Generation of spin-polarized hot electrons at topological insulators surfaces by scattering from collective charge excitations

Topological insulators (TIs) are materials which exhibit topologically protected electronic surface states, acting as mass-less Dirac fermions. Beside their fascinating fundamental physics, TIs are also promising candidates for future spintronic devices. In this regard, generation of spin-polarized currents in TIs is the first and most important step towards their application in spin-based devices. Here we demonstrate that when electrons are scattered from the surface of bismuth selenide, a prototype TI, not only the elastic channel but also the inelastic channel is strongly spin dependent. In particular collective charge excitations (plasmons) excited at such surfaces show a large spin-dependent electron scattering. Electrons scattered by these excitations exhibit a high spin asymmetry, as high as 40%. The observed effect opens up new possibilities to generate spin-polarized currents at the surface of TIs or utilize the collective charge excitations to analyze the electrons’ spin. The results are also important to understand the spin polarization of the photo-excited electrons excited at TIs surfaces. Moreover, our finding will inspire new ideas for using these plasmonic excitations in the field of spin-plasmonics.

Full-dimensional quantum stereodynamics of the non-adiabatic quenching of OH(A2Σ+) by H2

The Born–Oppenheimer approximation, assuming separable nuclear and electronic motion, is widely adopted for characterizing chemical reactions in a single electronic state. However, the breakdown of the Born–Oppenheimer approximation is omnipresent in chemistry, and a detailed understanding of the non-adiabatic dynamics is still incomplete. Here we investigate the non-adiabatic quenching of electronically excited OH(A2Σ+) molecules by H2 molecules using full-dimensional quantum dynamics calculations for zero total nuclear angular momentum using a high-quality diabatic-potential-energy matrix. Good agreement with experimental observations is found for the OH(X2Π) ro-vibrational distribution, and the non-adiabatic dynamics are shown to be controlled by stereodynamics, namely the relative orientation of the two reactants. The uncovering of a major (in)elastic channel, neglected in a previous analysis but confirmed by a recent experiment, resolves a long-standing experiment–theory disagreement concerning the branching ratio of the two electronic quenching channels.

Measurement Report: Lidar measurements of stratospheric aerosol following the 2019 Raikoke and Ulawun volcanic eruptions

At 18:00 UTC on 21 June 2019 the Raikoke volcano in the Kuril islands began a large-magnitude explosive eruption, sending a plume of ash and sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. A Raman lidar system at Capel Dewi Atmospheric Observatory, UK, was deployed to measure the vertical extent and optical depth of the volcanic aerosol cloud following the eruption. The elastic channel at 355 nm allowed measurements up to 25 km, but the Raman channel was only sensitive to the troposphere. Therefore, retrievals of backscatter ratio profiles from the raw backscatter measurements required aerosol-free profiles derived from nearby radiosondes and allowance for aerosol extinction using a lidar ratio of 40–50 sr. Small amounts of aerosol were measured prior to the arrival of the volcanic cloud (27 June–5 July 2019), from pyroconvection over Canada. Model simulations by de Leeuw et al. (2020) and Kloss et al. (2020) show that volcanic ash may have reached Europe from 1 July onwards and was certainly present over the UK after 10 July. The lidar detected a thin layer at an altitude of 14 km late on 3 July, with the first detection of the main aerosol cloud on 13 July. In this initial period the aerosol was confined below 16 km, but eventually the cloud extended to 20.5 km. A sustained period of clearly enhanced stratospheric aerosol optical depths began in early August, with a maximum value (at 355 nm) around 0.05 in mid-August and remaining above 0.02 until early November. Thereafter, optical depths decayed to around 0.01 by the end of 2019 and remained around that level until May 2020. The altitude of peak backscatter varied considerably (between 14 and 18 km) but was generally around 15 km. However, on one notable occasion on 25 August 2019, a layer around 300 m thick with peak lidar backscatter ratio around 1.5 was observed as high as 21 km.

Stereodynamical Control of Nonadiabatic Quenching Dynamics of OH(A2S+) by H2: Full-Dimensional Quantum Dynamics

The breakdown of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation is omnipresent in chemistry, but our detailed understanding of the nonadiabatic dynamics is still incomplete. In the present work, nonadiabatic quenching of electronically excited OH(A2S+) molecules by H2 molecules is investigated by a full-dimensional quantum dynamical method using a high quality diabatic potential energy matrix. Good agreement with experiment is found for the OH(X2P) ro-vibrational and L-doublet distributions. Furthermore, the nonadiabatic dynamics is shown to be controlled by stereodynamics, namely the orientation of the two reactants. The uncovering of a major (in)elastic channel, neglected in all previous analyses, resolves a long-standing experiment-theory disagreement concerning the branching ratio of the two electronic quenching channels.

