arXiv subjects

Atsutoshi Ikeda

Publications and source records attributed to Atsutoshi Ikeda.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Thermodynamic and transport properties of high-quality single crystals of the altermagnet CrSb

Altermagnetism (AM) is an emerging magnetic order unifying essential characteristics of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic states. The CrSb has attracted significant interest owing to its large altermagnetic spin-splitting energy. In this paper, we present the growth details of high-quality single crystals of CrSb using the self-flux method and investigate their physical properties. We obtained large (001) oriented hexagonal crystals, up to 2~$\times$~2.5~$\times$~1~mm$^3$ in size with residual resistivity ratio $\sim$ 11. A pronounced positive magnetoresistance of up to 80\% is observed at 3.5 K. Most strikingly, the room temperature specific heat value exceeds the Dulong-Petit limit, being attributed to a broad magnon contribution from the altermagnetic order of CrSb. The specific heat fit reveals a magnon energy gap $\sim$ 16 $\pm$ 1 meV. Further, ac susceptibility measurements demonstrate the absence of superconductivity down to 0.1 K. These findings underscore CrSb as a viable altermagnet for room temperature magnonic and spintronic applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Vortex pinning of Ba$_{0.62}$K$_{0.38}$BiO$_3$ investigated by magneto-optical Kerr-effect and magnetization measurements

Vortex pinning plays a crucial role in determining properties of type-II superconductors. For example, it governs the irreversible magnetic response as well as dissipation caused by vortex motion. Here, we study vortex pinning in the three-dimensional oxide superconductor Ba1-xKxBiO3 using ultra-high-resolution magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) and detailed magnetization measurements. We find that the zero-field MOKE signal in the superconducting state exhibits a pronounced magnetic-history dependence. This behavior closely resembles the remanent magnetization caused by trapped vortices. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the observed evolution of the MOKE signals is well described by Bean's critical-state model for trapped vortices. Our results establish MOKE as a viable optical and mesoscopic probe of vortex pinning in type-II superconductors, providing a new complementary approach to investigate mixed-state phenomena. We also find that the training-field dependence of the MOKE is linear near zero training field, without any anomalies indicative of spontaneous time-reversal-symmetry breaking in an unconventional superconducting state. Our study defines a clear protocol to distinguish vortex-induced MOKE responses from those associated with a time-reversal-symmetry broken superconducting order parameter.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Fermi-liquid behavior and characteristic temperature-dependent susceptibility in clean RuO$_2$ crystal

The magnetic nature of the altermagnet candidate RuO$_2$ remains under debate. It has been recently shown from quantum oscillations and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) that the high-quality RuO$_2$ bulk single crystal is a paramagnetic metal. Here we report the specific heat and magnetic susceptibility in ultra-clean RuO$_2$ single crystals with residual resistivity ratio up to 1200. The magnetic susceptibility increases with temperature and is phenomenologically fitted with an inclusion of $T\textrm{ln}(T/T_0)$ over a wide temperature range up to 400 K. In contrast, the energy dependence of the density of states and thermal activation of quasiparticles lead to a decrease with temperature. Such characteristic temperature dependence, similar to that observed in other $d$-electron metals, is attributable to an enhanced orbital contribution arising from lattice-expansion-induced changes in the band structure. The electronic specific heat, the magnetic susceptibility, and the $T^2$ coefficient in resistivity point to a weakly-correlated 3D Fermi-liquid state with a modest electron correlation, as supported by the Wilson and Kadowaki-Woods ratios.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Magneto-optical imaging of macroscopic altermagnetic domains in MnTe

Altermagnets are a new class of magnets accompanying global time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) without net magnetization. The TRSB results in formation of novel altermagnetic domains. Features of altermagnetic domains, in particular their responses to external stimuli, are essentially important but yet unexplored. Here, we report visualization of bulk altermagnetic domains in MnTe based on scanning magneto-optical Kerr-effect microscopy using telecom infrared wavelength. We found two distinct TRSB domains with large Kerr rotations that do not scale with its tiny bulk magnetization. We also revealed controllability and stability of domains against magnetic or thermal perturbations. Our first observation of altermagnetic domains using a laboratory-scale simple optical technique showing their movable nature provide firm bases for future fundamental and application studies of altermagnets.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements under bipolar pulsed magnetic fields

The magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) is a powerful probe of magnetism. Its contact-free optical nature makes it potentially well suitable for measurements under pulsed magnetic fields if various difficulties are overcome. In this paper, we report the establishment of MOKE measurements under bipolar pulsed magnetic fields up to 13.1 T. The accuracy of the setup was demonstrated by the excellent agreement with static-field results on the (001) surface of a Fe3O4 single crystal. Furthermore, clear hysteresis loops of various commercial permanent magnets were successfully observed. The capability for rapid characterization of hysteretic properties highlights the versatility of our pulsed-field MOKE setup for both fundamental materials science and engineering applications.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Muon Knight shift as a precise probe of the superconducting symmetry of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$

Muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) measurements of internal magnetic field shifts, known as the muon Knight shift, is used for determining pairing symmetries in superconductors. While this technique has been especially effective for $f$-electron-based heavy-fermion superconductors, it remains challenging in $d$-electron-based superconductors such as Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, where the Knight shift is intrinsically small. Here, we report high-precision muon Knight shift measurements of superconducting Sr$_2$RuO$_4$. We observe that using multiple pieces of crystals, a common practice in $μ$SR measurements, induces a substantial paramagnetic shift below the superconducting transition temperature, $T_c$, when a weak magnetic field is applied. We attribute such an unresolved paramagnetic shift to stray fields generated by neighboring diamagnetic crystals. To avoid this, one piece of crystal was used in this study. We experimentally determine the muon Knight shift of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ in the normal state to be -116$\pm$7 ppm. By combining the observed muon Knight shift with independently determined bulk magnetization data from the same crystal used in $μ$SR and carefully separating various contributions to the shift, we confirm a significant reduction in the spin Knight shift below $T_c$, consistent with spin-singlet-like pairing. This result constitutes the precise muon Knight shift measurement in a $d$-electron-based superconductor. Our results highlight the potential of $μ$SR as a powerful complementary technique to the established method of nuclear magnetic resonance for probing the spin susceptibility in superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Magneto-optical Kerr-effect measurements under pulsed magnetic fields over 40 T using a compact sample fixture

The magnetic field is one of the most fundamental control parameters in materials science. A pulsed magnetic-field apparatus can generate high magnetic fields that are inaccessible by conventional DC-field magnets. One important issue is that measurement techniques compatible with pulsed fields are rather limited due to short pulse duration and large electromagnetic or mechanical noise originating from field pulses. The magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE), the change in the state of light polarization upon reflection from magnetic materials, has the potential to become a powerful tool for investigation of magnetic properties of a wide range of materials including non-transparent materials or thin films in pulsed fields. Nevertheless, since the MOKE response is typically very small, MOKE measurements under pulsed fields are quite challenging. Here, we present a new method to measure polar MOKE under high pulsed magnetic fields of 2-ms pulse width. The keys of this new technique are a ferrule-based compact sample-fiber fixture and a phase-resolved numerical lock-in analysis, combined with the high-resolution optical apparatus based on an all-fiber loop-less Sagnac interferometer. We succeeded in measuring MOKE signals from various ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic samples above 40 T and down to 77 K, significantly extending the limits of previously reported pulse-field MOKE measurements. Our apparatus is simple enough to be compatible with larger-scale experiments in pulse-field facilities, thus becoming a new promising tool to optically investigate material properties in pulsed fields.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Electronic state of superconductivity in line nodal material CaSb2 under pressure up to 4.2 GPa

We report the results of resistance measurements under pressure up to $4.2\,\mathrm{GPa}$ on single-crystalline $\mathrm{CaSb}_2$ , which shows the maximum of superconducting transition temperature $T_\mathrm{c}$ at $3.1\,\mathrm{GPa}$. At room temperature, $R(P)$ shows a subtle anomaly at $3.1\,\mathrm{GPa}$. However, Bloch-Grüneisen analysis of $R(T)$ indicates that the electronic state does not change significantly across $3.1\,\mathrm{GPa}$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Direct evidence for the absence of coupling between shear strain and superconductivity in Sr2RuO4

The superconducting symmetry of Sr2RuO4 has been intensely debated for many years. A crucial controversy recently emerged between shear-mode ultrasound experiments, which suggest a two-component order parameter, and some uniaxial pressure experiments that suggest a one-component order parameter. To resolve this controversy, we use a new approach to directly apply three different kinds of shear strain to single crystals of Sr2RuO4 and investigate the coupling to superconductivity. After characterising the strain by optical imaging, we observe variations of the transition temperature Tc smaller than 10mK/% as measured by low-frequency magnetic susceptibility, indicating that shear strain has little to no coupling to superconductivity. Our results are consistent with a one-component order parameter model, but such a model cannot consistently explain other experimental evidence such as time-reversal symmetry breaking, superconducting domains, and horizontal line nodes, thus calling for alternative interpretations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Subtle Structural Anomaly under Compression in Line-Nodal CaSb$_2$

