arXiv subjects

Amit Kanigel

Publications and source records attributed to Amit Kanigel.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

Visualization of Topological Boundary Modes Manifesting Topological Nodal-Point Superconductivity

The extension of the topological classification of band insulators to topological semimetals gave way to the topology classes of Dirac, Weyl, and nodal line semimetals with their unique Fermi arc and drum head boundary modes. Similarly, there are several suggestions to employ the classification of topological superconductors for topological nodal superconductors with Majorana boundary modes. Here, we show that the surface 1H termination of the transition metal dichalcogenide compound 4Hb-TaS$_2$, in which 1T-TaS$_2$ and 1H-TaS$_2$ layers are interleaved, has the phenomenology of a topological nodal point superconductor. We find in scanning tunneling spectroscopy a residual density of states within the superconducting gap. An exponentially decaying bound mode is imaged within the superconducting gap along the boundaries of the exposed 1H layer characteristic of a gapless Majorana edge mode. The anisotropic nature of the localization length of the edge mode aims towards topological nodal superconductivity. A zero-bias conductance peak is further imaged within fairly isotropic vortex cores. All our observations are accommodated by a theoretical model of a two-dimensional nodal Weyl-like superconducting state, which ensues from inter-orbital Cooper pairing. The observation of an intrinsic topological nodal superconductivity in a layered material will pave the way for further studies of Majorana edge modes and its applications in quantum information processing.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Lattice dynamics of the excitonic insulator Ta$_2$Ni(Se$_{1-x}$S$_x$)$_5$

Recently, we employed electronic polarization-resolved Raman spectroscopy to reveal the strongly correlated excitonic insulator (EI) nature of Ta2NiSe5, Volkov et al. [arXiv:2007.07344], and also showed that for Ta$_2$Ni(Se$_{1-x}$S$_x$)$_5$ alloys the critical excitonic fluctuations diminish with sulfur concentration x exposing a cooperating lattice instability that takes over for large x, Volkov et al. [arXiv:2104.07032]. Here we focus on the lattice dynamics of this EI family. We identify all Raman-active optical phonons of fully symmetric and ac-quadrupole-like symmetries and study their evolution with temperature and sulfur concentration. We demonstrate the change of selection rules at temperatures below the orthorhombic-to-monoclinic transition at Tc(x) that is related to the EI phase. We find that Tc(x) decrease monotonically from 328 K for Ta2NiSe5 to 120 K for Ta2NiS5 and that the magnitude of lattice distortion also decreases with the sulfur concentration x. For x < 0.7, the two lowest-frequency B2g phonon modes show strongly asymmetric lineshapes at high temperatures due to Fano interference with the broad excitonic continuum present in a semimetallic state. Within the framework of extended Fano model, we develop a quantitative description of the interacting exciton-phonon excitation lineshape, enabling us to derive the intrinsic phonon parameters and determine the exciton-phonon interaction strength, that affects the transition temperature Tc(x). We also observe signatures of the acoustic mode scattered assisted by the structural domain walls formed below Tc. Based on our results, we additionally present a consistent interpretation of the origin of oscillations observed in time-resolved pump-probe experiments.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Critical charge fluctuations and emergent coherence in a strongly correlated excitonic insulator

Excitonic insulator is a coherent electronic phase that results from the formation of a macroscopic population of bound particle-hole pairs - excitons. With only a few candidate materials known, the collective excitonic behavior is challenging to observe, being obscured by crystalline lattice effects. Here we use polarization-resolved Raman spectroscopy to reveal the quadrupolar excitonic mode in the candidate zero-gap semiconductor Ta$_2$NiSe$_5$ disentangling it from the lattice phonons. The excitonic mode pronouncedly softens close to the phase transition, showing its electronic character, while its coupling to non-critical lattice modes is shown to enhance the transition temperature. On cooling, we observe the gradual emergence of coherent superpositions of band states at the correlated insulator gap edge, with strong departures from mean-field theory predictions. Our results demonstrate the realization of a strongly correlated excitonic state in an equilibrium bulk material.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Carrier Density and Thickness Dependent Proximity Effect in Doped Topological Insulator -- Metallic Ferromagnet Bilayers

We use magneto-conductivity to study the magnetic proximity effect on surface states of doped topological insulators. Our bilayers consist of a layer of Fe$_7$Se$_8$, which is a metallic ferrimagnet and a layer of Bi$_{0.8}$Sb$_{1.2}$Te$_{3}$ which is a highly hole-doped topological insulator. Using transport measurements and a modified Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka model, we show that the ferromagnet shortens significantly the effective coherence length of the surface states, suggesting that a gap is opened at the Dirac point. We show that the magnetically induced gap persists on surface states which are separated from the magnet by a topological insulator layer as thick as 170 [nm]. Furthermore, the size of the gap is found to be proportional to the magnetization that we extract from the anomalous Hall effect. Our results give information on the ties between carrier density, induced magnetization and magnetically induced gap in topological insulator/ferromagnet bilayers. This information is important both for a theoretical understanding of magnetic interactions in topological insulators and for the practical fabrication of such bilayers, which are the basis of various suggested technologies, such as spintronic devices, far infra-red detectors etc.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Band inversion and topology of the bulk electronic structure in FeSe${}_{0.45}$Te${}_{0.55}$

