arXiv subjects

Hisakazu Matsuki

Publications and source records attributed to Hisakazu Matsuki.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Substitution effects in RuO$_2$ single crystals

RuO$_2$ has emerged as one of the leading candidates for investigating altermagnetism. Recent quantum oscillation and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements found the absence of altermagnetism or antiferromagnetism in pure RuO$_2$ crystals. The continuing debate over intrinsic magnetic order in RuO$_2$ may reflect its proximity to an altermagnetic instability. In this work, we grow single crystals of Ru$_{0.9}$V$_{0.1}$O$_2$ and investigate their structural, transport, and magnetic properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals an average V oxidation state near $+4$. The paramagnetic susceptibility remains nearly unchanged up to room temperature, with no evidence of magnetic ordering. Thus, the 10\% V-substitution in RuO$_2$ does not induce altermagnetism. Electronic structure calculations for the V-substituted systems using two methods suggest that a higher level of V-substitution leads to a significant change in the density of states. These findings underscore the potential of nonmagnetic substitution in RuO$_2$ as an attractive candidate for probing altermagnetic transitions and their experimental signatures.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Coexistence of Magnon-Induced Optical Vortex and Gaussian Beam Scattering Assisted by Rotational Umklapp Process

The exploitation of crystal-lattice symmetries to engineer angular momentum transfer between structured light and magnons marks a novel frontier for optomagnonic research. In Brillouin light scattering, when focused light propagates parallel to an external magnetic field and interacts with ferromagnetic uniform magnons, only optical-vortex scattering is expected to be permitted. Due to the combined effects of magneto-optical coupling and optical spin-orbit interaction, the transfer of magnon spin angular momentum to photon orbital angular momentum allows for this distinctive scattering phenomenon. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that, for a specific ferromagnetic crystal orientation, Gaussian-beam scattering coexists with the optical-vortex scattering, contrary to conventional expectations based on angular momentum conservation between magnons and photons. We show that the crystal lattice, via the rotational Umklapp process, provides the missing angular momentum required for the Gaussian-beam scattering. Furthermore, we predict that as the degree of light focusing increases, the relative efficiencies of the Gaussian-beam and optical-vortex scattering processes reverse.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Fermi-liquid behavior and characteristic temperature-dependent susceptibility in clean RuO$_2$ crystal

The magnetic nature of the altermagnet candidate RuO$_2$ remains under debate. It has been recently shown from quantum oscillations and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) that the high-quality RuO$_2$ bulk single crystal is a paramagnetic metal. Here we report the specific heat and magnetic susceptibility in ultra-clean RuO$_2$ single crystals with residual resistivity ratio up to 1200. The magnetic susceptibility increases with temperature and is phenomenologically fitted with an inclusion of $T\textrm{ln}(T/T_0)$ over a wide temperature range up to 400 K. In contrast, the energy dependence of the density of states and thermal activation of quasiparticles lead to a decrease with temperature. Such characteristic temperature dependence, similar to that observed in other $d$-electron metals, is attributable to an enhanced orbital contribution arising from lattice-expansion-induced changes in the band structure. The electronic specific heat, the magnetic susceptibility, and the $T^2$ coefficient in resistivity point to a weakly-correlated 3D Fermi-liquid state with a modest electron correlation, as supported by the Wilson and Kadowaki-Woods ratios.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Muon Knight shift as a precise probe of the superconducting symmetry of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$

Muon spin rotation ($μ$SR) measurements of internal magnetic field shifts, known as the muon Knight shift, is used for determining pairing symmetries in superconductors. While this technique has been especially effective for $f$-electron-based heavy-fermion superconductors, it remains challenging in $d$-electron-based superconductors such as Sr$_2$RuO$_4$, where the Knight shift is intrinsically small. Here, we report high-precision muon Knight shift measurements of superconducting Sr$_2$RuO$_4$. We observe that using multiple pieces of crystals, a common practice in $μ$SR measurements, induces a substantial paramagnetic shift below the superconducting transition temperature, $T_c$, when a weak magnetic field is applied. We attribute such an unresolved paramagnetic shift to stray fields generated by neighboring diamagnetic crystals. To avoid this, one piece of crystal was used in this study. We experimentally determine the muon Knight shift of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ in the normal state to be -116$\pm$7 ppm. By combining the observed muon Knight shift with independently determined bulk magnetization data from the same crystal used in $μ$SR and carefully separating various contributions to the shift, we confirm a significant reduction in the spin Knight shift below $T_c$, consistent with spin-singlet-like pairing. This result constitutes the precise muon Knight shift measurement in a $d$-electron-based superconductor. Our results highlight the potential of $μ$SR as a powerful complementary technique to the established method of nuclear magnetic resonance for probing the spin susceptibility in superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Field-Free Superconducting Diode Enabled by Geometric Asymmetry and Perpendicular Magnetization

The superconducting diode effect (SDE)- manifested as directional, dissipationless supercurrents - is pivotal for realizing energy-efficient superconducting logic and memory technologies. Achieving high-efficiency SDE without external magnetic fields, however, remains a fundamental challenge. Here, we report a strongly enhanced, field-free SDE in Pt/Co/Nb heterostructures, enabled by the interplay of engineered geometric asymmetry and stray fields from a perpendicularly magnetized Co layer. This configuration promotes directional vortex entry and spatially selective pinning, yielding diode efficiencies that exceed all previously reported field-free values. Temperature- and field-dependent transport measurements, supported by micromagnetic simulations, reveal that the enhanced nonreciprocity stems from three cooperative mechanisms: asymmetric vortex entry, localized magnetic pinning, and Lorentz-force imbalance. These findings establish a scalable, CMOS-compatible platform for high-performance superconducting rectifiers, offering new opportunities for cryogenic spintronics and quantum electronics.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Weak-anti-localization-to-spin-dependent scattering at a proximity-magnetized heavy metal interface

