arXiv subjects

H. D. Zhou

Publications and source records attributed to H. D. Zhou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Tunable Polariton Canalization in Natural van der Waals Oxide

Hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPPs) are coupled oscillations of anisotropic lattice vibrations and electromagnetic fields that confine the latter to the nanoscale, enabling novel nano-polaritonic devices. While HPPs have been identified in multiple layered materials, achieving advanced control and manipulation - particularly polariton canalization for unidirectional energy flow - often necessitates complex device fabrications or crystal modifications. Here we visualize and elucidate the properties of in-plane hyperbolicity in alpha-V2O5, a layered compound with a highly anisotropic permittivity tensor. We show unidirectional Poynting-vector propagation of polaritons in alpha-V2O5 without additional treatments. Combined with theoretical modeling, our infrared nano-imaging studies unveil a novel form of polariton canalization, with its dispersion contour continuously tunable by the incident light frequency. Additionally, we provide a theoretically calculated permittivity phase diagram for tailoring polaritonic wavefronts. These findings suggest that the metal-oxide alpha-V2O5 holds great promise for on-demand light canalization and control at the nanoscale.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Spectrum and low-temperature bulk properties of triangular quantum spin liquid candidate NaYbSe$_2$

We report neutron scattering, pressure-dependent AC calorimetry, and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements of triangular lattice NaYbSe$_2$. We observe a continuum of scattering, which is reproduced by matrix product simulations, and no phase transition is detected in any bulk measurements. Comparison to heat capacity simulations suggest the material is within the Heisenberg spin liquid phase. AC Susceptibility shows a frequency-dependent peak at 40 mK, as has been observed in several triangular magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Novel bipartite entanglement in the quantum dimer magnet Yb$_2$Be$_2$SiO$_7$

The quantum dimer magnet, with antiferromagnetic intradimer and interdimer Heisenberg exchange between spin-1/2 moments, is known to host an up/down - down/up singlet ground state when the intradimer exchange is dominant. Rare-earth-based quantum dimer systems with strong spin-orbit coupling offer the opportunity for tuning their magnetic properties by using magnetic anisotropy as a control knob. Here, we present bulk characterization and neutron scattering measurements of the quantum dimer magnet Yb$_2$Be$_2$SiO$_7$. We find that the Yb$^{3+}$ ions can be described by an effective spin-1/2 model at low temperatures and the system does not show signs of magnetic order down to 50 mK. The magnetization, heat capacity, and neutron spectroscopy data can be well-described by an isolated dimer model with highly anisotropic exchange that stabilizes a singlet ground state with a wavefunction up/up - down/down or up/up + down/down. Our results show that strong spin-orbit coupling can induce novel entangled states of matter in quantum dimer magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Possible quantum spin liquid state of CeTa$_7$O$_{19}$

CeTa$_7$O$_{19}$ is a recently found two-dimensional triangular lattice antiferromagnet without showing magnetic order. We grew high-quality CeTa$_7$O$_{19}$ single crystals and studied the low-temperature magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and thermal conductivity. The dc magnetic susceptibility and magnetization reveal its nature of effective spin-1/2, easy axis anisotropy, and antiferromagnetic spin coupling. The ultralow-temperature ac susceptibility and specific heat data indicate the absence of any phase transition down to 20 mK. The ultralow-temperature thermal conductivity ($κ$) at zero magnetic field exhibits a non-zero residual term $κ_0/T =$ 0.0056 W/K$^2$m. Although the magnetic field dependence of $κ$ is rather weak, the 14 T thermal conductivity shows an essential zero residual term. All these results point to a possible ground state of quantum spin liquid.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Thermodynamics and heat transport of quantum spin liquid candidates NaYbS$_2$ and NaYbSe$_2$

We study the ultralow-temperature thermodynamics and thermal conductivity ($κ$) of the single-crystal rare-earth chalcogenides NaYbS$_2$ and NaYbSe$_2$, which have an ideal triangular lattice of the Yb$^{3+}$ ions and have been proposed to be quantum spin liquid candidates. The magnetic specific heat divided by temperature $C_{\rm{mag}}/T$ is nearly constant at $T <$ 200 mK, which is indeed the indication of the gapless magnetic excitations with a constant density of states. However, we observe a vanishingly small residual term $κ_0/T$, which points to the absence of mobile fermionic excitations in these materials. Both the weak temperature dependence of $κ$ and the strong magnetic-field dependence of $κ$ suggest the significant scattering between the spinons and phonons, which actually supports the existence of gapless or tiny-gapped quantum spin liquid. Moreover, the $κ(B)/κ(0)$ isotherms show a series of field-induced magnetic transitions for $B \parallel a$, confirming the easy-plane anisotropy, which is consistent with the results of ac magnetic susceptibility. We expect our results to inspire further interests in the understanding of the spinon-phonon coupling in the spin liquid systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Ising-type quantum spin liquid state in PrMgAl$_{11}$O$_{19}$

