arXiv subjects

Alex Louat

Publications and source records attributed to Alex Louat.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Future perspective of muons; a quantum particle measuring quantum processes

Although considered a niche technique, muon spectroscopy provides a unique and complementary insight into a range of different materials from hard condensed matter to biological samples and everything in between. In matter, the muon has a mass of $\frac{1}{9}~m_p$ or $207~m_e$, and is a local probe of quantum states that can provide a focus on the bulk properties of materials. While often interpreted in a classical framework, the muon is itself a quantum particle and it is increasingly common for researchers to take account of this when thinking about muon spectroscopy experiments. In this perspective, we focus on the power of using this quantum treatment of muon spectroscopy, which is a key future direction for the technique.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2026

Change in charge density wave order beyond the Lifshitz transition in 2H-Ta\textsubscript{1$\pm\delta$}S\textsubscript{2}

We investigate electronic instabilities in 2H-TaS\textsubscript{2} and a self-intercalated variant, 2H$^\dagger$-Ta\textsubscript{1+$\delta$}S\textsubscript{2}. In conventional samples, which we determine to be slightly hole-doped, spectral gaps and backfolded features are found as fingerprints of the $3\times3$ charge density wave (CDW). Notably, the backfolded features emerge only at a temperatures below $T\approx$~65~K, substantially lower than the established CDW temperature of 78~K, suggesting an incommensurate-commensurate lock-in transition analogous to the phenomenology of the 2H-TaSe\textsubscript{2}. In contrast, the self-intercalated 2H$^\dagger$ sample exhibits substantial electron doping and signatures of a novel \tworootthree CDW. Using \textit{ab initio} calculations of the phonon spectrum, we demonstrate that the \threebythree instability ($\mathbf{q}=\sfrac{2}{3}\mathbf{\Gamma M}$) is highly sensitive to band filling. Furthermore, with increased interlayer spacing, a competing soft phonon mode emerges near $\mathbf{q}=\sfrac{1}{2}\mathbf{\Gamma K}$, corresponding to the superstructure observed in the 2H$^\dagger$ phase, although in our calculations this instability arises under hole doping rather than the electron doping inferred experimentally. These results establish band filling and interlayer spacing as key control parameters for CDW ordering vectors in 2H-TaS\textsubscript{2}, and highlight a route to engineering electronic instabilities in a prototypical layered material.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Vector spin polarization evolution determined in an entangled muon-fluorine system under pulsed excitation

A spin-polarized muon implanted into a fluoride forms a coupled F--$\mu$--F complex in which the muon spin and neighbouring fluorine nuclear spins become entangled. Here we apply radio-frequency (RF) excitation to this coupled system and use the three-dimensional distribution of emitted positrons to reconstruct the time-dependent evolution of the muon spin polarization. This three-dimensional readout, using single spin detection, is not possible in a single NMR experiment and demonstrates significant advantages that are achieved by using RF muon techniques. We demonstrate the application of this vector-readout method to the experimental observation of a muon spin echo signal that is controlled by the dipolar coupling to fluorine, as well as to a double resonance experiment, in which we use pulses tuned to separate frequencies to address both the muon and fluorine spins. This targeted approach, in which selective RF pulses can control the muon spin and other spins to which it is coupled, provides a novel route for probing systems of entangled spins.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Charge transfer empties the flat band in 4H$_b$-TaS$_2$ -- except at the surface

The 4H\textsubscript{b} polytype of TaS$_2$ is a natural heterostructure of H and T-type layers. Intriguing recent evidence points towards a possibly chiral superconducting ground state, unlike the superconductivity found in other polytypes where the T layers are absent, requiring understanding of the possible contributions of electrons from the T layers. Here we use micro-focused angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy to reveal that the T termination of the 4H\textsubscript{b} structure is metallic, but a subsurface T layer -- seen below an H termination and thus more representative of the bulk case -- is gapped. The results imply a complete charge transfer of 1 electron per 13 Ta from the T to adjacent H layers in the bulk, but an incomplete charge transfer at the T termination, yielding a metallic Fermi surface with a planar-chiral character. A similar metallic state is found in an anomalous region with likely T-H-H' stacking at the surface. Our results exclude cluster Mott localisation in either the bulk or surface of 4H$_b$-TaS$_2$ and point to a scenario of superconductivity arising from Josephson-like tunneling between the H layers.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Chiral charge density wave in 4Hb- and 1T-TaS$_2$: The Role of interlayer coupling

