arXiv subjects

Qingming Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Qingming Zhang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Temperature-driven sodium-ion dynamical-to-static crossover in the zig-zag ordered phase of Na$_{0.5}$CoO$_2$

We employ polarization-resolved Raman spectroscopy combined with first-principles calculations to study the sodium-ion lattice dynamics in a sodium zig-zag ordered cobaltate compound Na$_{0.5}$CoO$_2$. We detect two sodium phonon modes for the first time, and their mode frequencies are consistent with first-principles phonon calculations based on an orthorhombic unit cell. We find that they appear below around $T^*\sim300\pm50$K with large linewidth broadening, much lower than the sodium zig-zag ordering temperature $T_\text{S}\sim460$K, and then narrow at lower temperatures. We interpret the sodium-phonon anomalies occurring at $T^*$ as a dynamical-to-static crossover involving mainly the motion of sodium ions. Our results suggest that the gradual freezing of the sodium ions and the well-defined static sodium-zigzag order below $T^*$ set the stage for the emergent electronic and magnetic orders in the CoO$_2$ layer of Na$_{0.5}$CoO$_2$.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Field-induced multipolar character in the dipolar ground state of the honeycomb rare-earth chalcohalide NdOF

Field-tunable reconstruction of crystalline electric field (CEF) doublets offers a promising avenue for inducing multipolar character, while its observation in real materials has been little explored so far. Here we establish the honeycomb rare-earth chalcohalide NdOF as such a platform. Raman spectroscopy identifies four CEF excitations at 1.7, 15.6, 19.2, and 80.9~meV, and a Zeeman--CEF analysis reproduces their nonlinear field splitting into seven branches. Magnetization and susceptibility over 0.1--9~T are well described by a CEF model for the total angular momentum $J = 9/2$ manifold, confirming the robustness of the extracted CEF scheme. These results demonstrate a field-driven continuous evolution of the ground-state doublet from dipolar to dipolar-multipolar character, with pressure providing a complementary tuning knob, establishing NdOF as a model system for exploring the controlled induction of multipolar components in rare-earth magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Anomalous enhancement of magnetism by nonmagnetic doping in the honeycomb-lattice antiferromagnet ErOCl

Tuning magnetic anisotropy through chemical doping is a powerful strategy for designing functional materials with enhanced magnetic properties. Here, we report an enhanced Er^3+ magnetic moment resulting from nonmagnetic Lu^3+ substitution in the honeycomb-lattice antiferromagnet ErOCl. Unlike the Curie-Weiss type divergence typically observed in diluted magnetic systems, our findings reveal a distinct enhancement of magnetization per Er^3+ ion under high magnetic fields, suggesting an unconventional mechanism. Structural analysis reveals that Lu^3+ doping leads to a pronounced contraction of the c axis, which is attributed to chemical pressure effects, while preserving the layered SmSI-type crystal structure with space group R-3m. High-resolution Raman spectroscopy reveals a systematic blueshift of the first and seventh crystalline electric field (CEF) excitations, indicating an increase in the axial CEF parameter B_2^0. This modification enhances the magnetic anisotropy along the c axis, leading to a significant increase in magnetization at low temperatures and under high magnetic fields, contrary to conventional expectations for magnetic dilution. Our work not only clarifies the intimate connection between magnetism and CEF in rare-earth compounds, but more importantly, it reveals a physical pathway to effectively tune magnetic anisotropy via anisotropic lattice distortion induced by chemical pressure.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Dominant Kitaev interaction and field-induced quantum phase transitions in triangular-lattice KCeSe2

Realizing Kitaev interactions on triangular lattices offers a compelling platform for exploring quantum-spin-liquid physics beyond the conventional honeycomb lattice framework. Here, we investigate the triangular-lattice antiferromagnet KCeSe2, where multiple probes reveal strong magnetic anisotropy suggesting significant Kitaev physics. Through detailed and combined analysis of magnetization, neutron scattering, and thermodynamic experiments, we identify dominant ferromagnetic Kitaev ($K = -1.82$ K) and antiferromagnetic Heisenberg ($J = 1.34$ K) interactions that stabilize a stripe-$yz$ ordered ground state via an order-by-disorder mechanism. Magnetic fields applied along the Kitaev bond direction induce two phase transitions at 1.67 T and 3.8 T, consistent with density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) calculations predictions of a progression from stripe-$yz$ to stripe-canted and spin-polarized phases. Near the 1.67 T quantum critical point, enhanced quantum fluctuations suggest conditions favorable for exotic excitations. These results establish KCeSe2 as a platform for exploring Kitaev physics on triangular lattices.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Gapless spinon excitations emerging from a multipolar transverse field in the triangular-lattice Ising antiferromagnet NaTmSe2

