Topological Sound and Flocking on Curved Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Shankar, Suraj; Bowick, Mark J.; Marchetti, M. Cristina

2017-07-01

Active systems on curved geometries are ubiquitous in the living world. In the presence of curvature, orientationally ordered polar flocks are forced to be inhomogeneous, often requiring the presence of topological defects even in the steady state because of the constraints imposed by the topology of the underlying surface. In the presence of spontaneous flow, the system additionally supports long-wavelength propagating sound modes that get gapped by the curvature of the underlying substrate. We analytically compute the steady-state profile of an active polar flock on a two-sphere and a catenoid, and show that curvature and active flow together result in symmetry-protected topological modes that get localized to special geodesics on the surface (the equator or the neck, respectively). These modes are the analogue of edge states in electronic quantum Hall systems and provide unidirectional channels for information transport in the flock, robust against disorder and backscattering.

Topological Superconductivity on the Surface of Fe-Based Superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Gang; Lian, Biao; Tang, Peizhe; Qi, Xiao-Liang; Zhang, Shou-Cheng

2016-07-22

As one of the simplest systems for realizing Majorana fermions, the topological superconductor plays an important role in both condensed matter physics and quantum computations. Based on ab initio calculations and the analysis of an effective 8-band model with superconducting pairing, we demonstrate that the three-dimensional extended s-wave Fe-based superconductors such as Fe_{1+y}Se_{0.5}Te_{0.5} have a metallic topologically nontrivial band structure, and exhibit a normal-topological-normal superconductivity phase transition on the (001) surface by tuning the bulk carrier doping level. In the topological superconductivity (TSC) phase, a Majorana zero mode is trapped at the end of a magnetic vortex line. We further show that the surface TSC phase only exists up to a certain bulk pairing gap, and there is a normal-topological phase transition driven by the temperature, which has not been discussed before. These results pave an effective way to realize the TSC and Majorana fermions in a large class of superconductors.

Thermoelectric properties of 3D topological insulator: Direct observation of topological surface and its gap opened states

Science.gov (United States)

Matsushita, Stephane Yu; Huynh, Khuong Kim; Yoshino, Harukazu; Tu, Ngoc Han; Tanabe, Yoichi; Tanigaki, Katsumi

2017-10-01

We report thermoelectric (TE) properties of topological surface Dirac states (TSDS) in three-dimensional topological insulators (3D-TIs) purely isolated from the bulk by employing single-crystal B i2 -xS bxT e3 -yS ey films epitaxially grown in the ultrathin limit. Two intrinsic nontrivial topological surface states, a metallic TSDS (m-TSDS) and a gap-opened semiconducting topological state (g-TSDS), are successfully observed by electrical transport, and important TE parameters [electrical conductivity (σ), thermal conductivity (κ), and thermopower (S )] are accurately determined. Pure m-TSDS gives S =-44 μ V K-1 , which is an order of magnitude higher than those of the conventional metals and the value is enhanced to -212 μ V K-1 for g-TSDS. It is clearly shown that the semiclassical Boltzmann transport equation (SBTE) in the framework of constant relaxation time (τ) most frequently used for conventional analysis cannot be valid in 3D-TIs and strong energy dependent relaxation time τ(E ) beyond the Born approximation is essential for making intrinsic interpretations. Although σ is protected on the m-TSDS, κ is greatly influenced by the disorder on the topological surface, giving a dissimilar effect between topologically protected electronic conduction and phonon transport.

Topological Sound and Flocking on Curved Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suraj Shankar

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Active systems on curved geometries are ubiquitous in the living world. In the presence of curvature, orientationally ordered polar flocks are forced to be inhomogeneous, often requiring the presence of topological defects even in the steady state because of the constraints imposed by the topology of the underlying surface. In the presence of spontaneous flow, the system additionally supports long-wavelength propagating sound modes that get gapped by the curvature of the underlying substrate. We analytically compute the steady-state profile of an active polar flock on a two-sphere and a catenoid, and show that curvature and active flow together result in symmetry-protected topological modes that get localized to special geodesics on the surface (the equator or the neck, respectively. These modes are the analogue of edge states in electronic quantum Hall systems and provide unidirectional channels for information transport in the flock, robust against disorder and backscattering.

Anomalous Symmetry Fractionalization and Surface Topological Order

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xie Chen

2015-10-01

Full Text Available In addition to possessing fractional statistics, anyon excitations of a 2D topologically ordered state can realize symmetry in distinct ways, leading to a variety of symmetry-enriched topological (SET phases. While the symmetry fractionalization must be consistent with the fusion and braiding rules of the anyons, not all ostensibly consistent symmetry fractionalizations can be realized in 2D systems. Instead, certain “anomalous” SETs can only occur on the surface of a 3D symmetry-protected topological (SPT phase. In this paper, we describe a procedure for determining whether a SET of a discrete, on-site, unitary symmetry group G is anomalous or not. The basic idea is to gauge the symmetry and expose the anomaly as an obstruction to a consistent topological theory combining both the original anyons and the gauge fluxes. Utilizing a result of Etingof, Nikshych, and Ostrik, we point out that a class of obstructions is captured by the fourth cohomology group H^{4}(G,U(1, which also precisely labels the set of 3D SPT phases, with symmetry group G. An explicit procedure for calculating the cohomology data from a SET is given, with the corresponding physical intuition explained. We thus establish a general bulk-boundary correspondence between the anomalous SET and the 3D bulk SPT whose surface termination realizes it. We illustrate this idea using the chiral spin liquid [U(1_{2}] topological order with a reduced symmetry Z_{2}×Z_{2}⊂SO(3, which can act on the semion quasiparticle in an anomalous way. We construct exactly solved 3D SPT models realizing the anomalous surface terminations and demonstrate that they are nontrivial by computing three-loop braiding statistics. Possible extensions to antiunitary symmetries are also discussed.

Pressure controlled transition into a self-induced topological superconducting surface state

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Zhiyong; Cheng, Yingchun; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2014-01-01

Ab-initio calculations show a pressure induced trivial-nontrivial-trivial topological phase transition in the normal state of 1T-TiSe2. The pressure range in which the nontrivial phase emerges overlaps with that of the superconducting ground state. Thus, topological superconductivity can be induced in protected surface states by the proximity effect of superconducting bulk states. This kind of self-induced topological surface superconductivity is promising for a realization of Majorana fermions due to the absence of lattice and chemical potential mismatches. For appropriate electron doping, the formation of the topological superconducting surface state in 1T-TiSe 2 becomes accessible to experiments as it can be controlled by pressure.

Pressure controlled transition into a self-induced topological superconducting surface state

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Zhiyong

2014-02-07

Ab-initio calculations show a pressure induced trivial-nontrivial-trivial topological phase transition in the normal state of 1T-TiSe2. The pressure range in which the nontrivial phase emerges overlaps with that of the superconducting ground state. Thus, topological superconductivity can be induced in protected surface states by the proximity effect of superconducting bulk states. This kind of self-induced topological surface superconductivity is promising for a realization of Majorana fermions due to the absence of lattice and chemical potential mismatches. For appropriate electron doping, the formation of the topological superconducting surface state in 1T-TiSe 2 becomes accessible to experiments as it can be controlled by pressure.

Protection of surface states in topological nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Siroki, Gleb; Haynes, Peter D.; Lee, Derek K. K.; Giannini, Vincenzo

2017-07-01

Topological insulators host protected electronic states at their surface. These states show little sensitivity to disorder. For miniaturization one wants to exploit their robustness at the smallest sizes possible. This is also beneficial for optical applications and catalysis, which favor large surface-to-volume ratios. However, it is not known whether discrete states in particles share the protection of their continuous counterparts in large crystals. Here we study the protection of the states hosted by topological insulator nanoparticles. Using both analytical and tight-binding simulations, we show that the states benefit from the same level of protection as those on a planar surface. The results hold for many shapes and sustain surface roughness which may be useful in photonics, spectroscopy, and chemistry. They complement past studies of large crystals—at the other end of possible length scales. The protection of the nanoparticles suggests that samples of all intermediate sizes also possess protected states.

Topological recursion for chord diagrams, RNA complexes, and cells in moduli spaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jørgen Ellegaard; Chekhov, Leonid O.; Penner, Robert

2013-01-01

and free energies are convergent for small t and all s as a perturbation of the Gaussian potential, which arises for st=0. This perturbation is computed using the formalism of the topological recursion. The corresponding enumeration of chord diagrams gives at once the number of RNA complexes of a given...... topology as well as the number of cells in Riemann's moduli spaces for bordered surfaces. The free energies are computed here in principle for all genera and explicitly for genera less than four....

Topology optimization of robust superhydrophobic surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cavalli, Andrea; Bøggild, Peter; Okkels, Fridolin

2013-01-01

In this paper we apply topology optimization to micro-structured superhydrophobic surfaces for the first time. It has been experimentally observed that a droplet suspended on a brush of micrometric posts shows a high static contact angle and low roll-off angle. To keep the fluid from penetrating...

Photo-responsive surface topology in chiral nematic media

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Danqing; Bastiaansen, Cees W. M.; Toonder, Jaap. M. J.; Broer, Dirk J.

2012-03-01

We report on the design and fabrication of 'smart surfaces' that exhibit dynamic changes in their surface topology in response to exposure to light. The principle is based on anisotropic geometric changes of a liquid crystal network upon a change of the molecular order parameter. The photomechanical property of the coating is induced by incorporating an azobenzene moiety into the liquid crystal network. The responsive surface topology consists of regions with two different types of molecular order: planar chiral-nematic areas and homeotropic. Under flood exposure with 365 nm light the surfaces deform from flat to one with a surface relief. The height of the relief structures is of the order of 1 um corresponding to strain difference of around 20%. Furthermore, we demonstrate surface reliefs can form either convex or concave structures upon exposure to UV light corresponding to the decrease or increase molecular order parameter, respectively, related to the isomeric state of the azobenzene crosslinker. The reversible deformation to the initial flat state occurs rapidly after removing the light source.

Surface conduction of topological Dirac electrons in bulk insulating Bi2Se3

Science.gov (United States)

Fuhrer, Michael

2013-03-01

The three dimensional strong topological insulator (STI) is a new phase of electronic matter which is distinct from ordinary insulators in that it supports on its surface a conducting two-dimensional surface state whose existence is guaranteed by topology. I will discuss experiments on the STI material Bi2Se3, which has a bulk bandgap of 300 meV, much greater than room temperature, and a single topological surface state with a massless Dirac dispersion. Field effect transistors consisting of thin (3-20 nm) Bi2Se3 are fabricated from mechanically exfoliated from single crystals, and electrochemical and/or chemical gating methods are used to move the Fermi energy into the bulk bandgap, revealing the ambipolar gapless nature of transport in the Bi2Se3 surface states. The minimum conductivity of the topological surface state is understood within the self-consistent theory of Dirac electrons in the presence of charged impurities. The intrinsic finite-temperature resistivity of the topological surface state due to electron-acoustic phonon scattering is measured to be ~60 times larger than that of graphene largely due to the smaller Fermi and sound velocities in Bi2Se3, which will have implications for topological electronic devices operating at room temperature. As samples are made thinner, coherent coupling of the top and bottom topological surfaces is observed through the magnitude of the weak anti-localization correction to the conductivity, and, in the thinnest Bi2Se3 samples (~ 3 nm), in thermally-activated conductivity reflecting the opening of a bandgap.

Topology and symmetry of surface Majorana arcs in cyclic superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Mizushima, Takeshi; Nitta, Muneto

2018-01-01

We study the topology and symmetry of surface Majorana arcs in superconductors with nonunitary "cyclic" pairing. Cyclic p -wave pairing may be realized in a cubic or tetrahedral crystal, while it is a candidate for the interior P32 superfluids of neutron stars. The cyclic state is an admixture of full gap and nodal gap with eight Weyl points and the low-energy physics is governed by itinerant Majorana fermions. We here show the evolution of surface states from Majorana cone to Majorana arcs under rotation of surface orientation. The Majorana cone is protected solely by an accidental spin rotation symmetry and fragile against spin-orbit coupling, while the arcs are attributed to two topological invariants: the first Chern number and one-dimensional winding number. Lastly, we discuss how topologically protected surface states inherent to the nonunitary cyclic pairing can be captured from surface probes in candidate compounds, such as U1 -xThxBe13 . We examine tunneling conductance spectra for two competitive scenarios in U1 -xThxBe13 —the degenerate Eu scenario and the accidental scenario.

Topological Fluid Mechanics with Applications to Free Surfaces and Axisymmetric Flows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brøns, Morten

1996-01-01

Topological fluid mechanics is the study of qualitative features of fluid patterns. We discuss applications to the flow beneath a stagnant surface film, and to patterns in axisymmetric flow.......Topological fluid mechanics is the study of qualitative features of fluid patterns. We discuss applications to the flow beneath a stagnant surface film, and to patterns in axisymmetric flow....

Surface states on a topologically nontrivial semimetal: The case of Sb(110)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bianchi, Marco; Guan, Dandan; Strózecka, Anna

2012-01-01

The electronic structure of Sb(110) is studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, revealing several electronic surface states in the projected bulk band gaps around the Fermi energy. The dispersion of the states can be interpreted in terms of a strong...... spin-orbit splitting. The bulk band structure of Sb has the characteristics of a strong topological insulator with a Z2 invariant ν0 = 1. This puts constraints on the existence of metallic surface states and the expected topology of the surface Fermi contour. However, bulk Sb is a semimetal......, not an insulator, and these constraints are therefore partly relaxed. This relation of bulk topology and expected surface-state dispersion for semimetals is discussed....

Scanning tunneling microscopy study of the possible topological surface states in BiTeCl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Y J; Ren, M Q; Liu, X; Huang, Z C; Jiang, J; Fan, Q; Miao, J; Xie, B P; Zhang, T; Feng, D L; Xiang, F; Wang, X

2015-01-01

Recently, the non-centrosymmetric bismuth tellurohalides such as BiTeCl are being studied as possible candidates for topological insulators. While some photoemission studies showed that BiTeCl is an inversion asymmetric topological insulator, others showed that it is a normal semiconductor with Rashba splitting. Meanwhile, first-principle calculations have failed to confirm the existence of topological surface states in BiTeCl so far. Therefore, the topological nature of BiTeCl requires further investigation. Here we report a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy study on the surface states of BiTeCl single crystals. On the tellurium (Te) -terminated surfaces with relatively low defect density, evidence for topological surface states is observed in the quasi-particle interference patterns, both in the anisotropy of the scattering vectors and the fast decay of the interference near the step edges. Meanwhile, on the samples with much higher defect densities, we observed surface states that behave differently. Our results may help to resolve the current controversy on the topological nature of BiTeCl. (paper)

Topological surface states of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 2}Se are robust against surface chemical modification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, Conor R.; Sahasrabudhe, Girija; Kushwaha, Satya Kumar; Cava, Robert J.; Schwartz, Jeffrey [Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (United States); Xiong, Jun [Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (United States)

2014-12-01

The robustness of the Dirac-like electronic states on the surfaces of topological insulators (TIs) during materials process-ing is a prerequisite for their eventual device application. Here, the (001) cleavage surfaces of crystals of the topological insulator Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 2}Se (BTS) were subjected to several surface chemical modification procedures that are common for electronic materials. Through measurement of Shubnikov-de Hass (SdH) oscillations, which are the most sensitive measure of their quality, the surface states of the treated surfaces were compared to those of pristine BTS that had been exposed to ambient conditions. In each case - surface oxidation, deposition of thin layers of Ti or Zr oxides, or chemical modification of the surface oxides - the robustness of the topological surface electronic states was demonstrated by noting only very small changes in the frequency and amplitude of the SdH oscillations. (copyright 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Translational Symmetry and Microscopic Constraints on Symmetry-Enriched Topological Phases: A View from the Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng Cheng

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The Lieb-Schultz-Mattis theorem and its higher-dimensional generalizations by Oshikawa and Hastings require that translationally invariant 2D spin systems with a half-integer spin per unit cell must either have a continuum of low energy excitations, spontaneously break some symmetries, or exhibit topological order with anyonic excitations. We establish a connection between these constraints and a remarkably similar set of constraints at the surface of a 3D interacting topological insulator. This, combined with recent work on symmetry-enriched topological phases with on-site unitary symmetries, enables us to develop a framework for understanding the structure of symmetry-enriched topological phases with both translational and on-site unitary symmetries, including the effective theory of symmetry defects. This framework places stringent constraints on the possible types of symmetry fractionalization that can occur in 2D systems whose unit cell contains fractional spin, fractional charge, or a projective representation of the symmetry group. As a concrete application, we determine when a topological phase must possess a “spinon” excitation, even in cases when spin rotational invariance is broken down to a discrete subgroup by the crystal structure. We also describe the phenomena of “anyonic spin-orbit coupling,” which may arise from the interplay of translational and on-site symmetries. These include the possibility of on-site symmetry defect branch lines carrying topological charge per unit length and lattice dislocations inducing degeneracies protected by on-site symmetry.

Pseudogap and Fermi-Surface Topology in the Two-Dimensional Hubbard Model

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wei; Scheurer, Mathias S.; Chatterjee, Shubhayu; Sachdev, Subir; Georges, Antoine; Ferrero, Michel

2018-04-01

One of the distinctive features of hole-doped cuprate superconductors is the onset of a "pseudogap" below a temperature T* . Recent experiments suggest that there may be a connection between the existence of the pseudogap and the topology of the Fermi surface. Here, we address this issue by studying the two-dimensional Hubbard model with two distinct numerical methods. We find that the pseudogap only exists when the Fermi surface is holelike and that, for a broad range of parameters, its opening is concomitant with a Fermi-surface topology change from electronlike to holelike. We identify a common link between these observations: The polelike feature of the electronic self-energy associated with the formation of the pseudogap is found to also control the degree of particle-hole asymmetry, and hence the Fermi-surface topology transition. We interpret our results in the framework of an SU(2) gauge theory of fluctuating antiferromagnetism. We show that a mean-field treatment of this theory in a metallic state with U(1) topological order provides an explanation of this polelike feature and a good description of our numerical results. We discuss the relevance of our results to experiments on cuprates.

Topological surface states scattering in antimony

KAUST Repository

Narayan, Awadhesh

2012-11-05

In this work we study the topologically protected states of the Sb(111) surface by using ab initio transport theory. In the presence of a strong surface perturbation we obtain standing-wave states resulting from the superposition of spin-polarized surface states. By Fourier analysis, we identify the underlying two dimensional scattering processes and the spin texture. We find evidence of resonant transmission across surface barriers at quantum well state energies and evaluate their lifetimes. Our results are in excellent agreement with experimental findings. We also show that despite the presence of a step edge along a different high-symmetry direction, the surface states exhibit unperturbed transmission around the Fermi energy for states with near to normal incidence. © 2012 American Physical Society.

Topological surface states scattering in antimony

KAUST Repository

Narayan, Awadhesh; Rungger, Ivan; Sanvito, Stefano

2012-01-01

In this work we study the topologically protected states of the Sb(111) surface by using ab initio transport theory. In the presence of a strong surface perturbation we obtain standing-wave states resulting from the superposition of spin-polarized surface states. By Fourier analysis, we identify the underlying two dimensional scattering processes and the spin texture. We find evidence of resonant transmission across surface barriers at quantum well state energies and evaluate their lifetimes. Our results are in excellent agreement with experimental findings. We also show that despite the presence of a step edge along a different high-symmetry direction, the surface states exhibit unperturbed transmission around the Fermi energy for states with near to normal incidence. © 2012 American Physical Society.

Topology-optimized broadband surface relief transmission grating

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andkjær, Jacob; Ryder, Christian P.; Nielsen, Peter C.

2014-01-01

We propose a design methodology for systematic design of surface relief transmission gratings with optimized diffraction efficiency. The methodology is based on a gradient-based topology optimization formulation along with 2D frequency domain finite element simulations for TE and TM polarized plane...

Single atom anisotropic magnetoresistance on a topological insulator surface

KAUST Repository

Narayan, Awadhesh

2015-03-12

© 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. We demonstrate single atom anisotropic magnetoresistance on the surface of a topological insulator, arising from the interplay between the helical spin-momentum-locked surface electronic structure and the hybridization of the magnetic adatom states. Our first-principles quantum transport calculations based on density functional theory for Mn on Bi2Se3 elucidate the underlying mechanism. We complement our findings with a two dimensional model valid for both single adatoms and magnetic clusters, which leads to a proposed device setup for experimental realization. Our results provide an explanation for the conflicting scattering experiments on magnetic adatoms on topological insulator surfaces, and reveal the real space spin texture around the magnetic impurity.

Effects of topology on the adsorption of singly tethered ring polymers to attractive surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bing; Sun, Zhao-Yan; An, Li-Jia

2015-07-14

We investigate the effect of topology on the equilibrium behavior of singly tethered ring polymers adsorbed on an attractive surface. We focus on the change of square radius of gyration Rg(2), the perpendicular component Rg⊥(2) and the parallel component Rg‖(2) to the adsorbing surface, the mean contacting number of monomers with the surface , and the monomer distribution along z-direction during transition from desorption to adsorption. We find that both of the critical point of adsorption εc and the crossover exponent ϕ depend on the knot type when the chain length of ring ranges from 48 to 400. The behaviors of Rg(2), Rg⊥(2), and Rg‖(2) are found to be dependent on the topology and the monomer-surface attractive strength. At weak adsorption, the polymer chains with more complex topology are more adsorbable than those with simple topology. However, at strong adsorption, the polymer chains with complex topology are less adsorbable. By analyzing the distribution of monomer along z-direction, we give a possible mechanism for the effect of topology on the adsorption behavior.

Topological states in a two-dimensional metal alloy in Si surface: BiAg/Si(111)-4 ×4 surface

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoming; Cui, Bin; Zhao, Mingwen; Liu, Feng

2018-02-01

A bridging topological state with a conventional semiconductor platform offers an attractive route towards future spintronics and quantum device applications. Here, based on first-principles and tight-binding calculations, we demonstrate the existence of topological states hosted by a two-dimensional (2D) metal alloy in a Si surface, the BiAg/Si(111)-4 ×4 surface, which has already been synthesized experimentally. It exhibits a topological insulating state with an energy gap of 71 meV (˜819 K ) above the Fermi level and a topological metallic state with quasiquantized conductance below the Fermi level. The underlying mechanism leading to the formation of such nontrivial states is revealed by analysis of the "charge-transfer" and "orbital-filtering" effect of the Si substrate. A minimal effective tight-binding model is employed to reveal the formation mechanism of the topological states. Our finding opens opportunities to detect topological states and measure its quantized conductance in a large family of 2D surface metal alloys, which have been or are to be grown on semiconductor substrates.

Emergent Momentum-Space Skyrmion Texture on the Surface of Topological Insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanta, Narayan; Kampf, Arno P.; Kopp, Thilo

The quantum anomalous Hall effect has been theoretically predicted and experimentally verified in magnetic topological insulators. In addition, the surface states of these materials exhibit a hedgehog-like ``spin'' texture in momentum space. Here, we apply the previously formulated low-energy model for Bi2Se3, a parent compound for magnetic topological insulators, to a slab geometry in which an exchange field acts only within one of the surface layers. In this sample set up, the hedgehog transforms into a skyrmion texture beyond a critical exchange field. This critical field marks a transition between two topologically distinct phases. The topological phase transition takes place without energy gap closing at the Fermi level and leaves the transverse Hall conductance unchanged and quantized to e2 / 2 h . The momentum-space skyrmion texture persists in a finite field range. It may find its realization in hybrid heterostructures with an interface between a three-dimensional topological insulator and a ferromagnetic insulator. The work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft through TRR 80.

Topology and Oligomerization of Mono- and Oligomeric Proteins Regulate Their Half-Lives in the Cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallik, Saurav; Kundu, Sudip

2018-06-05

To find additional structural constraints (besides disordered segments) that regulate protein half-life in the cell, we herein assess the influence of native topology of monomeric and sequestration of oligomeric proteins into multimeric complexes in yeast, human, and mouse. Native topology acts as a molecular marker of globular protein's mechanical resistance and consequently captures their half-life variations on genome scale. Sequestration into multimeric complexes elongates oligomeric protein half-life in the cell, presumably by burying ubiquitinoylation sites and disordered segments required for proteasomal recognition. The latter effect is stronger for proteins associated with multiple complexes and for those binding early during complex self-assembly, including proteins that oligomerize with large proportions of surface buried. After gene duplication, diversification of topology and sequestration into non-identical sets of complexes alter half-lives of paralogous proteins during the course of evolution. Thus, native topology and sequestration into multimeric complexes reflect designing principles of proteins to regulate their half-lives. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theory of bulk-surface coupling in topological insulator films

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Kush; Garate, Ion

2014-12-01

We present a quantitative microscopic theory of the disorder- and phonon-induced coupling between surface and bulk states in doped topological insulator films. We find a simple mathematical structure for the surface-to-bulk scattering matrix elements and confirm the importance of bulk-surface coupling in transport and photoemission experiments, assessing its dependence on temperature, carrier density, film thickness, and particle-hole asymmetry.

Fermiology and Superconductivity of Topological Surface States in PdTe2

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, O. J.; Neat, M. J.; Okawa, K.; Bawden, L.; Marković, I.; Mazzola, F.; Feng, J.; Sunko, V.; Riley, J. M.; Meevasana, W.; Fujii, J.; Vobornik, I.; Kim, T. K.; Hoesch, M.; Sasagawa, T.; Wahl, P.; Bahramy, M. S.; King, P. D. C.

2018-04-01

We study the low-energy surface electronic structure of the transition-metal dichalcogenide superconductor PdTe2 by spin- and angle-resolved photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy, and density-functional theory-based supercell calculations. Comparing PdTe2 with its sister compound PtSe2 , we demonstrate how enhanced interlayer hopping in the Te-based material drives a band inversion within the antibonding p -orbital manifold well above the Fermi level. We show how this mediates spin-polarized topological surface states which form rich multivalley Fermi surfaces with complex spin textures. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals type-II superconductivity at the surface, and moreover shows no evidence for an unconventional component of its superconducting order parameter, despite the presence of topological surface states.

Electronic interconnects and devices with topological surface states and methods for fabricating same

Science.gov (United States)

Yazdani, Ali; Ong, N. Phuan; Cava, Robert J.

2016-05-03

An interconnect is disclosed with enhanced immunity of electrical conductivity to defects. The interconnect includes a material with charge carriers having topological surface states. Also disclosed is a method for fabricating such interconnects. Also disclosed is an integrated circuit including such interconnects. Also disclosed is a gated electronic device including a material with charge carriers having topological surface states.

Electronic interconnects and devices with topological surface states and methods for fabricating same

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yazdani, Ali; Ong, N. Phuan; Cava, Robert J.

2017-04-04

An interconnect is disclosed with enhanced immunity of electrical conductivity to defects. The interconnect includes a material with charge carriers having topological surface states. Also disclosed is a method for fabricating such interconnects. Also disclosed is an integrated circuit including such interconnects. Also disclosed is a gated electronic device including a material with charge carriers having topological surface states.

Tissue breathing and topology of rats thymocytes surface under acute total γ-irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikitina, I A; Gritsuk, A I

2017-12-01

Assessment of the effect of single total γ irradiation to the parameters of mitochondrial oxidation and the topology of the thymocyte surface. The study was performed in sexually mature white outbreeding male rats divided into three groups: two experimental and one control. The states of energy metabolism were determined by the rate of oxygen consumption by the thymus tissues on endogenous substrates at the presence of 2,4 dinitrophenol, uncoupler of a tissue breathing (TB) and oxidative phosphorylation (OP) after a single total γ irradiation at a dose of 1.0 Gy at 3, 10, 40 and 60 days. The topology of thymus cells was assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the 3rd and 10th days after total gamma irradiation at a dose of 1.0 Gy, a significant decrease in respira tory activity was determined in thymus tissues on endogenous substrates. Simultaneously, on the 3rd day, pro nounced changes in the morphological parameters of thymocytes (height, volume, area of contact with the sub strate) and the topology of their surface were also observed. On the 10th day after irradiation, most of the morpho logical parameters of thymocytes, except for their volume, were characterized by restoration to normal. In the long term (on the 30th and 60th days after exposure), a gradual but not complete recovery of the respiratory activity of thymocytes was observed, accompanied by an increase in the degree of dissociation of TD and OP. The obtained data reflect and refine mechanisms of post radiation repair of lymphopoiesis, showing the presence of conjugated changes in the parameters of aerobic energy metabolism of thymocytes, morphology and topology of their surface. The synchronism of changes in the parameters under study is a reflection of the state of the cytoskeleton, the functional activity of which largely depends on the level and efficiency of mitochondrial oxidation. І. A. Nikitina, A. I. Gritsuk.

Surface plasmon on topological insulator/dielectric interface enhanced ZnO ultraviolet photoluminescence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi-Min Liao

2012-06-01

Full Text Available It has recently been predicted that the surface plasmons are allowed to exist on the interface between a topological insulator and vacuum. Surface plasmons can be employed to enhance the optical emission from various illuminants. Here, we study the photoluminescence properties of the ZnO/Bi2Te3 hybrid structures. Thin flakes of Bi2Te3, a typical three-dimensional topological insulator, were prepared on ZnO crystal surface by mechanical exfoliation method. The ultraviolet emission from ZnO was found to be enhanced by the Bi2Te3 thin flakes, which was attributed to the surface plasmon – photon coupling at the Bi2Te3/ZnO interface.

Anomalous Quasiparticle Symmetries and Non-Abelian Defects on Symmetrically Gapped Surfaces of Weak Topological Insulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Mross, David F; Essin, Andrew; Alicea, Jason; Stern, Ady

2016-01-22

We show that boundaries of 3D weak topological insulators can become gapped by strong interactions while preserving all symmetries, leading to Abelian surface topological order. The anomalous nature of weak topological insulator surfaces manifests itself in a nontrivial action of symmetries on the quasiparticles; most strikingly, translations change the anyon types in a manner impossible in strictly 2D systems with the same symmetry. As a further consequence, screw dislocations form non-Abelian defects that trap Z_{4} parafermion zero modes.

Networks of neuroblastoma cells on porous silicon substrates reveal a small world topology

KAUST Repository

Marinaro, Giovanni; La Rocca, Rosanna; Toma, Andrea; Barberio, Marianna; Cancedda, Laura; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.; Decuzzi, Paolo C W; Gentile, Francesco T.

2015-01-01

The human brain is a tightly interweaving network of neural cells where the complexity of the network is given by the large number of its constituents and its architecture. The topological structure of neurons in the brain translates into its increased computational capabilities, low energy consumption, and nondeterministic functions, which differentiate human behavior from artificial computational schemes. In this manuscript, we fabricated porous silicon chips with a small pore size ranging from 8 to 75 nm and large fractal dimensions up to Df ∼ 2.8. In culturing neuroblastoma N2A cells on the described substrates, we found that those cells adhere more firmly to and proliferate on the porous surfaces compared to the conventional nominally flat silicon substrates, which were used as controls. More importantly, we observed that N2A cells on the porous substrates create highly clustered, small world topology patterns. We conjecture that neurons with a similar architecture may elaborate information more efficiently than in random or regular grids. Moreover, we hypothesize that systems of neurons on nano-scale geometry evolve in time to form networks in which the propagation of information is maximized. This journal is

Dirac-Screening Stabilized Surface-State Transport in a Topological Insulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Brüne

2014-12-01

Full Text Available We report magnetotransport studies on a gated strained HgTe device. This material is a three-dimensional topological insulator and exclusively shows surface-state transport. Remarkably, the Landau-level dispersion and the accuracy of the Hall quantization remain unchanged over a wide density range (3×10^{11}  cm^{−2}surface-state dominated, where bulk transport would have been expected to coexist already. Moreover, the density dependence of the Dirac-type quantum Hall effect allows us to identify the contributions from the individual surfaces. A k·p model can describe the experiments but only when assuming a steep band bending across the regions where the topological surface states are contained. This steep potential originates from the specific screening properties of Dirac systems and causes the gate voltage to influence the position of the Dirac points rather than that of the Fermi level.

Extremely large nonsaturating magnetoresistance and ultrahigh mobility due to topological surface states in the metallic Bi2Te3 topological insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, K.; Chou, M.; Graf, D.; Yang, H. D.; Lorenz, B.; Chu, C. W.

2017-05-01

Weak antilocalization (WAL) effects in Bi2Te3 single crystals have been investigated at high and low bulk charge-carrier concentrations. At low charge-carrier density the WAL curves scale with the normal component of the magnetic field, demonstrating the dominance of topological surface states in magnetoconductivity. At high charge-carrier density the WAL curves scale with neither the applied field nor its normal component, implying a mixture of bulk and surface conduction. WAL due to topological surface states shows no dependence on the nature (electrons or holes) of the bulk charge carriers. The observations of an extremely large nonsaturating magnetoresistance and ultrahigh mobility in the samples with lower carrier density further support the presence of surface states. The physical parameters characterizing the WAL effects are calculated using the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka formula. At high charge-carrier concentrations, there is a greater number of conduction channels and a decrease in the phase coherence length compared to low charge-carrier concentrations. The extremely large magnetoresistance and high mobility of topological insulators have great technological value and can be exploited in magnetoelectric sensors and memory devices.

The substrate strain mediated magnetotransport properties of surface states in topological insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Ning, E-mail: maning@stu.xjtu.edu.cn [Department of Physics, MOE Key Laboratory of Advanced Transducers and Intelligent Control System, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024 (China); Department of Applied Physics, MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Zhang, Shengli, E-mail: zhangsl@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Liu, Daqing, E-mail: liudq@cczu.edu.cn [School of Mathematics and Physics, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China)

2016-10-14

Recent experiments reveal that the strained bulk HgTe can be regarded as a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI). We further explore the strain effects on magnetotransport in HgTe at magnetic field. We find that the substrate strain associated with the surface index of carriers, can remove the surfaces degeneracy in Landau levels. This accordingly induces the well separated surface quantum Hall plateaus and Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations. These results can be used to generate and detect surface polarization, not only in HgTe but also in a broad class of TIs, which would be very great news for electronic applications of TIs. - Highlights: • We explore the strain mediated magnetotransport in topological insulators. • We analytically derive the zero frequency magnetoconductivity. • The strain removes the surface degeneracy in Landau levels. • The strain gives rise to the splitting and mixture of Landau levels. • The strain leads to the surface asymmetric spectrum of conductivity.

Topological cell clustering in the ATLAS calorimeters and its performance in LHC Run 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aad, G. [CPPM, Aix-Marseille Univ. et CNRS/IN2P3, Marseille (France); Abbott, B. [Oklahoma Univ., Norman, OK (United States). Homer L. Dodge Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Abdallah, J. [Academia Sinica, Taipei (China). Inst. of Physics; Collaboration: ATLAS Collaboration; and others

2017-07-15

The reconstruction of the signal from hadrons and jets emerging from the proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and entering the ATLAS calorimeters is based on a three-dimensional topological clustering of individual calorimeter cell signals. The cluster formation follows cell signal-significance patterns generated by electromagnetic and hadronic showers. In this, the clustering algorithm implicitly performs a topological noise suppression by removing cells with insignificant signals which are not in close proximity to cells with significant signals. The resulting topological cell clusters have shape and location information, which is exploited to apply a local energy calibration and corrections depending on the nature of the cluster. Topological cell clustering is established as a well-performing calorimeter signal definition for jet and missing transverse momentum reconstruction in ATLAS. (orig.)

Status of surface conduction in topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barua, Sourabh; Rajeev, K. P.

2014-01-01

In this report, we scrutinize the thickness dependent resistivity data from the recent literature on electrical transport measurements in topological insulators. A linear increase in resistivity with increase in thickness is expected in the case of these materials since they have an insulating bulk and a conducting surface. However, such a trend is not seen in the resistivity versus thickness data for all the cases examined, except for some samples, where it holds for a range of thickness

On geometry-dependent vortex stability and topological spin excitations on curved surfaces with cylindrical symmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho-Santos, V.L.; Apolonio, F.A.; Oliveira-Neto, N.M.

2013-01-01

We study the Heisenberg model on cylindrically symmetric curved surfaces. Two kinds of excitations are considered. The first is given by the isotropic regime, yielding the sine-Gordon equation and π solitons are predicted. The second one is given by the XY model, leading to a vortex turning around the surface. Helical states are also considered, however, topological arguments cannot be used to ensure its stability. The energy and the anisotropy parameter which stabilizes the vortex state are explicitly calculated for two surfaces: catenoid and hyperboloid. The results show that the anisotropy and the vortex energy depends on the underlying geometry. -- Highlights: •Applying the anisotropic Heisenberg model on curved surfaces. •Appearance of topological solitons on curved surfaces with cylindrical symmetry. •Calculus of the vortex energy, which depends on curvature. •Discussion on features of non-topological helical-like states. •Vortex stability ensured by the anisotropy parameter value

Charge-spin Transport in Surface-disordered Three-dimensional Topological Insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Xingyue

As one of the most promising candidates for the building block of the novel spintronic circuit, the topological insulator (TI) has attracted world-wide interest of study. Robust topological order protected by time-reversal symmetry (TRS) makes charge transport and spin generation in TIs significantly different from traditional three-dimensional (3D) or two-dimensional (2D) electronic systems. However, to date, charge transport and spin generation in 3D TIs are still primarily modeled as single-surface phenomena, happening independently on top and bottom surfaces. In this dissertation, I will demonstrate via both experimental findings and theoretical modeling that this "single surface'' theory neither correctly describes a realistic 3D TI-based device nor reveals the amazingly distinct physical picture of spin transport dynamics in 3D TIs. Instead, I present a new viewpoint of the spin transport dynamics where the role of the insulating yet topologically non-trivial bulk of a 3D TI becomes explicit. Within this new theory, many mysterious transport and magneto-transport anomalies can be naturally explained. The 3D TI system turns out to be more similar to its low dimensional sibling--2D TI rather than some other systems sharing the Dirac dispersion, such as graphene. This work not only provides valuable fundamental physical insights on charge-spin transport in 3D TIs, but also offers important guidance to the design of 3D TI-based spintronic devices.

Biaxially mechanical tuning of 2-D reversible and irreversible surface topologies through simultaneous and sequential wrinkling.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Jie; Yagüe, Jose Luis; Boyce, Mary C; Gleason, Karen K

2014-02-26

Controlled buckling is a facile means of structuring surfaces. The resulting ordered wrinkling topologies provide surface properties and features desired for multifunctional applications. Here, we study the biaxially dynamic tuning of two-dimensional wrinkled micropatterns under cyclic mechanical stretching/releasing/restretching simultaneously or sequentially. A biaxially prestretched PDMS substrate is coated with a stiff polymer deposited by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). Applying a mechanical release/restretch cycle in two directions loaded simultaneously or sequentially to the wrinkled system results in a variety of dynamic and tunable wrinkled geometries, the evolution of which is investigated using in situ optical profilometry, numerical simulations, and theoretical modeling. Results show that restretching ordered herringbone micropatterns, created through sequential release of biaxial prestrain, leads to reversible and repeatable surface topography. The initial flat surface and the same wrinkled herringbone pattern are obtained alternatively after cyclic release/restretch processes, owing to the highly ordered structure leaving no avenue for trapping irregular topological regions during cycling as further evidenced by the uniformity of strains distributions and negligible residual strain. Conversely, restretching disordered labyrinth micropatterns created through simultaneous release shows an irreversible surface topology whether after sequential or simultaneous restretching due to creation of irregular surface topologies with regions of highly concentrated strain upon formation of the labyrinth which then lead to residual strains and trapped topologies upon cycling; furthermore, these trapped topologies depend upon the subsequent strain histories as well as the cycle. The disordered labyrinth pattern varies after each cyclic release/restretch process, presenting residual shallow patterns instead of achieving a flat state. The ability to

Electrical and proximity-magnetic effects induced quantum Goos–Hänchen shift on the surface of topological insulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuai, Jian [School of Physics and Electronics, Yancheng Teachers College, Yancheng, 224002 Jiangsu (China); Da, H.X., E-mail: haixia8779@163.com [Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, 117576 (Singapore)

2014-03-15

We use scattering matrix method to theoretically demonstrate that the quantum Goos–Hänchen shift of the surface on three-dimensional topological insulator coated by ferromagnetic strips is sensitive to the magnitude of ferromagnetic magnetization. The dependence of quantum Goos–Hänchen shift on magnetization and gate bias is investigated by performing station phase approach. It is found that quantum Goos–Hänchen shift is positive and large under the magnetic barrier but may be positive as well as negative values under the gate bias. Furthermore, the position of quantum Goos–Hänchen peak can also be modulated by the combination of gate bias and proximity magnetic effects. Our results indicate that topological insulators are another candidates to support quantum Goos–Hänchen shift. - Highlights: • Quantum Goos–Hänchen shift of the surface on three-dimensional topological insulators is first investigated. • The magnetization affects quantum Goos–Hänchen shift of the surface on three-dimensional topological insulators. • Quantum Goos–Hänchen shift of the surface on three-dimensional topological insulators can be manipulated by the gate voltages.

Topological open string amplitudes on local toric del Pezzo surfaces via remodeling the B-model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manabe, Masahide

2009-01-01

We study topological strings on local toric del Pezzo surfaces by a method called remodeling the B-model which was recently proposed by Bouchard, Klemm, Marino and Pasquetti. For a large class of local toric del Pezzo surfaces we prove a functional formula of the Bergman kernel which is the basic constituent of the topological string amplitudes by the topological recursion relation of Eynard and Orantin. Because this formula is written as a functional of the period, we can obtain the topological string amplitudes at any point of the moduli space by a simple change of variables of the Picard-Fuchs equations for the period. By this formula and mirror symmetry we compute the A-model amplitudes on K F 2 , and predict the open orbifold Gromov-Witten invariants of C 3 /Z 4 .

Surface representations of two- and three-dimensional fluid flow topology

Science.gov (United States)

Helman, James L.; Hesselink, Lambertus

1990-01-01

We discuss our work using critical point analysis to generate representations of the vector field topology of numerical flow data sets. Critical points are located and characterized in a two-dimensional domain, which may be either a two-dimensional flow field or the tangential velocity field near a three-dimensional body. Tangent curves are then integrated out along the principal directions of certain classes of critical points. The points and curves are linked to form a skeleton representing the two-dimensional vector field topology. When generated from the tangential velocity field near a body in a three-dimensional flow, the skeleton includes the critical points and curves which provide a basis for analyzing the three-dimensional structure of the flow separation. The points along the separation curves in the skeleton are used to start tangent curve integrations to generate surfaces representing the topology of the associated flow separations.

Transport of Dirac fermions on the surface of strong topological insulator and graphene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kundu, Arijit

2012-06-14

In this dissertation I study electronic transport through Dirac Fermions on the surface of strong topological insulator and graphene. I start by reviewing the physics of topological insulator and graphene and the low energy effective theory for the electronic states of the surface of a 3D strong topological insulator and graphene. Using this theory the electronic structure of the surface states of strong topological insulators of geometries with large surface to bulk ratio like nanowire and thin film are obtained. Then the energy spectrum and the spin-parity structure of the eigenstates for a finite size topological insulator quantum dot of the shape of a nanotube are considered. Numerical calculations show that even at the lowest energy scales, the ''spin-surface locking'' is broken, that is, the spin direction in a topologically protected surface mode is not locked to the surface. The calculations also show the existence of ''zero-momentum'' modes, and sub-gap states localized near the ''caps'' of the dot. Both the energy spectrum and the spin texture of the eigenstates are basically reproduced from an analytical surface Dirac fermion description. The results are compared to microscopic calculations using a tight-binding model for a strong topological insulator in a finite-length nanowire geometry, which shows qualitative similarity. Then, a theoretical study of electron-phonon scattering effects in thin films made of a strong topological insulator is presented. Phonons are modeled by isotropic elastic continuum theory with stress-free boundary conditions, and the interaction with the helical surface Dirac fermions is mediated by the deformation potential. The temperature-dependent electrical resistivity ρ(T) and the quasi-particle decay rate Γ(T) observable in photo-emission are computed numerically. The low and high-temperature power laws for both quantities are obtained analytically. Detailed

Survey of surface proteins from the pathogenic Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae strain 7448 using a biotin cell surface labeling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Reolon, Luciano Antonio; Martello, Carolina Lumertz; Schrank, Irene Silveira; Ferreira, Henrique Bunselmeyer

2014-01-01

The characterization of the repertoire of proteins exposed on the cell surface by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae), the etiological agent of enzootic pneumonia in pigs, is critical to understand physiological processes associated with bacterial infection capacity, survival and pathogenesis. Previous in silico studies predicted that about a third of the genes in the M. hyopneumoniae genome code for surface proteins, but so far, just a few of them have experimental confirmation of their expression and surface localization. In this work, M. hyopneumoniae surface proteins were labeled in intact cells with biotin, and affinity-captured biotin-labeled proteins were identified by a gel-based liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry approach. A total of 20 gel slices were separately analyzed by mass spectrometry, resulting in 165 protein identifications corresponding to 59 different protein species. The identified surface exposed proteins better defined the set of M. hyopneumoniae proteins exposed to the host and added confidence to in silico predictions. Several proteins potentially related to pathogenesis, were identified, including known adhesins and also hypothetical proteins with adhesin-like topologies, consisting of a transmembrane helix and a large tail exposed at the cell surface. The results provided a better picture of the M. hyopneumoniae cell surface that will help in the understanding of processes important for bacterial pathogenesis. Considering the experimental demonstration of surface exposure, adhesion-like topology predictions and absence of orthologs in the closely related, non-pathogenic species Mycoplasma flocculare, several proteins could be proposed as potential targets for the development of drugs, vaccines and/or immunodiagnostic tests for enzootic pneumonia.

Survey of surface proteins from the pathogenic Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae strain 7448 using a biotin cell surface labeling approach.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciano Antonio Reolon

Full Text Available The characterization of the repertoire of proteins exposed on the cell surface by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae, the etiological agent of enzootic pneumonia in pigs, is critical to understand physiological processes associated with bacterial infection capacity, survival and pathogenesis. Previous in silico studies predicted that about a third of the genes in the M. hyopneumoniae genome code for surface proteins, but so far, just a few of them have experimental confirmation of their expression and surface localization. In this work, M. hyopneumoniae surface proteins were labeled in intact cells with biotin, and affinity-captured biotin-labeled proteins were identified by a gel-based liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry approach. A total of 20 gel slices were separately analyzed by mass spectrometry, resulting in 165 protein identifications corresponding to 59 different protein species. The identified surface exposed proteins better defined the set of M. hyopneumoniae proteins exposed to the host and added confidence to in silico predictions. Several proteins potentially related to pathogenesis, were identified, including known adhesins and also hypothetical proteins with adhesin-like topologies, consisting of a transmembrane helix and a large tail exposed at the cell surface. The results provided a better picture of the M. hyopneumoniae cell surface that will help in the understanding of processes important for bacterial pathogenesis. Considering the experimental demonstration of surface exposure, adhesion-like topology predictions and absence of orthologs in the closely related, non-pathogenic species Mycoplasma flocculare, several proteins could be proposed as potential targets for the development of drugs, vaccines and/or immunodiagnostic tests for enzootic pneumonia.

