arXiv subjects

Jin-Feng Jia

Publications and source records attributed to Jin-Feng Jia.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Hyperspin Altermagnets

The behavior of spin quantum in k-space is key to identifying altermagnets (AMs) as the third kind of fundamental collinear magnetism. In contrast, non-collinear magnets,though abundant in nature,lack well-defined spin quantum numbers, and the resulting spin textures are often highly complex, which limits their potential for next-generation spintronic applications. Here we propose hyperspin, which lives in a higher-dimensional space, to address these drawbacks. Through analyzing the commutation relations between spin and Hamiltonian for a class of non-collinear magnets, we reveal it is a hyperspin, rather than the usual spin, that commutes with Hamiltonian. Unexpectedly, these non-collinear magnets should also show collinear spin-split bands in k-space like collinear AMs. We therefore classify such non-collinear magnets as hyperspin altermagnets (HAMs), as opposed to the usual collinear AMs. Our theory elucidates the fundamental physics of AMs and HAMs and provides a framework for exploring the wide range of non-collinear magnets that may possess other kinds of conserved quantities.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Intertwined Charge Stripes and Majorana Zero Modes in An Iron-Based Superconductor

In type-II superconductors, magnetic fields modulate the amplitude and phase of the superconducting order parameter, forming quantized vortices where superconductivity is locally suppressed and exotic bound states or competing electronic orders emerge. Using spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy on epitaxial Ba(Fe$_{0.94}Co$_{0.06})$_2$As$_2$ films, we discover an incommensurate charge-stripe order aligned with the Fe-Fe bond direction. These charge modulations become strongly enhanced at the vortex core and extend far into the vortex halo. Strikingly, the charge order modulates Andreev bound states of vortices at non-zero energies, producing abelian vortices with half-odd-integer level quantization and non-abelian vortices with integer-quantized core states that host a Majorana zero mode. The distinct vortex types are distinguished by the registry of their centers relative to the charge-stripe pattern and remain robust in ultrathin (2.5-unit-cell) films. Our findings reveal a density-wave-textured vortex matter and provide fresh insights into intertwined phenomena in iron-based superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Bipolar-doped superconducting infinite-layer cuprates

Distilling the intrinsic physics of the superconducting CuO2 plane from the complexities of charge-reservoir layers is a defining challenge in high-temperature superconductivity. While superconducting electron-doped infinite-layer cuprates have been synthesized, controllable and uniform hole doping has long remained elusive despite exploratory attempts, limiting spectroscopic insights. Here, we realize bipolar doping across infinite-layer (Sr,Eu)CuO2 and (Ca,Li)CuO2+δ single-crystalline thin films, mapping the electronic phase diagram. Both electron- and hole-doped films show pronounced electrical resistance anisotropy, indicating the quasi-two-dimensional nature of the CuO2 planes. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy across electron- and hole-doped regimes reveals persistent antiferromagnetic band folding coexisting with superconductivity. Remarkably, at a hole doping ~0.07 determined by Luttinger volume, the antiferromagnetic folding emerges from Fermi arcs within the film's single Fermi surface, with the onset superconducting transition temperature exceeding 60 K. These findings redefine the interplay between magnetic order and superconductivity and establish a definitive platform to investigate the intrinsic mechanism of high-temperature superconducting cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Atomically resolved intrinsic superconducting gap in (La,Pr)3Ni2O7 films

Ruddlesden-Popper bilayer nickelates provide an emerging platform for studying high-temperature superconductivity, yet the superconducting pairing symmetry remains under debate. Here, we use atomic-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy to investigate superconducting 1.5-unit-cell (La,Pr)3Ni2O7 films grown on SrLaAlO4. A cryogenic ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) sample transfer preserves an ordered sqrt(2) * sqrt(2) surface and yields reproducible U-shaped spectra with two gap scales of ~14 and ~20 meV and extended flat zero-conductance bottoms. By contrast, samples exposed for a longer time in UHV without cooling during transfer show V-shaped spectra despite retaining the surface reconstruction and a transport superconducting transition onset above 40 K. Wide-energy-range spectra indicate that oxygen loss can mix density-wave-related spectral weight. Our measurements provide an atomic-scale observation of the intrinsic nodeless superconducting gap in bilayer nickelate ultrathin films.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

