arXiv subjects

A. Koda

Publications and source records attributed to A. Koda.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Tomonaga-Luttinger spin liquid in the spin-1/2 inequilateral diamond-chain compound K$_3$Cu$_3$AlO$_2$(SO$_4$)$_4$

K$_3$Cu$_3$AlO$_2$(SO$_4$)$_4$ is a highly one-dimensional spin-1/2 inequilateral diamond-chain antiferromagnet. Spinon continuum and spin-singlet dimer excitations are observed in the inelastic neutron scattering spectra, which is in excellent agreement with a theoretical prediction: a dimer-monomer composite structure, where the dimer is caused by strong antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling and the monomer forms an almost isolated quantum AFM chain controlling low-energy excitations. Moreover, muon spin rotation/relaxation spectroscopy shows no long-range ordering down to 90~mK, which is roughly three orders of magnitude lower than the exchange interaction of the quantum AFM chain. K$_3$Cu$_3$AlO$_2$(SO$_4$)$_4$ is, thus, regarded as a compound that exhibits a Tomonaga-Luttinger spin liquid behavior at low temperatures close to the ground state.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Metal-Insulator Transition and Pseudogap in Bi$_{1.76}$Pb$_{0.35}$Sr$_{1.89}$CuO$_{6+δ}$ High-$T_c$ Cuprates

It is inferred from bulk-sensitive muon Knight shift measurement for a Bi$_{1.76}$Pb$_{0.35}$Sr$_{1.89}$CuO$_{6+δ}$ single-layer cuprate that metal-insulator (MI) transition (in the low temperature limit, $T\rightarrow0$) occurs at the critical hole concentration $p=p_{\rm MI}=0.09(1)$, where the electronic density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level is reduced to zero by the pseudogap irrespective of the Néel order or spin glass magnetism. Superconductivity also appears for $p>p_{\rm MI}$, suggesting that this feature is controlled by the MI transition. More interestingly, the magnitude of the DOS reduction induced by the pseudogap remains unchanged over a wide doping range ($0.1\le p\le0.2$), indicating that the pseudogap remains as a hallmark of the MI transition for $p>p_{\rm MI}$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Cage Electron-Hydroxyl Complex State as Electron Donor in Mayenite

It is inferred from the chemical shift of muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) spectra that muons implanted in pristine (fully oxidized) mayenite, [Ca$_{12}$Al$_{14}$O$_{32}]^{2+}$[$\square_5$O$^{2-}$] (C12A7, with $\square$ referring to the vacant cage), are bound to O$^{2-}$ at the cage center to form OMu$^-$ (where Mu represents muonium, a muonic analog of the H atom). However, an isolated negatively charged state (Mu$^-$, an analog of H$^-$) becomes dominant when the compound approaches the state of electride [Ca$_{12}$Al$_{14}$O$_{32}]^{2+}$[$\square_4$2e$^{-}$] as a result of the reduction process. Moreover, the OMu$^-$ state in the pristine specimen exhibits depolarization of paramagnetic origin at low temperatures (below $\sim$30~K), indicating that OMu$^-$ accompanies a loosely bound electron in the cage that can be thermally activated. This suggests that interstitial muons (and hence H) forming a "cage electron-hydroxyl" complex can serve as electron donors in C12A7.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2015

Strong electron correlation behind the superconductivity in Ce-free and Ce-underdoped high-Tc T'-cuprates

In order to investigate the electronic state of Ce-free and Ce-underdoped high-Tc cuprates with the so-called T' structure, we have performed muon-spin-relaxation (muSR) and specific-heat measurements of Ce-free T'-La_1.8_Eu_0.2_CuO_4+d_ (T'-LECO) polycrystals and Ce-underdoped T'-Pr_1.3-x_La_0.7_Ce_x_CuO_4+d_ (T'-PLCCO) single crystals with x=0.10. The muSR spectra of the reduced superconducting samples of both T'-LECO with Tc=15K and T'-PLCCO with x=0.10 and Tc=27K have revealed that a short-range magnetic order coexists with the superconductivity in the ground state. The formation of a short-range magnetic order due to a tiny amount of excess oxygen in the reduced superconducting samples strongly suggest that the Ce-free and Ce-underdoped T'-cuprates are regarded as strongly correlated electron systems.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Electronic structure of shallow donor state associated with muonium in rutile TiO$_2$

