arXiv subjects

Jinguang Cheng

Publications and source records attributed to Jinguang Cheng.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

Magnetization dependent anisotropic topological properties in EuCuP

The correlation between magnetism and nontrivial topological band structure serves as a unique venue for discovering exotic topological properties. Combining magnetotransport measurements and first-principles calculations, we unveil herein that the hexagonal EuCuP holds topologically trivial state in the paramagnetic structure, while strong magnetization dependent anisotropic topological states in the spin-polarization structures. Specifically, it hosts a trivial topological state in the in-plane spin-polarization structure, while a Weyl semimetal state in the out-of-plane spin-polarization structure. Our scaling analysis suggests that the intrinsic Berry curvature in the spin-polarization structures can account for the observed large anisotropic anomalous Hall effect. First-principles calculations show that the magnetization and the spin-orbit coupling simultaneously play essential roles for the appearance of the four pairs of Weyl points in the out-of-plane spin-polarization structure. Our work therefore establishes in EuCuP the intimate relation between magnetism and the nontrivial topological states, which would be instructive for future study on this key issue of topological physics.

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arXiv2024

Chemical versus physical pressure effects on the structure transition of bilayer nickelates

The observation of high-$T_c$ superconductivity (HTSC) in concomitant with pressure-induced orthorhombic-tetragonal structural transition in the bilayer La$_{3}$Ni$_2$O$_7$ has sparked hopes of achieving HTSC by stabilizing the tetragonal phase at ambient pressure. To mimic the effect of external physical pressures, the application of chemical pressure via replacing La$^3$$^+$ with smaller rare-earth R$^3$$^+$ has been considered as a potential route. Here we clarify the distinct effects of chemical and physical pressures on the structural transition of bilayer nickelates through a combined experimental and theoretical investigation. Contrary to general expectations, we find that substitutions of smaller R$^3$$^+$ for La$^3$$^+$ in La$_{3-x}$R$_x$Ni$_2$O$_{7-δ}$, despite of an overall lattice contraction, produce stronger orthorhombic structural distortions and thus require higher pressures to induce the structural transition. We established a quantitative relationship between the critical pressure $P_c$ for structural transition and the average size of $A$-site cations. A linear extrapolation of $P_c$ versus <$r_A$> yields a putative critical value of <$r_A$>$_c$ ~ 1.23 angstrom for $P_c$ ~ 1 bar. The negative correlation between $P_c$ and <$r_A$> indicates that it is unlikely to reduce $P_c$ to ambient by replacing La$^3$$^+$ with smaller R$^3$$^+$ ions. Instead, partial substitution of La$^3$$^+$ with larger cations such as alkaline-earth Sr$^2$$^+$ or Ba$^2$$^+$ might be a feasible approach. Our results provide valuable guidelines in the quest of ambient-pressure HTSC in bilayer nickelates.

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arXiv2024

Bulk high-temperature superconductivity in the high-pressure tetragonal phase of bilayer La2PrNi2O7

The Ruddlesden-Popper (R-P) bilayer nickelate, La3Ni2O7, was recently found to show signatures of high-temperature superconductivity (HTSC) at pressures above 14 GPa. Subsequent investigations achieved zero resistance in single- and poly-crystalline samples under hydrostatic pressure conditions. Yet, obvious diamagnetic signals, the other hallmark of superconductors, are still lacking owing to the filamentary nature with low superconducting volume fraction. The presence of a novel "1313" polymorph and competing R-P phases obscured proper identification of the phase for HTSC. Thus, achieving bulk HTSC and identifying the phase at play are the most prominent tasks at present. Here, we address these issues in the praseodymium (Pr)-doped La2PrNi2O7 polycrystalline samples. We find that the substitutions of Pr for La effectively inhibits the intergrowth of different R-P phases, resulting in nearly pure bilayer structure. For La2PrNi2O7, pressure-induced orthorhombic-to-tetragonal structural transition takes place at Pc ~ 11 GPa, above which HTSC emerges gradually upon further compression. The superconducting transition temperatures at 18-20 GPa reach Tconset = 82.5 K and Tczero = 60 K, which are the highest values among known nickelate superconductors. More importantly, bulk HTSC was testified by detecting clear diamagnetic signals below ~75 K corresponding to an estimated superconducting volume fraction ~ 57(5)% at 20 GPa. Our results not only resolve the existing controversies but also illuminate directions for exploring bulk HTSC in the bilayer nickelates.

