arXiv subjects

A. Akrap

Publications and source records attributed to A. Akrap.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Optical properties and electronic structure of the nonmetallic metal FeCrAs

The complex optical properties of a single crystal of hexagonal FeCrAs ($T_N \simeq 125$ K) have been determined above and below $T_N$ over a wide frequency range in the planes (along the $b$ axis), and along the perpendicular ($c$ axis) direction. At room temperature, the optical conductivity $σ_1(ω)$ has an anisotropic metallic character. The electronic band structure reveals two bands crossing the Fermi level, allowing the optical properties to be described by two free-carrier (Drude) contributions consisting of a strong, broad component and a weak, narrow term that describes the increase in $σ_1(ω)$ below $\simeq 15$ meV. The dc-resistivity of FeCrAs is ``non-metallic'', meaning that it rises in power-law fashion with decreasing temperature, without any signature of a transport gap. In the analysis of the optical conductivity, the scattering rates for both Drude contributions track the dc-resistivity quite well, leading us to conclude that the non-metallic resistivity of FeCrAs is primarily due to a scattering rate that increases with decreasing temperature, rather than the loss of free carriers. The power law $σ_1(ω) \propto ω^{-0.6}$ is observed in the near-infrared region and as $T\rightarrow T_N$ spectral weight is transferred from low to high energy ($\gtrsim 0.6$ eV); these effects may be explained by either the two-Drude model or Hund's coupling. We also find that a low-frequency in-plane phonon mode decreases in frequency for $T < T_N$, suggesting the possibility of spin-phonon coupling.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Infrared and Raman spectroscopy measurements of a transition in the crystal structure and a closing of the energy gap of BiTeI under pressure

BiTeI is a giant Rashba spin splitting system, in which a non-centro symmetric topological phase has recently been suggested to appear under high pressure. We investigated the optical properties of this compound, reflectivity and transmission, under pressures up to $15$ GPa. The gap feature in the optical conductivity vanishes above $p \sim 9$ GPa and does not reappear up to at least $15$ GPa. The plasma edge, associated with intrinsically doped charge carriers, is smeared out through a phase transition at $9$ GPa. Using high pressure Raman spectroscopy, we follow the vibrational modes of BiTeI, providing additional clear evidence that the transition at 9 GPa involves a change of crystal structure. This change of crystal structure possibly inhibits the high-pressure topological phase from occurring.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2013

Optical conductivity of nodal metals

Fermi liquid theory is remarkably successful in describing the transport and optical properties of metals; at frequencies higher than the scattering rate, the optical conductivity adopts the well-known power law behavior $σ_1(ω) \propto ω^{-2}$. We have observed an unusual non-Fermi liquid response $σ_1(ω) \propto ω^{-1\pm 0.2}$ in the ground states of several cuprate and iron-based materials which undergo electronic or magnetic phase transitions resulting in dramatically reduced or nodal Fermi surfaces. The identification of an inverse (or fractional) power-law behavior in the residual optical conductivity now permits the removal of this contribution, revealing the direct transitions across the gap and allowing the nature of the electron-boson coupling to be probed. The non-Fermi liquid behavior in these systems may be the result of a common Fermi surface topology of Dirac cone-like features in the electronic dispersion.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2011

BaVS$_3$ probed by V L edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Polarization dependent vanadium L edge X-ray absorption spectra of BaVS$_3$ single crystals are measured in the four phases of the compound. The difference between signals with the polarization \textbf{E}$\perp$\textbf{c} and \textbf{E}$\parallel$\textbf{c} (linear dichroism) changes with temperature. Besides increasing intensity of one of the maxima, a new structure appears in the pre-edge region below the metal-insulator transition. More careful examination brings to light that the changes start already with pretransitional charge density wave fluctuations. Simple symmetry analysis suggests that the effect is related to rearrangements in $E_{g}$ and $A_{1g}$ states, and is compatible with the formation of four inequivalent V sites along the V-S chain.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Electronic correlations and unusual superconducting response in the optical properties of the iron-chalcogenide FeTe0.55Se0.45

The in-plane complex optical properties of the iron-chalcogenide superconductor FeTe0.55Se0.45 have been determined above and below the critical temperature Tc = 14 K. At room temperature the conductivity is described by a weakly-interacting Fermi liquid; however, below 100 K the scattering rate develops a frequency dependence in the terahertz region, signaling the increasingly correlated nature of this material. We estimate the dc conductivity just above Tc to be sigma_dc ~ 3500 Ohm-1cm-1 and the superfluid density rho_s0 ~ 9 x 10^6 cm-2, which places this material close to the scaling line rho_s0/8 ~ 8.1 sigma_dc Tc for a BCS dirty-limit superconductor. Below Tc the optical conductivity reveals two gap features at Delta_1,2 ~ 2.5 and ~ 5.1 meV.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