$3d_{z^2}$ orbital delocalization and magnetic collapse in superconducting (La,Pr)$_3$Ni$_2$O$_{7-δ}$ films

The recent discovery of Ruddlesden--Popper (RP) nickelate thin-film superconductors has opened a new frontier in unconventional superconductivity. Its realization requires both compressive epitaxial strain and highly oxidative growth conditions, yet the microscopic pathway from the parent phase to the superconducting phase remains elusive. Here, X-ray absorption spectra and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering are employed to track this evolution by independently tuning strain and oxygen content in (La,Pr)$_3$Ni$_2$O$_{7-δ}$ thin films. We uncover a remarkable two-step narrative. First, signatures of delocalization emerge in the same way upon two independent tunings: Spectral weight transfers from a ''Upper Hubbard''-like peak to the hole-like peak associated with O $2p_z$ state, and in parallel, the initially localized Ni $3d_{z^2}$ orbital becomes more itinerant followed by the broadening and weakening of $dd$ orbital excitations. Second, as itinerancy increases, long-range spin-density-wave (SDW) order is suppressed in both intensity and correlation length, indicating direct competition with superconductivity. Yet, short-range magnons persist: they become damped but their bandwidth stays unchanged. Our results paint a coherent picture that both strain and oxygenation drive the RP bilayer nickelates towards the superconducting instability, where the O $2p_z$ and Ni $3d_{z^2}$ orbitals become delocalized. Concomitantly, the long-range magnetic order loses coherence and gets suppressed. These findings establish an orbital-selective route to RP nickelate superconductivity, in which the delocalization of the $2p_z$ and $3d_{z^2}$ orbitals and the robust short-range magnons upon the melting of SDW order are prerequisites, providing strong constraints for theory and the roadmap for designing nickelate superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Electronic structures across superconductor-insulator transition in Ruddlesden-Popper bilayer nickelate films

High-transition-temperature ($T_{C}$) superconductivity is recently discovered in Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) nickelate films with extraordinarily strong oxidation. While investigating phase diagrams is essential for uncovering the superconducting mechanism, the oxygen-tuned superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) in RP nickelates differs fundamentally from that in cuprates or iron-based systems. Here, we unveil the evolution of electronic structure in RP bilayer nickelate thin films across the SIT, combining angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) for both occupied and unoccupied states. In the superconducting state, a coherent quasiparticle band near Fermi level ($E_{F}$) coexists with an incoherent waterfall feature at high energy, paralleling that in cuprates. Approaching the insulating state with oxygen deficiency, the spectral weight of the occupied coherent quasiparticle band is gradually suppressed, accompanied by pronounced density of states redistribution and orbital reconfiguration in unoccupied states. These results reveal the electronic origin of the SIT in the phase diagram, which transcends carrier doping effects and oxygen vacancy states. Our findings point to a decisive role of oxygen in shaping the essential electronic landscape of RP bilayer nickelates, offering crucial insights into the superconducting mechanism.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Superconductivity and Electronic Structures of Nickelate Thin Film Superstructures

Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) nickelates have emerged as a crucial platform for exploring the mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity. However, the Fermi surface topology required for superconductivity remains elusive. Here, beyond the superconducting pure bilayer (2222) phase, we report the thin film growth and ambient-pressure superconductivity of monolayer-bilayer (1212) and bilayer-trilayer (2323) superstructures, together with the absence of superconductivity in monolayer-trilayer (1313) superstructure, under identical compressive epitaxial strain. The onset superconducting transition temperatures range from 46 to 50 K, exceeding the McMillan limit. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy reveals key Fermi surface differences in these atomically-engineered structures. In superconducting 1212 and 2222 films, a dispersive hole-like band ($γ^{\mathrm{II}}$) forms an underlying Fermi pocket, surrounding the Brillouin zone corner. In contrast, the top of the flat band ($γ^{\mathrm{III}}$) is observed ~70 meV below $E_\text{F}$ in the non-superconducting 1313 films. Particularly, the superconducting 2323 films host both $γ^{\mathrm{II}}$ and $γ^{\mathrm{III}}$ bands. The polarization dependence of the $γ$ bands reveals their Ni $d_{z^2}$ origin. Our findings expand the family of ambient-pressure nickelate superconductors and establish a connection between structural configuration, electronic structure, and the emergence of superconductivity in nickelates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Three-Dimensional Electronic Structures in Superconducting Ruddlesden-Popper Bilayer Nickelate Films

