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Jiandong Guo

Publications and source records attributed to Jiandong Guo.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Reconstruction-Stabilized Epitaxy of LaCoO3/SrTiO3(111) Heterostructures by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Unlike widely explored complex oxide heterostructures grown along [001], the study of [111]-oriented heterointerfaces are very limited thus far. One of the main challenges is to overcome the polar discontinuity that hinders the epitaxy of atomically sharp interfaces. Here, by taking the LaCoO3/SrTiO3(111) as a prototype, we show that the reconstruction, which effectively compensates the surface polarity, can stabilize the epitaxy of the heterostructure with polar discontinuity. Reconstructed substrate surface is prepared, while the growth is controlled to form reconstruction on the film surface. To suppress the chemical diffusion across the interface, the growth is interrupted between each unit cell layer to allow the lattice relaxation at a lowered temperature. In this way, high quality two-dimensional growth is realized and the heterointerfaces exhibit sharpness at the atomic scale. Our work provides a path to precisely control the growth of complex oxide heterostructures along polar orientations that exhibit emergent quantum phenomena.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Anomalous Acoustic Plasmon Mode from Topologically Protected States

Plasmons, the collective excitations of electrons in the bulk or at the surface, play an important role in the properties of materials, and have generated the field of Plasmonics. We report the observation of a highly unusual acoustic plasmon mode on the surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI), Bi2Se3, using momentum resolved inelastic electron scattering. In sharp contrast to ordinary plasmon modes, this mode exhibits almost linear dispersion into the second Brillouin zone and remains prominent with remarkably weak damping not seen in any other systems. This behavior must be associated with the inherent robustness of the electrons in the TI surface state, so that not only the surface Dirac states but also their collective excitations are topologically protected. On the other hand, this mode has much smaller energy dispersion than expected from a continuous media excitation picture, which can be attributed to the strong coupling with surface phonons.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Large Magnetic Anisotropy of an Iron-Porphyrin Complex on Metal Substrate

Single magnetic atoms or molecules with large single-ion magnetic anisotropy are highly desired for future applications in high-density data storage and quantum computation. Here we have synthesized an Fe-porphyrin complex on Au(111) substrate in a controlled way, and revealed large magnetic anisotropy energy of more than 15 meV by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Two magnetic states with opposite spin directions are discriminated by inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy in varied magnetic field, and are found to have long spin lifetimes. First-principle calculations reveal that the weak ligand filed in this complex keeps the Fe atom in a high-spin state and preserves its large orbital angular momentum, which gives rise to an easy-axis perpendicular to the molecular plane and large magnetic anisotropy energy by spin-orbit coupling.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Superstructure evolution of tellurium atoms on Au(111) surface at different coverages

We systematically investigated the superstructure evolution of Te atoms on Au(111) substrate at different coverages. As revealed by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, Te atoms form one-dimensional root3 R30° chains near 0.10 monolayer (ML). Two two-dimensional chiral structures, (root111*root111)R4.7° and (3root21*3root21)R10.9°, can be formed and their stability can be tuned by slightly adjusting the Te coverge near 1/3 ML. A honeycomb-like superstructure is observed by further increasing the coverage to 4/9 ML. An interfacial state emerges at ~-0.65 eV due to Te adsorption on Au(111). The formation of these Te-induced high-order superstructures is accompanied by relaxation of gold atoms in the surface layer, indicating the strong Te-Au interaction.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Superconducting transition of FeSe/SrTiO3 induced by adsorption of semiconducting organic molecules

We prepared superconducting and non-superconducting FeSe films on SrTiO3(001) substrates (FeSe/STO) and investigated the superconducting transition induced by charge transfer between organic molecules and FeSe layers by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. At low coverage, donor- and acceptor-type molecules adsorbed preferentially on the non-superconducting and superconducting FeSe layers, respectively. Superconductivity was induced by donor molecules on non-superconducting FeSe layer, while the superconductivity was suppressed near acceptor molecules. The corresponding evolutions of electronic states and work function were also resolved by scanning tunneling microscopy. These results illustrate the important role played by local electron concentration in the superconducting transition of FeSe/STO.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Epitaxial Growth and Band Structure of Te Film on Graphene

