arXiv subjects

Hua-Xun Li

Publications and source records attributed to Hua-Xun Li.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Tilted $p$-wave magnet candidate CeNiAsO

The unexpectedly small ordered moments of CeNiAsO, a candidate for correlated $p$-wave magnet, have posed a serious challenge to the precise determination of its magnetic structure, hindering the understanding of its fundamental properties. By leveraging the high sensitivity to local internal fields, our $^{75}$As nuclear quadrupole / magnetic resonance experiments reveal a commensurate antiferromagnetic order with a small out-of-plane moment $m_z\approx0.05$ $μ_{\mathrm{B}}$. This tilted magnetic configuration not only rotates the spin polarization axis away from the crystallographic $\mathbf{c}$-axis, but also enhances the non-relativistic spin splitting. We refer to this rare paradigm as a \textit{tilted $p$-wave magnet}.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Altermagnetism and Room-Temperature Metal-to-Insulator Transition in CsCr$_2$S$_2$O

Metal-to-insulator transitions (MITs), particularly near room temperature, have been extensively studied in nonmagnetic and conventional ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic systems, yet the co-emergence of MIT and altermagnetism (AM) remains unexplored. Here, a layered chromium-based compound CsCr$_2$S$_2$O that realizes this coexistence was synthesized. It crystalizes in CeCr$_2$Si$_2$C-type structure with Cr moments orders in a C-type antiferromagnetic configuration below $T_\mathrm{N}$ = 326 K, constituting a room-temperature d-wave altermagnet. In the altermagnetic state, a subsequent Verwey-type MIT appears at $T_\mathrm{MI}$ = 305 K, driven by a tetragonal-to-orthorhombic structural distortion and stripe charge ordering of Cr$^{+2}$/Cr$^{+3}$ ions, while maintaining its altermagnetic character. First-principles calculations show moment-dependent spin-split electronic structures with maximum splitting energies of ~0.6 eV and ~0.3 eV in the metallic and insulating states, respectively. Our work links the two prominent phenomena, MIT and AM, in a single material, establishing a new platform for potential spintronic applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid and charge-density wave in a quasi-one-dimensional material

In one-dimensional (1D) electron systems, the Fermi liquid state breaks down due either to electron interactions, which results in a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) state, or to Peierls instability, which leads to an insulating charge-density-wave (CDW) phase. In general, these two phenomena are mutually exclusive, and their coexistence remains elusive in real materials. Here, we report the discovery of a new quasi-1D material, Cs$_{1-δ}$Cr$_3$S$_3$, which unexpectedly exhibits coexistence of the antithetical CDW and TLL states. The CDW state is evidenced by the intra-unit-cell dimerization, and the opening of an optical band gap of $\sim$250 meV. Meanwhile, TLL behaviour is unambiguously demonstrated by the measurements of electrical transport and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, which reveal a power-law scaling with temperature, bias voltage and electron energy. Band structure calculations reveal isolated, linearly dispersive, 1D bands around the Fermi level. For the dimerized CDW phase, the 1D Fermi-surface sheets located at the boundary of the Brillouin zone are gapped from intra-unit-cell bond symmetry breaking. Experimentally, subtle Cs vacancies shift the Fermi level into the linearly dispersive valence band, enabling the observation of TLL behaviour without interrupting the CDW order. This work establishes Cs$_{1-δ}$Cr$_3$S$_3$ as a rare material platform in which the antagonistic Fermi-liquid instabilities coexist and intertwine, opening new avenues for studying emergent quantum phenomena in 1D systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2026

Cs$_3$V$_9$Te$_{13}$: A Correlated Electron System with Topological Flat Bands

Correlated electron systems with topological flat bands show great promise in exploring exotic quantum phenomena. However, such crystalline materials remain rare. Here we report the discovery of a novel material, Cs$_3$V$_9$Te$_{13}$, which unexpectedly exhibits magnetism and significant electron correlations. The crystal structure features two interpenetrating sets of vanadium triangles that can be linked with an ideal kagome lattice. The physical property measurements demonstrate a cascade of correlated electron phenomena, including quasi-two-dimensional bad metal, non-Fermi-liquid behavior, antiferromagnetic spin-density-wave transition at $T_\mathrm{N}$ = 47 K, possible short-range spin ordering at $\sim$350 K, a large Sommerfeld coefficient of 246 mJ mol-fu$^{-1}$ K$^{-2}$, and pressure-induced quantum criticality. These correlated electron behaviors are associated with the topological flat bands at the Fermi level, the latter of which are generated from the V2 sublattice in terms of a bipartite kagome model. Our findings establish Cs$_3$V$_9$Te$_{13}$ as a brand new correlated matter that synergistically combines flat-band physics and tunable properties.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Physical properties and first-principles calculations of an altermagnet candidate Cs$_{1-δ}$V$_2$Te$_2$O