Beyond the quasi-two-dimensional (2D) paradigm of cuprates, the role of the third dimension of the Ruddlesden-Popper bilayer nickelates is essential to decoding their superconducting mechanism. Here, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) with varied photon energies, we systematically investigate the electronic band structures in three dimensions for superconducting (La,Pr,Sm)$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$/SrLaAlO$_4$ thin films (superconducting onset temperature $T_c^{\text{onset}} \sim 48$ K) transferred via a cryogenic ultra-high vacuum suitcase. We reveal an orbital-dependent dimensionality: while the $d{x^2-y^2}$-dominant bands exhibit a quasi-2D character, the $d{z^2}$-dominant band displays a finite $k_z$ dispersion. Finite energy gaps are identified on all observed bands across multiple high-symmetry directions. Systematic temperature-dependent analysis characterizes the superconducting nature of the gap on the $d{z^2}$-derived band, revealing a large gap $Δ\sim 18$ meV and a ratio $2Δ/k_BT_c\sim 8$ exceeding the weak-coupling BCS limit. The suppression of spectral weight near the Fermi level persists above the superconducting transition temperature. Ubiquitous waterfall-like spectral features evidence the presence of electron interactions. These results underscore the role of the $d_{z^2}$ orbital and correlations, placing constraints on theoretical models for nickelate superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Pressure-enhanced superconductivity and its correlation with suppressed resistance dip in (La,Pr)3Ni2O7 films

The discovery of superconductivity with a transition temperature (Tc) exceeding 40 K in La3Ni2O7 and (La,Pr)3Ni2O7 thin films at ambient pressure provides a viable platform for the experiments that can only be conducted under ambient-pressure conditions, and for the theoretical investigations aimed at understanding the commonalities and peculiarities of the behaviors related to the superconductivity between the film and the compressed bulk systems - including the effects of oxygen vacancies and strain. Consequently, it is crucial to determine whether Tc can be further enhanced and to uncover the underlying physics that controls the Tc value in these ambient-pressure superconducting thin films. Here, we report a systematic study of hydrostatic pressure effects on the superconducting properties of (La,Pr)3Ni2O7 thin films. We find that external pressure universally enhances Tc of the film samples regardless of their initial Tc value. The onset Tc of 68.5 K at 2.0 GPa demonstrates a notable increase from 62 K at 0.3 GPa. Furthermore, we observe that the samples without zero resistance show a resistance dip just above the superconducting transition, whereas the samples that exhibit zero resistance do not display this dip. Applying pressure can suppress the dips and drive the system toward zero resistance. Based on our results, we propose that this feature is associated with oxygen vacancies and that the depth of the dip can serve as an indicator of the concentration of the vacancies. It is plausible that the dip is caused by the localization of mobile electrons at the vacancy sites. Applying pressure can delocalize these electrons, which in turn may contribute to the increase in Tc.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Multicolor groups for molecules and solids

The local magnetic moments of atoms in a molecule or solid can be designated by different colors. Magnetic groups, or 2-color groups, or black-and-white groups have been applied in crystallography to classify different magnets. Despite its successes in the past decades, the recent advents of altermagnets and p-wave magnets raise new challenges to this long-standing framework, which urges for a new and unified one. Here we develop a multicolor group classification framework to classify all kinds of molecules and solids, including nonmagnetic materials and magnets with collinear or non-collinear magnetism, and with or without spin-orbit couplings (SOC). This new scheme can unify the classifications of matters into a single framework, including the recently identified altermagnets and p-wave magnets. Especially, altermagnetic topological matters and p-wave magnets with SOC, can also be diagnosed with multicolor groups, a task which can not be accomplished by magnetic space groups and spin space groups. Moreover, insufficiencies and misconceptions of conventional magnetic group classification can be supplemented through this new framework. Multicolor group will serve as a new stage in the symmetry classification of matters.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Sublattice Dichotomy in Monolayer FeSe Superconductor