We have grown single crystals of PrMgAl$_{11}$O$_{19}$, an ideal triangular-lattice antiferromagnet, and performed magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and thermal conductivity measurements at low temperatures. The main results are as follows: (i) The temperature-dependent susceptibility shows a negligible in-plane response and the isothermal magnetization curves confirm the easy axis along the $c$ axis. (ii) The specific heat measurements reveal the absence of long-range magnetic order down to 60 mK, and the power-law temperature dependence indicates the existence of the gapless magnetic excitations in system. (iii) The ultralow-temperature thermal conductivity exhibits negligibly small residual term ($κ_0/T$) and strong spin-phonon scattering effect, suggesting that the spin excitations are also involved. Our results further demonstrate that PrMgAl$_{11}$O$_{19}$ is a rare quantum spin liquid candidate with Ising-like anisotropy.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Spinons in a new Shastry-Sutherland lattice magnet Pr$_2$Ga$_2$BeO$_7$

Identifying the elusive spinon excitations in quantum spin liquid (QSL) materials is what scientists have long sought for. Recently, thermal conductivity ($κ$) has emerged to be a decisive probe because the fermionic nature of spinons leads to a characteristic nonzero linear $κ_0/T$ term while approaching zero Kelvin. So far, only a few systems have been reported to exhibit such term. Here, we report a $κ_0/T \approx$ 0.01 WK$^{-2}$m$^{-1}$, the largest $κ_0/T$ value ever observed in magnetic oxide QSL candidates, in a new quantum magnet Pr$_2$Ga$_2$BeO$_7$ with a Shastry-Sutherland lattice (SSL). Its QSL nature is further supported by the power-law temperature dependence of the specific heat, a plateau of muon spin relaxation rate, and gapless inelastic neutron spectra. Our theoretical analysis reveals that the introduction of XY spin anisotropy is the key for Pr$_2$Ga$_2$BeO$_7$ to be the first QSL realized on the SSL, after more than four decades of extensive studies on this celebrated magnetically frustrated lattice.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Magnetic properties of the quasi-XY Shastry-Sutherland magnet Er$_2$Be$_2$SiO$_7$

Polycrystalline and single crystal samples of the insulating Shastry-Sutherland compound Er$_2$Be$_2$SiO$_7$ were synthesized via a solid-state reaction and the floating zone method respectively. The crystal structure, Er single ion anisotropy, zero-field magnetic ground state, and magnetic phase diagrams along high-symmetry crystallographic directions were investigated by bulk measurement techniques, x-ray and neutron diffraction, and neutron spectroscopy. We establish that Er$_2$Be$_2$SiO$_7$ crystallizes in a tetragonal space group with planes of orthogonal Er dimers and a strong preference for the Er moments to lie in the local plane perpendicular to each dimer bond. We also find that this system has a non-collinear ordered ground state in zero field with a transition temperature of 0.841 K consisting of antiferromagnetic dimers and in-plane moments. Finally, we mapped out the $H-T$ phase diagrams for Er$_2$Be$_2$SiO$_7$ along the directions $H \parallel$ [001], [100], and [110]. While an increasing in-plane field simply induces a phase transition to a field-polarized phase, we identify three metamagnetic transitions before the field-polarized phase is established in the $H \parallel$ [001] case. This complex behavior establishes insulating Er$_2$Be$_2$SiO$_7$ and other isostructural family members as promising candidates for uncovering exotic magnetic properties and phenomena that can be readily compared to theoretical predictions of the exactly soluble Shastry-Sutherland model.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Magnon-Polaron Driven Thermal Hall Effect in a Heisenberg-Kitaev Antiferromagnet

