arXiv subjects

Michael Smidman

Publications and source records attributed to Michael Smidman.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Emergent ferromagnetic ladder excitations in heavy fermion superconductor CeSb$_{2}$

Low-dimensional spin fluctuations play a crucial role in unconventional superconductors, with quasi-one-dimensional spin excitations potentially linked with spin-triplet superconductivity. The heavy fermion superconductor CeSb$_2$ exhibits an unusual large inverted S-shaped upper critical field that suggests a possible triplet pairing state within its pressure-induced superconducting dome. Using inelastic neutron scattering, we discover quasi-one-dimensional magnetic excitations in CeSb$_2$ emerging from nearly square Ce layers with minor orthorhombic deformation. We show that the data are well described by a ferromagnetic spin ladder model, where the "rungs" of the ladder straddle Ce bilayers. Moreover, we find that diffuse excitations akin to those in the ordered phase persist well above $T_{\rm N}$, suggesting that quasi-one-dimensional ferromagnetic paramagnons may significantly contribute to the unusual superconductivity that appears under pressure once magnetic order is suppressed.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Structural and Physical Properties of the Heavy Fermion Metal Ce$_2$NiAl$_6$Si$_5$

Strongly correlated electrons at the verge of quantum criticality give rise to unconventional phases of matter and behaviors, with the discovery of new quantum critical materials driving synergistic advances in both experiments and theory. In this work, we report the structural and physical properties of a new quaternary Ce-based heavy fermion compound, Ce$_2$NiAl$_6$Si$_5$, synthesized using the self-flux method. This compound forms a layered tetragonal structure (space group $P4/nmm$), with square nets of Ce atoms separated by Si-Al or Ni-Si-Ge layers. Specific heat measurements show a low temperature Sommerfeld coefficient of 1.4 J/mol-Ce K$^{2}$, with a reduced entropy indicative of significant Kondo interactions. Below 0.6 K, an upturn in resistivity and a deviation in magnetic susceptibility suggest the appearance of magnetic ordering or the development of dynamic magnetic correlations, which is further supported by a bulge in specific heat around 0.4 K. These results suggest that Ce$_2$NiAl$_6$Si$_5$ is a layered heavy fermion metal, naturally located in proximity to a spin-density-wave quantum critical point.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Pressure induced superconducting dome in LaNiGa2

LaNiGa2 is a time-reversal symmetry breaking superconductor with symmetry protected band crossings, making it an ideal platform for investigating the interplay between unconventional superconductivity and electronic structure topology. Here we present a transport study of LaNiGa2 under pressure. The application of pressure to LaNiGa2 induces a significant enhancement of the superconducting transition temperature Tc at a pressure of 7 GPa. In contrast, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show no evidence of structural phase transitions up to 26.3 GPa. Moreover, the ratio of band diffusivity shows a sudden increase at around 7 GPa, suggesting possible pressure-induced changes in the electronic structure that are closely linked to the evolution of superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Nodeless multigap superconductivity in organic-ion-intercalated (tetrabutyl~ammonium)$_{0.3}$FeSe

We probe the superconducting order parameter of the organic-ion-intercalated FeSe-based superconductor (tetrabutyl ammonium)$_{0.3}$FeSe [(TBA)$_{0.3}$FeSe] using muon-spin relaxation/rotation ($μ$SR). Zero-field $μ$SR measurements show only a weak temperature dependence with no evidence for magnetic ordering or broken time-reversal symmetry in the superconducting state. The temperature dependence of the superfluid density is deduced from transverse-field $μ$SR measurements with fields applied both parallel and perpendicular to the $c$~axis axis, and can be well described by a nodeless two-gap $s+s$ wave model. These properties are reminiscent of those of (Li$_{1-x}$Fe$_x$)OHFe$_{1-y}$Se, which also has a comparably enhanced $T_c$, suggesting that such a gap structure is a common feature of quasi-two-dimensional intercalated FeSe-based superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

High-temperature superconductivity with zero-resistance and strange metal behavior in La$_{3}$Ni$_{2}$O$_{7-δ}$

Recently signatures of superconductivity were observed close to 80 K in \LN\ under pressure. This discovery positions \LN\ as the first bulk nickelate with high-temperature superconductivity, but the lack of zero resistance presents a significant drawback for validating the findings. Here we report pressure measurements up to over 30 GPa using a liquid pressure medium and show that single crystals of \LNO\ do exhibit zero resistance. We find that \LNO\ remains metallic under applied pressures, suggesting the absence of a metal-insulator transition proximate to the superconductivity. Analysis of the normal state $T$-linear resistance suggests an intricate link between this strange metal behaviour and superconductivity, whereby at high pressures both the linear resistance coefficient and superconducting transition are slowly suppressed by pressure, while at intermediate pressures both the superconductivity and strange metal behaviour appear disrupted, possibly due to a nearby structural instability. The association between strange metal behaviour and high-temperature superconductivity is very much in line with diverse classes of unconventional superconductors, including the cuprates and Fe-based superconductors. Understanding the superconductivity of \LNO\ evidently requires further revealing the interplay of strange metal behaviour, superconductivity, as well as possible competing electronic or structural phases.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2024