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arXiv2024

Noncentrosymmetric Nowotny Chimney Ladder Ferromagnet Cr4Ge7 with a High Curie Temperature of ~ 207 K

Noncentrosymmetric magnets usually host intriguing magnetic interactions inherent the crystal structure with broken inversion symmetry, which can give rise to rich magnetic behaviors. We report herein the high-pressure synthesis, crystal structure, magnetizations and magnetic structure of a so-called Nowotny chimney ladder compound Cr4Ge7. Our analysis on the powder neutron diffraction data revises the crystal structure as a noncentrosymmetric space group (P-4c2, No.116). It exhibits two magnetic orders within the temperature range of 2 - 400 K. The first order at ~ 207 K associated with a small magnetic moment of ~ 0.75 miuB is assigned to a commensurate ferromagnetic structure with a propagation vector k = (0, 0, 0). The weak itinerant ferromagnet nature should be caused by the complex Cr spin orders from different Wyckoff positions. The second order at ~ 18 K is assumed to arise from a competition between the Dzyaloshinskii-Moria and Heisenberg interactions. The results provide an excellent platform for study on intricate interactions between various magnetic exchanges as well as for the exploration of high temperature exotic magnetic properties which host potential applications in next-generation spintronics.

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arXiv2024

Unveiling a Novel Metal-to-Metal Transition in LuH2: Critically Challenging Superconductivity Claims in Lutetium Hydrides

Following the recent report by Dasenbrock-Gammon et al. (2023) of near-ambient superconductivity in nitrogen-doped lutetium trihydride (LuH3-δNε), significant debate has emerged surrounding the composition and interpretation of the observed sharp resistance drop. Here, we meticulously revisit these claims through comprehensive characterization and investigations. We definitively identify the reported material as lutetium dihydride (LuH2), resolving the ambiguity surrounding its composition. Under similar conditions (270-295 K and 1-2 GPa), we replicate the reported sharp decrease in electrical resistance with a 30% success rate, aligning with Dasenbrock-Gammon et al.'s observations. However, our extensive investigations reveal this phenomenon to be a novel, pressure-induced metal-to-metal transition intrinsic to LuH2, distinct from superconductivity. Intriguingly, nitrogen doping exerts minimal impact on this transition. Our work not only elucidates the fundamental properties of LuH2 and LuH3 but also critically challenges the notion of superconductivity in these lutetium hydride systems. These findings pave the way for future research on lutetium hydride systems while emphasizing the crucial importance of rigorous verification in claims of ambient temperature superconductivity.

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arXiv2024

Insulator to Metal Transition, Spin-Phonon Coupling, and Potential Magnetic Transition Observed in Quantum Spin Liquid Candidate LiYbSe$_2$ under High Pressure

Metallization of quantum spin liquid (QSL) materials has long been considered as a potential route to achieve unconventional superconductivity. Here we report our endeavor in this direction by pressurizing a three-dimensional QSL candidate, LiYbSe$_2$, with a previously unreported pyrochlore structure. High-pressure X-ray diffraction and Raman studies up to 50 GPa reveal no appreciable changes of structural symmetry or distortion in this pressure range. This compound is so insulating that its resistance decreases below 10$^5$ $Ω$ only at pressures above 25 GPa in the corresponding temperature range accompanying the gradual reduction of band gap upon compression. Interestingly, an insulator-to-metal transition takes place in LiYbSe$_2$ at about 68 GPa and the metallic behavior remains up to 123.5 GPa, the highest pressure reached in the present study. A possible sign of magnetic or other phase transition was observed in LiYbSe$_2$. The insulator-to-metal transition in LiYbSe$_2$ under high pressure makes it an ideal system to study the pressure effects on QSL candidates of spin-1/2 Yb$^{3+}$ system in different lattice patterns.

