arXiv subjects

Andi Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Andi Liu.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Discovery of hidden order in the Shastry-Sutherland magnet Nd2Be2GeO7

Hidden order typically manifests as a thermodynamic phase transition without a conventional order parameter, leaving its true nature concealed even at the lowest temperatures. In the frustrated Shastry-Sutherland magnet Nd$_2$Be$_2$GeO$_7$, we observe a related yet fundamentally distinct phenomenon. A sharp specific-heat anomaly appears at 250 mK, but zero-field neutron diffraction and muon spin relaxation detect no static magnetism down to 100 and 30 mK, respectively, pointing to a hidden-order state. Remarkably, this hidden order does not emerge under an applied magnetic field, but instead reveals itself only after the field is applied and subsequently removed where magnetic Bragg peaks appear, albeit with strongly suppressed moments. A glassy state is ruled out by ac susceptibility and specific heat measurements. Complementary $\mu$SR measurements reveal coherent spin fluctuations at a rate on the order of gigahertz. Taken together, these results suggest that the system lies in close proximity to the quantum spin liquid and long-range magnetic order state such that a small perturbation can effectively drive the system towards distinct ground states. These findings also distinguish Nd$_2$Be$_2$GeO$_7$ from known frustrated systems, establishing it as a unique platform where the synergistic interplay among the spin-orbit coupling, crystal field, and magnetic frustration leads to unexpected quantum states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Directional selection of field-induced phases by weak anisotropy in triangular-lattice K$_2$Mn(SeO$_3$)$_2$

Triangular-lattice systems host a variety of ground states, ranging from quantum spin liquids to magnetically ordered phases, the latter of which can exhibit a sequence of magnetic phase transitions under applied magnetic fields. Here, we report magnetic and thermodynamic measurements, combined with powder and single-crystal neutron diffraction, on a high-spin, nearly isotropic Mn$^{2+}$ triangular-lattice system K$_2$Mn(SeO$_3$)$_2$. The compound undergoes long-range magnetic ordering below $T_\mathrm{N} \sim 4$~K in zero field. Contrary to expectations for an ideal Heisenberg system, the compound adopts an up-down-zero (UD0) magnetic structure down to the lowest temperature (0.05 K), rather than the commonly expected Y-type structure. This UD0 state is, however, highly sensitive to external magnetic fields. For fields applied along the $c$ axis, it is readily destabilized and replaced by the Y-type structure, followed by an up-up-down (UUD) phase corresponding to the 1/3 magnetization plateau. In contrast, when the field is applied within the triangular plane, the system evolves into a canted Y state at a higher critical field. These results reveal that weak anisotropy, though small in magnitude, exerts a strongly orientation-dependent influence, playing a key role in selecting the field-induced phases in this frustrated magnet.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Fluid-Structure Interaction and Scaling Laws for Deterministic Encapsulation of Hyperelastic Cells in Microfluidic Droplets

The precise encapsulation of deformable particles in multiphase flows involves complex transient Fluid-Structure Interactions (FSI) and topological interfacial changes. In the context of single-cell analysis, a numerical framework that couples the Cahn-Hilliard phase-field model with the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method is employed to investigate the dynamics of deformable cell encapsulation in flow-focusing microchannels. By resolving the coupling between the hyperelastic cell, carrier fluid, and evolving interface, we propose a unified dimensionless scaling law to predict the operational spatial window for the deterministic encapsulation quantitatively. Furthermore, the physical presence of cells modulates the droplet generation flow regime via a "geometric blockage effect", shifting the transition boundary from the squeezing to the dripping regime toward lower flow-rate ratios. The droplet generation period demonstrates a non-monotonic dependence on the cell blockage ratio $\Gamma$, which induces a competitive mechanism between shear enhancement and hydraulic resistance penalty, and consequently leads to an optimal hydrodynamic balance at $\Gamma \approx 0.32$. Finally, we find that while droplet periodicity is robust to variations in cell stiffness, the transient stress field within the cell is highly sensitive, particularly during the capillary pinch-off singularity. This work clarifies the fundamental interaction between hyperelastic cells and multiphase flows, and provides a quantitative framework for optimizing damage-free cell encapsulation systems.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2025