The hyperfine structure of the interstitial muonium (Mu) center in rutile (TiO$_2$, weakly $n$-type) has been identified by means of muon spin rotation technique. The angle-resolved hyperfine parameter has a tetragonal anisotropy within the $ab$ plane and axial anisotropy along the $c$ axis, strongly suggesting that Mu simulates the known local structure of interstitial hydrogen (H) located at an off-center position within a channel along $c$ axis, and the electron wave function bound to Mu is highly delocalized (~1.5 nm along $c$ axis, ~0.8 nm for $a$ axis). The ionization energy of Mu ($\rightarrow μ^+ + e^-$) due to thermal activation is deduced to be 1.2(4) meV, as is directly inferred from the disappearance of Mu signal above ~8 K. These observations suggest that electronic level associated with Mu (as well as H) is situated near the bottom of the conduction band, serving as a shallow donor state in rutile.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2015

Evidence for ordered magnetic moments at oxygen sites in antiferromagnetic Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ and Sr$_3$Ir$_2$O$_7$

In this study, the magnetic ground state of iridium perovskites (Sr$_{n+1}$Ir$_{n}$O$_{3n+1}$, where $n=1$, 2, and $\infty$) was considered using muon spin spectroscopy ($μ$SR). When probed by muons in Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ and Sr$_3$Ir$_2$O$_7$ ($n=1,2$), the internal field ($B_{\rm loc}$) showed clear sign of a magnetic order in two stages at transition temperatures $T_{\rm N}\simeq 230$ K and $T_{\rm m}\simeq 90$ K in Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ and $T_{\rm N}\simeq 280$ K and $T_{\rm m}\simeq 70$ K in Sr$_3$Ir$_2$O$_7$, respectively. In contrast, no long-range magnetic order was observed in orthorhombic SrIrO$_3$ ($n=\infty$). Based on the known magnetic structure in Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ and Sr$_3$Ir$_2$O$_7$, we successfully identified muon sites in these compounds from the magnitude of $B_{\rm loc}$ in the first stage ($T_{\rm m}\le T\le T_{\rm N}$). Below $T_{\rm m}$, $B_{\rm loc}$ probed by a fraction of muons occupying sites near the apical oxygen of IrO$_6$ octahedra exhibited a further increase but remained mostly unchanged for sites close to the in-plane oxygen. While such behavior cannot be explained by the alteration of the Ir spin structure, it is consistent with the selective appearance of ordered magnetic moments on the apical oxygen. The oxygen polarization was also in line with the reported magnetization anomalies in these compounds below $\sim T_{\rm m}$. A possible link between the oxygen polarization and ferroelectric (multiferroic) behavior in Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ was considered.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Bulk superconductivity in undoped T'-La$_{1.9}$Y$_{0.1}$CuO$_4$ probed by muon spin rotation

The Meissner effect has been directly demonstrated by depth-resolved muon spin rotation measurements in high-quality thin films of the T'-structured cuprate, T'-La$_{1.9}$Y$_{0.1}$CuO$_4$, to confirm bulk superconductivity ($T_c\simeq21$ K) in its {\sl undoped} state. The gradual expelling of an external magnetic field is observed over a depth range of $\sim$100 nm in films with a thickness of 275(15) nm, from which the penetration depth is deduced to be 466(22) nm. Based on this result, we argue that the true ground state of the "parent" compound of the $n$-type cuprates is not a Mott insulator but a strongly correlated metal with colossal sensitivity to apical oxygen impurities.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Magnetic frustration in iridium spinel compound CuIr$_2$S$_4$

We demonstrate via a muon spin rotation experiment that the electronic ground state of the iridium spinel compound, CuIr$_2$S$_4$, is not the presumed spin-singlet state but a novel paramagnetic state, showing a quasistatic spin glass-like magnetism below ~100 K. Considering the earlier indication that IrS$_6$ octahedra exhibit dimerization associated with the metal-to-insulator transition below 230 K, the present result suggests that a strong spin-orbit interaction may be playing an important role in determining the ground state that accompanies magnetic frustration.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Cooperative order in the weakly magnetic domain of LaFeAsO$_{1-x}$F$_{x}$ near the doping phase boundary

Spatial phase separation into mesoscopic domains of non-magnetic [superconducting (SC) below Tc = 25.5 K] and two kinds of magnetic phases, one showing disordered spin density wave (d-SDW) order and another associated with glassy weak magnetism (WM), are observed below ~100 K by muon spin rotation (muSR) in LaFeAsO1-xFx for x = 0.057(3) which is near the boundary of these phases on the doping phase diagram. In contrast to the competing order observed in the regular SDW phase of Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2, the WM domain exhibits cooperative coupling of superconducting and magnetic order parameters as inferred from strong diamagnetism and associated negative shift of muSR frequency just below Tc.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

muSR Investigation of magnetically ordered states in A-site ordered perovskite manganites RBaMn2O6 (R = Y and La)