Surfaces of Minimal Paths from Topological Structures and Applications to 3D Object Segmentation

KAUST Repository

Algarni, Marei

2017-10-24

Extracting surfaces, representing boundaries of objects of interest, from volumetric images, has important applications in various scientific domains, from medicine to geology. In this thesis, I introduce novel mathematical, computational, and algorithmic machinery for extraction of sheet-like surfaces (with boundary), whose boundary is unknown a-priori, a particularly important case in applications that has no convenient methods. This case of a surface with boundaries has applications in extracting faults (among other geological structures) from seismic images in geological applications. Another application domain is in the extraction of structures in the lung from computed tomography (CT) images. Although many methods have been developed in computer vision for extraction of surfaces, including level sets, convex optimization approaches, and graph cut methods, none of these methods appear to be applicable to the case of surfaces with boundary. The novel methods for surface extraction, derived in this thesis, are built on the theory of Minimal Paths, which has been used primarily to extract curves in noisy or corrupted images and have had wide applicability in 2D computer vision. This thesis extends such methods to surfaces, and it is based on novel observations that surfaces can be determined by extracting topological structures from the solution of the eikonal partial differential equation (PDE), which is the basis of Minimal Path theory. Although topological structures are known to be difficult to extract from images, which are both noisy and discrete, this thesis builds robust methods based on Morse theory and computational topology to address such issues. The algorithms have run-time complexity O(NlogN), less complex than existing approaches. The thesis details the algorithms, theory, and shows an extensive experimental evaluation on seismic images and medical images. Experiments show out-performance in accuracy, computational speed, and user convenience

Topological hierarchy matters — topological matters with superlattices of defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Jing; Kou Su-Peng

2016-01-01

Topological insulators/superconductors are new states of quantum matter with metallic edge/surface states. In this paper, we review the defects effect in these topological states and study new types of topological matters — topological hierarchy matters. We find that both topological defects (quantized vortices) and non topological defects (vacancies) can induce topological mid-gap states in the topological hierarchy matters after considering the superlattice of defects. These topological mid-gap states have nontrivial topological properties, including the nonzero Chern number and the gapless edge states. Effective tight-binding models are obtained to describe the topological mid-gap states in the topological hierarchy matters. (topical review)

Quantum magnetotransport for the surface states of three-dimensional topological insulators in the presence of a Zeeman field

KAUST Repository

Tahir, Muhammad; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2013-01-01

We show that the surface states of magnetic topological insulators realize an activated behavior and Shubnikov de Haas oscillations. Applying an external magnetic field perpendicular to the surface of the topological insulator in the presence

Flow Structure and Surface Topology on a UCAV Planform

Science.gov (United States)

Elkhoury, Michel; Yavuz, Metin; Rockwell, Donald

2003-11-01

Flow past a X-45 UCAV planform involves the complex generation and interaction of vortices, their breakdown and occurrence of surface separation and stall. A cinema technique of high-image-density particle image velocimetry, in conjunction with dye visualization, allows characterization of the time-averaged and instantaneous states of the flow, in terms of critical points of the near-surface streamlines. These features are related to patterns of surface normal vorticity and velocity fluctuation. Spectral analysis of the naturally occurring unsteadiness of the flow allows definition of the most effective frequencies for small-amplitude perturbation of the wing, which leads to substantial alterations of the aforementioned patterns of flow structure and topology adjacent to the surface.

Topological BF field theory description of topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Gil Young; Moore, Joel E.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → We show that a BF theory is the effective theory of 2D and 3D topological insulators. → The non-gauge-invariance of the bulk theory yields surface terms for a bosonized Dirac fermion. → The 'axion' term in electromagnetism is correctly obtained from gapped surfaces. → Generalizations to possible fractional phases are discussed in closing. - Abstract: Topological phases of matter are described universally by topological field theories in the same way that symmetry-breaking phases of matter are described by Landau-Ginzburg field theories. We propose that topological insulators in two and three dimensions are described by a version of abelian BF theory. For the two-dimensional topological insulator or quantum spin Hall state, this description is essentially equivalent to a pair of Chern-Simons theories, consistent with the realization of this phase as paired integer quantum Hall effect states. The BF description can be motivated from the local excitations produced when a π flux is threaded through this state. For the three-dimensional topological insulator, the BF description is less obvious but quite versatile: it contains a gapless surface Dirac fermion when time-reversal-symmetry is preserved and yields 'axion electrodynamics', i.e., an electromagnetic E . B term, when time-reversal symmetry is broken and the surfaces are gapped. Just as changing the coefficients and charges of 2D Chern-Simons theory allows one to obtain fractional quantum Hall states starting from integer states, BF theory could also describe (at a macroscopic level) fractional 3D topological insulators with fractional statistics of point-like and line-like objects.

Tolerance of topological surface state towards adsorbed magnetic moments: Fe on Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scholz, Markus; Marchenko, Dmitry; Sanchez-Barriga, Jaime; Varykhalov, Andrei; Rader, Oliver [Helmholtz-Zentrum fuer Materialien und Energie, Berlin (Germany); Volykhov, Andrei; Yashina, Lada [Moscow State University, Moskau, Russland (Russian Federation)

2011-07-01

Topological surface states on Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} are protected by time reversal symmetry. Magnetic fields break time-reversal symmetry, and they have been used in two-dimensional spin quantum-Hall systems to destroy the topological edge states. Another possibility is to introduce magnetic moments. This has been done by substitution of Mn and Fe into the bulk. For Fe a small gap of 44meV was created, however, at very large amounts (12%). In this work, we deposit Fe directly onto the surface where the topological surface state is localized. We show for coverages of 0.25 and 1 ML Fe that the Dirac point remains intact and no gap appears. Core level spectroscopy of Bi and Te states gives insight into the interaction between substrate and adatoms. In addition, extra surface states appear at the Fermi energy which show a large Rashba-type spin-orbit splitting. The orientation of the spin of both, the topological as well as the Rashba-type split surface states is analysed.

Nanoscale electron transport at the surface of a topological insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Sebastian; Bobisch, Christian A.

2016-04-01

The use of three-dimensional topological insulators for disruptive technologies critically depends on the dissipationless transport of electrons at the surface, because of the suppression of backscattering at defects. However, in real devices, defects are unavoidable and scattering at angles other than 180° is allowed for such materials. Until now, this has been studied indirectly by bulk measurements and by the analysis of the local density of states in close vicinity to defect sites. Here, we directly measure the nanoscale voltage drop caused by the scattering at step edges, which occurs if a lateral current flows along a three-dimensional topological insulator. The experiments were performed using scanning tunnelling potentiometry for thin Bi2Se3 films. So far, the observed voltage drops are small because of large contributions of the bulk to the electronic transport. However, for the use of ideal topological insulating thin films in devices, these contributions would play a significant role.

Generation of helical gears with new surfaces topology by application of CNC machines

Science.gov (United States)

Litvin, F. L.; Chen, N. X.; Hsiao, C. L.; Handschuh, Robert F.

1993-01-01

Analysis of helical involute gears by tooth contact analysis shows that such gears are very sensitive to angular misalignment that leads to edge contact and the potential for high vibration. A new topology of tooth surfaces of helical gears that enables a favorable bearing contact and a reduced level of vibration is described. Methods for grinding of the helical gears with the new topology are proposed. A TCA (tooth contact analysis) program for simulation of meshing and contact of helical gears with the new topology has been developed. Numerical examples that illustrate the proposed ideas are discussed.

A three-colour graph as a complete topological invariant for gradient-like diffeomorphisms of surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grines, V Z; Pochinka, O V; Kapkaeva, S Kh

2014-01-01

In a paper of Oshemkov and Sharko, three-colour graphs were used to make the topological equivalence of Morse-Smale flows on surfaces obtained by Peixoto more precise. In the present paper, in the language of three-colour graphs equipped with automorphisms, we obtain a complete (including realization) topological classification of gradient-like cascades on surfaces. Bibliography: 25 titles

A three-colour graph as a complete topological invariant for gradient-like diffeomorphisms of surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grines, V Z; Pochinka, O V [N.I. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation); Kapkaeva, S Kh [N.P. Ogarev Mordovian State University, Saransk (Russian Federation)

2014-10-31

In a paper of Oshemkov and Sharko, three-colour graphs were used to make the topological equivalence of Morse-Smale flows on surfaces obtained by Peixoto more precise. In the present paper, in the language of three-colour graphs equipped with automorphisms, we obtain a complete (including realization) topological classification of gradient-like cascades on surfaces. Bibliography: 25 titles.

Surface quantum oscillations and weak antilocalization effect in topological insulator (Bi0.3Sb0.7)2Te3

Science.gov (United States)

Urkude, Rajashri; Rawat, Rajeev; Palikundwar, Umesh

2018-04-01

In 3D topological insulators, achieving a genuine bulk-insulating state is an important topic of research. The material system (Bi,Sb)2(Te,Se)3 has been proposed as a topological insulator with high resistivity and low carrier concentration. Topological insulators are predicted to present interesting surface transport phenomena but their experimental studies have been hindered by metallic bulk conduction that overwhelms the surface transport. Here we present a study of the bulk-insulating properties of (Bi0.3Sb0.7)2Te3. We show that a high resistivity exceeding 1 Ωm as a result of variable-range hopping behavior of state and Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations as coming from the topological surface state. We have been able to clarify both the bulk and surface transport channels, establishing a comprehensive understanding of the transport properties in this material. Our results demonstrate that (Bi0.3Sb0.7)2Te3 is a good material for studying the surface quantum transport in a topological insulator.

Topology optimization of front metallization patterns for solar cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gupta, D.K.; Langelaar, M.; Barink, M.; Keulen, F. van

2015-01-01

This paper presents the application of topology optimization (TO) for designing the front electrode patterns for solar cells. Improving the front electrode design is one of the approaches to improve the performance of the solar cells. It serves to produce the voltage distribution for the front

Protective capping of topological surface states of intrinsically insulating Bi2Te3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katharina Hoefer

2015-09-01

Full Text Available We have identified epitaxially grown elemental Te as a capping material that is suited to protect the topological surface states of intrinsically insulating Bi2Te3. By using angle-resolved photoemission, we were able to show that the Te overlayer leaves the dispersive bands of the surface states intact and that it does not alter the chemical potential of the Bi2Te3 thin film. From in-situ four-point contact measurements, we observed that the conductivity of the capped film is still mainly determined by the metallic surface states and that the contribution of the capping layer is minor. Moreover, the Te overlayer can be annealed away in vacuum to produce a clean Bi2Te3 surface in its pristine state even after the exposure of the capped film to air. Our findings will facilitate well-defined and reliable ex-situ experiments on the properties of Bi2Te3 surface states with nontrivial topology.

Dirac spin-orbit torques and charge pumping at the surface of topological insulators

KAUST Repository

Ndiaye, Papa Birame

2017-07-07

We address the nature of spin-orbit torques at the magnetic surfaces of topological insulators using the linear-response theory. We find that the so-called Dirac torques in such systems possess a different symmetry compared to their Rashba counterpart, as well as a high anisotropy as a function of the magnetization direction. In particular, the damping torque vanishes when the magnetization lies in the plane of the topological-insulator surface. We also show that the Onsager reciprocal of the spin-orbit torque, the charge pumping, induces an enhanced anisotropic damping. Via a macrospin model, we numerically demonstrate that these features have important consequences in terms of magnetization switching.

Dirac spin-orbit torques and charge pumping at the surface of topological insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Ndiaye, Papa B.; Akosa, C. A.; Fischer, M. H.; Vaezi, A.; Kim, E.-A.; Manchon, A.

2017-07-01

We address the nature of spin-orbit torques at the magnetic surfaces of topological insulators using the linear-response theory. We find that the so-called Dirac torques in such systems possess a different symmetry compared to their Rashba counterpart, as well as a high anisotropy as a function of the magnetization direction. In particular, the damping torque vanishes when the magnetization lies in the plane of the topological-insulator surface. We also show that the Onsager reciprocal of the spin-orbit torque, the charge pumping, induces an enhanced anisotropic damping. Via a macrospin model, we numerically demonstrate that these features have important consequences in terms of magnetization switching.

Dirac spin-orbit torques and charge pumping at the surface of topological insulators

KAUST Repository

Ndiaye, Papa Birame; Akosa, Collins Ashu; Fischer, M. H.; Vaezi, A.; Kim, E.-A.; Manchon, Aurelien

2017-01-01

We address the nature of spin-orbit torques at the magnetic surfaces of topological insulators using the linear-response theory. We find that the so-called Dirac torques in such systems possess a different symmetry compared to their Rashba counterpart, as well as a high anisotropy as a function of the magnetization direction. In particular, the damping torque vanishes when the magnetization lies in the plane of the topological-insulator surface. We also show that the Onsager reciprocal of the spin-orbit torque, the charge pumping, induces an enhanced anisotropic damping. Via a macrospin model, we numerically demonstrate that these features have important consequences in terms of magnetization switching.

Saddle-like topological surface states on the T T'X family of compounds (T , T' = Transition metal, X =Si , Ge)

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Bahadur; Zhou, Xiaoting; Lin, Hsin; Bansil, Arun

2018-02-01

Topological nodal-line semimetals are exotic conductors that host symmetry-protected conducting nodal lines in their bulk electronic spectrum and nontrivial drumhead states on the surface. Based on first-principles calculations and an effective model analysis, we identify the presence of topological nodal-line semimetal states in the low crystalline symmetric T T'X family of compounds (T ,T' = transition metal, X = Si or Ge) in the absence of spin-orbit coupling (SOC). Taking ZrPtGe as an exemplar system, we show that owing to small lattice symmetry this material harbors a single nodal line on the ky=0 plane with large energy dispersion and unique drumhead surface state with a saddlelike energy dispersion. When the SOC is included, the nodal line gaps out and the system transitions to a strong topological insulator state with Z2=(1 ;000 ) . The topological surface state evolves from the drumhead surface state via the sharing of its saddlelike energy dispersion within the bulk energy gap. These features differ remarkably from those of the currently known topological surface states in topological insulators such as Bi2Se3 with Dirac-cone-like energy dispersions.

Bubble Divergences: Sorting out Topology from Cell Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Bonzom, Valentin; Smerlak, Matteo

2012-02-01

We conclude our analysis of bubble divergences in the flat spinfoam model. In [arXiv:1008.1476] we showed that the divergence degree of an arbitrary two-complex Gamma can be evaluated exactly by means of twisted cohomology. Here, we specialize this result to the case where Gamma is the two-skeleton of the cell decomposition of a pseudomanifold, and sharpen it with a careful analysis of the cellular and topological structures involved. Moreover, we explain in detail how this approach reproduces all the previous powercounting results for the Boulatov-Ooguri (colored) tensor models, and sheds light on algebraic-topological aspects of Gurau's 1/N expansion.

Combining Topological Hardware and Topological Software: Color-Code Quantum Computing with Topological Superconductor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Litinski, Daniel; Kesselring, Markus S.; Eisert, Jens; von Oppen, Felix

2017-07-01

We present a scalable architecture for fault-tolerant topological quantum computation using networks of voltage-controlled Majorana Cooper pair boxes and topological color codes for error correction. Color codes have a set of transversal gates which coincides with the set of topologically protected gates in Majorana-based systems, namely, the Clifford gates. In this way, we establish color codes as providing a natural setting in which advantages offered by topological hardware can be combined with those arising from topological error-correcting software for full-fledged fault-tolerant quantum computing. We provide a complete description of our architecture, including the underlying physical ingredients. We start by showing that in topological superconductor networks, hexagonal cells can be employed to serve as physical qubits for universal quantum computation, and we present protocols for realizing topologically protected Clifford gates. These hexagonal-cell qubits allow for a direct implementation of open-boundary color codes with ancilla-free syndrome read-out and logical T gates via magic-state distillation. For concreteness, we describe how the necessary operations can be implemented using networks of Majorana Cooper pair boxes, and we give a feasibility estimate for error correction in this architecture. Our approach is motivated by nanowire-based networks of topological superconductors, but it could also be realized in alternative settings such as quantum-Hall-superconductor hybrids.

Combining Topological Hardware and Topological Software: Color-Code Quantum Computing with Topological Superconductor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Litinski

2017-09-01

Full Text Available We present a scalable architecture for fault-tolerant topological quantum computation using networks of voltage-controlled Majorana Cooper pair boxes and topological color codes for error correction. Color codes have a set of transversal gates which coincides with the set of topologically protected gates in Majorana-based systems, namely, the Clifford gates. In this way, we establish color codes as providing a natural setting in which advantages offered by topological hardware can be combined with those arising from topological error-correcting software for full-fledged fault-tolerant quantum computing. We provide a complete description of our architecture, including the underlying physical ingredients. We start by showing that in topological superconductor networks, hexagonal cells can be employed to serve as physical qubits for universal quantum computation, and we present protocols for realizing topologically protected Clifford gates. These hexagonal-cell qubits allow for a direct implementation of open-boundary color codes with ancilla-free syndrome read-out and logical T gates via magic-state distillation. For concreteness, we describe how the necessary operations can be implemented using networks of Majorana Cooper pair boxes, and we give a feasibility estimate for error correction in this architecture. Our approach is motivated by nanowire-based networks of topological superconductors, but it could also be realized in alternative settings such as quantum-Hall–superconductor hybrids.

Time-Dependent Liquid Transport on a Biomimetic Topological Surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Cunlong; Li, Chuxin; Gao, Can; Dong, Zhichao; Wu, Lei; Jiang, Lei

2018-05-02

Liquid drops impacting on a solid surface is a familiar phenomenon. On rainy days, it is quite important for leaves to drain off impacting raindrops. Water can bounce off or flow down a water-repellent leaf easily, but with difficulty on a hydrophilic leaf. Here, we show an interesting phenomenon in which impacting drops on the hydrophilic pitcher rim of Nepenthes alata can spread outward to prohibit water filling the pitcher tank. We mimic the peristome surface through a designed 3D printing and replicating way and report a time-dependently switchable liquid transport based on biomimetic topological structures, where surface curvature can work synergistically with the surface microtextures to manipulate the switchable spreading performance. Motived by this strange behavior, we construct a large-scaled peristome-mimetic surface in a 3D profile, demonstrating the ability to reduce the need to mop or to squeegee drops that form during the drop impacting process on pipes or other curved surfaces in food processing, moisture transfer, heat management, etc.

Effect of Topology Structures on Synchronization Transition in Coupled Neuron Cells System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Li-Si; Zhang Ji-Qian; Xu Gui-Xia; Liu Le-Zhu; Huang Shou-Fang

2013-01-01

In this paper, by the help of evolutionary algorithm and using Hindmarsh—Rose (HR) neuron model, we investigate the effect of topology structures on synchronization transition between different states in coupled neuron cells system. First, we build different coupling structure with N cells, and found the effect of synchronized transition contact not only closely with the topology of the system, but also with whether there exist the ring structures in the system. In particular, both the size and the number of rings have greater effects on such transition behavior. Secondly, we introduce synchronization error to qualitative analyze the effect of the topology structure. Furthermore, by fitting the simulation results, we find that with the increment of the neurons number, there always exist the optimization structures which have the minimum number of connecting edges in the coupling systems. Above results show that the topology structures have a very crucial role on synchronization transition in coupled neuron system. Biological system may gradually acquire such efficient topology structures through the long-term evolution, thus the systems' information process may be optimized by this scheme. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Surface-reconstructed graphite nanofibers as a support for cathode catalysts of fuel cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Lin; Du, Hongda; Li, Baohua; Kang, Feiyu

2011-04-07

Graphite nanofibers (GNFs), on which surface graphite edges were reconstructed into nano-loops, were explored as a cathode catalyst support for fuel cells. The high degree of graphitization, as well as the surface-reconstructed nano-loops that possess topological defects for uniform metal deposition, resulted in an improved performance of the GNF-supported Pt catalyst.

Probing topological relations between high-density and low-density regions of 2MASS with hexagon cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Yongfeng [American Physical Society, San Diego, CA (United States); Xiao, Weike, E-mail: yongfeng.wu@maine.edu [Department of Astronautics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 345, Heilongjiang Province 150001 (China)

2014-02-01

We introduced a new two-dimensional (2D) hexagon technique for probing the topological structure of the universe in which we mapped regions of the sky with high and low galaxy densities onto a 2D lattice of hexagonal unit cells. We defined filled cells as corresponding to high-density regions and empty cells as corresponding to low-density regions. The numbers of filled cells and empty cells were kept the same by controlling the size of the cells. By analyzing the six sides of each hexagon, we could obtain and compare the statistical topological properties of high-density and low-density regions of the universe in order to have a better understanding of the evolution of the universe. We applied this hexagonal method to Two Micron All Sky Survey data and discovered significant topological differences between the high-density and low-density regions. Both regions had significant (>5σ) topological shifts from both the binomial distribution and the random distribution.

Surface Andreev Bound States and Odd-Frequency Pairing in Topological Superconductor Junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Yukio; Tamura, Shun

2018-04-01

In this review, we summarize the achievement of the physics of surface Andreev bound states (SABS) up to now. The route of this activity has started from the physics of SABS of unconventional superconductors where the pair potential has a sign change on the Fermi surface. It has been established that SABS can be regarded as a topological edge state with topological invariant defined in the bulk Hamiltonian. On the other hand, SABS accompanies odd-frequency pairing like spin-triplet s-wave or spin-singlet p-wave. In a spin-triplet superconductor junction, induced odd-frequency pairing can penetrate into a diffusive normal metal (DN) attached to the superconductor. It causes so called anomalous proximity effect where the local density of states of quasiparticle in DN has a zero energy peak. When bulk pairing symmetry is spin-triplet px-wave, the anomalous proximity effect becomes prominent and the zero bias voltage conductance is always quantized independent of the resistance in DN and interface. Finally, we show that the present anomalous proximity effect is realized in an artificial topological superconducting system, where a nanowire with spin-orbit coupling and Zeeman field is put on the conventional spin-singlet s-wave superconductor.

Chiral topological insulator of magnons

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bo; Kovalev, Alexey A.

2018-05-01

We propose a magnon realization of 3D topological insulator in the AIII (chiral symmetry) topological class. The topological magnon gap opens due to the presence of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions. The existence of the topological invariant is established by calculating the bulk winding number of the system. Within our model, the surface magnon Dirac cone is protected by the sublattice chiral symmetry. By analyzing the magnon surface modes, we confirm that the backscattering is prohibited. By weakly breaking the chiral symmetry, we observe the magnon Hall response on the surface due to opening of the gap. Finally, we show that by changing certain parameters, the system can be tuned between the chiral topological insulator, three-dimensional magnon anomalous Hall, and Weyl magnon phases.

Numerical modeling of the effect of surface topology on the saturated pool nucleate boiling curve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unal, C.; Pasamehmetoglu, K.O.

1993-01-01

A numerical study of saturated pool nucleate boiling with an emphasis on the effect of surface topography is presented. The numerical model consisted of solving the three-dimensional transient heat conduction equation within the heater subjected to nucleate boiling over its upper surface. The surface topography model considered the distribution of the cavity and cavity angles based on exponential and normal probability functions. Parametric results showed that the saturated nucleate boiling curve shifted left and became steeper with an increase in the mean cavity radius. The boiling curve was found to be sensitive to the selection of how many cavities were selected for each octagonal cell. A small variation in the statistical parameters, especially cavity radii for smooth surfaces, resulted in noticeable differences in wall superheat for a given heat flux. This result indicated that while the heat transfer coefficient increased with cavity radii, the cavity radii or height alone was not sufficient to characterize the boiling curve. It also suggested that statistical experimental data should consider large samples to characterize the surface topology. The boiling curve shifted to the right when the cavity angle was obtained using a normal distribution. This effect became less important when the number of cavities for each cell was increasing because the probability of the potential cavity with a larger radius in each cell was increased. When the contact angle of the fluid decreased for a given mean cavity radii, the boiling curve shifted to the right. This shift was more pronounced at smaller mean cavity radii and decreased with increasing mean cavity radii

From the topological development of matrix models to the topological string theory: arrangement of surfaces through algebraic geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orantin, N.

2007-09-01

The 2-matrix model has been introduced to study Ising model on random surfaces. Since then, the link between matrix models and arrangement of discrete surfaces has strongly tightened. This manuscript aims to investigate these deep links and extend them beyond the matrix models, following my work's evolution. First, I take care to define properly the hermitian 2 matrix model which gives rise to generating functions of discrete surfaces equipped with a spin structure. Then, I show how to compute all the terms in the topological expansion of any observable by using algebraic geometry tools. They are obtained as differential forms on an algebraic curve associated to the model: the spectral curve. In a second part, I show how to define such differentials on any algebraic curve even if it does not come from a matrix model. I then study their numerous symmetry properties under deformations of the algebraic curve. In particular, I show that these objects coincide with the topological expansion of the observable of a matrix model if the algebraic curve is the spectral curve of this model. Finally, I show that the fine tuning of the parameters ensures that these objects can be promoted to modular invariants and satisfy the holomorphic anomaly equation of the Kodaira-Spencer theory. This gives a new hint that the Dijkgraaf-Vafa conjecture is correct. (author)

Topology optimization of grating couplers for the efficient excitation of surface plasmons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andkjær, Jacob Anders; Sigmund, Ole; Nishiwaki, Shinji

2010-01-01

We propose a methodology for a systematic design of grating couplers for efficient excitation of surface plasmons at metal-dielectric interfaces. The methodology is based on a two-dimensional topology optimization formulation based on the H-polarized scalar Helmholtz equation and finite-element m...

Ultrafast surface carrier dynamics in the topological insulator Bi₂Te₃.

Science.gov (United States)

Hajlaoui, M; Papalazarou, E; Mauchain, J; Lantz, G; Moisan, N; Boschetto, D; Jiang, Z; Miotkowski, I; Chen, Y P; Taleb-Ibrahimi, A; Perfetti, L; Marsi, M

2012-07-11

We discuss the ultrafast evolution of the surface electronic structure of the topological insulator Bi(2)Te(3) following a femtosecond laser excitation. Using time and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we provide a direct real-time visualization of the transient carrier population of both the surface states and the bulk conduction band. We find that the thermalization of the surface states is initially determined by interband scattering from the bulk conduction band, lasting for about 0.5 ps; subsequently, few picoseconds are necessary for the Dirac cone nonequilibrium electrons to recover a Fermi-Dirac distribution, while their relaxation extends over more than 10 ps. The surface sensitivity of our measurements makes it possible to estimate the range of the bulk-surface interband scattering channel, indicating that the process is effective over a distance of 5 nm or less. This establishes a correlation between the nanoscale thickness of the bulk charge reservoir and the evolution of the ultrafast carrier dynamics in the surface Dirac cone.

Ultra-low carrier concentration and surface-dominant transport in antimony-doped Bi2Se3 topological insulator nanoribbons

KAUST Repository

Hong, Seung Sae; Cha, Judy J.; Kong, Desheng; Cui, Yi

2012-01-01

A topological insulator is the state of quantum matter possessing gapless spin-locking surface states across the bulk band gap, which has created new opportunities from novel electronics to energy conversion. However, the large concentration of bulk residual carriers has been a major challenge for revealing the property of the topological surface state by electron transport measurements. Here we report the surface-state-dominant transport in antimony-doped, zinc oxide-encapsulated Bi2Se3 nanoribbons with suppressed bulk electron concentration. In the nanoribbon with sub-10-nm thickness protected by a zinc oxide layer, we position the Fermi levels of the top and bottom surfaces near the Dirac point by electrostatic gating, achieving extremely low two-dimensional carrier concentration of 2×10 11cm-2. The zinc oxide-capped, antimony-doped Bi 2Se3 nanostructures provide an attractive materials platform to study fundamental physics in topological insulators, as well as future applications. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Ultra-low carrier concentration and surface-dominant transport in antimony-doped Bi2Se3 topological insulator nanoribbons

KAUST Repository

Hong, Seung Sae

2012-03-27

A topological insulator is the state of quantum matter possessing gapless spin-locking surface states across the bulk band gap, which has created new opportunities from novel electronics to energy conversion. However, the large concentration of bulk residual carriers has been a major challenge for revealing the property of the topological surface state by electron transport measurements. Here we report the surface-state-dominant transport in antimony-doped, zinc oxide-encapsulated Bi2Se3 nanoribbons with suppressed bulk electron concentration. In the nanoribbon with sub-10-nm thickness protected by a zinc oxide layer, we position the Fermi levels of the top and bottom surfaces near the Dirac point by electrostatic gating, achieving extremely low two-dimensional carrier concentration of 2×10 11cm-2. The zinc oxide-capped, antimony-doped Bi 2Se3 nanostructures provide an attractive materials platform to study fundamental physics in topological insulators, as well as future applications. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

On topological approach to local theory of surfaces in Calabi-Yau threefolds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gukov, Sergei; Liu, Chiu-Chu Melissa; Sheshmani, Artan

2017-01-01

We study the web of dualities relating various enumerative invariants, notably Gromov-Witten invariants and invariants that arise in topological gauge theory. In particular, we study Donaldson-Thomas gauge theory and its reductions to D=4 and D=2 which are relevant to the local theory of surfaces...

Surface Topology Reconstruction From The White Light Interferogram By Means Of Prony Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khoma Anna

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a new method of surface topology reconstruction from a white light interferogram. The method is based on interferogram modelling by complex exponents (Prony method. The compatibility of white light interferogram and Prony models has already been proven. Effectiveness of the method was tested by modelling and examining reconstruction of tilted and spherical surfaces, and by estimating the reconstruction accuracy.

Aharonov–Bohm interference in topological insulator nanoribbons

KAUST Repository

Peng, Hailin

2009-12-13

Topological insulators represent unusual phases of quantum matter with an insulating bulk gap and gapless edges or surface states. The two-dimensional topological insulator phase was predicted in HgTe quantum wells and confirmed by transport measurements. Recently, Bi2 Se3 and related materials have been proposed as three-dimensional topological insulators with a single Dirac cone on the surface, protected by time-reversal symmetry. The topological surface states have been observed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments. However, few transport measurements in this context have been reported, presumably owing to the predominance of bulk carriers from crystal defects or thermal excitations. Here we show unambiguous transport evidence of topological surface states through periodic quantum interference effects in layered single-crystalline Bi2 Se3 nanoribbons, which have larger surface-to-volume ratios than bulk materials and can therefore manifest surface effects. Pronounced Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in the magnetoresistance clearly demonstrate the coherent propagation of two-dimensional electrons around the perimeter of the nanoribbon surface, as expected from the topological nature of the surface states. The dominance of the primary h/e oscillation, where h is Plancks constant and e is the electron charge, and its temperature dependence demonstrate the robustness of these states. Our results suggest that topological insulator nanoribbons afford promising materials for future spintronic devices at room temperature.

Topological laser speckle analyzer of differentiation and proliferation activity during morphogenesis in cell cultures

OpenAIRE

Notchenko A.V.; Gradov O.V.

2011-01-01

An automated system for morpho-topological determination of cell division phases and structur al differentiation of tissues during morphogenesis was implemented on the basis of topological properties of cell cultures, considered within the framework of set and manifold theories. A simple robotic hardware and software system based on Zeiss microscope with a modified stage and a Velleman manipulator KSR-1 allow to control the laser module position, carrying out the angular irradiation of s...

Exotic topological insulator states and topological phase transitions in Sb2Se3-Bi2Se3 heterostructures

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Qianfan

2012-03-27

Topological insulator is a new state of matter attracting tremendous interest due to its gapless linear dispersion and spin momentum locking topological states located near the surface. Heterostructures, which have traditionally been powerful in controlling the electronic properties of semiconductor devices, are interesting for topological insulators. Here, we studied the spatial distribution of the topological state in Sb 2Se 3-Bi 2Se 3 heterostructures by first-principle simulation and discovered that an exotic topological state exists. Surprisingly, the state migrates from the nontrivial Bi 2Se 3 into the trivial Sb 2Se 3 region and spreads across the entire Sb 2Se 3 slab, extending beyond the concept of "surface" state while preserving all of the topological surface state characteristics. This unusual topological state arises from the coupling between different materials and the modification of electronic structure near Fermi energy. Our study demonstrates that heterostructures can open up opportunities for controlling the real-space distribution of the topological state and inducing quantum phase transitions between topologically trivial and nontrivial states. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Topological valley transport of plate-mode waves in a homogenous thin plate with periodic stubbed surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiu-Jiu Chen

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The study for exotic topological effects of sound has attracted uprising interests in fundamental physics and practical applications. Based on the concept of valley pseudospin, we demonstrate the topological valley transport of plate-mode waves in a homogenous thin plate with periodic stubbed surface, where a deterministic two-fold Dirac degeneracy is form by two plate modes. We show that the topological property can be controlled by the height of stubs deposited on the plate. By adjusting the relative heights of adjacent stubs, the valley vortex chirality and band inversion are induced, giving rise to a phononic analog of valley Hall phase transition. We further numerically demonstrate the valley states of plate-mode waves with robust topological protection. Our results provide a new route to design unconventional elastic topological insulators and will significantly broaden its practical application in the engineering field.

Quantum Hall effect on top and bottom surface states of topological insulator (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 films.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimi, R; Tsukazaki, A; Kozuka, Y; Falson, J; Takahashi, K S; Checkelsky, J G; Nagaosa, N; Kawasaki, M; Tokura, Y

2015-04-14

The three-dimensional topological insulator is a novel state of matter characterized by two-dimensional metallic Dirac states on its surface. To verify the topological nature of the surface states, Bi-based chalcogenides such as Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, Sb2Te3 and their combined/mixed compounds have been intensively studied. Here, we report the realization of the quantum Hall effect on the surface Dirac states in (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3 films. With electrostatic gate-tuning of the Fermi level in the bulk band gap under magnetic fields, the quantum Hall states with filling factor ±1 are resolved. Furthermore, the appearance of a quantum Hall plateau at filling factor zero reflects a pseudo-spin Hall insulator state when the Fermi level is tuned in between the energy levels of the non-degenerate top and bottom surface Dirac points. The observation of the quantum Hall effect in three-dimensional topological insulator films may pave a way toward topological insulator-based electronics.

A GLOBAL SOLUTION TO TOPOLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF BUILDING ROOF MODELS FROM AIRBORNE LIDAR POINT CLOUDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Yan

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a global solution to building roof topological reconstruction from LiDAR point clouds. Starting with segmented roof planes from building LiDAR points, a BSP (binary space partitioning algorithm is used to partition the bounding box of the building into volumetric cells, whose geometric features and their topology are simultaneously determined. To resolve the inside/outside labelling problem of cells, a global energy function considering surface visibility and spatial regularization between adjacent cells is constructed and minimized via graph cuts. As a result, the cells are labelled as either inside or outside, where the planar surfaces between the inside and outside form the reconstructed building model. Two LiDAR data sets of Yangjiang (China and Wuhan University (China are used in the study. Experimental results show that the completeness of reconstructed roof planes is 87.5%. Comparing with existing data-driven approaches, the proposed approach is global. Roof faces and edges as well as their topology can be determined at one time via minimization of an energy function. Besides, this approach is robust to partial absence of roof planes and tends to reconstruct roof models with visibility-consistent surfaces.

Topological phases of topological-insulator thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Asmar, Mahmoud M.; Sheehy, Daniel E.; Vekhter, Ilya

2018-02-01

We study the properties of a thin film of topological insulator material. We treat the coupling between helical states at opposite surfaces of the film in the properly-adapted tunneling approximation, and show that the tunneling matrix element oscillates as a function of both the film thickness and the momentum in the plane of the film for Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 . As a result, while the magnitude of the matrix element at the center of the surface Brillouin zone gives the gap in the energy spectrum, the sign of the matrix element uniquely determines the topological properties of the film, as demonstrated by explicitly computing the pseudospin textures and the Chern number. We find a sequence of transitions between topological and nontopological phases, separated by semimetallic states, as the film thickness varies. In the topological phase, the edge states of the film always exist but only carry a spin current if the edge potentials break particle-hole symmetry. The edge states decay very slowly away from the boundary in Bi2Se3 , making Bi2Te3 , where this scale is shorter, a more promising candidate for the observation of these states. Our results hold for free-standing films as well as heterostructures with large-gap insulators.

Quantum computation with topological codes from qubit to topological fault-tolerance

CERN Document Server

Fujii, Keisuke

2015-01-01

This book presents a self-consistent review of quantum computation with topological quantum codes. The book covers everything required to understand topological fault-tolerant quantum computation, ranging from the definition of the surface code to topological quantum error correction and topological fault-tolerant operations. The underlying basic concepts and powerful tools, such as universal quantum computation, quantum algorithms, stabilizer formalism, and measurement-based quantum computation, are also introduced in a self-consistent way. The interdisciplinary fields between quantum information and other fields of physics such as condensed matter physics and statistical physics are also explored in terms of the topological quantum codes. This book thus provides the first comprehensive description of the whole picture of topological quantum codes and quantum computation with them.

Non-reciprocity and topology in optics: one-way road for light via surface magnon polariton.

Science.gov (United States)

Ochiai, Tetsuyuki

2015-02-01

We show how non-reciprocity and topology are used to construct an optical one-way waveguide in the Voigt geometry. First, we present a traditional approach of the one-way waveguide of light using surface polaritons under a static magnetic field. Second, we explain a recent discovery of a topological approach using photonic crystals with the magneto-optical coupling. Third, we present a combination of the two approaches, toward a broadband one-way waveguide in the microwave range.

The Topological Vertex

CERN Document Server

Aganagic, M; Marino, M; Vafa, C; Aganagic, Mina; Klemm, Albrecht; Marino, Marcos; Vafa, Cumrun

2005-01-01

We construct a cubic field theory which provides all genus amplitudes of the topological A-model for all non-compact Calabi-Yau toric threefolds. The topology of a given Feynman diagram encodes the topology of a fixed Calabi-Yau, with Schwinger parameters playing the role of Kahler classes of Calabi-Yau. We interpret this result as an operator computation of the amplitudes in the B-model mirror which is the Kodaira-Spencer quantum theory. The only degree of freedom of this theory is an unconventional chiral scalar on a Riemann surface. In this setup we identify the B-branes on the mirror Riemann surface as fermions related to the chiral boson by bosonization.

Majorana surface modes of nodal topological pairings in spin-3/2 semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wang; Xiang, Tao; Wu, Congjun

2017-10-01

When solid state systems possess active orbital-band structures subject to spin-orbit coupling, their multicomponent electronic structures are often described in terms of effective large-spin fermion models. Their topological structures of superconductivity are beyond the framework of spin singlet and triplet Cooper pairings for spin-1/2 systems. Examples include the half-Heusler compound series of RPtBi, where R stands for a rare-earth element. Their spin-orbit coupled electronic structures are described by the Luttinger-Kohn model with effective spin-3/2 fermions and are characterized by band inversion. Recent experiments provide evidence to unconventional superconductivity in the YPtBi material with nodal spin-septet pairing. We systematically study topological pairing structures in spin-3/2 systems with the cubic group symmetries and calculate the surface Majorana spectra, which exhibit zero energy flat bands, or, cubic dispersion depending on the specific symmetry of the superconducting gap functions. The signatures of these surface states in the quasiparticle interference patterns of tunneling spectroscopy are studied, which can be tested in future experiments.

Topological supersymmetric structure of hadron cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauron, P.; Nicolescu, B.; Ouvry, S.

1980-12-01

Recently a way of fully implementing unitarity in the framework of a Dual Topological Unitarization theory, including not only mesons but also baryons, was found. This theory consists in the topological description of hadron interactions involving confined quarks in terms of two 2-dimensional surfaces (a closed 'quantum' surface and a bounded 'classical' surface). We show that this description directly leads, at the zeroth order of the topological expansion, to certain relations between hadron cross-sections, in nice agreement with experimental data. A new topological suppression mechanism is shown to play an important dynamical role. We also point out a new topological supersymmetry property, which leads to realistic experimental consequences. A possible topological origin of the rho and ω universality relations emerges as a by-product of our study

Variational analysis of topological stationary barotropic MHD in the case of single-valued magnetic surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yahalom, A

2014-01-01

Variational principles for magnetohydrodynamics have been introduced by previous authors both in Lagrangian and Eulerian form. Yahalom and Lynden-Bell (2008) have previously introduced simpler Eulerian variational principles from which all the relevant equations of barotropic magnetohydrodynamics can be derived. These variational principles were given in terms of six independent functions for non-stationary barotropic flows with given topologies and three independent functions for stationary barotropic flows. This is less then the seven variables which appear in the standard equations of barotropic magnetohydrodynamics which are the magnetic field B-vector the velocity field v-vector and the density ρ. Later, Yahalom (2010) introduced a simpler variational principle in terms of four functions for non-stationary barotropic magnetohydrodynamics. It was shown that the above variational principles are also relevant for flows of non-trivial topologies and in fact using those variational variables one arrives at additional topological conservation laws in terms of cuts of variables which have close resemblance to the Aharonov- Bohm phase (Yahalom (2013)). In previous examples (Yahalom and Lynden-Bell (2008); Yahalom (2013)) the magnetic field lines with non-trivial topology were at the intersection of two surface one of which was always multivalued; in this paper an example is introduced in which the magnetic helicity is not zero yet both surfaces are single-valued

Spin-torque generation in topological insulator based heterostructures

KAUST Repository

Fischer, Mark H.

2016-03-11

Heterostructures utilizing topological insulators exhibit a remarkable spin-torque efficiency. However, the exact origin of the strong torque, in particular whether it stems from the spin-momentum locking of the topological surface states or rather from spin-Hall physics of the topological-insulator bulk, remains unclear. Here, we explore a mechanism of spin-torque generation purely based on the topological surface states. We consider topological-insulator-based bilayers involving ferromagnetic metal (TI/FM) and magnetically doped topological insulators (TI/mdTI), respectively. By ascribing the key theoretical differences between the two setups to location and number of active surface states, we describe both setups within the same framework of spin diffusion of the nonequilibrium spin density of the topological surface states. For the TI/FM bilayer, we find large spin-torque efficiencies of roughly equal magnitude for both in-plane and out-of-plane spin torques. For the TI/mdTI bilayer, we elucidate the dominance of the spin-transfer-like torque. However, we cannot explain the orders of magnitude enhancement reported. Nevertheless, our model gives an intuitive picture of spin-torque generation in topological-insulator-based bilayers and provides theoretical constraints on spin-torque generation due to topological surface states.

Non-reciprocity and topology in optics: one-way road for light via surface magnon polariton

Science.gov (United States)

Ochiai, Tetsuyuki

2015-01-01

We show how non-reciprocity and topology are used to construct an optical one-way waveguide in the Voigt geometry. First, we present a traditional approach of the one-way waveguide of light using surface polaritons under a static magnetic field. Second, we explain a recent discovery of a topological approach using photonic crystals with the magneto-optical coupling. Third, we present a combination of the two approaches, toward a broadband one-way waveguide in the microwave range. PMID:27877739

Quantum magnetotransport for the surface states of three-dimensional topological insulators in the presence of a Zeeman field

KAUST Repository

Tahir, Muhammad

2013-05-01

We show that the surface states of magnetic topological insulators realize an activated behavior and Shubnikov de Haas oscillations. Applying an external magnetic field perpendicular to the surface of the topological insulator in the presence of Zeeman interaction, we investigate the opening of a gap at the Dirac point, making the surface Dirac fermions massive, and the effects on the transport properties. Analytical expressions are derived for the collisional conductivity for elastic impurity scattering in the first Born approximation. We also calculate the Hall conductivity using the Kubo formalism. Evidence for a transition from gapless to gapped surface states at n = 0 and activated transport is found from the temperature and magnetic-field dependence of the collisional and Hall conductivities. © Copyright EPLA, 2013.

Electrical conductivity of conductive carbon blacks: influence of surface chemistry and topology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pantea, Dana; Darmstadt, Hans; Kaliaguine, Serge; Roy, Christian

2003-01-01

Conductive carbon blacks from different manufacturers were studied in order to obtain some insight into the relation between their electrical conductivity and their surface properties. The surface chemistry was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and static secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), whereas the topology of the carbon black surface was investigated using low-pressure nitrogen adsorption. All these techniques yield information on the graphitic character of the surface. In general, the electrical conductivity of the conductive blacks increases with the graphitic character of the surface. For low surface area conductive blacks, the electrical conductivity correlates well with the surface chemistry. In the case of the XPS and SIMS data, this correlation is also valid when other types of carbon blacks such as thermal and furnace blacks are included, confirming the determining influence of the carbon black surface chemistry on the electrical conductivity

Combined Shape and Topology Optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Asger Nyman

Shape and topology optimization seeks to compute the optimal shape and topology of a structure such that one or more properties, for example stiffness, balance or volume, are improved. The goal of the thesis is to develop a method for shape and topology optimization which uses the Deformable...... Simplicial Complex (DSC) method. Consequently, we present a novel method which combines current shape and topology optimization methods. This method represents the surface of the structure explicitly and discretizes the structure into non-overlapping elements, i.e. a simplicial complex. An explicit surface...... representation usually limits the optimization to minor shape changes. However, the DSC method uses a single explicit representation and still allows for large shape and topology changes. It does so by constantly applying a set of mesh operations during deformations of the structure. Using an explicit instead...

Jakob Nielsen and His Contributions to Topology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Vagn Lundsgaard

1999-01-01

The Danish mathematician Jakob Nielsen won international recognition as one of the developers of combinatorial group theory and the topology of surfaces. This article describes the life and work of Jakob Nielsen with emphasis on his contributions to topology.......The Danish mathematician Jakob Nielsen won international recognition as one of the developers of combinatorial group theory and the topology of surfaces. This article describes the life and work of Jakob Nielsen with emphasis on his contributions to topology....

Bilinear magnetoelectric resistance as a probe of three-dimensional spin texture in topological surface states

Science.gov (United States)

He, Pan; Zhang, Steven S.-L.; Zhu, Dapeng; Liu, Yang; Wang, Yi; Yu, Jiawei; Vignale, Giovanni; Yang, Hyunsoo

2018-05-01

Surface states of three-dimensional topological insulators exhibit the phenomenon of spin-momentum locking, whereby the orientation of an electron spin is determined by its momentum. Probing the spin texture of these states is of critical importance for the realization of topological insulator devices, but the main technique currently available is spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Here we reveal a close link between the spin texture and a new kind of magnetoresistance, which depends on the relative orientation of the current with respect to the magnetic field as well as the crystallographic axes, and scales linearly with both the applied electric and magnetic fields. This bilinear magnetoelectric resistance can be used to map the spin texture of topological surface states by simple transport measurements. For a prototypical Bi2Se3 single layer, we can map both the in-plane and out-of-plane components of the spin texture (the latter arising from hexagonal warping). Theoretical calculations suggest that the bilinear magnetoelectric resistance originates from conversion of a non-equilibrium spin current into a charge current under application of the external magnetic field.

Observation of topological surface states and strong electron/hole imbalance in extreme magnetoresistance compound LaBi

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, J.; Schröter, N. B. M.; Wu, S.-C.; Kumar, N.; Shekhar, C.; Peng, H.; Xu, X.; Chen, C.; Yang, H. F.; Hwang, C.-C.; Mo, S.-K.; Felser, C.; Yan, B. H.; Liu, Z. K.; Yang, L. X.; Chen, Y. L.

2018-02-01

The recent discovery of the extreme magnetoresistance (XMR) in the nonmagnetic rare-earth monopnictides La X (X = P, As, Sb, Bi,), a recently proposed new topological semimetal family, has inspired intensive research effort in the exploration of the correlation between the XMR and their electronic structures. In this work, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to investigate the three-dimensional band structure of LaBi, we unraveled its topologically nontrivial nature with the observation of multiple topological surface Dirac fermions, as supported by our ab initio calculations. Furthermore, we observed substantial imbalance between the volume of electron and hole pockets, which rules out the electron-hole compensation as the primary cause of the XMR in LaBi.

Topology with applications topological spaces via near and far

CERN Document Server

Naimpally, Somashekhar A

2013-01-01

The principal aim of this book is to introduce topology and its many applications viewed within a framework that includes a consideration of compactness, completeness, continuity, filters, function spaces, grills, clusters and bunches, hyperspace topologies, initial and final structures, metric spaces, metrization, nets, proximal continuity, proximity spaces, separation axioms, and uniform spaces. This book provides a complete framework for the study of topology with a variety of applications in science and engineering that include camouflage filters, classification, digital image processing, forgery detection, Hausdorff raster spaces, image analysis, microscopy, paleontology, pattern recognition, population dynamics, stem cell biology, topological psychology, and visual merchandising. It is the first complete presentation on topology with applications considered in the context of proximity spaces, and the nearness and remoteness of sets of objects. A novel feature throughout this book is the use of near and...

Topological surface states interacting with bulk excitations in the Kondo insulator SmB6 revealed via planar tunneling spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Wan Kyu; Sun, Lunan; Noddings, Alexander; Kim, Dae-Jeong; Fisk, Zachary; Greene, Laura H

2016-06-14

Samarium hexaboride (SmB6), a well-known Kondo insulator in which the insulating bulk arises from strong electron correlations, has recently attracted great attention owing to increasing evidence for its topological nature, thereby harboring protected surface states. However, corroborative spectroscopic evidence is still lacking, unlike in the weakly correlated counterparts, including Bi2Se3 Here, we report results from planar tunneling that unveil the detailed spectroscopic properties of SmB6 The tunneling conductance obtained on the (001) and (011) single crystal surfaces reveals linear density of states as expected for two and one Dirac cone(s), respectively. Quite remarkably, it is found that these topological states are not protected completely within the bulk hybridization gap. A phenomenological model of the tunneling process invoking interaction of the surface states with bulk excitations (spin excitons), as predicted by a recent theory, provides a consistent explanation for all of the observed features. Our spectroscopic study supports and explains the proposed picture of the incompletely protected surface states in this topological Kondo insulator SmB6.