Complex spin-density-wave ordering in La$_4$Ni$_{3}$O$_{10}$

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in layered nickelates under pressure has recently triggered enormous interest. Studies of these compounds have revealed a density-wave-like transition at ambient pressure, though its connection with superconductivity is still not well understood. Here, we report a detailed \msr\ study on single crystals of trilayer nickelate \LNO\ at ambient pressure. We have identified a spin-density-wave (SDW) transition at the temperature of $T_\mathrm{N} \sim$130 K, as well as a broad crossover around 70 - 100 K. Based on the temperature dependence of the muon precession amplitudes and magnetic susceptibility, we attribute this additional crossover either to a spin reorientation, or to an inhomogeneous SDW ordering.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Structure and magnetic properties of a family of two-leg spin ladder compounds Ba2RE2Ge4O13 (RE = Pr, Nd, and Gd-Ho) with strong rung interaction

Compared to the intensive investigation on the 3d transition-metal (TM)-based spin ladder compounds, less attention has been paid to the ones constructed by the rare-earth (RE) ions. Herein, we report a family of RE-based spin ladder compounds Ba2RE2Ge4O13 (RE = Pr, Nd, Gd-Ho) crystallized into the monoclinic structure with the space group C2/c. The RE ions are arranged on a two-leg spin ladder motif along the b-axis, where the rung and leg exchange interactions are bridged via the RE-O-RE pathways and RE-O-Ge-O-RE routes, respectively. Moreover, the much shorter rung distance in the RE2O12 dimer units than the leg distance suggests Ba2RE2Ge4O13 to be a strong-rung spin ladder system. All the synthesized Ba2RE2Ge4O13 (RE = Pr, Nd, Gd-Ho) compounds exhibit the dominant antiferromagnetic (AFM) interactions and absence of magnetic order down to 1.8 K. Among the family members, Ba2Dy2Ge4O13 can be described by Jeff = 1/2 Kramers doublet states, the low temperature specific heat indicates the coexistence of spin dimerized state with broad maximum at ~ 2.4 K and long-range AFM order with TN = 0.81 K. This family of Ba2RE2Ge4O13 compounds thereby provides a rare platform to investigate the novel spin ladder physics constructed by 4f electrons.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Kronos: A Secure and Generic Sharding Blockchain Consensus with Optimized Overhead

Sharding enhances blockchain scalability by dividing the network into shards, each managing specific unspent transaction outputs or accounts. As an introduced new transaction type, cross-shard transactions pose a critical challenge to the security and efficiency of sharding blockchains. Currently, there is a lack of a generic sharding consensus pattern that achieves both security and low overhead. In this paper, we present Kronos, a secure sharding blockchain consensus achieving optimized overhead. In particular, we propose a new secure sharding consensus pattern, based on a buffer managed jointly by shard members. Valid transactions are transferred to the payee via the buffer, while invalid ones are rejected through happy or unhappy paths. Kronos is proved to achieve security with atomicity under malicious clients with optimal intra-shard overhead $kB$ ($k$ for involved shard number and $B$ for a Byzantine fault tolerance (BFT) cost). Besides, we propose secure cross-shard certification methods based on batch certification and reliable cross-shard transfer. The former combines hybrid trees or vector commitments, while the latter integrates erasure coding. Handling $b$ transactions, Kronos is proved to achieve reliability with low cross-shard overhead $O(n b \lambda)$ ($n$ for shard size and $\lambda$ for the security parameter). Notably, Kronos imposes no restrictions on BFT and does not rely on time assumptions, offering optional constructions in various modules. We implement Kronos using two prominent BFT protocols: asynchronous Speeding Dumbo and partial synchronous Hotstuff. Extensive experiments demonstrate Kronos scales the consensus nodes to thousands, achieving a substantial throughput of 320 ktx/sec with 2.0 sec latency. Compared with the past solutions, Kronos outperforms, achieving up to a 12* improvement in throughput and a 50% reduction in latency.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2024

A family of rare-earth Quasi-One-Dimensional spin-chain compounds K2RENb5O15 (RE=Ce,Pr,Nd,Sm,Gd-Ho) with large interchain distance