We report X-ray diffraction patterns and calculated electronic band structures of the Dirac line-nodal material CaSb$_2$ under pressure. Its superconducting transition temperature ($T_{\mathrm{c}}=1.7$ K) increases under pressure and reaches a maximum at 3.4 K at around 3 GPa. We observed subtle anomalies in lattice parameters accompanied by a jump in bulk modulus without any change in crystal symmetry at around 3 GPa. First-principles calculations revealed that the distorted lattice of Sb(1) site deforms in the pressure range of 0-3 GPa. Those results suggest the existence of a first-order structural transition and arouse expectations for unusual phononic properties affecting the superconducting state. The calculated pressure dependence of the electronic density of states (DOS) confirms that it is not the change in the DOS that governs the variations in $T_{\mathrm{c}}$.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Structural Evolution from Hyper-Honeycomb to Honeycomb Networks and Superconductivity in LaPt$_x$Si$_{2-x}$

We report the crystal structures and superconductivity (SC) of LaPt$_{x}$Si$_{2-x}$ ($0.5 \leq x \leq 1.0$) that are solid solutions of LaSi$_{2}$ and LaPtSi with centrosymmetric tetragonal ($I4_{1}/amd$, $D_{4h}^{19}$, \#141) and non-centrosymmetric tetragonal ($I4_{1}md$, $C_{4v}^{11}$, \#109) structures, respectively. It was found that at $0.86 \leq x \leq 1.00$, the non-centrosymmetric tetragonal symmetry is preserved, while partial disorder appears in alternating Pt and Si of the hyper-honeycomb network. The superconducting transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ was drastically reduced from 3.9 K to 1.5 K as $x$ varies from 1.0 to 0.86. Additionally, a hexagonal phase with an AlB$_{2}$-type structure ($P6/mmm$, $D_{6h}^{1}$, \#191) has been discovered at $0.50 \leq x \leq 0.71$ with a honeycomb network of statistically distributed Pt and Si atoms. The hexagonal phase exhibited SC at $T_{\rm c} = 0.38$ K. This system provides an opportunity to investigate the relationship between topological electronic states, SC, and disorders

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Piezomagnetism in the Ising ferromagnet URhGe

Piezomagnetism, linear response between strain and magnetic field, is relatively unexplored cross-correlation but has promising potential as a novel probe of time-reversal-symmetry breaking in various classes of materials. Interestingly, there has been no report of piezomagnetism in ferromagnets, most archetypal time-reversal-symmetry-broken materials. This half-century absence of piezomagnetic ferromagnets is attributable to complications originating from multiple-domain states, as well as from changes in the magnetic point group by rotation of magnetic moment. Here, we report characteristic V-shaped magnetostriction in the Ising itinerant ferromagnet URhGe, observed by simultaneous multi-axis strain measurement technique utilizing optical fiber Bragg grating sensors. This novel magnetostriction occurs only under fields along the c axis and does not scale with the square of magnetization. Such unconventional feature indicates piezomagnetism as its origin. Our observation, marking the first report of piezomagnetism in ferromagnets, is owing to the mono-domain switching and the Ising magnetization. The obtained piezomagnetic coefficients are fairly large, implying that Ising ferromagnets are promising frontiers when seeking for materials with large piezomagnetic responses.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Fermiology of a topological line-nodal compound CaSb2 and its implication to superconductivity: angle-resolved photoemission study

We performed angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with micro-focused beam on a topological line-nodal compound CaSb2 which undergoes a superconducting transition at the onset Tc~1.8 K, to clarify the Fermi-surface topology relevant to the occurrence of superconductivity. We found that a three-dimensional hole pocket at the G point is commonly seen for two types of single-crystalline samples fabricated by different growth conditions. On the other hand, the carrier-doping level estimated from the position of the chemical potential was found to be sensitive to the sample fabrication condition. The cylindrical electron pocket at the Y(C) point predicted by the calculations is absent in one of the two samples, despite the fact that both samples commonly show superconductivity with similar Ts's. This suggests a key role of the three-dimensional hole pocket to the occurrence of superconductivity, and further points to an intriguing possibility to control the topological nature of superconductivity by carrier tuning in CaSb2.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Quasi-2D Fermi surface of superconducting line-nodal metal CaSb$_2$

