arXiv subjects

Ganesh Pokharel

Publications and source records attributed to Ganesh Pokharel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Out-of-equilibrium relaxation dynamics of the superconducting order parameter in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$

The application of a time-varying strain field drives a superconducting order parameter out of equilibrium. How the order parameter relaxes back to equilibrium depends both on the structure of the superconducting gap and on the nature of quasiparticle scattering. We report the discovery of an ultrasonic attenuation peak inside the superconducting state of the kagome superconductor CsV$_3$Sb$_5$. This peak is the natural consequence of the order parameter relaxation time matching the ultrasonic drive frequency near $T_{\rm c}$. From the measured frequency dependence of the peak, we extract a microscopic scattering time of $τ_N = 25$ ps. This timescale is two orders of magnitude longer than the elastic scattering time as determined by resistivity measurements, but is comparable to the inelastic scattering time determined by thermal transport. Within the conventional framework of order-parameter relaxation, this implies that elastic scattering is ineffective at relaxing the superconducting condensate, consistent with a sign-preserving $s$-wave state obeying Anderson's theorem.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Local spectroscopy of loop current order with individual magnetic atoms

Hidden ordered states--characterized by order parameters that elude conventional probes--pose a fundamental challenge for their identification in quantum materials. Recent experiments report evidence for time-reversal symmetry breaking orbital magnetic order and anomalous transport signatures in the $2a\times2a$ charge density wave state of the kagome metal CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ at a temperature $T<30\,$K. Theoretical analyses propose that a time-reversal symmetry breaking loop-current order could exist as the ground state of this charge density wave. However, this microscopic interpretation remains debated and experimentally unverified. In this work, we employ individual magnetic atoms as local quantum sensors to examine the quasiparticle excitations of the charge density wave in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ with the scanning tunneling microscope. Our spectroscopic measurements show that the magnetic moment of Co induces a spatially localized $dI/dV$ peak inside the spectral gap of the charge density wave near the Fermi energy. Conducting temperature-dependent spectroscopy, we find that this spectral feature emerges at $T<30\,$K. By comparing our experimental observations with results of quantum many-body simulations and realistic tight-binding model calculations, we show that this spectroscopic signature can be naturally interpreted as a local flux defect in a loop current ordered state, arising from the Kondo coupling of the magnetic moment of Co with the loop current electrons. The excellent agreement between our experimental and theoretical results suggests the presence of loop-current order in the $2a\times2a$ charge density wave of CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ at $T<30\,$K. Our results provide a microscopic picture to the observation of time-reversal symmetry breaking orbital magnetism and anomalous transport signatures detected in measurements of the macroscopic material properties.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Discovery of an odd-parity f-wave charge order in a kagome metal

The spontaneous breaking of symmetries is a cornerstone of physics, defining the phases of matter from the cosmological scale to the quantum realm. In condensed matter, electronic orders are classified by their behavior under fundamental symmetries like spatial inversion (parity). While even-parity orders, such as conventional superconductivity and charge density waves, are ubiquitous, their odd-parity counterparts--predicted to host exotic phenomena such as gapless quasiparticle excitations and novel collective modes--are comparatively elusive states of quantum matter. Here, using high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on the kagome metal CsV$_3$Sb$_5$, we report the discovery of an inversion symmetry-breaking $f$-wave charge bond order. We show that this phase, which preserves translation symmetry, is stabilized by the spontaneous opening of a spectral gap at a previously overlooked Dirac point, providing a textbook condensed-matter realization of the Gross-Neveu model for dynamical mass generation and parity breaking. Intriguingly, this $f$-wave order is itself a intervening phase, vanishing abruptly below a temperature of 10\,K and pointing to a subsequent transition into a `hidden' electronic state that is invisible to local STM probes. Our findings establish odd-parity charge order as a novel phase of matter, here, embedded within the intricate hierarchy of correlated electronic orders on the kagome lattice.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Interplay between charge correlations and superconductivity across the superconducting domes of CsV$_{3}$Sb$_{5-x}$Sn$_x$