The pairing mechanism behind the monolayer FeSe is one essential question for iron-based superconductors. In this work, we show the sublattice degree of freedoms of monolayer FeSe plays a special role in its pairing properties, namely the sublattice dichotomy. The high-quality monolayer FeSe samples with atomic flat $1\times1$ topography on the SrTiO$_3$(001) substrates are grown by molecular beam epitaxy. By comparing the tunneling spectra at $α$ and $β$ Fe sublattices, we find the coherence peak of $α$-Fe at the inner gap $+V_i$ is higher than $β$-Fe while the coherence peak of $β$-Fe at $-V_i$ is higher than $α$-Fe with a similar amount. We also observed a reversed effect at the outer gap $\pm V_o$. We propose the $η$-pairing mechanism between $k$ and $-k+Q$ is the key mechanism for this unconventional sublattice dichotomy effect.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Resistance switch in ferromagnet/spin glass/ferromagnet spin valves

We obtain in single van-der-Waals layer of MnBi2Te4 the spin-valve-like ferromagnet/spin glass (SG)/ferromagnet architecture, where the switch of individual spin states in the SG-like layer appears as the resistance switch behavior. The characteristic temperature of SG can be effectively tuned by fine-control of Bi-doping in the SG layer. A doping- and temperature-dependent phase diagram is established. We demonstrate the remote manipulation and detection of the states of individual Mn-layer spins by tunneling electrons in favor of the electron-phonon, spin-phonon, spin-transfer torque and spin-flip interactions among hot electrons, lattice and local spins, where the spin valve layer is even buried below two-quintuple-layer Bi2Te3. The integration of the SG state into spin valves opens the opportunity of realizing atomic-scale spintronics by integrating different degrees of freedom in two dimensional materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

The experimental determination of exchange mass terms in surface states on both terminations of MnBi4Te7

The intrinsic antiferromagnetic topological insulators in the Mn-Bi-Te family, composed of superlattice-like MnBi2Te4/(Bi2Te3)n (n = 0, 1, 2, 3...) layered structure, present intriguing states of matter such as quantum anomalous Hall effect and the axion insulator. However, the surface state gap, which is the prerequisite for the observation of these states, remains elusive. Here by molecular beam epitaxy, we obtain two types of MnBi4Te7 films with the exclusive Bi2Te3 (BT) or MnBi2Te4 (MBT) terminations. By scanning tunneling spectroscopy, the mass terms in the surface states are identified on both surface terminations. Experimental results reveal the existence of a hybridization gap of approximately 23 meV in surface states on the BT termination. This gap comes from the hybridization between the surface states and the spin-split states in the adjacent MBT layer. On the MBT termination, an exchange mass term of about 30 meV in surface states is identified by taking magnetic-field-dependent Landau level spectra as well as theoretical simulations. In addition, the mass term varies with the field in the film with a heavy BiMn doping level in the Mn layers. These findings demonstrate the existence of mass terms in surface states on both types of terminations in our epitaxial MnBi4Te7 films investigated by local probes.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

The re-entrant ferromagnetism due to symmetric exchange bias in two septuple-layer MnBi2Te4 epitaxial films

MnBi2Te4 (MBT) is a typical magnetic topological insulator with an A-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground state. Here we prepared ultra-thin MBT films with controlled anti-site defects and observed rich doping-dependent magnetic behaviors. We find in one-septuple-layer MBT films a ferrimagnetic ground state and in two-septuple-layer ones a kind of re-entrant ferromagnetism (FM) that disappears with increased Bi-on-Mn doping in the FM Mn-layers. This re-entrant behavior is attributed to a kind of symmetric exchange-bias effect that arises in the presence of both AFM and FM sub-systems due to the introduction of high-dense Mn-on-Bi anti-site defects. Furthermore, all MBT films display spin-glass-like behaviors. Our work demonstrates rich magnetic behaviors originating from the competing magnetic interactions between Mn spins at different lattice positions in MBT.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Unidirectional charge orders induced by oxygen vacancies on SrTiO$_3$(001)