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arXiv2024

Local distortion driven magnetic phase switching in pyrochlore $Yb_2(Ti_{1-x}Sn_x)_2O_7$

While it is commonly accepted that the disorder induced by magnetic ion doping in quantum magnets usually generates a rugged free-energy landscape resulting in slow or glassy spin dynamics, the disorder/distortion effects associated with non-magnetic ion sites doping are still illusive. Here, using AC susceptibility measurements, we show that the mixture of Sn/Ti on the non-magnetic ion sites of pyrochlore $Yb_2(Ti_{1-x}Sn_x)_2O_7$ induces an antiferromagnetic ground state despite both parent compounds, $Yb_2Ti_2O_7$, and $Yb_2Sn_2O_7$, order ferromagnetically. Local structure studies through neutron total scattering reveals the local distortion in the non-magnetic ion sites and its strong correlation with the magnetic phase switching. Our study, for the first time, demonstrates the local distortion as induced by the non-magnetic ion site mixture could be a new path to achieve magnetic phase switching, which has been traditionally obtained by external stimuli such as temperature, magnetic field, pressure, strain, light, etc.

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arXiv2023

Observation of high-temperature superconductivity in the high-pressure tetragonal phase of La2PrNi2O7-δ

The recent discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in the Ruddlesden-Popper phase La3Ni2O7 under high pressure marks a significant breakthrough in the field of 3d transition-metal oxide superconductors. For an emerging novel class of high-Tc superconductors, it is crucial to find more analogous superconducting materials with a dedicated effort toward broadening the scope of nickelate superconductors. Here, we report on the observation of high-Tc superconductivity in the high-pressure tetragonal I4/mmm phase of La2PrNi2O7 above ~10 GPa, which is distinct from the reported orthorhombic Fmmm phase of La3Ni2O7 above 14 GPa. For La2PrNi2O7, the onset and the zero-resistance temperatures of superconductivity reach Tconset = 78.2 K and Tczero = 40 K at 15 GPa. This superconducting phase shares the samilar structural symmetry as many cuprate superconductors, providing a fresh platform to investigate underlying mechanisms of nickelate superconductors.

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arXiv2023

Pressure-induced superconductivity in polycrystalline La3Ni2O7

We synthesized polycrystalline La3Ni2O7 samples by using the sol-gel method without post-annealing under high oxygen pressure, and then measured temperature-dependent resistivity under various hydrostatic pressures up to 14.5 GPa in a cubic anvil cell apparatus. We find that the density-wave-like anomaly in resistivity is progressively suppressed with increasing pressure and the resistivity drop corresponding to the onset of superconductivity emerges at pressure as low as 7 GPa. Zero resistivity is achieved at 9 GPa below 6.6 K, which increases quickly with pressure to 35.6 K at 14.5 GPa. The observation of zero-resistance state in the polycrystalline La3Ni2O7 samples under high pressures not only corroborates the recent report of superconductivity in the pressurized La3Ni2O7 crystals but also facilitates further studies on this emerging family of nickelate high-Tc superconductors.

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arXiv2023

Observation of Flat Band and Van Hove Singularity in Non-superconducting Nitrogen-doped Lutetium Hydride

Hydrogen-rich materials offer a compelling avenue towards room temperature superconductivity, albeit under ultra-high pressure. However, the experimental investigation of the electronic band structure remains elusive, due to the inherent instability of most of the hydrogen-rich materials upon pressure release. Very recently, nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride was claimed to host room temperature superconductivity under near ambient pressure but was disproven by following works. Upon decompression, nitrogen doped lutetium hydride manifests a stable metallic phase with dark blue color. Moreover, high temperature superconductivity has been reported in lutetium hydrides Lu4H23 (~71 K) under around 200 GPa. These properties engender an unprecedented opportunity, allowing for the experimental investigation of the electronic band structure intrinsic to hydrogen-rich material. In this work, using angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy to investigate the non-superconducting nitrogen doped lutetium hydride, we observed significant flat band and Van Hove singularity marginally below the Fermi level. These salient features, identified as critical elements, proffer potential amplifiers for the realization of heightened superconductivity, as evidenced by prior research. Our results not only unveil a confluence of potent strong correlation effects and anisotropy within the Lu-H-N compound, but also provide a prospect for engineering high temperature superconductivity through the strategic manipulation of flat band and the VHS, effectively tailoring their alignment with the Fermi energy.