Tellurium (Te) films with monolayer and few-layer thickness are obtained by molecular beam epitaxy on a graphene/6H-SiC(0001) substrate and investigated by in situ scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS). We reveal that the Te films are composed of parallel-arranged helical Te chains flat-lying on the graphene surface, exposing the (1x1) facet of (10-10) of the bulk crystal. The band gap of Te films increases monotonically with decreasing thickness, reaching ~0.92 eV for the monolayer Te. An explicit band bending at the edge between the monolayer Te and graphene substrate is visualized. With the thickness controlled in atomic scale, Te films show potential applications of in electronics and optoelectronics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Constructing oxide interfaces and heterostructures by atomic layer-by-layer laser molecular beam epitaxy

Advancements in nanoscale engineering of oxide interfaces and heterostructures have led to discoveries of emergent phenomena and new artificial materials. Combining the strengths of reactive molecular-beam epitaxy and pulsed-laser deposition, we show here, with examples of Sr1+xTi1-xO3+delta, Ruddlesden-Popper phase Lan+1NinO3n+1 (n = 4), and LaAl1+yO3(1+0.5y)/SrTiO3 interfaces, that atomic layer-by-layer laser molecular-beam epitaxy (ALL-Laser MBE) significantly advances the state of the art in constructing oxide materials with atomic layer precision and control over stoichiometry. With ALL-Laser MBE we have produced conducting LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces at high oxygen pressures that show no evidence of oxygen vacancies, a capability not accessible by existing techniques. The carrier density of the interfacial two-dimensional electron gas thus obtained agrees quantitatively with the electronic reconstruction mechanism.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

The Role of SrTiO3 Phonon Penetrating into thin FeSe Films in the Enhancement of Superconductivity

The significant role of interfacial coupling on the superconductivity enhancement in FeSe films on SrTiO3 has been widely recognized. But the explicit origination of this coupling is yet to be identified. Here by surface phonon measurements using high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, we found electric field generated by Fuchs-Kliewer (F-K) phonon modes of SrTiO3 can penetrate into FeSe films and strongly interact with electrons therein. The mode-specific electron-phonon coupling (EPC) constant for the ~92 meV F-K phonon is ~0.25 in the single-layer FeSe on SrTiO3. With increasing FeSe thickness, the penetrating field intensity decays exponentially, which matches well the observed exponential decay of the superconducting gap. It is unambiguously shown that the SrTiO3 F-K phonon penetrating into FeSe is essential in the interfacial superconductivity enhancement.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

Magnetic interactions at the nanoscale in trilayer titanates LaTiO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$/YTiO$_3$

We report on the phase diagram of competing magnetic interactions at nanoscale in engineered ultra-thin trilayer heterostructures of LaTiO$_{3}$/SrTiO$_{3}$/YTiO$_{3}$, in which the interfacial inversion symmetry is explicitly broken. Combined atomic layer resolved scanning transmission electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy and electrical transport have confirmed the formation of a spatially separated two-dimensional electron liquid and high density two-dimensional localized magnetic moments at the LaTiO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ and SrTiO$_3$/YTiO$_3$ interfaces, respectively. Resonant soft X-ray linear dichroism spectroscopy has demonstrated the presence of orbital polarization of the conductive LaTiO$_3$/SrTiO$_3$ and localized SrTiO$_3$/YTiO$_3$ electrons. Our results provide a route with prospects for exploring new magnetic interfaces, designing tunable two-dimensional $d$-electron Kondo lattice, and potential spin Hall applications.

cond-mat.str-el↗

Classification of Charge Density Waves Based on Their Nature

The concept of a Charge Density Wave (CDW) permeates much of condensed matter physics and chemistry. Conceptually, CDWs have their origin rooted in the instability of a one-dimensional system described by Peierls. The extension of this concept to reduced dimensional systems has led to the concept of Fermi surface nesting (FSN), which dictates the wave vector q_cdw of the CDW and the corresponding lattice distortion. The idea is that segments of the Fermi contours are connected by q_cdw, resulting in the effective screening of phonons inducing Kohn Anomalies in their dispersion at q_cdw, driving a lattice restructuring at low temperatures. There is growing theoretical and experimental evidence that this picture fails in many real systems and in fact it is the momentum dependence of the electron-phonon coupling (EPC) matrix element that determines the characteristic of CDW phase (q_cdw). Here, based on the published results for the prototypical CDW system 2H-NbSe2, we show how well the q-dependent EPC matrix element, but not the FSN, can describe the origin of CDW. We further demonstrate a procedure of combing electronic band and phonon (dispersion and linewidth) measurements to extract the EPC matrix element, allowing the electronic states involved in the EPC to be identified. Thus we show that a large EPC does not necessarily induce the CDW phase, with Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Bi2212) as the example, and the charge ordered phenomena observed in various cuprates are not driven by FSN or EPC. To experimentally resolve the microscopic picture of EPC will lead to a fundamental change in the way we think about, write about, and classify Charge Density Waves.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Electron-Phonon Coupling on the Surface of Topological Insulators