We use micro-angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (micro-ARPES) to investigate chiral charge density waves (CDWs) in 4Hb-TaS$_2$ with micron-scale spatial resolution. In the 1T layers of 4Hb-TaS$_2$, we uncover coexisting left- and right-handed CDW domains and resolve four distinct spectral patterns arising from the interplay of chirality and rotational stacking. In contrast, bulk 1T-TaS$_2$ exhibits a uniform chirality. In addition, 4Hb-TaS$_2$ shows negligible out-of-plane dispersion of the 1T-derived bands, in contrast to the pronounced interlayer coupling observed in bulk 1T-TaS$_2$. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations corroborate this picture, revealing that the interlayer interaction of the chiral order in 4Hb-TaS$_2$ is nearly two orders of magnitude weaker than in the 1T polytype. Our findings establish 4Hb-TaS$_2$ as a quasi-two-dimensional platform for exploring tunable chiral CDW phenomena.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Moir\'e enhanced flat band in rhombohedral graphene

The fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect (FQAHE) is a fascinating emergent quantum state characterized by fractionally charged excitations in the absence of magnetic field,which could arise from the intricate interplay between electron correlation, nontrivial topology and spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking. Recently, FQAHE has been realized in aligned rhombohedral pentalayer graphene on BN superlattice (aligned R5G/BN), where the topological flat band is modulated by the moir\'e potential. However, intriguingly, the FQAHE is observed only when electrons are pushed away from the moir\'e interface. The apparently opposite implications from these experimental observations, along with different theoretical models, have sparked intense debates regarding the role of the moir\'e potential. Unambiguous experimental observation of the topological flat band as well as moir\'e bands with energy and momentum resolved information is therefore critical to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Here by performing nanospot angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (NanoARPES) measurements, we directly reveal the topological flat band electronic structures of R5G, from which key hopping parameters essential for determining the fundamental electronic structure of rhombohedral graphene are extracted. Moreover, a comparison of electronic structures between aligned and non-aligned samples reveals that the moir\'e potential plays a pivotal role in enhancing the topological flat band in the aligned sample. Our study provides experimental guiding lines to narrow down the phase space of rhombohedral graphene, laying an important foundation for understanding exotic quantum phenomena in this emerging platform.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Interplay of Kondo Physics with Incommensurate Charge Density Waves in CeTe$_3$

CeTe$_3$ is a 2--dimensional (2D) Van der Waals (VdW) material with incommensurate charge density waves (CDW), extremely high transition temperature ($T_{CDW}$) and a large momentum--dependent CDW gap that leaves a significant portion of the Fermi surface intact. It is also considered to be a weak Kondo system, a property unexpected for a material with incommensurate CDW, where each atomic site is slightly different. Here, we study the properties of the CDW state in several RTe$_3$ (R is rare earth) materials and examine the hybridization of itinerant states with the localized Ce $4f$ multiplet in CeTe$_3$ by using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). We find that the renormalization of the itinerant states originating from the hybridization with the deeper localized $4f$ states at $-260$ meV is $k-$dependent and extends to the Fermi level. As these localized states are far from the Fermi level, the observed hybridization affects the effective masses only marginally and does not lead to heavy fermions. However, since the same renormalizing mechanism normally leads to the heavy fermion physics when the localized $4f$ states are near the Fermi level, our observation of its strong $k-$dependence suggests that this could be the reason for discrepancy between the heavy masses in specific heat and light ones in Shubnikov de Haas oscillations, often observed in heavy fermions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Emergence of a Fermi-surface in the current-driven Hidden state of 1T-TaS$_2$

The origin of the insulating state in 1T-TaS$_2$ has long been a subject of debate. A short current pulse transforms this insulating state into a metastable metallic phase. Using micro-ARPES, we investigate the electronic structure of this phase and uncover spatially dependent modifications caused by the current pulse. In some regions of the sample, a Fermi surface emerges, while others remain gapped. Detailed band structure analysis reveals that the metallic regions exhibit an electronic structure similar to that observed in the high-temperature phase of 1T-TaS$_2$, characterized by suppressed energy gaps and bands crossing the Fermi level. Furthermore, the metallic and insulating regions display distinct dispersions along the out-of-plane direction. These observations suggest a scenario in which the current pulse breaks the star-of-David dimers characteristic of the insulating phase, implicating these dimers as the likely origin of the insulating behavior in 1T-TaS$_2$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Novel electronic structures from anomalous stackings in NbS$_2$ and MoS$_2$