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arXiv2023

Superconductivity near 80 Kelvin in single crystals of La3Ni2O7 under pressure

High-transition-temperature (high-T_c) superconductivity in cuprates has been discovered for more than three decades, but the underlying mechanism remains a mystery. Cuprates are the only unconventional superconducting family that host bulk superconductivity with T_cs above the liquid nitrogen boiling temperature at 77 Kelvin. Here we report an observation of superconductivity in single crystals of La3Ni2O7 with a maximum T_c of 80 Kelvin at pressures between 14.0-43.5 gigapascals using high-pressure resistance and mutual inductive magnetic susceptibility measurements. The superconducting phase under high pressure exhibits an orthorhombic structure of Fmmm space group with the 3d_(x^2-y^2 ) and 3d_(z^2 ) orbitals of Ni cations strongly interacting with oxygen 2p orbitals. Our density functional theory calculations suggest the superconductivity emerges coincidently with the metallization of the σ-bonding bands under the Fermi level, consisting of the 3d_(z^2 ) orbitals with the apical oxygens connecting Ni-O bilayers. Thus, our discoveries not only reveal important clues for the high-T_c superconductivity in this Ruddlesden-Popper double-layered perovskite nickelates but also provide a new family of compounds to investigate the high-T_c superconductivity mechanism.

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arXiv2023

Percolation-induced resistivity drop in cold-pressed LuH2

The stoichiometric bulk LuH2 is a paramagnetic metal with high electrical conductivity comparable to simple metals. Here we show that the resistivity of cold-pressed (CP) LuH2 samples varies sensitively upon modifying the grain size or surface conditions via the grinding process, i.e., the CP pellets made of commercially purchased LuH2 powder remain metallic but exhibit thousands of times higher resistivity, while additional grinding of LuH2 powders in air further enhances the resistivity and even results in weakly localized behaviors. For these CP samples, interestingly, we can occasionally observe abrupt resistivity drops at high temperatures, which also show dependences on magnetic fields and electrical current. Measurements of variable-temperature XRD, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat exclude the possibilities of structural, magnetic, and superconducting transitions for the observed resistivity drops. Instead, we tentatively attribute these above observations to the presence of insulating layers on the grain surface due to the modification of hydrogen stoichiometry or the pollution by oxygen/nitrogen. Percolation of the metallic grains through the insulating surfaces can explain the sudden drop in resistivity. The present results thus call for caution in asserting the resistivity drops as superconductivity and invalidate the background subtraction in analyzing the resistivity data.

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arXiv2023

Pressure tuning of optical reflectivity in LuH2

Recently, the claim of room-temperature superconductivity in nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride at near-ambient conditions has attracted tremendous attention. Criticism of the work rises shortly, while further explorations are needed to settle the dispute. One of the intriguing observations is the pressured-induced color change, which has been reproduced in the lutetium dihydride LuH2 while its mechanism remains unclear. Through optical reflectivity measurements of LuH2 in the visible to near-infrared region, we observe strong light absorption next to the sharp plasmon resonance, which continuously shifts to higher energies with increasing pressure. It gives rise to the increased reflection of red light and suppressed reflection of blue light. Our work sheds light on resolving the puzzles regarding the pressure induced color change in LuH2.

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arXiv2023

Pressure-induced color change in the lutetium dihydride LuH2

The lutetium dihydride LuH2 is stable at ambient conditions. Here we show that its color undergoes sequential changes from dark blue at ambient pressure to pink at ~2.2 GPa and then to bright red at ~4 GPa upon compression in a diamond anvil cell. Such a pressure-induced color change in LuH2 is reversible and it is very similar to that recently reported in the N-doped lutetium hydride. However, our preliminary resistance measurements on LuH2 under pressures up to 7.7 GPa evidenced no superconductivity down to 1.5 K.

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arXiv2022

Pressure-induced superconductivity in PdTeI with quasi-one-dimensional PdTe chains

The quasi-one-dimensional material PdTeI exhibits unusual electronic transport properties at ambient pressure. Here, we systematically investigate both the structural and electronic responses of PdTeI to external pressure, through a combination of electrical transport, synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy measurements. The charge density wave (CDW) order in PdTeI is fragile and the transition temperature TCDW decreases rapidly with the application of external pressure. The resistivity hump is indiscernible when the pressure is increased to 1 GPa. Upon further compression, zero resistance is established above 20 GPa, suggesting the occurrence of superconductivity. Combined XRD and Raman data evidence that the emergence of superconductivity is accompanied by a pressure-induced amorphization of PdTeI.