The kagome metal CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ shows an unconventional interplay between charge density wave (CDW) order and superconductivity. Tuning the band filling is known to rapidly suppress long-range CDW order and drive the formation of two superconducting ``domes" upon increasing hole concentration. Here we determine the detailed evolution of charge correlations across this phase diagram and resolve their interplay with the superconducting state. Upon light hole-doping, the suppression of a metastable $2\times 2\times 4$ CDW state coincides with the suppression of superconducting fluctuations present in the parent CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ compound. Continued doping suppresses long-range $2\times 2\times 2$ CDW order, leaving remnant short-range, quasi-1D correlations that persist across the second superconducting dome. These higher temperature charge correlations are seemingly essential to the lower temperature superconducting state, as charge correlations vanish coincident with superconductivity as a function of hole-doping. A multidomain model of short-range V-V dimer formation within the kagome plane is proposed in the second superconducting dome, where rotational and translational symmetry remain locally broken even in the absence of long-range CDW order.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Pervasive electronic nematicity as the parent state of kagome superconductors

Kagome superconductors $A$V$_3$Sb$_5$ ($A$ = Cs, K, Rb) have developed into an exciting playground for realizing and exploring exotic solid state phenomena. Abundant experimental evidence suggests that electronic structure breaks rotational symmetry of the lattice, but whether this may be a simple consequence of the symmetry of the underlying 2 $\times$ 2 charge density wave phase or an entirely different mechanism remains intensely debated. We use spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy to explore the phase diagram of the prototypical kagome superconductor CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ as a function of doping. We intentionally suppress the charge density wave phase with chemical substitutions selectively introduced at two distinct lattice sites, and investigate the resulting system. We discover that rotational symmetry breaking of the electronic structure -- now present in short-range nanoscale regions -- persists in all samples, in a wide doping range long after all charge density waves have been suppressed. As such, our experiments uncover ubiquitous electronic nematicity across the $A$V$_3$Sb$_5$ phase diagram, unrelated to the 2 $\times$ 2 charge density wave. This further points towards electronic nematicity as the intrinsic nature of the parent state of kagome superconductors, under which other exotic low-temperature phenomena subsequently emerge.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Hidden frustration in the triangular-lattice antiferromagnet NdCd3P3

We report a study of the magnetic ground state and crystal electric field (CEF) scheme in the triangular-lattice antiferromagnet NdCd$_3$P$_3$. Combined neutron scattering, magnetization, and heat capacity measurements demonstrate that the Nd$^{3+}$ moments occupying the triangular lattice in this material harbor hidden signs of frustration not detected in typical Curie-Weiss-based parameterization of the frustration index ($f=Θ_{CW} / T_N$). This is evidenced by a zero-field splitting of the Kramers' ground state and first excited state doublets at temperatures far in excess of $T_N$ as well as signatures of low-energy fluctuations for $T>>T_N$. A suppression of the zero-field ordered moment relative to its field saturation value is observed, and the impacts of this magnetic frustration as well as the coexisting bond frustration in the CdP honeycomb network on the physical properties of NdCd$_3$P$_3$ are discussed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Adjudicating Conduction Mechanisms in High Performance Carbon Nanotube Fibers

The performance of carbon nanotube (CNT) cables, a contender for copper-wire replacement, is tied to its metallic and semi-conducting-like conductivity responses with temperature; the origin of the semi-conducting-like response however is an underappreciated incongruity in literature. With controlled aspect-ratio and doping-degree, over 61 unique cryogenic experiments including anisotropy and Hall measurements, CNT cable performance is explored at extreme temperatures (65 mK) and magnetic fields (60 T). A semi-conducting-like conductivity response with temperature becomes temperature-independent approaching absolute-zero, uniquely demonstrating the necessity of heterogeneous fluctuation induced tunneling; complete de-doping leads to localized hopping, contrasting graphite's pure metallic-like response. High-field magneto-resistance (including +22% longitudinal magneto-resistance near room-temperature) is analyzed with hopping and classical two-band models, both similarly yielding a parameter useful for conductor development. Varying field-orientation angle uncovers two-and four-fold symmetries from Aharonov-Bohm-like corrections to curvature-induced bandgap. Tight-binding calculations using Green's Function formalism model large-scale, coherent transport in commensurate CNT bundles in magnetic field, revealing non-uniform transmission across bundle cross-sections with doping restoring uniformity; independent of doping, transport in bundle-junction-bundle systems are predominantly from CNTs adjacent to the other bundle. The final impact is predicting the ultimate conductivity of heterogeneous CNT cables using temperature and field-dependent transport, surpassing conductivity of traditional metals.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Persistence of charge density wave fluctuations in the absence of long-range order in a hole-doped kagome metal

