. The explicit computation of the modified wave operators at infinity is done by implementing a time-dependent logarithmic phase shift from the free dynamics to offset the long range term in the full Hamiltonian due to the presence of the gravitational force. Analytical expressions for the wave operators are also given.

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen correlations of Dirac particles: Quantum field theory approach

We calculate correlation function in the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen type of experiment with massive relativistic Dirac particles in the framework of the quantum field theory formalism. We perform our calculations for states which are physically interesting and transform covariantly under the full Lorentz group action--i.e., for pseudoscalar and vector states.

Neutrino Gas in Equilibrium with Self-Interaction

SummaryWe study a neutrino gas in equilibrium both at T = 0 and at finite temperature. The neutrinos are assumed to be massive Dirac particles with two generations interacting with each other via neutral currents and with a background of matter. We analyze the main properties of the neutrino eigenmodes in the medium, such as effective masses and mixing angle.

Recent advances in neutrinoless double beta decay search

Even after the discovery of neutrino flavour oscillations, based on data from atmospheric, solar, reactor, and accelerator experiments, many characteristics of the neutrino remain unknown. Only the neutrino square-mass differences and the mixing angle values have been estimated, while the value of each mass eigenstate still hasn't. Its nature (massive Majorana or Dirac particle) is still escaping. Neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu$-DBD) experimental discovery could be the ultimate answer to some delicate questions of elementary particle and nuclear physics. The Majorana description of neutrinos allows the $0\nu$-DBD process, and consequently either a mass value could be measured or the existence of physics beyond the standard should be confirmed without any doubt. As expected, the $0\nu$-DBD measurement is a very difficult field of application for experimentalists. In this paper, after a short summary of the latest results in neutrino physics, the experimental status, the R&D projects, and perspectives in $0\nu$-DBD sector are reviewed.

Integral Equation for the Spinor Amplitude of a Dirac Particle in a Curved Space–Time

We obtain a system of integral equations for the spinor amplitude of a wave packet describing a massive neutral Dirac particle in a curved space–time with an arbitrary geometry. This equation permits describing the spin dynamics of fermions in gravitational fields adequately to the quantum nature of spin. We consider a specific example of the Kerr–Schild metric. We also discuss the problem of massive neutrino oscillations in an external gravitational field.

Analytic continuation of the Hurwitz zeta function with physical application

A new formula relating the analytic continuation of the Hurwitz zeta function to the Euler gamma function and a polylogarithmic function is presented. In particular, the values of the first derivative of the real part of the analytic continuation of the Hurwitz zeta function for even negative integers and the imaginary one for odd negative integers are explicitly given. The result can be of interest both on mathematical and physical side, because we are able to apply our new formulas in the context of the spectral zeta function regularization, computing the exact pair production rate per space–time unit of massive Dirac particles interacting with a purely electric background field.

Massive neutral Dirac particle in a curved space-time with the Kerr-Schild metric

A method for constructing the solution of the general covariant Dirac equation is developed. The solution has the form of a wave packet in the case of a slightly (compared to the wave packet size) curved space-time with the Kerr-Schild metric and describes the evolution of the spin states of a massive neutral particle with a half-integer spin. The method allows reducing the Dirac equation to a system of ordinary differential equations for the spinor amplitudes (with the necessary accuracy). We propose an iterative procedure for solving the system based on expansion with respect to a small parameter equal to the ratio between the particle wave length and the characteristic spatial scale of the change of the metric. The characteristic dissipation time of a wave packet moving in a curved space-time is estimated.

Dirac equation in curved spacetime with the metric in the Kerr-Schield form

The solution of the Dirac equation in the wave package form in a slightly curved spacetime (compared with the size of the wave package) was studied. For the metric in the Kerr-Schield form, a system of common differential equations describing spin conditions of massive neutral Dirac particles (neutrinos) was obtained. The effect of depolarization of the massive neutrinos in a gravitational field are discussed. This effect allows a considerable similarity between the theoretical and observed solar neutrino flows to be established if \(m_{\nu _e } \geqslant 10^{ - 4} \).

Absence of static, spherically symmetric black hole solutions for Einstein–Dirac–Yang/Mills equations with complete fermion shells

We study a static, spherically symmetric system of (2j+1) massive Dirac particles, each having angular momentum j, j=1,2,..., in a classical gravitational and SU(2) Yang-Mills field. We show that for any black hole solution of the associated Einstein-Dirac-Yang/Mills equations, the spinors must vanish identically outside of the event horizon.

Zitterbewegung and reduction: 4D spinning particles and 3D anyons on light-like curves

We construct the model with light-like world-lines for the massive 4D spinning particles and 3D anyons. It is obtained via the formal bosonization of pseudoclassical model for the massive Dirac particle with subsequent reduction to the light-like curves. The peculiarity of the light-like trajectories produced due to the Zitterbewegung is explained from the viewpoint of reduction and reparametrization invariance.

Worldline path integral for the massive Dirac propagator: A four-dimensional approach

We simplify and generalize an approach proposed by Di Vecchia and Ravndal to describe a massive Dirac particle in external vector and scalar fields. Two different path integral representations for the propagator are derived systematically without the usual five-dimensional extension and shown to be equivalent due to the supersymmetry of the action. They correspond to a projection on the mass of the particle either continuously or at the end of the time evolution. It is shown that the supersymmetry transformations are generated by shifting and scaling the supertimes and the invariant difference of two supertimes is given for the general case. A nonrelativistic reduction of the relativistic propagator leads to a three-dimensional path integral with the usual Pauli Hamiltonian. By integrating out the photons we obtain the effective action for quenched QED and use it to derive the gauge-transformation properties of the general Green function of the theory.

Collective excitations of massive Dirac particles in a hot and dense medium

The one-loop dispersion equation which defines the collective excitations of the massive Dirac particles in hot and dense quark-gluon medium is obtained in the high temperature limit for the case $m<<T$ and solved explicitly for all $|\q|$ when $\mu=0$. Four well-separated spectrum branches (quasi-particle and quasi-hole excitations) are found and their behaviors for the small and large $|\q|$ are investigated. All calculations are performed using the temperature Green function technique and fixing the Feynman gauge. The gauge dependency of the spectra found are briefly discussed.

Pseudoclassical description of massive Dirac particles in odd dimensions

A pseudoclassical model is proposed to describe massive Dirac (spin one-half) particles in arbitrary odd dimensions. The quantization of the model reproduces the minimal quantum theory of spinning particles in such dimensions. A dimensional duality between the model proposed and the pseudoclassical description of Weyl particles in even dimensions is discussed.