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arXiv2022

Evolution of Superatomic-Charge-density-wave and Superconductivity under Pressure in AuTe$_2$Se$_{4/3}$

Superatomic crystal is a class of hierarchical materials composed of atomically precise clusters assembled via van der Waals or covalent-like interactions. AuTe$_2$Se$_{4/3}$, an all-inorganic superatomic superconductor exhibiting superatomic-charge-density-wave (S-CDW), provides a first platform to study the response of their collectively quantum phenomenon to the external pressure in superatomic crystals. We reveal a competition between S-CDW and superconductivity using cutting-edge measurements on thin flakes at low pressures. Prominently, the pressure modulation of S-CDW ordering is 1$\sim$2 order of magnitudes (0.1 GPa) lower than that of conventional atomic superconductors. As pressure increases to 2.5 GPa, the $T_{\mathrm{CDW}}$ is suppressed and the superconducting transition temperature ($T_{\mathrm{c}}$) is firstly enhanced, and reaches the maximum then quenches with increasing pressure. Above 7.3 GPa, a second superconducting phase emerges, and then a three-fold enhancement in the transition temperature ($T_{\mathrm{c}}$) happens. Analyses of the crystal structure and theoretical calculations suggest a pressure-mediated switch of the conduction channel from the $a$- to the $b$-axis occur, followed by a dimensional crossover of conductivity and the Fermi surface from 2D to 3D.

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arXiv2022

Anticollinear order and degeneracy lifting in square lattice antiferromagnet LaSrCrO4

We report the static and dynamic magnetic properties of LaSrCrO$_4$, a seemingly canonical spin-3/2 square-lattice antiferromagnet that exhibits frustration between magnetic layers -- owing to their AB stacking -- and offers a rare testbed to investigate accidental-degeneracy lifting in magnetism. Neutron diffraction experiments on single-crystal samples uncover a remarkable anticollinear magnetic order below $T_N$ = 170 K characterized by a Néel arrangement of the spins within each layer and an orthogonal arrangement between adjacent layers. To understand the origin of this unusual magnetic structure, we analyze the spin-wave excitation spectrum by means of inelastic neutron scattering and bulk measurements. A spectral gap of 0.5 meV, along with a spin-flop transition at 3.2\, T, reflect the energy scale associated with the degeneracy-lifting. A minimal model to explain these observations requires both a positive biquadratic interlayer exchange and dipolar interactions, both of which are on the order of 10$^{-4}$ meV, only a few parts per million of the dominant exchange interaction $J_1 \approx 11$ meV. These results provide direct evidence for the selection of a non-collinear magnetic structure by the combined effect of two distinct degeneracy lifting interactions.

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arXiv2022

Superconducting dome associated with the suppression and re-emergence of charge density wave states upon sulfur substitution in CuIr2Te4 chalcogenides

We report the path from the charge density wave (CDW)-bearing superconductor CuIr2Te4 to the metal insulator transition (MIT)-bearing compound CuIr2S4 by chemical alloying with the gradual substitution of S for Te. The evolution of structural and physical properties of the CuIr2Te4-xSx polycrystalline system with the doping range from 0 to 4 is systemically examined. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results imply CuIr2Te4-xSx in the range between 0 and 0.5 crystallizes in a NiAs defected trigonal structure, whereas it adapts to the cubic spinel structure in the doping range from 3.6 to 4 and it is a mixed phase in the doping range from 0.5 to 3.6. Unexpectedly, the resistivity and magnetization measurements reveal that small-concentration S substitution for Te can suppress the CDW transition, but it reappears around x = 0.2, and the CDW transition temperature enhances clearly as x augments in the range from 0.2 to 0.5. Besides, the superconducting critical temperature (Tc) first increases with S doping content and then decreases after reaching a maximum Tc = 2.82 K for CuIr2Te3.85S0.15. MIT order has been observed in the spinel region from 3.6 to 4 associated with TMI increasing with x increasing. Finally, the rich electronic phase diagram of temperature versus x for this CuIr2Te4-xSx system is assembled, where the superconducting dome is associated with the suppression and re-emergence of CDW as well as MIT states at the end upon sulfur substitution in the CuIr2Te4-xSx chalcogenides.

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