arXiv subjects

Masaki Gen

Publications and source records attributed to Masaki Gen.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

Real-Space Observation of Ligand Hole State in Cubic Perovskite SrFeO$_3$

An anomalously high valence state sometimes shows up in transition-metal oxide compounds. In such systems, holes tend to occupy mainly the ligand $p$ orbitals, giving rise to interesting physical properties such as superconductivity in cuprates and rich magnetic phases in ferrates. However, no one has ever observed the distribution of ligand holes in real space. Here, we report a successful observation of the spatial distribution of valence electrons in cubic perovskite SrFeO$_3$ by high-energy X-ray diffraction experiments and precise electron density analysis using a core differential Fourier synthesis method. A real-space picture of ligand holes formed by the orbital hybridization of Fe 3$d$ and O 2$p$ is revealed. The anomalous valence state in Fe is attributed to the considerable contribution of the ligand hole, which is related to the metallic nature and the absence of Jahn-Teller distortions in this system.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Rhombic skyrmion lattice coupled with orthorhombic structural distortion in EuAl$_{4}$

The centrosymmetric tetragonal itinerant magnet EuAl$_{4}$ exhibits an intricate magnetic phase diagram including rhombic and square skyrmion-lattice (SkL) phases in the external magnetic field. Here, we report a multi-axis dilatometric investigation of EuAl$_{4}$ by means of a newly designed fiber-Bragg-grating technique complemented by a resonant x-ray scattering experiment, revealing anisotropic magnetostriction and magnetovolume effect associated with successive phase transitions. The rhombic and square SkL phases are found to possess $\sim$0.10% and $\sim$0.03% orthorhombic structural distortion within the $ab$ plane, respectively. We propose that the coupling between the spin system and the lattice deformation should be essential for the structural instability in EuAl$_{4}$, yielding a rich variety of topological spin textures with spontaneous rotational-symmetry breaking as well as a potential controllability of the SkL phases by uniaxial stress or pressure.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Single crystal growths and magnetic properties of hexagonal polar semimetals RAuGe (R = Y, Gd-Tm, and Lu)

We study structural and magnetic properties of rare-earth based semimetals RAuGe (R = Y, Gd-Tm, and Lu) using flux-grown single crystals. These compounds belong to the noncentrosymmetric polar space group P63mc. We confirm the systematic structural evolution at room temperature as a function of ionic radius of rare earths to clarify the isopointal crossover between two polar structures: three-dimensional LiGaGe-type and quasi-two-dimensional NdPtSb-type. Magnetism shows a characteristic anisotropy in reasonable agreement with the crystal electric field (CEF) theory; the easy-plane-type anisotropy for R = Tb and Dy turns into the Ising-type anisotropy for R = Er and Tm. We evaluate the CEF parameters based on the Stevens operators to reasonably reproduce the temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibilities and specific heat for RAuGe (R = Tb-Tm). The estimated energy scale of the Ising gap (~ 11 meV) in TmAuGe is consistent with an excitation observed in an inelastic neutron scattering experiment. These findings suggest an opportunity for interplay between conduction electrons and nontrivial spin structures in the family of magnetic polar semimetals RAuGe.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Anisotropic magnetotransport properties coupled with spiral spin modulation in a triangular-lattice magnet EuZnGe

We investigate the thermodynamic, magnetic, and electrical transport properties of a triangular-lattice antiferromagnet EuZnGe using single crystals grown from Eu-Zn flux in sealed tantalum tubes. Magnetic properties are found to be isotropic in the paramagnetic state while we observe an enhancement of in-plane magnetic susceptibility at the temperature near T* =11.3 K, suggesting an easy-plane anisotropy at low temperatures. Magnetic transition temperature is lower than T* as specific heat shows a peak at TN =7.6 K. We reveal the magnetic modulation along the c axis by resonant x-ray scattering at Eu L2 edge, which suggests competing magnetic interaction among Eu triangular-lattice layers. We observe a double-peak structure in the intensity profile along (0, 0, L) below TN, which is mainly composed of a dominant helical modulation with q ~ (0, 0, 0.4) coexisting with a secondary contribution from q ~ (0, 0, 0.5). We reproduce the intensity profile with a random mixture of five- and four-sublattice helices with spin rotation skipping due to hexagonal in-plane anisotropy. The metallic conductivity is highly anisotropic with the ratio rho_zz/rho_xx exceeding 10 over the entire temperature range and additionally exhibits a sharp enhancement of rho_zz at TN giving rise to rho_zz/rho_xx ~ 50, suggesting a coupling between out-of-plane electron conduction and the spiral magnetic modulations. In-plane magnetic field induces a spin-flop like transition, where the q = 0.4 peak disappears and an incommensurate peak of approximately qICM ~ 0.47 emerges, while the q = 0.5 modulation retains a finite intensity. This transition correlates with non-monotonic magnetoresistance and Hall resistivity, suggesting a significant interplay between electrons and spin structures through Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Nematicity and fractional magnetization plateaus induced by spin-lattice coupling in the classical kagome-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet

We investigate the effect of spin-lattice coupling (SLC) on the magnetic properties of the classical kagome-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet (KHAF) using improved Monte Carlo updates. The lattice modes are represented by Einstein site phonons, which introduce effective further-neighbor spin interactions in addition to the nearest-neighbor biquadratic interactions. In the weak SLC, the macroscopically degenerate coplanar ground state remains at zero field, while a $\sqrt{3} \times \sqrt{3}$ ordered phase accompanied by a 1/3-magnetization plateau appears in external magnetic fields. In the strong SLC, we find a nematic order at zero field and a 1/9-magnetization plateau associated with a $3 \times 3$ collinear order. Near the phase transition between the 1/9- and 1/3-plateau states, the ergodicity in the single spin flip is practically broken, and slow dynamics appear. We propose that relevant KHAFs with strong SLC would be realized in spinel-based materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Novel quantum phase of the chromium spinel oxide HgCr$_{\rm 2}$O$_{\rm 4}$ in high magnetic fields

In this study, we have performed the magnetocaloric effect and the specific heat measurements of chromium spinel oxide HgCr$_2$O$_4$, wherein the magnetic Cr$^{3+}$ ions form a highly frustrated pyrochlore lattice with significant spin-lattice coupling. In addition to the known magnetic-field-induced phases, our thermodynamic measurements detect a novel quantum phase just before the saturation of the magnetization, which has not been expected from the classical theories of the pyrochlore lattice antiferromagnet with spin-lattice coupling. Based on recent theoretical model calculation, we discuss the possibility of a spin nematic state appearing for this quantum phase.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Magnetovolume Effect on the First-Order Metamagnetic Transition in UTe$_2$

The link between the metamagnetic transition and novel spin-triplet superconductivity of UTe$_2$ was discussed thermodynamically through magnetostriction measurements in a pulsed-magnetic field. We revealed a discontinuous magnetostriction across the metamagnetic transition at $μ_0H_{\rm m}\approx 35$~T for the applied magnetic fields along the crystallographic $b$ axis in the orthorhombic structure. The resultanting volume magnetostriction of $ΔV/V \approx-5.9\times 10^{-4}$ gives the initial pressure dependence of $H_{\rm m}$ by employing the Clausius-Clapeyron's equation, which agrees with previous pressure experiments. Further, significant anisotropic magnetostriction (AMS), derived by subtracting the averaged linear magnetostriction, was revealed. Contrary to the weakly field-dependent AMS along the $a$ axis, those along the $b$ and $c$ axes show strong field dependences with a similar magnitude but with opposite signs, indicating its lattice instability. The relationship between characteristic energy scales of magnetic fields and temperatures was discussed in terms of the Grüneisen parameters compared to the other $f$-electron systems. The volume shrinkage in UTe$_2$ at $H_{\rm m}$, contrary to the volume expansion in typical heavy fermion metamagnets, pushes to invoke the link with the valence instability related to the itinerant-localized dual nature of the U magnetism.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Effects of spin-lattice coupling and a magnetic field in classical Heisenberg antiferromagnets on the breathing pyrochlore lattice