The triangular-lattice quantum Ising antiferromagnet is a promising platform for realizing Anderson's quantum spin liquid, though finding suitable materials to realize it remains a challenge. Here, we present a comprehensive study of NaTmSe2 using magnetization, specific heat, neutron scattering, and muon spin relaxation, combined with theoretical calculations. We demonstrate that NaTmSe2 realizes the transverse field Ising model and quantitatively determine its exchange parameters. Our results reveal a multipolar spin-polarized state coexisting with a dipolar spin-disordered state. These states feature gapless spinon excitations mediated by the multipolar moments. The study shows how multiple types of magnetism can emerge in distinct magnetic channels (dipolar and multipolar) within a single magnet, advancing our understanding of spin-frustrated Ising physics and opening pathways for different quantum computing applications.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Lattice dynamics and spin-phonon coupling in the kagome spin ice HoAgGe

We employ polarization-resolved Raman spectroscopy and first-principles phonon calculations to study the lattice dynamics and spin-phonon coupling in the kagome spin ice compound HoAgGe. Upon cooling, HoAgGe shows transitions from a nonmagnetic state at 300 K to a partially magnetic-ordered phase below T2 = 11.6 K, eventually reaching a fully-magnetic ordered phase below T1 = 7 K. We detect eight of ten Raman-active phonon modes at room temperature, with frequencies consistent with first-principles phonon calculations. We find that the low-energy phonon modes harden upon cooling, soften slightly below T2, and finally harden again below T1, suggesting finite spin-phonon coupling in HoAgGe. Furthermore, one high-energy mode at 185 cm-1 with E' symmetry exhibits a Fano lineshape due to electron-phonon coupling. Our Raman results establish finite spin-phonon coupling and electron-phonon coupling in the magnetic phase of HoAgGe, providing a foundation for future studies of the novel field-induced phases at low temperatures in HoAgGe.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Enhanced Phonon-Phonon Interactions and Weakened Electron-Phonon Coupling in Charge-Density-Wave Topological Semimetal EuAl4 with a Possible Intermediate Electronic State

The origin of charge density wave (CDW) is a long-term open issue. Furthermore, the evolution of phonon-phonon interactions (PPI) across CDW transitions has rarely been investigated. Besides, whether electron-phonon coupling (EPC) would be weakened or enhanced after CDW transitions is still under debate. Additionally, CDW provides a fertile ground for uncovering intriguing intermediate electronic states. Here, we report a Raman spectroscopy study of the PPI and EPC in topological semimetal EuAl4 exhibiting a CDW phase below temperature Tc ~ 145 K. The free-charge-carrier-density (nc) and temperature dependences of the Fano asymmetric factors (1/|q|) of the two phonon modes A1g and B1g indicates that below Tc, the EPC becomes weakened probably due to the reduction of the nc. Interestingly, in the temperature range from 50 to 145 K, the steep growth of the 1/|q| leading to the significant deviation from the linear dependence on the nc, together with the shoulder-like features in the temperature evolutions of the 1/|q| and the nc around 50 K, implies the possible existence of an intermediate electronic state with the EPC distinctly larger than the CDW ground state in EuAl4. Furthermore, below Tc, the faster decrease in the full width at half maxima of the B1g phonon mode representing the collective vibrations of the CDW-modulated Al1 atoms suggests that a remarkable growth of the PPI for the B1g phonon mode after the CDW phase transition, which is in contrast to the weakening of the EPC and thus may mainly arise from the strengthening of lattice anharmonicity in EuAl4. Our results not only highlight the significance of the enhanced PPI and the weakened EPC in completely understanding the formation of the CDW phase but also initiate the exploration of novel intermediate electronic states in EuAl4.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Crystalline electric field excitations and their nonlinear splitting under magnetic fields in YbOCl