We show that in some transition metal dichalcogenides, minority regions of the cleaved sample surfaces show - unexpectedly and anomalously - a finite number of 2D electronic states instead of the expected 3D valence bands. In the case of NbS\textsubscript{2}, in addition to the typical spectrum associated with bulk 2Ha stacking, we also find minority regions with electronic structures consistent with few-layers of 3R stacking. In MoS\textsubscript{2} we find areas of both bulk 2Hc and 3R stackings, and regions exhibiting finite-layer quantisation of both types. We further find evidence for a more exotic 4Ha stacking of MoS\textsubscript{2}, in which the valence band maximum is quasi-2D. The results highlight how variation of the interlayer stacking of van der Waals materials beyond the commonly-reported bulk polytypes can yield novel electronic structures.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Uniaxial strain tuning of charge modulation and singularity in a kagome superconductor

Tunable quantum materials hold great potential for applications. Of special interest are materials in which small lattice strain induces giant electronic responses. The kagome compounds AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs) provide a testbed for such singular electronic states. In this study, through angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we provide comprehensive spectroscopic measurements of the giant responses induced by compressive and tensile strains on the charge-density-wave (CDW) order parameter and high-order van Hove singularity (HO-VHS) in CsV3Sb5. We observe a tripling of the CDW gap magnitudes with ~1% strain, accompanied by the changes of both energy and mass of the saddle-point fermions. Our results reveal an anticorrelation between the unconventional CDW order parameter and the mass of a HO-VHS, and highlight the role of the latter in the superconducting pairing. The giant electronic responses uncover a rich strain tunability of the versatile kagome system in studying quantum interplays under lattice perturbations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

The pseudochiral Fermi surface of $\alpha$-RuI$_3$

In continuation of research into RuCl$_3$ and RuBr$_3$ as potential quantum spin liquids, a phase with unique magnetic order characterised by long-range quantum entanglement and fractionalised excitations, the compound RuI$_3$ has been recently synthesised. Here, we show RuI$_3$ is a moderately correlated metal with two bands crossing the Fermi level, implying the absence of any quantum spin liquids phase. We find that the Fermi surface as measured or calculated for a 2D ($k_\text{x},k_\text{y}$) slice at any $k_\text{z}$ lacks mirror symmetry, i.e. is pseudochiral. We link this phenomenon to the ABC stacking in the R$\bar{3}$ space group of $\alpha$-RuI$_3$, which is achiral but lacks any mirror or glide symmetries. We further provide a formal framework for understanding when such a pseudochiral electronic structure may be observed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Photoemission Evidence of a Novel Charge Order in Kagome Metal FeGe

A charge order has been discovered to emerge deep into the antiferromagnetic phase of the kagome metal FeGe. To study its origin, the evolution of the low-lying electronic structure across the charge order phase transition is investigated with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We do not find signatures of nesting between Fermi surface sections or van-Hove singularities in zero-frequency joint density of states, and there are no obvious energy gaps at the Fermi level, which exclude the nesting mechanism for the charge order formation in FeGe. However, two obvious changes in the band structure have been detected, i.e., one electron-like band around the K point and another one around the A point move upward in energy position when the charge order forms. These features can be well reproduced by our density-functional theory calculations, where the charge order is primarily driven by magnetic energy saving via large dimerizations of a quarter of Ge1-sites (in the kagome plane) along the c-axis. Our results provide strong support for this novel charge order formation mechanism in FeGe, in contrast to the conventional nesting mechanism.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Spectral signatures of a unique charge density wave in Ta$_2$NiSe$_7$

Charge Density Waves (CDW) are commonly associated with the presence of near-Fermi level states which are separated from others, or "nested", by a wavector of $\mathbf{q}$. Here we use Angle-Resolved Photo Emission Spectroscopy (ARPES) on the CDW material Ta$_2$NiSe$_7$ and identify a total absence of any plausible nesting of states at the primary CDW wavevector $\mathbf{q}$. Nevertheless we observe spectral intensity on replicas of the hole-like valence bands, shifted by a wavevector of $\mathbf{q}$, which appears with the CDW transition. In contrast, we find that there is a possible nesting at $\mathbf{2q}$, and associate the characters of these bands with the reported atomic modulations at $\mathbf{2q}$. Our comprehensive electronic structure perspective shows that the CDW-like transition of Ta$_2$NiSe$_7$ is unique, with the primary wavevector $\mathbf{q}$ being unrelated to any low-energy states, but suggests that the reported modulation at $\mathbf{2q}$, which would plausibly connect low-energy states, might be more important for the overall energetics of the problem.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Origin of the different electronic structure of Rh- and Ru-doped Sr2IrO4

One way to induce insulator to metal transitions in the spin-orbit Mott insulator Sr2IrO4 is to substitute iridium with transition metals (Ru, Rh). However, this creates intriguing inhomogeneous metallic states, which cannot be described by a simple doping effect. We detail the electronic structure of the Ru-doped case with angle-resolved photoemission and show that, contrary to Rh, it cannot be connected to the undoped case by a rigid shift. We further identify bands below $E_F$ coexisting with the metallic ones that we assign to non-bonding Ir sites. We rationalize the differences between Rh and Ru by a different hybridization with oxygen, which mediates the coupling to Ir and sensitively affects the effective doping. We argue that the spin-orbit coupling does not control neither the charge transfer nor the transition threshold.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

