arXiv subjects

Jessica McChesney

Publications and source records attributed to Jessica McChesney.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Low-Temperature Suppression of Intertwined Orders in La$_{1/3}$Sr$_{2/3}$FeO$_{3}$ Thin Films

The strong coupling between spin, charge, and lattice degrees of freedom in perovskite oxides leads to an array of exotic phenomena, giving these materials rich phase diagrams that can include coupled orders. This is exemplified by the A-site doped ferrite La$_{1/3}$Sr$_{2/3}$FeO$_{3}$ (LSFO), which exhibits a coupled paramagnetic-antiferromagnetic and charge ordering phase transition at $\sim$190 K that has been well studied in thin films, bulk, and polycrystalline samples. However, the low temperature behavior of LSFO thin films below $\sim$100 K has not been thoroughly explored. This work uses several X-ray scattering and spectroscopy techniques to directly probe LSFO's magnetic and charge order down to low temperature. Using resonant X-ray scattering, we observe a complete suppression of LSFO's known antiferromagnetic and charge order below $\sim$25 K. Further spectroscopy and coherent scattering measurements provide insight into LSFO's electronic structure and domain dynamics in this new low temperature phase, and we propose possible explanations for the observed order suppression based on reduced dimensionality of domains in our thin films. Our findings provide insight into the effects of competing interactions in strongly correlated materials, particularly those with coupled orders.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Superconductivity suppression and bilayer decoupling in Pr substituted YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-δ}$

The mechanism behind superconductivity suppression induced by Pr substitutions in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-δ}$ (YBCO) has been a mystery since its discovery: in spite of being isovalent to Y$^{3+}$ with a small magnetic moment, it is the only rare-earth element that has a dramatic impact on YBCO's superconducting properties. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and DFT+$U$ calculations, we uncover how Pr substitution modifies the low-energy electronic structure of YBCO. Contrary to the prevailing Fehrenbacher-Rice (FR) and Liechtenstein-Mazin (LM) models, the low energy electronic structure contains no signature of any $f$-electron hybridization or new states. Yet, strong electron doping is observed primarily on the antibonding Fermi surface. Meanwhile, we reveal major electronic structure modifications to Cu-derived states with increasing Pr substitution: a pronounced CuO$_2$ bilayer decoupling and an enhanced CuO chain hopping, implying indirect electron-release pathways beyond simple 4$f$ state ionization. Our results challenge the long-standing FR/LM mechanism and establish Pr substituted YBCO as a potential platform for exploring correlation-driven phenomena in coupled 1D-2D systems.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Emergent magnetism with continuous control in the ultrahigh conductivity layered oxide PdCoO2

The current challenge to realizing continuously tunable magnetism lies in our inability to systematically change properties such as valence, spin, and orbital degrees of freedom as well as crystallographic geometry. Here, we demonstrate that ferromagnetism can be externally turned on with the application of low-energy helium implantation and subsequently erased and returned to the pristine state via annealing. This high level of continuous control is made possible by targeting magnetic metastability in the ultra-high conductivity, non-magnetic layered oxide PdCoO2 where local lattice distortions generated by helium implantation induce emergence of a net moment on the surrounding transition metal octahedral sites. These highly-localized moments communicate through the itinerant metal states which triggers the onset of percolated long-range ferromagnetism. The ability to continuously tune competing interactions enables tailoring precise magnetic and magnetotransport responses in an ultra-high conductivity film and will be critical to applications across spintronics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

A general method for multiresolutional analysis of mesoscale features in dark-field x-ray microscopy images

Dark-field x-ray microscopy utilizes Bragg diffraction to collect full-field x-ray images of "mesoscale" structure of ordered materials. Information regarding the structural heterogeneities and their physical implications is gleaned through the quantitative analyses of these images. Namely, one must be able to extract diffraction features that arise from lattice modulations or inhomogeneities, quantify said features, and identify and track patterns in the relevant quantitative properties in subsequent images. Due to the necessity to track features with a wide array of shapes and length scales while maintaining spatial resolution, wavelet transforms were chosen as a potent signal analysis tool. In addition to addressing multiple length scales, this method can be used in conjunction with other signal processing methods such as image binarization for increased functionality. In this article, we demonstrate three effective use of wavelet analyses pertaining to DFXM. We show how to extract and track smooth linear features-which are diffraction manifestations of twin boundaries-as the sample orientation changes as it is rotated about momentum transfer. Secondly, we show that even the simplest wavelet transform, the Haar transform, can be used to capture the primary features in DFXM images, over a range of length scales in different regions of interest within a single image enabling localized reconstruction. As a final application, we extend these techniques to determine when a DFXM image is in focus.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2020

Electronic correlations in the semiconducting half-Heusler compound FeVSb

Electronic correlations are crucial to the low energy physics of metallic systems with localized $d$ and $f$ states; however, their effect on band insulators and semiconductors is typically negligible. Here, we measure the electronic structure of the half-Heusler compound FeVSb, a band insulator with filled shell configuration of 18 valence electrons per formula unit ($s^2 p^6 d^{10}$). Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) reveals a mass renormalization of $m^{*}/m_{bare}= 1.4$, where $m^{*}$ is the measured effective mass and $m_{bare}$ is the mass from density functional theory (DFT) calculations with no added on-site Coulomb repulsion. Our measurements are in quantitative agreement with dynamical mean field theory (DMFT) calculations, highlighting the many-body origin of the mass renormalization. This mass renormalization lies in dramatic contrast to other filled shell intermetallics, including the thermoelectric materials CoTiSb and NiTiSn; and has a similar origin to that in FeSi, where Hund's coupling induced fluctuations across the gap can explain a dynamical self-energy and correlations. Our work calls for a re-thinking of the role of correlations and Hund's coupling in intermetallic band insulators.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2017

Surface floating 2D bands in layered nonsymmorphic semimetals: ZrSiS and related compounds

In this work, we present a model of the surface states of nonsymmorphic semimetals. These are derived from surface mass terms that lift the high degeneracy imposed in the band structure by the nonsymmorphic bulk symmetries. Reflecting the reduced symmetry at the surface, the bulk bands are strongly modified. This leads to the creation of two-dimensional floating bands, which are distinct from Shockley states, quantum well states or topologically protected surface states. We focus on the layered semimetal ZrSiS to clarify the origin of its surface states. We demonstrate an excellent agreement between DFT calculations and ARPES measurements and present an effective four-band model in which similar surface bands appear. Finally, we emphasize the role of the surface chemical potential by comparing the surface density of states in samples with and without potassium coating. Our findings can be extended to related compounds and generalized to other crystals with nonsymmorphic symmetries.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2007

Morphology of graphene thin film growth on SiC(0001)

Epitaxial films of graphene on SiC(0001) are interesting from a basic physics as well as applications-oriented point of view. Here we study the emerging morphology of in-vacuo prepared graphene films using low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) and angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES). We obtain an identification of single and bilayer of graphene film by comparing the characteristic features in electron reflectivity spectra in LEEM to the PI-band structure as revealed by ARPES. We demonstrate that LEEM serves as a tool to accurately determine the local extent of graphene layers as well as the layer thickness.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