FeSe${}_{0.45}$Te${}_{0.55}$ (FeSeTe) has recently emerged as a promising candidate to host topological superconductivity, with a Dirac surface state and signatures of Majorana bound states in vortex cores. However, correlations strongly renormalize the bands compared to electronic structure calculations, and there is no evidence for the expected bulk band inversion. We present here a comprehensive angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) study of FeSeTe as function of photon energies ranging from 15 - 100 eV. We find that although the top of bulk valence band shows essentially no $k_z$ dispersion, its normalized intensity exhibits a periodic variation with $k_z$. We show, using ARPES selection rules, that the intensity oscillation is a signature of band inversion indicating a change in the parity going from $Γ$ to Z. Thus we provide the first direct evidence for a topologically non-trivial bulk band structure that supports protected surface states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Superconducting properties of Cu intercalated Bi$_2$Se$_3$ studied by Muon Spin Spectroscopy

We present muon spin rotation measurements on superconducting Cu intercalated Bi$_2$Se$_3$, which was suggested as a realization of a topological superconductor. We observe a clear evidence of the superconducting transition below 4 K, where the width of magnetic field distribution increases as the temperature is decreased. The measured broadening at mK temperatures suggests a large London penetration depth in the $ab$ plane ($λ_{\mathrm{eff}}\sim 1.6$ $\mathrmμ$m). We show that the temperature dependence of this broadening follows the BCS prediction, but could be consistent with several gap symmetries.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Internal pressure in superconducting Cu intercalated Bi$_2$Se$_3$

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy is used to study the band-structure of superconducting electrochemically intercalated Cu$_x$Bi$_2$Se$_3$. We find that in these samples the band-gap at the $Γ$ point is much larger than in pristine Bi$_2$Se$_3$. Comparison to the results of band-structure calculations indicates that the origin of this large gap is internal stress caused by disorder created by the Cu intercalation. We suggest that the internal pressure may be necessary for superconductivity in Cu$_x$Bi$_2$Se$_3$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Spin-Polarized Quantum Well States on Bi$_{2-x}$Fe$_x$Se$_3$

Low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy is used to image the doped topological insulator Bi$_{2-x}$Fe$_x$Se$_3$. Interstitial Fe defects allow the detection of quasiparticle interference (QPI), and the reconstruction of the empty state band structure. Quantitative comparison between measured data and density functional theory calculations reveals the unexpected coexistence of quantum well states (QWS) with topological surface states (TSS) on the atomically clean surface of Bi$_{2-x}$Fe$_x$Se$_3$. Spectroscopic measurements quantify the breakdown of linear dispersion due to hexagonal warping. Nonetheless, both QWS and TSS remain spin-polarized and protected from backscattering to almost 1 eV above the Dirac point, suggesting their utility for spin-based applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2014

Doping dependence of the critical current in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy

The doping dependence of the critical current density, $J_{c}$, was measured in a series of high quality c-axis oriented ${\rm Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+δ}}$ thin films. For each doping level we measured the temperature dependence of $J_{c}$. We find that all samples have the same temperature dependence, but the critical current at zero temperature, $J_{c}(0)$, has a non-trivial doping dependence with a maximum at a unique doping level in the overdoped side of the superconducting dome.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Spin-charge interplay in antiferromagnetic La$_{2-x}$Sr$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ studied by the muons, neutrons, and ARPES techniques

Exploring whether a spin density wave (SDW) is responsible for the charge excitations gap in the high-temperature superconducting cuprates is difficult, since the region of the phase diagram where the magnetic properties are clearly exposed is different from the region where the band dispersion is visible. On the one hand, long range magnetic order disappears as doping approaches 2% from below, hindering our ability to perform elastic neutron scattering (ENS). On the other hand, cuprates become insulating at low temperature when the doping approaches 2% from above, thus restricting angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). In fact, ARPES data for samples with doping lower than 3% are rare and missing the quasiparticle peaks in the energy distribution curves (EDCs). The main problem is the high resistivity of extremely underdoped samples, which is detrimental to ARPES due to charging effects. Nevertheless, the resistivity of La$_{2-x}$Sr$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ as a function of temperature, at 2% doping, has a broad minimum around 100K. This minimum opens a window for both experiments. By preparing a series of LSCO single crystals with $\sim $0.2-0.3% doping steps around 2%, we managed to find one to which both techniques apply. This allows us to explore the cross talk between the magnetic and electronic properties of the material.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Linking Dynamic and Thermodynamic Properties of Cuprates; an ARPES study of (CaLa)(BaLa)$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{y}$