The thermal Hall effect, defined as a heat current response transversal to an applied temperature gradient, is a central experimental probe of exotic electrically insulating phases of matter. A key question is how the interplay between magnetic and structural degrees of freedom gives rise to a nonzero thermal Hall conductivity (THC). Here, we present evidence for an intrinsic thermal Hall effect in the Heisenberg-Kitaev antiferromagnet and spin-liquid candidate Na$_2$Co$_2$TeO$_6$ brought about by the quantum-geometric Berry curvature of so-called magnon polarons, resulting from magnon-phonon hybridization. At low temperatures, our field- and temperature-dependent measurements show a negative THC for magnetic fields below 10 T and a sign change to positive THC above. Theoretically, the sign and the order of magnitude of the THC cannot be solely explained with magnetic excitations. We demonstrate that, by incorporating spin-lattice coupling into our theoretical calculations, the Berry curvature of magnon polarons counteracts the purely magnonic contribution, reverses the overall sign of the THC, and increases its magnitude, which significantly improves agreement with experimental data. Our work highlights the crucial role of spin-lattice coupling in the thermal Hall effect.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Thermal Transport of Fractionalized Antiferromagnetic and Field Induced States in the Kitaev Material Na$_2$Co$_2$TeO$_6$

We report an in-plane thermal transport study of the honeycomb Kitaev material Na$_2$Co$_2$TeO$_6$ at subKelvin temperatures. In zero field, the $κ(T)$ displays a rather weak $T$-dependence but has a non-zero residual term $κ_0/T$, indicating strong phonon scattering by magnetic excitation and the possibility of itinerant spinon-like excitations coexisting with an antiferromagnetic order below 27 K. We propose the zero-field ground state is a novel fractionalized antiferromagnetic (AF*) state with both magnetic order and fractionalized excitations. With both the heat current and external field along the $a*$ (Co-Co bond) direction, the $κ_{a*}$ exhibits two sharp minima at 7.5 T and 10 T, and its value at 8.5 T is almost the same as the pure phononic transport for the high-field polarized state. This confirms the phase boundaries of the reported field-induced intermediate state and suggest its gapless continuum excitations possibly transport heat. No such intermediate phase was found in the $κ_a$ for the current and field along the $a$ (zigzag chain) direction. Finally, Na$_2$Co$_2$TeO$_6$ displays a strongly anisotropic magneto-thermal conductivity since the in-plane (out-of-plane) field strongly enhances (suppresses) the $κ_{a*}$ and $κ_a$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Spin-orbit coupling controlled ground states in the double perovskite iridates A2BIrO6 (A = Ba, Sr; B = Lu, Sc)

Iridates with the 5$d^4$ electronic configuration have attracted recent interest due to reports of magnetically-ordered ground states despite longstanding expectations that their strong spin-orbit coupling would generate a $J = 0$ electronic ground state for each Ir$^{5+}$ ion. The major focus of prior research has been on the double perovskite iridates Ba$_2$YIrO$_6$ and Sr$_2$YIrO$_6$, where the nature of the ground states (i.e. ordered vs non-magnetic) is still controversial. Here we present neutron powder diffraction, high energy resolution fluorescence detected x-ray absorption spectroscopy (HERFD-XAS), resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS), magnetic susceptibility, and muon spin relaxation data on the related double perovskite iridates Ba$_2$LuIrO$_6$, Sr$_2$LuIrO$_6$, Ba$_2$ScIrO$_6$, and Sr$_2$ScIrO$_6$ that enable us to gain a general understanding of the electronic and magnetic properties for this family of materials. Our HERFD-XAS and RIXS measurements establish $J = 0$ electronic ground states for the Ir$^{5+}$ ions in all cases, with similar values for Hund's coupling $J_{\rm H}$ and the spin-orbit coupling constant $λ_{\rm SOC}$. Our bulk susceptibility and muon spin relaxation data find no evidence for long-range magnetic order or spin freezing, but they do reveal weak magnetic signals that are consistent with extrinsic local moments. Our results indicate that the large $λ_{\rm SOC}$ is the key driving force behind the electronic and magnetic ground states realized in the 5$d^4$ double perovskite iridates, which agrees well with conventional wisdom.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Low-temperature transport properties of intermetallic compound HoAgGe with kagome spin ice state

