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A. Steppke

Publications and source records attributed to A. Steppke.

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Correlated charge order intertwined with time-reversal symmetry-breaking nodal superconductivity in the dual flat band kagome superconductor CeRu$_{3}$Si$_{2}$

Kagome materials provide a powerful platform for exploring how flat electronic bands promote symmetry-breaking quantum states, yet studies have so far focused mainly on kagome-derived $d$-electron flat bands. In this paper, we introduce CeRu$_{3}$Si$_{2}$, a kagome superconductor in which our first-principles calculations show the coexistence of Ru $d$-orbital kagome flat bands and heavy-fermion flat bands derived from Ce$^{4+}$ $4f$-states. X-ray diffraction reveals a dominant 1/2 charge order with a much weaker 1/3 component persisting up to room temperature. Theoretical calculations further highlight the correlated nature of these charge-order states. Deep within the charge-ordered state, magnetoresistance emerges below 80 K and strengthens further below 30 K. Zero-field muon spin-rotation measurements show no time-reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking in the normal state, in contrast to LaRu$_{3}$Si$_{2}$ and YRu$_{3}$Si$_{2}$. However, an applied magnetic field induces weak magnetism. Across the $A$Ru$_{3}$Si$_{2}$ family ($A$ = La, Y, and Ce), the superconducting transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ scales linearly with the onset temperature of normal-state TRS breaking $T_{\rm {TRSB}}$ and the magnitude of the field-induced magnetic response, revealing a direct positive correlation between normal-state symmetry breaking and superconductivity. Furthermore, we identify that CeRu$_{3}$Si$_{2}$ is the first 132-type kagome compound to host nodal superconductivity together with spontaneous internal magnetic fields, providing clear evidence for intrinsic TRS breaking in the superconducting state. These results establish CeRu$_{3}$Si$_{2}$ as a unique platform where intertwined kagome $d$- and heavy fermion $f$-electron flat bands generate a rich hierarchy of electronic orders.

cond-mat.supr-con

The stripe state at 1/8 Ba doping hosts optimal superconductivity in La-214 cuprates under low in-plane stress

The cuprate system La$_{2-x}$Ba$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ (LBCO) exhibits a pronounced sensitivity to in-plane uniaxial stress, particularly near the 1/8 doping anomaly, where stripe order strongly suppresses bulk superconductivity. While previous studies have focused on compositions close to 0.125, the commensurate $x$=0.125 phase remains largely unexplored under symmetry-selective lattice tuning. Here, we combine muon-spin rotation (${\mu}$SR), AC susceptibility, and electrical resistivity to investigate superconductivity, spin-stripe order, and structural response in LBCO-0.125 under in-plane uniaxial stress applied 45$^\circ$ to the Cu-O bond direction. Complementary resistivity measurements on $x$=0.115 and 0.135 track the evolution across both sides of the anomaly. We observe a giant enhancement of the bulk superconducting transition temperature in LBCO-0.125, increasing from 5 K to 37 K under 0.5 GPa. While the onset temperature of spin-stripe order decreases only modestly, the magnetic volume fraction is reduced by about a factor of two, with local order preserved. Simultaneously, the resistivity peak associated with the LTT phase is fully suppressed across all dopings. These results demonstrate that suppression of the LTT phase and reduction of the static spin-stripe-ordered volume fraction are crucial for the development of optimal three-dimensional superconductivity. Strikingly, the composition $x$=0.125, with the most robust stripe stability and the lowest ambient-pressure $T_{\rm c}$ develops the highest $T_{\rm c}$ under stress, reaching a zero-resistance state at 37 K and an onset of the superconducting transition as high as 46 K. This behavior indicates that stripe-related interactions enhance pairing strength, while static stripe order competes with superconductivity primarily at the level of phase coherence rather than pairing itself.

cond-mat.supr-con

Dynamics and thermodynamics of a topological transition in spin ice materials under strain

We study single crystals of Dy$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ and Ho$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ under magnetic field and stress applied along their [001] direction. We find that many of the features that the emergent gauge field of spin ice confers to the macroscopic magnetic properties are preserved in spite of the finite temperature. The magnetisation vs. field shows an upward convexity within a broad range of fields, while the static and dynamic susceptibilities present a peculiar peak. Following this feature for both compounds, we determine a single experimental transition curve: that for the Kasteleyn transition in three dimensions, proposed more than a decade ago. Additionally, we observe that compression up to $-0.8\%$ along [001] does not significantly change the thermodynamics. However, the dynamical response of Ho$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ is quite sensitive to changes introduced in the ${\rm Ho}^{3+}$ environment. Uniaxial compression can thus open up experimental access to equilibrium properties of spin ice at low temperatures.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Interplay between unconventional superconductivity and heavy-fermion quantum criticality: CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ versus YbRh$_2$Si$_2$