Unconventional transformation of spin Dirac phase across a topological quantum phase transition

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Su-Yang; Neupane, Madhab; Belopolski, Ilya; Liu, Chang; Alidoust, Nasser; Bian, Guang; Jia, Shuang; Landolt, Gabriel; Slomski, Batosz; Dil, J. Hugo; Shibayev, Pavel P.; Basak, Susmita; Chang, Tay-Rong; Jeng, Horng-Tay; Cava, Robert J.; Lin, Hsin; Bansil, Arun; Hasan, M. Zahid

2015-01-01

The topology of a topological material can be encoded in its surface states. These surface states can only be removed by a bulk topological quantum phase transition into a trivial phase. Here we use photoemission spectroscopy to image the formation of protected surface states in a topological insulator as we chemically tune the system through a topological transition. Surprisingly, we discover an exotic spin-momentum locked, gapped surface state in the trivial phase that shares many important properties with the actual topological surface state in anticipation of the change of topology. Using a spin-resolved measurement, we show that apart from a surface bandgap these states develop spin textures similar to the topological surface states well before the transition. Our results offer a general paradigm for understanding how surface states in topological phases arise from a quantum phase transition and are suggestive for the future realization of Weyl arcs, condensed matter supersymmetry and other fascinating phenomena in the vicinity of a quantum criticality. PMID:25882717

Spin injection and inverse Edelstein effect in the surface states of topological Kondo insulator SmB6

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Qi; Mi, Jian; Zhao, Dan; Su, Tang; Yuan, Wei; Xing, Wenyu; Chen, Yangyang; Wang, Tianyu; Wu, Tao; Chen, Xian Hui; Xie, X. C.; Zhang, Chi; Shi, Jing; Han, Wei

2016-01-01

There has been considerable interest in exploiting the spin degrees of freedom of electrons for potential information storage and computing technologies. Topological insulators (TIs), a class of quantum materials, have special gapless edge/surface states, where the spin polarization of the Dirac fermions is locked to the momentum direction. This spin–momentum locking property gives rise to very interesting spin-dependent physical phenomena such as the Edelstein and inverse Edelstein effects. However, the spin injection in pure surface states of TI is very challenging because of the coexistence of the highly conducting bulk states. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the spin injection and observe the inverse Edelstein effect in the surface states of a topological Kondo insulator, SmB6. At low temperatures when only surface carriers are present, a clear spin signal is observed. Furthermore, the magnetic field angle dependence of the spin signal is consistent with spin–momentum locking property of surface states of SmB6. PMID:27834378

Reconfigurable topological photonic crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Shalaev, Mikhail I.; Desnavi, Sameerah; Walasik, Wiktor; Litchinitser, Natalia M.

2018-02-01

Topological insulators are materials that conduct on the surface and insulate in their interior due to non-trivial topology of the band structure. The edge states on the interface between topological (non-trivial) and conventional (trivial) insulators are topologically protected from scattering due to structural defects and disorders. Recently, it was shown that photonic crystals (PCs) can serve as a platform for realizing a scatter-free propagation of light waves. In conventional PCs, imperfections, structural disorders, and surface roughness lead to significant losses. The breakthrough in overcoming these problems is likely to come from the synergy of the topological PCs and silicon-based photonics technology that enables high integration density, lossless propagation, and immunity to fabrication imperfections. For many applications, reconfigurability and capability to control the propagation of these non-trivial photonic edge states is essential. One way to facilitate such dynamic control is to use liquid crystals (LCs), which allow to modify the refractive index with external electric field. Here, we demonstrate dynamic control of topological edge states by modifying the refractive index of a LC background medium. Background index is changed depending on the orientation of a LC, while preserving the topology of the system. This results in a change of the spectral position of the photonic bandgap and the topological edge states. The proposed concept might be implemented using conventional semiconductor technology, and can be used for robust energy transport in integrated photonic devices, all-optical circuity, and optical communication systems.

Converting topological insulators into topological metals within the tetradymite family

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, K.-W.; Aryal, N.; Dai, J.; Graf, D.; Zhang, S.; Das, S.; Le Fèvre, P.; Bertran, F.; Yukawa, R.; Horiba, K.; Kumigashira, H.; Frantzeskakis, E.; Fortuna, F.; Balicas, L.; Santander-Syro, A. F.; Manousakis, E.; Baumbach, R. E.

2018-04-01

We report the electronic band structures and concomitant Fermi surfaces for a family of exfoliable tetradymite compounds with the formula T2C h2P n , obtained as a modification to the well-known topological insulator binaries Bi2(Se,Te ) 3 by replacing one chalcogen (C h ) with a pnictogen (P n ) and Bi with the tetravalent transition metals T = Ti, Zr, or Hf. This imbalances the electron count and results in layered metals characterized by relatively high carrier mobilities and bulk two-dimensional Fermi surfaces whose topography is well-described by first-principles calculations. Intriguingly, slab electronic structure calculations predict Dirac-like surface states. In contrast to Bi2Se3 , where the surface Dirac bands are at the Γ point, for (Zr,Hf ) 2Te2 (P,As) there are Dirac cones of strong topological character around both the Γ ¯ and M ¯ points, which are above and below the Fermi energy, respectively. For Ti2Te2P , the surface state is predicted to exist only around the M ¯ point. In agreement with these predictions, the surface states that are located below the Fermi energy are observed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements, revealing that they coexist with the bulk metallic state. Thus this family of materials provides a foundation upon which to develop novel phenomena that exploit both the bulk and surface states (e.g., topological superconductivity).

The effect of van der Waal's gap expansions on the surface electronic structure of layered topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eremeev, S V; Vergniory, M G; Chulkov, E V; Menshchikova, T V; Shaposhnikov, A A

2012-01-01

On the basis of relativistic ab initio calculations, we show that an expansion of van der Waal's (vdW) spacings in layered topological insulators caused by intercalation of deposited atoms, leads to the simultaneous emergence of parabolic and M-shaped two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) bands as well as Rashba-splitting of the former states. The expansion of vdW spacings and the emergence of the 2DEG states localized in the (sub)surface region are also accompanied by a relocation of the topological surface state to the lower quintuple layers, that can explain the absence of inter-band scattering found experimentally. (paper)

Topological insulators/superconductors: Potential future electronic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hor, Y. S.

2014-01-01

A new material called topological insulator has been discovered and becomes one of the fastest growing field in condensed matter physics. Topological insulator is a new quantum phase of matter which has Dirac-like conductivity on its surface, but bulk insulator through its interior. It is considered a challenging problem for the surface transport measurements because of dominant internal conductance due to imperfections of the existing crystals of topological insulators. By a proper method, the internal bulk conduction can be suppressed in a topological insulator, and permit the detection of the surface currents which is necessary for future fault-tolerant quantum computing applications. Doped topological insulators have depicted a large variety of bulk physical properties ranging from magnetic to superconducting behaviors. By chemical doping, a TI can change into a bulk superconductor. Nb x Bi 2 Se 3 is shown to be a superconductor with T c ∼ 3.2 K, which could be a potential candidate for a topological superconductor

Exotic Lifshitz transitions in topological materials

Science.gov (United States)

Volovik, G. E.

2018-01-01

Topological Lifshitz transitions involve many types of topological structures in momentum and frequency-momentum spaces, such as Fermi surfaces, Dirac lines, Dirac and Weyl points, etc., each of which has its own stability-supporting topological invariant ( N_1, N_2, N_3, {\\tilde N}_3, etc.). The topology of the shape of Fermi surfaces and Dirac lines and the interconnection of objects of different dimensionalities produce a variety of Lifshitz transition classes. Lifshitz transitions have important implications for many areas of physics. To give examples, transition-related singularities can increase the superconducting transition temperature; Lifshitz transitions are the possible origin of the small masses of elementary particles in our Universe, and a black hole horizon serves as the surface of the Lifshitz transition between vacua with type-I and type-II Weyl points.

Topology of vortex Breakdown bubbles in a cylinder with rotating bottom and Free surface

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brøns, Morten; Voigt, Lars Peter Kølgaard; Sørensen, Jens Nørkær

2001-01-01

The flow patterns in the steady, viscous flow in a cylinder with a rotating bottom and a free surface are investigated by a combination of topological and numerical methods. Assuming the flow is axisymmetric, we derive a list of possible bifurcations of streamline structures on varying two...

Visualizing vector field topology in fluid flows

Science.gov (United States)

Helman, James L.; Hesselink, Lambertus

1991-01-01

Methods of automating the analysis and display of vector field topology in general and flow topology in particular are discussed. Two-dimensional vector field topology is reviewed as the basis for the examination of topology in three-dimensional separated flows. The use of tangent surfaces and clipping in visualizing vector field topology in fluid flows is addressed.

Superconductivity and ferromagnetism in topological insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Duming

Topological insulators, a new state of matter discovered recently, have attracted great interest due to their novel properties. They are insulating inside the bulk, but conducting at the surface or edges. This peculiar behavior is characterized by an insulating bulk energy gap and gapless surface or edge states, which originate from strong spin-orbit coupling and time-reversal symmetry. The spin and momentum locked surface states not only provide a model system to study fundamental physics, but can also lead to applications in spintronics and dissipationless electronics. While topological insulators are interesting by themselves, more exotic behaviors are predicted when an energy gap is induced at the surface. This dissertation explores two types of surface state gap in topological insulators, a superconducting gap induced by proximity effect and a magnetic gap induced by chemical doping. The first three chapters provide introductory theory and experimental details of my research. Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to the theoretical background of topological insulators. Chapter 2 is dedicated to material synthesis principles and techniques. I will focus on two major synthesis methods: molecular beam epitaxy for the growth of Bi2Se3 thin films and chemical vapor deposition for the growth of Bi2Se3 nanoribbons and nanowires. Material characterization is discussed in Chapter 3. I will describe structural, morphological, magnetic, electrical, and electronic characterization techniques used to study topological insulators. Chapter 4 discusses the experiments on proximity-induced superconductivity in topological insulator (Bi2Se3) nanoribbons. This work is motivated by the search for the elusive Majorana fermions, which act as their own antiparticles. They were proposed by Ettore Majorara in 1937, but have remained undiscovered. Recently, Majorana's concept has been revived in condensed matter physics: a condensed matter analog of Majorana fermions is predicted to

Interplay between surface and bulk states in the Topological Kondo Insulator SmB6

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Sangram; Hatnean, Monica Ciomaga; Balakrishnan, Geetha; Bid, Aveek

Kondo insulator SmB6 is predicted to have topologically protected conducting surface states(TSS). We have studied electrical transport through surface states(SS) at ultra-low temperatures in single crystals of SmB6 using local-nonlocal transport scheme and found a large nonlocal signal at temperatures lower than bulk Kondo gap scale. Using resistance fluctuation spectroscopy, we probed the local and nonlocal transport channels and showed that at low temperatures, transport in this system takes place only through SS. The measured noise in this temperature range arises due to Universal Conductance Fluctuations whose statistics was found to be consistent with theoretical predictions for that of 2D systems in the Symplectic symmetry class. We studied the temperature dependence of noise and found that, unlike the topological insulators of the dichalcogenide family, the noise in surface and bulk conduction channels in SmB6 are uncorrelated - at sufficiently low temperatures, the bulk has no discernible contribution to electrical transport in SmB6 making it an ideal platform for probing the physics of TSS. Nanomission, Department of Science & Technology (DST) and Indian Institute of Scienc and EPSRC, UK, Grant EP/L014963/1.

Topological Material-Based Spin Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Minhao; Wang, Xuefeng

Three-dimensional topological insulators have insulating bulk and gapless helical surface states. One of the most fascinating properties of the metallic surface states is the spin-momentum helical locking. The giant current-driven torques on the magnetic layer have been discovered in TI/ferromagnet bilayers originating from the spin-momentum helical locking, enabling the efficient magnetization switching with a low current density. We demonstrated the current-direction dependent on-off state in TIs-based spin valve devices for memory and logic applications. Further, we demonstrated the Bi2Se3 system will go from a topologically nontrivial state to a topologically trivial state when Bi atoms are replaced by lighter In atoms. Here, topologically trivial metal (BixIny)2 Se3 with high mobility also facilitates the realization of its application in multifunctional spintronic devices.

Emergence of topological and topological crystalline phases in TlBiS2 and TlSbS2

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Qingyun

2015-02-11

Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the band structure evolution and topological phase transitions in TlBiS2 and TlSbS2 under hydrostatic pressure as well as uniaxial and biaxial strain. The phase transitions are identified by parity analysis and by calculating the surface states. Zero, one, and four Dirac cones are found for the (111) surfaces of both TlBiS2 and TlSbS2 when the pressure grows, which confirms trivial-nontrivial-trivial phase transitions. The Dirac cones at the (M) over bar points are anisotropic with large out-of-plane component. TlBiS2 shows normal, topological, and topological crystalline insulator phases under hydrostatic pressure, thus being the first compound to exhibit a phase transition from a topological to a topological crystalline insulator.

Emergence of topological and topological crystalline phases in TlBiS2 and TlSbS2

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Qingyun; Cheng, Yingchun; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2015-01-01

Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the band structure evolution and topological phase transitions in TlBiS2 and TlSbS2 under hydrostatic pressure as well as uniaxial and biaxial strain. The phase transitions are identified by parity analysis and by calculating the surface states. Zero, one, and four Dirac cones are found for the (111) surfaces of both TlBiS2 and TlSbS2 when the pressure grows, which confirms trivial-nontrivial-trivial phase transitions. The Dirac cones at the (M) over bar points are anisotropic with large out-of-plane component. TlBiS2 shows normal, topological, and topological crystalline insulator phases under hydrostatic pressure, thus being the first compound to exhibit a phase transition from a topological to a topological crystalline insulator.

Topological Acoustics

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhaoju; Gao, Fei; Shi, Xihang; Lin, Xiao; Gao, Zhen; Chong, Yidong; Zhang, Baile

2015-03-01

The manipulation of acoustic wave propagation in fluids has numerous applications, including some in everyday life. Acoustic technologies frequently develop in tandem with optics, using shared concepts such as waveguiding and metamedia. It is thus noteworthy that an entirely novel class of electromagnetic waves, known as "topological edge states," has recently been demonstrated. These are inspired by the electronic edge states occurring in topological insulators, and possess a striking and technologically promising property: the ability to travel in a single direction along a surface without backscattering, regardless of the existence of defects or disorder. Here, we develop an analogous theory of topological fluid acoustics, and propose a scheme for realizing topological edge states in an acoustic structure containing circulating fluids. The phenomenon of disorder-free one-way sound propagation, which does not occur in ordinary acoustic devices, may have novel applications for acoustic isolators, modulators, and transducers.

Topological Phases in the Real World

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Yi-Ting

The experimental discovery and subsequent theoretical understanding of the integer quantum Hall effect, the first known topological phase, has started a revolutionary breakthrough in understanding states of matter since its discovery four decades ago. Topological phases are predicted to have many generic signatures resulting from their underlying topological nature, such as quantized Hall transport, robust boundary states, and possible fractional excitations. The intriguing nature of these signatures and their potential applications in quantum computation has intensely fueled the efforts of the physics community to materialize topological phases. Among various topological phases initially predicted on theoretical grounds, chiral topological superconductors and time-reversal symmetric topological insulators (TI) in three dimension (3D) are two promising candidates for experimental realization and application. The family of materials, Bi2X3 (X = Se, Te), has been predicted and shown experimentally to be time-reversal symmetric 3D TIs through the observation of robust Dirac surface states with Rashba-type spin-winding. Due to their robust surface states with spin-windings, these 3D TIs are expected to be promising materials for producing large spin-transfer torques which are advantageous for spintronics application. As for topological superconductors, despite the exotic excitations that have been extensively proposed as qubits for topological quantum computing, materials hosting topological superconductivity are rare to date and the leading candidate in two dimensions (2D), Sr 2RuO4, has a low transition temperature (Tc ). The goal of my phd study is to push forward the current status of realization of topological phases by materializing higher Tc topological superconductors and investigating the stability of Dirac surface states in 3D TIs. In the first part of this thesis, I will discuss our double-pronged objective for topological superconductors: to propose how to

Topological Insulator Nanowires and Nanoribbons

KAUST Repository

Kong, Desheng

2010-01-13

Recent theoretical calculations and photoemission spectroscopy measurements on the bulk Bi2Se3 material show that it is a three-dimensional topological insulator possessing conductive surface states with nondegenerate spins, attractive for dissipationless electronics and spintronics applications. Nanoscale topological insulator materials have a large surface-to-volume ratio that can manifest the conductive surface states and are promising candidates for devices. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of high quality single crystalline Bi2Se5 nanomaterials with a variety of morphologies. The synthesis of Bi 2Se5 nanowires and nanoribbons employs Au-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. Nanowires, which exhibit rough surfaces, are formed by stacking nanoplatelets along the axial direction of the wires. Nanoribbons are grown along [1120] direction with a rectangular cross-section and have diverse morphologies, including quasi-one-dimensional, sheetlike, zigzag and sawtooth shapes. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies on nanoribbons show atomically smooth surfaces with ∼ 1 nm step edges, indicating single Se-Bi-Se-Bi-Se quintuple layers. STM measurements reveal a honeycomb atomic lattice, suggesting that the STM tip couples not only to the top Se atomic layer, but also to the Bi atomic layer underneath, which opens up the possibility to investigate the contribution of different atomic orbitais to the topological surface states. Transport measurements of a single nanoribbon device (four terminal resistance and Hall resistance) show great promise for nanoribbons as candidates to study topological surface states. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

Strong correlation effects on surfaces of topological insulators via holography

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Yunseok; Song, Geunho; Sin, Sang-Jin

2017-07-01

We investigate the effects of strong correlation on the surface state of a topological insulator (TI). We argue that electrons in the regime of crossover from weak antilocalization to weak localization are strongly correlated, and calculate the magnetotransport coefficients of TIs using the gauge-gravity principle. Then, we examine the magnetoconductivity (MC) formula and find excellent agreement with the data of chrome-doped Bi2Te3 in the crossover regime. We also find that the cusplike peak in MC at low doping is absent, which is natural since quasiparticles disappear due to the strong correlation.

Live-cell topology assessment of URG7, MRP6102 and SP-C using glycosylatable green fluorescent protein in mammalian cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hunsang; Lara, Patricia; Ostuni, Angela; Presto, Jenny; Johansson, Janne; Nilsson, IngMarie; Kim, Hyun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Glycosylatable GFP (gGFP) is developed for the use in mammalian cells. • gGFP selectively loses its fluorescence upon N-linked glycosylation in the ER lumen. • Differential fluorescence/glycosylation pattern probes membrane protein topology. • Membrane topology of URG7, MRP6 102 , and SP-C was determined by gGFP tagging in vivo. - Abstract: Experimental tools to determine membrane topology of a protein are rather limited in higher eukaryotic organisms. Here, we report the use of glycosylatable GFP (gGFP) as a sensitive and versatile membrane topology reporter in mammalian cells. gGFP selectively loses its fluorescence upon N-linked glycosylation in the ER lumen. Thus, positive fluorescence signal assigns location of gGFP to the cytosol whereas no fluorescence signal and a glycosylated status of gGFP map the location of gGFP to the ER lumen. By using mammalian gGFP, the membrane topology of disease-associated membrane proteins, URG7, MRP6 102 , SP-C(Val) and SP-C(Leu) was confirmed. URG7 is partially targeted to the ER, and inserted in C in form. MRP6 102 and SP-C(Leu/Val) are inserted into the membrane in C out form. A minor population of untargeted SP-C is removed by proteasome dependent quality control system

Influence of semisynthetic modification of the scaffold of a contact domain of HbS on polymerization: role of flexible surface topology in polymerization inhibition.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonati, Srinivasulu; Bhutoria, Savita; Prabhakaran, Muthuchidambaran; Acharya, Seetharama A

2018-02-01

A new variant of HbS, HbS-Einstein with a deletion of segment α 23-26 in the B-helix, has been assembled by semisynthetic approach. B-helix of the α chain of cis αβ-dimer of HbS plays dominant role in the quinary interactions of deoxy HbS dimer. This B-helix is the primary scaffold that provides the orientation for the side chains of contact residues of this intermolecular contact domain. The design of HbS-Einstein has been undertaken to map the influence of perturbation of molecular surface topology and the flexibility of surface residues in the polymerization. The internal deletion exerts a strong inhibitory influence on Val-6 (β)-dependent polymerization, comparable to single contact site mutations and not for complete neutralization of Val-6(β)-dependent polymerization. The scaffold modification in cis-dimer is inhibitory, and is without any effect when present on the trans dimer. The flexibility changes in the surface topology in the region of scaffold modification apparently counteracts the intrinsic polymerization potential of the molecule. The inhibition is close to that of Le Lamentin mutation [His-20 (α) → Gln] wherein a mutation engineered without much change in flexibility of the contact domain. Interestingly, the chimeric HbS with swine-human chimeric α chain with multiple non-conservative mutations completely inhibits the Val-6(β)-dependent polymerization. The deformabilities of surface topology of chimeric HbS are comparable to HbS in spite of the multiple contact site mutations in the α-chain. We conclude that the design of antisickling Hbs for gene therapy of sickle cell disease should involve multiple mutations of intermolecular contact sites.

Proximity induced ferromagnetism, superconductivity, and finite-size effects on the surface states of topological insulator nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, Parijat; Kubis, Tillmann; Tan, Yaohua; Klimeck, Gerhard

2015-01-01

Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3 are well known 3D-topological insulators (TI). Films made of these materials exhibit metal-like surface states with a Dirac dispersion and possess high mobility. The high mobility metal-like surface states can serve as building blocks for a variety of applications that involve tuning their dispersion relationship and opening a band gap. A band gap can be opened either by breaking time reversal symmetry, the proximity effect of a superconductor or ferromagnet or adjusting the dimensionality of the TI material. In this work, methods that can be employed to easily open a band gap for the TI surface states are assessed. Two approaches are described: (1) Coating the surface states with a ferromagnet which has a controllable magnetization axis. The magnetization strength of the ferromagnet is incorporated as an exchange interaction term in the Hamiltonian. (2) An s-wave superconductor, because of the proximity effect, when coupled to a 3D-TI opens a band gap on the surface. Finally, the hybridization of the surface Dirac cones can be controlled by reducing the thickness of the topological insulator film. It is shown that this alters the band gap significantly.

Subcellular topological effect of particle monolayers on cell shapes and functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Miura, Manabu; Fujimoto, Keiji

2006-12-01

We studied topological effects of subcellular roughness displayed by a closely packed particle monolayer on adhesion and growth of endothelial cells. Poly(styrene-co-acrylamide) (SA) particles were prepared by soap-free emulsion copolymerization. Particle monolayers were prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett deposition using particles, which were 527 (SA053) and 1270 nm (SA127) in diameter. After 24-h incubation, cells tightly adhered on a tissue culture polystyrene dish and randomly spread. On the other hand, cells attached on particle monolayers were stretched into a narrow stalk-like shape. Lamellipodia spread from the leading edge of cells attached on SA053 monolayer to the top of the particles and gradually gathered to form clusters. This shows that cell-cell adhesion became stronger than cell-substrate interaction. Cells attached to SA127 monolayer extended to the reverse side of a particle monolayer and engulfed particles. They remained immobile without migration 24h after incubation. This shows that the inhibition of extensions on SA127 monolayer could inhibit cell migration and cell proliferation. Cell growth on the particle monolayers was suppressed compared with a flat TCPS dish. The number of cells on SA053 gradually increased, whereas that on SA127 decreased with time. When the cell seeding density was increased to 200,000 cells cm(-2), some adherent cells gradually became into contact with adjacent cells. F-actin condensations were formed at the frame of adherent cells and the thin filaments grew from the edges to connect each other with time. For the cell culture on SA053 monolayer, elongated cells showed a little alignment. Cells showed not arrangement of actin stress fibers but F-actin condensation at the contact regions with neighboring cells. Interestingly, the formed cell monolayer could be readily peeled from the particle monolayer. These results indicate that endothelial cells could recognize the surface roughness displayed by particle monolayers and

Topological insulators in Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 with a single Dirac cone on the surface

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haijun; Liu, Chao-Xing; Qi, Xiao-Liang; Dai, Xi; Fang, Zhong; Zhang, Shou-Cheng

2009-06-01

Topological insulators are new states of quantum matter in which surface states residing in the bulk insulating gap of such systems are protected by time-reversal symmetry. The study of such states was originally inspired by the robustness to scattering of conducting edge states in quantum Hall systems. Recently, such analogies have resulted in the discovery of topologically protected states in two-dimensional and three-dimensional band insulators with large spin-orbit coupling. So far, the only known three-dimensional topological insulator is BixSb1-x, which is an alloy with complex surface states. Here, we present the results of first-principles electronic structure calculations of the layered, stoichiometric crystals Sb2Te3, Sb2Se3, Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3. Our calculations predict that Sb2Te3, Bi2Te3 and Bi2Se3 are topological insulators, whereas Sb2Se3 is not. These topological insulators have robust and simple surface states consisting of a single Dirac cone at the Γ point. In addition, we predict that Bi2Se3 has a topologically non-trivial energy gap of 0.3eV, which is larger than the energy scale of room temperature. We further present a simple and unified continuum model that captures the salient topological features of this class of materials.

Topological Oxide Insulator in Cubic Perovskite Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Hosub; Rhim, Sonny H.; Im, Jino; Freeman, Arthur J.

2013-01-01

The emergence of topologically protected conducting states with the chiral spin texture is the most prominent feature at the surface of topological insulators. On the application side, large band gap and high resistivity to distinguish surface from bulk degrees of freedom should be guaranteed for the full usage of the surface states. Here, we suggest that the oxide cubic perovskite YBiO3, more than just an oxide, defines itself as a new three-dimensional topological insulator exhibiting both a large bulk band gap and a high resistivity. Based on first-principles calculations varying the spin-orbit coupling strength, the non-trivial band topology of YBiO3 is investigated, where the spin-orbit coupling of the Bi 6p orbital plays a crucial role. Taking the exquisite synthesis techniques in oxide electronics into account, YBiO3 can also be used to provide various interface configurations hosting exotic topological phenomena combined with other quantum phases. PMID:23575973

Experimental vortex breakdown topology in a cylinder with a free surface

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lo Jacono, D.; Nazarinia, M.; Brøns, Morten

2009-01-01

The free SLII-face, flow in it circular cylinder driven by a rotating bottom disk IS Studied experimentally using particle image velocimetry. Results are compared With computational,11 results assuming I stress-free surface A dye visualization Study by Spohn et al ["Observations of vortex breakdown...... in in open cylindrical container with I rotating bottom," Exp. Fluids 14. 70 (1993)]v as well as several numerical computations. has found a range of different vortex breakdown Structures in this flow. We confirm the existence of a transition where the top of the breakdown bubble crosses from the axis...... to the surface, which has previously only been found numerically. We employ a technique by Brons et al ["Topology of vortex breakdown bubbles in I cylinder with rotating bottom and free surface J. Fluid Mech 428. 133 (2001)] to find the corresponding bifurcation curve in the parameter plane, which has hitherto...

Predesigned surface patterns and topological defects control the active matter.

Science.gov (United States)

Turiv, Taras; Peng, Chenhui; Guo, Yubing; Wei, Qi-Huo; Lavrentovich, Oleg

Active matter exhibits remarkable patterns of never-ending dynamics with giant fluctuations of concentration, varying order, nucleating and annihilating topological defects. These patterns can be seen in active systems of both biological and artificial origin. A fundamental question is whether and how one can control this chaotic out-of-equilibrium behavior. We demonstrate a robust control of local concentration, trajectories of active self-propelled units and the net flows of active bacteria Bacillus Substilis by imposing pre-designed surface patterns of orientational order in a water-based lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal. The patterns force the bacteria to gather into dynamic swarms with spatially modulated concentration and well-defined polarity of motion. Topological defects produce net motion of bacteria with a unidirectional circulation, while pairs of defects induce a pumping action. The qualitative features of the dynamics can be explained by interplay of curvature and activity, in particular, by ability of mixed splay-bend curvatures to generate threshold-less active flows. The demonstrated level of control opens opportunities in engineering materials and devices that mimic rich functionality of living systems. This work was supported by NSF Grants DMR-1507637, DMS-1434185, CMMI-1436565, by the Petroleum Research Grant PRF# 56046-ND7 administered by the American Chemical Society.

Engineering Topological Surface State of Cr-doped Bi2Se3 under external electric field

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jian-Min; Lian, Ruqian; Yang, Yanmin; Xu, Guigui; Zhong, Kehua; Huang, Zhigao

2017-03-01

External electric field control of topological surface states (SSs) is significant for the next generation of condensed matter research and topological quantum devices. Here, we present a first-principles study of the SSs in the magnetic topological insulator (MTI) Cr-doped Bi2Se3 under external electric field. The charge transfer, electric potential, band structure and magnetism of the pure and Cr doped Bi2Se3 film have been investigated. It is found that the competition between charge transfer and spin-orbit coupling (SOC) will lead to an electrically tunable band gap in Bi2Se3 film under external electric field. As Cr atom doped, the charge transfer of Bi2Se3 film under external electric field obviously decreases. Remarkably, the band gap of Cr doped Bi2Se3 film can be greatly engineered by the external electric field due to its special band structure. Furthermore, magnetic coupling of Cr-doped Bi2Se3 could be even mediated via the control of electric field. It is demonstrated that external electric field plays an important role on the electronic and magnetic properties of Cr-doped Bi2Se3 film. Our results may promote the development of electronic and spintronic applications of magnetic topological insulator.

Engineering topological phases with a three-dimensional nodal-loop semimetal

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Linhu; Yap, Han Hoe; Araújo, Miguel A. N.; Gong, Jiangbin

2017-12-01

A three-dimensional (3D) nodal-loop semimetal phase is exploited to engineer a number of intriguing phases featuring different peculiar topological surface states. In particular, by introducing various two-dimensional gap terms to a 3D tight-binding model of a nodal-loop semimetal, we obtain a rich variety of topological phases of great interest to ongoing theoretical and experimental studies, including a chiral insulator, degenerate-surface-loop insulator, and second-order topological insulator, as well as a Weyl semimetal with tunable Fermi arc profiles. The unique concept underlying our approach is to engineer topological surface states that inherit their dispersion relations from a gap term. The results provide one rather unified principle for the creation of novel topological phases and can guide the search for new topological materials. Two-terminal transport studies are also carried out to distinguish the engineered topological phases.

Absorption of surface acoustic waves by topological insulator thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, L. L.; Xu, W.

2014-01-01

We present a theoretical study on the absorption of the surface acoustic waves (SAWs) by Dirac electrons in topological insulator (TI) thin films (TITFs). We find that due to momentum and energy conservation laws, the absorption of the SAWs in TITFs can only be achieved via intra-band electronic transitions. The strong absorption can be observed up to sub-terahertz frequencies. With increasing temperature, the absorption intensity increases significantly and the cut-off frequency is blue-shifted. More interestingly, we find that the absorption of the SAWs by the TITFs can be markedly enhanced by the tunable subgap in the Dirac energy spectrum of the TI surface states. Such a subgap is absent in conventional two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) and in the gapless Dirac 2DEG such as graphene. This study is pertinent to the exploration of the acoustic properties of TIs and to potential application of TIs as tunable SAW devices working at hypersonic frequencies

Live-cell topology assessment of URG7, MRP6{sub 102} and SP-C using glycosylatable green fluorescent protein in mammalian cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hunsang [School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of); Lara, Patricia [Center for Biomembrane Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Ostuni, Angela [Department of Sciences, University of Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza (Italy); Presto, Jenny [Karolinska Institutet, Dept of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Novum 5th Floor, 141 86 Stockholm (Sweden); Johansson, Janne [Karolinska Institutet, Dept of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Novum 5th Floor, 141 86 Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Biomedical Centre, 751 23 Uppsala (Sweden); Institute of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Tallinn University, Narva mnt 25, 101 20 Tallinn (Estonia); Nilsson, IngMarie [Center for Biomembrane Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Kim, Hyun, E-mail: joy@snu.ac.kr [School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-08-08

Highlights: • Glycosylatable GFP (gGFP) is developed for the use in mammalian cells. • gGFP selectively loses its fluorescence upon N-linked glycosylation in the ER lumen. • Differential fluorescence/glycosylation pattern probes membrane protein topology. • Membrane topology of URG7, MRP6{sub 102}, and SP-C was determined by gGFP tagging in vivo. - Abstract: Experimental tools to determine membrane topology of a protein are rather limited in higher eukaryotic organisms. Here, we report the use of glycosylatable GFP (gGFP) as a sensitive and versatile membrane topology reporter in mammalian cells. gGFP selectively loses its fluorescence upon N-linked glycosylation in the ER lumen. Thus, positive fluorescence signal assigns location of gGFP to the cytosol whereas no fluorescence signal and a glycosylated status of gGFP map the location of gGFP to the ER lumen. By using mammalian gGFP, the membrane topology of disease-associated membrane proteins, URG7, MRP6{sub 102}, SP-C(Val) and SP-C(Leu) was confirmed. URG7 is partially targeted to the ER, and inserted in C{sub in} form. MRP6{sub 102} and SP-C(Leu/Val) are inserted into the membrane in C{sub out} form. A minor population of untargeted SP-C is removed by proteasome dependent quality control system.

Orbital selective spin-texture in a topological insulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Bahadur, E-mail: bahadursingh24@gmail.com; Prasad, R. [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016 (India)

2015-05-15

Three-dimensional topological insulators support a metallic non-trivial surface state with unique spin texture, where spin and momentum are locked perpendicular to each other. In this work, we investigate the orbital selective spin-texture associated with the topological surface states in Sb2Te{sub 3}, using the first principles calculations. Sb2Te{sub 3} is a strong topological insulator with a p-p type bulk band inversion at the Γ-point and supports a single topological metallic surface state with upper (lower) Dirac-cone has left (right) handed spin-texture. Here, we show that the topological surface state has an additional locking between the spin and orbitals, leading to an orbital selective spin-texture. The out-of-plane orbitals (p{sub z} orbitals) have an isotropic orbital texture for both the Dirac cones with an associated left and right handed spin-texture for the upper and lower Dirac cones, respectively. In contrast, the in-planar orbital texture (p{sub x} and p{sub y} projections) is tangential for the upper Dirac-cone and is radial for the lower Dirac-cone surface state. The dominant in-planar orbital texture in both the Dirac cones lead to a right handed orbital-selective spin-texture.

Transport on the surface of a topological insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargiamidis, V.; Vasilopoulos, P.

2014-01-01

We study theoretically dc and ac transport on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator when its time-reversal symmetry is broken. Starting with a Kubo formula, we derive an explicit expression for the dc Hall conductivity, valid for finite temperatures. At zero temperature this expression gives the dc half-quantum Hall conductivity, provided the Fermi level lies in the gap. Corrections when the Fermi level is outside the gap and scattering by impurities are quantified. The longitudinal conductivity is also examined. At finite frequencies, we find a modified Drude term in σ xx (ω) and logarithmic, frequency-dependent corrections in σ yx (ω). The ac Hall conductivity exhibits a robust logarithmic singularity for excitation energies equal to the gapwidth. For these energies, we also find that the power spectrum, which is pertinent to optical experiments, exhibits drastic increase. The Hall conductivity remains almost unaffected for temperatures up to approximately 300 K

Surface State Dynamics of Topological Insulators Investigated by Femtosecond Time- and Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamoon Hedayat

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Topological insulators (TI are known for striking quantum phenomena associated with their spin-polarized topological surface state (TSS. The latter in particular forms a Dirac cone that bridges the energy gap between valence and conduction bands, providing a unique opportunity for prospective device applications. In TI of the BixSb2−xTeySe3−y (BSTS family, stoichiometry determines the morphology and position of the Dirac cone with respect to the Fermi level. In order to engineer specific transport properties, a careful tuning of the TSS is highly desired. Therefore, we have systematically explored BSTS samples with different stoichiometries by time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TARPES. This technique provides snapshots of the electronic structure and discloses the carrier dynamics in surface and bulk states, providing crucial information for the design of electro-spin current devices. Our results reveal the central role of doping level on the Dirac cone structure and its femtosecond dynamics. In particular, an extraordinarily long TSS lifetime is observed when the the vertex of the Dirac cone lies at the Fermi level.

Electronic structure and transport on the surface of topological insulator attached to an electromagnetic superlattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Haiyan; Chen Xiongwen; Zhou Xiaoying; Zhang Lebo; Zhou Guanghui

2012-01-01

We study the electronic structure and transport for Dirac electron on the surface of a three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator attached to an electromagnetic superlattice. It is found that, by means of the transfer-matrix method, the number of electronic tunneling channels for magnetic barriers in antiparallel alignment is larger than that in parallel alignment, which stems to the energy band structures. Interestingly, a remarkable semiconducting transport behavior appears in this system with a strong magnetic barrier due to low energy band nearly paralleling to the Fermi level. Consequently, there is only small incident angle transport in the higher energy region when the system is modulated mainly by the higher electric barriers. We further find that the spatial distribution of the spin polarization oscillates periodically in the incoming region, but it is almost in-plane with a fixed direction in the transmitting region. The results may provide a further understanding of the nature of 3D TI surface states, and may be useful in the design of topological insulator-based electronic devices such as collimating electron beam.

Spin-orbit torque in 3D topological insulator-ferromagnet heterostructure: crossover between bulk and surface transport

KAUST Repository

Ghosh, Sumit; Manchon, Aurelien

2017-01-01

Current-driven spin-orbit torques are investigated in a heterostructure composed of a ferromagnet deposited on top of a three dimensional topological insulator using the linear response formalism. We develop a tight-binding model of the heterostructure adopting a minimal interfacial hybridization scheme that promotes induced magnetic exchange on the topological surface states, as well as induced Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. Therefore, our model accounts for spin Hall effect from bulk states together with inverse spin galvanic and magnetoelectric effects at the interface on equal footing. By varying the transport energy across the band structure, we uncover a crossover from surface-dominated to bulk-dominated transport regimes. We show that the spin density profile and the nature of the spin-orbit torques differ substantially in both regimes. Our results, which compare favorably with experimental observations, demonstrate that the large damping torque reported recently is more likely attributed to interfacial magnetoelectric effect, while spin Hall torque remains small even in the bulk-dominated regime.

Spin-orbit torque in 3D topological insulator-ferromagnet heterostructure: crossover between bulk and surface transport

KAUST Repository

Ghosh, Sumit

2017-11-29

Current-driven spin-orbit torques are investigated in a heterostructure composed of a ferromagnet deposited on top of a three dimensional topological insulator using the linear response formalism. We develop a tight-binding model of the heterostructure adopting a minimal interfacial hybridization scheme that promotes induced magnetic exchange on the topological surface states, as well as induced Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. Therefore, our model accounts for spin Hall effect from bulk states together with inverse spin galvanic and magnetoelectric effects at the interface on equal footing. By varying the transport energy across the band structure, we uncover a crossover from surface-dominated to bulk-dominated transport regimes. We show that the spin density profile and the nature of the spin-orbit torques differ substantially in both regimes. Our results, which compare favorably with experimental observations, demonstrate that the large damping torque reported recently is more likely attributed to interfacial magnetoelectric effect, while spin Hall torque remains small even in the bulk-dominated regime.

Infrared circular photogalvanic effect in topological insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Siyuan

2018-04-01

Topological insulators have attracted a lot of attention in recent years due to its unique phenomena. Circular photogalvanic effect (CPGE) is one of the important phenomena in topological insulators. Bi2Se3, as one of the 3D topological insulators, consist of a single Dirac cone at the Γ point in k-space [1], corresponding to the surface states. Controlled by the Berry curvature of the surface band, the dominant photo response due to the interband transition is helicity dependent [2]. In addition, due to the spin-momentum locking in topological insulators' surface, the sign of spin-angular-momentum of obliquely incident light and photo currents are locked together. On the other hand, Bi2Se3 consists of quintuple layers which make it possible to be exfoliated and transferred based on graphene fabrication. In this paper, Bi2Se3 devices were fabricated and Ohm contact was achieved. We experimentally demonstrated the CPGE in Bi2Se3 using 1550nm incident laser.

Topological Insulators and Superconductors for Innovative Devices

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-20

Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 20120321 - 20150320 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Topological insulators and superconductors for innovative...locking, which hold promise for various innovative devices. Similarly, topological superconductors are associated with exotic surface states, which...298 (Rev. 8/98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 Final Report Title: Topological Insulators and Superconductors for Innovative Devices

STM imaging of electronic waves on the surface of Bi2Te3: topologically protected surface states and hexagonal warping effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alpichshev, Zhanybek; /SIMES, Stanford /SLAC /Stanford U., Phys. Dept.; Analytis, J.G.; /SIMES, Stanford /SLAC /Stanford U., Phys. Dept.; Chu, J.-H.; Fisher, I.R.; /SIMES, Stanford /SLAC /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /Stanford U., Appl. Phys. Dept.; Chen, Y.L.; /SIMES, Stanford /SLAC /Stanford U., Phys. Dept.; Shen, Z.X.; /SIMES, Stanford /SLAC /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /Stanford U., Appl. Phys. Dept.; Fang, A.; /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /Stanford U., Appl. Phys. Dept.; Kapitulnik, A.; /SIMES, Stanford /SLAC /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /Stanford U., Appl. Phys. Dept.

2010-06-02

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy studies on high-quality Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} crystals exhibit perfect correspondence to ARPES data, hence enabling identification of different regimes measured in the local density of states (LDOS). Oscillations of LDOS near a step are analyzed. Within the main part of the surface band oscillations are strongly damped, supporting the hypothesis of topological protec- tion. At higher energies, as the surface band becomes concave, oscillations appear which disperse with a particular wave-vector that may result from an unconventional hexagonal warping term.

Manipulating topological-insulator properties using quantum confinement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotulla, M; Zülicke, U

2017-01-01

Recent discoveries have spurred the theoretical prediction and experimental realization of novel materials that have topological properties arising from band inversion. Such topological insulators are insulating in the bulk but have conductive surface or edge states. Topological materials show various unusual physical properties and are surmised to enable the creation of exotic Majorana-fermion quasiparticles. How the signatures of topological behavior evolve when the system size is reduced is interesting from both a fundamental and an application-oriented point of view, as such understanding may form the basis for tailoring systems to be in specific topological phases. This work considers the specific case of quantum-well confinement defining two-dimensional layers. Based on the effective-Hamiltonian description of bulk topological insulators, and using a harmonic-oscillator potential as an example for a softer-than-hard-wall confinement, we have studied the interplay of band inversion and size quantization. Our model system provides a useful platform for systematic study of the transition between the normal and topological phases, including the development of band inversion and the formation of massless-Dirac-fermion surface states. The effects of bare size quantization, two-dimensional-subband mixing, and electron–hole asymmetry are disentangled and their respective physical consequences elucidated. (paper)

Anomalous Z2 antiferromagnetic topological phase in pressurized SmB6

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Kai-Wei; Chen, Peng-Jen

2018-05-01

Antiferromagnetic materials, whose time-reversal symmetry is broken, can be classified into the Z2 topology if they respect some specific symmetry. Since the theoretical proposal, however, no materials have been found to host such Z2 antiferromagnetic topological (Z2-AFT ) phase to date. Here we demonstrate that the topological Kondo insulator SmB6 can be a Z2-AFT system when pressurized to undergo an antiferromagnetic phase transition. In addition to proposing the possible candidate for a Z2-AFT material, in this work we also illustrate the anomalous topological surface states of the Z2-AFT phase which have not been discussed before. Originating from the interplay between the topological properties and the antiferromagnetic surface magnetization, the topological surface states of the Z2-AFT phase behave differently as compared with those of a topological insulator. Besides, the Z2-AFT insulators are also found promising in the generation of tunable spin currents, which is an important application in spintronics.

Tunable Topological Phononic Crystals

KAUST Repository

Chen, Zeguo

2016-05-27

Topological insulators first observed in electronic systems have inspired many analogues in photonic and phononic crystals in which remarkable one-way propagation edge states are supported by topologically nontrivial band gaps. Such band gaps can be achieved by breaking the time-reversal symmetry to lift the degeneracy associated with Dirac cones at the corners of the Brillouin zone. Here, we report on our construction of a phononic crystal exhibiting a Dirac-like cone in the Brillouin zone center. We demonstrate that simultaneously breaking the time-reversal symmetry and altering the geometric size of the unit cell result in a topological transition that we verify by the Chern number calculation and edge-mode analysis. We develop a complete model based on the tight binding to uncover the physical mechanisms of the topological transition. Both the model and numerical simulations show that the topology of the band gap is tunable by varying both the velocity field and the geometric size; such tunability may dramatically enrich the design and use of acoustic topological insulators.

Tunable Topological Phononic Crystals

KAUST Repository

Chen, Zeguo; Wu, Ying

2016-01-01

Topological insulators first observed in electronic systems have inspired many analogues in photonic and phononic crystals in which remarkable one-way propagation edge states are supported by topologically nontrivial band gaps. Such band gaps can be achieved by breaking the time-reversal symmetry to lift the degeneracy associated with Dirac cones at the corners of the Brillouin zone. Here, we report on our construction of a phononic crystal exhibiting a Dirac-like cone in the Brillouin zone center. We demonstrate that simultaneously breaking the time-reversal symmetry and altering the geometric size of the unit cell result in a topological transition that we verify by the Chern number calculation and edge-mode analysis. We develop a complete model based on the tight binding to uncover the physical mechanisms of the topological transition. Both the model and numerical simulations show that the topology of the band gap is tunable by varying both the velocity field and the geometric size; such tunability may dramatically enrich the design and use of acoustic topological insulators.

Aharonov–Bohm interference in topological insulator nanoribbons

KAUST Repository

Peng, Hailin; Lai, Keji; Kong, Desheng; Meister, Stefan; Chen, Yulin; Qi, Xiao-Liang; Zhang, Shou-Cheng; Shen, Zhi-Xun; Cui, Yi

2009-01-01

Topological insulators represent unusual phases of quantum matter with an insulating bulk gap and gapless edges or surface states. The two-dimensional topological insulator phase was predicted in HgTe quantum wells and confirmed by transport

On effective theories of topological strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elitzur, S.; Forge, A.; Rabinovici, E.

1992-01-01

We study the construction of effective target-space theories of topological string theories. The example of the CP1 topological sigma model is analysed in detail. An effective target-space theory whose correlation functions are defined by the sum over connected Riemann surfaces of all genera is found to be itself topological. The values of the couplings of this effective theory are expressed in terms of those of the world-sheet theory for a general CP1-like world-sheet model. Any model of this type can be obtained as an effective theory. The definition of the effective theory's expectation values as a sum over disconnected surfaces as well, is shown not to be compatible with those of a topological theory, at least as long as the connectivity of the target space is kept fixed. Dilaton-type couplings emerge in the full lagrangian realization of the moduli space of topological theories with n observables. En route, we encounter a nonperturbative duality, an equivalence of theories with different world-sheets and discuss the relation between the cosmological constant in these finite theories and the zero-point function. (orig.)

Reconstructing Topological Graphs and Continua

OpenAIRE

Gartside, Paul; Pitz, Max F.; Suabedissen, Rolf

2015-01-01

The deck of a topological space $X$ is the set $\\mathcal{D}(X)=\\{[X \\setminus \\{x\\}] \\colon x \\in X\\}$, where $[Z]$ denotes the homeomorphism class of $Z$. A space $X$ is topologically reconstructible if whenever $\\mathcal{D}(X)=\\mathcal{D}(Y)$ then $X$ is homeomorphic to $Y$. It is shown that all metrizable compact connected spaces are reconstructible. It follows that all finite graphs, when viewed as a 1-dimensional cell-complex, are reconstructible in the topological sense, and more genera...

Dynamic surface electronic reconstruction as symmetry-protected topological orders in topological insulator Bi2Se3

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, G. J.; Liou, S. C.; Karna, S. K.; Sankar, R.; Hayashi, M.; Chou, F. C.