We theoretically investigate spin-lattice coupling (SLC) effects on the in-field ordering properties of classical Heisenberg antiferromagnets on the breathing pyrochlore lattice. Here, we use the two possible simplified models describing the effect of local lattice distortions on the spin ordering via the SLC, the bond-phonon and site-phonon models. It is found by means of Monte Carlo simulations that in both models, the $\frac{1}{2}$ plateau shows up in the magnetization curve being relatively robust against the breathing bond-alternation, although magnetic long-range orders (LRO's) are realized only in the site-phonon model. In the bond-phonon model, additional further neighbor interactions are necessary to induce a magnetic LRO. In the site-phonon model, it is also found that in addition to the low-field, middle-field 1/2-plateau, and high-field phases appearing on both the uniform and breathing pyrochlore lattices, various types of unconventional phases which can be viewed as LRO's in units of tetrahedron are induced by the breathing bond-alternation just below the 1/2 plateau and the saturation field. The occurrence of these tetrahedron-based orders could be attributed to the nature characteristic of the breathing pyrochlore lattice, i.e., the existence of the nonequivalent small and large tetrahedra. Experimental implications of our result are also discussed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Phase transition in the 5d1 double perovskite Ba2CaReO6 induced by high magnetic field

Magnetic properties of an antiferromagnetic double perovskite oxide Ba2CaReO6, where Re6+ (5d1) ions with large spin-orbit coupling are arranged on the face-centered-cubic lattice, are investigated using pulsed high magnetic field up to 66 T. Magnetization and magnetostriction measurements have revealed a magnetic field induced phase transition at around 50 T. The phase transition accompanies a jump of magnetization and longitudinal magnetostriction of approximately 2 10^(-4) with the change of power law behavior, indicating sizable coupling between the electronic degrees of freedom and the lattice. The high field phase exhibits a magnetic moment approximately 0.2 μB, which is close to the values observed in 5d1 double perovskite oxides with non-collinear magnetic structure. We argue that Ba2CaReO6 is an antiferromagnet that sits close to the phase boundary between the collinear and non-collinear phases, providing the target material for investigating the interplay between spin-orbital entangled electrons and magnetic field.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Crystal-Field Paschen-Back Effect on Ruby in Ultrahigh Magnetic Fields

Zeeman spectra of the R lines of ruby (Cr$^{3+}$: $α$-Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$) were studied in ultrahigh magnetic fields up to 230 T by magneto-photoluminescence measurements. The observed Zeeman patterns exhibit nonlinear behaviors above 100 T, evidencing the breakdown of the previously reported Paschen-Back effect for ${\bf B} \perp c$ geometry. We adopted the crystal-field multiplet theory including the cubic crystal field (${\mathcal H}_{\rm cubic}$), the trigonal crystal field (${\mathcal H}_{\rm trig}$), the spin-orbit interaction (${\mathcal H}_{\rm SO}$), and the Zeeman interaction (${\mathcal H}_{\rm Z}$). It is found that the nonlinear splitting of the R lines is owing to the hybridization between the $^{2}E$ and $^{2}T_{1}$ states, which leads to the quantization of these Zeeman levels with the orbital angular momentum. Our results suggest that the exquisite energy balance among ${\mathcal H}_{\rm cubic}$, ${\mathcal H}_{\rm trig}$, ${\mathcal H}_{\rm SO}$, and ${\mathcal H}_{\rm Z}$ realized in ruby offers a unique opportunity to observe the onset of the $crystal-field$ Paschen-Back effect toward the high-field extreme.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Magnetization process of the breathing pyrochlore magnet CuInCr$_4$S$_8$ in ultra-high magnetic fields up to 150 T

The magnetization process of the breathing pyrochlore magnet CuInCr4S8 has been investigated in ultra-high magnetic fields up to 150 T. Successive phase transitions characterized with a substantially wide 1/2-plateau from 55 T to 110 T are observed in this system, resembling those reported in chromium spinel oxides. In addition to the 1/2-plateau phase, the magnetization is found to exhibit two inherent behaviors: a slight change in the slope of the M-H curve at ~ 85 T and a shoulder-like shape at ~ 130 T prior to the saturation. Both of them are accompanied by a hysteresis, suggesting first-order transitions. The theoretical calculation applicable to CuInCr4S8 is also shown, based on the microscopic model with the spin-lattice coupling. The calculation fairly well reproduces the main features of the experimentally observed magnetization process, including a relatively wide cant 2:1:1 phase clearly observed in the previous work [Y. Okamoto et al., J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 87, 034709 (2018)]. The robust 1/2-plateau on CuInCr4S8 seems to be originated from the dominant antiferromagnetic interactions and the strong spin-lattice coupling.

cond-mat.str-el↗