arXiv subjects

Mingxiang Pan

Publications and source records attributed to Mingxiang Pan.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Terahertz frequency upconversion by coherently driving charge dynamics in the InSb/CdTe heterostructure

We investigate terahertz (THz) harmonic generation in the InSb/CdTe heterostructure, demonstrating, for the first time, efficient in-plane magnetic field-induced second-harmonic generation (SHG). We also achieve significant third-harmonic generation (THG), rivalling Dirac materials such as graphene and Cd3As2. Our theoretical analysis identifies the primary SHG mechanism as the orbital-Zeeman correction to Drude conductivity, while the dominant THG contribution also shows Drude-like behavior. The results provide a general route to efficient THz harmonic generation in high mobility materials.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Quantum geometry induced anomalous chiral transport and hidden symmetry breaking in centrosymmetric 2M-WS2

Chirality, a widely existing material property in nature involving the breaking of the left-right symmetry, has profound influences in various fields of natural sciences. Nonlinear response, such as electronic magnetochiral anisotropy (eMChA), has been recognized as a sensitive probe for the effects of symmetry breaking and nontrivial quantum geometries in solids. So far, observations of eMChA have primarily been limited to inversion-symmetry broken materials. Here, we report a remarkable chiral transport in centrosymmetric candidate topological superconductor 2M-WS2 flakes observed via second-harmonic generation under an out-of-plane magnetic field. More importantly, the eMChA becomes significant around the crossover temperature TFL ~ 25 K from the Fermi liquid (FL) to strange metal (SM) in the normal state, which interestingly echoes with the anomalously large Nernst response at the same temperature in bulk 2M-WS2. These observations reveal a direct correspondence between the nonlinear response, Nernst response, and FL-SM transition in 2M-WS2. Theoretical analysis indicates that nontrivial quantum geometry is behind the simultaneous response of eMChA and Nernst effects in 2M-WS2 and the contribution from the orbital magnetic moment at the Fermi surface becomes significant during the FL-SM transition. Based on first-principles calculations, a thick-layer-sliding mechanism with minimal energy gain in 2M-WS2 provides one possibility for the generation of such nontrivial quantum geometry. The intertwined physics of remarkable eMChA, Nernst response, and FL-SM transition make 2M-WS2 a rare quantum platform to study the chiral transport and unexplored phenomena in strange metals, which may shed light on the trans-century, unresolved scientific issue in unconventional high-temperature superconductivity.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Orbital Altermagnetism in Two Dimensions

We introduce the concept of \emph{orbital altermagnetism}, a symmetry-protected magnetic order of pure orbital degrees of freedom. It is characterized with ordered anti-parallel orbital magnetic moments in real space but momentum-dependent orbital band splittings, analogous to spin altermagnetism. Using a minimal tight-binding model with complex hoppings in a square-kagome lattice, we show that such order inherently arises from staggered loop currents, producing a $d$-wave-like orbital-momentum locking. First-principles calculations show that orbital altermagnetism emerges independent of spin ordering in in-plane ferromagnets of CuBr$_2$ and VS$_2$, so that it can be unambiguously identified experimentally. On the other hand, it may also coexist with spin altermagnetism, such as in monolayer MoO and CrO. The orbital altermagnetism offers an alternative platform for symmetry-driven magnetotransport and orbital-based spintronics, as exemplified by large nonlinear current-induced orbital magnetization.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Unconventional Altermagnetism in Quasicrystals: A Hyperspatial Projective Construction

Altermagnetism, a novel magnetic phase characterized by symmetry-protected, momentum-dependent spin splitting and collinear compensated magnetic moments, has thus far been explored primarily in periodic crystals. In this Letter, we extend the concept of altermagnetism to quasicrystals -- aperiodic systems with long-range order and noncrystallographic rotational symmetries. Using a hyperspatial projection framework, we construct decorated Ammann-Beenker and Penrose quasicrystalline lattices with inequivalent sublattices and investigate a Hubbard model with anisotropic hopping. We demonstrate that interaction-induced N\'eel order on such lattices gives rise to alternating spin-polarized spectral functions that reflect the underlying quasicrystalline symmetry, revealing the emergence of unconventional $g$-wave (octagonal) and $h$-wave (decagonal) altermagnetism. Our symmetry analysis and low-energy effective theory further reveal unconventional altermagnetic spin splitting, which is compatible with quasicrystalline rotational symmetry. Our work shows that quasicrystals provide a fertile ground for realizing unconventional altermagnetic phases beyond crystallographic constraints, offering a platform for novel magnetisms and transport phenomena unique to quasiperiodic systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Two-Terminal Electrical Detection of the N\'eel Vector via Longitudinal Antiferromagnetic Nonreciprocal Transport

