Author Archives: DIPC
Atomic-scale spin sensing with a single molecule
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is a technique in which a fine conducting probe is held close to the surface of a sample. Electrons tunnel between the sample and the probe, producing an electrical signal. The probe is slowly moved across […]
A theory of spin hall magnetoresistance to study magnetism at interfaces
The interactions between moving charges and magnetic fields can be quite complicated; more if we consider the quantum effects. One example is the collection of Hall effects.
Imagine that we have a conductor or a semiconductor through which a current […]
Spin chains on surfaces, a thriving field of research
A collection of local magnetic moments arranged in a linear fashion that interact via some spin-spin coupling is generally known as a spin chain. This seemingly simple object is one of the most complex and rich physical systems that […]
Inverse-square law interaction at the nanoscale
Any physical law in which the magnitude of a physical quantity is proportional to the reciprocal of the square of the distance (1/r2) from the source of that property is known as an inverse-square law. Newton’s law […]
A common formation mechanism for star clusters over all mass scales
A star cluster is a group of stars that are sufficiently close to each other for them to be physically associated. Stars belonging to the cluster are formed together from the same cloud of interstellar gas and have approximately the […]
Signatures of microlensing in gravitational waves
There is a variety of predictions from the general theory of relativity. And usually they are treated in the popular imagination somehow independently. This would be the case of gravitational waves and gravitational lenses, but in reality nothing prevent them […]
How to identify a point defect in 2D transition metal dichalcogenides
A crystal lattice is formed by a repeated arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules. Due to the enormous amount of atoms involved it is extremely unlikely that all these will be arranged in perfect order. Some atoms will not be […]
Tensor networks everywhere
Originally developed in the context of condensed-matter physics and based on renormalization group ideas, tensor networks have been revived thanks to quantum information theory and the progress in understanding the role of entanglement in quantum many-body systems. Ikerbasque Research Professor […]
Topology as a parameter: an artificial electronic high-order topological insulator
Quantum simulators—systems that can be engineered and manipulated at will—are useful platforms for verifying model Hamiltonians and understanding more complex or elusive quantum systems. The ability to trap and control particles with the help of well-controlled electromagnetic fields has led […]
The universal electronic mean free path law that wasn’t
The concept of mean free path is very simple and straightforward: the average distance travelled between collisions by the molecules in a gas, the electrons in a metallic crystal, the neutrons in a moderator, etc. Assuming a couple of things […]