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Ruixing Liang

Publications and source records attributed to Ruixing Liang.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2019

Many-body recombination in insulating cuprates

We study the pump-probe response of three insulating cuprates and develop a model for its recombination kinetics. The dependence on time, fluence, and both pump and probe photon energies imply many-body recombination on femtosecond timescales, characterized by anomalously large trapping and Auger coefficients. The fluence dependence follows a universal form that includes a characteristic volume scale, which we associate with the holon-doublon excitation efficiency. This volume varies strongly with pump photon energy and peaks near twice the charge-transfer energy, suggesting that the variation is caused by carrier multiplication through impact ionization.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2018

Logarithmic Upturn in Low-Temperature Electronic Transport as a Signature of d-Wave Order in Cuprate Superconductors

In cuprate superconductors, high magnetic fields have been used extensively to suppress superconductivity and expose the underlying normal state. Early measurements revealed insulating-like behavior in underdoped material versus temperature $T$, in which resistivity increases on cooling with a puzzling $\log(1/T)$ form. We instead use microwave measurements of flux-flow resistivity in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+y}$ and Tl$_2$Ba$_2$CuO$_{6+δ}$ to study charge transport deep inside the superconducting phase, in the low temperature and low field regime. Here, the transition from metallic low-temperature resistivity ($dρ/dT>0$) to a $\log(1/T)$ upturn persists throughout the superconducting doping range, including a regime at high carrier dopings in which the field-revealed normal-state resistivity is Fermi-liquid-like. The $\log(1/T)$ form is thus likely a signature of $d$-wave superconducting order, and the field-revealed normal state's $\log(1/T)$ resistivity may indicate the free-flux-flow regime of a phase-disordered $d$-wave superconductor.

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arXiv2018

Discovery of a strain-stabilised smectic electronic order in LiFeAs

In many high temperature superconductors, small orthorhombic distortions of the lattice structure result in surprisingly large symmetry breaking of the electronic states and macroscopic properties, an effect often referred to as nematicity. To directly study the impact of symmetry-breaking lattice distortions on the electronic states, using low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy we image at the atomic scale the influence of strain-tuned lattice distortions on the correlated electronic states in the iron-based superconductor LiFeAs, a material which in its ground state is tetragonal, with four-fold ($C_4$) symmetry. Our experiments uncover a new strain-stabilised modulated phase which exhibits a smectic order in LiFeAs, an electronic state which not only breaks rotational symmetry but also reduces translational symmetry. We follow the evolution of the superconducting gap from the unstrained material with $C_4$ symmetry through the new nematic phase with two-fold ($C_2$) symmetry and charge-density-wave order to a state where superconductivity is completely suppressed.

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arXiv2017

No Evidence for Orbital Loop Currents in Charge Ordered YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$ from Polarized Neutron Diffraction

It has been proposed that the pseudogap state of underdoped cuprate superconductors may be due to a transition to a phase which has circulating currents within each unit cell. Here, we use polarized neutron diffraction to search for the corresponding orbital moments in two samples of underdoped YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$ with doping levels $p=0.104$ and 0.123. In contrast to some other reports using polarized neutrons, but in agreement with nuclear magnetic resonance and muon spin rotation measurements, we find no evidence for the appearance of magnetic order below 300 K. Thus, our experiment suggests that such order is not an intrinsic property of high-quality cuprate superconductor single crystals. Our results provide an upper bound for a possible orbital loop moment which depends on the pattern of currents within the unit cell. For example, for the CC-$θ_{II}$ pattern proposed by Varma, we find that the ordered moment per current loop is less than 0.013 $μ_B$ for $p=0.104$.

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arXiv2017

Extracting phase information about the superconducting order parameter from defect bound states

Impurity bound states and quasi-particle scattering from these can serve as sensitive probes for identifying the pairing state of a superconducting condensate. We introduce and discuss defect bound state quasi-particle interference (DBS-QPI) imaging as a tool to extract information about the symmetry of the order parameter from spatial maps of the density of states around magnetic and non-magnetic impurities. We show that the phase information contained in the scattering patterns around impurities can provide valuable information beyond what is obtained through conventional QPI imaging. Keeping track of phase, rather than just magnitudes, in the Fourier transforms is achieved through phase-referenced Fourier transforms that preserve both real and imaginary parts of the QPI images. We further compare DBS-QPI to other approaches which have been proposed to use either QPI or defect scattering to distinguish different symmetries of the order parameter.