We study the magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, resistivity and thermal conductivity of intermetallic HoAgGe single crystals at low temperatures and in magnetic fields along the $a$ and $c$ axis, while the electric and heat currents are along the $c$ axis. The magnetization curves show a series of metamagnetic transitions and small hysteresis at low field for $B \parallel a$, and a weak metamagnetic transition for $B \parallel c$, respectively. Both the magnetic susceptibility and $ρ(T)$ curve show anomalies at the antiferromagnetic transition ($T\rm_N \sim$ 11.3 K) and spin reorientation transition ($\sim$ 7 K). In zero field and at very low temperatures, the electrons are found to be the main heat carriers. For $B \parallel a$, the $ρ(B)$ curves display large and positive transverse magnetoresistance (MR) with extraordinary field dependence between $B^2$ and $B$-linear, accompanied with anomalies at the metamagnetic transitions and low-field hysteresis; meanwhile, the $κ(B)$ mainly decrease with increasing field and display some anomalies at the metamagnetic transitions. For $B \parallel c$, there is weak and negative longitudinal MR while the $κ(B)$ show rather strong field dependence, indicating the role of phonon heat transport.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Temperature-induced valence-state transition in double perovskite Ba2-xSrxTbIrO6

In this work, a temperature-induced valence-state transition is studied in a narrow composition range of Ba$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$TbIrO$_6$. The valence-state transition involves an electron transfer between Tb and Ir leading to the valence-state change between Tb$^{3+}$/Ir$^{5+}$ and Tb$^{4+}$/Ir$^{4+}$ phases. This first-order transition has a dramatic effect on the lattice, transport properties, and the long-range magnetic order at low temperatures for both Tb and Ir ions. Ir$^{5+}$ ion has an electronic configuration of 5$d^4$ ($J\rm_{eff}$ = 0) which is expected to be nonmagnetic. In contrast, Ir$^{4+}$ ion with a configuration of 5$d^5$($J\rm_{eff}$ = 1/2) favors a long-range magnetic order. For $x$ = 0.1 with Tb$^{3+}$/Ir$^{5+}$ configuration to the lowest temperature (2 K) investigated in this work, a spin-glass behavior is observed around 5 K indicating Ir$^{5+}$ ($J\rm_{eff}$ = 0) ions act as a spacer reducing the magnetic interactions between Tb$^{3+}$ ions. For $x$ = 0.5 with Tb$^{4+}$/Ir$^{4+}$ configuration below the highest temperature 400 K of this work, a long-range antiferromagnetic order at $T\rm_N$ = 40 K is observed highlighting the importance of Ir$^{4+}$ ($J\rm_{eff}$ = 1/2) ions in promoting the long-range magnetic order of both Tb and Ir ions. For 0.2 $\leqslant x \leqslant$ 0.375, a temperature-induced valence-state transition from high-temperature Tb$^{3+}$/Ir$^{5+}$ phase to low-temperature Tb$^{4+}$/Ir$^{4+}$ phase occurs in the temperature range 180 K $\leqslant T \leqslant$ 325 K and the transition temperature increases with $x$. The compositional dependence demonstrates the ability to tune the the valence state for a critical region of $x$ that leads to a concurrent change in magnetism and structure. This tuning ability could be employed with suitable strain in thin films to act as a switch as the magnetism is manipulated.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Controllable emergent spatial spin modulation in Sr2IrO4 by in situ shear strain

Symmetric anisotropic interaction can be ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic at the same time but for different crystallographic axes. We show that inducing competition of anisotropic interactions of orthogonal irreducible representations represents a general route to obtain new exotic magnetic states. We demonstrate it here by observing the emergence of a continuously tunable 12-layer spatial spin modulation when distorting the square lattice planes in the quasi-2D antiferromagnetic Sr2IrO4 under in situ shear strain. This translation-symmetry-breaking phase is a result of an unusual strain activated anisotropic interaction which is at the 4th order and competing with the inherent quadratic anisotropic interaction. Such a mechanism of competing anisotropy is distinct from that among the ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, and/or the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions, and it could be widely applicable and highly controllable in low dimensional magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Magnetic order and spin liquid behavior in [Mo3+]^{11+} triangular magnets

