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D. W. Tam

Publications and source records attributed to D. W. Tam.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Microscopic magnetic phase evolution in the Weyl semimetal Mn$_3$Sn revealed by $μ^+$SR

We report a comprehensive muon spin relaxation ($μ^+$SR) and bulk magnetization study of the antiferromagnetic (AFM) Weyl semimetal Mn$_3$Sn (composition Mn${2.99}$Sn). Mn$3$Sn is reported to exhibit a commensurate inverse triangular (IT) AFM phase, an incommensurate (IC) helical AFM phase, and a proposed low-temperature spin-glass-like state. In our sample, we identify the characteristic temperatures associated with these regimes as N'eel temperature ($T\mathrm{N} = 418$ K), a macroscopic bulk transition temperature between IT-AFM to IC helical phase ($T\mathrm{t} \approx 275$ K), and low-temperature transition $T_\mathrm{f} = 21$ K. Investigating the low-temperature regime below $T_\mathrm{f}$, we find no evidence of a static spin-glass state. Instead, the sample exhibits an increasing ferromagnetic (FM) component accompanied by a localized slowing of spin fluctuations, indicating that these phenomena may be decoupled. In the IC helical AFM phase, the zero-field (ZF) spectra are best described by damped oscillations with an empirical phase offset, consistent with anharmonic and amplitude-modulated order reported by scattering studies. Upon warming above 150 K, a continuous redistribution of muon spectral weight reveals a broad, homogeneous magnetic crossover between the IC helical and IT-AFM phases. In the commensurate IT-AFM phase above $T_\mathrm{t}$, a persistent missing fraction in the initial asymmetry indicates that a subset of implanted muons, corresponding to roughly 20% of the sample-related asymmetry, undergoes unresolved ultrafast depolarization. Finally, we observe temperature-driven shifts in muon site populations above 325 K. Ultimately, our results show a highly dynamic magnetic landscape in Mn$_3$Sn, demonstrating how its complex magnetic orders often coexist and evolve continuously with temperature.

cond-mat.str-el

Magnetic and phononic dynamics in the two-ladder quantum magnet (C5H9NH3)2CuBr4

In quantum magnetic materials it is common to observe both static and dynamic lattice effects on the magnetic excitation spectrum. Less common is to find that the magnetic correlations have a significant impact on the phonon spectrum. Can such an interplay occur in a structurally soft system with comparable elastic and magnetic energy scales? Here we study the metal-organic material (C5H9NH3)2CuBr4 (Cu-CPA), in which an explanation of the low-lying excitations depends crucially on a full understanding of both the spin and lattice subsystems. We report high-resolution neutron spectroscopy enabled by large, deuterated single-crystals that reveal how both sectors are affected by the recently discovered structural phase transition. By measuring over several Brillouin zones, we disentangle the vibrational contribution to the spectrum in order to obtain an accurate estimate of the quasi-one-dimensional magnetic signal. The low-energy magnetic excitations are dominated by two gaps, $Δ$ b = 0.41 meV and $Δ$ a = 0.55 meV, which contribute with equal intensity ratios, confirming that Cu-CPA realizes a two-ladder spin Hamiltonian, and we deduce the magnetic interaction parameters of both ladders. The phonon spectrum contains a highly localized mode at an anomalously low-energy around 2 meV. This characteristic frequency drops by approximately 5 percent as magnetic correlations become established with decreasing temperature, and we connect this behavior with the location and structure of the cyclopentylammonium rings.

cond-mat.str-el

Engineering Phase Competition Between Stripe Order and Superconductivity in La$_{1.88}$Sr$_{0.12}$CuO$_4$

Unconventional superconductivity often couples to other electronic orders in a cooperative or competing fashion. Identifying external stimuli that tune between these two limits is of fundamental interest. Here, we show that strain perpendicular to the copper-oxide planes couples directly to the competing interaction between charge stripe order and superconductivity in La$_{1.88}$Sr$_{0.12}$CuO$_4$ (LSCO). Compressive $c$-axis pressure amplifies stripe order within the superconducting state, while having no impact on the normal state. By contrast, strain dramatically diminishes the magnetic field enhancement of stripe order in the superconducting state. These results suggest that $c$-axis strain acts as tuning parameter of the competing interaction between charge stripe order and superconductivity. This interpretation implies a uniaxial pressure-induced ground state in which the competition between charge order and superconductivity is reduced.

cond-mat.str-el