Direction dependent switching of carrier-type enabled by Fermi surface geometry

While charge carriers can typically be designated as either electron- or hole- type, depending on the sign of the Hall coefficient, some materials defy this straightforward classification. Here we find that LaRh$_6$Ge$_4$ goes beyond this dichotomy, where the Hall resistivity is electron-like for magnetic fields along the $c$-axis but hole-like in the basal plane. Together with first-principles calculations, we show that this direction-dependent switching of the carrier type arises within a single band, where the special geometry leads to charge carriers on the same Fermi surface orbiting as electrons along some directions, but holes along others. The relationship between the Fermi surface geometry and occurrence of a Hall sign reversal is further generalized by considering tight-binding model calculations, which show that this type of Fermi surface corresponds to a more robust means of realizing this phenomenon, suggesting an important route for tailoring direction dependent properties for advanced electronic device applications.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Unconventional fully-gapped superconductivity in the heavy-fermion metal CeCu$_2$Si$_2$

The heavy-fermion metal CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ was the first discovered unconventional, non-phonon-mediated superconductor, and for a long time was believed to exhibit single-band $d$-wave superconductivity, as inferred from various measurements hinting at a nodal gap structure. More recently however, measurements using a range of techniques at very low temperatures ($T \lessapprox 0.1$ K) provided evidence for a fully-gapped superconducting order parameter. In this Colloquium, after a brief historical overview we survey the apparently conflicting results of numerous experimental studies on this compound. We then address the different theoretical scenarios which have been applied to understand the particular gap structure, including both isotropic (sign-preserving) and anisotropic two-band $s$-wave superconductivity, as well as an effective two-band $d$-wave model, where the latter can explain the currently available experimental data on CeCu$_2$Si$_2$. The lessons from CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ are expected to help uncover the Cooper-pair states in other unconventional, fully-gapped superconductors with strongly correlated carriers, and in particular highlight the rich variety of such states enabled by orbital degrees of freedom.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Electronic band reconstruction across the insulator-metal transition in colossal magnetoresistive EuCd2P2

While colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) in Eu-based compounds is often associated with strong spin-carrier interactions, the underlying reconstruction of the electronic bands is much less understood from spectroscopic experiments. Here using angle-resolved photoemission, we directly observe an electronic band reconstruction across the insulator-metal (and magnetic) transition in the recently discovered CMR compound EuCd2P2. This transition is manifested by a large magnetic band splitting associated with the magnetic order, as well as unusual energy shifts of the valence bands: both the large ordered moment of Eu and carrier localization in the paramagnetic phase are crucial. Our results provide spectroscopic evidence for an electronic structure reconstruction underlying the enormous CMR observed in EuCd2P2, which could be important for understanding Eu-based CMR materials, as well as designing CMR materials based on large-moment rare-earth magnets.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Superconductivity of cerium under pressures up to 54GPa

Cerium is a fascinating element due to its diverse physical properties, which include forming various crystal structures ($γ$, $α$, $α^{'}$, $α^{''}$ and $ε$), mixed valence behavior and superconductivity, making it an ideal platform for investigating the interplay between different electronic states. Here, we present a comprehensive transport study of cerium under hydrostatic pressures up to 54 GPa. Upon applying pressure, cerium undergoes the $α$ $\rightarrow$ $α^{''}$ transition at around 4.9 GPa, which is accompanied by the appearance of superconductivity with $T_{\rm c}$ of 0.4 K, and $T_{\rm c}$ slightly increases to 0.5 K at 11.4 GPa. At 14.3 GPa, $T_{\rm c}$ suddenly increases when the $α^{''}$ phase transforms into the $ε$ phase, reaching a maximum value of 1.25 K at around 17.2 GPa. Upon further increasing the pressure, $T_{\rm c}$ monotonically decreases. Together with the results of previous studies, our findings suggest that the evolution of superconductivity in cerium is closely correlated with the multiple pressure-induced structural transitions and corresponding unusual electronic structures.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Structural phase transitions and superconductivity in the Heusler intermetallics $X$Pd$_2$Sn ($X$ = Ti, Zr, Hf)