2018-04-01

The layered narrow-band-gap semiconductor Bi2Se3 is composed of heavy elements with strong spin-orbital coupling, which has been identified both as a good candidate for a thermoelectric material with high thermoelectric figure of merit (Z T ) and as a topological insulator of the Z2 type with a gapless surface band in a Dirac-cone shape. The existence of a conjugated π -bond system on the surface of each Bi2Se3 quintuple layer is proposed based on an extended valence bond model with valence electrons distributed in the hybridized orbitals. Supporting experimental evidence of a two-dimensional (2D) conjugated π -bond system on each quintuple layer of Bi2Se3 is provided using electron energy-loss spectroscopy and electron density mapping through inverse Fourier transform of x-ray diffraction data. Quantum chemistry calculations support the π -bond existence between partially filled 4 pz orbitals of Se via side-to-side orbital overlap positively. The conjugated π -bond system on the surface of each quintuple Bi2Se3 layer is proposed to be similar to that found in graphite (graphene) and responsible for the unique 2D conduction mechanism. The van der Waals (vdW) attractive force between quintuple layers is interpreted to be coming from the antiferroelectrically ordered effective electric dipoles, which are constructed with π -bond trimer pairs on Se layers across the vdW gap of minimized Coulomb repulsion.

Topological surface Fermi arcs in the magnetic Weyl semimetal Co3Sn2S2

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qiunan; Liu, Enke; Shi, Wujun; Muechler, Lukas; Gayles, Jacob; Felser, Claudia; Sun, Yan

2018-06-01

Very recently, the half-metallic compound Co3Sn2S2 was proposed to be a magnetic Weyl semimetal (WSM) with Weyl points only 60 meV above the Fermi level EF. Owing to the low charge carrier density and large Berry curvature induced, Co3Sn2S2 possesses both a large anomalous Hall conductivity and a large anomalous Hall angle, which provide strong evidence for the existence of Weyl points in Co3Sn2S2 . In this work, we theoretically study the surface topological feature of Co3Sn2S2 and its counterpart Co3Sn2Se2 . By cleaving the sample at the weak Sn-S/Se bonds, one can achieve two different surfaces terminated with Sn and S/Se atoms, respectively. The resulting Fermi-arc-related states can range from the energy of the Weyl points to EF-0.1 eV in the Sn-terminated surface. Therefore, it should be possible to observe the Fermi arcs in angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements. Furthermore, in order to simulate quasiparticle interference in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements, we also calculate the joint density of states for both terminals. This work should be helpful for a comprehensive understanding of the topological properties of these two magnetic WSMs and further ARPES and STM measurements.

Topological defects in confined populations of spindle-shaped cells

Science.gov (United States)

Duclos, Guillaume; Erlenkämper, Christoph; Joanny, Jean-François; Silberzan, Pascal

2017-01-01

Most spindle-shaped cells (including smooth muscles and sarcomas) organize in vivo into well-aligned `nematic’ domains, creating intrinsic topological defects that may be used to probe the behaviour of these active nematic systems. Active non-cellular nematics have been shown to be dominated by activity, yielding complex chaotic flows. However, the regime in which live spindle-shaped cells operate, and the importance of cell-substrate friction in particular, remains largely unexplored. Using in vitro experiments, we show that these active cellular nematics operate in a regime in which activity is effectively damped by friction, and that the interaction between defects is controlled by the system’s elastic nematic energy. Due to the activity of the cells, these defects behave as self-propelled particles and pairwise annihilate until all displacements freeze as cell crowding increases. When confined in mesoscopic circular domains, the system evolves towards two identical +1/2 disclinations facing each other. The most likely reduced positions of these defects are independent of the size of the disk, the cells’ activity or even the cell type, but are well described by equilibrium liquid crystal theory. These cell-based systems thus operate in a regime more stable than other active nematics, which may be necessary for their biological function.

Topologically-protected one-way leaky waves in nonreciprocal plasmonic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Hassani Gangaraj, S. Ali; Monticone, Francesco

2018-03-01

We investigate topologically-protected unidirectional leaky waves on magnetized plasmonic structures acting as homogeneous photonic topological insulators. Our theoretical analyses and numerical experiments aim at unveiling the general properties of these exotic surface waves, and their nonreciprocal and topological nature. In particular, we study the behavior of topological leaky modes in stratified structures composed of a magnetized plasma at the interface with isotropic conventional media, and we show how to engineer their propagation and radiation properties, leading to topologically-protected backscattering-immune wave propagation, and highly directive and tunable radiation. Taking advantage of the non-trivial topological properties of these leaky modes, we also theoretically demonstrate advanced functionalities, including arbitrary re-routing of leaky waves on the surface of bodies with complex shapes, as well as the realization of topological leaky-wave (nano)antennas with isolated channels of radiation that are completely independent and separately tunable. Our findings help shedding light on the behavior of topologically-protected modes in open wave-guiding structures, and may open intriguing directions for future antenna generations based on topological structures, at microwaves and optical frequencies.

Planck 2015 results. XVIII. Background geometry & topology

CERN Document Server

Ade, P.A.R.; Arnaud, M.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Banday, A.J.; Barreiro, R.B.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Battaner, E.; Benabed, K.; Benoît, A.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Bernard, J.P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bock, J.J.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J.R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F.R.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R.C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.F.; Catalano, A.; Challinor, A.; Chamballu, A.; Chiang, H.C.; Christensen, P.R.; Church, S.; Clements, D.L.; Colombi, S.; Colombo, L.P.L.; Combet, C.; Couchot, F.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B.P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Danese, L.; Davies, R.D.; Davis, R.J.; de Bernardis, P.; De Rosa, A.; De Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Désert, F.X.; Diego, J.M.; Dole, H.; Donzelli, S.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T.A.; Eriksen, H.K.; Feeney, S.; Fergusson, J.; Finelli, F.; Forni, O.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A.A.; Franceschi, E.; Frejsel, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Giard, M.; Giraud-Héraud, Y.; Gjerløw, E.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K.M.; Gratton, S.; Gregorio, A.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J.E.; Hansen, F.K.; Hanson, D.; Harrison, D.L.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Hernández-Monteagudo, C.; Herranz, D.; Hildebrandt, S.R.; Hivon, E.; Hobson, M.; Holmes, W.A.; Hornstrup, A.; Hovest, W.; Huffenberger, K.M.; Hurier, G.; Jaffe, A.H.; Jaffe, T.R.; Jones, W.C.; Juvela, M.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T.S.; Knoche, J.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lähteenmäki, A.; Lamarre, J.M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C.R.; Leonardi, R.; Lesgourgues, J.; Levrier, F.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P.B.; Linden-Vørnle, M.; López-Caniego, M.; Lubin, P.M.; Macías-Pérez, J.F.; Maggio, G.; Maino, D.; Mandolesi, N.; Mangilli, A.; Maris, M.; Martin, P.G.; Martínez-González, E.; Masi, S.; Matarrese, S.; McEwen, J.D.; McGehee, P.; Meinhold, P.R.; Melchiorri, A.; Mendes, L.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Mitra, S.; Miville-Deschênes, M.A.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Mortlock, D.; Moss, A.; Munshi, D.; Murphy, J.A.; Naselsky, P.; Nati, F.; Natoli, P.; Netterfield, C.B.; Nørgaard-Nielsen, H.U.; Noviello, F.; Novikov, D.; Novikov, I.; Oxborrow, C.A.; Paci, F.; Pagano, L.; Pajot, F.; Paoletti, D.; Pasian, F.; Patanchon, G.; Peiris, H.V.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Perrotta, F.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Piat, M.; Pierpaoli, E.; Pietrobon, D.; Plaszczynski, S.; Pogosyan, D.; Pointecouteau, E.; Polenta, G.; Popa, L.; Pratt, G.W.; Prézeau, G.; Prunet, S.; Puget, J.L.; Rachen, J.P.; Rebolo, R.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renault, C.; Renzi, A.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rocha, G.; Rosset, C.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rowan-Robinson, M.; Rubiño-Martín, J.A.; Rusholme, B.; Sandri, M.; Santos, D.; Savelainen, M.; Savini, G.; Scott, D.; Seiffert, M.D.; Shellard, E.P.S.; Spencer, L.D.; Stolyarov, V.; Stompor, R.; Sudiwala, R.; Sutton, D.; Suur-Uski, A.S.; Sygnet, J.F.; Tauber, J.A.; Terenzi, L.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Tucci, M.; Tuovinen, J.; Valenziano, L.; Valiviita, J.; Tent, F. Van; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Wade, L.A.; Wandelt, B.D.; Wehus, I.K.; Yvon, D.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-01-01

Full-sky CMB maps from the 2015 Planck release allow us to detect departures from global isotropy on the largest scales. We present the first searches using CMB polarization for correlations induced by a non-trivial topology with a fundamental domain intersecting, or nearly intersecting, the last scattering surface (at comoving distance $\\chi_{rec}$). We specialize to flat spaces with toroidal and slab topologies, finding that explicit searches for the latter are sensitive to other topologies with antipodal symmetry. These searches yield no detection of a compact topology at a scale below the diameter of the last scattering surface. The limits on the radius $R_i$ of the largest sphere inscribed in the topological domain (at log-likelihood-ratio $\\Delta\\ln{L}>-5$ relative to a simply-connected flat Planck best-fit model) are $R_i>0.97\\chi_{rec}$ for the cubic torus and $R_i>0.56\\chi_{rec}$ for the slab. The limit for the cubic torus from the matched-circles search is numerically equivalent, $R_i>0.97\\chi_{rec}...

Measurement of the quantum capacitance from two-dimensional surface state of a topological insulator at room temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Hyunwoo, E-mail: chw0089@gmail.com [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Tae Geun, E-mail: tgkim1@korea.ac.kr [School of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Changhwan, E-mail: cshin@uos.ac.kr [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul 02504 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

Highlights: • The quantum capacitance in topological insulator (TI) at room temperature is directly revealed. • The physical origin of quantum capacitance, the two dimensional surface state of TI, is experimentally validated. • Theoretically calculated results of ideal quantum capacitance can well predict the experimental data. - Abstract: A topological insulator (TI) is a new kind of material that exhibits unique electronic properties owing to its topological surface state (TSS). Previous studies focused on the transport properties of the TSS, since it can be used as the active channel layer in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). However, a TI with a negative quantum capacitance (QC) effect can be used in the gate stack of MOSFETs, thereby facilitating the creation of ultra-low power electronics. Therefore, it is important to study the physics behind the QC in TIs in the absence of any external magnetic field, at room temperature. We fabricated a simple capacitor structure using a TI (TI-capacitor: Au-TI-SiO{sub 2}-Si), which shows clear evidence of QC at room temperature. In the capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement, the total capacitance of the TI-capacitor increases in the accumulation regime, since QC is the dominant capacitive component in the series capacitor model (i.e., C{sub T}{sup −1} = C{sub Q}{sup −1} + C{sub SiO2}{sup −1}). Based on the QC model of the two-dimensional electron systems, we quantitatively calculated the QC, and observed that the simulated C-V curve theoretically supports the conclusion that the QC of the TI-capacitor is originated from electron–electron interaction in the two-dimensional surface state of the TI.

Thermoelectric Transport by Surface States in Bi2Se3-Based Topological Insulator Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Long-Long; Xu Wen

2015-01-01

We develop a tractable theoretical model to investigate the thermoelectric (TE) transport properties of surface states in topological insulator thin films (TITFs) of Bi 2 Se 3 at room temperature. The hybridization between top and bottom surface states in the TITF plays a significant role. With the increasing hybridization-induced surface gap, the electrical conductivity and electron thermal conductivity decrease while the Seebeck coefficient increases. This is due to the metal-semiconductor transition induced by the surface-state hybridization. Based on these TE transport coefficients, the TE figure-of-merit ZT is evaluated. It is shown that ZT can be greatly improved by the surface-state hybridization. Our theoretical results are pertinent to the exploration of the TE transport properties of surface states in TITFs and to the potential application of Bi 2 Se 3 -based TITFs as high-performance TE materials and devices. (paper)

A New Family of Multilevel Grid Connected Inverters Based on Packed U Cell Topology.

Science.gov (United States)

Pakdel, Majid; Jalilzadeh, Saeid

2017-09-29

In this paper a novel packed U cell (PUC) based multilevel grid connected inverter is proposed. Unlike the U cell arrangement which consists of two power switches and one capacitor, in the proposed converter topology a lower DC power supply from renewable energy resources such as photovoltaic arrays (PV) is used as a base power source. The proposed topology offers higher efficiency and lower cost using a small number of power switches and a lower DC power source which is supplied from renewable energy resources. Other capacitor voltages are extracted from the base lower DC power source using isolated DC-DC power converters. The operation principle of proposed transformerless multilevel grid connected inverter is analyzed theoretically. Operation of the proposed multilevel grid connected inverter is verified through simulation studies. An experimental prototype using STM32F407 discovery controller board is performed to verify the simulation results.

Topological Nodal Cooper Pairing in Doped Weyl Metals

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yi; Haldane, F. D. M.

2018-02-01

We generalize the concept of Berry connection of the single-electron band structure to that of a two-particle Cooper pairing state between two Fermi surfaces with opposite Chern numbers. Because of underlying Fermi surface topology, the pairing Berry phase acquires nontrivial monopole structure. Consequently, pairing gap functions have topologically protected nodal structure as vortices in the momentum space with the total vorticity solely determined by the pair monopole charge qp. The nodes of gap function behave as the Weyl-Majorana points of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes pairing Hamiltonian. Their relation with the connection patterns of the surface modes from the Weyl band structure and the Majorana surface modes inside the pairing gap is also discussed. Under the approximation of spherical Fermi surfaces, the pairing symmetry are represented by monopole harmonic functions. The lowest possible pairing channel carries angular momentum number j =|qp|, and the corresponding gap functions are holomorphic or antiholomorphic functions on Fermi surfaces. After projected on the Fermi surfaces with nontrivial topology, all the partial-wave channels of pairing interactions acquire the monopole charge qp independent of concrete pairing mechanism.

Geometric effects on surface states in topological insulator Bi2Te3 nanowire

Science.gov (United States)

Sengupta, Parijat; Kubis, Tillman; Povolotskyi, Michael; Klimeck, Gerhard

2012-02-01

Bismuth Telluride (BT) is a 3D topological insulator (TI) with surface states that have energy dispersion linear in momentum and forms a Dirac cone at low energy. In this work we investigate the surface properties of a BT nanowire and demonstrate the existence of TI states. We also show how such states vanish under certain geometric conditions. An atomistic model (sp3d5s* TB) is used to compute the energy dispersion in a BT nanowire. Penetration depth of the surface states is estimated by ratio of Fermi velocity and band-gap. BT possesses a tiny band-gap, which creates small localization of surface states and greater penetration in to the bulk. To offset this large spatial penetration, which is undesirable to avoid a direct coupling between surfaces, we expect that bigger cross-sections of BT nanowires would be needed to obtain stable TI states. Our numerical work validates this prediction. Furthermore, geometry of the nanowire is shown to influence the TI states. Using a combined analytical and numerical approach our results reveal that surface roughness impact electronic structure leading to Rashba type splits along z-direction. Cylindrical and square cross-sections are given as illustrative examples.

Spin-torque generation in topological insulator based heterostructures

KAUST Repository

Fischer, Mark H.; Vaezi, Abolhassan; Manchon, Aurelien; Kim, Eun-Ah

2016-01-01

Heterostructures utilizing topological insulators exhibit a remarkable spin-torque efficiency. However, the exact origin of the strong torque, in particular whether it stems from the spin-momentum locking of the topological surface states or rather

Spintronics Based on Topological Insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yabin; Wang, Kang L.

2016-10-01

Spintronics using topological insulators (TIs) as strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) materials have emerged and shown rapid progress in the past few years. Different from traditional heavy metals, TIs exhibit very strong SOC and nontrivial topological surface states that originate in the bulk band topology order, which can provide very efficient means to manipulate adjacent magnetic materials when passing a charge current through them. In this paper, we review the recent progress in the TI-based magnetic spintronics research field. In particular, we focus on the spin-orbit torque (SOT)-induced magnetization switching in the magnetic TI structures, spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (ST-FMR) measurements in the TI/ferromagnet structures, spin pumping and spin injection effects in the TI/magnet structures, as well as the electrical detection of the surface spin-polarized current in TIs. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in the TI-based spintronics field and its potential applications in ultralow power dissipation spintronic memory and logic devices.

Topological Insulators Dirac Equation in Condensed Matters

CERN Document Server

Shen, Shun-Qing

2012-01-01

Topological insulators are insulating in the bulk, but process metallic states around its boundary owing to the topological origin of the band structure. The metallic edge or surface states are immune to weak disorder or impurities, and robust against the deformation of the system geometry. This book, Topological insulators, presents a unified description of topological insulators from one to three dimensions based on the modified Dirac equation. A series of solutions of the bound states near the boundary are derived, and the existing conditions of these solutions are described. Topological invariants and their applications to a variety of systems from one-dimensional polyacetalene, to two-dimensional quantum spin Hall effect and p-wave superconductors, and three-dimensional topological insulators and superconductors or superfluids are introduced, helping readers to better understand this fascinating new field. This book is intended for researchers and graduate students working in the field of topological in...

Linear magnetoresistance and surface to bulk coupling in topological insulator thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Sourabh; Gopal, R K; Sarkar, Jit; Pandey, Atul; Patel, Bhavesh G; Mitra, Chiranjib

2017-12-20

We explore the temperature dependent magnetoresistance of bulk insulating topological insulator thin films. Thin films of Bi 2 Se 2 Te and BiSbTeSe 1.6 were grown using the pulsed laser deposition technique and subjected to transport measurements. Magnetotransport measurements indicate a non-saturating linear magnetoresistance (LMR) behavior at high magnetic field values. We present a careful analysis to explain the origin of LMR taking into consideration all the existing models of LMR. Here we consider that the bulk insulating states and the metallic surface states constitute two parallel conduction channels. Invoking this, we were able to explain linear magnetoresistance behavior as a competition between these parallel channels. We observe that the cross-over field, where LMR sets in, decreases with increasing temperature. We propose that this cross-over field can be used phenomenologically to estimate the strength of surface to bulk coupling.

Proximity effects in topological insulator heterostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xiao-Guang; Wu Guang-Fen; Zhang Gu-Feng; Culcer Dimitrie; Zhang Zhen-Yu; Chen Hua

2013-01-01

Topological insulators (TIs) are bulk insulators that possess robust helical conducting states along their interfaces with conventional insulators. A tremendous research effort has recently been devoted to Tl-based heterostructures, in which conventional proximity effects give rise to a series of exotic physical phenomena. This paper reviews our recent studies on the potential existence of topological proximity effects at the interface between a topological insulator and a normal insulator or other topologically trivial systems. Using first-principles approaches, we have realized the tunability of the vertical location of the topological helical state via intriguing dual-proximity effects. To further elucidate the control parameters of this effect, we have used the graphene-based heterostructures as prototypical systems to reveal a more complete phase diagram. On the application side of the topological helical states, we have presented a catalysis example, where the topological helical state plays an essential role in facilitating surface reactions by serving as an effective electron bath. These discoveries lay the foundation for accurate manipulation of the real space properties of the topological helical state in TI-based heterostructures and pave the way for realization of the salient functionality of topological insulators in future device applications. (topical review - low-dimensional nanostructures and devices)

Ferromagnetic barrier-induced negative differential conductance on the surface of a topological insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An Xing-Tao

2014-01-01

The effect of the negative differential conductance of a ferromagnetic barrier on the surface of a topological insulator is theoretically investigated. Due to the changes of the shape and position of the Fermi surfaces in the ferromagnetic barrier, the transport processes can be divided into three kinds: the total, partial, and blockade transmission mechanisms. The bias voltage can give rise to the transition of the transport processes from partial to blockade transmission mechanisms, which results in a considerable effect of negative differential conductance. With appropriate structural parameters, the current-voltage characteristics show that the minimum value of the current can reach to zero in a wide range of the bias voltage, and then a large peak-to-valley current ratio can be obtained. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Trivial topological phase of CaAgP and the topological nodal-line transition in CaAg (P1 -xA sx)

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, N.; Qian, Y. T.; Wu, Q. S.; Autès, G.; Matt, C. E.; Lv, B. Q.; Yao, M. Y.; Strocov, V. N.; Pomjakushina, E.; Conder, K.; Plumb, N. C.; Radovic, M.; Yazyev, O. V.; Qian, T.; Ding, H.; Mesot, J.; Shi, M.

2018-04-01

By performing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, we address the topological phase of CaAgP and investigate the topological phase transition in CaAg (P1 -xA sx) . We reveal that in CaAgP, the bulk band gap and surface states with a large bandwidth are topologically trivial, in agreement with hybrid density functional theory calculations. The calculations also indicate that application of "negative" hydrostatic pressure can transform trivial semiconducting CaAgP into an ideal topological nodal-line semimetal phase. The topological transition can be realized by partial isovalent P/As substitution at x =0.38 .

Ultrafast Optical Excitation of a Persistent Surface-State Population in the Topological Insulator Bi2Se3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sobota, Jonathan

2012-03-14

Using femtosecond time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we investigated the nonequilibrium dynamics of the topological insulator Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3}. We studied p-type Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3}, in which the metallic Dirac surface state and bulk conduction bands are unoccupied. Optical excitation leads to a meta-stable population at the bulk conduction band edge, which feeds a nonequilibrium population of the surface state persisting for >10 ps. This unusually long-lived population of a metallic Dirac surface state with spin texture may present a channel in which to drive transient spin-polarized currents.

Optically tunable spin transport on the surface of a topological insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yudin, D; Shelykh, I A; Kibis, O V

2016-01-01

The emerging field of spinoptronics has a potential to supersede the functionality of modern electronics, while a proper description of strong light–matter coupling pose the most intriguing questions from both fundamental scientific and technological perspectives. In this paper we address a highly relevant issue for such a development. We theoretically explore spin dynamics on the surface of a 3D topological insulator (TI) irradiated with an off-resonant high-frequency electromagnetic wave. The strong coupling between electrons and the electromagnetic wave drastically modifies the spin properties of TI. The effects of irradiation are shown to result in anisotropy of electron energy spectrum near the Dirac point and suppression of spin current and are investigated in detail in this work. (paper)

Enzymatic treatment of duck hepatitis B virus: Topology of the surface proteins for virions and noninfectious subviral particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franke, Claudia; Matschl, Urte; Bruns, Michael

2007-01-01

The large surface antigen L of duck hepatitis B virus exhibits a mixed topology with the preS domains of the protein alternatively exposed to the particles' interior or exterior. After separating virions from subviral particles (SVPs), we compared their L topologies and showed that both particle types exhibit the same amount of L with the following differences: 1-preS of intact virions was enzymatically digested with chymotrypsin, whereas in SVPs only half of preS was accessible, 2-phosphorylation of L at S118 was completely removed by phosphatase treatment only in virions, 3-iodine-125 labeling disclosed a higher ratio of exposed preS to S domains in virions compared to SVPs. These data point towards different surface architectures of virions and SVPs. Because the preS domain acts in binding to a cellular receptor of hepatocytes, our findings implicate the exclusion of SVPs as competitors for the receptor binding and entry of virions

Topological phases in a three-dimensional topological insulator with a time-reversal invariant external field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Xiaoyong; Ren, Xiaobin; Wang, Gangzhi; Peng, Jie

2014-01-01

We investigate the impact of a time-reversal invariant external field on the topological phases of a three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator. By taking the momentum k z as a parameter, we calculate the spin-Chern number analytically. It is shown that both the quantum spin Hall phase and the integer quantum Hall phase can be realized in our system. When the strength of the external field is varied, a series of topological phase transitions occurs with the closing of the energy gap or the spin-spectrum gap. In a tight-binding form, the surface modes are discussed numerically to confirm the analytically results. (paper)

Spin-orbit torque in a three-dimensional topological insulator–ferromagnet heterostructure: Crossover between bulk and surface transport

KAUST Repository

Ghosh, Sumit; Manchon, Aurelien

2018-01-01

Current-driven spin-orbit torques are investigated in a heterostructure composed of a ferromagnet deposited on top of a three-dimensional topological insulator using the linear response formalism. We develop a tight-binding model of the heterostructure adopting a minimal interfacial hybridization scheme that promotes induced magnetic exchange on the topological surface states, as well as induced Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. Therefore our model accounts for the spin Hall effect from bulk states together with inverse spin galvanic and magnetoelectric effects at the interface on equal footing. By varying the transport energy across the band structure, we uncover a crossover from surface-dominated to bulk-dominated transport regimes. We show that the spin density profile and the nature of the spin-orbit torques differ substantially in both regimes. Our results, which compare favorably with experimental observations, demonstrate that the large dampinglike torque reported recently is more likely attributed to the Berry curvature of interfacial states, while spin Hall torque remains small even in the bulk-dominated regime.

Spin-orbit torque in a three-dimensional topological insulator–ferromagnet heterostructure: Crossover between bulk and surface transport

KAUST Repository

Ghosh, Sumit

2018-04-02

Current-driven spin-orbit torques are investigated in a heterostructure composed of a ferromagnet deposited on top of a three-dimensional topological insulator using the linear response formalism. We develop a tight-binding model of the heterostructure adopting a minimal interfacial hybridization scheme that promotes induced magnetic exchange on the topological surface states, as well as induced Rashba-like spin-orbit coupling in the ferromagnet. Therefore our model accounts for the spin Hall effect from bulk states together with inverse spin galvanic and magnetoelectric effects at the interface on equal footing. By varying the transport energy across the band structure, we uncover a crossover from surface-dominated to bulk-dominated transport regimes. We show that the spin density profile and the nature of the spin-orbit torques differ substantially in both regimes. Our results, which compare favorably with experimental observations, demonstrate that the large dampinglike torque reported recently is more likely attributed to the Berry curvature of interfacial states, while spin Hall torque remains small even in the bulk-dominated regime.

Basic algebraic topology and its applications

CERN Document Server

Adhikari, Mahima Ranjan

2016-01-01

This book provides an accessible introduction to algebraic topology, a field at the intersection of topology, geometry and algebra, together with its applications. Moreover, it covers several related topics that are in fact important in the overall scheme of algebraic topology. Comprising eighteen chapters and two appendices, the book integrates various concepts of algebraic topology, supported by examples, exercises, applications and historical notes. Primarily intended as a textbook, the book offers a valuable resource for undergraduate, postgraduate and advanced mathematics students alike. Focusing more on the geometric than on algebraic aspects of the subject, as well as its natural development, the book conveys the basic language of modern algebraic topology by exploring homotopy, homology and cohomology theories, and examines a variety of spaces: spheres, projective spaces, classical groups and their quotient spaces, function spaces, polyhedra, topological groups, Lie groups and cell complexes, etc. T...

Topological insulators and topological superconductors

CERN Document Server

Bernevig, Andrei B

2013-01-01

This graduate-level textbook is the first pedagogical synthesis of the field of topological insulators and superconductors, one of the most exciting areas of research in condensed matter physics. Presenting the latest developments, while providing all the calculations necessary for a self-contained and complete description of the discipline, it is ideal for graduate students and researchers preparing to work in this area, and it will be an essential reference both within and outside the classroom. The book begins with simple concepts such as Berry phases, Dirac fermions, Hall conductance and its link to topology, and the Hofstadter problem of lattice electrons in a magnetic field. It moves on to explain topological phases of matter such as Chern insulators, two- and three-dimensional topological insulators, and Majorana p-wave wires. Additionally, the book covers zero modes on vortices in topological superconductors, time-reversal topological superconductors, and topological responses/field theory and topolo...

Boundary Hamiltonian Theory for Gapped Topological Orders

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yuting; Wan, Yidun; Wu, Yong-Shi

2017-06-01

We report our systematic construction of the lattice Hamiltonian model of topological orders on open surfaces, with explicit boundary terms. We do this mainly for the Levin-Wen string-net model. The full Hamiltonian in our approach yields a topologically protected, gapped energy spectrum, with the corresponding wave functions robust under topology-preserving transformations of the lattice of the system. We explicitly present the wavefunctions of the ground states and boundary elementary excitations. The creation and hopping operators of boundary quasi-particles are constructed. It is found that given a bulk topological order, the gapped boundary conditions are classified by Frobenius algebras in its input data. Emergent topological properties of the ground states and boundary excitations are characterized by (bi-) modules over Frobenius algebras.

Topology optimized microbioreactors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schäpper, Daniel; Lencastre Fernandes, Rita; Eliasson Lantz, Anna

2011-01-01

This article presents the fusion of two hitherto unrelated fields—microbioreactors and topology optimization. The basis for this study is a rectangular microbioreactor with homogeneously distributed immobilized brewers yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that produce a recombinant protein...

Phase coherent transport in hybrid superconductor-topological insulator devices

Science.gov (United States)

Finck, Aaron

2015-03-01

Heterostructures of superconductors and topological insulators are predicted to host unusual zero energy bound states known as Majorana fermions, which can robustly store and process quantum information. Here, I will discuss our studies of such heterostructures through phase-coherent transport, which can act as a unique probe of Majorana fermions. We have extensively explored topological insulator Josephson junctions through SQUID and single-junction diffraction patterns, whose unusual behavior give evidence for low-energy Andreev bound states. In topological insulator devices with closely spaced normal and superconducting leads, we observe prominent Fabry-Perot oscillations, signifying gate-tunable, quasi-ballistic transport that can elegantly interact with Andreev reflection. Superconducting disks deposited on the surface of a topological insulator generate Aharonov-Bohm-like oscillations, giving evidence for unusual states lying near the interface between the superconductor and topological insulator surface. Our results point the way towards sophisticated interferometers that can detect and read out the state of Majorana fermions in topological systems. This work was done in collaboration with Cihan Kurter, Yew San Hor, and Dale Van Harlingen. We acknowledge funding from Microsoft Project Q.

Reliability-Based Topology Optimization Using Stochastic Response Surface Method with Sparse Grid Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qinghai Zhao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A mathematical framework is developed which integrates the reliability concept into topology optimization to solve reliability-based topology optimization (RBTO problems under uncertainty. Two typical methodologies have been presented and implemented, including the performance measure approach (PMA and the sequential optimization and reliability assessment (SORA. To enhance the computational efficiency of reliability analysis, stochastic response surface method (SRSM is applied to approximate the true limit state function with respect to the normalized random variables, combined with the reasonable design of experiments generated by sparse grid design, which was proven to be an effective and special discretization technique. The uncertainties such as material property and external loads are considered on three numerical examples: a cantilever beam, a loaded knee structure, and a heat conduction problem. Monte-Carlo simulations are also performed to verify the accuracy of the failure probabilities computed by the proposed approach. Based on the results, it is demonstrated that application of SRSM with SGD can produce an efficient reliability analysis in RBTO which enables a more reliable design than that obtained by DTO. It is also found that, under identical accuracy, SORA is superior to PMA in view of computational efficiency.

Topology in Condensed Matter

CERN Document Server

Monastyrsky, M I

2006-01-01

This book reports new results in condensed matter physics for which topological methods and ideas are important. It considers, on the one hand, recently discovered systems such as carbon nanocrystals and, on the other hand, new topological methods used to describe more traditional systems such as the Fermi surfaces of normal metals, liquid crystals and quasicrystals. The authors of the book are renowned specialists in their fields and present the results of ongoing research, some of it obtained only very recently and not yet published in monograph form.

Disorder Effects in Charge Transport and Spin Response of Topological Insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lukas Zhonghua

Topological insulators are a class of solids in which the non-trivial inverted bulk band structure gives rise to metallic surface states that are robust against impurity backscattering. First principle calculations predicted Bi2Te3, Sb2Te3 and Bi2Se3 to be three-dimensional (3D) topological insulators with a single Dirac cone on the surface. The topological surface states were subsequently observed by angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The investigations of charge transport through topological surfaces of 3D topological insulators, however, have faced a major challenge due to large charge carrier densities in the bulk donated by randomly distributed defects such as vacancies and antisites. This bulk disorder intermixes surface and bulk conduction channels, thereby complicating access to the low-energy (Dirac point) charge transport or magnetic response and resulting in the relatively low measured carrier mobilities. Moreover, charge inhomogeneity arising from bulk disorder can result in pronounced nanoscale spatial fluctuations of energy on the surface, leading to the formation of surface `puddles' of different carrier types. Great efforts have been made to combat the undesirable effects of disorder in 3D topological insulators and to reduce bulk carriers through chemical doping, nanostructure fabrication, and electric gating. In this work we have developed a new way to reduce bulk carrier densities using high-energy electron irradiation, thereby allowing us access to the topological surface quantum channels. We also found that disorder in 3D topological insulators can be beneficial. It can play an important part in enabling detection of unusual magnetic response from Dirac fermions and in uncovering new excitations, namely surface superconductivity in Dirac `puddles'. In Chapter 3 we show how by using differential magnetometry we could probe spin rotation in the 3D topological material family (Bi2Se 3, Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3

Topology optimization of adaptive fluid-actuated cellular structures with arbitrary polygonal motor cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv, Jun; Tang, Liang; Li, Wenbo; Liu, Lei; Zhang, Hongwu

2016-01-01

This paper mainly focuses on the fast and efficient design method for plant bioinspired fluidic cellular materials and structures composed of polygonal motor cells. Here we developed a novel structural optimization method with arbitrary polygonal coarse-grid elements based on multiscale finite element frameworks. The fluidic cellular structures are meshed with irregular polygonal coarse-grid elements according to their natural size and the shape of the imbedded motor cells. The multiscale base functions of solid displacement and hydraulic pressure are then constructed to bring the small-scale information of the irregular motor cells to the large-scale simulations on the polygonal coarse-grid elements. On this basis, a new topology optimization method based on the resulting polygonal coarse-grid elements is proposed to determine the optimal distributions or number of motor cells in the smart cellular structures. Three types of optimization problems are solved according to the usages of the fluidic cellular structures. Firstly, the proposed optimization method is utilized to minimize the system compliance of the load-bearing fluidic cellular structures. Second, the method is further extended to design biomimetic compliant actuators of the fluidic cellular materials due to the fact that non-uniform volume expansions of fluid in the cells can induce elastic action. Third, the optimization problem focuses on the weight minimization of the cellular structure under the constraints for the compliance of the whole system. Several representative examples are investigated to validate the effectiveness of the proposed polygon-based topology optimization method of the smart materials. (paper)

Higher-order topological insulators and superconductors protected by inversion symmetry

Science.gov (United States)

Khalaf, Eslam

2018-05-01

We study surface states of topological crystalline insulators and superconductors protected by inversion symmetry. These fall into the category of "higher-order" topological insulators and superconductors which possess surface states that propagate along one-dimensional curves (hinges) or are localized at some points (corners) on the surface. We provide a complete classification of inversion-protected higher-order topological insulators and superconductors in any spatial dimension for the 10 symmetry classes by means of a layer construction. We discuss possible physical realizations of such states starting with a time-reversal-invariant topological insulator (class AII) in three dimensions or a time-reversal-invariant topological superconductor (class DIII) in two or three dimensions. The former exhibits one-dimensional chiral or helical modes propagating along opposite edges, whereas the latter hosts Majorana zero modes localized to two opposite corners. Being protected by inversion, such states are not pinned to a specific pair of edges or corners, thus offering the possibility of controlling their location by applying inversion-symmetric perturbations such as magnetic field.

Assessing topology and surface orientation of an antimicrobial peptide magainin 2 using mechanically aligned bilayers and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayo, Daniel J; Sahu, Indra D; Lorigan, Gary A

2018-07-01

Aligned CW-EPR membrane protein samples provide additional topology interactions that are absent from conventional randomly dispersed samples. These samples are aptly suited to studying antimicrobial peptides because of their dynamic peripheral topology. In this study, four consecutive substitutions of the model antimicrobial peptide magainin 2 were synthesized and labeled with the rigid TOAC spin label. The results revealed the helical tilts to be 66° ± 5°, 76° ± 5°, 70° ± 5°, and 72° ± 5° for the TOAC substitutions H7, S8, A9, and K10 respectively. These results are consistent with previously published literature. Using the EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) mechanical alignment technique, these substitutions were used to critically assess the topology and surface orientation of the peptide with respect to the membrane. This methodology offers a rapid and simple approach to investigate the structural topology of antimicrobial peptides. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Jakob Nielsen and his Contributions to Topology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Vagn Lundsgaard

1996-01-01

The Danish mathematician Jakob Nielsen won international recognitionas one of the developers of combinatiorial group theory and the topologyof surfaces. This article describes the life and work of Jakob Nielsenwith emphasis on his contributions to topology.The biography is to be included in the b......The Danish mathematician Jakob Nielsen won international recognitionas one of the developers of combinatiorial group theory and the topologyof surfaces. This article describes the life and work of Jakob Nielsenwith emphasis on his contributions to topology.The biography is to be included...

Electronic transport in bismuth selenide in the topological insulator regime

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dohun

The 3D topological insulators (TIs) have an insulating bulk but spin-momentum coupled metallic surface states stemming from band inversion due to strong spin-orbit interaction, whose existence is guaranteed by the topology of the band structure of the insulator. While the STI surface state has been studied spectroscopically by e.g. photoemission and scanned probes, transport experiments have failed to demonstrate clear signature of the STI due to high level of bulk conduction. In this thesis, I present experimental results on the transport properties of TI material Bi2Se3 in the absence of bulk conduction (TI regime), achieved by applying novel p-type doping methods. Field effect transistors consisting of thin (thickness: 5-17 nm) Bi2Se3 are fabricated by mechanical exfoliation of single crystals, and a combination of conventional dielectric (300 nm thick SiO2) and electrochemical or chemical gating methods are used to move the Fermi energy through the surface Dirac point inside bulk band gap, revealing the ambipolar gapless nature of transport in the Bi2Se3 surface states. The minimum conductivity of the topological surface state is understood within the self-consistent theory of Dirac electrons in the presence of charged impurities. The intrinsic finite-temperature resistivity of the topological surface state due to electron-acoustic phonon scattering is measured to be 60 times larger than that of graphene largely due to the smaller Fermi and sound velocities in Bi2Se 3, which will have implications for topological electronic devices operating at room temperature. Along with semi-classical Boltzmann transport, I also discuss 2D weak anti-localization (WAL) behavior of the topological surface states. By investigating gate-tuned WAL behavior in thin (5-17 nm) TI films, I show that WAL in the TI regime is extraordinarily sensitive to the hybridization induced quantum mechanical tunneling between top and bottom topological surfaces, and interplay of phase coherence

Faraday Rotation Due to Surface States in the Topological Insulator (Bi1-xSbx)2Te3.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Yinming; Post, Kirk W; Wu, Jhih-Sheng; Dai, Siyuan; Frenzel, Alex J; Richardella, Anthony R; Lee, Joon Sue; Samarth, Nitin; Fogler, Michael M; Balatsky, Alexander V; Kharzeev, Dmitri E; Basov, D N

2017-02-08

Using magneto-infrared spectroscopy, we have explored the charge dynamics of (Bi,Sb) 2 Te 3 thin films on InP substrates. From the magneto-transmission data we extracted three distinct cyclotron resonance (CR) energies that are all apparent in the broad band Faraday rotation (FR) spectra. This comprehensive FR-CR data set has allowed us to isolate the response of the bulk states from the intrinsic surface states associated with both the top and bottom surfaces of the film. The FR data uncovered that electron- and hole-type Dirac Fermions reside on opposite surfaces of our films, which paves the way for observing many exotic quantum phenomena in topological insulators.

3D Quantum Hall Effect of Fermi Arc in Topological Semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, C. M.; Sun, Hai-Peng; Lu, Hai-Zhou; Xie, X. C.

2017-09-01

The quantum Hall effect is usually observed in 2D systems. We show that the Fermi arcs can give rise to a distinctive 3D quantum Hall effect in topological semimetals. Because of the topological constraint, the Fermi arc at a single surface has an open Fermi surface, which cannot host the quantum Hall effect. Via a "wormhole" tunneling assisted by the Weyl nodes, the Fermi arcs at opposite surfaces can form a complete Fermi loop and support the quantum Hall effect. The edge states of the Fermi arcs show a unique 3D distribution, giving an example of (d -2 )-dimensional boundary states. This is distinctly different from the surface-state quantum Hall effect from a single surface of topological insulator. As the Fermi energy sweeps through the Weyl nodes, the sheet Hall conductivity evolves from the 1 /B dependence to quantized plateaus at the Weyl nodes. This behavior can be realized by tuning gate voltages in a slab of topological semimetal, such as the TaAs family, Cd3 As2 , or Na3Bi . This work will be instructive not only for searching transport signatures of the Fermi arcs but also for exploring novel electron gases in other topological phases of matter.

Multiperiodicity in plasmonic multilayers: General description and diversity of topologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orlov, Alexey A.; Krylova, Anastasia K.; Zhukovsky, Sergei

2014-01-01

We introduce multiperiodicity in periodicmetal-dielectric multilayers by stacking more than two types of metal and/or dielectric layers into the unit cell. A simple way to characterize arbitrary multiperiodic multilayers using permutation vectors is suggested and employed. Effects of multiperiodi...... of multiperiodicity up to its fourth order are investigated. We demonstrate that various topologies of multiple-sheet isofrequency and dispersion surfaces exist for such plasmonic multilayers, including a photonic realization of nontrivial isolated Dirac cones....

Ketoprofen-loaded Eudragit RSPO microspheres: an influence of sodium carbonate on in vitro drug release and surface topology.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandit, Sachin S; Hase, Dinesh P; Bankar, Manish M; Patil, Arun T; Gaikwad, Naresh J

2009-05-01

Eudragit RSPO microspheres containing ketoprofen as model drug, prepared by solvent evaporation technique using acetone-liquid paraffin (heavy) solvent system were examined. Depending upon polymer concentration in the internal phase, microspheres of particle mean diameter (122.8, 213.6 and 309.5 μm) were obtained. The influence of surface washing of microspheres with n-hexane, i.e. untreated microspheres (UM) on the drug content, drug release and surface topology of microspheres were compared to those of microspheres washed with sodium carbonate, i.e. treated microspheres (TM) in order to make the non-encapsulated surface drug soluble. The significant reduction in encapsulation efficiency (p < 0.001) and drug content (p < 0.001) after treatment, in combination with the small crystalline peaks observed during XRD testing and lack of melting endotherm observed in DSC testing, suggests that the washing process actually removes a significant amount of drug (p < 0.001) from the surface and encapsulated near to the surface of the microsphere polymer matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination revealed that the removal of surface drug did not affect the size of microspheres but the topology of treated smallest microspheres was modified. The ketoprofen release profiles were examined in phosphate buffer pH 7.4, using USPXXIII paddle type dissolution apparatus. In general both UM and TM result in biphasic release patterns, but the initial burst effect (first release phase) of TM was lower than that of UM. The second release phase did not change for the bigger size but increased for the smallest microspheres, probably owing to the modification of matrix porosity.

Topological surface Fermi arcs in magnetic Weyl semimetal Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$

OpenAIRE

Xu, Qiunan; Liu, Enke; Shi, Wujun; Muechler, Lukas; Felser, Claudia; Sun, Yan

2017-01-01

Very recently, the half-metallic compound Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$ was predicted to be a magnetic WSM with Weyl points only 60 meV above the Fermi level ($E_F$). Owing to the low charge carrier density and large Berry curvature induced, Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$ possesses both a large anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) and a large anomalous Hall angle (AHA), which provide strong evidence for the existence of Weyl points in Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$. In this work, we theoretically studied the surface topological feat...

Topological Photonics for Continuous Media

Science.gov (United States)

Silveirinha, Mario

Photonic crystals have revolutionized light-based technologies during the last three decades. Notably, it was recently discovered that the light propagation in photonic crystals may depend on some topological characteristics determined by the manner how the light states are mutually entangled. The usual topological classification of photonic crystals explores the fact that these structures are periodic. The periodicity is essential to ensure that the underlying wave vector space is a closed surface with no boundary. In this talk, we prove that it is possible calculate Chern invariants for a wide class of continuous bianisotropic electromagnetic media with no intrinsic periodicity. The nontrivial topology of the relevant continuous materials is linked with the emergence of edge states. Moreover, we will demonstrate that continuous photonic media with the time-reversal symmetry can be topologically characterized by a Z2 integer. This novel classification extends for the first time the theory of electronic topological insulators to a wide range of photonic platforms, and is expected to have an impact in the design of novel photonic systems that enable a topologically protected transport of optical energy. This work is supported in part by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia Grant Number PTDC/EEI-TEL/4543/2014.

Maintaining the pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem cells on gold nanoparticle layers with nanoscale but not microscale surface roughness

Science.gov (United States)

Lyu, Zhonglin; Wang, Hongwei; Wang, Yanyun; Ding, Kaiguo; Liu, Huan; Yuan, Lin; Shi, Xiujuan; Wang, Mengmeng; Wang, Yanwei; Chen, Hong

2014-05-01

Efficient control of the self-renewal and pluripotency maintenance of embryonic stem cell (ESC) is a prerequisite for translating stem cell technologies to clinical applications. Surface topography is one of the most important factors that regulates cell behaviors. In the present study, micro/nano topographical structures composed of a gold nanoparticle layer (GNPL) with nano-, sub-micro-, and microscale surface roughnesses were used to study the roles of these structures in regulating the behaviors of mouse ESCs (mESCs) under feeder-free conditions. The distinctive results from Oct-4 immunofluorescence staining and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) demonstrate that nanoscale and low sub-microscale surface roughnesses (Rq less than 392 nm) are conducive to the long-term maintenance of mESC pluripotency, while high sub-microscale and microscale surface roughnesses (Rq greater than 573 nm) result in a significant loss of mESC pluripotency and a faster undirectional differentiation, particularly in long-term culture. Moreover, the likely signalling cascades engaged in the topological sensing of mESCs were investigated and their role in affecting the maintenance of the long-term cell pluripotency was discussed by analyzing the expression of proteins related to E-cadherin mediated cell-cell adhesions and integrin-mediated focal adhesions (FAs). Additionally, the conclusions from MTT, cell morphology staining and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assays show that the surface roughness can provide a potent regulatory signal for various mESC behaviors, including cell attachment, proliferation and osteoinduction.Efficient control of the self-renewal and pluripotency maintenance of embryonic stem cell (ESC) is a prerequisite for translating stem cell technologies to clinical applications. Surface topography is one of the most important factors that regulates cell behaviors. In the present study, micro/nano topographical structures composed of a gold

Spatial distribution of spin polarization in a channel on the surface of a topological insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Xiaoying; Shao Huaihua; Liu Yiman; Tang Dongsheng; Zhou Guanghui

2012-01-01

We study the spatial distribution of electron spin polarization for a gate-controlled T-shaped channel on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator (3D TI). We demonstrate that an energy gap depending on channel geometry parameters is definitely opened due to the spatial confinement. Spin surface locking in momentum space for a uniform wide channel with Hamiltonian linearity in the wavevector is still kept, but it is broken with Hamiltonian nonlinearity in the wavevector, like that for two-dimensional surface states widely studied in the literature. However, the spin surface locking for a T-shaped channel is broken even with Hamiltonian linearity in the wavevector. Interestingly, the magnitude and direction of the in-plane spin polarization are spatially dependent in all regions due to the breaking of translational symmetry of the T-shaped channel system. These interesting findings for an electrically controlled nanostructure based on the 3D TI surface may be testable with the present experimental technique, and may provide further understanding the nature of 3D TI surface states. (paper)

Open magnetic surfaces and resonant topology in the separatrix-dominated boundary region of the W7-AS stellarator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sardei, F.; Grigull, P.; Herre, G.; Kisslinger, J.; Richter-Gloetzl, M.