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arXiv2017

Determination of the Superconducting Order Parameter from Defect Bound State Quasiparticle Interference

The superconducting order parameter is directly related to the pairing interaction, with the amplitude determined by the interaction strength, while the phase reflects the spatial structure of the interaction. However, given the large variety of materials and their rich physical properties within the iron-based high-Tc superconductors, the structure of the order parameter remains controversial in many cases. Here, we introduce Defect Bound State Quasi Particle Interference (DBS-QPI) as a new method to determine the superconducting order parameter. Using a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope, we image in-gap bound states in the stoichiometric iron-based superconductor LiFeAs and show that the bound states induced by defect scattering are formed from Bogoliubov quasiparticles that have significant spatial extent. Quasiparticle interference from these bound states has unique signatures from which one can determine the phase of the order parameter as well as the nature of the defect, i.e. whether it is better described as a magnetic vs a nonmagnetic scatterer. DBS-QPI provides an easy but general method to characterize the pairing symmetry of superconducting condensates.

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arXiv2017

Transient terahertz photoconductivity of insulating cuprates

We establish a detailed phenomenology of photocarrier transport in the copper oxide plane by studying the transient terahertz photoconductivity of Sr$_2$CuO$_2$Cl$_2$ and YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_6$. The peak photoconductivity saturates with fluence, decays on multiple picosecond timescales, and evolves into a state characterized by activated transport. The time dependence shows little change with fluence, indicating that the decay is governed by first-order recombination kinetics. We find that most photocarriers make a negligible contribution to the dc photoconductivity, and we estimate the intrinsic photocarrier mobility to be 0.6-0.7 cm$^2$/V s at early times, comparable to the mobility in chemically doped materials.

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arXiv2017

Imaging the Real Space Structure of the Spin Fluctuations in an Iron-based superconductor

Spin fluctuations are a leading candidate for the pairing mechanism in high temperature superconductors, supported by the common appearance of a distinct resonance in the spin susceptibility across the cuprates, iron-based superconductors and many heavy fermion materials. The information we have about the spin resonance comes almost exclusively from neutron scattering. Here we demonstrate that by using low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy we can characterize the spin resonance in real space. We show that inelastic tunnelling leads to the characteristic dip-hump feature seen in tunnelling spectra in high temperature superconductors and that this feature arises from excitations of the spin fluctuations. Spatial mapping of this feature near defects allows us to probe non-local properties of the spin susceptibility and to image its real space structure.

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arXiv2017

Unravelling local spin polarization of Zhang-Rice singlet in lightly hole-doped cuprates using high-energy optical conductivity

Unrevealing local magnetic and electronic correlations in the vicinity of charge carriers is crucial in order to understand rich physical properties in correlated electron systems. Here, using high-energy optical conductivity (up to 35 eV) as a function of temperature and polarization, we observe a surprisingly strong spin polarization of the local spin singlet with enhanced ferromagnetic correlations between Cu spins near the doped holes in lightly hole-doped La$_{1.95}$Sr$_{0.05}$Cu$_{0.95}$Zn$_{0.05}$O$_{4}$. The changes of the local spin polarization manifest strongly in the temperature-dependent optical conductivity at ~7.2 eV, with an anomaly at the magnetic stripe phase (~25 K), accompanied by anomalous spectral-weight transfer in a broad energy range. Supported by theoretical calculations, we also assign high-energy optical transitions and their corresponding temperature dependence, particularly at ~2.5 ~8.7, ~9.7, ~11.3 and ~21.8 eV. Our result shows the importance of a strong mixture of spin singlet and triplet states in hole-doped cuprates and demonstrates a new strategy to probe local magnetic correlations using high- energy optical conductivity in correlated electron systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2016

Towards a quantitative description of tunneling conductance of superconductors: application to LiFeAs

