arXiv subjects

Ross D. McDonald

Publications and source records attributed to Ross D. McDonald.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Spatially modulated heavy-fermion superconductivity in CeIrIn5

The ability to spatially modulate the electronic properties of solids has led to landmark discoveries in condensed matter physics as well as new electronic applications. Although crystals of strongly correlated metals exhibit a diverse set of electronic ground states, few approaches to spatially modulating their properties exist. Here we demonstrate spatial control over the superconducting state in mesoscale samples of the canonical heavy-fermion superconductor CeIrIn5. We use a focused ion beam (FIB) to pattern crystals on the microscale, which tailors the strain induced by differential thermal contraction into specific areas of the device. The resulting non-uniform strain fields induce complex patterns of superconductivity due to the strong dependence of the transition temperature on the strength and direction of strain. Electrical transport and magnetic imaging of devices with different geometry show that the obtained spatial modulation of superconductivity agrees with predictions based on finite element simulations. These results present a generic approach to manipulating electronic order on micrometer length scales in strongly correlated matter.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2018

Graphite in 90 T: Evidence for Strong-coupling Excitonic Pairing

Strong magnetic field induces at least two phase transitions in graphite beyond the quantum limit where many-body effects are expected. We report on a study using a state-of-the-art non-destructive magnet allowing to attain 90.5 T at 1.4 K, which reveals a new field-induced phase and evidence that the insulating state destroyed at 75 T is an excitonic condensate of electron-hole pairs. By monitoring the angle dependence of in-plane and out-of-plane magnetoresistance, we distinguish between the role of cyclotron and Zeeman energies in driving various phase transitions. We find that, with the notable exception of the transition field separating the two insulating states, the threshold magnetic field for all other transitions display an exact cosine angular dependence. Remarkably, the threshold field for the destruction of the second insulator (phase B) is temperature-independent with no detectable Landau-level crossing nearby. We conclude that the field-induced insulator starts as a weak-coupling spin-density-wave, but ends as a strong-coupling excitonic insulator of spin-polarized electron-hole pairs.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Dirac fermions in the heavy-fermion superconductors Ce(Co,Rh,Ir)In$_5$

The Ce(Co,Rh,Ir)In$_5$ family of ``Ce-115'' materials hosts an abundance of correlated electron behavior, including heavy-fermion physics, magnetism, superconductivity and nematicity. The complicated behavior of these entangled phenomena leads to a variety of exotic physical properties, which, despite the seemingly simple crystal structure of these compounds, remain poorly understood. It is generally accepted that the interplay between the itinerant and local character of Ce-$4f$ electrons is the key to their exotic behavior. Here, we report theoretical evidence that the Ce-115 materials are also topological semi-metals, with Dirac fermions around well-separated nodes. Dirac nodes in each compound are present on the $Γ-Z$ plane close to the Fermi level. As the Dirac bands are derived from In-orbitals, they occur in all family members irrespective of the transition metal (Co,Rh,Ir). We present the expected Fermi-arc surface state patterns and show the close proximity of a topological Lifshitz transition, which possibly explains the high field physics of Ce-115 materials. Experimentally, we highlight the surprising similarity of Ce(Co,Rh,Ir)In$_5$ in high magnetic fields, despite the distinctly different states of the Ce-$4f$ electrons. These results raise questions about the role Dirac fermions play in exotic transport behavior, and we propose this class of materials as a prime candidate for unconventional topological superconductivity.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Topological Excitations of Hidden Order in URu$_2$Si$_2$ Under Extreme Electric Fields

Quantum materials are epitomized by the influence of collective modes upon their macroscopic properties. Relatively few examples exist, however, whereby coherence of the ground-state wavefunction directly contributes to the conductivity. Notable examples include the quantizing effects of high magnetic fields upon the 2D electron gas, the collective sliding of charge density waves subject to high electric fields, and perhaps most notably the macroscopic phase coherence that enables superconductors to carry dissipationless currents. Here we reveal that the low temperature hidden order state of URu$_2$Si$_2$ exhibits just such a connection between the quantum and macroscopic worlds -- under large voltage bias we observe non-linear contributions to the conductivity that are directly analogous to the manifestation of phase slips in one-dimensional superconductors [1], suggesting a complex order parameter for hidden order