1993-01-01

The boundary of W7-AS for ι ≅ 1/3 is defined by the contact with two up-down limiters. Smooth flux surfaces extend deep into the SOL, and the limiters map into large-size flux bundles of homogeneous connection lengths. For this topology, a radial 1D transport model has been developed and used to derive radial profiles and density scaling of the diffusion coefficient in the limiter dominated SOL. At ι ≥ 0.5, the boundary topology is totally different and exhibits open, divertor-like field structures which are responsible for highly non-homogeneous recycling and wall load distributions. A comprehensive understanding of the plasma transport and recycling in this region is needed, for example, to optimize passive and active methods of particle and impurity control, to clarify the effects of the boundary conditions on the main plasma performance and to explore the divertor potential of W7-AS. Evaluation and correlation of local experimental data are more difficult in this open topology, as it cannot be parametrized by standard magnetic coordinates. (author) 5 refs., 6 figs

Evidence for Topological Edge States in a Large Energy Gap near the Step Edges on the Surface of ZrTe_{5}

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Wu

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Two-dimensional topological insulators with a large bulk band gap are promising for experimental studies of quantum spin Hall effect and for spintronic device applications. Despite considerable theoretical efforts in predicting large-gap two-dimensional topological insulator candidates, none of them have been experimentally demonstrated to have a full gap, which is crucial for quantum spin Hall effect. Here, by combining scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we reveal that ZrTe_{5} crystal hosts a large full gap of ∼100  meV on the surface and a nearly constant density of states within the entire gap at the monolayer step edge. These features are well reproduced by our first-principles calculations, which point to the topologically nontrivial nature of the edge states.

Gigantic 2D laser-induced photovoltaic effect in magnetically doped topological insulators for surface zero-bias spin-polarized current generation

Science.gov (United States)

Shikin, A. M.; Voroshin, V. Yu; Rybkin, A. G.; Kokh, K. A.; Tereshchenko, O. E.; Ishida, Y.; Kimura, A.

2018-01-01

A new kind of 2D photovoltaic effect (PVE) with the generation of anomalously large surface photovoltage up to 210 meV in magnetically doped topological insulators (TIs) has been studied by the laser time-resolved pump-probe angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The PVE has maximal efficiency for TIs with high occupation of the upper Dirac cone (DC) states and the Dirac point located inside the fundamental energy gap. For TIs with low occupation of the upper DC states and the Dirac point located inside the valence band the generated surface photovoltage is significantly reduced. We have shown that the observed giant PVE is related to the laser-generated electron-hole asymmetry followed by accumulation of the photoexcited electrons at the surface. It is accompanied by the 2D relaxation process with the generation of zero-bias spin-polarized currents flowing along the topological surface states (TSSs) outside the laser beam spot. As a result, the spin-polarized current generates an effective in-plane magnetic field that is experimentally confirmed by the k II-shift of the DC relative to the bottom non-spin-polarized conduction band states. The realized 2D PVE can be considered as a source for the generation of zero-bias surface spin-polarized currents and the laser-induced local surface magnetization developed in such kind 2D TSS materials.

CFT and topological recursion

CERN Document Server

Kostov, Ivan

2010-01-01

We study the quasiclassical expansion associated with a complex curve. In a more specific context this is the 1/N expansion in U(N)-invariant matrix integrals. We compare two approaches, the CFT approach and the topological recursion, and show their equivalence. The CFT approach reformulates the problem in terms of a conformal field theory on a Riemann surface, while the topological recursion is based on a recurrence equation for the observables representing symplectic invariants on the complex curve. The two approaches lead to two different graph expansions, one of which can be obtained as a partial resummation of the other.

Weak antilocalization effect due to topological surface states in Bi2Se2.1Te0.9

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, K.; Graf, D.; Marinova, V.; Lorenz, B.; Chu, C. W.

2017-10-01

We have investigated the weak antilocalization (WAL) effect in the p-type Bi2Se2.1Te0.9 topological system. The magnetoconductance shows a cusp-like feature at low magnetic fields, indicating the presence of the WAL effect. The WAL curves measured at different tilt angles merge together when they are plotted as a function of the normal field components, showing that surface states dominate the magnetoconductance in the Bi2Se2.1Te0.9 crystal. We have calculated magnetoconductance per conduction channel and applied the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka formula to determine the physical parameters that characterize the WAL effect. The number of conduction channels and the phase coherence length do not change with temperature up to T = 5 K. In addition, the sample shows a large positive magnetoresistance that reaches 1900% under a magnetic field of 35 T at T = 0.33 K with no sign of saturation. The magnetoresistance value decreases with both increasing temperature and tilt angle of the sample surface with respect to the magnetic field. The large magnetoresistance of topological insulators can be utilized in future technology such as sensors and memory devices.

Nematic order on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Lundgren, Rex; Yerzhakov, Hennadii; Maciejko, Joseph

2017-12-01

We study the spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetry in the helical surface state of three-dimensional topological insulators due to strong electron-electron interactions, focusing on time-reversal invariant nematic order. Owing to the strongly spin-orbit coupled nature of the surface state, the nematic order parameter is linear in the electron momentum and necessarily involves the electron spin, in contrast with spin-degenerate nematic Fermi liquids. For a chemical potential at the Dirac point (zero doping), we find a first-order phase transition at zero temperature between isotropic and nematic Dirac semimetals. This extends to a thermal phase transition that changes from first to second order at a finite-temperature tricritical point. At finite doping, we find a transition between isotropic and nematic helical Fermi liquids that is second order even at zero temperature. Focusing on finite doping, we discuss various observable consequences of nematic order, such as anisotropies in transport and the spin susceptibility, the partial breakdown of spin-momentum locking, collective modes and induced spin fluctuations, and non-Fermi-liquid behavior at the quantum critical point and in the nematic phase.

Low-energy excitations and Fermi surface topology of parent cobaltate superconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasan, M.Z. [Department of Physics, Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)], E-mail: mzhasan@princeton.edu; Qian, D. [Department of Physics, Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Foo, M.; Cava, R.J. [Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

2007-09-01

The essential framework for cuprate superconductivity is that of a spin-1/2 electron system in the vicinity of a half filled (Mott limit) lattice. Of all oxide superconductors, this framework is most closely matched in the sodium doped cobalt oxides except that it is realized on a triangular lattice. We employ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to study the quasiparticle dynamics of the parent cobaltate superconductor. Results reveal a single hole-like Fermi surface generated by the crossing of heavy ({approx}15 m{sub e} {approx} 3m{sub LDA}) quasiparticles with a negative effective hopping (t{sub eff} < 0). The observed ground state as given by the topology of the Fermi surface is found be very close to a collective charge instability with {radical}(3)x{radical}(3) symmetry. The measured electron dynamic parameters reveal the unusual character of the parent cobaltate class likely due to small and almost isotropic Fermi velocity (v{sub F}(k{sup {yields}}){approx}v{sub F}{approx}0.4{+-}0.1 eV A) observed. ARPES data is consistent with bulk thermodynamic specific heat and quantum oscillation measurements.

Topological Insulator Nanowires and Nanoribbons

KAUST Repository

Kong, Desheng; Randel, Jason C.; Peng, Hailin; Cha, Judy J.; Meister, Stefan; Lai, Keji; Chen, Yulin; Shen, Zhi-Xun; Manoharan, Hari C.; Cui, Yi

2010-01-01

Recent theoretical calculations and photoemission spectroscopy measurements on the bulk Bi2Se3 material show that it is a three-dimensional topological insulator possessing conductive surface states with nondegenerate spins, attractive

Layer Construction of 3D Topological States and String Braiding Statistics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao-Ming Jian

2014-12-01

Full Text Available While the topological order in two dimensions has been studied extensively since the discovery of the integer and fractional quantum Hall systems, topological states in three spatial dimensions are much less understood. In this paper, we propose a general formalism for constructing a large class of three-dimensional topological states by stacking layers of 2D topological states and introducing coupling between them. Using this construction, different types of topological states can be obtained, including those with only surface topological order and no bulk topological quasiparticles, and those with topological order both in the bulk and at the surface. For both classes of states, we study its generic properties and present several explicit examples. As an interesting consequence of this construction, we obtain example systems with nontrivial braiding statistics between string excitations. In addition to studying the string-string braiding in the example system, we propose a topological field-theory description for the layer-constructed systems, which captures not only the string-particle braiding statistics but also the string-string braiding statistics when the coupling is twisted. Last, we provide a proof of a general identity for Abelian string statistics and discuss an example system with non-Abelian strings.

Magnetotransport and induced superconductivity in Bi based three-dimensional topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veldhorst, M.; Snelder, M.; Hoek, M.; Molenaar, C.G.; Leusink, D.P.; Golubov, A.A.; Hilgenkamp, H.; Brinkman, A.

2013-01-01

The surface of a three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator is conducting and the topologically nontrivial nature of the surface states is observed in experiments. It is the aim of this paper to review and analyze experimental observations with respect to the magnetotransport in Bi-based 3D topological insulators, as well as the superconducting transport properties of hybrid structures consisting of superconductors and these topological insulators. The helical spin-momentum coupling of the surface state electrons becomes visible in quantum corrections to the conductivity and magnetoresistance oscillations. An analysis will be provided of the reported magnetoresistance, also in the presence of bulk conductivity shunts. Special attention is given to the large and linear magnetoresistance. Superconductivity can be induced in topological superconductors by means of the proximity effect. The induced supercurrents, Josephson effects and current-phase relations will be reviewed. These materials hold great potential in the field of spintronics and the route towards Majorana devices. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Magnetotransport and induced superconductivity in Bi based three-dimensional topological insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veldhorst, M.; Snelder, M.; Hoek, M.; Molenaar, C.G.; Leusink, D.P.; Golubov, A.A.; Hilgenkamp, H.; Brinkman, A. [MESA + Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)

2013-02-15

The surface of a three-dimensional (3D) topological insulator is conducting and the topologically nontrivial nature of the surface states is observed in experiments. It is the aim of this paper to review and analyze experimental observations with respect to the magnetotransport in Bi-based 3D topological insulators, as well as the superconducting transport properties of hybrid structures consisting of superconductors and these topological insulators. The helical spin-momentum coupling of the surface state electrons becomes visible in quantum corrections to the conductivity and magnetoresistance oscillations. An analysis will be provided of the reported magnetoresistance, also in the presence of bulk conductivity shunts. Special attention is given to the large and linear magnetoresistance. Superconductivity can be induced in topological superconductors by means of the proximity effect. The induced supercurrents, Josephson effects and current-phase relations will be reviewed. These materials hold great potential in the field of spintronics and the route towards Majorana devices. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Impact of the Topological Surface State on the Thermoelectric Transport in Sb2Te3 Thin Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinsche, Nicki F; Zastrow, Sebastian; Gooth, Johannes; Pudewill, Laurens; Zierold, Robert; Rittweger, Florian; Rauch, Tomáš; Henk, Jürgen; Nielsch, Kornelius; Mertig, Ingrid

2015-04-28

Ab initio electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory and tight-binding methods for the thermoelectric properties of p-type Sb2Te3 films are presented. The thickness-dependent electrical conductivity and the thermopower are computed in the diffusive limit of transport based on the Boltzmann equation. Contributions of the bulk and the surface to the transport coefficients are separated, which enables to identify a clear impact of the topological surface state on the thermoelectric properties. When the charge carrier concentration is tuned, a crossover between a surface-state-dominant and a Fuchs-Sondheimer transport regime is achieved. The calculations are corroborated by thermoelectric transport measurements on Sb2Te3 films grown by atomic layer deposition.

Fermi arc mediated entropy transport in topological semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

McCormick, Timothy M.; Watzman, Sarah J.; Heremans, Joseph P.; Trivedi, Nandini

2018-05-01

The low-energy excitations of topological Weyl semimetals are composed of linearly dispersing Weyl fermions that act as monopoles of Berry curvature in the bulk momentum space. Furthermore, on the surface there exist topologically protected Fermi arcs at the projections of these Weyl points. We propose a pathway for entropy transport involving Fermi arcs on one surface connecting to Fermi arcs on the other surface via the bulk Weyl monopoles. We present results for the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the magnetothermal conductance of this conveyor belt channel. The circulating currents result in a net entropy transport without any net charge transport. We provide results for the Fermi arc mediated magnetothermal conductivity in the low-field semiclassical limit as well as in the high-field ultraquantum limit, where only chiral Landau levels are involved. Our work provides a proposed signature of Fermi arc mediated magnetothermal transport and sets the stage for utilizing and manipulating the topological Fermi arcs in thermal applications.

Dynamics of tissue topology during cancer invasion and metastasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munn, Lance L

2013-01-01

During tumor progression, cancer cells mix with other cell populations including epithelial and endothelial cells. Although potentially important clinically as well as for our understanding of basic tumor biology, the process of mixing is largely a mystery. Furthermore, there is no rigorous, analytical measure available for quantifying the mixing of compartments within a tumor. I present here a mathematical model of tissue repair and tumor growth based on collective cell migration that simulates a wide range of observed tumor behaviors with correct tissue compartmentalization and connectivity. The resulting dynamics are analyzed in light of the Euler characteristic number (χ), which describes key topological features such as fragmentation, looping and cavities. The analysis predicts a number of regimes in which the cancer cells can encapsulate normal tissue, form a co-interdigitating mass, or become fragmented and encapsulated by endothelial or epithelial structures. Key processes that affect the topological changes are the production of provisional matrix in the tumor, and the migration of endothelial or epithelial cells on this matrix. Furthermore, the simulations predict that topological changes during tumor invasion into blood vessels may contribute to metastasis. The topological analysis outlined here could be useful for tumor diagnosis or monitoring response to therapy and would only require high resolution, 3D image data to resolve and track the various cell compartments. (paper)

Dynamics of tissue topology during cancer invasion and metastasis

Science.gov (United States)

Munn, Lance L.

2013-12-01

During tumor progression, cancer cells mix with other cell populations including epithelial and endothelial cells. Although potentially important clinically as well as for our understanding of basic tumor biology, the process of mixing is largely a mystery. Furthermore, there is no rigorous, analytical measure available for quantifying the mixing of compartments within a tumor. I present here a mathematical model of tissue repair and tumor growth based on collective cell migration that simulates a wide range of observed tumor behaviors with correct tissue compartmentalization and connectivity. The resulting dynamics are analyzed in light of the Euler characteristic number (χ), which describes key topological features such as fragmentation, looping and cavities. The analysis predicts a number of regimes in which the cancer cells can encapsulate normal tissue, form a co-interdigitating mass, or become fragmented and encapsulated by endothelial or epithelial structures. Key processes that affect the topological changes are the production of provisional matrix in the tumor, and the migration of endothelial or epithelial cells on this matrix. Furthermore, the simulations predict that topological changes during tumor invasion into blood vessels may contribute to metastasis. The topological analysis outlined here could be useful for tumor diagnosis or monitoring response to therapy and would only require high resolution, 3D image data to resolve and track the various cell compartments.

Topological insulator nanowires and nanowire hetero-junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Haiming; Zhao, Lukas; Wade, Travis; Konczykowski, Marcin; Krusin-Elbaum, Lia

2014-03-01

The existing topological insulator materials (TIs) continue to present a number of challenges to complete understanding of the physics of topological spin-helical Dirac surface conduction channels, owing to a relatively large charge conduction in the bulk. One way to reduce the bulk contribution and to increase surface-to-volume ratio is by nanostructuring. Here we report on the synthesis and characterization of Sb2Te3, Bi2Te3 nanowires and nanotubes and Sb2Te3/Bi2Te3 heterojunctions electrochemically grown in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with varied (from 50 to 150 nm) pore diameters. Stoichiometric rigid polycrystalline nanowires with controllable cross-sections were obtained using cell voltages in the 30 - 150 mV range. Transport measurements in up to 14 T magnetic fields applied along the nanowires show Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) quantum oscillations with periods corresponding to the nanowire diameters. All nanowires were found to exhibit sharp weak anti-localization (WAL) cusps, a characteristic signature of TIs. In addition to A-B oscillations, new quantization plateaus in magnetoresistance (MR) at low fields (< 0 . 7T) were observed. The analysis of MR as well as I - V characteristics of heterojunctions will be presented. Supported in part by NSF-DMR-1122594, NSF-DMR-1312483-MWN, and DOD-W911NF-13-1-0159.

Photoinduced Topological Phase Transitions in Topological Magnon Insulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Owerre, S A

2018-03-13

Topological magnon insulators are the bosonic analogs of electronic topological insulators. They are manifested in magnetic materials with topologically nontrivial magnon bands as realized experimentally in a quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) kagomé ferromagnet Cu(1-3, bdc), and they also possess protected magnon edge modes. These topological magnetic materials can transport heat as well as spin currents, hence they can be useful for spintronic applications. Moreover, as magnons are charge-neutral spin-1 bosonic quasiparticles with a magnetic dipole moment, topological magnon materials can also interact with electromagnetic fields through the Aharonov-Casher effect. In this report, we study photoinduced topological phase transitions in intrinsic topological magnon insulators in the kagomé ferromagnets. Using magnonic Floquet-Bloch theory, we show that by varying the light intensity, periodically driven intrinsic topological magnetic materials can be manipulated into different topological phases with different sign of the Berry curvatures and the thermal Hall conductivity. We further show that, under certain conditions, periodically driven gapped topological magnon insulators can also be tuned to synthetic gapless topological magnon semimetals with Dirac-Weyl magnon cones. We envision that this work will pave the way for interesting new potential practical applications in topological magnetic materials.

Topological defects control collective dynamics in neural progenitor cell cultures

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, Kyogo; Kageyama, Ryoichiro; Sano, Masaki

2017-04-01

Cultured stem cells have become a standard platform not only for regenerative medicine and developmental biology but also for biophysical studies. Yet, the characterization of cultured stem cells at the level of morphology and of the macroscopic patterns resulting from cell-to-cell interactions remains largely qualitative. Here we report on the collective dynamics of cultured murine neural progenitor cells (NPCs), which are multipotent stem cells that give rise to cells in the central nervous system. At low densities, NPCs moved randomly in an amoeba-like fashion. However, NPCs at high density elongated and aligned their shapes with one another, gliding at relatively high velocities. Although the direction of motion of individual cells reversed stochastically along the axes of alignment, the cells were capable of forming an aligned pattern up to length scales similar to that of the migratory stream observed in the adult brain. The two-dimensional order of alignment within the culture showed a liquid-crystalline pattern containing interspersed topological defects with winding numbers of +1/2 and -1/2 (half-integer due to the nematic feature that arises from the head-tail symmetry of cell-to-cell interaction). We identified rapid cell accumulation at +1/2 defects and the formation of three-dimensional mounds. Imaging at the single-cell level around the defects allowed us to quantify the velocity field and the evolving cell density; cells not only concentrate at +1/2 defects, but also escape from -1/2 defects. We propose a generic mechanism for the instability in cell density around the defects that arises from the interplay between the anisotropic friction and the active force field.

Bulk chirality effect for symmetric bistable switching of liquid crystals on topologically self-patterned degenerate anchoring surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Min-Kyu; Joo, Kyung-Il; Kim, Hak-Rin

2017-06-26

We demonstrate a bistable switching liquid crystal (LC) mode utilizing a topologically self-structured dual-groove surface for degenerated easy axes of LC anchoring. In our study, the effect of the bulk elastic distortion of the LC directors on the bistable anchoring surface is theoretically analyzed for balanced bistable states based on a free energy diagram. By adjusting bulk LC chirality, we developed ideally symmetric and stable bistable anchoring and switching properties, which can be driven by a low in-plane pulsed field of about 0.7 V/µm. The fabricated device has a contrast ratio of 196:1.

Complete theory of symmetry-based indicators of band topology.

Science.gov (United States)

Po, Hoi Chun; Vishwanath, Ashvin; Watanabe, Haruki

2017-06-30

The interplay between symmetry and topology leads to a rich variety of electronic topological phases, protecting states such as the topological insulators and Dirac semimetals. Previous results, like the Fu-Kane parity criterion for inversion-symmetric topological insulators, demonstrate that symmetry labels can sometimes unambiguously indicate underlying band topology. Here we develop a systematic approach to expose all such symmetry-based indicators of band topology in all the 230 space groups. This is achieved by first developing an efficient way to represent band structures in terms of elementary basis states, and then isolating the topological ones by removing the subset of atomic insulators, defined by the existence of localized symmetric Wannier functions. Aside from encompassing all earlier results on such indicators, including in particular the notion of filling-enforced quantum band insulators, our theory identifies symmetry settings with previously hidden forms of band topology, and can be applied to the search for topological materials.Understanding the role of topology in determining electronic structure can lead to the discovery, or appreciation, of materials with exotic properties such as protected surface states. Here, the authors present a framework for identifying topologically distinct band-structures for all 3D space groups.

Polydispersity-driven topological defects as order-restoring excitations.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Zhenwei; Olvera de la Cruz, Monica

2014-04-08

The engineering of defects in crystalline matter has been extensively exploited to modify the mechanical and electrical properties of many materials. Recent experiments on manipulating extended defects in graphene, for example, show that defects direct the flow of electric charges. The fascinating possibilities offered by defects in two dimensions, known as topological defects, to control material properties provide great motivation to perform fundamental investigations to uncover their role in various systems. Previous studies mostly focus on topological defects in 2D crystals on curved surfaces. On flat geometries, topological defects can be introduced via density inhomogeneities. We investigate here topological defects due to size polydispersity on flat surfaces. Size polydispersity is usually an inevitable feature of a large variety of systems. In this work, simulations show well-organized induced topological defects around an impurity particle of a wrong size. These patterns are not found in systems of identical particles. Our work demonstrates that in polydispersed systems topological defects play the role of restoring order. The simulations show a perfect hexagonal lattice beyond a small defective region around the impurity particle. Elasticity theory has demonstrated an analogy between the elementary topological defects named disclinations to electric charges by associating a charge to a disclination, whose sign depends on the number of its nearest neighbors. Size polydispersity is shown numerically here to be an essential ingredient to understand short-range attractions between like-charge disclinations. Our study suggests that size polydispersity has a promising potential to engineer defects in various systems including nanoparticles and colloidal crystals.

Single atom anisotropic magnetoresistance on a topological insulator surface

KAUST Repository

Narayan, Awadhesh; Rungger, Ivan; Sanvito, Stefano

2015-01-01

dimensional model valid for both single adatoms and magnetic clusters, which leads to a proposed device setup for experimental realization. Our results provide an explanation for the conflicting scattering experiments on magnetic adatoms on topological

Topology optimization for nano-photonics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard; Sigmund, Ole

2011-01-01

Topology optimization is a computational tool that can be used for the systematic design of photonic crystals, waveguides, resonators, filters and plasmonics. The method was originally developed for mechanical design problems but has within the last six years been applied to a range of photonics...... applications. Topology optimization may be based on finite element and finite difference type modeling methods in both frequency and time domain. The basic idea is that the material density of each element or grid point is a design variable, hence the geometry is parameterized in a pixel-like fashion....... The optimization problem is efficiently solved using mathematical programming-based optimization methods and analytical gradient calculations. The paper reviews the basic procedures behind topology optimization, a large number of applications ranging from photonic crystal design to surface plasmonic devices...

Topological fluid dynamics of interfacial flows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brøns, Morten

1994-01-01

The topological description of flows in the vicinity of a solid boundary, that is familiar from the aerodynamics literature, has recently been extended to the case of flow at a liquid–gas interface or a free surface by Lugt [Phys. Fluids 30, 3647 (1987)]. Lugt's work is revisited in a more general...... setting, including nonconstant curvature of the interface and gradients of surface tension, using tools of modern nonlinear dynamics. Bifurcations of the flow pattern occur at degenerate configurations. Using the theory of unfolding, this paper gives a complete description of the bifurcations that depend...... on terms up to the second order. The general theory of this paper is applied to the topology of streamlines during the breaking of a wave and to the flow below a stagnant surface film. Physics of Fluids is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics....

Topology of the Adiabatic Potential Energy Surfaces for theResonance States of the Water Anion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haxton, Daniel J.; Rescigno, Thomas N.; McCurdy, C. William

2005-04-15

The potential energy surfaces corresponding to the long-lived fixed-nuclei electron scattering resonances of H{sub 2}O relevant to the dissociative electron attachment process are examined using a combination of ab initio scattering and bound-state calculations. These surfaces have a rich topology, characterized by three main features: a conical intersection between the {sup 2}A{sub 1} and {sup 2}B{sub 2} Feshbach resonance states; charge-transfer behavior in the OH ({sup 2}{Pi}) + H{sup -} asymptote of the {sup 2}B{sub 1} and {sup 2}A{sub 1} resonances; and an inherent double-valuedness of the surface for the {sup 2}B{sub 2} state the C{sub 2v} geometry, arising from a branch-point degeneracy with a {sup 2}B{sub 2} shape resonance. In total, eight individual seams of degeneracy among these resonances are located.

Topology

CERN Document Server

Hocking, John G

1988-01-01

""As textbook and reference work, this is a valuable addition to the topological literature."" - Mathematical ReviewsDesigned as a text for a one-year first course in topology, this authoritative volume offers an excellent general treatment of the main ideas of topology. It includes a large number and variety of topics from classical topology as well as newer areas of research activity.There are four set-theoretic chapters, followed by four primarily algebraic chapters. Chapter I covers the fundamentals of topological and metrical spaces, mappings, compactness, product spaces, the Tychonoff t

An alternative low-loss stack topology for vanadium redox flow battery: Comparative assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Moro, Federico; Trovò, Andrea; Bortolin, Stefano; Del, Davide, , Col; Guarnieri, Massimo

2017-02-01

Two vanadium redox flow battery topologies have been compared. In the conventional series stack, bipolar plates connect cells electrically in series and hydraulically in parallel. The alternative topology consists of cells connected in parallel inside stacks by means of monopolar plates in order to reduce shunt currents along channels and manifolds. Channelled and flat current collectors interposed between cells were considered in both topologies. In order to compute the stack losses, an equivalent circuit model of a VRFB cell was built from a 2D FEM multiphysics numerical model based on Comsol®, accounting for coupled electrical, electrochemical, and charge and mass transport phenomena. Shunt currents were computed inside the cells with 3D FEM models and in the piping and manifolds by means of equivalent circuits solved with Matlab®. Hydraulic losses were computed with analytical models in piping and manifolds and with 3D numerical analyses based on ANSYS Fluent® in the cell porous electrodes. Total losses in the alternative topology resulted one order of magnitude lower than in an equivalent conventional battery. The alternative topology with channelled current collectors exhibits the lowest shunt currents and hydraulic losses, with round-trip efficiency higher by about 10%, as compared to the conventional topology.

Extending topological surgery to natural processes and dynamical systems.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stathis Antoniou

Full Text Available Topological surgery is a mathematical technique used for creating new manifolds out of known ones. We observe that it occurs in natural phenomena where a sphere of dimension 0 or 1 is selected, forces are applied and the manifold in which they occur changes type. For example, 1-dimensional surgery happens during chromosomal crossover, DNA recombination and when cosmic magnetic lines reconnect, while 2-dimensional surgery happens in the formation of tornadoes, in the phenomenon of Falaco solitons, in drop coalescence and in the cell mitosis. Inspired by such phenomena, we introduce new theoretical concepts which enhance topological surgery with the observed forces and dynamics. To do this, we first extend the formal definition to a continuous process caused by local forces. Next, for modeling phenomena which do not happen on arcs or surfaces but are 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional, we fill in the interior space by defining the notion of solid topological surgery. We further introduce the notion of embedded surgery in S3 for modeling phenomena which involve more intrinsically the ambient space, such as the appearance of knotting in DNA and phenomena where the causes and effect of the process lies beyond the initial manifold, such as the formation of black holes. Finally, we connect these new theoretical concepts with a dynamical system and we present it as a model for both 2-dimensional 0-surgery and natural phenomena exhibiting a 'hole drilling' behavior. We hope that through this study, topology and dynamics of many natural phenomena, as well as topological surgery itself, will be better understood.

Strain-enhanced optical absorbance of topological insulator films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brems, Mathias Rosdahl; Paaske, Jens; Lunde, Anders Mathias

2018-01-01

Topological insulator films are promising materials for optoelectronics due to a strong optical absorption and a thickness-dependent band gap of the topological surface states. They are superior candidates for photodetector applications in the THz-infrared spectrum, with a potential performance...... thickness, the surface-state band gap, and thereby the optical absorption, can be effectively tuned by the application of uniaxial strain epsilon(zz), leading to a divergent band-edge absorbance for epsilon(zz) greater than or similar to 6%. Shear strain breaks the crystal symmetry and leads...

A hybrid computational model to explore the topological characteristics of epithelial tissues.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Valverde, Ismael; García-Aznar, José Manuel

2017-11-01

Epithelial tissues show a particular topology where cells resemble a polygon-like shape, but some biological processes can alter this tissue topology. During cell proliferation, mitotic cell dilation deforms the tissue and modifies the tissue topology. Additionally, cells are reorganized in the epithelial layer and these rearrangements also alter the polygon distribution. We present here a computer-based hybrid framework focused on the simulation of epithelial layer dynamics that combines discrete and continuum numerical models. In this framework, we consider topological and mechanical aspects of the epithelial tissue. Individual cells in the tissue are simulated by an off-lattice agent-based model, which keeps the information of each cell. In addition, we model the cell-cell interaction forces and the cell cycle. Otherwise, we simulate the passive mechanical behaviour of the cell monolayer using a material that approximates the mechanical properties of the cell. This continuum approach is solved by the finite element method, which uses a dynamic mesh generated by the triangulation of cell polygons. Forces generated by cell-cell interaction in the agent-based model are also applied on the finite element mesh. Cell movement in the agent-based model is driven by the displacements obtained from the deformed finite element mesh of the continuum mechanical approach. We successfully compare the results of our simulations with some experiments about the topology of proliferating epithelial tissues in Drosophila. Our framework is able to model the emergent behaviour of the cell monolayer that is due to local cell-cell interactions, which have a direct influence on the dynamics of the epithelial tissue. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Topological transport in Dirac nodal-line semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

Rui, W. B.; Zhao, Y. X.; Schnyder, Andreas P.

2018-04-01

Topological nodal-line semimetals are characterized by one-dimensional Dirac nodal rings that are protected by the combined symmetry of inversion P and time-reversal T . The stability of these Dirac rings is guaranteed by a quantized ±π Berry phase and their low-energy physics is described by a one-parameter family of (2+1)-dimensional quantum field theories exhibiting the parity anomaly. Here we study the Berry-phase supported topological transport of P T -invariant nodal-line semimetals. We find that small inversion breaking allows for an electric-field-induced anomalous transverse current, whose universal component originates from the parity anomaly. Due to this Hall-like current, carriers at opposite sides of the Dirac nodal ring flow to opposite surfaces when an electric field is applied. To detect the topological currents, we propose a dumbbell device, which uses surface states to filter charges based on their momenta. Suggestions for experiments and device applications are discussed.

Multiple topological phases in phononic crystals

KAUST Repository

Chen, Zeguo; Wu, Ying

2017-01-01

We report a new topological phononic crystal in a ring-waveguide acoustic system. In the previous reports on topological phononic crystals, there are two types of topological phases: quantum Hall phase and quantum spin Hall phase. A key point in achieving quantum Hall insulator is to break the time-reversal (TR) symmetry, and for quantum spin Hall insulator, the construction of pseudo-spin is necessary. We build such pseudo-spin states under particular crystalline symmetry (C-6v) and then break the degeneracy of the pseudo-spin states by introducing airflow to the ring. We study the topology evolution by changing both the geometric parameters of the unit cell and the strength of the applied airflow. We find that the system exhibits three phases: quantum spin Hall phase, conventional insulator phase and a new quantum anomalous Hall phase.

Multiple topological phases in phononic crystals

KAUST Repository

Chen, Zeguo

2017-11-20

We report a new topological phononic crystal in a ring-waveguide acoustic system. In the previous reports on topological phononic crystals, there are two types of topological phases: quantum Hall phase and quantum spin Hall phase. A key point in achieving quantum Hall insulator is to break the time-reversal (TR) symmetry, and for quantum spin Hall insulator, the construction of pseudo-spin is necessary. We build such pseudo-spin states under particular crystalline symmetry (C-6v) and then break the degeneracy of the pseudo-spin states by introducing airflow to the ring. We study the topology evolution by changing both the geometric parameters of the unit cell and the strength of the applied airflow. We find that the system exhibits three phases: quantum spin Hall phase, conventional insulator phase and a new quantum anomalous Hall phase.

Surface topology caused by dislocations in polar, semipolar, and nonpolar InGaN/GaN heterostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schade, L.; Schwarz, U.T. [Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF, Freiburg (Germany); Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg (Germany); Wernicke, T.; Rass, J.; Ploch, S. [Institute of Solid State Physics, TU Berlin (Germany); Weyers, M. [Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut fuer Hoechstfrequenztechnik, Berlin (Germany); Kneissl, M. [Institute of Solid State Physics, TU Berlin (Germany); Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut fuer Hoechstfrequenztechnik, Berlin (Germany)

2014-04-15

The impact of dislocations on surface topology as well as on quantum well emission in c-plane, semipolar, and nonpolar InGaN/GaN heterostructures is being analyzed by micro-photoluminescence and white-light-interferometry. V-pits with (10 anti 11) and (10 anti 1 anti 4) side facets are identified in a (10 anti 12) semipolar heterostructure. Hillocks formed by spiral growth around screw dislocations change from hexagonal to triangular to rectangular shape in polar, semipolar, and nonpolar heterostructures, respectively, reflecting the symmetry of the individual surface. The emission in semipolar quantum wells, grown homoepitaxially on bulk GaN substrates, show dark stripes aligned with misfit dislocations. For (11 anti 22) and (20 anti 21) orientation, these dark stripes are perpendicular and parallel, respectively, to surface striation. (copyright 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Nano-topography Enhances Communication in Neural Cells Networks

KAUST Repository

Onesto, V.

2017-08-23

Neural cells are the smallest building blocks of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Information in neural networks and cell-substrate interactions have been heretofore studied separately. Understanding whether surface nano-topography can direct nerve cells assembly into computational efficient networks may provide new tools and criteria for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this work, we used information theory approaches and functional multi calcium imaging (fMCI) techniques to examine how information flows in neural networks cultured on surfaces with controlled topography. We found that substrate roughness Sa affects networks topology. In the low nano-meter range, S-a = 0-30 nm, information increases with Sa. Moreover, we found that energy density of a network of cells correlates to the topology of that network. This reinforces the view that information, energy and surface nano-topography are tightly inter-connected and should not be neglected when studying cell-cell interaction in neural tissue repair and regeneration.

Topology of Large-Scale Structure by Galaxy Type: Hydrodynamic Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Gott, J. Richard, III; Cen, Renyue; Ostriker, Jeremiah P.

1996-07-01

The topology of large-scale structure is studied as a function of galaxy type using the genus statistic. In hydrodynamical cosmological cold dark matter simulations, galaxies form on caustic surfaces (Zeldovich pancakes) and then slowly drain onto filaments and clusters. The earliest forming galaxies in the simulations (defined as "ellipticals") are thus seen at the present epoch preferentially in clusters (tending toward a meatball topology), while the latest forming galaxies (defined as "spirals") are seen currently in a spongelike topology. The topology is measured by the genus (number of "doughnut" holes minus number of isolated regions) of the smoothed density-contour surfaces. The measured genus curve for all galaxies as a function of density obeys approximately the theoretical curve expected for random- phase initial conditions, but the early-forming elliptical galaxies show a shift toward a meatball topology relative to the late-forming spirals. Simulations using standard biasing schemes fail to show such an effect. Large observational samples separated by galaxy type could be used to test for this effect.

Additively manufactured metallic porous biomaterials based on minimal surfaces: A unique combination of topological, mechanical, and mass transport properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Bobbert, F S L; Lietaert, K; Eftekhari, A A; Pouran, B; Ahmadi, S M; Weinans, H; Zadpoor, A A

2017-04-15

Porous biomaterials that simultaneously mimic the topological, mechanical, and mass transport properties of bone are in great demand but are rarely found in the literature. In this study, we rationally designed and additively manufactured (AM) porous metallic biomaterials based on four different types of triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) that mimic the properties of bone to an unprecedented level of multi-physics detail. Sixteen different types of porous biomaterials were rationally designed and fabricated using selective laser melting (SLM) from a titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V). The topology, quasi-static mechanical properties, fatigue resistance, and permeability of the developed biomaterials were then characterized. In terms of topology, the biomaterials resembled the morphological properties of trabecular bone including mean surface curvatures close to zero. The biomaterials showed a favorable but rare combination of relatively low elastic properties in the range of those observed for trabecular bone and high yield strengths exceeding those reported for cortical bone. This combination allows for simultaneously avoiding stress shielding, while providing ample mechanical support for bone tissue regeneration and osseointegration. Furthermore, as opposed to other AM porous biomaterials developed to date for which the fatigue endurance limit has been found to be ≈20% of their yield (or plateau) stress, some of the biomaterials developed in the current study show extremely high fatigue resistance with endurance limits up to 60% of their yield stress. It was also found that the permeability values measured for the developed biomaterials were in the range of values reported for trabecular bone. In summary, the developed porous metallic biomaterials based on TPMS mimic the topological, mechanical, and physical properties of trabecular bone to a great degree. These properties make them potential candidates to be applied as parts of orthopedic implants and/or as bone

Topology and Singularities in Cosmological Spacetimes Obeying the Null Energy Condition

Science.gov (United States)

Galloway, Gregory J.; Ling, Eric

2018-06-01

We consider globally hyperbolic spacetimes with compact Cauchy surfaces in a setting compatible with the presence of a positive cosmological constant. More specifically, for 3 + 1 dimensional spacetimes which satisfy the null energy condition and contain a future expanding compact Cauchy surface, we establish a precise connection between the topology of the Cauchy surfaces and the occurrence of past singularities. In addition to the Penrose singularity theorem, the proof makes use of some recent advances in the topology of 3-manifolds and of certain fundamental existence results for minimal surfaces.

Planck 2015 results: XVIII. Background geometry and topology of the Universe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ade, P. A R; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.

2016-01-01

and by an optimal likelihood calculation for specific topologies. We specialize to flat spaces with cubic toroidal (T3) and slab (T1) topologies, finding that explicit searches for the latter are sensitive to other topologies with antipodal symmetry. These searches yield no detection of a compact topology...... the first searches using CMB polarization for correlations induced by a possible non-trivial topology with a fundamental domain that intersects, or nearly intersects, the last-scattering surface (at comoving distance χrec), both via a direct scan for matched circular patterns at the intersections...... with a scale below the diameter of the last-scattering surface. The limits on the radius i of the largest sphere inscribed in the fundamental domain (at log-likelihood ratio Δlnℒ>-5 relative to a simply-connected flat Planck best-fit model) are: i > 0.97 χrec for the T3 cubic torus; and i > 0.56 χrec for the T...

Nanostructuring of Solar Cell Surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Schmidt, Michael Stenbæk

Solar energy is by far the most abundant renewable energy source available, but the levelized cost of solar energy is still not competitive with that of fossil fuels. Therefore there is a need to improve the power conversion effciency of solar cells without adding to the production cost. The main...... objective of this PhD thesis is to develop nanostructured silicon (Si) solar cells with higher power conversion efficiency using only scalable and cost-efficient production methods. The nanostructures, known as 'black silicon', are fabricated by single-step, maskless reactive ion etching and used as front...... texturing of different Si solar cells. Theoretically the nanostructure topology may be described as a graded refractive index in a mean-field approximation between air and Si. The optical properties of the developed black Si were simulated and experimentally measured. Total AM1.5G-weighted average...

HgTe based topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruene, Christoph

2014-01-01

This PhD thesis summarizes the discovery of topological insulators and highlights the developments on their experimental observations. The work focuses on HgTe. The thesis is structured as follows: - The first chapter of this thesis will give a brief overview on discoveries in the field of topological insulators. It focuses on works relevant to experimental results presented in the following chapters. This includes a short outline of the early predictions and a summary of important results concerning 2-dimensional topological insulators while the final section discusses observations concerning 3-dimensional topological insulators. - The discovery of the quantum spin Hall effect in HgTe marked the first experimental observation of a topological insulator. Chapter 2 focuses on HgTe quantum wells and the quantum spin Hall effect. The growth of high quality HgTe quantum wells was one of the major goals for this work. In a final set of experiments the spin polarization of the edge channels was investigated. Here, we could make use of the advantage that HgTe quantum well structures exhibit a large Rashba spin orbit splitting. - HgTe as a 3-dimensional topological insulator is presented in chapter 3. - Chapters 4-6 serve as in depth overviews of selected works: Chapter 4 presents a detailed overview on the all electrical detection of the spin Hall effect in HgTe quantum wells. The detection of the spin polarization of the quantum spin Hall effect is shown in chapter 5 and chapter 6 gives a detailed overview on the quantum Hall effect originating from the topological surface state in strained bulk HgTe.

Low-loss and broadband anomalous Floquet topological insulator for airborne sound

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yu-Gui; Shen, Ya-Xi; Zhao, De-Gang; Zhu, Xue-Feng

2017-04-01

Anomalous Floquet topological insulators (AFIs) for airborne sound have recently been realized in experiments. However, the implemented version suffers from significant loss and narrowband due to thermal viscosity and dispersive coupling strength between unit-cells. Here, we propose a solution for realizing low-loss and broadband acoustic AFI. We show that the loss after passing through one unit-cell can be less than 2% for the topological edge states. It is also theoretically unveiled that in the frequency range of nearly unitary coupling (˜0.97 from 4.8 kHz to 7.0 kHz in our case), around 84% corresponds to topological bands. Our proposal may promote the application of large-dimension acoustic topological devices.

The dynamic interplay between DNA topoisomerases and DNA topology.

Science.gov (United States)

Seol, Yeonee; Neuman, Keir C

2016-11-01

Topological properties of DNA influence its structure and biochemical interactions. Within the cell, DNA topology is constantly in flux. Transcription and other essential processes, including DNA replication and repair, not only alter the topology of the genome but also introduce additional complications associated with DNA knotting and catenation. These topological perturbations are counteracted by the action of topoisomerases, a specialized class of highly conserved and essential enzymes that actively regulate the topological state of the genome. This dynamic interplay among DNA topology, DNA processing enzymes, and DNA topoisomerases is a pervasive factor that influences DNA metabolism in vivo. Building on the extensive structural and biochemical characterization over the past four decades that has established the fundamental mechanistic basis of topoisomerase activity, scientists have begun to explore the unique roles played by DNA topology in modulating and influencing the activity of topoisomerases. In this review we survey established and emerging DNA topology-dependent protein-DNA interactions with a focus on in vitro measurements of the dynamic interplay between DNA topology and topoisomerase activity.

Surface conditioning with Escherichia coli cell wall components can reduce biofilm formation by decreasing initial adhesion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana C. Gomes

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on food processing surfaces pose major risks to human health. Non-efficient cleaning of equipment surfaces and piping can act as a conditioning layer that affects the development of a new biofilm post-disinfection. We have previously shown that surface conditioning with cell extracts could reduce biofilm formation. In the present work, we hypothesized that E. coli cell wall components could be implicated in this phenomena and therefore mannose, myristic acid and palmitic acid were tested as conditioning agents. To evaluate the effect of surface conditioning and flow topology on biofilm formation, assays were performed in agitated 96-well microtiter plates and in a parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC, both operated at the same average wall shear stress (0.07 Pa as determined by computational fluid dynamics (CFD. It was observed that when the 96-well microtiter plate and the PPFC were used to form biofilms at the same shear stress, similar results were obtained. This shows that the referred hydrodynamic feature may be a good scale-up parameter from high-throughput platforms to larger scale flow cell systems as the PPFC used in this study. Mannose did not have any effect on E. coli biofilm formation, but myristic and palmitic acid inhibited biofilm development by decreasing cell adhesion (in about 50%. These results support the idea that in food processing equipment where biofilm formation is not critical below a certain threshold, bacterial lysis and adsorption of cell components to the surface may reduce biofilm buildup and extend the operational time.

Topology of polymer chains under nanoscale confinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Satarifard, Vahid; Heidari, Maziar; Mashaghi, Samaneh; Tans, Sander J; Ejtehadi, Mohammad Reza; Mashaghi, Alireza

2017-08-24

Spatial confinement limits the conformational space accessible to biomolecules but the implications for bimolecular topology are not yet known. Folded linear biopolymers can be seen as molecular circuits formed by intramolecular contacts. The pairwise arrangement of intra-chain contacts can be categorized as parallel, series or cross, and has been identified as a topological property. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we determine the contact order distributions and topological circuits of short semi-flexible linear and ring polymer chains with a persistence length of l p under a spherical confinement of radius R c . At low values of l p /R c , the entropy of the linear chain leads to the formation of independent contacts along the chain and accordingly, increases the fraction of series topology with respect to other topologies. However, at high l p /R c , the fraction of cross and parallel topologies are enhanced in the chain topological circuits with cross becoming predominant. At an intermediate confining regime, we identify a critical value of l p /R c , at which all topological states have equal probability. Confinement thus equalizes the probability of more complex cross and parallel topologies to the level of the more simple, non-cooperative series topology. Moreover, our topology analysis reveals distinct behaviours for ring- and linear polymers under weak confinement; however, we find no difference between ring- and linear polymers under strong confinement. Under weak confinement, ring polymers adopt parallel and series topologies with equal likelihood, while linear polymers show a higher tendency for series arrangement. The radial distribution analysis of the topology reveals a non-uniform effect of confinement on the topology of polymer chains, thereby imposing more pronounced effects on the core region than on the confinement surface. Additionally, our results reveal that over a wide range of confining radii, loops arranged in parallel and cross

Induced topological pressure for topological dynamical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xing, Zhitao; Chen, Ercai

2015-01-01

In this paper, inspired by the article [J. Jaerisch et al., Stochastics Dyn. 14, 1350016, pp. 1-30 (2014)], we introduce the induced topological pressure for a topological dynamical system. In particular, we prove a variational principle for the induced topological pressure

Topological superconductivity, topological confinement, and the vortex quantum Hall effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamantini, M. Cristina; Trugenberger, Carlo A.

2011-01-01

Topological matter is characterized by the presence of a topological BF term in its long-distance effective action. Topological defects due to the compactness of the U(1) gauge fields induce quantum phase transitions between topological insulators, topological superconductors, and topological confinement. In conventional superconductivity, because of spontaneous symmetry breaking, the photon acquires a mass due to the Anderson-Higgs mechanism. In this paper we derive the corresponding effective actions for the electromagnetic field in topological superconductors and topological confinement phases. In topological superconductors magnetic flux is confined and the photon acquires a topological mass through the BF mechanism: no symmetry breaking is involved, the ground state has topological order, and the transition is induced by quantum fluctuations. In topological confinement, instead, electric charge is linearly confined and the photon becomes a massive antisymmetric tensor via the Stueckelberg mechanism. Oblique confinement phases arise when the string condensate carries both magnetic and electric flux (dyonic strings). Such phases are characterized by a vortex quantum Hall effect potentially relevant for the dissipationless transport of information stored on vortices.

Topological Nematic States and Non-Abelian Lattice Dislocations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maissam Barkeshli

2012-08-01

Full Text Available An exciting new prospect in condensed matter physics is the possibility of realizing fractional quantum Hall states in simple lattice models without a large external magnetic field. A fundamental question is whether qualitatively new states can be realized on the lattice as compared with ordinary fractional quantum Hall states. Here we propose new symmetry-enriched topological states, topological nematic states, which are a dramatic consequence of the interplay between the lattice translational symmetry and topological properties of these fractional Chern insulators. The topological nematic states are realized in a partially filled flat band with a Chern number N, which can be mapped to an N-layer quantum Hall system on a regular lattice. However, in the topological nematic states the lattice dislocations can act as wormholes connecting the different layers and effectively change the topology of the space. Consequently, lattice dislocations become defects with a nontrivial quantum dimension, even when the fractional quantum Hall state being realized is, by itself, Abelian. Our proposal leads to the possibility of realizing the physics of topologically ordered states on high-genus surfaces in the lab even though the sample has only the disk geometry.

Topological Nematic States and Non-Abelian Lattice Dislocations

Science.gov (United States)

Barkeshli, Maissam; Qi, Xiao-Liang

2012-07-01

An exciting new prospect in condensed matter physics is the possibility of realizing fractional quantum Hall states in simple lattice models without a large external magnetic field. A fundamental question is whether qualitatively new states can be realized on the lattice as compared with ordinary fractional quantum Hall states. Here we propose new symmetry-enriched topological states, topological nematic states, which are a dramatic consequence of the interplay between the lattice translational symmetry and topological properties of these fractional Chern insulators. The topological nematic states are realized in a partially filled flat band with a Chern number N, which can be mapped to an N-layer quantum Hall system on a regular lattice. However, in the topological nematic states the lattice dislocations can act as wormholes connecting the different layers and effectively change the topology of the space. Consequently, lattice dislocations become defects with a nontrivial quantum dimension, even when the fractional quantum Hall state being realized is, by itself, Abelian. Our proposal leads to the possibility of realizing the physics of topologically ordered states on high-genus surfaces in the lab even though the sample has only the disk geometry.