ARPES study of orbital characters, symmetry breakings and pseudogaps in doped and pure Sr2IrO4

Sr2IrO4 is characterized by a large spin-orbit coupling, which gives rise to bands with strongly entangled spin and orbital characters, called J=1/2 and J=3/2. We use light-polarization dependent ARPES to study directly the orbital character of these bands and fully map out their dispersion. We observe bands in very good agreement with our cluster dynamical mean-field theory calculations. We show that the J=1/2 band, the closest to the Fermi level Ef, is dominated by dxz character along kx and dyz along ky. This is actually in agreement with an isotropic J=1/2 character on average, but this large orbital dependence in k-space was mostly overlooked before. It gives rise to strong modulations of the ARPES intensity that we explain and carefully take into account to compare dispersions in equivalent directions of the Brillouin zone. Although the latter dispersions look different at first, suggesting possible symmetry breakings, they are found essentially similar, once corrected for these intensity variations. In particular, the pseudogap-like features close to the $X$ point appearing in the nearly metallic 15% Rh-doped Sr2IrO4 strongly depend on experimental conditions. We reveal that there is nevertheless an energy scale of 30meV below which spectral weight is suppressed, independent of the experimental conditions, which gives a reliable basis to analyze this behavior. We suggest it is caused by disorder.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Magnetization density distribution of Sr$_2$IrO$_4$: Deviation from a local $j_\text{eff}=1/2$ picture

$5d$ iridium oxides are of huge interest due to the potential for new quantum states driven by strong spin-orbit coupling. The strontium iridate Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ is particularly in the spotlight because of the so-called $j_\text{eff}=1/2$ state consisting of a quantum superposition of the three local $t_{2g}$ orbitals with -- in its most simple version -- nearly equal population, which stabilizes an unconventional Mott insulating state. Here, we report an anisotropic and aspherical magnetization density distribution measured by polarized neutron diffraction in a magnetic field up to 5~T at 4~K, which strongly deviates from a local \jeffHalf picture even when distortion-induced deviations from the equal weights of the orbital populations are taken into account. Once reconstructed by the maximum entropy method and multipole expansion model refinement, the magnetization density shows cross-shaped positive four lobes along the crystallographic tetragonal axes with a large spatial extent, showing that the $xy$ orbital contribution is dominant. The analogy to the superconducting copper oxide systems might then be weaker than commonly thought.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Formation of an incoherent metallic state in Rh-doped Sr$_2$IrO$_4$

Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ is the archetype of the spin-orbit Mott insulator, but the nature of the metallic states that may emerge from this type of insulator is still not very well known. We study with angle-resolved photoemission the insulator-to-metal transition observed in Sr$_2$Ir$_{1-x}$Rh$_x$O$_4$ when Ir is substituted by Rh (0.02 < $x$ < 0.35). The originality of the Rh doping is that Ir and Rh, which are formally isovalent, adopt different charge states, a rather unusual and inhomogeneous situation. We show that the evolution to the metallic state can be essentially understood as a shift of the Fermi level into the lower Hubbard band of Sr$_2$IrO$_4$. The Mott gap appears quite insensitive to the introduction of up to $\sim$20\% holes in this band. The metallic phase, which forms for $x$ > 0.07, is not a Fermi liquid. It is characterized by the absence of quasiparticles, unrenormalized band dispersion compared to calculations and an $\sim$30-meV pseudo-gap on the entire Fermi surface.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Time-reversal symmetry breaking hidden order in Sr$_2$(Ir,Rh)O$_4$

Layered 5$d$ transition iridium oxides, Sr$_2$(Ir,Rh)O$_4$, are described as unconventional Mott insulators with strong spin-orbit coupling. The undoped compound, Sr$_2$IrO$_4$, is a nearly ideal two-dimensional pseudospin-$1/2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet, similarly to the insulating parent compound of high-temperature superconducting copper oxides. Using polarized neutron diffraction, we here report a hidden magnetic order in pure and doped Sr$_2$(Ir,Rh)O$_4$, distinct from the usual antiferromagnetic pseudo-spin ordering. We find that time-reversal symmetry is broken while the lattice translation invariance is preserved in the hidden order phase. The onset temperature matches that of the odd-parity hidden order recently highlighted using optical second harmonic generation experiments. The novel magnetic order and broken symmetries can be explained by the loop-current model, previously predicted for the copper oxide superconductors.

cond-mat.str-el↗