arXiv subjects

Amit Keren

Publications and source records attributed to Amit Keren.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Imaging the Sub-Moir\'e Potential Landscape using an Atomic Single Electron Transistor

Electrons in solids owe their properties to the periodic potential landscapes they experience. The advent of moir\'e lattices has revolutionized our ability to engineer such landscapes on nanometer scales, leading to numerous groundbreaking discoveries. Despite this progress, direct imaging of these electrostatic potential landscapes remains elusive. In this work, we introduce the Atomic Single Electron Transistor (SET), a novel scanning probe utilizing a single atomic defect in a van der Waals (vdW) material, which serves as an ultrasensitive, high-resolution potential imaging sensor. Built upon the quantum twisting microscope (QTM) platform, this probe leverages the QTM's distinctive capability to form a pristine, scannable 2D interface between vdW heterostructures. Using the Atomic SET, we present the first direct images of the electrostatic potential in one of the most canonical moir\'e interfaces: graphene aligned to hexagonal boron nitride. Our results reveal that this potential exhibits an approximate C6 symmetry, has minimal dependence on the carrier density, and has a substantial magnitude of ~60 mV even in the absence of carriers. Theoretically, the observed symmetry can only be explained by a delicate interplay of physical mechanisms with competing symmetries. Intriguingly, the magnitude of the measured potential significantly exceeds theoretical predictions, suggesting that current understanding may be incomplete. With a spatial resolution of 1 nm and a sensitivity to detect the potential of even a few millionths of an electron charge, the Atomic SET opens the door for ultrasensitive imaging of charge order and thermodynamic properties for a range of quantum phenomena, including various symmetry-broken phases, quantum crystals, vortex charges, and fractionalized quasiparticles.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Magnetic Order and Magneto-Elasticity in the Electronic Excitations of Gd-$i$-MAX

We report the investigation of electronic collective modes in rare-earth-based magnets (Mo$_{2/3}$RE$_{1/3}$)$_2$AlC (also known as RE-$i$-MAX phases), where RE=Gd, Yb, and Dy, using single crystal samples. A detailed investigation of the Raman spectra of Gd-$i$-MAX samples at low temperatures, with a focus on the phonon behavior in relation to the antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition at 26 K is presented. Significant shifts in the central frequencies of several low-frequency phonon modes were observed below 25 K, correlating with the N\'{e}el transition. Integrated Raman intensity measurements indicated a reduction in the electronic background below the AFM transition temperature, suggesting the opening of a magnetic gap. Our analysis showed no new phonon modes. Therefore, we do not see any indication of a Brillouin zone folding of phonon mode to the $\Gamma$-point in our measurement. However, the hardening of all phonon modes at low temperatures points to a strong spin-phonon coupling effect. Using a temperature-dependent model of phonon frequency, we determined the spin-phonon coupling constant $\lambda$ to be less than 0.1 cm$^{-1}$ for all frequencies, which is of the same order of magnitude as found in other antiferromagnetic materials such as MnF$_{2}$ and FeF$_{2}$ with $T_N=68~K$ and $T_N=78~K$, respectively, but significantly lower than that of $CuO$ with $T_N=213~K$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

The two critical temperatures conundrum in La$_{1.83}$Sr$_{0.17}$CuO$_4$

The in-plane and out-of-plane superconducting stiffness of LSCO rings appear to vanish at different transition temperatures, which contradicts thermodynamical expectation. In addition, we observe a surprisingly strong dependence of the out-of-plane stiffness transition on sample width. With evidence from Monte Carlo simulations, this effect is explained by very small ratio $α$ of interplane over intraplane superconducting stiffnesses. For three dimensional rings of millimeter dimensions, a crossover from layered three dimensional to quasi one dimensional behavior occurs at temperatures near the thermodynamic transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$, and the out of-plane stiffness appears to vanish below $T_{\rm c}$ by a temperature shift of order $αL_a/ξ^\parallel$, where $L_a/ξ^\parallel$ is the sample's width over coherence length. Including the effects of layer-correlated disorder, the measured temperature shifts can be fit by $α=4.1\times 10^{-5}$ near $T_{\rm c}$, which is significantly lower than its previously measured value near zero temperature.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

The Ground-state Inter-plane Superconducting Coherence Length of La$_{1.875}$Sr$_{0.125}$CuO$_4$ Measured by a "Xiometer"

