arXiv subjects

Christopher T. Parzyck

Publications and source records attributed to Christopher T. Parzyck.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Coherent antiferromagnetic resonance in MnO driven by impulsive terahertz excitation

Antiferromagnets (AFMs) offer a promising platform for ultrafast information processing owing to their intrinsically fast spin dynamics and vanishing net magnetization. Realizing this potential, however, requires understanding how terahertz fields excite coherent magnons and how the resulting spin motion is transduced into an optical signal. Here we report impulsive terahertz (THz) excitation and time-domain detection of the antiferromagnetic resonance (AFMR) in single-crystal manganese(II) oxide. Time-resolved birefringence measurements reveal long-lived coherent spin oscillations in the AFM phase. The resonance softens and becomes strongly damped upon warming toward the Néel temperature. Despite this similar excitation behavior, the detected birefringence in MnO is markedly weaker than in NiO. We associate this suppressed optical visibility with the weak spin--orbit-mediated magneto-optical coupling of orbital-singlet, high-spin Mn$^{2+}$. These results demonstrate that coherent magnon excitation and its optical detection are governed by distinct microscopic interactions.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Divergence between long- and short-wavelength magnon damping in spinel ferrites

The realization of practical, high-speed magnonic devices requires engineering magnetic materials with low dissipation over wide frequency ranges. While optical and microwave probes are used to infer the damping of low energy/long wavelength modes, the degree to which these $q\sim0$ properties translate into higher-energy, finite-momentum modes remains an important open question. Here, we utilize a combination of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering on spinel ferrites Li$_{0.5}$Al$_x$Fe$_{2.5-x}$O$_4$ to probe magnons in both the short- and long-wavelength limits. We observe that aluminum substitution both markedly reduces the magnon bandwidth and drastically shortens the high-$q$ magnon lifetimes, in sharp contrast to the ultralow magnon damping inferred from FMR. These findings demonstrate a disparity between how non-magnetic substituents impact magnon damping in the long- and short-wavelength limits, providing a new perspective for assessing candidate materials for magnonic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Freestanding Antiferromagnetic Oxide Membranes: Synthesis and Characterization of Cr$_2$O$_3$

Antiferromagnetic (AFM) insulators stand out as a promising class of materials for fast switching, energy-efficient magnon-based technology, but our understanding of how to tune these properties with the lattice remains limited. As an AFM insulator with strong magnetoelectric response, Cr$_2$O$_3$ membranes stand out as a promising platform to explore multi-modal tunability via strain. However, fabricating these membranes is challenging due to the scarcity of etchable sacrificial layers with compatible lattice constants and sufficient surface quality. We address this issue by utilizing La$_{0.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$MnO$_3$ (LSMO) as a sacrificial layer, enabling successful fabrication of millimeter-scale Cr$_2$O$_3$ membranes. Substrate-free characterization reveals that strain due to the lattice mismatch during growth is released by the formation of small polycrystalline domains, preserving single-crystalline order over ~90% of the membrane area. Bulk-like structural properties are confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and second-harmonic generation spectroscopy. Platinum Hall measurements reveal an above-room-temperature N$é$el transition. These results establish Cr$_2$O$_3$ membranes as a viable platform for strain-tuning antiferromagnetism and magnetoelectricity.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Interlayer Five-Spin Polaron in Superconducting Bilayer Nickelates

The discovery of high-$T_c$ superconductivity in Ruddlesden-Popper nickelates has sparked substantial effort towards understanding unconventional electronic states beyond a traditional cuprate-like $d^9$ configurational ground state. An understanding of the interplay between magnetic ground states and multi-orbital physics is key for establishing a microscopic mechanism for superconductivity. In the bilayer nickelates, spin density wave (SDW) order is a prominent feature in the non-superconducting regime, yet its relation to superconducting pairing remains an open question. Here, we use resonant x-ray scattering to examine the existence of SDW order in superconducting bilayer nickelate thin films La$_2$PrNi$_2$O$_7$ (LPNO). Comparing superconducting and oxygen-deficient LPNO thin films, we find that superconductivity occurs in SDW-free, oxygen-stoichiometric regions, whereas oxygen-deficiency promotes SDW order, indicating phase segregation of SDW and superconductivity. Furthermore, Ni-$L_3$ and O-$K$ edge spectroscopy reveals distinct electronic structures - particularly along the $c$-axis - between the two regions. Our results identify oxygen stoichiometry as a key parameter controlling interlayer coupling and thus the electronic structure of bilayer nickelates. In concert with theory, we propose that a ligand hole primarily resides at the inter-bilayer apical oxygen, forming a robust interlayer five-spin polaron state, which serves as the ground state for superconducting bilayer nickelates.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Spectroscopic evidence for a molecular orbital Kondo insulator