We propose a robust two-terminal electrical readout scheme for detecting the N\'eel vector orientation in antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials by leveraging longitudinal nonreciprocal transport driven by quantum metric dipoles. Unlike conventional readout mechanisms, our approach does not require spin-polarized electrodes, tunneling junctions, or multi-terminal geometries, offering a universal and scalable solution for AFM spintronics. As examples, we demonstrate pronounced second-order longitudinal nonlinear conductivity (LNC) in two-dimensional (2D) MnS and 3D CuMnAs, both of which exhibit clear sign reversal of LNC under 180$^\circ$ N\'eel vector reorientation. We show that this LNC is predominantly governed by the intrinsic, relaxation-time-independent quantum metric mechanism rather than the extrinsic nonlinear Drude effect. Our findings provide a practical and material-general pathway for electrically reading AFM memory states, with promising implications for next-generation AFM spintronic technologies.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Intrinsic Orbital Origin for the Chirality-Dependent Nonlinear Planar Hall Effect of Topological Nodal Fermions in Chiral Crystals

Topological semimetals in chiral crystals, which possess both structural handedness and band crossings (or nodes) with topological chiral charge, exhibit many exotic physical properties. Here we demonstrate that the structural and electronic chirality of these systems can endow them with another fascinating phenomenon -- the intrinsic nonlinear planar Hall effect (INPHE), which is prominent around the nodes and reverses sign upon chirality reversal in opposite enantiomers. Taking chiral tellurium as an example, we reveal an intrinsic orbital mechanism, which manifests diverging orbital magnetic moments with hedgehog-like textures around nodes and, therefore, generates a dominant contribution to the INPHE that is proportional to the topological charge. Furthermore, we show that multifold fermions in topological chiral semimetals with B20 structures (e.g., CoSi and PtAl) induce a giant INPHE conductivity reaching the order of $1\sim 10\; \mathrm{A}\cdot\mathrm{V}^{-2}\cdot\mathrm{T}^{-1}$, which is detectable in experiments. Our study not only relates nonlinear transport to band topology and enantiomer recognition but also offers a new way to explore the exotic physical properties associated with unconventional chiral fermions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Phononic Stiefel-Whitney topology with corner vibrational modes in two-dimensional Xenes and ligand-functionalized derivatives

Two-dimensional (2D) Stiefel-Whitney (SW) insulator is a fragile topological state characterized by the second SW class in the presence of space-time inversion symmetry. So far, SWIs have been proposed in several electronic materials but seldom in phononic systems. Here we recognize that a large class of 2D buckled honeycomb crystals termed Xenes and their ligand-functionalized derivatives realize the nontrivial phononic SW topology. The phononic SWIs are identified by a nonzero second SW number $w_2=1$, associated with gaped edge states and robust topological corner modes. Despite the versatility of electronic topological properties in these materials, the nontrivial phononic SW topology is mainly attributed to the double band inversion between in-plane acoustic and out-of-plane optical bands with opposite parities due to the structural buckling of the honeycomb lattice. Our findings not only reveal an overlooked phononic topological property of 2D Xene-related materials, but also afford abundant readily synthesizable material candidates with simple phononic spectra for further experimental studies of phononic SW topology physics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2021

Liganded Xene as a Prototype of Two-Dimensional Stiefel-Whitney Insulators

Two-dimensional (2D) Stiefel-Whitney insulator (SWI), which is characterized by the second Stiefel-Whitney class, is a new class of topological phases with zero Berry curvature. As a novel topological state, it has been well studied in theory but seldom realized in realistic materials. Here we propose that a large class of liganded Xenes, i.e., hydrogenated and halogenated 2D group-IV honeycomb lattices, are 2D SWIs. The nontrivial topology of liganded Xenes is identified by the bulk topological invariant and the existence of protected corner states. Moreover, the large and tunable band gap (up to 3.5 eV) of liganded Xenes will facilitate the experimental characterization of the 2D SWI phase. Our findings not only provide abundant realistic material candidates that are experimentally feasible, but also draw more fundamental research interest towards the topological physics associated with Stiefel-Whitney class in the absence of Berry curvature.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