The kagome metals $A$V$_3$Sb$_5$ ($A$ = K, Rb, Cs) exhibit a complex interplay between charge density wave (CDW) order and superconductivity. In this study, we use ultrafast coherent phonon spectroscopy to probe the evolution of CDW order in hole-doped CsV$_3$Sb$_{5-x}$Sn$_x$ across a broad range of compositions ($0 \leq x \leq 0.68$). While thermodynamic and diffraction measurements show long-range CDW order vanishes above $x \approx 0.05$, we observe persistent signatures of CDW fluctuations up to the highest doping levels, with correlation times on the order of several picoseconds. These results indicate the presence of robust fluctuating charge order that survives well beyond the established CDW phase boundary. Furthermore, these fluctuations are enhanced near a doping-tuned quantum phase transition at $x^* \approx 0.15$, which coincides with a local minimum in the superconducting $T_\mathrm{c}$ double-dome. Additional measurements on Ti- and K-substituted samples confirm that this behavior is intrinsic to hole doping and not tied to disorder. Overall, our findings suggest that CDW fluctuations play a central role in the electronic phase diagram of $A$V$_3$Sb$_5$ and may mediate or compete with superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

A first-principles investigation of altermagnetism in CrSb2 under applied pressure

In this study, we employed first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations within the GGA+U framework to explore the electronic and magnetic properties of CrSb2 under varying hydrostatic pressures. CrSb2 exhibits non-relativistic spin splitting (NRSS) of around 0.5 eV around the Fermi level and the d-wave symmetric Fermi surface. Our magnetic susceptibility measurements further confirm the collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground state in CrSb2 , a prerequisite for altermagnetism. The presence of collinear AFM and spin-band splitting without the application of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) supports CrSb2 as a potential contender for altermagnet. With increasing pressure, we have observed an intricate evolution of spin splitting in the valence and conduction bands, governed by changes in orbital contributions. The observation of the structural phase transition above 10 GPa is in qualitative agreement with the previous experimental findings. Our results not only support the classification of CrSb2 as an altermagnetic candidate but also provide critical insight into the role of pressure in tuning its spin-dependent electronic structure.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Evolution of charge correlations in the hole-doped kagome superconductor CsV$_{3-x}$Ti$_x$Sb$_5$

The interplay between superconductivity and charge correlations in the kagome metal CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ can be tuned by external perturbations such as doping or pressure. Here we present a study of charge correlations and superconductivity upon hole doping via Ti substitution on the V kagome sites in CsV$_{3-x}$Ti$_x$Sb$_5$ via synchrotron x-ray diffraction and scanning SQUID measurements. While the superconducting phase, as viewed via the vortex structure, remains conventional and unchanged across the phase diagram, the nature of charge correlations evolves as a function of hole-doping from the first superconducting dome into the second superconducting dome. For Ti doping in the first superconducting dome, competing $2\times 2 \times 2$ and $2\times 2 \times 4$ supercells form within the charge density wave state and are suppressed rapidly with carrier substitution. In the second superconducting dome, no charge correlations are detected. Comparing these results to those observed for CsV$_3$Sb$_{5-x}$Sn$_x$ suggests important differences between hole doping via chemical substitution on the V and Sb sites, particularly in the disorder potential associated with each dopant.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Stability frontiers in the AM$_6$X$_6$ kagome metals: The LnNb$_6$Sn$_6$ (Ln:Ce-Lu,Y) family and density-wave transition in LuNb$_6$Sn$_6$

The kagome motif is a versatile platform for condensed matter physics, hosting rich interactions between magnetic, electronic, and structural degrees of freedom. In recent years, the discovery of a charge density wave (CDW) in the AV$_3$Sb$_5$ superconductors and structurally-derived bond density waves in FeGe and ScV$_6$Sn$_6$ have stoked the search for new kagome platforms broadly exhibiting density wave (DW) transitions. In this work, we evaluate the known AM$_6$X$_6$ chemistries and construct a stability diagram that summarizes the structural relationships between the $\approx$125 member family. Subsequently we introduce our discovery of the broader LnNb$_6$Sn$_6$ (Ln:Ce-Nd,Sm,Gd-Tm,Lu,Y) family of kagome metals and an analogous DW transition in LuNb$_6$Sn$_6$. Our X-ray scattering measurements clearly indicate a (1/3, 1/3, 1/3) ordering wave vector ($\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{3}\times3$ superlattice) and diffuse scattering on half-integer $L$-planes. Our analysis of the structural data supports the ``rattling mode'' DW model proposed for ScV$_6$Sn$_6$ and paints a detailed picture of the steric interactions between the rare-earth filler element and the host Nb-Sn kagome scaffolding. We also provide a broad survey of the magnetic properties within the HfFe$_6$Ge$_6$-type LnNb$_6$Sn$_6$ members, revealing a number of complex antiferromagnetic and metamagnetic transitions throughout the family. This work integrates our new LnNb$_6$Sn$_6$ series of compounds into the broader AM$_6$X$_6$ family, providing new material platforms and forging a new route forward at the frontier of kagome metal research.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Anomalous spin-optical helical effect in Ti-based kagome metal