A Kondo insulator (KI) is a prototypical example of a highly entangled phase of matter, where many-body interactions between local moments and delocalized electrons engender the non-magnetic insulating ground state. Conventionally, the local moments arise from atomic multiplet states with a narrow bandwidth, limiting Kondo coherence to low temperatures. Here, we realize a new paradigm for constructing the KI state with hybridized molecular orbitals in FeSb2. Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Fe L-edge reveals distinct signatures of band-like continuum states and localized states. Comparisons with first-principles calculations establish a mixed-configuration ground state with hybridized Fe d-Sb p molecular orbitals as basis states. By systematically investigating the RIXS momentum, temperature, and doping dependences, we find propagating collective modes commensurate with many-body charge and spin excitations. Our results pave the way for understanding the emerging class of unconventional d electron insulators and engineering high temperature Kondo many-body states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Synthesis of thin film infinite-layer nickelates by atomic hydrogen reduction: clarifying the role of the capping layer

We present an integrated procedure for the synthesis of infinite-layer nickelates using molecular-beam epitaxy with gas-phase reduction by atomic hydrogen. We first discuss challenges in the growth and characterization of perovskite NdNiO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$, arising from post growth crack formation in stoichiometric films. We then detail a procedure for fully reducing NdNiO$_3$ films to the infinite-layer phase, NdNiO$_2$, using atomic hydrogen; the resulting films display excellent structural quality, smooth surfaces, and lower residual resistivities than films reduced by other methods. We utilize the in situ nature of this technique to investigate of the role that SrTiO$_3$ capping layers play in the reduction process, illustrating their importance in preventing the formation of secondary phases at the exposed nickelate surface. A comparative bulk- and surface-sensitive study indicates formation of a polycrystalline crust on the film surface serves to limit the reduction process.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Enhanced Surface Superconductivity in Ba(Fe$_{0.95}$Co$_{0.05}$)$_2$As$_2$

We present direct evidence for an enhanced superconducting $T_c$ on the surface of cleaved single crystals of Ba(Fe$_{0.95}$Co$_{0.05}$)$_2$As$_2$. Transport measurements performed on samples cleaved in ultra high vacuum (UHV) show a significantly enhanced superconducting transition when compared to equivalent measurements performed in air. Deviations from the bulk resistivity appear at 21K, well above the 10K bulk $T_c$ of the underdoped compound. We demonstrate that the excess conductivity above the bulk $T_c$ can be controllably suppressed by application of potassium ions on the cleaved surface, indicating that the enhanced superconductivity is strongly localized to the sample surface. Additionally, we find that the effects of the potassium surface dosing are strongly influenced by the presence of residual gas absorbates on the sample surface, which may prevent effective charge transfer from the potassium atoms to the FeAs plane. This is further support for the conclusion that the effects of the dosing (and enhanced superconductivity) are localized within a few layers of the surface.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Direct observation of distinct minibands in moiré superlattices

Moiré superlattices comprised of stacked two-dimensional materials present a versatile platform for engineering and investigating new emergent quantum states of matter. At present, the vast majority of investigated systems have long moiré wavelengths, but investigating these effects at shorter, incommensurate wavelengths, and at higher energy scales, remains a challenge. Here, we employ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) with sub-micron spatial resolution to investigate a series of different moiré superlattices which span a wide range of wavelengths, from a short moiré wavelength of 0.5 nm for a graphene/WSe2 (g/WSe2) heterostructure, to a much longer wavelength of 8 nm for a WS2/WSe2 heterostructure. We observe the formation of minibands with distinct dispersions formed by the moiré potential in both systems. Finally, we discover that the WS2/WSe2 heterostructure can imprint a surprisingly large moiré potential on a third, separate layer of graphene (g/WS2/WSe2), suggesting a new avenue for engineering moiré superlattices in two-dimensional materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