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Anisotropy in the Magnetoresistance Scaling of BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_{x}$)$_2$

Theories of the strange metal, the parent state of many high temperature superconductors, invariably involve an important role for correlations in the spin and charge degrees of freedom. The most distinctive signature of this state in the charge transport sector is a resistance that varies linearly in temperature, but this phenomenon does not clearly point to one mechanism as temperature is a scalar quantity that influences every possible mechanism for momentum relaxation. In a previous work we identified an unusual scaling relationship between magnetic field and temperature in the in-plane resistivity of the unconventional superconductor BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_{x}$)$_2$, providing an opportunity to use the vector nature of the magnetic field to acquire additional clues about the mechanisms responsible for scattering in the strange metal state. Here we extend this work by investigating other components of the conductivity tensor under different orientations of the magnetic field. We find that the scaling phenomenon involves only the out-of-plane component of the magnetic field and is, strikingly, independent of the direction of the applied current. This suggests that the origin of the strange magnetotransport is in the action of the magnetic field on the correlated behavior of spin and charge degrees of freedom, rather than on the simple cyclotron motion of individual quasiparticles.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Resonant torsion magnetometry in anisotropic quantum materials

Unusual behavior of quantum materials commonly arises from their effective low-dimensional physics, which reflects the underlying anisotropy in the spin and charge degrees of freedom. Torque magnetometry is a highly sensitive technique to directly quantify the anisotropy in quantum materials, such as the layered high-T$_c$ superconductors, anisotropic quantum spin-liquids, and the surface states of topological insulators. Here we introduce the magnetotropic coefficient $k=\partial^2 F/\partial θ^2$, the second derivative of the free energy F with respect to the angle $θ$ between the sample and the applied magnetic field, and report a simple and effective method to experimentally detect it. A sub-$μ$g crystallite is placed at the tip of a commercially available atomic force microscopy cantilever, and we show that $k$ can be quantitatively inferred from a shift in the resonant frequency under magnetic field. While related to the magnetic torque $τ=\partial F/\partial θ$, $k$ takes the role of torque susceptibility, and thus provides distinct insights into anisotropic materials akin to the difference between magnetization and magnetic susceptibility. The thermodynamic coefficient $k$ is discontinuous at second-order phase transitions and subject to Ehrenfest relations with the specific heat and magnetic susceptibility. We apply this simple yet quantitative method on the exemplary cases of the Weyl-semimetal NbP and the spin-liquid candidate RuCl$_3$, yet it is broadly applicable in quantum materials research.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Emptying Dirac valleys in bismuth using high magnetic fields

The Fermi surface of elemental bismuth consists of three small rotationally equivalent electron pockets, offering a valley degree of freedom to charge carriers. A relatively small magnetic field can confine electrons to their lowest Landau level. This is the quantum limit attained in other dilute metals upon application of sufficiently strong magnetic field. Here, we report on the observation of another threshold magnetic field never encountered before in any other solid. Above this field, $B_{\rm{empty}}$, one or two valleys become totally empty. Drying up a Fermi sea by magnetic field in the Brillouin zone leads to a manyfold enhancement in electric conductance. We trace the origin of the large drop in magnetoresistance across $B_{\rm{empty}}$ to transfer of carriers between valleys with highly anisotropic mobilities. The non-interacting picture of electrons with field-dependent mobility explains most results. Coulomb interaction may play a role in shaping the fine details.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2016

Robust spin correlations at high magnetic fields in the honeycomb iridates

The complexity of the antiferromagnetic orders observed in the honeycomb iridates is a double-edged sword in the search for a quantum spin-liquid ground state: both attesting that the magnetic interactions provide many of the necessary ingredients, but simultaneously impeding access. As a result, focus has been drawn to the unusual magnetic orders and the hints they provide to the underlying spin correlations. However, the study of any particular broken symmetry state generally provides little clue as to the possibilities of other nearby ground states \cite{Anderson}. Here we use extreme magnetic fields to reveal the extent of the spin correlations in $γ$-lithium iridate. We find that a magnetic field with a small component along the magnetic easy-axis melts long-range order, revealing a bistable, strongly correlated spin state. Far from the usual destruction of antiferromagnetism via spin polarization, the correlated spin state possesses only a small fraction of the total moment, without evidence for long-range order up to the highest attainable magnetic fields (>90 T).

