arXiv subjects

H. Nakao

Publications and source records attributed to H. Nakao.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Spontaneous Lattice Distortion in the Spin-Triplet Superconductor Cu$_{x}$Bi$_2$Se$_3$

The doped topological insulator Cu$_x$Bi$_2$Se$_3$ has attracted considerable attention as a new platform for studying novel properties of spin-triplet and topological superconductivity. In this work, we performed synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements on Cu$_x$Bi$_2$Se$_3$ (0.24$\leq x\leq$ 0.46) to investigate the coupling between the superconducting order parameter and crystal lattice. In the crystals in which the vector order parameter (${\boldsymbol d}$ vector) is tilted from the crystal high-symmetry directions as evidenced by nematic diamagnetic susceptibility, we find a sizable lattice distortion ($\sim$100 ppm) associated with the onset of superconductivity. In contrast, in crystals with the ${\boldsymbol d}$ vector aligned along the high-symmetry directions, we find no appreciable change in lattice constant. Together with a pronounced vestigial behavior of the distortion, the results are clear evidence for an odd-parity $E_u$ order parameter that couples with trigonal lattice. Furthermore, in the crystal with $x$ = 0.46 where diamagnetic susceptibility is isotropic in the plane, no lattice distortion accompanying the superconducting transition is found, which is in line with a chiral superconducting state in the highly doped region. Our work shows that lattice distortion can be a powerful diagnosing quantity for nematic superconductivity with two-component order parameter.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Multi-step topological transitions among meron and skyrmion crystals in a centrosymmetric magnet

Topological swirling spin textures, such as skyrmions and merons, have recently attracted much attention as a unique building block for high-density magnetic information devices. The controlled transformation among different types of such quasi-particles is an important challenge, while it was previously achieved only in a few non-centrosymmetric systems characterized by Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Here, we report an experimental discovery of multi-step topological transitions among a variety of meron and skyrmion crystal states in a centrosymmetric magnet GdRu$_2$Ge$_2$. By performing the detailed magnetic structure analysis based on resonant X-ray and neutron scattering experiments as well as electron transport measurements, we have found that this compound hosts periodic lattice of elliptic skyrmions, meron/anti-meron pairs, and circular skyrmions as a function of external magnetic field. The diameter of these objects is as small as 2.7 nm, which is almost two orders of magnitude smaller than typical non-centrosymmetric magnets. Such an intricate manner of topological magnetic transitions are well reproduced by a theoretical model considering the competition between RKKY interactions at inequivalent wave vectors. The present findings demonstrate that even a simple centrosymmetric magnet with competing interactions can be a promising material platform to realize a richer variety of nanometric magnetic quasi-particles with distinctive symmetry and topology, whose stability may be tunable by various external stimuli.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Direct observation of oxygen polarization in Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ by O $K$-edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements at the oxygen (O) $K$-edge were performed to investigate the magnetic polarization of ligand O atoms in the weak ferromagnetic (WFM) phase of the Ir perovskite compound Sr$_2$IrO$_4$. With the onset of the WFM phase below $T_{\rm N}\simeq240$ K, XMCD signals corresponding to XAS peaks respectively identified as originating from the magnetic moments of apical and planar oxygen (O$_{\rm A}$ and O$_{\rm P}$) in the IrO$_6$ octahedra were observed. The observation of magnetic moments at O$_{\rm A}$ sites is consistent (except for the relative orientation) with that suggested by prior muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) experiment in the non-collinear antiferromagnetic (NC-AFM) phase below $T_{\rm M}\approx100$ K. Assuming that the O$_{\rm A}$ magnetic moment observed by $μ$SR is also responsible for the corresponding XMCD signal, the magnetic moment of O$_{\rm P}$ is estimated to be consistent with the previous $μ$SR result. Since the O$_{\rm A}$ XMCD signal is mainly contributed by Ir 5$d$ $zx$ and $yz$ orbitals which also hybridize with O$_{\rm P}$, it is inferred that the relatively large O$_{\rm P}$ magnetic moment is induced by Ir 5$d$ $xy$ orbitals. Moreover, the inversion of O$_{\rm A}$ moments relative to Ir moments between the two magnetic phases revealed by XMCD suggests the presence of competing magnetic interactions for O$_{\rm A}$, with which the ordering of O$_{\rm A}$ moments in the NC-AFM phase may be suppressed to $T_{\rm M}$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Field-tunable Weyl points and large anomalous Hall effects in degenerate magnetic semiconductor EuMg$_2$Bi$_2$