Phonon anomaly in BaFe2As2

The detailed optical properties of BaFe2As2 have been determined over a wide frequency range above and below the structural and magnetic transition at T_N = 138 K. A prominent in-plane infrared-active mode is observed at 253 cm^{-1} (31.4 meV) at 295 K. The frequency of this vibration shifts discontinuously at T_N; for T < T_N the frequency of this mode displays almost no temperature dependence, yet it nearly doubles in intensity. This anomalous behavior appears to be a consequence of orbital ordering in the Fe-As layers.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Collective Charge Excitations below the Metal-to-Insulator Transition in BaVS3

The charge response in the barium vanadium sulfide (BaVS3) single crystals is characterized by dc resistivity and low frequency dielectric spectroscopy. A broad relaxation mode in MHz range with huge dielectric constant ~= 10^6 emerges at the metal-to-insulator phase transition TMI ~= 67 K, weakens with lowering temperature and eventually levels off below the magnetic transition Tchi ~= 30 K. The mean relaxation time is thermally activated in a manner similar to the dc resistivity. These features are interpreted as signatures of the collective charge excitations characteristic for the orbital ordering that gradually develops below TMI and stabilizes at long-range scale below Tchi.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

The evolution of the Non-Fermi Liquid behavior of BaVS$_3$ under high pressure

Temperature, pressure, and magnetic field dependencies of the resistivity of BaVS$_3$ were measured above the critical pressure of $p_{cr}$=2 GPa, which is associated with the zero temperature insulator-to-metal (MI) transition. The resistivity exhibits the $T^n$ temperature dependence below $T_g\approx$15 K, with $n$ of 1.5 at $p_{cr}$, which increases continuously with pressure towards 2. This is interpreted as a crossover from non-Fermi (NFL) to Fermi-liquid (FL) behavior. Although the spin configuration of the $e_g$ electrons influences the charge propagation, the NFL behavior is attributed to the pseudogap that appears in the single particle spectrum of the $d_z^2$ electrons related to large quasi-one dimensional (Q-1d) 2$k_F$-CDW fluctuations. The non-monotonic magnetic field dependence of $Δ$$ρ$/$ρ$ reveals a characteristic field $B_0\approx$12 T attributed to the full suppression of the pseudogap.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Hysteretic behavior at the collapse of the metal-insulator transition in BaVS$_3$

Electrical resistivity as a function of temperature, pressure, and magnetic field was measured in high and low purity single crystals of BaVS$_3$ close to the critical pressure value $p_{cr}$$\approx$2 GPa, associated with the zero temperature insulator-to-metal (MI) transition. In the 1.8-2.0 GPa range, where the MI transition is below $\approx$20 K, one can observe a sudden collapse of the MI phase boundary upon increasing pressure and at fixed pressure a magnetic field induced insulator to metal transition. In high quality samples these features are accompanied by hysteresis in all measured physical quantities as a function of temperature and magnetic field. We ascribe these observations to the crossing of the MI and the magnetic phase boundaries upon increasing pressure.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Manifestations of fine features of the density of states in the transport properties of KOs2O6

We performed high-pressure transport measurements on high-quality single crystals of KOs2O6, a beta-pyrochlore superconductor. While the resistivity at high temperatures might approach saturation, there is no sign of saturation at low temperatures, down to the superconducting phase. The anomalous resistivity is accompanied by a nonmetallic behavior in the thermoelectric power (TEP) up to temperatures of at least 700 K, which also exhibits a broad hump with a maximum at 60 K. The pressure influences mostly the low-energy electronic excitations. A simple band model based on enhanced density of states in a narrow window around the Fermi energy (EF) explains the main features of this unconventional behavior in the transport coefficients and its evolution under pressure.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2006

Separation of orbital contributions to the optical conductivity of BaVS$_3$

The correlation-driven metal-insulator transition (MIT) of BaVS$_3$ was studied by polarized infrared spectroscopy. In the metallic state two types of electrons coexist at the Fermi energy: The quasi 1D metallic transport of $A_{1g}$ electrons is superimposed on the isotropic hopping conduction of localized $E_g$ electrons. The "bad-metal" character and the weak anisotropy are the consequences of the large effective mass $m_{eff}\approx7m_e$ and scattering rate $Γ\geq160$ meV of the quasi-particles in the $A_{1g}$ band. There is a pseudo-gap above $T_{MI}=69$ K, and in the insulating phase the gap follows the BCS-like temperature dependence of the structural order parameter with $Δ_{ch}\approx42$ meV in the ground state. The MIT is described in terms of a weakly coupled two-band model.

cond-mat.str-el↗