Topological insulators (TIs) are materials that have a bulk electronic band gap like an ordinary insulator but have protected conducting states on their surface. One of the most interesting properties of TIs is their spin helicity, whereby the spin is locked normal to the wave vector of the surface electronic state. The topological surface states should be very stable in TIs, since these spin-textured surface states are robust against spin-independent backscattering. Scattering from defects and other lattice imperfections is possible provided the spin is not completely flipped. However, the quality of TI crystals can be controlled by careful growth, whereas phonons will exist in even the most perfect crystals. Consequently, electron-phonon coupling (EPC) should be the dominant scattering mechanism for surface electronic states at finite temperatures. Hence, the study of EPC in TIs is of exceptional importance in assessing any potential applications. In this article both experimental and theoretical studies of the EPC on the surface of TIs are reviewed, with the contents mainly focused on the typical strong three dimensional TIs, such as Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

Reversible Transition Between Thermodynamically Stable Phases with Low Density of Oxygen Vacancies on SrTiO$_3$(110) Surface

The surface reconstruction of SrTiO$_3$(110) is studied with scanning tunneling microscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The reversible phase transition between (4$\times$1) and (5$\times$1) is controlled by adjusting the surface metal concentration [Sr] or [Ti]. Resolving the atomic structures of the surface, DFT calculations verify that the phase stability changes upon the chemical potential of Sr or Ti. Particularly, the density of oxygen vacancies is low on the thermodynamically stabilized SrTiO$_3$(110) surface.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Evolution of the Surface Structures on SrTiO$_3$(110) Tuned by Ti or Sr Concentration

The surface structure of the SrTiO$_3$(110) polar surface is studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Monophased reconstructions in (5$\times$1), (4$\times$1), (2$\times$8), and (6$\times$8) are obtained, respectively, and the evolution between these phases can be tuned reversibly by adjusting the Ar$^{+}$ sputtering dose or the amount of Sr/Ti evaporation. Upon annealing, the surface reaches the thermodynamic equilibrium that is determined by the surface metal concentration. The different electronic structures and absorption behaviors of the surface with different reconstructions are investigated.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

Direct Determination of Electron-Phonon Coupling Matrix Element in a Correlated System

High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements have been carried out on an optimally doped cuprate Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ. The momentum-dependent linewidth and the dispersion of an A1 optical phonon are obtained. Based on these data as well as the detailed knowledge of the electronic structure from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we develop a scheme to determine the full structure of electron-phonon coupling for a specific phonon mode, thus providing a general method for directly resolving the EPC matrix element in systems with anisotropic electronic structures.

cond-mat.str-el↗

Quintuple-layer epitaxy of high-quality Bi2Se3 thin films for topological insulator

We report the growth of atomically smooth, single crystalline Bi2Se3 thin films on Si(111) by using molecular beam epitaxy. Scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, X-ray photoelectron emission spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the stoichiometry and crystallinity of the film. The film grows in a self-organized quintuple-layer by quintuple-layer mode, and atomically smooth film can be obtained with the thickness down to one quintuple-layer (~1nm).

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

A low temperature disordered phase of alpha-Pb/Ge(111)

A new structural phase transition has been observed at low temperatures for the one third of a monolayer (alpha phase) of Pb on Ge(111) using a variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. The well-known (r3xr3)R30 to (3x3) transition is accompanied by a new structural phase transition from (3x3) to a disordered phase at ~76 K. The formation of the new disordered phase is incompatible with the belief that the (3x3) phase is the ground state. The mechanism of the phase transition in this triangular lattice can be mapped onto antiferromagnetic spin Ising model, with the geometric frustration.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