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Shubnikov-de Haas quantum oscilations reveal a reconstructed Fermi surface near optimal doping in a thin film of the cuprate superconductor Pr$_{1.86}$Ce$_{0.14}$CuO$_{4\pmδ}$

We study magnetotransport properties of the electron-doped superconductor Pr$_{2-x}$Ce$_x$CuO$_{4\pmδ}$ with $x$ = 0.14 in magnetic fields up to 92~T, and observe Shubnikov de-Haas magnetic quantum oscillations. The oscillations display a single frequency $F$=255$\pm$10~T, indicating a small Fermi pocket that is $\sim$~1\% of the two-dimensional Brillouin zone and consistent with a Fermi surface reconstructed from the large hole-like cylinder predicted for these layered materials. Despite the low nominal doping, all electronic properties including the effective mass and Hall effect are consistent with overdoped compounds. Our study demonstrates that the exceptional chemical control afforded by high quality thin films will enable Fermi surface studies deep into the overdoped cuprate phase diagram.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Control of the third dimension in copper-based square-lattice antiferromagnets

Using a mixed-ligand synthetic scheme, we create a family of quasi-two-dimensional antiferromagnets, namely, [Cu(HF$_2$)(pyz)$_2$]ClO$_4$ [pyz = pyrazine], [Cu$L_2$(pyz)$_2$](ClO$_4$)$_2$ [$L$ = pyO = pyridine-N-oxide and 4-phpyO = 4-phenylpyridine-N-oxide. These materials are shown to possess equivalent two-dimensional [Cu(pyz)$_2$]$^{2+}$ nearly square layers, but exhibit interlayer spacings that vary from 6.5713~Å~to 16.777~Å, as dictated by the axial ligands. We present the structural and magnetic properties of this family as determined via x-ray diffraction, electron-spin resonance, pulsed- and quasistatic-field magnetometry and muon-spin rotation, and compare them to those of the prototypical two-dimensional magnetic polymer Cu(pyz)$_2$(ClO$_4$)$_2$. We find that, within the limits of the experimental error, the two-dimensional, {\it intralayer} exchange coupling in our family of materials remains largely unaffected by the axial ligand substitution, while the observed magnetic ordering temperature decreases slowly with increasing layer separation. Despite the structural motifs common to this family and Cu(pyz)$_2$(ClO$_4$)$_2$, the latter has significantly stronger two-dimensional exchange interactions and hence a higher ordering temperature. We discuss these results, as well as the mechanisms that might drive the long-range order in these materials, in terms of departures from the ideal $S=1/2$ two-dimensional square-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet. In particular, we find that both spin exchange anisotropy in the intralayer interaction and interlayer couplings (exchange, dipolar, or both) are needed to account for the observed ordering temperatures, with the intralayer anisotropy becoming more important as the layers are pulled further apart.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Quantum oscillations suggest hidden quantum phase transition in the cuprate superconductor Pr$_{2}$CuO$_{4\pmδ}$

For both electron- and hole-doped cuprates, superconductivity appears in the vicinity of suppressed broken symmetry order, suggesting that quantum criticality plays a vital role in the physics of these systems. A confounding factor in identifying the role of quantum criticality in the electron-doped systems is the competing influence of chemical doping and oxygen stoichiometry. Using high quality thin films of Pr$_{2}$CuO$_{4\pmδ}$, we tune superconductivity and uncover the influence of quantum criticality without Ce substitution. We observe magnetic quantum oscillations that are consistent with the presence of small hole-like Fermi surface pockets, and a large mass enhancement near the suppression of superconductivity. Tuning these materials using only oxygen stoichiometry allows the observation of quantum oscillations and provides a new axis with which to explore the physics underlying the electron-doped side of the cuprate phase diagram.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Magnetoresistance near a quantum critical point