We report on the Fermi surfaces and superconducting parameters of CaSb$_2$ single crystals (superconducting below $T_{\text{c}}\sim 1.8~\text{K}$) grown by the self-flux method. The frequency of de-Haas-van-Alphen and Shubnikov-de-Haas oscillations evidences a quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) Fermi surface, consistent with one of the Fermi surfaces forming Dirac lines predicted by first-principles calculations. Measurements in the superconducting state reveal that CaSb$_2$ is close to a type-I superconductor with the Ginzburg-Landau (GL) parameter of around unity. The temperature dependence of the upper critical field $H_{\text{c2}}$ is well described by a model considering two superconducting bands, and the enhancement of the effective mass estimated from $H_{\text{c2}}(0~\text{K})$ is consistent with the quasi-2D band observed by the quantum oscillations. Our results indicate that a quasi-2D band forming Dirac lines contributes to the superconductivity in CaSb$_2$.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Peak in the superconducting transition temperature of the nonmagnetic topological line-nodal material CaSb$_2$ under pressure

Investigating the pressure dependence of the superconducting (SC) transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ is crucial for understanding the SC mechanism. Herein, we report on the pressure dependence of $T_{\rm c}$ in the nonmagnetic topological line-nodal material CaSb$_2$, based on measurements of electric resistance and alternating current magnetic susceptibility. $T_{\rm c}$ initially increases with increasing pressure and peaks at $\sim$ 3.1~GPa. With a further increase in pressure, $T_{\rm c}$ decreases and finally becomes undetectable at 5.9~GPa. Because no signs of phase transition or Lifshitz transition are observed in the normal state, the peculiar peak structure of $T_{\rm c}$ suggests that CaSb$_2$ has an unconventional SC character.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

S-wave Superconductivity in the Dirac Line-nodal Material CaSb2

We performed 121/123Sb-nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements on the superconducting (SC) line-nodal material CaSb2 in order to investigate electronic properties in the normal and SC states from a microscopic point of view. In the normal state, the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 for the Sb(1) site, which is responsible for the line-nodal parts, is approximately proportional to temperature, indicating the conventional Fermi liquid state. From comparison with band structure calculations, it is considered that the NQR properties related to the line-nodal character are hidden because the conventional behavior originating from Fermi-surface parts away from the nodes is dominant. In the SC state, a clear coherence peak just below the transition temperature and an exponential decrease at lower temperatures were observed in 1/T1. These results strongly suggest that conventional s-wave superconductivity with a full gap is realized in CaSb2.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Penetration depth and gap structure in the antiperovskite oxide superconductor Sr$_{3-x}$SnO revealed by $μ$SR

We report a $μ$SR study on the antiperovskite oxide superconductor Sr$_{3-x}$SnO. With transverse-field $μ$SR, we observed the increase of the muon relaxation rate upon cooling below the superconducting transition temperature $T_{\mathrm{c}}=5.4$ K, evidencing bulk superconductivity. The exponential temperature dependence of the relaxation rate $σ$ at low temperatures suggests a fully gapped superconducting state. We evaluated the zero-temperature penetration depth $λ(0)\propto1/\sqrt{σ(0)}$ to be around 320-1020 nm. Such a large value is consistent with the picture of a doped Dirac semimetal. Moreover, we revealed that the ratio $T_{\mathrm{c}}/λ(0)^{-2}$ is larger than those of ordinary superconductors and is comparable to those of unconventional superconductors. The relatively high $T_{\mathrm{c}}$ for small carrier density may hint at an unconventional pairing mechanism beyond the ordinary phonon-mediated pairing. In addition, zero-field $μ$SR did not provide evidence of broken time-reversal symmetry in the superconducting state. These features are consistent with the theoretically proposed topological superconducting state in Sr$_{3-x}$SnO, as well as with $s$-wave superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Superconductivity in the nonsymmorphic line-nodal compound CaSb$_2$

We found superconductivity in CaSb$_2$ with the transition temperature of 1.7 K by means of electrical-resistivity, magnetic-susceptibility, and specific-heat measurements. This material crystallizes in a nonsymmorphic structure and is predicted to have multiple Dirac nodal lines in the bulk electronic band structure protected by symmetry even in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. We discuss a possible topological superconductivity for the quasi-2-dimensional band originating mainly from one of the antimony sites.

cond-mat.supr-con↗