A long excitation coil piercing a superconducting (SC) ring is used to generate ever increasing persistent current in the ring, until the current destroys the order parameter. Given that the penetration depth $λ$ is known, this experiment measures, hypothetically, the coherence length $ξ$, hence the name "Xiometer". We examine various aspects of this theoretically driven hypothesis by testing niobium rings with different dimensions, and by comparing the results to the known values of $ξ$. We then apply the method to two La$_{1.875}$Sr$_{0.125}$CuO$_4$ rings at $T \rightarrow 0$. In one, the current flows in the CuO$_2$ planes hence it is set by $ξ_{ab}$. In the other, the current must cross planes and is determined by $ξ_{c}$. We find that $ξ_{c}=1.3 \pm 0.1$~nm, and $ξ_{ab}<2.3~$nm indicating that at low temperatures the Cooper pairs are three dimensional.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Superconducting Stiffness and Coherence Length of FeSe$_{0.5}$Te$_{0.5}$ Measured in Zero-Applied Field

Superconducting stiffness $ρ_s$ and coherence length $ξ$ are usually determined by measuring the penetration depth $λ$ of a magnetic field and the upper critical field $H_{c2}$ of a superconductor (SC), respectively. However, in magnetic SC, e.g. some of the iron-based, this could lead to erroneous results since the internal field could be very different from the applied one. To overcome this problem in Fe$_{1+y}$Se$_x$Te$_{1-x}$ with $x \sim 0.5$ and $y \sim 0$ (FST), we measure both quantities with the Stiffnessometer technique. In this technique, one applies a rotor-free vector potential $\textbf{A}$ to a superconducting ring and measures the current density $\textbf{j}$ via the ring's magnetic moment $\textbf{m}$. $ρ_s$ and $ξ$ are determined from London's equation $\textbf{j}=-ρ_s\textbf{A}$ and its range of validity. This method is particularly accurate at temperatures close to the critical temperature $T_c$. We find weaker $ρ_s$ and longer $ξ$ than existing literature reports, and critical exponents which agree better with expectations based on the Ginzburg-Landau theory.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Mixed superconducting state without applied magnetic field

A superconducting (SC) mixed state occurs in type-II superconductors where the upper critical field Hc2 is higher than the thermodynamic critical field Hc. When an applied field is in between these fields, the free energy depends weakly on the order parameter which therefore can be small (SC state) or zero (normal state) at different parts of the sample. In this paper we demonstrate how a normal state along a line traversing a superconductor can be turned on and off externally in zero field. The concept is based on a long, current-carrying excitation coil, piercing a ringshaped superconductor. The ring experiences zero field, but the vector potential produced by the coil generates a circular current that destroys superconductivity along a radial line starting at preexisting nucleation points in the sample. Unlike the destruction of superconductivity with magnetic field, the vector potential method is reversible and reproducible; full superconductivity is recovered upon removing the current from the coil, and different cooldowns yield the same normal lines. We suggest potential applications of this magnetic-field-free mixed state.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Stiffness and coherence length measurements of ultra-thin superconductor, and implications to layered superconductors

Based on the London equation, we use a rotor-free vector potential ${\bf A}$, and current measurements by a SQUID, to determine the superconducting Pearl length $Λ$, and coherence length $ξ$, of ultra-thin, ring shaped, MoSi films, as a function of thickness $d$ and temperature $T$. We find that $ξ$ is a function of $d$ with a jump at $ξ\sim d \sim 5$nm. At base temperature the superconducting stiffness, defined by $1/λ^2=1/(Λd)$, is an increasing function of $T_c$. Similar behavior, known as the Uemura plot, exist in bulk layered superconductors, but with doping as an implicit parameter. We also provide the critical exponents of $Λ(T)$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Magnetic structure determination of rare-earth based, high moment, atomic laminates; potential parent materials for 2D magnets

We report muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) and neutron diffraction on the rare-earth based magnets (Mo$_{2/3}$RE$_{1/3}$)$_2$AlC, also predicted as parent materials for 2D derivatives, where RE = Nd, Gd (only ($μ$SR), Tb, Dy, Ho and Er. By crossing information between the two techniques, we determine the magnetic moment ($m$), structure, and dynamic properties of all compounds. We find that only for RE = Nd and Gd the moments are frozen on a microsecond time scale. Out of these two, the most promising compound for a potential 2D high ($m$) magnet is the Gd variant, since the parent crystals are pristine with $m = 6.5 \pm 0.5 μ_B$, Néel temperature of $29 \pm 1$ K, and the magnetic anisotropy between in and out of plane coupling is smaller than $10^{-8}$. This result suggests that magnetic ordering in the Gd variant is dominated by in-plane magnetic interactions and should therefore remain stable if exfoliated into 2D sheets.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Experimental determination of superexchange energy from two-hole spectra

We follow the evolution of Copper and Oxygen two-hole excitations, in optimally doped (Ca$_{x}$La$_{1-x}$)(Ba$_{1.75-x}$La$_{0.25+x} $)Cu$_{3}$O$_{y}$ for $x=0.1$ and $x=0.4$. The spectra have contributions from band states as well as a localized multiplet structure. From their identification, we determine the intrashell Coulomb interaction $U$ for Oxygen and Copper sites. These results allow us to estimate the atomic superexchange coupling $J$ suggesting a positive correlation between the maximal superconducting critical temperature $T_\text{C}^{max}$ and $J$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Stiffnessometer, a magnetic-field-free superconducting stiffness meter and its application