In metals near a quantum critical point, the electrical resistance is thought to be determined by the lifetime of the carriers of current, rather than the scattering from defects. The observation of $T$-linear resistivity suggests that the lifetime only depends on temperature, implying the vanishing of an intrinsic energy scale and the presence of a quantum critical point. Our data suggest that this concept extends to the magnetic field dependence of the resistivity in the unconventional superconductor BaFe$_2$(As$_{1-x}$P$_{x}$)$_2$ near its quantum critical point. We find that the lifetime depends on magnetic field in the same way as it depends on temperature, scaled by the ratio of two fundamental constants $μ_B/k_B$. These measurements imply that high magnetic fields probe the same quantum dynamics that give rise to the $T$-linear resistivity, revealing a novel kind of magnetoresistance that does not depend on details of the Fermi surface, but rather on the balance of thermal and magnetic energy scales. This opens new opportunities for the investigation of transport near a quantum critical point by using magnetic fields to couple selectively to charge, spin and spatial anisotropies.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Quantum oscillations of the superconductor LaRu$_2$P$_2$ : comparable mass enhancement $λ\approx 1$ in Ru and Fe phosphides

We have studied the angular dependent de Haas-van Alphen oscillations of LaRu$_2$P$_2$ using magnetic torque in pulsed magnetic fields up to 60T. The observed oscillation frequencies are in excellent agreement with the geometry of the calculated Fermi surface. The temperature dependence of the oscillation amplitudes reveals effective masses m*($α$)=0.71 and m*($β$)=0.99 m$_e$, which are enhanced over the calculated band mass by $λ^{cyc}$ of 0.8. We find a similar enhancement $λ^γ \approx 1$ in comparing the measured electronic specific heat ($γ= 11.5$ mJ/mol K$^2$) with the total DOS from band structure calculations. Remarkably, very similar mass enhancements have been reported in other pnictides LaFe$_2$P$_2$, LaFePO ($T_c \approx 4K$), and LaRuPO, independent of whether they are superconducting or not. This is contrary to the common perceptions that the normal state quasi-particle renormalizations reflect the strength of the superconducting paring mechanism and leads to new questions about pairing in isostructural and isoelectronic Ru- and Fe-pnictide superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

A new spin-anisotropic harmonic honeycomb iridate

The physics of Mott insulators underlies diverse phenomena ranging from high temperature superconductivity to exotic magnetism. Although both the electron spin and the structure of the local orbitals play a key role in this physics, in most systems these are connected only indirectly --- via the Pauli exclusion principle and the Coulomb interaction. Iridium-based oxides (iridates) open a further dimension to this problem by introducing strong spin-orbit interactions, such that the Mott physics has a strong orbital character. In the layered honeycomb iridates this is thought to generate highly spin-anisotropic interactions, coupling the spin orientation to a given spatial direction of exchange and leading to strongly frustrated magnetism. The potential for new physics emerging from such interactions has driven much scientific excitement, most recently in the search for a new quantum spin liquid, first discussed by Kitaev \cite{kitaev_anyons_2006}. Here we report a new iridate structure that has the same local connectivity as the layered honeycomb, but in a three-dimensional framework. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility exhibits a striking reordering of the magnetic anisotropy, giving evidence for highly spin-anisotropic exchange interactions. Furthermore, the basic structural units of this material suggest the possibility of a new family of structures, the `harmonic honeycomb' iridates. This compound thus provides a unique and exciting glimpse into the physics of a new class of strongly spin-orbit coupled Mott insulators.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2013

Bounding the pseudogap with a line of phase transitions in YBCO cuprate superconductors

