Search Results
Evolution of lattice, spin, and charge properties across the phase diagram of FeSe1-x Sx
A Raman scattering study covering the entire substitution range of the FeSe1-xSx solid solution is presented. Data were taken as a function of sulfur concentration x for 0≤x≤1, of temperature and of scattering symmetry. All types of excitations including phonons, spins, and charges are analyzed in detail. It is observed that the energy and width of the iron-related B1g phonon mode vary continuously across the entire range of sulfur substitution. The A1g chalcogenide mode disappears above x=0.23 and reappears at a much higher energy for x=0.69. In a similar way the spectral features appearing at finite doping in A1g symmetry vary discontinuously. The magnetic excitation centered at approximately 500 cm-1 disappears above x=0.23 where the A1g lattice excitations exhibit a discontinuous change in energy. The low-energy mode associated with fluctuations displays maximal intensity at the nematostructural transition and thus tracks the phase boundary.
Antiskyrmions and their electrical footprint in crystalline mesoscale structures of Mn1.4PtSn
Skyrmionic materials hold the potential for future information technologies, such as racetrack memories. Key to that advancement are systems that exhibit high tunability and scalability, with stored information being easy to read and write by means of all-electrical techniques. Topological magnetic excitations such as skyrmions and antiskyrmions, give rise to a characteristic topological Hall effect. However, the electrical detection of antiskyrmions, in both thin films and bulk samples has been challenging to date. Here, we apply magneto-optical microscopy combined with electrical transport to explore the antiskyrmion phase as it emerges in crystalline mesoscale structures of the Heusler magnet Mn1.4PtSn. We reveal the Hall signature of antiskyrmions in line with our theoretical model, comprising anomalous and topological components. We examine its dependence on the vertical device thickness, field orientation, and temperature. Our atomistic simulations and experimental anisotropy studies demonstrate the link between antiskyrmions and a complex magnetism that consists of competing ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and chiral exchange interactions, not captured by micromagnetic simulations.
Energy and symmetry of dd excitations in undoped layered cuprates measured By Cu L3 resonant inelastic x-ray scattering
We measured the high-resolution Cu L3 edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) of undoped cuprates La2CuO4, Sr2CuO2Cl2, CaCuO2 and NdBa 2Cu3O6. The dominant spectral features were assigned to dd excitations and we extensively studied their polarization and scattering geometry dependence. In a pure ionic picture, we calculated the theoretical cross sections for those excitations and used these to fit the experimental data with excellent agreement. By doing so, we were able to determine the energy and symmetry of Cu-3d states for the four systems with unprecedented accuracy and confidence. The values of the effective parameters could be obtained for the singleion crystal field model but not for a simple two-dimensional cluster model. The firm experimental assessment of dd excitation energies carries important consequences for the physics of high-Tc superconductors. On the one hand, we found that the minimum energy of orbital excitation is always ≥ 1.4 eV, i.e. well above the mid-infrared spectral range, which leaves to magnetic excitations (up to 300 meV) a major role in Cooper pairing in cuprates. On the other hand, it has become possible to study quantitatively the effective influence of dd excitations on the superconducting gap in cuprates.
Phononic-magnetic dichotomy of the thermal Hall effect in the Kitaev material Na2 Co2 TeO6
The quest for a half-quantized thermal Hall effect of a Kitaev system represents an important tool to probe topological edge currents of emergent Majorana fermions. Pertinent experimental findings for α-RuCl3 are, however, strongly debated, and it has been argued that the thermal Hall signal stems from phonons or magnons rather than from Majorana fermions. Here, we investigate the thermal Hall effect of the Kitaev candidate material Na2Co2TeO6, and we show that the measured signal emerges from at least two components, phonons and magnetic excitations. This dichotomy results from our discovery that the longitudinal and transversal heat conductivities share clear phononic signatures, while the transversal signal changes sign upon entering the low-temperature, magnetically ordered phase. Our results demonstrate that uncovering a genuinely quantized magnetic thermal Hall effect in Kitaev topological quantum spin liquids such as α-RuCl3 and Na2Co2TeO6 requires disentangling phonon vs magnetic contributions, including potentially fractionalized excitations such as the expected Majorana fermions.
Role of topology in compensated magnetic systems
Topology plays a crucial and multifaceted role in solid state physics, leading to a remarkable array of newly investigated materials and phenomena. In this Perspective, we provide a brief summary of well-established model materials with a particular focus on compensated magnets and highlight key phenomena that emerge due to the influence of topology in these systems. The overview covers various magneto-transport phenomena, with a particular focus on the extensively investigated anomalous magneto-transport effects. Furthermore, we look into the significance of topology in understanding elementary magnetic excitations, namely magnons, where the role of topology gained considerable attention from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. Since electrons and magnons carry energy, we explore the implications of topology in combined heat and spin transport experiments in compensated magnetic systems. At the end of each section, we highlight intriguing unanswered questions in this research direction. To finally conclude, we offer our perspective on what could be the next advancements regarding the interaction between compensated magnetism and topology.