The discovery of high-mobility two-dimensional electron gas and low carrier density superconductivity in multiple SrTiO$_3$-based heterostructures has stimulated intense interest in the surface properties of SrTiO$_3$. The recent discovery of high-T$_c$ superconductivity in the monolayer FeSe/SrTiO$_3$ aroused the upsurge and underscored the atomic precision probe of the surface structure. By performing atomically resolved cryogenic scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy characterization on dual-TiO$_{2}$-$δ$-terminated SrTiO$_3$(001) surfaces with ($\sqrt{13}$ $\times$ $\sqrt{13}$), c(4 $\times$ 2), mixed (2 $\times$ 1), and (2 $\times$ 2) reconstructions, we disclosed universally broken rotational symmetry and contrasting bias- and temperature-dependent electronic states for apical and equatorial oxygen sites. With the sequentially evolved surface reconstructions and simultaneously increasing equatorial oxygen vacancies, the surface anisotropy reduces, and the work function lowers. Intriguingly, unidirectional stripe orders appear on the c(4 $\times$ 2) surface, whereas local (4 $\times$ 4) order emerges and eventually forms long-range unidirectional c(4 $\times$ 4) charge order on the (2 $\times$ 2) surface. This work reveals robust unidirectional charge orders induced by oxygen vacancies due to strong and delicate electronic-lattice interaction under broken rotational symmetry, providing insights into understanding the complex behaviors in perovskite oxide-based heterostructures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Atomic-site dependent pairing gap in monolayer FeSe/SrTiO$_3$(001)- ($\sqrt{13} \times \sqrt{13}$)

The interfacial FeSe/TiO$_{2-δ}$ coupling induces high-temperature superconductivity in monolayer FeSe films. Using cryogenic atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy, we obtained atomic-site dependent surface density of states, work function, and pairing gap in the monolayer FeSe on SrTiO$_3$(001)-($\sqrt{13} \times \sqrt{13}$)-33.7$°$ surface. Our results disclosed the out-of-plane Se-Fe-Se triple layer gradient variation, switched DOS for Fe sites on and off TiO$_{5\square}$, and inequivalent Fe sublattices, which gives global spatial modulation of pairing gap contaminant with the ($\sqrt{13} \times \sqrt{13}$) pattern. Moreover, the coherent lattice coupling induces strong inversion asymmetry and in-plane anisotropy in the monolayer FeSe, which is demonstrated to correlate with the particle-hole asymmetry in coherence peaks. The strong atomic-scale correlations in lattice and electronic structure, and pairing gap in particular, put constraints on exploring the unconventional high-temperature superconductivity emerging from interface coupling, e.g., strong demand for atomic-scale interface engineering and characterization.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Massive topological edge channels in three-dimensional topological materials induced by extreme surface anisotropy

A two-dimensional quantum spin Hall insulator exhibits one-dimensional gapless spin-filtered edge channels allowing for dissipationless transport of charge and spin. However, the sophisticated fabrication requirement of two-dimensional materials and the low capacity of one-dimensional channels hinder the broadening applications. We introduce a method to manipulate a three-dimensional topological material to host a large number of one-dimensional topological edge channels utilizing surface anisotropy. Taking ZrTe5 as a model system, we realize a highly anisotropic surface due to the synergistic effect of the lattice geometry and Coulomb interaction, and achieve massive one-dimensional topological edge channels -- confirmed by electronic characterization using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, in combination with first-principles calculations. Our work provides a new avenue to engineer the topological properties of three-dimensional materials through nanoscale tunning of surface morphology and opens up a promising prospect for the development of low-power-consumption electronic nano devices based on one-dimensional topological edge channels.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

From Stoner to Local Moment Magnetism in Atomically Thin Cr2Te3

The field of two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetism has been proliferating over the past few years, with ongoing interests in basic science and potential applications in spintronic technology. However, a high-resolution spectroscopic study of the 2D ferromagnet is still lacking due to the small size and air sensitivity of the exfoliated nanoflakes. Here, we report a thickness-dependent ferromagnetism in epitaxially grown Cr2Te3 thin films and investigate the evolution of the underlying electronic structure by synergistic angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, scanning tunneling microscopy, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and first-principle calculations. A conspicuous ferromagnetic transition from Stoner to Heisenberg-type is directly observed in the atomically thin limit, indicating that dimensionality is a powerful tuning knob to manipulate the novel properties of 2D magnetism. Monolayer Cr2Te3 retains robust ferromagnetism, but with a suppressed Curie temperature, due to the drastic drop in the density of states near the Fermi level. Our results establish atomically thin Cr2Te3 as an excellent platform to explore the dual nature of localized and itinerant ferromagnetism in 2D magnets.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