Since the discovery of iron-based superconductors, a number of theories have been put forward to explain the qualitative origin of pairing, but there have been few attempts to make quantitative, material-specific comparisons to experimental results. The spin-fluctuation theory of electronic pairing, based on first-principles electronic structure calculations, makes predictions for the superconducting gap. Within the same framework, the surface wave functions may also be calculated, allowing, e.g., for detailed comparisons between theoretical results and measured scanning tunneling topographs and spectra. Here we present such a comparison between theory and experiment on the Fe-based superconductor LiFeAs. Results for the homogeneous surface as well as impurity states are presented as a benchmark test of the theory. For the homogeneous system, we argue that the maxima of topographic image intensity may be located at positions above either the As or Li atoms, depending on tip height and the setpoint current of the measurement. We further report the experimental observation of transitions between As and Li-registered lattices as functions of both tip height and setpoint bias, in agreement with this prediction. Next, we give a detailed comparison between the simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images of transition-metal defects with experiment. Finally, we discuss possible extensions of the current framework to obtain a theory with true predictive power for scanning tunneling microscopy in Fe-based systems.

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arXiv2016

Broken rotational symmetry on the Fermi surface of a high-T$_\mathrm{c}$ superconductor

Broken fourfold rotational (C$_4$) symmetry is observed in the experimental properties of several classes of unconventional superconductors. It has been proposed that this symmetry breaking is important for superconducting pairing in these materials, but in the high superconducting transition temperature (high-T$_{\mathrm{c}}$) cuprates this broken symmetry has never been observed on the Fermi surface. We have measured a pronounced anisotropy in the angle dependence of the interlayer magnetoresistance of the underdoped high-T$_{\mathrm{c}}$) superconductor YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.58}$, directly revealing broken C$_4$ symmetry on the Fermi surface. Moreover, we demonstrate that this Fermi surface has C$_2$ symmetry of the type produced by a uniaxial or anisotropic density-wave phase. This establishes the central role of C$_4$ symmetry breaking in the Fermi surface reconstruction of YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+δ}$, and suggests a striking degree of universality among unconventional superconductors.

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arXiv2016

Impact of Iron-site defects on Superconductivity in LiFeAs

In conventional s-wave superconductors, only magnetic impurities exhibit impurity bound states, whereas for an s+- order parameter they can occur for both magnetic and non-magnetic impurities. Impurity bound states in superconductors can thus provide important insight into the order parameter. Here, we present a combined experimental and theoretical study of native and engineered iron-site defects in LiFeAs. Detailed comparison of tunneling spectra measured on impurities with spin fluctuation theory reveals a continuous evolution from negligible impurity bound state features for weaker scattering potential to clearly detectable states for somewhat stronger scattering potentials. All bound states for these intermediate strength potentials are pinned at or close to the gap edge of the smaller gap, a phenomenon that we explain and ascribe to multi-orbital physics.

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arXiv2016

Superfluid density and microwave conductivity of FeSe superconductor: ultra-long-lived quasiparticles and extended s-wave energy gap

FeSe is an iron-based superconductor of immense current interest due to the large enhancements of Tc that occur when it is pressurized or grown as a single layer on an insulating substrate. Here we report precision measurements of its superconducting electrodynamics, at frequencies of 202 and 658 MHz and at temperatures down to 0.1 K. The quasiparticle conductivity reveals a rapid collapse in scattering on entering the superconducting state that is strongly reminiscent of unconventional superconductors such as cuprates, organics and the heavy fermion material CeCoIn5. At the lowest temperatures the quasiparticle mean free path exceeds 50 micron, a record for a compound superconductor. From the superfluid response we confirm the importance of multiband superconductivity and reveal strong evidence for a finite energy-gap minimum.

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arXiv2016

Orbital symmetry of charge density wave order in La1.875Ba0.125CuO4 and YBa2Cu3O6.67

Recent theories of charge density wave (CDW) order in high temperature superconductors have predicted a primarily d CDW orbital symmetry. Here, we report on the orbital symmetry of CDW order in the canonical cuprate superconductors La1.875Ba0.125CuO4 (LBCO) and YBa2Cu3O6.67 (YBCO), using resonant soft x-ray scattering and a model mapped to the CDW orbital symmetry. From measurements sensitive to the O sublattice, we conclude that LBCO has predominantly s' CDW orbital symmetry, in contrast to the d orbital symmetry recently reported in other cuprates. Additionally, we show for YBCO that the CDW orbital symmetry differs along the a and b crystal axes and that these both differ from LBCO. This work highlights CDW orbital symmetry as an additional key property that distinguishes the different cuprate families. We discuss how the CDW symmetry may be related to the "1/8--anomaly" and to static spin ordering.

