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Rana Saha

Publications and source records attributed to Rana Saha.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2025

High temperature Neel skyrmions in simple ferromagnets

A wide variety of chiral non-collinear spin textures have been discovered and have unique properties that make them highly interesting for technological applications. However, many of these are found in complex materials and only in a narrow window of temperature. Here, we show the formation of Neel-type skyrmions in thin layers of simple ferromagnetic alloys, namely Co-Al and Co-Ni-Al, over a wide range of temperature up to 770 K, by imposing a vertical strain gradient via epitaxy with an Ir-Al underlayer. The Neel skyrmions are directly observed using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy in freestanding membranes at high temperatures and the strain gradient is directly measured from x-ray diffraction anomalous peak profiles. Our concept allows simple centrosymmetric ferromagnets with high magnetic ordering temperatures to exhibit hot skyrmions, thereby, bringing closer skyrmionic electronics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2025

Interfacial Control of both Magnetism and Polarization in a van der Waals Ferromagnet/Ferroelectric Heterostructure

Two-dimensional multiferroic van der Waals heterostructures provide a promising platform for the simultaneous control of distinct ferroic orders, with potential applications in magnetoelectric devices and spintronics. The practical implementation of such technologies requires 2D magnets with high Curie temperatures and strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). Here, based on first-principles calculations, we propose a multiferroic heterostructure composed of the room-temperature ferromagnet $\text{Fe}_3\text{Ga}\text{Te}_2$ and the ferroelectric $\text{In}_2\text{Se}_3$. We show that intercalation of Fe atoms into the van der Waals gap of the $\text{Fe}_3\text{Ga}\text{Te}_2$/$\text{In}_2\text{Se}_3$ heterostructure enhances PMA by nearly an order of magnitude relative to the pristine $\text{Fe}_3\text{Ga}\text{Te}_2$ monolayer, while simultaneously allowing electric polarization to be modulated through interfacial charge redistribution. The enhancement of PMA arises from interfacial hybridization that modifies the spin-orbit coupling of Fe $d$-orbitals. Our results demonstrate an effective pathway to engineer magnetoelectric coupling in two-dimensional multiferroic heterostructures and pave the way toward energy-efficient spintronic devices.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2025

Peculiar magnetic and magneto-transport properties in a non-centrosymmetric self-intercalated van der Waals ferromagnet Cr5Te8

Trigonal Cr$_5$Te$_8$, a self-intercalated van der Waals ferromagnet with an out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy, has long been known to crystallize in a centrosymmetric structure. However, optical second harmonic generation experiments, together with comprehensive structural analysis, indicate that this compound rather adopts a non-centrosymmetric structure. Lorentz transmission electron microscopy reveals the presence of Néel-type skyrmions, consistent with its non-centrosymmetric structure. A large anomalous Hall conductivity of 102 ohm$^{-1}$cm$^{-1}$ at low temperature stems from intrinsic origin, which is larger than any previously reported values in the bulk Cr-Te system. Notably, spontaneous topological Hall resistivity arising from the skyrmionic phase has been observed. Our findings not only elucidate the unique magnetic and magneto-transport properties of non-centrosymmetric trigonal Cr$_5$Te$_8$, but also open new avenues for investigating the effects of broken inversion symmetry on material properties and their potential applications.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2019

Surface states in bulk single crystal of topological semimetal Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$ towards water oxidation

The band inversion in topological phase matters bring exotic physical properties such as the emergence of a topologically protected surface states. They strongly influence the surface electronic structures of the investigated materials and could serve as a good platform to gain insight into the catalytic mechanism of surface reactions. Here we synthesized high-quality bulk single crystals of the topological semimetal Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$. We found that at room temperature, Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$ naturally hosts the band structure of a topological semimetal. This guarantees the existence of robust surface states from the Co atoms. Bulk single crystal of Co$_3$Sn$_2$S$_2$ exposes their Kagome lattice that constructed by Co atoms and have high electrical conductivity. They serves as catalytic centers for oxygen evolution process (OER), making bonding and electron transfer more efficient due to the partially filled $e_g$ orbital. The bulk single crystal exhibits outstanding OER catalytic performance, although the surface area is much smaller than that of Co-based nanostructured catalysts. Our findings emphasize the importance of tailoring topological non-trivial surface states for the rational design of high-activity electrocatalysts.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2018

Thermoelectric signatures of the electron-phonon fluid in PtSn4

In most materials, transport can be described by the motion of distinct species of quasiparticles, such as electrons and phonons. Strong interactions between quasiparticles, however, can lead to collective behaviour, including the possibility of viscous hydrodynamic flow. In the case of electrons and phonons, an electron-phonon fluid is expected to exhibit strong phonon-drag transport signatures and an anomalously low thermal conductivity. The Dirac semi-metal PtSn4 has a very low resistivity at low temperatures and shows a pronounced phonon drag peak in the low temperature thermopower; it is therefore an excellent candidate for hosting a hydrodynamic electron-phonon fluid. Here we report measurements of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the longitudinal and Hall electrical resistivities, the thermopower and the thermal conductivity of PtSn4. We confirm a phonon drag peak in the thermopower near 14 K and observe a concurrent breakdown of the Lorenz ratio below the Sommerfeld value. Both of these facts are expected for an electron-phonon fluid with a quasi-conserved total momentum. A hierarchy between momentum-conserving and momentum-relaxing scattering timescales is corroborated through measurements of the magnetic field dependence of the electrical and Hall resistivity and of the thermal conductivity. These results show that PtSn4 exhibits key features of hydrodynamic transport.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2012

Multiferroic and magnetoelectric nature of GaFeO3, AlFeO3 and related oxides

GaFeO3, AlFeO3 and related oxides are ferrimagnetic exhibiting magnetodielectric effect. There has been no evidence to date for ferroelectricity and hence multiferroicity in these oxides. We have investigated these oxides as well as oxides of the composition Al1-x-yGaxFe1+yO3 (x = 0.2, y = 0.2) for possible ferroelectricity by carrying out pyroelectric measurements. These measurements establish the occurrence of ferroelectricity at low temperatures below the Nèel temperature in these oxides. They also exhibit significant magnetoelectric effect. We have tried to understand the origin of ferroelectricity based on non-centrosymmetric magnetic ordering and disorder by carrying out first-principles calculations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