We report angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) on two families of high temperature superconductors (Ca$_{x}$La$_{1-x}$)(Ba$_{1.75-x}$ La $% _{0.25+x}$)Cu$_{3}$O$_{y}$ with $x=0.1$ ($T_{c}^{max}=56$ K) and $x=0.4$ ($% T_{c}^{max}=82$ K). The Fermi surface (FS) is found to be independent of $x$ or $y$, and its size indicates extreme sample-surface overdoping. This universal FS allowes the comparison of dynamical properties between superconductors of similar structure and identical doping, but different $% T_{c}^{max}$. We find that the high-energy ($\left\vert E\right\vert >50$% meV) nodal velocity in the $x=0.4$ family is higher than in the $x=0.1$ family. The implied correlation between $T_{c}^{max}$ and the hopping rate $% t $ supports the notion of kinetic energy driven superconductivity in the cuprates. We also find that the antinodal gap is higher for the $x=0.4$ family.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2010

Possible evidence for two-gap superconductivity in TiSe_2Cu_x

We report a comprehensive TF-muSR study of TiSe_2Cu_2. The magnetic penetration depth was found to saturate at low temperature as expected in an s-wave SC. As x is increased we find that the superfluid density increases and the size of the superconducting gap, calculated from the temperature dependence of the superfluid density, is approaching the BCS value. However, for low values of x, the gap is smaller than the weak-coupling BCS prediction suggesting that two superconducting gaps are present in the sample.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2009

The interaction between the magnetic and superconducting order parameters in a La1.94Sr0.06CuO4 wire

We investigate the coupling between the magnetic and superconducting order parameters in an 8 m long meander line ("wire") made of a La1.94Sr0.06CuO4 film with a cross section of 0.5 x 100 um^2. The magnetic order parameter is determined using the Low-Energy muon spin relaxation technique. The superconducting order parameter is characterized by transport measurements and modified by high current density. We find that, when the superconducting order parameter is suppressed by the current, the magnetic transition temperature, Tm, increases. The extracted sign and magnitude of the Ginzburg-Landau coupling constant indicate that the two orders are repulsive, and that our system is located close to the border between first and second order phase transition.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2006

Evidence for two fluids in the ground state of cuprates

We report charge density measurements, using NMR, in the superconducting compound (Ca_{x}La_{1-x})(Ba_{1.75-x}La_{0.25+x})Cu_3O_{y}, which has two independent variables x (family) and y (oxygen). For underdoped samples we find the rate at which holes are introduced into the plane upon oxygenation to be family-independent. In contrast, not all carriers contribute to either antiferromagnetic or superconducting order parameters. This result is consistent with a two fluid phenomenology or intrinsic mesoscopic inhomogeneities in the bulk. We also discuss the impact of weak-chemical-disorder on T_{c}.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2006

A magnetic analog of the isotope effect in cuprates

We present extensive magnetic measurements of the (Ca_xLa_{1-x})(Ba_{1.75-x}La_{0.25+x})Cu_{3}O_{y} (CLBLCO) system with its four different families (x) having a Tc^max(x) variation of 28% and minimal structural changes. For each family we measured the Neel temperature, the anisotropies of the magnetic interactions, and the spin glass temperature. Our results exhibit a universal relation Tc=c*J*n_s for all families, where c~1, J is the in plane Heisenberg exchange, and n_s is the carrier density. This relates cuprate superconductivity to magnetism in the same sense that phonon mediated superconductivity is related to atomic mass.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2006

In-plane hole density in Ca(0.1)La(0.9)Ba(1.65)La(0.35)Cu(3)O(y) ; nuclear resonance study over the full doping range

We report in-plane Cu(63) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance measurements for a series of fully enriched Ca(0.1)La(0.9)Ba(1.65)La(0.35)Cu(3)O(y) powder samples, which belong to the YBCO family, but the doping could vary from very underdoped to extremely overdoped. From these measurements we determine the average nuclear quadrupole resonance frequency ν_Q, and its second moment Δ(ν_Q), both set by the in-plane hole density, n, as a function of oxygen level, y. We find that in the overdoped side n is saturated, but Δ(ν_Q) rapidly increases with increasing y. The relevance of these results to the increasing penetration depth in overdoped cuprates is discussed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2005

Charge-Inhomogeneity doping relations in YBCO detected by Angle Dependent Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance

The origin of charge inhomogeneity in YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{y} is investigated using a new experimental method designed to determine the nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) asymmetry parameter eta for very wide NQR lines at different positions on the line. The method is based on the measurement of the echo intensity as a function of the angle between the radio frequency field H1 and the principal axis of the electric field gradient. Static charge inhomogeneity deduced from eta>0 are found in this compound, but only in conjunction with oxygen deficiency. This limits considerably the possible forms of charge inhomogeneity in bulk YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{y}.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2005

Universal linear relations between susceptibility and Tc in cuprates

We developed an experimental method for measuring the intrinsic susceptibility χof powder of cuprate superconductors in the zero field limit using a DC-magnetometer. The method is tested with lead spheres. Using this method we determine χfor a number of cuprate families as a function of doping. A universal linear (and not proportionality) relation between Tc and χis found. We suggest possible explanations for this phenomenon.

cond-mat.supr-con↗