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arXiv2016

The rate of quasiparticle recombination probes the onset of coherence in cuprate superconductors

The condensation of an electron superfluid from a conventional metallic state at a critical temperature $T_c$ is described well by the BCS theory. In the underdoped copper-oxides, high-temperature superconductivity condenses instead from a nonconventional metallic "pseudogap" phase that exhibits a variety of non-Fermi liquid properties. Recently, it has become clear that a charge density wave (CDW) phase exists within the pseudogap regime, appearing at a temperature $T_{CDW}$ just above $T_c$. The near coincidence of $T_c$ and $T_{CDW}$, as well the coexistence and competition of CDW and superconducting order below $T_c$, suggests that they are intimately related. Here we show that the condensation of the superfluid from this unconventional precursor is reflected in deviations from the predictions of BSC theory regarding the recombination rate of quasiparticles. We report a detailed investigation of the quasiparticle (QP) recombination lifetime, $τ_{qp}$, as a function of temperature and magnetic field in underdoped HgBa$_{2}$CuO$_{4+δ}$ (Hg-1201) and YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6+x}$ (YBCO) single crystals by ultrafast time-resolved reflectivity. We find that $τ_{qp}(T)$ exhibits a local maximum in a small temperature window near $T_c$ that is prominent in underdoped samples with coexisting charge order and vanishes with application of a small magnetic field. We explain this unusual, non-BCS behavior by positing that $T_c$ marks a transition from phase-fluctuating SC/CDW composite order above to a SC/CDW condensate below. Our results suggest that the superfluid in underdoped cuprates is a condensate of coherently-mixed particle-particle and particle-hole pairs.

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arXiv2015

Magnetic field controlled charge density wave coupling in underdoped YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$

The application of large magnetic fields ($B \sim B_{c2}$) to layered cuprates suppresses their high temperature superconducting behaviour and reveals competing ground states. In the widely-studied material YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$ (YBCO), underdoped ($p \sim 1/8$) samples show signatures of field-induced electronic and structural changes at low temperatures. However, the microscopic nature of the field-induced reconstruction and the high-field state are unclear. Here we report an x-ray study of the high-field charge density wave (CDW) in YBCO, for doping, $0.1 \lesssim p \lesssim 0.13$. For $p \sim 0.123$, we find that a field ($B \sim 10$~T) induces new CDW correlations along the CuO chain ($b$) direction only, leading to a 3-D ordered state along this direction at $B \sim 15$~T. The CDW signal along the $a$-direction is also enhanced by field, but does not develop a new pattern of correlations. We find that field modifies the coupling between the CuO$_2$ bilayers in the YBCO structure, and causes the sudden appearance of 3D CDW order. The mirror symmetry of individual bilayers is broken by the CDW at low and high fields, allowing recently suggested Fermi surface reconstruction.

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arXiv2015

The nature of the charge density waves in under-doped YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.54}$ revealed by X-ray measurements of the ionic displacements

All underdoped high-temperature cuprate superconductors appear to exhibit charge density wave (CDW) order, but both the underlying symmetry breaking and the origin of the CDW remain unclear. We use X-ray diffraction to determine the microscopic structure of the CDW in an archetypical cuprate YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6.54}$ at its superconducting transition temperature Tc ~ 60 K. We find that the CDWs present in this material break the mirror symmetry of the CuO2 bilayers. The ionic displacements in a CDW have two components: one perpendicular to the CuO$_2$ planes, and another parallel to these planes, which is out of phase with the first. The largest displacements are those of the planar oxygen atoms and are perpendicular to the CuO$_2$ planes. Our results allow many electronic properties of the underdoped cuprates to be understood. For instance, the CDW will lead to local variations in the doping (or electronic structure) giving an explicit explanation of the appearance of density-wave states with broken symmetry in scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and soft X-ray measurements.

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