The kagome lattice stands as a rich platform for hosting a wide array of correlated quantum phenomena, ranging from charge density waves and superconductivity to electron nematicity and loop current states. Direct detection of loop currents in kagome systems has remained a formidable challenge due to their intricate spatial arrangements and the weak magnetic field signatures they produce. This has left their existence and underlying mechanisms a topic of intense debate. In this work, we uncover a hallmark reconcilable with loop currents: spin handedness-selective signals that surpass conventional dichroic, spin, and spin-dichroic responses. We observe this phenomenon in the kagome metal CsTi$_3$Bi$_5$ and we call it the anomalous spin-optical helical effect. This effect arises from the coupling of light' s helicity with spin-orbital electron correlations, providing a groundbreaking method to visualize loop currents in quantum materials. Our discovery not only enriches the debate surrounding loop currents but also paves the way for new strategies to exploit the electronic phases of quantum materials via light-matter interaction.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Characterization of Chromium Impurities in $β$-Ga$_2$O$_3$

Chromium is a common transition-metal impurity that is easily incorporated during crystal growth. It is perhaps best known for giving rise to the 694.3 nm (1.786 eV) emission in Cr-doped Al$_2$O$_3$, exploited in ruby lasers. Chromium has also been found in monoclinic gallium oxide, a wide-bandgap semiconductor being pursued for power electronics. In this work, we thoroughly characterize the behavior of Cr in Ga$_2$O$_3$ through theoretical and experimental techniques. $β$-Ga$_2$O$_3$ samples are grown with the floating zone method and show evidence of a sharp photoluminescence signal, reminiscent of ruby. We calculate the energetics of formation of Cr from first principles, demonstrating that Cr preferentially incorporates as a neutral impurity on the octahedral site. Cr possesses a quartet ground-state spin and has an internal transition with a zero-phonon line near 1.8 eV. By comparing the calculated and experimentally measured luminescence lineshape function, we elucidate the role of coupling to phonons and uncover features beyond the Franck-Condon approximation. The combination of strong emission with a small Huang-Rhys factor of 0.05 and a technologically relevant host material render Cr in Ga$_2$O$_3$ attractive as a quantum defect.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Pomeranchuk instability from electronic correlations in CsTi$_3$Bi$_5$ kagome metal

Among many-body instabilities in correlated quantum systems, electronic nematicity, defined by the spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetry, has emerged as a critical phenomenon, particularly within high-temperature superconductors. Recently, this behavior has been identified in CsTi$_3$Bi$_5$, a member of the AV$_3$Sb$_5$ (A = K, Rb, Cs) kagome family, recognized for its intricate and unconventional quantum phases. Despite accumulating indirect evidence, the fundamental mechanisms driving nematicity in CsTi$_3$Bi$_5$ remain inadequately understood, sparking ongoing debates. In this study, we employ polarization-dependent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to reveal definitive signatures of an orbital-selective nematic deformation in the electronic structure of CsTi$_3$Bi$_5$. This direct experimental evidence underscores the pivotal role of orbital degrees of freedom in symmetry breaking, providing new insights into the complex electronic environment. By applying the functional renormalization group technique to a fully interacting ab initio model, we demonstrate the emergence of a finite angular momentum ($d$-wave) Pomeranchuk instability in CsTi$_3$Bi$_5$, driven by the concomitant action of electronic correlations within specific orbital channels and chemical potential detuning away from Van Hove singularities. By elucidating the connection between orbital correlations and symmetry-breaking instabilities, this work lays a crucial foundation for future investigations into the broader role of orbital selectivity in quantum materials, with far-reaching implications for the design and manipulation of novel electronic phases.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Absence of Phonon Softening across a Charge Density Wave Transition due to Quantum Fluctuations