We report the discovery of structural phase transitions and superconductivity in the full Heusler compounds $X$Pd$_2$Sn ($X$ = Ti, Zr, Hf), by means of electrical transport, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and x-ray diffraction measurements. TiPd$_2$Sn, ZrPd$_2$Sn and HfPd$_2$Sn undergo structural phase transitions from the room-temperature cubic MnCu$_2$Al-type structure (space group $Fm\bar{3}m$) to a low-temperature tetragonal structure at around 160 K, 110 K and 90 K, respectively, which are likely related charge density wave (CDW) instabilities. Low temperature single crystal x-ray diffraction measurements of ZrPd$_2$Sn demonstrate the emergence of a superstructure with multiple commensurate modulations below $T_s$. ZrPd$_2$Sn and HfPd$_2$Sn have bulk superconductivity (SC) with transition temperatures $T_c$ $\sim$ 1.2 K and 1.3 K, respectively. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal evidence for structural and electronic instabilities which can give rise to CDW formation, suggesting that these $X$Pd$_2$Sn systems are good candidates for examining the interplay between CDW and SC.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

ARPES signature of the competition between magnetic order and Kondo effect in CeCoGe3

The competition between magnetic order and Kondo effect is essential for the rich physics of heavy fermion systems. Nevertheless, how such competition is manifested in the quasiparticle bands in a real periodic lattice remains elusive in spectroscopic experiments. Here we report a high-resolution photoemission study of the antiferromagnetic Kondo lattice system CeCoGe3 with a high TN1 of 21K. Our measurements reveal a weakly dispersive 4f band at the Fermi level near the Z point, arisingfrom moderate Kondo effect. The intensity of this heavy 4f band exhibits a logarithmic increase with lowering temperature and begins to deviate from this Kondo-like behavior below 25 K, just above TN1, and eventually ceases to grow below 12 K. Our work provides direct spectroscopic evidence for the competition between magnetic order and the Kondo effect in a Kondo lattice system with local-moment antiferromagnetism, indicating a distinct scenario for the microscopic coexistence and competition of these phenomena, which might be related to the real-space modulation.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

A Family of Lanthanide Noncentrosymmetric Superconductors La$_4$$TX$ ($T$ = Ru, Rh, Ir; $X$ = Al, In)

We report the discovery of superconductivity in a series of noncentrosymmetric compounds La$_4$$TX$ ($T$ = Ru, Rh, Ir; $X$ = Al, In), which have a cubic crystal structure with space group $F\bar{4}3m$. La$_4$RuAl, La$_4$RhAl, La$_4$IrAl, La$_4$RuIn and La$_4$IrIn exhibit bulk superconducting transitions with critical temperatures $T_c$ of 1.77 K, 3.05 K, 1.54 K, 0.58 K and 0.93 K, respectively. The specific heat of the La$_4$$T$Al compounds are consistent with an $s$-wave model with a fully open superconducting gap. In all cases, the upper critical fields are well described by the Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg model, and the values are well below the Pauli limit, indicating that orbital limiting is the dominant pair-breaking mechanism. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the degree of band splitting by the antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling (ASOC) shows considerable variation between the different compounds. This indicates that the strength of the ASOC is highly tunable across this series of superconductors, suggesting that these are good candidates for examining the relationship between the ASOC and superconducting properties in noncentrosymmetric superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Muon-spin relaxation study of the layered kagome superconductor CsV$_3$Sb$_5$

The ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ topological metals $R$V$_3$Sb$_5$ ($R$ = K, Rb, Cs) with a layered kagome structure provide a unique opportunity to investigate the interplay between charge order, superconductivity and topology. Here, we report muon-spin relaxation/rotation ($μ$SR) measurements performed on CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ across a broad temperature range, in order to uncover the nature of the charge-density wave order and superconductivity in this material. From zero-field $μ$SR, we find that spontaneous magnetic fields appear below 50 K which is well below the charge-density wave transition ($T^* \sim 93$ K). We show that these spontaneous fields are dynamic in nature making it difficult to associate them with a hidden static order. The superconducting state of CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ is found to preserve time-reversal symmetry and the transverse-field $μ$SR results are consistent with a superconducting state that has two fully open gaps.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Consecutive topological phase transitions and colossal magnetoresistance in a magnetic topological semimetal