Investigation of the Calculation of Coupled Channels for Some Halo Systems

The fusion reaction for systems involving halo nuclei are investigated by two- and multicoupled channel calculations for the systems 8B+58Ni, 11Be+209Bi, and 15C+232Th. The effect of coupling between the breakup channel and the elastic channel have been considered using the Continuum Discretized Coupled Channels (CDCC) method in full quantum and semiclassical approaches. The calculation of the fusion cross-section qfus (mb), fusion barrier distribution Dfus (mb/MeV) and fusion probability Pfus reproduces the measured data for the systems under study quite well above and below the Coulomb barrier VB. In the case of two-channel coupling both in semiclassical and quantum mechanical approaches, the measured data above the Coulomb barrier VB are overestimated.

Measurement Report: Lidar measurements of stratospheric aerosol following the Raikoke and Ulawun volcanic eruptions

On 22 June 2019 the Raikoke volcano in the Kuril islands erupted, sending a plume of ash and sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere. A Raman lidar system at Capel Dewi Atmospheric Observatory, UK (52.4° N, 4.1° W) has been used to measure the extent and optical depth of the stratospheric aerosol layer following the eruption. The elastic channel allowed measurements up to 25 km, but the Raman channel was only sensitive to the troposphere. Therefore, backscatter ratio profiles were derived by comparison with aerosol-free profiles derived from nearby radiosondes, corrected for aerosol extinction with a lidar ratio of 40–50 sr. Small amounts of aerosol were measured prior to the arrival of the volcanic cloud, probably from pyroconvection over Canada. Volcanic ash may have first arrived as a thin layer at 14 km late on 3 July, and was certainly detected from 13 July onwards, eventually extending up to 20.5 km. Aerosol optical depths reached around 0.05 by early August, decaying thereafter to around 0.01 by the end of 2019 and remaining around that level until May 2020. The location of peak backscatter varied considerably but was generally around 15 km. However, on one notable occasion on 25 August, a layer around 300 m thick with peak lidar backscatter ratio around 1.5 was observed as high as 21 km.

Lidar observations of volcanic aerosol over the UK since June 2019

<p>On 22 June 2019, the Raikoke volcano in the Kuril Islands erupted, sending a plume of ask and sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere. A Raman lidar system at Capel Dewi, UK (52.4°N, 4.1°W) has been used to measure the extent and optical depth of the stratospheric aerosol layer following the eruption. The lidar was modified to give it much enhanced sensitivity in the elastic channel, allowing measurements up to 25 km, but the Raman channel is only sensitive to the troposphere. Therefore, backscatter ratio profiles were derived by comparison with aerosol-free profiles derived from nearby radiosondes, corrected for aerosol extinction. Small amounts of stratospheric aerosol were measured prior to the arrival of the volcanic cloud, probably from pyroconvection over Canada. Volcanic ash began to arrive as a thin layer at 14 km late on 3 July, extending over the following month to fill the stratosphere below around 19 km. Aerosol optical depths reached around 0.03 by mid-August and continued at this level for the remainder of the year. The location of peak backscatter varied considerably but was generally around 15 km. However, on one notable occasion on August 25, a layer around 300 m thick with peak lidar backscatter ratio around 1.5 was observed as high as 21 km.</p>

New equipment for neutron scattering cross-section measurements at GELINA

Two new experimental setups are being developed at European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in Geel, Belgium. The scintillator array ELISA (ELastic and Inelastic Scattering Array) is for high-quality neutron scattering cross section and angular distribution measurements. It has the capability to separate neutron-and photon-induced events via pulse-shape analysis. Inelastic scattering can also be resolved from the elastic channel. The ELISA setup and data analysis procedure were validated by performing measurements using carbon and iron samples. The DELCO spectrometer (Detection of ELectrons from COnversion) is intended for inelastic neutron scattering cross-section measurements in cases where the detection of γ rays is not feasible. The current status of DELCO, results from the first tests, and future prospects will be discussed.

Imaging covalent bond formation by H atom scattering from graphene

Viewing the atomic-scale motion and energy dissipation pathways involved in forming a covalent bond is a longstanding challenge for chemistry. We performed scattering experiments of H atoms from graphene and observed a bimodal translational energy loss distribution. Using accurate first-principles dynamics simulations, we show that the quasi-elastic channel involves scattering through the physisorption well where collision sites are near the centers of the six-membered C-rings. The second channel results from transient C–H bond formation, where H atoms lose 1 to 2 electron volts of energy within a 10-femtosecond interaction time. This remarkably rapid form of intramolecular vibrational relaxation results from the C atom’s rehybridization during bond formation and is responsible for an unexpectedly high sticking probability of H on graphene.