Topology optimization applied to room acoustic problems and surface acoustic wave devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dühring, Maria Bayard; Sigmund, Ole; Jensen, Jakob Søndergaard

can be minimized either by distribution of reflecting material in a design domain along the ceiling or by distribution of absorbing and reflecting material along all the walls for both 2D and 3D problems. It is also shown how the method can be used to design sound barriers. The main part...... in order to optimize more complicated SAW structures such as acoustic horns which focus the SAWs to a small area. [1] M. P. Bendsøe, O. Sigmund, “Topology optimization, theory, methods and applications”, Springer Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2nd edition, (2003). ISBN 3-540-42992-1. [2] J. S. Jensen......, Berlin, (2000). ISBN 3-540-67232-X. [5] M. M. de Lima Jr and P. V. Santos, “Modulation of photonic structures by surface acoustic waves”, Rep. Prog. Phys., 68 1639-1701 (2005)...

Glycoprotein on cell surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muramatsu, T.

1975-01-01

There are conjugated polysaccharides in cell membranes and outside of animal cells, and they play important role in the control of cell behavior. In this paper, the studies on the glycoprotein on cell surfaces are reported. It was found that the glycoprotein on cell surfaces have both N-glycoside type and O-glycoside type saccharic chains. Therefore it can be concluded that the basic structure of the saccharic chains in the glycoprotein on cell surfaces is similar to that of blood serum and body fluid. The main glycoprotein in the membranes of red blood corpuscles has been studied most in detail, and it also has both types of saccharic chains. The glycoprotein in liver cell membranes was found to have only the saccharic chains of acid type and to be in different pattern from that in endoplasmic reticula and nuclear membranes, which also has the saccharic chains of neutral type. The structure of the saccharic chains of H-2 antigen, i.e. the peculiar glycoprotein on the surfaces of lymph system cells, has been studied, and it is similar to the saccharic chains of glycoprotein in blood serum. The saccharic chain structures of H-2 antigen and TL antigen are different. TL, H-2 (D), Lna and H-2 (K) are the glycoprotein on cell surfaces, and are independent molecules. The analysis of the saccharic chain patterns on cell surfaces was carried out, and it was shown that the acid type saccharic chains were similar to those of ordinary glycoprotein, because the enzyme of pneumococci hydrolyzed most of the acid type saccharic chains. The change of the saccharic chain patterns of glycoprotein on cell surfaces owing to canceration and multiplication is complex matter. (Kako, I.)

Differential and symplectic topology of knots and curves

CERN Document Server

Tabachnikov, S

1999-01-01

This book presents a collection of papers on two related topics: topology of knots and knot-like objects (such as curves on surfaces) and topology of Legendrian knots and links in 3-dimensional contact manifolds. Featured is the work of international experts in knot theory (""quantum"" knot invariants, knot invariants of finite type), in symplectic and contact topology, and in singularity theory. The interplay of diverse methods from these fields makes this volume unique in the study of Legendrian knots and knot-like objects such as wave fronts. A particularly enticing feature of the volume is

Topological Characterization of Fractured Coal

Science.gov (United States)

Jing, Yu; Armstrong, Ryan T.; Ramandi, Hamed L.; Mostaghimi, Peyman

2017-12-01

Coal transport properties are highly dependent on the underlying fractured network, known as cleats, which are characterized by geometrical and topological properties. X-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) has been widely applied to obtain 3-D digital representations of the cleat network. However, segmentation of 3-D data is often problematic due to image noise, which will result in inaccurate estimation of coal properties (e.g., porosity and specific surface area). To circumvent this issue, a discrete fracture network (DFN) model is proposed. We develop a characterization framework to determine if the developed DFN models can preserve the topological properties of the coal cleat network found in micro-CT data. We compute the Euler characteristic, fractal dimension, and percolation quantities to analyze the topology locally and globally and compare the results between micro-CT data (before denoising), filtered micro-CT data (after denoising), and the DFN model. We find that micro-CT data with noise have extensive connectivity while filtered micro-CT data and DFN models have similar topology both globally and locally. It is concluded that the topology of the DFN models are closer to that of the realistic cleat network that do not have segmentation-induced pores. In addition, micro-CT imaging always struggles with the trade-off between sample size and resolution, while the presented DFN models are not restricted by imaging resolution and thus can be constructed with extended domain size. Overall, the presented DFN model is a reliable alternative with realistic cleat topology, extended domain size and favorable data format for direct numerical simulations.

On Topological Indices of Certain Dendrimer Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, Adnan; Bashir, Yasir; Ahmad, Safyan; Gao, Wei

2017-05-01

A topological index can be considered as transformation of chemical structure in to real number. In QSAR/QSPR study, physicochemical properties and topological indices such as Randić, Zagreb, atom-bond connectivity ABC, and geometric-arithmetic GA index are used to predict the bioactivity of chemical compounds. Dendrimers are highly branched, star-shaped macromolecules with nanometer-scale dimensions. Dendrimers are defined by three components: a central core, an interior dendritic structure (the branches), and an exterior surface with functional surface groups. In this paper we determine generalised Randić, general Zagreb, general sum-connectivity indices of poly(propyl) ether imine, porphyrin, and zinc-Porphyrin dendrimers. We also compute ABC and GA indices of these families of dendrimers.

Open String Diagrams I: Topological Type

OpenAIRE

Nag, Subhashis; Sankaran, Parameswaran

1992-01-01

An arbitrary Feynman graph for string field theory interactions is analysed and the homeomorphism type of the corresponding world sheet surface is completely determined even in the non-orientable cases. Algorithms are found to mechanically compute the topological characteristics of the resulting surface from the structure of the signed oriented graph. Whitney's permutation-theoretic coding of graphs is utilized.

Topological interface states and effects for next generation of innovative devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kantser, Valeriu; Carlig, Sergiu

2013-01-01

Topological insulators (TI) have opened a gateway to search new quantum electronic phase of the condensed matter as well as to pave new platform of modern technology. This stems mainly on their unique surface states that are protected by time-reversal symmetry, show the Dirac cones connecting the inverted conduction and valence bands and exhibit unique spin-momentum locking property. Increasing the surface state contribution in proportion to the bulk of material is critical to investigate the surface states and for future innovative device applications. The way to achieve this is to configure topological insulators into nanostructures, which at the same time in combination with others materials significantly enlarge the variety of new states and phenomena. This article reviews the recent progress made in topological insulator nano heterostructures electronic states investigation. The state of art of different new scenario of engineering topologically interface states in the TI heterostructures are revealed, in particular by using polarization fields and antiferromagnetic ordering. Some of new proposals for innovative electronic devices are discussed. (authors)

Tetradymites as thermoelectrics and topological insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Heremans, Joseph P.; Cava, Robert J.; Samarth, Nitin

2017-10-01

Tetradymites are M2X3 compounds — in which M is a group V metal, usually Bi or Sb, and X is a group VI anion, Te, Se or S — that crystallize in a rhombohedral structure. Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 are archetypical tetradymites. Other mixtures of M and X elements produce common variants, such as Bi2Te2Se. Because tetradymites are based on heavy p-block elements, strong spin-orbit coupling greatly influences their electronic properties, both on the surface and in the bulk. Their surface electronic states are a cornerstone of frontier work on topological insulators. The bulk energy bands are characterized by small energy gaps, high group velocities, small effective masses and band inversion near the centre of the Brillouin zone. These properties are favourable for high-efficiency thermoelectric materials but make it difficult to obtain an electrically insulating bulk, which is a requirement of topological insulators. This Review outlines recent progress made in bulk and thin-film tetradymite materials for the optimization of their properties both as thermoelectrics and as topological insulators.

Tunneling Planar Hall Effect in Topological Insulators: Spin Valves and Amplifiers.

Science.gov (United States)

Scharf, Benedikt; Matos-Abiague, Alex; Han, Jong E; Hankiewicz, Ewelina M; Žutić, Igor

2016-10-14

We investigate tunneling across a single ferromagnetic barrier on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator. In the presence of a magnetization component along the bias direction, a tunneling planar Hall conductance (TPHC), transverse to the applied bias, develops. Electrostatic control of the barrier enables a giant Hall angle, with the TPHC exceeding the longitudinal tunneling conductance. By changing the in-plane magnetization direction, it is possible to change the sign of both the longitudinal and transverse differential conductance without opening a gap in the topological surface state. The transport in a topological-insulator-ferromagnet junction can, thus, be drastically altered from a simple spin valve to an amplifier.

Robust spatial memory maps in flickering neuronal networks: a topological model

Science.gov (United States)

Dabaghian, Yuri; Babichev, Andrey; Memoli, Facundo; Chowdhury, Samir; Rice University Collaboration; Ohio State University Collaboration

It is widely accepted that the hippocampal place cells provide a substrate of the neuronal representation of the environment--the ``cognitive map''. However, hippocampal network, as any other network in the brain is transient: thousands of hippocampal neurons die every day and the connections formed by these cells constantly change due to various forms of synaptic plasticity. What then explains the remarkable reliability of our spatial memories? We propose a computational approach to answering this question based on a couple of insights. First, we propose that the hippocampal cognitive map is fundamentally topological, and hence it is amenable to analysis by topological methods. We then apply several novel methods from homology theory, to understand how dynamic connections between cells influences the speed and reliability of spatial learning. We simulate the rat's exploratory movements through different environments and study how topological invariants of these environments arise in a network of simulated neurons with ``flickering'' connectivity. We find that despite transient connectivity the network of place cells produces a stable representation of the topology of the environment.

Scalar-tensor approach to the construction of theory of topological transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konstantinov, M.Yu.

1985-01-01

Problem of construction of the classical gravitational theory, which solutions in the explicit form contain description of topological transformations, is under study. With this object in view, the scalar-tensor formalism is considered based on a representation of some subclass of space-like hypersurfaces as surfaces of a smooth function level in four-dimensional manifolds. Solutions of the theory along with the Lorentz space-time structure and space-like surface topology define some reference system, but the type of topological transformations is not dependent on the reference system option. All these facts prove the above approach correctness. Two variants of the scalar-tensor theory of topological transformations are considered as an example; one of them is reduced to the Einstein gravitational theory in the regular space region and another represents a nontrivial modification of the Brans-Dikker theory

Site-directed fluorescence labeling reveals a revised N-terminal membrane topology and functional periplasmic residues in the Escherichia coli cell division protein FtsK.

Science.gov (United States)

Berezuk, Alison M; Goodyear, Mara; Khursigara, Cezar M

2014-08-22

In Escherichia coli, FtsK is a large integral membrane protein that coordinates chromosome segregation and cell division. The N-terminal domain of FtsK (FtsKN) is essential for division, and the C terminus (FtsKC) is a well characterized DNA translocase. Although the function of FtsKN is unknown, it is suggested that FtsK acts as a checkpoint to ensure DNA is properly segregated before septation. This may occur through modulation of protein interactions between FtsKN and other division proteins in both the periplasm and cytoplasm; thus, a clear understanding of how FtsKN is positioned in the membrane is required to characterize these interactions. The membrane topology of FtsKN was initially determined using site-directed reporter fusions; however, questions regarding this topology persist. Here, we report a revised membrane topology generated by site-directed fluorescence labeling. The revised topology confirms the presence of four transmembrane segments and reveals a newly identified periplasmic loop between the third and fourth transmembrane domains. Within this loop, four residues were identified that, when mutated, resulted in the appearance of cellular voids. High resolution transmission electron microscopy of these voids showed asymmetric division of the cytoplasm in the absence of outer membrane invagination or visible cell wall ingrowth. This uncoupling reveals a novel role for FtsK in linking cell envelope septation events and yields further evidence for FtsK as a critical checkpoint of cell division. The revised topology of FtsKN also provides an important platform for future studies on essential interactions required for this process. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

D-branes and coherent topological charge structure in QCD

Science.gov (United States)

Thacker, Hank

2006-12-01

Monte Carlo studies of pure glue SU(3) gauge theory using the overlap-based topological charge operator have revealed a laminar structure in the QCD vacuum consisting of extended, thin, co- herent, locally 3-dimensional sheets of topological charge embedded in 4D space, with opposite sign sheets interleaved. Studies of localization properties of Dirac eigenmodes have also shown evidence for the delocalization of low-lying modes on effectively 3-dimensional surfaces. In this talk, I review some theoretical ideas which suggest the possibility of 3-dimensionally coherent topological charge structure in 4-dimensional gauge theory and provide a possible interpretation of the observed structure. I begin with Luscher's "Wilson bag" integral over the 3-index Chern- Simons tensor. The analogy with a Wilson loop as a charged world line in 2-dimensional CP N-1 sigma models suggests that the Wilson bag surface represents the world volume of a physical membrane. The large-N chiral Lagrangian arguments of Witten also indicate the existence of multiple "k-vacuum" states with discontinuous transitions between k-vacua at θ = odd multi- ples of π. The domain walls between these vacua have the properties of a Wilson bag surface. Finally, I review the AdS/CFT duality view of θ dependence in QCD. The dual realtionship be- tween topological charge in gauge theory and Ramond-Ramond charge in type IIA string theory suggests that the coherent topological charge sheets observed on the lattice are the holographic image of wrapped D6 branes.

Three-dimensional topological insulators and bosonization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cappelli, Andrea [INFN, Sezione di Firenze,Via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino - Firenze (Italy); Randellini, Enrico [INFN, Sezione di Firenze,Via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino - Firenze (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Firenze,Via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino - Firenze (Italy); Sisti, Jacopo [Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA),Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste (Italy)

2017-05-25

Massless excitations at the surface of three-dimensional time-reversal invariant topological insulators possess both fermionic and bosonic descriptions, originating from band theory and hydrodynamic BF theory, respectively. We analyze the corresponding field theories of the Dirac fermion and compactified boson and compute their partition functions on the three-dimensional torus geometry. We then find some non-dynamic exact properties of bosonization in (2+1) dimensions, regarding fermion parity and spin sectors. Using these results, we extend the Fu-Kane-Mele stability argument to fractional topological insulators in three dimensions.

Low energy electronic scattering processes in the topological Weyl semimetal TaAs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muellner, Silvia; Lemmens, Peter [IPKM, TU-BS, Braunschweig (Germany); Gnezdilov, Vladimir [IPKM, TU-BS, Braunschweig (Germany); ILTPE NAS (Ukraine); Sankar, Raman; Chou, Fangcheng [CCMS, National Taiwan Univ., Taipei (China)

2016-07-01

The topological Weyl semimetal TaAs shows Weyl points as well as topological surface states (Fermi arcs) intimately related to symmetry and strong spin orbit interaction. We find evidence for a low energy maximum in the scattering intensity that is compatible with electronic correlations in a collision dominated regime. We compare our observations with topological insulators.

Spin-related tunneling through a nanostructured electric-magnetic barrier on the surface of a topological insulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhenhua; Li, Jun

2012-01-27

We investigate quantum tunneling through a single electric and/or magnetic barrier on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator. We found that (1) the propagating behavior of electrons in such system exhibits a strong dependence on the direction of the incident electron wavevector and incident energy, giving the possibility to construct a wave vector and/or energy filter; (2) the spin orientation can be tuned by changing the magnetic barrier structure as well as the incident angles and energies.PACS numbers: 72.25.Dc; 73.20.-r; 73.23.-b; 75.70.-i.

Experimental demonstration of anomalous Floquet topological insulator for sound

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yu-Gui; Qin, Cheng-Zhi; Zhao, De-Gang; Shen, Ya-Xi; Xu, Xiang-Yuan; Bao, Ming; Jia, Han; Zhu, Xue-Feng

2016-11-01

Time-reversal invariant topological insulator is widely recognized as one of the fundamental discoveries in condensed matter physics, for which the most fascinating hallmark is perhaps a spin-based topological protection, the absence of scattering of conduction electrons with certain spins on matter surface. Recently, it has created a paradigm shift for topological insulators, from electronics to photonics, phononics and mechanics as well, bringing about not only involved new physics but also potential applications in robust wave transport. Despite the growing interests in topologically protected acoustic wave transport, T-invariant acoustic topological insulator has not yet been achieved. Here we report experimental demonstration of anomalous Floquet topological insulator for sound: a strongly coupled metamaterial ring lattice that supports one-way propagation of pseudo-spin-dependent edge states under T-symmetry. We also demonstrate the formation of pseudo-spin-dependent interface states due to lattice dislocations and investigate the properties of pass band and band gap states.

General topology

CERN Document Server

Willard, Stephen

2004-01-01

Among the best available reference introductions to general topology, this volume is appropriate for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. Its treatment encompasses two broad areas of topology: ""continuous topology,"" represented by sections on convergence, compactness, metrization and complete metric spaces, uniform spaces, and function spaces; and ""geometric topology,"" covered by nine sections on connectivity properties, topological characterization theorems, and homotopy theory. Many standard spaces are introduced in the related problems that accompany each section (340

Analysis of Membrane Protein Topology in the Plant Secretory Pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jinya; Miao, Yansong; Cai, Yi

2017-01-01

Topology of membrane proteins provides important information for the understanding of protein function and intermolecular associations. Integrate membrane proteins are generally transported from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi and downstream compartments in the plant secretory pathway. Here, we describe a simple method to study membrane protein topology along the plant secretory pathway by transiently coexpressing a fluorescent protein (XFP)-tagged membrane protein and an ER export inhibitor protein, ARF1 (T31N), in tobacco BY-2 protoplast. By fractionation, microsome isolation, and trypsin digestion, membrane protein topology could be easily detected by either direct confocal microscopy imaging or western-blot analysis using specific XFP antibodies. A similar strategy in determining membrane protein topology could be widely adopted and applied to protein analysis in a broad range of eukaryotic systems, including yeast cells and mammalian cells.

Comparing topological charge definitions using topology fixing actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruckmann, Falk; Gruber, Florian; Jansen, Karl; Marinkovic, Marina; Urbach, Carsten; Wagner, Marc

2009-05-01

We investigate both the hyperbolic action and the determinant ratio action designed to fix the topological charge on the lattice. We show to what extent topology is fixed depending on the parameters of these actions, keeping the physical situation fixed. At the same time the agreement between different definitions of topological charge - the field theoretic and the index definition - is directly correlated to the degree topology is fixed. Moreover, it turns out that the two definitions agree very well. We also study finite volume effects arising in the static potential and related quantities due to topology fixing. (orig.)

Topology Optimization - Engineering Contribution to Architectural Design

Science.gov (United States)

Tajs-Zielińska, Katarzyna; Bochenek, Bogdan

2017-10-01

The idea of the topology optimization is to find within a considered design domain the distribution of material that is optimal in some sense. Material, during optimization process, is redistributed and parts that are not necessary from objective point of view are removed. The result is a solid/void structure, for which an objective function is minimized. This paper presents an application of topology optimization to multi-material structures. The design domain defined by shape of a structure is divided into sub-regions, for which different materials are assigned. During design process material is relocated, but only within selected region. The proposed idea has been inspired by architectural designs like multi-material facades of buildings. The effectiveness of topology optimization is determined by proper choice of numerical optimization algorithm. This paper utilises very efficient heuristic method called Cellular Automata. Cellular Automata are mathematical, discrete idealization of a physical systems. Engineering implementation of Cellular Automata requires decomposition of the design domain into a uniform lattice of cells. It is assumed, that the interaction between cells takes place only within the neighbouring cells. The interaction is governed by simple, local update rules, which are based on heuristics or physical laws. The numerical studies show, that this method can be attractive alternative to traditional gradient-based algorithms. The proposed approach is evaluated by selected numerical examples of multi-material bridge structures, for which various material configurations are examined. The numerical studies demonstrated a significant influence the material sub-regions location on the final topologies. The influence of assumed volume fraction on final topologies for multi-material structures is also observed and discussed. The results of numerical calculations show, that this approach produces different results as compared with classical one

Topological characterization of antireflective and hydrophobic rough surfaces: are random process theory and fractal modeling applicable?

Science.gov (United States)

Borri, Claudia; Paggi, Marco

2015-02-01

The random process theory (RPT) has been widely applied to predict the joint probability distribution functions (PDFs) of asperity heights and curvatures of rough surfaces. A check of the predictions of RPT against the actual statistics of numerically generated random fractal surfaces and of real rough surfaces has been only partially undertaken. The present experimental and numerical study provides a deep critical comparison on this matter, providing some insight into the capabilities and limitations in applying RPT and fractal modeling to antireflective and hydrophobic rough surfaces, two important types of textured surfaces. A multi-resolution experimental campaign using a confocal profilometer with different lenses is carried out and a comprehensive software for the statistical description of rough surfaces is developed. It is found that the topology of the analyzed textured surfaces cannot be fully described according to RPT and fractal modeling. The following complexities emerge: (i) the presence of cut-offs or bi-fractality in the power-law power-spectral density (PSD) functions; (ii) a more pronounced shift of the PSD by changing resolution as compared to what was expected from fractal modeling; (iii) inaccuracy of the RPT in describing the joint PDFs of asperity heights and curvatures of textured surfaces; (iv) lack of resolution-invariance of joint PDFs of textured surfaces in case of special surface treatments, not accounted for by fractal modeling.

Power conditioning system topology for grid integration of wind and fuell cell energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marian GAICEANU

2006-12-01

Full Text Available This paper shows the topology of the hybrid grid-connected power system and the performances of the front-end three-phase power inverter. The renewable sources of the hybrid power system consist of a solid oxide fuel cell and a wind-turbine. This type of combination is the most efficient one. The proposed topology benefits of the one common DC-AC inverter which injects the generated power into the grid. The architecture diminishes the cost of the power conditioning system. Moreover, due to the power balance control of the entire power conditioning system the bulk dc link electrolytic capacitor is replaced with a small plastic film one. The final power conditioning system has the following advantages: independent control of the reactive power, minimize harmonic current distortion offering a nearly unity power factor operation (0,998 operation capability, dc link voltage regulation (up to 5% ripple in the dc-link voltage in any operated conditions, fast disturbance compensation capability, high reliability, and low cost. The experimental test has been performed and the performances of the grid power inverter are shown.

Topological and trivial magnetic oscillations in nodal loop semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

Oroszlány, László; Dóra, Balázs; Cserti, József; Cortijo, Alberto

2018-05-01

Nodal loop semimetals are close descendants of Weyl semimetals and possess a topologically dressed band structure. We argue by combining the conventional theory of magnetic oscillation with topological arguments that nodal loop semimetals host coexisting topological and trivial magnetic oscillations. These originate from mapping the topological properties of the extremal Fermi surface cross sections onto the physics of two dimensional semi-Dirac systems, stemming from merging two massless Dirac cones. By tuning the chemical potential and the direction of magnetic field, a sharp transition is identified from purely trivial oscillations, arising from the Landau levels of a normal two dimensional (2D) electron gas, to a phase where oscillations of topological and trivial origin coexist, originating from 2D massless Dirac and semi-Dirac points, respectively. These could in principle be directly identified in current experiments.

Weak antilocalization effect and noncentrosymmetric superconductivity in a topologically nontrivial semimetal LuPdBi

KAUST Repository

Xu, Guizhou; Wang, Wenhong; Zhang, Xiaoming; Du, Yin; Liu, Enke; Wang, Shouguo; Wu, Guangheng; Liu, Zhongyuan; Zhang, Xixiang

2014-01-01

A large number of half-Heusler compounds have been recently proposed as three-dimensional (3D) topological insulators (TIs) with tunable physical properties. However, no transport measurements associated with the topological surface states have been observed in these half-Heusler candidates due to the dominating contribution from bulk electrical conductance. Here we show that, by reducing the mobility of bulk carriers, a two-dimensional (2D) weak antilocalization (WAL) effect, one of the hallmarks of topological surface states, was experimentally revealed from the tilted magnetic field dependence of magnetoconductance in a topologically nontrivial semimetal LuPdBi. Besides the observation of a 2D WAL effect, a superconducting transition was revealed at T c ∼ 1.7â.K in the same bulk LuPdBi. Quantitative analysis within the framework of a generalized BCS theory leads to the conclusion that the noncentrosymmetric superconductivity of LuPdBi is fully gapped with a possibly unconventional pairing character. The co-existence of superconductivity and the transport signature of topological surface states in the same bulk alloy suggests that LuPdBi represents a very promising candidate as a topological superconductor.

Weak antilocalization effect and noncentrosymmetric superconductivity in a topologically nontrivial semimetal LuPdBi

KAUST Repository

Xu, Guizhou

2014-07-21

A large number of half-Heusler compounds have been recently proposed as three-dimensional (3D) topological insulators (TIs) with tunable physical properties. However, no transport measurements associated with the topological surface states have been observed in these half-Heusler candidates due to the dominating contribution from bulk electrical conductance. Here we show that, by reducing the mobility of bulk carriers, a two-dimensional (2D) weak antilocalization (WAL) effect, one of the hallmarks of topological surface states, was experimentally revealed from the tilted magnetic field dependence of magnetoconductance in a topologically nontrivial semimetal LuPdBi. Besides the observation of a 2D WAL effect, a superconducting transition was revealed at T c ∼ 1.7â.K in the same bulk LuPdBi. Quantitative analysis within the framework of a generalized BCS theory leads to the conclusion that the noncentrosymmetric superconductivity of LuPdBi is fully gapped with a possibly unconventional pairing character. The co-existence of superconductivity and the transport signature of topological surface states in the same bulk alloy suggests that LuPdBi represents a very promising candidate as a topological superconductor.

Spin-transfer torque generated by a topological insulator

KAUST Repository

Mellnik, A. R.

2014-07-23

Magnetic devices are a leading contender for the implementation of memory and logic technologies that are non-volatile, that can scale to high density and high speed, and that do not wear out. However, widespread application of magnetic memory and logic devices will require the development of efficient mechanisms for reorienting their magnetization using the least possible current and power. There has been considerable recent progress in this effort; in particular, it has been discovered that spin-orbit interactions in heavy-metal/ferromagnet bilayers can produce strong current-driven torques on the magnetic layer, via the spin Hall effect in the heavy metal or the Rashba-Edelstein effect in the ferromagnet. In the search for materials to provide even more efficient spin-orbit-induced torques, some proposals have suggested topological insulators, which possess a surface state in which the effects of spin-orbit coupling are maximal in the sense that an electron\\' s spin orientation is fixed relative to its propagation direction. Here we report experiments showing that charge current flowing in-plane in a thin film of the topological insulator bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) at room temperature can indeed exert a strong spin-transfer torque on an adjacent ferromagnetic permalloy (Ni81Fe19) thin film, with a direction consistent with that expected from the topological surface state. We find that the strength of the torque per unit charge current density in Bi 2Se3 is greater than for any source of spin-transfer torque measured so far, even for non-ideal topological insulator films in which the surface states coexist with bulk conduction. Our data suggest that topological insulators could enable very efficient electrical manipulation of magnetic materials at room temperature, for memory and logic applications. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Evidence of topological insulator state in the semimetal LaBi

Science.gov (United States)

Lou, R.; Fu, B.-B.; Xu, Q. N.; Guo, P.-J.; Kong, L.-Y.; Zeng, L.-K.; Ma, J.-Z.; Richard, P.; Fang, C.; Huang, Y.-B.; Sun, S.-S.; Wang, Q.; Wang, L.; Shi, Y.-G.; Lei, H. C.; Liu, K.; Weng, H. M.; Qian, T.; Ding, H.; Wang, S.-C.

2017-03-01

By employing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy combined with first-principles calculations, we performed a systematic investigation on the electronic structure of LaBi, which exhibits extremely large magnetoresistance (XMR), and is theoretically predicted to possess band anticrossing with nontrivial topological properties. Here, the observations of the Fermi-surface topology and band dispersions are similar to previous studies on LaSb [L.-K. Zeng, R. Lou, D.-S. Wu, Q. N. Xu, P.-J. Guo, L.-Y. Kong, Y.-G. Zhong, J.-Z. Ma, B.-B. Fu, P. Richard, P. Wang, G. T. Liu, L. Lu, Y.-B. Huang, C. Fang, S.-S. Sun, Q. Wang, L. Wang, Y.-G. Shi, H. M. Weng, H.-C. Lei, K. Liu, S.-C. Wang, T. Qian, J.-L. Luo, and H. Ding, Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 127204 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.127204], a topologically trivial XMR semimetal, except the existence of a band inversion along the Γ -X direction, with one massless and one gapped Dirac-like surface state at the X and Γ points, respectively. The odd number of massless Dirac cones suggests that LaBi is analogous to the time-reversal Z2 nontrivial topological insulator. These findings open up a new series for exploring novel topological states and investigating their evolution from the perspective of topological phase transition within the family of rare-earth monopnictides.

Topological crystalline superconductivity and second-order topological superconductivity in nodal-loop materials

Science.gov (United States)

Shapourian, Hassan; Wang, Yuxuan; Ryu, Shinsei

2018-03-01

We study the intrinsic fully gapped odd-parity superconducting order in doped nodal-loop materials with a torus-shaped Fermi surface. We show that the mirror symmetry, which protects the nodal loop in the normal state, also protects the superconducting state as a topological crystalline superconductor. As a result, the surfaces preserving the mirror symmetry host gapless Majorana cones. Moreover, for a Weyl-loop system (twofold degenerate at the nodal loop), the surfaces that break the mirror symmetry (those parallel to the bulk nodal loop) contribute a Chern (winding) number to the quasi-two-dimensional system in a slab geometry, which leads to a quantized thermal Hall effect and a single Majorana zero mode bound at a vortex line penetrating the system. This Chern number can be viewed as a higher-order topological invariant, which supports hinge modes in a cubic sample when mirror symmetry is broken. For a Dirac-loop system (fourfold degenerate at the nodal loop), the fully gapped odd-parity state can be either time-reversal symmetry-breaking or symmetric, similar to the A and B phases of 3He. In a slab geometry, the A phase has a Chern number two, while the B phase carries a nontrivial Z2 invariant. We discuss the experimental relevance of our results to nodal-loop materials such as CaAgAs.

Particle-vortex duality in topological insulators and superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murugan, Jeff [The Laboratory for Quantum Gravity & Strings, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Cape Town,Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7700 (South Africa); School of Natural Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study, Olden Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540 (United States); Nastase, Horatiu [Instituto de Física Teórica, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista,R. Dr. Bento T. Ferraz 271, Bl. II, Sao Paulo 01140-070, SP (Brazil)

2017-05-31

We investigate the origins and implications of the duality between topological insulators and topological superconductors in three and four spacetime dimensions. In the latter, the duality transformation can be made at the level of the path integral in the standard way, while in three dimensions, it takes the form of “self-duality in odd dimensions'. In this sense, it is closely related to the particle-vortex duality of planar systems. In particular, we use this to elaborate on Son’s conjecture that a three dimensional Dirac fermion that can be thought of as the surface mode of a four dimensional topological insulator is dual to a composite fermion.

Topology-function conservation in protein-protein interaction networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Darren; Yaveroğlu, Ömer Nebil; Malod-Dognin, Noël; Stojmirovic, Aleksandar; Pržulj, Nataša

2015-05-15

Proteins underlay the functioning of a cell and the wiring of proteins in protein-protein interaction network (PIN) relates to their biological functions. Proteins with similar wiring in the PIN (topology around them) have been shown to have similar functions. This property has been successfully exploited for predicting protein functions. Topological similarity is also used to guide network alignment algorithms that find similarly wired proteins between PINs of different species; these similarities are used to transfer annotation across PINs, e.g. from model organisms to human. To refine these functional predictions and annotation transfers, we need to gain insight into the variability of the topology-function relationships. For example, a function may be significantly associated with specific topologies, while another function may be weakly associated with several different topologies. Also, the topology-function relationships may differ between different species. To improve our understanding of topology-function relationships and of their conservation among species, we develop a statistical framework that is built upon canonical correlation analysis. Using the graphlet degrees to represent the wiring around proteins in PINs and gene ontology (GO) annotations to describe their functions, our framework: (i) characterizes statistically significant topology-function relationships in a given species, and (ii) uncovers the functions that have conserved topology in PINs of different species, which we term topologically orthologous functions. We apply our framework to PINs of yeast and human, identifying seven biological process and two cellular component GO terms to be topologically orthologous for the two organisms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Topological semimetal in honeycomb lattice LnSI

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Simin; Xu, Gang; Prinz, Fritz B.; Zhang, Shou-cheng

2017-10-01

Recognized as elementary particles in the standard model, Weyl fermions in condensed matter have received growing attention. However, most of the previously reported Weyl semimetals exhibit rather complicated electronic structures that, in turn, may have raised questions regarding the underlying physics. Here, we report promising topological phases that can be realized in specific honeycomb lattices, including ideal Weyl semimetal structures, 3D strong topological insulators, and nodal-line semimetal configurations. In particular, we highlight a semimetal featuring both Weyl nodes and nodal lines. Guided by this model, we showed that GdSI, the long-perceived ideal Weyl semimetal, has two pairs of Weyl nodes residing at the Fermi level and that LuSI (YSI) is a 3D strong topological insulator with the right-handed helical surface states. Our work provides a mechanism to study topological semimetals and proposes a platform for exploring the physics of Weyl semimetals as well as related device designs.

Algebraic topology of spin glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koma, Tohru

2011-01-01

We study the topology of frustration in d-dimensional Ising spin glasses with d ≥ 2 with nearest-neighbor interactions. We prove the following. For any given spin configuration, the domain walls on the unfrustration network are all transverse to a frustrated loop on the unfrustration network, where a domain wall is defined to be a connected element of the collection of all the (d - 1)-cells which are dual to the bonds having an unfavorable energy, and the unfrustration network is the collection of all the unfrustrated plaquettes. These domain walls are topologically nontrivial because they are all related to the global frustration of a loop on the unfrustration network. Taking account of the thermal stability for the domain walls, we can explain the numerical results that three- or higher-dimensional systems exhibit a spin glass phase, whereas two-dimensional ones do not. Namely, in two dimensions, the thermal fluctuations of the topologically nontrivial domain walls destroy the order of the frozen spins on the unfrustration network, whereas they do not in three or higher dimensions. This may be interpreted as a global topological effect of the frustrations.

Planck 2013 results. XXVI. Background geometry and topology of the Universe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Planck Collaboration,; Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.

2013-01-01

Planck CMB temperature maps allow us to detect departures from homogeneity and isotropy on the largest scales. We search for topology with a fundamental domain (nearly) intersecting the last scattering surface (comoving distance X_r). For most topologies studied the likelihood maximized over the ...

Quantum phase transitions of a disordered antiferromagnetic topological insulator

Science.gov (United States)

Baireuther, P.; Edge, J. M.; Fulga, I. C.; Beenakker, C. W. J.; Tworzydło, J.

2014-01-01

We study the effect of electrostatic disorder on the conductivity of a three-dimensional antiferromagnetic insulator (a stack of quantum anomalous Hall layers with staggered magnetization). The phase diagram contains regions where the increase of disorder first causes the appearance of surface conduction (via a topological phase transition), followed by the appearance of bulk conduction (via a metal-insulator transition). The conducting surface states are stabilized by an effective time-reversal symmetry that is broken locally by the disorder but restored on long length scales. A simple self-consistent Born approximation reliably locates the boundaries of this so-called "statistical" topological phase.

A Simple Free Surface Tracking Model for Multi-dimensional Two-Fluid Approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seungjun; Yoon, Han Young

2014-01-01

The development in two-phase experiments devoted to find unknown phenomenological relationships modified conventional flow pattern maps into a sophisticated one and even extended to the multi-dimensional usage. However, for a system including a large void fraction gradient, such as a pool with the free surface, the flow patterns varies spatially throughout small number of cells and sometimes results in an unstable and unrealistic prediction of flows at the large gradient void fraction cells. Then, the numerical stability problem arising from the free surface is the major interest in the analyses of a passive cooling pool convecting the decay heat naturally, which has become a design issue to increase the safety level of nuclear reactors recently. In this research, a new and simple free surface tracking method combined with a simplified topology map is presented. The method modified the interfacial drag coefficient only for the cells defined as the free surface. The performance is shown by comparing the natural convection analysis of a small scale pool with respect to single- and two-phase condition. A simple free surface tracking model with a simplified topology map is developed

Two Topologically Distinct Dirac-Line Semimetal Phases and Topological Phase Transitions in Rhombohedrally Stacked Honeycomb Lattices

Science.gov (United States)

Hyart, T.; Ojajärvi, R.; Heikkilä, T. T.

2018-04-01

Three-dimensional topological semimetals can support band crossings along one-dimensional curves in the momentum space (nodal lines or Dirac lines) protected by structural symmetries and topology. We consider rhombohedrally (ABC) stacked honeycomb lattices supporting Dirac lines protected by time-reversal, inversion and spin rotation symmetries. For typical band structure parameters there exists a pair of nodal lines in the momentum space extending through the whole Brillouin zone in the stacking direction. We show that these Dirac lines are topologically distinct from the usual Dirac lines which form closed loops inside the Brillouin zone. In particular, an energy gap can be opened only by first merging the Dirac lines going through the Brillouin zone in a pairwise manner so that they turn into closed loops inside the Brillouin zone, and then by shrinking these loops into points. We show that this kind of topological phase transition can occur in rhombohedrally stacked honeycomb lattices by tuning the ratio of the tunneling amplitudes in the directions perpendicular and parallel to the layers. We also discuss the properties of the surface states in the different phases of the model.

Countable Fuzzy Topological Space and Countable Fuzzy Topological Vector Space

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Apu Kumar Saha

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with countable fuzzy topological spaces, a generalization of the notion of fuzzy topological spaces. A collection of fuzzy sets F on a universe X forms a countable fuzzy topology if in the definition of a fuzzy topology, the condition of arbitrary supremum is relaxed to countable supremum. In this generalized fuzzy structure, the continuity of fuzzy functions and some other related properties are studied. Also the class of countable fuzzy topological vector spaces as a generalization of the class of fuzzy topological vector spaces has been introduced and investigated.

Spatially-protected Topology and Group Cohomology in Band Insulators

Science.gov (United States)

Alexandradinata, A.

This thesis investigates band topologies which rely fundamentally on spatial symmetries. A basic geometric property that distinguishes spatial symmetry regards their transformation of the spatial origin. Point groups consist of spatial transformations that preserve the spatial origin, while un-split extensions of the point groups by spatial translations are referred to as nonsymmorphic space groups. The first part of the thesis addresses topological phases with discretely-robust surface properties: we introduce theories for the Cnv point groups, as well as certain nonsymmorphic groups that involve glide reflections. These band insulators admit a powerful characterization through the geometry of quasimomentum space; parallel transport in this space is represented by the Wilson loop. The non-symmorphic topology we study is naturally described by a further extension of the nonsymmorphic space group by quasimomentum translations (the Wilson loop), thus placing real and quasimomentum space on equal footing -- here, we introduce the language of group cohomology into the theory of band insulators. The second part of the thesis addresses topological phases without surface properties -- their only known physical consequences are discrete signatures in parallel transport. We provide two such case studies with spatial-inversion and discrete-rotational symmetries respectively. One lesson learned here regards the choice of parameter loops in which we carry out transport -- the loop must be chosen to exploit the symmetry that protects the topology. While straight loops are popular for their connection with the geometric theory of polarization, we show that bent loops also have utility in topological band theory.

Topological strings on compact Calabi-Yau's

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hollands, Lotte, E-mail: lhollands@science.uva.nl

2007-09-15

Some steps towards solving topological string amplitudes on Calabi-Yau spaces have been taken lately: all-genus amplitudes have been computed for non-compact toric Calabi-Yau threefolds, local Riemann surfaces and K3-fibrations, while progression has been made for the Fermat quintic threefold. However, the building blocks of all-genus topological string amplitudes for general compact Calabi-Yau's remain unknown. We study some aspects of the underlying geometry and discuss difficulties.

Butterfly magnetoresistance, quasi-2D Dirac Fermi surface and topological phase transition in ZrSiS.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Mazhar N; Schoop, Leslie M; Garg, Chirag; Lippmann, Judith M; Lara, Erik; Lotsch, Bettina; Parkin, Stuart S P

2016-12-01

Magnetoresistance (MR), the change of a material's electrical resistance in response to an applied magnetic field, is a technologically important property that has been the topic of intense study for more than a quarter century. We report the observation of an unusual "butterfly"-shaped titanic angular magnetoresistance (AMR) in the nonmagnetic Dirac material, ZrSiS, which we find to be the most conducting sulfide known, with a 2-K resistivity as low as 48(4) nΩ⋅cm. The MR in ZrSiS is large and positive, reaching nearly 1.8 × 10 5 percent at 9 T and 2 K at a 45° angle between the applied current ( I || a ) and the applied field (90° is H || c ). Approaching 90°, a "dip" is seen in the AMR, which, by analyzing Shubnikov de Haas oscillations at different angles, we find to coincide with a very sharp topological phase transition unlike any seen in other known Dirac/Weyl materials. We find that ZrSiS has a combination of two-dimensional (2D) and 3D Dirac pockets comprising its Fermi surface and that the combination of high-mobility carriers and multiple pockets in ZrSiS allows for large property changes to occur as a function of angle between applied fields. This makes it a promising platform to study the physics stemming from the coexistence of 2D and 3D Dirac electrons as well as opens the door to creating devices focused on switching between different parts of the Fermi surface and different topological states.

Lectures on 2d gauge theories. Topological aspects and path integral techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blau, M.; Thompson, G.

1993-10-01

In these lectures are discussed two classes of two-dimensional field theories which are not obviously topological, but which nevertheless exhibit an intriguing equivalence with certain topological theories. These classes are two-dimensional Yang-Mills theory and the so-called G/G gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten model. The aim is to exhibit and extract the topological information contained in these theories and to present a technique which allows to calculate directly their partition functions and topological correlation functions on arbitrary closed surfaces. 34 refs

Chemical Gating of a Weak Topological Insulator: Bi14Rh3I9.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghimire, Madhav Prasad; Richter, Manuel

2017-10-11

The compound Bi 14 Rh 3 I 9 has recently been suggested as a weak three-dimensional topological insulator on the basis of angle-resolved photoemission and scanning-tunneling experiments in combination with density functional (DF) electronic structure calculations. These methods unanimously support the topological character of the headline compound, but a compelling confirmation could only be obtained by dedicated transport experiments. The latter, however, are biased by an intrinsic n-doping of the material's surface due to its polarity. Electronic reconstruction of the polar surface shifts the topological gap below the Fermi energy, which would also prevent any future device application. Here, we report the results of DF slab calculations for chemically gated and counter-doped surfaces of Bi 14 Rh 3 I 9 . We demonstrate that both methods can be used to compensate the surface polarity without closing the electronic gap.

Anomalous resistivity and the evolution of magnetic field topology

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, E. N.

1993-01-01

This paper explores the topological restructuring of a force-free magnetic field caused by the hypothetical sudden onset of a localized region of strong anomalous resistivity. It is shown that the topological complexity increases, with the primitive planar force-free field with straight field lines developing field lines that wrap half a turn around each other, evidently providing a surface of tangential discontinuity in the wraparound region. It is suggested that the topological restructuring contributes to the complexity of the geomagnetic substorm, the aurora, and perhaps some of the flare activity on the sun, or other star, and the Galactic halo.

Classification of crystalline topological semimetals with an application to Na3Bi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, Ching-Kai; Schnyder, Andreas P

2015-01-01

Topological phases can not only be protected by internal symmetries (e.g., time-reversal symmetry), but also by crystalline symmetries, such as reflection or rotation symmetry. Recently a complete topological classification of reflection symmetric insulators, superconductors, nodal semimetals, and nodal superconductors has been established. In this article, after a brief review of the classification of reflection-symmetry-protected semimetals and nodal superconductors, we discuss an example of a three-dimensional topological Dirac semimetal, which exhibits time-reversal symmetry as well as reflection and rotation symmetries. We compute the surface state spectrum of this Dirac semimetal and identify the crystal lattice symmetries that lead to the protection of the surface states. We discuss the implications of our findings for the stability of the Fermi arc surface states of the Dirac material Na 3 Bi. Our analysis suggests that the Fermi arc of Na 3 Bi is gapped except at time-reversal invariant surface momenta, which is in agreement with recent photoemission measurements. (paper)

Unconventional quantum Hall effect in Floquet topological insulators

KAUST Repository

Tahir, M.

2016-07-27

We study an unconventional quantum Hall effect for the surface states of ultrathin Floquet topological insulators in a perpendicular magnetic field. The resulting band structure is modified by photon dressing and the topological property is governed by the low-energy dynamics of a single surface. An exchange of symmetric and antisymmetric surface states occurs by reversing the lights polarization. We find a novel quantum Hall state in which the zeroth Landau level undergoes a phase transition from a trivial insulator state, with Hall conductivity αyx = 0 at zero Fermi energy, to a Hall insulator state with αyx = e2/2h. These findings open new possibilities for experimentally realizing nontrivial quantum states and unusual quantum Hall plateaus at (±1/2,±3/2,±5/2, ...)e2/h. © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK.

Unconventional quantum Hall effect in Floquet topological insulators

KAUST Repository

Tahir, M.; Vasilopoulos, P.; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo

2016-01-01

We study an unconventional quantum Hall effect for the surface states of ultrathin Floquet topological insulators in a perpendicular magnetic field. The resulting band structure is modified by photon dressing and the topological property is governed by the low-energy dynamics of a single surface. An exchange of symmetric and antisymmetric surface states occurs by reversing the lights polarization. We find a novel quantum Hall state in which the zeroth Landau level undergoes a phase transition from a trivial insulator state, with Hall conductivity αyx = 0 at zero Fermi energy, to a Hall insulator state with αyx = e2/2h. These findings open new possibilities for experimentally realizing nontrivial quantum states and unusual quantum Hall plateaus at (±1/2,±3/2,±5/2, ...)e2/h. © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK.

Integrable topological billiards and equivalent dynamical systems

Science.gov (United States)

Vedyushkina, V. V.; Fomenko, A. T.

2017-08-01

We consider several topological integrable billiards and prove that they are Liouville equivalent to many systems of rigid body dynamics. The proof uses the Fomenko-Zieschang theory of invariants of integrable systems. We study billiards bounded by arcs of confocal quadrics and their generalizations, generalized billiards, where the motion occurs on a locally planar surface obtained by gluing several planar domains isometrically along their boundaries, which are arcs of confocal quadrics. We describe two new classes of integrable billiards bounded by arcs of confocal quadrics, namely, non-compact billiards and generalized billiards obtained by gluing planar billiards along non-convex parts of their boundaries. We completely classify non-compact billiards bounded by arcs of confocal quadrics and study their topology using the Fomenko invariants that describe the bifurcations of singular leaves of the additional integral. We study the topology of isoenergy surfaces for some non-convex generalized billiards. It turns out that they possess exotic Liouville foliations: the integral trajectories of the billiard that lie on some singular leaves admit no continuous extension. Such billiards appear to be leafwise equivalent to billiards bounded by arcs of confocal quadrics in the Minkowski metric.

Particles with changeable topology in nematic colloids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravnik, Miha; Čopar, Simon; Žumer, Slobodan

2015-01-01

We show that nematic colloids can serve as a highly variable and controllable platform for studying inclusions with changeable topology and their effects on the surrounding ordering fields. We explore morphing of toroidal and knotted colloidal particles into effective spheres, distinctively changing their Euler characteristic and affecting the surrounding nematic field, including topological defect structures. With toroidal particles, the inner nematic defect eventually transitions from a wide loop to a point defect (a small loop). Trefoil particles become linked with two knotted defect loops, mutually forming a three component link, that upon tightening transform into a two-component particle-defect loop link. For more detailed topological analysis, Pontryagin-Thom surfaces are calculated and visualised, indicating an interesting cascade of defect rewirings caused by the shape morphing of the knotted particles. (paper)

Interfacial Dirac cones from alternating topological invariant superlattice structures of Bi2Se3.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Jung-Hwan; Jin, Hosub; Freeman, Arthur J

2010-08-27

When the three-dimensional topological insulators Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 have an interface with vacuum, i.e., a surface, they show remarkable features such as topologically protected and spin-momentum locked surface states. However, for practical applications, one often requires multiple interfaces or channels rather than a single surface. Here, for the first time, we show that an interfacial and ideal Dirac cone is realized by alternating band and topological insulators. The multichannel Dirac fermions from the superlattice structures open a new way for applications such as thermoelectric and spintronics devices. Indeed, utilizing the interfacial Dirac fermions, we also demonstrate the possible power factor improvement for thermoelectric applications.