In this paper the low-temperature properties of two isostructural canonical heavy-fermion compounds are contrasted with regards to the interplay between antiferromagnetic (AF) quantum criticality and superconductivity. For CeCu$_2$Si$_2$, fully-gapped d-wave superconductivity forms in the vicinity of an itinerant three-dimensional heavy-fermion spin-density-wave (SDW) quantum critical point (QCP). Inelastic neutron scattering results highlight that both quantum critical SDW fluctuations as well as Mott-type fluctuations of local magnetic moments contribute to the formation of Cooper pairs in CeCu$_2$Si$_2$. In YbRh$_2$Si$_2$, superconductivity appears to be suppressed at $T\gtrsim~10$ mK by AF order ($T_N$ = 70 mK). Ultra-low temperature measurements reveal a hybrid order between nuclear and 4f-electronic spins, which is dominated by the Yb-derived nuclear spins, to develop at $T_A$ slightly above 2 mK. The hybrid order turns out to strongly compete with the primary 4f-electronic order and to push the material towards its QCP. Apparently, this paves the way for heavy-fermion superconductivity to form at $T_c$ = 2 mK. Like the pressure - induced QCP in CeRhIn$_5$, the magnetic field - induced one in YbRh$_2$Si$_2$ is of the local Kondo-destroying variety which corresponds to a Mott-type transition at zero temperature. Therefore, these materials form the link between the large family of about fifty low-$T$ unconventional heavy - fermion superconductors and other families of unconventional superconductors with higher $T_c$s, notably the doped Mott insulators of the cuprates, organic charge-transfer salts and some of the Fe-based superconductors. Our study suggests that heavy-fermion superconductivity near an AF QCP is a robust phenomenon.

cond-mat.supr-con

Cascade of magnetic field induced Lifshitz transitions in the ferromagnetic Kondo lattice material YbNi4P2

A ferromagnetic quantum critical point is thought not to exist in two and three-dimensional metallic systems yet is realized in the Kondo lattice compound YbNi4(P,As)2, possibly due to its one-dimensionality. It is crucial to investigate the dimensionality of the Fermi surface of YbNi4P2 experimentally but common probes such as ARPES and quantum oscillation measurements are lacking. Here, we studied the magnetic field dependence of transport and thermodynamic properties of YbNi4P2. The Kondo effect is continuously suppressed and additionally we identify nine Lifshitz transitions between 0.4 and 18 T. We analyze the transport coefficients in detail and identify the type of Lifshitz transitions as neck or void type to gain information on the Fermi surface of YbNi4P2. The large number of Lifshitz transitions observed within this small energy window is unprecedented and results from the particular flat renormalized band structure with strong 4f-electron character shaped by the Kondo lattice effect.

cond-mat.str-el

Intermediate magnetisation state and competing orders in Dy$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ and Ho$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$

Among the frustrated magnetic materials, spin-ice stands out as a particularly interesting system. Residual entropy, freezing and glassiness, Kasteleyn transitions and fractionalisation of excitations in three dimensions all stem from a simple classical Hamiltonian. But is the usual spin-ice Hamiltonian a correct description of the experimental systems? Here we address this issue by measuring magnetic susceptibility in the two most studied spin-ice compounds, Dy$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ and Ho$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$, using a vector magnet. Using these results, and guided by a theoretical analysis of possible distortions to the pyrochlore lattice, we construct an effective Hamiltonian and explore it using Monte Carlo simulations. We show how this Hamiltonian reproduces the experimental results, including the formation of a phase of intermediate polarisation, and gives important information about the possible ground-state of real spin-ice systems. Our work suggests an unusual situation in which distortions might contribute to the preservation rather than relief of the effects of frustration.

cond-mat.stat-mech

k=0 magnetic structure and absence of ferroelectricity in SmFeO3

SmFeO3 has attracted considerable attention very recently due to the reported multiferroic properties above room-temperature. We have performed powder and single crystal neutron diffraction as well as complementary polarization dependent soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements on floating-zone grown SmFeO3 single crystals in order to determine its magnetic structure. We found a k=0 G-type collinear antiferromagnetic structure that is not compatible with inverse Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction driven ferroelectricity. While the structural data reveals a clear sign for magneto-elastic coupling at the Néel-temperature of ~675 K, the dielectric measurements remain silent as far as ferroelectricity is concerned.

cond-mat.str-el

Ferromagnetic order in Yb(Rh$_{0.73}$Co$_{0.27}$)$_{2}$Si$_{2}$

We present the discovery of ferromagnetism in single crystalline Yb(Rh$_{0.73}$Co$_{0.27}$)$_{2}$Si$_{2}$ below $T_{C} = 1.30\,$K with a spontaneous magnetic moment of $0.1\,μ_{B}$/Yb along the crystallographic c-axis. This is shown by the huge c-susceptibility peak, the hysteresis in magnetization as well as by the field-dependent susceptibility and specific heat data. This discovery motivates the reinvestigation of the magnetic order in Yb(Rh$_{1-x}$Co$_{x}$)$_{2}$Si$_{2}$ with $x < 0.27$ and in pure YbRh$_{2}$Si$_{2}$ under small pressures with field along the $c$-direction to look for low-lying ferromagnetic order.

cond-mat.str-el

Avoided ferromagnetic quantum critical point: Unusual short-range ordered state in CeFePO

Cerium 4f electronic spin dynamics in single crystals of the heavy-fermion system CeFePO is studied by means of ac-susceptibility, specific heat and muon-spin relaxation ($μ$SR). Short-range static magnetism occurs below the freezing temperature Tg ~ 0.7 K, which prevents the system from accessing the putative ferromagnetic quantum critical point. In the $μ$SR, the sample-averaged muon asymmetry function is dominated by strongly inhomogeneous spin fluctuations below 10 K and exhibits a characteristic time-field scaling relation expected from glassy spin dynamics, strongly evidencing cooperative and critical spin fluctuations. The overall behavior can be ascribed neither to canonical spin glasses nor other disorder-driven mechanisms.

cond-mat.str-el