Recently reported van der Waals layered honeycomb rare-earth chalcohalides REChX (RE = rare earth, Ch = chalcogen, and X = halogen) are considered to be promising Kitaev spin liquid (KSL) candidates. The high-quality single crystals of YbOCl, a representative member of the family with an effective spin of 1/2, are available now. The crystalline electric field (CEF) excitations in a rare-earth spin system are fundamentally important for understanding both finite-temperature and ground-state magnetism, but remain unexplored in YbOCl so far. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive Raman scattering study to unambiguously identify the CEF excitations in YbOCl and determine the CEF parameters and wave functions. Our Raman experiments further reveal the anomalous nonlinear CEF splitting under magnetic fields. We have grown single crystals of YbOCl, the nonmagnetic LuOCl, and the diluted magnetic Lu_{0.86}Yb_{0.14}OCl to make a completely comparative investigation. Polarized Raman spectra on the samples at 1.8 K allow us to clearly assign all the Raman-active phonon modes and explicitly identify the CEF excitations in YbOCl. The CEF excitations are further examined using temperature-dependent Raman measurements and careful symmetry analysis based on Raman tensors related to CEF excitations. By applying the CEF Hamiltonian to the experimentally determined CEF excitations, we extract the CEF parameters and eventually determine the CEF wave functions. The study experimentally pins down the CEF excitations in the Kitaev compound YbOCl and sets a foundation for understanding its finite-temperature magnetism and exploring the possible nontrivial spin ground state.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Rare-Earth Chalcogenides: An Inspiring Playground For Exploring Frustrated Magnetism

The rare-earth chalcogenide $ARECh_{2}$ family ($A =$ alkali metal or monovalent ions, $RE =$ rare earth, $Ch =$ chalcogen) has emerged as a paradigmatic platform for studying frustrated magnetism on a triangular lattice. The family members exhibit a variety of ground states, from quantum spin liquid to exotic ordered phases, providing fascinating insight into quantum magnetism. Their simple crystal structure and chemical tunability enable systematic exploration of competing interactions in quantum magnets. Recent neutron scattering and thermodynamic studies have revealed rich phase diagrams and unusual excitations, refining theoretical models of frustrated systems. This review provides a succinct introduction to $ARECh_{2}$ research. It summarizes key findings on crystal structures, single-ion physics, magnetic Hamiltonians, ground states, and low-energy excitations. By highlighting current developments and open questions, we aim to catalyze further exploration and deeper physical understanding on this frontier of quantum magnetism.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Ground State Magnetic Structure and Magnetic Field Effects in the Layered Honeycomb Antiferromagnet YbOCl

YbOCl is a representative member of the van der Waals layered honeycomb rare-earth chalcohalide REChX (RE = rare earth, Ch = O, S, Se, and Te, and X = F, Cl, Br, and I) family reported recently. Its spin ground state remains to be explored experimentally. In this paper, we have grown high-quality single crystals of YbOCl and conducted comprehensive thermodynamic, elastic, and inelastic neutron scattering experiments down to 50 mK. The experiments reveal an antiferromagnetic phase below 1.3 K, which is identified as a spin ground state with an intralayer ferromagnetic and interlayer antiferromagnetic ordering. By applying sophisticated numerical techniques to a honeycomb (nearest-neighbor)-triangle (next-nearest-neighbor) model Hamiltonian which accurately describes the highly anisotropic spin system, we are able to well simulate the experiments and determine the diagonal and off-diagonal spin-exchange interactions. The simulations give an antiferromagnetic Kitaev term comparable to the Heisenberg one. The experiments under magnetic fields allow us to establish a magnetic field-temperature phase diagram around the spin ground state. Most interestingly, a relatively small magnetic field (~ 0.3 to 3 T) can significantly suppress the antiferromagnetic order, suggesting an intriguing interplay of the Kitaev interaction and magnetic fields in the spin system. The present study provides fundamental insights into the highly anisotropic spin systems and opens a new window to look into Kitaev spin physics in a rare-earth-based system.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Finite Temperature Magnetism in the Triangular Lattice Antiferromagnet KErTe2