We provide a detailed account for a new method to measure superconducting stiffness $ρ_{s}$, critical current density $j_c$, and coherence length $ξ$, in one apparatus, without subjecting the sample to magnetic field or attaching leads. The method is based on the London equation $\mathbf{j}=-ρ_{s}\mathbf{A}$, where ${\bf j}$ is the current density and ${\bf A}$ is the vector potential. Using a rotor free $\bf{A}$ and a measurement of $\bf{j}$ via the magnetic moment of a superconducting ring, we determine $ρ_{s}$. By increasing $\mathbf{A}$ until the London equation fails we determine $j_c$ and $ξ$. The method is sensitive to very small stiffness, which translates to penetration depth $λ\lesssim 1$~mm. It is also sensitive to low critical current density $j_c \sim 10^3$ Amm$^{-2}$ or long coherence length $ξ\sim 1$~$μ$m. Naturally, the method does not suffer from demagnetization factor complications, the presence of vortices, or out-of-equilibrium conditions. Therefore, the absolute values of the different parameters can be determined. We demonstrate the application of this method to La$_{2-x}$Sr$_{x}$CuO$_{4}$ with $x=0.17$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Ginzburg-Landau model of a Stiffnessometer -- a superconducting stiffness meter device

We study the Ginzburg-Landau equations of super-conductivity describing the experimental setup of a Stiffnessometer device. In particular, we consider the nonlinear regime which reveals the impact of the superconductive critical current on the Stiffnessometer signal. As expected, we find that at high flux regimes, superconductivity is destroyed in parts of the superconductive regime. Surprisingly, however, we find that the superconductivity does not gradually decay to zero as flux increases, but rather the branch of solutions undergoes branch folding. We use asymptotic analysis to characterize the solutions at the numerous parameter regimes in which they exist. An immediate application of the work is an extension of the regime in which experimental measurements of the Stiffnessometer device can be interpreted.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Relevance of magnetism to cuprate superconductivity: Lanthanides versus charge-compensated cuprates

We address what seemed to be a contradiction between the lanthanide series REBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_y$ (RE123) and the charge-compensated series (Ca$_{x}$La$_{1-x}$)(Ba$_{1.75-x}$La$_{0.25+x} $)Cu$_{3}$O$_{y}$ (CLBLCO) regarding the superexchange ($J$) dependence of the maximum superconductivity (SC) critical temperature $T_c^{max}(J)$; RE and $x$ are implicit variables. This is done by measuring the Néel temperature and the temperature dependence of the magnetic order parameter for RE=Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Yb, Y, and for Y(BaSr)Cu$_3$O$_y$, at various very light dopings. The doping is determined by thermopower, and the magnetic properties by muon spin rotation. We find that the normalized-temperature dependence of the order parameter is identical for all RE123 in the undoped limit (with the exception of Gd123) implying identical out-of-plane magnetic coupling. The extrapolation of $T_N$ to zero doping suggests that, despite the variations in ionic radii, $J$ varies too weakly in this system to test the relation between SC and magnetism. This stands in contrast to CLBLCO where both $T_c^{max}$ and $T_N^{max}$ vary considerably in the undoped limit, and a positive correlation between the two quantities was observed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Systematic Raman study of optical phonons in $R$Ba$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+δ}$ ($R$ = Y, Dy, Gd, Sm, Nd): Antiferromagnetic coupling strength versus lattice parameters

We present a systematic study of the interplay between lattice parameters and the energy of the optical phonons as well as the antiferromagnetic coupling strength, $J$, in the high-$T_{\text{c}}$ superconducting cuprate $R$Ba$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+δ}$ (\mbox{R-123}, $R =$ Y, Dy, Gd, Sm, Nd) with hole-doping $p$ ($0.00<p \lesssim 0.04$). The energy of the $B_{1g}$-mode at $ν_{B1g}\approx~335$ cm$^{-1}$ has been found to relate systematically to the inverse of the lattice parameter $a$. Our results confirm the temperature dependent phonon splitting for Nd-123 at low doping, which has been reported for optimally-doped Nd-123. Surprisingly, $J$ is independent of $a$ for the first four $R$ families, and a general consistency between $T_{\text{c}}^{\text{max}}$ and $J$, as suggested in a previous investigation, could not be confirmed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

The nature of the phase transition in the cuprates as revealed by a magnetic field free stiffness meter