We report the crystal growth, structure, physical properties, and first-principles calculations of a vanadium-based oxytelluride Cs$_{1-δ}$V$_2$Te$_2$O. The material possesses two-dimensional V$_2$O square nets sandwiched by tellurium layers, with local crystallographic symmetry satisfying the spin symmetry for a $d$-wave altermagnet. An antiferromagnetic transition at 293 K is unambiguously evidenced from the measurements of magnetic susceptibility and specific heat. In addition, a secondary transition at $\sim$70 K is also observed, possibly associated with a Lifshitz transition. The first-principles calculations indicate robust Néel-type collinear antiferromagnetism in the V$_2$O plane. Consequently, spin splittings show up in momentum space, in relation with the real-space mirror/rotation symmetry. Interestingly, the V-$d_{yz}/d_{xz}$ electrons, which primarily contribute the quasi-one-dimensional Fermi surface, turns out to be fully orbital- and spin-polarized, akin to the case of a half metal. Our work lays a solid foundation on the potential applications utilizing altermagnetic properties in vanadium-based oxychalcogenides.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Quantum Criticality by Interaction Frustration in a Square-Planar Lattice

We report experimental and theoretical investigations on ThCr$_2$Ge$_2$C, a metallic compound in which Cr$_2$C planes form a square-planar lattice. Neutron powder diffraction, magnetization, and specific heat measurements reveal no evidence of long-range magnetic order or short-range spin freezing down to 70~mK. Quantum critical behavior was indicated through logarithmic divergences in both the magnetic susceptibility and the specific heat divided by temperature. Resistivity measurements exhibit non-Fermi-liquid behavior, with a Fermi liquid recovered under magnetic fields or high pressures. First-principles calculations identify competing nearest-neighbor ($J_1$) and next-nearest-neighbor ($J_2$) exchange interactions, with $J_2/J_1 \sim -0.5$, pointing to strong magnetic frustration. The interaction frustration is reduced, and magnetically ordered phases are stabilized upon the application of negative or positive pressures. This work offers a rare example of zero-field, ambient pressure quantum criticality mainly driven by interaction frustration in a square lattice.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Absence of itinerant ferromagnetism in a cobalt-based oxypnictide

We report a layered transition-metal-ordered oxypnictide Sr$_{2}$CrCoAsO$_{3}$. The new material was synthesized by solid-state reactions under vacuum. It has an intergrowth structure with a perovskite-like Sr$_3$Cr$_2$O$_6$ unit and ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type SrCo$_2$As$_2$ block stacking coherently along the crystallographic $c$ axis. The measurements of electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat indicate metallic conductivity from the CoAs layers and short-range antiferromagnetic ordering in the CrO$_{2}$ planes. No itinerant-electron ferromagnetism expected in CoAs layers is observed. This result, combined with the first-principles calculations and the previous reports of other CoAs-layer-based materials, suggests that the Co$-$Co bondlength plays a crucial role in the emergence of itinerant ferromagnetism.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Superconductivity in kagome metal ThRu3Si2

We report the physical properties of ThRu$_3$Si$_2$ featured with distorted Ru kagome lattice. The combined experiments of resistivity, magnetization and specific heat reveal bulk superconductivity with $T_{\rm{c}}$ = 3.8 K. The specific heat jump and calculated electron-phonon coupling indicate a moderate coupled BCS superconductor. In comparison with LaRu$_3$Si$_2$, the calculated electronic structure in ThRu$_3$Si$_2$ shows an electron-doping effect with electron filling lifted from 100 meV below flat bands to 300 meV above it. This explains the lower superconducting transition temperature and weaker electron correlations observed in ThRu$_3$Si$_2$. Our work suggests the $T_{\rm{c}}$ and electronic correlations in kagome superconductor could have intimate connection with the flat bands.

cond-mat.supr-con↗