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Nanostructured topological insulators (TIs) have the potential to impact a wide array of condensed matter physics topics, ranging from Majorana physics to spintronics. However, the most common TI materials, the B i 2 S e 3 family, are easily damaged during nanofabrication of devices. In this paper, we show that electron beam lithography performed with a 30 or 50 kV accelerating voltage—common for nanopatterning in academic facilities—damages both nonmagnetic TIs and their magnetically doped counterparts at unacceptable levels. We additionally demonstrate that electron beam lithography with a 10 kV accelerating voltage produces minimal damage detectable through low-temperature electronic transport. Although reduced accelerating voltages present challenges in creating fine features, we show that with careful choice of processing parameters, particularly the resist, 100 nm features are reliably achievable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological valley states, emerging as an exciting field in condensed matter physics, are attracting attention because of their potential as a new type of information carrier with orbital angular momentum. In this paper, we exhibit that the acoustic valley states can achieve trapping of microparticles due to the acoustic radiation force induced by the acoustic vortex. In addition, we can achieve the separation of microparticles based on different acoustic contrast factors. Our study shows a demonstration of acoustic valley states in the field of particle contactless manipulation. Potential applications can be predicted by the exotic interaction of acoustic vortices with microparticles, such as cell separation, drug delivery, and other biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic effective negative parameters are principal to the representation of the physical properties of metamaterials. In this paper, a bi-layer plate-type unit was proposed with both a negative mass density and a negative bulk modulus; moreover, through analysis of these bi-layer structures, some important problems about acoustic metamaterials were studied. First, dynamic effective mass densities and the bulk modulus of the bi-layer plate-type acoustic structure were clarified through both the direct and the retrieval methods, and, in addition, the intrinsic relationship between the sound transmission (absorption) characteristics and the effective parameters was analyzed. Furthermore, the properties of dynamic effective parameters for an asymmetric bi-layer acoustic structure were further considered through an analysis of experimental data, and the modified effective parameters were then obtained through consideration of the Willis coupling in the asymmetric passive system. In addition, by taking both the clamped and the periodic boundary conditions into consideration in the bi-layer plate-type acoustic system, new perspectives were presented for study on the effective parameters and sound insulation properties in the range below the cut-off frequency. The special acoustic properties established by these effective parameters could enrich our knowledge and provide guidance for the design and installation of acoustic metamaterial structures in future sound engineering practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermite multilayered films have the potential to be used as local high intensity heat sources for a variety of applications. Improving the ability of researchers to more rapidly develop Micro Electro Mechanical Systems devices based on thermite multilayer films requires predictive modeling in which an understanding of the relationship between the properties (ignition and flame propagation), the multilayer structure and composition (bilayer thicknesses, ratio of reactants, and nature of interfaces), and aspects related to integration (substrate conductivity and ignition apparatus) is achieved. Assembling all these aspects, this work proposes an original 2D diffusion-reaction modeling framework to predict the ignition threshold and reaction dynamics of Al/CuO multilayered thin films. This model takes into consideration that CuO first decomposes into Cu2O, and then, released oxygen diffuses across the Cu2O and Al2 O3 layers before reacting with pure Al to form Al2O3. This model is experimentally validated from ignition and flame velocity data acquired on Al/CuO multilayers deposited on a Kapton layer. This paper discusses, for the first time, the importance of determining the ceiling temperature above which the multilayers disintegrate, possibly before their complete combustion, thus severely impacting the reaction front velocity and energy release. This work provides a set of heating surface areas to obtain the best ignition conditions, i.e., with minimal ignition power, as a function of the substrate type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical tunable meander line inductor using coplanar waveguide structures with patterned permalloy (Py) thin film has been designed and implemented in this paper. High resistivity Si substrate is used to reduce the dielectric loss from the substrate. Inductor is implemented with a 60 nm thick Py deposited and patterned on top of the gold meander line, and Py film is patterned with dimension of 440 nm×10 μm to create the shape anisotropy field, which in turn increases the FMR frequency. Compared to a regular meanderline inductor without the application of sub-micrometer patterned Py thin film, the inductance density has been increased to 20% for the implemented inductor with patterned Py. Measured FMR frequency of the patterned Py is 4.51GHz without the application of any external magnetic field. This has enabled the inductor application in the practical circuit boards, where the large external magnet is unavailable. Inductance tunability of the implemented inductor is demonstrated by applying a DC current. Applied DC current creates a magnetic field along the hard axis of the patterned Py thin film, which changes the magnetic moment of the thin film and thus, decreases the inductance of the line. Measured results show that the inductance density of the inductor can be varied 5% by applying 300mA DC current, larger inductance tunability is achievable by increasing the thickness of Py film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamical bubble-like solitons have been recently investigated in nanocontact-based spin-torque oscillators with a perpendicular free layer. Those magnetic configurations can be excited also in different geometries as long as they consist of perpendicular materials. Thus, in this paper, a systematic study of the influence of both external field and high current on that kind of dynamics is performed for a spin-valve point-contact geometry where both free and fixed layers present strong perpendicular anisotropy. The usage of the topological density tool highlights the excitation of complex bubble/antibubble configurations. In particular, at high currents, a deformation of the soliton and its simultaneous shift from the contact area are observed and can be ascribable to the Oersted field. Results provide further detailed information on the excitation of solitons in perpendicular materials for application in spintronics, magnonics, and domain wall logic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen ion conduction and relaxation mechanisms in bismuth substituted La2Mo2O9 have been reported in this paper. The phase transition observed in La2Mo2O9 is suppressed in bismuth substituted samples, and the cubic β form is stabilized at room temperature. A transition of the dc anionic conductivity from low temperature Arrhenius type to high temperature Arrhenius type has been observed in La2Mo2O9. However, for bismuth doped samples the dc anionic conductivity shows a transition from Arrhenius behavior at low temperatures to Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher in the high temperature regime. The frequency dependence of the ac conductivity shows a power law behavior. The ac conductivity remains constant in low frequency region but shows dispersion at the crossover frequency. The crossover frequency shifted towards higher value with the increase of temperature. The dimensionality of the conduction space does not change with bismuth doping. The scaling behavior of the conductivity spectra for different temperatures and compositions indicates that dynamics of oxygen ions is independent of temperatures and compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]