The magnetically ordered states of the A-site ordered perovskite manganites LaBaMn2O6 and YBaMn2O6 have been investigated by muon spin relaxation in zero external magnetic field. Our data reveal striking differences in the nature of the magnetically ordered state of these materials. For LaBaMn2O6, the muSR time-spectra in the ferromagnetic state below ~ 330 K reveal a strongly inhomogeneous phase, reminiscent of a Griffiths phase. Within this magnetically inhomogeneous phase, an antiferromagnetic state develops below 150 K, which displays well defined static internal magnetic fields, but reaches only 30% of the volume fraction at low temperatures. A broad distribution of muSR relaxation rates is inferred down to the lowest temperatures. This behavior is similar to the A-site disordered La0.5Ba0.5MnO3. On the other hand, for YBaMn2O6, the muSR time spectra for both (i) the charge and orbital ordered and (ii) the paramagnetic phases reveal rather homogeneous states, namely, an exponential relaxation in the paramagnetic state and well defined muon spin oscillation in the antiferromagnetic state.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Quasi-one-dimensional spin dynamics in LiV2O4: 1D-to-3D crossover as a possible origin of heavy fermion state

Spin fluctuation in LiV2O4 is revisited by examining the earlier result of muon spin rotation/ relaxation measurements. Instead of a relationship for the localized electron limit, one for itinerant electron systems between muon depolarization rate and spin fluctuation rate (ν_D) is employed to re-analyze data, which reveals that νD varies linearly with temperature (ν_D {\propto} T) over a range 10^8-10^{12} /s for 0.02 {\le} T < 102 K. Such a linear-T behavior as well as the magnitude of ν_D is fully consistent with that of the magnetic relaxation rate previously observed by inelastic neutron scattering (INS), demonstrating that μSR and INS have a common time window over the fluctuation spectrum. The linear-T dependence of ν_D is understood as a specific feature predicted by a Hubbard model for intersecting one-dimensional (1D) chains. This quasi-1D character, which is co-existent with enhanced uniform susceptibility at low temperatures, supports the scenario of 1D-to-3D crossover for the microscopic origin of heavy-fermion behavior in LiV2O4.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Quasi-One-Dimensional Spin Dynamics in $d$-Electron Heavy-Fermion Metal Y$_{1-x}$Sc$_x$Mn$_2$

Slow spin fluctuations ($ν< 10^{12}$ s$^-1$) observed by the muon spin relaxation technique in Y$_{1-x}$Sc$_x$Mn$_2$ exhibits a power law dependence on temperature ($ν\propto T^α$), where the power converges asymptotically to unity ($α\rightarrow 1$) as the system moves away from spin-glass instability with increasing Sc content $x$. This linear $T$ dependence, which is common to that observed in LiV$_2$O$_4$, is in line with the prediction of the "intersecting Hubbard chains" model for a metallic pyrochlore lattice, suggesting that the geometrical constraints to t2g bands specific to the pyrochlore structure serve as a basis of the $d$-electron heavy-fermion state.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Suppression of time reversal symmetry breaking superconductivity in Pr(Os,Ru)_4Sb_12 and (Pr,La)Os_4Sb_12

Zero-field muon spin relaxation experiments have been carried out in the Pr(Os_{1-x}Ru_x)_4Sb_12 and Pr_{1-y}La_yOs_4Sb_12 alloy systems to investigate broken time-reversal symmetry (TRS) in the superconducting state, signaled by the onset of a spontaneous static local magnetic field B_s. In both alloy series B_s initially decreases linearly with solute concentration. Ru doping is considerably more efficient than La doping, with a ~50% faster initial decrease. The data suggest that broken TRS is suppressed for Ru concentration x >~ 0.6, but persists for essentially all La concentrations. Our data support a crystal-field excitonic Cooper pairing mechanism for TRS-breaking superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2010

Magnetic ground state of pyrochlore oxides close to metal-insulator boundary probed by muon spin rotation