After the discovery of the ARECh2 (A=alkali or monovalent ions, RE=rare-earth, Ch= chalcogen) triangular lattice quantum spin liquid (QSL) family, a series of its oxide, sulfide, and selenide counterparts has been consistently reported and extensively investigated. While KErTe2 represents the initial synthesized telluride member, preserving its triangular spin lattice, it was anticipated that the substantial tellurium ions could impart more pronounced magnetic attributes and electronic structures to this material class. This study delves into the magnetism of KErTe2 at finite temperatures through magnetization and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements. Based on the angular momentum $\hat{J}$ after spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and symmetry analysis, we obtain the magnetic effective Hamiltonian to describe the magnetism of Er3+ in R-3m space group. Applying the mean-field approximation to the Hamiltonian, we can simulate the magnetization and magnetic heat capacity of KErTe2 in paramagnetic state and determine the crystalline electric field (CEF) parameters and partial exchange interactions. The relatively narrow energy gaps between CEF ground state and excited states exert a significant influence on the magnetism. For example, small CEF excitations can result in a significant broadening of the ESR linewidth at 2 K. For the fitted exchange interactions, although the values are small, given a large angular momentum J = 15/2 after SOC, they still have a noticeable effect at finite temperatures. Notably, the heat capacity data under different magnetic fields along the c-axis direction also roughly match our calculated results, further validating the reliability of our analytical approach. These derived parameters serve as crucial tools for future investigations into the ground state magnetism of KErTe2.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Spectrum and low-temperature bulk properties of triangular quantum spin liquid candidate NaYbSe$_2$

We report neutron scattering, pressure-dependent AC calorimetry, and AC magnetic susceptibility measurements of triangular lattice NaYbSe$_2$. We observe a continuum of scattering, which is reproduced by matrix product simulations, and no phase transition is detected in any bulk measurements. Comparison to heat capacity simulations suggest the material is within the Heisenberg spin liquid phase. AC Susceptibility shows a frequency-dependent peak at 40 mK, as has been observed in several triangular magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Interlayer Fermi polarons of excited exciton states in quantizing magnetic fields

The study of exciton-polarons has offered profound insights into the many-body interactions between bosonic excitations and their immersed Fermi sea within layered heterostructures. However, little is known about the properties of exciton polarons with interlayer interactions. Here through magneto-optical reflectance contrast measurements, we experimentally investigate interlayer Fermi polarons for 2s excitons in WSe$_2$/graphene heterostructures, where the excited exciton states (2s) in the WSe$_2$ layer are dressed by free charge carriers of the adjacent graphene layer in the Landau quantization regime. First, such a system enables an optical detection of integer and fractional quantum Hall states (e.g. $ν=\pm1/3$, $\pm$2/3) of monolayer graphene. Furthermore, we observe that the 2s state evolves into two distinct branches, denoted as attractive and repulsive polarons, when graphene is doped out of the incompressible quantum Hall gaps. Our work paves the way for the understanding of the excited composite quasiparticles and Bose-Fermi mixtures.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2024

Magnetism of $\mathrm{NaYbS_2}$: From finite temperatures to ground state

Rare-earth chalcogenide compounds $\mathrm{ARECh_2}$ (A = alkali or monovalent metal, RE = rare earth, Ch = O, S, Se, Te) are a large family of quantum spin liquid (QSL) candidate materials. $\mathrm{NaYbS_2}$ is a representative member of the family. Several key issues on $\mathrm{NaYbS_2}$, particularly how to determine the highly anisotropic spin Hamiltonian and describe the magnetism at finite temperatures and the ground state, remain to be addressed. In this paper, we conducted an in-depth and comprehensive study on the magnetism of $\mathrm{NaYbS_2}$ from finite temperatures to the ground state. Firstly, we successfully detected three crystalline electric field (CEF) excitation energy levels using low-temperature Raman scattering technique. Combining them with the CEF theory and magnetization data, we worked out the CEF parameters, CEF energy levels, and CEF wavefunctions. We further determined a characteristic temperature of $\sim$40 K, above which the magnetism is dominated by CEF excitations while below which the spin-exchange interactions play a main role. The characteristic temperature has been confirmed by the temperature-dependent electron spin resonance (ESR) linewidth. Low-temperature ESR experiments on the dilute magnetic doped crystal of $\mathrm{NaYb_{0.1}Lu_{0.9}S_2}$ further helped us to determine the accurate $g$-factor. Next, we quantitatively obtained the spin-exchange interactions in the spin Hamiltonian by consistently simulating the magnetization and specific heat data. Finally, the above studies allow us to explore the ground state magnetism of $\mathrm{NaYbS_2}$ by using the density matrix renormalization group. We combined numerical calculations and experimental results to demonstrate that the ground state of $\mathrm{NaYbS_2}$ is a Dirac-like QSL.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Evidence for an Excitonic Insulator State in Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$