Magnets, with topologically-nontrivial Dirac/Weyl points, have recently attracted significant attention owing to the unconventional physical properties, such as large anomalous Hall effects. However, they typically have a high carrier density and complicated band structure near the Fermi energy. In this study, we report degenerate magnetic semiconductor EuMg$_2$Bi$_2$, which exhibits a single valley at the $Γ$ point, where the field-tunable Weyl points form via the magnetic exchange interaction with the local Eu spins. By the high-field measurements on high-quality single crystals, we observed the quantum oscillations in resistivity, elastic constant, and surface impedance, which enabled us to determine the position of the Fermi energy. In combination with the first-principles calculation, we revealed that the Weyl points are located in the vicinity of the Fermi energy when the Eu spins are fully polarized. Furthermore, we observed large anomalous Hall effect (Hall angle $Θ_{\mathrm{AH}}\sim0.07$) in the forced ferromagnetic phase, which is consistent with this field variation of band structure.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Zoology of multiple-Q spin textures in a centrosymmetric tetragonal magnet with itinerant electrons

Magnetic skyrmion is a topologically stable particle-like swirling spin texture potentially suitable for high-density information bit, which was first observed in noncentrosymmetric magnets with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Recently, nanometric skyrmion has also been discovered in centrosymmetric rare-earth compounds, and the identification of their skyrmion formation mechanism and further search of nontrivial spin textures are highly demanded. Here, we have exhaustively studied magnetic structures in a prototypical skyrmion-hosting centrosymmetric tetragonal magnet GdRu2Si2, by performing the resonant X-ray scattering experiments. We identified a rich variety of double-Q magnetic structures, including the antiferroic order of meron(half-skyrmion)/anti-meronlike textures with fractional local topological charges. The observed intricate magnetic phase diagram has been successfully reproduced by the theoretical framework considering the four-spin interaction mediated by itinerant electrons and magnetic anisotropy. The present results will contribute to the better understanding of the novel skyrmion formation mechanism in this centrosymmetric rare-earth compound, and suggest that itinerant electrons can ubiquitously host a variety of unique multiple-Q spin orders in a simple crystal lattice system.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Isotropic parallel antiferromagnetism in the magnetic-field-induced charge-ordered state of SmRu$_4$P$_{12}$ caused by $p$-$f$ hybridization

Nature of the field-induced charge ordered phase (phase II) of SmRu$_4$P$_{12}$ has been investigated by resonant x-ray diffraction (RXD) and polarized neutron diffraction (PND), focusing on the relationship between the atomic displacements and the antiferromagnetic (AFM) moments of Sm. From the analysis of the interference between the non-resonant Thomson scattering and the resonant magnetic scattering, combined with the spectral function obtained from x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, it is shown that the AFM moment of Sm prefers to be parallel to the field ($m_{\text{AF}} \parallel H$), giving rise to large and small moment sites around which the P$_{12}$ and Ru cage contract and expand, respectively. This is associated with the formation of the staggered ordering of the $Γ_7$-like and $Γ_8$-like crystal-field states, providing a strong piece of evidence for the charge order. PND was also performed to obtain complementary and unambiguous conclusion. In addition, isotropic and continuous nature of the phase II is demonstrated by the field-direction invariance of the interference spectrum in RXD. Crucial role of the $p$-$f$ hybridization is shown by resonant soft x-ray diffraction at the P $K$-edge ($1s\leftrightarrow 3p$), where we detected a resonance due to the spin polarized $3p$ orbitals reflecting the AFM order of Sm.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Electronic charge transfer driven by spin cycloidal structure