Magnetism of ruthernium pyrochlore oxides A2Ru2O7 (A = Hg, Cd, Ca), whose electronic properties within a localized ion picture are characterized by non-degenerate t2g orbitals (Ru5+, 4d3) and thereby subject to geometrical frustration, has been investigated by muon spin rotation/relaxation (muSR) technique. The A cation (mostly divalent) was varied to examine the effect of covalency (Hg > Cd > Ca) on their electronic property. In a sample with A = Hg that exhibits a clear metal-insulator (MI) transition below >> 100 K (which is associated with a weak structural transition), a nearly commensurate magnetic order is observed to develop in accordance with the MI transition. Meanwhile, in the case of A = Cd where the MI transition is suppressed to the level of small anomaly in the resistivity, the local field distribution probed by muon indicates emergence of a certain magnetic inhomogeneity below » 30 K. Moreover, in Ca2Ru2O7 that remains metallic, we find a highly inhomogeneous local magnetism below >>25 K that comes from randomly oriented Ru moments and thus described as a "frozen spin liquid" state. The systematic trend of increasing randomness and itinerant character with decreasing covalency suggests close relationship between these two characters. As a reference for the effect of orbital degeneracy and associated Jahn-Teller instability, we examine a tetravalent ruthernium pyrochlore, Tl2Ru2O7 (Ru4+, 4d4), where the result of muSR indicates a non-magnetic ground state that is consistent with the formation of the Haldane chains suggested by neutron diffraction experiment.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Field-induced magnetism in the high-$T_c$ superconductor Ca$_{2-x}$Na$_x$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$ with flat CuO$_2$ planes

The internal magnetic field distribution in a mixed state of a cuprate superconductor, Ca$_{2-x}$Na$_x$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$ ($T_{\rm c}\simeq28.5$ K, near the optimal doping), was measured by muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) technique up to 60 kOe. The $μ$SR linewidth $Λ(B)$ which exhibits excess broadening at higher fields ($B>5$ kOe) due to field-induced magnetism (FIM), is described by a relation, $Λ(B)\propto\sqrt{B}$. This suggests that the orbital current and associated quasiparticle excitation plays predominant roles in stabilizing the quasistatic correlation. Moreover, a slowing down of the vortex fluctuation sets in well above $T_{\rm c}$, as inferred from the trace of FIM observed up to $\sim80$ K, and develops continuously without a singularity at $T_{\rm c}$ as the temperature decreases.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

Insular superconductivity in Co-doped iron pnictide CaFe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$AsF

The presence of macroscopic phase separation between the superconducting and magnetic phases in \cfcaf is demonstrated by muon spin rotation (muSR) measurements conducted across their phase boundaries (x=0.05-0.15). The magnetic phase tends to retain the high transition temperature (T_m > T_c), while Co-doping induces strong randomness. The volumetric fraction of superconducting phase is nearly proportional to the Co content $x$ with constant superfluid density. These observations suggest the formation of superconducting "islands" (or domains) associated with Co ions in the Fe$_2$As$_2$ layers, indicating a very short coherence length.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Full Gap Superconductivity in Ba$_{0.6}$K$_{0.4}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ Probed by Muon Spin Rotation

Superfluid density ($n_s$) in the mixed state of an iron pnictide superconductor Ba$_{0.6}$K$_{0.4}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ is determined by muon spin rotation for a sample with optimal doping ($x=0.4$). The temperature dependence of $n_s$ is perfectly reproduced by the conventional BCS model for s-wave paring, where the order parameter can be either a single-gap with $Δ=8.35(6)$ meV [$2Δ/k_BT_c=5.09(4)$], or double-gap structure with $Δ_1=12$ meV (fixed) [$2Δ_1/k_BT_c=7.3$] and $Δ_2=6.8(3)$ meV [$2Δ_2/k_BT_c=4.1(2)$]. The latter is consistent with the recent result of angle-resolved photo-emssion spectroscopy. The large gap parameters ($2Δ/k_BT_c$) indicate extremely strong coupling of carriers to bosons that mediate the Cooper pairing.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Effect of Zn substitution for Cu on Ca$_{2-x}$Na$_{x}$CuO$_{2}$Cl$_{2}$ near the hole concentration of 1/8 per Cu

A weakening of superconductivity upon substitution of Cu by Zn (0.5~1 %) is observed in a high-T_c cuprate, Ca_{2-x}Na_xCuO2Cl2, near the hole concentration of 1/8 per Cu. The superconducting transition temperature and its volume fraction, estimated by magnetic susceptibility, exhibit a sizable anomaly for x=0.12~0.14, where the slowing down of Cu spin fluctuations below 5 K is demonstrated by muon spin relaxation experiments. These observations are in close resemblance to other typical cuprates including YBa2Cu3O_{7-d}, and Bi2Sr2Ca_{1-x}Y_xCu2O_{8+d}, providing further evidence that Zn-induced "stripe" correlation is a universal feature of high-T_c cuprate superconductors common to that of La_{2-x}A_{x}CuO4 (A=Ba, Sr).

cond-mat.supr-con↗