A change in a materials electrical resistance with magnetic field (magnetoresistance) results from quantum interference effects and, or spin-dependent transport, depending on materials properties and dimensionality. In disordered conductors, electron interference leads to weak localization or anti-localization; in contrast, ferromagnetic conductors support spin-dependent scattering, leading to giant magnetoresistance (GMR). By varying the thickness of Au between 4 and 28 nm in a EuS/Au/EuS spin-switches, we observe a crossover from weak anti-localization to interfacial GMR. The crossover is related to a magnetic proximity effect in Au due to electron scattering at the insulating EuS interface. The proximity-induced exchange field in Au suppresses weak anti-localization, consistent with Maekawa-Fukuyama theory. With increasing Au thickness, GMR emerges along with spin Hall magnetoresistance. These findings demonstrate spin transport governed by interfacial exchange fields, building a framework for spintronic functionality without metallic magnetism.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Growth of ultra-clean single crystals of RuO2

We report the details of the growth of ultra-clean single crystals for RuO2, a candidate material for altermagnetism. By using a crystal-growth tube with a necking structure and precisely controlling the conditions of the sublimation transport method, it is possible to control the morphology of the crystals. We obtained crystals in mainly three kinds of morphology: thick plate-like crystals typically 5 x 3 x 2mm3 and up to 10 x 5 x 2mm3 with a large (101) facet, rhombohedral columnar crystals elongating along the [001] direction, and fiber and needle crystals of length up to 8 mm and the width of 0.1-0.4 mm. These crystals show residual resistivity of about 30 nOhmcm and a residual resistivity ratio (RRR) up to 1200. The crystals do not exhibit any signs of magnetic ordering down to low temperatures.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

The Fermi surface of RuO2 measured by quantum oscillations

The metallic oxide RuO$_2$ has emerged as a promising altermagnet candidate, owing to reports of this material hosting antiferromagnetic ordering accompanied by a spin-split electronic band structure characteristic of time-reversal symmetry-breaking. However, recent studies have robustly questioned this scenario. Here we map the Fermi surface of pristine single-crystalline RuO$_2$. By measuring magnetic quantum oscillations of a bulk thermodynamic property, our study resolves the electronic structure present in the bulk of RuO$_2$. Several Fermi sheets are discerned, with a range of effective quasiparticle masses up to five times that of the bare electron mass. We compare our measurements with the predictions for altermagnetic and nonmagnetic Fermi surfaces deduced from density functional theory calculations. The quantum oscillatory frequency spectra correspond very poorly to the profile expected for the case of altermagnetism; by contrast, they correspond well to the nonmagnetic scenario. Our findings place significant constraints on the bulk magnetic properties of RuO$_2$, and strongly suggest that this material is a paramagnet.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Realisation of de Gennes$'$ Absolute Superconducting Switch with a Heavy Metal Interface

In 1966, Pierre-Gilles de Gennes proposed a non-volatile mechanism for switching superconductivity on and off in a magnetic device. This involved a superconductor (S) sandwiched between ferromagnetic (F) insulators in which the net magnetic exchange field could be controlled through the magnetisation-orientation of the F layers. Because superconducting switches are attractive for a range of applications, extensive studies have been carried out on $F/S/F$ structures. Although these have demonstrated a sensitivity of the superconducting critical temperature ($T_{c}$) to parallel (P) and antiparallel (AP) magnetisation-orientations of the F layers, corresponding shifts in $T_c$ (i.e., $ΔT_c = T_{c,AP} - T_{c,P}$) are lower than predicted with $ΔT_c$ only a small fraction of $T_{c,AP}$, precluding the development of applications. Here, we report $EuS/Au/Nb/EuS$ structures where EuS is an insulating ferromagnet, Nb is a superconductor and Au is a heavy metal. For P magnetisations, the superconducting state in this structure is quenched down to the lowest measured temperature of 20 mK meaning that $ΔT_c/T_{c,AP}$ is practically 1. The key to this so-called absolute switching effect is a sizable spin-mixing conductance at the $EuS/Au$ interface which ensures a robust magnetic proximity effect, unlocking the potential of $F/S/F$ switches for low power electronics.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Direct Observation of a Superconducting Vortex Diode

The interplay between magnetism and superconductivity can lead to unconventional proximity and Josephson effects. A related phenomenon that has recently attracted considerable attention is the superconducting diode effect, in which a non-reciprocal critical current emerges. Although superconducting diodes based on superconducting/ferromagnetic (S/F) bilayers were demonstrated more than a decade ago, the precise underlying mechanism remains unclear. While not formally linked to this effect, the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinikov (FFLO) state is a plausible mechanism, due to the 2-fold rotational symmetry breaking caused by the finite center-of-mass-momentum of the Cooper pairs. Here, we directly observe, for the first time, a tunable superconducting vortex diode in Nb/EuS (S/F) bilayers. Based on our nanoscale SQUID-on-tip (SOT) microscope and supported by in-situ transport measurements, we propose a theoretical model that captures our key results. Thus, we determine the origin for the vortex diode effect, which builds a foundation for new device concepts.

cond-mat.supr-con↗