Muon spin rotation and resonant soft X-ray scattering experiments on prototype multiferroics RMn2O5 (R = Y, Sm) are used to demonstrate that the local electric displacements are driven by the spin-current (SC) mechanism. Small local electric displacements were evaluated by observing spin polarization at ligand O ions, for which implanted muons served as an extremely sensitive probe. Our results for YMn2O5 provide evidence that the spin polarization of O ions forming a spin cycloid chain with Mn spins increases in proportion to the vector spin chirality (Si x Sj ) of the Mn ions. This relationship strongly indicates that the charge transfer between O and Mn ions is driven by the SC mechanism, which leads to the ferroelectricity accompanying O spin polarization.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Nanometric square skyrmion lattice in a centrosymmetric tetragonal magnet

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically stable spin swirls with particle-like character and potentially suitable for the design of high-density information bits. While most known skyrmion systems arise in noncentrosymmetric systems with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, also centrosymmetric magnets with a triangular lattice can give rise to skyrmion formation, with geometrically-frustrated lattice being considered essential in this case. Until today, it remains an open question if skyrmions can also exist in the absence of both geometrically-frustrated lattice and inversion symmetry breaking. Here, we discover a square skyrmion lattice state with 1.9 nm diameter skyrmions in the centrosymmetric tetragonal magnet GdRu2Si2 without geometrically-frustrated lattice by means of resonant X-ray scattering and Lorentz transmission electron microscopy experiments. A plausible origin of the observed skyrmion formation is four-spin interactions mediated by itinerant electrons in the presence of easy-axis anisotropy. Our results suggest that rare-earth intermetallics with highly-symmetric crystal lattices may ubiquitously host nanometric skyrmions of exotic origins.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Field-induced spin reorientation in the antiferromagnetic Dirac material EuMnBi$_2$ revealed by neutron and resonant x-ray diffraction

Field-dependent magnetic structure of a layered Dirac material EuMnBi$_2$ was investigated in detail by the single crystal neutron diffraction and the resonant x-ray magnetic diffraction techniques. On the basis of the reflection conditions in the antiferromagnetic phase at zero field, the Eu moments were found to be ordered ferromagnetically within the $ab$ plane and stacked antiferromagnetically along the $c$ axis in the sequence of up-up-down-down. Upon the spin-flop transition under the magnetic field parallel to the $c$ axis, the Eu moments are reoriented from the $c$ to the $a$ or $b$ directions forming two kinds of spin-flop domains, whereas the antiferromagnetic structure of the Mn sublattice remains intact as revealed by the quantitative analysis of the change in the neutron diffraction intensities. The present study provides a concrete basis to discuss the dominant role of the Eu sublattice on the enhanced two-dimensionality of the Dirac fermion transport in EuMnBi$_2$.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Spintronic superconductor in a bulk layered material with natural spin-valve structure

Multi-layered materials provide fascinating platforms to realize various functional properties, possibly leading to future electronic devices controlled by external fields. In particular, layered magnets coupled with conducting layers have been extensively studied recently for possible control of their transport properties via the spin structure. Successful control of quantum-transport properties in the materials with antiferromagnetic (AFM) layers, so-called natural spin-valve structure, has been reported for the Dirac Fermion and topological/axion materials. However, a bulk crystal in which magnetic and superconducting layers are alternately stacked has not been realized until now, and the search for functional properties in it is an interesting yet unexplored field in material science. Here, we discover superconductivity providing such an ideal platform in EuSn2As2 with the van der Waals stacking of magnetic Eu layers and superconducting Sn-As layers, and present the first demonstration of a natural spin-valve effect on the superconducting current. Below the superconducting transition temperature (Tc), the electrical resistivity becomes zero in the in-plane direction. In contrast, it, surprisingly, remains finite down to the lowest temperature in the out-of-plane direction, mostly due to the structure of intrinsic magnetic Josephson junctions in EuSn2As2. The magnetic order of the Eu layers (or natural spin-valve) is observed to be extremely soft, allowing one to easy control of the out-of-plane to in-plane resistivities ratio from 1 to infinity by weak external magnetic fields. The concept of multi-functional materials with stacked magnetic-superconducting layers will open a new pathway to develop novel spintronic devices with magnetically controllable superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Element-specific soft X-ray spectroscopy, scattering and imaging studies of skyrmion-hosting compound Co$_8$Zn$_8$Mn$_4$

