arXiv subjects

M. d'Astuto

Publications and source records attributed to M. d'Astuto.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Evolution of the magnetic excitations in electron-doped $\mathrm{La}_{2-x} \mathrm{Ce}_x \mathrm{CuO}_{4}$

We investigated the high energy spin excitations in electron-doped $\mathrm{La}_{2-x} \mathrm{Ce}_x \mathrm{CuO}_{4}$, a cuprate superconductor, by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) measurements. Efforts were paid to disentangle the paramagnon signal from non-spin-flip spectral weight mixing in the RIXS spectrum at $\bf{Q_{\|}}$ = $(0.6π, 0)$ and $(0.9π, 0)$ along the (1 0) direction. Our results show that, for doping level x from 0.07 to 0.185, the variation of the paramagnon excitation energy is marginal. We discuss the implication of our results in connection with the evolution of the electron correlation strength in this system.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Magnetic and structural properties of the iron silicide superconductor LaFeSiH

The magnetic and structural properties of the recently discovered pnictogen/chalcogen-free superconductor LaFeSiH ($T_c\simeq10$~K) have been investigated by $^{57}$Fe synchrotron M{ö}ssbauer source (SMS) spectroscopy, x-ray and neutron powder diffraction and $^{29}$Si nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). No sign of long range magnetic order or local moments has been detected in any of the measurements and LaFeSiH remains tetragonal down to 2 K. The activated temperature dependence of both the NMR Knight shift and the relaxation rate $1/T_1$ is analogous to that observed in strongly overdoped Fe-based superconductors. These results, together with the temperature-independent NMR linewidth, show that LaFeSiH is an homogeneous metal, far from any magnetic or nematic instability, and with similar Fermi surface properties as strongly overdoped iron pnictides. This raises the prospect of enhancing the $T_c$ of LaFeSiH by reducing its carrier concentration through appropriate chemical substitutions. Additional SMS spectroscopy measurements under hydrostatic pressure up to 18.8~GPa found no measurable hyperfine field.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Photoinduced filling of near nodal gap in Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+δ}$

We report time and angle resolved spectroscopic measurements in optimally doped Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+δ}$. The spectral function is monitored as a function of temperature, photoexcitation density and delay time from the pump pulse. According to our data, the superconducting gap becomes slightly stiffer when moving off the nodal direction. The nodal quasiparticles develop a faster dynamics when pumping the superconductor with a fluence that is large enough to induce the total collapse of the gap. We discuss the observed relaxation in terms of a dynamical reformation of Cooper pairs.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering study of spin-wave excitations in the cuprate parent compound Ca$_{2}$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$

By means of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering at the Cu L$_3$ edge, we measured the spin wave dispersion along $\langle$100$\rangle$ and $\langle$110$\rangle$ in the undoped cuprate Ca$_2$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$. The data yields a reliable estimate of the superexchange parameter $J$ = 135 $\pm$ 4 meV using a classical spin-1/2 2D Heisenberg model with nearest-neighbor interactions and including quantum fluctuations. Including further exchange interactions increases the estimate to $J$ = 141 meV. The 40 meV dispersion between the magnetic Brillouin zone boundary points (1/2,\,0) and (1/4,\,1/4) indicates that next-nearest neighbor interactions in this compound are intermediate between the values found in La$_{2}$CuO$_4$ and Sr$_2$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$. Owing to the low-$Z$ elements composing Ca$_2$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$, the present results may enable a reliable comparison with the predictions of quantum many-body calculations, which would improve our understanding of the role of magnetic excitations and of electronic correlations in cuprates.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Quasiparticles dynamics in high-temperature superconductors far from equilibrium: an indication of pairing amplitude without phase coherence

We perform time resolved photoelectron spectroscopy measurements of optimally doped $\tn{Bi}_2\tn{Sr}_2\tn{CaCu}_2\tn{O}_{8+δ}$ (Bi-2212) and $\tn{Bi}_2\tn{Sr}_{2-x}\tn{La}_{x}\tn{Cu}\tn{O}_{6+δ}$ (Bi-2201). The electrons dynamics show that inelastic scattering by nodal quasiparticles decreases when the temperature is lowered below the critical value of the superconducting phase transition. This drop of electronic dissipation is astonishingly robust and survives to photoexcitation densities much larger than the value sustained by long-range superconductivity. The unconventional behaviour of quasiparticle scattering is ascribed to superconducting correlations extending on a length scale comparable to the inelastic path. Our measurements indicate that strongly driven superconductors enter in a regime without phase coherence but finite pairing amplitude. The latter vanishes near to the critical temperature and has no evident link with the pseudogap observed by Angle Resolved Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARPES).