Kagome metals have emerged as a frontier in condensed matter physics due to their potential to host exotic quantum states. Among these, CsV3Sb5 has attracted significant attention for the unusual coexistence of charge density wave (CDW) order and superconductivity, presenting an ideal system for exploring novel electronic and phononic phenomena. The nature of CDW formation in CsV3Sb5 has sparked considerable debate. Previous studies have suggested that the underlying mechanism driving the CDW transition in CsV3Sb5 is distinct from conventional ones, such as electron-phonon coupling and Fermi surface nesting. In this study, we examine the origin of the CDW state via ab initio finite-temperature simulations of the lattice dynamics associated with CDW structures in CsV3Sb5. Through a comparative study of CsV3Sb5 and 2H-NbSe2, we demonstrate that the experimental absence of phonon softening in CsV3Sb5 and the presence of a weakly first order transition can be attributed to quantum zero-point motion of the lattice, which leads to smearing of the CDW landscape and effectively stabilizes the pristine structure even below the CDW transition temperature. We argue that this surprising behavior could cause coexistence of pristine and CDW structures across the transition and lead to a weak first-order transition. We further discuss experimental implications and use the simulation to interpret coherent phonon spectroscopy results in single crystalline CsV3Sb5. These findings not only refine our fundamental understanding of CDW transitions, but also highlight the surprising role of quantum effects in influencing macroscopic properties of relatively heavy-element materials like CsV3Sb5. Our results provide crucial insights into the formation mechanism of CDW materials that exhibit little to no phonon softening, including cuprates, aiding in the understanding of the CDW phase in quantum materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Phase-Separated Charge Order and Twinning Across Length Scales in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$

We present X-ray scattering studies resolving structural twinning and phase separation in the charge density wave (CDW) state of the kagome superconductor CsV$_3$Sb$_5$. The three-dimensional CDW state in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ is reported to form a complex superposition of Star of David (SoD) or Tri-Hexagonal (TrH) patterns of distortion within its kagome planes, but the out-of-plane stacking is marked by metastability. In order to resolve the impact of this metastability, we present reciprocal space mapping and real-space images of CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ collected across multiple length scales using temperature-dependent high-dynamic range mapping (HDRM) and dark-field X-ray microscopy (DFXM). The experimental data provide evidence for a rich microstructure that forms in the CDW state. Data evidence metastability in the formation of $2\times 2\times 4$ and $2\times 2\times 2$ CDW supercells dependent on thermal history and mechanical deformation. We further directly resolve the real space phase segregation of both supercells as well as a real-space, structural twinning driven by the broken rotational symmetry of the CDW state. Our combined results provide insights into the role of microstructure and twinning in experiments probing the electronic properties of CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ where rotational symmetry is broken by the three-dimensional charge density wave order but locally preserved for any single kagome layer.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Absence of a Bulk Thermodynamic Phase Transition to a Density Wave Phase in UTe2

Competing and intertwined orders are ubiquitous in strongly correlated electron systems, such as the charge, spin, and superconducting orders in the high-Tc cuprates. Recent scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements provide evidence for a charge density wave (CDW) that coexists with superconductivity in the heavy Fermion metal UTe2. This CDW persists up to at least 7.5 K and, as a CDW breaks the translational symmetry of the lattice, its disappearance is necessarily accompanied by thermodynamic phase transition. Here, we report high-precision thermodynamic measurements of the elastic moduli of UTe2. We observe no signature of a phase transition in the elastic moduli down to a level of 1 part in 10^7, strongly implying the absence of bulk CDW order in UTe2. We suggest that the CDW and associated pair density wave (PDW) observed by STM may be confined to the surface of UTe2.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Strain-induced enhancement of the charge-density-wave in the kagome metal ScV$_6$Sn$_6$

The kagome geometry is an example of frustrated configuration in which rich physics takes place, including the emergence of superconductivity and charge density wave (CDW). Among the kagome metals, ScV$_6$Sn$_6$ hosts an unconventional CDW, with its electronic order showing a different periodicity than that of the phonon which generates it. In this material, a CDW-softened flat phonon band has a second-order collapse at the same time that the first order transition occurs. This phonon band originates from the out-of-plane vibrations of the Sc and Sn atoms, and it is at the base of the electron-phonon-coupling driven CDW phase of ScV$_6$Sn$_6$. Here, we use uniaxial strain to tune the frequency of the flat phonon band, tracking the strain evolution via time-resolved optical spectroscopy and first-principles calculations. Our findings emphasize the capability to induce an enhancement of the unconventional CDW properties in ScV$_6$Sn$_6$ kagome metal through control of strain.

cond-mat.str-el↗