A room-temperature skyrmion-hosting compound Co$_8$Zn$_8$Mn$_4$ has been examined by means of soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy, resonant small-angle scattering and extended reference holography. An element-selective study was performed by exciting the $2p$-to-$3d$ transitions near Co and Mn $L_{2,3}$ absorption edges. By utilizing the coherence of soft X-ray beams the element-specific real-space distribution of local magnetization at different temperatures has been reconstructed using iterative phase retrieval and holography with extended reference. It was shown that the magnetic moments of Co and Mn are ferromagnetically coupled and exhibit similar magnetic patterns. Both imaging methods provide a real-space resolution of 30 nm and allowed to record a magnetic texture in the temperature range between $T\,=\,20$ K and $T\,=120\,$ K, demonstrating the elongation of the skyrmions along the principal crystallographic axes at low temperatures. Micromagnetic simulations have shown that such deformation is driven by decreasing ratio of symmetric exchange interaction to antisymmetric Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction in the system and effect of the cubic anisotropy.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2018

Commensurate vs incommensurate charge ordering near the superconducting dome in Ir$_{1-x}$Pt$_x$Te$_2$ revealed by resonant x-ray scattering

The electronic-structural modulations of Ir$_{1-x}$Pt$_x$Te$_2$ (0 $\leqq x\leqq$ 0.12) have been examined by resonant elastic x-ray scattering (REXS) and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) techniques at both the Ir and Te edges. Charge-density-wave-like superstructure with wave vectors of $\mathbf{Q}$=(1/5 0 $-$1/5), (1/8 0 $-$1/8), and (1/6 0 $-$1/6) are observed on the same sample of IrTe$_2$ at the lowest temperature, the patterns of which are controlled by the cooling speeds. In contrast, superstructures around $\mathbf{Q}$=(1/5 0 $-$1/5) are observed for doped samples (0.02 $\leqq x\leqq$ 0.05). The superstructure reflections persist to higher Pt substitution than previously assumed, demonstrating that a charge density wave (CDW) can coexists with superconductivity. The analysis of the energy-dependent REXS and RIXS lineshape reveals the importance of the Te 5$p$ state rather than the Ir 5$d$ states in the formation of the spatial modulation of these systems. The phase diagram re-examined in this work suggests that the CDW incommensurability may correlate the emergence of superconducting states as-like Cu$_x$TiSe$_2$ and Li$_x$TaS$_2$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Three superconducting phases with different categories of pairing in hole- and electron-doped LaFeAs$_{1-x}$P$_x$O

The phase diagram of LaFeAs$_{1-x}$P$_x$O system has been extensively studied through hole- and electron-doping as well as As/P-substitution. It has been revealed that there are three different superconducting phases with different Fermi surface (FS) topologies and thus with possibly different pairing glues. One of them is well understood as spin fluctuation-mediated superconductivity within a FS nesting scenario. Another one with the FSs in a bad nesting condition must be explained in a different context such as orbital or spin fluctuation in strongly correlated electronic system. In both phases, $T$-linear resistivity was commonly observed when the superconducting transition temperature $T_{\rm c}$ becomes the highest value, indicating that the strength of bosonic fluctuation determines $T_{\rm c}$. In the last superconducting phase, the nesting condition of FSs and the related bosonic fluctuation are moderate. Variety of phase diagram characterizes the multiple orbital nature of the iron-based superconductors which are just near the boundary between weak and strong correlation regimes.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Quantum Hall effect in a bulk antiferromagnet EuMnBi$_2$ with magnetically confined two-dimensional Dirac fermions