One-dimensional spin chain systems have received special attention to discover the novel magnetic ground states and emergent phenomena, while the magnetic studies on rare-earth (RE)-based 1D spin chain materials are still rare. Here, we report the synthesis, structure and magnetic behaviors on a family of tetragonal tungsten-bronze structure K2RENb5O15 (RE = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd-Ho) compounds, which consist of 1D linear spin-chain structure built by RE3+ ions along the c-axis and well spatially separated by the nonmagnetic K/Nb-O polyhedrons with large interchain distances of ~ 8.80-8.88 {\AA} in the ab-plane. The low temperature magnetic measurements reveal the absence of long-range magnetic order down to 1.8 K for all serial K2RENb5O15 compounds and the dominant ferromagnetic interactions for RE=Ce,Dy and antiferromagnetic interactions for other members. Among them, K2GdNb5O15 with spin only magnetic moment S=7/2, exhibits a long-range magnetic order with TN~0.31 K and strong spin fluctuations at low temperatures due to its low-dimension characteristics. Moreover, a large magnetocaloric effect under low field change of 0-2 T is realized at temperatures below 1 K for K2GdNb5O15, letting it as an ideal candidate for adiabatic magnetic refrigeration applications at sub-kelvin temperatures. The K2RENb5O15 become a rare family of insulting RE-based magnets to explore the novel 1D spin chain physics beyond the 3d TM-based counterparts, in terms of its combination of low dimension, strong spin-orbital coupling and the rich diversity of RE ions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Ba6RE2Ti4O17 (RE= Nd, Sm,Gd, Dy-Yb): A family of Rare-earth based layered triangular lattice magnets

Rare-earth-based triangular-lattice magnets provide the fertile ground to explore the exotic quantum magnetic state. Herein, we report a new family of RE-based triangular-lattice magnets Ba6RE2Ti4O17(RE= rare earth ions) crystallized into the hexagonal structure with space group of P63 mmc, where magnetic rare earth ions form an ideal triangular lattice within the ab-plane and stack in an AA -type fashion along the c-axis. The low-temperature magnetic susceptibility results reveal all the serial compounds have the dominant antiferromagnetic interactions and an absence of magnetic ordering down to 1.8 K. The magnetization and electron spin resonance results indicate distinct magnetic anisotropy for the compounds with different RE ions. Moreover, Ba6Nd2Ti4O17 single crystal is successfully grown and it exhibits strong Ising like anisotropy with magnetic easy-axis perpendicular to the triangle-lattice plane, being a candidate to explore quantum spin liquid state with dominant Ising-type interaction.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Magnetic-field tuned anisotropic quantum phase transition in the distorted kagome antiferromagnet Nd3BWO9

Rare-earth (RE) kagome-lattice magnets offer an excellent platform to discover the novel magnetic phase as well as quantum phase transition tuned by non-thermal control parameters, while the experimental realizations remain largely unexplored. Here, we report the discovery of magnetic-field (B)-induced anisotropic quantum phase transition in a distorted kagome antiferromagnet Nd3BWO9 with TN~0.32 K. The isothermal magnetizations at 0.05 K exhibit the spin-flop like metamagnetic crossover behaviors with different fractional magnetization anomalies for B perpendicular (B // c-axis) and parallel (B // a*-axis) to the kagome plane, respectively. In combination with the thermodynamic measurements, the field-temperature (B-T) phase diagrams for both field directions are constructed and that reveal the existence of several field-induced magnetic states. Along the c-axis, a proximate quantum bicritical point is observed near the metamagnetic crossover, which separates the low-field antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase and the intermediate AFM phase. While, for B // a*, another intermediate magnetic phase (IAFM2) appears between the low-field AFM phase and intermediate AFM (IAFM1) phase, giving rise to a tetracritical point. These results support the anisotropic field-induced metamagnetic quantum criticalities in Nd3BWO9, making it as a rare kagome antiferromagnet to investigate the quantum multi-criticality driven by spin frustration.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Ba9RE2(SiO4)6 (RE=Ho-Yb): A New Family of Rare-earth based Honeycomb Lattice Magnets

Rare-earth (RE) based honeycomb-lattice materials with strong spin-orbit coupled Jeff=1/2 moments have attracted great interest as a platform to realize Kitaev quantum spin liquid (QSL) state. Herein, we report the discovery of a new family of RE based honeycomb-lattice magnets Ba9RE2(SiO4)6(RE=Ho-Yb), which crystallize into the rhombohedral structure with space group R-3. In these serial compounds, magnetic RE3+ ions are arranged on a perfect honeycomb lattice within the ab-plane and stacked in the ABCABC-type fashion along the c-axis. All Ba9RE2(SiO4)6(RE=Ho-Yb) polycrystals exhibit the dominant antiferromagnetic interactions and absence of magnetic order down to 2 K. In combination with the magnetization and electron spin resonance (ESR) results, distinct anisotropic magnetic behaviors are proposed for compounds with different RE ions. Moreover, the synthesized Ba9Yb2Si6O24 single crystals show large magnetic frustration and no long-range magnetic ordering down to 0.15 K, being a possible QSL candidate state. These serial compounds are attractive for exploring the exotic magnetic phases of Kitaev materials with 4f electrons.

cond-mat.str-el↗