The excitonic insulator (EI) is an exotic ground state of narrow-gap semiconductors and semimetals arising from spontaneous condensation of electron-hole pairs bound by attractive Coulomb interaction. Despite research on EIs dating back to half a century ago, their existence in real materials remains a subject of ongoing debate. In this study, through systematic experimental and theoretical investigations, we provide evidence for the existence of an EI ground state in a van der Waals compound Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$. Density-functional-theory calculations suggest that it is a semimetal with a small band overlap, whereas various experiments exhibit an insulating ground state with a clear band gap. Upon incorporating electron-hole Coulomb interaction into our calculations, we obtain an EI phase where the electronic symmetry breaking opens a many-body gap. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements exhibit that the band gap is closed with a significant change in the dispersions as the number of thermally excited charge carriers becomes sufficiently large in both equilibrium and nonequilibrium states. Structural measurements reveal a slight breaking of crystal symmetry with exceptionally small lattice distortion in the insulating state, which cannot account for the significant gap opening. Therefore, we attribute the insulating ground state with a gap opening in Ta$_2$Pd$_3$Te$_5$ to exciton condensation, where the coupling to the symmetry-breaking electronic state induces a subtle change in the crystal structure.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

van Hove Singularity-Driven Emergence of Multiple Flat Bands in Kagome Superconductors

The newly discovered Kagome superconductors AV$_3$Sb$_5$ (A=K, Rb and Cs) continue to bring surprises in generating unusual phenomena and physical properties, including anomalous Hall effect, unconventional charge density wave, electronic nematicity and time-reversal symmetry breaking. Here we report an unexpected emergence of multiple flat bands in the AV$_3$Sb$_5$ superconductors. By performing high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) measurements, we observed four branches of flat bands that span over the entire momentum space. The appearance of the flat bands is not anticipated from the band structure calculations and cannot be accounted for by the known mechanisms of flat band generation. It is intimately related to the evolution of van Hove singularities. It is for the first time to observe such emergence of multiple flat bands in solid materials. Our findings provide new insights in revealing the underlying mechanism that governs the unusual behaviors in the Kagome superconductors. They also provide a new pathway in producing flat bands and set a platform to study the flat bands related physics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

$π$ Phase Interlayer Shift and Stacking Fault in the Kagome Superconductor CsV$_3$Sb$_5$

The stacking degree of freedom is a crucial factor in tuning material properties and has been extensively investigated in layered materials. The kagome superconductor CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ was recently discovered to exhibit a three-dimensional CDW phase below TCDW ~94 K. Despite the thorough investigation of in-plane modulation, the out-of-plane modulation has remained ambiguous. Here, our polarization- and temperature-dependent Raman measurements reveal the breaking of C$_6$ rotational symmetry and the presence of three distinct domains oriented at approximately 120°to each other. The observations demonstrate that the CDW phase can be naturally explained as a 2c staggered order phase with adjacent layers exhibiting a relative $π$ phase shift. Further, we discover a first-order structural phase transition at approximately 65 K and suggest that it is a stacking order-disorder phase transition due to stacking fault, supported by the thermal hysteresis behavior of a Cs-related phonon mode. Our findings highlight the significance of the stacking degree of freedom in CsV$_3$Sb$_5$ and offer structural insights to comprehend the entanglement between superconductivity and CDW.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Observation of Rydberg moiré excitons

Rydberg excitons, the solid-state counterparts of Rydberg atoms, have sparked considerable interest in harnessing their quantum application potentials, whereas a major challenge is realizing their spatial confinement and manipulation. Lately, the rise of two-dimensional moiré superlattices with highly tunable periodic potentials provides a possible pathway. Here, we experimentally demonstrate this capability through the observation of Rydberg moiré excitons (XRM), which are moiré trapped Rydberg excitons in monolayer semiconductor WSe2 adjacent to twisted bilayer graphene. In the strong coupling regime, the XRM manifest as multiple energy splittings, pronounced redshift, and narrowed linewidth in the reflectance spectra, highlighting their charge-transfer character where electron-hole separation is enforced by the strongly asymmetric interlayer Coulomb interactions. Our findings pave the way for pursuing novel physics and quantum technology exploitation based on the excitonic Rydberg states.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