A new method to measure the superconducting stiffness tensor $\overlineρ_s$, without subjecting the sample to magnetic field, is applied to La$_{1.875}$Sr$_{0.125}$CuO$_4$ (LSCO). The method is based on the London equation $\bf{J}=-\overlineρ_s \bf{A}$, where $\bf{J}$ is the current density and $\bf{A}$ is the vector potential. Using rotor free $\bf{A}$ and measuring $\bf{J}$ via the magnetic moment of superconducting rings, we extract $\overlineρ_s$ at $T\rightarrow T_c$. The technique, named Stiffnessometer, is sensitive to very small stiffness, which translates to penetration depth on the order of a few millimeters. We apply this method to two different LSCO rings: one with the current running only in the CuO$_2$ planes, and another where the current must cross planes. We find different transition temperatures for the two rings, namely, there is a temperature range with two dimensional stiffness. The Stiffnessometer results are accompanied by Low Energy $μ$SR measurements on the same sample to determine the stiffness anisotropy at $T < T_c$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Temperature changes of the Fe$_{8}$ molecular magnet during its spin reversal process

Tunneling of the spins in the Fe$_8$ molecular magnet from a metastable ground state to an excited state is accompanied by a decay of these spins to the global ground state, and an increase of the crystal temperature. We measured this temperature using two thermometers, one strongly coupled and the other weakly coupled to the thermal bath. We found that the temperature increases to no greater than $2.2$~K. This upper limit agrees with the flame temperature derived from deflagration theory and previous measurements. In light of this temperature increase we re-examine the Landau, Zener and Stuckelberg (LZS) theory of spin tunneling in large Fe$_8$ crystals.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Opening a nodal gap by fluctuating spin-density-wave in lightly doped La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$

We investigate whether the spin or charge degrees of freedom are responsible for the nodal gap in underdoped cuprates by performing inelastic neutron scattering and x-ray diffraction measurements on La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$, which is on the edge of the antiferromagnetic phase. We found that fluctuating incommensurate spin-density-wave (SDW) with a the bottom part of an hourglass dispersion exists even in this magnetic sample. The strongest component of these fluctuations diminishes at the same temperature where the nodal gap opens. X-ray scattering measurements on the same crystal show no signature of charge-density-wave (CDW). Therefore, we suggest that the nodal gap in the electronic band of this cuprate opens due to fluctuating SDW with no contribution from CDW.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Correlation of the Superconducting Critical Temperature with Spin and Orbital Excitation Energies In (Ca{x}La{1-x})(Ba{1.75-x}La{0.25+x})Cu{3}O{y} as Measured by Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering

Electronic spin and orbital (dd) excitation spectra of (Ca{x}La{1-x})(Ba{1.75-x}La{0.25+x})Cu{3}O{y} samples are measured by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS). In this compound, Tc of samples with identical hole dopings is strongly affected by the Ca/Ba substitution x due to subtle variations in the lattice constants, while crystal symmetry and disorder as measured by line-widths are x independent. We examine two extreme values of x and two extreme values of hole-doping content y corresponding to antiferromagnetic and superconducting states. The x dependence of the spin mode energies is approximately the same for both the antiferromagnetic and superconducting samples. This clearly demonstrates that RIXS is sensitive to J even in doped samples. A positive correlation between the superexchange J and the maximum of Tc at optimal doping Tc^{max} is observed. We also measured the x dependence of the d_{xy} -> d_{x^2-y^2} and d_{xz/yz} -> d_{x^2-y^2} orbital splittings. We infer that the effect of the unresolved d_{3z^2-r^2} -> d_{x^2-y^2} excitation on Tc^{max} is much smaller than the effect of J. There appears to be dispersion in the d_{xy} -> d_{x^2-y^2} peak of up to 0.05 eV. Our fitting of the peaks furthermore indicates an asymmetric dispersion for the d_{xz/yz} -> d_{x^2-y^2} excitation. A peak at ~0.8 eV is also observed, and attributed to a dd excitation in the chain layer.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Relation between cuprate superconductivity and magnetism: A Raman study of (CaLa)(BaLa)$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{y}$

We present an investigation of charge-compensated antiferromagnetic (Ca$_{x}$La$_{1-x}$)(Ba$_{1.75-x}$La$_{0.25+x}$)Cu$_{3}$O$_{y}$ single crystals using Raman scattering as well as muon spin rotation. In this system the parameter $x$ controls the Cu-O-Cu superexchange interaction via bond distances and buckling angles. The oxygen content $y$ controls the charge doping. In the absence of doping the two-magnon peak position is directly proportional to the superexchange strength $J$. We find that both $x$ and $y$ affect the peak position considerably. The Néel temperature determined from muon spin rotation on the same samples independently confirms the strong dependence of the magnetic interaction on $x$ and $y$. We find a considerable increase in the maximum superconducting transition temperature $T_{c}^{max}$ with $J$. This is strong evidence of the importance of orbital overlap to superconductivity in this family of cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