Close to optimal doping, the copper oxide superconductors show 'strange metal' behavior, suggestive of strong fluctuations associated with a quantum critical point. Such a critical point requires a line of classical phase transitions terminating at zero temperature near optimal doping inside the superconducting 'dome'. The underdoped region of the temperature-doping phase diagram from which superconductivity emerges is referred to as the 'pseudogap' because evidence exists for partial gapping of the conduction electrons, but so far there is no compelling thermodynamic evidence as to whether the pseudogap is a distinct phase or a continuous evolution of physical properties on cooling. Here we report that the pseudogap in YBCO cuprate superconductors is a distinct phase, bounded by a line of phase transitions. The doping dependence of this line is such that it terminates at zero temperature inside the superconducting dome. From this we conclude that quantum criticality drives the strange metallic behavior and therefore superconductivity in the cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2013

Characterization of thin-film NbN superconductor for single-photon detection by transport measurements

The fabrication of high-quality thin superconducting films is essential for single-photon detectors. Their device performance is crucially affected by their material parameters, thus requiring reliable and nondestructive characterization methods after the fabrication and patterning processes. Important material parameters to know are the resistivity, superconducting transition temperature, relaxation time of quasiparticles, and uniformity of patterned wires. In this work, we characterize micro-patterned thin NbN films by using transport measurements in magnetic fields. We show that from the instability of vortex motion at high currents in the flux-flow state of the $IV$ characteristic, the inelastic life time of quasiparticles can be determined to be about 2 ns. Additionally, from the depinning transition of vortices at low currents, as a function of magnetic field, the size distribution of grains can be extracted. This size distribution is found to be in agreement with the film morphology obtained from scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Anisotropic $H_{c2}$ determined up to 92 T and the signature of multi-band superconductivity in Ca$_{10}$(Pt$_{4}$As$_{8}$)((Fe$_{1-x}$Pt$_{x}$)$_{2}$As$_{2}$)$_{5}$ superconductor

The upper critical fields, $H_{c2}$($T$), of single crystals of the superconductor Ca$_{10}$(Pt$_{4-δ}$As$_{8}$)((Fe$_{0.97}$Pt$_{0.03}$)$_{2}$As$_{2}$)$_{5}$ ($δ$ $\approx$ 0.246) are determined over a wide range of temperatures down to $T$ = 1.42 K and magnetic fields of up to $μ_{0}H$ $\simeq$ 92 T. The measurements of anisotropic $H_{c2}$($T$) curves are performed in pulsed magnetic fields using radio-frequency contactless penetration depth measurements for magnetic field applied both parallel and perpendicular to the \textbf{ab}-plane. Whereas a clear upward curvature in $H_{c2}^{\parallel\textbf{c}}$($T$) along \textbf{H}$\parallel$\textbf{c} is observed with decreasing temperature, the $H_{c2}^{\parallel\textbf{ab}}$($T$) along \textbf{H}$\parallel$\textbf{ab} shows a flattening at low temperatures. The rapid increase of the $H_{c2}^{\parallel\textbf{c}}$($T$) at low temperatures suggests that the superconductivity can be described by two dominating bands. The anisotropy parameter, $γ_{H}$ $\equiv$ $H_{c2}^{\parallel\textbf{ab}}/H_{c2}^{\parallel\textbf{c}}$, is $\sim$7 close to $T_{c}$ and decreases considerably to $\sim$1 with decreasing temperature, showing rather weak anisotropy at low temperatures.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2012

Dimensionality selection in a molecule-based magnet

Gaining control of the building blocks of magnetic materials and thereby achieving particular characteristics will make possible the design and growth of bespoke magnetic devices. While progress in the synthesis of molecular materials, and especially coordination polymers, represents a significant step towards this goal, the ability to tune the magnetic interactions within a particular framework remains in its infancy. Here we demonstrate a chemical method which achieves dimensionality selection via preferential inhibition of the magnetic exchange in an $S=1/2$ antiferromagnet along one crystal direction, switching the system from being quasi-two- to quasi-one-dimensional while effectively maintaining the nearest-neighbour coupling strength.

cond-mat.str-el↗