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2010

Multiple pre-edge structures in Cu K-edge of high Tc cuprates revealed by high resolution x-ray absorption spectroscopy

Using high resolution x-ray absorption spectroscopy and state-of-the-art electronic structure calculations we demonstrate that the pre-edge region at the Cu K-edge of high T$_c$ cuprates is composed of several excitationsinvisible in standard X-ray absorption spectra. We consider in detail the case of Ca$_{2-x}$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$ and show that the many pre-edge excitations (two for c-axis polarization, four for in-plane polarization and out-of-plane incident X-ray momentum) are dominated by off-site transitions and intersite hybridization. This demonstrates the relevance of approaches beyond the single-site model for the description of the pre-edges of correlated materials. Finally, we show the occurrence of a doubling of the main edge peak that is most visible when the polarization is along the c-axis. This doubling, that has not been seen in any previous absorption data in cuprates, is not reproduced by first principles calculations. We suggest that this peak is due to many-body charge-transfer excitations, while all the other visible far-edge structures are single particle in origin. Our work indicates that previous interpretations of the Cu K-edge X-ray absorption spectra in high T$_c$ cuprates can be profitably reconsidered.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2008

Bond stretching phonon softening and angle-resolved photoemission kinks in optimally doped Bi2Sr1.6La0.4Cu2O6 superconductors

We report the first measurement of the optical phonon dispersion in optimally doped single layer Bi2Sr1.6La0.4Cu2O6+delta using inelastic x-ray scattering. We found a strong softening of the Cu-O bond stretching phonon at about q=(0.25,0,0) from 76 to 60 meV, similar to the one reported in other cuprates. A direct comparison with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements taken on the same sample, revealed an excellent agreement in terms of energy and momentum between the ARPES nodal kink and the soft part of the bond stretching phonon. Indeed, we find that the momentum space where a 63 meV kink is observed can be connected with a vector q=(xi,0,0) with xi~0.22, which corresponds exactly to the soft part of the bond stretching phonon mode. This result supports an interpretation of the ARPES kink in terms of electron-phonon coupling.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Pressure-induced order-disorder phase transition in superconducting CaC6

By means of synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we studied the effect of high pressure, P, up to 13 GPa on the room temperature crystal structure of superconducting CaC6. In this P range, no change of the pristine space group symmetry, \textit{R\=3m}, is found. However, at 9 GPa, i.e. close to the critical value at which a large T_c reduction was reported recently, we observed a compressibility jump concomitant to a large broadening of Bragg peaks. The reversibility of both effects upon depressurization and symmetry arguments give evidence of an order-disorder phase transition of second order, presumably associated with the Ca sublattice, which provides a full account for the above Tc reduction.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2002

Electron-phonon interaction in n-doped cuprates: an Inelastic X-ray Scattering study

Inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) with very high (meV) energy resolution has become a valuable spectroscopic tool, complementing the well established coherent inelastic neutron scattering (INS) technique for phonon dispersion investigations. In the study of crystalline systems IXS is a viable alternative to INS, especially in cases where only small samples are available. Using IXS, we have measured the phonon dispersion of Nd_{1.86}Ce_{0.14}CuO_{4+δ} along the [x,0,0] and [x,x,0] in-plane directions. Compared to the undoped parent compound, the two highest longitudinal optical (LO) phonon branches are shifted to lower energies because of Coulomb-screening effects brought about by the doped charge carriers. An additional anomalous softening of the highest branch is observed around q=(0.2,0,0). This anomalous softening, akin to what has been observed in other compounds, provides evidence for a strong electron-phonon coupling in the electron-doped high-temperature superconductors.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2002

Anomalous Dispersion of Longitudinal Optical Phonons in $\mathrm{\mathbf{Nd_{1.86}Ce_{0.14}CuO_{4+\bmδ}}}$ Determined by Inelastic X-ray Scattering

The phonon dispersions of $\mathrm{Nd_{1.86}Ce_{0.14}CuO_{4+δ}}$ along the $[ξ,0,0]$ direction have been determined by inelastic x-ray scattering. Compared to the undoped parent compound, the two highest longitudinal phonon branches, associated with the Cu-O bond-stretching and out-of-plane oxygen vibration, are shifted to lower energies. Moreover, an anomalous softening of the bond-stretching band is observed around $\mathbf{q}=(0.2,0,0)$. These signatures provide evidence for strong electron-phonon coupling in this electron-doped high-temperature superconductor.

cond-mat.supr-con↗