For the innovation of spintronic technologies, Dirac materials, in which the low-energy excitation is described as relativistic Dirac fermions, are one of the most promising systems, because of the fascinating magnetotransport associated with the extremely high mobility. To incorporate Dirac fermions into spintronic applications, their quantum transport phenomena are desired to be manipulated to a large extent by magnetic order in a solid. We here report a bulk half-integer quantum Hall effect in a layered antiferromagnet EuMnBi$_2$, in which field-controllable Eu magnetic order significantly suppresses the interlayer coupling between the Bi layers with Dirac fermions. In addition to the high mobility more than 10,000 cm$^2$/Vs, Landau level splittings presumably due to the lifting of spin and valley degeneracy are noticeable even in a bulk magnet. These results will pave a route to the engineering of magnetically functionalized Dirac materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

The change of electronic state and crystal structure by post-annealing in superconducting SrFe2(As0.65P0.35)2

We investigated the annealing effects on the physical properties of SrFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_x$)$_2$ ($x=0.35$). The superconducting transition temperature ($T_c$) increased from 26 K to 33 K by annealing. The X-ray diffraction measurement suggested that the annealed crystals have the shorter/longer $a/c$-axes and the larger pnictogen height $h_\mathrm{Pn}$. This must be linked to the $T_c$-enhancement by annealing. Moreover, it was found that the post-annealing decreased the electronic specific heat coefficient at $T$=0 K, $γ_r$, and changed the magnetic field ($H$) dependence from sub-linear $γ_r\propto H^{0.7}$ to $H$-linear $γ_r\propto H$. This can be attributed the electronic change from dirty to clean superconductors with $s_{\pm}$ gap.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Pseudogap-related charge dynamics in layered-nickelate R2-xSrxNiO4 (x sim 1)

Charge dynamics and its critical behavior are investigated near the metal-insulator transition of layered-nickelate R2-xSrxNiO4 (R=Nd, Eu). The polarized x-ray absorption spectroscopy experiment clearly shows the multi-orbital nature which enables the x2-y2-orbital-based checkerboard-type charge ordering or correlation to persist up to the critical doping region (x sim 1). In the barely metallic region proximate to the charge-ordered insulating phase, the nominal carrier density estimated from the Hall coefficient markedly decreases in accord with development of the pseudogap structure in the optical conductivity spectrum, while the effective mass is least enhanced. The present findings combined with the results of recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy show that the pseudogap in the metal-insulator critical state evolves due to the checkerboard-type charge correlation to extinguish the coherent-motion carriers in a characteristic momentum (k)-dependent manner with lowering temperature.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Peierls Mechanism of the Metal-Insulator Transition in Ferromagnetic Hollandite K2Cr8O16

Synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiment shows that the metal-insulator transition occurring in a ferromagnetic state of a hollandite K$_2$Cr$_8$O$_{16}$ is accompanied by a structural distortion from the tetragonal $I4/m$ to monoclinic $P112_{1}/a$ phase with a $\sqrt{2}\times\sqrt{2}\times 1$ supercell. Detailed electronic structure calculations demonstrate that the metal-insulator transition is caused by a Peierls instability in the quasi-one-dimensional column structure made of four coupled Cr-O chains running in the $c$-direction, leading to the formation of tetramers of Cr ions below the transition temperature. This furnishes a rare example of the Peierls transition of fully spin-polarized electron systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Effect of cation size variance on spin and orbital order in Eu$_{1-x}$(La$_{0.254}$Y$_{0.746}$)$_{x}$VO$_3$

We have investigated the $R$-ion ($R$ = rare earth or Y) size variance effect on spin/orbital order in Eu$_{1-x}$(La$_{0.254}$Y$_{0.746}$)$_{x}$VO$_3$. The size variance disturbs one-dimensional orbital correlation in $C$-type spin/$G$-type orbital ordered states and suppresses this spin/orbital order. In contrast, it stabilizes the other spin/orbital order. The results of neutron and resonant X-ray scattering denote that in the other ordered phase, the spin/orbital patterns are $G$-type/$C$-type, respectively.

cond-mat.str-el↗