Molecular magnets based on [Mo$_3$]$^{11+}$ units with one unpaired electron per trimer have attracted recent interest due to the identification of quantum spin liquid candidacy in some family members. Here, we present comprehensive measurements on polycrystalline samples of ZnScMo$_3$O$_8$, MgScMo$_3$O$_8$, and Na$_3$Sc$_2$Mo$_5$O$_{16}$ with the same Mo$_3$O$_{13}$ magnetic building blocks. The crystal structures are characterized with x-ray or neutron powder diffraction and the magnetic ground states are determined by performing ac and dc susceptibility, specific heat, neutron powder diffraction, and $μ$SR measurements. Our work indicates that ZnScMo$_3$O$_8$ and MgScMo$_3$O$_8$ have ferromagnetic Curie-Weiss temperatures of 18.5 K and 11.9 K, ordered ground states with net moments (low-moment ferromagnetism or canted antiferromagnetism), and zero field ordering temperatures of $T_c =$ 6 K and $<$ 2 K respectively. On the other hand, Na$_3$Sc$_2$Mo$_5$O$_{16}$ hosts a dynamical magnetic ground state with no evidence for magnetic ordering or spin freezing down to 20 mK despite an antiferromagnetic Curie-Weiss temperature of -36.2 K, and therefore is a candidate for quantum spin liquid behavior. By comparing the present results to past work on the same family of materials, we construct a phase diagram which illustrates that the magnetic ground states of these Mo-based molecular magnets are very sensitive to small changes in the nearest neighbor Mo-Mo distance.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Anomalous Magnetoresistance by Breaking Ice Rule in Bi2Ir2O7/Dy2Ti2O7 Heterostructure

While geometrically frustrated quantum magnets are known for a variety of exotic spin states that are of great interests of understanding emergent phenomena as well as enabling revolutionary quantum technologies, most of them are necessarily good insulators which are difficult to be integrated with modern electrical circuit that relies on moving charge carriers. The grand challenge of converting fluctuations and excitations of frustrated moments into electronic responses is finding ways to introduce charge carriers that interact with the localized spins without destroying the spin states. Here, we show that, by designing a Bi2Ir2O7/Dy2Ti2O7 heterostructure, the breaking of the spin ice rule in insulating Dy2Ti2O7 can lead to a charge response in the Bi2Ir2O7 conducting layer that can be detected as anomalous magnetoresistance. These results demonstrate a novel and feasible interfacial approach for electronically probing exotic spin states in insulating magnets, laying out a blueprint for the metallization of frustrated quantum magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

High-field magnetic structure of the triangular antiferromagnet RbFe(MoO4)2

The magnetic H - T phase diagram of a quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnet RbFe(MoO4)2 with an equilateral triangular lattice structure is studied with 87Rb NMR and neutron diffraction techniques. This combination of experimental techniques allows us to determine the ordered components of the magnetic moments on the Fe3+ ions within various high-field phases - the Y, UUD, V, and fan structures, stabilized in the compound by the in-plane magnetic field. It is also established that the transition from the V to the fan phase is of first-order, whereas the transition from the fan phase to the polarized paramagnetic phase is continuous. An analysis of the NMR spectra shows that the high-field fan phase of RbFe(MoO4)2 can be successfully described by a periodic commensurate oscillation of the magnetic moments around the field direction in each Fe layer combined with an incommensurate modulation of the magnetic structure perpendicular to the layers.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Quantum spin state transitions in spin-1 equilateral triangular lattice antiferromagnet Na$_2$BaNi(PO$_4$)$_2$

We have grown single crystals of Na$_2$BaNi(PO$_4$)$_2$, a new spin-1 equilateral triangular lattice antiferromagnet (ETLAF), and performed magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and thermal conductivity measurements at ultralow temperatures. The main results are (i) at zero magnetic field, Na$_2$BaNi(PO$_4$)$_2$ exhibits a magnetic ordering at 430 mK with a weak ferromagnetic moment along the $c$ axis. This suggests a canted 120$^\circ$ spin structure, which is in a plane including the crystallographic $c$ axis due to the existence of an easy-axis anisotropy and ferromagnetically stacked along the $c$ axis; (ii) with increasing field along the $c$ axis, a 1/3 magnetization plateau is observed which means the canted 120$^\circ$ spin structure is transformed to a up up down (UUD) spin structure. With even higher fields, the UUD phase further evolves to possible V and V' phases; (iii) with increasing field along the $a$ axis, the canted 120$^\circ$ spin structure is possibly transformed to a umbrella phase and a V phase. Therefore, Na$_2$BaNi(PO$_4$)$_2$ is a rare example of spin-1 ETLAF with single crystalline form to exhibit easy-axis spin anisotropy and series of quantum spin state transitions.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