Spatial potential ripples of azimuthal surface modes in topological insulator Bi2Te3 nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz Rojo, Miguel; Zhang, Yingjie; Manzano, Cristina V; Alvaro, Raquel; Gooth, Johannes; Salmeron, Miquel; Martin-Gonzalez, Marisol

2016-01-11

Topological insulators (TI) nanowires (NW) are an emerging class of structures, promising both novel quantum effects and potential applications in low-power electronics, thermoelectrics and spintronics. However, investigating the electronic states of TI NWs is complicated, due to their small lateral size, especially at room temperature. Here, we perform scanning probe based nanoscale imaging to resolve the local surface potential landscapes of Bi2Te3 nanowires (NWs) at 300 K. We found equipotential rings around the NWs perimeter that we attribute to azimuthal 1D modes. Along the NW axis, these modes are altered, forming potential ripples in the local density of states, due to intrinsic disturbances. Potential mapping of electrically biased NWs enabled us to accurately determine their conductivity which was found to increase with the decrease of NW diameter, consistent with surface dominated transport. Our results demonstrate that TI NWs can pave the way to both exotic quantum states and novel electronic devices.

Enquiry into the Topology of Plasma Membrane-Localized PIN Auxin Transport Components.

Science.gov (United States)

Nodzyński, Tomasz; Vanneste, Steffen; Zwiewka, Marta; Pernisová, Markéta; Hejátko, Jan; Friml, Jiří

2016-11-07

Auxin directs plant ontogenesis via differential accumulation within tissues depending largely on the activity of PIN proteins that mediate auxin efflux from cells and its directional cell-to-cell transport. Regardless of the developmental importance of PINs, the structure of these transporters is poorly characterized. Here, we present experimental data concerning protein topology of plasma membrane-localized PINs. Utilizing approaches based on pH-dependent quenching of fluorescent reporters combined with immunolocalization techniques, we mapped the membrane topology of PINs and further cross-validated our results using available topology modeling software. We delineated the topology of PIN1 with two transmembrane (TM) bundles of five α-helices linked by a large intracellular loop and a C-terminus positioned outside the cytoplasm. Using constraints derived from our experimental data, we also provide an updated position of helical regions generating a verisimilitude model of PIN1. Since the canonical long PINs show a high degree of conservation in TM domains and auxin transport capacity has been demonstrated for Arabidopsis representatives of this group, this empirically enhanced topological model of PIN1 will be an important starting point for further studies on PIN structure-function relationships. In addition, we have established protocols that can be used to probe the topology of other plasma membrane proteins in plants. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topology topical thoughts on the contemporary landscape

CERN Document Server

Bucher, Annemarie; Körner, Stefan; Krull, Wilhelm; Kühn, Norbert; Kuster, Hansjörg; Lampugnani, Vittorio Magnago; Schäfer, Lothar; Schwartz, Joseph; Seelis, Martin; Seiler, Michael; Stokman, Antje; Tessin, Wulf; Girot, Christophe; Kirchengast, Albert; Freytag, Anette; Richter, Dunja

2014-01-01

How can an abstract term like ""Topology"" become pertinent and effective to landscape thinking today? There is a schism between the way landscape is understood scientifically, either as a normative network or an environmental system, and the way the same place exists emotionally for people. This disparity which prevails in today''s landscape calls for a change of approach, both in terms of action and perception. Topology, in this instance, is not confined to the science of continuous surfaces in mathematics, it can pay greater attention to deeper spatial, physical, poetic and philosophical va

Plasmonics of magnetic and topological graphene-based nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzmin, Dmitry A.; Bychkov, Igor V.; Shavrov, Vladimir G.; Temnov, Vasily V.

2018-02-01

Graphene is a unique material in the study of the fundamental limits of plasmonics. Apart from the ultimate single-layer thickness, its carrier concentration can be tuned by chemical doping or applying an electric field. In this manner, the electrodynamic properties of graphene can be varied from highly conductive to dielectric. Graphene supports strongly confined, propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in a broad spectral range from terahertz to mid-infrared frequencies. It also possesses a strong magneto-optical response and thus provides complimentary architectures to conventional magneto-plasmonics based on magneto-optically active metals or dielectrics. Despite a large number of review articles devoted to plasmonic properties and applications of graphene, little is known about graphene magneto-plasmonics and topological effects in graphene-based nanostructures, which represent the main subject of this review. We discuss several strategies to enhance plasmonic effects in topologically distinct closed surface landscapes, i.e. graphene nanotubes, cylindrical nanocavities and toroidal nanostructures. A novel phenomenon of the strongly asymmetric SPP propagation on chiral meta-structures and the fundamental relations between structural and plasmonic topological indices are reviewed.

Topological Methods for Visualization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berres, Anne Sabine [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United Stat

2016-04-07

This slide presentation describes basic topological concepts, including topological spaces, homeomorphisms, homotopy, betti numbers. Scalar field topology explores finding topological features and scalar field visualization, and vector field topology explores finding topological features and vector field visualization.

Introduction to topology

CERN Document Server

Gamelin, Theodore W

1999-01-01

A fresh approach to introductory topology, this volume explains nontrivial applications of metric space topology to analysis, clearly establishing their relationship. Also, topics from elementary algebraic topology focus on concrete results with minimal algebraic formalism. The first two chapters consider metric space and point-set topology; the second two, algebraic topological material. 1983 edition. Solutions to Selected Exercises. List of Notations. Index. 51 illustrations.

Formation of Dirac point and the topological surface states inside the strained gap for mixed 3D Hg1-xCdx Te

Science.gov (United States)

Marchewka, Michał

2016-10-01

In this paper the results of the numerical calculation obtained for the three-dimensional (3D) strained Hg1-xCdx Te layers for the x-Cd composition from 0.1 to 0.155 and a different mismatch of the lattice constant are presented. For the investigated region of the Cd composition (x value) the negative energy gap (Eg =Γ8 -Γ6) in the Hg1-xCdx Te is smaller than in the case of pure HgTe which, as it turns out, has a significant influence on the topological surface states (TSS) and the position of the Dirac point. The numerical calculation based on the finite difference method applied for the 8×8 kp model with the in-plane tensile strain for (001) growth oriented structure shows that the Dirac cone inside the induced insulating band gap for non zero of the Cd composition and a bigger strain caused by the bigger lattice mismatch (than for the 3D HgTe TI) can be obtained. It was also shown how different x-Cd compounds move the Dirac cone from the valence band into the band gap. The presented results show that 75 nm wide 3D Hg1-xCdx Te structures with x ≈ 0.155 and 1.6% lattice mismatch make the system a true topological insulator with the dispersion of the topological surface states similar to those ones obtained for the strained CdTe/HgTe QW.

Topological magnon bands in ferromagnetic star lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Owerre, S A

2017-01-01

The experimental observation of topological magnon bands and thermal Hall effect in a kagomé lattice ferromagnet Cu(1–3, bdc) has inspired the search for topological magnon effects in various insulating ferromagnets that lack an inversion center allowing a Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya (DM) spin–orbit interaction. The star lattice (also known as the decorated honeycomb lattice) ferromagnet is an ideal candidate for this purpose because it is a variant of the kagomé lattice with additional links that connect the up-pointing and down-pointing triangles. This gives rise to twice the unit cell of the kagomé lattice, and hence more interesting topological magnon effects. In particular, the triangular bridges on the star lattice can be coupled either ferromagnetically or antiferromagnetically which is not possible on the kagomé lattice ferromagnets. Here, we study DM-induced topological magnon bands, chiral edge modes, and thermal magnon Hall effect on the star lattice ferromagnet in different parameter regimes. The star lattice can also be visualized as the parent material from which topological magnon bands can be realized for the kagomé and honeycomb lattices in some limiting cases. (paper)

Topological magnon bands in ferromagnetic star lattice.

Science.gov (United States)

Owerre, S A

2017-05-10

The experimental observation of topological magnon bands and thermal Hall effect in a kagomé lattice ferromagnet Cu(1-3, bdc) has inspired the search for topological magnon effects in various insulating ferromagnets that lack an inversion center allowing a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) spin-orbit interaction. The star lattice (also known as the decorated honeycomb lattice) ferromagnet is an ideal candidate for this purpose because it is a variant of the kagomé lattice with additional links that connect the up-pointing and down-pointing triangles. This gives rise to twice the unit cell of the kagomé lattice, and hence more interesting topological magnon effects. In particular, the triangular bridges on the star lattice can be coupled either ferromagnetically or antiferromagnetically which is not possible on the kagomé lattice ferromagnets. Here, we study DM-induced topological magnon bands, chiral edge modes, and thermal magnon Hall effect on the star lattice ferromagnet in different parameter regimes. The star lattice can also be visualized as the parent material from which topological magnon bands can be realized for the kagomé and honeycomb lattices in some limiting cases.

Intrinsic conduction through topological surface states of insulating Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} epitaxial thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoefer, Katharina; Becker, Christoph; Rata, Diana; Thalmeier, Peter; Tjeng, Liu Hao [Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden (Germany); Swanson, Jesse [Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden (Germany); University of British Columbia, Vancouver (Canada)

2015-07-01

Topological insulators represent a new state of matter that open up new opportunities to create unique quantum particles. Many exciting experiments have been proposed by theory, yet, the main obstacle for their execution is material quality and cleanliness of the experimental conditions. The presence of tiny amounts of defects in the bulk or contaminants at the surface already mask these phenomena. We present the preparation, structural and spectroscopic characterisation of MBE-grown Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} thin films that are insulating in the bulk. Moreover, temperature dependent four-point-probe resistivity measurements of the Dirac states on surfaces that are intrinsically clean were conducted. The total amount of surface charge carries is in the order of 10{sup 12} cm{sup -2} and mobilities up to 4600 cm{sup 2}/Vs are observed. Importantly, these results are achieved by carrying out the preparation and characterisation all in-situ under ultra-high-vacuum conditions.

Determining the in-plane Fermi surface topology in high Tc superconductors using angle-dependent magnetic quantum oscillations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, N; McDonald, R D

2009-01-01

We propose a quantum oscillation experiment by which the rotation of an underdoped YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x sample about two different axes with respect to the orientation of the magnetic field can be used to infer the shape of the in-plane cross-section of corrugated Fermi surface cylinder(s). Deep corrugations in the Fermi surface are expected to give rise to nodes in the quantum oscillation amplitude that depend on the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic induction B. Because the symmetries of electron and hole cylinders within the Brillouin zone are expected to be very different, the topology can provide essential clues as to the broken symmetry responsible for the observed oscillations. The criterion for the applicability of this method to the cuprate superconductors (as well as other layered metals) is that the difference in quantum oscillation frequency 2ΔF between the maximum (belly) and minimum (neck) extremal cross-sections of the corrugated Fermi surface exceeds |B|. (fast track communication)

Quantum picturalism for topological cluster-state computing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horsman, Clare

2011-01-01

Topological quantum computing (QC) is a way of allowing precise quantum computations to run on noisy and imperfect hardware. One implementation uses surface codes created by forming defects in a highly-entangled cluster state. Such a method of computing is a leading candidate for large-scale QC. However, there has been a lack of sufficiently powerful high-level languages to describe computing in this form without resorting to single-qubit operations, which quickly become prohibitively complex as the system size increases. In this paper, we apply the category-theoretic work of Abramsky and Coecke to the topological cluster-state model of QC to give a high-level graphical language that enables direct translation between quantum processes and physical patterns of measurement in a computer-a 'compiler language'. We give the equivalence between the graphical and topological information flows, and show the applicable rewrite algebra for this computing model. We show that this gives us a native graphical language for the design and analysis of topological quantum algorithms, and finish by discussing the possibilities for automating this process on a large scale.

p-topological Cauchy completions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Wig

1999-01-01

Full Text Available The duality between “regular” and “topological” as convergence space properties extends in a natural way to the more general properties “p-regular” and “p-topological.” Since earlier papers have investigated regular, p-regular, and topological Cauchy completions, we hereby initiate a study of p-topological Cauchy completions. A p-topological Cauchy space has a p-topological completion if and only if it is “cushioned,” meaning that each equivalence class of nonconvergent Cauchy filters contains a smallest filter. For a Cauchy space allowing a p-topological completion, it is shown that a certain class of Reed completions preserve the p-topological property, including the Wyler and Kowalsky completions, which are, respectively, the finest and the coarsest p-topological completions. However, not all p-topological completions are Reed completions. Several extension theorems for p-topological completions are obtained. The most interesting of these states that any Cauchy-continuous map between Cauchy spaces allowing p-topological and p′-topological completions, respectively, can always be extended to a θ-continuous map between any p-topological completion of the first space and any p′-topological completion of the second.

Magneto-photoconductivity of three dimensional topological insulator bismuth telluride

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Bingchen; Eginligil, Mustafa; Yu, Ting

2018-03-01

Magnetic field dependence of the photocurrent in a 3D topological insulator is studied. Among the 3D topological insulators bismuth telluride has unique hexagonal warping and spin texture which has been studied by photoemission, scanning tunnelling microscopy and transport. Here, we report on low temperature magneto-photoconductivity, up to 7 T, of two metallic bismuth telluride topological insulator samples with 68 and 110 nm thicknesses excited by 2.33 eV photon energy along the magnetic field perpendicular to the sample plane. At 4 K, both samples exhibit negative magneto-photoconductance below 4 T, which is as a result of weak-antilocalization of Dirac fermions similar to the previous observations in electrical transport. However the thinner sample shows positive magneto-photoconductance above 4 T. This can be attributed to the coupling of surface states. On the other hand, the thicker sample shows no positive magneto-photoconductance up to 7 T since there is only one surface state at play. By fitting the magneto-photoconductivity data of the thicker sample to the localization formula, we obtain weak antilocalization behaviour at 4, 10, and 20 K, as expected; however, weak localization behaviour at 30 K, which is a sign of surface states masked by bulk states. Also, from the temperature dependence of phase coherence length bulk carrier-carrier interaction is identified separately from the surface states. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish surface states by magneto-photoconductivity at low temperature, even in metallic samples.

Emerging Trends in Topological Insulators and Topological ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

/fulltext/reso/022/08/0787-0800. Keywords. Superconductor, quantum Hall effect, topological insulator, Majorana fermions. Abstract. Topological insulators are new class of materials which arecharacterized by a bulk band gap like ordinary ...

Tumor cell surface proteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennel, S.J.; Braslawsky, G.R.; Flynn, K.; Foote, L.J.; Friedman, E.; Hotchkiss, J.A.; Huang, A.H.L.; Lankford, P.K.

1982-01-01

Cell surface proteins mediate interaction between cells and their environment. Unique tumor cell surface proteins are being identified and quantified in several tumor systems to address the following questions: (i) how do tumor-specific proteins arise during cell transformation; (ii) can these proteins be used as markers of tumor cell distribution in vivo; (iii) can cytotoxic drugs be targeted specifically to tumor cells using antibody; and (iv) can solid state radioimmunoassay of these proteins provide a means to quantify transformation frequencies. A tumor surface protein of 180,000 M/sub r/ (TSP-180) has been identified on cells of several lung carcinomas of BALB/c mice. TSP-180 was not detected on normal lung tissue, embryonic tissue, or other epithelial or sarcoma tumors, but it was found on lung carcinomas of other strains of mice. Considerable amino acid sequence homology exists among TSP-180's from several cell sources, indicating that TSP-180 synthesis is directed by normal cellular genes although it is not expressed in normal cells. The regulation of synthesis of TSP-180 and its relationship to normal cell surface proteins are being studied. Monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to TSP-180 have been developed. The antibodies have been used in immunoaffinity chromatography to isolate TSP-180 from tumor cell sources. This purified tumor antigen was used to immunize rats. Antibody produced by these animals reacted at different sites (epitopes) on the TSP-180 molecule than did the original MoAb. These sera and MoAb from these animals are being used to identify normal cell components related to the TSP-180 molecule

Interaction of adult human neural crest-derived stem cells with a nanoporous titanium surface is sufficient to induce their osteogenic differentiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias Schürmann

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Osteogenic differentiation of various adult stem cell populations such as neural crest-derived stem cells is of great interest in the context of bone regeneration. Ideally, exogenous differentiation should mimic an endogenous differentiation process, which is partly mediated by topological cues. To elucidate the osteoinductive potential of porous substrates with different pore diameters (30 nm, 100 nm, human neural crest-derived stem cells isolated from the inferior nasal turbinate were cultivated on the surface of nanoporous titanium covered membranes without additional chemical or biological osteoinductive cues. As controls, flat titanium without any topological features and osteogenic medium was used. Cultivation of human neural crest-derived stem cells on 30 nm pores resulted in osteogenic differentiation as demonstrated by alkaline phosphatase activity after seven days as well as by calcium deposition after 3 weeks of cultivation. In contrast, cultivation on flat titanium and on membranes equipped with 100 nm pores was not sufficient to induce osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, we demonstrate an increase of osteogenic transcripts including Osterix, Osteocalcin and up-regulation of Integrin β1 and α2 in the 30 nm pore approach only. Thus, transplantation of stem cells pre-cultivated on nanostructured implants might improve the clinical outcome by support of the graft adherence and acceleration of the regeneration process.

Butterfly magnetoresistance, quasi-2D Dirac Fermi surface and topological phase transition in ZrSiS

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Mazhar N.; Schoop, Leslie M.; Garg, Chirag; Lippmann, Judith M.; Lara, Erik; Lotsch, Bettina; Parkin, Stuart S. P.

2016-01-01

Magnetoresistance (MR), the change of a material’s electrical resistance in response to an applied magnetic field, is a technologically important property that has been the topic of intense study for more than a quarter century. We report the observation of an unusual “butterfly”-shaped titanic angular magnetoresistance (AMR) in the nonmagnetic Dirac material, ZrSiS, which we find to be the most conducting sulfide known, with a 2-K resistivity as low as 48(4) nΩ⋅cm. The MR in ZrSiS is large and positive, reaching nearly 1.8 × 105 percent at 9 T and 2 K at a 45° angle between the applied current (I || a) and the applied field (90° is H || c). Approaching 90°, a “dip” is seen in the AMR, which, by analyzing Shubnikov de Haas oscillations at different angles, we find to coincide with a very sharp topological phase transition unlike any seen in other known Dirac/Weyl materials. We find that ZrSiS has a combination of two-dimensional (2D) and 3D Dirac pockets comprising its Fermi surface and that the combination of high-mobility carriers and multiple pockets in ZrSiS allows for large property changes to occur as a function of angle between applied fields. This makes it a promising platform to study the physics stemming from the coexistence of 2D and 3D Dirac electrons as well as opens the door to creating devices focused on switching between different parts of the Fermi surface and different topological states. PMID:28028541

Ferromagnetic-insulators-modulated transport properties on the surface of a topological insulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Jun-Ji; Liao Wen-Hu

2014-01-01

Transport properties on the surface of a topological insulator (TI) under the modulation of a two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnet/ferromagnet junction are investigated by the method of wave function matching. The single ferromagnetic barrier modulated transmission probability is expected to be a periodic function of the polarization angle and the planar rotation angle, that decreases with the strength of the magnetic proximity exchange increasing. However, the transmission probability for the double ferromagnetic insulators modulated n—n junction and n—p junction is not a periodic function of polarization angle nor planar rotation angle, owing to the combined effects of the double ferromagnetic insulators and the barrier potential. Since the energy gap between the conduction band and the valence band is narrowed and widened respectively in ranges of 0 ≤ θ < π/2 and π/2 < θ ≤ π, the transmission probability of the n—n junction first increases rapidly and then decreases slowly with the increase of the magnetic proximity exchange strength. While the transmission probability for the n—p junction demonstrates an opposite trend on the strength of the magnetic proximity exchange because the band gaps contrarily vary. The obtained results may lead to the possible realization of a magnetic/electric switch based on TIs and be useful in further understanding the surface states of TIs

DNA topology and transcription

Science.gov (United States)

Kouzine, Fedor; Levens, David; Baranello, Laura

2014-01-01

Chromatin is a complex assembly that compacts DNA inside the nucleus while providing the necessary level of accessibility to regulatory factors conscripted by cellular signaling systems. In this superstructure, DNA is the subject of mechanical forces applied by variety of molecular motors. Rather than being a rigid stick, DNA possesses dynamic structural variability that could be harnessed during critical steps of genome functioning. The strong relationship between DNA structure and key genomic processes necessitates the study of physical constrains acting on the double helix. Here we provide insight into the source, dynamics, and biology of DNA topological domains in the eukaryotic cells and summarize their possible involvement in gene transcription. We emphasize recent studies that might inspire and impact future experiments on the involvement of DNA topology in cellular functions. PMID:24755522

Independent Study Project, Topic: Topology.

Science.gov (United States)

Notre Dame High School, Easton, PA.

Using this guide and the four popular books noted in it, a student, working independently, will learn about some of the classical ideas and problems of topology: the Meobius strip and Klein bottle, the four color problem, genus of a surface, networks, Euler's formula, and the Jordan Curve Theorem. The unit culminates in a project of the students'…

Topology

CERN Document Server

Manetti, Marco

2015-01-01

This is an introductory textbook on general and algebraic topology, aimed at anyone with a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra. It provides full proofs and includes many examples and exercises. The covered topics include: set theory and cardinal arithmetic; axiom of choice and Zorn's lemma; topological spaces and continuous functions; connectedness and compactness; Alexandrov compactification; quotient topologies; countability and separation axioms; prebasis and Alexander's theorem; the Tychonoff theorem and paracompactness; complete metric spaces and function spaces; Baire spaces; homotopy of maps; the fundamental group; the van Kampen theorem; covering spaces; Brouwer and Borsuk's theorems; free groups and free product of groups; and basic category theory. While it is very concrete at the beginning, abstract concepts are gradually introduced. It is suitable for anyone needing a basic, comprehensive introduction to general and algebraic topology and its applications.

Beginning topology

CERN Document Server

Goodman, Sue E

2009-01-01

Beginning Topology is designed to give undergraduate students a broad notion of the scope of topology in areas of point-set, geometric, combinatorial, differential, and algebraic topology, including an introduction to knot theory. A primary goal is to expose students to some recent research and to get them actively involved in learning. Exercises and open-ended projects are placed throughout the text, making it adaptable to seminar-style classes. The book starts with a chapter introducing the basic concepts of point-set topology, with examples chosen to captivate students' imaginations while i

Topological Gyroscopic Metamaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Nash, Lisa Michelle

Topological materials are generally insulating in their bulk, with protected conducting states on their boundaries that are robust against disorder and perturbation of material property. The existence of these conducting edge states is characterized by an integer topological invariant. Though the phenomenon was first discovered in electronic systems, recent years have shown that topological states exist in classical systems as well. In this thesis we are primarily concerned with the topological properties of gyroscopic materials, which are created by coupling networks of fast-spinning objects. Through a series of simulations, numerical calculations, and experiments, we show that these materials can support topological edge states. We find that edge states in these gyroscopic metamaterials bear the hallmarks of topology related to broken time reversal symmetry: they transmit excitations unidirectionally and are extremely robust against experimental disorder. We also explore requirements for topology by studying several lattice configurations and find that topology emerges naturally in gyroscopic systems.A simple prescription can be used to create many gyroscopic lattices. Though many of our gyroscopic networks are periodic, we explore amorphous point-sets and find that topology also emerges in these networks.

Localizing softness and stress along loops in 3D topological metamaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Baardink, Guido; Souslov, Anton; Paulose, Jayson; Vitelli, Vincenzo

2018-01-01

Topological states can be used to control the mechanical properties of a material along an edge or around a localized defect. The rigidity of elastic networks is characterized by a topological invariant called the polarization; materials with a well-defined uniform polarization display a dramatic range of edge softness depending on the orientation of the polarization relative to the terminating surface. However, in all 3D mechanical metamaterials proposed to date, the topological modes are mixed with bulk soft modes, which organize themselves in Weyl loops. Here, we report the design of a 3D topological metamaterial without Weyl lines and with a uniform polarization that leads to an asymmetry between the number of soft modes on opposing surfaces. We then use this construction to localize topological soft modes in interior regions of the material by including defect lines—dislocation loops—that are unique to three dimensions. We derive a general formula that relates the difference in the number of soft modes and states of self-stress localized along the dislocation loop to the handedness of the vector triad formed by the lattice polarization, Burgers vector, and dislocation-line direction. Our findings suggest a strategy for preprogramming failure and softness localized along lines in 3D, while avoiding extended soft Weyl modes.

Network topology analysis.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kalb, Jeffrey L.; Lee, David S.

2008-01-01

Emerging high-bandwidth, low-latency network technology has made network-based architectures both feasible and potentially desirable for use in satellite payload architectures. The selection of network topology is a critical component when developing these multi-node or multi-point architectures. This study examines network topologies and their effect on overall network performance. Numerous topologies were reviewed against a number of performance, reliability, and cost metrics. This document identifies a handful of good network topologies for satellite applications and the metrics used to justify them as such. Since often multiple topologies will meet the requirements of the satellite payload architecture under development, the choice of network topology is not easy, and in the end the choice of topology is influenced by both the design characteristics and requirements of the overall system and the experience of the developer.

Influence of surface topology and electrostatic potential on water/electrode systems

Science.gov (United States)

Siepmann, J. Ilja; Sprik, Michiel

1995-01-01

We have used the classical molecular dynamics technique to simulate the ordering of a water film adsorbed on an atomic model of a tip of a scanning tunneling microscope approaching a planar metal surface. For this purpose, we have developed a classical model for the water-substrate interactions that solely depends on the coordinates of the particles and does not require the definition of geometrically smooth boundary surfaces or image planes. The model includes both an electrostatic induction for the metal atoms (determined by means of an extended Lagrangian technique) and a site-specific treatment of the water-metal chemisorption. As a validation of the model we have investigated the structure of water monolayers on metal substrates of various topology [the (111), (110), and (100) crystallographic faces] and composition (Pt, Ag, Cu, and Ni), and compared the results to experiments. The modeling of the electrostatic induction is compatible with a finite external potential imposed on the metal. This feature is used to investigate the structural rearrangements of the water bilayer between the pair of scanning tunneling microscope electrodes in response to an applied external voltage difference. We find significant asymmetry in the dependence on the sign of the applied voltage. Another result of the calculation is an estimate of the perturbation to the work function caused by the wetting film. For the conditions typical for operation of a scanning tunneling microscope probe, the change in the work function is found to be comparable to the applied voltage (a few hundred millivolts).

Synaptic connectivity and spatial memory: a topological approach

Science.gov (United States)

Milton, Russell; Babichev, Andrey; Dabaghian, Yuri

2015-03-01

In the hippocampus, a network of place cells generates a cognitive map of space, in which each cell is responsive to a particular area of the environment - its place field. The peak response of each cell and the size of each place field have considerable variability. Experimental evidence suggests that place cells encode a topological map of space that serves as a basis of spatial memory and spatial awareness. Using a computational model based on Persistent Homology Theory we demonstrate that if the parameters of the place cells spiking activity fall inside of the physiological range, the network correctly encodes the topological features of the environment. We next introduce parameters of synaptic connectivity into the model and demonstrate that failures in synapses that detect coincident neuronal activity lead to spatial learning deficiencies similar to the ones that are observed in rodent models of neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, we show that these learning deficiencies may be mitigated by increasing the number of active cells and/or by increasing their firing rate, suggesting the existence of a compensatory mechanism inherent to the cognitive map.

Things Fall Apart: Topology Change From Winding Tachyons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adams, A.

2005-02-04

We argue that closed string tachyons drive two spacetime topology changing transitions--loss of genus in a Riemann surface and separation of a Riemann surface into two components. The tachyons of interest are localized versions of Scherk-Schwarz winding string tachyons arising on Riemann surfaces in regions of moduli space where string-scale tubes develop. Spacetime and world-sheet renormalization group analyses provide strong evidence that the decay of these tachyons removes a portion of the spacetime, splitting the tube into two pieces. We address the fate of the gauge fields and charges lost in the process, generalize it to situations with weak flux backgrounds, and use this process to study the type 0 tachyon, providing further evidence that its decay drives the theory sub-critical. Finally, we discuss the time-dependent dynamics of this topology-changing transition and find that it can occur more efficiently than analogous transitions on extended supersymmetric moduli spaces, which are limited by moduli trapping.

Quantum transport in topological semimetals under magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Hai-Zhou; Shen, Shun-Qing

2017-06-01

Topological semimetals are three-dimensional topological states of matter, in which the conduction and valence bands touch at a finite number of points, i.e., the Weyl nodes. Topological semimetals host paired monopoles and antimonopoles of Berry curvature at the Weyl nodes and topologically protected Fermi arcs at certain surfaces. We review our recent works on quantum transport in topological semimetals, according to the strength of the magnetic field. At weak magnetic fields, there are competitions between the positive magnetoresistivity induced by the weak anti-localization effect and negative magnetoresistivity related to the nontrivial Berry curvature. We propose a fitting formula for the magnetoconductivity of the weak anti-localization. We expect that the weak localization may be induced by inter-valley effects and interaction effect, and occur in double-Weyl semimetals. For the negative magnetoresistance induced by the nontrivial Berry curvature in topological semimetals, we show the dependence of the negative magnetoresistance on the carrier density. At strong magnetic fields, specifically, in the quantum limit, the magnetoconductivity depends on the type and range of the scattering potential of disorder. The high-field positive magnetoconductivity may not be a compelling signature of the chiral anomaly. For long-range Gaussian scattering potential and half filling, the magnetoconductivity can be linear in the quantum limit. A minimal conductivity is found at the Weyl nodes although the density of states vanishes there.

Topology optimization in acoustics and elasto-acoustics via a level-set method

Science.gov (United States)

Desai, J.; Faure, A.; Michailidis, G.; Parry, G.; Estevez, R.

2018-04-01

Optimizing the shape and topology (S&T) of structures to improve their acoustic performance is quite challenging. The exact position of the structural boundary is usually of critical importance, which dictates the use of geometric methods for topology optimization instead of standard density approaches. The goal of the present work is to investigate different possibilities for handling topology optimization problems in acoustics and elasto-acoustics via a level-set method. From a theoretical point of view, we detail two equivalent ways to perform the derivation of surface-dependent terms and propose a smoothing technique for treating problems of boundary conditions optimization. In the numerical part, we examine the importance of the surface-dependent term in the shape derivative, neglected in previous studies found in the literature, on the optimal designs. Moreover, we test different mesh adaptation choices, as well as technical details related to the implicit surface definition in the level-set approach. We present results in two and three-space dimensions.

Quantum coherent transport in SnTe topological crystalline insulator thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assaf, B. A.; Heiman, D. [Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 (United States); Katmis, F.; Moodera, J. S. [Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Department of Physics, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Wei, P. [Department of Physics, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); Satpati, B. [Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064 (India); Zhang, Z. [Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States); Bennett, S. P.; Harris, V. G. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 (United States)

2014-09-08

Topological crystalline insulators (TCI) are unique systems where a band inversion that is protected by crystalline mirror symmetry leads to a multiplicity of topological surface states. Binary SnTe is an attractive lead-free TCI compound; the present work on high-quality thin films provides a route for increasing the mobility and reducing the carrier density of SnTe without chemical doping. Results of quantum coherent magnetotransport measurements reveal a multiplicity of Dirac surface states that are unique to TCI. Modeling of the weak antilocalization shows variations in the extracted number of carrier valleys that reflect the role of coherent intervalley scattering in coupling different Dirac states on the degenerate TCI surface.

Osteoblast response to zirconia surfaces with different topographies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herath, H.M.T.U. [Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya (Sri Lanka); Di Silvio, L. [Guy' s, King' s and St Thomas' Medical and Dental Institute, King' s College London, London SE1 9RT (United Kingdom); Evans, J.R.G., E-mail: j.r.g.evans@ucl.ac.uk [Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ (United Kingdom)

2015-12-01

Zirconia-3 mol% yttria ceramics were prepared with as-sintered, abraded, polished, and porous surfaces in order to explore the attachment, proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast-like cells. After modification, all surfaces were heated to 600 °C to extinguish traces of organic contamination. All surfaces supported cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation but the surfaces with grain boundary grooves or abraded grooves provided conditions for enhanced initial cell attachment. Nevertheless, overall cell proliferation and total DNA were highest on the polished surface. Zirconia sintered at a lower temperature (1300 °C vs. 1450 °C) had open porosity and presented reduced proliferation as assessed by alamarBlue™ assay, possibly because the openness of the pores prevented cells developing a local microenvironment. All cells retained the typical polygonal morphology of osteoblast-like cells with variations attributable to the underlying surface notably alignment along the grooves of the abraded surface. - Highlights: • Biocompatibility of chemically identical, topologically different ZrO{sub 2} was tested. • ZrO{sub 2} promoted cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation and nodule formation. • Proliferation was high on polished ZrO{sub 2} but initial recruitment was high on abraded ZrO{sub 2}. • With open porosity, proliferation was low; cells cannot establish a microenvironment.

Topology optimization of reinforced concrete beams by a spread-over reinforcement model with fixed grid mesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjapon Wethyavivorn

2011-02-01

Full Text Available For this investigation, topology optimization was used as a tool to determine the optimal reinforcement for reinforcedconcrete beam. The topology optimization process was based on a unit finite element cell with layers of concrete and steel.The thickness of the reinforced steel layer of this unit cell was then adjusted when the concrete layer could not carry thetensile or compressive stress. At the same time, unit cells which carried very low stress were eliminated. The process wasperformed iteratively to create a topology of reinforced concrete beam which satisfied design conditions.

Topology of transmembrane channel-like gene 1 protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Labay, Valentina; Weichert, Rachel M; Makishima, Tomoko; Griffith, Andrew J

2010-10-05

Mutations of transmembrane channel-like gene 1 (TMC1) cause hearing loss in humans and mice. TMC1 is the founding member of a family of genes encoding proteins of unknown function that are predicted to contain multiple transmembrane domains. The goal of our study was to define the topology of mouse TMC1 expressed heterologously in tissue culture cells. TMC1 was retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane of five tissue culture cell lines that we tested. We used anti-TMC1 and anti-HA antibodies to probe the topologic orientation of three native epitopes and seven HA epitope tags along full-length TMC1 after selective or complete permeabilization of transfected cells with digitonin or Triton X-100, respectively. TMC1 was present within the ER as an integral membrane protein containing six transmembrane domains and cytosolic N- and C-termini. There is a large cytoplasmic loop, between the fourth and fifth transmembrane domains, with two highly conserved hydrophobic regions that might associate with or penetrate, but do not span, the plasma membrane. Our study is the first to demonstrate that TMC1 is a transmembrane protein. The topologic organization revealed by this study shares some features with that of the shaker-TRP superfamily of ion channels.

Mars: Noachian hydrology by its statistics and topology

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrol, N. A.; Grin, E. A.

1993-01-01

Discrimination between fluvial features generated by surface drainage and subsurface aquifer discharges will provide clues to the understanding of early Mars' climatic history. Our approach is to define the process of formation of the oldest fluvial valleys by statistical and topological analyses. Formation of fluvial valley systems reached its highest statistical concentration during the Noachian Period. Nevertheless, they are a scarce phenomenom in Martian history, localized on the craterized upland, and subject to latitudinal distribution. They occur sparsely on Noachian geological units with a weak distribution density, and appear in reduced isolated surface (around 5 x 10(exp 3)(sq km)), filled by short streams (100-300 km length). Topological analysis of the internal organization of 71 surveyed Noachian fluvial valley networks also provides information on the mechanisms of formation.

A topological multilayer model of the human body.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbeito, Antonio; Painho, Marco; Cabral, Pedro; O'Neill, João

2015-11-04

Geographical information systems deal with spatial databases in which topological models are described with alphanumeric information. Its graphical interfaces implement the multilayer concept and provide powerful interaction tools. In this study, we apply these concepts to the human body creating a representation that would allow an interactive, precise, and detailed anatomical study. A vector surface component of the human body is built using a three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction methodology. This multilayer concept is implemented by associating raster components with the corresponding vector surfaces, which include neighbourhood topology enabling spatial analysis. A root mean square error of 0.18 mm validated the three-dimensional reconstruction technique of internal anatomical structures. The expansion of the identification and the development of a neighbourhood analysis function are the new tools provided in this model.

Gapless Symmetry-Protected Topological Order

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Scaffidi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available We introduce exactly solvable gapless quantum systems in d dimensions that support symmetry-protected topological (SPT edge modes. Our construction leads to long-range entangled, critical points or phases that can be interpreted as critical condensates of domain walls “decorated” with dimension (d-1 SPT systems. Using a combination of field theory and exact lattice results, we argue that such gapless SPT systems have symmetry-protected topological edge modes that can be either gapless or symmetry broken, leading to unusual surface critical properties. Despite the absence of a bulk gap, these edge modes are robust against arbitrary symmetry-preserving local perturbations near the edges. In two dimensions, we construct wave functions that can also be interpreted as unusual quantum critical points with diffusive scaling in the bulk but ballistic edge dynamics.

Topological mechanics: from metamaterials to active matter

Science.gov (United States)

Vitelli, Vincenzo

2015-03-01

Mechanical metamaterials are artificial structures with unusual properties, such as negative Poisson ratio, bistability or tunable acoustic response, which originate in the geometry of their unit cell. At the heart of such unusual behavior is often a mechanism: a motion that does not significantly stretch or compress the links between constituent elements. When activated by motors or external fields, these soft motions become the building blocks of robots and smart materials. In this talk, we discuss topological mechanisms that possess two key properties: (i) their existence cannot be traced to a local imbalance between degrees of freedom and constraints (ii) they are robust against a wide range of structural deformations or changes in material parameters. The continuum elasticity of these mechanical structures is captured by non-linear field theories with a topological boundary term similar to topological insulators and quantum Hall systems. We present several applications of these concepts to the design and experimental realization of 2D and 3D topological structures based on linkages, origami, buckling meta-materials and lastly active media that break time-reversal symmetry.

Discrete gravity as a topological field theorywith light-like curvature defects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wieland, Wolfgang [Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics,31 Caroline Street North, Waterloo, ON N2L 2Y5 (Canada)

2017-05-29

I present a model of discrete gravity as a topological field theory with defects. The theory has no local degrees of freedom and the gravitational field is trivial everywhere except at a number of intersecting null surfaces. At these null surfaces, the gravitational field can be singular, representing a curvature defect propagating at the speed of light. The underlying action is local and it is studied in both its Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulation. The canonically conjugate variables on the null surfaces are a spinor and a spinor-valued two-surface density, which are coupled to a topological field theory for the Lorentz connection in the bulk. I discuss the relevance of the model for non-perturbative approaches to quantum gravity, such as loop quantum gravity, where similar variables have recently appeared as well.

Nonsymmorphic symmetry-protected topological modes in plasmonic nanoribbon lattices

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yong-Liang; Wu, Raymond P. H.; Kumar, Anshuman; Si, Tieyan; Fung, Kin Hung

2018-04-01

Using a dynamic eigenresponse theory, we study the topological edge plasmon modes in dispersive plasmonic lattices constructed by unit cells of multiple nanoribbons. In dipole approximation, the bulk-edge correspondence in the lattices made of dimerized unit cell and one of its square-root daughter with nonsymmorphic symmetry are demonstrated. Calculations with consideration of dynamic long-range effects and retardation are compared to those given by nearest-neighbor approximations. It is shown that nonsymmorphic symmetry opens up two symmetric gaps where versatile topological edge plasmon modes are found. Unprecedented spectral shifts of the edge states with respect to the zero modes due to long-range coupling are found. The proposed ribbon structure is favorable to electrical gating and thus could serve as an on-chip platform for electrically controllable subwavelength edge states at optical wavelengths. Our eigenresponse approach provides a powerful tool for the radiative topological mode analysis in strongly coupled plasmonic lattices.

Topological insulator infrared pseudo-bolometer with polarization sensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Peter Anand

2017-10-25

Topological insulators can be utilized in a new type of infrared photodetector that is intrinsically sensitive to the polarization of incident light and static magnetic fields. The detector isolates single topological insulator surfaces and allows light collection and exposure to static magnetic fields. The wavelength range of interest is between 750 nm and about 100 microns. This detector eliminates the need for external polarization selective optics. Polarization sensitive infrared photodetectors are useful for optoelectronics applications, such as light detection in environments with low visibility in the visible wavelength regime.

A quantized microwave quadrupole insulator with topologically protected corner states

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Christopher W.; Benalcazar, Wladimir A.; Hughes, Taylor L.; Bahl, Gaurav

2018-03-01

The theory of electric polarization in crystals defines the dipole moment of an insulator in terms of a Berry phase (geometric phase) associated with its electronic ground state. This concept not only solves the long-standing puzzle of how to calculate dipole moments in crystals, but also explains topological band structures in insulators and superconductors, including the quantum anomalous Hall insulator and the quantum spin Hall insulator, as well as quantized adiabatic pumping processes. A recent theoretical study has extended the Berry phase framework to also account for higher electric multipole moments, revealing the existence of higher-order topological phases that have not previously been observed. Here we demonstrate experimentally a member of this predicted class of materials—a quantized quadrupole topological insulator—produced using a gigahertz-frequency reconfigurable microwave circuit. We confirm the non-trivial topological phase using spectroscopic measurements and by identifying corner states that result from the bulk topology. In addition, we test the critical prediction that these corner states are protected by the topology of the bulk, and are not due to surface artefacts, by deforming the edges of the crystal lattice from the topological to the trivial regime. Our results provide conclusive evidence of a unique form of robustness against disorder and deformation, which is characteristic of higher-order topological insulators.

Fuzzy topological digital space and digital fuzzy spline of electroencephalography during epileptic seizures

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Mazlina Muzafar; Wahab, Abdul Fatah

2017-08-01

Epilepsy disease occurs because of there is a temporary electrical disturbance in a group of brain cells (nurons). The recording of electrical signals come from the human brain which can be collected from the scalp of the head is called Electroencephalography (EEG). EEG then considered in digital format and in fuzzy form makes it a fuzzy digital space data form. The purpose of research is to identify the area (curve and surface) in fuzzy digital space affected by inside epilepsy seizure in epileptic patient's brain. The main focus for this research is to generalize fuzzy topological digital space, definition and basic operation also the properties by using digital fuzzy set and the operations. By using fuzzy digital space, the theory of digital fuzzy spline can be introduced to replace grid data that has been use previously to get better result. As a result, the flat of EEG can be fuzzy topological digital space and this type of data can be use to interpolate the digital fuzzy spline.

Mechanical Model of Geometric Cell and Topological Algorithm for Cell Dynamics from Single-Cell to Formation of Monolayered Tissues with Pattern

KAUST Repository

Kachalo, Sëma

2015-05-14

Geometric and mechanical properties of individual cells and interactions among neighboring cells are the basis of formation of tissue patterns. Understanding the complex interplay of cells is essential for gaining insight into embryogenesis, tissue development, and other emerging behavior. Here we describe a cell model and an efficient geometric algorithm for studying the dynamic process of tissue formation in 2D (e.g. epithelial tissues). Our approach improves upon previous methods by incorporating properties of individual cells as well as detailed description of the dynamic growth process, with all topological changes accounted for. Cell size, shape, and division plane orientation are modeled realistically. In addition, cell birth, cell growth, cell shrinkage, cell death, cell division, cell collision, and cell rearrangements are now fully accounted for. Different models of cell-cell interactions, such as lateral inhibition during the process of growth, can be studied in detail. Cellular pattern formation for monolayered tissues from arbitrary initial conditions, including that of a single cell, can also be studied in detail. Computational efficiency is achieved through the employment of a special data structure that ensures access to neighboring cells in constant time, without additional space requirement. We have successfully generated tissues consisting of more than 20,000 cells starting from 2 cells within 1 hour. We show that our model can be used to study embryogenesis, tissue fusion, and cell apoptosis. We give detailed study of the classical developmental process of bristle formation on the epidermis of D. melanogaster and the fundamental problem of homeostatic size control in epithelial tissues. Simulation results reveal significant roles of solubility of secreted factors in both the bristle formation and the homeostatic control of tissue size. Our method can be used to study broad problems in monolayered tissue formation. Our software is publicly

Optical transitions in two-dimensional topological insulators with point defects

Science.gov (United States)

Sablikov, Vladimir A.; Sukhanov, Aleksei A.

2016-12-01

Nontrivial properties of electronic states in topological insulators are inherent not only to the surface and boundary states, but to bound states localized at structure defects as well. We clarify how the unusual properties of the defect-induced bound states are manifested in optical absorption spectra in two-dimensional topological insulators. The calculations are carried out for defects with short-range potential. We find that the defects give rise to the appearance of specific features in the absorption spectrum, which are an inherent property of topological insulators. They have the form of two or three absorption peaks that are due to intracenter transitions between electron-like and hole-like bound states.

Charge and spin transport in edge channels of a ν=0 quantum Hall system on the surface of topological insulators.

Science.gov (United States)

Morimoto, Takahiro; Furusaki, Akira; Nagaosa, Naoto

2015-04-10

Three-dimensional topological insulators of finite thickness can show the quantum Hall effect (QHE) at the filling factor ν=0 under an external magnetic field if there is a finite potential difference between the top and bottom surfaces. We calculate energy spectra of surface Weyl fermions in the ν=0 QHE and find that gapped edge states with helical spin structure are formed from Weyl fermions on the side surfaces under certain conditions. These edge channels account for the nonlocal charge transport in the ν=0 QHE which is observed in a recent experiment on (Bi_{1-x}Sb_{x})_{2}Te_{3} films. The edge channels also support spin transport due to the spin-momentum locking. We propose an experimental setup to observe various spintronics functions such as spin transport and spin conversion.

Hidden landscapes in thin film topological insulators: between order and disorder, 2D and 3D, normal and topological phases

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Seongshik

Topological insulator (TI) is one of the rare systems in the history of condensed matter physics that is initiated by theories and followed by experiments. Although this theory-driven advance helped move the field quite fast despite its short history, apparently there exist significant gaps between theories and experiments. Many of these discrepancies originate from the very fact that the worlds readily accessible to theories are often far from the real worlds that are available in experiments. For example, the very paradigm of topological protection of the surface states on Z2 TIs such as Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, Sb2Te3, etc, is in fact valid only if the sample size is infinite and the crystal momentum is well-defined in all three dimensions. On the other hand, many widely studied forms of TIs such as thin films and nano-wires have significant confinement in one or more of the dimensions with varying level of disorders. In other words, many of the real world topological systems have some important parameters that are not readily captured by theories, and thus it is often questionable how far the topological theories are valid to real systems. Interestingly, it turns out that this very uncertainty of the theories provides additional control knobs that allow us to explore hidden topological territories. In this talk, I will discuss how these additional knobs in thin film topological insulators reveal surprising, at times beautiful, landscapes at the boundaries between order and disorder, 2D and 3D, normal and topological phases. This work is supported by Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's EPiQS Initiative (GBMF4418).

Combined shape and topology optimization for minimization of maximal von Mises stress

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lian, Haojie; Christiansen, Asger Nyman; Tortorelli, Daniel A.

2017-01-01

This work shows that a combined shape and topology optimization method can produce optimal 2D designs with minimal stress subject to a volume constraint. The method represents the surface explicitly and discretizes the domain into a simplicial complex which adapts both structural shape and topology....... By performing repeated topology and shape optimizations and adaptive mesh updates, we can minimize the maximum von Mises stress using the p-norm stress measure with p-values as high as 30, provided that the stress is calculated with sufficient accuracy....