The combination of magnetic symmetries and electronic band topology provides a promising route for realizing topologically nontrivial quasiparticles, and the manipulation of magnetic structures may enable the switching between topological phases, with the potential for achieving functional physical properties. Here, we report measurements of the electrical resistivity of EuCd$_2$As$_2$ under pressure, which show an intriguing insulating dome at pressures between $p_{\rm c1}\sim1.0$~GPa and $p_{\rm c2}\sim2.0$~GPa, situated between two regimes with metallic transport. The insulating state can be fully suppressed by a small magnetic field, leading to a colossal negative magnetoresistance on the order of $10^5$\%, accessible via a modest field of $\sim0.2$~T. First-principles calculations reveal that the dramatic evolution of the resistivity under pressure is due to consecutive transitions of EuCd$_2$As$_2$ from a magnetic topological insulator to a trivial insulator, and then to a Weyl semimetal, with the latter resulting from a pressure-induced change in the magnetic ground state. Similarly, the colossal magnetoresistance results from a field-induced polarization of the magnetic moments, transforming EuCd$_2$As$_2$ from a trivial insulator to a Weyl semimetal. These findings underscore weak magnetic exchange couplings and spin anisotropy as ingredients for discovering tunable magnetic topological materials with desirable functionalities.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Spin-triplet superconductivity in Weyl nodal-line semimetals

Topological semimetals are three dimensional materials with symmetry-protected massless bulk excitations. As a special case, Weyl nodal-line semimetals are realized in materials either having no inversion or broken time-reversal symmetry and feature bulk nodal lines. The 111-family of materials, LaNiSi, LaPtSi and LaPtGe (all lacking inversion symmetry), belong to this class. Here, by combining muon-spin rotation and relaxation with thermodynamic measurements, we find that these materials exhibit a fully-gapped superconducting ground state, while spontaneously breaking time-reversal symmetry at the superconducting transition. Since time-reversal symmetry is essential for protecting the normal-state topology, its breaking upon entering the superconducting state should remarkably result in a topological phase transition. By developing a minimal model for the normal-state band structure and assuming a purely spin-triplet pairing, we show that the superconducting properties across the family can be described accurately. Our results demonstrate that the 111-family reported here provides an ideal test-bed for investigating the rich interplay between the exotic properties of Weyl nodal-line fermions and unconventional superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Ce-site dilution in the ferromagnetic Kondo lattice CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$

The heavy fermion ferromagnet CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$ is the first example of a clean stoichiometric system where the ferromagnetic transition can be continuously suppressed by hydrostatic pressure to a quantum critical point. In order to reveal the outcome when the magnetic lattice of CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$ is diluted with non-magnetic atoms, this study reports comprehensive measurements of the physical properties of both single crystal and polycrystalline samples of La$_x$Ce$_{1-x}$Rh$_6$Ge$_4$. With increasing $x$, the Curie temperature decreases, and no transition is observed for $x$ $>$ 0.25, while the system evolves from exhibiting coherent Kondo lattice behaviors at low $x$, to the Kondo impurity scenario at large $x$. Moreover, non-Fermi liquid behavior (NFL) is observed over a wide doping range, which agrees well with the disordered Kondo model for 0.52 $\leq$ $x$ $\leq$ 0.66, while strange metal behavior is revealed in the vicinity of $x_c$ = 0.26.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Anisotropic c-f hybridization in the ferromagnetic quantum critical metal CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$

Heavy fermion compounds exhibiting a ferromagnetic quantum critical point have attracted considerable interest. Common to two known cases, i.e., CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$ and YbNi$_4$P$_2$, is that the 4f moments reside along chains with a large inter-chain distance, exhibiting strong magnetic anisotropy that was proposed to be vital for the ferromagnetic quantum criticality. Here we report an angle-resolved photoemission study on CeRh6Ge4, where we observe sharp momentum-dependent 4f bands and clear bending of the conduction bands near the Fermi level, indicating considerable hybridization between conduction and 4f electrons. The extracted hybridization strength is anisotropic in momentum space and is obviously stronger along the Ce chain direction. The hybridized 4f bands persist up to high temperatures, and the evolution of their intensity shows clear band dependence. Our results provide spectroscopic evidence for anisotropic hybridization between conduction and 4f electrons in CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$, which could be important for understanding the electronic origin of the ferromagnetic quantum criticality.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Localized 4f-electrons in the quantum critical heavy fermion ferromagnet CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$

Ferromagnetic quantum critical points were predicted to be prohibited in clean itinerant ferromagnetic systems, yet such a phenomenon was recently revealed in CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$, where the Curie temperature can be continuously suppressed to zero under a moderate hydrostatic pressure. Here we report the observation of quantum oscillations in CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$ from measurements using the cantilever and tunnel-diode oscillator methods in fields up to 45 T, clearly demonstrating that the ferromagnetic quantum criticality occurs in a clean system. In order to map the Fermi surface of CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$, we performed angle-dependent measurements of quantum oscillations at ambient pressure, and compared the results to density functional theory calculations. The results are consistent with the Ce 4f electrons remaining localized, and not contributing to the Fermi surface, suggesting that localized ferromagnetism is a key factor for the occurrence of a ferromagnetic quantum critical point in CeRh$_6$Ge$_4$.

cond-mat.str-el↗