Topological Aspects of Information Retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Egghe, Leo; Rousseau, Ronald

1998-01-01

Discusses topological aspects of theoretical information retrieval, including retrieval topology; similarity topology; pseudo-metric topology; document spaces as topological spaces; Boolean information retrieval as a subsystem of any topological system; and proofs of theorems. (LRW)

Quantum and classical contributions to linear magnetoresistance in topological insulator thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Sourabh; Gopal, R. K.; Sarkar, Jit; Mitra, Chiranjib

2016-01-01

Three dimensional topological insulators possess backscattering immune relativistic Dirac fermions on their surface due to nontrivial topology of the bulk band structure. Both metallic and bulk insulating topological insulators exhibit weak-antilocalization in the low magnetic field and linear like magnetoresistance in higher fields. We explore the linear magnetoresistance in bulk insulating topological insulator Bi 2-x Sb x Te 3-y Se y thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition technique. Thin films of Bi 2-x Sb x Te 3-y Se y were found to be insulating in nature, which conclusively establishes the origin of linear magnetoresistance from surface Dirac states. The films were thoroughly characterized for their crystallinity and composition and then subjected to transport measurements. We present a careful analysis taking into considerations all the existing models of linear magnetoresistance. We comprehend that the competition between classical and quantum contributions to magnetoresistance results in linear magnetoresistance in high fields. We observe that the cross-over field decreases with increasing temperature and the physical argument for this behavior is explained.

Some Aspects of Mathematical and Physical Approaches for Topological Quantum Computation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Kantser

2011-10-01

Full Text Available A paradigm to build a quantum computer, based on topological invariants is highlighted. The identities in the ensemble of knots, links and braids originally discovered in relation to topological quantum field theory are shown: how they define Artin braid group -- the mathematical basis of topological quantum computation (TQC. Vector spaces of TQC correspond to associated strings of particle interactions, and TQC operates its calculations on braided strings of special physical quasiparticles -- anyons -- with non-Abelian statistics. The physical platform of TQC is to use the topological quantum numbers of such small groups of anyons as qubits and to perform operations on these qubits by exchanging the anyons, both within the groups that form the qubits and, for multi-qubit gates, between groups. By braiding two or more anyons, they acquire up a topological phase or Berry phase similar to that found in the Aharonov-Bohm effect. Topological matter such as fractional quantum Hall systems and novel discovered topological insulators open the way to form system of anyons -- Majorana fermions -- with the unique property of encoding and processing quantum information in a naturally fault-tolerant way. In the topological insulators, due to its fundamental attribute of topological surface state occurrence of the bound, Majorana fermions are generated at its heterocontact with superconductors. One of the key operations of TQC -- braiding of non-Abelian anyons: it is illustrated how it can be implemented in one-dimensional topological isolator wire networks.

Topology of surfaces for molecular Stark energy, alignment, and orientation generated by combined permanent and induced electric dipole interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Burkhard; Friedrich, Bretislav

2014-02-14

We show that combined permanent and induced electric dipole interactions of linear polar and polarizable molecules with collinear electric fields lead to a sui generis topology of the corresponding Stark energy surfaces and of other observables - such as alignment and orientation cosines - in the plane spanned by the permanent and induced dipole interaction parameters. We find that the loci of the intersections of the surfaces can be traced analytically and that the eigenstates as well as the number of their intersections can be characterized by a single integer index. The value of the index, distinctive for a particular ratio of the interaction parameters, brings out a close kinship with the eigenproperties obtained previously for a class of Stark states via the apparatus of supersymmetric quantum mechanics.

Parametric disordering-driven topological transitions in a liquid metacrystal

Science.gov (United States)

Zharov, A. A.; Zharov, A. A.; Zharova, N. A.

2018-03-01

We show that an amplitude-modulated electromagnetic wave incident onto a liquid metacrystal (LMC) may cause parametric instability of meta-atoms' mechanical oscillations. It results in either phase-coherent motion of the meta-atoms (leading to time-dependent components of LMC dielectric tensor) or chaotic isotropization of the medium that can be treated in terms of effective temperature. Both scenarios enable switching of the sign of certain components of permittivity tensor that, in turn, modifies the topology of isofrequency surface. Thus, the topological transition in LMC is expected to have an oscillatory or quasi-thermal character depending on the parameters, but in any case the change of topology leads to dramatic changes of the medium properties, switching the LMC between the transparent and opaque states.

Quantum and Classical Magnetoresistance in Ambipolar Topological Insulator Transistors with Gate-tunable Bulk and Surface Conduction

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jifa; Chang, Cuizu; Cao, Helin; He, Ke; Ma, Xucun; Xue, Qikun; Chen, Yong P.

2014-01-01

Weak antilocalization (WAL) and linear magnetoresistance (LMR) are two most commonly observed magnetoresistance (MR) phenomena in topological insulators (TIs) and often attributed to the Dirac topological surface states (TSS). However, ambiguities exist because these phenomena could also come from bulk states (often carrying significant conduction in many TIs) and are observable even in non-TI materials. Here, we demonstrate back-gated ambipolar TI field-effect transistors in (Bi0.04Sb0.96)2Te3 thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on SrTiO3(111), exhibiting a large carrier density tunability (by nearly 2 orders of magnitude) and a metal-insulator transition in the bulk (allowing switching off the bulk conduction). Tuning the Fermi level from bulk band to TSS strongly enhances both the WAL (increasing the number of quantum coherent channels from one to peak around two) and LMR (increasing its slope by up to 10 times). The SS-enhanced LMR is accompanied by a strongly nonlinear Hall effect, suggesting important roles of charge inhomogeneity (and a related classical LMR), although existing models of LMR cannot capture all aspects of our data. Our systematic gate and temperature dependent magnetotransport studies provide deeper insights into the nature of both MR phenomena and reveal differences between bulk and TSS transport in TI related materials. PMID:24810663

Quantum oscillation evidence for a topological semimetal phase in ZrSnTe

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jin; Zhu, Yanglin; Gui, Xin; Graf, David; Tang, Zhijie; Xie, Weiwei; Mao, Zhiqiang

2018-04-01

The layered WHM-type (W =Zr /Hf /La , H =Si /Ge /Sn /Sb , M =S /Se /Te ) materials represent a large family of topological semimetals, which provides an excellent platform to study the evolution of topological semimetal state with the fine tuning of spin-orbit coupling and structural dimensionality for various combinations of W , H , and M elements. In this work, through high field de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) quantum oscillation studies, we have found evidence for the predicted topological nontrivial bands in ZrSnTe. Furthermore, from the angular dependence of quantum oscillation frequency, we have revealed the three-dimensional Fermi surface topologies of this layered material owing to strong interlayer coupling.

Self-ordering of nontrivial topological polarization structures in nanoporous ferroelectrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Lich, Le; Shimada, Takahiro; Wang, Jie; Kitamura, Takayuki

2017-10-19

Topological field structures, such as skyrmions, merons, and vortices, are important features found in ordered systems with spontaneously broken symmetry. A plethora of topological field structures have been discovered in magnetic and ordered soft matter systems due to the presence of inherent chiral interactions, and this has provided a fruitful platform for unearthing additional groundbreaking functionalities. However, despite being one of the most important classes of ordered systems, ferroelectrics scarcely form topological polarization structures due to their lack of intrinsic chiral interactions. In the present study, we demonstrate using multiphysics phase-field modelling based on the Ginzburg-Landau theory that a rich assortment of nontrivial topological polarization structures, including hedgehogs, antivortices, multidirectional vortices, and vortex arrays, can be spontaneously formed in three-dimensional nanoporous ferroelectric structures. We realize that confining ferroelectrics to trivial geometries that are incompatible with the orientation symmetry may impose extrinsic frustration to the polarization field through the enhancement of depolarization fields at free porous surfaces. This frustration gives rise to symmetry breaking, resulting in the formation of nontrivial topological polarization structures as the ground state. We further topologically characterize the local accommodation of polarization structures by viewing them in a new perspective, in which polarization ordering can be mapped on the order parameter space, according to the topological theory of defects and homotopy theory. The results indicate that the nanoporous structures contain composite topological objects composed of two or more elementary topological polarization structures. The present study therefore offers a playground for exploring novel physical phenomena in ferroelectric systems as well as a novel nanoelectronics characterization platform for future topology

Topological mirror superconductivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fan; Kane, C L; Mele, E J

2013-08-02

We demonstrate the existence of topological superconductors (SCs) protected by mirror and time-reversal symmetries. D-dimensional (D=1, 2, 3) crystalline SCs are characterized by 2(D-1) independent integer topological invariants, which take the form of mirror Berry phases. These invariants determine the distribution of Majorana modes on a mirror symmetric boundary. The parity of total mirror Berry phase is the Z(2) index of a class DIII SC, implying that a DIII topological SC with a mirror line must also be a topological mirror SC but not vice versa and that a DIII SC with a mirror plane is always time-reversal trivial but can be mirror topological. We introduce representative models and suggest experimental signatures in feasible systems. Advances in quantum computing, the case for nodal SCs, the case for class D, and topological SCs protected by rotational symmetries are pointed out.

Interactive Topology Optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nobel-Jørgensen, Morten

Interactivity is the continuous interaction between the user and the application to solve a task. Topology optimization is the optimization of structures in order to improve stiffness or other objectives. The goal of the thesis is to explore how topology optimization can be used in applications...... on theory of from human-computer interaction which is described in Chapter 2. Followed by a description of the foundations of topology optimization in Chapter 3. Our applications for topology optimization in 2D and 3D are described in Chapter 4 and a game which trains the human intuition of topology...... optimization is presented in Chapter 5. Topology optimization can also be used as an interactive modeling tool with local control which is presented in Chapter 6. Finally, Chapter 7 contains a summary of the findings and concludes the dissertation. Most of the presented applications of the thesis are available...

Combined shape and topology optimization for minimization of maximal von Mises stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lian, Haojie; Christiansen, Asger N.; Tortorelli, Daniel A.; Sigmund, Ole; Aage, Niels

2017-01-01

Here, this work shows that a combined shape and topology optimization method can produce optimal 2D designs with minimal stress subject to a volume constraint. The method represents the surface explicitly and discretizes the domain into a simplicial complex which adapts both structural shape and topology. By performing repeated topology and shape optimizations and adaptive mesh updates, we can minimize the maximum von Mises stress using the p-norm stress measure with p-values as high as 30, provided that the stress is calculated with sufficient accuracy.

The topology of architecture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marcussen, Lars

2003-01-01

Rummets topologi, Historiens topologi: betragtninger om menneskets orientering til rum - fra hulen over beherskelse af flere akser til det flydende rum.......Rummets topologi, Historiens topologi: betragtninger om menneskets orientering til rum - fra hulen over beherskelse af flere akser til det flydende rum....

Topological Aspects of the FAITH Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Tobak, Murray; Long, Kurtis

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the following issues (1) What is relationship between surface pressure extrema and singular points? (2) Does every singular point in a pattern of skin friction lines occur at a surface pressure extremum? (and/or vice versa?) (3) Can this relationship be generalized to all geometries? (4) FAITH Project (5) Ongoing effort at NASA Ames Experimental AeroPhysics Branch (6) Multi-parameter wind tunnel investigation of flow around obstacle (7) Acquire data for CFD validation, optimization and (8) Relationship between FAITH and topology projects

Cosmic Topology

Science.gov (United States)

Luminet, Jean-Pierre

2015-08-01

Cosmic Topology is the name given to the study of the overall shape of the universe, which involves both global topological features and more local geometrical properties such as curvature. Whether space is finite or infinite, simply-connected or multi-connected like a torus, smaller or greater than the portion of the universe that we can directly observe, are questions that refer to topology rather than curvature. A striking feature of some relativistic, multi-connected "small" universe models is to create multiples images of faraway cosmic sources. While the most recent cosmological data fit the simplest model of a zero-curvature, infinite space model, they are also consistent with compact topologies of the three homogeneous and isotropic geometries of constant curvature, such as, for instance, the spherical Poincaré Dodecahedral Space, the flat hypertorus or the hyperbolic Picard horn. After a "dark age" period, the field of Cosmic Topology has recently become one of the major concerns in cosmology, not only for theorists but also for observational astronomers, leaving open a number of unsolved issues.

Topological Invariants and Ground-State Wave functions of Topological Insulators on a Torus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We define topological invariants in terms of the ground-state wave functions on a torus. This approach leads to precisely defined formulas for the Hall conductance in four dimensions and the topological magnetoelectric θ term in three dimensions, and their generalizations in higher dimensions. They are valid in the presence of arbitrary many-body interactions and disorder. These topological invariants systematically generalize the two-dimensional Niu-Thouless-Wu formula and will be useful in numerical calculations of disordered topological insulators and strongly correlated topological insulators, especially fractional topological insulators.

Topologically nontrivial quantum layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carron, G.; Exner, P.; Krejcirik, D.

2004-01-01

Given a complete noncompact surface Σ embedded in R 3 , we consider the Dirichlet Laplacian in the layer Ω that is defined as a tubular neighborhood of constant width about Σ. Using an intrinsic approach to the geometry of Ω, we generalize the spectral results of the original paper by Duclos et al. [Commun. Math. Phys. 223, 13 (2001)] to the situation when Σ does not possess poles. This enables us to consider topologically more complicated layers and state new spectral results. In particular, we are interested in layers built over surfaces with handles or several cylindrically symmetric ends. We also discuss more general regions obtained by compact deformations of certain Ω

Elements of topology

CERN Document Server

Singh, Tej Bahadur

2013-01-01

Topological SpacesMetric Spaces Topologies Derived Concepts Bases Subspaces Continuity and ProductsContinuityProduct TopologyConnectednessConnected Spaces Components Path-Connected Spaces Local ConnectivityConvergence Sequences Nets Filters Hausdorff SpacesCountability Axioms 1st and 2nd Countable Spaces Separable and Lindelöf SpacesCompactnessCompact Spaces Countably Compact Spaces Compact Metric Spaces Locally Compact Spaces Proper Maps Topological Constructions Quotient Spaces Identification Maps Cones, Suspensions and Joins Wedge Sums and Smash Products Adjunction Spaces Coherent Topologie

A topological derivative method for topology optimization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norato, J.; Bendsøe, Martin P.; Haber, RB

2007-01-01

resource constraint. A smooth and consistent projection of the region bounded by the level set onto the fictitious analysis domain simplifies the response analysis and enhances the convergence of the optimization algorithm. Moreover, the projection supports the reintroduction of solid material in void......We propose a fictitious domain method for topology optimization in which a level set of the topological derivative field for the cost function identifies the boundary of the optimal design. We describe a fixed-point iteration scheme that implements this optimality criterion subject to a volumetric...... regions, a critical requirement for robust topology optimization. We present several numerical examples that demonstrate compliance minimization of fixed-volume, linearly elastic structures....

Membrane topology of hedgehog acyltransferase.

Science.gov (United States)

Matevossian, Armine; Resh, Marilyn D

2015-01-23

Hedgehog acyltransferase (Hhat) is a multipass transmembrane enzyme that mediates the covalent attachment of the 16-carbon fatty acid palmitate to the N-terminal cysteine of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh). Palmitoylation of Shh by Hhat is critical for short and long range signaling. Knowledge of the topological organization of Hhat transmembrane helices would enhance our understanding of Hhat-mediated Shh palmitoylation. Bioinformatics analysis of transmembrane domains within human Hhat using 10 different algorithms resulted in highly consistent predictions in the C-terminal, but not in the N-terminal, region of Hhat. To empirically determine the topology of Hhat, we designed and exploited Hhat constructs containing either terminal or 12 different internal epitope tags. We used selective permeabilization coupled with immunofluorescence as well as a protease protection assay to demonstrate that Hhat contains 10 transmembrane domains and 2 re-entrant loops. The invariant His and highly conserved Asp residues within the membrane-bound O-acyltransferase (MBOAT) homology domain are segregated on opposite sides of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. The localization of His-379 on the lumenal membrane surface is consistent with a role for this invariant residue in catalysis. Analysis of the activity and stability of the Hhat constructs revealed that the C-terminal MBOAT domain is especially sensitive to manipulation. Moreover, there was remarkable similarity in the overall topological organization of Hhat and ghrelin O-acyltransferase, another MBOAT family member. Knowledge of the topological organization of Hhat could serve as an important tool for further design of selective Hhat inhibitors. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Topological acoustic polaritons: robust sound manipulation at the subwavelength scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yves, Simon; Fleury, Romain; Lemoult, Fabrice; Fink, Mathias; Lerosey, Geoffroy

2017-01-01

Topological insulators, a hallmark of condensed matter physics, have recently reached the classical realm of acoustic waves. A remarkable property of time-reversal invariant topological insulators is the presence of unidirectional spin-polarized propagation along their edges, a property that could lead to a wealth of new opportunities in the ability to guide and manipulate sound. Here, we demonstrate and study the possibility to induce topologically non-trivial acoustic states at the deep subwavelength scale, in a structured two-dimensional metamaterial composed of Helmholtz resonators. Radically different from previous designs based on non-resonant sonic crystals, our proposal enables robust sound manipulation on a surface along predefined, subwavelength pathways of arbitrary shapes. (paper)

Topological acoustic polaritons: robust sound manipulation at the subwavelength scale

Science.gov (United States)

Yves, Simon; Fleury, Romain; Lemoult, Fabrice; Fink, Mathias; Lerosey, Geoffroy

2017-07-01

Topological insulators, a hallmark of condensed matter physics, have recently reached the classical realm of acoustic waves. A remarkable property of time-reversal invariant topological insulators is the presence of unidirectional spin-polarized propagation along their edges, a property that could lead to a wealth of new opportunities in the ability to guide and manipulate sound. Here, we demonstrate and study the possibility to induce topologically non-trivial acoustic states at the deep subwavelength scale, in a structured two-dimensional metamaterial composed of Helmholtz resonators. Radically different from previous designs based on non-resonant sonic crystals, our proposal enables robust sound manipulation on a surface along predefined, subwavelength pathways of arbitrary shapes.

Topology of Flow Separation on Three-Dimensional Bodies

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Gary T.; Yates, Leslie A.

1991-01-01

In recent years there has been extensive research on three-dimensional flow separation. There are two different approaches: the phenomenological approach and a mathematical approach using topology. These two approaches are reviewed briefly and the shortcomings of some of the past works are discussed. A comprehensive approach applicable to incompressible and compressible steady-state flows as well as incompressible unsteady flow is then presented. The approach is similar to earlier topological approaches to separation but is more complete and in some cases adds more emphasis to certain points than in the past. To assist in the classification of various types of flow, nomenclature is introduced to describe the skin-friction portraits on the surface. This method of classification is then demonstrated on several categories of flow to illustrate particular points as well as the diversity of flow separation. The categories include attached, two-dimensional separation and three different types of simple, three-dimensional primary separation, secondary separation, and compound separation. Hypothetical experiments are utilized to illustrate the topological terminology and its role in characterizing these flows. These hypothetical experiments use colored oil injected onto the surface at singular points in the skin-friction portrait. Actual flow-visualization information, if available, is used to corroborate the hypothetical examples.

Cell behaviour on chemically microstructured surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magnani, Agnese; Priamo, Alfredo; Pasqui, Daniela; Barbucci, Rolando

2003-01-01

Micropatterned surfaces with different chemical topographies were synthesised in order to investigate the influence of surface chemistry and topography on cell behaviour. The microstructured materials were synthesised by photoimmobilising natural Hyaluronan (Hyal) and its sulphated derivative (HyalS), both adequately functionalised with a photorective moiety, on glass substrates. Four different grating patterns (10, 25, 50 and 100 μm) were used to pattern the hyaluronan. The micropatterned samples were analysed by Secondary Ions Mass Spectrometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy to investigate the chemistry and the topography of the surfaces. The spectroscopic and microscopic analysis of the microstructured surfaces revealed that the photoimmobilisation process was successful, demonstrating that the photomask patterns were well reproduced on the sample surface. The influence of chemical topographies on the cell behaviour was then analysed. Human and 3T3 fibroblasts, bovine aortic and human (HGTFN line) endothelial cells were used and their behaviour on the micropatterned surfaces was analysed in terms of adhesion, proliferation, locomotion and orientation. Both chemical and topographical controls were found to be important for cell guidance. By decreasing the stripe dimensions, a more fusiform shape of cell was observed. At the same time, the cell locomotion and orientation parallel to the structure increased. However, differences in cell behaviour were detected according to both cell type and micropattern dimensions

Graph topology and gap topology for unstable systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhu, S.Q.

1989-01-01

A reformation is provided of the graph topology and the gap topology for a general setting (including lumped linear time-invariant systems and distributed linear time-invariant systems) in the frequency domain. Some essential properties and their comparisons are clearly presented in the

Topology Model of the Flow around a Submarine Hull Form

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-01

UNCLASSIFIED Topology Model of the Flow around a Submarine Hull Form S.-K. Lee Maritime Division Defence Science and Technology Group DST-Group–TR...3177 ABSTRACT A topology model constructed from surface-streamer visualisation describes the flow around a generic conventional submarine hull form at...pure yaw angles of 0 ◦, 10 ◦ and 18 ◦. The model is used to develop equations for sway-force and yaw-moment coefficients which relate to the hull - form

Topological superfluids confined in a nanoscale slab geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, John

2013-03-01

Nanofluidic samples of superfluid 3He provide a route to explore odd-parity topological superfluids and their surface, edge and defect-bound excitations under well controlled conditions. We have cooled superfluid 3He confined in a precisely defined nano-fabricated cavity to well below 1 mK for the first time. We fingerprint the order parameter by nuclear magnetic resonance, exploiting a SQUID NMR spectrometer of exquisite sensitivity. We demonstrate that dimensional confinement, at length scales comparable to the superfluid Cooper-pair diameter, has a profound influence on the superfluid order of 3He. The chiral A-phase is stabilized at low pressures, in a cavity of height 650 nm. At higher pressures we observe 3He-B with a surface induced planar distortion. 3He-B is a time-reversal invariant topological superfluid, supporting gapless Majorana surface states. In the presence of the small symmetry breaking NMR static magnetic field we observe two possible B-phase states of the order parameter manifold, which can coexist as domains. Non-linear NMR on these states enables a measurement of the surface induced planar distortion, which determines the spectral weight of the surface excitations. The expected structure of the domain walls is such that, at the cavity surface, the line separating the two domains is predicted to host fermion zero modes, protected by symmetry and topology. Increasing confinement should stabilize new p-wave superfluid states of matter, such as the quasi-2D gapped A phase, which breaks time reversal symmetry, has a protected chiral edge mode, and may host half-quantum vortices with a Majorana zero-mode at the core. We discuss experimental progress toward this phase, through measurements on a 100 nm cavity. On the other hand, a cavity height of 1000 nm may stabilize a novel ``striped'' superfluid with spatially modulated order parameter. Supported by EPSRC (UK) GR/J022004/1 and European Microkelvin Consortium, FP7 grant 228464

Flux-Fusion Anomaly Test and Bosonic Topological Crystalline Insulators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Hermele

2016-10-01

Full Text Available We introduce a method, dubbed the flux-fusion anomaly test, to detect certain anomalous symmetry fractionalization patterns in two-dimensional symmetry-enriched topological (SET phases. We focus on bosonic systems with Z_{2} topological order and a symmetry group of the form G=U(1⋊G^{′}, where G^{′} is an arbitrary group that may include spatial symmetries and/or time reversal. The anomalous fractionalization patterns we identify cannot occur in strictly d=2 systems but can occur at surfaces of d=3 symmetry-protected topological (SPT phases. This observation leads to examples of d=3 bosonic topological crystalline insulators (TCIs that, to our knowledge, have not previously been identified. In some cases, these d=3 bosonic TCIs can have an anomalous superfluid at the surface, which is characterized by nontrivial projective transformations of the superfluid vortices under symmetry. The basic idea of our anomaly test is to introduce fluxes of the U(1 symmetry and to show that some fractionalization patterns cannot be extended to a consistent action of G^{′} symmetry on the fluxes. For some anomalies, this can be described in terms of dimensional reduction to d=1 SPT phases. We apply our method to several different symmetry groups with nontrivial anomalies, including G=U(1×Z_{2}^{T} and G=U(1×Z_{2}^{P}, where Z_{2}^{T} and Z_{2}^{P} are time-reversal and d=2 reflection symmetry, respectively.

Topological and non-topological soliton solutions to some time

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Topological and non-topological soliton solutions to some time-fractional differential equations ... These equations have been widely applied in many branches of nonlinear ... Department of Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Technology and ...

Surface modification of beta-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds with topological nanoapatite coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Faming; Chang Jiang; Lu Jianxi; Ning Congqin

2008-01-01

A biomimetic process was developed to create a modulable surface topography of nanocrystalline apatite on pure beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds. The scaffolds were immersed in a newly revised simulated body fluid (R n -SBF) to produce nanocrystalline apatite. The obtained surfaces were investigated using scanning electric microscopy, energy dispersion spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electric microscopy. Nanoparticulates apatite were produced on the surface of the scaffolds for 1 day's soaking; increasing soaking to 3 days led to the formation of a surface covered by needle-like apatite nanocrystals; and a surface coating of needle-like apatite clusters was created after two weeks' soaking in the R n -SBF without bicarbonate ion concentrations. The increase of bicarbonate ion concentrations progressively in the R n -SBF provided a surface entirely coated with a nanostructured thick layer of apatite. These apatite nanostructures were low-crystalline bone-like apatite. The mechanisms for the apatite formation and transition of surface topographies were also discussed. Therefore, a variety of surface topography of nanoapatite coatings on the β-TCP scaffolds can be obtained using this method, which may enhance cell adhesion to the scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications

Topology of plasma equilibria and the current closure condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kocic, S.; Mahajan, S.M.; Hazeltine, R.D.

2005-01-01

A virtually complete description of the topology of stationary incompressible Euler flows and the magnetic field satisfying the magnetostatic equation is given by a theorem due to Arnol'd. We apply this theorem to describe the topology of stationary states of plasmas with significant fluid flow, obeying the Hall magnetohydrodynamics model equations. In the context of the integrability (nonchaotic topology) of the magnetic and velocity fields, we discuss the validity of conditions analogous to that of Greene and Johnson, which, in the case of magnetostatic equations, states that the line integral ∫dl/B is the same for each closed magnetic field line on a given magnetic surface. We also show how this property follows from the existence of a continuous volume-preserving symmetry of the magnetic field

Widespread spin polarization effects in photoemission from topological insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jozwiak, C.; Chen, Y. L.; Fedorov, A. V.; Analytis, J. G.; Rotundu, C. R.; Schmid, A. K.; Denlinger, J. D.; Chuang, Y.-D.; Lee, D.-H.; Fisher, I. R.; Birgeneau, R. J.; Shen, Z.-X.; Hussain, Z.; Lanzara, A.

2011-06-22

High-resolution spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (spin-ARPES) was performed on the three-dimensional topological insulator Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} using a recently developed high-efficiency spectrometer. The topological surface state's helical spin structure is observed, in agreement with theoretical prediction. Spin textures of both chiralities, at energies above and below the Dirac point, are observed, and the spin structure is found to persist at room temperature. The measurements reveal additional unexpected spin polarization effects, which also originate from the spin-orbit interaction, but are well differentiated from topological physics by contrasting momentum and photon energy and polarization dependencies. These observations demonstrate significant deviations of photoelectron and quasiparticle spin polarizations. Our findings illustrate the inherent complexity of spin-resolved ARPES and demonstrate key considerations for interpreting experimental results.

Topology of membrane proteins-predictions, limitations and variations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsirigos, Konstantinos D; Govindarajan, Sudha; Bassot, Claudio; Västermark, Åke; Lamb, John; Shu, Nanjiang; Elofsson, Arne

2017-10-26

Transmembrane proteins perform a variety of important biological functions necessary for the survival and growth of the cells. Membrane proteins are built up by transmembrane segments that span the lipid bilayer. The segments can either be in the form of hydrophobic alpha-helices or beta-sheets which create a barrel. A fundamental aspect of the structure of transmembrane proteins is the membrane topology, that is, the number of transmembrane segments, their position in the protein sequence and their orientation in the membrane. Along these lines, many predictive algorithms for the prediction of the topology of alpha-helical and beta-barrel transmembrane proteins exist. The newest algorithms obtain an accuracy close to 80% both for alpha-helical and beta-barrel transmembrane proteins. However, lately it has been shown that the simplified picture presented when describing a protein family by its topology is limited. To demonstrate this, we highlight examples where the topology is either not conserved in a protein superfamily or where the structure cannot be described solely by the topology of a protein. The prediction of these non-standard features from sequence alone was not successful until the recent revolutionary progress in 3D-structure prediction of proteins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abe homotopy classification of topological excitations under the topological influence of vortices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Shingo; Kobayashi, Michikazu; Kawaguchi, Yuki; Nitta, Muneto; Ueda, Masahito

2012-01-01

Topological excitations are usually classified by the nth homotopy group π n . However, for topological excitations that coexist with vortices, there are cases in which an element of π n cannot properly describe the charge of a topological excitation due to the influence of the vortices. This is because an element of π n corresponding to the charge of a topological excitation may change when the topological excitation circumnavigates a vortex. This phenomenon is referred to as the action of π 1 on π n . In this paper, we show that topological excitations coexisting with vortices are classified by the Abe homotopy group κ n . The nth Abe homotopy group κ n is defined as a semi-direct product of π 1 and π n . In this framework, the action of π 1 on π n is understood as originating from noncommutativity between π 1 and π n . We show that a physical charge of a topological excitation can be described in terms of the conjugacy class of the Abe homotopy group. Moreover, the Abe homotopy group naturally describes vortex-pair creation and annihilation processes, which also influence topological excitations. We calculate the influence of vortices on topological excitations for the case in which the order parameter manifold is S n /K, where S n is an n-dimensional sphere and K is a discrete subgroup of SO(n+1). We show that the influence of vortices on a topological excitation exists only if n is even and K includes a nontrivial element of O(n)/SO(n).

$L$-Topological Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Bajravani

2018-04-01

Full Text Available ‎By substituting the usual notion of open sets in a topological space $X$ with a suitable collection of maps from $X$ to a frame $L$, we introduce the notion of L-topological spaces. Then, we proceed to study the classical notions and properties of usual topological spaces to the newly defined mathematical notion. Our emphasis would be concentrated on the well understood classical connectedness, quotient and compactness notions, where we prove the Thychonoff's theorem and connectedness property for ultra product of $L$-compact and $L$-connected topological spaces, respectively.

A strong-topological-metal material with multiple Dirac cones

OpenAIRE

Ji, Huiwen; Pletikosić, I; Gibson, Q. D.; Sahasrabudhe, Girija; Valla, T.; Cava, R. J.

2015-01-01

We report a new, cleavable, strong-topological-metal, Zr2Te2P, which has the same tetradymite-type crystal structure as the topological insulator Bi2Te2Se. Instead of being a semiconductor, however, Zr2Te2P is metallic with a pseudogap between 0.2 and 0.7 eV above the fermi energy (EF). Inside this pseudogap, two Dirac dispersions are predicted: one is a surface-originated Dirac cone protected by time-reversal symmetry (TRS), while the other is a bulk-originated and slightly gapped Dirac cone...

Topology of surfaces for molecular Stark energy, alignment, and orientation generated by combined permanent and induced electric dipole interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, Burkhard, E-mail: burkhard.schmidt@fu-berlin.de [Institute for Mathematics, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 6, D-14195 Berlin (Germany); Friedrich, Bretislav, E-mail: brich@fhi-berlin.mpg.de [Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, D-14195 Berlin (Germany)

2014-02-14

We show that combined permanent and induced electric dipole interactions of linear polar and polarizable molecules with collinear electric fields lead to a sui generis topology of the corresponding Stark energy surfaces and of other observables – such as alignment and orientation cosines – in the plane spanned by the permanent and induced dipole interaction parameters. We find that the loci of the intersections of the surfaces can be traced analytically and that the eigenstates as well as the number of their intersections can be characterized by a single integer index. The value of the index, distinctive for a particular ratio of the interaction parameters, brings out a close kinship with the eigenproperties obtained previously for a class of Stark states via the apparatus of supersymmetric quantum mechanics.

Topological superconductors: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Masatoshi; Ando, Yoichi

2017-07-01

This review elaborates pedagogically on the fundamental concept, basic theory, expected properties, and materials realizations of topological superconductors. The relation between topological superconductivity and Majorana fermions are explained, and the difference between dispersive Majorana fermions and a localized Majorana zero mode is emphasized. A variety of routes to topological superconductivity are explained with an emphasis on the roles of spin-orbit coupling. Present experimental situations and possible signatures of topological superconductivity are summarized with an emphasis on intrinsic topological superconductors.

Quantum magnetotransport properties of topological insulators under strain

KAUST Repository

Tahir, M.

2012-08-15

We present a detailed theoretical investigation of the quantum magnetotransport properties of topological insulators under strain. We consider an external magnetic field perpendicular to the surface of the topological insulator in the presence of strain induced by the substrate. The strain effects mix the lower and upper surface states of neighboring Landau levels into two unequally spaced energy branches. Analytical expressions are derived for the collisional conductivity for elastic impurity scattering in the first Born approximation. We also calculate the Hall conductivity using the Kubo formalism. Evidence for the beating of Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations is found from the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the collisional and Hall conductivities. In the regime of a strong magnetic field, the beating pattern is replaced by a splitting of the magnetoresistance peaks due to finite strain energy. These results are in excellent agreement with recent HgTe transport experiments.

Some topological properties of the Inverse Lens Mapping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mediavilla, T; Ariza, O [Departamento de Estadistica e Investigacion Operativa, Universidad de Cadiz, Avda de Ramon Puyol, s/n 11202 Algeciras (Spain); Mediavilla, E; Oscoz, A [Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Avda Via Lactea s/n, La Laguna (Spain); Munoz, J A, E-mail: teresa.mediavilla@ca.uca.es, E-mail: octavio.ariza@uca.es, E-mail: emg@iac.es, E-mail: jmunoz@uv.es, E-mail: aoscoz@iac.es [Departamento de Astronomia y Astrofisica, Universidad de Valencia, c/ Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot (Spain)

2011-09-22

Away from critical curves, lens mapping can be seen as a linear invertible transformation of the plane even for regions (cells) of relatively large size. However, close to critical curves the departures from linearity can be very strong. We discuss the topological problems induced by the mapping of regions of the image plane that include critical curves (critical cells).

Topological entropy of continuous functions on topological spaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Lei; Wang Yangeng; Wei Guo

2009-01-01

Adler, Konheim and McAndrew introduced the concept of topological entropy of a continuous mapping for compact dynamical systems. Bowen generalized the concept to non-compact metric spaces, but Walters indicated that Bowen's entropy is metric-dependent. We propose a new definition of topological entropy for continuous mappings on arbitrary topological spaces (compactness, metrizability, even axioms of separation not necessarily required), investigate fundamental properties of the new entropy, and compare the new entropy with the existing ones. The defined entropy generates that of Adler, Konheim and McAndrew and is metric-independent for metrizable spaces. Yet, it holds various basic properties of Adler, Konheim and McAndrew's entropy, e.g., the entropy of a subsystem is bounded by that of the original system, topologically conjugated systems have a same entropy, the entropy of the induced hyperspace system is larger than or equal to that of the original system, and in particular this new entropy coincides with Adler, Konheim and McAndrew's entropy for compact systems

Toric topology

CERN Document Server

Buchstaber, Victor M

2015-01-01

This book is about toric topology, a new area of mathematics that emerged at the end of the 1990s on the border of equivariant topology, algebraic and symplectic geometry, combinatorics, and commutative algebra. It has quickly grown into a very active area with many links to other areas of mathematics, and continues to attract experts from different fields. The key players in toric topology are moment-angle manifolds, a class of manifolds with torus actions defined in combinatorial terms. Construction of moment-angle manifolds relates to combinatorial geometry and algebraic geometry of toric v

Topological insulators

CERN Document Server

Franz, Marcel

2013-01-01

Topological Insulators, volume six in the Contemporary Concepts of Condensed Matter Series, describes the recent revolution in condensed matter physics that occurred in our understanding of crystalline solids. The book chronicles the work done worldwide that led to these discoveries and provides the reader with a comprehensive overview of the field. Starting in 2004, theorists began to explore the effect of topology on the physics of band insulators, a field previously considered well understood. However, the inclusion of topology brings key new elements into this old field. Whereas it was

Samarium Hexaboride: The First True 3D Topological Insulator?

Science.gov (United States)

Wolgast, Steven G.

The recent theoretical prediction of a topologically protected surface state in the mixed-valent insulator SmB6 has motivated a series of charge transport studies, which are presented here. It is first studied using a specialized configuration designed to distinguish bulk-dominated conduction from surface-dominated conduction. As the material is cooled below 4 K, it exhibits a crossover from thermally activated bulk transport to metallic surface conduction with a fully insulating bulk. The robustness and magnitude of the surface conductivity, as is manifest in the literature of SmB6, is strong evidence for the topological insulator (TI) metallic surface states predicted for this material. This resolves a decades-old puzzle surrounding the low-temperature behavior of SmB6. Next, the magnetotransport properties of the surface are investigated using a Corbino disk geometry, which can directly measure the conductivity of individual surfaces. Both (011) and (001) crystal surfaces show a strong negative magnetoresistance at all magnetic field angles, due primarily to changes in the carrier density. The low mobility value accounts for the failure so far to observe Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations below 95 T. Small variations in the mobility and temperature dependence suggest a suppression of Kondo scattering from native oxide-layer magnetic moments. At low fields, a dynamical field-sweep-rate-dependent hysteretic behavior is observed. It persists at the slowest sweep rates, and cannot be explained by quantum interference corrections; it is likely due to extrinsic effects such as the magnetocaloric effect or glassy ordering of the native oxide moments. Pulsed magnetic field measurements up to 60 T at temperatures throughout the crossover regime clearly distinguish the surface magnetoresistance from the bulk magnetoresistance. The bulk magnetoresistance is due to a reduction in the bulk gap with increasing magnetic field. Finally, small subsurface cracks formed in SmB6 via

Multi-scale cell/surface interaction on modified titanium aluminum vanadium surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianbo

This dissertation presents a series of experimental studies of the effects of multi-scale cell/surface interactions on modified Ti-6Al-4V surfaces. These include laser-grooved surfaces; porous structures and RGD-coated laser-grooved surfaces. A nano-second DPSS UV lasers with a Gaussian pulse energy profile was used to introduce the desired micro-groove geometries onto Ti-6Al-4V surfaces. This was done without inducing micro-cracks or significant changes in surface chemistry within the heat affected zones. The desired 8-12 mum groove depths and widths were achieved by the control of pulse frequency, scan speed, and the lens focal length that controls spot size. The interactions between human osteosarcoma (HOS) cells and laser-grooved Ti-6Al-4V surfaces were investigated after 48 hours of cell culture. The cell behavior, including cell spreading, alignment and adhesion, was elucidated using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), immuno-fluorescence staining and enzymatic detachment. Contact guidance was shown to increase as grooved spacing decreased. For the range of micro-groove geometries studied, micro-grooves with groove spacings of 20 mum provided the best combination of cell orientation and adhesion. Short-term adhesion experiments (15 mins to 1 day) also revealed that there is a positive correlation between cell orientation and cell adhesion. Contact guidance on the micro-grooved surfaces is shown to be enhanced by nano- and micro-scale asperities that provide sites for the attachment of lamellopodia during cell locomotion and spreading. Contact guidance is also promoted by the geometrical confinement provided by laser grooves. An experimental study of initial cell spreading and ingrowth into Ti-6Al-4V porous structures was also carried out on porous structures with different pore sizes and geometries. A combination of SEM, the tetrazolium salt (MTT) colorimetric assay and enzymatic detachment were used to study cell spreading and adhesion. The extent of cell

Topological insulators, topological superconductors and Weyl fermion semimetals: discoveries, perspectives and outlooks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasan, M Zahid; Xu, Su-Yang; Bian, Guang

2015-01-01

Unlike string theory, topological physics in lower dimensional condensed matter systems is an experimental reality since the bulk-boundary correspondence can be probed experimentally in lower dimensions. In addition, recent experimental discoveries of non-quantum-Hall-like topological insulators, topological superconductors, Weyl semimetals and other topological states of matter also signal a clear departure from the quantum-Hall-effect-like transport paradigm that has dominated the field since the 1980s. It is these new forms of matter that enabled realizations of topological-Dirac, Weyl cones, helical-Cooper-pairs, Fermi-arc-quasiparticles and other emergent phenomena in fine-tuned photoemission (ARPES) experiments since ARPES experiments directly allow the study of bulk-boundary (topological) correspondence. In this proceeding we provide a brief overview of the key experiments and discuss our perspectives regarding the new research frontiers enabled by these experiments. Taken collectively, we argue in favor of the emergence of ‘topological-condensed-matter-physics’ in laboratory experiments for which a variety of theoretical concepts over the last 80 years paved the way. (review)

Ripple-modulated electronic structure of a 3D topological insulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Yoshinori; Zhou, Wenwen; Walkup, D; Dhital, Chetan; Wilson, Stephen D; Madhavan, V

2012-01-01

Three-dimensional topological insulators host linearly dispersing states with unique properties and a strong potential for applications. An important ingredient in realizing some of the more exotic states in topological insulators is the ability to manipulate local electronic properties. Direct analogy to the Dirac material graphene suggests that a possible avenue for controlling local properties is via a controlled structural deformation such as the formation of ripples. However, the influence of such ripples on topological insulators is yet to be explored. Here we use scanning tunnelling microscopy to determine the effects of one-dimensional buckling on the electronic properties of Bi(2)Te(3.) By tracking spatial variations of the interference patterns generated by the Dirac electrons we show that buckling imposes a periodic potential, which locally modulates the surface-state dispersion. This suggests that forming one- and two-dimensional ripples is a viable method for creating nanoscale potential landscapes that can be used to control the properties of Dirac electrons in topological insulators.

Unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance in topological insulator/ferromagnetic layer heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Kally, James; Lv, Yang; Zhang, Delin; Lee, Joon Sue; Samarth, Nitin; Wang, Jian-Ping; Department of Electrical; Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Collaboration; Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University Collaboration

The surface states of topological insulators offer a potentially very efficient way to generate spins and spin-orbit torques to magnetic moments in proximity. The switching by spin-orbit torque itself only requires two terminals so that a charge current can be applied. However, a third terminal with additional magnetic tunneling junction structure is needed to sense the magnetization state if such devices are used for memory and logic applications. The recent discovery of unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance in heavy metal/ferromagnetic and topological insulator/magnetically doped topological insulator systems offers an alternative way to sense magnetization while still keeping the number of terminals to minimal two. The unidirectional spin Hall magnetoresistance in topological insulator/strong ferromagnetic layer heterostructure system has yet not been reported. In this work, we report our experimental observations of such magnetoresistance. It is found to be present and comparable to the best result of the previous reported Ta/Co systems in terms of magnetoresistance per current density per total resistance.

From topology to geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eberhart, M.

1996-01-01

A systematic study of the charge density topologies corresponding to a number of transition metal aluminides with the B2 structure indicates that unstable crystal structures are sometimes associated with uncharacteristic topologies. This observation invites the speculation that the distance to a topological instability might relate to a metals phase behavior. Following this speculation, a metric is imposed on the topological theory of Bader, producing a geometrical theory, where it is now possible to assign a distance from a calculated charge density topology to a topological instability. For the cubic transition metals, these distances are shown to correlate with single crystal elastic constants, where the metals that are furthest from an instability are observed to be the stiffest. (author). 16 refs., 1 tab., 9 figs

Cell behavior on microparticles with different surface morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Sha; Fu Xiaobing

2010-01-01

Microparticles can serve as substrates for cell amplification and deliver the cell aggregation to the site of the defect for tissue regeneration. To develop favorable microparticles for cell delivery application, we fabricated and evaluated three types of microparticles that differ in surface properties. The microparticles with varied surface morphology (smooth, pitted and multicavity) were created from chemically crosslinked gelatin particles that underwent various drying treatments. Three types of microparticles were characterized and assessed in terms of the cell behavior of human keratinocytes and fibroblasts seeded on them. The cells could attach, spread and proliferate on all types of microparticles but spread and populated more slowly on the microparticles with smooth surfaces than on those with pitted or multicavity surfaces. Microparticles with a multicavity surface demonstrated the highest cell attachment and growth rate. Furthermore, cells tested on microparticles with a multicavity surface exhibited better morphology and induced the earlier formation of extracellular-based cell-microparticle aggregation than those on microparticles with other surface morphology (smooth and pitted). Thus, microparticles with a multicavity surface show promise for attachment and proliferation of cells in tissue engineering.

General Topology of the Universe

OpenAIRE

Pandya, Aalok

2002-01-01

General topology of the universe is descibed. It is concluded that topology of the present universe is greater or stronger than the topology of the universe in the past and topology of the future universe will be stronger or greater than the present topology of the universe. Consequently, the universe remains unbounded.

Effects of bulk charged impurities on the bulk and surface transport in three-dimensional topological insulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skinner, B.; Chen, T.; Shklovskii, B. I., E-mail: shklovsk@physics.spa.umn.edu [University of Minnesota, Fine Theoretical Physics Institute (United States)

2013-09-15

In the three-dimensional topological insulator (TI), the physics of doped semiconductors exists literally side-by-side with the physics of ultrarelativistic Dirac fermions. This unusual pairing creates a novel playground for studying the interplay between disorder and electronic transport. In this mini-review, we focus on the disorder caused by the three-dimensionally distributed charged impurities that are ubiquitous in TIs, and we outline the effects it has on both the bulk and surface transport in TIs. We present self-consistent theories for Coulomb screening both in the bulk and at the surface, discuss the magnitude of the disorder potential in each case, and present results for the conductivity. In the bulk, where the band gap leads to thermally activated transport, we show how disorder leads to a smaller-than-expected activation energy that gives way to variable-range hopping at low temperatures. We confirm this enhanced conductivity with numerical simulations that also allow us to explore different degrees of impurity compensation. For the surface, where the TI has gapless Dirac modes, we present a theory of disorder and screening of deep impurities, and we calculate the corresponding zero-temperature conductivity. We also comment on the growth of the disorder potential in passing from the surface of the TI into the bulk. Finally, we discuss how the presence of a gap at the Dirac point, introduced by some source of time-reversal symmetry breaking, affects the disorder potential at the surface and the mid-gap density of states.

Effects of bulk charged impurities on the bulk and surface transport in three-dimensional topological insulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skinner, B.; Chen, T.; Shklovskii, B. I.

2013-01-01

In the three-dimensional topological insulator (TI), the physics of doped semiconductors exists literally side-by-side with the physics of ultrarelativistic Dirac fermions. This unusual pairing creates a novel playground for studying the interplay between disorder and electronic transport. In this mini-review, we focus on the disorder caused by the three-dimensionally distributed charged impurities that are ubiquitous in TIs, and we outline the effects it has on both the bulk and surface transport in TIs. We present self-consistent theories for Coulomb screening both in the bulk and at the surface, discuss the magnitude of the disorder potential in each case, and present results for the conductivity. In the bulk, where the band gap leads to thermally activated transport, we show how disorder leads to a smaller-than-expected activation energy that gives way to variable-range hopping at low temperatures. We confirm this enhanced conductivity with numerical simulations that also allow us to explore different degrees of impurity compensation. For the surface, where the TI has gapless Dirac modes, we present a theory of disorder and screening of deep impurities, and we calculate the corresponding zero-temperature conductivity. We also comment on the growth of the disorder potential in passing from the surface of the TI into the bulk. Finally, we discuss how the presence of a gap at the Dirac point, introduced by some source of time-reversal symmetry breaking, affects the disorder potential at the surface and the mid-gap density of states

Machine learning topological states

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Dong-Ling; Li, Xiaopeng; Das Sarma, S.

2017-11-01

Artificial neural networks and machine learning have now reached a new era after several decades of improvement where applications are to explode in many fields of science, industry, and technology. Here, we use artificial neural networks to study an intriguing phenomenon in quantum physics—the topological phases of matter. We find that certain topological states, either symmetry-protected or with intrinsic topological order, can be represented with classical artificial neural networks. This is demonstrated by using three concrete spin systems, the one-dimensional (1D) symmetry-protected topological cluster state and the 2D and 3D toric code states with intrinsic topological orders. For all three cases, we show rigorously that the topological ground states can be represented by short-range neural networks in an exact and efficient fashion—the required number of hidden neurons is as small as the number of physical spins and the number of parameters scales only linearly with the system size. For the 2D toric-code model, we find that the proposed short-range neural networks can describe the excited states with Abelian anyons and their nontrivial mutual statistics as well. In addition, by using reinforcement learning we show that neural networks are capable of finding the topological ground states of nonintegrable Hamiltonians with strong interactions and studying their topological phase transitions. Our results demonstrate explicitly the exceptional power of neural networks in describing topological quantum states, and at the same time provide valuable guidance to machine learning of topological phases in generic lattice models.